I enjoyed the three you mentioned
Blockers was an unexpected surprise
Film The Redcafe Movie review thread
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Blockers was an unexpected surprise
What we do in the Shadows and Taika Waititi's other stuff are good modern comedies.
I haven't seen it since the 80's but I loved it then.
It was shite
The Invisible Guest - Really enjoyed this Spanish (2016) "whodunit" murder mystery, I knew there was a twist coming but was pleasantly surprised when it did, my wife guessed but I was completely taken by surprise . Well worth a watch, its on Netflix.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4857264/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4857264/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Oxygen
One of the better Netflix original movies in recent memory. Has a good twist which I didn't quite predict.
7/10
One of the better Netflix original movies in recent memory. Has a good twist which I didn't quite predict.
7/10
The Woman in the Window
Netflix orig. Amy Adams, Julianne Moore et al.
Got low tomatoes from critics, high from viewers. It's a good psychological thriller, not too long.
Agoraphobic woman becomes embroiled in shenanigans, not much hilarity, but a decent plot and story. Enjoyed it.
7/10
Netflix orig. Amy Adams, Julianne Moore et al.
Got low tomatoes from critics, high from viewers. It's a good psychological thriller, not too long.
Agoraphobic woman becomes embroiled in shenanigans, not much hilarity, but a decent plot and story. Enjoyed it.
7/10
Isn't this enormously like Rear Window? The description made me think it was a remake, then the trailer got me thinking it's a kind of creative remake - but the Wiki seems to suggest it's a completely independent creation.
Embarrassingly I haven't watched RW, but that's exactly what I thought whilst watching. i.e., that is probably is. It's got a retro soundtrack too. I'll try RW tomorrow, I have the 4K disc, but black and white movies are a turn off for me (I bought the Hitchcock set for Psycho).
Have you seen Mirage by the same writer/director, Oriol Paulo? It's enjoyable, 7/10. Paulo is excellent in the mystery genre, although I did see Mirage's twist coming a mile off (and that was OK). Also, The Innocent has recently been released onto Netflix. It's an 8 episode series by the same guy. Warning - for a 15 rating, it's disturbing in parts and has a little too much lingering on blood, T&A etc. The story isn't necessarily as good as the first episode would have you expect but the way the story unfolds is well done and it was intriguing. Not a classic but good fun, and definitely in the same vein as The Invisible Guest. Also two of the main actors in TIG appear in it.
Rear Window is not black and white. I watched it again the other month after not seeing it in years on end. Great film and Grace Kelly's screen presence is immense.
That's what I was thinking. Not many of Hitchcock's major films are, anyway. Also, more generally, you can't really go wrong on any Hitchcock in my experience. :-)
No. Because they are difficult to sell overseas (due to language barrier/culture) and now are also difficult to sell domestic because people prefer watching blockbusters at the cinema. Also, so many people get offended these days that the comedy becomes too watered down and not funny at all. With all that said, Fast and Furious 9 is about to come out and it has cars swinging from vines like Tarzan so some laughs to be had there
Sound Of Metal
A heavy-metal drummer's life is thrown into freefall when he begins to lose his hearing. Really good performance by Riz Ahmed and the sound design was excellent. Really enjoyed it but wanted a bit more of an emotional punch at the end, which I didn't get. I had the same feeling with Minari. I did prefer this film though 7/10
Fascinating. Some of the pics inside the sleeve were black and white, so assumed the film was. Will give it watch today.
RW is excellent , I would say it is a must watch.
Four Lions
What We Do In The Shadows
The Death of Stalin
All much better than The Hangover as well.
Inanimate
While studying the effects of global warming on a pod of whales, grad students on a crabbing vessel and its crew uncover frozen Soviet space shuttle and unintentionally release a monstrous organism from it. I was watching this thinking "this feels like a film I watched a few years ago called Harbinger Down"... after checking once the film finished, I realised it's the same film but the UK name is different Takes massive inspiration from the 80s and the narrative is basically The Thing. The effects were practical and sometimes looked good but at other time looked really ropey. Really bad acting and dialogue though! Not the best film but not awful for a low budget indie horror 5.5/10
While studying the effects of global warming on a pod of whales, grad students on a crabbing vessel and its crew uncover frozen Soviet space shuttle and unintentionally release a monstrous organism from it. I was watching this thinking "this feels like a film I watched a few years ago called Harbinger Down"... after checking once the film finished, I realised it's the same film but the UK name is different
Takes massive inspiration from the 80s and the narrative is basically The Thing. The effects were practical and sometimes looked good but at other time looked really ropey. Really bad acting and dialogue though! Not the best film but not awful for a low budget indie horror 5.5/10I saw The Innocent, enjoyed it. Must check out Mirage, thanks.
Marriage Story
Watch this due to the trailer using a Cat Power song and I was pleasantly surprised that it turned out to be quite a interesting film.
It manages to captures something very dystopian about relationships especially with marriages, which is how the woman can give up years of her life in order to fill the role of wife to her husband. Johansson coming aware of this is ultimately the downfall of the marriage and this is viewed by Driver as both something out of the blue and also a personal attack on him as a husband. The scene where Johansson after handing over the divorce papers earlier on still asks Driver if he likes her new haircut is such a great example how ingrained and deep rooted these social roles are for both the husband and wife.
The film really loses it near the end by turning Johansson into a successful woman(Although I liked how within a year she is basically in another long term relationship) as it takes the edge off what is the true horror of her realisation earlier on in the film. Plus the story is about 2 upper class americans, the financial risks while constantly mentioned are never really faced or lived through(Johansson has a massive house in LA and Driver has two apartments one in New York and one in LA).
While the main performances are great it does at feel like watching two actors having a act off, they don't sound like anyone in the real world. The argument scene while brilliant did remind of the broadway play in Birdman. Although everyone else was brilliant(It was nice to see Ray Liotta in a good movie again).
Overall it's worth a watch even if it's a sad wank fantasy of a New York Times columnist.
Watch this due to the trailer using a Cat Power song and I was pleasantly surprised that it turned out to be quite a interesting film.
It manages to captures something very dystopian about relationships especially with marriages, which is how the woman can give up years of her life in order to fill the role of wife to her husband. Johansson coming aware of this is ultimately the downfall of the marriage and this is viewed by Driver as both something out of the blue and also a personal attack on him as a husband. The scene where Johansson after handing over the divorce papers earlier on still asks Driver if he likes her new haircut is such a great example how ingrained and deep rooted these social roles are for both the husband and wife.
The film really loses it near the end by turning Johansson into a successful woman(Although I liked how within a year she is basically in another long term relationship) as it takes the edge off what is the true horror of her realisation earlier on in the film. Plus the story is about 2 upper class americans, the financial risks while constantly mentioned are never really faced or lived through(Johansson has a massive house in LA and Driver has two apartments one in New York and one in LA).
While the main performances are great it does at feel like watching two actors having a act off, they don't sound like anyone in the real world. The argument scene while brilliant did remind of the broadway play in Birdman. Although everyone else was brilliant(It was nice to see Ray Liotta in a good movie again).
Overall it's worth a watch even if it's a sad wank fantasy of a New York Times columnist.
I find it interesting how So. Many. films play in those social circles. Obviously, more societally aware films don't; but take genres like romcoms or non-societal dramas, or more generally films in which the societal setting is not all that relevant, and generally people live in very expensive flats or houses, and financial issues are an afterthought or laughably disconnected from 'real-world issues'. It's a little disturbing, I find. (Alongside the traditional gender roles and usual whiteness of the cast.)
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It's clearly inspired by Rear Window and has some nods to it, but it's definitely a unique spin and isn't just a copycat. It's more like how a movie like an iteration of a similar theme like how Laura Lippman's novel Sunburn is totally inspired by James M Cain but its not a copy or derivative work but more of an update on a theme.
Which song was it? I don't remember hearing one of her songs in the trailer.
I watched another marriage breakdown movie last night.
The Killing of Two Lovers
I'd been waiting for this for ages and it didn't let me down.
It's a kinda Gus Van Sant style rural realistic romantic drama, with lots of long takes. And it's quite a subtle, intimate portrait of masculinity. It really defies expectations. I know a lot of people don't like modern films with the 4:3 ratio but I think it works well in this film.
8/10
Citation. A Nigerian film about a woman taking a professor who sexually harassed her to her university's arbitration panel, showing how complex that situation can become for the student with the power imbalance and social tensions in place (although the latter is not developed very far). I thought it was a good film. The acting isn't always the strongest and there are some plot oddities, but overall, it's a powerful story that's well told, especially with the way it cuts between different story moments (during and before the trial). Also, not knowing much about daily life and the scenery in Nigeria (or Senegal, where they also go), I found this fascinating to watch - although of course it's not a documentary (but I think it's an amalgam of real stories) and I assume we're looking at people that are all from the upper middle classes and above.
Godzilla vs Kong
As always with these types of movies, the fight scenes are fun, the humans are boring & you don’t care about them. Millie Bobby Brown is the standout, CGI monsters aside, she should probably start getting cast in proper films now. The kid from Deadpool 2 is there, and he isn’t very good. Oh, and there’s a black Alex Jones. I don’t regret seeing it but won’t be watching it again any time soon. 5/10
As always with these types of movies, the fight scenes are fun, the humans are boring & you don’t care about them. Millie Bobby Brown is the standout, CGI monsters aside, she should probably start getting cast in proper films now. The kid from Deadpool 2 is there, and he isn’t very good. Oh, and there’s a black Alex Jones. I don’t regret seeing it but won’t be watching it again any time soon. 5/10
Pure ideology sniff sniff
Yeah I agree with you, especially when a lot of people don't pick up on it. Marriage Story is very relatable in certain ways but also how many people are able to get a parent to re mortgage a house and then end up living very well as a single mother in LA ? At times the film which I think is one of the better romantic dramas/comedies is a pure american fantasy.
I'm guessing a large part of why this happens will be down to the type of people who are writing, directing, producing and funding these films - mostly white upper class men(Just from a google the director/writer Baumbach seems to be basically writing about his life). Which doesn't mean there can't be great moments of insight, like both character admitting they got married less out of love for each other but more because of social pressures and expectations. Johansson is clearly upset at the idea of losing the status of a married woman than leaving her husband(Plus I love the part where her character idea of sexual liberation is just fecking some bearded production staffer in a car)and Driver accepts the argument that she loved him more than he loved her.
But the lack of any relatable social aspect really takes away from what could have a far more interesting and disturbing film on the functions of marriage.
The more likely outcome for women like Johansson is having the realisation that the social roles of the wife and mother have over time replaced her own personality, yet stays in the marriage for another decade because she wants the financial stability of two incomes for her child. The horrors of marriage aren't that it stops women from directing award wining television shows but that it's a social system which strips away large parts of you're personality, exploits you're labour both in the workplace and at home, all while creating a safety nets which helps both yourself and loved ones. Or with Driver character instead of moaning about having to get another sofa or apartment, his fear of divorce could have been rooted in the fact it would have killed his finances which would have effected his ability to see his son.
Cover of the Otis Redding song I've been loving you too long
Just watched the trailer for this. Looks good.
Thanks - I'll have to add this to my list now.
Of course I should just watch more non-American films.
But anyway. This one I felt was an acting showcase first and foremost. It didn't relate to any reality that I'm aware of, and my wife and I both found it very unrelatable and ultimately pretty boring, apart from a handful of strong scenes.And so on.
Army of the Dead - 3/10
Just plain awful. Don't even bother watching it. Gave it 3 because of Nora Arnezeder.
Just plain awful. Don't even bother watching it. Gave it 3 because of Nora Arnezeder.
I was going to watch this over the weekend.
Subpar action, piss poor subplots and dumb characters. That's 2 hours of my time I'll never get back. I was fast forwarding it at certain points.
The Mule
Clint Eastwood takes a new driving job and ends up working for the cartel.
Enjoyable fair, Clint is Clint although its the first movie of his where I had a double take as he's really showing his age here. It's a slow meandering movie but his performance is great, as you would expect.
7/10
Clint Eastwood takes a new driving job and ends up working for the cartel.
Enjoyable fair, Clint is Clint although its the first movie of his where I had a double take as he's really showing his age here. It's a slow meandering movie but his performance is great, as you would expect.
7/10
The Big Lebowski
I will be slaughtered for this, but rewatching this, I was underwhelmed. Sure it's still a fun movie, but nit at all the timeless classic it's touted tobe in my opinion. I have this withall Coen bris flicks though. Guess I'm too dumb for them.
7/10
I will be slaughtered for this, but rewatching this, I was underwhelmed. Sure it's still a fun movie, but nit at all the timeless classic it's touted tobe in my opinion. I have this withall Coen bris flicks though. Guess I'm too dumb for them.
7/10
Yeah, I was wondering how much this is actually how he is now or he is shown to look older. Either way, he's still pretty sprightly at 88! (Which he was at the time of The Mule.)
It had good tomatoes on both sides and everything, oh well.
Really enjoyed it too.
All Is Lost
Possible I've already commented on this, but well... The Clint Mule above reminded me.
It's Robert Redford, virtually no script (maybe fewer than 52 words throughout?), it's great.
If you haven't seen it and are going through a shit-that-happens-at-sea phase, that doesn't involve the best film of the last quarter century, it's well worth a watch.
Possible I've already commented on this, but well... The Clint Mule above reminded me.
It's Robert Redford, virtually no script (maybe fewer than 52 words throughout?), it's great.
If you haven't seen it and are going through a shit-that-happens-at-sea phase, that doesn't involve the best film of the last quarter century, it's well worth a watch.
Huh, just looked it up, appears Clint did try to make himself appear older. Acting eh?
I really liked Zack Synder's Dawn of the Dead remake but this one was just disappointing. Maybe you will like it though.
I've found Sean Baker and the Safdie brothers films to really hit the mark in terms feeling like a film based in the real world(Of course it massively helps that they use a lot of non actors). Agree with you on the film as a acting showcase, which was sort of nice to see a film go this route but overall it didn't work for me most of the time.Of course I should just watch more non-American films.
Tbh that might be a positive thing for you're marriage.
Don't want to derail the thread but I still love his criterion picks
I'm a Coen Brothers fan but I hated it when it came out and watched it again recently to double check and hated it again.