Films I watched this week
Discussion
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.
Watch directors cut - very different film and plays on the relationship a LOT more...full on creeps (and is a 6/10 film as opposed to the originals 9)And GOTG2 - turned it up to 11 and suffers for it. Even my kids 10/16 thought the "wacky" stuff a bit out there and broke the immersion into the film. And aside from Fleetwood mac....what's with the music????? Given they clearly took all the stuff they thought people liked after the first one and jacked those bits up WAY to much (I get it...Groot can dance) you'd think they have made an effort on the songs.
stongle said:
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.
Oh bNo one can afford 95 mins of their life with this film.
ks 
guess what I'm waiting to see (like you Cineworld unlimited card). Wife has a girl's evening so I'm on me tod.As a benefit though - just finished watching "Going Out in Style" which I throughly enjoyed. Gentle (& elderly) heist caper with Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin, Ann Margret & Matt Dillon
Alien Covenant; if you didn't like Prometheus you are not going to like this, because it is basically the exact same film. Stuffed to the rafters with clichés, it is basically Prometheus with the first act from Passengers and Sunshine rammed in there, and at 2.5 hours it just seems to drag on.
parabolica said:
Alien Covenant; if you didn't like Prometheus you are not going to like this, because it is basically the exact same film. Stuffed to the rafters with clichés, it is basically Prometheus with the first act from Passengers and Sunshine rammed in there, and at 2.5 hours it just seems to drag on.
That doesn't sound very good. I think I will give it a miss then. Prometheus was visually stunning but made my teeth itch with the WTFery of it. Technically, it is very accomplished. But from the script and (attempted) scope, you can just tell Ridley was walking around the set with a raging boner telling people how this was his Amadeus and everyone there was so lucky to be working on the most important film of their lives.
All IMO of course.
All IMO of course.
Passengers
I liked it. Stylish to look at with great effects and decent idea for the basic story.
Two very likeable leads. Chris Pratt is a bit wooden, but enough charisma to pull it off. Jennifer Lawrence is magic in anything.
7.5 6.5 / 10
Lost two half points. Half for the poor ending (was a bit annoyed as the titles rolled and could think of better ways to end it). Half for the criminal underuse of Andy Garcia and his beard.
I liked it. Stylish to look at with great effects and decent idea for the basic story.
Two very likeable leads. Chris Pratt is a bit wooden, but enough charisma to pull it off. Jennifer Lawrence is magic in anything.
Lost two half points. Half for the poor ending (was a bit annoyed as the titles rolled and could think of better ways to end it). Half for the criminal underuse of Andy Garcia and his beard.
The Great Wall
Jason Bourne looking like Connor Macleod of the Clan Macleod winds up helping an army of colourful power rangers defend the aforementioned wall from 5 billion CGI ASBO-frogs, in what seems like a re-imagining of Starship Troopers (drone creatures protecting a bigger "queen" creature etc). Also stars the funny Spanish chap from Narcos (actually, the best thing about it) and Willem "will-work-for-food" Dafoe. Predictable/10
The Girl on the Train
The first hour was a blur of confusing flashbacks and female navel-gazing, eventually saved by a reasonable twist/explanation in the last 30 mins. One of the blonde women looked like a slutty(er) version of Jennifer Lawrence. Which is not a criticism.
Contratiempo ("The Invisible Guest)
Spanish subtitled movie which I chanced upon. A famous businessman regains consciousness in a hotel room, with his mistress battered to death beside him, and all exits locked from the inside. On the eve of his trial for a murder he claims he didn't commit, he is approached by a brilliant defence lawyer who assures him she can get him cleared, but only if he is 100% honest with every detail, both of this mystery, but also of a seemingly unrelated car accident that he and said mistress had been involved in previously. You'll need your wits about you to keep along with the plot, as it twists and turns through differing flashbacks and interpretations, but leads to a satisfying payoff. If you liked the original "The Secret in their Eyes" you might like this too.
Jason Bourne looking like Connor Macleod of the Clan Macleod winds up helping an army of colourful power rangers defend the aforementioned wall from 5 billion CGI ASBO-frogs, in what seems like a re-imagining of Starship Troopers (drone creatures protecting a bigger "queen" creature etc). Also stars the funny Spanish chap from Narcos (actually, the best thing about it) and Willem "will-work-for-food" Dafoe. Predictable/10
The Girl on the Train
The first hour was a blur of confusing flashbacks and female navel-gazing, eventually saved by a reasonable twist/explanation in the last 30 mins. One of the blonde women looked like a slutty(er) version of Jennifer Lawrence. Which is not a criticism.
Contratiempo ("The Invisible Guest)
Spanish subtitled movie which I chanced upon. A famous businessman regains consciousness in a hotel room, with his mistress battered to death beside him, and all exits locked from the inside. On the eve of his trial for a murder he claims he didn't commit, he is approached by a brilliant defence lawyer who assures him she can get him cleared, but only if he is 100% honest with every detail, both of this mystery, but also of a seemingly unrelated car accident that he and said mistress had been involved in previously. You'll need your wits about you to keep along with the plot, as it twists and turns through differing flashbacks and interpretations, but leads to a satisfying payoff. If you liked the original "The Secret in their Eyes" you might like this too.
daddy cool said:
The Girl on the Train
The first hour was a blur of confusing flashbacks and female navel-gazing, eventually saved by a reasonable twist/explanation in the last 30 mins. One of the blonde women looked like a slutty(er) version of Jennifer Lawrence. Which is not a criticism.
Yep. Haley Bennett. First saw her in Hardcore Henry, and wondered why I never read anything about Jennifer Lawrence being in the film The first hour was a blur of confusing flashbacks and female navel-gazing, eventually saved by a reasonable twist/explanation in the last 30 mins. One of the blonde women looked like a slutty(er) version of Jennifer Lawrence. Which is not a criticism.
, then Girl On The Train, and then Magnificent 7. Now i'm waiting for them to be in a film together as sisters, it must be happening at some point.
Alien: Covenant
Er....
It had Aliens in it.
Honestly. A lot has been said regarding Ridley Scott and world building. Whilst this may be fair regarding aesthetic it certainly isn't for the details, and it's the details that make that world believable.
Rewind back to Alien. The gestation and growth of the beast had a believable feel. Whilst it was never completley clear it felt like the face hugger was on Kane's face for a day maybe two, then the chestburster was maybe a few hours after the facehugger died. The creature then took a day or two to reach maturity. In context this is all reasonable. The Xenomorph feeds, increases in size, sheds its skin, repeat.
In covenant this process can take a few minutes or a few hours depending what the plot needs a that time. The lack of consistency is annoying and jarring.
Characters continually deliver stream of conscience exposition. It's like Ridley doesn't trust us to work things out.
The final nail in the coffin is a plot twist so telegraphed i would be genuinely be amazed if it surprissd anyone.
The one redeeming thing is the faultless production design and that it is a very well made film.
5/10
Er....
It had Aliens in it.
Honestly. A lot has been said regarding Ridley Scott and world building. Whilst this may be fair regarding aesthetic it certainly isn't for the details, and it's the details that make that world believable.
Rewind back to Alien. The gestation and growth of the beast had a believable feel. Whilst it was never completley clear it felt like the face hugger was on Kane's face for a day maybe two, then the chestburster was maybe a few hours after the facehugger died. The creature then took a day or two to reach maturity. In context this is all reasonable. The Xenomorph feeds, increases in size, sheds its skin, repeat.
In covenant this process can take a few minutes or a few hours depending what the plot needs a that time. The lack of consistency is annoying and jarring.
Characters continually deliver stream of conscience exposition. It's like Ridley doesn't trust us to work things out.
The final nail in the coffin is a plot twist so telegraphed i would be genuinely be amazed if it surprissd anyone.
The one redeeming thing is the faultless production design and that it is a very well made film.
5/10
daddy cool said:
The Great Wall
Jason Bourne looking like Connor Macleod of the Clan Macleod winds up helping an army of colourful power rangers defend the aforementioned wall from 5 billion CGI ASBO-frogs, in what seems like a re-imagining of Starship Troopers (drone creatures protecting a bigger "queen" creature etc). Also stars the funny Spanish chap from Narcos (actually, the best thing about it) and Willem "will-work-for-food" Dafoe. Predictable/10
.
I've been avoiding that one - not hard I know, it's an odd film. From what I heard it's a Chinese film, made by a Chinese film studio for the Chinese market - but they made it with US actors in English. Like the last Borne film it's meant to have very little dialogue to make it easier to sell in non-English markets. Jason Bourne looking like Connor Macleod of the Clan Macleod winds up helping an army of colourful power rangers defend the aforementioned wall from 5 billion CGI ASBO-frogs, in what seems like a re-imagining of Starship Troopers (drone creatures protecting a bigger "queen" creature etc). Also stars the funny Spanish chap from Narcos (actually, the best thing about it) and Willem "will-work-for-food" Dafoe. Predictable/10
.
Downfall, finally watched it.
Wow, was fascinated with it, talk about tension. Pisses over most modern film in that regard.
Masterful suspense.
Wow, was fascinated with it, talk about tension. Pisses over most modern film in that regard.
Masterful suspense.
ajprice said:
Yep. Haley Bennett. First saw her in Hardcore Henry, and wondered why I never read anything about Jennifer Lawrence being in the film , then Girl On The Train, and then Magnificent 7. Now i'm waiting for them to be in a film together as sisters, it must be happening at some point.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=&t=1201067 , then Girl On The Train, and then Magnificent 7. Now i'm waiting for them to be in a film together as sisters, it must be happening at some point.
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