Pages Of Power 4
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.



 
HomeLatest imagesSearchRegisterLog in
Search
 
 

Display results as :
 
Rechercher Advanced Search
Latest topics
» This or That
What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Mar 24, 2024 6:51 pm by Donald McKinney

» Getting to know you
What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Mar 24, 2024 6:50 pm by Donald McKinney

» Favourite Song Of
What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Mar 24, 2024 6:49 pm by Donald McKinney

» Same TV Show/actor/director: Part 2
What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Mar 24, 2024 6:47 pm by Donald McKinney

» Same Movie & Actor/Director: Part IV - The Final Chapter
What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Mar 24, 2024 6:44 pm by Donald McKinney

» The Pointless Movie Game
What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Mar 24, 2024 6:44 pm by Donald McKinney

» Four Letter Word Game
What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Mar 24, 2024 6:43 pm by Donald McKinney

» Favourite Film Of
What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Mar 24, 2024 6:42 pm by Donald McKinney

» Word Association
What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Mar 24, 2024 6:42 pm by Donald McKinney


 

 What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again

Go down 
+2
Donald McKinney
Gimli The Avenger
6 posters
Go to page : Previous  1 ... 9 ... 15, 16, 17 ... 22 ... 29  Next
AuthorMessage
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptyWed Jan 06, 2016 9:43 pm

Bad Santa (2003), a different kind of Christmas film. This one is NOT for the family to watch. In fact, it's one for the grown-ups. Who said Christmas films have to be for the family?? Directed by Ghost World's Terry Zwigoff and based on an idea by the Coen Brothers. This is a contender for one of the best Christmas films ever made, and it's also one of the funniest too. It follows drunken, boorish criminal Willie T. Stokes (Billy Bob Thornton), who posed as a shopping mall Santa with his partner in crime elf Marcus (Tony Cox). While posing as Santa and his elf, they plan to rob the mall, which they do on Christmas Eve. Until one year, when Stokes becomes involved with (Brett Kelly), an overweight boy who believes Stokes really is Santa. Plus, there's trouble when Stokes' foul-mouth gets him into trouble with Mall manager Bob Chipeska (John Ritter) and Mall inspector Gin (Bernie Mac), but can Stokes change his ways?? It's a dirty, rude film but with a heart of gold, it has some brilliant gags, dialogue and scenes along the way. It's different from all the rest which is what makes it stand out. Thornton makes a brilliant down and dirty, but likeable crook, but it's the scenes with Cox and Kelly that stand out. Throw away all the other Christmas films, Bad Santa tops them all!! Very Happy 4.5/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 1000871

The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959), from Hammer, directed by Terence Fisher (The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) Dracula (1958), The Mummy (1959)), and written by Jimmy Sangster (Paranoiac (1963), The Nanny (1965) and Fear in the Night (1972)). This Hammer chiller is based on Barré Lyndon's 1945 play The Man in Half Moon Street, which in turn was inspired by Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray. It was made on a shoestring budget, but Fisher and his team manage to do a lot with very little. Set in Paris in 1890, and sculptor Georges Bonnet (Anton Diffring) has a very dark secret. He's actually 104 years old, and he's retained his youthful looks by using their parathyroid glands as an elixir to ward off the signs of age. His usual surgeon is Prof. Ludwig Weiss (Arnold Marlé), but as Weiss is now too old to perform such an operation, they blackmail surgeon Dr. Pierre Gerard (Christopher Lee) into doing the operation, endangering the life of Janine Dubois (Hazel Court), a young lady whom Bonnet and Gerard are both romantically involved with. But, when Bonnet loses the last of his elixir, time is running out, and he needs his fix. It's a good creepy horror film, not as well known as Hammer's other films, but despite the low budget, it still manages to look lavish and beautiful, and it has some good performances in it as well. It's actually one of Hammer's best kept secrets. Check it out. 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 0c48a3733e14a55ca90f99f09d3ce488
Back to top Go down
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptyWed Jan 06, 2016 10:17 pm

The Skull (1965), from Amicus Productions, ran by Max Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky from a wooden hut at Shepperton Studios, but they managed to make a series of good low-budget films for nearly a decade. This was based on a short story by Psycho author Robert Bloch entitled "The Skull of the Marquis de Sade". This was directed by Freddie Francis, (Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965), Hysteria (1965) and Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)). It's a good horror chiller which is actually quite creepy. Christopher Maitland (Peter Cushing) is a collector and writer of the occult, and he usually attends to get collectables, and he usually goes head to head with Sir Matthew Phillips (Christopher Lee). But, Maitland receives a Skull from shady dealer Marco (Patrick Wymark), which turns out to be the skull of the Marquis de Sade. The skull is said to be cursed, as it was unearthed by phrenologist (Maurice Good) in the 1800's, who died in suspicious circumstances. Maitland soon becomes obsessed by the skull, and he ends up having weird dreams and hallucinations because of the skull, Phillips warns Maitland to get rid of the skull, but it's too late. It's a good creepy horror film, and it has some good performances, and it has some really surreal and creepy moments. It was the beginning of Amicus' rise to power as a horror producer, and they became a true rival to the films Hammer were making. 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Skull

Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965), from Amicus Productions and directed by Freddie Francis (Paranoiac (1963), The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) and The Skull (1965), this anthology horror film was an original idea by Amicus co-founder and producer Milton Subotsky. It would be the first in a series of portmanteau horror films from Amicus that would include films like The House That Dripped Blood (1970), Asylum (1972) and Tales from the Crypt (1972). It's a mixed bag, but it's quite enjoyable. On a train, 5 men, Biff Bailey (Roy Castle), Bill Rogers (Alan Freeman), Jim Dawson (Neil McCallum), Dr. Bob Carroll (Donald Sutherland) and Franklyn Marsh (Christopher Lee) encounter Doctor Schreck (Peter Cushing), who tells the fortune of the men on the train. Jim looks set to encounter a werewolf in a castle in Scotland, Bill and his family will encounter killer plants that'll engulf their home, Biff unleashes a voodoo curse after stealing a tune from the West Indies, Bob has trouble at home when his wife turns out to be a vampire, and Franklyn's cruel art reviews come back to haunt him when one poor artist loses the hand he paints with. As is often the case with anthology horror films, if there's one segment you don't like, don't worry, there'll be another one along in about 5-10 minutes that might be better, but as this was the first one from Amicus, you can let that pass, as this has a killer cast. 3.5/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 CSK91EXUsAA6u9B
Back to top Go down
Gimli The Avenger
Admin
Admin
Gimli The Avenger


Posts : 27722
Join date : 2008-07-23
Location : Middle Earth

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptyFri Jan 08, 2016 9:00 am

Inside Man (3rd view) - One of the last times that Denzel Washington showed any real charisma onscreen and didn't look like he was sleepwalking through the film - 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Inside_Man_%28film_poster%29
Back to top Go down
Gimli The Avenger
Admin
Admin
Gimli The Avenger


Posts : 27722
Join date : 2008-07-23
Location : Middle Earth

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySat Jan 09, 2016 9:53 am

Seventh Son (1st view) - I think that both Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore realised they'd been saddled with a clunker and both did their best to make it worse. Bridges takes that mumbly drawl he had from True Grit and RIPD, turns it a bit posh and and then makes it sound like he's speaking every line with his mouth full of food. Moore looks like she can't be bothered at all, there's one point her mouth moves as if she's a ventriloquist's dummy. Olivia Williams looks embarrassed by the whole thing. Ben Barnes is as terrible as you'd expect but that isn't deliberate. Jon Snow turns up for no real reason. Alicia Vikander probably fares the best, as the only good actor in the film who doesn't seem to want to destroy it but in the role of "sexy with who doesn't do anything witchy" you could remove her from the film and probably not even notice. The effects, music and design of the film are all great as you'd expect with the talent involved (John Dykstra, Marco Beltrami, Dante Ferretti) but the rest is just terrible. So maybe it's not a surprise that I quite liked it! - 3/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Seventh_Son_Poster
Back to top Go down
Gimli The Avenger
Admin
Admin
Gimli The Avenger


Posts : 27722
Join date : 2008-07-23
Location : Middle Earth

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptyMon Jan 11, 2016 12:47 am

The Beast (1st view) - A young woman, Lucy, travels with her Aunt to a French estate in order to wed Mathurin de l'Esperance, the son of a Marquis, a man she has never met. Upon arrival Lucy witnesses two horses being bred. She's fascinated and takes some photographs. Later, Mathurin's Uncle tells Lucy of a local legend involving a woman named Romilda and her encounter with a beast in the nearby forests and Lucy stumbles upon various images in the house depicting bestiality. Lucy falls asleep and dreams that she is Romilda. And if you don't know where this is going, then all I can say is that what happens in the dream is graphic and very much NSFW - 2/5*
Back to top Go down
Gimli The Avenger
Admin
Admin
Gimli The Avenger


Posts : 27722
Join date : 2008-07-23
Location : Middle Earth

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptyThu Jan 14, 2016 1:44 am

Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2nd view) - A few quibbles to be had but largely a rousing success. The novelty factor of seeing the heroes get together may have perhaps gone but the camaraderie and conflict is more successful here, and the addition of new characters and returning sidekicks only helps that. But with so many characters, and so many powerful characters it could have been very one-sided. In the 1st Avengers just having Thor, Iron Man and the Hulk, each capable on their own of taking out a Leviathan, almost seemed to make the team unstoppable. Indeed, having the entire team on hand just to take out HYDRA mooks during the opening battle looked like overkill. Vision, who seems to be just as powerful as a God or rampaging monster (to the point where, you have to wonder, what's he need training for), makes the inevitablity of success almost guaranteed in the sequel and yet this is also the first MCU film in which the threat seems very genuine and real. A lot of that is due to James Spader, awesome as Ulton, absolutely perfect vocals and the CGI that rendered him impeccable. The most sinister, unnerving and genuinely threatening villain from the MCU yet, they've really upped the game in the bad guy stakes, a move that was required in order to deal with he ever-increasing hero count (I think we had 12 known good guys in the final battle). But all the returning cast, now firmly settled into their roles are on fine form, and new faces blend in well, save for a few dodgy accents. Take it as a standalone film, 2nd Avengers film, 4th Captain America, 5th Iron Man, 11th MCU film or a setup for Phase 3, Age of Ultron works. I absolutely love the MCU and can't wait for more - 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Avengers_Age_of_Ultron



Child 44 (1st view) - Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman and noomi Rapace investigate child murders in Soviet Russia, made more difficult by the fact that murder is a western trait and couldn't possibly happen in Russia, right? It's far from a great film but one that I liked a lot - 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Child_44_poster
Back to top Go down
Gimli The Avenger
Admin
Admin
Gimli The Avenger


Posts : 27722
Join date : 2008-07-23
Location : Middle Earth

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 17, 2016 12:41 am

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (1st view) - I saw this about 40 minutes after I heard about Alan Rickman, two hours after my blu ray player knackered a week after the guarantee ran out and the day after I realised I'd have to pay few hundred pounds I could do without spending on my car. Combine them with about 39 others annoyances, I was in a pretty foul mood when I sat down in the cinema, cheesed off with the universe and everything in it. And then the words "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" appeared on the screen and the for the next two and a quarter hours I didn't have a care in the world. I imagaine it's something of a cliche with regards to this film, but I felt like a carefree teen watching Star Wars for the first time again. In truth I hadn't been as excited about this as I'd expected being such a huge Star Wars fan. I saw it with my sister and she'd been even more ambivalent but we both walked away on a high and have been geeking over it ever since. It's not perfect and there are niggles here and there but it's a properly amazing, fun, joyful experience that comes along all too rarely, even the thing I'd read about that might happen and I hoped wouldn't but feared that it would didn't bother me because, unlike podracing, midichlorians and just about everything else that happened in the prequels., it worked with the story. Probably the best thing for me was seeing Ford as Solo, back in the role as if he'd never left if (is it a coincidence that his two best performances of the last 20 years have been as the characters that made him famous?) so I'm bummed we won't be seeing more but the rest of the cast are close to perfect. Isaac is as great as ever, Boyega was ace and Ridley especially was truly fantastic and I can easily that their characters will become as revered as some of those from the original trilogy. The latter two especially had great chemistry both with themselves and with Ford. Not seen Driver in anything before but he impressed also, and his petulant child approach worked and gave the enitire saga probably it's most heartbreaking moment. So many moments that made the geek in me happy, whether it be appearances from Ackbar and Nein Nunb, the fact that Rey lives in an At At Walker or that Arcona that pops up from behingda sand dune. Also, so many punch the air moments, the audience wanting to cheers while the characters on screen act as if they realise something special's just happened. Great action scenes with a proper sense of weight and heft to them, top notch effects, superb music that seems like a proper continuation of the scores and an actual sense of world, or galaxy, building. Just awesome. Sequels can't come around fast enough. And I want a BB-8 - 5/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Star_Wars_The_Force_Awakens_Theatrical_Poster


Spy (1st view) - Quite easily Paul Feig''s best film - 4/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Spy2015_TeaserPoster
Back to top Go down
Gimli The Avenger
Admin
Admin
Gimli The Avenger


Posts : 27722
Join date : 2008-07-23
Location : Middle Earth

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptyTue Jan 19, 2016 12:14 am

Ant-Man (2nd view) - Not the best of the MCU, In fact, it's probably 10th of the 12 so far but I still love it so, go Marvel. Main problem lies with some of the cast. Michael Douglas seems uninterested and if Corey Stoll had a moustache he'd be twirling it with aplomb. However, Paul Rudd is a perfect fit for the role of Scott Lang, Evangeline Lilly's on good form and it has a playful sense of fun and set-pieces that strive to stand out from other scenes from the series. As a comedy heist/superhero origin film it's about as good as it probably could be - 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Ant-Man_poster


Spooks: The Greater Good (1st view) - Better than the show at its worst, worse than the show at its best - 4/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 330px-Spooks_The_Greater_Good_film_poster
Back to top Go down
Gimli The Avenger
Admin
Admin
Gimli The Avenger


Posts : 27722
Join date : 2008-07-23
Location : Middle Earth

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 1:17 am

The Maiden Heist (1st view) - Christopher Walken, Morgan Freeman and William H. Macy are three art gallery security guards who decide to steal their favourite wortks of art rather than see them shipped off to another gallery. Very lightweight comedy - 3/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Maiden_Heist_Cover


Life After Beth (1st view) - Not funny, scary or emotional enough, it;ls got a great centrail idea that never really delivers. Good performances though - 3/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Life_After_Beth_poster


Pixels (1st view) - Come on, did anyone think I wouldn' like this? 5 Razzie noms is harsh - 4/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 PixelsOfficialPoster


Minions (1st view) - Really enjoyed this, better than both Despicable Me films,. Geoffrey Rush should narrate everything - 4/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Minions_poster


L'Inferno (1st view) - Impressive for when it was made but not the most gripping of films - 3/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 330px-L%27Inferno_1911_film
Back to top Go down
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 12:21 pm

In The Heart of the Sea (2015), directed by Ron Howard, and based on Nathaniel Philbrick's 2000 true history book of the same name. Howard started work on this almost immediately after making Rush (2013), whose visual style seemed to have rejuvenated Howard's career. He reunited with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle to give this film a visually unique look. As for the rest of the film, it's still a bit stiff in places, but it captures the period well. Even if it does lose it's way in the last third of the film. It begins in 1850, author Herman Melville (Ben Whishaw) visits innkeeper Thomas Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson) to discuss what happened to the whaleship Essex in 1820. Back then, the Essex set sail from Nantucket, Massachusetts to search for whale oil. It's manned by Captain George Pollard (Benjamin Walker), who doesn't have the experience of First Mate Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth). After 3 months at sea in the Atlantic and no sign of whales, they head for the Pacific, and while in Ecuador, they hear of a mammoth vengeful while whale, 2000 miles west. The Essex sets off, and they come across the whale in question, which ends up destroying the Essex and leaving the crew stranded in the middle of the Pacific. It's a film which tries to be powerful and prestigious, but it doesn't try hard enough. Indeed, it does feel a bit straight-faced and aside from scenes when they come across actual whales, it doesn't have many fireworks. Shame really. 3/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 In%2Bthe%2Bheart%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bsea

Superman (1978), the true genesis of the modern superhero film. This started when producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler convinced DC Comics to let them make a Superman film in 1974. After months of wrangling and development, they settled on Richard Donner, then hot off The Omen (1976) to directed, with a story by Mario Puzo (The Godfather (1972)). What this is is an epic origin story that manages to be fun, exciting, moving, enthralling and brilliant. On the planet Krypton, scientist Jor-El (Marlon Brando) and his wife Lara (Susannah York) send their only son Kal-El to Earth when Krypton is destroyed in a supernova. On Earth, Kal-El is raised by farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent (Glenn Ford and Phyllis Thaxter). Kal-El grows up to be Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve), but with his superpowers, he uses them for good. After getting a job at the Daily Planet in Metropolis, and saving some people, Clark's co-worker Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) names this hero Superman. Meanwhile, Superman faces his biggest threat, criminal genius Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman), who plans to divert a nuclear missile into the San Andreas fault, to sink California so Luthor can take control of the Nevada desert for real estate. It's an origin story that manages to be fun and exciting, and not as po-faced as Man of Steel (2013). It's still a brilliant film now, and modern superhero films could still learn something from it, plus John Williams' theme tune will still leave you teary eyed. 5/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Superman-version1-1978-movie-poster
Back to top Go down
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 1:23 pm

Elf (2003), directed by Jon Favereau, (Zathura (2005), Iron Man (2008) and Chef (2014)), and written by David Berenbaum (The Haunted Mansion (2003) and The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)), this festive comedy-fantasy is one of the better Christmas films of recent years, thanks to a brilliant lead performance, some genuinely funny moments throughout and a good story. It's easy to see why it's so enjoyable, and it puts a funny modern twist on the the old fashioned Christmas film. Buddy (Will Ferrell) is an elf working for Santa Claus (Edward Asner) at the North Pole. Only thing is, when Buddy was a baby at an orphanage, he snuck into Santa's sack of toys and ended up at the North Pole, Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) volunteered to raise him. Only thing is, because Buddy is human sized, it makes it difficult to work with the other elves. When Papa Elf tells Buddy of who he really is and where he came from, Buddy heads off to New York in search of his real father, Walter Hobbs (James Caan). Hobbs works for a publishing company, and refuses to believe Buddy is his son, but Buddy is determined to prove to Hobbs that he is his son. Meanwhile, Buddy gets work at a department store where he falls for Jovie (Zooey Deschanel). It's a very enjoyable film, which has some genuinely funny moments of magic and slapstick, and it's also an amusing fish-out-of-water story too. It's already become essential Christmas viewing with other great Christmas films, it's that good. 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 425_elf

Mission: Impossible (1996), the original TV series of Mission: Impossible, created by Bruce Geller, ran from 1966 to 1973, and became a worldwide hit. Tom Cruise loved the series so much, he bought the rights to do a film version, and he got in Brian De Palma to direct it. It was a winning combination, filled with action, suspense and a good cast too. This is about a secret branch of the CIA known as the Impossible Missions Force (IMF), led by Jim Phelps (Jon Voight), whose team includes his wife Claire (Emmanuelle BĂ©art), Jack Harmon (Emilio Estevez), Sarah Davies (Kristin Scott Thomas) and Ethan Hunt (Cruise). When a mission in Prague goes horribly wrong, every agent but Ethan and Claire are killed. Ethan finds out that he's been framed as being a mole, and is out to prove his innocence. He has to find a list of covert agents in Eastern Europe for Max (Vanessa Redgrave), so he assembles a team of disavowed agents including Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and Franz Krieger (Jean Reno) to break into the CIA so they can get the list. However, things are not what they seem, and it becomes a game of triple crossing. The plot is a bit confused, but it does have some good moments in it, like the high-wire stunt in the CIA's computer room and the battle on top of the train going into the Channel Tunnel. It's success enabled a sequel or three, and it has a good cast too. 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 MissionImpossiblePoster
Back to top Go down
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 2:30 pm

Song of the Sea (2014), after the international success of The Secret of Kells (2009), Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon and director Tomm Moore return with their eagerly awaited follow-up. Song of the Sea is an enchanting and beautifully made animated film, done traditionally in 2D, you won't find any CGI here. This is a film that takes Irish mythology, and retells it in a visually beautiful and entertaining manner. You won't find another animated film like this one, it's truly one of a kind. Set sometime in the mid-1980's, it has lighthouse keeper Conor (Brendan Gleeson) who lives on a lighthouse off the coast of Ireland with his cheeky son Ben (David Rawle) and his younger mute daughter Saoirse. Conor's wife Bronagh (Lisa Hannigan) disappeared into the sea after giving birth to Saoirse. It turns out Saoirse can transform into a Selkie. But, when Granny (Fionnula Flanagan) takes the children to the city, believing the lighthouse being no place for them. Ben and Saoirse run away back to the lighthouse, and they discover they're in danger, as Macha the Owl Witch (Fionnula Flanagan) wants Saoirse, as Saoirse can sing the Song of the Sea which will ensure all magical faeries can depart to the sea. It's a truly enthralling film, and Cartoon Saloon might be the natural successor to Studio Ghibli, (as they're in limbo for now), but this brilliant, amazing film proves there's still room for 2D animation in this world. 5/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 91812

Joy (2015), written and directed by David O. Russell (Three Kings (1999), The Fighter (2010) and American Hustle (2013)), this trueish autobiography was co-conceived by Russell and Annie Mumolo (Bridesmaids (2011)), and it tells the story of Joy Mangano, whose invention became an instant success. However, in Russell's hands, the film doesn't quite know what it wants to be, and the tone of the film is all over the place. On top of that, it drags too, letting the side down. In 1989, divorced mother of two Joy Mangano (Jennifer Lawrence) who works as a ticket clerk for Eastern Airlines, lives with her mother Terri (Virginia Madsen), grandma Mimi (Diane Ladd) and her ex-husband Tony (Edgar Ramirez) who lives in the basement with Joy's father Rudy (Robert De Niro). After cleaning up mess caused by a wine spill, Joy comes up with an idea for a self-wringing mop. She convinces Rudy's new girlfriend Trudy (Isabella Rossellini) to invest in the invention, and uses Rudy's to manufacture the mops. With everything at stake, Joy is able to meet QVC executive Neil Walker (Bradley Cooper) who takes a chance on Joy's invention, and it eventually becomes a success, but Joy soon learns the dark side of becoming successful. It's a good film, with some good performances in it, but it doesn't know what it wants to be. A quirky comedy or a straight faced biopic. While American Hustle did that successfully, this is a bit half-hearted. 3/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Nwaeyh
Back to top Go down
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 4:56 pm

The Hateful Eight (2015), Quentin Tarantino rides again, and hot off the success of Django Unchained (2012), Tarantino makes another western, but this one is different. It's more of a chamber piece, but it's unique as Tarantino and cinematographer Robert Richardson decided to film it in Ultra Panavision 70mm, a format that hadn't been used in 50 years, and in another departure for Tarantino, it's his film to have a proper music score, here scored by the great Ennio Morricone. It's a brilliant character piece with brilliant dialogue. Set in 1875, it has bounty hunter Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson) catching a stagecoach ride driven by O.B. (James Parks) heading for Red Rock, Wyoming. The passengers include hangman John Ruth (Kurt Russell), fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and later Sheriff Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins). With a blizzard on the way, they stop at stagecoach lodge Minnie's Haberdashery, where they're met by Mexican Bob (Demián Bichir), dandy Englishman Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), quiet cowboy Joe Gage (Michael Madsen) and Confederate General Sandy Smithers (Bruce Dern). However, Warren soon comes to believe that the men at Minnie's Haberdashery are not what they seem or who they claim to be. It's a brilliant film, and it's a different kind of western, and it has some brilliant performances in it, and Tarantino has a ball with making it. It looks stunning, and it's 3 hour running time passes in no time too. 5/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Hateful-eight-film-poster-characters-cast

Horror Express (1972), directed by Eugenio Martin (The Fourth Victim (1971), It Happened at Nightmare Inn (1973) and The Girl from the Red Cabaret (1973)), this Anglo-Spanish horror film was based on the 1938 novella "Who Goes There?" by John W. Campbell, which was famously done as The Thing (1982/2011). It was made for $300,000 in Madrid, and it reused sets from Doctor Zhivago (1965) and Nicholas and Alexandra (1971). It manages to be an effective and quite cheesy horror film. Set in 1906, British anthropologist Saxton (Christopher Lee) is returning to Europe after an expedition in Manchuria with the remains of a humanoid creature he found. He catches the Tran-Siberian Express from Shanghai to Moscow. Before they depart, a thief is found dead on the train platform by the crate containing the remains of the creature. Also travelling on the train is Dr. Wells (Peter Cushing), a rival of Saxton who is there on separate business. However, once they're travelling, people end up dying in the luggage car where the creature remains are being kept. Once in Russia, Cossack officer Captain Kazan (Telly Savalas) boards the train with his men, as he believes there's rebels on the train, then they come face to face with the creature. Even though it's clearly done on the cheap, the makers manage to get some good performances out of the actors, even if it is cheesy and unoriginal horror cobblers. Still good though. 3/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Dcfe5e04808798eab7880555d2ab67bc
Back to top Go down
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 5:44 pm

Spy (2015), written and directed by Paul Feig, (Bridesmaids (2011) and The Heat (2013)), this is a very funny spy comedy which Feig reunites once again with Melissa McCarthy, who has come into her own as a talented and likeable comedy actress. Here, Feig gives her some brilliant comedic set pieces, and he also manages to get some equally hilarious performances from his other lead actors too. It's certainly no spy spoof, but it has fun sending up the usual spy film cliches and the like. CIA analyst Susan Cooper (McCarthy) has had full training as a CIA agent, but has a desk job, helping her spy partner Agent Bradley Fine (Jude Law). But, when Fine vanishes, and with the identities of undercover CIA spies compromised and a nuclear bomb up for grabs. Cooper volunteers to go undercover to find the bomb and what happened to Fine, and she's mocked by hardman agent  Rick Ford (Jason Statham). But, she goes undercover, and with help from her friend and co-worker Nancy (Miranda Hart), Cooper does well and it leads her to Rayna Boyanov (Rose Bryne). On one hand, it's a hard edged action film with some good fight sequences, and on the other hand, it's a hilarious comedy with some good laughs and it's always fun to see McCarthy turn the air blue with foul language, but it gives other spy comedies a run for their money. 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 0514040-r_x_600-f_jpg-q_x-xxyxx

The Revenant (2015), hot off the success of Birdman (2014), writer/producer/director Alejandro G. Iñárritu rides again. Iñárritu could have gone for an easier film after the technical marvel of Birdman, but no, he makes a gritty, down-and-dirty and tough drama set in the American wilderness. Not only that, but Iñárritu put the cast and crew through hell, insisting on shooting the film in sequence, filming in the Canadian wilderness in temperatures as low as -50°C. But, it's a good film, a visual feast mostly. Set in 1823, fur trapper Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), is part of a party led by Captain Andrew Henry (Domhnall Gleeson) exploding the recent purchase of the American Midwest from France. Glass is brutally attacked by a bear, unable to carry Glass over the mountains, Henry has John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) and Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) to stay with Glass, but Fitzgerald kills Glass's son Hawk (Forrest Goodluck), Fitzgerald buries Glass and leaves him for dead, and Fitzgerald lies to Bridger that they have to leave Glass as Arikara Indians are on their tail. But Glass does not die, he manages to survive by eating roots, and he survives Indian attacks. Glass looks to get bloody revenge on Fitzgerald, but he'll have survive in inhospitable terrain and freezing conditions. This is a very good anti-western, and Iñárritu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki keep it close and contained. It's a difficult film to like, and not a patch on The Hateful Eight. Still, Werner Herzog would have killed to make this film. 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Revenant-poster-leonardo
Back to top Go down
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 5:54 pm

Grindhouse (2007), Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino bring back raw exploitation cinema with a double-bill, and a great cinema experience to boot. Even if it didn't win the hearts and minds of the cinemagoing public when it was released, it's still a fun experience. First up, is Planet Terror, which has a group of murderous, infected zombie people called "sickos" invading a small town. Now, it's up to Cherry Darling (Rose McGowan), a woman with a gun for a leg, and partner El Wray (Freddy Rodriguez), to take on the zombies!! Then, it's Death Proof, about a slasher stuntman named Stuntman Mike, (Kurt Russell), who stalks and kills beautiful women with his stunt car, which is 'death proof' But, he eventually gets a taste of his own medicine, when one group of women get their revenge on him. It's a great cinema experience, just a pity hardly anyone went to see it originally, Planet Terror is the all-out action film, which Death Proof is a slow-burning character piece-come-slasher film. To add to the authenticity, it also includes fake trailers from Rob Zombie, Eli Roth and Edgar Wright!! Try and catch this one if you can!! Very Happy 5/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 300px-Grindhouse_poster

Zardoz (1974), written, produced and directed by John Boorman, who at the time was riding high off the success of Deliverance (1972). For a brief moment, Boorman was offered carte blanche to make whatever he wanted for his next one. The idea for this grew out of Boorman's failed attempt to adapt The Lord of the Rings, what he created was something absolutely insane and something that's truly one of a kind. Set in 2293, where the human population is divided between the immortal 'Eternals' and mortal 'Brutals'. The Brutals live a violent existence taking orders from a flying statue head called Zardoz. One Brutal Exterminator Zed (Sean Connery) hides in the head, and ends up in the land of the Eternals, known as The Vortex, where it's inhabitants live on a country estate. Zed is experimented upon by Consuella (Charlotte Rampling) and May (Sara Kestleman). Zed learns that the Eternals are kept alive by a large crystal known as the Tabernacle, which can punish certain Eternals who break the rules, by aging them severely into senility. It's impossible to take this film seriously, Connery spends most of the film running around in a nappy, and then wears a wedding dress!! Shocked But while parts of the film do drag, it does have some stunning cinematography by Geoffrey Unsworth with some brilliant locations in Ireland, all made near Boorman's house. Razz 3.5/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Ridiculous-posters-zardoz
Back to top Go down
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 6:48 pm

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970), in 1969, Easy Rider held grabbed Hollywood by the balls and suddenly, the studios saw how films should be from there on out. 20th Century Fox, hurting after a series of expensive flops, went to underground filmmaker Russ Meyer to do some films for them. They saw how successful Meyers films were, made for next to nothing with huge returns. Fox originally wanted a sequel to Valley of the Dolls (1967), Meyer had other ideas, he and screenwriter Roger Ebert would send up the original and the Hollywood scene. It focuses on The Kelly Affair, a rock band consisting of Kelly MacNamara (Dolly Read), Casey Anderson (Cynthia Myers), and Petronella "Pet" Danforth (Marcia McBroom). They're managed by Kelly's boyfriend Harris Allsworth (David Gurian). They head off to Los Angeles to find Kelly's estranged aunt, Susan Lake (Phyllis Davis). While in Los Angeles, they meet rock producer, Ronnie "Z-Man" Barzell (John LaZar), who is impressed by them, he signs them up, and The Kelly Affair become The Carrie Nations, and Z-Man becomes their manager, much to Harris' anger. Kelly ends up with gigolo Lance Rocke (Michael Blodgett), while Harris ends up with porn star Ashley St. Ives (Edy Williams). Neither relationship goes the way they planned, then Z-Man goes insane. It's a mad, psychedelic film which veers from soapy melodrama to horror film and musical satire. It doesn't know what it wants to be, but that's Russ Meyer for you, he never compromised, and always made the films he wanted to. 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Tumblr_l5oko2duks1qcnueyo1_500

The Seven Minutes (1971), Russ Meyer signed up a deal at 20th Century Fox with Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970), that deal became a multi-picture deal. For his second film for Fox, Meyer tried something completely different, a legal drama based on a 1969 book by Irving Wallace. While there are flashes of Meyer's sexual excesses throughout the film, it's quite a straight-faced affair, and there is a slight sense of Meyer selling out with this film, trying to prove himself as a serious filmmaker when he didn't have to. In a small California town, teenager Jerry Griffith (John Sarno) is charged with rape, prosecutor Elmo Duncan (Philip Carey) finds out that Griffith owned a controversial book called The Seven Minutes by J.J. Jadway. When a local bookshop is charged with selling the controversial book, Duncan files charges against the bookshop. A young defense lawyer Mike Barrett (Wayne Maunder) is approached by the book's publisher Phil Sanford (Tom Selleck) to defend the book. What begins is a battle about pornography vs. free speech, Barrett looks into the unusual history of The Seven Minutes and it's mysterious author who allegedly committed suicide in the 1930's. However, looking further, it seems that something isn't quite right, and there's conflicting information about how and when Jadway died. It's a legal potboiler, but Meyer does his best with the material, but you can see why he did it, as he'd faced many legal troubles getting his films shown. However, the film flopped, Fox axed their deal with Meyer, and he retreated underground again. Oh, well... 3/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 9078__x400_seven_minutes_poster_02
Back to top Go down
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 7:16 pm

Tangled (2010), from Walt Disney Pictures, this is loosely based on the German fairy tale Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm. It's a different tale on a traditional fairy tale, this one has a little bit of the tone and structure of Shrek about it. It had been in development at Disney for over a decade, and was nearly entitled Rapunzel Unbraided and one version of the film was set in present day San Francisco. But, ultimately, directors Nathan Greno (Gigantic (2018)) and Byron Howard. (Zootropolis (2016)), went with the right approach. Set in a long ago fantasy kingdom, Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy) kidnapped the young Princess Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) and kept her locked up in a tower with no way of getting down. Gothel uses the magic of Rapunzel's hair to stay young. Years pass, and when a thief called Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) steals Rapunzel's crown from the kingdom, he ends up on the run, but he inadvertently ends up at Rapunzel's tower. Rapunzel wants Flynn to taker her out for her 18th birthday, as each year, paper lanterns are released into skies by the kingdom. But they end up at a pub called Snuggly Duckling, and then on the run from the King's guards, who are after Flynn for stealing Rapunzel's crown. Then, Gothel finds out Rapunzel's gone, and she ends up on their tail. It's a very funny take on a traditional old fairy tale, it has the usual staples you normally expect from Disney films, songs, good triumphing over evil and animal sidekicks, but it was this that set the template for Frozen (2013). 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Spotlight-theater-tangled-movie-poster-2010-1020560390

American Ultra (2015), directed by Nima Nourizadeh (Project X (2012)) and written by Max Landis (Chronicle (2012) and Victor Frankenstein (2015)), this action comedy is half Bourne Identity and half Pineapple Express. It makes for an uneasy mix and not all of the comedy works but when it does it does, and it's a good idea for a film too. In the quiet town of Liman, West Virginia, Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) is a stoner who works in a convenience store. He's planning to propose to his longtime girlfriend Phoebe (Kristen Stewart), but he can never find the right moment. For some reason, Mike is unable to leave Liman, and suffers panic attacks when he does. Then some men turn up to kill Mike, and he ends up killing them in an ultra-violent way, which he has no idea how he did it. When Mike and Phoebe are arrested for the murders, two operatives Laugher (Walton Goggins) and Crane (Monique Ganderton) turn up to kill Mike and Phoebe, and a mysterious woman (Connie Britton) seeks to protect them both. It's a very silly film, but it's a good idea for a film, even if the ultra-violent action and stoner comedy does tend to clash some of the time. But the film doesn't quite know what it wants to be, but it has it's moments. 3/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 FIN03_AmerUltra_1Sht_Tsr_JEKS_25x38-560x851-1-450x650
Back to top Go down
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 7:28 pm

Shivers (1975), after making his start with short arthouse films, short films and films for Canadian TV, David Cronenberg finally got his foot in the door of cinema thanks to producer Ivan Reitman taking advantage of Canadian tax incentives. The film caused controversy at the time within the Canadian parliament, but it was a success and helped Cronenberg get into cinema. Set in an apartment block on the outskirts of Montreal, it has Dr. Emil Hobbes (Fred Doederlin) doing some unorthodox experiments with parasites in transplants, and develops a parasite that is a cross between an aphrodisiac and a venereal disease. It isn't long before it takes over most of the residents in the apartment block. Including Nicholas Tudor (Allan Migicovsky) who has moving growths within his stomach, and ends up vomiting parasites, which get into the water of the apartment complex. So, it falls down to the the complex's doctor Roger St. Luc (Paul Hampton), and his assistant, Nurse Forsythe (Lynn Lowry) and scientist Rollo Linsky (Joe Silver) to try and put a stop to this. It's not as polished as Cronenberg's future films, and it's very round around the edges, made for $179,000, and shot in 15 days. It's a cheap little schlock horror with some moments, you could see where Cronenberg was going. 3/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Shivers_poster_05-700x524

Rabid (1977), after Shivers did well in on it's release around the world, writer/director David Cronenberg and producer Ivan Reitman teamed up once again with more money, all from the Canadian taxpayer, it's a twist on vampire mythology in a way, without using teeth to suck blood out. It's more action packed, but still fun. It has motorcycle accident victim Rose (Marilyn Chambers) having a new skin graft operation done by pioneering surgeon Dr. Dan Keloid (Howard Ryshpan), the operation is a success, maybe too much of a success, as Rose's skin heals, but it develops a orifice under her left armpit, with a stinger inside, that drinks blood from unsuspecting victims. Rose checks herself out of the hospital she was admitted to, and goes on a rampage around Montreal. Whoever she targers with her stinger becomes a rabid zombie, and it isn't long before Montreal declares marshal law to try and put a stop to this outbreak, but who would ever suspect someone as sweet and innocent as Rose would do something like that?? Like Shivers, it is another schlocky horror, but it touches upon the themes of body horror that Cronenberg would come to again throughout his films in the next decade to come. After this, he was given more money for his films, and his star just went on the rise. 3/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Rabid-poster-big
Back to top Go down
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 7:54 pm

Creed (2015), 9 years after Rocky Balboa (2006) revived and rejuvenated the career of Sylvester Stallone, you wouldn't have believed it, but it turns out there's one more story to tell about the Italian Stallion, although this is more a spin-off/sequel. Written and directed by Ryan Coogler, (Fruitvale Station (2013)), this sets the Rocky franchise off in a new direction, maybe setting off a new franchise, and it injects blood into a old standard and it's a good film, with some good performances in it, and the old cliches like the training montages leading up to a spectacular finale in the boxing ring. Adonis "Donnie" Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) is the illegitimate son of boxer Apollo Creed. As a youth, Donnie was taken in by Apollo's widow Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad) when she learned about Donnie. As a grown man, Donnie does small time boxing down in Mexico, and deciding this is what he wants to do, he wants to become a professional boxer, and he heads to Philadelphia to track down Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), Apollo's former rival and friend. Donnie wants Rocky to train him, but Rocky refuses at first, but Donnie is persistent, and eventually Rocky agrees. Eventually, word about Donnie gets out, and he's given an offer by Liverpool world light heavyweight champion "Pretty" Ricky Conlan (Anthony Bellew) and his trainer Tommy Holiday (Graham McTavish) to fight Pretty Ricky in Liverpool. Donnie agrees and trains, but Rocky starts to become ill. It's a good boxing drama, which follows the tone and structure of the previous Rocky films, and it gives the series and maybe this new franchise a new modern attitude, and the final match is well filmed. This is the film Rocky V (1990) should have been. 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Creed_poster

The Keep (1983), Michael Mann's alleged "difficult second film" is actually a contender for one of his very best films. True, it was brutally recut by Paramount before it's release, and Mann has since disowned it. But, look closer, it is actually a very good and very suspenseful and mysterious horror-thriller. It's a shame Mann has stuck his feelings about this one, as it's a lot better than most films from that time. Set in Romania in 1941, it has a group of Nazi's, led by Captain Klaus Woermann (JĂĽrgen Prochnow), going to a mysterious citadel in a remote mountain village, which they are to guard. It contains a deadly supernatural forces that kills many of the Nazi troops. The villagers are blamed by the brutal SD SturmbannfĂĽhrer Eric Kaempffer (Gabriel Bryne), who believes there's a more reasonable explanation for this, until local Jewish Dr. Theodore Cuza (Ian McKellen) and the arrival of the mysterious Glaeken Trismegestus (Scott Glenn) prove that it really is the work of other-worldly forces. The Keep is a very underrated film that is genuinely creepy and it did have some very good special effects for it's day, Mann gets the best out of it's cast and location. (Shot in a slate quarry in North Wales. Razz) But, the biggest weapon in it's arsenal is the eerie electronic score by Tangerine Dream and perfect cinematography by Alex Thomson, who shot so many good films back in the 1980's. 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 V3j90m
Back to top Go down
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 8:46 pm

The Long Goodbye (1973), with his star on the rise as a director after M*A*S*H (1970) and McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), Robert Altman took on Raymond Chandler's private eye character Philip Marlowe, by transfering his noirish 1953 novel to the madness of 1970's Los Angeles. It shouldn't work, but amazingly it does thanks to dark humour, an inspired cast, spontaneous direction and a good deadpan lead. It has gumshoe Philip Marlowe (Eliott Gould) taking his friend Terry Lennox (Jim Bouton) to the U.S./Mexico border at Tijuana, after an apparant incident, and this leads him to a case where the rich and beautiful Eileen Wade (Nina Van Pallandt), for Marlowe to find her alcoholic husband (Sterling Hayden), who is at a clinic run by Dr. Verringer (Henry Gibson), once Marlowe gets Wade back to his wife, he discovers a secret linking Wade to what happened with Lennox. It's a very daring film, as the only other time Chandler's work was updated was with Michael Winner's take on The Big Sleep (1978), but this is a very dark and very savage, but it's well made, and Gould makes a good lead, even if it is restrained but with moments of mischief shining through. But, Altman's freeform direction gives it a dark edge, as does a good score by John Williams. Oh, and look out for a young Arnold Schwarzenegger in an unbilled cameo as a heavy with a dodgy moustache. Razz 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Esm148

3 Women (1977), by the mid 1970's, Robert Altman established a reputation as a respectable and successful director. Hot off the success of Nashville (1975) and then in production on Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976), Altman got himself a 5 picture deal at 20th Century Fox. He kicked off his deal with this very experimental drama written by Altman himself after the basic story came to him in a dream, one that he didn't quite understand. It's a good film, quite ambient in a way, and unique in it's approach, almost European, but it has some great performances. In a small Californian town, Pinky Rose (Sissy Spacek) comes to work at a health spa in the town. She taken under the wing of Millie Lammoreaux (Shelley Duvall), who is very talkative and confident, while Pinky is very shy and awkward. But, they hit off a friendship as they're both from Texas and they're working in this small California town. Pinky moved in with Millie, at an apartment block owned by Edgar Hart (Robert Fortier), and his wife Willie (Janice Rule), who paints striking and unusual murals in the swimming pool. After Pinky see's Millie having an affair with Edgar, she tries to commit suicide, but ends up suffering a concussion and amnesia, she doesn't even recognise her parents (Ruth Nelson and John Cromwell) anymore. In fact, something has changed in Pinky, she's become aggressive and demanding, and she becomes to dominate Millie, while Millie becomes timid and shy. It's a good drama, and while there might not be fireworks to the story, it's worth it for the powerhouse performances by Duvall and Spacek, that's one thing that you were always guaranteed with a Robert Altman film, great performances. 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 3-kadin-3-three_women_film-izle-afis-resim-picture-movie-poster
Back to top Go down
Donald McKinney
Admin
Admin
Donald McKinney


Posts : 24450
Join date : 2008-07-21

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 9:04 pm

Lifeforce (1985), directed by Tobe Hooper, fresh off Poltergeist (1982) at the time, was offered a contract at Cannon Films (alarm bells ringing), but WAIT!! What's this!? Cannon actually spent more than $1.99 on the budget for this film, and it has a good screenplay as well, it's gripping and violent too. It begins with a space mission to Halley's Comet by the space shuttle Churchill, led by an Anglo-American crew, where the crew discover a spaceship embedded in the comet. On the return, mission control in Texas lose contact with Churchill, and discover that it's crew have all been killed, save one. Col. Tom Carlsen (Steve Railsback) who got out in an escape pod, and on the spaceship are 3 naked humanoids in suspended animation, they are taken to a research facility in London led by Dr. Leonard Bukovski (Michael Gothard) and Dr. Hans Fallada (Frank Finlay). The female alien (Mathilda May) awakens and escapes by sucking the life out of the security guards, but then havok entails all around London as the vampires move from body to body, and it's up to Carlsen and SAS member Col. Colin Caine (Peter Firth) to put a stop to it. Hooper is one of the most underrated of directors, as he knew how to create mood and atmosphere. He has a good ensemble working together here and for once, this is a film by Cannon with good special effects for their day, it's just a shame Hooper chose to follow this up with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), also done for Cannon. 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 RqL9VP8pB5I

Runaway Train (1985), produced by Cannon Films, this was originally planned as Akira Kurosawa's first American film, but production problems led to Kurosawa's departure, Cannon had the entire film rejigged and brought in Russian director Andrey Konchalovskiy (Tango and Cash (1989)) to make the film. It shouldn't work, but the result is actually Cannon's best film against all the odds, and it's very suspenseful. In the snowy wilds of Alaska, at Stonehaven Maximum Security Prison, convicted bankrobber Oscar "Manny" Manheim (Jon Voight) plans to escape from the prison, and in tow he has rapist Buck (Eric Roberts), which he does and they trek across the freezing Alaskan Wilderness to freedom. Manny discovers a ticket to freedom in a train locomotive in a train yard. He and Buck hop on, but the train starts rolling away on it's own, and there's no way to stop it, they discover worker Sara (Rebecca De Mornay) on board, and Prison Warden Ranken (John P. Ryan) is in hot pursuit to try and recapture these two criminals. This film shows what Cannon could do when they really put their minds to it and invested some proper money too, Voight and Roberts went home with Oscar nominations as well, which was a surprise. If only Cannon had looked for films like this instead of greenlighting everything that landed on their desks, good or bad. 4.5/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Runaway-train-1985
Back to top Go down
Gimli The Avenger
Admin
Admin
Gimli The Avenger


Posts : 27722
Join date : 2008-07-23
Location : Middle Earth

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptySun Jan 31, 2016 1:09 am

I love Runaway Train


The Revenant (1st view) - Superb. DiCaprio must surely get the Oscar (though I still think McKellen gave the best performance from last year), Hardy and Gleeson were both great. Rarely has a film looked more beautiful or been so exhausting to watch. Maybe it's just me but it reached a point that as almost comical as just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong - 5/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 The_Revenant_2015_film_poster


Everest (1st view) - Too many characters makes it hard to care for most of them and some fine actors are left with nothing to do but this was visually impressive and quite emotional - 4/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Everest_poster


The Inhabited Island (1st view) - Confusing Russian sci-fi epic. Apparently this was released as two separate films and the version I saw was truncated down to two hours so that probably didnlt help - 3/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 The_Inhabited_Island_Poster


Get Hard (1st view) - Joins a select few Will Ferrell films that I enjoy - 4/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Get_Hard_film_poster


Terminator Genisys (1st view) - Kinda bad but the only really great Terminator film is Rise Of The Machines. It awkwardly and laughably shoehorned just about every memorable or iconic moment from the first two films. Its badness made it endearing. 3, 4, 5, 2, 1 - 4/5*

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Terminator_Genisys

Back to top Go down
Gimli The Avenger
Admin
Admin
Gimli The Avenger


Posts : 27722
Join date : 2008-07-23
Location : Middle Earth

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptyMon Feb 01, 2016 12:03 am

Now You See Me (2nd view) - Silly but fun - 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Now_You_See_Me_Poster

Back to top Go down
Gimli The Avenger
Admin
Admin
Gimli The Avenger


Posts : 27722
Join date : 2008-07-23
Location : Middle Earth

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptyFri Feb 05, 2016 6:00 am

Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2nd view) - In theory the Transformers films should be right up my street but they are generally the weakest films from a director whose films I like a lot. I do recall saying at the time that Dark Of The Moon was the best of the three when that came out, but I can happily report that this is the best of the lot so far. Sure, it's a bad film whichever you want to look at it, overblown and at least an hour too long but I like it an awful lot - 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Transformers_Age_of_Extinction_Poster



Ride Along 2 (1st view) - I only saw this because Creed was sold out at the cinema and there'ss very little that I've heard about Room that makes me want to see it before it hits the TV. I did enjoy it though, better than the first - 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 330px-Ride_Along_2_poster


I Am Love (1st view) - It looks lovely and there's some fine acting but little to care for,. Best thing about it was the music, pre-existing works by the composer John Adams - 3/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Iosonolamoreposter


The Burmese Harp (1st view) - Following surrender, a Japanese soldier in Burma is separated from his company and takes it upon himself to bury the dead while his fellow soldiers try to find out what has happened to him. Excellent - 4/5

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 330px-The_Burmese_Harp_Nikkatsu_1956_poster
Back to top Go down
Mocata
Padawan
Padawan
Mocata


Posts : 12
Join date : 2015-10-31
Location : Neo Kobe

What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 EmptyFri Feb 05, 2016 11:44 pm

Terminator Genysis' badness... made it very bad (1/5)

The Martian - flippant and visually interesting, way to much NASA chit chat (3/4)

Suspiria - Kim Newman commentary viewing (4/5)
Back to top Go down
http://synth-cinema.blogspot.com
Sponsored content





What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty
PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again   What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again - Page 16 Empty

Back to top Go down
 
What I've Just Watched Part 4: There And Back Again
Back to top 
Page 16 of 29Go to page : Previous  1 ... 9 ... 15, 16, 17 ... 22 ... 29  Next
 Similar topics
-
» What I've Just Watched: Part 2
» What I've Just Watched: Part 3 - The Search for Spock
» What I've just watched
» Rate the last TV programme the above user watched
» Rate the last film the above user watched.

Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum
Pages Of Power 4 :: Entertainment :: Film-
Jump to: