Films! good, bad, recomendations, and general film talk

[Plexi Ken]

Cemetery Junction: The latest from Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais follows in the traditions of their previous big screen efforts, average. Like Ghost Town and The Invention of Lying there are funny moments but the film is too predictable and formulaic. I'm a big Gervais fan but his film output just isn't good enough.

[Andrew W]

As I'm currently between homes with my stuff in storage and sleeping on friends' floors I've been seeing quite a lot of films.  So, here we go:

Gainsbourg - Really liked this one.  Beautifully shot and acted with lovely period detailing.  For a biopic it has a lot of surreal elements but I think that actually represents his life and character very well, he was larger than life.  I also love the music and having Laetitia Casta as Brigitte Bardot is far from the worst idea a casting department has ever had.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice - Didn't like this one much at all.  The storyline was straight out of the Disney regulation play-book and I just got frustrated watching it as it was so obvious what was going to happen next.  I liked Alfred Molina in it though and the effects are very pretty indeed but I was almost pulling my hair out by the end.

Encounters at the End of the World - This is Werner Herzog's documentary about Antarctica and it's brilliant.  He's as interested in the weird and wonderful people who gravitate there as he is in the place itself.  It's a really fascinating watch with some very poignant interviews and beautiful photography.  One of the best documentaries I've seen in ages.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - I love this film but I am really biased.  I like the jokes, the style, the performances and the whole way the film's put together.  It doesn't look like anything else out there.  My favourite film of the summer.

[Matt77]

frog and chimp
youtube

I'm scarred  :(

[Ian Price]

It Might Get Loud

Just finished - I was underwhelmed. Although I didn't like it that much Jimmy Page and Jack White were pretty much up my street. 'The Edge' was just really boring and relies too much on technology.

[Philly Q]

I took the day off yesterday to avoid the Tube strike, so over the last couple of days, I've watched Spider-Man 1, 2 and 3.

It's cool watching them back-to-back, I never realised how consistent they are.  The same cast, even for all the minor roles (apart from Bruce Campbell doing three different cameos!), the same sets, the various storylines which flow through all three films.  It really does feel like a proper trilogy.   Despite the third one being a bit of a mess.

[Ian Price]

I may have to watch them back to back now Philly. I must admit that I didn't realise Bruce Campbell was in all 3!

The last trilogy I watched back to back was Back to the Future. Great stuff (IMO).

[Philly Q]

The last trilogy I watched back to back was Back to the Future. Great stuff (IMO).

I just ordered the Batman box set - it was as cheap as getting just the first two individually.  So now I'm going to be brave and try to watch Batman Forever and Batman and Robin.  :?

[WezV]

eek... dont do it philly

watched scott pilgrim the other day and thoroughly enjoyed it - although it does have some of the canadian flatness from the books that can make it seem a little dry and slow at times.  also, as is usually the case, i prefer the slightly more surreal ending in the books

[dave_mc]

i've never seen the earlier batman films... i keep meaning to watch them but always find something to watch instead... :lol: (seen the newer ones)

And I thought spiderman 2 was the cr@ppy one, it was horrible.

[Philly Q]

i've never seen the earlier batman films... i keep meaning to watch them but always find something to watch instead... :lol: (seen the newer ones)

Try Batman and (especially) Batman Returns, the two directed by Tim Burton.

[Ted 'N' Leo]

The last trilogy I watched back to back was Back to the Future. Great stuff (IMO).

I just ordered the Batman box set - it was as cheap as getting just the first two individually.  So now I'm going to be brave and try to watch Batman Forever and Batman and Robin.  :?

The funny thing about Batman Forever is, I always thought Val Kilmer was quite good as Batman. But the film itself was way too reliant on the villains and the tone was generally heading for 'Camp'

Batman & Robin should only be watched ironically, like watching Plan 9 from Outer Space.

[dave_mc]

Try Batman and (especially) Batman Returns, the two directed by Tim Burton.

so those are the two good ones, then? I know some of them are known to be fairly rubbish (will still watch them, though :D)

[MrBump]

^ yeah, the Tim Burton ones are ace.

Michelle Pfiffer in Michelle Pfeiffer as CatWoman.  Yum.

[dave_mc]

thanks :)

[nfe]

I always thought the Tim Burton ones terrible. But then I'm a geek and like the comics, and I also loathe every film Tim Burton has made aside from Big Fish and Beetlejuice, so I was likely to find them a chore.

I do like that Tim Burton famously quipped that "Anyone who knows me would know I would never read a comic book" only for Kevin Smith to respond "That explains Batman"  :lol: