What's the Latest Thing You've Seen at the Cinema II

Kong: Skull Island

Well, this wasn't as bad as I anticipated. It is a by-the-numbers monster movie, with all that implies. If you love old fashioned fare then this is probably up your street. I have to say monster movies are not my thing, but I am not sad I saw this; I won't see it again, and won't be adding it to my collection.

Better than both modern Godzilla movies. If you are tempted than do watch it on the biggest screen you can; and turn off your brain as you enter the cinema.

M

Beauty & The Beast & Ghost in the Shell

What a strange world we live in, film companies are risk averse and so will pile money into movies that are simple remakes of historic properties, thereby taking risk without being creative.

B&TB did not improve on the original, which is told more effectively and efficiently in the cartoon. The only beat that did add to the experience was the fate of the servants following the demise of the Beast, but while suitable to a live action film would perhaps not have been suitable for a Disney animated feature. While the leads were solid I felt that most of the support supplied their B game.

Ghost is a beat for beat remake, and this suffers from the same issue as Carter of Mars, they are both packed full of originality that has already been ripped off by other films, so that the original can look somewhat derivative. I actually thoroughly enjoyed this, as I do the Anime. However, it is the pleasure and comfort of re-reading a favoured novel.

I wonder what this says about our culture?

M

Just seen Life, not bad if you like Sci. Fi. Some scenes were comical - not intended I am sure - just comical to see the Alien thing wander around looking a bit like a sea creature if you get my drift.

Am I drifting off course

Kevin-W posted:

I'm interested in seeing this film Clive. Is it any good?

Sorry for the late reply, Kevin, but I've only just come back to this thread. Is it any good? Overall I think it's worth seeing, but it's not great.  I felt it raced through the historical facts and the human story running in parallel has a rather corny ending, but the locations are, of course, very attractive. It's a strange thing, but I've become used to Ben Kingsley playing the part of Gandhi. Anyone else just isn't right!

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol II

I had watched and read a few reviews; whilst being generally positive they seemed to damn with faint praise.

The film takes off from where Vol I finished, in terms of heightened humour. I found this appropriate and for me the jokes landed appropriately. This then builds into the second half where the humour gives way to drama and emotion, and this too landed.

I feel this film is the template for great Marvel movies, easy to write down but oh so difficult to deliver; and here do they deliver. Please don't mis-understand me, this is not adult fare, but to dislike the film on that score is akin to rejecting a New World wine because it doesn't have the terroir of the Old World. People are represented in a simple way, this is not layered or complex; but the story that is told is very well executed and had the impact that I think the director would have wanted.

I will be off to see this again later. Recommended.

Looking forward to Vol III!

M

Mr Underhill posted:

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol II

I had watched and read a few reviews; whilst being generally positive they seemed to damn with faint praise.

The film takes off from where Vol I finished, in terms of heightened humour. I found this appropriate and for me the jokes landed appropriately. This then builds into the second half where the humour gives way to drama and emotion, and this too landed.

I feel this film is the template for great Marvel movies, easy to write down but oh so difficult to deliver; and here do they deliver. Please don't mis-understand me, this is not adult fare, but to dislike the film on that score is akin to rejecting a New World wine because it doesn't have the terroir of the Old World. People are represented in a simple way, this is not layered or complex; but the story that is told is very well executed and had the impact that I think the director would have wanted.

I will be off to see this again later. Recommended.

Looking forward to Vol III!

M

We've just returned from seeing this, in 3D IMAX. I agree with you Mr Underhill, it's as good as the first one, a real hoot. Hugely enjoyable!

Hi Tony,

I am not into 3D generally, but for this one I may well hop on a train up to Waterloo!

M

It's great in 3D Mr Underhill. Incidentally, the guy standing in for Mark Kermode for the BBC's film review has evidently had a sense of humour bypass. Apart from failing to appreciate the enormously funny dialogue in the film he also completely forgot to mention the great 70s soundtrack. Bring back Mark!

As good as the first. Great fun. In 2D (can't take 3D seriously).

JamieWednesday posted:

As good as the first. Great fun. In 2D (can't take 3D seriously).

Youngest daughter was raving about this today. Must get to see it.

Predictably ... Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Took my son this afternoon as he was off school (commandeered as a polling station) and we both thoroughly enjoyed the indulgent afternoon treat. 

Vol. 2 would never have the refreshing novelty value and originality as Vol. 1 had. But reassuringly, the same approach that made the first movie such a blast is employed to great effect again. From the hyper coloured Roger Dean (on LSD!) influenced planet production design to the witty use of kitsch music and 80’s cultural references. A blast from start to finish - including the post credit scenes too. Highly recommended - and I’ll be buying the soundtrack!

A Dogs Purpose

Saw this at the weekend. The setup is you get to be a Buddhist dog, stuck on the circle of life as you are reincarnated  into a sequence of circumstances.

If you have seen the adverts then I think you will know what to expect, and whether this appeals to you; as it did to my wife. For me it was not unpleasant, but I won't watch it again. Pointless pleasantness.

M

Alien: Covenant

Better than Prometheus, but ultimately fueled by the same horror tropes.

This film touches on a number of interesting ideas, but doesn't properly develop any of them. Again, the best of the film is given to Michael Fassbender, who delivers two good performances.

This film does clarify a few things from Prometheus, while setting up a catalogue of new unanswered questions; and, provides an interesting twist. The tropes ultimately undermined this film for me, being rather obvious without giving me any new and intelligent grist that I found satisfying.

Well trodden ground. Stratospheric production values that did little to make up for the faults. If you are going to see this then the big screen is the place.

OK .....ish.

M

Alien Covenant. Directed by Ridley Scott.

As an unapologetic Sci-Fi geek and fan of the Alien films I've been looking forward to this movie. 

Following on from Prometheus, some intriguing ideas are explored, others, er, not so much! Effective set pieces, tremendous production values / set design expand on Giger's vision, plus a (convincing) brooding atmosphere of dread expand the franchise. But its not without issues, frustratingly descending into repetition of past glories and resorting to a check box of greatest hits.

As for the characters, their relationships are only token and exist solely as plot bug fodder. Its Michael Fastbender's movie - who shines throughout. He's truly superb, displaying contemptuous menace with the subtlest of expression and gesture. Katherine Waterston is very good as Daniels, but does not quite have the screen presence of Sigourney Weaver or Noomi Rapace, but then who does.

Recommended. Better than Prometheus certainly, although breaking no new ground it still opens up the narrative into a new direction for future instalments. A solid Ridley Scott Sc-Fi film, rather than genre defining.

Fast & Furious 8

Part 8 still has enough mojo, but it's tonally frustratingly uneven. Shocking deaths are addressed with a smile to the sky, past crimes are brushed off with a vague reference to 'family', action scenes turn into blues brothers-style slapstick. Helen Mirren steals the show in a small role that makes the whole movie worth watching, though she is almost cancelled out by Charlize Theron channeling her witch from Snow White and very sadly starting to turn into an expressionless plastic doll. 

Cheers,

EJ

McLaren, a film about the creator of McLaren Cars, very enjoyable. Very limited release, but out on DR soon.

Try and catch it if you have the slightest interest in F1, Some good stuff on Can-Am and Indy 500 too. 

PS that should read "out on BR soon"

Wonder Woman

Can a female lead in a super hero film defy Hollywood expectations and bring in the moolah?

Does being a woman bring a new sensibility to the tropes of the genre?

I dragged my wife to see this last night, she had no wish to go, mainly due to an anticipation that this would be ANOTHER digital slug-fest; she enjoyed the film.

This is a three act drama: childhood; fish out of water; violent resolution. A very familiar path, but none the worse for that, we are always retreading dramatic pathways; was it well done? Yes. The lead plays a naive but intelligent role well, very ably supported by Chris Pine, who I feel in another age might well have been another Cary Grant, he just exudes charm.

Does being female bring something to the table? Not particularly, there is a nod to the power of love over hatred at the end, but these things are simply too complex to be captured in a broad strokes of a super hero tale.

Recommended.

M

Following the awful events of last night I find myself preferring my popcorn with extra intelligence, a la Dr Strange, rather than promoting the ever promulgated simplicity of so many movies that hitting is an answer. I think that The Flash does a good job of presenting more complex issues where the hero suffers consequences, and is usually called upon to personally sacrifice something in their life.

Wonder Woman

Taking a cue from Marvel, DC present a couple of very likeable heroes whose real struggle is trying to find themselves and their place in the world, in the process steamrolling over some type of evil, in this case Professor Lupin.

I love the genre, and this one is well done!

EJ

One man's meat and all that...

I enjoy many of the Marvel studio movies, they seem to have developed a good knack for their production. DC have taken a fair bit of stick but WW has had decent reviews. However I'm afraid I thought it was pretty poor!

Clearly these films are based on comic books but this was just too cartoon like! Marvel films do a better job of placing Superheroes into regular lives which I prefer personally.

Plus a big plot hole near the end of the movie.

SPOILER BELOW

Why did he have to blow up the xxxxx he was in at the end?!?!?!

I also saw Wonder Woman yesterday evening. I liked the movie - while it will not be the best movie I will see this year. 3D effect could have been a bit more pronounced, but furthermore well done.

JamieWednesday posted:

 

Plus a big plot hole near the end of the movie.

SPOILER BELOW

 

 

Why did he have to blow up the xxxxx he was in at the end?!?!?!

Spoiler: The gas bombs were on a timer and would have gone off, his self sacrifice limited the damage. Not a plot hole, but a very contrived way to avoid one!

Spiderman Homecoming

Excellent - for me, best so far.

M

Just took the daughter to see Spiderman Homecoming the other day~

Not gonna lie, I'm a bit of a spidey fan since I was a kid (used to collect the comic books back in the day), but was not expecting much due to (IMO) the poor last reboot of the franchise  (with Andrew Garfield). But this time they did it right - movie was excellent and perhaps the best movie adaptation of Spiderman so far!

Completely enjoyed it from start to finish.