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DVDs and Films You Have Watched Recently #2


The Cum Doctor

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I watched Cloud Atlas, a few days ago. I enjoyed it for the most part, although some of the stories were a bit average on the screen. The folk I was watching it with thought it was horrible, though. We all agreed it looked amazing. Particularly, the Neo Seoul scenes were incredibly well done.

 

Which stories did you think were a bit average on-screen? I felt that way about the Luisa Rey section, but on the other hand, enjoyed Timothy Cavendish a lot more in the film than I did in the book.

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The Luisa Rey and Adam Ewing sections, for me. I agree the Timothy Cavendish story, on-screen, was superior to the book (I thought it was the films highlight). I think the casting had a lot to do with it; Jim Broadbent was note perfect as Cavendish, while I thought Jim Sturgess was a bit of a goal kick playing Ewing.

 

Also, Hugh Grant's American accent was brilliantly bad.

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I agree, I didn't really find it that bleak either aside from the ending. I think Faye Dunaway could be my favourite actress of all time as well.

 

 

Yeah, I guess you guys are right. It really wasn't until the end. But that was the lasting impression it left me with because I walked out the cinema going "fuuuuck".

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John Huston's character has to be one of the most unpleasant film roles of all time. It's just... horrible. And that's the guy who directed The African Queen!

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The Luisa Rey and Adam Ewing sections, for me. I agree the Timothy Cavendish story, on-screen, was superior to the book (I thought it was the films highlight). I think the casting had a lot to do with it; Jim Broadbent was note perfect as Cavendish, while I thought Jim Sturgess was a bit of a goal kick playing Ewing.

 

Also, Hugh Grant's American accent was brilliantly bad.

 

On second thought, yeah, I think I'd have to agree with you on Ewing. Sturgess was okay - he wouldn't have been my choice but I thought he was okay - but the technical aspects of that section were superb - costumes, ships, locations, and Tom Hanks' false teeth. I also quite liked the stronger way it linked to the Neo Seoul section. However, I think the section probably suffered from the film emphasising certain themes over other ones, and probably lost a bit of its independent substance along the way.

 

Broadbent's probably the whole film's MVP, I'd say. As you said, he's the perfect Cavendish, but his Captain Molyneux was great too, and he was a better Vyvyan Ayrs than I could have predicted. I thought Ben Whishaw was another great casting move - he got Robert Frobisher 100% spot on as far as I'm concerned.

 

Hugh Grant was doing an American accent? That was his American? Oh...

Edited by HarmonicGenerator
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I'm readying myself for tonight's film. I shall be watching Liam Neeson's 1990 effort The Big Man. I'm looking forward to it. It also features the aforementioned Hugh Grant doing a shite Scottish accent as well. I watched Clerks for the first time last night. Could NOT look past the fucking dreadful, dreadful acting. Why is that film held in such high regard?

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It's not held in high regard by everyone, though. I rewatched it recently and didn't enjoy it quite as much but I still thought it was very funny. Easily the best thing Kevin Smith has ever done and by some distance, too.

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It's not held in high regard by everyone, though. I rewatched it recently and didn't enjoy it quite as much but I still thought it was very funny. Easily the best thing Kevin Smith has ever done and by some distance, too.

 

I quite enjoyed Mall Rats the last time I saw it. I've yet to see Red State, though. It's supposedly pretty good, and features the excellent John Goodman. It's an odd one with Kevin Smith though. I really like his podcasts, and I find him to be very amiable and funny, but his films just don't really do it for me. Zack and Miri was awful, as was Chasing Amy.

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Just watched Mark of the Vampire (1935), and was just about to come in here and sing it's praises until the ending pissed all over the rest of the film from a great height.

 

Disregarding the ending, this had all of the quintessential elements of a vintage horror film from the 1930's. Spooky sets, with graveyards, castles, mist and thorns galore, a chilling score, making some of the more eerie scenes particularly haunting, and a good old dose of supernatural superstition. The acting was decent, with a particularly good shift put in by the beautiful Elizabeth Allan. Mr Vampire himself Bela Lugosi got a seemingly easy pay day out of this too, given that he had no lines (apart from the

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Great cast in that and it's a Tod Browning, isn't it? I'll add that to my list, I could always do with some shorter films on my watchlist.

 

On a completely different note, watched The Red Shoes tonight. It's one of those films that is so good, vibrant, inventive and groundbreaking that I can hardly believe it was created at all. It is utterly astonishing - easily one of the greatest films I've ever seen, and possibly THE greatest.

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Chasing Amy is by far the best Kevin Smith film. Clerks might be his second best script, but as a film, it stinks. Red State is his worst.

 

What found-footage films have you all enjoyed? I'd like to watch some, ideally not horror (but I'll accept zombie). I've seen Blair Witch, Cloverfield, REC, the shitty Romero one, Chronicle.

Edited by King Pitcos
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