Films I watched this week
Discussion
Clockwork Cupcake said:
I read an article that said that Neeson turned down action roles earlier in his career as he knew that once he started down that path, it would dominate his career from then on, and that would be plenty of time for that later on in his career.
Seems that his comments were accurate / prophetic.
I've also seen an interview where he said they all expected Taken to be a straight to DVD schocky crap affair, and then it blew up!Seems that his comments were accurate / prophetic.
Halb said:
Clockwork Cupcake said:
I read an article that said that Neeson turned down action roles earlier in his career as he knew that once he started down that path, it would dominate his career from then on, and that would be plenty of time for that later on in his career.
Seems that his comments were accurate / prophetic.
I've also seen an interview where he said they all expected Taken to be a straight to DVD schocky crap affair, and then it blew up!Seems that his comments were accurate / prophetic.
SpudLink said:
I would think that after years of bearing your soul to achieve critical praise but financial insecurity, the chance to get paid big bucks to just play a two dimensional action hero might be hard to resist.
Indeed. As an aside, I remember the derision and confusion when Bruce Willis did Die Hard, as up until then he was best known for his character in Moonlighting, and Bruce Willis as an action hero seemed incongruous. Then, years later, once firmly established as an action star he did Death Becomes Her and everyone thought how odd it was to not see him in an action role.
Just got in from The Commuter and thought it was an entertaining way to spend a few hours. It probably helped that...
a) it's the first of these Neeson action vehicles I've ever seen.
b) I have a Limitless Card.
Kept me guessing for a while, was good fun and I could just relax and absorb.
Yes, it's bottom of the pile in the past 6 weeks, but then those 6 weeks have treated me to Three Billboards, The Shape of Water, Molly's Game, The Post, Darkest Hour and All the Money in the World amongst others. It was almost a relief to watch something ridiculous after all that, it's been the most incredible streak of top drawer films I can ever remember.
a) it's the first of these Neeson action vehicles I've ever seen.
b) I have a Limitless Card.
Kept me guessing for a while, was good fun and I could just relax and absorb.
Yes, it's bottom of the pile in the past 6 weeks, but then those 6 weeks have treated me to Three Billboards, The Shape of Water, Molly's Game, The Post, Darkest Hour and All the Money in the World amongst others. It was almost a relief to watch something ridiculous after all that, it's been the most incredible streak of top drawer films I can ever remember.
2012 - what a load of sh*te - from start to finish it was utter tripe, its not even so bad its good, its just bad!
John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover and Woody Harrelson you owe me 2hours 38mins of my life back!!
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - I enjoyed that
Mollys Game - worth a watch
It - made me jump - I don't like horror movies or clowns
The Foreigner - really enjoyed this Jackie Chan movie
Forbidden Kingdom - a load of tosh
Aladdin and Cars with the kids
All in all a mixed bag this week
John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover and Woody Harrelson you owe me 2hours 38mins of my life back!!
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - I enjoyed that
Mollys Game - worth a watch
It - made me jump - I don't like horror movies or clowns
The Foreigner - really enjoyed this Jackie Chan movie
Forbidden Kingdom - a load of tosh
Aladdin and Cars with the kids
All in all a mixed bag this week
Animal said:
Downsizing.
A great premise, and a great start to the film, but IMO completely let down by the ending. Some funny dialogue, but I was glad to see the final credits, 3/10.
Ah, really? Had heard it didn't really match up to the premise but was planning to go see this on Thursday. I was a bit annoyed that the latest trailer that I couldn't really avoid in the cinema gave away a fairly large plot point that I wasn't aware of before (that his wife/partner doesn't downsize with him) A great premise, and a great start to the film, but IMO completely let down by the ending. Some funny dialogue, but I was glad to see the final credits, 3/10.
ukaskew said:
Animal said:
Downsizing.
A great premise, and a great start to the film, but IMO completely let down by the ending. Some funny dialogue, but I was glad to see the final credits, 3/10.
Ah, really? Had heard it didn't really match up to the premise but was planning to go see this on Thursday. I was a bit annoyed that the latest trailer that I couldn't really avoid in the cinema gave away a fairly large plot point that I wasn't aware of before (that his wife/partner doesn't downsize with him) A great premise, and a great start to the film, but IMO completely let down by the ending. Some funny dialogue, but I was glad to see the final credits, 3/10.
ukaskew said:
Just got in from The Commuter and thought it was an entertaining way to spend a few hours. It probably helped that...
a) it's the first of these Neeson action vehicles I've ever seen.
b) I have a Limitless Card.
snap on b), Neeson is pretty good on these gruff action hero roles but some of the plots/scripts are becoming dumb or cringeya) it's the first of these Neeson action vehicles I've ever seen.
b) I have a Limitless Card.
he basically plays the same character
Decent:
Taken - do you live in a cave?
Unknown
The Grey
Fun but dumb:
Taken 2
Taken 3
Run all night
Non-Stop
Commuter
Adam B said:
snap on b), Neeson is pretty good on these gruff action hero roles but some of the plots/scripts are becoming dumb or cringey
he basically plays the same character
Decent:
Taken - do you live in a cave?
Unknown
The Grey
Fun but dumb:
Taken 2
Taken 3
Run all night
Non-Stop
Commuter
I'd take the Grey of that list and add A Walk among the Tombstones. As one of his better ones of late.he basically plays the same character
Decent:
Taken - do you live in a cave?
Unknown
The Grey
Fun but dumb:
Taken 2
Taken 3
Run all night
Non-Stop
Commuter
yellowjack said:
Darkest Hour.
Seldom have I seen a movie that so completely convinces me that "this is real". I have to say that I actually believed that Gary Oldman might really be Winston Spencer-Churchill for large parts of it.
There can be no spoilers, really. We all (should) know the story, and how it ends. But I was completely gripped by it, to the extent that I was rooting for him to pull off the Dunkirk evacuation and avoid a vote of no confidence.
I suppose it's possible that others may not agree, and while I don't like the "masterpiece" label, I thought that this was definitely a film-making masterclass. Costumes, lighting, make-up, casting. No one on screen looked out of place, and even the fictionalised bits fit well into the narrative. I very rarely come out of a cinema thinking "I could watch that again right now..." but I'd have happily gone back for more of this, if there'd been tickets available.
Aside from Oldman, I thought Ronald Pickup put in an excellent performance as Neville Chamberlain.
I don't generally give a stuff about The Oscars, or other such awards ceremonies, but if this film doesn't win a clutch of awards then there really is no justice in the world...
And I thought it was abysmal - sorry. Oldman was workmanlike, or he was when his accent didn't slip. KST was fine (but could have done this half asleep ) but the film was woeful. The tearful secretary diversion was an echo of the similarly cliched role in the recent Churchill film starring Brian Cox (who was far better than Oldman ) and the underground diversion - words almost fail me . It didn't happen. Did anybody think - really? - that WSC was a man whose policyon fighting the war , and inspiration for the speech was decided by a vox pop on the tube ? Kids running round in Hitler masks, in 1940...at least this nonsense made me laugh . A leaden handed nod to 21Century sensibility by not only encountering a mixed race couple but having his quote completed by the guy ? Come on.... Seldom have I seen a movie that so completely convinces me that "this is real". I have to say that I actually believed that Gary Oldman might really be Winston Spencer-Churchill for large parts of it.
There can be no spoilers, really. We all (should) know the story, and how it ends. But I was completely gripped by it, to the extent that I was rooting for him to pull off the Dunkirk evacuation and avoid a vote of no confidence.
I suppose it's possible that others may not agree, and while I don't like the "masterpiece" label, I thought that this was definitely a film-making masterclass. Costumes, lighting, make-up, casting. No one on screen looked out of place, and even the fictionalised bits fit well into the narrative. I very rarely come out of a cinema thinking "I could watch that again right now..." but I'd have happily gone back for more of this, if there'd been tickets available.
Aside from Oldman, I thought Ronald Pickup put in an excellent performance as Neville Chamberlain.
I don't generally give a stuff about The Oscars, or other such awards ceremonies, but if this film doesn't win a clutch of awards then there really is no justice in the world...
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