Film The Redcafe Movie review thread

The Hundred Foot Journey - Possibly the most inoffesnive film to ever exist. Helen Mirren does a dodgy french accent, conflicts get resolved, everyone embraces each other and dreams come true... it's all very "nice"... and you'll probably have a pleasent enough time with it, but it won't exactly stir up anything stronger than that in you... well, apart from maybe some hunger.

The Million Dollar Arm - I'm a sucker for a Disney sports film based on a true story... thus, I rather enjoyed this. Some pretty likeable leads, some interesting locations, a decent story and Lake Bell being lovely... throw-in sport as a backstory and I'm sold. It doesn't reach the dizzying heights of Cool Runnings or Remember the Titans, but it can sit above Invincible and Glory Road... around the same level as Miracle.
 
I also watched Edge of Tomorrow last night. Decent popcorn sci-fi/action film. Rather silly at heart and in effect a sci-fi action reimagining of GroundHog Day without the comedy or romantic interest (just as well as Emily Blunt looked like she had sucked a lemon every time Cruise was near her - you got the feeling that she disliked Cruise quite a bit) or the Groundhog for that matter. In the end it is watchable but not much more. 6/10
 
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Edge of tomorrow

Why do I have the feeling this has all been done before? Which is a bit ironic seeing what this film was about. I guess the Mimics resembled the Matrix octopus robots a bit too much.
Also why didn't they just...
steal a plane straight away and skip the whole Normandy beach scene when they knew the location of the Omega?
Entertaining film though, which is the most important thing I guess. 7/10
 
George Owen said:
The Raid 2 (2014)

feck yeah! reminded me of the korean "new world"... some plot similarities, but the raid has its own style. Non stop action from beginning to end.

lay back and enjoy the ride.

7.5/10
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I'm impressed by that "new world", it's class in its own genre. The fights are brutal, and less stylish, but the story development is quite ace
 
For those of you slagging Lucy

I'm there to see Scarlet Johannson kick some ass, and some cleavage along the way, it's a good pop corn sci-fi. Geez some of you should get off your high horses and just enjoy movie as it is, reading through some of the reviews kinda make me think that all of you are Takashi Miike in disguise or something.

and FWIW Lucy is just an mindless cool chick action flick, let's not judge it by the standard of inception or Godfather
 
Archie Leach said:
It was boring and stupid and Scarlett Johansson was shit in it. She looked good, I'll give her that.
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What else do we expect?

I get it people come in expecting something to be good and turns out shit, but this movie is exactly what it should have been expected, mindless pop corn flick. You don't expect people to watch "Grand Budapest" and complains its lacking action, but why do people go and watch "Lucy" and claims it lacks story, character, etc.
 
Sky1981 said:
What else do we expect?

I get it people come in expecting something to be good and turns out shit, but this movie is exactly what it should have been expected, mindless pop corn flick. You don't expect people to watch "Grand Budapest" and complains its lacking action, but why do people go and watch "Lucy" and claims it lacks story, character, etc.
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Well that's why it been boring is such a bad thing.
 
Edge of Tomorrow - Tom Cruise tries desperately to complete Sonic the Hedgehog, except he only gets one life per turn, so every-time he dies he has to start from the beginning. 6/10.

Salinger - Worthwhile doco that tries to explain why he went and lived in the woods for 50 years instead of exploiting his fame and glory like he was supposed to do. 7/10
 
Sky1981 said:
For those of you slagging Lucy

I'm there to see Scarlet Johannson kick some ass, and some cleavage along the way, it's a good pop corn sci-fi. Geez some of you should get off your high horses and just enjoy movie as it is, reading through some of the reviews kinda make me think that all of you are Takashi Miike in disguise or something.

and FWIW Lucy is just an mindless cool chick action flick, let's not judge it by the standard of inception or Godfather
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I haven't seen Lucy but I was going to quote your thread and say "This" until I saw the bolded part. I bloody hate Inception and it annoys me when people go on about how profound and complicated that pile of shit is.
 
Sky1981 said:
For those of you slagging Lucy

I'm there to see Scarlet Johannson kick some ass, and some cleavage along the way, it's a good pop corn sci-fi. Geez some of you should get off your high horses and just enjoy movie as it is, reading through some of the reviews kinda make me think that all of you are Takashi Miike in disguise or something.

and FWIW Lucy is just an mindless cool chick action flick, let's not judge it by the standard of inception or Godfather
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Nah that's bollocks. How much ass did Scarlet Johannson actually kick? I think she had one (very quick) fight scene in the entire film. I imagine most people were judging this supposed action film by the action it contained - which was pretty much zero (again, there is very, very little action in this film) - thus it failed to deliver on one of the biggest aspects it was meant to deliver on.

On top of that, if a film is attempting to be as "clever" as Lucy is (and you can't claim it isn't - with it's ridiculous amount of dialogue and inter seeded shots of animals banging) then it is setting itself up to be ripped apart when it's ideas are stupid, poorly executed and don't make a lick of sense.

I would venture everyone railing on the film in this thread is comparing it to other action/summer blockbusters - and when you compare it against something like GotG or Edge of Tomorrow, it fails miserably.
 
BAMSOLA said:
The Rover: A David Michod directed (and scripted) movie. Well shot throughout and about as bleak and at times as nihilistic in many ways as Animal Kingdom this is a small budget movie that works primarily because of its two main leads. Pattinson is actually surprisingly good (I keep saying this with him so will probably have to learn to accept that he is just a good actor) but it is really Guy Pierce who is the outstanding presence in this film; delivering a brilliant and laconic performance filled with misanthropy, malevolence and pent up rage. The back-story based on an economic collapse only really forms the backdrop for the events of the movie. I guess some criticism can come from the fact that on the surface the movie doesn’t appear to be about much but I think that is a misunderstanding as there were quite a few themes that resonated with me. Not a masterpiece and nowhere near as accomplished as Animal Kingdom but an interesting, well scripted watch. It does have some issues with its final third but I actually liked the ending as I thought it fitted in well with some of the themes of the movie.

7/10
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I honestly struggled to watch this film. The first half just felt so tedious. Pierce was fantastic though.
Vato said:
Edge of tomorrow

Why do I have the feeling this has all been done before? Which is a bit ironic seeing what this film was about. I guess the Mimics resembled the Matrix octopus robots a bit too much.
Also why didn't they just...
steal a plane straight away and skip the whole Normandy beach scene when they knew the location of the Omega?
Entertaining film though, which is the most important thing I guess. 7/10
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They also..

Really should have just shot Tom Cruise after he plugged in the transponder thingy and learned the Omega's location. Why bother with the car chase and then the hassle of having to get all the way back to their military base? He remembers everything each time he is reincarnated. Plus it would have saved them a lot of time.

Really enjoyable film, Cruise put in a strong performance and Emily Blunt was stunning. Felt the ending was a bit of a let down though.
 
SmashedHombre said:
They also..

Really should have just shot Tom Cruise after he plugged in the transponder thingy and learned the Omega's location. Why bother with the car chase and then the hassle of having to get all the way back to their military base? He remembers everything each time he is reincarnated. Plus it would have saved them a lot of time.

Really enjoyable film, Cruise put in a strong performance and Emily Blunt was stunning. Felt the ending was a bit of a let down though.
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Good point, altough they crashed their car and were unconscious a few seconds after he stuck that thing in his leg, didn't they?
But yeah, agree that the ending was a let down, this film would have been better without the Hollywood happy ending imo.
 
I really enjoyed Edge of Tomorrow, and I don't particularly like Cruise or Blunt.

Sky1981 said:
For those of you slagging Lucy

I'm there to see Scarlet Johannson kick some ass, and some cleavage along the way, it's a good pop corn sci-fi. Geez some of you should get off your high horses and just enjoy movie as it is, reading through some of the reviews kinda make me think that all of you are Takashi Miike in disguise or something.

and FWIW Lucy is just an mindless cool chick action flick, let's not judge it by the standard of inception or Godfather
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Yeah, lets not have any standards at all. As long as there's flashing lights and tits, 8/10.
 
What was the actual ending of Edge of Tomorrow? Actually, wondering about only one thing....what was the...
...power surge? If it was 'death' of Omega, how did it happen in the past, when Cruise wakes in the helicopter?
 
Mrs Smoker said:
What was the actual ending of Edge of Tomorrow? Actually, wondering about only one thing....what was the...
...power surge? If it was 'death' of Omega, how did it happen in the past, when Cruise wakes in the helicopter?
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Hehe, very good point. Major plothole?
 
Mad Max (1979)
I remember seeing this as a kid but didn't remember much of it so thought I'd refresh my memory. Maybe I was tried or something but I really did not like it. It really seemed all over the place. I didn't care for any of the characters and the action sequences didn't blow me away even considering when it was made. There were some good scenes though and always good watching Mel Gibson kick some butt 4/10
 
Annihilate Now! said:
The Hundred Foot Journey - Possibly the most inoffesnive film to ever exist. Helen Mirren does a dodgy french accent, conflicts get resolved, everyone embraces each other and dreams come true... it's all very "nice"... and you'll probably have a pleasent enough time with it, but it won't exactly stir up anything stronger than that in you... well, apart from maybe some hunger.
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Watching this tomorrow. By all accounts it's a feel-good movie, happy endings and all that but I'm looking forward to it.
 
Mrs Smoker said:
What was the actual ending of Edge of Tomorrow? Actually, wondering about only one thing....what was the...
...power surge? If it was 'death' of Omega, how did it happen in the past, when Cruise wakes in the helicopter?
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I think...

The Omega is attempting to reset to the beginning of the day - so it can go again and avoid dying - but somewhere between going back in time, it actually does die, so when it comes back at the beginning of the day, it's still dead.

This affects Cruises timeline, because with the surge - Cruise wouldn't be forced off to camp, because the future is now different - so Cruise goes back to his next available wake-up point.

I think... that could be entirely wrong though.

Melvyn said:
Watching this tomorrow. By all accounts it's a feel-good movie, happy endings and all that but I'm looking forward to it.
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It's exactly that - and if you go in expecting as much I doubt you'll be disappointed.
 
Vato said:
Edge of tomorrow

Why do I have the feeling this has all been done before? Which is a bit ironic seeing what this film was about. I guess the Mimics resembled the Matrix octopus robots a bit too much.
Also why didn't they just...
steal a plane straight away and skip the whole Normandy beach scene when they knew the location of the Omega?
Entertaining film though, which is the most important thing I guess. 7/10
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Isn't that exactly what they did do? I thought once Cruise couldn't reset, he convinced everyone, they stole a plane and they got too it? Obviously haven't seen it since the cinema so I might be wrong.
 
They didn't do it when they thought it was in Germany.

Your theory could work, but not sure if I'd like it. It is also heavily implied that...
...Cruise resets the time when Omega's blood encompasses him.

Think they went for a happy ending and screwed something a bit there. I'd go without "power surge" speech, with Cruise agreeing to go as part of film crew as General requested, and for him to get to Blunt, smile as he does at the end, and says "darling, we're gonna need a nuke". Still a happy ending!

;)
 
The Guest - Enjoyed the shit out of this. It's not the most creative plot or story in the world, but the film does a good job of taking it times and letting things build to what becomes a fun ending. It's all built around a great lead performance from Dan Stevens (not a clue who he is) who strikes the balance between nice, menacing and bat-shit mental rather well... oh, and it's pretty funny in parts too.

Reminded me a lot of Drive actually - which may be a bad thing for some people, but gets a thumbs up from me.
 
Mrs Smoker said:
They didn't do it when they thought it was in Germany.

Your theory could work, but not sure if I'd like it. It is also heavily implied that...
...Cruise resets the time when Omega's blood encompasses him.

Think they went for a happy ending and screwed something a bit there. I'd go without "power surge" speech, with Cruise agreeing to go as part of film crew as General requested, and for him to get to Blunt, smile as he does at the end, and says "darling, we're gonna need a nuke". Still a happy ending!

;)
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The only bit I'm confused by is the "film crew" bit you mentioned. Where did that go? Why did the General force him into the army without them? Wasn't that the whole point of getting him on board in the first place? That bit was just hand waved it seemed.
 
Guess they were killed along with soldiers on the beach. And General is a bit of a psychopath to send Cage into army. Ok, you were blackmailed, but surely, court-martial is more of a sane approach, and not the almost certain death -- even if you imagined there wouldn't be as huge of a resistance on the beach.

Another puzzle is that Cage supposedly got millions of people into army, yet noone really recognizes him at Heathrow.
 
Mrs Smoker said:
Guess they were killed along with soldiers on the beach. And General is a bit of a psychopath to send Cage into army. Ok, you were blackmailed, but surely, court-martial is more of a sane approach, and not the almost certain death -- even if you imagined there wouldn't be as huge of a resistance on the beach.

Another puzzle is that Cage supposedly got millions of people into army, yet noone really recognizes him at Heathrow.
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Tbf that's probably because when the general tasered Cage, he then went and cunningly disguised him as Tom Cruise.
 
But wasn't the whole point of getting Cruise involved that he was a master Fox News style spinner? That's why they wanted him. What use was he as an inexperienced shit soldier? Shit soldiers in war just hold everyone up! In the end it just seemed like a sadistic punishment for being a pussy more than anything.

It's an early plot point that you just completely forget in the whole enjoyable shebang of stuff. Especially considering the whole beginning bit establishes he's the media face of the whole thing

Though it says a lot for the film that I've only just realised that now. Usually I'd be all over that bullshit.
 
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Edge of tomorrow..
That's one thing I didn't get. How did he make it out alive ? O know when his blood mixed with the omega's time would rewind but I thought he'd die in the process. How was he alive in the end ?
 
He died the first time as well, when he got the Alpha's blood. This time death happened 'earlier' than on beach, and the time was reset to previous sleep point (if those are the rules), on heli. After that, I've no idea -- "power surge" shouldn't have happened then I think, and Cage still should have the ability to reset.

That would be an interesting life in peaceful times.
 
Mockney said:
But wasn't the whole point of getting Cruise involved that he was a master Fox News style spinner? That's why they wanted him. What use was he as an inexperienced shit soldier? Shit soldiers in war just hold everyone up! In the end it just seemed like a sadistic punishment for being a pussy more than anything.

It's an early plot point that you just completely forget in the whole enjoyable shebang of stuff. Especially considering the whole beginning bit establishes he's the media face of the whole thing

Though it says a lot for the film that I've only just realised that now. Usually I'd be all over that bullshit.
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I think they were just throwing everyone into the grinder tbh. One last throw of the dice, with the military slowing the enemy's advance by hurling bodies in their path. Plus I get the impression the general just didn't like him. An officer who persuades others to die for the cause, whilst sitting cushy in his office. Maybe the general just wanted rid.
 
Yeah it's sort of handwaved by Gleeson being a prick. Like I say though, I didn't really notice it. That's the difference between decent "just turn you brain off" action films and shit "just turn your brain off" action films. Decent films earn their plotholes and little nonsensicle shite. You forgive it if it does enough else right.
 
The Guest
Went to the cinema with the missus as she wanted to see Lucy but on the way there, I persuaded her to see this instead and it was a great shout!

Film about a family that have lost their son in the war and a guy from his unit comes to stay with the family for a few nights. He seems really nice but clearly there is more to him than meets the eye. Loved the film, took me back to the 80's with it's style, soundtrack and plot-points. It is really funny/dark and also a slow burner/action packed film. Love how the film switches style on the fly as much as it's lead character who puts in one hell of a performance as do all the supporting cast.

The mystery in the film really keeps you hooked and the comedy and action make sure the pace is not too slow. The final act didn't quite match it's first two acts but that's more of a compliment to the first hour rather than a diss on the final 30 minutes if you know what I mean. Some plot holes and stuff of course but you can easily look past these as there is so much to enjoy.

Adam Wingard has now put out two decent films and I think he may be a director to keep on the watch-list 8/10
 
Mockney said:
I really enjoyed Edge of Tomorrow, and I don't particularly like Cruise or Blunt.



Yeah, lets not have any standards at all. As long as there's flashing lights and tits, 8/10.
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It's like watching championship football and called it boring, because they're not as attractive as Champion League.

But hey, as long as there's football and goals
 
Managed to watch a lot of films lately for the first time in a while, so been catching up on stuff I've missed. Quickly, agree with the consensus on Edge of Tomorrow, the new Captain America was as boring as all the other recent superhero films, and 300 was hilariously bad in a fun way (Sullivan Stapleton was so uncharismatic I couldn't picture him about ten minutes after the film was over. Eva Green's tits). Of the more interesting side of the scale;

Once Upon A Time in Anatolia - Enjoyed a lot, very gripping. Was essentially a procedural film, but without much of a focus on the crime. The first hour and a half looked gorgeous, I thought it dipped a bit when we got to morning and the film only focused on the Doctor (his last couple of scenes with the Prosecutor were still excellent) but it was great overall. Want to re-watch in a couple of years.

Upstream Color - Couldn't get into it, and it didn't make me want to.

The Conversation - Just as well made as Coppola's other 70s films, and Hackman's performance is perfect. Loved the soundtrack too.

Chungking Express - :) Bought(!) this ages ago after it came so highly recommended (including from people on here). Absolutely loved it, such a fun and joyful experience to watch. The two main songs from the film haven't left my head for the last week, and I know I've got to go through the rest of Wong Kar-Wai's films next. Only complaint is that the first section/story was nowhere near as strong as the second.
 
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