Good films I watched this weekend (Vol 2)
Discussion
SWoll said:
TheHeretic said:
CurvaParabolica said:
Negative Creep said:
Sunshine - there's something I find hypnotic about this film. The visual design sound and music are brilliant, and the very concept of the Sun is pretty awe inspiring. Certainly makes you feel insignificant though...
The scene where they are watching the transit of mercury I find very, very relaxing for some reason; really like the sound/score to this film.
A far more enjoyable movie than Prometheus for example.
The great atmosphere and score really add to the enjoyment.
The Domino Principle. I can't remember from where I read it, but the thesis went something like this: for decades the Hollywood 'Western' is/was a reflection of the [at the time] state of American society. So, for instance, the Fordian classics of the 30s to mid 40s through their style of story telling, plying the myth, very much reflecting a country starting to stride ahead industrially, with confidence. A country ready to go to war in the world. And win. By the time of Vietnam and counter-culture, a far more cynical and disjointed mirror was being held up. So from 'My Darling Clementine' (1946, the Sheriff maintains control in the world)to the paranoia of McCarthyismm in the 50s ('The Searchers', 1954) had finally given away to a bleak fatalism and fighting fights that might not be easily won ('The Wild Bunch', 1969). Of course there were some high water marks still to come in the 70s - 'McCabe & Mrs Miller', 'Ulzana's Raid', The Outlaw Josey Wales' - but for some reason, the studios started to sideline the genre. It wasn't the true barometer of the nation as it used to be.
But, in a Watergate, COINTELPRO, post-assassination, world, the national mood pervaded everything else. Even a straight detective noir like 'Night Moves' just mired everything in uncertainty, indecision, everybody losing. In an age where the straight conspiracy thriller dominated and for all the brilliance and obviousness of films like 'The Conversation' and 'The Parallax View', there were other lesser known films like 'Winter Kills'.
This film falls into the latter category. A Lew Grade production featuring a typically magnetic Gene Hackman. Distrust, disbelief, unease, permeate almost every scene. Considering the time was a golden period for cinema, reviews at the time apparently weren't kind. It's certainly no match for the great films of the era, but for fans of storylines that deal in apprehension, suspicion and obsession, it's a good catch.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Michael Bay makes the same film every single time. Master of the camera shot from below portraying the protagonist as a demi-god; scenes of groups of warriors striding in slow motion on their way to destiny ('Bad Boys', 'Armageddon', 'Pearl Harbor'); big guns and escalating high def tensions as the music crescendos ('The Rock'). I loved the start of DotM: a pastiche of NASA footage interwoven with Kennedy era dynamics, segues to Rosie Huntington-Whiteleys bum jiggling up the staircase. Things dip dramatically however when the camera pans to the object of her affection: Shia Laboeuf. The guy is starting to become unwatchable. What was once a different act, that of the cheeky book-ish nerd, has given way to an actor whoo seems to think he's a cross between Valentino, Einstein and James Cagney. He's got to lose the faux edge.
Nighthawks. Terrible, save for the 70s era London scenes, and Rutger Hauer morphing from guitar-playing hipster to clinical Uzi-wielding meanie in, like, eight seconds.
Fire Birds. Nicholas Cage. Sean Young. Apache helicopters. Columbian drug back story. Don't.
But, in a Watergate, COINTELPRO, post-assassination, world, the national mood pervaded everything else. Even a straight detective noir like 'Night Moves' just mired everything in uncertainty, indecision, everybody losing. In an age where the straight conspiracy thriller dominated and for all the brilliance and obviousness of films like 'The Conversation' and 'The Parallax View', there were other lesser known films like 'Winter Kills'.
This film falls into the latter category. A Lew Grade production featuring a typically magnetic Gene Hackman. Distrust, disbelief, unease, permeate almost every scene. Considering the time was a golden period for cinema, reviews at the time apparently weren't kind. It's certainly no match for the great films of the era, but for fans of storylines that deal in apprehension, suspicion and obsession, it's a good catch.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Michael Bay makes the same film every single time. Master of the camera shot from below portraying the protagonist as a demi-god; scenes of groups of warriors striding in slow motion on their way to destiny ('Bad Boys', 'Armageddon', 'Pearl Harbor'); big guns and escalating high def tensions as the music crescendos ('The Rock'). I loved the start of DotM: a pastiche of NASA footage interwoven with Kennedy era dynamics, segues to Rosie Huntington-Whiteleys bum jiggling up the staircase. Things dip dramatically however when the camera pans to the object of her affection: Shia Laboeuf. The guy is starting to become unwatchable. What was once a different act, that of the cheeky book-ish nerd, has given way to an actor whoo seems to think he's a cross between Valentino, Einstein and James Cagney. He's got to lose the faux edge.
Nighthawks. Terrible, save for the 70s era London scenes, and Rutger Hauer morphing from guitar-playing hipster to clinical Uzi-wielding meanie in, like, eight seconds.
Fire Birds. Nicholas Cage. Sean Young. Apache helicopters. Columbian drug back story. Don't.
FunkyNige said:
tigerkoi said:
Fire Birds. Nicholas Cage. Sean Young. Apache helicopters. Columbian drug back story. Don't.
Pretty certain that was released as "Wings of the Apache" over here, I remember thinking it was awesome when I was 10, but watching it again as an adult it truly is awful.
My gut feel is that it was heavily, heavily edited, and somehow all the charm had been hacked out.
The Odd life of Timothy Green.
A flick with the same sort of 'good feeling' vibe that you get from films like 'The Curious case of Benjamin Button', and 'Amelie'. About a little boy brought into the lives of a childless couple. He has leaves on his legs. Odd indeed. Nice film, and well shot.
A flick with the same sort of 'good feeling' vibe that you get from films like 'The Curious case of Benjamin Button', and 'Amelie'. About a little boy brought into the lives of a childless couple. He has leaves on his legs. Odd indeed. Nice film, and well shot.
FunkyNige said:
tigerkoi said:
Fire Birds. Nicholas Cage. Sean Young. Apache helicopters. Columbian drug back story. Don't.
Pretty certain that was released as "Wings of the Apache" over here, I remember thinking it was awesome when I was 10, but watching it again as an adult it truly is awful.Watching Blade Runner is weird as she looked exactly like, doppelganger standard, an ex-GF.
Watched Killer Joe last weekend
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1726669/
Thought it was really good, a fantastic against type performance by Matthew Mahogany, the young girl in it was very convincing as an autistic hillbilly type and the whole feel of the film was unsettling and dark whilst being pretty funny.
7/10 from me
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1726669/
Thought it was really good, a fantastic against type performance by Matthew Mahogany, the young girl in it was very convincing as an autistic hillbilly type and the whole feel of the film was unsettling and dark whilst being pretty funny.
7/10 from me
FunkyNige said:
tigerkoi said:
Fire Birds. Nicholas Cage. Sean Young. Apache helicopters. Columbian drug back story. Don't.
Pretty certain that was released as "Wings of the Apache" over here, I remember thinking it was awesome when I was 10, but watching it again as an adult it truly is awful.I blame that film.
Asterix said:
FunkyNige said:
tigerkoi said:
Fire Birds. Nicholas Cage. Sean Young. Apache helicopters. Columbian drug back story. Don't.
Pretty certain that was released as "Wings of the Apache" over here, I remember thinking it was awesome when I was 10, but watching it again as an adult it truly is awful.Watching Blade Runner is weird as she looked exactly like, doppelganger standard, an ex-GF.
Halb said:
Watchmen.
Ace film, love the score, the cinematography, the casting, the tight latex catsuit....wibble...
Ace film, love the score, the cinematography, the casting, the tight latex catsuit....wibble...
I picked up the Directors Cut on BR from Amazon for about £7. Definetely splits opinion on here but I love it. The opening titles with Bob Dylan singing "The times they are a-changing" are utterly inspired.
Great movie.
SWoll said:
End of Watch
Saw this after it got glowing reviews on the old thread.
No idea what all the fuss is about personally. Very average thriller with little plot, excitement or character development. Also disliked the "camera" gimmick which added nothing to the film imho.
5/10
Odd- I've seen this described as "the greatest cop movie of all time" or similar and remember the glowing reviews.Saw this after it got glowing reviews on the old thread.
No idea what all the fuss is about personally. Very average thriller with little plot, excitement or character development. Also disliked the "camera" gimmick which added nothing to the film imho.
5/10
Can some of yhou likers explain yourselves?
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