DVD's and Films You Have Watched Recently

[False Alarm!]

Zodiac - a great movie which is very interesting and intriguing, with an authentic look (the film looks like it was set in the different time periods) and a great cast with good performances from all of the lead actors. The film looks mostly at the effect the case had on the lives and careers of the different men who got involved in the hunt for the Zodiac killer, and is a dialogue-driven movie and long at over 2-and-a-half-hours. The limited action and lack of answers & a definite killer in the end could be off-putting for some, but personally I had no problem with the way the film progressed and the ending, and I found it to be one of the best films of 2007.

Seconded. I watched this yesterday and really enjoyed it. I found it had a really odd pace in that it didn't really feel like it had a typical ABC narrative to build tension, it was more a labyrinth of dead ends. It also really nailed how easy it is for some people to become obsessed with unsolvable cases and how the red-tape of police/legal procedures can just as easily be masking the truth as it can provide the kind of red-herrings that lead such obsessives completely down the wrong path. This was just a really satisfying meal of a film.

Thirded. I saw it on Sunday on its limited showing around here, and thought it was great, especially with its authentic feel of the time period, as well as how well some of Zodiac's frenzied attacks came off and how obsession wound up taking over some of the central characters lives. There really was only really the one scene that came off looking clumsy especially with that line and you'll probably know what it is. But that

[Parkamarka]

There really was only really the one scene that came off looking clumsy especially with that line and you'll probably know what it is.Don

[False Alarm!]

Regarding Zodiac

The lakeside scene, I was fine when you see him scooting about in the tree's, but when he appears with the hood on, I had to stop my self from you know, laughing. It's weird though, how Fincher changed my thoughts that next second though with the frenzied attack, especially when he starts stabbing that woman on that floor. And that line I was referring to was the "er it's pre law". Cringe worthy.

As for the books, I'm not in to true crime in the slightest but Greysmith delves more in too the idea of other suspects, and discusses evidence that's associated with the police and Greysmiths favourite

Edited June 13, 2007 by Generator

[Parkamarka]

Regarding Zodiac

The lakeside scene, I was fine when you see him scooting about in the tree's, but when he appears with the hood on, I had to stop my self from you know, laughing. It's weird though, how Fincher changed my thoughts that next second though with the frenzied attack, especially when he starts stabbing that woman on that floor. And that line I was referring to was the "er it's pre law". Cringe worthy.

 

Ah right. The pre-law line, yeah, that did make me cringe. Perhaps - since that was supposedly the real costume as witnessed - Fincher realised that people would inevitably find the get-up a bit funny and capitalised on it by making that scene a bit silly to relax you before it swiftly becomes vicious. The stabbing was the only big jarring moment in the film for me.Actually now you mentioned it, the killings all seemed to have slightly different tones. The first felt more slasher-movie style, the second was - as you say - almost absurdly funny up until the moment he stabs them. The cabbie was a very quick and cold, matter-of-fact, precision death scene. And the tease with the woman and the baby went for more of a creepy buildup of dread.I suppose that, when coupled with the possibility that the Zodiac took credit for murders that weren't his just adds another layer of ambiguity to the whole thing.

Oh and I agree about Gyllenhall as well. The fact that his hairstyle was very modern and didn't change once over the course of like 15 years didn't help.

Edited June 14, 2007 by Parkamarka

[KFR42]

Just watched Napoleon Dynamite for the first time after hearing marmite-esque reviews for it. I have to say I strongly agree with the 0 star reviews. I rarely hate a film, but this was a steaming pile of shit. Awful film.

[bAzTNM#1]

Just watched Napoleon Dynamite for the first time after hearing marmite-esque reviews for it. I have to say I strongly agree with the 0 star reviews. I rarely hate a film, but this was a steaming pile of shit. Awful film.

I agree with you. I used to love it for some reason. Sky have been showing it recently and its really bad.

[chokeout]

Finally gettin round to workin through my unwatched DVD pile this weekend. So far I've seen:

 

Pans Labryinth

 

A truely beautiful film that was just awesome to watch. I was a bit sceptical to begin with because of all the hype surrounding it and I'm a huge fan of Del Torro's since watching Cronos, The whole design of the film was perfect and its cast were fantastic.

 

Clerks 2

 

Didn't get to see it in the cinema because I was on holiday when all my mates went to watch it. After months of them telling me it sucked I bought it cheap (

[SteelEdge]

Just watched Napoleon Dynamite for the first time after hearing marmite-esque reviews for it. I have to say I strongly agree with the 0 star reviews. I rarely hate a film, but this was a steaming pile of shit. Awful film.

I agree with you. I used to love it for some reason. Sky have been showing it recently and its really bad.

Yep, Napolean Dynamite was very shit. I swear NOTHING happens in this movie! Every 15 mins you think 'Oh, somethings going to happen now!' then it doesnt, then he does a dance then its the end!

[shinyahashimoto]

Flags of our Fathers. I've seen Letters from Iwo Jima, which is the Japanese side of the war, this is filmed from the US side. It's less about the US-Japanese war and more about the individuals who were propelled to stardom, and how the deal with it. I'd rate this as very good, whilst Letters from Iwo Jima is excellent. It's alot less patriotic than you may think/other films are. Nice touch of having an American Indian in the lead as well.

[Egg Shen]

Doom - tell you what, i was fucking impressed with this. Computer game adaps. tend to suck but you gotta go in with the mindset that its gonna be a brainless action movies, i did and i loved it. It's basically Aliens but stupider, effects wise this was outstanding choosing to avoid ropey CGI and go for the characters in suits approach which was great (the actual CGI that is used is very good). Films like this also tend to end up laughable with the ridiculous script, this was bordeline cheese but it never stepped over the line imo. Great fun movie, if you didnt enjoy it you clearly dont like silly action films.

 

The first person nod to the game was fantastic too, i wish they hadnt played the dodgy metal music over the top though, kinda killed the horror/suspense to it. Gory fun though.

 

Good stuff.

[stylesclash05]

Fantastic 4:Rise of the Silver Surfer

 

Really enjoyed this. Loved the first one of these and this one is even better. At only 90 mins, it's perfect to waste a bit of time and it's really enjoyable. Without a doubt one of my best films of the year so far.

 

Vacancy

 

Really enjoyed this aswel. Yes, it is cheesy, but without taking it too seriously it's on the whole very enjoyable and has some great jumpy bits throughout. It's recommended.

[ultimo the great]

Over the last 2 weeks

 

Buffalo 66 (1996)

Unique, great and in parts stunning. Gallo is so talented why did he have to be a nut job. Christina Ricci has never looked hotter. It's a film you recommend to people, they watch it hate it and you spend hours arguing over it.

 

Bob le flambeur (1955)

Just didn't do anything for me. I really expected to like it as well.

 

Le Doulos (1963)

Better than the above. very moody noirish thriller. It was ok

 

Le Cercle rouge (1970)

For some reason felt more of a brit or a US 70's film. very good it's one of those films that if it were in english it would be placed with Get Carter as films guys have to watch.

 

King Pin(1996)

Seen it probably 30 times. still probably the best comedy ever made..............along with Dumb & Dumber......and Waynes world...

 

Talladega Nights: The ballad of Ricky Bobby(2006)

Really great. Cohen's accent was a little too over the top but not laughed as much in ages....well excluding watching King Pin again

[Mr. Seven]

I've seen loads of films lately, but none have really made me want to comment, until now. Despite loathing the first one, I went to see (read: was dragged to) Hostel Part II tonight and yeah, I felt pretty sick when it was over. Sick that I had paid money to see this. Sick that it got made. Sick that the actors and actresses involved put their names to it. Sick that Eli Roth is still making films. Sick that some people actually like this shit.

 

Hostel Part II might just be the single most offensive and misogynistic film to emerge from the bowels of Hollywood since the 70's, when exploitation and grindhouse pictures were all the rage. Back then nobody really cared about the messages sent by these movies, you just went with it, but we've moved on. Or have we? If this is anything to go by, maybe not. The women in this film exist just to be horribly humilated and tortured, often described with the words "bitch" and "cunt" . Make no mistake, this "film" is Eli Roth's woman-hating side pushed to the forefront. I would not be surprised if the working title for the script was "Bitch Had It Coming" . It's appalling in it's treatment of not only women, but Eastern Europeans and human beings in general.

 

As for the film itself, it's shoddy from the opening frame. It's a nasty mess, with underdeveloped characters doing stupid things. Once again, Roth thinks he's clever, but his attempts to be subversive are absolutely laughable. He makes questionable decisions in practically every scene, not least of which...

 

 

bringing back the surviving "hero" from the first movie to kill him off in wasteful pointless circumstances for no real reason whatsoever, presumably just because nobody's expecting it. It worked when Wes Craven killed off Drew Barrymore in the opening scene of Scream, but sorry Eli, you're not Wes Craven, this isn't Scream and killing off Jay Hernandez serves absolutely no purpose.

 

 

...and lots more besides. The acting is below average, the dialogue is poor and the film is extremely boring. As for the gore? One scene is admittedly hard to stomach even for a hard to shock fellow like myself, mostly because it's very uncomfortable to the point of just feeling wrong. Horror films have death scenes that can shock you and make you think, or they can have really gory scenes that make you squirm and snuggle up to your date. This scene has none of these elements and just leaves you feeling uncomfortable. Hey, that's probably what Roth wants, and if that's the case, then fuck him, because it doesn't take talent to do that. Anyone can make a snuff film.

 

The film just rumbles along really, towards a ridiculous climax. The underlying message is clear, that murder is in all of us, victim becomes killer, blah blah blah blah fucking blah. Enough. I've seen this theme done well and that was in Last House On The Left and The Hills Have Eyes, two films over 30 years old, with little gore and gimmickery. Eli Roth needs to stop making films. He needs to go away. He is an insult to the genre he thinks he's a master of. I am angry that I gave this cunt, for I can think of no other word to describe him, my hard earned money. Rest assured, it will never happen again.

 

If you must see this film, and you really really don't need to, please don't spend a fucking penny on it. And if you enjoy this film, please never have children, because it appears there's enough women-hating pricks in the world as it is.

[ultimo the great]

I haven't seen either of the Hostel movies yet, i just keep thinking i'm going to sit there thinking "Eli Roth is a cunt""Eli Roth is a cunt""Eli Roth is a cunt""Eli Roth is a cunt""Eli Roth is a cunt" Have you seen Cabin Fever?

[Guest Dangerous Dave]

Watched Ocean 12, the first half was good. The second part just seemed like a series of sketches, totally losing any plot it had, which was a real shame because there were some nice ideas there that could have worked. I didn't have a clue in the end what actually happened.