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Post by Travis on Aug 8, 2008 11:11:45 GMT -1
I think at the finale to Scarface, Tony's so high on coke and driven by his ego and paranoia that it's merely adrenalin that's keeping him upright......well, till the dude blows out his guts from behind! ;D Yeah I supose if you take THAT much coke you're barely feeling reality and pain. Quite a way to die actually. I'd go for that. ;D Beats liver failure! ;D
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Post by Dr LuKas on Aug 8, 2008 11:24:20 GMT -1
Do you like my little Rodney Wallace sig by the way Trav? ;D My favourite player when I was about 9 or 10 ;D My older brother's used to call me Rodney because I was shorter than them ;D I think you dig it, he was a quality player.
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Post by Travis on Aug 8, 2008 11:27:05 GMT -1
Do you like my little Rodney Wallace sig by the way Trav? ;D My favourite player when I was about 9 or 10 ;D My older brother's used to call me Rodney because I was shorter than them ;D I think you dig it, he was a quality player. He was alright was Rod. The goal he scored at Bramall Lane with the deft flick off his right knee set us up for the title that day! ;D
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Post by Dr LuKas on Aug 8, 2008 11:28:30 GMT -1
Better than alright, remember that goal he scored against Spurs, amazing.
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Post by Travis on Aug 8, 2008 13:08:31 GMT -1
THE DARK KNIGHTUnlike most people, I went to see the Dark Knight with relatively modest expectations. While Batman Begins was a very fine film, I found that by far the most compelling aspect of it lay in the way it tackled the mythology of the Batman character, and in truth I thought it lost its way a little when Bruce Wayne finally adopted his alter-ego and the story built to its climax. With no back story to ponder and the inevitable pressure to raise the stakes I feared this new episode may be fairly mediocre......how wrong I was! I won't linger on the story, though needless to say the latest instalment marks the return of The Joker and therefore a far more compelling foe than The Scarecrow of the previous outing. The scope is wider, the budget bigger, the stunts and special effects astounding, all in all it's probably the most epic of all superhero films. Having already taken Batman in a new direction, Christopher Nolan has now gone further injecting an even greater sense of realism into the equation; The Dark Knight is still a superhero story but at times seems far closer in spirit to being a crime thriller. The Gotham City of Batman Begins was already far removed from the gothic creation of Tim Burton, but in The Dark Knight Nolan has dispensed with his original grimy underworld vision. Gotham City now looks more clean-cut, a textbook cluster of long avenues and skyscrapers, a cityscape of anonymity, no longer distinctive, this could be any major US city. Indeed, the look of the film does bring to mind one the great modern, big city crime thrillers; Heat. In fact the whole Batman-Joker dynamic also recalls that very same classic - there's even a scene where the pair sit face-to-face at a table. The film also boasts some very fine acting turns. The role of Heath Ledger for obvious reasons has attracted the most attention, and it has to be said he produces an electrifying performance as The Joker, replacing him will be an unenviable and almost impossible task. With Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart and Maggie Gyllenhaal providing strong support, it is Christopher Bale if anybody who convinces the least, hindered in part by the voice he has to put on while in Batman mode. The highest praise for me though should go to Gary Oldman; as the one honest, completely incorruptible and flawless being lying at the centre of the story, he provides the film with its heart and soul. If anybody should be collecting an Oscar next February, then it is he. While it is more restrained than most other films in the genre, The Dark Knight delivers brilliantly when it comes to set pieces too. The car/bike chase is executed and edited fantastically, boding well for later instalments, if Nolan and his team are able to continue creating such compelling screenplays. The Dark Knight is not a flawless film by any means; it's a little overlong - the Hong Kong story seemed a little superfluous, and the Two Face character really merited no more than an introduction - and the Batman voice does grate a little. Maggie Gyllenhaal's inclusion is a little problematic too, albeit through no fault of her own. While Rachel Dawes seemed well intentioned but little wet when portrayed by Katie Holmes, the introduction of a genuinely talented actress into the role has transformed the character into one who's now a lot stronger, more forthright and much more compelling, which is great in many respects, though it doesn't work too well in terms of continuity. Minor quibbles aside though, this is by far the best Batman film ever made, arguably the most intelligent of all superhero films, and up there with Spider-man 2 and Superman as one of the most entertaining examples of genre. 9/10
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Post by Dr LuKas on Aug 8, 2008 13:19:22 GMT -1
For acting performances I'd probably give Heath Ledger a 9 or a 10.
But I'm sorry Bale, I'd give him about a 5 out of 10.
If Ledger was on screen for longer it'd probably be a 10/10 but as it is I certainly can't bring myself to rate any higher than 9/10.
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Post by Travis on Aug 8, 2008 13:25:10 GMT -1
For acting performances I'd probably give Heath Ledger a 9 or a 10. But I'm sorry Bale, I'd give him about a 5 out of 10. If Ledger was on screen for longer it'd probably be a 10/10 but as it is I certainly can't bring myself to rate any higher than 9/10. Seems a bit strange that Christian Bale was so ordinary after carrying the first film on his shoulders doesn't it? I think Ledger is probably a shoe-in at the Oscars, it's certainly the most memorable portrayal of a screen villain since Anthony Hopkins took home a statue for Hannibal Lecter. I do feel sorry for Gary Oldman though, he's been overlooked due to the tragic turn of events.
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Post by Dr LuKas on Aug 8, 2008 13:36:12 GMT -1
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Post by Travis on Aug 8, 2008 13:39:13 GMT -1
Remember it well. I was in the East Stand that day. It's a better watch without the appalling techo accompaniment though!
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Post by Dr LuKas on Aug 8, 2008 13:46:01 GMT -1
Remember it well. I was in the East Stand that day. It's a better watch without the appalling techo accompaniment though! Ha ha sorry about that I didn't even notice that I had the sound turned right down and head my headphones on listening to Defunkt ;D Seriously that goal is at least on a par with Yeboah's against Liverpool. (I alway had a soft spot for his one against Wimbledon too) (I was up at ER for that Liverpool match.......good times........... )
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Post by ovechkin8 on Aug 8, 2008 16:38:47 GMT -1
Julius Caesar. A film no doubt made in the wake of the sucess of Gladiator its not a bad film to watch for those uninitiated with the history of the Roman Republic but to those that do it has many irritating inaccuracies. Which is a shame as this is a biopic of one of the greatest ever military generals. The actors & scripting is not at fault. Sisto is excellent as Julius, Richard Harris is mesmerising as Sulla . Walken does a decent enough turn as Cato. The sets are accurate & the setpiece battles & the siege at Alesia is believable despite the lack of CGI. However for a biopic to suceed there surely has to be a measure of accuracy in the events portrayed. And Caesar surely deserves a film to be accurate. There are numerous inaccuracies which leads me to question who did the research. Gladiator was never from the outset meant to be a historically accurate film so there is not a problem there as long as most of the other details ie architecture, uniform. fashion dress is correct. Here I can list several. Pompeius was golden haired not dark. Sulla was fighting a civil war on behald of the Optimates against Carbo & his arrival in Rome wouldnot have provoked panic. Cato at this time was a teenager not a middle aged senator. Sulla died peacefully not as it appers poisonend & actually reformed some of the Senates vices that Pompey then repealed. Pompey never even knew about Caesar until the latters expedition against Nicomedes in then Bithynia (not a place to hide out). Furthermore Caesar was proscribed by Sulla & his in Italy until such time the proscription was lifted .The trick of Pomepy is a dramatic device & not needed. A significanr figure such as Crassus is not even mentioned. Cinna the elder was dead by this time having been an ally of Marius & died at his own soldiers hands in Illyricum & I can go on. Such details spoil the film. Its not a true biopic but a directors altered view of history which detracts seriously from it. Other details such as Julius's creation of the Julian calendar his near defeat at Dyrrhachium & his amazing victories at Pharsalus & Zela are ignored or eschewed due to lack of funds or to limit the film time. Gandhi runs for over for hours & this film can do with an extra hour. Otherwise its a relatively enjoyable romp in the last years of the Roman Republic. However any prospective directors Scott ? could do well to make a huge biopic that this great figure deserves. 7.5/10 for the non historian 5.5/10 for the historian.
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Post by Mrs H on Aug 11, 2008 18:38:18 GMT -1
Frequency
John Sullivan (Jim Caviezel) is a cop who for 30 years has been traumatised by the death of his firefighter father (Dennis Quaid). During an atmospheric storm his father's cb radio begins to work again but the man on the other side is in the past and it's his father.
Taking this opportunity to warn his father about his impending death, John gives him the details of the fire. It works and he saves his father's life but his mother is murdered as a consequence.
I enjoyed this film for the first hour. It's premise that if you could save the one you love would you? But what if that meant that by saving one life it cost the lives of dozens of others. Causality taking it's toll.
Then it got all sentimental and stupid and I started to wish Dennis Quaid had just stayed dead.
6/10
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gt
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Post by gt on Aug 13, 2008 11:12:03 GMT -1
I'm going to see 'The Good The Bad and The Ugly' on the big screen at the weekend, the way it was probably meant to be. Can't wait.
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Post by Travis on Aug 13, 2008 11:17:25 GMT -1
I'm going to see 'The Good The Bad and The Ugly' on the big screen at the weekend, the way it was probably meant to be. Can't wait. Always considered that to be the best of the three spaghetti westerns by a mile. Even if Clint doesn't get narked about somebody upsetting his horse in it! ;D Is it in a cinema or a big open air affair. They had some free screenings as part of a festival in Leeds a few weeks ago. They showed Pan's Labyrinth in a club venue with sofas for seating and had a drive in showing of Pulp Fiction, missed both! I was at a Leeds friendly for the first and on drive in night it was hammering it down!
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gt
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Post by gt on Aug 13, 2008 11:26:28 GMT -1
I'm going to see 'The Good The Bad and The Ugly' on the big screen at the weekend, the way it was probably meant to be. Can't wait. Always considered that to be the best of the three spaghetti westerns by a mile. Even if Clint doesn't get narked about somebody upsetting his horse in it! ;D Is it in a cinema or a big open air affair. They had some free screenings as part of a festival in Leeds a few weeks ago. They showed Pan's Labyrinth in a club venue with sofas for seating and had a drive in showing of Pulp Fiction, missed both! I was at a Leeds friendly for the first and on drive in night it was hammering it down! It's in the newly refurbished Tyneside Cinema mate which has flown the flag for classic, foreign and left field cinema for years! It really is a fantastic place, you would be quite at home I suspect Plus it's a great place to catch the latest really big blockbusters (they don't usually show them but they have shown Indy and Batman) as all the scrotes go to the UCI multiplex (which is about 50 metres from where I work lol). I went to see 'The Crystal Skull' a week after it came out, and there was 6 of us in there!
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Post by Travis on Aug 13, 2008 11:36:30 GMT -1
Always considered that to be the best of the three spaghetti westerns by a mile. Even if Clint doesn't get narked about somebody upsetting his horse in it! ;D Is it in a cinema or a big open air affair. They had some free screenings as part of a festival in Leeds a few weeks ago. They showed Pan's Labyrinth in a club venue with sofas for seating and had a drive in showing of Pulp Fiction, missed both! I was at a Leeds friendly for the first and on drive in night it was hammering it down! It's in the newly refurbished Tyneside Cinema mate which has flown the flag for classic, foreign and left field cinema for years! It really is a fantastic place, you would be quite at home I suspect Plus it's a great place to catch the latest really big blockbusters (they don't usually show them but they have shown Indy and Batman) as all the scrotes go to the UCI multiplex (which is about 50 metres from where I work lol). I went to see 'The Crystal Skull' a week after it came out, and there was 6 of us in there! One of the things I'll miss if change jobs are the afternoon showings of films. I went to the local multiplex to see The Dark Knight just over a week after its release and there were 11 others in the place! When I went to see Kill Bill 2 I was the only one in the entire auditorium! ;D
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gt
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Post by gt on Aug 14, 2008 10:58:37 GMT -1
Once Upon A Time In The Midlands (2002)
I stayed up to catch this all the way through on Film 4 last night as it is not the easiest to track down on DVD.
This is almost the 'lost' Shane Meadows film, the irony being it is by far his starriest and largest budget film. But perhaps therein lies it's crucial problem. Meadows thrives when his films are populated by unknowns, winning over audiences with the sheer impact of freshly dug diamonds like Paddy Considine, Andrew Shim, Thomas Turgoose and the like. Substitute those names for the likes of Ricky Tomlinson, Robert Carlyle, Kathy Burke, Rhys Ifans Shirley Henderson and you get the picture. It's by no means a disaster though...
Robert Carlyle plays Jimmy, a small time thuggish loser living in Glasgow. One day he wakes from his usual comatose state to see his ex girlfriend and mother of his child (Henderson) turn down her boyfriend Dek (Ifans) on the Vanessa Feltz show. Resolving to win her back, he stitches up his partners in crime by taking the money from a heist and leaving them for the police before hi tailing it to Nottingham with the loot.
The film then follows the twists and turns that ensue over the following weeks, with both men competing for the hearts and minds of their loved one.
This is a real curio of a film that at least deserves a watch. There are flashes of the Meadows brilliance there, but Carlyle and Burke do not seem to fit it into this, merely making their characters come across as a pair of dislikeable c*nts. Even with the darkest of his characters Meadows usually manages to inject some pathos into their role, but this is not prevalent here. However, Ifans and the young Finn Atkins playing his girlfriends daughter are really spot on, and there are some classic Meadows dialogue based interchanges between the two. The denouement of the story is centred around these two and is really quite touching. Henderson's character is fairly dislikeable too unfortunately but more understandable than Carlyle or Burke.
Watch this if you are a Shane Meadows fan and get a chance (even if only to spot his usual cameo appearance) but don't expect to be enchanted in the usual manner. It is shot on location in Nottingham (Carlton I believe) and tries to capture his usual homely appeal but you just get the impression his input on this film was at times limited to pointing the camera and little else. Some nice soundtrack songs as usual though.
6.5/10
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Post by Golden_Boy™ on Aug 14, 2008 11:05:10 GMT -1
I randomly watched that years ago GT mate! Only realised last night that it's a Meadows one! ;D
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Post by Travis on Aug 14, 2008 11:06:23 GMT -1
Saw this a while ago mate, it's a pretty strange combo isn't it? I thought there were parts which were unmistakably Shane Meadows but at other times it seemed like a Mike Leigh piece and at others just like a bog standard British working class comedy. I think 6.5 is pretty much spot on.
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gt
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Post by gt on Aug 14, 2008 11:07:39 GMT -1
I randomly watched that years ago GT mate! Only realised last night that it's a Meadows one! ;D I don't think he had a great experience doing it. I'm guessing after the plaudits for 24/7 and A Room For Romeo Brass he was picked up to do a 'starrier' vehicle but I'm sure I read somewhere he had a bit of a 'mare and decided to go back to basics. That's good for us though because the first one he made after jumping off the fame bandwagon was 'Dead Man's Shoes'
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