What have you watched recently: Electric Boogaloo

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Looper007 wrote: »

I have to say out of all of Lenny Abrahamson's Work, it's the one I really can't understand the praise for. I found it so pretentious. His other work has been excellent but this is the one I go back least too. Shortt is great in it though.

What did you find pretentious about it?

Judgement Day

"March or Die" (1977) - on YouTube.



Gene Hackman is the American born, Major Foster, commander of a troop of French Foreign Legionnaires based in 1920s Morocco and charged with protecting a team of archaeologists who are excavating a political sensitive tomb. Foster has his own issues stemming from his experiences fighting in the trenches in WW.1. and gradually seems to lose his grip on reality.

Exciting stuff culminating in a wonderful pitch battle towards the end of the movie where Hackman's loyal Sergeant Triand (Rufus Narcy) repeatedly, but with the deference of a French waiter, asks Hackman "please, sir, the orders", "the men are waiting for your orders"...this with hundreds of tribesmen about to overrun the camp and while Hackman has an out of body experience.. Hard to explain but if you've seen the movie. 10/10 - I'll be buying the DVD.

e_e

Over the past 2 days:

The Loneliest Planet - 2.5/4

Very simple premise here, we follow a couple on a hiking trip and a dramatic event at the halfway point in the film tests their relationship and trust in each other. Very slow and contemplative but also perhaps not as compelling as it could be, there's a roughness to the pacing and cinematography here that hampers the experience slightly.

The Hangover Part 2 - 1/4

Absolutely dreadful. Maybe the worst comedy I've ever seen, and I watched Jack and Jill only last week!

Under the Skin - 4/4

Amazing from every technical aspect, drew me in like few movies I've ever seen and it takes a very astute director to make the familiar seem as alien as it does here. A really unnerving and haunting experience.

Non-Stop - 2.5/4

Exactly what I expected, nothing more nothing less.

old hippy

Captain Philips - Tom Hanks acts his socks off in Paul Greengrass' latest thriller based on a true story of piracy off Somalia some years back. Barkhad Abdi as the pirate leader is exceptional, given that this was his first foray into acting.

upstairs for coffee

e_e wrote: »

Over the past 2 days:

The Loneliest Planet - 2.5/4

Very simple premise here, we follow a couple on a hiking trip and a dramatic event at the halfway point in the film tests their relationship and trust in each other. Very slow and contemplative but also perhaps not as compelling as it could be, there's a roughness to the pacing and cinematography here that hampers the experience slightly.

The Hangover Part 2 - 1/4

Absolutely dreadful. Maybe the worst comedy I've ever seen, and I watched Jack and Jill only last week!

Under the Skin - 4/4

Amazing from every technical aspect, drew me in like few movies I've ever seen and it takes a very astute director to make the familiar seem as alien as it does here. A really unnerving and haunting experience.

Non-Stop - 2.5/4

Exactly what I expected, nothing more nothing less.

Unique rating system you have got there! I've seen 5 star and 10 star movie reviews but never 4 stars. What's the criteria of earning a star?

ButtersSuki

e_e wrote: »

The Hangover Part 2 - 1/4

Absolutely dreadful. Maybe the worst comedy I've ever seen, and I watched Jack and Jill only last week.

Only someone who hasn't seen the 3rd instalment could say that.

Judgement Day

"Shergar" (1999) on YouTube. A strange one to be sure. Billed as a thriller it's more like 'Into the West' meets 'Flight of the Doves' and, apart from one unpleasantly realistic shoot-to-kill incident involving the British Army, is really only suitable as a kids film. Purportedly based on a true story - the kidnapping of the Irish race horse Shergar in 1983 - there's little reality in this fantasy romp through the lush landscapes of the Isle of Man. Some positively nasty Irish characters led by Mickey Rourke (!) kidnap the horse for ransom and when no payment is received decide to bump him off. In the meantime a young lad who lives on the farm where Shergar has been hidden decides he must act to save him. Good wholesome, escapist stuff and it made me pine for my old hometown island. 9/10

Below the three genuine stars of the movie: Ian Holm, Tom Walsh and Laura Murphy.

e_e

upstairs for coffee wrote: »

Unique rating system you have got there! I've seen 5 star and 10 star movie reviews but never 4 stars. What's the criteria of earning a star?

It's a more common rating system in America. Was just rating films on another site and it sort of fit into that mould with only my personal favorites (like top 100) going higher than 4.

A star means that the film is at least somewhat watchable, any lower would have to be something that I was trying not to turn off all the way through. Lower than that is also saved for films that I actively hated, some terrible films just aren't worth the energy.

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Only someone who hasn't seen the 3rd instalment could say that.

Heh, I'll get around to that at some point! Maybe when it's on RTE in 3 years like Part 2 was.

Also watched Tim's Vermeer earlier. Pretty cool, nearly everything in it was new to me. 3/4

Bipolar Joe

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Only someone who hasn't seen the 3rd instalment could say that.

I'm probably alone in this, but I thought the third one was quite good. I didn't think much of the first, the second was just terrible, but the third was a very dark, mean spirited movie, which worked on its own. At times it reminded me of a Danny DeVito film, which are also quite bitter.

There's the one scene with Zack Gilligawhateverthefuck whinging to someone else about how he "Can't keep on doing this shit." It's always the same, it never changes and it's way past time to grow up and get on to better things. It felt like the creators telling us that they're tired and fed up, but that's just my take on it.

e_e

Bipolar Joe wrote: »

I'm probably alone in this, but I thought the third one was quite good. I didn't think much of the first, the second was just terrible, but the third was a very dark, mean spirited movie, which worked on its own. At times it reminded me of a Danny DeVito film, which are also quite bitter.

There's the one scene with Zack Gilligawhateverthefuck whinging to someone else about how he "Can't keep on doing this shit." It's always the same, it never changes and it's way past time to grow up and get on to better things. It felt like the creators telling us that they're tired and fed up, but that's just my take on it.

Interesting. I really hated the way everyone just shrugged off their behaviour at the end of Part 2. Completely inconsistent. Would have been funnier and more satisfying if the father-in-law kicked them back on a plane to America while the bride realized what a terrible mistake she made marrying that doofus. :P

Gamayun

Computer Chess (2013)
I watched this knowing nothing about it, only having seen stills; I liked the aesthetic and subject matter so gave it a go.
Well, what an odd experience. The film starts off with a mockumentary feel then gets more playful with the visuals/editing as it goes on. It's really a hard film to describe and I think will definitely polarise viewers, so it is hard to recommend. I liked it though.

Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006)
This is a kind of road movie set in limbo. It's got fairly staid pacing, which I liked, and is well acted. It's the kind of film that could suffer from being stereotypically indie or quirky but, for me anyway, it manages to avoid those traps.

run_Forrest_run

Blue Jasmine - loved it, Blanchett was excellent in it, the best Woody Allen movie I've seen...granted, I've only seen 3

mikefoxo

Just watched 'Taxi Driver' for the firs time. Thought it was good but it seems to me that the final scene (the shooting) looked a little outdated.

pixelburp

Toy Story 3 (2010)

I somehow managed to miss this in the cinema, don't recall why. I do remember being initially sceptical that a second sequel would be able to hit the heights of the first two films, and with the Disney influence abound these days I guess part of me might have made a knee-jerk reaction that this was nothing more than a cash-squeezing exercise from a studio infamous for churning out inferior sequels (particularly on the DVD market; nor has Cars 2 and Planes disproved that theory). Whatever the reason, I'm sorry I did miss the chance to see it in the cinema because Toy Story 3's a fantastic cap on the tale of Woody & his friends. At once exciting, funny, emotional and thoughtful, and arguably the strongest iteration of the 3 films imo.

I still think Pixar's talent has been diluted by the presence of Disney, but with something like Toy Story 3 you really see how when they're on their game, the folks at Pixar are masters at the art of cinematic storytelling; fluent in the language of cinema itself. All the hyperactive action in the world is empty and meaningless if there's no heart or emotional drive behind it all, and Toy Story 3 had it in spades. And if the scene in the furnace doesn't make your eyes glass up a little, then you have a heart of stone

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

^ Should I start another "I don't get Toy Story and 3 was the worst" conversation?

run_Forrest_run

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

^ Should I start another "I don't get Toy Story and 3 was the worst" conversation?

nah, 2 was the poor one but 3 certainly didn't live up to the hype. Seriously, some said grown men were moved to tears?? c'mon now.

cereal_k1ller

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

^ Should I start another "I don't get Toy Story and 3 was the worst" conversation?

I didn't care that much for the first two and haven't seen the third one

johnny_ultimate

You're Next - Here's yet another house invasion horror, and things don't get off to a good start. A fairly redundant prologue segues to some regrettably awkward setup scenes. Not helping is some seriously shoddy acting, including roles for directors Joe Swanberg and Ti West (the latter of whom should definitely stick to his excellent behind the camera work). Only Sharni Vinson - whose turning into a 'scream queen' of her own with this and Patrick - turns in a performance worth noting. But when the action kicks off proper - a few crossbow bolts through the window do the trick - we're treated to a deliciously brutal slice of pulp entertainment. Gruesome, blackly comic and giddily physical (reminiscent of vintage Scream or Halloween), the narrative packs few surprises but as a hyperviolent take on the Home Alone formula this offers an hour straight of entertaining schlock. Worth watching if only for a moment near the end which is, no doubt, the most creative use of a blender in the history of cinema. It's not going to redefine its chosen genre, and lacks the unique twist of some of its inspirations, but it's a grizzly good time on its own enthusiastic terms. A little overreliant on the stirring strings at times, but there are also a few moments of absolutely inspired musical scoring. But that blender... damn.

The Rocket - This Laos set effort balances crowdpleasing fantasy with a rich sense of place, and mostly pulls that tricky balancing act off. Australian director Kim Mordaunt was a former documentarian who spent a lot of time in Laos, and the film significantly benefits from someone so intimate with the country - the setting is one of tradition, natural beauty, superstition, corruption, class conflict (ironic for a Communist state) and dangerous unexploded bombs left over from 20th century wars. It has an affection for its characters, but features a bittersweet realism lacking in a couple of other comparable efforts (Slumdog Millionaire, say). The tale itself - the journey of a young boy trying to shake off his grandmother's claim that he's cursed - does have a fantastical feelgood vibe, but it's more justified given the complex and at times quite provocative film that surround it. A happy ending feels more 'earned' when the preceding narrative is one haunted by death and complex social contexts. It does come across as quite unevenly paced at times, and there's not a whole lot to any of the characters (performances are strong). Or indeed the main story: you've seen it before - most recently, it's reminiscent of Beasts of the Southern Wild and The Selfish Giant (that particularly packs a greater punch). But above all it's refreshing to see generally unexplored cultures and settings portrayed so vividly on the big screen, and with a documentarian's eye ensuring it isn't bogged down by the often troubling shortcuts many Western filmmakers take when dealing with 'exotic' locales.

Tipsy McSwagger

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

nah, 2 was the poor one but 3 certainly didn't live up to the hype. Seriously, some said grown men were moved to tears?? c'mon now.

2 is the best one IMO and none of the Toy Story's are poor.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

GRABBERS

Irish film from 2012 about a small island off the coast of Ireland that gets invaded by alien sea monsters. The island's garda discover the monsters are allergic to alcohol and as help from the mainland can't get to the island until the next day they set about getting all the locals drunk off their faces to keep them safe overnight.

I was completely surprised by this. I'd heard lots of good things when it came out and I expected it to be a bit of a laugh, nothing more. It's actually quite an accomplished piece of film making. The trailers made it seem more like a full on comedy but it's not. I wouldn't quite call it a horror film, maybe "creature feature" is more appropriate and the humour comes naturally from the situations they find themselves in. It's a while since I've seen it and I might be remembering it wrong but this film reminded me of Tremors. The characters are very much taking the situation seriously despite the ridiculousness of it which adds a nice bit of tension to proceedings.

It was shot in Donegal and it's not hard to make that area look nice but some of the shots on the beaches are just beautiful. The special effects are also great considering the small budget I'd assume they were working with.

I have to say Ruth Bradley's drunk acting was superb. I'm not entirely sure she wasn't drunk when they filmed it. Is there an Oscar for "Best Drunk Acting"?

Looper007

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

^ Should I start another "I don't get Toy Story and 3 was the worst" conversation?

you have no heart :pac:

anyone who doesn't like Toy Story Trilogy must be some cold hearted folks cause they are some of the best films ever made.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Looper007 wrote: »

you have no heart :pac:

anyone who doesn't like Toy Story Trilogy must be some cold hearted folks cause they are some of the best films ever made.

The problem is that 3 very much relies on the viewer being madly in love with the first 2 and when you're not that bothered about them 3 just falls a bit flat. Nothing wrong with 1 and 2, they just never did anything for me other than entertain for that 90 minutes.

Riesen_Meal

Looper007 wrote: »

you have no heart :pac:

anyone who doesn't like Toy Story Trilogy must be some cold hearted folks cause they are some of the best films ever made.

Never liked the second one, first and third are amazing imo....

tunguska

The Way Way Back

I really enjoyed this. Very much a by the numbers coming of age movie but Sam Rockwell's great performance makes up for the clichés I reckon. Steve Carrell is great too, playing against type as a massive Dick. Soundtrack could've been better though.

Looper007

tunguska wrote: »

The Way Way Back

I really enjoyed this. Very much a by the numbers coming of age movie but Sam Rockwell's great performance makes up for the clichés I reckon. Steve Carrell is great too, playing against type as a massive Dick. Soundtrack could've been better though.

One of the top 10 films for me last year, such a darker film then you would expect. Carrell was a bit of nasty git in this and love the fact

He doesn't change or Toni Collete's Mother doesn't dump him even though she knows he mistreats her son

. Rockwell is awesome as is the young lead. Along with Kings of Summer, the new downbeat darker coming of age movies from the States are top notch.

cursai

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6UmqNuMdY4

Snowpiercer.
People survive the second artifically induced ice age on a really long train. Sub divided by class. Revolution occurs.
Captain America headlines.
Good film. Well done. Some good surprising actors in this too. Especially the korean guy from Memories of Murder.
8/10

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Moonrise Kingdom

I'm slowly, very slowly, making my way through Wes Anderson's films. This one didn't really work for me. I enjoyed the second half, once they caught Sam & Suzy the first time. The first half though was a bit much. I know Anderson has a certain style to his films and generally I like it but it felt really weird coming from kids. All the scenes of them talking about mental problems and running around in their underpants just felt really strange to be watching. Once they were caught though and became more involved with the other characters it picked up and I enjoyed it a lot.

Baked.noodle

13 Sins (2014)

A reality game show with a twist. Have to say I found this very entertaining. The ending was kind of unfinished, but well worth a watch nevertheless. 8/10

Looper007

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Moonrise Kingdom

I'm slowly, very slowly, making my way through Wes Anderson's films. This one didn't really work for me. I enjoyed the second half, once they caught Sam & Suzy the first time. The first half though was a bit much. I know Anderson has a certain style to his films and generally I like it but it felt really weird coming from kids. All the scenes of them talking about mental problems and running around in their underpants just felt really strange to be watching. Once they were caught though and became more involved with the other characters it picked up and I enjoyed it a lot.

I thought it was his best film since royal tenenbaums when it came out but that's not saying much cause the three films following it weren't any great shakes either. At least it had a nice performance from Bruce Willis.

Judgement Day

The night before last I watched "Shergar" http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=89533775&postcount=4094 for the second night in a row - with my eldest son - having established its suitability.

Last night something not quite so suitable but he's got to learn sometime - "Carry on up the Khyber" (1968) on DVD. One of the best of the "Carry On" films with all the usual stars - Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, Terry Scott etc.etc. British rule in India is threatened when a private in the 3rd Foot & Mouth Regiment guarding the Khyber Pass is discovered to be wearing underpants! A bit dated but fun all the same. 7/10