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

[andy2002]

I've only seen the film once so pardon me for not picking up every 'nuance' first time out. I think you have to meet the audience halfway. Who on earth knows what anophthalmia is? If the foreshadowing of the ending had just been a fraction more transparent that last half hour could have been a triumph. Instead, it just seemed to come out of nowhere. And it's funny you should mention subtlety because the main character and his son turned into pantomime villains towards the end. It was almost a pity they didn't have moustaches to twirl.

 

[Reno]

I've only seen the film once so pardon me for not picking up every 'nuance' first time out. I think you have to meet the audience halfway. Who on earth knows what anophthalmia is? If the foreshadowing of the ending had just been a fraction more transparent that last half hour could have been a triumph. Instead, it just seemed to come out of nowhere. And it's funny you should mention subtlety because the main character and his son turned into pantomime villains towards the end. It was almost a pity they didn't have moustaches to twirl.

I'm don't remember mentioning anything about subtlety ? Not everything has to be subtle and The Woman has a dirty, lo-fi, grunge quality that doesn't particularly aspire to subtlety.

The film is a social satire, in a line with but (IMO) better than anything the overrated (and none too subtle) Todd Solondz and Neil LaBute have done. It's also a horror film where patriarchy is the monster. Even if you didn't pick up on who "that character" was, what you come to understand is that this hasn't happened for the first time and dramatically the film needed that final release where everything descends into bloody chaos.

When I first saw the film I wasn't sure I liked it as much as I do now, but I couldn't shake it off. Then I absolutely loved it the second time round. I still think it's the very rare modern American horror film that actually has a few ideas in its head and it's a great piece of filmmaking by a director who is developing a very distinctive vision.

You seem to already quite like some of it, so maybe watch it again another time.

 

[andy2002]

You seem to already quite like some of it, so maybe watch it again another time.

I really liked the first hour or so – will definitely watch it again though. And, apologies, 'subtlety' was my word, not yours.

 

[The39thStep]

Kill the Irishman- ok Saturday night can't be arsed to see anything that demands too much thinking gangster film set in Cleveland in the 1970s.

 

[Reno]

Jean Renoir's French Cancan. Watched a gorgeous restauration of it on Blu-ray and it was pure Technicolor bliss.

 

[The Octagon]

BSG S3, the Exodus 2-parter.

Fuck me that was immense, so many great moments..

Spoiler: Exodus

Saul and Ellen's farewell (how the fuck did Saul Tigh become a character I care about?!)
Starbuck having her heart ripped out of her chest when handing Casey over (some great acting on her part)
Fat Lee charging to the rescue and sacrificing Pegasus (not really forward thinking tho, destroying the better Battlestar)

And of course, Galactica blasting into the atmosphere like the Hand of God, glowing bright orange and on fire, before distributing her fighters and jumping back out again, possibly the coolest thing I've ever seen in a TV show, I nearly fucking cheered on the sofa

Epic.

 

[imposs1904]

Soulboy

The film was all over the place but Martin Compston was a charismatic lead.

 

[DotCommunist]

Moar Sarah Connor Chronicles

Shirley Manson as a t-1000

 

[redsquirrel]

NIght Train to Munich - Carol Reed wartime thriller, written by Gilliat and Launder. Not bad but not in the same class as their previous train thriller, The Lady Vanishes, which you can't help comparing it with seeing as though both star Margaret Lockwood and have Charters and Caldicott turning up in them.

 

[The Octagon]

Moar Sarah Connor Chronicles

Shirley Manson as a t-1000

I'm still annoyed that got cancelled, it had acres of plot and characters to explore.

Plus, y'know, Summer Glau.

Moar BSG S3 last night, what's their obsession with blowing people out of airlocks as an execution method?

Aside from the cruelty angle, it just seems like someone would notice the bay doors being opened without authorisation?

 

[belboid]

Moar BSG S3 last night, what's their obsession with blowing people out of airlocks as an execution method?

Aside from the cruelty angle, it just seems like someone would notice the bay doors being opened without authorisation?

safer than using guns on a spaceship, I'd imagine. And not that cruel in many ways, you'd die pretty darned quickly, and with one hell of a view to go out on. And I dont think there are enough people still on board for them to keeptrack of boring things like bay doors opening (or the killers could just go 'oh, I was just dumping the rubbish')

 

[mwgdrwg]

s3e7 of Bored to Death.

Gonna watch the season finale tonight.

Thought it was a bit of a cliffhanger that episode!

 

[Badgers]

Treme series 2

 

[DotCommunist]

safer than using guns on a spaceship, I'd imagine. And not that cruel in many ways, you'd die pretty darned quickly, and with one hell of a view to go out on. And I dont think there are enough people still on board for them to keeptrack of boring things like bay doors opening (or the killers could just go 'oh, I was just dumping the rubbish')

It's also a fine sci fi tradition

 

[Zabo]

Cowboys and Aliens.

Rotten Tomatoes wasn't keen on it but I thought it was wonderful in a very silly kind of way. The casting of Ford and Harrison couldn't have been better and by the looks of things they both seemed to be enjoying themselves. 70 year old Ford still has lots of energy and Craig is a far better actor outside of his Bond role.

I loved the Border Collie dog which displayed all the typical collie dog traits.

Pity Alex Cox didn't direct for it would then have been truly off the wall rather than just hanging over.

I want one of those bracelets for my birthday!

5/5

 

[DotCommunist]

fire in babylon

I don't even like cricket but enjoyed this, especially when people where throwing 90mph shots at each other angled to bounce up into the face. Brutal.

 

[mentalchik]

The Green Lantern - okish, bit dull
Insidious - bit creepy but very very predictable and obvious lifts from other films
X-Men First Class - very enjoyable, liked it quite a lot

 

[Orang Utan]

Senna - I have no interest in Formula One, but this was an incredibly well put together documentary on the life and death of Ayrton Senna. Very sad too.

 

[Reno]

Julia, a crime drama starring Tilda Swinton about a alcoholic fuck up who gets fired from her job and then has the bright idea to kidnap a young boy for ransom. Quite good actually, despite the central character being a complete idiot.

 

[Zabo]

Avatar. I can see it as enjoyable for ten year old kids but...

Cameron missed a trick in the kissing scene in the Forest Of Song. He should have zoomed out and shown Sully and Neytir's tails going slowly erect while they kissed to the accompaniment of a b-o-i-n-g sound.

It needs the by-line: Never mind the story, enjoy the cgi.



Wonders what it was like in 3D?

 

[Captain Hurrah]

Saw it on an IMAX screen. T'was pretty impressive.

Fuck the trees. Helicopter gunships.

 

[avu9lives]

Turtles Can Fly It just seemed so real it didn't feel like a movie at all. Superb!

 

[imposs1904]

Downfall

I must have fallen asleep at some point during the film because I missed the X-Box scene.

 

[pianissimo]

Note by Note

A documentary on the making of a Steinway grand piano.
It's wonderful to see each part involved in making one. Such details, hard work and expertise. Next time I play on a Steinway, I'll pay much more care to it.

 

[Orang Utan]

Catfish some of it felt plausible, but overall wtf were they making the 'documentary' for in the first place?

 

[Detroit City]

I watched District 9

 

[redsquirrel]

Buchanan Rides Alone - One of the Budd Boetticher/Randolph Scott westerns and up to their usual standard.

If anyone can suggest any westerns similar to this or the Anthony Mann/James Stewart set I'd be grateful.

 

[DotCommunist]

penultimate Sons of Anarchy episode sean 4.

The defecate has well and truly met with the revolving blades

 

[MBV]

The Debt - terrible.

 

[Zabo]

The Housemaid - Hanyo

Some kind of Korean Art House film. Next time I'm bored I'll go into the garden and watch two slugs engaged in a wrestling match.