Films I watched this week

[130R]

DuncanM said:

The film 'All Good Things' is based on Robert Durst, worth a watch.

Yes I haven't seen it but it's mentioned in the documentary. The director of that film (Andrew Jarecki) also directs and stars in the documentary. Robert Durst telephoned Jarecki after the film was released offering to be interviewed, and that phone call is how the documentary starts.

[durbster]

Not having a great run of films at the moment.

The Dictator
I kept thinking this couldn't be that bad surely. After about half an hour we switched it off. I might try and get through it again some time but what a mess.

Jack Reacher
A bit tedious. Has some nice cars in it though.

The Imitaton Game.
Far too weak a film considering the incredible story it portrays. Felt like a Sunday night TV drama.

Iron Sky
Nazis on the moon. I like a good b-movie so enjoyed it.

Skeletons
Weird, low budget comedy about two blokes who have the ability to reveal the skeletons in people's closets. It's very odd but entertaining if you fancy something different.

[gavsdavs]

Not sure if this one's been covered, and I'm pretty sure this is going to get laughed at.

The Lego Movie
Brilliant entertainment. Some superb voice parts and gags, I actually liked Will Ferrell in it, plays an awesome bad guy. Story is dead simple (it is a kids film after all) but this has all the silliness you could want for a brain out belly laugh. So much going on on screen it almost provokes an epileptic fit.

The insane cat from cloud-never-never-land. Batman. The real Lando and Threepio. *Everything is awesome*.

[Bullett]

I'm Batman
I only work in black and VERY dark grey.

Brilliant stuff.

[gavsdavs]

Bullett said:

I'm Batman
I only work in black and VERY dark grey.

Brilliant stuff.

Metalbeard: ""Really hard"?! Wiping ye bum with a hook for a hand is really hard. This be impossible!"

[tobinen]

Focus - Will Smith and Margot Robbie. What a waste of time and money. Dross. Don't bother. 2/10

[AlexC1981]

I just watched The Iron Giant and now I'm all

[Adam B]

parabolica said:

The Martian. I managed to stay away from the hype and went in knowing relatively little. I enjoyed it, glad I saw it on the big screen (The Electric cinema in W11 - awesome place) although wish I could have seen it in 2D and I probably won't watch it again. Great visuals, great soundtrack but predicable third act and it did get a little TV-movie-ish right at the end. 7/10 from me.

Was about to write a review but this is spot on, although I saw it in 2D, enjoyable but lacked the tension of Gravity, which it mimics somewhat.

The Interview - like a few Franco/Rogen films of late - like watching a bunch of teenage mates telling crap fart jokes and cliquey humour that we are not invited to, pretty dire, damages their careers more than North Korea 1/10

Everest - like Martian not as good I was expecting but still a solid 7.5/10, great to actually get a feel of what a climb might be like (assuming it is realistic) and how well travelled the route is, emotional ending but some infuriating actions by the leads does your head in a bit

[ajprice]

I saw The Martian in 3D, and it wasn't really that much noticeable 3D in it. The odd bit of Mars landscape, the storm and the data overlays on the spacesuit and webcam cameras were the most obvious.

I haven't read the book, so I don't know if that story gets any more grim, but I'd have liked the downers to be more down. Maybe it had to be a 15 to do that, then they wouldn't have had to get creative with the sweary rants being toned down. It was a good film and I did like it, but it could have done with being less happy and shiny in places.

Edited by ajprice on Friday 9th October 09:05

[ukaskew]

Been off poorly with a virus so decided to watch The Hunger Games yesterday. Better than I was expecting but went in knowing very little. Enjoyed it enough to watch the two sequels released so far as well. I thought they did well watering it down for a mass teen market, some of the themes are pretty dark and brutal but they managed to get that across without the need for a gore-fest.

Being a Battle Royale fan some of the details were uncomfortably similar (particularly in the second film).

[jammy_basturd]

ajprice said:

I saw The Martian in 3D, and it wasn't really that much noticeable 3D in it. The odd bit of Mars landscape, the storm and the data overlays on the spacesuit and webcam cameras were the most obvious.

I haven't read the book, so I don't know if that story gets any more grim, but I'd have liked the downers to be more down. Maybe it had to be a 15 to do that, then they wouldn't have had to get creative with the sweary rants being toned down. It was a good film and I did like it, but it could have done with being less happy and shiny in places.

Edited by ajprice on Friday 9th October 09:05

Fully agree with this. I saw The Martian last night, albeit in 2D.

There's a bit of tension, a bit of sorrow, but it definitely needed to be taken more to the extremes. I feel like there was scope for it to have been a real rollercoaster of emotions, but it felt like I was on anti-depressants, so all the emotions feelings where just numbed a bit.

Still, I did really enjoy the film, maybe 7.5/10.


Also watched Marvellous a couple of weeks ago, which was, well, just marvellous! A very strong 8/10. For any fans of Toby Jones, also check out Detectorists, currently on iPlayer.

[JustinP1]

ukaskew said:

Been off poorly with a virus so decided to watch The Hunger Games yesterday. Better than I was expecting but went in knowing very little. Enjoyed it enough to watch the two sequels released so far as well. I thought they did well watering it down for a mass teen market, some of the themes are pretty dark and brutal but they managed to get that across without the need for a gore-fest.

Being a Battle Royale fan some of the details were uncomfortably similar (particularly in the second film).

I'm glad it wasn't just me.

I watched the first one with friends, and afterwards told them about Battle Royale, and their response was 'That does sound similar...'

Dystopian future, teenagers chosen to go into the woods to pick up different weapons for a fight to the death, all quite the same.

I did tell them though that there were a few differences. In Battle Royale, there were a couple of 'winners' from a previous battle fighting, they had to go on a jungle island, they had to fight over the weapons, and when it went on for too long to push the fighters into the same area they shut off sections of the island, killing whoever was left in the closed sectors.

I didn't know at the time that this was exactly what happens in the second Hunger Games.

To say that it heavily 'borrows' from Battle Royale would be an understatement.

[Halb]

Bullett said:

Halb said:

Bullett said:

The orc bred for war got taken down by women and children from Laketown.

Orcs in the Hobbit aren't bred for war, they're just another race, a pretty weak one, but they have resilience above most humans. They fight best in their element, underground in the dark.

Not what Gandalf said "Not this time. Armies of Orcs are on the move. These are fighters, they have been bred for war. Our enemy has summoned his full strength."

I guess that's film Gandalf. But I also guess that a warrior society could be classed as being, 'bred' for war. They are hardy and goblin society is barbaric and warlike compared to most human society in Middle Earth.

[AlexC1981]

ukaskew said:

Been off poorly with a virus so decided to watch The Hunger Games yesterday. Better than I was expecting but went in knowing very little. Enjoyed it enough to watch the two sequels released so far as well. I thought they did well watering it down for a mass teen market, some of the themes are pretty dark and brutal but they managed to get that across without the need for a gore-fest.

Being a Battle Royale fan some of the details were uncomfortably similar (particularly in the second film).

You timed that well. Mockingjay Part 2 is out 19th November.

[ukaskew]

AlexC1981 said:

You timed that well. Mockingjay Part 2 is out 19th November.

Indeed, might have to figure out a time where an adult male can go alone to a screening without getting some very funny looks

[Langweilig]

If anyone's interested, Event Horizon is on Movie Mix, right now.

[jonamv8]

Langweilig said:

If anyone's interested, Event Horizon is on Movie Mix, right now.

Not seen it for 15 years watched again tonight on Moviemix. Eeerie film!

[Pesty]

the big lebowski

Despite being a big coen brothers fan and constant cultural references to the film all over the place I've never actually seen it and didn't know what to expect.

Loved it, great performances from everybody especially John goodman.

a solid 9/10


The crow.
Brandon lee would have been such a big action star. Such a shame. Film was brilliant, hasn't dated too much either. No doubt inspired lots of other films since 8/10

[CR6ZZ]

Finally saw The Martian last night. Good, but not as good as I was hoping. Book far better, and why did they play around with the retrieval bit? Should have played it as it was in the book IMO. 7.5/10

[parabolica]

Sicario - follows Emily Blunt's FBI officer as she is seconded to a joint task force to flush out a Mexican drug boss. Like The Martian which I saw earlier this week, I went in knowing little of the film. Great action sequences, great visuals and a pounding, oppressive electronic soundtrack that tweaks up the tension in the right spots. But also like The Martian, it is a film I'm glad I saw but unlikely to watch again. 7/10 due to the ambiguity of the third act.