What have you watched recently? 3D!

El Gato De Negocios · 25-06-2020 9:32pm

Lords of Chaos (2018)

Fictionalised but based on real events following the rise of the Norwegian black metal scene in the late 80s and early 90s. Its narrated by "Euronymous", originater of the black metal sound and a founding member of (still going) black metal band Mayhem and it follows him from a metal head teen to the self appointed and conflicted leader of the black circle.

Being a metaller myself and a fan of this genre and band I was already familiar with the story and when you look back on it, the lengths went to by Varg (other main character) to get attention were pretty fcuking hard-core including a spate of church burnings across Norway.

A cautionary tale of posers getting involved with actual lunatics its an interesting watch for both fans and non fans. There is a VERY graphic suicide scene in it so those of a nervous disposition should proceed with caution.

6.5/10

Fysh · 26-06-2020 10:00pm

I rewatched The Love Witch on 4OD, and am pleased to say that its unique campy oddness holds up very well to a second viewing. It's disconcerting at first but after a few minutes you attune to the style and rhythm of what it's trying to do, after which it's wonderfully entertaining and frequently very funny to boot.

Harry Palmr · 27-06-2020 11:54pm

Couldn't get into it really, it was just too knowing and slick, the genre it was paying homage to was never that bright and shiny.

I just watched Invasion USA 1985 on Paramount, Directed by Joseph Zito and written by Chuck and Aaron Norris it's the tale of commies upending the peaceful wholesome United States through cunning infiltration of the nations police and other arms of the state. It's quite good fun as they tick off all the targets that are motherhood and apple pie - suburbia, shopping mall, church, funfair and school bus and at Christmas as well! :eek: Unexpectedly there's some implied critique of the state of the nation but I can't believe the Chuck-le Brothers intended it. Lots of crashing, shooting and explosions.

[Deleted User] · 28-06-2020 7:16am

Mother Night 1996 Nick Nolte is outstanding in a really intriguing flick about as US playwright married to a famous German actress who gets recruited as a spy for the US government just as the Nazi's take power. His role is radio propaganda where he sends codes messages through hateful Jewish talk.
But nobody knows he is a spy as he is off the books for the US government and he becomes a famous thought leader for the Nazi's. When the war is over and he returns to the US, he is returning essentially as a Nazi and trying to live an anonymous life.
Noltes performance here reminds me why he is one of the very best and versatile actors ever. Brilliant film.

El Gato De Negocios · 28-06-2020 1:16pm

Beverly Hills Cop

80s classic which launched Eddie Murphy onto the world stage. Still an awful lot of fun with a good story, snappy dialogue and some great stunt work. Murphy has never been better.

8/10

Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.

Awful, absolutely awful. A smorgasbord of big names cannot save this from being a painfully unfunny abomination.

0/10

Mad_maxx · 28-06-2020 3:16pm

the story of fire saga with will ferrell and rachel mcadam

about forty minutes too long

poor fare to be honest and i like will ferrell

gmisk · 28-06-2020 9:26pm

Patriot games.
It hasnt aged particularly well and some of the accents are a mess, but it's still a solid action/thriller.

fin12 · 28-06-2020 11:52pm

Would have had to watch the downtown abbey series to watch the film?

Del.Monte · 29-06-2020 8:09am

"In the Line of Duty" (2019)

On Netflix - a car crash of a movie which ticks all the boxes and none.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX5SqmEH3TE

US cop (Aaron Eckhart) is forced to shoot dead a criminal involved in a kidnapping a little girl. He spends the rest of the movie trying to find where the girl has been placed in a tank which is gradually filling with water. He is 'helped' in his search by a female internet news freelance reporter.

The plot is daft, the amount of searching, chasing and action packed into the 36 minutes that he has to find the little girl is off the scale. The remaining kidnapper appears on the scene, heavily armed and invincible to police gunfire and mows down people at will. The dialogue is cringeworthy and the ending quite surreal.

Not worthy of a rating and is right up there with the worst movies that I have ever watched - and that is saying something!

Fysh · 29-06-2020 10:57am

I caught Fanny Lye, Deliver'd as part of the Edinburgh film festival's online programme and it was pretty good; a great central performance from Maxine Peake, and Charles Dance once again doing a fine turn of Grim, Dour Git. It's more interested in character and detail than it is convoluted plot - while similar in setting and tone, it's perhaps a more down-to-earth companion to films like A Field In England or The Witch.

shrapnel222 · 29-06-2020 11:28am

fin12 wrote: »

Would have had to watch the downtown abbey series to watch the film?

To understand all the established relationships, and past storylines definitely, but the film was pretty crap anyway so not really worth the watch without having seen the series

pixelburp · 01-07-2020 1:26pm

7500 (2020)

Economical thriller in the mould of Phone Booth, Buried or Locke; stories that trap the lead in a single location & crank up the pressure. In this instance, the cockpit's cramped quarters gave that creeping sense of inescapable tension, the plot built around a hijacking happening just beyond the cockpit door. While lacking much in the way of characters or characterisation, said tension was both accelerated or maintained throughout the running time. The ending was a bit pat, but getting there was often real buttock clenching stuff.

It also reminded that Joseph Gordon-Levitt exists and apparently still acts, 'cos he has been curiously absent from any kind of production the last few years.

The Black Oil · 01-07-2020 10:36pm

pixelburp wrote: »

7500 (2020)

Economical thriller in the mould of Phone Booth, Buried or Locke; stories that trap the lead in a single location & crank up the pressure. In this instance, the cockpit's cramped quarters gave that creeping sense of inescapable tension, the plot built around a hijacking happening just beyond the cockpit door. While lacking much in the way of characters or characterisation, said tension was both accelerated or maintained throughout the running time. The ending was a bit pat, but getting there was often real buttock clenching stuff.

It also reminded that Joseph Gordon-Levitt exists and apparently still acts, 'cos he has been curiously absent from any kind of production the last few years.

Prime sent me an email about this and it raised an eyebrow when the photo showed JGL as a pilot. Still, I was hoping we'd have a pretty solid 90 minute thriller. There is an ordinariness (a strength, imo) to it, such as the exchanges between the captain and first officer before take off. Both well-briefed, know their work, routine, qualified - aspects of which us lowly passengers probably take for granted. I did enjoy the use of the camera covering the cockpit door (I'm sorry, Dave...) and the initial attack was brutal by instrument and on the human level. Did think some of the tension fizzled out later on, but apart from that I was pretty warm towards it.

Tony EH · 02-07-2020 2:11am

^
This is on my to watch list cos a friend recommended it. Sounds middle-the-roads, but decent. She said it's the kind of flick you watch, then forget, then remember a few years later and watch again.

Fysh · 03-07-2020 1:31pm

I wanted a straightforward horror film so watched Tormented from 2009 on the BBC iPlayer. It was surprisingly decent - very much a slasher in the vein of "series of teens get murdered", but the script and casting was done well so that you are intentionally cheering on the killer as they go after the collection of vapid @rseholes on display, as opposed to the kind of slasher where you're supposed to be rooting for the teens. Some fun with the effects and a couple of laugh out loud moments as well, and it doesn't outstay its welcome which is sadly becoming less common with this sort of film.

[Deleted User] · 03-07-2020 6:48pm

pixelburp wrote: »

7500 (2020)

It also reminded that Joseph Gordon-Levitt exists and apparently still acts, 'cos he has been curiously absent from any kind of production the last few years.

60 year old Hollywood Agent: “Gordie I got something for ya. Its a cheap euro disaster movie in a flight simulator. Amazon will pay ya a 100 grand. Ya gotta eat Gordie, ya gotta eat”.

This was real straight to DVD level stuff

mikemac2 · 04-07-2020 6:42pm

On the basis of sex

Starts in the college years of a Brooklynite Jewish college student Ruth Bader Ginsburg attending Harvard Law School. She was one of only nine women in a class of 500

It was a Man Men sort of world where men in sharp suits got the corporate jobs and women stayed home to bake and mind children. She became a university professor and found a case on sex discrimination that might intrigue. A man staying home was a caregiver, something just unheard of in the 1950´s and indeed still rare enough today and he got screwed over by the IRS on his taxes

Lots of legal arguments but nothing complicated. I like the ending where it transitioned to the real women herself, appointed by Bill Clinton as a supreme court justice

I liked it, 3.5 / 5

4Ad · 04-07-2020 7:23pm

Watched Dunkirk the other night, apart from the aircraft flying scenes with Tom Hardy I didn't think much.
I was nearly expecting God Save The Queen at some stage..

Harry Palmr · 04-07-2020 11:35pm

The Taking of Pelham 123 1974 Dir Joseph Sargeant

Robert Shaw leads a gang who hijack a subway train an issue a million dollar demand. Walter Matthau's mid ranking transit police officer has to handle the crisis as only he can. Still enjoyable despite multiple viewing at this stage. Peter Stone's typically witty script contains plenty of sparky moments which elevate this well above the routine along with top notch turns for the leads and David Shires thumping jazz/funk score.

Obviously do not watch the remake.

Akrasia · 04-07-2020 11:39pm

Just watched Freaks on Netflix, Jack blacks best performance in years, and that little actress that plays Chloe is the next Drew Barrymore

Strongly recommend it. Don’t look up anything about the plot before watching and it will keep you guessing

al87987 · 05-07-2020 6:09am

Akrasia wrote: »

Just watched Freaks on Netflix, Jack blacks best performance in years, and that little actress that plays Chloe is the next Drew Barrymore

Strongly recommend it. Don’t look up anything about the plot before watching and it will keep you guessing

Good film, Emile Hirsch plays the dad though not Jack Black. Although he does look like a skinnier and younger version of JB.

Dades · 06-07-2020 4:58pm

al87987 wrote: »

Although he does look like a skinnier and younger version of JB.

Especially at the end of Into the Wild. :P

Zeek12 · 06-07-2020 8:09pm

Harry Palmr wrote: »

The Taking of Pelham 123 1974 Dir Joseph Sargeant

Robert Shaw leads a gang who hijack a subway train an issue a million dollar demand. Walter Matthau's mid ranking transit police officer has to handle the crisis as only he can. Still enjoyable despite multiple viewing at this stage. Peter Stone's typically witty script contains plenty of sparky moments which elevate this well above the routine along with top notch turns for the leads and David Shires thumping jazz/funk score.

Obviously do not watch the remake.

Absolutely love this movie. Robert Shaw is outstanding as the lead hijacker.
David Shire's score is one of the best of the decade.

Great supporting cast too with Martin Balsam and Jerry Stiller involved.

[Deleted User] · 07-07-2020 8:01am

Once upon a time in America 1984 All 4 hours and 11 mins of the Extended Directors Cut.
What stands out for the first half hour of this is the authenticity, the colours and just perfection of the locations. With some really incredible shot set ups and camera work. You really feel like you are watching a piece of art.
After seeing the extended version I have no idea how they managed to cut so much off it and make a coherent film, but I suppose why thats why Leone was so upset about the result.
Sometimes it does drag a bit, but it kept my attention and the brilliant James Woods out shone De Niro, he just has so much more to him as an actor in my opinion.
The final party scene Ennio started playing the music live before they started rolling the scene, Woods just tweeted it was the best movie experience of his life.
Overall a masterpiece of work, more brutal then anything else.

JimmyVik · 07-07-2020 9:04am

shrapnel222 wrote: »

To understand all the established relationships, and past storylines definitely, but the film was pretty crap anyway so not really worth the watch without having seen the series

Just watch it with the Mrs and she'll fill you in as you watch:)

johnny_ultimate · 07-07-2020 11:43am

The Wild Bunch - the way Peckinpah shoots and edits the shootouts is a triumph. It's all rapid cuts, flailing bodies, missed targets, flying bullets. It's pure chaos in action, but anything but chaotic in terms of form. The rest of the film is a good, somewhat mournful western - but it's book-ended with two superb action sequences.

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre - Bogart's performance in this is one of the great ones from Hollywood's Golden Age. If his earlier performances often had a hard edge, here it's positively caustic. The greed that consumes his character during his quest for gold makes him an impressively cruel and unlikable protagonist. Huston calmly captures the mounting desperation in the performances. A pleasingly slow-burn, unromantic classic.

Batman Returns - Kinky as **** :pac: Loved this as a kid, revisiting it now underlines what an amusingly repugnant creature De Vito's Penguin is. Grotesque and pervy. Michelle Pfeiffer goes full-tilt too. Also great to see Tim Burton going full Tim Burton - this is arguably the sweetspot in terms of his lavish, Gothic sensibilities. The script, alas, doesn't keep up with the performances and art direction - hard to have much interest at all in Cobblepot's strange, nonsensical mayoral race. Batman / Bruce Wayne doesn't really have much to do either - this is a film that truly centres the villains. But still: a vivid live action cartoon, and god if modern superhero films had a fraction of this film's unique character they'd be a lot more tolerable.

The Tale - Tough watch. Jennifer Fox's film recounts the abuse she suffered as a child with uncommon and often startling matter-of-factness. It's raw, honest and challenging without ever demanding our sympathy. The film is made for HBO and certainly doesn't have much in the way of cinematic sparkle, although Laura Dern is unsurprisingly superb in a difficult lead role.

Raining In The Mountain - a wuxia-infused heist film that's also a calm reflection on the nature of Buddhism. Only cements my opinion of King Hu as one of the very greatest directors who ever lived - the sense of movement in this supremely engaging and unusual film is masterful.

mikemac2 · 11-07-2020 12:07pm

The Life of David Gale

Kate Winslet, Kevin Spacey, Laura Linney

A university professor and leading death penalty abolishist has his career and life destroyed by a rape allegation and is put on death row for the murder of a university colleague.

I loved this film and have watched it 4 times over a long number of years. Is on Netflix now. I read online it got terrible reviews but I think it's amazing. The soundtrack is great too and was composed by the two sons of director Alan Parker

barrymanilow · 13-07-2020 4:31pm

4Ad wrote: »

Watched Dunkirk the other night, apart from the aircraft flying scenes with Tom Hardy I didn't think much.
I was nearly expecting God Save The Queen at some stage..

I really liked that one , liked the building of tension with the sound of the time ticking down and the sequencing of the same scene from different points of view. Didn't pick up on any OTT British flag waving , it showed cowardliness and selfishness among the men on the screen as well as virtue and bravery too.I liked the portrayal of the average people coming out for the rescue attempt. It was beautifully shot and the soundtrack was spot on.

johnny_ultimate · 13-07-2020 5:05pm

First Cow - Certain Women was the point for me where Kelly Reichardt went from being a great indie filmmaker to one of the most accomplished directors working today. Her follow-up First Cow is better again, and comfortably the best new film I've seen this year (even allowing for chaotic pandemic release schedules).

Simply a film to lose yourself in for two hours. Reichardt's control of form is evident from its gorgeous first shot (returning to the 4:3 aspect ratio Meek's Cutoff, too). But for a film which is unsurprisingly quite slow and sedate (at least at first), the film grows into a sprightly beast by the mid-point. The plot is deceptively low-stakes - literally about milking a cow and baking tasty cakes - but somehow this funny, moving and genuinely tense masterpiece blooms out of it. It captures some of the best stuff from across her career: the grounded period storytelling of Meek's; the environmental concerns of Night Moves; the subtle but warm-hearted relationship drama of Wendy & Lucy / Old Joy. It's a film that interrogates the origins of modern America in understated but provocative ways, without forgetting the charming buddy drama at the centre of proceedings. Outstanding film from an outstanding filmmaker.

Strange Days - One of those rare box office bombs which is legitimately really good, actually. Kathryn Bigelow's film revels in the grime and seediness of a then near future Los Angeles. Despite it being made in 1995 and set on NYE 1999, the film is startling in how fresh it feels today. Sure, the music and mini-discs are pure mid-90s, but a story built entirely around video footage of racially-tinged police violence sadly is as relevant today as it was two and a half decades ago.

The film mostly earns its 140 minute running time, but it's pretty messy at times and I’ve a few issues with how it all wraps up (love its confetti riddled, extras heavy fake Y2K party though). Not enough to weaken the potent, sci-fi adjacent brew though. And Angela Bassett is just absolutely outstanding alongside an impressively against-type Ralph Fiennes. A twitchy, sprawling opus that's well worth digging out despite Hollywood's continued efforts to bury the damn thing (seriously - criminally unavailable on digital platforms).

Tony EH · 13-07-2020 6:38pm

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

First Cow - Certain Women was the point for me where Kelly Reichardt went from being a great indie filmmaker to one of the most accomplished directors working today. Her follow-up First Cow is better again, and comfortably the best new film I've seen this year (even allowing for chaotic pandemic release schedules).

Simply a film to lose yourself in for two hours. Reichardt's control of form is evident from its gorgeous first shot (returning to the 4:3 aspect ratio Meek's Cutoff, too). But for a film which is unsurprisingly quite slow and sedate (at least at first), the film grows into a sprightly beast by the mid-point. The plot is deceptively low-stakes - literally about milking a cow and baking tasty cakes - but somehow this funny, moving and genuinely tense masterpiece blooms out of it. It captures some of the best stuff from across her career: the grounded period storytelling of Meek's; the environmental concerns of Night Moves; the subtle but warm-hearted relationship drama of Wendy & Lucy / Old Joy. It's a film that interrogates the origins of modern America in understated but provocative ways, without forgetting the charming buddy drama at the centre of proceedings. Outstanding film from an outstanding filmmaker.

'Wendy and Lucy' was the first film I saw of hers and have since seen it a number of times. Her "slice of life" approach is very appealing and will always consider a picture of hers worth a watch simply because she's involved. Haven't seen 'First Cow' yet, but it's on the list.

The 4:3 ratio is not something I'm that enthused about however. Getting tired of film makers using it, to be honest. Doesn't nothing for me except annoy.

What have you watched recently? 3D!

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