What have you watched recently?

That_Guy

Cowboys and Aliens:

I thought it was ok. Nothing special though. I enjoyed it up to the bit when the Indian's were introduced. After that it got quite crap.

mikemac1

Fail Safe: Great cast and to do with nucleur war between Russia and USA. Interesting, worth watching but I found something better

By Dawns Early Light
HBO so I expect excellence and it delivers. It's a made for TV film about the same topic but far superior and great quotes

mike65

Which Fail Safe was it? the 1964 film or the TV remake?

airbus125

A lonely place to die

tok9

Watched 3 movies over the Christmas Holidays

Senna - This was a rewatch and is possibly my favourite movie of the year. Highly recommend

Alien - First time I've actually watched the movie properly and I really enjoyed it. It's slow, atmospheric and looks absolutely fantastic for a movie made 30 years ago. Must watch Aliens next.

Up in the Air - Just after watching this and I thought it was really good. Just a good drama (some humour) and really well acted imo.

mikemac1

mike65 wrote: »

Which Fail Safe was it? the 1964 film or the TV remake?

Recent one, George Clooney was in it

johnny_ultimate

Big Man Japan - huh. Odd stuff. A mockumentary about an unpopular giant Japanese superhero who fights monsters. The mockumentary part is weak bar a few funny bits, but the film is worth watching for a variety of utterly bizarre fight scenes featuring the most eccentric monster design I've ever seen in anything, ever. Rendered in cheap and creepy CGI for the most part, the final satirical battle scene is almost worth the general unevenness of the film as a whole. Good isn't necessarily the word, but unique it definitely is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKfOwwmpw80

krudler

tim_holsters wrote: »

Brilliant movie, really should have a higher profile than it has.

One that maybe needs to be watched at least 2-3 times to fully appreciate it.

agree, I've watched it a few times and it still makes my brain hurt.

misty floyd

In Betweeners
5/10 for me. Jokes just didn't work for me and I enjoy the tv series. Don't bother.

Tree of Life
9/10 for me. I really enjoyed it, especially the first hour. I can see why people didn't like it but it blew me away.

Warrior
8.5/10 for me. Some cheese but that's being very picky and I think it's very hard to make that type of movie without it. Really enjoyed the acting (esp nolte) and the fight scenes were excellent.

The man who would be king
8/10. Took my mind off a hangover and I really enjoyed it.

Also covered lots of 'The Wire' and some 'West Wing'. Glad to say I didn't watch much crap over xmas.

mike65

mikemac1 wrote: »

Recent one, George Clooney was in it

Ah, that explains, if you get the chance try to see the Sidney Lumet/Henry Fonda original.

Limerick Dude

12 Angry Men

10/10

One of my favourite films ever, just brilliant.

Tipsy McSwagger

Incindies - good film with an amazing twist.

johnny_ultimate

Mysteries of Lisbon - an epic saga of bourgeois scandal, coincidence, rumour, drama, romance, murder, identity and religion. 270+ minutes is an awfully long time for a film, and the episodic nature of the film means not every 'mystery' (of which there are many) are as compelling as the last. But overall a brave visual delivery and a generally compelling 'join the dots' drama means it is well worth a watch, even when the increasingly labyrinthine game of six-degrees-of-separation punishes the potential snoozers

Sad Professor

270 minutes... I think I'll wait for the DVD.

johnny_ultimate

Apparently there's a six hour TV version too, but the director (who died after finishing it) preferred the cinema cut. Definitely reminded me of Fanny & Alexander in that regard, as well as the general scale and presentation.

But yeah, even with an intermission it's a long haul.

OldeCinemaSoz

babysitter wanted

a film of two halves...the second one will either bring an OMG or a GUFFAW BEHIND THE HANDS at the revelation... 4/10

the beguiled

as usual the eastwood tries something new. gothic, left of centre and completely fascinating. 9/10

crazygeryy

Point blank (2010)
French movie.an absolutely cracking french movie.some might say its been done before but all the same its very good and well worth the watch.

Basq

Kill List - flashes of brilliance and superb performances let down by a bizarre and slightly predictable ending. Definitely worth a watch for the two central performances - Michael "Tyres From Spaced" Smiley is excellent particularly!

Contagion - entertaining although surely the most mindless fluff Steven Soderbergh has ever committed to film (OK.. "Ocean's 12" probably gets that acclaim). Can't help but feel a tad paranoid about germs after it.. but then we know it did it's job well.

Patsy fyre

Seen a few films over the Crimbo.

American Gangster: Classic gangster film with Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. Takes a while to get going but a very good film 8.5/10

Public Enemies: A film I had not heard of before I watched it but was plesently surprised by how good it was. Like American Gangster this is also based on a true story. Johnny Depp plays a notorious bank robber on the run from the authorities led by Christian Bale. At 2 hours and 20 minutes it drags a little at times but finishes strongly. 8/10

The Heartbreak Kid: Typically hilarious stuff from Ben Stiller. Similar comedy to "theres something about Mary". The storyline does have some flaws but as a comedy is very good. 7/10

Giruilla

Also re-watched American Gangster over Christmas. For some reason I wasn't mad about it the first time, but on second viewing its an absolute knockout of a film I think. Its just let down slightly by a weak opening and ending I feel.

French Connection II. Has one of the best endings to a film I've ever seen, and Gene Hackmans performance is unreal. The scenes with him drinking in the cafe and walking around marseille are so cool.

Paddy Samurai

Great stuff,Liked this film big time.Great twist on the Hillbilly/college kids murder spree in the woods.
Lots of LOL moments.Not to be missed.

http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?DVDID=118851

Mickeroo

Paddy Samurai wrote: »

Great stuff,Liked this film big time.Great twist on the Hillbilly/college kids murder spree in the woods.
Lots of LOL moments.Not to be missed.

http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?DVDID=118851

Probably the funniest film I saw last year.

krudler

Giruilla wrote: »

Also re-watched American Gangster over Christmas. For some reason I wasn't mad about it the first time, but on second viewing its an absolute knockout of a film I think. Its just let down slightly by a weak opening and ending I feel.

.

I like American Gangster, great cast, cool setting, Denzel just plays Denzel as usual but he has the charisma to pull it off, forgot Idris Elba had a small role in it as well.

McGrath5

True Grit 8/10 Really enjoyed the later version of this story. Jeff Bridges gives another sterling performance. Well recommended.

The taking of Pelham 123 4/10 Another John Travolta flop, hopeless stuff.

Trans Siberian 6/10 I quite liked this film, okay Ben Kingsley does have a dodgy Russian accent and Woody Harrelson plays the generic American tourist part well, but it took my mind of the new year's day hangover.

Harry the Red

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: 9.5/10
I watch it at least once a year (not exaggerating). It still never bores me which is something I've never experienced with ANY other movie

psychward

Harry the Red wrote: »

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: 9.5/10
I watch it at least once a year (not exaggerating). It still never bores me which is something I've never experienced with ANY other movie

I love that movie.

bnt

Two films in last couple of days:

Only Yesterday: anime from Studio Ghibli, about a young Tokyo woman trying to decide what to do with her life. So she spends the summer on a farm in the country, while reliving memories from when she was 10 years old in the 60s. Originally released in Japan in 1991, everywhere else about five years ago. Doesn't sound like much, but the way the story is told and animated really makes it work. The attention to detail is stunning, and the ending is quite emotional in its simplicity.

Citizen Ruth: bittersweet comedy about a young woman who becomes a pawn in the "abortion wars" in the USA, starring Laura Dern. An early film by Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways, About Schmidt), who's having a little season at the IFI in the run-up to his new film The Descendants. One of my favourite actresses and one of my favourite directors - why had I never heard of this one before?

Laura's character is a mess - we first meet her getting kicked out by an abusive boyfriend, her brother won't let her see the two of her four children who aren't in foster homes, and she gets arrested after passing out behind the same hardware store from which she bought the paint she was huffing. Then she finds out she's pregnant again, meets some radical anti-abortionists in prison, and all hell breaks loose. Some mad pro-choicers get involved too: it's a balanced approach to the issues, if by "balanced" we mean "both sides are equally freaking nuts". :pac:

craftypaddy

kill list
hmm what a strange film, had all the makings of a good film but got lost, the ending was strange and poor too

inbetweeners
over hyped rubbish not a bit like the series

your highness
a few funny scenes in it not a bad film

tunguska

The Ice storm

Its been a fair while since I last saw this(could even have been when I saw it in the cinema)but what a film. The acting is supreme, the atmosphere haunting, ditto for the photography and music. Heartbreaking ending. 1995 which I know in the grand scheme of things is pretty much last week, but I've seen a few films lately from the 90s and they already look dated. The ice storm however, looks like it was made only yesterday. Bit of a masterpiece in my opinion.

johnny_ultimate

bnt wrote: »

Two films in last couple of days:

Only Yesterday: anime from Studio Ghibli, about a young Tokyo woman trying to decide what to do with her life. So she spends the summer on a farm in the country, while reliving memories from when she was 10 years old in the 60s. Originally released in Japan in 1991, everywhere else about five years ago. Doesn't sound like much, but the way the story is told and animated really makes it work. The attention to detail is stunning, and the ending is quite emotional in its simplicity.

Citizen Ruth: bittersweet comedy about a young woman who becomes a pawn in the "abortion wars" in the USA, starring Laura Dern. An early film by Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways, About Schmidt), who's having a little season at the IFI in the run-up to his new film The Descendants. One of my favourite actresses and one of my favourite directors - why had I never heard of this one before?

Laura's character is a mess - we first meet her getting kicked out by an abusive boyfriend, her brother won't let her see the two of her four children who aren't in foster homes, and she gets arrested after passing out behind the same hardware store from which she bought the paint she was huffing. Then she finds out she's pregnant again, meets some radical anti-abortionists in prison, and all hell breaks loose. Some mad pro-choicers get involved too: it's a balanced approach to the issues, if by "balanced" we mean "both sides are equally freaking nuts". :pac:

Only Yesterday is a gem. Check out Ocean Waves and Whisper of the Heart if you haven't already - similarly understated and underrated Ghibli delights.

I really wanted to get to Citizen Ruth but couldn't stand a stormy trip to town for the third day in a row. Oh well, I'll try to track it down digitally.