What have you watched recently: Electric Boogaloo

Glebee

Seen a clip of The Lobster last week and said that looks interesting. After watching the film I actually dont know what to make of it... The fact I stuck it out till the end must mean something I guess Not everybodys cup of tea.

Tony EH

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Victoria on the other hand is a marvel. The film is shot in one take and took three attempts to film. I couldn't get this out of my head as it's over 2 hours long and one mistake by anyone in the production team would have ruined the cut.

Haven't seen it yet, but that is all anyone ever says about the film.

Besides the one take gimmick, is the story etc any good. because no matter how technically marvelous is may be...well, you know the rest.

ancapailldorcha

Tony EH wrote: »

Haven't seen it yet, but that is all anyone ever says about the film.

Besides the one take gimmick, is the story etc any good. because no matter how technically marvelous is may be...well, you know the rest.

I really liked it. Took a while to get going. The gimmick is a big part of it though. Given the restrictions, they did a fantastic job. Bear in mind, the film is in real time as well so things like character development aren't really there.

johnny_ultimate

Victoria is solid enough stuff, if obviously coasting on its gimmick a bit. I actually preferred the first half before **** hits the fan. It was a fitting combination of form and narrative, the sense of boozy, freewheeling late night shenanigans captured well by the real-time camera. The central relationships were well articulated, and there's enough hints of character development - however basic - to keep things interesting.

Obviously all that more or less evaporates once the thriller aspect kicks off in earnest. The setup feels flimsy there, but it picks up again in the final half hour or so with some legitimately tense and twitchy set pieces. Although by that point if it wasn't for the one take aspect it would feel markedly less interesting, even if the formal novelty and real-time sequences help add an extra layer of suspense.

The whole one-take thing is a weird one, because while it's certainly an impressive feat (I particularly enjoyed figuring out the film's geography - even if it was clearly shot over a handful of blocks!) it also draws attention to itself rather than necessarily assisting 'immersion'. It's nice not to have to try and spot the cuts ala Birdman or Rope, though - faking a one take sequence isn't something I'm particularly fond of (although wouldn't be urging more directors to shoot true one-take films either, considering the creative restrictions it inevitably imposes). And to Schipper's credit he manages to fit in a few nice stylistic indulgences - the handful of scenes where the diegetic sound fades down and is replaced with music help break things up and punctuate certain key emotional or dramatic beats - and, maybe, mask some technically challenging sound recording bits

Tony EH

Cheers lads.

I might stick it on the "to do" list. But that list is as long as my arm at this stage.

As for the one take malarkey, I've always though it was a bit weird, to say the least. Part of the "magic" of cinema is being able to cut the timeframe, but still allow for a logical narrative to unfold.

briany

Blue Remembered Hills (1979)

Another film from BBC's "Play for Today" series. Written by Dennis Potter, it follows a group of children and their adventures on one fine Summer's day in the Forest of Dean in 1943.

Probably the first thing about this film is that all the children are played by adult actors (including a 34 year old Helen Mirren) in their 30s and 40s, but they all play kids fairly well in the way the way they play and bicker amongst one another. I suppose it's all some dramatic device that goes beyond my understanding as well. Besides that, it's just a really nice depiction of aimless adventures in the countryside in an idyllic setting, again something a lot of people can relate to from their childhood with the fun stuff, and not so fun stuff that can happen. I liked it.

Harry Palmr

The Legacy (1978) Dir Richard Marquand

Late entry in the 70s Satanic Stakes is a barking tale of two hapless Americans (Katherine Ross and Sam Elliot) who were required so the film could get a full Stateside release becoming enmeshed in a cult group which meets at an English country pile (the obvious character emphasis for the USA market is blatant but it worked - the film was a moderate success). In a flagrant example of stunt casting Roger Daltrey plays a rock musician in two brief scenes, the second of which features his demise. The whole thing never really works up the head of steam such pulpy material requires but if you're a completest of this era's hokey cinema then you owe it to yourself to watch the next time it crops up on Horror Channel.

Richard Marquand would go on to direct Eye of the Needle, Return of the Jedi and Jagged Edge in his short directing career, dying at just 49.

Easca Peasca

Mad Max: Fury Road

In a world which exists after the downfall of civilization as we know it Tom Hardy plays Mad Max, the central protagonist who is unintentionally thrown in to the struggle for an escape from the dictator who keeps them imprisoned. Alongside Charlize Theron and a rag-tag gang, the pair embark on a rebellious journey along Fury Road in an attempt to lift the tyrannical reign of Immortan Joe.

I haven't enjoyed a film as much as this in a long, long time. It is fully deserving of the rave reviews it has received. Charlize Theron delivered a stand out performances, top class. What it possibly lacks in narrative is certainly compensated for with sheer spectacle.

8.5/10 from me, cracking film.

Easca Peasca

The Grand Budapest Hotel

A hotel concierge and lobby boy go on an Fantastic Mr Fox style adventure involving jail breaks, art theft and Saoirse Ronan :P Full of quirky humour and memorable one liners. I found it began to meander somewhat in the final third of it's 90 minute run time, but was enjoyable throughout.

7/10

Sugarlumps

Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic: Mike Epps, Richard Pryor Jr. and others recount the culture-defining influence of Richard Pryor - one of America's most brilliant, iconic comic minds - in this new documentary.

Directed by Emmy(R)-winning filmmaker Marina Zenovich and executive produced by Roy Ackerman and Pryor's widow, Jennifer Pryor.

Funny and and heavy on the heart at times. Must view for any Pryor fans!

R P McMurphy

Easca Peasca wrote: »

Mad Max: Fury Road

In a world which exists after the downfall of civilization as we know it Tom Hardy plays Mad Max, the central protagonist who is unintentionally thrown in to the struggle for an escape from the dictator who keeps them imprisoned. Alongside Charlize Theron and a rag-tag gang, the pair embark on a rebellious journey along Fury Road in an attempt to lift the tyrannical reign of Immortan Joe.

I haven't enjoyed a film as much as this in a long, long time. It is fully deserving of the rave reviews it has received. Charlize Theron delivered a stand out performances, top class. What it possibly lacks in narrative is certainly compensated for with sheer spectacle.

8.5/10 from me, cracking film.

Theron has indicated she now wants to resume the role in two more films. She had ruled it out on account of not wanting to work with Tom hardy again so there must have been some accommodation reached

ButtersSuki

Haven't been movie-ing for a while as I've been overdosing on boxsets and Netflix. Watched the first 2 seasons of Brotherhood about an Irish American family with ties to the mob and politics (average Irish American family then...). A few familiar faces (Brian F. O'Byrne inlcuded), it's grand (the acting is largely very good, the script feels a bit clumsy and rushed in places); a bit of a filler if you've nothing to watch or get too involved in. I'll do the final season this weekend (there's only 8 episodes in that season) and revert with a final score.

Narcos however was a revelation. Best TV I've watched since Breaking Bad (some overlapping of actors between the two as well). Wagner Moura (in particular) and Pedro Pascal knock it out of the park. A subject I've read extensively on, it's largely accurate (not 100% obviously), but it is compelling viewing. A 8.75/10 (that's very high praise from me!).

ButtersSuki

MadDog76 wrote: »

The idea/plot was stolen from Stag(1997) but Very Bad Things(1998) did a much better job!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stag_(film)

It's nowhere near as good as the Irish film The Stag from a few years ago.





























Joke. That was truly one of the worst films I've ever sat through. VBT however was very good.

briany

Nightcrawler (2014)

Jake Gyllenhall stars as Lou Bloom, a somewhat seedy yet earnest young man who takes up the career of freelance camera man, documenting crime on the streets of LA in order to sell to tabloid TV news. Thriller.

What a film. Just so tightly written and engaging the whole time. The character of Lou Bloom is a fascinating one where it seems like he has a thin veneer of optimism and can-do attitude on the surface, but below that lies a psychopath. His facade has many cracks, and the underside makes its way to the fore a number of times in the film. Can't believe it's taken me this long to see it. Normally, I get film fatigue around the 90 minute mark but this is one film I didn't watch the clock on one single time.

briany

Filth (2013)

James McAvoy stars as a cop in a downward spiral of drugs, booze and girls while chasing a promotion up the ranks. Based on the Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting) novel of the same name.

Very similar in tone to Trainspotting. The film is a blackly comic look at the seedy underworld of Edinburgh and the main character's personal demons/addictions. Very funny at times, and pretty depraved at others. A sort of "What the f*ck?" film, but you're laughing while you say it.

Harry Palmr

Brazil (1985) Dir Terry Gilliam

In so many ways an amazing film though also a somewhat incoherent one which doesn't quite sustain itself over about 140 minutes. The sets, design, visual effects, music, performances are all top notch with the use of a power station cooling tower esp impressive but I felt that Gilliam and Tom Stoppard were unable to focus the story on a strong satirical thread so it ends up relying on spectacle and action and being too "light" in tone. Still worth seeing though.

appledrop

Eye in the Sky-8/10

Really good thriller. Based on the war against terror bur from a different angle which was good. I love Alan Rickman so this was always going to be a must see as his last film. Helen Mirren was also very good.

FloatingVoter

Triple 9.....1/100 (the 1 is for clocking in at just under 2 hours) Woody Harrelson, Kate Winslet, Aaron Paul, Chiwetel Ejiofor. Nothing could go wrong, right ?

Woefully dull mishmash of a plot. Bent cops killing slightly less bent cops. Winslet as a Russian mob boss, Harrelson meandering in and out of the movie like he's looking for the bathroom or maybe a handy fire escape.

Do not pay money for this. I'm pretty sure some of the actors will be wishing they had stayed in bed.

johnny_ultimate

Have had an accidental Burt Lancaster double bill over the last few weeks. Also they both have 'the' in the title followed by a seven letter noun. CREEPY.

The Leopard - Regarded as one of the greatest films ever made by people (yes, people!), I have to admit Luchino Visconti's film left me rather cold. Don't get me wrong: it is beyond gorgeous, boasting some of the most extravagant production design and thoughtful cinematography you will encounter. And the dialogue that emerges about class and the eradication of the old-school aristocracy - symbolised through Lan Burtcaster's Prince Don Fabrizio Salina and his family - are fascinating. Its absolutely clear where the appeal as come from. But I reluctantly have to admit I found its immaculate costume drama somewhat plodding and 'neat' too, even if it is ultimately a purposeful facade. A film I found very easy to admire, but hard enough to love.

The Swimmer - A preposterously forced allegory that quickly turns into something pretty incredible. The setup is silly, even in execution: upper middle class Ned (Lurt Bancaster) decides to 'swim home' by jogging the miles to his house while stopping by all his neighbours' homes for a quick dip along the way. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Ned's life isn't exactly what it seems, and his encounters slowly start to highlight the troubling motivations behind his rather delusional plan.

There's a kind of hallucinatory energy to the film, as if it is taking place in a hyper-reality where nothing is exactly what it seems. Like The Leopard, this is ultimately a class satire, and a taking down of the 'American Dream' and its inherent insanity. Both the impressive visuals and some of the stranger episodes in the film reflect a sort of uncertainty and precariousness, as if encouraging the viewer to not trust the seemingly idyllic scenes the film begins with (the scenes where Ned frolicks through the countryside with a much younger woman are particularly untrustworthy, cleverly hazy and unfocused). The eventual collapse into OTT but dark melodrama in fact fits the mood and tone perfectly, and while few viewers will be left in doubt of the film's allegorical intentions by the time credits roll, it is a sharp and powerful piece of social satire. A very strange but very memorable oddity that definitely stands up as a good example of the sort of offbeat but fascinating works that were produced during Hollywood's most experimental era.

Chain Smoker

The Leopard is one of those films I just know I'll never get around to Couldn't even bring myself to see Rocco and His Brothers when it was right beside me.


The Swimmer, however, is a beaut. Even the colour palette of that film is etched into my mind. I'd say it's ahead of its time but it's more something along the lines of being significantly more refined and mature than its contemporaries.
I'm a Cheever fan though, so, y'know.

Harry Palmr

Just to show you how film choices on TV have changed for the worse down the years, I saw both of those the back when I was a teenager and you could see interesting films without having to wade past the 235th showing of Independence Day! The Leopard was pretty hard going though back then it was 4:3 or bust. Deserves to be seen in all its ornate wide-screen glory I suspect. The Swimmer is just fascinating (as you say), no way would the modern day version of Lancaster make such a film now - his agent would disown him.

Anyway onwards and downwards from such ambitious lofty heights....

Satan's Slave 1976 (Dir Norman J Warren)

David McGillivray's juicy script of an uncle with satanic intent in his country pile is just about robust enough to survive Warren's directorial style which is not so much no frills as Crossroads. Continuity suffers during scenes as reaction shots and cutaways were not filmed resulting in a couple of Acorn Antiques type moments. Michael Gough is Michael Gough ably supported by Barbara Kellerman who turned up in a lot of 70s Brit horror and science fiction. The use of full frontal nudity is utterly gratuitous (yay!) but handily included only in feverish dream scenes which at the time would have ended up in Frank Halls personal collection of naughty bits as they could be cut without damaging the narrative at all.

Del.Monte

I'm a big fan of the Alternative History genre and came across this one last night:

"Shadow of the Land" (1968 TV movie))
The US has become a Police State and a virtual state of civil war exists between the government and a resistance movement. Based on a 1935 novel. A thoughtful movie - especially given the spectre of Donald Trump hanging over the US today - and there's enough violence to keep one awake. Gene Hackman has a minor role as a priest struggling with his conscience before throwing in his lot with the resistance. Worth tracking down online as there's few enough of this type of movie about. 6/10

Duggy747

Aliens (1986)

It's a rewatch, it's Aliens, it's fantastic..........nothing else to say :pac:

The Abyss (1989)

First time I actually watched this entire film despite having probably seen 95% of it chunks on TV through the years. Knew the production story about how Cameron was a bit of a madman and how actors like Ed Harris don't think of the experience fondly. Don't blame them, you can see the sheer amount of work and stress they had to go through to get so many of those scenes on the screen.

The production quality is great, including the CGI water snake that would go on to be further developed for the T1000 in T2, and the acting carried the film for the most part.

Story wise it's okay, nothing really special and it ends on a very cheesy note but the film is still a decent watch.

Sphere (1998)

There was a good film in there somewhere with some great moments of tension and build-up but ultimately the film falls pretty flat with too many silly holes and moments. The character's, their actions, the dialogue, the ending eventually bring the movie down from what should've been a great underwater thriller to a naff 90's flick.

I don't think it's as bad as the 12% it has on Rotten Tomatoes though, despite all it's faults. You can tell the moments Hoffman was allowed to adlib because he just frequently trails off and repeats lines far too often in a scene to a near comical effect :pac:

Arghus

Brooklyn - To tell you the truth I was feeling like I didn’t have the inclination in me to give this movie a look. Strictly for The Grannies I thought, and it had her of the world’s most put on Oirish accent all over it - Saoirse Ronan. Honestly, I didn’t think I was going to miss out on a whole pile here. But yet, it kept turning up in conversation with people, and it was usually talked up of as being a good movie. So what the hell, says I. I can’t really turn my nose up at anything, if I consider myself to be a film fan. Anything except Sex and The City 2, that is. There’s no chance there.

For the first half-hour, I badly regretted my leniency. The movie is pretty naff starting out: Broad Irish accents that hit your ears like a sack of spuds, a kind of nauseating mix of cliched images of by-gone Ireland and, in places, a few sloppy cuts and stagey acting made me think I was watching something that wasn’t all that far removed from some lukewarm RTE prestige productions that can nearly hurt you to watch. Because you can see the effort - but the execution is all just a bit hammy and rubbish. The opening portion, set in Ireland, has an air of shmaltz hanging heavily over it. The actual emigration scene was obviously supposed to leave me emotionally moved, but all I can think of was how it reminded me of slick advertising for something dull - like Brennen’s bread or Erin soup.

Thankfully, from there, the movie picks up considerably. I think it was the image of a food poisoning ravaged Saoirse Ronan crapping in a bucket during a rough transatlantic journey that told me to hang on in there - there might be a bit of realness in this yet. And sure enough, there was. It is nothing extraordinary in the telling - Emigrant comes to America, struggles a bit but finds love eventually - but it has wit and feeling - it breathes a bit more once it gets to The States. The central romance is old fashioned, but nice and charming . Sure, the characters are slightly two dimensional but I liked being with them and wanted good things to happen for them. At times I knew my buttons were being pressed shamelessly but I shamefully didn’t offer much resistance...

The film takes a unusual path in the final third - events back at home necessitate a return back to Ireland for our central heroine - and the film convincingly takes on a thematic and emotional depth that I didn't really think it had threatened to have in it up to that point. It's some achievement really - What begins as a cliche for it's first act, becomes a well made fairytale during the second, but then, somehow, pulls off a transformation into a meaningful drama about the conflict between duty and expectation, versus love and the promise of the unknown. By then I would have admitted: Brooklyn is a good movie. During the opening scenes of the film, as I've said, everything about the Ireland depicted in the movie registered as somewhat false and artificial me, but there were moments in the final third that seemed genuine and deeply felt. The central character goes on a journey and you do too. Praiseworthy enough - considering a lot of stories don't really go anywhere.

So yes: Recommended. It's not overly flashy or formally dazzling - though there is some nice - if a bit pat - visual motifs and compositions about water and journeys etc,etc, and some symbolic use of colour. It's just a well made solid movie. And I will have to credit the performances. I still don't really like Saoirse Ronan as an actress, but I think it's hard to find fault with her here; Emory Cohen and Domhall Gleason excel at playing two decent men from different worlds and, personally, I think Julie Walters was robbed of at least an Oscar nomination for her performance as Irish Landlady in New York, she's great: funny and fearsome all at once.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

^ I don't really get this issue everyone has with Saoirse Ronan's accent. It's how she talks in real life. I remember Colin Farrell talking like he fell out of the Ballymun flats when he first arrived on the scene even though he was raised in the cushy environs of Castleknock. Nobody seemed to mind that. Jack Reynor talks like he's lived in America half his life. What's the big deal with Ronan having a Dublin accent?

Arghus

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

^ I don't really get this issue everyone has with Saoirse Ronan's accent. It's how she talks in real life. I remember Colin Farrell talking like he fell out of the Ballymun flats when he first arrived on the scene even though he was raised in the cushy environs of Castleknock. Nobody seemed to mind that. Jack Reynor talks like he's lived in America half his life. What's the big deal with Ronan having a Dublin accent?

My subjective opinion is that it is the quarest Dublin accent I have ever heard.

Maybe it is totally legit but I do wonder how it can be so broad and flat - considering the amount of time she must spend far, far away from Ireland.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Arghus wrote: »

My subjective opinion is that it is the quarest Dublin accent I have ever heard.

Maybe it is totally legit but I do wonder how it can be so broad and flat - considering the amount of time she must spend far, far away from Ireland.

I don't think it's that surprising that she has a.... let's call it unusual, Irish accent. She's been working steadily since she was about 12 and I think Brooklyn is the first time she has been able to use her own accent. So that amount of time constantly changing how you talk is probably going to have an affect on your actual accent. Perhaps there is an effort on her part not to lose the Irish accent completely and she over compensates a bit resulting in what we hear.

For what it's worth she lived in Ireland when not filming up until quite recently and I believe both her parents are from Dublin, her mam is from Cabra if I recall correctly.

I get why people might say "oh, that's an interesting accent" but it's not like she sounds like a leprechaun or something. I know loads of people with the same accent.

People seem to get really worked up about it though. Not meaning your post here but I've seen loads of people mention it in various places and they seem to be genuinely annoyed about it because they think she should have a thick Carlow accent.

But anyway.... off topic.

Brooklyn is great. Highest grossing Irish film of all time, I believe.

Mackman

I was on a few long haul flights recently, so I managed to catch up on a few movies I have been wanting to watch.

Concussion
Based on the true story of a doctor who discovers the damage being done to Pro football players in the NFL. All round decent movie really with Will Smith very good as the lead. 8/10

American Ultra
Basic "Super spy can't remember anything, suddenly remembers how to kill people when his life if threatened". It has been done so many times, but I like these type of movies. It was great fun, good performances all round I thought, even with Connie Britton phoning it in. Kirsten Stewart and Topher Grace were very good, even though

Topher Grace's characters motivations could have been fleshed out a bit more. He kinda went all out to kill this one guy for no reason really.

Like I said, good fun. 7/10

Spectre
Not bad, although all the Daniel Craig Bonds are desperately trying to reach the heights that Casino Royal hit, and they have all fallen short. I would put this one just behind Skyfall. 7/10

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Now this I really enjoyed. Great fun from start to finish. Slick and stylish, in typical Guy Richie form. Good mix of action and comedy, with a few twists and turns. 9/10

Trumbo
Brian Cransten is fantastic puts in a terrific performance here. I didn't know a lot about the whole blacklist thing in America and it was very interesting.
8/10

(apologies for the short reviews, I'm still pretty jet-lagged )

Looper007

The Jungle Book- Jon Favreau does a great job at bringing this to the big screen, Bill Murray was perfectly cast as Baloo as was Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, the young kid Neel Sethi as Mowgli was also excellent. But the film was stolen by Idris Elba as Shere Khan, one the best villians put to screen this year. 8/10

Miles Ahead- Don Cheadle starred, wrote, produced and directed this decent bio-pic. Would have worked better if this was a straight ahead bio-pic imo. Davies life was interesting enough without tales of robbed tapes, shoot outs and chases. Cheadle is excellent and Ewan McGregor is solid as the reporter. Could have been better. 6/10

Louder Than Bombs- Joachim Trier's English Lanuage debut, not a patch on Oslo August 31st but a solid film with a great performance from Gabriel Bryne, plus a nice change of pace from Jessie Eisenberg (love it when he play selfish characters). Isabelle Huppert does her thing, all ice cool queen better then anyone in cinema. Devin Druid as Bryne's young son is excellent. Not a real stand out film but one that is given some heft by it's performances. 7/10

Jane Got a Gun- Nowhere near as bad as it's reputation. It's by no means a lost classic but a passable 1hr 30min western with a very good performance from Joel Edgerton and Ewan McGregor. Nathalie Portman is fine but this is a film if it had Lynne Ramsey, Michael Fassbender and Jude Law with Joel Edgerton in the role that Noah Emmerich played. This would have been something more deeper and powerful. Instead just a passable film 6/10

Midnight Special- I know this has got some sniffy reviews on here, although it's not Jeff Nicol's best film by any means (still think Mud is) this is still a very good film, yes it's Speilberg like but nothing wrong with that. Michael Shannon and Joel Edgerton are both very good, Kristen Dunst sadly is given the token role as the mother. But the young lad Jaeden Lieberher is excellent and steals the film. Some issues with the film but overall a very good film 7.5/10

Mizu_Ger

Runaway (1984)
Michael Crichton film about the perils of Artificial Intelligence. Watching it now, 30 years after it was made, it's surprising how prescient the AI objects are. Drones, home automation, tablets etc. They all make an appearance.

The film itself is nothing special. The effects are not great and a bit laughable at times (the "spiders" here are not as menacing as those in Spielberg's Minority Report) which doesn't help. Storywise, Tom Selleck is a cop in a division that specifically deals with "runaway" robots and must track down a madman (Gene Simmons, who glares through the whole film) hacking robots to kill people.