Did you notice how I was too polite to point out it's palate cleanser?
Arse. Sorry.
Happy birthday, arse
Why thank you xx
Why didn't you watch actual Predator?
Grim... wrote:
Why didn't you watch actual Predator?
I don't own or currently have access to it.
Also it's not actually very good
Yesterday I went to see Bohemian Rhapsody and I thought it was brilliant!
Rami Malek was simply amazing as Freddie. The only criticism I'd have is that it was quite fast paced. They covered a lot of ground in those 2 hours.
Rami Malek was simply amazing as Freddie. The only criticism I'd have is that it was quite fast paced. They covered a lot of ground in those 2 hours.
Welcome back, Praisebot!
DavPaz wrote:
Welcome back, Praisebot!
Good to be back!
I think Wreck It Ralph 2 may have had an Ashens reference in.
https://twitter.com/Grimdotdotdot/statu ... 5204465666
@ashens I've just seen Wreck It Ralph 2. There's a bit where Ralph is parodying internet videos and in one of them you just see his hands above a sofa and he is opening a box of tat...
— Grim... (@Grimdotdotdot) December 8, 2018
Grim... wrote:
I think Wreck It Ralph 2 may have had an Ashens reference in.
Wow
Hearthly wrote:
After the intensity of Three Billboards I fancied something a little bit easier going last night so I had a browse through Amazon Prime's movie list selection, (which appears to be better than it was), and settled on a nonsensical 2013 film called 'Escape Plan' with Arnie and Sly in it. (There are also a few other familiar faces in there, such as Vincent D'Onofrio, Vinnie Jones, Sam Neill and Jim Caviezel.)
Sly is a genius sort of 'prison breaker' character, who is employed by various authorities to test the structural security of the world's toughest prisons (no, really). He agrees to take 'one last job' to test the security of a new ultra-secret high-tech facility that officially doesn't exist.
But what's this? A double-cross! And Sly finds himself genuinely incarcerated in a prison that none of his friends know the location of. Will he be able to break out? (Spoiler alert. Yes.)
Also imprisoned in the facility is Arnie, and he seems to want to get to know Sly right from the start. After being suspicious of him at first, Sly and Arnie must work together to orchestrate their escape, as the vicious warden (played by Caviezel and assisted by his psychopathic hard-man (inevitiably played by Jones)) seeks to break their bodies and minds.
If all this sounds utterly preposterous then yes, it absolutely is, but for what it is, it works.
This is basically an 80s popcorn movie, Sly and Arnie are on good form and work well together on the screen. The script is solid, the acting is fine, the budget was sufficient to make it all look nice and shiny, the action is well choreographed and the directing is assured. It's not massively violent (Cert 15, R in the States) but there are crunchy fight scenes and blood flies when people get shot. (The action does have that jump-cut editing style and a lot of obvious body double shots, which is understandable considering the two protagonists have a combined age of three million years.)
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a great film, but it knows what it is, and it does it well. If you want a fun action movie that doesn't test the old grey matter too much (or indeed at all), this is the film for you.
700/1000 - So exactly as good as Baby Driver.
Sly is a genius sort of 'prison breaker' character, who is employed by various authorities to test the structural security of the world's toughest prisons (no, really). He agrees to take 'one last job' to test the security of a new ultra-secret high-tech facility that officially doesn't exist.
But what's this? A double-cross! And Sly finds himself genuinely incarcerated in a prison that none of his friends know the location of. Will he be able to break out? (Spoiler alert. Yes.)
Also imprisoned in the facility is Arnie, and he seems to want to get to know Sly right from the start. After being suspicious of him at first, Sly and Arnie must work together to orchestrate their escape, as the vicious warden (played by Caviezel and assisted by his psychopathic hard-man (inevitiably played by Jones)) seeks to break their bodies and minds.
If all this sounds utterly preposterous then yes, it absolutely is, but for what it is, it works.
This is basically an 80s popcorn movie, Sly and Arnie are on good form and work well together on the screen. The script is solid, the acting is fine, the budget was sufficient to make it all look nice and shiny, the action is well choreographed and the directing is assured. It's not massively violent (Cert 15, R in the States) but there are crunchy fight scenes and blood flies when people get shot. (The action does have that jump-cut editing style and a lot of obvious body double shots, which is understandable considering the two protagonists have a combined age of three million years.)
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a great film, but it knows what it is, and it does it well. If you want a fun action movie that doesn't test the old grey matter too much (or indeed at all), this is the film for you.
700/1000 - So exactly as good as Baby Driver.
We just watched it on the strength of this. It was ace.
MaliA wrote:
Hearthly wrote:
After the intensity of Three Billboards I fancied something a little bit easier going last night so I had a browse through Amazon Prime's movie list selection, (which appears to be better than it was), and settled on a nonsensical 2013 film called 'Escape Plan' with Arnie and Sly in it. (There are also a few other familiar faces in there, such as Vincent D'Onofrio, Vinnie Jones, Sam Neill and Jim Caviezel.)
Sly is a genius sort of 'prison breaker' character, who is employed by various authorities to test the structural security of the world's toughest prisons (no, really). He agrees to take 'one last job' to test the security of a new ultra-secret high-tech facility that officially doesn't exist.
But what's this? A double-cross! And Sly finds himself genuinely incarcerated in a prison that none of his friends know the location of. Will he be able to break out? (Spoiler alert. Yes.)
Also imprisoned in the facility is Arnie, and he seems to want to get to know Sly right from the start. After being suspicious of him at first, Sly and Arnie must work together to orchestrate their escape, as the vicious warden (played by Caviezel and assisted by his psychopathic hard-man (inevitiably played by Jones)) seeks to break their bodies and minds.
If all this sounds utterly preposterous then yes, it absolutely is, but for what it is, it works.
This is basically an 80s popcorn movie, Sly and Arnie are on good form and work well together on the screen. The script is solid, the acting is fine, the budget was sufficient to make it all look nice and shiny, the action is well choreographed and the directing is assured. It's not massively violent (Cert 15, R in the States) but there are crunchy fight scenes and blood flies when people get shot. (The action does have that jump-cut editing style and a lot of obvious body double shots, which is understandable considering the two protagonists have a combined age of three million years.)
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a great film, but it knows what it is, and it does it well. If you want a fun action movie that doesn't test the old grey matter too much (or indeed at all), this is the film for you.
700/1000 - So exactly as good as Baby Driver.
Sly is a genius sort of 'prison breaker' character, who is employed by various authorities to test the structural security of the world's toughest prisons (no, really). He agrees to take 'one last job' to test the security of a new ultra-secret high-tech facility that officially doesn't exist.
But what's this? A double-cross! And Sly finds himself genuinely incarcerated in a prison that none of his friends know the location of. Will he be able to break out? (Spoiler alert. Yes.)
Also imprisoned in the facility is Arnie, and he seems to want to get to know Sly right from the start. After being suspicious of him at first, Sly and Arnie must work together to orchestrate their escape, as the vicious warden (played by Caviezel and assisted by his psychopathic hard-man (inevitiably played by Jones)) seeks to break their bodies and minds.
If all this sounds utterly preposterous then yes, it absolutely is, but for what it is, it works.
This is basically an 80s popcorn movie, Sly and Arnie are on good form and work well together on the screen. The script is solid, the acting is fine, the budget was sufficient to make it all look nice and shiny, the action is well choreographed and the directing is assured. It's not massively violent (Cert 15, R in the States) but there are crunchy fight scenes and blood flies when people get shot. (The action does have that jump-cut editing style and a lot of obvious body double shots, which is understandable considering the two protagonists have a combined age of three million years.)
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a great film, but it knows what it is, and it does it well. If you want a fun action movie that doesn't test the old grey matter too much (or indeed at all), this is the film for you.
700/1000 - So exactly as good as Baby Driver.
We just watched it on the strength of this. It was ace.
Watched it a few years back, loved it. There is a sequel.
Fantastic Beasts 2 is one of those deeply unsatisfying obvious trilogy (or more) films.
I didn’t like it. Jesus Christ it’s so CGI heavy that it reminded me of the Star Wars prequels. The Potter films were quite heavy on the CGI but this is too much. And the story is this convoluted mess, so much so that it requires an enormous exposition dump 90 minutes in. It also felt like a much longer film with heavy handed cuts: look they’re in a sewer, next cut, now they’re on the street, next cut, now they’re running. And this thing at the end comes out of nowhere “IT WILL DESTROY THE CITY” - ok, how’s that then? I miss the simplicity of the Potter films which foreshadow big events well. And how come people don’t announce their spells at all near the end? Someone gets zapped and their death should be shocking, but it’s not...just a laser in the face with no gasp from the audience cause the villain is just pointing a stick at someone. What about when crazy bitch from the Potters did that death spell for the first time and killed Serious Sam Black? That was decent. Oh and plot armour keeps the main cast from getting killed when red shirts are getting murdered around them. Urgh, I hate that. I’m not keen on Newt either simply because he’s not as likeable as Harry Potter. Much, much less so. And he seems to always stand at a funny angle. Strange, the things you notice.
Anyway, it’s not fun, in fact it’s a bit of a mess.
I didn’t like it. Jesus Christ it’s so CGI heavy that it reminded me of the Star Wars prequels. The Potter films were quite heavy on the CGI but this is too much. And the story is this convoluted mess, so much so that it requires an enormous exposition dump 90 minutes in. It also felt like a much longer film with heavy handed cuts: look they’re in a sewer, next cut, now they’re on the street, next cut, now they’re running. And this thing at the end comes out of nowhere “IT WILL DESTROY THE CITY” - ok, how’s that then? I miss the simplicity of the Potter films which foreshadow big events well. And how come people don’t announce their spells at all near the end? Someone gets zapped and their death should be shocking, but it’s not...just a laser in the face with no gasp from the audience cause the villain is just pointing a stick at someone. What about when crazy bitch from the Potters did that death spell for the first time and killed Serious Sam Black? That was decent. Oh and plot armour keeps the main cast from getting killed when red shirts are getting murdered around them. Urgh, I hate that. I’m not keen on Newt either simply because he’s not as likeable as Harry Potter. Much, much less so. And he seems to always stand at a funny angle. Strange, the things you notice.
Anyway, it’s not fun, in fact it’s a bit of a mess.
Satsuma wrote:
I’m not keen on Newt either simply because he’s not as likeable as Harry Potter..
\
Fuck you, buddy.
Jem watched the first Fantastic Beasts film yesterday, and I caught a bit of it while playing Stardew Valley.
I get that it makes for a good spectacle, but I just think it's so fucking lazy. Try not writing your story so that this kind of resolution is needed.
I'm not looking forward to Avengers 4 for this reason.
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
I get that it makes for a good spectacle, but I just think it's so fucking lazy. Try not writing your story so that this kind of resolution is needed.
I'm not looking forward to Avengers 4 for this reason.
I watched ARRIVAL on Netflix last night, which somehow is one of those films I should have watched already but have only just got around to it.
Anyway, it's dead good innit, and kind of 'pure' sci-fi in that the sci-fi is entirely a vehicle to get us thinking about things and be all contemplative and stuff.
I basically worked it all out OK but checked out a couple of 'explained' videos just to make sure I had understood the IMPORTANT THEMES. Quite uplifting and hopeful in the final analysis, but some impressive deep themes to chew over.
Also, Amy Adams is dead fanciable plus she's the same age as me and I suspect would be really impressed by my Hearthstone card collection.
860/1000 - for the film.
720/1000 - for legover potential afterwards, could go either way I reckon.
Anyway, it's dead good innit, and kind of 'pure' sci-fi in that the sci-fi is entirely a vehicle to get us thinking about things and be all contemplative and stuff.
I basically worked it all out OK but checked out a couple of 'explained' videos just to make sure I had understood the IMPORTANT THEMES. Quite uplifting and hopeful in the final analysis, but some impressive deep themes to chew over.
Also, Amy Adams is dead fanciable plus she's the same age as me and I suspect would be really impressed by my Hearthstone card collection.
860/1000 - for the film.
720/1000 - for legover potential afterwards, could go either way I reckon.
It can't be sci-fi, because it's set in the modern day, and sci-fi is a setting, not a genre. #WrongoloidOpinion.
Pundabaya wrote:
It can't be sci-fi, because it's set in the modern day, and sci-fi is a setting, not a genre. #WrongoloidOpinion.
Sci-fi doesn't have to be set in the future. Consider The Difference Engine, the canonical steampunk book, which is set in 1855 but still sci-fi. Or consider HG Wells's The Time Machine, which was set in the current day (of the time) but is canonically sci-fi. Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
Pundabaya wrote:
It can't be sci-fi, because it's set in the modern day, and sci-fi is a setting, not a genre. #WrongoloidOpinion.
Sci-fi doesn't have to be set in the future. Consider The Difference Engine, the canonical steampunk book, which is set in 1855 but still sci-fi. Or consider HG Wells's The Time Machine, which was set in the current day (of the time) but is canonically sci-fi.The time machine is surely a bad example of a film set in the present. They travel to the future!
Malc wrote:
The time machine is surely a bad example of a film set in the present. They travel to the future!
It starts in the present, though.
Back to the Future starts in the present and travels into the past, good luck arguing that means it isn't sci-fi.
Technically speaking Arrival travels thousands of years into the future, and indeed changes the entire concept of time as we understand it.
And who says sci-fi has to be in the future anyway? I call nonsense.
And who says sci-fi has to be in the future anyway? I call nonsense.
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
Malc wrote:
The time machine is surely a bad example of a film set in the present. They travel to the future!
It starts in the present, though.
Back to the Future starts in the present and travels into the past, good luck arguing that means it isn't sci-fi.
It's a Romantic Comedy!
DavPaz wrote:
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
Malc wrote:
The time machine is surely a bad example of a film set in the present. They travel to the future!
It starts in the present, though.
Back to the Future starts in the present and travels into the past, good luck arguing that means it isn't sci-fi.
It's a Romantic Comedy!
A romcom about incest and attempted rape!
Trooper wrote:
DavPaz wrote:
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
Malc wrote:
The time machine is surely a bad example of a film set in the present. They travel to the future!
It starts in the present, though.
Back to the Future starts in the present and travels into the past, good luck arguing that means it isn't sci-fi.
It's a Romantic Comedy!
A romcom about incest and attempted rape!
/perks up
I remember Lea Thompson in Back To The Future causing some early rumblings in my pants.
She made you fart.
Can confirm that Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is ace and definitely worth watching.
See as little of the clips beforehand as you can, but even if you’ve seen all the trailers it is a very good movie with loads more great moments in it.
Plus the animation is superb.
See as little of the clips beforehand as you can, but even if you’ve seen all the trailers it is a very good movie with loads more great moments in it.
Plus the animation is superb.
Hearthly wrote:
I remember Lea Thompson in Back To The Future causing some early rumblings in my pants.
Concur.
And strongly recommend Some Kind Of Wonderful.
I watched INTERSTELLAR on Amazon Prime last night. It was very good but even at nearly three hours felt dreadfully rushed, it would have been much better as 6 x one hour episodes in a season I think, tried to do far too much in not enough time.
That said, it certainly had a lot of ambition and all the components of a great film. Great cast, script, directing, story, effects and so on.
Very enjoyable and a fine watch.
PRO TIP - The Amazon Prime XBox app is pretty solid, and far preferable to using a Media Centre PC. (Not as good as the Netfflix app by a long chalk, but still the best way to play the content IMO.)
820/1000 - FILM
810/1000 - LEGOVER POTENTIAL, I think this one could work, except it might be so late that your partner is like, 'Fuck this, it's late, I'm going to bed to sleep and not to shag'
That said, it certainly had a lot of ambition and all the components of a great film. Great cast, script, directing, story, effects and so on.
Very enjoyable and a fine watch.
PRO TIP - The Amazon Prime XBox app is pretty solid, and far preferable to using a Media Centre PC. (Not as good as the Netfflix app by a long chalk, but still the best way to play the content IMO.)
820/1000 - FILM
810/1000 - LEGOVER POTENTIAL, I think this one could work, except it might be so late that your partner is like, 'Fuck this, it's late, I'm going to bed to sleep and not to shag'
Curiosity wrote:
Can confirm that Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is ace and definitely worth watching.
See as little of the clips beforehand as you can, but even if you’ve seen all the trailers it is a very good movie with loads more great moments in it.
Plus the animation is superb.
See as little of the clips beforehand as you can, but even if you’ve seen all the trailers it is a very good movie with loads more great moments in it.
Plus the animation is superb.
+1
I thought it was fantastic.
After finding Olympus Has Fallen mildly diverting (although the wise crack near the end - on the lawn strewn with bodies - was jarring) we had 'London Has Fallen' on the telly in the background while I was pissing about on my phone.
I'm more than happy to suspend disbelief in a movie but this took the piss. A series of fortunate coincidences all rolled up into a 'master plan', some magical plan that relied on infiltrating the police, army, queens guards (or whatever they are called, the ones with the busby hats) in huge numbers without anyone noticing, oh, and MI6 too. Good job they also had plenty of goons in helicopters/cars/on foot/on dirtbikes/cars and vans for this plan, and also for the hero to kill and in some cases unpleasantly brutalise. At one point El Pres even asks 'is that really necessary?' as a downed foe was stabbed in the face by the hero to send a message, to which the hero nonchalantly replies 'no'. A total shit of a film and unpleasant too.
Yesterday night I watched Ip Man. It was good. The fight scenes were good and not overdone (direct and concise, and with very minimal wirework) and I thought the characters and acting were quite well done, if a little cliched. Glad I watched it, it was a refreshing change from overblown tripe. It was also noticeable how quiet the film was, there wasn't a huge amount of background music/soundtrack (whatever you call it). It's amazing how much that stands out to me once I notice/realise.
I'm more than happy to suspend disbelief in a movie but this took the piss. A series of fortunate coincidences all rolled up into a 'master plan', some magical plan that relied on infiltrating the police, army, queens guards (or whatever they are called, the ones with the busby hats) in huge numbers without anyone noticing, oh, and MI6 too. Good job they also had plenty of goons in helicopters/cars/on foot/on dirtbikes/cars and vans for this plan, and also for the hero to kill and in some cases unpleasantly brutalise. At one point El Pres even asks 'is that really necessary?' as a downed foe was stabbed in the face by the hero to send a message, to which the hero nonchalantly replies 'no'. A total shit of a film and unpleasant too.
Yesterday night I watched Ip Man. It was good. The fight scenes were good and not overdone (direct and concise, and with very minimal wirework) and I thought the characters and acting were quite well done, if a little cliched. Glad I watched it, it was a refreshing change from overblown tripe. It was also noticeable how quiet the film was, there wasn't a huge amount of background music/soundtrack (whatever you call it). It's amazing how much that stands out to me once I notice/realise.
Last night’s film was ‘TYSON’. For clarity, (as there are a lot of Tyson branded films), this is the 2009 documentary by James Toback, which features nothing apart from Tyson talking, overlaid and intercut with archive footage of his fights, news footage, historical interviews, and his early years (Olympics participation, for example).
The film is currently on Amazon Prime, and essentially covers Tyson’s entire life, from his early years as a ‘fat kid’ (his own words) who was bullied, run ins with the law in one of Brooklyn’s roughest districts, discovering boxing, his meteoric rise, world championship wins, brief marriage, going off the rails, rape conviction, prison time, trying to rebuild his career afterwards, and then his downward trajectory as a boxer.
It’s a fascinating piece of work. Tyson is clearly a complex and damaged character, who talks openly of a shattered childhood, with his life essentially being saved by his mentor, Cus D’Amato (who died fairly early in Tyson’s career, and whom Tyson openly weeps when talking about).
There are still flashes of the old Tyson as he describes some of his fights, particularly the Holyfield rematch where he infamously bit his opponent twice on the ear (he maintains that Holyfield was headbutting him and not being reprimanded), his frank admission that he wanted to destroy and kill Holyfield, intercut with footage of the fight, is grimly fascinating.
I know some folks aren’t going to be able to see past the fact that the guy is a convicted rapist. The film does cover this (along with his short and disastrous marriage), Tyson maintains it was a false allegation. That’s a choice folks will have to make for themselves.
You won’t necessarily come out of this on Tyson’s side, but you’ll certainly understand him better.
Well worth 90 minutes of your time.
825/1000
The film is currently on Amazon Prime, and essentially covers Tyson’s entire life, from his early years as a ‘fat kid’ (his own words) who was bullied, run ins with the law in one of Brooklyn’s roughest districts, discovering boxing, his meteoric rise, world championship wins, brief marriage, going off the rails, rape conviction, prison time, trying to rebuild his career afterwards, and then his downward trajectory as a boxer.
It’s a fascinating piece of work. Tyson is clearly a complex and damaged character, who talks openly of a shattered childhood, with his life essentially being saved by his mentor, Cus D’Amato (who died fairly early in Tyson’s career, and whom Tyson openly weeps when talking about).
There are still flashes of the old Tyson as he describes some of his fights, particularly the Holyfield rematch where he infamously bit his opponent twice on the ear (he maintains that Holyfield was headbutting him and not being reprimanded), his frank admission that he wanted to destroy and kill Holyfield, intercut with footage of the fight, is grimly fascinating.
I know some folks aren’t going to be able to see past the fact that the guy is a convicted rapist. The film does cover this (along with his short and disastrous marriage), Tyson maintains it was a false allegation. That’s a choice folks will have to make for themselves.
You won’t necessarily come out of this on Tyson’s side, but you’ll certainly understand him better.
Well worth 90 minutes of your time.
825/1000
https://twitter.com/predator/status/1075601686830428162
?
The slay bells are ringing. Watch The Predator Holiday Special now & get The Predator on Blu-ray & Digital. https://t.co/VZ6HGD0Ten pic.twitter.com/2P3nJbT7qo
— Predator (@Predator) December 20, 2018
?
That was mildy amusing, but what it does show is quite how little they understand the IP and brand they have...
It's also almost certainly better than "The Predator".
Last night’s film was ‘71 - a historical thriller set in Northern Ireland in the year (wait for it), 1971. (It's currently on Amazon Prime.)
It follows a young army unit, deployed to Belfast for their first tour of active duty, and subsequently sent to assist the RUC in a search of Catholic houses on the Protestant/Catholic border in the city. The RUC’s methods shock the young soldiers, and as an angry crowd of Catholic residents gathers and then turns violent, the soldiers quickly find themselves outnumbered and their commanding officer orders a retreat. In the confusion, two soldiers become separated from their unit, quickly reduced to one. The rest of the film follows this soldier, Gary Hook, as he tries to navigate the city, unable to tell friend from foe, and trying to return to his barracks.
This really is two films in one, as a thriller/chase style movie, it’s supremely effective and tight as a drum, a single man, lost in enemy territory, desperately trying to return to a safe haven. The film works on that level alone, you could watch the film with no historical grounding in The Troubles whatsoever, and be thoroughly consumed by watching the story play out.
However, what gives the film a whole extra level of resonance is the backdrop it plays out against. It’s unsparingly effective in demonstrating the sectarian hatred that divided Ireland and the city of Belfast, encompassing the RUC, PIRA, OIRA, MRF and the British Army, as they all pursue their own agendas with little concern for the collateral damage, with the justification that they’re at war.
The violence isn’t gratuitous or showy, when bullets connect or bombs explode the aftermath is brutal and upsetting (a post-pub bombing scene leaves little to the imagination, but it’s necessary to show the horror and terror of the struggle, and the ultimate futility of it).
By the end of the film we’re left to ponder who the ‘goodies and baddies’ are, the film doesn’t particularly denounce either side, and indeed makes an effort to show the humanity present in all, if there’s a bad guy - it’s the army and the occupation.
As one character says at one point, ‘Posh cunts telling thick cunts to kill poor cunts, that’s the army for you, and it’s all a lie’.
As a final note, one would hope that this film would be nothing more than a tale of how we used to be, but as Brexit threatens to split Ireland once again, and the far right rises across Europe, and Motherfucking Trump rules America with a message of hatred and racism - one wonders what it’d take for us to end up back there. Probably not that much.
885/1000
It follows a young army unit, deployed to Belfast for their first tour of active duty, and subsequently sent to assist the RUC in a search of Catholic houses on the Protestant/Catholic border in the city. The RUC’s methods shock the young soldiers, and as an angry crowd of Catholic residents gathers and then turns violent, the soldiers quickly find themselves outnumbered and their commanding officer orders a retreat. In the confusion, two soldiers become separated from their unit, quickly reduced to one. The rest of the film follows this soldier, Gary Hook, as he tries to navigate the city, unable to tell friend from foe, and trying to return to his barracks.
This really is two films in one, as a thriller/chase style movie, it’s supremely effective and tight as a drum, a single man, lost in enemy territory, desperately trying to return to a safe haven. The film works on that level alone, you could watch the film with no historical grounding in The Troubles whatsoever, and be thoroughly consumed by watching the story play out.
However, what gives the film a whole extra level of resonance is the backdrop it plays out against. It’s unsparingly effective in demonstrating the sectarian hatred that divided Ireland and the city of Belfast, encompassing the RUC, PIRA, OIRA, MRF and the British Army, as they all pursue their own agendas with little concern for the collateral damage, with the justification that they’re at war.
The violence isn’t gratuitous or showy, when bullets connect or bombs explode the aftermath is brutal and upsetting (a post-pub bombing scene leaves little to the imagination, but it’s necessary to show the horror and terror of the struggle, and the ultimate futility of it).
By the end of the film we’re left to ponder who the ‘goodies and baddies’ are, the film doesn’t particularly denounce either side, and indeed makes an effort to show the humanity present in all, if there’s a bad guy - it’s the army and the occupation.
As one character says at one point, ‘Posh cunts telling thick cunts to kill poor cunts, that’s the army for you, and it’s all a lie’.
As a final note, one would hope that this film would be nothing more than a tale of how we used to be, but as Brexit threatens to split Ireland once again, and the far right rises across Europe, and Motherfucking Trump rules America with a message of hatred and racism - one wonders what it’d take for us to end up back there. Probably not that much.
885/1000
Fuck me, The Predator is bad.
Fuck me, Venom is bad.
Fuck me, Ghostbusters 2016 is bad. Still. I couldn’t watch it all the way through.
Stop watching all these crap films, good old Hearthly here is constantly making an effort to recommend quality stuff to watch.
'71 is brilliant, I have recommended it to a few friends and they all liked it. Watch '71.
'71 is brilliant, I have recommended it to a few friends and they all liked it. Watch '71.
Hearthly wrote:
Stop watching all these crap films, good old Hearthly here is constantly making an effort to recommend quality stuff to watch.
'71 is brilliant, I have recommended it to a few friends and they all liked it. Watch '71.
'71 is brilliant, I have recommended it to a few friends and they all liked it. Watch '71.
Seen it already.
Satsuma wrote:
Fuck me, Ghostbusters 2016 is bad. Still. I couldn’t watch it all the way through.
I thought it was really fun.
Yeah, I really enjoyed it as a film. Plot on a par with the earlier ones (so, ridiculous) and an entertaining turn from all the cast with plenty to laugh at.
Yep.. I thought it was most enjoyable too.
I thought it was pretty bad.
LewieP wrote:
I thought it was pretty bad.
You don’t want to be on the Sat side of history here.
It didn't offend me as I recall, but I don't remember anything about what happened.
Malc wrote:
MaliA wrote:
Hearthly wrote:
After the intensity of Three Billboards I fancied something a little bit easier going last night so I had a browse through Amazon Prime's movie list selection, (which appears to be better than it was), and settled on a nonsensical 2013 film called 'Escape Plan' with Arnie and Sly in it. (There are also a few other familiar faces in there, such as Vincent D'Onofrio, Vinnie Jones, Sam Neill and Jim Caviezel.)
Sly is a genius sort of 'prison breaker' character, who is employed by various authorities to test the structural security of the world's toughest prisons (no, really). He agrees to take 'one last job' to test the security of a new ultra-secret high-tech facility that officially doesn't exist.
But what's this? A double-cross! And Sly finds himself genuinely incarcerated in a prison that none of his friends know the location of. Will he be able to break out? (Spoiler alert. Yes.)
Also imprisoned in the facility is Arnie, and he seems to want to get to know Sly right from the start. After being suspicious of him at first, Sly and Arnie must work together to orchestrate their escape, as the vicious warden (played by Caviezel and assisted by his psychopathic hard-man (inevitiably played by Jones)) seeks to break their bodies and minds.
If all this sounds utterly preposterous then yes, it absolutely is, but for what it is, it works.
This is basically an 80s popcorn movie, Sly and Arnie are on good form and work well together on the screen. The script is solid, the acting is fine, the budget was sufficient to make it all look nice and shiny, the action is well choreographed and the directing is assured. It's not massively violent (Cert 15, R in the States) but there are crunchy fight scenes and blood flies when people get shot. (The action does have that jump-cut editing style and a lot of obvious body double shots, which is understandable considering the two protagonists have a combined age of three million years.)
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a great film, but it knows what it is, and it does it well. If you want a fun action movie that doesn't test the old grey matter too much (or indeed at all), this is the film for you.
700/1000 - So exactly as good as Baby Driver.
Sly is a genius sort of 'prison breaker' character, who is employed by various authorities to test the structural security of the world's toughest prisons (no, really). He agrees to take 'one last job' to test the security of a new ultra-secret high-tech facility that officially doesn't exist.
But what's this? A double-cross! And Sly finds himself genuinely incarcerated in a prison that none of his friends know the location of. Will he be able to break out? (Spoiler alert. Yes.)
Also imprisoned in the facility is Arnie, and he seems to want to get to know Sly right from the start. After being suspicious of him at first, Sly and Arnie must work together to orchestrate their escape, as the vicious warden (played by Caviezel and assisted by his psychopathic hard-man (inevitiably played by Jones)) seeks to break their bodies and minds.
If all this sounds utterly preposterous then yes, it absolutely is, but for what it is, it works.
This is basically an 80s popcorn movie, Sly and Arnie are on good form and work well together on the screen. The script is solid, the acting is fine, the budget was sufficient to make it all look nice and shiny, the action is well choreographed and the directing is assured. It's not massively violent (Cert 15, R in the States) but there are crunchy fight scenes and blood flies when people get shot. (The action does have that jump-cut editing style and a lot of obvious body double shots, which is understandable considering the two protagonists have a combined age of three million years.)
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a great film, but it knows what it is, and it does it well. If you want a fun action movie that doesn't test the old grey matter too much (or indeed at all), this is the film for you.
700/1000 - So exactly as good as Baby Driver.
We just watched it on the strength of this. It was ace.
Watched it a few years back, loved it. There is a sequel.
And it's been added to Netflix today. Not exactly stellar reviews though.
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