I guess thematically there is something in it - using technology to try an eke out extra brain ability. But I'd prefer to see a generic, brand-free laptop, phone and game. I guess the producers think "we could spend money on making that stuff generic, or MAKE money by getting Apple to pay us to use their stuff!" which is economics. But hell, it seemed mad to me that she won an Oscar for a role that was sold to the highest bidder. "You were supposed to meet me for dinner!"
"Sorry, I went to PINKBERRY and had a delicious frozen yogurt!"
I like the look of '71, you don't see many mainstream films portraying this subject, although not without reason. Will probably wait for it on DVD thought to be honest.
Well worth a watch - liked it a lot. The main lad plays a good part. Liked him in Starred Up too.
I like the look of '71, you don't see many mainstream films portraying this subject, although not without reason. Will probably wait for it on DVD thought to be honest.
Well worth a watch - liked it a lot. The main lad plays a good part. Liked him in Starred Up too.
Haven't seen 71 yet but I agree he is good in Starred Up.
I second the thoughts of both Beds and Jimmy re: Still Alice, as a film it is thought provoking and moving and extremely well performed by everyone involved. As an advert for certain products it is hamfisted in the extreme! When product placement gets bad enough that I of all people notice it, that's a sign its overboard. Still a highly, highly recommended film though, one scene in particular which is the one I think clinched the deserved Oscar.
Kill the Messenger is a thought provoking thriller about a reporter , Gary Webb , who exposes the CIA's role in arming Contra rebels in Nicaragua and in importing drugs directly to the U.S. Although this film is based on the expose of the CIA it's fundamentally more about the consequences of that expose and the affect it had on Gary Webb , his life and his family. I really liked this film. It did lose it's way a little , an hour in , but it managed to haul itself back by the end. Lot's of good but very short cameos from the likes of Ray Liotta , Andy Garcia and Michael Sheen but it's Jeremy Renner that is the stand out player in this. A very enjoyable film.
Not really recent, and another kids film (I seem to be watching a lot of those recently), but watche Penguins of Madagascar the other night and laughed a lot. And Benedict Cumberbatch still can't say Penguins.
Also watch the Babadook. Didn't find it that scary (horrors very rarely do scare me to be fair) but still enjoyed it and found it interesting. Not film of the year though as suggested by a prominent BBC film reviewer.
Hellion is an interesting coming of age drama about two boys who are in danger of being separated from each other and their father after their mother died. Despite this being quite a low key film i really appreciated the acting from Aaron Paul and especially child actor Josh Wiggins and it struck a chord with me because both boys are around the same age as my own. It's good to see Aaron Paul doing some serious acting and proving that he really does have some serious talent. This isn't the most cheerful film i've seen of late but still worth watching none the less.
Hellion is an interesting coming of age drama about two boys who are in danger of being separated from each other and their father after their mother died. Despite this being quite a low key film i really appreciated the acting from Aaron Paul and especially child actor Josh Wiggins and it struck a chord with me because both boys are around the same age as my own. It's good to see Aaron Paul doing some serious acting and proving that he really does have some serious talent. This isn't the most cheerful film i've seen of late but still worth watching none the less.
Hellion is an interesting coming of age drama about two boys who are in danger of being separated from each other and their father after their mother died. Despite this being quite a low key film i really appreciated the acting from Aaron Paul and especially child actor Josh Wiggins and it struck a chord with me because both boys are around the same age as my own. It's good to see Aaron Paul doing some serious acting and proving that he really does have some serious talent. This isn't the most cheerful film i've seen of late but still worth watching none the less.
6 out of 10
This has actually been released in the UK called Retribution. FYI
There is no doubt in my mind that Mohammad Ali's boast of being "The Greatest" was absolutely correct. Although i'm only old enough to remember the back end of his boxing career i have subsequently watched lots of his fights , seen interviews and watched many documentaries on the great man. I am Ali ranks right up there in films about him along with When We Were Kings because this really gets into what he was like outside the ring. There are interviews with his son and daughters , his wife and his close friends but what i liked most about this is the audio clips of phone conversation that Ali recorded himself talking to his family. Not only was he probably the greatest boxer of all time he was a truly great man. Highly recommended
I just watched focus; a film about a con-artist and his 'intern' (the beautiful Margot Robbie). The first 30 minutes were thoroughly entertaining but I'm struggling to think of a film that dips in quite the same way. I mean it gets really fucking boring. Once it ended, I thought to myself 'that couldn't have come soon enough'. It is a film that keeps you guessing too many times and you end up losing interest.
Worth watching though for Margot (you may remember her from The Wolf of Wall Street) who looks absolutely stunning throughout.
Wild Card is basically generic Jason Statham film #2356789. He scowls! He punches people! He is mysteriously attractive to implausibly beautiful women!... for 90 odd minutes. I mean, it's not bad if that's your thing, and the fights are generally decent. There are even a few points where he actually attempts some actual proper emotional acting (without great success, but he does try) and the 10-15 most uncomfortable minutes any male viewer will sit through in any film this year involving shears and a gentleman's pride and joy, but it's really not worth spending money on.
I have been meaning to seeing Marvellous for a while since it was shown on TV last year and i have to ask myself why did it take so long ? because this film is a joy to behold. It's the story of Neil Baldwin , who's outlook in life is infectious and lives life to the full . Along the way , he picks up friends that mere mortals like you and me wouldn't think of mixing with. Toby Jones is fantastic as Nello and this confirms that he is currently one of the best character actors around today. What is really good about this is the interspersion of the real Neil Baldwin who confirms along the way , that this did ( or didn't ) really happen . Director , Julian Farino has made a film here that can only be described as joyous and it is worth the licence fee alone.
Next Goal Wins is a wonderfully inspiring documentary film about supposedly the worst international football team on the planet - American Samoa - A team that lost 31-0 to Australia ten years ago in a world cup qualifier. A result that scarred the little island so much they asked The US for help and they sent Dutch coach Thomas Rongen . They never looked back. This film is not really about football . It's about faith , friendship , camaraderie and chemistry . It's about what you can achieve if you have all these in abundance and American Samoa certainly have that. You don't have to be interested in football one little bit to enjoy this film . Recommended.
Watched on the recommendation of lifers on this thread Kill The Irishman . It's about an Irish mobster called Danny Greene ( not a joke) who gained notoriety in Cleveland in the 1970's for being a tough no nonsense gangster who took on the Italian Mafia. I have to say this film didn't it for me as much as others . I felt it was very cliched and maybe that was because of the many Goodfellas / Sopranos cast involved. Add Vinnie Jones and Christopher Walken to the fold it felt like a who's who of gangster characters. Another problem i have with it is the leading actor Ray Stevenson. He just didn't feel right to me despite having an uncanny resemblance to the real Danny Greene . It's not all bad though. It did have a very 1970's authentic feel about it and at no stage was i bored despite the countless car bombs we see going off.
Saw All Is By My Side on Friday. It's the story of the early days of Jimi Hendrix. I was a bit worried before watching this as it didn't receive good reviews and as I understand it they were not allowed to use any of Jimi's music. However, I enjoyed it. I thought Andre Benjamin (Andre 3000 from Outkast) was superb as Jimi, perfected his voice and mannerisms brilliantly. I don't think it suffered either from not being able to use his original music, there were plenty of top tunes throughout.
I saw Cinderella last night with the children. It's a good film in it's way (much better than 50 Shades, which was my previous trip to the cinema, but without the kids!!), but in it's way, it's dull for an adult. My girls loved the magic, the costumes, the storyline, and especially the Frozen short film that accompanies it, but for me, it was the original Disney cartoon done out with real actors, and barely a change in the plot. I suppose Disney still have to do the traditional movies, but Malificent was so much better by being so off key for Disney. With Cinderella, you always knew exactly what was going to happen, and with a couple of very small and isolated exceptions, that was all you got. Recommended for children if it rains at easter.
There is a scene in the middle of the film that is amongst the most ridiculously violent things I've ever seen in a cinema. It goes on for about three minutes - were the censors out having a slash or something?
And I say this as a man who thinks censorship in general is a bad thing!!!
Taken 3. As bad as it is, I still enjoyed it. Some massive liberties taken with some of the continuity and action but hey, you know its going to be bad!!
Comments
"Sorry, I went to PINKBERRY and had a delicious frozen yogurt!"
https://youtube.com/watch?v=oQYwFND7rHE
Then again, there is the Transformers stuff.
Kill the Messenger is a thought provoking thriller about a reporter , Gary Webb , who exposes the CIA's role in arming Contra rebels in Nicaragua and in importing drugs directly to the U.S.
Although this film is based on the expose of the CIA it's fundamentally more about the consequences of that expose and the affect it had on Gary Webb , his life and his family.
I really liked this film. It did lose it's way a little , an hour in , but it managed to haul itself back by the end.
Lot's of good but very short cameos from the likes of Ray Liotta , Andy Garcia and Michael Sheen but it's Jeremy Renner that is the stand out player in this.
A very enjoyable film.
8 out of 10
Also watch the Babadook. Didn't find it that scary (horrors very rarely do scare me to be fair) but still enjoyed it and found it interesting. Not film of the year though as suggested by a prominent BBC film reviewer.
Hellion
Hellion is an interesting coming of age drama about two boys who are in danger of being separated from each other and their father after their mother died.
Despite this being quite a low key film i really appreciated the acting from Aaron Paul and especially child actor Josh Wiggins and it struck a chord with me because both boys are around the same age as my own.
It's good to see Aaron Paul doing some serious acting and proving that he really does have some serious talent.
This isn't the most cheerful film i've seen of late but still worth watching none the less.
6 out of 10
I am Ali
There is no doubt in my mind that Mohammad Ali's boast of being "The Greatest" was absolutely correct.
Although i'm only old enough to remember the back end of his boxing career i have subsequently watched lots of his fights , seen interviews and watched many documentaries on the great man.
I am Ali ranks right up there in films about him along with When We Were Kings because this really gets into what he was like outside the ring.
There are interviews with his son and daughters , his wife and his close friends but what i liked most about this is the audio clips of phone conversation that Ali recorded himself talking to his family.
Not only was he probably the greatest boxer of all time he was a truly great man.
Highly recommended
9 out of 10
I just watched focus; a film about a con-artist and his 'intern' (the beautiful Margot Robbie). The first 30 minutes were thoroughly entertaining but I'm struggling to think of a film that dips in quite the same way. I mean it gets really fucking boring. Once it ended, I thought to myself 'that couldn't have come soon enough'. It is a film that keeps you guessing too many times and you end up losing interest.
Worth watching though for Margot (you may remember her from The Wolf of Wall Street) who looks absolutely stunning throughout.
5 out of 10
6/10
I have been meaning to seeing Marvellous for a while since it was shown on TV last year and i have to ask myself why did it take so long ? because this film is a joy to behold.
It's the story of Neil Baldwin , who's outlook in life is infectious and lives life to the full . Along the way , he picks up friends that mere mortals like you and me wouldn't think of mixing with.
Toby Jones is fantastic as Nello and this confirms that he is currently one of the best character actors around today.
What is really good about this is the interspersion of the real Neil Baldwin who confirms along the way , that this did ( or didn't ) really happen .
Director , Julian Farino has made a film here that can only be described as joyous and it is worth the licence fee alone.
Nello is a legend . Bloody Marvellous.
10 out of 10
Next Goal Wins
Next Goal Wins is a wonderfully inspiring documentary film about supposedly the worst international football team on the planet - American Samoa - A team that lost 31-0 to Australia ten years ago in a world cup qualifier. A result that scarred the little island so much they asked The US for help and they sent Dutch coach Thomas Rongen . They never looked back.
This film is not really about football . It's about faith , friendship , camaraderie and chemistry . It's about what you can achieve if you have all these in abundance and American Samoa certainly have that.
You don't have to be interested in football one little bit to enjoy this film .
Recommended.
9 out of 10
Brilliant, simply brilliant.
Watched on the recommendation of lifers on this thread Kill The Irishman . It's about an Irish mobster called Danny Greene ( not a joke) who gained notoriety in Cleveland in the 1970's for being a tough no nonsense gangster who took on the Italian Mafia.
I have to say this film didn't it for me as much as others . I felt it was very cliched and maybe that was because of the many Goodfellas / Sopranos cast involved. Add Vinnie Jones and Christopher Walken to the fold it felt like a who's who of gangster characters.
Another problem i have with it is the leading actor Ray Stevenson. He just didn't feel right to me despite having an uncanny resemblance to the real Danny Greene .
It's not all bad though. It did have a very 1970's authentic feel about it and at no stage was i bored despite the countless car bombs we see going off.
5 out of 10
4/10
fcuk my old boots, how is this a 15 cert?
Am I just getting old or something?
There is a scene in the middle of the film that is amongst the most ridiculously violent things I've ever seen in a cinema. It goes on for about three minutes - were the censors out having a slash or something?
And I say this as a man who thinks censorship in general is a bad thing!!!