What films have you watched recently?

west

Philly_Q said:

rze99 said:

DrCornelius said:

Not so much a film review but more of a review of the trailer.

Renfield looks bloody brilliant - Nick Cage as a vampire , what’s not to like

I thought the precise opposite.

Nick Cage for one.
Can't stand him,.

the other is I can't remember the last good vampire movie... I mean... it's hardly a innovative subject matter is it?

Each to their own and all that

Let The Right One In.  Only Lovers Left Alive.  Kiss of the Damned.  Probably a couple of others since then, but they sprang to mind.

Regarding Renfield, I wonder if the title will be enough to catch viewer attention?  It does mine, but I'm not sure modern audiences know the names of any of the characters except Dracula himself.

I'll add , " the addiction " by abel ferrara to that list , you even  get a bit of philosophy too ....

Offset

Philly_Q said:

You just know I'm going to be contrary .... 

There are things about it I like.  It has an interesting look, nice sets and costumes, and as ICBM said it's fairly faithful to the book and captures some of the book's "modern-ness".  I applaud Coppola's attempts to do most of the effects "in-camera", although sometimes the results are quite weird.

But.... with the honourable exception of Oldman himself, all the performances are absolutely awful.  Ryder is beautiful but wooden, Waits is miscast, all the young male characters (not just Reeves) are woefully written and woefully played, and Hopkins... I'm just not a fan, I think he's a massively overrated actor.  It's almost unwatchable at times.

Perhaps some aspects of its awfulness are what I like about it!  I do agree with much of what you say, but it's one of those contrary films which, despite its failings, I still love.  I may have a re-watch this very evening :-)

I have to mention Herzog's 1979 Nosferatu The Vampyre - possibly my fave vampire movie of all time.  Very eerie and unsettling, and Klaus Kinski is as creepy as hell.  The music is superb, the scenery and settings fantastic and I adore everything about it.  Especially Isabelle Adjani <rubs thighs lasciviously>

Brio

There is only one good vampire film.
The Hunger.
Bowie, Bauhaus and Catherine Denuerve.

ICBM

Philly_Q said:

Hopkins... I'm just not a fan, I think he's a massively overrated actor.

I would agree, until I saw him in The Father - for which he rightly won an Oscar. It's his best performance in my opinion, and unlike most of his others it's surprisingly subtle.

With Dracula, Oldman is so good I can actually overlook the issues with all the rest of them.

bertie

Operation Fortune,  the latest   Guy Ritchie movie [Prime]

,  -   usual stuff, usual actors (Statham etc)  but good, easy to watch "action" brain candy-floss - with a shake of british humour -   shame Hugh Grant is playing the same character as he did in The Gentlemen,   but enjoyable none the less 

Philly_Q

ICBM said:

Philly_Q said:

Hopkins... I'm just not a fan, I think he's a massively overrated actor.

I would agree, until I saw him in The Father - for which he rightly won an Oscar. It's his best performance in my opinion, and unlike most of his others it's surprisingly subtle.

I'm sure it's a good performance but I haven't seen that, and probably won't.  Partly because... Hopkins, partly because it's just not the kind of film I watch, and partly because my dad had dementia and I don't particularly like being reminded of it.

EricTheWeary

Philly_Q said:

rze99 said:

DrCornelius said:

Not so much a film review but more of a review of the trailer.

Renfield looks bloody brilliant - Nick Cage as a vampire , what’s not to like

I thought the precise opposite.

Nick Cage for one.
Can't stand him,.

the other is I can't remember the last good vampire movie... I mean... it's hardly a innovative subject matter is it?

Each to their own and all that

Let The Right One In.  Only Lovers Left Alive.  Kiss of the Damned.  Probably a couple of others since then, but they sprang to mind.

Regarding Renfield, I wonder if the title will be enough to catch viewer attention?  It does mine, but I'm not sure modern audiences know the names of any of the characters except Dracula himself.

I've yet to see the US remake of Let The Right One In. The original is, IIRC, a superb film only let down by some dodgy CGI. I've no particular interest in vampire films, MrsTheWeary is keen so I've seen a few, but that is hardly a typical genre film and if you don't mind subtitles recommended. 

Philly_Q

EricTheWeary said:

I've yet to see the US remake of Let The Right One In. The original is, IIRC, a superb film only let down by some dodgy CGI. I've no particular interest in vampire films, MrsTheWeary is keen so I've seen a few, but that is hardly a typical genre film and if you don't mind subtitles recommended. 

It's actually very good.  The original is a 10/10 movie for me - there aren't many of those - and the remake's not that good, but I really enjoyed it.  It tells the story in its own way, rather than being the usual dumbed-down Americanised version.

ICBM

Philly_Q said:

I'm sure it's a good performance but I haven't seen that, and probably won't.  Partly because... Hopkins, partly because it's just not the kind of film I watch, and partly because my dad had dementia and I don't particularly like being reminded of it.

That's a very good reason to avoid it. I don't have experience with a close family member, but one of my elderly aunts has dementia, and I from the last time I met her I would say the film is probably too accurate for comfort if you do.

JezWynd

Offset said:

Philly_Q said:

You just know I'm going to be contrary .... 

There are things about it I like.  It has an interesting look, nice sets and costumes, and as ICBM said it's fairly faithful to the book and captures some of the book's "modern-ness".  I applaud Coppola's attempts to do most of the effects "in-camera", although sometimes the results are quite weird.

But.... with the honourable exception of Oldman himself, all the performances are absolutely awful.  Ryder is beautiful but wooden, Waits is miscast, all the young male characters (not just Reeves) are woefully written and woefully played, and Hopkins... I'm just not a fan, I think he's a massively overrated actor.  It's almost unwatchable at times.

Perhaps some aspects of its awfulness are what I like about it!  I do agree with much of what you say, but it's one of those contrary films which, despite its failings, I still love.  I may have a re-watch this very evening :-)

I have to mention Herzog's 1979 Nosferatu The Vampyre - possibly my fave vampire movie of all time.  Very eerie and unsettling, and Klaus Kinski is as creepy as hell.  The music is superb, the scenery and settings fantastic and I adore everything about it.  Especially Isabelle Adjani <rubs thighs lasciviously>

It's good but nothing is quite as unsettling as Murnau's original version with Max Schreck scuttling about like a mad timelapsed spider.

BRISTOL86

bobblehat said:

Tetris - Apple +    9/10
Based on the story of Tetris and how it became a global phenomenon. Taron Egerton does a solid job. I'm sure some of the story has been embellished a little here and there for dramatic effect but the story is quite fascinating.

I found the plot really confusing at first but once I had all the pieces lined up it all came together nicely. 

BluesLover

Vampire films? It has to be "The vampire lovers" free to watch on FreeVee.
Kate O'Mara, Julie Ege, Madeline Smith...

equalsql

Stand By Me
The first time, I'm ashamed to say, that I've see  this classic. I really enjoyed it. A wonderful tale of 4 young boys who decide to go on a venture to find a reported dead body. Great performances all round, especially from the very young Will Wheaton and River Phoenix. I always imagined it was a cheesy bit of American kids movie, how wrong I was.
A solid 9/10

Three Thousand Year Of Longing.
Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba in fine form in this film about a women who finds the classic genie in a bottle and is then presented with the dilemna of choosing three wishes.
Very entertaining with a story arc completely different from how I imagined. Definitely worth your time. I enjoyed it so much I watched it twice over the weekend, something I never do.
Again a 9/10

UnclePsychosis

Brio said:

There is only one good vampire film.
The Hunger.
Bowie, Bauhaus and Catherine Denuerve.

Blade says "mother fucker! Are you out of your damn mind?" 

;-)

Offset

Brio said:

There is only one good vampire film.
The Hunger.
Bowie, Bauhaus and Catherine Denuerve.

Ooooof.  Ooh no... no.  It was an absolute stinker.

Sorry @Brio :-(

Offset

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Commented on by others, but here's my contribution.

Utter shite.

axisus

equalsql said:

Stand By Me
The first time, I'm ashamed to say, that I've see  this classic. I really enjoyed it. A wonderful tale of 4 young boys who decide to go on a venture to find a reported dead body. Great performances all round, especially from the very young Will Wheaton and River Phoenix. I always imagined it was a cheesy bit of American kids movie, how wrong I was.
A solid 9/10

Three Thousand Year Of Longing.
Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba in fine form in this film about a women who finds the classic genie in a bottle and is then presented with the dilemna of choosing three wishes.
Very entertaining with a story arc completely different from how I imagined. Definitely worth your time. I enjoyed it so much I watched it twice over the weekend, something I never do.
Again a 9/10

Thanks for those. I've never seen Stand by me, but in the last few days I have been considering it. Shall watch now!

TTYoL - I saw a trailer ages ago and thought it a film to watch but then I forgot about it. Ta for the reminder!

axisus

Pitch Black

A film I recalled enjoying years ago, and really felt the need to see again. I borrowed the DVD and really enjoyed it again. A sci-fi cult classic! I'd give it 8/10. What I will say though was that the DVD was disappointing quality. It wasn't so much 'pitch black' as dark browny grain. I would hope that streaming versions are better ...

Brio

Be sure to check out Chronicles of Riddick and Riddick then. Both excellent in my opinion. Hopefully he will get Furyia finished at some point.

chillidoggy

Brio said:

Be sure to check out Chronicles of Riddick and Riddick then. Both excellent in my opinion. Hopefully he will get Furyia finished at some point.

That trio of Riddick movies are all superb! ‘Pitch Black’ is my particular fave, but it’s a close run thing.