What film did you watch last night?

Avatar Extended Edition , great film 9/10 couldn't really tell where the extra 15mins are though, then again it was several years ago i saw it at the cinema.
 
Hacksaw Ridge (2017) - 10/10

A superb war film with some brilliant battle scenes full of action, gore, suspense and emotional investment for those involved.

The war scenes are shocking, powerful, horrific and mesmerising to watch, but the film also manages to be intelligent, poignant, romantic, and comedic thanks to the great story telling and strong acting.

A truly remarkable story of real-life heroism and staying true to one’s convictions.
 
Westie said:
Swiss army man.

Wow incredible..

Wasn't so sure after first 15 mins as it was 3:30 am when I started watching it.. but so glad I kept watching..

What a film. 9/10
Click to expand...

Seems to be a very marmite movie. I thought it was great to sit and just take it all in.

La La Land
8.5/10

Very very good. I hate musicals but I sat and watched it all. It's obvious to see that it is brilliant film making. In my opinion however, not 14(?) oscar nomination brilliant. Maybe just 4.
 
Independence Day Resurgence.

I lol'd so much when William Fichtner said, 'take the kids to your sisters'

Aliens have come back to kill everyone!, but yer sure you'll be safe at your sisters.

The whole film was complete BS and not a patch on the first one.

3/10
 
I've been reading The Martian to my ten year old daughter, which she's enjoying. Some of it needs a bit of explaining, and I do have to do some on the fly abridging to get around the swearing and so on. Anyway, it put me in mind of Apollo 13, not least because it is specifically referenced in the story, so my wife and I watched it with her this evening while our other daughter is off at a sleepover.

I don't think I've watched it since it came out, which would mean I was 13 at the time - I think I went with my mum? It's a really good film. The cast is great, so many people you recognise and everyone does a good job. I really like Gary Sinise and Ed Harris in particular. It's exciting and tense and even though you know they make it back safe, it's still nerve wracking. It looks good and still holds up today. The footage they got from the "vomit comet" is so good. I bet nowadays they'd just do loads of it with CGI, but hey, this was the 90s so it's practical effects a go go, love it.
 
La La Land

4/10 Good performances but ultimately just a classic flick made purely for Oscars. Hollywood's long and ultimately boring internal joke complete with singing and dancing and retro cheese presented in Cinemascope just to score points for nerdiness. Story doesn't dazzle and I don't care for the form at all. Not even close to being 14 Oscar nominations kind of good and to be honest - single use movie - once you've seen it, you've seen it - not a movie to buy and rewatch.
 
Hacksaw Ridge

First half dragged on too long, the audience gets he doesn't want to touch a gun pretty much in the first 5mins so the rest of the time was just setting up the scene until he gets into the battlefield. If it's trying to do the whole Full Metal Jacket with the 50/50 camp and then war this isn't done as well.

The battles are very well shot, they are graphic but not shocking, nothing I've never seen before. Andrew Garfield is really good, but in terms of oscar worthy, may be, I have not seen the others nominees.

Overall, it's not as powerful as something like Saving Private Ryan and in terms of importance of a movie, it won't be a seminal piece for Mel Gibson, his best work is probably Apocalypto, although I enjoyed Braveheart more.

It's good, great in latter parts but not amazing.

7.5/10
 
easyrider said:
Yes but why?

What are you searching for?
Click to expand...

I have already given you an answer.

I can and I want to. I like the movie and I wanted to see it again.

Does it need any other reason more than "I want to"?

I'll watch it a 5th time just to annoy you, how's that for a reason? :p
 
easyrider said:
Well TBH it would help

You offer so much opinion on what your don't like in movies...

Why not offer what you like over and over again in La La Land?

Its not and odd question...But your response is very guarded.
Click to expand...

Say's the one who spent a month trying to convince us what not to like to TFA!

I've already said what I liked about the movie in a couple of posts, I don't need to write it again.

But since you asked...it's not "guarded" it's not having to repeat myself.

You know, like this one.

I just got back from LA LA Land. Btw, I just got this... La La...Los Angeles !

I am not a musical fan, went to see this from all the hype from the US and it did not disappoint. About 10 mins into the movie I had fallen in love with the leads, Emma Stone in particular. It was strange at first to see people burst into songs but this really is so good. The sets, the colours, the back drop, the cinematography, the editing and some of those dances are like 1 long shot which I love. I had photographed a few musicals in the past and been to numerous rehearsals so I have seen the work they put into it to hit the spot and I find it fascinating to see it on the big screen.

The acting was also brilliant, especially the opening audition from Stone, when she cried on the phone...that 30 second was just pure brilliance. The chemistry too between Stone and Gosling, they are believable as a couple and believable when they fall in love and believable when they fight.

By quarter of the way through this movie I found myself smiling at the screen.
Half way through this movie I told myself this is better than Star Wars and I am going to own this on Bluray.
About 3 quarters I thought this is will win Best Picture at the Oscars.*

I adore this movie. Love it. When the credits rolled I wanted to start clapping, then I remember I am British.

9.9/10 - Better than Rogue One!

0.1 off perfection (a 10) because a couple of the dance numbers felt a little clunky.

*I need to see Hacksaw Ridge and a couple of others first.

edit - just booked to see it again tomorrow...finally read a few reviews and they all say it is better the second time round.
Click to expand...

or this one

Ok, I have a problem.

I went to see LA LA LAND for the 3rd time in technically 5 days.

The cinema was half full and what must be about 90% pensioners, it seems every head in the crowd had grey hair. But by the second song I saw a young couple walking out, they must not have know this is a musical.

Anyway, I enjoyed this as much as the 3rd time and just reinforced my prediction of this being Best Movie at the Academy awards. (although the bloke 2 seats down said as soon as the light comes up "that's 2 hours I'll never get back).

Can't please everyone I guess.

Still 9.9/10 for me, although the clunky dancing in parts I am actually starting to like, the silhouette dancing in the stars during the planetarium scene are not them but body double, and I think if Gosling and Stone had those dancing skills it wouldn't be as good strangely.
Click to expand...

or this one

I know I sound like a massive musical fan but I am not. It is probably a genre my least favourite genre as I found the singing often very jarring and all the peppy happy singing annoying. Some reason this one totally clicked for me. The flow from talking to singing feels natural, it helped by the actor singing themselves and I think it also helped by the fact that there are very very little edits in the dancing, it is mostly a single take, 1 long shot. The one scene that had like 2 edits in a minute stood out as a result and that says a lot when 2 cuts stands out (planetarium scene). The shot on the side of the road is shot on natural light in 1 take, about 5-6 mins long, you think they are going to cut but then it keeps rolling and rolling and it zooms and pulls back for the framing at just the right time.

The movie is also impressive in the way that it brings a smile to your face, it has been a long time where a film makes me smile because it makes me happy. There is a difference between making me laugh, which is something that is instant and lasts for seconds, this movie emote happiness which lingers for far longer. That is what I meant when I found myself smiling about a quarter of the way through. It draws you into that world and you are happy to be in it.

The reason why I think it will wins the category it does is because they really stand out for me, I have seen a lot of movies in the last 8months since getting the unlimited pass, literally anything of note on the screen I went and see, average twice a week and this movie is the first one I have went to see twice and considering a 3rd time. It is also one that stays in my mind, from the visual to the music. It is also released at just the right time for the academy awards so fresh in people’s memory.

If you are really into musicals however, there are a LOT of easter eggs references to be had, from the window used in Casablanca, to homages to classics in the way of location, framing, colours and props. What is more important or impressive is they managed to make this old school style musical contemporary and fresh. As opposed to the way movies like Pitch Perfect which is a good modern day musical. La La Land feels both old and new at the same time. The story is simple and timeless of 2 struggling artist in Hollywood falling in love which people will immediate understand.

Re: Ryan Gosling, he is good in this but I don’t think he will win best Actor. I am impressed with his piano skills from just 3 months of practice though, actually jealous.

Btw, I have heard people disliking this, but I think it is partly due to the faults of reviews like this, the hype and they expect something like nothing they have seen before. The thing is, it isn’t nothing they have never seen before, the genius is not that, the genius is they made something old, something that people thought has died and made it modern.

And I really recommend catching this in a theatre as empty as possible where there are no distractions from popcorn or chatting, idiots saying “oh that’s what this is!” to their friends. It totally take you out of the immersion which is a big part of this movie, to stay in that world.
Click to expand...

or this one

I think it will win

Best original score
Best costume
Best Actress
Best original screenplay
Best Picture*

It might win best cinematography because it captures LA so well, it makes some places that are dumps looks amazing and the colours on the screen really pops. I like the editing in this too and they say a sign of a good edit is one that you don't notice and I don't notice this at all but these categories are just may be.

This is the best movie I've seen for the 2017 oscar contenders.
Click to expand...

or this one

when they sat down and he said "will just have to wait and see" and ask her when she goes to Paris, she has to give it everything she's got and he is staying in LA chasing everything he is after and giving everything he's got. The compromise in the movie here is you got to chase your dreams and make sacrifices along the way and in their case. This is what it is and the little smile in the end between them, is a little acknowledgment that although they feel sad about not being together, they made their dreams come true.

It is not the typical Hollywood ending but it is a good ending. The epilogue is there I think almost to give some audience a feeling of the good vibe had they got together, for storytelling, it could be left out totally but I like it there and it could have gone totally wrong but I think they stick that landing.
Click to expand...

In short, it reminds me why I love cinema in the first place.
 
Last edited:
easyrider said:
Being?
Click to expand...

Read above, that's enough text for now. There are others, i just cba to copy and paste them all.

being...

The magic of cinema?

Cinema has the power to convey many feelings, it is a medium that can do many things, it is a story teller, it is an education, it can be life affirming, it can be empowering, it can inspire and it can connect people.

The aspect I love about cinema is to take me to a world, a different part of the world for a couple of hours while in the theatre. It’s ability to fixate and immerse the audience and capture’s imagination into its world. When it can do that properly and do it well is where I feel is when cinema is at its best.

I could go on about how watching Star Wars as a kid you want to be in that world or watching Magnolia how PT Anderson’s ability to make you care for all these strangers or watching the dinner scene in the Godfather made my heart almost jumping out of my heart in feeling all that tension.

La La Land takes me to that place, for 2 hours I was on the ride and there was joy, there was sadness and regret. I love the melancholy aspect, i love the poignant tone, I like the I love the fantasy element of it, I like the music, I thought the numbers were varied, I thought the characters and their problems to be grounded and there was no scene that was wasted. I also like the easter eggs that was littered all over, I like the little jokes it has on LA (the weather), the references to classic movies from colours to cinematography to even the little circle closing at mid point and ending. There are plenty to like and a LOT to appreciate.
 
Last edited:
Easyrider - you were warned about constantly badgering people in the Star Wars TFA thread. No-one and I mean NO-ONE likes having someone constantly question them over what they like/don't like and why and I personally am getting sick and tired of watching you question people trying to get them to justify themselves and their opinions to you.

Deep Water Horizon - 7/10 - I can't quite put my finger on what it is exactly that I enjoyed about the film but some hidden X-Factor kept me entertained through-out. The acting was good (no standout performances but all solid), the script was tight enough that the story never dragged and the characters seemed believeable. The CGI was pretty ropey in places once the fires started but didn't detract massively, in fact the only thing that did was the numerous "bad boss" clichés (despite being true facts) which felt very heavy handed. Overall I enjoyed it more than I was expecting and it did keep me focused on the film which is always a good sign :D
 
Last edited:
Spook187 said:
La La Land seriously lol.
Click to expand...

Spook187 said:
Seen clips and looks like ****, whatever floats your boat I guess.

Not my culture type of film, T2 Trainspotting is.
Click to expand...

so you haven't seen it.

So you don't have an opinion on the movie then.

I am going to see T2 next week but I am not going to go "LOL" before I have seen it, nor am I going to go "LOL" at someone else's opinion, because it would be like LOL fish tanks.

See what I mean? I am happy to discuss the merits and faults in a movie but it is difficult to talk to someone about that when the other person hasn't seen it and merely have a preconception about the movie base on clips. That's not a discussion, not even close.

I also watch everything, saw Hacksaw Ridge, Lion and Moonlight as well this week and like them all.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom