Last movie watched...

[The Bissler]

Finally watched The Raid.  It is good and my missus did make the inevitable comparison to a certain other film; when they arrived in the drug factory room she laughed that this was the place where Mega City One's supply of Slo-Mo was mass-produced!

I must admit the fight scenes were pretty amazing and on that score they outdid our favourite film...  But on every other level Dredd was far superior.  I think it is a shame that so many critics turned on Dredd because of the coincidental similarities between the two but particularly because I think Dredd offers a far deeper experience than the Raid ever could.

When it finished I was delighted when my wife said "I preferred Dredd..." 

[pictsy]

When I finally got around to watching The Raid I had to agree that the similarities between the two films are extremely superficial.  They are very different films and I certainly enjoyed them both.  I was worried about watching The Raid as I felt constant comparison would taint my enjoyment of the film.  That never actually happened, which I was pleased with.

[Dark Jimbo]

When it finished I was delighted when my wife said "I preferred Dredd..." 

She's a keeper!

[radiator]

The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Was a bit worries in the first 30mins as I thought it was going to be a little meandering and sprawling, but it was fantastic from beginning to end. Ralph Fiennes' concierge is an instant classic character - so funny and quotable. Loved it.

[Keef Monkey]

The Last Stand - I've been pretty floored by the other films by the director (The Good,The Bad,The Weird/I Saw The Devil/Tale Of Two Sisters) but always thought this was a really weird choice for him and I don't necessarily get as excited about Arnie in a movie as I did when I was a nipper.

It really makes sense though, it's got a similar energy to it as TGTBTW, and I thought it was a really enjoyable action romp with a few genuine belly laughs. It's surprisingly violent too, and while Arnie has never been an actor his performance is well pitched in this and just the right level of tongue in cheek.

It's not amazing, but as far as these sorts of films go it was a right good watch.

[I, Cosh]

The Last Stand ... it was a right good watch.

I liked this too. It seemed like a decent attempt at switching the Arnie film persona to fit his age (e.g. still hard, but not the romantic lead) and still had some enjoyable action scenes. I hope its failure hasn't scuppered the director's chances as Good, Bad, Weird is magic.

Watched nymphomaniac volumes 1 & 2. Didn't think it was that great really.

I've only seen Nymphomaniac Vol. 1 so far. I liked it, but it was a typically von Trier experience.

There are serious themes being addressed in the film: the relationship between love and sex, the extent and limits of individual freedom, sexual equality in broad terms and society's attitude towards female sexuality in particular. Where you draw the intersections on the Venn diagram representing the mature treatment of those themes alongside adolescent provocation, male gaze-y exploitation and old-fashioned Danish pisstaking is definitely up for debate.

Stacey Martin, who plays the younger Joe in flashback perhaps doesn't have the presence that Charlotte Gainsbourg commands in the now, but she does steal (this half of) the film with her performance in the sequence leading up to the death of her father. It's here that you're reminded that Big Lars might be a mouthy twat who'll say anything if it gets him a headline during Cannes but he still has an uncanny ability (shared with Darren Aronofsky) to build to a point where the viewer is absolutely aware of how utterly preposterous what is happening onscreen is yet can't help but be pulled along by the visceral emotional power of the performances.

Unsurprisingly, there's a ton of shagging in the film. Some of it titillating, some not, some sleazy, some not, some obviously male fantasy, some not, and so on. Almost as if this is one of the points it wants to make. Any film that attempts to treat sex as something more than just what happens to the hero before he meets up with his mates to sort out the villain will attract specific, unhelpful types of criticism. From Outraged of Milton Keynes decrying cinematic depictions of everyday human acts to the sneering aesthetes trying to outdo one another with the extent to which they can adopt exactly the opposite attitude:
"Oh, it's all so deathly tedious Martin. Why, you'd think just by the law of averages that a fellow might have an involuntary erection once in four and a half hours. But..."
"Nothing?"
"Not a sausage."
"Well, it's erections is it, Justin? Let me tell you, the blood was quite rushing away from my loins at such a speed I'm surprised I didn't get a nosebleed!"
"Quite."

It's probably a fair criticism of von Trier that he's better at being a dick for the benefit of the media than making films that are a totally coherent representations of the ideas and themes he claims for them. It must help him get films made though. I tend to think that, even if the treatment of something is done in a superficial way it can still be interesting and a valid starting point for a conversation about the subject. Or, to put it another way: just because you can make a joke out of it, doesn't mean that there isn't a serious point to be made or taken from it.

TL;DR. Like reading Fear of Flying at a Roy "Chubby" Brown gig.

[Jim_Campbell]

Dredd 3D. That was a bit good. When's the sequel out? :-)

Seriously, though -- thanks to Mick for making it happen. Minty on the proper big screen was a fuckin' treat, too.

Had an odd sense of déjà vu during the trailers, though.

Cheers!

Jim

[Tiplodocus]

X-Men 2.

it's great. Possibly my fave live action super-hero (definitely from Marvel).

[Dash Decent]

Watched Dredd this morning when the missus took the kids to swimming lessons.  Enjoyed it.

I haven't heard of that, what's it about?

It's about 95 minutes.

[von Boom]

Wargames. Classic film. Should've been continued as a television series.

[TordelBack]

Wargames. Classic film. Should've been continued as a television series.

Wasn't that called Knight Rider?

[Recrewt]

Alien 3

Saw this on TV over the weekend and although I am well aware of all the production problems and criticisms it has received, this still remains one of my favourites of the Alien films.

I love the Brit-heavy cast and the low tech setting and I can even forgive what happens to hicks and newt.  And the ending - well, what finer way to finish than the shot of Ripley disappearing into the furnace. 

I do own the Alien Quad box set but Alien and Alien 3 are the only ones I ever watch and I could watch them both every day of the week. 
P.S. Alien Resurrection has never been disturbed from its packaging! 

[von Boom]

Wargames. Classic film. Should've been continued as a television series.

Wasn't that called Knight Rider?

Shhh. Saying that three times on the internet give David Hasselhof a new show. *Shuddder*

[Professor Bear]

Knight Rider Knight Rider Knight Rider.

There was a sequel to Wargames, but it's best to pretend it doesn't exist.

[Spikes]

Sink the Bismarck! and Get Carter.

Both on telly recently, and both rather grand.