What films have you seen recently?

[Hazel]

Has anyone seen Red Road? Would you recommend it?

 

Cathy, my review of Red Road is on page 3 of this thread. I think Minxminnie joined in about it too. Well worth a watch.

[FirelightSpirit]

While off work sick late last week I watched

 

Happy Feet - really sweet with a great message,

 

The Lake House - not bad, but the plot was like Swiss cheese - full of holes. I tend to be more forgiving of plot holes when romance is involved: if it had been a sci-fi movie I would have been very annoyed

 

and Stranger than Fiction - I really liked this. It fit with my love of books and writing and Emma Thompson was great. I don't like Will Ferrell when he's being funny (or trying to be), but he was good in this, as was Maggie Gyllenhaal.

[Grammath]

I went to see the new documentary on Joe Strummer, "The Future Is Unwritten", at the flicks yesterday.

 

I was expecting it to essentially be a deification of the The Clash front man, but it actually seems quite honest about the man's flaws, and I learned a lot about his pre-Clash days.

 

Two notable absentees from the list of interviewees are Clash bassist Paul Simenon, and svengali/manager Bernie Rhodes. The latter only appeared in archive footage, though I'm not sure Bernie is still alive (where's Deino's book when I need it?), plus Johnny Depp and John Cusack appear for no immediately apparent reason.

 

The interest levels inevitably dipped after the Clash break-up, since Strummer spent most of the rest of his life dabbling in acting, film soundtracks and building big campfires at the Glastonbury festival, but not a lot else. The sound clips from his World Service radio programme were probably the clearest insight into where his head was musically but he seems not to have been especially motivated to write and record.

 

It goes without saying, however, that the music is great.

[Hazel]

John Cusack appear for no immediately apparent reason.

 

 

Didn't Joe Strummer do a lot of the soundtrack for Cusack's film Grosse Pointe Blank?

[Hazel]

The Lake House - not bad, but the plot was like Swiss cheese - full of holes. I tend to be more forgiving of plot holes when romance is involved: if it had been a sci-fi movie I would have been very annoyed

 

 

I totally agree, but watching this I just decided to go with it and put my critic hat aside for an hour and a half - I ended up really enjoying it, and even bought the DVD!

[Grammath]

Didn't Joe Strummer do a lot of the soundtrack for Cusack's film Grosse Pointe Blank?

 

A quick check on IMDB reveals The Clash's "Rudie Can't Fail" is on the soundtrack, so I guess that counts.

[FirelightSpirit]

I totally agree, but watching this I just decided to go with it and put my critic hat aside for an hour and a half - I ended up really enjoying it, and even bought the DVD!

I put my critic hat aside too and, like you, quite enjoyed it. Keanu gets a lot of criticism, but I've seen worse actors. I thought he and Sandra work really well together.

[Hazel]

A quick check on IMDB reveals The Clash's "Rudie Can't Fail" is on the soundtrack, so I guess that counts.

 

I am sure there is more than that - I have both soundtracks and I think Strummer himself did some of the music for the film. I will have a look later...

 

Just checked - this is also on it - 9. War Cry - Joe Strummer.

[Mouse]

This was a brilliant film. We do the portrayal of a repressive society so much better than America - 1984, Handmaiden's Tale, to name but two. Thinking about the scenario - where women have become infertile and the youngest human is 18 - there is no doubt that society would break down.

I'm not sure why Britain was deporting all the immigrants - it certainly was a comment on today's attitudes and a warning on right wing politics - but if the population was going to gradually decline, why shrink it even more. I suppose it was a knee-jerk reaction to the terrorism.

P.D James' novel was written in 1992, so it was quite a prophetic work in some respects.

Clive Owen was really good in this film - sometimes he comes across as dull and bored.

I particularly liked the scene where all the fighting stopped as the new born baby was carried out from the besieged building.

This is a turning point, you think, as calm descends, and then - typical - someone starts firing and the baby is forgotten, as the men go back to killing each other

 

[Grammath]

This was a brilliant film. We do the portrayal of a repressive society so much better than America - 1984, Handmaiden's Tale, to name but two.

 

Does the "we" refer to the Commonwealth? "The Handmaid's Tale" was written by a Canadian.

 

I'd say I disagree with your general assertion anyway, Mouse. Maybe this is for another thread, but IMO one of the great dystopian writers of the 20th century is the very American Philip K. Dick. Films based on his writing such as "Minority Report" and "A Scanner Darkly" depict societies where surveillance has gone to extremes or one can't trust that others are who they appear to be. Sometimes individual characters even discover they aren't who they themselves thought they were, such as in his short story "We Can Remember It For You, Wholesale", the basis for the film "Total Recall".

[Mouse]

This refers to films rather than books, as this is a film rather than book thread, but I do agree with you about Dick's writing - not always successfully realised on film, however.

[Momo]

and Stranger than Fiction - I really liked this. It fit with my love of books and writing and Emma Thompson was great. I don't like Will Ferrell when he's being funny (or trying to be), but he was good in this, as was Maggie Gyllenhaal.

I've seen the trailer and really want to see it - despite Will Ferrell being in it, I really don't like the guy. But I love Emma Thompson and it seems like a nice funny movie instead of one of those slapstick-funny movies which I really hate.

I put my critic hat aside too and, like you, quite enjoyed it. Keanu gets a lot of criticism, but I've seen worse actors. I thought he and Sandra work really well together.

So true!

[FirelightSpirit]

I've seen the trailer and really want to see it - despite Will Ferrell being in it, I really don't like the guy. But I love Emma Thompson and it seems like a nice funny movie instead of one of those slapstick-funny movies which I really hate.

It's quirky rather than slapstick. Ferrell isn't at all annoying and Emma's great in everything anyway.

[Momo]

... and Emma's great in everything anyway.

[Lady Lazarus]

I watched 'L'Appartement' last night and it was really good. A thriller with a romantic sideline, and LOTS of interwoven strands and complications make for compelling viewing.

[Mouse]

I know others have posted on this film. The fairytale parts of this film were magical and scary, but the Spanish Civil War going on outside of this was shown as something far worse than any monster.. the torture and graphic violence was difficult to watch.The ending was a bit downbeat and dark. I was amazed it was only a 15.

[tagesmann]

I've just watched the first season of this series featuring an American school-girl detective. No wait! It is not as bad as it sounds.

The background to the series is that Veronica Mars' best friend is murdered and Keith Mars who is the town sheriff arrests the murdered girl's father. He subsequently loses his job and becomes a PI. Veronica works for her father and does some private investigative work on the side. Each episode involves a different case that Veronica solves while the series story-arc involves Veronica's attempt to solve the murder of her friend.

The series is at turns amusing, bleak, gritty, funny and moving. There is some very good acting from the young ensemble cast and the older supporting actors (especially Harry Hamlin).

This isn't another Buffy rip-off even if it is set in Southern California. It is a mature, intelligent drama series.

[Jeremy DEagle]

I've just finished Storn of the Century.

 

I've watched the Apprentice, finished Lost, and now need to catch up on Heroes

[Ruth]

I'm currently watching the 3rd season of Law and Order: SVU. I love American tv, and have boxsets of about 20 different shows. SVU is well worth watching

[Billybob]

I'm currently watching the 3rd season of Law and Order: SVU. I love American tv, and have boxsets of about 20 different shows. SVU is well worth watching

This is one of my favourites as well Ruth. Do you watch Law and Order: Criminal Intent?. I also love all the CSI's as well.

[chuntzy]

Watched a 'classic' Hong Kong movie called In The Mood For Love, made in 2000 but set in the late 60s, an art-house film if ever there was one i.e good cinematography, moody music, atmospheric, but when was something going to happen we both kept thinking. I'm usually patient with films of this type but towards the end I kept literally shouting out "For heaven's sake, you two, just get it it on will you!". It starred Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung.

[Krey20]

Watched Ocean's 13 at the weekend. Just as good as the first one, and a lot better than the second. I love how clever these films are, and you can tell that the actors are having fun. Really entertaining.

[Ruth]

This is one of my favourites as well Ruth. Do you watch Law and Order: Criminal Intent?. I also love all the CSI's as well.

 

Yes, I watch all three Law and Orders and also have the box set of Law and Order: Trial By Jury (which only ran for 13 episodes ). I like CSI: NY, because I do believe that anything with Gary Sinise in it is worth watching!

[FirelightSpirit]

My mum's a big fan of the original CSI - she loves Grissom. She'll watch the Miami one if it's on, but she doesn't like Horatio - she think's David Caruso is all chin; I do too: he's an awful actor.

[Ruth]

Yeah, I must admit I don't watch the Vegas or Miami CSIs. And I think David Caruso overacts terribly.

 

I love Homicide: Life On The Street (sadly, it ended after 7 seasons in 1999, but I have the box sets and really think it is a fantastic show). Rescue Me, with Denis Leary is also great, and Oz (another show, which is sadly no more).

The Shield is another one I enjoy, and The Wire. I don't tend to watch them when they're on - I get the box sets and then watch a few episodes at a time.