Yes good point I forgot to mention that - Strong is immense in that movie. Apparently he is a proper method actor, takes his craft very seriously!
I agree. Strong was excellent.
I hadn’t appreciated that Roy Cohn was also Chief Counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy, who led the House of committee on UnAmerican Activities and the witch-hunt against Communists as “the enemy within”.
Taken with his mentoring of Trump, Cohn has certainly been an influential figure in American political history.
September 5 was a solid News-desk drama. I'm just unsure why we needed it when 'One Day in September' is already out there, which was never going to be improved upon as a record of the events of that day.
Yes good point I forgot to mention that - Strong is immense in that movie. Apparently he is a proper method actor, takes his craft very seriously!
I agree. Strong was excellent.
I hadn’t appreciated that Roy Cohn was also Chief Counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy, who led the House of committee on UnAmerican Activities and the witch-hunt against Communists as “the enemy within”.
Taken with his mentoring of Trump, Cohn has certainly been an influential figure in American political history.
interesting. First I had heard of him in the film, but a massive sphere of influence. Must have been in the illuminati. ...
Has anyone been to see the new Captain America film yet? Looking to take my 9 year old tomorrow
I have and would suggest you be aware that it has a fair few more realistic violent moments than most other Marvel movies, including blade stabbing, small blades hanging out of the upper chest/shoulder in a fight scene. If your 9 year old can handle movie violence, some bloodiness and facial disfigurement, should he ok.
To give a guide, this film is like a 2 hour long bigger budget version of The Falcon & the Winter soldier less the latter…and with the Falcon now owning the Cap America mantle.
It’s OK, but Phase 6 will need to improve further on this entry if it is to keep the Marvel fanbase let alone general cinema goers interested.
I have to admit to seeing the latest Bridget Jones film !
To be fair it’s quite decent and to my surprise hasn’t been the case of 1 sequel too many. Yes sentimental, yes predictable but that’s what you know before you start to watch.
I'm not sure Mike Leigh has made a single production to entertain since Abigail's Party. Most of his films have a political undertone and I can only support his kickback against mainstream media.
There's something I really liked about this film but I am struggling to understand what it is. I suppose maybe it was the journey she goes on, of realising what's happening and stuff. Hard to say without spoiling it. The lead is terrific, and I assume the Russian lad is as well because he's so unlikeable it's crazy. Rarely will any watcher of a movie want to punch a character as much as this.
I think we're supposed to side with Anora and Dickhead and assume it's going to be a Romeo & Juliet thing, and when the Russian heavies are telling us Dickhead is a flake and a child, we're like "Yeah but they're in love". Only for us to go on a journey with Anora to realise she has been screwed over by a selfish prick. That's what I really like about it - it's the perspective thing. We only know what she knows. What the Russians are all about is not relevant. She is the centre of every scene I think. At no point do we go off and see what someone else is up to. We are as naive and unaware as her.
And the one guy who really does care about her, who has her back and sympathises with her, eventually breaks through and gives her the one thing she needed more than anything else - a hug. Even though she tries to repay his kindness in the only way she's used to until she realises she doesn't have to.
It's like watching a film focussed on a Star Trek red shirt. We're used to seeing girls like Anora, nameless and naked, alongside lead characters who are on an unrelated journey. But this is her story. I get why Jessie thought the sex was overused, but I think it was crucial in painting the picture of their relationship and what Anora is all about, until she grows beyond that at the end.
Brilliant look and design. Direction is outstanding. First rate stuff from Moore and Qualley. Incredible gore and artistry on the effects. Absolutely nails what it's aiming for.
Absolutely not my kind of film, hated watching it.
Memoir of a Snail - From the makers of Mary and Max, the animation is outstanding, the film is a story very well told but my God, it is one of the darkest and most depressing things I've watched for a long time. It tried to be uplifting at the end but I had been plunged into such a dark cloud by the rest of the film that I left the cinema feeling mildly depressed. It's excellent but I'm not I'd recommend it to anyone.
I'm Still Here - First half of film is gripping and you feel it could be a great watch. It then slows down dramatically and loses momentum. The final two stanzas take place years after the main events and add almost nothing to the film. Drastically needed better editing but still remains a good film. Main actress is excellent.
Was last of the Academy Award Best Picture Nominees I saw (far superior pictures to last year's drab selection imo). Very subjectively I rated as follows:
Anora - 10 The Brutalist - 9 Emilia Perez - 8.5 Dune Part 2 - 8 A Complete Unknown - 8 Nickel Boys - 7.5 I'm Still Here - 7 The Substance - 6 Conclave - 4 Wicked - 1
Unlucky to miss out: Count of Monte Cristo - 10 (was never going to be an Oscar contender) A Real Pain - 9 Civil War - 8 (very underrated)
I accept The Substance was creative and a decent film but final half hour didn't work for me. Conclave I simply don't understand the praise, at all. I thought that outside of costumes, etc it was abject and will be forgotten pretty quickly.
BAFTAs got the acting awards spot on (though Best Supporting Actress has no standout this year). They were also right that Brutalist deserved Best Director and best cinematography awards.
Found 'The Monkey' to be pretty good fun. Wilfully silly with a little bit of, but perhaps not enough of, the fun tension building "accident" deaths of the original Final Destination.
A Ukrainian audience member on BBC Question Time last week, pointed out that Anora was Russian propaganda, as in hegemonic. Haven't seen it myself but made me think - does it normalise Russia or Russian society or its people as somehow untroubled by war or shortcomings in daily living? Most films do to some extent, in my opinion, but anything notably/ apparently sinister with Anora?
A Ukrainian audience member on BBC Question Time last week, pointed out that Anora was Russian propaganda, as in hegemonic. Haven't seen it myself but made me think - does it normalise Russia or Russian society or its people as somehow untroubled by war or shortcomings in daily living? Most films do to some extent, in my opinion, but anything notably/ apparently sinister with Anora?
Didn’t feel it was spinning a line at all / remotely political.
It portrays as many ‘gangster’ films do a rich Russian family who get what they want because they buy it.
I have to admit to seeing the latest Bridget Jones film !
To be fair it’s quite decent and to my surprise hasn’t been the case of 1 sequel too many. Yes sentimental, yes predictable but that’s what you know before you start to watch.
Amusing cameo from Hugh Grant.
My Mrs took me to watch 'Mad about The Boy' on Valentines day, in a nice Curzon cinema (great seats). I was quietly dreading it but it was very pleasant. Agree with Valley Nick that Hugh Grant was good.
I have to admit to seeing the latest Bridget Jones film !
To be fair it’s quite decent and to my surprise hasn’t been the case of 1 sequel too many. Yes sentimental, yes predictable but that’s what you know before you start to watch.
Amusing cameo from Hugh Grant.
My Mrs took me to watch 'Mad about The Boy' on Valentines day, in a nice Curzon cinema (great seats). I was quietly dreading it but it was very pleasant. Agree with Valley Nick that Hugh Grant was good.
We watched it a couple of weeks ago, I tend to agree. My view was it was about 30 minutes too long and strongly agree that Hugh Grant is great in it, Rene Zellweger plays that part really well and its quite the thing for a Texan to do a posho British accent that well. I lost interest towards the end mainly due to the length but it was a decent film and had some genuine laughs
Not a latest film post so I apologise, but thought this fitted in nicely in a film thread. Just saw this story and thought how great!
"Terry Jones, one of the Monty Python team, shared an amusing tale about how the legendary Spike Milligan ended up with a cameo in *Life of Brian*. During the filming in Tunisia, Milligan happened to be visiting the area to pay respects at World War II battlefields. By sheer coincidence, he stopped by the Python set just as they were filming a scene involving wandering prophets.
Jones, always on the lookout for comic talent, invited Milligan to join in. Spike agreed, appearing in a brief role as a prophet who is ignored because his followers have chased after Brian. True to Milligan’s unpredictable nature, he disappeared later that same day, leaving the crew unable to capture any close-up shots or include him in promotional material. His brief presence, however, left an indelible mark on the film’s quirky charm."
Not recent, but Nightmare Alley is on C4 tonight at 9. Given the abject procession of meh films for months, this is one I'll watch again over the weekend. I found this hugely entertaining first time round.
The Last Showgirl was heartbreaking. Great supporting actress turn by Jaime Lee Curtis. Just need to see I’m Still Here tonight after the football to complete all of the Oscar nominees!
What are everyone's thoughts on last night's Oscar results? I didn't love it, but I'm surprised the Brutalist didn't get more, and I didn't see Anora sweeping everything.
Very happy for No Other Land winning best doc, was in my top films of last year, and might be the first film to win an Oscar without a distribution deal in the US.
What are everyone's thoughts on last night's Oscar results? I didn't love it, but I'm surprised the Brutalist didn't get more, and I didn't see Anora sweeping everything.
Very happy for No Other Land winning best doc, was in my top films of last year, and might be the first film to win an Oscar without a distribution deal in the US.
Very surprised by Anora. Conclave was far superior to me.
Comments
I hadn’t appreciated that Roy Cohn was also Chief Counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy, who led the House of committee on UnAmerican Activities and the witch-hunt against Communists as “the enemy within”.
It’s OK, but Phase 6 will need to improve further on this entry if it is to keep the Marvel fanbase let alone general cinema goers interested.
To be fair it’s quite decent and to my surprise hasn’t been the case of 1 sequel too many. Yes sentimental, yes predictable but that’s what you know before you start to watch.
BTW Alison Steadman was extaordinary.
I think we're supposed to side with Anora and Dickhead and assume it's going to be a Romeo & Juliet thing, and when the Russian heavies are telling us Dickhead is a flake and a child, we're like "Yeah but they're in love". Only for us to go on a journey with Anora to realise she has been screwed over by a selfish prick. That's what I really like about it - it's the perspective thing. We only know what she knows. What the Russians are all about is not relevant. She is the centre of every scene I think. At no point do we go off and see what someone else is up to. We are as naive and unaware as her.
And the one guy who really does care about her, who has her back and sympathises with her, eventually breaks through and gives her the one thing she needed more than anything else - a hug. Even though she tries to repay his kindness in the only way she's used to until she realises she doesn't have to.
It's like watching a film focussed on a Star Trek red shirt. We're used to seeing girls like Anora, nameless and naked, alongside lead characters who are on an unrelated journey. But this is her story. I get why Jessie thought the sex was overused, but I think it was crucial in painting the picture of their relationship and what Anora is all about, until she grows beyond that at the end.
7/8
Watched Better Man and really enjoyed it, it being a monkey rather than a Robbie Williams lookalike really did make a difference.
Brilliant look and design. Direction is outstanding. First rate stuff from Moore and Qualley. Incredible gore and artistry on the effects. Absolutely nails what it's aiming for.
Absolutely not my kind of film, hated watching it.
1/10 enjoyment
10/10 respect
Was last of the Academy Award Best Picture Nominees I saw (far superior pictures to last year's drab selection imo). Very subjectively I rated as follows:
Anora - 10
The Brutalist - 9
Emilia Perez - 8.5
Dune Part 2 - 8
A Complete Unknown - 8
Nickel Boys - 7.5
I'm Still Here - 7
The Substance - 6
Conclave - 4
Wicked - 1
Unlucky to miss out:
Count of Monte Cristo - 10 (was never going to be an Oscar contender)
A Real Pain - 9
Civil War - 8 (very underrated)
I accept The Substance was creative and a decent film but final half hour didn't work for me. Conclave I simply don't understand the praise, at all. I thought that outside of costumes, etc it was abject and will be forgotten pretty quickly.
BAFTAs got the acting awards spot on (though Best Supporting Actress has no standout this year). They were also right that Brutalist deserved Best Director and best cinematography awards.
it was pile of steaming turd . Awful
I kept thinking of Jack Nicholson when the balding hair was revealed.
"Terry Jones, one of the Monty Python team, shared an amusing tale about how the legendary Spike Milligan ended up with a cameo in *Life of Brian*. During the filming in Tunisia, Milligan happened to be visiting the area to pay respects at World War II battlefields. By sheer coincidence, he stopped by the Python set just as they were filming a scene involving wandering prophets.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd7ev3wygl4o
Very happy for No Other Land winning best doc, was in my top films of last year, and might be the first film to win an Oscar without a distribution deal in the US.