19.
Film The Redcafe Movie review thread
- Thread starter golden_blunder
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The Drop - 7.5/10 - Solidly enjoyable and well acted by a good cast. It didn't just turn into an action shoot-out like so many of these films do. Good watch. Really good low-key, hidden depths performance from Tom Hardy.
Circle - 6/10 - Enjoyable movie all set in one room. Bit of a Psychological thriller type where they all wake up in a circular game show type room and someone is bumped off every 2 minutes. The characters spend their time bickering, deciding who should be 'voted off' next and trying to figure out why it is happening.
Unfriended - 6/10 - Social media Horror viewed through the perspective of one character's laptop screen. Gets going pretty quickly and is a relatively interesting concept. The fact that the characters are all teens befits the theme rather than annoy the viewer on this occasion. At only 80 or so minutes it doesn't outstay it's welcome and trundles along quite well!
Circle - 6/10 - Enjoyable movie all set in one room. Bit of a Psychological thriller type where they all wake up in a circular game show type room and someone is bumped off every 2 minutes. The characters spend their time bickering, deciding who should be 'voted off' next and trying to figure out why it is happening.
Unfriended - 6/10 - Social media Horror viewed through the perspective of one character's laptop screen. Gets going pretty quickly and is a relatively interesting concept. The fact that the characters are all teens befits the theme rather than annoy the viewer on this occasion. At only 80 or so minutes it doesn't outstay it's welcome and trundles along quite well!
Triple 9
From the initial trailer, I was expecting big things and balls to the wall bat shit crazy film but instead it was your typical heist movie. Had a great cast but way too many characters and not enough screen time to develop any of them. The second half of the film is a mess and Kate Winslet was a caricature Russian mobstress. The first half was still entertaining and overall a decent film, just not on the level the trailer made it out to be and probably worth waiting to see this on VOD or bluray as opposed to seeing it in the cinema 7/10
The Forest
A woman goes into Aokigahara, a Japanese forest where people go to commit suicide. She goes there because that's the last known location of her twin sister. I read about this forest a long time ago and always hoped someone would make a film about it. But this wasn't the film I was hoping for. It was your generic horror film with all the tropes. This was evident from the trailer (which also shows you the bloody ending), and the film just focuses on cheap jump scares you can see a mile off instead of actually trying to build up any tension at all. The lead character was annoying as a shit that just doesn't want to come out. Wasted opportunity 5/10
Burnt
Bradley Cooper is a disgraced chef that rounds up his old employees/colleagues to start a new restaurant and try get the third michelin star that has eluded him his entire career. Why did I watch this? They go into so much drama and try to make the narrative seem like life and death all over a soufflé. Bradley Cooper and Daniel Bruhl's performances elevate this above a straight to TV film but unless you love fine dining and the processes behind it, then avoid this film. Boring film 4.5/10
From the initial trailer, I was expecting big things and balls to the wall bat shit crazy film but instead it was your typical heist movie. Had a great cast but way too many characters and not enough screen time to develop any of them. The second half of the film is a mess and Kate Winslet was a caricature Russian mobstress. The first half was still entertaining and overall a decent film, just not on the level the trailer made it out to be and probably worth waiting to see this on VOD or bluray as opposed to seeing it in the cinema 7/10
The Forest
A woman goes into Aokigahara, a Japanese forest where people go to commit suicide. She goes there because that's the last known location of her twin sister. I read about this forest a long time ago and always hoped someone would make a film about it. But this wasn't the film I was hoping for. It was your generic horror film with all the tropes. This was evident from the trailer (which also shows you the bloody ending), and the film just focuses on cheap jump scares you can see a mile off instead of actually trying to build up any tension at all. The lead character was annoying as a shit that just doesn't want to come out. Wasted opportunity 5/10
Burnt
Bradley Cooper is a disgraced chef that rounds up his old employees/colleagues to start a new restaurant and try get the third michelin star that has eluded him his entire career. Why did I watch this? They go into so much drama and try to make the narrative seem like life and death all over a soufflé. Bradley Cooper and Daniel Bruhl's performances elevate this above a straight to TV film but unless you love fine dining and the processes behind it, then avoid this film. Boring film 4.5/10
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Agreed on Triple 9. I expected a hard hitting, real crime drama and got a Hollywood style mish mash of a movie. I felt that at any moment Denzel Washington or Liam Neeson would jump out and start snapping necks.
Listen To Me, Marlon - Steve Riley (2015)
Documentary on Marlon Brando compiled of private audio tapes he made in different scenarios of his life. A very creative documentary with a moving cinematography and edition. It never pretty got very deep into any one circumstance of his life, rather leaving you with a poetic, more difficult to define feeling for the man and his life, art and circumstance. I much preferred that, though I really wanted to see more on the making of Last Tango in Paris, what I consider by far his most compelling piece of art. Biggest criticism would be the audio was so difficult sometimes due to Brando´s own idiosyncratic voice and often poor recording. Felt like I missed some essential dialogue. Fantastic watch though.
9 cocks up
Documentary on Marlon Brando compiled of private audio tapes he made in different scenarios of his life. A very creative documentary with a moving cinematography and edition. It never pretty got very deep into any one circumstance of his life, rather leaving you with a poetic, more difficult to define feeling for the man and his life, art and circumstance. I much preferred that, though I really wanted to see more on the making of Last Tango in Paris, what I consider by far his most compelling piece of art. Biggest criticism would be the audio was so difficult sometimes due to Brando´s own idiosyncratic voice and often poor recording. Felt like I missed some essential dialogue. Fantastic watch though.
9 cocks up
Yeah really want to see that. Sounds like it'd be a good companion piece to Montage of Heck.
Get. Out.
Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniacs. Hilarious, banal, profound metaphysical bollocks. A fvcking masterpiece. A thrill to be reminded of what a good film looks like.
Interesting take on The Revenant. I really dislike history being rewritten in this way:
From the Comments section:
What lies beneath The Revenant:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/22/the-revenant-oscar-nominated-film-america
From the Comments section:
What lies beneath The Revenant:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/22/the-revenant-oscar-nominated-film-america
That comment is crap. Whinging about the weather and costuming is beside the point in a film like The Revenant. And the French were shown to be on better terms with the Indigenous populations.
And I'm no fan of Inarittu or The Revenant.
And I'm no fan of Inarittu or The Revenant.
Doesn't it make you cringe a bit, though, that the movie version of Hugh Glass not only marries a Native woman, has a child by her, and also takes to her people's language and spirituality? I mean, that's pretty desperate, transparently obvious stuff on the film-maker's part and a whitewash (in general terms at least).
Oh yeah but that's the kind of exploitative, manipulative bullshit Inarittu pulls in all his films as substitute for substance.
I didn't read the article btw because I can't open it at work, I was referring solely to the comment you quoted.
Furthermore Dicaprio can be seen lecturing his son on his cultural heritage and what it means to be a savage. Hollywood hero, again more native than the natives. Dances with wolves, Avatar, The Last Samurai, Temple of Doom... Claims of the film's culturally reparative efforts have been greatly overstated - by white critics mainly.
The Assassin is a very elegant film with some wonderful moments. The stunning interior sets glow beautifully, and the brief action is well choreographed and purposeful. But being ponderous doesn't necessarily give you more integrity than King Hu or Chang Cheh chopsocky and I wonder if the story is little more than an episode of Neighbours in Wuxia clothes, dragged out over 100 minutes.
I don't get that vibe from DiCaprio, he's just banging a hot native chick, had a son that gives him trouble more than anything (considering his son's skin color), shot an officer that tries to rape his wife (iirc), it's not like he's volunteering to aid them out of heroism. I also don't see him as any sort of hero, just a protagonist who happens to be in trouble.
Apart from the French who's depicted as cnuts I thought the movie portrays everyone in grey area. The natives aren't all bad but some of them are savages for skinning Hardy alive, besides they have their reason for saving that chick. The furtrappers are only interested about money making, and apart from the special relationship between glass and the captain I don't see any other political reasoning.
The thing I find interesting is that if I put myself in any of the party's position I would have done the same (apart from the french off course, which is painted as the super bad guy without morality compass).
But probably that's just me.
That comment is dumb. The weather was still freezing cold even if it was spring time. Its quite clear that the wether is below freezing where they are shooting. Saying it isn't cold enough is dumb. As is the comment about him not being able to survive a bear mauling. Considering the real Hugh Glass survived a similar mauling in likely similar conditions, it kind of shits on that argument. As has been said above too, the French were shown to have better relations, considering the natives were trading with them and attacking the English.
Don't be upset mate
It is meant to be silly. It is inspired by serials from the 40s and 50s (or was it earlier?) that used to be shown every week at the cinema before the main feature. Each week finished with a cliffhanger where the hero was surely dead but of course he survived at the beginning of the following week, often by huge changes of plot and logic.
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Tbf to him though, he is laying the foundations.
The film didn't paint genocide of native peoples as heroic at all.
All the white characters (except Dicaprio) were portrayed as greedy, stupid, weak, treacherous or barbaric.
I think somebody is letting their own white guilt cloud their judgement.
I'm most concerned with the main character - the one the audience is supposed to identify with.
I don't know much about the original story, but Hollywood has been rewriting history for years.
According to wikipedia: He was attacked by a bear and he did live with native americans for several years and marry a pawnee woman, so it's not much of a stretch to assume he spoke their language etc. The son was probably added for a bit of emotional drama to keep the audience a bit more invested.
Not really sure what the issue is myself, although it's the current fashion to take offence at everything so meh.
The issue should be obvious, Bill - if, for instance, German cinema was constantly producing films showing us the 'one good Nazi', then we'd understandably be pissed off and cynical about it.
This particular film showed a white man who lived with indians and spoke their language. It was based on a white man who lived with indians and presumably could have spoken their language.
I fail to see the argument. In other films over the years, there have been far worse historical rewrites.
*throws draft script into bin*
Bill said:
Granted, but one would be forgiven for thinking that the 'one good Nazi' was the historical rule and not the exception. It's surely not just me who's tired of this.
I agree with that - but Hollywood is there to fictionalise and paint the picture they want people to see. It's not that surprising.
I see, that makes sense. Anyway it was a good film and I enjoyed it, just didn't think there was anything particularly great about it.
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Granted, but one would be forgiven for thinking that the 'one good Nazi' was the historical rule and not the exception. It's surely not just me who's tired of this.
It is a bit crap, but I got over it years ago to be honest. They find a true story that's good enough for a film, decide it's not good enough for a film and rewrite it until it is. The one that used to annoy me was how the Americans single handedly won WW2 whilst the rest of the allies were running around being incompetent. I find it amusing now though, and usually say "Murica, feck yeah!" when they're being all brave and stuff.
I just don't think the Revenant was that bad. The supposed issue about Hugh Glass and his relationship with the natives wasn't fictional, so no harm done as far as I'm concerned.
Don't forget how old it is. At the time, it was unlike anything else really. Over the years since raiders we've been saturated with action/adventure films and it'll be nothing you haven't really seen before.
It's dated, but it still has a certain charm that I often find lacking in many modern action/adventure films.
I was too bored to get irritated by the "white man treats natives nicely for a change" bit. It looked great but the whole thing was a bit of a yawn. I think the cgi bear should get the Oscar.
Carol - It was exquisite and everything but it kinda lacked a bit of spark for me, still very good though.
The Last Crusade is the only one who really holds up today.
Raiders is odd by modern standards because Indy doesn't actually do anything in it. He basically just follows the Nazis around, periodically getting captured, but never actually stopping them (he helps them if anything) and since the scene where he learns not to look at the ark was cut out, even his miraculous survival seems plucked out of nowhere for convenience.
The same is true of Last Crusade, tbf. Temple of Doom is the only one where Indiana Jones can justifiably be called the hero of the story.
The same is true of Last Crusade, tbf. Temple of Doom is the only one where Indiana Jones can justifiably be called the hero of the story.
Primer (2004) - Intelligent, independent and well made movie about time travelling. Might need a couple of watches to fully grasp it. 7/10
Cube (1997) - Mystery, Sci-Fi movie about individuals trapped in a structure. Very entertaining, original for it's time. Holds up well against similar movies. 7.5/10
Unknown (2006) - Five men, wake up in a warehouse not knowing how they got there and why they are there. Good movie. 6.5/10
Circle (2015) - Strangers trapped in a place, have to interact with each other in order to find an answer to getting out. Mediocre in my eyes. 5/10
Exam (2009) - Six people go to a job interview, for a position that they know almost nothing about. Very well thought out movie, making use of minds. 7/10
Unfriended (2014) - Social media based horror movie. Nothing great but original idea. 5/10
Deadpool (2016) - Exciting, humorous and fun. Very good movie for its gene. 8.5/10
The Collector (2009) - Intense, gory and different. I liked it. Might not be for the faint-hearted though. 7/10
Regression (2015) - Tries too hard to be suspense/thriller/horror. Not very good at doing so. 4/10
Bone Tomahawk (2015) - Very gruesome, very violent and I liked it a lot. Brace yourselves if you are going to watch this one. 8/10
Cube (1997) - Mystery, Sci-Fi movie about individuals trapped in a structure. Very entertaining, original for it's time. Holds up well against similar movies. 7.5/10
Unknown (2006) - Five men, wake up in a warehouse not knowing how they got there and why they are there. Good movie. 6.5/10
Circle (2015) - Strangers trapped in a place, have to interact with each other in order to find an answer to getting out. Mediocre in my eyes. 5/10
Exam (2009) - Six people go to a job interview, for a position that they know almost nothing about. Very well thought out movie, making use of minds. 7/10
Unfriended (2014) - Social media based horror movie. Nothing great but original idea. 5/10
Deadpool (2016) - Exciting, humorous and fun. Very good movie for its gene. 8.5/10
The Collector (2009) - Intense, gory and different. I liked it. Might not be for the faint-hearted though. 7/10
Regression (2015) - Tries too hard to be suspense/thriller/horror. Not very good at doing so. 4/10
Bone Tomahawk (2015) - Very gruesome, very violent and I liked it a lot. Brace yourselves if you are going to watch this one. 8/10
Yeah my reaction too. Will Absolute thinks it's because I'm not a lesbian.
I agree with that. It's like my belief that you can't have your views on football taken seriously unless you play the sport decently at any level.