The last movie I saw was...

[LeMarchand]

@Galway Yeah I agree with that. The ending was a big let down.

 

A better film about illusions is

 

I loved The Prestige, but only "liked" The Illusionist.

[Sagima]

We watched The Scorch Trials on Saturday.

 

I'm not sure I really know what's going on in the film. I'm not sure I really managed to follow the previous one (The Maze Runner) either.

I don't remember why we thought to watch the first one but I do remember enjoying it enough that we though we'd watch the second one.

In both films I felt like I was somehow missing the point.

 

It's about some teenagers (mostly played by people in their mid-20s) who seem to think that a company would spend billions of dollars setting up and staffing at least two enormous mazes full of traps and mechanical scorpion things, making sure they had food and clean water and eventually rescuing them from it when they manage to escape into what appears to be some sort of post-apocalyptic earth just to wind them up.

 

In this film they/we discover that there are also zombies running around the place contaminating people with some wort of zombie-flu that those, seemingly quite, ungrateful kids were also being protected from.

 

Turns out that their protectors and benefactors (from whom they escape again) are just trying to save everyone's lives (literally everyone in the whole world) but because these dozen or so 20-somethings won't stop escaping from their relatively safe surroundings of clean beds, food and water they are probably all going to die (or they'll be some twist at the end where the zombies are actually trying to save everyone by biting them. (The company seems to have about 30 other kids less hell-bent on ruining everything so I'm not sure why these ones are really worth the effort)

 

I get the impression that the whole film series could have been avoided if, rather than building elaborate complexes they just offered each kid 10 million, a playstation and an apartment each. They'd have probably been more than happy for some light experimentation to discover the cure to the zombie plague.

 

Anyhow the second film was rubbish. The first film is quite good. I don't know if they'll bother with a third but if they do watch them all then and see if it makes any more sense when they are viewed with less time inbetween. Although if you have anything better to do (like mowing the lawn or having the car washed) don't worry about them.

[mavhc]

@Galway Yeah I agree with that. The ending was a big let down.

 

A better film about illusions is

 

You're all insane!

 

Anyway, Rashomon, starts off a bit hokey, but really good

[LeMarchand]

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

The first two-thirds of the movie were really interesting. The plot built up slow enough to actually explain itself. Then there was one particular scene that felt so out-of-place. In all fairness, the movie's a 12, so I think it was aimed as a child-pleaser more than anything else, but it really jarred me away for a moment. The ending felt like it had gotten back the feel the rest of the film had.

 

I've never heard of Asa Butterfield before, but I felt he played the main character, Jake, surprisingly well. A little wooden at times, but overall enjoyable. Terence Stamp's role as Jake's Grandfather whilst, short-lived, was surprisingly enthralling. Samuel L. Jackson as Mr. Barron was, unfortunately, a massive let-down. His character just felt too cheesy.

 

Much the same. Scanned through the Wiki page on the book and it sounds like the "odd" third is a departure from the book, which I'll probably give a go (it's one of those I've been meaning to read for a while). I did feel that the Loop's rules were a bit nonsensical, but it made for a nice ending and it was strange that the all 3 generations of the American/Polish family were played by Brits. The bee boy was in Mr Holmes, which also featured a lot of bees maybe he could provide his own bee mask?

 

One of those films I really hoped I'd love, but merely found entertaining. Maybe if i was much younger...

[Garacesh]

Much the same. Scanned through the Wiki page on the book and it sounds like the "odd" third is a departure from the book

Ah, that would explain it, then. Without spoiling anything, I'd guess everything from Skeletons onward?

 

Yeah, the rules for the Loops confused me a little bit, too. But to discuss them would be massive spoilers.

[LeMarchand]

Ah, that would explain it, then. Without spoiling anything, I'd guess everything from Skeletons onward?

 

The synopsis makes it sound like the whole chase onwards is quite different and that the end is much more obviously open to sequels. Hard to say without reading the book, but screenwriter Jane Goldman usually makes a much better job of adaptations. The end of Stardust is quite different in the book (and it works there) but her ending to the film really worked much better than the book's ending would have. Of course, maybe Tim Burton just wanted skeletons!

[Garacesh]

makes it sound like the whole chase onwards is quite different

Yeah, makes sense. It was skeletons that really jarred me, and then Mr. Barron's hand [yay vague-spoiler-free-ness] made me just think "Uh, wut? This is getting silly now."

Plus the ending. I don't get how Jake managed that. I think it comes from the rules of a Loop [again without going into spoilers] not being fully explained.

First two-thirds of the film though? Utterly fantastic. Loved every minute.

 

Also Stardust is a fantastic film. I should buy the DVD, come to think of it..

Edited October 12, 2016 by Garacesh

[Sagima]

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies was this weekend's film. This was mainly because I saw it available and thought "eh? wtf?"

It's not a misleading title.

 

I'm not sure who this film was actually aimed at as I would have thought that the sort of person who would want to watch a film with a bunch of young ladies hacking zombies to bits wouldn't be the sort of person who would appreciate Ms Austen's dialog and period setting (and vice versa). I can see it struggling to get decent reviews because most people are going to dislike at least half of the film.

 

Having Doctor Who (well Matt Smith) in it just made it even more weird - it was really much more like a feature-length episode of that series but without the good-bits of doctor who (but also rather handily without the bad bits - pretty much everything mr moffat has influenced with it).

 

Charles Dance and Lena Headey were in it as well. Mr Dance did a reasonable Mr Bennet. It was far better than his acting in that Frankenstein thing I watched and I did wonder if he might have played the part in another adaptation but it would seem not

Ms Headey was entertaining enough as Lady Catherine but I don't think she was really putting any effort in.

The woman playing Mrs Bennet was brilliant - she seems to play that sort of character in everything but this was clearly the film she has been waiting for.

 

It's worth watching but I advise you to have a bottle or two of strong wine to hand to help stop your brain trying to make sense of anything that's going on

[LeMarchand]

Watched the latest "Signed Sealed Delivered" (Lost Without You) TV movie at the weekend. Beginning to think that they should have stayed with it as an hour long series as they are having to pad out to 90 minutes. Plus, what is it with Americans and Daddy Issues? At least they haven't got a character with a drinking problem...

[sippo]

Sausage Party was a bit naff. Too much swearing. Swearing is good, but not every sentence.

[witch]

Jack Reacher - Never Go Back

 

I enjoyed it for what it is - a bit of a romp - although watching someone being beaten up seems a bit much for a 12a flim.

Cruse is good in it - only a little bit too old for the part. He is the unstoppable force of the books - but sadly, a bit too short. I think in the books Jack Reacher is something like 6ft 5in!!

[LeMarchand]

He is the unstoppable force of the books - but sadly, a bit too short. I think in the books Jack Reacher is something like 6ft 5in!!

 

How very dare you!

 

 

Look how he's taller than most of the others. Totally not Tom on a box!

[rad]

We had a film package while on holiday.

Lady in a van - good but not as good as I had hoped.

Minions - always a laugh

Mr Banks - great kids film

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - amazing, really well adapted from cartoon to animation. Really enjoyed it.

[LeMarchand]

Sisters

 

Had its moments (a scene involving a musical ballerina is painfully funny) but otherwise only raised a few chuckles for me. Plus the 2 sisters were incredibly annoying.

Edited October 23, 2016 by LeMarchand

[mavhc]

Mary and Max, stop motion film about an Australian girl and her penpal, an older jewish new yorker with aspergers.

 

Funny, sad, bitter-sweet, realistic, fantastic.

[sparkeh]

The Babadook

 

Have been avoiding this as mrs_sparkeh and I don't do too well with scary stuff (we love watching them but then spend the next week checking under the bed, in the wardrobes and taking turns to take overnight watch with a crucifix and gun loaded with silver bullets).

 

However we were so glad we finally relented and watched this. Personally I don't see this as a horror but more of a psychological film about dealing with grief. It's clever without being smug and there's plenty of things to go and look for in a second viewing.

 

My only negative is that the third act drags a bit (I mean we know that things are bad for the family already, c'mon pick up the pace a bit) but it's made up for with a wonderful ending.

 

Highly recommend it, even if you don't like horror (but watch to the end so you know the ends ok )

[Sagima]

The Visit. An M Night Shyamalan film.

 

Plot: Two children go and visit their estranged grandparents for the first time so their mum can go on a caribbean cruise with her new bf but they don't enjoy themselves for reasons that become evident in the film.

 

The specifics of the twist weren't guessed by me but the general gist of it I worked out about 2 minutes after they get to their grandparent's house as their grandfather drops a 50 foot high flashing neon sign complete with flamenco dancers and a 21 gun salute of a hint.

 

The boy seems very irritating at the beginning but actually most of the time he's bearable.

 

Overall it was alright but I'm beginning to think that maybe M should go into another genre of films now.

[Joanne]

Sausage Party. Glad I didn't watch it at the cinema. How awks is the bit at the end???

[LeMarchand]

Jack Reacher - Never Go Back

 

Fun action romp.

 

Pros:

Tom Cruise manages to restrain himself from taking his top for most of the movie.

In the somewhat gratuitous scene where Cobie Smulders is in her bra, it's actually a "proper" bra - she didn't "just happen" to be wearing her best lingerie to work.

The two of them didn't do more than flirt (we don't need a romance/sex scene in every film, especially in a series with little continuity beyond the lead).

 

Cons:

Aldis Hodge was almost unrecognisable compared to when he was in Leverage.

The young girl's lipstick/makeup - is the thing now only to do 1/2 your lower lip? And to stick on false eyelashes for your first day at a posh prep school?

[Norphy]

Con: Jack Reacher is supposed to be a 6'6" 240lbs muscular behemoth of a man. Tom Cruise just doesn't cut it. I'm sorry, he doesn't.

[fredbayker]

Although diverging from the books, I'd rather jack reacher was played by somebody smaller as opposed to an Arnie clone.

[LeMarchand]

Con: Jack Reacher is supposed to be a 6'6" 240lbs muscular behemoth of a man. Tom Cruise just doesn't cut it. I'm sorry, he doesn't.

 

Lee Child has made his piece with it and had a cameo in both films. In the second he was the airport guy who ignored the fact that Reacher looked nothing like the ID he produced.

 

Couple more cons:

The girl made dumb mistakes purely to further the plot (phone, credit card use).

Why couldn't Reacher and Turner work out what was going on after Prudhomme more or less spelled it out for them?

Prudhomme's wife also looked very well dressed for someone with a husband who was an AWOL junkie soldier.

[witch]

Con: Jack Reacher is supposed to be a 6'6" 240lbs muscular behemoth of a man. Tom Cruise just doesn't cut it. I'm sorry, he doesn't.

 

I did say about Jack being huge a few posts ago - what am I, invisible??

And excuse me @LeMarchand but what's to say Mrs Prudhomme doesnt have a high flying career of her own - it does happen, y'know!!

Edited October 27, 2016 by witch

[LeMarchand]

I did say about Jack being huge a few posts ago - what am I, invisible??

 

I responded; I must be more invisible .

 

And excuse me @LeMarchand but what's to say Mrs Prudhomme doesnt have a high flying career of her own - it does happen, y'know!!

 

Nothing, but using my extensive knowledge of American life* US army wives seem to stay at home and not have a career (especially those married to the lower ranks, like Mrs P), plus there seemed to be some implication that he'd left her high and dry in terms of cash. Mind you there is a strong French influence in New Orleans, so maybe the thrift shops are full of haute couture cast-offs.

 

*Formed from years of watching Hollywood films and TV shows

[caffrey]

The Greasy Strangler, weird film but so funny.