Cool, I was going to watch Happy Together next but in that case I'll go with Fallen Angels.
With ITMFL I knew straight away that I adored it whereas I definitely think I'll have to rewatch CE at some point to make my mind up about the first part.
Film The Redcafe Movie review thread
- Thread starter golden_blunder
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Cool, I was going to watch Happy Together next but in that case I'll go with Fallen Angels.
With ITMFL I knew straight away that I adored it whereas I definitely think I'll have to rewatch CE at some point to make my mind up about the first part.
I'm probably in the minority, but I always preferred the first story in Chungking Express. Always found the guy lamenting the nature of expiry dates and hitting on mysterious women in bars more relatable than the handsome guy getting stalked by Faye Wong.
I also prefer Days of Being Wild to INTMFL, no doubt in the minority there again.
I also prefer Days of Being Wild to INTMFL, no doubt in the minority there again.
The Square. Damn that's a good film. A ruthless satire on European cultured liberalism that mercilessly mocks the ideological grandstanding, the hypocrisy and above all the corrosive societal neglect. It's the funniest film I've seen in years, genuinely laugh out loud hilarious. Scenes range from absurd Roy Andersson-style set pieces, to subtler observations about the enlightened class and their hubristic virtuousness. The slap-stick comedy of the tourette sufferer heckling the artist's interview was the perfect mix of low brow crudity and high brow insight, exposing the conditions applied to social acceptance and understanding, and revealing the superficial, begrudged offering it so often is.
The big performance scene towards the end is incredible, it felt like really daring and dangerous cinema. The scene of the year so far.
It might be a masterpiece. The one niggle I have though is that Ostlund, his films, his audience, Cannes, his award acceptance, etc. are all part of the same system he lambasts. Sure you can play the cynic whilst also participating in that which you seek to tear down but I think this does have a slight blunting effect. So whilst the film frequently cuts to the bone, it never severs the head in the same way that someone like Bunuel could.
The big performance scene towards the end is incredible, it felt like really daring and dangerous cinema. The scene of the year so far.
It might be a masterpiece. The one niggle I have though is that Ostlund, his films, his audience, Cannes, his award acceptance, etc. are all part of the same system he lambasts. Sure you can play the cynic whilst also participating in that which you seek to tear down but I think this does have a slight blunting effect. So whilst the film frequently cuts to the bone, it never severs the head in the same way that someone like Bunuel could.
Yeah, he's enjoyed this Oscar nomination a little too much for me, actually he's had an aura of smugness about him ever since Cannes. He seemed like a pretty humble guy a few years ago, hopefully it'll taper off soon.
The guy lamenting the nature of expiry dates and hitting on mysterious women I was fine with. It was said mysterious woman executing people as part of her involvement in the drug smuggling underworld that possibly seemed more outlandish.
I might like the first part more on rewatch though now I know the sort of film it isn't going to turn into.
Darkest Hour - it's alright, I suppose
It wasn't the strongest element of the film but I thought it contained some nice guerrilla filmmaking in the Chungking Jungle.
The Lodgers
1920, rural Ireland. Anglo Irish twins Rachel and Edward share a strange existence in their crumbling family estate. Each night, the property becomes the domain of a sinister presence. REALLY well shot and has super high production values but when you look beneath the surface, it’s a slog of a movie. A horror drama without depth or scares… just boredom. Avoid 2/10
Murder On The Orient Express
A bit biased here as I love murder mysteries, really enjoyed it for the most part. Shot really well, good set design and acting, generally just a pleasant film but my main issue with it was that I guessed the conclusion quite early, which was alarming considering it’s a film that relies on the guess-who nature of a murder mystery 7.5/10
Pontypool
A radio host interprets the possible outbreak of a deadly virus which infects the small Ontario town he is stationed in. A unique and intriguing take on the tiresome zombie genre, this movie does well with a clearly limited budget. However, it does feel tiresome at parts and the ending is a little silly. I still would prefer films like this that try something different as opposed to junk like The Walking Dead 6/10
Coco
Took a while to get into the film but once I got hooked it was an enthralling ride. There are many funny/sad/emotive/action packed moments that you would expect from Pixar but my main concern was that it was a film about the beauty of music but the songs didn’t really do it for me. Still, a very enjoyable film and another hit for Pixar 7/10
Ritual (aka Modus Anomali)
A man must save his two children when they disappear during a holiday in the woods. Not to be mistaken with the recent British horror flick with the same name, this Indonesian movie was very frustrating. The budget was probably super low so I’ll cut it some slack but every scene and even every shot just lingered too much, seemed as if it was to fill in the run time. The actual story was ok and the twist was silly but unexpected. Very violent in places too. Decent watch but not amazing 4.5/10
1920, rural Ireland. Anglo Irish twins Rachel and Edward share a strange existence in their crumbling family estate. Each night, the property becomes the domain of a sinister presence. REALLY well shot and has super high production values but when you look beneath the surface, it’s a slog of a movie. A horror drama without depth or scares… just boredom. Avoid 2/10
Murder On The Orient Express
A bit biased here as I love murder mysteries, really enjoyed it for the most part. Shot really well, good set design and acting, generally just a pleasant film but my main issue with it was that I guessed the conclusion quite early, which was alarming considering it’s a film that relies on the guess-who nature of a murder mystery 7.5/10
Pontypool
A radio host interprets the possible outbreak of a deadly virus which infects the small Ontario town he is stationed in. A unique and intriguing take on the tiresome zombie genre, this movie does well with a clearly limited budget. However, it does feel tiresome at parts and the ending is a little silly. I still would prefer films like this that try something different as opposed to junk like The Walking Dead 6/10
Coco
Took a while to get into the film but once I got hooked it was an enthralling ride. There are many funny/sad/emotive/action packed moments that you would expect from Pixar but my main concern was that it was a film about the beauty of music but the songs didn’t really do it for me. Still, a very enjoyable film and another hit for Pixar 7/10
Ritual (aka Modus Anomali)
A man must save his two children when they disappear during a holiday in the woods. Not to be mistaken with the recent British horror flick with the same name, this Indonesian movie was very frustrating. The budget was probably super low so I’ll cut it some slack but every scene and even every shot just lingered too much, seemed as if it was to fill in the run time. The actual story was ok and the twist was silly but unexpected. Very violent in places too. Decent watch but not amazing 4.5/10
Pontypool is a little gem of a film, quite unique. Surprised you didnt enjoy it more Schweini!
I, Tonya - Not a 'great film' but entertaining enough & a good watch particularly considering some of the content & general theme of the story, which is not really a happy one. It ought to be quite a miserable film but I didn't think it was. I'd go 5.8 if we're doing scores.
And worth seeing for the Allison Janney performance as T's mum.
And worth seeing for the Allison Janney performance as T's mum.
I did enjoy it but I just wished the 'talking' thing was explored more.
Havenhurst (aka Resurrection of Evil on Netflix)
A troubled young woman takes up residence in a gothic apartment building where she must confront a terrifying evil. Slow, plodding, full of genre tropes, not scary at all, waste of time 2/10
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
I really wanted this to be good. But it's so bad. Bad acting, bad casting, bad dialogue, bad script. Some of the visuals are nice, though and it's nice to have a futuristic Sci-Fi that isn't Star Wars. Unfortunately this attempt wasn't worth the 130 minutes and I would say don't bother.
I really wanted this to be good. But it's so bad. Bad acting, bad casting, bad dialogue, bad script. Some of the visuals are nice, though and it's nice to have a futuristic Sci-Fi that isn't Star Wars. Unfortunately this attempt wasn't worth the 130 minutes and I would say don't bother.
This was a decent 6 or 6.5/10 watch for you horror/thriller chaps:
The Secret of Marrowbone
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5886440/
Nothing new on offer - just a decently paced story with likeable characters that is probably let down a bit by the final sequence.
The Secret of Marrowbone
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5886440/
Nothing new on offer - just a decently paced story with likeable characters that is probably let down a bit by the final sequence.
I'm intrigued to watch the orient express but after seeing suchets poirot no other man can replace him, and branagh is never in a million year a hercule poirot.
I can't seem to find a copy of this that isn't 4:3. I've been looking for this film for a while...
Going on the list.
The Big Lebowski at 20: The enduring legacy of the Coen brothers' zonked-out cult classic
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-...oen-brothers-big-lebowski-is-20-a8241731.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-...oen-brothers-big-lebowski-is-20-a8241731.html
Jumanji Welcome To The Jungle
Great cast, very entertaining and very funny. 8/10, highly recommend.
Great cast, very entertaining and very funny. 8/10, highly recommend.
The Right Stuff - Big earnest, cornball epic following a bunch of clean-cut douchebag astronauts and their doormat wives as they help America to show up the rest of the world by bravely finishing second in the space race.
It wasn't all bad, though the most insufferable part of the movie was, unsurprisingly, Dennis Quaid and his screen hogging shit-eating grin, the purest form of visual diarrhea. I give you, one of the great American movie scenes:
Also, existing separately within the film, for some reason, was a kind of a wistful Western set in a perpetual twilight world, starring Sam Shepard as Chuck Yeager as Gary Cooper as a Wild Bill-esque cowboy. He didn't say much say, just glared a lot and rode his horse into the sunset. He waltzed into the local saloon, grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniels as the sassy woman saloonkeeper sung his praises and was also the ring leader in a "we don't take kindly to no people from Washington DC 'round here" scene. The people from Washington DC consisting of an odd double act of Jeff Goldbum and Harry Shearer.
One inspired choice though I must say was getting Jordan Belson aboard to do the special effects, the shots of earth were very reminiscent of some of his later masterworks like Fountain of Dreams.
It wasn't all bad, though the most insufferable part of the movie was, unsurprisingly, Dennis Quaid and his screen hogging shit-eating grin, the purest form of visual diarrhea. I give you, one of the great American movie scenes:
Also, existing separately within the film, for some reason, was a kind of a wistful Western set in a perpetual twilight world, starring Sam Shepard as Chuck Yeager as Gary Cooper as a Wild Bill-esque cowboy. He didn't say much say, just glared a lot and rode his horse into the sunset. He waltzed into the local saloon, grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniels as the sassy woman saloonkeeper sung his praises and was also the ring leader in a "we don't take kindly to no people from Washington DC 'round here" scene. The people from Washington DC consisting of an odd double act of Jeff Goldbum and Harry Shearer.
One inspired choice though I must say was getting Jordan Belson aboard to do the special effects, the shots of earth were very reminiscent of some of his later masterworks like Fountain of Dreams.
Jack Goes Home
After his father is killed in a car crash, Jack travels home to Colorado to help nurse his mother (who was injured in the crash) back to health. There, he uncovers long buried secrets and lies within his family history, his parents, his friends and his very identity. Very artistic in parts, very pretentious in other parts (but always self aware of it's pretension). The movie was generally filmed quite well with good performances for the most part and some sinister, disturbing imagery and plot points. However, it was paced waaaaay too slow, and I usually love a good slow burn movie. It also felt schizophrenic in it's identity, constantly jumping from genre to genre. One minute it is a supernatural ghost story, then it's a family drama, then it's a thriller etc. Also, it had too many twists, to the point that their impact was negligible. It's worth a watch as it does try a few cool tricks but overall, it was too ambiguous and at the same time, fairly predictable. Potential wasted for me 5.5/10
After his father is killed in a car crash, Jack travels home to Colorado to help nurse his mother (who was injured in the crash) back to health. There, he uncovers long buried secrets and lies within his family history, his parents, his friends and his very identity. Very artistic in parts, very pretentious in other parts (but always self aware of it's pretension). The movie was generally filmed quite well with good performances for the most part and some sinister, disturbing imagery and plot points. However, it was paced waaaaay too slow, and I usually love a good slow burn movie. It also felt schizophrenic in it's identity, constantly jumping from genre to genre. One minute it is a supernatural ghost story, then it's a family drama, then it's a thriller etc. Also, it had too many twists, to the point that their impact was negligible. It's worth a watch as it does try a few cool tricks but overall, it was too ambiguous and at the same time, fairly predictable. Potential wasted for me 5.5/10
I like that The Right Stuff frequently plays up the losers angle and the early flight scenes are pretty darn good too. I also think it's interesting in the way that it depicts science, as a humble tool being pushed to it's rickety limits. In contrast to cinematic science today that has to serve as some flawless panacea, in the hands of uber-enlightened wizards.
I prefer CE even with that point - it's all about the perfect second story.
And yet, despite the valid complaints you mention, I found it impossible to resist the heroics of Yeager & co (corny and propagandistic though the movie may be).
Sam Shepard did a swell job of fine-tuning his longing twilight stare from Days of Heaven for this film.
Dead End
Christmas Eve. On his way to his in-laws with his family, Frank Harrington decides to try a shortcut, for the first time in 20 years. It turns out to be the biggest mistake of his life. Really enjoyed this movie. Felt like a Twilight Zone episode. I like Lin Shaye and Ray Wise, both were good in this. It has a super creepy vibe, and the acting style felt quite off beat, which added to it's spooky atmosphere. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments as well. I'd recommend 7.5/10
Christmas Eve. On his way to his in-laws with his family, Frank Harrington decides to try a shortcut, for the first time in 20 years. It turns out to be the biggest mistake of his life. Really enjoyed this movie. Felt like a Twilight Zone episode. I like Lin Shaye and Ray Wise, both were good in this. It has a super creepy vibe, and the acting style felt quite off beat, which added to it's spooky atmosphere. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments as well. I'd recommend 7.5/10
You'd be spot on there.
Branagh grated that much, I had to turn it off.
Will watch this one tonight, I really like Ray Wise.
if you read the book by Wolfe you will see why they included the scenes with Yeager - Yes this is an overblown version of things but it had unprecedented access to NASA film archives so it had a big effect on me growing up when it was shown as a mini-series on the BBC. what a cast list! Ed harris, Sam Shepherd.
Yes the tone in the book is to highlight that things were done on the raggedy edge and they were dependant on these ex-test pilots (with Yeager as a sort of yoda like figure) figuring things out as they went along, rather than depending on the computing power of a pocket calculator like the scientists wanted.
Game Night - I got a good kick out of this, definitely the best comedy I've seen in the cinema since... well Thor Ragnarok, but its been a while before that at least! Great chemistry between the entire cast, and some very funny set-peices/stand out scenes. Definitely worth your time, especially if you like Bateman.
I thought Kaufman pushed this angle a little too much by basically portraying most of the scientists and engineers as gutless clowns.
Call Me by Your Name
Wow. It made me experience the setting and feel the feelings, which is more than I can say about the vast majority of films.
9/10
Wow. It made me experience the setting and feel the feelings, which is more than I can say about the vast majority of films.
9/10
I watched the first 10 minutes of Justice League last night and had to stop. Good god that was bad.
My Man Godfrey - Pretty close to being a perfect comedy, I'm even tempted to watch it again. Timeless stuff, and more Marxist than most Marx comedies.
There's a lack of sultry movies lately, like Eyes Wide Shut, Wild Things, Basic Instinct and Fatal Attraction.
The Breadwinner.
I am wondering how Coco got the Oscar over this one just because it was better animated and had a Mexican flavor, but then again, who gives an eff about the Oscars anyway. Brilliant movie, shows the ISIS/Taliban controlled states as the absolute hellholes they are, and the horrors suffered by those caught within them. Voice acting was spot on, especially the child actors. 8/10.
I am wondering how Coco got the Oscar over this one just because it was better animated and had a Mexican flavor, but then again, who gives an eff about the Oscars anyway. Brilliant movie, shows the ISIS/Taliban controlled states as the absolute hellholes they are, and the horrors suffered by those caught within them. Voice acting was spot on, especially the child actors. 8/10.
The Outsider
I really intensely dislike Jared Leto.
5/10
I really intensely dislike Jared Leto.
5/10
Star Wars : The Last Jedi
Better than all the second trilogy put together but then again that would not be hard, but still not even close to the original trilogy.
The story was weak, but the acting was decent enough, thought Leia was a bit wooden though.
But I did enjoy it and the 2 and half hours felt about right, hoping the last one of the 3rd Trilogy will be a stormer, if you are a Star Wars fan you will like it , if not you will hate it, I suspect.
For me it is the 4th best behind the original 3.
7/10
Better than all the second trilogy put together but then again that would not be hard, but still not even close to the original trilogy.
The story was weak, but the acting was decent enough, thought Leia was a bit wooden though.
But I did enjoy it and the 2 and half hours felt about right, hoping the last one of the 3rd Trilogy will be a stormer, if you are a Star Wars fan you will like it , if not you will hate it, I suspect.
For me it is the 4th best behind the original 3.
7/10
Coffee & Cigarettes - Cool but slight, definitely a Jim Jarmusch film. Most of the vignettes were fairly mediocre, the Alfred Molina/Steve Coogan one was probably my favourite, "I want you to love me" was a proper lol. The Wu Tang/Bill Murray one was kinda okay too.