Films I watched this week (NO SPOILERS) (Vol 3)
Discussion
The Victors 1963
In my view, the best ever film showing the Second World War in all its glory, or more poignantly, the futility of conflict. Filmed in B+W, it is told in a series of connecting short stories, mixed with contemporary Pathe News showing events from the American troops in the time of the London Blitz then fighting through France and Germany, ending in occupied Berlin.
The cast is outstanding with Eli Wallach, George Peppard, George Hamilton, Elke Summer and further down the list Peter Fonda and Jim Mitchum ( son of Robert ) among many others.
The film is available on YouTube so settle down for over 150mins to enjoy if this is for you.
The squad of soldiers appear to be forever in the rain, mud or snow, even overcast which develops the mood of the film. There are too many significant bits to list in total, but I found two parts quite moving.
The first is where the GI's discover a German pillbox where the occupiers wave a white flag to surrender. Just then a team of French commandos arrive, take over, fire on the pillbox to provoke a response which is their excuse to plant charges and detonate the site into small pieces leaving nobody alive. They leave with a shrug suggesting that if the Americans wish to write a report, they should reflect that their country has never been occupied. Gulp once.
The second is where the group are ordered to witness the execution of a deserter, repeating the true story of a unique event which actually occurred. The scene begins with Chritmas wishes and Jingle Bells before you see the various parties assemble from an aerial view overlooking a beautiful snow covered countryside, zooming into the faces of individual as events follow their course. The soundtrack is very simply Frank Sinatra singing '...have yourself a merry little Christmas ..' before the victim is shot, he slumps forward, and the music changes to ' Hark the Herald Angels sing..' Gulp again.
With the war finished, George Hamilton meets Albert Finney playing a Russian soldier and still the conflict continues.
An outstanding movie and a long commentary from me reflecting my enthusiasm for this film and the emotion it generates. Yes, seen it several times before.
8 black market eggs / 10 black market cigarettes and less virtuous German ladies exploiting hard times.
In my view, the best ever film showing the Second World War in all its glory, or more poignantly, the futility of conflict. Filmed in B+W, it is told in a series of connecting short stories, mixed with contemporary Pathe News showing events from the American troops in the time of the London Blitz then fighting through France and Germany, ending in occupied Berlin.
The cast is outstanding with Eli Wallach, George Peppard, George Hamilton, Elke Summer and further down the list Peter Fonda and Jim Mitchum ( son of Robert ) among many others.
The film is available on YouTube so settle down for over 150mins to enjoy if this is for you.
The squad of soldiers appear to be forever in the rain, mud or snow, even overcast which develops the mood of the film. There are too many significant bits to list in total, but I found two parts quite moving.
The first is where the GI's discover a German pillbox where the occupiers wave a white flag to surrender. Just then a team of French commandos arrive, take over, fire on the pillbox to provoke a response which is their excuse to plant charges and detonate the site into small pieces leaving nobody alive. They leave with a shrug suggesting that if the Americans wish to write a report, they should reflect that their country has never been occupied. Gulp once.
The second is where the group are ordered to witness the execution of a deserter, repeating the true story of a unique event which actually occurred. The scene begins with Chritmas wishes and Jingle Bells before you see the various parties assemble from an aerial view overlooking a beautiful snow covered countryside, zooming into the faces of individual as events follow their course. The soundtrack is very simply Frank Sinatra singing '...have yourself a merry little Christmas ..' before the victim is shot, he slumps forward, and the music changes to ' Hark the Herald Angels sing..' Gulp again.
With the war finished, George Hamilton meets Albert Finney playing a Russian soldier and still the conflict continues.
An outstanding movie and a long commentary from me reflecting my enthusiasm for this film and the emotion it generates. Yes, seen it several times before.
8 black market eggs / 10 black market cigarettes and less virtuous German ladies exploiting hard times.
Hollow Man
On Amazon Prime now and as good as I remember it. Classic Verhoeven through and through.
A solid 8/10 for me.
Weirdly it is not as old as I thought. Made in 2000, seems longer ago, especially as Kevin Bacon looks younger in this than he did in Apollo 13 from five years earlier.
On Amazon Prime now and as good as I remember it. Classic Verhoeven through and through.
A solid 8/10 for me.
Weirdly it is not as old as I thought. Made in 2000, seems longer ago, especially as Kevin Bacon looks younger in this than he did in Apollo 13 from five years earlier.
SCEtoAUX said:
Hollow Man
On Amazon Prime now and as good as I remember it. Classic Verhoeven through and through.
A solid 8/10 for me.
Weirdly it is not as old as I thought. Made in 2000, seems longer ago, especially as Kevin Bacon looks younger in this than he did in Apollo 13 from five years earlier.
It's being shown on the Horror Channel tonight at 22:50.On Amazon Prime now and as good as I remember it. Classic Verhoeven through and through.
A solid 8/10 for me.
Weirdly it is not as old as I thought. Made in 2000, seems longer ago, especially as Kevin Bacon looks younger in this than he did in Apollo 13 from five years earlier.
Never Let Go. (1960)
Peter Sellers.
This is a dramatic change for Sellers, he isn't a Pink Panther comedic buffon in this gritty film noir.
He is chewing up the scenery as a psychotic Mr Big in the London car ringing world of the 1960's.
Menacing doesn't do it justice. If you are thinking a stifled fart in a lift and Inspector Clouseau think again.
Peter Sellers.
This is a dramatic change for Sellers, he isn't a Pink Panther comedic buffon in this gritty film noir.
He is chewing up the scenery as a psychotic Mr Big in the London car ringing world of the 1960's.
Menacing doesn't do it justice. If you are thinking a stifled fart in a lift and Inspector Clouseau think again.
Host. On Shudder subscription.
A group of friends and a medium do a seance over a Zoom call, bad things happen. It's only an hour long, it works as it is though, having it as a full film length probably wouldn't work as well. A few jump scares and a few 'whats that noise, I'll go and have a look' moments. I liked it though, all filmed under lockdown, the director (Rob Savage) did his directing over Zoom, and never went to where any of the actors were filming.
A group of friends and a medium do a seance over a Zoom call, bad things happen. It's only an hour long, it works as it is though, having it as a full film length probably wouldn't work as well. A few jump scares and a few 'whats that noise, I'll go and have a look' moments. I liked it though, all filmed under lockdown, the director (Rob Savage) did his directing over Zoom, and never went to where any of the actors were filming.
peterperkins said:
Never Let Go. (1960)
Peter Sellers.
This is a dramatic change for Sellers, he isn't a Pink Panther comedic buffon in this gritty film noir.
He is chewing up the scenery as a psychotic Mr Big in the London car ringing world of the 1960's.
Menacing doesn't do it justice. If you are thinking a stifled fart in a lift and Inspector Clouseau think again.
it sounds like the sort of thing that Ben Kingsley took inspiration from to play in Sexy BeastPeter Sellers.
This is a dramatic change for Sellers, he isn't a Pink Panther comedic buffon in this gritty film noir.
He is chewing up the scenery as a psychotic Mr Big in the London car ringing world of the 1960's.
Menacing doesn't do it justice. If you are thinking a stifled fart in a lift and Inspector Clouseau think again.
Ace-T said:
Venom.
A lot of promise not lived up to. Plus it is not internally consistent in its own universe, so that just bugged the hell out of me.
4 eaten heads out of 10 livers...
Entertaining enough though, not a complicated film but it does the job.A lot of promise not lived up to. Plus it is not internally consistent in its own universe, so that just bugged the hell out of me.
4 eaten heads out of 10 livers...
Be interesting to see what the sequel turns out like.
ch37 said:
TENET - Requires a second viewing / 10.
Seriously, wtf! One hell of a movie to get people back to theatres.
Yes agreed, saw it this morning. Seriously, wtf! One hell of a movie to get people back to theatres.
Like other Nolan films you just don’t understand the significance of what you are watching at the time, which happens not to be linear.
At least one more viewing needed, maybe starting at the end instead of the beginning.
#Alive
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10620868/
Another Korean zombie movie, enjoyed this more than the other Korean zombie film I watched this week Peninsula (Train To Busan 2)
Bill And Ted Face The Music
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1086064/
More of the same, quite amusing but the world would not be missing out if they had not bothered with it.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10620868/
Another Korean zombie movie, enjoyed this more than the other Korean zombie film I watched this week Peninsula (Train To Busan 2)
Bill And Ted Face The Music
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1086064/
More of the same, quite amusing but the world would not be missing out if they had not bothered with it.
peterperkins said:
Never Let Go. (1960)
Peter Sellers.
This is a dramatic change for Sellers, he isn't a Pink Panther comedic buffon in this gritty film noir.
He is chewing up the scenery as a psychotic Mr Big in the London car ringing world of the 1960's.
Menacing doesn't do it justice. If you are thinking a stifled fart in a lift and Inspector Clouseau think again.
He was a very versatile actor in his early days of the late fifties early sixties. Many different genres, from I'm Alright Jack to Lolita.Peter Sellers.
This is a dramatic change for Sellers, he isn't a Pink Panther comedic buffon in this gritty film noir.
He is chewing up the scenery as a psychotic Mr Big in the London car ringing world of the 1960's.
Menacing doesn't do it justice. If you are thinking a stifled fart in a lift and Inspector Clouseau think again.
nonsequitur said:
peterperkins said:
Never Let Go. (1960)
Peter Sellers.
This is a dramatic change for Sellers, he isn't a Pink Panther comedic buffon in this gritty film noir.
He is chewing up the scenery as a psychotic Mr Big in the London car ringing world of the 1960's.
Menacing doesn't do it justice. If you are thinking a stifled fart in a lift and Inspector Clouseau think again.
He was a very versatile actor in his early days of the late fifties early sixties. Many different genres, from I'm Alright Jack to Lolita.Peter Sellers.
This is a dramatic change for Sellers, he isn't a Pink Panther comedic buffon in this gritty film noir.
He is chewing up the scenery as a psychotic Mr Big in the London car ringing world of the 1960's.
Menacing doesn't do it justice. If you are thinking a stifled fart in a lift and Inspector Clouseau think again.
P5BNij said:
He had the knack of completely inhabiting whichever character he was playing whether the role was a supporting or starring one. He was perfect as dodgy villain Pearly Gates in 'Wrong Arm Of The Law' and played three very different characters in 'Dr.Strangelove', all absolutely spot on. Hardly need to mention that he was a serial car buyer too....;)
Horrible bloke too.
t so turned the channel.Uncut Gems a few nights ago; really liked it with all it's frantic dialogue and tense action.
Knives Out last night; good fun movie with Daniel Craig hamming it up to the max.
All 3 'original' Bourne movies; fantastic, even better than I remembered them being when they came out. Third one has some clunky CIA/military dialogue but it's save by David Strathairn who I would watch in anything. Got 'Bourne' to rewatch still but I remember not enjoying it as much when it came out; seemed to be a copy and paste of Ultimatum.
Knives Out last night; good fun movie with Daniel Craig hamming it up to the max.
All 3 'original' Bourne movies; fantastic, even better than I remembered them being when they came out. Third one has some clunky CIA/military dialogue but it's save by David Strathairn who I would watch in anything. Got 'Bourne' to rewatch still but I remember not enjoying it as much when it came out; seemed to be a copy and paste of Ultimatum.
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