Movies you've just watched

[lilmanjs]

First Blood: Great movie of course
Rambo: First Blood Part II: A good movie once again, but in a different vain than than First Blood. Some over the top machoness at times, but it evens out to be a good movie.
Stranger Than Fiction: This is one of those movies that sounds like it will be pretty bad, but Will Ferrel does well in this and the narration angle is played quite well. Always a favorite of mine.

[iconoclast]

Top 5 of October

This Charming Girl - Melancholic character study of a detached female post office worker. Actually might be one of the best movies I've seen this year.
I Just Didn't Do It - Very well made and meticulously researched movie about a guy that gets accused of molesting a girl on a train. The film's primary focus is Japan's 99.9% conviction rate. Reminded me of Keiho (which I liked more).
The Room Nearby - Really obscure Korean film about a poor young woman who's struggling to make ends meet, and a rich older woman who's dying. I'm surprised this isn't more well known; it has very few ratings on every site I use.
Exte: Hair Extensions - Maybe a little too wacky at times (probably inevitable, given the premise), but Sion Sono's brand of wackiness is always entertaining.
Brass Knuckle Boys - An office worker at a record company discovers a punk band on the internet called the Brass Knuckle Boys. What she doesn't realize is that the video she watched is 25 years old, so when she goes to sign them, she finds out they're all middle-aged men. This is nothing special, it's just a fun comedy.

Honorable mention: Too Beautiful to Lie (2004) and Villain and Widow (2010). I was on a horror movie kick for a while but I've been watching romcoms lately. These two were especially good.

Special mention: Martyrs (2008) - A French film about a woman who was kidnapped and tortured as a child, and is now out for revenge after managing to escape. The description made me think this would be a revenge thriller, but it's really just torture porn. This one deserves a mention for being one of the worst movies I've seen in years. Total garbage.

[neorichieb1971]

I liked Martyrs. I thought the psycho imbalance was effective and the only time I have been affected by a movie like that in my adult life. Did a much a better job at horror than any USA movie trying to do the same thing. Although I can say the ones I watched as a kid and my early teenage life affected me more for obvious reasons. I watched Evil dead when I was about 10-11 years old and that still stands as the scariest fiction day of my life.

[GaijinPunch]

The Handmaiden

Spicey!

The Japanese spoken by the Korean cast was very impressive.

[Some-Mist]

The Handmaiden

Spicey!

The Japanese spoken by the Korean cast was very impressive.

where'd you see that!? I wanted to see it at the film fest but was strapped on cash..

[GaijinPunch]

Music Box -- still playing through the week I think.

The...

Spoiler

scissoring

...alone is worth the price of admission.

(It's not that big of a spoiler)

[Some-Mist]

spicy indeed! I live so far from the music box now but I really want to go see it - heard it's one of park chan-wooks best.

[Skykid]

The Shallows.

Pretty shallow. Mostly shit.

[soprano1]

The Shallows.

Pretty shallow. Mostly shit.

Well, at least the title is appropriate.

[GaijinPunch]

spicy indeed! I live so far from the music box now but I really want to go see it - heard it's one of park chan-wooks best.

That may have been my first Korean film. Spending most of my years in Japan, cinema from nearby cuntries was not easily enjoyed w/o hunting down the English releases. In recent years with the interwebs, not so forgiveable, but at the theater - forget it. Too taxing on the brain.

[kaicooper]

Under The Shadow 2016

new and first iranian horror movie
its just 1.20 hour ..atmospheric..creepy..
just 1 jump scare..kinda original..

[emphatic]

spicy indeed! I live so far from the music box now but I really want to go see it - heard it's one of park chan-wooks best.

That may have been my first Korean film. Spending most of my years in Japan, cinema from nearby cuntries was not easily enjoyed w/o hunting down the English releases. In recent years with the interwebs, not so forgiveable, but at the theater - forget it. Too taxing on the brain.

Check out Memories Of Murder and The Man From Nowhere.

[GaijinPunch]

spicy indeed! I live so far from the music box now but I really want to go see it - heard it's one of park chan-wooks best.

That may have been my first Korean film. Spending most of my years in Japan, cinema from nearby cuntries was not easily enjoyed w/o hunting down the English releases. In recent years with the interwebs, not so forgiveable, but at the theater - forget it. Too taxing on the brain.

Check out Memories Of Murder and The Man From Nowhere.

Aight!

[Skykid]

Angel Heart

Beautiful looking film noir movie from Alan Parker, with a good performance from Mickey Rourke as the dishevelled private eye and De Niro as the client.

Didn't go where I expected and a few things I would have left out, but on the whole it's a well directed genre flick that's worth anyone's time that appreciates when cinema was also about the art of photography.

[Vexorg]

Sherlock Holmes (2009) ***1/2

I had seen the sequel to this one (A Game of Shadows) several times, but had not seen this one before. Overall a pretty good film (and certainly a better one than the sequel) in spite having plenty of the typical Guy Ritchie pretentiousness. Robert Downey Jr's Sherlock Holmes character tends to be just a bit too much of a Mary Sue (A crack-addled half-insane Mary Sue, but a Mary Sue nonetheless) and it spends a little too much time overexplaining its way out of its tangled web of plots and consipracies after the fact, but in spite of that it's reasonably watchable.

Apparently a third movie in this series is in the works.

[xxx1993]

Saw Doctor Strange. I liked it.

[lilmanjs]

Ernest Saves Christmas
My mother roped me into watch a christmas movie the other night, and while I was using the restroom she chose this. Not the worst ever, has some funny moments, but quite dated feeling. At least she didn't make us watch White Christmas which I've seen too many times for it to be good to me anymore.

[Sumez]

I had seen the sequel to this one (A Game of Shadows) several times, but had not seen this one before. Overall a pretty good film (and certainly a better one than the sequel) in spite having plenty of the typical Guy Ritchie pretentiousness. Robert Downey Jr's Sherlock Holmes character tends to be just a bit too much of a Mary Sue (A crack-addled half-insane Mary Sue, but a Mary Sue nonetheless) and it spends a little too much time overexplaining its way out of its tangled web of plots and consipracies after the fact, but in spite of that it's reasonably watchable.

Didn't like the sequel, but the first movie was quite entertaining for what it is.
However, Robert Downey's Holmes doesn't even come remotely close to the absurdly extreme Marysue-ishness of Cumberbatch's Holmes! Man I had a hard time watching that series.

[cj iwakura]

Binging some Criterions before they leave Hulu on the 11th...

A Hard Day's Night - 3/5. Crazy comedy, but it has some amazing moments.
[Reporter to John Lennon]
"Do you have any hobbies?"
[Lennon writes something down and shows it to her, reporter's mouth drops open]


His Girl Friday - 3/5. Hilarious writing, but it kind of falls into the formulaic happy ending of the 40s. That prick didn't really deserve her.
"Let's go meet your new husband! Is he as great as you say?"
"Better."
"Then what's he doing with you?"


Leningrad Cowboys Go America - 5/5. Absolutely stellar. The sequels are weird, but the last one(Balalaika Show) is worth it just to see them performing with the Red Army Choir.


The Young Girls of Rochefort - 4/5.
Very colorful, hopelessly romantic musical. The numbers are great, as is Gene Kelly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSNardGchis

[Ixmucane2]

Doctor Strange

You know current superhero movies are a dead genre when people complain about the very bad ones but complain even more about Doctor Strange.

There are a straightforward story (Stephen Strange joins the wizards after a car accident, planning to learn enough to heal his hands and then return to neurosurgery, but he stays for an even more self-gratifying second career in the world saving business), a meaningful protagonist, no distractions (a couple of lines are spent to discuss an Infinity Gem and Thor meets Dr. Strange in a very purposeful mid-credits scene).
While X-Men: Apocalypse wastes rather important mutants from the canon like Caliban or Psylocke as insignificant henchmen and random encounters, Doctor Strange has "Strong Zealot", "Tall Zealot", "Blonde Zealot" and "Brunette Zealot", as they are called in the credits: true nameless mooks, without inappropriate baggage.
While the various Avengers films have a large cast of heroes, add new ones, and need to justify absences, Doctor Strange features (including the bad guys) only 4 important wizards, 3 other notable wizards with much less screen time, the aforementioned non-speaking zealots and random disciples who stay out of the way; and every one of them serves a purpose.

But despite the admirably decent writing and pace it isn't epic. Strange is less heroic than Ant-Man, has a huge ego instead of Spider-Man's sense of duty or Superman's destiny, maintains a non-tragic and improving relationship with a woman, and generally looks like a bourgeois with an unusual job.

Special effects are generally good, but not very original; some things are just ugly and the abuse of very raw "mandelbulb" fractal shapes and similar kaleidoscope-like structures is quite disappointing.

[neorichieb1971]

True Romance -

Considered a poor mans Tarantino movie. I disagree. The soundtrack is catchy, the movie has so many memorable scenes (The hotel room fight between Alabama and the Italian crony being my favourite). Will never tire of this movie and probably Christian Slaters best performance ever. Not to mention the cast, does this movie hold the world record for AAA stars?


The Rock

Watched this with my wife. She was quite entertained and laughed a lot from the one liners. Music soundtrack (again from Hans Zimmer) is memorable and well done. Story is typical Michael Bay, but to me its one of his better ones along side "the Island".


Sausage Party

You know, I really don't understand the hype. The F word is used throughout to the point where hearing it again becomes a grind.. and it just keeps coming and coming. And sometimes you hear the C word or female B word. Is it really funny to people to keep hearing trash talk? This is supposed to be a comedy.. I barely whimpered let alone laughed. Some of the sexual innuendo's were creative but not necessarily funny. I've seen horror movies which are funnier than this. But I suppose everyone will watch due to the red label trailer which incidentally has just about the best 5 mins of the movie contained within it. The story is very shallow and stretched like a Peter Jackson Hobbit movie. Gets 10/10 for originality but for me it didn't work. My overall score would be 2/5 or a 4/10.

[BIL]

(The hotel room fight between Alabama and the Italian crony being my favourite).

James Gandolfini, god rest he soul. ;_;7

Sausage Party

You know, I really don't understand the hype.

IDGAF about this movie but holy shit I got a laugh out of the fallout from the review discussed here!

We heard from readers who were upset that we labeled the taco a lesbian when it seems more likely that she was bisexual. We heard from readers who questioned the consent of the sexual encounter between the taco and the hot dog bun. We heard from readers who found the taco to be a damaging portrayal of a predatory queer woman.

I want to personally apologize to every reader who was hurt by the Sausage Party review. I failed you as a senior editor of this website and I failed you as an ally. I am wholly sorry for the pain and anger I caused you. I offer you no justification. I was blinded by my own whiteness existing inside a system of white supremacy. I must do better. I will do better.

LMAO

[wgogh]

Léon
I found out later that the Netflix version of the movie lacks almost half an hour of movie. US release and all.
I'll go for the missing scenes on you tube or something... ¬¬ The movie is awesome, actually. I have the same feeling watching Taxi Driver, somehow.

I was just wondering now if Leon didnt knew how to read, or if he didnt knew how to read in english.

[Skykid]

Pride, Prejudice and Zombies

Fucking bollocks, switched it off. Weightless, theatrical to a fault, boringly pedestrian.

It's only claim to fame is that it may have assembled one of the worst cast of amateur actors in one place.

[GaijinPunch]

True Romance -

Considered a poor mans Tarantino movie. I disagree. The soundtrack is catchy, the movie has so many memorable scenes (The hotel room fight between Alabama and the Italian crony being my favourite). Will never tire of this movie

Most memorable scene: love making in the desert phone booth. God damn... #RelationshipGoals. Runner up is Dennis Hopper & Christopher Walken's scene together.

and probably Christian Slaters best performance ever. Not to mention the cast, does this movie hold the world record for AAA stars?

And Val Kilmers.

The Rock

Watched this with my wife. She was quite entertained and laughed a lot from the one liners. Music soundtrack (again from Hans Zimmer) is memorable and well done. Story is typical Michael Bay, but to me its one of his better ones along side "the Island".

This falls under "so bad it's good" to me. The editing mixed w/ Cage's shitty action movie dialogue... priceless.

[Zen]

Down Terrace (2009)
Ben Wheatley's British gangster film. The antithesis to the usual charismatic movie-land portrayal.
Nasty bit of "work" but perhaps that was the whole point.

[BIL]

^ I really like that one. Nasty indeed, yet somehow disarming and even endearing in its kitchen sink shambles. The bit where an ill-favoured associate

Spoiler

locks himself in the smallest room to stave off a summary stabbing execution, his would-be slayers exasperatedly negotiating through the door until the situation deflates

- That's some quality downmarket gangsterism!

Try out his later Kill List if you haven't. Horror/crime film that operates in the same mundane domestic circles, albeit upgraded from a council house to a suburban semi. Our upwardly mobile hitman smashes the paedos into bloody gristle and himself to sub-atomic dust.

I love A Field In England but its surreal goony dirge will no doubt irritate many. I fuckin love it though.

[Zen]

Kill List Really impressed me. A Field In England? Strictly as an piece of cinema, its probably his best. High Rise was meh.
I'm cautious about approaching his other films. Don't want to break the spell

[Xyga]

Léon
I found out later that the Netflix version of the movie lacks almost half an hour of movie. US release and all.
I'll go for the missing scenes on you tube or something... ¬¬ The movie is awesome, actually. I have the same feeling watching Taxi Driver, somehow.

I was just wondering now if Leon didnt knew how to read, or if he didnt knew how to read in english.

Even the original French version got censored at some point.

Spoiler

In the original theatre release at the end of the film before dropping her into the duct he actually says he wants to sleep with her. Later dvd/tv releases I've seen didn't have that line.

[soprano1]

Léon
I found out later that the Netflix version of the movie lacks almost half an hour of movie. US release and all.
I'll go for the missing scenes on you tube or something... ¬¬ The movie is awesome, actually. I have the same feeling watching Taxi Driver, somehow.

I was just wondering now if Leon didnt knew how to read, or if he didnt knew how to read in english.

Even the original French version got censored at some point.

Spoiler

In the original theatre release at the end of the film before dropping her into the duct he actually says he wants to sleep with her. Later dvd/tv releases I've seen didn't have that line.

No surprise there...