What Is The Last Film You Watched? (Newer Films)

[Quintus 5,399]

1 hour ago, Stefancos said:

Have you seen it, Alex? Is it the new 2001? Will Villenueve be the new Kubrick? Will cinema be saved?

 

I'm curious, why do you always ask Alex these feigned rhetorical questions? You always seem obsessed with wanting to know what he thinks about something, like you're awaiting his validation. My theory is it helps you to gauge how to proceed with your own "view" on something.  

[Wojo 2,453]

Lol. 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Isn't Steffen just taunting him?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Perhaps...

 

 

[Quintus 5,399]

 

25 minutes ago, Daniel Clamp said:

Isn't Steffen just taunting him?

 

This is why I say feigned. Because he tries to make it look like he's only joking, but believe me, he isn't! 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Is that what you believe? That I require the validation of a middle-aged pedantic Belgian to feel good about myself? Someone who never discusses John Williams and has no appreciation for Star Trek or LOTR?

 

Interesting theory, Lee.

 

Or perhaps you just feel left out because Alex blocked you, and you can no longer trade insults.

 

Hmmmm...

[Quintus 5,399]

Hehehe not that either but keep going pander boy! 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Are you sure? If you feel left out by me please say so. 

[Quintus 5,399]

11 minutes ago, Stefancos said:

Is that what you believe? That I require the validation of a middle-aged pedantic Belgian

 

Yes, and I've believed it for ages! 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Perhaps it's just that bond that people from the continent have, and you islanders seem to miss...

[Quintus 5,399]

You have a bond, yes, that's it! Awww

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

5 minutes ago, Quintus said:

You have a bond, yes, that's it! Awww

 

 

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

5 hours ago, Bespin said:

Arrival by Denis Villeneuve.

 

The worst photography I have ever seen in a recent movie. The worst sound effetcs too. And what to say about his many experimentations of the focus (between the first plan, the middle and the back). Terrible.

 

Is he really doing the Blade Runner Sequel?

 

This guy is really able of the better and the worst... but recently, more often the worst.

 

I just watched one hour and few minutes more.

 

Boring.

 

This movie at the Oscars? Ridiculous.

 

Villeneuve is at the base a maker of prententious and audacious documentaries (Course destination monde). His movies are still full of mannerism and they still are pretentious, but there is no control (we are far from Riddley Scott).  It's just bizarre things, bizarrely executed. The guy is really fucked-up. Not my cup of tea.

 

 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Who cares about LOTR?

[KK 3,307]

Arrival is a very fine piece of filmmaking. Though I'm not sure Alex will really enjoy it.

 

Bespin's post is mostly silly nonsense. Maybe that's his sense of humour popping up again?

 

Have you no love for your fellow Quebec-ois Bespin??

[Bespin 8,480]

You perfectly have the right to love fucked movies. I don't.

 

Have you seen all his movies, the french ones too?

 

I'm 42 and I have seen movies before. I don't like him. Period.

 

 

[KK 3,307]

You're perfectly entitled to your opinion Bespin. I'm only messing with you.

 

And I've seen everything from Prisoners onwards. Id like to check out his work before when I get the chance, particularly Incendies.

[Jay 37,351]

La La Land

 

              

 

I'm not gonna say the filmmakers didn't accomplish what they set out to do, or that it doesn't have some merrit, or won't be inspiring to some people, etc.

 

It's just not for me at all.  I was bored and didn't care about the characters and didn't like the music.

 

This is going to win Best Picture, really?

What a crap year for movies, 2016 was.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Not as good as American Ultra?

[Jay 37,351]

Apples and oranges

[Matt C 452]

Neruda

 

I have to say that the plot and story were murky at first, and I was puzzled at the lack of urgency in the cat-and-mouse game of detective Oscar pursuing the title character. But the ending made it more clear, and it made me see the whole film in a different light. Pablo Larrain's direction is sharp, the digital photography is both luminous and distracting, and Federico Jusid's score is quite lush and forceful. 

 

Now I want to see Larrain's Jackie.

[KK 3,307]

Here are the last couple of films I had to watch over the last few weeks to catch up for the Oscars.

 

 

Hidden Figures

 

Typical sentimental dishwater film, pandering to Sunday afternoon TV audiences at best. Like most of these Oscar-bait types, it boasts a talented cast, but has nothing to say with it. Add to that the annoying Pharell songs that keep popping in, and its archetypal cardboard characters, and you have a bit of a snoozefest. It's moronic that this got a Best Picture nomination. That category should go back to 5 films again, or at least have nominated Nocturnal Animals in place of this one.

 

 

Hacksaw Ridge

 

At times, impressive. Gibson's craftsmanship and competence as a director is at best displayed in the war scenes, which are beautifully shot. And there is an enjoyable old-fashioned sensibility to the whole affair. They don't really make war films like this these days. Having said that, it's often more sentimental than you'd like. But more importantly, Hacksaw Ridge often came off rather conflicted. For a film centred around a pacifist and his firm belief against violence, Gibson sure resorts to a lot of chip violent thrills, especially in the third act. And while they're entertaining enough, having Vince Vaughn comically pulled on a sled while shooting down a bunch of Japs, while spiritual Bible passages are being recited and corpses are piling up....it all just doesn't mesh well together. Or at least it seems to play against the protagonist's code. Overall, probably my least favourite of Gibson's directorial efforts.

 

 

 

Silence

 

Quiet, subtle, harrowing and powerful. It may just be my favourite of the year, alongside Manchester. This is an important film, and it's a shame it mostly flew under the radar this season. Garfield should have been nominated for this over Hacksaw. Also, this might be the most beautiful looking film of the year. It's often like watching a painting come to life. Score on the other hand, was inconsequential or non-existent, but this wasn't a movie that needed music.

 

 

Kubo and the Two Strings

 

Beautifully made and visually dazzling. The mythology of the story owes a lot to the animators for bringing it to life. And Marianelli's score works wonders in film by the way. He should be getting more work like this. This should get the Oscar for Best Animated feature, but I'm sure it'll lose to the lighter Zootopia.

 

 

Lion

 

Not bad. The film is shot very well and is carried by a strong cast. Kidman stole the show for me, but Patel was quite good and I hope this film allows him to get more diverse opportunities. Still, when you look back at it, there really isn't much meat to the narrative arc. Feels like a Facebook story bent to meet your usual drama-fare beats.

 

 

Hell or High Water

 

Solid Western thriller. Small and intimate, but well-made. Cast is great.

[A24 4,331]

11 hours ago, KK said:

 

 

 

 

Silence

 

Also, this might be the most beautiful looking film of the year. It's often like watching a painting come to life. 

 

 

 

 

Based on the trailer I'm kinda surprised by this comment. I thought it looked dull.

 

 

Anyway, the photo below is a much better representation of the scene, IMO.

 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You only like the films Marty did with DiCaprio, right?

[A24 4,331]

No, with Robert De Niro (and sometimes Joe Pesci). But the last time that I truly was impressed with Scorsese was with rewatching The Last Temptation Of Christ. It made me wanna see Paul Verhoeven's Jesus movie, which he has yet to made, of course.

 

 

Alex

[publicist 4,643]

 

The McDonald's story. Like any well-made biopic, it substitutes excitement with the cosy solidity of an old nursery rhyme but since you see history in the making it still is a fascinating reader's digest of the most successful incarnation of the American Dream, next to Hollywood. The notion that wheat buns with meat patties, mixed pickles and a pack of french fries were ever considered as good and healthy family food can only exist in a world where Coke was the nation's favourite refreshment and every doctor carried a pack of Luckies.

[Quintus 5,399]

Don't you guys in Germany eat an ungodly amount of sausages though? 

[publicist 4,643]

Ain't that the truth for any western country? 

[Matt C 452]

Lion

 

It's a feel good film, with strong performances from Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman. Rooney Mara was wasted as Saroo's girlfriend, she adds nothing to the plot. Gorgeous photography by Greig Fraser and even though it didn't win any of the Oscars it was nominated for, it's a very strong effort.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing this again.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

8 hours ago, publicist said:

 

The McDonald's story. Like any well-made biopic, it substitutes excitement with the cosy solidity of an old nursery rhyme but since you see history in the making it still is a fascinating reader's digest of the most successful incarnation of the American Dream, next to Hollywood. The notion that wheat buns with meat patties, mixed pickles and a pack of french fries were ever considered as good and healthy family food can only exist in a world where Coke was the nation's favourite refreshment and every doctor carried a pack of Luckies.

 

So how was their blood pressure back then?

[publicist 4,643]

Michael Keaton's probably beyond measure.

[Bilbo 3,709]

Logan.

 

 

Damn, son.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Good?  I have high hopes for that.

[Bilbo 3,709]

It had emotion and real characters. I wasn't expecting that from a comic book movie!

[Quintus 5,399]

I've never been into the X-Men franchise, and yet for some reason I really fancy this new spinoff. I haven't seen any trailers for it, but something about it makes me intrigued. I think the title alone paired with Jackman's quality portrayal is literally the sole appeal. I may see it at the cinema. 

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Jay 37,351]

How was Beltrami's score? 

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Unremarkable.

[Jay 37,351]

Story checks out

[nightscape94 965]

There are two of the same billboard within a mile stretch of highway I take home from work that both boast that Logan is an incredible cinematic achievement.  Is this some type of superhero masterpiece?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

No. But it's part of the better ones.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

First half of Logan.

 

It certainly makes full use of its R rating! 

Hugh Jackman and James Mangold obviously saw and enjoyed Mad Max: Fury Road.

 

 

[nightscape94 965]

You're not the first person I've seen reference Fury Road in commenting on Logan.  Seems to be a frequent comparison.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Apart from the beginning of the film that is slightly reminiscent of it, it's nothing like Fury Road. Certainly not as exciting in terms of action. Don't expect anything as good.

[Quintus 5,399]

Soz Jason, sheesh! 

[Hurmm 91]

There's an action sequence that's clearly in the vein of Fury Road, but yeah that's about it. 

 

I thought the movie was great. At least for the first 3/4, where it's basically a stripped down version of a superhero western where the hero is old and weak (relatively to his heydays). And the violence... oh, they don't fuck about. It's brutal. It's even jarring at first seeing how much unflinching violence they dish out, especially when we are used to the tame superhero movies before. This one really earns a hard R rating. Also took a little time to get used to both Wolverine and Xavier swearing profusely in a movie. 

 

Anyway in the first 90+ minutes or so there are some fantastic action scenes mixed in with very well developed drama and characters, and some of the dramatic setpieces are written in huge, individual chunks like the whole segment with the black family on the farm.

 

I wished they spent more time in the last stretch of the movie though, seemed like that was the right time to let the characters settle and peel layers away but I suppose they didn't want to linger too long so as to not lose momentum, which is a shame as otherwise it could have made the ending a lot emotionally stronger. The climatic action sequence was also a bit of a letdown, being a bit samey samey as what came before. 

 

Still, I think this is the best superhero movie in a long while. 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

1 hour ago, BloodBoal said:

Apart from the beginning of the film that is slightly reminiscent of it, it's nothing like Fury Road. Certainly not as exciting in terms of action. Don't expect anything as good.

 

There are a few echo's from the other Mad Max films in there though. A feral kid, a half "mythical" place where life is better. And of course Logan as the reluctant hero.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

On 28/2/2017 at 10:42 PM, Quintus said:

Don't you guys in Germany eat an ungodly amount of sausages though? 

And the ammount of Burguer kings and McDonalds over there is bewildering.

 

That's one of the things i liked of the country, though :D.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I never said Logan is on par with Fury Road in terms of quality. But you can see it was one of the inspirations for it. And in a time where the studio's seem to be more interested in making a superhero film that will make over 1 billion dollars, the fact that this was even greenlit is certainly hopeful.

 

Logan

 

Spoiler

 

The latest in what is now the longest running superhero film franchise. And the best thing is that it doesnt feel like any of the others, Despite having Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart in it.

The continuity os this series of films is a complete mess. Logan deals with that very nicely by basically not dealing with it. There used to be loads of mutants. Some called themselves the X-Men. Now there arent anymore. The film doesnt seem particulary interested in telling us what happened. More in showing what it did to those who are still left.

 

The relationship between Logan and Xavier is central in the film. It was always a bit troubled, but has now turned almost abusive. Logan being more withdrawn and angry than ever, and much of that anger aimed at Professor X. The film doesnt state outright what happened with the X-Men. But gives enough info that we can figure it out for ourselves. For a film of this type Logan is actually very sparse when it comes to plot exposition. But what it gives is just enough.

 

It's also surprisingly meta in that it actually features the X-Men comics as part of it's plot. One kid is even seen holding a Wolverine doll. This could have been lame and cheesy, but for some reason it isnt.

 

Hugh Jackman plays the role for the last time (presumably), and never more angry, run down and nihilistic than this. It's a fearless performance in that he only rarely attempts to make Logan seem likeable. The R rating helps finally sell the savage nature of a creature who goes around stabbing people with large fangs.

 

Patrick Stewart is predictably outstanding as Xavier. Once the world most powerful mutant. Now a senile old man kept under control by drugs.

Stewart finds the right note between a cantankerous, even childish old man, and someone harbouring a deep guilt. Even when he can't exactly remember what it is he did.

 

I know nothing of Dafne Keen. The actress playing Laura. But she was outstanding in a role that requires her for much of the film to say nothing. Her savagery in the fight scenes seems very real, and slowly she actually emerges as the dominant character in the film. As Xavier is no more and Logan is going from bad to worse.

 

The rest of the cast is very solid.

 

Most superhero films are both violent and incredibly tame. Loads of people die, yet we never really see much blood and guts. If you grew up on 80's and 90's action cinema anything Marvel or DC has to offer these days is quite tame. Fox took a gamble making Deadpool R rated and it payed off. It does here too. The film is incredibly violent and graphic. And all the better for it. The Wolverine is an incredibly violent and vicious character. None of the previous films were able to show it. This one does.

 

It's also surprisingly funny and delicate at times. I liked the scene where the trio meet up with some good hardworking folk and have dinner in their house. For the plot the scene isnt really required. But it's good that it's there. The film doesnt actually have that much of a plot. It's essentially a road movie, and a western.

 

The film is good looking too. And real looking. It feels like it's set in the real world rather than a green-screen CGI one. It seems relatively low on CGI actually, and when it is used it's used very well.

 

Some are calling it the best X-Men film. I would actually say it isnt an X-Men film at all. It certainly doesnt feel like one. Perhaps that's it's biggest accomplishment. I'm tired of the genre as a whole. superhero film are so generic, and there are now so many of them. All slight variations of the same theme. And all aimed at teenagers.

Logan isnt. Despite starring Wolverine is doesnt really feel like an X-Men film. It doesnt actually feel like a superhero film. I would prefer to call it a comic book film.

 

Marvel is scoring hit after hit with it's entertaining and popular MCU. Warner/DC are still struggling to find the right style and tone for their universe. The Fox one is the oldest, and the most inconsistent. Going from good films like Days Of Future Past and Deadpool to stuff like the already forgotten Fantastic Four, or the totally redundant X-Men: Apocalypse.

 

I doubt very much that Marvel or DC will bring out anything better than Logan though, not anytime soon.

 

 

On 2-3-2017 at 0:38 AM, Quintus said:

I've never been into the X-Men franchise, and yet for some reason I really fancy this new spinoff. I haven't seen any trailers for it, but something about it makes me intrigued. I think the title alone paired with Jackman's quality portrayal is literally the sole appeal. I may see it at the cinema. 

 

I think you might like this. Seeing it in the cinema would support more of these R rated films. Of which there arent enough off these days.

On 2-3-2017 at 0:56 AM, BloodBoal said:

It was good, but not as good as it could have been, methinks. Felt a tad overlong, the pace sometimes is a bit off (there is never any sense of urgency, even though it's basically a chase movie) and the villains are rather dull.

 

It actually felt more like a road movie than a chase movie to me. I guess I agree that it doesnt have much of a sense of urgency. But watching it I never really felt it needed any. I certainly wasnt bored with it and the slower pace gave the the chance to soak up the atmosphere. The films two villains were quite solid actually. Two good supporting performances.