What have you watched recently: Electric Boogaloo

MilesMorales1

When I heard from reviews and around that The Internship was a big advertisement for google, I thought it was meant along the lines of Amazing Spider-Man, where it had a lot of advertising and a big action scene that was a Sony advert, or transformers or something.

Turns out the internship is a 2 hour long advert for google! All the character wants to work at google, thats the plot of the film. Google is described as being good for and advancing humanity (thats a direct quote) Google HQ is shown as being clean and perfect and accommodating of individuality while encourgaing cooperation, and every employee of google is perfect and smart and great, right? Kindly skips over the tax dodging and sketchier parts of google, of course.

The film is also grossly unfunny, badly performed, all the actors doing their laziest performances possible, and the google propaganda plot doesn't help. Still its somewhat interesting right? Wonder how much input google had on this? Or did some screenwriter or company just have a thing for google? I don't know, films is terrible though.

appledrop

Manchester by the Sea. Watched it last night + still so emotional today after watching it. Heartbreaking film. Deserves every award it won.

Liam McPoyle

Mindhorn.

Trailer made it look alot better than it was but enjoyed it well enough. The clips from the 80s were bang on the money and were the best sequences in it.

The Ghost Writer 2010 Roman Polanski film with Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan. Ewan is hired as a ghost writer for former Prime Minister Brosnan's biography who as things progress seems to have a few things to hide. Quite a clever thriller with Brosnan reminding much of Tony Blair, with various Polanskiesque twists and turns throughout

The Ninth Gate More Polanski with Johnny Depp playing an unscrupulous rare book expert who is hired by Frank Langella to retrieve 2 other known copies a book purportedly said to raise the Devil. Depp despite the various dangers the project brings can't resist due to the money offered. Some great characters in this film and a fun ride indeed right to the end.

The Life and Times of David Gale Quite intriguing Alan Parker film about an anti death penalty advocate Gale played by Kevin Spacey who goes from a Harvard Professor into a spiral of decline that starts with the accusation of rape by a former student. On Death Row now he asks for Kate Winslet a famous reporter to interview him for 3 days before he is due to be killed. This film got hammered by the critics because of the message its trying to deliver in the end. Its not perfect but its thought provoking and entertaining.

Tony EH

'Hacksaw Ridge'

A film of two halves that tries to channel 'Full Metal Jacket' too hard and fails to capture the brutal and honest nature of conflict, either on a personal level or a military one. Unlike Kubrick's film, Gibson layers on the sugar so thick in the opening section that it could rot the teeth out of your head. He presents a view of Desmond Doss's pre-war life that's coated in schmaltz, even though it's far from idyllic - Doss' father (a very good Hugo Weaving) endlessly relives his Great War days lamenting the loss of his buddies, while taking out his frustrations on everyone around him. Even so, Andrew Garfield's character waltz's through much of the first hour in a happy, goofy, haze that only Hollywood could conjure up. Perhaps that's what Gibson was going for as an effort to present a contrast of salad days against the realities of war. But, it's far too heavy handed to be taken seriously.

His relationship with the future Mrs Doss is as cheesy as it gets, too. From their meeting to when he heads off to war, there isn't a single thing about it that rings true on any level, other than the fact that the characters are based on people that existed. Garfield and Palmer do well enough in their roles, but nothing they're asked to do rises above the level of a cheap paperback.

It takes some sitting through.

Thankfully, Gibson eases with the "Christian" messaging where he could easily have gone overboard. Doss's religious convictions disallows his ability to bear arms. Yet he still "wants to serve". So, he enlists as a corpsman to administer aid to the wounded on the battlefield. However, corpsmen are also required to complete basic training, which leads to much "drama" in the training section of the film. Doss comes in for much strife from his Sergent Major - an out of place Vince Vaughn who tries his best R. Lee Ermey impression but isn't up to the job - and his company commander (a completely worthless Sam Worthington) who want him out of their unit, so much so that it ends up leading to a court martial. "Thankfully", a senior officer steps in and says Dessie doesn't have to hold a rifle if he doesn't want to, an event that has been prompted by a fatherly intervention which is supposed to act as a redemption of sorts for that character, if sending your boy off to the horrors of war can stand in for a "redemption".

With great relief, all of that claptrap gets jettisoned around the half way point and we're shipped off to Okinawa in 1945. There's just enough war left for Doss to do his best and the film goes some way to making up for its dreadful first act. But even so, amid all the slow mo carnage and practical gore effects, it's hard to really believe in Gibson's depiction of war, because there's too much beauty in the frames to feel any real horror. Japanese soldiers are immolated in CGI flames and run slowly toward the camera, but it's hard to feel anything, because we're too busy studying the image. People are shredded by gunfire and blown into the air. But, it's all numb. Gibson tries hard to shock and in some cases he does, but fails too many times elsewhere. Mel wants to grab the viewer and rub their face in his bloody special effects and tell them that's what war looks like. But his depiction of war is covered in so much Hollywood gloop, and lacking in any stark harshness, that none of it feels realistic.

In the end, though, Doss does his bit and manages to get 70 odd wounded men off of Hacksaw Ridge, after his unit are forced to retreat from an attack. He prays to God to help him save "just one more" and he continues until he his unable to, due to wounds he endures himself at which point the film ends with some short interludes from the real man himself.

Desmond Doss's actions on Okinawa are certainly worthy of respect and it's difficult to believe a lot of what transpires on the screen actually happened in real life. But, these actions are presented in a very overblown way and at times are rendered in a laughable Zack Snyder style slo-mo that reduces these actions to a comic book level. It's difficult to describe without seeing the film, but there is a very real sense of embellishment to the true life events, as incredible as they already are. Nothing ever feels real in Gibson's film, from the beginning minute to the start of the credits and Gibson is a filmmaker of good caliber too, which makes it all the more disappointing. 'Braveheart', for all its mangling of history, remains a thoroughly entertaining picture, 'The Passion of the Christ' is the greatest film about Jesus ever put to screen and his last effort - before shooting his mouth of in a drunken outburst about Jews - 'Apocalypto', was one of the finest films I've watched. But he misses the mark in 'Hacksaw Ridge' too often. There are still some decent passages here and there, but one has to wade through deep pools of Hollywood swamp water to get to them.

It's a real pity that 'Hacksaw Ridge' fails on the levels that it does and ends up portraying a fantastic story in a very average way, because somewhere in there, there is a great film trying to be seen and Doss himself is a pretty remarkable man, with feats that deserve telling. There's certainly a good film out there worthy of his name, but 'Hacksaw Ridge' isn't it.

5/10

Tony EH

Tony EH wrote: »

'Hacksaw Ridge'

There's certainly a good film out there worthy of his name, but 'Hacksaw Ridge' isn't it.

5/10

5/10 is harsh! Mel should get a 1 point pass for religious nonsense, and another point just for being Mel Gibson! 7/10 entirely more fair!

Tony EH

Overall, I don't think so. I'd probably give the second half of the film a 6 or 7, but even that section gets hamstrung by bad scenes. Doss dragging the wounded guy while he fires his grease gun is laughable. Plus the slo-mo Match of the Day action as he kicks away Japanese grenades is cringey, to say the least. Some of that slo-mo felt like it was from the opening of X-Men Origins: Wolverine' or something. Really bizarre and out of place.

Also, it gets dragged down badly - very badly - by an extremely bad first half, that barely deserves a 3. So, it rounds out to around a 5/10.

It's an average film - admittedly about a remarkable man - that masquerades as something more important than it is, or could have been and it never rises above its Hollywood movie trappings.

Liamalone

Hacksaw Ridge

Really liked this, thought Garfield was great, always like seeing the actor that played his father in films.

Good show. Solid 7/10

Tony EH

The "actor that played his father" is Elrond, Lord of Rivendell an Australian actor called Hugo Weaving, who's usually good in everything he's in and is probably one of the better things about 'Hacksaw Ridge'.

droidman123

The paradise suite (2015)
Dutch/swedish/bulgarian production
A story set in amsterdam involving 6 foreigners who are all unrelated and in amsterdam for various reasons (which is explained in the movie).all their paths cross and intersect with tragic consequences.its a slowish movie but somehow dramatic at the same time.fantastic story how they all cross paths,the 2 hours flew in for me,i was so engrossed.i would highly recommend this movie.
8/10

8mv

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Just watched Okja. That was painful to watch. As soon as the film ended, I spend about five minutes hugging my dog and trying not to burst into full on tears.

There is comic relief in Jake Gyllenhal and a 'happy' ending but the penultimate scene when they are leaving the factory (on my phone so can't do spoiler tags) takes away from the happy part.

It's very effective in getting it's message across. I think it's scary that although some of it may seem outlandish, there is a strong connection to reality and that really hit hone. Suffice to say, I don't think I'll be eating any meat for a while.

I watched it a couple of weeks ago with a young teen who was staying at our house, thinking it looked like an appropriate film for that age group. Turns out to be quite upsetting, but a great film all the same. Paul Dano is good as usual and the young Korean girl is excellent. Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhal are hamming it up all the way through, but I believe this is a signature of the director (I haven't seen his other movies, but I have The Host in my Amazon list) I'm glad I don't eat pork and bacon products since last year anyway.

Noveight

Captain Phillips was on the telly earlier. Can't believe it took me this long to properly sit down and give it a watch, it's a cracking thriller.

10/10.

RasTa

There is a very good Scandinavian movie which name I forget along the same line and an upgrade on the Hollywood version.

Mickeroo

RasTa wrote: »

There is a very good Scandinavian movie which name I forget along the same line and an upgrade on the Hollywood version.

It's called A Hijacking.

droidman123

Mickeroo wrote: »

It's called A Hijacking.

Yeah,its much more grittier than captain phillips and concentrates more on the negotiating.brilliant movie,definitely recommended.

4Ad

Stuart: My Life Backwards
It was probably recommended here...
Absolutely brilliant,I'm sure it's not everyone's cup of tea though. Tom Hardy is just brilliant in it.
True story of a homeless person with addiction issues..
PLEASE watch it.
10/10...

The Deep 1977 Nick Nolte and Jaqueline Bisset are in Bermuda on holidays doing some diving and come across evidence of some treasure. They meet local expert Robert Shaw to help them and some well dodgy Haitians in the subsequent adventure. Reminded me a lot of some Bond movies due to the setting, a bit of Voodoo, and I guess the Haitians! Cool film, nice score, great underwater scenes. Shaw is fantastic, I see he died at 51. Such presence on screen and such an original individual.

Solider of Orange 1977 Paul Verhoven directs Rutger Hauer in his heyday in a film that never really gets to be as good as it could of been. Set in WW2 Holland around a group of friends who join the resistance or the Nazi's with varying results. The first half hour is bizarre and very camp, the first scene after the credits is crazy - its a university hazing scene which was hard to work out initially as everyone looks like they are in their 40's :pac: I guess this is worth a watch, but hard not to get distracted....

Harry Palmr

Phantasm (1979) Dir Don Coscarelli

At about the halfway point one of the characters asks "What the **** is going on?". He was right to wonder. Clunky cult hit has the germs of a good barking mad story but it takes far too long to get to the meat and potatoes and I can only guess the first sequel takes up and fleshes out the interesting moments and ideas. The score clearly takes it's cue from Italian prog-rockers and film composers Goblin and that's no bad thing.

Fysh

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Phantasm (1979) Dir Don Coscarelli

At about the halfway point one of the characters asks "What the **** is going on?". He was right to wonder. Clunky cult hit has the germs of a good barking mad story but it takes far too long to get to the meat and potatoes and I can only guess the first sequel takes up and fleshes out the interesting moments and ideas. The score clearly takes it's cue from Italian prog-rockers and film composers Goblin and that's no bad thing.

"A passable execution of a much stronger concept" is probably not a bad description of the Phantasm series overall, tbh. I've a soft spot for them myself but I always wish they were a better version of the core idea (for me they're at their weakest when trying to do Evil-dead-esque silliness or using Reggie as a womanizer in order to introduce some T&A). Pity the last film wasn't a better send-off for Scrimm, whose Tall Man was always the creepiest horror character for me.

Harry Palmr

Did several pages just go missing?

budgemook

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Did several pages just go missing?

Promoted to it's own thread

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

budgemook wrote: »

Promoted to it's own thread

It's not worthy of it's own thread. I read it for 29 minutes and couldn't get into it at all.

MilesMorales1

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

It's not worthy of it's own thread. I read it for 29 minutes and couldn't get into it at all.

droidman123

Confessions (2010)
Mind blowing japenese movie
Starts off with a teacher addressing her class at the end of term.after a blah blah speech she tells them that her young child was murdered,and the perpetrators are two pupils in the very class.its a tale of revenge and how far the teacher goes for retribution.the story is told in a strange kind of way (if you watch the movie you will know what i mean)there are some very disturbing and unsettling scenes,but not with mindless gore.the first 20 minutes or so are a bit slow but stick with it for a very rewarding 2 hours,and one of the most moving stunningly visual endings of a movie i have seen.fantastic,cinematography,acting and a great score(featuring one of my favourite radiohead songs)
9/10

Mr E

I've seen people raving about Chris O'Dowd's new movie 'The Incredible Jessica James' on social media since late last week, but it didn't really click with me. It wasn't great. It's on Netflix.

budgemook

Mr E wrote: »

I've seen people raving about Chris O'Dowd's new movie 'The Incredible Jessica James' on social media since late last week, but it didn't really click with me. It wasn't great. It's on Netflix.

Saw the same ravings and agree that it wasn't for me either. Netflix movies, so far, are the new direct to video crap that would only be watched when you've seen everything else in previous times but now we have "news sites" aka blogs raving about them as if they're the Godfather or something.

Yet to see a Netflix produced movie that I'd consider anything more than okay at best.

Edit:

Most recent Netflix movies I watched - incredible Jessica James, The Circle and The Siege of Jadoville. Did not care for any of them.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

budgemook wrote: »

Yet to see a Netflix produced movie that I'd consider anything more than okay at best.

Edit:

Most recent Netflix movies I watched - incredible Jessica James, The Circle and The Siege of Jadoville. Did not care for any of them.

How many of them were produced by Netflix though? As opposed to Netflix buying distribution rights after they were made.

saintsaltynuts

Baby Driver ***/5
Spiderman Homecoming ***/5
War For The Planet Of The Apes ***/5
Dunkirk ***/5
Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes **/5
Jawbone **/5

Basq

In terms of Netflix originals, 'In The Bone' was pretty dreadful too.

'I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore' was the best they've done IMO.

Mr E

Went to Wish Upon in the cinema last night, hoping for some fun Final Destination-ish gore (I've seen Final Destination comparisons in a few reviews).

The story was decent enough (despite one silly twist that made no sense), but the horror was very PG - most of it was off camera with sound effects. The ending also made people laugh (and not in a good way).

A decent effort but could have been better.