Last movie watched...

locustsofdeath! · 30 January, 2012, 09:04:19 PM

Quote from: Judge von Boom on 30 January, 2012, 08:50:02 PM
Finally got to see Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

On my list, both film and book. Been holding out to read the book, in fact, before watching the film.

I watched Young Guns 2 for the first time since I saw it on the big screen! Back then Young Guns was one of my favorite films and I just really loved all of those characters - so to see them all [spoiler]killed[/spoiler] in the sequel was heartbreaking. Now I think the downbeat - almost depressing - tone of the film is perfect for the story told. Wonderful soundtrack, too (the Silvestri one, not the Bon Jovi one).

Roger Godpleton · 30 January, 2012, 09:18:20 PM

The Descendants. Pretty good. Could have ended a bit earlier. Nice seeing Judy Greer doing uncomedy.

The Artist. Went in expecting in twee Oscar bait so as to be pleasantly surprised. Can't fault the craft from all involved but this still comes to be but a confection. The [spoiler]dream sequence[/spoiler] was very disappointing. The girl is adorable.

bigjobs67 · 31 January, 2012, 08:14:44 AM

Isn't the dog up for an award?

Davek · 31 January, 2012, 09:34:12 AM

Watched True Grit. Used to be a massive fan of the Coen Brothers but none of their films since Big Lebowski have really excited me. They just dont seem to be as funny in that quirky Coen Brothers style that they used to be.

mygrimmbrother · 31 January, 2012, 10:32:22 AM

Thought True Grit was full of old school Coen-isms myself. Especially the line 'You give out very little sugar'.

Davek · 31 January, 2012, 10:44:11 AM

Quote from: mygrimmbrother on 31 January, 2012, 10:32:22 AM
Thought True Grit was full of old school Coen-isms myself. Especially the line 'You give out very little sugar'.

Nothing like their older stuff IMO - take True Grit and No Country for Old Men (their most lauded films of recent years) and compare them to a Lebowski, Barton Fink or Millers Crossing. The latter are proper laught out loud films. I find some of the Coen-isms in the newer films a little contrived - like they are trying to do Coen for a mainstream audience that have now accepted them.

I cant put my finger on the exact reason why, but I just dont enjoy the newer stuff as much as the old. Just noticed that Joel used to take all Director credit, and now it is shared.

bigjobs67 · 31 January, 2012, 10:51:31 AM

Quote from: Davek on 31 January, 2012, 09:34:12 AM
Watched True Grit. Used to be a massive fan of the Coen Brothers but none of their films since Big Lebowski have really excited me. They just dont seem to be as funny in that quirky Coen Brothers style that they used to be.

I agree mate. Loved so many of their early films especially 'Blood Simple' (just so good!) and 'Rasin Arizona'. Never watched 'Barton Fink' or the 'Hudsucker Proxy'. Been a whiles since I last watched 'Miller's Crossing' too. have to rectify that.

mygrimmbrother · 31 January, 2012, 10:52:05 AM

Read a biography of the two of them some years back - apparently that was just something they agreed upon at the start, that Joel would take the director credit and Ethan producer, although in truth they've always collaborated on both. I noticed the change too, not sure why they've done that. ISTR they used split it because the Director's Guild wouldn't allow 2 people to be credited as director - remember when Robert Rodriguez was booted out because he insisted Frank Miller get equal billing for Sin City?

Although thinking about it, there have been other brother directing teams - the Hughes Brothers, the Farrellys - how did they do it I wonder?

Gonk · 31 January, 2012, 11:58:08 AM

Watched the wretchedly funny, and poignant, "Dead Man's Shoes" a film from 2004. Good soundtrack to this film from "Warp Records".

brendan1 · 31 January, 2012, 12:10:16 PM

Quote from: wonkychop on 31 January, 2012, 11:58:08 AM
Watched the wretchedly funny, and poignant, "Dead Man's Shoes" a film from 2004. Good soundtrack to this film from "Warp Records".

Unsurprising, given that Warp also made the film. Do they soundtrack all their films?

They're a great record label and I am full of admiration for how they've developed their creative footprint into films so successfully.

Music: Aphex Twin, Autechre, Plaid, Black Dog, B12, Speedy J, Two Lone Swordsmen, Luke Vibert, Squarepusher.

And now Kill List, Dead Man's Shoes, This is England, Submarine, Four Lions.

Coolest creative company ever.

bigjobs67 · 31 January, 2012, 12:17:26 PM

Remember the film being what has become a sort of Shane Meadows trade mark.
Slowly building tension and or unease followed by shocking and all to believable violent bits.
The scene in 'Dead Men's' where you get the back story as to why he goes after the gang of local thugs is hard to watch.
Same thing happens in 'No room for Romeo Brass when Paddy Considine's character goes all dark and sinister and mad.
I struggle with Shane Medows films.They upset me!

Spikes · 31 January, 2012, 06:19:54 PM

Since catching the excellent Smalltime on a late night showing many many moons ago, i thought Shane Meadows was the one to watch out for, but ive been left disapointed, for the greater part, in his subsequent films.
...but having said that Dead Mans Shoes is just superb, and one ill watch and rewatch time and again. The soundtrack is just fantastic as well. Fits the film like a glove.

Gonk · 31 January, 2012, 09:24:19 PM

It's a film that has always struck a chord and resonated with me. Christopher Morris (4Lions) is the best comedy writer we have. Gervais and that crew don't do anything for me by way of laughs.

Teivion · 01 February, 2012, 02:07:24 PM

OUTLANDER which was on TV last night.
Loved it. Really nice production design and effects, decent acting, a really good, enjoyable watch.
It looks like it bombed at the cinema, and online has mixed reviews- saying not that its bad, but a 'bit silly in places'. Odd really as the film hardly sets out to promise anything it doesn't deliver in bucket loads, its hardly trying to be Shakespeare.

Geek fact : Karl Urban was originally up for the lead role. Hmm. that name rings a bell. Anyone?

Funny review which sums it up nicely :
http://outlawvern.com/2009/05/19/outlander/

Def worth watching. I might grab it on DVD just for the brilliant combat suits worn in the beginning.

I, Cosh · 01 February, 2012, 11:31:24 PM

I quite enjoyed Outlander, but Vern has been my number one film critic for about a decade!

Couldn't face hanging around town in the cold for three-quarters of an hour to see Coriolanus tonight so came home and watched Legion on DVD instead. I definitely know who got the shitty end of that stick.

To give the film its due, the first twenty minutes weren't bad. You get a Terminator style entrance, a bit of action then cut to a decent assembling of the cast in a manner reminiscent of Precinct 13 by way of the diner episode of Sandman. Nothing too heavy-handed at this point. Just a flash of the short order cook's dog tags and so forth. Then the first demonically possessed old lady turns up and it all goes to shit in a hail of ropey effects badly edited (or heavily cut) unexplained timeshifts, rubbish fight choreography, overlong and underwritten character scenes and angels with machine guns.

The unexplained sounding of a heavenly trump for several minutes in anticipation of Gabriel's appearance was a nice touch. Not as good as the goose from War Horse though.