Loki Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 I found Rolling Thunder on Netflix last night. What a cracking film! I guess it's comparable to Rambo, but it's actually a more thoughtful piece that also ends explosively. Â As ever when watching 70s action films, I was struck by how the director felt free to take his time with the pacing, and how large stretches of the film, including the action sequences, didn't have music on them. It's really hard when making a film/game to have the confidence to not reach for music whenever nobody's saying anything. I think the big gunfights in this film, like the car chase in The Driver, are so much more effective because there isn't music. Â Also, William Devane is super macho in this film. Testosterone drips off the frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Maverick Posted March 22, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted March 22, 2014 Haven't thought of William Devane in awhile, I quite like the guy but he sometimes came across as a pound shop Jack Nicholson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted March 22, 2014 Author Paid Members Share Posted March 22, 2014 Rolling Thunder is great. Devane was in loads of great films in the 1970s before his career went to shit and he ended up doing made for TV films with Nicollette Sheridan all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Under The Skin. Â As you'd expect, it's visually brilliant. Scarlett Johannson was excellent. It can go all Mallick in a few places but not enough that it doesn't distract from the story. My brother has read the book and says they are worlds apart. I like that in films, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Surf Digby Posted March 22, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted March 22, 2014 I dunno, there's something about Moon, it had a certain, I don't know what. I thought that Moon lacked a certain, I don't know what. Â I wanted to like it, and I felt like I should have been liking it more than I was, but there was just something missing that stopped it from hooking my attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted March 22, 2014 Author Paid Members Share Posted March 22, 2014 Under The Skin. As you'd expect, it's visually brilliant. Scarlett Johannson was excellent. It can go all Mallick in a few places but not enough that it doesn't distract from the story. My brother has read the book and says they are worlds apart. I like that in films, though.  Have you seen Jonathan Glazer's other films, Birth and Sexy Beast, Keith? Both are absolutely great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members WWFChilli Posted March 22, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted March 22, 2014 The missus just made me watch Blue Velvet. It migh be worth a second watch to make sense of some of it. Â Dog Day Afternoon next. John Cazale, break my heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awards Moderator HarmonicGenerator Posted March 22, 2014 Awards Moderator Share Posted March 22, 2014 (edited) Went to see Muppets Most Wanted tonight. It's good fun, and happily, Ricky Gervais' presence as a main character didn't ruin it like I feared it would. The film's no better for him being in it, but it's no worse for it either. Aside from a dangerously Brentish dancing moment, there's no point where it feels like he's 'being Ricky Gervais'. Â Anyway, the film, fun as it is, isn't as good as the last Muppets. The human roles aren't up to what Jason Segel and Amy Adams brought to it - though Tina Fey is really good, and the spot-the-cameo game will deliver some surprises - and the songs aren't anywhere near as memorable as 'Man or Muppet' or 'Life's A Happy Song' - though there's nothing bad about them, Miss Piggy's power ballad in particular is a good'un. The main positives are that the story's good, and the Muppets definitely take centre stage over the humans this time. There's lots to like about it, but sadly it's not quite up there with the one from a couple of years ago. Â There's a great Monsters University short before it, too. Edited March 22, 2014 by HarmonicGenerator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted March 22, 2014 Author Paid Members Share Posted March 22, 2014 Isn't it just? Truly awful film. I'm never watching another Lars Von Trier film for as long as I live. He's a fucking berk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vamp Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 Went to see Muppets Most Wanted tonight. It's good fun, and happily, Ricky Gervais' presence as a main character didn't ruin it like I feared it would. The film's no better for him being in it, but it's no worse for it either. Aside from a dangerously Brentish dancing moment, there's no point where it feels like he's 'being Ricky Gervais'. Anyway, the film, fun as it is, isn't as good as the last Muppets. The human roles aren't up to what Jason Segel and Amy Adams brought to it - though Tina Fey is really good, and the spot-the-cameo game will deliver some surprises - and the songs aren't anywhere near as memorable as 'Man or Muppet' or 'Life's A Happy Song' - though there's nothing bad about them, Miss Piggy's power ballad in particular is a good'un. The main positives are that the story's good, and the Muppets definitely take centre stage over the humans this time. There's lots to like about it, but sadly it's not quite up there with the one from a couple of years ago.  There's a great Monsters University short before it, too.  I'll probably get around to seeing this but the last one actually left me pretty cold. I think I'd prefer they go back to the literary stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Sergio Mendacious Posted March 23, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted March 23, 2014 Went to see Muppets Most Wanted tonight. It's good fun, and happily, Ricky Gervais' presence as a main character didn't ruin it like I feared it would. The film's no better for him being in it, but it's no worse for it either. Aside from a dangerously Brentish dancing moment, there's no point where it feels like he's 'being Ricky Gervais'. Anyway, the film, fun as it is, isn't as good as the last Muppets. The human roles aren't up to what Jason Segel and Amy Adams brought to it - though Tina Fey is really good, and the spot-the-cameo game will deliver some surprises - and the songs aren't anywhere near as memorable as 'Man or Muppet' or 'Life's A Happy Song' - though there's nothing bad about them, Miss Piggy's power ballad in particular is a good'un. The main positives are that the story's good, and the Muppets definitely take centre stage over the humans this time. There's lots to like about it, but sadly it's not quite up there with the one from a couple of years ago.  There's a great Monsters University short before it, too.  I'll probably get around to seeing this but the last one actually left me pretty cold. I think I'd prefer they go back to the literary stuff.  Next up: Kermit the Obscure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awards Moderator HarmonicGenerator Posted March 23, 2014 Awards Moderator Share Posted March 23, 2014 Went to see Muppets Most Wanted tonight. It's good fun, and happily, Ricky Gervais' presence as a main character didn't ruin it like I feared it would. The film's no better for him being in it, but it's no worse for it either. Aside from a dangerously Brentish dancing moment, there's no point where it feels like he's 'being Ricky Gervais'. Anyway, the film, fun as it is, isn't as good as the last Muppets. The human roles aren't up to what Jason Segel and Amy Adams brought to it - though Tina Fey is really good, and the spot-the-cameo game will deliver some surprises - and the songs aren't anywhere near as memorable as 'Man or Muppet' or 'Life's A Happy Song' - though there's nothing bad about them, Miss Piggy's power ballad in particular is a good'un. The main positives are that the story's good, and the Muppets definitely take centre stage over the humans this time. There's lots to like about it, but sadly it's not quite up there with the one from a couple of years ago.  There's a great Monsters University short before it, too.  I'll probably get around to seeing this but the last one actually left me pretty cold. I think I'd prefer they go back to the literary stuff.  Next up: Kermit the Obscure  There is a Swedish Chef - Ingmar Bergman tribute, so it goes quite highbrow at times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 Under The Skin. As you'd expect, it's visually brilliant. Scarlett Johannson was excellent. It can go all Mallick in a few places but not enough that it doesn't distract from the story. My brother has read the book and says they are worlds apart. I like that in films, though.  Have you seen Jonathan Glazer's other films, Birth and Sexy Beast, Keith? Both are absolutely great. Love Sexy Beast but haven't seen Birth.  Watched The Conjuring last night. We were staying a friends who run a horror and sci fi festival so he put it on his big screen projector thing. Certainly added to the experience! As did him stopping the clock in the bedroom at 3:07. Watched some brilliant short films too that I'll find and post in the relevant thread, if we have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Surf Digby Posted March 23, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted March 23, 2014 Isn't it just? Truly awful film. Â I maybe wouldn't go that far, but I also didn't love it. It was crushingly depressing though, so I wouldn't watch it if you were feeling a bit down. SPOILER - Highlight the black box to read Depressed woman gets married. Lots of money is spent on a big do to make her "happy." It falls apart on the wedding night. Shortly after, the world ends. Â Â Multiple appearances of Kirsten Dunst's boobs were probably the highlight. Considering I just nearly crapped myself laughing at your description, I think I might keep an eye out for it now. Â Would it be better to watch it drunk, and try and apply Zucker Brothers style humour to it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted March 23, 2014 Author Paid Members Share Posted March 23, 2014 ^ You'd be best off just find Dunst's bits on Mr. Skin. Â Love Sexy Beast but haven't seen Birth. Â Birth is fantastic. It got pretty mixed reviews when it was released but it really is an amazing film - really haunting and beautifully acted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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