Films You Have Watched

[QualityChimp]

I have no idea what is happening in that picture.

[Neon Ignition]

Being hunted by several others who are out to kill each other, he's done the only rational thing someone can do. Lie down in a clearing and elaborately decorate his face in cake mix and icing to disguise himself as a rock.

[fuse]

I also quite regularly decorate my face in cake mix and icing, but there's usually a few other steps between those two that I feel are fairly crucial.

[MartyG]

Poor Things

What an extraordinary film. In these times of cookie cutter movies and endless sequels and remakes, this one stands out as totally unique. The writing is sublime, the cinematography likewise and the characterisation and development of Bella Baxter is remarkably well portrayed by Emma Stone.

One of the best films I've watched in ages.

[prinnysquad]

Double Confession (1950)

Derek Farr, William Hartnell and Peter Lorre feature in this intriguing B movie about a bloke who travels to a white cottage by the sea in the dead of night, and observes local villain Hartnell leaving it. The next day he confronts Hartnell about an affair with his wife. Farr asserts that he saw Hartnell leave his wife’s cottage, so he knows they’ve been at it in his absence. He then reveals to Hartnell that has killed his own wife in anger, and plans to pin it on him.

Lorre steals every scene, bordering on caricature, in a film that seems like an advert for the British seaside holiday industry as much as anything else. Hartnell is excellent. I’ll give this 7/10.


Murder in Reverse (1945)

William Hartnell again. Playing a dockworker whose wife is at it with a wide boy called Smith. Hartnell finds out and a fight ensues in a boozer. He grabs a display sword off the wall and chases Smith, who plunges into the river and isn’t seen again. Despite the lack of body, Hartnell is arrested for murder. On the way to the trial, he spies Smith from a distance on board a ship. No one listens to his pleas, and the judge sends him down. Fast forward years and years, and Hartnell is released from prison and sets about finding Smith to prove his innocence. Another good performance. 7/10


The Price of Silence (1960)

Gordon Jackson is released from prison determined to forge a new life for himself, but has to change his name to get a new job. He is immensely successful in his role as an estate agent, being made a partner, before an ex-con tracks him down and starts to demand money to stay silent. Jackson is effortlessly great. 7/10

[Neon Ignition]

Kung Fu Panda 4
A safe and unremarkable sequel in a safe and unremarkable franchise.

Ant-Man
The kids waned a fair bit with this one, the heist stuff proving a little too dry to hold their attention but solid enough still overall.

The King's Man
Finally got around to watching this one. It's fine I guess, the film only really shines during the trench scene. There's a quick sense that never goes away that the film lacks the tongue in cheek that the other two films carry so it's a little too dry.

True Lies
The master of this type of film - still

[QualityChimp]

Some good choices there, gang. True Lies is still great, Neon.
I'll deffo check out Poor Things as it's had loads of positive recommendations from friends.
prinnysquad , that sounds like a great classic mix. Never seen any of them. Were they on a digital channel or something?

I watched Once Upon A Time in the West (via DVD), which is one I've seen bits of, but never all of it, but it deserves its praise as it was a beautifully shot and cleverly laid out story. That Morricone score *chef's kiss*.
Annoyed with myself that I had to break it into chunks, but *shrug* life.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (via NowTV). I wanted to watch something with my daughter and I also wanted to watch this anyway, so it was the perfect choice. We watched it cuddled on the armchair together, with was lovely, but the film itself was also brilliant, rebooting the story and it totally works. I love the Turtles, but I'm not precious about the story. It'll be interesting how the R-rated Raphael Ronin story plays out, but this was great as a family film. All the Turtles were fun and had their own personalities, but the support characters were also brilliant. There were a lot of laughs and some nerdy references that I kept annoying my daughter with ("That's Jackie Chan in the training montage, and he voices Splinter!" "That song is by Vanilla Ice and was from the live-action movies!" "The LAIRD building is a reference to the co-creator of the comic!"). I could've happily watched this on my own, but a great family choice. Thought the art direction was brilliant - liked it even more than Spider-Verse.

[fuse]

Really let my hair down on the weekend and treated myself to some post-modern French surrealism, watching Holy Motors. Did feel quite let down as I'd heard some good things about it previously, but it didn't do as much as I'd wanted. Feel like the ideas it wanted to ponder were conveyed quickly enough but that it just kept doing the same things for the runtime rather than developing things. Weirdest thing I've watched in a while for sure, but a very middling experience overall.

[Neon Ignition]

No Way Up
A plane strikes birds and crashes into the ocean. Sinking to the bottom, an air pocket protects a group of survivors as they race against time to find a way out - unable to swim due to circling sharks. It's not great.

[prinnysquad]

Some good choices there, gang. True Lies is still great, Neon.
I'll deffo check out Poor Things as it's had loads of positive recommendations from friends.
prinnysquad , that sounds like a great classic mix. Never seen any of them. Were they on a digital channel or something?

I watched Once Upon A Time in the West (via DVD), which is one I've seen bits of, but never all of it, but it deserves its praise as it was a beautifully shot and cleverly laid out story. That Morricone score *chef's kiss*.
Annoyed with myself that I had to break it into chunks, but *shrug* life.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (via NowTV). I wanted to watch something with my daughter and I also wanted to watch this anyway, so it was the perfect choice. We watched it cuddled on the armchair together, with was lovely, but the film itself was also brilliant, rebooting the story and it totally works. I love the Turtles, but I'm not precious about the story. It'll be interesting how the R-rated Raphael Ronin story plays out, but this was great as a family film. All the Turtles were fun and had their own personalities, but the support characters were also brilliant. There were a lot of laughs and some nerdy references that I kept annoying my daughter with ("That's Jackie Chan in the training montage, and he voices Splinter!" "That song is by Vanilla Ice and was from the live-action movies!" "The LAIRD building is a reference to the co-creator of the comic!"). I could've happily watched this on my own, but a great family choice. Thought the art direction was brilliant - liked it even more than Spider-Verse.

Just on Talking Pictures, old bean. Classic B movie stuff.

[Neon Ignition]

Captain America: Civil War
Still a decent Avengers film, still by far the weakest Cap film

[QualityChimp]

I also saw Civil War, but not the one with Cap and Shellhead, the Alex Garland film at the cinema.

I do really like Garland's work over the years and this was a really interesting film.

In some ways, it's quite sparse. There's not much plot - a bunch of journalists travel to the war one of Washington DC, hoping to interview the President and a lot of America feels empty, but it's the events that happen to the journos that is so gripping.

My one friend said that it felt you only got half a story, we don't know why they're at war, but to me, that misses the point - it's not about the war, it's about the effects it has on the main characters.

A few of the bits in the trailer are different in context, but the sequence with Jesse Plemons was really intense.
Apparently the actor for that part dropped out last minute, but star Kirsten Dunst suggested her husband, Plemons and he smashed it.
A character unshackled from the restraints of polite society, doing what he wants, conflating it with what he thinks he should be doing.
Just the incongruous party shades he wears hints at who he took them from, and they're not tactical shades stolen from militia.



I came away entertained and it's definitely worth a watch. I was engrossed throughout.

I felt a bit of deja vu throughout, though, with reminders of other preceding films like Apocalypse Now, the 2nd half of Full Metal Jacket, even Zombieland with a small group travelling across a post-disaster America to a destination. I've also recently completed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare where Russian forces take over the capital. We've also played The Division 2, which also had similar themes.

[Atticus]

Went to see Civil War at the pics. The trailer makes it look like more of an action film but the film itself is more raw and real. But there's action too. The set up is interesting in that it tells you very little. It just drops you into it with no explaination of what started it or which side you're with ... you're in the shoes of a journalist, there to observe ... although it gives you enough of a foundation with a glimpse of the president in the opening frames. Very good. Reminded me of the brilliant DMZ graphic novels.

At home we watched Poor Things. All I knew going in was it was inspired a bit by Frankenstein. Didn't know about all the yankie-doodle going on in it so glad it wasn't an 'all-the-fam' sit down. Enjoyed it. Thought Mark Ruffalo and Emma Stone put in a good shift. The strange, almost silent-era asthetic was really well done. Could have done with being 20 minutes shorter though.

Also picked up Tod Browning's Sideshow Shockers. This collection includes Freaks, The Unknown and The Mystic ... Freaks being the only 'talkie' and the other two silent. All three are very good ... excellent release from Criterion.

I watched Once Upon A Time in the West (via DVD), which is one I've seen bits of, but never all of it, but it deserves its praise as it was a beautifully shot and cleverly laid out story. That Morricone score *chef's kiss*.
Annoyed with myself that I had to break it into chunks, but *shrug* life.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (via NowTV). I wanted to watch something with my daughter and I also wanted to watch this anyway, so it was the perfect choice. We watched it cuddled on the armchair together, with was lovely, but the film itself was also brilliant, rebooting the story and it totally works. I love the Turtles, but I'm not precious about the story. It'll be interesting how the R-rated Raphael Ronin story plays out, but this was great as a family film. All the Turtles were fun and had their own personalities, but the support characters were also brilliant. There were a lot of laughs and some nerdy references that I kept annoying my daughter with ("That's Jackie Chan in the training montage, and he voices Splinter!" "That song is by Vanilla Ice and was from the live-action movies!" "The LAIRD building is a reference to the co-creator of the comic!"). I could've happily watched this on my own, but a great family choice. Thought the art direction was brilliant - liked it even more than Spider-Verse.

Couple of great films. Once Upon a Time in the West is a one-of-a-kind for me ... can't wait for this year's UHD release. Loved Mutant Mayhem too. It feels like a big film and a Saturday morning cartoon rolled into one.

[Atticus]

I felt a bit of deja vu throughout, though, with reminders of other preceding films like Apocalypse Now, the 2nd half of Full Metal Jacket, even Zombieland with a small group travelling across a post-disaster America to a destination. I've also recently completed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare where Russian forces take over the capital. We've also played The Division 2, which also had similar themes.

Also got Zombieland and Division 2 vibes.

[Neon Ignition]

Immaculate
Before the opening scene is over, coupled with the title, you'll have the entire plot of the film worked out and it'll make no effort at all to shock you. Sidney Sweeney is Nun who is embroiled in... I don't want to say, just because it'll wind the tiny amount of pre-watch mystique the viewer might have but it's really obvious. Billed somewhat as a horror it makes almost no attempt to cater to that audience, lacks the tone and suspense to be a 70's inspired effort either by feeling ominous. Instead it's just a drop of daft mixed with a lot of bland.