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Last movie watched...

Started by SmallBlueThing, 04 February, 2011, 12:40:44 PM

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TordelBack


Tiplodocus

#11446
SPECTRE has a great opening (though I don't like some of the bits where mere chance saves Bond from being killed/injured) and an OK song but for me it was downhill all the way after that. Craig has a 50/50 hit rate for me with his Bonds. Or rather: SPECTRE? More like SHITRE.  QUANTUM OF SOLACE? More like BUCKET OF SHIT.

All of which served to remind me I never actually mentioned LOGAN LUCKY when I was ranting about the American Assassin trailer.  It's a fun caper movie in an unusual locale (no glossy Casinos or Hi-Tech banks or Art Galleries)  with a great cast who have varying degrees of success at doing lightly comedic turns. Nearly every scene or line (even seemingly inconsequential ones) has a later payoff.  There's no real twist as such but it's nice to see some of the characters are a bit smarter than shown on screen. Worth a punt.
Be excellent to each other. And party on!

Keef Monkey

Quote from: Tiplodocus on 18 September, 2017, 12:51:19 PM
Craig has a 50/50 hit rate for me with his Bonds.

Yeah, as I looked at the list of his Bond films there the old Star Trek 'even ones are good' rule came to mind. Casino Royale and Skyfall have hit the spot with me, but Quantum was bad and Spectre is just a bit bland really. That helicopter opening is great though.

Also, the way the music is designed for that whole first sequence is really impressive. There's a big mix of in-world music and score, with music from the parade overlapping with music inside the hotel etc. and all of it is the same tempo and weaves in and out and overlaps really seamlessly. I know the 'showy' element of that sequence is the uninterrupted shot, but the way the music is handled is every bit as intricate.

TordelBack

Ooof, I thought Skyfall was appalling, especially the ludicrous final act (from the moment James and M go on a road trip it feels like ghastly Bond fan fiction, then Home Alone 6, and it only gets worse as it goes on.  By the end I was hoping Jaws would show up dressed as a vicar and at least give us a chuckle).  Casino and Quantum, on the other hand, I really liked.  Now you have me intrigued enough to bother to track down Spectre.

dweezil2

Quote from: TordelBack on 18 September, 2017, 10:04:09 AM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 18 September, 2017, 02:40:08 AM
Yes, Al Pacino was in Jack and Jill

So very confused now, 'cos that was pretty funny.

And don't forget Scent Of A Woman!
Scent Of A Turd, more like!
How Pacino bagged an Oscar for this and not Carlito's Way is just one of life's unfathomable mysteries!
Savalas Seed Bandcamp: https://savalasseed1.bandcamp.com/releases

"He's The Law 45th anniversary music video"
https://youtu.be/qllbagBOIAo

radiator

It (2017).

A real mixed bag and a bit of a letdown. Some good stuff, but a lot of stuff that doesn't really work.

I (mostly*) liked the young cast and their interactions, but I found those scenes far too brief, and they felt rushed through in order to get to the next horror set piece. I honestly feel like the 1990 TV movie, for all its faults, does a better job of establishing the main cast and giving them all something to do. It's probably heresy to fans of the book, but I really think the 2017 movie would have been a lot better if they had cut Stan and Mike completely, or amalgamated their character traits into some of the other cast members. As it is, there are simply too many characters in the core group, so characters like Ben - who should be really central going into part two, kind of get lost in the shuffle. I honestly forgot he was there during the third act.

And as for those horror set pieces, I thought they were all very unscary and quite silly, like they were taking design cues from a Disneyland haunted house theme park ride, and almost all of them went way over the top for me. Again, I think in some respects, the 1990 version - as cheesy and dated as it is, is more effective and creepy. The 'blood sink' scene is a good example - genuinely unsettling in the TV movie, over the top and silly in the 2017 movie.

I thought the art direction often bordered on cartoonish - the Neibolt St house was so stylised it almost felt like something from a Tim Burton movie, and I didn't care for the design of Pennywise either. You don't need to add anything to a clown to make it look scary - they're already terrifying as is.

Overall, my feeling on the horror aspects were 'less is more'. Most of the horror scenes and jump scare moments were so telegraphed they lacked any kind of impact, and would have been much more creepy if they had been played more subtle, and focused more on building tension.

*I thought the kid playing Bill was miscast. IIRC from the novel he's supposed to be charismatic, a natural leader. Imo they needed a 'River Phoenix in Stand By Me' type, but they cast a 'Wil Wheaton in Stand By Me' type.

It was watchable enough, but could have been so much more.

2.5/5.

Sicario.

Finally got round to seeing this. Yep, every bit as good as I'd been led to believe. A proper grown up action thriller. Gorgeously shot - didn't realise it was Roger Deakins doing the cinematography until the credits rolled. Having loved both this and Hell or High Water, I'll be seeking out everything else Taylor Sheridan has written. I find his style a little reminiscent of John Wagner at his best - sparse, efficient action storytelling with great character work and a little more substance than the genre usually allows.

5/5

SIP

Quote from: TordelBack on 18 September, 2017, 02:49:48 PM
Ooof, I thought Skyfall was appalling, especially the ludicrous final act (from the moment James and M go on a road trip it feels like ghastly Bond fan fiction, then Home Alone 6, and it only gets worse as it goes on.  By the end I was hoping Jaws would show up dressed as a vicar and at least give us a chuckle).  Casino and Quantum, on the other hand, I really liked.  Now you have me intrigued enough to bother to track down Spectre.

Can wholeheartedly agree with you there, baffled by the love Sky fall gets.

SIP

Quote from: dweezil2 on 18 September, 2017, 04:58:03 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 18 September, 2017, 10:04:09 AM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 18 September, 2017, 02:40:08 AM
Yes, Al Pacino was in Jack and Jill

So very confused now, 'cos that was pretty funny.

And don't forget Scent Of A Woman!
Scent Of A Turd, more like!
How Pacino bagged an Oscar for this and not Carlito's Way is just one of life's unfathomable mysteries!

Tsk, how can you not like scent of a woman?

JamesC

Skyfall is silly but is also pretty fun. Imagine how much more fan-wanky it could have been if they'd convinced Sean Connery to come out of retirement for the Albert Finney part!

Bond is doomed to forever walk a line between serious espionage drama and silly gadgets & girls nonsense. Personally I think it's most entertaining when it goes for one extreme or the other. Give me a Moonraker/View to a Kill or a From Russia With Love/Casino Royale and I'm happy.

Spectre was okay (the opening scene was the best bit) but they should have shown more commitment to the ostentatious secret-lair thing - there should've been more monorail action!

Definitely Not Mister Pops

You may quote me on that.

Mattofthespurs

mother!
This film is going to be massively diversive but I loved it.
I came out of the cinema with my senses battered thinking it was about one thing but after a couple of hours pondering decided it was about something completely different.
I haven't felt this way about a movie since Mulholland Drive.
9/10

dweezil2

Quote from: SIP on 18 September, 2017, 07:09:33 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 18 September, 2017, 04:58:03 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 18 September, 2017, 10:04:09 AM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 18 September, 2017, 02:40:08 AM
Yes, Al Pacino was in Jack and Jill

So very confused now, 'cos that was pretty funny.

And don't forget Scent Of A Woman!
Scent Of A Turd, more like!
How Pacino bagged an Oscar for this and not Carlito's Way is just one of life's unfathomable mysteries!

Tsk, how can you not like scent of a woman?

It's absolute mawkish drivel and Pacino hams it unbearably!
Savalas Seed Bandcamp: https://savalasseed1.bandcamp.com/releases

"He's The Law 45th anniversary music video"
https://youtu.be/qllbagBOIAo

SIP

Quote from: dweezil2 on 19 September, 2017, 10:16:48 AM
Quote from: SIP on 18 September, 2017, 07:09:33 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 18 September, 2017, 04:58:03 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 18 September, 2017, 10:04:09 AM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 18 September, 2017, 02:40:08 AM
Yes, Al Pacino was in Jack and Jill

So very confused now, 'cos that was pretty funny.

And don't forget Scent Of A Woman!
Scent Of A Turd, more like!
How Pacino bagged an Oscar for this and not Carlito's Way is just one of life's unfathomable mysteries!

Tsk, how can you not like scent of a woman?

It's absolute mawkish drivel and Pacino hams it unbearably!

Nah, it's great. Nothing wrong with a bit of sentiment and Pacino is fantastic in it.

TordelBack

Quote from: Mister Pops on 18 September, 2017, 09:21:58 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 18 September, 2017, 10:04:09 AM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 18 September, 2017, 02:40:08 AM
Yes, Al Pacino was in Jack and Jill

So very confused now, 'cos that was pretty funny.

Funny like a funny smell?

Funny in that it was amusing to see Pacino take the piss out of terrible celebrity adverts.  Then I discovered that Dunkin Donuts still exist (there hasn't been a franchise in Ireland since the '90s), so it is basically an actual terrible celebrity advert.  Ah well.   


dweezil2

Quote from: SIP on 19 September, 2017, 10:39:54 AM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 19 September, 2017, 10:16:48 AM
Quote from: SIP on 18 September, 2017, 07:09:33 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 18 September, 2017, 04:58:03 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 18 September, 2017, 10:04:09 AM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 18 September, 2017, 02:40:08 AM
Yes, Al Pacino was in Jack and Jill

So very confused now, 'cos that was pretty funny.

And don't forget Scent Of A Woman!
Scent Of A Turd, more like!
How Pacino bagged an Oscar for this and not Carlito's Way is just one of life's unfathomable mysteries!

Tsk, how can you not like scent of a woman?

It's absolute mawkish drivel and Pacino hams it unbearably!

Nah, it's great. Nothing wrong with a bit of sentiment.

There is when it's so poorly executed, but each to their own.  ;)
Savalas Seed Bandcamp: https://savalasseed1.bandcamp.com/releases

"He's The Law 45th anniversary music video"
https://youtu.be/qllbagBOIAo