Films I watched this week

[generationx]

Suicide Squad last night

What a mess, only vaguely held together by the (all-too-brief) appearances by the Joker, and Margot Robbie.

[ukaskew]

My Scientology Movie

Surprisingly half hearted effort given the depth of the subject matter. On the one hand it was nice to see him return to Weird Weekends territory, there were a few great moments of Louis being Louis, but the reconstruction thing with actors fell flat.

Ironically the best / most chilling bit of footage in the whole movie came direct from one of his ex member contacts whilst he was at the airport after he had left filming.

Q&A after better than the film itself.

[Halb]

Was Louis there?

[maccas99]

Billyray911 said:

Saw The Magnificent seven last night.Quite enjoyable and a solid 7/10 imo.Saw an advert for The Accountant which looked quite good,as well as a teaser for Trainspotting 2.
Lastly,the (Cineworld) cinema was advertising the upcoming 4DX cinema experience which according to the blurb"stimulates all five senses,which includes high-tech motion seats and special effects including wind,rain and scents..."Might be interesting for Trainspotting 2!

I saw the latest Star Wars movie at a 4DX cinema and I actually found it slightly off putting and distracted from watching the movie itself. Good job I also saw it a couple of times at a normal showing! :-)

[ukaskew]

Halb said:

Was Louis there?

Yes with the director, it was hosted by Adam Buxton. I'm in Wiltshire but Odeon live streamed the intro and Q&A either side of the movie itself.

[Halb]

ukaskew said:

Halb said:

Was Louis there?

Yes with the director, it was hosted by Adam Buxton. I'm in Wiltshire but Odeon live streamed the intro and Q&A either side of the movie itself.

Was he happy with the movie? ANy good questions?

[Greenmantle]

Le Carre Fest last week
Seen most of them before but on holiday so...

The Spy who came in from the Cold 10/10
The Russia House 8/10
The Tailor of Panama 9/10
Tinker Tailor 8/10
Our Kind of Traitor 7/10

Will try and see the following this week

The Constant Gardner
The Night Manager
A Most Wanted Man

John

[toon10]

Greenmantle said:

Le Carre Fest last week
Seen most of them before but on holiday so...

The Spy who came in from the Cold 10/10
The Russia House 8/10
The Tailor of Panama 9/10
Tinker Tailor 8/10
Our Kind of Traitor 7/10

Will try and see the following this week

The Constant Gardner
The Night Manager
A Most Wanted Man

John

I watched A Most Wanted Man last night. It's a pretty good movie, well paced and a good antidote to the more action style of espionage thriller. There's no explosions, kung fu or cars getting chased the wrong way on a one way street and it's all the better for it. It wasn't the best in terms of atmosphere which is where this type of film normally excels but overall, it's a strong 8 from me.

[stanthebiker]

Veeayt said:

Dan_1981 said:

The Girl with all the Gifts.

British zombie horror flick.

It was OK - 6/10 maybe 6.5

Kinda slow in places.

The book, on the other hand, is excellent

Loved the book. Was dragged to see the film by the wife who also loved the book.

Film was 'OK' (7.3 on IMDB currently which seems more than fair). A fairly true representation of the book.

[Halb]

Greenmantle said:

Le Carre Fest last week
Seen most of them before but on holiday so...

The Spy who came in from the Cold 10/10
The Russia House 8/10
The Tailor of Panama 9/10
Tinker Tailor 8/10
Our Kind of Traitor 7/10
The Constant Gardner
The Night Manager
A Most Wanted Man

I recall really liking The Spy who came in from the Cold, I enjoyed the Russia HOuse and The Tailor of Panama. I did like Tinker Tailor, though it was not half as good as the serial.
I did really like the COnstant Gardener and the Night Manager.
Not heard of the others.
THe two Alec Guiness serials are in the rarefied air of untouchables for me.

[Animal]

Halb said:

ukaskew said:

Halb said:

Was Louis there?

Yes with the director, it was hosted by Adam Buxton. I'm in Wiltshire but Odeon live streamed the intro and Q&A either side of the movie itself.

Was he happy with the movie? ANy good questions?

I was in the live audience - I've added a couple of questions and answers below but hidden them just in case I spoil some part of the film.


I think they were both happy with the movie, but it's hard to tell - at this juncture they were never going to say that they thought they could have done better.

All of the questions were very good; three notable questions being:

1) Did they know at the outset that they would get no access to the church or it's members?
ANSWER: Yes. Louis commented that he'd had some past dealings with them and it was clear from the outset that the church would not give interviews, access or permit members to be interviewed.

2) Did they still have a good relationship with Marty (a former Scientologist, and a very senior one apparently), who was the film's main interviewee and, in a way, an advisor?
ANSWER: (In a round about sort of way) No. Marty is a complex character and had strong feelings about the church (not all negative) and the relationship had deteriorated because of the continuing harassment he was getting from the church and it's members. Louis even went as far as to say that at this point he thinks Marty is more in the church than out.

3) Is the church as big as it says it is?
ANSWER: No. The church apparently says that they have millions of members, but Louis suggested that a more realistic figure would be in the tens of thousands. They do, however, have vast assets.

I came away from the film thinking that the church's current leader is a kind of Kim Jong-un character who rules with a crazy rod of iron and the church members are terrified citizens who cannot easily leave! The difference is that the church wants new members and recruits enthusiastically. I guess there's a fine line between salvation and drinking poison in the jungle.

Edited by Animal on Tuesday 11th October 20:34

[Adam B]

Bored of LTs style now so I was not interested in seeing his doc. Even less inclined now knowing they didn't have any access to church or current members.

I watched a very good US documentary on Scientology on TV about a year ago which spoke to current and escaped members, plus had live footage of their strong arm tactics and threatening behaviour toward ex-members. Sounds far superior to the LT effort.

[CooperD]

Adam B said:

Looking at the Coen brothers films they directed (not wrote) it seems I am a massive fan

Works of brilliance
1984 Blood Simple
1987 Raising Arizona
1990 Miller's Crossing
1994 The Hudsucker Proxy
1996 Fargo
1998 The Big Lebowski
2000 O Brother, Where Art Thou?
2001 The Man Who Wasn't There
2007 No Country for Old Men
2008 Burn After Reading
2009 A Serious Man
2010 True Grit

Enjoyed
2003 Intolerable Cruelty
2016 Hail, Caesar!

Didn't enjoy
1991 Barton Fink

Not seen yet
2004 The Ladykillers
2012 Gambit
2013 Inside Llewyn Davis

Inside Llewyn Davis is being shown tonight on Film 4 for those who haven't seen it.

[TCEvo]

CooperD said:

Inside Llewyn Davis is being shown tonight on Film 4 for those who haven't seen it.

Excellent film.

[Adam B]

CooperD said:

Inside Llewyn Davis is being shown tonight on Film 4 for those who haven't seen it.

excellent thanks

[Halb]

Half in the Bag Episode 117: Box Office Number Crunching
https://youtu.be/jLk2LBGkMd4

Lovely lil vid on hits/flops

[moanthebairns]

independence day 2 - fk ME, it was bad. 20 years has passed and the world that was left ruined has been rebuilt and alien technology left over has been studied and is now in use everywhere.

The first one I thought was great, it was fantasy but you always felt like it was real. This is just so far into sci-fi that its ridiculous. Its just too busy, the acting is awful. I know this sounds stupid, its a sci-fi film but its too far fetched. There is aspects you can switch your brain off to and let it go but this took the piss 2/10

[Halb]

Get used to it, it's another franchise!

[generationx]

Ghostbusters 2016

What a lot of arse. Not a single laugh in two hours.

[EarlOfHazard]

Free state of jones. Based on true story. 7/10

The good neighbour. 2 college kids perform an experiment to convince their old craggy neighbour that his house is haunted. Not the film I was expecting - liked James Caan in it though. 6/10