emanymton
A cat politely sat on the flaming gardener.
Crank is an odd one. After watching it I had no idea if I actually liked it or not. Not sure if I have ever had that felling with anything else.
List the films you've seen at the cinema: 2016
- Thread starter metalguru
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A380
How do I change this 'custom title' thing then?
Just seen it, a fantastic film. A bit clunky in places to set up the main decision points but not at all one dimensional. Worth seeing at the cinema too.Eye in the Sky is pretty good. Has a similar theme to last year's Good Kill but I think this is better. Some of the characters were a bit too stereotypical but I still think it worked. Alan Rickman's last on-screen film role.
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redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
The Melbourne Cinematheque has just started showing it's Robert Altman season first up were
McCabe & Mrs Miller - if you haven't seen this yet (like me before this time) then go out and grab/buy and copy and stick it on. Absolutely fantastic, it's the story of McCabe (Warren Beatty) a would-be entrepreneur in the American west who joins forces with a madam (Julie Christie) to open a brothel, only to meet the ire of bigger forces. It's a gorgeous, haunting melancholy movie, just about perfect in every respect.
3 Women - again first time I've seen this. A very strange movie, inspired by a dream it's difficult to explain the plot but the events revolve around relationship of two women Pinky (Sissy Spacek) and Millie (Shelly Duvall). My first thought was that the dreamlike almost surreal nature of it was very un-Altman like but on second thoughts I realise that actually many of his films have that quality though not the degree of this one. Like McCabe & Mrs Miller it looks great but whereas I just loved that film I found 3 Women more interesting than enjoyable. That said I think it's definitely worth seeing to get a deeper perspective of Altman.
Next week it's California Split and Vincent & Theo (which again neither of which I've seen before)
McCabe & Mrs Miller - if you haven't seen this yet (like me before this time) then go out and grab/buy and copy and stick it on. Absolutely fantastic, it's the story of McCabe (Warren Beatty) a would-be entrepreneur in the American west who joins forces with a madam (Julie Christie) to open a brothel, only to meet the ire of bigger forces. It's a gorgeous, haunting melancholy movie, just about perfect in every respect.
3 Women - again first time I've seen this. A very strange movie, inspired by a dream it's difficult to explain the plot but the events revolve around relationship of two women Pinky (Sissy Spacek) and Millie (Shelly Duvall). My first thought was that the dreamlike almost surreal nature of it was very un-Altman like but on second thoughts I realise that actually many of his films have that quality though not the degree of this one. Like McCabe & Mrs Miller it looks great but whereas I just loved that film I found 3 Women more interesting than enjoyable. That said I think it's definitely worth seeing to get a deeper perspective of Altman.
Next week it's California Split and Vincent & Theo (which again neither of which I've seen before)
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
Arabian Nights 1: The Restless One
First part of a trilogy, each containing three stories, relating to the effects of austerity in Portugal. Funny, bizarre, a bit depressing, it certainly keeps you watching. We've got part 2 on mayday and part 3 on May 8 - I think I'm very glad that we're doing it that way, not all in one sitting, as various places are (or will be) showing it, I think that would do me head in.
First part of a trilogy, each containing three stories, relating to the effects of austerity in Portugal. Funny, bizarre, a bit depressing, it certainly keeps you watching. We've got part 2 on mayday and part 3 on May 8 - I think I'm very glad that we're doing it that way, not all in one sitting, as various places are (or will be) showing it, I think that would do me head in.
imposs1904
Thread Killa'
Richard Linklater's Everybody Wants Some!!
Loved it.
Loved it.
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
Rams - Icelandic film about two brothers both shepherds who haven't talked to each other in 40 years and what happens to their relationship after scrapies is found in their flocks. It won the Certain Regard prize at Cannes in 2015 and it's easy to see why, it's an excellent piece of film-making. There's a wonderful dry humour to it as well, the film doesn't overplay anything. Excellent intelligent, subtle film-making
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
Ma Ma - latest film by Julio Medem (Vacas, The Red Squirrel, Sex and Lucia) starring Penelope Cruz as a woman who develops breast cancer and how she affects those she meets. If you're looking for a realistic portrayal of someone dealing with cancer this isn't it. There's always been a unreal fantastical element to Medem's films but whereas in earlier work it was more dreamlike here it's more like the melodrama of Almodóvar. I'm a huge fan of Medem's early work but I thought his previous film Room in Rome was mediocre (at best). Ma Ma has it's flaws, it's an unapologetical sentimental film, but it just about gets away with it, but there are some funny parts and Cruz is good in the lead. Even so I hope Medem returns to something closer to his earlier work next, teaming up with Emma Suarez might be good.
oneflewover
Following "The Tigers"
Yeah, absolutely. Hooked all the way through.
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
A hefty week of cinema going, with mixed but overwhelmingly pleasant consequences...
Miles Ahead - which I enjoyed, but is almost entirely worthless if you want to learn anything about the life of Miles Davis. Don Cheadle is superb as the man, and it's great that he didn't try and do a straight biopic, but went for a movie that captured Miles' spirit, a movie that he'd have liked to have appeared in. Ultimately, rather more Kiss in the Attack of the Phantoms than Bird, with all the strengths and weaknesses that implies.
West Side Story - the second best musical ever, according to most polls, and shown in Sheffield's oldest, gorgeousest, cinema. The first half really is great. Riff is rather too reminiscent of William Shatner, but the songs are so bloody good, I can overlook that. The second half is a bit duller tho, only two vaguely decent songs - and one of them is I Feel Pretty. It is surprising, tho, that I thought I'd seen it lots, but I had actually forgotten precisely how it ended.
Arabian Nights Volume 2: The Desolate One. A much more immediately accessible film than part 1, I thought. One that you really have to be in the right mood for,tho, with it's rambling mix of genre, character and tone - all of which is beautifully shot. I think the whole thing might work better as hour or so long segments on TV over a week, rather than as the three movies, but I am really glad I am making myself see it.
Miles Ahead - which I enjoyed, but is almost entirely worthless if you want to learn anything about the life of Miles Davis. Don Cheadle is superb as the man, and it's great that he didn't try and do a straight biopic, but went for a movie that captured Miles' spirit, a movie that he'd have liked to have appeared in. Ultimately, rather more Kiss in the Attack of the Phantoms than Bird, with all the strengths and weaknesses that implies.
West Side Story - the second best musical ever, according to most polls, and shown in Sheffield's oldest, gorgeousest, cinema. The first half really is great. Riff is rather too reminiscent of William Shatner, but the songs are so bloody good, I can overlook that. The second half is a bit duller tho, only two vaguely decent songs - and one of them is I Feel Pretty. It is surprising, tho, that I thought I'd seen it lots, but I had actually forgotten precisely how it ended.
Arabian Nights Volume 2: The Desolate One. A much more immediately accessible film than part 1, I thought. One that you really have to be in the right mood for,tho, with it's rambling mix of genre, character and tone - all of which is beautifully shot. I think the whole thing might work better as hour or so long segments on TV over a week, rather than as the three movies, but I am really glad I am making myself see it.
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
Arabian Nights Volume 3: The Enchanted One
The final part of Gomes' trilogy, and one where Scheherazade actually gets to appear in a tale. And a very funny tale it is too, with Elvis the bandit, and the absurd Paddleman. It's probably the best looking part of a gorgeously shot film - beautiful people and locations - and starts to bring the (rambling, mindboggling) film into some kind of focus, a focus that is both clarified then blurred with the very long segment “The Inebriating Chorus of the Chaffinches” - all about unemployed Portuguese who start to train chaffinches to sing in intense contests, during which people and birds may die. There are some great bits in there - the power of stories/songs, the tragedy of when they are lost to the world, plus a bit about men's obsessions - but it really does go on. There is a third story, Hot Forest, about a Chinese immigrant and her less than marvelous time in the country, which is interesting,but then ends and switches back to the bloody chaffinches. It's a real shame as, even tho I can see the point being made, he had made it at least twenty minutes earlier. Still there's a great version of Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft to finish on.
The audience seemed to have drifted away over the three films. When I booked, there were about a dozen seats taken, but when we actually turned up, there was only another two people in the cinema. I reckon it would probably have worked better as six hour or so long TV movies shown over a week, that would have been quite compelling.
The final part of Gomes' trilogy, and one where Scheherazade actually gets to appear in a tale. And a very funny tale it is too, with Elvis the bandit, and the absurd Paddleman. It's probably the best looking part of a gorgeously shot film - beautiful people and locations - and starts to bring the (rambling, mindboggling) film into some kind of focus, a focus that is both clarified then blurred with the very long segment “The Inebriating Chorus of the Chaffinches” - all about unemployed Portuguese who start to train chaffinches to sing in intense contests, during which people and birds may die. There are some great bits in there - the power of stories/songs, the tragedy of when they are lost to the world, plus a bit about men's obsessions - but it really does go on. There is a third story, Hot Forest, about a Chinese immigrant and her less than marvelous time in the country, which is interesting,but then ends and switches back to the bloody chaffinches. It's a real shame as, even tho I can see the point being made, he had made it at least twenty minutes earlier. Still there's a great version of Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft to finish on.
The audience seemed to have drifted away over the three films. When I booked, there were about a dozen seats taken, but when we actually turned up, there was only another two people in the cinema. I reckon it would probably have worked better as six hour or so long TV movies shown over a week, that would have been quite compelling.
Son of Saul. Disorientating, confusing, a vision of a particular type of hell. A hard watch as expected.
For a bit of light relief, a double bill of All About Eve and Sullivan's Travels. I am really liking the Regent St Cinema but wonder if it's economically sustainable. There were about 15 people there for the first film and fewer for the second and this was on a Sunday afternoon. (Okay, it was a nice day but still seemed a bit on the low side.)
For a bit of light relief, a double bill of All About Eve and Sullivan's Travels. I am really liking the Regent St Cinema but wonder if it's economically sustainable. There were about 15 people there for the first film and fewer for the second and this was on a Sunday afternoon. (Okay, it was a nice day but still seemed a bit on the low side.)
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
Mustang
Turkish drama about five sisters having a shit time in a conservative society. The first half seemed quite like a seventies set British comedy, with a much better soundtrack (no great surprise to see it was by Warren Ellis). But then things take a turn for the dark. Impressive and powerful stuff.
Turkish drama about five sisters having a shit time in a conservative society. The first half seemed quite like a seventies set British comedy, with a much better soundtrack (no great surprise to see it was by Warren Ellis). But then things take a turn for the dark. Impressive and powerful stuff.
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
Comes out here in a few weeks, one time when the trailers actually encouraged me to see a film.
neonwilderness
What would Badgers do?
Sleaford Mods - Invisible Britain
Everybody Wants Some!! Didn't know anything about this apart apart from the director being Richard Linklater and that it was set in an American college in the 80s.
If I'd known it was about a bunch of baseball players living in the equivalent of a frat house, I probably wouldn't have bothered. The 80s stuff was nicely captured but God, it was boring. There's only so much of 'bunch of young guys get pissed, try and pick up women and act like tossers' I can take (and, to be honest, that's not very much). An elderly couple behind me walked about halfway through and I kind of wish I'd joined them.
If I'd known it was about a bunch of baseball players living in the equivalent of a frat house, I probably wouldn't have bothered. The 80s stuff was nicely captured but God, it was boring. There's only so much of 'bunch of young guys get pissed, try and pick up women and act like tossers' I can take (and, to be honest, that's not very much). An elderly couple behind me walked about halfway through and I kind of wish I'd joined them.
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
A weekend of fairly lightweight cinema going to indulge Mrs b's need for drama you don't need to think about before/after completing a half marathon:
The Jungle Book - had to have my arm severely twisted for this one, but it was far more entertaining than expected. The jungle looked bloody fantastic, as did most of the animals. Good jobs from Bill Murray & Christopher Walken, less so Idris. All worked pretty well, except...animals talking in a cartoon, fine. But 'real' animals doing so? Just looks wrong and (rather absurdly, I know) just creates a big disconnect for me.
X Men Apocalypse - easily the least impressive of the First Class trilogy. Nightcrawler a decent addition, Quicksilver still good, Sansa rather rubbish. Decent final fight.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot - we like Tina Fey here, so will give a very averagely reviewed film of hers a shot, even if she sounds a grossly implausible afghan war reporter. The film starts poorly, and it looks like it might be a long 100 minutes. This is not least due to another dubious performance from Margot Robbie, I don't get her supposed attraction. Or rather, I suspect I do, but there must be more to it than that. Anyway, other people are good, especially Billy Bob Thornton, it's not too gung ho, support our troops, nonsense. There's one good scene where Tina sneaks off with some 'ikea bagged' women who give a surprising insight into their lives. Sadly it's the one and only such scene. Worst thing about it is that there are only two significant afghan roles in it, played (perfectly well) by Alfred Molina and Christopher Abbott. Cos there isn't one vaguely asiany actor that they could possibly have cast.
The Jungle Book - had to have my arm severely twisted for this one, but it was far more entertaining than expected. The jungle looked bloody fantastic, as did most of the animals. Good jobs from Bill Murray & Christopher Walken, less so Idris. All worked pretty well, except...animals talking in a cartoon, fine. But 'real' animals doing so? Just looks wrong and (rather absurdly, I know) just creates a big disconnect for me.
X Men Apocalypse - easily the least impressive of the First Class trilogy. Nightcrawler a decent addition, Quicksilver still good, Sansa rather rubbish. Decent final fight.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot - we like Tina Fey here, so will give a very averagely reviewed film of hers a shot, even if she sounds a grossly implausible afghan war reporter. The film starts poorly, and it looks like it might be a long 100 minutes. This is not least due to another dubious performance from Margot Robbie, I don't get her supposed attraction. Or rather, I suspect I do, but there must be more to it than that. Anyway, other people are good, especially Billy Bob Thornton, it's not too gung ho, support our troops, nonsense. There's one good scene where Tina sneaks off with some 'ikea bagged' women who give a surprising insight into their lives. Sadly it's the one and only such scene. Worst thing about it is that there are only two significant afghan roles in it, played (perfectly well) by Alfred Molina and Christopher Abbott. Cos there isn't one vaguely asiany actor that they could possibly have cast.
This ^. Thought it was excellent, if depressing.
Plumdaff
joy in people
Zootropolis
This engaged both me and the four year old throughout. It was much better than I'd anticipated, with genuinely funny nods to the adult audience that were better than the norm for a family film, looked stunning, was genuinely a bit (not too) scary in parts and managed to deliver its message without being heavy handed or twee.
This engaged both me and the four year old throughout. It was much better than I'd anticipated, with genuinely funny nods to the adult audience that were better than the norm for a family film, looked stunning, was genuinely a bit (not too) scary in parts and managed to deliver its message without being heavy handed or twee.
Redeyes
Ptooff!
Went to see it last week, had seen it before last November at the Leeds film festival but it was on at about 2am and I was a few sheets to the wind. "Tense as fuck" was my thoughts from back then and I stick with that now I've seen it sober.
Nanker Phelge
Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.
Sing Street. An 80s dublin set, feelgood, coming of age flick with a little streak of bleak running through it. About a kid who starts a band to get the girl and bide his time while his family falls apart. It was fluff, but good fluff......although it could have done without yet another skinhead stereotype...
Money Monster. George Clooney plays sleazeball TV presenter taken hostage by Jack O'Connell (who's keeping pretty stellar company these days). Nice performances and good chemistry between Julia Roberts and Clooney. Zips along entertainingly (if not completely plausibly) enough.
Was a bit concerned it was about to go all schmaltzy in the middle but it didn't.
Was a bit concerned it was about to go all schmaltzy in the middle but it didn't.
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redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
I've seen quite of bit of stuff over the last month
Midnight Special - I agree with U75 consensus on this, excellent. Proper smart scifi actually telling a moving story rather than just shooting lasers. In addition to Shannon's performance both Dunst and Joel Egerton are good too. After Take Shelter and Mud Jeff Nichols is becoming one of my favourite directors.
Mad Max and Mad Max 2 - the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) had a Mad Max season to celebrate the success of Thunder Road so I got to see these on the big screen. It's been some time since I've seen either and it was nice to be reminded that they were good films. Barring the odd clunky moment both films rise above the obvious budget limitations they had.
Courted - Interesting French film starring Fabrice Luchini (even if you don't recognise the name you might recognise the face) as a judge overseeing a complex criminal trial while a former acquittance who he holds a torch for is on the jury, played by Sidse Knudsen from Borgen and The Duke of Burgundy. The blend of court drama and romance is intriguing and works well and it's interesting seeing the differences between the British and French court systems. Worthwhile going to see if it's showing near you.
The Green Room - Decent enough thriller with a band getting stuck in showdown with a bunch of neo-Nazi's (led by Patrick Stewart) in the middle of nowhere. Nicely nasty in parts it's nothing special but it does what it does well.
I've also been to see a load of films in the GB retrospective season
Whisky Galore - Actually the first time I've ever seen it. Not quite in the league of the very best Ealing films but still wonderful, and considering it's based on work from that moron Mackenzie that's no mean feat.
Hobson's Choice - Lesser known David Lean from the 1954, it's all pretty unremarkable to be honest, Charles Laughton just about manages to raise it above the average but I certainly would not put it among Lean's best work.
A Matter of Life and Death and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - I don't really know what I can say about either of these films that hasn't been said before. Both absolutely magnificent, gorgeous, moving, intelligent, full of wonderful performances and absolute classics if you haven't seen them then make sure you do.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople - the latest film from Taika Waititi (Boy and What We Do In The Shadows, of which I know both Reno and butchersapron are fans). The plot has Sam Neill ending up the surrogate family for a kid (a bad egg) from care and both of them going on the run in the New Zealand bush. Some really funny moments as well as some nice shout out to classic films (I'm sure one scene is a call out to McCabe and Mrs Miller). Definitely worth going to see.
And most recently the ACMI are having a Scorsese retrospective so I saw
Raging Bull - for whatever reason I've never got around to watching this so it was great to see it for the first time in a proper cinema. Again not a lot to say that hasn't been said many times before, it's fantastic, probably both Scorsese's best and my favourite of his films.
New York, New York - again my first time viewing. Far, far better than the detractors would have believe. Minnelli is good not letting De Niro overshadow her. Not Scorsese's finest work but I really interesting film with enough highlight of it's own that it deserves to be better know.
Midnight Special - I agree with U75 consensus on this, excellent. Proper smart scifi actually telling a moving story rather than just shooting lasers. In addition to Shannon's performance both Dunst and Joel Egerton are good too. After Take Shelter and Mud Jeff Nichols is becoming one of my favourite directors.
Mad Max and Mad Max 2 - the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) had a Mad Max season to celebrate the success of Thunder Road so I got to see these on the big screen. It's been some time since I've seen either and it was nice to be reminded that they were good films. Barring the odd clunky moment both films rise above the obvious budget limitations they had.
Courted - Interesting French film starring Fabrice Luchini (even if you don't recognise the name you might recognise the face) as a judge overseeing a complex criminal trial while a former acquittance who he holds a torch for is on the jury, played by Sidse Knudsen from Borgen and The Duke of Burgundy. The blend of court drama and romance is intriguing and works well and it's interesting seeing the differences between the British and French court systems. Worthwhile going to see if it's showing near you.
The Green Room - Decent enough thriller with a band getting stuck in showdown with a bunch of neo-Nazi's (led by Patrick Stewart) in the middle of nowhere. Nicely nasty in parts it's nothing special but it does what it does well.
I've also been to see a load of films in the GB retrospective season
Whisky Galore - Actually the first time I've ever seen it. Not quite in the league of the very best Ealing films but still wonderful, and considering it's based on work from that moron Mackenzie that's no mean feat.
Hobson's Choice - Lesser known David Lean from the 1954, it's all pretty unremarkable to be honest, Charles Laughton just about manages to raise it above the average but I certainly would not put it among Lean's best work.
A Matter of Life and Death and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - I don't really know what I can say about either of these films that hasn't been said before. Both absolutely magnificent, gorgeous, moving, intelligent, full of wonderful performances and absolute classics if you haven't seen them then make sure you do.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople - the latest film from Taika Waititi (Boy and What We Do In The Shadows, of which I know both Reno and butchersapron are fans). The plot has Sam Neill ending up the surrogate family for a kid (a bad egg) from care and both of them going on the run in the New Zealand bush. Some really funny moments as well as some nice shout out to classic films (I'm sure one scene is a call out to McCabe and Mrs Miller). Definitely worth going to see.
And most recently the ACMI are having a Scorsese retrospective so I saw
Raging Bull - for whatever reason I've never got around to watching this so it was great to see it for the first time in a proper cinema. Again not a lot to say that hasn't been said many times before, it's fantastic, probably both Scorsese's best and my favourite of his films.
New York, New York - again my first time viewing. Far, far better than the detractors would have believe. Minnelli is good not letting De Niro overshadow her. Not Scorsese's finest work but I really interesting film with enough highlight of it's own that it deserves to be better know.
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