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Post by darksidebeadle on Jul 22, 2018 4:56:39 GMT
Welcome back to another week of the BEST & WORST edition of 'what movies did you see last week?' thread. For those who haven't been part of it before, basically your hosts (us) posts our weekly movies and you can comment on those and list your movie for the same time frame. We will get back to you on yours and you can talk to other users here about their films. It's a great place to talk about film.
FIRST TIME MOVIE VIEWING
Out of the Furnace (2013, Scott Cooper) tv This bleak southern tale of poverty, crime and desperation is very well made and has extraordinary performances but might not be the kind of film you would revisit to often due to its tone and subject matter. 6.5/10
The Endless (2017, Justin Benson, Aaron Benson) This low-budget indie sees two brothers return to the cult they fled from years ago to discover that the group's beliefs may be more sane than they once thought. There are some good ideas here but the two lead actors are not very good and neither is a lot of the dialogue in the script. The direction and editing is also kinda patchy but the core ideas of the film keep it interesting enough for sure. 5.5/10
Going in Style (2017, Zach Braff) tv This remake sees three elderly gentlemen (Alan Arkin, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman) who are determined to make their remaining days better by robbing a bank. Its pretty thin stuff and not handled with any panache... the best I can say is that the three leads seem to be having some fun working together. 3/10
REPEAT MOVIE VIEWING
Children of Men (2006, Alfonso Cuaron) blu ray Set in 2027 in a resource depleted world where a baby has not been born in 18 years we follow a man (Clive Owen) who is trying to transport a woman to an off shore project trying to save the world. The film has extraordinary visuals and is well acted... where it is thin on plot it makes up for in scale. 8/10
Kick-ass (2010, Matthew Vaughn) blu ray Still a lot of fun but dropped a little score wise, it may just be from a general fatigue of there being way too many super hero films. 7.5/10
Mulan (1998, Tony Bancroft & Tony Cook) tv Disney animated tale that has a good enough story and voice cast but with the animation being nothing too special. 5.5/10
Escape from L.A (1996, John Carpenter) tv The sequel to the revered cult classic from 1981 lacks the grit of the original and has worse effects with a much goofier style. That said it is kind of amusing to see how bad it is. 3/10
FIRST TIME DOCUMENTARY VIEWING
The Cruise (1998, Bennett Miller) This documentary is an affectionate portrait of Tim "Speed" Levitch, a tour guide for Manhattan's Gray Line double-decker buses. He talks fast, is in love with the city, and dispenses historical facts. Somewhat Recommended
FIRST TIME TV VIEWING
The Handmaid's Tale (2017, Season One) This disturbing warning to the future is set in a dystopian future, a woman is forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship. It is compelling and brilliantly produced television of the highest order Highly Recommended
WEEKLY AWARDS
BEST FILM: Children of Men BEST ACTOR: Christian Bale - Out of the Furnace BEST ACTRESS: Clare-Hope Ashitey - Children of Men BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Casey Affleck - Out of the Furnace BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Julianne Moore - Children of Men BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Emmanuel Lubezki - Children of Men BEST DIRECTOR: Alfonso Cuaron - Children of Men
10/10 - Perfection (or as close to it as possible) 09/10 - An Excellent film 08/10 - A VERY Good film 07/10 - A Good film 06/10 - A Solid film 05/10 - An Average film 04/10 - Below Average film 03/10 - A mostly bad film 02/10 - A mostly terrible film 01/10 - Awful through and through 00/10 - Not only awful but offensive too
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Post by jcush on Jul 22, 2018 5:17:53 GMT
Children of Men - needs a rewatch, but I liked it a lot. 8/10 Kick-Ass - top 10 superhero movie. 8/10 Mulan - one of my favorite Disney movies since I was a kid. 8/10 Escape from L.A. - pretty bad. 4.5/10 First Time Viewings:
Kingpin (1996, Farrelly Brothers) A star bowler whose career was prematurely cut off, hopes to ride a new prodigy to success and riches in this comedy. Woody Harrelson is quite good in the lead role and Bill Murray and Randy Quaid add some fun support. The story was solid and the film is entertaining throughout, with some hilarious moments along the way. 7/10
Dumb and Dumber To (2014, Farrelly Brothers) Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels return in this sequel that came out 20 years after the original. This one has some laughs here and there, but for the most part it just isn't very good and is more dumb than funny. Some parts are pretty bad and overall it's a poor sequel. 5/10
Kate & Leopold (2001, James Mangold) In this one an English Duke from 1876 is inadvertently dragged to modern day New York where he falls for a advertising executive. Meg Ryan is good and Hugh Jackman is even better, but the story never really pulled me in completely. 6/10
Heavy (1995, James Mangold) This was James Mangold's debut and though it's not among his best work, I thought it was pretty good. It's well made and has good performances and characters. 7/10
The Majestic (2001, Frank Darabont) Jim Carrey stars as a blacklisted Hollywood writer that is in an accident, which causes him to lose his memory. He is then mistaken for a long lost son in the town that he arrives in. I found the story pretty interesting and the film is very well made. The cast is good, especially Carrey, who puts in some of his best work. I was a bit worried about the 2 1/2 hour running time, but I found it well paced and engaging throughout, with some good emotion to it. 7.5/10
Repeat Viewings:
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994, Tom Shadyac) Now that I'm a much bigger fan of Jim Carrey than I was when I first watched this, I got into it a lot more. Carrey's performance and the movie itself are over the top and ridiculous, but that's what makes it fun. 7/10
Identity (2003, James Mangold) For the first two acts of this one it's basically a slasher film with a really good cast, good tension, and a strong sense of mystery. In the final act it becomes a clever mindbender that changes how you view everything that came before. Very good film right here. 8/10
Star Trek: Generations (1994, David Carson) The story for this one is a bit lackluster, but it's cool seeing Kirk and Picard together. 6/10
Star Trek: First Contact (1996, Jonathan Frakes) I enjoyed this one the first time I watched it, but this time I just didn't get into the story as much. The characters are cool, but I'm sad to say that the film itself didn't do much for me this time. 6/10
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998, Jonathan Frakes) It has its moments, but it's a bit dull at times and Picard's love interest is shoehorned in. 5.5/10
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002, Stuart Baird) My least favorite Trek film, but it still has a few good parts and the characters make it watchable. The story is just kind of weak. 5/10
Dumb and Dumber (1994, Farrelly Brothers) A very funny and entertaining movie. Carrey and Daniels are awesome together. 7.5/10
Hot Fuzz (2007, Edgar Wright) The middle chapter of Edgar Wright's Cornetto trilogy just edges out the other two as my favorite of the three. It's very entertaining and has lots of good laughs. The editing is fantastic. 8/10
The Truman Show (1998, Peter Weir) This one has such a great concept and it's wonderfully executed. It's well shot, has some really good performances, and a great soundtrack. Several great scenes too. 8.5/10
The Mask (1994, Chuck Russell) Just like Pet Detective, I enjoyed this one more now that I'm more of a Jim Carrey fan. This one is pretty silly, but it's a good time. 7/10
Star Trek (2009, J.J. Abrams) This reboot of the franchise has some really good casting choices, a cool story, good music, and some terrific scenes. 8/10
Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013, J.J. Abrams) This one is mostly pretty good, but the last 20 minutes or so are where it loses me, due to its rehashing of The Wrath of Khan. It just feels lazy and it's a shame, because I like the rest of the film. 6.5/10
Star Trek Beyond (2016, Justin Lin) This one does have the same heights as Into Darkness, but it also doesn't have the same lows. It's just more consistent. The story isn't amazing, but it's solid enough and the film is pretty fun overall. 7/10
Movie Awards:
BEST FILM - The Truman Show BEST ACTOR - Jim Carrey (The Truman Show) BEST ACTRESS - Meg Ryan (Kate & Leopold) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Ed Harris (The Truman Show) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Laura Linney (The Truman Show) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Peter Biziou (The Truman Show) BEST SCORE/SOUNDTRACK - The Truman Show BEST SCRIPT - Andrew Niccol (The Truman Show) BEST DIRECTOR - Peter Weir (The Truman Show)
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Post by mikef6 on Jul 22, 2018 5:29:20 GMT
Yours Children Of Men. A near masterpiece. I approve of it highly. Kick-Ass - This graphic novel adaptation opened to great studio hype and enough manufactured “controversy” to keep morning talk shows and cable pundit shows busy for a couple of days. Hit Girl, played by Chloe Moretz, was supposed to be 11 years old (the actress was 13). Not only does she violently dispatch dozens of gangsters, but she talks dirty! Pundits were shocked. Shocked I tell you! To learn that today’s kids talked like this. What Kind Of Message Is This Sending To Youth? They packed their shows with the experts. Well, turns out “Kick-Ass” had no impact in any way. It certainly didn’t change the face of pop culture, as one commentator predicted. It sank pretty fast and soon showed up on DVD and Netflix streaming. What’s interesting is to watch some good actors struggle to rise above dreck and sometimes succeeding. The Handmaid’s Tale – I am anxious to get into this series. Mine The Black Camel / Irving Cummings (1931). The fifth entry in the Charlie Chan film series and the second with Warner Oland as Chan. When a movie star, filming in Hawaii, is murdered, Inspector Chan believes that her death is related to yet another movie star murder three years earlier in Hollywood. Chief among a hotel full of guilty looking suspects is celebrity fortune teller Tarneverro (Bela Lugosi, whose hit “Dracula” had been released just 4 months earlier by a different studio). Julie (Sally Eilers), a friend of the victim, is seen hiding evidence. Hmmm…could it be…well, maybe it was the victim’s ex-husband or her new suitor who she has just dumped. And don’t forget that Dwight Frye, also over from “Dracula,” is hanging around, eyes wild as ever. Robert Young – who was very young – plays Julie’s boyfriend who follows her around like a little puppy dog. Very enjoyable. Roadblock / Harold Daniels (1951). Insurance investigator Joe Peters (Charles McGraw) is good at his job, but when he falls under the spell of good-time girl Diane Morley (Joan Dixon) who is determined to marry money, he uses his knowledge of crime to get the money he needs to win her. He concocts the robbery of train carrying a quarter of a million dollars. When Diane admits she loves him and is willing to live with his small salary, Joe tries to stop the heist, but things are already rolling. It is too late. The climax takes place in a chase down the Los Angeles River, that 51 mile long concrete eye sore, built in the 1930s, to cover the river bed and prevent flooding. The River has appeared in many movies but you get quite a long look at it here. McGraw is excellent as the good/bad guy. Dixon is OK, but her career never went very far. Joe’s partner is played by Louis Jean Heydt, an actor I really like. He has a much larger role in “Roadblock” than he usually got. Joan Dixon and Charles McGraw A car chase down the Los Angeles River Boris Godunov (1982). Composed by Modest Mussorgsky (it was his only opera), “Boris” is often declared to be Russia’s greatest opera. It first saw the stage in 1873. This performance was taped live in 1979 and was released for home video in the U.S. in 1982. It can now be seen on DVD. The staging was held at the Bolshoi Theatre where the musicians and singers grew up on this music and deliver it with great power. Boris advises his heir to the throne (“Keep your enemies closer”) 2010 / Peter Hyams (1984). It has been almost a decade since the failure of the mission to Jupiter in 2001 and the lose of the Discovery ship. Dr. Heywood Floyd (now played by Roy Scheider) had been singled out for blame and now toils as a technician at the Very Large Array on the New Mexico high desert. There, he is approached by a Russian diplomat (according to this movie, the Cold War is still going in 2010 and is heating up) who offers a deal involving a joint mission to the Discovery to see if they can learn what happened and further investigate the monoliths. Helen Mirren plays the Captain of the Russian crew. It would be hopeless to try to compare this film (or any other) to Kubrick’s masterpiece. Having said that: “2010” is a remarkably intelligent and well-acted and well-written film. The plot clears up the mysteries of “2001” a little too handily and the ending is sort-of unbelievable, yet these items can be overlooked because of the general care given to the film. Helen Mirren and Roy Scheider try to come to terms Red Sparrow / Francis Lawrence (2018). Not very thrilling thriller. Jennifer Lawrence plays Dominika, a ballet star who has a career ending accident (or was it?). She is recruited by her Uncle Vanya (no kidding) to go to a spy school presided over by Matron (Charlotte Rampling) who teaches her class how to seduce anyone by recognizing their weaknesses. Dominika later rebukes her uncle by saying, “You sent me to whore school”! Her first assignment is to become important to CIA operative Nate (Joel Edgerton) in order to learn the name of a mole in the upper reaches of Russian intelligence. The film is high on dialog exposition and short on action and suspense (there are a couple of episodes that border the sadistic). As usual, Jennifer Lawrence gives it her all and Rampling is always great to see. Among the possible moles are veteran actors Ciarán Hinds, Jeremy Irons, and Matthias Schoenaerts as Uncle Vanya (its not too hard to guess which one). The two best parts of the film are a) the brief episode featuring Mary-Louise Parker as an alcoholic Chief-of-Staff to a Senator willing to sell secrets for money to pay her daughter’s tuition and b) the Big Reveal in the last few minutes when you finally find out whose side Dominika is on. Three Identical Strangers / Tim Wardle (2018). In 1981 an amazing heartwarming story swept around the world. Maybe you remember it. A freshman college student named Bobby Shafran drove two hours from his home to the dorm where he would be living. He arrived knowing no one but people all over campus were waving to him and slapping him on the back. Girls ran up and kissed him. “What friendly people,” he thought. Then he realized that some of the others were calling him Eddie. He finally ran in to Eddie’s former room mate who immediately knew that something astonishing was happening. Bobby looked identical to Eddie. When the boys met, they realized they were twin brothers, both adopted by different families. Then, a third identical adoptee showed up. Their reunion and friendship (they seemed to have instantly bonded) and how much they were alike in many ways (they all had wrestled in high school, all smoked Marlboro cigarettes, etc.) made headlines and celebrities of all three. But the story turns darker. Their adoptive parents wanted to know why the babies had been separated and why they were not told about the other siblings. A strained meeting with the adoption agency made them suspicious. I won’t tell more of it for fear of spoilers, yet a lot of it is out there including the Wikipedia entry on the film and coverage by national news media. We have a real life suspense thriller where layer after layer of the story is peeled away to expose a part but there are always more layers beneath. Even when you think the story of these men is winding down, you get hit with another shocker. The final Reveal even the surviving brothers did not know about until shown it by the film makers. You will talk and talk about this. One of the best films of the year regardless of genre. Brilliant documentary storytelling.
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Post by darksidebeadle on Jul 22, 2018 5:52:12 GMT
Children of Men - needs a rewatch, but I liked it a lot. 8/10 Kick-Ass - top 10 superhero movie. 8/10 Mulan - one of my favorite Disney movies since I was a kid. 8/10 Escape from L.A. - pretty bad. 4.5/10 First Time Viewings:
Kingpin (1996, Farrelly Brothers) A star bowler whose career was prematurely cut off, hopes to ride a new prodigy to success and riches in this comedy. Woody Harrelson is quite good in the lead role and Bill Murray and Randy Quaid add some fun support. The story was solid and the film is entertaining throughout, with some hilarious moments along the way. 7/10
Dumb and Dumber To (2014, Farrelly Brothers) Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels return in this sequel that came out 20 years after the original. This one has some laughs here and there, but for the most part it just isn't very good and is more dumb than funny. Some parts are pretty bad and overall it's a poor sequel. 5/10
Kate & Leopold (2001, James Mangold) In this one an English Duke from 1876 is inadvertently dragged to modern day New York where he falls for a advertising executive. Meg Ryan is good and Hugh Jackman is even better, but the story never really pulled me in completely. 6/10
Heavy (1995, James Mangold) This was James Mangold's debut and though it's not among his best work, I thought it was pretty good. It's well made and has good performances and characters. 7/10
The Majestic (2001, Frank Darabont) Jim Carrey stars as a blacklisted Hollywood writer that is in an accident, which causes him to lose his memory. He is then mistaken for a long lost son in the town that he arrives in. I found the story pretty interesting and the film is very well made. The cast is good, especially Carrey, who puts in some of his best work. I was a bit worried about the 2 1/2 hour running time, but I found it well paced and engaging throughout, with some good emotion to it. 7.5/10
Repeat Viewings:
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994, Tom Shadyac) Now that I'm a much bigger fan of Jim Carrey than I was when I first watched this, I got into it a lot more. Carrey's performance and the movie itself are over the top and ridiculous, but that's what makes it fun. 7/10
Identity (2003, James Mangold) For the first two acts of this one it's basically a slasher film with a really good cast, good tension, and a strong sense of mystery. In the final act it becomes a clever mindbender that changes how you view everything that came before. Very good film right here. 8/10
Star Trek: Generations (1994, David Carson) The story for this one is a bit lackluster, but it's cool seeing Kirk and Picard together. 6/10
Star Trek: First Contact (1996, Jonathan Frakes) I enjoyed this one the first time I watched it, but this time I just didn't get into the story as much. The characters are cool, but I'm sad to say that the film itself didn't do much for me this time. 6/10
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998, Jonathan Frakes) It has its moments, but it's a bit dull at times and Picard's love interest is shoehorned in. 5.5/10
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002, Stuart Baird) My least favorite Trek film, but it still has a few good parts and the characters make it watchable. The story is just kind of weak. 5/10
Dumb and Dumber (1994, Farrelly Brothers) A very funny and entertaining movie. Carrey and Daniels are awesome together. 7.5/10
Hot Fuzz (2007, Edgar Wright) The middle chapter of Edgar Wright's Cornetto trilogy just edges out the other two as my favorite of the three. It's very entertaining and has lots of good laughs. The editing is fantastic. 8/10
The Truman Show (1998, Peter Weir) This one has such a great concept and it's wonderfully executed. It's well shot, has some really good performances, and a great soundtrack. Several great scenes too. 8.5/10
The Mask (1994, Chuck Russell) Just like Pet Detective, I enjoyed this one more now that I'm more of a Jim Carrey fan. This one is pretty silly, but it's a good time. 7/10
Star Trek (2009, J.J. Abrams) This reboot of the franchise has some really good casting choices, a cool story, good music, and some terrific scenes. 8/10
Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013, J.J. Abrams) This one is mostly pretty good, but the last 20 minutes or so are where it loses me, due to its rehashing of The Wrath of Khan. It just feels lazy and it's a shame, because I like the rest of the film. 6.5/10
Star Trek Beyond (2016, Justin Lin) This one does have the same heights as Into Darkness, but it also doesn't have the same lows. It's just more consistent. The story isn't amazing, but it's solid enough and the film is pretty fun overall. 7/10
Movie Awards:
BEST FILM - The Truman Show BEST ACTOR - Jim Carrey (The Truman Show) BEST ACTRESS - Meg Ryan (Kate & Leopold) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Ed Harris (The Truman Show) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Laura Linney (The Truman Show) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Peter Biziou (The Truman Show) BEST SCORE/SOUNDTRACK - The Truman Show BEST SCRIPT - Andrew Niccol (The Truman Show) BEST DIRECTOR - Peter Weir (The Truman Show) Yoooo Kingpin (1996, Farrelly Brothers) I cant really stand randy Quaid in comedies, he is passable for him in this. Woody and Bill rule this one though. SOme of the gross out gags are a little too much though. 6/10 Dumb and Dumber To (2014, Farrelly Brothers) Could have been a lot worse 5/10 Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994, Tom Shadyac) lot of fun, i laughed so hard in the cinema 6.5/10 Identity (2003, James Mangold) Been a long time, im keen to rewatch it 6/10 Star Trek: Generations (1994, David Carson) so awful 2/10 Star Trek: First Contact (1996, Jonathan Frakes) a bit clunky and plastic feeling 5/10 Star Trek: Insurrection (1998, Jonathan Frakes) 4/10 Star Trek: Nemesis (2002, Stuart Baird) 4/10 Dumb and Dumber (1994, Farrelly Brothers) its lost a little lustre for me but its still fun, i loved it in the cinema 6.5/10 Hot Fuzz (2007, Edgar Wright) 8/10 The Truman Show (1998, Peter Weir) doesnt all add up for me, i was a little bored in the cinema 5.5/10 The Mask (1994, Chuck Russell) fuck do i hate this, always have, not seen since the cinema 2/10 Star Trek (2009, J.J. Abrams) A lot of fan service that wore thin on repeat view 5.5/10 Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013, J.J. Abrams) 4.5/10 Star Trek Beyond (2016, Justin Lin) The most like the original trek series of the new films, fun stuff 6.5/10
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Post by them1ghtyhumph on Jul 22, 2018 5:52:15 GMT
Some Came Running
A Face in the Crowd
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Post by darksidebeadle on Jul 22, 2018 5:53:39 GMT
Yours Children Of Men. A near masterpiece. I approve of it highly. Kick-Ass - This graphic novel adaptation opened to great studio hype and enough manufactured “controversy” to keep morning talk shows and cable pundit shows busy for a couple of days. Hit Girl, played by Chloe Moretz, was supposed to be 11 years old (the actress was 13). Not only does she violently dispatch dozens of gangsters, but she talks dirty! Pundits were shocked. Shocked I tell you! To learn that today’s kids talked like this. What Kind Of Message Is This Sending To Youth? They packed their shows with the experts. Well, turns out “Kick-Ass” had no impact in any way. It certainly didn’t change the face of pop culture, as one commentator predicted. It sank pretty fast and soon showed up on DVD and Netflix streaming. What’s interesting is to watch some good actors struggle to rise above dreck and sometimes succeeding. The Handmaid’s Tale – I am anxious to get into this series. Mine The Black Camel / Irving Cummings (1931). The fifth entry in the Charlie Chan film series and the second with Warner Oland as Chan. When a movie star, filming in Hawaii, is murdered, Inspector Chan believes that her death is related to yet another movie star murder three years earlier in Hollywood. Chief among a hotel full of guilty looking suspects is celebrity fortune teller Tarneverro (Bela Lugosi, whose hit “Dracula” had been released just 4 months earlier by a different studio). Julie (Sally Eilers), a friend of the victim, is seen hiding evidence. Hmmm…could it be…well, maybe it was the victim’s ex-husband or her new suitor who she has just dumped. And don’t forget that Dwight Frye, also over from “Dracula,” is hanging around, eyes wild as ever. Robert Young – who was very young – plays Julie’s boyfriend who follows her around like a little puppy dog. Very enjoyable. Roadblock / Harold Daniels (1951). Insurance investigator Joe Peters (Charles McGraw) is good at his job, but when he falls under the spell of good-time girl Diane Morley (Joan Dixon) who is determined to marry money, he uses his knowledge of crime to get the money he needs to win her. He concocts the robbery of train carrying a quarter of a million dollars. When Diane admits she loves him and is willing to live with his small salary, Joe tries to stop the heist, but things are already rolling. It is too late. The climax takes place in a chase down the Los Angeles River, that 51 mile long concrete eye sore, built in the 1930s, to cover the river bed and prevent flooding. The River has appeared in many movies but you get quite a long look at it here. McGraw is excellent as the good/bad guy. Dixon is OK, but her career never went very far. Joe’s partner is played by Louis Jean Heydt, an actor I really like. He has a much larger role in “Roadblock” than he usually got. Joan Dixon and Charles McGraw A car chase down the Los Angeles River Boris Godunov (1982). Composed by Modest Mussorgsky (it was his only opera), “Boris” is often declared to be Russia’s greatest opera. It first saw the stage in 1873. This performance was taped live in 1979 and was released for home video in the U.S. in 1982. It can now be seen on DVD. The staging was held at the Bolshoi Theatre where the musicians and singers grew up on this music and deliver it with great power. Boris advises his heir to the throne (“Keep your enemies closer”) 2010 / Peter Hyams (1984). It has been almost a decade since the failure of the mission to Jupiter in 2001 and the lose of the Discovery ship. Dr. Heywood Floyd (now played by Roy Scheider) had been singled out for blame and now toils as a technician at the Very Large Array on the New Mexico high desert. There, he is approached by a Russian diplomat (according to this movie, the Cold War is still going in 2010 and is heating up) who offers a deal involving a joint mission to the Discovery to see if they can learn what happened and further investigate the monoliths. Helen Mirren plays the Captain of the Russian crew. It would be hopeless to try to compare this film (or any other) to Kubrick’s masterpiece. Having said that: “2010” is a remarkably intelligent and well-acted and well-written film. The plot clears up the mysteries of “2001” a little too handily and the ending is sort-of unbelievable, yet these items can be overlooked because of the general care given to the film. Helen Mirren and Roy Scheider try to come to terms Red Sparrow / Francis Lawrence (2018). Not very thrilling thriller. Jennifer Lawrence plays Dominika, a ballet star who has a career ending accident (or was it?). She is recruited by her Uncle Vanya (no kidding) to go to a spy school presided over by Matron (Charlotte Rampling) who teaches her class how to seduce anyone by recognizing their weaknesses. Dominika later rebukes her uncle by saying, “You sent me to whore school”! Her first assignment is to become important to CIA operative Nate (Joel Edgerton) in order to learn the name of a mole in the upper reaches of Russian intelligence. The film is high on dialog exposition and short on action and suspense (there are a couple of episodes that border the sadistic). As usual, Jennifer Lawrence gives it her all and Rampling is always great to see. Among the possible moles are veteran actors Ciarán Hinds, Jeremy Irons, and Matthias Schoenaerts as Uncle Vanya (its not too hard to guess which one). The two best parts of the film are a) the brief episode featuring Mary-Louise Parker as an alcoholic Chief-of-Staff to a Senator willing to sell secrets for money to pay her daughter’s tuition and b) the Big Reveal in the last few minutes when you finally find out whose side Dominika is on. Three Identical Strangers / Tim Wardle (2018). In 1981 an amazing heartwarming story swept around the world. Maybe you remember it. A freshman college student named Bobby Shafran drove two hours from his home to the dorm where he would be living. He arrived knowing no one but people all over campus were waving to him and slapping him on the back. Girls ran up and kissed him. “What friendly people,” he thought. Then he realized that some of the others were calling him Eddie. He finally ran in to Eddie’s former room mate who immediately knew that something astonishing was happening. Bobby looked identical to Eddie. When the boys met, they realized they were twin brothers, both adopted by different families. Then, a third identical adoptee showed up. Their reunion and friendship (they seemed to have instantly bonded) and how much they were alike in many ways (they all had wrestled in high school, all smoked Marlboro cigarettes, etc.) made headlines and celebrities of all three. But the story turns darker. Their adoptive parents wanted to know why the babies had been separated and why they were not told about the other siblings. A strained meeting with the adoption agency made them suspicious. I won’t tell more of it for fear of spoilers, yet a lot of it is out there including the Wikipedia entry on the film and coverage by national news media. We have a real life suspense thriller where layer after layer of the story is peeled away to expose a part but there are always more layers beneath. Even when you think the story of these men is winding down, you get hit with another shocker. The final Reveal even the surviving brothers did not know about until shown it by the film makers. You will talk and talk about this. One of the best films of the year regardless of genre. Brilliant documentary storytelling. 2010: The Year We make contact - i kind of like this sequel that had such an insurmountable task in front of it 6.5/10 Three Identical Strangers - might see this at the cinema this week.
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Post by darksidebeadle on Jul 22, 2018 5:54:08 GMT
Some Came Running A Face in the Crowd Not seen either
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Post by them1ghtyhumph on Jul 22, 2018 5:58:02 GMT
Some Came Running A Face in the Crowd Not seen either Then you've missed two great movies and two great acting performances
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Post by moviemouth on Jul 22, 2018 6:23:58 GMT
MINEThe Devils (1971 Ken Russell) - 7/10 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018 J.A. Bayona) - 5.5/10
The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941 William Dieterle) - 7/10 The Dressmaker (2015 Jocelyn Moorhouse) - 7/10
Wuthering Heights (1939 William Wyler) - 8/10
Dark Crimes (2016 Alexandros Avranas) - 3.5/10
Champagne for Caesar (1950 Richard Whorf) - 7/10
Beerfest (2006 Jay Chandrasekhar) - 5/10 Blockers (2018 Kay Cannon) - 5/10
Re-watchesYou Only Live Twice (1967 Lewis Gilbert) - 7/10 Broken Arrow (1996 John Woo) - 7/10 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994 Stephan Elliott) - 6.5/10
Film Awards
BEST PICTURE BEST ACTOR & BEST ACTRESS Laurence Olivier & Merle Oberon (Wuthering Heights) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Walter Huston (The Devil and Daniel Webster) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Geraldine Fitzgerald (Wuthering Heights) BEST DIRECTOR William Wyler (Wuthering Heights) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY The Devils BEST SCORE
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Post by jcush on Jul 22, 2018 6:36:12 GMT
Yoooo Kingpin (1996, Farrelly Brothers) I cant really stand randy Quaid in comedies, he is passable for him in this. Woody and Bill rule this one though. SOme of the gross out gags are a little too much though. 6/10 Dumb and Dumber To (2014, Farrelly Brothers) Could have been a lot worse 5/10 Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994, Tom Shadyac) lot of fun, i laughed so hard in the cinema 6.5/10 Identity (2003, James Mangold) Been a long time, im keen to rewatch it 6/10 Star Trek: Generations (1994, David Carson) so awful 2/10 Star Trek: First Contact (1996, Jonathan Frakes) a bit clunky and plastic feeling 5/10 Star Trek: Insurrection (1998, Jonathan Frakes) 4/10 Star Trek: Nemesis (2002, Stuart Baird) 4/10 Dumb and Dumber (1994, Farrelly Brothers) its lost a little lustre for me but its still fun, i loved it in the cinema 6.5/10 Hot Fuzz (2007, Edgar Wright) 8/10 The Truman Show (1998, Peter Weir) doesnt all add up for me, i was a little bored in the cinema 5.5/10 The Mask (1994, Chuck Russell) fuck do i hate this, always have, not seen since the cinema 2/10 Star Trek (2009, J.J. Abrams) A lot of fan service that wore thin on repeat view 5.5/10 Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013, J.J. Abrams) 4.5/10 Star Trek Beyond (2016, Justin Lin) The most like the original trek series of the new films, fun stuff 6.5/10 Wow, so you saw all three of Jim Carrey's 1994 movies in theaters. Maybe a rewatch for Truman Show? I've liked it more each time I've watched it.
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Post by jcush on Jul 22, 2018 6:38:48 GMT
MINEThe Devils (1971 Ken Russell) - 7/10 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018 J.A. Bayona) - 5.5/10
The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941 William Dieterle) - 7/10 The Dressmaker (2015 Jocelyn Moorhouse) - 7/10
Wuthering Heights (1939 William Wyler) - 8/10
Dark Crimes (2016 Alexandros Avranas) - 3.5/10
Champagne for Caesar (1950 Richard Whorf) - 7/10
Beerfest (2006 Jay Chandrasekhar) - 5/10 Blockers (2018 Kay Cannon) - 5/10
Re-watchesYou Only Live Twice (1967 Lewis Gilbert) - 7/10 Broken Arrow (1996 John Woo) - 7/10 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994 Stephan Elliott) - 6.5/10
Film Awards
BEST PICTURE BEST ACTOR & BEST ACTRESS Laurence Olivier & Merle Oberon (Wuthering Heights) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Walter Huston (The Devil and Daniel Webster) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Geraldine Fitzgerald (Wuthering Heights) BEST DIRECTOR William Wyler (Wuthering Heights) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY The Devils BEST SCORE Wuthering Heights - I liked it, but I feel like I'd appreciate more if I watched it now. 7/10 You Only Live Twice - not on the level of the first four Bond films for me, but still quite good. The volcano lair is one of the best film sets ever as far as I'm concerned and the score is terrific. 7.5/10
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Post by darksidebeadle on Jul 22, 2018 6:44:16 GMT
MINEThe Devils (1971 Ken Russell) - 7/10 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018 J.A. Bayona) - 5.5/10
The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941 William Dieterle) - 7/10 The Dressmaker (2015 Jocelyn Moorhouse) - 7/10
Wuthering Heights (1939 William Wyler) - 8/10
Dark Crimes (2016 Alexandros Avranas) - 3.5/10
Champagne for Caesar (1950 Richard Whorf) - 7/10
Beerfest (2006 Jay Chandrasekhar) - 5/10 Blockers (2018 Kay Cannon) - 5/10
Re-watchesYou Only Live Twice (1967 Lewis Gilbert) - 7/10 Broken Arrow (1996 John Woo) - 7/10 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994 Stephan Elliott) - 6.5/10
Film Awards
BEST PICTURE BEST ACTOR & BEST ACTRESS Laurence Olivier & Merle Oberon (Wuthering Heights) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Walter Huston (The Devil and Daniel Webster) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Geraldine Fitzgerald (Wuthering Heights) BEST DIRECTOR William Wyler (Wuthering Heights) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY The Devils BEST SCORE Devils (1971 Ken Russell) - 6/10 You Only Live Twice (1967 Lewis Gilbert) - 6/10 Broken Arrow (1996 John Woo) - 3/10 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert 5/10
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Post by darksidebeadle on Jul 22, 2018 6:45:15 GMT
Yoooo Kingpin (1996, Farrelly Brothers) I cant really stand randy Quaid in comedies, he is passable for him in this. Woody and Bill rule this one though. SOme of the gross out gags are a little too much though. 6/10 Dumb and Dumber To (2014, Farrelly Brothers) Could have been a lot worse 5/10 Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994, Tom Shadyac) lot of fun, i laughed so hard in the cinema 6.5/10 Identity (2003, James Mangold) Been a long time, im keen to rewatch it 6/10 Star Trek: Generations (1994, David Carson) so awful 2/10 Star Trek: First Contact (1996, Jonathan Frakes) a bit clunky and plastic feeling 5/10 Star Trek: Insurrection (1998, Jonathan Frakes) 4/10 Star Trek: Nemesis (2002, Stuart Baird) 4/10 Dumb and Dumber (1994, Farrelly Brothers) its lost a little lustre for me but its still fun, i loved it in the cinema 6.5/10 Hot Fuzz (2007, Edgar Wright) 8/10 The Truman Show (1998, Peter Weir) doesnt all add up for me, i was a little bored in the cinema 5.5/10 The Mask (1994, Chuck Russell) fuck do i hate this, always have, not seen since the cinema 2/10 Star Trek (2009, J.J. Abrams) A lot of fan service that wore thin on repeat view 5.5/10 Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013, J.J. Abrams) 4.5/10 Star Trek Beyond (2016, Justin Lin) The most like the original trek series of the new films, fun stuff 6.5/10 Wow, so you saw all three of Jim Carrey's 1994 movies in theaters. Maybe a rewatch for Truman Show? I've liked it more each time I've watched it. Maybe Yeah I’ve seen a lot of Carrey in the theatre. Any interest in Out of the Furnace?
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Post by jcush on Jul 22, 2018 6:47:58 GMT
Wow, so you saw all three of Jim Carrey's 1994 movies in theaters. Maybe a rewatch for Truman Show? I've liked it more each time I've watched it. Maybe Yeah I’ve seen a lot of Carrey in the theatre. Any interest in Out of the Furnace? Yes, Out of the Furnace is one that I definitely want to see.
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Post by darksidebeadle on Jul 22, 2018 6:51:47 GMT
Maybe Yeah I’ve seen a lot of Carrey in the theatre. Any interest in Out of the Furnace? Yes, Out of the Furnace is one that I definitely want to see. I caught the end of Thelma and Louise again on tv this week and realize I should’ve done a best score award for it a couple of weeks back when I viewed it. That Hans Zimmer score is quite tasty
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Post by jcush on Jul 22, 2018 6:55:08 GMT
Yes, Out of the Furnace is one that I definitely want to see. I caught the end of Thelma and Louise again on tv this week and realize I should’ve done a best score award for it a couple of weeks back when I viewed it. That Hans Zimmer score is quite tasty Thelma and Louise needs a rewatch for me. I don't remember the score, but as you know, I'm a big fan of Zimmer. I'm actually listening to him right now haha
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Post by FridayOnElmStreet on Jul 22, 2018 7:11:52 GMT
Out of the Furnace - 4/10 Children of Men - 6/10 Escape from L.A - 6/10 Mine: Gods Not Dead (2013) - 1/10 - DVDI revisited this horrible film. Its as bad as I remembered. Seriously I would say Gods Not Dead is the worst film have ever seen. Not only is this film painful to sit through because its so stupid, its a very vile, very hate filled and very mean spirited film. Its a film that hates mostly on Muslims, liberals and atheists. It depicts them as horrible people. There is one point that really pissed me off on how the lead protagonist states "With no God there is no reason to be moral." That may be the dumbest and most psychotic thing I have ever heard. Another scene involves a guy being killed by being struck by a car and a pastor says how good that was. Gods Not Dead is an awful film that is so filled with an ugly hatred it makes for a really pain filled watch. Who would like this mess? Fuck this movie. The Short Cut (2009) - 3/10 - DVDAn Adam Sandler produced slasher film? OK. Not too good though. Just a poor horror flick. Blackjack (1998) - 5/10 - VHSOK action film with Dolph Lungren The Shooter (1995) - 5/10 - VHSAnother OK action film with Dolph Lungren Tracks (2005) - 5/10 - DVDPrison film with Ice T. Queen of the Damned (2002) - 2/10 - DVDSilly and dull vampire flick. The Call Up (2016) - 5/10 - DVDSurvival action film would be a good film but it adds up to nothing. Executive Target (1996) - 4/10 - DVDExplosive filled but sub par action film with Micheal Madsen Pressure (2015) - 3/10 - DVDUnderwater survival film. Well made but dull as hell. The Hangover Part III (2013) - 5/10 - DVDNot a fan of the series but I guess this one is the best of the three. Dark Honeymoon (2008) - 3/10 - DVDTia Carrere, Eric Roberts, and Darryl Hannah star in this less than average slasher thriller. BorderCross (2017) - 4/10 - DVDReally low budget Taken clone. Best film this weekWorst film this week.
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Post by darksidebeadle on Jul 22, 2018 7:46:31 GMT
I caught the end of Thelma and Louise again on tv this week and realize I should’ve done a best score award for it a couple of weeks back when I viewed it. That Hans Zimmer score is quite tasty Thelma and Louise needs a rewatch for me. I don't remember the score, but as you know, I'm a big fan of Zimmer. I'm actually listening to him right now haha Yeah after hearing zimmer today I redid my top 10 summers on Moviemans old thread
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Post by darksidebeadle on Jul 22, 2018 7:49:16 GMT
Out of the Furnace - 4/10 Children of Men - 6/10 Escape from L.A - 6/10 Mine: Gods Not Dead (2013) - 1/10 - DVDI revisited this horrible film. Its as bad as I remembered. Seriously I would say Gods Not Dead is the worst film have ever seen. Not only is this film painful to sit through because its so stupid, its a very vile, very hate filled and very mean spirited film. Its a film that hates mostly on Muslims, liberals and atheists. It depicts them as horrible people. There is one point that really pissed me off on how the lead protagonist states "With no God there is no reason to be moral." That may be the dumbest and most psychotic thing I have ever heard. Another scene involves a guy being killed by being struck by a car and a pastor says how good that was. Gods Not Dead is an awful film that is so filled with an ugly hatred it makes for a really pain filled watch. Who would like this mess? Fuck this movie. The Short Cut (2009) - 3/10 - DVDAn Adam Sandler produced slasher film? OK. Not too good though. Just a poor horror flick. Blackjack (1998) - 5/10 - VHSOK action film with Dolph Lungren The Shooter (1995) - 5/10 - VHSAnother OK action film with Dolph Lungren Tracks (2005) - 5/10 - DVDPrison film with Ice T. Queen of the Damned (2002) - 2/10 - DVDSilly and dull vampire flick. The Call Up (2016) - 5/10 - DVDSurvival action film would be a good film but it adds up to nothing. Executive Target (1996) - 4/10 - DVDExplosive filled but sub par action film with Micheal Madsen Pressure (2015) - 3/10 - DVDUnderwater survival film. Well made but dull as hell. The Hangover Part III (2013) - 5/10 - DVDNot a fan of the series but I guess this one is the best of the three. Dark Honeymoon (2008) - 3/10 - DVDTia Carrere, Eric Roberts, and Darryl Hannah star in this less than average slasher thriller. BorderCross (2017) - 4/10 - DVDReally low budget Taken clone. Best film this weekWorst film this week.Hey just two shooter 5/10 hangover 3 4/10
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Post by James on Jul 22, 2018 10:53:27 GMT
Yours: Kick-Ass - 7-8/10 - Needs a rewatch to fully see Mulan - 8/10 This time I'll just list my movies but no details for some of them. I already expressed my thoughts on said some on this site elsewhere: My recent postsMine: First Time Viewings:Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) - Netflix Not too bad for the first solo entry in the franchise but is altogether forgettable and not that remarkable. So far, my 3rd least favourite in the series (still gonna see Solo sometime). 6.5/10mother! (2017) - Netflix Well that was pretty damn good! Excellent cinematography and a great cast with a high creep factor. I'm on the verge of loving this movie when it comes to the polarizing reception. 8/10The World's End (2013) - Netflix Least favourite of the Cornetto trilogy and of Wright's films but still very good and highly entertaining. 7.5/10Oculus (2013) - Netflix See my thoughts on other boards. 7/10The Fifth Element (1997) - Netflix Really like this sci-fi classic. Great cast and I found Chris Tucker to be hilarious in this actually. 8/10Amityville II: The Possession (1982) - Online 8/10The Running Man (1987) - DVD Not the best from Schwarzenegger but for a popcorn action-fest it was pleasant enough. 7/10Maximum Overdrive (1986) - DVD I hear this movie getting so much flack because it was the one and only film Stephen King has ever directed. While it isn't bad, I did find myself being unexpectedly bored at times. Also for the King of Horror, you'd expect him to make it somewhat scary, but it isn't at all. The machines literally start attacking in the beginning. Whatever happened to suspense and buildup, Mr. King? However it is still pretty fun to watch with a great soundtrack by AC/DC. 6/10Repeat Viewings:Lord of the Flies (1990) - YouTube First time I saw this was in school in gr. 10. Now I've watched it again in summer school but because we're studying the novel it was based on. I see the differences now as I watch it again, but still for its own thing, it works as this story of kids coming to an end when conflict arises when stuck on the island. It really is thoughtful and inciteful. 7/10Amityville 3-D (1983) - DVD 5/10Pulp Fiction (1994) - Netflix Pfff, what else can I say? It's a classic and really is one of the greatest. 8.5/10Die Hard (1988) - Blu-ray Watched it again with a relative of mine that's never seen it. I still think it's great with a solid plot. Will be doing the sequels sometime soon. 8/10
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