What movie have you watched?

  • I'm planning to go and see The Mule which stars Clint Eastwood, his first role since Gran Torino... Based on a true story on drug smuggling... Due out here on the 14th I believe :)

    Not a fan of Clint's politics, but I do enjoy his movies. I feel the same about the late Charlton Heston.

  • Not a fan of Clint's politics, but I do enjoy his movies.

    Ah, the famous empty chair...


    Of the films he's appeared in, I have a lot of respect for Unforgiven (which he also directed). I never much liked westerns but really enjoyed the grim, gloomy nature of this one. It stripped away much of the typical Hollywood gloss of westerns and felt a lot more down to earth. I also liked that he's not a heroic figure in this film, he's shown as deeply flawed. Gene Hackman is also great in this one.


    I haven't seen many of the films he's directed but not appeared in, but Mystic River stands out to me as a very strong one. I was mesmerised by it the first time I saw it and found it strongly atmospheric. Three really superb lead performances from Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon. There was a lot of attention given to Penn and Robbins but I thought Bacon was unfairly overlooked, his performance is very subtle.

    Abandon all reason

  • I've been meaning to mention for weeks the films I saw during the Inverness Film Festival last month. I managed to choose really well - as the knight in the third Indiana Jones would say, I chose "wisely".


    The Old Man & The Gun: reportedly Robert Redford's final film as an actor, it's the true story of a polite, genial, smiling elderly man who robbed banks in the 1970s, and the policeman determined to track him down.


    The Party's Just Beginning: the story of a girl in the Scottish Highlands who witnesses the mental breakdown of a friend, and the effect it has on her own mental state. It's more upbeat than that makes it sound, but mental health is still something most of us don't really understand and I think it's important there are films like this. It's written and directed by and stars Karen Gillan who some will remember as companion Amy Pond in Doctor Who. She also introduced the film then did some Q&A afterwards. In the flesh she really does have beautiful red hair and astonishingly long legs. She's from Inverness and much of the film was shot in and around the city so it was nice to see the local girl doing well, as well as spotting familiar locations.


    In Fabric: probably the most demented film I have ever seen, completely mad, macabre and thoroughly enjoyable. It's set in the early 1980s and is the story of people who come into contact with a demonic dress. Yes, you read that correctly. This dress is purchased from a very strange department store staffed by sinister Victorian gothic-looking assistants who have an odd baroque way of speaking. It immediately starts causing trouble for whoever owns it. Daft as the whole thing sounds, and it is, all I can say is that I really liked it and at times was in hysterics. I do think that at heart there is a point being made - early 80s, consumerism - but ultimately it's just very funny and enjoyable but will be very divisive, I do think it will be a case of love or hate it. It might have some appeal to fans of Pythonesque/League of Gentlemen-style British humour.


    Collette: I'm not usually a great fan of Keira Knightley but she's really good in this fact-based story of a woman in early 20th-century France who starts ghost-writing for her husband, a famous author and womaniser (played well by Dominic West). The wife's writing is better than anything her celebrated husband can produce but of course she receives no credit or recognition for it as it goes out in his name, and the film depicts the tensions this leads to.


    Can You Ever Forgive Me: Another fact-based film about a female writer but this time one whose fortunes decline and she ends up faking the letters of dead celebrities and selling them to collectors. Melissa McCarthy is brilliant in the lead role and her friend is played by Richard E Grant in a way that makes him seem liked an aged Withnail (just last week I went to a screening of a new print of Withnail & I, introduced by Paul McGann).


    I also saw two programmes of short films and was impressed at their quality and inventiveness. They were all UK-produced and showed the breadth of talent and creativity we have here.

    Abandon all reason

    Edited once, last by Backdrifter ().


  • Sylvester Stallone (Crime)..2018

    The lone surviving thief of a violent armored car robbery is sprung from a high security facility and administered an experimental drug.


    Being an avid fan of Stallone's movies, I find this movie rather weird and seems what appears as a 'B' type movie IMO.

    Not sure why Sylvester Stallone appeared in this movie in the first place, specially after his box office movie creed II.. Maybe he needed more money to fund creed II or they wanted a central figure head to bring in more cash!!:?::D


    He is not the focal point of this movie but in fact Matthew Modine's character is , who has lost his memory during a car robbery after being shot in the head. He is then sent to a special prison which he has so far served 7 years and cared for by doctors and the inspector (Sylvester Stallone) for information on this crime..... He is then secretly released from prison, still not remembering the past by what later, is his family members.. $ 10 million is in stake here and a secret drug which bring back your memory will try and find where Matthew Modine's character hid the money... Also a corrupt police force is involved!!... Watchable, but not great.

    Edited 3 times, last by Noni ().

  • Just seen A Star Is Born and thoroughly enjoyed it. A really engrossing film with two great lead performances. Kudos to Bradley Cooper who also directed and co-wrote it, as well as performing the songs, some of which he co-wrote. I mean, share the talent out a bit, man!

    I finally got around to seeing this a couple of days ago (yes, it's still in theaters), and it was fantastic! I concur with your succinct summary - he even was a producer in the film as well, so he put his own money up-front too. An amazing film that should win more than one Oscar.

    Stepping out the back way, hoping nobody sees...

  • Two last week:


    The Favourite - set in the court of Queen Anne and partly fact-based in its depiction of the Queen's relationship with courtier Sarah aka Lady Marlborough and servant Abigail. The Queen is shown as ailing and indolent, unable to take decisions which she leaves to Sarah who is also a close friend - maybe a little too close. But when she becomes too busy and elevates Abigail to take her place as the Queen's companion it all starts getting quite messy. Literally, in some ways - it's a quite macabre and sometimes grotesque film (with too much vomiting for my liking!) but it's very enjoyable and the three leads are brilliant. I think it's Rachel Weisz's finest hour, probably Emma Stone's too. Oh and Stone doing an English accent in that beautiful voice of hers.... oh, man.


    Stan & Ollie - mainly focuses on the final stage tour Laurel & Hardy did in the 1950s, in the UK and Ireland. They receive a warm welcome but find audiences are sparse and are under pressure by their promoter to publicise the tour more. Laurel, the creative force behind the pair, is shown as a hard taskmaster who Hardy feels is putting him under too much pressure and it creates tension. But it's ultimately a very touching film about friendship. Great performances in the two lead roles from Steve Coogan and John C Reilly (who probably edges it for me), and also from Rufus Jones as promoter Delfont.

    Abandon all reason

  • Two recent ones. Last week, Mary Queen of Scots, telling the story of her feud with her cousin Queen Elizabeth I. Great performances by the two leads Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie and an excellent supporting cast. Today I saw Vice, an enjoyably near-comedic treatment of the machinations of a group of repulsive people centring on former US VP Dick Cheney. There's a mesmerising lead performance from an almost unrecognisable Christian Bale and some terrific supporting cast including two of my favourite actors, Amy Adams and Sam Rockwell as Cheney's wife and George W Bush. Steve Carrell is also great as Donald Rumsfeld.


    I'm hoping to see A Private War next.

    Abandon all reason

  • I saw A Private War today. It tells the story of Marie Colvin's work as a war correspondent for the Sunday Times, working in some of the most dangerous war zones. She and her photographer Paul Conroy broke the story confirming Assad was massacring his own citizens. It's not comfortable viewing at times but very compelling and really tense in a few scenes. Great performances from Rosamund Pike, Tom Hollander and Jamie Dornan.

    Abandon all reason

  • I did not want to start a new thread, but Sylvester Stallone is going to re-join with Rambo in his last movie with this Character.. Called Last Blood, will be releasing in September 2019.. I do love the Rambo movies. <38)

  • I just saw “Captain Marvel” last night. I have to say I quite enjoyed it! It was great in 3D too.8)

    I saw it last week, I enjoyed it although it got too silly near the end and I've always hated No Doubt and Gwen Stefani (anyone who's seen it will know what I mean). But overall it was good fun and yes, shallow as it is but I don't care, Brie Larson. The film could've been worse and there'd have still been some enjoyment factor for me. By which I mean, Brie Larson.


    Regular 2D for me, I gave up on 3D a while back. I find the glasses annoying and anyway, all films are in 3D. I can see that guy's behind that table, she's in front of him, etc.

    Abandon all reason

  • I saw it last week, I enjoyed it although it got too silly near the end and I've always hated No Doubt and Gwen Stefani (anyone who's seen it will know what I mean). But overall it was good fun and yes, shallow as it is but I don't care, Brie Larson. The film could've been worse and there'd have still been some enjoyment factor for me. By which I mean, Brie Larson.


    Regular 2D for me, I gave up on 3D a while back. I find the glasses annoying and anyway, all films are in 3D. I can see that guy's behind that table, she's in front of him, etc.

    Well, since the film was set in the mid-90s, Gwen/No Doubt were always going to make an appearance musically - equally predictable were Garbage and Hole. However, since I like 90s music, that was fine with me. Speaking of 90s music, how good did Brie look in that Nine Inch Nails t-shirt? I've always liked that band; strangely, I seem to like them a little more now... ;)


    Yes, it did get a bit silly at the end, but that's where we have to remember that we two probably are not part of the main intended target audience for the film. Somewhat disappointing, but true.


    I agree that not all 3D films are worth seeing in 3D - however, the effect was quite good in this one. One film where I expected it to be good but wasn't was the TRON sequel - part of the film they told you in advance was just 2D in the middle. WTF? Just not well done. On the other hand, one film that definitely thrived on 3D was "Avatar" - I saw it both 2D and 3D, and the 3D version was MUCH better. It added to the already great visuals of the film.


    I'm even toying with seeing this a second time - not just for Brie, but she's not a minus either...

    Stepping out the back way, hoping nobody sees...

  • Well, since the film was set in the mid-90s, Gwen/No Doubt were always going to make an appearance musically - equally predictable were Garbage and Hole. However, since I like 90s music, that was fine with me. Speaking of 90s music, how good did Brie look in that Nine Inch Nails t-shirt? I've always liked that band; strangely, I seem to like them a little more now... ;)


    I'm even toying with seeing this a second time - not just for Brie, but she's not a minus either...

    I'm not sure about No Doubt "always" going to make an appearance because of the 90s setting! Or that Hole and Garbage were equally predictable, but in their case I didn't mind as I generally like Garbage a lot and really like Celebrity Skin by Hole, though their stuff overall is quite patchy for me.


    In fact I like a lot of 90s stuff but very definitely not No Doubt and Stefani. Her voice is horrible. The other thing that bugged me about the ND song was how lumpen and unimaginative the choice was - you can just picture someone saying "the female lead is kicking ass so let's play I'm Just A Girl, it'll be so-o-o-o-o-o-o, like, ironic!"


    A major plus of this film was that BL looked good in everything, but yeah the casual look with the NIN shirt was seriously nice. In my view, a fine reason for a second viewing!


    EDIT - PS listening to a great 90s album as I type this, Superstition by Siouxsie & The Banshees.

    Abandon all reason

  • The new film about JRR Tolkien’s life has just premiered in the UK. Not sure how accurate it will be, but Lily Collins who plays Mrs Tolkien is pictured on the front pages of 3 national newspapers today (Times, Telegraph & Daily Mail) - wearing what the Mail describes as “a groovy kind of gown”.

  • The new film about JRR Tolkien’s life has just premiered in the UK. Not sure how accurate it will be, but Lily Collins who plays Mrs Tolkien is pictured on the front pages of 3 national newspapers today (Times, Telegraph & Daily Mail) - wearing what the Mail describes as “a groovy kind of gown”.

    What is the movie called?

    Stepping out the back way, hoping nobody sees...

  • What is the movie called?

    Simply called “Tolkien”, on general release in the UK from this weekend. Apparently it’s a dramatised biopic suggesting how his early experiences like serving in the First World War might have inspired him to write.

    Will probably watch it when it comes around on TV.