I watched Mission Impossible Rogue Nation last week and quite enjoyed it. Then I remembered there was a documentary film released earlier this year about Scientology which I wanted to watch but didn't get around to. So yesterday I looked it up on the internet and found the full film. Watched it and would like to recommend it to anyone that hasn't seen it. Its title is Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief. Nothing I've seen before has shocked me this much. During the two hours of watching, I kept wondering why people could be so easily manipulated. I've read in the newspaper that Katy Holmes divorced Tom Cruise mainly because of Scientology but I didn't know that was the same reason why Cruise's marriage to Nicole Kidman fell apart. Is there an organisation that is more evil than the 'Church of Scientology'? ISIS? How it still exists baffles me beyond belief.
Over the years I've watched maybe 15, 16 Tom Cruise films (I can't say I'm a big fan of his although I like many of his films) but this documentary is in my opinion better than any one of them. I don't know if the link works outside mainland China but if you have two hours of free time, just watch it. You proably won't even feel it is that long. http://www.tudou.com/albumplay/RC8TKsk5VRw/QoCrhbF_DEY.html
Saw the Bond film last night . Most interesting part of it was trying to decide whether the villain Fanz Oberhauser was in fact Roland Duchatelet . Maybe it's just the grey hair ,odd manner and megalomaniac parallels .
Bridge of spies- I really enjoyed this, 8 out of 10, I love Tom Hanks as an actor, but I can't get the voice of Woody from Toy Story out of my head. I'm sure I heard him say ' there's a snake in my boots'.
This is the story of the famous psychological experiment carried out at Stanford University in 1971 where a group of students drew straws to see who were to be prison guards and who were going to be prisoners for two weeks and how the were going to behave when put in their roles. I've seen this experiment replicated before on a channel 4 documentary and it's interesting to watch - This film wasn't' as interesting. You can argue that this experiment was the foundation for a lot of reality TV but the film didn't really work because it was just actors playing the parts . There was very little explanation as to why the experiment was being carried out in the first place and even less on why the students acted like they did. I found this utterly dull and that's unforgivable in a film.
Saw Bridge of Spies this afternoon. Really enjoyed it. I love Cold War films, hopefully this will spark off a few more as its a subject that's been neglected for a while. Loved the old ones from the 60's like The Prize, Torn Curtain, The Mackintosh Man, The Naked Runner and the first three Harry Palmer films. Funny thing happened when we arrived at the cinema, there were people sitting in our seats who had the same row and seat numbers on their e-ticket, so I went out to tell the usherette who came in and inspected the peoples tickets and found they were in the right seats but the wrong screen! Made us laugh anyway.
People always talk about Everest as the ultimate mountain to climb but that hasn't been true for a long time. On Everest you can hire Sherpas to carry your stuff , to fix your ropes for you and to take most of the risks. Most climbers worth their sorts have climbed it many times , some have even skied off of it. Mount Meru is a whole different ball game. This is documentary about three climbers who attempt to climb the unchartered "Shark Fin" summit of Meru and it tells their story along the way. In a way I enjoyed this more than the film Everest because this is real footage and of mountain I wasn't aware of before. You have to admire these people for their determination but on the other hand you can't help but think they have a death wish. I only wish I had an ounce of their determination and drive.
@Bedsaddick I actually watched The Stanford Prison Experiment in Sundance last year and really liked it. Thought the cast were excellent and the film had real tension. Takes all folks. Meru looks good, however there is an even better documentary to be released by Universal next year called Sherpa. Watch out for that.
Spy - Jason Statham is very, very funny. The extended edition (on Sky Store) is horrendously paced. McCarthy shouldn't be allowed to go off script in my opinion. Not a bad movie, presumably the shorter version is better. 2.5/5
Beasts of No Nation - technically adept and atmospheric, and genuinely disturbing at times. But it doesn't feel like it gets into the detail of what really happens in that world. Doesn't help that I don't think Idris Elba is a cinematic actor. 4/5
Southpaw - watchable but basic. We could have written that movie. I like Jake Gyllenhaal but he REALLY tries to act in this. You can tell he's in Oscar mode when he repeats his lines 7 or 8 times in quick succession. You could edit scenes from each Rocky together to make this film. Nothing new to say at all. 2/5
Victor Frankenstein - utter tosh, but in a good way. Fun and silly, with a visual flair that's worth the admission. James McAvoy puts the ham in hammer horror- he's off his nut in it, which is fun to watch. Sadly, it peters out at the end. They shift the monster stuff back for a big finish and that screws up a major part of the story. Still, plenty of fun to be had. 3/5
This is a film about two poker players who strike up a friendship and go on a journey to win their fortune. The problem is that one of them doesn't know when to quit. This is one the best films I've seen about gambling and poker in a long time. The two lead actors , Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn are brilliant and they work really well together. Mendelsohn in particular is really convincing as man with a severe gambling problem. Essentially this is a road movie that despite having many bumps is actually a really good journey to be on for the viewer.
This is a film about two poker players who strike up a friendship and go on a journey to win their fortune. The problem is that one of them doesn't know when to quit. This is one the best films I've seen about gambling and poker in a long time. The two lead actors , Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn are brilliant and they work really well together. Mendelsohn in particular is really convincing as man with a severe gambling problem. Essentially this is a road movie that despite having many bumps is actually a really good journey to be on for the viewer.
Watched this in Sundance earlier this year also Beds. Two leads are excellent, but ultimately the UK public don't give a rats' monkeys about two Americans taking a road trip playing poker. Which is a shame.
Brooklyn - 7/10. A relatively simple tale but entertaining, very well put together and an excellent turn by Saoirse Ronan. Three weeks in, it's taken around £4million at the UK and Irish box office.
Hardly a latest film, but just watched Tom Hardy in Locke for the second time. If you haven't seen it, you must. Fabulous.
Fascinating film. When you tell someone about a film with just one actor in it, on his own, sounds like it could be boring. But it just highlights Hardy's quality.
Just watched black mass, what an amazing story could only happen in America. Johny Depp potryed one othe most frightening gangsters I have seen on the screen. Mr Cumberbatch did well playing an Irish America politian, pulled it off well.
Just watched black mass, what an amazing story could only happen in America. Johny Depp potryed one othe most frightening gangsters I have seen on the screen. Mr Cumberbatch did well playing an Irish America politian, pulled it off well.
I watched it two months ago and absolutely loved it. Joel Edgerton was in my opinion as good as Johnny Depp. I've been wondering why no one has ever mentioned this film on here until now though.
Just watched black mass, what an amazing story could only happen in America. Johny Depp potryed one othe most frightening gangsters I have seen on the screen. Mr Cumberbatch did well playing an Irish America politian, pulled it off well.
I saw it last week. Probably Johnny Depp's best performance to date. Loved it
Comments
Over the years I've watched maybe 15, 16 Tom Cruise films (I can't say I'm a big fan of his although I like many of his films) but this documentary is in my opinion better than any one of them. I don't know if the link works outside mainland China but if you have two hours of free time, just watch it. You proably won't even feel it is that long. http://www.tudou.com/albumplay/RC8TKsk5VRw/QoCrhbF_DEY.html
Brooklyn - 7 out of 10 a simple tale, but enjoyed it more.
Bridge of spies- I really enjoyed this, 8 out of 10, I love Tom Hanks as an actor, but I can't get the voice of Woody from Toy Story out of my head.
I'm sure I heard him say ' there's a snake in my boots'.
The Stanford Prison Experiment
This is the story of the famous psychological experiment carried out at Stanford University in 1971 where a group of students drew straws to see who were to be prison guards and who were going to be prisoners for two weeks and how the were going to behave when put in their roles.
I've seen this experiment replicated before on a channel 4 documentary and it's interesting to watch - This film wasn't' as interesting. You can argue that this experiment was the foundation for a lot of reality TV but the film didn't really work because it was just actors playing the parts . There was very little explanation as to why the experiment was being carried out in the first place and even less on why the students acted like they did.
I found this utterly dull and that's unforgivable in a film.
4 out of 10
Funny thing happened when we arrived at the cinema, there were people sitting in our seats who had the same row and seat numbers on their e-ticket, so I went out to tell the usherette who came in and inspected the peoples tickets and found they were in the right seats but the wrong screen! Made us laugh anyway.
People always talk about Everest as the ultimate mountain to climb but that hasn't been true for a long time. On Everest you can hire Sherpas to carry your stuff , to fix your ropes for you and to take most of the risks. Most climbers worth their sorts have climbed it many times , some have even skied off of it. Mount Meru is a whole different ball game.
This is documentary about three climbers who attempt to climb the unchartered "Shark Fin" summit of Meru and it tells their story along the way.
In a way I enjoyed this more than the film Everest because this is real footage and of mountain I wasn't aware of before.
You have to admire these people for their determination but on the other hand you can't help but think they have a death wish.
I only wish I had an ounce of their determination and drive.
7 out of 10
Mark Rylance is superb ... not only good in the theatre but can do it in the cinema as well.
Would happily watch this again - 9/10.
Beasts of No Nation - technically adept and atmospheric, and genuinely disturbing at times. But it doesn't feel like it gets into the detail of what really happens in that world. Doesn't help that I don't think Idris Elba is a cinematic actor. 4/5
Southpaw - watchable but basic. We could have written that movie. I like Jake Gyllenhaal but he REALLY tries to act in this. You can tell he's in Oscar mode when he repeats his lines 7 or 8 times in quick succession. You could edit scenes from each Rocky together to make this film. Nothing new to say at all. 2/5
Victor Frankenstein - utter tosh, but in a good way. Fun and silly, with a visual flair that's worth the admission. James McAvoy puts the ham in hammer horror- he's off his nut in it, which is fun to watch. Sadly, it peters out at the end. They shift the monster stuff back for a big finish and that screws up a major part of the story. Still, plenty of fun to be had. 3/5
Mississippi Grind
This is a film about two poker players who strike up a friendship and go on a journey to win their fortune. The problem is that one of them doesn't know when to quit.
This is one the best films I've seen about gambling and poker in a long time. The two lead actors , Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn are brilliant and they work really well together. Mendelsohn in particular is really convincing as man with a severe gambling problem.
Essentially this is a road movie that despite having many bumps is actually a really good journey to be on for the viewer.
8 out of 10
Maggie Smith is so good and Alex Jennings plays Alan Bennett very well. Lots of humour and well worth watching.
9/10
If you haven't seen it, you must.
Fabulous.
When you tell someone about a film with just one actor in it, on his own, sounds like it could be boring. But it just highlights Hardy's quality.
Johny Depp potryed one othe most frightening gangsters I have seen on the screen. Mr Cumberbatch did well playing an Irish America politian, pulled it off well.