Films I watched this week (Vol 2)
Discussion
Watched a bunch of films over Christmas Little Monsters stood out by far.
It's a school teacher saving kids from zombies and I can't resist a zombie film so stuck this on expecting the usual, but this was way better than expected.
First of all, it's very funny (especially if you find swearing in front of children funny), and manages to have a bunch of young kids in it who actually get some proper laughs and aren't annoying, which is not easy to do.
Lupita Nyong'o is absolutely fantastic and I found out afterwards she's won an oscar.
Best zombie film since Sean of the Dead for me.
It's a school teacher saving kids from zombies and I can't resist a zombie film so stuck this on expecting the usual, but this was way better than expected.
First of all, it's very funny (especially if you find swearing in front of children funny), and manages to have a bunch of young kids in it who actually get some proper laughs and aren't annoying, which is not easy to do.
Lupita Nyong'o is absolutely fantastic and I found out afterwards she's won an oscar.
Best zombie film since Sean of the Dead for me.
durbster said:
Watched a bunch of films over Christmas Little Monsters stood out by far.
It's a school teacher saving kids from zombies and I can't resist a zombie film so stuck this on expecting the usual, but this was way better than expected.
First of all, it's very funny (especially if you find swearing in front of children funny), and manages to have a bunch of young kids in it who actually get some proper laughs and aren't annoying, which is not easy to do.
Lupita Nyong'o is absolutely fantastic and I found out afterwards she's won an oscar.
Best zombie film since Sean of the Dead for me.
I watched this lastnight too on NowTV It's a school teacher saving kids from zombies and I can't resist a zombie film so stuck this on expecting the usual, but this was way better than expected.
First of all, it's very funny (especially if you find swearing in front of children funny), and manages to have a bunch of young kids in it who actually get some proper laughs and aren't annoying, which is not easy to do.
Lupita Nyong'o is absolutely fantastic and I found out afterwards she's won an oscar.
Best zombie film since Sean of the Dead for me.
. Yes it's a good one. Macron said:
Twilight, 1998. Prime at the moment.
Cast and a half with Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon, Gene Hackman and (at the time) newbies like Liev Schrieber popping up.
A dangerously juvenile Reese Witherspoon gets her baps out early on which I wasn’t expecting, and they’re not great. The film follows suit. A whodunnit that’s largely predictable following an ex detective sort out an historic mess unravelling the backstory at telegraph same time.
32B I’d reckon. “OK”.
They looked perfectly adequate to me, especially considering how tiny she is. Film is old school slow burn with some of the leads showing their age somewhat, but still an OK way to spend an hour and half or so.Cast and a half with Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon, Gene Hackman and (at the time) newbies like Liev Schrieber popping up.
A dangerously juvenile Reese Witherspoon gets her baps out early on which I wasn’t expecting, and they’re not great. The film follows suit. A whodunnit that’s largely predictable following an ex detective sort out an historic mess unravelling the backstory at telegraph same time.
32B I’d reckon. “OK”.
Rise of Skywalker. I've not missed much in the last couple of Star Wars by all accounts, but there was nothing else on.
This is okay for a Star Wars story, but no more. Rey is still lovely, her battles with Ren are well done, and it does bring a sort of conclusion. But the plot is thin, there is way too much "fan service" - stuff just put on the screen because it *has* to be there - and nothing brave about the end at all.
Hopefully at least they can leave poor Carrie Fisher alone now.
This is okay for a Star Wars story, but no more. Rey is still lovely, her battles with Ren are well done, and it does bring a sort of conclusion. But the plot is thin, there is way too much "fan service" - stuff just put on the screen because it *has* to be there - and nothing brave about the end at all.
Hopefully at least they can leave poor Carrie Fisher alone now.
Black can man said:
Killer2005 said:
SCEtoAUX said:
Rocketman. I'm a bit late to the party but I thought it was superb. The film that Bohemian Rhapsody should have been.
9.5/10
I thought exactly the same. 9.5/10
Indiana Jones and the last Crusade, never seen it from the start so watched that, cant beat an Indiana Jones film at Christmas.
Zombieland 2, pretty good, more of the same.
Toy Story 4, lacked the charm of the first movies to me, seemed drawn out, had the odd moment.
National Lampoons Christmas vacation, still the best Christmas Film ever.
Introduced the kids to Paul Calf, a lesser known Coogan Creation, been told I have s
t Shoes several times now 
Zombieland 2, pretty good, more of the same.
Toy Story 4, lacked the charm of the first movies to me, seemed drawn out, had the odd moment.
National Lampoons Christmas vacation, still the best Christmas Film ever.
Introduced the kids to Paul Calf, a lesser known Coogan Creation, been told I have s
t Shoes several times now Renaissance (2006), also known as Paris 2054: Renaissance
I saw this mentioned on one of those YouTube genre lists, possibly one of those ones that Halb mentioned, and picked it up on DVD from eBay or Music Magpie or a charity shop (I forget which).
It's a tech noir thriller, in a black & white stylised graphic novel style, like Sin City but even more pronounced to the extent that you aren't sure if you are watching rotoscaped live action or a CGI cartoon.
(Edit: further research gives conflicting reports as to whether it is rotoscaping like in A Scanner Darkly, mocap CGI, or pure CGI animation)
The plot is a well worn fare of "police officer starts off investigating a kidnapping but ends up uncovering a sinister conspiracy, gets suspended, and continues on his own with covert help from colleagues" and frankly made little sense.
For example, why would
(mild spoiler) -> the baddies hamper the investigation when they wanted to find the kidnapee just as badly? Surely they would quietly assist instead? Or, as the protagonist got closer and closer, monitor him closely and allow him to lead them to her?
Also, for a world where there was blanket surveillance, instant communication, cybernetic enhancements, and telepresence, there was an awful lot of running around and tearing about in cars at high speed. It felt out of place.
I'm not really sure what I made of it all. There were some interesting elements to it, but the visual style was a little wearing, and to be honest if you have seen enough sci-fi and anime (which I have) then there was a definite feeling of deju vu even though I am 100% sure I have not seen this film before or read any plot synopses.
As an aside, the journey of the protagonist, and where he ended up, was closely mirrored in Automata (2014) which I watched a few months ago (not sure whether I posted here about it or not).
Edit2: Afterwards, I looked it up on tvtropes.com and went down a rabbit hole, and ended up getting lost in the 20 minutes into the future page.
I saw this mentioned on one of those YouTube genre lists, possibly one of those ones that Halb mentioned, and picked it up on DVD from eBay or Music Magpie or a charity shop (I forget which).
It's a tech noir thriller, in a black & white stylised graphic novel style, like Sin City but even more pronounced to the extent that you aren't sure if you are watching rotoscaped live action or a CGI cartoon.
(Edit: further research gives conflicting reports as to whether it is rotoscaping like in A Scanner Darkly, mocap CGI, or pure CGI animation)
The plot is a well worn fare of "police officer starts off investigating a kidnapping but ends up uncovering a sinister conspiracy, gets suspended, and continues on his own with covert help from colleagues" and frankly made little sense.
For example, why would
(mild spoiler) -> the baddies hamper the investigation when they wanted to find the kidnapee just as badly? Surely they would quietly assist instead? Or, as the protagonist got closer and closer, monitor him closely and allow him to lead them to her?
Also, for a world where there was blanket surveillance, instant communication, cybernetic enhancements, and telepresence, there was an awful lot of running around and tearing about in cars at high speed. It felt out of place.
I'm not really sure what I made of it all. There were some interesting elements to it, but the visual style was a little wearing, and to be honest if you have seen enough sci-fi and anime (which I have) then there was a definite feeling of deju vu even though I am 100% sure I have not seen this film before or read any plot synopses.
As an aside, the journey of the protagonist, and where he ended up, was closely mirrored in Automata (2014) which I watched a few months ago (not sure whether I posted here about it or not).
Edit2: Afterwards, I looked it up on tvtropes.com and went down a rabbit hole, and ended up getting lost in the 20 minutes into the future page.
Edited by Clockwork Cupcake on Sunday 29th December 23:24
Zombieland: Double Tap. Thought it was excellent stupid fun, and preferred it to the first one. And Rosario Dawson is 
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Classic Tarantino stuff, in the way it meanders all over the place with no clear aim, lots of (sometimes clever) dialogue. Cinematically looks brilliant, but after an hour I was wondering where it was going, if it was going anywhere at all... but I was ill and couldn't be bothered to get up and turn if off. Tempo really picked up in the last 45 minutes, with more Tarantino violence that was quite funny at times. Not sure what to say, though - in the end I really enjoyed it, but can't think of a time in the future where I'm going to consider it worth a second watch.
One thing Tarantino does get right more often than not, though, is the car stuff - lots of late 60s American car porn to drool over, and the street scenes filled with assorted Americana classics was superb.
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Classic Tarantino stuff, in the way it meanders all over the place with no clear aim, lots of (sometimes clever) dialogue. Cinematically looks brilliant, but after an hour I was wondering where it was going, if it was going anywhere at all... but I was ill and couldn't be bothered to get up and turn if off. Tempo really picked up in the last 45 minutes, with more Tarantino violence that was quite funny at times. Not sure what to say, though - in the end I really enjoyed it, but can't think of a time in the future where I'm going to consider it worth a second watch.
One thing Tarantino does get right more often than not, though, is the car stuff - lots of late 60s American car porn to drool over, and the street scenes filled with assorted Americana classics was superb.
CAH706 said:
Took my son to see Jumanji - the next level
Loved the original (Robin Williams) and thought the newer one with the rock was OK.
The next level was absolute rubbish. Just a rehash of the last one with a few twists. Very disappointed!!
If your kid likes original JUmanji, then watch Zathura, it was the forgotten sequel. I prefer it. Not seen the two rebootsLoved the original (Robin Williams) and thought the newer one with the rock was OK.
The next level was absolute rubbish. Just a rehash of the last one with a few twists. Very disappointed!!
The Infiltrator
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNaqd9IVG-E
Brian Cranston as the real life undercover Federal agent Robert Muzar who took down a decent chunk of Pablo Escobars US operation by posing as a money launderer. In real life he (and the government) actually laundered $34M
Nothing we haven't seen before really. But entertaining and well acted generally. PH points for the fact they used Dunsfold (Top Gear) for a few scenes
6.8/10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNaqd9IVG-E
Brian Cranston as the real life undercover Federal agent Robert Muzar who took down a decent chunk of Pablo Escobars US operation by posing as a money launderer. In real life he (and the government) actually laundered $34M
Nothing we haven't seen before really. But entertaining and well acted generally. PH points for the fact they used Dunsfold (Top Gear) for a few scenes
6.8/10
MikeT66 said:
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Classic Tarantino stuff, in the way it meanders all over the place with no clear aim, lots of (sometimes clever) dialogue. Cinematically looks brilliant, but after an hour I was wondering where it was going, if it was going anywhere at all... but I was ill and couldn't be bothered to get up and turn if off. Tempo really picked up in the last 45 minutes, with more Tarantino violence that was quite funny at times. Not sure what to say, though - in the end I really enjoyed it, but can't think of a time in the future where I'm going to consider it worth a second watch.
One thing Tarantino does get right more often than not, though, is the car stuff - lots of late 60s American car porn to drool over, and the street scenes filled with assorted Americana classics was superb.
I watched it at the Cinema and wasn't impressed, so thought i would give it another go last night on Prime.One thing Tarantino does get right more often than not, though, is the car stuff - lots of late 60s American car porn to drool over, and the street scenes filled with assorted Americana classics was superb.
It was still dull and a mess of a film, unfortunately.
I watched Rocket Man also yesterday, i enjoyed that far more than i was expecting, very nicely done.
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