nlogax
Established Member
Will it be released anywhere else?
I don't know if things that hit Netflix first subsequently get a physical media release..maybe it will in the US where it had a low key theatrical release first.
Will it be released anywhere else?
Annihilation
Unlike the previous three major straight-to-Netflix contenders which were in their own way pretty atrocious (I'm especially looking at you, Cloverfield Paradox), Annihilation - a surreal sci-fi story based upon Jeff VanderMeer's novel - is a welcome addition to the streaming library and a great return for Alex Garland after his last outing with 2015's Ex Machina.
Natalie Portman's protagonist breathes life into this film, as do the visuals which instantly reminded me of images I'd only read of in early Ballard stories of shimmering, crystal forests and refracted sunlight. There's a woozy unease which forms the backdrop to this story, and it's pretty grisly in parts which is also a positive. If there's one small letdown it's that most if not all of it is obviously filmed in the UK in spite of its supposed coastal US setting. Even my own old office halfway down the M3 doubles as the John Hopkins University campus. That was surreal.
I'm really glad this made it to Netflix. The recent flood of trash seems to have been temporarily halted by a very decent and watchable film.
I liked The Force Awakens. Thought The Last Jedi was absolutely awful. Struggled to watch it to the end, up there with Valerian for bad Sci Fi.Evolution -Comedy/Sci fi. Alien goo lands on earth and mutates into fantastical creatures. seems to try very hard to be ghostbusters (same director) but fails. It never seems to get going, the comedy doesn't work often enough although there are some funny parts. Not good really.
Happy Feet - Oscar winning animated penguin based rom com. Mumble, a young emperor penguin, needs to be able to sing to attract a mate, but he has a terrible voice. Instead, Mumble must express himself by tap dancing to win the girl. it is very sweet, very cute and harmless ( although with a couple of tense moments for the little ones) and popular with the kids. I secretly like it.
The Polar Express - On Christmas Eve, a young boy embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express, while learning about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas. A really popular kids film with great visuals, accurate to the source book but which the critics dealt with in a sniffy fashion. From an adult point of view it drowns in saccharin but as a film for a young family it is really good.
Sea Wolves - 1980 war film starring Gregory Peck, Roger Moore, Trevor Howard and David Niven based on the book Boarding Party by James Leasor, which itself is based on a real incident which took place in World War II. The incident involved Operation Creek, the Calcutta Light Horse's covert attack on 9 March 1943 against a German merchant ship, which had been transmitting information to U-boats from Goa. An old school rollicking war film in the vein of Guns of Navarone or Where Eagles Dare. Good acting, good humour and a good bank holiday afternoon action romp where the Nazis get what they deserve and a stiff upper lip wins the day
Bridge of Spies - The film tells the story of lawyer James B. Donovan, who is entrusted with negotiating the release of Francis Gary Powers whose U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960—in exchange for Rudolf Abel, a convicted Soviet KGB spy held under the custody of the United States, whom he represented at trial. It has a cold war Le Carre like feel, Hanks does his stuff very well and presents an interesting character and Spielberg puts together a slow burning, well poised espionage thriller with old fashioned Amercian/Western values at it heart. Films aren't often like this these days
Kung Fu Panda 2 - Po and his friends fight to stop a peacock villain from conquering China with a deadly new weapon, but first he must come to terms with his past. Great animation and a sequel that is perhaps better than the original. Good action, comedy and a bit of peril for the little ones. An enjoyable family film.
The Fugitive - After being wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife, Dr. Richard Kimble ( Harrison Ford) escapes from custody and sets out to prove his innocence while pursued by a team of U.S. Marshals led by a fantastic Tommy Lee Jones ( who won an Oscar). I think this is a very good thriller with an energetic, pacy story-line and greater interplay between the two determined leads. Oddly you end up rooting for both of them. One to clear his name, the other to nail the real killer.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens - The first of the new star wars trilogy and perhaps a reboot of star wars but who cares. It has all the bits we want: The Millennium Falcon, light sabers, X wings. tie fighters, Darth Vader alike etc. More importantly it has really strong female lead in Daisy Ridley and a superb performance from John Boyega. Did I mention the Millennium Falcon? I really like it and think it succeeds in launching a new generation of characters and carries on heritage of the previous films.
Lord of War - Nicholas Cage stars as an arms dealer confronts the morality of his work as he is being chased by an Interpol Agent. It is quite an intelligent look at the morality of the arms trade and some of the consequences of that trade but it doesn't quite make it stick.
RED - All star cast playing retired secret agents and killers having great fun. Decent enough, some funny lines and a good cast, nothing special but not a bad film.
Mr Holmes - Sir Ian McKellen plays an aged, retired Sherlock Holmes with early dementia, as he tries to remember his final case, and a mysterious woman, whose memory haunts him. He also befriends a fan, the young son of his housekeeper, who wants him to work again. it presents different view of Holmes and focuses on the man behind the story. I was a little disappointed that the emotional angle of the great man slowly loosing his mind didn't generate more care for the character. Decent, could be better.
The Terminal - Spielberg directs Tom Hanks as an eastern immigrant must take up temporary residence there in JFK airport after a revolution in his country renders him stateless. It is yet another solid effort from Tom Hanks who makes the film tick. It is funny, romantic and sentimental but under that is something almost Kafkaesque. The draw back for me is that I cant ever see that character getting a sophisticated Catherine Zeta Jones!
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Indiana Jones is called back into action, when he becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls. I love Indiana Jones. It is part of my childhood. it sadens me to say this is easily the worst film of the lot, They got a kid (Shia LaBeouf) in to do the running and it isnt very good at all. 19 years and that is the best they could come up with. Poor. Even Bum bum bum bum.... bum bum bum cant save it.
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope - The original and best. We all know what happens. We meet again at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner, now I am the master.
You’re just a big softy really aren’t you..?Happy Feet - Oscar winning animated penguin based rom com. Mumble, a young emperor penguin, needs to be able to sing to attract a mate, but he has a terrible voice. Instead, Mumble must express himself by tap dancing to win the girl. it is very sweet, very cute and harmless ( although with a couple of tense moments for the little ones) and popular with the kids. I secretly like it.
The Polar Express - On Christmas Eve, a young boy embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express, while learning about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas. A really popular kids film with great visuals, accurate to the source book but which the critics dealt with in a sniffy fashion. From an adult point of view it drowns in saccharin but as a film for a young family it is really good.
Bridge of Spies - The film tells the story of lawyer James B. Donovan, who is entrusted with negotiating the release of Francis Gary Powers whose U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960—in exchange for Rudolf Abel, a convicted Soviet KGB spy held under the custody of the United States, whom he represented at trial. It has a cold war Le Carre like feel, Hanks does his stuff very well and presents an interesting character and Spielberg puts together a slow burning, well poised espionage thriller with old fashioned Amercian/Western values at it heart. Films aren't often like this these days.
The Fugitive - After being wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife, Dr. Richard Kimble ( Harrison Ford) escapes from custody and sets out to prove his innocence while pursued by a team of U.S. Marshals led by a fantastic Tommy Lee Jones ( who won an Oscar). I think this is a very good thriller with an energetic, pacy story-line and greater interplay between the two determined leads. Oddly you end up rooting for both of them. One to clear his name, the other to nail the real killer.
Yes, these are great films.Star Wars: The Force Awakens - The first of the new star wars trilogy and perhaps a reboot of star wars but who cares. It has all the bits we want: The Millennium Falcon, light sabers, X wings. tie fighters, Darth Vader alike etc. More importantly it has really strong female lead in Daisy Ridley and a superb performance from John Boyega. Did I mention the Millennium Falcon? I really like it and think it succeeds in launching a new generation of characters and carries on heritage of the previous films.
What is Bum bum bum.... bum bum bum?Even Bum bum bum bum.... bum bum bum cant save it.
Yep. My childhood is this film. God knows how many times I’ve watched it over the years.Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope - The original and best. We all know what happens. We meet again at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner, now I am the master.
the theme tune![]()
RocknRolla - a crime comedy film written and directed by Guy Ritchie with an ensemble British cast. Decent enough. Standard cockney wideboy/gangster movie. Fun if not fantastic.
Guy Ritchie is a bit or a Marmite Director/Producer/Writer.
2012 - Science fiction/disaster movie where the earth heats to dangerous levels and floods via melting ice caps. Really good cast but a really bad film.
There’s something about that pre-apocalyptic movie genre. 2012, Geostorm, Day After Tomorrow, Armageddon. All bloody terrible films on the surface but I can’t stop watching them. Though I do draw the line at Independence Day: Resurgence. 110% dire.
You could say that they've been complete disasters...I like a disaster film but lots of the recent ones have been utter bobbins.
Ha ha. I'll agree with that. I do kind of enjoy seeing the world as we know it being destroyed, not in real life of course. Independence Day Resurgence wasn't great though.There’s something about that pre-apocalyptic movie genre. 2012, Geostorm, Day After Tomorrow, Armageddon. All bloody terrible films on the surface but I can’t stop watching them. Though I do draw the line at Independence Day: Resurgence. 110% dire.
Agree with this 100%.Downsizing - No where near as good as the idea or the cast should deliver. A disappointment despite the efforts of Woltz.
Brewster's Millions - a baseball player who unexpectedly falls into $300m inheritance but to get it he must spend 30 million dollars in 30 days. Classic Richard Pryor which i really enjoy even if the critics don't rate it.
Not a band I am really in to, death metal fan, but have heard it is a good film.We went to the cinema last week (a treat from our girls!) and watched Bohemian Rapsody.
I thought it was excellent, especially the stuff set in the 1980s, it bought back lots of memories.
The guy playing Brian May was incredibly convincing.
I can imagine. Ha ha. Everyone I have spoken to says it is amazing though and that the guy who plays Freddie Mercury is amazing.It was not a bad film, but I think the original choice to play Mercury - Sacha Baron Cohen would have carried it off better.
However he wanted to explore the seedier side in more depth and was apparently fired.
We went to the cinema last week (a treat from our girls!) and watched Bohemian Rapsody.
I thought it was excellent, especially the stuff set in the 1980s, it bought back lots of memories.
The guy playing Brian May was incredibly convincing.
Not a band I am really in to, death metal fan, but have heard it is a good film.
Sacha Baron Cohen would have carried it off better.