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trixster
loyalfromlondon
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:31 pm Posts: 19697 Location: ville-marie
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Rock of Ages
Rock of AgesQuote: Rock of Ages is an American comedy musical film directed by Adam Shankman. The film is an adaptation of the 2006 Chris D'Arienzo rock jukebox Broadway musical of the same name. Originally scheduled to enter production in the Summer of 2010 for a 2011 release, it eventually started production in May 2011 and was released on June 15, 2012.
The film stars country singer Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta with an ensemble cast including Tom Cruise, Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Paul Giamatti, Malin Åkerman, Bryan Cranston, with Alec Baldwin and Mary J. Blige. The film features the music of Bon Jovi, Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Foreigner, Journey, Poison, Pat Benatar, Whitesnake, Night Ranger, Twisted Sister, and REO Speedwagon.
_________________Magic Mike wrote: zwackerm wrote: If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes. Same. Algren wrote: I don't think. I predict.
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 5:56 pm |
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Dr. Lecter
You must have big rats
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:28 pm Posts: 92093 Location: Bonn, Germany
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Re: Rock of Ages
I have seen it, but I am not allowed to write about it until Monday...
_________________The greatest thing on earth is to love and to be loved in return!
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 6:05 pm |
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David
Pure Phase
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:33 am Posts: 34865 Location: Maryland
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Re: Rock of Ages
I get the feeling this movie transcends any attempt at general-readership criticism. If you've seen the trailer, you know what the score is. It's the movie with nonstop Def Leppard cuts and Alec Baldwin "throwing up in his pants."
_________________1. The Lost City of Z - 2. A Cure for Wellness - 3. Phantom Thread - 4. T2 Trainspotting - 5. Detroit - 6. Good Time - 7. The Beguiled - 8. The Florida Project - 9. Logan and 10. Molly's Game
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 6:06 pm |
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Dr. Lecter
You must have big rats
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:28 pm Posts: 92093 Location: Bonn, Germany
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Re: Rock of Ages
David wrote: I get the feeling this movie transcends any attempt at general-readership criticism. " Kind of. It's basically this...you have to like this kind of era in music. Not just the music itself (though obviously that too), but you really need to appreciate the era.
_________________The greatest thing on earth is to love and to be loved in return!
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:02 pm |
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Magic Mike
Wallflower
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:53 am Posts: 34876 Location: Minnesota
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Re: Rock of Ages
Dr. Lecter wrote: David wrote: I get the feeling this movie transcends any attempt at general-readership criticism. " It's basically this...you have to like this kind of era in music. Not just the music itself (though obviously that too), but you really need to appreciate the era. I do, which is why I want to see it.
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:04 pm |
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Dr. Lecter
You must have big rats
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:28 pm Posts: 92093 Location: Bonn, Germany
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Re: Rock of Ages
Magic Mike wrote: Dr. Lecter wrote: David wrote: I get the feeling this movie transcends any attempt at general-readership criticism. " It's basically this...you have to like this kind of era in music. Not just the music itself (though obviously that too), but you really need to appreciate the era. I do, which is why I want to see it. You will like it (and not only because of what I said above).
_________________The greatest thing on earth is to love and to be loved in return!
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:08 pm |
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Libs
Sbil
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:38 pm Posts: 48626 Location: Arlington, VA
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Re: Rock of Ages
I can't wait to see this. #ilovethe80s
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:48 pm |
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Mister Ecks
New Server, Same X
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:07 pm Posts: 28292 Location: ... siiiigh...
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Re: Rock of Ages
Why start the thread when it can't be talked about until Monday?!
I call for a banning on Lecter. Mods, please.
_________________ Ecks Factor: Cancelled too soon
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 10:01 pm |
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Dr. Lecter
You must have big rats
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:28 pm Posts: 92093 Location: Bonn, Germany
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Re: Rock of Ages
Mister Ecks wrote: Why start the thread when it can't be talked about until Monday?!
I call for a banning on Lecter. Mods, please. Actually, I didn't request the thread.
_________________The greatest thing on earth is to love and to be loved in return!
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 10:18 pm |
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jmovies
Let's Call It A Bromance
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:22 pm Posts: 12333
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Re: Rock of Ages
I requested it and I'm allowed to review it.
The film is a bit better than the play but that isn't saying much as this still is not that good. Really the romance stuff between Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta is just horrible when it comes to writing and the fact that the two can't act or really sing well either. The more adult cast is much better with Tom Cruise as the obvious standout. Also, the film still can't make up for the complete randomness in some of the song selections and how they play off. When the story and music mix though it is fun. So in the end its a mixed bag. **
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 11:20 pm |
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Magic Mike
Wallflower
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:53 am Posts: 34876 Location: Minnesota
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Re: Rock of Ages
Dr. Lecter wrote: Mister Ecks wrote: Why start the thread when it can't be talked about until Monday?!
I call for a banning on Lecter. Mods, please. Actually, I didn't request the thread. I actually thought you did too and found that stupid since you couldn't actually talk about it but I didn't want to say anything . I was born in 1985 but I still love the 80's. I grew up with the music due to having older siblings that listened to it and I find 80's movies really fun to watch. If I could have been a teenager in any decade I think I would pick the 80's.
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Thu Jun 07, 2012 3:32 am |
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David
Pure Phase
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:33 am Posts: 34865 Location: Maryland
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Re: Rock of Ages
Sadly, you're referring to Def Leppard and Night Ranger and Poison and Twisted Sister, not Bauhaus, the Birthday Party, the Cure, Flipper, Happy Mondays, Hüsker Dü, New Order, Pixies, R.E.M., the Replacements, the Smiths, Sonic Youth, Spacemen 3, etc. It's annoying how "eighties music" has such a specific, corny meaning.
_________________1. The Lost City of Z - 2. A Cure for Wellness - 3. Phantom Thread - 4. T2 Trainspotting - 5. Detroit - 6. Good Time - 7. The Beguiled - 8. The Florida Project - 9. Logan and 10. Molly's Game
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Thu Jun 07, 2012 4:05 am |
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Magic Mike
Wallflower
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:53 am Posts: 34876 Location: Minnesota
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Re: Rock of Ages
David wrote: Sadly, you're referring to Def Leppard and Night Ranger and Poison and Twisted Sister, not Bauhaus, the Birthday Party, the Cure, Flipper, Happy Mondays, Hüsker Dü, New Order, Pixies, R.E.M., the Replacements, the Smiths, Sonic Youth, Spacemen 3, etc. It's annoying how "eighties music" has such a specific, corny meaning. But I also love The Cure, New Order, The Smiths, Pixies, and Sonic Youth. Honestly I'd say more than the hair bands. But I grew up with them and have such an affection for them. It's not like I can only love one type of 80's music. And don't knock Def Leppard. They're awesome. At least their old stuff is. The only band I've ever seen perform live . I also got to meet them.
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Thu Jun 07, 2012 4:17 am |
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Mister Ecks
New Server, Same X
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:07 pm Posts: 28292 Location: ... siiiigh...
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Re: Rock of Ages
Dr. Lecter wrote: Mister Ecks wrote: Why start the thread when it can't be talked about until Monday?!
I call for a banning on Lecter. Mods, please. Actually, I didn't request the thread. Fair enough, I'll allow it. Mods, at ease.
_________________ Ecks Factor: Cancelled too soon
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Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:54 am |
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batnanna
Da Bears
Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 2:15 am Posts: 2802 Location: Springfield, Missouri
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Re: Rock of Ages
Magic Mike wrote: If I could have been a teenager in any decade I think I would pick the 80's. Me too, it seems like so much more fun than the 90's and 2000's. Def Leppard is one of my favorites. I'm always proud to say that I was at least born in the 80's even though I really have no clue what it was like to grow up in the 80's since I wasn't born until 89. It's silly I know but the 80's just seemed so cool.
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Sun Jun 10, 2012 10:52 pm |
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Dr. Lecter
You must have big rats
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:28 pm Posts: 92093 Location: Bonn, Germany
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Re: Rock of Ages
My review is going up soon, but suffice to say I enjoyed it a lot. It takes time to find its groove, but after about half an hour into the film it picks up well.
_________________The greatest thing on earth is to love and to be loved in return!
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Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:15 am |
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Dr. Lecter
You must have big rats
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:28 pm Posts: 92093 Location: Bonn, Germany
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Re: Rock of Ages
B/B+Quote: When a musical is released during the holiday season it usually means we’re dealing with a potential awards contender (or at least a film trying to be one). Musicals released in the summer season, on the other hand, usually mean to provide some unabashed fun that will have audiences tapping their feet to the rhythm of the music. Adam Shankman’s previous hit Hairspray and the not-so-good Mamma Mia! fall into the latter category (with Moulin Rouge! being an exception for a summer-released musical, though amidst all the tragedy it offers a lot of fun as well). Now Shankman is back with another adaptation of a hit Broadway musical. Whereas Hairspray was a homage to the 1960s and its political themes of segregation as well as its funky tunes and the happy-go-lucky attitude, Rock of Ages continues Shankman’s journey through different eras of music and brings the audiences a full-on 1980s rock ‘n’ roll experience. However the two films share one common trait – for all their shortcomings and lengths, both are offer pure, hum-inducing musical fun fully embracing their respective eras with all the cheesiness that comes along.
It’s 1987 and small town-girl Sherrie (Julianne Hough) arrives in Hollywood with big dreams of a music career. After being robbed minutes upon arrival on Sunset Strip, the equally ambitious Drew (Diego Boneta) who is still waiting for a breakthrough with his awesomely (silly) named band Wolfgang Von Colt gets Sherrie a job as a waitress at the legenday Bourbon Room where many of Sherrie’s and Drew’s idols like Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) recorded their music in the past. What the two don’t know is that the Bourbon Room might be nearing the end of its existence. The new Mayor Mike Whitmore (Bryan Cranston) and his wife Patricia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) have declared a full-on war against the filth of rock ‘n’ roll, promising to clean up the Strip starting the “heart of evil” – the Bourbon Room. In a very personal vendetta against the Bourbon and, especially Stacee Jaxx, Patricia finds out that the Bourbon hasn’t paid any taxes in years which is a sufficient reason to close them down unless they can come up with enough money within a few days. For Dennis Dupree (Alec Baldwin), Bourbon’s owner and his right-hand man Lonny Barnett (Russell Brand) the only hope of survival is a one-night only show by Stacee Jaxx. Too bad that Jaxx is the least reliable person in music business. Always accompanied by his pet monkey Heyman and his sleazy, greedy manager Paul Gill (Paul Giamatti), he has lost touch with reality long ago. Set to the background of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll tunes we experience the highs and lows of Sherrie and Drew’s inevitable love story while their beloved world of rock ‘n’ roll around them is crumbling.
Shankman’s Hairspray was already a lightweight affair, but there were still a few “important” issues it touched upon like racial segregation and coming-of-age. Rock of Ages’ plot is undeniably flimsier. In the spotlight of the film is the unabashed appreciation for the faux-glam and cheesiness of the 1980s and its well-worn music. The film makes no secret of its musical roots and its focus on music over plot, opening with a singing scene (Night Ranger’s “Sister Christian” and David Lee Roth’s “Just Like Paradise”) as we follow Sherrie’s trip from Oklahoma to Los Angeles and see the City of Angels through her hopeful and deluded point of view. She strolls the streets enamored with the city despite prostitutes on every corner and arrests being made in the background. This is a nice parallel to the whole movie which aside from a few moments here and there mostly glamorizes the era, while leaving out the darker aspects. However, it is hard to complain about that when the movie is just such energetic fun. It works just the same way as the whole 1980s nostalgia does (which is still a beloved theme with movies like Adventureland, Take Me Home Tonight and Hot Tub Time Machine released in recent years) – focusing on big hair and classic rock tunes more than on big issues.
Admittedly the movie takes some time until it finds its rhythm and flow. The first musical sequences sit rather uncomfortably (with Alec Baldwin blurting out “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” sounding particularly painful). However once Catherine Zeta-Jones’ Patricia Whitmore is introduced the movie finally finds itself and hooks the audience into the wild ride. If you are not sold with her rendition of “Hit Me with Your Best Shot”, the rest of the film probably won’t do it for you either. Here’s the clue – the enjoyment of the film heavily depends on the viewers’ appreciation of its particular brand of music. For younger audiences it might be too removed from Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, whereas the older among us might have heard the cheesy tunes one too many times. However if you still harbor some appreciation for Def Leppard, Jon Bon Jovi and Starship this might just be the movie for you. I won’t deny that my love for this music certainly helped to overlook some of the film’s weaker aspects like its unnecessarily overlong running time or the fact that the love story doesn’t work at all.
Just like in Hairspray, Shankman assembled a top-notch cast here. The supporting ensemble is so strong that Hough and Boneta as the leading couple are bound to be overshadowed. Hough is adorable with her glam-rock hairdos and can hold her own in the singing and dancing scenes. Boneta’s doe-eyed pretty-boy Drew however comes across far less appealing or interesting. Even less he comes across as a potential rock star, lacking the grit and the intensity of rock music’s big names. When Jaxx’ manager forces him to do boy band routine one can’t help, but think that he seems better-suited for that anyway which is definitely not the point intended to be made here.
In the end it is Tom Cruise who easily steals the spotlight here as the long-haired, perpetually shirtless, tattooed and debauched rock star Stacee Jaxx who has long lost touch with the world around him. Channeling Axl Rose, Keith Richards and Jim Morrison in equal parts, Cruise’s Jaxx is introduced perfectly as his manager tries to get him on stage after he awakes under a pile of scantily-clad groupies, wearing little more than suggestive satanic crotchwear and falls face-first into a whirlpool. Given Cruise’s real-life couch-hopping antics, this is a particularly amusing part, showing that the actor who turns 50 next month is still not above taking new challenges and reinventing himself. Of his illustrious and successful career, Jaxx is most reminiscent of Cruise’s praised turn as the over-the-top sex guru Frank TJ Mackey in Magnolia. Sporting tight leather pants, dark nail polish and even darker eyeliner his stumbling version of “Wanted: Dead or Alive” is another of the film’s musical highlights.
Catherine Zeta-Jones also shows here that Chicago was no fluke. She is present at the movie’s best musical set-ups and masters the singing and the dancing with aplomb. Unfortunately, she doesn’t get nearly as much screentime as she deserves. Malin Akerman is almost unrecognizable as a Rolling Stone journalist who gets it on with Jaxx while singing Foreigner’s power ballad “I Want to Know What Love Is”. Baldwin and Brand play well off each other until a rather unsurprising, but amusing conclusion between the two. Baldwin is fun, but Russell Brand can quickly get too much simply by being, well, Russell Brand. Giamatti does the sleazebag manager impression well and the signing is surprisingly decent too. Mary J. Blige is a singing powerhouse, but her role is too short to make an impact.
Overall the film’s shortcomings are numerous and the whole packaging is too tame for a movie celebrating the 1980s. Given how the movie wants us to believe the utter debauchery and sexiness of rock ‘n’ roll, the film is still a very PG-affair. I have rarely seen such clothed strippers in a movie as I did in this one. And yet, for all the problems, the film’s exuberant energy, its great cast and its catchy tunes carry it through. That makes it easy to forgive the all too neat packaging and the ending that wraps up the plot as nicely as possible. http://www.worldofkj.com/article.php?i=752
_________________The greatest thing on earth is to love and to be loved in return!
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Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:20 pm |
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Libs
Sbil
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:38 pm Posts: 48626 Location: Arlington, VA
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Re: Rock of Ages
Loooove the music and everyone seems to be having fun. When you ignore the paper-thin plot and off the charts cheese factor, it's easy to enjoy. B
Also, Tom Cruise can actually sing. Who knew.
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Fri Jun 15, 2012 11:24 pm |
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jmovies
Let's Call It A Bromance
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:22 pm Posts: 12333
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Re: Rock of Ages
Libs wrote: Also, Tom Cruise can actually sing. Who knew. and Hough can not. shocker
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Sat Jun 16, 2012 1:26 am |
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Libs
Sbil
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:38 pm Posts: 48626 Location: Arlington, VA
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Re: Rock of Ages
jmovies wrote: Libs wrote: Also, Tom Cruise can actually sing. Who knew. and Hough can not. shocker She's OK with country songs (which is where she started out with music). I didn't find her painful to listen to or anything here, but no, she's not the greatest singer. She's also not the greatest actress, but she has an appealing, likable presence in general.
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Sat Jun 16, 2012 10:03 am |
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bl1222
Veteran
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2005 8:36 pm Posts: 3900
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Re: Rock of Ages
I saw it yesterday at 7pm and it was 35% full in one of the biggest theaters. Julianne Hough stole the show. She needs to get more roles as she is one of the most underrated actresses. The way she sang "Sister Christian" was very effective and Mary J. Blige did an incredible job in the film.
Verdict: Not as great as Mamma Mia but better than Hairspray. 7.5/10
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Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:06 pm |
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Libs
Sbil
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:38 pm Posts: 48626 Location: Arlington, VA
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Re: Rock of Ages
bl1222 wrote: Not as great as Mamma Mia but better than Hairspray lolwut
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Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:10 pm |
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Gopher
You are waiting for a train
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:25 pm Posts: 995
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Re: Rock of Ages
I thought there wouldn't be a more cringe-worthy movie musical after Mamma Mia.
I was wrong.
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Tue Jun 19, 2012 5:33 pm |
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Dr. Lecter
You must have big rats
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:28 pm Posts: 92093 Location: Bonn, Germany
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Re: Rock of Ages
This is better than Mamma Mia!, far better.
_________________The greatest thing on earth is to love and to be loved in return!
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Tue Jun 19, 2012 6:47 pm |
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Gopher
You are waiting for a train
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:25 pm Posts: 995
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Re: Rock of Ages
I don't know, both are pretty abhorrent.
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Tue Jun 19, 2012 10:47 pm |
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