Film The Redcafe Movie review thread

Room - small but powerful film from Lenny Abrahamson with a tremendous star turn from eight year old Jacob Tremblay. Brie Larson is great too although I think the film loses her thread towards the end. I also think they forgot about William H Macy.

Spotlight - top drawer ensemble piece about the Catholic church's cover up of pervert priests. The cast is uniformly excellent except Ruffalo who overcooks it a bit. Thomas McCarthys direction is perfectly understated (Inarittu could learn a thing or two) and I'd be pretty ok with this winning Best Picture although I don't think it will.
 
Room
Absolutely loved this film. It made me feel a feeling that I never felt before watching a film, and that's emptiness. It really is a sad emotional yet feel good film and acted superbly by the two leads. Loved it 8.5/10
 
The Big Short - Really liked this. Having seen Inside Job multiple times I was already familiar with some of the backstory and I thought it was pretty good. Carrell was really good and Gosling I liked but other than that no one really stood out for me.

That Margot Robbie bit :lol:

I'll give it a solid 8/10
 
Room - Wow, truly a masterpiece. Haven't felt this way after watching a movie since The Hunt. My only complaint is that it maybe could have been a bit longer and they'd flesh out a few things a bit more. 9/10
 
Creed: 7/10

Good movie, enjoyed it, but a bit too many cliches to make it 8+. Nevertheless, worth the watch.
 
Creed is an odd one. On the face of it, it's yet another big cynical franchise reboot that's essentially just a structural remake of the original, in a year full of big cynical franchise reboots that are essentially just structural remakes of their original. And unlike it's Jurassic/Star War/Terminator brethren, it's not reviving some unique nostalgic concept (Jurassic World, for example, wasn't exactly fighting for its place in a cinematic ocean of great dinosaur movies) it's re-entering an over-cluttered genre, attempting to remake Rocky in an age where at least 400 other boxing fairytale movies have already attempted to remake Rocky.

Yet despite all the odds, and my own heavy, deeply ingrained cynicism, it sort of works. The cliches are all present and correct, the love story's undercooked and not a single thing that happens is remotely original or unexpected, but it's all so well directed and acted that you sort of just let it go. Yeah, you know everything that's going to happen, and how, and when, but when the Conti sting kicks in in the last round of the last fight, you can't help but fist pump like a motherfecker. My Mrs was in tears, and I had to force her to watch it in the first place!

It'd give it a solid 8. At only 29, Coogler is a big, promising talent.
 
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Slow West - if Wes Anderson* did a Western, I think it'd turn out like this. This movie is exceptional. Really something unique and special about it. The lead is a fantastic actor, Fassbender is excellent, and the supporting cast are superb too. The score is brilliant and just somehow works for a Western. There's so many quirky, unconventional moments that you don't expect, but it just adds to the overall viewing experience. It really tugs at your heart strings, especially the last 10 minutes. John MacLeans debut has gone down like a treat, can't wait to see what else he brings up. This really is a top movie, I'd recommend you all to watch it. 9/10

* if you don't like Wes Anderson, still watch it.
 
I can't remember much about Slow West, but I remember liking it enough to find the big thematic visual pun it ends on hilarious and charming, when it could easily have been corny and trite.*

I thought it shared a lot in common with Jarmusch's Dead Man. In a good way.

*

the 'salt in the wounds' gag
 
Mockney said:
I can't remember much about Slow West, but I remember liking it enough to find the big thematic visual pun it ends on hilarious and charming, when it could easily have been corny and trite.*

I thought it shared a lot in common with Jarmusch's Dead Man. In a good way.

*

the 'salt in the wounds' gag
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I haven't seen that but if it's anything like this I'll give it a watch.
that salt in the wound gag! So simple but clever. It was also so poetic that she was the one that killed Jay. And his acceptance of it. Ah, brought a tear to me eye that did.
 
The Revenant - the first 10 minutes was honestly the best part. The rest of it was a 3 hour nature documentary of Di Caprio being cold and angry in the quest to get an Oscar. Pretentious borefest.
 
Creed.

My only grip is that , take Rocky away and this was just a remake of Rocky, story was the same , love element, unbeaten Champ and a no hoper given his chance.
It has all been dong before, but this is up there with the best of Rocky.
Stallone, playing the aging Rocky , battling cancer and training a fighter was excellent.
Jordan was very good has Creed, I really wanted him to knock out the cocky Everton fan.
Odds on this is the first of a Creed trilogy or even more, if they carry on being this good , bring it on I say.

9/10
 
LeChuck said:
I haven't seen that but if it's anything like this I'll give it a watch.
that salt in the wound gag! So simple but clever. It was also so poetic that she was the one that killed Jay. And his acceptance of it. Ah, brought a tear to me eye that did.
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Be sure to tag me when you do, I'd be interested to see what you think of it. It was on Netflix last time I looked. It's a very arty, black and white, 90s peak-pretty Jonny Depp film, but it follows a similar "misguided anti-hero stumbling through a neo-western setting" path.

I feel I'm underselling Slow West a bit by saying I don't remember much of it. I genuinely don't, but I do remember liking it a lot. It takes a lot of good craftsmanship to make the scene we're talking about as poignant as it was. It's obvious, and potentially corny in the wrong hands, but - as you say - felt so apt and right. Though I'm a sucker for a cynical undercut love story..

Also...

I may be remembering it wrong, but am I right in thinking it sort of implies Fassbender gets with his girl in the end?...I recall there being a certain vague flashback/forward that points to it.
 
Mockney said:
Be sure to tag me when you do, I'd be interested to see what you think of it. It was on Netflix last time I looked. It's a very arty, black and white, 90s peak-pretty Jonny Depp film, but it follows a similar "misguided anti-hero stumbling through a neo-western setting" path.

I feel I'm underselling Slow West a bit by saying I don't remember much of it. I genuinely don't, but I do remember liking it a lot. It takes a lot of good craftsmanship to make the scene we're talking about as poignant as it was. It's obvious, and potentially corny in the wrong hands, but - as you say - felt so apt and right. Though I'm a sucker for a cynical undercut love story..

Also...

I may be remembering it wrong, but am I right in thinking it sort of implies Fassbender gets with his girl in the end?...I recall there being a certain vague flashback/forward that points to it.
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It's highly entertaining but fairly slight which might explain why you've forgotten it.

I got the impression MF would take on a father figure role in light of that position becoming vacant.
 
Archie Leach said:
I got the impression MF would take on a father figure role in light of that position becoming vacant.
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Perhaps I'm just being cynical regarding the nihilistic genre, but going off your impression of at least something happening, am I right in thinking that implication is there?

I seem to remember a shot of MF and a girl sitting at a table, but this is where it''s inherent unmemorableness has me questioning myself.
 
Mockney said:
Perhaps I'm just being cynical regarding the nihilistic genre, but going off your impression of at least something happening, am I right in thinking that implication is there?

I seem to remember a shot of MF and a girl sitting at a table, but this is where it''s inherent unmemorableness has me questioning myself.
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They have the Swedish kids too which kind of makes them look like a family. Maybe your reading of it is right after all. Which is creepy but it was a lawless place.
 
Archie Leach said:
Like what the feck happened to William H Macy.
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Think he was introduced to show the different reactions family members could have in this situation. He couldn't accept his grandson, he could barely look at him knowing the circumstances he came from. Maybe all he could think about was the rapist when he looked at him. Imagine how that would make the victim feel - her own father won't even accept her son. She's left constantly wondering what people think of her and her child, wondering if they are judging them. You also get a sense of this with the TV interview she does where she is borderline being accused of being selfish for not helping the child escape sooner.
I know someone who was studying philosophy in university with Lenny Abrahamson, tells me he's a genius. I think he's done a superb job with this film.
 
Archie Leach said:
They have the Swedish kids too which kind of makes them look like a family. Maybe your reading of it is right after all. Which is creepy but it was a lawless place.
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I feel I need to watch it again now, but yeah, that was the vibe I got initially. It was a cynical, nihilistic piece. As befitting a neo-Western by a Scotsman.
 
Keenst said:
Think he was introduced to show the different reactions family members could have in this situation. He couldn't accept his grandson, he could barely look at him knowing the circumstances he came from. Maybe all he could think about was the rapist when he looked at him. Imagine how that would make the victim feel - her own father won't even accept her son. She's left constantly wondering what people think of her and her child, wondering if they are judging them. You also get a sense of this with the TV interview she does where she is borderline being accused of being selfish for not helping the child escape sooner.
I know someone who was studying philosophy in university with Lenny Abrahamson, tells me he's a genius. I think he's done a superb job with this film.
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Yeah I knew what they were doing with the character but the appearance of the film's highest profile actor combined with the complete lack of explanation beyond that point was a little perplexing.

As for Abrahamson, he's definitely a talent. Frank was patchy but had inspired moments, and this is a terrific little film. I can't believe how good Tremblay was, I usually despise child actors.
 
Archie Leach said:
Yeah I knew what they were doing with the character but the appearance of the film's highest profile actor combined with the complete lack of explanation beyond that point was a little perplexing.

As for Abrahamson, he's definitely a talent. Frank was patchy but had inspired moments, and this is a terrific little film. I can't believe how good Tremblay was, I usually despise child actors.
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Likewise with child actors. He was amazing though. I haven't watched Frank yet but Garage, Adam & Paul and What Richard Did were all very good.
 
I loved Frank. Gleeson's character was incredibly bland, if admittedly needed, but it's the only fictional music biography to genuinely move me. It's also the only one that isn't hamstrung by its original music (which is something that sinks virtually every fake music biopic...because no amount of cut always to cheering crowds or teary parents can make up for an obviously shit song)
 
Frank's pacing lost its shit when it got to Austin but had an incredibly sweet ending, plus some of the most interesting insight into the whole mental illness/troubled genius stereotype I've seen. Gleeson is really the master of the un-likeably bland everyman.
 
Mockney said:
I loved Frank. Gleeson's character was incredibly bland, if admittedly needed, but it's the only fictional music biography to genuinely move me. It's also the only one that isn't hamstrung by its original music (which is something that sinks virtually every fake music biopic...because no amount of cut always to cheering crowds or teary parents can make up for an obviously shit song)
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Agree as a band the Soronprfbs are pretty fecking great(Frank's Most Likeable Song Ever is well very likeable).The scene where Gleeson character is trying to take Frank's head and Franks keeps repeating he's got a certificate really got to me for some reason.

@Archie Leach If you haven't already seen it Adam and Paul(Lenny Abrahamson first movie) might be worth checking out. From what I remember it's really good, although hard to watch in places.
 
Archie Leach said:
Like what the feck happened to William H Macy.
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Yeah, that. And also:

  • why wasn't she trying to figure out a 4 digit code? (I guess we just assume there's some sort of alarm notification to Nick and he comes and beats her up or something)
  • maybe show another failed escape attempt and the capture of old Nick (fecking bastard!)
  • more coherence in the aftermath

I also got spoilt the most intense scene of the movie by the trailer. I realize this movie is a hard sell, but that scene must have been really amazing for someone who was going in blind.
 
Archie Leach said:
It's highly entertaining but fairly slight which might explain why you've forgotten it.

I got the impression MF would take on a father figure role in light of that position becoming vacant.
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Mockney said:
Perhaps I'm just being cynical regarding the nihilistic genre, but going off your impression of at least something happening, am I right in thinking that implication is there?

I seem to remember a shot of MF and a girl sitting at a table, but this is where it''s inherent unmemorableness has me questioning myself.
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@Muffled Funk is in this? Really got to watch it now.
 
Donut said:
Yeah, that. And also:

  • why wasn't she trying to figure out a 4 digit code? (I guess we just assume there's some sort of alarm notification to Nick and he comes and beats her up or something)
  • maybe show another failed escape attempt and the capture of old Nick (fecking bastard!)
  • more coherence in the aftermath

I also got spoilt the most intense scene of the movie by the trailer. I realize this movie is a hard sell, but that scene must have been really amazing for someone who was going in blind.
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I had no clue what it was about before I started watching it. I think it made a big difference. Trailers nowadays have essentially become massive spoilers.
 
Spotlight

Another one of those stories that just makes you despair at the state of the world as a team of Boston newspaper journalists uncover the full extent of the systemic child abuse within the Catholic Church. It's good yeah but I'm not really sure it warrants all the Oscar hype, particularly the acting which is no more than serviceable (which is probably right for the story). Mark Ruffalo gets the "shouty scene" that you'll see them show a clip of during the show but he spends most of the movie talking with his mouth full. For a more intimate portrait of the Catholic Church behaving like inhumane monsters I preferred Philomena.
 
It was nice to see some guys from The Wire in Creed by the way. Michael B Jordan (Wallace), and Avon and that detective guy who worked with Bunk and McNulty. (vernon?)
 
Sweet Square said:
Agree as a band the Soronprfbs are pretty fecking great(Frank's Most Likeable Song Ever is well very likeable).The scene where Gleeson character is trying to take Frank's head and Franks keeps repeating he's got a certificate really got to me for some reason.

@Archie Leach If you haven't already seen it Adam and Paul(Lenny Abrahamson first movie) might be worth checking out. From what I remember it's really good, although hard to watch in places.
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I couldn't recommend Adam & Paul highly enough its that good, one of the funniest yet tragic films you could watch.
 
VorZakone said:
It was nice to see some guys from The Wire in Creed by the way. Michael B Jordan (Wallace), and Avon and that detective guy who worked with Bunk and McNulty. (vernon?)
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Michael B Jordan is making a real name for himself. A bit understated in Creed but he was fantastic in Fruitvale Station.
 
Mockney said:
Creed is an odd one. On the face of it, it's yet another big cynical franchise reboot that's essentially just a structural remake of the original, in a year full of big cynical franchise reboots that are essentially just structural remakes of their original. And unlike it's Jurassic/Star War/Terminator brethren, it's not reviving some unique nostalgic concept (Jurassic World, for example, wasn't exactly fighting for its place in a cinematic ocean of great dinosaur movies) it's re-entering an over-cluttered genre, attempting to remake Rocky in an age where at least 400 other boxing fairytale movies have already attempted to remake Rocky.

Yet despite all the odds, and my own heavy, deeply ingrained cynicism, it sort of works. The cliches are all present and correct, the love story's undercooked and not a single thing that happens is remotely original or unexpected, but it's all so well directed and acted that you sort of just let it go. Yeah, you know everything that's going to happen, and how, and when, but when the Conti sting kicks in in the last round of the last fight, you can't help but fist pump like a motherfecker. My Mrs was in tears, and I had to force her to watch it in the first place!

It'd give it a solid 8. At only 29, Coogler is a big, promising talent.
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Just saw the movie and this sums it up very well.
 
Trumbo was really great, but does anyone else have a hard time watching Louis CK in a serious role? It just feels weird watching him as anyone but Louis CK for some reason.
 
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