What Was The Last Movie You Watched?

[Shandon Par]

My Octopus Teacher

Is it a heartwarming tale of how the animal kingdom can teach us valuable life lessons and restore our faith in the world? Or is it some boy having a breakdown over some fish? Needed bigger sharks IMO.

[sfha]

16 hours ago, SweeperDee said:

Interstellar - 9/10, right up my alley. Should have watched it in a cinema or iMax.

Brilliant film.

[BFTD]

Been introducing the wean to the Exorcist series.

The Exorcist (DVD) - a young girl (Linda Blair) develops an array of...unusual behaviours after messing around with a Ouija board.

We watched The Version You've Never Seen, as I didn't have the original. I think it's a bit weaker, with all the unsubtle superimposed demon faces, and they didn't/couldn't do justice to the spider-walk scene - much creepier in the book. Despite the younger generation apparently finding it hilarious now, and some acting that hasn't aged well, it's a very good film, building nicely to the inevitable showdown that always comes later (and is much briefer) than I remember. 

The Exorcist II: The Heretic - naturally, we did not watch this.

The Exorcist III: Legion (Blu-Ray) - fifteen years after the events of the original film, investigating detective Bill Kinderman (George C. Scott) is perplexed by a series of cruel murders that seem impossibly linked to a closed case from his past.

Surely one of my top ten films of all time, this. William Peter Blatty directs his screenplay of his own book (Legion) and imbues it with something of a unique, sinister, still atmosphere, with a lot of sharp editing, and plenty of background detail for picking up on repeated views. Superb performances pretty much across the board, unsettling sound design, and it's an interesting story. Surprisingly, very funny too, considering the grim subject matter.

As an aside, this film was completely re-edited after filming had finished, with an entirely new third act and additional scenes being inserted by the studio. Fans of the film assumed for years that Blatty's original version must have been superior, but the original print was "lost" by Morgan Creek and was only released as a low-quality screener print a few years ago. Frankly, I prefer the original, despite the extra scenes with Brad Dourif, and Blatty was on something of a hiding to nothing adapting his book, as a lot of the ideas would not have lent themselves well to cinema (especially the ending). Doesn't excuse the studio greenlighting it then changing their minds, however.

Exorcist: The Beginning (DVD) - an origin story for the elderly priest from the original film, Father Merrin (here played by Stellan Skarsgard), and his original encounter with the demon.

Don't get me wrong, this film's absolutely honking, but there's a lot of entertainment to be had in the schlocky B-movie action and absolutely atrocious CGI. Even reliable old Stellan is terrible in this, saddled with some awful dialogue and weighed down with masses of cliché and cheese, and the whole thing drips with teenage edginess and desperation to offend. If that sounds amusing, then there's something enjoyable here.

Don't think I can quite bring myself to watch Dominion: a Prequel to The Exorcist again, which was the original film made for Morgan Creek by Paul Schrader (and also starring Stellan Skarsgard!). When they were handed the final film, the studio decided it was too boring to release (hard to argue with), so scrapped the whole thing and got B-movie maestro Renny Harlin in to make a cheesetacular shitfest with lots of gore and an action-packed CGI exorcism with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. We were getting an Exorcist prequel whether we liked it or not, apparently.

[NotThePars]

10 hours ago, Shandon Par said:

My Octopus Teacher

Is it a heartwarming tale of how the animal kingdom can teach us valuable life lessons and restore our faith in the world? Or is it some boy having a breakdown over some fish? Needed bigger sharks IMO.

I felt bad for the cool octopus spending the majority of its life with this loser

[coprolite]

High-rise (2016)

Tom Hiddleston in a a dystopian 1970s tower block. Something sinister seems to be going on. Or he might be going nuts. Or maybe both. 

Good looking film with lots of good bits, memorable scenes but not a lot of memorable dialogue. There's an obvious metaphor which is way overcooked. 

Starts off really well but the middle part is a complete muddle. Starts making sense for the end but the damage was done. 

Had the components to be much better, 5/10.

[Fullerene]

On 20/08/2021 at 09:34, BFTD said:

He's not wrong.

Almost as perplexing as when you discover that there are ten (soon to be eleven) films in the Hellraiser franchise, seven of which have managed to be released without anyone being aware of it.

I recall somebody talking about John Travolta starring in Ladder 49 and made the comment

"Oh no.  Not another Ladder film".

[NotThePars]

High-rise (2016)
Tom Hiddleston in a a dystopian 1970s tower block. Something sinister seems to be going on. Or he might be going nuts. Or maybe both. 
Good looking film with lots of good bits, memorable scenes but not a lot of memorable dialogue. There's an obvious metaphor which is way overcooked. 
Starts off really well but the middle part is a complete muddle. Starts making sense for the end but the damage was done. 
Had the components to be much better, 5/10.

Assume you’ve read but the book is terrific

[coprolite]

4 hours ago, NotThePars said:

 

Assume you’ve read but the book is terrific

 

I've not read any Ballard. Might check it out. 

[Shandon Par]

10 hours ago, NotThePars said:

I felt bad for the cool octopus spending the majority of its life with this loser

Watched that new Nilsen doc. Warmed to him more.

[coprolite]

The Town (2010)

Written, directed by and Starring Ben Affleck. The first 20 minutes was shit enough for me to turn it off, and i watched all of Godzilla v Kong. 

[BFTD]

7 hours ago, NotThePars said:

Assume you’ve read but the book is terrific

I love Ballard, but he didn't half stretch credulity. What was the one where the boy gets stuck on the roundabout?

Still got plenty of his stuff to work through before I cark it, but Empire of the Sun's surely still my favourite. Probably one of his more extraordinary stories and it's semi-autobiographical.

[NotThePars]

9 minutes ago, BFTD said:

I love Ballard, but he didn't half stretch credulity. What was the one where the boy gets stuck on the roundabout?

Still got plenty of his stuff to work through before I cark it, but Empire of the Sun's surely still my favourite. Probably one of his more extraordinary stories and it's semi-autobiographical.

I only got halfway through that. High Rise is tremendous just a really enjoyable novel.

[C. MacLeod]

Watched Raiders of the Lost Ark again a couple of nights ago on Showtime. Still enthralling 40 years and quite a few viewings later. Flew by in no time.

The last new movie I watched was The Suicide Squad. Not that familiar with most of the characters, but I found it highly entertaining. Much better than the first effort or The Joker.

[Theroadlesstravelled]

I cannot stand John Cena.

He’s everything wrong with the world folded up into a smug piece of fucking shit.

[velo army]

Out Of My League

Supposed charming Italian romcom about a lassie with a supposedly terminal illness who is hell-bent on finding love before she croaks. 

It's the familiar trope of "ugly dates beautiful" while she obviously isn't ugly, although the script tells us that she is, creating a disconnect. What she is however is manipulative and narcissistic. The way that she gets the guy (a beautiful and ultimately good hearted guy who is unhappy in his supposedly perfect life. The only interesting character in the whole thing) is dreadful. Basically stalks him, stealing the phone of a man who fancies her (a "loser" who is painted with broad strokes and about whom we find out nothing) and using it to look at photos of her quarry, before dropping the phone in the toilet and flushing it away.

So aye, it's hard to support her after that. The man she stalks confronts her and agrees to go out with her. There is chemistry between the two characters, but it's platonic. 

I could go on but ultimately my problem with this movie was the main character and the fact that she's ill supposedly excuses all her shitty behaviour. We even get the guy apologising to her after the first date, despite her reaction to it (being invited to a family dinner) being wildly over the top and egocentric.

The cinematography and music try and get you to think you're watching Amelie, but imagine Amelie as a selfish, entitled nasty arsehole who performs no acts of friendship or kindness for others.

Aye, I got irked at this film.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kam C]

Check out the official release of The Pusher Man. A reporter has a grudge with a congressman. Great movie. Free download

[UpInTheAyr]

Out Of My League
Supposed charming Italian romcom about a lassie with a supposedly terminal illness who is hell-bent on finding love before she croaks. 
It's the familiar trope of "ugly dates beautiful" while she obviously isn't ugly, although the script tells us that she is, creating a disconnect. What she is however is manipulative and narcissistic. The way that she gets the guy (a beautiful and ultimately good hearted guy who is unhappy in his supposedly perfect life. The only interesting character in the whole thing) is dreadful. Basically stalks him, stealing the phone of a man who fancies her (a "loser" who is painted with broad strokes and about whom we find out nothing) and using it to look at photos of her quarry, before dropping the phone in the toilet and flushing it away.
So aye, it's hard to support her after that. The man she stalks confronts her and agrees to go out with her. There is chemistry between the two characters, but it's platonic. 
I could go on but ultimately my problem with this movie was the main character and the fact that she's ill supposedly excuses all her shitty behaviour. We even get the guy apologising to her after the first date, despite her reaction to it (being invited to a family dinner) being wildly over the top and egocentric.
The cinematography and music try and get you to think you're watching Amelie, but imagine Amelie as a selfish, entitled nasty arsehole who performs no acts of friendship or kindness for others.
Aye, I got irked at this film.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Not to be confused with She's Out Of My League, which is exactly a very funny comedy with Alice Eve. Currently on Netflix.

[UpInTheAyr]

I cannot stand John Cena.
He’s everything wrong with the world folded up into a smug piece of fucking shit.

He does a lot with that make a wish foundation. Think he's actually done more wishes than anyone so not a total piece of shit. Thought he was pretty good in Suicide Squad too

[UpInTheAyr]

Snake Eyes G.I Joe Origins or whatever it's called. Awful stuff.

Demonic. From the guy that did District 13. Was looking forward to it but even worse than Snake Eyes.

[Miguel Sanchez]

Watched Edward Scissorhands yesterday. Had a tear in my eye at the end. I suppose I liked it.