Movies Talk Archive December 01 2016 to December 31 2016

31 Dec 2016 09:10:08
Just done watching Criminal. Nothing spectacular about the film. The action scenes are OK but just not as much as I was expecting after watching its trailer. I think the strength of this film is Costner. Really enjoyed watching him. And the song at the end credit. Love it.

{Ed001's Note - I quite liked it myself, but I agree it was nothing special, just a good, solid film. Have to say Costner was excellent though, he was never an actor I rated in the past, but his films in the last few years have shown he really can act.}

31 Dec 2016 09:27:17
Exactly Ed01. I would say the same about George Clooney. After watched The Descendants, my opinions on him totally changed.

{Ed001's Note - I like Clooney, he just struggles to get good roles due to his looks, I think. Also probably doesn't help that he is a political activist trying to protect human rights. Could make it difficult to raise funding for a film he is in when corporations hate him as he is constantly campaigning against the damage they do.}

30 Dec 2016 06:15:47
Mystery Road (2013)

An Australian movie which led to a sequel due to its success. It follows an indigenous detective, Jay Swan, who returns to his home town and an investigation into the murder of a young girl.

A surprisingly good movie, which keeps you involved from start to finish. It is not all action blockbuster but it is excellent and well worth a watch. It held my attention from the start until the end.

29 Dec 2016 06:17:34
Equity (2016)

A low budget indy film about the world of high finance, very heavily based around women. The main star is an investment banker who is not the nicest person in the world, being particularly fond of ripping into her subordinates over the slightest things. She is under pressure after a previous IPO she presided over went bad and she is leading another involving a cyber-security company, which has whispers about a lack of security surrounding it. Her boyfriend (well friend with benefits really) is a hedge fund manager who is being investigated for insider trading and an old school friend is also digging up dirt in her job as a Justice Department investigator.

It really lacks something to make it into a better film. The only outstanding feature is that it so heavily female. Other than that, it is a very straight forward movie, with no real twists or surprises. It was a bit boring if anything.

01 Jan 2017 12:00:32
I suppose boring not only describes the film but also working in the equity market!!

{Ed001's Note - when you earn the money they do, life is anything but boring mate.}

28 Dec 2016 08:29:33
Man From Nowhere (2010)

This is very much a Korean remake of 'Man On Fire', which is one of my favourite films of all time. Because of that, Man From Nowhere had a lot to live up to, and it did, mostly at least. It was an excellent film, with a very different interpretation, but one that worked just as well as the Denzel film. The only thing that really kept it from being just as good, or better, was the lack of Denzel Washington in the lead. The lead actor was good, but just not Denzel level.

It built up the relationship between the lead and the little girl nicely, though in a much darker way than Man On Fire. The action was much less refined as well, more brutal, in many ways. The film was a different take on a dark revenge thriller theme and was just as excellent and is a film I recommend on its own merits.

28 Dec 2016 13:10:31
Glad you enjoyed it, Ed01.

{Ed001's Note - it was a really good film, cheers for recommending it.}

26 Dec 2016 06:42:22
Suicide Squad (2016)

I seen this film at the cinema and did not enjoy it at all. However, I thought I would give it another chance by watching the extended version, in the hope I had just expected too much and/or the cinematic cut had left out scenes that made the film better.

What I found was a film that was no better on second viewing, with little discernible improvement, if any, from the extra scenes. The problem is that the film does not just suffer from being badly told, it has a lack of good characters. The best characters are the fringe ones, Batman and Joker, the rest are just either not very good, or just badly done.

Will Smith's Deadshot just does not work, he is completely yawn inducing. Harley Quinn just makes me want to throw something at the TV, her voice grates on my nerves. Capt Boomerang is just not up to the physical aspects of his role. None of the characters hold any real interest, as they keep ruining their badness by trying to give them a good side. This film is just not very good, sadly.

26 Dec 2016 09:10:21
Fully agree! The best part was the end credits! I watched this when the missus left me home alone one evening, so I wasted a good night on it!

{Ed001's Note - it is no better on a second viewing, very disappointing.}

23 Dec 2016 06:21:26
Eliminators (2016)

This is the film of a US federal agent, in hiding in the UK with his daughter, whose home is attacked by a gang of drug dealers. Forced to defend himself, his picture is shown all over the world on TV, leading to the gangster who is after him discovering where he is. A dangerous assassin is despatched to hunt him and his daughter down.

If, like me, the moment the WWE logo came up in the titles you groaned and considered switching the film off, then you will probably be pleasantly surprised by this film. Stu Bennett (who wrestled under the name Wade Barrett) is much better than the usual wrestler turned actor, in his role as the assassin. He is clearly playing the role after watching The Transporter multiple times and doing a northern grit version of Jason Statham. Or it could just be that the role never stretched him in its requirements. Either way, he was decent in his role as the ruthless assassin sent to hunt the federal agent down.

Scott Adkins is the actual lead and, as usual, he is ok. The film is able to quickly switch from action scene to action scene, with a number of good fights sprinkled liberally along the way. What you end up with is a solid action flick that entertains you thoroughly, even if it fails to provide the emotional attachment to the characters that a film such as Man On Fire generates. Worth a watch.

22 Dec 2016 05:51:27
Masterminds (2016)

The story was good, based on the true story of the biggest cash robbery in US history. Unfortunately the execution, which was intended to be a comedy, was terrible. With a very strong cast of big names, I expected a lot more from this film, but it just lacked any really funny moments. It was just a bit ....... odd.

20 Dec 2016 06:38:52
Snowden (2016)

The story of Edward Snowden, done by Oliver Stone as very sympathetic towards Snowden. I will not get into the debate about what Snowden did or whether or not he is a traitor, as people should make up their own mind on that, but it is worth a watch to see his side of the story. All you hear on the news is very much the other side, so it is good to see things from his view.

Personally I really enjoyed the film, it is a subject that interests me, the film never let me down. I have no idea how true to life the film is, but it certainly drew me in and made me think.

19 Dec 2016 17:15:13
Anyone else worried about the new Bladerunner?

20 Dec 2016 04:39:20
You are Ed01?

I haven't watched the original yet, not intended to, but having Villeneuve as the director, having watched Sicario, being told about how good Arrival is, I think the film is in good hands.

I for one kinda like this kind of trailers, didn't show much and might be enough to excite the fans. I can't say I'm excited though, haven't watched the original I couldn't relate much of the scenes showed in the trailer.

{Ed001's Note - yes, very worried. The original is one of my favourite films of all time, and sequels very rarely live up to the originals at the best of times. Ford has long lost the shine he once had, he is just a doddering old man now still trying to play at being the cocky young rebel and it is embarrassing.}

20 Dec 2016 07:20:21
You are worried more about it being a sequel, and Ford in it. I understand the latter though. Like Indiana Jones and Star Wars, shouldve kept him out from those, though Star Wars seems doing good with him in it. But yeah, maybe the filmmakers wanted to capture the fans, the nostalgia, thus keeping the character still in em.

As for Bladerunner, I thought it is a remake. Since it's a sequel, I hope that I don't have to watch the first one to enjoy this, as I struggled to enjoy Force Awaken because I didn't watch any of the previous Star Wars.

{Ed001's Note - he was awful in the Force Awakens and the last Indy, just embarrassing to watch him try and run. You have never seen the other Star Wars films? Don't let Ed007 know that! You will never hear the last of it.

You really should watch the original Bladerunner - brilliant film, one of the greats.}

20 Dec 2016 16:58:19
Have to agree ed001

The very fact that ford is old is actually a huge turn off for me especially after the suggestions in the extended directors version ending.

The world suggested in the trailer also doesn't have the same 'wonder' as the original either.

Unfortunately I still think I will pay for a ticket no matter how bad the reviews are.

{Ed001's Note - I never trust reviews anyway. I remember Michael Keaton's Batman being well received, yet it is was dross. Not sure I will go to the cinema to see it, but I wil see it myself at some point. I just wish they would have the courage to just make a film without needing to do stuff like bring in ex-stars to ensure people go to see it.}

21 Dec 2016 23:19:33
As you know I will never agree on your view about Keaton's batman.

However this really does just look like a cash in, but like yourself I will see it at some point.

Would be much more interested and likely to part with cash to see the original on the big screen than this one. With that thought in mind I think that a large scale release of the original may even have more legs than this sequel.

Unfortunately the nostalgia element of Hollywood is rearing its really ugly head so often at the moment it's almost sickening. Rogue one, blade runner, alien convernant and I've even heard wind if a Spielberg supported gremlin 3 !!!

This continual churning out of second rate cash driven sequels, prequels, shared universes is what keeps pushing me towards Asian cinema. The originality of the cinematography is second to none right now and although a lot of the stories are rehashed, the cultural differences added to them, in reference to western cinema, makes then so much more watchable.

{Ed001's Note - they do a lot of sequels too mate. Sadly the world is full of cash ins.}

23 Dec 2016 14:42:08
I get that Ed but just find much more original films available from Asian cinema in general. Also find the quality of acting and ability of cinematographers a little better on average. Nothing wrong with a big hollywood blockbuster sequel, but comparing the quality of a transporter 3 to an ip man 3 suggests Hollywood cares more for the flash and not the substance.

{Ed001's Note - very true, I do agree.}

19 Dec 2016 05:56:57
Asian Connection (2016)

This follows the bizarre trend of late with Steven Segal, where he plays a baddie who is barely in the film. Which should be a plus, if only the main stars were not such hopeless actors as well. At least the presence of Segal is not a minus, unlike usual, as his appearance as a drug lord is minimal, often limited to bizarre cut scenes of him teaching martial arts to his girlfriend. Oddly Michael Jai White has little more than a cameo role in the film as well.

The actual film itself follows two minor criminals who rob a bank, as one wants to give his girlfriend a better life. It turns out that the money they took belongs to a local drug lord, who sends his men out to find the robbers. The drug lord's number two tracks them down, but instead orders them to rob banks of his choosing, in order to make himself drug lord instead.

It is just a badly acted convoluted mess, with a few bizarre scenes but also a couple of decent martial arts set pieces. Not the worst Segal film, but not a film to make an effort to see.

17 Dec 2016 09:19:23
The Shallows 2016

Im a bit of a sucker when it comes to shark films, Jaws will always be the benchmark which will probably never be surpassed, The Reef was probably the next best I've seen but apart from those 2 decent shark movies are hard to find which brings me to The Shallows starring Blake Lively. After finding the secluded beach where her deceased mum had been in her youth, BL sets out on her surfboard. After spending hours in the surf with 2 other surfers she is left alone after they leave. when she spots a dead whale her nightmare begins, stranded on a rock 200 yards from shore, circled by a great white, she must decide whether to wait for help or outthink the shark and swim for shore.
I really enjoyed this movie for the 1st hour as it was packed with tension, not knowing where the shark is ramps up the tension and keeps you on edge, however the last part of the movie just goes into stupid cheesy mode, the end being completely unrealistic.
overall a decent shark movie which was let down by the poor ending.

18 Dec 2016 06:02:45
I always hate shark movies myself. I love sharks and shark documentaries, so find the movies just utter unbelievable crap.

18 Dec 2016 06:42:12
You would be right on the majority as well ed,I loved jaws so much I think I just live in hope every shark movie I watch will live up to it and apart from the reef I'm let down every time!

{Ed001's Note - I hate Jaws, even its author hates it now mate. Benchley spends his time campaigning for shark protection now.}

18 Dec 2016 19:47:48
I think the same thing happened with the guy(whose name passes me)who used to train flipper the dolphin for the tv show,they made a film/documentary about him trying to expose dolphin culling in Japan called 'the cove' which was a very hard hitting,quite moving documentary which i highly recommend.

{Ed001's Note - it is quite sad the way Japan continues to deal so badly with endangered animal species.}

16 Dec 2016 06:18:14
The Infiltrator (2016)

Based on the true story of Robert Mazur, The Infiltrator is the tale of how he went after some of the biggest drug smugglers in the world and took them down by pretending to be a money launderer. Bryan Cranston, who plays Mazur, and in fact the whole crew, act well, but the story is a bit of a mess to be honest. Some of the scenes made no sense, leaving the story feeling a bit chopped apart, like there were too many scenes taken out to keep the length of it down to a manageable amount.

It is nowhere near as exciting or entertaining as Sicario, for example. It is more interesting than it is edge of the seat or a thrill ride. This is a good film, but it had the potential to be great, especially with some great acting involved.

15 Dec 2016 06:00:51
Ghostbuster (reboot) (2016)

Looking past the hysteria of it being yet another reboot of an old film, one I had loved as a child, and that they had done a gender swap, the issue with this film is that it does not engender the same excitement as the original. Looking back on the original now, it is outdated and not that good anyway. It feels dated and of its time. The problem is that this reboot does nothing to move the idea forward other than the gender swap. It is not that it is that bad, it just is not good either. It is just there. There is nothing to recommend it, it is not funny intentionally and it is not bad enough to be funny unintentionally. It is just ok. The closest there is to comedy, is the gender swap thing with the guy who played Thor as the dumb secretary purely there because he looks good. It is just that average.

13 Dec 2016 10:07:46
Moana, watched this because my little brother and sister wanted to watch it, it's a Disney film at its heart with lots of sing songs but a few good chuckles in there too, but maybe wait till its on tv, Ed what do you make of the Rock and his acting/films?

{Ed001's Note - I hate to admit it, but I think he is a decent actor. Much better than many who have made a long career in films.}

13 Dec 2016 10:12:25
I suppose he had a bit of help coming from the wrestling entertainment industry, his singing in moana wasn't too shabby either!!!

{Ed001's Note - I have not seen it, but I hate musicals.}

13 Dec 2016 10:16:14
Don't lie Ed I know you love belting out a good ol sing song ;) jk fella

{Ed001's Note - I don't mind a sing song of course, I have a daughter so have had to get used to karaoke and stuff like that, even if it is not my thing. It is the stupid song and dance routines mid-conversation that annoy me! Makes me want to put a brick through the screen. Though I did once take a dhow cruise on a date that turned into something out of a Bollywood film. It was surreal!}

13 Dec 2016 10:41:50
He's a machine. Fast 8, then Baywatch, Jumanji, and I'm sure there are loads more to come. I agreed with you Ed01, he's quite a good actor. I think he has moved on a lot from the typical angry mean characters seen in Scorpion King, Doom, etc.

{Ed001's Note - he was overacting at first, like he was in panto, sorry wrestling. Now he has moved on a long way. I bet we know Welsh's fave of his films though, Tooth Fairy, though I am sure he will say he only watches it for his little brother and sister....}

13 Dec 2016 12:06:14
Ow Ed. My wife and my daughters love it too. And strangely, I like it too. Haha

{Ed001's Note - thought you might.}

13 Dec 2016 12:24:21
ED1 You must be happy now knowing you're not the only one who likes Tooth Fairy eh?

{Ed001's Note - too right.}

16 Dec 2016 04:32:25
Dwayne Johnson has certain come a long way from the quite laughable overacting in the WWF/WWE.

12 Dec 2016 09:01:00
Keanu (2016)

This is difficult to explain so it makes any sense at all, but this is the story of two friends trying to get back their stolen kitten. It really sounds stupid and, to be quite honest, it is silly in the extreme, but it works. It is utterly ridiculous and over the top but well worth a watch. It is far from the greatest comedy, but it is a good comedy with a fair few genuine laughs.

11 Dec 2016 09:37:03
Hardcore Henry (2015)

WTF was this utter crap? I had no idea what it was meant to be when I sat down to watch it and I wish I had known as I would have avoided seeing it. Utter trash. It was like watching someone play an FPS game but made it into a film with the people who had played it. Except that would probably be better. If you are one of those that loves to watch those boring as hell 'let's play' videos on youareatube, where someone plays a game so you don't have to, then you might actually like this. However, if you have a life and prefer playing them yourself and watching well directed movies, then avoid this trash at all costs.

13 Dec 2016 22:53:39
I don't know about you ed but watching it hurt my eyes. Painful movie watching experience

{Ed001's Note - one of the worst films ever. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It has really tested my ability to decribe something so bad without swearing!}

10 Dec 2016 14:54:43
Just finished watching I Saw the Devil, again. Any posters would like to share their thoughts on it? My wife couldn't stand watching it because of the violence, some of my mates didn't like it either.

16 Dec 2016 20:53:19
Absolutely brilliant,none stop brutality, not for the faint hearted,I'm not easily shocked at horror movies but that scene in the taxi was just brutal!

10 Dec 2016 08:55:09
Don't Think Twice (2016)

This was dog turd, so boring I could not sit through it all. I do not want to waste any more time even discussing this dross. Just avoid it.

09 Dec 2016 18:57:07
True Memoirs Of An International Assassin (2016)

An action comedy starring Kevin James is not the most appetising of prospects, so sitting down to watch this did not fill me with enthusiasm to be perfectly honest. This is the story of an author, played by Kevin James, who writes a novel about assassins. His publisher decides it will sell better by changing the genre from fiction to non-fiction. Worringly for the author, his diligent research has left the book seeming real enough for people to really believe he is an assasin.

Now I have to admit that this was nothing like as bad as I expected. Not rolling in the aisles funny. Actually it was not really raising more than a smile, but it was a decent enough film. Compared to the dog turd that was Paul Blart: Mall Cop (1 & 2), this is sheer genius. If you are stuck for something to watch, this is not going to ruin your evening, but do not expect to be holding your sides rolling around the floor.

09 Dec 2016 06:23:03
Dog Eat Dog (2016)

This is one of the worst openings to a film I have ever seen, Willem Defoe is utterly wasted in this dross. I can only say avoid at all costs. It was 'art', rather than well directed story telling. When you have a terrible actor like Nicolas Cage in a film, it needs to be good to make up for his lack of talent. This is not good. The direction is awful, to the point I could not tell you what happened after the opening scenes as I had completely lost interest and it was just on while I ignored it!

08 Dec 2016 13:38:52
Out of curiosity has anyone seen along came a spider, one of my all time favourite movies. Only reason I ask is because I wonder if anyone had any similar movies they could recommend. Thriller/true story.

{Ed001's Note - I have seen this a while ago now, wasn't it an Alex Cross film? Isn't it the prequel to Alex Cross that was released a couple of years ago?}

08 Dec 2016 21:26:06
Yeah it was an Alex Cross, not sure the Alex cross movie though is related to the original two. Along came a spider and kiss the girls, the new movie was just using the same character.

More proof that Hollywood is refusing to use their imagination and just rebooting or rehashing anything that has had some sort of a success previously.

{Ed001's Note - I actually googled it afterwards and IMDB etc list Along Came A Spider as a prequel to Alex Cross. Not sure whether that is true or not, or if they are just linking them because they use the same character. I never realised Kiss The Girls was an Alex Cross film too.}

08 Dec 2016 22:52:54
Maybe it's just my selective memory and don't want to link the three. As I could watch the other two multiple times, Alex cross however I won't ever be re-watching,

{Ed001's Note - I have to agree, the Morgan Freeman ones were much better, though none of them are really my thing.}

08 Dec 2016 00:42:29
Ok so who is your favorite actor?

I know it's a difficult one and I can't choose just one so will list a few.

Denzel Washington - just to mention a few of his brilliant films, American Gangster, Training day, Man on Fire & Deja Vu come to mind.

Leonardo DiCaprio - everything he touches he seems to make a masterpiece - The wolf of wallstreet, Inception, The beach, the departed, Blood diamond & Gang's of New york. I heard the Revenant was good? still not seen that one.

I love my gangster kinda films so have to mention Robert De niro but not just for the gangster films he's done all sorts hasn't he, top actor but seems like an utter tool in real life (not that I know him) few films I love him in - The deer Hunter. Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Casino, Heat*, The untouchables - Got raging Bull a few years ago and it's yet to be watched lol

Will leave it with one more, Al Pacino, his part in Scarface was probably one of my favorites. Not to mention (again heat) - Donnie Brasco, Carlitos way, Godfather 2, devils advocate.

We could go on forever but I think them 4 are my top upto now, but there's loads, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hnaks, Sean Penn. please add more to my list lol.

{Ed001's Note - Denzel is always excellent, I like Clive Owen and Robert Downey Jr. Off the top of my head I can't think of anyone else.}

08 Dec 2016 07:25:38
1. DiCaprio. You should watch The Revenant. I love him in Blood Diamond and Body of Lies as well.

2. Jeff Bridges. I love his accent, and that was the main reason I enjoyed R.I.P.D. eventhough I have to admit it was kinda crap.

3. Denzel Washington definitely. Particularly Man on Fire, Deja Vu and American Gangster.

4. Tom Hardy. For me he is a superb actor especially in Warrior.

I don't know why but I kinda hate Tom Hanks, with no apparent reasons.

{Ed001's Note - I forgot to agree on DiCaprio, he has been excellent in the films I have seen. I like Tom Hardy, he is always good. I also agree on Hanks, can't stand him. He is a terrible actor imo. I don't think he has moved on from the character he played in Big.}

08 Dec 2016 08:53:29
To be fair I do know what you guys are saying in regards to Hanks, a few of his good films for me was Saving Private Ryan, Forest Gump and Philadelphia. But yeah it has to be said he's done some absolutely terrible films.

Tom Hardy I agree is excellent - Brilliant in Legend, really enjoyed that film and like you say Warrior another great film.

I have to add Jack Nicholson to the list for me as well.

As for ones I don't like the main 2 are Bruce Willis and Russel Crowe, can't stand either especially Bruce Willis something about him winds me up. Russel Crowe has no doubt done some good films but something about him I don't like.

{Ed001's Note - John Travolta is one that I really can't stand, there is something slimy and disgusting about him. Not just because of the Scientology thing either, just him, he makes me want to vomit.}

08 Dec 2016 09:13:45
Oh God yeah, Travolta is just horrible I can't stand him or his acting - I almost forgot he existed (on purpose), absolute tool another one as bad for me would be Steven Seagal he just makes me cringe I don't know how the hell he made it famous.

{Ed001's Note - Nicolas Cage is another who is crap. Though it is easy to understand how he made it....}

08 Dec 2016 09:24:44
Don't forget Sandler and Vaughn.

{Ed001's Note - Jack Black too.}

08 Dec 2016 09:35:19
Please leave him out of this. Haha

{Ed001's Note - I don't know what you could mean.... ;-)

08 Dec 2016 09:36:38
Hugh Grant as well, for the bad list. Well, Bad is a compliment.

{Ed001's Note - I don't mind him, he just makes crap films rather than he is crap imo.}

08 Dec 2016 13:37:41
Anyone who's seen Philadelphia and says that Tom Hanks can't act needs help. The guy was f***ing brilliant in that, as too was Denzel Washington.

I'd also like to add that the majority, if not all the extras were aids victims themselves and most had passed on when the film was released.

{Ed001's Note - was it that he was good or that the film was that good? I haven't seen it, so I am simply asking, as it is something I have no interest in watching to be perfectly honest.}

08 Dec 2016 15:03:06
Even though the story was good, the movie its self couldn't be rated so highly if the acting wasn't so good.

I mean look at the movie based on Red Faction, it's a great story but the acting is laughable, so it goes down as a terrible B movie. Same with a lot of others, story alone doesn't compensate for lacking of acting in my opinion anyway.

There are movies that have been saved because of great acting, but very few, if any that have been saved by a great storyline.

Just my opinion of course.

{Ed001's Note - I think that depends on whether the story is something that gets to you in some way. Either you identify with it or it tugs at your heart strings, such as Philadelphia must. Those kind of stories can keep your interest and a good director can hide acting deficiencies and make a terrible actor bearable or even good. If an actor does 20 films and you can only come up with one or two to suggest they are great, that tells you there is a good chance it was not the actor that was great, I think.}

08 Dec 2016 15:09:38
To be honest ed1, it's something I would've never been interested in either but gave it a watch because one night a good few years ago there was bugger all on TV and my dad decided we should watch it and tbh, it's his best film and he will never do any better, he was fantastic in it. He isn't the best but in that film he's top class. Lol you have a lot to watch mate but if you ever get a spare couple of hours give it a go, definitely worth it.

{Ed001's Note - maybe one day, but I never get a spare couple of hours.}

09 Dec 2016 10:00:37
Lol I can imagine mate.

09 Dec 2016 11:15:42
Ryan Reynolds and Joseph Gordon Levitt but only because JG looked good in inception

07 Dec 2016 14:01:33
Just done watching London Has Fallen. The initial wish to watch this was to kill an hour plus with my wife while enjoying our pizza, and wow, both of us agreed that it is a really bad film we felt we have ruined this suppose-to-be pleasurable evening to enjoy our humble meal.

From the story, the dialogue, the actions, the cheap effects. I think i've said enough.

{Ed007's Note - My Mrs has said she wants to to watch that but it'll be upstairs while I'm downstairs watching the football now.}

07 Dec 2016 14:18:31
Ed07, get yourself upstairs and save her.

{Ed007's Note - I bet she says it's quite good, my Mrs has honking taste in films lol}

09 Dec 2016 10:03:26
Not even your missus would like this film, it is dog turd.

07 Dec 2016 06:42:22
Hands Of Stone (2016)

The story of two legendary figures from boxing, Roberto Duran and his trainer Ray Arcel. Roberto De Niro returns to boxing films to make this biopic, playing Duran's trainer Arcel, who turns Duran from a street fighter into a top class boxer. The boxing is pretty much incidental to this film, it is very focused on those two and their relationship, plus, which is probably the thing which makes Duran stick in people's minds, the build up and fights with Sugar Ray Leonard.

It did also give some idea of the state Duran's home country, Panama, was in at the time, and how the rise from poverty caused Duran's ego to rise also. Duran, Arcel and Sugar Ray Leonard were all excellent, but the boxing scenes were not really the best, though that never stopped the Rocky movies! Personally I really enjoyed this film, as all I had known about Duran before that was that he had said 'no mas' and returned to his corner in the middle of the rematch with Leonard.

Now I feel like I at least understand, to a degree, what happened that night. The pressure Duran was under, as the symbol, almost the living embodiment of Panama to so many of its people. It is no wonder he cracked and wanted no more.

06 Dec 2016 10:00:05
Line Walker (2016)

This is a Cantonese movie based on a TV series. The story is that there were a load of police agents embedded deep cover but, in order to save them from discovery, their files were wiped. All of the agents were believed to have been recovered, then one more makes himself known. What follows is a film that tries to keep you guessing about who is who, as the police try to help the agent uncover a plot.

The action is good, but the story is confusing. I saw someone questioning online if sections had been cut from the movie in post-production and, on reflection, I have to say that seems like the best explanation for what is going on with this film. It seemed to jump around with no way of following what was going on at times, nor any idea of why things happened. Sadly this does affect the enjoyment of the movie. It ends up being just a popcorn flick to see the action sequences. Maybe it would help to have seen the TV show, but I have no idea, as I have not seen it myself. All in all, just an average action film to pass the time.

07 Dec 2016 00:41:32
You seems really into Chinese films Ed01. I stopped watching them actually, I remembered there were these years it was being flooded with films with loads of crap action scenes (such as heist with super high security facilities, and some others), I found them no longer appealing. How's the quality in general right now? Most of your reviews on these films, it sound like they are getting better.

{Ed001's Note - very variable. Lots of dross, but the budgets are getting bigger so they are becoming more comparable with Hollywood.}

07 Dec 2016 10:05:12
I would've never watched something like this in the past, had to be the hollywood kind of film until I met my wife (who is Chinese) and your right ed1, there's a lot of rubbish but some good stuff as well.

Speaking of the foreign stuff - It's a TV series and I couldn't recommend it enough ' Gomorrah ' It's italian, if your into gangster films / series this is the series for you, only 2 seasons at the minute but another 2 to be done. I love my gangster kind of stuff and loved Sopranos, Boardwalk empire, Scarface, Goodfellas, Casino, Godfather the list goes on but TV series wise, nothing has anything on Gomorrah imo.

{Ed001's Note - have you tried Peaky Blinders if you like gangster stuff?}

07 Dec 2016 16:33:23
Gomorrah

07 Dec 2016 19:46:50
I still having tried peaky blinders ed1, been told to do so but never got round to it. Will have to give it a go.

{Ed001's Note - stick with it mate, it is one of those shows that gets better as it goes, like The Blacklist.}

06 Dec 2016 05:58:20
Goldstone (2016)

An Australian movie with indigenous, alcoholic, detective Jay Swan heading to a small town in the middle of nowhere, Goldstone, to search for a missing girl. Treated with suspicion and hatred by the locals, seemingly because he is indigenous, he gets off on the wrong foot with the local police. The investigation uncovers a major web of crime and a conspiracy involving local dignitaries. Jay Swan has to pull himself together and settle his differences with one of the local cops to deliver justice to the town of Goldstone. It is a sequel to a film call Mystery Road.

Never having seen (or heard of) Mystery Road, I cannot comment on how the two films compare or how it works as a sequel, but I did enjoy it as a standalone movie. It is not fast, it slowly builds up towards a big finish, but it is interesting and kept me watching all the way through. The acting was mainly good, the story was good, with plenty of intrigue, though some of the characters felt a bit over the top, like cartoon characters, at times. I enjoyed it and would recommend it if you are looking for something different to watch.

05 Dec 2016 06:41:36
Army Of One (2016)

Based on a true story of an American (played by the ever-rubbish Nicolas Cage) who heads off on his own to Afghanistan to track down Osama Bin Laden. I really cannot stress enough how much you need to avoid this. Utter tripe. I do not know how much I actually bothered watching, as I was so bored I ended up working while it was playing in the background.

04 Dec 2016 19:59:37
Just watched masterminds, a true story about a bank heist in America. With the cast, I thought the movie would be hilarious but the funniest bits are the outakes. However the film holds an intrigue from the beginning about where the story is going mainly due to be not being familiar with the original story.
I would recommend the movie just don't expect a laugh a minute.

{Ed001's Note - I have seen it too, just haven't had a chance to write a review yet. I wasn't impressed with the film, though the story is really interesting, just badly made.}

04 Dec 2016 20:38:49
I'd be interested to see your thoughts ed, never really got going but the story above all kept be hooked. It had the cast and story to be a real hit unfortunately just an average movie, but like I said I would recommend it to people for the story above all, although you could just skip the film and read up on the subject.

{Ed001's Note - I would recommend doing that instead, but then I am not a fan of the cast. Especially that Zach Galifianakis. I just find him annoying rather than funny.}

04 Dec 2016 10:16:08
The Monkey King 2 (2016)

A Chinese film based on a famous Chinese book, Journey To The West, but Westerners will probably better know it from the Japanese TV Show, titled Monkey or Monkey Magic in some countries. This film is very similar to the TV show, with Monkey, the Pig and the Fish protecting a travelling Buddhist monk who is heading across China to retrieve sacred scriptures.

I have to be honest, I was a huge fan of the TV show when I was a kid, I was hoping this film would take me on a nostalgic trip back to those days. In some respects it did. However it was not as good as my memories of watching the TV show. In many respects this film was frustrating and confusing, with an ending that really was no ending. It was clearly left open for future films of the Monkey King.

As a film in its own right, it was ok, it was entertaining and was clearly intended as an action comedy, though a fair bit of the comedy does tend to get lost in translation. The overall experience though is a decent film to waste a couple of hours with, but nothing special.

02 Dec 2016 06:16:14
Street (2015)

This is a martial arts movie about a young lad named Street who is given the chance to train with a world class coach and with top class fighters after a chance meeting in a store, where he protects the coach from an attack by Russian mobsters. The Russian mobsters force Street to part in underground cage fights for him or they will hurt his family.

This is a terrible movie, even as a martial arts film alone, the martial arts are badly choreographed, very badly, and so it does not work on that level alone. Then there is the story, which is awful, so full of plotholes and ridiculous attempts at twists which do not work. The sound is hopeless, obscuring much of the dialogue with music for no reason. Worse is the acting, which is dreadful.

I was unable to watch it all the way through, it was so bad I gave up after an hour. There is nothing to recommend this film in all honesty. It is not even bad enough to make you laugh at it. It is just cack. Avoid.

01 Dec 2016 05:53:54
Anthropoid (2016)

Operation Anthropoid was a World War 2 operation, which was intended to assassinate a high ranking Nazi, Reinhard Heydrich, who was the main architect of the 'Final Solution' and an SS General. It succeeded, and Heydrich was the highest ranking Nazi to be killed by Allied actions during WW2. This is the story of the operation and stars Cillian Murphy.

I will be honest and say I am not able to give a truly unbiased opinion, as my uncle was involved in the film, and had a small role in it, due to writing a book about the operating titled The Mirror That Caught The Sun. Personally I enjoyed it, though I am not sure how enjoyable it would be to people that did not have at least some idea of the story it was based on. If you went in to it with no idea what it was about, it would probably not appeal or catch your interest, as you are likely to be confused.

If you do know the background, then it is an enjoyable and tense affair, leading you through the story well. It did feel a lot like a labour of love, rather than a Hollywood blockbuster, with an intent to tell the story, rather than water it down for the audience.