Films You Have Watched

[fuse]

Watched Rye Lane on Monday. Rom coms not typically my thing, but this was good! It's fast and smart, modern and funny, and the way the chemistry builds between the leads is gradual and convincing in the way overcomes some of the differences you see in them at first. The constant use of fish-eye is perhaps a bit grating, but it does soak up a lot of London in a very authentic and beautiful way.

[Dogg Thang]

I watched Creed 3 and it was pretty good to a point. Overall, it was nice to see it free itself from the baggage of Rocky and, to me, this was a stronger film than the previous as a result. But this was a tricky story for that because, essentially, this flips the narrative of the first Rocky film in which the underdog is meant to be the antagonist and, of course, I was rooting for that guy. So I never really felt the investment or stakes for Adonis Creed himself and ultimately didn’t even buy the reason for a big fight at the end.

And yet Jonathan Majors was fantastic. I had also just watched Quantumania and didn’t even bother posting about it because, as much as I admired that the director totally went all out visually, it was total nonsense but Majors was great in every scene he was in. To see him here being very different and giving such an intense performance was great but also kind of sad given who he has turned out to be. He is the star of this movie and really elevates it.

[Neon Ignition]

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
So, the reviews that say it's better than the first film, not sure I agree on that one but it's certainly very closely pitched. As is always the case with multiverse stories, you can pick this apart relatively easily if you want and the film makes it a tad too easy to work out how the third film will play out but it's all delivered with such confident direction and care that it doesn't matter. The super low key cameo was amusing also.

[QualityChimp]

The Green Mile (1999 via Prime)
I've seen this before and enjoyed it, but thought it a distant second to Shawshank, but I've wanted to reassess it for a while and I'm glad I did because it's a gripping little film.

Shawshank has these swooping shots of the prison and makes it feel big, but TGM just has the death row wing for a lot of it.
I think that smaller setting really works in this scenario - the walls are all they'll know until they die.
Percy is an awful human being and almost cartoony in his irredeemable rotten soul, even compared to a room of convicted murderers!

Hanks is as likeable as always, but Michael Clarke Duncan as John Coffey is great in every scene he's in.

The supernatural elements puts it back into King territory and makes the story unique.

Yeah, really liked this, but the end message is incredibly painful and by the end, you're happysad.

[Atticus]

Yeah, The Green Mile has always lived in the shadow of the mighty Shawshank but I've got a real soft spot for it. There's something good and old fashioned about it. I picked up the 4K ages ago but still haven't watched it (need that magic 3hr window ... or maybe 6 installments like the book ).

[Neon Ignition]

Still not seen Shawshank but Green Mile is always one of those films that feels like you have to push yourself into putting it on yet every single time it's mesmerising, the ending kills me every time

[QualityChimp]

Still not seen Shawshank but Green Mile is always one of those films that feels like you have to push yourself into putting it on yet every single time it's mesmerising, the ending kills me every time

I don't really know what to say, Neon.
I don't want to hype it as it has such a big reputation already and any film getting praise can never reach the levels you're then mentally expecting.

Also, I find you're a tough critic.
I don't know if you're multitasking or watching stuff in chunks on your phone whilst playing games or working, but I think Shawshank deserves your attention.

It's still on iPlayer, so you can watch it ad-free.

I really think you should put some time aside and watch it - properly, with no distractions.
It's a film you should really check out.

[wakka]

One of the most cornball, sentimental, outright emotionally manipulative films ever made, and yet, it works. It's a great watch. I defy anyone not to have fun watching it.

EDIT: (Shawshank)

[Neon Ignition]

With films, unless something gets in the way, we always do them in one sitting - not a fan of watching them in parts. I think Shawshank has always given me that similar air where I've always heard it's good but always felt that resistance sit and watch it, I'll correct that at some point though

[teddymeow]

In the last week I've watched:

Scream V
Scream 6
Scream
Scream 2
Scream 3
Scream 4
Final Destination
Final Destination 2

Tonight, I'm watching, can you guess? Yup, Final Destination 3.

[teddymeow]

Still not seen Shawshank but Green Mile is always one of those films that feels like you have to push yourself into putting it on yet every single time it's mesmerising, the ending kills me every time

I've. Seen. Neither.

Come at me, bro!!

[Yakumo]

I watched the LAST starfighter on BluRay last night.
While it's a classic and we'll, very cheesey movie, the CG work in it is appalling blthese days. We're talking early 32bit CG rendered quality or lower. I never remembered the CG being so bad but man, have we come a long way since 1983. We now own consoles thag can out preform this movie a hundred times over.

[QualityChimp]

I've. Seen. Neither.

Come at me, bro!!

Nobody is judging, you! It's fine!

You not seen Shawshank or Green Mile, but you've working your way through the Scream and Final Destination films?

Okay, I take it back, I'm totally judging you.


I went to the cinema last night to watch Back to the Future (1985).
I've watched it loads over the years, most recently last year before going to Universal Studios and I rinsed the extras too.
It's currently streaming on Prime, so I wasn't sure if it was worth seeing on the big screen.

By the time Marty was stood in front of Doc's giant amp and you could feel the thrum of the speaker, I knew I'd made the right decision.

Weird how some films you can watch over and over, still love it and still see something new.

It's just such a brilliant film.



At the weekend, I watched Tiger Cage II (1990 via Blu-Ray).
A martial arts sequel with Donnie Yen, that uses the same cast as its predecessor, but it's a totally different story with them playing different characters.
As you'd expect, the fighting is superlative, all wrapped around a story of money laundering and the people who get involved in it by accident.
This is Yen fighting Robin Shou, who played Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat:


I'd started Dawn of the Dead (1978 via Prime) ages ago when I saw they'd added all three cuts.
It's one I've seen loads over the years so didn't get far, but tried again and I was in.
I watched the extended "Cannes" cut, which seems to restore some sections I saw on VHS that were subsequently removed (zombie kids being one and Joe Pilato's cameo being another).
That Goblin soundtrack is amazing. Spooky at time, uplifting at others, but it totally fits and is a big part of why I love it.
It's a film that processes so many emotions and you have tension at times, then humour at others.
Some of the scenes where they're starting to crack under the strain of isolation and repetitive days are harder to watch than any of the gore.

I'll still never understand why the sombrero Hells Angel was so desperate to get his blood pressure tested, though.

[Neon Ignition]

I went to the cinema last night to watch Back to the Future (1985).
I've watched it loads over the years, most recently last year before going to Universal Studios and I rinsed the extras too.
It's currently streaming on Prime, so I wasn't sure if it was worth seeing on the big screen.

By the time Marty was stood in front of Doc's giant amp and you could feel the thrum of the speaker, I knew I'd made the right decision.

Weird how some films you can watch over and over, still love it and still see something new.

It's just such a brilliant film.

That's exactly the experience I had back when I saw it at the cinema. I'd seen it so many times since being a kid but blown up on the big screen was the first time I noticed several of the films smart tiny details

[Atticus]

I went to the cinema last night to watch Back to the Future (1985).
I've watched it loads over the years, most recently last year before going to Universal Studios and I rinsed the extras too.
It's currently streaming on Prime, so I wasn't sure if it was worth seeing on the big screen.

By the time Marty was stood in front of Doc's giant amp and you could feel the thrum of the speaker, I knew I'd made the right decision.

Weird how some films you can watch over and over, still love it and still see something new.

It's just such a brilliant film.

It really is perfection. I remember going to see it at the cinema with my brother (and being unhappy it wasn't Rocky 4) and it was the first time a film pushed me somewhere unexpected with concepts and storytelling I just hadn't experienced. Any re-watch all I have to hear is that magical music cue and I'm all in. Every time.