Thanks 1StevieG for mentioning The Red Turtle. I watched it this evening and thought it was terrific. Stunningly beautiful animation and a thoughtful story.
watched it the other night and was thoroughly impressed.
If you are a movie fan this is the best time of year. It's awards season and all the best films are around so you can check out if the hype is justified. Three Billboards has been talked highly amongst the critics and in my opinion quite rightly so. It's the best film I have seen in quite a while.
It's the story of a grieving mother who takes matters into her own hands as she searches for her daughter’s murderer. An angry Mildred Hayes erects three provocative highway signs to catch the eye of the town’s well liked Chief of Police Bill Willoughby. Hoping the billboards spur Willoughby’s officer Dixon into action but all it does is ignites a storm in the community as the police force evades charges of racism and corruption.
Sam Rockwell is an underrated actor. He's done some fantastic work in recent years .I'm not sure why he doesn't get bigger roles. There is no denying Frances McDormand ability too ( who can forget Fargo?). These two actors are absolutely fantastic in this film and I hope they both win in their respective categories . This film has everything. It's funny , it's sad , it can make you angry and it can makes you cry. Martin McDonagh has made a film that will live long in the memory and if there is a better film nominated at this years Academy Awards I can't wait to see it.
Three billboards. Enjoyed it. Difficult in parts. Frances mcdormond is so talented. As is Sam Rockwell, really thought I’d seen him in previously films but he seems to have done a lot of crap films in the past that I’ve never seen. Keep thinking about it 48 hours on. Didn’t like woody’s wife. What accent was that? She was clearly Aussie trying to be Eastern European? Too young for him, thought it was his daughter to start with!
You are dead right. I thought it was his daughter also and her accent was shocking but that's the only cririsism I can find in what was a brilliant film. As for Sam Rockwell , he has done some very good stuff. If you haven't seen Moon or Seven Psychopaths ( from the same director as Three Billboards) , do so. They are really good films.
Del Toro is possibly one of the most creative directors out there at the moment, and this film doesn't disappoint. It has all the quirkiness we have come to expect from him. Its one of those films that subtly tells different stories without you realising it. Its a happy, sad, brutal, quirky, mystical, soft and romantic film. One of the best of 2017 along with Wind River 9/10 for the feel good factor alone.
Love them or hate them, Superhero films can be a lot of fun. This one is as corny as hell (as you would expect), but thoroughly entertaining 7/10 and definitely catering for the ladies with Henry Cavell and Jason Mamoa. I wont mention the beautiful Gal Gadot opps...I just did.
I Didnt know any details about this before watching. Typically very Hollywood, but a good tale nonetheless, based, Im told upon a true story. Worth a watch, couldn't fault the acting at all, loved the role of Molly By Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba did what Idris does.... 7/10
Oldman does a very passable Churchill, and in particular catches the side of the man that is so insecure given how we have been brought up on his outwardly strong and seemingly fearless leadership.
Is it a great film? no. Is it on a par with Brian Cox's performance in Churchill? Yes for sure, although the latter of the two showed just how unstable Winston was at times. As others have mentioned before me, Im not sure why the Tube scene was included to be honest as it just lets down the storyline for me. But Im going to give it a 7/10 nonetheless.
DOWNSIZING Wasn't expecting a lot from this film and for the first hour or so it's okay and a relatively interesting storyline. The second half of the film is unspeakably bad - terrible script, terrible acting and by the end you just want all of the characters to die. A waste of an idea. 2/10
Went in with mixed expectations and they were definitely exceeded. I can watch a movie of DDL reading the phone book and still like it. In this case, he does very well, but the two women in the movie outshine even him.
DDL plays a dress maker in early 1960s England who is a complete control freak. He falls for a gal in a coffee shop who becomes his muse. This comes into conflict with his sister, who has been his personal handler in business and life for decades. What results is a 3-way power struggle.
Acting is top notch. The score is fantastic, as is the cinematography.
I can see why some would find it boring if action and constant dialogue are your thing. But I loved the languid pace and beautiful visuals.
If one saw "There Will Be Blood", by the same director, with its odd ending in the bowling alley, then one might be prepared for the similarly odd, a bit hard to believe last 10 minutes of this movie. Some will find it out of place. I thought it made the movie.
Highly, highly recommended... for the right kind of viewer.
Synopsis (spoilers ahead): An unfashionable football team playing in red shirts and white socks fight for the right to return to their valley. Their pluck and determination helps them beat the odds. And a Gallic villian gets his comeuppance.
Basically it's Charlton Athletic the movie. 10/10.
I watched wind river in the week, it was brilliant. The shoot out is one of the best shoot out scenes I've ever seen. Jeremy Renner is superb. The Olsen sister in it is good too. I appreciate cinematography a lot more nowadays and this had some awesome camera work
Molly's girl. 7.5/10 - Wanted to watch this, the whole story does intrigue me so i might have to go and investigate more so (poker forums etc) I thought it was quite entertaining, didnt really centre alot on the poker aspect so will be more for a wider audience then just poker. Solid and worth a watch, the woman who played Molly was good, as was Idris.
COCO - saw this with my daughter. Animated film from Pixar based on the Mexican day of the dead festival. Fantastic animation in this and a storyline about how important family and memories are. A good watch for all ages and I really enjoyed it. 8/10
COCO - saw this with my daughter. Animated film from Pixar based on the Mexican day of the dead festival. Fantastic animation in this and a storyline about how important family and memories are. A good watch for all ages and I really enjoyed it. 8/10
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - as others have said, very good and well worth seeing - 8/10
The Death of Stalin - finally caught up with this one. A good ensemble cast and an amusing film (as you’d expect with Paul Whitehouse, Simon Russell-Beale etc) - 7/10
Mudbound - watched this on Netflix and was a little disappointed. I thought there were a few extraneous scenes and the film would have benefited from some tighter editing - 6/10
Oldman does a very passable Churchill, and in particular catches the side of the man that is so insecure given how we have been brought up on his outwardly strong and seemingly fearless leadership.
Is it a great film? no. Is it on a par with Brian Cox's performance in Churchill? Yes for sure, although the latter of the two showed just how unstable Winston was at times. As others have mentioned before me, Im not sure why the Tube scene was included to be honest as it just lets down the storyline for me. But Im going to give it a 7/10 nonetheless.
Watched 3 billboards last night and I can only add to the plaudits it has already received on here. The character development of Sam Rockwell and Frances McDormand was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed the humour throughout a film that had a very dark understory.
Definitely worth a trip down the cinema for. Liking the look of 'The shade of water' for my next visit.
Having recently watched the brilliant Ken Burns documentary The Vietnam War I was really interested in seeing Steven Spielberg's take on just a small part of the story of that needless war . You don't get two bigger stars than Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep so you are pretty much guaranteed good performances but my worry was , was it going to be too schmaltzy? Thankfully the answer is no.
This the story of Katharine Graham , the first female publisher of The Washington Post. With help from editor Ben Bradlee, they races to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover up of government secrets that spans three decades and four U.S. presidents. Together, they try to overcome their differences as they risk their careers and freedom to help bring long-buried truths to light.
While I have to say I like The Post it did have the feel of a made for TV movie which is odd for a Spielberg film. It's very simply told and is easy to follow which is good for a political film but perhaps too simple at times. Tom Hanks is great , while Meryl Streep seems to have slipped into her Iron Lady costume again. I love the way the actual telephone conversations with Nixon are used throughout the film because that really does give it context. Nominated for best picture , I doubt very much this will win but knowing how The Academy fawn over Streep and that everything in Hollywood is about "The Woman" at the moment i wouldn't surprise me if she wins Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.
3 Billboards yesterday. Bloody hell. An emotional rollercoaster. Unpredictable. Brilliant performances. Shoe in Oscar for Frances McDormand? America's 'dark heart'.
I like Charlie Hunnam, his accents are always insane but he's definitely a leading man, in this one he slipped from the bloke he played in green street to Jackson teller from sons of anarchy effortlessly
It's shot beautifully but the story ends up making no fucking sense at all and ends on a complete damp soft one. David Beckham pops up at one point and is possibly one of the better performances in it.
Guy Ritchie has done some really good films, and there are flashes in this one that make it obvious he is involved but this is a very expensive, nasty turd he has farted out here. The adhesive type that needs a karcher to fully remove.
JOURNEYS END Excellent film set in WW1 in 1918 as British troops wait for a German offensive. It really gets across the dirt, fear, boredom and claustrophobia of life in the trenches. The sense of impending doom and resignation is there throughout and it also shows how callous the British generals were.
The cast is very strong and Sam Claflin is excellent as a young Captain whose mental health is disintegrating.
Tried to watch "The Serious Man" tonight - an old Coen brothers film. But gave up as it was really dull. Maybe funnier if you are more connected to Jewish culture? Should I have persevered?
Very much a Jewish American in-joke. A few nice Coen touches along the way but no, not worth persevering.
The Mountain between us. Two fine actors in Idris Elba and Kate Winslet couldn't save this poor film...the dialogue was pretty pathetic, as was Kate's phoney Yank accent, the plot predictable, the continuity awful, but they got one thing right...they cast Idris as a Londoner...thats it. 3/10
Caught this yesterday as a sort of birthday treat with the kids after Charlton once again gave me a birthday present that I found insultingly poor. This is a good retake on a good original. I liked the Robin Williams Jumanji. This one takes it up to date a bit with some irritating millenials and a few other updates (there would seem little point in a remake of the original otherwise - it's not 'that' old). The characters mesh nicely, the plot is fun without the tedious length of the recent Star Wars film, and without doing anything exceptional, is a really fun afternoon for a family.
Caught this yesterday as a sort of birthday treat with the kids after Charlton once again gave me a birthday present that I found insultingly poor. This is a good retake on a good original. I liked the Robin Williams Jumanji. This one takes it up to date a bit with some irritating millenials and a few other updates (there would seem little point in a remake of the original otherwise - it's not 'that' old). The characters mesh nicely, the plot is fun without the tedious length of the recent Star Wars film, and without doing anything exceptional, is a really fun afternoon for a family.
7/10
Saw this with my daughter and it was better than I expected. Decent enough plot and reasonably amusing. 6/10
Enjoyable, not earth-shattering. Decent performance by Oldman.
Hate to echo everyone else but yeah the Tube scene was naff (and had to explain to the in-laws it was completely fictional afterwards as they thought it had really happened).
Comments
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
If you are a movie fan this is the best time of year. It's awards season and all the best films are around so you can check out if the hype is justified. Three Billboards has been talked highly amongst the critics and in my opinion quite rightly so. It's the best film I have seen in quite a while.
It's the story of a grieving mother who takes matters into her own hands as she searches for her daughter’s murderer. An angry Mildred Hayes erects three provocative highway signs to catch the eye of the town’s well liked Chief of Police Bill Willoughby. Hoping the billboards spur Willoughby’s officer Dixon into action but all it does is ignites a storm in the community as the police force evades charges of racism and corruption.
Sam Rockwell is an underrated actor. He's done some fantastic work in recent years .I'm not sure why he doesn't get bigger roles.
There is no denying Frances McDormand ability too ( who can forget Fargo?). These two actors are absolutely fantastic in this film and I hope they both win in their respective categories .
This film has everything. It's funny , it's sad , it can make you angry and it can makes you cry.
Martin McDonagh has made a film that will live long in the memory and if there is a better film nominated at this years Academy Awards I can't wait to see it.
9 out of 10
As for Sam Rockwell , he has done some very good stuff. If you haven't seen Moon or Seven Psychopaths ( from the same director as Three Billboards) , do so. They are really good films.
Del Toro is possibly one of the most creative directors out there at the moment, and this film doesn't disappoint. It has all the quirkiness we have come to expect from him. Its one of those films that subtly tells different stories without you realising it. Its a happy, sad, brutal, quirky, mystical, soft and romantic film. One of the best of 2017 along with Wind River 9/10 for the feel good factor alone.
Love them or hate them, Superhero films can be a lot of fun. This one is as corny as hell (as you would expect), but thoroughly entertaining 7/10 and definitely catering for the ladies with Henry Cavell and Jason Mamoa. I wont mention the beautiful Gal Gadot
I Didnt know any details about this before watching. Typically very Hollywood, but a good tale nonetheless, based, Im told upon a true story. Worth a watch, couldn't fault the acting at all, loved the role of Molly By Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba did what Idris does.... 7/10
Oldman does a very passable Churchill, and in particular catches the side of the man that is so insecure given how we have been brought up on his outwardly strong and seemingly fearless leadership.
Is it a great film? no. Is it on a par with Brian Cox's performance in Churchill? Yes for sure, although the latter of the two showed just how unstable Winston was at times. As others have mentioned before me, Im not sure why the Tube scene was included to be honest as it just lets down the storyline for me. But Im going to give it a 7/10 nonetheless.
Wasn't expecting a lot from this film and for the first hour or so it's okay and a relatively interesting storyline. The second half of the film is unspeakably bad - terrible script, terrible acting and by the end you just want all of the characters to die. A waste of an idea. 2/10
Went in with mixed expectations and they were definitely exceeded. I can watch a movie of DDL reading the phone book and still like it. In this case, he does very well, but the two women in the movie outshine even him.
DDL plays a dress maker in early 1960s England who is a complete control freak. He falls for a gal in a coffee shop who becomes his muse. This comes into conflict with his sister, who has been his personal handler in business and life for decades. What results is a 3-way power struggle.
Acting is top notch. The score is fantastic, as is the cinematography.
I can see why some would find it boring if action and constant dialogue are your thing. But I loved the languid pace and beautiful visuals.
If one saw "There Will Be Blood", by the same director, with its odd ending in the bowling alley, then one might be prepared for the similarly odd, a bit hard to believe last 10 minutes of this movie. Some will find it out of place. I thought it made the movie.
Highly, highly recommended... for the right kind of viewer.
Synopsis (spoilers ahead): An unfashionable football team playing in red shirts and white socks fight for the right to return to their valley. Their pluck and determination helps them beat the odds. And a Gallic villian gets his comeuppance.
Basically it's Charlton Athletic the movie. 10/10.
8/10
Fantastic animation in this and a storyline about how important family and memories are. A good watch for all ages and I really enjoyed it. 8/10
The Death of Stalin - finally caught up with this one. A good ensemble cast and an amusing film (as you’d expect with Paul Whitehouse, Simon Russell-Beale etc) - 7/10
Mudbound - watched this on Netflix and was a little disappointed. I thought there were a few extraneous scenes and the film would have benefited from some tighter editing - 6/10
Definitely worth a trip down the cinema for. Liking the look of 'The shade of water' for my next visit.
Having recently watched the brilliant Ken Burns documentary The Vietnam War I was really interested in seeing Steven Spielberg's take on just a small part of the story of that needless war . You don't get two bigger stars than Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep so you are pretty much guaranteed good performances but my worry was , was it going to be too schmaltzy? Thankfully the answer is no.
This the story of Katharine Graham , the first female publisher of The Washington Post. With help from editor Ben Bradlee, they races to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover up of government secrets that spans three decades and four U.S. presidents. Together, they try to overcome their differences as they risk their careers and freedom to help bring long-buried truths to light.
While I have to say I like The Post it did have the feel of a made for TV movie which is odd for a Spielberg film. It's very simply told and is easy to follow which is good for a political film but perhaps too simple at times.
Tom Hanks is great , while Meryl Streep seems to have slipped into her Iron Lady costume again.
I love the way the actual telephone conversations with Nixon are used throughout the film because that really does give it context.
Nominated for best picture , I doubt very much this will win but knowing how The Academy fawn over Streep and that everything in Hollywood is about "The Woman" at the moment i wouldn't surprise me if she wins Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.
7 out of 10
Bloody hell. An emotional rollercoaster. Unpredictable. Brilliant performances. Shoe in Oscar for Frances McDormand?
America's 'dark heart'.
this gets a kind 3 out of 10
I like Charlie Hunnam, his accents are always insane but he's definitely a leading man, in this one he slipped from the bloke he played in green street to Jackson teller from sons of anarchy effortlessly
It's shot beautifully but the story ends up making no fucking sense at all and ends on a complete damp soft one. David Beckham pops up at one point and is possibly one of the better performances in it.
Guy Ritchie has done some really good films, and there are flashes in this one that make it obvious he is involved but this is a very expensive, nasty turd he has farted out here. The adhesive type that needs a karcher to fully remove.
Excellent film set in WW1 in 1918 as British troops wait for a German offensive. It really gets across the dirt, fear, boredom and claustrophobia of life in the trenches. The sense of impending doom and resignation is there throughout and it also shows how callous the British generals were.
The cast is very strong and Sam Claflin is excellent as a young Captain whose mental health is disintegrating.
Well worth watching. 8/10
.
Caught this yesterday as a sort of birthday treat with the kids after Charlton once again gave me a birthday present that I found insultingly poor. This is a good retake on a good original. I liked the Robin Williams Jumanji. This one takes it up to date a bit with some irritating millenials and a few other updates (there would seem little point in a remake of the original otherwise - it's not 'that' old). The characters mesh nicely, the plot is fun without the tedious length of the recent Star Wars film, and without doing anything exceptional, is a really fun afternoon for a family.
7/10
Enjoyable, not earth-shattering. Decent performance by Oldman.
Hate to echo everyone else but yeah the Tube scene was naff (and had to explain to the in-laws it was completely fictional afterwards as they thought it had really happened).