Films - 91 to 120

Emo Squid sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Thu 11th Oct '07 12:40PM 624 Posts Member Since 23rd Feb '07

Control 8/10 I'd been avidly following the production of this film from the moment I first heard rumours about it, I had successfully ignored any media critique right up to the film's opening at the Cornerhouse and really, really tried to not let my love of Joy Division's music give me any pre-conceptions or high expectations of the film. That said, I was very excited last night. 'Control' is bleak. The film makes no bones about this. Set in Macclesfield and around Manchester in the 70's, it follows the life of Ian Curtis - a young, gifted and prolific writer who ends up being the singer for Joy Division - and his battle with epilepsy and depression. It was never going to be a jolly affair, however, I was suprised by how often I found myself laughing out loud, mainly at the overwhelming 'manc-ness' of Rob Gretton. I left the cinema feeling like I had just attended the funeral of a friend and this dysphoria lasted a good couple of hours afterwards, so be warned, it's not exactly the sort of film you'd want to be watching on a first date! Whilst disussing the film afterwards, the main points of praise were the standard of acting and the cinematography. Every shot is like a perfectly crafted photograph and looks simply stunning, without relying on epic secenery - there's a real 'kitchen-sink' feel to it. I couldn't help think of British new-wave films like 'the Loneliness of the Long-distance Runner'. Regardless of your opinions on the the man and his music, I would definitely recommend this film. Second opinion by Desert Creature on 16th Oct '07 9/10 I whole-heartedly agree with Emo Squid. Although set in the 70's, I found this film to be almost disconcertingly timeless. The locations, interiors and even the clothes don't seem to give the film a retro look. And, although this film is entirely black and white, it is the stark, clinical sort of black and white, not the grainy 8mm(? I'm no expert) sort. Again, no retro there. It's just grim, post war Britain of the sort that hasn't really changed to this day. Not knowing much about Ian Curtis I think I was expecting the usual sort of plot for these films: plucky young man wants to be rock star, makes it big, gets the girls, the money and the fame before drink, drugs and ego alienate his band mates, friends and family. Refreshingly, this story could not be more different. There are no big egos in this film and the picture painted of the general dynamic of the band is one of equality and very real love. This is not a theme of the film, not dwelled upon in any way and there are certainly no big male bonding moments, it's all in the atmosphere created by great direction. The acting is great, the characters brilliantly real and down to earth. I often find that British working class characters in films can be too caricature and are often not credited with basic emotional intelligence. This is not the case here and that makes the tragic yet understated conclusion to the film so harrowing. I found it impossible to remain aloof or detached and I shed a tear or two in the cinema (I'll blub like a baby when watching films alone but very rarely in public). I did have one problem. I wouldn't have minded that the lead actor didn't look much like Ian Curtis but unfortunately he was the spit of bloody Pete Doherty. Sounds silly I know but it really did effect the way I thought about the character early on in the film. Great music of course! Average Rating 8.5

Desert Creature Boof boof, sproing! Tue 16th Oct '07 10:17PM 101 Posts Member Since 9th Oct '07

Resident Evil Apocalypse 6/10 Not half as bad as the critics had me believe. Much more a zombie horror this time round after the more action-adventure 2nd film. Jumpy but not quite enough to desensitise. Gory but not quite gratuitous. Silly or course. Milla Jovovich has done well to put enough life into the rather empty character of Alice to allow for 2 sequels. It is about time she branched out into other genres. The sci-fi/fantasy genre of is full of nothing but kick-ass yet vulnerable and (of course) beautiful warrior-women at the moment. It has become a fetish. But despite this we aren't seeing any new Ripleys or Buffys and for some reason it seems like we're just back to being manipulated with sex by the money-MEN. I realise, of course, that sexuality is a key characteristic of both of the afore-mentioned heroines but in those cases it seems so much more positive and less cynical. Second opinion by Diziet on 5th Nov '07 6/10 i think its actually called 'Exctinction' if you're referring to the third film. i enjoyed it. the zombies were great, the action was top-notch. very little on the character front, but its an RE movie so you don't expect any really. the only real complaint i have is the blatant ripping off of 'Bub' from Romero's Day of the Dead.    Average Rating 6

Diziet optical moose Tue 13th Nov '07 12:47PM 2522 Posts Member Since 20th Jul '05

naked 10/10 one of mike leigh's darkest films and the only film i can think of that matches shane meadows for stark realism. jonny runs away from manchester to london in search of his ex girlfriend. he embarks on a bizarre journey through the underbelly of london nightlife, meeting many weird characters on his way. like most leigh films, a lot of the dialogue is improvised. david thewlis is brilliant as jonny. he's a character you truly love to hate.

Spanners* Father McDivot - He's the daddy! Tue 13th Nov '07 5:24PM 4593 Posts Member Since 7th Apr '03

Stardust 10/10 Went to see this at the weekend and corks! It's so good! Based on a Neil Gaiman book it's a fantasy adventure set within a forbidden land behind where a young man ventures to find a fallen star (that turns out to be Claire Danes) to bring it home to a lass to prove his love for her. From then on it's non stop witches, pirates, evil princes, unicorns and magic all the way. Aaah it's marvellous Also the cast is truly epic - Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Sienna Miller, Peter o Toole and Ricky Gervais to name but a few. Second opinion by General on 13th Nov '07 10/10 A superb adaptation of an excellent book. I can't recommend it enough. Though it is a fairy tale it is written with an adult audience in mind so don't let that put you off. Fans of the book will be pleased to hear they have changed it enough to make it work as a film and little enough that it is true to the source material. Second opinion by Desert Creature on 15th Nov '07 9/10 The language was modern and not tolkeiny. Not too long. Funny. And a proper fairy tale ending. Better than The Princess Bride for my money. Second opinion by Amanshu on 16th Nov '07 10/10 The book's better, but the film is damn good... Yes, I'm a Gaiman fanboy. Leave me alone. Second opinion by Diziet on 2nd Jan '08 8/10 never really liked the book but the film is wonderful. Second opinion by Malcolm on 11th Jan '08 10/10 Never seen the book, and never heard anything about the film at all until we were actually in the cinema watching it. And oh, how brilliant! Two months later I'm still excited about having seen it.      Average Rating 9.5

Diziet optical moose Sat 24th Nov '07 1:31AM 2522 Posts Member Since 20th Jul '05

freedom writers 8/10 hilary swank solves the problem of inner city gang violence using a stack of A4 notepads while holding down three jobs. the soundtrack is brilliant.

Emo Squid sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Wed 5th Dec '07 9:53AM 624 Posts Member Since 23rd Feb '07

Sigur Ros - Heima 9.8/10 A film by the band documenting their (free, unanounced) homecoming tour. I've got a head full of germs, so I can't really think of words flowery and pretentious enough to do justice to how good the film looks, but I will say that if you don't want to jump on a plane to Iceland after watching it then there's no hope for you. The music is every bit as epic as you'd expect, with a good helping of quieter moments thrown in. If it's the music you're after, you wont be disappointed: I watched both discs back-to-back, a total of 3 1/2 hours. This bit brought a tear to my eye: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiJzw_m7Xas Also features the most amazing set of wooly jumpers I've ever seen. -0.2 points for not including a live performance of Svefn-g-englar. Second opinion by Diziet on 21st Jan '08 10/10 finally got round to watching this and its bloody wonderful. my favourite bit has to be the acoustic lullaby in the community centre (or whatever it is) with all the babies roaming around and the married couples - slowly everyone, including the kids, get into the epicness. emo, i haven't got a head full of germs (at the minute anyway) so i'll provide the pretentious words.... "heartbreakingly beautiful" i reckon they left out Svefn-G_Englar because they didn't think they could top this... http://youtube.com/watch?v=zQ5Grncdjlc edit: they speak english with welsh accents which is odd. also the singer sounds like kermit the frog but is still somehow amazing! Average Rating 9.9

Diziet optical moose Thu 6th Dec '07 9:15AM 2522 Posts Member Since 20th Jul '05

Outlaw 8/10 a group of disparate characters come together to form a vigilante group and fight back against the hoodies, gangsters and nonces in modern day london. sounds shit but its actually a great depiction of the desperation and helplessness people feel after they've suffered violence or injustice. when the group begin to fight back you don't cheer along with them, theres no sensationlism to the violence, its just brutal. sean bean and danny dyer are both great. dyer actually plays a character other than danny dyer for a change. worth a look if you've been spat at by some hooded scrote recently and you want a revenge fantasy.

Diziet optical moose Sun 16th Dec '07 12:38PM 2522 Posts Member Since 20th Jul '05

Bubba Ho-Tep 10/10 bruce campbell plays elvis presley, slowly rotting away in an old folk's home. he spends most of his time in bed, thinking about the past and worrying about the growth on his 'pecker'. elvis' only friend is john f kennedy who is now in a wheelchair and was dyed black by the CIA when they faked his assassination. elvis and jack kennedy both come to realise that a 4000 year old mummy is stealing the souls of the old folk in the home and shitting the souls out into the toilets used by visitors. they vow to rid the home of this evil creature (which, for some reason, is dressed like a cowboy). its hilarious from the word go but has moments of great poignancy about growing old and feeling inadequate. the end is particularly moving.

Emo Squid sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Thu 10th Jan '08 3:30PM 624 Posts Member Since 23rd Feb '07

Before Sunrise 9/10 Essentially, just two people wandering around Vienna talking about relationships and associated neuroses. Lots of banter, superb characterization, no explosions, no CGI. Second opinion by Amanshu on 11th Jan '08 9/10 Yep, a truly excellent film that doesn't bother with anything complicated. It just keeps it nice, simple and open to interpretation. Truly recommended. Second opinion by Clara on 17th Jan '08 10/10 This is my favourite film ever! Average Rating 9.33

Amanshu* Giggity Giggity goo Fri 11th Jan '08 8:17PM 2707 Posts Member Since 25th Aug '04

Before Sunset 9/10 Essentially, just the same two people wandering around Paris talking about relationships and associated neuroses ten years later. Lots of banter, superb characterization, no explosions, no CGI. Plus it's all done in real time. Second opinion by Emo Squid on 14th Jan '08 9/10 Yep, a truly excellent film that doesn't bother with anything complicated. It just keeps it nice, simple and open to interpretation. Truly recommended. Second opinion by Clara on 17th Jan '08 10/10 This is my second favourite film ever!     Average Rating 9.33

Diziet optical moose Wed 16th Jan '08 2:55PM 2522 Posts Member Since 20th Jul '05

I Am Legend 0/10 richard matheson's novel is a sci-fi classic and one of my all time favourite books. it kickstarted the whole 'under seige by monsters' genre and heavily influenced directors like george romero and john carpenter. taking such an important story and turning it into a will smith vehicle is a travesty of the highest order but then again hollywood is quite often completely contemptuous of the source material for the turds it churns out on a regular basis. the story revolves around Robert Neville, the last man alive in a world over-run by CGI zombies (although they should have been vampires) and his attempts to find a cure for the virus that has wiped out mankind. will smith sucks any life out of the character by basically being will smith and the only character in this film worth caring about is the dog. the biggest kick in the nuts for me is that they took the subtle and immensely dark ending from the book and turned it into a steaming pile of 'look at me - I'M WILL SMITH!!!!'. (SPOILER: ending of I Am Legend book) [[the book isn't called I Am Legend because Neville is a hero, its called I Am Legend because Neville becomes the scary monster that the new race of mutated creatures tell their children about to make them behave.]] i am not HAPPY about this film and i WILL be writing a strongly worded letter to Terry Wogan at some point. Edit: Added in some spoiler tags Second opinion by Amanshu on 25th Feb '08 9/10 Having just read I am Legend, I've got to agree with Diziet. This is a rubbish adaption. I mean to all intents and purposes it's a different story with a remarkably similar premise and the same title. It's actually quite a well done story as well, and I'd say Will Smith creates a character that works well in it and is convincingly somewhere between sane and deranged. I'd disagree that they're zombies though they aren't exactly vampires either. They're something else. I enjoyed it. Second opinion by Xander on 26th Sep '08 5/10 For fans of the book the film is a disapointment. But at first the film has some potential. The first part is ok. We have empty New York and Will smith milling around. It all falls apart when the Vampires appear. GCI allows us to do great things but when it is over used its crap. In I Am Legend it is crap, big time. The film looses most of its marks. Also bizarly the alternative DVD ending is upbeat but oddly more satisfying. Curiously I Am Legend 2 is on its way, Will Smith in a prequal. Average Rating 4.67

Diziet optical moose Sat 2nd Feb '08 6:32PM 2522 Posts Member Since 20th Jul '05

Aliens Vs Predator 2 0/10 i'd pay money to watch the makers of this film being slowly tortured over a period of months. Second opinion by Xander on 30th Sep '08 1/10 I'm being kind by giving it one. Discounting that it's the death throse of two of the really good movie franchises the film should have been at least fun. Alien's and a predator turn up and kill all the people in a small town should in theory work. Instead the directors produce a dog turd of a movie, managing to ruin their own concept. The kind of movie you watch and decide your 9 month old neice could have directed. Also whoever did the lighting should be shot. The whole thing is in pitch darkness on a black background with everything everything else also in balck (including the aliens obviously). I agree with Diziet and think the makers should have a bright light shined in their eyes. Average Rating 0.5

General* Windows Bob - the best! Sun 17th Feb '08 11:03PM 4210 Posts Member Since 7th Apr '03

Sweeny Todd 8/10 Never one to tread an obvious path the latest film by Tim Burton is a film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's critically acclaimed 1970's musical about the demon barber of fleet street. No one who who is a fan of Burton will be surprised to hear that Jonny Depp (switching from Keith Richards to Bowie for his performance cue) and Helene Bonham Carter play the main characters. The plot for those of you not familiar with the story is kind of The Count of Montechristo with the addition of some razor slashed throats. Evil judge Alan Rickman frames Benjamin Barker so he can have his wicked way with his wife and daughter. Fifteen years later he returns in the guise of Sweeny Todd and begins a campaign of murder aided by the lovesick Mrs Lovett erstwhile pie vendor and sometime human butcher. The film is up to Burtons usual superb standards and it is safe to say if you are a fan you aren't going to be disappointed, but it's not going to change the mind of critics. To say the film is gory would be an understatement. It contains more gruesome scenes of closeup throat slashing and blood jetting than any film I've seen except perhaps Kill Bill and that might be a box office problem. I'm not convinced that the musical and extreme gore demographic has that much crossover, (as the difficulty I had finding somewhere that was showing it confirms) but Burton has to be admired for his decision not to go for the soft option and tone it down for a 15 certificate. I just hope that it doesn't tank and deprive the world of more of his surreal masterpieces because for those that do love a jaunty tune juxtaposed with a spurting carotid you will find few finer films.

Desert Creature Boof boof, sproing! Fri 9th May '08 3:41PM 101 Posts Member Since 9th Oct '07

Iron Man 6/10 Robert Downey Jr. is good, fairly funny (as much as the script allows) and convincing but his performance is very reminiscent of Michael Keaton's Bruce Wayne and not quite as good. Gwyneth Paltrow gives a very dull peroformance throughout. There should have been big chemistry and sexual tension between the womanising genius and his long suffering assistant but the film has a little go at it, gets bored and then gives up. Lots of product placement, as you might expect, and normally I'm not too bothered by that but why would a guy who can build himself a flying suit of armour in a week drive an Audi? Plot wise it starts quite interestingly but can't resist the cliché big fight climax between the good guy and the bad guy. At least they've got rid of the "baddy is like an evil version of the goody" plot idea early on in the franchise and will have to work a bit harder with future villains. All in all not bad. Let's hope that, like Spiderman, they get it just right at the second attempt. Second opinion by General on 13th May '08 8/10 If you like superheros and explosions you are going to like this film. It's pretty much standard Marvel fare and sticks pretty closely to the plot of the comic with the exception of moving the film from the Korean war to Afghanistan. Having a main character who is a middle aged, alcoholic scientist makes it a little more interesting than the majority of this genre. The action sequences are well directed and aren't marred by the horrible shaky camera used in Tranformers.    Average Rating 7

Allen Key Stagnating, like a packet of crisps on the roof. Fri 23rd May '08 10:28AM 510 Posts Member Since 10th Oct '04

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 9.8/10 Firstly, I would like to state my belief that some sort of civil law should be passed such that it would be permissable to assault or, in extreme cases, murder those individuals who do not understand that a cinema is not their bloody living room. Aaaand relax, and on to the good stuff. Apparently it's had lukewarm reviews from the critics, but sod 'em. It's not Ibsen. This film is fantastic and I love it with my whole body. Without giving away anything about the plot, there's everything you'd expect of an Indy film, but with a definite sense of time having passed which is handled really well. There's tons of action, lots of humour, and couple of poignant little moments. And, most importantly, it's just such fun. Visually, it's stunning (go see it on the biggest screen you can find). Lots of things for fans of the original trilogy to squee over, and the cast is mostly brilliant (except that Ray Winstone's in it. Not a fan. He's -0.1. The other -0.1 is the skull of the title. Don't think it spoils anything if I say 'Crystal'? Pfft! But I suppose 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Some Sort of Plastic Stuffed With Clingfilm Skull' wouldn't really have worked). A couple of little cameos nearly made me fall off my seat with glee and delight. Didn't know what to expect from Shia LaBoeuf (sp?) as frankly I'd no idea who he was, but he's great - really fits his character well, and the chemistry between him and Ford is cracking. Ah, Mr Harrison Ford. At 65, has he still got it? Oh hell, yeah! His first entrace is a definite goosebump moment. OK, I'm biased cos I loves him, but he honestly does NOT look like someone's grandad shambling about like a lot of people thought he would. Let's face it, he wasn't exactly a whippersnapper in the first films - now he's older and greyer and rougher round the edges, but he still packs a hefty punch, and he still looks fab. And I still definitely would. Also, I really want a marmot. Those last two things are unrelated. In summary - go and see this film with immediate effect. That is all. ETA - apparently I don't want a marmot, I want a gopher. Second opinion by Spanners on 25th Jul '08 7/10 A quality film but aliens? Really? Come on. Second opinion by Amanshu on 25th Jul '08 8/10 It wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, but it was well worth watching. And it did slightly* diverge from the rules of the Indy world. Magical and Mystical stuff is fine, but aliens? Really? Shea LeBoeuf was nicely set up to take over from Harrison Ford though! *When I say slightly I mean a lot   Average Rating 8.27

Spanners* Father McDivot - He's the daddy! Fri 25th Jul '08 8:48AM 4593 Posts Member Since 7th Apr '03

Wall-E 9/10 Wall-E really surprised me. I was expecting a fairly lightweight Pixar special with a laugh here and there but nothing special (think Ice Age / Over the Hedge sort of deal) but I was completely wrong. It was one of the most touching love stories I've seen in recent years (particularly impressive since it's robot love) mixed with fantastic space adventures and a whole bowlful of commentary on the laziness and wastefulness of modern life. The direction is beautiful and I defy you to finish the film without finding at least one tear in your eye. Second opinion by Agentgonzo on 2nd Feb '09 9/10 In recent years, Pixar have absolutely spoiled us with their creations. Wall-e's visual appearance is more 'realistic' than their cartoonish style creations of yore but no less visually stunning. Almost the first hour of the film is without dialogue and whilst this is a little unsettling, you adjust to it quickly and it doesn't detract from the film. The entire film is undeniably cute and just fills you with a warmth like a marshmallow that's been ever so slowly roasted on a cedar-wood fire so that it softens without falling off your stick and has an ever-so-gently smokey aroma. However, the plot is simple and in the end I wanted more from it than what it gave. I guess that because it was from Pixar I was expecting perfection. What I got was utterly fantastic though, so I shouldn't really complain Second opinion by General on 2nd Feb '09 10/10 The best thing      Average Rating 9.33

Amanshu* Giggity Giggity goo Sat 26th Jul '08 12:13AM 2707 Posts Member Since 25th Aug '04

The Dark Knight 9/10 The resolution was pretty poor, but the Joker and Two-Face were spot on. And I'm not just saying that because Heath Ledger's dead now. They really were awesome! The plot's kind of fun - although once again it lacks a bit of resolution. I don't really want to say too much more in case I spoil it for anyone. Well worth a watch! Second opinion by Xander on 27th Jul '08 10/10 In The Dark Knight we find Batman and Gordon on the verge of ending mafia control of Gotham city. With the arrival of Harvey Dent (The White Knight) as Gotham’s new district attorney it looks like Bruce Wayne could retire Batman. Then enter the Joker to mess things up. The concept of The Dark Knight is simple (and stated a lot during the film) if Batman is the extreme answer to the mafia then who is the extreme answer to Batman? Answer the Joker. The film takes this concept and essentially gives us a cop verses criminal drama in the Heat mould. As with the previous film director Christopher Nolan keeps everything in the realm of plausible. Dispensing with comic looking sensibilities of other films (Ironman) in favour of gritty realism, yet he keeping very loyal to the source material. Nolan has also become much more comfortable with action sequences yet keeps it grittily realistic. The upset in the film is the Joker, played brilliantly and imaginatively by the late Heath Ledger. Here is a character that is deeply anarchic and deeply evil, he possess no empathy for other human beings. Unlike Batman or any other character in the film the Joker is completely untouchable. Ledger has sensibly not played the character over the top (unlike Jack Nicholson) making him a character very much in total control of himself, and ultimately very scary. Refreshingly we have no origin story or explanation of the Joker’s motivations he appears fully formed the polar opposite of Batman. This however is still a Batman movie and thankfully Bruce Wayne has not been neglected as a character. Christian Bale provides a good performance and manages skilfully to play the three characters which make up Bruce Wayne and Batman (aided in this by having a Batsuit that allows him to turn his head and actually move). Despite the films collection of odd balls the real odd ball is still Bruce Wayne. We have the Batman a front for Wayne’s rage and in many ways the real him, we have Bruce Wayne the cocky play boy poser and then the real Bruce Wayne who is an enigma even to himself. In his conflict with the Joker we have a hero, who is supposedly untouchable, made vulnerable. In the same way we see a darker Batman and just how close to the edge and being the Joker he is. In the comics there has always been something a tad fascist and voyeuristic about Batman, themes touched on in the film. The other cast is equally good. Gary Oldham is perfect as Gordon and Michael Cain plays Alfred perfectly. Morgan Freeman is as always good (name a film he is bad in, even in something trite he is usually the best thing in it). Maggie Gyllenhaal more than adequately fill the shoes of Katie Holmes as Rachel, incidentally big career mistake Katie Holmes. Special mention must go to Aaeron Eckhart who plays Harvey Dent. He manages to play Dent as a character we care about and love making his change into Two Face all the more heart breaking. At a running time of 2hour 15minutes this is a long film. For the thrill seeker there is still plenty of action to keep the interest up. At one point in the film Batman starts to feel a little bit James Bond (there is a trip to Hong Kong) but the action is gritty and real. The plot is a compelling crime drama and produces some good turns and surprises. For once we actually get to see Batman doing some detective work, in the comics he is tag lined the world’s greatest detective. Violence wise the film just about scrapes its 12A rating. Where the makers have cut scenes for violence is very obvious. Things are a little near the knuckle, the Joker has his own suicide belt, he is an urban bomb terrorist, and in one scene he explains why he likes to kill with a knife. This also gives the film a contemporary feeling if only superficially. The Dark Knight earns itself a five star rating even though it will not be a classic. The Batman fans and casual viewers alike will enjoy this film. Just don’t expect a comic film instead expect an epic crime drama and darkness lots and lots of darkness. Edit: Reassigned as a second opinion by your helpful neighbourhood admin team Second opinion by Magina on 6th Aug '08 2/10 2 points for when the car turns into a motorbike. I really disliked this film. I can only describe it as 2 hours of meaningless, plotless, carnage. Also, it's far too scary to be a 12a... I'm 27 and found myslf having to look away during particularly graphic scenes. But batman's car did turn into a motorbike. I liked that. Second opinion by Demian on 11th Aug '08 2/10 Lasted 40 minutes before giving up in boredom. 1 point for the Joker's delivery, one for Christian Bale's ridiculous batman voice. Second opinion by Agentgonzo on 2nd Feb '09 7/10 Given that the acting bloke died and made so much news with this film, I had completely forgotten that it had batman in it until he appeared! The Joker is just fantastic - utterly fantastic depiction of the lunatic character. However, Batman's acting was massively over acted and just silly - including the voice. The car/motorbike took us into the realm of the absurd (and I didn't really like either the car or the motorbike) and the techno-spying-gadgets were just rediculous. Fun film though.     Average Rating 6

Desert Creature Boof boof, sproing! Wed 6th Aug '08 12:30AM 101 Posts Member Since 9th Oct '07

Mama Mia! 9/10 I don't know where to begin with this review. Some may be offended by the tenuous plot but it's all just an excuse to get as many ABBA songs in as possible so that's fine. Some may be offended by the abominable direction, cinematography and lighting. I know nothing about how to edit a film but even I know that this was seriously shoddy work with the camera relentlessly changing between bizarre and poorly composed shots every two seconds or so with little regard for what is happening in the song. The time of day on the island seems to be perpetually dusk. Golden hour is fine but there's too much heavy shadow. Some may be offended by the awful choreography. The unimaginative flailing of arms and legs without any sense of rhythm or direction. Some may be offended by the vocal performance of the lead characters. Well that's a shame because if you allow yourself to believe it... THIS FILM IS BRILLIANT! It's not even good in a "ha, look at what idiots all these famous actors are making of themselves" way, it's a totally joyous experience and the audience laughs with the cast and not at them at all. Star of the show is undoubtedly Pierce Brosnan. I am in no way being sarcastic when I say that he should be in the nominations for Best Supporting Actor Oscar. His performance is big, hammy, unashamed, out of tune, full of beans, completely awful and truly astonishing. I've not seen Heath Ledger's Joker yet but I'm sure it couldn't beat Pierce's tour de force. 9/10 I have not come out of a movie with such a broad smile on my face for years. Only looses 1 point because it's just not loud enough in the cinema. GO SEE IT NOW BOYS AND GIRLS! Second opinion by Malcolm on 6th Aug '08 10/10 Desert Creature, I'm with you 100% on this. Issues like the cinematography etc didn't really occur to me at the time, but on reflection I suspect you're right; the bizarre time of day thing was very clear though. But I've now seen it twice in the cinema and would go again in a heartbeat. Pierce Brosnan was indeed very excellent - thoroughly over-the-top chiselled expressions and long meaningful stares. Many of the actors were surprisingly good singers, I thought (Julie Walters and the always-marvellous Christine Baranski's duet of Chiquitita, and the utterly brilliant scene of Ms. Baranski performing Does Your Mother Know stand out for me). As the film progressed it became more noticeable that certain characters hadn't yet sung, yet they inevitably must - so by the time Pierce burst into song (with probably the worst singing voice there) you felt like applauding your nervous uncle for giving his all at a karaoke night. "Totally joyous experience" sums it up. Not only was I smiling throughout, but it made me feel like taking up musical instruments again, learning to paint, learning to sing, travelling the world, learning to dance, generally enjoying life and encouraging others to do the same. Plus, it's the first film I've ever seen in this country where the whole cinema-going audience spontaneously applauded at the end. Oh, I want to go and see it again now. Second opinion by Magina on 6th Aug '08 9/10 I agree, it's so bad and so tacky it's good! Wonderfull! Second opinion by Allen Key on 11th Aug '08 9/10 Wheeee! Tremendous fun. And hurrah for Pierce Brosnan - what he lacks in technical ability he more than makes up for with welly.    Average Rating 9.25

Spanners* Father McDivot - He's the daddy! Mon 18th Aug '08 8:43AM 4593 Posts Member Since 7th Apr '03

Juno 9/10 This is a fantastic film which simply follows the life of a teenage girl from discovering she is pregnant to shortly after the birth. It's incredibly well written and the dialogue is what really makes the film so amazing. She has a fantastic attitude and the way she deals with what life throws at her is wonderful. The soundtrack is also vey good. I've marked it down a point because the kid from Arrested Development and Superbad doesn't get enough screentime.

Agentgonzo There's no pee in catheter! Mon 18th Aug '08 10:29AM 811 Posts Member Since 8th Aug '06

Requiem for a dream 9.5/10 Intense drama about addiction and drug abuse and how it affects the lives of the 4 main characters as they attempt to deal with their addictions and how it affects their lives. The film sucks you in as you watch the characters go from the happy times when their addiction is not a problem (summer) as it worsens and they start to get more and more desperate (autumn and winter). Warning: It is deeply depressing (I really can't understate this) so make sure that you have something/someone to cheer you up afterwards. It just makes you want to jump off a building once its finished. It is very good, however. Second opinion by Amanshu on 19th Aug '08 10/10 This is an absolutely brilliant film that everyone should see once. As Gonzo said it is deeply depressing and so having seen it once, I highly recommend it but never want to see it again...    Average Rating 9.75

Spanners* Father McDivot - He's the daddy! Tue 19th Aug '08 6:41PM 4593 Posts Member Since 7th Apr '03

You Don't Mess With the Zohan 8/10 I was very impressed by this film. Adam Sandler is a usually gamble at best - he's done some great films (I love 50 First Dates) but some absolute rubbish too. I would definitely say this is his best yet. Don't expect high intellectual drama, suspense and intrigue but if you want to turn off your brain and laugh your head off for a couple of hours then this is the one to go for.

Agentgonzo There's no pee in catheter! Thu 21st Aug '08 11:28AM 811 Posts Member Since 8th Aug '06

Jumper 3/10 A good premise. A kid discovers he can teleport, so starts living his life by his rules and not society's. Then he discovers that others can do it and there's a baddy who's chasing him and trying to kill him. It's just poo. Not particularly exciting, not great acting and by the middle of the film, I just didn't care whether the baddy got to him or not. They tried to spice it up with a bit of a twist towards the end, but by that time I just wanted it to end.

Spanners* Father McDivot - He's the daddy! Mon 22nd Sep '08 8:12PM 4593 Posts Member Since 7th Apr '03

The Strangers 6/10 It's been a long time sine I've seen a film with quite so little plot and dialogue. There are probably a hundred sentences in the whole thing and literally 30 seconds of plot. The entire film is all about suspense in a very 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'-esque manner. Normally this wouldn't be my sort of thing yet I really quite liked it. I found myself glued to the screen, jumping at all the right places and even doing some light cowering. If you like a scary film then I doubt you will be disappointed. If you don't then there's nothing here for you as there is nothing else to it but suspense, frights and gore.

Demian* Oh Lordy, Plegaleggole Tue 30th Sep '08 9:21AM 4678 Posts Member Since 7th Apr '03

Mystery Men 8/10 Mr Furious, whose power stems from his boundless tantrums rage, leads a group of unlikely superheroes into battle against the evil Cassanova Frankenstein. The crew includes The Shoveller, who has a shovel, the boy who can turn invisible... but only when nobody is watching him, and The Blue Raj, a cutlery-flinger who fails to wear any blue. Utterly stupid, probably entirely worthless in terms of great film, but thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish with a few hilarious lines. Second opinion by Xander on 30th Sep '08 8/10 Great fun and very silly. Second opinion by Spanners on 1st Oct '08 8/10 My favourite character was the PMS Avenger who is really grumpy only works three days a month    Average Rating 8

Xander The panda is the evolutionary equivalent of living off benefits. Sun 2nd Nov '08 4:48PM 168 Posts Member Since 16th Jul '08

Quantum of Solice 5/10 Casino Royale really pushed the envelope out on Bond films and re-ignited the franchise. Sadly Quantum has failed to progress Bond any further after the promising start of Casino. If anything it feels like a step backwards to the old camp days but with none of the humour that made them watchable. This is a pitty and a shame that it's not progressed with Bond's character. He is still the very same man from the end of Casino. It would have been good had they managed again to push the envelope on developing Bond. The film does not lack merit and the action sequences are fantastic if a little to frentic. Feels a little bit too much like Bourne, and that junior franchise is still leading the pack. We still get some good Bond like imagery. The girls are still gorgious and the villians very villian like. In one scene we get an interesting 21st century take on the woman painted gold from Gold Finger only this time in oil. Ok and worth seeing if action is your thing but just average.

Xander The panda is the evolutionary equivalent of living off benefits. Fri 5th Dec '08 5:13PM 168 Posts Member Since 16th Jul '08

Zack & Miri Make A Porno 7/10 Platonic friends Zack and Miri try to solve their financial difficulties by making a porn film staring themselves. Understandably this somewhat complicates their relationship. Kevin Smith was cool in the early 90's with Clerks (the film for those in crappy retail jobs) but as he has got older arguably it's time to mature. To that effect he made Jersey Girl and his fans wept. Because when Smith bounced back with Clerks 2 he realised something and that something is stick with the dick and fart jokes. This is precisely what Smith does with Zack & Miri. His trade mark diologue is right in there and his willingness to say things you wouldn't dream of. His genius in this respect all present and correct. Fans will want to watch this. Arguably his central concept is not that strong. Porn is basicly not that funny and it's noticable that the best gags are all non-porn related. The film does get very sentimental about half way through and it jars slightly. Clearly from anyone who has read Smith's diary this is something he would not notice himself. Like Clerks 2 this is not a film to watch with your Aunt Em. Although Jay and silent Bob do not feature, Jason Mews has a lot of screen time. Most of it spent naked and if you find Jason Mews naked funny then you will like this. If like me you could have done without then not much so. Be warned as well you will not be able to see R2D2 with any child like inocence after watching. Cast and crew are great. If your a Smith fan go watch it and enjoy. If you hated any of his other movies don't bother. WARNING: Trailor not suitable for work. Second opinion by Demian on 6th Dec '08 8/10 Very funny indeed, probably not Kevn Smith's best but I'd definitely say in the top three. If you're at all shockable, don't do it As Xander pointed out, it does suffer from the same affliction as almost all good comedies, which is that most of the funny is in the first half but it eventually has to give way to plot development, however Smith has tried very hard to keep plenty of comedy moments in throughout. I don't think the trailer above does it justice at all.   Average Rating 7.5

Xander The panda is the evolutionary equivalent of living off benefits. Sun 18th Jan '09 7:15PM 168 Posts Member Since 16th Jul '08

Slumdog Millionaire 10/10 Jamal is a contestent on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. As a slumdog from the slums that suround Mumbai how can he know the answers to the questions? Jamal is accused of cheating and the police want to know how he knows the answers. At it's heart it's a love story. To write anymore would give away too much. Dany Boyle direction is imaginative and frankly brilliant. Definately deserved the awards and many more. The cast is all great especially the young actors who play Jamal at various stages of his life. Without telling you why this is the only film I've ever seen were people stay and watch the end credits. Go see it it's great. Second opinion by Spanners on 20th Jan '09 10/10 Fantastic film! Dark, gritty and heartwarming all at the same time.   Average Rating 10

Xander The panda is the evolutionary equivalent of living off benefits. Sun 1st Feb '09 10:54AM 168 Posts Member Since 16th Jul '08

The Machinist 8/10 Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) is not a well man he hasn't slept in a year and isn't eating. Strange mesages begin appearing on his fridge and after a horrific acident at the factory he works at things get weirder. Reznik becomes increasing paranoid that someone is messing with him. The film is a mystery and it's best to go in knowing as little as possible. In many ways this could have been a film David Lynch could have made and one can't help but wonder how much director Brad Anderson and writer Scott Koser were influenced by Lost Highway and Erasorhead. Like a Lynch film the Machinist is very much an exercise in mood. The films elements are all there and make for a suitably sureal story. After the final twist is revealed it's interesting to look back at all the clues we are given which nicely ties everything off. What is slightly disapointing is the pace. The paranoia and tension could have been cranked up a notch but instead Anderson goes for slow boil in a 1 hour 36 minute film. One must also have a bit of sympathy for Bale who looks absolutely dreadful and is little more than a sack of bones. It's not that his method acting is not impressive but that the story really makes nothing of his appearence and he would have gotten away with it by looking slightly lean. I have given the film a extra point for having Michael Ironside in it who has somehow got a career in films were he looses a limb. An arm and both legs in Starship Troopers, both arms in Total Recall and a head in Highlander II. Perhaps it's in his contract. Second opinion by General on 2nd Feb '09 8/10 A dark and well made film with a somewhat guessable twist. Worth a watch provided you don't mind feeling a little depressed by the end.   Average Rating 8

Agentgonzo There's no pee in catheter! Mon 2nd Feb '09 1:01PM 811 Posts Member Since 8th Aug '06

Arlington Road 10/10 Set in Washington, Michael Faraday (Jeff Bridges) is a lecturer on American Terrorism (this is pre-WTC attacks) at the university. As he gets to know his neighbour, Oliver Lang (Tim Robbins), he starts to suspect that he's not the architect that he claims to be - or at least, he isn't working on the projects he claims to be. As he starts snooping around he discovers more discrepancies in his past and starts to think that he is involved in terrorism. I'll stop with the synopsis there so I don't ruin the plot. Anyway, this film is just fantastic. It starts off at an unassuming pace and there is nothing unsettling in it, but gradually gets more and more intense as it builds up and just utterly sucks you into the storyline. The characters are totally believable in all their actions and motives and I spent about the last 40 minutes of the film totally engrossed and un-aware of the world around me. Some fantastic direction has made this psychological thriller one of my favourite films of all time.

Xander The panda is the evolutionary equivalent of living off benefits. Thu 5th Feb '09 4:59PM 168 Posts Member Since 16th Jul '08

Yes Man 5/10 Pleasantly surprised by this one usually I avoid Jim Carey comedy films like an outbreak of abola. But this ones central concept made it interesting and Carey managed to keep himself under control. Carey's character always says no to everything to the extent that he spends every evening at home by himself. Then after finding himself at a self help talk he begins saying yes to everything. The comedy is predictable but entertaining. Probably best waiting for the DVD release.

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