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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 7, 2024 17:43:10 GMT
Hello, good folks of FG. The weekly film discussion thread is back. The topic under discussion is made clear in the title. Made-for-TV, direct-to-video, streaming, TV series/episodes, documentaries, short films can also be listed. The minimum requirement is that a numerical rating out of 5 or 10 be provided - whichever the poster wishes to choose - and it'll be even more helpful if he/she also writes a few thoughts regarding his/her experience with the feature/documentary/short/TV series' season. This will help in starting discussions, which is one of the main intentions of this thread. I also request all those who reply here to go through the whole thread once and see if you can see some common topic to discuss with other posters. All first viewings for me in the last week :
This famous art film is not for the faint-hearted. All actors are fantastic, giving their all to their characters and Sacha Vierny's cinematography is extraordinary. But it started to drag in the last half an hour and the ending was disappointing in the quickness of its payoff.
7/10
Trailer :
A thinly disguised biopic on Jimmy Hoffa, the charismatic leader of the Teamsters Union who had close ties with the mafia. It's not a bad film but not particularly outstanding, either. It goes through the motions and does a workmanlike job in every department.
6/10
Trailer :
This film was the directorial debut of Stallone. It offers an extremely detailed and authentic look at the poverty and squalor in the tenements in post-war New York of 1946. I recommend the film for that and the cinematography by the master László Kovács.
7/10
Trailer :
A TV movie made by HBO about the first group of African American fighter pilots to serve in the Second World War. The action in this film consists mostly of closeups of pilots in their cockpits and stock footage of bombing raids. So, on that front, it is very disappointing. However, the capable African-American cast - Laurence Fishburne, Andre Braugher and Cuba Gooding Jr. among others - make this a watchable experience.
5/10
Trailer :
This film teamed Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds, the two biggest box-office stars in the world then, in a script written by Blake Edwards. It should have been rip-roaring fun and should have set the box office on fire. However, in a convoluted turn of events, Edwards either was fired or removed himself from the project, his script was extensively rewritten by another writer brought in by Eastwood and the task of direction was handed to Richard Benjamin who did not have any experience of directing an action-crime picture or of managing the actors' inflated egos.
Both Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert found this to be one of the most disappointing films of the year. I have to agree.
The plot is both slight and convoluted. Meaning that it is much ado about hardly anything. Something about some gangster's financial records with a bookkeeper which a lot of people are after.
The cinematography is needlessly darkened and the production design is too cluttered for any of the locations to register.
As for the actors, it's a curious thing that most of them are doing fine individually (except Rip Torn - he is awful) but none of them have much chemistry with each other. There is no explanation given as to what caused the fallout between former friends Eastwood and Reynolds, turning them into bitter enemies.
Still, Eastwood and Reynolds do sneak in a few solid one-liners and at least one shootout has some zest to its stunt choreography.
4/10
Trailer :
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Post by James on Apr 7, 2024 23:08:42 GMT
Not seen any of yours, though I may check out both of those Stallone films.
Only two first viewings for me.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017, Yorgos Lanthimos) – 7.5/10
Enemy (2013, Denis Villeneuve) – 7/10
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Post by jcush on Apr 8, 2024 0:10:49 GMT
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover - Only seen it once so far (just a few years back), but I thought it was terrific. 8.5/10
City Heat - One of the few Eastwood movies I haven't seen. I'll get to it eventually.
First Time Viewings:
La Haine (1995, Mathieu Kassovitz) - 7/10
One Way Street (1950, Hugo Fregonese) - 7/10
Conviction (2010, Tony Goldwyn) - 7/10
Born to Be Bad (1950, Nicholas Ray) - 7/10
The Ice Storm (1997, Ang Lee) - 7.5/10
Koyaanisqatsi (1982, Godfrey Reggio) - 7/10
Rye Lane (2023, Raine Allen-Millet) - 7.5/10
The Garden of Words (2013, Makoto Shinkai) - 7/10
Caged (1950, John Cromwell) - 7.5/10
Comanche Station (1960, Budd Boetticher) - 7/10
Repeat Viewings:
Horrible Bosses (2011, Seth Gordon) - 8/10
Horrible Bosses 2 (2014, Sean Anders) - 7.5/10
Wedding Crashers (2005, David Dobkin) - 8/10
The Social Network (2010, David Fincher) - 8.5/10
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Post by FridayOnElmStreet on Apr 8, 2024 1:41:26 GMT
City Heat - 4/10
Mine:
Spiral From the Book of Saw (2021) - 6/10
Entertaining and very grim Saw entry but is pretty much ruined by a bad ending.
Tales From the Crypt presents Demon Knight (1995) - 8/10
Really fun horror film.
We Die Young (2019) - 5/10
OK gang/drug based film with Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Guess Who (2024) - 4/10
Pretty bizarre slasher film. Amusing enough but really makes little sense.
Mister Creep (2022) - 3/10
I had a odd reaction to this film. On one hand its pretty repetitive and boring but I will admit there are some creepy moments.
Stalked By My Doctor (2015) - 5/10
Eric Roberts plays Dr. Beck, a unstable heart doctor who fall for a much younger patient of his. Not bad but standard stalker film. Roberts is pretty fun to watch.
Stalked By My Doctor 2: The Return (2016) - 5/10
Roberts is back as Dr. Beck and this time he falls for another young girl he saves from drowning on a beach. Like the first its standard but very watchable.
Stalked by My Doctor 3: Patient's Revenge (2018) - 5/10
The stalked girl from the first film wants payback on Dr.Beck so she plans to destroy his new career. This one is basically on par with the first film and oddly has a song and dance sequence!
Stalked by My Doctor 4: A Sleepwalker's Nightmare (2019) - 4/10
Dr.Beck is on the run from all the crimes of the previous films but eventually takes the identity of a sleep doctor whos new patient is a sleepwalker who does sexual stuff in her sleep. A little weaker film than the others and lowest rated on IMDB as well. I was surprised to see Felissa Rose is in this one as another doctor.
Stalked By My Doctor 5: Just What the Doctor Ordered (2021) - 5/10
Eric Roberts returns as Dr.Beck one last(?) time. This time he takes the identity of a at home nurse to take care of a young girl with a bad heart. Again its alright. None of these films were great but all were fine to see once.
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Post by moviemouth on Apr 8, 2024 2:01:30 GMT
Ranked from favorite to least favorite. Short Eyes (1977 Robert M. Young) - 7.5/10A child molester (Bruce Davison) sent to prison finds that criminals exact harsher justice than society.  The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006 Mamoru Hosoda) - 7/10A high-school girl named Makoto acquires the power to travel back in time, and decides to use it for her own personal benefits. Little does she know that she is affecting the lives of others just as much as she is her own.  Stanley and Livingstone (1939 Henry King & Otto Brower) - 7/10Tasked by his editor, American reporter Henry M. Stanley (Spencer Tracy) travels to a dangerous and uncharted region of East Africa to find the missing Scottish pioneer missionary Dr. David Livingstone (Cedric Hardwicke). Also starring Walter Brennan, Nancy Kelly, Charles Coburn and Henry Travers.  Lean on Me (1989 John G. Avildsen) - 7/10The dedicated but tyrannical Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman) is appointed the principal of a decaying inner-city school he is determined to improve by any and all means.  Scoop (2024 Philip Martin) - 7/10A look at how the BBC obtained the bombshell interview with Prince Andrew about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Also starring Billie Piper, Rufus Sewell and Gillian Anderson.  The Homecoming (1973 Peter Hall) - 6.5/10In a dreary North London flat, the site of perpetual psychological warfare, a philosophy professor (Michael Jayston) visits his family after a nine-year absence, and introduces the four men, father (Paul Rogers), uncle (Cyril Cusack), and two brothers (Ian Holm and Terence Rigby), to his wife (Vivien Merchant).  Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995 Takao Okawara) - 6.5/10The aftermath of the Oxygen Destroyer brings forth Destoroyah, a beast intent on killing Godzilla, who is on the verge of a nuclear meltdown.  Knox Goes Away (2023 Michael Keaton) - 5.5/10When a contract killer (Michael Keaton) has a rapidly evolving form of dementia, he is offered an opportunity to redeem himself by saving the life of his estranged adult son (James Marsden). Also starring Al Pacino and Marcia Gay Harden.  Grace of My Heart (1996 Allison Anders) - 5.5/10
Edna (Illeana Douglas) wins a recording contract singing her own song at a competition in 1958. After trying to make it as a singer/songwriter for 11 months in NYC, she has success writing songs for others at the Brill Building. Also starring John Turturro, Eric Stoltz, Jennifer Leigh Warren, Bruce Davison and Matt Dillon.  Heavy Traffic (1973 Ralph Bakshi) - 5.5/10An underground cartoonist contends with life in the inner city, where various unsavory characters serve as inspiration for his art.  Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964 Ishirô Honda) - 5/10Mothra's egg washes ashore and is claimed by greedy entrepreneurs who refuse to return it to her fairies. As Godzilla arises near Nagoya, the people of Infant Island must decide if they are willing to answer Japan's own pleas for help.  Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024 Gil Kenan) - 4.5/10When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age. Starring Mckenna Grace, Dan Aykroyd, Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Ernie Hudson, Finn Wolfhard, Kumail Nanjiani, Annie Potts, William Atherton, Emily Alyn Lind, Patton Oswalt and Bill Murray.  She's Gotta Have It (1986 Spike Lee) - 4.5/10Story of a woman (Tracy Camilla Johns) and her three lovers in New York City. Also starring Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell and Spike Lee.  Mothra (1961 Ishirô Honda) - 4.5/10An expedition to Infant Island discovers a native population and tiny twin fairy priestesses of the island's mythical deity. Named Mothra, she sets out to rescue her fairies after they are kidnapped by an exploitative businessman.  Ordinary Angels (2024 Jon Gunn) - 4.5/10
Inspired by the incredible true story of a hairdresser (Hilary Swank) who single-handedly rallies an entire community to help a widowed father (Alan Ritchson) save the life of his critically ill young daughter. Also starring Nancy Travis.  Bottoms (2023 Emma Seligman) - 3.5/10
Two unpopular lesbian high-school students (Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri) start a feminist fight club in an attempt to have sex before graduation.  |
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 8, 2024 6:35:04 GMT
Not seen any of yours, though I may check out both of those Stallone films. Only two first viewings for me. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017, Yorgos Lanthimos) – 7.5/10Enemy (2013, Denis Villeneuve) – 7/10I haven't seen any film from either of those directors.
You could watch The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and Her Lover as well, though it is slow going.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 8, 2024 6:39:09 GMT
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover - Only seen it once so far (just a few years back), but I thought it was terrific. 8.5/10 City Heat - One of the few Eastwood movies I haven't seen. I'll get to it eventually. First Time Viewings:La Haine (1995, Mathieu Kassovitz) - 7/10One Way Street (1950, Hugo Fregonese) - 7/10Conviction (2010, Tony Goldwyn) - 7/10Born to Be Bad (1950, Nicholas Ray) - 7/10The Ice Storm (1997, Ang Lee) - 7.5/10Koyaanisqatsi (1982, Godfrey Reggio) - 7/10Rye Lane (2023, Raine Allen-Millet) - 7.5/10The Garden of Words (2013, Makoto Shinkai) - 7/10Caged (1950, John Cromwell) - 7.5/10Comanche Station (1960, Budd Boetticher) - 7/10Repeat Viewings:Horrible Bosses (2011, Seth Gordon) - 8/10Horrible Bosses 2 (2014, Sean Anders) - 7.5/10Wedding Crashers (2005, David Dobkin) - 8/10The Social Network (2010, David Fincher) - 8.5/10I haven't seen any of those films yet though several are in my watchlist.
La Haine: Looking forward to this as I dig Vincent Cassel.
I have seen all of David Fincher's films from Alien³ to Zodiac but stopped there. I will start again once my backlog becomes lighter.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 8, 2024 6:40:27 GMT
City Heat - 4/10 Mine: Spiral From the Book of Saw (2021) - 6/10Entertaining and very grim Saw entry but is pretty much ruined by a bad ending. Tales From the Crypt presents Demon Knight (1995) - 8/10Really fun horror film. We Die Young (2019) - 5/10OK gang/drug based film with Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Guess Who (2024) - 4/10Pretty bizarre slasher film. Amusing enough but really makes little sense. Mister Creep (2022) - 3/10I had a odd reaction to this film. On one hand its pretty repetitive and boring but I will admit there are some creepy moments. Stalked By My Doctor (2015) - 5/10Eric Roberts plays Dr. Beck, a unstable heart doctor who fall for a much younger patient of his. Not bad but standard stalker film. Roberts is pretty fun to watch. Stalked By My Doctor 2: The Return (2016) - 5/10Roberts is back as Dr. Beck and this time he falls for another young girl he saves from drowning on a beach. Like the first its standard but very watchable. Stalked by My Doctor 3: Patient's Revenge (2018) - 5/10The stalked girl from the first film wants payback on Dr.Beck so she plans to destroy his new career. This one is basically on par with the first film and oddly has a song and dance sequence! Stalked by My Doctor 4: A Sleepwalker's Nightmare (2019) - 4/10Dr.Beck is on the run from all the crimes of the previous films but eventually takes the identity of a sleep doctor whos new patient is a sleepwalker who does sexual stuff in her sleep. A little weaker film than the others and lowest rated on IMDB as well. I was surprised to see Felissa Rose is in this one as another doctor. Stalked By My Doctor 5: Just What the Doctor Ordered (2021) - 5/10Eric Roberts returns as Dr.Beck one last(?) time. This time he takes the identity of a at home nurse to take care of a young girl with a bad heart. Again its alright. None of these films were great but all were fine to see once. is a lot of fun and a stacked cast, too. It's a pity the two follow-up films are shyte. |
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Post by theravenking on Apr 8, 2024 10:31:54 GMT
Hello, good folks of FG. The weekly film discussion thread is back. The topic under discussion is made clear in the title. Made-for-TV, direct-to-video, streaming, TV series/episodes, documentaries, short films can also be listed. The minimum requirement is that a numerical rating out of 5 or 10 be provided - whichever the poster wishes to choose - and it'll be even more helpful if he/she also writes a few thoughts regarding his/her experience with the feature/documentary/short/TV series' season. This will help in starting discussions, which is one of the main intentions of this thread. I also request all those who reply here to go through the whole thread once and see if you can see some common topic to discuss with other posters. All first viewings for me in the last week :
This famous art film is not for the faint-hearted. All actors are fantastic, giving their all to their characters and Sacha Vierny's cinematography is extraordinary. But it started to drag in the last half an hour and the ending was disappointing in the quickness of its payoff.
7/10
Trailer :
A thinly disguised biopic on Jimmy Hoffa, the charismatic leader of the Teamsters Union who had close ties with the mafia. It's not a bad film but not particularly outstanding, either. It goes through the motions and does a workmanlike job in every department.
6/10
Trailer :
This film was the directorial debut of Stallone. It offers an extremely detailed and authentic look at the poverty and squalor in the tenements in post-war New York of 1946. I recommend the film for that and the cinematography by the master László Kovács.
7/10
Trailer :
A TV movie made by HBO about the first group of African American fighter pilots to serve in the Second World War. The action in this film consists mostly of closeups of pilots in their cockpits and stock footage of bombing raids. So, on that front, it is very disappointing. However, the capable African-American cast - Laurence Fishburne, Andre Braugher and Cuba Gooding Jr. among others - make this a watchable experience.
5/10
Trailer :
This film teamed Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds, the two biggest box-office stars in the world then, in a script written by Blake Edwards. It should have been rip-roaring fun and should have set the box office on fire. However, in a convoluted turn of events, Edwards either was fired or removed himself from the project, his script was extensively rewritten by another writer brought in by Eastwood and the task of direction was handed to Richard Benjamin who did not have any experience of directing an action-crime picture or of managing the actors' inflated egos.
Both Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert found this to be one of the most disappointing films of the year. I have to agree.
The plot is both slight and convoluted. Meaning that it is much ado about hardly anything. Something about some gangster's financial records with a bookkeeper which a lot of people are after.
The cinematography is needlessly darkened and the production design is too cluttered for any of the locations to register.
As for the actors, it's a curious thing that most of them are doing fine individually (except Rip Torn - he is awful) but none of them have much chemistry with each other. There is no explanation given as to what caused the fallout between former friends Eastwood and Reynolds, turning them into bitter enemies.
Still, Eastwood and Reynolds do sneak in a few solid one-liners and at least one shootout has some zest to its stunt choreography.
4/10
Trailer :
Haven't seen any of yours this week. Mine: First Time Viewing:
The Editor (2014; Adam Brooks, Matthew Kennedy) – Low-budget Canadian giallo parody works well for fans of this sub-genre, but might leave others confused. 6.5/10 Vivarium (2019; Lorcan Finnegan) – This weird, possibly supernatural thriller unfolds like an overlong Twilight Zone episode. The first act is genuinely interesting and gripping, but from the middle on the plot slowed down considerably, and the ending didn’t pack enough of a surprise to make me care. 5/10 Repeat Viewing:
The Eye (2002; Danny and Oxide Pang) – This Asian horror about a blind young woman getting an eye transplant is told in an incredibly slow fashion which made it a bit tedious to watch. I had seen it before, but only recalled the ending. 5.5/10 |
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Post by Roberto on Apr 9, 2024 20:39:16 GMT
FIRST TIME WATCHES:
Last Action Hero (1993)
A really cool premise and spoof of action movies with some great ideas, but didn't really come together for me in any meaningful way. I found it hard to care about what was happening in movie land as it was never really established what the stakes were there. The Billy Madison lady is really hot in this and Charles Dance is awesome as the villain. The movie also had some fun cameos. I feel this could have been a classic but something is missing in it for me.
5/10
Reign of Fire (2002)
A really fun idea for a movie, and it's well enough made I guess, but I just found it really bland and kind of forgettable for some reason. I also found the visual look of the movie to be kind of boring. An earth turned to ash can still look beautiful if filmed well, but it seems they never bothered to try. Christian Bale is good in it and McConaughey plays a really interesting character but they don't really do enough with him.
4/10
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Not usually a big fan of natural disaster movies, but this one was pretty cool. It has some very impressive special effects and a few really intense sequences. Bit dated in some shots but I imagine this would have been pretty awesome to see in theaters back in the day. I like snow movies, and this one has a lot of snow, with some nice cozy scenes of people trying to stay warm. Nothing too special story or character wise, but it's a solid movie.
6.5/10
Dirty Girl (2010)
I don't understand the purpose of this movie. It's fine. Nothing that bad about it it's just a pretty basic story and the production felt very amateurish.
3/10
A Prophet (2009)
This movie is basically a compilation of all the tropes you can find in a prison movie. They are executed quite well though, but it's just hard to care much when you've seen it all before in better movies, and when it has an excessive runtime. Some very good acting through.
5/10
Road House (1989)
This movie was a blast to watch. Good fights, good music, some very funny lines. Just pure entertainment.
7/10
REWATCHES:
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Not quite as good as I remember it being, but it's still a very solid movie in pretty much every way. Great cast, an amazing iconic score by Zimmer, some good CGI. Mixes adventure, comedy, fantasy together all quite well. Jack Sparrow's intro scene is really well done and might be one of my absolute favourite character movie entrances ever. I didn't know Gareth from the Office was in this but he's really funny as the comic relief, at least when they weren't doing gross glass eye humour. Overall a really solid movie that has a lot going for it but sadly is not quite there for me to be a favourite.
7/10
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
Hadn't seen this one since I was a kid, and always remembered 2 and 3 as being weird. While I appreciated this one a bit more this time around, I can see why my kidself thought this. There's a lot here I like but I just don't think Gore Verbinski's aesthetic style, with all the gooey crustaceany stuff and general weirdness is for me, and the story can be a bit too ridiculous. But I can definitely respect the love and care that was put into it all, and it's a very ambitious movie. But as far as technical merits go, this movie is better than the original in every possible way. The cinematography is beautiful, and the special effects are incredible. All the CGI is integrated with the live action seamlessly. Davy Jones may be one of the most impressive looking CGI characters in film history. He looks more convincing that a lot of the CGI we get now. I think this movie feels a bit lacking in content as well, but maybe because it's basically a setup movie for the third one. I wish I could like this movie more, I love the pirates, the adventure, the music, the cast and Keira be pretty. And the action sequences are lots of fun, but the weirdness is just too strong for me to rate it higher.
5/10
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
Didn't like it much as a kid and sadly still don't now. Much like DMC it's just too weird for me but even more so here. While DMC seemed lacking in content, I feel this one has too much crammed in, as it gets quite messy. There are so many things going on, so many characters, many of them always switching back and forth between sides so it can be hard to follow at times or tell who to root for, if anyone. I really enjoyed the first half an hour or so of the movie though. It felt like it belonged to a more serious, and better movie. But after that, it just gets too ridiculous for me. But there's still lots to enjoy here, like the amazing action sequences. The shot of a certain character walking down some stairs towards the end of the movie was really cool and might be my favourite shot of the whole trilogy.
4.5/10
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 10, 2024 5:17:43 GMT
Ranked from favorite to least favorite. Short Eyes (1977 Robert M. Young) - 7.5/10A child molester (Bruce Davison) sent to prison finds that criminals exact harsher justice than society. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006 Mamoru Hosoda) - 7/10A high-school girl named Makoto acquires the power to travel back in time, and decides to use it for her own personal benefits. Little does she know that she is affecting the lives of others just as much as she is her own. Stanley and Livingstone (1939 Henry King & Otto Brower) - 7/10Tasked by his editor, American reporter Henry M. Stanley (Spencer Tracy) travels to a dangerous and uncharted region of East Africa to find the missing Scottish pioneer missionary Dr. David Livingstone (Cedric Hardwicke). Also starring Walter Brennan, Nancy Kelly, Charles Coburn and Henry Travers. Lean on Me (1989 John G. Avildsen) - 7/10The dedicated but tyrannical Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman) is appointed the principal of a decaying inner-city school he is determined to improve by any and all means. Scoop (2024 Philip Martin) - 7/10A look at how the BBC obtained the bombshell interview with Prince Andrew about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Also starring Billie Piper, Rufus Sewell and Gillian Anderson. The Homecoming (1973 Peter Hall) - 6.5/10In a dreary North London flat, the site of perpetual psychological warfare, a philosophy professor (Michael Jayston) visits his family after a nine-year absence, and introduces the four men, father (Paul Rogers), uncle (Cyril Cusack), and two brothers (Ian Holm and Terence Rigby), to his wife (Vivien Merchant). Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995 Takao Okawara) - 6.5/10The aftermath of the Oxygen Destroyer brings forth Destoroyah, a beast intent on killing Godzilla, who is on the verge of a nuclear meltdown. Knox Goes Away (2023 Michael Keaton) - 5.5/10When a contract killer (Michael Keaton) has a rapidly evolving form of dementia, he is offered an opportunity to redeem himself by saving the life of his estranged adult son (James Marsden). Also starring Al Pacino and Marcia Gay Harden. Grace of My Heart (1996 Allison Anders) - 5.5/10
Edna (Illeana Douglas) wins a recording contract singing her own song at a competition in 1958. After trying to make it as a singer/songwriter for 11 months in NYC, she has success writing songs for others at the Brill Building. Also starring John Turturro, Eric Stoltz, Jennifer Leigh Warren, Bruce Davison and Matt Dillon. Heavy Traffic (1973 Ralph Bakshi) - 5.5/10An underground cartoonist contends with life in the inner city, where various unsavory characters serve as inspiration for his art. Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964 Ishirô Honda) - 5/10Mothra's egg washes ashore and is claimed by greedy entrepreneurs who refuse to return it to her fairies. As Godzilla arises near Nagoya, the people of Infant Island must decide if they are willing to answer Japan's own pleas for help. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024 Gil Kenan) - 4.5/10When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age. Starring Mckenna Grace, Dan Aykroyd, Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Ernie Hudson, Finn Wolfhard, Kumail Nanjiani, Annie Potts, William Atherton, Emily Alyn Lind, Patton Oswalt and Bill Murray. She's Gotta Have It (1986 Spike Lee) - 4.5/10Story of a woman (Tracy Camilla Johns) and her three lovers in New York City. Also starring Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell and Spike Lee. Mothra (1961 Ishirô Honda) - 4.5/10An expedition to Infant Island discovers a native population and tiny twin fairy priestesses of the island's mythical deity. Named Mothra, she sets out to rescue her fairies after they are kidnapped by an exploitative businessman. Ordinary Angels (2024 Jon Gunn) - 4.5/10
Inspired by the incredible true story of a hairdresser (Hilary Swank) who single-handedly rallies an entire community to help a widowed father (Alan Ritchson) save the life of his critically ill young daughter. Also starring Nancy Travis. Bottoms (2023 Emma Seligman) - 3.5/10
Two unpopular lesbian high-school students (Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri) start a feminist fight club in an attempt to have sex before graduation. I haven't seen any of them yet but some of them interest me, like Lean on Me and Grace of My Heart.
I had never heard of Short Eyes before, looks like a brave film by the synopsis.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 10, 2024 5:24:13 GMT
Hello, good folks of FG. The weekly film discussion thread is back. The topic under discussion is made clear in the title. Made-for-TV, direct-to-video, streaming, TV series/episodes, documentaries, short films can also be listed. The minimum requirement is that a numerical rating out of 5 or 10 be provided - whichever the poster wishes to choose - and it'll be even more helpful if he/she also writes a few thoughts regarding his/her experience with the feature/documentary/short/TV series' season. This will help in starting discussions, which is one of the main intentions of this thread. I also request all those who reply here to go through the whole thread once and see if you can see some common topic to discuss with other posters. All first viewings for me in the last week :
This famous art film is not for the faint-hearted. All actors are fantastic, giving their all to their characters and Sacha Vierny's cinematography is extraordinary. But it started to drag in the last half an hour and the ending was disappointing in the quickness of its payoff.
7/10
Trailer :
A thinly disguised biopic on Jimmy Hoffa, the charismatic leader of the Teamsters Union who had close ties with the mafia. It's not a bad film but not particularly outstanding, either. It goes through the motions and does a workmanlike job in every department.
6/10
Trailer :
This film was the directorial debut of Stallone. It offers an extremely detailed and authentic look at the poverty and squalor in the tenements in post-war New York of 1946. I recommend the film for that and the cinematography by the master László Kovács.
7/10
Trailer :
A TV movie made by HBO about the first group of African American fighter pilots to serve in the Second World War. The action in this film consists mostly of closeups of pilots in their cockpits and stock footage of bombing raids. So, on that front, it is very disappointing. However, the capable African-American cast - Laurence Fishburne, Andre Braugher and Cuba Gooding Jr. among others - make this a watchable experience.
5/10
Trailer :
This film teamed Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds, the two biggest box-office stars in the world then, in a script written by Blake Edwards. It should have been rip-roaring fun and should have set the box office on fire. However, in a convoluted turn of events, Edwards either was fired or removed himself from the project, his script was extensively rewritten by another writer brought in by Eastwood and the task of direction was handed to Richard Benjamin who did not have any experience of directing an action-crime picture or of managing the actors' inflated egos.
Both Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert found this to be one of the most disappointing films of the year. I have to agree.
The plot is both slight and convoluted. Meaning that it is much ado about hardly anything. Something about some gangster's financial records with a bookkeeper which a lot of people are after.
The cinematography is needlessly darkened and the production design is too cluttered for any of the locations to register.
As for the actors, it's a curious thing that most of them are doing fine individually (except Rip Torn - he is awful) but none of them have much chemistry with each other. There is no explanation given as to what caused the fallout between former friends Eastwood and Reynolds, turning them into bitter enemies.
Still, Eastwood and Reynolds do sneak in a few solid one-liners and at least one shootout has some zest to its stunt choreography.
4/10
Trailer :
Haven't seen any of yours this week. Mine: First Time Viewing:
The Editor (2014; Adam Brooks, Matthew Kennedy) – Low-budget Canadian giallo parody works well for fans of this sub-genre, but might leave others confused. 6.5/10 Vivarium (2019; Lorcan Finnegan) – This weird, possibly supernatural thriller unfolds like an overlong Twilight Zone episode. The first act is genuinely interesting and gripping, but from the middle on the plot slowed down considerably, and the ending didn’t pack enough of a surprise to make me care. 5/10 Repeat Viewing:
The Eye (2002; Danny and Oxide Pang) – This Asian horror about a blind young woman getting an eye transplant is told in an incredibly slow fashion which made it a bit tedious to watch. I had seen it before, but only recalled the ending. 5.5/10 I haven't seen those but Jin gwai / The Eye interests me because it had been remade (without credit) in my country as:
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 10, 2024 5:39:50 GMT
FIRST TIME WATCHES:Last Action Hero (1993)A really cool premise and spoof of action movies with some great ideas, but didn't really come together for me in any meaningful way. I found it hard to care about what was happening in movie land as it was never really established what the stakes were there. The Billy Madison lady is really hot in this and Charles Dance is awesome as the villain. The movie also had some fun cameos. I feel this could have been a classic but something is missing in it for me. 5/10 Reign of Fire (2002)A really fun idea for a movie, and it's well enough made I guess, but I just found it really bland and kind of forgettable for some reason. I also found the visual look of the movie to be kind of boring. An earth turned to ash can still look beautiful if filmed well, but it seems they never bothered to try. Christian Bale is good in it and McConaughey plays a really interesting character but they don't really do enough with him. 4/10 The Day After Tomorrow (2004)Not usually a big fan of natural disaster movies, but this one was pretty cool. It has some very impressive special effects and a few really intense sequences. Bit dated in some shots but I imagine this would have been pretty awesome to see in theaters back in the day. I like snow movies, and this one has a lot of snow, with some nice cozy scenes of people trying to stay warm. Nothing too special story or character wise, but it's a solid movie. 6.5/10 Dirty Girl (2010)I don't understand the purpose of this movie. It's fine. Nothing that bad about it it's just a pretty basic story and the production felt very amateurish. 3/10 A Prophet (2009)This movie is basically a compilation of all the tropes you can find in a prison movie. They are executed quite well though, but it's just hard to care much when you've seen it all before in better movies, and when it has an excessive runtime. Some very good acting through. 5/10 Road House (1989)This movie was a blast to watch. Good fights, good music, some very funny lines. Just pure entertainment. 7/10 REWATCHES:Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)Not quite as good as I remember it being, but it's still a very solid movie in pretty much every way. Great cast, an amazing iconic score by Zimmer, some good CGI. Mixes adventure, comedy, fantasy together all quite well. Jack Sparrow's intro scene is really well done and might be one of my absolute favourite character movie entrances ever. I didn't know Gareth from the Office was in this but he's really funny as the comic relief, at least when they weren't doing gross glass eye humour. Overall a really solid movie that has a lot going for it but sadly is not quite there for me to be a favourite. 7/10 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)Hadn't seen this one since I was a kid, and always remembered 2 and 3 as being weird. While I appreciated this one a bit more this time around, I can see why my kidself thought this. There's a lot here I like but I just don't think Gore Verbinski's aesthetic style, with all the gooey crustaceany stuff and general weirdness is for me, and the story can be a bit too ridiculous. But I can definitely respect the love and care that was put into it all, and it's a very ambitious movie. But as far as technical merits go, this movie is better than the original in every possible way. The cinematography is beautiful, and the special effects are incredible. All the CGI is integrated with the live action seamlessly. Davy Jones may be one of the most impressive looking CGI characters in film history. He looks more convincing that a lot of the CGI we get now. I think this movie feels a bit lacking in content as well, but maybe because it's basically a setup movie for the third one. I wish I could like this movie more, I love the pirates, the adventure, the music, the cast and Keira be pretty. And the action sequences are lots of fun, but the weirdness is just too strong for me to rate it higher. 5/10 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)Didn't like it much as a kid and sadly still don't now. Much like DMC it's just too weird for me but even more so here. While DMC seemed lacking in content, I feel this one has too much crammed in, as it gets quite messy. There are so many things going on, so many characters, many of them always switching back and forth between sides so it can be hard to follow at times or tell who to root for, if anyone. I really enjoyed the first half an hour or so of the movie though. It felt like it belonged to a more serious, and better movie. But after that, it just gets too ridiculous for me. But there's still lots to enjoy here, like the amazing action sequences. The shot of a certain character walking down some stairs towards the end of the movie was really cool and might be my favourite shot of the whole trilogy. 4.5/10 I felt similarly about Last Action Hero. One of my problems with it was the magic ticket plot device. If you are basing your film on the concept of movie reality v/s/ real reality, don't much it up by introducing magic into it. Just let it remain unexplained.
I don't think Road House is good, not even the good kind of cheesy but I won't argue with anyone who thinks otherwise.
I think At World's End is the good kind of weird even though there is too much going on in it, like you say. In Dead Man's Chest, the cannibal island sequence is the only part that I like.
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Post by theravenking on Apr 10, 2024 7:26:03 GMT
FIRST TIME WATCHES:Last Action Hero (1993)A really cool premise and spoof of action movies with some great ideas, but didn't really come together for me in any meaningful way. I found it hard to care about what was happening in movie land as it was never really established what the stakes were there. The Billy Madison lady is really hot in this and Charles Dance is awesome as the villain. The movie also had some fun cameos. I feel this could have been a classic but something is missing in it for me. 5/10 Reign of Fire (2002)A really fun idea for a movie, and it's well enough made I guess, but I just found it really bland and kind of forgettable for some reason. I also found the visual look of the movie to be kind of boring. An earth turned to ash can still look beautiful if filmed well, but it seems they never bothered to try. Christian Bale is good in it and McConaughey plays a really interesting character but they don't really do enough with him. 4/10 The Day After Tomorrow (2004)Not usually a big fan of natural disaster movies, but this one was pretty cool. It has some very impressive special effects and a few really intense sequences. Bit dated in some shots but I imagine this would have been pretty awesome to see in theaters back in the day. I like snow movies, and this one has a lot of snow, with some nice cozy scenes of people trying to stay warm. Nothing too special story or character wise, but it's a solid movie. 6.5/10 Dirty Girl (2010)I don't understand the purpose of this movie. It's fine. Nothing that bad about it it's just a pretty basic story and the production felt very amateurish. 3/10 A Prophet (2009)This movie is basically a compilation of all the tropes you can find in a prison movie. They are executed quite well though, but it's just hard to care much when you've seen it all before in better movies, and when it has an excessive runtime. Some very good acting through. 5/10 Road House (1989)This movie was a blast to watch. Good fights, good music, some very funny lines. Just pure entertainment. 7/10 REWATCHES:Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)Not quite as good as I remember it being, but it's still a very solid movie in pretty much every way. Great cast, an amazing iconic score by Zimmer, some good CGI. Mixes adventure, comedy, fantasy together all quite well. Jack Sparrow's intro scene is really well done and might be one of my absolute favourite character movie entrances ever. I didn't know Gareth from the Office was in this but he's really funny as the comic relief, at least when they weren't doing gross glass eye humour. Overall a really solid movie that has a lot going for it but sadly is not quite there for me to be a favourite. 7/10 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)Hadn't seen this one since I was a kid, and always remembered 2 and 3 as being weird. While I appreciated this one a bit more this time around, I can see why my kidself thought this. There's a lot here I like but I just don't think Gore Verbinski's aesthetic style, with all the gooey crustaceany stuff and general weirdness is for me, and the story can be a bit too ridiculous. But I can definitely respect the love and care that was put into it all, and it's a very ambitious movie. But as far as technical merits go, this movie is better than the original in every possible way. The cinematography is beautiful, and the special effects are incredible. All the CGI is integrated with the live action seamlessly. Davy Jones may be one of the most impressive looking CGI characters in film history. He looks more convincing that a lot of the CGI we get now. I think this movie feels a bit lacking in content as well, but maybe because it's basically a setup movie for the third one. I wish I could like this movie more, I love the pirates, the adventure, the music, the cast and Keira be pretty. And the action sequences are lots of fun, but the weirdness is just too strong for me to rate it higher. 5/10 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)Didn't like it much as a kid and sadly still don't now. Much like DMC it's just too weird for me but even more so here. While DMC seemed lacking in content, I feel this one has too much crammed in, as it gets quite messy. There are so many things going on, so many characters, many of them always switching back and forth between sides so it can be hard to follow at times or tell who to root for, if anyone. I really enjoyed the first half an hour or so of the movie though. It felt like it belonged to a more serious, and better movie. But after that, it just gets too ridiculous for me. But there's still lots to enjoy here, like the amazing action sequences. The shot of a certain character walking down some stairs towards the end of the movie was really cool and might be my favourite shot of the whole trilogy. 4.5/10 Last Action Hero (1993) I recall it being fun, haven't seeen it for ages though. 6.5/10 Reign of Fire (2002) Agree, this was just a poor execution of a fun concept. 3/10 The Day After Tomorrow (2004) Saw it at the theater originally and thought it was a good popcorn flick, however it didn't hold up that well on subsequent viewings. Emmy Rossum is so gorgeous though, that she easily makes up for some of the movie's shortcomings. 6/10 A Prophet (2009) Again we seem to be on the same page. I didn't get all the critical love for this either. A rather average prison drama. Well-acted, but nothing special. 5/10 Road House (1989) Have been thinking of rewatching this. A perfect example of guilty pleasure for me. 7/10 REWATCHES: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) Good clean fun. I wouldn't go as far as calling myself a fan, but this is about as good as (relatively) modern blockbusters get. 8/10 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) Would have to rewatch this, having not seen it since its release. I remember thinking at the time, that they failed in trying to re-create the magic of the first film. it felt too much like a typical cash-grab sequel. 6/10 |
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