films we just saw

Sarah of the Dead · Post by **Sarah of the Dead** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 7:20 pm

I saw in the New Year with Sympathy for Mr Vengeance and Lady Vengeance. And very good they were, too. (Despite the fade-to-white/out of sync audio rubbish on the second one.)

rawshark · Post by **rawshark** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 1:17 pm

Been catching up on a lot of 2006 big releases...

Children of Men - Excellent - it's gone to number 2 on my best of 06 list.

The Departed - Hooray - for once Scorsese doesn't disappoint...

The Fountain - Technically excellent, but a bit of a puzzler. I liked it, not loved it.

Clerks 2 - A gerat return to form for Mr Smith and an excellent 'making of' on the Region 1 disc which I picked up from Cinema Store (nice one Paul)...

Cutie Honey Pie - Bizarre live action Japanese Manga with gorgeous girl, outlandish costumes. Excellent opening, but it loses it's way somewhat towards the end.

For Y'ur Height Only and The Impossible Kid - two Weng Weng spoof secret agent movies with a lead character who is under 3 foot tall - hilarious. Coming soon to a Zombie Club near you...

...plus also a few titles with no distribution as yet, which unfortunately, I can't comment on...

jimbo · Post by **jimbo** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 4:00 pm

lupogirl wrote:
soulmining wrote:Watched the Derren Brown live show last night on E4, that whole broken glass routine was really freaky... I'm sure he's a lovely fella but I'm always scared to approach him when he's at FF, afraid of what he can do!!

Just get Jimbo to protect you!! Tee Hee!

God no, I'm terrified of him too. I won't go near him, in case I'm in the middle of saying hello, and he clicks his fingers and puts me to sleep, then when I wake up I'll think my name's Dave, and that I'm married to a Christmas tree.

lupogirl · Post by **lupogirl** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 4:45 pm

What a amusing image that conjures up!!! Where's that cheese ? It's round 'ere some where.

soulmining · Post by **soulmining** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 9:42 pm

Just got back from seeing Perfume - The Story Of A Murderer which I thought was outstanding, probably the best historical genre pic I've seen since Brotherhood Of The Wolf... although can see it's probably not to all tastes; would divide a FF audience I'm certain!

I'd agree with streetrw's comments that it is very long (could almost have been a tv drama) but I found myself really immersed in it as it went along. Also agree some stunning visuals and a very strong soundtrack with lots of choral stuff. Yes, it does get a bit bonkers towards the end but it's also kind of beautiful... And I like the way it's about murder yet the film never really focuses on the dark stuff, most of the action happens off screen.

Highly recommended!

xLeft For Deadx · Post by **xLeft For Deadx** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 8:08 pm

rawshark wrote:
Cutie Honey Pie - Bizarre live action Japanese Manga with gorgeous girl, outlandish costumes. Excellent opening, but it loses it's way somewhat towards the end.

I'm pretty sure I saw this a while back, possibly 2004 - has it just got a release over here? Its pretty much just ultraman/power rangers with cleavage right? As you mentioned, I remember it starting well, but the appeal not lasting long. Might have to dig it out now you reminded me of it.

rawshark · Post by **rawshark** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:21 pm

yep - it was originally released in 2004...

It hasn't been released over here yet, and I doubt it will, but I just couldn't resist it when I saw it on www.zerodaydvd.com.

Very Power Rangers in style and tone, but as you say, with added cleavage and white panties..

soulmining · Post by **soulmining** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:55 pm

I've wanted to see Cutie Honey for ages but didn't think it has been released anywhere with subtitles... is this a bootleg release? Might well pick it up at that price.

David Hall · Post by **David Hall** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:14 am

Caught a few movies just after Christmas..

Apocalypto
Despite the absurd title which sounds like some kind of tropical fruit drink, this is the first major work of the new year. Comes on very strong. The pacing is ferocious and the flick has an almost B-movie sensibility with moments of Aguirre style primitivism and Lenzi/Deodato-esque ferocity. Regardless of whatever personal bollocks Gibson believes or doesn't (and who gives a shit anyway) you have to admire the guy for stumping up his own greens for such a wilfully obscure project. Exceptional entertainment and one for the gore hounds out there...

The Fountain
I'll second Rawshark's comments on this one. I admired it's ambition though, and its def Hugh Jackman's most interesting performance. Visually it's absolutely stunning in places. Far too short ultimately to do full justice to its lofty, (ahem) proustian themes. Why 90 odd mins for this when even the crappiest Hollywood romcoms are nudging two hours these days? Surely a longer edit will be unleashed at some point?

Bobby
Estevez drops a massive bollock with a huge, talented cast as his disposal for this lame, rambling, totally unfocused sub-Altman shtick. Real potential for a Nashville style ensemble piece chronicling a key period in US history but it's totally blown via a series of unfocused vignettes and phoney-baloney dialogue. Dreary.

The Departed
I enjoyed this, esp Nicholson and DiCaprio - but its still Diet Scorsese. That said, definitely his best since ££. No major departure from Infernal Affairs plot wise, although the secondary characters are larger in every sense. I will never get Damon though, (aside from Bourne where his non-persona works in the films favour) - dude always looks like he's wandered onto the set and hasn't even bothered getting in costume never mind character...

Also watched on DVD - Three Times (beautiful and meditative), The Passenger, which looks great in a nice new print, Innocents (ditto) and the new R2 DVD of the insane and brilliant Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion, which is the bomb kids.

lupogirl · Post by **lupogirl** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:50 pm

Myself and midget gems went to see Perfume - Story of a Murderer. My first film of 2007

Totally agree some of comments. Yep it is a tad long. It is visually stunning and the choral music makes me want to go out and buy the soundtrack. Even though the ending is surreal.

You do feel as though you are peering into someone exquisite madness.

Worth a watch.

streetrw · Post by **streetrw** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:23 pm

A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM. Shaky start to 2007 with overly computer-generated kiddy movie. It's mildly amusing, and good to see Mickey "Crikey, I Thought He Was Dead" Rooney again (I think the last thing I saw with him in it was Silent Night Deadly Night Part Something) but utter nonsense, and very reminiscent of Jumanji (another CGI utter nonsense kiddy movie with Robin Williams). When Ricky Gervais' scenes are the high points, you're in trouble.

WHITE NOISE: THE LIGHT. I'm one of the five people who didn't completely hate the original White Noise, and I still won't leave my TV on static just in case. But this unrelated sequel/rehash, despite the rather wearing cheap shock tactics of hellish faces leaping into close up while a crashing dischord bursts from the soundtrack, isn't any good at all. Ghostly zombie figures, some puzzle solving from The DaVinci Codeswallop, a lot of sub-Final Destination "you can't cheat death" stuff and much wittering about satanism. I also suspect that someone's been looking at pictures of the Frightfest audience - the leading lady variously sports purple and red highlights in her hair, obviously in homage to Imajica.

Tonight it's APOCALYPTO, if I've done my ironing.

Laymonite · Post by **Laymonite** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:57 pm

I thought White Noise 2 was pretty good actually. It's not being sold right at all though. The tag line about not coming back alone had nothing to do with anything. And the ghosties were only there to put a few jump moments in the trailer.

But overall I really liked the story and the acting. And that main girl was soooooo cute! Why was he so resistant when she was practically throwing herself at him?

I also just saw a film I've wanted to see for ages, the legendary Troll 2. The stories were true, this film is fantastic! I haven't laughed as hard as that EVER! I literally almost shat myself. I could feel it coming. You know when you're laughing but no actual sound is coming out? That's what it was like. Christ, I'm at work at the moment and I'm trying to supress my giggles even now.

soulmining · Post by **soulmining** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:59 pm

Here's my latest batch from the past week...

White Noise: The Light - bears no resemblence to the first film (maybe it's just a case of make a film, then tag it as a sequel, in much the same way that Adrift became Open Water 2 in some countries?) but gets away with it by being about near death experiences. Is actually more akin to Final Destination, and is all the better for it - complete hokum of course, but it's okay if there's nothing better to see.

Apocalypto - dividing the public by all accounts, I know a few people who really enjoyed this one, but both me and Rich were disappointed. I applaud Mel for making something different, but basically you're left with a 2 hour + chase movie, which gets more and more contrived as it goes along... admittedly looks great and there's some gory scenes.

The Last King Of Scotland - proper quality movie! Almost documentary feel from Kevin Macdonald, bolstered by excellent performances from Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy. Really gripping stuff, especially watching the relationship between the two leads... audience was rapt throughout, it was such a pleasant change from the usual whispers/rustling/mobiles racket.

Employee Of The Month - should be rubbish obviously, but kind of got away with it by being generally amiable, even if some of the gags were a bit hit and miss. Plus there were a lot of shots of Jessica Simpson's cleavage - I'm sure the management wouldn't let her wear tops that revealing if she was really working in a discount store... but hey, who am I to argue?

lupogirl · Post by **lupogirl** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:07 pm

soulmining wrote:Here's my latest batch from the past week...
[bPlus there were a lot of shots of Jessica Simpson's cleavage - I'm sure the management wouldn't let her wear tops that revealing if she was really working in a discount store... but hey, who am I to argue?

I bet her cleavage did most of the acting!! Jessica was the supporting cast!!!

Laymonite · Post by **Laymonite** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 12:22 pm

Watched It's Alive last night. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. It was a pretty difficult film to watch (meant as a compliment) and was very depressing. I felt so sad during and after. I was expecting something cheesy and funny but it was full of quality high drama, interesting characters and excellent acting. The lead character, the father, was particularly good.

Next, It's Alive Again.