What have you watched recently: Electric Boogaloo

NinjaK

Dances with Wolves - the 4 hour directors cut! It was my first time seeing it and really enjoyed it. Well worth a watch!

johnny_ultimate

As ever, working through the beyond lengthy bucket list:

L'Avventura: Antonioni existential crisis film may not enjoy quite the same critical stature as it did on release, but it remains a challenging and very rewarding piece of work. A wealthy woman goes missing on a remote island during a yacht trip with friends. But 'the story' is about those around her, and the reasons for her disappearance: this is a savage, unashamed critique of society's shallowness and removed emotions. From dark laughs to genuine insight, its certainly not a film with easy or obvious resolutions. Instead it rewards with well drawn characters and thought-provoking themes (the 'feminist' angles are notably well realised). I couldn't issue a straight-up recommendation to all, but for those who enjoy their cinema to provoke and intrigue, L'Avventura remains an unusual albeit challenging delight.

Dirty Harry: I'd never seen this film until last night. I know, I know! Thoughts? Well, its almost impossible to critique blind now: its iconography is so deeply engrained into popular culture and the cinematic language. If there's one problem, its that what was pioneering here has since become the foundation for endless thrillers, serial killer films and even TV shows.

Luckily, its still a thoroughly enjoyable game of cat and mouse. It's not worth dwelling on the potential political / right-wing readings - as a straight up cop thriller, Dirty Harry does its job expertly. TBH, the best thing about it is San Francisco - the setting really used to enhance the tone and momentum of the film.

mrmorgan

Total recall 2012

It's actually a lot better than I expected for a change Colin farrell is actually good and oh my god Kate.

Bourne legacy

Very very dissappointing. A totally pointless movie

crazygeryy

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Dirty Harry: I'd never seen this film until last night. I know, I know! Thoughts? Well, its almost impossible to critique blind now: its iconography is so deeply engrained into popular culture and the cinematic language. If there's one problem, its that what was pioneering here has since become the foundation for endless thrillers, serial killer films and even TV shows.

Luckily, its still a thoroughly enjoyable game of cat and mouse. It's not worth dwelling on the potential political / right-wing readings - as a straight up cop thriller, Dirty Harry does its job expertly. TBH, the best thing about it is San Francisco - the setting really used to enhance the tone and momentum of the film.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz good god did u like it or not?

johnny_ultimate

crazygeryy wrote: »

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz good god did u like it or not?

I apologise. I'll try less hard in the future.

8/10, would watch again. That better?

Basq

crazygeryy wrote: »

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz good god did u like it or not?

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

8/10, would watch again. That better?

Would prefer a rating in grunts out of 5 tbh! :pac:

johnny_ultimate

Basq wrote: »

Would prefer a rating in grunts out of 5 tbh! :pac:

My favourite ratings are question marks:

I give this film ?/?.

Tipsy McSwagger

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I apologise. I'll try less hard in the future.

8/10, would watch again. That better?

Don't apologise your verdict was spot on and fairly short.

Raoul

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

Don't apologise your verdict was spot on and fairly short.

Yeah don't know why gery found your post so boring and you also said it was thoroughly enjoyable. :rolleyes:

splashthecash

crazygeryy wrote: »

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz good god did u like it or not?

Not to good at the old reading lark huh?

Dirty Harry: I'd never seen this film until last night. I know, I know! Thoughts? Well, its almost impossible to critique blind now: its iconography is so deeply engrained into popular culture and the cinematic language. If there's one problem, its that what was pioneering here has since become the foundation for endless thrillers, serial killer films and even TV shows.

Luckily, its still a thoroughly enjoyable game of cat and mouse. It's not worth dwelling on the potential political / right-wing readings - as a straight up cop thriller, Dirty Harry does its job expertly. TBH, the best thing about it is San Francisco - the setting really used to enhance the tone and momentum of the film.

johnny_ultimate

Good Morning - charming, very funny late Ozu. Follows a group of neighbours (young and old) in suburban Tokyo over a couple of days. The adults deal with gossip, work problems and stubborn children, while the kids play, sulk and watch sumo wrestling on the only neighbourhood TV. Feels a lot more modern than many of his other films, but still takes the time to develop its characters affectionately and honestly. This is just a great comedy drama from one of cinema's master directors: ranging from the typically perceptive family & social insights to a surprisingly large amount of fart jokes.

MiloYossarian

crazygeryy wrote: »

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz good god did u like it or not?

Why don't they just take you out and shoot you altogether. I'm actually afraid to post here now, just in case I say something that that clique disagrees with it and gangs up on me.

I felt, when I read what you said, that your tongue was firmly planted in your cheek.

Delightfully Pessimistic

The Descent: Found this on tv the other night. Good movie better than I was expecting, stayed away from some of the cliche's I was expecting.
Want to see Part 2 now even though there is a negative buzz about it.

don ramo

splashthecash wrote: »

Jurassic Park

Got this on Blu-ray a few days ago and said I'd give it a whirl....haven't seen it in years and looked forward to seeing it again. Holds up very well for the most part..one or two iffy CGI shots but the action\adventure element is top class.

The kids are more annoying than I remember them (I was their age when it came out first so I thought they were cool) but a great showing by the rest of the cast.

The transfer to Blu-ray was overall good but some scenes were very very grainy and probably could've been done better. It does have however a **** load of extras which I'll dip in and out of

jack_edson wrote: »

I brought my girlfriend to see Jurassic Park when it was re-released in the cinema. She hadn't seen it and I hadn't seen it in quite a while. It was a busy screening and was as good as the first time I saw it. Easy to forget just how good a popcorn movies it is with the substandard copies/sequels. Ditto JAWS, which I saw when it was re-released too. Just great.

its getting the 3D treatment next year, due in cinemas around april in the US and probably the same time here,

i enjoyed immensely when i went to see in cinema last year, hadn't seen it in years, i felt like a kid watching it, happy days :D

crazygeryy

MiloYossarian wrote: »

crazygeryy wrote: »

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz good god did u like it or not?

Why don't they just take you out and shoot you altogether. I'm actually afraid to post here now, just in case I say something that that clique disagrees with it and gangs up on me.

I felt, when I read what you said, that your tongue was firmly planted in your cheek.

to be honest i had a few drinks in me when i posted.but your right on two counts. i was being overly sarcastic with tounge placed firmly in cheek. and screw Being afraid to post in here just post, who cares.

and yes there is a clique in here.
who mods the mods eh?

red dog.Australian movie about a dog. not good not good at all.

Sad Professor

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Good Morning - charming, very funny late Ozu. Follows a group of neighbours (young and old) in suburban Tokyo over a couple of days. The adults deal with gossip, work problems and stubborn children, while the kids play, sulk and watch sumo wrestling on the only neighbourhood TV. Feels a lot more modern than many of his other films, but still takes the time to develop its characters affectionately and honestly. This is just a great comedy drama from one of cinema's master directors: ranging from the typically perceptive family & social insights to a surprisingly large amount of fart jokes.

I haven't seen this. I really need to get a hold of more Ozu films. The four or so films of his that I have seen are extraordinary and are among some of the best films I've ever seen. If his other films are only half as good as the Noriko trilogy and An Autumn Afternoon, there's a lot of quality viewing ahead of me.

MiloYossarian

crazygeryy wrote: »

to be honest i had a few drinks in me when i posted.but your right on two counts. i was being overly sarcastic with tounge placed firmly in cheek. and screw Being afraid to post in here just post, who cares.

and yes there is a clique in here.
who mods the mods eh?

red dog.Australian movie about a dog. not good not good at all.

Ya I knew that, it's just that other people didn't seem to get it. They just blindly fell on the sword for Johnny Ultimate andI just wanted to give some balance, because, I don't know, I got what you were saying. But in fairness, I am drunk right now.
No disrespect to anybody else here, but I don't care about the negative stuff, and the bitchy behaviour, the film snobery, I've gotten good few tips on what to watch here. And that goes especially for Johnny Ultimate. I mainly write up what I watched here as a record of what I watched on a particular day and what have you.

briany

Chasing Sleep starring Jeff Daniels as a man with a case of cabin fever in the wake of his wife's disappearance. He waits hopefully for good news but the insomnia and anxiety he feels threaten to crack him up. Good slow burning psych thriller in the mold of Kubrick or Lynch but not as good what they'd make and predictable in parts. Still, recommended.

Professional Griefer

Existenz

Saw it years and years ago on RTE 2 late one night and loved it, flicking through netflix a while ago and threw it on. I really enjoyed it (again), good movie.

johnny_ultimate

Cliques

Sad Professor wrote: »

I haven't seen this. I really need to get a hold of more Ozu films. The four or so films of his that I have seen are extraordinary and are among some of the best films I've ever seen. If his other films are only half as good as the Noriko trilogy and An Autumn Afternoon, there's a lot of quality viewing ahead of me.

I need to watch more too. Good Morning was actually on TV which was wholly unusual (and apt given the subject matter of the film). Probably the first film I've watched on TV in a year or so :pac: It's 'lighter' than many of his better known films, but its an extremely pleasant film. Was taken aback how funny it was too!

Tonight I watched The Imposter, which is good fun. Its value as a documentary is questionable: its a hybrid of sort, combining drama and documentary footage where the truth is rarely certain. But its a bizarre story told in an interesting way. Worth watching predominantly for the cast of characters - barring one doctor character, every single one of them is a liar or straight-up ignorant :pac: Or so the filmmakers lead us to believe... Still, some of the comical tangents about the identification property of years, 'Adobe Photoshop' or the surprise presence of Coke in Spain had the whole cinema laughing. It isn't a balanced or remotely subjective retelling of the tale, but it sure makes for an entertaining film.

fluke

Watched quite a few recently:

The Expendables 2 - Oh dear this was bad. I knew it would have a tongue in cheek approach and I set my expectations suitably. I love 80’s action films but this was a poor homage/parody/whatever the fuck. It was just all over the place with the story, characters, pace and action scenes. I dunno if this has been brought up in the related thread for this film but the special effects were really bad, so much so they took me out of the film completely. I’ve seen the same runny cgi blood splatter effect in the new Fright Night – I hope this is not seen as the way forward with these kind of effects.

Punch Drunk Love - Another of these movies where Adam Sandler acts, and he’s not bad in it. An unusual film for P.T. Anderson. Short and prob not to everybody’s taste. I thought it was alright though in its own airy way.

The Snapper - Haven’t seen this one in years. Still brilliant and probably one of my favourite Irish films. There were a few scenes of people smoking in pubs and if I recall correctly a hospital – surreal.

The Imposter – documentary about a boy who went missing in Texas in 1994 and then he’s seemingly found in Spain 3 years later. Good stuff and quiet gripping throughout.

Vantage Point – Watchable thriller set within a certain time from various points of view. Sort of reminded me of 24. Nothing special and Ripley was in it for 5 mins.

The Last Broadcast – A found footage film released before Blair Witch Project and often compared to it. A different film really and it this had a slow burning creepiness to it, the filmmakers were quite resourceful with the small budget they, had but it was let down by its ending, so so much.

Tony EH

'An American Werewolf in London'

John Landis' best picture (in fact his only good picture besides 'Trading Places') sees American backpacker David Kessler (David Noughton) and his friend Jack Goodman (Griffin Dunne) attacked by an animal on the English moors. Jack is killed brutally, but David survives. David later finds out that he's been attacked by a werewolf and that he too will turn into one on the next full moon and kill people.

'An American Werewolf in London' was released in 1981, alongside a number of other "werewolf" films, including 'The Howling' and received generally positive reviews from critics and public alike. Some of the "comedy" elements don't sit right, but if they're viewed as symptoms of David's changing psyche and physiology, then they're ok.

In general, though, the film takes its subject seriously and benefits from that. It's also enriched by great performances by secondary characters, like Griffin Dunne and John Woodvine and the Jenny Agutter is smashing as a fine English rose.

The films other ace in the hole is Rick Baker's fantastic effects, which were the cause of much "wow" in 1981 and they're still pretty good today. In fact, he won an Oscar for them. Personally, I think the werewolves in 'The Howling' were better, but the transformation of man into werewolf in 'An American Werewolf in London' remains the benchmark for such things still.

Unfortunately, Hollywood couldn't leave well alone and had to produce the inevitable poor sequel, 'An American Werewolf in Paris', which thankfully has sort of disappeared into oblivious mediocrity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3FTkAS15zk

fluke

Tony EH wrote: »

'An American Werewolf in London'
John Landis' best picture (in fact his only good picture besides 'Trading Places')

No love for Animal House? An American Werewolf is great alright. The cinema scene reminds of Donnie Darko a bit.

Tipsy McSwagger

Raoul wrote: »

Yeah don't know why gery found your post so boring and you also said it was thoroughly enjoyable. :rolleyes:

Tony EH

fluke wrote: »

No love for Animal House?

Nah. Never got the love for 'Animal House', or 'The Blues Brothers' for that matter. Both pretty "meh".

Mickeroo

Tony EH wrote: »

Unfortunately, Hollywood couldn't leave well alone and had to produce the inevitable poor sequel, 'An American Werewolf in Paris', which thankfully has sort of disappeared into oblivious mediocrity.

Indeed, never understood how Julie Delpy ended up in that. Although she did go topless in it, so there's always that.

Basq

Compliance (2012)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDat96UyT5A

IMDb wrote:

When a prank caller convinces a fast food restaurant manager to interrogate an innocent young employee, no-one is left unharmed. Based on true events.

Since I was aware of the original story it was based on, it never really treaded new ground. The original story is more shocking if anything since

the prank caller was acquitted of all charges, yet the restaurant manager's fiancee got 5 years in prison for sexual assault

.

Performances are all decent.. in that they can make you believe some people could be that idiotic.

Not a bad film persé.. but not much new in there - especially if, like me, you were familiar with the original story.

Tony EH

Mickeroo wrote: »

Indeed, never understood how Julie Delpy ended up in that. Although she did go topless in it, so there's always that.

Um...I was so nonplussed by the whole show, I don't even remember that.

johnny_ultimate

Andrei Rublev - This DVD has been sitting in my collection shamefully unwatched for somewhere between three and five years, but I must have a minor phobia of Russian historical epics as I've never felt in the mood for it. But today, I finally committed myself to it. And, as I should have expected from Tarkovsky, it's ****ing fantastic. It opens strong, although the subsequent hour is probably the toughest of the film (barring an extended pagan ritual that is equal parts terrifying and beautiful). Its rarely less than fascinating, but demands attention. The entire second half, however, is simply hypnotic. Spectacular setpieces on a staggering scale. It might sound dull when I say the last forty minutes or so involve the forging of a bell - but its magnificent, electrifying filmmaking.

This is proper spectacle filmmaking - a brilliant cinematic craftsman, huge resources and an episodic yet epic narrative. Only problem is Artificial Eye DVD is a bit unusual - including very peculiar menus and a strange 'optimised for widescreen' aspect ratio that felt off no matter how much tinkering I did. Minor concerns, but they won't stop you getting sucked into this immense classic.

rednik

Jaws blu ray, bought today and watched tonight. Absolutely stunning transfer, reference quality for both picture and sound. 21.99 not cheap but in this case well worth the money, I saw it in the cinema in the '70s and I wonder now did it look this good.