It's alright. There is the usual Coen brothers humor, but it's not on the same level as their other movies. It'd get a 6 from me, out of 10.
Film The Redcafe Movie review thread
- Thread starter golden_blunder
- Start date
what sort of a pattern?
Horror films?
I thought it was very good.
But you're a Coens fanboy an' all...
Saw two of their movies recently.
I loved Miller's Crossing, and thought Burn After Reading was Ok.
Saw two of their movies recently.
I loved Miller's Crossing, and thought Burn After Reading was Ok.
I'm a Coen brothers fan-boy too, and I liked the movie, but it was just a bit 
for me. Maybe because I didn't know half the terms/rituals used in it.
for me. Maybe because I didn't know half the terms/rituals used in it.I'm a Coen brothers fan-boy too, and I liked the movie, but it was just a bit
Read up on the Book of Job - OT. It'll give you a better idea. I didn't understand the ending but it explained the idea behind the tornado. Basically, the clue was in the opening phrase 'Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you'. My interpretation: Shit happens but get on with it. . .
I got the ending (I figured the same too), it was the other parts of the movie which had me a bit confused (the whole ghost story at the beginning, the significance of the people that he is waiting to meet (that uber-old guy).
Yeah, that didn't make much sense to me and all. The old man wasn't a ghost though, Dora was just irrationally acting upon her superstition.
Hi Spoony
Werckmeister Harmonies - Very good. Beautifully shot with a haunting score.
Millenium Actress - A famous actress spends most of her life chasing a man she met and fell in love with when she was a girl. Great storytelling that blends reality with illusion.
Millenium Actress - A famous actress spends most of her life chasing a man she met and fell in love with when she was a girl. Great storytelling that blends reality with illusion.
Inglourious Basterds
I agree with that by and large.
I was pretty uncomfortable with the idea of a Jewish revenge fantasy, but actually there's not very much of the Basterds doing their stuff - in fact possibly too little, as Mockers says - the story's not really about them. Although some scenes do indeed go on too long, the story itself is pretty tight and gripping.
It's also very funny. Even though what he's doing is very interesting, in terms of fiction and history, I can't help thinking that actually he's just thought, 'Feck it, I'm going to make a Nazi romp'... and he's pulled it off.
Christopher Waltz was just sensational. Brad Pitt, who I usually think is pretty average, was very funny.
I thought Tarantino was done after Kill Bill II, but this was great.
I agree with that by and large.
I was pretty uncomfortable with the idea of a Jewish revenge fantasy, but actually there's not very much of the Basterds doing their stuff - in fact possibly too little, as Mockers says - the story's not really about them. Although some scenes do indeed go on too long, the story itself is pretty tight and gripping.
It's also very funny. Even though what he's doing is very interesting, in terms of fiction and history, I can't help thinking that actually he's just thought, 'Feck it, I'm going to make a Nazi romp'... and he's pulled it off.
Christopher Waltz was just sensational. Brad Pitt, who I usually think is pretty average, was very funny.
I thought Tarantino was done after Kill Bill II, but this was great.
After Kill Bill II?
He should have retired after Pulp Fiction, he's been spewing nothing but crap ever since.
True, Jackie Brown was terrible. I thought the first Kill Bill was a decent film.
Does anyone want to hear my theory about A Serious Man? It's a bit long and possibly quite boring but I think it explains a lot of it.
Does anyone want to hear my theory about A Serious Man? It's a bit long and possibly quite boring but I think it explains a lot of it.
Yeah, looking forward to it.
I didn't get to the film on first viewing as well, but did a LOT of research and saw it a couple of times later and have since fallen in love with it.
Looking forward to some interesting discussion.
I actually thought Jackie Brown was a great film and the truest adaptation to date of any Elmore Leonard book. He showed restraint with the material that I didn't think he had.
House of Flying Daggers. Wow, what a stunning looking film. Loved it. Not as good as Raise the Lantern, though.
I watched 'A Serious Man' last night myself. Would've loved to have seen it on the big screen just to soak up the general publics reaction to that ending. 
Kick Ass kicked ass. Some of the trailers before it were just bizarre though. John Cusack in 'Hot Tub Time Machine'....that Scott Pilgrim nonsense...
Kick Ass kicked ass. Some of the trailers before it were just bizarre though. John Cusack in 'Hot Tub Time Machine'....that Scott Pilgrim nonsense...
I've decided to watch Hero today. It looks visually stunning and I can forgive a shit storyline for great cinematography. I wonder how much input Zhang has in the aesthetic side of his films. . .most them look great, but the cinematographers aren't always the same. Christopher Doyle's Hero's cinematographer but most of the films he's been involved in have looked drop dead gorgeous(especially his stuff with WKW). . .In the Mood for Love's being the prime example, whereas Zhao Xiaoding was behind the visuals for House of Flying Daggers - so I wonder how much input a director has in this department and how much is down the cinematographer's vision.
Blood and Bone
Martial arts film starring Michael Jai White as 'Bone', a newly released prisoner on a quest to fulfil a promise to his dying friend, who was 'shanked' in prison by non other than Kimbo Slice. This quest takes him into the underground fighting scene where he merrily proceeds to kick seven shades of shit out of anyone unfortunate enough to be in his line of sight. Be it prisoners, latino's, UFC fighters or steroid fuelled man-mountains. Oh and whilst he is not dealing out the pain, he uses his spare time to play chess against kindly old men.
Michael Jai White is one scary mofo, anyone who can make Kimbo Slice look like a small- albeit impressively bearded- child shouldn't be able to do super-flying kicks that take out four people at once like that. It defies gravity. Not that I think gravity would dare argue with the 6 foot plus black man with a penchant for arm breaking.
Amazingly though, they did manage to find someone bigger than Michael Jai White for him to fight- and subsequently kick seven shades of shit out of.
A good film for anyone who likes MMA and the like, all of the fight scenes are well choreographed (those that aren't over in one high speed, bone-crunching punch anyhow), and as such are pretty impressive- as is White who holds like 80 black belts or something (each evidently with more limb-breaking moves than the last).
Their is a storyline thrown in, with a semblance of a plot and one or two attempts at twists that you can spot coming from a mile away. The makers did well to not dilute the film with much too drama, and instead focused heavily on making numerous, fast-paced and enjoyable fight scenes. That said the storyline, though not overly complicated, tied the film together well enough, making it a decent, if effortless, watch- if you like that sort of thing. But who doesn't? 6.5/10
Martial arts film starring Michael Jai White as 'Bone', a newly released prisoner on a quest to fulfil a promise to his dying friend, who was 'shanked' in prison by non other than Kimbo Slice. This quest takes him into the underground fighting scene where he merrily proceeds to kick seven shades of shit out of anyone unfortunate enough to be in his line of sight. Be it prisoners, latino's, UFC fighters or steroid fuelled man-mountains. Oh and whilst he is not dealing out the pain, he uses his spare time to play chess against kindly old men.
Michael Jai White is one scary mofo, anyone who can make Kimbo Slice look like a small- albeit impressively bearded- child shouldn't be able to do super-flying kicks that take out four people at once like that. It defies gravity. Not that I think gravity would dare argue with the 6 foot plus black man with a penchant for arm breaking.
Amazingly though, they did manage to find someone bigger than Michael Jai White for him to fight- and subsequently kick seven shades of shit out of.
A good film for anyone who likes MMA and the like, all of the fight scenes are well choreographed (those that aren't over in one high speed, bone-crunching punch anyhow), and as such are pretty impressive- as is White who holds like 80 black belts or something (each evidently with more limb-breaking moves than the last).
Their is a storyline thrown in, with a semblance of a plot and one or two attempts at twists that you can spot coming from a mile away. The makers did well to not dilute the film with much too drama, and instead focused heavily on making numerous, fast-paced and enjoyable fight scenes. That said the storyline, though not overly complicated, tied the film together well enough, making it a decent, if effortless, watch- if you like that sort of thing. But who doesn't? 6.5/10
Hero looks magnificent, as you say, Christopher Doyle is about as good a cinematographer as there is and I would imagine the idea of hiring him would be to obtain a similarly distinctive look to the film as the WKW films in particular.
I liked Hero more than Flying Daggers. It's just a gorgeous movie in every department. The performances of and chemistry between Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung almost made it feel like a WKW movie at times.
Most likely. Zhang's a sucker for great visuals though. Raise the Red Lantern's another beautifully shot film directed by him, not only is it gorgeous but a masterpiece full stop.
Watch 'Last Life in the Universe', fans of WKW will like it. Chris Doyle's the cinematographer and all.
I need to see that.
It's a good film, Tadanabu Asano is usually a must watch too.
Starship Troopers
I don't get the hate. I was warned this was a terrible, brainless action movie before I watched it, but it clearly isn't. It's a subversive take on governmental totalitarianism, from the fresh-faced main characters being thrust in a horrific war they just weren't prepared for, the "news" being only a thin layer of fact spread over layers of propaganda, and the overarching power of the "Federation". feck, they even wore Nazi uniforms for Chrissakes.
I thought it was clever, gory and hilariously over-the-top in places. It's both a subtle parody of the science fiction genre and a commentary on a dystopian fascist future that looks increasingly prescient in this post-9/11 world. I loved it.
8/10
Would you like to know more?
I don't get the hate. I was warned this was a terrible, brainless action movie before I watched it, but it clearly isn't. It's a subversive take on governmental totalitarianism, from the fresh-faced main characters being thrust in a horrific war they just weren't prepared for, the "news" being only a thin layer of fact spread over layers of propaganda, and the overarching power of the "Federation". feck, they even wore Nazi uniforms for Chrissakes.
I thought it was clever, gory and hilariously over-the-top in places. It's both a subtle parody of the science fiction genre and a commentary on a dystopian fascist future that looks increasingly prescient in this post-9/11 world. I loved it.
8/10
Would you like to know more?
No, seen it, it is as brainless as they come. I got slight enjoyment out of the action scenes. Are you aware that the spawn of Gary Busey is in this?
Must have been by someone who actually was brainless. Stands up alongside Robocop as a subversive Verhoven classic.
Starship Troopers was quality.
Sympathy For Lady Vengeance - Liked it for all the same reasons I liked the other Vengeance films. 7.5/10
Joint Security Area - Great movie focusing on the North/South Korea divide and a group of 4 soldiers who overcome it to become friends. The final shot is one of my favourite endings to a film, has this feeling of poignancy that left me stunned for a few minutes. 8/10
The Cove - Well.. I can't say I left this movie with strong feelings about Dolphins. I mean yeah... they are intelligent and all.. and the way they are massacred is tragic, but I have never been able to emphasise with animals much, especially since I'm a self-proclaimed carnivore that would happily eat any meat on this Earth. Well made documentary though. 7.5/10
Joint Security Area - Great movie focusing on the North/South Korea divide and a group of 4 soldiers who overcome it to become friends. The final shot is one of my favourite endings to a film, has this feeling of poignancy that left me stunned for a few minutes. 8/10
The Cove - Well.. I can't say I left this movie with strong feelings about Dolphins. I mean yeah... they are intelligent and all.. and the way they are massacred is tragic, but I have never been able to emphasise with animals much, especially since I'm a self-proclaimed carnivore that would happily eat any meat on this Earth. Well made documentary though. 7.5/10
Expand on this please. I watched it at the weekend and was both intrigued and bored at the same time.
Yes, I left thinking you probably needed to be Jewish.
I'm not sure how much Jackie Brown spoke to the Jewish demographic.
Or any demographic for that matter. Dire film.
Or any demographic for that matter. Dire film.
Think Pete and Plech are talking about a serious man.
Jackie Brown was awful. I watched it at uni, and even the weed couldn't liven it up.
I don't think so.
The general message I took from it was 'shit happens'.
What was the quote at the start? 'Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you'.
The problem with the protaganist is that he was always looking for an explanation as to why things were happening to him rather than just accepting them and getting on with it.
A bit like what happens if you go searching for too much hidden meaning in the film. Nice little irony there from the brothers.
I agree with peterstorey. I have no idea about anything related to the Jewish culture, and although I did get the bottom line of the movie (whatever has to happen, will happens, don't dwell on it, take it on the chin, and move on), the story was a bit confusing.
They should stick to movies like No Country For Old Men, that was a proper troll-fest.
I agree with peterstorey. I have no idea about anything related to the Jewish culture, and although I did get the bottom line of the movie (whatever has to happen, will happens, don't dwell on it, take it on the chin, and move on), the story was a bit confusing.
They should stick to movies like No Country For Old Men, that was a proper troll-fest.
To be fair, I know a bit about Jewish culture and enjoy learning about different cultures, so I enjoyed it. And thanks to the Black Eye Peas I know what mazel tov means. But nah, I don't think you had to be Jewish at all to enjoy A Serious Man.
Must say, I imagine Plech being totally stoned at his Bar Mitzvah and all. . .
Mazel tov, everyone. Tonight. Hopefully.
After Hours
Early Scorsese film, it's a surreal dark comedy about a man who meets a girl in Soho and ends up having the worst night of his life as he tries to find a way home. Thought it had some funny scenes and I liked the quirky nature of it all.
7/10
Early Scorsese film, it's a surreal dark comedy about a man who meets a girl in Soho and ends up having the worst night of his life as he tries to find a way home. Thought it had some funny scenes and I liked the quirky nature of it all.
7/10