Films I watched this week (Vol 2)

[phazed]

[redacted]

[V8mate]

SydneyBridge said:

I look at Rotten tomatoes for a general consensus and Empire Online are normally pretty spot on

I use imdb and generally won't watch a film unless it scores 6.2 or above there.

Might watch a film with a lower score if the subject matter seems particularly interesting (to me) and there weren't many votes.

I won't deny that the scores are sometimes skewed by inbred American idiocy though

[Gary29]

I also watched Annihilation last night.

Wow! First 40 mins I was a bit underwhelmed, but the last half of the film it just got better and better, very thought provoking.

Strong 8/10

[yellowjack]

I watched Reach For The Sky again last night. I'd recorded it from Talking Pictures TV which is a mine of old black and white British films, with the odd rich seam surrounded by quite a lot of spoil destined for the waste heap.

It's been ages since I'd last seen it so it felt fairly fresh even though I know the Douglas Bader story well. Topical for me, too, as I'd recently found and watched his This Is Your Life episode on youtube.

Lots of continuity errors, plenty of "wrong" Spitfires ('bubbles' in the Battle of Britain???), a Hurricane flying inverted , and that crack in the Avro 504K's rear cockpit windscreen was bugging me because all the while that Bader was in hospital recovering from his double amputation (sorry about the spoiler there! ) the RAF fitters never got around to repairing it!


But it was great to see it again, and so much better a film than that bloody dreadful The Lady Vanishes which I watched over the weekend.

My wife retired early to bed though, and declined to join me watching it. No doubt I shall be encouraged to watch Full Metal Jacket and Good Morning Vietnam by myself too. They are the next two films I've got lined up on the V6 box.

[parabolica]

[redacted]

[irocfan]

[redacted]

[Frimley111R]

Jumanji (the new one) - really good, right up to date and with a great story and other things (won't spoil it if you haven't seen it). I didn't expect to like it.

[Veeayt]

IrateNinja said:

ukaskew said:

Annihilation

Can't believe we live in a world where something like this doesn't get a UK cinema release. Beautiful and haunting and some of the best sound design I've experienced. Watch it via the best possible means.

Caught this tonight.

Holy moly I need to watch it again before offering any sort of rating. Quite high concept sci fi, and I think it'll benefit from repeat viewings.

What I will say is that I was gripped from start to finish. As above, the sound is terrific. A couple of really properly memorable scenes. This is not in the same dimension as the guff that is The Circle, and The Cloverfield Paradox.

Completely agree with both above - it's cracking. Questionable sometimes, but as a sci-fi tale it's only surpassed by 2049 among modern films.

[bodhi]

Life - Hmmm. Seemed awfully familiar most of the way through, sort of like a rerun of a famous Sci-Fi Horror from the late 70's with a creature appearing from John Hurt's stomach, just with the added edge that we had created the monster.

Good tension and SFX, story was a big rehash, not entirely original, so 6/10 from me.

Edited by bodhi on Wednesday 14th March 17:01

[droopsnoot]

I watched "A Hijacking" last week, over a few sittings, but didn't enjoy it. Set between a ship that's hijacked by Somali pirates, and the boardroom of the company that owns it. Not gripping, a bit too bleak for my liking. I think my taste is more along the "Captain Phillips" line.

[phazed]

Frimley111R said:

Jumanji (the new one) - really good, right up to date and with a great story and other things (won't spoil it if you haven't seen it). I didn't expect to like it.

Exactly my thoughts.

[Frimley111R]

bodhi said:

Life - Hmmm. Seemed awfully familiar most of the way through, sort of like a rerun of a famous Sci-Fi Horror from the late 70's with a creature appearing from John Hurt's stomach, just with the added edge that we had created the monster.

Good tension and SFX, story was a big rehash, not entirely original, so 6/10 from me.

I really liked it. Reminded me of Alien with the tension. Fascinating example of what could happen, not matter how unlikely.

You might want to delete the part in your post about the ending just in case other's haven't seen it and draw conclusions

[toasty]

phazed said:

Which is the best unbiased revue site? does one exist?

Metacritic sums them all up and gives a score. Pretty accurate especially taking into account the user scores too.

[Legacywr]

Frank7 said:

I hope that you guys got to see it, and enjoyed it.

Yes, I did thanks

[IrateNinja]

Veeayt said:

IrateNinja said:

ukaskew said:

Annihilation

Can't believe we live in a world where something like this doesn't get a UK cinema release. Beautiful and haunting and some of the best sound design I've experienced. Watch it via the best possible means.

Caught this tonight.

Holy moly I need to watch it again before offering any sort of rating. Quite high concept sci fi, and I think it'll benefit from repeat viewings.

What I will say is that I was gripped from start to finish. As above, the sound is terrific. A couple of really properly memorable scenes. This is not in the same dimension as the guff that is The Circle, and The Cloverfield Paradox.

Completely agree with both above - it's cracking. Questionable sometimes, but as a sci-fi tale it's only surpassed by 2049 among modern films.

I was thinking about it today, and it's been on the background being watched by my girlfriend tonight.

The scene with the mutated bear thing. The human scream is highly disturbing... and then the scene with Lena and her mirror mimicking her, damn. All accompanied by the soundtrack.

Now I didn't spot it yesterday, but as I had my laptop open with it on I google'd the book Lena was reading in one of the flashbacks - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Apparently she died of cervical cancer, without knowing doctors had taken some of the cancerous cells to study after her death. Echoing the whole mutantbear scream thing living on after killing the paramedic.

[Veeayt]

Will definitely read the book, thanks. It seems to be an addition from Garland; don't remember reading this title, or any other title, in the Annihilation book.

[Funkycoldribena]

As above- Annihilation.
Hmm..odd one,bit of a mishmash of several sci-fi films,bit of Contact and the other film recently which I've completely forgotten the name of,(alien ship like a slice of chocolate orange floating above the ground).
Some ridiculous scenarios but 7/10.

[Gary29]

IrateNinja said:

- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Apparently she died of cervical cancer, without knowing doctors had taken some of the cancerous cells to study after her death. .[/Spoiler]

My mrs spotted that...and turns out she'd read the book and knew all about it, I was very proud....she's usually as thick as two short planks

[ukaskew]

Ladybird

This finally reached my local so that's the final movie of the main Oscar nominations all watched at the cinema now.

It pips Shape of Water as my favourite of the lot. So brilliantly natural and understated, a joy from start to finish.

[Pesty]

IrateNinja said:

Veeayt said:

IrateNinja said:

ukaskew said:

Annihilation

Can't believe we live in a world where something like this doesn't get a UK cinema release. Beautiful and haunting and some of the best sound design I've experienced. Watch it via the best possible means.

Caught this tonight.

Holy moly I need to watch it again before offering any sort of rating. Quite high concept sci fi, and I think it'll benefit from repeat viewings.

What I will say is that I was gripped from start to finish. As above, the sound is terrific. A couple of really properly memorable scenes. This is not in the same dimension as the guff that is The Circle, and The Cloverfield Paradox.

Completely agree with both above - it's cracking. Questionable sometimes, but as a sci-fi tale it's only surpassed by 2049 among modern films.

I was thinking about it today, and it's been on the background being watched by my girlfriend tonight.

The scene with the mutated bear thing. The human scream is highly disturbing... and then the scene with Lena and her mirror mimicking her, damn. All accompanied by the soundtrack.

Now I didn't spot it yesterday, but as I had my laptop open with it on I google'd the book Lena was reading in one of the flashbacks - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Apparently she died of cervical cancer, without knowing doctors had taken some of the cancerous cells to study after her death. Echoing the whole mutantbear scream thing living on after killing the paramedic.

Started watching tonight turned off half way through will give it another go sometime but too many annoyances made me give up.
Shame because if done slightly different a director that could make the cast act. You know like when something really shocking happens and they just stand there. Hmmm lasted till the bear. Night vision goggles and bright white fking light. Hey somethings out there I’ll just turn a fking light on and stand so everything can see me. Where did you learn to shoot, er you mean you didn’t they just gave you m16s with no training? Why is the psychologist giving the orders was she even in the army.
Don’t know maybe I’m in a bad mood not got time for it today

Looks awesome though. Could have been event horizon meets pitch black meats helboy.

Oh and nothing has come me out so your mission is to step through and turn straight back and come out again how about trying that, well tie a rope to you and yank you out after 5 seconds.

How about a camera in a stick then pull it out. How about a remotes vehicle on a cable then pull it out again.
Meh

Edited by Pesty on Thursday 15th March 23:08