The Films You Watched Thread VI: The Undiscovered Movie

[Atticus]

Spider-Man 2. I did watch this again relatively recently for the first time since the cinema, and it still remains my fave superhero film. Now, watching it a couple of days after the first one the experience was even better. It's so tightly woven into the first film. The 'Raindrops Keep Falling' sequence is one of the most beautiful in any film, Bruce Campbell's cameo is hilarious, Maguire will always be my fave Spidey and the whole film just hits every single mark and makes you feel great. Never seen the 2.1 cut but I can't imagine how the theatrical cut could be any better than it already is.

[Neon Ignition]

From memory 2.1 mostly just adds a few minutes to the bank fight between Peter and Doc Ock. It's a very unnecessary tweak to the film that's very much more about milking DVD sales than adding anything of worth

[fallenangle]

OK, cheers.

Wind River is on tonight (Wednesday) Film4/4+1 at 9pm/10pm.

[QualityChimp]

Cheers, I set it to record when you mentioned it. Might watch it on my own, though.

I carried on with the Poirot theme by watching Evil Under The Sun (1982 via iPlayer) with the missus last night.
It's always fun trying to spot the clues along the way that will play out later. "They always fire that loud cannon at 12 noon..."
Great cast again! Peter Ustinov, Maggie Smith, Roddy McDowall, James Mason and Diana Rigg, amongst others.

Tempted to watch that Vigil (Submarine investigation) series at some point.

[Neon Ignition]

Scream 4
I remembered the least from this one. The meta-opening is just awful, painfully Scary Movie-esque which the franchise really seems to struggle to avoid. It also has a strange look througout as well, where any source of light is over exposed and bleached which makes it th ugliest entry as well. There's another issue that plagues the film too, bad casting. Not in the intentional way the third film tried, here it's just some weak additions primarily with the younger additions which really undercuts the finale of the film which relies on them to an extent. It's reveal is really strained too, but the overal execution of the film is better than the third entry and as ever David Arquette but much more so Neve Campbell carry it well, Campbell never seems to get quite the praise she deserves for these. At some point we'll get round to seeing the latest one and then all caught up.

Army of Thieves
The prequel to Netflix's Army of the Dead. There's nothing special about it or its bank heist plot but I preferred it of the two, it was kind of likeable and I'd be curious about a third film which I think is on the way.

[Atticus]

Spider-Man 3. There are problems, yes. Sometimes it's like watching two different films, side-by-side, woven together. And that means there is a thread of good. It's not as great as the first two but in fairness they set the bar incredibly high. The fact Raimi was pressured into forcing the Venom story into his vision did have a negative effect but at least he was able to make the film and complete the trilogy. I've loved watching these again.

Scream. Here's an example of a good idea done justice. It's great fun and full of love for the classics. This was my second viewing and you watch it through very different eyes because

there are enough subtle moments that I can see the thread of the killers throughout but also see why I missed it on the first viewing.

[Neon Ignition]

Scream. Here's an example of a good idea done justice. It's great fun and full of love for the classics. This was my second viewing and you watch it through very different eyes because

That's good to hear, it's something the second to fourth films missed, that slight bit of nuance in the delivery. Hopefully we'll get to see the new one within the coming week

[Atticus]

Matrix Resurrections. I came out of the cinema and my first reaction was what did I just watch? It felt like it might go somewhere interesting initially but the amount of meta nonsense, exposition (it's like 90% tell / 10% show) and spoon-feeding of messages. Too much. Was there even a fun sci-fi movie in there? Barely. What a mess. Don't know whether it was overly ambitious or two fingers at the studio. Either way, not a great deal for the paying audience.

[Dogg Thang]

I watched Underwater last night. I quite enjoyed it. It's nice and short. That's a big positive. It's about some people in an underwater facility and it breaks and water gets in and they have to get to another part to escape but there is something nasty lurking in the water. It's generic but it does what it does pretty well. I liked it.

[Neon Ignition]

Resident Evil: Welcome to Racoon City
There is nothing at all special about this film and any changes that it makes to the games, just like the Mila Saga, are ones that detract from the world and characters from the game. However, I did find this fairly enjoyable and I'd say overall I prefer it to any of the prior films. It's a fairly low budget effort but despite any changes there are quite a lot direct references and recreations from the game making it overall much more faithful and therefore much more likeable. It largely is a retelling of the events of Resident Evil and Resident Evil 2, it seems to cut Resident Evil 3 from its canon but includes some elements to set up its own sequel that seems to hint at Code Veronica even though no sequel will ever be made to this. So yeah, I kind of inadvertently ends the film efforts on a bit of high as low as that bar is.

Ron's Gone Wrong
Generally this is a fairly likeable animated film with it's biggest issue by far being how overplayed the plot is to the point that it's somewhat surprising it was greenlit. Essentially, a big company created robots for all families kids and one goes wrong with its creator ending up at odds with the CEO. The kid who has the robot goes on a bonding adventure with it etc etc. You will know how this film goes beat for beat because you've seen it already under different branding. Solid enough, just lacks any ideas of its own.

Scary Movie
Wrapped up the recent Scream run with this. It's still easily the best entry just because of how closely it adheres to Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer's plots. What I had forgotten over the years though was the amount of sheesh it contains, lots in it that wouldn't fly today. Aside from that though hats off to the casting person who stumbled on Anna Farris, it was a reminder as to what a find she was. With these types of films there are often actors who very clearly feel like actors in a comedy film but sometimes you get someone who just feels perfectly in tune with the genre just as Leslie Neilsen felt and Farris is like that.

[QualityChimp]

Copshop (Prime)
This was great! Had a real Precinct 13 vibe to it, with a great soundtrack with a bit of Lalo Shifrin's "Magnum Force Theme" on the opening credits, so I knew I was onto a winner. Great cast with Gerard Butler and Frank Grillo their usual selves, but I thought Alexis Louder and Toby Huss were the surprise treats as the level-headed cop and an unhinged assassin.

Embedded Tweet

Mass (NowTV)
Oof. This was a tough watch. Probably best to go in cold and let the events unfold, but it's mainly 4 people in a room talking.
"Two couples meet for a painful and raw conversation in the aftermath of a violent tragedy."
I'll admit I shed a tear by the end of it. Lots to unpack.

One Shot (NowTV)
So this is filmed in one take like 1917, but more action-orientated.
Honestly, it feels like you're watching a videogame, which should appeal to most of us here, but can see some people would see as a criticism.
The film's biggest strength was also its biggest weakness in that I was constantly trying to comprehend the technical complexity and phenomenal timing of the cast and crew to deliver the whole film in one go.
The camera catching the exact moments when blood splatters or a helicopter explodes or a single tear rolls down a dying man's face is astonishing, but took me out of it a little. Amazing accomplishment.

Avatar (3D Blu-Ray)
You know, I don't think I've seen this since the cinema. Such a strange one, because it seems to be one of those films where people enjoyed it at the time, but there are years of criticism and seem to dislike it, without having reseen it?
Anyway, I really enjoyed it and was surprised how much was burned into my memory. Such a beautiful film. My son is using it at school as an example of creative writing and the creatures are really interesting.
I think I was expecting another Aliens when I first saw it and it quite the opposite with the aliens the good guys and the marines the antagonists. Knowing this, I probably enjoyed it more this time.
3D really pops and really embraces the format with little things like translucent screens or Polaroids that have depth, as well as the major action sequences having loads of layers of depth.

[Atticus]

Ooo might have a look at Copshop. Sounding good

[wakka]

Mass and Avatar. The classic double bill.

Sounds like a strong weekend of film watching, I enjoyed your impressions.

I watched...

The Wicker Man - The Final Cut

We had a whole discussion on here about extended cuts, and how they don't add anything. And I said, well, I think the Wicker Man is gonna be different.

Well, I watched it, and it isn't

I didn't enjoy the additional material much and it probably detracts on the whole.

That said, this is still just a brilliant, brilliant film and I loved watching it again. The oppressive atmosphere is present from the moment we land on Summerisle, and the claustrophobia and tension steadily ramp from there. Edward Woodward as the uptight Christian versus Christopher Lee's urbane pagan is just a brilliant dramatic match-up too.

It has lost nothing over the years. Next time I view I'll be going back to the theatrical cut to see if I prefer that as I suspect I do.

I watched this on the excellent Final Cut Blu-ray pack which includes all three cuts of the film plus a soundtrack CD. Great picture and sound.
@Atticus, do I have it correct that the additional material is the stuff where it's from a much rougher print, i.e. the stuff where:

->Open Spoiler<-

There's the bit where Lord Summerisle comes to the window of Britt Eckland and offers up that young man to her (that's def new right, I don't remember that). And then also the bit where Edward Woodward gets out of bed and wanders around in the dark outside and there are a load of couples boning?

Those were the two new bits that jumped out to me.

Do I have it correct and were there other new bits I missed?

Road Games

This is one of those 'lost classic' films, which was a flop when it released in the 70s, but you can find plenty of people online today singing its praises as a misunderstood gem.

Unfortunately, that wasn't my experience. I can see why it flopped and honestly I feel like it deserved to.

The premise: Rear Window 'pon road, essentially. A trucker crossing Australia suspects a fellow road user of being a serial killer. He teams up with a spunky hitchiker to try to solve the mystery.

The setup is a good one, and there are some clever ideas. But the film is riven with problems. Tonally uneven, it generally maintains a light, comedic tone without ever being really funny, which gets in the way of its thriller ambitions. Tension is lacking across the board and there is little sense of menace from the putative serial killer. The characters have no real arc and are underdeveloped.

You could do worse than watch this film. But you could do a lot better too. For me this should have been rethought at the screenplay stage to have much greater velocity and a clear buildup of tension and jeopardy. As it is, it doesn't so much build as merely meander.

I watched this on the Indicator Blu-ray, where it's very nicely presented.

[Atticus]

I watched...

The Wicker Man - The Final Cut

We had a whole discussion on here about extended cuts, and how they don't add anything. And I said, well, I think the Wicker Man is gonna be different.

Well, I watched it, and it isn't

I didn't enjoy the additional material much and it probably detracts on the whole.

That said, this is still just a brilliant, brilliant film and I loved watching it again. The oppressive atmosphere is present from the moment we land on Summerisle, and the claustrophobia and tension steadily ramp from there. Edward Woodward as the uptight Christian versus Christopher Lee's urbane pagan is just a brilliant dramatic match-up too.

It has lost nothing over the years. Next time I view I'll be going back to the theatrical cut to see if I prefer that as I suspect I do.

I watched this on the excellent Final Cut Blu-ray pack which includes all three cuts of the film plus a soundtrack CD. Great picture and sound.
@Atticus, do I have it correct that the additional material is the stuff where it's from a much rougher print, i.e. the stuff where:

->Open Spoiler<-

There's the bit where Lord Summerisle comes to the window of Britt Eckland and offers up that young man to her (that's def new right, I don't remember that). And then also the bit where Edward Woodward gets out of bed and wanders around in the dark outside and there are a load of couples boning?

Those were the two new bits that jumped out to me.

Do I have it correct and were there other new bits I missed?

That’s about it I think (the first part you mentioned having the accompaniment of another great musical section with the song Gently Johnny performed below in the bar). Yeah, the extra scenes are from such poor stock they stand out a mile. At least it’s better than the directors cut which has a lot, and dull stuff from the mainland too. I think the biggest benefit of the final cut is the correct order of events making more sense but to me it was hardly a revelation and I can enjoy both.

In the end it’s the same as Apocalypse Now for me. The Final Cut is somewhere between theatrical and redux but I think I still prefer the theatrical overall.

Such and amazing film. There’s a great ep of the Evolution of Horror podcast on it I enjoyed listening to after watching it last.

[teddymeow]

Mass should be the film that gets Jason Isaacs, at the very least, an Oscar nomination!!