What have you watched recently: Electric Boogaloo

Myrddin

e_e wrote: »

You know you're in trouble when a piece of text at the beginning is the funniest thing in the movie.

It was awful, godawful actually. Conceived & written to directly give Americans a pc-skirting chuckle. Eugh.

Judgement Day

"In America" (2002) on RTE last night. Strange but I quite enjoyed it. Thought that the kids stole the show. 7/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK4sLTF0MPA

johnny_ultimate

Lovers on the Bridge - an extravagant, unusual and hypnotic romance from Leos Carax. A film with a fascinating production background (at the time the most expensive movie ever produced in France) but the film itself is equally worthy of note. Two homeless people - a firebreather (Denis Lavant) and portrait artist (Juliette Binoche) - experience a strange, intense love affair. The film predominantly takes place on Paris' Pont-Neuf bridge, but there are still plenty of stylistically ambitious and perhaps fantastical excursions. The film is worth watching for a literally breathtaking midpoint recreation of Bastille day - in a film full of beautiful pyrotechnics and scrumptious cinematography, that particular five-ten minute sequence is one of the most gloriously OTT, romantic I've ever seen in cinema. The narrative that surrounds it is mostly enthralling, although with a few rough edges. Still, this is compelling cinema, and the kind of romantic tale only able to be fully realised through cinema. And many millions of francs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf7_JChVnAQ

Kill List


7/10

I need to watch it again though.

splashthecash

Prometheus - wasn't sure what to expect of this after the general negative reviews it received. I really enjoyed it, didn't have the suspence of Alien but gave additional information to the overall story while keeping in line with the extra terrestrial element.

Inside Man - I love these kinds of movies....an intricate plot that is played out before and gives satisfying ending. Great cast, good story - excellent way to spend 2 hours.

Bubba Ho-Tep - The plot is ridiculous when you read it first...Elvis is not dead, in fact he is living in a nursing home and is battling an anceint Egyptian mummy...great film, and Bruce Campbell as Elvis is brilliant

FortuneChip

splashthecash wrote: »

Inside Man - I love these kinds of movies....an intricate plot that is played out before and gives satisfying ending. Great cast, good story - excellent way to spend 2 hours.

Bubba Ho-Tep - The plot is ridiculous when you read it first...Elvis is not dead, in fact he is living in a nursing home and is battling an anceint Egyptian mummy...great film, and Bruce Campbell as Elvis is brilliant

Bubba Ho-Tep is excellent. "He looked like, like, like some kind of Bubba Ho-Tep" - Nobody says stuff like that!

Watched Inside Man recently as well. Really enjoyed it. When given the right role, Clive Owen can be brilliant.

Watched Moonrise Kingdom there recently. It's very much a Wes Anderson movie from start to finish, great soundtrack.
Usually quirky performances from Frances McDormand & Bill Murray. Strange role for Bruce Willis, but Anderson has a habit of making any actor & actress a Wes Anderson actor/actress.
The kids are brilliant though, pulling off that sort of humour that I wouldn't even have found funny when I was their age is a skill.
And some of the quotes from the "hunting party" are excellent.
"Why are you my enemy?"
"Because your girlfriend stabbed me with a lefty scissors"
"She's my wife"

johnny_ultimate

Isn't Anyone Alive? - peculiar, ironic and playful anti-genre exercise from Gakuryu Ishii. A cast of loosely connected characters on a university campus are going about their business when some sort of apocalyptic event starts that causes everyone to randomly drop dead. Those looking for drama or explanations are in the wrong place. Instead, after establishing the characters in a lengthy first act there's more than an hour of absurd and very occasionally poignant death scenes. Very funny at times, very repetitive at others, its a mixed bag of a film no doubt. But something about its strange, knowingly silly tone was endearing, and I mostly enjoyed my time with it. The acting is excellent - performances ranging from pantomime to effectively naturalistic - and there's a nicely realised ending. It will be too pointless and disposable for many, but engaging for others.

Raoul

Watched Synechdoche New York. My god, I didn't like it at all. Purposely incoherent and a colossal mess but that just did not work for me as I was left thinking I have no idea whats going on and its incoherent, ha. The themes of the movie is death, life, sickness, depression, striving for artistic glory, etc... But just too self indulgent. I think the original release was 3 hours long and got booed off at Cannes.

The release I watched was 2 hours long and to be honest, I started playing with my phone and going on the net cos I was so bored.

I had watched this as I read it was like Memento as in mind bending/f*cking. What an awful comparison. I am sure some people will like it. But I think it is along the lines of The Grey and Cabin in the Woods which in my opinion aren't great movies but people make them seem as if they are some masterpiece as metaphors for something else.

Rant over. I also seen Dredd, thoroughly enjoyed it, great action flick, great 3d effects, and the slow mo scenes were really good.

johnny_ultimate

Raoul wrote: »

I had watched this as I read it was like Memento as in mind bending/f*cking. What an awful comparison. I am sure some people will like it. But I think it is along the lines of The Grey and Cabin in the Woods which in my opinion aren't great movies but people make them seem as if they are some masterpiece as metaphors for something else.

Whatever about not liking the film (and while I'm a big fan of Synecdoche, I can easily see why people wouldn't like it) the three films you cited all do have depth beyond the surface level narrative, to varying degrees. That doesn't instantly make them masterpieces, but it does warrant discussion of their themes and metaphorical readings - even if you don't like them, I find it hard to see how anyone could deny their true intentions are hidden a bit deeper than most.

As for the Memento comparison, yes that is awful: because Synecdoche was ten times the mind**** the relatively straightforward Memento ever was :P

Raoul

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Whatever about not liking the film (and while I'm a big fan of Synecdoche, I can easily see why people wouldn't like it) the three films you cited all do have depth beyond the surface level narrative, to varying degrees. That doesn't instantly make them masterpieces, but it does warrant discussion of their themes and metaphorical readings - even if you don't like them, I find it hard to see how anyone could deny their true intentions are hidden a bit deeper than most.

As for the Memento comparison, yes that is awful: because Synecdoche was ten times the mind**** the relatively straightforward Memento ever was :P

My rant was obviously hyperbole (I know the others aren't masterpieces, and in fact I enjoyed the Grey but didn't take it at anything more than surface level), just annoyed that I spent 2 hours watching it and left feeling totally unsatisfied. I just feel it is totally incoherent for the point of being incoherent. I found it so truly awful that I am finding it hard to find anything to reinforce my argument.

johnny_ultimate

I rewatched Primer there in preparation for more time traveling shenanigans with Looper. This second viewing was a little bit easier to follow, and the mandatory wikipedia and diagram study afterwards has cleared some things up. But its still one of the most challenging, intensely complicated science-fiction films I've ever seen, and the last twenty minutes are inspired in their disregard for easy answers (confusing as hell, but inspired nonetheless!). Tonnes of memorable moments (a few spine-tingling scenes when the repercussions of the device become terrifyingly clear), and Carruth manages to make the audience feel and experience the same rush, puzzlement and emotions as his characters.

Raoul wrote: »

My rant was obviously hyperbole (I know the others aren't masterpieces, and in fact I enjoyed the Grey but didn't take it at anything more than surface level), just annoyed that I spent 2 hours watching it and left feeling totally unsatisfied. I just feel it is totally incoherent for the point of being incoherent. I found it so truly awful that I am finding it hard to find anything to reinforce my argument.

Well there is the strong argument that the film is about a man struggling to find coherence in life and art, and the fractured, complex narrative is very much a purposeful reflection of that . Again, its one of those rare films whose divisive reputation is almost deserved, but for the most part I think the film is a beautiful, surreal look at the struggles of life and creativity, although am not at all surprised its taken Kaufman so long to follow it up. The film is almost too grand in its all-encompassing scope!

Banjaxed82

Edz87 wrote: »

Kill List


7/10

I need to watch it again though.

You should have seen it in the cinema.

I saw it in a near empty cinema. One of the most uncomfortable movies I've sat through in recent memory. The oppressive atmosphere created seeps right into you. Great stuff.

briany

splashthecash wrote: »

Bubba Ho-Tep - The plot is ridiculous when you read it first...Elvis is not dead, in fact he is living in a nursing home and is battling an anceint Egyptian mummy...great film, and Bruce Campbell as Elvis is brilliant

I think when I sat down to watch that film, I was expecting a laugh out loud b-movie type but it's weird because there's chuckles, yeah, but it's deeper than any film called Bubba Ho Tep should be. Best thing about that film, for me, is the music which is electric in parts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTr3SQtMoRE

Mickeroo

Watched Sleeping Beauty. A thoroughly dull affair about a girl who decides to allow herself to be drugged to sleep so old men can mess around with her to pay her way through college or something. Its an incredibly seedy, expoitative movie that tries to pass itself off as something meaningful. The main protaganist is a very uninteresting character who we never learn enough about to understand or even care why she does what she does. Not even a naked Emily Browning makes this worth watching which is saying a lot!

Seedy Arling

Watched the Changeling recently. It's a great old time haunted house horror. Very atmospheric and the camera work in it is amazing.

There's also a fantastic story line in it. 8/10

krudler

Premium Rush- I thought Looper was out today but wasnt so saw this instead, I liked it, breezy enough 90 odd mins, nothing majorly engaging but was an entertaining bit of fluff. Some cool camerawork during the bike scenes as well.

mrmorgan

Killing them softly

I thought this was a fairly pointless film really. Very dragged out and not very entertaining

The house at the end of the street

Someone was on here recently saying he heard there was a twist and there wasn't. Dunno what he was watching

The only think good bout it was Jen Lawrence!

B.A._Baracus

EnterNow wrote: »

The Dictator

Well, the first twenty five minutes of it...before turning it off

Pretty much same as myself.
Watched around 30 minutes. Decided to go sleep. Never finished it off. Don't think I ever will.

Its just not funny.

Optimalprimerib

Just watched batman: the dark night returns. An animated movie about 10 times better than any of the Nolan films.

The Recliner

Watched Cold Weather based on some high praise in here

Didn't think much of it, have seen much better more interesting indy movies

jaykhunter

Just finished The Prestige (2006). A really enjoyable Christopher Nolan film. An intriguing premise - two brilliant magicians (Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale) in the early 1900s play a deadly game of one-upsmanship, to the bookends of Bale being tried for Jackman's murder.

Your enjoyment of the film depends on whether you'd consider the numerous twists & turns to be very intricate, or just a bit convoluted. Either way, the film is quite smart, with various themes running through it - sacrifice, dedication/obsession, jealousy/inadequacy. I thought they did an excellent job weighing us (the audience) as privy to backstage, and also sometimes as the audience in the film. An interesting parallel of

Edison and Tesla

's rivalry/recognition is deftly laced in the film.

The Nolan brothers wrote the screenplay as Christopher directed it, the wonderful cinematography by his right-hand man, Wally Pfister.

Overall I was thoroughly satisfied watching the film, even if Michael Caine's monologues do feel slightly heavy-handed sometimes. Tons of people you'll recognise and the pace and story always keeps you interested. Definitely recommended.

hefferboi

mrmorgan wrote: »

The house at the end of the street

Someone was on here recently saying he heard there was a twist and there wasn't. Dunno what he was watching

The only think good bout it was Jen Lawrence!

That was me. There was a twist but I heard it was meant to be a good twist. The best thing about it was the trailer for Sinister at the start.

Bassboxxx

Looper

Meh....I love the whole

time travel

thing, and loads could have been done with it, but I felt of everything they could have done with it they picked probably the most obvious ending.

Slowed down seriously in the middle too.

johnny_ultimate

Remains of the Day - had read this book a few months ago and was meaning to get around to the adaptation since. It's a pretty straightforward take on the book (which, like any Kazuo Ishigiro work I've come across, is distinguished and impeccably written in the way literary critics go hyperbolically nuts over), with a few structural and chronological changes mostly. The storyline - concerning a butler and housekeepers unrequited infatuation - is largely intact, minus some subtleties. It looks nice, although as would be expected from a Merchant Ivory production, in a very clean and proper sort of way. Didn't care for the score at all. What does make it worth watching though are superb performances from Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins. They're livelier, more complex characters than I oftentimes read them as on the page, and the two have terrific chemistry. A solid take on a solid book, significantly bettered by its casting.

briany

The Recliner wrote: »

Watched Cold Weather based on some high praise in here

Didn't think much of it, have seen much better more interesting indy movies

I think Cold Weather is the kind of film that's better enjoyed if you come across it, maybe late at night, not having heard of it because it is a pretty low key type of film. I enjoyed it but then I usually do enjoy the relatively uneventful slice of life ones.

D'Agger

Optimalprimerib wrote: »

Just watched batman: the dark night returns. An animated movie about 10 times better than any of the Nolan films.

Have this at home and will look to watch it this week - looked good from the trailer.

Finally got around to watching Tron: Legacy yesterday - loved it.

Thought it was brilliant visually, the score was very good and overall was a very enjoyable watch.

zombiepaw

Watched Rocky 1 to 6 on Saturday 29th, as it was rocky day (35th anniversary of rocky release date). Excellent movies and an excellent day.

the_monkey

Finally saw 2001: A space Odyssey http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/

Really enjoyed it, I loved the "Realism" of the silent space motion, the long
drawn out sequences of controling the ship etc.

But I can't help feeling its a film that people say is amazing cos they feel they should - the ending ---

with the baby ?? I mean wtf ??

But this is a small gripe with me , I have read the explanations and feel they are satisfactory enough ... but still a bit too
"out there" for me ...

Optimalprimerib

Optimalprimerib wrote: »

Just watched batman: the dark night returns. An animated movie about 10 times better than any of the Nolan films.

I wouldnt go that far, but there are parts where the animated version surpassed the live action.

Superb.

Also check out Batman: Under the Red Hood, it is the prequel to this and is just as good.

Neil McCauleys Cooler Brother

Delved into the Universal Monsters blu-ray collection. I have to say, I really think that Tod Browning's "Dracula", which always gets a bad press, is a damn fine moody horror film with some really magnificent sequences. So, next to Romero's "Martin", it remains my favourite vampire flick. "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein" are still great, but I've switched my allegiance to the first film as the better of the two. Slightly downhill with "The Mummy" and "The Wolf Man", but each one offers up immense pleasures for the horror fan. I'll watch the rest during the week. Oh - the transfers are flawless.