What have you watched recently: Electric Boogaloo

johnny_ultimate

Celeste and Jesse Forever - A sort of post-romance comedy. Celeste (Rashida Jones, also co-writing) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) are best friends who got married, but it seems they're better as friends than husband & wife. The film is basically a showcase for the excellent Rashida Jones, and that's not a bad thing, as she has long been charismatic and engaging in restrictive supporting roles (charmingly playing the only character in Our Idiot Brother I didn't want tragedy to befall at the earliest possible opportunity, for example). She's great here - it's not the most flattering character she's gifted herself with, but Celeste is an intriguing, often self-destructive protagonist. The rest of the film is uneven - cliched at times, almost insightful at others. It might lazily embrace rom-com tropes in one scene, and knowingly rise well above them in the next. There are some aspects of the story that are clearly dictated by the script's requirement rather than any sort of recognisable logic. Still: it tries something different, and occasionally succeeds.

Tindie

Finally Seen
Hobo with a Shotgun (2011)
I knew this was going to be really gory but I had no idea, it was going to be as gory as it was,

I do love gory movie now and again, this movie took it on to the next level, which some scenes were way over the top, which Kinda of took some of the fun out of this movie, as those scenes were not fun at all to watch , they are really hard to watch.

I did enjoy first 40 mins of the movies, I found it fun, even with the really bad acting from the the bad, who find a little too cartoonist at times

6 out of 10

briany

Tindie wrote: »

Finally Seen
Hobo with a Shotgun (2011)
I knew this was going to be really gory but I had no idea, it was going to be as gory as it was,

I do love gory movie now and again, this movie took it on to the next level, which some scenes were way over the top, which Kinda of took some of the fun out of this movie, as those scenes were not fun at all to watch , they are really hard to watch.

I did enjoy first 40 mins of the movies, I found it fun, even with the really bad acting from the the bad, who find a little too cartoonist at times

6 out of 10

Bad acting and cartoonishness were the name of the game for that film because it was, spiritually, a grindhouse exploitation style feature and those films were not well known for their high quality acting or high quality anything for that matter. As for the gore part, yeah pretty gory but not especially so for the "gory film" category in my opinion.

At the end of the day though, the film is called "Hobo with a Shotgun", so we probably shouldn't expect award worthy performances or great truths about the human condition but we should expect a hobo to, at some point, obtain and use a shotgun and that he does indeed do. Not bad for what it is.:D

Zapp Brannigan

Let Me In

Saw it and Netflix and decided to give it a bash.

Pretty faithful to the original movie (haven't read the book) so I was pleasantly surprised. Director definitely didn't give enough info to us about Abby like the Swedish version did, but I can totally understand why he would leave it out.

Frisbee

Watched Coriolanus at the weekend. Knew the basic outline of the story but not a whole lot of detail. If you're not into the whole 'ye olde times speak' then you're not going to like it but I really enjoyed it. Fiennes is brilliant in it, although I was surprised at how little screen time Butler was given. Good story and one brutally awesome fight scene.


I also watched Sucker Punch the other day.

Still not entirely sure what I saw.

Mickeroo

Watched Men in Black III lastnight. It was a lot of fun in fairness, Brolin was brilliant as the young Agent K and I thought Jermaine Clement was hilarious as the villain. Will smith is Will Smith as usual.

Overall pretty forgettable but perfect for some light entertainment if you're in the mood.

Judgement Day

"Accelerator" (2000) - another that I had been long fingering for quite a while and, surprise, surprise, I actually enjoyed it. Cross border cooperation between Belfast and Dublin sees joyriders stage a race between the two cities - winner takes all. An unlikely plot comes together well largely due to the sterling work of a likeable cast of actors who endear themselves to the viewer as the movie progresses. Aisling O'Neill (Carol "Billy I need a doctur" Foley) smoulders as she never managed to in Fair City. All in all the movie could have been made as an ad for the Road Safety Authority. 7/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EgEZ8VdCeM

MiloYossarian

Zapp Brannigan wrote: »

Let Me In

Saw it and Netflix and decided to give it a bash.

Pretty faithful to the original movie (haven't read the book) so I was pleasantly surprised. Director definitely didn't give enough info to us about Abby like the Swedish version did, but I can totally understand why he would leave it out.

It's interesting you said that because I was only thinking about it not so long ago. I'm glad they left some things out, like showing the little girl's bits, which frankly made me feel very uncomfortable.

I'm probably the only one that thinks this but I preferred the remake. Really like the director. Doubt his next film, the sequel to the planet of the apes prequel, will be half as good as the prequel though.

mikemac1

The Conspirator

I liked it a lot
Legal drama about the trial of the Abraham Lincoln assassins

And how the rush for swift retribution can see civilians up before army generals for an unfair trial

James McAvoy, Evan Rachel Wood, Tom Wilkinson, Colm Meany and others, it was a strong cast

Robert Redford directed it.
It had the feel of a stage play, actually it would make an excellent play.

I liked it a lot
But reading up afterwards it seems it was a complete box office flop

Give it a chance

Marty McFly

Batman: The Dark Knight Rises: Watched it for the second time tonight, wasnt sure about it on first viewing in the cinema. On second viewing I do think its a good film but its just leaves me feeling cold at the same time I think the main problem for me is the focus is all on Bane and Tom Hardy is terrific as Bane and then

boom Banes shot dead after all that and attention switchs

to Miranda who was a bit of a passenger in the film up to that point and hadnt been a particulary interesting character up to that point either now all of a sudden were meant to take her seriously as the master villain which for me just ruins it a bit.


Point Break: A proper 90,s action flick the settings the whole feel of it is just perfect its a fun film, Keanu Reeves is a bit of a plank but on the other hand Patick Swayze is terrific has a natural charisma, even if everytime I do see him I just think of Road House .

The Polar Express: One of the best Christmas films there is in my own opinion, its diferent and unique to most told and in a beautiful way.

Tony EH

MiloYossarian wrote: »

It's interesting you said that because I was only thinking about it not so long ago. I'm glad they left some things out, like showing the little girl's bits, which frankly made me feel very uncomfortable.

I'm probably the only one that thinks this but I preferred the remake. Really like the director. Doubt his next film, the sequel to the planet of the apes prequel, will be half as good as the prequel though.

The point of showing the "little girl's" bits is actually important to the story, or at least important to the character of Eli.

When Eli says that she's "not a girl", she means more than "I'm a vampire".

IIRC, it's explored in more detail in the book and left a bit too vague in the film.

I too watched the remake recently and while I thought whatshername was good (as she is in most things I've seen her in), the film, as a whole, is completely unnecessary and a rather dull affair compared to the original. Not that any film is "necessary", of course.

The book is a lot darker in every aspect and worth a look.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Watched Joyeux Noel on Film 4 this morning.

It's based on the true story of troops on the front line during WW1 calling a truce on Christmas Eve. It's a strange film because ultimately it's very sad and yet there's an incredible feeling of Christmas about it. And I'm not talking about "Jesus is the true meaning of Christmas" or anything like that, but it just kind of warms your heart in a way and it's made me feel more Christmas-y than anything else I've watched or done so far this year.

duckysauce

savages-- poor could have been excellent but apart from a few good scenes not worth the time spent looking at it.


Lawless-- excellent loved it . Anything Lord Cave puts his fingers to is always excellent , wheather its music , writing screen plays or books the guy is a gifted genius imo.

crazygeryy

the vanishing (spoorloos)1988

i watched this the other night after reading that it was the original and the best. it's a very good movie with a very disturbing ending. well worth a watch.

end of watch
it's good. not brilliant but it's worth a watch.

Tony EH

The ending is horrible.

It also serves as an interesting look at how Europe and America handle movies. The US remake completely wimped out.

pixelburp

So in passing conversation with friends last week, turned out a few of them had never seen a whole rake of classic comedies, including Groundhog Day & Ferris Bueller's Day Off; so tonight we got in a mass of popcorn and enjoyed the two of them.

It's a long time since I'd seen either all the way through, they still hold up & are stone-cold classics; but there's a simple pleasure in watching films again, accompanied by people discovering them for the first time.

Sitec

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Watched The Queen of Versailles this evening, a fascinating documentary about the stinking rich Siegel family (earned from timeshare sales) who decide to build America's biggest home - a recreation of the Versailles palace. Then the recession hits, and everything goes to ****. The docu initially seems like it's going to harshly critique and ridicule the absurd extravagance of these people's lifestyle - and yes, it does that. But what makes it interesting is how much effort it puts into humanising them too. I don't know if I'd go as far as 'compassionate', but this puts an insightfully and often affectingly human face on the 1%. Jackie Siegel - "the trophy wife" - particularly emerges as a surprisingly decent sort caught up in the addiction of rampant consumerism. Her much older husband David comes across less than favourably at times, but the film does paint a frank portrait of a man determined to succeed almost no matter the personal cost. Well worth a watch.

Thanks for that, just watched it. Excellent documentary. I really felt sorry for the whole family which is surprising considering how stupid David was with money. He's a seriously strong business man but a terrible father.

Goldstein

Drive. It remains one of my favourites of the last decade. The score, the ambiance, the cinematography, the story. Once again I consider myself honoured to have experienced it.

johnny_ultimate

Sleepwalk With Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9tRN7bok4o

Slight but likeable comedy-drama about a comedian dealing with issues of commitment alongside a rare sleeping disorder that causes him to act out his dreams! Basically a one man show for co-director, co-writer and star Mike Birbiglia. He does a decent job, and the film's tightly put together (running time just over seventy minutes). It's witty throughout, and manages the frequent shifts between comedy and drama well. It's a relationship study at its core, and you've seen a lot of the ideas addressed before. But Birbiglia is an honest, open writer and the story is based on his own life even when its not particularly flattering. Solidly decent.

Handsome Bob

Watching Terminator 2, the day that's in it n all. :cool:

Goldstein

The Matrix Re-Loaded. Sorry guys but it's one of the best action films ever made and a miraculously worthy sequel to a fantastic standalone sci-fi film. Don't let the awfulness of the third one bias your opinion. It does such a disservice to the incredible second movie. I've yet to see again people's jaws drop in a cinema like they did during scenes in the sequel.

livinsane

Watched The Prestige and when it finished, I immediately wanted to watch it again.

Tony EH

S. De Sousa wrote: »

Watching Terminator 2, the day that's in it n all. :cool:

What...'Terminator 2' happened on a Friday?

Marty McFly

pixelburp wrote: »

So in passing conversation with friends last week, turned out a few of them had never seen a whole rake of classic comedies, including Groundhog Day & Ferris Bueller's Day Off; so tonight we got in a mass of popcorn and enjoyed the two of them.

It's a long time since I'd seen either all the way through, they still hold up & are stone-cold classics; but there's a simple pleasure in watching films again, accompanied by people discovering them for the first time.

I get yeh I love introducing new films, its a great feeling apart from the first few minutes when your watching there reaction to see if they like it as much as you do :pac:.

Tony EH

'Looper'

Pretty good Sci-Fi yarn, set in our near future, about "present day" Hitmen who kill contracts sent back from 40 years into their future...

...if you know what I mean.

Starring a heavily made up Joseph Gordon Levit and Bruce Willis, the story is intriguing and remains interesting all the way through to the conclusion.

It's also a story that's best approached without knowing anything about it, so I won't say any more and I won't post a trailer, like I usually do.

Recommended.

7/10

MiloYossarian

Tony EH wrote: »

The point of showing the "little girl's" bits is actually important to the story, or at least important to the character of Eli.

When Eli says that she's "not a girl", she means more than "I'm a vampire".

IIRC, it's explored in more detail in the book and left a bit too vague in the film.

I too watched the remake recently and while I thought whatshername was good (as she is in most things I've seen her in), the film, as a whole, is completely unnecessary and a rather dull affair compared to the original. Not that any film is "necessary", of course.

The book is a lot darker in every aspect and worth a look.

I know why they showed it. It still made me feel uncomfortable. I don't know why, I know it's weird, but seeing a twelve yr old's minge makes me feel a little sick. I think it's out of order to be honest with you. It's disgusting. I know the golden rule of a visual medium is show don't tell, but I think that this is the one case where that rule needs to be broken.

On a lighter note, I hear it was Jimmy Saville's favourite film.

I'm the complete opposite than you, I way preferred the American incarnation. Didn't care for the original that much. Maybe it was the hype.

Tony EH

MiloYossarian wrote: »

I know why they showed it. It still made me feel uncomfortable. I don't know why, I know it's weird, but seeing a twelve yr old's minge makes me feel a little sick. I think it's out of order to be honest with you. It's disgusting. I know the golden rule of a visual medium is show don't tell, but I think that this is the one case where that rule needs to be broken.

On a lighter note, I hear it was Jimmy Saville's favourite film.

I'm the complete opposite than you, I way preferred the American incarnation. Didn't care for the original that much. Maybe it was the hype.

Well, maybe the book isn't for then after all Milo. It goes into some nasty territory.

adox

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower.

Watched this with very little knowledge of the film(or book) but I must say it sucked me in straight away. A coming of age film, it funnily had me nostalgic for John Hughes.

About a withdrawn kid starting high school and looking for friendship, it's obvious from the start that he has gone some through some serious trauma in his young life that's eventually unfolds throughout the film.

A step brother and step sister take him under their wing and he slowly comes out of his shell but also faces up to his demons that he has suppressed.

There are plenty of amusing episodes, although it does have a very dark undertone that it does visit occasionally. It does step over the line of saccharin at times but the characters are so likeable and well played that you instantly forgive it.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.

jefreywithonef

The Visitor. Brilliant film. Heartbreaking, poignant, humorous - all very subtle and fantastically done.

Thomas McCarthy needs to make more films.

mike65

The Matador (2005) Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear and Hope Davis. Enjoyable shaggy-dog comedy with plenty of nice scenes in search of a more substantial plot.