What films have you watched recently?

Philly_Q

Mother's Day (Netflix)

Former special forces officer Nina, officially recorded as killed in action overseas some 20 years ago, learns that her 17 year old son has been kidnapped from his adoptive parents, and sets out to rescue him.

I must confess, when I watch any subtitled film I have a snobbish tendency to cut it more slack than I would the Hollywood equivalent...  But this Polish thriller is ridiculous sub-Taken nonsense shot in a style which is about 15 years out of date.  It does have some pretty good action scenes though.  The kid looks a lot like a younger Marcus Rashford, which is a bit disorientating.

Haych

The Beautiful Game

Comedy drama, Bill Nighy takes a bunch of down and outs to Italy to play for England in the four-a-side homeless World Cup. 

Based on real experiences. 

Perfect feel good movie to end the long weekend.  And I don’t even like football! 

8/10 Netflix

ICBM

This Beautiful Fantastic

Gentle romantic comedy drama with Tom Wilkinson, Andrew Scott and Jessica Brown Findlay. It’s pleasing enough but really very lightweight, subtly funny but not at all emotive. Wilkinson is the best thing in it, but he’s not really given enough depth to work with. At least it’s not long, but I wouldn’t really bother unless you feel like something to fill an hour and a half.

6/10

(iPlayer)

rze99

Their Finest

Movie iPlayer

It's 1940, London, the Blitz. With the country's morale at stake, young Catrin (Gemma Arterton), an untried screenwriter from Ebbw Vale, and a makeshift cast and crew work under fire to make a film to lift the nation's spirits - and inspire America to join the war.

Leading the cast is the self-absorbed over the hill leading actor Ambrose Hilliard (Bill Nighy, who steals every damned scene.... again!), who is persuaded to coach the handsome young American hero who has been 'parachuted' into the acting profession - but that will only be when the script is produced.... and Catrin has to fight her own battles to be taken seriously amongst the jobs-for-the-men war office. 

A very strong cast with a pretty decent script certainly pull off the delicate act of pricking the bigotry of the establishment of the time, stirring the emotions and throwing in a bit of romantic interest.

Easy watching for all and, surprisingly, rather recommended, old chap.

7/10 

Philly_Q

Devil#20 said:
Top Gun: Maverick 

I've never been a fan of sequels. It smacks of laziness to me. Take a successful film and try and milk it a bit more and a bit more. That approach will never better the original. In the case of Maverick it was so cringeworthy it wouldn't warrant 0/10 for me. The flying scenes do nothing for me. See military fighters every day of the working week and often weekends. I run a combat simulator at work to test the flight control laws me and my team design for the flight computers and know most of the RAF front line pilots. Also you wouldn't fly a fighter using some of those manoeuvres anyway. So that side of things is very much Hollywood BS. Aside from the flying sequences, it comes down to the film itself which is absolutely piss poor in content. No worthy storyline whatsoever. 

The Accountant (Netflix)

I work in accounting five days a week and often at weekends.  Ben Affleck's so-called accountant character doesn't even make proper use of Microsoft Excel, never mind the cornucopia of excellent, labour-saving proprietary software available to the accounting profession nowadays.  Also I can safely say that neither I nor any of my colleagues are involved in brutal martial arts battles or assassinations.  I can't even recall a time that anyone has brought guns to the office.  Totally unrealistic.

0/10

rze99

Philly_Q said:

Devil#20 said:
Top Gun: Maverick 

I've never been a fan of sequels. It smacks of laziness to me. Take a successful film and try and milk it a bit more and a bit more. That approach will never better the original. In the case of Maverick it was so cringeworthy it wouldn't warrant 0/10 for me. The flying scenes do nothing for me. See military fighters every day of the working week and often weekends. I run a combat simulator at work to test the flight control laws me and my team design for the flight computers and know most of the RAF front line pilots. Also you wouldn't fly a fighter using some of those manoeuvres anyway. So that side of things is very much Hollywood BS. Aside from the flying sequences, it comes down to the film itself which is absolutely piss poor in content. No worthy storyline whatsoever. 

The Accountant (Netflix)

I work in accounting five days a week and often at weekends.  Ben Affleck's so-called accountant character doesn't even make proper use of Microsoft Excel, never mind the cornucopia of excellent, labour-saving proprietary software available to the accounting profession nowadays.  Also I can safely say that neither I nor any of my colleagues are involved in brutal martial arts battles or assassinations.  I can't even recall a time that anyone has brought guns to the office.  Totally unrealistic.

0/10

There's always time.

rze99

Mr Jones

BBC IPlayer

Movie based on the true story of the determined British journalist Gareth Jones, who uncovers the truth of the miracle success of the Soviet economy hides the reality of a devastating famine ('Holodomor') in which millions died in Ukrainian Republic, then part of the Soviet Union.

A reminder -  if we needed one - about the need for heroic journalism to uncover terrible deeds.

A tale for our times. Again.

Very good.

8/10

rze99

rze99 said:

Mr Jones

BBC IPlayer

Movie based on the true story of the determined British journalist Gareth Jones, who uncovers the truth of the miracle success of the Soviet economy is in fact the reality of a devastating deliberate famine ('Holodomor') in which millions died in Ukrainian Republic, then part of the Soviet Union. 

A reminder -  if we needed one - about the need for heroic journalism to uncover terrible deeds.

A tale for our times. Again.

Very good.

8/10

merlin

The Killing of Two Lovers. Robert Machoian 2020

This has been on my watch list for a while and tonight I finally got to watch it. 

It's a tale of a family. The parents met in high school, had a daughter as teenagers and then three more younger children and are now breaking up. The father David is trying to hold the family together and is struggling with his relationships with his wife, the kids, and his wife's lover. 

It's excellent. Emotional, powerful, claustrophobic. Every performance is excellent, each shot is detailed in writing, improvising, framing, narrative, character building, economy and direction. 

Almost completely flawless, not a single wasted shot, word or moment. It's 80 minutes long and contains more human journey than most 3hr long films. A real snapshot of real life. 

9.5/10

TeleMaster

Did anyone see Late Night With The Devil? Great horror, instant classic.

breakstuff

TeleMaster said:

Did anyone see Late Night With The Devil? Great horror, instant classic.

Not seen it yet, waiting for it to go to streaming. Looking forward to it, the trailer looks ace. Glad to hear it's great though.

Catthan

I found Poor Things really good. not the fastest paced movie for my tastes but very interesting story arc. Ruffalo plays rather well. Eager to watch Godzilla minus one when it comes on streaming

TeleMaster

Catthan said:

I found Poor Things really good. not the fastest paced movie for my tastes but very interesting story arc. Ruffalo plays rather well. Eager to watch Godzilla minus one when it comes on streaming

Yea it was excellent. 

breakstuff said:

TeleMaster said:

Did anyone see Late Night With The Devil? Great horror, instant classic.

Not seen it yet, waiting for it to go to streaming. Looking forward to it, the trailer looks ace. Glad to hear it's great though.

It's not necessary to watch in the cinema, and I had to tell a few teenagers to shut the fuck up, but it's great. It would make an excellent play. 

Have a read up on Bohemian Grove before you watch it. 

Danny1969

Zone of Interest

This film shadows the life of Rudolf Hoss, the commandant of Auschwitz. His house was just outside the camps walls, right next to it. We don't see what goes on in the camp but we build a picture from sounds and implied information.

Having recently been there and Birkenau I recognised the surroundings.

I like the way this film is done. It's quite different. 

Philly_Q

TeleMaster said:

Did anyone see Late Night With The Devil? Great horror, instant classic.

Saw it at the London Film Festival last year, I agree it's excellent. and the '70s style is perfect.

Offset

Philly_Q said:

TeleMaster said:

Did anyone see Late Night With The Devil? Great horror, instant classic.

Saw it at the London Film Festival last year, I agree it's excellent. and the '70s style is perfect.

Oooh that sounds right up my street.  A perusal of the plot puts me in mind of the Creepshow TV reboot episode in which Bob Ross took on The Evil Dead.  It was bloody brilliant.

* EDIT - LNWTD is available on Shudder from Friday April 19th.  Calendar entry made.

LionAquaLooper

Rebel Moon (Netflix).  A lot of hype but I wasn't impressed at all.  Just another rehash of Seven Samurai.

Snap

LionAquaLooper said:

Rebel Moon (Netflix).  A lot of hype but I wasn't impressed at all.  Just another rehash of Seven Samurai.

I thought it was very poor. Seems to have taken every cliche and copied scenes from many other films, Star Wars notably. Disappointed.

Enjoyed Spaceman. Very good. Sandler was excellent, as was the spider

Stratavarious

Iron Sky…

Watching this one again. 

The Nazis set up a base on the dark side of the moon in 1945 and now they are planning to come back!  

It's exactly as mad as you’d expect.   Underrated on IMDB.  Solid satire.

8/10

Offset

Stratavarious said:

Iron Sky…

Watching this one again. 

The Nazis set up a base on the dark side of the moon in 1945 and now they are planning to come back!  

It's exactly as mad as you’d expect.   Underrated on IMDB.  Solid satire.

8/10

Immediately added to my watchlist.  Did you watch it on a streaming service (and if so, which one)?