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oh man two of the biggest films of the year on 9" Screens!
I actually avoid most films on flights that need the cinematic canvas.
The Spy Who Dumped Me. No brains required, formulaic but pretty well done. And has Mila Kunis.
Hereditary - Not bad. We will all be worshipping Paimon up in the treehouse.
Portaloo - Seemed like a hastily put together series of speeches, not enough about the characters lives and interactions. Some iffy/over acting and poorly realised/tacked on scenes; the singing bit seemed to be in there just for the trailer and what happened to the lads that got a good shoeing. The last act of the film, the best bit, apart from the dodgy prop that got stomped on. Overall not terrible with some good scenes and sense of scale, but could have been so much more. For me it lacked detail, could easily have been fleshed out, expanded upon and longer, contrary to popular opinion. The aftermath of the event might make a better film!
Just seen Free Solo, about Alex Honnold's climb of El Capitan
Simply incredible. I was aware I was watching greatness.
Christopher Robin was quite charming
Incredibles 2 standard pixar fair and the same script as the first one but with role reversal
Mission impossible too long and too predictable
Peterloo was excellent
Bohemian rhapsody - entertaining enough. Would've preferred SBC in the role. Found the whole thing a bit uneven veering from pantomime to almost proper biopic in the same scenes. Definitely a reflection of production troubles. Felt the live-aid climax was too CGI/lens flare-up for me. Still impressive though.
Widows - some great moments and characters but too protracted in its story-telling. The pace wasn't kept up. Colin Farrell is great as is Elizabeth Debicki. (They are all good actually and there's plenty of them)
Mandy - arthouse horror with Nic Cage gone even more bonkers. Thoroughly enjoyed this. Great atmosphere and creepy/original mash-up of ideas. Explores lots of dark stuff. Different to anything I've ever really seen.
When the title of the film appears about a third of the way in you know things aren't right.
Looking forward to watching Mowgli tonight on Netflix.
Aye,agree with you on Widows rone.
Still worth a watch.
Shoplifters - Interesting wee film with some beautiful moments.
I really enjoyed it.
Bought Leave No Trace (missed it at the cinema), so looking forward to that tonight.
Deadpool2… What a crock
Odd, so you liked the first one and hated the (first 14 minutes of) the second one??
Pretty much how I felt about it, tbh I hate comic book films, but the first was at least full of crass humour which I do like so seemed a original. The second one lost that originality for me.
The Predator
Toss. The story is a total mess and makes little sense. The characters have to make what are quite wild assumptions to explain the plot to each other for the benefit of the audience. The monster isn’t scary. for the sake of 2018 they have to explain several times that whilst the monster is called ‘Predator’ it’s actually more like a Hunter, until it’s not and there’s actually a reason for... oh I don’t know I gave up caring by that point, blah blah blah everything’s perfect now Disney ending.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is amazing. I implore anyone to watch it - full of action, fun, suspense and the animation is stunning. I want to watch it in slo-mo to take all the graphics in. Every frame of the 2 hour film is a work of art.
Rain compelled me and kid to go to cinema, Odeon is now £5 which is damn good news. We saw Bumblebee (kid rejected my Spiderverse & Aquaman suggestions!). It was ...oook.. The Transformers are great, much better than the Michael Bay mess. Story/script is very Disney, aimed at 10 year olds. But then it's a PG, so to be expected. Some funny moments, far more cringy ones though.
Incredibles 2 standard pixar fair and the same script as the first one but with role reversal
Ohh, I thought that was a very poor film indeed. The first I can watch over and over again (as I have on numerous occasions) but this I2 I thought was very old in its storyline and very slow and not engaging at all.
In fact, I can’t remember a single scene of it.
I watched the Maze Runner 3rd. It came on Sky and as I’m a fan I was eager to see it. The filming has improved and the script a little more adventurous, the storyline though was lacking and yet still Brain Off watchable. I dooo think they could have made more of the Script, the dichotomy of whether the cure was for the good of all... or just the few. Guess we’ll never really know now.
I did enjoy it.
Alfonso Cuarón's ROMA on Netflix is worth a look for those of a patient discipline, who also like to take in great composition of frame and slow build character rather than plot.
It wouldn't quite make film of the year for me but as an under-your-skin exercise of what being both a connected and disconnected human being feels like on the big screen - this is your film.
Drama without melodrama, and a stunning canvas. Director (Children of Men) also did the cinematography too. Easy top ten.
Are we eeeking this out to TV Mini Series too?
If so I’ve been watching The First (about a mission to Mars) It’s been ok, slow but ok. It’s more about the relationship of the Head of Ops and his Daughter and the interaction with the CEO of the Mission. Sean Penn has been quite good in it, but the daughter I think is the star.
It’s been a whole year in the waiting and I’m still anxious about the new season of Tin Star. Season 1 was flipping awesome, I’m expecting the same from season 2 (out in Jan19... ferchristsake)
TV Mini Series too
Looks like it.
I didn’t make it past the Proclaimers karaoke on that. Bloody appalling.
Now, Kidding, the Jim Carey thing on Sky Atlantic, has rapidly become my 2nd fave series of the year. It’s incredible. Apart from when they advertise the thing you’ve just watched during the end credits! WTF is that about?!
Ready Player One. How the hell has it got a rating of over 7 on imdb/rotten tomatos? A work colleague recommended it to me, said it was very good. Despite my misgivings I watched it as same work colleague had also recommended 3 billboards (an infinitely superior film). Waste of time, should have stuck to my guns and said no it looks shit. It is.
RPO is on Sky Movies this week..
I didn’t get into Kidding, I am a fan of Carey but this was just too depressing to watch.
I don't think our plans to move in together are gonna work out 😉
Ready Player One.
The book is far superior, I think the movie suffers as well as it's ideas that have been done 1000s of times, so it all feels very familiar. (also it was technically a 2017 movie...)
I don’t think our plans to move in together are gonna work out
🤣
Vive la difference
Ready Player One.
Visually good, good characters but had the plot depth and predictability of a video game.
ive seen far fewer films this year than ever before! not sure why, possibly all the quality streaming services and box sets to get through? but i just havent been to the pictures much...
Kermode doing top 10 best and worst of the decade this year! gonna need alternative top tens of 2018 to pad out my watchlist over crimbo...
Just been to see Stan & Ollie. Enjoyed it. If you like slapstick, you’ll like it too.
Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Another Netflix film, it's a bit odd to say the least, but it looks beautiful with HDR.
Rather than one film, it's 6 short stories, set around the same time, in the same setting (the Old Wild West) but as far as I could tell, unrelated.
First is pretty fun, with a dark edge which only makes the funny parts, funnier.
As they progress they become darker, sadder and more macabre at each stage.
Whilst it has elements of Western films about it, really I think it's more about mortality and morality. I say I think because it's one of those films that's got a entertaining outer shell, but there's a lot going on just under the surface which makes me think I've missed a lot of it.
I really liked it, if you've got your thinking head on and don't just fancy a brain-out film, it's pretty good, if you're in the mood for a Mission Impossible type explosion fest, it's would really suck after the first 10 mins or so.
I say I think because it’s one of those films that’s got a entertaining outer shell, but there’s a lot going on just under the surface
It's Coen Brothers. (Has been discussed on the Netflix recommends thread)
I didn't get the afterlife stuff though (last segment, apparently)(maybe cos I'm a non-believer). But Tom Waits was fab.
I'm not ashamed to say I loved the new Mary Poppins Returns. It took me back 40+ years pitch perfectly.
Emily Blunt is terrific and plays the roll differently to Julie Andrews. But what I liked best (as with A Force Awakens) it was a homage to the tone of the original film.
It put me right in a Christmas mood.
Finally caught up with Leave no Trace. Got to say this would be in my top ten of the year. Beautifully understated film-making.
And last night Watched Netflix's Bird-Box which was actually very good. Well Directed and creepy enough with some tense moments. Sure it's a little close to 'A Quiet Place' but it had enough differences to become a film of its own. Quite shocking in places. Very cross-genre and Sandra Bullock is fantastic.
The Festival
Simon from The Inbetweeners (36 playing a 21 year old) only he’s called Nick now goes to a festival after a messy embarrassing break up with Carli sorry Caitlin on graduation day from High School, no, Uni, who’s still a **** but at least played by the women who played Tara in The Inbetweeners.
By complete coincidence he arrives to find that Carli, sorry Caitlin is also there, but seems to be attached to a cooler, but arrogant Man who is mean to him.
That’s right, it’s basiclaly 25% of the first Inbetweeners film, it’s crap but watchable silliness.
The mad loner from the film is also in it and steals every scene he’s in.
Just watched “I don’t feel at home in this world anymore” on Netflix
I thought it was brilliant, best film I’ve watched in ages. If you like Cohen brothers type stuff, you should love this.
I don’t feel at home in this world anymore
Apt film title for Christmas, don’t ya fink?
I watched Bird Box last night and quite enjoyed it. It's not as similar to A Quiet Place as I was expecting and I liked the sinister feeling the invisible "entities" brought to it.
I found the whole navigating a fast flowing river blindfolded thing stretched believability quite a bit but as it seemed to be secondary to the main flashback segments it didn't damage my enjoyment too much.
i enjoyed bird box too
bad times at el royale was good if a little long
A second vote for Mary Poppins Returns. La Blunt masters a range of singing styles and there are numerous visual and audio nods towards the original. (There's also some trials/BMX riding to keep us amused).
A Cover Is Not The Book is superb and The Place Where Lost Things Go reduced this rufty-tufty cyclist to tears. (Or it may have been the Gin). The youngsters in the film were enraptured. Gnusmas if you go take tissues.
Just watched (again) Avengers
Bring me Thanos!
Did watch 2017 Spider-Man homecoming which was ok... best part was Aunt May at the end...
Just watched (again) Avengers
Bring me Thanos!
I've just noticed Infinity War is on Netflix.
Not seen it on UK netflix?
bad times at el royale was good if a little long
I really liked this, maybe not for everyone but worth checking it out.
I was dragged along to (no s****ing at the back there) 'A Star Is Born' last night ("I always see your films!"). Well, I thought, 5 Star review in Empire, how bad can it be?
Absolutely, one of the worst films I've had to sit through, is the answer. I can't stand over-acting and Bradley Cooper was horrendous, at the start I wondered why he was doing a bad impression of a drunk Sam Elliot ... then Sam Elliot turns up as his brother!! His voice and manner just got on my wick everytime he was onscreen. Then there was the music, from hideous ****y guitar solo country rock, to cliche ridden ballads, it was an absolute nightmare. It's like - "Ok people who watch films are too stupid to undersand music, let's make it as simple as possible for them".
Shallow-shall-all-all-all-ow-shaa-a-low. Christ I was so glad at the end when he
Here's hoping for some quality chick-flicks in 2019!
I can’t stand over-acting and Bradley Cooper was horrendous, at the start I wondered why he was doing a bad impression of a drunk Sam Elliot … then Sam Elliot turns up as his brother!! His voice and manner just got on my wick everytime he was onscreen.
I've got to agree with this. His voice and mannerisms were very annoying.
I didn't hate it as much as you but I recognise all of your points. It was incredibly overrated but I enjoyed the first half.
The dog at the end was the best thing in it.
Not seen it on UK netflix?
It's on Canadian Netflix.
I thought A Star Is Born was the best followed by Shoplifters.
Free Solo
Its not a star wars prison bust movie, but a rather fantastic documentary about Alex Honnold attempting to free climbing ELCap in Yosemite. Interesting and driven man, beautifully shot and palm sweatingly vertiginous filming. Go if you want to be inspired don't go if you don't like heights.
Also watched Free Solo yesterday. Incredible film. Great camera work and a real insight into Alex's character. Genuinely stressful watching, I felt exhausted when I left the cinema.
Birdbox , more hyped up drivel. Bird sh1t more like. More hours scraped from my mundane existence for this dire film.