What film did you watch last night?

[Raymond Lin]

La La Land
Took my wife as part of a child-free weekend. Read lots of reviews about how great it is and numerous mentions of how “euphoric” and “uplifted” people felt after they’d watched it. We, on the other hand, left feeling really rather bummed out by the ending.

Spoiler

The first 2 acts are a lovely romance and the chemistry between Stone & Gosling is electric. Then the third act (after Paris) is such a downer. It was like the first 2 acts set them up as being soul-mates and then suddenly everything has gone. I was ready to think it was due to the differences in their characters and the results of their actions etc but then we get the “What If?” are suddenly it’s shown that there was nothing that should have kept them apart. My wife commented that the body language between Stone & Hubby and Stone & Gosling in “Sebs” was miles apart (slightly distant v totally connected). My wife had tears in her eyes at the end. Euphoric, my backside.

8.5/10 for the film-making. 4/10 for the plot and residual emotions.

I can see what you mean, my take is that.

Spoiler

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.

 

[checjb]

She does, but she's not in TGOTT

Your wife should point her attention to Haley Bennett.

I know, that's what made me smile. Well, it was half the reason anyway.

 

[Kyo]

The Girl on the Train

Turned it off after about 20 mins. Was with the GF and felt I should make an effort and watch a "chick flick". Thoroughly depressing film with not one likeable character.

My GF was the first to suggest turning it off.

As others have said, you cant really have a proper opinion if you didnt watch it through. I personally thought it was pretty decent and it was dark and gritty. Emily Blunt was great in it and they way she portrayed her characters addiction and alcoholism. Solid 7/10 for me.

 

[Scam]

I know, that's what made me smile. Well, it was half the reason anyway.

You should take her to see Passengers to persue this joint interest of yours

 

[glenimp617]

The Jungle Book (new one) 7/10

was expecting it to be utter rubbish, but rather enjoyed it

shame it doesn't completely stick to the original storyline

 

[EddScott]

How could you know the full extent of the ALL the characters and there traits if you turned it off after 20 mins? Regardless, maybe the lack of likeable characters is imperative to the tone of the film? ALSO, in what world is this a chick flick??? xD

I saw enough to know I wouldn't like any of them - those that had appeared and would likely form the bulk of the film. A depressed alcoholic and some moody blonde upset how her life has turned out. Just wasn't in the mood for it and never will be.

Chick flick may have been wrong but in the context of our choices for that evening (The other choice being Kill Command/Identify) it was mostly definitely the lady's choice.

 

[DrToffnar]

I saw enough to know I wouldn't like any of them - those that had appeared and would likely form the bulk of the film. A depressed alcoholic and some moody blonde upset how her life has turned out. Just wasn't in the mood for it and never will be.

Chick flick may have been wrong but in the context of our choices for that evening (The other choice being Kill Command/Identify) it was mostly definitely the lady's choice.

Aha well, thank god other people care about character development more then you do else they'd never have context for anything xD

The Jungle Book (new one) 7/10

was expecting it to be utter rubbish, but rather enjoyed it

shame it doesn't completely stick to the original storyline

Ahhh man I didn't like it at all. Just felt like a series of things happening rather then a nice concise plot. Stunning CGI though and some charming VA.

 

[TheVoice]

It's really good isn't it, watched it "blind" at release without watching any trailers and was really impressed with it.

The thing that it gets right which most horror fails on, it sets the rules early on and doesn't deviate.

I also love the ambiguity of the time period it's set in, there is nothing clearly there to state whether it's present day, 80,'s, 90's or 00's...it has elements of them all.

Maika Monroe is also very good in The Guest, another excellent horror/thriller which goes unnoticed on most peoples radar.

Cool, I was fawning over her by the end so a bit more wouldn't go amiss.

Yeah I liked how 'loose' they were with the time period; older cars, no mobile phones etc, watching movies on old CRT TVs yet the girl is reading an ebook on a weird looking device. Sort of just felt like it was its own little universe rather than trying to comply with set expectations.

 

[sbweightman]

Underworld: Blood Wars (2017) - 2/10

Some of the one on one fight scenes are well done and the new “snowy” vampires are interesting, but overall, bland, boring, and pretty terrible.

The gothic style is mostly gone in favour of washed out dreary shots, the special effects and CGI are dated and weak, and the larger scale battles are truly awful.

The story is sloppily edited together, bringing in and removing characters with little impact, and the acting varies from wooden to passable.

 

[FoxEye]

10 Cloverfield Lane - 7/10

Are they/aren't they crazy could go either way, and you never really know how it's going to pan out. Ending was the only bit that was remotely sci-fi, and felt like you'd changed channel and were now watching a different film.

Finally, a JJ Abrams film that I don't hate, which is in itself a rarity. Most his other stuff is grade A awful.

 

[FoxEye]

The Martian and Gravity are terrible lol

You can't really call them terrible. Next to, for example, Prometheus, they are cinematic masterpieces

 

[Raymond Lin]

You can't really call them terrible. Next to, for example, Prometheus, they are cinematic masterpieces

And then compare to say Freddy got Fingered.

 

[AHarvey]

The Jungle Book (new one) 7/10

was expecting it to be utter rubbish, but rather enjoyed it

shame it doesn't completely stick to the original storyline

wasn't keen on this tbh, looked great but the voices were just completely wrong. I really enjoyed the new Tarzan film though. My daughter and I had a film night, she's 5 and loved it too. Definitely worth a watch.

La La Land - found it really hard to get going, the dancing was passable but my wife and I both prefer the old style films of these, with proper dancing. The music, well I just kept comparing it to "The Legend of 1900" which far surpasses this in storytelling and musical talent. The acting was great, Emma Stone showing her usual brilliance and vibrant personality, although, and this is quite vain of me but didn't look as pretty as normal. However, I did get into it and although not an amazing film I did enjoy watching it. 7/10

The Martian - I enjoyed watching this as did the wife, bit of action, comedy and just a good sit down film. 8/10

 

[MOOGLEYS]

Kubo and the two strings...... Stunning one of the best animated films I have seen. 10/10

 

[Wizzfizz]

And then compare to say Freddy got Fingered.

Enjoyed that 'at the time'

 

[SixTwoSix]

Spectral - Netflix need to keep this up, very entertaining sci-fi action movie. Pacing really reminded me of Aliens, I was drawing parallels right until the end credits but doesn't matter, it had enough of it's own ideas to be a solid piece of sci-fi. - 7.5/10

 

[physichull]

La La Land - 8/10

Some mesmerising scenes, really good songs and a fantastic ending. There was however a period in the middle where I felt it dragged a bit (I think maybe I wanted to like it more than I actually did). The last 15 minutes were sublime

 

[melmac]

The Martian and Gravity are terrible lol

I thought the Martian was a good movie. As for Gravity, well, the movie itself was terrible, but the visuals were stunning.

The Girl on the Train

Turned it off after about 20 mins. Was with the GF and felt I should make an effort and watch a "chick flick". Thoroughly depressing film with not one likeable character.

My GF was the first to suggest turning it off.

I haven't watched the movie but your summary of the it matches me feelings on the book. The book was predictable and boring. It wasn't gripping, it was depressing.

 

[DrToffnar]

I haven't watched the movie but your summary of the it matches me feelings on the book. The book was predictable and boring. It wasn't gripping, it was depressing.

Those two aren't mutually exclusive though. A film can be both depressing and beautiful. I've heard this argument a lot about TGOTT and of course, everyone's allowed to dislike it, but they always seem to sight 'depressing' as a negative. Macbeth and Hamlet are pretty depressing too...

Not criticising your opinion as such, just thought it was an interesting point to raise.

 

[SixTwoSix]

Those two aren't mutually exclusive though. A film can be both depressing and beautiful. I've heard this argument a lot about TGOTT and of course, everyone's allowed to dislike it, but they always seem to sight 'depressing' as a negative. Macbeth and Hamlet are pretty depressing too...

Not criticising your opinion as such, just thought it was an interesting point to raise.

Agreed.

One that springs to mind is We Need To Talk About Kevin, utterly depressing and horrible and i'll never watch it again, however it's also a brilliant film.