The UKFF's 50 Favourite Films' Little Brother, If you like those.... Options

[Devon Malcolm]

So this is the spin-off thread. It's not a list and voting thread before Chilli_Dog et al start hyperventilating. What it happens to be is me, periodically, taking all the films that bust the top 50 and seeing what alternatives there are out there that are like them or that feature people in them that lots of people liked. And inviting you lot to make similar suggestions, especially it's for stuff what I haven't seen.

Okay, so The Big Lebowski won. Clearly the overwhelming love for it has largely passed me by and I really was not expecting it to win. It's a great film, though, and it IS good to see something different win one of these polls - however, I'm still amazed at how roundly it trounced all the other Coen Brothers films. What we're doing here is looking around at what else is good like it.

Let's start at the bottom then, with:-

50) In Bruges

What's a bit like? I'd say something like Midnight Run is probably as close as you will get - two very different people thrown together in a situation only one of them wants to be in, exceptional dialogue and chemistry between the two, and occasional glimpses of drama. Very different endings, that said!

What about the people in it? I don't think that neither Colin Farrell nor Brendan Gleeson had done much like In Bruges before it, although Gleeson showed he could handle top class comedy dialogue in the cracking Lake Placid. He's also gone on to do The Guard, which is supposed to be outstanding, too, and similar with many elements of its comedy. It's also been tremendously well received. You won't find a bad Gleeson performance, though, because he's brilliant and one of the best film actors out there right now.

Has the director done owt else of note? Aside from award winning short film Six Shooter, nowt yet! He's working on another comedy thriller called Seven Psychopaths with Farrell again, with added Abbie Cornish ( ) and Woody Harrelson about a dognapping plot.

You can watch Six Shooter, albeit with Russian subtitles, here:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS5bjMYtLNc

[Rey_Piste]

In Bruges is a cracking film, this is one of my favourite little bits of the film. http://youtu.be/xB7BWvD5B5Y

[Halitosis Romant...]

It's definitely not a full-on comedy, but Brendan Gleeson is remarkable, and often hilarous, in The General. I'm assuming it's not super widely seen, as I was unable to find the DVD in England several years back, and actually bought a Spanish edition that was used as a teaching tool for dealing with strange accents.

[Devon Malcolm]

It's definitely not a full-on comedy, but Brendan Gleeson is remarkable, and often hilarous, in The General. I'm assuming it's not super widely seen, as I was unable to find the DVD in England several years back, and actually bought a Spanish edition that was used as a teaching tool for dealing with strange accents.

Cheers for this recommendation, you can get on an Amazon pretty cheap now:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-General-DVD/dp...2960&sr=1-1

[NEWM]

Just for the record Gladders, I think this is a topper idea, and could end up being even better than the Top 50 thread itself. Lots of potential for finding out about things you haven't seen before in this one, I think. Good work.

[Magnum]

The Guard is fantastic - a really clever and satisfying film, beautifully poignant at times (those moments of pathos worked better for me there than in In Bruges) as well as being funny. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who liked the latter.

[HarmonicGenerato...]

Colin Farrell gets a lot of flack but he's been in a few very good films - In Bruges is probably his best, but I liked him in The New World and Crazy Heart as well.

But to get back to Gleeson, he's passed on at least a bit of talent to his son, who pops up as Bill Weasley in the last few Harry Potters (sorry, Frankie Crisp) as well as briefly in the Coens' True Grit.

Great idea for a thread, is this.

[patdfb]

Gleeson is the taxi driver in '28 Days Later' isnt he? or am I imagining this?

[Halitosis Romant...]

Yeah, that's Gleeson, and I thought he played it perfectly, as usual.

[Dingbat]

Remember that crappy Brendan Gleeson film?

Nope.

EDIT: Incidentally, this film was my #1, and is (at least currently) my favourite film.

This post has been edited by Dingbat: Feb 27 2012, 0:29

[Big Jock Knew]

The Guard is essential viewing for anybody who likes In Bruges. I would say In Bruges is marginally the better of the two but Gleeson turns in two completely different performances, both outstanding. I'd actually recommend Martin McDonagh's other work as well. I saw a guy describe him as the "Quentin Tarantino of the Emerald Isle" one time, which I quite liked. He's got a taste for dark comedy. So does his brother, right enough.

[Devon Malcolm]

Yep, forgot to mention The Guard and In Bruges were directed by a McDonough each. Talented family!

This post has been edited by Gladstone Small: Feb 27 2012, 9:36

[Loki]

Gleeson is great at making the most of a small part as well. He was fab in Gangs Of New York and Braveheart, and when he turned up in various Harry Potters. He's got that ability to be vaguely recognisable, but not enough to distract you from his role.

[Devon Malcolm]

I forgot to mention yesterday that for the films I haven't seen, I'd like somebody to do a guest post in the same format I'll be doing this list. Later on I'll do Kelly's Heroes but if anyone wants to volunteer for Scott Pilgrim Versus The World tomorrow, then first come first served. Ta.

[HarmonicGenerato...]

I forgot to mention yesterday that for the films I haven't seen, I'd like somebody to do a guest post in the same format I'll be doing this list. Later on I'll do Kelly's Heroes but if anyone wants to volunteer for Scott Pilgrim Versus The World tomorrow, then first come first served. Ta.

Go on then. Tomorrow you say?

This post has been edited by HarmonicGenerator: Feb 27 2012, 15:39