What have you watched recently?

Kilkenny14 · 24-06-2012 8:16am

I watched this evening the The Eagle, directed by Kevin McDonald who did The Last King of Scotland and Touching the Void, starring Jamie Bell and Channing Tatum in it.

The first half was good, but then the second half went bad really. Two aspects of the story really bugged me. First, I have never read of the Picts being Native American in appearance. Secondly, the

amount of surviving Romans from the 9th legion really bugged me; if there were that many surely one of them would have gone back to the wall to tell everyone what happened?

It's a pity it was so bad, as the novel its based on by Rosemary Sutcliff is one of my favorite books, and Kevin McDonald is a very good director.

mcmacness · 24-06-2012 9:45am

Watched Project X and Wanderlust last night. Project X was ok, I couldn't help spend the whole film thinking about what a mess he was making of his Dad's house though, maybe a sign that I'm getting old. My friends male cousin loved it though, said it was one of the best films he'd seen, so maybe it'd appeal more to a younger male fan-base or something.

I really liked Wanderlust, thought it was really funny. There's a scene where Paul Rudd is talking to himself in the bathroom mirror that is hilarious! Was surprised by this because on people's recommendations I was told I would like Project X better.

fish fingers · 24-06-2012 11:36am

i watched "Nameless Gangster" last night. its a Korean gangster movie set in the mid to late 80's. it has the main lad from Oldboy and I met the devil, sorry im useless with Korean names. I enjoyed it, even funny in some parts.

razorblunt · 24-06-2012 12:28pm

Over this weekend:

Warhorse - string the bait up on the line Steven and go fish for that oscar. It was ok but clearly a case of jam in as many cliches as possible. Some great shots in it though.

Kill List - really liked this, different to every other hitman film I've seen, the ending was a bit obvious. Headscratcher of a an ending think the film will stay with me for a while.

bnt · 24-06-2012 12:58pm

Saw Your Sister's Sister at an IFI preview yesterday. I thought it was OK, but it was a "small" film; not much of a story, and I might have enjoyed it more on the small screen. It had two good female leads in Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt, but one annoying male lead (Mark Duplass) - playing one of those American slacker dorks who seems to lurch from personal crisis to crisis.

I had trouble figuring out what it was supposed to be, since it had bits of drama and comedy mixed up, to the the point where some of the drama was funny and some of the apparent comedy was tragic. The whole plot hinges on selfishness and mistakes, not on any kind of positive actions or decisions. I suppose that's supposed to make it more "real life", but it just left me wondering this is the subject of a film at all.

delbertgrady · 24-06-2012 3:22pm

The Amazing Spider-Man Overall, it's impressive. The first hour is the best, but the tone is moderately darker than the previous trilogy, Andrew Garfield is very good as both the tortured Parker and the wisecracking hero and Emma Stone is always watchable. Should satisfy most viewers.
Killer Joe Sinister, Southern thriller with a reinvented Matthew McConaughey as the eponymous killer, hired by Emile Hirsch to kill his estranged mother for her insurance policy. Needless to say, things do not run smoothly. Very sinister at times, with a dark humour running through it.

friend and foe · 24-06-2012 3:33pm

TMNT - been meaning to watch this time and again and just never got around to it. following all the talk over the ast week or so of michael bay's alien turtles reboot *groan* i finally got to give it a whirl. fun little flick as long as you leave your brain behind.

Iron Sky - been looking forward to this one since i first heard of it last year. seriously, it's got Moon Nazis.. what more do you need?!? hammed up in all the right places, but thoroughly entertaining

Organic Cavity · 24-06-2012 3:49pm

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, 2 hours of torture.

The sitter, average. few funnys/stupid bits.

Goon, decent.

The Muppets, superb. Loved it.

FishBowel · 24-06-2012 6:16pm

Magic christian - Peter Sellars adopts Ringo Starr and they bribe everyone. Then they head off on a ship except it's not.

johnny_ultimate · 24-06-2012 7:50pm

bnt wrote: »

Saw Your Sister's Sister at an IFI preview yesterday. I thought it was OK, but it was a "small" film; not much of a story, and I might have enjoyed it more on the small screen. It had two good female leads in Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt, but one annoying male lead (Mark Duplass) - playing one of those American slacker dorks who seems to lurch from personal crisis to crisis.

I had trouble figuring out what it was supposed to be, since it had bits of drama and comedy mixed up, to the the point where some of the drama was funny and some of the apparent comedy was tragic. The whole plot hinges on selfishness and mistakes, not on any kind of positive actions or decisions. I suppose that's supposed to make it more "real life", but it just left me wondering this is the subject of a film at all.

Actually, I think this film was so much more effective than - just to use a comparison - Jeff Who Lives at Home. It's certainly simple, but as a lighthearted slice-of-life comedy I thought it was wholly effective due to the strong performances creating genuinely likeable characters. Sure, some of the plot developments are contrived as hell, and there's nothing particularly unpredictable about it, but it just charmed me from the off. A very simple but very effective comedy-drama. I don't think there's a real subject - it's just the sometimes amusing, sometimes dramatic events in the life of three people.

Bobby Baccala · 24-06-2012 9:42pm

kryogen wrote: »

How did you manage that!? :eek:

Thought it was a right of passage to see that in your teenage years

I'm only 16 so it seems I've earned my rights of passage

SirDelboy18 · 24-06-2012 10:39pm

30 minutes or Less and Hall Pass - Both average but watchable comedies, with somewhat flimsy plots but relatively okay characters and some funnyish gags.

Basq · 24-06-2012 10:48pm

Watched Alive (1993) the other night... am afraid to say it's aged horribly!

Dialogue is cringe-inducing and performances are wooden.

Shouldn't have hyped it up for my girlfriend since I hadn't seen it in probably 15 years.

krudler · 24-06-2012 11:48pm

Sunshine- love this film, the third act is either iffy or essential to the message of the movie,some hate it, others love it. After seeing Prometheus which share some similar themes this is by far a better sci-fi film. I still love how

the mission isnt endangered because of some plot hole or action beat or some contrived storyline but by a simple human error, its something that isnt used enough in movies like this. someone fcuks up and as a result almost causes the deaths of the crew and in turn the death of humankind as well.

Bobby Baccala · 24-06-2012 11:48pm

Bruno - eh, nuff said.

SirDelboy18 · 25-06-2012 2:07am

Fright Night (2011) - Not seen the original but this had me in the first 5 minutes. Really really enjoyed this - Farrell was extremely good and I quite liked Yelchin and the pretty blonde. One of the better films I've seen this year.

mikemac1 · 25-06-2012 2:23am

Clubbed

Small British independent film

excellent cast, Colin Salmon and Maxine Peake would be the best known

Damn, Colin Salmon is just cool :cool:

Mild mannered, slighty timid man with a dead end job on a factory floor, seperated from his wife and afraid of the world

Got into boxing and training, made some friends, becomes a bouncer and his confidence comes on a lot, turns his life around

But clubs attract crime and so there is conflict

Not a well known film, doubt it ever hit Irish cinemas but I loved it

briany · 25-06-2012 2:34am

Cellular (2004) : A woman is kidnapped by persons unknown to her and they hold her in an attic. Through some ingenuity she manages to make a telephone call for help but it is to a random person who she must convince to help her along with her family, who she believes might also be in danger.

Big old Hollywood thriller that uses broad strokes and a good deal of humour in amongst the car chases and gunplay. Nothing wrong with that if you're in the mood. Stars Kim Basinger, Jason Statham and William H. Macy.

6/10

The Fog (1980) : Things start getting freaky in an American seaside town 100 years after the sinking of a ship headed for it's shores drowning all those who were on board.

It's a John Carpenter film so it has lots of atmosphere plus a cool synth powered score and nice special effects. It didn't scare me much though but then I'm probably looking at the film through jaded eyes.

6.5/10

Bobby Baccala · 25-06-2012 2:54am

Donnie Darko - Very interesting film, kind of scared me at parts, i wasnt expecting the rabbit, the clown that jumps out of the car at one point also scared the fúck out of me. Strange because films dont usually scare me, I was just really into this one, must be why i kept getting frights.

Overall i really liked it.

Father Damo · 25-06-2012 3:15am

Bassboxxx wrote: »

24 hour party people Loved this film, loved the subject, the cameos, the music, loved the narration to the camera.:D

The only thing I could fault was I kept thinking Alan Partridge rather than Tony Wilson....prob just me tho.

Was a bit disappointed myself. Really did seem too Partridge (I love Partridge, but not in a more serious role obviously). Maybe it was just that the Mondays werent in as much of it as I thought they would be- it really was more of a Tony Wilson biopic than a focus on the music or artists of the time.

Not a bad film, but a bit of a let down.

Ben Moore · 25-06-2012 3:31am

"Hugo"

A lovely homage to adventure, literature and Scorseses own love of the magic surrounding the birth of the film industry.... it worked like, well, clockwork!

A perfect family film.

sjoyce87 · 25-06-2012 3:48am

Brave
Absolutely loved it , very funny film , constant laughs through out , seen it with my girlfriend but I say kids would love it aswell . Overall a very funny enjoyable film

Kolido · 25-06-2012 8:23am

Basq wrote: »

Watched Alive (1993) the other night... am afraid to say it's aged horribly!

Dialogue is cringe-inducing and performances are wooden.

Shouldn't have hyped it up for my girlfriend since I hadn't seen it in probably 15 years.

Yes I was particularly impressed with the way Ethan Hawks character maintained a well groomed goatee throughout the movie while some of the other male characters turned into grizzly bears.

Actually I read somewhere he refused to grow a beard for this movie.

splashthecash · 25-06-2012 12:40pm

God Bless America

Finished this earlier this morning - found it very enjoyable. I didn't recognise any of the leads in it so could pass by most radars very easily.

Follows a guy who gets very dis-illusioned with the current America, the celebrity culture and how it celebrates mediocrity, catchphrases, quick & cheap laughs - finds a kindred spirit in a young teenage and basically set out to right these wrongs.

Parts really hit home because I don't think we are too far away from it in reality...

mcmacness · 25-06-2012 4:20pm

Just watched Runaway Jury, I had it recorded from the other night and despite it being an old film, it was my first time seeing it. I thought it was really good, really enjoyable and fast paced, despite it being over 2 hours long- it didn't drag at all.

krudler · 25-06-2012 4:22pm

SirDelboy18 wrote: »

Fright Night (2011) - Not seen the original but this had me in the first 5 minutes. Really really enjoyed this - Farrell was extremely good and I quite liked Yelchin and the pretty blonde. One of the better films I've seen this year.

I would have enjoyed it way more except for how bland it looks, blue and orange all the way through, the go to color scheme for movies these days.

nacho libre · 25-06-2012 5:15pm

splashthecash wrote: »

God Bless America

Finished this earlier this morning - found it very enjoyable. I didn't recognise any of the leads in it so could pass by most radars very easily.

Follows a guy who gets very dis-illusioned with the current America, the celebrity culture and how it celebrates mediocrity, catchphrases, quick & cheap laughs - finds a kindred spirit in a young teenage and basically set out to right these wrongs.

Parts really hit home because I don't think we are too far away from it in reality...

You're the first person I've come across who likes this movie. I thought it was good too.

Chris_Heilong · 25-06-2012 6:21pm

splashthecash wrote: »

God Bless America

Finished this earlier this morning - found it very enjoyable. I didn't recognise any of the leads in it so could pass by most radars very easily.

Follows a guy who gets very dis-illusioned with the current America, the celebrity culture and how it celebrates mediocrity, catchphrases, quick & cheap laughs - finds a kindred spirit in a young teenage and basically set out to right these wrongs.

Parts really hit home because I don't think we are too far away from it in reality...

it was alright but far too predictable, its like we have seen it all before. Also these movies only end one way and I was really hoping they would take it in a different direction.

GAAman · 25-06-2012 6:52pm

splashthecash wrote: »

God Bless America

Finished this earlier this morning - found it very enjoyable. I didn't recognise any of the leads in it so could pass by most radars very easily.

The male lead is Bill Murray's brother

crazygeryy · 25-06-2012 7:47pm

headhunters
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1614989/

it wasnt bad at all.i liked the twists in it and the pace of it keeps you going.definitely worth the watch.

get the gringo

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1567609/

again i liked it and well worth the watch.i like mel gibson,i know he gets a lot of bad press but hes a good actor and puts out some good movies.

What have you watched recently?

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