396 replies to this topic

[Dustin]

L'Armée des ombres/Army of Shadows

Melville's seldom seen classic about the French resistance, adapting the book by Joseph Kessel and Melville's own experiences with the maquis. Lino Ventura, Simone Signoret, Jean-Pierre Cassel - the entire cast is at the top of their game and depicts humans in inhuman conditions, physically and emotionally under duress, morally challenged and robbed of all illusion and pathetic self-esteem. These men and women are real in a way seldom seen in films concerning themselves with war and especially guerilla warfare. For a work depicting WWII, for a 'genre' film there is remarkably little physical action involved, and that mostly is depicted in low key. Yet the suspense doesn't let the film's two hours down, you cannot help but watch how these people fare in that brutal atmosphere. The end is a definite punch in the guts.

Recommended.

[tdalton]

American Ultra (2015)

I didn't know what to expect from this one going in, other than I knew that I enjoyed the first collaboration between Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart (Adventureland) and was hoping for something of similar quality. I ended up liking it quite a bit, even if just for the fact that it's a decent way to waste a couple of hours on a lazy afternoon. It's funny enough, with a few decent comedic scenes, but I have to admit that I was rather surprised at how violent the film was. Wasn't expecting that at all. In the end, Eisenberg and Stewart are fun to watch, the romance between them does a good job of driving the film forward, and at the end, it's simply a good movie, nothing more, nothing less.

RATING: 3/5

 

Bare (2015)

A small, independent film from director Natalia Leite, who makes her feature debut with this film.  It's the story of a small-town girl named Sarah (Dianna Agron) who is looking to get out of her mundane life after being fired from her dead-end job at a local retail store.  She meets up with an enigmatic stranger named Pepper (Paz de la Huerta) who breaks into her father's closed antique store to spend the night and they quickly strike up a kinship that leads to more as Pepper recruits Sarah to dance at the strip club she sometimes recruits talent for.  The film is refreshing in the way that it depicts its gender politics, opting to not beat the viewer over the head with or exploit the same-sex romance at the heart of the film, and nor was that at the heart of the film's marketing, which was refreshing as it was treated as normally as everything else in the seemingly normal town the film takes place in.  The performances, aside from Paz de la Huerta who continues to struggle as an actress, are pretty good, especially that of Agron, who breaks away from Glee and proves herself to be a capable actress.  

RATING: 3/5

[Professor Pi]

Saw Deadpool Saturday.  Very enjoyable.  Box office took in $40M more than SPECTRE during opening weekend.

[SecretAgentFan]

THE VISIT

 

I defended Shyamalan´s movies for a long time.  I even found something worthwhile in AFTER EARTH.  This one, however, I hate with a vengeance.

 

First: the whole idea of "old people are weird, disgusting, scary and despicable" is intolerable for me.  Yes, growing old is difficult and the consequences for the body seldom leave dignity intact.  And yes, one could make a great horror film about that, especially about how children perceive their grandparents descending into their personal hell.

 

But that´s not what this film is doing.  This film employs old people in the function of the "insane innkeeper who will kill the guests"-trope.  There is no sympathy, no understanding, no attempt at making them more than the "scare-factor".  And that is inhumane and borderline sick.

 

Second: the film is structured with the "found footage"-method.  Which makes sense at first - two kids visiting their grandparents for the first time, trying to make a movie out of it.  But when the strange events begin to happen it makes absolutely no sense why a terrified girl and her brother would still keep filming, keeping everything in frame.  This misconception of the director is even more troubling because the story does not need the "found footage"-angle at all.  It actually would have benefitted from a traditional narrative, creating much more empathy and atmosphere.

 

Third: The twist is terrific... at first.  But when you think about it, it is again badly constructed. It depends on a lack of information that is hardly believable.  And as with the "found footage"-angle I thought: you don´t even need this twist.  You could make a perfectly interesting and terrifying film about this visit without it.

 

Fourth: Children rapping.  Yeah, maybe that´s just me - but the boy trying to rap all the time (a white boy wanting to be cool) is unbearable.  Yet, he is allowed to do it again and again - and even at the end of the movie, in a coda that feels tacked on as a feel good ending and takes away the shock of the finale, completely negating what the boy has done.  It´s inappropriate and totally working against what a horror film is supposed to achieve.

 

In conclusion, this is Shyamalan´s absolute worst film, a misconception of gigantic proportions, something a talentless hack could produce.  He is better than that, IMO.  But what he definitely needs is a strong producer (like Frank Marshall on "The Sixth Sense") to reign him in.

[sharpshooter]

I recently bought the first three Indiana Jones films on Blu-ray, upgrading my DVD collection. I re-watched Temple of Doom first, and even though people think it’s the weakest of the three, I hold it up as a stone cold classic. It has a truly evil set of villains, lots of gross bugs, and memorable set pieces – namely the rope bridge scene and the mine cart escape. They don't make movies like this any more. 

[MrKidd]

Hello
Would like to share some relatively obscure movies I've seen recently:

COME AND SEE
Russian WWII movie - one of the most horrifying movies you will ever see. Hypnotic and repulsive. Probably fair to call it a masterpiece. But be warned.

MICHAEL
Austrian film about a paedophile (I've been living it large lately you can tell). Not a John Travolta in sight. Grim but compulsive watching.

SOUTHBOUND
Pretty neat horror compendium - quite clever how the stories link up.

2 British horror comedies - THE COTTAGE (okayish) and SEVERENCE (pretty good - enjoyable)

Now two not so obscure:

ANT-MAN
Harmless couple of hours. At least it doesn't take itself too seriously. More enjoyable than the Avengers' fodder.

SPECTRE
A misfire in almost every way. I must be living in a different universe to most people here as I honestly thought it was pretty bad.

Oh yes, binged watched ASH VS EVIL DEAD. Started off nicely and some good bits along the way but overall a lot of duff notes. Felt I'd wasted my time by the end of it all.

Enjoy your day everyone .....

Edited by MrKidd, 25 February 2016 - 03:21 PM.

[DaveBond21]

Blair Witch Project (1999)

 

I always enjoy this.

[SecretAgentFan]

SICARIO

 

I can´t recommend this thriller enough.  Extremely tense, from beginning to end, building dread and a palpable sense of fear, pulling no punches with its depiction of the way the "war against drugs" has already gone off the rails of justice.

 

Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin are excellent, the direction is first class, the edting is tight, and the cinematography by Roger Deakins, IMO, has not been surpassed last year at all.  Sure, Lubezki´s great - but did he really deserve his third Oscar in a row while a true master like Deakins still has not won?  

 

Look not only at the way Deakins practically paints every frame with an intelligent use of colour and texture, enjoy also how he depicts every relationship with the subtle use of depth of focus.

 

Even if you are only in the slightest interested in the way cinematography can tell a story, do yourself a favour and treat yourself to Roger Deakins´ work for this fabulous (and criminally underrated) film which IMO deserved to be nominated in every major category.

[S K Y F A L L]

SPARTAN (2004) Val Kilmer, Derek Luke, Tia Texada, Ed O'Neill, William H. Macy, and Kristen Bell.

One of my favorites. Might watch 2003's THE RECRUIT next starring Al Pacino, Colin Farrell and Bridget Moynahan if I don't watch Sicario first.

[SecretAgentFan]

BRIDGE OF SPIES

 

Not only the best Spielberg movie since SCHINDLER´S LIST but one of his best films ever.

 

Perfection in every department: acting, cinematography, editing, scoring, directing and writing.

 

 

SPOTLIGHT

 

Wonderful film that manages to move at a great pace and still make you care for every character in the large ensemble.  Absolutely remarkable film.

[DaveBond21]

BRIDGE OF SPIES

 

Not only the best Spielberg movie since SCHINDLER´S LIST but one of his best films ever.

 

Perfection in every department: acting, cinematography, editing, scoring, directing and writing.

 

 

SPOTLIGHT

 

Wonderful film that manages to move at a great pace and still make you care for every character in the large ensemble.  Absolutely remarkable film.

 

 

Wow, might have to check these out now.

[thecasinoroyale]

'London Has Fallen' (2016)

I have no shame in saying I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Olympus Has Fallen’. A no-brainer action film for adults that had hard violence, foul language, grizzly action, a decent cast and a simple story. No superheroes or family-friendly action in sight. They don’t make them like they used to, of course, but director Antoine Fuqua certainly tried, and now Babak Najafi has a go for a similar result.

If ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ was the ‘Die Hard’ of this franchise, then ‘London Has Fallen’ is the ‘Die Hard With A Vengeance’, but not as good. Escaping the confines of the White House, the mighty city of London, England, is our battlefield now. The streets are deserted and war torn, the CGI landmarks are destroyed and battered, and everyone is probably a terrorist…apparently.

First, it’s fair to say Gerard Butler can’t really act. He’s good at what he does, but given the chance to act alone, he’s not the best. Give him a gun or a car or swear words and he’ll deliver like a trooper. At 46 he’s no spring chicken, but in this day and age he’s more than welcome to represent the older action hero to do what we pay to see them do in a film like this – deliver bad quips, dish out death like it’s on sale and generally be the bloke we all want to be whilst we play our first shooter video games. He gurns like he’s had a stroke. He hangs out of car doors with a pistol. He shoots everyone twice. He stabs. He bleeds. He jumps. He punches. He swears. A lot. He is a one-man wrecking ball who eclipses Bryan Mills with his certain set of skills.

Team him with the likeable Aaron Eckhart who never comes over as useless or inept, and you have a great on-screen partnership who work perfectly together. Foundations formed in 2013 continue here and you know just what to expect. With a supporting cast made up from the ever dependable Morgan Freeman, the lovely Angela Bassett, the new Mrs Tom Hardy Charlotte Riley and our slimy villain Alon Aboutboul, and we are in good hands with characters who we don’t need to know their whole backstory and who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty whilst having fun at the same time

The film is also surprisingly well executed – pardon the pun. We have a number of those excellent “one take” shots in the action were it takes your breath away. Storming a London street with explosions going off around you and bullets whizzing past your head as bad and good guys fall is exhilarating stuff and pulled off very well. We have our shaky cam, of course, but for a good deal of time we actually get to see the tight car chases and fight scenes play out and not lose anything with sloppy editing.

My negative points? Well, not really anything to diminish the fun of this, because it stands strong with its predecessor as a film that knows what is aims to deliver and knows the market. But for me our Middle Eastern villains never come across as menacing or dangerous as the Koreans in ‘OHF’. Of course it’s touching upon the current Syrian tension as expected, but something about them is more generic, probably because their “bad guy” actions are expected thanks to what we see in the media these days. Also, the threat doesn’t feel as great as it was in ‘OHF’; with the hostage situation, there was an underlying sense of tension, but here it’s a large cat-and-mouse game with no real threat until the finale. Saying that, Najafi hasn't made a carbon-copy of the first film; it's a fresh story in a fresh setting, so kudos to him for that.

Also, now I know this isn’t something we worry about in mainstream dumb action flicks, but the believability was a bit TOO stretched for me initially. I don’t mind how things happen, because I can just accept it. In ‘OHF’, we had the terrorists arrive by armoured plane, hidden in tourist busses and public service vehicles that could have been prepared easily to converge on a target. Here in ‘LHF’ the terrorists seem to make up 90% of the Metropolitan Police and HM Royal Guard! Suddenly police cars and ambulances are terrorist vehicles packed with machine guns and RPGs. Guards who patrol Buckingham Palace are terrorists! Bodyguards are terrorists! Armed police are terrorists! Everyone we have faith in protecting the public is a terrorist! Talk about making you worry about who to trust.

The part that bothered me was as 12 world leaders converge on London, and all the security measures taken and all those employed as special operatives and police and whatnot…how the f**k did all these terrorists get in these positions in the first place?! It just was such an easy way to launch the attack, and I felt it a little cheap compared to the brutality and clever tactics of the first. Still…I overlooked that gradually as the film went on.

So! If ‘Taken’ can string out 2 films from a sleeper-hit original and take a critical and audience panning, I have no doubt the superior ‘Fallen’ franchise has room for one, maybe two more outings. The cast are enjoying it, we as action fans are enjoying it, and it’s a refreshing change for an adult action film without superheroes to pop up and give us something to roll with after the serious, heavy tone of the Hollywood awards season of films. Leave your brain at the door and just enjoy the ride!

[Yellow Pinky]

Nice review, thecasinoroyale!  Thanks for sharing.  I agree with you that I can get behind a movie that genuinely knows its audience and understands exactly what kind of experience it wants to achieve.  I enjoyed OHF and have been curious to read a fan (i.e. non-paid critic) review of this one.

[SecretAgentFan]

THE WALK

 

I´m angry at myself for not watching this in the cinema on the big screen and in 3D because that would have added even another layer to this literal high-wire act.

 

But still, even on my tv this film worked for me tremendously.  Despite knowing that everything will be fine I was holding my breath, really getting nervous about the extreme heights.  

 

In addition, Robert Zemeckis once again proves that he is a visual master, telling this story with amazing images and long takes that shame other filmmakers who think lots of cuts are needed to evoke tension and speed.

 

Also, the whole ensemble is great, everything is absolutely charming, and the score by Zemeckis-ally Alan Silvestri is magical.

 

What a wonderful movie.

[thecasinoroyale]

Nice review, thecasinoroyale!  Thanks for sharing.  I agree with you that I can get behind a movie that genuinely knows its audience and understands exactly what kind of experience it wants to achieve.  I enjoyed OHF and have been curious to read a fan (i.e. non-paid critic) review of this one.

Thank you so much, Yellow Pinky. Always glad when my reviews help others.



'Deadpool' (2016)

I’m not going to write a huge review, because sometimes I can get going and going and just don’t stop when I start and you'll guess how I feel early on. Basically, I know little of the Deadpool character except his intro in ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ and then everything that snowballed since that controversial interpretation. Ryan Reynolds has never been an actor I’ve found likeable or talented, so he never sat with me anyway. But I tolerated him in the film, all done and dusted, as a bit player and half the time he was mute. Great.

Now 7 years on Deadpool has been given his own film thanks to fanboys wanting to see a more violent, cruder and not-so-serious superhero film in this era of dark, gritty and near family friendly offerings. Reynolds is back with an ego as big as they come thanks to this feeling that the world wants Deadpool again – maybe it does, but I certainly don’t and felt it offered nothing new to the table at all, for an R rated superhero movie or anything.

It’s full of OTT/CGI violence, lots of swearing, sex jokes and breaking the 4th wall where Reynolds takes the piss basically about the whole superhero franchise, the X-Men series, Hugh Jackman and rebooted timelines just for starters. It felt like a Kickstarter Fan Film to me – all the main scenes we’ve seen in the trailers and there’s very little else to the film. 2 action sequences, one on a freeway and one in a junkyard and a few other bar/home/street scenes as filler in the middle where Reynolds DOESN’T wear his mask. But then I doubt he wore it much anyway, just get a stunt double to do the action along with CGI and he just can dub his lines over. Like Iron Man and Spider-Man.

It’s stupid, crass and boring. This humour isn’t something I’m against, at all, but in this context I found nothing appealing about it or clever at all. It’s like a fan film 15 year old teens made on a big budget to make a superhero film that has tits, violence, f**k words and winks to the other franchises. That’s it. I fail to see the appeal at all, so I’m either out of touch or have a much deeper want for films than everyone else who says this is a “game changer”. Game changer. Really? No, it’s not. It’s a dumb ride of swearing and violence for 100mins that ‘Dredd’ did years ago in a much more stylistic, brutal and winning fashion. This is NOTHING new at all and if this this is how people want superhero films then their day is numbered.

While the sets and locations are well produced, if a little bland and boring, the narrative is easy to follow and the soundtrack of 80s synth beats is the one thing I enjoyed. Oh, and Gina Carano as bad guy Angel Dust is very easy on the eye and I found her final showdown very appealing for all the right reasons – her bangers nearly falling out and looking mighty fine in that tight outfit of hers.

As you can see, I’m not a fan and I’m looking for things to like which is hard. I went in with an open mind, chuckled maybe twice and left with an annoyed mind. Oh, and the fact that one big joke was about Deadpool liking the 80s band ‘Wham!’, but yet he plays “Careless Whisper” over the end credits which was George Michael solo song, and NOT a ‘Wham!’ song when he clearly says it is also annoyed me. If you’re going to joke about pop culture, get it right.

[DaveBond21]

 

 Oh, and the fact that one big joke was about Deadpool liking the 80s band ‘Wham!’, but yet he plays “Careless Whisper” over the end credits which was George Michael solo song, and NOT a ‘Wham!’ song when he clearly says it is also annoyed me. If you’re going to joke about pop culture, get it right.

 

 

Actually in the United States (and Canada and Japan), the song was credited to Wham featuring George Michael.

 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

[thecasinoroyale]

Ah I never knew that! Interesting....
 
 
 
 
'Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice' (2016)

I went into this with reduced expectations, which helped. After a very so-so ‘Man Of Steel’, controversial director Zack Snyder continues his DCEU exploration by bringing in another name to garner global interest and market the film; Batman. With a critical mauling on one side and fan praise on the other, I sat on the fence with little to know comic book knowledge to take this film for what many general audiences will take it as – entertainment with two of the greatest heroes ever created.

I apologise if this goes on, but clocking in over 2 and a half hours is long enough to process a big film such as this, but when it is so crammed full of ideas and set-ups and characters, it’s more hard than normal to make sense of everything, but I have no burning desire to go back for another viewing to take it all in again.

On the whole, it’s a film with good ideas but is badly executed. The negatives outweigh the positives, and my negatives I feel aren’t excuses to knock the film because I wanted nothing more than to love Batman and Superman on screen together. Is it Snyder’s fault the film stumbles? No. Is it Afflecks? No. Cavills? No. Zimmers? No. I’m blaming no-one specifically and this isn’t a review of hate.

Ben Affleck needs a solo Batman film to show us what he can do. He can’t eclipse Christian Bale or even Michael Keaton on the basis of a film where he doesn’t get the chance to shine as Batman very much. His Bruce Wayne may be a refreshing mature and established billionaire businessman-cum-vigilante, but like previous incarnations of Wayne/Batman, we fail to really connect with Affleck. I don’t want another origin story, and enough here was given for us to feel comfortable with him, but I wanted more time to explore his character; his demons; his relationships with Alfred (a wasted Jeremy Irons) and others.

The first time we literally glimpse his Batman was one of the best moments; echoing all I know of Batman and what he should be, it was nothing but eerie and tense. You hear noises but can’t see him, there is no glaring soundtrack, there is no sweeping CGI – it’s like a horror film and my heart pounded like the police man searching for “it” or “the demon”. Affleck deserves more time to show us why this crime fighter instils fear into criminals, because here he didn’t get much chance. From a very lazy and abrupt car chase, to the showdown with Superman for all of 10 minutes and then the OTT finale, Batman came across as useless compared to Superman, but then shines in a brief moment, but then falls again, and in a CGI heavy finale he looks useless compared to the CG super-human heroes and villains. Batman looked redundant which was a shame.

Henry Cavill, still with the acting ability of a crumpet but a beefcake body that is oddly distracting and very much super-human in his skin-tight suit is probably a good enough Superman/Clark Kent for this generation of dark, broody superhero films but god…he’s getting the wrong material to shine. His brow looks permanently creased, and even when he’s saving people from burning buildings he looks pained and depressed – for a man who should radiate hope , this Superman radiates misery even more than before. I get the world is confused about if he’s good or bad, but for 2 films now Superman is becoming the Batman we don’t need alongside our Batman we already have.

Every hero it seems now needs to be more human than ever, to struggle and stumble and have demons. Let Batman be that man – let Superman be the shining, square jawed and resilient hero he should be! I was so sad to hear only the melancholy piano motif from ‘Man Of Steel’ return and not the triumphant burst of strings and drums to signal his heroic standing. Let him have time to brood away from the public, that’s fine, even Christopher Reeve’s Superman did that, but Cavill is always looking sad and pissed off or constipated that I just…well, it was frustrating to watch and fail to invest in which meant I didn’t care for him very much. Not his fault I know. He’s not been given the treatment he deserves.

And THIS is where Gal Gadot surprised me in her little screen time as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman. She was the superhero Batman and Superman didn’t get the chance to be. She shows up in a rather pleasing outfit that she looks stunning in, and dishes out justice with her sword, shield, bracelets and lasso. Hell, she even grins to herself in battle! She is an assault on not just the enemy but our senses; she’s jumping, sliding, sliding, defending, the lot. Wonder Woman won me over and she came across the best hero of the 3 and just did what a superhero should do. No pained backstory or anything (well, to be explored in her own film which is how it should be), but she looks gorgeous and alluring to create that mystery to her, and then BOOM – becomes the hero who is going to go from strength to strength.

I’ll try avoid a run over each character; Jesse Eisenberg was a very irritating Lex Luthor with no menace or threat to him at all following recent DC villains like General Zod, The Joker and Bane. He achieves everything by luck and just happens to know the right people to get what he needs without much explanation, and his “quirky instability” is just down right annoying. Stop trying to be a Heath Ledger Joker. It didn’t work.

Our supporting cast do what we expect- just be there to push the story and give Bruce and Clark their stepping stones. Amy Adams is more a damsel in distress than ever, Laurence Fishburne is great fun and I’d like more of him, Diane Lane has a small return as Martha Kent and newcomer Jeremy Irons has a good streak of Bruce Wayne-weary attitude as Alfred, but only comes over as a handyman and technical genius; the Q for Batman’s 007. I’d have liked to see their relationship more than just what takes place in the Batcave or over video links.

With the main crux of our headline characters above driving the whole film, the pacing was very off. The first hour was Bruce and Clark which was a little boring at times and had little urgency to it, and then when we do have the “greatest event in superhero cinema” of Batman v Superman, it’s over in 10 minutes. It’s the highlight of their interaction together; brutal, bold and a blast. Very well-choreographed (if convenient with everything working to Batman’s advantage), but ends on a fizzle with 2 years’ worth of rage and anger towards Superman being dissolved in a second by Batman. It was a very quick resolution to the previous hour and half from being near enemies to the next second strong allies with no middle ground. Hm. Ok. Rushing on to get to the next CGI action scene I guess!

The finale just bored me as it turned into a CGI noise fest – loud, frantic, and destructive. Like a slick video game cut-scene like ‘The Avengers’ or ‘Man Of Steel’, but at least I could see that as they were taking place in the daytime. Stories from Batman and Superman comics that I’ve read about have been blended and used in this film to its own failing – giving us too much too soon. Why cram everything in so early in the formation of the Justice League and use major stories and characters if they are over in the space of 20 minutes? From what I understand, lots of moments where hinted or used here that should be have been kept or continued going forward.

Dark and gritty, a phrase getting used too much for everything now, was not just the theme of the film but also the lighting and colour. Most of the action takes place at night, or dusk, or in dark buildings and I for one was annoyed as I wanted to appreciate Batman and Superman for how they looked and the detail of their iconic costumes and world they lived in, but it was so dark and gloomy they all blended into the shadows. Dark greys, blacks, blues and reds. I don’t want camp, and those people who lash out when people say films can be TOO dark prove their lack of understanding if they think a superhero film can’t have good lighting so you as a general film fan can appreciate and see everything on screen! It was far too dark, in general. And as stated before, Superman is becoming as broody and menacing as Batman. It was Wonder Woman who injected the superhero fun in this – actually enjoying what she was doing, and THAT sort of fun is what I want to see. Not prat falls and bad jokes.

Snyder is a passionate director but to me he’s shoe-horned so much material in to compensate what should have been 5-6 years’ worth of film development into a 2.5hr film. 3 future Justice League member cameos that last 10 seconds or less each that are just there for that reason; quickly planting them in your head. Why didn’t DC and Warner Brothers get the established films first? It’s frustrating stuff. The soundtrack I found very so-so also, I couldn’t pinpoint a clear theme for Batman or Superman and that was sorely missed for a superhero to be without a theme. Only Wonder Woman – again – excelled and had a recognisable and powerful theme to accompany her.

*rubs temples*

It’s a frustrating film with so much promise and so much front loaded marketing in trailers that you may expect more, but are given less. Time isn’t wasted, but it’s not used well and pacing is very sloppy. Many times did I feel Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight Trilogy’ influence here which made me miss his direction more, because Affleck deserved a better introduction than this. It was GOOD, but not what he deserved. Cavill just needs better material. Gadot needs to keep doing what she’s doing.

At parts it was predictable, and should have ended 10mins before it did. The ending was different than what I expected, but lacked any real lingering impact on the basis of what is to come. I wanted to like it more, but I couldn’t. As a general film fan, it had a few good moments, but also had lots of bad that I didn’t care for. And as a fan of movie Batman since 1989 and movie Superman since 1978, this makes me sad.

[MrKidd]

PRIMER

Has anyone seen this? I caught it on Netflix. I thought it was great. It's a clever micro budget time loopy film - I've watched it twice now and haven't the foggiest what's going on. Still excellent though. And if you like time travel films - I recommend a spanish movie called Timecrimes (not the dubbed version if you can help it) and a surprisingly decent one called Triangle - with Melissa George - who's equally surprisingly not awful in this (see below).

 

30 days of night

I really like this - seen it a few times. Good vampires, fun plot device. Despite Melissa George being terrible in it - I still like it alot.

 

BTW - don't mean to be down on Ms M.G. - I only know her from these two movies. I'm sure she's a lovely person but she IS crap in 30 days of night.

[thecasinoroyale]

'Eddie The Eagle' (2016)

It was so nice to leave the cinema with a smile on my face; a feeling of nothing but satisfaction and feel-good vibes from watching a story that featured no violence, no sex or foul language and no complicated, dreary narrative and filled with ropey CGI. Based on the true story of infamous British underdog Eddie Edwards, this is a feel-good movie that has been crafted with real warmth and understanding of both the source and the audience.

We’ve seen the underdog story before; notably in ‘Rocky’. But we haven’t seen once that fills us with as much triumph and warmth since, until now. Director Dexter Fletcher doesn’t break the mould with his story, but he does present it to us in a bright, cheery and family-friendly way that relies on great humour, exceptional performances and a super blend of cinematography, music and editing that makes this one big bundle of fun lasting just over 100mins. With a toe-tapping 80s soundtrack, this really has the look and feel of the decade along with authentic costume design and set replication of both Great Britain, Germany and Calgary to take you right into the heart of the action.

Rising star Taron Egerton encapsulates Eddie perfectly; his innocence, his determination, his physicality – all without coming over as a lampoon. He shows us Eddie’s eccentric side, but does so with an equal amount of determination, heart and compassion that does nothing but has us invest in one man’s dream to be a success. Something so few films do nowadays; give us an underdog and let us take a journey with them. I can’t wait to see more of this charming actor and his talent.

Supported by Hugh Jackman, who is brilliant to see away from his Wolverine character, shows he can play with a great deal of comic and dramatic flair to be a rock for Egerton’s Eddie as he plays a fictional ski-jump coach, but nevertheless plays a vital role in pushing the narrative forward and being someone I can easily believe in. With solid co-stars like Tim McInnerny, Keith Allen, Iris Berben and even Christopher Walken along for the fun, we are in good hands here with characters we can recognise maybe from our own lives – those who believe in us and those who don’t, and those who we want to impress.

From the off, the humour is very good-natured and full of heart, with no slap-stick gags or jokes thankfully. As stated before, it’s a family friendly film that focuses on strong storytelling and character development rather than swearing or violence of any form. In this era where most films and surrounded in such elements to sell more seats, it’s a nice change of pace to see something as much fun as this. I guess my only quarm is I am not too sure what is fiction and what is fact, bar the start and end, and how much actually happened and what was fabricated for entertainment. However because it’s done so well and so light-hearted, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story.

And the ski-jumping itself is rather exciting; it’s not something you see used in film every day and so the shots of our actors/stunt-doubles/CGI dolls racing down the vertigo inducing jump and launching into the unknown never gets old, because each time the pressure increases and you never know if they will land without breaking a bone or two. It certainly had me holding my breath a few times, and cheering and wincing as the highs and lows of the Olympic sport was played out.

And even though most audiences will know the story of Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards and his infamous time as an Olympian, the way the story explores him and his journey will have you willing him to succeed, even though you know he probably won’t. But even then, the sense of triumph against the odds and having that will to push yourself and try your best is a classic morality story that never fails to stir the desire to win in us all against the odds.

[SecretAgentFan]

Seeking a friend for the end of the world

 

A totally underrated gem.  Steve Carell is delivering a masterful performance, subtle, engaging, restrained and yet powerful - and even Keira Knightley who often gets on my nerves is doing great work.  Written and directed with just the right mix of humour and drama, this film tells the story of two people during Earth´s last days until an asteroid will destroy it.  Of course, I am a big Carell-fan - but really, he is wonderful in this, showing so much hurt and anger behind his nice guy-fassade, never overacting, always giving a precise and totally unmannered reading of the poignant dialogue - simply amazing.  A masterclass in acting.

 

The film ends, of course, with a tragedy.  But it also gives its two main characters closure and lends meaning to their hopeless quest.  This is a deeply human film.  Highly recommended.

[MrKidd]

Has anyone seen Solomon Kane? Story is old hat, dodgy support acting and a few too many unintentinal funny bits but James Perfume is absolute class. I'd love to see more of him as this character. Then watched Ironclad - again, another mediocre movie but 'The Perf' is The Man. I don't think I've seen him before - why is he not a bigger star while the world allows Colin Farrell to recite words from a script on film for money?  The Perf has boat loads of screen presence and charisma - where'd he come from? 

[SecretAgentFan]

Probably from his parents who gave him the name Purefoy.

[MrKidd]

Yah, that’s the one – Perfume. James Perfume. What a bad ass Bond he’d be, eh?!

 

Seems strange (to me) that he’s been cast as the star in - what must have seemed at the time - two franchise starters but hasn’t done anything much except TV. 

 

Anyhow, I liked him a lot, he fills the screen with bunches of charisma, and his parents must be very proud.

[volante]

Absolutely correct, we watched it last night, very enjoyable.
(Great critique by the way.)

'Eddie The Eagle' (2016)

It was so nice to leave the cinema with a smile on my face; a feeling of nothing but satisfaction and feel-good vibes from watching a story that featured no violence, no sex or foul language and no complicated, dreary narrative and filled with ropey CGI. Based on the true story of infamous British underdog Eddie Edwards, this is a feel-good movie that has been crafted with real warmth and understanding of both the source and the audience.

We’ve seen the underdog story before; notably in ‘Rocky’. But we haven’t seen once that fills us with as much triumph and warmth since, until now. Director Dexter Fletcher doesn’t break the mould with his story, but he does present it to us in a bright, cheery and family-friendly way that relies on great humour, exceptional performances and a super blend of cinematography, music and editing that makes this one big bundle of fun lasting just over 100mins. With a toe-tapping 80s soundtrack, this really has the look and feel of the decade along with authentic costume design and set replication of both Great Britain, Germany and Calgary to take you right into the heart of the action.

Rising star Taron Egerton encapsulates Eddie perfectly; his innocence, his determination, his physicality – all without coming over as a lampoon. He shows us Eddie’s eccentric side, but does so with an equal amount of determination, heart and compassion that does nothing but has us invest in one man’s dream to be a success. Something so few films do nowadays; give us an underdog and let us take a journey with them. I can’t wait to see more of this charming actor and his talent.

Supported by Hugh Jackman, who is brilliant to see away from his Wolverine character, shows he can play with a great deal of comic and dramatic flair to be a rock for Egerton’s Eddie as he plays a fictional ski-jump coach, but nevertheless plays a vital role in pushing the narrative forward and being someone I can easily believe in. With solid co-stars like Tim McInnerny, Keith Allen, Iris Berben and even Christopher Walken along for the fun, we are in good hands here with characters we can recognise maybe from our own lives – those who believe in us and those who don’t, and those who we want to impress.

From the off, the humour is very good-natured and full of heart, with no slap-stick gags or jokes thankfully. As stated before, it’s a family friendly film that focuses on strong storytelling and character development rather than swearing or violence of any form. In this era where most films and surrounded in such elements to sell more seats, it’s a nice change of pace to see something as much fun as this. I guess my only quarm is I am not too sure what is fiction and what is fact, bar the start and end, and how much actually happened and what was fabricated for entertainment. However because it’s done so well and so light-hearted, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story.

And the ski-jumping itself is rather exciting; it’s not something you see used in film every day and so the shots of our actors/stunt-doubles/CGI dolls racing down the vertigo inducing jump and launching into the unknown never gets old, because each time the pressure increases and you never know if they will land without breaking a bone or two. It certainly had me holding my breath a few times, and cheering and wincing as the highs and lows of the Olympic sport was played out.

And even though most audiences will know the story of Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards and his infamous time as an Olympian, the way the story explores him and his journey will have you willing him to succeed, even though you know he probably won’t. But even then, the sense of triumph against the odds and having that will to push yourself and try your best is a classic morality story that never fails to stir the desire to win in us all against the odds.

[thecasinoroyale]

Thank you so much volante - glad you enjoyed it!
 
 
'Midnight Special' (2016)

With the help of my Odeon Cinema ‘Limitless’ membership, I am know using it to watch films I wouldn’t usually pay to go and see, or even watch at home to be honest. This was one of them. Only seeing one trailer, I was sold on the sci-fi aspect and a decent cast so gave it a try. Bar from it slowing down unexpectedly in the second act and me suffering a few yawns, I wasn’t disappointed on the whole.

Fronted by a dysfunctional “family” from Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst and young Jaeden Lieberher, from the start you are intrigued by them when they appear on screen. They are nothing but normal people, on the outside anyway, forced to take drastic, violent and dangerous methods all for the sake of this quirky youth, Alton. A child who reads comics by torchlight, wears turquoise goggles and sleeps with ear defenders. You already feel for him, as no child should be forced to endure the anxiety and fear Alton displays as his story progresses.

This superb and heart rendering performance by Lieberher helps fuel the rest of his family into doing anything and everything for him, despite their own moral struggle and fears. Michael Shannon says little, but acts like a coiled spring as you never know when he could explode due to the pressure he faces. One thing is solid though, his love for his son which is beautifully played by both Shannon and Lieberher, and very emotional to watch under certain circumstances.

Joel Edgerton and Kirsten Dunst both give strong, decisive and mature performances too and they really do add to the emotional but at times warmth bond these people share. With great support from Adam Driver, who is nothing like our Kylo Ren image of him, and the intense Sam Shepard as leader of the religious cult after Alton, it’s performance quality that rules the show here over narrative.

The film stars with a bang, immediately throwing you in at the deep end until answers are steadily drip-fed to you. The film ends with a bang; a thrilling, taught and emotional battle of wits, wills and determination to leave you on a somewhat down-beat, but hopeful, ending. The middle act of the film suffers the most, there seems to be a point where nothing much happens and it goes very slow and very stagnant – I can’t place why, but there is just an evident drop to the motion of it all. But once it picks up after the “sunrise” sequence, then we are in for a treat.

It could be that most of the film is set at night, for reasons you will discover, and that can be draining mentally with little to engage you except the actors and the pockets of high-drama that occur. When little is said, or done, and we have rhythmic driving to keep us hooked, it did nearly make me nod off. BUT once daylight hits for good then we are given more chances to see the world as Alton does, see more characters interact, see more gorgeous locations and experience some real exciting chase sequences.

With touches of Spielberg and Kubrick, director Jeff Nichols delivers something that can simply be classed as “very interesting” and worth a watch. As I said, I commend the acting talent and their powerful performances here as the strongest aspect to the film because if they were any weaker and less able to invest in, the film would suffer greatly. But it doesn’t, so give it a try – just don’t expect too much of it story wise and an ending we've sort of seen before - it's nothing new, but it's delivered very well.

[thecasinoroyale]

'Jane Got A Gun' (2016)

A film more memorable for its trouble production – going all the way back to 2013 with the casting of Michael Fassbender as Dan Frost, and Joel Edgerton as John Bishop. Natalie Portman wasn’t very busy so was in it from the start. Original director Lynne Ramsay left. Fassbender left, so Edgerton took his role and Jude Law was cast as Bishop. Original cinematographer Darius Khondji left, and Mandy Walker came in. Gavin O’Conner came on to direct, which forced Law out because he wanted to work with Ramsay. Bradley Cooper came on to play Bishop, and Noel Emmerich was also cast. But with more conflict with shooting, Cooper left. Ewan McGregor came on.

The result?

A boring, under-cooked drama that looks good but offers little reward, bar a few thrills in the finale conflict. The prospect of a Western (to be fair, they don’t sizzle as much as they should in Hollywood today), and a ‘Star Wars’ reunion of sorts with Padme Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Owen Lars sounds great on paper and even in the marketing BUT the film itself suffers greatly.

While the picture looks good – a Western checklist of cinematography including huge backdrops of canyons, sizzling deserts, shanty towns and woodlands – the story is very heavily based on talking and flash-backs. While the idea is very simple; a wife and mother hires a former flame to protect her family from an evil outlaw and his gang, it takes a good 1hr and 15mins for things to really reach a point of conflict. The rest of the time is just spent with Natalie Portman and Joel Edgerton bickering and sniping each other between flashbacks about their past, Noel Emmerich groans in bed and only comes alive in more flashbacks, and Ewan McGregor has crazy black dyed hair and doesn’t really do much, in either HIS flashbacks or present day, which is a shame.

There is little action either. And while a Western doesn’t always need to be an action film (‘Unforgiven’ and ‘Seraphim Falls’ can show that), it then needs to engage the viewer with interesting characters and exciting set-pieces. We have few of those. Most of the film takes place in rural desert land with very few supporting characters or sub-plots. Nothing comes alive – there’s no bustling towns, no roaring trains, no vast buffalo or horse packs across the plain….just more talk and a few lessons in shooting pistols. As I say, it looks good, but not enough to hold my attention.

When one of the more tense moments during the “build up” comes from a bird flying into a window, you know it’s not a good thing. There’s no real threat either to warrant the build-up for Bishop’s arrival. Our bland characters are just waiting around and talking, setting a few traps, and doing more talking.

While the finale offers a final few thrills and glimpses of action, it’s not exactly worth the time in watching for it because it’s nothing amazing, and even then, shows that McGregor is wasted in his role and brought in at the last minute to fill a gap, which is a shame. Natalie Portman is good in this, but isn’t given much to do; nor is Edgerton. In fact, the whole thing feels like it’s been devoid of energy and enthusiasm after a troubled production, and it’s a long slog to the credits just so this forgettable film can be over and they can all move on to bigger and better projects.

[thecasinoroyale]

'The Jungle Book' (2016)

I’ve only seen the 1967 Disney original once, so could go into this without the need to compare or worry emotionally about my childhood being ruined blah blah blah. All the better for it, because this is a magical piece of story-telling with stunning visuals, wonderful performances and a few moments that made me jump more than any recent horror film I’ve seen.

This is evidently a project that wants to stay faithful to the source material, never straying too far from a simple story we all know. While director Jon Favreau adds and tweaks a few sequences here and there from a narrative point of view and to maintain a sense of “realism”, it’s familiar territory from the off.

On a sense of realism, our CG animals are scarily real. They move and act like wild animals should. Only when they start to talk do we remember that they are fantastical creatures and not something in a wildlife documentary. These magnificent beats are so accurate you’ll be hard to imagine they are all CG creations because they look and move so realistically around the jungle and with young Mowgli. All the animals, big and small, are awesome to behold on the big screen and really put the scope of this in context. While we don’t have dancing elephants or bears wearing coconut bras, as I say the realism of what animals can do is kept here, they are still very entertaining, scary, emotional, powerful and loveable in their own way.

The cast is also brilliant and I couldn’t hear the animals any different to what I was doing. Stand-out roles are Bill Murray as Baloo who gives his best performance in years – nothing quirky or obscure, just warmth and humour and emotion in the way Murray does best when he’s given good material – and Idris Elba as Khan, a tiger so menacing that with his deep, silky voice you never feel comfortable in his presence because you don’t know when he’s going to lash out next. Christopher Walken is too cool as King Louie, and never fails to win me over with his unique dialect and smooth voice.

Scarlett Johansson is very much a fleeting role and serves only a few minutes of screen time but still embodies her python Kaa with that seductive threat she needs thanks to her voice. With Lupita Nyong’o, Ben Kingsley and Giancarlo Esposito also on fine form, the animals here and brought to life more than I expected. Kudo also to newcomer Neel Sethi, a boy acting alongside nothing but green screen animals but still manages to convey the right amount of pathos and fun needed for a boy raised in this fantastical jungle. He is a perfect screen Mowgli and really gives it his all acting-wise to make you invest in him, believe in him and really connect with his relationship with the animals he meets. A great little actor indeed for such an important role.

The pace rockets along fine, and it’s made easier with such beautiful landscapes and CG locations that rival ‘Avatar’ in terms of sheer gorgeousness on screen. The jungle is sprinkled with that lush Disney magic that looks hyper-real in places, but this is fantasy, and so you let your imagination spiral with the raging waterfalls, sky-tall trees, dangerous cliff faces and sun-baked clearings. It really is a gorgeous looking film from the off and brought to life through harsh sun, fierce rain and tropical thunderstorms.

I find it hard to fault this on the whole – it’s a very simple story, but nothing is hard to follow or simply enjoy. Maybe the CG will be too much for some, but because it’s never done in a tacky way, it actually works on the whole and the realism of it bowled me over. Maybe the tone is a little more scary and “real” that can put off young children; as I say there are a couple of scary moments due to Khan (then again, he IS our villain and it never lingers too long)? I’m not sure – I think parents should take their children to see this as they’ve probably seen worse, but with each scary moment the sequence is quickly diffused with action or a scene change and no violence is lingered on to frighten young viewers.

It’s a magical adaptation of the current live-action Disney era, and with a rousing soundtrack and sweeping camera work that takes us below, above and through the jungle as only Disney can, this is a real winner. I can’t think fans of the original will be offended by this remake; it’s a loving remake for a new generation whilst respecting the source. And even two toe-tapping songs feature in moments that work surprisingly well to keep that sense of “realism” – Sethi, Murrary and Walken…in fact the whole cast and crew….do us proud.

[SecretAgentFan]

Interesting.  Since I´ve grown up on the animated Disney version I am still hesitant to watch this.  The magic and the charme of that "old" film feel timeless to me, and a few years ago I watched it again, thinking I would not like it so much anymore, being a grown-up (supposedly).  However, it still had me enthralled and totally entertained.

 

But maybe I should watch this new film after all...

[thecasinoroyale]

I think there is a "new" sort of charm to this, as it doesn't try to replicate or copy the original's sense of fun and innocence. Very good performances to bring the animals to life, and our Mowgli is just as you'd want him to be in a live-action film. Also, it's very, very pretty on the eye.

[tdalton]

Creed

 

I thought it would be a cash-grab and only exist in order to piggyback off of the Stallone/Rocky legacy.  Wrong.  An excellent film.  While part of me still thinks they should have ended it with Rocky Balboa, Creed is a wonderful addition to the franchise.  Stallone has never been better, delivering such a terrific performance that it makes you wonder about films like Judge Dredd.  For my money, Stallone should have gotten the Oscar for supporting actor.  I actually teared up a bit during his little speech to Adonis towards the end of the film.  I'd also say that, since they only got 8 nominated films for Best Picture this year, that perhaps room could have been made for Creed.  Truly one of the best films from 2015.