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Post by Neko Bazu on Mar 5, 2007 12:01:45 GMT -1
HOT FUZZ For the first time in months, Neko hauled his arse down to the cinema, and - accompanied by his girlfriend - settled in for the long haul and watched Hot Fuzz. Lots of reviews about this film have remarked on how funny it is - and don't get me wrong for even a second; the film is funny and has plenty of genuine laugh-out-loud moments - but something so few people have mentioned is just how dark the film is beneath the humour. I expected it to have a few solemn moments (you can't really have a film featuring a murder-conspiracy without them) but some of them really threw me. To use Shaun of the Dead as an example; recall, if you will, the scene where Shaun's mum comes back. Given how the rest of the film had been going, that scene could quite easily have been made stupidly funny, and justifiably too. Instead, they eased off the laughs for moment, and you're given a few moments' suspense as you try to work out if there's a joke coming or not. Suddenly, a scene that was a laugh-a-minute has just become deathly solemn and serious; almost upsetting. Hot Fuzz managed that in places too; if you haven't seen it yet, do bear in mind that this film isn't all fun and games. Aside from those moments, the film is very funny. Toward the beginning, the jokes are less frequent as the film's plot is set up, but by the end, I was chuckling away. The acting is as good as I'd ask - after all, you can't be too serious in a comedy - and the references to Shaun of the Dead are somehow subtle but obvious at the same time (it doesn't feel like a reference at any point). Definitely one I'd go and see again - if any of you are in Luton next weekend and want to go and watch it, drop me a line!  8/10 |
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Post by Billy on Mar 5, 2007 12:36:51 GMT -1
would love to mate - except I'm in Leeds next weekend errr, watching the game against Luton  |
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Post by Neko Bazu on Mar 5, 2007 12:51:55 GMT -1
would love to mate - except I'm in Leeds next weekend errr, watching the game against Luton And given events this weekend, there'll probably be just as much bloodshed, laughing and horror in either case! |
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Post by Billy on Mar 5, 2007 12:58:43 GMT -1
prob mate  |
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Post by Travis on Mar 5, 2007 13:15:10 GMT -1
Just had a look at the inflight schedule for my long weekend trip...... Outward journey includes Stranger Than Fiction, Casino Royale, Happy Feet, Rocky Balboa, Sherrybaby While inward bound I can pick amongst Dreamgirls, The Fountain, The Departed and For Your Consideration. Should keep me occupied......if it's safe enough to fly. |
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Post by The Lucky C on Mar 5, 2007 18:00:06 GMT -1
BRICK
Upon the knowledge that I won't be starting work for a couple of weeks, I've realised I don't have a lot to do other than watch films and build assault courses for my remote controlled dalek. And that wore thin this morning. So I sat down this afternoon and put on Brick, a film I've been meaning to watch for a while but only just got round to it. And now I'm wondering why I waited. A stylish neo-noir thriller, Brick is the story of Brendon Frye, a teenager who recieves a call from his ex-girlfriend pleading for help. This then throughs him into a world of drugs and murder - as long as he can fit it in around his schoolwork.
First off - this isn't a film to be watched late at night with a few beers. This is a complex film, and you will be wondering what's going on for most of it. It's superbly well acted (despite the lead being on Third Rock From The Sun), and is a superb directorial debut from Rian Johnson. It's also dark, and gritty as hell, with a lot of violence and drug use throughout. Reminiscent of the detective stories of the 40's and 50's, Brick wouldn't look out of place against the Noir classics.
There are some flaws though. The background characters aren't developed enough, particularly that of Kara, an ex-girlfriend of Brendan's who never really develops into the character that she promises to be.
But this can be ignored, there's enough on the screen to keep you occupied for a couple of hours. Involving, dark, subtle, it's worth a watch.
9/10
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Post by Travis on Mar 6, 2007 13:06:00 GMT -1
Quality film, Lucky C. The notion of having the 'Mr Big' living at home, where his mother offers all his visitors milk and cookies was particularly inspired. Best 'indie flick' of last year along with Hard Candy. It looks astoundingly good too, considering its entire budget ran to about $500,000. BRICK Upon the knowledge that I won't be starting work for a couple of weeks, I've realised I don't have a lot to do other than watch films and build assault courses for my remote controlled dalek. And that wore thin this morning. So I sat down this afternoon and put on Brick, a film I've been meaning to watch for a while but only just got round to it. And now I'm wondering why I waited. A stylish neo-noir thriller, Brick is the story of Brendon Frye, a teenager who recieves a call from his ex-girlfriend pleading for help. This then throughs him into a world of drugs and murder - as long as he can fit it in around his schoolwork. First off - this isn't a film to be watched late at night with a few beers. This is a complex film, and you will be wondering what's going on for most of it. It's superbly well acted (despite the lead being on Third Rock From The Sun), and is a superb directorial debut from Rian Johnson. It's also dark, and gritty as hell, with a lot of violence and drug use throughout. Reminiscent of the detective stories of the 40's and 50's, Brick wouldn't look out of place against the Noir classics. There are some flaws though. The background characters aren't developed enough, particularly that of Kara, an ex-girlfriend of Brendan's who never really develops into the character that she promises to be. But this can be ignored, there's enough on the screen to keep you occupied for a couple of hours. Involving, dark, subtle, it's worth a watch. 9/10 |
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Post by The Lucky C on Mar 6, 2007 13:17:04 GMT -1
Quality film, Lucky C. The notion of having the 'Mr Big' living at home, where his mother offers all his visitors milk and cookies was particularly inspired. Best 'indie flick' of last year along with Hard Candy. It looks astoundingly good too, considering its entire budget ran to about $500,000. BRICK Upon the knowledge that I won't be starting work for a couple of weeks, I've realised I don't have a lot to do other than watch films and build assault courses for my remote controlled dalek. And that wore thin this morning. So I sat down this afternoon and put on Brick, a film I've been meaning to watch for a while but only just got round to it. And now I'm wondering why I waited. A stylish neo-noir thriller, Brick is the story of Brendon Frye, a teenager who recieves a call from his ex-girlfriend pleading for help. This then throughs him into a world of drugs and murder - as long as he can fit it in around his schoolwork. First off - this isn't a film to be watched late at night with a few beers. This is a complex film, and you will be wondering what's going on for most of it. It's superbly well acted (despite the lead being on Third Rock From The Sun), and is a superb directorial debut from Rian Johnson. It's also dark, and gritty as hell, with a lot of violence and drug use throughout. Reminiscent of the detective stories of the 40's and 50's, Brick wouldn't look out of place against the Noir classics. There are some flaws though. The background characters aren't developed enough, particularly that of Kara, an ex-girlfriend of Brendan's who never really develops into the character that she promises to be. But this can be ignored, there's enough on the screen to keep you occupied for a couple of hours. Involving, dark, subtle, it's worth a watch. 9/10 those little touches were inspired. not seen hard candy yet, although it is on my list (along with about 70 othres admittedly) |
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Post by Travis on Mar 7, 2007 13:28:39 GMT -1
LA HAINE
A benchmark French film from the mid-1990's that caused a such a stir that then-French Prime Minister, Alain Juppe arranged a screening so that his entire cabinet could see it.
La Haine is an examination of urban decay, deprivation, racism and violence in a suburban Parisian housing project, and is told through the eyes of three friends; Vinz, Said and Hubert. In the aftermath of a night of rioting, in which friend Abdel was critically injured and hospitalised by police, the film follows the three youths over the period of 24 hours as they wait to learn of Abdel's fate. Equipped with a 'missing' police gun, Vinz swears revenge, should his friend die.
Brilliantly shot in black and white, I was initially a little disappointed with La Haine; the title (it translates to 'Hate' in English) and the marketing suggested something a little more brutal and acerbic. In fact the film betrays those expectations; there is very little in the way of violence contained within the film, merely isolated verbal confrontations. City Of God, it isn't.
Where La Haine succeeds is in articulating the frustrations and anger of the youths; Cassel is fantastic as Vinz, anger and resentment flows through his character, armed with the gun he is a ticking time-bomb, and the fate of his character is the films' most compelling narrative strand. Said and Hubert meanwhile are more mild mannered and fair minded, and struggle throughout to keep him from being another victim of societal breakdown.
These youths are not perfect, but they long for the opportunity to be more than what they are, they long to escape to something better. That they are denied, or are not considered worthwhile of a fair chance, underlies the resentment in the film
Played out over a terrific French hip-hop soundtrack, La Haine manages the rarest of feats, to be hip, stylish and cool while still delivering an important message.
9/10
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Post by Mrs H on Mar 8, 2007 9:21:50 GMT -1
LA HAINE A benchmark French film from the mid-1990's that caused a such a stir that then-French Prime Minister, Alain Juppe arranged a screening so that his entire cabinet could see it. La Haine is an examination of urban decay, deprivation, racism and violence in a suburban Parisian housing project, and is told through the eyes of three friends; Vinz, Said and Hubert. In the aftermath of a night of rioting, in which friend Abdel was critically injured and hospitalised by police, the film follows the three youths over the period of 24 hours as they wait to learn of Abdel's fate. Equipped with a 'missing' police gun, Vinz swears revenge, should his friend die. Brilliantly shot in black and white, I was initially a little disappointed with La Haine; the title (it translates to 'Hate' in English) and the marketing suggested something a little more brutal and acerbic. In fact the film betrays those expectations; there is very little in the way of violence contained within the film, merely isolated verbal confrontations. City Of God, it isn't. Where La Haine succeeds is in articulating the frustrations and anger of the youths; Cassel is fantastic as Vinz, anger and resentment flows through his character, armed with the gun he is a ticking time-bomb, and the fate of his character is the films' most compelling narrative strand. Said and Hubert meanwhile are more mild mannered and fair minded, and struggle throughout to keep him from being another victim of societal breakdown. These youths are not perfect, but they long for the opportunity to be more than what they are, they long to escape to something better. That they are denied, or are not considered worthwhile of a fair chance, underlies the resentment in the film Played out over a terrific French hip-hop soundtrack, La Haine manages the rarest of feats, to be hip, stylish and cool while still delivering an important message. 9/10 What a top film. I think Vincent Cassell bagged himself Monica Belluci after being in this film. Good work fella. lol |
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Post by thales on Mar 8, 2007 12:02:49 GMT -1
Lady in the Water is a 2006 thriller/fantasy film written, produced, and directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Apartment building superintendent Cleveland Heep (Giamatti) is rescued by someone he thinks is a young woman from the pool he maintains. He discovers that she is the real-life embodiment of a character from a bedtime story, who is trying to make the journey back to her home. Fighting disbelief, he rallies his tenants to help protect his new friend from the mysterious creature that is determined to prevent her from returning to her world.
I found it watchable and enjoyable, but not the best of his films, but with the usual twists involved, if you've liked his last few, will like, if not don't bother. 6.5/10
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Post by thales on Mar 8, 2007 12:17:43 GMT -1
Babel
The movie changes focus among several different situations and characters, and sometimes events are revealed out of sequence. The following plot summary has been simplified, and thus does not reflect the exact sequence of the events on screen.
The multi-narrative drama completes González Iñárritu's "death trilogy," which also consists of Amores Perros and 21 Grams.[2]
Really enjoyable film, that needs some concentration to watch, along the same vain of previous films with inter mingled storylines. Highly recomend. 8.5/10
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Post by Tony Yeboah's Lunchbox on Mar 11, 2007 21:58:38 GMT -1
Cold MountainYes, this was on telly last week, i know, but i've not seen any films since and its the first time i've been able to log on to comment. Basicly, Nicole Kidman comes to Cold Mountain, which is like a quiet, picturesque location in the middle of nowhere with a friendly community. She fancies Jude Law and he wants to get into her knickers too but he has to go off and fight in a cival war and leave 'Cold Mountain' and his potential fuck buddy/sexy lady. Hopefully for him, he will return and hopefully for her, he won't die and they can play happy families in the end. The story is interwoven so it kinda shows you what is currently happening whilst painting the picture of events prior to the present. So to make things more clearer for you, Jude Law fights at the start of the film in this bloody war and then decides to leave and come home after getting out the hospital. Whilst this is happening, its showing you how he met Nicole Kidman to start with and how they fell in love with eachother before he went away. As he begins his trek home, he runs into several mini incidents where he escapes death and fights to survive till he finally gets home to nail Nicole. Meanwhile, the film goes into her side of the fence and tells what the crack is with her. She loses her father and has to maintain her land and farm on her own. This is where Bridget Jones (Renee Zellwigger) pops up and gives her a helping hand. Minus the parachute knickers, she sorts things out and helps Nicole survive. They are then being forced to leave their farm by the home guard bullies who want to kill off all the Cold Mountain folk it seems. So you got Jude Law surving death on his travels to get home and find Nicole as well as the silly bint and Bridget Jones trying to avoid getting bumped off. They do eventually meet again and enjoy a hot night of passion and shagging (Bridget Jones feels a bit of a gooseberry at this point) and it all looks hunky dory. Then they bump into the goons trying to kill them off and they have a shoot off in the forest. Jude Law kills one of the evil guys but takes a bullit too so he's fucked and dies. Poor old Nicole survives and has his kid (So at least Jude wasn't firing blanks ) and raises the boy with Bridget Jones on the farm back in Cold Mountain.... Aww.... But it was still far too fucking slow for my liking..... 6/10
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Post by The Lucky C on Mar 15, 2007 11:10:26 GMT -1
Pierrepoint
Albert Pierrepoint was one of Britain's most notorious hangmen, dispatching over 600 people in a 30 year period. This film, based on his auto-biography, details his secret life, shows the personal and emotional stress that he endured, and the lengths he went to in order to ensure the condemned died with dignity.
Timothy Spall is perfect as the executioner, a man who kills not out of lust for revenge, not for any pleasure but because it is his job to do so. He wants to be good at what he does. He sees going to the gallows as an act of redmeption, to make the guilty innocent agin.
He begins to doubt himself following he conducts the execution of several Nazi war criminals, which sees his secret life revealed to the public. And whilst they initially treat him as a hero, the public turn on him as liberalism and the movement for the aboliton of capital punishment grows.
This film doesn't preach, it is used as a character study of a man whos job it is to kill. It shows reason to support and oppose the death penalty, showing us the stress that an executioner faces. However, the last line comes direct from Pierrepoint himself: "In my eyes, capital punishment never achieved anything but revenge"
8/10
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Post by Travis on Mar 15, 2007 13:30:36 GMT -1
A couple of plane flights and a backlog of rentals. Guess it's time for a spot of 'catch up' on a selection......
MARIE ANTOINETTE
The classic story of Marie Antoinette is given the Sofia Coppola treatment, so it's out with the Merchant Ivory sensitivities and in with the hip and cool. No more long lingering glances, au revoir to the classically literature dialogue, this uptight environment of inherent stuffiness gives way to something rather more vibrant.
Grand balls are now sound-tracked by Souixsie & Banshees' 'Hong Kong Garden', moments of decadence played out to 'I Want Candy' by Bow Wow Wow, while the likes of The Strokes, New Order, Adam & The Ants also make an appearance.
This rather unique juxtaposition of period drama with (predominantly) 'New Wave' music will horrify traditionalists, while certain historical inaccuracies within a relatively shallow script have alienated a few other movie-goers. However, I must admit I really enjoyed it, the film delivered exactly what it promised in the trailer - spectacle, great music, and Kirsten Dunst looking fantastic - and like Coppola's other work, it did so with great style.
8/10
STRANGER THAN FICTION
So now that Will Ferrell has (somehow) established himself as one of Hollywood's highest grossing comedy performers, he's now yearning for credibility amongst his acting peers. So what to do?? Hmmm.
Well here's an idea!! Why not follow the lead of fellow (un)funny man, Jim Carrey and try for some more offbeat roles in quirky, charming films?? And so on to 'Stranger Than Fiction'. Essentially Ferrell stars as a mundane everyman who suddenly begins to hear a womans voice in his head, narrating his every move, initially he tries to dismiss it, but when he hears the voice proclaim that he's going to die, he suddenly gets very concerned. And upon a chance meeting with a feisty young woman (Maggie Gyllenhaal), he realises he must really start to live his life.
Now call me a cynic, but substitute Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet for the two leads, and add the quirky, original script and haven't you then got 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'?? They wish!!!
While ESSM was a startlingly original film, visually daring and endlessly inventive thanks to writer Charlie Kauffman and director Michel Gondry, 'Stranger Than Fiction' has an original premise, but then little else. Kate Winslet lights up ESSM and even Jim Carrey is remarkably bearable, in contrast, while Maggie Gyllenhaal is always an endearing screen presence, Ferrell is not, he can't act!!! He's more wooden than an erection on a rocking horse!!
Overall, an interesting concept wasted on a mediocre director and dire leading man.
5/10
THE PRESTIGE
A tale of two magicians (Hugh Jackman & Christian Bale) who following the tragic death of the formers wife in a trick, split as a duo and start to compete with each other to be considered the best.
Well acted, and for the most part intriguing, it features supporting roles from Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson and Andy Serkis, plus a head scratchingly odd cameo by David Bowie. Let down a little by a rather contrived ending.
7/10
HAPPY FEET
Cynical Hollywood digimation cash-in on the current popularity of our penguin friends. Unmemorable characters populate a tale that is almost entirely devoid of narrative. In consequence the film ultimately amounts to little more than a sequence of songs, set pieces, dancing, songs........YAWN!!
Turned it off after 30 minutes, rubbish.
2/10
TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE : THE BEGINNING
Wholly pointless prequel to the classic original, which attempts to tell the back story of the profoundly disturbing family at the centre of the murders. Now firstly, why a prequel? Part of the power of TCM was that no explanation was given as to who these people were and what their motivations were, so don't go belittling that now!!
Needless to say, the strengths of the original are almost completely absent from this film; the psychological terror and implied violence (there was very little blood) of TCM has now been replaced by excessive and explicit violence, with blood and gore aplenty. The edgy direction, has been replaced by something altogether more mediocre (all the best shots in the film are essentially those made in homage to some of the best known shots original). The family while always absurd have become caricatures, and the plot.....well, it leaves a lot to be desired.
That said, if you just want a film that's nasty and graphic, albeit totally forgettable, then it could hold some appeal.
4/10
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Post by Neko Bazu on Mar 15, 2007 13:43:24 GMT -1
That just seems to be Hollywood's way at the moment, doesn't it? "Hmm... needs more blood..." I've only ever viewed blood in a film as a kind of comedy bonus - look at various scenes from the Evil Dead trilogy, or the "I've just cleaned that bit!" moment in Bad Taste. Very rarely is it used for any really effective effect - one good exception is Jigsaw's 'dead' body in Saw (but then that didn't involve insane amounts of spraying and squirting). For me, blood actually takes away the horror, when used in the quantities Hollywood seems to revel in. That's just one reason I'm fearing the rumoured remake of Battle Royale |
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Post by Ninja Squirrel on Mar 15, 2007 13:53:06 GMT -1
There not are they? is nothing sacred!!! |
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Post by Neko Bazu on Mar 15, 2007 13:57:20 GMT -1
There not are they? is nothing sacred!!! Rumour has it it's being planned/is in the early stages Not heard anything offical, but the murmurings are there - I believe it was even discussed on this very site a month or two ago, maybe more. |
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Post by Ninja Squirrel on Mar 15, 2007 14:02:17 GMT -1
There not are they? is nothing sacred!!! Rumour has it it's being planned/is in the early stages Not heard anything offical, but the murmurings are there - I believe it was even discussed on this very site a month or two ago, maybe more. Now are we talking Remake japan stylee or a horrendous Hollywood make over where it is nothing like the original and the trailer for it starts with "based on a true story" |
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Post by Travis on Mar 15, 2007 14:02:38 GMT -1
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Forever without exception. x
One by one the penguins steal my sanity.