Films you've seen/film discussion

The_Train said:

Just watched Philadelphia for the first time in my life - it's only taken me 25 years. Very touching and thought provoking movie with a superb performance from Tom Hanks.

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I haven't actually seen it. But I've probably enjoyed pretty much every film that I've seen TH in.
Might try and watch it this week.

Cowley said:

I haven't actually seen it. But I've probably enjoyed pretty much every film that I've seen TH in.
Might try and watch it this week.

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I was trying to think of a bad Tom Hanks movie that I've seen..........but I couldn't. Certainly one of my favourite actors.

I would recommend that you give Philadelphia a go but you do have to remember that it was made in 1993 to allow yourself to understand the various viewpoints

The_Train said:

I was trying to think of a bad Tom Hanks movie that I've seen..........but I couldn't. Certainly one of my favourite actors.

I would recommend that you give Philadelphia a go but you do have to remember that it was made in 1993 to allow yourself to understand the various viewpoints

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Ok. T'Mother in law is coming over next weekend (it's Mrs Cs Birthday), I might suggest we get a couple of bottles of wine in and give it a watch.
Feels like a gap that needs filling...

RED SPARROW

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2873282/

I watched White Zombie (1932) yesterday, an excellent if frequently verging on cheese horror film. Bela Lugosi rocked of course.

Murder on Flight 502 (1975)

A low-budget rip off of the Airport type of film, a cast ensemble of stereotypes (man with a dark secret, alcoholic novelist, Jewish grandmother, fading rock star - the latter played by Sonny Bono so basically he was playing himself )

Very entertaining tosh.

Concorde Affair (1979)

Low-budget Italian rip off of Airport 79. Shadowy US elite cause the Concorde to crash but a reporter tries to uncover the truth (and save the girl of course). Worth it for the "SFX", basically someone tossing a Concorde model onto a bath of water.

The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (1939)

Amusing romp about a charismatic safe cracker who is roped into a conspiracy to steal weapon plans, Ida Lupino and Rita Hayworth are in this for some admirable star power, plus an annoying kid.

Charlie Chan's Secret (1936)

First Charlie Chan film i've seen where he doesn't have Number (x) son acting like a buffoon. Instead a mystery set in a house full of hidden passages and panels, seances and Ouija boards and other Golden Age mayhem. Terrific!

Robin Hood (2018)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4532826/

I think this film suffers with Guy Ritchie Syndrome. I initially thought this was a Guy Ritchie adaptation but it wasn't. It's what happens when someone tries to imitate; and poorly at that.

I'm probably about halfway through at the moment and its boring and has zero plot. How they messed up a classic love story is beyond me. When you re-write "history" you still need to keep a little cannon so people can keep track. I have bugger all idea of what is going on.

I see so much potential just going to waste. Nobody is likeable and it just feels like a ship with no sail. Costumes look great though.

2/10 and that's pushing it.



Along with the Gods:The Two Worlds
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7160070/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Highly doubtful any of you will see it but if you can "acquire" it from somewhere I fully recommend it.

It starts with a Firefighter dying. Because he gave his life to save another he is considered a Paragon and may be reincarnated. He has to defend his actions in life against seven judges in the afterlife. It's gorgeous to watch and each Judge/Realm is themed to perfection.

There is a bit of a sting in the tail and the film never tries to hide it but it still sneaks up on you and squishes your heart. Not afraid to say it but this film tugs pretty hard on the heartstrings. It's got lots of action, a plot that pulls you in, and a M Night Shalyman ending that will make you just go F£"$£$"k. My Daughter (who is 12) also loved it.

It's in Korean with English Subs.

11/10

Aquaman - fantastically silly CGI effort from DC. Really poor dialogue and a really poor film. i almost thought it was a parody. It was waterlogged and stodgy.

Lucky Logan - Madcap, deadpan NASCAR heist film with an ensemble cast directed by Steven Soderbergh. it is quite laid back and stylish, well put together with a similar style to Oceans 11 if not quite as good. Watchbale if untaxing.

SWAT - apparently based on a 1975 TV show and starting Sam Jackson & Colin Farrell is a fairly poor/standard American cop/action film with the obvious plot lines. Harmless.

Robin Hood - The 210 version directed by Ridley Scott starring Russell Crowe. It simply isnt very good. It goes for a dark twist on the famous story and misses and is all over the place historically! Obviously the action sections are very well done but the accent used by Russell Crowe is awful! it really sucks the life out of a fun story!

Detroit - police drama, based on real events, directed by Kathryn Bigelow starring John Boyega. Failed at the box office but is a very good piece of film making, scripting and acting. It tells a really hard story in a powerful way, at least to middle class white audiences ( according to some critics!)

Heart of the Sea - adventure-drama directed and produced by Ron Howard. It is based on Nathaniel Philbrick's non-fiction book of the same name ( essentially the true Moby Dick) & stars Chris Hemsworth and was a box office failure. It isn't a bad film being an old fashioned sort of story but it just doesn't seem to land properly. it seems soggy and flaccid.

Defiance - set during the occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany based on real facts of the Bielski partisans, a group led by Belarusian Jewish brothers who saved and recruited Jews. Stars Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell and George MacKay. It is an OK film but does seem to have glossed over/ changed some questionable moral behaviour on all sides despite using moral questions as a central spine of the film. it is almost an old fashioned style war film updated a bit for modern audiences.

Black Mass - A biographical crime drama with a ensemble cast led by Johnny Depp as Whitey Bulger (an Irish American gangster & police informant). It wants very badly to be Goodfellas and that really detracts from a superb ( perhaps his best) performance by Depp who is actually frightening and menacing. The film is good but should be great.

Network - 1976 satire of TV networks and network executives. The film stars Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, and Robert Duvall. It is an understated classic that earned 4 Oscars and doesn't look out of place today. It is a superb film that is expertly acted and very intelligent. You will know the most famous I'm mad as hell scene with Peter Finch.

Rise of the foot soldier - British crime film based on the true story of the 1995 Rettendon Range Rover murders. It is basically hooliporn with a bit of am attempt at a proper gang land thriller tacked on the end. Poor.

Deadpool 2 - Silly, childish, immature, adolescent super hero film. Very funny. Darkly funny. Better than the first one.

Avengers Infinity War - plenty of action, humor and heart which on its own doesn't make the greatest sense but is an important plank in the MCU series. You know what you are going to get. It delivers. and delivers well ( see the DC universe films for a comparison)

JFK - Costner's back and to the left. The picket fence the better bet? Directed by Oliver Stone. It examines the events leading to the assassination of John F. Kennedy and alleged cover-up through the eyes of former New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison played by Costner. It is a very good film directed with skill and acted fantastically by the leads if based on what may or may not be a conspiracy theory. I think it is a very good film that asks, powerfully, some questions that should have been clearly answered at the time

Jackie - The film stars Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy and tells the story of her life immediately after the 1963 assassination of her husband. Portman is a fantastic, absolutely superb in a film that isn't superb. It is watchable for her performance alone but it isn't great.

Line of Fire - Clint Eastwood as a Secret Service man pained by the death of JFK out to stop a repeat. it is a bit old now but is a decent thriller with a mind rather than an action romp.

6 Days - based upon the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege in London and stars Jamie Bell. Poor: a straight to TV type film.

Deadpool - Silly, childish, immature, adolescent super hero film. Very funny. Darkly funny and more aimed at adults than kids

Kick Ass - Adult superhero black comedy film with lots of foul and inappropriate language, outrageous bad taste and outlandish action. I love it. it also has the most foul mouth child ever seen on film.

Im just finishing oFf Saw Final Chapter, the 7th film in the saw series. Great horror films with plenty of gore if you like that sort of stuff ...

Enchanted - Disney hybrid of animation and live-action. A princess in her animatd world ends up in live-action New York. A very good film; in some ways a parody of traditional fairy tales; lots of references to past Disney films.

DarloRich I am mostly loving your choice of films there. Ha ha. SWAT!

fowler9 said:

DarloRich I am mostly loving your choice of films there. Ha ha. SWAT!

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Yeah I had a bit of chuckle reading through those too.
Keep em coming.

Jason Bourne - 5th installment of the Jason Bourne series. Directed by Paul Greengrass & starring Matt Damon (obvs). It is the same story as the others. We all know what happens. it is a good action thriller but i am not sure it adds anything to the series or was really necessary.

Ghostbusters - (2016) aka Bird Ghostbusters. Not very good fluff and not a patch on the original. The female leads are wasted and let down by a poor script which meant the focus in the media was on gender rather than the finished product which while not great is mostly harmless.

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa - Alan finds himself at the center of a siege, when a disgruntled fellow DJ (Colm Meaney) decides to hold their station hostage after learning that he's getting sacked by the new management. I think this is really funny if in a different way to the TV series. I think this is because the canvas offered to Coogan is bigger and he explores more of the cowardly, self serving, inappropriate and narcissistic genius of Partridge. I really liked it.

Kinky Boots - Based on a true story, the movie tells of a struggling British shoe factory's young, strait-laced owner, Charlie, who forms an unlikely partnership with Lola, a drag queen, to save the business. Charlie develops a plan to produce custom footwear for drag queens, rather than the men's dress shoes that his firm is known for. It is a fairly simple, full monty esque, formulaic British comedy but it is likable.

Death of Stalin - A blackly comic political satire. Superb. I think it is brilliant. There isn't a weak link in the performances of panicking Stalinist apparatchiks all trying to grab the top job after the death of their feared leader with Jason Issac superb as Georgy Zhukov and Simon Russell Beale portraying the slimy and sinister Lavrentiy Beria.

Jurassic Park - The original and best! Won 3 Oscars. I saw it at the pictures when it first came out and it showed special effects of a kind never seen before and a was a visual masterpiece. Watching it again the dinosaurs are the clear stars of the film with the human characters a bit flat but this doesn't actually seem to matter as the spectacle wins through. This is THE summer blockbuster.

Denial - based on Deborah Lipstadt's book History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier. It dramatises the Irving v Penguin Books Ltd case, in which Lipstadt, a Holocaust scholar, was sued by Holocaust denier David Irving for libel. It stars Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Spall. A decent courtroom drama in which Weisz stands out as does Spall as the arrogant and vain Irving. The story is that this vanity will be his undoing and show the absrudity of his position. It is slow paced but thought provoking when set against the current "alternative facts" movement.

Last Stand - a tough small town sheriff ( played by the aged Arnie) must stop a dangerous drug lord from escaping to Mexico in a modified sports car. It is a very silly film but one that requires absolutely no thought. Arnie does his thing as well as always but he is a bit old for his thing these days

The Boat That Rocked - written and directed by Richard Curtis with pirate radio in the United Kingdom during the 1960s as its setting. It is funny in places but seems a bit long and a bit contrived. OK if unspectacular.

Jackie Brown - crime thriller film written & directed by Quentin Tarantino. The film is an adaptation of Elmore Leonard's 1992 novel Rum Punch and stars Pam Grier in the title role. She plays a flight attendant smuglging drug money who is arrested. She comes up with a scam to come out on top. it is quite slow, intricate and needs concentration but it does seem to get better with each viewing. It is good character study that is different to the two films that came before and while not as good as Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs it is a still a very good film

The Wolf of Wall Street - black comedy/crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, staring Leonardo DiCaprio & Margot Robbie based on the memoir of the same name by Jordan Belfort. It recounts Belfort's perspective on his career as a stockbroker in New York City and how his firm Stratton Oakmont engaged in rampant corruption and fraud on Wall Street that ultimately led to his downfall. I really like it. It is funny and irreverent despite being a 3 hour orgy of sex, drugs, swearing, prostitutes, dwarfs and criminal behavour! The central character is utterly repugnant yet charismatic and oddly likebale and DiCaprio plays him at 100% ott all the time. I like this film despite it being about a really horrible and moral less person

Scarface - 1983 classic directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, & a remake of the 1932 film of the same name. it stars Al Pacino as Cuban refugee Tony Montana who arrives in 1980s Miami with nothing and rises to become a powerful drug kingpin. A violent cult classic. "Say hello to my little friend!"

The Aviator - epic biographical drama about the businessman/flier/movie maker/entrepreneur/recluse Howard Hughes. Won 5 Oscars. Directed by Martin Scorsese. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes, Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn, and Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner. It is a technically superb film with good attention to period detail that shows Hughes is a sympathetic light despite bad behaviour at times and his declining mental health. Again DiCaprio turns in a great performance & Kate Blanchett won an Oscar for her role although Kate Beckinsale doesn't shine in hers. There is also a decent cameo from Alec Baldwin. I think the best parts of the film are when we see Hughes trying to fight his internal demons as his OCD begins to swamp him.

Grand Prix - 1966 American drama film about motorsports with an all star cast led by James Garner. The story follows the fate of four Formula One drivers through a fictionalized version of the 1966 Formula One season and how their partners deal with the risks and dangers. Won 3 Oscars despite not being a fantastic film. I suspect the visuals for the time were astounding and the mixing of acting and racing footage increases the excitement and makes it look right. The story is quite obvious in leading to it's final denouement where Yves Montand is killed in a crash but it is still worth a look on a wet weekend.

Escape from LA - post-apocalyptic action film co-written, co-scored, and directed by John Carpenter, co-written and produced by Debra Hill and Kurt Russell, with Russell also starring as Snake Plissken. A sequel to Escape from New York. It is supposed to be some kind of parody of the action genre but it simply inst very good and not a patch on the first film. In fairness I just cant work out if it is bad film or a tired/dated film.

Men in Black III - Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starring Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin. it is fairly harmless and basically goes over the same special effects laden ground as the 2 previous efforts. Uttlery harmless but watchable.

Windtalkers - war film directed and produced by John Woo, and starring Nicolas Cage and Adam Beach about the Navajo code talkers used by the US military in the pacific war. As a war film it isn't terrible ( but by no means good) if a bit cliche laden but as an historical film it is absolutely terrible. It doesn't even make stars of the people the film is about! Tanked at the box office. Avoid.

Day of the Trifids - Sci fi classic based on ( if not entirely faithful to) the 1951 novel of the same name by John Wyndham. The film is a good period sci fi piece with some nice touches ( like using the ice cream van to lure the killer plants away) although the end is a bit weak. it will also cause issues here with it's depiction of railway operations!

Lost in Translation - Critically acclaimed Romantic comedy written and directed by Sofia Coppola. It stars Bill Murray as aging actor Bob Harris, who befriends college graduate Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) in a Tokyo hotel. It is understated, sweet, sad and funny and very good.

Lone Survivour - Set during the war in Afghanistan, it dramatizes an unsuccessful United States Navy SEALs counter-insurgent mission starring Mark Wahlberg. It is very jingoistic and American if quite visceral, brutal and somewhat emotional in it's portrayal of an outnumbered team of soldiers behind enemy lines being hunted down and all but wiped out. It does focus more on action than story/character and doesn't really tell us about the men themselves but is a decent enough action film

Expendables - The film is about a group of elite mercenaries tasked with a mission to overthrow a Latin American dictator whom they soon discover to be a mere puppet controlled by a ruthless ex-CIA agent. It pays tribute to the blockbuster action films of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Directed by & staring Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Steve Austin and Mickey Rourke, It is an old school action film if a bit flimsy and one that doesn't really make best use of it's cast

Robocop - 2014 remake of the 1987 original. The sad thing is that it simply doesn't offer anything different or better than the original and you ask: why bother.

Passport to Pimlico - 1949 Ealing comedy. The story concerns the unearthing of treasure and documents that lead to a small part of Pimlico to be declared a legal part of the House of Burgundy, and therefore exempt from the post-war rationing or other bureaucratic restrictions active in Britain at the time. It explores the spirit and unity of wartime London in a post-war context and offers an examination of the English character. it is a very period piece but still a good example of early post war British cinema

Notting Hill - Romantic Comedy starting Hugh Grant & Julia Roberts. Date night film. Funny, sweet and likable if not a challenge.

Dr Strange - MCU super hero film starring Benedict Cummerbund. Well cast, quite funny, good visuals and special effects if a bit convoluted. Decent enough if an obvious franchise set up.

Star Trek: Motion Picture - This is a very odd film. It is a slow-moving (dull?) occasionally thought-provoking, visually impressive science fiction yarn. It almost gets somewhere but doesn't and it feels a bit too long. It seems to lack the spirit and relationship between the leads that the TV series thrived one.

Bad Boys - action comedy film directed by Michael Bay & starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith and as two Miami narcotics detectives. it is energetic, visual and silly with obvious car chases and explosions. Enjoyable ( and apparently large parts of it are improvided) but it isn't a film that needs much thinking about!

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan - or Kirk v Khan II ( The Revenge) MUCH closer to the original spirit of Star Trek than its predecessor with strong character interaction with Ricardo Montalbán (looking positively Gaddafi-esque) hamming it up superbly as the villain and I think it is his performance that makes the film. Killing off Spock was a bold move and his death is quite poignant. I really like this film and it was one of the first I saw at the pictures with my dad. Altogether now: KHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!
(Although the best quote might be: To the last I grapple with thee. From hell's heart I stab at thee. For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee.)

Platoon - Vietnam war film written and directed by Oliver Stone (informed by his personal experiences in Vietnam) with an all star cast. Won 4 Oscars. Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe are superb. The plot is purposely confused, rejects the kind of choreography that is standard in almost all war movies, we see ostensibly good American collapse & lose their humanity while others retain it yet suffer for doing so, the enemy is not really seen and it conveys, clearly, the fear the soldiers face in an alien environment. I think it is a very good film.

Total Recall (2012) - Remake of the 1990 original dystopian science-fiction action film. Directed by Len Wiseman starring Colin Farrell & Kate Beckinsale. Unlike the first film, the setting is on Earth, not Mars, and has more political themes. Visually impressive but not a good film, not a patch on the original and I think completely unnecessary. Bland.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock - Directed by Leonard Nimoy and quite operatic in feel but it feels like an overly complex plot with a completely silly rebirth of Spock theme. It is well directed in that the focus is on the character rather than the sci fi or special effects but the film lacks punch.

War Dogs - biographical dark comedy-crime film about bottom feeding arms dealers working the government contracts system to get rich. The film is really about horrible people involved in a horrible trade ( in a funny and often crude way) but lands some points about the state of modern America. and it's foreign policy Jonah Hill is very good in the lead

Robocop - 1987 cyberpunk action film directed by Paul Verhoeven which won an Oscar. The special effects look tied now. Over-the-top and gory but deals with some meaty themes such as media influence, g corruption, authoritarianism, greed, privatization, capitalism and identity. Peter Weller in the lead generates surprising sympathy for his character

Battle of the River Plate - 1950's British war film dealing with the 1939 naval battle between the Royal Navy and the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee. Stars John Gregson, Anthony Quayle, and Peter Finch. Solid, wet bank holiday war film. An intelligent, tense film with some very good battle scenes even if it seems quite slow paced to modern eyes.

Star Trek: Insurrection - Like a poor episode of the next generation with a bigger budget. Harmless if boring. The central concept of the film of (Data becoming more human) is tiresome and repetitive. Poor acting. The odd numbered star Trek film curse strikes again.

Reach for the Sky - 1956 British biographical film about aviator Douglas Bader starring Kenneth More. Another wet Sunday staple which does not show a complete depiction of the character of Bader!

Solo - A good film if a bit flawed which might be down to a change of director and a massive re shoot. Clearly a franchise set up piece but Alden Ehrenreich has an impossible task of trying to make us forget about Harrison Ford! But it is Star Wars so you know...................

Hurricane - The film depicts the experiences of a group of Polish pilots of 303 Squadron in the Battle of Britain in World War II. An old fashioned war film, watchable if melancholy. it is watchable and well intentioned ( and tells and oft overlooked tale) but feels like a TV film.

The_Train said:

Just watched Philadelphia for the first time in my life - it's only taken me 25 years. Very touching and thought provoking movie with a superb performance from Tom Hanks.

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I thought this was very moving... both the acting and the music. I knew the Springsteen song already, but the Neil Young song ‘Philadelphia’ at the movie’s close, with the faux home-movie footage accompanying it, was very moving

Really want to see Hurricane.

Pleasantville (1985).

Two 1990s teenage siblings squabbling over what TV shows to watch, suddenly find themselves trapped inside the 1950s black-and-white ‘wholesome’ tv series that the brother wanted to watch. Accidentally or deliberately, their influence begins to profoundly change the locals. Until their arrival, nothing bad ever happens in Pleasantville; (so much so, that when Reese Witherspoon’s character flounces off to the loo after arguing with her boyfriend, and pulls open the cubicle door, there’s no lavatory!)
As people around them start to experience new emotions and concepts, they become coloured. Soon, people start treating the non-grayscale people with suspicion and hostility, signs go up stating ‘no coloureds’ and... well, to say too much would spoil it for those yet to see the movie.

The Shape Of Water (2017)
Strange, touching, beautifully-shot story of a lonely female janitor, who forms a unique relationship with an amphibious (alien?) creature that is being held in captivity.

DarloRich said:

Star Trek: Motion Picture - This is a very odd film. It is a slow-moving (dull?) occasionally thought-provoking, visually impressive science fiction yarn. It almost gets somewhere but doesn't and it feels a bit too long. It seems to lack the spirit and relationship between the leads that the TV series thrived one.

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I believe this film had a lot of involvement/interference by Gene Roddenberry. After this one they made sure to avoid him having any actual power so the director could get on with making something entertaining.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan - or Kirk v Khan II ( The Revenge) MUCH closer to the original spirit of Star Trek than its predecessor with strong character interaction with Ricardo Montalbán (looking positively Gaddafi-esque) hamming it up superbly as the villain and I think it is his performance that makes the film. Killing off Spock was a bold move and his death is quite poignant. I really like this film and it was one of the first I saw at the pictures with my dad. Altogether now: KHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!
(Although the best quote might be: To the last I grapple with thee. From hell's heart I stab at thee. For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee.)

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Which is actually a quote from Moby Dick being said by Khan. The whole film has deliberate thematic parallels with the novel and there are a few other bits of dialogue which are pretty close to lines from the book.
But that doesn't stop it from being an excellent film, I think it adds depth.

JamesT said:

I believe this film had a lot of involvement/interference by Gene Roddenberry. After this one they made sure to avoid him having any actual power so the director could get on with making something entertaining.

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agreed - i guess this is the reason he wasn't let near the rest of the films!

JamesT said:

Which is actually a quote from Moby Dick being said by Khan. The whole film has deliberate thematic parallels with the novel and there are a few other bits of dialogue which are pretty close to lines from the book.
But that doesn't stop it from being an excellent film, I think it adds depth.

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I know it is from Moby Dick and the connections are obvious

The Thing (1982) - John Carpenter directed sci fi/horror starting Kurt Russell telling the story of a group of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter the eponymous "Thing", a parasitic extraterrestrial life-form that assimilates, then imitates other organisms. The special effects are pretty crap but the acting isn't as bad but it simply isn't scary. Poor yet fluff

The Grand Budapest Hotel - written & directed by Wes Anderson starring Ralph Fiennes and a ensemble cameo cast. it tells the story of two people: Monsieur Gustave H. a concierge & Zero ( a lobby boy) and the friendship they form as they team up for several misadventures while trying to prove Gustave's innocence after he was framed for murder. Won 4 Oscars. I really liked it. it is very well shot and put together visually and strangely thought provoking and darkly humours. It has a lot of (almost) Marx brothersesque stuff going on.

Bobby Robson: More Than a Manager - A very warm, generous & heartfelt biography of the former England manager directed and narrated by Gabriel Clarke. Very good and quite emotional.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol - fourth installment in the Mission: Impossible film series. You know the score. Crusie saves the world. Exciting action scenes, clever gadgets, explosive, energetic, silly and preposterous. Easily watchable.

Mad Max 2 - Gibson returns and without much enthusiasm helps a community of settlers to defend themselves against a roving band of marauders. Basically a post apocalyptic western where the hardened, embittered, loner rediscovers his humanity. It is brutal and desolate and better than the first. It might have set the tone for all dystopian future films that came after.

Syriana - 2005 American geopolitical thriller film written and directed by Stephen Gaghan, and executive produced by and staring George Clooney and an ensemble cast. The film focuses on petroleum politics and the global influence of the oil industry, whose political, economic, legal, and social effects seen form 4 or 5 angles. Clooney won an Oscar and is really good but many people find it confusing because of the numerous angles intertwined in telling the story. Personally I think it is very clever film because the confusion the audience feel is the central point of the story. Needs thinking about and concentrating on.

Bumblebee - the sixth installment of the live-action Transformers film series and the first one not directed by Michael Bay and it benefits from that! A superb recreation of the 1980's, spot on sound track and much more character focused than the other transformers films. Therefore it is less silly. It is not a clever film and it isn't a very original film but it works and is much better than the other transformers films

The Terminator - 1984 American science fiction film directed by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cyborg assassin sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor. I have always liked this film. Arnie is perfectly cast both physically and script wise. It has lots of violence, chase scenes, gun fights and clever effects. Launched Arnie and James Cameron and may be ( with Alien) the quintessential 80's sci fi film.

First of the few - 1942 British black-and-white biographical film produced, directed and starring Leslie Howard as R. J. Mitchell, the designer of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft. David Niven co-stars as a composite Royal Air Force officer and test pilot. The film depicts Mitchell's strong work ethic in designing the Spitfire and his death. Full on bank holiday favorite if not massively historically accurate & designed to inspire similar personal sacrifice in British audiences during the war.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Set in 1946, the plot follows a London-based writer who begins exchanging letters with a resident on the island of Guernsey, which was under German occupation during World War II, a some dark secrets within that community. Gentle, likable, straightforward, tearjerker which is perfectly enjoyable. Decent supporting cast and a strong lead from Lilly James.

Wipers Times - BBC dramatisation of the true story of Cpt. Fred Roberts ( played by ben Chaplin) who published the satirical newspaper of the same name during the First World War. It is heart-rending and thought-provoking with a strong sub-text about the courage and suffering and gallows humour displayed by officers and men, month after month. I found it very good.

Entebbe - The film recounts the story of Operation Entebbe, a 1976 counter-terrorist hostage-rescue operation by Israeli special forces after two Palestinian & two German terrorists hijacked Air France Flight 139 en route from Tel Aviv to Paris and took it to Uganda. I am not sure about this one. It is clearly very worthy but i just don't think it is any good despite the exciting story and there seems to be a strange underlying anti Israeli story. Disappointing.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day - 1991 sequel co-written, produced, and directed by James Cameron. This time Arnie is the good guy sent back to protect John Connor from the liquid metal man played by Robert Patrick. Won 4 Oscars and showed ground breaking special effects. Better than the first ( which is very good) and one of the best action films made.

Buffalo Soldiers - 2001 satire following the rogue/criminal activities of a group of US soldiers based in West Germany during 1989 when the fall of the Berlin Wall is imminent. I bet the Yanks hate it and consider it deeply unpatriotic but it is darkly funny. It might be overlooked because it came out 2 days before 9/11.

Sully - 2016 American biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Tom Hanks as Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger. The film follows Sullenberger's January 2009 emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River, in which all 155 passengers and crew survived with only minor injuries, and the subsequent publicity and investigation. Hanks does his thing and turns in a usual high quality performance. it is slow and detailed and tells a good story of a man doing his job very well and not thinking anything of it! Apparently the NTSB were not happy about how they and their investigators were shown.

Went to see Avengers The End Game which was quite good especially the interaction between Rocket and Thor who I believe are to feature together in the next Guardians of the Galaxy outing. Although it was three hours long I didn't feel like a fag and was engrossed in the action.

Just re-watched 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Visually stunning, technically brilliant. Way ahead of it's time. It may be classed as a 'Science Fiction' film, but a lot of the depiction of space and space travel is rooted in fact.

The special effects still hold up today, nearly all done 'in camera'. Stanley Kubrick chose not to use typical special effects methods of the time, such as blue screen and travelling matte techniques, because of their degraded picture quality and lack of realism. It's hard to believe, from the imagery and set design, that this film is over 50 years old.

It's a filmed that dared to differ from the usual movie narrative. There's minimal dialogue - the pictures do the story telling. The plot, such as it is, is minimalist, told by imagery rather than exposition. The antagonist is a computer, HAL 9000, portrayed as a disembodied voice that outwardly appears friendly and compliant toward the humans travelling to Jupiter. HAL though is malfunctioning, and has chosen to protect itself and the mission objective ahead of the crew. HAL's denouement, losing the battle of wills with human Dave, is one of the greatest scenes in cinema history.

A masterpiece of movie making from Stanley Kubrick.

Butts said:

Spoiler: End Game spoiler

However what are Marvel up to - A Female Captain Marvel - don't remember that from the comics any more than the upcoming Black Captain America ....is this the acceptable face of cultural appropriation?

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bnm said:

Just re-watched 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Visually stunning, technically brilliant. Way ahead of it's time. It may be classed as a 'Science Fiction' film, but a lot of the depiction of space and space travel is rooted in fact.

The special effects still hold up today, nearly all done 'in camera'. Stanley Kubrick chose not to use typical special effects methods of the time, such as blue screen and travelling matte techniques, because of their degraded picture quality and lack of realism. It's hard to believe, from the imagery and set design, that this film is over 50 years old.

It's a filmed that dared to differ from the usual movie narrative. There's minimal dialogue - the pictures do the story telling. The plot, such as it is, is minimalist, told by imagery rather than exposition. The antagonist is a computer, HAL 9000, portrayed as a disembodied voice that outwardly appears friendly and compliant toward the humans travelling to Jupiter. HAL though is malfunctioning, and has chosen to protect itself and the mission objective ahead of the crew. HAL's denouement, losing the battle of wills with human Dave, is one of the greatest scenes in cinema history.

A masterpiece of movie making from Stanley Kubrick.

Click to expand...

I agree with every word.

Went to see Greta today .... an excellent Neil Jordan Thriller with a few "jump out of year seat moments"

Highly recommended !!!