What films have you watched this week?

[Kieran76]

Watched Coraline last night, thought it was quite good. Good to see a kids film with a creepy edge to it and no songs. I don't think it worked as a whole though, some great elements, but lacking in depth.

[Colin]

Just finished watching kick ass. Really enjoyed it in the cinema, absolutely LOVED it at home. I'm so pleased there's a follow up to come, it's almost good enough to tempt me to read the comic. (But I won't) If only Scott Pilgrim had been this good.

[JazzFunk]

Watched a couple I'd Sky+d from The Horror Channel a few months back:

First up was Colin, a British zombie movie centred around a character who's just turned into one, a kind of 'first person' zombie flick. As interesting as it sounds, there's only so much you can take of a moaning, gurning slackjaw rambling around derelict-looking parts of London whilst other, studenty-types do the same, all to a soundtrack of distant gunshot sounds and car alarms, and when the 'gore' happens, it's all heavy shakycam stuff, you can barely make anything out. No plot as such, it seems really long, bleak and tedious, I couldn't wait for it to end. Fair play to the director, this supposedly cost just £45 to make, and visually, it doesn't look half bad for a very low budget film, but it was just so dull (though, I guess it's the type of film that someone, somewhere would absolutely love, probably an emo zombie fan.) 3/10.

Second up was Takashi Miike's Audition. I'd heard lots of great stuff about this, was kind of wary of the reputedly incredibly disturbing ending (I love a good horror now and then but usually baulk at really horrid stuff) but as I really enjoyed Ichi The Killer, just *had* to see it. Most of the film is pretty innocent, I thought the buildup was brilliant, I was thoroughly absorbed and intrigued. The ending though? Didn't quite cut the mustard, a bit OTT and ridiculous, not very well handled given how subtle the film was up to that point, I didn't really think the main character could've done anything that would illicit such a response. Plus,

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the sawn-off foot/torturey bit at the very end felt a bit old hat these days, especially after stuff like Saw

. Kind of glad, in a way, that I wasn't disturbed or shocked one iota by the film, though wish I had been jolted a bit, it needed a bit more oomph to stick in my mind. I liked this film but wanted to love it, pity. 6.4/10.

[SuperBeatBoy]

The whole thing that makes audition so great is how subtle & mundane it all is and how it leads to it's conclusion. The woman is a complete fruitcake and you get glimpses of as the film progresses. Which is why I think the ending is so great and one of Miike's best.

[JazzFunk]

^I guess I could watch it again, but like I say, despite her being a fruitcake, the only real evidence of 'jealousy' she gets against him is

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seeing a photo of his wife

. The way she suddenly becomes some

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Kill Bill-style torture dominatrix

I found a little hard to swallow, when put against the tone of the rest of the film. Plus, there was little development

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after he sleeps with her at the hotel and she vanishes

, unless I'm missing something? It's definitely a film that need its loose ends tying up, which does make it interesting. Like I said, I might watch it again.

Despite my misgivings, it was made in 1999, it's influenced many, many films since, not only 'torture porn' films like Saw but I can also see a lot of its themes/vibe in Oldboy, a film which I love and massively prefer to this - though it would be unfair to dismiss Audition because of that, Oldboy has merely served to build upon its strengths.

[SuperBeatBoy]

I figure i'd spoiler the below, just incase.

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The main thing that gives an example with how nutty she is, is when she is just sitting there waiting for a phonecall with something in a bag and she has that creepy smirk going on.

[JazzFunk]

^What's going on, late in the film,

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after he collapses, there's a flashback-type bit where you see the main character and all these different women from earlier in compromising positions with him, like that woman in the office (the one who says she's getting married near the start) when she appears near his zipper, presumably after a BJ, and his son's girlfriend

, are these supposed to be the obsessive jealous thoughts of the fruitcake woman? I assumed they were but wasn't 100% clear on it.

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

Haunting In Connecticuit - pretty good. Lots of stuff to make you jump, but I did feel it was like a Amityville/Shining/Stir Of Echoes copy combo.

[Number45]

I watched The Professional last night. YEARS since I watched it last, I'd forgotten just how good it is. <3

[Neon Ignition]

Resident Evil : Afterlife 3D

Basically it's a lot like the 2nd film

[Colin]

No country for old men - First time i'd seen it, was really enjoying it then came the ending. WTF?

[Bort]

I watched The Professional last night. YEARS since I watched it last, I'd forgotten just how good it is. <3

Despite owning the Blu version I still go back and watch the International uncut dvd version. It lets you watch the film with only the soundtrack.

How I love thee.

[rmoxon]

No country for old men - First time i'd seen it, was really enjoying it then came the ending. WTF?

What do you mean?

I thought it ended quite nicley.

[SuperBeatBoy]

^What's going on, late in the film,

->Open Spoiler<-

after he collapses, there's a flashback-type bit where you see the main character and all these different women from earlier in compromising positions with him, like that woman in the office (the one who says she's getting married near the start) when she appears near his zipper, presumably after a BJ, and his son's girlfriend

, are these supposed to be the obsessive jealous thoughts of the fruitcake woman? I assumed they were but wasn't 100&#37; clear on it.

I can't remember that scene in particular, but i think it means hes clearly doubting himself and the sexist & misogynistic ways he has been towards finding this woman, its clearly something on his mind. Its been a good long while since i watched it last.

[Brats]

I watched Transformers for the first time on Film 4 HD last night. I've heard the second film is awful, but that the first film is a lot better.

Hmmm. Is the second film is a lot worse then it must be a stinker, as this was pretty awful. I can bear the standard Michael Bay direction (including the obligatory slow motion shot of someone stepping out of a helicopter to syncopated strings) but why must every character be so unlikeable? When are Hollywood action films going to accept that being slightly cocky, clumsy twit with a good heart deep down isn't endearing any more.

All that money jizzed on the screen, yet so little of it spent on the script. Rubbish.