The Films You Watched Thread V: Dead Men Watch No Movies

[Neon Ignition]

In part I think it comes down to the interest the filmmakers have, LOTR was an epic gamble and the weight of potential failure must have been epic so every ounce of effort went into it. Hobbit's success was almost a given and a cash grab, Jackson kind of fell into coming back so his interest wasn't there, meaning he focused on other aspects like technology. Just like Cameron, interest in storytelling went out the window. Cameron is just obsessed with film tech which is why he comes out talking about the spectacle of his films like the effects work Titanic required or the 3D/CG tech of Avatar yet the older stuff is much more loved.

[fallenangle]

Watched a film last night on Film 4 which has to be the worst 'special forces' action thing I've seen in recent years: Stratton. Every cliche of the genre with a plot and script so derivative, so crass it was laughable. Derek Jacobi for some reason (money I guess) put in a cameo but the rest was dire.

Connie Neilson, so good in Gladiator and other films like Devil's Advocate puts in a performance to forget as a Judy Dench 'M' character with a mysteriously variable 'British' accent who spends most her time looking embarrassed.

The whole thing is another in a long history of British film makers attempts to do a Hollywood actioner on a small budget and failing miserably on every level - even the explosions were like damp squibs.

Funniest bit was the cursory girl interest (Gemma Chan) playing a trained anti-terrorist agent stuck on the top deck of a double-decker bus traveling through the most well known parts of central London saying she didn't know where she was. Any tourist from the furthest reaches of the earth could probably have told her.

Awful - avoid.

[dvdx2]

Bad Samaritan

Really enjoyed this, despite not liking David Tennent. He definitely has potential in psycho style roles.

[QualityChimp]

Watched Assault on Precinct 13 again after picking up the Blu-Ray.

It's still ace.

I forget how old it is. It was made in '75, so the cars seem really dated, but the rest of the film is still tight, it's easy to forget its age.

Finally just started Inglorious Basterds , because it's 2 1/2 hours. Oof. Probably will be after midnight when it's done.

[Dogg Thang]

I watched 20 minutes of Suicide Squad but I suspect the version on Netflix is glitched because the shots seem to play in random order. Anyway, couldn’t take any more of it and am watching The Thing again instead.

[fallenangle]

Watched Assault on Precinct 13 again after picking up the Blu-Ray.

It's still ace.

I forget how old it is. It was made in '75, so the cars seem really dated, but the rest of the film is still tight, it's easy to forget its age.

Finally just started Inglorious Basterds , because it's 2 1/2 hours. Oof. Probably will be after midnight when it's done.

Assault on Precinct 13 I first saw in the cinema, probably underage because I think it originally had a X rating. Excellent film that has stood the test of time.

I've have nothing against the remake either except it being a bit redundant when the original is still so good.

Could also say much the same things about the The Taking Of Pelham 123 as well.

Add The Warriors to those two and you have three of the most atmospheric, cult, stylish urban crime films of their time. They will always be worth watching and rewatching.

[JazzFunk]

Just watched ESCAPE PLAN. Stallone and Schwarzenegger vehicle from 2013.

Starts off promisingly...then they pile the beige on. Is anything duller than a prison on a big boat? That's the 'twist', btw. It's like watching every dull bit of every FPS or stealth game from the last 18 years. If there is a level beneath uninspired then this is it. But it's quite fun to begin with, as well!

Feels like a '12' save for Vinnie Jones' occasional sweariness. Yeah, Vinnie Jones is in it. Vincent Q. Jones. Quopernicus. Not many people know that.

Meh. By the end, you just see Sly n' Arnie in the same way you see dried out, used teabags, left out on the side in the kitchen for a few days. Dry and spent and covered in beige. Like this movie.

[Cassius_Smoke]

Just watched ESCAPE PLAN. Stallone and Schwarzenegger vehicle from 2013.

Starts off promisingly...then they pile the beige on. Is anything duller than a prison on a big boat? That's the 'twist', btw. It's like watching every dull bit of every FPS or stealth game from the last 18 years. If there is a level beneath uninspired then this is it. But it's quite fun to begin with, as well!

Feels like a '12' save for Vinnie Jones' occasional sweariness. Yeah, Vinnie Jones is in it. Vincent Q. Jones. Quopernicus. Not many people know that.

Meh. By the end, you just see Sly n' Arnie in the same way you see dried out, used teabags, left out on the side in the kitchen for a few days. Dry and spent and covered in beige. Like this movie.

And there are two bloody sequels to this!

[JazzFunk]

Aw man. Just checked. Straight to DVD jank...maybe even straight to Fire stick...straight to sealed Blu in Poundland.

Arnie had the sense not to sign the dotted line for the sequels but Fiddy took the plunge both times...that'll be him gettin' rich or dyin' tryin'...

[Atticus]

straight to sealed Blu in Poundland.

[wakka]

You’ve gotta love the Poundland sealed Blus

[JazzFunk]

I do, sadly they've upped em to £2 now. Still got Sly's "Bullet in the Head" Blu to watch, from back when the Blus were still a quid there.

Gotta say, though...a new store called One Below is doing Blus at a quid...

[wakka]

There’s one of those near me. I’ll check it out.

I’ll be honest, never expected Binary Star to get into the pound shop game, but I hope it works out for them.

[prinnysquad]

Pound blus are premium fayre in Jeff Whitley Bay.

[QualityChimp]

Not Electric Blue, Prin.