Episodes 3 to 7 inclusive. House of Cards season 2. Cracking stuff. Will finish it tomorrow evening.
What DVD / Video did you watch last night? (pt3)
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trabuquera
Modesty Bag
THE GRANDMASTER - yet another retelling of the life of martial arts near-legend Ip Man, but because it's directed by Wong Kar-Wai it's a lot artier and more highbrow than the previous versions starring Donnie Yen or Dennis To. It's also an infinitely better film than the other versions - dreamy and sensual and dramatic. It looks AMAZING, has clothes and decor and music to die for, and stars the heartbreakingly goodlooking Tony Leung and Zhang Ziyi (you know, him out of "Happy Together" and "In the Mood for Love" and her the minxy one out of House of Flying Daggers etc.) It's much more of a character study than previous versions of the story, the real heart of it is human drama and dilemmas about loyalty, tradition, revenge and so on, and there's much less flagwaving Jap-hating WW2 propaganda to it than the other films about Ip. Best of all, the actual fighting is choreographed by Yuen Woo Ping so it's absolutely quality smackdowns all the way, with some genius demonstrations of the regional variations in style and wirework which actually beefs up the character and drama content rather than just making things go whooshing about a lot.
Can't give it enough stars - highly highly HIGHLY recommended. And I don't normally get on with Wong Kar Wai because it's too arty for me. But this is just utterly terrific.
Can't give it enough stars - highly highly HIGHLY recommended. And I don't normally get on with Wong Kar Wai because it's too arty for me. But this is just utterly terrific.
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
That was one of the few false notes for me, the behaviour of the school just didn't ring true at all.
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
I did spend quite a bit of the first half hour thinking 'wtf is your child protection policy like?' - but I really have no idea what Denmark's policy is like. And even then, it's not 'the school', it's one human being. And after hearing the kids' tale (particularly the line she picked up from her bro), then who could blame her for just believing the girl? It all sounded so real. Which was the thing, I think,for me - the verisimilitude of it, pretty much note perfect.
(I hope the above is sufficiently confusing to anyone who hasn't seen the film, it all happens in the first fifteen mins, so no major spoilers!)
(I hope the above is sufficiently confusing to anyone who hasn't seen the film, it all happens in the first fifteen mins, so no major spoilers!)
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
The Great Beauty.
I was trepidatious going in to this as i feared it would be the ultimate oscar bait, style over substance, homage to Fellini. And it isn't a mile off, but as soon as he started his interview with Talia Concept, I was hooked. Utterly sumptuous and recalling every classic Italian movie you can think of, it's not really original or deeply insightful, a Dolce Vita +50, and it is an incredibly male view, but...just wow. I need to go and see it at the cinema.
I was trepidatious going in to this as i feared it would be the ultimate oscar bait, style over substance, homage to Fellini. And it isn't a mile off, but as soon as he started his interview with Talia Concept, I was hooked. Utterly sumptuous and recalling every classic Italian movie you can think of, it's not really original or deeply insightful, a Dolce Vita +50, and it is an incredibly male view, but...just wow. I need to go and see it at the cinema.
Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
Finished season 2 of House of Cards.
I wonder if people in Washington actually have that kind of sex?
Good; but not as good as season 1; and not as good as the British version.
I wonder if people in Washington actually have that kind of sex?
Good; but not as good as season 1; and not as good as the British version.
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
Nebraska
Absolutely brilliant, had me laughing throughout, best script I've heard/seen of the last year. Top notch performances (tho I wish Bruce had been even better, so he'd grab a much deserved Oscar, but this aint quite up there, I don't think).
It's interesting watching it so soon after Philomena, which is very similar in many ways (odd couple on a roadtrip come quest, both oldies rather befuddled and bemused by much of the big wide world). I do wonder if Dern's character is actually a bit of a cliche, like Dench's was, but that because it's one I'm much less familiar with, it didn't bother me.
Absolutely brilliant, had me laughing throughout, best script I've heard/seen of the last year. Top notch performances (tho I wish Bruce had been even better, so he'd grab a much deserved Oscar, but this aint quite up there, I don't think).
It's interesting watching it so soon after Philomena, which is very similar in many ways (odd couple on a roadtrip come quest, both oldies rather befuddled and bemused by much of the big wide world). I do wonder if Dern's character is actually a bit of a cliche, like Dench's was, but that because it's one I'm much less familiar with, it didn't bother me.
I loved Nebraska and hope it sweeps the board at the Oscars.
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
It Always Rains on Sunday
1947 film directed by Robert Hamer and set in post-war London. This was a very enjoyable mix of almost kitchen sink style domestic drama and noirish crime thriller, and although I found the climax of the film (and its most thriller-like sequence) to be a bit of an abrupt departure from most of the rest it still worked well on the whole. Generally good performances from the cast, particularly Googie Withers in the lead role (despite the odd dodgy accent) and filmed in excellent black & white photography by Douglas Slocombe. Very good film.
1947 film directed by Robert Hamer and set in post-war London. This was a very enjoyable mix of almost kitchen sink style domestic drama and noirish crime thriller, and although I found the climax of the film (and its most thriller-like sequence) to be a bit of an abrupt departure from most of the rest it still worked well on the whole. Generally good performances from the cast, particularly Googie Withers in the lead role (despite the odd dodgy accent) and filmed in excellent black & white photography by Douglas Slocombe. Very good film.
Yetman
Cheesecar Fucksquad #1
rekil
to menny cranks
Cautiva - A teenage girl in 90s Argentina gets taken out of her swanky school and told by a federal judge that her parents are not her real ones. Barring a few creaky bits like the dream sequence and symbolism so heavyhanded even an eejit like me can spot it no bother, it's a straightforward depiction of the shocks and emotional travails the children of the disappeared undergo when confronted with the reality of their identities.
First episode of True Detective. It's very good.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2356777/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2356777/
Voley
🐀
Pain And Gain which is sadly neither as brilliant or execrable as people make out. Just fairly crap. Some laughs but not many.
Over the weekend saw Alpha Papa which was ace. The Ski Sunday bit (I shall say no more than that so as not to ruin it) had me killing myself laughing.
Started on Ghost Dog last night which is enjoyably fucking weird. The Mafioso quoting Flavor Flav has been my favourite bit so far.
Over the weekend saw Alpha Papa which was ace. The Ski Sunday bit (I shall say no more than that so as not to ruin it) had me killing myself laughing.
Started on Ghost Dog last night which is enjoyably fucking weird. The Mafioso quoting Flavor Flav has been my favourite bit so far.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
Sell out.
Voley
🐀
I'm a don'ter.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
I think i'm going to do be a doer again tonight. God i love that film.
I'm up to date with it now (episode 7), best thing i have seen in some time. Matthew McConaughey is outstanding, Woody Harrelson's hair piece leaves a bit to be desired and he reminds me of Charles Kennedy. Other than that it is brilliant, love the theme tune must hunt it down.
Virtual Blue
ready
In what way is it better than Donnie Yen's Ip Man?
To me, the first Ip Man is almost a perfect martial arts movie.
trabuquera
Modesty Bag
It's better in the ways I already pointed out:
Better (more psychologically realist) acting and scripting with some sense of the characters as human beings - the Donnie Yen film is fine but you have to admit it's a bit cardboardy and the stereotypes of foreigners in particular are laughably stilted
Less Japan-hating propaganda
Less cheesy "and then the people mobilised to defend themselves" xenophobia and cliche
Better cinematography (and better clothes)
Look - all 3 (or is it 5?) films on this theme I've seen have had fine fighting and each had their own strengths - and was worth watching. There are so many aspects and dramatic moments of Ip Man's life that I am sure you could make dozens and dozens of movies about his life and several of them would be good. But to me, The Grandmaster is just a finer product - it might not be a straight-ahead "martial arts movie" but I can't think that is a bad thing. (And I love martial arts movies.)
Virtual Blue
ready
cool! i will watch it. just wanted to know how you thought it was better than the original Ip Man - the final fights in that were tremendous, probably the best (since Donnie Yen/ Sammo in SPL) but as a story, yeah it lacked substance.
Virtual Blue
ready
Hannibal - Season 2 episode 1. Great, best TV since GoT/ Breaking Bad.
Yetman
Cheesecar Fucksquad #1
Oo has this just started again on Sky then? It's the only thing I use Sky for. I even download GOT cos it's HD rather than Sky's shitty SD.
Virtual Blue
ready
I have no clue.
I downloaded episode 1 via torrent.
Funnily I saw that "this is my design" bloke on Ella Enchanted - must say,he's improved alot.
And what's the fuss with True Detective?
I'm half way through episode 1 and there's a dead girl with an antlers helmet...more fuckin' antlers
HBO are masters at theme tunes, not quite at Terry and June levels but outstanding all the same. Once the white noise ends and the music starts, i'm willingly being groomed to an hours guilty pleasure.
EDIT: the original, Far from any road by The Handsome Family
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
I have no clue.
I downloaded episode 1 via torrent.
Funnily I saw that "this is my design" bloke on Ella Enchanted - must say,he's improved alot.
And what's the fuss with True Detective?
I'm half way through episode 1 and there's a dead girl with an antlers helmet...more fuckin' antlers
keep with it, it kicks in by ep 2-3. Typical hbo
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
Handsome Family, Far From Any Road. Fine stuff.
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