What DVD / Video did you watch last night? (pt3)

[trabuquera]

Forget Me Not (2010) - cringemakingly gauche and embarrassing 'rom com with an added element of early-onset dementia for pulling those heartstrings', set in London. Only watched it for star Tobias Menzies (who I'd watch avidly if he were in a PPI compensation commercial, to be honest) ... which is just as well because the script is dire and trite, the leading lady is plastic in the bits where she's not wooden, and it's just not funny or weird or witty or sexy enough to really work as a romcom. PLUS, it's full of bizarre non-Londony scenarios with no real sense of place, its minor characters are all wrong and worst of all - it contains earnest heartfelt busking and a scene set in a silent disco. And yes, almost inevitably, they snog in a pod in the London Eye. It's not trash - it's earnest and sort of not-commercial - but it's a big fat miss.

 

[The Boy]

Bridesmaids (2011). Rom-com effort by he who is responsible for delivering the new Ghostbusters. The other half was in the mood for something fluffy and funny, and I laughed like a cunt at The Heat (which was also directed by Paul Feig) so was happy to give this a shot. Decent enough for what it is, though Chris O'Dowd annoyed the shit out of me for reasons I can't quite figure out. Especially since half the characters were - as is to be expected in a rom-com - utterly contemptible human beings.

 

[Reno]

Bridesmaids (2011). Rom-com effort by he who is responsible for delivering the new Ghostbusters. The other half was in the mood for something fluffy and funny, and I laughed like a cunt at The Heat (which was also directed by Paul Feig) so was happy to give this a shot. Decent enough for what it is, though Chris O'Dowd annoyed the shit out of me for reasons I can't quite figure out. Especially since half the characters were - as is to be expected in a rom-com - utterly contemptible human beings.

I don't think Bridesmaids is a "romcom" as the romantic angle is a subplot which takes a backseat to the relationship between the women and their (mis)adventures. The humour is also far more raucous than a that of a romcom. This is the female version of a gross out comedy like The Hangover. That too has a romantic subplot, but nobody ever called that a romcom because it's about men.

 

[The Boy]

the female version of...The Hangover.

Funnily enough, I was going to use that very sentence. But then I'm also the someone who does call* The Hangover a rom-com.

edit: possibly archly, and a little bit sneeringly.

 

[DotCommunist]

I watched the most recent Punisher filmas Daredevil comes out tomorrow and the roster of eebil (or morally ambiguos) contains the Punisher. Which btw, if you want a character nickname that sounds like some sort of Dom, go with that.

it was a bit poor tbf. This fellas deal is that he's a bit tasty, his family got massacred and now he's just going to kill the bad people. I like a revenge/action flick as much as the next man but I'm left wondering whats the point of having this in marvelverse? I've seen the same story done a million times and often far better.

also, was the writer sieg heiling as he penned this line?

 

[Maharani]

Just went to see Ben Wheatley's latest 'high rise'. Was very good. I love his dark comedy style. The score was also incredible.

 

[ringo]

Just went to see Ben Wheatley's latest 'high rise'. Was very good. I love his dark comedy style. The score was also incredible.

The book's great, hoping the film lives up to it. Looks great from the trailer.

 

[Idris2002]

American Ultra.

A bit of fun, though I can't say I cared much for the supporting character who was a wigger, nor for his liberal use of the n-word.

My favourite thing about it is that it was only 90 minutes long, which is probably the ideal length for a movie.

 

[DotCommunist]

American Ultra.

A bit of fun, though I can't say I cared much for the supporting character who was a wigger, nor for his liberal use of the n-word.

My favourite thing about it is that it was only 90 minutes long, which is probably the ideal length for a movie.

themes of getting high too much and being unable to leave your small town resonated with me. The CIA girlfriend not so much

 

[marty21]

Green Street : Stand Your Ground

Hammer Hooligans in prison, up against Chelsea fans , then Millwall fans after a ruck in the first prison - Millwall fans rule the 2nd prison as they have a corrupt Prison Warden on their side - but a good prison warden is on their side and helps them out - they eventually have to play a game of football for their freedom - and win despite the Millwall firm kidnapping a girlfriend, so after initially throwing this crucial match, A Russian fixer is able to arrange a rescue, and they romp to victory and FREEDOM!

I watched it, so you don't have to

truly awful

 

[Idris2002]

themes of getting high too much and being unable to leave your small town resonated with me. The CIA girlfriend not so much

Your girlfriend was FSB, if memory serves.

 

[Virtual Blue]

SPL 2 - has no link to the original SPL series. Film was a headfuck - moral dilemmas throughout and the martial arts was as crude (and cool) as The Raid 1 and 2. Excellent shit.

 

[Virtual Blue]

Green Street : Stand Your Ground

Hammer Hooligans in prison, up against Chelsea fans , then Millwall fans after a ruck in the first prison - Millwall fans rule the 2nd prison as they have a corrupt Prison Warden on their side - but a good prison warden is on their side and helps them out - they eventually have to play a game of football for their freedom - and win despite the Millwall firm kidnapping a girlfriend, so after throwing this crucial match, A Russian fixer is able to arrange a rescue.

I watched it, so you don't have to

truly awful

Film deserved an oscar tbh...

 

[Sue]

The book's great, hoping the film lives up to it. Looks great from the trailer.

Was going to re-read the book before going to see this. Can't find it anywhere so assume I must've lent it to someone.

 

[Nine Bob Note]

City of God
Excellent stuff. Would've liked the film to stay in the 60s for a bit longer, which I guess probably means I missed the point of the film

 

[Idris2002]

Coconut Hero

Canada /Germany coproduction. At first it seems like a product of the Northern Exposure school of quirk, set as it is in a small north Ontario town. It turns out to be darker than that, though the dark themes are handled lightly.

The hero is a Canadian teenager called Mike Tyson - see what I mean about quirk? The dark themes are marriage break up, suicidal ideation and the deadly consequences of selfish codology.

 

[pesh]

Just went to see Ben Wheatley's latest 'high rise'. Was very good. I love his dark comedy style. The score was also incredible.

loved it. Portishead's cover of SOS was a nice touch as well.

 

[Maharani]

loved it. Portishead's cover of SOS was a nice touch as well.

Agreed.

 

[Reno]

I watched Under the Skin for the second time, had not watched it since it came out. I think it's an absolute masterpiece and it's now my favourite film of the last five years. When I watched it the first time I still had the novel by Michael Faber in my head and I couldn't help comparing how different the film is. Loved the novel but it's an entirely different thing. The film catches some of its tone, while throwing out most of the plot and while the book is one of ideas as much as of atmosphere, the film works almost entirely on an emotional level. It conveys a sense of profound loneliness which is unlike anything I've seen. The idea of showing humanity though the eyes of an alien life form is perfectly realised and it's very unsettling. The film is full of incredible images/impressions and the jittery, pulsing score is one of the most powerful in recent memory. I think Jonathan Glazer is the best British director currently working. Unfortunately his films are not commercial enough for him to get funding, so I'll probably have to wait another decade for the next one.

 

[Nine Bob Note]

Bladerunner

First time I've ever made it all the way through. Just don't get what's so great about it Why does HF's apartment look like a spaceship?

 

[Maharani]

I've just started Bates Motel. It's actually pretty ok.

 

[Reno]

Bladerunner

First time I've ever made it all the way through. Just don't get what's so great about it Why does HF's apartment look like a spaceship?

I don't think the apartment looks like a space ship, it has modular elements which go with the overall design aesthetic for the film, which was that everything would be retro-fitted. That meant not much new would be built in the future (earth being left to the less well off while the rich populated "off world") and existing buildings would be added to and adapted for current purpose.

 

[Reno]

....

 

[Nanker Phelge]

Beyond the Reach. Cat and mouse shenanigans in the Mojave desert as Michael Douglas does Gecko with a gun in a far fetched, but mildly entertaining, hunter vs prey thriller...

 

[Chz]

I watched Under the Skin for the second time, had not watched it since it came out. I think it's an absolute masterpiece and it's now my favourite film of the last five years. When I watched it the first time I still had the novel by Michael Faber in my head and I couldn't help comparing how different the film is. Loved the novel but it's an entirely different thing. The film catches some of its tone, while throwing out most of the plot and while the book is one of ideas as much as of atmosphere, the film works almost entirely on an emotional level. It conveys a sense of profound loneliness which is unlike anything I've seen. The idea of showing humanity though the eyes of an alien life form is perfectly realised and it's very unsettling. The film is full of incredible images/impressions and the jittery, pulsing score is one of the most powerful in recent memory. I think Jonathan Glazer is the best British director currently working. Unfortunately his films are not commercial enough for him to get funding, so I'll probably have to wait another decade for the next one.

I've noticed that most of the people I've spoken to who liked it have read the book. I still think it looks like what you'd get if you gave someone pursuing a B.FA in film a big budget and a Hollywood star to do their 3rd year project. It came off schmaltzy, rather than deep.

 

[krtek a houby]

"Marvellous" with Toby Jones. He really is one of the best actors around.

 

[Reno]

I've noticed that most of the people I've spoken to who liked it have read the book. I still think it looks like what you'd get if you gave someone pursuing a B.FA in film a big budget and a Hollywood star to do their 3rd year project. It came off schmaltzy, rather than deep.

Most of the predominantly enthuseastic reviews were by critics who had not read the book. In fact as I wrote above, having read the book initially made me not take to the film as much as I did the second time, because it deliberately is far from a faithful adaptation. I had to be able to put the book out of my mind to truly enjoy it.

How a film this emotionally remote and stark can be described as "schaltzy" is beyond me. Every film which pursues more avant grade aesthetics gets the accusation labelled at it that it's like a film school project by its detractors. Boring.

 

[Idris2002]

Spectre.

What was missing in this, as in all the Craig era bonds, was a sense of fun.

Shocking.

 

[magneze]

Lone Survivor. Reasonable war film, quite watchable.

 

[Chz]

How a film this emotionally remote and stark can be described as "schaltzy" is beyond me. Every film which pursues more avant grade aesthetics gets the accusation labelled at it that it's like a film school project by its detractors. Boring.

That it was, I agree there.
I can certainly understand how people like it (it's not "beyond me"), I just happen to disagree. The film very publicly divides opinion. It's not worth having a snit over. The reason I brought up the book (and my experience was contrary - almost all of the positive reviews I read were from people who'd read the book) is because I was hoping to glean something more about why some people like it so much. I was kind of hoping you'd explain something more about it.