Films I watched this week

[Centurion07]

droopsnoot said:

I watched "Middle Men" the other day, turned out to be better than I was expecting. Based on a true story about two guys who "invented" internet porn and the payment gateway, and where it all went a bit wrong.

Just checked out the trailer. Looks good.

[irocfan]

Turkey Shoot - what a total waste of time that was! I can see that Arnie's Running Man was an inspiration but.... <shudder> bad

[parabolica]

Been meaning to watch it since it came out, but only just saw Nightcrawler the other night (still on iplayer). Loved it; JG does an amazing job as the lead and is very reminiscent of Patrick Bateman/Christian Bale in American Psycho. Really enjoyed the aesthetic of the film too; felt a bit like Michael Mann movie or an episode of Southland. Riz Ahmed was as great as ever. 9/10

[PowerslideSWE]

Brown/Hanks Inferno. Read the book and the film was kind of true to the book until the end. Typical Hollywood BS goodguys always win kind of ending, atleast the ending of the book caused some afterthought. Disappointed.

[AMG Merc]

Watched 'The Railway Man' last night. A true story. Still on my mind today. Very good.

[anonymous-user]

Quickmoose said:

steveatesh said:

Leon, The Professional.
I'm sure it does not need an explanation of the plot on here, I've watched it several times and it will be well known on PH.
For me one of the best films ever, thanks to the interaction between the main characters Leon (Jean Reno) and Mathilda ( a young Natalie Portman ) plus Gary Oldman who plays one of the meanest "baddies" I've ever seen. He is simply superb, especially the two occasions he takes a pill .......

Thoroughly recommended, especially the extended version where you see Leon start to train Mathilda. Superb from beginning to end.

100%
My favourite film.
The extended version is much darker than the general release.

Fantastic film. Natalie Portman is superb considering her age, the whole cast is very good, but moreover the film as a whole works so well.
If you haven't seen it, make the effort.

[Halb]

GotG2.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTYjD606cWM&t=1401s
Pretty much onboard with RLM on this. I thought a slightly choppy/blocky opening, though it was fun and had brilliant perspective. A bit flabby at times and I felt myself coming out of it, but at some point it really came together and I got hugely into it, I guessed at Ego's motive, even though in the comic Ego isn't a Celestial.
Really good, really good.

[RC1807]

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - took my wife & teen dorts on Sunday evening

From the opening scenes I was for a few minutes after the 'turd' comment.
It's worth a watch for brain out funny stuff. It certainly doesn't take itself seriously.

[RizzoTheRat]

Suicide squad. Joker wasn't as convincing as some previous versions and the plot was a bit weak, but an OK evenings entertainment.

[Don]

jsf said:

Quickmoose said:

steveatesh said:

Leon, The Professional.
I'm sure it does not need an explanation of the plot on here, I've watched it several times and it will be well known on PH.
For me one of the best films ever, thanks to the interaction between the main characters Leon (Jean Reno) and Mathilda ( a young Natalie Portman ) plus Gary Oldman who plays one of the meanest "baddies" I've ever seen. He is simply superb, especially the two occasions he takes a pill .......

Thoroughly recommended, especially the extended version where you see Leon start to train Mathilda. Superb from beginning to end.

100%
My favourite film.
The extended version is much darker than the general release.

Fantastic film. Natalie Portman is superb considering her age, the whole cast is very good, but moreover the film as a whole works so well.
If you haven't seen it, make the effort.

I loved Leon. Apparently it was Jean Reno's idea to play Leon as "a bit simple" to make his relationship with the girl less "creepy". She makes it creepy enough! Wonderfully strange and twisted movie - so much more than the action flick it superficially looks like.

[ClockworkCupcake]

Don said:

I loved Leon. Apparently it was Jean Reno's idea to play Leon as "a bit simple" to make his relationship with the girl less "creepy". She makes it creepy enough! Wonderfully strange and twisted movie - so much more than the action flick it superficially looks like.

Luc Besson's films are always like that - always lots more going on than it seems.

[Derek Smith]

AMG Merc said:

Watched 'The Railway Man' last night. A true story. Still on my mind today. Very good.

My father-in-law, now deceased, was a pow of the Japanese in Malaya. He worked on a road and his camp was controlled by Koreans. It left him scarred for life, both physically and mentally. I asked my wife if she wanted to watch it and she said she didn't want to see it at a cinema, in public, but would have a think about watching the video. We watched it together.

Her father wasn't tortured by the kempeitai so that part of the film had more or less the effect it had on everyone. But the bloke's struggle with normal life, being eaten by hatred while knowing it did nothing but hurt him and his, struck a cord with my wife.

He didn't speak about his imprisonment with his family but for some reason occasionally chatted to me about what went on. It got me reading about the reasons behind the Japanese change from treating prisoners as honoured guests in WWI to torture in WWII.

The more I understand about my father-in-law's life, the more I pity him, but what I can't figure is how and why he survived. He was captured early on in the war, at the fall of Singapore, and was one of the longest inmates of the camp, if not the longest. When he was released he had no idea who he was.

We should move on of course, but must remember. All those who committed the atrocities are now dead or all but. The period, with the Germans in Europe, shows the depths humans can plunge to.

A haunting film, and one that should stay with its viewers. It is pointless to hope for a 'never again' outcome but it might act as a warning, a delay to the inevitable next big war.

[TCEvo]

Arrival

Superior take on aliens visiting earth.

Familiar feel to similar films of the past, but thought it was excellent. As an aside the house by the lake is one of the coolest "movie" houses I've seen used.

Grimsby

Utter ste - gave it 15-mins before turning off; surprisingly it did make me laugh twice though.

[Adam B]

Pesty said:

Drive

There must be something wrong with me. This was universally lauded on here but Ryan gosling holy st.
Compare with vinny jones in lock stock.

Why am I the only one who noticed he can't act? Tell me I'm wrong he the same in every film I've seen.

Drive I loved, brooding, great soundtrack, simple but good story, great style and different feel, easy 8/10

Gosling - agreed he plays the same type of character in the same way a lot, but don't a lot of actors these days (stand up Tom Hardy)

That said he picks films well IMHO:

The Notebook - won awards, cult hit
Half Nelson - excellent
Crazy, Stupid, Love - bloody funny (Gosling smiles!)
Drive - aforementioned, 8/10 for me
The Ides of March - very good, criticaly acclaimed
The Place Beyond the Pines - really enjoyed this
Gangster Squad - bit average to be honest, enjoyable but missed opportunity
The Big Short - fking great
The Nice Guys - fking great
La La Land - Oscar winning, ok a marmite film but I liked it despite hating musicals

[jammy-git]

Adam B said:

Gosling - agreed he plays the same type of character in the same way a lot, but don't a lot of actors these days (stand up Tom Hardy)

Really? Bane, Eames (Inception), the Krays, Locke, Forrest (Lawless). He's had quite a range of characters?

[Adam B]

jammy-git said:

Really? Bane, Eames (Inception), the Krays, Locke, Forrest (Lawless). He's had quite a range of characters?

yes really, gruff hard man mumbler - Batman, Lawless, peaky blinders,mad max, revenant, the drop

I like him and most of his movies also

[Halb]

Adam B said:

Gosling - agreed he plays the same type of character in the same way a lot, but don't a lot of actors these days (stand up Tom Hardy)

I concur.
And as you say, I enjoy he and his films very much.

[stongle]

Sleepless. New Jamie foxx film. Don't. Absolute rot. If I'd paid to go, I'd be really cross but I have cineworld card and Guardians 2 and Alien this month make additional visits free.

No one can afford 95 mins of their life with this film.

[grumbledoak]

Looper on Amazon Prime. I didn't know the lead actor but it co-stars Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt. A human story despite the time travel, executioners in black leather and guns setting. It is well told, with a good ending. Well worth catching up with if you missed it. 8/10.

[Pesty]

P-Jay said:

looks like someone who's yawning without opening their mouth, like if you're stuck in a tragically bad meeting and you're trying to not look bored.

He sorts of mooches about - first time I saw him I though he was playing a mentally challenged character who just doesn't talk much, but it seems not - he's never given much dialog because he can't talk properly - he's got a sweet little girls voice, quiet and quite high pitched which he tries to hide by only talking at half the volume as everyone else, so for the most part he's either stifle-yawning into the middle distance or gliding about the place like a snake stalking a mouse whilst avoiding eye contact.
,

Spot on.

Rich_W said:

Same exact thing in "Only God Forgives"

My lord that is a steaming pile.

To be fair I've on seen the last 20 minutes and that is only because a friend told me I had to watch the end just to see how bad it was.


At least it's not just me who has noticed. Thanks I thought I was losing my marbles

Edited by Pesty on Wednesday 10th May 21:59