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Lights! Camera! Action! - Movie Recommendations
Followed by Gordon with :"That reminds me: if anyone goes to see Loving Vincent, please could you let me know what you think? It sounds really interesting but I don't know how many cinemas will be showing it and I'd like to get a feel for whether it's worth making the effort to find one"
Red Mosquito in answer to Notre_Shuggie with :
"The original wasn't quite perfection for me 8/10 imho. I've also got a 2D IMAX ticket to see it next Friday. I'll have a wee before I take my seat!!"
Notre_Shuggie in answer to Red Mosquito with :
"@RM, "The original wasn't quite perfection for me 8/10 imho"
"I'd agree with your rating. It's a very good film but seeing it in the cinema on its release, I was disappointed at how little of PK Dick's novel made it onscreen. I'm a long term fan of his work.
Mind you, it would probably have been less popular than it was, if they'd kept closer to the book. People forget that although it's highly regarded now, it wasn't at the time"
Tech Sergeant with :
"with you entirely, shuggie, although it's a good film, i'd go as far as to say it misses the point of the book altogether! it's good that so many of his works have been adapted for the big screen, but disappointing that few hit the mark!"
And nocheese in answer to Gordon with :
"I'm intending to see Loving Vincent next week, Gordon, but by then this thread will be gone with the wind. Will let you know by other means"
"Loving Vincent" is a bit of an oddity, but well worth an hour and a half of your time. A painstakingly handpainted animation which took years of work by hundreds of artists to accomplish. It looks at the artist's life through flashbacks as people who knew him and were painted by him talk about him. It's a bit like Citizen Kane in that respect, and there is some controversy over the manner of his death. It's certainly beautiful, and a bit trippy, to look at. It's been incredibly popular at my local art cinema, with several performances being sold out, so it may perhaps get a wider release (but probably not). Here's the trailer:https://www.google.co.uk/search?clien...
Looks beautiful nc. I'll keep a look-out for it locally.
nocheese wrote: ""Loving Vincent" is a bit of an oddity..."Thanks nc. I think it's on at the Old Market Hall in Shrewsbury early next month. I might catch The Death of Stalin before that, if things go to plan.
Gordon wrote: "nocheese wrote: ""Loving Vincent" is a bit of an oddity..."Thanks nc. I think it's on at the Old Market Hall in Shrewsbury early next month. I might catch The Death of Stalin before that, if thin..."
I think you’re a bit late Gordon. ;-)
I'm planning to see 'The Death of Stalin' soon - it opens on Friday. Looks like a hoot.Also want to see 'The Party'. Planning to go tomorrow.
Also want to see 'The Party'. Planning to go tomorrow."Looks good nc. Amusing review in 'Variety'.
A deliciously heightened, caviar-black comedy that sets up its brittle, bourgeois characters like bowling pins and gleefully knocks them down in 71 minutes flat. Slight and self-contained, it won’t go down in cinema history as anything but, perhaps, the most purely fun film ever made by peculiar British experimentalist Sally Potter.
Not sure about the 'purely fun' part; it was very funny, but the humour is pretty black, the satire sharp and biting. Great cast, Timothy Spall in particular is a joy. Recommended. Trailer here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-FuS....
Nice,I'm afraid I have to go see My little pony🦄
Aww, Anita, never mind, I'm sure it will have its moments :)
While 'The Death of Stalin ' is very funny, it does have bloodshed, death and torture, so to describe it as dark is selling it somewhat short. Of course it's not just about the Soviet Union in the fifties, it's about politics everywhere and at all times, including right here, right now.
Steve Buschemi is Kruschev, Simon Russell Beale is Beria, what more could you want? Essential viewing.
Here's the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPpXF...
"Call Me By Your Name" has had universally positive reviews, so even though I didn't really fancy it I went along to see what all the fuss was about. Should have trusted my instincts. Over two hours of rich intellectual Americans lolling around in a villa in Lombardy, oh dear. And had I known beforehand that bloody Sufjan Stevens was involved with the soundtrack I would have definitely have avoided it. Maybe it's just me.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9AYP...
Never knew you felt like that about Sufjan! Oh dear.
This might not fit comfortably into this thread but I didn't really want to start a separate one.Last weekend I re-watched John Huston's movie of James Joyce's The Dead. I love this film, although not quite as much as I adore the short-story collection, Dubliners, from which the story is taken.
It's eye-opening to look somewhere like IMDb and see quite how much a film like this polarizes opinion. There are several reviewers who state a belief that it's the best movie ever made; there are others who equally passionately state that it's the worst. And the same reviewers would probably have exactly opposite opinions about a movie like Captain America: Civil War. Looking at the reviews of The Dead reveals a very clear difference between people who look at a film in the same way they would look at a quite "literary" book and others who clearly would never read a book like Dubliners because they wouldn't see the point of it. Superficially (and I don't mean the term pejoratively), there is nothing to The Dead: no plot to speak of, no hero or villain, and definitely no action. But there is emotion (however strait-laced); there is humanity; there is endless being, behind and beyond the events of 6th January 1904.
I'm very aware of never having any interest in the produce of Hollywood. It's because I can't see these things in most movies: I can only see the action, the heroes/villains and the novelty-driven plot, and it all leaves me cold. Just as I can't see anything that interests me in blockbusters, so many keen movie fans can't see anything that interests them in groups of people sitting around a table and talking.
The fate of Michael Furey is very similar to - but more remote and very much more succinct than - the fate of Giles Winterbourne in Thomas Hardy's the Woodlanders. But The Dead got made into a wonderful film; Woodlanders got made into an absolute stinker (however beautiful you might find Rufus Sewell or Emily Woof), to my mind because the producers lost their nerve and tried to turn it into a film for people who don't like books.
Sorry, got to ramblin' a bit there.
That's OK, Gordon. Basically, 'The Dead' is a cracker, and 'Woodlanders is shite. Totally agree.
Recommending 'Battle of the Sexes' starring Emma Stone as Billie Jean King and Steve Carrell as Bobby Riggs, about their famous tennis match in the early 70s. Great fun, and jaw dropping sexism, although the way things are going with the present administration over there...
Me again. 'Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool' is the true story of the relationship between Gloria Graham and a young aspiring actor from Liverpool, Peter Turner. Annette Bening and Jamie Bell are terrific as the lovers, with Julie Walters and Kenneth Cranham as the working class Liverpudlian parents who took the presence of a Hollywood star in their home in their stride. Very touching. I cried.
nocheese wrote: "Me again. 'Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool' is the true story of the relationship between Gloria Graham and a young aspiring actor from Liverpool, Peter Turner. Annette Bening and Jamie Bell ar..."
I remember reading about it, my husband had a major crush on her and was really upset.
Looking on Wiki at the main cast list of 8, I see not one is from Liverpool. Even lovely Stephen Graham is from Kirkby. And what the hell is the dreaded Julie Walters doing in yet another Scouse part? Really insulting 😡
I've always thought her Scouse accent to be quite authentic? - and didn't Julie Walters spend a large part of the 70's working at the Everyman Theatre with Willy Russell and Alan Bleasdale?
Lez wrote: And what the hell is the dreaded Julie Walters doing in ..."Glad it's not just me that doesn't like "national treasure" Julie Walters. I find her very annoying. Oh, I also hate the term "national treasure" when applied to an actor/presenter/celebrity. Grrrr.
Helen, I sometimes think we could be bezzie mates!
😀
suzysunshine7 wrote: "I've always thought her Scouse accent to be quite authentic? - and didn't Julie Walters spend a large part of the 70's working at the Everyman Theatre with Willy Russell and Alan Bleasdale?"Suzy, yes she did, but the accent is very difficult to pick up especially when you start off with quite a strong Brummie one such as hers. Fail!
The best and almost faultless scouse accent I ever heard was by Robert Carlyle in Cracker. A lot of Scots seem to have the ability to both lose their own accent (David Tennant) and assume others.
Lez wrote: "Suzy, yes she did, but the accent is very difficult to pick up especially when you start off with quite a strong Brummie one such as hers. Fail!"Ahhh, so to an authentic Scouser then - Julie Walters Liverpudlian accent probably sounds a lot like Dick Van Dyke in his attempts at a Cockney accent in 'Mary Poppins'? ;o>
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Lez wrote: "Suzy, yes she did, but the accent is very difficult to pick up especially when you start off with quite a strong Brummie one such as hers. Fail!"Ahhh, so to an authentic Scouser then ..."
‘Fraid so!
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Ahhh, so to an authentic Scouser then - Julie Walters Liverpudlian accent probably sounds a lot like Dick Van Dyke in his attempts at a Cockney accent in 'Mary Poppins'? ;o> "I read recently that Dick Van Dyke was taught his mockney accent by an Irishman! Go figure, as they say. 😀
Apparently he was mortified and furious that no-one told him how bad he was at the time.
Hmmm? - I'm not sure that I'm quite buying into Dick Van Dyke putting all the blame on his Vocal Coach? I've seen him putting on various accents in his leading role on the TV Show 'Diagnosis Murder' and I've never thought that any of them were in any way believable! ;o>
Well I’ve never seen him or heard him so I can’t comment !
I have CBS Action on Channel 39 on Freeview and it has a lot of 'NCIS' and other Shows like 'Diagnosis Murder' on repeat, day in and day out - which I quite like as harmless and mildly interesting background TV if I'm having a bad day.Dick Van Dyke is in the lead role as Dr Mark Sloan playing alongside his real-life Son, Barry, as Lieutenant Detective Steve Sloan. Every episode tends to involve a murder that they both have to race against time to investigate and they often pretend to be someone else while undercover.
No matter who Dick Van Dyke pretends to be he is always so obviously still him - but it seems to pretty much be his own showcase of a TV Show and so he likes to use it to show off all of his acting, singing, dancing, magic, and instrument-playing skills in almost every episode ;o>
I think that he is a very good all-round performer but he can only really act as Dick Van Dyke in every role that he plays.
Hi Suzy, I had a long period of illness a while ago and ended up watching a lot of 'Diagnosis: Murder' episodes. I thought it was fab, totally hilarious, some episodes were quite farcical! Dick Van D was great and I got the impression that he wasn't taking himself too seriously. Another case of "so bad it's good" maybe? :-)
Exactly! - I think Dick Van Dyke really does excel at playing himself exceptionally well. I hope that you are recovering and feeling so much better in yourself now, Helen ... x x x ;o>
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Exactly! - I think Dick Van Dyke really does excel at playing himself exceptionally well. I hope that you are recovering and feeling so much better in yourself now, Helen ... x x x ;o>"Thanks, Suzy. The Forum Fairies inform me that you have been in hospital recently. I hope you make a good recovery and hope the operation has a positive effect in the long term.
It’s funny how being off sick colours your TV viewing. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but my 3 months off after my hysterectomy coincided with the start of Neighbours on BBC1 and I was immediatedly sucked in. Got hooked on the hilariously bad Sons & Daughters too. 😀
Ohhh, I went through a phase of watching 'Sons & Daughters' quite a few years ago now - and it is quite amazing as to just how addictive in viewing some of these TV Shows are, and especially if they are just so bad that they are also great entertainment ;o>I always adored 'Crossroads' for the very same reason - some episodes were just so bad (with no real story to them, pointless characters, such wooden acting, flimsy set walls wobbling, appalling background scenery, phones ringing completely off-cue, and lines clearly forgotten) that I would sit helplessly crying with laughter until my Nanna (an ardent fan) lost all of her patience with me being there and sent me out of the Room! ... HA HA HA!!!
I think that 'Crossroads' just must have been where Victoria Wood got the idea for her sketches of 'Acorn Antiques' from?!! ;o>
This is all much more to do with the TV thread really though (sorry everyone!) so perhaps I had better bring it back on track again - LOL! ... and ask (rather appropriately) has anyone seen 'The Room' which has been named as being one of the worst films ever made?
Only I see that a new film called 'The Disaster Artist' based on the making of 'The Room' is due to be released - and I've been reading up on the rather extraordinary Tommy Wiseau about whom so much has been guessed at and written about and yet so little is actually known. In fact, I'm not even sure if he knows who he really is, or his real age, or where he comes from either? - as he never seems to be able to tell the same story twice?! ;o>
They are showing 'The Room' at Glasgow Film Theatre to coincide with the release of 'The Disaster Artist', but shows are at 11.30pm. Apparently to be a fan of cult cinema you also have to be an insomniac.
I must admit that I'm very curious as to just how bad it really is? ;o>
Not available on DVD at the moment, but if the James Franco film proves to be a hit that could change. The trailer for 'The Disaster Artist' is very funny.Reading what you said about Tommy Wisneau made me wonder - has anyone ever seen him and Mortimer Chalfont in the same room together?
nocheese wrote: "Not available on DVD at the moment, but if the James Franco film proves to be a hit that could change. The trailer for 'The Disaster Artist' is very funny.Reading what you said about Tommy Wisnea..."
Bugger! You got there first!
nocheese wrote: "Reading what you said about Tommy Wisneau made me wonder - has anyone ever seen him and Mortimer Chalfont in the same room together? "Oooh?!! ;oO
mortimer chalfont was in the photograph, but tommy wisneau!
Just finished watching a rather ****ed up Yuletide movie "Better Watch Out". 'Twas quite enjoyable. Last Tuesday I had my yearly viewing of the creepily brilliant "Black Christmas". The original version of course. My Sister asked on the phone a couple of days back how I could watch such stuff!?! Simple...I love being scared. 😱
'Cheerfully unpleasant and bracingly nasty' according to Peter Bradshaw in the Guardian re 'Better Watch Out'. He loved it.
Must be good then, he usually gives 1 or 2 stars when he’s feeling generous!
Notre_Shuggie with :
"Yesterday, I saw Blade Runner 2049 at the cinema with a friend. It is an extraordinary film. No spoilers.
It is a blockbuster but it is almost as if someone gave an arthouse director a blank cheque. The special effects are so good nowadays that they seamlessly integrate with the film and you just accept them. The pace is measured and to my mind perfect, I imagine it will seem slow to some. This means there is time to set the scene and paint a proper picture of the future world.
The running time is 163 minutes plus the adverts, so over three hours in your seat. It wasn't an issue but I'd be wary of fluid intake, before taking your seat.
Is it a masterpiece? I don't know, it might be, it's too early to say. I think it is a better film than the original but lacks the originality, naturally. There are clever nods back to the first film and I felt the strong influence of Solaris and Stalker among others. Of the reviews I read prior to seeing it, the most accurate summation was, “it is the best sequel they could have made”.
Do see it on a really big screen with a modern sound system. I saw it in 2D as the IMAX was 3D only and I'm not a big fan, it makes everything too dark.
If you're tempted, I'd say go for it"