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Post by darksidebeadle on May 14, 2017 8:52:27 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
Alien: Covenant (2017, Ridley Scott) Cinema After Prometheus was released five years ago, the took was that the next chapter would follow the two surviving characters played by Michael Fassbender & Noomi Rapace back to the home world of the architects of the human race. However with Prometheus not doing as well as hoped and getting soft reviews plans have changed. What we have ended up getting is a messy hybrid of some of the ideas from the proposed Prometheus sequel and a much more familiar Alien film. This story follows the crew of a colony ship, bound for a remote planet who discover an uncharted habitable world that unfortunately contains some dangerous secrets and forces them to attempt a harrowing escape. The film is well enough made but not as visual a splendor as Prometheus was. The cast all do fair to good work with Danny McBride (Eastbound and Down) being the highlight. However the story is a real mess with heavy handed symbolism and characters that are under developed with mixed results on the design and set pieces. The computer generated aliens look good at times and not so much at others with their movements feeling too over the top and not grounded enough. For those who are fans of blood and gore, this one has plenty as well as some good tense moments but on the whole this film feels like a failure but they have another chance to get it right in 2019 with Alien: Awakenings. 4.5/10
Now You See Me 2 (2016, Jon M. Chu) tv Now You See Me was a surprise hit a few years back and was quite an entertaining ride of misdirection. This inevitable but unnecessary sequel is a mess and pushes common sense too far to have the same effect. 4.5/10
She's Out of My League (2010, Jim field Smith) blu ray Competent but by the numbers comedy with an ok cast. 4/10
REPEAT MOVIE VIEWING
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2009, Niels Arden Oplev) Extended Version See the TV section under Millenium
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011, David Fincher) blu ray This is the fairly pointless American remake of the Swedish breakout film from 2 years earlier that was based on the best selling novel. It is hard not to compare the two as they came out so close to one another. On the plus side this new version is wonderfully crafted by director David Fincher and looks quite stunning. However the story telling lacks the tension of the original and even though it is cast fairly well it cannot complete with the powerhouse performance of Noomi Rapace in the Swedish entry. Also one must question why if they are making an American remake of a popular and recent film that they would not transport the story to America or England but instead set the story in Sweden with all parts being spoken in English. Not only that, most of the cast put on a Swedish accent except for the co-lead (Daniel Craig) who opts to use his regular speaking voice which just throws the balance of reality even further out of whack. 6.5/10
The Girl Who Played With Fire (2009, Daniel Alfredson) Extended Version See the TV section under Millenium
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest (2009, Daniel Alfredson) Extended Version See the TV section under Millenium
The Town that Dreaded Sundown (2014, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon) blu ray This film plays as a sequel to real life events that happened in the 1940's that a movie was made about in the 70's with the same name as this film. This is not a sequel to the original Town that Dreaded Sundown but that movie exists in the world created for this fictional story. The director is trying to over compensate for lack of budget and its a little distracting but not distracting enough to not notice the lack of extras in teh backgrounds of many scenes. Still, the cast is quite strong and there are some fun set pieces. 5/10
Die Another Day (2002, Lee Tamahori) blu ray In what would turn out to be Pierce Brosnan's final outing as James Bond, he is sent to investigate the connection between a North Korean terrorist and a diamond mogul who is funding the development of an international space weapon. After two less than stellar episodes this one starts out very strong and is quite a serious film that puts Bond in some tough positions. Unfortunately after the excellent first half hour there is a lesser 2nd half hour which leads into the worst 2nd half of any Bond film ever made. It stands out even worse because of the strong beginning and the tonal shifts. "What is wrong with the 2nd half?" you may ask, well other than some of the shoddily put together scenes and poor dialogue we have Halle Berry playing a very dis-likable protagonist, an invisible car (shit you not), an ice castle and a henchman with diamonds embedded in his face. What had promise turned into a horrible and laughable mess and gave us the worst Bond film to date. 2/10
FIRST TIME TV VIEWING
Millennium (2009) Mini-series blu ray The original Swedish phenomenon that was the Millennium trilogy released the three films in truncated versions on the big screen and then on television in sic near 90 minute expanded episodes that added around 40 minutes of running time to each film. In the case of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo we have a lot of added subplot footage but none of it really added to the enjoyment. However in the case of the other two lesser films, the added footage makes a world of difference in understanding the complicated plots with way too many characters. Overall this is the best way to view the trilogy. Recommended
WEEKLY MOVIE AWARDS
BEST FILM: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2009) BEST ACTOR: Danny McBride - Alien: Covenant BEST ACTRESS: Noomi Rapace - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Peter Haber - The Girl with the Dragon tattoo (2009) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Marika Lagercrantz - The Girl with the Dragon tattoo (2009) BEST SCORE: Trent Reznor - The Girl with the dragon tattoo (2011) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Jeff Cronenweth - The Girl with the Dragon tattoo (2011) BEST SCRIPT: Writers: Nikolaj Arcel, Rasmus Heisterberg - The Girl With the Dragon tattoo (2009) BEST DIRECTOR: David Fincher - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
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 moviemouth on May 14, 2017 9:03:54 GMT
YOURS
Now You See Me 2 - 4.5/10 She's Out of My League - 5/10 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) - 7.5/10 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - 8/10 I slightly prefer this version mostly becasue Fincher is a more talented director than Niels Arden Oplev, meaning I prefer the directing style of the remake. The Enya scene towards the end is brilliantly executed and is up their with Fincher's best work. The Girl Who Played With Fire - 7/10 The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - 8/10 Yes, this one is my favorite. It is a very satisfying conclusion. Die Another Day - 6/10 I don't understand people that re-watch movies they despise. I enjoy the complete OTT ridiculousness of the movie and I love Brosnan as Bond even in this movie.
MINE
Ravenous (1999 Antonia Bird) - 8/10 The Ox-Bow incident (1943 William A. Wellman) -7.5/10 Igor (2008 Anthony Leondis) - 6.5/10 Resident Evil: Retribution (2012 Paul W.S. Anderson) - 2/10 Cat People (1942 Jacques Tourneur) - 7/10 Christine (2016 Antonio Campos) - 7.5/10 Super Fuzz (1980 Sergio Corbucci) - 5/10 The Great Silence (1968 Sergio Corbucci) - 7/10 Repo Man (1984 Alex Cox) - 5.5/10 Ladyhawke (1985 Richard Donner) - 5.5/10 Moon Over Parador (1988 Paul Mazursky) - 6.5/10 Gods of Egypt (2016 Alex Proyas) - 3.5/10
Film Awards
BEST PICTURE - Ravenous BEST ACTOR - Richard Dreyfuss (Moon Over Parador) BEST ACTRESS - Rebecca Hall (Christine) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Tracy Letts (Christine) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - J. Smith-Cameron (Christine) BEST DIRECTOR - Antonia Bird (Ravenous) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Ladyhawke BEST SCORE - Ravenous
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Post by darksidebeadle on May 14, 2017 9:12:05 GMT
YOURS Now You See Me 2 - 4.5/10 She's Out of My League - 5/10 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) - 7.5/10 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - 8/10 I slightly prefer this version mostly becasue Fincher is a more talented director than Niels Arden Oplev, meaning I prefer the directing style of the remake. The Enya scene towards the end is brilliantly executed and is up their with Fincher's best work. The Girl Who Played With Fire - 7/10 The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - 8/10 Yes, this one is my favorite. It is a very satisfying conclusion. Die Another Day - 6/10 I don't understand people that re-watch movies they despise. I enjoy the complete OTT ridiculousness of the movie and I love Brosnan as Bond even in this movie. MINE Ravenous (1999 Antonia Bird) - 8/10 The Ox-Bow incident (1943 William A. Wellman) -7.5/10 Igor (2008 Anthony Leondis) - 6.5/10 Resident Evil: Retribution (2012 Paul W.S. Anderson) - 2/10 Cat People (1942 Jacques Tourneur) - 7/10 Christine (2016 Antonio Campos) - 7.5/10 Super Fuzz (1980 Sergio Corbucci) - 5/10 The Great Silence (1968 Sergio Corbucci) - 7/10 Repo Man (1984 Alex Cox) - 5.5/10 Ladyhawke (1985 Richard Donner) - 5.5/10 Moon Over Parador (1988 Paul Mazursky) - 6.5/10 Gods of Egypt (2016 Alex Proyas) - 3.5/10 Film Awards BEST PICTURE - Ravenous BEST ACTOR - Richard Dreyfuss (Moon Over Parador) BEST ACTRESS - Rebecca Hall (Christine) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Tracy Letts (Christine) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - J. Smith-Cameron (Christine) BEST DIRECTOR - Antonia Bird (Ravenous) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Ladyhawke BEST SCORE - Ravenous The Ox-Bow incident (1943 William A. Wellman) -7/10 Resident Evil: Retribution (2012 Paul W.S. Anderson) - ive seen a bunch of these but i dont remember which are which Cat People (1942 Jacques Tourneur) - 5.5/10 Christine (2016 Antonio Campos) - 7.5/10 Repo Man (1984 Alex Cox) - 5.5/10 Ladyhawke (1985 Richard Donner) - 6/10 Gods of Egypt (2016 Alex Proyas) - doubt ill ever see this
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Post by moviemouth on May 14, 2017 9:25:31 GMT
YOURS Now You See Me 2 - 4.5/10 She's Out of My League - 5/10 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) - 7.5/10 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - 8/10 I slightly prefer this version mostly becasue Fincher is a more talented director than Niels Arden Oplev, meaning I prefer the directing style of the remake. The Enya scene towards the end is brilliantly executed and is up their with Fincher's best work. The Girl Who Played With Fire - 7/10 The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - 8/10 Yes, this one is my favorite. It is a very satisfying conclusion. Die Another Day - 6/10 I don't understand people that re-watch movies they despise. I enjoy the complete OTT ridiculousness of the movie and I love Brosnan as Bond even in this movie. MINE Ravenous (1999 Antonia Bird) - 8/10 The Ox-Bow incident (1943 William A. Wellman) -7.5/10 Igor (2008 Anthony Leondis) - 6.5/10 Resident Evil: Retribution (2012 Paul W.S. Anderson) - 2/10 Cat People (1942 Jacques Tourneur) - 7/10 Christine (2016 Antonio Campos) - 7.5/10 Super Fuzz (1980 Sergio Corbucci) - 5/10 The Great Silence (1968 Sergio Corbucci) - 7/10 Repo Man (1984 Alex Cox) - 5.5/10 Ladyhawke (1985 Richard Donner) - 5.5/10 Moon Over Parador (1988 Paul Mazursky) - 6.5/10 Gods of Egypt (2016 Alex Proyas) - 3.5/10 Film Awards BEST PICTURE - Ravenous BEST ACTOR - Richard Dreyfuss (Moon Over Parador) BEST ACTRESS - Rebecca Hall (Christine) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Tracy Letts (Christine) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - J. Smith-Cameron (Christine) BEST DIRECTOR - Antonia Bird (Ravenous) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Ladyhawke BEST SCORE - Ravenous The Ox-Bow incident (1943 William A. Wellman) -7/10 Resident Evil: Retribution (2012 Paul W.S. Anderson) - ive seen a bunch of these but i dont remember which are which Cat People (1942 Jacques Tourneur) - 5.5/10 Christine (2016 Antonio Campos) - 7.5/10 Repo Man (1984 Alex Cox) - 5.5/10 Ladyhawke (1985 Richard Donner) - 6/10 Gods of Egypt (2016 Alex Proyas) - doubt ill ever see this To put in context just how bad Resident Evil: Retribution is these are my ratings for the 5 Resident Evil movies I have seen. 1. Resident Evil - 5.5/10 2. Resident Evil: Extinction (Part 3 btw) - 5.5/10 3. Resident Evil: Afterlife (Part 4) - 4.5/10 4. Resident Evil: Apocalypse (Part 2) - 3.5/10 5. Resident Evil: Retribution (Part 5) - 2/10 (It deserves a 1/10 tbh)
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Post by FridayOnElmStreet on May 14, 2017 9:38:52 GMT
Yours
Die Another Day - 10/10 Im a huge Bond fan and most of the Bond films I give a 8, 9 or 10. This one is on my top 10 Bonds along with From Russia With Love and Goldfinger. I think its great fun. The ice car chase is one of my favorite car chase scenes of all time. Granted I think it goes overboard on the CGI but aside from that this is one I can watch any time.
Mine - Got some bad ones this week but I got a few decent ones.
Cobra (1986) - 8/10 I originally first seen this in '05 and thought it was OK. I just re wated this two days ago and thought it was very good. Much better than I remembered.
Psychos in the Woods (2012) - 3/10 Basically its like a bunch of people playing with a camera in the woods. Its bad but oddly amusing.
The Perfect Guy (2015) - 6/10 Very standard thriller but its entertaining and nicely paced.
Memphis Belle (1990) - 5/10
The Great Alligator (1979) - 1/10 This just flat out sucked.
The Colony (2013) - 3/10
Accidental Exorcist (2016) - 5/10 No real plot but the lead actor is good.
Nobody Can Cool (2015) - 3/10
Killing Kennedy (2013) - 2/10 Basically this is a more right wing version of Oliver Stones JFK. It makes Kennedy look like a bad man in some parts.
In Cold Blood (1996) - 6/10 3 hour film. The first hour or so is boring as hell. The rest is very good.
Fetish Dolls Die Laughing (2012) - 3/10 Really odd film. Its a serial killer who tickles his victims.
Flesh Freaks (2000) - 2/10 Really cheap zombie film.
Robert (2015) - 2/10
Bad Behavior (2013) - 4/10
Vanished (2011) - 3/10
All God's Creatures (2011) - 2/10
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Post by moviemouth on May 14, 2017 9:48:15 GMT
Yours Die Another Day - 10/10 Im a huge Bond fan and most of the Bond films I give a 8, 9 or 10. This one is on my top 10 Bonds along with From Russia With Love and Goldfinger. I think its great fun. The ice car chase is one of my favorite car chase scenes of all time. Granted I think it goes overboard on the CGI but aside from that this is one I can watch any time. Mine - Got some bad ones this week but I got a few decent ones. Cobra (1986) - 8/10 I originally first seen this in '05 and thought it was OK. I just re wated this two days ago and thought it was very good. Much better than I remembered. Psychos in the Woods (2012) - 3/10 Basically its like a bunch of people playing with a camera in the woods. Its bad but oddly amusing. The Perfect Guy (2015) - 6/10 Very standard thriller but its entertaining and nicely paced. Memphis Belle (1990) - 5/10 The Great Alligator (1979) - 1/10 This just flat out sucked. The Colony (2013) - 3/10 Accidental Exorcist (2016) - 5/10 No real plot but the lead actor is good. Nobody Can Cool (2015) - 3/10Killing Kennedy (2013) - 2/10 Basically this is a more right wing version of Oliver Stones JFK. It makes Kennedy look like a bad man in some parts. In Cold Blood (1996) - 6/10 3 hour film. The first hour or so is boring as hell. The rest is very good. Fetish Dolls Die Laughing (2012) - 3/10 Really odd film. Its a serial killer who tickles his victims. Flesh Freaks (2000) - 2/10 Really cheap zombie film. Robert (2015) - 2/10Bad Behavior (2013) - 4/10Vanished (2011) - 3/10All God's Creatures (2011) - 2/10How can you stand watching so many awful movies in a row like that? Doesn't it get depressing and extremely tedious?
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Post by FridayOnElmStreet on May 14, 2017 9:58:33 GMT
How can you stand watching so many awful movies in a row like that? Doesn't it get depressing and extremely tedious? I dont really mind. I suffer from extreme depression and movies are one of the few things that makes me feel better. I try to have fun with films even if they are bad. I get something to talk about for one. It only bothers me when I get a movie that really just pisses me off like outrageously bad films like Gods Not Dead, Saving Christmas, A Matter of Faith or the Nightmare on Elm Street remake.
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Post by darksidebeadle on May 14, 2017 10:11:27 GMT
Yours Die Another Day - 10/10 Im a huge Bond fan and most of the Bond films I give a 8, 9 or 10. This one is on my top 10 Bonds along with From Russia With Love and Goldfinger. I think its great fun. The ice car chase is one of my favorite car chase scenes of all time. Granted I think it goes overboard on the CGI but aside from that this is one I can watch any time. Mine - Got some bad ones this week but I got a few decent ones. Cobra (1986) - 8/10 I originally first seen this in '05 and thought it was OK. I just re wated this two days ago and thought it was very good. Much better than I remembered. Psychos in the Woods (2012) - 3/10 Basically its like a bunch of people playing with a camera in the woods. Its bad but oddly amusing. The Perfect Guy (2015) - 6/10 Very standard thriller but its entertaining and nicely paced. Memphis Belle (1990) - 5/10 The Great Alligator (1979) - 1/10 This just flat out sucked. The Colony (2013) - 3/10 Accidental Exorcist (2016) - 5/10 No real plot but the lead actor is good. Nobody Can Cool (2015) - 3/10Killing Kennedy (2013) - 2/10 Basically this is a more right wing version of Oliver Stones JFK. It makes Kennedy look like a bad man in some parts. In Cold Blood (1996) - 6/10 3 hour film. The first hour or so is boring as hell. The rest is very good. Fetish Dolls Die Laughing (2012) - 3/10 Really odd film. Its a serial killer who tickles his victims. Flesh Freaks (2000) - 2/10 Really cheap zombie film. Robert (2015) - 2/10Bad Behavior (2013) - 4/10Vanished (2011) - 3/10All God's Creatures (2011) - 2/10Cobra (1986) - not seen in a long time but was not much of a fan. 5/10 Memphis Belle (1990) - I used to like this as a kid but it seemed real hokey last time i watched it 4/10
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Post by moviemouth on May 14, 2017 10:30:53 GMT
How can you stand watching so many awful movies in a row like that? Doesn't it get depressing and extremely tedious? I dont really mind. I suffer from extreme depression and movies are one of the few things that makes me feel better. I try to have fun with films even if they are bad. I get something to talk about for one. It only bothers me when I get a movie that really just pisses me off like outrageously bad films like Gods Not Dead, Saving Christmas, A Matter of Faith or the Nightmare on Elm Street remake. I suffer from depression too but watching bad movies makes me even more depressed and angry. Movies make me feel better too, as long as they are not really bad movies.
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prolelol
Sophomore
I love movies, especially drama and horror movies! And also, I'm a big fan of TV shows.
@prolelol
Posts: 377
Likes: 101
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Post by prolelol on May 14, 2017 11:20:04 GMT
Pillow Talk (1959) 8.5/10 - It's cute and funny movie.
Bleed for This (2016) 7.5/10 - I'm not for boxing films, but this one's good. Interesting movie based on a true story. Teller gives a powerful performance. I couldn't see Katey Sagal as Gemma or Peggy from it. She is really a good actress! Just warning: Don't watch trailer before seeing this movie.
Hellboy (2004) 6.5/10 - I hope I will like a sequel more.
King Arthur (2017) 7.5/10 - I actually think King Arthur is a good movie. The final fight scenes are freaking awesome, I loved how it looked like a game. But however, I think some things could have been better. I reccomend for those who like the diretor or casts. It is definitely a movie for 12 year old boys, but at least, it is entertaining.
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Post by darksidebeadle on May 14, 2017 11:39:25 GMT
Pillow Talk (1959) 8.5/10 - It's cute and funny movie. Bleed for This (2016) 7.5/10 - I'm not for boxing films, but this one's good. Interesting movie based on a true story. Teller gives a powerful performance. I couldn't see Katey Sagal as Gemma or Peggy from it. She is really a good actress! Just warning: Don't watch trailer before seeing this movie. Hellboy (2004) 6.5/10 - I hope I will like a sequel more. King Arthur (2017) 7.5/10 - I actually think King Arthur is a good movie. The final fight scenes are freaking awesome, I loved how it looked like a game. But however, I think some things could have been better. I reccomend for those who like the diretor or casts. It is definitely a movie for 12 year old boys, but at least, it is entertaining. Hellboy - the sequel is very different but i rated them both 5/10
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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on May 14, 2017 12:00:14 GMT
Film: Danny Boy (1941, UK, 75 minutes) - 7.5/10. For a b-musical, this is quite good. In this film, a singer (who had spent a few years in the U.S.) returns to Britain to search for her ex-husband and son, not knowing that they are living in relative poverty as street musicians. Despite this storyline, the whole film is rather upbeat and has some comedy added in. There are a lot of references to WW2, which add some historical interest. Men Against the Sun (1952, UK & Kenya, 55 minutes) - 6/10. Dated film. It is a drama set in Kenya in 1890, and surprisingly for such a low-budget production it was actually filmed there (this is actually a co-production between two countries, something that was starting to become common in the 1950s). The plot concerns some people trying to build a railroad and being attacked by two lions. The production company, Kenya Films, never did another film. The director, Brendan J. Stafford, only directed two other films. The writer, Alastair Scobie, only wrote two other films. All of which is reflected by the rough production values and awkward script. Nevertheless, this film offers some entertainment value despite its very dated subject matter. Unfortunately, the film print is in bad condition, and I suspect the original running time was longer. Naked as Nature Intended (1961, UK, 59 minutes) - 7/10, but then again this film cannot be rated on the same level as most other films. You see, this was an example of the "nudie film" genre. Basically, a bunch of naked women, showing their breasts and butts, but always photographed so that the, uh, other personal part of their body is not seen. The nudity only appears in the final 20 minutes of the film, prior to that, it's actually a travelogue of the English countryside, showing off stuff like Stonehenge and an ancient castle. This is an odd approach for a film to take, I admit. But it is nicely photographed in glorious Eastmancolor, the ladies drive around in a classic American car, and the mid-century stock music is lovely. So this is not a good film, but it's enjoyable and relatively well-made (though I spotted some goofs in editing and narration), and on that note 7/10 seems fine. Look at Life: A Car is Born (1959, UK, 9 minutes) - 8/10. A fun, breezy look into the world of automobiles. Car proving grounds, car design, car safety, and car racing are all looked into. The "Look at Life" series of shorts ran from 1959 to 1969 and were widely seen in UK cinemas. Wikipedia lists television as killing the series, but I disagree, I think changing tastes had a lot more to do with it (it was pretty much an anachronism by the time it ended in 1969, as breezy documentaries were no longer popular and audiences sadly no longer wanted to see shorts, though I guess those changing tastes were caused by television). Many of these "Look at Life" shorts are available on DVD compilations. The Misadventures of Buster Keaton (1950, USA, 63 minutes) - 7/10. This film requires a bit of explanation. In the early 1950s, Buster Keaton did a TV series called "Life with Buster Keaton", which was reasonably well-received despite only running for one season. A British film distributor felt that there was a market for a new Keaton film, and so had several episodes of the TV series edited into a pseudo-film which could be shown at cinemas. The result doesn't really work as a film, but it contains some laughs and isn't too bad (it's better than his late-1930s/early-1940s shorts for Columbia Pictures, for example). The Villain Still Pursued Her (1940, USA, 66 minutes) - 7/10. Bizarre parody of Victorian melodrama. The cast gives intentional bad performances as part of the spoof. Inane, but amusing. Buster Keaton has a role but doesn't do any of his trademark comedy. A Matter of Murder (1949, UK, 52 minutes) - 6.5/10. Extremely low-budget crime drama film. I didn't like the ending. But it was fairly amusing, and the director manages to add some nice touches to the film despite the low budget. This was once considered a lost film, but has since turned up in somewhat poor condition. It appears on a DVD along with two other films. Timber War (1935, USA, 53 minutes) - 7/10. A b-movie drama starring Kermit Maynard, who was the star of various mid-1930s b-movies but was quickly reduced to doing uncredited parts. A shame, he's not that terrible of an actor. It seems very few people have seen this film, I think I'm like the 10th person to rate it on IMDb. There's some interesting footage of logging in this film, so I suppose the film might also have value as stock footage. The Wicked Witch (1943?, UK, 2 minute) - 6/10. Theatrically-released advertisement for Rinso. No, really. Look at Life: Down in the Dumps (1965, UK, 9 minute) - 7.5/10. This short is infamous on YouTube for a scene in which a lovely 1930s car is crushed into a cube. The short is about waste, including scrap cars and general household rubbish. It is also a plea for recycling of things like tin cans and paper, something that is surprising to see from the 1960s. I think that, destruction of lovely cars aside, this short was rather ahead of its time. Sabotage! (1942, UK, 1 minute) - 8/10. A excellent piece of WW2 propaganda. Viewers are shown, in an amusing way, how to minimise wear on their clothing. It's unusually well-directed for this kind of short, more so given the director was only 17 years old and this was his first film as director. Cookery Hints: Oatmeal Porridge (1940, UK, 6 minutes) - 7.5/10, but this cannot be rated on a conventional rating system. It is a cooking film (yes, a cooking film, like a cooking show but it's a film), showing how to make porridge using a haybox. This was because fuel was limited during WW2, and haybox cooking required using the kitchen stove for a lot less time. Boots! Boots! (1934, UK, 71 minutes) - 7/10. Zero-budget comedy/musical, has some laughs. For years this film only existed in incomplete form, now a more complete copy exists, and benefits from the additional scenes. An English Village (1957, UK, 20 minutes) - 7.5/10. An idealised documentary showing - you guessed it - an English village. This film is only 60 years old, yet it's already a time-capsule of the world that no longer exists in any way, shape or form. His Trysting Place (1914, USA, 21 minutes) - 7/10. Decent comedy short, I guess. The Grassy Shires (1944, UK, 15 minutes) - 7.5/10. Documentary about farming in rural England during WW2. Quite fascinating to watch. Salvage with a Smile (1940, UK, 6 minutes) - 8/10. Fairly fast-paced film telling people why recycling is important in war time, and how to make recycling easier for the "dustman". These days we take recycling for granted, and it's interesting to see how it was sold to 1940s people. The Diesel Train Driver: Part 1 - An Introduction to the Diesel Train (1959, UK, 7 minutes) - 7.5/10. This documentary isn't interesting in terms of being a film, but the footage contained is interesting, and that provides the entertainment value. Seeing these early diesel trains is quite fascinating. The Six Men (1951, UK, 63 minutes) - 7.5/10. An entertaining low-budget crime drama. These kind of films are addictive! Swing It Professor (1937, USA, 60 minutes) - 7.5/10. Highly enjoyable low-budget musical/comedy/crime film. It's instantly forgettable, but it's fun while it lasts. A Letter for Wales (1960, UK, 21 minutes) - 7.5/10. Enjoyable travelogue, filmed partially in colour and partially in black-and-white, with interesting results. Television: Night in the City (telecast 14 June 1957, UK, 29 minutes) - 8/10. A documentary about life during the late night hours in a working class town. Teenagers dance to rock and roll, people watch a wrestling match, others attend a faith healer service, night watchman at work, a taxi driver declares why his job is so great, two men rid a building of rats, a Black man can't find a place to live, people drink at a bar, a child has run away from home, while others are lonely and perhaps going out of their minds.....very well-filmed and thought-provoking, this appears on the DVD set "Visions of Change: BBC 1951-1967". "Spring and Autumn" - Episode telecast 23 July 1973 (UK, 22 minutes) - 8/10. Strange to think the writers of something as lovely as this also wrote something as horrible as "Love Thy Neighbour". This comedy series was about an elderly man who befriends a child. In this episode, they decide to take a trip on a heritage railway. There isn't really anything more to the plot, but it has a lot of charm. The running time is odd, normally these old ITV sitcoms run about 25 minutes. "The Fosters" - Episode titled "Who Needs Friends?" (episode telecast 18 June 1977, UK, 25 minutes) - 7.5/10. Amusing episode of the first UK sitcom to have an all-Black cast. Internet:"Murphey's Muskets" - Episode titled "Shooting An Original 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket" (uploaded 15 February 2015, USA, 10 minutes) - 8/10. I absolutely hate war....but I really like muskets. I guess I'm weird. By niche content YouTube standards a well-produced video. Not watched, but anyway....:I also made IMDb pages for titles previously not listed on IMDb. Among these are a number of Australian television programs aired on non-commercial television. I haven't seen these programs. Do any of them sound interesting? Some of these survive, but none are available for viewing. The channel they aired on, ABC, is said to have been fairly stuffy during the 1960s, although I'd rather watch stuffy programs than the sensationalist programs common these days. The Enchanted Lake (1963), an ice skating ballet fantasy. You Can't Play Football in a Kimono (1963) - a documentary in which children visit Japan and visit the cities and tourist attractions. The Four Elements (1963) - a program featuring ballet and poetry, themed around the "four elements". The running time of 22 minutes is odd given it aired on non-commercial television...wonder what they filled the rest of the half-hour with. Vostok 900 (1963) - a documentary filmed in Antarctica, showing a journey from Wilkes station to Vostok station. Lake Tyers Report (1964) - A documentary about the Aboriginal settlement at Late Tyers. Running time is not clear, one source says 30 minutes and another says 45 minutes. I have no idea if this program survives or not. Remarkable Occurrences (1964) - A half-hour documentary about Captain James Cook. New Heart for Graham (1964) An hour-long documentary about a child who has a heart operation. In Brilliant Company (1963) - a documentary in which the history of aviation is shown via model aircraft which were being shown at the Qantas museum. Fisher's Ghost (1963) - An opera set in 19th century New South Wales. A kinescope of the program exists, but has yet to be digitised.
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Jawbox5
New Member
@jawbox5
Posts: 14
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Post by Jawbox5 on May 14, 2017 12:47:22 GMT
Hey,
Yours: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011, David Fincher) - It has some weird inconsistencies, but I enjoyed it. Fincher's direction is great, the cast are solid, the score is great and it had a strong atmosphere. 7.5/10. Been too long since I saw the original.
Die Another Day (2002, Lee Tamahori) - A film of two halves, the first 50 minutes is great but as soon 'London Calling' starts it all goes down hill. It leads to poor effects, a bland villain and a truly horrendous Halle Berry performance. 4/10.
Mine:
Deliverance (1972, John Boorman) – This noted thriller is still very effective. The iconic moments are still striking, while the deliberate pacing and isolation are fantastic at creating a sense of dread. It’s aided by distinct scenery, impressive direction and faultless casting. 8/10.
A River Runs Through It (1992, Robert Redford) – Like most Redford helmed films I found this overly bland. It has nice locations and decent acting, but does almost nothing with its premise. The characters are too thinly drawn, it is poorly paced and it lacks any dramatic tension. 4/10.
Suicide Squad (2016, David Ayer) – This was truly awful. It has some of the worst editing and pacing I’ve seen in a big budget film. The plot is an incoherent mess, the characters have zero personality, the dialogue is terrible, ill-fitting music accompanies most scenes and Leto’s Joker had me cringing every time he was on screen. 2/10.
Looper (2012, Rian Johnson) – A solidly entertaining Sci-Fi. It has an inventive premise, impressive direction, good pacing and I liked how character focused it was. I won’t deny that the plot development could be jarring and the time travel stuff is flawed, but it’s always engaging. 6.5/10.
Southern Comfort (1981, Walter Hill) – A run of the mill thriller. The cast is solid, the action is decent and it is well shot. Yet it feels derivative of films like Deliverance because it lacks personality. The characters are a bit too dumb and it has a distinct absence of tension. 5/10.
The Jungle Book (2016, Jon Favreau) – This is a decent CG based take on the classic story. The CGI itself is truly outstanding and extremely detailed. The voice cast was spot on, Neel Sethi is good as Mowgli and I liked how it didn’t shy away from darker themes. But I think some weak writing and a lack of warmth hold it back. 6.5/10.
Edge of Tomorrow (2014, Doug Liman) – I thought this was an uninspired Sci-Fi, despite a good premise and committed performances. The plot seems to get less interesting the more it’s repeated and it felt quite derivative. The characters were bland, the action was generic and the romance was completely unnecessary. 4.5/10.
Hell or High Water (2016, David Mackenzie) – A well-made crime neo-western. I was most impressed by the dynamic and contrast created between the two robbers and the two cops. Adding to that was great visuals, a good strand of humour and strong performances especially by Jeff Bridges. 7/10.
Kong: Skull Island (2017, Jordan Vogt-Roberts) – A muddled, brainless reboot. The stuff with Kong and the creatures is pretty cool, but the characters are so stock it’s laughable and the things they do are just as ridiculous. The pacing is a mess, the script is cliché after cliché and it doesn’t have a clue what type of movie it wants to be. 3.5/10.
Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989, Woody Allen) – A clever character drama with two stories that play with the themes of the title. As usual the cast is good and the script is sharp. Yet it’s most notable for touching on darker subjects like morality and guilt with levity. 7/10.
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986, Woody Allen) – I found this a bit of a mixed bag for Allen. The performances are good from all involved and the dialogue is naturalistic. Yet it seemed unsure of itself, struggling to juggle so many plot threads and eventually running out steam. 5.5/10.
Bullets over Broadway (1994, Woody Allen) – A rather disappointing Allen film. It has some wit, and features good performances by Chazz Palminteri and Dianne Wiest. But John Cusack is painfully bland, the plot feels very uneven, the pacing is off and its lacks much needed laughs. 4.5/10.
Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993, Woody Allen) – An enjoyable comedic take on the murder mystery genre. It has a gentle, almost nostalgic tone that makes up for some slow parts. The cast are all good, the interactions are funny and the script is amusing. 7/10.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008, Woody Allen) – A solid if tentative effort. Its main problems are the lack of laughs and the plot losing focus too much. But it gets by thanks to the talented cast, playful dialogue, beautiful locations and an interesting look at relationship dynamics. 6/10.
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Post by cygnussnowdog on May 14, 2017 15:48:00 GMT
I haven't seen any of yours this week, but I do plan on checking out Alien: Covenant soon. I need to check out Resurrection and Prometheus first though. This week I watched:
Cape Fear (1962) - 7 Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance (1974) - 7 Tokyo Story (1953) - 8 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) - 8 1941 (1979) - 5
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Post by jcush on May 14, 2017 18:02:19 GMT
Hey! Really good week for me for first time viewings.
Yours:
She's Out of My League - saw it several years ago and it had some good laughs. Not sure what I'd rate it.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - still need to see the original trilogy, but I'm a big fan of this one. Rooney Mara is fantastic, Danie Craig is very good, and everyone else are solid. I love the look of the film and the score is fantastic. 8/10
Die Another Day - far and away the worst Bond film. It starts off strong, but quickly falls apart. Halle Berry is awful, the effects are atrocious, and that Madonna song is like knives to the ears. More than anything it's just too cringeworthy to be fun. 3/10
First Time Viewings:
The World's End (2013, Edgar Wright) The final film of the Cornetto Trilogy is about a group of five friends that get together after more than 20 years to try and complete a drinking challenge that they failed at before, only to become humanities only hope for survival. Simon Pegg is awesome in this one and the supporting players all chip in nicely as well, making for a fun group of characters. At first the film is entertaining, but felt like it was missing something. Then about 35 minutes in something happens and the film kicks into high gear and becomes an absolute blast the rest of the way. Many people seem to consider this the weakest of the three by far, but I think it's on the same level as the other two. 8/10
A Fistful of Fingers (1995, Edgar Wright) Edgar Wright's debut had a minuscule budget and it shows. The film is a parody of Spaghetti Western's mostly the ones by Sergio Leone and I found it to be funny and quite enjoyable due to how stupid it all was. Unfortunately the cheapness of it really hurts the film and I can't help but feel like it could have been much better with a bigger budget and a better cast. Still it's fun enough for one viewing and it's very short. 6/10
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999, Anthony Minghella) In this one a young man is sent to Italy by the father of a rich and spoiled playboy to bring him home. When things don't go according to plan he takes extreme measures. Matt Damon turns in one of his very best performances here and gets strong support from Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Jack Davenport, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.The film has a very good score and was filmed in some beautiful locations and also features good sets and costumes. The story started off well enough, but it got better and better and really pulled me in more and more as it went along and build some nice tension along the way. I enjoyed this one a lot. 8/10
Out of Sight (1998, Steven Soderbergh) In this one a bank robber breaks out of jail and experiences a moment of mutual attraction with a US Marshall. The film is full of great characters and strong performances and also some great editing and many great scenes. The story had a lot more to it than I expected and on the whole I had a really good time with this one. 8/10
The Breakfast Club (1985, John Hughes) This classic is about 5 high school students that meet in detention and discover they're not as different as they thought. The soundtrack is great, the cast is strong, and the characters are all well realized and easy to connect to. The film is nice and short and entertains throughout. It's a lot of fun. 8/10
Beginners (2011, Mike Mills) A man is rocked when he finds out that his elderly father has terminal cancer and that he's gay. The film is well acted and has some great scenes, but I felt the nonlinear structure didn't really work and that some parts of the story didn't get enough attention. 6.5/10
Planes, Trains, & Automobiles (1987, John Hughes) This comedy classic is about a man hat is just trying to get home for Thanksgiving, but everything that can go wrong does go wrong when he meets an obnoxious shower curtain ring salesman. Steve Martin is pretty good here and John candy is even better and the two of them share strong chemistry together. The film is nice and short and has some good laughs along the way. 7/10
Suddenly, Last Summer (1959, Joseph L. Mankiewicz) This one is about a young woman who apparently went insane after witnessing her cousin's death while on vacation the previous summer. Her aunt want her lobotomized so she'll be cured. The story is an interesting one and the film is very much dialogue driven, but it held my attention throughout, building to a strong finale. Montgomery Clift is good and Elizabeth Taylor and Katharine Hepburn are even better. The film also has nice cinematography and a good score. 7.5/10
Repeat Viewings:
Shaun of the Dead (2004, Edgar Wright) I'd seen this popular Zombie movie once before and it held up really well this time. It has fun characters, terrific editing, lots of laughs, and it's very entertaining throughout. 8/10
Hot Fuzz (2007, Edgar Wright) I really liked this the first time I saw it, but I enjoyed t even more this time. I love the story, it has good characters, and the last act is ridiculously awesome. It's funny, well made, and tons of fun. Edgar Wright's best film to date. 8/10
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010, Edgar Wright) I remember before this one came out I though it looked pretty stupid based on the trailers, but my brother watched it and said it was good, so I checked it out. I liked it a lot but I hadn't seen it since. It held up really well and is still a blast with fun characters, strong performances, and lots of laughs. 8/10
Wag the Dog (1997, Barry Levinson) This under seen and underrated political satire is about a spin-doctor and a Hollywood producer that team up to fabricate a war in order to cover up a presidential sex scandal right before the election. Robert De Niro is really good and Dustin Hoffman is fantastic as the eccentric producer. Anne Heche is also really good and the film is funny and clever throughout. 8/10
Sunset Blvd. (1950, Billy Wilder) This one is about a struggling screenwriter that is hired to rework a fading silent films star's script and developing a dangerous relationship in the process. William Holden leads the way with a great performance and Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, and Nancy Olson all chip in with strong work of their own. The script is fantastic, featuring a great story, memorable characters, and some terrific dialogue. It also has a really good score and excellent sets and costumes and is full of all the makings of a classic. 9/10
Movie Awards:
BEST FILM - Sunset Blvd. BEST ACTOR - Dustin Hoffman (Wag the Dog) BEST ACTRESS - Elizabeth Taylor (Suddenly, Last Summer) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Jude Law (The Talented Mr. Ripley) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Gloria Swanson (Sunset Blvd.) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - John Seale (The Talented Mr. Ripley) BEST SCORE - Gabriel Yared (The Talented Mr. Ripley) BEST SCRIPT - Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, and D.M. Marshman Jr. (Sunset Blvd.) BEST DIRECTOR - Billy Wilder (Sunset Blvd.)
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Post by moviemouth on May 14, 2017 21:49:00 GMT
Hey! Really good week for me for first time viewings. Yours: She's Out of My League - saw it several years ago and it had some good laughs. Not sure what I'd rate it. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - still need to see the original trilogy, but I'm a big fan of this one. Rooney Mara is fantastic, Danie Craig is very good, and everyone else are solid. I love the look of the film and the score is fantastic. 8/10 Die Another Day - far and away the worst Bond film. It starts off strong, but quickly falls apart. Halle Berry is awful, the effects are atrocious, and that Madonna song is like knives to the ears. More than anything it's just too cringeworthy to be fun. 3/10 First Time Viewings: The World's End (2013, Edgar Wright) The final film of the Cornetto Trilogy is about a group of five friends that get together after more than 20 years to try and complete a drinking challenge that they failed at before, only to become humanities only hope for survival. Simon Pegg is awesome in this one and the supporting players all chip in nicely as well, making for a fun group of characters. At first the film is entertaining, but felt like it was missing something. Then about 35 minutes in something happens and the film kicks into high gear and becomes an absolute blast the rest of the way. Many people seem to consider this the weakest of the three by far, but I think it's on the same level as the other two. 8/10 A Fistful of Fingers (1995, Edgar Wright) Edgar Wright's debut had a minuscule budget and it shows. The film is a parody of Spaghetti Western's mostly the ones by Sergio Leone and I found it to be funny and quite enjoyable due to how stupid it all was. Unfortunately the cheapness of it really hurts the film and I can't help but feel like it could have been much better with a bigger budget and a better cast. Still it's fun enough for one viewing and it's very short. 6/10 The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999, Anthony Minghella) In this one a young man is sent to Italy by the father of a rich and spoiled playboy to bring him home. When things don't go according to plan he takes extreme measures. Matt Damon turns in one of his very best performances here and gets strong support from Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Jack Davenport, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.The film has a very good score and was filmed in some beautiful locations and also features good sets and costumes. The story started off well enough, but it got better and better and really pulled me in more and more as it went along and build some nice tension along the way. I enjoyed this one a lot. 8/10 Out of Sight (1998, Steven Soderbergh) In this one a bank robber breaks out of jail and experiences a moment of mutual attraction with a US Marshall. The film is full of great characters and strong performances and also some great editing and many great scenes. The story had a lot more to it than I expected and on the whole I had a really good time with this one. 8/10 The Breakfast Club (1985, John Hughes) This classic is about 5 high school students that meet in detention and discover they're not as different as they thought. The soundtrack is great, the cast is strong, and the characters are all well realized and easy to connect to. The film is nice and short and entertains throughout. It's a lot of fun. 8/10 Beginners (2011, Mike Mills) A man is rocked when he finds out that his elderly father has terminal cancer and that he's gay. The film is well acted and has some great scenes, but I felt the nonlinear structure didn't really work and that some parts of the story didn't get enough attention. 6.5/10 Planes, Trains, & Automobiles (1987, John Hughes) This comedy classic is about a man hat is just trying to get home for Thanksgiving, but everything that can go wrong does go wrong when he meets an obnoxious shower curtain ring salesman. Steve Martin is pretty good here and John candy is even better and the two of them share strong chemistry together. The film is nice and short and has some good laughs along the way. 7/10 Suddenly, Last Summer (1959, Joseph L. Mankiewicz) This one is about a young woman who apparently went insane after witnessing her cousin's death while on vacation the previous summer. Her aunt want her lobotomized so she'll be cured. The story is an interesting one and the film is very much dialogue driven, but it held my attention throughout, building to a strong finale. Montgomery Clift is good and Elizabeth Taylor and Katharine Hepburn are even better. The film also has nice cinematography and a good score. 7.5/10 Repeat Viewings: Shaun of the Dead (2004, Edgar Wright) I'd seen this popular Zombie movie once before and it held up really well this time. It has fun characters, terrific editing, lots of laughs, and it's very entertaining throughout. 8/10 Hot Fuzz (2007, Edgar Wright) I really liked this the first time I saw it, but I enjoyed t even more this time. I love the story, it has good characters, and the last act is ridiculously awesome. It's funny, well made, and tons of fun. Edgar Wright's best film to date. 8/10 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010, Edgar Wright) I remember before this one came out I though it looked pretty stupid based on the trailers, but my brother watched it and said it was good, so I checked it out. I liked it a lot but I hadn't seen it since. It held up really well and is still a blast with fun characters, strong performances, and lots of laughs. 8/10 Wag the Dog (1997, Barry Levinson) This under seen and underrated political satire is about a spin-doctor and a Hollywood producer that team up to fabricate a war in order to cover up a presidential sex scandal right before the election. Robert De Niro is really good and Dustin Hoffman is fantastic as the eccentric producer. Anne Heche is also really good and the film is funny and clever throughout. 8/10 Sunset Blvd. (1950, Billy Wilder) This one is about a struggling screenwriter that is hired to rework a fading silent films star's script and developing a dangerous relationship in the process. William Holden leads the way with a great performance and Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, and Nancy Olson all chip in with strong work of their own. The script is fantastic, featuring a great story, memorable characters, and some terrific dialogue. It also has a really good score and excellent sets and costumes and is full of all the makings of a classic. 9/10 Movie Awards: BEST FILM - Sunset Blvd. BEST ACTOR - Dustin Hoffman (Wag the Dog) BEST ACTRESS - Elizabeth Taylor (Suddenly, Last Summer) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Jude Law (The Talented Mr. Ripley) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Gloria Swanson (Sunset Blvd.) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - John Seale (The Talented Mr. Ripley) BEST SCORE - Gabriel Yared (The Talented Mr. Ripley) BEST SCRIPT - Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, and D.M. Marshman Jr. (Sunset Blvd.) BEST DIRECTOR - Billy Wilder (Sunset Blvd.) The Worlds End - 4.5/10 The Talented Mr. Ripley - 7.5/10 Out of Sight - 8/10 The Breakfast Club - 7/10 Beginners - 6/10 Planes, Traines and Automobiles - 6.5/10 Suddently, Last Summer - 8/10 Glad you like it Shaun of the Dead - 6/10 Hot Fuzz - 5.5/10 Scott Pilgram vs. the World - 5/10 Wag the Dog - 7/10 Sunset Blvd. - 9/10 I wouldn't really argue with any of your wins.
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Post by jcush on May 14, 2017 22:42:36 GMT
YOURS Now You See Me 2 - 4.5/10 She's Out of My League - 5/10 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) - 7.5/10 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - 8/10 I slightly prefer this version mostly becasue Fincher is a more talented director than Niels Arden Oplev, meaning I prefer the directing style of the remake. The Enya scene towards the end is brilliantly executed and is up their with Fincher's best work. The Girl Who Played With Fire - 7/10 The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - 8/10 Yes, this one is my favorite. It is a very satisfying conclusion. Die Another Day - 6/10 I don't understand people that re-watch movies they despise. I enjoy the complete OTT ridiculousness of the movie and I love Brosnan as Bond even in this movie. MINE Ravenous (1999 Antonia Bird) - 8/10 The Ox-Bow incident (1943 William A. Wellman) -7.5/10 Igor (2008 Anthony Leondis) - 6.5/10 Resident Evil: Retribution (2012 Paul W.S. Anderson) - 2/10 Cat People (1942 Jacques Tourneur) - 7/10 Christine (2016 Antonio Campos) - 7.5/10 Super Fuzz (1980 Sergio Corbucci) - 5/10 The Great Silence (1968 Sergio Corbucci) - 7/10 Repo Man (1984 Alex Cox) - 5.5/10 Ladyhawke (1985 Richard Donner) - 5.5/10 Moon Over Parador (1988 Paul Mazursky) - 6.5/10 Gods of Egypt (2016 Alex Proyas) - 3.5/10 Film Awards BEST PICTURE - Ravenous BEST ACTOR - Richard Dreyfuss (Moon Over Parador) BEST ACTRESS - Rebecca Hall (Christine) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Tracy Letts (Christine) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - J. Smith-Cameron (Christine) BEST DIRECTOR - Antonia Bird (Ravenous) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Ladyhawke BEST SCORE - Ravenous Only seen 2 of yours this week. The Ox-Bow Incident - a well made, well acted, and powerful little film. 8/10 The Great Silence - a good Western with a terrific score, strong performances, and a great, but unexpected ending. 7.5/10
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Post by jcush on May 14, 2017 22:45:46 GMT
Hey! Really good week for me for first time viewings. Yours: She's Out of My League - saw it several years ago and it had some good laughs. Not sure what I'd rate it. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - still need to see the original trilogy, but I'm a big fan of this one. Rooney Mara is fantastic, Danie Craig is very good, and everyone else are solid. I love the look of the film and the score is fantastic. 8/10 Die Another Day - far and away the worst Bond film. It starts off strong, but quickly falls apart. Halle Berry is awful, the effects are atrocious, and that Madonna song is like knives to the ears. More than anything it's just too cringeworthy to be fun. 3/10 First Time Viewings: The World's End (2013, Edgar Wright) The final film of the Cornetto Trilogy is about a group of five friends that get together after more than 20 years to try and complete a drinking challenge that they failed at before, only to become humanities only hope for survival. Simon Pegg is awesome in this one and the supporting players all chip in nicely as well, making for a fun group of characters. At first the film is entertaining, but felt like it was missing something. Then about 35 minutes in something happens and the film kicks into high gear and becomes an absolute blast the rest of the way. Many people seem to consider this the weakest of the three by far, but I think it's on the same level as the other two. 8/10 A Fistful of Fingers (1995, Edgar Wright) Edgar Wright's debut had a minuscule budget and it shows. The film is a parody of Spaghetti Western's mostly the ones by Sergio Leone and I found it to be funny and quite enjoyable due to how stupid it all was. Unfortunately the cheapness of it really hurts the film and I can't help but feel like it could have been much better with a bigger budget and a better cast. Still it's fun enough for one viewing and it's very short. 6/10 The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999, Anthony Minghella) In this one a young man is sent to Italy by the father of a rich and spoiled playboy to bring him home. When things don't go according to plan he takes extreme measures. Matt Damon turns in one of his very best performances here and gets strong support from Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Jack Davenport, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.The film has a very good score and was filmed in some beautiful locations and also features good sets and costumes. The story started off well enough, but it got better and better and really pulled me in more and more as it went along and build some nice tension along the way. I enjoyed this one a lot. 8/10 Out of Sight (1998, Steven Soderbergh) In this one a bank robber breaks out of jail and experiences a moment of mutual attraction with a US Marshall. The film is full of great characters and strong performances and also some great editing and many great scenes. The story had a lot more to it than I expected and on the whole I had a really good time with this one. 8/10 The Breakfast Club (1985, John Hughes) This classic is about 5 high school students that meet in detention and discover they're not as different as they thought. The soundtrack is great, the cast is strong, and the characters are all well realized and easy to connect to. The film is nice and short and entertains throughout. It's a lot of fun. 8/10 Beginners (2011, Mike Mills) A man is rocked when he finds out that his elderly father has terminal cancer and that he's gay. The film is well acted and has some great scenes, but I felt the nonlinear structure didn't really work and that some parts of the story didn't get enough attention. 6.5/10 Planes, Trains, & Automobiles (1987, John Hughes) This comedy classic is about a man hat is just trying to get home for Thanksgiving, but everything that can go wrong does go wrong when he meets an obnoxious shower curtain ring salesman. Steve Martin is pretty good here and John candy is even better and the two of them share strong chemistry together. The film is nice and short and has some good laughs along the way. 7/10 Suddenly, Last Summer (1959, Joseph L. Mankiewicz) This one is about a young woman who apparently went insane after witnessing her cousin's death while on vacation the previous summer. Her aunt want her lobotomized so she'll be cured. The story is an interesting one and the film is very much dialogue driven, but it held my attention throughout, building to a strong finale. Montgomery Clift is good and Elizabeth Taylor and Katharine Hepburn are even better. The film also has nice cinematography and a good score. 7.5/10 Repeat Viewings: Shaun of the Dead (2004, Edgar Wright) I'd seen this popular Zombie movie once before and it held up really well this time. It has fun characters, terrific editing, lots of laughs, and it's very entertaining throughout. 8/10 Hot Fuzz (2007, Edgar Wright) I really liked this the first time I saw it, but I enjoyed t even more this time. I love the story, it has good characters, and the last act is ridiculously awesome. It's funny, well made, and tons of fun. Edgar Wright's best film to date. 8/10 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010, Edgar Wright) I remember before this one came out I though it looked pretty stupid based on the trailers, but my brother watched it and said it was good, so I checked it out. I liked it a lot but I hadn't seen it since. It held up really well and is still a blast with fun characters, strong performances, and lots of laughs. 8/10 Wag the Dog (1997, Barry Levinson) This under seen and underrated political satire is about a spin-doctor and a Hollywood producer that team up to fabricate a war in order to cover up a presidential sex scandal right before the election. Robert De Niro is really good and Dustin Hoffman is fantastic as the eccentric producer. Anne Heche is also really good and the film is funny and clever throughout. 8/10 Sunset Blvd. (1950, Billy Wilder) This one is about a struggling screenwriter that is hired to rework a fading silent films star's script and developing a dangerous relationship in the process. William Holden leads the way with a great performance and Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, and Nancy Olson all chip in with strong work of their own. The script is fantastic, featuring a great story, memorable characters, and some terrific dialogue. It also has a really good score and excellent sets and costumes and is full of all the makings of a classic. 9/10 Movie Awards: BEST FILM - Sunset Blvd. BEST ACTOR - Dustin Hoffman (Wag the Dog) BEST ACTRESS - Elizabeth Taylor (Suddenly, Last Summer) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Jude Law (The Talented Mr. Ripley) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Gloria Swanson (Sunset Blvd.) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - John Seale (The Talented Mr. Ripley) BEST SCORE - Gabriel Yared (The Talented Mr. Ripley) BEST SCRIPT - Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, and D.M. Marshman Jr. (Sunset Blvd.) BEST DIRECTOR - Billy Wilder (Sunset Blvd.) The Worlds End - 4.5/10 The Talented Mr. Ripley - 7.5/10 Out of Sight - 8/10 The Breakfast Club - 7/10 Beginners - 6/10 Planes, Traines and Automobiles - 6.5/10 Suddently, Last Summer - 8/10 Glad you like it Shaun of the Dead - 6/10 Hot Fuzz - 5.5/10 Scott Pilgram vs. the World - 5/10 Wag the Dog - 7/10 Sunset Blvd. - 9/10 I wouldn't really argue with any of your wins. Suddenly, Last Summer was very close to an 8 by the way. Sunset Blvd. is your favorite Wilder, right?
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Post by darksidebeadle on May 15, 2017 0:06:50 GMT
The Misadventures of Buster Keaton (1950, USA, 63 minutes) - 7/10. This film requires a bit of explanation. In the early 1950s, Buster Keaton did a TV series called "Life with Buster Keaton", which was reasonably well-received despite only running for one season. A British film distributor felt that there was a market for a new Keaton film, and so had several episodes of the TV series edited into a pseudo-film which could be shown at cinemas. The result doesn't really work as a film, but it contains some laughs and isn't too bad (it's better than his late-1930s/early-1940s shorts for Columbia Pictures, for example). Ivce seen the Buster Keaton a long time ago but not overly a fan of watching stuff from that set of stars anymore
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Post by darksidebeadle on May 15, 2017 0:12:17 GMT
Hey, Yours: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011, David Fincher) - It has some weird inconsistencies, but I enjoyed it. Fincher's direction is great, the cast are solid, the score is great and it had a strong atmosphere. 7.5/10. Been too long since I saw the original. Die Another Day (2002, Lee Tamahori) - A film of two halves, the first 50 minutes is great but as soon 'London Calling' starts it all goes down hill. It leads to poor effects, a bland villain and a truly horrendous Halle Berry performance. 4/10. Mine: Deliverance (1972, John Boorman) – This noted thriller is still very effective. The iconic moments are still striking, while the deliberate pacing and isolation are fantastic at creating a sense of dread. It’s aided by distinct scenery, impressive direction and faultless casting. 8/10. A River Runs Through It (1992, Robert Redford) – Like most Redford helmed films I found this overly bland. It has nice locations and decent acting, but does almost nothing with its premise. The characters are too thinly drawn, it is poorly paced and it lacks any dramatic tension. 4/10. Suicide Squad (2016, David Ayer) – This was truly awful. It has some of the worst editing and pacing I’ve seen in a big budget film. The plot is an incoherent mess, the characters have zero personality, the dialogue is terrible, ill-fitting music accompanies most scenes and Leto’s Joker had me cringing every time he was on screen. 2/10. Looper (2012, Rian Johnson) – A solidly entertaining Sci-Fi. It has an inventive premise, impressive direction, good pacing and I liked how character focused it was. I won’t deny that the plot development could be jarring and the time travel stuff is flawed, but it’s always engaging. 6.5/10. Southern Comfort (1981, Walter Hill) – A run of the mill thriller. The cast is solid, the action is decent and it is well shot. Yet it feels derivative of films like Deliverance because it lacks personality. The characters are a bit too dumb and it has a distinct absence of tension. 5/10. The Jungle Book (2016, Jon Favreau) – This is a decent CG based take on the classic story. The CGI itself is truly outstanding and extremely detailed. The voice cast was spot on, Neel Sethi is good as Mowgli and I liked how it didn’t shy away from darker themes. But I think some weak writing and a lack of warmth hold it back. 6.5/10. Edge of Tomorrow (2014, Doug Liman) – I thought this was an uninspired Sci-Fi, despite a good premise and committed performances. The plot seems to get less interesting the more it’s repeated and it felt quite derivative. The characters were bland, the action was generic and the romance was completely unnecessary. 4.5/10. Hell or High Water (2016, David Mackenzie) – A well-made crime neo-western. I was most impressed by the dynamic and contrast created between the two robbers and the two cops. Adding to that was great visuals, a good strand of humour and strong performances especially by Jeff Bridges. 7/10. Kong: Skull Island (2017, Jordan Vogt-Roberts) – A muddled, brainless reboot. The stuff with Kong and the creatures is pretty cool, but the characters are so stock it’s laughable and the things they do are just as ridiculous. The pacing is a mess, the script is cliché after cliché and it doesn’t have a clue what type of movie it wants to be. 3.5/10. Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989, Woody Allen) – A clever character drama with two stories that play with the themes of the title. As usual the cast is good and the script is sharp. Yet it’s most notable for touching on darker subjects like morality and guilt with levity. 7/10. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986, Woody Allen) – I found this a bit of a mixed bag for Allen. The performances are good from all involved and the dialogue is naturalistic. Yet it seemed unsure of itself, struggling to juggle so many plot threads and eventually running out steam. 5.5/10. Bullets over Broadway (1994, Woody Allen) – A rather disappointing Allen film. It has some wit, and features good performances by Chazz Palminteri and Dianne Wiest. But John Cusack is painfully bland, the plot feels very uneven, the pacing is off and its lacks much needed laughs. 4.5/10. Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993, Woody Allen) – An enjoyable comedic take on the murder mystery genre. It has a gentle, almost nostalgic tone that makes up for some slow parts. The cast are all good, the interactions are funny and the script is amusing. 7/10. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008, Woody Allen) – A solid if tentative effort. Its main problems are the lack of laughs and the plot losing focus too much. But it gets by thanks to the talented cast, playful dialogue, beautiful locations and an interesting look at relationship dynamics. 6/10. Hey Deliverance (1972, John Boorman) – great stuff 8/10 Suicide Squad (2016, David Ayer) – It is a total mess but i found most of the characters quite fun 5.5/10 Looper (2012, Rian Johnson) –didnt like it much 5/10 Southern Comfort (1981, Walter Hill) – has more potential but doesnt fulfill it 6/10 The Jungle Book (2016, Jon Favreau) – 2nd viewing this dropped quite a bit 5/10 Edge of Tomorrow (2014, Doug Liman) – 7.5 Hell or High Water (2016, David Mackenzie) – it was fine 6.5 Kong: Skull Island (2017, Jordan Vogt-Roberts) – doubt id ever see this Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989, Woody Allen) – this is my 2nd favourite from Allan. 8/10 Hannah and Her Sisters (1986, Woody Allen) – This one has grown on me more ans more with repeat viewings 7-7.5 Bullets over Broadway (1994, Woody Allen) – 6/10 Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993, Woody Allen) – My favourite from Allan 8/10 Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008, Woody Allen) I really like this one, with the beautiful cinematography, great acting, in my top 10 woody's i think and best of that year 7.5/10
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