Film The Redcafe Movie review thread

Meh, Drive is my favourite film of last year (as pointed out)... probably my favourite film in years, thus it gets a 9.

The way I see ratings out of 10, I wouldn't personally give anything that I enjoyed below a 7... also, ratings for different films work differently, depending on the type of film/what they're trying to achieve.

It's all totally arbitary though, it's basically just picking a number and shoving it in.

Also, Source Code is bloody tremendous... deserves an 8.5 and more.
 
Well, yeah it is arbitrary but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some relativity based logic to the scale. I mean if Source Code is an 8.5 what the hell is a Schindler’s List, or Godfather? I actually enjoyed Source Code, and the fact that it chose to ignore all the obvious parts that didn’t make sense and bulldoze its way through one plot hole after another didn’t even bother me that much, because I knew it was just intended as a mindless popcorn flick. But for that reason alone it’s never an 8.5. I mean that’s just mental.
 
SmashedHombre said:
Well, yeah it is arbitrary but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some relativity based logic to the scale. I mean if Source Code is an 8.5 what the hell is a Schindler’s List, or Godfather? I actually enjoyed Source Code, and the fact that it chose to ignore all the obvious parts that didn’t make sense and bulldoze its way through one plot hole after another didn’t even bother me that much, because I knew it was just intended as a mindless popcorn flick. But for that reason alone it’s never an 8.5. I mean that’s just mental.
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But if I have to rank everything against The Godfather II, I'll barely ever give anything above a 5... because how can it compete with that peice of near perfect cinema? Surely it has to operate on some form of different scale, otherwise it will always suffer in comparison.

I don't really see the plot-holes in Source Code (I'm sure they're there though...), I just found it to be throughly entertaining, well acted, and have some decent theories/ideas contained within it. It's also quite a dark film when you think about it, which I appreciate it. I'm just ranking it as a modern day sci-fi film, in which case it's certainly up there as one of the best I've seen. I actually prefer it to Moon (and Moon is bloody fantastic). It's not even like I'm comparing it with Blade Runner... as in that case, it's obviously nowhere near as good... but ultimately, it's a very different kind of film, and besides, you're very unlikely to get Sci-Fi films like Blade Runner anymore (If that makes sense, probably doesn't).

Its like the Avengers, people are giving it 9's, 8's, 8.5's etc... but I don't think anyone is comparing it to the Godfather! The scale that's working on is as a Comic Book film, as a Summer Blockbuster, it's probably one of the best you're likely to see.
 
BAMSOLA said:
In fairness Tree Of Life will either leave you thinking Malik is either a piss artist, a genius of something in between the two. I think he is something inbetween the two. Both extremes are on show in Tree Of Life.
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I liked it though it didn't entirely work. It's hasn't really got any narrative which pisses some people off, but it's beautiful to look at.
 
You underrating Scott Pilgrim bro. Rest, not like you drastically overrating them(RT/Metacritic mean scores are similar), don't defend yourself, kids on here just a bit twitchy sometimes.
 
Annihilate Now! said:
But if I have to rank everything against The Godfather II, I'll barely ever give anything above a 5... because how can it compete with that peice of near perfect cinema? Surely it has to operate on some form of different scale, otherwise it will always suffer in comparison.

I don't really see the plot-holes in Source Code (I'm sure they're there though...), I just found it to be throughly entertaining, well acted, and have some decent theories/ideas contained within it. It's also quite a dark film when you think about it, which I appreciate it. I'm just ranking it as a modern day sci-fi film, in which case it's certainly up there as one of the best I've seen. I actually prefer it to Moon (and Moon is bloody fantastic). It's not even like I'm comparing it with Blade Runner... as in that case, it's obviously nowhere near as good... but ultimately, it's a very different kind of film, and besides, you're very unlikely to get Sci-Fi films like Blade Runner anymore (If that makes sense, probably doesn't).

Its like the Avengers, people are giving it 9's, 8's, 8.5's etc... but I don't think anyone is comparing it to the Godfather! The scale that's working on is as a Comic Book film, as a Summer Blockbuster, it's probably one of the best you're likely to see.
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This is why I don't rate films out of 10 anymore. I just state how enjoyable I found it.
 
peterstorey said:
I liked it though it didn't entirely work. It's hasn't really got any narrative which pisses some people off, but it's beautiful to look at.
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It definately a mixed bag. I really liked it and would give it at least a 7/10 but I can also see why it might not work at all for anybody else particularly the Sean Penn parts and possibly the dinosaur parts.

Its definately one of the most beautiful movies I've watched as you would expect from Malik.
 
The Divide

Was not expecting much from this only found it by accident , but it was a very good fil .
Set after a nuclear attack on New York a small group find shelter in a cellar.
The film shows nothing about why there was an attack and very little after.
The film was disturbing to watch at times.
Well worth watching.


7/10
 
John Carter Incoherent Rubbish. I'd have given it less but I enjoyed sleeping through parts of it. 1/10
 
Wibble said:
:eek:
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As I said, I'm sure they're there... but unless they're staring me in the face, I tend not to look for them when watching movies.

Still, if you care to point a few out I'll be all ears.

The Raid

It's bat-shit mental... a Hard Boiled with fists. If the sound of that appeals, then I urge you to go see it.
 
Annihilate Now! said:
Always loved that movie.

Watched a whole host of Blu-Rays of late...

Drive

My favourite film of 2011. I think I recall it not being all that popular on here(?), but I bloody love it.

This was also probably the best quality Blu-Ray from the four I watched. The visuals were more vibrant, and the audio really stood out.
9/10

Source Code

My second favourite film of 2011. Think the film manages a number of plot threads very well, and constantly keeps you interested in both the plight of the main character and the fate of the train and those it effects.

It does have it's cheesy/corny/cliche moments, but I can forgive those as it general remains fast paced throughout and constantly has me on the edge of my seat. Overall I'd say it's a throughly entertaining way to spend 90 minutes.
8.5/10

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

I remember being underwhelmed by this when I saw it at the cinema and came away thinking it was just okay, but a 2nd viewing has changed that view. I laughed quite a bit, never remember it being quite as funny the first time around, the performances are all fun and it never takes itself too seriously... which considering the plot-line, is the only way to approach such a film.
7/10

Super 8

Regret not seeing this in the cinema now... it's a very entertaining pop-corn flick with some impressive special fx (Even if they are slightly OTT at times). The film manages to make you care about the majority of the main characters, and does a good job of ramping up the intruige and tension as the movie progresses.

Also, it casts children that can actually act. What a novelty.
7.5/10
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Scott Pilgrim? 7?

That was one of the worst films I have seen recently.
 
Cold_Boy said:
Scott Pilgrim? 7?

That was one of the worst films I have seen recently.
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Yes, Scott Pilgrim, 7... and considering there are a lot of people like it a whole lot more then that, I don't think that's going over the top really. It's different, it's entertaining, made me laugh, and well directed by Edgar Wright, who does some decent stuff with it. It's a throw-away movie that kept me very entertained... thus a 7.

I swear to god, you put an arbitary ranking next to 4 films and everyone goes mental.
 
Annihilate Now! said:
I swear to god, you put an arbitary ranking next to 4 films and everyone goes mental.
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A little dramatic, don't you think? Would you prefer this was a discussion-free zone where people just posted up their arbitrary rankings and then left?

I don't really see what's the issue with giving a decent film a 5, never have. You give something 10/10 you're saying it's the perfect film, that seems pretty clear, so giving something a 9 means it's a nearly perfect film...it seems to completely devalue the rating when you're giving that to something like Drive.
 
Brwned said:
A little dramatic, don't you think? Would you prefer this was a discussion-free zone where people just posted up their arbitrary rankings and then left?

I don't really see what's the issue with giving a decent film a 5, never have. You give something 10/10 you're saying it's the perfect film, that seems pretty clear, so giving something a 9 means it's a nearly perfect film...it seems to completely devalue the rating when you're giving that to something like Drive.
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Glad nobody picked up on me giving The Samaritan/Fury a 9.5 then.

With respect though, when I rate a new/recent film the scale doesn't include classics like Godfather etc. More a score out of 10 compared to other films that have come out around the same time.
 
Everyone's rating scale is different, naturally. I personally rate films based on how much I enjoyed watching them. Find it utterly pointless trying to come up with a ratings scale that somehow manages to fairly compare something like Scott Pilgrim to the Godfather. How does one compare films of different eras and different genres?

We'd all be better off actually reading the comments rather than just focusing on the number.
 
I don't really know how that works. So 10/10 is simply the best movie you've seen in the last year or so, and then everything else is rated according to that?

As far as I'm concerned it has to be an exceptional movie to get a 9, there's not one movie from the last 10 years I'd give a 9 to (the closest is In The Mood For Love in 2000) and there are only 5 movies from the 00s that I'd give an 8 to. I'm notably harsher than most others and clearly we'll each have our own system for doing things and people have to accept that but at the same time I don't think that should mean we shouldn't discuss the ratings...that'd make the thread rather dull, for me. I just don't really see the issue with giving something a 6 and then saying 'not a great film by any stretch, but I really enjoyed it and it's well worth a watch'.

kps88 said:
I personally rate films based on how much I enjoyed watching them.
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Doesn't everyone?
 
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies - An alright, light hearted spy spoof romp. Dujardin played his part well but it felt like you had to be French to get some of the jokes.
 
R.Nilsson7 said:
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies - An alright, light hearted spy spoof romp. Dujardin played his part well but it felt like you had to be French to get some of the jokes.
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Definitely but Dujardin is fantastic...One of my favorite actors, long before The Artist, as well...Reminds me of the old vaudeville performers, very smooth & expressive

Brice de Nice is a favorite of mine
 
FCBarca said:
Definitely but Dujardin is fantastic...One of my favorite actors, long before The Artist, as well...Reminds me of the old vaudeville performers, very smooth & expressive

Brice de Nice is a favorite of mine
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He has that swashbuckling swagger about him. Wiki says that he and Cassel will star together in an upcoming film, sounds awesome.
 
Brwned said:
A little dramatic, don't you think? Would you prefer this was a discussion-free zone where people just posted up their arbitrary rankings and then left?

I don't really see what's the issue with giving a decent film a 5, never have. You give something 10/10 you're saying it's the perfect film, that seems pretty clear, so giving something a 9 means it's a nearly perfect film...it seems to completely devalue the rating when you're giving that to something like Drive.
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Perhaps it was a little dramatic... but several people have made reference to my seemingly outlandish ratings, despite the fact they're all in line with general critcal consensus for the films in question (apart from possibly Source Code, but I enjoy the shit out of that film).

Lots of people/critics gave Drive perfect scores... so, if its a film I really enjoyed and one that I feel is very well made, but I end up giving it a 7, I'm not sure whether that would convey how I rate the film accurately.

Having said all that, I see what you're saying... in a perfect world, perhaps a 5 would be a perfectly decent score... but in reality, I think the majority would view it as a below average score.
 
Just watched the Dardenne brothers' flick last night, Le Fils (the son). Like all of their other movies I've seen, absolutely brilliant. Sort of a christian allegoric story, shot in their simple style with loads of hand held camera work, great performances from child actors and no production frills. For such a simply made film, it's incredibly profound and moving. It's no wonder these guys have won two Palme d'ors in Cannes. Nice film to appreciate the art of carpintery as well. I think the lead actor also won best actor in Cannes for this film.

Nine out ten. Highly recommended, as are any of the Dardenne brothers' work. It's on Youtube with English subtitles.
 
Annihilate Now! said:
As I said, I'm sure they're there... but unless they're staring me in the face, I tend not to look for them when watching movies.
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There were loads although I have forgotten most of the things that annoyed me at the time. I seem to remember that there was a huge flaw in the logic of him being able to change the events at the end but the one that I remember was that he spent most of the film investigating people who were on the train after the bomber must have left. Duh.
 
FCBarca said:
That is awesome...Cassel is a DeNiro level actor, IMO
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I actually saw him in a Montreal night club about 5 years back. People only noticed until the very end. He was dancing on his own too for some time. Surreal :lol:
 
I've revisited a few Wong Kar-Wai films recently.

Happy Together - Much better than I remember it being. Exhilarating cinematography, the desolate cityscape of Buenos Aires really came alive in it.

Days of Being Wild - Now, enter sweaty apartments in rural Hong Kong and the Philippines. It was his second film and you could see signs, bits and pieces of all the movies he's done ever since. My biggest gripe with the film was that you couldn't really get into the mind of the characters, which is a shame considering the excellent cast and performances. Apart from that it holds up really well to his other films. Excellent film.

2046 - This was actually the first film of his I saw a few years back and I only watched it as I'd been led to believe it was a sci-fi film. I did like it when I first saw it but I wasn't really ready for a film like it then, was way too young and not well traversed enough in films. It did feel like a complete new film this time around since I didn't get the references from Days of Being Wild and In the Mood For Love the first time around. It's more than just a rehash of ItMfL, I think the sci-fi bits were decent but a bit clumsily done. You could notice that Tony Leung had gotten more into his character (fantastic performance) and the viewer could really into his mind as well. The soundtrack with mostly South American music, like in the two other films as well, was fantastic (Xavier Cugat - Perfidia :drool: )
 
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R.Nilsson7 said:
Roger Ebert trolling by putting The Tree of Life in his top 10

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2012/04/the_greatest_films_of_all_time.html

Aguirre, Wrath of God (Herzog)
Apocalypse Now (Coppola)
Citizen Kane (Welles)
La Dolce Vita (Fellini)
The General (Keaton)
Raging Bull (Scorsese)
2001: A Space Odyssey (Kubrick)
Tokyo Story (Ozu)
The Tree of Life (Malick)
Vertigo (Hitchcock)
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I've seen 5 of that list - Apocalypse, Citizen, Vita, 2001, Vertigo - and the only one with any entertainment value is the Coppola film. Vertigo is one of Hitchcock's worst. Someone should have taken 'Freud made Simple' away from him before he ever got to read it.
 
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