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Jayk Bakner
Haha, those're great quotes :biggrin: It's brilliantly funny that he kills people with totally random objects. I cracked up when he smashed the TV over Grocer's head. :biggrin:



Nope. There reference was....

*drumroll*

'One of my top 5 favourite movies'. From High Fidelity. If you haven't seen it, do! It's brilliant :biggrin:


Yeah I heard it's pretty good. Damn... Shall view, ta pal...

And yeah... That TV bit, with just "Popcorn..." slays me, I was on the floor for about 10 minutes first time I saw it, I had to pause the film I couldn't help it... Funny funny funny...

"Thanks for the pen Ken..." :p: lol
Reply 501
Has anyone seen Volver yet? still havn't got round to it:frown:
Nope, I haven't seen it.

Looks a bit, mehish...

I'm reviewing Dumplings now though:

Film: Dumplings

Liked:
A film that is generally aimed to make you cringe, and does it well
Excellent atmospheric direction
Sublime acting
Creepy themes, and damn shocking set pieces
Brilliant locations, and superb dialogue
Original beyond original. Honestly nothing else like it
Uncomparable to anything else.
Not just a film designed to shock, also contains depth in characters, and in themes in general.

Disliked:
Nothing wrong with it really. Maybe a bit too over-the-top. But really, I don't consider it a flaw, it's just a general trait of this type of film.
Puts contemporary Hollywood to shame, Not sure if that's bad though.
The DVD features could be better.

Rating out of 10:
9.5

WATCH IT!
Not for the squeamish
creamcrackered
Nope, I haven't seen it.

Looks a bit, mehish...

I'm reviewing Dumplings now though:

Film: Dumplings

Liked:
A film that is generally aimed to make you cringe, and does it well
Excellent atmospheric direction
Sublime acting
Creepy themes, and damn shocking set pieces
Brilliant locations, and superb dialogue
Original beyond original. Honestly nothing else like it
Uncomparable to anything else.
Not just a film designed to shock, also contains depth in characters, and in themes in general.

Disliked:
Nothing wrong with it really. Maybe a bit too over-the-top. But really, I don't consider it a flaw, it's just a general trait of this type of film.
Puts contemporary Hollywood to shame, Not sure if that's bad though.
The DVD features could be better.

Rating out of 10:
9.5

WATCH IT!
Not for the squeamish

Film
Enigma
Liked:biggrin:ougray Scott: yum :wink:
Disliked: the woman who played Claire, bit confusing cos im not a maths genius.
Rating : 8
unfinished sympathy
Film
Enigma
Liked:biggrin:ougray Scott: yum :wink:
Disliked: the woman who played Claire, bit confusing cos im not a maths genius.
Rating : 8


Why'd ya quote my post?

Is it contrast of review sizes :p: lol...
creamcrackered
Why'd ya quote my post?

Is it contrast of review sizes :p: lol...

:p: of course


nope sorry i just press tht to get to the bottom: no offence meant :p:
unfinished sympathy
:p: of course


nope sorry i just press tht to get to the bottom: no offence meant :p:


nah it's kewl... hence the :p: smilie :smile:

I like ya taste btw

:cool:
Reply 507
Okay, I haven't seen any new movies for AGES - no bleedin cinema for miles around here :mad: - but I just rewatched Serenity, and since no-one else has reviewed it, I have! Wahey!

Name of Film: Serenity (2005, Joss Whedon)

It's not everyday that I have my expectations completely blown away. And this movie came along and did it.

When I first heard of Serenity, back in early 2005, I was a little dubious about it. Particularly with the semi-corny internet banners, advertising it as 'this generation's Star Wars' and suggesting stereo-typical characters 'the fugitive, the pilot, the captain' etc. Now, I'm an enormous Star Wars fan, and almost EVERY movie this has been said about has been utterly awful. So I dismissed Serenity almost immediately. Then, one gloomy weekend in late 2005, I decided to go to the cinema to see something. The only thing on? Serenity. So I bought my ticket and headed in.

I wasn't too impressed in the beginning, the acting of the main ensemble seemed a little forced, even with the impressive long cut that introduces us to them. But it only got better. They fell into their characters perfectly, and as the movie progressed, they display a brilliant array of emotions; humour, hopelessness, the whole works! And the action! What action! The three major fist fights were some of the most visceral I had seen all year (this was a year with Batman Begins and Ong Bak, just so you know!). The chase scene was just exhilarating, and the space battle at the very least equals anything put out by a certain sextet of films set in a galaxy far, far away. The occasional bit of gun play was well placed, and played out in a very entertaining manner.

Other great things; the dialogue. Some truly classic lines; perfectly delivered by the cast. It's typical Whedon dialogue; snappy, witty and full of cultural references - both obscure and trivial - and it's all brilliantly delivered by the cast. Even some of the cornier lines are delivered in such a way that you can't help but grin, because it just feels right for the situation. Also, the story, whilst a little bit convoluted - you do have to stay awake and keep up - was fantastic, if only a little bit clichéd.

Next, the special effects. Whilst they're by no means fantastic - this is a character and story piece, and thus the focus isn't on them - they are pretty decent. I loved the way that they had an almost hand-held feeling about them, as if they were actually happening, and there was a guy with a camera trying to catch it all on tape. They just felt so real, and the characters blended in perfectly.

I only have two gripes with the movie. First off, the performances of the main ensemble start of VERY slow, and it feels a little awkward right at the start of the movie. The other is that, as I said, the story is a little bit confusing, and it does require 2 viewings to fully get what's going on.

So, all-in-all, I'd thoroughly recommend this film to anyone, as it has everything; humour, drama and action! What more could you need!

Rating Out of 10: 8
Reply 508
Has anyone seen 'Click' ? Adam Sandler and Kate Beckinsale. I thought it would be a good film to watch in the evening for some light humour, but ended up nearly tragic, and quite deeply moving at times, whilst maintaining its humourous side. I thorougly enjoyed it, and thought it raised some very good issues in a manner that made you think about them in a strong way, but still allowed you to fully enjoy the film as a piece of entertainment.

The ending was inevitable, although I thought it would be done differently, and for a few minutes, I did think that it wouldn't happen. . .

When I saw posters of it etc. I thought it would be a good one to watch when a friends got the DVD in a few years time, but it proved very good, and I'm glad I've watched it now!


The other film I saw lately was 'Hidden'. French film ('Cache'), that I found rather dissapointing. there was no pace, and what little supsense that there was seemed to discharge very rapidly. And there is no conclusion at the end (although you need to pay attention at the end frame, to see what certain two people are doing - or rather, who those two are. It changes your view on the entire thing). Frankly, I found it a waste of time.
Volver.

Pedro Almodovar’s 2004 Hitchcockian effort, Bad Education, proved to be a polarizing force. Volver found plaudits amongst nearly every critic, and that is because amongst the father-stabbing, singalongs and appearances of ghosts, Almodovar has truly found his niche.




Penelope Cruz plays the put-upon mother Raimunda, who, straight after attending the dusty town of La Mancha to attend to her mother’s grave, finds herself husbandless, thanks to her own daughter. So far, so convoluted. But there’s more. Her sister, Sole (Lola Deunas) thinks she’s seeing the ghost of her dead mother, and their friend Augustina tries to find out the truth about her own mother, before time runs out and cancer gets the best of her.

In his deftly-weaved, beautifully portrait of the fairer sex, Almodovar’s touches are bold and brilliant, every scene resonating a vibrancy and unforgettable soul that is very appealing. In the lead role, Penelope Cruz gives one of the best performances of the year. As Raimunda, she is outspoken, risk-taking, and harbours a troubled secret about her daughter. The plot turns, suffice to say are as audacious as that of any Alomodovarian plot, but Volver impacts for its huge heart. You will love this women and care about their every move.

The melodramatic, offbeat style that the film is made suits it perfectly, and Cruz, Duenas, Maura and Portillo give performances that impress and involve. Although the film, written specially for Cruz, essentially belongs to her and the independent, individual character of Raimunda, Maura, as the ghostly figure of her mother, is sad and funny, and perfectly in control of a performance that could easily slip into farce. Portillo is as impressive, and in a key scene involving a decision made on live TV, every nuance of her acting is effective in the heart-wrenching scene.

Regular Almodovar collaborator, Alberto Iglesias, tunes his musical skills to perfection, and, through guitar solos and frames saturated with colour, Almodovar’s canny direction shines. He presents us a story as big-hearted and loving as many you’re likely to find this year, and, despite there being some shocking plot twists, you’ll still come out of Volver with a positive outlook on life. There’s a lot of ground covered here, from severing drinks to parental atonement, but every scene has something great to it, thanks to a lovely screenplay that is by turns witty, bright, disturbing and heartbreaking. Mature, beautifully told and wonderfully acted, Volver is worth returning to.
The Queen.

On the 1st of September 1997, the world saw tragedy. In the turmoil that followed, Princess Diana’s death was blamed on the Media, the driver, and an entire array of others, before the upset and ill-meant malaise of the public was turned sneeringly to the Royal Family. In this film, we get a glimpse of what life was like inside Buckingham Palace, and whether The Queen (played here by Helen Mirren) was being cold and uncaring, or, if she was the one who was suffering most of all.

Director Stephen Frears recreates one week in 1997 with intelligent, deft strokes. The presentation of Princess Diana is artfully done in news snippets and archive footage, which brilliantly demonstrates the high impact her being had on people. The design of The Queen’s home and her surroundings are convincing without being overly showy, and the Alexandre Desplat score is by turns dark, sad, and grand, perfectly summarizing the mindset of those involved.

But the film belongs to Helen Mirren, who takes on of her most challenging roles and showing us that behind the Queen lay a person, and one with feelings. In her role as the reigning lady, she is the epitome of suppressed disappointment and hurt. The Queen chose not to make a parade of her feelings in response to Diana’s death, and, though the nation hated her for it, we learn here that it is not because she did not care, but because she honestly thought it the right thing to do.





As a young and newly elected Tony Blair with big aspirations and an even bigger grin, Michael Sheen is freakishly good as the Prime Minister. His performance shows a likable side of the prime minister in his refusal to side with the public over the denouncement of The Queen for her actions, and his attempts to make The Queen limit the damage that she has made is the basis for a very insightful story.

Other delights in this film come in some high-brow one-liners and some other good performances, but the best thing about it is how it manages to make you think, and even empathise with a group of people that you never saw yourself giving a toss about. At under 100 minutes, The Queen is funny, pointed and highly intelligent, showing that, as always, there are two sides to every story.
Reply 511
Name of Film: Clerks II (Kevin Smith, 2006)

Clerks was one of those movies that snuck up on us; no-one really expected it to be quite as good as it actually was. The fact that it was so brilliant in it's mundanity was just such a shock that it spawn a plethora of imitators. It was offensive, rude and often just plain vulgar, and it's was, in a word, genius.

And now, here it is, the ultimate in imitators; a sequel!!

And...it's pretty ****ing good. Okay, so it's not exactly cinematic gold - comedies of this class seldom are, but there's life for you - but it is pretty entertaining. For starters, it doesn't change the formula...much. What it does do is show that they've grown, so to speak; older, wiser, more articulate and hundreds of other ways. And this just makes it that much funnier, seeing as they're essentially talking about exactly the same stuff, but with an expanded vocabulary!

From the cutting remarks about Lord of the Rings - the whole trilogy simplified into 'just ****ing walking!' was rather inspired - to them still arguing about Star Wars, it all is scripted brilliantly by Smith, and in such a way that you totally understand why they're still talking about this ultimately pointless crap. And Smith just has a way with swearing that makes it almost rythmic, almost...lyrical - you can see it throughout all of the View Askewniverse movies, but it's particularly evident here, because the movie is basically nothing but talk. And it just flows together so well that you barely register that it's possibly some of the most offensive sentiments that anyone could possibly think of, simply because you're laughing so hard.

The actors are all great too; but we already knew that already; Brian o'Halloran is still wonderfully deadpan as Dante, and Jeff Anderson is in parts vulgar and even more abrasive as he always was. The two new additions are also well cast, and rather amusing in their own way; the new kid Elias is particularly great as the Rings nerd who clashes with Randall the whole time, and Rosario Dawson's Becky brings a little glamour to the ensemble.

Basically, this movie is pretty funny but almost certainly won't be to everyone's taste. If you like snappy wisecracks, plenty of cunningly placed profanity and a little gross-out humour, this is your bag and more. If you don't, this'll offend the crap out of you to the point where you may have to pull a Jerry Siegel and storm out. But do have a look if it is your thing, you certainly won't be disappointed.

Rating Out of 10:
7
Name of the Film: Poseidon (2006)

What you liked about the film: It stuck with most of the original plot which I'm so happy about,they didn't just put rubbish things that popped into their heads! If you've ever watched the first one (i have,loads of times!) you'll be impressed and content with this remake.

Spoiler



What you disliked about the film: It was good! Nothing disappointing..shame they couldn't use some more bits from the original but it was good :biggrin: although i did hate the girl that they had to keep forcing to move because she was scared :mad: was very annoying,but envoked reaction from the viewer,so pretty good i guess. :smile:

Rating out of 10: 8 :biggrin:
Reply 513
All the reviews made while i was away for two weeks have been added. :smile:
Jayk Bakner
Okay, I haven't seen any new movies for AGES - no bleedin cinema for miles around here :mad: - but I just rewatched Serenity, and since no-one else has reviewed it, I have! Wahey!

Name of Film: Serenity (2005, Joss Whedon)

It's not everyday that I have my expectations completely blown away. And this movie came along and did it.

When I first heard of Serenity, back in early 2005, I was a little dubious about it. Particularly with the semi-corny internet banners, advertising it as 'this generation's Star Wars' and suggesting stereo-typical characters 'the fugitive, the pilot, the captain' etc. Now, I'm an enormous Star Wars fan, and almost EVERY movie this has been said about has been utterly awful. So I dismissed Serenity almost immediately. Then, one gloomy weekend in late 2005, I decided to go to the cinema to see something. The only thing on? Serenity. So I bought my ticket and headed in.

I wasn't too impressed in the beginning, the acting of the main ensemble seemed a little forced, even with the impressive long cut that introduces us to them. But it only got better. They fell into their characters perfectly, and as the movie progressed, they display a brilliant array of emotions; humour, hopelessness, the whole works! And the action! What action! The three major fist fights were some of the most visceral I had seen all year (this was a year with Batman Begins and Ong Bak, just so you know!). The chase scene was just exhilarating, and the space battle at the very least equals anything put out by a certain sextet of films set in a galaxy far, far away. The occasional bit of gun play was well placed, and played out in a very entertaining manner.

Other great things; the dialogue. Some truly classic lines; perfectly delivered by the cast. It's typical Whedon dialogue; snappy, witty and full of cultural references - both obscure and trivial - and it's all brilliantly delivered by the cast. Even some of the cornier lines are delivered in such a way that you can't help but grin, because it just feels right for the situation. Also, the story, whilst a little bit convoluted - you do have to stay awake and keep up - was fantastic, if only a little bit clichéd.

Next, the special effects. Whilst they're by no means fantastic - this is a character and story piece, and thus the focus isn't on them - they are pretty decent. I loved the way that they had an almost hand-held feeling about them, as if they were actually happening, and there was a guy with a camera trying to catch it all on tape. They just felt so real, and the characters blended in perfectly.

I only have two gripes with the movie. First off, the performances of the main ensemble start of VERY slow, and it feels a little awkward right at the start of the movie. The other is that, as I said, the story is a little bit confusing, and it does require 2 viewings to fully get what's going on.

So, all-in-all, I'd thoroughly recommend this film to anyone, as it has everything; humour, drama and action! What more could you need!

Rating Out of 10: 8




hey jsut out of interest have you ever watched FIREFLY? if not then i reccommend that you do!

It is the sereis that is all about the ship Serentity and it's crew.. mal, hayley etc. In fact Serenity was not meant to be made, ifirefly was suppsoed to have a second season instead.
Reply 515
Amzybaby24
hey jsut out of interest have you ever watched FIREFLY? if not then i reccommend that you do!

It is the sereis that is all about the ship Serentity and it's crew.. mal, hayley etc. In fact Serenity was not meant to be made, ifirefly was suppsoed to have a second season instead.


*ahem*

I'd like to draw your attention to the userbar in my sig; watch it very closely, and eventually you'll spot summat interesting :biggrin:

I also used to have 'Browncoat Extraordinaire' as my subtitle too....but my sub ran out :frown:

Anyways; yes...yes I have watched Firefly. Many times :biggrin: MANY many times!

I just wanted to do the review as unbiased as possible - which is no mean feat, considering I love Serenifly - so that people could read it and say 'Hmm, this doesn't sound like your average fanboy rant; I might actually go see this movie' :biggrin:
Film: The Devil Wears Prada

Liked: Just about everything really. Fabulous acting from everyone - Meryl Streep is tremendous at playing the cold, unsympathetic Miranda and Anne Hathaway was fantastic too. I also liked how the ending, whilst happy, was not as cheesy and clichéd as I thought it was going to be.

Disliked: The fact that 10 minutes into the film I desperately needed a wee and couldn't find a suitable point during the film at which to leave the cinema to go...

Rating: 9
Walk the Line.

Before watching this film, I had my doubts. Johnny Cash is one of my favourite country singers, nay, singers of all time, and I was unsure as whether, as with other mediocre biopics, namely the flashy Ray, could do him enough justice. As it turned out, Johnny gets the film he deserves, and, what’s more, Walk the Line got me extremely interested in the work of his wife, June Carter Cash.

Covering 20 years of his life, including Cash’s rise into fame and delve into near-self-destruction, James Mangold concentrates on the key things in his life – his music, the drugs, and his all-consuming, untameable love for the very special June Carter Cash. It is as a romance that Walk the Line truly shines. In real life, Johnny and June didn’t get together until 20 years since their first meeting, and that they could wait that long for each other, is quite poignant.

Holding the film together are the Oscar-nominated and Oscar-winning figures of Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, and their chemistry pretty much carries the film. When they’re together, they both dazzle, gelling perfectly, whether it’s a bout of verbal jesting, they’re doing a duet, or just chatting. Phoenix captures the tortured soul of Cash eloquently in one of his finest performances, and one that exudes that dangerous yet enthralling edge of danger present in Cash. His singing voice resembles that of Cash’s, yet he never resorts to downright imitation, which only adds to the viewing pleasure.

But the shining star of the film is Reese Witherspoon, as June Carter Cash. She plays the singer-songwriter-country music star that grabbed the attentions of Johnny Cash, but proved a hard win, forcing him to quit his narcotic dependence and violent self-destruction before she’d consider him. Although many have disliked Witherspoon’s work her, I simply adore it. She makes June a truly memorable, Crouchesque, person. For the audience, she can be goofy and loveable, but alone, with Johnny, she displays a vulnerable side. Witherspoon here radiates a strong, feminist, yet effortlessly loveable vibe, and every scene she appears in, she steals.

The look and feel of Johnny’s time are captured well in the set design and T-Bone Burnett guitar-led score, and the costumes are nothing short of sublime. The dressing of Cash is inspired, but it is June’s clothes – floral print, pink, domestic, or snazzy, that, again, steal the show. Each of Reese’s costumes captures the mood of her characters.

There’s also great fun to be had in the musical numbers. Ring of Fire and Jukebox Blues allow the audience to get their toes tapping, but my favourite number is the performance of Jackson, where their unmatched chemistry is showcased in one of my favourite songs of all-time. Like the film, this song is entertaining, sweet, and more intelligent than frequently given credit for.
Not much to say but I will quick a quick heads up on 2 films that I think are among the best ever made - both wonderuflly creatove.

City of God - portuguese langauge (made in Brazil) film about gang warefare in brazilian slums. Great in every way - this film really takes you by the balls and its quite alarming the simialrites I see in this film and in real life - tho to a lesser extent.

Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind - another really creative film with a good storyline. I also recommedn Adaptation, which is made by the same screenwriter.

Both excellent films, 9/10 for both.

http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0317248/
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0338013/
Reply 519
Name of Film: The Departed (Martin Scorsese, 2006)

Martin Scorsese! The greatest director never to win an Oscar? Or overrated, homophobic trash-monger? You hear a lot of things thrown about concerning the mono-browed director. But whatever is said about him, he's delivered something special with The Departed.

Essentially an 'adaptation' - I'm tentative to use 'remake', for reasons discussed later - of a hugely succesful Hong Kong cop thriller, Infernal Affairs. The action takes place in Boston, USA, and follows two men - Leo DiCaprio as Billy Costigan and Matt Damon as Colin Sullivan - from opposite sides of the law. Costigan is a cop (of sorts) who goes into deep cover in the Boston Irish Mafia; Sullivan is a mafia plant within the Police Force itself. And basically, they're assigned to find out each-other's identities.

What follows is a fantastically tense movie; masterfully directed by Scorsese in such a visceral and epic manner that you just get caught up in it all. Honestly, I couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen - despite it being just over two-and-a-half hours long! It's truly an achievement that Scorsese is able to hold a movie-goer's attention for such time; all the characters are compelling, the plot twists and turns, and goes through a fantastic series of close calls before reaching it's more than a little bit iconic showdown.

Another surprise is the quality of the performances; in particular, that of the two central leads. DiCaprio simmers brilliantly as the troubled police mole Costigan - whose position means he has absolutely no idea who to trust, and DiCaprio capitalises on this fact by infusing Costigan with an incredible sense of desperation, both to retain his own identity and to find out Sullivan's. Damon (a few odd accent moments aside) is in parts evil little **** and enigmatic young detective; balancing the two aspects of his character brilliantly. Jack Nicholson devours scenery as the ridiculously - occasionally hilariously - malicious Frank Costello, juggling the more humorous parts of the character perfectly with a mean streak a mile wide, and relative newcomer Vera Farmiga brings a touch of sass to the ensemble, with her sensuous police psychiatrist Madolyn becoming romantically involved with both protagonists.

But the true star of the show is Mark Wahlberg - which is a shock to say the least. He's only got a supporting role, but he grabs it with both hands and wrings it for all he's worth. He's on screen with such quality actors as Nicholson, Martin Sheen and Alec Baldwin, and his brash, foul-mouthed portrayal of Dectective Dignam - one of Costigan's handlers - drags your eye straight to him. That and he gets some of the best lines in the film - 'Maybe...maybe not. Maybe **** yourself!' being one of my favoured examples (you'll get it if you watch it).

Now, 'remake'. I said I didn't like using that term to describe this particular film, instead preferring 'adaptation'. This is because, whilst it does share major plot-points with Infernal Affairs, it is vastly different in it's handling. Infernal Affairs is a ridiculously serious, slow-paced cop thriller, whereas The Departed - whilst not exactly light-hearted - is a lot less serious, and there are actual some geniunely funny - occasionally in a bizarre, slightly twisted way - moments. It's also a lot faster in pace - despite the 150-minute running time - and all these things means it views as almost a completely different film.

Basically, this is a damn fine film. It's in parts nerve-wrackingly tense, thrillingly exciting and funny in the kind of way that you know you really shouldn't be laughing, and it all comes together beautifully. I honestly couldn't recommend this film more, both to fans of Infernal Affairs, and to newcomers to the series.It's by no means ground-breaking, nor highly original, but it is an entertaining piece of film-making that you should definitely check out if you can!

Rating out of 10: 9

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