What Films Have You Watched This Week - The Sequel.

[bash]

So Walk Among the Tombstones was ok, wasnt so much the retro Taken fest I thought it was gonna be, the plot was interesting after a good intro setting up Neesons police past. Dan Stevens is ok as a drug trafficker who's lost his wife and wants answers/revenge, it wasnt as demanding a role as his creepy The Guest character. I just found it a typical private Eye cliche ridden story about an ex cop with a haunted past taking a job out of sympathy and then the layers just unfold. There was one slight twist but the characters it effected werent that endearing enough for you to care about them anyway. Once more info about the killers come out it kinda just got boring and you waited for it to play out. Neesons character gets a sidekick half way though who just wants to ooze tough streetkid charms but comes off as annoying and bloody lucky too.

I'd say avoid if you think its gonna be anything like Taken but watch if you like Neeson, he's not completely annoying in this as it goes, if anything he carrys the movie.

Gonna watch The Ipcress File now, was watching a bit of On Her Majestys secret service but I just hate bond movies and it was boring as hell. Hopefully Harry as the anti Bond will be more enjoyable.

[VR46]

Watched Cockneys v Zombies over the weekend, harmless fun. And it did contain a couple of funny bits.
Was on Pick TV or something channel over Christmas, says it all I suppose.

[buster_broon]

another two movies last night

gone girl
quite a good movie, a long movie but there always seemed something going on which was good, just didn't really get the end which kinda spoiled it a little, maybe finchers movies and I just don't really get on - seven what was in the box (I'm sure it was her head since he said it but just got a sneaky suspicion it was the baby)

'71
pretty good and pretty tense and I can imagine that it was like that in the early point of the British intervention, I spent 11 years in the military over there and I'm glad I never saw anything like that, however I have been down the falls road in an armoured landrover (snatch wagon) but normally I sat at Moscow camp just off the Belfast city airport runway, HMS caroline or at sea boarding ferries or fishermen - yeah but good, jack O'Connell is a good actor but I cant get over his character in skins - cook just bloody irritated me

[kryss]

Journey to the West (based on the Songoku legend). Directed and everything else'd by Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle). Enjoyable but won't be receiving a second viewing.

Also (and finally) watched The Dark Knight Rises and enjoyed it. Anne Hathaway

[JazzFunk]

The Robocop reboot on Netflix. Hmm. Now, if anything, I was expecting to be underwhelmed (secretly hoping for a gem) and this was like, uh, just a terrible waste of life for me. Felt like a boring early-90s TV movie, no gore, no vim or gusto, totally wrong bloke playing Robo, chaff music, plus a very hammy, on-the-sag Gazza Oldman, who is really bad in this. Real waste of time, what made the original was its spirit, its gleeful anarchy, this just ditches all that and it's really sad, this could've at least been a little fun to watch.

[QualityChimp]

I watched a fantastic film last night - The Guest.

Still struggling over the loss of their oldest son, Caleb, to the war in Afghanistan, the Peterson family - Mr. and Mrs. Peterson and their children Luke and Anna - are unexpectedly visited by David Collins, a former soldier who claims to have been a friend of Caleb's, and is there to fulfill his promise to Caleb to help take care of the family and their issues. David is polite, warm and friendly toward the family, and Mrs. Peterson offers to let him stay as long as he needs to.

The Guest's interpretation of "take care of the family and their issues", is a little unusual...

I bloomin' loved every minute of it and was grinning from ear-to-ear at some points. I think the best way to describe it is the best film John Carpenter has made in YEARS, but it's not made by John Carpenter! It's got that total JC vibe about it from the font on the poster, to the sinister tone and especially the soundtrack. In fact, Director Adam Wingard said ?It takes place during Halloween and there?s a lot of references in the film to not just Halloween but actually Halloween III. That ended up being this really weird, obscure influence, which is a funny film to homage because it?s a lot of people?s least favorite one. But that movie has its own, interesting sci-fi quality. Plus, it might actually be John Carpenter?s best score.?
There's also a track called "Masquerade" from 80s band Clan of Xymox, which sounds a lot like the start of Day of the Dead to me.

It felt like Carpenter's unreal reality that he portrays in his movies where you know it's a bit far-fetched, but totally has fun with the concept.

Lead actor, Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey!), is great as the lead character who manages to be everything to everyone and wheedles his way into the family.

If you yearn for the the kind of films the 80s produced, then check this out.

I really enjoyed the other film of Director/Writer combo of Adam Wingard/Simon Barrett, You're Next (see if you can spot the reference in the The Guest), which turned the house-under-seige premise on its head. Wingard's next project is a TV movie written by The Walking Dead author, Robert Kirkman, called Outcast - "A young man searches for answers as to why he's been suffering from supernatural possessions his entire life." I also would like to see V/H/S 1 & 2, which have sections from the duo (and one from Gareth Evans in 2).

Here is a nice article on the influence of John Carpenter on modern film makers. I now need to see Blue Ruin, Stage Fright and Almost Human!

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/07/16/john-carpenter-the-purge/

I also watched Megamind with the little 'un and we both enjoyed it. Some big names in the cast - Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey and Brad Pitt - which bring some character to the roles. I found Megamind a really likeable character and despite criticisms at the time of it being similar the Despicable Me and The Incredibles, I thought the various twists and turns of the plot were really inventive.

It's a shame DreamWorks Animation are steering clear of sequels to parody films like this and Monsters Vs. Aliens as they're some of my favourite CGI kids films.

Bonus points for the soundtrack!
"Back in Black" by AC/DC
"Highway to Hell" by AC/DC
"Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne
"Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra
"Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses
"Bad" by Michael Jackson
"Bad to the Bone" by George Thorogood & the Destroyers
"A Little Less Conversation (Junkie XL Remix)" by Elvis Presley
and
"Lovin' You" by Minnie Riperton

[kryss]

And Guillermo Del Toro did the mech design! As you can tell if you look at Gypsy Danger from Pacific Rim.

Watched Bourne Legacy: meh
Cloud Atlas: Interesting storytelling and views of the future. Jim Broadbent and Tom Hanks probably had a lot of fun with their roles.
"Soylent Green is people!!"

[QualityChimp]

And Guillermo Del Toro did the mech design! As you can tell if you look at Gypsy Danger from Pacific Rim.

I was not aware of that.
[hide][/hide]

I knew the start was his suggestion, where Megamind is falling to his death.

Watched Bourne Legacy: meh

Although you probably need to work on your critical appreciation skills, those three letters are probably an apt summary of Legacy.

[kryss]

Still better than the second one. Not much praise that though.

Finished the evening with the other woman which was very funny in places.

[QualityChimp]

Finished the evening with the other woman which was very funny in places.

Don't let your girlfriend catch you, playaaaah!

[kryss]

Nice one QC.
Last night's Donnie Yen was 14 Blades. Got to admit I'm quite into semi-historical Chinese cinema right now.
I started watching Yes man in work last night, not a huge fan of Jim Carrey but the "depressed recent divorcee" struck a cord with me, so I thought I would give it the benefit of the doubt. I have vague predictions as to what shall transpire.

[QualityChimp]

Thanks.

You're not saying if you're enjoying any of these Donnie Yen films!
Did you enjoy Special ID? I was thiiis close to buying it at lunch, but I've heard it's not too good.
(I got The Guest as I'm going to want to re-watch it and listen to the commentary from the director and writer team).

Yes Man is good fun and Carrey is fairly restrained.
The book by Danny Wallace is well worth reading as it's true (AKAIK) and pretty bonkers.

[kryss]

Ip Man and Ip Man 2 are very good, Iceman I can't bare to watch (Yen is ok). 14 Blades was good, far better than Special ID, which wasn't bad just a little too modern for my tastes. Hero is excellent IMO.

I did watch Transformers 4 yesterday too, which was better than anything with LaBeef in, although I wonder if Ted would have improved it any. Kelsey Grammar and Stanley Tucci carried it well.

[PaTaito]

Whiplash

Great film about the unhealthy relationship between a sadistical perfectionist music teacher at a very prestigious school, and his student who so desperately wants to become the best.

I found it fascinating to watch, with a brilliant performance from J.K Simmons.

[Neon Ignition]

The Interview
Well, half of it. Despite the fuss it was mostly on the basis of quite enjoying This Is The End however Interview is just outright appalling. Not in terms of controversy, it's just a low effort affair without any humour. Pretty much just a showcase for Franco who seems to mistakingly think he's funny rather than simply being in a comedy with funny people. Mind numbing.