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Post by manfromplanetx on Aug 19, 2019 6:16:22 GMT
Hi everyone from down here in OZ a big LIKE and THANKS to all for the great pics, raves and recommends... A week of a fabulous re-watches which ended up a theme week of Superb emotionally charged romantic/relationship war-time dramas... Adelheid (1970) Czechoslovakia, Frantisek Vlácil. At the close of WW2 a Czech soldier takes charge of a manor formerly owned by a German Nazi family. He falls in love with the daughter, who is now works the fields as a maid... Rok spokojnego slonca , A Year of the Quiet Sun (1984) Poland, Krzysztof Zanussi. At the end of WW2 a stationed American soldier despite their language barriers, falls deeply in love with a lonely Polish refugee... Kradetzat na praskovi , The Peach Thief (1964) Bulgaria, Vulo Radev. The beautiful wife of a Bulgarian Army officer falls in love with a Serbian prisoner at the end of World war I... Bizalom , Confidence (1980) Hungary, István Szabó Married and strangers to each other Kata & Janos are forced to act as a couple and live together hiding out, sharing a room in a safe house ... Sorok pervyy , The Forty First (1956) Soviet, Grigoriy Chukhray, Romance develops between two unlikely foes,a female Red Army sniper and a White Army officer... Romeo, Julie a tma (1960) Czechoslovakia, Jirí Weiss. Under occupation a young student living in Prague hides a Jewish girl in his apartment building's attic and falls deeply in love...
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Aug 19, 2019 12:13:31 GMT
Hi everyone from down here in OZ a big LIKE and THANKS to all for the great pics, raves and recommends... A week of a fabulous re-watches which ended up a theme week of Superb emotionally charged romantic/relationship war-time dramas... Adelheid (1970) Czechoslovakia, Frantisek Vlácil. At the close of WW2 a Czech soldier takes charge of a manor formerly owned by a German Nazi family. He falls in love with the daughter, who is now works the fields as a maid... Rok spokojnego slonca , A Year of the Quiet Sun (1984) Poland, Krzysztof Zanussi. At the end of WW2 a stationed American soldier despite their language barriers, falls deeply in love with a lonely Polish refugee... Kradetzat na praskovi , The Peach Thief (1964) Bulgaria, Vulo Radev. The beautiful wife of a Bulgarian Army officer falls in love with a Serbian prisoner at the end of World war I... Bizalom , Confidence (1980) Hungary, István Szabó Married and strangers to each other Kata & Janos are forced to act as a couple and live together hiding out, sharing a room in a safe house ... Sorok pervyy , The Forty First (1956) Soviet, Grigoriy Chukhray, Romance develops between two unlikely foes,a female Red Army sniper and a White Army officer... Romeo, Julie a tma (1960) Czechoslovakia, Jirí Weiss. Under occupation a young student living in Prague hides a Jewish girl in his apartment building's attic and falls deeply in love... Hi Planet X! I hope you had a good weekend,and with clips I've just viewed making it look tantalising, what is Year of the Quiet Sun like? I remember a while ago that you enjoyed The Golden Fern, how did you find the earlier team-up of Weiss/Smutná with Romeo to be?
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Post by MrFurious on Aug 19, 2019 13:25:48 GMT
2 best were First Man(18) Black Panther(18) Cactus Flower(69) Hour of Glory(49) A Dogs Purpose(17)
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Aug 19, 2019 18:02:08 GMT
The Equalizer 2 (2018) Denzel is one of my favorite actors, so watching him outmaneuver, outsmart and basically murder the everloving snot out of evil dirt buckets is a great way to unwind on a summer evening. If you liked the first, you'll enjoy the second. Hot Summer Nights (2017) An okay summertime flick about Timothée Chalamet becoming the pot kingpin of his summertime vacation town. Made me nostalgic for that summer I got shipped off to stay with my hippie uncle and wound up unknowingly helping him sell...uh...some plants he grew. Action Point (2018) Johnny Knoxville's eyeball popped out of its socket twice while performing a stunt for this movie. Ewwww! That's it, that's the review. Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019) Tarantino delivers again! This movie is full of love for the 60's in Los Angeles, and it has plenty of surprises to keep you interested. Although it's long, you feel like the running time has just whipped by. Pitt and DiCaprio make a great movie team together, and QT has also cast Emile Hirsch in this as well, and we finally get a scene with him and DiCaprio, two people I always thought should play brothers or relatives of some kind. There are so many famous faces in this, some I didn't even realize until it was over, such as Dakota Fanning as Squeaky Fromme! This was a movie not just for film geeks, but everyone can enjoy it. The audience truly appreciated that ending and clapped and screamed and stamped their feet. Or maybe I just had a rowdy crowd, whatever. I Feel Pretty (2018) Another Amy Schumer comedy. The relationship between Renee and Ethan is very sweet, but this did not bring the laughs like Trainwreck (2015) did. The Beach Bum (2019) Not McConaughey's first time playing a beach bum, but this now is the definitive slacker role of his filmography. Starts out a bit slow, turns tragic, then hilarious and then back to slacker cinéma vérité. All the while, McConaughey keeps it all chuggin' along. The soundtrack is an assembly of some of the all time classic slacker songs, perfect for those do-nothing days in the sunshine. This was not something I was eager to see, but I had read so many positive reviews that I thought I'd check it out. It was worth it alone for the dolphin tour scene! Bottle Shock (2008) A true story about that time in the 70's when Californian wines burst upon the international scene. Worth it for seeing two late greats in the same scenes together: Alan Rickman and Dennis Farina. Chris Pine looks like he lost an audition for Tarzan for the entirety of the movie, his wig is crazy. Hope you all had a great movie week, and another next week! Till next time...
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Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Aug 20, 2019 0:10:43 GMT
Legend (2015). Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007). It’s as though all the happiness has gone from the world of Harry Potter...must be the Dementors’ fault. Having never read the books, I can’t complain about things changed/left out and only judge the films on their own merits. I’d felt the series kept getting better, reaching its peak with 'Goblet of Fire', which I thought fonud the right balance between darkness/light-hearted fun. This film, however, I didn’t find ‘fun’ at all. It got off to a bad start by including the loathsome Dursleys again (after blessedly skipping them in GoF). I also preferred how the last film started in the realm of magic, rather than the ‘real world’ like this one. Things didn’t improve much when Harry was put on trial for using magic in front of his mush-mouthed cousin. Apparently magic trials are as boring as ‘real world’ trials. The only interesting parts to me were the visually stunning flight over the Palace of Westminster and the introduction of Nymphadora Tonks (who dislikes being called by her first name, judging by her tone/hair colour changing). Sadly, she disappeared after that. Mad-Eye Moody and Professor Lupin didn’t fare much better, getting only small amounts of screentime. Things improved slightly with Ron, Hermione and the intriguing new character of Luna Lovegood. Evanna Lynch gave an exceptional performance, stealing every scene she was in (talking about Nargles and hoping for pudding). I especially liked her bonding with Harry over being ‘different’ along with skeletal horses called Thestrals that could only apparently be seen by those who’d seen death (makes you wonder how freaked out the others were when flying on them if they couldn’t *see* them). Unfortunately, Harry was at his most unlikeable this film. Being moody/angry all the time might’ve been the *point*, but it certainly didn’t make for fun viewing (though I shared his frustration with Dumbledore/understood his sudden outburst after getting sick and tired of seemingly being ignored by him). Ron and Hermione’s characters seemed a bit more ‘subdued’ this film than how they’d been previously, thus making them feel quite different. Snape, who has felt underused for a while, got some focus when teaching Harry how to shield his mind from Voldemeort and it led to a flashback of young Snape being the victim of bullying from Harry’s father, James. However, that doesn’t excuse Snape’s current attitude/behaviour towards Harry and his friends (talk about holding a grudge against the wrong people). While Lucius Malfoy gets his most screentime since the second film, this feels like the least amount of Draco we’ve seen. Meanwhile, we learn about the tragic fate of Neville’s parents at the hands of the wickedly evil (and clearly insane, given the hair) Bellatrix Lestrange. When you need someone to play a nutter, get Helena Bonham Carter! She’s quite fun, playing someone so evil. Sirius is back…but we don’t get much time with him (nor does Harry, sadly). Seamus Finnigan’s brief falling out with Harry (who insulted his mother) hasn’t much impact; Ron’s brothers bring some slight ‘fun’ to proceedings, poor Cho Chang gets very little screentime kiss with Harry comes seemingly out of nowhere. When their ‘relationship’ hits the rocks, all you can think is “WHAT relationship?” due to it being given minimal development. Professors McGonagall and Trelawney are also sorely underused. At the other end of the spectrum was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, (seriously, do some background checks before giving people for that position!) Dolores Umbridge, who I felt had far too much screentime, zapping whatever fun was to be had out of every scene she was in. She’s every super strict teacher ever…only *worse*, because she also abuses students by forcing them to write things over and over again with a magic quill that scratches what they’re writing into their hands. How wasn’t she immediately fired? Wizard logic!). She’s the absolute WORST. What’s a School of Witchcraft and Wizardry without magic? Pretty damn boring. If Imelda Staunton’s performance is to be measured by how much I hated her character…then she gets top points. While it was nice to see the students going behind Umbridge’s back and training for their oncoming ‘war’, as ‘Dumbledore’s Army’, the sense of fun from the previous films was all but gone, I felt (the only part I really liked was seeing the various animals that the students’ Patronus charms took the forms of). The first four films had this sense of wonder and blew your mind with the magical creatures and spells, etc. This movie was much more serious and had very little humour in it (and what humour it *did* have, I felt, more often than not fell flat). Some might like that fact, but to me, these films have always been about escapism and fantasy. Letting yourself be pulled into a world of magic and having a rollicking good time. As more and more of the real world merges with the magic world, we seem to be losing some of the more fantastical elements. Sure, there are spells cast in this movie, there's a dodgy CGI'd giant (the best part of that scene is Hermione showing it whose boss and Ron’s protectiveness over her), there's duels involving wands (that more than slightly resemble the light-saber duels from the Star Wars films), there's centaurs and other things. I liked the ‘Battle of the Department of Mysteries’, and Dumbledore vs Voldemort allowed for some great visuals, but on the whole I just didn’t feel the ‘magic’ this time around and that’s why this is my least favourite film of the franchise. Shazam! (2019). Mary Queen of Scots (2018). Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009). Magic has returned to the world of Harry Potter! After being disappointed by Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince was a nice surprise. Goblet of Fire remains my favourite, but this one’s not far behind. The absence of Dursleys was a good start, and although the film begins in the ‘real world’, it’s a more exciting scene than the last film’s opening, as Death Eaters (including a wolfman dude) wreak havoc, leaving Muggles thinking “WTF?”...including a waitress who gets chatted up (and then stood up) by self-confessed "tosser", Harry Potter, who's whisked away by Dumbledore to the world of magic and we’re introduced to part-time armchair, Professor Slughorn. Jim Broadbent’s character is a welcome addition, as Slughorn likes to ‘collect’ special students and the prospect of acquiring ‘the Chosen One’ is too good to pass up. Meanwhile, the still wickedly fun Bellatrix Lestrange and Draco Malfoy’s mother, Narcissa, have a special mission for Draco (and ensure Snape keeps him safe/makes sure he follows through via a magical 'Unbreakable Vow' handshake). Harry’s soon reunited with his friends and it quickly becomes clear that films are not only ramping up Ron’s/Hermione’s feelings for each other, but also the heretofore barely-touched-upon Harry/Ginny relationship. Luna Lovegood, who was the fifth film’s bright spot, makes a welcome return when saving Harry from Draco’s foot-to-the-face (this film feels a bit more ‘brutal’ than prior ones, with a fair amount of blood) thanks to snazzy glasses called ‘Spectrespecs’ and Harry’s head apparently being full of something called ‘wrackspurts’ (her particular brand of ‘kookiness’ and dynamic with Harry lights up every scene). Another scene-stealing new addition is Lavender Brown, who becomes obsessed with Ron, starts a relationship with him (much to the annoyance of Hermione, who you *don’t* want to get on the bad side of…lest she magically sic a flock of birds on you), but verges into ‘stalker’ territory. Jessie Cave is hilarious in every scene. Also funny is Hermione’s (unwanted) admirer, Cormac McLaggen. The amusement derived from his rivalry with Ron is only surpassed by Hermione’s reactions to his advances/leering looks and her efforts to ditch him after taking him as a ‘date’ to Slughorn’s party. Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are in fine form playing both their characters’ humourous sides and their more serious/dramatic sides. Their chemistry with each other and Daniel Radcliffe is the glue that holds this whole film series together. Speaking of, I’m surprised to learn Daniel Radcliffe apparently disliked his performance here, as I thought he was very good (and certainly more likeable than in the previous film). He proves to have nice comedic skills (especially in a scene with Hagrid, Slughorn and a dearly department friend of Hagrid), and this film’s humour was sorely needed after the last film’s lack of/failed attempts at ‘good’ humour. Harry also goes through some quite dramatic stuff too. His relationship with Dumbledore gets some major focus, proving crucial to the film’s plot. There are some really dark/shocking moments towards the end of the film. We also get flashbacks to pre-Voldemort Tom Riddle, and the two young actors playing him at different ages do a good job of portraying this creepy soon-to-go-bad-wizard-in-the-making. Finally getting some overdue focus/screentime is Draco. Or rather, it *seems* like he’s getting a lot more focus…but, mostly, it’s just him being his usual ‘foul evil loathsome little cockroach’ self (and if I had to watch him pull the cover off that damn Vanishing Cabinet ONE MORE TIME…!). Ginny gets more screentime as well, though it doesn’t amount to very much other than snogging, shoelace-tying (yes, really) and running into danger after Harry (though the attack on the Weasley’s Burrow is pretty awesome). Also getting focus, but with a bit more substance, is Snape as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (because THAT bodes well). He does something pretty dramatic near the end and Harry’s confrontation with him is a memorable one. Although the movie is quite lengthy, it never really felt like it ‘dragged’. There was plenty of action and magic on display, but when things slowed down I still felt invested in what was happening. The film is quite gloomily-lit in places, but it doesn’t forget to have a sense of ‘fun’ (wackiness with love potions, ‘Liquid Luck’, and cursed objects just being a few examples). For me, this movie was everything the fifth one wasn’t, and that’s why it joins the 3rd and 4th films as one of my favourites of the series. Book readers might have issues with things left out/changed, but I found the movie entertaining/riveting, and a fine lead-in to the two part finale. Away and Back (2015). Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010). The only thing ‘Deathly’ about this movie is how slow it moves...like someone cast an ‘Arresto Momentum’/Slowing Charm. This slog of a movie starts with the most ‘minimalist’ version of the HP theme yet, as we float through the rusted WB logo. At this rate, we won’t even hear the HP theme AT ALL in the final movie’s beginning. And while we’re at it, can we please put a moratorium on floating through company logos/film titles at the start of movies? It’s SO over-used. Bill Nighy close-up alert! He brings his own particular style of speaking to the opening scene, though not even he can make the scene particularly interesting. Surely Ralph Fiennes’ Voldemort will liven things up, right?! Not exactly. Maybe the book moves at a similarly glacial pace, but not being a reader of the HP series, it came as quite a surprise to me that things seemed so dragged out, despite the fact that it was a scene full of villains! A big deal is made of Voldemort commandeering Lucius Malfoy’s wand...but non-book readers probably won’t get WHY so much time is devoted to seemingly very little happening onscreen. About the only thing of note is some Hogwarts teacher, who was apparently Snape’s ‘friend’, becoming snake chow (would’ve had more impact had it been a teacher we *knew*. I thought it was Trelawney for a minute). It’s a relief to get to the main trio, and there’s a memorable scene featuring seven Harrys (thanks to Polyjuice Potion turning his friends into identical copies of him, though still with their own voices), but this attempt at creating decoys doesn’t work so well and they’re attacked, with casualties. Hedwig’s death upset me, while Mad-Eye’s offscreen demise (delivered flatly with one line by Ron’s heretofore unseen eldest brother, Bill, who’s shown up to marry Fleur Delacour from the 4th film) sadly lacked any impact for something that should’ve been pretty emotional. Nighy’s Scrimgeour shows up to deliver the trio’s inheritance from Dumbledore’s will, allowing for a few callbacks to the early films. Instead of spending time with characters we actually KNOW at the wedding, we get a clunker of an info-dump from two characters we don’t know delivering exposition, grinding things to a halt, before picking up again with a Death Eater attack and the trio escape. Things screech to a halt once more when there’s a needlessly convoluted plot involving what looks like Dobby the house-elf after he’s become old and crotchety (though that’s a different house-elf, actual Dobby *does* turn up), another Polyjuice escapade to get the real Horcrux locket from Umbridge at the Ministry (apparently the centaurs *didn’t* ‘take care’ of her like a half-horse Mafia in the 5th film, useless jerks. WHY couldn’t that pink b!tch have been one of the casualties in this film?!), and a case of mistaken identity over Ron’s assumed form (leading to awkward snogging). Thankfully, we eventually move away from that messy situation and focus on the trio as they attempt to destroy the locket, which makes funny noises every time they zap it, with little success. Things then take a turn for the Lord of the Rings-esque when they alternate between who’s going to wear the Horcrux to keep it ‘safe’ (great idea...except for making those who wear it go all Frodo-wearing-the-One-Ring-style angry/paranoid, with Ron being the most susceptible, which leads to him looking like a homeless person and arguing with Harry/Hermione, who he thinks have been having late night rendezvous with each other, then abandoning them in a huff). At this point it must be mentioned that all three main actors have come far with their characters in terms of development and performances. They’ve ‘matured’ a lot, and Rupert Grint shows he’s highly capable of portraying a weary, mad, downright unlikeable version of Ron who hits Harry where it hurts. Meanwhile, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson prove what great chemistry they have by carrying a good percentage of the film on just their shoulders. A particular bright spot amongst all the doom/gloom is when Harry dances with Hermione to cheer her up. They’re just friends...but, oh, what might’ve been. A Potter gravesite visit and snake attack later, they figure out that Gryffindor sword from film #2 is the key and a mysterious doe Patronus the way to it in frozen pond, where Harry (naturally) goes near-nakedly swimming for it and consequently gets nearly choked by the locket...which shockingly doesn’t want him gaining the one thing that can kill it. Ron finally returns to save the day and help destroy the Horcrux...but not before it is opened and unleashes his worst fears (which isn’t just spiders). If you wish to see creepy silver Harry and Hermione snogging seemingly naked together, then this is the movie for you! For the rest of us, it’s both an exciting AND CREEPY scene. It’s then determined that Luna’s dad is the person to go see. Unfortunately, Luna is nowhere to be found and her father proves much less interesting/entertaining than his daughter (though they both dance amusingly at weddings). He’s just a weirdo (and NOT the ‘fun’ variety). He does reveal, though the film’s title refers to three items – the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone and Cloak of Invisibility. We learn the origins of these items via what I thought was one of the few stand-out moments from the movie: a story narrated by Hermione told through a beautifully animated sequence. The film’s climax is where things get REALLY dark, with Bellatrix Lestrange torturing poor Hermione (it’s hard to listen to her screaming in pain, since we’ve gotten to know her/feel close to her character) and an unexpected death (though right before that is the funniest line the character who winds up dead has ever uttered). It’s all very depressing by the end. The movie obviously had a lot of ground to cover, but it felt like it kept stop-starting, almost causing whiplash. The film ends on more of a “That’s it??...Huh.” note than one leaving you anxiously awaiting Part 2 (which’ll hopefully be better). Hi COE! I hope you had a good weekend & I was wondering how you found Shazam! to be? After finding BVS & Suicide Squad to be messy, (I watched them at home) I took a gamble and saw Shazam! on the big screen,and found it a complete daylight, (and far better than Captain Meh,which came out around the same time) with the "family" message of the flick having a surprising real warmth. As a aside,did you spot the cheeky dig at Snyder's action scenes? screenrant.com/shazam-trailer-moment-not-in-movie-superman-music/ I'd originally intended to see Shazam! at the theatres, but never got around to it. I got it on Blu-ray, though, and watched it. I quite enjoyed the film (though Wonder Woman is still easily my favourite DCEU film). I did like a fair amount of the humour in the movie and the 'family' message. Zachary Levi (who I knew mainly from the TV series Chuck) was perfectly suited to this role (though there was a weird 'disconnect' between Billy Batson's younger self and his older self as played by Levi. They really didn't seem to act like the same person). I was happy to see Michelle Borth turn up as the 'older' version of Mary near the end (as I know her from a few different things). It's a shame that she didn't get to feature more prominently in the final battle (as other characters got several 'saves'/moments to shine). I felt they kind of wasted her. Hopefully she gets more to do in any sequels. I did catch several nods/'digs' at the DCEU films, including the awesome end credits (I loved what they did with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Flash). I think one of the best/funniest moments was the villain threatening the hero from a great distance and just assuming they could be heard. On the whole, it was pretty enjoyable and would probably rank as my second favourite DCEU film after Wonder Woman.
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Post by mikef6 on Aug 20, 2019 1:04:01 GMT
hitchcockthelegend Ella Yes, indeedy. Just by coincidence I have "Tall In The Saddle" on my DVR. I think I'll move that to the top of my interest list because of Ella. I also have two Audie Murphy shoot-'em-ups on tap as well. Maybe this week or next I'll skip 40s noir and go western. Thanks for the review of "Jeopardy." Sounds right up my alley.
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Post by marianne48 on Aug 20, 2019 3:00:01 GMT
Thousands Cheer (1943)--During WWII, the Hollywood studios released movies that were basically a showcase for their stars to perform for the troops overseas, with various musical/comedy acts interspersed with a nominal plot. Columbia had Reveille with Beverly, featuring some of the greatest musical acts from the era performing their hits; Warner Brothers had Thank Your Lucky Stars, with many of their top stars (musical or not) doing numbers--Bette Davis and Ida Lupino singing, Errol Flynn singing and dancing, etc. --goofy but charming. MGM had this relatively mediocre film, with some run-of-the-mill musical numbers (there's Eleanor Powell doing her usual tap-and-spin routine again), and some tedious "comedy" bits (Red Skelton and Margaret O'Brien perform some long, tiresome skit which doesn't have much of a punch line). In between there's some story with Gene Kelly as a soldier/trapeze artist, or something. One of the only highlights is Lena Horne singing "Honeysuckle Rose;" skip the film and just YouTube that number.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)--I watched this just to confirm that this was as bad as I'd always heard; it's actually worse. The movie is basically the Beatles meet Barney the Dinosaur--the plot is puerile; the acting seems like bad children's theater. The Bee Gees and Peter Frampton can sing Beatles songs decently enough. What they can't do is act; since there's no spoken dialogue in the film (the story is narrated by noted rock icon George Burns as "Mr. Kite"), they mime all their emotions. Early in the film, George Burns growls his way through "Fixing a Hole," and you think that's as bad as it's going to get. You'll be wrong. Steve Martin goofs his way through "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" and just embarrasses himself trying to act wacky for no reason; Alice Cooper also makes a fool of himself. "When I'm 64" is performed by a couple of robots (?), and there's some cartoon villain running around doing some bad, bad things that are supposed to be funny, but are just childish and sad. The only bright spot is Earth, Wind and Fire's cover of "Got to Get You Into My Life," which is actually better than the original. Don't be fooled by the cast list of musical performers in this film; the producers apparently wanted to boast of a hundred musical stars in the movie, but most of them appear in a brief cameo at the very end, singing together in a huge crowd (Carol Channing, Etta James, Hank Williams, Jr., Wolfman Jack, etc.). See this movie once, for the sheer horror of it. Then watch the far superior Beatles movie from the same year, the TV movie All You Need is Cash, a Spinal Tap-ish mockumentary about "the Rutles" which was made for a tiny fraction of the budget needed for this bomb but is vastly more entertaining.
Just to recover from the above film, I re-watched Ed Wood's Bride of the Monster (1955). It was actually a better film. Yeah, the sets were cheap, some of the acting was amateurish, and some of the dialogue and plot were ludicrous. But it was still more coherent and fun to watch. The police chief playing with his pet bird had more entertainment value than most of Sgt. Pepper. (No, Bela Lugosi does NOT say "gentle as a kitchen.") Tacky but fun.
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Aug 20, 2019 23:55:09 GMT
Legend (2015). Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007). It’s as though all the happiness has gone from the world of Harry Potter...must be the Dementors’ fault. Having never read the books, I can’t complain about things changed/left out and only judge the films on their own merits. I’d felt the series kept getting better, reaching its peak with 'Goblet of Fire', which I thought fonud the right balance between darkness/light-hearted fun. This film, however, I didn’t find ‘fun’ at all. It got off to a bad start by including the loathsome Dursleys again (after blessedly skipping them in GoF). I also preferred how the last film started in the realm of magic, rather than the ‘real world’ like this one. Things didn’t improve much when Harry was put on trial for using magic in front of his mush-mouthed cousin. Apparently magic trials are as boring as ‘real world’ trials. The only interesting parts to me were the visually stunning flight over the Palace of Westminster and the introduction of Nymphadora Tonks (who dislikes being called by her first name, judging by her tone/hair colour changing). Sadly, she disappeared after that. Mad-Eye Moody and Professor Lupin didn’t fare much better, getting only small amounts of screentime. Things improved slightly with Ron, Hermione and the intriguing new character of Luna Lovegood. Evanna Lynch gave an exceptional performance, stealing every scene she was in (talking about Nargles and hoping for pudding). I especially liked her bonding with Harry over being ‘different’ along with skeletal horses called Thestrals that could only apparently be seen by those who’d seen death (makes you wonder how freaked out the others were when flying on them if they couldn’t *see* them). Unfortunately, Harry was at his most unlikeable this film. Being moody/angry all the time might’ve been the *point*, but it certainly didn’t make for fun viewing (though I shared his frustration with Dumbledore/understood his sudden outburst after getting sick and tired of seemingly being ignored by him). Ron and Hermione’s characters seemed a bit more ‘subdued’ this film than how they’d been previously, thus making them feel quite different. Snape, who has felt underused for a while, got some focus when teaching Harry how to shield his mind from Voldemeort and it led to a flashback of young Snape being the victim of bullying from Harry’s father, James. However, that doesn’t excuse Snape’s current attitude/behaviour towards Harry and his friends (talk about holding a grudge against the wrong people). While Lucius Malfoy gets his most screentime since the second film, this feels like the least amount of Draco we’ve seen. Meanwhile, we learn about the tragic fate of Neville’s parents at the hands of the wickedly evil (and clearly insane, given the hair) Bellatrix Lestrange. When you need someone to play a nutter, get Helena Bonham Carter! She’s quite fun, playing someone so evil. Sirius is back…but we don’t get much time with him (nor does Harry, sadly). Seamus Finnigan’s brief falling out with Harry (who insulted his mother) hasn’t much impact; Ron’s brothers bring some slight ‘fun’ to proceedings, poor Cho Chang gets very little screentime kiss with Harry comes seemingly out of nowhere. When their ‘relationship’ hits the rocks, all you can think is “WHAT relationship?” due to it being given minimal development. Professors McGonagall and Trelawney are also sorely underused. At the other end of the spectrum was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, (seriously, do some background checks before giving people for that position!) Dolores Umbridge, who I felt had far too much screentime, zapping whatever fun was to be had out of every scene she was in. She’s every super strict teacher ever…only *worse*, because she also abuses students by forcing them to write things over and over again with a magic quill that scratches what they’re writing into their hands. How wasn’t she immediately fired? Wizard logic!). She’s the absolute WORST. What’s a School of Witchcraft and Wizardry without magic? Pretty damn boring. If Imelda Staunton’s performance is to be measured by how much I hated her character…then she gets top points. While it was nice to see the students going behind Umbridge’s back and training for their oncoming ‘war’, as ‘Dumbledore’s Army’, the sense of fun from the previous films was all but gone, I felt (the only part I really liked was seeing the various animals that the students’ Patronus charms took the forms of). The first four films had this sense of wonder and blew your mind with the magical creatures and spells, etc. This movie was much more serious and had very little humour in it (and what humour it *did* have, I felt, more often than not fell flat). Some might like that fact, but to me, these films have always been about escapism and fantasy. Letting yourself be pulled into a world of magic and having a rollicking good time. As more and more of the real world merges with the magic world, we seem to be losing some of the more fantastical elements. Sure, there are spells cast in this movie, there's a dodgy CGI'd giant (the best part of that scene is Hermione showing it whose boss and Ron’s protectiveness over her), there's duels involving wands (that more than slightly resemble the light-saber duels from the Star Wars films), there's centaurs and other things. I liked the ‘Battle of the Department of Mysteries’, and Dumbledore vs Voldemort allowed for some great visuals, but on the whole I just didn’t feel the ‘magic’ this time around and that’s why this is my least favourite film of the franchise. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009).
Magic has returned to the world of Harry Potter! After being disappointed by Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince was a nice surprise. Goblet of Fire remains my favourite, but this one’s not far behind. The absence of Dursleys was a good start, and although the film begins in the ‘real world’, it’s a more exciting scene than the last film’s opening, as Death Eaters (including a wolfman dude) wreak havoc, leaving Muggles thinking “WTF?”...including a waitress who gets chatted up (and then stood up) by self-confessed "tosser", Harry Potter, who's whisked away by Dumbledore to the world of magic and we’re introduced to part-time armchair, Professor Slughorn. Jim Broadbent’s character is a welcome addition, as Slughorn likes to ‘collect’ special students and the prospect of acquiring ‘the Chosen One’ is too good to pass up. Meanwhile, the still wickedly fun Bellatrix Lestrange and Draco Malfoy’s mother, Narcissa, have a special mission for Draco (and ensure Snape keeps him safe/makes sure he follows through via a magical 'Unbreakable Vow' handshake). Harry’s soon reunited with his friends and it quickly becomes clear that films are not only ramping up Ron’s/Hermione’s feelings for each other, but also the heretofore barely-touched-upon Harry/Ginny relationship. Luna Lovegood, who was the fifth film’s bright spot, makes a welcome return when saving Harry from Draco’s foot-to-the-face (this film feels a bit more ‘brutal’ than prior ones, with a fair amount of blood) thanks to snazzy glasses called ‘Spectrespecs’ and Harry’s head apparently being full of something called ‘wrackspurts’ (her particular brand of ‘kookiness’ and dynamic with Harry lights up every scene). Another scene-stealing new addition is Lavender Brown, who becomes obsessed with Ron, starts a relationship with him (much to the annoyance of Hermione, who you *don’t* want to get on the bad side of…lest she magically sic a flock of birds on you), but verges into ‘stalker’ territory. Jessie Cave is hilarious in every scene. Also funny is Hermione’s (unwanted) admirer, Cormac McLaggen. The amusement derived from his rivalry with Ron is only surpassed by Hermione’s reactions to his advances/leering looks and her efforts to ditch him after taking him as a ‘date’ to Slughorn’s party. Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are in fine form playing both their characters’ humourous sides and their more serious/dramatic sides. Their chemistry with each other and Daniel Radcliffe is the glue that holds this whole film series together. Speaking of, I’m surprised to learn Daniel Radcliffe apparently disliked his performance here, as I thought he was very good (and certainly more likeable than in the previous film). He proves to have nice comedic skills (especially in a scene with Hagrid, Slughorn and a dearly department friend of Hagrid), and this film’s humour was sorely needed after the last film’s lack of/failed attempts at ‘good’ humour. Harry also goes through some quite dramatic stuff too. His relationship with Dumbledore gets some major focus, proving crucial to the film’s plot. There are some really dark/shocking moments towards the end of the film. We also get flashbacks to pre-Voldemort Tom Riddle, and the two young actors playing him at different ages do a good job of portraying this creepy soon-to-go-bad-wizard-in-the-making. Finally getting some overdue focus/screentime is Draco. Or rather, it *seems* like he’s getting a lot more focus…but, mostly, it’s just him being his usual ‘foul evil loathsome little cockroach’ self (and if I had to watch him pull the cover off that damn Vanishing Cabinet ONE MORE TIME…!). Ginny gets more screentime as well, though it doesn’t amount to very much other than snogging, shoelace-tying (yes, really) and running into danger after Harry (though the attack on the Weasley’s Burrow is pretty awesome). Also getting focus, but with a bit more substance, is Snape as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (because THAT bodes well). He does something pretty dramatic near the end and Harry’s confrontation with him is a memorable one. Although the movie is quite lengthy, it never really felt like it ‘dragged’. There was plenty of action and magic on display, but when things slowed down I still felt invested in what was happening. The film is quite gloomily-lit in places, but it doesn’t forget to have a sense of ‘fun’ (wackiness with love potions, ‘Liquid Luck’, and cursed objects just being a few examples). For me, this movie was everything the fifth one wasn’t, and that’s why it joins the 3rd and 4th films as one of my favourites of the series. Book readers might have issues with things left out/changed, but I found the movie entertaining/riveting, and a fine lead-in to the two part finale. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010). The only thing ‘Deathly’ about this movie is how slow it moves...like someone cast an ‘Arresto Momentum’/Slowing Charm. This slog of a movie starts with the most ‘minimalist’ version of the HP theme yet, as we float through the rusted WB logo. At this rate, we won’t even hear the HP theme AT ALL in the final movie’s beginning. And while we’re at it, can we please put a moratorium on floating through company logos/film titles at the start of movies? It’s SO over-used. Bill Nighy close-up alert! He brings his own particular style of speaking to the opening scene, though not even he can make the scene particularly interesting. Surely Ralph Fiennes’ Voldemort will liven things up, right?! Not exactly. Maybe the book moves at a similarly glacial pace, but not being a reader of the HP series, it came as quite a surprise to me that things seemed so dragged out, despite the fact that it was a scene full of villains! A big deal is made of Voldemort commandeering Lucius Malfoy’s wand...but non-book readers probably won’t get WHY so much time is devoted to seemingly very little happening onscreen. About the only thing of note is some Hogwarts teacher, who was apparently Snape’s ‘friend’, becoming snake chow (would’ve had more impact had it been a teacher we *knew*. I thought it was Trelawney for a minute). It’s a relief to get to the main trio, and there’s a memorable scene featuring seven Harrys (thanks to Polyjuice Potion turning his friends into identical copies of him, though still with their own voices), but this attempt at creating decoys doesn’t work so well and they’re attacked, with casualties. Hedwig’s death upset me, while Mad-Eye’s offscreen demise (delivered flatly with one line by Ron’s heretofore unseen eldest brother, Bill, who’s shown up to marry Fleur Delacour from the 4th film) sadly lacked any impact for something that should’ve been pretty emotional. Nighy’s Scrimgeour shows up to deliver the trio’s inheritance from Dumbledore’s will, allowing for a few callbacks to the early films. Instead of spending time with characters we actually KNOW at the wedding, we get a clunker of an info-dump from two characters we don’t know delivering exposition, grinding things to a halt, before picking up again with a Death Eater attack and the trio escape. Things screech to a halt once more when there’s a needlessly convoluted plot involving what looks like Dobby the house-elf after he’s become old and crotchety (though that’s a different house-elf, actual Dobby *does* turn up), another Polyjuice escapade to get the real Horcrux locket from Umbridge at the Ministry (apparently the centaurs *didn’t* ‘take care’ of her like a half-horse Mafia in the 5th film, useless jerks. WHY couldn’t that pink b!tch have been one of the casualties in this film?!), and a case of mistaken identity over Ron’s assumed form (leading to awkward snogging). Thankfully, we eventually move away from that messy situation and focus on the trio as they attempt to destroy the locket, which makes funny noises every time they zap it, with little success. Things then take a turn for the Lord of the Rings-esque when they alternate between who’s going to wear the Horcrux to keep it ‘safe’ (great idea...except for making those who wear it go all Frodo-wearing-the-One-Ring-style angry/paranoid, with Ron being the most susceptible, which leads to him looking like a homeless person and arguing with Harry/Hermione, who he thinks have been having late night rendezvous with each other, then abandoning them in a huff). At this point it must be mentioned that all three main actors have come far with their characters in terms of development and performances. They’ve ‘matured’ a lot, and Rupert Grint shows he’s highly capable of portraying a weary, mad, downright unlikeable version of Ron who hits Harry where it hurts. Meanwhile, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson prove what great chemistry they have by carrying a good percentage of the film on just their shoulders. A particular bright spot amongst all the doom/gloom is when Harry dances with Hermione to cheer her up. They’re just friends...but, oh, what might’ve been. A Potter gravesite visit and snake attack later, they figure out that Gryffindor sword from film #2 is the key and a mysterious doe Patronus the way to it in frozen pond, where Harry (naturally) goes near-nakedly swimming for it and consequently gets nearly choked by the locket...which shockingly doesn’t want him gaining the one thing that can kill it. Ron finally returns to save the day and help destroy the Horcrux...but not before it is opened and unleashes his worst fears (which isn’t just spiders). If you wish to see creepy silver Harry and Hermione snogging seemingly naked together, then this is the movie for you! For the rest of us, it’s both an exciting AND CREEPY scene. It’s then determined that Luna’s dad is the person to go see. Unfortunately, Luna is nowhere to be found and her father proves much less interesting/entertaining than his daughter (though they both dance amusingly at weddings). He’s just a weirdo (and NOT the ‘fun’ variety). He does reveal, though the film’s title refers to three items – the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone and Cloak of Invisibility. We learn the origins of these items via what I thought was one of the few stand-out moments from the movie: a story narrated by Hermione told through a beautifully animated sequence. The film’s climax is where things get REALLY dark, with Bellatrix Lestrange torturing poor Hermione (it’s hard to listen to her screaming in pain, since we’ve gotten to know her/feel close to her character) and an unexpected death (though right before that is the funniest line the character who winds up dead has ever uttered). It’s all very depressing by the end. The movie obviously had a lot of ground to cover, but it felt like it kept stop-starting, almost causing whiplash. The film ends on more of a “That’s it??...Huh.” note than one leaving you anxiously awaiting Part 2 (which’ll hopefully be better). Legend. Well I will have to wait till my second viewing before reviewing, but initially I came away a bit underwhelmed because it's really just Hardy's quality that shines bright. Yet I wasn't prepared for it being told from "her" POV so I have a feeling that the next viewing - knowing this - will aid the experience. How nice to read some sensible and balanced Potter reviews. I'm just embarking on revisits myself in readiness to finally review Deathly Hallows 2 because I needed further viewing to write some substance. We don't agree on a lot of stuff in this group of films, but I really enjoyed reading the reviews and the superb decorations you have accompanied them with. I also have never read the books. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) Front and Center for Dumbledore's Army. Term 5 at Hogwarts for Harry and the gang and it's a deeply unsettling time. Harry faces getting expelled and finds himself shunned by many around him. This at a time when the Ministry of Magic compounds his misery by insisting to all and sundry that "you know who" is not back again. Given that JK Rowling's fifth book is considered to be something of a door stopper, a book more of interim Potter filler than any great amount of substance, credit has to go to new to the franchise director, David Yates. For Yates and his screenwriter Michael Goldenberg have managed to craft a briskly entertaining segment in under 2 hours and 20 minutes of film. Yes it's safe to say that it ultimately does feel like an interim filler movie, one that is for fans and not newcomers to the series, but the effects are superb (except Grawp that is), the action is much and suspense is not in short supply. While it also finds Radcliffe as Potter finally hitting his acting stride. New into the magical fray comes the wonderful Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbrage, the sort of cheery psychotic teacher we all had bad dreams about in our formative years. Also most welcome is Helena Bonham Carter as nut job harpy Bellatrix Le Strange, it's an appetiser of substance and we can't wait to see some more of her from here on in. Of course the usual problem of not enough screen time for the regulars still exists, but it's now become a figure of grumpy acceptance in the grand scheme of Potter World. Neatly keeping the story trimmed of extraneous fat, Yates doesn't disappoint in delivering a last quarter as memorable as any so far in the series. Big rewards await those who wait, because the showdown that crowns Order of Phoenix is a magical mêlée of wands and wonderment; a face off between good and evil, a free for all that joyously assaults the senses. Roll on Half-Blood Prince, where it's great to know that Yates has been further entrusted with the Harry Potter reins. 7.5/10 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) Hormones over excitement as part six is merely an appetiser to the double billed closure to come. Death Eaters are running amok as Dumbledore has an important task for Harry and Voldermort has one for Draco; all set to the backdrop of raging adolescent hormones. While Harry also acquires a rather helpful book written by the mysterious Half-Blood Prince. Potter 6 is not as dark as the pre-release chattings suggested it would be. Yes there's the usual dark moments, including a shattering turn of events that sets it up nicely for the finale, but this instalment is mostly fun, gentle and even sexy. Harry, Ron & Hermione are more under threat from their own adolescent urges than they are from the swirl of a Death Eater or the appearance of one young & creepy Tom Riddle. This of course makes for good viewing to most of us who have grown with the characters, with the principal young actors having nicely grown into said characters. But can it sustain a two and half hour running time? No it can't is the ass numbingly honest answer. There's some quality set-pieces including Quiddich (for a change) and a swamp attack by the Death Eaters, but by and large it's talky and breezy in equal measure. A filler Potter movie then, one that is far breezier than expected. Good but not great, but as a set up for the epic conclusion it hits all the right buttons. 6/10 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) The seventh installment, the appetiser. As the ultimate wizarding battle between good and evil draws ever closer, Harry, Hermione and Ron bunk off from Hogwarts to go search for the "Horcruxes" with which to halt the ever stronger Voldermort and his army, on the way they learn the importance of the Deathly Hallows artifacts. So this is the one that sees the comfort confines of Hogwarts left behind as our intrepid trio of best pals hit the mountains and forests in search of the tools to stop old snake face in his tracks. In what is ultimately a chase/escape movie, one where the characters have to fight not only a number of challenges that come their way, but also their new found in-fighting capabilities, Deathly Hallows 1 wonderfully dangles the carrot for the final series entry to come. But the overriding thoughts you come away with from it is that firstly it's not really that much fun, and secondly that it shouldn't have been a stand alone movie. Too much of it plods where exposition and padding strains to get the film through its near two and half hour running time. Without the hustle and bustle of Hogwarts, and the myriad of characters that reside within, film struggles to escape the over reliance on just three central characters and a ream of MacGuffins. While some of the comedy and tender moments fall flat because tone is firmly pitched at dark clouds a gathering. However, where it does reward is with the action sequences, with David Yates once again proving he's a considerable talent when it comes to directing such passages. New additions to the cast list feature Rhys Ifans, Peter Mulan and Bill Nighy, all welcome, and all sadly underused. As is the return of some older characters from earlier series entries (do you remember John Hurt was in the first film?!). While the thread involving the Ministry of Magic, and its nasty transformation into a Nazi like call for non-magical folk ethnic cleansing, is supremely adult and hits the nerves as it should do. Of the three principal young adult actors, it's still Emma Watson leading the way on ability, but alongside her, Radcliffe and Grint have earned our love and respect over the years for having to carry the weight of such expectation that has come with these roles. Fact is, is that now, having grown up with them and their characters for over ten years, we surely can accept them for not being multi ranged child actors. They have had to embody one character each for a decade, the range as such is the naturalism of aging through childhood like they have. Job done! Tension is high and the magical moments engage big time, but the draggy nature of the beast makes this a film purely working as an appetiser to something sure to be far bigger and better. 6/10
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Aug 21, 2019 0:17:24 GMT
Hollow Man still remains one of my most frustrating film experiences. With the tools of the trade, the premise itself and perpetual button pusher Paul Verhoeven in the director's chair, it should have been a top draw horror. It's amazing what you can do... when you don't have to look at yourself in the mirror any more.It was the film that convinced director Paul Verhoeven to leave Hollywood and take a break from film making. His reasoning being that any Hollywood director could have made Hollow Man, a big effects led movie that made a lot of cash at the box office. It's this that is the main problem with the picture, it lacks some of the director's bite and satirical savagery, even the souped up sex (natural or deviant) that often comes with his productions. Yet devoid of expectations of a Verhoeven masterpiece, and the crushing realisation that it basically wastes its potential and plays out as a haunted house stalk movie - it's a good enough energetic popcorner. It quickly becomes obvious that we are entering special effects extravaganza, the opening credits are dynamite, sci-fi sexy, then the opening gambit sequence literally grabs us - and a rodent - by the throat. From here on in we are treated to grade "A" effects and some genius ways of exposing "the invisible" Sebastian Caine (Kevin Bacon) to us and the prey he soon comes to hunt. Unfortunately the whole cast performances are a much of a muchness, and playing a roll call of sci-fi stereotypes. All involved here have done much better work in their sleep, but they put the bums on theatre seats and ultimately this works as one of those movies designed to thrill and awe the senses - but sadly not the brain. 6.5/10 To Catch a Thief - The master was in a fun mood - www.imdb.com/review/rw1833347/?ref_=tt_urvCome on then, what's the first word on the new Quentin?
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Post by OldAussie on Aug 21, 2019 0:33:15 GMT
Hollow Man - agree with you, but not too bad.
To Catch a Thief - my cinema classic this week, so first time on the big screen. One of my favourites. Movie equivalent of Easy Listening music. Gorgeous vistas, gorgeous leads.
Quentin - much to like, much to question, which seems to be the case with most of his stuff since the outstanding Jackie Brown. Can't wait to see it again on DVD in a few months.....which doesn't necessarily mean I love it. Sorry to be vague, it's still rattling around in my brain. I wasn't bored at all, but my wife and son were a little. If nothing else, at least Tarantino doesn't make boring generic superhero flix. Actors were great. At the moment 7/10, but a rewatch could shift that significantly in either direction.
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Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Aug 21, 2019 0:48:43 GMT
Legend. Well I will have to wait till my second viewing before reviewing, but initially I came away a bit underwhelmed because it's really just Hardy's quality that shines bright. Yet I wasn't prepared for it being told from "her" POV so I have a feeling that the next viewing - knowing this - will aid the experience. How nice to read some sensible and balanced Potter reviews. I'm just embarking on revisits myself in readiness to finally review Deathly Hallows 2 because I needed further viewing to write some substance. We don't agree on a lot of stuff in this group of films, but I really enjoyed reading the reviews and the superb decorations you have accompanied them with. I also have never read the books. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) Front and Center for Dumbledore's Army. Term 5 at Hogwarts for Harry and the gang and it's a deeply unsettling time. Harry faces getting expelled and finds himself shunned by many around him. This at a time when the Ministry of Magic compounds his misery by insisting to all and sundry that "you know who" is not back again. Given that JK Rowling's fifth book is considered to be something of a door stopper, a book more of interim Potter filler than any great amount of substance, credit has to go to new to the franchise director, David Yates. For Yates and his screenwriter Michael Goldenberg have managed to craft a briskly entertaining segment in under 2 hours and 20 minutes of film. Yes it's safe to say that it ultimately does feel like an interim filler movie, one that is for fans and not newcomers to the series, but the effects are superb (except Grawp that is), the action is much and suspense is not in short supply. While it also finds Radcliffe as Potter finally hitting his acting stride. New into the magical fray comes the wonderful Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbrage, the sort of cheery psychotic teacher we all had bad dreams about in our formative years. Also most welcome is Helena Bonham Carter as nut job harpy Bellatrix Le Strange, it's an appetiser of substance and we can't wait to see some more of her from here on in. Of course the usual problem of not enough screen time for the regulars still exists, but it's now become a figure of grumpy acceptance in the grand scheme of Potter World. Neatly keeping the story trimmed of extraneous fat, Yates doesn't disappoint in delivering a last quarter as memorable as any so far in the series. Big rewards await those who wait, because the showdown that crowns Order of Phoenix is a magical mêlée of wands and wonderment; a face off between good and evil, a free for all that joyously assaults the senses. Roll on Half-Blood Prince, where it's great to know that Yates has been further entrusted with the Harry Potter reins. 7.5/10 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) Hormones over excitement as part six is merely an appetiser to the double billed closure to come. Death Eaters are running amok as Dumbledore has an important task for Harry and Voldermort has one for Draco; all set to the backdrop of raging adolescent hormones. While Harry also acquires a rather helpful book written by the mysterious Half-Blood Prince. Potter 6 is not as dark as the pre-release chattings suggested it would be. Yes there's the usual dark moments, including a shattering turn of events that sets it up nicely for the finale, but this instalment is mostly fun, gentle and even sexy. Harry, Ron & Hermione are more under threat from their own adolescent urges than they are from the swirl of a Death Eater or the appearance of one young & creepy Tom Riddle. This of course makes for good viewing to most of us who have grown with the characters, with the principal young actors having nicely grown into said characters. But can it sustain a two and half hour running time? No it can't is the ass numbingly honest answer. There's some quality set-pieces including Quiddich (for a change) and a swamp attack by the Death Eaters, but by and large it's talky and breezy in equal measure. A filler Potter movie then, one that is far breezier than expected. Good but not great, but as a set up for the epic conclusion it hits all the right buttons. 6/10 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) The seventh installment, the appetiser. As the ultimate wizarding battle between good and evil draws ever closer, Harry, Hermione and Ron bunk off from Hogwarts to go search for the "Horcruxes" with which to halt the ever stronger Voldermort and his army, on the way they learn the importance of the Deathly Hallows artifacts. So this is the one that sees the comfort confines of Hogwarts left behind as our intrepid trio of best pals hit the mountains and forests in search of the tools to stop old snake face in his tracks. In what is ultimately a chase/escape movie, one where the characters have to fight not only a number of challenges that come their way, but also their new found in-fighting capabilities, Deathly Hallows 1 wonderfully dangles the carrot for the final series entry to come. But the overriding thoughts you come away with from it is that firstly it's not really that much fun, and secondly that it shouldn't have been a stand alone movie. Too much of it plods where exposition and padding strains to get the film through its near two and half hour running time. Without the hustle and bustle of Hogwarts, and the myriad of characters that reside within, film struggles to escape the over reliance on just three central characters and a ream of MacGuffins. While some of the comedy and tender moments fall flat because tone is firmly pitched at dark clouds a gathering. However, where it does reward is with the action sequences, with David Yates once again proving he's a considerable talent when it comes to directing such passages. New additions to the cast list feature Rhys Ifans, Peter Mulan and Bill Nighy, all welcome, and all sadly underused. As is the return of some older characters from earlier series entries (do you remember John Hurt was in the first film?!). While the thread involving the Ministry of Magic, and its nasty transformation into a Nazi like call for non-magical folk ethnic cleansing, is supremely adult and hits the nerves as it should do. Of the three principal young adult actors, it's still Emma Watson leading the way on ability, but alongside her, Radcliffe and Grint have earned our love and respect over the years for having to carry the weight of such expectation that has come with these roles. Fact is, is that now, having grown up with them and their characters for over ten years, we surely can accept them for not being multi ranged child actors. They have had to embody one character each for a decade, the range as such is the naturalism of aging through childhood like they have. Job done! Tension is high and the magical moments engage big time, but the draggy nature of the beast makes this a film purely working as an appetiser to something sure to be far bigger and better. 6/10 I agree that there was something a bit 'disappointing' about Legend. Tom Hardy's performances were definitely what stood out the most. However, I am a fan of Emily Browning, so I will watch her in pretty much most things (she gave an incredibly brave performance in the 2011 film Sleeping Beauty (most definitely NOT the kids' fairytale variety). I did find the ending part a bit of a surprise (given how 'safe' narrating characters usually feel). In the end, it was somewhat of a letdown for me. Thank you for your kind words regarding my Harry Potter film reviews and the 'collages' I've created using pictures and GIFs (there are existing collages, some of which I've used, though I also like to create my own using pics and GIFs from some of my favourite moments in the films...though I know they can be a bit overwhelming for some people, which is why I put them inside spoiler tags if there's too many). I never saw the first two HP films at the theatre, and had to borrow the DVDs of them from a relative. After watching them, I liked them enough that I went and saw the third one at the theatre, though I missed the fourth one (which ended up becoming my favourite once I borrowed the DVD of it and watched it). I saw from the fifth movie onwards at the theatre (how I wish I'd not bothered seeing the fifth at the theatre and just waited to watch it on DVD). Anyway, I did reviews for movies 4-8 that I submitted to IMDB. Though rewatching the films made me want to redo my reviews for my posts on here. Once I did that, I thought I should update my old ones on IMDB. I've just recently updated them there and I'm glad I was able to, as I had a lot of things I wanted to change about my old ones. Anyway, sorry for rambling on. I just wanted to say thank you for mentioning that we have differing views on some of the movies but doing so in a nice way and not holding my different views against me (as I've had bad experiences in the past when it comes to my views on these movies and others not taking too kindly to my opinions being different to theirs). I do, however, agree with certain points you made about each film. They would be the following... Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
Yes it's safe to say that it ultimately does feel like an interim filler movie, one that is for fans and not newcomers to the series, but the effects are superb (except Grawp that is)
Also most welcome is Helena Bonham Carter as nut job harpy Bellatrix Le Strange, it's an appetiser of substance and we can't wait to see some more of her from here on in.
Of course the usual problem of not enough screen time for the regulars still exists, but it's now become a figure of grumpy acceptance in the grand scheme of Potter World.
=== Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
this instalment is mostly fun, gentle and even sexy. Harry, Ron & Hermione are more under threat from their own adolescent urges than they are from the swirl of a Death Eater or the appearance of one young & creepy Tom Riddle. This of course makes for good viewing to most of us who have grown with the characters=== Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) the overriding thoughts you come away with from it is that firstly it's not really that much fun Too much of it plods where exposition and padding strains to get the film through its near two and half hour running time.Of the three principal young adult actors, it's still Emma Watson leading the way on ability, but alongside her, Radcliffe and Grint have earned our love and respect over the years for having to carry the weight of such expectation that has come with these roles. Fact is, is that now, having grown up with them and their characters for over ten years, we surely can accept them for not being multi ranged child actors. They have had to embody one character each for a decade, the range as such is the naturalism of aging through childhood like they have. Job done!Tension is high and the magical moments engage big time, but the draggy nature of the beast makes this a film purely working as an appetiser to something sure to be far bigger and better. === Thank you again for your reply, and offering your own thoughts on the film in a well-crafted/though-out/friendly manner. It's appreciated.
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Aug 21, 2019 0:52:43 GMT
Hi all,I hope everyone is having a good weekend,and a day before having to go dentist to get a old filling redone I found a CEX voucher that was starting to fade,which I decided I'd use when I had to go to town the next day. Distracted a bit due to part of my face being numb, (always the right moment to buy something!) I thought I had picked up De Palma's Body Double,only for it to click in at home that I actually purchased: Body Heat (1981) 8 Dumping their left over US stock in the UK under a "Premium Collection" label exclusively in HMV, WB present a shockingly poor transfer, from the audio being so muted I had to turn my volume to max for the first time in years, and the grainy image being a encoding no longer used, all tied up by the lazy gits even putting the old DVD menus onto the Blu-Ray. Stepping into cinema, Kathleen Turner gives a seductive, head-turning debut performance as Femme Fatale Matty Walker, who holds all the men in her grip with a burning sensuality that Turner keeps Matty well aware of knowing when to ignite, crossed with a deadly long-term planning mind-set,which tugs Racine to walk her line.Sweating out with fellow lawyers Peter Lowenstein and Oscar Grace (played by the terrific Ted Danson and J.A. Preston) building cases for their clients, William Hurt brings the Noir loner out in the early days of the "Greed is good" era with a excellent turn as Racine, whose morals and friendship Hurt tears into a single, greed- Fuelled focus in getting his hands on more of Matty. Taking a drastic turn from writing the action-packed Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark,to a intimate Neo-Noir, the screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan brilliantly displays Kasdan's skill in characterization, via what initially appear as minor characters, (such as Racine's lawyer buddies) being taken by Kasdan as the forces who dig into Racine's and Matty's façade foundation. Clutching Racine in the midst of burning passion, Kasdan thrillingly seeps in Neo-Noir cynicism into his "romance" with Matty, until Racine becomes aware all too late that he is drowning in her deadly game. Keeping Kathleen Turner company in her not being the lone person here to make a debut,Kasdan delivers an impressive directing debut, with Kasdan & cinematographer Richard H. Kline keeping the steamy sex scenes (which include a naked Kathleen Turner) erotic,rather than raunchy (pity!),with graceful close-ups on the faces of Matty and Racine, tracking Racine heading towards a crime of passion. Shot during a cold season, Kasdan creates a scorching hot Neo-Noir atmosphere, where every location displayed in stylish panning shots is dripping with sweat, and in enticing overlaying images chopped by close-ups on Racine's face,capturing his realisation that the body heat has gone cold. Well you can't go wrong with Body Double as it happens, it' s a pappy pulper of many joys. Body Heat, as you have found and written about so wisely, is a Neo-Noir zinger. I'll piggyback > I hope you haven't done us in? Warning: Spoilers Body Heat is written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan and stars William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, J.A. Preston and Mickey Rourke. Music is scored by John Barry and cinematography by Richard H. Cline. Plot sees Hurt as small time Florida lawyer Ned Racine who falls in love and lust with smouldering babe Matty Walker (Turner). Trouble is is that she is married, and as the affair grows more torrid, the pair begin to hatch plans to kill the husband (Crenna) so as to be together and get very rich in the process... Well some can chide it for its debt to Double Indemnity, or even glance scornfully at Kasdan for using sex to sell his reinvention of amoral noirs of the 40s and 50s, but it stands tall and proud in my book of best neo-noirs produced. Causing quite a stir upon its release, Body Heat under Kasdan's watchful eye has most things right for a nod to the glory days of film noir. Male protagonist caught in a lusty web of deceit and murder, femme fatale so smouldering her skin literally does burn, twists and turns in the narrative, photography keeping it down low on light but expanding the colours for extra lurid effect, and a score that fuses seedy like jazz with low Bondian base strains that suddenly get attacked by a shrill to outline the hapless Racine's imploding panic. The dialogue, too, is devilish, especially when delivered so sensually by Turner's crafty honey, a lady bridging the gap between Lauren Bacall and Jessica Rabbit. Yep! Body Heat has it all going on. That was her special gift, she was relentless. Basically Kasdan has brought to life the suggestion involved of something like Double Indemnity, and set it in a sweltering modern day Florida. Free of any code restrictions, he unleashes the sex between the two principals and wraps his biting story around it. It's never sordid or done for the sake of selling tickets, it expertly realises the passion, trickery, and even genuine love? That's going on between Matty and Ned. Helps, too, that Turner and Hurt are terrific in performance and chemistry, while the support cast, courtesy of well thought out writing, really flesh out the plot. There's a problem for genre fans that stop it being a masterpiece all told, that of there being no shock factor come the finale reveal, but the slow boil to the outcome is positively gripping. While the visual views we get of Matty in the final frames leave a question tantalisingly hanging in the air... Slick and sexy, tricky and teetering, Body Heat stokes the fires of noir conventions of old with some style. 9/10
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Aug 21, 2019 1:02:16 GMT
Hi COE! I hope you had a good weekend & I was wondering how you found Shazam! to be? After finding BVS & Suicide Squad to be messy, (I watched them at home) I took a gamble and saw Shazam! on the big screen,and found it a complete daylight, (and far better than Captain Meh,which came out around the same time) with the "family" message of the flick having a surprising real warmth. As a aside,did you spot the cheeky dig at Snyder's action scenes? screenrant.com/shazam-trailer-moment-not-in-movie-superman-music/I'd originally intended to see Shazam! at the theatres, but never got around to it. I got it on Blu-ray, though, and watched it. I quite enjoyed the film (though Wonder Woman is still easily my favourite DCEU film). I did like a fair amount of the humour in the movie and the 'family' message. Zachary Levi (who I knew mainly from the TV series Chuck) was perfectly suited to this role (though there was a weird 'disconnect' between Billy Batson's younger self and his older self as played by Levi. They really didn't seem to act like the same person). I was happy to see Michelle Borth turn up as the 'older' version of Mary near the end (as I know her from a few different things). It's a shame that she didn't get to feature more prominently in the final battle (as other characters got several 'saves'/moments to shine). I felt they kind of wasted her. Hopefully she gets more to do in any sequels. I did catch several nods/'digs' at the DCEU films, including the awesome end credits (I loved what they did with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Flash). I think one of the best/funniest moments was the villain threatening the hero from a great distance and just assuming they could be heard. On the whole, it was pretty enjoyable and would probably rank as my second favourite DCEU film after Wonder Woman. HI COE,between WW & Shazam!, I'd just give Shazam the edge. Whilst WW includes the most bad-ass set piece in the DCEU, the choice of David Thewlis as the end of level boss felt out of place to me,esp with Doctor Poison being a more menacing baddie. From his intro in the movie,I thought Mark Strong struck the right tone in Shazam, in knowing when to play things for laughs, but also keeping that threatening edge build-up which lead baddies need.
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Aug 21, 2019 1:07:25 GMT
Hi all,I hope everyone is having a good weekend,and a day before having to go dentist to get a old filling redone I found a CEX voucher that was starting to fade,which I decided I'd use when I had to go to town the next day. Distracted a bit due to part of my face being numb, (always the right moment to buy something!) I thought I had picked up De Palma's Body Double,only for it to click in at home that I actually purchased: Body Heat (1981) 8 Dumping their left over US stock in the UK under a "Premium Collection" label exclusively in HMV, WB present a shockingly poor transfer, from the audio being so muted I had to turn my volume to max for the first time in years, and the grainy image being a encoding no longer used, all tied up by the lazy gits even putting the old DVD menus onto the Blu-Ray. Stepping into cinema, Kathleen Turner gives a seductive, head-turning debut performance as Femme Fatale Matty Walker, who holds all the men in her grip with a burning sensuality that Turner keeps Matty well aware of knowing when to ignite, crossed with a deadly long-term planning mind-set,which tugs Racine to walk her line.Sweating out with fellow lawyers Peter Lowenstein and Oscar Grace (played by the terrific Ted Danson and J.A. Preston) building cases for their clients, William Hurt brings the Noir loner out in the early days of the "Greed is good" era with a excellent turn as Racine, whose morals and friendship Hurt tears into a single, greed- Fuelled focus in getting his hands on more of Matty. Taking a drastic turn from writing the action-packed Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark,to a intimate Neo-Noir, the screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan brilliantly displays Kasdan's skill in characterization, via what initially appear as minor characters, (such as Racine's lawyer buddies) being taken by Kasdan as the forces who dig into Racine's and Matty's façade foundation. Clutching Racine in the midst of burning passion, Kasdan thrillingly seeps in Neo-Noir cynicism into his "romance" with Matty, until Racine becomes aware all too late that he is drowning in her deadly game. Keeping Kathleen Turner company in her not being the lone person here to make a debut,Kasdan delivers an impressive directing debut, with Kasdan & cinematographer Richard H. Kline keeping the steamy sex scenes (which include a naked Kathleen Turner) erotic,rather than raunchy (pity!),with graceful close-ups on the faces of Matty and Racine, tracking Racine heading towards a crime of passion. Shot during a cold season, Kasdan creates a scorching hot Neo-Noir atmosphere, where every location displayed in stylish panning shots is dripping with sweat, and in enticing overlaying images chopped by close-ups on Racine's face,capturing his realisation that the body heat has gone cold. Well you can't go wrong with Body Double as it happens, it' s a pappy pulper of many joys. Body Heat, as you have found and written about so wisely, is a Neo-Noir zinger. I'll piggyback > I hope you haven't done us in? Warning: Spoilers Body Heat is written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan and stars William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, J.A. Preston and Mickey Rourke. Music is scored by John Barry and cinematography by Richard H. Cline. Plot sees Hurt as small time Florida lawyer Ned Racine who falls in love and lust with smouldering babe Matty Walker (Turner). Trouble is is that she is married, and as the affair grows more torrid, the pair begin to hatch plans to kill the husband (Crenna) so as to be together and get very rich in the process... Well some can chide it for its debt to Double Indemnity, or even glance scornfully at Kasdan for using sex to sell his reinvention of amoral noirs of the 40s and 50s, but it stands tall and proud in my book of best neo-noirs produced. Causing quite a stir upon its release, Body Heat under Kasdan's watchful eye has most things right for a nod to the glory days of film noir. Male protagonist caught in a lusty web of deceit and murder, femme fatale so smouldering her skin literally does burn, twists and turns in the narrative, photography keeping it down low on light but expanding the colours for extra lurid effect, and a score that fuses seedy like jazz with low Bondian base strains that suddenly get attacked by a shrill to outline the hapless Racine's imploding panic. The dialogue, too, is devilish, especially when delivered so sensually by Turner's crafty honey, a lady bridging the gap between Lauren Bacall and Jessica Rabbit. Yep! Body Heat has it all going on. That was her special gift, she was relentless. Basically Kasdan has brought to life the suggestion involved of something like Double Indemnity, and set it in a sweltering modern day Florida. Free of any code restrictions, he unleashes the sex between the two principals and wraps his biting story around it. It's never sordid or done for the sake of selling tickets, it expertly realises the passion, trickery, and even genuine love? That's going on between Matty and Ned. Helps, too, that Turner and Hurt are terrific in performance and chemistry, while the support cast, courtesy of well thought out writing, really flesh out the plot. There's a problem for genre fans that stop it being a masterpiece all told, that of there being no shock factor come the finale reveal, but the slow boil to the outcome is positively gripping. While the visual views we get of Matty in the final frames leave a question tantalisingly hanging in the air... Slick and sexy, tricky and teetering, Body Heat stokes the fires of noir conventions of old with some style. 9/10 Thanks for sharing your good review Spike,and I was happy about the mistake I made, along with the Noir thrills, BH does tick the sleaze boxes (I'm sure De Palma would approve of that!)
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Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Aug 21, 2019 1:16:01 GMT
I'd originally intended to see Shazam! at the theatres, but never got around to it. I got it on Blu-ray, though, and watched it. I quite enjoyed the film (though Wonder Woman is still easily my favourite DCEU film). I did like a fair amount of the humour in the movie and the 'family' message. Zachary Levi (who I knew mainly from the TV series Chuck) was perfectly suited to this role (though there was a weird 'disconnect' between Billy Batson's younger self and his older self as played by Levi. They really didn't seem to act like the same person). I was happy to see Michelle Borth turn up as the 'older' version of Mary near the end (as I know her from a few different things). It's a shame that she didn't get to feature more prominently in the final battle (as other characters got several 'saves'/moments to shine). I felt they kind of wasted her. Hopefully she gets more to do in any sequels. I did catch several nods/'digs' at the DCEU films, including the awesome end credits (I loved what they did with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Flash). I think one of the best/funniest moments was the villain threatening the hero from a great distance and just assuming they could be heard. On the whole, it was pretty enjoyable and would probably rank as my second favourite DCEU film after Wonder Woman. HI COE,between WW & Shazam!, I'd just give Shazam the edge. Whilst WW includes the most bad-ass set piece in the DCEU, the choice of David Thewlis as the end of level boss felt out of place to me,esp with Doctor Poison being a more menacing baddie. From his intro in the movie,I thought Mark Strong struck the right tone in Shazam, in knowing when to play things for laughs, but also keeping that threatening edge build-up which lead baddies need. Wonder Woman as a film is still the one I enjoyed more as a whole, and I didn't mind David Thewlis in his role up until the climactic fight. I especially liked his exchange with Diana through the window (I thought that was an interesting directing choice).
It was only once he degenerated into typical "I SHALL DESTROY YOU!" shouty villain territory that I felt his performance faltered. I find 'quiet menace' much more effective in villains than over-the-top shoutiness. I also much-preferred Elena Anaya's Doctor Poison. I found her intriguing and would like to see more of her in any sequels. I thought her interaction with Diana at the end end was interesting. Mark Strong can pretty much play a bad guy in his sleep at this point, I think. He seems to be the go-to guy for playing villains. He was certainly threatening, I'll give him that.
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Aug 21, 2019 1:22:08 GMT
Both Mike and myself reviewed Nora Prentiss recently so I wont repost here. What did you think though? No doubt I put it on my list because of your mentions, but I don't now remember what you both wrote. It is notable for the unrelieved tone of doom. No light relief at all. Nora is the ruination of the man through no fault of her own. She didn't try to trap or corrupt him. Kent Smith is always dignified but bland. His fall perhaps hurts more because of that, maybe like the prof in The Blue Angel? My DVD was very poor quality. Whenever I see Sheridan I think of a quip by Ronald Reagan to Errol Flynn in Desperate Journey (1942): "Why do you always wake me up when I'm dreaming of Ann Sheridan?" They each made five films with her. Sometimes when recalling a title I can't remember if she starred or if it was Joan Bennett. Yeah it's the trick in the tale, a reverse fatale! Ann or Joan, Joan or Ann, does this help? >
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Aug 21, 2019 1:28:07 GMT
HEAVEN’S GATE (1980) UNITED ARTISTS 100TH ANNIVERSARY. No marathon of United Artists films cannot be complete without Leonard Cimino’s epic box office flop that ended the Studio (as well as ending the time in Hollywood when filmmakers could do what they want). My first view of this was title only, as well as a 1994 ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY Back Page Article about the film. I didn’t get to see anything of the film until 2004, when Trio TV showed the film with a documentary FINAL CUT, where I got to see the Harvard prologue. A decade later I saw the ending on TCM. This is the first time I watched the full film. Tell the truth, it’s not as bad as its reputation suggests. It's thought of better these days, a new generation of film makers and film lovers can appreiate it a whole lot more. Barbed wire and women are the two greatest civilising agents in the world.Heaven's Gate is written and directed by Michael Cimino and stars Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, Isabelle Huppert, Jeff Bridges, John Hurt and Sam Waterston. Music is by David Mansfield and cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond. Picture is based around the real-life Johnson County War in 1890 Wyoming, where here we have a Sheriff born into wealth attempting to protect immigrant farmers from the rich Stockholders Association. Lets begin by stating that for the clear facts about the financial disaster of Heaven's Gate, and its impact on studios and film making in general, then research it so I don't have to write two paragraphs about it. Also it should be known that this is hardly an historically accurate account of the so called Johnson County War (when are big epics ever truly accurate anyway?), so again research pays off there as well. Heaven's Gate, the film, was savaged by the critics upon release, especially given that the originally theatrical release they viewed was over an hour shorter than what Cimino intended for release. Thankfully now, if you are a fan or not of the pic, we can at least see the fully formed longer version (three and half hours worth). The charges of self indulgency by Cimino are fair enough, but his vision is clinically focused to the point of producing a potent and meditative (anti) Western epic. Cimino is in no hurry to tell his story, and rightly so as he gets to grips with character building and methodically slow burning the tensions that led to the Johnson County blood bath. Before we even consider the technical smarts on show, there's a strong emotional current swirling away in the narrative, an intimacy that's beguiling and holds those fully invested in the first half of film - in readiness for the pay off in the superb second half. I do wonder just how many of the 1/10 reviewers actually made it to second half? The point when the gang of hired assassins ride over the hill and begin their terror of murder and sexual assault? Visually (Zsigmond on top form) the pic blends elegiac tones for the hopes and dreams of the immigrants looking for a new life in the new world, with the grainy realism of the financial greed and oppression dished out by wealthy corporate stockholders. Cimino isn't found wanting for quality of sequence construction either. Pic features community dances, the kind that John Ford himself would be tipping his hat to. Most notably is the immigrants roller derby dance gathering, a delightfully zestful experience showing a community in love with being a community. The main battle section was laughably trashed by a couple of those original critics, it's a breath taking sequence of events, a thunderous whirl of dust and circular carnage (circles a thematic for Ciminio), "those god damned Romans" indeed. Flaws? Absolutely, this is far from a flawless picture. The first half hour featuring Averill (Kristofferson) and Irvine's (Hurt) Harvard Graduation is draggy and could easily have been cut by twenty minutes. Also scratchy is that both actors look way too old for such a scenario. Cast are mostly unfussy (perfectly so), but there's an itch that although Huppert has simmering qualities for a bordello babe, she's a touch miscast for the love triangle verve and the genre surrounds. The script sometimes lacks for 1890 chatter, while the screenplay needs the utmost attention or else you could easily lose the thread of things. True also to sadly reflect upon some obvious animal rights issues, thankfully Hollywood has moved on from such things since. A flawed masterpiece? Yes I think that fits right when revisiting it nearly 40 years after the disaster of its initial release. It's a lyrical and majestic piece of work, one that has seen its plus column reputation grow as it is re-evaluated by new critics and new age cinema lovers alike. The themes at work, with the debunking of American mythologizing et al, were too close to the knuckle for many back in 1980, but now it stands proud as a bold, beautiful and brutal film. Yes, even with the flaws. 8/10
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Aug 21, 2019 1:31:38 GMT
Great reviews of Jack the Giant Killer. I have the Kino bluray in my collection but still haven't viewed it. Kerwin Mathews is one of my favorite actors, I wish he had a more successful career, his filmography is unfortunately not as long as I wish it could have been. I'm excited about watching this one now, I bought it but didn't have high hopes for it so it's been pushed to the side for awhile. If you liked his Sinbad movie you will like this too!
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Aug 21, 2019 1:37:21 GMT
Good Boys Danny Collins Cry Wolf. Which Cry Wolf, the Errol Flynn dark house mystery or the dreadful Lindy Booth (she is heckfire sexy mind) horror pic?
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Aug 21, 2019 1:42:34 GMT
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019) Tarantino delivers again! This movie is full of love for the 60's in Los Angeles, and it has plenty of surprises to keep you interested. Although it's long, you feel like the running time has just whipped by. Pitt and DiCaprio make a great movie team together, and QT has also cast Emile Hirsch in this as well, and we finally get a scene with him and DiCaprio, two people I always thought should play brothers or relatives of some kind. There are so many famous faces in this, some I didn't even realize until it was over, such as Dakota Fanning as Squeaky Fromme! This was a movie not just for film geeks, but everyone can enjoy it. The audience truly appreciated that ending and clapped and screamed and stamped their feet. Or maybe I just had a rowdy crowd, whatever. Thanks for the thoughts on the Quentin
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