What have you watched recently: Electric Boogaloo

Hande hoche!

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Frozen - familiar story, wafer-thin Caucasian princesses, musical numbers, wacky talking sidekicks. It's a Disney film for sure, but you know what? It's actually a lot of fun. Imaginatively crafted, and with just enough twists to the bog-standard formula to make the stories and characters engaging. Even the music is mostly effective! Could have done without the talking snowman, and it's impossible to fully kick that cynicism with all the nonsense about 'true love's kiss', but it's a finely tuned slice of family entertainment that does a reasonably good job in at least getting close to the standards of the Disney films you cherished before you became a joy-hating pessimist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3rRNlYOjSA

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

pans labyrinth

i remembered this wasn't exactly a childrens movie but i'd forgotten just how 'not exactly a childrens movie' it is. jesus.

charlie_says

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

pans labyrinth

i remembered this wasn't exactly a childrens movie but i'd forgotten just how 'not exactly a childrens movie' it is. jesus.

:pac:

Watched Oliver Stone's W. last night along with Computer Chess.

W. was decent enough, the lead John Brolin did an excellent job as George W. Bush ,he had of the mannerisms down. It was neither particularly anti W. or pro W. in my opinion which was refreshing as Stone isn't exactly a right winger by anyone's standards. His battling with the booze, although he did seem to drink the occasional beer as the president, and being a reborn Christian were interesting topics outside of the realms of politics. Also his relationship with his dad was handled well, especially the way that the family would have a meeting about war and argue about it in such a blasé way.

The neocons were batsh1t insane as expected, in particular Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney was brilliant. He looks uncannily like the man.

Standout scene was the decision to go to war in Iraq in the situation room. Great stuff, makes you wonder if that was how the big boys make up their minds?

Computer Chess was really top notch. Hilarious and surreal movie about a bunch of computer programmers facing off their custom chess machines against each other in a tournament, with the winner going on to challenge a chess master.

Set very believably in 80's and filmed in an endearing amateur budget black and white style, the odd group of nerds gather together in a crappy hotel for the tournament.

A great bunch of nerds, some atypical shy types, some outspoken nutters and some great older academic types occasionally bump into a group of alternative therapy swinging crackpots who have the meeting room booked in the morning before the start of the tournament. There is a strange unexplained infestation of cats in the hotel also which adds another level of oddness nicely. The bulk of the film focuses on the tournament and the social interactions of the characters over the course of the weekend. Two completely eccentric groups stuck together for a weekend in a motel leads to some very funny and unusual movie goodness.

Well worth checking out. Quality movie.

johnny_ultimate

Fireworks Wednesday - a belated DVD release for Asghar Farhadi's 2006 film, and like the Iranian director's subsequent films, it's an impeccably crafted slice of emotionally devastating storytelling. It takes what could be a fairly dull soap opera domestic strife storyline, and injects it with powerful insights, fascinating characters and subtle social contexts.

Shifting between multiple points of view - with cleaner Roohi played by Taraneh Alidoosti acting as something of a constant, caught up in a husband and wife's spiraling argument over suspected adultery - Farhadi once again shows absolute trust in the intelligence and capabilities of his viewer, slowly revealing information and allowing the audience to pick up on some of the deeper resonances of the tale without handholding (there's only a pair of music cues, for example - during the opening titles and, as in About Elly, at the very end). A silent character's expression is just as likely to deliver an emotional climax as some of the film's more explosive exchanges. It helps that, like About Elly and A Separation, it's a masterclass in acting, with Hedye Tehrani providing a particularly stand out performance.

The title refers to New Year's celebrations in Iran, with the film set over the course of one day. There are psychological and domestic metaphorical pyrotechnics a plenty, but the film's most effective scene is when the characters drive through streets as joyful Tehran locals let off fireworks to celebrate the coming of another year, further unsettling a no-longer blindly romantic Roohi. It's a pretty much perfect sequence that encapsulates the film's tone and themes in around two minutes, without a word being said.

Like Farhadi's next two films, it's also a wonderful, insightful look at Iranian society, and the normal people living in a country so regularly demonised. Farhadi is up there alongside Hirokazu Koreeda as the most compassionate of contemporary filmmakers, and Fireworks Wednesday is remarkable for its seemingly effortless naturalness and credibility. Hopefully The Past will be hitting our screens sooner rather than later - already been more than six months since Cannes!

krudler

King Kong, the extended version. Man watching this in HD does the bluescreen work absolutely no favours, that scene where Kong kills the last V-Rex and Anne is standing there, you can see all the blue lighting on her face and through her hair, its like she has a big blue aura all around her, never noticed it on the dvd release.
As a movie it has it's moments, the production design is superb, but jeeesus is it dragged out. It's an HOUR into the running time before they even get to the island, and an hour after that before the main big setpiece with Kong and the Rexes. So. much. padding.

It's something Jackson obviously learned nothing from when it comes to overbloating his movies with unecessary plots and characters that add zero to the film and are swiftly forgotten about once they back to New York in favour of more ape smashing. That being said though as a CGI creation Kong is magnificent and it does have some moving moments in it when it's not endless overblown dinosaur action.

Mickeroo

Went to see The Great Beauty today. Think it might be the best film I've seen all year. A joy to watch from start to finish. Funny, moving, excellently acted and brilliantly shot, easily one of the best looking films I've seen this year, really deserves to be seen on a big screen. I really can't praise it enough.

Gamayun

Tyrannosaur (2011)
Bleak British drama directed by Paddy Considine. Fantastic performances from the leads. This isn't a subtle film and it really lays on the whole gritty working class urban decay theme with a trowel. Good debut directorial effort from Considine though.

pixelburp

I was tired & wanted some comfort cinema tonight, so given I've been going through a phase of digging out oldies I hadn't watched in years & years (to the extent where I might doubt I had even seen it at all), I decided to enjoy Planes Trains and Automobiles. A true classic of 80s comedy, up there with the best of them. There's no mistaking it for anything other than a John Hughes film, but it still holds up to this day; a brilliant mix of comedy and pathos, never cruel or mean-spirited despite the situations the protagonists find themselves in (unlike many marquee Hollywood comedies these days, which seem to thrive on making people squirm), and features two comic actors at the height of their powers. Say what you will about John Candy, the man could be an astonishing actor, a 'clown' who knew the best comedy required a little tragedy to simmer under the surface. And if the ending doesn't break your heart then you're made of stone tbh.

"Those aren't pillows!"

Looper007

Only God Forgives

I think this is a film that gets better on repeated viewings like most of Refn's work does. It was always going to get backlash after the near masterpiece that was Drive, Forgives is almost like Drive's more artier, abstract twin. I think Kristen Scott Thomas gives one of her best performances in this and Vithaya Pansringarm will go down as one of Refn's darkest creation's. Ryan Gosling gives a great Clint Eastwood Man with no name type performance. I rated it highly on it's release and still do today (it's my best film of 2013) probably Refn's best Shot film. But I can see why it annoyed so many people when it was released. 9/10

Psychedelic

Machete Kills (2013)
Was looking forward to this as I loved the first one. It started out okay with a few good laughs but somewhere in the middle it became boring and I lost interest.

Brick (2005)
Solid new-age noir starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I wouldn't be a fan of his but he was very good here. Stylish cinematography, definitely recommend this.

Dear Mr. Watterson (2013)
Documentary about comic strip Calvin & Hobbes. I was a big fan of the comic in my teens so thought I'd check this out. Alarms bells started ringing immediately as the production values of the opening credits were fairly amateur, and when the narrator starts talking about his parents and has his friends as the interviewees I knew this wasn't a proper documentary, so switched off after only a few minutes.

Indie Game: The Movie (2012)
This was on TV a couple of weeks ago, thought it was a very interesting look into the world of indie game design. Recommended if you're into gaming.

Secret Window (2004)
Can't remember if I mentioned this in this thread already, but this is a great little mystery starring Johnny Depp. A few months since I saw it but from what I remember it had a satisfying twist and resolution. Highly recommended.

Fantasia (1940)
I probably saw only bits of this as a kid and never the whole film, so I checked it out. Cool concept setting original animation to classical music, amazing how lovely that animation still holds up.

The Fifth Element (1997)
Never saw this for some reason until recently, quite enjoyable, brilliant visuals and original sci-fi world with a dose of wackyness.

Maniac (2012)
Elijah Wood is a crap actor, I am never convinced by his performances and he's not much better in this dark, depressing film about a serial killer. Its novel first-person perspective wears thin after a while. I didn't find the story and the serial killer's psychology original or interesting in any way.

Monsters University (2013)
As enjoyable as Monsters Inc.

pookiesboo

Cloud Atlas. No idea what it was about for the whole three hours but worth watching alone for Tom Hanks turn as an Irish traveller called Dermot.

NyOmnishambles

Cinema Paradiso in the Lighthouse last night

The restored print looks excellent on the big screen, it is on all week for anyone that is interested in seeing it

cursai

Hours
7/10 Good movie. RIP Paul Walker.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2094018/

MJ23

Snitch - Grand film for a Saturday afternoon to fill in an hour and a half. The Rock, Omar from The Wire, and Shane from Walking Dead are in it.

Bullet to the Head - Had to turn it off after half an hour, Stallone talking out of the side of his mouth, and his hair plugs are just too much.

NyOmnishambles

Home Alone in the Lighthouse today

Kids and adults laughing away and getting into the festive spirit, nice way to spend a few hours with a hangover

Judgement Day

"Johnny English" (2003) on YouTube - parody of James Bond genre movies starring Rowan Atkinson. Watched with the kids. Okay, but forgettable enough. 5/10.

Two successive evenings - in the interests of research - spent watching two specially purchased (on eBay) thrillers with tenuous Irish terrorist connections. Both were disappointing despite being based on books by decent authors:
"A Casualty of War" (1989) TV movie based on the book by Frederick Forsyth (Odessa File and The Day of the Jackal)



and "On Dangerous Ground" (1996) another TV movie based on the book by Jack Higgins (The Eagle Has Landed).



Both exceedingly poor fare and badly expose the damage that the lack of a decent budget can cause. With stars (?) like David Threlfall (A Casualty of War) and Rob Lowe (On Dangerous Ground) I knew what to expect. Avoid at all costs unless you need to tick them off. 3/10

ghogie91

I recently watched:

Pacific Rim- Not the best movie ever made. But Jaxx from Sons of Anarchy was the lead Character which made for amusing viewing as his performance was the exact same

The Internship- Brilliant Film, I would be a bit bias towards this one as its what I am interested in but nevertheless it was still a good watch. Recommended

The Heat- Although it was a bit of a girly flick, I thought it was a good story, Bullock and McCarthy were very funny, and Sandra Bullock is still easy on the eye

Halo 4: Forward Unto Darkness- I was very surprised how good this movie was to be honest. I though it would be another Starship troopers 2 fail but it was one of the better movies I have watched recently.

Men Of Honour: Watched this last night (along with half of the country I suppose) and had to give it a mention as its still one of the greatest movies of all time.

Kick Ass 2- This was very good, It has lost the bit of surprise that the first one came out with but it was still very good. Jim Carey was a badass in it

Monsters University- Had to watch this as I am a big fan of Monsters Inc. I wasnt disappointed the little monsters were back with a bery good movie

Dispicable Me 2- Id say I was probably the last person in the world to see this but I loved the first one and the second on is just as good.

Sleepy

Angels Sing
Schlocky Christmas fare that we saw advertised on the On Demand channel on UPC and decided to watch for the season that's in it. Real twee white picket fences stuff that feels like it belongs on the Hallmark Channel / Tru Movies. The best I can say for it is that it makes good use of the fact that most of the cast are singers of some reknown. Lyle Lovett in particular does a lovely duet with Kat Edmonson called "Christmastime Is Here" and Willie Nelson does a warbling version of "Amazing Grace" that even I could tolerate (and I *LOATHE* that song).

One for watching with the mammy with a cup of tea and a few slices of christmas cake.

Mizu_Ger

Paranoia:
A "thriller" with a plot you've seen many times before. Some "hot" young actors (Liam Hemsworth & Amber Heard) and a few old timers (Harrison Ford & Gary Oldman) thrown in for credibility. A half baked plot that doesn't even bother explaining itself. Avoid!

Nosferatu (1922 version):
Had never seen this one before. Quite good. The plot is (obviously) familiar and moves along nicely. More creepy than scary with some over-the-top, theatrical performances that raise some laughs, but the design is highlight.
I've watched a few early German films recently (the Mabuse films) and am surprised how well they hold up today. Good plots and camera techniques I wouldn't have expected to see on such early films.

Upstream Color:
??? I wasn't prepared for this one. Not really sure what was going on for the first 45 minutes. Plot wise it begins to take shape after that, but I don't think the plot is the main concern here. The constant close-up/handheld/deep-focus camera technique tends to annoy me in any film and this one has spades of it. I'll definitely need to watch it again, but I'm not sure if I'll want to!
I haven't seen Primer yet. Might give it a go on Netflix over Christmas.

Mizu_Ger

NyOmnishambles wrote: »

Home Alone in the Lighthouse today

Kids and adults laughing away and getting into the festive spirit, nice way to spend a few hours with a hangover

Watched this on TV with my 4 year old last week and he laughed all the way through it. It's a pity we couldn't see it in the cinema as I'd love to take him to see something other than a CGI cartoon. I don't think there's much else for a child that young these days.

MilanPan!c

Psychedelic wrote: »

Maniac (2012)
Elijah Wood is a crap actor, I am never convinced by his performances and he's not much better in this dark, depressing film about a serial killer. Its novel first-person perspective wears thin after a while. I didn't find the story and the serial killer's psychology original or interesting in any way.

This is a remake and I doubt it holds a candle to the original.

MilanPan!c

Leviathan: Good if extremely non-traditional documentary.

A Band Called Death: Didn't live up to the hype, but still very entertaining.

Dirty Wars: Very interesting story, but plagued by dodgy editing.

pookiesboo

Finally got around to watching Compliance after reading about the story in a paper this year. Based on a true story (says at the start that none of the film has been exaggerated). Shocking how stupid some people are. Derren Brown has nothing on "Officer Daniels" for what he made the employees do. Makes some uncomfortable viewing parts of it. Would defo recommend.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1971352/

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Waltz With Bashir

Just watched this. I don't know what I think of it. It took me a while to realise that it was basically a documentary that had been animated. I thought it was just a story based on real life. It's an interesting way to do a documentary but I felt the animation kind of softened the events they were talking about. The real footage at the end felt very jarring after it too.

If nothing else though it's made me want to read up a bit more on the Lebanon/Israel war. Not sure if that's a good thing though?

jcsoulinger

pookiesboo wrote: »

Finally got around to watching Compliance after reading about the story in a paper this year. Based on a true story (says at the start that none of the film has been exaggerated). Shocking how stupid some people are. Derren Brown has nothing on "Officer Daniels" for what he made the employees do. Makes some uncomfortable viewing parts of it. Would defo recommend.

I also seen this recently. Its fairly disturbing and hard to believe that they wouldnt question the validity of "officer Daniels". Apperantly the only person to be convicted of any wrong doing was the managers boyfriend who got 5 years. the guy behind the prank was acquitted. The manager and the girl involved both successfully sued McDonalds for large sums.

Its amazing to see how people could be manipulated so easily. definitely worth a watch.

poundapunnet

jcsoulinger wrote: »

I also seen this recently. Its fairly disturbing and hard to believe that they wouldnt question the validity of "officer Daniels". Apperantly the only person to be convicted of any wrong doing was the managers boyfriend who got 5 years. the guy behind the prank was acquitted. The manager and the girl involved both successfully sued McDonalds for large sums.

Its amazing to see how people could be manipulated so easily. definitely worth a watch.

I had to go and look it up afterwards, could not believe the big bold claim at the start that nothing had been exaggerated. I thought it was pretty good, if it was a work of fiction it'd be unbelievable.

grohlisagod

Election and About Schmidt. Payne's movies are always thoroughly enjoyable. Nicholson is brilliant in About Schmidt.

Judgement Day

"The Heroes of Telemark" (1965) on YouTube. After all the sludge I've watched recently this was a breath of fresh air. WW.II. movie set in Norway and based on the true story of Allied attempts to destroy a German 'heavy water' plant - starring Richard Harris and Kirk Douglas as Norwegian partisans. I've seen it several times before but not for years and the action is still good with the plot remaining tense throughout. 9/10



I like movies like this - with lots of snow (the sort that you can ski on) - and I was trying to think of others but the only ones that came to mind were "Ice Station Zebra" and "Doctor Zhivago" but there must be more?

Cartel Mike

Calvarie (Film 4)

Made in 2004 apparently . Never saw /heard of until now.
Feench/Belgium horror. More accurately Misery with a dash of Saw, hint of Deliverance and a nod to Texas chainsaw. A Genre movie and I thought it was ace.

Offbeat main character gets stuck in the Belgium wilderness , the film is extremely normal for the first half but very amusing. Then things get weird and then get even weirder. A pig gets raped, there's a small crucifixion, torture and one of the weirdest scenes I've ever seen involving a bar , a piano player and a dance for the deranged.
One of those films you remember certainly. The ending as seems the norm with this type of film was vague enough. The acting was a 10/10.

Psychedelic

Session 9 (2001)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0261983

Starring Peter Mullan (Boy A, Tyrannosaur), David Caruso (CSI, yeah meme guy) and a few actors unknown to me, this is a superbly executed psychological horror mystery about a group of guys cleaning up an old mental asylum. No stupid characters doing stupid things and no jump scares, this is a genuinely creepy story that is engaging throughout with clues & red herrings presented in each scene.

It also has nice camera work and a haunting atmosphere and simple music cues that don't overdo it. The story doesn't neatly wrap up everything in the last couple of minutes but leaves the viewer to try piece the clues together - it reveals enough so you have an overall idea what's going on with a few things left to puzzle over later, a good balance.