Movies Recently Watched

CHEF -- I freakin love this movie. I like that it doesn't follow your typical 3 act structure. The story was pretty basic, but it's a character driven film and I loved all of them. Visually, it was fun to watch, especially for foodies. And the soundtrack kicked ass.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY -- Speaking of kick ass sound tracks..."Awesome Mix, Pt. 1". I confess, me and my family saw this 3 times. LOL. We are definitely part of the collapse of the film industry. I can't help it. I just love these blockbuster action Marvelly super hero movies! BUT...I also loved Chef, which was an indie. GOTG was just a lot of fun. I was entertained from beginning to end (3 times). I just love Christopher Pratt. The one thing I didn't understand was why they would pay Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel to voice Groot and Rocket (raccoon). You would never recognize their voices. Especially Groot. So what was the point?

Haunted House 2 - 8/10
Plenty of chuckles and a few laughs. Some real balls out acting for Wayans.

Olympus Has Fallen. Had some time to kill, so I clicked this on Netflix. Frankly, I wasn't expecting much. From the commercials, it just looked like a dumb Die Hard ripoff that shared a low-powered brain with White House Down. The opening with the President's wife was kinda silly and had me wondering if I should return to browsing. Then came the White House takeover scene. Good...God. That was some epic carnage! Talk about sound and fury. The sheer body count was staggering. That has to be the most relentless, brutal action sequence I've seen in some time.

As for the "surprise" character reveals, I saw most of those coming down Main Street. But I admire how the writers went for the jugular in terms of the raising the stakes. Butler's character has to overcome one problem after another, each one worse than the previous. A great popcorn flick when you're in the mood for some serious arse-kickin'.

Just started watching psycho for the first time. I know, I know...way too late. Got the rest to watch.

Very interesting how Hitchcock doesn't lose time in adding tension and conflict....and she hasn't even got to the motel. Dated, I accept, but it still has a sense of menace.

Gone Girl - first half was interesting, the second one not so much, too many endings, last one was underwhelming.

Quoted from Ryan1

Olympus Has Fallen. A great popcorn flick when you're in the mood for some serious arse-kickin'.

Yep, I agree completely, as you can see from my review when I saw this at the theater.

Surprised more don't admit it's a good flick and so much better than the much more expensive White House Down.

The Usual Suspects. Stephen Baldwin's such a bad ass in this. Love it. Gabriel Byrne great, Kevin Spacey great. The kind of movie I can join in anywhere and just sit and watch. Hard to believe little Kevin Pollack can pull off a tough guy act but he does pretty good here. He's got a couple tense moments with Baldwin that I heard weren't just acting as Baldwin was being such a bully to him off set to try and stay in character. Good stuff. Love Chazz Palmintieri as well.

I watch films everyday. Sometimes numerous films a day. Studying film is COOL.

I've been to the cinema recently though for the first time in a bit to see Gone Girl. After reading the book I was eager to see how it translated. The answer, for me, was very well. I thought it was great. Yeah, the ending probably wasn't to everyones taste but I think it carried a pretty cool message. Also thought it was a beautiful film and very well acted. Even Tyler Perry!!

Also, in college I've recently watched La Haine for the first time. WOW! Instantly one of my favourite films. So powerful and so slickly shot. Can't recommend this one enough for whoever hasn't seen it. Brilliant.

Patiently waiting now for The Babadook to come out. Really looking forward to that one :)

Quoted from IamGlenn

Completely concur with all your comments there, Glenn. Went to see Gone Girl yesterday. Couldn't get through the book myself, found it too tedious and it turns out I'm happy I didn't prior to seeing the film. Funny the so called feminist backlash that has resulted with some:

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/oct/07/gone-girl-backlash-david-fincher-misogynist-feminist

It's a film/book guys, and she's a fictional character. Loosen up! ;D

Quoted from IamGlenn

Patiently waiting now for The Babadook to come out. Really looking forward to that one :)

Me too! Pity it got such a limited release in the very country it was made (Here in Oz). Same with Predestination which I would have loved to have seen on the big screen but alas that was slim pickings too.

Did you see this one Glenn? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2165859/ In Fear - one of yours apparently, though shot in England. Thought it was brilliant. Once again the ending may not satisfy some but this sure was a thrill ride.

And, on that note another I'd recommend is Scenic Route - brilliant little two hander about two guys stranded in the desert. The performances of both Josh Duhamel & Dan Fogler are outstanding.

LC,

To be honest I didn't even know about the feminist backlash. However, whilst reading the book and then watching the film I thought some might see it that way. I definitely don't see it like that though. As you have said it's a book/film. People get themselves a little too wound up over fictional people only designed to make an interesting story.

I wasn't aware The Babadook got a limited release in Oz. I lived around your parts for 2 years and have been thinking to myself if only I was still there I could have seen the film already but perhaps not. Hopefully a cinema close to me has it when it's released here later in the month.

Honestly, I haven't even heard of In Fear or Scenic Route. They sound interesting though so I'll be sure to check them out. Cheers.

:)

Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas - 7/10
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Uprising:_The_Legend_of_Michael_Kohlhaas
This is a very well produced one-and-done sort of story.
Well acted.
Very nice cinematography.
Fair enough story.

I like Mads.

Couldn't really recommend seeing this, but if you like period pieces it's a good one.

47 Ronin (2013 film) - 5/10
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/47_Ronin_(2013_film)
Whereas 'Age of Uprising' was slow and interesting, this was just slow.
If you never see it you're not missing much.
I suspect the 1941 original is better.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_47_Ronin_(1941_film)

Quoted from SAC

Just re-watched this the other day myself.

Also Recently re-watched Godzilla (2014) and while I like it better in non 3D (which irritated me to death in theaters) some scenes were still black as pitch and the film becomes less impressive visually. The sound system however, is an 8.5 on a Ricther scale. Those subwoofer stereo system at home gets a workout to be sure.

About to watch the Jim Jarmusch film 'Only lovers Left alive' (Vampires!) and the Cameron Diaz comedy The Other Woman later today.

I watched 'Only Lovers Left Alive' a few weeks ago.
Meh...
Plods along.
I cut it off halfway thru, read the wikipedia synopsis, saved myself an hour.
Kinduva "woe is me" self naveling story.
Overly pensive. :)
Story's too sublime for my entertainment, but it is well acted and shot.

Quoted from RayW

Agree. I piked out early too. Talk about a snoozefest.

I saw Dracula Untold the other day...sad to say I didn't like it. The trailer looked pretty cool to me, but the story fell flat, the plot was all over the place...just my opinion. I was hoping for a good Dracula movie. This one did not do it for me.

Saw Edge of Tomorrow the other day on DVD. I didn't have high hopes. Tom has been in some dire duds of late.

However, I was pleasantly surprised. This was pretty damn good. I thought the repetitive nature of the plot would be a bore but they made sure it wasn't. Actually got to see Tom do some acting for a change, instead of being the jumping, running type Tom.

Fine support from Emily Blunt and the ever reliable Brendan Gleeson.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

R

Alan Partridge, Alpha Papa... low budget, funny shit. Worth watching.

Quoted from DustinBowcot

Alan Partridge, Alpha Papa... low budget, funny shit. Worth watching.

Love that film, it's very funny, as are the series too.

I recently watched 'Generation War' on Netflix which I thought was brilliant. It's a three part mini series about 5 German friends lives during the 2nd World War. well worth a watch.

I've watched the shows with Alan Partridge. I found them to be funny at times. I've always liked Steve Coogan. I was gonna check the movie out, then I forgot about it. This thread served as a good reminder.

Ida - 5/10 (and one of those points is just for cinematography)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2718492/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Without argument, a beautifully shot film.
However, the story is pretty boring.
Couldn't recommend it, but wouldn't recommend you NOT see it.
If you liked 'The Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford' then you may like this as well.

Cabin Fever: Patient Zero - 3/10
Terrible. Just read the wiki synopsis and save yourself the time.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabin_Fever:_Patient_Zero

Saw a review for the Mads thing. I'll be watching that one. Fine actor. Even when the film isn't great he is.

He was in this bizarre comedy I saw a while ago called Adam's Apples. It is a strange one, but quite funny in parts. If you like him you'll love it.

The Hunt is dark stuff, but a damn good movie.

On a different note... Saw Gone Girl the other day. Went in with no expectations, other than Fincher usually delivers. Loved it. Bit too long maybe, but many films are. I really did think this was a fine film.

R

Watched a movie called Exists yesterday. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1988621/.

A found footage Bigfoot movie. Surprisingly, I found it to be... Okay. Lame suit and some lame shots but a lot better than the Bobcat Goldthwait found footage Bigfoot movie called Willow Creek. That came out this year as well. Found that one to be just bad, boring and lame. This one was better.

Saw another found footage film called The Hunted, a ghost story. That wasn't that good either, Ok at best. But nicely filmed compared to the other two above.

Saw the new VHS movie, Viral. Also a found footage film. Found it to be kind of Okay. The Nacho Vigalondo segment showed promise. The one with the magician had an interesting beginning then went of the rails. The wrap around was horrible. All in all would not recommend.

Wouldn't recommend any of these movies. Saw the Hercules movie with the Rock. That one sucked as well.

3 Days to Kill - 3/10
Horrible writing. Horrible plot. Horrible acting by all except Costner.
Unless you just want to watch people shoot each other and blow up stuff don't waste your time with it.

Godzilla (2014) - 6/10
Meh... Looks better on DVD than it did in the theater where I probably had higher hopes for it.
Wanted more monster, less "Oh, you have to make a personal connection with the HUMANS" story. Pfft.
I want monsters in my monster movie, not Joe Action hero trying to get back to his family. Thhp! Blecht.
Lot of Gareth Edwards signature visual effects.
(Will wait for 'Monsters: Dark Continent' to come out on DVD as well.)

Watched 'Doghouse' last night with Danny Dyer et al. Actually not too bad. Very cheap, but there are quite a few laughs and plenty of cheese.

Not too bad means it is bad, but strangely I watched the whole thing. Really bad films I turn off way before the end. I think it's 6.1 rating is pretty reliable.

This Housebound movie wasn't too bad if you want to watch a movie with a lot of twists http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3504048/

Quoted Text

3 Days to Kill - 3/10
Horrible writing. Horrible plot. Horrible acting by all except Costner.
Unless you just want to watch people shoot each other and blow up stuff don't waste your time with it.

I didn't like it as well. Some of the dialogue was horrible, especially Amber Heard's. Movie was cute at times but I always feel Luc Besson writes these movies in a few days.

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