What's The Latest Film You Have Seen?

Engine · 11-18-2013, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exoskeletal

DJ pretty much said it. Not to mention the infamous Texas Chainsaw role. He's really come into his own the last three years.

Nah, he peaked in 1993

I watched Kick Ass 2 today. It's easily the best comic book to film adaptation of the last decade, probably the last couple.

**Exo** · 11-18-2013, 08:27 PM

You know I don’t think I’ve ever seen a film with Vincent Cassel where he didn’t play a slimy criminal. I’m sure there are some that exist but he is probably one of the most typecast actors working today. I guess it helps that he does it so well but come on. I want to see him in like a nice comedy with Rob Schneider. Wouldn’t that be nice? Okay, I’ve gone to far. I’m sorry. He plays a criminal in Trance and along with his cohorts, bullies poor James McAvoy into trying to remember where he hid a painting he helped steal after a bout of amnesia. You with me? I’m not even with me. The film ended up being chore to get through as I repeatedly caught myself hitting the pause button in order to get a snack or play with my dog. Luckily for me, Danny Boyle directed the film which at least left me with some serious film eye candy.

What I liked…

As I just said, Danny Boyle is a stylish mo-fo. The film was pretty dazzling all the way through. Deep reds. Dark blues and pastels. It’s a colorful film. Danny has always been this way though. He masterfully captured India in Slumdog Millionaire and delicately captured space in Sunshine. I mean, this is an Oscar winning director here. I’m always impressed with his work. I also really liked the acting from James McAvoy. He gave a gritty performance reminiscent of The Last King of Scotland. I like it better when he keeps his natural Scottish accent. It’s more, I don’t know, gritty. I like that word. Unfortunately these are the only two things that I particularly really liked. Cassel’s performance was average(Although there is an awesome scene that involves his face in this one) and the script had interesting moments. However…

What I didn’t like…

The script was thinner than a piece of thin cheese…or something equally thin…YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. This is a complicated film with twists and turns and backstabbing and revealed truths and it all seemed to be held together with scotch tape. I mean, we were presented with a finished product at the end but a product that was barely standing up because it’s structure was so weak when being made. Information and plot twists are shoved in our face as if the film is saying “SEE? THIS IS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED! FOOLED YOU!” Like I said in the intro, I would pause to go do something else for a few minutes while I tried to grasp what the hell just happened. I’m also not a fan of blatant lines of dialogue that make absolutely no sense only to be explained later on in the film. It’s a cheap way to create plot twists and really comes off as tacky. Subtlety is a very useful tool in film for when you want to make somebody go “OH, THAT’S WHAT THAT MEANT!” Trance kind of forced you to think that by cheap writing tricks. Not impressed. Also, Rosario Dawson is horrible in this. Horrible. I won’t go as far as saying she’s a horrible actress, but the notion is definitely being explored by myself. She was a distraction in many ways in this film, but when the main reason is horrible acting, that isn’t a good sign.

So, what have we learned? Trance is a film that tries WAY to hard to be a plot serpent. It twists and it turns so much that the value of what actually is happening is lost. It is however a pretty gorgeous film made by a talented man in Danny Boyle.

2.5/5

**Exo** · 11-23-2013, 11:06 PM

The White Ribbon

If I were to name five of my favorite directors living today, Michael Haneke would not only be on that list but would be near the top. Cache is one of my favorite films of all time and I enjoyed his recent film Amour. He’s notorious for being extremely bleak and brutal in his portrayals of life but in that creates some of the most beautiful films modern cinema has ever seen. He tackled sexuality in The Piano Teacher, Alzheimer’s disease in Amour, and even torture in both versions of Funny Games. He is literally a director that makes people both fascinated and dreadful to enter a theater for two hours. This is why I love him. I love being moved and poked and prodded for a response whether good or bad. I love that he almost always leaves his viewers with more questions than answers. Lastly, I often fall in love with his camerawork. His work requires repeat viewings and while I have only sat through The White Ribbon once, I’m sure I’ll be seeing it again.

Filmed in black and white as if to automatically distance the viewer from any sort of emotional attachment to these characters. The rosy and lush countryside of Germany is now transformed into a bleak landscape reminiscent of Bela Tarr’s The Turin Horse. This is ultimately a much easier view than Tarr’s work but that is saying something all together. This is not an easy watch. Events start to unfold from the get go as the town doctor is thrown from his horse due to wire being strung across two trees. The mystery of the event only begins a series of strange occurrences that take place over the rest of the film.

Haneke is famous for his static shots where he lets the viewer play voyeur over the scene. While his technique is not used as much as his previous films we are still treated to long takes of this small German village operating as its inhabitants go about their daily lives. You really get a sense of how certain events can spread like the plague to other villagers when you live in such a small town. The children, who are really the main focus of the theme lash out and get the full force of their parents as we are treated to a view of a generation which will soon grow up to be some of the most evil people in history, the Nazis. These kids are ages five through fourteen in 1913. Do the math.

The White Ribbon ended up being a character study of how foul people can be and how witnesses of such events can keep their mouths closed for so long. The symbolism of Nazi Germany is a subtle, under the skin type affair that ties this film in a horrible bow. I highly recommend this film to people who can stomach slow burns and realistic yet disturbing events.

4.5/5

Psychedub Dude · 11-25-2013, 05:28 PM

Ruby Sparks

Wasn't expecting much from this initially but I ended up rather enjoying it. Charming cast (especially the title character) with good performances all around. Really surprised me

bob. · 11-28-2013, 01:32 PM

so this being a "reinterpretation" of the original source material (a comic book) and not a "remake" of the damn near perfect Chan-wook Park film

although this is a very American film....it keeps some of the Asian style....style?

that is the problem here....there is no style....certainly not like the original....the violence and blood shed are turned up....and the ending is clear cut and almost happy.....the "twist" is blown even further than in the original

i will say that having not seen the original in a least a couple of years was helpful in actually enjoying this version....although i had the general story down this one was a bit different and so it produced a little bit of freshness....and again it follows the same format but not exactly the same story

the cast was splendid....except for the squid...who only makes a quick cameo and was a real let down

overall not that bad....but i would suggest watching all three in the "Revenge" trilogy over this very American version

edit

i will say this...i tricked my sister and her husband into going with me...just because i wanted to see their reactions....and they did not see the "twist" coming at all

also

I really did enjoy this version....it just did not have anywhere near the affect of the original....but that could be just because I knew the plot

GuD · 11-30-2013, 11:07 PM

Bazaar movie -go figure with that title- but I liked it a lot.

Quote:

Danny: Tyler, These friends of yours. They wouldn't be by any chance Nazi's would they?

Taylor: ...I prefer to call them politically challenged.

mhiggins27 · 12-02-2013, 02:52 AM

Catching Fire

Yeah, it's about as mainstream as you can get, but it really was good. I think even if you didn't read the books you would enjoy it. Much better than the first movie.

djchameleon · 12-02-2013, 07:21 AM

Jack Reacher

I was surprised by how much I liked Jack Reacher. I remember when it came out that people were giving it flack and I'm not really sure why. I do need to watch it again because I was tired when watching it and missed the ending but I loved everything about it that I saw. If you want an action movie I suggest throwing away preconceived notions about how awful this movie is and giving it a chance.

Flight

It is kind of eerie that I watched Flight again Saturday night and then on Sunday morning a Metro North train derailed. One of the trains that I could have been on. It is the same line I take down to NYC. 4 people died and 60 or so were injured. Having watched Flight gives me a little insight into the whole investigation process with the NTSB. They have been called in to review the blackbox and find out what happened.

G.I. Joe Retaliation

I loved this movie more than I probably should but it was just a great action movie with childhood nostalgia fueling my passion for it. I honestly can't wait until the 3rd movie comes out. I believe it is only going to be a trilogy but I'm fine with that. Snake Eyes was my favorite as a kid and he is still my favorite. He doesn't love a good ninja kicking ass and running alongside a mountain face.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 12-02-2013, 01:47 PM

Watched Alpha Papa last night. Piss funny in parts, Michael was fantastic.

Some proper lols in this.

The Batlord · 12-02-2013, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

Am I the only one who thought Denzel Washington was playing a black Nazi when they first saw this pic?

11-18-2013, 08:27 PM	#13632 (permalink)
Exo All day jazz and biscuits Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 7,354	You know I don’t think I’ve ever seen a film with Vincent Cassel where he didn’t play a slimy criminal. I’m sure there are some that exist but he is probably one of the most typecast actors working today. I guess it helps that he does it so well but come on. I want to see him in like a nice comedy with Rob Schneider. Wouldn’t that be nice? Okay, I’ve gone to far. I’m sorry. He plays a criminal in Trance and along with his cohorts, bullies poor James McAvoy into trying to remember where he hid a painting he helped steal after a bout of amnesia. You with me? I’m not even with me. The film ended up being chore to get through as I repeatedly caught myself hitting the pause button in order to get a snack or play with my dog. Luckily for me, Danny Boyle directed the film which at least left me with some serious film eye candy. What I liked… As I just said, Danny Boyle is a stylish mo-fo. The film was pretty dazzling all the way through. Deep reds. Dark blues and pastels. It’s a colorful film. Danny has always been this way though. He masterfully captured India in Slumdog Millionaire and delicately captured space in Sunshine. I mean, this is an Oscar winning director here. I’m always impressed with his work. I also really liked the acting from James McAvoy. He gave a gritty performance reminiscent of The Last King of Scotland. I like it better when he keeps his natural Scottish accent. It’s more, I don’t know, gritty. I like that word. Unfortunately these are the only two things that I particularly really liked. Cassel’s performance was average(Although there is an awesome scene that involves his face in this one) and the script had interesting moments. However… What I didn’t like… The script was thinner than a piece of thin cheese…or something equally thin…YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. This is a complicated film with twists and turns and backstabbing and revealed truths and it all seemed to be held together with scotch tape. I mean, we were presented with a finished product at the end but a product that was barely standing up because it’s structure was so weak when being made. Information and plot twists are shoved in our face as if the film is saying “SEE? THIS IS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED! FOOLED YOU!” Like I said in the intro, I would pause to go do something else for a few minutes while I tried to grasp what the hell just happened. I’m also not a fan of blatant lines of dialogue that make absolutely no sense only to be explained later on in the film. It’s a cheap way to create plot twists and really comes off as tacky. Subtlety is a very useful tool in film for when you want to make somebody go “OH, THAT’S WHAT THAT MEANT!” Trance kind of forced you to think that by cheap writing tricks. Not impressed. Also, Rosario Dawson is horrible in this. Horrible. I won’t go as far as saying she’s a horrible actress, but the notion is definitely being explored by myself. She was a distraction in many ways in this film, but when the main reason is horrible acting, that isn’t a good sign. So, what have we learned? Trance is a film that tries WAY to hard to be a plot serpent. It twists and it turns so much that the value of what actually is happening is lost. It is however a pretty gorgeous film made by a talented man in Danny Boyle. 2.5/5 __________________ LastFM SUPREME POO BAH MODERATOR EXTRAORDINAIRE

11-23-2013, 11:06 PM	#13633 (permalink)
Exo All day jazz and biscuits Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 7,354	The White Ribbon If I were to name five of my favorite directors living today, Michael Haneke would not only be on that list but would be near the top. Cache is one of my favorite films of all time and I enjoyed his recent film Amour. He’s notorious for being extremely bleak and brutal in his portrayals of life but in that creates some of the most beautiful films modern cinema has ever seen. He tackled sexuality in The Piano Teacher, Alzheimer’s disease in Amour, and even torture in both versions of Funny Games. He is literally a director that makes people both fascinated and dreadful to enter a theater for two hours. This is why I love him. I love being moved and poked and prodded for a response whether good or bad. I love that he almost always leaves his viewers with more questions than answers. Lastly, I often fall in love with his camerawork. His work requires repeat viewings and while I have only sat through The White Ribbon once, I’m sure I’ll be seeing it again. Filmed in black and white as if to automatically distance the viewer from any sort of emotional attachment to these characters. The rosy and lush countryside of Germany is now transformed into a bleak landscape reminiscent of Bela Tarr’s The Turin Horse. This is ultimately a much easier view than Tarr’s work but that is saying something all together. This is not an easy watch. Events start to unfold from the get go as the town doctor is thrown from his horse due to wire being strung across two trees. The mystery of the event only begins a series of strange occurrences that take place over the rest of the film. Haneke is famous for his static shots where he lets the viewer play voyeur over the scene. While his technique is not used as much as his previous films we are still treated to long takes of this small German village operating as its inhabitants go about their daily lives. You really get a sense of how certain events can spread like the plague to other villagers when you live in such a small town. The children, who are really the main focus of the theme lash out and get the full force of their parents as we are treated to a view of a generation which will soon grow up to be some of the most evil people in history, the Nazis. These kids are ages five through fourteen in 1913. Do the math. The White Ribbon ended up being a character study of how foul people can be and how witnesses of such events can keep their mouths closed for so long. The symbolism of Nazi Germany is a subtle, under the skin type affair that ties this film in a horrible bow. I highly recommend this film to people who can stomach slow burns and realistic yet disturbing events. 4.5/5 __________________ LastFM SUPREME POO BAH MODERATOR EXTRAORDINAIRE

11-25-2013, 05:28 PM	#13634 (permalink)
Psychedub Dude Nowhere Man Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: In a champagne supernova in the sky Posts: 662	Ruby Sparks Wasn't expecting much from this initially but I ended up rather enjoying it. Charming cast (especially the title character) with good performances all around. Really surprised me __________________ There is only one beer left Rappers screaming all in our ears like we're deaf Tempt me, do a number on the label Eat up all their MC's and drink 'em under the table [B]Last.fm Shadows Of Our Souls

11-28-2013, 01:32 PM	#13635 (permalink)
bob. Still sends his reguards. Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Trying to get out of the cat town.... Posts: 5,039	so this being a "reinterpretation" of the original source material (a comic book) and not a "remake" of the damn near perfect Chan-wook Park film although this is a very American film....it keeps some of the Asian style....style? that is the problem here....there is no style....certainly not like the original....the violence and blood shed are turned up....and the ending is clear cut and almost happy.....the "twist" is blown even further than in the original i will say that having not seen the original in a least a couple of years was helpful in actually enjoying this version....although i had the general story down this one was a bit different and so it produced a little bit of freshness....and again it follows the same format but not exactly the same story the cast was splendid....except for the squid...who only makes a quick cameo and was a real let down overall not that bad....but i would suggest watching all three in the "Revenge" trilogy over this very American version edit i will say this...i tricked my sister and her husband into going with me...just because i wanted to see their reactions....and they did not see the "twist" coming at all also I really did enjoy this version....it just did not have anywhere near the affect of the original....but that could be just because I knew the plot __________________ A kiss is the beginning of cannibalism. Reach out, pierce the fine fabric of the sheltering sky, take repose. Last edited by bob.; 11-29-2013 at 03:49 AM.

12-02-2013, 02:52 AM	#13637 (permalink)
mhiggins27 Groupie Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 15	Catching Fire Yeah, it's about as mainstream as you can get, but it really was good. I think even if you didn't read the books you would enjoy it. Much better than the first movie.

12-02-2013, 01:47 PM	#13639 (permalink)
~~Cuthbert~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Black Country Posts: 8,827	Watched Alpha Papa last night. Piss funny in parts, Michael was fantastic. Some proper lols in this.