Previously home to the film club - now it's all about the reviews!

[happygooner]

Sicko

Another documentary by the infamous Michael Moore who probably does more to get peoples back up than than anybody you could think of.

But as one sided as his docs are at times it's hard to argue with the facts and even the most heavy of cynics should find it hard to dismiss as total one sided propaganda.

We in the UK may have an NHS with some serious faults but at least we actually have one. And while we moan about being in casualty for the greater part of the day or having to wait almost an hour for our GP, perhaps we should bear in mind, and be thankful for, the concrete fact we will never have to choose which of two fingers we can afford to save.

We will never have to wait and wait for a perfect bone marrow donor only to be told when one comes up, that the procedure is expiremental and therefore not worth carrying out.

We will never lose a loved one because the medical insurance board deemed fit to deny what is needed in order to save that person.

We will never be turned out on to the street in nothing more than a hospital gown because we can't pay for the medical assistance that is required.

We will never be rushed away in an ambulance only to be presented with a huge bill on waking up because we hadn't pre-approved the ride beforehand.

On the other hand if I am to believe everything here, those frenchies have it far too good!

5 weeks minimum holiday, extra days paid for moving house, goverment help for new mums.....the list supposedly goes on in respect of the benefits they enjoy!!

I'm living in the wrong god damned country

[billy the punter]

Best film I've seen recently was I'm Not Scared or Io Non Ho Paura, as it's called in Italy.

Now don't panic, I'm not one of those who overrates foreign films in order to appear clever.

This is just a great film. Good story, good characters, good acting, good setting, great cinematography, great direction - no CGI's.

If you're not really a fan of mainstream Hollywood blockbusters then this is worth checking out. Ideal for your film club.

[happygooner]

Originally Posted by billy the punter

Best film I've seen recently was I'm Not Scared or Io Non Ho Paura, as it's called in Italy.

Now don't panic, I'm not one of those who overrates foreign films in order to appear clever.

This is just a great film. Good story, good characters, good acting, good setting, great cinematography, great direction - no CGI's.

If you're not really a fan of mainstream Hollywood blockbusters then this is worth checking out. Ideal for your film club.

Agreed, very good film

[happygooner]

Just to add to that I think most world cinema is head and shoulders above what we are served up in the mainstream as far as fresh new ideas are concerned. The reason so many top foreign films are picked up by lazy mainstream brands and Americanised (not to say that some of the remakes such as departed and pretty good in their own right).

There is always room for silly meaningless popcorn fodder though so I could never be classed as a film snob

[TheRat]

Well, I watched 3 films yesterday

Wall-E - New pixar film. On imdb as the 19th best film ever , usually happens with films early with studios voting etc but this has a lot of votes already! Very good, animation is superb and worth watching just for this. Hardly much dialogue and usually with these Pixar films you know the story before you get in. However this is different this time. Good story, superb animation and certainly worth a look. Far from the top 20 films ever though imo!

Mutant Chronicles - Went on imdb after and it got pretty slated. But for me was a good action/gore fest. Was pretty non stop. Did exactly what you want from a film like this. Effects left a little to be desired at times but leave your brain at the door and you will like it. Plenty of films like this I hate, even non stop action film usually as well, tired and boring, but it may have just been me but enjoyed this one.

Cassandras Dream - Woody Allen, not a fan of his, but really liked Match Point. This was decent, ok plot, but at the end you just felt it was missing something. Wrth a watch imo. McGregor and Farrell are 2 brothers who have ambitions but are stuck in a rut. They have a rich uncle who they always ask for help but when he asks them to do him a favour it changes their lives.

[happygooner]

Eastern Promises

Now I don't know about others but generally speaking when I have what looks to be a tough and gritty film such as this kicking around it tend to kick around for a few days as I have to be in the right mood to watch.

After putting it off and putting it off I finally stuck it in the DVD player last night and after all that was hooked pretty soon into proceedings.

So to use a pun, Eastern Promises seemed full of much early promise

Vigo Mortensen's character was excellent as a driver for Russian mob in London who played his cards extremely close to his chest and who you felt just may be hiding something.

After a very grisly beginning the film picks up following a young Russian girl who appears to be in some distress as she walks into a pharmacy asking for help and promptly faints. The girl is rushed to hospital where she gives birth to a baby and then dies.

From here on in a diary that the girl had in her possession leads a young nurse (Naomi Watts) into the dark underbelly of a horrible secret that for one person is worth protecting.

All that sounds great right....and it is.....to a point.

Won't spoil it but kind of fizzles out with no real conclusion.

Some great scenes though, not least a very undignified and bloody fight, so certainly worth a watch

[TheRat]

Yea I liked Eastern Promises, but ending was fairly disappointing

[happygooner]

Shoot Em Up

Leave your brain at the door and sit mouth aghast at all the wonderful ways in which bad guys are disposed of. I'll never look at carrots the same way again

Gun play is simply awesome and stunts/action while ridiculously unbelievable is pretty amazing to watch.

Monica Bellucci is seriously fit and there is a most unique shoot out where she appears sans clothes.

4/5

[TheRat]

Though Shoot em Up was shit. Not even leave your brain at the door!
Monica though! Something else, Irreversible is the one (not the rape scene, the end!)

[happygooner]

Originally Posted by TheRat

Though Shoot em Up was shit. Not even leave your brain at the door!
Monica though! Something else, Irreversible is the one (not the rape scene, the end!)

Ah can't agree mate. This film felt like a guilty pleasure

Not sure I remember the end scene in Irreversible as all I can think of is the horrific scenes at the beginning

[TheRat]

Just her naked on a bed

[Dodger]

Just going to run through all the films I've watched in the last few weeks with very brief opinion:

Superhero Movie: about three films too far from the Scary Movie team. No originality. 2/10

Shutter: Formulaic Ring style horror. Nothing special. 5/10

The Host: Monster flick from South Korea. This is straight into my top films list. Plenty of humour, great monster graphics and it gets straight into the action. Good film. 8/10

The Eye: Worth watching for Miss Alba alone.
Enjoyed this one and jumped several times! Good ending too.
7/10

21: I was disappointed with this as it didn't concentrate on the game itself enough and I started losing interest well before the end. 5/10

Diary of the Dead: A must for zombie fans...the latest in George Romero's list of gory horror films. 7/10

Spiderwick Chronicles: Fantasy stuff. If you like Jumanji then you'll like this...I did. 7/10

[TheRat]

Saw the new Liam Neeson film last night- Taken
Excellent action film written by Luc Besson. Plot is similar to Man on Fire. He is an ex spy whose daughter gets abducted and he goes after them. don't like giving too much of the plot away but that is it in its essence.
Action in it is top notch and the 90 minutes just flew by. Definatly one to watch

Also saw a film this morning called The Wackness. Sort of coming of age film about a drug dealer in New York in 1994. Sir Ben Kingsley is quality in it and people saying he should get an Oscar nomination for his supporting role. Some very funny moments too and a good tale

Gave both 8/10 on imdb

[happygooner]

Originally Posted by Dodger

The Host: Monster flick from South Korea. This is straight into my top films list. Plenty of humour, great monster graphics and it gets straight into the action. Good film. 8/10

Quality film

[happygooner]

Just watched 'Land of the Blind' with Donald Sutherland and Ralph Fienes.

Can't possibly begin to explain what it's about as the film has left me fairly confused by the end of it all. One of those where I immediately go on to imdb to check out other peoples interpretations.

TheRat, give it a watch and let me know what you think.

I'd say I was disappointed by the end but then that would oversimplify things and this probably deserves a little more thought

[TheRat]

Will look out for it man

Currently battering the series "The Wire". It's quality!

Watched a decent film last night though called The Babysitters. Worth a watch

[happygooner]

Coming thick and fast on a weekend of nothing to do but drink, gamble and watch films.

Just finished 'Death Sentence' with Kevin Bacon which is a pretty entertaining revenge film.

Average Joe gets everything he cares about taken from him and goes seriously vigilante

[happygooner]

And 'Numb' was pretty good too when it finally finished downloading. Very sweet film which stayed away from the usual sentimental cliched guidebook for romcoms and was genuinely funny as well as moving.

Didn't know what 'depersonalisation' was before I watched but either way I'm glad it doesn't effect me

[ubermonkey1]

just seen a film that i'd never heard of before and it's excellent

it's called we are marshall and its about a college football team that has all bar one or 2 of its players/coaches killed in an air crash (true story btw)
the film is mainly about the year after trying to rebuild etc and the emotional trauma of those left.
the football scenes are very good and the cast is also excellent

definately recommend it ,better have some tissues ready tho

[happygooner]

Originally Posted by ubermonkey1

just seen a film that i'd never heard of before and it's excellent

it's called we are marshall and its about a college football team that has all bar one or 2 of its players/coaches killed in an air crash (true story btw)
the film is mainly about the year after trying to rebuild etc and the emotional trauma of those left.
the football scenes are very good and the cast is also excellent

definately recommend it ,better have some tissues ready tho

Watched this a while ago. Enjoyable enough and quite sad, especially as it actually happened.