Films

[Mike Channin]

Can't believe this thread is still going strong...

[Stan]

Hey Mike, long time no see. Hows things going?
(Yes I know its off topic but....)

[jbh]

Recently seen:

Avatar - loved it for the imagery, the main theme is a little weak and overplayed but the sheer visual spectacular made up for that

Burn After Reading - (I think thats what it was called) Total doggy doos, the worst film I have seen for a long time

Taken - watched it a couple of times - first time I loved it. The second Liam is a little less convincing. I can feel a third viewing coming on - it can't be that bad then

Transiberian - Slow but holds up well.

The Curious case of Benjamin Button - Not at all bad

Twilight - Enjoyable

Surveillance - It must be difficult for this type of film to escape predictability but this just about pulls it off - good movie

The Spirit - Not good

[Stan]

Saw the Lovely Bones yesterday - good film from the team who brought us Lord of the Rings.
I was short of something to do ealier in the week and went to see Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief - to be avoided at all costs - utter crap.

[JonathanA]

Saw 'The Young Victoria' last night. Very nicely done and seemed to me to be historically accurate (although my A level history is something of a distant memory by now), most enjoyable.

[stumpy]

I dont go to the pics very often cant stand the munching etc.
But braved it for Avatar which was very entertaining in the visual at least
and Invictus which was totally absorbing and well put over, and some very good acting to boot.

[Daffy]

Kick-Ass. Excellent. Unfortunately there is no smilie for how I feel... Middle kid says "It's awesome". (But she can be a bit blood thirsty! )

[Stan]

Just been to see Iron Man 2. If you liked the first one you will enjoy the 2nd one. Enjoyable escapism

[Thomas W-P]

Hoping to go to that next week.

We took the kids to Nanny McPhee 2 the other day which was very silly and fun for them.

Then on Saturday we saw "How To Train Your Dragon" which was great although completely different to the book (one of those funny ones where they take the names of the characters, the setting and change EVERYTHING else. e.g. in the book, the dragons are the Viking's pets and you come of age by training one (hence "How To Train Your Dragon"), in the film they are the Viking's mortal enemies and you come of age by killing one.) But it was fun if a little formulaic. I'd like to have seen it in 3D.

[plummy]

Iron Man 2 - enjoyed quite a lot (harmless fun, please disengage brain before entering though). Mickey Rourke made a "good" baddie

An Education - very well acted but not my cup of tea

Twilight - New Moon - one of the most boring films I've ever watched, sheer tedium.

Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus - sorry, but didn't work at all for me. Heath Ledger was awesone in the Dark Knight but this film does nothing other than have handful of clever bits of vivid imagination.

Plummy

[Stan]

Saw the new Robin Hood film last night. Very very good. I gather Russell Crow had a row with an interviewer about his "Irish" accent. Have to say I didnt recognise his accent which did seem to vary through the film, but it definitely wasnt Irish.

[jainser]

Saw the new Robin Hood film last night. Very very good. I gather Russell Crow had a row with an interviewer about his "Irish" accent. Have to say I didnt recognise his accent which did seem to vary through the film, but it definitely wasnt Irish.

Went to see it myself during the week and felt a little let down. Think I expected more with the Scott / Crowe team. Good film, don't get me wrong but I won't be adding it to my DVD collection.

[billwright]

I'm waiting for Toy Story 3. Apparently the last 15 mins makes grown men cry.

Bill

[webberg]

I've seen Robin Hood and can't say that I'll be buying the DVD.

I thought that it varied from the poorly acted to the ridiculous.

When the final battle was fought and a woman leads a bunch of children on ponies, clutching sticks, into a fight with armoured, experienced solders, - and won -

Did see an old film on DVD the other night that I can recommend. Last King of Scotland. Bit old now but pretty gripping.

[Thomas W-P]

I agree about Robin Hood. What a ridiculous story. And stupid plot holes. e.g. how did King John suddenly know Robin was not who he said he was? And how come Richard died?! etc. etc. And the accent was far worse than I was expecting.

I have discovered Firefly here - an old US series about cowboys in space. Hard to describe, brilliant but canned after 14 episodes. They finished it off with a film though - Serenity. Well worth seeking out if you like sci-fi though definitely watch the series before the film.

[webberg]

Has anybody here seen the Eclipse film?

In my defence, I have not, but I was forced to take my 13 year old daughter and her friends. Asking them afterwards about it was a waste of time becaus eit had reduced them to dribbling wrecks.

(A bit like her Dad is after any session on the ergo these days)

I'm told that it is the best of the three films to date in this franchise. Having suffered only the first one though, I can't see that it sets the bar very high.

I did suggest that it was a chick flic but my daughter made me smile by saying that it's more like a PEC flic.

Any reviews?

[plummy]

None that I know of - but if it's twice as good as the last one it'll still be the most tedious film ever (er, except for the second one, which would, er, be twice as tedious again).

If all you want to do is look at PEC's girls, stay at home, save your cash and use Google or similar

Plummy

[cweed]

My girls "had" to see Eclispe on opening night. I took them and watched. I did not dislike it but I was in a post accident sleep deprived stupor and confess I nodded off a few times. I did not think it was awful but no one here has asked to see it again, where as they went to the first one about 3 times. Read the books, those are good.

Robin Hood was far more tedious than Eclipse for me....how could a film with Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett go so wrong!?!?

Bill they are right about the last 15 min of Toy Story 3. Took the little ones on Sunday and it was really good.

My older girls and nieces when to see Airbender and they were very unenthusiastic about it. I think their review was something to the effect of "well there might be a worse movie out there."

[plummy]

Here's an odd little film I quite enjoyed last night - MicMacs

It's a French film with subtitles by Jean-pierre Jeunet. Visually a treat, very quirky and funny with it (and with a subtle, serious underbelly message). Not one for the family to sit and enjoy necessarily but great if you want something just "different"

Plummy

[Jon]

Here's an odd little film I quite enjoyed last night - MicMacs

It's a French film with subtitles by Jean-pierre Jeunet. Visually a treat, very quirky and funny with it (and with a subtle, serious underbelly message). Not one for the family to sit and enjoy necessarily but great if you want something just "different"

Plummy

I love French films, I'll look out for that on Lovefilm to which I subscribe.

A couple we watched a year or two back which we loved were 'Le Closet' and 'Dinner Des Cons'. Both comedies and both hilarious (but with a typical French, intelligent twist) .

[plummy]

Went to see Predators last night. Mentally set the expectation bar at a low level and to be honest it cleared it quite well. Cheesy and cliched with script borrowed in places from other films (at one point I actually said the words under my breath ahead of the character saying them) - but, overall didn't feel I'd wasted my money and judging by the ending, await the next sequel (to the sequel, to the sequel........)

Plummy

[Jon]

I remember enjoying the first Predator film when I was about 16, in Salford Quays

Unfortunately in Shropshire, we're a little behind.... I think we're up to Rambo last time I checked (broadcast in a barn)!

[Mat]

Unfortunately in Shropshire, we're a little behind.... I think we're up to Rambo last time I checked (broadcast in a barn)!

I may have to nip over the border - they've only just shown "First Blood" here - that's the first one of course, where he goes to Vietnam to rescue everyone. I wonder what happens in the second one?

[Jon]

I'm going to spoil it for you, he takes on the whole Afghan army and rescues a bunch of heroes (I think) with some dodgy special effects along the way. Classic stuff and cutting edge!

[jainser]

Went to see Predators last night. Mentally set the expectation bar at a low level and to be honest it cleared it quite well. Cheesy and cliched with script borrowed in places from other films (at one point I actually said the words under my breath ahead of the character saying them) - but, overall didn't feel I'd wasted my money and judging by the ending, await the next sequel (to the sequel, to the sequel........)

Plummy

Couldn't agree anymore. Love all the Predator and Alien films, even dare I say it the AVP ones as well!!!