Agree with this review. Don't really get the hype. Away to watch Argo now.
Film The Redcafe Movie review thread
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran are here to talk about a frustrating 2 points dropped at Crystal Palace. They then discuss the regeneration of Old Trafford. Finally, Nik is joined by special guest Michael Statham from the Football Oranje podcast - who gives us a more in depth look at our EL opposition FC Twente, and then runs through the (many) Dutch connections currently at United.
Agree with this review. Don't really get the hype. Away to watch Argo now.
Liked this as well, but I thought it got too contrived and melodramatic with all the store fights schticks and the son and the dead pooch and whatnot. Thought the father's change of mind or forgiveness or whatever was poorly done. But a lot of great scenes and agree this Mads geezer was brilliant as the lead. Pretty frightening modern situation. One of the better endings I've ever seen, especially after it'd gotten all group-huggy.
Am a fan of Vinterberg, but the last two I saw of his I was a bit disappointed with (It's All About Lub and Dear Wendy), and this was better as a movie as a narrated whole, but still, some really poor, almost Hollywoodish moments. He might've reached his peak with the excellent The Celebration.
The Color Wheel - Alex Ross Perry (2011)
Really really good and creative black 'n white indie movie bruver and sister stuff mixed in with some not so good acting and dialogue at times. The incestuous kiss at the end was kinda hot, ha ha. Well worth the watch.
8 cocks up
Mysteries Of Lisbon:
I sat down to watch this at 21:30 last night, blissfully unaware that it was 4.5 hours long!
Apparently there's a 6 hour version in miniseries form too. Needless to say I was knackered by the end!
I found it very enjoyable with some beautifully shot scenes, although the first half was stronger than the second half. It's like of a bit of Dickens mixed with Dumas with a bit of soap opera thrown in for good measure.
Well worth a watch, but not for those who are short of time.
I sat down to watch this at 21:30 last night, blissfully unaware that it was 4.5 hours long!
Apparently there's a 6 hour version in miniseries form too. Needless to say I was knackered by the end!
I found it very enjoyable with some beautifully shot scenes, although the first half was stronger than the second half. It's like of a bit of Dickens mixed with Dumas with a bit of soap opera thrown in for good measure.
Well worth a watch, but not for those who are short of time.
From one over hyped film to another then....
yep - agree with this and a solid 7/10
would have liked a bit more contact with aliens - who were they? all we see is that big eye, the second clone at the end wasnt really needed either
Yeah, that ending was needless... and didn't make a whole deal of sense either (So second Tom Cruise just ambled round aimlessly for 3 years? How did he survive?! How did he know she was still alive? etc.)... it sort of felt like a ending they recorded later on and tacked on the end due to people not wanting a dead Tom Cruise (probably not the case, but thats what it felt like).
A fine film indeed.
Agree with you guys, I was pleasantly surprised with this film, I went in expecting it to be shit, but I really enjoyed it. It's not the most memorable film ever, but it's a decent watch, it's entertaining and the scenario is pretty good. As AN said, some of the shots are superb, and during the first half hour of the film I was regularly saying to myself "wow this is a good looking film". The parts on a devastated earth are well done, I also liked the look of "the tower", wouldn't mind living there!
Like you guys, I was a tad disappointed by the ending, the epilogue but also
the encounter with the Tet. I think the film could've ended 15 minutes earlier, at the moment where Tom Cruise puts Olga Kurylenko in the sleep cell and tells her 'to dream of us', I thought that could've been a perfect ending, more subtle. It left more to the imagination (you suppose they've been successful in their mission to the Tet and sacrificed themselves) and would've been a more poetic ending for me. The meeting with the Tet, "feck you Sally", the explosion, it was all very Hollywood, and my opinion of the film would've been even higher if it had taken a bit of a different turn.
But I'm nitpicking, it was a very decent watch, especially at the pictures on a huge screen.
Also saw I give it a year a brit rom-com about two people who get married too quickly and see their mariage confronted to many difficulties throughout the first year. It was okay, I enjoyed it for what it was and the parts with Stephen Merchant were hilarious. And Rose Byrne is fit (Anna Faris on the other hand looked rough in this one).
Finally went to see Side Effects, the latest Soderbergh film. I know quite a few people in this thread hate him, but I think this could be the film to reconcile them with the guy (it worked for my girlfriend who hates him and really enjoyed this one). It's a very, very good film, a tense noir picture where Soderbergh doesn't experiment at all, he's just serving the scenario with a tight, well controled direction. Rooney Mara is brilliant in her part, as is Jude Law. It's a very enthralling movie that I'd recommend if you like the genre, it kept me guessing for a long time. Really enjoyed it.
And the best part is you get to see Rooney Mara and Catherine Zeta Jones make out. 
The Numbers Station
A slightly better than average thriller starring the ever loveable John Cusack and super sexy Malin Akerman. The majority of the film is based in one location, which works well and gives a very claustraphobic effect, the film also has a slightly different approach to the government/hitmen story. Enjoyable but nothing special.
6/10
A slightly better than average thriller starring the ever loveable John Cusack and super sexy Malin Akerman. The majority of the film is based in one location, which works well and gives a very claustraphobic effect, the film also has a slightly different approach to the government/hitmen story. Enjoyable but nothing special.
6/10
Watched Gangster Squad last night. I'd heard it was a bit meh, but I really liked it. The plot was pretty run-of-the-mill, but the music and performances were great.
8/10
8/10
Tower Block Despite a reasonable British cast it was all rather silly and unbelievable from early on in the piece. Some of the acting was also a bit dodgy. The ending is even more stupid sadly. 3.5/10
just started watching Cliff's Summer Holidays and Young Ones.
never seen them before....
I know no excuse...
never seen them before....
I know no excuse...
Summer Holiday has been on loads and is fun and innocent.
Never seen The Young Ones on tv - did you actually buy it?
errr...no I did not buy it
but though I have been aware of these films...I have never seen them until now...
I noticed that Cliff and the Shadows have the Final reunion concerts out too....will watch them and review them here.
Got free tickets for a movie called Olympus Has Fallen.
This is a sub-par Schwarzenegger movie with no Schwarzenegger. Every cliché that exists was thrown in there. Nothing about it was original. A real 'Ummerica freedom' circle jerk movie. Plot holes galore.
I would have liked it had it had some charisma at least or not gone so much overboard with clichés (not the good clichés). It was well made in that it didn't look physically unrealistic but it could have done with some better writers. Blatantly ripping off Die Hard (not in a good way) was a bit much.
Gerard Butler is a good thing about the movie but only as far as Gerard Butler goes. Eckhart and Freeman could have been replaced with any actor and it wouldn't have mattered.
This is a sub-par Schwarzenegger movie with no Schwarzenegger. Every cliché that exists was thrown in there. Nothing about it was original. A real 'Ummerica freedom' circle jerk movie. Plot holes galore.
I would have liked it had it had some charisma at least or not gone so much overboard with clichés (not the good clichés). It was well made in that it didn't look physically unrealistic but it could have done with some better writers. Blatantly ripping off Die Hard (not in a good way) was a bit much.
Gerard Butler is a good thing about the movie but only as far as Gerard Butler goes. Eckhart and Freeman could have been replaced with any actor and it wouldn't have mattered.
The Place Beyond the Pines 7/10
I'm sold.
tl;dr
Timecrimes - Excellent Spanish Sci-Fi/Time travel film, that manages to remain interesting, exciting and unpredictable, even when you think you've got it all figured out. It's a very simple movie in terms of it's setting, acting (there are only 5 actors in the entire film) and execution, all of which work to its favour I would say... and at around 90 minutes, it never drags, and every scene is used effectively to further the plot.
Definitely worth a watch if you like your time travel...
Definitely worth a watch if you like your time travel...
Only got round to seeing Children of Men last night. Thought it was excellent. The action sequences were brilliant and the depiction of earth in the future is realistic and gritty. The story is also gripping and there are some interesting themes going on. Some flaws but they are minor. 8/10
Its a very good film all right. Just shows what you can do with sci fi without the need for huge CGI sequences and with a good script.
The same for Los Cronocrímenes (TimeCrimes).
The same for Los Cronocrímenes (TimeCrimes).
Gangster Squad
Not really sure what to make of this film. On the one hand, it was entertaining, some elements (such as the squad making stupid reckless decisions) were really funny and not how Hollywood would usually tackle things. It also had some likeable characters and a decent cast. On the other hand, it just seemed like a really expensively assembled 'Scary Movie' of gangster films. Some of the cast seemed a little mis-cast (Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone) and the film lacked the depth that I would have hoped for.
A special mention must go to Sean Penn as one of the worst performances I have seen in a good while. He was SO over-the-top that he made his character seem like a villain from the Adam West Batman programmes. It just didn't work and me and my girlfriend just kept laughing everytime he was on screen.
So, it is a decent film if you just want some violent entertainment but with such a great cast, the film should have been ten times better. 6/10
Not really sure what to make of this film. On the one hand, it was entertaining, some elements (such as the squad making stupid reckless decisions) were really funny and not how Hollywood would usually tackle things. It also had some likeable characters and a decent cast. On the other hand, it just seemed like a really expensively assembled 'Scary Movie' of gangster films. Some of the cast seemed a little mis-cast (Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone) and the film lacked the depth that I would have hoped for.
A special mention must go to Sean Penn as one of the worst performances I have seen in a good while. He was SO over-the-top that he made his character seem like a villain from the Adam West Batman programmes. It just didn't work and me and my girlfriend just kept laughing everytime he was on screen.
So, it is a decent film if you just want some violent entertainment but with such a great cast, the film should have been ten times better. 6/10
Argo-Turned it off half way through
Gummo - Was pleasantly suprised at this, thought it would be garbage but I actually enjoyed it, animal cruelty aside.
Pietà - Meh. Crude, heavy-handed and lots of violence just for the shock value. Definitely one of the lesser South Korean revenge films.
Argo feck yourself.
60/10, then?
I knew some smart ass would say that...
Just watched The Lincoln Lawyer. I liked it. Based on Michael Connelly's book. Interesting yet predictable twist at the beginning. Just took off from there. 6/10
The Fly 4/4
A classic. Cronenberg at his best.
A classic. Cronenberg at his best.
Have never been one to fawn over Haneke but I thought Amour was a really tender film. His brand of naturalism seemed the perfect fit for the subject. It's a beautifully balanced film, that is all the more respectful for avoiding a mawkishness, that you often see in films of this nature. I was very impressed by the writing and particularly the performances of the two central characters.
Saw Cloud Atlas yesterday. I knew going in it was going to be a peculiar film, but I don't think anyone can quite expect this, it's such a unique and ambitious film. It lasts 2h45, and I have to admit the first 45 minutes seemed longer than the final 2 hours. This is pretty natural, there are 6 different timelines to get started, and I feel they struggled a bit to get them all started, but once the narration gets going, the film flows much better. Overall, I liked it a lot and I'm sure it's a film with great re-watch value when you already know how it ends. The acting was overall very good, Hanks was great in all his parts, as was Ben Wishaw (especially in the 1930s timeline story I feel). Jim Broadbent was really great as well, and it was fun seeing Hugh Grant popping up here and there in so many different roles and costumes. The cinematography was very good looking with some stunning visuals (such as Neo Seoul), and I think the themes addressed were dealt with quite intelligently which made it an enjoyable film and a pretty moving and clever one at that.
I'd definitely recommend it and advise people to hold tight during the opening stages of the picture which may be the hardest to 'get through', it's a pretty rewarding film.
I'd definitely recommend it and advise people to hold tight during the opening stages of the picture which may be the hardest to 'get through', it's a pretty rewarding film.
Jack Reacher Since the hero of the piece in the books is so unlike Tom Cruise it is hardly surprising that fans of the books hated this film. The silly plot, strange slightly odd acting and constant dramatic music and even more dramatic looks even when no drama is ensuing should make this a total and utter disaster but in fact it comes out as just a bit rubbish. Worth a watch if short of things to watch as a midweek brainless filler. 5/10
I really enjoyed this movie but then I had read the book beforehand which helped immensely, fantastic story. The only letdown for me was the "Timothy Cavendish" story as the film didn't quite capture the comical aspect as good as in the book. I pissed myself reading of his exploits as he was wrongly held against his will in the old folk home whilst reading the book. Overall though the film was a fine adaptation considering the intricacies of merging six different but intertwining stories.
Evil Dead (2013)
Great remake / reimagining of a cult classic.
The tagline "The most terrifying film you will ever experience" is taking it a bit far - it's not really scary, just brutally gory and OTT - but very entertaining nonetheless. This time there is an actual reason for 5 people going to the cabin in the woods other than to "party down" and the same reason keeps them there despite all manner of evil shit going on, and it works.
The set pieces / self-mutilation scenes are true works of art, with hardly any CGI used - pretty much all practical, old school effects and tricks.
Acting is about as good as it's gonna get in a horror film. Jane Levy (Mia) is excellent and the supporting cast are OK.
It starts with a bang and a shock, slows down for a bit for character development and as soon as the demons are let loose, it doesn't let up until the very end - and the ending is f***ing superb.
Strangely, some of the people I watched it with said it lacked the humour of the original - however, in my opinion, any humour in the original film "The Evil Dead" (1981) was unintentional and derivative of the low budget / poor acting. It was actually supposed to be a balls-to-the-wall scary horror. The comedy element was made intentional in the second and third films, so I have no idea what they're whining about. There are plenty of one-liners and ridiculously OTT scenes to ease the tension, and it really doesn't take itself too seriously. And it has loads of nods and references the the original 3 films for fans to look out for.
It really is a fun watch, if you have a strong stomach. 8/10
Great remake / reimagining of a cult classic.
The tagline "The most terrifying film you will ever experience" is taking it a bit far - it's not really scary, just brutally gory and OTT - but very entertaining nonetheless. This time there is an actual reason for 5 people going to the cabin in the woods other than to "party down" and the same reason keeps them there despite all manner of evil shit going on, and it works.
The set pieces / self-mutilation scenes are true works of art, with hardly any CGI used - pretty much all practical, old school effects and tricks.
Acting is about as good as it's gonna get in a horror film. Jane Levy (Mia) is excellent and the supporting cast are OK.
It starts with a bang and a shock, slows down for a bit for character development and as soon as the demons are let loose, it doesn't let up until the very end - and the ending is f***ing superb.
Strangely, some of the people I watched it with said it lacked the humour of the original - however, in my opinion, any humour in the original film "The Evil Dead" (1981) was unintentional and derivative of the low budget / poor acting. It was actually supposed to be a balls-to-the-wall scary horror. The comedy element was made intentional in the second and third films, so I have no idea what they're whining about. There are plenty of one-liners and ridiculously OTT scenes to ease the tension, and it really doesn't take itself too seriously. And it has loads of nods and references the the original 3 films for fans to look out for.
It really is a fun watch, if you have a strong stomach. 8/10
Mama
Decent horror film, which I really liked, there was parts that scared the shit out of me and also parts that made me very sad.
The story has been done before, but it was well written.
The acting was good on the whole, apart from the 2 young girls, I thought they were excellent.
Best horror I have seen for a while.
7.5/10
Decent horror film, which I really liked, there was parts that scared the shit out of me and also parts that made me very sad.
The story has been done before, but it was well written.
The acting was good on the whole, apart from the 2 young girls, I thought they were excellent.
Best horror I have seen for a while.
7.5/10
Mummy 3 Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
OMG why am I watching this rubbish, I loved the first 2 films, that could of been because of Rachel Weisz, mind you even she could not of saved this film.
Its a Mummy film with no mummy in it, it is dreadful and stupid.
3/10
OMG why am I watching this rubbish, I loved the first 2 films, that could of been because of Rachel Weisz
, mind you even she could not of saved this film.Its a Mummy film with no mummy in it, it is dreadful and stupid.
3/10
Humpday - Lynn Shelton (2009)
Lo fi indie movie about two college buddies who get together again after years of not seeing each other and end up in a situation where they're determined on making the ultimate artistic porn movie; that being the two them, best friends, very heterosexual, and they're going to film a porn flick of themselves schlumping.
Makes for a brilliant comedy and social comment on friendship, marriage, art and sex in general. Really like Mark Duplass as an actor, especially in films that he and his brother don't direct.
8 1/2 cocks up
Lo fi indie movie about two college buddies who get together again after years of not seeing each other and end up in a situation where they're determined on making the ultimate artistic porn movie; that being the two them, best friends, very heterosexual, and they're going to film a porn flick of themselves schlumping.
Makes for a brilliant comedy and social comment on friendship, marriage, art and sex in general. Really like Mark Duplass as an actor, especially in films that he and his brother don't direct.
8 1/2 cocks up
Lone Star - A central mystery with lots of subplots and subtleties. Superbly written and directed.