Cos wrote:

74. St. Vincent Bill Murray's barfly with a heart of gold becomes an unexpected mentor to his new neighbour's son. It goes pretty much how you expect but with a bit more substance to the characters, helped by strong supporting actors even in small roles. Murray seems like he's having fun and the kid is surprisingly endearing, there are some very funny and genuinely sweet moments so the predictable ending at least feels well earned. [6]

75. Incendies I went into this without knowing anything other than it was directed by Villeneuve and I've loved everything else of his I've seen. This is another excellent piece of work with the film split between a set of twins tracing their late mother's journey through 70s Lebanon with flashbacks of the mother during that period. It's incredibly well balanced and one of the most engrossing films I've seen this year, I was completely lost in it. There are superb performances throughout, and the whole thing is beautifully shot and scored. [9]

Spoiler:

That double gut punch at the end almost floored me and was masterfully executed.

One other point I just remembered on Incendies is it almost felt like a seamless meshing of genres which in itself was incredibly impressive.

43. Glass - 29/8
Garbage.  The setting and plot was uninteresting and actualy infuriated me with how it played out and what the characters did or didn't do.  While the middle third had some interesting developments mainly around one of the main characters, it all descended into a farce with a bollocks of an ending that leaves you feeling cold and hard done by - and again, the behaviour of the characters was just baffling.  Not even the action could save it, itself being mediocre in the choreogrpahy and cinematography.  Avoid.
[3]

Glass felt like a TV movie. It finished the storyline and that is pretty much all I could say about it. And in a digital footage era, the ending had a pretty big flaw.

hylian_elf wrote:

Yeah, my first thougt at the ending was

Spoiler:

surely most people will think it's all fake digitally edited video (alhtough was it being live streamed too, did they say?).

Can't remember. Which doesn't surprise me. I watched it back to back with Split.

The Man Who Fell to Earth is a film I have attempted to watch a couple of times late at night and I ended up falling asleep. That is no judgement on the film - that's very much a me thing - especially if a film has a quiet section.

This film is very quiet at times - almost Tarkovsky like. But it's brilliant - and when it kicks off is gloriously whacked out like only 70s films could be. It's proper sci-fi but with tits, arses, cocks and booze.  It's a very boozy film - not one to play a student drinking game with.  Bowie was born to play this and watching it made me think if ever an alien was hiding in plain sight it was him.   Have this on DVD with a bonus disc that for once has some worthwhile interviews with the screenwriter and Nic Roeg himself. Has made me want to go back to Walkabout which I haven't seen in a long time (rewatched Don't Look Now last year).

Story-wise it's a splendid idea and even though the advanced tech looks aged now that's OK as it's also very much a 70s film so makes sense when placed in that era.   I see the influence of 2001 in one place - when Bowie's character is kept in a huge hotel suite it has echoes of the "alien lab" David Bowman was kept in.

Top Gun Maverick Caught this late at the cinema. Empty room, paid extra for the humungous "MAX" screen viewing. This just might be the best action film sequel ever made. It is everything it should be. And what's more it's been made at the right time. I'm 56 and have grown up with Cruise and watching the second film with having similar miles on the clock since the first one really adds something to the experience. It ups the hokum this time especially in the last part of the film but that's quite all right with me. Jennifer Connolly. Sigh. Same aging deal with her. What a gorgeous woman still - I couldn't take my eyes off her. The casting of Miles Teller as "Goose Jr" is spine tingling to an oldie.

Tom Cruise may now just be the greatest action movie star ever. I fucking love him.

Shit, I didn’t realise Jennifer Connelly was in Maverick! I thought Top Gun was so shit, I didn’t even bother researching the sequel or paying attention to any marketing. I would’ve definitely gone to the cinema if I had known! She’s so damn gorgeous.

A spectacular looking woman. She was a cute little girl too - she was in Once Upon a Time in America - played Deborah in the childhood segments.  One of the few actors who have a childish beauty as a girl and bloom as a woman. Portman is the only other lady I can think of like that.

Heh.

Talking of actresses / ladies who look great in their later years, Dame Helen Mirren does it for me.

hylian_elf wrote:

Talking of actresses / ladies who look great in their later years, Dame Helen Mirren does it for me.

I present Selma Hayek as another example

hylian_elf wrote:

Phwoar! I was only looking up Desperado yesterday. Also, From Dusk Til Dawn! Nice.

Savages too. Milf

Bullet Train One could say this is derivative but that's being churlish as this is rip roaring fun. Kill Bill x Lock Stock - on a train.

Great larks.  I'd like to see a Lemon and Tangerine film.

76. Venom: Let There Be Carnage
Quite enjoyed the first one but this sequel is poor from start to finish, which was thankfully only 90-odd minutes but did a good job at packing in a lot of dross. Pretty much everyone in it is awful or phoning it in, Hardy seems like he's genuinely afflicted with some alien parasite. Trash story and uninspired set pieces. I feel like there were a few good moments when watching it but fucked if I can remember them now. [3]

45. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - 3/9
Having not seen it since in the cinema, I decided to go through the trilogy with the kids.
I could see them both fidgeting and moving around after just 10 minutes. Bored. 20 minutes - yawning and looking at their phones. I was contemplating just skipping entire first section. So utterly boring and drawn out, no way to start an action/adventure movie. Things picked up, there were orcs and trolls and we were happy to carry on. But then they keep throwing in random non-Hobbit stuff in and draw everything out - scenes that could be a minute or two last for 10 minutes.
So mostly makes for painful tedious viewing but the action and quality of the visuals almost makes up for it. I do like me some dragons, though, and I recall Smaug was well depicted - so bring on the second movie anyway.
[6]

46. The Witch - 4/9
Having seen Eggers's other two films, of which I highly rate The Lighthouse, I was expecting a decent movie and this didn't disappoint. Eerie and unsettling folktale horror with unnerving music and atmosphere. Washed out colour palette suits the content perfectlty and it's beautifully shot. Top of the Eggers for me.
[9]

Wookienopants wrote:

acemuzzy wrote:

Do I need to have seen any other Wolverine shizzle before trying Logan?

It helps but I don't think it's essential

I think an understanding of his xmen backstory is definitely worth a quick you tube as the emotion of this film could be lost, particularly when it comes to his relationship with Prof X.

If you watch any wolverine film before this watch the samurai one.