Rate the last movie you watched. - Page 114

Belmit · 31-08-2009, 12:12

Schindler's List

One of those films I just never got around to seeing. No reason why, just never had access to it when I was in the mood to wach it.

I never rated Liam Neeson highly as an actor until I saw this. He brings a hugely subtle but brilliant performance to the role and truly deserved his Oscar nomination. It was his powerful performance at the end of the film lamenting the further lives he could have saved that brought me to tears rather than all the horror and suffering shown. Ben Kingsley gives a superbly understated performance, and Ralph Fiennes a coldly emotionless one.

I was expecting to be horrified by what I saw because, frankly, if you're watching the film you already know what it's about. What I wasn't prepared for was the humour that cropped up in places. It wasn't often but it caught me off guard. I think I was expecting the entire thing to be downbeat and dwell in sentiment so it was refreshing to see that it was more grounded rather than taking a tack of moral superiority. As such the film felt so much more rounded and seperates the idea of good and evil slightly to include shades of grey.

Extremely powerful, often violent, but essential viewing.

9/10

Garp · 31-08-2009, 17:51

District 9

8/10

In 1990, a massive star ship bearing a bedraggled alien population, nicknamed "The Prawns," appeared over Johannesburg, South Africa. No explanation is given for their arrival at Earth. Twenty years later, the initial welcome by the human population has faded. The refugee camp where the aliens were located has deteriorated into a militarized ghetto called District 9, where they are confined and exploited in squalor. In 2010, the munitions corporation, Multi-National United, is contracted to forcibly evict the population with operative Wikus van der Merwe in charge.

During this operation, Wikus, showing off a little for a documentary camera guy with him is exposed to a strange alien chemical and quickly finds his world turned upside down and his perceptions of the 'prawns' changed.
The aliens have brought all sorts of advanced weaponry with them but despite human scientists best attempts to the contrary, the weaponry is genetically locked to the aliens, something MNU as a weapons manufacturer is determined to overcome.

Pretty decent film, amazing what they achieved with a 'small' budget of $30m.

For those of sensitive disposition (like Lana appears to be) there are a few gross moments that may disturb you, though it didn't bother me. Also the F-bomb count pretty soon starts climbing up through the roof, though it didn't seem at all out of place. I imagine under the same circumstances my language would probably be similar!

One thing that felt rather odd. Not really wrong, but odd none the less, was that the film didn't really know what it wanted to be. It started off with Wikus talking to a documentary crew, putting on a mic and so on; before the start of the eviction operation. But interspersed with that were documentary moments with family and colleagues talking about him in the past perspective and the tragic events that occurred.

As the film progresses it seems almost like they forgot about the documentary thing. At some indefinable moment you switch from the documentary camera being held by a third party participating observer to a more normal "it's not there"... then all of a sudden at the end you're back to documentary again. It works for the most part, but I think I'd have preferred one style or the other, not the mish-mash.

Desmo · 01-09-2009, 12:31

Knowing
3/4 of the film 8/10, last 1/4 gets a 2/10.

What started off as a really good film fell flat on it's arse near the end. I like the whole mystery numbers, sequences, events type thing that is gradually pieced together, but what could have had a very good ending just seemed to take the easy cop-out route which spoilt the whole thing. Very disappointed at the end. Some of the accident scenes were more graphic than I was expecting but it added a whole level of reality which I thought was really good.

Spoiler Alert! - Highlight below to read!

I don't mind sci-fi at all, but please, let it be sci-fi throughout instead of just a surprise at the end. The film could have been finished so much better if the aliens were instead from some kind of long lasting cult that had been here for generations to guarantee our survival or something. Although I guess that way, they'd not be able to nuke the earth which did look quite cool at the end

End Spoiler Alert!

BBx · 01-09-2009, 13:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by NokkonWud

You do know he's won 2 Oscars for direction? (Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby) and often directs films, with his Oscar wins from his directed films in double figures?

.

Errr yup

but I don't know of ALL the films he's directed - that was just my opinion!

Always known him as a cowboy though!

BB x

Del Lardo · 01-09-2009, 14:52

The Boat That Rocked
British Comedy set on board a Pirate Radio boat back in the 60s.

All star cast including Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Nick Frost, Jack Davenport & Rhys Ifans cannot save what is a pretty poor film. There are a couple of LOL moments but the film just seems to flick from random scene to to random scene with no real sense direction. The ending is predictably cheesy not that I really cared by that point.

4/10

Del Lardo · 01-09-2009, 15:01

Accidental Husband
Predictable jokes, wooden acting and a plot as transparent as really clean glass.

Women, you may find the odd laugh.
Men, unless you have a written contract guaranteeing you sex acts bordering on the illegal after the film go and find something more enjoyable to do like sitting on a blunt, rusty nail.

2/10

Fayshun · 01-09-2009, 15:39

Dance Flick

I wasn't expecting much tbh, I even lost the Xbox controller to delay the viewing. It's typical Wayans brothers (and cousins, sisters, nephews, uncles and aunties) fodder. Purile humour, innuendo and gross-out bits.

I found myself actually watching it and leaving the laptop alone.

6/10

Flibster · 02-09-2009, 18:13

After a film break of a few days...back to task.

The Lives of Others

It's a German language film, set in East Germany and follows a playwright and a Stasi officer who is carrying out surveillance on him and the relationship between a senior Minister and the playwrights girlfriend and the reasons for the surveillance on the playwright and how the Stasi officer gets compassion for the target.

Very stark film, being set in 80's Germany will do that though. It's not light hearted at all, but it is incredibly powerful - extremely well acted and it's been added to my to buy list.

9/10

Greenlizard0 · 03-09-2009, 01:48

Knew you'd enjoy it Flibster.

The Watchmen

This was really fun! I'd been told here and in real life that it was worth catching and I finally got a chance.

There's no need to really go over the story in detail but it was good. There wasn't an over whelming sense of tackyness and the cheesiest of lines were well delivered. Which is surprising as a lot of sci fi and comic book films can easily end up a bit crap.

The cast were very good. Nobody was particuarly well known on it and each member just got on with the job.

Watching it in Blu-Ray meant the special effects could really be appreciated. The mood was dark and helped give it feel that was somewhere between The Dark Knight and Sin City.

8/10

BBx · 03-09-2009, 09:01

The Final Destination 3D

Same old, same old, mega blood and gore (I was hiding) should have watched Funny People instead.

3/10 - nothing new! The 3 is for the 3D effects which were actually quite impressive.

BB x

31-08-2009, 12:12	#1131
Belmit The Mouse King of Denmark Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: The Winchester Posts: 6,476	Schindler's List One of those films I just never got around to seeing. No reason why, just never had access to it when I was in the mood to wach it. I never rated Liam Neeson highly as an actor until I saw this. He brings a hugely subtle but brilliant performance to the role and truly deserved his Oscar nomination. It was his powerful performance at the end of the film lamenting the further lives he could have saved that brought me to tears rather than all the horror and suffering shown. Ben Kingsley gives a superbly understated performance, and Ralph Fiennes a coldly emotionless one. I was expecting to be horrified by what I saw because, frankly, if you're watching the film you already know what it's about. What I wasn't prepared for was the humour that cropped up in places. It wasn't often but it caught me off guard. I think I was expecting the entire thing to be downbeat and dwell in sentiment so it was refreshing to see that it was more grounded rather than taking a tack of moral superiority. As such the film felt so much more rounded and seperates the idea of good and evil slightly to include shades of grey. Extremely powerful, often violent, but essential viewing. 9/10 __________________

31-08-2009, 17:51	#1132
Garp Preparing more tumbleweed Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hawaii Posts: 6,038	District 9 8/10 In 1990, a massive star ship bearing a bedraggled alien population, nicknamed "The Prawns," appeared over Johannesburg, South Africa. No explanation is given for their arrival at Earth. Twenty years later, the initial welcome by the human population has faded. The refugee camp where the aliens were located has deteriorated into a militarized ghetto called District 9, where they are confined and exploited in squalor. In 2010, the munitions corporation, Multi-National United, is contracted to forcibly evict the population with operative Wikus van der Merwe in charge. During this operation, Wikus, showing off a little for a documentary camera guy with him is exposed to a strange alien chemical and quickly finds his world turned upside down and his perceptions of the 'prawns' changed. The aliens have brought all sorts of advanced weaponry with them but despite human scientists best attempts to the contrary, the weaponry is genetically locked to the aliens, something MNU as a weapons manufacturer is determined to overcome. Pretty decent film, amazing what they achieved with a 'small' budget of $30m. For those of sensitive disposition (like Lana appears to be) there are a few gross moments that may disturb you, though it didn't bother me. Also the F-bomb count pretty soon starts climbing up through the roof, though it didn't seem at all out of place. I imagine under the same circumstances my language would probably be similar! One thing that felt rather odd. Not really wrong, but odd none the less, was that the film didn't really know what it wanted to be. It started off with Wikus talking to a documentary crew, putting on a mic and so on; before the start of the eviction operation. But interspersed with that were documentary moments with family and colleagues talking about him in the past perspective and the tragic events that occurred. As the film progresses it seems almost like they forgot about the documentary thing. At some indefinable moment you switch from the documentary camera being held by a third party participating observer to a more normal "it's not there"... then all of a sudden at the end you're back to documentary again. It works for the most part, but I think I'd have preferred one style or the other, not the mish-mash. __________________ Mal: Define "interesting"? Wash: "Oh, God, oh, God, we're all gonna die"?

01-09-2009, 12:31	#1133
Desmo The Last Airbender Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Pigmopad Posts: 11,915	Knowing 3/4 of the film 8/10, last 1/4 gets a 2/10. What started off as a really good film fell flat on it's arse near the end. I like the whole mystery numbers, sequences, events type thing that is gradually pieced together, but what could have had a very good ending just seemed to take the easy cop-out route which spoilt the whole thing. Very disappointed at the end. Some of the accident scenes were more graphic than I was expecting but it added a whole level of reality which I thought was really good. Spoiler Alert! - Highlight below to read! I don't mind sci-fi at all, but please, let it be sci-fi throughout instead of just a surprise at the end. The film could have been finished so much better if the aliens were instead from some kind of long lasting cult that had been here for generations to guarantee our survival or something. Although I guess that way, they'd not be able to nuke the earth which did look quite cool at the end End Spoiler Alert! __________________ Last edited by Desmo; 01-09-2009 at 12:35.

01-09-2009, 15:39	#1137
Fayshun Rocket Fuel Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Adrift in the Orca Posts: 6,845	Dance Flick I wasn't expecting much tbh, I even lost the Xbox controller to delay the viewing. It's typical Wayans brothers (and cousins, sisters, nephews, uncles and aunties) fodder. Purile humour, innuendo and gross-out bits. I found myself actually watching it and leaving the laptop alone. 6/10 __________________ We must move forward not backward, upwards not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling...

02-09-2009, 18:13	#1138
Flibster Moonshine Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,388	After a film break of a few days...back to task. The Lives of Others It's a German language film, set in East Germany and follows a playwright and a Stasi officer who is carrying out surveillance on him and the relationship between a senior Minister and the playwrights girlfriend and the reasons for the surveillance on the playwright and how the Stasi officer gets compassion for the target. Very stark film, being set in 80's Germany will do that though. It's not light hearted at all, but it is incredibly powerful - extremely well acted and it's been added to my to buy list. 9/10 __________________

01-09-2009, 14:52	#1135
Del Lardo Absinthe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cambridge Posts: 2,539	The Boat That Rocked British Comedy set on board a Pirate Radio boat back in the 60s. All star cast including Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Nick Frost, Jack Davenport & Rhys Ifans cannot save what is a pretty poor film. There are a couple of LOL moments but the film just seems to flick from random scene to to random scene with no real sense direction. The ending is predictably cheesy not that I really cared by that point. 4/10

01-09-2009, 15:01	#1136
Del Lardo Absinthe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cambridge Posts: 2,539	Accidental Husband Predictable jokes, wooden acting and a plot as transparent as really clean glass. Women, you may find the odd laugh. Men, unless you have a written contract guaranteeing you sex acts bordering on the illegal after the film go and find something more enjoyable to do like sitting on a blunt, rusty nail. 2/10

03-09-2009, 01:48	#1139
Greenlizard0 Vodka Martini Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 717	Knew you'd enjoy it Flibster. The Watchmen This was really fun! I'd been told here and in real life that it was worth catching and I finally got a chance. There's no need to really go over the story in detail but it was good. There wasn't an over whelming sense of tackyness and the cheesiest of lines were well delivered. Which is surprising as a lot of sci fi and comic book films can easily end up a bit crap. The cast were very good. Nobody was particuarly well known on it and each member just got on with the job. Watching it in Blu-Ray meant the special effects could really be appreciated. The mood was dark and helped give it feel that was somewhere between The Dark Knight and Sin City. 8/10 __________________

03-09-2009, 09:01	#1140
BBx Reverse SuBo Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: London Posts: 8,673	The Final Destination 3D Same old, same old, mega blood and gore (I was hiding) should have watched Funny People instead. 3/10 - nothing new! The 3 is for the 3D effects which were actually quite impressive. BB x