Topic: The RAWK Film Thread

[Crosby Nick]

It's inconceivable you don't know it.

I know. Give me a minute.

[afc tukrish]

I watched one he was in a while back. He couldn’t have looked less board.

Maybe he missed his plane.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Saw Licorice Pizza

I thought it was nostalgic, entertaining, funny, sad, awkward and interesting.

Thought the two leads were tremendous and the story, although winding and a bit random had quite a lot of cheerfullness about it, while touching on events in the US around that era.



Mrs. Allerton thought it was 'shite'

[Crosby Nick]

Maybe he missed his plane.

That was Tom Hanks (although well done with my typo!).

[RJH]

I know. Give me a minute.

You keep replying to that quote. I do not think it means what you think it means.

[Peabee]

It's probably the worst film I've seen in a while that I didn't expect to be so bad.

He's great in a lot of stuff. But he undoubtedly took a number of roles for the paycheck

He was/is in massive debt, so he’d appear on Hollyoaks if they asked. That’s why he does so many B-movies.

[RedSince86]

He was/is in massive debt, so he’d appear on Hollyoaks if they asked. That’s why he does so many B-movies.

Him and Bruce Willis are getting something like $10 million a film for these b movies, no surprise to see 3 movies each a year from them.

The films Willis has been doing the last 2-3 years have been utterly shite, really bad sci fi films mainly.

I just watched Sidney Poitier Oscar winning film Lillies Of The Field today on BBC2, really nice feel good movie, been years since i saw that.

[John_P]

Enjoyed Nightmare Alley this weekend. Was 2 and a half hours long but it felt like it used every minute.

[Sarge]

Enjoyed Nightmare Alley this weekend. Was 2 and a half hours long but it felt like it used every minute.

We were looking at this but the trailers gave nothing away about it, is that a good thing?

[Nobby Reserve]

Yeah, I'm kind of with you Last. I didn't hate it but was expecting a lot more (I didn't know Adam McKay was the director until the credits) but it was about as subtle as blow to the head. I guess they wanted their message to come through loud and clear but it was at the expense of a making a good film.

But I think having such a fine cast elevated it to being watchable as I probably would have turned off otherwise. Di Caprio and Cate Blanchett were really strong  and I found myself entertained by Mark Rylance's performance as well. Even Timothee Chalamet was strong in his limited screen time. Not sure what was going on with Jennifer Lawrence's character though, she stuck out pretty badly.

Just got round to watching this. I really enjoyed it. Yes, it's totally unsubtle and the characters are blunt caricatures - but that, to me, is its strength and attraction: that it's a big 'fuck you, you bunch of shitstains' to the shitty, superficial culture that modern America (and Britain) is totally afflicted with. I found myself giggling along to it.

I think the Jennifer Lawrence character is designed to be the grounding point, the one sane person in a Kafkaesque dystopia wondering just WTF is wrong with people in power and the media.

[John_P]

We were looking at this but the trailers gave nothing away about it, is that a good thing?

Yeah definitely, I only really knew it involved a mysterious Bradley Cooper working at a travelling carnival/freak show

[Max_powers]

Yep, it's great but definitely not for everyone. There's a particular scene, where the stalker reads a poem that hunted me for weeks.

While we're at the Tarkovsky front, I watched The Mirror a few months ago and it was one of the most puzzling movie watching experiences I have ever experienced. The cinematography, acting, dialogues were all great like they usually are in his movies, but I found it completely impenetrable and gruelling. Like dropping in the middle of a conversation about a subject I have no knowledge of, in a foreign language.

I had the same experience with the Mirror when I first watched it. Had to read a wiki article about what I just watched after the movie ended. However, it kinda made sense after doing some research. It's pretty abstract. Stalker and most of his other films play like a conventional film, but not The Mirror.

One thing I remember about Mirror is that there are some images from the film that are burnt into my mind. Despite me remembering nothing about the plot, characters or the dialogue. Like the scene with the hands being warmed around the flame, the barn burning and the wind gust sweeping through the field and the man turning around with perfect timing. Apparently looking online, a lot of people have the exact same experience.
 

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Just back from watching Nightmare Alley

What the fuck did I just watch?

I was trying to keep interested and entertained, but it could have been 1 hour long instead of the 28 hours it felt like.

Playing long on style and had no substance to fall back on.

The twist was obvious the second it was immediately obvious.

Basically just horrible people being dicks and being horrible along the way.

If you like Seinfeld or It's Always Sunny in Wherever it is and enjoy people being c*nts then I guess you'll love it.


Wish I'd swerved it myself.


Finally found a film worse than "Lost in Translation"

[afc tukrish]

Just back from watching Nightmare Alley

What the fuck did I just watch?

I was trying to keep interested and entertained, but it could have been 1 hour long instead of the 28 hours it felt like.

Playing long on style and had no substance to fall back on.

The twist was obvious the second it was immediately obvious.

Basically just horrible people being dicks and being horrible along the way.

If you like Seinfeld or It's Always Sunny in Wherever it is and enjoy people being c*nts then I guess you'll love it.


Wish I'd swerved it myself.


Finally found a film worse than "Lost in Translation"

 

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Spoiler

Not much content.

Set in 1930s America. Everyone is out of work and desperate. Drifter gets a job at a Carnival. Has clearly murdered someone (as the murderers in the Carnival pick up on). Makes a point of him feeling sorry for a gimp in a cage and even gets an explanation of how low and desperate someone is made to get in there. Has desires on a young girl. Lies, cheats, steals and eventually murders to get a new lease on life. Takes the girl. Has a new act where he takes it too far and murders someone again. She leaves. He runs away and ends up being a gimp in a cage. Also a subplot where a 'wrong un' psychiatrist frames him to take him for all his new found wealth.

The end.

[close]

To be fair it's kind of my own fault. I expected it to be a film noire plot with intrigue, excitement, perhaps a deep investigative plot with some amazing back story line and a nod back to some of the works of the famous detective writers back then.

I quite often deliberately don't find out about what a film is about as I feel it spoils it.

At least I didn't walk about like the several people that left with about an hour to go (though to be fair, it was late and finished at around 23:40)

[Andy @ Allerton!]

.. also really struggled to get my head around 47 year old Bradley Cooper being referred to as 'the kid'

.. and his Paul Reiser accent kept making me think that it was probably a xenomorph that caused Cate Blanchett's injury..

[Sarge]

Yeah definitely, I only really knew it involved a mysterious Bradley Cooper working at a travelling carnival/freak show

Cool ta.

[RedSince86]

Just watched House Of Gucci.

Fantastic film, everyone in it is brilliant even Jared Leto who steals every scene.

[Hedley Lamarr]

Just watched House Of Gucci.

Fantastic film, everyone in it is brilliant even Jared Leto who steals every scene.

I thought it was a bizzare, but strangely watchable mess and Jared Leto was terrible (I thought everyone was).  I can see it becoming a cult hit.

Nightmare Alley is fantastic, a cracking bit of American gothic.  Beautifully made.

[John_P]

Ridley Scott released two Adam Driver films this year, not sure how House Of Gucci is the one getting all the awards recognition compared to the much superior The Last Duel.

[Macphisto80]

Good to see Dune get so many nominations. It's a very rare thing to see decent sci fi get that much recognition instead of the usual shite.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Saw Belfast last night with the missus

Again, not really what I was expecting, but it was brilliant.

Concentrating on that family and so understated and so wonderful as a peek into people's lives was masterful.

Some really brilliant laugh-out-loud moments - and the whole cinema was laughing and some absolutely heart-wrenching scenes.

The whole film was put together with such love and such compassion that you were just swept along. Absolutely wonderful.

And a shout out to the little lad playing the leading role. He was absolutely stunning. Sure to be a massive star in the future. The whole cast were terrific

I think my favourite bit was...

Spoiler

.. the film was shot in black and white (Except the modern bits at the start and end.

But when the family went into the cinema or saw a play, it was in full colour.

Such an incredible touch and literally lit up the film.

[close]

[Crosby Nick]

Saw Belfast last night with the missus

Again, not really what I was expecting, but it was brilliant.

Concentrating on that family and so understated and so wonderful as a peek into people's lives was masterful.

Some really brilliant laugh-out-loud moments - and the whole cinema was laughing and some absolutely heart-wrenching scenes.

The whole film was put together with such love and such compassion that you were just swept along. Absolutely wonderful.

And a shout out to the little lad playing the leading role. He was absolutely stunning. Sure to be a massive star in the future. The whole cast were terrific

I think my favourite bit was...

Spoiler

.. the film was shot in black and white (Except the modern bits at the start and end.

But when the family went into the cinema or saw a play, it was in full colour.

Such an incredible touch and literally lit up the film.

[close]

The kid is a big Liverpool fan, Kenneth Branagh was on Graham Norton the other week saying how hard it was for him to have to pretend to support Spurs.

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

Really enjoyed American Underdog - the Kurt Warner story. Wasn’t aware of the story but it’s incredible and this film did a decent job of telling it.

[mattD]

Good to see Dune get so many nominations. It's a very rare thing to see decent sci fi get that much recognition instead of the usual shite.

I thought that film was utter shite, with the most shallow and boring po-faced characters I've ever watched in a film. Boring stuff.

How West Side Story didn't make the list is beyond me though.

[mattD]

Saw Belfast last night with the missus

Again, not really what I was expecting, but it was brilliant.

Concentrating on that family and so understated and so wonderful as a peek into people's lives was masterful.

Some really brilliant laugh-out-loud moments - and the whole cinema was laughing and some absolutely heart-wrenching scenes.

The whole film was put together with such love and such compassion that you were just swept along. Absolutely wonderful.

And a shout out to the little lad playing the leading role. He was absolutely stunning. Sure to be a massive star in the future. The whole cast were terrific

I think my favourite bit was...

Spoiler

.. the film was shot in black and white (Except the modern bits at the start and end.

But when the family went into the cinema or saw a play, it was in full colour.

Such an incredible touch and literally lit up the film.

[close]

Loved Belfast. Very heart on its sleeve but so affectionate with such a likeable cast.

[On Axis]

Saw Moonfall in theaters yesterday. It's definitely a Roland Emmerich film! Kinda fun and didn't feel overly long. One of the characters is the lovechild between Josh Gad and Simon Pegg.

[Schmidt]

Saw Moonfall in theaters yesterday. It's definitely a Roland Emmerich film! Kinda fun and didn't feel overly long. One of the characters is the lovechild between Josh Gad and Simon Pegg.

I want to watch this but it's one of those films that will either be bad in a fun way or bad in an excruciating way, and I've yet to find a movie reviewer who can distinguish between the two, so I wasn't sure whether to bother going to see it or not. Cheers for the tiny review!

[Hedley Lamarr]

Mark Kermode reckons Moonfall is stupider than the new Jackass film, that actually makes me want to watch it more. 

[On Axis]

I want to watch this but it's one of those films that will either be bad in a fun way or bad in an excruciating way, and I've yet to find a movie reviewer who can distinguish between the two, so I wasn't sure whether to bother going to see it or not. Cheers for the tiny review!

Your mileage may vary. It's not the most high brow movie even within its genre, but I didn't think it was bad. Kind of a "by-the-numbers" movie with some fun moments. Haven't read what the prevailing consensus among reviewers is, but I'd rather watch a movie like this than some other recent Sci Fi movies that have come out (Reminiscence comes to mind from last year).

[Crosby Nick]

Very belatedly watched Free Guy last night. Quite enjoyed it, easy watch, quite a fun cast, didn’t require a huge amount of deep thinking.

[Ray K]

Oscar noms are out. For a change I've seen a bunch of these / have them on my Netflix/Prime queue.

[AndyMuller]

No Nic Cage in Pig?! Dammit.

Is The Power of the Dog worth a watch then?

[Ray K]

Is The Power of the Dog worth a watch then?

Will let you know in a few days when it moves off my Netflix queue  . The missus has now accepted that it's worth a watch (but she likes Campion so we were always going to watch it at some stage).

[rafathegaffa83]

Thank fuck Being the Ricardos didn't get a BP nomination. The expansion to a firm ten rather than a range has probably benefitted Drive My Car, Nightmare Alley and Don't Look Up

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Nightmare Alley is clearly one of those films that I'm in disagreement with everyone that watched it.

Hey ho. Not sure really why people thought it was so brilliant.

Just one of those things, I guess.

[Hedley Lamarr]

Kristen Stewart should win for Spencer, she’s absolutely brilliant in it, I suspect Olivia Coleman will win again though.  As for best picture, Power Of The Dog has the momentum but Licorice Pizza is my favourite from the nominees followed by Dune and Nightmare Alley, the latter two not really Oscar fodder though (I haven’t seen Belfast yet).

[Crosby Nick]

I can’t say I liked the Lost Daughter (all involved will be gutted). Olivia Coleman is good as always though.

[Zee_26]

Villeneuve is really unlucky to miss out on best director but there's' some tough competition this year in that category. The Tragedy of Macbeth and The French Dispatch missing out on the main categories (or any for the latter) is a surprise. And big snubs for Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper in the acting noms especially since they've been nominated pretty much everywhere else.

Still though, it's one of the better list of nominations in recent years even with Being the Ricardos getting as many noms as it did. The Power of the Dog is the clear frontrunner and likely to win in every category but supporting actress. Can see Cumberbatch winning even with the bad American accent. Smith-McPhee and DuBose are about as sure wins as you can get in the supporting noms. Extremely different performances but both just take over the film when they're on the screen.

[Ray K]

Bradley Cooper just got his 9th nomination for producing Nightmare Alley.  He's 0 for 8 so far.  Not quite Roger Deakins or Randy Newman numbers in terms of losses before his first statue, but he's getting there.