Film The Redcafe Movie review thread

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A radio DJ is held hostage and forced to follow the demands of his captors. Starts off well and sets up the story really nicely but after the midpoint it turns silly and the ending was just shite 4/10

The Paramedic
A man gets paralysed after being hit by a car. He descends into darkness and starts suspecting his girlfriend to be having an affair. Really solid film on Netflix, well made, great performance by the lead actor and very suspenseful. It has an amazing wheel chair chase scene at the end, never seen that before. Really liked it 7.5/10
 
The Hunt (2020)

Mindless, gratuitous, predictable but eminently enjoyable 90 minutes that just flew by. Thankfully spared the usual raft of annoying characters just waiting to get picked off, this film makes the absolutely correct decision of dispensing with all of that nonsense and getting to the meat of the film after 15 minutes or so focusing on the absolutely brilliant Betty Gilpin, successfully navigating her way through all the mayhem with such aplomb.

Coming into this film with little to no expectation, I found myself being utterly mesmerised by Gilpin's character Crystal. She seemed to just coast through the film without even breaking a sweat but completely dominating every scene she was in. It may just be because I haven't really had time to watch any films for months now but it was a great way to start. I thought she was superb. Will definitely be watching this again. I start my holiday today until 5 Jan so will be getting reacquainted with my streaming services big time.

I'm giving this an 8/10.
 
FF Coppola released a new cut of The Godfather 3, called "Coda: The death of Michael Corleone" which I went to see at the cinema yesterday. Honestly, I was rather disappointed as it was difficult to see exactly what had been changed and it hadn't improved on a pretty poor film to begin with (if anything, my impression of the 3rd part was poorer after seeing yesterday's version than before). It's a very clunky film that never really finds its balance (apart from the closing opera scene which is quite masterfully crafted), and which isn't necessarily confusing, but is just not very interesting. The love story is clumsy, awkward and not that engaging (Sofia Coppola is quite dreadful as Mary). Also, a lot of the dialogue is a bit meh, almost as if it's trying to provide soundbites rather than actual conversation between human beings. Of course, a lot of the acting and directing is good enough to pack a punch at times, but it generally feels quite laboured.

I saw Apocalypse Now: Final Cut earlier this year and could definitely see the merits of it, this did not feel like that at all.

I watched a couple of films by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead the other day, Spring and The Endless, both indie horror films with relatively low budgets but both very enjoyable. Lovecraftian vibes throughout (especially in The Endless) and decent scripts makes them very watchable. The Endless especially was very good.
 
R.N7 said:
You get feeling that even Fincher shrugs his shoulders about the film's content.
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I love films depicting this era, but the trailer isn't too promising and from you guys' reviews, it sounds way too self-indulgent. I look forward to seeing it, getting immersed in the subject matter, and coming out not caring what it was about but just liking the depiction of the period. :lol:

Did anyone here see Curtiz, the 2018 Hungarian film? It's on Netflix here in Canada. It's about Curtiz as he shoots Casablanca, depicting paralleled struggles with the studio, his private life, and getting the film's ending right. I liked it, but I wonder how you'd all slam it. :)

For both films though, I wish they'd shoot them in colour. Yes, Kane and Casablanca are in black and white, but that wasn't a conscious decision. Why copy that aspect? I never got it, and I hate how it makes me think of that era in black and white as well.
 
Cheimoon said:
Did anyone here see Curtiz, the 2018 Hungarian film? It's on Netflix here in Canada. It's about Curtiz as he shoots Casablanca, depicting paralleled struggles with the studio, his private life, and getting the film's ending right. I liked it, but I wonder how you'd all slam it. :)

For both films though, I wish they'd shoot them in colour. Yes, Kane and Casablanca are in black and white, but that wasn't a conscious decision. Why copy that aspect? I never got it, and I hate how it makes me think of that era in black and white as well.
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Had no idea that someone had done a film on Curtiz. He lead quite a life, fought and wounded in WW1, became a prominent director of silents across Europe in the 10's and 20's, moved to Hollwyood and made perhaps the most iconic Hollwyood film, had some family members that perished in the Holocaust as well.

I generally dislike modern b&w cinemtography. Mank, Roma, Lav Diaz's films...they just look dead and anemic to me.
 
Tenet was enjoyable for me. But I was fully prepared for it to be confusing so ensured I had subtitles on and was ready to pay 100% attention to the film.

Some interesting questions coming out of the film, not even knowing the main characters name for example or who Neil actually was. I found it enjoyable but felt the final action sequence didn't pay off as they intended. Interesting concept and film though. Nolan does at least go with interesting ideas even if they don't always pay off. I was however surprised at how bad the music was in the film, forgetable which is unusual for a Nolan film.

Anyway, a steady 7/10.
 
Rooney in Paris said:
I watched a couple of films by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead the other day, Spring and The Endless, both indie horror films with relatively low budgets but both very enjoyable. Lovecraftian vibes throughout (especially in The Endless) and decent scripts makes them very watchable. The Endless especially was very good.
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There's also Resolution, featuring few more characters from The Endless. Good as well.
 
R.N7 said:
Had no idea that someone had done a film on Curtiz. He lead quite a life, fought and wounded in WW1, became a prominent director of silents across Europe in the 10's and 20's, moved to Hollwyood and made perhaps the most iconic Hollwyood film, had some family members that perished in the Holocaust as well.

I generally dislike modern b&w cinemtography. Mank, Roma, Lav Diaz's films...they just look dead and anemic to me.
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Yeah, in Roma also - no idea what is supposed to be achieved by shooting that in black and white.

I know Curtiz; or, well, I do now, as I looked him up after having seen the film. (Which of course covers just a short period of his life, since it's about the making of Casablanca.) I was rather curious how those who Mank and Curtiz compare for those that have seen both. Same time period, similar context (making of an iconic film), similar circumstances (personal and historical/political context) - although of course worked out very differently. For one, Curtiz keeps things small, while Mank seems to go US-wide, pretty much.
 
Rooney in Paris said:
I watched a couple of films by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead the other day, Spring and The Endless, both indie horror films with relatively low budgets but both very enjoyable. Lovecraftian vibes throughout (especially in The Endless) and decent scripts makes them very watchable. The Endless especially was very good.
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Mrs Smoker said:
There's also Resolution, featuring few more characters from The Endless. Good as well.
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The Endless is great: I remember looking for the other two on the usual streaming sites a while back but I couldn't find them. Looks like they're both on Prime now, so that's my weekend sorted!

They released a new movie this year called Synchronic, starring Jamie Dornan and Anthony Mackie, to decent reviews.
 
I watched Ava on Netflix tonight. That was a mistake. Cliche'd crap that takes itself far too seriously and wastes its actors' talents. John Malkovich was better in Space Force playing this kind of personality! I didn't see any redeeming features in the movie; all by the numbers, but not good ones.

Yes, I want my 1h36 back. Thanks.

Edit: I was too harsh. There was a redeeming feature: I had a good beer from a brewery I didn't know yet. The Dubbel from Royal City Brewing Co. (Guelph, ON). Not very distinct, but quite enojoyable and conveniently sold in a half-litre bottle. I'd recommend that one at least. Oh, and I enjoyed my chips as well, actually. Lay's Wavy Original - the one and only. Another good aspect of my evening. If I were to get that 1h36 back, I'd like to retain the beer & chips experience, please. Thanks again.
 
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Aniara:
Depressing Swedish movie about routine space travel gone wrong. If Star Trek Voyager took its premise seriously and treated its crew not as superhumans, it might have resembled something like this.
I felt it tries way too much, too many stories and events and they begin to lose impact. But some of the stories were done well, and the concept behind the whole thing was good. 7/10.
 
Anyone know some good finance movies? I really enjoy those. So far I've watched:
  • Too big to fail
  • The big short
  • Wall Street
  • Boiler Room
  • Margin Call
  • Wolf of Wall Street
  • Trading Places
  • Money Monster
 
VorZakone said:
Anyone know some good finance movies? I really enjoy those. So far I've watched:
  • Too big to fail
  • The big short
  • Wall Street
  • Boiler Room
  • Margin Call
  • Wolf of Wall Street
  • Trading Places
  • Money Monster
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Brewster's Millions
All The Money In The World
 
Safety (2020) - 6.5/10

A Hallmark movie for men. Pretty poorly made but actually kind of charming because of the lack of the usual Disney-level of slick artifice (despite trying pretty hard to get there).
 
VorZakone said:
Anyone know some good finance movies? I really enjoy those. So far I've watched:
  • Too big to fail
  • The big short
  • Wall Street
  • Boiler Room
  • Margin Call
  • Wolf of Wall Street
  • Trading Places
  • Money Monster
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The Laundromat (similar idea to The Big Short)
 
VorZakone said:
Anyone know some good finance movies? I really enjoy those. So far I've watched:
  • Too big to fail
  • The big short
  • Wall Street
  • Boiler Room
  • Margin Call
  • Wolf of Wall Street
  • Trading Places
  • Money Monster
Click to expand...

Arbitrage. I think Margin Call is the best of the 4 I've watched (it, big short, wall st, arbitrage).

e - this one also involves a lot of offices and corridors and cars - Michael Clayton. But in terms of genre it's more like Erin Brockovich than the others, and it's about a random law company rather than Wall St.
 
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Tenet

Finally got around to watching most of this on iTunes this evening. Had to stop 40 or so minutes from the end and will watch the 4k disc version hopefully in full on Wednesday night. I enjoyed what I saw but didn't follow the plot well, which Weds will help with I expect. I liked it enough as far as I got though, and for me, maybe two views are the charm like with Dunkirk (I loved it upon repeat watch).

Does he mess with the aspect ration? The itunes version didn't.
 
There's an Italian-American/mob movie, set in NJ or some state near there, the protagonists are quite young, maybe just left school, movie's made in the late 80s/90s. I think the title is the name of the nighbourhood, maybe something like hill or heights or high. any idea? it's been bugging me all day.
 
berbatrick said:
There's an Italian-American/mob movie, set in NJ or some state near there, the protagonists are quite young, maybe just left school, movie's made in the late 80s/90s. I think the title is the name of the nighbourhood, maybe something like hill or heights or high. any idea? it's been bugging me all day.
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Bronx Tale?
 
berbatrick said:
There's an Italian-American/mob movie, set in NJ or some state near there, the protagonists are quite young, maybe just left school, movie's made in the late 80s/90s. I think the title is the name of the nighbourhood, maybe something like hill or heights or high. any idea? it's been bugging me all day.
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A bronx tail or once upon a time in the bronx?
 
I hope I didn't see 2 movies in one day and mix them together in my head, creating something that doesn't exist :lol: I think I saw get shorty at the same time.
 
Space Dogs is excellent. A hymn to beast, man, the cosmos and human folly. Often bleak and depressing with scenes of hard living and occasional minor (and one major) scenes of animals in distress. It's also lyrical and enlightening with fascinating images of Soviet mission prep. We get archival footage intercut with film of a Russian stray dog pack, revealing the human, caught up in cosmic aspirations and desiring to be seen apart from the tooth and claw below. Shades of Plato and Aristotle gesticulating. At moments it becomes almost Erasmian satire in its framing of the glories of human endeavour.

It most reminds me of the T.S. Eliot poem The Hippopotamus, that mockingly contrasts earthly beastial experience with human spiritual concern. In Eliot's poem it was the Catholic church, whereas Space Dogs casts an askance view at Enlightenment science.

Not even sure how much I liked it but it made me think some kind of way and it has something in it.

A genuine Trigger Warning: I've mocked them in the past but there were scenes I had to turn away from, quite grim.

Yeah Erasmus, think 15th century Jordan Peterson.
 
berbatrick said:
There's an Italian-American/mob movie, set in NJ or some state near there, the protagonists are quite young, maybe just left school, movie's made in the late 80s/90s. I think the title is the name of the nighbourhood, maybe something like hill or heights or high. any idea? it's been bugging me all day.
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It won't be this but King Of New York ?

Granted it's main protagonist is Christopher Walken in his late 40's but well it's a mob/gangster movie from the 90's(Although it's really about the death of the new deal and social democracy).

dumbo said:
Space Dogs is excellent. A hymn to beast, man, the cosmos and human folly. Often bleak and depressing with scenes of hard living and occasional minor (and one major) scenes of animals in distress. It's also lyrical and enlightening with fascinating images of Soviet mission prep. We get archival footage intercut with film of a Russian stray dog pack, revealing the human, caught up in cosmic aspirations and desiring to be seen apart from the tooth and claw below. Shades of Plato and Aristotle gesticulating. At moments it becomes almost Erasmian satire in its framing of the glories of human endeavour.

It most reminds me of the T.S. Eliott poem The Hippopotamus, that mockingly contrasts earthly beastial experience with human spiritual concern. In Eliott's poem it was the Catholic church, whereas Space Dogs casts an askance view at Enlightenment science.

Not even sure how much I liked it but it made me think some kind of way and it has something in it.

A genuine Trigger Warning: I've mocked them in the past but there were scenes I had to turn away from, quite grim.

Yeah Erasmus, think 15th century Jordan Peterson.
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Yeah I really can't get myself to watch this. The topic looks super interesting but this year has been way too much.
 
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berbatrick said:
There's an Italian-American/mob movie, set in NJ or some state near there, the protagonists are quite young, maybe just left school, movie's made in the late 80s/90s. I think the title is the name of the nighbourhood, maybe something like hill or heights or high. any idea? it's been bugging me all day.
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it might be State of Grace

anyway if it isn't check it out, Oldman is amazing
 
Black Water: Abyss
A group of friends get trapped in a cave with the water rising and a crocodile trying to eat them. Shit. The characters were flat and boring, the Croc wasn't in it enough and there was no tension/suspense 2/10

Trick
A no-nonsense detective tries to track down a mass murderer named Trick, who is terrorizing a small town. Run of the mill slasher where the killer's powers are highly inconsistent and the victims are stock characters. At least has some fun violence 4/10
 
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

So my first foray back into a cinema for over 10 months and pleasantly surprised to be greeted by an Odeon employee in full Wonder Woman regalia. Nice touch. And considering everything that is going on at the moment, I can confirm that overall it was a reassuring experience. There was no way I was missing this film on the big screen but was it worth the wait?

WW 1984 is a bit of a mixed bag to be honest. Slow paced in places and not at all looking like a superhero movie at times, Director Patty Jenkins opts for copious amounts of substance as opposed to the style and mindless fun, which let's be honest is what we really come for in these DC/Marvel movies. As a result the runtime suffers with a seated time kicking in at just under 3 hours. The film really comes into it's own though when Gadot is doing her thing as Wonder Woman. Along with Black Widow, they must have the best close combat action sequences of any superhero movie....just a shame there was not more of it in this instalment. I must also mention at this point that I can't think of any of the superheroes that are not more perfectly cast than with Gal Gadot. She is just absolutely perfect for this role.

However you do come away feeling that she has been under utilised a little in this film. That perhaps may be down to the two antagonists in this movie who were by and large very disappointing. They both get a C-. I'm sure Pascal and Wiig had fun portraying the characters but they did not really add much value to the movie. Jenkins ups the ante in terms of visuals and set pieces which are spectacular in places and of course expected in any sequel but sadly lacking in quantity. The opening sequence in Themiscyra was a particular highlight but the film sadly fails to build on the tone and expectation set. Trim the film by 30 mins, cut back on the sop and get Woman Woman kicking more ass and you're on to a winner.

I'm giving this a 7/10.
 
Bumblebee
Seemed much better visually than the other transformer movies. Same old storyline though. Enjoyable to kill a couple hours, though, it is what it is. If you go in knowing what it's going to be it's a great film, if you go in expecting a masterpiece you'll be disappointed.

A minor annoyance is the young guy with the little afro (seems this character, with this exact look is in every film these days) had no point being in the film? He literally added no value at any point, could have deleted him from the film and made no difference. Just seemed a character to fill time to pad the film out.
 
RedPed said:
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

So my first foray back into a cinema for over 10 months and pleasantly surprised to be greeted by an Odeon employee in full Wonder Woman regalia. Nice touch. And considering everything that is going on at the moment, I can confirm that overall it was a reassuring experience. There was no way I was missing this film on the big screen but was it worth the wait?

WW 1984 is a bit of a mixed bag to be honest. Slow paced in places and not at all looking like a superhero movie at times, Director Patty Jenkins opts for copious amounts of substance as opposed to the style and mindless fun, which let's be honest is what we really come for in these DC/Marvel movies. As a result the runtime suffers with a seated time kicking in at just under 3 hours. The film really comes into it's own though when Gadot is doing her thing as Wonder Woman. Along with Black Widow, they must have the best close combat action sequences of any superhero movie....just a shame there was not more of it in this instalment. I must also mention at this point that I can't think of any of the superheroes that are not more perfectly cast than with Gal Gadot. She is just absolutely perfect for this role.

However you do come away feeling that she has been under utilised a little in this film. That perhaps may be down to the two antagonists in this movie who were by and large very disappointing. They both get a C-. I'm sure Pascal and Wiig had fun portraying the characters but they did not really add much value to the movie. Jenkins ups the ante in terms of visuals and set pieces which are spectacular in places and of course expected in any sequel but sadly lacking in quantity. The opening sequence in Themiscyra was a particular highlight but the film sadly fails to build on the tone and expectation set. Trim the film by 30 mins, cut back on the sop and get Woman Woman kicking more ass and you're on to a winner.

I'm giving this a 7/10.
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Wait this is out?
 
berbatrick said:
There's an Italian-American/mob movie, set in NJ or some state near there, the protagonists are quite young, maybe just left school, movie's made in the late 80s/90s. I think the title is the name of the nighbourhood, maybe something like hill or heights or high. any idea? it's been bugging me all day.
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"Brooklyn Rules" ?
 
Birds of Prey :

Enjoyed watching this. It's a pretty fun experience even if it has some problems. I think the title is misleading ? It's a Harley Quinn movie first and foremost with the other characters just used as plot devices. The plot is coherent for most part for a low stacks comic book story but has some weird coincidences to push the plot forward (There was really no reason for Cassandra to swallow the diamond from the start which started the entire plot, why did she do that exactly) ? The actress who played Black Canary did a pretty good job but I think she doesn't look like the comics one that much ? Like I had another imagination for how she looks like from the comics and Justice League animation and she just unfortunately doesn't look like it at all, even if she did a pretty good job in the role provided to her I'll give her, but she's just not my "Black Canary", unlike Harley's actress who fits my imagination for her perfectly from the looks perspective.

The action scenes also doesn't look like it belongs to a 2020 action superhero movie to be totally honest. They were a little bit slow and I don't know, clunky ? Harley got attacked by several thugs in GCPD but instead of them attacking at once and using their number as an advantage, each one of them attacks alone while the others are standing still, patiently waiting for their role to get destroyed by Harley one after another. I thought we were past this weird way of directing action ? This isn't something I would expect from an action scene in 2020.

But with all this I still enjoyed the story overall, and this portrayal of Harley Quinn is pretty fun to watch on its own. It's cheesy but for the purpose of passing time it does its job.

7/10.
 
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The Personal History of David Copperfield

Another home run for Iannucci. I genuinely could find no fault in the watching, it was as good a tonic as any to take your mind off this hellish year during the festive period.

9/10
 
A Star Is Born (the recent Bradley Cooper one): I liked it. Gripping story, intensely acted. It's a bit slow, but that works for me here. I think the camerawork is a bit too restless though; no patience to build or hold a good shot. But I thought it was well worth the watch.
 
The Cobbler

Dustin Hoffman off the bench

v orig

most enjoyable film in years

soz if previously recommended

9/10
 
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