Films I watched this week

[Crook]

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 don't know if it's not been mentioned because it's obvious or because it isn't but Leon the cleaner is a reprise / expansion of his role as Victor in Nikita which is an incredible film.

[Zammy]

The Belko Experiment

A rather short leave your brain at the door film. It is a brutal and gory film which gets to the main bit without much character development.

It does make you think how you would react in the same situation at your workplace.

7/10

[toasty]

Hacksaw Ridge - American cheese, grisly battle, American cheese. 7/10

[Armitage.Shanks]

'Youth' - Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel and a host of other well known stars. Some (female) nudity to keep it interesting whilst the two ponder life whilst at a Swiss health resort.

More Film Noir, slow moving so 6/10

[Sideways Tim]

Captain Fantastic. Viggo Mortensen raising six kids in the backwoods, phenomenal film, proper tears of joy and sorrow.

[ClockworkCupcake]

Sideways Tim said:

Captain Fantastic. Viggo Mortensen raising six kids in the backwoods, phenomenal film, proper tears of joy and sorrow.

Yet another superhero film then.

[Sideways Tim]

ClockworkCupcake said:

Yet another superhero film then.

Yep, I was almost put off by the title. Bloody brilliant film.

[ClockworkCupcake]

Slightly off topic, but Den of Geek have published a very good article about Ridley Scott and how he is a fantastic visual director but a poor storyteller. It's actually a positive and constructive article, so please read before flaming me.

I totally agree about the comments on Prometheus - absolutely visually stunning, but very poor storytelling. And it seems Alien: Covenant is more of the same.

http://www.denofgeek.com/uk/movies/ridley-scott/49...

[Halb]

ClockworkCupcake said:

Slightly off topic, but Den of Geek have published a very good article about Ridley Scott and how he is a fantastic visual director but a poor storyteller. It's actually a positive and constructive article, so please read before flaming me.

I totally agree about the comments on Prometheus - absolutely visually stunning, but very poor storytelling. And it seems Alien: Covenant is more of the same.

http://www.denofgeek.com/uk/movies/ridley-scott/49...

I've thought that for decades, it's ibvious, he's an advert director. The times when his films have been complete, there must have been other elements coming together, actors who don't need direction and a script that wasn't coddled together from half dreams and wishes

[ClockworkCupcake]

Halb said:

he's an advert director

That's rather "damning with faint praise". He's rather more than that - his cinematography is absolutely stunning.

I thought the article was very fair in its assessment.

[parabolica]

ClockworkCupcake said:

Halb said:

he's an advert director

That's rather "damning with faint praise". He's rather more than that - his cinematography is absolutely stunning.

I thought the article was very fair in its assessment.

Yea I'd tend to agree with you/the article; look at something like The Martian which was fantastic; give him a good script and he does a brilliant job.

[robemcdonald]

parabolica said:

Yea I'd tend to agree with you/the article; look at something like The Martian which was fantastic; give him a good script and he does a brilliant job.

I was tidying up my dvds the other week and found the Alien quadrology boxset. What's really good is all the associate documentary material that comes with the films.
I watched Alien the directors cut for what must have been the first time as I didn't remember some of the scenes. I thought it was everything that covenant wasn't. A great focused story, with believable characters. Fabulous stuff really.

9.5/10

I then started watching the making of documentary and was really surprised about the amount of different people involved in the screenplay and how much meddling there was by the studio. It's sounds like the sort of thing that goes on in modern movies by committee. Some how a masterpiece managed to happen though.
Like with Star Wars it was a perfect alignment of the planets that made it work with events like needing to replace the original Kane for john hurt literally the night before filming. It's amazing with both films that if they got one thing wrong you could have ended up with a pile of garbage.
I wonder how many modern films we easily dismiss were a good decision away from being classics?

[Halb]

ClockworkCupcake said:

Halb said:

he's an advert director

That's rather "damning with faint praise". He's rather more than that - his cinematography is absolutely stunning.

I thought the article was very fair in its assessment.

I agree, he is stunning, that's why I typed what I did. There is no disgrace in being an advert director, some adverts are far more beautiful than films, and a lot of effort goes into them.

[Tiggsy]

Miss Sloane

House of Cards ish if writen by Arron Sorkin......really v good.....and at 10pm on a Tuesday, an empty screening. I doubt it will be on long as its not based on a cartoon and no one gets shot by a laser.

7.9/10

[Skii]

Hidden Figures.

What a cracking film, not familiar with any of the actresses before but they are superb, particularly the girl playing Katherine Johnson

Costner perfectly cast as the boss of the Mercury program .

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

8/10

[Halb]

Pesty said:

Halb said:

Prisoners on tonight...tough watch...

Great film

Shame about the happy ending

I'm not one for happy endings for the sake it it, but I don't think I would have liked an alternate ending, it wouldn't have felt right.

[TCEvo]

Armitage.Shanks said:

'Youth' - Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel and a host of other well known stars. Some (female) nudity to keep it interesting whilst the two ponder life whilst at a Swiss health resort.

More Film Noir, slow moving so 6/10

Started watching this a couple of evenings ago, agree that it's very slow. The girl playing Miss Universe is the best bit.

Struggled with seeing Harvey Keitel in a role other than as a crap Mr White flogging cheap insurance.

[Halb]

Wolf.

[DoctorX]

Found a couple on Amazon I'd never got round to watching:

'71 - very tense, great soundtrack
Supersonic - story of Oasis

9/10 for both

[tobinen]

I watched Thief the other night, as I hadn't seen it for years. An early Michael Mann film with James Caan. Plenty of this film's content and style is mirrored in the later Heat. It seemed better this time around: 6.5/10