What have you watched recently?

The Mad Hatter

Sad Professor wrote: »

I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think I've seen any of his post-Touch of Evil films. Definitely going to get around to them at some point though.

I think it's only those two and F For Fake that he finished after Touch of Evil, and I haven't seen the last of them. I liked Touch of Evil, but in general I prefer his European work to his American.

Chimes at Midnight is an unusual and ambitious one - it's an amalgamation of three or four Shakespeare plays to focus on one recurring character (Falstaff) between them.

The Trial is an adaptation of the Kafka novel, and captures the atmosphere perfectly. Here's a taster:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqPeI7-eVgc

johnny_ultimate

F is for Fake is the only non-Kane Welles films I've gotten around too. As a feature length look at practical jokes that is itself a bit of a joke, it's good fun. Has a bit to say about the nature of cinema, but it's more enjoyable as a strange oddity from an eccentric director.

irishh_bob

network , 1st time i ever saw this movie , one of the best ive ever seen , well acted , funny , clever , visciously satirical but most of all , prophetic

Essien

La Haine - Really enjoyed this. Well shot, good acting, very believable. I loved the overall message of the movie and it wraps up well in the end imo.

Lebanon - Enjoyed this too, felt like I was right in there with them. (Watching it with headphones in a dark room helped :pac:). Was quite harsh and unforgiving, I suppose that was the whole point of it though, excellent movie.

Memento - Don't know what to make of it. Maybe I need to give it another spin but tbh I don't see what was so mind-blowing about this. It was good, and an interesting and unique dynamic if nothing else. It was well directed and Guy Pearce was excellent.

Dogtooth


It was quite....emmm...is weird even the right word!??

Get your hands on this one though, oddness aside, great film

Kess73

Watched Tron:Legacy last night.


It pretty much telegraphed everything, but was enjoyable enough, maybe moreso because I has low expectations.

I cannot remember how Jeff Bridges played Kevin Flynn in the first film, but I spent most of this film expecting Clu to shout "Lebowski, you bum" at him. It was like the Dude had made his way to the Grid, I was just waiting for Walter to show up.


Loved the soundtrack to it though. I thought that Daft Punk really did well, and their little cameo in the film was cool.

krudler

Kess73 wrote: »

Watched Tron:Legacy last night.


It pretty much telegraphed everything, but was enjoyable enough, maybe moreso because I has low expectations.

I cannot remember how Jeff Bridges played Kevin Flynn in the first film, but I spent most of this film expecting Clu to shout "Lebowski, you bum" at him. It was like the Dude had made his way to the Grid, I was just waiting for Walter to show up.


Loved the soundtrack to it though. I thought that Daft Punk really did well, and their little cameo in the film was cool.

The soundtrack made the movie for me, stunning stuff.

SarahBM

went to SCREAM 4 last night.

what can I say, it was your standard Wes Craven Scream flick really. very clichéd and predictable. no oscar nominees here.

but I enjoyed it for what it was.

Sad Professor

Irréversible

I regret that I let all the talk of violence put me off watching this for so long. It's a fantastic film. The second half is a complete contrast to the first. It's ironic that a lot of people probably walked out/turned off before the end though. I read an interview with Noé in which he suggests the second half erases the memory of the first. I'm not sure that's true, but it does put it all in context.

While I always liked Memento, I think this film uses the backward narrative device far more meaningful and effectively. The film is basically a depiction of entropy. Things fall apart, order declines into disorder, etc. But it's one helluva a journey.

johnny_ultimate

Sad Professor wrote: »

Irréversible

I regret that I let all the talk of violence put me off watching this for so long. It's a fantastic film. The second half is a complete contrast to the first. It's ironic that a lot of people probably walked out/turned off before the end though. I read an interview with Noé in which he suggests the second half erases the memory of the first. I'm not sure that's true, but it does put it all in context.

While I always liked Memento, I think this film uses the backward narrative device far more meaningful and effectively. The film is basically a depiction of entropy. Things fall apart, order declines into disorder, etc. But it's one helluva a journey.

I love the style of Irreversible - people ignore how ****ing amazingly its filmed in favour of, y'know, those two scenes. But shocking as it is, it's the descent into Le Rectum that makes it most memorable for me. However, I truly dislike part two. I get what he's doing, and it makes sense, and the way the style chills out is quite clever. But it all seems too cheesy and on-the-nose for me in terms of storytelling - every melodramatic twist is thrown out there by Noe. That's the point, but for me it made a far less engaging final act than the two that preceded it, which is one of the finest cinematic descents into hell.

Make sure Enter the Void is next on your list - every ludicrous indulgence and stylistic innovation of Irreversible turned up to eleven! The story is even more stupid, the atmosphere even grimmer and the whole experience more intense and disturbing. There ain't anything like it, Irreversible is merely a dry run.

kearneybobs

Watch Léon: The Professional the other night with the gf. Been ages since I had seen it last. Really good film. Some really awkward scenes in that film.
not too sure if it was my gf's sort of thing though.

Tony EH

Sad Professor wrote: »

Irréversible

I regret that I let all the talk of violence put me off watching this for so long. It's a fantastic film. The second half is a complete contrast to the first. It's ironic that a lot of people probably walked out/turned off before the end though. I read an interview with Noé in which he suggests the second half erases the memory of the first. I'm not sure that's true, but it does put it all in context.

While I always liked Memento, I think this film uses the backward narrative device far more meaningful and effectively. The film is basically a depiction of entropy. Things fall apart, order declines into disorder, etc. But it's one helluva a journey.

Watched it myself a few weeks ago. Can't say it was an enjoyable experience though, not that ALL films must be. But THAT scene in the middle third of the film was a bit much, even for me. It just went on too long.

All in all, it's a film I'd recommend. But, only to a few.

Sad Professor

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I love the style of Irreversible - people ignore how ****ing amazingly its filmed in favour of, y'know, those two scenes. But shocking as it is, it's the descent into Le Rectum that makes it most memorable for me. However, I truly dislike part two. I get what he's doing, and it makes sense, and the way the style chills out is quite clever. But it all seems too cheesy and on-the-nose for me in terms of storytelling - every melodramatic twist is thrown out there by Noe. That's the point, but for me it made a far less engaging final act than the two that preceded it, which is one of the finest cinematic descents into hell.

I disagree. While I appreciated the pure cinematic experience of the first half of the film, it's the second half that made me think. You can't have a descent into hell without showing what things were like before. I also feel that on-screen physical violence is potentially meaningless and exploitative without context. The second half of the film justifies the first half imo. The ending reminded me of the end of 2001 and other films which have what might be described as transcendent third acts. I thought Noé was getting at something really interesting about time and how we experience it. If you look at the film linearly,

it starts with a pregnant woman lying in a park while kids dance around in a circle nearby, and it ends with a guy in a gay sex club getting his face smashed in

. Order to chaos. But because of the non-linear structure, it appears to us as chaos to order.

Although this raises the question about whether the film is homophobic. I mean, Noé does seem to contrast the productive capacity of the woman (

who ends up getting raped and beaten

) with the violence and destructiveness of the men. However, even the heterosexual males in the film aren't portrayed positively - they are violent and revenge seeking - so I'd argue that the film is somewhat misandrous. Although if the film was linear, one might come away with the opposite impression: that it was misogynist. Bellucci's line about being a free agent and not being an object seems key as well, especially in light of what happens to her. But even her two male friends/potential suitors treat like her as an object. The seeds of the descent into chaos are planted in the beginning of the story (i.e. the end of the film).

Make sure Enter the Void is next on your list - every ludicrous indulgence and stylistic innovation of Irreversible turned up to eleven! The story is even more stupid, the atmosphere even grimmer and the whole experience more intense and disturbing. There ain't anything like it, Irreversible is merely a dry run.

Yeah, it's on my list. I meant to see it while it was on in the cinema but missed it.

marwelie

Saw Source Code today. Never mind the eight minutes Jake Gyllenhall repeatedly lives through, I want the two hours I wasted watching this rubbish back.

amiable

kearneybobs wrote: »

Watch Léon: The Professional the other night with the gf. Been ages since I had seen it last. Really good film. Some really awkward scenes in that film.
not too sure if it was my gf's sort of thing though.

I lived in France a few years back and i was told during my time there that the version we see is very mild

Sad Professor

amiable wrote: »

I lived in France a few years back and i was told during my time there that the version we see is very mild

Nah, the stuff in the director's cut is fairly tame. I think it actually clarifies their relationship by directly dealing with the sexual tension rather than leaving it as an undertone like in the original cut.

Afaik most version of the film now are the director's cut anyway.

amiable

Sad Professor wrote: »

Nah, the stuff in the director's cut is fairly tame. I think it actually clarifies their relationship by directly dealing with the sexual tension rather than leaving it as an undertone like in the original cut.

Afaik most version of the film now are the director's cut anyway.

Nothing to do with directors cut my friend.
AFAIK he did make a more sinister version

Sad Professor

amiable wrote: »

Nothing to do with directors cut my friend.
AFAIK he did make a more sinister version

He didn't. There was more explicit stuff in an earlier draft of the script but it was never shot. Besson re-wrote the film after Portman was cast and had to change a lot of things in order to satisfy her parents.

Hank Scorpio

The Pianist, very good movie

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0253474/

SarahBM

nuxxx wrote: »

The Pianist, very good movie

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0253474/

I thought the book was fantastic, but I dont think the film really captured the essence of the book. really didnt make a good job of it IMO

dr.bollocko

Recently watched atonement.
The cinematography in the

Dunkirk

scenes was spectacular. For everything else I'd give it a miss tbh.

Jumping randomly through time

isn't always endearing. And the musical score made my teeth hurt.

bnt

I finally got to see The Constant Gardener last night. I was expecting more, to be honest. The story was predictable and the characters unsympathetic - and I've lived in South Africa, so I don't have any romantic illusions about the continent.

Dilsheen

I watched inception for the first time Saturday night, It was very good but as it was first viewing i was a bit confused about a few points but im sure a few more viewings will clear things up, Christopher nolan done well here!

Voodu Child

Hobo with a Shotgun - Rubbish, worst movie i've seen in a long time.

Brest Fortress - Very good Russian war movie, recommended.

marwelie

Voodu Child wrote: »

Hobo with a Shotgun - Rubbish, worst movie i've seen in a long time.

Gets a mention here

http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/blog/article/161779/wackiest-movies-ever.html

Won't be cancelling anything to see it. Not sure I'll be rushing out to see any of the others listed either;)

howamidifferent

Appleblossom42 wrote: »

The Girl Next Door (2007)
Was recommended this, didn't bother looking it up online as presumed it was a Jennifer Aniston type movie. How wrong I was, this has to be one of the most disturbing movies I've seen in years. I'm not easily shocked I can easily watch gore, horror movies etc, I've become somewhat immune to them. This film however had me rigid & exhausted, the fact that it was based on a true story is what truly upset me. Found it very difficult to watch, at one stage near the end I was looking at it through my fingers and cried at the end. Truly shocking, left me pretty shook and angry I have to say.

Watched this last night. :eek:

Christ, I went to bed with my mind racing and never slept a wink afterwards.
Seriously disturbing film...Brilliant film but sick...:(

jaykhunter

Ah, I assume ye aren't referring to



Hmmmm! Might have a goosie so.

Paddy Samurai

The American with George clooney.Predicable ending but i liked the film.

Nude Nuns with Big Guns
What it says on the tin

Ninja Assassin seen it before on rental,got my copy for €3.99...well worth it,great fun.

La reine Margot Love this film big time.If you hav'nt seen it yet...treat yourself..............its top notch!.

La Reine Margot is a 1994 French period film directed by Patrice Chéreau, based on the 1845 historical novel of the same name by Alexandre Dumas, père. It stars Isabelle Adjani, Daniel Auteuil, Virna Lisi and Vincent Pérez. An abridged version of the film was released as Queen Margot in North America, and in the United Kingdom under its original French title.
.................................. It won the Jury Prize and Best Actress Award at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, as well as five César Awards.

Willbbz

Fun with Dick and Jane

Not Jim Carey's best

johnny_ultimate

The Last Picture Show in the IFI. Saw maybe the first act of this a good few years ago, and have been meaning to see the rest - always stuck in my mind as one of the main films discussed in Easy Riders, Raging Bulls. Stands the test of time extremely well. Far more bittersweet and nostalgic than your every day ho-hum coming of age story, really gets into the spirit and dynamics of rural small-town America. Surprisingly sexually explicit and mature for a film from 1971. Few modern American films anyway would be as unflinchingly honest as this, and all the characters are unique, surprising and fantastically performed. If I had a complaint it would be that it maybe stretches on in the third act, although there are very nice payoffs in there too.