Where have all the good thrillers gone? Films like Usual Suspects or Memento. Original stuff. If it doesnt have explosions, SFX or vampires then it seems it doesnt get commisioned anymore!
[cite]Posted By: nth london addick[/cite]44 inch chest and avatar going to be watched this weekend
cant wait
Ray Winstone is my hero shame he is a hamster (sorry Unc)
Saw a trailer last night for a film out next week with him and Mel Gibson, looked pretty good (although most trailers do). It's called 'Edge of Darkness'
[cite]Posted By: les_says[/cite]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.
.......or after you watch it go to watch a tipsy Curb_It partake in karaoke with Glenn Tillbrook which will cheer you up afterwards....
Bit late to this, but saw District 9 on DVD last week and thought it was bloomin brilliant.. Don't get to the cinema too much so haven't seen anything 'new' for a while...
i rarely get to the cinema... but am gonig to try and pluck up the courage to go see Precious. i have not read the book either. wonder if i can find anyone to go with me.
Saw District 9 on DVD the other night - best Sci-Fi film I've seen for ages. It's rare you see something that's got some real originality to it (well, I'm sure it's not totally original, but it's certainly different to the norm).
Went to see 'An Education' and 'A Serious Man' at the flicks recently. Both very much slow burners but both very enjoyable. 'An Education' was particularly good, I thought, but steer clear of both if you're an action movie fan!
The new Stephen Poliakov film 'Glorious 39' looks good too, but doubt that'll be on general release (less of an issue for you folks down in the big smoke!)
Think I might bite the bullet and go see Avatar this week.
I want to see The Exam, but I got outvoted by the missus, so hoping it will still be showing next week. To be fair I think there are still interesting films out there, you just don't hear about them much. The likes of Memento was pretty low key when it was released.
I do think that one issue that has been dragging cinema down for a long time now is the reliance on test audiences. A lot of movies with proposed unhappy ends, get re-written because the test audiences give negative feedback to sad endings. It's a normal gut reaction, but when you think about it later you'd probably reflect that - for example - the original end of True Romance is better, because it fits. You'd need to be a bit dim to "buy" that Clarence would have got up and walked past armies of armed police that were raiding the building, having just been shot through the eye with a machine gun. Another issue is that test audience aren't very well matched to films. A bunch of average joes who have just gone to the pictures because it is free aren't necessarily the people that are going to "get" a subtitled film, or something complicated/original like Memento, but studios appear, to me, to base a lot of decisions on what a cross section of the population think rather than an artistic vision. They lose out in the long run, as I'm sure happens with TV. HBO made more cash out of the Wire than a lot of more commercial projects, because DVD/book sales are so good, but if you'd run the pilot past the test audience they'd probably not have got it.
I can see what your saying McLovin and i tend to agree, but would the money men behind the films risk a huge amount cash on promotion and advertising without the feedback of a test audience?
I think you're right McLovin. The general release issue is a big pain for me. Something like 'An Education' despite it's critical acclaim took quite a lot of tracking down and I eventually found in it an Arts Centre in Bromsgrove and was lucky to do that because it was only on for 3 nights. It didn't appear in the local cinema in Kidderminster or any of the 4 local (ish) big 10 screen plus cinemas. The only place it was on, nearby, was at Star City in Birmingham which is a great big 30 odd screen venue (it used to have 4 screens devoted to Bollywood, not sure if it still does) but thats about 20 miles away, which makes it a bit of a pain to get to. It's also nicknamed Stab City and isn't really the kind of place I want to spend a Friday evening - i.e. surrounded by hoods and baseball caps.
However, something like Bride Wars or Marly and Me is bloody everywhere for weeks. I know this sort of unoriginal, cliched bullsh!t is what makes the studios money, but surely there's enough of a market out there for more than one cinema in the whole West Midlands to be showing the slightly more intelligent stuff that is out there.
I would have thought this would be a way some of the small independent cinemas (those that still exist) could compete with the all signing all dancing Multiplexes etc.
[cite]Posted By: razil[/cite]
saw 2012 effects looked very good, altho plot not up to much
I can never understand this with blockbusters, considering their budget. Take Transformers 2: they could have cut about one fight scene from the 2 and a half hour running time, saved 5 million or so, and that could have paid for a whole team of writers to sit in a room for a year and come up with a plot that vaguely makes sense.
I imagine it's a combination of:
1. They still make money regardless of plot
2. A decent plot can't be stretched to fit in enough action set pieces
[cite]Posted By: razil[/cite]
history of lying wasn't bad, altho I think jervais' cinematic efforts have failed to live up to billing a little
I'm looking forward to 'Cemetery Junction', which is being billed as a cross between The Office and Mad Men
[cite]Posted By: ValleyGary[/cite]I can see what your saying McLovin and i tend to agree, but would the money men behind the films risk a huge amount cash on promotion and advertising without the feedback of a test audience?
I guess the point is that they're trying to measure weight with a tape measure. For the reasons that I stated I don't think the knee jerk reaction of a test audience is a great guide for the viability of a movie.
Maybe that's an example, it's an indicator, but it shouldn't be used as the be all and end all. They could at least be a bit more controlled in how they pick the subjects. Sending me to a Sandra Bullock comedy (not that I'd go) is only ever going to get a negative reaction, so by the same token sending a bunch of dolts to watch a "tricky" film with a nasty end, isn't going to be a great way of guaging if geeks like me will go and watch it at the cinema and buy the DVD.
[quote][cite]Posted By: Exiled_Addick[/cite]I think you're right McLovin. The general release issue is a big pain for me. Something like 'An Education' despite it's critical acclaim took quite a lot of tracking down and I eventually found in it an Arts Centre in Bromsgrove and was lucky to do that because it was only on for 3 nights. It didn't appear in the local cinema in Kidderminster or any of the 4 local (ish) big 10 screen plus cinemas. The only place it was on, nearby, was at Star City in Birmingham which is a great big 30 odd screen venue (it used to have 4 screens devoted to Bollywood, not sure if it still does) but thats about 20 miles away, which makes it a bit of a pain to get to. It's also nicknamed Stab City and isn't really the kind of place I want to spend a Friday evening - i.e. surrounded by hoods and baseball caps.
However, something like Bride Wars or Marly and Me is bloody everywhere for weeks. I know this sort of unoriginal, cliched bullsh!t is what makes the studios money, but surely there's enough of a market out there for more than one cinema in the whole West Midlands to be showing the slightly more intelligent stuff that is out there.
I would have thought this would be a way some of the small independent cinemas (those that still exist) could compete with the all signing all dancing Multiplexes etc.[/quote]
The issue is (and I release around 10 "indie" films a year in cinemas) is that the UK public are REALLY dumb - if they see a Tv ad for a movie, they go and watch it - even the independent cinemas are struggling because they have gone more stream as they see it the only way to ensure critical mass of bums on seats. Also, from a financial point of view - for every £10 you spend on a cinema ticket - guess how much I get ..... £2, maybe £2.50 if I'm lucky - so us independent cinema fans and distributors don't try for wide, critically acclaimed films because we just can't make any money out of them I'm afraid ....
[cite]Posted By: Curb_It[/cite]i rarely get to the cinema... but am gonig to try and pluck up the courage to go see Precious. i have not read the book either. wonder if i can find anyone to go with me.
[cite]Posted By: Exiled_Addick[/cite]I think you're right McLovin. The general release issue is a big pain for me. Something like 'An Education' despite it's critical acclaim took quite a lot of tracking down and I eventually found in it an Arts Centre in Bromsgrove and was lucky to do that because it was only on for 3 nights. It didn't appear in the local cinema in Kidderminster or any of the 4 local (ish) big 10 screen plus cinemas. The only place it was on, nearby, was at Star City in Birmingham which is a great big 30 odd screen venue (it used to have 4 screens devoted to Bollywood, not sure if it still does) but thats about 20 miles away, which makes it a bit of a pain to get to. It's also nicknamed Stab City and isn't really the kind of place I want to spend a Friday evening - i.e. surrounded by hoods and baseball caps.
However, something like Bride Wars or Marly and Me is bloody everywhere for weeks. I know this sort of unoriginal, cliched bullsh!t is what makes the studios money, but surely there's enough of a market out there for more than one cinema in the whole West Midlands to be showing the slightly more intelligent stuff that is out there.
I would have thought this would be a way some of the small independent cinemas (those that still exist) could compete with the all signing all dancing Multiplexes etc.
The issue is (and I release around 10 "indie" films a year in cinemas) is that the UK public are REALLY dumb - if they see a Tv ad for a movie, they go and watch it - even the independent cinemas are struggling because they have gone more stream as they see it the only way to ensure critical mass of bums on seats. Also, from a financial point of view - for every £10 you spend on a cinema ticket - guess how much I get ..... £2, maybe £2.50 if I'm lucky - so us independent cinema fans and distributors don't try for wide, critically acclaimed films because we just can't make any money out of them I'm afraid ....
:-(
I'm not sure what you're saying there Clive... Surely it's a good thing that independent film-makers and distributors aren't making 'wide' films?
I don't honestly believe that a wider berth of independent films would mean more high-quality independent films. If they're good enough, they'll be made, find distributors and break through. There's been enough cross-over hits to warrant that idea. And when 'A Prophet' comes out, that'll surely be just another. (Although obviously if you're in the industry I'd love to hear your opinion)
As for independent cinemas, they're all but dead anyway. I'm extremely lucky to live ten minutes away from the Duke of York. Brilliant cinema. Can even take a pint in.
My point is that the reason you have to go searching miles and miles for an indie film that is actually pretty good is that it's very expensive for cinema distribution as an indie film distributor and you can't actually make any money from it.
There are plenty of very good indie films that deserve a bigger platform, but when cinemas are paying us back less than 25% of the actual ticket price (when you calculate VAT into the figure) then as Exiled Addick said, it takes a bit of finding to actually get to watch the film you'd like to watch and pay to see and that's the real shame as consumer choice is being eroded at the cinema and in the high street/supermarket as it's very difficult (and damn expensive) to get shelf space when it comes to selling DVDs to the general public.
Simultaneous distribution in cinema with platforms such as i-tunes, sky box office, filmflex, blinkbox, lovefilm etc - that is where REAL independent films will end up - as that will ensure a very good indie film has the opportunity of reaching as many people as possible all at the same time.... just my humble, in the business, opinion though ....
Last time I took a girl to see a film (put my hand in my pocket) it cost me nearly £30 for 2 tickets a couple of beers and a couple of bottles of water. Then the cheeky fuggers have got the cheek to put an advert on telling me not to spend £3 on a pirate DVD to watch at home!
Anyways I'm going to the pictures tomorrow and want to know what's worth watching with a doris. I was eyeing up the vampire one but I don't want to scare the shite out of her. I'm not sure I could handle a birds film and still be all man afterwards
[quote][cite]Posted By: Carter[/cite]Last time I [b]took[/b] a girl to see a film (put my hand in my pocket) it cost me nearly £30 for 2 tickets a couple of beers and a couple of bottles of water. Then the cheeky fuggers have got the cheek to put an advert on telling me not to spend £3 on a pirate DVD to watch at home!
Anyways I'm going to the pictures tomorrow and want to know what's worth watching with a doris. I was eyeing up the vampire one but I don't want to scare the shite out of her. I'm not sure I could handle a birds film and still be all man afterwards[/quote]
'cloudy with a chance of meatballs' should do the trick
PeteF - Try 'up in the Air' as the date movie it's a good film, bit more highbrow than some of the dross out there at the moment. You won't come out of the cinema feeling depressed and most importantly there will no chance of her catching you blubbing like a girl when the lights come up either!
I haven't seen avatar yet i'd quite like to see the tech he's used but i'm just getting the 'Emperors new clothes' feeling about it
Comments
Where have all the good thrillers gone? Films like Usual Suspects or Memento. Original stuff. If it doesnt have explosions, SFX or vampires then it seems it doesnt get commisioned anymore!
Saw a trailer last night for a film out next week with him and Mel Gibson, looked pretty good (although most trailers do). It's called 'Edge of Darkness'
No worries mate i'm gonna be watching it too this week
.......or after you watch it go to watch a tipsy Curb_It partake in karaoke with Glenn Tillbrook which will cheer you up afterwards....
use Sky to catch up with all the stuff I miss. Finally saw Rock'n'rolla at the weekend. Have to say I enjoyed it.
Went to see 'An Education' and 'A Serious Man' at the flicks recently. Both very much slow burners but both very enjoyable. 'An Education' was particularly good, I thought, but steer clear of both if you're an action movie fan!
The new Stephen Poliakov film 'Glorious 39' looks good too, but doubt that'll be on general release (less of an issue for you folks down in the big smoke!)
Think I might bite the bullet and go see Avatar this week.
I do think that one issue that has been dragging cinema down for a long time now is the reliance on test audiences. A lot of movies with proposed unhappy ends, get re-written because the test audiences give negative feedback to sad endings. It's a normal gut reaction, but when you think about it later you'd probably reflect that - for example - the original end of True Romance is better, because it fits. You'd need to be a bit dim to "buy" that Clarence would have got up and walked past armies of armed police that were raiding the building, having just been shot through the eye with a machine gun. Another issue is that test audience aren't very well matched to films. A bunch of average joes who have just gone to the pictures because it is free aren't necessarily the people that are going to "get" a subtitled film, or something complicated/original like Memento, but studios appear, to me, to base a lot of decisions on what a cross section of the population think rather than an artistic vision. They lose out in the long run, as I'm sure happens with TV. HBO made more cash out of the Wire than a lot of more commercial projects, because DVD/book sales are so good, but if you'd run the pilot past the test audience they'd probably not have got it.
However, something like Bride Wars or Marly and Me is bloody everywhere for weeks. I know this sort of unoriginal, cliched bullsh!t is what makes the studios money, but surely there's enough of a market out there for more than one cinema in the whole West Midlands to be showing the slightly more intelligent stuff that is out there.
I would have thought this would be a way some of the small independent cinemas (those that still exist) could compete with the all signing all dancing Multiplexes etc.
saw 2012 effects looked very good, altho plot not up to much
history of lying wasn't bad, altho I think jervais' cinematic efforts have failed to live up to billing a little
and as for that twilight, slow moving teen crap, not what I would call gripping
I can never understand this with blockbusters, considering their budget. Take Transformers 2: they could have cut about one fight scene from the 2 and a half hour running time, saved 5 million or so, and that could have paid for a whole team of writers to sit in a room for a year and come up with a plot that vaguely makes sense.
I imagine it's a combination of:
1. They still make money regardless of plot
2. A decent plot can't be stretched to fit in enough action set pieces
I'm looking forward to 'Cemetery Junction', which is being billed as a cross between The Office and Mad Men
Maybe that's an example, it's an indicator, but it shouldn't be used as the be all and end all. They could at least be a bit more controlled in how they pick the subjects. Sending me to a Sandra Bullock comedy (not that I'd go) is only ever going to get a negative reaction, so by the same token sending a bunch of dolts to watch a "tricky" film with a nasty end, isn't going to be a great way of guaging if geeks like me will go and watch it at the cinema and buy the DVD.
However, something like Bride Wars or Marly and Me is bloody everywhere for weeks. I know this sort of unoriginal, cliched bullsh!t is what makes the studios money, but surely there's enough of a market out there for more than one cinema in the whole West Midlands to be showing the slightly more intelligent stuff that is out there.
I would have thought this would be a way some of the small independent cinemas (those that still exist) could compete with the all signing all dancing Multiplexes etc.[/quote]
The issue is (and I release around 10 "indie" films a year in cinemas) is that the UK public are REALLY dumb - if they see a Tv ad for a movie, they go and watch it - even the independent cinemas are struggling because they have gone more stream as they see it the only way to ensure critical mass of bums on seats. Also, from a financial point of view - for every £10 you spend on a cinema ticket - guess how much I get ..... £2, maybe £2.50 if I'm lucky - so us independent cinema fans and distributors don't try for wide, critically acclaimed films because we just can't make any money out of them I'm afraid ....
:-(
Well hello Mr Bond...
Damn.....No takers Curb_it!
Chin up, don't give up.
I'm not sure what you're saying there Clive... Surely it's a good thing that independent film-makers and distributors aren't making 'wide' films?
I don't honestly believe that a wider berth of independent films would mean more high-quality independent films. If they're good enough, they'll be made, find distributors and break through. There's been enough cross-over hits to warrant that idea. And when 'A Prophet' comes out, that'll surely be just another. (Although obviously if you're in the industry I'd love to hear your opinion)
As for independent cinemas, they're all but dead anyway. I'm extremely lucky to live ten minutes away from the Duke of York. Brilliant cinema. Can even take a pint in.
There are plenty of very good indie films that deserve a bigger platform, but when cinemas are paying us back less than 25% of the actual ticket price (when you calculate VAT into the figure) then as Exiled Addick said, it takes a bit of finding to actually get to watch the film you'd like to watch and pay to see and that's the real shame as consumer choice is being eroded at the cinema and in the high street/supermarket as it's very difficult (and damn expensive) to get shelf space when it comes to selling DVDs to the general public.
Simultaneous distribution in cinema with platforms such as i-tunes, sky box office, filmflex, blinkbox, lovefilm etc - that is where REAL independent films will end up - as that will ensure a very good indie film has the opportunity of reaching as many people as possible all at the same time.... just my humble, in the business, opinion though ....
Anyways I'm going to the pictures tomorrow and want to know what's worth watching with a doris. I was eyeing up the vampire one but I don't want to scare the shite out of her. I'm not sure I could handle a birds film and still be all man afterwards
Anyways I'm going to the pictures tomorrow and want to know what's worth watching with a doris. I was eyeing up the vampire one but I don't want to scare the shite out of her. I'm not sure I could handle a birds film and still be all man afterwards[/quote]
'cloudy with a chance of meatballs' should do the trick
I haven't seen avatar yet i'd quite like to see the tech he's used but i'm just getting the 'Emperors new clothes' feeling about it