Rate the last film you watched out of 5

[Minion]

3 minutes ago, mash said:

 

The version they showed to kids was cut. I remember seeing both when they originally aired back in 95

 

Yeah I saw it on the beeb late at night stoned out of my head and there was lots of good E induced sexy action. God the 90's were fucking great.

[Mike S]

Sky Sharks

 

Yet another in the seemingly endless series of genetically modified shark mash up movies (Sharknado, Sharktopus, etc, etc). This one is flying sharks ridden by Nazi zombies. 

 

I was hoping for some schlocky fun but this is absolutely dire on every single level. My hopes were slightly raised after seeing Tom Savini's name attached to some SFX supervisor credit in the tittles so it was very, very disappointing to find that almost all of the effects are delivered via some very shoddy CGI. It sounds as awful as it looks too with a score banging away regardless of any ongoing dialogue. Plot is a total mess. Actors are all awful.

 

The worst film I have seen in years so hopefully Frightfest proper will deliver some more worthy treats when it starts tomorrow night.

 

1/5

[Vimster]

Attending virtual FrightFest this year, always wanted to go to the real one. 14 films between now and Monday evening. First one:

 

Sky Sharks (2020)

An army of undead Nazis riding flying sharks, intent on destroying the world? Well that's what you get here in this Asylum-like production from Germany for sure, this delivers on that premise. It's good fun, initially at least: an airliner is attacked by said flying stormtroopers resulting in an OTT gorefest, with that sort of pumpin' faux-80s soundtrack that's frankly getting a bit overused these days. It just cannot sustain that level of craziness through 90-odd minutes. The middle of the film lays on way too much backstory and other elements that smother the concept. The final battle is a mess, repeats the airliner-attack section thus initiating the law of diminishing returns. And then it ends all of a sudden, they just won, I guess. I have confessed my enjoyment of The Asylum's output before so this should have appealed, this did have it's moments, but despite some impressive CGI this was just trying way too hard. Would have made a killer short. Watch Iron Sky instead.

 

2/5

[Mike S]

@Vimster SNAP!

 

Although your review was far more informative of mine as well as being, I feel, far too kind on the film.

 

I've still not picked my selection for the weekend's films so will likely end up winging it as I go along. I think I am favouring I Am Lisa and Triggered for Friday night though but after that I have no idea...

[Vimster]

8 minutes ago, Mike S said:

@Vimster SNAP!

 

Although your review was far more informative of mine as well as being, I feel, far too kind on the film.

 

I've still not picked my selection for the weekend's films so will likely end up winging it as I go along. I think I am favouring I Am Lisa and Triggered for Friday night though but after that I have no idea...

I'm all set for the weekend, going for There's No Such Thing As Vampires and 12 Hour Shift tomorrow.

[Mike S]

1 minute ago, Vimster said:

I'm all set for the weekend, going for There's No Such Thing As Vampires and 12 Hour Shift tomorrow.

 

The exact opposite to me. Now I don't know if I am right or wrong!

[Vimster]

1 minute ago, Mike S said:

 

The exact opposite to me. Now I don't know if I am right or wrong!

Well my view is any I can't see I will probably watch at some point in the future anyway, so just go for it.

[Triple A]

The Empire Strikes Back

 

Seen it loads before ofc, but it has been a few years since my last viewing.

 

Still an absolute masterclass in characterisation, character development, worldbuilding, editing, art direction, story arcing, and the synergy of music with visuals & story & mood.

Still prescient.

 

I was glued to the screen.

 

5.

[Silent Runner]

I watched The Long Good Friday for probably the 10th time. It’s definitely my favourite gangster movie and one of my all time favourites. Everything about it is so good – the music, the acting, the location work and the mystery at the heart of it. I love how London looks, the grimeyness and sleaze of it. It feels so alive. Every actor is perfectly cast – Charlie from Casualty, Beloq from Raiders of The Lost Ark, Denzil from Only Fools..; they’re all here.

 

I’d forgotten how funny it is, Bob Hoskins has some proper hilarious lines. At one point a dead gangster has to be smuggled out from where he was murdered so they put him in the back of an ice-cream van; Hoskins says ‘there's a lot of dignity in that, isn't there? Going out like a raspberry ripple.’ Or when he expresses his anger at being attacked on a Holy Day ‘you don’t crucify people on Good Friday’.

 

It was released in 1980 and perfectly captures the end of one era and the start a new one. The dawn of the Thatcher years and how that would affect London.

 

A stone classic. 5/5

[Vimster]

6 minutes ago, Silent Runner said:

I watched The Long Good Friday for probably the 10th time. It’s definitely my favourite gangster movie and one of my all time favourites. Everything about it is so good – the music, the acting, the location work and the mystery at the heart of it. I love how London looks, the grimeyness and sleaze of it. It feels so alive. Every actor is perfectly cast – Charlie from Casualty, Beloq from Raiders of The Lost Ark, Denzil from Only Fools..; they’re all here.

 

I’d forgotten how funny it is, Bob Hoskins has some proper hilarious lines. At one point a dead gangster has to be smuggled out from where he was murdered so they put him in the back of an ice-cream van; Hoskins says ‘there's a lot of dignity in that, isn't there? Going out like a raspberry ripple.’ Or when he expresses his anger at being attacked on a Holy Day ‘you don’t crucify people on Good Friday’.

 

It was released in 1980 and perfectly captures the end of one era and the start a new one. The dawn of the Thatcher years and how that would affect London.

 

A stone classic. 5/5

I'm going through as many of the Handmade Films releases as I can at the moment, not got to this classic yet. Looking forward to seeing it again. 

[Vimster]

There's No Such Thing As Vampires (2019)

Young guy with a wound in his neck fears for his life, literally crashes into a young woman, convinces her that RV coming up the road has a murderous vampire on board. It feels like a tense, minimal thriller, on the run in the middle of nowhere, nothing is explained fully, it pulls you along with it. Yet the further they go the tone shifts to something more gothic and campy, never expected it to go in the direction it went in later on. Sadly by that point it had lost some energy down to loose direction. A few amusing moments, although the remakes gag was a bit on the blunt side. Some decent production design with some faked old photos and posters. The film's greatest strengths were a quality soundtrack and the way it never reveals too much of itself at any point, at least not to near the end.

 

2.5/5

[Mawdlin]

Unhinged

 

This has been getting some positive reviews but I found it leaden and shallow. Once you get over Russell Crowe's bulk (and admitedly brutal and startling first five minutes) it follows genre tropes neatly and predictably. Good to be back at the cinema though!

 

2/5

[sandman]

It’s Pfieffer time

Dangerous Liasons

 

It’s been a good few years since I saw this. It’s flipping excellent and has stood the test of time incredibly well. Close and Pfeiffer outshine Malkolvich IMHO as he over eggs it occasionally where as they are both pitch perfect. A very young Peter Capaldi and an innocent looking Keanu are also first rate but it’s an incredibly young looking Thurman who stands out as a newcomer to watch.

5/5

 

Scarface

 

I never got the love for this. That is, until NOW. I’ve only seen it once, we rented it on VHS back in the day and I didn’t take to it at all. I thought I’d give it another go.  And this time, I thought it was a truly epic film, an amazing tale of a gangsters life. Pacino was staggering as was Pfieffer. Mastriano was poor though. It won’t be another 35 years until I see it for a third time.

 

5/5

 

The Deep end of the ocean

 

This was a typical Hallmark style movie of the week. And I bloody loved it. Just a good watch without requiring any effort and I thought it was really well told with some interesting things to say about family relationships. 
 

4/5

Word of warning though. I turned off I could Never Be Your Woman as it was one of the worst films I have ever attempted to watch.

 

 

 

[SpagMasterSwift]

Get Duked!

 

Some great visual comedy that had my laughing before it happened and again when it happened and after it happened. Great soundtrack too!

 

4 rabbit droppings out of 5

[Qazimod]

Mad Max: Fury Road

 

A fun little road-trip movie. But seriously, this was pretty compelling to watch, had some great characters and so many great visual designs - the vehicles, the weapons, the masks... Also, it was nice to look at: the lighting and camerawork provided plenty of eye candy. Some people might point fingers and say it's just a long series of flashy chases and action sequences, but the setting and the toys keep things interesting.

 

5/5

[Triple A]

Zombieland DoubleTap

 

Somewhat forgettable high-ish production value zombie fun.

 

3

[Vimster]

12 Hour Shift (2020)

Very entertaining dark comedy set in a backwoods hospital where a nurse gets into hot water trying to get hold of a hooky kidney. Things get out of hand in a dryly amusing way, new elements complicated the hapless staff at every turn. Tightly directed and written. Quality original music added to the vibe. Bloody good, essentially.

 

3/5

[Ry]

Tenet - ?/5. 

I need to watch it again. And watch 20 hours of YouTube analysis to understand it.  I was far too confused and has too many questions to enjoy it.

 

[Stopharage]

2 hours ago, Mawdlin said:

Unhinged

 

This has been getting some positive reviews but I found it leaden and shallow. Once you get over Russell Crowe's bulk (and admitedly brutal and startling first five minutes) it follows genre tropes neatly and predictably. Good to be back at the cinema though!

 

2/5

I also endured Unhinged this evening. Utter drivel. Genuinely stupid characters, plot-holes you could sail an aircraft carrier through and Russell Crowe plays (and looks like) John Goodman in that Cloverfield film. Dreadful script, leaden acting and just nonsense everywhere. 

 

It's like Duel crossed with Falling Down dumbed down for a lowest common denominator audience. The only way this could be described as a B-Movie would be if Ofqual gave it that grading. A very generous 1/5.

[teddymeow]

Lost in Translation

 

i always watch it whenever I have a "brain wobble" or feel a bit down.

 

The film has a seemingly innate ability to calm my frazzled thinking and helps me relax.

 

The whole thing just feels so real and the performances so natural. I put it on and just feel better.

 

It's my favourite film of all time.

 

5 Suntory times / 5.

[ImmaculateClump]

Bill and Ted Face The Music

 

Takes a good hour before it gets going, but they just about manage to pull it halfway out of the bag.
Good enough, you'd have to have a heart of stone not to be carried along with the ending.

If this was the first film you'd say that everyone bar William Sadler and perhaps Alex Winter were horribly miscast. Alex does a lot of heavy lifting here.

It's not as tight as the other films, has way less flair and creativity. Nowhere near as good as it could have been, nowhere near as bad as we feared it would be.

 

**

[Bazjam]

2 hours ago, teddymeow said:

Lost in Translation

 

i always watch it whenever I have a "brain wobble" or feel a bit down.

 

The film has a seemingly innate ability to calm my frazzled thinking and helps me relax.

 

The whole thing just feels so real and the performances so natural. I put it on and just feel better.

 

It's my favourite film of all time.

 

5 Suntory times / 5.

I adore this film. Easily in my all time top ten. 
 

Have you seen that Sofia Coppola has just made another film with Bill Murray called On The Rocks, which is released on Apple TV in October. Very excited for that one.

[Curtis]

4 hours ago, teddymeow said:

Lost in Translation

 

i always watch it whenever I have a "brain wobble" or feel a bit down.

 

The film has a seemingly innate ability to calm my frazzled thinking and helps me relax.

 

The whole thing just feels so real and the performances so natural. I put it on and just feel better.

 

It's my favourite film of all time.

 

5 Suntory times / 5.

Any man who doesn't become completely enamoured with Scarlett Johansson's character by the end of that movie, must be devoid of all human emotion.

 

Its a beautiful study of two utterly lost individuals, who somehow make you feel good about yourself, and life.

[teddymeow]

11 hours ago, Bazjam said:

 

Have you seen that Sofia Coppola has just made another film with Bill Murray called On The Rocks, which is released on Apple TV in October. Very excited for that one.

 

I had not.

 

Cheers for the heads up!! 

 

Just watched the trailer. Looks brilliant!

[Vimster]

The Columnist (2020)

Superb Dutch dark comedy about a newspaper columnist getting a taste for revenge on internet bullies. The tone was perfect, dry, pitch-black, misanthropic in a good way. It went beyond a simple revenge tale, the well-written script had a lot to say about online trolling and free speech whilst keeping it entertaining. Quality performances throughout. A lean, dryly-irreverent film with depth. As Vic and Bob would say, we really wanna see those fingers.

 

4/5

[Mike S]

6 minutes ago, Vimster said:

The Columnist (2020)

Superb Dutch dark comedy about a newspaper columnist getting a taste for revenge on internet bullies. The tone was perfect, dry, pitch-black, misanthropic in a good way. It went beyond a simple revenge tale, the well-written script had a lot to say about online trolling and free speech whilst keeping it entertaining. Quality performances throughout. A lean, dryly-irreverent film with depth. As Vic and Bob would say, we really wanna see those fingers.

 

4/5

 

 

That's a great review and I totally agree. Great fun.

[ZOK]

8 minutes ago, Vimster said:

The Columnist (2020)

Superb Dutch dark comedy about a newspaper columnist getting a taste for revenge on internet bullies. The tone was perfect, dry, pitch-black, misanthropic in a good way. It went beyond a simple revenge tale, the well-written script had a lot to say about online trolling and free speech whilst keeping it entertaining. Quality performances throughout. A lean, dryly-irreverent film with depth. As Vic and Bob would say, we really wanna see those fingers.

 

4/5

Where did you watch this?

[Mike S]

4 minutes ago, ZOK said:

Where did you watch this?

 

It was shown as part of the virtual Frightfest...

[ZOK]

Oh, I don’t know what that is...likely to appear on Amazon / Netflix etc?

[Triple A]

Tenet

 

Typical Nolan fare at this point.

Stylish, questionably-plotted-out, high-concept heist/thriller hybrid, that isn’t as clever as it postures.

Left me disappointed (I like his stuff a lot usually).

 

3