Last movie watched...

[pictsy]

How did you like the ending?

I was okay with it.  I think by the time it came I was ready for the film to be over and a film that weird was never going to have a normal ending!

Can't argue with that

Muppet Treasure Island

It's got Muppets.  It's got Tim Curry.  It's not as good as the Muppet's Christmas Carol movie.  I don't think I need to say more than that.

[TordelBack]

It's not as good as the Muppet's Christmas Carol movie. 

Very little is.

[JamesC]

Gemini Man

A not-too-bad action thriller directed by Ang Lee and starring Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Clive Owen.
I enjoyed it but it felt really dated somehow - like it could have been sitting in a drawer for ten years. There's some pretty dodgy (and unnecessary) CGI going on and the film is spoiled pretty badly by the trailer and promo material.
Smith and Winstead are both good and Owen is his usual wooden self (this time with a dodgy American accent).
All in all, pretty fun but could have done with a better action director and a better baddie.

[pictsy]

Psiconautas, los niños olvidados
aka Birdboy: The Forgotten Children

This was an experience.  Really bleak.  Wonderfully animated.  I don't know what to say about it.  We follow three children trying to escape their miserable lives in an awful community paralleled and the hardship of Birdboy who has an obligation and demons to combat.  These are heavy themes and it is jam packed with them and others from start to finish.  It's presentation comes across as very child friendly.  In many ways I felt like I was being held close and told "no, it's not going to be alright".  I really enjoyed it, despite the despair.

[Apestrife]

Jaws Been years since I last saw it. Starts quite mild, but manages to ramp it up quite alot one hour in. At one point I got me a jump scare in the middle of a zip of coffee... Luckily the rug looks alright now after cleaning it. That aside, I really enjoyed watching it.

[TordelBack]

Jaws Been years since I last saw it. Starts quite mild, but manages to ramp it up quite alot one hour in. At one point I got me a jump scare in the middle of a zip of coffee... Luckily the rug looks alright now after cleaning it. That aside, I really enjoyed watching it.

Never gets dull,  not for a second.  One of the most rewatchable films ever made.

[Dandontdare]

Gemini Man

I preferred the bloke with the digital watch what made him all invisible

[TordelBack]

Gemini Man

I preferred the bloke with the digital watch what made him all invisible

Now may not be the time to confess that I had assumed that the Will Smith version was a cinema re-do of exactly that...

Still, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, you say?  I developed a very bad old-man crush on her over the course of Season 3 of the wonderful Fargo, so may have to give this a watch (geddit).

[von Boom]

Mad Max 2. Continuing on from the first film the world has degenerated to bands of bandits and savages scavenging fuel to keep their war vehicles running. I still love this film. The vehicles are works of violent art and you can't help but feel a profound sense of loss when Max's GT Falcon goes up in flames. Even though the world has turned to crap there is an underlying sense of hope to the film.

On a side note, I learned a little history about Mad Max as there was an introduction to the film by Leonard Maltin. I never knew that the first film wasn't well-received in America, that it had been dubbed to get rid of the Aussi accents and that Mad Max didn't get any traction in the US until this second film was released.

On a side, side note, ever since I saw this way back when I've used the phrase 'much as you want ka-junk ka-junk' any time someone in my family asks for more of something. My wife watched with me today and this was the first time she realised that this is where I took the phrase from.

[pictsy]

The Money Pit

Starring Tom Hanks and Shelly Long, this is a comedy about a couple buying a house that turns out to be more than they bargained for.  It's mostly slapstick humour, with one impressive set-piece in particular that did remind me of Buster Keaton.  It's a cute enough film and I have no complaints.

I had only seen Shelly Long in Cheers before and I really didn't like her character in that program.  I never thought of her much as an actor because of it.  Apparently it was just the character I didn't like, because she is very good in this film.  I really liked her character to the point that I found her more likeable than Tom Hanks.

Overall, it was enjoyable.

[I, Cosh]

On a side note, I learned a little history about Mad Max as there was an introduction to the film by Leonard Maltin. I never knew that the first film wasn't well-received in America, that it had been dubbed to get rid of the Aussi accents and that Mad Max didn't get any traction in the US until this second film was released.

This is why Yanks normally refer to it as just The Road Warrior.

One of the most disappointing things ever to happen to me was when I bough the Mad Max Trilogy (three films on two VHS) from a Virgin Megastore, rushed home to watch it and discovered it was the dubbed version. Arseholes.

[JamesC]

I have the Mad Max blu ray set and even that has the American dub as the default setting. You have to go into the menu to select the original Aussie version.

I recently rewatched all the Mad Max films, along with my brother who had only seen the original and Fury Road.

They stand up remarkably well.

Mad Max does so much with so little. There's a great atmosphere to the film and it feels like a real effort has been made to make everything as interesting as possible. The bit part characters are almost grotesques. For example, when they go to the country for sanctuary there's no reason for them to be staying with the caliper legged granny and her man-child son other than it makes things more interesting and adds a bit of flavour.
There are some pacing problems but it's still pretty great.

Mad Max 2 is my favourite. It's the archetype and is such a tight, thrilling ride. The first film reminded me of Leone with its grotesque characters (particularly the scene at the train station) and this just doubles down on that.

Beyond Thunderdome has lots to like too. Everything about Barter Town is fantastic. It feels very Cursed Earth. I actually like the idea of the valley populated by kids and it's handled pretty well. The child actors are very good. The biggest problem is with the soundtrack. The theme for the kids is more childish and sappy than anything that's actually on the screen. I'd actually like to watch it with the soundtrack removed to see what a difference it makes.

Fury Road is just an assault on the senses and a fantastically realised vision. There are some great performances in the film but I'm not 100% sold on Hardy as Max. I don't think he has Gibson's charisma.

I rate 2 as the best one, closely followed by Fury Road, with MM1 and Thunderdome joint third.

[JamesC]

I, Robot

Another Will Smith vehicle but one I have a lot of time for. I don't think the Asimov association does the film many favours (I remember people getting bent about the Calvin portrayal. That and the product placement) but I think it's a really watchable Sci fi adventure.
The effects are showing their age a bit, but there's some nice design and Sonny the robot is fantastic.

[Tiplodocus]

The Money Pit
It's mostly slapstick humour, with one impressive set-piece in particular that did remind me of Buster Keaton.

I still remember the inspired quicksand gag with the carpet.

[pictsy]

I'd agree that I, Robot is watchable, but it is very by-the-numbers.  I'd agree that it does suffer from the Asimov association as well, because it doesn't hold a candle to his stories.  As a stand-alone film it's fine, if generic.