Films I watched this week

[MYOB]

Manchester by the Sea

A melancholy drama starring Casey Affleck and is hotly tipped to win an Oscar for Best Actor. If you enjoy this genre then you will most likely enjoy the film. Do not expect any action or excitement. The ending in my opinion was a bit weak and disappointing. However, Casey's performance is captivating and I enjoyed the film.

7/10.

[Adam B]

FredClogs said:

They're both films, storyville is just the BBC documentary film archive.

Notes on Blindness is a film set to the writings of a man as he looses his sight, the narration is all his own notes but voiced by an actor and actors play the parts. It's a beautiful insight into someone loosing their sight but also a beautiful insight into love and the human condition.

Life animnated is a perfect companion film to the above, a documentary following a severely autistic boy who spends his childhood watching Disney films as it's the only thing through which he can communicate himself to the world around him.

thanks, will give them both a try then

I only mentioned "Storville" as searching iplayer on Sky is a bit confusing, there is also a PPV film called Life, Animated

[El Guapo]

Hell or High Water Rather disappointing 5/10.

[marcosgt]

Trainspotting

I'd never seen this before.

I guess a film about Heroin addicts didn't really seem to have much to offer, but as it was on Film 4 recently and there was all the fuss about Trainspotting 2, I thought I'd give it a go.

About 15 minutes in I said to the wife "I can see why I've never bothered now" and she agreed.

It does pick up a bit as it goes along, but, really, I can't see what all the fuss is about.

3/10.

M

[marcosgt]

ash73 said:

So in the last two pages we've had comments saying Firefox, Hacksaw Ridge, Hell or High Water and Trainspotting are meh. Variety is the spice of life; or there's no accounting for taste. I know which I'm going with.

Presumably the former?

Firefox is pretty poor, imo. Even at the time it wasn't considered a good Eastwood movie.

I liked Hacksaw Ridge (it's not without flaws, though).

Not seen Hell or High Water and you know what I thought about Trainspotting

M.

[sly fox]

[redacted]

[SilverSixer]

[redacted]

[Mothersruin]

Hell or High Water was excellent.

[Animal]

Watched Jackie last night. There's no doubting that Natalie Portman is excellent in the lead role, but I couldn't quite work out why she was doing what she was doing or who she really was as a person.

6/10 for Portman's acting and a really good supporting cast.

[Adam B]

Well for balance I really liked Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, 128 Days later, Sunshine, Life Less Ordinary, Steve Jobs and T2, and quite enjoyed Beach, Slumdog and 127 Hours
Trance was crap though

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9giY0_96MZg

and he did a bloody good job of the Olympics opening ceremony

[MYOB]

Mothersruin said:

Hell or High Water was excellent.

Agreed.

[generationx]

MYOB said:

Mothersruin said:

Hell or High Water was excellent.

Agreed.

IMO Sunshine was too.

[marcosgt]

I really liked 127 Hours as I recall.

I couldn't see how you could make someone stuck under a rock last 90 minutes, but it held my attention. It's a bit like Buried in that respect.

Didn't like The Beach much, but it's better than the book!

28 Days Later is OK.

I found Slumdog watchable, so I'm not a Boyle hater (although I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan), but I just didn't see much point to Trainspotting.

M

[Halb]

I think Boyle has a nice technical eye, his cinematography is also spot on.
I think Trainspotting, Shallow Grave, 28 Days Later are all ace.
127 Hours was OK, Beach was OK, not seen SLumdog, SUnshine was awful and messy.

He is celebrated as a director because he is a very fine director. And like a lot of directors with a distinctive vision he appeals to some and not to others.

[DoubleSix]

99 Homes



Well acted, poignant.

[Rich_W]

Adam B said:

and he did a bloody good job of the Olympics opening ceremony

to the Olympics. It still fills me with immense pride that does.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smMJi1SrFSE

Music choice was by High Contrast (drum n bass producer) and Underworld (of Born Slippy fame)

[Adam B]

Rich_W said:

to the Olympics. It still fills me with immense pride that does.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smMJi1SrFSE

Music choice was by High Contrast (drum n bass producer) and Underworld (of Born Slippy fame)

I still love they opened with one of my favourite tunes - Olympians by fk Buttons

[smn159]

Adam B said:

Rich_W said:

to the Olympics. It still fills me with immense pride that does.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smMJi1SrFSE

Music choice was by High Contrast (drum n bass producer) and Underworld (of Born Slippy fame)

I still love they opened with one of my favourite tunes - Olympians by fk Buttons

Agreed - and Frank Turner as the warm up act as well

[parabolica]

Animal said:

Watched Jackie last night. There's no doubting that Natalie Portman is excellent in the lead role, but I couldn't quite work out why she was doing what she was doing or who she really was as a person.

6/10 for Portman's acting and a really good supporting cast.

If you haven't already, seek out Mark Kermode's review of Jackie on the wittertainment youtube channel; I saw a preview of the film a while ago and didn't really get it at all, but after listening to his review it actually makes a lot of sense.

RE Danny Boyle, there is a lot of hit and miss for me, but Slumdog, Sunshine, Shallow Grave and Trainspotting are excellent IMO.

[Halb]

RLM have done a pretty funny video on Natlaie POrtman's acting.