Last movie watched...

Link Prime · 29 July, 2020, 02:07:45 PM

Quote from: repoman on 28 July, 2020, 10:28:44 AM
Jigsaw (Saw 8)

I've been rewatching the series. This one wasn't bad actually. Clever way to get Tobin Bell on screen despite his character dying about 5 films ago.

Jigsaw was pretty good. Didn't reach the highs of I - III or VI, but didn't hit the lows of V or VII.

It was amazing having Tobin Bell back onscreen for so much of that film, and a shame that Matt Passmore's Logan won't return.

In a parallel universe we would have already seen Chris Rock's anticipated sequel / 'reboot' (Spiral) a few months ago.
Sumthin to look forward to in 2021 I guess.

Keef Monkey · 29 July, 2020, 04:29:04 PM

Playing Ghost of Tsushima (and loving it) has made me realize I've never actually watched Seven Samurai so I sorted that! It's great, but everyone else already knew that.

pictsy · 29 July, 2020, 10:19:07 PM

Have you seen the Yojimbo movies? They are stellar

Keef Monkey · 30 July, 2020, 10:11:55 AM

I haven't! I should get on those soon too.

Apestrife · 30 July, 2020, 12:37:10 PM

Quote from: Keef Monkey on 30 July, 2020, 10:11:55 AM
I haven't! I should get on those soon too.

Also give his samurai films in colour a go. Ran and Kagemusha are stellar!

Ran trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKZP8X51O-k
Kagemusha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6Nx17joxJ8

There are also a bunch of nice ones beyond Kurosawa. Sword of Doom and Harakiri are very easy to recommend!

Sword of Doom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NnvtTw9gQA
Harakiri https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRp1tUHpWNs

pictsy · 30 July, 2020, 01:37:22 PM

I was on a Kurosawa kick last year, but got distracted by the Zatoichi film series... which I didn't finish.

Maybe I'll revisit them both again soon.

repoman · 30 July, 2020, 03:56:35 PM

Quote from: Link Prime on 29 July, 2020, 02:07:45 PM
Jigsaw was pretty good. Didn't reach the highs of I - III or VI, but didn't hit the lows of V or VII.

yeah that's pretty much right.

Six is so good. I think ended up liking 2 a bit more this time around (hated it previously). It does suffer from have a lot of nu-metal video scratchy FX on the screen though.

I felt like Logan was sort of conjured up for this one. Even by Saw standards he seemed a bit too convenient.

His mad lab partner was ridiculous. Gets a nice apartment or whatever that was and fills it with Saw traps for no reason.

Keef Monkey · 31 July, 2020, 10:20:55 AM

Quote from: pictsy on 30 July, 2020, 01:37:22 PM
I was on a Kurosawa kick last year, but got distracted by the Zatoichi film series... which I didn't finish.

Maybe I'll revisit them both again soon.

The only Zatoichi film I've seen is the Takeshi Kitano one from the early 2000s, went along to the cinema for that and remember really enjoying it. I really haven't seen much in the way of samurai films so all these recommendations are very welcome!

Today it was time for Star Trek: Insurrection though, which I thought held up great. Surprised because it seems like one of the worst-reviewed of the series, but I thought the story was great and it looks excellent. The space scenes in particular are really beautifully handled and other than one or two shots the effects stand up to more modern CG no bother. Didn't realize Frakes had directed it until this watch, I reckon he did a good job.

Dandontdare · 31 July, 2020, 01:17:58 PM

Quote from: Keef Monkey on 31 July, 2020, 10:20:55 AM

Today it was time for Star Trek: Insurrection though, which I thought held up great. Surprised because it seems like one of the worst-reviewed of the series, but I thought the story was great and it looks excellent. The space scenes in particular are really beautifully handled and other than one or two shots the effects stand up to more modern CG no bother. Didn't realize Frakes had directed it until this watch, I reckon he did a good job.

The main plot about starfleet collusion is good, but the action/narrative was so cliched - I'm sick of people having to climb up big towers or cross collapsing walkways against a ticking clock, to push a button or insert a chip to prevent the Bad Thing happening. Who the hell designs these spaceships with enormous empty chambers crossed by tiny walkways anyway? ST managed variations of the theme in Generations, First Contact and the first reboot movie, Capt America had to do it in Winter Soldier, to name just a few, but it's such a lazy overused way to create a dramatic finale.

pictsy · 31 July, 2020, 01:43:42 PM

Quote from: Keef Monkey on 31 July, 2020, 10:20:55 AM
The only Zatoichi film I've seen is the Takeshi Kitano one from the early 2000s, went along to the cinema for that and remember really enjoying it. I really haven't seen much in the way of samurai films so all these recommendations are very welcome!

I've had that film on DVD for years and thoroughly enjoy it. I knew it was based on an older series from the DVD extras but only considered the original films after watching the Yojimbo movies. They are obviously not as good Kurosawa, but I enjoyed them nonetheless.

von Boom · 31 July, 2020, 03:59:45 PM

New Rose Hotel. An interesting if ultimately flawed attempt to adapt William Gibson's story by the same name. While the adaptation remains very faithful to the story it dwells far too much on X's relationship with Sandii and skims over the more action oriented part of the story. Also the set dressing is decidedly not cyberpunk. You don't feel like you're in the future at all.

If you're a cyberpunk nut like I am then I would say watch it, once. Otherwise you may safely pass on this one.

repoman · 01 August, 2020, 01:52:27 PM

Await Further Instructions - English horror film set in one place. Pretty effective and I quite liked where it went. Let down, like nearly all UK horror films, by having actors that sound like they should be in Doctor Who. Despite that I enjoyed it. Is on Netflix.

Showdown in Little Tokyo - early '90s Dolph Lundgren and Brandon Lee buddy cop thing. Some bad dialogue and a completely nonsense level of unregulated killing aside, it's a ton of fun. A long-term favourite of mine. Unashamedly so.

pictsy · 01 August, 2020, 06:49:27 PM

Keanu

A film about men fighting over a kitten. It's quite amusing and I watched it mainly because of the writing and acting credit of Jordan Peele. Actually interesting in seeing the new Candyman movie he wrote the script for. My expectations will be higher than usual.

repoman · 02 August, 2020, 07:33:58 AM

Cosmos (2019) - Two hour film about astronomy that is mostly set in a car. I guess ultimately it's a film about friendship. You could easily trim it to 80 minutes and not lose anything important. By the end of it I was bored and irritable.

NapalmKev · 02 August, 2020, 09:05:27 AM

Wonder Woman.

Good film! DC have managed to make a film where the Heroes don't randomly destroy whole city's in their quest for peace.

Seriously though, it is very good. Couldn't fault the acting or plot although there is one small Ropey (Ha! Did you see what I did there? Yes, please shoot me in the head) scene involving a rope and some lackluster SFX. It's very minor and doesn't spoil the film.

Looking forward to the next one which is something I wouldn't say about most modern Super Hero/Sci-Fi franchises.

Cheers