What have you watched recently: Electric Boogaloo

Harry Palmr

Arabesque 1966 Dir Stanley Donen

After the great success of Charade (1963) the same producer/director team reunited to make a companion film based on the novel the Cypher but they discovered well into development that Cary Grant was already making what he declared would be his final film (Walk Don't Run) so suddenly they had to look for a replacement suave male lead to play opposite Sophia Loren and Gregory Peck got the gig. Trouble is the script and esp the dialogue was tailed specifically for Grant's late stage persona so some of the dialogue/reaction shots sit a bit awkwardly with Peck's somewhat more gruff essence. That said it's still a hoot with two very amusing scenes that were clearly perfect for Grant still working well enough with Peck. The plot is so daft it's not worth mentioning instead it's all about the look - which is spectacular. DP Christopher Challis was given free reign by Donen and he doesn't waste the opportunity he was granted - the look is an apex of 60s' "mod" camerawork and lighting with loads of tricks and ticks in rich, even saturated Technicolor. Loren is fabulous to look at and she acts well enough too (!) but the scene stealing is done by Alan Badel as her "partner", wearing rectangular shades with a clipped accent that is not quite of any known location he is clearly indulging in a cheeky Peter Sellers parody and it's very good.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I watched The Edge of Seventeen tonight, thanks to Hunky Dory's "free" films offer.

I enjoyed it. You'd struggle to find a film about teens that tackles anything new or fresh but I liked that this film didn't really lean into the "misunderstood outsider" idea and basically painted it's lead as a bit of a dick at times. Haille Steinfeld does a great job at making her likable at the same time though.

fin12

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I watched The Edge of Seventeen tonight, thanks to Hunky Dory's "free" films offer.

I enjoyed it. You'd struggle to find a film about teens that tackles anything new or fresh but I liked that this film didn't really lean into the "misunderstood outsider" idea and basically painted it's lead as a bit of a dick at times. Haille Steinfeld does a great job at making her likable at the same time though.

Do they have a good selection in the Hunky Dorys free film offer? I had a packet aswell last week but forget to check out the offer.

MilesMorales1

The Love Witch is another one of those delightful unexpected surprises that remind me for all the rubbish that makes it onto cinema screens, cinema is still an incredible artistic medium, and is just great to watch.

The film combines outstanding sets and incredible cinematography with fantastic costumes and makeup, a mind bending set up of steaming eroticism and a weirdly pleasurable violent female gaze on the matter of lust and love.

Taking a certain amount of homage from pulpy books and horror films of a bygone era, yet it doesn't owe a debt to anyone or anything, this film really is just incredible. The gender commentary won't be everyones cup of tea but I really dug it.

Fabulous performances from the whole cast but specially Elaine played by Samantha Robinson as our 'Witch', a fabulous script, fabulous ending, spectacular from start to finish in almost every aspect, highly reccomended.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

fin12 wrote: »

Do they have a good selection in the Hunky Dorys free film offer? I had a packet aswell last week but forget to check out the offer.

Yeah, it's pretty decent. It's only to the value of €4 and I think you can only use 3 in total but there's a pretty decent selection. There's some newish stuff like Fantastic Beasts, Moana, Passengers etc. and a better "classics" selection than the like of Netflix has.

You can browse it here. https://ie.wuaki.tv/movies

fin12

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Yeah, it's pretty decent. It's only to the value of €4 and I think you can only use 3 in total but there's a pretty decent selection. There's some newish stuff like Fantastic Beasts, Moana, Passengers etc. and a better "classics" selection than the like of Netflix has.

You can browse it here. https://ie.wuaki.tv/movies

Cool thanks, il prob buy a packet so this week.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

fin12 wrote: »

Cool thanks, il prob buy a packet so this week.

You have to claim your code by the 15th of May, I think, but have until the end of May to actually use it.

fin12

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

You have to claim your code by the 15th of May, I think, but have until the end of May to actually use it.

Oh right cool thanks.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Captain Fantastic

A decent film about a father bringing up his 6 kids "off the grid" whose world view is called into question when their mother dies and they travel cross country for the funeral despite her father warning him to stay away. It's about parenting really, and is there any way to prepare your kids for adulthood, to face the world by themselves, to be the best people they can be etc. etc. Viggo Mortensen's character is raising his kids at one end of the extreme but I think what it's showing overall is that love and stability are what's most important, whether you raise your kids in a mansion or a tent in the woods.
One thought I did have when watching it is that it's a prime example of why there should be an Oscar for Casting Directors. The actors playing the kids are all excellent, especially the two youngest who look about 7, but more than hold their own alongside the older cast.

figges

Carol

Really enjoyable and well made film set in 50s America. Never been much of a fan of Cate Blanchett but she is terrifc in this as is her costar. Deals with themes of love, sexuality, possession, acceptance, denial, vengence and sacrifice. All beautifully directed by Todd Haynes.
Well worth a watch.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Adult Life Skills

Another one I watched thanks to Hunky Dorys.

Jodie Whittaker plays Anna, a woman about to hit 30 who lives in a shed at the bottom of her mother's garden and spends most of her free time making videos with her thumbs. Her mother has had enough of it and tells her she wants her moved out by her birthday. While it sounds like another of these "arrested development" type films it's actually much more than that. Fairly early on it's revealed why she's living in the shed and the film opens up into something more than just "weird childlike adult won't grow up". Whittaker is wonderful in the lead role and there's loads of great support from the rest of the cast. It's just the right mix of funny, sad and sweet and it even has a child in a fairly prominent role who manages to not be annoying.

I would definitely recommend seeking this one out.

MilesMorales1

So.. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp eh. You can tell it was made in war time from the first 15 minutes of it. It's a film that shows a vision of England that is clearly adores and wishes to preserves in our hearts and minds, whilst also arguing that this England must fall, both physically, morally and in our minds, before it is destroyed forever.

Being the sort of person who loves to read military history, and specially 19th/20th century British military history, I did have some conception of what Colonel Blimp was before I sat down to watch this, but knowing that, I had no idea this is the film they'd make out of the concept.

To try and accurately summarise the plot would be a bit of a tiresome exercise, given its a surprisingly epic war drama comedy piece set over 40 decades of a British army officer's life, from the Boer War in 1902 to joining the home guard in 1940. It's epic, incredibly charming, and surprisingly touching in some of its themes, such as loss, regret, the feelings of desperation and grief, nostalgia for days and times and people gone past us as time forever leaps forward for us as it does for Clive Wing Candy.
I imagine it would ring especially true to a war time audience, but it goes just as well in 2017.

It's a deeply romantic film. It's main 'plots' if thats an appropiate word are all romantic, love lost, love found. It also showcases the kind of romance the flows and enrichs every aspect of our lives, as much in 2017 as in 1943, or 1918, or 1902. The romance of a life long friendship time and distance can never break, the romance of our visions of the world, the romance of love. The romance of aging and accepting the world will change, and choosing to age gracefully along side it.

And Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr, and Anton Walbrook pull it off so well, I had tears in my eyes by the end.


Oh, and it also looks very nice, and sounds great.

I can sort of imagine people hating this film, or really not getting it. But it got me, it really did. I hate to use the term perfect for anything, but when its appropriate, its appropriate. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is a perfect film of what its trying to be.

Harry Palmr

Have it recorded to watch again, it's a brilliant "not a war film" wartime film

Jelle1880

Get out.

Honestly loved it. The suspense is palpable throughout the entire movie.

pixelburp

MilesMorales1 wrote: »

So.. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp eh. You can tell it was made in war time from the first 15 minutes of it. It's a film that shows a vision of England that is clearly adores and wishes to preserves in our hearts and minds, whilst also arguing that this England must fall, both physically, morally and in our minds, before it is destroyed forever. ...

I vaguely recall seeing this years ago during a rainy Sunday; very much a typical BBC2-in-the-afternoon kind of film. As you say it's a surprisingly touching and thoughtful production, but my only abiding memory - I think, as I'm not sure it was even this film & don't remember it accurately - was a really creative flashback transition at the start: the older Blimp diving into a pool, the camera then tracking him as he swam, only to emerge at the other end as a younger man. I don't recall any camera tricks, and is probably one of those things that isn't as impressive as I remember mind you, but it struck me as clever at the time.

Tony EH

I've never really been a fan of Powell and Pressburger films, but seem to remember 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp' as being surprisingly good for a 1943 British "war" film. I can't recall too much of it myself having seen it years ago, probably on the same Sunday afternoon as Pixelburp.

I do remember it being mostly fair minded in its approach to the Germans despite there being a war on at the time and there was a lack of overt propaganda present in the film. Although I thought Deborah Kerr showing up as a few different characters was a bit corny, even for the times.

I must check it out again some time soon.

Sad Professor

It's not my favourite Archers's film, that would be Black Narcissus closely followed by The Red Shoes, but Colonel Blimp is a damn good film. The filmmaking is pretty much flawless. There was a restoration a few years ago which is well worth seeking out as it represents a big leap over the original and really showcases the technical mastery.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Tony EH wrote: »

I do remember it being mostly fair minded in its approach to the Germans despite there being a war on at the time and there was a lack of overt propaganda present in the film. Although I thought Deborah Kerr showing up as a few different characters was a bit corny, even for the times.

I must check it out again some time soon.

Having watched Their Finest last week I find myself with a newfound interest in War films from actual war time. It's fascinating to think of the creative process behind some of the films from that time and how much was down to people in offices in Whitehall or wherever controlling it all.

Sad Professor

Churchill hated the film and tried to stop it getting made, which contributed to Lawrence Olivier, who was originally supposed to play the lead, pulling out. It was also a factor in it getting butchered before release. It was re-edited as a linear narrative, eliminating the Citizen Kane-esque flashback structure. Part of the reason was that the film deviated from traditional wartime propaganda, but the real reason was that Churchill probably saw himself in the main character.

johnny_ultimate

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Having watched Their Finest last week I find myself with a newfound interest in War films from actual war time. It's fascinating to think of the creative process behind some of the films from that time and how much was down to people in offices in Whitehall or wherever controlling it all.

Well worth watching Five Came Back on Netflix if you haven't already. Documentary about five famed Hollywood directors and their work during WW2. Felt it was a bit hagiographic in the first episode but it improved and didn't shy away from acknowledging the problems with the often horrifically racist propaganda films they made. Also reaffirmed my view that John Ford was something of an asshole, albeit a talented one

Netflix also released a ****load of the films featured in the documentary too - most have aged terribly, some a little more gracefully, but never less than valuable historical documents.

NIMAN

Having watched a few films over recent months, have to agree that the quality entertainment is definitely in the TV world.

Tony EH

Sad Professor wrote: »

Churchill hated the film and tried to stop it getting made, which contributed to Lawrence Olivier, who was originally supposed to play the lead, pulling out. It was also a factor in it getting butchered before release. It was re-edited as a linear narrative, eliminating the Citizen Kane-esque flashback structure. Part of the reason was that the film deviated from traditional wartime propaganda, but the real reason was that Churchill probably saw himself in the main character.

Actually, Olivier was in the FAA at the time and the HO said no to Powell and Pressbuger's request for his release to make the film.

"...we advise you not to make it and you can't have Laurence Olivier because he's in the Fleet Air Arm and we're not going to release him to play your Colonel Blimp".

Very petty sounding. :pac:

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Also reaffirmed my view that John Ford was something of an asshole, albeit a talented one

I was reading a thing about How Green was my Valley they other day and it said Maureen O'Hara stopped in the middle of a scene because she realised the basket she had was a modern one and Ford was so annoyed at her he sent her off to stand on a hill nearby until he was ready for her and left her there for over and hour. There was also something from The Quiet Man about them kicking a load of cow dung into the path she was getting dragged down in a scene. Just for fun like.

quickbeam

pixelburp wrote: »

I vaguely recall seeing this years ago during a rainy Sunday; very much a typical BBC2-in-the-afternoon kind of film. As you say it's a surprisingly touching and thoughtful production, but my only abiding memory - I think, as I'm not sure it was even this film & don't remember it accurately - was a really creative flashback transition at the start: the older Blimp diving into a pool, the camera then tracking him as he swam, only to emerge at the other end as a younger man. I don't recall any camera tricks, and is probably one of those things that isn't as impressive as I remember mind you, but it struck me as clever at the time.

That's the one. Great film, with three great leads.

Snake Plisken

Just caught Zodiac on one of the Movie channels for the 7th time, it has now become my favourite David Fincher movie overtaking Se7en. It's perfect from start to finish with great central performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo and excellent pacing at 2 hours 37 minutes it doesn't feel overlong.
I should add the Zodiac murder scenes are brutally realistic and hard to watch.
10/10 for me.

buried

Rogue One (2016)
Disappointing. The most disappointing aspect about these new Star Wars things for me is the complete lack of empathy, respect and care I have for the new characters and main protagonists in these new films. I just don't care what happens to them, they are wooden creations and I can no way relate to them whatsoever. Its strange, as Disney has spent it's entire existence creating films with characters and protagonists that audiences can't help but empathise and get behind with, and the majority of those well written characters have been cartoon characters not even actors, I expected a lot more. The camera work, effects and sets were fantastic in this, a lot more gritty while keeping to a classic Star Wars feel, but if you can't relate to the main characters in what your watching or reading, all the visual effects matter not a thing.
Two out of Five


Embrace of the Serpent (2015)
This is a brilliant film from Columbia. Two European scientists travel with the same tribal Amazonian shaman in two different timelines - 1909 and 1940 - looking for the same rare and sacred plant. The film bounces back and forth to these two different time zones and what happens respectively within them. The two actors playing the Shaman is absolute pure magic, this fantastic film literally sucks you into the jungle and the mindset that exists within such an environment. It did so for me, big-time. Highly, highly recommended. I can't wait to watch it again.
Five out of Five

hefferboi

Watched train to busan last night thought it was excellent. Never watched a south Korean movie before but was very impressed. Any recommendations for more good foreign movies, south Korean or other?

I love a good crime\detective\thriller so anything along those lines.

johnny_ultimate

A rather broad request :pac:

The Good, The Bad and The Weird is on Netflix, and one of the great South Korean crossover hits of the last decades. It's hard to pigeonhole - it's part thriller, part Western, part chase movie, part completely mad. It's a ****ing joy.

If you're looking for a thriller in particular, you're well covered. Memories of Murder, The Chaser, I Saw The Devil, and of course Oldboy (and its trilogy mates) would be pretty pure genre films albeit with distinct twists and subversions. If it's still playing near you - and it really should be seen on the big screen - The Handmaiden is an intoxicating delight: a twisty, swerving and even romantic thriller with peerless art design and direction. There's a lot more to South Korean cinema, but those are some of the ones that are most accessible without foregoing cinematic value.

Frank O. Pinion

buried wrote: »

this fantastic film literally sucks you into the jungle

Excuse me?

buried

Frank O. Pinion wrote: »

Excuse me?

Yes?