What have you watched recently: Electric Boogaloo

Ole Rodrigo

' Grave of the Fireflies ' (1988), from Studio Ghibli

What a moving film. Its about a teenage boy and his young sister trying to survive in wartime Japan. Although animated, its beautifully realized; illustration, characters and score, all superb and very, very sad.

Judgement Day

mike65 wrote: »

North Sea Hijack - 1979

Had not seen this since its ITV Christmas (I think) premier about a million years ago, enjoyed it much more this time, hilariously knowing at times. Splendid straight faced farce from Sir Rog as Rufus Excalibur "that's all" ffolkes, freelance ex special services type who's list of character traits was clearly dreamt up for a laugh. James Mason, Tony Perkins and Michael Parks are all game.

Looking for this one - parts of which were shot in Galway Docks (?) - is it available anywhere in Ireland?

Judgement Day

"Crushproof" (1998) on DVD. A dark comedy (?) without any comedy. Northsiders, horses, disfunctional parents (and gardai) and a surreal plot. Yet another, poorly directed, train wreck of a movie which would benefit from subtitles as it's sometimes hard to understand what language is being spoken. I should be used to that I suppose living in Enniscorthy. Avoid 4/10 - I stayed awake until the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg4fDJ-aB0A

delbertgrady

I stumbled upon Apollo 13 on TV over the weekend, just as it was starting, and ended up watching the whole thing. I saw it in the cinema, and had it on video, but I'd not seen it in years. It stands up very well.
I went to see Trouble with the Curve yesterday. It's okay, but it's fairly anonymous. It just meanders along, with Clint doing his grizzled old crank routine. I can see it disappearing from screens by next weekend. It's almost like a TV movie. In fact, without the A-List cast, that's exactly what it would be. With about fifteen minutes to go, everything is suddenly tidied up with ridiculous efficiency and convenience. It's just too neat.
Having said that, Clint, Amy Adams and John Goodman are watchable in pretty much anything, so it couldn't go too far wrong. And I did get trailers for some forthcoming (ahem) heavy-hitters: Cloud Atlas, Lincoln and Les Miserables.

CastorTroy

Watched 2 movies at the weekend:
Star Trek(2009) - 3rd time watching this. Really enjoy it. But first time watching since hearing all the jokes about Abrams and lens flares. Wow, there are a lot. Also just watched Wrath of Khan recently for the first time in years so got the references to it as well.

GI Joe:Rise of Cobra - Saw it in the cinema but watched it on RTE 2 HD. I like by turn brain off movies and this one is just a fun, explosiony, action movie. I never watched the cartoon or read the comics so I can't compare. will watch the sequel next year.
Oh and Rachel Nichols and Sienna Miller.

MyBrokenKnees

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

I even had a fun beers on me at the time ... and it was still crap.

Agreed I had a few fun Beers as well and its crap!!

It was nearly making want to get the whiskey out to wipe away the memory of watching it

mike65

Judgement Day wrote: »

Looking for this one - parts of which were shot in Galway Docks (?) - is it available anywhere in Ireland?

The castle scenes were all filmed in Galway, it was shown on one of the Channel 5 stations so if you have them then keep an eye out.

spank_inferno

Seen Contagion on Sky.

I thought it was very good with a good ensemble cast.

Though now I never want to come in contact with another person again.

Duggy747

The Fly: - I rarely watch the TV channels but saw this was on TG4 and I never get sick of this film. Still a great movie with brilliant practical effects and camera tricks, impossible to imagine anybody other than Goldblum representing a man with fly-like tendencies.

A movie like this would just be wrong without him and the practical effects.

The Imposter: A doc about a French man who managed to fool (or did he?) an American family into thinking he was their long lost son..........despite not looking a lot like him. I remembered when this story broke out in the late 90's, it was huge and bizarre story. This documentary is expertly crafted blending interview and reconstructions together to propel an insane story that would sound stupid as a plot for a TV show / film.

Was very enjoyable with plenty of twists in it, with the imposter in question being both a charming and sly character.

DazMarz

Taken Kick-ass in every department. Delightfully absurd and OTT while it's at it, but it has Liam Neeson taking names like an absolute boss. What more could you ask for???

Duggy747 wrote: »

The Fly: - I rarely watch the TV channels but saw this was on TG4 and I never get sick of this film. Still a great movie with brilliant practical effects and camera tricks, impossible to imagine anybody other than Goldblum representing a man with fly-like tendencies.

A movie like this would just be wrong without him and the practical effects.

Kinda off topic...

And while Goldblum is perfect in his role, I often thought that both he and David Duchovny could be switched in and out of their respective roles, with little to no difference. They are very similar I find, and pull off the quirky roles with ease and panache. I could easily imagine Goldblum tackling Fox Mulder, and Duchovny being Ian Malcolm, etc.

The only stumbling block is that while I could kinda see it, it would be harder to imagine Goldblum pulling off the role of Hank Moody...

Sorry for this random post... Just my random thought for the day...

johnny_ultimate

Gate of Hell - Teinosuke Kinugasa's 1953 samurai film. One predominantly for fans of interesting cinematography - the camera work itself undeniably lack the elegance of, say, Mizoguchi, but the colour work are remarkably vivid and effective. This is a film designed for colour, as opposed to one that's just shot in colour. The contrast between sets, costumes etc... is consistently impressive, with the full colour spectrum utilised to create a truly remarkable look.

The film itself is melodramatic even by classic Japanese standards - don't go expecting a film with the energy or depth of a Kurosawa film. Still, there's a few interesting things about it - particularly the way the film makes a massive tonal and narrative shift around the half hour mark. Still, you're here for the visuals - come for that and you won't be disappointed.

Mickeroo

Watched the feature length edit of the web series Halo: Forward Unto Dawn lastnight. Maybe the fact I'm a Halo fan had me looking at it through a rose tinted Mjolnir helmet but it was actually really bloody good. It's pretty much a prelude to Halo 4 but it works just fine as a stand alone film. The low budget makes it feel like a TV series pilot more than anything but its pretty impressive for a web series. The last half hour is great, was grinning like a kid when

Master Chief showed up.

Fairly spoilery trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca3Y8Ws3plI

Can be watched on youtube in its web series format but worked pretty well as a full length feature for me, worth a look if you're into the games/books anyway.

briany

Watched House of the Devil last night. You know the story, a naive sophomore takes a job babysitting in a house where creepy people live and you wonder what's going to happen. I found it to be a brilliantly tense little film and the way Ti West builds the dread as the night wears on is pretty skillful. Hard to believe it's from the same man who directed Cabin Fever 2 (I film I also enjoyed but not for the scares so much). Also enjoyable was the retro modern presentation of the film.

What was not so enjoyable was the last 15 or so minutes of the film where the family are in fact revealed as a Satanic cult and try to do the usual doings to the virginal heroine. Probably the most boring and predictable part of the film and I wonder was the sequence West's on idea or something he was forced to tack on by a studio exec. Either way, I think it was a missed opportunity for some real suspense in the final act. Oh well.

7.5/10

Mickeroo

briany wrote: »

Watched House of the Devil last night. You know the story, a naive sophomore takes a job babysitting in a house where creepy people live and you wonder what's going to happen. I found it to be a brilliantly tense little film and the way Ti West builds the dread as the night wears on is pretty skillful. Hard to believe it's from the same man who directed Cabin Fever 2 (I film I also enjoyed but not for the scares so much). Also enjoyable was the retro modern presentation of the film.

What was not so enjoyable was the last 15 or so minutes of the film where the family are in fact revealed as a Satanic cult and try to do the usual doings to the virginal heroine. Probably the most boring and predictable part of the film and I wonder was the sequence West's on idea or something he was forced to tack on by a studio exec. Either way, I think it was a missed opportunity for some real suspense in the final act. Oh well.

7.5/10

Keep hearing good things about this, must give it watch soon.

longshotvalue

Guilty Pleasure "Pitch Perfect" , Hangs head in shame...:o

GAAman

Having found myself an unusual full day to myself I fired up netflix and browsed the catalogue. Gorged myself on three films today but enjoyed them all.

I normally link to IMDB but wont for the first one. It is "Bernie" starring Jack Black. I wont tell you what it is about as knowing it takes a little away from it. Check it out if you have a chance.

I spotted Ip Man in the list and watched it having meant to for some time now. I thought it was fantastic, the fight scenes were breath taking.......literally as I forgot to breathe during some of them!

I enjoyed it so much as soon as it was over Ip Man 2 was started. I really enjoyed this one too, showing

Life just after the escape and world war 2

A good days viewing!

Marty McFly

GAAman wrote: »

Having found myself an unusual full day to myself I fired up netflix and browsed the catalogue. Gorged myself on three films today but enjoyed them all.

I normally link to IMDB but wont for the first one. It is "Bernie" starring Jack Black. I wont tell you what it is about as knowing it takes a little away from it. Check it out if you have a chance.

I spotted Ip Man in the list and watched it having meant to for some time now. I thought it was fantastic, the fight scenes were breath taking.......literally as I forgot to breathe during some of them!

I enjoyed it so much as soon as it was over Ip Man 2 was started. I really enjoyed this one too, showing

Life just after the escape and world war 2

A good days viewing!

Ip Man is one of my favorite films of the last few years, im a fan of martial arts films but sadly the majority of them tend to have ridicilous storylines such Ong Bak, but Ip man has a fascinating and compelling storyline along with some of the best fight scenes seen on film.

Ip Man 2 while still good just didnt leave me as breathless as the first but certainly worth a watch, and a good film still the same.

GAAman

Marty McFly wrote: »

Ip Man is one of my favorite films of the last few years, im a fan of martial arts films but sadly the majority of them tend to have ridicilous storylines such Ong Bak, but Ip man has a fascinating and compelling storyline along with some of the best fight scenes seen on film.

Ip Man 2 while still good just didnt leave me as breathless as the first but certainly worth a watch, and a good film still the same.

Agreed, I think it is the fact it is a true story really makes it that much better!

pixelburp

Just out from Martin McDonagh's latest, Seven Psychopaths; not quite sure what I made of it, think I need to sleep on it a little. Initial reaction is generally positive, but with a few indescribable reservations lurking in the back of my mind. I'm not sure the film was as smart as it thought it was, and the dialogue wasn't a patch on In Bruges. It also felt about twice as long as its actual running length - probably not a good sign. Something to mull on methinks.

Judgement Day

"Murphy's Stroke" (1980) on Daily Mail promo DVD. A harmless 1980's TV movie which tells the story of an attempted racing coup against the bookies in England organised by a wealthy group of Irish punters. Based on a true story. A real time warp - shirts with wide collars, everybody smoking enormous cigars and trying to 'pull' birds. Very PC not! Worth seeing for a younger Niall Tobin, a very young Pierce Brosnan and a smug bollocks - Tony Doyle. 7/10

Frisbee

Watched The Raid: Redemption last night. Full on balls to the wall testosterone filled action. Each fight scene just got better and better as the movie wore on. Story line was a bit wishy washy but solid enough as it's not really supposed to be a plot driven movie and more about the set pieces.

Loved it.

Mickeroo

GAAman wrote: »

I normally link to IMDB but wont for the first one. It is "Bernie" starring Jack Black. I wont tell you what it is about as knowing it takes a little away from it. Check it out if you have a chance.

I watched that last week on US Netflix, great little film. Worth a look even if people wouldn't usually like Jack Black.

briany

Mickeroo wrote: »

I watched that last week on US Netflix, great little film. Worth a look even if people wouldn't usually like Jack Black.

That's true because he is cast as a character that's not just another cookie cutter goofball type for once. Jack Black actually can act. He's no DDL but I think he got pigeonholed after High Fidelity and it's nice to see him in a role that tests his range a bit. Would be interesting to see how he'd get on in a properly serious film i.e. not a comedy.

johnny_ultimate

The Hunt - Thomas Vinterberg finally recaptures that dramatic force he illustrated so impressively with Festen. It may have taken a decade and a half of failures and only semi-successful features to get here, but good to have him back. A nursery assistant is accused of sexually assaulting a child - but, as the audience is assured, he's innocent. The story of a man whose life is ripped apart by hearsay and mass hysteria, its a consistently intense and engaging film. The film does a great job of illustrating how simple misunderstandings can escalate, and mostly the accusers are drawn with depth along with the accused. A superior character driven drama in spite of some minor narrative lulls.

krudler

Frisbee wrote: »

Watched The Raid: Redemption last night. Full on balls to the wall testosterone filled action. Each fight scene just got better and better as the movie wore on. Story line was a bit wishy washy but solid enough as it's not really supposed to be a plot driven movie and more about the set pieces.

Loved it.

awesome movie, was a blast seeing it in the cinema. the three way fight was spectacular.

If you havent seen the Raid, well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf82xMr5fGg

PunkFreud

Watched "Duck, You Sucker!" or "A Fistful of Dynamite", definitely Sergio Leone's most overlooked film. A great film, in the director's typical slow style. Morricone's soundtrack is also up there with his best. Coburn's Irish accent was awful though, and some flashback scenes felt so schmaltzy, it was cringeworthy.

Also watched "The Set-Up". Fantastic noir about a down on his luck boxer. Great example of how you can tell a deep, rich, and enjoyable story in just over an hour. I felt the fight scene was overly long and drawn out , though.

Judgement Day

PunkFreud wrote: »

Watched "Duck, You Sucker!" or "A Fistful of Dynamite", definitely Sergio Leone's most overlooked film. A great film, in the director's typical slow style. Morricone's soundtrack is also up there with his best. Coburn's Irish accent was awful though, and some flashback scenes felt so schmaltzy, it was cringeworthy.

Also watched "The Set-Up". Fantastic noir about a down on his luck boxer. Great example of how you can tell a deep, rich, and enjoyable story in just over an hour. I felt the fight scene was overly long and drawn out , though.

One of the great spaghettis! I agree about the schmaltzy nature of the flashbacks but they provide such a contrast to the harsh scenery/action etc. in the main part of the movie that they work - for me anyway. James Coburn plays James Coburn like Sean Connery plays Sean Connery and we should cut one of cinema's great hardmen a little slack. Rod Steiger is also superb as the reluctant revolutionary.

candy-gal1

Watched The Human Centipede, finally, last night after buying it in HMV , yeah its definitly a must see imho, just for the wierdness and WTFness of it, also the acting and story definitly wasnt as bad or cheesy teeney way of a lot of movies like this, 6/10

Also watched Darkman last night, very cool and differently retro and batman esque, really liked it!

Mickeroo

Judgement Day wrote: »

One of the great spaghettis! I agree about the schmaltzy nature of the flashbacks but they provide such a contrast to the harsh scenery/action etc. in the main part of the movie that they work - for me anyway. James Coburn plays James Coburn like Sean Connery plays Sean Connery and we should cut one of cinema's great hardmen a little slack. Rod Steiger is also superb as the reluctant revolutionary.

Technically a Zapata Western, not Spaghetti Great film, criminally overlooked imo.

rednik

Senna : absolutely brilliant. I should have watched it ages ago as I was into F1back then.