Movies you've just watched

[BIL]

The theme of loneliness is pretty obvious.

It is. And the movie certainly has everything in place for a genuine tragedy, with Travis finally deciding in isolation to destroy society, rather than continue futile interaction with it. But it instead employs the same ambivalent fortune that put Travis and NYC together initially for a jarringly upbeat conclusion, with Travis's graduation from "weirdo" to "hero" in society's eyes and not "monster" again down to sheer dumb luck.

For me it's truly an absurdist tragi(black)comedy.

[Mortificator]

Apropos to another thread, The Last Temptation of Christ. It could have gone further, but I liked it quite a bit.

[Auddy]

Watched Melancholia. Someday I'm gonna learn that Lars von Trier and his relentless examination of crippling depression is not a good influence on my psychic health. Love his films' photography, though.

I'm a big Trier fan, but I haven't seen Melancholia yet. I loved Antichrist though.

[GaijinPunch]

I watched the 4 hour version of Until the End of the World. Had never seen it. Good, and worth the watch, but it could have been better. I think maybe Wim Wenders bit off a bit more than he could chew. It is neat to see a lot of near-future would-be tech, as seen from someone in the early 90's.

[xbl0x180]

The theme of loneliness is pretty obvious.

It is. And the movie certainly has everything in place for a genuine tragedy, with Travis finally deciding in isolation to destroy society, rather than continue futile interaction with it. But it instead employs the same ambivalent fortune that put Travis and NYC together initially for a jarringly upbeat conclusion, with Travis's graduation from "weirdo" to "hero" in society's eyes and not "monster" again down to sheer dumb luck.

For me it's truly an absurdist tragi(black)comedy.

We may see it as absurd and laugh, but things are not as you stated. However, in order to further discuss that, we would need to reveal the ending

[Skykid]

Attack the Block.

Intrigued by this one because Joe Cornish of Adam and Joe made his directorial debut. It's funny, because I can see exactly what he was going for and all the way through I kept on imagining everything in script form and visualising what he had planned for the film.

It's only partly successful unfortunately, but what is successful makes for an enjoyable film. It's so nice to watch something non-American for a change, although their chokehold on the commercial film industry meant Attack the Block made a huge loss. Oh well.

The East London gang of young thugs versus alien invaders is a really cool idea, just because it's so off the wall. For the most part it worked as well, although some of the humor falls flat and feels forced despite the kids being good representations of London estate miscreants. There were plenty of cool sequences and definitely some laughs, but they're marred by instances of embarrassing dialogue and jokes that were a little too schoolyard for their own good.

Still, I enjoyed this. It's different, that's for sure, and even though it doesn't quite strike the balance between seriousness and comedy, it's still cool to watch kids smoking joints, swearing, and hacking up wild things with samurai swords.

[BIL]

We may see it as absurd and laugh, but things are not as you stated. However, in order to further discuss that, we would need to reveal the ending

I don't go for that lame "dream coda" theory if that's what you're referring to. If you mean Paul Schrader's comment that nothing has changed and horror awaits, I'm well aware. That's further tragedy blackening any absurd humour to be found in the farcical conclusion.

If I'm misunderstanding you and you don't mind, I'd like to know what you mean. :]

[xbl0x180]

We may see it as absurd and laugh, but things are not as you stated. However, in order to further discuss that, we would need to reveal the ending

I don't go for that lame "dream coda" theory if that's what you're referring to. If you mean Paul Schrader's comment that nothing has changed and horror awaits, I'm well aware. That's further tragedy blackening any absurd humour to be found in the farcical conclusion.

If I'm misunderstanding you and you don't mind, I'd like to know what you mean. :]

That's not it either. Things went down for real in the film, but, again, in order to discuss this, we would have to reveal the ending Actually, Martin Scorsese has discussed this at length during a coupla interviews and it sits in contrast to what you stated.

[BIL]

Haha, okay. I'll have to do some research, it's been a while...

edit: Er, hang on, by "things went down for real" do you mean the events in the brothel? I'm talking about everything shown after the fadeout. I've read a few interviews where Scorsese entertains the idea that the scene which follows isn't reality, but I've also seen him deny the notion. And Schrader seems to overrule the idea entirely with his comment on where the story is headed.

[drauch]

I don't want to get back in this Taxi Driver discussion, but yeah, the fact that Scorsese has changed his viewpoints on the ending back and forth certainly confuses the matter... At least he's not as bad as Spike Lee.

[xbl0x180]

I've only seen/read two interviews and he pretty much said the same thing in both

[BIL]

At any rate, I just go with Schrader's comment from the Laserdisc that (paraphrased) "Next time Travis won't be a hero." Hard to think Schrader's referring to events in the great beyond. Not that I'd think it was a fantasy coda anyway. I prefer the movie firmly rooted in grimy reality.

[drauch]

Funny, too, because they goofed at the end: Travis' jacket doesn't have any holes in it from being shot.

[BIL]

The Exorcist (1973). Actually never seen it before beyond "it was ending while I was channel surfing" mode. Found it a considerably disturbing movie, not for its demonic aspect but themes of sickness in one's parents and children. The hospital scenes were pretty uncomfortable to watch. The explicit horror content has long since passed into pop culture ubiquity and lost its power to shock, but the spaces in between have an impressively heavy air of invisible malice. I thought the third film was even better in that regard, although its story's repurposing from Blatty's Legion novel was all too obvious.

[JBC]

Thunderball.

WOW. Haven't seen it in years and forgot how good it was. So beautifully shot, and the scuba battle at the end is just amazing.

[CMoon]

The Exorcist (1973). Actually never seen it before beyond "it was ending while I was channel surfing" mode. Found it a considerably disturbing movie, not for its demonic aspect but themes of sickness in one's parents and children. The hospital scenes were pretty uncomfortable to watch. The explicit horror content has long since passed into pop culture ubiquity and lost its power to shock, but the spaces in between have an impressively heavy air of invisible malice. I thought the third film was even better in that regard, although its story's repurposing from Blatty's Legion novel was all too obvious.

A lot of its power still resides in Friedkin's strength as a director. Ultimately it is a nasty, vile film. Like Polanski's Rosemary's Baby, the obvious horror is almost secondary to the suffocating, domestic horror presented on screen.

[Skykid]

Dead Man's Shoes.

One of the best revenge movies I've seen in years. I was gripped by it, laughing in disbelief at the strength of its tension, elated by the retribution and shocked by the brutality.

Good strong stuff.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Watched the Blu-Ray version of Haywire. Interesting premise with the secret world of undercover black-op dealings with governments & power players on the international scene. The action scenes with mixed martial arts pro Gina Carano whom does all her own stunts are impressive. This is one of those Steven Soderbergh films done right in the action film genre.

Never once is the word "Haywire" mentioned nor uttered throughout the entire duration of this flick until the staff credits scroll (leading to the ultimate question of why it was chosen in the first place). Hmmm.....

Some key plot issues aren't resolved nor are they revealed leading to a possible sequel if it is "greenlit".

A sequel of Haywire 2 would be cool to see what further adventures await our leading lady agent of death, Mallory Kane.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[BIL]

Dead Man's Shoes.

I love the bit where Paddy drugs their tea. Something so benignly and quintessentially English as the humble cuppa, taken into pitch-dark Death Wish territory.

Paddy: *stare*

Bloke: "What are you lookin' at, mate?"

Paddy: "YOU, YA CUNT!"

Bloke: *wibble*

[jonny5]

Watched the Blu-Ray version of Haywire. Interesting premise with the secret world of undercover black-op dealings with governments & power players on the international scene. The action scenes with mixed martial arts pro Gina Carano whom does all her own stunts are impressive. This is one of those Steven Soderbergh films done right in the action film genre.

Never once is the word "Haywire" mentioned nor uttered throughout the entire duration of this flick until the staff credits scroll (leading to the ultimate question of why it was chosen in the first place). Hmmm.....

Some key plot issues aren't resolved nor are they revealed leading to a possible sequel if it is "greenlit".

A sequel of Haywire 2 would be cool to see what further adventures await our leading lady agent of death, Mallory Kane.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Watched this a week or so ago; the g/f loves Gina Carano. I didn't expect much out of this to be honest, but it was really bad. Even the g/f thought it was bad.

Sadly, as great a fighter as Carano is, and as hot as she is, she can't act at all! Even the fight scenes were pretty shit. Oh, and not even a hint of skin really.

Avoid this one.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Well, considering it's Carano's first time acting, it's a tough job. I'm sure if Carano felt comfortable doing a nude scene, she would've shown plently of skin with that shapely body physique of hers.

What would you have done to make more thrilling & convincing fight scenes, jonny5?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[burgerkingdiamond]

I just saw The Avengers because of all the positive reviews and opinions.

I was unimpressed. It started off okay and when it focussed on the interactions between the different characters was when I liked it best. But eventually once all the action started it got predictably boring. It wasn't Transformers bad or anything, but I've been wondering lately why I'm so unimpressed with new movies. Especially ones that are making hundreds of millions of dollars, since I must be in the minority.

An example of something really good that came out recently in my opinion would be The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

Oh yeah. A movie actually came out based on BATTLESHIP with Rihanna? Are we really to the point of using board games as inspiration?

[jonny5]

Well, considering it's Carano's first time acting, it's a tough job. I'm sure if Carano felt comfortable doing a nude scene, she would've shown plently of skin with that shapely body physique of hers.

What would you have done to make more thrilling & convincing fight scenes, jonny5?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Not stage everything like an MMA fight for starters.

The fight scenes felt very fake, and staged to the point that they came across like sparring in spots. Couple that with the fact that she was tossed through a bunch of glass shelves, took countless heavy shots to the face and all she got was a bit of a bruise by her eye.......come on.

As for the nude scene, I'm not talking full frontal or even a bare ass shot, but they could have at least slipped in some side boob when she got out of the shower or something. Making a movie centered around a hot chick, who is only in the film because she is hot and can fight, and not playing on that sex appeal is stupid IMO.

This could have been good, but I think they banked to much on her selling it on her own, and she isn't experienced/talented enough to carry a movie yet. They should have given her a few villain roles or smaller roles before giving her her own movie.

[Frenetic]

I've been on a real musical kick as of late. Been watching them with my old lady and they really are a blast. They've been a real treat with the great production values/ensemble actors & actresses...Here are my recommendations. Give them a try if you're looking for something different.

Annie Get Your Gun
(Look! A man!)

Guys and Dolls
(Luck be a lady.)

Pocketful of Miracles
(How's them apples?)

State Fair
(Don't forget the brandy.)

--the F-man

[Skykid]

It wasn't Transformers bad or anything, but I've been wondering lately why I'm so unimpressed with new movies. Especially ones that are making hundreds of millions of dollars, since I must be in the minority.

The minority have taste. You should be glad to be part of it.

[Skykid]

In Bruges


This is a weird one.

8.0 on IMDB?! Dunno how it got that high a rating.

It's not terrible or anything, it's watchable, reasonably enjoyable, but a little flat and off-kilter throughout. Some scenes were very funny, and in others the humour was really uncomfortably try-hard ("Alcoves" springs to mind). I liked the Irishness of it, it was pretty fresh, but there was a baffling number of racial jokes shoehorned in there that started to get a bit odd by the third, fourth and fifth usage.

It was kind of a caper movie, but not. It was humorous and serious at the same time, and not quite sure which side it preferred. Most of the performances were good, Colin Farrell especially, but a few supporting actors like the dwarf and the Belgian girl were gratingly poor (she was really bad, and I think she was in Transporter 3 iirc.)

Anyway, 8.0 it's not, but it's still got its moments. Fun for the most part, a touch slow in places, but kind of endearing on the whole. Not sure if that's a recommendation but you could do worse.

[spadgy]

I watched classic British sci-fi horror The Earth Will Die Screaming last night. Bloody great stuff by classic horror director Terence Fisher. It was on Zune on Xbox. Well worth a watch if you like quality(ish) B-movies. It was from 1965, but I'd say felt a fair bit older.

[jonny5]

In Bruges


This is a weird one.

8.0 on IMDB?! Dunno how it got that high a rating.

It's not terrible or anything, it's watchable, reasonably enjoyable, but a little flat and off-kilter throughout. Some scenes were very funny, and in others the humour was really uncomfortably try-hard ("Alcoves" springs to mind). I liked the Irishness of it, it was pretty fresh, but there was a baffling number of racial jokes shoehorned in there that started to get a bit odd by the third, fourth and fifth usage.

It was kind of a caper movie, but not. It was humorous and serious at the same time, and not quite sure which side it preferred. Most of the performances were good, Colin Farrell especially, but a few supporting actors like the dwarf and the Belgian girl were gratingly poor (she was really bad, and I think she was in Transporter 3 iirc.)

Anyway, 8.0 it's not, but it's still got its moments. Fun for the most part, a touch slow in places, but kind of endearing on the whole. Not sure if that's a recommendation but you could do worse.

I enjoyed this. It actually made me re-think my hatred of Colin Farrell. It was surprisingly better than I expected.

[Aguraki]

anyone knows if these are all the movies that led to the avangers?

hulk
thor
captain america
iron man 1 and 2

havent seen it yet.

I tried to watch in bruges long time ago and stopped after 30min.
redownloaded it recently but still havent got the motivation to watch it.
I like london boulevard a lot with farrel as well.

[Mortificator]

Hulk (Eric Bana plays the main dude) is the older Hulk movie that predates Avengers tie-ins and The Incredible Hulk (Edward Norton plays the main dude) is the Hulk movie with an Avengers teaser. I liked Hulk better, but I thought all three recent Banner portrayals were good. Never liked Hulk comics, though... something about this character just seems to work better in film.