Captain Phillips
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Captain Phillips
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Dallas Buyers Club
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Home (2015)
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Tammy
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Empire Strikes Back w/Commentary
On a dare...I actually just sat through Ballistic Ecks vs Sever again last night. Don't do it.
Fury
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The man from uncle
The King's Speech
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I know it is not an obligation in this thread, but it would help if people posting titles of the films they have seen could say whether or not they liked it, or some other information.
Transsiberian (Brad Anderson 200-eight)
I had not seen or heard of this film before watching it on tv last night. It has the usual plot holes, absurd situations, but does have some well-defined characters, none of whom are likeable, which is unusual. It means that it is hard to root for the anti-heroine (no pun intended), or anyone else for that matter, and is not the kind of film that is going to encourage anyone to take the long train journey from Russia to China or the other way. The issue of mules is an interesting one, as it has been in the news in the last few years but does not seem to figure as a major plot line for films. I am also surprised that an American Christian evangelist would be so partial to any alcohol, not just vodka.
The Lincoln Lawyer
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Just saw "Straight Outta Compton."
It was incredible! There are some issues with the film, it doesn't always do the best job of explaining motivations, and some of the issues; and I'd even go so far as to say it really glosses over a lot of negatives about some of the members of NWA. But to be fair, so did "La Vie En Rose" with Edith Piaf, and "Walk The Line" with Johnny Cash. Very solid movie though, 2 hrs+ and it flew by. If I still had my vote with the Academy, it would be one of my top 3 so far this year (the other two being "In The Heart Of The Sea" and "Me, Earl & The Dying Girl"). I'd also put Corey Hawkins on my short list for Best Actor (so far).
There is no point to posting a movie you watched without any comment on it what so ever. It's like those ridiculous facebook photos people post of the food they are eating.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
It's like - "Yeah,....I watch movies ...sometimes...uhm...here's one".
I wondered about that but often it will be a movie like Ernest Goes to Camp or something I am pretty sure sucks. Still I don't know why a comment about whether the movie is any good wouldn't feel necessary...otherwise you haven't even expressed a complete thought.Quote:
Originally Posted by fred41
I saw Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl. I think the movie does a good job of portraying some of the quirks of adolescence and is also sentimental and touching. It is supposed to have comedic elements, but I thought it was only mildly funny. It didn't do a great job of depicting high school life though I realize it wasn't going for realism. But where it wasn't supposed to be realistic it was supposed to be funny or evoke some sort of nostalgia about those awkward years, the latter of which it often does effectively despite being nothing like my high school experience. Definitely worth seeing.
War Horse
A Steven Spielberg film about courage during World War I. Whether you arean animal lover or not I think it is a great story and recommend it.
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The Drop (Michael Roskam, 2014)
Marv and his cousin Bob run a bar in Brooklyn which stashes pockets of money for the local mobster -hence the id of their bar as 'a drop bar'. Marv at one time had ambitions to be a player but screwed it up and as a result is embittered and reckless, while his cousin who was part of the scheme that went wrong barely talks and is incapable of showing any emotion. Enter the dog. Although I thought I might cringe at the use of the dog as the means whereby Bob rediscovers his feelings, this moral tale of redemption is well-written, brilliantly acted and does not go over the top on emotions, maybe because the director is European. According to the special features on the dvd Brooklyn has changed and there are no more 'drop bars', but what do I know? Recommended as a satisfying couple of hours and James Gandolfini's last film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6nWJ5NDYMU
I also enjoyed the Drop although it did develop slowly at times. I was more intrigued by the performance of Tom Hardy than the movie. But when I looked at his filmography there were some recognizable films in there but I don't remember him that well from those movies. I'll be paying a bit more attention from now on.
I am a big movie buff and I liked THE DROP, and I have to tell you, there aren't that many good movies coming out the last few years.
I have a hunch the actors like Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Roberts have no talent, but if you get the right team around them and a big budget that a good director knows enough to keep them in the range where they shine.
A hunch? Is the evidence so elusive?Quote:
Originally Posted by buttslinger
The Martian (Ridley Scott, 2015)
I saw this in the 3D version, so I got the best out of the superb photography. The space scenes and the gadgets are also superbly done, Jessica Chastain looks superb too although she doesn't have much to do or say. How much of this film is pure fantasy and how much science fact I can't say, but it is at its heart a feel-good rescue drama with a poor script, practical decision-making which would never happen in the real world, and standard acting. For some reason Sean Bean retains his English accent, but Chiwetel Ejiofor has to speak American, and in the early part of the film without subtitles I could not understand what the crew of Hermes were saying. The film was shot in Hungary and also in the Wadi Rum in Jordan where David Lean (or rather 2nd Unit director Nicolas Roeg) shot a lot of the desert scenes in Lawrence of Arabia. Coincidence or not, when he was a young man Ridley Scott might have drunk a pint of Watney's Red Barrel, a popular (if by today's tastes, disgusting) brand in its day. Overlong at 241 minutes but worth seeing in 3D.
Thanks for the review, Stavros. I was in two minds about whether to see The Martian or not. I find Ridley Scott's films something of a hit and miss. Gladiator was superb and, I know I'm in a minority on this, but Kingdom of Heaven (The Directors Cut version) is in my opinion even better. On the other hand, I've tried and failed on many occasions to enjoy Blade Runner. It sounds like The Martian is similar to Prometheus, which I did see at the cimema on it's release, visually spectacular (in 3D) but ultimately lacking believability and a decent plot.
ps. I checked IMDB and the cinema version is 141 min long. Knowing Ridley Scott, the Directors Cut when it comes out on DVD could well end up at 241 min though... :)
The last movie I saw in 3D was Friday the 13th part III!!!
Maybe I should exit the compound if the new Star Wars movie gets raves.
I liked Kingdom of God also, only saw it on TV, and I don't even know if I saw the director's cut. I might have to investigate that.
There are movies like The talented Mr Ripley that have great moments and come close to being great, but somebody in charge tries too hard and fucks it up, ruins the story. I think that's what happened on Bladerunner. It certainly had it's moments.
You are right to correct me on the length of the film, definitely not 241 minutes! I agree with you on Blade Runner, but not Kingdom of Heaven or Gladiator; The Martian is much better than the pretentious garbage of Prometheus, but a much simpler story too with no villains. The 3D probably makes it look better than it is. Go for it!Quote:
Originally Posted by Laphroaig
The cinematic version of Kingdom of Heaven was an abomination, which (even Ridley Scott admits) had so much removed from it that much of the characterisation was lost and some of the subplots made no sense whatsoever. The directors cut adds 45 min to the film, restores scenes which are vital to the plot and fleshes out some of the characters, in particular Sybilla (Eva Green). Directors Cut versions usually make little or no difference to whether a film can be considered good or not. This is a (rare?) example of a film totally transformed afterwards.Quote:
Originally Posted by buttslinger
Edit: Stavros, I only saw your post after writing this. Very few people agree with me on Kingdom of Heaven... :)
Fair enough as I was not aware Kingdom of Heaven had been cut so much. I will consider giving it another look.Quote:
Originally Posted by Laphroaig
Well, I too saw The Martian in an early preview last weekend and I will say this: if you liked Interstellar and Gravity, you will like this movie, but if you found flaws in the implausibility (even for sci-fi) with the above movies, this will not be a pleasant experience.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
First off, when I saw this, I went in with very VERY low expectations and was pleasantly entertained. True to the book in most cases, it is visually a great movie to watch and superior to Interstellar, but falls short of Gravity in terms of visual intensity. That is partly because the movie is mostly shot on the planet so the space visuals are secondary to the terrestrial shots but also because unlike Gravity (which mind you I enjoyed FAR less than this), this movie has multiple perspectives instead of just focusing on one character so the Jordanian backdrop is nearly inconsequential.
Next, the acting: Matt Damon, is, well MAAAAT DAAAMON (ala Team America). He isn't a very good actor in my opinion so I can't knock him too much since he could not save his script. I know the book is supposed to be funny and witty so that his character isn't perceived as a depressed loaner, but to me, the character should have had far more desperation to be believable. That said, I did enjoy other performances.
Next, the story: Well, it should be clear from the trailer, and since it is faithful to the book how it ends, but Stavros also spoiled it above. That doesn't ruin it really, because no one really wants to watch or make, for that matter, a depressing movie, but the manner in which the final plot unfolds, well sucks...which brings me too...
The science: please do not expect anything remotely plausible or factual as the movie is as bad at being accurate as Alien, Prometheus, Spaceballs and Machete Kills In Space are all rolled into one. It is science fiction but its attempt at reality fail so miserably that it makes me wonder why they even tried. I am fine with made-up science for entertainment but...well...watch final chapter of this and you will see what I mean.
Overall, I would give this movie a solid 5/10. To base that, Gravity was a 3/10 for me, Prometheus was a 4/10 as a stand alone film, 0/10 as an Alien prequel and Interstellar was a 2/10. I would recommend it to anyone that doesn't mind scientific inaccuracy. I would also recommend it to anyone that likes rescue movies because, as Stavros said, it is really standard fare. I have not truly enjoyed a Ridley Scott film since 2001 but this is probably his best effort since Black Hawk Down.
Black Mass
Definitely no romanticizing here. In this accounting Whitey Bulger brutal, petty, gritty and totally unappealing. One is mystified by the loyalty he was able to extract from his fellow 'southers.' Well done, and in my estimation worth the price of admission. Wouldn't be surprised if Depp was nominated for this one.
I liked it because all the characters were so unlikeable.......fits well with my world-view!Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
I finally got around to watching this. I started off with a long-assed commentary and think my login session timed out and lost it all. So i'll be brief: movie was good and accurately portrayed the cast of characters you'll run into in the Philippines on any given day at any given time. It really was like watching real-life unfold with the exception of the antagonist - can't say I've met anybody here with the knowledge or the burning desire to get answers to the big questions of life. Most people here tend to be suspicious of knowledge and people with knowledge. Trying to engage anyone in an intelligent, thoughtful discussion is like trying to get Obama to bomb Iran - it ain't gonna happen! I think the writer was trying to advocate that idea by just taking the main character with his knowledge and questions and turning him into an abomination to humanity. And if you're here for any amount of time you'll notice that anybody who purports to 'know stuff' is deemed 'boastful' and more or less shunned.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
Really loved the way violence wasn't shown BUT the sounds were....in long and painful detail. Also loved the long, continuous shots of the environment without man and with nothing but audio to complement the scenery. Almost like the director was reflecting on the natural world and its correlation to society.
For another take on the Filipino existence try Metro Manila which was directed by a Brit, Sean Ellis. Really engaging, thoughtful movie that, for the most part, shows things as they really are although towards the end it veers into unlikely sentimentality. I felt the director, after showing the thorns, copped out and tried to redeem either the Filipino or his view of the Filipino.
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-Sorry if I spoiled the film, that was unintentionalQuote:
Originally Posted by RallyCola
-I don't think science fact is that important, most of us have no idea so as long as it looks plausible or tells the story, isn't that what matters?
I agree with a lot you say about Norte: The End of History, but I still find it too bleak at times. Metro Manila was predictable and run of the mill. Most Filipinos I know never watch these films, they prefer soap operas.Quote:
Originally Posted by runningdownthatdream
Already spoiled the movie by reading the book (which was great by the way). Thanks for the review, I'm definitely planning to see it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
Ahhhhh a little harsh on Metro Manila.......it had me glued to the screen until it turned predictable in the last 15 minutes or so......and then copped out entirely with that ending.......Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
Not sure if we touched on one called Manila, In the Claws of Neon before but try to find that one. Made in the 70s and an all Filipino production. Given when it was made I thought it was quite well-done......similar theme to Metro Manila but with a more spiritual vibe (not religious).
And you're right, the average Filipino is really engrossed with soap operas and all the popular movies I've seen or heard of are relationship-related drivel that involve women throwing temper tantrums, men almost lactating, and precocious children providing comic relief........almost all of it is predictable. Escapist stuff but it isn't hard to understand why its so popular.
Haider
A contemporary Indian presentation of the Hamlet story - yes Indian and Hamlet! First let me be clear that popular Indian movies I've seen don't have a lot of attraction for me because I find them predictable, corny, escapist, unrealistic and lacking in substance. However, Haider sorta takes the concept of the popular Indian movie, adds some Shakespeare drama, current geopolitical and religious issues, a little song and dance (wouldnt be Indian without it), and some really nice acting but overly zealous direction and turns out a really entertaining film. The action sequences are well-done and the overall production looks great.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3390572/
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Lino Brocka is the director you are thinking of, and I believe he made Manila: In the Claws of Light and Manila: In the Claws of Darkness. I saw one of them but was not impressed, but would have to see them again as it was a long time ago and some of those 70s film directors I used to like (Antonioni for example) I now think little of.Quote:
Originally Posted by runningdownthatdream
Brocka in one book I read a long time was credited with promoting the career of an American actor with whom he had an affair, I don't know but I think it might have been Brad Davis.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0110653/
Hell i am behind times on movies, last one was secret service men, that was dope.
Martian seems like a remake of that movie where don chedelle i think that's how spell his name, in the movie "mission to mars" he was the only one there on mars and they came back for him. Not going to see martian.
should have known you would at least be aware of the movie! I heard about it from reading some list (possibly by Peter Bradshaw who I do believe you've mentioned you don't hold in high regard) of award-worthy 'foreign' movies from the 70s.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
You might think differently about it.......I've found that things that were once trite sometimes take on new meaning with age and experience. the film may not have gotten better but maybe the story will have some attraction this time around.
Never heard of Brad Davis.........but did read that Lino Brocka liked the young boys.
Brad Davis is best known for portraying the lead character of Billy Hayes in Midnight Express, the true story of an American man who is thrown into a cruel Turkish prison after being arrested for attempting to smuggle hashish out of the country. Brad Davis had other roles in his career, but nothing ever approaching the acclaim of this one. He died from AIDS in the early 90's.
I don't mind that you spoiled it...because it is a book.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
the story matters most, but you said it best yourself
it is not a must see movie that does anything new and impressive. it is just regular.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
taken together, because it is just regular and had no moment of tremendous interest for me, I had to take issue with the science because the rest of the movie did not distract me. take for example, inception. as a neurologist, i shudder to think about how much someone was paid to write the "science" of inception but the actual story was compelling enough that i never even thought of the inaccuracies while watching it the first time...i found inception thoroughly entertaining. the martian on the other hand, didn't do that for me. movies are cheap fun...a few bucks for ~2 hrs of entertainment...so where someone can suspend disbelief, the movie is worth seeing, but all i am saying is do not expect the story to be extraordinary because it isn't.