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Post by jill on Nov 19, 2014 20:53:18 GMT
Mr Turner
A film that's been getting really good reviews. I enjoyed it, but overall thought it a bit disappointing. No expert, but I like Turner and had read biographic bits and pieces long before seeing the film. I am sure Mike Leigh did his homework, but as biopic (if that was the intention) I thought it was pretty thin-and inaccurate/distorted in places. E.g. Slave Ship was Turner-an unlikely working class pet of the establishment-biting the hand that fed. That doesn't come across in the film at all-surprising for Mike Leigh. Looks nice in a Sky Arts kind of way.
The Vanishing
The original 1988 Dutch version (I think there was a 1992 Hollywood remake, but haven't seen it). Intriguing, slow paced, steady build-no moments of high drama-mystery with a really creepy and disturbing climax. Well worth seeing.
Probably doesn't warranted a separate thread, but after reading about Angelina Jolie's 'ay up mi duck' today, I watched the longer version. Nice to see Jack O'Connell paying his dues to Shane (and others who have helped him along the way) at around 4.30-5 minutes:
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Post by Bill Edwards on Dec 8, 2014 13:33:36 GMT
LeviathanA treat for any Shane Meadows fans. It's taken me a while to realise that after seeing it. A pitiless and cruel satire on Russian corruption and on life in general. One key thing is it's got plenty of humour. Often dark and grim but occasionally broad and near to slapstick at times. Remind you of anyone? The more I think about Leviathan the more it feels like a distant cousin to DMS in it's mix of grim horror, although in this film's case it was psychological rather than bloody, and human everyday comedy. And the crucial similarity is that it was beautifully shot. Check it out.
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Post by jill on Dec 10, 2014 12:29:40 GMT
LeviathanA treat for any Shane Meadows fans. It's taken me a while to realise that after seeing it. A pitiless and cruel satire on Russian corruption and on life in general. One key thing is it's got plenty of humour. Often dark and grim but occasionally broad and near to slapstick at times. Remind you of anyone? The more I think about Leviathan the more it feels like a distant cousin to DMS in it's mix of grim horror, although in this film's case it was psychological rather than bloody, and human everyday comedy. And the crucial similarity is that it was beautifully shot. Check it out. I was pretty tired when I watched this, so the view was interrupted by micro-sleeps. The more I thought about it afterwards, the more I really liked it. The Russians are still making great cinema- this was especially brave in the pointed criticism of Putin and Putin's Russia. Bleak social realism with deeply spiritual undertones.
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Post by cliftonestate on Dec 15, 2014 16:37:39 GMT
Just watched Mum & Dad again cheap budget horror but still superb
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Post by GR on Dec 29, 2014 23:29:25 GMT
Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me -- fairly straightforward portrait of the early-to-mid-'70s power pop band whose exuberant yet sweetly melancholic sound couldn't have been more out of step with the mostly heavy rock landscape, and who furthermore were beset with botched distribution and label woes. The doc also looks at the Memphis scene from which these guys emerged, and the influence they ultimately had on a generation of college/alternative rockers (including REM, the Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, the Flaming Lips, Matthew Sweet, and others) throughout the '80s and '90s.
Submarine -- droll coming-of-age dramedy. Noah Taylor, Sally Hawkins and Paddy Considine are fine in supporting roles, but Craig Roberts is oddly adorable as hyper-verbal 15-year-old Oliver Tate, who plots to save his parents' marriage while navigating his relationship with Jordana (Yasmin Paige), a bully/pyromaniac.
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Post by GR on Jan 13, 2015 22:48:34 GMT
The Grand Budapest Hotel -- recorded during this past weekend's HBO preview, and watched last night. A little slow-going at first, especially with the story-within-the-story-within-the-story setup; but the escalating absurdity of the main plot (involving a dead mistress, a contested will, a stolen painting, a prison break, a string of murders, and more) is nicely grounded by the deepening friendship and loyalty between hotel concierge Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) and his lobby boy Zero (Tony Revolori). Charming and sweet.
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Post by looper007 on Feb 17, 2015 9:18:04 GMT
Been using my Cineworld card to death the last few weeks, and caught up with some great movies.
Patricks Day, a Irish film that's been getting some great reviews with most praise going to Moe Dunford amazing performance as Patrick (he won a award at the recent Berlin film Festival for his performance). The basic plot Patrick is a warm, open, twenty-six year old virgin schizophrenic. Pills and his mother's protection means Patrick is no threat to himself or others. Until he falls in love. Maura is Patrick's obsessive mother and her need to control her son blinds her to the reality that sometimes the only thing more damaging than hate is misguided love. Soon to be redundant, alcoholic air-hostess, Karen, books into an hotel to end her life unaware that the intimacy she shares with Patrick will reintroduce her to living. Dysfunctional loner cop, Freeman, wants to be a stand-up comic, but, when Maura loses her son, Freeman will use his position to help her find him, for a price. A provocative love story about the right to intimacy for everyone Patrick's Day suggests, when it comes to love, we're all a little crazy. The film really is at its best when Dunford is on screen (it really is an amazing performance especially in the last third when things take a darker turn). Kerry Fox (of Shallow Grave fame) is very good as his Mother. The Soundtrack by Damien Dempsey (Paddy Considine used one of his songs in Tyrannosaur). It's not a classic but its one of the best Irish films in years. 9/10
Also saw
Whiplash ( a classic film that's going to be hard to surpass as my film of 2015 already)10/10 Kingsman (a really fun and great action film with great performances) 9/10
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Post by looper007 on Feb 17, 2015 9:23:20 GMT
Submarine -- droll coming-of-age dramedy. Noah Taylor, Sally Hawkins and Paddy Considine are fine in supporting roles, but Craig Roberts is oddly adorable as hyper-verbal 15-year-old Oliver Tate, who plots to save his parents' marriage while navigating his relationship with Jordana (Yasmin Paige), a bully/pyromaniac. I liked Submarine, a little too in love with Wes Anderson, Hal Ashby and Francois Truffaut films but Roberts, Taylor and Considine and the brilliant Alex Turner soundtrack make it worth watching. What did you think of Richard Ayoade's next film The Double? I think it's sadly overlooked since its release, has Jesse Eisenberg's best performance. It's probably a little too bleak for some (the trailer for the film did it no favours, selling it as a laugh out comedy) and at times its a little too smart for its own good. But its a strong film.
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Post by GR on Feb 17, 2015 22:48:45 GMT
Submarine -- droll coming-of-age dramedy. Noah Taylor, Sally Hawkins and Paddy Considine are fine in supporting roles, but Craig Roberts is oddly adorable as hyper-verbal 15-year-old Oliver Tate, who plots to save his parents' marriage while navigating his relationship with Jordana (Yasmin Paige), a bully/pyromaniac. I liked Submarine, a little too in love with Wes Anderson, Hal Ashby and Francois Truffaut films but Roberts, Taylor and Considine and the brilliant Alex Turner soundtrack make it worth watching. What did you think of Richard Ayoade's next film The Double? I think it's sadly overlooked since its release, has Jesse Eisenberg's best performance. It's probably a little too bleak for some (the trailer for the film did it no favours, selling it as a laugh out comedy) and at times its a little too smart for its own good. But its a strong film. Haven't had a chance to see it, unfortunately. I'll keep an eye out for it, though...
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Post by Dazza on Feb 18, 2015 9:08:22 GMT
I've had a bit of an Arnie Session, I watched Sabotage which I thought was pretty good followed by The Last Stand which was a bit of fun. I have to say the new Arnie stuff is a bit different to the big flex the guns stuff of the past. Its good to see him do things a little differently these days given his age. Even his fighting style was different to suit an older guy.
I watched a British film called The Wee Man with Martin Compston about the life of Glasgow gangster Paul Ferris, not bad but not Compston's best film.
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Post by looper007 on Feb 19, 2015 10:01:27 GMT
I've had a bit of an Arnie Session, I watched Sabotage which I thought was pretty good followed by The Last Stand which was a bit of fun. I have to say the new Arnie stuff is a bit different to the big flex the guns stuff of the past. Its good to see him do things a little differently these days given his age. Even his fighting style was different to suit an older guy. I watched a British film called The Wee Man with Martin Compston about the life of Glasgow gangster Paul Ferris, not bad but not Compston's best film. Sabotage seemed to get a bit of a kicking from the critics and may of his fans, but I enjoyed it for what it was. Not Directors David Ayer greatest film (check out End of Watch and the massively underrated Brad Pitt war film Fury). I think Last Stand is his best film since his comeback, an enjoyable action film and he plays his age. Saw Raw Deal the other night, a underrated but silly action thriller, Arnie undercover in the Italian mob (only in films would you get away with it), but it's worth it for that scene when Arnie blows away a few gangsters with the Stones Satisfaction playing on the soundtrack. Martin Compston best film is still his debut film, Sweet Sixteen by Ken Loach (still his most underrated film to date). What a amazing performance from Compston. He's never come close since to topping it but he's done some interesting work in the underrated The Disappearance of Alice Creed, Filth, Red Road and the Damned Untied. He's one of those working actors that does good with what he's given.
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Post by Dazza on Feb 20, 2015 10:28:05 GMT
Looper Couldn't agree more about the Martin Compston comments. The disappearance of Alice Creed I thought was brilliant considering its basically three characters and a single location most of the film. I always think you need clever writers and directors and good acting to pull off single location stuff. Must watch Sweet Sixteen again (its in my Netflix to watch list)
Thanks for the heads up about Raw Deal, had not heard of it but will keep my eyes open for it.
Watched Jack Reacher yesterday, was ok but wouldn't watch it again. The best thing about it was Werner Herzog, wow he is really good as a villain, he didn't even have to raise his voice to convey such menace. I'd love to see Werner as a villain in a more meatier role and better film.
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Post by looper007 on Mar 13, 2015 2:01:00 GMT
Just been going through a Hong Kong film buzz right now
Jackie Chan's Police Story, Jackie's first foray into modern day action after years of making period Kung Fu films. A action cop film, with some of the best stunts and action you are likely to see ever. It's up there with Die Hard and Predator as the best action films of the 80's. The opening 20 minutes and last 15 minutes are just mind blowing. Jackie's the best hero in cinema for me, you can't help but root for him.
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Post by GR on Apr 12, 2015 21:23:46 GMT
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief -- watched during a free HBO preview this weekend.
Based on a book by journalist Lawrence Wright, Alex Gibney's doc similarly begins as a fairly straightforward look at the church's history and founder L. Ron Hubbard before delving into some pretty dark and twisted places, relying heavily on testimony by several former members (including actor Jason Beghe and filmmaker Paul Haggis). Besides horror stories about church leadership misconduct and abuse of members, one thing that really got me was how members aren't even allowed access to the church's sacred texts (including basic creation myth) until they've been in it for several years and paid thousands and thousands of dollars into it.
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Post by jill on May 19, 2015 20:42:51 GMT
Really should mention A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
Best film I've seen this year (although haven't seen many to tell the truth). US-Iranian director and filmed in California, so more of a hybrid/diaspora film that Iranian film. Strange mixture of genres as well-part horror, part-Western, part fairy tale, part romance and maybe part social commentary, parodying the 'danger' of women alone in Iranian/Muslim/and other cultures? Based on the writer/director's graphic novel, a visually arresting and very stylish work. No real coherent narrative and better for that. Liked it a lot.
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