Father Dougal McGuire Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 The Butterfly Effect - 8/10 Saw this added to Sky Movies so gave it a watch. As depressing as it is, this is a very good film that keeps you gripped throughout. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainkev Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 I had these two films stored and ready to be watched these for a while and ended up watching them in quick succession so I'll post my thoughts on both. The Night of the Demon (1957) (7/10): I'm a sucker for older horror films like these and this one is a pretty good example of them. It has some drawbacks. The demon is shown way to early in the film and because it's a 50s film understandably the monster doesn't look brilliant. It's not horrendous, the design is nice and given the period it was made they could have done a lot worse. The problem is that we know what the ultimate threat in the film is and what it looks like for practically the whole film. Ideally, our imaginations should be allowed to run riot about what the demon is and what form it will take before the eventual reveal. However, from I read about the film's background, the director Jacques Tourneur (whose earlier work Out of The Past is one my all time favourite film noirs) did want to wait until later to reveal the demon but was overruled by executives so I cut the film some slack for that. The film also has an excellent sequence where Dana Andrews character is chased through a forest by a terrible threat. Any horror film which has a scary forest sequence goes up in my estimation and the one here is a particularly good one. Frankly I wouldn't be surprised if the makers of Lost were heavily influenced by this film when they came to designing their smoke monster. Also, while watching this film, lines from Kate Bush's Hounds of Love and The Rocky Horror Picture Show's Science Fiction Opener became a lot clearer so that's pretty cool too. This film seems to have struck a chord with a lot of creative people over the last few decades. Check it out if you haven't already. & Dr. Strangelove...Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) (8/10): Firstly I think the countless amount of parodies and references to Sellers Dr. Strangelove character since this films release, plus the fact we are no longer in the Cold War means this film won't resonate with me the same way it did with audiences at the time of it's release. That said, Dr. Strangelove is an excellent black comedy about the ridiculous, but dangerously real prospect of mutually assured destruction by nuclear war. Most people focus on Sellers with this film and it's undeniable that he is marvellous in his multiple roles with Strangelove himself being a delight. Although I think Kubrick was right to save the character mostly until the last third of the film thereby avoid risking him overstaying his welcome. Also, even 50 years on, the final sequence with the explosions is still terrifying. The Cold War may be over but weapons like these still exist and the damage they can potentially do has not changed. This sequence is a haunting but probably necessary reminder of that and it's devastatingly effective. Lastly, the bomb riding sequence is justifiably famous. Just a superb example of how human beings can make a situation which is so grim and bleak, a nuke being dropped in this scenario, and yet they can find humour in it. Just wonderful frankly. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 (edited) Drive I really liked this film, absolute topper. At first I thought here we go, the quiet, brooding hero character has been done a million times. However, as the film went on I found Ryan Gosling's character more interesting, after some of the over the top, fucked up violence you realise it's actually a pretty dark character. Even if my initial concern about the film having no real substance had been justified (which it wasn't) it almost wouldn't matter because it was so stylish, the cinematography and soundtrack was brilliant. I'm sure I won't be the first person to notice that it was like a modern day Taxi Driver in many resects, in fact that's almost entirely the case IMO. Of all the amazing films De Niro made at that time Taxi Driver isn't one of my favourites, and I'd say I liked Drive better. I was going to make a new years resolution to re-invent myself as the silent, thoughtful type that birds wonder what I'm thinking about as I stare out of windows and say next to nothing, but then I realised that wouldn't work because I don't look like Ryan Gosling. 9/10 Edited December 29, 2012 by Guest 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoda Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Ted- 6/10 Seven Psychopaths Best comedy I've seen in a while. Sure it's incredibly dark but it is hilarious, Martin McDonagh is a very good writer. Sam Rockwell is terrific and I genuinely think he should be up for a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Oscars. Christopher Walken and Woody Harrelson are very good (the former is very funny). Go and see it, it's certainly in my top five films of the year. 8.5/10 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Taranbino Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Flight - 9/10 Denzel Washington is outstanding in this, possibly his best performance yet Trouble with the Curve - 6/10 I always enjoy watching Clint and Amy Adams is good but film is nothing special 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bert Raccoon Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 The Raid - Got this from my future Brother in law for Christmas and I really enjoyed it. Action packed from start to finish. 8/10 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophe Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 The Raid - Got this from my future Brother in law for Christmas and I really enjoyed it. Action packed from start to finish. 8/10 A watch before you wrap job? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bert Raccoon Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 A watch before you wrap job? Perhaps. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Taranbino Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 (edited) Code Name: Geronimo - The Hunt for Osama Bin Laden 7/10 Pretty enjoyable film that is basically the straight to dvd version of Zero Dark Thirty (released at end of Jan) Loved the cast - Anson Mount (Hell on Wheels), Robert Knepper (Prison Break), Freddy Rodriguez (Six Feet Under), William Fichtner (Prison Break) and ermmm...Eddie Kaye Thomas (American Pie) Edited December 30, 2012 by gordon the gopher 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Co.Down Hibee Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Expendables 2 High octane nonsense from all the yesteryear action guys, the plot is cheesy, the acting cheesier and not one thing in it makes any sense,fuckin loved it, a real good kickback on the sofa with a beer and nibbles kind of film. Only downside was the violence was just too graphic for the style of film really, reminded me of the last Rambo film with all the exploding heads and things, i assume this was the input from Stallone, shame Jet Li wasn't in it more. but still a good fun movie . 8/10 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_BCFC Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 St George's Day. Unbelievably bad. Over and under acted mince. Watched it all the way through in the vain hope there was a decent ending. Nah just mince. Avoid even if it drops to a pound in bargain bins. (Downloaded it thankfully) Forgot the score -1966/10 Agreed. I was promised by my housemate a film similar to most of the football violence films released in the past few years. Now I wasn't expecting any Oscar winning performances but some good old fashioned punch ups. Nothing happened. At all. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Co.Down Hibee Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 (edited) UP Love this film, tugs at the heart strings , hugely funny and great action, everything you would want from a disney flick, never think this film gets the credit it deserves but for me it is up there with Monsters Inc,Finding Nemo, etc... Don't think they have made a better one than this for ages tbh. 9.5/10 Rocky Hadn't watched it in ages but couldn't resist, it's a great film even to this day and you'd be hard pushed to find a better sports film, Stallone gives a superb performance as does the supporting cast, Burgess Meredith became the very image of a hard bitten trainer . The sequels never came close in terms of quality but most were watchable (well maybe not V ). Great movie 9/10 Edited December 30, 2012 by Co.Down Hibee 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DomDom Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 The Contender Magnificent political drama with Joan Allen playing someone who wants to be vice president. Gary Oldman is the congressman who doesn't want her there, and when he finds a secret in Allen's past, he looks to exploit it. Oldman is just utterly magnificent in his role, and you will absolutely despise him by the end. The cast is amazing, with Jeff Bridges, Christian Slater, Sam Elliott and William Petersen all adding to the drama in amazing fashion. 9/10 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 The Eagle Someone got me this as I'm interested in Roman history. The first half of the film is tolerable although Channing Tatum has about as much charisma as wheelie bin. In the second half it really starts to unravel. The photogenic Scottish highlands aren't really a substitute for a realistic storyline or unconvincing relationships between characters we don't really care about. Strangely the indigenous people are portrayed as bone through the nose style savages rather than people who constructed sophisticated stone buildings and possessed iron age technology as the archeology shows. Perhaps when Channing Tatum crosses Hadrians Wall he also crosses some kind of worm hole in the fabric of the galaxy and is transported back to the neolithic age. Without giving the ending away it is fairly formulaic when perhaps the movie could have been saved with a different ending. Watchable, once, for the scenery. 5/10 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainkev Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 The Eagle Someone got me this as I'm interested in Roman history. The first half of the film is tolerable although Channing Tatum has about as much charisma as wheelie bin. In the second half it really starts to unravel. The photogenic Scottish highlands aren't really a substitute for a realistic storyline or unconvincing relationships between characters we don't really care about. Strangely the indigenous people are portrayed as bone through the nose style savages rather than people who constructed sophisticated stone buildings and possessed iron age technology as the archeology shows. Perhaps when Channing Tatum crosses Hadrians Wall he also crosses some kind of worm hole in the fabric of the galaxy and is transported back to the neolithic age. Without giving the ending away it is fairly formulaic when perhaps the movie could have been saved with a different ending. Watchable, once, for the scenery. 5/10 Was it Hollywood funded/backed film? If that's the case that'd probably explain those kind of mistakes. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Taranbino Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Alex Cross - 5/10 pretty standard action film. Nothing special here. On the Road - 6/10 some good individual performances but too long and drawn out. Bit dull 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurph Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Went to see Life of Pi in the cinema today. It took a bit to get into but it was very, very good when it got into it. I felt quite emotional to it towards the end, but as DomDom said, the ending probably isn't suited to everyone's tastes and I did't enjoy it. I reckon they could have stopped it sooner and on a witty line as there was some funny parts in it, but they changed the story a little. It did make sense, and added an extra dimension, but not for me. Probably a 8/10. 9/10. ish. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Psychosis Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Over the last few weeks I've watched: Thor 8/10 Captain America 8/10 Avengers Assemble 10/10 I'm a massive Marvel fan, the films don't suck. Total win as far as I'm concerned. Bride Wars 0/10 My wife had this on as I was pottering about doing stuff with my PC. Quite possibly the single worst film I have ever had the misfortune to see. Its so bad that even a bit of Anne Hathaway perving can't get it even 1/10. Avoid at all costs. I'm staggered that it even made it into production, never mind general release. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophe Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Pitch Perfect - probably asking for trouble since it's a Bridesmaids meets Glee bollocks but this movie annoyed the shit out of me. So many things that pissed me off about it, especially the lazy stereotypes of the misfit all girl vocal group, e.g. Anna Kendrick's alt-girl who seems to like Miley Cyrus and David Guetta, the stuck up group leader who believes only in HER plan that blatantly sucks, Rebel Wilson playing a boorish Aussie, you get the picture. This film especially features loads of examples of POINTLESS THINGS THE THROW INTO THE MOVIE AND NEVER REFERENCE AGAIN/DOESN'T HAVE ANY POINT TO THE PLOT. Rubbish. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Brightside Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Over the last few weeks I've watched: Thor 8/10 Captain America 8/10 Avengers Assemble 10/10 I'm a massive Marvel fan, the films don't suck. Total win as far as I'm concerned. Captain America gets the same rating as Avengers, away and shite. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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