Rate the last film you watched out of 5

[Commander Jameson]

I'm a big fan of 79. It's just so silly. But it's the Concorde.

[Masterbeef]

Where are you guys watching the Airport movies?

[Vimster]

International Airport (1985)

"Hi, this is George Kennedy, I'm not in right now but if you're making an air disaster film please leave your number after the beep". Yes, George turns up in this TV movie that sticks firmly to the original Airport formula, although there's a lot more 'airport' than 'disaster' here, lots of set up and melodrama. What tension there is here is akin to when you want to sneeze but it never quite comes off, in fact it's generally a bit of a let-down. Apart from the aforementioned George Kennedy you get a raft of faces familiar on US TV in the 70s and 80s including Robert Vaughan, Bill Bixby, Gil Garrard and Susan Blakely. If estimates about whether there's enough fuel to land get you excited you might get a kick from this.

 

2.5/5

[Jamie John]

Film #12/52: Inception (2010) - 4K UHD BD

 

 

Inspired by the latest episode of The Back Page XXL podcast, which ranks the Nolan films, I wanted to give this another watch, seeing as I hadn't got around to playing the 4K version yet. And yes, it's still very good: a high-concept, high-action heist movie told through a sci-fi lens that, despite its ostensibly convoluted story, remains very understandable. I'm not sure if it's quite the best Nolan movie (depending on which day of the week it is, I'd say either this or The Prestige or Interstellar or Dunkirk, or maybe even The Dark Knight), but it's definitely still compelling, thrilling and spectacular. With the director's pedigree, I've got high hopes for Oppenheimer later this year.

 

4.5/5

 

Spoiler

12. 31/03/2023 Inception ☆☆☆☆½

11. 26/03/2023 Aliens (Theatrical Cut) ☆☆☆☆½

10. 24/03/2023 Prey ☆☆☆

9. 22/03/2023 First Man ☆☆☆☆½

8. 17/03/0203 Sicario ☆☆☆☆☆

7. 15/03/2023 2001: A Space Odyssey ☆☆☆☆☆

6. 17/02/2023 Portrait of a Lady on Fire ☆☆☆☆

5. 11/02/2023 Zoolander ☆☆☆

4. 04/02/2023 Ad Astra ☆☆☆

3. 20/01/2023 The Raid ☆☆☆☆

2. 14/01/2023 The Tragedy of Macbeth ☆☆☆☆

1. 02/01/2023 Good Time ☆☆☆

 

[Vimster]

Skyjacked (1972)

Been watching a ton of airliner disaster films for whatever reason and this was actually pretty good. Charlton Heston is the captain on a routine flight that, whilst on course, finds itself under threat, change course or die! It establishes the various passengers normally enough, however in this instance they soon become suspects in a conspiracy to hijack the plane. Take my advice and avoid the IMDB description which does give the game away. Things remain tense, the plane and the viewer enter unknown territory, and the ending is suitably tense. Mind you, this would probably have been a lot more enjoyable in 1973 instead of having to compete with 50-odd years of similar air disaster/hijack flicks. Get your brain in perspective and you could be in for a tense time.

 

3/5

 

[Monkeyboy]

On 29/03/2023 at 18:37, ZOK said:

Stray - 4/5 (Netflix)

 

This is a cracker of a documentary, a movie about Istanbul street dogs and the people they share their lives with, in a city where canine strays are tolerated. Little dialogue and mostly shot from dog height, if anything in this trailer ticks your box you’ll love it:

 

 

 

This looks great! My mum would love this, but one of her dogs would be barking at the TV screen constantly if she watched it.

 

[Mr Majestyk]

Winnie The Pooh Blood and Honey.

 

Daughter (18) picked this for movie night and its so bad. Bad acting and bad effects. The whole thing is terrible. At least she didn't pay to see it in the cinema.

 

0/5.

[Jamie John]

Film #13/52: Amadeus - The Directors' Cut (1984) - Blu-Ray

 

 

I hadn't watched this for about 12 years, not since I studied the play at uni. I remember thinking it was fantastic at the time, and although I still enjoyed it this time around, at three hours long it does drag a little in places. That said, the impact of the shared composition scene between Salieri and Mozart towards the end retains its impact, and F. Murray Abraham really is excellent in, succeeding in being both unctuous and scheming, yet also inspiring empathy; it fucking sucks when you become entirely aware of your own mediocrity, and he captures this very effectively.

 

And the music's pretty good as well, I suppose.

 

4/5

 

Watched in 2023:

 

Spoiler

13. 1/4/2023 Amadeus (Director's Cut) ☆☆☆☆

12. 31/03/2023 Inception ☆☆☆☆½

11. 26/03/2023 Aliens (Theatrical Cut) ☆☆☆☆½

10. 24/03/2023 Prey ☆☆☆

9. 22/03/2023 First Man ☆☆☆☆½

8. 17/03/0203 Sicario ☆☆☆☆☆

7. 15/03/2023 2001: A Space Odyssey ☆☆☆☆☆

6. 17/02/2023 Portrait of a Lady on Fire ☆☆☆☆

5. 11/02/2023 Zoolander ☆☆☆

4. 04/02/2023 Ad Astra ☆☆☆

3. 20/01/2023 The Raid ☆☆☆☆

2. 14/01/2023 The Tragedy of Macbeth ☆☆☆☆

1. 02/01/2023 Good Time ☆☆☆

 

[mexos]

Nobody 3.5/5

 

Once it decided to lighten up and be ridiculous it became far better.

[mash]

Marlowe (2023) - I'm a huge fan of film noir/Neo noir. It's probably my favourite genre. I'm also a huge Raymond Chandler fan. So this film would seem to be tailor made for me. 

 

 

However, Liam Neeson's portrayal is probably the least faithful I've seen so far amongst all the portrayals of Philip Marlowe I've seen. Bogart is tops, closely followed by Robert Mitchum with Elliot Gould's being the least recognisably faithful prior to Neeson. But The Long Goodbye starring Gould is probably the 2nd best Philip Marlowe film whilst being the least faithful. 

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is just because Neeson is nothing like the Marlowe of the books doesn't mean I'm going to disregard the film. This film is based upon a non Chandler Philip Marlowe novel.  So I haven't read it. I don't read fan fiction.

 

The film was middling, it kept me engaged because i enjoy the genre. I  loved the references to other better movies. There's a brilliant one to Chinatown for instance. Neeson seems to be sleepwalking through the film and his tone is more Brian Mills than Marlowe. There were scenes in the film which could have been lifted out of one of the Taken films. 

 

The mystery itself wasn't particularly engaging or as labyrinth as Chandler's plots. And there was none of the dialogue Chandler was famed for.

 

Positives, I liked the production design. Then again I love the period the fashions and the cars. 

 

Overall, a disappointment. Especially with the talent involved. It was directed by Neil Jordan who made two excellent neo noir thrillers Mona Lisa and The Crying Game. 

 

2/5

[Silent Runner]

Rye Lane

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15893750/

 

Two youngsters reeling from bad breakups who connect over an eventful day in South-London.

 

Absolutely brilliant British rom-com about two people who spend the day together following an unconventional 'meet cute'. The two leads are tremendous, it looks beautiful, it balances romance and comedy perfectly and clocks in at under 90 minutes. Loved it.

 

4.5/5

[teddymeow]

Ticket to Paradise

 

George Clooney and Julia Roberts play a divorced couple who utterly despise each other and who's daughter, having graduated college, goes to Bali and falls in love with a local chap.

 

She contacts her parents to tell them that she is getting married. They go into "rescue mode" and travel to Bali.

 

"Events" and "hilarity" ensue.

 

It's Clooney being Clooney and Roberts being Roberts.

 

A couple of laughs and some lovely scenery meant it was enjoyable enough with a nice glass of wine on a Sunday evening.

 

3 dolphins / 5.

[Ry]

Tetris - 3/5.

 

Enjoyable enough. 

[Couch Corpse]

Coda - 5/7 - a good one of those

[womblingfree]

Murder Mystery.

 

Utter garbage. Chuckled at least ten times. Loved it.

 

4/5

[Triple A]

Croupier

 

Third time seeing this though it has been a while.  Yes I like this.  Understated, tight, quality.

 

4

[Stopharage]

Children of Men. 5/5. 

This is such a perfectly realised film, I must have seen it 20+times now and despite its dystopian tale it's just an utter joy to watch. There's not an ounce of fat on it, never a wasted moment or a line out of place. Some stunning cinematography and has that rare quality of having quiet moments that are as emphatic as the one shot cinematic action scenes. I could wax lyrical about it. 

[Festoon]

12 hours ago, womblingfree said:

Murder Mystery.

 

Utter garbage. Chuckled at least ten times. Loved it.

 

4/5

 

Original or the sequel?

[ScouserInExile]

Bullet Train

 

Possibly the stupidest film I've ever seen. None of it makes sense, nothing. It constantly breaks the laws of physics. It was also hugely entertaining. Proper turn your brain off and watch the flashing lights job.

 

4/5

 

 

[Bazjam]

On 18/03/2023 at 11:42, ZOK said:

The Traitor - 4/5 (MUBI)

 

This is a top notch Italian true crime flick, relating the travails and (many) trials of Cosa Nostra bigwig Tomasso Buscetta as he tries to leave, gets dragged back in, and betrays the whole Palermo family heroin business in the name of his own skewed sense of honour.

 

It’s brash, brutal and bonkers, with a wonderful performance by Pierfrancesco Favino as the Don who rat fucks everyone from 1960s Sicily to 1980s Brazil to modern day USA and back again. The entire cast of mafiosos is great, and I’m mainly docking a point because I couldn’t stop thinking of Chris Kamara throughout.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

Thanks ZOK, another great MUBI recommendation. Loved it. A very solid 4/5.

[ZOK]

25 minutes ago, Bazjam said:

Thanks ZOK, another great MUBI recommendation. Loved it. A very solid 4/5.

Another dropped point because of Kamara!  Glad you enjoyed it.

[Bazjam]

Luckily I didn't see the Kamara pic until after, otherwise that would have been far too stuck in my head.

Guys a bloody great actor though.

[Masterbeef]

Hell and High Water (sky)

 

The first three quarters of this are pure masterpiece. The finale felt like a bit of a letdown in comparison to what had gone before. Three absolutely stellar performances ( Foster has never been close to as this good in anything else ) Beautifully shot and directed with exceptional flair. 
 

4.5/5

 

 

Red (sky)

 

Not the Willis action film based on the comic. This is John Wick with less fighting and Brian Cox in the central role. One of those films where the central performance is so good that it raises the quality of the entire movie. Sizemore, Englund and Amanda Plummer also offer good support. Often unpredictable this is good trashy fun.
 

3.5/5

 

 

Donnie Darko.(blu ray)

 

Mesmerising stuff with fantastic sound design and not a poor performance in sight. I do recall seeing this once before but couldn’t remember much of it. If you haven’t seen it then go in blind. 
 

4.5/5.

 

Crazy Heart (Disney plus)

 

Country music is something I normally try to avoid but after seeing this cracking little movie I might have to give it another chance. Three fantastic performances yet again with Bridges deservedly picking up a best actor Oscar. It’s familiar stuff with a down and out singer past his prime trying to relive his glory days. 
 

4.5/5

 

 

A Fistful of Dollars (blu ray)

 

Wow. What a movie, just perfection. I had seen parts of this years ago but watching the whole film was a fantastic experience. Eastwood is absolute perfection in his first signature role. With cinematography that utterly transcends the medium and a lean runtime this doesn’t put a foot wrong.

 

5/5

 

 

For A Few Dollars More (blu ray)

 

How do you improve upon perfection?  You up the ante and call Lee Van Cleef. Even more perfect than its predecessor this might just be the best western ever made. 
 

5/5

 

 

The Good the Bad and the Ugly (blu ray)

 

This I found somewhat less engaging than the first two movies of the trilogy. I kept looking at my phone which I didn’t do with the other two. This is still extremely good but far too long.

 

3.5/5

[Ry]

37 minutes ago, Masterbeef said:

Hell and High Water (sky)

 

The first three quarters of this are pure masterpiece. The finale felt like a bit of a letdown in comparison to what had gone before. Three absolutely stellar performances ( Foster has never been close to as this good in anything else ) Beautifully shot and directed with exceptional flair. 
 

4.5/5

 

 

Red (sky)

 

Not the Willis action film based on the comic. This is John Wick with less fighting and Brian Cox in the central role. One of those films where the central performance is so good that it raises the quality of the entire movie. Sizemore, Englund and Amanda Plummer also offer good support. Often unpredictable this is good trashy fun.
 

3.5/5

 

 

Donnie Darko.(blu ray)

 

Mesmerising stuff with fantastic sound design and not a poor performance in sight. I do recall seeing this once before but couldn’t remember much of it. If you haven’t seen it then go in blind. 
 

4.5/5.

 

Crazy Heart (Disney plus)

 

Country music is something I normally try to avoid but after seeing this cracking little movie I might have to give it another chance. Three fantastic performances yet again with Bridges deservedly picking up a best actor Oscar. It’s familiar stuff with a down and out singer past his prime trying to relive his glory days. 
 

4.5/5

 

 

A Fistful of Dollars (blu ray)

 

Wow. What a movie, just perfection. I had seen parts of this years ago but watching the whole film was a fantastic experience. Eastwood is absolute perfection in his first signature role. With cinematography that utterly transcends the medium and a lean runtime this doesn’t put a foot wrong.

 

5/5

 

 

For A Few Dollars More (blu ray)

 

How do you improve upon perfection?  You up the ante and call Lee Van Cleef. Even more perfect than its predecessor this might just be the best western ever made. 
 

5/5

 

 

The Good the Bad and the Ugly (blu ray)

 

This I found somewhat less engaging than the first two movies of the trilogy. I kept looking at my phone which I didn’t do with the other two. This is still extremely good but far too long.

 

3.5/5

 

Hell or High Water is one of the best films of the last 10 years. It's near perfect and will go down as a classic of the decade. 

[womblingfree]

22 hours ago, Festoon said:

 

Original or the sequel?

Original.

 

I mean, it’s terrible, but I was just really in the mood for watching Adam Sandler being stupid for 90 minutes.

[Sidewaysbob]

Donnie Darko is another film I have never understood the hype for. To me, it reeks of "post film school indie pretentiousness". 

I know some people think its the greatest thing since the last thing they loved. But i just found it dull and contrived. And it really ought to be bang in the middle of my weird, slightly Sci Fi ooooh its all a bit strange isn't it, film list. But no. 

[David Kenny]

15 hours ago, Masterbeef said:

 

The Good the Bad and the Ugly (blu ray)

 

This I found somewhat less engaging than the first two movies of the trilogy. I kept looking at my phone which I didn’t do with the other two. This is still extremely good but far too long.

 

3.5/5

Not that it makes it much shorter but was this the special edition or the original theatrical release? The special edition adds in quite a few scenes that are completely unnecessary and serve only to spoil the flow of the film. I dislike the idea of special editions or directors cuts on principle but this one is bafflingly pointless.

[Wiper]

2 hours ago, David Kenny said:

I dislike the idea of special editions or directors cuts on principle

 

Most are little more than marketing gimmicks for longer/worse editions of movies, but ('true') director's cuts can be worthwhile for films that were misunderstood by their studios. Nightbreed, for example, is never going to be a brilliant film, but its director's cut is significantly more coherent and complete than the butchered original.

[Masterbeef]

7 hours ago, David Kenny said:

Not that it makes it much shorter but was this the special edition or the original theatrical release? The special edition adds in quite a few scenes that are completely unnecessary and serve only to spoil the flow of the film. I dislike the idea of special editions or directors cuts on principle but this one is bafflingly pointless.

Special edition. It was the only version on the blu ray

[wev]

Willy's Wonderland (2021)

 

A silent Nic Cage beats the shit out of animatronic animals that have been possessed with the souls of serial killers in a Chuck E Cheese style restaurant. Hilariously bad and just good fun for it.

 

2/5 but also 4/5