Last movie watched...

[radiator]

Chronicle. A promising film that could have been great with a bit more focus, polish and a few more script drafts. I felt there were story problems - the film seemed confused as to who the protagonist was, and the 'hero' character was underused and underdeveloped. I was also anticipating a twist that never came.

It's fair to say that the budget is stretched far beyond breaking point. Understandably there's some very fake looking vfx, but also some very fake looking non vfx shots. I could be wrong but i suspect much of the film was shot on green screen as the sets and backgrounds have a weird plasticky, unreal quality about them. IMO the producers should have been more aware of their limitations -  it's like a small budget indie film that thinks its a $200m blockbuster.

The film very much peaks early on with the three characters discovering their powers, and the scenes of them mucking about are by far the strongest in the film. After that it all gets a bit silly, building up to a ludicrous shark jump of a finale.

I also had the same problems that I had with Cloverfield - namely if you're going to do the found footage thing, have the courage of your convictions and make it actually look like found footage. It always looks too clean and polished, and filmmakers seem strangely incapable of convincingly mimicking the look of camcorder, CCTV or orher low resolution footage.

All of which isn't to say I didn't like the film - I did - but i was expecting it to be a bit better. A 7/10 for me.

[Van Dom]

Despite not having one of my favourite suit designs or performances, Giant Monsters All-Out Attack is one of the best entries in Godzilla's Millennium Series, with a decent human plot and some of the most impressive kaiju sequences you'll see, thanks to a mix of clever presentation and sheer ambition that admittedly isn't always matched by production values.

Haven't seen this one but there is a later movie, Godzilla Final Wars, which kicks all kinds of arse in (I'd imagine) similar fashion. And it even has the CGI US 'Zilla in it, getting thrashed by the rubber-custome Japanese one, which is just sheer brilliance.

[Tiplodocus]

I introduced Tiny Tips to the many delights of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA.

He loved it.  It is pretty much bonkers - never quite sure what is going to happen next - but Kurt Russell's Jack Burton is a great character; in turns funny, stupid, full of bravado and doing things because he feels they are expected of him rather than becauce he actually believes in doing them.  A little too slapsticky at times but forgiveable.

"Hold the fort, keep the home fires burnin' and if I'm not back by dawn (wink), call the President."

[I, Cosh]

I introduced Tiny Tips to the many delights of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA.

A film I've never seen but which I'm increasingly unwilling to try for fear that not having seen at as a kid will render it rubbish like Goonies.

[Van Dom]

I watched Big Trouble in Little China with my kids a few weeks ago and they loved it as well. I think it still holds up after all these years, definitely one of Carpenter's (and Russell's) best.

Give it a go Cosh, I don't believe it suffers in the same way as Goonies might for a first time viewer.

[bigjobs67]

"This is gonna require Kracker Jack timing Wang".

[Noisybast]

Surrogates: Some nice ideas squandered on a formulaic glossy actioner. Disappointing.

[bigjobs67]

We're bangin on about "Little China" dude.

[Tiplodocus]

Give it a go Cosh - it's not a kids film like Goonies - it just happens to be enjoyable by kids as well as adults.

Goonies on the other hand - I missed the lesson where it was decreed to be a classic.

[TordelBack]

Goonies on the other hand - I missed the lesson where it was decreed to be a classic.

I think you had to be a certain impressionable age when it came out.  My youngest brother is a rabid fan, I have nowt but complete apathy.

[bigjobs67]

It has certain charm and a very young Josh Brolin. Plus a malformed inbred guy locked inna cellar who must've been abused pall'in up with the the fat outsider kid. Makes you think don't it.

[von Boom]

I introduced Tiny Tips to the many delights of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA.

WooHoo. I love Big Trouble. My Da-in-law and I have a running joke about this film. I love it. He hates it. I'll drop some Jack Burton wisdom on him once in a while and then casually mention it's from BTILC. He'll then rant for a few minutes about how much he hates it. Great fun. For me anyway.

JvB

[Roger Godpleton]

A DANGEROUS METHOD. Fairly uneven throughout, there's a couple of scenes where it honestly feels like you're watching a bunch of grown adults playing dress up. There are some very nice shots of pretty buildings and junk. Fassbender is probably the best movie star we have at the moment but he still has a ways to go before he beats Tim Olyphant to the top spot on my list of guys who I am totally gay for.

THE MUPPETS. Slightly disappointing, as it felt slightly too arch at points and it has at least one too many storylines, but it's still enormous fun and it contains the only incidence of "We Built this City" being affecting in an unironic fashion. Amy Adams is adorable as all get out.

Also I saw the fourth episode of Luck, which is where the show starts to get really amazing. The horse race will probably be the most astonishing piece of filmmaking that will be broadcast on screens small or large.

[Beaky Smoochies]

I introduced Tiny Tips to the many delights of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA.
He loved it.  It is pretty much bonkers - never quite sure what is going to happen next - but Kurt Russell's Jack Burton is a great character; in turns funny, stupid, full of bravado and doing things because he feels they are expected of him rather than becauce he actually believes in doing them.  A little too slapsticky at times but forgiveable.
"Hold the fort, keep the home fires burnin' and if I'm not back by dawn (wink), call the President."

"We may be trapped"... everytime!

[Gonk]

Luchino Visconti's adaption of Thomas Mann's novella "Death in Venice". What to say really? Judge Dredd it's not. Beautiful music throughout, and Venice as the backdrop to the film's story of a dying composer's last days, played with such aplomb by Bogarde.