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).
I watched Wind River after several recommendations on here. I thought it was a bit meh. Slow for an hour then the shoot out scene put it up to 100mph. That was very well done and as Carter mentioned, the cinematography was amazing. Just didn't really have me on the edge of my seat like a thriller should.
I thought this was excellent. Wasn't sure about Oldman for the first five minutes, but in the end thought his performance was superb. I'm aware that there are some factual inaccuracies (the tube journey for example), but this isn't a historical document, and it's not claiming to be definitive, so I wasn't too worried. Movie highlights how close we were to holding 'peace talks' (surrender).
8/10
Really enjoyed this and Gary Oldman was fantastic. But, for me, the tube journey scene was so pivotal that it did disappoint me to learn it wasn't true.
But Hollywood dollars speak loudest. Just taints the authenticity somewhat.
I think you could file this under "it didn't happen but it could have and it sums up the feelings of the times" so it's nowhere near as bad as Hook being played as a malingerer in Zulu, which upset his descendants quite a bit, or Murdoch blowing his brains out in Titanic, at which his descendants were not so much upset as apoplectic.
Friday we saw Three Billboards. Not as funny as In Bruges but equally as dark and the two central performances are excellent. It's the best film I've seen so far this year.
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.
Well worth watching. 8/10
.
Just been to see it, excellent!
Great all British cast and Sam Claflin's portrayal of someone suffering with PTSD (obviously unknown at the time) is excellent.
Stephen Graham is also brilliant; par for the course for him though.
The Cloverfield Paradox is the third film of this series . All three are very loosely linked and all three are very different films. I absolutely loved the 2008 Cloverfield film. It was a film that used found footage special affects really well before it became old hat but this is not that kind of movie. This is pure Sci-Fi and I loved it.
In the near future, scientists aboard a space station are attempting to aid the Earth’s energy crisis. Energy is depleting at an alarming rate, leading scientists to turn to a new source but the crew inside of it notice some serious side effects as the energy source causes them to collide with another dimension .
Like the previous films there was a lot of secrecy as to what this film was about. In fact critics only got to see it when it was released on Netflix on Sunday after the Superbowl. I predict that lot's of people are going to hate this film. Sci Fi fans can be a funny lot and the cross over of genres won't please everyone. Sure , it's a bit silly at times but I love the way it tied up why ( or how) the aliens invaded the earth. It looks great and at no stage did I not feel thoroughly entertained. Give me this over Star Wars all day long. Produced by J.J Abrahams , The Cloverfield Paradox is now available on Netflix.
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.
Well worth watching. 8/10
.
Really want to watch this, but I can't find it in any of the cinemas nearby?? What's up with that
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.
Well worth watching. 8/10
.
Really want to watch this, but I can't find it in any of the cinemas nearby?? What's up with that
It seems to be on limited release. It wasn't on at my usual cinema so I'm off to see it at Greenwich Picturehouse instead.
Somewhat related but what's your etiquette on finding someone sat in your seat at the cinema?
Went to Darkest Hour at the weekend, cinema was 80% full and we had bought aisle seats only to find two people sat in them (adverts had just started). I told them they were in the wrong seats and they looked at me as if I was speaking an alien language. After a few moments of them absolutely not budging we just went and sat a few seats along from them (probably in their seats). I mean fair enough you make a mistake and sit in the wrong place but surely it's rude to not even acknowledge the person who has paid for your seat.
Comments
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).
Great all British cast and Sam Claflin's portrayal of someone suffering with PTSD (obviously unknown at the time) is excellent.
Stephen Graham is also brilliant; par for the course for him though.
The Cloverfield Paradox
The Cloverfield Paradox is the third film of this series . All three are very loosely linked and all three are very different films. I absolutely loved the 2008 Cloverfield film. It was a film that used found footage special affects really well before it became old hat but this is not that kind of movie. This is pure Sci-Fi and I loved it.
In the near future, scientists aboard a space station are attempting to aid the Earth’s energy crisis. Energy is depleting at an alarming rate, leading scientists to turn to a new source but the crew inside of it notice some serious side effects as the energy source causes them to collide with another dimension .
Like the previous films there was a lot of secrecy as to what this film was about. In fact critics only got to see it when it was released on Netflix on Sunday after the Superbowl.
I predict that lot's of people are going to hate this film. Sci Fi fans can be a funny lot and the cross over of genres won't please everyone.
Sure , it's a bit silly at times but I love the way it tied up why ( or how) the aliens invaded the earth.
It looks great and at no stage did I not feel thoroughly entertained. Give me this over Star Wars all day long.
Produced by J.J Abrahams , The Cloverfield Paradox is now available on Netflix.
8 out of 10
Went to Darkest Hour at the weekend, cinema was 80% full and we had bought aisle seats only to find two people sat in them (adverts had just started). I told them they were in the wrong seats and they looked at me as if I was speaking an alien language. After a few moments of them absolutely not budging we just went and sat a few seats along from them (probably in their seats). I mean fair enough you make a mistake and sit in the wrong place but surely it's rude to not even acknowledge the person who has paid for your seat.