Rate the last movie you watched.

[Will]

We watched "Drive" last night. Sooo not what I was expecting. Very gritty, extremely graphic at times:

Spoiler Alert! - Highlight below to read!

Seeing someone's head explode into pieces, basically being scalped, after being shot by a shot gun, and a guy's face literally being caved in by someone stamping on it repeatedly... those are but 2 of the many OTT gore deaths

End Spoiler Alert!

However, it was odd, the dialogue was brief and almost monoslyabic, and there wasn't much in terms of "action" and certainly not the car chases I was expecting.

It was filmed in a bit of a strange way, odd camera angles, and the music was much more akin to kill bill style, using lots of vocoders, and slightly "arthouse" theme to it - in fact the whole film struck of Tarantino-esque style. I can say I was glad not to have paid to go and see that in the cinema - not because it was bad, just because it was a movie that I was not expecting. Far more about the cinematography than the actual scene.

I can sort of understand some of the merits of the film, but it really wasn't for me. The plot was loose and unconvincing, and the story just didn't seem to flow for me - however I think that's part of the point, about painting the main character's slightly schizophrenic behaviour - I shan't say anymore for fear of ruining the movie for anyone else.

If you're looking for a stabby stabby, "arty" and cinematographic movie - great, if you want an exciting thriller with on the edge of your seat car chases, easy brain candy for 2 hours, then it's probably not the film for you.

In spite of that, I can see the merits of the film, but I really wasn't in the mood for that sort of movie.

6/10 - though probably owing to the fact that I wasn't in the "mood".

[volospian]

Originally Posted by Muban

I'm afraid I'm a bit of a phillistine when it comes to these. I either like it set in it's original (or near to original time) with the language intact or set present day with the language modernised. I would like either but find the setting it in present day but with the old language is just jarring to me.

I guess each person is different, but I heard Ralph Fiennes saying he wanted to bring it into a modern setting so people could relate to it. But I think what makes it hard for many people to relate to it is the language, not the setting. I'm sure it's a good film and I love Redgrave, but pesonally I prefer it when they make the choice and either go traditional or modern and not try to go traditional/modern.

I know what you mean and I agree for main part, but if it's done well it can work brilliantly. Richard III springs to mind. Awesome film.

[Garp]

Originally Posted by Muban

I'm afraid I'm a bit of a phillistine when it comes to these. I either like it set in it's original (or near to original time) with the language intact or set present day with the language modernised. I would like either but find the setting it in present day but with the old language is just jarring to me.

I generally look at it this way, however I got to see Sir Patrick Stewart as Macbeth in the West End and the setting was very eastern European / Soviet block, WW2, but with the original language. It seemed a little jarring at first but quickly came to add something of value to the whole production.

[Kitten]

I've seen some great theatre productions with modern day settings, old language and vice versa, but I'm not sure it worked as well on screen. Dang, I can't make my mind up whether it was a masterpiece or a really bad idea

[Del Lardo]

Johnny English Reborn
Johnny English is back for more shenanigans. The jokes are predicable and clichéd but none of this matters as Rowan Atkinson delivers them so brilliantly that I found myself chortling away throughout the film and enjoyed it far more than I ever expected.

Spoiler Alert! - Highlight below to read!


The free running bit had me in pieces


End Spoiler Alert!


7/10

[BBx]

Originally Posted by Will

stuff

Basically it was crap

If you like 'arty' filmography and method/mood acting then go for it.

It had so much more potential to be better

BB x

[Kitten]

Glad you agree BBx, thought it was just me!

[Haly]

Originally Posted by Toby

Drive

Wow! Loved this film. It's very hard to describe - moody, funny, violent, touching. You find yourself strangely drawn to the lead character, sometimes empathising with him, sometimes disgusted by him. Definitely worth watching!

9/10

Sums it up perfectly for me! Simple plot but expertly executed by all involved.

[Del Lardo]

Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy

A spy thriller without any free running or car chases, what were they thinking? Well, I suspect they were thinking wouldn't it be nice if we made a well acted, well shot film that treats the viewer like an adult. At two hours long it often feels like this film is forcing you to walk along side it at a snails pace but I think that it part of its charm, we've got used to Bond/Bourne etc where some computer geek presses a few buttons and before you know it you can pin point a pin head in the Australian outback and in real life I doubt it's like that, it's painful, it's slow and you have to use your brain.

Not an easy film to watch and certainly not for everyone but if you are willing to put the effort in, you will get a great deal back out.

8/10

[Matblack]

Moneyball

In some ways I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this, in other ways not surprised at all.

I don't really do sport and my knowledge of American sport is slim to none, I've been to a couple of baseball games in my time and enjoyed the experience but I don't follow it and the history of the Oakland A's is a complete unknown to me, so why should the story of the way they changed the direction of baseball in the early 2000's interest me?

One reason is that despite the fact that this film is couched in sport it isn't really a film about sport, it's a film about faith in other peoples ideas and ones self and the fact that there are new things under the sun.

No matter what you use as the vehicle a good story is a good story

I also shouldn't be surprised because there is something about the base passion which Americans have for sport which appeals to me, this doesn't seem to come through in British sport which is polluted with cynicism and as much bile as there is faith. Americans don't seem to have that and films like this Any Given Sunday and Field of Dreams and many others are amongst my favorites.

So basically I really liked this

8/10