What have you watched recently: Electric Boogaloo

budgemook

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Its a Netflix series so its there. I found it more accessible and intriguing then Gamorrah which I started but it didn't grab me at all.

Suburra the film is excellent and I am looking forward to the series. I've wanted to watch Gamorrah for ages though so I don't know which to watch first. I probably won't ever get around to either though, being honest about it!

buried

Deleted User wrote: »

Its a Netflix series so its there. I found it more accessible and intriguing then Gamorrah which I started but it didn't grab me at all.

Gomorrah is really good. Starts off a bit clunky the first few episodes but when Salvatore Conte returns it really really takes off. It's a lot more brutal than the Suburra series. Try give it another shot!

david75

Coco.
Really really good. Makes you cry at a few places then immediately makes some weird missteps.
I’d suggest anyone with kids watch this before you let them see it unless you want some difficult questions and or sobbing kids after it. Tricky subject matter involved for small ones about death and afterlife.

Tony EH

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Continuing on my subtitle run of late I watched Apocalyto tonight for the first time on Blu Ray (no illegal downloading in my house! Quite the opposite actually - went to watch it to discover I have not 1 but 2 Blu Ray copies of it, and a DVD :rolleyes:...I really need to sort my sh*t out when it comes to my purchases.....). Anyway, the movie itself: I really liked it. I didn't find it as violent as I had heard it to be; and at times it's just beautiful to look at. I can't help but wonder how much more successful it would have been at the time of release (particularly in the US) if Mel Gibson's name wasn't splashed all over it (it was released in 2006/2007 just after his anti-Jewish rant). 7/10.

One of the greatest films of the decade I thought.

And one to watch without any knowledge of its events. That way the most can be gotten out of it as the viewer follows the journey that Jaguar Paw goes on.

As for Gibson himself, the man is an alcoholic and has struggled with that demon for decades. He said something stupid while pissed and getting pulled over for a DUI.

However, I find his 10 year long Hollywood exile for an anti Semitic remark ridiculous, when the likes of Roman Polanski and Harvey Weinstein could get away with what they were up to and be lauded by the same town.

Priorities, I guess.

ButtersSuki

Tony EH wrote: »

One of the greatest films of the decade I thought.

And one to watch without any knowledge of its events. That way the most can be gotten out of it as the viewer follows the journey that Jaguar Paw goes on.

As for Gibson himself, the man is an alcoholic and has struggled with that demon for decades. He said something stupid while pissed and getting pulled over for a DUI.

However, I find his 10 year long Hollywood exile for an anti Semitic remark ridiculous, when the likes of Roman Polanski and Harvey Weinstein could get away with what they were up to and be lauded by the same town.

Priorities, I guess.

I agree wholeheartedly.

"Payback" is one of my favourite movies; and since the "incident", I've liked "Edge of Darkness", "Get the Gringo/How I spent my summer vacation" and his cameo in "Machete Kills". Not a popular opinion to express aloud in some quarters!

Tony EH

Never saw 'Payback'. Didn't know it was, essentially, a remake of 'Point Blank'. Which version do you recommend? The theatrical or director's cut?

Never saw 'Edge of Darkness' either, but was a fan of the original BBC series.

ButtersSuki

Tony EH wrote: »

Never saw 'Payback'. Didn't know it was, essentially, a remake of 'Point Blank'. Which version do you recommend? The theatrical or director's cut?

Never saw 'Edge of Darkness' either, but was a fan of the original BBC series.

I prefer the Theatrical version of "Payback" tbh; the Director's Cut has a very different (and IMO not as good) ending. It's very stylish (in both a noir and 50's comic book animation senses) and there's some great performances from the rest of the cast too (in particular Gregg Henry as "Resnick"). It's something I will always dip into if it's on TV (it seems to be on ITV's 2-4 a lot). I'm enough of a nerd to watch both or more versions of a movie I like so I'd say try and watch both; but if you only do one, go for the Theatrical version. From memory the Director's Cut is only on the US DVD and Blu Ray Releases (which of course I have :rolleyes:), but it's likely out there on the web if you're a streamer. Do try and watch it though, from your posts I'd be shocked if you don't like it on some level.

Now that you've mentioned Point Blank I'll have to watch that again as i havem't seen it since I was a kid and it's long forgotten. Damn you!

I liked the EoD TV series too which I watched on YouTube as I couldn't find a physical copy anywhere at the time. I found the movie adaptation very good in places (there's some very good scenes) and solid overall. It was one of those when I watched it at the time I was like "Damn, Gibson can be very good, why doesn't he do more movies....oh, yeah".

Tony EH

Ah sure, I'll more than likely have a look at both at some stage. The Mrs is out on the weekend, so I might have Mel around.

On Gibson, he can be hit and miss for me, in both acting and direction. Which is probably why I've never bothered with 'Payback'. The marketing didn't help either. It came across as just another bland 90's thriller and then got filed away in the bargain bin section of my mind. Funnily enough, 'Ransom' did as well. But, I (half) watched that recently, and pleasantly surprised.

Yeh, give 'Point Blank' a go again. It's an odd(ish) film, like a lot of Boorman's stuff. Offbeat, but never boring.

david75

The one where he’s a crazy conspiracy nut was kinda crap.

Del.Monte

Tony EH wrote: »

Never saw 'Payback'. Didn't know it was, essentially, a remake of 'Point Blank'. Which version do you recommend? The theatrical or director's cut?

Never saw 'Edge of Darkness' either, but was a fan of the original BBC series.

Eliminate any memory of the BBC series and you will really enjoy the remake.
Both are equally good but totally different.

Frank O. Pinion

Mom and Dad (2017)

Critics Consensus: Mom and Dad's gonzo premise serves as an effective springboard for a wickedly dark, bloody comedy, and an appropriately over-the-top performance from Nicolas Cage.

This is not just an average straight-to-VOD, B-movie from Nicolas Cage, as in recent years. This was very good, and extremely fun. Perfect film for Mother's Day, Father's Day, or for any parent in general.

ButtersSuki

Evelyn, Salma Hayek action-flick on Blu Ray (further evidence I buy too much stuff). Just awful. They were trying too hard to be cool and and way too obviously to create some sort of female Die Hard meets The Raid against all odds action hero movie that for me at least failed on almost every level. It's filmed almost entirely in one room and The Room is probably what it's closest too despite it's lofty pretensions. I've never started a movie and not finished it but this was a struggle - I almost turned it off after 10minutes. The highlight for me was watching out for continuity errors

my favourite being the sword inserted in the left hand side of Taiko and then she slicing him in half on the right hand side from the same cut/entry point :rolleyes:

and the gaping plots holes. Hayek looks great but that's about it. The dialogue is just atrocious, and the acting by most of the actors is as bad. It also looks like they were trying to create some so bad it's good cult classic,;but alas, they failed at that too. Maybe it was supposed to be a comedy and I just missed the joke? 2/10.

Snake Plisken

Just finished watching Taika Waititi’s Thor Ragnarok and I flipping loved it, I’m not a big MCU fan, I loved Guardians of the Galaxy,but no interest in Iron man or the Avenger movies but this really lived up to the excellent trailer and it is so funny I really loved Korg the rock monster who was actually voiced by Taika, I see a lot of hate from Marvel fanboy reviews on IMDB, maybe it’s not what they wanted but damn it was great to see Taika helm a big budget Superhero movie and make it with trademark sense of humour:D
Out on BluRay on the 5th of March I believe and it will be added to my collection!....9/10

david75

Snake Plisken wrote: »

Just finished watching Taika Waititi’s Thor Ragnarok and I flipping loved it, I’m not a big MCU fan, I loved Guardians of the Galaxy,but no interest in Iron man or the Avenger movies but this really lived up to the excellent trailer and it is so funny I really loved Korg the rock monster who was actually voiced by Taika, I see a lot of hate from Marvel fanboy reviews on IMDB, maybe it’s not what they wanted but damn it was great to see Taika helm a big budget Superhero movie and make it with trademark sense of humour:D
Out on BluRay on the 5th of March I believe and it will be added to my collection!....9/10

I was the same. Watched it out of boredom and was here we ago another identical movie from the marvel cookie cutter machine. I was totally wrong.
It’s brilliant and hilarious in the right way. A timeless kind of humour that won’t date. Really one of the best marvel have come out with.

I want taika making a Star Wars film immediately

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

david75 wrote: »

I want taika making a Star Wars film immediately

Star Wars films seem like a punishment to a director. The absolute nonsense that's been directed at the latest one would make me wonder why anyone would want to be involved with that franchise. I see it being used as a yard stick in conversations about "minority" directors constantly these days. I know ultimately it's still the biggest job in town but I wouldn't want any of my fave directors near it.

david75

Went through all three extended editions of Lord of the rings over the past few nights. Such wonderful films. Especially in the extended form.

So now watching the making of discs starting with FOTR. These bonus features that come with the extended editions have never been equalled. So in depth and engaging. It’s a brilliant thing when the making of a film is as worthwhile a watch as the film itself.

Sad Professor

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Star Wars films seem like a punishment to a director. The absolute nonsense that's been directed at the latest one would make me wonder why anyone would want to be involved with that franchise. I see it being used as a yard stick in conversations about "minority" directors constantly these days. I know ultimately it's still the biggest job in town but I wouldn't want any of my fave directors near it.

A bit like the Bond movies whose fans are more interested in Bond as a model of masculinity, fantasy and fashion than they are about seeing a good movie with good story.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Sad Professor wrote: »

A bit like the Bond movies whose fans are more interested in Bond as a model of masculinity, fantasy and fashion than they are about seeing a good movie with good story.

I guess these franchises are already so well established that the directors are almost irrelevant. The brand will make money anyway and the films will act as a platform for any director who does get the job. I can see why directors would want to have Bond, Star Wars etc on their CV but from a creative point of view they seem like double edged swords.

al87987

Lady Bird - 8/10

Saoirse is great, still think FM gets the oscar. Good flick though and well acted/edited.

Wombatman

Born to Be Blue (2015) - 8/10

Stumbled across this Chet Baker biopic starring Ethan Hawke. Not a jazz fan but really enjoyed it.

El Duda

A few snappier reviews from stuff I've seen in the last week;

My Life as a Courgette - 8.5/10

A gorgeous Swiss/French stop-motion animation that tackles some incredibly tough subject matter. It takes on themes such as murder, neglect and abuse whilst maintaining a Charles M. Shultz style innocence. The warm and fuzzy interactions between the children reminded me a lot of the Peanuts cartoons. The thing that most struck me about the animation style is how rich in texture it is. A really lovely film and only an hour long.


Moulin Rouge - 5 / 10

My other-halfs all time favourite film so I felt obliged to make the effort and give it a watch. Really not my thing at all. Fast, frenetic, flamboyant and utterly absurd. I really don't like Ewan McGregor so found it very difficult to get into. Jim Broadbent is its saving grace. Baz Luhrmann is clearly a very gifted film maker and the amount of work that must've gone into this production is evident on screen at all times and whilst i can appreciated it from that perspective, it didn't do a lot else for me.

Detroit - 7.5/10

Kathryn Bigelow lends her directorial chops to this gritty story set during the backdrop of the Detroit Riots. She manages to get some astonishing performances out of the brilliant cast. Especially from Will Poulter who is already one of the biggest talents in the world and he's still only 24 years old. The central thrust of the film is an agonizing endurance test that becomes extremely grim and unsettling to watch. Probably the most intense, claustrophobic section of a film since Green Room.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe - 6 / 10

It was the casting of Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch that drew my interest in this. There are some good ideas in here and its a lot more inventive than I had expected at times. They obviously tried really hard to avoid stereotypes and predictable scares but it does inevitably end up going down that route towards the end. It all kind of fell apart for me.

A Dogs Purpose - 4 / 10

It's like 7 different writers all had separate ideas for a dog based film. One of the writers in the room had the genius idea of merging them all into one narrative. You end up with a Dogs Purpose. A film where we follow 'Bailey' the dog as he repeatedly dies and gets reincarnated as various different mutts. Yes. That's what the plot is. It might have managed to manipulate my wife into crying but it damn well didn't get me!

Drumpot

Watched “The Running man”. Had’nt seen it in years. Some or the action movies in the 80s are just so much fun!

“Who loves you and who do you love?! It’s time to start running!”

Movie rating 9 out of fun.

Pero_Bueno

The Passion of St. Tibulus

What was all that about ??
I know for a fact St. Tibulus wore more clothes than that - sure he was from Norway he would have froze to death ...

tunguska

Coco(Pixar)


Saw the trailer before christmas and I was drawn to it instantly, even though I dont usually go for animated films. So this past sunday afternoon instead of doing lunch with friends I slipped off to the Ominplex in Rathmines(love this cinema)to catch an afternoon show. Full of families with children, as to be expected, which was a little annoying at first but then the kids settled down after a few minutes.
I loved it. From start to finish, it was perfection. It looks incredible and the story hooks you in straight out of the blocks. But the feels........I held it in manfully until the little girl in front of me started crying and then I was blubbering til the end. A beautiful film thats genuinely moving.

Wombatman

The Lost City of Z - 9/10

One of the best movies I've seen in a while. The prefect antidote to the seemingly endless steam of inane super hero movies. Lacked a little in scale, considering the subject, but otherwise next to flawless for me. Opera in the rubber plantation, the hunt and the showdown in the RGS were some of the more mesmerizing scenes. Wonderful sets and art direction.

briany

Mom & Dad (2017)

Horror/Thriller starring Nicholas Cage & Selma Blair. A hysteria of unexplained origin begins sweeping the U.S. causing parents to become murderously violent towards their own children.

Solid popcorn fare. You'd think Nicholas Cage playing a part where he becomes psychotic for no good reason would be way OTT, but he underplays it if anything. By his own standards, that is. What's causing this outbreak of filicide/prolicide is not made explicitly clear in the film, but there are nods toward another movie, The Signal (2007), made throughout that give a hint.

Soldier Girls (1981)

A Nick Broomfield documentary examining life in Fort Gordon, Georgia, as a women's platoon undergo basic training.

I thought this was really compelling. If you're any way intrigued by the archetype of the brimmed-hat, order-barking, perfection-demanding drill sergeant, this is a film that features one quite a bit. It also has a variety of personalities among the recruits, from the highly-driven to the I-don't-know-why-the-hell-I-signed-up. An excellent fly-on-the-wall slice of life. Recommended.

Arghus

The Commuter - This was more or less what I expected it to be - a solid Nessoney mystery/actioner with plenty - plenty! - of completely nonsensical nonsense, some godawful cheese and a few laughs that may or may not have been intentional. I'd place it somewhere just above the high middle in the rankings of movies in which Liam is an ass-kicking superstar: above the Taken sequels and Unknown, but below the likes of Non-Stop or The Grey.

The movie starts off quite well - I was taken aback by the artistry of the title sequence, which was a clever idea executed with genuine flair. And the film as a whole makes sure to get every piece of the puzzle into place right quick smart so we all know the deal about our hero, who he is and how crap of a day he's having, good and early. Then the preposterous begins...The whole high concept behind the film is really quite dumb, even by the not-very brain taxing standards of Neeson b-movie plot McGuffin territory. Its crazy implausibility was never something that I could truly forget. At least Non-Stop was a fairly intriguing mystery for a while before it careered off the deep-end in the third act - this is as dumb as rocks right from the get-go. Having said that, it remains watchable and Liam Neeson beats a man over the head with a electric guitar at one point. How often do you get to enjoy that singular ludicrousness at the movies?

Cantona's Collars

Only the Brave.

http://www.metacritic.com/movie/only-the-brave

Really enjoyed it,I knew nothing of the backstory of the characters so apart from the original trailer I went in blind and that added to the movie.

"Only the Brave, based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, is the heroic story of one unit of local firefighters that through hope, determination, sacrifice, and the drive to protect families, communities,become one of the most elite firefighting teams in the country. As most of us run from danger, they run toward it".

It doesn't go ott in the way Backdraft went and while there are some great scenes with gorgeous landscape shots,it focuses on the men. And it will catch you in the feels.

walshb

I wasted two hours on the killing of a sacred deer...

A pile of pretentious forced nonsense...

CrankyHaus

Molly's Game (2017)
Excellent dialogue and performances though Sorkin's style may not be for everyone. A story that felt fresh and unpredictable, presumably as it's based on a true story.
A lot of fun and hard to fault. 8/10.

Patton (1970)
I'd avoided this as I'd assumed it was a jingoist war epic that would have dated very poorly.
Actually the script, co-written by Coppola, is extremely fresh and the film functions best as a timeless character piece with George C Scott brilliantly portraying the very strange but compelling General Patton alongside Karl Malden playing General Omar Bradley as the straight man (actually pretty much every other character plays the straight man to Patton's brash oddness).There's a surprising amount of humour, particularly in the constant wrangling between Patton and Montgomery for primacy in Allied planning.
The battle scenes have aged badly though, with far more versimilitude in battle scenes filmed since. For example all the tanks are post-war US designs alternately painted in German or US colours.
For a film that won 7 Oscars it seems to have gone under the radar in retrospectives on great films of the time, maybe because it's tone was deeply out of place in the Hollywood zeitgeist of the early 70's.
9/10