Its one of these films the critics love but the audience find shite.
The Power of the Dog is another, although i would rather watch that than the marvel stuff.
Film The Redcafe Movie review thread
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Its one of these films the critics love but the audience find shite.
The Power of the Dog is another, although i would rather watch that than the marvel stuff.
I liked that. Very good film.
Master and Commander
I'm not sure how historically accurate it is, but its a cracking movie. I'm stumped that we never got sequels at the time. Solid performances all round and the action really has some oomph. Just over 2 hours and flew bye
9/10
I'm not sure how historically accurate it is, but its a cracking movie. I'm stumped that we never got sequels at the time. Solid performances all round and the action really has some oomph. Just over 2 hours and flew bye
9/10
Mother/Android (2022)
Available on Netflix. I'm guessing that after watching the 'A Quiet Place' movies, some movie exec thought, "Hey, that was a great idea. Why don't we do something exactly the same but instead of using myopic aliens, why don't we just use androids instead. Don't worry about the finer details, that will take care of itself." And so Mother/Android was conceived.
Don't get me wrong, it was an interesting premise and after the first 5 minutes, I was firmly buckled in for what looked like a helluva ride. But despite Chloe Grace Moretz's efforts to give the film some appeal and credibility, her standout performance is sadly not enough. Jumping from sequence to sequence requiring you to take inexplicable leaps of faith with the story, the characters making all sorts of decisions that defy any sort of logic and with a premise that peters out after ten minutes, ultimately you're left with an overwhelming sense of frustration with the whole affair.
I mean, it's supposed to be about a robot uprising but we only get about 15-20 minutes of android action. They've turned on their masters and supposedly overrun society. They never eat or sleep and are plotting their next big move for total domination yet I wasn't getting any sense of impending threat or dread. I'm not sure where all those liberated robots were hanging out. Busy elsewhere I guess. No real explanation as to how or why the android revolt started and indeed how extensive the devastation is, we get the usual pockets of human resistance and military presence but with the focus on the young couple and their perilous journey to safety. As I said Moretz is great but her partner is so wooden, I just wasn't feeling that chemistry. I could also talk about all the ridiculous things that happen in this movie and list them here, but I won't bother.
I guess Netflix won't get it right every time but they definitely need to think these things through a little more. Had the makings of being a great movie, but sadly making some of the same mistakes of previous offerings by these major networks.
I'm giving this a 4/10.
Available on Netflix. I'm guessing that after watching the 'A Quiet Place' movies, some movie exec thought, "Hey, that was a great idea. Why don't we do something exactly the same but instead of using myopic aliens, why don't we just use androids instead. Don't worry about the finer details, that will take care of itself." And so Mother/Android was conceived.
Don't get me wrong, it was an interesting premise and after the first 5 minutes, I was firmly buckled in for what looked like a helluva ride. But despite Chloe Grace Moretz's efforts to give the film some appeal and credibility, her standout performance is sadly not enough. Jumping from sequence to sequence requiring you to take inexplicable leaps of faith with the story, the characters making all sorts of decisions that defy any sort of logic and with a premise that peters out after ten minutes, ultimately you're left with an overwhelming sense of frustration with the whole affair.
I mean, it's supposed to be about a robot uprising but we only get about 15-20 minutes of android action. They've turned on their masters and supposedly overrun society. They never eat or sleep and are plotting their next big move for total domination yet I wasn't getting any sense of impending threat or dread. I'm not sure where all those liberated robots were hanging out. Busy elsewhere I guess. No real explanation as to how or why the android revolt started and indeed how extensive the devastation is, we get the usual pockets of human resistance and military presence but with the focus on the young couple and their perilous journey to safety. As I said Moretz is great but her partner is so wooden, I just wasn't feeling that chemistry. I could also talk about all the ridiculous things that happen in this movie and list them here, but I won't bother.
I guess Netflix won't get it right every time but they definitely need to think these things through a little more. Had the makings of being a great movie, but sadly making some of the same mistakes of previous offerings by these major networks.
I'm giving this a 4/10.
Two great films.
Ooof. I hope that isn't one of the film's better scenes. Even the excessive CGI wasn't enough to distract from the awkward acting there.
I barely even noticed the acting, I was just trying to see more of Babylon!
But yeah, hopefully not anyone's crowning achievement here.
I'm not at all suprised. A dull and pointless film.
Power of the Dog was much better but still slow, dull and fairly pointless.
The French Dispatch - yawn/10
what do people see in Wes Anderson films?
what do people see in Wes Anderson films?
Wow, they are that shameless with their ripoffs? Had heard of it but didn't realise that was the story. Have not seen it and not really compelled to either from the trailer.
Agreed. It could have done with some violence.
The Great Escape (1963)
Good movie but not the classic I expected. The movie was quite light-hearted which felt off to me because the subject material couldn't be more bloody serious. Same for the soundtrack. It was just a bit too playful and I couldn't take it seriously.
I prefer the style of Judgment at Nuremberg.
Good movie but not the classic I expected. The movie was quite light-hearted which felt off to me because the subject material couldn't be more bloody serious. Same for the soundtrack. It was just a bit too playful and I couldn't take it seriously.
I prefer the style of Judgment at Nuremberg.
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Ghostbusters Afterlife
I enjoyed the first 2 films and wasn’t disappointed by this one. There are many cool references to the original films without overdoing it and nicely weaves in this plot to follow on the story.
6/10
I enjoyed the first 2 films and wasn’t disappointed by this one. There are many cool references to the original films without overdoing it and nicely weaves in this plot to follow on the story.
6/10
Don't Look Up. Pretty good but not altogether successful as a film, I thought. The first hour+ is very strong. I was laughing a lot at the way they bring up all the stupid stuff that happens around science and politics, and the film is worth it just for that first half.
After that time, however, I found it got a bit stale. It's more or less when the comet first becomes visible, so they do introduce that new element and its follow-ups at the right time. But what follows are a lot of big rallies and demos and so on, and that's nothing new or different - they basically didn't have to film any of it, and could have just altered shots from Trump rallies and similar events. And it's not great satire if it's not funnier or weirder than reality. I was also rather underwhelmed by the ending: for a film that's all about clever black humor, the simple technological failure (it wouldn't happen so dumbly) and sentimental finale seemed off. I also thought the affair between the professor and the tv host was a distraction: it isn't very poignant and is anyway only partly related to the rest of the film.
So it was a bit uneven to me, but mostly a fun watch. (I'm saying this as someone who is already very cynical about the climate change debate and the general dynamics of politics and the media, so this wasn't a hard-hitting film for me, just a fun way to express that cynicism.) I'm amazed this apparently cost $75M to make though (according to Wikipedia). Films have really become bottomless pits; make the director (Adam McKay) work with half that budget, and the film's success as a pitch-black satire wouldn't be any less for it. (Although I see his The Big Short also supposedly cost $50M. Damn!)
After that time, however, I found it got a bit stale. It's more or less when the comet first becomes visible, so they do introduce that new element and its follow-ups at the right time. But what follows are a lot of big rallies and demos and so on, and that's nothing new or different - they basically didn't have to film any of it, and could have just altered shots from Trump rallies and similar events. And it's not great satire if it's not funnier or weirder than reality. I was also rather underwhelmed by the ending: for a film that's all about clever black humor, the simple technological failure (it wouldn't happen so dumbly) and sentimental finale seemed off. I also thought the affair between the professor and the tv host was a distraction: it isn't very poignant and is anyway only partly related to the rest of the film.
So it was a bit uneven to me, but mostly a fun watch. (I'm saying this as someone who is already very cynical about the climate change debate and the general dynamics of politics and the media, so this wasn't a hard-hitting film for me, just a fun way to express that cynicism.) I'm amazed this apparently cost $75M to make though (according to Wikipedia). Films have really become bottomless pits; make the director (Adam McKay) work with half that budget, and the film's success as a pitch-black satire wouldn't be any less for it. (Although I see his The Big Short also supposedly cost $50M. Damn!)
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The Protégé (2021)
Available on Prime Video. Another entry in the female assassin action genre starring Maggie Q as the titular heroine alongside a couple of Hollywood heavyweights Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Keaton. Having watched Kate a few weeks back, that film has set the bar quite highly...and deservedly so. In fact, Kate was probably one of the best films I've seen in 2021. Not that The Protégé tries to emulate it but comparisons will always be made. In that respect The Protégé is not even worthy of lacing the boots of Kate. It's far inferior in almost every aspect. But a decent enough watch in it's own right.
The film does have its moments, but it's all pretty routine and formulaic. Maggie Q does a decent job in reprising the kind of actions roles she is synonymous with but overall it's just a little flat. Pacing is a little slow but there's enough cat-and-mousery to keep you engaged but you can usually predict what's coming next to be honest. Not enough action to raise it above the norm but acting is pretty solid and this is probably where the film shines. Keaton is quite impressive as the main antagonist pitting his wits against Maggie Q's Anna, whilst Sam L. just ticks it off as yet another film done.
How many more female assassins, taken in by an old mentor as a young girl, and given some cause to seek revenge on an evil crime lord are we going to see in 2022? I wonder. Not good enough to justify any extensive review and not bad enough to warrant any stinging criticisms, it is deserving of just the one viewing.
I'm giving this a 5/10.
Available on Prime Video. Another entry in the female assassin action genre starring Maggie Q as the titular heroine alongside a couple of Hollywood heavyweights Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Keaton. Having watched Kate a few weeks back, that film has set the bar quite highly...and deservedly so. In fact, Kate was probably one of the best films I've seen in 2021. Not that The Protégé tries to emulate it but comparisons will always be made. In that respect The Protégé is not even worthy of lacing the boots of Kate. It's far inferior in almost every aspect. But a decent enough watch in it's own right.
The film does have its moments, but it's all pretty routine and formulaic. Maggie Q does a decent job in reprising the kind of actions roles she is synonymous with but overall it's just a little flat. Pacing is a little slow but there's enough cat-and-mousery to keep you engaged but you can usually predict what's coming next to be honest. Not enough action to raise it above the norm but acting is pretty solid and this is probably where the film shines. Keaton is quite impressive as the main antagonist pitting his wits against Maggie Q's Anna, whilst Sam L. just ticks it off as yet another film done.
How many more female assassins, taken in by an old mentor as a young girl, and given some cause to seek revenge on an evil crime lord are we going to see in 2022? I wonder. Not good enough to justify any extensive review and not bad enough to warrant any stinging criticisms, it is deserving of just the one viewing.
I'm giving this a 5/10.
Anyone seen the new Scream?
It's a bit ropey.
I liked the themes (The Force Awakens/"Re-quels" and Toxic Fandom) but not great execution.
It's a bit ropey.
I liked the themes (The Force Awakens/"Re-quels" and Toxic Fandom) but not great execution.
I saw it Friday night, thought it was OK.
There are parts that are predictable, and it doesn’t really fly off in to territory that the first 4 films hadn’t already covered but then I wasn’t expecting it to.
I actually thought the best part was the banter, it doesn’t take itself too seriously and mocks itself with constant references to series reboots, re-quels etc. as you say.
Fans of the series will enjoy it I think.
Actually watched a movie I think other people will like for once...
Exiled (2006). Loved this. It's a stylish Hong Kong gangster movie in the vein of John Woo's Hardboiled and Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch; about a group of gang members ordered to take out a former member. Turns out that they're all old friends so instead of doing that they hatch a plan to off the big bad instead. It's largely without pretence - a gangster film for the sake of being a bloody and violence gangster film. Full of fun exaggerated action scenes and charismatic characters. Tropey in places sure but cool as feck. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exiled)
Availability - You can find it at your nearest torrent provider, where you should make no qualms about expressing your utmost disgust.
Exiled (2006). Loved this. It's a stylish Hong Kong gangster movie in the vein of John Woo's Hardboiled and Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch; about a group of gang members ordered to take out a former member. Turns out that they're all old friends so instead of doing that they hatch a plan to off the big bad instead. It's largely without pretence - a gangster film for the sake of being a bloody and violence gangster film. Full of fun exaggerated action scenes and charismatic characters. Tropey in places sure but cool as feck. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exiled)
Availability - You can find it at your nearest torrent provider, where you should make no qualms about expressing your utmost disgust.
I saw the original trilogy but not the fourth. Do I need to have seen that to see this one?
You don't need to, but I would. I quite liked Scream 4.
La trinchera infinita (The Endless Trench). A Spanish film from 2019 set in a small town in Andulsia. In 1936, a guy who is on the losing side of the Spanish Civil War is wanted and therefore goes into hiding in a hidden space of his house to save his life. The idea is to get out soon and flee to Portugal with his wife, but those plans are spoiled and he ends up staying in hiding for 30+ years. While the main character was not a real person as such, the story is based on the history of several dozen (if I understood correctly) of people that indeed did exactly this.
It's a really good film. After the first half hour, where the main character has to escape his pursuers and they get close to catching him, nothing much happens. The story is mostly from the guy's perspective, and obviously, he is stuck in his house, and often in his hiding space. So that's pretty slow going, but despite the film taking well over two hours, I was constantly engagned and intrigues. The film just does a really good job of continuing to develop different aspects of the story and keeping things fresh, interesting, and (occasionally) tense. It's also very well acted and shot. Just really nicely done overall.
interestingly, for a film that has such a strong policial context, that aspect isn't touched upon much. The main character twice briefly discusses politics, so we know where he stands; but that's it, there is no big criticism of Franco's reign or anything like that. There also isn't a lot of reflection on what kind of life the guy has had, staying hidden for 30 years. Are these wasted years, was it a horrible experience? We get some brief insights into that and some emotional moments, but not nearly as much as you'd expect. The film rather focuses on how the lives develop of the main character and his wife, and what they do with that. And that's enough. As I said, I really liked the film as it is. Other films can consider the other aspects!
It's a really good film. After the first half hour, where the main character has to escape his pursuers and they get close to catching him, nothing much happens. The story is mostly from the guy's perspective, and obviously, he is stuck in his house, and often in his hiding space. So that's pretty slow going, but despite the film taking well over two hours, I was constantly engagned and intrigues. The film just does a really good job of continuing to develop different aspects of the story and keeping things fresh, interesting, and (occasionally) tense. It's also very well acted and shot. Just really nicely done overall.
interestingly, for a film that has such a strong policial context, that aspect isn't touched upon much. The main character twice briefly discusses politics, so we know where he stands; but that's it, there is no big criticism of Franco's reign or anything like that. There also isn't a lot of reflection on what kind of life the guy has had, staying hidden for 30 years. Are these wasted years, was it a horrible experience? We get some brief insights into that and some emotional moments, but not nearly as much as you'd expect. The film rather focuses on how the lives develop of the main character and his wife, and what they do with that. And that's enough. As I said, I really liked the film as it is. Other films can consider the other aspects!
I've been educated. Some are slightly tenuous, though I do remember some at the time they were released. I remember watching Dredd and thinking "Ha, they just ripped off The Raid!".
You're right though, there is an *ahem* exchange of ideas that goes on.
Reminds me of a fun game: rename a film with another film's title.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
A nice little continuation of the original movies. The characters were all very likeable, especially the kids.
I'm a Ghostbuster fan myself and I really enjoyed it. Although I can imagine people who aren't familiar with the originals, would find the movie a tad boring. Especially the first hour or so was dragging on a bit.
Score: 7,5
Non-Ghostbuster fan: 6,5
A nice little continuation of the original movies. The characters were all very likeable, especially the kids.
I'm a Ghostbuster fan myself and I really enjoyed it. Although I can imagine people who aren't familiar with the originals, would find the movie a tad boring. Especially the first hour or so was dragging on a bit.
Score: 7,5
Non-Ghostbuster fan: 6,5
Awful news
It’s Only the End of the World is such a under rated gem.
Awful news
It’s Only the End of the World is such a under rated gem.
That’s terrible news. I only saw him in Hannibal Rising, in which he was impressive. RIP
Slightly tenuous? A large percentage are utter Bollox
Slightly tenuous? A large percentage are utter Bollox
Ha ha yeah I was being polite.
I enjoyed the claim that saving private Ryan and the thin red line are in any way similar. Other than both being set in WW2, albeit on different sides of the planet.Ha ha yeah I was being polite.
Ha ha yeah I was being polite.
Really? Thought you'd maybe grasped that producers/studios always have an idea what's in production elsewhere and often try to one-up each other. It's a function of how scripts get picked up/abandoned/circulated etc. For example the deluge of female action hero movies that started pouring out starting a few years ago.
The other person saying 'a large percentage is utter bs lolol' might kind of not understand what's going on behind the scenes.
Yeah, I was thinking about that aspect. I was looking at the list particularly to see if The Prestige and The Illusionist were listed for 2006. On the surface, those films have little in common apart from both being high-profile mystery films about magicians set in the 19th century. (I see there was actually also Scoop that year, a Woody Allen film about a magician - but it's a romantic comedy and not set in the past.) But then how many high-profile films ever appear on that precise subject? So I figured it must be something like you're indicating above - scripts or concepts that are hovering about, but somehow aren't getting over that final line that brings them into production as a film. But then when one does with a sufficient profile, it can easily convince another studio to finally get going on that other script as well - and suddenly you have twin films.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnaround_(filmmaking)
EDIT: For every project that gets filmed, there are dozens of similar ones that never see the light of day. It's relatively "easy" for a studio/house to go 'oh, shit, they're making ________ over at ________', go secure that similar script _________ and see if we can get it moving.' Kiiind of like you see in Argo. (in fact, Alan Arkin's character mentions turnaround, IIRC)
For example this is a script based on this book that later got turned into this movie by completely different people working from scratch. One gets the idea that these projects can be out there in limbo for a very long time and many people get to see them.
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Some were only similar in setting and that's inevitable but I'm talking about for example when Deep Impact came out then Armageddon came out shortly after. Then you had the likes of Volcano being released followed by Dante's Peak. I remember those standing out but never really thought about it till I saw your list. But it is true a lot of them require a stretch of the imagination. They're not as on the nose as A Quiet Place/The Silence.
I hear you. For reasons, they're of course not always that blatant. See the above post for some additional info.
Les Misérables (2012) -
Space Sweepers. Wikipedia calls it a 'space western', and that's pretty accurate. It's a South Korean film set in the future, where the Earth has become a poisonous hell to live in, the rich are living in a kind of Eden floating in orbit, and space sweepers are a kind of cowboys flying through orbit in their space ships, gathering the valuable trash floating around there. There is a lot more that could be added here, as they create quite the backstory and context for a single film; but you'll just have to watch the film for all that. As for the story, one group of space sweepers finds a child that's of particular value for the world, and then has to fight off the owner of a the company that basically owns everything to save everyone.
This was a lot of fun. The world they create is interesting (nothing new, but well done), the main characters are cool, the action keeps going at a nice pace, and there is a lot of good humor. The action can get confusion when there are ships racing and shooting at each other, but that's not too distracting. All in all, nothing deep, but just a really fun ride that I thought was well worth my time (2h16).
Two other things I thought interesting: it's a South Korean film, but it's not all in Korean. People speak their own languages, which is Korean for the crew, mostly English at the company, and then lots of other languages (English, French, Mandarin, Arabic, Russian, Danish, and I'm probably forgetting some) for other characters they encounter. This is not a problem in the story, as everyone has a translator device attached to their ears; and I thought it was great for the feel of the film. Much better than the typical film where everyone just speaks the film's language - like Russian gangsters speaking broken English while having a chat together. I suppose this makes no difference for people watching dubbed versions, and maybe multilingual films are rare because most people don't like subtitles; but I thought this was a good element of the film.
Also, the films looks absolutely great, while Wikipedia says it cost 'only' just over US$20M to make. Maybe it's cheaper to make movies in Korea, and I suppose the actors' salaries were more modest than in your typical Hollywood blockbuster; but it does again raise the question for me why those Hollywood blockbusters are so insanely expensive now. For example, a quick check of recent Marvel movies (Phase 4 MCU ones) shows they all cost US$150-200M to create. Even if those budget estimates are incomplete in different ways, that's a factor 10 difference for no higher quality in appearance or anything. (In fact, this film was a lot richer in substance than most Marvel movies.) That's insane!
We also watched American Psycho again this week. Still as stylish as ever and a great watch - until the ending. It's too abrupt for me. I know we're not supposed to get closure or anything like that, but I felt the way it cuts to the end titles is too abrupt, and left me feeling disappointed. The message against soulless, hollow materialism also resonates a little less now than 20 years ago, not because it's less true, but just because it's less new (or maybe that's just me).
This was a lot of fun. The world they create is interesting (nothing new, but well done), the main characters are cool, the action keeps going at a nice pace, and there is a lot of good humor. The action can get confusion when there are ships racing and shooting at each other, but that's not too distracting. All in all, nothing deep, but just a really fun ride that I thought was well worth my time (2h16).
Two other things I thought interesting: it's a South Korean film, but it's not all in Korean. People speak their own languages, which is Korean for the crew, mostly English at the company, and then lots of other languages (English, French, Mandarin, Arabic, Russian, Danish, and I'm probably forgetting some) for other characters they encounter. This is not a problem in the story, as everyone has a translator device attached to their ears; and I thought it was great for the feel of the film. Much better than the typical film where everyone just speaks the film's language - like Russian gangsters speaking broken English while having a chat together. I suppose this makes no difference for people watching dubbed versions, and maybe multilingual films are rare because most people don't like subtitles; but I thought this was a good element of the film.
Also, the films looks absolutely great, while Wikipedia says it cost 'only' just over US$20M to make. Maybe it's cheaper to make movies in Korea, and I suppose the actors' salaries were more modest than in your typical Hollywood blockbuster; but it does again raise the question for me why those Hollywood blockbusters are so insanely expensive now. For example, a quick check of recent Marvel movies (Phase 4 MCU ones) shows they all cost US$150-200M to create. Even if those budget estimates are incomplete in different ways, that's a factor 10 difference for no higher quality in appearance or anything. (In fact, this film was a lot richer in substance than most Marvel movies.) That's insane!
We also watched American Psycho again this week. Still as stylish as ever and a great watch - until the ending. It's too abrupt for me. I know we're not supposed to get closure or anything like that, but I felt the way it cuts to the end titles is too abrupt, and left me feeling disappointed. The message against soulless, hollow materialism also resonates a little less now than 20 years ago, not because it's less true, but just because it's less new (or maybe that's just me).
The Village
Village sends blind girl into forest to find life saving anti-biotics.
0/10
Hands down the worse movie I’ve ever seen. It’s clearly trying to do a meta commentary on life, fear, state control and power blah blah blah.
But one more time… They sent a blind girl with no concept of life outside of her own village or what a pharmacy is… into the woods to find anti biotics. Get in the Fcuking bin.
Village sends blind girl into forest to find life saving anti-biotics.
0/10
Hands down the worse movie I’ve ever seen. It’s clearly trying to do a meta commentary on life, fear, state control and power blah blah blah.
But one more time… They sent a blind girl with no concept of life outside of her own village or what a pharmacy is… into the woods to find anti biotics. Get in the Fcuking bin.