Finally got round to watching guardians of the galaxy at the weekend, for me it didn't live up to the hype and was a bit of a disappointment, 6.5 out of 10.
It was the best film I saw this year, until I watched Whiplash. Birdman is very different from anything you'll see for the rest of the year. Spending the majority of the film backstage at a theatre, the camera is in almost continuous motion, following all characters from conversation to conversation. The performances are superb, the script is pacy and fun, soundtrack has a real simple drum roll to it throughout, but it is the camera work of Inarittu which turns this film into a worthy oscar nominated picture.
It was the best film I saw this year, until I watched Whiplash. Birdman is very different from anything you'll see for the rest of the year. Spending the majority of the film backstage at a theatre, the camera is in almost continuous motion, following all characters from conversation to conversation. The performances are superb, the script is pacy and fun, soundtrack has a real simple drum roll to it throughout, but it is the camera work of Inarittu which turns this film into a worthy oscar nominated picture.
Saw Whiplash the other night. Didn't think it was as good as some of the reviews. not a terrible film by any means but thought it was a bit pointless and didn't really go anywhere.
spoke to a few other people who've seen it and they say it's the best film they've seen for years.
This is a fascinating documentary about Vivian Maier , an odd woman , but a genius with a camera. When she died , her belongings went to auction , which included hundreds of thousands of negatives and boxes of undeveloped rolls of film . John Maloof , the director of this film started to discover , that these pictures where extraordinary and that he had to set out to find what this woman , and her life , was all about. I enjoyed this a lot and you really have to see this film to see what a fantastic photographer of people she was. Finding Vivian Maier is nominated in the best documentary category in this years Oscar's.
It's best if you know nothing about John E. du Pont or the Schultz brothers when going to see Foxcatcher. This whole story was new to me and that definately added to the enjoyment of watching this , if enjoyment is the right word. Steve Carell is fantastic as Du Pont and there are good performances from Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo. Although the story revolves around wrestling , that is not what this film is really about. it's all about the mind of Du Pont and the further this film goes on you get the feeling that something isn't at all right with this man. you are never quite sure what his motives were for what he was doing , whether it was sexual , or ego based or that he was just lonely. Good film and i wouldn't be surprised if Steve Carell wins best male actor at the Oscars but i would give it to Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of Everything if it was me.
This is a fascinating documentary about Vivian Maier , an odd woman , but a genius with a camera. When she died , her belongings went to auction , which included hundreds of thousands of negatives and boxes of undeveloped rolls of film . John Maloof , the director of this film started to discover , that these pictures where extraordinary and he set out to find what this woman , and her life , was all about. I enjoyed this a lot and you really have to see this film to see what a fantastic photographer of people she was. Finding Vivian Maier is nominated in the best documentary category in this years Oscar's.
American Sniper - so called because 'Team America' was already taken, presumably. Can see why it did so well in the USA, classic American movie making (that's not a criticism by the way) - hero is heroic, traditional values, USA! USA! the whole way and of course evil foreigners. Even the (true) post script adds a suitably tragic-hero touch. Not at all bad and will no doubt do well at the Oscars - ahead of much more innovative, progressive films. If Cooper wins ahead of Keaton or Redmayne it will be an absolute travesty - he's good, they're better, and more complex characters besides.
Ex_Machina - Outstanding directorial debut from Alex Garland. Exquisite dialogue which flows from the overly intellectual to the darkly humorous. Oscar Isaac is charismatic, brutal, yet captivating as always. A bonus at one point, it has a bizarre but, delightful dance scene. One of finest I've ever witnessed on film. Well worth a view. Twists that you see coming, twists that you don't. This is not your usual AI film.
I have read few unfavorable reviews about The Gambler mostly saying the film is not gripping enough. I disagree. At no stage did i lose interest in what was going on and i thought the tension was palpable at times. A really good leading performance from Mark Wahlberg and it's good to see Michael Kenneth Williams ( Omar Little from The Wire ) in a big role. If i had to be picky i would say that the three people who Jim owed money to could have been a little bit more menacing and the ending is a little bit confusing ( or that could just be me ! ). Overall though an entertaining , enjoyable movie which also has a great soundtrack.
Enjoy Sundance, @supaclive! Just been looking at the programme for Glasgow Film Festival 2015 - do you have any films in it this time? Any recommendations?
Ex_Machina - Outstanding directorial debut from Alex Garland. Exquisite dialogue which flows from the overly intellectual to the darkly humorous. Oscar Isaac is charismatic, brutal, yet captivating as always. A bonus at one point, it has a bizarre but, delightful dance scene. One of finest I've ever witnessed on film. Well worth a view. Twists that you see coming, twists that you don't. This is not your usual AI film.
Thanks SR - am seeing this tomorrow but only picked it because the timing fits in well with dinner afterwards. Didnt fancy it all that much, but far more enthusiastic now, cheers.
Not sure if Beds or others have mentioned this Russian film. Saw it last night, highly recommended unless you need a happy ending. There isn't one, because the message of this film is that Russia is going to hell in a handcart. Corruption is endemic, the rule of law is a joke and the population is drinking itself to death.
Apparently Vlad & co are furious that the film was made with Ministry of Culture money. All the more reason to go and see it. But this is no propaganda film, it is finely directed, and performed, and beautiful camerawork depicts the raw beauty and desolation of coastal Siberia in "summer"; as well as snapshots of daily life, right down to the various types of automobile that feature, including the incidental RAV4 that rolls past, almost new but with bad damage to the rear.
Recommended by both me and the wife, who would like you all to get the message about Putin
Just back from Into the Woods - Wife insisted on going. Enjoyed Brighton defeat more! The last film I seriously considered walking out of was Pirates of the Caribbean at Worlds end - this was worse. Has what looks like the ending and you are thanking god and then Frances De La Tour pops up as a female giant with zero special effects. A bloody giant and they can't bloody find her for another hour! How this got made I will never know! Full of singing, but with not one memorable song. Not even mildly memorable.
I would only recommend this to somebody I really hate. But I would then have to watch my back for the rest of my life.
Waited to see all the credits to check f Roland had anything to do with producing it.
If you have read about whistle blower , Edward Snowdon , in some of the undesirable right wing newspapers you might be forgiven for thinking this man is the devil incarnate and a danger to society. Rubbish. This man is a modern day hero Citizenfour tells the story , in real time , of Snowdown , and some very brave journalists , and how they exposed the way the US and UK governments are snooping on everything we do without us knowing. This documentary it'self is a little disjointed but you can forgive director , Laura Poitras that, because it's the message that counts. This Oscar nominated documentary could quite easily fit in the horror genre because of what is going on at GSHQ and the NSA . Frightening stuff.
What's not to like about Denzel Washington kicking a bunch of Russia gangsters arses and showing everyone who's The Man ? This is real , leave your brain at the door , action film with mountains of comic book violence and as i do with nearly all Denzel Washington movies , i enjoyed it.
Ex_Machina - Outstanding directorial debut from Alex Garland. Exquisite dialogue which flows from the overly intellectual to the darkly humorous. Oscar Isaac is charismatic, brutal, yet captivating as always. A bonus at one point, it has a bizarre but, delightful dance scene. One of finest I've ever witnessed on film. Well worth a view. Twists that you see coming, twists that you don't. This is not your usual AI film.
Thanks SR - am seeing this tomorrow but only picked it because the timing fits in well with dinner afterwards. Didnt fancy it all that much, but far more enthusiastic now, cheers.
@IdleHans intrigued to know what you thought of Ex_Machina?
Enjoyed it. Haven't seen a film quite like it before. Thought provoking re the development of AI. Ava was brilliantly done and the script was sharp. Had a well developed feeling of intensity/claustrophobia, and it didn't seem too far fetched.
Had pretty much seen the main twist coming, but it's one of those films where you predict other twists which then don't happen, which itself surprises you.
Enjoy Sundance, @supaclive! Just been looking at the programme for Glasgow Film Festival 2015 - do you have any films in it this time? Any recommendations?
I will take a look at Glasgow line up when I'm back on Friday. We DO have one film in Glasgow. All shall be revealed.
One film here in Sundance that is HOT is Z For Zachariah. I tried to buy it in Cannes and got soooo close. Kicking myself now.
The Witch has a lot of buzz.
Mississipi Grind I watched today. A slow burn. I liked it. But it's an American road movie and gambling. It will not do well back in Blighty. Ryan Reynolds has really grown on me.
Enjoyed ex machina. Not knowing anything about it before we went. Felt like it was only about an hour long. Completly sucked in to it. The dance scene is great. Never seen Oscar Isaac in anything before. Thought domhall gleeson was great. Ava tho.... What an ugly bint :-)
Dec said it was the best film hed seen in a long time. And I'm sure not just because of Ava!
Comments
Dogshite
Not bad. Some kid bangs a drum and is taught by sgt Hartman from full metal jacket
Birdman is very different from anything you'll see for the rest of the year. Spending the majority of the film backstage at a theatre, the camera is in almost continuous motion, following all characters from conversation to conversation.
The performances are superb, the script is pacy and fun, soundtrack has a real simple drum roll to it throughout, but it is the camera work of Inarittu which turns this film into a worthy oscar nominated picture.
spoke to a few other people who've seen it and they say it's the best film they've seen for years.
It's all about opinions I guess!
This is a fascinating documentary about Vivian Maier , an odd woman , but a genius with a camera. When she died , her belongings went to auction , which included hundreds of thousands of negatives and boxes of undeveloped rolls of film . John Maloof , the director of this film started to discover , that these pictures where extraordinary and that he had to set out to find what this woman , and her life , was all about. I enjoyed this a lot and you really have to see this film to see what a fantastic photographer of people she was.
Finding Vivian Maier is nominated in the best documentary category in this years Oscar's.
7 out of 10
It's best if you know nothing about John E. du Pont or the Schultz brothers when going to see Foxcatcher. This whole story was new to me and that definately added to the enjoyment of watching this , if enjoyment is the right word.
Steve Carell is fantastic as Du Pont and there are good performances from Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo.
Although the story revolves around wrestling , that is not what this film is really about. it's all about the mind of Du Pont and the further this film goes on you get the feeling that something isn't at all right with this man. you are never quite sure what his motives were for what he was doing , whether it was sexual , or ego based or that he was just lonely.
Good film and i wouldn't be surprised if Steve Carell wins best male actor at the Oscars but i would give it to Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of Everything if it was me.
7 out of 10
I have read few unfavorable reviews about The Gambler mostly saying the film is not gripping enough. I disagree.
At no stage did i lose interest in what was going on and i thought the tension was palpable at times.
A really good leading performance from Mark Wahlberg and it's good to see Michael Kenneth Williams ( Omar Little from The Wire ) in a big role. If i had to be picky i would say that the three people who Jim owed money to could have been a little bit more menacing and the ending is a little bit confusing ( or that could just be me ! ).
Overall though an entertaining , enjoyable movie which also has a great soundtrack.
7 out of 10
worth a weekday night at home. didnt feel like i had to have watched it at cinema, after seeing it at the cinema.
funny in parts, amazingly shot (if you like that kind of thing) decent characters (Ed Norton vs Keaton is quite funny)
mentally ill hollywood film star. whod have thought.
Not sure if Beds or others have mentioned this Russian film. Saw it last night, highly recommended unless you need a happy ending. There isn't one, because the message of this film is that Russia is going to hell in a handcart. Corruption is endemic, the rule of law is a joke and the population is drinking itself to death.
Apparently Vlad & co are furious that the film was made with Ministry of Culture money. All the more reason to go and see it. But this is no propaganda film, it is finely directed, and performed, and beautiful camerawork depicts the raw beauty and desolation of coastal Siberia in "summer"; as well as snapshots of daily life, right down to the various types of automobile that feature, including the incidental RAV4 that rolls past, almost new but with bad damage to the rear.
Recommended by both me and the wife, who would like you all to get the message about Putin
UPDATE: Nominated for foreign film Oscar, I see.
Watched imitation game yesterday, fantastic film, recommend it
I would only recommend this to somebody I really hate. But I would then have to watch my back for the rest of my life.
Waited to see all the credits to check f Roland had anything to do with producing it.
If you have read about whistle blower , Edward Snowdon , in some of the undesirable right wing newspapers you might be forgiven for thinking this man is the devil incarnate and a danger to society. Rubbish. This man is a modern day hero
Citizenfour tells the story , in real time , of Snowdown , and some very brave journalists , and how they exposed the way the US and UK governments are snooping on everything we do without us knowing.
This documentary it'self is a little disjointed but you can forgive director , Laura Poitras that, because it's the message that counts.
This Oscar nominated documentary could quite easily fit in the horror genre because of what is going on at GSHQ and the NSA . Frightening stuff.
7 out of 10
What's not to like about Denzel Washington kicking a bunch of Russia gangsters arses and showing everyone who's The Man ?
This is real , leave your brain at the door , action film with mountains of comic book violence and as i do with nearly all Denzel Washington movies , i enjoyed it.
6 out of 10
Had pretty much seen the main twist coming, but it's one of those films where you predict other twists which then don't happen, which itself surprises you.
8/10.
One film here in Sundance that is HOT is Z For Zachariah. I tried to buy it in Cannes and got soooo close. Kicking myself now.
The Witch has a lot of buzz.
Mississipi Grind I watched today. A slow burn. I liked it. But it's an American road movie and gambling. It will not do well back in Blighty. Ryan Reynolds has really grown on me.
Dec said it was the best film hed seen in a long time. And I'm sure not just because of Ava!