Films I watched this week
Discussion
Sorcerer
Kermode has been promoting this like mad on Film Review - a classic never seen because it was released on the same day as Star Wars. Directed by William Freidkin, he of French Connection and Exorcist fame.
Kermode snippit: https://youtu.be/s31aWrHHcIc?t=205
I'm not sure I've ever seen a film quite like it before. At two hours, it's a film of two halves. The first hour is character development which whilst not slow is not particularly fast paced either. But the second half is about a series of disparate characters finding themselves transporting wagons full of nitroglycerin through a south american jungle - 1970's ice road trucker.
The bridge scene is the movie poster/main set piece - and I'm struggling to remember a more tense piece of film. But for me the film's main strength was how it conveyed a total sense of personal isolation. Really quite powerful.
Stars Roy Scheider which for me is a good thing and there is a lot of that Jaws, staring into the distance, going on.
Like Taxi Driver, you'll need to be in the right mood to watch it and like Taxi Driver it has that gritty, 1970's nihilistic tone that you either love or hate. It takes time to layer the filth on top of it, which may have some reaching for their phone.
8/10 for me. I would 10/10 recommend Taxi Driver to anybody. However I suspect Sorcerer will be more marmite. Don't underestimate the simple pleasure in watching a film with no CGI in it though.
Very good trailer (with no spoilers): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BDbIzovuos
Kermode has been promoting this like mad on Film Review - a classic never seen because it was released on the same day as Star Wars. Directed by William Freidkin, he of French Connection and Exorcist fame.
Kermode snippit: https://youtu.be/s31aWrHHcIc?t=205
I'm not sure I've ever seen a film quite like it before. At two hours, it's a film of two halves. The first hour is character development which whilst not slow is not particularly fast paced either. But the second half is about a series of disparate characters finding themselves transporting wagons full of nitroglycerin through a south american jungle - 1970's ice road trucker.
The bridge scene is the movie poster/main set piece - and I'm struggling to remember a more tense piece of film. But for me the film's main strength was how it conveyed a total sense of personal isolation. Really quite powerful.
Stars Roy Scheider which for me is a good thing and there is a lot of that Jaws, staring into the distance, going on.
Like Taxi Driver, you'll need to be in the right mood to watch it and like Taxi Driver it has that gritty, 1970's nihilistic tone that you either love or hate. It takes time to layer the filth on top of it, which may have some reaching for their phone.
8/10 for me. I would 10/10 recommend Taxi Driver to anybody. However I suspect Sorcerer will be more marmite. Don't underestimate the simple pleasure in watching a film with no CGI in it though.
Very good trailer (with no spoilers): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BDbIzovuos
Adam B said:
james_tigerwoods said:
John Wick - I thoroughly enjoyed this. It is what it is - it's brain out action and shooting with additional humour. It's no Oscar winner, but I really like it. 9/10
Leave the memory a pleasant one and don't watch the dull generic sequel
jammy-git said:
Just finished watching Lucy after it was on last night.
Stupid. I bet it's a good film if you can switch your brain off, ironically. It wasn't just the stupid premise of unlocking the brains potential, but there were quite a few plot holes and even the basic parts of the film were unrealistic.
Something OK to have on in the background whilst finishing some emails. 4/10.
Very average film, great soundtrack though, all done by the Chemical Brothers iirc. Stupid. I bet it's a good film if you can switch your brain off, ironically. It wasn't just the stupid premise of unlocking the brains potential, but there were quite a few plot holes and even the basic parts of the film were unrealistic.
Something OK to have on in the background whilst finishing some emails. 4/10.
Watched Animal House over the weekend - can't believe I had managed to never see this before, so thought I'd give it a go. It suffered a little from me having watched it after American Pie, Road Trip etc, so some of the shock value was a bit tame these days, but still very funny. 8/10 from me.
james_tigerwoods said:
Ah - Is it that bad? I had read good things about it in that it was like the original, but turned up to 11....
It is the original minus any pretence at a plot or characters (at least the first one tried a bit), its just dull John Woo shoot outs and slo-mo, for 100 mins - just f
king boring unless you like watching someone else play Call of Duty Adam B said:
It is the original minus any pretence at a plot or characters (at least the first one tried a bit), its just dull John Woo shoot outs and slo-mo, for 100 mins - just fking boring unless you like watching someone else play Call of Duty
Off topic, but I do enjoy watching General Minus play Call of Duty.king boring unless you like watching someone else play Call of Duty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcXHofaitho
Language very NSFW
bodhi said:
Watched Animal House over the weekend - can't believe I had managed to never see this before, so thought I'd give it a go. It suffered a little from me having watched it after American Pie, Road Trip etc, so some of the shock value was a bit tame these days, but still very funny. 8/10 from me.
Animal House makes all later wannabes look unfunny, uninspired copies. John Belushi owns that filmWatched a couple this week.
Brawl in cell block 99
A very odd movie. It's quite drawn out and stars a socially odd Vince Vaughn as a drug runner who ends up in prison. It's not your normal prison movie and the violence is taken to "walking dead" levels of gore. It's not really like much I've seen before but not in a good way.
4/10
Wind River
It's been covered on here before but it really is a good movie.
8.5/10
Brawl in cell block 99
A very odd movie. It's quite drawn out and stars a socially odd Vince Vaughn as a drug runner who ends up in prison. It's not your normal prison movie and the violence is taken to "walking dead" levels of gore. It's not really like much I've seen before but not in a good way.
4/10
Wind River
It's been covered on here before but it really is a good movie.
8.5/10
SystemParanoia said:
Hardcore Henry
brain out, action action action!
there's a storyline in there somewhere, but i couldn't tell due to all the action!
7/10 for me ... needed more action
I got borderline motion sickness watching this. It's very impressive film making but like you say, not much of a story.brain out, action action action!
there's a storyline in there somewhere, but i couldn't tell due to all the action!
7/10 for me ... needed more action
Halb said:
Most amusing RLM take on Justice League, I'll watch it it when it's on at Xmas.
https://youtu.be/w1s5ElKmQm4
Half in the bag are to movie reviews what top gear is to car reviews.Half in the Bag Episode 135: Justice League
https://youtu.be/w1s5ElKmQm4
The reviews are entertaining but you wouldn't buy a car or watch a movie (or not) based on their comments.
The same feigned lack of intimate knowledge is present in both.
Rich Evans is obviously the Hammond equivalent as he is someone you'd never get tired of punching in the face.
The Mr Plinkett dissections are more interesting.
The Space Between Us Bit different but quite enjoyed it.
"The first human born on Mars travels to Earth for the first time, experiencing the wonders of the planet through fresh eyes. He embarks on an adventure with a street smart girl to discover how he came to be".
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3922818/?ref_=nv_sr_1
"The first human born on Mars travels to Earth for the first time, experiencing the wonders of the planet through fresh eyes. He embarks on an adventure with a street smart girl to discover how he came to be".
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3922818/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Gary29 said:
bodhi said:
Very average film, great soundtrack though, all done by the Chemical Brothers iirc.
I think you're probably thinking of 'Hanna' rather than 'Lucy', Hanna being the better film imho.generationx said:
bodhi said:
Watched Animal House over the weekend - can't believe I had managed to never see this before, so thought I'd give it a go. It suffered a little from me having watched it after American Pie, Road Trip etc, so some of the shock value was a bit tame these days, but still very funny. 8/10 from me.
Animal House makes all later wannabes look unfunny, uninspired copies. John Belushi owns that filmSystemParanoia said:
Hardcore Henry
brain out, action action action!
there's a storyline in there somewhere, but i couldn't tell due to all the action!
7/10 for me ... needed more action
I loved Hardcore Henry. Superb stuff. I'm all for an original, interesting, self-consistent plot, with characters you grow to know and root for. And sometimes you can take that lot and shove it!brain out, action action action!
there's a storyline in there somewhere, but i couldn't tell due to all the action!
7/10 for me ... needed more action
Couple of older ones for me over the last few days:
Papillon (1973)
Based on true events in the '30's, Steve McQueen plays a convict desperate to escape from a brutal prison camp on French Guiana.
Way too long but pretty epic in places - cost £12m to make. McQueen's decent as ever.
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
Real estate agents spend a couple of days shafting each other & anyone who's shown some interest in their promos, as they try to flog land to win a sales contest - winner gets a Caddie, loser the tick tack.
Quality big name cast - Jack Lemmon & Pacino particularly good - in a classic sales/business/life film.
Long time since I'd watched it.
Good stuff.
Papillon (1973)
Based on true events in the '30's, Steve McQueen plays a convict desperate to escape from a brutal prison camp on French Guiana.
Way too long but pretty epic in places - cost £12m to make. McQueen's decent as ever.
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
Real estate agents spend a couple of days shafting each other & anyone who's shown some interest in their promos, as they try to flog land to win a sales contest - winner gets a Caddie, loser the tick tack.
Quality big name cast - Jack Lemmon & Pacino particularly good - in a classic sales/business/life film.
Long time since I'd watched it.
Good stuff.
Gassing Station | TV, Film, Video Streaming & Radio | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff