Saw Sex & Drugs & Rock 'n' Roll yesterday. Best film I've seen in ages. If Andy Serkis doesn't win an award for his portrayal of Ian Dury, somebody needs shooting!
[quote][cite]Posted By: Lost Soul[/cite]Saw Sex & Drugs & Rock 'n' Roll yesterday. Best film I've seen in ages. If Andy Serkis doesn't win an award for his portrayal of Ian Dury, somebody needs shooting![/quote]
yea, saw that too, very convincing portrayal, well worth seeing
[cite]Posted By: AshTray[/cite]Saw The Road: Grim post-apocalyptic affair. Don't recommend it.
Have read the book - grim, boring, post-apocalyptic affair.
How it won the Booker I'll never know.
It won the Booker prize by being absolutely f***ing breathtaking. Not everything has to be coated in the sacchrine treacle of Hollywood to be 'good'. Personally, I thought 'The Road' was pretty good - Viggo Mortensen was outstanding (but then, he is in probably every film I've ever seen him) - the kid grated on me a bit, but overall I found it's relentless misery to be pretty close to the book - which was no mean feat. Cormac McCarthy is one of the best writers that have ever lived - and 'The Road' is one of the best twenty books ever published. Fact.
Saw The Road: Grim post-apocalyptic affair. Don't recommend it.
Because it's grim? Or because it's not very good?
I like some grim films, I just think this one wasn't particularly good. The relationship between father and son is pretty one dimensional in my opinion and the bits involving Charlize Theron are terrible (and inaudible in the cinema I was in!)
[cite]Posted By: AshTray[/cite]Saw The Road: Grim post-apocalyptic affair. Don't recommend it.
Have read the book - grim, boring, post-apocalyptic affair.
How it won the Booker I'll never know.
It won the Booker prize by being absolutely f***ing breathtaking. Not everything has to be coated in the sacchrine treacle of Hollywood to be 'good'. Personally, I thought 'The Road' was pretty good - Viggo Mortensen was outstanding (but then, he is in probably every film I've ever seen him) - the kid grated on me a bit, but overall I found it's relentless misery to be pretty close to the book - which was no mean feat. Cormac McCarthy is one of the best writers that have ever lived - and 'The Road' is one of the best twenty books ever published. Fact.
I guess it's not for everyone!
I haven't read the book, but had heard it was good.
As the the Booker Prize, I bought two winners previously and both were crap!
[cite]Posted By: AshTray[/cite]Saw The Road: Grim post-apocalyptic affair. Don't recommend it.
Have read the book - grim, boring, post-apocalyptic affair.
How it won the Booker I'll never know.
It won the Booker prize by being absolutely f***ing breathtaking. Not everything has to be coated in the sacchrine treacle of Hollywood to be 'good'. Personally, I thought 'The Road' was pretty good - Viggo Mortensen was outstanding (but then, he is in probably every film I've ever seen him) - the kid grated on me a bit, but overall I found it's relentless misery to be pretty close to the book - which was no mean feat. Cormac McCarthy is one of the best writers that have ever lived - and 'The Road' is one of the best twenty books ever published. Fact.
I guess it's not for everyone!
I haven't read the book, but had heard it was good.
As the the Booker Prize, I bought two winners previously and both were crap!
Oh - I'm with you there. In fact, almost every winner of the Booker has been garbage. There have been a few exceptions - and The Road is definitely one of them.
Can't see how the road could work as a film. I found the prose spartan and bereft of imagery, which isn't particularly what i like to read but it intensified the singular theme of the whole book. When he discovers all the dead bodies in the back of an oil truck it's viscerally visual without McCarthy having to write any detail. How can the film cope emotionally with something like that, without it becoming post-apocalyptic/disaster TV?
Still I'm intrigued to see it. Can't wait to see Sex and Drugs and Rock n' Roll.
I'm with Leroy - The Road is undoubtedly one of the best books I have ever read, he has also written some other amazing books notably All The Pretty Horses and No Country For Old Men - but The Orchard Keeper was one of the worst I have ever read ... mainly because I could hardly understand a word of it!
Anyway really looking forward to seeing The Road film soon.
[cite]Posted By: ColinTat[/cite] How can the film cope emotionally with something like that, without it becoming post-apocalyptic/disaster TV?
That's just it, I don't think it does.
Once you've read a book it's hard not to see the film adaptation, so I'm sure you'll see it out of interest/curiosity. Has there ever been a film that betters the book? I can't think of any, although films can do a decent job in complementing the book. The last one that I saw that did this was The Kite Runner.
cormac macarthur doesn't even know how to use a comma. he's a really good storyteller, but greatest writer who ever lived? nah. his similes read like pulp. and he completely overdid it in the road. how many times does he say dust? i get it, it's dusty, shut up. should stick to what he's good at. you cant even begin to compare a writer like macarthur with one like like ishiguro imo
[cite]Posted By: AshTray[/cite]Saw The Road: Grim post-apocalyptic affair. Don't recommend it.
Have read the book - grim, boring, post-apocalyptic affair.
How it won the Booker I'll never know.
It won the Booker prize by being absolutely f***ing breathtaking. Not everything has to be coated in the sacchrine treacle of Hollywood to be 'good'. Personally, I thought 'The Road' was pretty good - Viggo Mortensen was outstanding (but then, he is in probably every film I've ever seen him) - the kid grated on me a bit, but overall I found it's relentless misery to be pretty close to the book - which was no mean feat. Cormac McCarthy is one of the best writers that have ever lived - and 'The Road' is one of the best twenty books ever published. Fact.
Im not a big reader, but i thought the road was stunning. Didnt think it would adapt well at all but i thought the film was a decent effort actually, much better than i was expecting, managed to get across the mood of the book well.
Anyway, getting back onto Latest Films, some decent titles coming out on DVD next week for fans of Horror - I'd recommend Pontypool (The Best Zombie Movie of last year) and Thirst, the latest movie from Park Chan-wook (Oldboy). Mesrine parts 1 & 2 is out as a boxset along with The Firm, Nick Love's quite good remake the week after.
As I'm in the business, I'll try and make some recommendations on an ongoing basis about good films on their way to the silver screen and local HMV soon ...
I'll have to read Kazuo Ishiguro, never got round to him. I generally prefer authors like Bulgakov or Murakami, people with a range of depth and brevity.
Having said that although I don't really like the spartan prose McCarthy writes, the step back he made from visual descriptive prose dragged me in emotionally way past my brain was initially aware. Repetitive or not, that book's emotional achievement is something few intellectual authors like Self or Amis achieve.
[quote][cite]Posted By: uncle[/cite]Alvin and the chipmunks 2. Fantastic if it was a book it would be the best book ever written ;-)[/quote]
Who remembers David Seville and The Chipmunks' records? Things like 'Witch Doctor' and 'Ragtime Cowboy Joe' back in the '50s. Golden age of Rock n Roll, ha ha.
I saw The Road loved it, obviously not a feel good movie but so emotional cried buckets. Now got the book so can compare. Saw Avatar which i thought was clever but crap and depresses me it has won Goldon Globe for best picture. Saw Up in the Air, not great but George Clooney is good. I am looking forward to seeing Sex,Drugs and R&R, will do this week at Picturehouse
Did anyone watch the Golden Globes last night? I stayed up for the whole ceremony. Thought Ricky Gervais was great. And thought Sky's coverage was good too.
[cite]Posted By: AshTray[/cite]Saw The Road: Grim post-apocalyptic affair. Don't recommend it.
Have read the book - grim, boring, post-apocalyptic affair.
How it won the Booker I'll never know.
It won the Booker prize by being absolutely f***ing breathtaking. Not everything has to be coated in the sacchrine treacle of Hollywood to be 'good'. Personally, I thought 'The Road' was pretty good - Viggo Mortensen was outstanding (but then, he is in probably every film I've ever seen him) - the kid grated on me a bit, but overall I found it's relentless misery to be pretty close to the book - which was no mean feat. Cormac McCarthy is one of the best writers that have ever lived - and 'The Road' is one of the best twenty books ever published. Fact.
I guess it's not for everyone!
I haven't read the book, but had heard it was good.
As the the Booker Prize, I bought two winners previously and both were crap!
Oh - I'm with you there. In fact, almost every winner of the Booker has been garbage. There have been a few exceptions - and The Road is definitely one of them.
The Road didn't win the booker, it won the pulitzer. Agree with all you say Leroy, it is truly an amazing piece of work. As for recent winners of the booker, I'd agree most of them have been tosh which is a shame because past winners like "Life of Pi", Last Orders", "Disgrace" and "Ghost road" are worth reading, but there really has been some horrors such as "Amsterdam" by McEwan. Not sure what people think of last years winner "White Tiger", I'm a hundred pages in and think it could go either way. Talking books I'd recommended "The Book of Negroes" and "Zeitoun" if anyone is remotely interested in reading Canadian and US writers.
I saw Daybreakers. Some nice ideas, but ultimately it's vampire bandwagon jumping with a pretty thin plot. Also, I saw it in Bromley Empire, so it was uncomfortable, with a shit screen and I was surrounded by chavs. 2 stars.
Sex & Drugs & Rock n Roll was very enjoyable. Serkis is superb and actually sings all of the numbers very well. You don't need to have been a Dury fan or even around at the time to enjoy this, although it obviously helps. Will be making the effort to see 44 Inch Chest, if only for the cast and Director - I saw a preview last week and wasn't convinced by it....
macarthy's the road is a magnificent piece of work, one of the best books i read last year (and i read a lot). the film is a very faithful adaptation although not an enjoyable cinema experience because of the sheer bleakness of it (a criticism in the press i wouldn't accept til i'd actually seen it). still, it's a very fine film with some great performances but if you want cheering up in january it might be best to see something else.
sex & drugs & rock n roll is one of the best (punk) rock biopics i've ever seen. i'd recommend it to anyone.
Comments
If Andy Serkis doesn't win an award for his portrayal of Ian Dury, somebody needs shooting!
If Andy Serkis doesn't win an award for his portrayal of Ian Dury, somebody needs shooting![/quote]
yea, saw that too, very convincing portrayal, well worth seeing
Have read the book - grim, boring, post-apocalyptic affair.
How it won the Booker I'll never know.
Because it's grim? Or because it's not very good?
I like some grim films, I just think this one wasn't particularly good. The relationship between father and son is pretty one dimensional in my opinion and the bits involving Charlize Theron are terrible (and inaudible in the cinema I was in!)
I guess it's not for everyone!
I haven't read the book, but had heard it was good.
As the the Booker Prize, I bought two winners previously and both were crap!
Still I'm intrigued to see it. Can't wait to see Sex and Drugs and Rock n' Roll.
Anyway really looking forward to seeing The Road film soon.
That's just it, I don't think it does.
Once you've read a book it's hard not to see the film adaptation, so I'm sure you'll see it out of interest/curiosity. Has there ever been a film that betters the book? I can't think of any, although films can do a decent job in complementing the book. The last one that I saw that did this was The Kite Runner.
I also saw up in the air, well worth watching.
100% agree
As I'm in the business, I'll try and make some recommendations on an ongoing basis about good films on their way to the silver screen and local HMV soon ...
Having said that although I don't really like the spartan prose McCarthy writes, the step back he made from visual descriptive prose dragged me in emotionally way past my brain was initially aware. Repetitive or not, that book's emotional achievement is something few intellectual authors like Self or Amis achieve.
No it isn't. Opinion.
Who remembers David Seville and The Chipmunks' records? Things like 'Witch Doctor' and 'Ragtime Cowboy Joe' back in the '50s. Golden age of Rock n Roll, ha ha.
Well, that's the plot ruined. Another film I don't have to see and another book I don't have to read. Wahey!
Did anyone watch the Golden Globes last night? I stayed up for the whole ceremony. Thought Ricky Gervais was great. And thought Sky's coverage was good too.
The Road didn't win the booker, it won the pulitzer. Agree with all you say Leroy, it is truly an amazing piece of work. As for recent winners of the booker, I'd agree most of them have been tosh which is a shame because past winners like "Life of Pi", Last Orders", "Disgrace" and "Ghost road" are worth reading, but there really has been some horrors such as "Amsterdam" by McEwan. Not sure what people think of last years winner "White Tiger", I'm a hundred pages in and think it could go either way. Talking books I'd recommended "The Book of Negroes" and "Zeitoun" if anyone is remotely interested in reading Canadian and US writers.
cant wait
Ray Winstone is my hero shame he is a hamster (sorry Unc)
sex & drugs & rock n roll is one of the best (punk) rock biopics i've ever seen. i'd recommend it to anyone.