Film 2016

[Meade's Ball]

The girlfriend has gone on a glitz and glamour holiday to LA and Hawaii for 10 days, so for that time i thought i would take it upon myself, rather sadly in a way, to watch a shitload of films. Only a couple of new releases have my eye this week, including Sing Street, and they'll be gone to in midweek, but the rest of it will be, apart from a Shellac gig on Tuesday, time spent on old films or on just about watchable pap on Kodi. Today was a trip again back into the psychological western season at the BFI, with a doublebill of B-movie 70-minuters from Budd Boetticher, who i cannot say i'd heard of. He'd have a relatively low budget and Randolph Scott at the end of his career, a tad wizened but quietly determined in both films. The first was The Tall T and it had Scott as a lonesome rancher go to collect cherry-flavoured candy for the son of a station master he holds in warm regard. As he returns on the back of a carriage occupied by 2 wealthy newlyweds, he finds the remote station overtaken by 3 true fiends, who've tossed the bodies of the kid and his father into their well! They're held captive, up in the bleak but beautiful stony desert, and of course it's down to Scott to eventually get them free. It's a brutal and lawless environment, and whilst some of the dialogue brought a laugh or two the feel of it all was of an amoral universe where even our hero is tested to keep his ethical resolve. A good one that.

The second one was Ride Lonesome, set for a spell in the same area of the west, with even the same town name mentioned to flee to nearby. This has a little less occasional gaiety to it as Scott is a bounty hunter, capturing his prisoner early on and having to take him across country to claim his reward, whilst the brother of the murderously captured, played by Lee Van Cleef, chases. Also on their tails are some native Americans a little upset over their wish to exchange a horse for the woman that has been rescued by Scott is rejected. Again some of the dialogue brought laughs, it seeming outdated and just odd in how they address women and even friendship - James Coburn delivered the accidentally funniest line - but this merciless journey had some darkly beautiful shots and arresting moments of when justice is delivered. I might check out some more of his films this Boetticher chap.

 

[The Clamp]

I saw A Hologram For The King the other day. Tom Hanks is good. The film is pointless and boring.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

I'm going to say something that I think will be controversial in the long run. I saw Warcraft yesterday (having never played the game, nor known anything of the lore) and I really enjoyed it, despite some of the flaws. That may be because I had no expectations mind...

 

[AK74]

Sing Street, currently on at the Duke of York's. 1980s soundtrack, and with more than a hint of The Commitments about it. Minimal CGI, just a nice, simple film.

 

[Stat Brother]

Sorry I'm a bit late to the party on this one, but for £2.50 each, today, it would have been silly to miss:-

The Jungle Book -

Absolutely spectacular.
I thought it was brilliantly done, all boxes ticked and yet still managed to bring a story so traditional bang up to date.
The voices were incredibly well cast, Idris couldn't possibly have have been more ideal.

For me the only misstep was crowbarring King Louis' song into the action.
Having got away with it for The Bear Necessities it was definitely an overreach, made all the more obvious by it closing the film perfectly.

 

[Meade's Ball]

So, i had one of those partially dreamy cinema events this morning: I WAS THE ONLY ONE THERE! Ok, i went at 9am for precisely that reason, but there is usually either a small group of youngsters in the mood for popcorn and depressing superhero fare or a few middle aged chaps just like me a tiny bit disappointed that we're not the only ones of ourselves. Today, nobody at all. Not a single soul. I didn't find the film, The Nice Guys, particular good, but experiencing it alone made it all worthwhile. The review i'd read spoke of the influence the likes of Chinatown had on this apparent private dic noir, but i'd be digging - alright sex and high-level corruption - if i were to find similarities, when this buddy movie has way more not very funny comedy than it does intrigue. The two nice guys, played by Ryan Gosling, who was hit and miss funny, and Russell Crowe, really quite chunky, had illogical moments and utterings of idiocy that didn't fit. You know, it was alright and went along playfully, but there were was way too much "comedy" in there to make it thrilling, and made worse for the laughs to be too few in the making.
Watching it without any possible interference was great though.

 

[looney]

Angry Birds Movie.

Nasty Rightwing propaganda.

I cannot recommend it enough.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

So, i had one of those partially dreamy cinema events this morning: I WAS THE ONLY ONE THERE! Ok, i went at 9am for precisely that reason, but there is usually either a small group of youngsters in the mood for popcorn and depressing superhero fare or a few middle aged chaps just like me a tiny bit disappointed that we're not the only ones of ourselves. Today, nobody at all. Not a single soul. I didn't find the film, The Nice Guys, particular good, but experiencing it alone made it all worthwhile. The review i'd read spoke of the influence the likes of Chinatown had on this apparent private dic noir, but i'd be digging - alright sex and high-level corruption - if i were to find similarities, when this buddy movie has way more not very funny comedy than it does intrigue. The two nice guys, played by Ryan Gosling, who was hit and miss funny, and Russell Crowe, really quite chunky, had illogical moments and utterings of idiocy that didn't fit. You know, it was alright and went along playfully, but there were was way too much "comedy" in there to make it thrilling, and made worse for the laughs to be too few in the making.
Watching it without any possible interference was great though.

Watching it without interference is also watching it without sniggering fellow punters - I bet you've laughed more at not-so-good films in packed cinemas, where the atmosphere is brilliant, than you have at anything on your own...?

I'm not a fan of the TV series, but seeing The Inbetweeners 2, in a rammed Croydon Vue (yeah I know), was fantastic. The only reason I'd go back there would be to see something like The Nice Guys.

 

[studio150]

Watching it without interference is also watching it without sniggering fellow punters - I bet you've laughed more at not-so-good films in packed cinemas, where the atmosphere is brilliant, than you have at anything on your own...?

I'm not a fan of the TV series, but seeing The Inbetweeners 2, in a rammed Croydon Vue (yeah I know), was fantastic. The only reason I'd go back there would be to see something like The Nice Guys.

Yes but are you laughing at the film jokes or laughing because a few others laughed at unfunny jokes.
Personally I can keep a Jack Dee deadpan look regardless of whether 99% of the audience are laughing at something I dont find funny.

I have also had a few private screenings the kast being Selma. Much better than being distracted by munching popcorn sweet wrappers being undone mobiles being looked at or people whispering.

 

[Meade's Ball]

Watching it without interference is also watching it without sniggering fellow punters - I bet you've laughed more at not-so-good films in packed cinemas, where the atmosphere is brilliant, than you have at anything on your own...?

I'm not a fan of the TV series, but seeing The Inbetweeners 2, in a rammed Croydon Vue (yeah I know), was fantastic. The only reason I'd go back there would be to see something like The Nice Guys.

Tis true, and i pondered that a little this morning. But just as much as an audience can drag you in, they can also send you away. Whilst watching Florence Foster Jenkins, for instance, those around me caterwauling with laughter from the off at someone singing out of tune sent me into an area in which little of it from then could even have me crack a smile. If i were to watch that film alone, i doubt i would enjoy it anyhow, but it would have a better chance.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Tis true, and i pondered that a little this morning. But just as much as an audience can drag you in, they can also send you away. Whilst watching Florence Foster Jenkins, for instance, those around me caterwauling with laughter from the off at someone singing out of tune sent me into an area in which little of it from then could even have me crack a smile. If i were to watch that film alone, i doubt i would enjoy it anyhow, but it would have a better chance.

Florence Foster Jenkins is much more than a Woman singing out of tune. It is about love, friendship, loyalty and following your dreams. Something that appears to have gone over your head

 

[Meade's Ball]

Florence Foster Jenkins is much more than a Woman singing out of tune. It is about love, friendship, loyalty and following your dreams. Something that appears to have gone over your head

Oh i know that. I was put off of the film by everyone in the cinema finding her being out of tune just hilarious, when i didn't. I found it a terribly sad tale, to reside in this fantasy and have all around you kowtow to your every whim for their own ends.

 

[Acker79]

Warcraft: The Beginning
I have barely any knowledge of the game, so was watching this without any prior knowledge. While watching it I wasn't particularly enthralled, it felt like it was just getting going when it ended. As I walked out I was quite disappointed.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows
I watched the first one, and while I didn't think it was great overall, I did enjoy enough little bits in it to not feel too disappointed with it. This one didn't feel like it had those moments.

Warcraft: The Beginning
After watching Turtles, I started to look back on this as more enjoyable, on the assumption the series continues. But I don't know if that was just digesting my thoughts on the film, or whether it was comparison to TMNT.

 

[Acker79]

Alice Through the Looking Glass
I remember being excited by the first film, but being disappointed when I finally saw it. I had put off going to see this, but with the other options this weekend being films I've either seen, or The Boss, Mother's Day or Me Before You, I decided I would give this a go.

I was so bored. I've long since lost interest in Johnny Depp's 'characters', and have yet to really take to Mia Wasikowska. CGI is so advanced these days, that good effects have stopped impressing me or being a positive point of a movie.

The Nice Guys
Like Alice, I wasn't overly eager to see this. I'm not a big fan of Russell Crowe, and in the trailers, Ryan Gosling seemed to be trying too hard. It also seemed to be getting a lot of the sort of positive reviews that make me think I will be in the minority and not enjoy it.

I was right. Both about Ryan Gosling trying to hard to be a 'character' and me not enjoying a film that is largely getting very good reviews. I generally like Shane Black's stuff, but this one just didn't work for me.

 

[Meade's Ball]

My little brother sometimes contacts me to suggest we go catch a flick at the BFI. I always agree, and this time it was to a 1950s Brazilian film called Black Orpheus. I'll talk of that shortly. Before seeing that, though, after finishing a sad Saturday of overtime, i had about 4 hours to kill until that film, so i thought it only right and proper to see another film to fill the gap. So, the girlfriend and i went to see Embrace of the Serpent. My manager at work had seen the film at the London festival last year and reasonably raved about it. She spoke of its spirituality and lack of straightforwardness, i half-remember. And that was a little right. I wasn't hooked into its potency though, in part thanks to the performance by Jan Bijvoet, who i've seen in a few things now and found to be quite hammy, and some of the dialogue early on that was meant to have echoes of striking depth, but had a slightly juvenile feel to it. Anywho, the film itself was still rather good. A beautiful black and white film - until the trippy bit delivers colour - set in two parts of the first half of the 20th century, in the Amazon rain forest. It was based on the writings of two explorers, who both seem to have sought guidance from the same local, a few decades apart. In both times the effects of "the whites" rampaging colonialism, and even the Colombians' gun-wielding onslaughts, show a devastation and distortion to land and culture. The imagery was sometimes stunning and that helped keep the balance between statement and the sheer beauty in the darkness. There were moments of mirth too, with both explorers being amusingly ridiculed for an obsession with possession, and one being laughed at for shedding tears when writing to his wife. Bits of the film i didn't go along with, but some were great. Well worth a see.

Black Orpheus was quite a different kettle of fish. A telling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, which i'd read a bit about a few months before, i think, set mostly up in the favela of Rio, during carnival time. Eurydice, whose name we don't know for a while, arrives in Rio as the carnival is about to begin, and the music and beats of what is to follow start and almost never stop. On all modes of transport, from the large boats coming into port to the tram led by Orfeo, everyone is already dancing. It was intoxicating, and drives the fantasy of this blossoming romance in the sometimes hellish chaos. I really enjoyed it for its rhythm and soft madness and playfulness. Some really great shots in it too, making me think of The Lady From Shanghai. Glad my little bro suggested this one.

 

[Stat Brother]

Booo

Me and the jnr Stat's are avid connoisseurs of Studio Ghibli
So naturally we were ready and waiting in the Duke of York's for, When Marnie Was There at lunchtime today, when their sound system went kaput.

They said they're only showing it through to Thursday (even though it was pretty much sold out) so we'll not get to see the last SG film in the cinema.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Saw The Nice Guys last night. I enjoyed it. A solid 7/10 film, with fun characters, a simple plot and some decent funny moments. Not Earth shattering, not as good as the reviews would have you believe, but still a very easy watch.

TNMT 2 - I loved the original series and found things to enjoy in the first one, even though it was a poor film. This was another poor film, although again it had moments to enjoy. The plot seemed recycled though, with the turtles themselves enjoying (probably the wrong word) the same arcs as the first film. The back up characters were fun though.

Warcraft - I had zero expectations. That probably helped to be honest. Not the best film I've ever seen, but I got a lot of enjoyment out of it. A watered down LOTR - the best characters were the Orcs and I'd have preferred more time with them than the human characters who were the film's weakest elements.

 

[Acker79]

Barbershop: The New Cut
I've not seen the first two films in the Barbershop series. This one played very much like and ode to, and a film for Chicago, so at points felt too insular to be relevant to some white English guy in Brighton. Of the five people in the screen, 2 left early. I did find enough about it to like, though. There were some interesting conversations in the film, albeit simplistic and cliche, but also some fun relationships between the cast mostly in their third outing, and a couple of supporting characters stole the film for me.

Gods of Egypt
This is a film that received a lot of criticism when released in America, and the director lashed out at critics. But that was back in February and I had forgotten most of the details, and just remembered it wasn't thought of very fondly. But the trailer made it look like one of those films that, while bad, are still a trashy fun watch.

This was not a trashy fun watch. It was really quite dull.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Alice Through the Looking Glass
I remember being excited by the first film, but being disappointed when I finally saw it. I had put off going to see this, but with the other options this weekend being films I've either seen, or The Boss, Mother's Day or Me Before You, I decided I would give this a go.

I was so bored. I've long since lost interest in Johnny Depp's 'characters', and have yet to really take to Mia Wasikowska. CGI is so advanced these days, that good effects have stopped impressing me or being a positive point of a movie.

The Nice Guys
Like Alice, I wasn't overly eager to see this. I'm not a big fan of Russell Crowe, and in the trailers, Ryan Gosling seemed to be trying too hard. It also seemed to be getting a lot of the sort of positive reviews that make me think I will be in the minority and not enjoy it.

I was right. Both about Ryan Gosling trying to hard to be a 'character' and me not enjoying a film that is largely getting very good reviews. I generally like Shane Black's stuff, but this one just didn't work for me.

Watched the Nice Guys last night ..bit of a curates egg....good in bits..fell away at the end though...had the same view re Our Kind of Traitor......thoroughly enjoyed Money Monster.

 

[The Clamp]

Booo

Me and the jnr Stat's are avid connoisseurs of Studio Ghibli
So naturally we were ready and waiting in the Duke of York's for, When Marnie Was There at lunchtime today, when their sound system went kaput.

They said they're only showing it through to Thursday (even though it was pretty much sold out) so we'll not get to see the last SG film in the cinema.

Try some of the other cinemas in the UK. Contrary to popular held belief, there is land beyond Brighton.