The Film Review thread ***possible spoilers***

Kieran_Burns

I watched Avengers Assemble last night on Blu-ray. Great film, dry humour and some daft moments throughout.

(two involving The Hulk had me laughing out loud)

A couple (well, okay: lots) of plot holes, but it's one of those films you put your noggin to one side and just enjoy

Oh, and I watched Dredd 3D on Saturday - apart from some GLARING 'let's make it a 3D-a-thon' moments it was a bloody marvellous film.

Something that just nailed 'Dredd' - low budget film which was kind of obvious but by 'eck it just got the whole character and atmosphere absolutely spot on.

Very dark, not only in atmosphere but in morality and their absolute conviction in 'The Law'. Great film, go watch.

clarkey cat

watched "I've loved you so long" the other day. Very French. Quiet, if not silent scenes. Very well acted in particular by Kristin Scott Thomas. The 'big reveal' becomes fairly obvious about halfway through by KST's performance makes it compelling right to the end. A bit of a tear-jerker, mind.

CiB

Woman In Black

Saw this last week as a last resort after a fruitless search for something watchable in the vid shop. Great idea for a thread btw to help those of us for whom watching a film is a blue moon event.

So - Daniel Radcliffe stars and instantly makes a decent fist of it by not being Harry Potter. Standard scary film plot of poor tortured soul having to spend time alone in spooky old house but the tension is there from the off, starting on medium rare and soon being cranked up all the way to strewth. Good supporting roles too, except maybe the pub landlord who looks too much like he does in every other role he plays and therefore spoils the moment by being an actor in the film, not part of the story.

There are some seriously scary moments with the blimey no don't do it bits coming thick & fast at one point, and suddenly the plot moves into resolving itself and the whole tone changes, quite brilliantly.

I'm not a film fan, this is probably the first horror film we've sat through in years. It's superb in all respects. When I took it back and mentioned to a chap in the queue how good it was with fair degree of scariness in it, his teenage daughter sniggered and said she'd laughed through most of it. Glad I'm not her then.

il_principe

CiB wrote:

Woman In Black

Saw this last week as a last resort after a fruitless search for something watchable in the vid shop.

Srsly, these still exist?

notsoblue

Davdandy wrote:

I also saw the Hunger Games this weekend and although it was ok, it wasnt great.

The movie to watch is Battle Royale which the Hunger Games has aped.Battle Royale beats the Hunger Games into a pulp and keeps on beating.

It was the movie you'd get if Nikelodeon was to remake Battle Royale. The sheer horror of what was actually going on was pretty incongruous.

I saw Jane Eyre the other weekend, I thought it was really rather good.

Gussio

DOWNFALL.

No laughs, but plenty of intensity. The acting is awesome. The scene with the children and the cyanide is barely watchable.

9.75 / 10

rick_chasey

Gussio wrote:

DOWNFALL.

No laughs, but plenty of intensity. The acting is awesome. The scene with the children and the cyanide is barely watchable.

9.75 / 10

Yeah.

Downfall.

Now, I was a bit of a war history geek as a teenager, but it didn't do anything particularly powerful for me.

It was more or less exactly as I'd pictured it all.

Remember giving it 8/10 at the time. Very well done, but that's about it.

notsoblue

Gussio wrote:

DOWNFALL.

Pfft. Who can be bothered to read subtitles for a German movie? They should have dubbed it into English.

Wrath Rob

Dredd 3D

Sooooooooooooo much better than the Sly version. Nice and intense with the action mostly set in a single tower block, great gun fights and plenty of judicious use of the various Lawgiver modes, the scene with the miniguns was great too. The psychic interrogation scene was great, especially the ending. However, the best sequences were showing the effects of the drug Slow-mo, making full use of the 3D effects.

I'm sure the comic book geeks will have various accuracy comments but I didn't care. If you like action films, go and see it. 4.5 stars.

Davdandy

notsoblue wrote:

Gussio wrote:

DOWNFALL.

Pfft. Who can be bothered to read subtitles for a German movie? They should have dubbed it into English.

Dubbing is a no-no.What is wrong with reading subtitles anyway.

A lot of the movies in my collection are foreign and would never resort to dubbing,they are simply dreadful.The original language all the way.
Back to Downfall,a brilliant movie and i agree that the children suicide was shocking to watch and makes you realise just how bad things must have been during those terrible times on both sides of the Atlantic.

il_principe

I highly recommend Looper. Requires you not to over-think the logic of time travel, but was engrossing and thoroughly entertaining as well as being very well cast. There are undoubtedly some problems with the plot, but the writer does a great job in steering you through that particular minefield; one scene in which the protagonist confronts his future self in a diner is beautifully nuanced and still has me thinking. Definitely a film that would reward a second viewing. Go see.

notsoblue

Il Principe wrote:

I highly recommend Looper. Requires you not to over-think the logic of time travel, but was engrossing and thoroughly entertaining as well as being very well cast. There are undoubtedly some problems with the plot, but the writer does a great job in steering you through that particular minefield; one scene in which the protagonist confronts his future self in a diner is beautifully nuanced and still has me thinking. Definitely a film that would reward a second viewing. Go see.

+1 I was really impressed by the movie.

mudcow007

Seen Due Date t'other night

i was expecting it to be a chick flick but it was actually quite funny

an seen the remake of Fright Night last night - with non other than David Tennant in it

it was pretty good

Anonymous

notsoblue wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

I highly recommend Looper. Requires you not to over-think the logic of time travel, but was engrossing and thoroughly entertaining as well as being very well cast. There are undoubtedly some problems with the plot, but the writer does a great job in steering you through that particular minefield; one scene in which the protagonist confronts his future self in a diner is beautifully nuanced and still has me thinking. Definitely a film that would reward a second viewing. Go see.

+1 I was really impressed by the movie.

- 1. Honestly. I usually am a sucker for any action films, love Bruce W and the other guy, but I really didn't like it. I thought it was a great, great idea with the parts mentioned above by IP being excellently done.
BUT - overall, I would say it was poorly executed. Especially the ending, which I thought was dreadfully done (but a good idea).

Not sure how it warranted an 8.2 on IMDB

il_principe

Hence why you need to suspend disbelief. There are loads of logic* holes in the plot, but IME these didn't detract from the film at all.

*Although (IMHO), given that time travel doesn't exist, it's pointless to debate the logic or otherwise.

Anonymous

No no that's not what I mean. I thought that time travel was handled excellently, and I really liked the scene in the diner. I just didn't like the ending. Not the science or theory, just how it all happened. (ok, that very final realisation and final bit was good) but all the rest surrounding it was dross. I didn't like sid's character, I hated sarah's character (she was really quite useless). And then throughout the film, I was indifferent to everyone - I hated all the 'bad guys' characters, I hated the settings - the hovel of a town and the people etc.

That's what I mean - the idea and script etc were amazing, but I really didn't think it was that good.

DrLex

I also watched Looper last night and was disappointed. Not impressed with either plot or execution. For time travel films featuring Mr Willis, watch Twelve Monkeys instead. For one without him, Bill & Ted...

ToeKnee

I saw Untouchable recently. Really enjoyable film.

Accolades can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intouchables



Also, I wanted to take my son to see 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time' as he had read the book and loves theatre. Unfortunately it was sold out. Then I saw it was to be streamed live to the local Odeon cinema.

I was hesitant as to how it would come over on the flat screen. I need not have worried. It was brilliant: the audience was very quiet (more regular theatre types) and the camera work ensured as little as possible was lost from being there in person. Having a 20 minute interval at the cinema was unusual.

I heartily recommend the play/production. I also recommend the delivery method for those who can’t get into London but like theatre. Long may the relationship between the National Theatre and Odeon continue.

kieranb

Africa United
From wiki: Africa United is a 2010 film directed by first-time UK film director Deborah 'Debs' Gardner-Paterson and starring Emmanuel Jal, Eriya Ndayambaje, Roger Nsengiyumva, Sanyu Joanita Kintu, Sherrie Silver and Yves Dusenge.

Watched this at the weekend with the children (ages girl, 11 and boy, 14), very good.

mudcow007

oh i also watched Capt'n America over the weekend

i thought it was pretty pants, really really really American, even the good looks of the English chick didn't really help it.

its an ok film to watch when you dont need to think

DonDaddyD

Kieran_Burns wrote:

A couple (well, okay: lots) of plot holes, but it's one of those films you put your noggin to one side and just enjoy

There were no plot holes in Avengers Assemble. As comic films go it is one of the best. The only other 'best' is Sin City.

Post the plot holes, I'll attempt to fill the gaps.

Now if you want a film with plot holes, PROMETHEUS

Jeez!

OK, great CGI. Decent concept. Now the issues:

Spoilers abound:

1. Why did the alien kill himself at the beginning of the movie buy drinking that black liquid. Was it to start life on Earth or some sort of diety sucide?

2. Why did the android touch the goo and go "interesting" when he first visited the ship?

3. How did the andoid know how to open doors, play holograms etc on the alien ship?

4. What were the aliens running from?

5. What was the black goo?

6. Why did that one guy get possessed and become superstrong when the snake xenomorph entered him. - That's not what the Xenomorph does? Why were there snake xenomorphs?

7. Why was everyone on the ship cool about that afterwards?

8. Why did the aliens (Engineers) want to destroy humans if they are humans (probably further along the evolutionary line - Stargate) and created human life?

9. Why use the Xenomorph to destroy life on Earth? It's not like they die out afterwards or are easy to kill themselves.

10. Why was the facehugger xenomorph in this film a giant squid - I can accept that the xenomorph at the end was different as a result of the alien (Engineers) 'superior being' DNA - think Predalien - but a giant squid?

And strangely it was an OK film.

sketchley

Avengers assemble, pretty good for what it is, worth a watch,
Angles share. Rubbish, don't bother....
Hunger Games next....

notsoblue

DonDaddyD wrote:

Now if you want a film with plot holes, PROMETHEUS

I guess if you prefer your movies to be paint by numbers, it would be pretty disappointing

It was a flawed movie, but I haven't seen a science fiction that stimulated so much further discussion in a long time. This guy came up with some interesting interpretations of the story: http://cavalorn.livejournal.com/584135.html

il_principe

DonDaddyD wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

A couple (well, okay: lots) of plot holes, but it's one of those films you put your noggin to one side and just enjoy

There were no plot holes in Avengers Assemble. As comic films go it is one of the best. The only other 'best' is Sin City.

Post the plot holes, I'll attempt to fill the gaps.

Now if you want a film with plot holes, PROMETHEUS

Jeez!

OK, great CGI. Decent concept. Now the issues:

Spoilers abound:

1. Why did the alien kill himself at the beginning of the movie buy drinking that black liquid. Was it to start life on Earth or some sort of diety sucide?

2. Why did the android touch the goo and go "interesting" when he first visited the ship?

3. How did the andoid know how to open doors, play holograms etc on the alien ship?

4. What were the aliens running from?

5. What was the black goo?

6. Why did that one guy get possessed and become superstrong when the snake xenomorph entered him. - That's not what the Xenomorph does? Why were there snake xenomorphs?

7. Why was everyone on the ship cool about that afterwards?

8. Why did the aliens (Engineers) want to destroy humans if they are humans (probably further along the evolutionary line - Stargate) and created human life?

9. Why use the Xenomorph to destroy life on Earth? It's not like they die out afterwards or are easy to kill themselves.

10. Why was the facehugger xenomorph in this film a giant squid - I can accept that the xenomorph at the end was different as a result of the alien (Engineers) 'superior being' DNA - think Predalien - but a giant squid?

And strangely it was an OK film.

1. To start life (as is made clear in the opening DNA sequence)

2/3. There's an assumption here that Weyland clearly know more than they let on. Why else has Peter Weyland gone to such lengths to travel?

4. The Aliens or the engineers? The Engineers where clearly running from an outbreak of something altered by the goo.

5. The Goo is biological weapon. It alters/accentuates characteristics that are already present in whatever it has contact with, so the worms become nasty evil worms etc etc and Fifield (who has already been shown to be aggressive, becomes far more so). The goo is not related to the xenomorphs, but it will make them much nastier than they already are. That's the weapon - black goo + xenomorphs = something really nasty.

6. The worm/snake is not a xenomorph.

7. They clearly weren't.

8. Who knows? Perhaps they are happy with the path humanity has chosen. Think of it like the Old Testament Flood.

9. Because they are effective, the Engineers don't need earth afterwards, there are clearly plenty of other planets.

10. Because the characteristics it accentuated manifested as squid like.

Did we watch the same film. Remember the film doesn't have Aliens in the title, so don't get so hung up on Xenomorphs.

greg66_tri_v2.0

PROMETHEUS

I heard about, but did not read the mixed reviews when this came out. So I waited until it popped up on Apple TV.

I found this ultimately disappointing. Like ordering an item from the menu that sounds really tasty, and finding it is bland. I like having to piece things together, and I like it when not everything is tied up with a bow by the final scene, but in the end I came away feeling that I had just watched the first episode in a 13 part TV series. But even at that level, I don't think it really worked as a stand alone product (which, let's face it, it has to. See, eg, The Empire Strikes Back).

Whether there were plot holes or whether there were opportunities to read in more than was disclosed, I'm not really sure. I certainly thought that when David produced a ten foot ladder in the construct from thin air, that was a plot hole.

4/10.

Davdandy

Last night i watched The Raid.

If you like guns,knives and chock socky action then look no further.This movie has them in droves,from start to finish its all action.
The plot revolves around a group of police officers trying to enter and eliminate a drug lord form a tower block,but it is heavily armed and full of unsavoury characters.
Although it is subtitled,not a problem for me as i love foreign movies the dialogue is light and the emphasis is mostly action orientated and of that there is plentiful.

A truly exciting flic that doesnt require major brain cell use i admit, but sit back,open some beers and enjoy the slaughter.

rick_chasey

All you people discussing Looper should watch Primer.

It's bloody brilliant if you like the whole time travel thing.

sketchley

Even though im not exactly target audience, Hunger Games is more than worth a watch, it's a bit twisted in places but i found it an enjoyable film.....

Kieran_Burns

Sketchley wrote:

Even though im not exactly target audience, Hunger Games is more than worth a watch, it's a bit twisted in places but i found it an enjoyable film.....

I've just finished reading the books. Boy does it get more twisted and darker. Not to mention violent.

Davdandy

Sketchley wrote:

Even though im not exactly target audience, Hunger Games is more than worth a watch, it's a bit twisted in places but i found it an enjoyable film.....

As i said before Hunger Games is ok nothing more,a much better movie on the same kind of storylines is the awesome Battle Royale,which blows HG out of the water.