What have you watched recently? 3D!

pixelburp · 24-06-2021 08:34PM

Sad Professor wrote: »

I actually really liked Underwater. The original script had been floating around for years and they certainly didn't cut character development from the beginning. Probably the opposite if anything. I think it originally started even later and they got out onto the ocean floor quicker.

I liked what it was, a mid budget, adult sci-fi, thriller which is very rare these days; but the script needed more work IMO. IIRC the inciting incident happened in the very first scene which made all the character moments feel a retrospective and hurried. Literally in one case, where we learned of someone's history after they died.

Maybe it's cos it felt like such an obvious riff on Alien and The Abyss I was less kind to its character moments, the two inspirations both having much better executions of that aspect. But yeah, these kind of movies are borderline extinct now, which is sad.

budgemook · 24-06-2021 08:50PM

Think I'll watch Alien tonight! It has been years and it's guaranteed that my wife hasn't seen it.

25-06-2021 07:02AM

budgemook wrote: »

Think I'll watch Alien tonight! It has been years and it's guaranteed that my wife hasn't seen it.

How come you married her if she hasn't seen Alien???

budgemook · 25-06-2021 07:25AM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

How come you married her if she hasn't seen Alien???

Ha, well that's rectified now

I watched it last night, it really has up well. I found that the first half is much scarier than the second for some reason - the eggs, the face hugger and even Brett's search for the cat and encounter with the Alien. After that it remains tense of course but I was far less jumpy. Just reading a bit about what they were going for (

making the male audience uncomfortable by having the facehugger orally rape and impregnate Kane

then it's no wonder I found these bits so jarring.

Also, Prometheus is an awful piece of crap. Watching Alien after so long reminded me of that. I can't see myself ever watching Alien: Covenant.

Tony EH · 25-06-2021 03:28PM

^
Alien is best viewed as a trilogy where we find that we are not the centre of the universe and that the universe doesn't care.

Scott's meddling destroyed that.

Del.Monte · 25-06-2021 04:41PM

"The Mauritanian" on AmazonPrime

Well crafted production based on the true story of a Guantanamo Bay detainee who was imprisoned for 14 years without charge. Thought provoking and sad, but these things happen, and will continue to happen, until hell freezes over. Worth a watch. 6/10.

dubstepper · 25-06-2021 04:44PM

Tony EH wrote: »

^
Alien is best viewed as a trilogy where we find that we are not the centre of the universe and that the universe doesn't care.

Scott's meddling destroyed that.

I rewatched Alien 3 recently and was amazed how much I liked it. I think it's crime, at the time, was that it was not Aliens. It just suffered in comparison and people's expectations were not met.

When you view it knowing that it is different to aliens, you can actually enjoy what a good movie it is.

pixelburp · 25-06-2021 05:15PM

dubstepper wrote: »

I rewatched Alien 3 recently and was amazed how much I liked it. I think it's crime, at the time, was that it was not Aliens. It just suffered in comparison and people's expectations were not met.

When you view it knowing that it is different to aliens, you can actually enjoy what a good movie it is.

And gave birth to probably the biggest working auteur in mainstream Hollywood, with David Fincher. Without knowing too much of the man himself I wonder how much of his future work was informed by the total díckery he endured from the studio during that shoot.

A shame the "other" cut of Alien 3 is in such rough state, and IIRC, Fincher has shown no interest in assembling one either.

I will say against Alien 3, it's a helluva punch in the gut after Aliens; I think it has many fine qualities if you're engaged with its obviously darker, more nihilistic tone. But killing off Hicks and Newt, off screen in the credits, was just a really bad first step in getting audiences into the film. No amount of studio interference was going to save the film's reception after that.

Tony EH · 25-06-2021 09:09PM

pixelburp wrote: »

And gave birth to probably the biggest working auteur in mainstream Hollywood, with David Fincher. Without knowing too much of the man himself I wonder how much of his future work was informed by the total díckery he endured from the studio during that shoot.

A shame the "other" cut of Alien 3 is in such rough state, and IIRC, Fincher has shown no interest in assembling one either.

I will say against Alien 3, it's a helluva punch in the gut after Aliens; I think it has many fine qualities if you're engaged with its obviously darker, more nihilistic tone. But killing off Hicks and Newt, off screen in the credits, was just a really bad first step in getting audiences into the film. No amount of studio interference was going to save the film's reception after that.

It's funny. The two biggest things I recall reading about 'Alien 3' when it was being made was that Weaver got a million quid for shaving her hair off and that there was serious trouble behind the scenes during production.

Although, I think Fincher may be being a bit silly at this point with his utter rejection of 'Alien 3', which I count as a better movie than 'The Game' or 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'. He may have had a hard time with Fox during the making of it, but it's a perfectly fine horror movie.

Tony EH · 25-06-2021 09:10PM

dubstepper wrote: »

I rewatched Alien 3 recently and was amazed how much I liked it. I think it's crime, at the time, was that it was not Aliens. It just suffered in comparison and people's expectations were not met.

When you view it knowing that it is different to aliens, you can actually enjoy what a good movie it is.

I've always maintained that 'Alien 3' was a pretty good movie. It's certainly not as good a the first two. But it is no way the red headed stepchild of the series either. I even prefer the original cut over the assembly, which is a bloated mess and ends up just too long, AFAIR.

Some people got miffed that they killed off Hicks and Newt, but frankly...big ****in deal. People die. Even people you want to live. So, I never had an issue with the Aliens nuclear family getting whacked. In fact, it strengthened Ripley's tragic character. I actually applauded the balls to do it.

The biggest problem with 'Alien 3' was it's use of early CGI which, even at the time, looked pretty poor compared to the effects that came before it. But, as a trilogy, Alien is pretty damn tight. One of the best in my book. However, with all the expansions starting with the shitfest that was 'Alien Resurrection' and, hopefully, ending with 'Alien Covenant', that tightness has been eroded to the point of spoliation. In fact, I'd even give the spin off Aliens Vs Predator movies another go before I sit down in front of the official sequels again.

mikhail · 26-06-2021 02:57AM

Tony EH wrote: »

Although, I think Fincher may be being a bit silly at this point with his utter rejection of 'Alien 3', which I count as a better movie than 'The Game' or 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'. He may have had a hard time with Fox during the making of it, but it's a perfectly fine horror movie.

I'd agree that it's not a bad movie. I quite like it. I think I can accept though that Fincher may feel that good or bad, he feels it's not really his.

pixelburp · 26-06-2021 10:29AM

mikhail wrote: »

I'd agree that it's not a bad movie. I quite like it. I think I can accept though that Fincher may feel that good or bad, he feels it's not really his.

You could speculate that after his experience with Alien 3, Fincher just said "fúck that", and made sure he never again inked a contract that didn't give him complete creative control - which given his famously, aggressively precise nature (IIRC 20+ prop laptops got smashed by Andrew Garfield before they got the right take during The Social Network), is quite the ballsy move that paid off.

s8n · 26-06-2021 01:50PM

The Raging Bile Duct wrote: »

I thought Black Panther was terrible.

couldnt agree more, weakest of the MCU

cdgalwegian · 26-06-2021 03:39PM

The Raging Bile Duct wrote: »

I thought Black Panther was terrible.

s8n wrote: »

couldnt agree more, weakest of the MCU

Maybe not terrible, but certainly over-rated.

Fysh · 26-06-2021 07:43PM

I watched The Power on Shudder yesterday. It had a strong opening and middle act, but somewhat flubbed the landing when

Val realises that the ghost is not attacking her and the child but trying to save them from the abuser

, because the tone shifts in an unconvincing way. It's a pity, too, as the majority of the film is a strong combination of form and theme, with a dingy, decrepit 70s setting and the oppressive dark due to scheduled power cuts working very well with the narrative theme of systemic abuse and structures which enable/disregard it. Overall I would say it's worth watching even with the wonky ending, but it's a pity the ending wasn't better/more in keeping with the rest of the film.

Tony EH · 26-06-2021 08:12PM

mikhail wrote: »

I'd agree that it's not a bad movie. I quite like it. I think I can accept though that Fincher may feel that good or bad, he feels it's not really his.

What about the movie isn't his? I know Fox had their hands all over it. But I don't really know what changes they demanded. Was it changing the dog for an ox? And a few other things that showed up in the "assembly cut"? Because if that's it, then Fincher is being a bit of a twat about it. I mean if the "assembly cut" is anything to go by, I can kinda understand Fox wanting changes made. And given some of the things that Fincher was demanding (like dressing up a whippet to act as the alien), I'd have lobbied for some changes too.

Studios meddle with film makers "visions" all the time. In fact I don't think there's been a director or writer who hasn't had their view of something changed by some studio exec. Even before Fincher was asked to get on board, several writers had their scripts rewritten and scrapped completely. Although, from what I read of those scripts, it appears to be just as well.

Although, as Pix has said, it may have been a baptism by fire for Fincher somewhat that gave him the wherewithal to demand more say over his projects, for better or worse. But it appears that he's being a touch petulant about the situation with 'Alien 3' which, in the main, looks to have been just the usual nonsense film makers have to deal with when they make a movie for a big studio, such as script changes and budget issues.

NIMAN · 26-06-2021 08:33PM

cdgalwegian wrote: »

Maybe not terrible, but certainly over-rated.

I stopped watching about 30min into it.

Had heard all the rave reviews.

I honestly think people were afraid to say anything bad about it, cos well...you know.

Sad Professor · 26-06-2021 08:47PM

Fincher said his reason for not doing a director's cut was that the film was compromised from the get-go and couldn't be fixed by re-editing it. However I also think that the theatrical cut is not that far away from what would have been Fincher's cut. The assembly cut was just that, an assembly. Fincher acknowledged the need for reshoots (technically they weren't reshoots as the studio pulled the plug on principal photography) and he oversaw most of them but left before they finished.

branie2 · 26-06-2021 11:29PM

A Quiet Place Part II at the cinema yesterday. It was very good.

Dades · 27-06-2021 12:16AM

The Ice Road

The latest of the Liam Neeson actioners.
Really liked it as a brainless bit of drama with punching and trucks.
Not too over the top with Big Liam and the superpowers.

What a renaissance he's has since Taken. Good for him.

Del.Monte · 27-06-2021 10:32AM

"Invasion Day" 2013 on Amazon Prime

If you're a fan of ultra low budget train wrecks this is one that you will enjoy!

China is pissed off with America's refusal to repay its debts and launches a massive cyber attack by way of chips installed in multiple devices - phones, laptops, planes, cars etc., you name it.

The story follows one family as they try to come to terms with what has happened. Armed only with a sackful of potatoes and a chainsaw.. This international cast of mega stars including Eloy Mendez, Ethan Flower, William Frederick Knight, Asa Wallander and Jenn Gotzon keep you on the edge of your seat to the very end. There's even a brief scene - a few seconds long - when a solitary Chinese/Asian puts in an appearance! As one review says 'this is what happens when you make a movie that costs less than your sofa'.

One memorable scene that I'll never forget is when running low on water the parents bring their small child into the toilet and get her a drink from the toilet cistern - they appear surprised that she is upset. Mind bending stuff.

The outstanding performance is by a Mexican who's speaks no English throughout and still makes more sense than the rest of the cast. Off the scale for rating. .

Del.Monte · 01-07-2021 09:01AM

"The Jigsaw Man" 1984 on YouTube.
Cold War movie loosely based on the Kim Philby story and despite a stellar cast that includes Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier, Robert Powell and Susan George never really gets going. As a fan of the genre, and the actors, I would not recommend.

"Siberia" 2018 on Amazon Prime.
Keanu Reeves is an American diamond trader whose Russian partner goes missing in Siberia with a consignment of diamonds. The Russian mafia, shadowy security officials and a love interest add up to an unsatisfactory mess of a movie that has no real plot. Not a fan of Keanu Reeves' wooden style of acting. Even the snow disappoints - Siberia it wasn't! - Avoid.

05-07-2021 01:30PM

Till Death - 2021

Short thriller flick with Megan Fox. She is an absolutely terrible "actress" and I still don't know what she got done to her face but tbh has a good bod on her. There is a mildly intriguing plot device here which the title sort of alludes to that does provide for some interest. Once you're not expecting much and just turn your brain off for 88 minutes or so it's an ok veg-out piece.

5.8 / 10

pixelburp · 05-07-2021 02:49PM

The Colo(u)r of Money (1986)

Definitely one of Scorcese's forgotten films, bordering on underappreciated IMO. Scorcese really translated the smokey, clattering hustle of pool hall culture into something thrilling, evocative and it's a shame the film has rarely sat among conversations of the director's work: maybe it's because it was so blatantly a "for the studio" picture; maybe 'cos this feature has a more upbeat, underdog heart compared with Scorcese's later more nihilistic, cynical work. In any case, Sports movies can be an odd beast in general: in the wrong hands, they often fail to convey the nervous excitement of events - even if some sports naturally lend themselves to the cinematic medium better than others (9-ball pool a better example perhaps, given its colourful simplicity). So to that end, this should sit among a list of the best sports films, its foundation two fantastic lead performances in Paul Newman and Tom Cruise.

One item that stood out, albeit in a retrospective fashion: at various points, Tom Cruise's Vincent went utterly off the rails - maniacally jumping on beds, screaming jazz hands at his co-stars - all in a manner no other actor seemed to be expecting (at one point, even tearing apart handrails on some stairs). It was manic energy almost spookily similar to his famously crazed behaviour on Oprah's sofa, all those moons ago. Made me wonder which of those two occasions was the act.

crushproof · 06-07-2021 01:42PM

pixelburp wrote: »

The Colo(u)r of Money (1986)

Fast Eddie! Funnily enough just watched this recently as well having admittedly never heard of it until I was looking at Tom Cruise on IMDB. A great roadtrip/chasing the money kind of movie that can only have been set in the US in the 70's or 80's.
Especially enjoyed seeing a young John Turturro pop up.

al87987 · 06-07-2021 01:48PM

olvias wrote: »

The Tomorrow War. 7/10 - A solid action movie and a decent waste of a couple of hours. Oh, and it stars Yvonne Strahovski too - so there's that.

Agreed, a pleasant surprise. Probably 20 minutes too long but better than I expected. A poor man's Edge of tomorrow.

rob316 · 06-07-2021 05:21PM

The Wrestler - I haven't watched it since it was made so gave it a re-watch. Agh just excellent throughout, you couldn't of cast Ram better than with Rourke. Marisa Tomei has to be my guilty pleasure, what a woman, looking as good as she did in My Cousin Vinny. She's just an absolute diamond in even her smaller roles, such magnetic performances.

No Remorse - terrible, unforgettable, predictable, boring. Honestly don't even bother, there isn't enough bullets or C4 to make this watchable.

The Ice Road - good fun, your run of the mill Neeson action film but with fighting in trucks.

Tony EH · 16-07-2021 10:36AM

'Black Summer'

Zombies are a bit of a one trick pony, love them as I do. But the trouble with them is that they absolutely require an end of the world scenario in order for them to function which can lend a certain predicability to them. Their appearance is nearly always accompanied by the complete, or nearly complete, collapse of society and in 'Black Summer' it's no different. In the first episode we're about a few weeks into the collapse and evacuations are still going on. Tensions are high and the military are unsure of how to respond, so they're heavy handed. Citizens are terrified and distrustful. And the living dead are maniacs.

We've all been here before and multiple times in the case of people who've been watching zombie fare since before 'The Walking Dead' appeared, so there's nothing really new going on here. But 'Black Summer' - Netflix's attempt at a zombie show - does something to, er, breath new life into the a type of show that just won't quit. It's human element is far superior to most zombie material and that's where its strength lies. The living characters feel much more real than their counterparts in the Robert Kirkman comic adaptation and their actions and responses have a realistic aspect to them as well. There are no nonsense characters like the katana wielding Michone, or ridiculous psychopathic "leaders" like Negan knocking around the world in 'Black Summer'. Well, not yet anyway. Into the bargain, and not giving anything away, absolutely nobody is truly safe. Life in Black Summer's zombie apocalypse is an extremely dangerous affair and it doesn't matter how gangsta you think you are, your number can come up at any time. Also, while we are introduced to a lot of characters quite quickly, they all make sense. Even when the multiple points of view and varying time shifts are taken into account. 'Black Summer' will often show you how a series of events plays out and then show them again, in part, from someone else's perspective. This can sound awkward, but it tends to work out well.

The undead of the show are, practically, an afterthought and are actually the worst element of it, truth be told. They are, almost predictably these days, the run around screaming types that are popular with film makers that don't want to have to think of scenarios where slower zombies can get the better of their human prey. But for the purposes of this particular show they work ok, and at 8 episodes over 2 series with uneven running times there's no real space to take the necessary steps to slowly build things up. The show needs to be slam bang....oops...everything's gone to hell. So, in that respect they get a pass.

What eases them into that pass is how dangerous they are to the human protagonists/antagonists. These particular zombies (as per usual nobody calls them that) are hard to kill and whilst it's usually the case in zombie movies/shows that they'll die with enough brain trauma, delivering that trauma is difficult and will take multiple blows. Unlike 'The Walking Dead' where zombies skulls are ridiculously fragile and a harsh word can send them on their way, the zombies of 'Black Summer' require actual beatings to put down which means that a single zombie can ruin your day, but three of them means you really are done for. Plus shooting them is no easy feat either. These things are moving targets and getting something tiny like a bullet to hit home on a small target like a head proves to be impossible at times, even for trained soldiers. Coupled with the sheer panic that grips everyone when the dead start coming for them, most bullets end up flying all over the place in an arbitrary manner., which ends up only making things worse. This is one of the best aspects of the show and makes a mockery of something like 'The Walking Dead' universe where characters can perform headshots on moving targets (even while they are moving themselves) with an accuracy that would make the Sundance Kid extremely jealous.

They are also not the infected people of '28 Days Later' (not a zombie movie), so shooting them in the torso or anywhere else isn't going to do them much bother, unless something vital is hit of course and it can cripple them in some way. They are also not going to die of starvation, so a few months waiting around isn't going to yield a result either. These things are going to be around long term. This kind of thing greatly adds to the immense tension that remains constant throughout the show and it's a show that can be quite exhausting to watch. But it's exhausting in a good way. One episode basically deals with a single guy just trying to stay out of a zombie's clutches and it's one of the best zombie related things I've seen in ages. He's a bit of a dope, for sure, but you still want him to get away because you can put yourself in his place, and as mentioned earlier nobody has any real plot armour.

'Black Summer' is brought to you by The Asylum, the people who made 'Z Nation', which has astonishingly managed to lumber on for 5 series at this point. But I wouldn't let that put you off. Whereas 'Z Nation' is just flat out stupid, 'Black Summer' remains relatively serious and doesn't have the dumbed down, tongue-in-cheek, approach of the SYFY channel show. It's scenarios make a certain sense (even if there are a few areas that stretch credibility) and attempts to stick unwanted laughs here and there are largely absent. This makes 'Black Summer' a completely different kettle of fish entirely to it's sister production.

However, if there are things to be critical about, it would be the almost complete lack of gore in the show. Sure, there's blood, death, and horror, but you never see the effects of a zombie attack and this is where something like 'The Walking Dead' has it beaten easily. In 'Black Summer' bites are obscured and nobody gets flesh ripped apart 'Day of the Dead' style. So, from that aspect it can seem a bit tame if you're waiting around for the red stuff, and it really could do with some of Greg Nicatero's KNB magic. It's a curious omission, it has to be said, especially when one takes into account that the zombies in 'Black Summer' are driven to attack people for food. But, nevertheless, it's a small impact on its over all enjoyment and while the show can be light on plot, but it's nonetheless an exciting and interesting ride so far.

9/10

bnt · 17-07-2021 07:16PM

I'm gradually catching up with films that apparently everyone but me has seen, and with the Olympics coming up, I thought it was time for Chariots Of Fire. This year is also its 40th anniversary.

What an odd film, somehow managing to be both more and less than the sum of its parts at the same time. It's about two athletes of very different backgrounds who were being set up for an Olympic clash that never happened in the end, so for most of the movie the two stories are separate and run parallel to each other.

I did some reading about the events of the 1924 Olympics, and saw that the script did take some major dramatic liberties. (Spoiler ahead). One of the central plot points was Eric Liddell's refusal to race in the 100m heats on a Sunday, and this was portrayed as catching him by surprise and leading to a clash with the British Olympic Committee (including the Prince of Wales). In fact, the schedule had been published months in advance, and he had plenty of time to train for the 400m and make his preferences known.

High points: the Vangelis score is justifiably legendary, the composer somehow managing to make his synthesisers fit in to a movie set in the UK and France in the 1920s. All the main cast are very good: Ben Cross subtly portraying Harold Abrahams as a complex person struggling to fit in, Ian Holm going all East End as his trainer, and Alice Krige luminous in her major movie debut as his opera singer girlfriend.

The real star for me was Ian Charleson as Eric Liddell, in a performance that portrayed a quiet faithful confidence at most times, except when he's running like a loon. Liddell gives a short speech to a group early on, which Charleson totally rewrote from the one in the script to better reflect his character, and it's one of the most powerful moments in the film. I found myself wondering what had happened to Charleson: why didn't he become a major star? I think it would have happened had he not died in 1990.

briany · 20-07-2021 03:26PM

Isolation (2005)

On an isolated Irish farm, some bovine research yields unexpected results.

This was a film I had heard about back when it was originally released, but the critical panning it received put me off ever watching it. I put it on, nearly by accident, last night and the atmosphere of the opening credits drew me in. Irish horror films are usually pretty lacklustre. This film... is no exception. Ah no, it does have its moments but the plot is just too wonky to take it entirely seriously and that's a shame, because I thought with a few tweaks it could have been a much better film. As it is, the central premise of the film is left unclear, but left unclear in a way that comes off less as having to use your imagination to fill in the blanks and more as if the writers didn't really think the plot through. I don't know how to do spoiler tags on this new version of the site so read not beyond this point if you don't want things spoiled...

So, it was an experiment to increase cow fertility (ostensibly), with strange, sinister creatures developing inside the foetal calves the cows were pregnant with, but it's not made clear if these were perhaps some type of alien creature or something or if they were just a byproduct of genetic research gone bad. But if they were the latter, I don't understand why they'd necessarily be so aggressive and snappish. You get the feeling the researcher had ulterior motives he wasn't disclosing, but again it's never really spoken about. It just seemed very confused and didn't know what it was trying to be.

What have you watched recently? 3D!

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