Good films I watched this weekend (Vol 2)
Discussion
Furious 7
I thought Fast Five was critically the best film in the series - it was still car focused but had transformed into quite a good heist movie - very Michael Bay esque, but that was fine because you actually cared about the characters.
The sixth film was similar but ultimately worse, achieving even bigger feats of unbelievableness and Michael Bay explosions but - again because of the characters, it was still good fun and a worthy watch...
Furious 7... As a film was critically worse than both 5 and 6 (in fact, all in the series but 3 IMO) - though, granted there were some fairly major issues during production which you all know about. As a result, it does feel very disjointed at times, the script is average, the acting as always is average and the characters you love are still just as lovable.
I thought the final action scene in LA was too much though, I suspended my disbelief as the dragged the Safe in #5 or on the massive runway in #6 and even jumping from building to building in #7 but the ending action scene was just too much BS for me... These guys have gone from street racers to superheroes... If I didn't like the characters so much and feel so much nostalgia for the series, I'd be ripping the s
t out of it!
The send off for Paul Walker was heartwarming though, it was terribly sad - I'd genuinely recommend the film just for those last few minutes. I promise you I wasn't crying... I'm sure someone was chopping onions in the cinema when I saw it!
7/10
I thought Fast Five was critically the best film in the series - it was still car focused but had transformed into quite a good heist movie - very Michael Bay esque, but that was fine because you actually cared about the characters.
The sixth film was similar but ultimately worse, achieving even bigger feats of unbelievableness and Michael Bay explosions but - again because of the characters, it was still good fun and a worthy watch...
Furious 7... As a film was critically worse than both 5 and 6 (in fact, all in the series but 3 IMO) - though, granted there were some fairly major issues during production which you all know about. As a result, it does feel very disjointed at times, the script is average, the acting as always is average and the characters you love are still just as lovable.
I thought the final action scene in LA was too much though, I suspended my disbelief as the dragged the Safe in #5 or on the massive runway in #6 and even jumping from building to building in #7 but the ending action scene was just too much BS for me... These guys have gone from street racers to superheroes... If I didn't like the characters so much and feel so much nostalgia for the series, I'd be ripping the s
t out of it!The send off for Paul Walker was heartwarming though, it was terribly sad - I'd genuinely recommend the film just for those last few minutes. I promise you I wasn't crying... I'm sure someone was chopping onions in the cinema when I saw it!
7/10
I rented out a sci-fi film last night, The Signal (2014). Two guys and a girl are drawn to an isolated area by a computer genius called 'Norad'. When everything suddenly goes dark, they (or rather one of them) regain consciousness - only to find himself in a waking nightmare.
I enjoyed it a lot, loved the ending!
I enjoyed it a lot, loved the ending!
chris watton said:
I rented out a sci-fi film last night, The Signal (2014). Two guys and a girl are drawn to an isolated area by a computer genius called 'Norad'. When everything suddenly goes dark, they (or rather one of them) regain consciousness - only to find himself in a waking nightmare.
I enjoyed it a lot, loved the ending!
Yeah, i thought that was pretty good too.I enjoyed it a lot, loved the ending!
families, limited metamorphosis. Thought it was quite good. Hummingbird was on TV the other night. Now I quite like a good bit of brain out action so a Jason Statham movie ought to be able to fit the bill. However I pleasantly surprised to find a fairly well written story with some nice human touches in it. He's never going to win an Oscar but overall quite an enjoyable film.
Chanel 5 then followed it up with another Statham movie, Blitz, which was a bit crap really, despite a good start with him beating the crap out of some attempted car thieves with a hurley stick.
Chanel 5 then followed it up with another Statham movie, Blitz, which was a bit crap really, despite a good start with him beating the crap out of some attempted car thieves with a hurley stick.
Nom de ploom said:
Equalizer - Denzel.
Quite enjoyed it, 7/10 not a prize winner but not terrible either.
Same here, he should have driven a Jag though.Quite enjoyed it, 7/10 not a prize winner but not terrible either.
TREMAiNE said:
Furious 7
I thought the final action scene in LA was too much though, I suspended my disbelief as the dragged the Safe in #5 or on the massive runway in #6 and even jumping from building to building in #7 but the ending action scene was just too much BS for me... These guys have gone from street racers to superheroes... If I didn't like the characters so much and feel so much nostalgia for the series, I'd be ripping the st out of it!
7/10
This.I thought the final action scene in LA was too much though, I suspended my disbelief as the dragged the Safe in #5 or on the massive runway in #6 and even jumping from building to building in #7 but the ending action scene was just too much BS for me... These guys have gone from street racers to superheroes... If I didn't like the characters so much and feel so much nostalgia for the series, I'd be ripping the s
t out of it!7/10
I think they're suffering from pressure to make each one 'bigger', wouldn't surprise me if the next one is in space!
Nyphur said:
JustinP1 said:
Leviathan
Russian film, just come onto blu-ray/dvd after being nominated for best foreign language film at the Oscars.
It's about a small family in a rural Russian coastal town. People work in the fish gutting factory, fix cars, get by, drink copious amounts of vodka and shoot guns for fun, all the while kowtowing to institutionally corrupt public servants.
The story starts with the family appealing a legal decision that their house should be bought at a pittance in a government purchase at the behest of the corrupt Mayor. The father's old friend, a lawyer from Moscow arrives and helps them fight the system.
It's 2 hours and 20 minutes. Exciting it is not (well apart from a couple of places).
What it is is an almost a first hand insight to a very real way of living for millions of people, very well acted, perfectly believable, with what is a very large and beautiful landscape that his seldom filmed, beautifully shot.
I will say that if you are looking for an action film, you will not sit though it. However, if you liked and appreciated the style and qualities of "The Great Beauty" for example then this is for you. 8/10.
Just watched this. You've summed it up really well.Russian film, just come onto blu-ray/dvd after being nominated for best foreign language film at the Oscars.
It's about a small family in a rural Russian coastal town. People work in the fish gutting factory, fix cars, get by, drink copious amounts of vodka and shoot guns for fun, all the while kowtowing to institutionally corrupt public servants.
The story starts with the family appealing a legal decision that their house should be bought at a pittance in a government purchase at the behest of the corrupt Mayor. The father's old friend, a lawyer from Moscow arrives and helps them fight the system.
It's 2 hours and 20 minutes. Exciting it is not (well apart from a couple of places).
What it is is an almost a first hand insight to a very real way of living for millions of people, very well acted, perfectly believable, with what is a very large and beautiful landscape that his seldom filmed, beautifully shot.
I will say that if you are looking for an action film, you will not sit though it. However, if you liked and appreciated the style and qualities of "The Great Beauty" for example then this is for you. 8/10.
Bloody depressing and made even "worse" by the complete absense of any discernable score (barring the credits.... I think?).
Worth a watch.
blindswelledrat said:
I usually like bleak depressing films but sometimes, like in the case of Leviathan (and another that springs to mind is Biutiful) the director wrings every last piece of hope and enjoyment out of the film and it actually becomes a chore to watch and difficult to enjoy or find any merit in. I understand that the realism and acting calibre makes this a really good film and one I would usually like, just without giving us at least something to lift us slightly, it ceases to be entertainment.
I turned Biutiful off after 20 minutes. I couldn't take it!Mercury00 said:
How I Live Now - A really good film about teenagers trying to survive a nuclear attack on the UK. Terrifying in places.
Was hoping for a more gritty "survival" type film than the twighlight love story 
still, a bit nastybjn places (the foxes and bin bags for example)Not a bad film actually, just not what I was expecting.
Going Clear - HBO documentary about Scientology.
I'd give it an easy 8/10, really fascinating documentary with great interviews. It looks like quite a few high ranking members of the church have left recently, and they're spilling the beans. Some crazy information about the church is being revealed.
I'd give it an easy 8/10, really fascinating documentary with great interviews. It looks like quite a few high ranking members of the church have left recently, and they're spilling the beans. Some crazy information about the church is being revealed.
I am not sure whether to put this film here or the Bad Films thread, as I did enjoy most of it, but was constantly let down by the script as the film progressed:
Black Sea, starring Jude Law as an ex sub commander who goes off on an expedition hunting for a Nazi U-Boat filled with gold at the bottom of the Black Sea.
For the most part, enjoyable hokum, but more often than not, I was shouting at the TV saying why the fk did you just do that!
So, for the first half of the film, I really enjoyed it, with the latter half completely spoiling it, unfortunately.
Black Sea, starring Jude Law as an ex sub commander who goes off on an expedition hunting for a Nazi U-Boat filled with gold at the bottom of the Black Sea.
For the most part, enjoyable hokum, but more often than not, I was shouting at the TV saying why the f
k did you just do that!So, for the first half of the film, I really enjoyed it, with the latter half completely spoiling it, unfortunately.
Edited by chris watton on Thursday 9th April 15:30
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