Official "SIN CITY" Review Forum (May Contain Spoilers)

[ReduxGuy]

I saw it at a free screening in Houston and I'm gonna paste my review from another website:

So, I got back from Sin City a few hours ago and I still really don’t know what to say, except “Wow!”

As of now, this IS my #1 movie of 2005.

It’s a visual treat that’s faithfully adapted by Rodriguez. Screw Spider-Man 2. Sin City is the best comic book movie to come out in recent years, no questions asked. Also, and I thought this was cool, there’s even some dialogue from A Dame to Kill For (book #2) that, if he makes a sequel, will definitely be interesting to see on screen, since IMDb said that Maria Bello was gonna be Ava Lord.

The Cinematography and Editing is top notch and Rodriguez should be congratulated for his work.

The cast is at the top of their game (and Elijah Wood was SO DAMN CREEPY as Kevin. That damn smirk is gonna haunt me tonight). Stahl is great as the lead villain of That Yellow Bastard (though if any Roark was involved in a story, there WERE the main villain). Even his voice got creepy with the transformation. Hartnett’s good in his brief scenes (don’t ask about the other scene). Rosario is good. Clive, Benicio, and Mickey are great. Madsen does a good job. And Powers Boothe is menacing as Hell.

If there’s any chance the Oscars took notice of this film, it would definitely get a nod for Makeup because of the astonishing work for Marv and the Yellow Bastard.

The Rodriguez/Debney/Revell score is great and I can’t wait to get the music for it.

For those worried about how violent the film will be compared to the books, fear not. It’s violent and then some.

SPOILERS















I have never heard such a collective gasp and cringe when Hartigan ripped the Yellow Bastard’s dick off with his hands.




















END SPOILERS

That’s pretty much it.

My hopes for the DVD are a 2-disc with hi-def transfer, DTS, music track, commentaries, documentaries, deleted scenes (I have the books and there was a BUNCH of stuff cut out), green screen and makeup tests, the Comic Con trailer, the national trailers, and a whole buncha other badass stuff.

[RyoHazuki]

Could you put spoiler tags on that spoiler? Please.

[ReduxGuy]

Fixed.

[sdk]

So it lived up to your expectations and more? I can't wait for this movie.

[Tyler_Durden]

My hopes for the DVD are a 2-disc with hi-def transfer, DTS, music track, commentaries, documentaries, deleted scenes (I have the books and there was a BUNCH of stuff cut out), green screen and makeup tests, the Comic Con trailer, the national trailers, and a whole buncha other badass stuff.Really? You must be the only one. :p

Anyway, I'm really, really excited about this film. I still have difficulty believing that the first book has actually been made into a movie, and with Mickey Rourke, no less! Can't wait to see the fight with Kevin!

[Jackskeleton]

Robert Rodriguez already said that a lot of stuff was cut from the book because of time, but that all the scenes would be put back into place on the dvd to be an exact transfer of the books. Glad to hear it kicked ass. :)

[Rogue588]

:hscratch:

we have a Sin City forum?

[RyoHazuki]

www.SinCityTalk.com

[Big Boy Laroux]

it does seem kind of weird to me that they aren't using "a dame to kill for", as that story actually DOES intertwine with "the Hard Goodbye".

but maybe that would seem a bit forced, like it does in the comics. but I am still 100% excited for theis movie. it is going to be amazing. and that is great news about the DVD.

[Sierra Disc]

That's no "news" about the DVD, that's what he HOPES will be on the DVD. As do we all! ;)

[candyrocket786]

I saw it at a free screening in Houston and I'm gonna paste my review from another website:


What the hell??? Where??? :eek:

[scott shelton]

What the hell??? Where??? :eek:


Screenings began this week all over.

[Sessa17]

Going to see it this Friday night, my heart may explode with excitement before then.

[ReduxGuy]

Can't wait to see the fight with Kevin!

That was pretty damn bloody.

[ReduxGuy]

What the hell??? Where??? :eek:

The Angelika, downtown.

[ReduxGuy]

and that is great news about the DVD.

I said those are my HOPES for the DVD, not the actual DVD itself.

[Dr. DVD]

I think RR said he will have an expanded DVD in the future. I wouldn't expect it any time soon though. This is the kind of movie where they can and will milk the small but potent fanbase for all their worth with a regular DVD release and most likely an expanded one with a Sideshow collectible bust of a Sin City figure like Marv or Yellow Bastard.

That said, I KNEW that was Powers Boothe as Senator Roark! Someone in another thread said that Rutger Hauer played both Roark roles, but when I saw him in the preview I knew it was Boothe. Interesting that he is not listed on IMDB.

[scott shelton]

Caught the film tonight.

As a non-comic geek, I liked the film quite a bit. It’s an interesting stylistic exercise, and it gave Mickey Rourke the best role of his career. In fact, the whole cast was great.

I didn’t care for the obvious stabs at comedy. Those moments felt forced. There’s enough gallows humor in the film for three movies. Some of the broader jokes needed to go.

The big point of the film is this: how in the <i>fuuuuuuuuuck</i> did this film not get an NC-17? Sure, you have the B&W argument, the comic book argument… I’m still baffled. It’s a profoundly violent movie.

Unless it somehow slips into the hipster cool campgrounds, I don’t think the film will last long. It’s just too polarizing. It’s a great creation, but it works best if you know the source material and the vibe of the comic.

[BigDan]

I'm hoping for another ten minute cooking school on the eventual DVD release.

Really looking forward to the movie. Just two weeks away from opening now.

[Rogue588]

What's the running time?

[Dr. DVD]

I didn’t care for the obvious stabs at comedy. Those moments felt forced. There’s enough gallows humor in the film for three movies. Some of the broader jokes needed to go.




The comic is full of gallows humor, and since this was a direct translation of such. Knowledge of the source material or lack thereof might be the main hindrance of this as a movie to the general public.
I see this as doing about the same amount of business as the Kill Bill and Mariachi flicks; healthy, but not blockbuster.

[sdk]

I'm hoping for another ten minute cooking school on the eventual DVD release.

Really looking forward to the movie. Just two weeks away from opening now.

It is not a cooking school we are going to get if he tells the truth in the last cookingschool video.

[scott shelton]

What's the running time?

Two very fast hours.

[BizRodian]

These are all good things to hear.

[Dr. DVD]

It is not a cooking school we are going to get if he tells the truth in the last cookingschool video.



I doubt they will let him do the school of which he spoke in the last video. ;) This would be the film with which do it though.

If he offers me Ms. Gugino or Bledel (sp.?) as an instructor for said school, I would be more than willing to participate and play dumb! :drool:

[maingon]

another review

http://aintitcoolnews.com/display.cgi?id=19663

like all the other reviews say this one kicks ass.

[sdk]

I thought this was going to have a world wide realese? I found out that it is not comming out in norway untill june 7, and i had myself all psyched for april 1

[Kudama]

Where do you go to find out if it is screening in your locale?

I can't view flash sites at my work, so I can't check the official one.

[Dr. DVD]

So the version that hits theaters might be cut? Sucks!

Oh well, gimme an unrated DVD and me be happy!!! All I ask is that they please keep the footage of the topless Ms. Gugino! -other-

Nice to see some positive buzz, even if it is from geeks for the most part. :D

[scott shelton]

So the version that hits theaters might be cut? Sucks!


I wouldn't trust the AICN review for accuracy.

[BizRodian]

If you read the talkback section it links to the guy's full review...

He says the scenes of Marv visiting his mother, as well as some of his stuff with Wendy before he goes after Kevin, aren't there. A shame, since those really humanized Marv a lot.

[Terrell]

I wouldn't trust the AICN review for accuracy.

I wouldn't trust anything coming from AICN.

It'll be interesting going into the film knowing nothing about this story or film, and comparing my thoughts to those who know it well.

[Jackskeleton]

remember, everything was shot. It was just cut for pacing and will show up on dvd. for rodriguez has commanded it.

[Dr. DVD]

RR said he shot the three as fifty minute segments, and since the movie is about two hours on the dot, I guess he had to cut about ten minutes from each one. No problem, since the footage does exist and will be made available to us fanboys with time.

[LorenzoL]

Is Carla Gugino the only one going topless in this movie?

[ReduxGuy]

Is Carla Gugino the only one going topless in this movie?

No, it's Carla and Jaime.

[LorenzoL]

No, it's Carla and Jaime.

Thanks.

How I wish that Jessica Alba will had taken her top off too.

[Dr. DVD]

If she (Ms. Alba) were to take her top off then it would definitely generate more publicity than Gugino and King, though they have the better bodies IMO.

[scott shelton]

No, it's Carla and Jaime.

The Jamie nudity is odd, because when she has sex with Marv, it looks distinctly like a body double. But when she's lying down, it's her.

Who knows...

[scott shelton]

JoBlo - 9/10

"Comic book noir. I love it! If you love your comic books violent, dirty, gritty, filled with badass characters either looking to kick ass or getting their asses kicked (or both), and your movies hyper-stylized, cool, rapid-fire and chockfull of over-the-top characterizations from every horny adolescent’s wildest and most masochistic imagination, you’ve come to the right place…i.e. SIN CITY is for you!"

Review (http://www.joblo.com/reviews.php?mode=joblo_movies&id=1148)

[Big Boy Laroux]

The Jamie nudity is odd, because when she has sex with Marv, it looks distinctly like a body double. But when she's lying down, it's her.

Who knows...

would you want to get that close to Mickey Rourke?

[maingon]

So far it has 100% on Rotten tomatos
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sin_city/

[Dr. DVD]

So far it has 100% on Rotten tomatos
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sin_city/


That will change almost overnight when the big wigs get a hold of it. But maybe not! :)

[scott shelton]

That will change almost overnight when the big wigs get a hold of it. But maybe not! :)

It will. The wall of SIN CITY sound right now is from the geeks. They understand where the film is coming from, and have taken upon themselves to push, push, push the film to success.

It'll be a different story when the 50 year-old father of three critic sits down and reviews the film. And female critics? THAT will be interesting...

[Dr. DVD]

It will. The wall of SIN CITY sound right now is from the geeks. They understand where the film is coming from, and have taken upon themselves to push, push, push the film to success.

It'll be a different story when the 50 year-old father of three critic sits down and reviews the film. And female critics? THAT will be interesting...

The one thing that Sin Ciy might have going for it with "Mainstream Critics is its invocation of the old noir elements. Well, the male critics anyway! FWIW, noir movies seldom portrayed women in a positive light; i.e. they were typically either floozies or manipulative.

I expect this to have an overall "fresh" rating on rottentomatoes when most of them are in, but the cream of the crop(critics most people read) rating will most likely be rotten as they will not "get it."

[Rypro 525]

can someone anwser this question for those that have seen it already. is the movie entirly in black and white with little use of color here and there, or are there a few full color scenes?

[Sessa17]

can someone anwser this question for those that have seen it already. is the movie entirly in black and white with little use of color here and there, or are there a few full color scenes?

The cut I saw was in entirely B & W with dispersed color, but it is a gorgeous B & W & I GUARANTY you have never seen anything like this in the theaters. I cannot imagine anyone who loves the art of film, not liking this movie.

BTW, I attended a screening of this last Tues. night, & Jessica Alba made a surprise appearance. I got her autograph on an 8x10 photo (the one from the new GQ where she is curled up & all nekkid), I was shocked she signed it. Anway, the movie is beyond good. It can't even be argued that it is the most faithful comic book adaptation ever made. The geeks are going to think its the greatest thing ever (I know I do, better than Kill Bill & X2 combined & itsmy favorite film Tarantino has ever been involved in) but I still think its going to have a hard time winning the average movie critic over. I'm sure it will get panned for its dialogue which if you don't "get" what Sin City & this film is all about then you will find it corny & the cut I saw was violent as hell.

For me, & it was amplified by the atmosphere I saw this in, this may have been the best movie experience of my life, (along the lines of seeing Star Wars as a child). I can easily see myself seeing this another 5+ times in the theaters & I rarely see a movie more than once in the theaters. There is not one single bad character, not one weak performance, & my pick for the unsung bad-ass of this movie is not going to be Marv (who is beyond amazing) but Elijah Wood. Elijah fucking comes out of nowhere & rules in this movie but this is the type of movie that every single time you see it you are going to have a new favorite character.

[Dr. DVD]

Dang! Must....not...get...hopes...up!!!

In terms of the dialogue, you're correct. The only way an average critic will like this is if they either read the source material beforehand or have it there with them to follow while the movie unfolds(and even then they might criticize RR for even making such a movie; can't wait to see Medved's take on it). While it is basic noir and comic dialogue, that stuff can be seen as cheesy nowadays. I was watching a noir movie the other night and while it was good and the lines sharp for the most part, it did fumble a bit as well.

[scott1598]

i wasn't even that interested in this until all the hype and the more i see the commercials, the more it looks so grand! now, it is my most anticipated releases and i have been clamoring for a great one for awhile. hopefully, this will be it! now, i want the Best Buy preview disc and can't wait for an Unrated DVD.

but what is the theatrical rating? everywhere i see it still has no rating. how can that be?

[RyoHazuki]

Rated R for sustained strong stylized violence, nudity and sexual content including dialogue.

[scott1598]

Rated R for sustained strong stylized violence, nudity and sexual content including dialogue.
you mean even the dialogue is naked? wow...that's hot!

[scott1598]

Is Carla Gugino the only one going topless in this movie?
you know, i saw "This Boy's Life" with Leo and Robert yesterday and saw her, but couldn't place her till later...i have loved Carla since "Spin City" and now she is in "Sin City"? what are the chances...

[FinkPish]

i have loved Carla since "Spin City" and now she is in "Sin City"? what are the chances...
1 in 26?

[Dr. DVD]

Anyone else think this movie is getting too much PR? Playing many spots on both Sci-Fi and Comedy Central I can understand, but during the NCAA tournament might reach the wrong audience. Not kids, but rather people who will go to the movie and not totally "get it."

[Rypro 525]

you know, i saw "This Boy's Life" with Leo and Robert yesterday and saw her, but couldn't place her till later...i have loved Carla since "Spin City" and now she is in "Sin City"? what are the chances...
the only real karen sisco (not that J-Lo was bad)

[IanH]

Anyone else think this movie is getting too much PR? Playing many spots on both Sci-Fi and Comedy Central I can understand, but during the NCAA tournament might reach the wrong audience. Not kids, but rather people who will go to the movie and not totally "get it."

Definately but who cares. If this movie doesn't polarize people and get some uppity people pissed off Rodriguez and Miller didn't do their job of translating these graphic novels onto the big screen. Look at the reviews for the books at Amazon. The books themselves aren't universally liked except for those who had an inkling about what they were getting themselves into. And yeah, this isn't gonna be a traditional action flick. They should have gone to see Bruce's other action pick "Hostage" instead. This movie was made by a fan for the fans and I hope all of us go out and support a movie that isn't afraid to be a little different from the norm. And if it gets more people to appreciate Miller's vision that's great too.

The studio is doing the right thing business wise. Get those people who buy into hype and an all star cast to go out and buy a ticket. I wouldn't blame Rodriguez for wanting to to see a healthy first weekend gross for his baby either.

[Matthew Chmiel]

Anyone else think this movie is getting too much PR? Playing many spots on both Sci-Fi and Comedy Central I can understand, but during the NCAA tournament might reach the wrong audience. Not kids, but rather people who will go to the movie and not totally "get it."
It's not like they're advertising the flick as: "From the director of The Faculty and the Spy Kids trilogy."

[scott1598]

Anyone else think this movie is getting too much PR? Playing many spots on both Sci-Fi and Comedy Central I can understand, but during the NCAA tournament might reach the wrong audience. Not kids, but rather people who will go to the movie and not totally "get it."
too much Public Relations?
and who cares if it reaches the wrong audience during the tourney? it is still another demographic that will get this movie some more dough had it not aired during those incredible regional finals. you may even get one or two that do "get it" and really isn't that what an ad is for...

[Dr. DVD]

Well, I guess they're just trying to get a large opening as I guess after the first weekend nobody but the hardcore fans and maybe a small amount of new fans will return, sort of like Hellboy last year.

[CaptainMarvel]

I get to catch a free preview of this tonight... I'll post my thoughts afterwards. I've consciously avoided any publicity/spoilers about what's going to be in the movie. I've only seen that one or two commercials, so I should be a blank slate.

I spent the weekend re-reading Sin City, That Yellow Bastard, A Big Fat Kill, and Family Values (I don't know what happened to my "A Dame to Kill For" trades), so I'm certainly in the mood to watch this flick. I'll be seeing it with one comic fan who has never read the books and two non-comic fans who have never read the books, so I should get a good idea of how this will play for non-fans.

[scott1598]

So the version that hits theaters might be cut? Sucks!

Oh well, gimme an unrated DVD and me be happy!!! All I ask is that they please keep the footage of the topless Ms. Gugino! -other-

Nice to see some positive buzz, even if it is from geeks for the most part. :D

i thought some of you horndogs might like this...

do whatever you have to to get this preview disc! wow!, it is unbelievable.

mind you this is my first foray into free discs, but when i popped the disc in and saw that the "Sin City" section had 38 minutes of content (including trailers for others) i was already wowed.

then i saw "Scenes from Sin City" and i was blown away. not only were the scenes utterly captivating and breathtaking giving shivers, not only did i see Carla Gugino's very lovely assets (that's right, it's there!), but the transfer is near flawless and striking. no specs or grain, Widescreen, and the music pumps just enough for PCM 48kHz 16 bit to be loud and surrounding.

i can't wait for friday and may even take off just to see it early.

bottomline, if you can't wait...get this disc now!! this movie oozes style and will be like any other that has come around in some time. i have a feeling this will be a ride to savior and enjoy for awhile!!

[FinkPish]

I have nothing to add but these:

http://img16.paintedover.com/uploads/16/nancy.gif

http://img16.paintedover.com/uploads/16/gail.gif

http://img16.paintedover.com/uploads/16/carla.gif

http://img16.paintedover.com/uploads/16/ass.gif

[Dr. DVD]

Where is this preview disc?

[FinkPish]

Where is this preview disc?
Best Buy, for free with any purchase.

[Sessa17]

i
bottomline, if you can't wait...get this disc now!! this movie oozes style and will be like any other that has come around in some time. i have a feeling this will be a ride to savior and enjoy for awhile!!

Trust me it is, if that little DVD preview got you excited, it is NOTHING like seeing it on the big screen. The preview Disc doesn't even have some of the coolest characters in the film in it.

[Jackskeleton]

Best Buy, for free with any purchase.


Or 1 cent by itself. I took up five and happily paid my nickle.

[Dr. DVD]

MUTHAFUKAH!!!!


I got to the advance screening area for with my pass a full half hour ahead of time and the line was around the block in the mall that was showing it. Needless to say I and many others did not get in as the people doing the screening gave out more passes than seats. Then again, when you distribute tickets to every apartment in your area by sticking them in doorways I guess that's what you get. I only hope those that see it for free enjoy what they get. :(

Might need to get my tickets for Friday well in advance, as most of the free screenings in my area seldom draw large crowds and this one seemed to have a lot of interest.

[Rogue588]

I have nothing to add but these:

http://img16.paintedover.com/uploads/16/nancy.gifhttp://img16.paintedover.com/uploads/16/gail.gif

http://img16.paintedover.com/uploads/16/carla.gifhttp://img16.paintedover.com/uploads/16/ass.gifYou, my friend, rock! :banana:

[Terrell]

Damn! Nice T&A! I love the visual style of this film. I didn't know this was shot mostly, if not completely on bluescreen and greenscreen.

[Dr. DVD]

Any reviews in yet of the showings that happened tonight, to which I could not get into?!? Dammit!

[ReduxGuy]

http://img16.paintedover.com/uploads/16/carla.gif

I've already seen the film and have the free DVD, but to quote the killer in Scary Movie:

Nice breasts.

[CaptainMarvel]

Okay, I saw this tonight... I loved it. Possible spoilers below.

Be forewarned... as far as I can tell, this is the most accurate translation of a comic book ever. That's mostly great if you love the comic book... I just re-read Sin City, The Big Fat Kill, and That Yellow Bastard this weekend, and I knew dialogue line-for-line. There were a few omissions from the comics, but I didn't notice anything in the movie that wasn't in the comics.*

My wife had never read the comics (and was expecting to dislike it), but she really enjoyed it. Marv's story was her favorite. Two other friends also saw it with me and really enjoyed it.

The Good:
100% faithful translation... perfect
Really stylistic, but still highly entertaining
Marv couldn't have been any better... top notch job
I am officially scared of Elijah Wood now.

The Bad:
Being so faithful to the comics, the dialogue didn't translate well in a few spots. The worst place, to me, was unfortunately in the very beginning (between Hartigan and his partner).
Brittany Murphy can not act... she pulled me out of the movie in a few spaces. She was bad enough at one point that the audience was laughing at her... that would be fine if it was a comedic scene, but it was a dramatic scene.
I wasn't really happy with the 'massacre' at the end of Dwight's story... a lot of the actresses were making really goofy faces while shooting, which seemed out of place... they seemed like hams, not tough prostitutes.

The Ugly:
That yellow bastard... just grotesque

*: I didn't recognize the bookend Josh Hartnett scenes... were they from one of the one-shots? EDIT: Okay... it was a short story from "The Babe Wore Red", which is why I didn't recognize it.

[ReduxGuy]

The one at the end was made specifically for the film.

[RyoHazuki]

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sin_city/

78%

5 Negative Reviews.

[FinkPish]

Not too worried about those negative reviews: One Guy's Opinion, Flipside Movie Emporium and The Apollo Guide aren't the review sites I run to first when there is a movie I want to see. And The Village Voice constantly likes to rip on stuff that they are afraid will be popular in the mainstream.

[Rogue588]

Here's one a friend sent me

http://img163.exs.cx/img163/702/sincity4ja7pv7av.gif

He found it on a forum. Didn't tell me which.

[Dr. DVD]

I still wonder how mainstream critics will find this film. I was concerned that the dialogue and expressions wouldn't translate well at times.

[scott shelton]

Joblo - 9/10

"The bottom line is that the movie comes at a perfect time in the industry when Hollywood is about as stale as it’s been in the past few decades, so hopefully this vibrant piece of filmmaking will inspire others to snap out of their comas and attempt to deliver higher quality pictures to audiences around the world."

Review (http://www.joblo.com/reviews.php?mode=joblo_movies&id=1148)


Filmjerk - B+

"Rodriguez has meticulously transferred Miller’s B&W images from the page to the screen, and his lathered fanboy love for Miller’s work shines like a diamond throughout the film."

Review (http://www.filmjerk.com/new/article-1248--0-0.html)

[Dr. DVD]

The negative reviews are about what I expected; written by people who either have no familiarity with the material or can't handle the movie's unforgiving and violent nature.

[scott1598]

Sucks that EW gave it a negative...and i am a subscriber <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZNxdm835' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_1_38.gif' alt='Sad' border=0></a>

[maingon]

EW review isnt that negative, they gave it a C+
anyway i think this movie is gonna be awesome

[Dr. DVD]

Sucks that EW gave it a negative...and i am a subscriber <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZNxdm835' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_1_38.gif' alt='Sad' border=0></a>


EW really doesn't know shit about movies anymore I've concluded. They gave Unforgiven a C- when it came out and seem to have a dogged a majority of the movies made by the Coen Brothers.

All in all, I'm not surprised. This was something made for a niche crowd at best.

[LorenzoL]

Here's one a friend sent me

http://img163.exs.cx/img163/702/sincity4ja7pv7av.gif

He found it on a forum. Didn't tell me which.

Rogue588,

That is sweet! Thanks.

[brianluvdvd]

I watched the preview disc tonight & while I liked the look of it, hopefully they just decided to put a couple of dull, badly acted scenes on it to just whet the appetites for comic book fan-boys. I'm hoping the movie is much better than what the preview disc is promoting.

I was dis-heartened to watch the scenes with Josh (Pearl Harbor dude) something & Brittney Murphy. Neither one of them can act their way out of a paper bag. How do these people keep getting work on big-name films?

[RichC2]

Ebert gave it a nice 4 outta 4, not a big surprise but glad to hear.

One of the few critics that can rip a movie for being shallow yet love one for being pure entertainment.

[slop101]

I really liked Film Freak's review - very well written and lets you know if it'll be a movie for you, or not - here's the last bit of the review:

"It's all about sack-size and the lizard brain--and as a film, it's something like pure aggression and machismo, freebased on a filthy spoon and shunted into an open vein. An eight ball of posturing, the savage Sin City is puerility at its most exhilarating. It feels insular, hermetically sealed, and magnified to the point of opera and caricature--what else to think of a grimy pulp piece that calls one character Lancelot (King Arthur himself, Clive Owen, demoted) and another Galahad? If Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Mickey Spillane, and Carroll John Daly were still jamming their roscoes in some patsy's buttonhole, they'd be doing it like this. Nasty, uncompromising, an instant cult classic, Sin City is most definitely not for every taste (were it not so stylized, it would surely have earned an X for grue), but it is that once-a-year reminder, hot and dangerous, of why it is a lot of us started going to the movies in the first place."

[BudSeriously]

EW really doesn't know shit about movies anymore I've concluded. They gave Unforgiven a C- when it came out and seem to have a dogged a majority of the movies made by the Coen Brothers.

All in all, I'm not surprised. This was something made for a niche crowd at best.
Yeah, they gave "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" a F. So by that standard, "Sin City" should rock.

[Sierra Disc]

I love EW, but can't stand Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews (she did "Sin City"). Definition of pretentious Manhattanite elitist critic, imho. Her reviews are like a slog through the latest dictionary words she's discovered.

[Fielding Mellish]

Caught a sneak of this last night. Let me just say, this makes Pulp Fiction look like The Apple Dumpling Gang.

And Carla Gugino just passed Susan Sarandon on the “all time screen-great pairs” list… if you know what I mean.

[scott shelton]

I really liked Film Freak's review - very well written and lets you know if it'll be a movie for you, or not - here's the last bit of the review:

"It's all about sack-size and the lizard brain--and as a film, it's something like pure aggression and machismo, freebased on a filthy spoon and shunted into an open vein. An eight ball of posturing, the savage Sin City is puerility at its most exhilarating. It feels insular, hermetically sealed, and magnified to the point of opera and caricature--what else to think of a grimy pulp piece that calls one character Lancelot (King Arthur himself, Clive Owen, demoted) and another Galahad? If Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Mickey Spillane, and Carroll John Daly were still jamming their roscoes in some patsy's buttonhole, they'd be doing it like this. Nasty, uncompromising, an instant cult classic, Sin City is most definitely not for every taste (were it not so stylized, it would surely have earned an X for grue), but it is that once-a-year reminder, hot and dangerous, of why it is a lot of us started going to the movies in the first place."



Ug. Walter Chaw is a pain in the ass. I'm sorry he has a fanbase.

[slop101]

Ug. Walter Chaw is a pain in the ass. I'm sorry he has a fanbase.

Really? How so?

Is it because you disagree with his reviews, or his writing style?

Even when I disagree with him, I think he's a well-informed, intelligent reviewer.

[scott shelton]

Really? How so?

Is it because you disagree with his reviews, or his writing style?

Even when I disagree with him, I think he's a well-informed, intelligent reviewer.


I mean, sure I disagree with him most of the time. He has a very pessimistic view of movies coming out today. He gets off on his pans. You can almost smell the semen.

But his "intelligent" writing comes off to me as a failed novelist. He tries way too hard, and, as somebody mentioned earlier about Lisa Schwarzbaum, he is a "definition of pretentious Manhattanite elitist critic, imho. his reviews are like a slog through the latest dictionary words he's discovered."

I'm glad you enjoy his work, don't get me wrong. I just appreciate critics who seem like they love going to the movies, not professor types who want to lecture the world on film theory. Chaw strikes ME as a pompous ass. Like a guy who wants the critical community to know that he's above it all.

Of course, these are just my thoughts.

[Dr. DVD]

I love EW, but can't stand Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews (she did "Sin City"). Definition of pretentious Manhattanite elitist critic, imho. Her reviews are like a slog through the latest dictionary words she's discovered.


I don't see many women giving this movie great reviews. While I would love to see how USA Today's Mike Clark would rate it, I would hate to see Susan whatsername or Claudia Puig's write-up. I remember it was one of the two women who only gave Gladiator 2 1/2 stars, and it went on two win Best Picture (undeservedly, but it's a guys' movie, so it should be reviewed by guys).

While Ebert can be somewhat slipshod, he really does tend to like comic book pulp and noir movies; he actually put Spider-Man 2 on his top ten movies of the year list.

[Terrell]

EW is a complete rag. The film critic I read the most is James Berardinelli. I find myself not only agreeing with him quite often, but I enjoy reading his reviews.

[slop101]

I mean, sure I disagree with him most of the time. He has a very pessimistic view of movies coming out today. He gets off on his pans. You can almost smell the semen....

That makes sense - I'm not very pretentious myself, but for some reason I enjoy reading pretentious reviews. At least he liked Sin City for non-pretentious reasons...

I wonder what you think of Anthony Lane from the New Yorker.

[Geofferson]

I just read Ebert's review. Damn, I want to see this movie! :)

[xfilekr]

Review I found on MSNBC
I haven't read the comics, but I think it might have a few mild spoilers if you wanted to go in knowing nothing. Just wanted to mention that in case there are spoilers.

MSNBC Review:By John Hartl
Film critic

The credits for “Frank Miller’s Sin City” list three directors: Miller, whose graphic novels inspired the movie; Robert Rodriguez, the ingenious director of the “Spy Kids” series; and Quentin Tarantino, a “guest director” whose approach to comic violence appears to have been a major influence.

Maybe that’s too many cooks. The movie is all over the place, mixing film-noir visual styles and plots with famous actors whose faces are so buried in makeup it’s hard to tell who’s playing what. The script by Miller and Rodriguez, which suggests a cut-and-paste job rather than a coherent narrative, is drawn from several of Miller’s stories.

The credits also claim the movie was “shot and cut” by Rodriguez, whose color schemes appear to be paying tribute to the titles of such Miller novels as “Those Yellow Bastards” and “The Babe Wore Red.” Women’s lips are garish-red, though everything that surrounds them is in black and white. And only a gangrenous form of yellow is allowed to peep through the black-and-white scenery surrounding a yellow monster played by an unrecognizable Nick Stahl. (Perhaps 90 percent of the film is in black and white.)


“Sin City” begins with a romantic episode that turns vicious when Josh Hartnett kisses and then shoots the woman he’s in the process of seducing. It sets the tone for much of what follows: vows of friendship are followed by beatings, strippers mix spectacular violence with their club acts, and declarations of undying love are blended with an awful lot of dying.

Among the more recognizable actors are Bruce Willis, as a retiring policeman with a bum ticker and a martyr complex, and Clive Owen, as an obsessed creature who seems capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound. They get a lot of screen time, and so does an expertly disguised Mickey Rourke, as a thuggish criminal who is fixated on finding his lover’s killer.

Stahl, who is recognizable in earlier scenes, isn’t around for long. Neither are Hartnett, Powers Boothe as Stahl’s politician father, or Elijah Wood as a lethal prodigy who apparently survives a beheading. In addition to decapitations, the movie features cannibalism, castration, rivers of blood (sometimes red, sometimes milky), death by sledgehammer (accompanied by thunderous sound effects) and a lineup of hookers’ heads that are displayed like hunters’ trophies.

By now, you may be getting some idea of whether this is your kind of movie. If you enjoyed Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” double bill, you may welcome “Sin City” as a logical replacement for “Kill Bill, Vol. 3.” If you’re not a “Kill Bill” fan, you probably won’t be attending anyway.

Usually when Tarantino and Rodriguez work together, the result falls into the unmentionable category. Anyone care to revisit “Four Rooms” or “From Dusk Till Dawn”? Thought not. “Sin City” isn’t that kind of train wreck. There’s a little more going on here, thanks to the actors — especially Owen, Rourke and Wood — even if the rest of the picture comes off as an aggressively self-conscious curiosity.

[scott shelton]

That makes sense - I'm not very pretentious myself, but for some reason I enjoy reading pretentious reviews. At least he liked Sin City for non-pretentious reasons...

I wonder what you think of Anthony Lane from the New Yorker.

:) I stay away from the New Yorker. It's not for me.

[Dr. DVD]

Was that "I haven't read the comics" statement something stated by the critic? If it is then it comes as no surprise to me that he more or less disliked the movie. From reading his review, it seems like he didn't care much for the Kill Bill movies either.

Like I said, I expect the final tally for this movie on rottentomatoes to remain mostly fresh, but the critics most people (non-geeks) read will detest it, and the net/geek review section will be fresh while cream of the crop will be rotten. While one can throw out Ebert's gushing review as proof to the contrary, it was obvious Ebert was familiar with the source material and had probably read them before viewing the movie.

[Dr. DVD]

:) I stay away from the New Yorker. It's not for me.


While I like the magazine itself, the people who do the film reviews seldom give a good notice to anything that isn't stuff like Scorsese or artsy-fartsy stuff.

[UKingdom]

hm...do you think this would be a bad idea for a date movie based on the violence? i was going to take someone based on the idea that it's very stylized and has an a list cast; but then i read in the review about hookers' decapitated heads and i'm having second thoughts...

[Dr. DVD]

One thing I would not classify Sin City as is a date movie. I would either see it with your friends or alone.

[Tuan Jim]

Hardly worth complaining about -- more of a nitpick: Everyone keeps mentioning "The Babe Wore Red". Assuming the intro clip is the same on as the comic-con footage, the story is "The Customer is Always Right" from "Booze, Broads & Bullets." (b&w only I should mention -- no color) "The Babe Wore Red" is another, different story in the same collection.

[Jackskeleton]

This is not a date movie.

[LorenzoL]

Another one in agreement that this is not a date movie.

[sailor_moon]

This is not a date movie.

What's funny, is I'm the one that wants to see this movie and my boyfriend doesn't. He's more into comedies and I love action. I've been salivating ever since I first read about this movie and picked up the GNs without a second thought.

So, I guess it just depends on the girl you're with.

[CaptainMarvel]

Review I found on MSNBC
<snip>
... Elijah Wood as a lethal prodigy who apparently survives a beheading...

Way to not pay attention at all, Mr. MSNBC reviewer. You shouldn't be allowed to write reviews if you aren't capable of understanding that stories can be told out of chronological order.

[Jackskeleton]

Ha. no shit on that. Total agreement. Perhaps that reviewer also failed to realize that Marv survives a trip to the electric chair since he's in the club during the last segment.

[scott1598]

what i love is that all the negative reviews seem to be about how truly brutal this movie is and that seems to be the biggest complaint...you know what? that's just fine with me. going to the 11:30am show today and f-in can't wait!
http://www.therewindforums.co.uk/forums/images/smiles/new_microwave.gif

what i hate is that jack seems to have spoiled some without using spoiler tags in the post above^^ (i know the thread mentions, but be respectful nonetheless) way to go!

[matrixrok9]

Never read the comics but I still liked the movie. It took a while to get used to the narrative. The Benicio Del Toro story was the crappiest. It felt rushed and I didn't get why Duncan's character didn't have more men. I loved Marv's and Hartigan's stories. It was so tragic.

A grade of A- or 3 and a half stars out of four.

Oh yeah the boobies were nice. Was it really hers (Son In Law chick) or cg'd?

[Jackskeleton]

what i love is that all the negative reviews seem to be about how truly brutal this movie is and that seems to be the biggest complaint...you know what? that's just fine with me. going to the 11:30am show today and f-in can't wait!
http://www.therewindforums.co.uk/forums/images/smiles/new_microwave.gif

what i hate is that jack seems to have spoiled some without using spoiler tags in the post above^^ (i know the thread mentions, but be respectful nonetheless) way to go!


My ass is covered with the (May Contain Spoilers) tag. :p

Besides, this movie was spoilered for you years ago on toy shelves..
http://www.otherlandtoys.co.uk/sincitymarv2.jpg

[Robert]

Roger Ebert's 4 Star review:

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050331/REVIEWS/50322001

[Dr. DVD]

Interesting that a movie entitled Sin City is opening on the same weekend the Pope lies at death's door. I doubt that will affect this movie's performance, but that's really weird IMO.

The rottentomatoes review board seems to have settled at 75%, meaning it is fresh. However, as I predicted the Cream of the Crop section of "prestigous" critics seems to not like it (albeit a slim 3% margin keeping it from being fresh). While I know this film will play to a niche audience at best, I would like to see it rake in some major dollars for the sake of more movies like it being made. I fear major critics disliking it will hurt its chances with the mainstream.

[clappj]

http://www.hollywood.com/movies/reviews/movie/2438757

[Big Boy Laroux]

how is duncan as Manute? The casting seemed off to me at first... Sure, duncan is big and black, but manute has a quality I don't see in Duncan. Very... "proper" i guess is the word. hard to explain what I mean...

Plus, manute has a very distinct African look to him in the drawings. Duncan does not have that same look.

[j_sutton]

This (http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/19/film-taylor.php) is probably the most offensive review I've ever read...I know everybody has the right to their opinion, but I can't fathom why you'd not only pan a movie, but repeatedly insist that anybody who remotely enjoys it is a sick freak and a loser....

"Had enough? If not, then you are in all likelihood an adult male aging ungracefully, or a pimply youth with a pimply youth’s fondness for comic books about hell on Earth. If you’re a woman of any age who gets off on this stuff, even with its feeble stabs at feminist role reversals, I throw up my hands."

Wow...I guess those other 75% on Rotten Tomatoes are just wrong, this must be the right one.

[maingon]

sin city now has a fresh ratings of 75%

[purplechoe]

This (http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/19/film-taylor.php) is probably the most offensive review I've ever read...I know everybody has the right to their opinion, but I can't fathom why you'd not only pan a movie, but repeatedly insist that anybody who remotely enjoys it is a sick freak and a loser....

"Had enough? If not, then you are in all likelihood an adult male aging ungracefully, or a pimply youth with a pimply youth’s fondness for comic books about hell on Earth. If you’re a woman of any age who gets off on this stuff, even with its feeble stabs at feminist role reversals, I throw up my hands."

Wow...I guess those other 75% on Rotten Tomatoes are just wrong, this must be the right one.

this part of the review makes me want to see this film even more :)

"These three heroic abstractions (no one in his right mind could call them characters) coalesce into a gaga knightliness that only a virgin schoolboy could get behind. In the acting out of Miller’s timely if hardly original themes, the hazy line between sin and virtue blurs into a furiously accelerating orgy of gore and severed limbs that could very well make Takashi Miike blanch — that is the true, manga-inspired impulse of this film."

[scott1598]

Ha. no shit on that. Total agreement. Perhaps that reviewer also failed to realize that Marv survives a trip to the electric chair since he's in the club during the last segment.
well Jack...once again, unless you were kidding you were wrong about Marv. of course we don't know he survived because the scene we saw him in was pre-dating his electrocution (and was it me or was that Rafferty sitting next to him as well?). you could have told me that before i thought the worst of you...again:)

[scott1598]

In a word...spectacular! In two words…simply brilliant! And, in three words…a rare treat! This was the most fun I have had at a movie since "Kill Bill vol. 1" and I loved “Kill Bill vol. 1”.

This has all the makings of a modern classic. I just looked up what film noir meant (crime fiction featuring hard-boiled cynical characters and bleak sleazy settings) and this movie epitomizes the definition in every sense. The very essence of this movie is film noir.

It is at once gorgeous and breathtaking. The vignettes movie at such a heart-pounding pace you rarely have time to catch your breath.

It moves and exhilarates all at the same time. The gripping scenes, rich characters, and lush cityscapes make you forget this is anything but a masterpiece. The film is a true burst for the senses.

Every cell that makes up the scene you know is a piece of artwork brimming with imagination conjured up by Frank Miller and adapted in a marvelous way by Robert Rodriguez.

Every sound, from the drops of rain to the shots of a gun, rips through your mind as if the characters were right beside you. They cause you to clutch as the shot rings out. You wince and are terrified and then giddy at the thought that this is all amazing performances by a crop of actors who may not all be great, but gel so well together that simply being in the scenes and performing the way they are makes them great and each and every performance memorable.

Every scene, so ripe with anticipation of what will happen next and even when you think you know...you have no clue. The dialogue and story harken back to the classics of yesteryear. The characters move with grace and dignity as if they have a role to covet and not tarnish the style and sophistication of film noir masterpieces of old.

This movie is at once brutal, never innocent, and always visceral. As you're watching, you simply do not want the ride to ever end.

Some of the highlights:

Mickey Rourke! Wow! If he does not get an Oscar nomination (and possibly the Oscar) from this performance then there is no justice. Talk about a comeback. I know he has been interspersed in some roles here and there, but nothing like this and this was great acting that many knew he could do back in his “Angel Heart” and “Pope of Greenwich Village” days. He is every bit, Marv, on film and in real life. No character was made more for an actor than Marv was for Mickey.

The Look: simply breathtaking. You never for a second aren’t amazed at how simply gorgeous this movie looks. The blacks, the whites, and the deep rich greys. Then tweaked with the occasional bright light of color. It was simply perfect.

The Vignettes: moving, heart wrenching, gut-busting action, comedy, drama, suspense, horror. You name the genre; this movie has got it and not only got it but done it so very well.

One last thing: I have heard some critics say that this brutalizes or demoralizes women…are you kidding? The women in this movie kick ass. So much so that I believe, they have a higher total body count (the end of the Dwight vignette) than any of the male characters (maybe sans the off-screen shenanigans of Yellow Bastard/Rourke Jr.)…so, demoralizing…I think not.

Anyway, great movie. Great time. Great fun. I cannot wait for the DVD!
This is one not to be missed and a tasty morsel that doesn’t come along every day!

Please also note...this review is coming from someone who had never even heard of "Sin City" the movie, let alone the acclaimed graphic novels by Frank Miller until he saw the first trailer for this film. Bottomline, this will appeal to so many. That is all.

[IanH]

This (http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/19/film-taylor.php) is probably the most offensive review I've ever read...I know everybody has the right to their opinion, but I can't fathom why you'd not only pan a movie, but repeatedly insist that anybody who remotely enjoys it is a sick freak and a loser....

"Had enough? If not, then you are in all likelihood an adult male aging ungracefully, or a pimply youth with a pimply youth’s fondness for comic books about hell on Earth. If you’re a woman of any age who gets off on this stuff, even with its feeble stabs at feminist role reversals, I throw up my hands."

Wow...I guess those other 75% on Rotten Tomatoes are just wrong, this must be the right one.


I'm enjoying reading the negative reviews more than the positive ones. Its interesting to see critics getting offended and actually believe their reviews can somehow influence people's tastes.

[slop101]

That LA weekley reviewer got it wrong when she says: "..opens with a swoony love scene culminating in a murder for the heck of it".

It's obvious that the woman in the intro took a hit out on herself to avoid "fates worse than death". If the reviewer was paying the slighest bit of attention, she'd understand this, or maybe she doesn't even understand dialogue.

[Jackskeleton]

I'm sure there was a couple of folks who didn't get that and in (not) doing so, failed to get the ending.

[scott shelton]

Its interesting to see critics getting offended and actually believe their reviews can somehow influence people's tastes.

Welcome to Earth. Some critics do influence.

[scott shelton]

One last thing: I have heard some critics say that this brutalizes or demoralizes women…are you kidding? The women in this movie kick ass. So much so that I believe, they have a higher total body count (the end of the Dwight vignette) than any of the male characters (maybe sans the off-screen shenanigans of Yellow Bastard/Rourke Jr.)…so, demoralizing…I think not.


"Kick ass" as they may, most of the women here are whores/selling their bodies. Not everybody enjoys that depiction. It goes beyond throwing stars and the ocassional Uzi...

[j_sutton]

The funny thing is that for all the talk of them being hookers, it's not like they're ever shown plying their trade. No hooking, or for that matter, stripping, is ever shown (Nancy dancing with her clothes on doesn't count). Some people are taking this way too seriously.

[CaptainMarvel]

"Kick ass" as they may, most of the women here are whores/selling their bodies. Not everybody enjoys that depiction. It goes beyond throwing stars and the ocassional Uzi...

I've got to agree that most of the women are portrayed in traditionally negative roles (prostitutes/strippers), but they're generally portrayed as positive versions of those roles in this movie... just like most of the men are portrayed in traditionally negative roles (thug, murderer, goon) that come across positive here.

Hell, many of the bad guys in the movie are the people who occupy the "good guy" roles in real life... cops, clergy, politicians. Miller pretty much portrayed our world's typical good guys in a negative light and our world's typical bad guys in a positive light.

Only two of the authority figures in the movie are portrayed positively, as far as I can recall... Hartigan (cop) and Marv's parole officer.

[maingon]

just got back from the movie, and it was awesome. the writings was great and every actor/ actress gave great peformances, Bruce Willis, Mickey rourke, all great...... Jessica Alba looked amazing and she was very good in it , i heard people saying they were unsure about her but i thought she did a great job. i didnt mind the violence and everyone in the theater seemed love this movie, only one old man walked out about 45 minutes in to it. but some women behind me seemed to really like this movie.

9.5/10

[Cygnet74]

this rodriguez is like michael bay for film geeks. don't like him and didn't like this... although the version i saw was from three months ago and mostly in color.

[majorjoe23]

this rodriguez is like michael bay for film geeks. don't like him and didn't like this... although the version i saw was from three months ago and mostly in color.

So you saw a rough edit with incomplete special effects and it didn't blow you away?

[Cygnet74]

So you saw a rough edit with incomplete special effects and it didn't blow you away?what do the state of the FX have to do with whether or not I thought the film offered a good story, well told?

[Jackskeleton]

In this case, I would say alot. rough fx would have easily taken you out of the mindset that the film puts you in with the colors and atmospher.

[Dr. DVD]

You're wasting your time Jack. He said he doesn't like Rodrguez, and obviously never read the source material which he would probably find unlikable anyway. Isn't this the same guy who gripes about Star Wars using too much CGI as well?

Wait a minute...that's several guys. ;)

[scott1598]

"Kick ass" as they may, most of the women here are whores/selling their bodies. Not everybody enjoys that depiction. It goes beyond throwing stars and the ocassional Uzi...
what's your point? they are making a living. making money so they can live. some may have no choice, but some may do it by choice. the women in this movie were every way portrayed as strong independent women who care for their own and protect what's theirs. i guarantee you that is how Frank and Robert percieve them. in this movie, they are in control and i don't think that is a demoralizing/demeaning factor in anyway. and anyone who sees them as anything less is simply obtuse.

edit: the men in this film are seen as depraved, psychopathic lunatics who lie, cheat, steal, and kill. if the reviewers were going to criticize, they best do it to the men as well. ERA!!!!!!!!........i'm not all that, but i was making a point.

[Big Dave]

I picked up tickets for a DLP screening tomorrow afternoon, can't wait. I plan on finishing the rest of the TPB (at least the movie-relevant ones) tonight. First movie I have been excited enough to go see in the theater for a long time.

[Gutz]

I just saw the movie. Hands down, ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES THIS YEAR! DLP screening which was freaking unbelievable.

So, I have a question

Is Nancy (Alba) dies in the movie? I'm saying this because I thought I saw a beheaded girl who looked like Alba. Do you remember victims of Kevin? So, the first right "victim" looked like Nancy? Was it her?

[Cygnet74]

In this case, I would say alot. rough fx would have easily taken you out of the mindset that the film puts you in with the colors and atmospher.well, i've seen it go from rough assembly to "finish" in four different cuts over the last three months. while the FX did improve, the essence of the film did not. IMO.

[scott1598]

I just saw the movie. Hands down, ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES THIS YEAR! DLP screening which was freaking unbelievable.

So, I have a question

Is Nancy (Alba) dies in the movie? I'm saying this because I thought I saw a beheaded girl who looked like Alba. Do you remember victims of Kevin? So, the first right "victim" looked like Nancy? Was it her?
umm...no. i believe when Hartigan saved her again, she left "Sin City" and went far away. no way Kevin could get her then.

[scott1598]

umm...no. i believe when Hartigan saved her again, she left "Sin City" and went far away. no way Kevin could get her then.

but, my question still stands...was that Rafferty (Benicio Del Toro) next to Marv at Kadie's when Hartigan walked in while Nancy was dancing?

[majorjoe23]

umm...no. i believe when Hartigan saved her again, she left "Sin City" and went far away. no way Kevin could get her then.

No one leaves Sin City. Notice the criminology books Nancy was reading? Miller has said at some point he plans to have Nancy become a PI or criminologist.

[Gutz]

umm...no. i believe when Hartigan saved her again, she left "Sin City" and went far away. no way Kevin could get her then.

Why have we seen a shot of Kevin sitting in the room? Also, have you seen his victims? I swear that Alba's head was there.

[Sessa17]

well, i've seen it go from rough assembly to "finish" in four different cuts over the last three months. while the FX did improve, the essence of the film did not. IMO.

You seem to be changing your story. You said a few posts before: "the version i saw was from three months ago and mostly in color". And now you switch to saying you've seen 4 different cuts over the last 3 months? So you seem to be just changing your story when people question you.

And the fact that you say that the color (or lack there of) has nothing to do with the story or content of this film just shows that you just don't "get" the film or source material.

[matrixrok9]

The Hartigan story happened before Marv's story. It wasn't in chronological order.

[scott1598]

Why have we seen a shot of Kevin sitting in the room? Also, have you seen his victims? I swear that Alba's head was there.
huh? i think they were showing Kevin to further explain the continuity. she wasn't a hooker anyway. i think he and Cardinal Roark only did/ate hookers.

does anyone know if each of the 3 directors Frank Miller, Robert Rodriquez, and Quentin Tarantino directed one each of the vignettes and if so who directed which?

[Cygnet74]

Why have we seen a shot of Kevin sitting in the room? Also, have you seen his victims? I swear that Alba's head was there.i'm looking at it now. the head on the right is britney murphey's character. alba's head is not one of the five on the wall. and the guy sitting next to mickey rourke is not del toro. the guy looks kinda like a skinny hugh jackman with a wolverine haircut.

You seem to be changing your story. You said a few posts before: "the version i saw was from three months ago and mostly in color". And now you switch to saying you've seen 4 different cuts over the last 3 months? So you seem to be just changing your story when people question you. What you call "changing my story", I call "clarifying my answer". :lol: I cut trailers for a living and contributed to the edit of the Sin City trailer. When I saw the feature, it was mostly green screen and in color. subsequent versions only changed FX-wise. the cut, music and content changed by no more than a few frames here and there.

And the fact that you say that the color (or lack there of) has nothing to do with the story or content of this film just shows that you just don't "get" the film or source material.I didn't say the form of the project "has nothing to do with" the content of the film. I believe the unity of the two is essential, in fact. :lol: rotfl :lol: and to say I didn't "get it" shows me that you have no idea who you're talking to, or what you're talking about. :lol:

[majorjoe23]

huh? i think they were showing Kevin to further explain the continuity. she wasn't a hooker anyway. i think he and Cardinal Roark only did/ate hookers.

does anyone know if each of the 3 directors Frank Miller, Robert Rodriquez, and Quentin Tarantino directed one each of the vignettes and if so who directed which?

Tarantino directed the scene with Dwight and Johnny-Boy in the car. Miller and Rodriguez co-directed the rest, with Rodriguez doing the camera work.

[scott1598]

i can't believe the mojo is only predicting $18.4 mil for SC...it has got to reach much more than that...it's just too good.

[Patman]

I'm not sure what my expectations were going into the film (tried to stay relatively spoiler-free, with the exception of the trailer), but this movie met and exceeded my expectations, and the interweaving of the 3 main stories with minor bookends was a good time at the theater. The marriage of comic books to film just took a nice jump in quality and raised the bar very high for future projects to come.

The only minor quibble was the noir-ish voiceovers that pushed some of the details through for the audience, but overall, I liked it a lot.

I give it 3.75 stars, or a grade of A-, may get upgraded if I see it again later.

[Terrell]

i can't believe the mojo is only predicting $18.4 mil for SC...it has got to reach much more than that...it's just too good.

That sounds about right. Sin City is not very mainstream. Most movie-goers probably have never heard of Sin City, and probably don't have much interest. That's just the nature of the material. It's limited to geekdom, if you catch my drift.

I haven't seen it yet, but I'll probably see it tomorrow night.

[JuryDuty]

Just got back from this movie and thought it was absolutely amazing. The visuals were out of this world, the directing was nothing like I've ever seen and the writing was wonderful. As others stated, I don't know HOW this thing got past an NC-17 rating, but...

That said, I feel a bit like a dweeb, because I didn't get some things, and I'm wondering if someone would clarify them for me...
1) When Becky (Alexis Bledel) walks into the elevator at the end, she runs into someone, but I couldn't remember who he was or what the significance was and I'm sure I'm missing somethnig big there.
2) Clearly the three main stories intertwined, but I didn't quite catch how. I enjoyed the movie as three separate stories (Hartigan/Willis, Marv/Rourke, and Dwight/Owen), but again, I'm sure I'm missing something key here. Would someone mind running through this?

Thanks in advance...

[Sessa17]

.

What you call "changing my story", I call "clarifying my answer". and to say I didn't "get it" shows me that you have no idea who you're talking to, or what you're talking about. :lol:

Saying you only saw Sin City once 3 months ago & then later on just happening to leave out that you've seen it 4 times since then, seems rather odd to just leave out. And how on earth would I have any idea who I am talking to? Its not like you are some critically acclaimed hollywood director, & posting on a message board under the name of "Cygnet74" certainly doesn't make you sound like some important hotshot that I should know who he is.

[scott1598]

That sounds about right. Sin City is not very mainstream. Most movie-goers probably have never heard of Sin City, and probably don't have much interest. That's just the nature of the material. It's limited to geekdom, if you catch my drift.

I haven't seen it yet, but I'll probably see it tomorrow night.
how's it limited to geekdom? i never heard of or knew anything about "Sin City" until I saw the trailer/read the hype only a week or two ago. thus, i went to see it, thus i loved it. not geekdom at all, more like normal sucked in by advertising. more people will most likely by swayed just like me!

[Sessa17]

how's it limited to geekdom? i never heard of or knew anything about "Sin City" until I saw the trailer/read the hype only a week or two ago. thus, i went to see it, thus i loved it. not geekdom at all, more like normal sucked in by advertising. more people will most likely by swayed just like me!

No, he is right, it is definitely limited to geekdom. $18 million, is about right for it's opening. You are a movie geek, most here are. And I know your tastes (have you watched Spaced yet:) ), & you are also a genre geek. Sin City is a film that appeals mostly to one of 2 geeks, comic books (& even the average comic book fan has never read the comic) & film geeks. The average Joe, is not going to have interest in this film or would even be able to sit through most of it. The average movie goer is not going to want to sit through a most B & W film adapted from a comic book. As phenomenal & as much of a masterpiece as I thinkg the film is it will have very little appeal outside of pure film geeks, comic book fans, or genre fans which comprise a VERY, very small amount of movie goers.

[scott1598]

Just got back from this movie and thought it was absolutely amazing. The visuals were out of this world, the directing was nothing like I've ever seen and the writing was wonderful. As others stated, I don't know HOW this thing got past an NC-17 rating, but...

That said, I feel a bit like a dweeb, because I didn't get some things, and I'm wondering if someone would clarify them for me...
1) When Becky (Alexis Bledel) walks into the elevator at the end, she runs into someone, but I couldn't remember who he was or what the significance was and I'm sure I'm missing somethnig big there.
2) Clearly the three main stories intertwined, but I didn't quite catch how. I enjoyed the movie as three separate stories (Hartigan/Willis, Marv/Rourke, and Dwight/Owen), but again, I'm sure I'm missing something key here. Would someone mind running through this?

Thanks in advance...
becky was met by The Salesman (Josh Hartnett) which if you missed the first five minutes you missed him. Did you see the beginning? He is there to take care of her.

The stories intertwined because most of the characters were seen together in the Hartigan/Nancy vignette tying them all together...i am not sure how you could miss all those things, unless your eyes were closed. ;)

i think it passed as R because there wasn't a lot of red blood. most of the scenes, Yellow Bastard were other colors and not red.

[Cygnet74]

Saying you only saw Sin City once 3 months ago & then later on just happening to leave out that you've seen it 4 times since then, seems rather odd to just leave out. And how on earth would I have any idea who I am talking to? Its not like you are some critically acclaimed hollywood director, & posting on a message board under the name of "Cygnet74" certainly doesn't make you sound like some important hotshot that I should know who he is.apology accepted. ;)

[scott1598]

No, he is right, it is definitely limited to geekdom. $18 million, is about right for it's opening. You are a movie geek, most here are. And I know your tastes (have you watched Spaced yet:) ), & you are also a genre geek. Sin City is a film that appeals mostly to one of 2 geeks, comic books (& even the average comic book fan has never read the comic) & film geeks. The average Joe, is not going to have interest in this film or would even be able to sit through most of it. The average movie goer is not going to want to sit through a most B & W film adapted from a comic book. As phenomenal & as much of a masterpiece as I thinkg the film is it will have very little appeal outside of pure film geeks, comic book fans, or genre fans which comprise a VERY, very small amount of movie goers.
ohhh...that kind of geekdom. yes, guilty as charged. well, i didn't think this was going to be huge, but i did think that since some of the mainstream reviewers, Ebert, Access Hollywood, Jeffrey Lyons, are giving such rave reviews that this would appeal to more mainstream and i think it might a bit, so i think 18.4 is a little low. at least i hope so because this should garner word of mouth and produce higher dividends.

(no, not yet on "Spaced" :(, when i have some more time, but i am eagerly anticipating!! :) )

[JuryDuty]

becky was met by The Salesman (Josh Hartnett) which if you missed the first five minutes you missed him. Did you see the beginning? He is there to take care of her.

I was there for the whole thing, but I just don't remember that. I guess I just missed it. :( Wasn't the first 5 minutes all Hartigan story? I don't remember him in that...

The stories intertwined because most of the characters were seen together in the Hartigan/Nancy vignette tying them all together...i am not sure how you could miss all those things, unless your eyes were closed.

LOL, no I didn't miss that--I just wondered if maybe there was something greater tieing them together other than them all showing up in one place at the same time. Guess there wasn't really.

[scott1598]

I was there for the whole thing, but I just don't remember that. I guess I just missed it. :( Wasn't the first 5 minutes all Hartigan story? I don't remember him in that...
it opened the movie...even before the credits and title card. Hartigan happened after the credits. maybe a double dip is in order :cool:

[Jackskeleton]

I'm going to toss out that it will have a great weekend. I would say around 30 million. The general push has created a real interest in this film that goes beyond geekdom.

[scott1598]

I'm going to toss out that it will have a great weekend. I would say around 30 million. The general push has created a real interest in this film that goes beyond geekdom.
yes jack...I AGREE!!!!!
in fact...i predict $33.4 million.

[JuryDuty]

it opened the movie...even before the credits and title card. Hartigan happened after the credits. maybe a double dip is in order :cool:

Crap! OK, I know I saw it, I just can't remember it! :P If someone has a moment, would you tell me exactly what happens in that scene to spark my memory? Geez, I feel like such a newbie. :)

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'm a huge fan of the comics and I was amazed at how well the film worked as stylized cinematic noir, just as Miller intended. Fantastic movie.

[Gutz]

Oh, I forgot to mention boobs of Carla Gugino. Damn she's hot :)

[Patman]

Josh Hartnett and Marley Shelton (in the red dress on the balcony overlooking the city) are yakking, and Josh tells Marley how he's been checking her out, and it's not just the face, the body, but the eyes. Josh then moves in for the kill (literally), plants a wet one on Marley and then pumps a round into her via a gun with a silencer on it while they embraced each other.

Then the camera pans out from the balcony of the building and flies around to expose the "Sin City" cityscape title for the film.

[AdamComic2]

I thought it was really good... very enjoyable. I hope they make the rest of the SIN CITY stuff into another movie.

[mdc3000]

Pretty damn awesome...visually it was a pure knockout. The performances were really great and with only a few minor gripes about some pacing etc., I'd say this is easily one of the coolest, most stylish and entertaining flicks I've seen in a long time. Rodriguez rules.

MATT

[glassdragon]

Having never read the comic book I must say that the movie was Awesome. This in my opinion is the best movie of the year thus far. The comic book style and feel came off very well. Did anyone else notice that in most of the scenes when there was a door it would just be black or white on the other side as if each scene were just one panel of the strip? like
When the guy is beating the hell out of Hartigan the nurse is standing in front of a door. On the other side of that door is just blinding white. It was as if that room was the whole panel of the scene and nothing else was drawn in.

Either way Awesome Awesome movie. I will be seeing this again and preordering the dvd as soon as i can

[jaeufraser]

I wouldn't really say this movie is limited to geekdom. It's kind of an action movie during a time when we haven't really had any. And it's chock full of name stars. That elevates the film above geekdom. Granted, it won't be making 50 million, but it'll do well especially considering its moderate cost.

As for me, I'll be checking it out this weekend. Glad to see the reviews seem to be positive.

[JuryDuty]

Josh Hartnett and Marley Shelton (in the red dress on the balcony overlooking the city) are yakking, and Josh tells Marley how he's been checking her out, and it's not just the face, the body, but the eyes. Josh then moves in for the kill (literally), plants a wet one on Marley and then pumps a round into her via a gun with a silencer on it while they embraced each other.

Then the camera pans out from the balcony of the building and flies around to expose the "Sin City" cityscape title for the film.

Yes! OK, now I remember and I get it. Very cool, thank you!!!

[coladar]

I hadn't even heard of the comic before, but the trailers for this movie looked promising. Managed to see this on a DLP projector, and wow, talk about visually stunning. Amazing.

And the film. Excellent. This has a strong chance at being my favorite film for the year. I have to admit, I had no idea what the hell was going on in the beginning. It went from Hartnett to Willis to Rourke rather quickly, and having no expectation of the film going in, I was starting to wonder when things would make sense.

But by the end, what an absolute thrill of a movie. The humor was almost more memorable than the stories. The almost completely packed audience broke out laughing more than most recent comedies I've seen. I thought I'd have to restrain the guy sitting next to me when the head got dunked in the toilet with "You made one mistake. You forgot to flush."

Carla? :drool: If only that part was in color. :( But really, the tapestry of the film, so interwoven, with three different stories managing to draw me in over such a short time span. And the visuals, excellent. This film deserves at least a few Oscar nominations. Rourke was utterly amazing as Marv.

[Mondo Kane]

I thought I'd have to restrain the guy sitting next to me when the toilet got dunked in the head and Rourke said "You made one mistake. You forgot to flush."


For me, it was the guy who had the arrow problem. I just could not stop laughing.

And it's official, Mickey Rourke is back.

[joefrog91]

Just got back from seeing Sin City. It rocked! Robert Rodriguez did an amazing job bringing the comic to life on the screen. The whole cast did a bang up job. I will definitely be seeing this again and again.

[Tuan Jim]

but, my question still stands...was that Rafferty (Benicio Del Toro) next to Marv at Kadie's when Hartigan walked in while Nancy was dancing?

The hairy dude there is Weevil. He's a stooge/informant. In the "Hard Goodbye" TPB, Marv "plies" him for answers before the hitmen come in.

[joshd2012]

This was the first movie I saw this year in the theaters, and I'm glad I waited. This movie delivers on every level.

I try not to read too many reviews before I see a film, because I don't want them to ruin it for me, but the ones I did read had some complaints about repeatative nature of the film. I, for one, found it refreshing to see this as it showed a characteristic of the person, rather than some deranged out-burst. It also showed growth with the character was able to learn from his mistakes and change himself for the better. That is how you can really highlight a great story.

The style was simply beautiful. The black and white really did a good job to characterize the city, as well as hold true to the story's original base. The integration of historic (old town) and new (cell phone) objects really helped to take the film more serious than a pure action flick. And the vivid colors on the B&W.. wow, what a great image for the film.

The only complaint I would have about the film is the length. Not that two hours is too long, but that it felt much longer than two hours. This shows me that some areas of the film were too slow (something critics said). But overall, a wonderful movie. I hope this movie is successful and we see some more creative work in theaters soon instead of the mindless hollywood crap I see come out every weekend.

[tasha99]

I don't see many women giving this movie great reviews.



:lol:

You may be right, but my sister and I saw it today and gave it two thumbs up. We did notice that in a theater that was about half full (11:30 am showing) we made up about half of the female audience. Maybe that will be different in the evening when people go on dates etc.

[mitsuman]

I went today at a 3:50 showing, b/c I wanted to avoid the crowds. I don't live in a big city, so I thought at that time it would be just me and a couple of geeks. I was wrong! The theater was packed and it was hard for people to find seats when the movie was about to start. I'm glad I didn't go tonight, I'm sure it sold out. Most of the audience was male, but there were probably 30% female. I only saw 2 women walk out during the screening. One of them briskly walked out after Hartigan "unarmed" the yellow bastard. :) The crowd also had a good reaction to the film. What did I think? I've read the Hard Goodbye through Big Fat Kill and absolutely loved every page. I also loved the movie. I can't wait to see the stories in their full form though on DVD. When comparing the novels to the movie I would have to go with the novels. At some points the pacing did not feel right and I felt some of the lines were totally botched. Brittney Murphy hanging out the window was some of the worst acting I've seen, she blew all of her lines. Visually the film is stunning and RR never fails to deliver in the department. I'm really only picking criticisms for the movie b/c I hold the comics in such high regard. Overall the film has some nano-flaws as any great movie does so I would definitely give it a 4 out of 4 stars. The one thing I would say to anybody is read the novels! I had never read comics before and fell in love with these stories. You will have a much better appreciation for the movie if you read them.

[tasha99]

I went today at a 3:50 showing, b/c I wanted to avoid the crowds. I don't live in a big city, so I thought at that time it would be just me and a couple of geeks. I was wrong! The theater was packed and it was hard for people to find seats when the movie was about to start. I'm glad I didn't go tonight, I'm sure it sold out. Most of the audience was male, but there were probably 30% female. I only saw 2 women walk out during the screening. One of them briskly walked out after Hartigan "unarmed" the yellow bastard. :) The crowd also had a good reaction to the film. What did I think? I've read the Hard Goodbye through Big Fat Kill and absolutely loved every page. I also loved the movie. I can't wait to see the stories in their full form though on DVD. When comparing the novels to the movie I would have to go with the novels. At some points the pacing did not feel right and I felt some of the lines were totally botched. Brittney Murphy hanging out the window was some of the worst acting I've seen, she blew all of her lines. Visually the film is stunning and RR never fails to deliver in the department. I'm really only picking criticisms for the movie b/c I hold the comics in such high regard. Overall the film has some nano-flaws as any great movie does so I would definitely give it a 4 out of 4 stars. The one thing I would say to anybody is read the novels! I had never read comics before and fell in love with these stories. You will have a much better appreciation for the movie if you read them.

I'm glad to hear of a packed theater. I bought my tickets yesterday and asked the guy if he'd sold a lot (wanting to gauge how early to show up for a good seat.) He looked at me like I was totally crazy and told me I was the first person to buy a ticket. Oh well.

And yes, Britney Murphy sucked so bad in that scene it was funny.

One question about the movie for anyone who knows. I downloaded a trailer that had flashes of the comic panels now and then, but the film I saw didn't have any of that. I thought it was a really cool and interesting effect and missed it. Did they just put those in for that one trailer, or is there a chance that the dvd's will have the comic panels (not as a separate special feature, but blended with the movie). ???

[RichC2]

Agreed with a lot of comments so far.

The movie did feel a little long, but alas - kicked an immense amount of ass.

Highly Recommended.

[Dr. DVD]

Saw it. Would have posted sooner but had to go straight from the theater to Wal-Mart for the new Star Wars toys! ;) :D

It was a packed house for me as well, and all I can say is....OMFG!!! The drought of bad movies this year has come to an end with a vengeance! Words cannot describe how cool I thought this movie was , especially Mickey Rourke and his character of Marv, BADASS!!! I am somewhat surprised by the amoung of violence they got away with, but I guess you can do that when not all of the blood spilt is red. Heck, this movie has everything that rated R movies have so sorely lacked over the past several years; graphic violence, lots of nudity, and some sex to boot. Didn't have that much cussing, but didn't really need it IMO. Speaking of nudity, oh....Carla!!! :drool: Never would have known she was like that watching Pauly Shore movies. Heck, as good as she was as Karen Sisco (still pissed the show got cancelled), I doubt she would have had the time to do this with that commitment. That woman has a great body, and I would rather have seen her goods than Ms. Alba's, so no harm done.

Only one gripe, and it's the same as all others: Brittney Murphy. Someone should have told her that she didn't need to overdramatize so much. I know it's a comic book, but that doesn't mean someone has to play it like comedy. I think we might have fared better with Kate Bosworth in that role, as much as I detest her as well.

In terms of new material, this is by far the best movie of 2005, and while I anticipate SW:ROTS, I doubt it will top this one.

[Derrich]

Here's my small review:
I liked it. It's really good and I want everyone to go out and see it and hope that more directors feel free to actually use technology in different and creative ways like RR has done.

Let me go over the not so great stuff. Britanny Murphy can't act. I don't blame her because you see that she's trying really really hard, but she cant act. Jessica Alba is only a couple of steps above Murphy. Her Nancy came across as jumbled and blurry. Her scenes with Willis made it look like she was just following his lead and she was along for the ride.

The look of the movie is great, but it's getting to the point that every Robert Rodriguez movie I see makes him look like a Tarantino wannabe. A good fake, but not quite the real thing. It's like he's showing off to his buddy saying, 'Hey, I can do all the cool stuff you can do' only he cant. Tarantino can do the cool film styles and still get a great performace from the actors. But Rodriguez seems to get preoccupied with the tech and doesn't pay much attention to what's going on with the characters.

What Rodriguez does do better than Tarantino is use digital effects differently than anyone else. The only other filmmaker thats as confortable with technology is probaly George Lucas. Sin City and the Star Wars prequels have a lot in common. It's great to see a director use computers to do something new instead of just use them to emulate stuff thats been done since the 1930s.

D

[Setzer]

The movie kicked ass. The BEST I've seen this year, probably the best I've seen the last couple of years. Can't wait to own this thing on DVD! About the only thing that ruined the evening for me was this lady brought her 2 young kids to see it....couldn't have been older than 5-6yrs old. Fucking sad. As I was watching this movie I could only imagine what was going through the minds of these children as they watched it. And people wonder why all the violence with teenagers these days....its because their parents don't give a rats ass about them. Ok I'm through with my rant....go see the movie, great flick!

[ivelostr2]

the showing i went to was at 11:45 AM, there was 2 women up front, one in her 50's and her mother in her 70's. they got up and left when marv grabbed the bouncer. that was a s far as they got...

[Cygnet74]

One question about the movie for anyone who knows. I downloaded a trailer that had flashes of the comic panels now and then, but the film I saw didn't have any of that. I thought it was a really cool and interesting effect and missed it. Did they just put those in for that one trailer, or is there a chance that the dvd's will have the comic panels (not as a separate special feature, but blended with the movie). ???those were done specifically for the trailer.

[Cameron]

saw it, loved it, great stuff

[fumanstan]

Just saw it tonight. I enjoyed it quite a bit as a fan of the comics. I agree with all the above mentioned complaints, and the movie did feel a little long, however the visuals and the resemblence to the comics was excellent. Carla brings the hot. I didn't mind Murphy's acting all too much, although it was poor. Madsen's lines weren't too great either. A lot of the humor got big kicks from the audience, including Marv in the electric chair, the arrow through the guy, and the toilet.

My female friend who hadn't read the comics said it was alright, however she was amazed at the violence and how the movie didn't hold back any of the violence.

[slop101]

Why is everyone ripping on Murphy and Alba? Though they were weak, their performances were far stronger than the cringe-worthy performance by Michael Madsen.

What the hell happened there?

It was like he was trying to do a stylized '40s noir thing, but came off more like a comedy parody of it.

[TheNightFlier]

The movie kicked ass. The BEST I've seen this year, probably the best I've seen the last couple of years. Can't wait to own this thing on DVD! About the only thing that ruined the evening for me was this lady brought her 2 young kids to see it....couldn't have been older than 5-6yrs old. Fucking sad. As I was watching this movie I could only imagine what was going through the minds of these children as they watched it. And people wonder why all the violence with teenagers these days....its because their parents don't give a rats ass about them. Ok I'm through with my rant....go see the movie, great flick!

We saw a similiar thing when we went to a 7:45 showing last night. A family comes in, the kids couldn't be more than 6 or 7. They were gone within 5 minutes.

Loved the movie. It made my one friend who never read the comics want to pick up all the TPBs now.

[maingon]

I thought Murphy was weak on the window scene but for the most part she was good. for Jessica Alba i thought she did a good job playing the only real sweet one in Sin City.

[AdamComic2]

Though they were weak, their performances were far stronger than the cringe-worthy performance by Michael Madsen.

Wow, I agree. I kind of thought, "geez, he's terrible on his delivery." and I guess I'm not the only one.

[Sessa17]

Wow, I agree. I kind of thought, "geez, he's terrible on his delivery." and I guess I'm not the only one.

Put me down also. I have NO problem w/ Murphy in the movie, I think people just like to pick on her. Personally, I can't stand her but though she was fine in this. I thought Alba was fantastic, should be praised. The only person in the entire film who I thought gave almost a weak performance was Madsen. Even though brief, I thought literally every single person in the entire film brought something to their role except him.

And I'm really glad so many people who haven't read the comic are enjoying the film so much.

[Dr. DVD]

Cygnet: that is not Murphy's character on the wall. The reason I know is because in the comics the story of Dwight getting his new face(A Dame to Kill For FWIW) takes place at the same time as Marv's story, and sequentially the story of Dwight in the movie takes place last; Shellie is alive in both of the stories, so that could not have been her.

In terms of Box-office, I predict Sin City to do Kill Bill type numbers with it being in the mid to upper 20 million range. FWIW, this was a movie made for geeks by geeks, and whatever they don't get in theatrical release they will more than make up for in DVD sales as it is almost a guaranteed sale to Sin City fans.

[rmick]

I'm actually suprised by which actors are getting a negative response from everyone around here. I'll agree Madsen and Murphy weren't especially great, but nothing approaching the horrendousness of Alexis Bledel. Everytime she talked to her mother I couldn't help but think that Lorelai was on the other end back in Stars Hollow. Talk about poor range as an actress. I also just can't believe that the critics were tearing into Clive Owen who simply defined cool as Dwight in this. After not being impressed with Closer and refusing to see King Arthur, I now get the hype.

[Dr. DVD]

I'm actually suprised by which actors are getting a negative response from everyone around here. I'll agree Madsen and Murphy weren't especially great, but nothing approaching the horrendousness of Alexis Bledel. Everytime she talked to her mother I couldn't help but think that Lorelai was on the other end back in Stars Hollow. Talk about poor range as an actress. I also just can't believe that the critics were tearing into Clive Owen who simply defined cool as Dwight in this. After not being impressed with Closer and refusing to see King Arthur, I now get the hype.


Maybe Rory was talking to Lorelai who was not in Star Hollow, but in the back of a car with Billy Bob Thornton dressed as Santa. ;) Both mother and daughter lead different lives when they're apart!

[Patman]

I was actually impressed that the theater I went to actually checked ticket stubs at the door of the theater showing Sin City. Of course, once the film started, the attendant went on to do other stuff.

[CaptainMarvel]

Our theater had people bringing in their kids (2-10 years old). :rolleyes: This is such a great kid's movie, after all.

Anyway, I'm going back again this afternoon.

[fumanstan]

Friday estimates on Box Office Mojo have Sin City at $12 million :up:

[thematahara]

Bloody fantastic movie. It was so refreshing to see a true R rated movie in this era of PG-13 domination. Took me back to the days of movies like Robocop, when an R rating was well deserved.

I thought Alba and Murphy were fine, but Madsen was the weakest of them all, which surprised me since he is usually great in these types of flicks. But I really dont have in real complaints, now where is my dvd?

[scott1598]

Friday estimates on Box Office Mojo have Sin City at $12 million :up:
yes! much higher than expectations and close to my 33.4 predict.

[Dr. DVD]

yes! much higher than expectations and close to my 33.4 predict.

It will definitely do better than the $18 million prediction.


This is the kind of movie where a bulk of its first weekend take will be from the first day alone. I say it will do about ten million today and then lucky to do about $8 million tomorrow, since it Sunday is not the day people want to see stuff like Sin City.

[Mondo Kane]

As for the seniors and little kids at my showings (I saw it twice) The old ladies managed to make it all the way through, and the kids were escorted by their parents on certain scenes but were brought back!

Now as far as the criticism for the acting goes, I thought all the actresses were fine (Though Bledel did sound like she was in a different movie) and I had no problem with Madsen as well, the tone of his voice just fits this scenery perfectly. Owen's performance was the only one I wasn't too pleased with. Once he had his last conversation Murphy, he just seemed to come off as flat.

Just one question though. Was I the only to notice that Benecio's make-up just seemed to come on go throughout his scenes? The most obvious scene when he had the prosthetics on was when he was talking to Shelly about her shirt (He looked like a bizzare pairing of Eric Draven and The Joker right there) but they just seemed to vanish after that.

[TomOpus]

It will definitely do better than the $18 million prediction.


This is the kind of movie where a bulk of its first weekend take will be from the first day alone. I say it will do about ten million today and then lucky to do about $8 million tomorrow, since it Sunday is not the day people want to see stuff like Sin City.It did $12 mil on Friday, so it's well on the way to doing well over $18 mil. Looks like it should wind up in the 30's.

[Dr. DVD]

Del Toro can disappear into his roles if need be. The character he played in Usual Suspects doesn't look much like he typically does, and he all but transformed himself into a different being for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Jackie Boy didn't require him to do much more than put on a prosthetic nose.
I loved the way his speech patterns in the car alternated between rasping and croaking. The "It's got you smoking..." line sounded particularly creepy.

[Jackskeleton]

It did $12 mil on Friday, so it's well on the way to doing well over $18 mil. Looks like it should wind up in the 30's.


hmmm... who would of thunk it? ;) certainly not I! :p

[majorjoe23]

Just one question though. Was I the only to notice that Benecio's make-up just seemed to come on go throughout his scenes? The most obvious scene when he had the prosthetics on was when he was talking to Shelly about her shirt (He looked like a bizzare pairing of Eric Draven and The Joker right there) but they just seemed to vanish after that.

I thought he looked a bit like the Joker too, but in a good way. Maybe Christopher Nolan should consider him for a Batman sequel.

[Cadmium]

I saw the film yesterday and really liked it - it made me want to read the books.

So I'm looking at the books on Amazon.com, but I am worried that the current runs of the TPB's is smaller in size than the originals. I don't know if I want to read them if the art's been squashed. Can anyone comment on this?



Let me go over the not so great stuff. Britanny Murphy can't act. I don't blame her because you see that she's trying really really hard, but she cant act. Jessica Alba is only a couple of steps above Murphy. Her Nancy came across as jumbled and blurry. Her scenes with Willis made it look like she was just following his lead and she was along for the ride.

I didn't think that she was so bad (possibly because she wasn't on screen that much), but really didn't like how Michael Madsen (sp?) played his character. When you see his character at the beginning of the film with Hartigan I didn't like the clipped, "oh-isn't-this-cliche" way in which he spoke. I usually like how he plays his characters alot, so that surprised me.

What Rodriguez does do better than Tarantino is use digital effects differently than anyone else. The only other filmmaker thats as confortable with technology is probaly George Lucas.

What about Peter Jackson? Maybe it's that I found the quality of the cgi better in LotR than in the SW prequels, but in my opinion he's got the crown right now.

[Tyler_Durden]

So I'm looking at the books on Amazon.com, but I am worried that the current runs of the TPB's is smaller in size than the originals. I don't know if I want to read them if the art's been squashed. Can anyone comment on this? I hear you... I also recently jumped on the Sin City bandwagon and was disappointed to find that the new editions are "manga sized". For the last two months I've been trying to decide whether I'd track down copies of the original releases (a hard task, surely) or just get the new ones.

Yesterday, after reading all the great reviews of the film (which, sadly, won't open for a few months here in Finland :(), my indecision finally gave way to impatience and I went and ordered the new editions of the first four books. I'm sure the smaller size won't diminish my enjoyment of them that much since I don't own the original editions to compare them to.

Not a very informative post, I know; just thought I'd share my sentiments on the issue.

[Cadmium]

Thanks for the reply. If you don't mind, let me know how you think the new, smaller books look.

If it was them taking white space off the edges, that'd be one thing, but a whole inch-and-a-half? I'm guessing that's more than white space.

Here's a for-instance:

The Big Fat Kill (hardcover edition): 10.5 x 7.0 x 0.7 inches
The Big Fat Kill (second edition): 9.0 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches

The height:width ratio has been reduced by a little more than a factor of one (or a little less than one...I can't remember jr. high math well enough to be 100% sure that I'm doing ratios right), so I guess it has been shrunk. Sad. Hope that doesn't mean the image is stretched or squashed...they probably did the reducing and took out white space along the edges.

I'm not a big stickler about this sort of thing most of the time, but of something that's visual, I really want it to be as easy to look at as possible. But, as you say, ya gotta go with what ya got.

[mookyman]

Easily the best movie so far this year. Finally, a movie worth getting excited about. I agree about Brittany Murphy, but the rest of the cast was strong enough that I can't really complained. Bruce Willis did his best work in a decade (although I wouldn't have minded if they had changed it to make his character 10 years younger), and this is Mickey Rourke's best performance ever. Rosario Dawson, Jessica Alba (yeah, I liked her), Nick Stahl, Clive Owen, Benecio Del Toro, Michael Clarke Duncan, Rutger Hauer, the fantastically creepy Elijah Wood...so many terrific performances. I loved that none of the actors seemed above the material - they really embraced the lurid, over-the-top world of Sin City. I'm not easily convinced on the merits of DV over film, but for this one, it was perfect. I could go on forever about every aspect of this film that I loved - even the sound editing was uniquely stylish and brilliant.

As for the faithfulness, while I wouldn't have seen it as a problem had it been less faithful, I certainly don't mind that it was. I mean, that just strikes me as a silly think to bring up as a negative. Rodriguez was trying a really unique approach to adaptation, and I think the result is just brilliant.

Sen. Roark: "Power doesn't come from a badge or a gun."
My friend: "It comes from a Boothe!"

[TomOpus]

hmmm... who would of thunk it? ;) certainly not I! :pYep, you nailed it. You do have your moments :):up:

I was hoping it would do well but sometimes it's hard to figure the movie-going public... especially for a R-rated movie. Seems like most people are liking the flick.

[Dr. DVD]

Upon reflection, I still think Brittany Murphy sucked! I think a better person for the role, though she might have proven just as worse with her limited acting range, would have been Gwen Stefani.

[matrixrok9]

So why did Elijah Wood's character set up Marv? Did the hooker see any of the killings?

[Dr. DVD]

So why did Elijah Wood's character set up Marv? Did the hooker see any of the killings?


It wasn't Wood who set up Marv, it was the Cardinal. The hooker worked the clergy area and could have exposed them. Kevin was sent in to take care of business as only he could.

[xfilekr]

Just got back a little bit ago. Really Enjoyed it. I've never seen a movie like it. I had only read about half of the first comic so I didn't really know what all to expect but was suprised at the amount of humor. Great movie, one I would actually consider seeing in the theatre again, and I never do that.

[thematahara]

The more I think about this movie, the more I love it. First time in a long time that I felt like I was experiencing a revolutionary film, something that truly stood out from the rest of the industry and breathed new life into film. Cant wait to see it again.

[schlitz100]

why did kevin not do anything when bruce willis was killing the yellow-guy?
i thought the movie was entertaining, i just didn't get the overall purpose of the story.

[Groucho]

Tarantino directed the scene with Dwight and Johnny-Boy in the car. Miller and Rodriguez co-directed the rest, with Rodriguez doing the camera work.Johnny Boy? Do you mean Benecio del Toro's character? That's it? For all the hype, I thought that he'd had a bigger role in directing.

[majorjoe23]

So I'm looking at the books on Amazon.com, but I am worried that the current runs of the TPB's is smaller in size than the originals. I don't know if I want to read them if the art's been squashed. Can anyone comment on this?


There are reviews of the new, scaled down TPBs at comicbookresources.com and thefourthrail.com. The reviews have been positive, but I like Miller's art bigger.

Groucho: I meant Jackie-Boy, Del Toro's character. That's it, he only worked one day on the set.

And after seeing it a second time, I can say for sure that Brittney Murphy's character is not one of the heads on the wall.

[NitroJMS]

I walked out of this after the Mickey Rourke story ended, which is a first for me. The visual style didn't bother me (I loved the similarly shot Sky Captain), but I just couldn't stand the 1-dimensional characters and terrible acting. Rodriguez just was relentless in trying to show off what he could do and everything felt rushed in an attempt to either display their visuals or show just how graphic they could get without hitting the NC-17.

[Dr. DVD]

Nitro: did you even bother to read the comics before you saw this? If not, then it's no wonder you couldn't get into it.

The acting wasn't bad (well, Murphy's was) as much as it was slanted toward a certain style.

[iggystar]

Just came back from seeing it. I never saw the comic but heard some of the hype prior to viewing.

This is by far the best movie I've seen all year, surely it will be in my personal top ten. Sure I could point out a few flaws (BM's acting as mentioned), but it was so good overall, I enjoyed it so much that I only have positive comments (and it didn't feel long at all to me).

The trailer got me interested. From it I thought the style would be something I hadn't seen -- the trailer did not deceive, the movie was absolutely arresting. I'd be lying if I said I've ever seen a style like this on screen, beautiful. And I figured that there would be non-stop action. Action was most certainly delivered (and then some). But what I found so surprising, what far exceeded my expectations were the storylines (and acting). I didn't expect to care about the characters and be so gripped by each tale. Wow.

And as a woman going to see a movie based on "noir" called Sin City -- did I think I would be seeing the ladies being portrayed as social workers and nuns? Um, no. Everyone, men, women, bastards were pretty much suspect in Sin City -- only a few clear cut "good guys". I thought the women were empowered, the hookers had total control of the situation and served some justice when needed. All while wearing thongs...I'm not mad, those women rocked.

Loved this movie.

[thematahara]

I walked out of this after the Mickey Rourke story ended, which is a first for me. The visual style didn't bother me (I loved the similarly shot Sky Captain), but I just couldn't stand the 1-dimensional characters and terrible acting. Rodriguez just was relentless in trying to show off what he could do and everything felt rushed in an attempt to either display their visuals or show just how graphic they could get without hitting the NC-17.

I have no problem with people not liking certain movies, but it is obvious you came into this movie with no idea what to expect. Rodriguez did nothing but produce the most accurate comic book to film translation ever. There was very little added that was not in the comic books. I thought the acting was top notch, this is a film noir movie and the acting is very good for the most part. I also didnt think the characters were one dimensional at all, especially Marv.

I could understand if you said you didnt like the source material, but to criticize the movie for its adaptation clearly shows you went into this movie expecting a typical popcorn flick.

[Groucho]

Nitro: did you even bother to read the comics before you saw this? If not, then it's no wonder you couldn't get into it.No movie should require you to read the source material before viewing it.

[SinCity]

I agree with dr. DVD. I brought some friends who havent read the books with me (I have and love em) and they had a hard time understanding some things. Even though you get to see them translated in movie form, I think its easier to read the books beforehand so that you can be distracted by the visuals while already knowing whats going on. Gives you a better overall experience.

[Joe Molotov]

For me, it was the guy who had the arrow problem. I just could not stop laughing.

There was some scattered laughter at a few other parts during the movie, but that was the part that got everyone in the theater going.

"I knew there was a reason I got up this morn...hey." :lol:

But yeah, I though Sin City was great. I'm not familar with Frank Miller's works except by reputation, but I really enjoyed the movie. As I told my brother, I'm not sure if I'd say it's the best comic book movie, but it is certainly the most comic book movie ever.

[Sessa17]

I walked out of this after the Mickey Rourke story ended, which is a first for me.

I've got to say that it sounds like you are just being that guy. I find it hard to believe that out of every movie you have scene in your life, this, a movie that is completely original & refreshing is the one that you walked out on.

The visual style didn't bother me (I loved the similarly shot Sky ptain), but I just couldn't stand the 1-dimensional characters and terrible acting.

This is coming from a guy whose DVD collection includes such multi-layered character studies as The Transporter, Resident Evil AND Resident Evil 2, Passenger 57, The Rundown, Tomb Raider & From Justin to Kelly just to name a few. And you are complaining how Sin City has characters that are "1-dimensional" (which in itself shows you are missing the point of the film since the characters are rooted in noir mythos which at their core are narrow characters in nature).

And how on earth could anyone think Rourke's acting was terrible?

Rodriguez just was relentless in trying to show off what he could do and everything felt rushed in an attempt to either display their visuals or show just how graphic they could get without hitting the NC-17.

The film showed nothing graphic that wasn't in the original material, so it was clearly not just being gratuitous for the sake of pushing the R rating. The only thing Rodriguez was relentlessly trying to do, was copy exactly the look & spirit of the comic book. The man should be praised for going against the grain & breaking away from the SAG just to make his own faithful & unique vision.

[majorjoe23]

No movie should require you to read the source material before viewing it.

Exactly. Only a few hundred thousand people have read the graphic novels, if they're the only people who get this movie, it would flop horribly.

[Daniel-A]

Anyone read the comics/novels? I'm interested in getting back into the genre, and wondered where I should start. I look on eBay and there are all sorts of items, few different series of comics, few novels, etc.

[thematahara]

No movie should require you to read the source material before viewing it.


I agree with you for the most part, but as a viewer you should at least have some sort of idea as to what the movie is about before seeing it. It would be like saying you hated the LOTR movies because you didnt think it was realistic and relied to heavily on the notion of fantasy.

[majorjoe23]

Anyone read the comics/novels? I'm interested in getting back into the genre, and wondered where I should start. I look on eBay and there are all sorts of items, few different series of comics, few novels, etc.

Go to Amazon and do a search on Sin City there.

[Cameron]

This is coming from a guy whose DVD collection includes such multi-layered character studies as The Transporter, Resident Evil AND Resident Evil 2, Passenger 57, The Rundown, Tomb Raider & From Justin to Kelly just to name a few. And you are complaining how Sin City has characters that are "1-dimensional" (which in itself shows you are missing the point of the film since the characters are rooted in noir mythos which at their core are narrow characters in nature).


rotfl

[SinCity]

too me this film wasnt graphic at all. you got all these people claiming Takahashi Miike is fucking brilliant cuz he uses S&M, Blood and bowl fluids in his films but Sin City is too 'disturbing'? I thought it could have used more violence, just to mirror the comics 100%. Oh no, that guy's oozing milk COVER YOUR EYES!!!!!!!1111

[RyoHazuki]

Saw it on friday. I really enjoyed it. Maybe not to the level that a lot of you seem to be enjoying it but it was a really good film.

[RichC2]

I didn't think it was "Graphic", the violence was ample (comparatively) but very fitting and never offensive. Having sat through a majority of Takashi Miike's uncut filmography, I can agree his work is much more extreme, but it's also more realistic and really isn't intended for mass markets.

Though I would have laughed if Sin City turned out like Ichi, still got an R, and had packed movie houses.

[Cameron]

nothing graphic about ripping nuts off. ;)

[SinCity]

Though I would have laughed in Sin City turned out like Ichi, still got an R, and had packed movie houses.

Sin City turn out like Ichi? Rated R and packed movie houses? I mustve missed something...

[Daniel-A]

Go to Amazon and do a search on Sin City there.Thanks for a heads up, will start off with the volumes.

[RichC2]

Sin City turn out like Ichi? Rated R and packed movie houses? I mustve missed something...

in... if...

same thing after a few drinks.

nothing graphic about ripping nuts off.

It was suggestively graphic, but visually looked like Gak :P

[Cameron]

if by gak you mean....HEY THAT GUYS NUTS JUST GOT RIPPED OFF....then yah gak

[DeputyDave]

Fantastic movie.

[RichC2]

if by gak you mean....HEY THAT GUYS NUTS JUST GOT RIPPED OFF....then yah gak

:D You Win!

I give up :p

[PopcornTreeCt]

I thought it was pretty damn good. I had to get used to the style at first but when I did it was pretty easy to follow along. Half naked women and brutal violence makes me a happy camper.

[NitroJMS]

This is coming from a guy whose DVD collection includes such multi-layered character studies as The Transporter, Resident Evil AND Resident Evil 2, Passenger 57, The Rundown, Tomb Raider & From Justin to Kelly just to name a few. And you are complaining how Sin City has characters that are "1-dimensional" (which in itself shows you are missing the point of the film since the characters are rooted in noir mythos which at their core are narrow characters in nature).


Transporter, Passenger 57, Tomb Raider and From Justin to Kelly were purchased for Half.com fodder. I list them in my database to know I have them in stock still. What's the bother of liking a zombie flick or a Rock action movie? They aren't held to the same standards I'll hold something that has been "critically" praised such as Sin City. You rattle off a few of my "misses" but fail to list all the great movies I own. I'll probably give Sin City another shot someday after it hits DVD or cable.

Edit: After browsing your collection, I see you own The Transporter too. Weird, huh?

[Sierra Disc]

Using people's collections to make fun of their posts whenever I see it done around here always feels like pretty cheap shots in my mind no matter who's doing it. Who are we supposed to be, the taste police?

[PopcornTreeCt]

Using people's collections to make fun of their posts whenever I see it done around here always feels like pretty cheap shots in my mind no matter who's doing it. Who are we supposed to be, the taste police?

I don't know. I think it could be a good indicator of whether or not someone is worth getting into an argument with.

[stoven]

My wife was so excited to see this movie but now she's afraid it might be too violent. Is it violent as Ichi the Killer? Or is it more similar to Kill Bill?

[Cameron]

My wife was so excited to see this movie but now she's afraid it might be too violent. Is it violent as Ichi the Killer? Or is it more similar to Kill Bill?

if by gak you mean....HEY THAT GUYS NUTS JUST GOT RIPPED OFF....then yah gak

so theres that.

[UKingdom]

it is EXTREMELY violent, but because its' black and white it lessens the impact a lot; i would say it's more like kill bill because the violence is over the top; ichi is more of a sadistic twisted violence, although there are elements of that in this as well, but to a much lesser degree. i would say if your wife is scared of violence, better to play it safe and avoid

however, i'm sure whether or not she hates it she will still marvel at the artistry and the painstaking work at putting this film together; it's a technical marvel and beauty to look at

[Cameron]

it is EXTREMELY violent, but because its' black and white it lessens the impact a lot; i would say it's more like kill bill because the violence is over the top; ichi is more of a sadistic twisted violence, although there are elements of that in this as well, but to a much lesser degree. i would say if your wife is scared of violence, better to play it safe and avoid

however, i'm sure whether or not she hates it she will still marvel at the artistry and the painstaking work at putting this film together; it's a technical marvel and beauty to look at

you could just go see hitch again ;)

[PopcornTreeCt]

I think Robert Rodriquez has painted his masterpiece. Once a student now an innovator. Great work. BTW, does anyone know what Tarantino's influence was on the movie?

[Cameron]

Dropping a line to fill you in on the Quentin Tarantino's guest director credit on Sin City. Robert Rodriguez talks about it in Entertainment Weekly's Feb, 18, 05 isssue.

"One Sin City player did attempt to revolt against the tech tyranny: Quentin Tarantino, whom Rodriguez asked to helm a truly Tarantinoesque passage-a long drive-and-talk between Owen and Del Toro. It was a challenge to the Kill Bill director, designed to settle a debate between them. Digital filmmaking: bliss or blasphemy? At first, Tarantino insisted on a real car: But after one take , the director became bothered by the limited range of camera angles, ditched the wheels, and put the actors on crates."