DVD's and Films You Have Watched Recently

[Guest Dan Fears Satan]

Baise-Moi (France, 2000, Virginie Despentes)Thelma and Liouse for the millenium. The best parts of this film are how well its shot on a god awful budget (dv cameras) and the originality. The down parts are.. Its basically a glamourtised, well directed porn. Some crap acting and unoriginality let it down but it still remains highly inspiring. (**1/2)

[HBAndy]

I mean how long can you look at penguins and be genuinely interested?

In my case, a very very long time. Penguins, monkeys and meerkats are incredibly watchable, as are most animals.

That was just my stance as I don't find these things particularly interesting, I'd much rather have a human being talking and revealing thoughts, emotions and motives than watching a penguin flail about for 90 minutes.

[DJ Stevie C]

Watched Rashomon last night.Interesting film from Kurosawa, Centeres around the same story from the perspectives of 4 different people. The three involved and the one who finds them. And it's told between 3 people (including the one who finds them) taking shelter during a storm.The basic outline is:A Samurai and his wife are traveling and are, confronted by a bandit. The Samurai ends up dead, the wife missing and the bandit runs away (no, this isn't giving anything away!) and you hear the story from their perspectives and the man who found them.It's basically a story about the human spirit and how it forms lies to protect it's own image and sometimes the others around it. It's a story that's been done a number of times since but Kurosawa once again proves to be a master of his art. Well shot, good acting and of course. Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura in the main parts giving superb performances. :)I recommend it to any student of Japanese Cinema, or even to those of western Cinema who may well recognise some of their own favorites in the plotlines.

[JLM]

I mean how long can you look at penguins and be genuinely interested?

In my case, a very very long time. Penguins, monkeys and meerkats are incredibly watchable, as are most animals.

That was just my stance as I don't find these things particularly interesting, I'd much rather have a human being talking and revealing thoughts, emotions and motives than watching a penguin flail about for 90 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF5w7NBa2lk...=penguin%20fallThat > Shawshank redemption.

[HBAndy]

Oldboy

 

Finally got round to watching this after having it in my possession for about a week, although it's been a hectic week. Anyway, great film. The storyline focusses on a man imprisoned for 15 years without knowing why and then released for no reason. He has 5 days to find out why and away we go. If anyone's put off at all by subtitles then your missing out on a lot, I loved the story in this, some people say that the last 30 minutes kills off the rest of the film but I totally bought it and I thought that the twist was superb. Some great fighting scenes as well, the corridor scene ~. The directing was superb and it was creative and manipulated into the story really well.

 

9/10

[HBAndy]

The Untouchables

 

A classic Hollywood film with a classic Hollywood cast and director and I loved it for that. It started off being kind of funny and even a little bit slapstick at times but then it got stuck into it at around the 45 minute mark and I was watching classic Hollywood cinema. Kevin Costner is great as Eliot Ness the man trying to capture Al Capone (played by Robert De Niro) and as far as I'm concerned Kevin Costner is the best A-lister white leading man, better than Cruise and Willis combined for me. Sad about his recent downturn, but the story becomes more violent and its necessary for that, the ending is one of redemption and is classic good guy vs. bad guy storytelling that I love.

 

9/10

[stingersplash]

recently watched ECW - Most Violent Matches and The Wedding Crashers.got shedloads of stuff to get through, just never have the time.

[Mr. Seven]

OldboyFinally got round to watching this after having it in my possession for about a week, although it's been a hectic week. Anyway, great film. The storyline focusses on a man imprisoned for 15 years without knowing why and then released for no reason. He has 5 days to find out why and away we go. If anyone's put off at all by subtitles then your missing out on a lot, I loved the story in this, some people say that the last 30 minutes kills off the rest of the film but I totally bought it and I thought that the twist was superb. Some great fighting scenes as well, the corridor scene ~. The directing was superb and it was creative and manipulated into the story really well.9/10

You're welcome.

[HBAndy]

OldboyFinally got round to watching this after having it in my possession for about a week, although it's been a hectic week. Anyway, great film. The storyline focusses on a man imprisoned for 15 years without knowing why and then released for no reason. He has 5 days to find out why and away we go. If anyone's put off at all by subtitles then your missing out on a lot, I loved the story in this, some people say that the last 30 minutes kills off the rest of the film but I totally bought it and I thought that the twist was superb. Some great fighting scenes as well, the corridor scene ~. The directing was superb and it was creative and manipulated into the story really well.9/10

You're welcome.

Indeed, thank you. I'm out of money at the moment but when I do get some dosh I'm gonna play that game again.

[HBAndy]

Lucky Number Slevin

 

I know, I know, the worst title to a film ever but look beyond that and check it out. The story has Josh Hartnett and the centre of it playing the tennis ball between two gangs, bouncing between each other, but its a case of mistaken identity. Slevin (Josh Hartnett) doesn't know whats going on but seems to take it all in his stride. The first 30-45 minutes are really slick, stylish and funny. But once it starts taking itself seriously and becoming a thriller/drama the film suffers. Josh Hartnett is an ok leading actor but is best served in the slicker parts of the opening act. Bruce Willis is pretty good in this and there is one picture of him which is worth the price of admission alone.

 

The beginning goodness and ending ends up making it an enjoyable watch overall.

 

8/10

 

Educating Rita

 

A British Film starring two great actors in the lead roles, Michael Caine and Julie Walters. Julie Walters is Rita a young scouse woman wanting to find herself and understand the world to a greater degree before having a baby and settling down, so, she joins the Open University and her Tutor is Michael Caine, a former poet and now currently drunk. Both are great in their roles but especially Julie Walters. Its a story about change and self-realisation and acheivement with a little help. A real uplifting film but doesn't stand up well today, because of the themes, I guess back then not many people went to University to study, now every man and his dog is.

 

7/10

[vince russo]

green mile- good and very sad film. cried my eyes out.freddy vs jason-everyone thinks its awful but i enjoyed it.

[Mr. Seven]

Serenity

 

Despite my love of sci-fi, I never bothered to check this out while it was in the cinema, and now I wished I had, as it's very, very good. SFX magazine described it as "As good as Star Wars used to be" and they have a point. I've never seen the tv show it's based on, but you apparently don't need to. Anyways, it's funny, action packed, has some good characters and it left me wanting more.

 

Reccommended.

[Guest DJM]

The Fog (2005)

A poor movie on the whole, but not as terrible as many reviews have made it out to be. John Carpenter

[Guest DJM]

Sideways

A pretty good film, which is humorous but not particularly funny, and also slow for the most part. It is a somewhat feel-good movie at times, has an interesting story, and the last 30-minutes are good (better and funnier than the other 90-minutes of the film), but the movie is long at 2-hours and works more as a drama than a comedy film. The movie does have a good cast (Paul Giamatti(Cinderella Man, Paycheck), Thomas Haden Church(Spider-Man 3), Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh) and good acting though. I cannot really understand the praise and amazing (5-star) reviews the movie gets, but maybe it is a better film to people who can associate with the two main characters or really like wine (a lot of the conversations and situations centre around wine), otherwise I would recommend giving Sideways a miss.

(***)

[KFR42]

SerenityDespite my love of sci-fi, I never bothered to check this out while it was in the cinema, and now I wished I had, as it's very, very good. SFX magazine described it as "As good as Star Wars used to be" and they have a point. I've never seen the tv show it's based on, but you apparently don't need to. Anyways, it's funny, action packed, has some good characters and it left me wanting more.Reccommended.

Cool, Im currently working my way through the tv series 'Firefly' which came before it and when Im done I'll move onto the film . Cant wait now.