Butterfly Effect

[pfloyd]

Anyone that pays money to see this should be banned from all movie related message boards!

[Meatrack]

Have you seen it?

[Floydian Trip]

Dude, where's my girlfriend?

[pfloyd]

Yes. Mix Memento with any bad time travel flick, throw in a nice helping of idiocy and illogic, and you have Butterfly Effect. More plot holes than any movie in recent memory. What's worse is that it tries so goddamn hard to be confusing. I feel dumb having seen it.

[billylove]

Originally posted by pfloyd
Yes. Mix Memento with any bad time travel flick, throw in a nice helping of idiocy and illogic, and you have Butterfly Effect. More plot holes than any movie in recent memory. What's worse is that it tries so goddamn hard to be confusing. I feel dumb having seen it.

BAN EM! BAN EM TO HELL!

[i3ullseye]

Well, opinions are like assholes... everyone has them, and none of them prevent me from watching a movie and judging for myself.

Slight paraphrase there.

[Meatrack]

So what you're saying is that we should ban you from all movie related message boards?

This movie looks like it might not be all that bad if it wasn't for that Punk'd son of a bitch. Goddamn does he annoy me.

[Floydian Trip]

Originally posted by i3ullseye
Well, opinions are like assholes... everyone has them, and none of them prevent me from watching a movie and judging for myself.

Slight paraphrase there.

I don't know why anyone would want to see this movie. The trailers look horrible.

[Gruber]

It has the fatass bully from "Boy Meets World", if you need any further deterrent.

[lllhouselll]

Cabin Fever has Shawn from Boys Meets World and that movie RULES

[Gruber]

Ah yes, Shawn. The trailer trash boy with a heart of gold, whose father returned about 12 times and ditched him at the end of each appearance.

[i3ullseye]

Dunno. I think this can really be a breakout for Kutcher. If he can break the 'dude' mold this could be the start of a damn impressive career I think. Guess we will just have to see if he has the range.

but I think the trailers look decent. Easily as good as most of the other films we have been offered lately, and I like the whole Donnie Darko vibe movies, so I am thinking this might be halfway enjoyable to me. My hopes and expectations are not overly hgih, but I do think it will be a good flick on its own merits.

People here like Resident Evil... and you will fault me for seeing a movie like this?

Haha........

[Floydian Trip]

I don't think Kutcher can act his way out of a wet paper bag but that's just my opinion. He's great as a dumbass stoner on 'That 70's Show' but I think that's as far as his talent goes. Who knows maybe he's the next Kianu.

[Boys #22: elmie]

Originally posted by Floydian Trip
I don't think Kutcher can act his way out of a wet paper bag but that's just my opinion. He's great as a dumbass stoner on 'That 70's Show' but I think that's as far as his talent goes. Who knows maybe he's the next Kianu.


... so basically what you are saying is that he's perfect for the CABIN FEVER sequel ....











:)

[Floydian Trip]

That's wrong.

[Altar]

This movie is actually getting good reviews. There are a few write ups at AICN and a few other places, mostly positive. Its suppose to be a mind fuck movie like Donny Darko and Jacobs Ladder. Ashton is suppose to be pretty good in it.

[Messiahman]

Jesus, I don't know why they're not just doing a proper adaptation of Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder," seeing that all this movie is doing is stealing shamelessly from it. Hell, they oughtta give Bradbury story credit, for God's sake.

[bunnymud wants tacos]

I liked it the first time I saw it


when it was called Back tothe Future

[billylove]

Originally posted by bunnymud wants tacos
I liked it the first time I saw it


when it was called Back tothe Future

BTTF had a Delorean on roids, this movie has words on a paper. Advantage BTTF.

Edit, BTTF instead of BTF.

[Wetbones]

Originally posted by Messiahman
Jesus, I don't know why they're not just doing a proper adaptation of Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder," seeing that all this movie is doing is stealing shamelessly from it.

There's an adaptation of A SOUND OF THUNDER coming out this year starring Ben Kingsley. But from what I hear they now want to change the title to something hipper. :rolleyes: A proper adaptation? No, the new film will not be a literal adaptation but how the hell do you film a proper adaptation of a story that is a whopping 5 pages long?

I just hope it has some gory dinosaur action.

But it will probably be PG-13 so fat chance ...

[David Toy]

Originally posted by Messiahman
Jesus, I don't know why they're not just doing a proper adaptation of Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder," seeing that all this movie is doing is stealing shamelessly from it. Hell, they oughtta give Bradbury story credit, for God's sake.
I think they probably lifted more material from The Simpsons 'Time and Punishment' episode than they did directly from Bradbury. I just hope Kutcher will be using a toaster at some point in the movie. I think there is an adaptation of 'A Sound of Thunder' coming out next year so that might be more interesting. Or maybe it's just in development. Anyway, I thought the trailer for 'The Butterfly Effect' looked pretty good so I'll probably go see it since I'm a sucker for time travel movies. I'll be interested to see if Kutcher's acting ability is up to snuff for a sci-fi thriller.

[Wetbones]

Originally posted by Floydian Trip
He's great as a dumbass stoner on 'That 70's Show' but I think that's as far as his talent goes.

What exactly is 'That 70's Show' about anyway? I never even heard of it until Kutcher started dipping his wick into Demi and BUTTERFLY EFFECT came closer to release.

And can someone please explain to me why BUTTERFLY EFFECT is playing Sundance when it comes out nationwide a few days later? Indie my ass! :rolleyes:

[Wetbones]

Originally posted by David Toy
I think there is an adaptation of 'A Sound of Thunder' coming out next year so that might be more interesting. Or maybe it's just in development.

Above you. ;)

The film is set for release August 20th this year.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0318081/

It's being directed by the guy who did END OF DAYS and THE RELIC ... :eek:

[Wetbones]

Oh, and if anyone got curious, you can read Bradbury's A SOUND OF THUNDER online and free right here:

http://www.sba.muohio.edu/snavely/415/thunder.htm

It shouldn't take you more than 10 minutes or so ...

[David Toy]

Originally posted by Wetbones
Above you. ;) Damn! I just type slower than you do Wetbones. Thanks for the info on the Bradbury movie!

[Floydian Trip]

'That 70's SHow' is actually a great sitcom. It's about a bunch of teenagers from some city in Wisconsin growing up in the 70's and smoking alot of dope. Funny as shit.

[Jason P. Thompson]

Originally posted by Wetbones
Oh, and if anyone got curious, you can read Bradbury's A SOUND OF THUNDER online and free right here:

http://www.sba.muohio.edu/snavely/415/thunder.htm

It shouldn't take you more than 10 minutes or so ... Thanks, printing it now and will read it when I get home tonight.

[Eric Binford]

Originally posted by bunnymud wants tacos
I liked it the first time I saw it


when it was called Back tothe Future

Didn't you say this in the other thread?

Whatever. I'm goin' to watch Equilibrium. You know, the one that ripped off The Breakfast Club.

[Scott Standridge]

Originally posted by Wetbones
Oh, and if anyone got curious, you can read Bradbury's A SOUND OF THUNDER online and free right here:

http://www.sba.muohio.edu/snavely/415/thunder.htm

It shouldn't take you more than 10 minutes or so ...

That was awesome. Thanks, Wetbones! I can't believe I'd never read that before.

[Floydian Trip]

A funny review



CHRISTY LEMIRE

(AP) - Few movies have made me want to get up from my seat and leave the theatre. The Butterfly Effect is one of them.



And it's not even Ashton Kutcher (news)'s fault, though he's an easy target - the Dude, Where's My Car? dude asking to be taken seriously in a dramatic role. Besides serving as one of the film's executive producers, he plays bearded, flannel-clad college student Evan Treborn, who goes back in time by reading his old journals in hopes of reversing his wretched childhood.


What Evan finds there is gratuitously disgusting: memories of molestation and brutal animal abuse, among the traumatic events that seem shocking for shock's sake. And because he returns to his past repeatedly, we're forced to watch all this over and over, with slightly varying results each time.


I kept hoping this would turn out to be one of Kutcher's elaborate Punk'd pranks - that the cameramen would pop out from behind the scenes, laughing, and that this attempt at drama/sci-fi/whatever would all be a joke on us.


It wasn't, but that reminds me - for fans of the MTV series, especially younger fans who deify Kutcher, The Butterfly Effect is probably inappropriate. It's certainly inappropriate for fans of film.


Kutcher himself isn't bad. Sporadically, the co-star of the Fox sitcom That '70s Show even shows glimmers of his trademark goofy enthusiasm - like when one of Evan's tinkerings with time turns him into a frat boy, and he takes a sort of wild-eyed glee in hazing the pledges.


The title of the film, co-written and co-directed by Eric Bress and Mackye Gruber, comes from the chaos theory - that a butterfly could flap its wings in Brazil and cause a tornado in Texas.


Evan seems to have a similar effect when he reads the horrific details in his old diaries, which he kept to jog his memory after having chronic blackouts. His words jumble and jump off the page, then everything around him gets loud and chaotic, and poof! He's back seven years ago, or 13 years ago.


He tries to save his longtime girlfriend, Kayleigh (Amy Smart), from her eventual suicide, his beleaguered mother (Melora Walters) from cancer and a childhood friend (Elden Henson) from a life of depression. Usually, though, his attempts at retroactive redemption lead to someone else's misfortune.


It's standard time-travel stuff - imagine Time Bandits, without the dwarves or the twisted sense of humour.


The film's philosophical and psychological twists won't leave much of a lasting effect - they didn't on me at least.


One star out of four.

[bunnymud V2]

I read that he cancelled all interviews after the movie got laughed off screens at Sundance


and that him and Demi acted like divas




I bet Bruce Willis is laughing his ass off

[Floydian Trip]

Are they going out? What's with these beautiful actresses like Demi and Nicole, was dating Spiderman, going out with the bottom of the barrel losers. Hell maybe if I get on Fear Factor they'll date me.

[Smilin' Jack Ruby]

Well, he's laughing all the way to the bank. The movie's a hit - the tracking from the East Coast says it'll be 15-25 million (yes, a wide range) by Monday gauging off today's matinees. For a $9 million movie that could've been a big tankeroo, I'm sure New Line is dancing in the aisles.

[Floydian Trip]

Amazing. Sorry Mr. Romero no money for you.

[bunnymud V2]

I'm sure it'll be number one



but it is far far from a indy movie

[lllhouselll]

can it be that bad

[Rawhead Rotten]

I....I liked it.

[M5]

So did I.

[zombie fan]

This is one of those films that may be good, but probably sucks ass. I think I'll just wait and rent this one.

[bunnymud V2]

jah


I can't really dog the flick too much because I have yet to see it



But it has elements about it that I know to dislike



will wait for DVD......everyone else, enjoy

[dolarhyde]

I liked it too. It's surprisingly good, in my opinion.

[Floydian Trip]

If Dolarhyde liked it I gotta see it now.:wink:

[mahduk]

It sounds a lot like a movie I saw a couple of months ago called "Retroactive." It had an over-the-top performance by Jim Belushi and I thought it was rather enjoyable. Because I, too, am a sucker for a halfway decent time travel movie I'll probably at least rent this when it comes out. How bad can it really be in spite of Kutcher?

[dolarhyde]

If Dolarhyde liked it I gotta see it now.

Well, I don't know if that's good or bad :) but I think if you're on the fence about seeing it definitely give it a chance. I'm willing to bet most horror fans will like it. Too bad the Kutcher factor will keep a lot of people away. The only reason I almost passed on seeing it was knowing the DVD would have a darker "director's cut" but as it turns out I really liked the theatrical ending. Now I'm curious to see if the "director's cut" will be an improvement or not.

[Floydian Trip]

I trust your judgment man. So we'll see.:wink:

[TravisDearly]

Originally posted by Bunny Dracula
Sadly, Bruce has proved that he is Ashton's bitch when he attended the premiere of "Charlie's Angels" with his three daughters, his ex-wife, and her little fuck-buddy. I'm not sayin' he shoulda got all O.J. on the dude, but Rumur is almost Ashton's age and it's just not kosher to be complicit...eh, screw it! Who cares, anyway? I haven't seen it but this flick appears to be nothing more than a hackneyed rip-off of Ursula LeGuinn's superior "The Lathe of Heaven". They should have just made that into a feature.

lathe of heaven was made into a tv movie twice. one in the 80's and the other in the early 2000's (on a&e i believe).

[Mr. Freeze]

Originally posted by pfloyd
Anyone that pays money to see this should be banned from all movie related message boards! Well ... I guess I should be banned AND killed because not only did I pay money to see it ... I actually really enjoyed it! I'm not really a fan of Kutcher's either ... but I didn't mind him in this movie and actually thought he did a great job. I was entertained throughout the entire movie and that's all that mattered to me.

[DJ Creep]

Originally posted by Mr. Freeze
Well ... I guess I should be banned AND killed because not only did I pay money to see it ... I actually really enjoyed it! I'm not really a fan of Kutcher's either ... but I didn't mind him in this movie and actually thought he did a great job. I was entertained throughout the entire movie and that's all that mattered to me.

I totally agree. My girlfriend and I were surprised that this film was entertaining. I like the theatrical ending, it seemed just right.

Looks like this board is going to be split down the middle with this one. Though alot of the people who are negative towards it haven't seen it. Give it a chance.....

[Altar]

http://www.joblo.com/arrow/index.htm

[dmeister]

I was just commenting on another site that it was a good flick, though not without it's technical flaws, which in all fairness are hard to avoid in time travel movies. Worth a watch.

I also mentioned that it's interesting to note that the authors identify the title The Butterfly Effect as a mathematical principle of chaos theory, when it was Ray Bradbury who actually came up with the idea in the context of time travel in his story, "The Sound of Thunder," twenty years before Lorenz used the phrase to describe chaos theory.

dmeister

[Disciple_72]

caught this today. Some ok ideas, but the acting was all over the place. And LOTS of unintentional hilarity (favorite would be reference to the big book of prison cliches)

I liked that it had a happy ending but not the happiest possible ending.

[Mad Dog Mike]

Originally posted by mahduk
It sounds a lot like a movie I saw a couple of months ago called "Retroactive." It had an over-the-top performance by Jim Belushi and I thought it was rather enjoyable. Because I, too, am a sucker for a halfway decent time travel movie I'll probably at least rent this when it comes out. How bad can it really be in spite of Kutcher?

Retroactive was good b-movie fun. A sci-fi crime genre take on the Groundhog Day idea. (That reminds me... the TV movie "12:01" is a sci-fi movie whose script predated Groundhog Day. Even better than Retroactive.)

I get pissed off about the Ashton Kutcher backlash. Just because someone is best known for playing idiotic characters, it doesn't mean they can't act or shouldn't try something different. I would also argue that it takes some skill to pull of the hilarious Kelso character on That 70s Show.

[Floydian Trip]

Originally posted by dmeister
I was just commenting on another site that it was a good flick, though not without it's technical flaws, which in all fairness are hard to avoid in time travel movies. Worth a watch.

I also mentioned that it's interesting to note that the authors identify the title The Butterfly Effect as a mathematical principle of chaos theory, when it was Ray Bradbury who actually came up with the idea in the context of time travel in his story, "The Sound of Thunder," twenty years before Lorenz used the phrase to describe chaos theory.

dmeister

I could be wrong here, still haven't seen it, but doesn't the movie involve The Butterfly Effect as defined by Chaos Theory and time travel both?

[dmeister]

I could be wrong here, still haven't seen it, but doesn't the movie involve The Butterfly Effect as defined by Chaos Theory and time travel both?

Bradbury's 1952 story was about a guy who goes back in time, inadvertently kills a butterfly, and makes significant changes to the future (that is, the guy's present) as a result.

Chaos theory deals with similar concepts -- the sensitivity of events over time to the initial set of conditions. However, Bradbury's dead-butterfly-altering-time story, which is basically the plotline of the movie, predates chaos theory (at least it certainly predates the "Butterfly" analogy now used in Chaos theory). Morever, Chaos theory doesn't really deal with time travel, which would be considered pseudo-science to most people. It deals with finding patterns in complex systems and crap like that. Also, the "Butterfly" analogy in Chaos theory has to do with time moving forward, not altering the present by going back in time, which makes Bradbury's story even more applicable to the movie. Now, I am not certain if Lorenz got the idea for his "Butterfly" analogy for Chaos theory from Bradbury, but it would certainly stand to reason -- particularly given that Bradbury is a pretty popular science fiction writer.

dmeister

[dmeister]

*SPOILERS*

I also wanted to mention that it occurred to me, quite sometime after seeing the movie...

Initially, I assumed (as the movie would have you) that his "black outs" were simply instances of his mind coping with the stress by repressing his memory of the event, which isn't entirely uncommon. Later, however, it occurred to me that these periods weren't necessarily periods of repressed memory, but rather periods where he actually lost control of his consciousness as his "future-self" took over his body using his time travel abilities. That is, he "blacked out" as a child at instances when his adult-self "warped" (for lack of a better word) back in time into his child-self.

I actually realized that this might have been the case when I remembered that he was drawing a picture of stabbing a couple of Aryans as a child and, of course, he does just that as an adult in one of his futures -- suggesting that he was privy to that memory as a child. Of course, this might have been obvious from the start for other people, but it didn't dawn on me for a day or two.

While this notion is still not without its logistical flaws (but, hey, it's a time travel movie), it added another dimension of intrigue to the movie for me. And, assuming that this is indeed what the screenwriters had in mind, it also demonstrated greater foresight on behalf of the writers.

dmeister

[Painty!]

gruber why make fun of the "fat-ass bully" from boy meets world, damn that guy is great in any movie he's in like he was fucking awsome in American History X...and he was damn funny in Remember the titans, hehehe white boy trying to be black he was so ahead of his time!

[BillJohnson]

We just got back from seeing it. We really enjoyed it and I thought that Aston Kutcher(sp?) did a really good job.

[BillJohnson]

I went with my wife. Why would ask that?