Movies you've just watched

[Some-Mist]

somebody up there likes me (2012) - pretty fun indie bob byington movie. there's something about keith poulson that makes him a very enjoyable actor to watch. I've only seen him in listen up philip and hellaware, but I really want to see him in more movies in the future.

read my lips - I think this was a previous moniker recommendation that I finally got around to - actually had to buy the dvd because I wasn't able to find another means of watching it with english subtitles. another jacques audiard film (a prophet, the beat that my heart skipped, rust and bone) and another great one. I went on a mini vincent cassel run as you'll see below... but this one is about vincent as an ex-con that's hired as a temp assistant for a girl overwhelmed with her work. he quickly learns that she knows how to read lips per her hearing disability, and he uses her to take care of old business.

mesrine part 1 and 2 - per rapoon's recommendation mid last year, finally got around to checking out both the mesrine films which were fantastic as expected. a take on jacques mesrine - the french robinhood or the man of 100 faces.

a history of violence - I was never particularly interested in this title, but it's cronenberg and I'm surprised it took me so long to watch it. viggo did a fantastic job, and maria bello is as babely as ever.

eastern promises - very similar situation as a history of violence, except that I wasn't as big of a fan of this one. actually a really creepy story.

it's kind of a funny story - no idea when or why I put this one on the harddrive - I'm not even a big zach galifianakis fan, but it was kind of a oddly charming story about this kid who checks himself into a hospital for suicidal thoughts, and he meets a girl during his stay whom has similar issues. jim gaffigan has a somewhat humorous dad role in it too.

[BIL]

eastern promises - very similar situation as a history of violence, except that I wasn't as big of a fan of this one. actually a really creepy story.

Yeah, it's bestial stuff. I like it when gangster flicks don't varnish things. Overall found it enjoyable if ultimately rather fanciful, not to spoil anything. One mean knife fight too, in a sickly treacherous venue (can't quite remember if a flappy Viggo nutsack featured, but the terror of the blades was palpable!).

edit1: youtubed fight to jog memory. that is some motherfucking carnage. smoove moves too. need a cig.
edit2: viggo's junk does indeed flap all over the place!

[Some-Mist]

lol, I was pretty confused on how to feel at that part.

Spoiler

on one hand it was an extremely intense face off... but then on the other it was hard not to laugh watching viggo fighting dudes while bouncing around naked.

probably one of the best scenes of the movie tbh.

the barber scene had me cringing pretty hard too.

[GaijinPunch]

Beyond the Black Rainbow

There's mixed opinions on this all over the place. I think I knew what to expect going in. My alcohol tolerance is low, and the win had me pass out for a few minutes in a couple of places but I don't think I missed much. Enjoyed it over all, and could easily watch it again. Soundtrack was great, and the use of almost pure red & blue (sometimes simultaneously w/o going to purple) was pretty amazing.

[GaijinPunch]

Beyond the Black Rainbow

There's mixed opinions on this all over the place. I think I knew what to expect going in. My alcohol tolerance is low, and the win had me pass out for a few minutes in a couple of places but I don't think I missed much. Enjoyed it over all, and could easily watch it again. Soundtrack was great, and the use of almost pure red & blue (sometimes simultaneously w/o going to purple) was pretty amazing.

[Some-Mist]

nice! although a bit unsettling, I did enjoy beyond the black rainbow. tho I'm not sure I'd be able to watch it again just because it was a bit exhausting (similar to how I feel after watching a tarkovsky or malick film).

It seems to be the only thing the writer/director has produced too... which is pretty interesting.

[jonny5]

Beyond the Black Rainbow

There's mixed opinions on this all over the place. I think I knew what to expect going in. My alcohol tolerance is low, and the win had me pass out for a few minutes in a couple of places but I don't think I missed much. Enjoyed it over all, and could easily watch it again. Soundtrack was great, and the use of almost pure red & blue (sometimes simultaneously w/o going to purple) was pretty amazing.

Loved this film. Recently picked up the OST on vinyl. Great stuff!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Beyond the Black Rainbow

There's mixed opinions on this all over the place. I think I knew what to expect going in. My alcohol tolerance is low, and the win had me pass out for a few minutes in a couple of places but I don't think I missed much. Enjoyed it over all, and could easily watch it again. Soundtrack was great, and the use of almost pure red & blue (sometimes simultaneously w/o going to purple) was pretty amazing.

Loved this film. Recently picked up the OST on vinyl. Great stuff!

Very interesting take on an alternative 1983 timeline that the events shown take place in Beyond the Black Rainbow flick -- with some twists and spins you won't see coming. If you do a frame-by-frame analysis of the overhead projector plastic sheets with visual data on it -- it's quite cool (although low-tech in a retro-vibe way). The only little niggle would be the slick color LCD screen shown inside the car (in reality wasn't around until 1989-1990 but the slick miniature black & white LCD screens & color VFD {Vacuum Florescent Display} screens were considered state-of-the-art display technology for their time during 1981 through 1984).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[spadgy]

Been a while since I posted here, so the title's that I remember form the last week or two.

Boyhood - Strangely captivating, but bloody boring. Felt like a really interesting, drawn out TV project rather than a movie.

Priscilla: Queen of the Desert - I really wasn't expecting to love this so much. The drag stuff was great, but it was its role as a road movie (so comparable to my all time favourite Vanishing Point) that really struck me. A beautiful, funny and exciting film... slightly let down by that portrayal of the Filipino character. Seemed a bit much of a caricature.

Mommie Dearest - Such a superb biopic of Joan Crawford. Sometimes brilliantly funny, but also one of the most effecting portrayals of parental abuse I've seen. Really striking, especially as it was written by Joan Crawfords daughter; the character that is the victim of the abuse in the film. And a terrific performance by the lead, Faye Dunaway.

C'était un rendez-vous - OK, I've seen this a million times (it is only 9 minutes long!) but having just introduced my father-in-law to it, I'm reminded why it is (along with Vanishing Point!) the greatest road movie ever (illegally) made.

Byzantium - Fairly crappy British vampire flick, only fun because it's filmed in my home town. Indeed, in the opening shot of the main characters' arrival in Hastings, you can see my house! Wasn't enough to make it any good though.

The Entertainer - Lord, Laurence Olivier is great.

Guilt Trip - Don't tell anyone that I secretly quite enjoyed Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand's chemistry, because this was otherwise an awful movie; slushy and displeasing.

[GaijinPunch]

Loved this film. Recently picked up the OST on vinyl. Great stuff!

Link please.

EDIT: Wow, Amazon... Prime even for $18.50.

[Some-Mist]

Boyhood - Strangely captivating, but bloody boring. Felt like a really interesting, drawn out TV project rather than a movie.

exactly what I've been afraid of which is why I've been putting off watching it for so long. I recently listened to an NPR fresh air episode to get me in the mood and it still isn't grabbing me yet.

Guilt Trip - Don't tell anyone that I secretly quite enjoyed Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand's chemistry, because this was otherwise an awful movie; slushy and displeasing.

sadly... I'd probably watch it again in the future even though I agree that it was kind of a piece of shit. actually watched it with my Ma haha

[spadgy]

Guilt Trip - Don't tell anyone that I secretly quite enjoyed Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand's chemistry, because this was otherwise an awful movie; slushy and displeasing.

sadly... I'd probably watch it again in the future even though I agree that it was kind of a piece of shit. actually watched it with my Ma haha

My wife was definitely to blame for putting on. I was first doing other things in the room, and then within 30 minutes I'm on the sofa banging on about Streisand knowing her shit. Still, doesn't hurt to enjoy a crap film every now and then.

[CHI]

Last month:
The Phantom Menace 1999
Attack of the Clones 2002
Revenge of the Sith 2005
A New Hope 1977
The Empire Strikes Back 1980
Return of the Jedi 1983
It Follows 2014

This month:
An Unexpected Journey 2012
The Desolation of Smaug 2013
The Battle of the Five Armies 2014
The Fellowship of the Ring 2001
The Two Towers 2002
The Return of the King 2003

This week:
Lucy 2014
Divergent 2014
Fifty Shades of Grey 2015
John Wick 2014

PS: yes I've been busy, trying to watch at least one film each night

[Mischief Maker]

Last month:
The Phantom Menace 1999
Attack of the Clones 2002
Revenge of the Sith 2005
A New Hope 1977
The Empire Strikes Back 1980
Return of the Jedi 1983
It Follows 2014

This month:
An Unexpected Journey 2012
The Desolation of Smaug 2013
The Battle of the Five Armies 2014
The Fellowship of the Ring 2001
The Two Towers 2002
The Return of the King 2003

So does watching these great trilogies AFTER their horrible unnecessary prequels improve or harm the viewing experience?

[lilmanjs]

Bye Bye Braverman
Mostly a bunch of dialog in this movie, but I quite enjoyed it. A friend dies and a group of his friends pack into a VW Bug on a quest to go to his funeral. Some good stuff like them showing up at a funeral that was not the correct one, having to listen to a rabbi give a speech that mostly goes way off course. Good comedy from the late 60s.

[CHI]

Just finished watching Kung Fu Jungle 2014, shame it was in mandarin (the english subtitles were a bit off!), would've preferred it in cantonese

So does watching these great trilogies AFTER their horrible unnecessary prequels improve or harm the viewing experience?

I was brought up watching the original Star Wars as a kid, not that I'm a hardcore fan or understood fully to the whole story back then, but watching it in this order gave me the whole insight how Darth Vader come about...

Same again with the Hobbits and The Lord of the Rings...

For me that is, watching the prequels before the originals did improve a bit of understanding of the films cos there was no question marks! Plus deep down I know I was watching the other way

[BIL]

[REC 4] Not bad at all. It's REC on a boat, whose narrow confines are of course much like REC in an apartment block. Still, things go to hell with gusto and some excellent zombie effects. Outside of sporadic eruptions the outbreak is felt more than seen, providing seething backdrop to a lively plot that shakes off some of the familiarity accumulated by the third movie. Definitely a sequel aimed at fans; newcomers who like their Fast Zombies should see at least the original beforehand.

The original soundly outclasses the rest with its streamlined claustrophobic terror, and (as almost always with horror series) I reserve the option to watch it as stand-alone. By and large though, these sequels kept their Fast Zombie dignity. Fans of Demons (1985) should give them a watch. Also, Manuela Velasco is such a cutie pie. ¦3

[Mischief Maker]

but watching [the prequels first] gave me the whole insight how Darth Vader come about...

What insight? That he was a bad seed from the start? That fascism and genocide came naturally to him as a teen? That he hates sand?

[DEL]

Finally got round to watching The Expatriate, about an Expat living in Brussels and the first person named in the film is Derek.
So......nothing topical for me then

Also watched the first half of 'Black Sea' starring Jude Law - Good so far
Russian submarine treasure hunt film.

[JBC]

John Wick. Not bad, not groundbreaking. I've heard a lot of good things about it but it didn't strike me as anything special. The action is pretty good but the mood wasn't quite my cup of tea. It lacked a certain energy & humor, but that's just a matter of personal taste. It's worth a watch.

[JBC]

Of all the problems that Terminator Salvation had, I think my biggest complaint is about how Skynet's Terminator factory is designed for humans to walk around in, as evidenced by it's hallways & safety railings.

I know the Terminators are humanoid, but why wouldn't they be lifted straight into a transport vessel after rolling off the assembly line? Do they throw on a hard hat & work the valve handles & elevators when they aren't out killing people?

[Mischief Maker]

Of all the problems that Terminator Salvation had, I think my biggest complaint is about how Skynet's Terminator factory is designed for humans to walk around in, as evidenced by it's hallways & safety railings.

I know the Terminators are humanoid, but why wouldn't they be lifted straight into a transport vessel after rolling off the assembly line? Do they throw on a hard hat & work the valve handles & elevators when they aren't out killing people?

Next you'll be asking why the JJ Abrams Enterprise needs all those fermentation tanks (for the antimatter?)

[CHI]

but watching [the prequels first] gave me the whole insight how Darth Vader come about...

What insight? That he was a bad seed from the start? That fascism and genocide came naturally to him as a teen? That he hates sand?

Ah yes of course, silly me... Anakin Skywalker from episode 1 always waited to leave the sandland, that's why Darth Vader always wears that silly mask... thanks for your quotes, it helped a lot

From my last post, I've watched...

Gambit 2012... cos it was filmed at my work place while I was working
Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence 1983
Twilight 2008
New Moon 2009
Eclipse 2010
Breaking Dawn Part 1 2011
Breaking Dawn Part 2 2012
Ninja Assassin 2009

PS: slowly my film backlog is getting rather small

[JBC]

Of all the problems that Terminator Salvation had, I think my biggest complaint is about how Skynet's Terminator factory is designed for humans to walk around in, as evidenced by it's hallways & safety railings.

I know the Terminators are humanoid, but why wouldn't they be lifted straight into a transport vessel after rolling off the assembly line? Do they throw on a hard hat & work the valve handles & elevators when they aren't out killing people?

Next you'll be asking why the JJ Abrams Enterprise needs all those fermentation tanks (for the antimatter?)

It also /really/ bothers me that Skynet has a bitchy human personality. What logic dictated that it should take a specific human avatar solely to antagonize the person it transformed into a better infiltrator? Then what logic decided it should go ahead & create the T-800 for infiltration purposes afterwards? Why wouldn't it just take humans & put bombs in them? You can see that he had a direct video feed back to Skynet the entire time he was chillin' with John Conner. Skynet could have blown he & the entire resistance to pieces if only the super smart AI had thought to sabotage the guy's body instead of turning him into a roboduder. I hope Genisys is better.

[Mischief Maker]

Ah yes of course, silly me... Anakin Skywalker from episode 1 always waited to leave the sandland, that's why Darth Vader always wears that silly mask... thanks for your quotes, it helped a lot

If only the Hidden fortress had more parts dealing with sand! Akira Kurosawa was a hack.

It also /really/ bothers me that Skynet has a bitchy human personality. What logic dictated that it should take a specific human avatar solely to antagonize the person it transformed into a better infiltrator? Then what logic decided it should go ahead & create the T-800 for infiltration purposes afterwards? Why wouldn't it just take humans & put bombs in them? You can see that he had a direct video feed back to Skynet the entire time he was chillin' with John Conner. Skynet could have blown he & the entire resistance to pieces if only the super smart AI had thought to sabotage the guy's body instead of turning him into a roboduder. I hope Genisys is better.

Next you'll be /really/ bothered that the borg in "First Contact" happened to have an individualist queen who wanted to hump data's positronic matrix right out of his skull!

If you want to see a sci fi flick about a rampant AI that doesn't devolve involve a Pinocchio complex, and sticks to its guns about the AI being a dangerous emotionless intelligence that operates on pure logic, check out Colossus: The Forbin Project!

[lilmanjs]

Last movies I watched were:
The Suspect
A good Korean action flick from 2013 that had good action. You could even see what was going on! I liked the plot somewhat, but that action was pretty darn good.

The World According to Garp
Drama and Comedy in the same movie. Robbin Williams was a delight in it and every thing felt real. John Lithgow was pretty darn good as a transgender woman/ex-nfl player. Good movie and worth a watch.

Ambush
A 70s Shaw Brothers movie that had a good plot involving a corrupt security official and rare jewels. They try to frame the son of the guy entrusted to deliver the jewels, but things just keep going from bad to worse for them. Ending fight was badass though.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Finally checked out Neill Blomkamp's latest sci-fi flick that goes by the name of Chappie (same guy whom directed District 9 and Elysium) clocking at a solid 120 minutes long in duration. It borrows an idea or two from the slick Ghost in The Shell anime film and incorporates them into this flick (it works well for what it does, plot-wise) and won't spoil it for our fellow shmuppers whom haven't seen it yet. The robots featured in this particular film have that slick aesthetical look/vibe taken from Elysium's military androids + a huge hulking bi-pedal mecha lifted/borrowed from the likes of the classic Phil Tippet designed ED-209 character taken from the 1987 Robocop flim (with a few new tricks/aces up it's sleeves to set itself apart). Lots of run 'n' gunning action combined with stellar CG EFX sells the story -- some scenes had the audience cracking up as it didn't take itself too seriously. Sharlito Copley provides the voice-over for the cool Chappie android character this time around.

I like the neon-painted weaponry shown in this film -- it certainly is different (in a Tank Girl type of vibe).

Weta Workshop Ltd. provided the cool models and props shown throughout in this film (including some very detailed smaller scale mock-ups of the police android and the prototype 275 bi-pedal monstrosity -- which would make for some cool limited production resin based garage kits or plastic model kits to build/paint/build detailed diorama sets for). The slick manufacturing plant that makes the police androids, again, borrows from Blomkamp's earlier Elysium's heavy industrial android factory overall look/vibe as well.

If you have an eagle eye, be sure to look for a distinctive T-Shirt with a sly catchphrase worn by the female character as it aptly fits her to a "T" (when describing her ample assets).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[CHI]

Jupiter Ascending 2015 & Chappie 2015... after 10mins each of these films, I skipped it due to cinema copies
Pacific Rim 2013... it's like Godzilla met Evangelion
I Saw the Devil (2010)... OMG, I was not expecting this
Real Steel 2011 & Gia 1998... really enjoyed watching these two

[Ixmucane2]

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Vaughn's violent and semi-humorous style applied to a semi-parody (or maybe a contemporary update) of action spy stories, 007 in particular. Well written, but privileges the clever elaboration of genre clichés over straightforward feelings and coolness over emotion.

Particularly good action scenes, outrageous violence and slaughter, nice actors.

[Vexorg]

Skyfall: ***1/2

I haven't watched most of the recent James Bond movies, so I was going in mostly blind on this one. It makes for a reasonably watchable mindless action flick, just as long as you can ignore the fact that it contains multiple mile-wide plot holes.