"Now Showing"

[furie]

Finally watched It's a wonder life last night.

I've avoided it because I thought it was just going to be a cheesy "modern" take on the Christmas Carol formula. Naff, Christmas feel good movie type of thing.

It wasn't quite what I expected... Yes, it kind of starts and ends like that, but the two hours in the middle is excellent.

James Stewart is superb as the mildly bumbling, "good egg" lead. He's frustrated, and lets it out in some brilliant comedy pieces. He's a real joy to watch at times. The film focusses on his life, and it's a well laid out story - obvious, but great.

I could do without the cheese personally at the end, but it's to be expected. Most of the film was just top notch solid story/character/entertainment. Doomsday had a better ending ( ), but still 9/10

 

[nadroJ]

Sam recently bought a load of old classics from Cex (great for online DVD shopping, some really good bargains AND free delivery, boo yeah!). First on the list was King Kong, the 1933 spectacular.

The special effects are quite amazing if you get yourself in the right mindset. Yes Kong does look quite silly at times but the way he interacts with Fay is often mind-blowing. Also, the natives (as I've now found with all the Kong movies) are truly terrifying, more so than the beast himself. The only thing that annoyed me was that dialogue-wise, it appears to be a soundtrack of little conversation and much screaming, almost to the point of annoyance. I expect that if I came face to face with an oversized gorilla that I too would scream non-stop, but this is cinema and one of the wonderful things about this industry is the ability to bend the truth a little, in this case have the screaming subside at some point!

Other than that, I can't say I found it to be the best film I've ever seen, but it has it's moments and is a movie classic and I'm quite proud to say I've now watched it.

And I get to cross it off the IMDB list, ha.

 

[Lain]

Today I watched JCVD.

It is good.

 

[Nemesis Inferno]

Catch up review on Scott Pilgrim...

It's amazing, go see it... It loves so much...

10/10


Today I saw The Expendables, not too sure what I wanted from this film, but it was fairly decent, amusing in places and with a good amount of violence here and there...

Not fantastic though... It dragged slightly in the middle, and Arnie and Willis scene was rather meh...

6/10

 

[Nic]

To offer my view on the last 3 1/2 pages of this topic

The Exorcist is not scary and is hilarious. In a similar way to Will, I don't like horror films, but just found this to be laughable.

Eternal Sunshine.... As furie said, I didn't really warm to the characters either. Nor do I see what the fuss is all about.

Tamara Drewe.... I've not seen it yet. I want to, because its the kind of film I like. However, I'm not sure I could take Gemma Arterton seriously. I went to the same school as her for like 10 years. The billboards already make me a bit uneasy, so I'm not sure I could sit through a whole film (I haven't seen any of hers... yet). We'll see.

Jordan... You are clearly mental... and this is why...



Yesterday, I FINALLY went to see Scott Pilgrim Vs The World

I'll start with a bit of a disclaimer. I'm an Edgar Wright fangirl and was therefore rather over-excited about the release of this. I was all set to go and see it on the day of release... but just never got round to it.

I'm actually really glad I gave it a couple of weeks. I was so excited and hyped up about the release of this that I think, had I seen it at the time, I'd have been a bit disappointed. I can now see why Slayed et al felt a bit let down. However, having left it a couple of weeks, and let myself calm down a bit, my expectations had diminished a bit.

What I'm trying to say is: it was good. Really good, even. Trouble is that I (and many others) were expecting it to be AMAZING.

I did find it a bit slow (a bit too long, even), and a bit predictable, but its not the end of the world. The soundtrack, graphics and fight scenes were awesome, so it held my interest. (It also helps that Winstead is sexy as ****, and I'm a sucker for that whole geek-chic thing - OMG, actually, I'm so glad I'm not a bloke cause I think I would've actually spontaneously cum in my pants at the point where she was on the bed on all fours with her sexy-black-lacy-knicker-clad-arse sticking up in the air) Erm.... what was I saying?

Oh, yeah. I actually would've liked to have seen more of the graphics and gamey stuff in the non-fight parts of the film (like the pee bar, for instance) I'm not even a game goon, I just thought it made it a bit more exciting. Plus its really cool and stuff. Also important to mention that the soundtrack is O for Owesome (currently dloading in iTunes)

So yeah, as I said... Good? Yes. OMFG-Amazing-best-film-ever? No.

4/5

 

[kimahri]

I did find it a bit slow (a bit too long, even)

Be happy. There's a point in the books that just seems to do loads of crap but not actually go any where till the roxy <3 fight. (which is right at the end and it's one evil-ex fight per book)

So far I think I'm enjoying the movie more since it cut alot of nessisary stuff and just meanders on weirdly.

Also SID universal logo.

I actually spontaneously came in my pants. Yes, yes I did.

 

[peep]

Last night after work I went to see two films. First up was The Runaways.

I hate the two lead actresses but I thought they were both really good in this. That one from Twilight is always depressed, so she was perfect to play a female rock rebel that always looks depressed and Dakota Fanning always comes across as vain and simple, perfect for playing someone chosen to be in an all-female rock band just because of her looks. I thought the film was actually quite good though and I loved the soundtrack. However much I liked it though I felt like it was missing something and it did feel like it ended quite suddenly.

Rating: 3/5


Second film was Cyrus.

No, it's not a film about Miley. It's about John C Reilly getting together with Marisa Tomei and then finding out she has a son (Jonah Hill) who then tries to split them up. I found it really funny and the whole cast gave some amazing performances (although Tomei just needs to smile to make me happy). The direction wasn't great and I think at times was a little off-putting (random zoom ins and outs) and it just distracted me from what was going on in the scene. Overall I'd recommend though, maybe one for DVD?

Rating: 4/5

 

[ciallkennett]

Last night after work I went to see two films. First up was The Runaways.

I hate the two lead actresses but I thought they were both really good in this. That one from Twilight is always depressed, so she was perfect to play a female rock rebel that always looks depressed and Dakota Fanning always comes across as vain and simple, perfect for playing someone chosen to be in an all-female rock band just because of her looks. I thought the film was actually quite good though and I loved the soundtrack. However much I liked it though I felt like it was missing something and it did feel like it ended quite suddenly.

Rating: 3/5

I shall be going to see it tomorrow, so glad to see your views as the only reason I actually want to see it is because Dakota Fanning has become somewhat incredibly sexy and is wearing very stimulating clothing in the trailer. Kristen Stewart would get one too.

 

[Ollie]

^Last thing I saw her in was this...

She's too young for you Ciall.

 

[ciallkennett]

^ She's too old there :/

Now though...well...Just see her in the trailer. My girl has blossomed <3:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHpEJ749TRM[/youtube]

 

[nealbie]

^Last thing I saw her in was this...

She's too young for you Ciall.

But just right for you dear! /lame used-to-death toddler joke (surely he's in infants now? )

 

[ciallkennett]

^ She's too old there :/

Now though...well...Just see her in the trailer. My girl has blossomed <3:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHpEJ749TRM[/youtube]

Ages - 3-8, 10-12, 15+

 

[RCF]

She ain't too young for me so back off Ciall. :wink:

 

[furie]

Sam recently bought a load of old classics from Cex (great for online DVD shopping, some really good bargains AND free delivery, boo yeah!). First on the list was King Kong, the 1933 spectacular.

I love the 1933 Kong. It's such an amazing film for the time, it's stunning. The atmosphere is superb too. I think it's because when it was made, there was still mystery in the world and it captures that; there's an innocence about it which makes it convincing.

Another tick last night, and it completes the IMDB "Top Ten" for me. 12 Angry Men

It's a drama set in a jury room. The court case is against a young man who has been trialled for murder. It's an open and shut case and they expect a guilty verdict to come back right away.

12 men in the room, 12 votes, one "not guilty". It;s then an hour and a half of the jury trying to decide if there is reasonable doubt or not. It sounds pretty dull, just 12 blokes in a room arguing, but it's really captivating. It's like a murder mystery film in the tightest story confines ever. It's very clever, well written and tense. Nobody dies, there are no explosions, nobody gets their norks out and it's black and white. If that puts you off, try it anyway. It's a subtle, intelligent film and you may find it surprises you (not in a "mega twist ending" way though).

Top ten IMDB worthy? Nope, I don't think so. It's good, but not THAT good. 9/10

 

[Ollie]

Finally got around to watching Superbad yesterday.
I'd heard good things about it so was looking forward to it. Unfortunately I didn't find it very funny at all.
The whole 'Teenagers trying to get laid' and house party scenes has been done hundreds of times before. The only redeeming part of the film was Christopher Mintz-Plasse playing Fogell who put on a really good performance. It doesn't help when the main character (Seth) just annoys the hell out of you. There were many a time where I just wanted to punch him through the screen or run him over myself.
So nowhere near as good as I thought it would be. Probably because most the jokes and gags were aimed at 14 year olds. The plot was very dull as well and if it wasn't for the cop scenes to break it up it would of failed utterly.

With that said I didn't hate the film. Just didn't 'love' it.
6/10

 

[Will]

^
Superbad ended up being quite a bit better than I expected - I'd envisioned a similarly cliched plot and really don't get on well with excessively cringeworthy films, but having had it inflicted on me around this time last year, I was pleasantly surprised. Which isn't to say I'm in any hurry to sit through it again

And speaking of stupid characters, I've come to the conclusion that their creation is a fine balance between ending up with either endearing, naive cluelessness (think Alan in The Hangover), or just plain irritating stupidity... and it's this fine line that Dinner For Schmucks, to my mind, manages to fall on completely the wrong side of. At the risk of putting myself in a firing line here, Steve Carell can actually go away, safe in the knowledge that he's probably brought the most annoying film character of the year to life.
Perhaps this is just proof that I'm a bad person, but after watching the perennial loser drive "a tornado of destruction" through every area of an apparently innocent bystander's life, grinning inanely all the while, any sympathies I may have had for the rodent curator had all but evaporated by the 60 minute mark - I've already mentioned how little I enjoy watching things through the tips of my fingers (though I should probably have got the hint from the fact that his co-star himself appears to be facepalming on promotional posters!). Anyway, as much emphasis as may have been put on the character's sensitive, kind-hearted nature, and the rest of the audience certainly seemed to have fallen under his spell... I just wanted him gone.

It's not all bad news though - I shall echo the opinions of about every other reviewer and say that aside from the obvious criticisms, it IS a very funny film, and annoying as Carell is, he is given some particularly good lines to work with, and thus dialogue between him and the increasingly despairing Tim is not without its laugh-out-loud moments. Physical comedy however, rarely amuses me on screen, and on this occasion quite literally fell flat on its face. The film does pick up towards the end, and the actual dinner scenes in the company of an assortment of... well, Schmucks, are probably a highlight, but this then throws itself headlong towards a frankly ludicrous conclusion, simultaneously annoying, yet strangely entertaining, whilst demanding rather more than a temporary suspension of disbelief. I guess the postscript was a nice touch...

I reckon I'm going to attract a fair amount of disagreement with that, and maybe I just need to lighten up a bit, but conclusively, I can see myself avoiding Steve Carell in future. Dinner For Schmucks may have been a good laugh, and pleasant way of spending an evening, but while I can see what more tolerant people could have found to appreciate, that's about as kind as I can be. I'd have felt like a Schmuck paying full price.
3 stars, and that's me being generous.

Back to good films this evening... unless LOVEFILM decide to send me another scratched disc. I quite enjoyed the first 4 minutes of V for Vendetta (Fireworks, Natalie Portman and... Natalie Portman getting exasperated with a TV...), so I'm quite looking forward to the rest.

 

[nealbie]

Seen a few films recently, but one that really stood out for me was 'The Frighteners' - starring everyone's favourite Michael J. Fox (who by some odd coincidence is on my tv again as I watch Disney's Atlantis :lol: ).

Had never heard of this film but stumbled across it as it started on Sky Movies and a quick check on the internet for the blurb made me intrigued to see it through to the bitter end no matter what! I wasn't disappointed.

A really fun comedy with some bits of violence in there, but as it's ghosts and most of the gruesome scenes and such (with the exception of the numbers being carved into people's heads) was all CG and clearly not real so I don't quite get the 15 rating - I'd certainly recommend it for family viewing, was brilliant!

8/10 - a fantastic find completely out of the blue!

Back to good films this evening... unless LOVEFILM decide to send me another scratched disc. I quite enjoyed the first 4 minutes of V for Vendetta (Fireworks, and... Natalie Portman getting exasperated with a TV...), so I'm quite looking forward to the rest.

Well, you should LOVE it! (Unless of course you descend into one of your ever more frequently occurring seemingly out of character moments that is )!

 

[Will]

^
My personality must have once again stabilised to your liking then, because never again will I take against a film on the basis of the phrase 'based on the graphic novel...' - because V For Vendetta was even better than I was expecting it to be - I'm talking Top 5 material. For your part Neal, I'm guessing the appeal had something to do with the overall... Britishness?

Taking a weird angle, I could describe that as scarier than The Exorcist which I memorably inflicted on myself last week. Now of course, I'm not talking about actual plot development, the copious bloodshed nor the distantly eerie masked protagonist; I mean the socio-political background of the film. In truth, the idea of living in that bleak climate of lies, restriction and censorship scares every last one of us more than even the best zombie, vampire or other supernatural being. That makes the Cabinet, not least the shouty High Chancellor on his giant TV screen (causing him to seem all the more pathetic when he's finally met in person) all perfectly detestable villains (killing Steven Fry - who may initially have seemed a little out of place, but undeniably brought a LOT to the cast - in whatever guise, is an unforgiveable sin!), and to then combine then with obvious references to Nazism really does make the skin crawl.

As a consequence, right from the onset, it's almost impossible not to feel completely behind the opposition, a support which only strengthens as the film progresses, and the scenes of an army of maskclad objectors advancing past a clueless army in the general direction of Westminster Bridge really is a delight to behold. And it's not the only one - in fact, if I started listing favourite scenes, not only would I give most of the plot away, but I'd be typing until well after midnight; so, you get the idea... it's a cliche, but actually was rarely a dull moment, and progression was near-perfect, helped by a gradual explanation of the mysterious main characters' backgrounds as a result of the investigations of amusingly Northern cop. I guess I might as well mention that pre-processing Natalie Portman is what I would describe as 'watchable' as well, I see why she attracted a following elsewhere on the internet a few years back...

Final thought: One thing that did intrigue me a little - we're undeniably watching an act of terrorism - the destruction of that most iconic of British buildings, and yet this a happy, satisfying ending. Weird. Brilliant, but weird. And only #170? Pfffft... I can't seem to find any 'similar titles' though, and the director's not made a lot else, which is actually a bit of a shame.

 

[peep]

Hurrah for Will's love of V for Vendetta. Absolutely amazing film.


Tonight I went to the cinema after work. The film I saw was The kid.

I didn't really know anything before going in so I was intrigued and then delightfully surprised when a great film happened. There were moments when I thought the direction was a bit off but overall it was a great film. The director calls it "Slumdog Millionare set in Croydon" and it's not far off. Another comparison is "Precious with skinny white people" - that makes me laugh because it's also very near the truth. There are some amazing performances in there by the actors and some scenes are quite hard to watch, but ultimately you feel emotionally tied to the main character and at times I almost felt myself shout at the screen to tell him not to be so dumb and say no in situations. So yeah, if you get a chance to see it I highly recommend.

Rating: 4.5/5


We also had a Q&A with the director afterwards which was cool. Seems like a nice guy and he went on to talk a lot about the actual guy its based off (well, it's based off the book he wrote about his life) and how involved he was in the film, I thought that was really cool. He also went on to talk about how low budget it was and that their filming schedule was nuts. I love how the cinema I go to keep putting on these events, they are really cool, and I pay absolutely nothing to go to them.


I've also submitted my form to see films at this years London Film Festival. There are some amazing films in the line-up and hopefully I'll get all the tickets I want. October is going to be a busy month regarding film reviews

 

[nealbie]

My personality must have once again stabilised to your liking then, because never again will I take against a film on the basis of the phrase 'based on the graphic novel...' - because V For Vendetta was even better than I was expecting it to be - I'm talking Top 5 material. For your part Neal, I'm guessing the appeal had something to do with the overall... Britishness?

Weirdly, it's the anti-establishment that makes it so great for me (not to mention the ease with which it takes the conventional rules for making a film and throws it in the bin)!

Spoiler

I'm cheering along at the destruction of the Palace of Westminster as much (if not more than) as the next person come the end!

I also agree entirely that it can be very upseting at times and most certainly more horrific than any so-called 'horror' film. 10/10 film and I believe it to be my #7 at present.