What film are you watching tonight/watched last night???

Bandersnatch, having played many Tell Tale type games, Bandersnatch isn't that deep a choose your own path experience, however, the meta storyline is good and the main ending is what I expected, well, what I considered the main ending from the 3 we watched.

Ultimately, this is a 45 minute story that can be double that depending on how far you want to take it..
 
Bandersnatch, having played many Tell Tale type games, Bandersnatch isn't that deep a choose your own path experience, however, the meta storyline is good and the main ending is what I expected, well, what I considered the main ending from the 3 we watched.

Ultimately, this is a 45 minute story that can be double that depending on how far you want to take it..

Agree 100%. It's a pretty good story anyway and the interactive element actually works really well but ultimately it is quite shallow interaction but was still enjoyable.
Will be interesting to see how this evolves as a format. Games like Heavy Rain are very similar and great fun so I can see it as being a new style of TV in the future :)
 
Rewatching a couple of my favourite 2018 films from earlier in the year to see how they stack up now. Made these a double bill:

I Tonya (Craig Gillespie) & Molly's Game (Aaron Sorkin).

I know some members have a problem with both these films, with their apparent 'Goodfellas' templates; smart-alec dialogue and in-yer-face attitude (especially in the latter case: take that men!). But I cant help it; I'm a total sucker for a jazzed-up, stylish biopic with bells on, a good soundtrack and a kick ass lead performance, and both deliver in spades. That's not to say they are perfect; on re-watch I felt that both films get indulgent and lose momentum in their third acts, and begin to outstay their welcomes. But I still found them eminiently enjoyable.


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I Tonya is the more 'blue collar' version focusing in on the domestic abuse and outright violence that defined the life of Tonya Harding, with the exception of one perfect moment that is captured in exhilarating fashion when she performs her special move. Unforgettable performances from Allison Janney and Sebastian Stan and a remarkably committed effort by Margot Robbie; and a tragi-comic approach to the story really work. 7.5/10


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Molly's Game is the glamourous one, not least for its gorgeous star (the 'super max' version of Miss Sloane) but its stunning locations, polished delivery, and exhilarating scenes. And again Chastain's Molly Bloom is a fantastic character to watch in action. The present day scenes dont work for me as well, and Sorkin overplays his hand a tad with some of the grandstanding scenes and monologues- especially the 'Few Good Men' style speech by Idris Elba which I still have a problem with; and some of the Costner scenes. It also goes a little overboard with its 'arrogant white men get kicked into touch' theme which seems to be our culture's top priority at the moment, but I can forgive that to an extent as it is presented as one of Bloom's defining character traits. Aside from it's loss of momentum toward the end, I found it fascinating and compelling. 7.5/10
I gave up on Molly's Game, I was really looking forwards to it after watching Miss Sloane (which for me is my film of the year(only seeing for the first time this year) even beating the Thanos film)and I like Jessica.
 
Sorry To Bother You (2018) -
**** off Boots Riley. 3/10
As soon as I saw the "white voice" stuff in the trailer, I sort of knew what this was. I'm ok with them making fun of white people in a playful manner (quote unquote "racist humour" can be funny when done right) but I know what the reaction would be if the roles were reversed so I just skip this nonsense. I was going to watch it anyway but you and System have completely turned me off it.

I'm also sick of these anti-capitalists films that just regurgitate the same stuff people have been saying about the subject for decades. "capitalism bad!" is usually all they have to say.
 
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I'm also sick of these anti-capitalists films that just regurgitate the same stuff people have been saying about the subject for decades. "capitalism bad!" is usually all they have to say.

So far has made $18,000,000 with a budget of $3,200,000 :rolleyes:
 
As soon as I saw the "white voice" stuff in the trailer, I sort of knew what this was. I'm ok with them making fun of white people in a playful manner (quote unquote "racist humour" can be funny when done right) but I know what the reaction would be if the roles were reversed so I just skip this nonsense. I was going to watch it anyway but you and System have completely turned me off it.

I'm also sick of these anti-capitalists films that just regurgitate the same stuff people have been saying about the subject for decades. "capitalism bad!" is usually all they have to say.

Yes this has nothing to say that hasn't been said before, and thinks its saying it cleverly. Its also another example of racism masquerading as anti-racism. I've seen a lot of racially charged 'black' films this year and many of them have been excellent, but this is the bottom of the pile and has an odious and devisive message.

Boots Riley clearly has some issues as he actually had a go at Spike Lee (of all people!) for not being anti-cop enough in BlacKkKlansman.
 
Forrest Gump
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Was on Sky so ended up watching it.
Was never a huge fan of this film, it's hard to believe it beat both Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption at the Oscars.
So, any better on this viewing? Not really. Forrest (named after a founder of the KKK) is supposed to have an IQ of 75 but the intelligent glint in Tom Hanks eyes says otherwise, as Gump tells his story to strangers about floating through life like a feather blowing in the wind and meets and influences famous characters in the 50's and 60's. Meanwhile he holds a torch for childhood sweetheart Jenny (Robin Wright) a girl who it is hinted at was abused by her father and goes onto lead a rather tragic life. His stupidity and penchant for doing what he's told makes him a "gazillionaire" and her free spirited life results on her getting punished. I'm not sure this is a very good message. None of the scenes in Vietnam or during the civil rights movements have any depth, with people spending a lot of time looking at TVs saying "isn't that Forrest Gump?". Only Gary Sinise brings a bit of gravitas as the crippled Lt. Dan.
Good FX, nice Silvestri score, but a rather overrated movie from Robert Zemeckis. 5/10

Aquaman
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Enjoyable and colourful DCU nonsense starring Jason Mamoa as the titular Atlantean whose dad is a human lighthouse keeper and mother is the goddess-like Nicole Kidman. I couldn't name all the different underwater tribes but James Wan directs with an assured hand as everything I'd thrown at the screen including sea folk riding giant seahorses and sharks, including the likes of Dolph Lundgren and Willem Dafoe. Amber Heard plays Mera, a beautiful and powerful Atlantean who is betrothed to Aquaman's half-brother King Orm (Patrick Wilson), who is not Aquaman's biggest fan..
It turns into an Indiana Jones movie as we go from different Oceans to Sicily to the Sahara desert, and some nicely shot fight scenes on land with the nefarious smuggler Manta (Yahta Abdul-Mateen II), who has a deal with King Orm to rid the world of Aquaman.
On IMAX 3D it's pure fine looking mayhem, overlong but with stunning FX and extraordinary visuals its well worth catching on the huge screen. 7/10
 
Currently watching The Bridge At Remagen. It was shown recently on 5Spike. For some reason 5Spike is showing it in the aspect ratio of 4.3. It was originally shot in 2.35:1.
 
Topsy-Turvy
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As Gilbert and Sullivans operas start to sound samey, Gilbert (Jim Broadbent) happens upon a Japanese exhibition which inspires The Mikado.
Running at a bum numbing 154 minutes, this had some good moments with the usual Mike Leigh players (Timothy Spall, Alison Steadman, Jim Broadbent etc) but like Mr. Turner was quite frankly bordering on boring. Nice to see Rome's Kevin McKidd and Nicholas Woodeson together again though. A lot of the first 40 minutes or so in France could have been cut and didn't add anything (ok, Arthur Sullivan was poorly, we get it). Most of the upper crust characters were particularly unlikeable, except Sullivan (Allan Corduner) who seemed to be having fun with his composing and conducting. Oh, and a pre-Gollum Andy Serkis pretty funny as a manic stage choreographer.
Nicely shot and deservedly winning costume and make-up Oscars, with some nice performances from their Operas (which admittedly I'm not that familiar with), and an interesting look at the top-hatted London elite and their arrogant attitudes at the height of the British Empire circa 1885, but definitely not something I'd be arsed to sit through again. 6.5/10
 
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Post-Xmas, pre-New Year and back to sodding work today, I needed some.....'easy' viewing to get me back into the swing of things this morning.......so helloooooooo, the '80s! :cool:

The Jewel of the Nile (iTunes)

A fun romp that even though its parts were equal to, if not better than its predecessor, is simply not as good a film.

Kathleen Turner really was a stunner back in the day wasn't she? Wowser. And she really did have come great chemistry with Douglas - their relationship continues right where ....Stone left off, feeling natural, likable and its constant veering between on-off-on-off never feels forced. Starting with a nice premise linked back to Turner's career as a romance novelist, realising that after her white knight whisks her off into the sunset at the end of ......Stone, life ain't all a bed of roses, this gives us and the film an interesting jumping off point.

And if so much more could have been made of this type of knock-about sense of fun, more than just have the final plot device employed by our cookie cutter, tin pot, African Dictator be ripped straight out one of her books, then maybe the whole would have been greater than the sum of its parts.

Sure, the ground-based plane chase is fun, the train chase is nicely handled and played with just the right sense of humour and DeVito is great value whenever he's onscreen. But the overall narrative feels too sprawling, yet never with enough conviction - examples being the use of a VFX guy to replicate the power of a religious deity, coming off like an MC Hammer show; the use of every single 'African' stereotype you could think of (including random beggars with an amazing grasp of English and desert nubians sporting Ray-Bans) and the desert tribe who indoctrinate DeVito as one of their own all have Walkmans and ghetto blasters and late night raves that seem oddly out of place in the middle of the desert. Where do they plug everything in for a start???? :rotfl:

All the pieces are there but it lacks the singular, focussed, balls-out adventure element that ...Stone had. Too much plot, not enough character work and certainly not enough DeVito. But you know what? It hit the spot this morning. Some jolly old '80s fromage and suddenly all seems right with the world.........

Another £1 movie from iTunes that was money well spent. :smashin:
 
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Love both Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile. Classic Billy Ocean to close Nile out as well.

It's a pity they didn't make a few more. I know the trio also made War of the Roses, but I can't remember anything else they all did together.
 
Mystic River on Netflix

Brilliant movie, have seen it before, highly recommend this to anyone who hasn't seen it.
 
Bohemian Rhapsody
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Was going to go and see Mary Poppins Returns but for the time I wanted it was pretty much sold out except for those seats too close to the screen, so I suggested to the wife this instead which is still on in my local multiplex..
Mostly about Freddie Mercury and the band from his time working in Heathrow Airport in 1970 to his iconic 1985 Wembley Live Aid performance, this is a hugely entertaining biopic which has got short shrift from the critics but the general populace love it, and rightly so. Rami Malek deserves an Oscar nod for his astonishing performance as Mercury, absolutely uncanny. I'm a bit of a Queen fan so loved the performances in the movie and even if it's not entirely accurate with its timelines it's still a rousing and crowd pleasing movie from Bryan Singer (and Dexter Fletcher). Apart from Malek there are great performances from the likes of Allen Leech, Tom Hollander, Aiden Gillen and the gorgeous Lucy Boynton. I stuck the greatest hits on in the car after and rode along on that bicycle with those lovely fat bottomed girls. Well worth a watch. 8/10
 
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Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018) - Netflix interactive movie
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An interesting experiment; an interactive film that isn't a computer game (just based on one) exploring the concept of free-will, cause & effect, control, and how decisions (from the mundane such as choosing a breakfast cereal, to choosing whether to kill someone) affect the rest of our lives. Did it work? Not sure to be honest. Something that requires further thought. I explored multiple permutations of the story (enjoying the meta sections near the 'end') and no doubt there's plenty of discussion to be had about what it all says about us psychologically. Some have said this would have worked better without the interactive aspect, however Black Mirror wouldn't be the innovative show it is if it didn't expand the concept to include the audience. People would have called it a missed opportunity; and they'd have been right. 7/10
Just watched this. Nice and clever idea, a few good scenes but overall pretty dull I found. Nice touch that in one of the scenes they played on the fact that it was dull to watch, but the viewer sat through it anyway.

Think I saw all the various scenes by the end, my fave involved a scrap

The wife said it was the most boring thing she's watched, less so for me as I had control of the choices.

For me, most other Black Mirror episodes are better. 5/10
 
The Favourite (2019) - Yorgos Lanthimos
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As hoped, this is absolutely enormous fun and another win for Greek nutter Yorgos Lanthimos. Took a little time to find its groove (for me) but once the story gets going its a right royal epic of 18th Century bitchiness and debauchery; with deliciously fruity roles for the three leading ladies. Of those, Olivia Colman is the clear stand out as the insecure, gout-stricken and surprisingly sympathetic Queen Anne; but is almost matched by the wonderful Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone (great job on the accent) as her conniving consorts. The fellas can only watch helplessly from the sidelines as they all have at it. Unashamedly foul mouthed, lewd and sexually debauched, its also anything but regal. Just watch those C-bombs fly; not your average costume drama and not one for granny at Christmas time.

It's also beautifully shot with a combination of wide and fish-eye cinematography, and some wonderful candlelit scenes that put you right amoung the palatial sets. The battle of wits and oneup(wo)manship between the Weisz and Stone is a delight, although a seemingly abrubt ending might not satisfy some. However on reflection it works. I dont know if it's better than Lanthimos' previous three films, all I know is he delivers another barking mad caper to add to his collection.

A wonderful way to kick-start 2019. 8.5/10


Also rewatched Hereditary and Annihilation; two of my early favourites on 2018, and was pleased to find both are still sensational. So expertly crafted, directed and performed. The Meg also remained the same on rewatch; every bit as disappointing and unforgiveably mediocre as I remember.

Finally, I watched the Coens' Barton Fink and afraid to say it didn't really work for me at all. John Turturro and John Goodman: terrific, but the story didn't grab me in the slightest. I seem to be a bit hit & miss with the Coens and this sadly was the latter. Just not my cuppa, sorry. 6/10
 
Feel the same about Barton Fink. Though now I know what to expect, I'm interested in how I interpret it second viewing.

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Wow, errrm... :laugh: This isn't perfect by any means but it's highly enjoyable. Some of the editing is all over the place, pacing is horrid, Keanu Reeves is laughable, the script at points is facepalming. But set in the horror genre, it all kinda makes sense in a campy b movie type of way (Obviously this had the budget of an A list film). The in camera special effects only boost the sensation of an old horror movie thanks to their practicality, in the early 90's it would have been easy for Coppola to bow down to CGI and lose that organic touch. Imagery plays a huge part in this films success and the art department deserves a huge round of applause for creating an ambience that leaves you uneasy and on tenterhooks, it's not your typical scary film which makes it overall a pleasing watch knowing that there isn't going to be a jump scare around the corner.
Gary Oldman is in a different movie to everyone else, I knew he was a great actor but bloomin heck, he kills it. I've never seen Anthony Hopkins so 'loose' with his acting before, it takes some getting used to but we receive some humour relief to break the dark mood. I really enjoyed this and it's gotten me back into the mood for more films with this type of atmosphere, any recommendations ?

Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
Yep. Still awesome. Almost perfect action movie, just feel like Jeremy Irons goes out with a whimper. Got me more excited to see Willis and Jackson in Glass now. They work so well together.
 
Incredibles 2 - 5/10 - Loved the first film, one of my favourite Pixar movies, this belated sequel (after 14yrs) picks up right where the original left off, the family are pushed into the back a little with Elasticgirl being the forefront of the film (agenda driven? Hope not) its Pixars longest movie and feels a little too padded out, its never as fresh or interesting as the original was, I'd struggle to sit through this again.

Journey's End - 7/10 - WW1 film showing the horrors of trench warfare from the view of a group of officers and they're men, its a wordy film with only minor bursts of action but shows the stress and strain these men were under, fairly slow but enjoyable.
 
Get Out

Was watching Kermodes secrets of Horror Cinema and Get Out was referenced, so when it popped up on one of our streaming services, we gave it a go. And what a neat little horror thriller it is. As the plot unfolds, you kind of guess whats going on, but the penny dropped quite late as to the full extent of what was happening. Some great performances and the best friend trying to help the main character is one of the best supports in this type of film I've seen.

Ghost Stories

This ambles along a leisurely British styled pace, telling 3 distinct stories that lead to an end you'll most likely see coming. Each 'incident' has at least one good jump scare and is suitably creepy. Its a good film, but lacks a bit of oomph to make it great. Felt more like a made for TV film, but that shouldn't put you off if you like a creepy tale.

Solo - A Star Wars story

Oh dear, we really weren't in the mood for this film, so I won't give a proper opinion until I watch it again, but we watched it NYE and it didn't hold any of our attention to the point we didn't finish it. Seemed pleasant enough, but felt quite dull and pointless. A comment I will give with some authority though was the new robot just didn't seem like a robot, acted more like a human in a costume for me. I'll give it a proper watch sometime, just not sure when. Really feeling a bit down on the whole Star Wars thing since Rogue One hit a high..

Elf

Nearly didn't get to watch it this time round, but its still for me one of the best Christmas films ever made. Its how all the characters handle Buddys crazy antics that makes it for me, just a really enjoyable ride.

Bros - When the Screaming stops

A rather endearing band documentary, some of the rows felt a little forced, but then, they all come from them being brothers and as it unfolds, you understand each brothers point of view. There's many cringey lines in here amongst some X-factor style tear up scenes, it almost falls into Spinal Tap territory, but the brothers pull it off, you end up liking them and you want the gig it leads up to go well.
 
It is one of the better Christmas films, didn't watch it this year as got a bit fed up watching it every year. You'd enjoy the Peter Dinklage cameo..
Yes that bit was good. I watched last hour of it this year and it was ok, not amazing.
I prefer Bad Santa :D
 
From recent years Bad Santa is now my definitive Christmas movie. How I see myself in another few years (post Brexit) :D

Scrooged the next best Christmas film. Bill Murray kills it.

National Lampoons probably 3rd on my list.

Elf is alright, but not all that. Unlikely now I'll ever watch it again.

And the first real controversial statement of 2019 - It's a Wonderful Life - nope. Rarely has there ever been such a nostalgic bandwagon for a film such as this. It's decent, and that's all. Seen it once, won't ever watch it again. And I remember it didn't instil much Christmas spirit in me at the time, I came away quite disappointed actually.
 
This Christmas we've watched Scrooged, Gremlins, Home Alone 2, Elf, Christmas Chronicles, The Santa Clause, Trading Places and The Holiday, I enjoyed them all to varying degrees and watch some of them most years. Last Christmas I watched Love Actually as it gets in the top 10 Christmas movies each year, but I hated it. Preferred the Holiday, but was still a bit too gooey by the end for me.

I've not watched Bad Santa for years, but I recall enjoying it at the time..
 

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