What have you watched recently? 3D!

The Father.
Director Florian Zeller.
Writers Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller.
Stars Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss, Olivia Williams, Imogen Poots.

Just wanted to add my voice to those on this thread that praised this piece.
I went in blind, didn't watch any promos or read any reviews, I just knew the cast and that it was received positively.
Cleverly crafted and I hope I get the chance to see how it would be delivered on stage some time. Anthony Hopkins is stunning in this, that final scene is heartbreaking and a bit scary to be honest. A must watch if you're a fan of Hopkins.

Event Horizon (1997)

I had never seen this film before, but I've heard a lot of conflicting reviews of this thing from various friends of mine and other online discussion sites. Some people love this film, others will think it total garbage, others then are somewhere in between. After watching it I find myself in the in-between range but veering heavily into the total garbage zone. The premise is fine, but it has been done countless times in other far better crafted films, interdimensional close encounters that have far more weight and substance to them, films like 'The Shining', 'Solaris' etc. They do the interdimensional aspect here just fine though, and it involves nice subplots both of interdimensional space travel and also of the dangers of science and taking things too far in this modern infallible realm. Production and set design is also really good. Its just too all over the place in other aspects of the direction and story. Some of the sequential editing in some of the action scenes is off the scale bad, jittery and incoherent. Some of the acting and timing of dialogue is really, really bad, but then in some other scenes it can be done really well, Lawrence Fishburne probably the main reason for that, the "...We're Leaving" scene for example, but that only goes on for 20 seconds. This thing really takes off into the garbage zone in the last 20 minutes or so where it seems the makers just decided to give up on aspects of story, editing, sound design, you name it, this thing looses it in the last act bigtime. Was nice to finally see it after hearing so much, but will probably never watch it ever again 4/10

Ghostbusters (1984)

Just genius entertainment crafting, the likes of which we will probably never see again. Its just such a well crafted piece of work in every single department, story, acting, timing, delivery, effects, editing, soundtrack. Timeless. What makes this thing so special to me, apart from the genius dry comedic delivery, is the overlooked occult aspects that are interwoven so subtlety and brilliantly into the story. Aspects that subliminally add the effect of menace and dread into what is a brilliant but total comedic caper. Stories about Sumerian Gods, dead pulsars, secret societies and architects designing buildings to reach other dimensions or universe's. This was probably all Ackroyd's doing, as he is interested in the occult and has been for years, the way that stuff is so brilliantly blended into this film just gives the thing such weight to the story. Like that scene in the jail when they start discussing these occult aspects and all the inmates start listening really attentively to this craic, because it IS interesting and also entertaining, all this added with brilliant dry and satirical comedic aspects it's still a 10/10

Come and See (1985)

War is Hell and this film is the best probable depiction of the term that I have ever seen.
Set in 1943 Nazi occupied Belorussia, it follows the journey of a young boy who sets out to join the resistance against the occupying forces, but this is no heroic tale of war glorifying valour or any of that noise. This film is as rough and harrowing as anything you are likely to see from a online liveleak video from some actual unfortunate war Hellscape in the modern era. It's brilliant, still holds up well. Will probably hold up well forever given that it actually shows up the horror of war for what it is and delvers it straight into your face. Highly Recommend, just not on your night off at the weekend trying to relax. Watch this at work or somewhere else where you are not supposed to relax, if you can. 9/10

Army of The Dead (2021)

Too long, too much pointless and totally unwarranted stuff going on in this to be any way enjoyable. The thing badly suffers from having some of the best action sequences and imagery showcased over the title credits at the start, showcased over some song from the 60's ala 'Watchmen', at least I think it was some 60's song, I can't remember and I don't care. The next 2 hours is this 'Aliens'ish rip off where a rag tag of heroes and company men descend into the lair of deadly flesh eating creatures, but unlike 'Aliens', all the flesh eating creatures in this thing are asleep in their gaffs. Then you go through all this boring walking around until the last 30 minutes when some of the other supposedly intelligent flesh eating creatures get mad about something that happened to their king and some lady has to be rescued because she went into the lair of the flesh eating zombies for no reason whatsoever. Its just really badly executed and it goes on for way way too long than it needs to. It could have been half decent if it was whittled down to 1hr 30 and a lot of this needless stuff was eradicated. 3/10

Before watching Denis Villeneuve's film 'DUNE'
I watched David Lynch's 1984 film 'DUNE' again.
Good movie.

flasher0030 wrote: »

Going to get into these Korean movies. I can get Memories of Murder and The Gangster, the cop and the devil.

Any idea where I could watch the ones you suggested i.e.
I Saw the Devil.
A Bittersweet life.
Old Boy.

I saw the Hollywood version of Old School and really enjoyed it. Very good premise for a movie.

All great Korean films.

Would add The Chaser, The man from Nowhere and the other two films from the sympathy trilogy to the list. I saw the devil is my fav though

I thought Black Panther was terrible.

Exorcist III

Good horror with George C Scott. Some great dialogue between the detective and his priest friend. You feel you are in a serial killer/detective type story but then it moves into the horror. Also has some great jumps.

7/10