Film The Redcafe Movie review thread

As someone who has zero interest in cars/no idea of the context, Le Mans 66 was a solid movie. I don't know how, but a movie about a 24 hour race had me extremely invested. I constantly found myself wincing whenever anything remotely iffy happened to whichever car Bale's character was driving.

Bale great as ever - mind, I don't think that was 'the best acting I've seen' from him as above. Impressed with Bernthal's consistency, too. Haven't seen him look out of place alongside some big names in every flick I've seen him in. Happy he keeps grabbing roles at this point.

I don't think the film is innovative or bold in any way, but it is just solid film, in a genre that hasn't really had many (any?) hits at all.
Yeah I've no idea about cars either, but was invested in it. I've only seen him in a couple of movies, but American psycho was the only other one I could think of with his acting.
 
Yeah I've no idea about cars either, but was invested in it. I've only seen him in a couple of movies, but American psycho was the only other one I could think of with his acting.
If you haven't already, get round to The Machinist and The Fighter -- the latter being the title he won an Oscar for. Great films. In general, everything Bale has been in is solid and above. Just jump on his IMDb and get round to watching them all. ;)
 
If you haven't already, get round to The Machinist and The Fighter -- the latter being the title he won an Oscar for. Great films. In general, everything Bale has been in is solid and above. Just jump on his IMDb and get round to watching them all. ;)
Oh I've seen the fighter, forgot about that.
 
Jarhead

I don't know what to think about this film.

7/10
 
Haunt
A group of friends go to an extreme haunt and things get too real. Was excited by this as it was by the team that wrote A Quiet Place. Whilst not as inventive as that film, this still did what it promised. A fun, gorefest with some suspense and dodgy performances 6.5/10

Child's Play (2019)

This was far better than I thought it would be. The modern re-telling worked and will work for audiences of today. Smart move. Was more violent than I thought it would be. Aubrey Plaza is just :drool: Worth watching, quite fun 6/10
 
The Iron Lady (2011).
Just got around to watching this last night.
I enjoyed it mostly because I lived through those times so it brought back the memories but I didn’t like the editing style with the back and forth with Thatcher’s memory and hallucinations.
4/10.
 
Cmon. 7/10 but no thoughts on it?
I haven’t seen it so looking for a reason to, I suppose.
I liked it & thought it was good. 'Trouble is, I watched The Hurt Locker beforehand, and Jarhead wasn't quite as good.
 
The Reader (2008)

A very problematic film.

7/10
 
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Prince Of Persia
A young fugitive Prince and Princess must stop a villain who unknowingly threatens to destroy the world with a special dagger that enables the magic sand inside to reverse time. Not bad for a film based on a video game. The CGI looks a bit dated and the film is wildly miscast but there was enough dumb action to keep me entertained 5/10
 
Joker It was fun. Felt like they focused every bit of energy on Pheonix/Joker that the rest of the Gotham world felt a bit shallow. There was little sense of rot! I wanted rot!

Also

Why on earth would anyone be filming a late night, downtown comedy club for amateur standup in the 80's? BALONEY!
3/5 stars

Memories of Murder Much better! Korean cop caper thriller. Based on actual events. Well worth a watchy 4.5/5 stars

El Camino
I adore(d) BB, this was pure fan service and unnecessary. Some scenes in particular felt forced. Very enjoyable for obvious reasons though. 3.5/5 stars
 
2001 - Rewatch. I fell asleep despite not really feeling that tired on beforehand. More flaccid and shallower than I remember it being. The Stargate sequence isn't really that impressive if you've seen similar stuff (Pauline Kael mentioned it being third-rate to the likes of Jordan Belson in her scathing review and I'm inclined to agree with her (not often that I do). The set-design remains highly impressive and unlike most science fiction film, not firmly placed in time, still looks futuristic even today. HAL's creepiness was still rather potent though. I think I prefer Nolan's Interstellar over this one though tbh.

Strange Days - Now for a science fiction film firmly placed in time, it's basically the most 90's movie ever. I really digged it. It's not without it's faults but commendable in it's ambitious scope, tackling stuff like virtual reality (recorded POV videos), racial tension, police brutality and whatnot. Ralph Fiennes should have played more sleazy long-haired characters in silk shirts and Angela Bassett should have played more action heroines. The supporting cast is basically a who's who of 90's character actor sleazebags and femme fatales (Tom Sizemore, Michael Wincott, Vincent D'Onofrio and Juliette Lewis).

Starman - Basically E.T. comfort food for adults but Karen Allen's soulful performance heightened it from mediocrity.
 
2001 - Rewatch. I fell asleep despite not really feeling that tired on beforehand. More flaccid and shallower than I remember it being. The Stargate sequence isn't really that impressive if you've seen similar stuff (Pauline Kael mentioned it being third-rate to the likes of Jordan Belson in her scathing review and I'm inclined to agree with her (not often that I do). The set-design remains highly impressive and unlike most science fiction film, not firmly placed in time, still looks futuristic even today. HAL's creepiness was still rather potent though. I think I prefer Nolan's Interstellar over this one though tbh.
:eek: I agree completely but it's surprising coming from you.

The visuals might have been great for the time but the story was a bit all over the place.
 
Earthquake Lady
An enigmatic translator with a dark past is brought in for questioning after an ex-pat friend, who came between her and her photographer boyfriend, ends up missing and presumed dead. Boring, slow, flat, the plot was basic, kept expecting surprises but got none of that. The lead female, played by the incredibly fit Alicia Vikander felt pathetic with her needy-ness of a dorky photographer who was a dickhead. It was shot well and acted decently by Vikander and there was one dance scene that made me laugh out loud 3/10
 
Batman: The Killing Joke (2016) - Very strange first act. Felt like i was watching the wrong movie. Wasn't very entertaining either and certain actions the protagonists make felt completely out of character. Once the movie starts to "Joker" however it was better. Hamill is great as always. Overall a mixed bag. 5/10

Rings (2017) -
Unnecessary sequel to "The Ring Two", which was terrible in itself. Full of common horror tropes, mediocre acting, a silly plot and ultimately very boring. Couple of original ideas in the beginning though, but they don't really go anywhere. Avoid. 4/10
 
8 1/2 - Re-watched for the first time in about 12 years. I was pretty knackered but found this a bit of a slog. Fellini turned a nervous breakdown into a film about said nervous breakdown. Mastroianni is cool as per. Will re-watch La Dolce Vita and La Strada soon.

Some Like it Hot -
just delightful.
 
8 1/2 - Re-watched for the first time in about 12 years. I was pretty knackered but found this a bit of a slog. Fellini turned a nervous breakdown into a film about said nervous breakdown. Mastroianni is cool as per. Will re-watch La Dolce Vita and La Strada soon.

Some Like it Hot -
just delightful.
Getting back into the classics groove? pleasing to see.
 
I've been meaning to revisit 8 1/2 after yonks too, having found it a huge slog the first time around. Everything else Fellini I've loved and I'm now running out of stuff I haven't seen. Part of me reckons I'm older, I'm better, I'll get it this time. The other part knows that I still have little patience for aimless self indulgence.
 
I watched 8 1/2 and La Dolce Vita recently and still enjoyed them. Marcello is the coolest but his characters don't really translate anymore.
 
The Influence
Spanish horror on Netflix about a woman who returns home to look after her dying mother, who is a witch and tormented the woman as a child. Liked the premise and it started really well. Some truly scary things happening in the background of frames. Love that stuff. But soon becomes a horror trope fest. The story has no surprises, very predictable. Was left bored by the end 4/10
 
Au Hasard Balthazar - fairly baffling film about Jesus as donkey in rural France. Heavy handed religious allegory that's somehow both childish/naive and extremely cynical. All the characters are kind of loathsome but I think you're meant to think Marie isn't? Non-professional actors spend half the film desperately searching for their mark. This did nothing for me.
 
Au Hasard Balthazar - fairly baffling film about Jesus as donkey in rural France. Heavy handed religious allegory that's somehow both childish/naive and extremely cynical. All the characters are kind of loathsome but I think you're meant to think Marie isn't? Non-professional actors spend half the film desperately searching for their mark. This did nothing for me.
Bresson acting is def an acquired taste. I didn't think much of Balthazar either when I saw it yonks ago.
 
Into the Wild - far more affecting than you'd expect from a movie with an all Eddie Vedder soundtrack. Toed the line between being sympathetic but not glorifying McCandless.

Cant work out if that’s a Vedder diss. Can’t work out how upset to feel.

That soundtrack is phenomenal.
 
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015)

Enjoyed the film but, in retrospect, it's designed to convince viewers that Kurt really, really did kill himself!* And no-one should be suspicious of poor, maligned & misunderstood victim Courtney Love! You meanies...

*As it happens, I'm not actually sold on the 'murdered' theory but this film was insulting in its clumsy, cack-handed desperation to spell out - often literally, through his lyrics - Kurt's supposedly long-standing suicidal feelings.

6.5/10