More 2021 films of varying degrees of watchability:
I Care A Lot Monster Hunter The Mauritanian Cherry Run Hide Fight Zack Snyder's Justice League (4 hours) Silk Road Nobody Godzilla vs Kong Chaos Walking Judas and the Black Messiah
A bit late to it, but watched Trial of the Chicago 7 last night. I was aware of them, but didn’t know all the ins and outs. Thought it was very well made how they revealed what happened bit by bit as the court case built.
Mark Rylance was superb as usual, continuously excited to see what he makes going forward. Sacha Baron Cohen is an incredibly versatile actor, I’m not a fan of his Ali G, Bruno type stuff, but Chicago 7 and Hugo were brilliant performances.
I felt it came off as preachy and more like a made for TV movie. But was still "okay" in my book. Rylance is quite an actor.
Sound of Metal last night for us. Riz Ahmed is his usual excellent self and the dipping and out of audio effects so the viewer could get some experience of what the character was going through was very well handled.
Good film, enjoyed it but not exactly a feel good.
I sometimes enjoy a turkey for the laughs. This week a mate recommended Quigley, starring Gary Busey. The plot is this: A despicable CEO dies and is reincarnated as a dog so he can atone for his mistakes.
I challenge anyone to get past the first 5 minutes. It's beyond description. On YouTube.
Anyone seen "Nomadland"? I hear it is headed for a Best Picture win.
I’ve seen it . I liked it but I can’t quite understand the hype . I’ve seen much better films ( I care a lot , The Father , Promising Young woman , The sound of metal , My Octopus Teacher ) but Hollywood seems to love Francis McDormand .
Anyone seen "Nomadland"? I hear it is headed for a Best Picture win.
I’ve seen it . I liked it but I can’t quite understand the hype . I’ve seen much better films ( I care a lot , The Father , Promising Young woman , The sound of metal , My Octopus Teacher ) but Hollywood seems to love Francis McDormand .
Just seen it and completely agree. I prefer Chloe Zhao's previous films, I don't think casting a big star against people playing themselves worked, the styles clashed too much, it seemed like 2 films forced together.
The subject matter is interesting, but has been covered in Below Sea Level, which is an excellent doc.
Stowaway last night was an easy watch but what could have been an interesting concept for a movie was holed beneath the waterline. You had to suspend belief enough to go with the central tenet of the film but then this is compounded by the skimming over the miserable response from Mission Control, the lack of any real friction between the characters and their situation, etc.
You'll be surprised to hear this, but my experience of spacewalks is limited. However, I do know that if I were sodding about outside a space station I'd probably still do a better job than the bunch of numpties in the film managed.
It's only a 12 so the kids will probably enjoy it and it does an "okay" job of keeping the tension going along but it's no Gravity or The Martian.
Stowaway last night was an easy watch but what could have been an interesting concept for a movie was holed beneath the waterline. You had to suspend belief enough to go with the central tenet of the film but then this is compounded by the skimming over the miserable response from Mission Control, the lack of any real friction between the characters and their situation, etc.
You'll be surprised to hear this, but my experience of spacewalks is limited. However, I do know that if I were sodding about outside a space station I'd probably still do a better job than the bunch of numpties in the film managed.
It's only a 12 so the kids will probably enjoy it and it does an "okay" job of keeping the tension going along but it's no Gravity or The Martian.
Yeah, not a bad film. Terrible ending, though. Leaves it open for a sequel, I suppose. Sod having to climb that 200 metre aerial, or whatever it was.
Watched Vanquish last night. Not a bad film. Plenty of shoot em ups and some half decent car/motorbike chases 👍
I loved Palm Springs. Groundhog Day wasn't the first film to do the repetition thing, and it felt distinctly different because the lead is already used to his predicament when we meet him. That made it far more interesting to me.
Saw Mortal Kombat last week. Fuck me it's bad. Although shot quite nicely with decent effects, the script is diabolical.
I loved Palm Springs. Groundhog Day wasn't the first film to do the repetition thing, and it felt distinctly different because the lead is already used to his predicament when we meet him. That made it far more interesting to me.
Saw Mortal Kombat last week. Fuck me it's bad. Although shot quite nicely with decent effects, the script is diabolical.
I thought it was decent, both the leads acted really well and I don't think I've ever not enjoyed a JK Simmons performance
Anyone else seen the newly released 'horror' film Saint Maud? We went this weekend with high hopes after reading Mark Kermode's gushing review in which he reckons it is Oscar winning material. Well, we were greatly unimpressed. Only one 'fright' moment in the whole film. We didn't buy into the 'loneliness' angle of the main character and found the whole thing slow and tedious.
That is 3 terrible films on the bounce for us; this, 23 Walks and Tenet. It's slim pickings at the moment. We were literally the only ones in one film and 2 of 8 people in Odeon Orpington on Saturday for SM. The film industry is gonna struggle to survive if this carries on. We keep going back as we live locally and have Limitless cards. That said, the poor offerings really are testing my 'limits' now.
Thought Tenet very disappointing but really liked Saint Maud.
Synchronic (2020) - Enjoyed this for some reason. 8/10
I thought the build up in Synchronic was excellent, had a bit of 7even about it. Then it was like they ran out of budget. Could of been a really good film.
This is really a character study of the grieving and mildly depressed principal character, Fern, as well as a window into the life of the nomads. A sad film and one that I found a little predictable and disappointing. Like @Bedsaddick, I don't really understand all the hype. I've seen Chloé Zhao's two previous films, 'The Rider' and 'Songs My Brothers Taught Me' and, personally speaking, I thought that the latter (currently screening on MUBI) was the best of the three.
I'm a big fan of Francis McDormand. While she can obviously only work with the role and script she's given, I don't think that her turn in this film holds a candle to the bravura performances in her two previous Oscar-winning roles, 'Fargo' (amazingly 25 years ago !) and 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri'.
I found the soundtrack a shade intrusive and, like the nomads themselves, I thought the film meandered. Still, what do I know.
Zana (Kosovo/Albania) - 6/10
A Kosovar woman struggles with familial pressures and her traumatic wartime past. Her husband and mother-in-law believe that she is struggling to conceive again and pressurise her into seeking help from a local healer and a fake exorcist. The real reasons gradually emerge, with the protagonist suffering PTSD and depression following the Kosovon genocide.
The film is interesting in its portrayal of a society which has, in certain respects, almost medieval attitudes and beliefs. It is, however, a hard watch at times and certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea.
Comments
I Care A Lot
Monster Hunter
The Mauritanian
Cherry
Run Hide Fight
Zack Snyder's Justice League (4 hours)
Silk Road
Nobody
Godzilla vs Kong
Chaos Walking
Judas and the Black Messiah
Films to most definitely steer clear of:
Thunder Force
Coming to America 2
I watched American Assassin on Netflix. Massively far fetched and huge plot holes but Michael Keaton is great.
My film of 2021...So far .
I felt it came off as preachy and more like a made for TV movie. But was still "okay" in my book. Rylance is quite an actor.
I think he might sneak best actor at the Oscars.
I challenge anyone to get past the first 5 minutes. It's beyond description. On YouTube.
The subject matter is interesting, but has been covered in Below Sea Level, which is an excellent doc.
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt1270612/
You'll be surprised to hear this, but my experience of spacewalks is limited. However, I do know that if I were sodding about outside a space station I'd probably still do a better job than the bunch of numpties in the film managed.
It's only a 12 so the kids will probably enjoy it and it does an "okay" job of keeping the tension going along but it's no Gravity or The Martian.
Watched Vanquish last night. Not a bad film. Plenty of shoot em ups and some half decent car/motorbike chases 👍
8/10, helps that Andy Sandberg's humour matches mine well.
Saw Mortal Kombat last week. Fuck me it's bad. Although shot quite nicely with decent effects, the script is diabolical.
Easy watch. Am sure others can, and will, pick holes in it. I'm a simple creature and it filled the skiving void.
Chronicle (2012) - Again, watchable. 7/10
Synchronic (2020) - Enjoyed this for some reason. 8/10
What Happened to Monday.
Good film. Really enjoyed it. solid 8/10
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1536537/
Nomadland - 7/10
This is really a character study of the grieving and mildly depressed principal character, Fern, as well as a window into the life of the nomads. A sad film and one that I found a little predictable and disappointing. Like @Bedsaddick, I don't really understand all the hype. I've seen Chloé Zhao's two previous films, 'The Rider' and 'Songs My Brothers Taught Me' and, personally speaking, I thought that the latter (currently screening on MUBI) was the best of the three.
I'm a big fan of Francis McDormand. While she can obviously only work with the role and script she's given, I don't think that her turn in this film holds a candle to the bravura performances in her two previous Oscar-winning roles, 'Fargo' (amazingly 25 years ago !) and 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri'.
I found the soundtrack a shade intrusive and, like the nomads themselves, I thought the film meandered. Still, what do I know.
Zana (Kosovo/Albania) - 6/10
A Kosovar woman struggles with familial pressures and her traumatic wartime past. Her husband and mother-in-law believe that she is struggling to conceive again and pressurise her into seeking help from a local healer and a fake exorcist. The real reasons gradually emerge, with the protagonist suffering PTSD and depression following the Kosovon genocide.
The film is interesting in its portrayal of a society which has, in certain respects, almost medieval attitudes and beliefs. It is, however, a hard watch at times and certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea.