'Knowing' - High-Def Digest Review

[Attebery]

Josh has reviewed 'Knowing.' He says you can skip this one. The only fun he had was watching his office building get blown up in a geographically inaccurate recreation of Boston. This Blu-ray has excellent video and audio, but they can't save the movie itself. Rent it if you must, but he's warned you.

Full review here:
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/2333/knowing.html

[Jackson]

one of the worst movie i've ever seen, alongside with "are we done yet". i'd rather skip it... ill give you a hint. if you didn't like the 4th Indy, you better take your eyes out to see this one.

[Hastor]

Based off the fact that this is by Proyas, and Ebert was pretty much the only reviewer to give Dark City 4 stars when it was new, and this is the first 4 star review he's given Proyas since, I'm really anxious to see it. Many people regard Dark City as great now, but Ebert was really alone back in '98. Now he's pretty alone on this one. I disagree with him plenty, but I think he's been pretty spot-on with Proyas so far. Never made it out to the theater while it was still playing. Would be a blind buy if I had the money, but will probably have to rent it for now.

[horrorbusiness]

I forgot all about this movie. I remember seeing the trailer for this just recently. Pass for me on this.

[DrMaustus]

Josh:

In the article you say this:

"However, as smart a guy as Proyas seems to be, why is it that he can't recognize how badly his movie turned out?"

You've probably listened to many more commentaries than I have, but I've never heard a director effectively trash his own movie in the commentary. Were you being facetious here or were you being serious? If the latter, have you ever heard a director admit he made a bad film on a commentary? I certainly haven't.

[eYeKey]

i liked it quite a bit.

[ASIA911]

This movie started out with great potential but they messed it up in the second and third act. I didn't mind the that kind of an ending but it was badly directed and play out poorly.

Another good premise gone to waste.

[monkeypuzzle]

The only reason I went to see this movie was because of the Ebert review. I have to say, I was just floored by this one. This is, by far, the best movie that I've seen all year. It's right up there with Dark City.

[Josh Z]

Originally Posted by DrMaustus

You've probably listened to many more commentaries than I have, but I've never heard a director effectively trash his own movie in the commentary. Were you being facetious here or were you being serious? If the latter, have you ever heard a director admit he made a bad film on a commentary? I certainly haven't.

I was being facetious.

However, I'm pretty sure that I have heard at least one commentary where the director admitted that the movie was a dog. Can't think of it off the top of my head, though. I admit that it's rare.

The Ben Affleck commentary on the Criterion DVD of Armageddon is a riot.

[Vidfreek]

I totally disagree with about everything said in here so far, sure the movie takes a lot of things we've seen before and used them, but everything about it IMO was highly entertaining and suspenseful, the plane crash, while looking fake somewhat, was superb film making IMO.....not to mention the whole thing was filmed in one take one shot and I thought it was fantastic, same with the subway disaster, while yes it was kind of fake looking (what CGI isnt anymore?) it was really a more brutal accident scene that I've seen in a while, especially for a PG-13 movie, having watched it twice I picked up on more things that really worked well and of course the ending IMO was pretty controversial with regards to science and religion.....

With a almost 5 score on video and sound this is one I'm going to pick up, the friends I recently watched it with loved it and thought it was awesome, and I'm sorry but saying this is as bad as an Ice Cube movie is really reaching

Oh and wondering why the director doesnt think his movie is a piece of crap could be the fact that he doesnt think its a piece of crap, your opinion doesnt mean anything to how he feels, you think he made a terrible film and thats really where it ends

[Josh Z]

Originally Posted by Hastor

Based off the fact that this is by Proyas, and Ebert was pretty much the only reviewer to give Dark City 4 stars when it was new, and this is the first 4 star review he's given Proyas since, I'm really anxious to see it. Many people regard Dark City as great now, but Ebert was really alone back in '98. Now he's pretty alone on this one. I disagree with him plenty, but I think he's been pretty spot-on with Proyas so far. Never made it out to the theater while it was still playing. Would be a blind buy if I had the money, but will probably have to rent it for now.

Ebert was more harsh on I, Robot than that movie deserved.

I've liked Dark City since its original release, though I do think that Ebert went a little overboard in his fawning devotion to it.

This movie isn't even remotely in the same league as Dark City. This movie is to Dark City what Southland Tales was to Donnie Darko.

[Emoney7]

I have seen alot of hate it or leave it on this. blu-ray.com gave it like 4 1/2 stars or something. So i'll definitely rent and see for myself. Nice AV almost makes me want to give it a blind buy.... I actually agree with Ebert alot of times.

[Thulsadoom]

I thought this was pretty damn good. Not quite in Dark City league, but better than I, Robot (Which is still good fun). I think it just divides a lot of people because of its topics, and how it handles them. I've read so much by religious people claiming it was anti-religious and atheists (even more so!) claiming it was this dreadful evil religious propaganda.

I suggest people just watch this for themselves and judge. I'd say that with any movie, but in the case of this one, and how much it divided its audience, I'd advise it even more.

It's not flawless, there are some bad turns here and there, but on the whole this was the kind of film the remake of "The Day The Earth Stood Still" should have been, rather than the utterly derivative tripe it turned out to be.

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by Josh Z

I was being facetious.

However, I'm pretty sure that I have heard at least one commentary where the director admitted that the movie was a dog. Can't think of it off the top of my head, though. I admit that it's rare.

The Ben Affleck commentary on the Criterion DVD of Armageddon is a riot.

Schumacher was pretty harsh on his own work in the "Batman and Robin" commentary.

[D_Strasse]

I guess I'm not seeing the connection between the 2-star rating and the text portion of the review. Sounds like, Josh, you though this movie was terrible with ZERO redeeming qualities. Maybe I missed them.