The last movie I saw was...

[LeMarchand]

[Pedant]I did enjoy the first.. Robin Williams was great in it.[/Pedant]

 

I notice the first of the reboot is on Netflix now. I keep telling myself I'll watch it at some point but keep not getting round to it.

 

A character from the first makes a cameo in this one (and there is a nod to Williams' character in the previous). "Welcome to the Jungle" is a fun romp; well worth a look.

[CHiLL]

Jumanji: The Next Level - 8/10

I have to concur with @LeMarchand. It isn't as good as the previous film, but it is still a good fun movie to watch. Some of the characters don't have as much to do

 

A character from the first makes a cameo in this one (and there is a nod to Williams' character in the previous). "Welcome to the Jungle" is a fun romp; well worth a look.

That didn't click at all for me when I watched it. Just Googled it and now I see it, it's a nice little addition.

[mavhc]

Jumanji: The Next Level - 8/10

I have to concur with @LeMarchand. It isn't as good as the previous film, but it is still a good fun movie to watch. Some of the characters don't have as much to do

 

 

That didn't click at all for me when I watched it. Just Googled it and now I see it, it's a nice little addition.

 

I just found it extremely repetitive, at least I didn't pay to see it. Nothing new really compared to the previous film.

 

Compare to Wreck it Ralph 1 and 2

[elsiegee40]

Cats (2019) ... my opinion

 

If you know Cats the stage show you will probably come away a little disappointed.

 

In an attempt to give the stage show a stronger plot, they have taken away some of the best bits of the show and added in talking parts.

 

Some of the key parts are no longer played by dancers and you notice. Mr Mistoffelees doesn’t do THAT split jump... the one that every poster for Cats featured. RumTum Tugger should fancy himself and everyone else... he doesn’t despite being played by Jason de Loo-Roll. The original part was danced by John Partridge and that part barely dances now. Mungojerry and Rumpleteazer are played by dancers, but the dance routine doesn’t stand out like the stage original.

 

Pekes v Pollicles has gone completely, which isn’t the end of the world, but a bit odd when it’s referenced at the end.

 

On the plus side, the new tap routine done on a railway line for Skimbleshanks is really good [emoji4]

 

However, the tap routine emphasised the scale issues with the film. The metal railway track was easily the width of a paving slab or the cats had shrunk to the size of mice. In other scenes, the cats seemed too big. It was all over the place!

 

James Corden actually made a pretty good Bustopher Jones. No complaints from me on that one.

 

I found the CGI moving tails and ears a little distracting to start, but quickly got used to that. The CGI feet, however... weeeiiirrrd.

 

I came away feeling that a different director who was less CGI obsessed would have made a better fist of this. Did it deserve the pasting it got by the critics? No. Is it at as good as I had hoped? Definitely not.

 

You can get Cats: The musical, the film of the original stage production, on demand on Sky Arts... or pay about £2.50 to rent it from Amazon Prime. It’s probably a better deal!

Edited December 29, 2019 by elsiegee40

[elsiegee40]

Today we watched Cats: The musical on demand from Sky.

 

Opinion revised downwards. Forget the new film. The stage production is much, much better! How could they omit so much dance that was front and centre of the stage show?

 

Watching this just emphasised how bad the film is.

 

I think the desire for big names in the film... and the love affair with CGI... killed what was a brilliant stage show.

Edited December 29, 2019 by elsiegee40

[witch]

The Domestics

Boring

Violent

Pointless

 

Black Death

See above, except Medieval

[elsiegee40]

Star Wars: The rise of Skywalker

 

Really enjoyed it

[LeMarchand]

Two Christmas films.

 

Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My DonkeyIt's Martin Clunes' turn to put up with the insufferable Mr Poppy as the kids of St.Bernadette's try to win a flash mob competition. Seemingly written by a bunch of kids hopped up on sugar, this is slightly better than the second film - but best not to think about the plot, or why the director's obviously teenage daughter is still in primary school.

 

Krampus

 

A dysfunctional family are terrorised by the "evil Santa Claus", Krampus. Reasonably watchable horror let down by the cop-out ending.

[LeMarchand]

What Men Want

 

Gender-flipped version of the Mel Gibson movie. Tough as nails sports agent Taraji P. Henson gains the ability to hear men's thoughts and uses it to get the promotion she was unfairly passed over for. Moderately amusing, but I'm glad we didn't bother with this one at the cinema.

[LeMarchand]

The Knight Before Christmas

 

A 14th century knight from Norwich is transported to present day America where he is taken in by a kindly teacher. Romance and mild "fish out of water" comedy ensue. Netflix have basically made a Hallmark movie with this one. It's cheese of the highest order, but hits the target it was aiming for.

 

Robin Hood (2018)

 

Not good, but nowhere near as bad as the reviews made out. I wouldn't recommend seeking it out particularly, but it passes a couple of hours.

 

The Rise of Skywalker

 

After a slightly slow start (might have been the pre-film drinks...) this shaped up to be me favourite of the new trilogy and, for me at least, a fitting end to the saga. Mme LeMarchand was slightly disappointed, but may have been expecting too much.

[CHiLL]

The Rise of Skywalker - 7/10

I was disappointed in this film. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it as a film...just not as much as when viewed as a Star Wars story. They didn't really have a plan on an arcing story throughout this trilogy and it is evident when you watch all three in short sucession. There was a lot of unnecessary fan service. I think the only people to blame here are Disney.

 

JoJo Rabbit - 8/10

I like most of Taikka Waititi's work and this is no exception. I thought it was a funny and interesting film.

[sonofsanta]

I was very underwhelmed by Rise of Skywalker. (Will white everything that follows out, for spoileriness, even as I'm going to be as vague as I can be just in case.) It spent too much of its time trying to backtrack on things Last Jedi had done--it started with the reforging of Kylo's mask!--rather than just accepting it and moving forward. Nothing anyone did seemed to have any consequences: the trailer itself spoiled one supposed shock, because I knew we hadn't had a certain scene yet so said shock must be a fake out (and it was). And another character made a sacrifice that was undone. People got their way without needing to sacrifice anything personally--there was a lot of physical effort from characters, but no emotional effort. Redemption came way too easy to others. Leia felt very shoehorned in, such that other characters had to talk to her like she was Chewie, making sure they announced all the important details themselves because her response was going to be so generic (though tbf, I don't know how else they could have done it--you couldn't recast Princess Leia, and I was never convinced by CGI Leia in R1.) Rose was abandoned in favour of new half-baked characters with not enough time to be developed. And the big reveal for a certain character was so obvious and unnecessary my eyes almost rolled back in my head. It didn't surprise me at any point, like Last Jedi did: it all felt plodding and predictable and completely lacking in tension or development or arc, instead content to just throw out more flashy CGI and characters running while shouting exposition. This essay from Film Crit Hulk discusses a lot of my problems with the story far more eloquently than I ever could. The lightsaber fight was pretty cool, though, and the concept art book is going to be amazing.

 

Also saw Spies in Disguise with the kids, which was more fun than I expected. Carried entirely by Will Smith being Will Smith and Tom Holland being Tom Holland, but it's a good pairing, and better than some kids films I saw this holiday (the new Addams Family, omg how did they make it so bad). Klaus on Netflix is surprisingly excellent, too, if you're looking for options next Christmas; beautifully animated, cleverly conceived, surprisingly emotional.

[LeMarchand]

Instant Family

 

 

Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne decide to adopt, but end up with 3 siblings with a troubled past. Fun and heart-warming. Shame the director had Rose Byrne SHOUT ALL THE TIME.

[LeMarchand]

Above the Shadows

 

 

Olivia Thirlby stars as Holly, a young woman who faded into invisibility when her mother died. When she meets someone who can see her, she realises that she ruined his life. If she can fix his life, maybe she will fix her own?

 

Sweet indie fairy tale that may be worth a look if you can buy into the concept. I'm not surprised it wasn't a big hit - I can't imagine that the market for indie fantasies set it the worlds of paparazzi and MMA is huge - and it's hardly going to make anyone's Top 10, but it is intriguing. There's a scene near the end with a stunning bit of acting from Holly's Dad.

[CHiLL]

1917 - 9/10

Really enjoyed this film. It's had a lot of hype for being a "1 shot" and when it started, I was constantly on the look out for the hidden cuts. But after 10-15 minutes or so, you're fully in the film and stop looking for them (mostly). Some good short parts for some great actors through the film too. I would definately recommend it.

 

Little Women - 8/10

I also really enjoyed this film. I didn't really know much about it before going in, other than it is a story about four sisters. If you want to see a film with some of the best young actors at the moment, this is the film for you. Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet and Florence Pugh were great.

Edited January 13, 2020 by CHiLL

[witch]

Little Women

I also really enjoyed this film. I didn't really know much about it before going in, other than it is a story about three sisters. If you want to see a film with some of the best young actors at the moment, this is the film for you. Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet and Florence Pugh were great.

 

They have REALLY changed the story if you are correct..There are FOUR sisters: Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth

[CHiLL]

They have REALLY changed the story if you are correct..There are FOUR sisters: Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth

My mistake, there were four. I've edited the post now.

[mavhc]

1917 - 9/10

Really enjoyed this film. It's had a lot of hype for being a "1 shot" and when it started, I was constantly on the look out for the hidden cuts. But after 10-15 minutes or so, you're fully in the film and stop looking for them (mostly). Some good short parts for some great actors through the film too. I would definately recommend it.

 

Plus it's 2 shots, not 1.

 

They dug a mile of trenches, impressive.

 

Also saw Star Wars, pew pew, spaceships!

[mavhc]

My mistake, there were four. I've edited the post now.

 

[CHiLL]

Plus it's 2 shots, not 1.

 

They dug a mile of trenches, impressive.

Yeah, I thought that at a specific scene in the film, but all you hear in reviews and stuff is one shot. There's a BTS shot with him running along the trench line and it's impressive managing all that, with the extras, practical effects, camera work, CGI in post, etc.

[Megonms]

Does anyone have a top pick for 2019? I fancy watching something and can't decide. I'm thinking The Irish Man...

[CHiLL]

Does anyone have a top pick for 2019? I fancy watching something and can't decide. I'm thinking The Irish Man...

Ford vs Ferrari/Le Man's 66, One Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Farewell, Joker, Hustlers would be my picks. Edited January 13, 2020 by CHiLL

[MrMat]

Yeah, I thought that at a specific scene in the film, but all you hear in reviews and stuff is one shot. There's a BTS shot with him running along the trench line and it's impressive managing all that, with the extras, practical effects, camera work, CGI in post, etc.

 

Yeah it's incredibly well put together. I too spent some time looking for cuts. The only one I found to be a little janky was the big foreground rock in the river sequence!

 

Overall though, brilliant film definitely worth the hype.

[Garacesh]

The Mrs. and I decided to pick something random on Netflix we hadn't seen before and ended up watching Fractured.

An utterly predictable movie with an obvious plot. It's clearly supposed to be a slow-burner, but they give the plot away far too much in the early stages of the movie (and with the title..). Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation, Avatar) played the lead role incredibly well, but was let down terribly by the lack of any real substance.

 

Overall I feel it wouldn't been much better as a book, where the lack of visual information probably wouldn't have spoiled the plot so much. Wouldn't recommend.

[CHiLL]

Yeah it's incredibly well put together. I too spent some time looking for cuts. The only one I found to be a little janky was the big foreground rock in the river sequence!

 

Overall though, brilliant film definitely worth the hype.

Yeah, I noticed some of the obvious places, like going through archways/trenches/tunnels where it goes completely dark, or where the camera pans past a tree that is the full height of the frame.