What have you watched recently: Electric Boogaloo

darced

This post has been deleted.

Alpish

Django Unchained

Instant classic for me, but then again Tarantino can do no wrong in my eyes (besides Death Proof of course). Has all the hallmarks and what you'd come to expect. Superb dialogue, beautiful shots and plenty of blood.

And Christoph Waltz is once again flawless.

Mickeroo

Technocentral wrote: »

Granted, all his recent films are muck, but better than "Schindlers List" or even "Michael Collins" are you serious?

I'd rate it a better performance and film than Michael Collins.

estariol

The Castle
Damn near flawless piece of aussie comedy, little bit of pacing problems around the hour mark but otherwise excellent! Eric Bana, hilarious.

Chrysalis
Always enjoy a french departure from straight drama!

Judgement Day

"Sabotage" (1936) Sunday Times promo DVD - 40 cents in a charity shop. Interesting pre-WWII thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Scotland Yard try to track down a terrorist cell planning an attack in London. Entertaining enough but the lead actress Sylvia Sidney could have done with stunt double for the crying scenes. 7/10

PandyAndy

Cloud Atlas

Great film. A little awkward to follow in places but comes together nicely (kind of like Mr. Nobody, which is also a great film)

It's a film that I think requires 2 or more viewings to really appreciate it.

MiloYossarian

The Legend Of Zorro, The Mask Of Zorro

The second one is better but they're both enjoyable.

The first one has so many errors in it, but they're all forgiveable because it's just a bit of fun.

cloud493

Watchmen - I know a lot of people don't like this, but I really do, 9/10.

mike65

The Croupier (1997) Dir Mike Hodges

Smart tale of a would be writer who takes a job at the gaming tables, intrigue follows. It would be remiss to outline the plot beyond that! Paul "the Man who Fell to Earth" Mayersberg script is terrific, smart knowing with just the right number of plot twists. A fresh faced Clive Owen is just right as Jack, the scenes which show the mechanics of card based games at the casino are surprisingly gripping. Made by Film Four in Germany Croupier pretty disappeared without trace until it became a surprise cult success in the USA a few years after initial release.

Another film which makes one wonder why Mike Hodges has not had a more successful career.

Judgement Day

"Hang 'Em High" (1968) on Netflix. I had previously resisted the temptation to sign-up for Netflix but gave in last night when a search for a movie led me there - under false pretences as it wasn't available. Anyway, having had a quick look at what was available I settled on an old reliable. The standard Clint Eastwood plot...Clint gets messed around, Clint gets even and the rest of the cast get terminated. 9/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKITYu7z-AY

Judging by how little of interest (to me) is available I'm going to try and view everything that I want to see in my FREE month trial period - it won't be hard! That said, I've seen the future and Netflix will do for the great unwashed and if I had shares in Xtravision I'd be ditching them PDQ.

DazMarz

Primary Colors (1998)

John Travolta is more like Bill Clinton than the man himself in this roman á clef about Clinton's 1992 Presidential Election Campaign.

Travolta plays gentle, charismatic, yet philandering-cad, Southern governor Jack Stanton. The acting turn by Travolta is superb; he is at times an admirable man who would be a brilliant leader, but he has a dark streak where some of his past is hidden and he also has a habit of letting his penis make stupid decisions that could sink him completely.

The cast of supporting characters (all based upon some of the real players in Clinton's campaign) is also superb, with Adrian Lester, Billy Bob Thornton and Kathy Bates all putting in excellent performances. Larry Hagman also makes his final feature film appearance in this film as a potential opponent to Stanton for the Democratic nomination.

This film truly reveals the dark side of politics; how a man must present one face to the public while another must be worn in private. Travolta excels as the chameleon Stanton, and you are left seriously wondering how much of the film actually happened in some way, shape or form.

Well worth a watch, especially if you have any interest in American politics (which I find absolutely fascinating!).


Game Change (2012)

Yet another American political film (I'm obsessed at this stage). This one deals with a Presidential Election much closer to the present day and much more ingrained upon the public consciousness, not just in the USA, but worldwide. The Election in question is the 2008 Election. The film's angle is on the campaign of Republican-nominee John McCain.

The film deals with how McCain's aides and advisors needed to change 'the game' for him in the months leading up to the election. They needed to get someone on his ticket that would stir up the conservative voters (who were wary of McCain) and to attract female votes (an area he was sorely trailing Obama).

Enter Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin. As she is such a late entry into the ticket, the vetting process she is subject to is short and perfunctory. This leaves the door open to potential landmines, but she is initially very successful at campaigning.

Of course, we all know how the story ends. But this is done so masterfully and the acting is superb from everyone involved. The film swept the Golden Globes and the Emmys, and rightfully so.

Julianne Moore totally embodies the role of Palin and the portrayal is not cruel or malicious (unlike Tina Fey's portrayal on "Saturday Night Live") but is strangely empathetic; Palin is presented as a well-meaning yet misguided and thoroughly under-prepared woman who is thrust into the limelight far too early. When she eventually goes rogue and finds herself holding much more power than she had thought, Moore is excellent. There is a scheming gleam in her eye that is positively bone-chilling.

Ed Harris is a dead ringer for John McCain and the portrayal is allegedly very flattering to the Arizona senator; it leaves out much of his fiery temper and vitriol. Woody Harrelson is also superb as lead Campaign Manager Steve Schmidt. He does his best to keep the ball rolling, despite everything going monumentally tits up towards the end. His desperate cry of "Oh my God... What have we done?!" on viewing Palin's disastrous interview with Katie Couric is quite apt.

The in-fighting and finger pointing no doubt happened, as it is probable much of the "unseen" things that happened are accurately portrayed. But the scenes that grab the attention are the ones where we know what happened (the interviews, the debates, etc.) but we are intrigued to see what way the film-makers spin them.

A majestic triumph of film-making, once again from HBO. Well worth a watch.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Recorded "The Fighter" off RTÉ last night. Watched it this afternoon.

Eh..... was it meant to be a comedy? I don't know. I found it pretty hilarious at times, those sisters were something else
Christian Bale was good in parts, and the physical transformation he made for the role is commendable but I'm not sure over all that the film was all that good.

McGrath5

Django Unchained

Very enjoyable, I thought the first 2 hours flew by, but when

Christopher Waltz's character is killed of

the film took a turn for the worse. Tarantino at his best and indulgent worst.

7/10

krudler

Technocentral wrote: »

Granted, all his recent films are muck, but better than "Schindlers List" or even "Michael Collins" are you serious?

Michael Collins is a terrible film

Handsome Bob

Watching Ghost Rider, this really is cringeworthy. Often I think the badness of some films is overstated but this deserves all the criticism it gets. The lingering poses are embarrassing!

firestarter51

krudler wrote: »

Michael Collins is a terrible film

I agree Collins is terrible

The Black Oil

DazMarz wrote: »

Game Change (2012)

Julianne Moore totally embodies the role of Palin and the portrayal is not cruel or malicious (unlike Tina Fey's portrayal on "Saturday Night Live") but is strangely empathetic; Palin is presented as a well-meaning yet misguided and thoroughly under-prepared woman who is thrust into the limelight far too early. When she eventually goes rogue and finds herself holding much more power than she had thought, Moore is excellent. There is a scheming gleam in her eye that is positively bone-chilling.

It's a good film alright - posted my review of it here. Similar to you, I thought it showed Palin as being warm. It's unlikely that she or her fans will ever watch it...a pity as you think they'd like it even on a human level, regardless of the whole grr, liberal Hollywood thing.

Moving on, tonight remake of the Taking of Pelham 123.

'Should they have have the Internet down there?'

Yes, really. The ****ing internet. Terrible script. Tripe.

ADarkKnight88

S. De Sousa wrote: »

Watching Ghost Rider, this really is cringeworthy. Often I think the badness of some films is overstated but this deserves all the criticism it gets. The lingering poses are embarrassing!

Thats why it's on comedy central tonight.

MiloYossarian

This Is 40

For some reason I wasn't expecting much, maybe it was the way my friends (coz they totally exist) were talking about it, but I really loved it. It has the feel good factor.

krudler

MiloYossarian wrote: »

This Is 40

For some reason I wasn't expecting much, maybe it was the way my friends (coz they totally exist) were talking about it, but I really loved it. It has the feel good factor.

My hatred of Leslie Mann borders on the ridiculous so can't ever see myself watching that.

Tony EH

'Battle Beyond the Stars'

The people of the planet Akira Kurosawa are under attack from John Saxon of Balamory and his band of smelly scar-faced morons in a hammerhead shaped space ship (try saying that with a few drinks in you). They're going to use their flux capacitor, or whatever, to blast the planet into bits, for no reason, other than the fact that it's there. So, John-boy Walton sets off to find help and defend his homeworld. He enlists Hannibal (from the A-Team), some white guys, a poor chap in an uncomfortable lizard mask, the Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Sybil Danning's bouncing breasts. Together they battle with Mr Saxon...er...beyond the stars in a fight to the death.

It's difficult to believe that this Roger Corman produced, 'Seven Samurai' / 'Magnificent Seven' rip-off once rivaled 'Star Wars' for my affection as a child. I had such fond memories of John-boy's sassy, talking spaceship and George Peppard's "Space Cowboy" (that's what his character is actually called). Those fond memories were quickly dashed upon viewing 'Battle Beyond the Stars' with adult eyes. Some things really are best consigned to the memory bin, even if they are enjoyable enough.

4/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t7z_44nGio

hefferboi

MiloYossarian wrote: »

This Is 40

For some reason I wasn't expecting much, maybe it was the way my friends (coz they totally exist) were talking about it, but I really loved it. It has the feel good factor.

I found it to be about an hour too long.

Judgement Day

Netflix Day.2. "3:10 to Yuma" (2007) Excellent remake of the 1957 classic. Russell Crowe and Christian Bale star. A powerful western which builds steadily to a superb and unexpected climax. The Stockholm syndrome in reverse? 10/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeroJ1BK6GQ

Mike Litoris

Tony EH wrote: »

'Battle Beyond the Stars'

The people of the planet Akira Kurosawa are under attack from John Saxon of Balamory and his band of smelly scar-faced morons in a hammerhead shaped space ship (try saying that with a few drinks in you). They're going to use their flux capacitor, or whatever, to blast the planet into bits, for no reason, other than the fact that it's there. So, John-boy Walton sets off to find help and defend his homeworld. He enlists Hannibal (from the A-Team), some white guys, a poor chap in an uncomfortable lizard mask, the Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Sybil Danning's bouncing breasts. Together they battle with Mr Saxon...er...beyond the stars in a fight to the death.

It's difficult to believe that this Roger Corman produced, 'Seven Samurai' / 'Magnificent Seven' rip-off once rivaled 'Star Wars' for my affection as a child. I had such fond memories of John-boy's sassy, talking spaceship and George Peppard's "Space Cowboy" (that's what his character is actually called). Those fond memories were quickly dashed upon viewing 'Battle Beyond the Stars' with adult eyes. Some things really are best consigned to the memory bin, even if they are enjoyable enough.

4/10
[/YOUTUBE]

Man, that is an awesome review! I Lol'd hard at the first paragraph.:D

Just on "Sybil Danning's bouncing breasts". I noticed that I was going through puberty the first time I saw them.:p

krudler

hefferboi wrote: »

I found it to be about an hour too long.

is it a Judd Apatow production? that'd be why

briany

The Bear

A Grizzly (or maybe Brown?) bear cub becomes stranded and alone in the Canadian wilds and must fend for itself. It has to brave the harsh nature of the place as well as human hunters. Luckily, the young bear comes into contact with an older, wounded bear and it takes the young bear under it's protection.

Just a really good film all around. The kind of film that it would be pretty difficult to actively dislike. Great 'acting' from the bears, particularly Bart the Bear who's a pretty legendary bear actor. His performance, at times, more nuanced than that of the human actors. Some say his career was hampered by typecasting, I don't know, but this film is great. I recommend it to anyone interested in survival films that take place in a wild, natural setting.

NinjaK

The Deer Hunter. Great film, cant believe I haven't seen it in all this time. Great De Niro and C Walken performances.

charlie_says

The Imposter documentary.

Stylish, enthralling and just a mental story. I like.

johnny_ultimate

Turn Me On, Goddammit! - short and sweet coming (literally) of age comedy. A teenager (Helene Bergsholm) in rural Norway is ostracised by her friends and classmates after she has a ridiculously grim encounter with the class heartthrob. It's an honest and frank depiction of adolescent sexuality and social dynamics, but handles the tricky subject matter with a sardonic sense of humour (including some amusingly silly fantasy sequences). It's only seventy minutes long and unapologetically light, but it's a smart antidote to the likes of American Pie. Most reminded me of Lucas Moodysson's ****ing Amal. A perfectly-delivered deadpan ending doesn't waste a single frame.

Judgement Day

Netfix Day.3. Desperately scraping around for a bit of escapism I stumbled across "The Final Countdown" (1980) starring Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen. US nuclear powered aircraft carrier "Nimitz" on routine patrol in the Pacific finds itself transported back through time to the day before the attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941. The idea is good but the storyline is weak and the acting (?) is largely secondary to repetitive shots of aircraft taking off and landing on the "Nimitz" aircraft carrier. 4/10 Avoid.

If you must watch it, view the trailer instead - only 3 minutes instead of 103.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj7_fxZWDsc