Recently Viewed Films - Reviewed

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) Director: George Roy Hill

Western ahead of it's time with the editing and musical score, but apart from Newman and Redford; it wasn't that great.

3/5

This Is Spinal Tap (1984) Director: Rob Reiner

Very funny, lived up to expectations. I can't believe all of them are American actors; great accents.

4/5

Downfall (2004) Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel

Bruno Ganz is brilliant, good to see a film show that Hitler was just human like everybody else. Didn't think the film was that brilliant itself, though.

3/5

Rosemary's Baby (1968) Director: Roman Polanski

Very eerie. Polanski is a sure good director.

4/5

Magnolia (1999) Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

It builds, and builds, and builds, and then... what the fuck?! Brilliant. Probably Tom Cruise's best performance.

4/5

Barry Lyndon (1975) Director: Stanley Kubrick

So goooood. Part 1 > Part 2. Aged beautifully.

5/5

Anvil: The Story of Anvil (2008) Director: Sacha Gervasi

Really good, and it's all real! This was pretty touching stuff at times. I wouldn't say you need to be a fan of Metal to enjoy it, it's more about Anvil's journey and the human spirit. I found out after watching it, though, that it was edited to make it a happy ending, felt a bit cheated.

4/5

Dances With Wolves (1990) Director: Kevin Costner

Well, well, well, Kevin Costner sure can direct. Amazing debut, I enjoyed this immensely. It was possibly perfect entertainment.

5/5

Rushmore (1998) Director: Wes Anderson

Bill Murray is a legend. I think I like Wes Anderson's style, it's odd, but I like it.

I'll give the Royal Tenenbaums a try.

3/5

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) Director: David Lean

Wow. This was made in the early 60's? Really? What an achievement.

5/5

The Lives Of Others (2006) Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Hmm... can't say I enjoy this one too much. Could say I was bored. I really liked the premise to begin with, but it just didn't effect me much in the end. I mean, people were crying at the ending? Really?

3/5

Vertigo (1958) Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Oh, this isn't very good, is it? Not Hitchcock's best.

2/5

High Fidelity (2000) Director: Stephen Frears

Good stuff! Really enjoyed it, great cast, great music, and very funny.

4/5

Cool Hand Luke (1967) Director: Stuart Rosenberg

Paul Newman.

4/5

Field of Dreams (1989) Director: Phil Alden Robinson

A bit too cheesy. At the start I was almost cringing at it, but as it went on I began to enjoy it for what it was.

3/5

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) Director: Shane Black

What more could I expect from the writer of Lethal Weapon. Downey and Kilmer are brilliant together. One of the most underrated films of the decade, to be honest.

Direct more, Shane Black!

4/5

Withnail And I (1987) Director: Bruce Robinson

I loved it! So fucking funny! Richard E. Grant should have won an award or something.

Go watch this!

4/5

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) Director: James Foley

Probably the best cast ever! An absolute powerhouse of acting from everyone. Alec Baldwin is in for like 8 minutes, but his performance leaves you floored.

4/5

A Few Good Men (1992) Director: Rob Reiner

If it weren't for Jack Nicholson, it wouldn't have been that great.
"YOU'RE GOD DAMN RIGHT I DID!"

3/5

Event Horizon (1997) Director: Paul W.S. Anderson

This started off really well, good Alien vibe from it. The second half though is quite a mess. I swear this was more fucked up that I thought it was going to be, it actually scared me a little, can't believe he had a gorier, longer cut. Really not that bad when it's Paul W.S. Anderson we're talking about!

3/5

There Will Be Blood (2007) Director: Thomas Paul Anderson

Finally, finally seen this... and it didn't disappoint! Easily one of the best from the last decade. Such. Good. Acting!

5/5

Im genuinely envious you're getting a chance to feast on all of this for the first time.

Totally agree with you regarding Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, easily one of the most underrated films of the decade, and the comeback performance of RDJ. Is that the deal with the avatar?

Oh yes.

Honestly, that Santa costume? My god.


Also, i think this is a better movie than Lethal Weapon.

I was trying to get that picture of her in that santa costume as my avatar, but it didn't fit right.

I'm not sure about that second part, Dangly, I think both are great in their own right. They're quite different films. Don't think I would like to choose one over the other.

Ahh, fair enough

(Loving the Sig.)

The script is witty as hell, the whole "Why are you pissing on the corpse?" thing was genius. And the V.O. and themes are all very Noir, damn i wanna see this again.

Reading your reviews some more, cant help but agree with the Jack Nicholson comments regarding "A Few Good Men", i believe he won the Oscar for that, spending less than 20 minutes on screen! But yeah, its great. I pretty much agree with all your reviews bar Downfall and Butch Cassidy. Yeah, have you seen Chinatown? Thats well worth a watch if you're in a movie mood. And "Performance" starring Mick Jagger is an utter treat.

DanglyBrasco wrote:Ahh, fair enough

(Loving the Sig.)

The script is witty as hell, the whole "Why are you pissing on the corpse?" thing was genius. And the V.O. and themes are all very Noir, damn i wanna see this again.

Reading your reviews some more, cant help but agree with the Jack Nicholson comments regarding "A Few Good Men", i believe he won the Oscar for that, spending less than 20 minutes on screen! But yeah, its great. I pretty much agree with all your reviews bar Downfall and Butch Cassidy. Yeah, have you seen Chinatown? That's well worth a watch if you're in a movie mood. And "Performance" starring Mick Jagger is an utter treat.

Yeah, peeing on the corpse made me lawl. Also the part where he says: "My uncle put his ping-ping in my papa" the way Downey says it, and that it's just out of nowhere, made me laugh. Definitely on the pile of films I want to rewatch.

Oh, the trailer for it is awful, no wonder nobody went to see it, makes it out to be some shit comedy action buddy flick. It destroys all of the jokes too. Ugh!

And yeah, I've seen Chinatown, thought it was brilliant. I'll put Performance on my to buy list, ta.

The Wrestler (2008) Director: Darren Aronofsky

What an awesome film. Mickey Rourke is Randy "The Ram" Robinson. So realistic and moving, just wished it was longer! One of the best films of the last decade.

Surprised at your reactions to Vertigo and The Lives of Others, but I agree on a lot of the others. Lucky you watching these for the first time Suede!

Kaptain Kaviar wrote:Surprised at your reactions to Vertigo and The Lives of Others, but I agree on a lot of the others. Lucky you watching these for the first time Suede!

To be honest. I was probably a little too harsh on Vertigo, I just thought some of the acting and story was a little weak. I dunno, just didn't grab me like his other films.

I might give Lives of Others another watch sometime see if I change my mind.

I'm off to watch Avatar now! Wish me luck!

Ooh! Looking forward to what you think of that on the small screen!

Have you seen it on the small screen Major?

It felt to me that i could enjoy the film without all the whizz-bang 3 shit that the hype was built upon. Its not a good as an experience, but its a better film for it.


Just saw Tyson, really enjoyed it, im used to thinking of Iron Mike as a violent thug tom-fuckery fool, but he spoke articulately and honestly to the point where i empathised with him. Looking back, i reckon in his prime, he was better than any other boxer in their prime (you get me?)

I've been doing a bit of a Ridley Scott re-evaluation too, kinda realising that he's one of the most powerful, important, and successful directors in modern Hollywood (along side his brother) and they grew up a mere 20 minutes away from me. So these films i have seen in the last few weeks, and am probably going to be talking alot about in the coming year (im planning on doing some work upon them)

Blade Runner-10
Gladiator- 8
Alien-9
Black Hawk Down-7
American Gangster-9
Kingdom of Heaven- 7

Interesting thing about these films, you can really see the directrs influence on a purey visual basis, Ridley is a stunning visual artist, yeah, im of the opinion he really needs to be given some more credit for his body of work, he's a modern day auteur i reckon, he just isnt lauded the same way as a Tarantino or whoever because he cant write.

I haven't seen Kingdom of Heaven but I'm in agreement with the rest

Kingdom of Heaven felt to me like a movie which had a load of stuff edited out. It moved at a fairly uneven pace.

Avatar (2009) Director: James Cameron

Gawd! How good does this film look?! Uncanny valley much. I never knew my HDTV could produce such clarity!!! Even without 3D and without the big screen, I was completely immersed, this is the reason I moved the 40'inch Sony Bravia HDTV back into my room. Apart from the visuals, though, it's so unoriginal. Clichéd characters, dialogue, story, everything.

I just knew what was coming, but the battle at the end was pretty awesome to watch. It's eye candy of the highest order, and it's a milestone in SFX, but it's core is so empty. Cameron put no effort whatsoever into anything else but the visuals.

Saying that, yeah, it is very overrated, but I still enjoyed it and will most likely watch again sometime.

DanglyBrasco wrote:Have you seen it on the small screen Major?

It felt to me that i could enjoy the film without all the whizz-bang 3 shit that the hype was built upon. Its not a good as an experience, but its a better film for it.


Just saw Tyson, really enjoyed it, im used to thinking of Iron Mike as a violent thug tom-fuckery fool, but he spoke articulately and honestly to the point where i empathised with him. Looking back, i reckon in his prime, he was better than any other boxer in their prime (you get me?)

I've been doing a bit of a Ridley Scott re-evaluation too, kinda realising that he's one of the most powerful, important, and successful directors in modern Hollywood (along side his brother) and they grew up a mere 20 minutes away from me. So these films i have seen in the last few weeks, and am probably going to be talking alot about in the coming year (im planning on doing some work upon them)

Blade Runner-10
Gladiator- 8
Alien-9
Black Hawk Down-7
American Gangster-9
Kingdom of Heaven- 7

Interesting thing about these films, you can really see the directrs influence on a purey visual basis, Ridley is a stunning visual artist, yeah, im of the opinion he really needs to be given some more credit for his body of work, he's a modern day auteur i reckon, he just isnt lauded the same way as a Tarantino or whoever because he cant write.

Still have to watch Tyson, must give it a watch. He's one of those guys that struggled to understand why it was ok to be so violent in a ring but not outside a ring. It seems like when he wanted to hurt someone, he didn't beat around the bush, he just fucked them up. Still think Ali is the G.O.A.T because of his pretty much revoultionary tactics (footwork, reach advantage, even how he wound his opponents up), but Tyson is definitely up there, and definitely has the best highlight reel for knockouts. Pacman is amazing nowadays too, if he keeps it up the dude has real potential to be considered top 5 of all time.

Anyway.

Gone in 60 Seconds - 5/10
Gremlins - 7/10
The Silence of the Lambs - 9/10
A Prophet - 8/10
Let the Right One In - 9/10
Eternal Sunshine - 8/10

Gremlins is way better than Let The Right One In, mun.

Oldboy (2003) Director: Chan-wook Park

Brilliant. Onto Lady Vengeance!

Yeah i get you Jamie, but you really believe Ali could have squared off to Tyson when each was in their prime? I often feel Ali's fights went on too long in general, Tyson was unbelievable (in his prime).

And Oldboy is seriously good. My university tutor is called Chi-Yun Shin, and is Korean. She was getting into the industry when Chan-Wook was, and did aload of interviews etc with him, apparently they meet up occassionally when in the country at the same time! But yeah! We were shown thi trilogy as part of the course, and you gonna see Sympathy for Mr Vengeance too? Its reyt good.

Lethal Weapon 3 is on, um, ITV? I dunno, im flicking, but thats qualityyy, ust a shame it doesnt have the very naked hotness of Patsy Kensitt that the second film has.

Gonna watch Girl, Interrupted later, looking forward to it.

DanglyBrasco wrote:We were shown thi trilogy as part of the course, and you gonna see Sympathy for Mr Vengeance too? Its reyt good.

Yeah, I watched that one first. I'm surprised it's not praised as much as Oldboy, it's just as good to be honest. I see Chan-wook Park is remaking it though.

DanglyBrasco wrote:Lethal Weapon 3 is on, um, ITV? I dunno, im flicking, but thats qualityyy, ust a shame it doesnt have the very naked hotness of Patsy Kensitt that the second film has.

Yeah, got that on in the living room. Patsy Kensit's breast in the 2nd film are so good, nice silky nipples, mhm mhm.

DanglyBrasco wrote:Yeah i get you Jamie, but you really believe Ali could have squared off to Tyson when each was in their prime? I often feel Ali's fights went on too long in general, Tyson was unbelievable (in his prime).

They match up really well. Ali was all about confusing his opponent with jabs, footwork and speed, staying on the outside and circling. Tyson would get inside with his short arms and throw really stiff uppercuts/overhands etc. Would be interesting to see if Tyson could get inside of some as illusive as Ali...

Black Suede wrote:Gremlins is way better than Let The Right One In, mun

I think Gremlins 2 > Gremlins, but I love the both of them so much.

Went to see The A-Team last night and really enjoyed it. The characters are all great and it gets a great mixture of action and comedy. Definitely worth going to see imo.

Moby-Dick

Nowhere near as awe-inspiring as the book, but Gregory Peck's performance as the tormented Captain Ahab is commendable and the film has its fair share of amazing moments. The dialogue is a touch theatrical, but at least it is true to the novel on that account. The effects are impressive for its time, and the white whale does remind one of a leviathan. Read the book first then watch this applaudable effort!

Up (2009) Director: Pete Docter

It made me laugh and cry. It's one of my favourite Pixar films, for sure. The inclusion of talking dogs (sort of) was a little strange, out of place somewhat, but it really made me laugh.

I've missed out on a few Pixar films now I think about it. After the 90's, I wasn't really interested in catching the new Pixar films, so I think it's time to catch up and buy them all on Blu-ray. Starting with Toy Story. So far I only have Wall-E and now Up.

List of my most favourite to least favourite Pixar films that I've seen so far, in my opinion:

Toy Story
Toy Story 2
Up
A Bug's Life
Finding Nemo
Wall-E

I've seen Monsters, Inc and The Incredibles, but only on TV and that's like when you're only watching it on and off, you know what I mean? So I would rather wait until I've watched them properly before I rate them.

You dont like Wall-E?

The Incredibles is my favourite by miles, then the Toy Story's and Monsters Inc all tied.

ah, i remember a bug's life, good times.

DanglyBrasco wrote:You dont like Wall-E?

I like it.