I decided to watch The Salesman when I found out that it beat the brilliant Land of Mine to best film in a foreign language at last years Oscars. Was it as good as Land of Mine ? well maybe not quite but I'm really pleased I watched it. It's the story of a couple are forced to leave their collapsing apartment building, when a friend offers them a flat to live in but he doesn't tell them this it was formerly inhabited by a prostitute. While home alone at night and taking a shower, the wife is attacked, and has difficulty coping with the aftermath. This is a film set in Iran but it could be set anywhere. The people in this film are just like you and me and although there are cultural difference you wouldn't really know it in this film. Writer and director Asghar Farhadi has made thought provoking film about disgrace , revenge , and pride and the cast do him proud. The Salesman is available on Amazon.
Just saw "Molly's Game." Darned fine movie. Typical snappy dialogue by Aaron Sorkin. Jessica Chastain is quite good. So is Idris Irba. A bit long at 2hr, 20min. I really dug her character and the ups and downs she faced. I think Aaron Sorkin suffers from one thing, he always has to bring his scripts around to some big reveal as to a main character's motivation. In this case it feels forced. But other than that, I really liked the flick. A lot more than Star Wars or Ladybird, that's for sure.
Watched an interesting on the other day, apologise if its has been mentioned already. The Book Of Henry - 7.5/10 - Thought it was very heartfelt, about a boy who is a genius at 11 he lives with his single mum and younger brother. Helps his mum out with accounts/ investing and then becomes ill. I wont give any spoilers but its quite emotional/sad film but a good story to go with and well worth the watch. Acting isn't brilliant but not bad, the main lady is Naomi Watts (i think) she was very good, as was Henry who was quirky.
Watched Mollys Game last night. Was expecting it to be reasonable but I really enjoyed this one. A longish film at about 2:20 and thoroughly absorbing and entertaining. Jessica Chastain is very, ahem, watchable. Idris Elba also very good support. Agree entirely with @NapaAddick 8/10
Since the beginning of movie making the story of the native Indian and their struggle with the white American ( or visa versa) has been told verbatim but I haven't seen any that focus on the emotional and mental impact of the death and distruction that surrounds both sets of people .That is until now. This this the story of army captain Joseph J. Blocker who undertakes one final mission before retirement. To escort Yellow Hawk , a dying Cheyenne war chief - and his family back to sacred tribal lands. Together they battle against the brutality of men , coming to the rescue of a young widow amidst the carnage of her murdered family. On the journey the two men have to learn to trust one another despite their history. To say this film is a little bit grim is to say The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a little bit gory. At times this film is so dark it's difficult to watch. The mental torture these characters endure due to their grieving hits you full in the face. Christian Bale is fantastic as is Wes Studi and Rosamund Pike and it cannot have been an easy film to make. If you are looking for an all action traditional western this is not it. It's what people would call a modern western and while I enjoyed the performances , i can't say the film , because of it's content , was enjoyable. In fact I would say Hostiles was very hard work .
Recently saw The Disaster Artist - a film about the making of a really bad film (The Room). Very funny in places and entertaining with James Franco enjoying hamming it up.
Doesn't quite live up to its reviews for me. 6.5/10
Agree with Beds on Hostiles. I enjoyed it, I thought the acting was great... but if I wasn't in a screening, I probably would have taken a break and come back to it the next day!
Also, for a film that wants to show it's characters on an arc of forgiveness and redemption (for being racist), it's remarkably simplistic when it comes to the native American depictions.
Still, a really good western and well worth a watch.
Try this mathematical film test. It's pretty amazing. Mine turned out to be "Raiders of the Lost Ark". I was surprised how this worked.
This test will predict which of the 18 films listed below is your favourite. Don't ask me how, but it really works!
Don't cheat and look at the film list till you have done the maths!
Here goes...
Film Test:
Pick a number from 1-9.
Multiply by 3.
Add 3.
Multiply by 3 again.
Now add the two digits together to find your predicted favourite film in the list of 18 films below.
Film List:
1. Gone With The Wind 2. E.T. 3. Beverly Hills Cop 4. Star Wars 5. Forrest Gump 6. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly 7. Jaws 8. Grease 9. The Joy of Gay Anal Fisting 10. Casablanca 11. Jurassic Park 12. Shrek 13. Pirates of the Caribbean 14. Titanic 15. Raiders Of The Lost Ark 16. Home Alone 17. Mrs. Doubtfire 18. Toy Story
Tried the test above and was delighted to find my most appropriate film was the Gay Fisting one - is it on Netflix?
The Limehouse Golem
I also gaught the Limehouse Golem this week. No fisting of any sort, but despite some gore, it was a very enjoyable film. I'm a bit of a sucker for these sort of historical movies, which was just another reason I loved the Prestige so much, and this was a good movie. I won't discuss it but I enjoyed everything, the atmousphere, acting, characters and plot.
Tried the test above and was delighted to find my most appropriate film was the Gay Fisting one - is it on Netflix?
The Limehouse Golem
I also gaught the Limehouse Golem this week. No fisting of any sort, but despite some gore, it was a very enjoyable film. I'm a bit of a sucker for these sort of historical movies, which was just another reason I loved the Prestige so much, and this was a good movie. I won't discuss it but I enjoyed everything, the atmousphere, acting, characters and plot.
Agree with Beds on Hostiles. I enjoyed it, I thought the acting was great... but if I wasn't in a screening, I probably would have taken a break and come back to it the next day!
Also, for a film that wants to show it's characters on an arc of forgiveness and redemption (for being racist), it's remarkably simplistic when it comes to the native American depictions.
Still, a really good western and well worth a watch.
I've heard its very gory and that is worrying me about seeing it. How graphic is it?
The Post comes out today and I might wanna go see that. Somewhat timely for what we are dealing with here. But I reeeeallly wanna see Phantom Thread with Daniel Day Lewis when that gets wide release.
The Post comes out today and I might wanna go see that. Somewhat timely for what we are dealing with here. But I reeeeallly wanna see Phantom Thread with Daniel Day Lewis when that gets wide release.
Apparently Phantom Thread is Daniel Day Lewis’ last film as an actor.
Tried the test above and was delighted to find my most appropriate film was the Gay Fisting one - is it on Netflix?
The Limehouse Golem
I also gaught the Limehouse Golem this week. No fisting of any sort, but despite some gore, it was a very enjoyable film. I'm a bit of a sucker for these sort of historical movies, which was just another reason I loved the Prestige so much, and this was a good movie. I won't discuss it but I enjoyed everything, the atmousphere, acting, characters and plot.
8/10
I really enjoyed it.
I watched this on a plane and thought it was dodoo, perhaps I hadn't had enough mojitos?
Finally got a chance to watch the new Kingsman film.
I loved the first one, this one. I enjoyed it as it's pretty hard not to purely for the effects, humour and camera tricks. However, this is the first time I've seen Julianne Moore in anything where I didn't like her, she was trying to do what Samuel L Jackson did in the first one and fell a bit short.
I really hope they do another one but I'm not sure where they go now.
Agree with Beds on Hostiles. I enjoyed it, I thought the acting was great... but if I wasn't in a screening, I probably would have taken a break and come back to it the next day!
Also, for a film that wants to show it's characters on an arc of forgiveness and redemption (for being racist), it's remarkably simplistic when it comes to the native American depictions.
Still, a really good western and well worth a watch.
I've heard its very gory and that is worrying me about seeing it. How graphic is it?
Not that gory at all. There is one scalping scene right at the beginning of the film that is a bit gory but that's about it.
Watched the 1958 Dunkirk last night. Good film and interesting to see the number of scenes retained in the latest version. Obviously they are both based on the same event so there is a kind of inevitability to this.
Well directed, not surprisingly, by Michael Balcon and a great addition to the excellent Ealing Films portfolio.
Watched the 1958 Dunkirk last night. Good film and interesting to see the number of scenes retained in the latest version. Obviously they are both based on the same event so there is a kind of inevitability to this.
Well directed, not surprisingly, by Michael Balcon and a great addition to the excellent Ealing Films portfolio.
Watched " The Man with the Iron Heart" on netflix tonight.
Very decent film & worth a watch although Mr F is convinced it's a remake.
Is he thinking of Antrophoid (sp) which was based on the same story from memory.
Anthropoid is told in a similar way to the mid seventies version called Operation Daybreak. Linear and just from the perspective of the allies. TMWTIH also provides backstory of Heydrich and his family. Both new films are good but not great.
Molly's Game 7/10 - found the start over long and indulgent but overall v enjoyable and remarkably true to the real story from reading up on it after.
Three Billboards 9/10 - one of the best films I've seen for a long time - great performances and excellent story with perfect balance of laughter, tears and horror. Also a refreshing change to have straight line chronology!
Comments
The Book Of Henry - 7.5/10 - Thought it was very heartfelt, about a boy who is a genius at 11 he lives with his single mum and younger brother. Helps his mum out with accounts/ investing and then becomes ill. I wont give any spoilers but its quite emotional/sad film but a good story to go with and well worth the watch. Acting isn't brilliant but not bad, the main lady is Naomi Watts (i think) she was very good, as was Henry who was quirky.
A longish film at about 2:20 and thoroughly absorbing and entertaining.
Jessica Chastain is very, ahem, watchable. Idris Elba also very good support.
Agree entirely with @NapaAddick
8/10
Hostiles
Since the beginning of movie making the story of the native Indian and their struggle with the white American ( or visa versa) has been told verbatim but I haven't seen any that focus on the emotional and mental impact of the death and distruction that surrounds both sets of people .That is until now.
This this the story of army captain Joseph J. Blocker who undertakes one final mission before retirement. To escort Yellow Hawk , a dying Cheyenne war chief - and his family back to sacred tribal lands. Together they battle against the brutality of men , coming to the rescue of a young widow amidst the carnage of her murdered family. On the journey the two men have to learn to trust one another despite their history.
To say this film is a little bit grim is to say The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a little bit gory.
At times this film is so dark it's difficult to watch. The mental torture these characters endure due to their grieving hits you full in the face.
Christian Bale is fantastic as is Wes Studi and Rosamund Pike and it cannot have been an easy film to make.
If you are looking for an all action traditional western this is not it. It's what people would call a modern western and while I enjoyed the performances , i can't say the film , because of it's content , was enjoyable.
In fact I would say Hostiles was very hard work .
7 out of 10
Doesn't quite live up to its reviews for me. 6.5/10
Also, for a film that wants to show it's characters on an arc of forgiveness and redemption (for being racist), it's remarkably simplistic when it comes to the native American depictions.
Still, a really good western and well worth a watch.
Will no doubt win plenty of awards and deservedly so.
This test will predict which of the 18 films listed below is your favourite. Don't ask me how, but it really works!
Don't cheat and look at the film list till you have done the maths!
Here goes...
Film Test:
Pick a number from 1-9.
Multiply by 3.
Add 3.
Multiply by 3 again.
Now add the two digits together to find your predicted favourite film in the list of 18 films below.
Film List:
1. Gone With The Wind
2. E.T.
3. Beverly Hills Cop
4. Star Wars
5. Forrest Gump
6. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
7. Jaws
8. Grease
9. The Joy of Gay Anal Fisting
10. Casablanca
11. Jurassic Park
12. Shrek
13. Pirates of the Caribbean
14. Titanic
15. Raiders Of The Lost Ark
16. Home Alone
17. Mrs. Doubtfire
18. Toy Story
Very decent film & worth a watch although Mr F is convinced it's a remake.
The Limehouse Golem
I also gaught the Limehouse Golem this week. No fisting of any sort, but despite some gore, it was a very enjoyable film. I'm a bit of a sucker for these sort of historical movies, which was just another reason I loved the Prestige so much, and this was a good movie. I won't discuss it but I enjoyed everything, the atmousphere, acting, characters and plot.
8/10
3 Billboards - 9/10
Molly's Game - 8/10
Brad's Status - 8/10.
thx
I loved the first one, this one. I enjoyed it as it's pretty hard not to purely for the effects, humour and camera tricks. However, this is the first time I've seen Julianne Moore in anything where I didn't like her, she was trying to do what Samuel L Jackson did in the first one and fell a bit short.
I really hope they do another one but I'm not sure where they go now.
7/10
Three Billboards 9/10 - one of the best films I've seen for a long time - great performances and excellent story with perfect balance of laughter, tears and horror. Also a refreshing change to have straight line chronology!