Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: American Ultra (2015)

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Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 08-22-2015, 03:31 PM:

CINEMA: 13th Avenue Warren, Wichita, KS
AUDITORIUM: "Gran" (formerly known as "14")
PRESENTATION: Dolby Digital Cinema/THX
PRESENTATION PROBLEMS: None [Cool]

RATING: Two and one half stars (out of four)

"Gran" is now what is says on the ticket. Because this is the "Gran" (uh, Grand) auditorium.

THE PLOT: Topher Grace is a dick. Wackiness ensues.

I've seen reviews compare this to the Bourne movies (unfavorably for the most part) and reviews compare this to "The Long Kiss Goodnight", that Geena Davis movie from 1996 where she wore inexplicably non-see-through stunt panties underwater. I'm still pissed off about that.

Anyway, I'm with the latter group. This is a guilty pleasure dumb action flick mostly. It should have been a little funnier and a little more clever, but I had a decent enough time anyway. Topher Grace's character is such an ass that I might punch Topher in the face if I ever meet him in person.

For some reason, I found Kristen Stewart's pants in the blacklight room to be hilarious. In related news, I now want a blacklight room of my own. Maybe I'll paint one of my bathrooms.

Posted by Matt Russell (Member # 8989) on 08-23-2015, 01:16 PM:

I was quite surprised by how violent this movie was. Went into it thinking it would be a cheesy slacker comedy (which it certainly was), but damn the body count in this movie was pretty high even for an R-rated movie! I was very impressed by Eisenberg and Stewart's chemistry which really helped move the plot forwards. Eisenberg always sells off the "nerdy shy guy" in really everything he's in. Stewart is truly a great actress if you look past Twilight/Snow White, as she can pull off some really funny stuff that wouldn't had worked with the other actors, even Eisenberg. Topher Grace was indeed, 100% a dick. Less said about him, the better. Not that he ruined the movie completely, but he sure brought down the enjoyment. Overall, I don't know if it'll join the likes of Cheech and Chong or Jay and Silent Bob as "classic stoner hits", but for a late-summer comedy, you could've done a whole lot worse.

No notes on the presentationn, besides the fact that I was kind of upset this wasn't in SCOPE, but it seems like this movie is skewing much more heavily towards college students/adults, surprising no kids trying to sneak into this one it looked like after Straight Outta Compton got tons and tons of them last week. Maybe it's the marketing's fault then. [Wink]

Film: 2 and a half out of 4 stars
Presentation: 4 out of 4 stars

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 08-23-2015, 02:52 PM:

Apparently this movie has a Dolby Atmos mix. But is there actually a movie theater anywhere playing this in Atmos?

Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 08-23-2015, 08:02 PM:

Cinetopia 18 in Overland Park KS is currently, one theater out of 3 in the KC Metro with Atmos screens. Unfortunately I didn't take the 1.5 hour drive to see it in Atmos.

Hollywood Theaters 10
St. Joseph MO 10:15 PM Thurs Aug 20th
NEC Digital with RealD polarizer in front of the lens

I quite enjoyed this movie. Eisenberg and Stewart were great together. I liked the Arrested Development guy in this movie too.

Posted by Matt Russell (Member # 8989) on 08-23-2015, 08:56 PM:

quote: Bobby Henderson
Apparently this movie has a Dolby Atmos mix. But is there actually a movie theater anywhere playing this in Atmos?

Everyone Atmos theater in Illinois is showing either Mission: Impossible and/or Man From U.N.C.L.E. in Atmos. Most of them also list that they are showing We Are Your Friends in Atmos starting next week as well.

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 08-24-2015, 10:37 AM:

it's also the first DTS-X commercial theatrical release:

DTS' Facebook news:

"We're excited for the U.S. cinema debut of DTS:X, our next-generation immersive audio technology, with today's opening of 'American Ultra' at the Muvico Thousand Oaks 14 in California."

Posted by Daniel Schulz (Member # 1881) on 08-24-2015, 08:02 PM:

quote:
it's also the first DTS-X commercial theatrical release:

First DTS:X theatrical release in the USA - there's been at least one Chinese film released in China with a DTS:X soundtrack.

Interesting that American Ultra released with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro-3D.

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 08-24-2015, 09:55 PM:

^ I was curious to find out what that Chinese movie was, apparently the 3D martial arts film by acclaimed director, Chen Kaige, “Monk Comes Down the Mountain” was that movie.