DVDs and Films You Have Watched Recently #2

[King Pitcos]

Observe and Report is brilliant. I'm a fan of Rogen and like a lot of Hill's stuff, though I enjoy Observe and Report way more than The Foot Fist Way. Though neither are a patch on Eastbound and Down for me.

 

 

Just watched RSO - Registered Sex Offender.

It was okay, I quite liked the trailer and was expecting the film to be better than it was. The film was a bit half-arsed. There was never any momentum to it, and the "subtext as text" stuff with the company executive was rubbish.

 

Edit: After further thinking on RSO, it was rubbish. No structure or plot, the characterisation was bad, the whole thing just seemed quite lazily put together. Some of the jokes were really funny, though.

Edited July 30, 2010 by Pityinthecityofsin

[SpursRiot2012]

Saw Inception last night. Thought it was really, really good. Loved the soundtrack aswell. I hardly ever go to the cinema, this film makes me maybe rethink that.

[Surf Digby]

I went to see the remake of The Karate Kid today. The trailers before the film were for The A-Team, The Scorcerer's Apprentice, and The Airbender (which is a live action version of Avatar: Legend of Ang). Originality is sooooo last century, darling.

 

Anyway, the film. It's quite enjoyable, but for the most part it's exactly everything you expect it to be. Jaden Smith is impressive physically (considering he only had 3 months training prior to starting shooting), but his acting isn't great. He can do the dumbfounded "Say what, Uncle Phil?" face very well, but other than that he's a bit "saying something loud makes it funny" and wooden.

One of the flaws in the original is that Daniel Russo is a bit of a cock. He's arrogant, self centered and ignorant of others. He could have stayed away, but no, had to turn the hosepipe on Johnny. Dickhead. Jaden's character is also a bit of a cock, but he's younger and get's the message earlier.

 

The plot is nigh identical to the original, with all the key scenes in it, so essentially spoilers have been around for this since the 80s. Also, it would have been nice had the trailer not contained a spoiler in it.

Two things that stood out is that there is only one white character in the whole film, and he's a minor part. Apart from some people filling out the scenery at the beginning, there's only 2 black characters in the film too. Quite brave for a summer blockbuster really.

The other is the younger cast compared to the original. Having Mr Miyagi giving a bunch of high school/college jocks a good kicking was fine, but Mr Han (the Miyagi equivalent) fighting kids of 13 and 14? A bit iffy.

The younger age also makes some of the fighting and bullying seem a bit nastier. Maybe that's just me seeing it with "ooh, they start younger these days" eyes.

Conversely, the cheerleader Elizabeth Shue equivalent being 12 makes it uncomfortable when she's dancing like a prick tease.

Luckily the woman that plays Jaden's mum is pretty foxy. She's a bit like the melon chested black woman out of Ally McBeal, but not insane.

 

Nice to see Yu Rong Guong is still getting work, even if his days as a leading man are done (not that they really took off anyway, which is a shame).

 

Lastly, Jackie Chan. I'm an unabashed Jackie fan, with huge amounts of bias in his favour, but even so, he's very good in this. A very different role, and very little from him physically. He's still got "it", and in a more straight-acting heavy role, he's superb. Interetsing to see Jaden being given some of Jackie's old "spots" from his earlier movies.

 

Music by James Horner. As ever, makes things sound epic, even if the main theme was just a bit too similar from that dramatic tune they have in Dr Who.

[ultimo the great]

Observe and Report is brilliant. I'm a fan of Rogen and like a lot of Hill's stuff, though I enjoy Observe and Report way more than The Foot Fist Way. Though neither are a patch on Eastbound and Down for me.

One part of that is right, Eastbound And Down pisses on both of them from a great height.

[EdgarTheSlouch]

I finally got around to watching Kick Ass. Absolutely adored it. The score is brilliant as well.

 

The major action scenes are all superb, but the big climatic one is edge of the seat stuff. Love it, love it, love it.

 

Wasnt a massive fan but liked how McLovin was in it. Makes a change to him being geeky. Also the end scene was promising, especially with his final lines.

[EdgarTheSlouch]

Observe and Report is brilliant. I'm a fan of Rogen and like a lot of Hill's stuff, though I enjoy Observe and Report way more than The Foot Fist Way. Though neither are a patch on Eastbound and Down for me.

One part of that is right, Eastbound And Down pisses on both of them from a great height.

 

Found O & R better than Paul Blart: Mall Cop anyway

[Steveo2007]

Today watched Toy Story 3 and Kick-Ass.

 

Found Toy Story to be quite an emotional film. Still had some belly laughs, but seemed a bit more serious than the previous two instalments. As serious as you can be with a story about Toys.

 

Kick-Ass I found to be just cool from start to finish, but surprisingly brutal in places. Chloe Moretz was immense as Hit-Girl, but felt a bit uncomfortable with the fact that an 11 year old was playing a role that brutally killed a lot of people. Still excellent though.

[RepoMan]

Inception

 

Now, I'm the kinda guy who will end up fucking hating something because it has been overhyped to the max, so regardless of how good it actually is I just hate it because I'm sick to death of it .. but this was fucking awesome.

 

Loved it from start to finish. Best movie ever? Not by a long shot, but definitely one of the best cinema experiences I've had in a long time. Fantastic performances from all involved, some very clever visuals, and a soundtrack to die for. Downloaded it tonight actually and it stands up by itself completely. Some really really good tracks.

 

*edited*

 

And now the latest thing I've watched is a few minutes from Piranha 3D which was fucking awesome:

 

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/21121

Edited August 1, 2010 by RepoMan

[patiirc]

FAQ's about Time Travel

 

 

Wanted to see it for a while. Was on BBC 2 as was a BBC Film. Very good.

 

Very cleverly done

 

Beats 'Hot Tub Time Machine' for unusual time travel device. Dean Lennox Kelly has some great one liners.

 

'Imagineers' indeed

[iamgashface]

Have seen inception twice now at the cinema in the last few weeks, bloody brilliant. I hope hollywood give directors more support from now on with original scripts and stop all this sequel and remake bollocks, and 3D!

 

What a cracker. Christopher Nolan is a bloody genius, and amazing cast.

[corino_mark]

watched a-team at the cinema on friday, then again at night time as me mate hasd it on disc

 

is a fucking quality film and i never liked the series

 

 

and then watched cop out yesterday with tracy morgan and bruce willis, this is kevin smiths best film yet imo

[Jimmy_kahoona]

Right at Your Door

 

A young couple start their day as normal, she heads off to work and he stays at home! As he listens to the radio he finds out that 3 dirty bombs have exploded in the LA area. Mass panic sets in. He heads out to find his wife but discovers that the police have blocked the roads heading to the city. Radio advice tells that the bombs are chemical bombs and that the ash cloud heading his way is toxic. He must lock down his home, make it air tight, wait for his wife to get home (if shes even alive). He secures his home with the help of his neibours handyman. Then his wife returns home. He cant let her in or they`ll both die, but the military are organising anti-biotics to counter the toxins. They just have to wait until the specialist unit arrives with help. But she discovers that they`re taking exposed people away in white vans. What do they do? Wait? Look for help? Die together?

 

This is probably one of the better post 9-11 films. The cast is very few, possible 12 folk in the entire film, the budget is non-existant and theres no great action or explosions. But the tension and terror is well created, using quick cuts and a radio voice over to create whats happening without showing any of it. Very similar to Pontypool in its story telling arc.

 

The way in which it tackles certain subjects its very good bordering on excellent. The police handling of the situation, the mass radio panic with little to no information and the outside the effected area family phonecalls to the effected couple are all excellent. It does very well to create the dread, panic and desperate feel that (I believe) you would feel in this situation.

 

But the film just doen`t seem to fit well. It doesnt hold right for some reason. I dont know what it is but its just a little away from being great. After about the half way point the atmosphere collapses somewhat and you dont seem to care what happens but you want to stay till the end. And its worth it for the final section

 

If your into post appocolyptic psychological thrillers then its worth a watch. Theres a few new ways to look at things but overall a good outing thats not too far away from being great.

[Loki]

It's VERY low budget that film, but I thought it did a good job with what it had. It's no Threads though.

[Devon Malcolm]

Yeah, I liked Right At Your Door because it concentrated mostly on just a couple of people rather than trying to cover a whole country or world panicking. Great ending too.

[Harvey Dent]

Kick-Ass I found to be just cool from start to finish, but surprisingly brutal in places. Chloe Moretz was immense as Hit-Girl, but felt a bit uncomfortable with the fact that an 11 year old was playing a role that brutally killed a lot of people. Still excellent though.

 

She's actually 13 if that makes you feel any better...