captainkev Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 (edited) Just watched It Follows. I'd noticed the adverts for this one but they hadn't really grabbed me and ultimately my friend ended up convincing me to go see it with her and I'm pretty glad I did. It's an effective horror film where any budget restraints likely have worked in it's favor. I really like the basic idea, it's cool to see the old cliche/trope of sex spelling doom for any character in a horror film being taken and turned into the the main premise here. The curse itself really worked for me. The entity itself is pretty damn creepy through the way it goes after its prey in a slow but deliberate and relentless manner. But the director made me share the tension that the characters on screen feel as like them you're always waiting for the creature to make it's inevitable re-appearance and the camera regularly draws focus to the background, particularly in long shots as if to encourage the audience to stay alert and pay attention in case the creature is about to suddenly come into view. I'd give it a 7/10 as it's got some weird moments which don't really work, like a couple of incarnations of the curse which feel like the filmmakers are trying too hard to make scary. Also I had a couple of other problems but I'll put them in a tag as their a bit spoilery. If you're looking for something to watch at the cinema though you could do a lot worse than It Follows in my opinion. Why didn't they get on a boat and go out to sea? Why couldn't they get on a plane and go to another country and buy themselves a bit more time? Why does nobody seem to care that the main characters repeatedly keep running away, usually coming back injured? Why was the curse monster on the roof at one point? Dramatic effect I suppose. Furthermore, even taking into consideration that the characters were all stressed tired and desperate, the final plan at the swimming pool was so obviously going to go tits up and it was inevitable that one of the characters would end up shooting another by mistake at some point. Still, none of that really ruined the film for me. Edited March 10, 2015 by captainkev 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Gaines Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Cake So... supposedly the movie that was going to give Jennifer Aniston some nominations. To her credit, she probably deserved at least something for her efforts, as she was excellent, and it the actual movie was much better than it was, she might well have gotten a nod from somewhere, but alas it wasn't to be, and this movie just plods along. There's a whole bunch of slightly amusing stuff that happens along the way, and that coupled with the lead performance somehow manages to have my thumbs pointing slightly up on it. 6/10 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banana Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Under the Skin (?/10) f**k knows how to rate this. On one hand it's like a failed college student's project with a ludicrous plotline. On the other hand, it's a charmingly weird sci-fi ride with a superbly grating score. I didn't really understand what was happening until the end, and am still grasping to understand the greater meaning it was trying to communicate. The beach scene was utterly disturbing. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banana Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Boyhood (6/10) Brilliantly risky idea to film over 12 years, watching the actors age in-movie. But it works pretty well - not the brilliant film that it's being made out to be, and a good 30+ minutes too long considering it is a bit low on content. The 'bad step-fathers' trope became really grating. Good performances from Arquette and Hawke. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoda Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Ex Machina It's tense, it's claustrophobic, it's gripping, it's horrifying, and it's very intriguing. A great concept (Alex Garland seamlessly moving from screenwriter to director) and three good performances (Isaac and Vikander are terrific). It's a fascinating film that definitely lingers in the mind afterwards and it will, by the end of 2015, be comfortably in my top 10 list. The score: good The cinematography: good The special effects: stunning That said I feel it just missed something. I'm not sure what it was but it did feel a bit underdeveloped at times. Still, a solid four star effort and one of the better sci-fi films in the past decade or so. There's no reason why it can't be deemed as a modern sci-fi classic in the future. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blootoon87 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Under the Skin (?/10) f**k knows how to rate this. On one hand it's like a failed college student's project with a ludicrous plotline. On the other hand, it's a charmingly weird sci-fi ride with a superbly grating score. I didn't really understand what was happening until the end, and am still grasping to understand the greater meaning it was trying to communicate. The beach scene was utterly disturbing. I thought it was shite, although I might just be too thick to fully understand it. Even seeing Johansson naked in it doesn't save it, and that's saying something. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albino Rover Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 It definitely got under my skin when I saw it recently. I thought it was strange and bold, but missed the magic touch it deserved. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DA Baracus Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 The whole point was that it was alien in all senses. I thought in parts it was terrifying, and not the horrible deaths parts. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banana Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 The whole point was that it was alien in all senses. I thought in parts it was terrifying, and not the horrible deaths parts. Decent point. I liked how the environmental sounds around her became more evident as the movie progressed, and the music less pronounced. Like she was becoming aware of herself and her place. I should probably watch it again knowing the ending (though I don't know if I want to watch the beach scene again, ever). Nothing to do with Scarlett, of course 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tongue_tied_danny Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Under the Skin (?/10) f**k knows how to rate this. On one hand it's like a failed college student's project with a ludicrous plotline. On the other hand, it's a charmingly weird sci-fi ride with a superbly grating score. I didn't really understand what was happening until the end, and am still grasping to understand the greater meaning it was trying to communicate. The beach scene was utterly disturbing. That was pretty much my take on it. I walked out of the cinema not knowing if I enjoyed it or not. I was thinking about it for a couple of days afterwards though and I did buy the book a couple of weeks later. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banana Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) Nightcrawler (8*/10) 'Patrick Bateman's long-lost twin brother tries to get on in life in LA'... by filming crime scenes. Loved the way the director made all his actions seem normal through sympathetic music, (some) characters, and of course the protagonist's own justifications in his confident, smooth dialogue. Gave the movie quite an unnerving feeling, seeing the world wholly through this guy's reality. Some brilliantly filmed, exciting car action too, especially once he'd upgraded. I despise car movies, but here it was important for the plot, not central to it. *7/10 + a point for a superb performance from Jake Gyllenhaal. Edited March 12, 2015 by banana 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophe Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Still Alice 5/10 Bit average this, Moore was good but her only actually believable relationship in the film was with the one out of Twilight, didn't really buy any of the rest of the characters. Quite moving in parts seeing someone succumb to such a grim disease but let down by being pretty cheesy in other bits. -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinkle Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 A Most Violent Year - 6/10 I watched this hoping for a Scorcese-type film but was disappointed. Its a slow burner with a great performance by the lead (Oscar Isaacs) about an ambitious businessman trying to expand but keeping it within the law whilst having his business and family attacked throughout. Its on for two hours but by the end, you feel that somethings missing and that nothing has really happened '71 - 7/10 British soldier Jack O'Connell is left stranded after his regiment is attacked on the wrong side of Belfast during the height of the troubles. It seems as if everyone is after him for different reasons and most want him dead. Another top performance from O'Connell who's acting career seems to go from strength to strength. His credits over the last few years have been terrific so hopefully it continues 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophe Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) Whiplash 7/10 Didn't like it as much as the consensus. I couldn't get past that stupid idea of bullying someone making them a better artist, but on the whole it was entertaining. Edited March 12, 2015 by Christophe -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigmouth Strikes Again Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 The Wee Man 4/10 Weegie criminal Paul Ferris's life story up to when he was cleared of the murder of Arthur Thomsons son. Full of crap acting and clichés. Fucking loves himself though, as the film turns him into some kind of 'hero of the people/legend'. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jupiter Jazz Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Nightcrawler Best film i've seen for a while. Loved the dark vibe, score and that 70's influence a la Taxi Driver I suppose. Gyllenhaal is superb and always good to see Bill Paxton have something to work with 8.5/10 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete's Frontier Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Zero Dark Thirty, really good film. Shows the reality these agents faced trying to get to Bin Laden, and the operation itself. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeTillEhDeh Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Chronicle 1/10 - the found footage style made it unwatchable for me - just thought it covered up what was a piss-poor storyline and crap effects. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P45 Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Into the woods. 2/10. A pile of shite. It gets 2 because Anna Kendrick and that Rapunzel lassie. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Gaines Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Still Alice The ending seemed to come a bit out of the blue, but it's still a very good movie, driven by a fairly emotive, if a bit overly so at times, plot. It definitely lays it on pretty thick at times, but it's a testament to the story told and the people involved that this remains good. Julianne Moore deserving of the best actress, but praise should be heaped on Alec Baldwin and Kristen Stewart for their sizeable roles in this one as well, and Stephen Kunken in his small but still sizeable in it's own way role as Alice's doctor. The gradual plight of Alice is pretty well told and it borders on uncomfortable at times. Definitely worth a look. 8/10 Needing a change of tone, we decided to stay in the cinema and see something else... Wayne's World Forgot sooooo much about this movie, which is a good thing as it was great to see all of these wee things that I like about it popping up again. A much needed pick up this. 8/10 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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