Movies Talk Archive February 01 2017 to March 03 2017
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02 Mar 2017 18:14:15
Logan (2017)
This is what they should have been doing with Wolverine all along. That was a fantastic finale to a thoroughly lacklustre series of films. Patrick Stewart was excellent as the elderly Charles Xavier, while I have to say Hugh Jackman finally made Wolverine work for him. I am no fan of Jackman, but he was very good in this film, just shows how good direction can make a huge difference.
Logan is brutal, finally unleashing Wolverine as the devastating ball of fury that he is in the comics. It was bloody, violent and very adult. Not in the way Deadpool was adult, with brutal bloody violence delivered with a comic edge. This was something with feeling, Wolverine was tired, old and in pain and the whole film conveyed his desire to just get some peace and be left to slip away in peace, tired of a life of violence and killing.
As a stand alone action movie, it was one of the better action films I have seen. As an X-man film, it was streets ahead of any other. It is just a shame that they have wasted this potential until Jackman's final film as Wolverine, because it showed he could carry off the character, when given the chance to do so.
02 Mar 2017 22:32:05
Any deadpool references either before of after the film?
X-men are a group of films I've just never round to watching, and when they started messing with the timeline it became either harder to start watching them. Now Jackmans done with wolverine maybe it's time to give it back to marvel to run with. I know it won't happen though as it's making too much cash.
02 Mar 2017 20:36:19
Ah ed have been a massive wolverine/comic fan since I was 5! Has had great reviews and seeing it this weekend and have made me more excited! Hope it's as good as it is being made to be, but do find it amazing it's taken 17 years to make a good wolverine film.isn't really a difficult concept
{Ed001's Note - I thought it was excellent mate and I think you will love it. They kept it clear, pretty much, of all the other films and just made a proper Wolverine film.}
03 Mar 2017 11:21:16
I have never watched any of the X-Men films, but I'm interested in this one. Also like the look of the last one with Apocalypse in ( if that's the right name).
Can anyone tell me the order of films I'd need to watch to get the story leading up to this one please? I'm not bothered about watching all of them
{Ed001's Note - there is no need to watch any of the others, and I really wouldn't recommend wasting your time doing so. None of the others were much good. This one is a totally stand alone film with no relation to the rest or requirement to watch any other.}
03 Mar 2017 14:29:29
I've only ever seen 1 X Men movie and that was the one where Magneto escaped from the plastic prison. Excellent scene that, shame the rest was rubbish.
{Ed001's Note - go see this one then mate, it is an excellent movie, nothing like other comic book films really.}
03 Mar 2017 19:57:35
Is the Apocalypse one not worth watching then Ed?
{Ed001's Note - I didn't enjoy it mate. Though there was a scene with Quicksilver which is well worth watching, other than that the only good thing about the film is Olivia Munn.}
04 Mar 2017 09:33:25
I'll watch it for her then Ed. She was the only reason I got through ride along 2 ha!
{Ed001's Note - she is well worth watching.....}
01 Mar 2017 04:45:05
100 Streets (2016)
I am not sure the title really works, as this ensemble film is really just about three people, one a former rugby player, played by the always excellent Idris Elba, one a taxi driver who had been in trouble when younger which is causing problems when he and his wife try to adopt and the third a young street drug dealer trying to go straight.
While Elba is very much the driving force behind the movie, he got the film made and it is his film, he is not really the central character. Instead the main spotlight is given to Kingsley, the young lad trying to go straight by making a start as an actor, after befriending a local theatre star while doing his community service.
This is a very good film, well acted and well directed, which does not really link the three stories, but does intertwine them cleverly, as the three have mutual contacts and friends. I recommend this film, it is one of the more interesting films I have seen recently, with a good story and excellent acting.
03 Mar 2017 14:31:14
Just from reading this, it sounds like Edris drew inspiration from his early life, before he was an actor.
{Ed001's Note - I don't know to be honest, I know nothing about the guy other than he is one of the better actors around.}
28 Feb 2017 03:22:53
iBoy (2017)
A 16 year old boy disturbs a gang in the middle of a violent attack on the girl he loves in her home. Running for his life while trying to call for the police, he is shot and pieces of his smartphone are lodged in his brain. The pieces give him special powers and he uses them to exact revenge on the gang responsible.
This film was obviously aimed at the teenage market, with most of the characters being teenagers and an attempt at being gritty and 'street'. It never really worked for me, the characters were too superficial and far too many things were never properly explained, nor did they really make sense, such as the head of the bad guys and why did he believe the lad had these superpowers?
If you can suspend disbelief and just enjoy it for what it was, a poorly scripted attempt at an 'urban' British superhero movie, then you will enjoy this film. Unfortunately for me, I went into it with different expectations, as the film was not well explained by its makers. It is not the worst film in the world, but equally it is not a particularly good film. It is a bit of a 'meh', an easily forgettable film that you watch and take nothing from.
27 Feb 2017 03:06:27
A Patch Of Fog (2015)
An Irish movie telling the story of a famous author turned TV personality, played by Conleth Hill, who gets caught shoplifting by a security guard played by Stephen Graham. Rather than turn him into the police, the lonely security guard blackmails him into a kind of friendship.
That really does not do this movie justice, there is far more to it than that, with a few twists and turns to keep it interesting. This is no high-octane action thriller, but it is an interesting suspense thriller, which holds attention, despite the slower pace of the film.
Well worth a watch, though the ending was probably a bit too contrived, it was still a satisfying watch. Better than most films with much bigger budgets.
27 Feb 2017 01:12:54
Paterson (2016)
An interesting movie; tells the story of a very nice bus driver in the city of Paterson who loves his poetry. His wife encourages him to publish his work but he seems reluctant to do so. It is slow and tells the story of the main character as he goes through a week of his job and the little time he gets to write his poems. While it is pretty highly rated by critics and Adam Driver is excellent in this film, I can't help but feel a little disappointed. But I recommend it for a viewing nevertheless.
26 Feb 2017 17:22:48
U like old school manga anime like akira ed? And old anime from around that time? I'm not in to the new stuff, but grew up with old school classics.
{Ed001's Note - not really to be honest. I have never really got into anime in the main. It just does not really appeal to me.}
26 Feb 2017 17:26:26
Fair enough each to their own. I will leave u with your kung fu films. 😉
{Ed001's Note - my daughter loves anime, I just don't get it. I got given a load of them when I was younger, Akira and a few others that were supposed to be classics, I liked them as a kid, but they just don't offer anything to me as an adult. I like martial arts in general, which is why I love Kung Fu films. There just isn't that appeal to me with a cartoon.}
26 Feb 2017 17:37:34
Fully agree ed. They were cool when I was younger and most don't age to well. I know they've just made 'ghost in the shell' live action version that's coming out shortly, may be an interesting watch.
{Ed001's Note - I love the live action version of City Hunter, but that is because I love Jackie Chan. They played that purely for laughs, and it just about worked. I think a lot more could be turned into live action, not just comedy ones, and work well. I will look out for Ghost In The Shell.}
26 Feb 2017 16:36:37
Bill paxton. Legend character actor. Aliens would not of been the same without him.
{Ed001's Note - Weird Science is what I remember him most for. RIP.}
27 Feb 2017 13:04:34
RIP. Remembered him the most in True Lies. True Lies. I need to watch this again.
26 Feb 2017 05:03:46
Dr. Strange (2016)
The latest Marvel comic book superhero to get a film is Dr. Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, with an extremely dodgy American accent. The film itself was an introduction movie, which are never the best of comic book films, as they really just lay the groundwork for later films. Captain America: The First Avenger was not a good standalone film, but it was a good scene setter for the rest of the Marvel universe and spawned some truly great follow ups.
The same is hopefully going to be true of Dr Strange, because it was not a particularly good standalone film. It was just Inception with Marvel characters. There were some decent scenes, but there was nothing about the character to really endear him to you, as a character. In fact, the most likeable character was probably his cloak!
I think this is a film that would best be watched when the sequel is out, as a lead in, just before you watch the second. As a movie on its own, well it is just ok.
26 Feb 2017 00:04:54
Man Down
Where do you start ? It is rather difficult to get what's going on but I did after about an hour.
A story of everyday life for a marine turns into his worst nightmare when he has to leave his family for foreign duties,mistakes,betrayal,the mind!
The ending is very good imo.
Too much thinking went into this film and it does send a message out but could have been done better.
Ed 003 6/10, Mrs Ed 003 6/10.
Cheers Ed 003
25 Feb 2017 23:47:15
Alone In Berlin
kept looking at it and never fancied it, suppose that's what happens when reading others opinions.
A somewhat unloving couple deal with the death of their son in the only way they can against propaganda but the love does show.
It is slow and requires getting in their mindset but I'd say worth a watch.
Ed 003 6/10, Mrs Ed 003 4/10
Cheers
Ed 003
25 Feb 2017 23:37:59
John Wick 2 (2017)
Keane Reeves plays john wick legend assassin who gets drawn back into it. again. If you liked the first one will love this one.
I'm not going to get much into the story as there really isn't much of one or character arcs etc.but is just an awesome and cool movie. I know it is literally just chase scenes and Keane reeeves cooly killing loads of people, but it is sooo good.
The action sequences are really well cherograghed and it is shot really well. The final climatic action scene is done very well and is a clear nod to Bruce lees enter the dragon seqeunce.
{Ed003's Note - watched the first one the other day,can't wait to watch the 2nd.Cheers R.}
26 Feb 2017 02:17:13
Is definitely worth the wait mate, don't think I gave enough credit to the action sequences and just how well filmed it was. Also would recommend seeing it at the cinema if you've got the time and cash as with these types of films think it does improve it. also wouldn't consider it a spoiler but he kills 128 people in this film and literally debated which was the coolest kill the whole drive home
{Ed001's Note - I saw it at the cinema and don't know if I would agree. It was good like, but not worth paying for as it was just the same as the first film, except Reeves is older and even slower. Worth a watch, but nothing like as good as the first film for me.}
26 Feb 2017 21:27:24
TBH see what you mean but personally really enjoyed it. Personally think good action/martial arts films have been scarce recently, but enjoyed a film that embraced its simplicity. Isn't a groundbreaking film or anything of the sort but was just a good basic storyline with great action sequences. and is exactly what I wanted to see.
Enjoyed the style and the choreography plus was filmed with the overall style of i liked (even seeemed to embrace the entirely ludicrous "high end assassin genre"). Agree is a basic film but was literally exactly what i wanted to see.
24 Feb 2017 21:42:51
Nerve:
A story about a social media game where people dare you to do things in the hope of getting more watchers.
An interesting concept and a slight representation into a generation that is obsessed with views and likes. Also goes into the fact that most people change when their in groups and anonymous.
The movie has good characters that have you caring for them (won't say too much as don't want to spoil it) however I will say the movie has plenty of moments where you wonder what's happening next.
I really enjoyed this and was hooked early on and would definitely recommend it. It was nice to see a film with a new concept rather than the current trend of rehashing movies and ideas.
23 Feb 2017 04:57:24
Operation Avalanche (2016)
This is a very interesting low budget movie, made to seem like a documentary. Taking the conspircay theories surrounding the 1969 moon landing and turning it into a film based on the story of it being a fake landing.
Two young CIA agents are sent into NASA to unearth a Russian mole, that is believed to be in there. They pretend to be documentary film makers making a movie about NASA's race to the moon. Instead of unearthing a Russian mole, they discover that there is a secret surrounding the Apollo missions, one that the US Govt will go to any lengths to protect.
While it is clear that the locations are not real, the makers obviously had to just improvise to keep within budget, it does not affect the film's storyline or make it any less watchable. It is not the easiest to watch, being a documentary, but it is still worth watching.
If you love conspiracy theories, then you will love this film. There were loads of genuine scenes slotted into the film, such as the director interviewing the real NASA with clever questions in order to get answers he could use.
22 Feb 2017 03:48:31
The Last King (2016)
Based on the true story of 1206 Norway, in a time when the country was ravaged by civil war. Unfortunately this Norwegian movie was just nonsense. Not the story itself, but the way it was told. I fell asleep a few minutes in, which tells its own story. It never got my attention at all. If you like long, drawn out, slow movies, then you will love this.
21 Feb 2017 06:58:52
Alleycats (2016)
When you read this blurb: "When bike courier Chris witnesses what looks like a murder, his first instinct is to cut and run. But when his curiosity draws him back in, he's soon embroiled in a world of corruption, political power, and illegal bike racing." You would be forgiven by thinking it sounds like a good film. It is not. It is a poorly acted, terribly scripted attempt at a British copy of Premium Rush.
20 Feb 2017 03:58:56
Brotherhood (2016)
This is the latest instalment in Noel Clarke's 'hood' films, following on from Kidulthood and Adulthood. This continues the story of Sam Peel, now grown up and struggling to look after his family, with different worries and pressures than before, only to have to face the return of his past, looking for him.
This is much more polished than the first two and clearly has a much bigger budget, with less of the indie feel of the first two. For all that though it is the worst of the trilogy, though it was not helped, for my enjoyment, that it has been a long time since I saw the previous two. To try and make up for any shortfalls in knowledge and/or memory of the first film, there are a number of flashbacks, but they only show what happened, not why.
Without any real insight into the why of the characters' actions, it becomes difficult to understand or empathise/dislike people. That probably explains why the main bad guy exhibits such casual racism throughout the film, to establish him as a clear bad guy. This film just ended up feeling formulaic and, sadly, lacking the gritty realism of the first one, in particular.
Watchable? Yes, but you really need to have watched the previous two recently to get the most from it, as you might otherwise spend the film, like I did, trying to remember who was who and what that flashback was all about. It is actually a good film, its problem is that it is being compared to the previous films in the trilogy, which are much, much better.
20 Feb 2017 21:46:04
Spot on with this one ed, I loved the first two movies and also hadn't watched them for a while, but couldn't piece the links together. So was spending my time trying to figure out what was what rather than taking in the movie.
{Ed001's Note - normally I make a point of watching previous films before watching a film like that and it almost always makes no difference. Sod's law that when I don't bother it actually matters!}
21 Feb 2017 16:12:53
Watched it last week Ed. I couldn't understand why Sam was friendly with Trifes Mrs etc. They hated him in the adulthood. They didn't introduce the new characters that well either. And the brother - wow. What happened to him? I thought it was going to be like the Mitchells getting back together! It was an ok film but nowhere near the first 2.
{Ed001's Note - the Mitchells?}
23 Feb 2017 15:50:49
Phil and Grant mate! Thought the brothers would go back to back against the world, especially as the brother was supposed to be such a bad boy growing up!
{Ed001's Note - Phil and Grant? The only Mitchell brothers I know were a London rap group that did a song that people always said reminded them of me watching footie, called When The Whistle Blows. I guess that is not who you are talking about as they are actually cousins.}
23 Feb 2017 19:28:30
He's on about that garbage Eastenders Ed001. xD
{Ed001's Note - ohhhhh sorry I never thought with it being a movies site, I was thinking of actors rather than characters! I don't watch soaps, so they are not really in my thoughts. Ed025 and Ed007 are the soapies.}
19 Feb 2017 06:55:08
Silence (2016)
Not sure what to make of the story to be honest. You could see that Scorsese had this story that he really wanted to tell, but it really is one paced and slow and scenes seem unnecessarily longer than they needed to be. If this was a book, I would have struggled to finish it but overall the movie didn't really invoke any thoughts in me. If you have the patience to spend 3 hours or so on a movie, maybe watch it if you don't have any other options.
19 Feb 2017 05:56:52
Collide (2016)
Anthony Hopkins, Ben Kingsley, Nicholas Hoult and Felicity Jones are all in this film, which makes it seem likes it is going to be worth watching. Sadly appearances are deceptive, as this film is just trash. Terrible plot, sickly sweet beyond the realms of any chick flick, terrible action scenes, awful characters and hammy acting.
There is really nothing to redeem this film, unless, like me, you have a major crush on Felicity Jones, in which case, she is not in it enough to make up for how dire the movie truly is. I have no idea what they were thinking when they agreed to do this. Avoid this film.
18 Feb 2017 15:48:11
The Witch. This will be a really short review, as I didn't understand pretty much of the story. A story about a Christian family living in the woods in exile. They were terrorized by a certain witch, but the film ended with the sole survivor of the family made a deal with the devil. Some scenes were scary, the film itself as a whole felt dark from the start to finish. But did I enjoy it? No. I really don't understand what this film is all about.
19 Feb 2017 06:49:59
I personally enjoyed "The Witch". It had a dark, brooding uncertain feel to it, and the olden settings with unexplored territory makes it all the more scary. Definitely worth a watch and the chills it creates is not from the cheap sound/sudden movement that we see in most horror movies.
18 Feb 2017 05:08:44
Keeping Up With The Joneses (2016)
A comedy with Zach Galifianakis and Isla Fisher as a boring suburban couple who become embroiled in an international espionage plot when the Joneses, who are government spies, move in next door. I am not a fan of either actor, but this was actually surprisingly decent. It is not going to make you hold your sides from laughing nor will it surprise you or anything else to make it a memorable film, but it is a very watchable film.
In fact, you can pretty much tell exactly what is going to happen from the start, but that does not stop it from working somehow. Not in the way of say, for instance, Naked Gun films, when you could see a lot of the gags coming from a mile off but that anticipation had you laughing before the moment even happened. This never managed to really raise proper belly laughs, but so few films do that these days.
18 Feb 2017 12:22:11
Naked Gun was amazing, loved that film!
{Ed001's Note - I watched it again the other night, still class. Going to watch the sequels next week I think.}
20 Feb 2017 13:34:22
Are the sequels any good? I loved the first one so much that I didn't want to ruin it.
{Ed001's Note - I did enjoy them at the time, but that was a long time ago, so not sure how well they have aged.}
17 Feb 2017 08:15:09
The Golden Cane Warrior ((2014)
An Indonesian martial arts movie which involves a lot of strong women characters as leads. The Golden Cane is an ancient relic/weapon, which, with the right training, can make a warrior unbeatable. Master Cempaka has mastered the techniques necessary to enable her to vanquish her enemies, but she does so with regret that it is necessary.
She takes on four apprentices, all orphans of enemies and now they vie to take charge of the cane when Cempaka decides the time is right. A betrayel leads to disaster and a split between the four apprentices.
This is not a bad martial arts movies, some good fight scenes and a decent storyline. Nothing special or groundbreaking and very old school, but certainly enjoyable if you like your martial arts films.
17 Feb 2017 14:05:24
I've noticed you have posted a lot of these Asian martial arts movies Ed001, may I ask what you see in them?
{Ed001's Note - I love martial arts films, always have done.}
17 Feb 2017 23:55:39
Think it's pretty funny as I really enjoi martial films and from what you've said think we have a similar taste in martial arts films (for example top 5 would probably be; enter the dragon, return of the dragon, the raid 1 & 2, and ip man) as like less effect driven martial arts film the only exception hero starring jet li, which I thought was just a good story that was beautifully filmed). also side not can't take any tony jaa film serious as although they are some of the best action sequences ever made, their plots are sooo bad they render the film terrible and is just better to watch the fight scenes on YouTube.
But think regarding other films would probably hate each other's taste (e.g. Loved seven psychopaths and in bruge).
{Ed001's Note - I like In Bruges, but it was nothing special. I agree on the Tony Jaa films, but the fight scenes make them worth watching.}
18 Feb 2017 11:56:58
Hero was an absolute beauty.
18 Feb 2017 12:21:12
The first Ong Bak was good, same too for Jet Li's Unleashed but I've never been a fan of martial arts movies myself, I find the combat to be overly cheesy and exaggerated to the point that they may aswell say the guy is a Super Saiyan and his name is Goku. That's just my opinion of course.
{Ed001's Note - depends on the film, I mean every action movie is at heart a martial arts film. By definition any form of fighting, including shooting a gun, is a form of martial art. You just have to look for the types that suit you, most are exaggerated for the films, but that is because effective styles seldom look good on camera. The basic martial arts film is no more over the top than any other action genre, so I fail to see your point to be honest. How many films does an action hero walk through a hail of bullets without a scratch while killing all that stand before him? Far more unrealistic, as it is far easier to shoot someone than outfight a truly skilled fighter.}
18 Feb 2017 12:37:26
When you said martial arts and shooting gun in a sentence, I suddenly remembered Equilibrium.
{Ed001's Note - I have seen that film, but thought it was awful.}
18 Feb 2017 13:16:14
Not just aweful Ed01. If you remembered the last fight scene, it was beyond aweful.
{Ed001's Note - to be honest, I don't think I made it that far through the film. I know it is not the fashionable view, but I think Christian Bale is a terrible actor, so I very rarely manage to watch his films through. At least in the Dark Knight films he had very little actual acting to do.}
18 Feb 2017 13:41:34
Totally agreed on that, though most that I know thought he is a good actor.
{Ed001's Note - never understood that, he is up there with Nicolas Cage and Keanu Reeves as poor actors that need a film suited to their lack of talent or they ruin it.}
20 Feb 2017 13:33:09
Yeah but Ed, I watched action films for comedic purposes, not for the story or anything. Arnold and his 1 liners was always a good craic. But even then, I prefer movies like Shoot 'em up! Which was clearly meant to be OTT. It's funny, where as most MA films try and be serious and it's just cringe.
Anything with Van Dam as an example, is just vomit.
{Ed001's Note - I would not classify anything with JCVD as a martial arts movie, they are just rubbish. It really depends on what you watch, Jackie Chan is very rarely serious, there are many martial arts films in a similar vein, Arahan is a Korean martial arts comedy, for instance. Very good film actually Arahan. You are talking about western martial arts films and generalising massively.}
16 Feb 2017 21:52:35
I just read that Mel Gibson himself confirmed that he's in talk to direct Suicide Squad 2. I read the comment section, and I fully agreed with most that it will be kind of surprising if Mel Gibson really take the film as his next.
For me, Mel Gibson is a really fine director. Haven't watch The Man Without a Face and Hacksaw Ridge yet, but I really enjoyed all of his other films, with Apocalypto is one of my all time favourites.
Guys, what do you think about Mel as a director, and what do you think about the prospect of having him to direct Suicide Squad 2? I know most of you hated the Suicide Squad.
16 Feb 2017 21:55:41
I think he's a great director. Unless he can change the angle dc want to approach it, I would be for it. If dc want to carry òn churning bang average films I hope he stays well clear.
16 Feb 2017 22:59:03
Yeah max. Maybe he can do what Nolan did with Batman. The problem is the premise. It will be hard to emulate Nolan's. And if they stick with the current crop of actors, I can't imagine it being an artistic film. I don't think Mel will do it to be honest.
18 Feb 2017 03:17:50
He is a good director and his movies have a lot more substance to them than a Marvel/DC movie have. I will be interested to see how it turns out if he does indeed do it, but I must say, this endless parade of superhero comic book movies is getting tiresome and I no longer waste my time on them.
18 Feb 2017 05:08:17
I agree on the DC Comics movies mostly lacking substance, though the one that had any did it very badly - BvS. Most of the Marvel ones do tend to have an allegorical backdrop. Replace mutants with any minority group, for instance, as you get a completely different story, but that meaning is there. The Winter Soldier with its story of great power requiring great responsibility etc also has more depth than most people will ever notice.
It is just a shame DC movies have mostly stuck to just superficial stories and not even good ones at that. The Dark Knight trilogy was without doubt the best series they did and that was far from superficial.
19 Feb 2017 06:51:19
I generalized. Apologies Ed001; I loved the Dark Knight trilogy too and think it amongst the best films I have watched.
{Ed001's Note - no worries mate, was just saying. It is a shame that more films in general are not as good as the Dark Knight trilogy.}
16 Feb 2017 07:23:38
Wild 7 (2011)
A Japanese action movie based on a comic book, with very much the feel of a comic book too. The Wild 7 are a group of ex-criminals put together to fight a rising tide of crime by any means necessary.
It is very over the top, with the feel of a Saturday afternoon TV show, all cliches and ham acting. Not my thing, the action sequences were ridiculous, the story bored me and the acting and cliche ridden script left me cringing.
It is kid's TV, in my opinion. Just nonsense to switch off and enjoy relaxing to it, when you are in the mood for silliness. Not my thing, but I can see it would be ok if you are in the right frame of mind when you sit down to watch it.
16 Feb 2017 00:34:32
Love Letter. This is an old Japanese film. About a woman who lost her fiance in a climbing accident. She wrote a letter addressed to her dead fiance, but unexpectedly received a reply. She kept writing letters, and receiving replies, which happened to be not from a certain woman who has the same name as her dead fiance.
Then, there were flashbacks throughout, and slowly unravelled the story behind her dead fiance and the woman who shares the same name as her fiance.
This was a truly good romantic movie, with a really unique story, and a touching ending.
To those who enjoyed love drama, I highly recommend for you to watch this. It is a true classic.
15 Feb 2017 15:06:50
Before We Go. This is a romantic movie. I would sum up the film as kinda sweet, though most parts of the story were kinda clichè, nothing special. And Chris Evans was good in it, and was surprised that the film is actually directed by Evans himself. Will definitely look forward for his next film.
15 Feb 2017 06:27:56
Jack Reacher Never Go Back (2016)
If you have seen the first one, then you pretty much know how this goes. Tom Cruise stumbles on a conspiracy and gets the blame and has to clear his name by finding those truly to blame. Not so much as a sequel as a reboot of the first Jack Reacher movie. Very watchable but not worth going out of the way to see, very like the original in that respect.
15 Feb 2017 11:00:43
I really enjoyed the latest Jack Reacher movie, kept me interested throughout. Simliar to the first one but if it ain't broke and all that.
18 Feb 2017 03:19:18
It was a decent movie if you want to kill couple of hours, but really there wasn't a lot of originality in it, and the cliche action sequences and story sort of bored me.
14 Feb 2017 06:44:24
Memories Of The Sword (2015)
A Korean movie set in Medieval Korea. A trio of great swordsmen lead a revolution against the king, which fails when one of them betrays the others and one of the trio ends up dead. The surviving freedom fighter brings up the dead's man daughter as a tool to gain revenge on the betrayer.
This is more of a drama than an action movie, with the martial arts sequences very stylised, more dance than action, like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, rather than Ong Bak or The Raid. If, like me, you found Crouching Tiger to be long winded claptrap with ridiculously over-stylised fight sequences and lacking in substance as an action movie, then you will probably be best not to bother with this. If you found Crouching Tiger to be artistic and enjoyed the way the fight sequences were so utterly unbelievable and fantastical, then you will probably really enjoy this film.
14 Feb 2017 12:25:51
A bit off topic Ed01. You managed to come across quite handful of films. Just wondering, you got em by going to cinemas, renting dvds, or download online?
Just wondering Ed01. I usually will buy the DVDs, or via satellite tv such as HBO and such. Cinema is a no to me, because of the small kids, unless they were cartoons or kiddie films. It's kinda limited though. I ended up watching new films which mostly already been a year plus since its release.
{Ed001's Note - all three mate.}
13 Feb 2017 04:07:01
Kill Command (2016)
A low budget action flick about a group of shoulders dropped in to a training ground to face robots that learn about their enemies. Unfortunately for the soldiers, they learn a little too well and they face annihilation at the hands of killer robots.
This is a surprisingly good film, not the best I have ever seen, but eminently watchable with decent enough effects, especially considering the low budget it had. Unlike many other films, I did manage to watch this right through to the end.
There is nothing outstanding about it, nor is there anything particularly bad about it, it is just a solid action movie to watch through. If there is nothing else to see and you like action flicks, this is worth a go.
13 Feb 2017 04:16:27
I'm surprised. I remembered watching the trailer, but thought it was just a crap direct to video film, though the effects looked decent. Maybe I can try to check this one out.
{Ed001's Note - I was surprised too, I expected it to be dross.}
12 Feb 2017 05:38:35
My Beloved Bodyguard (2016)
Sammo Hung returns to the director's chair as he also stars in this film about a retired, and now elderly, bodyguard who is suffering from the early onset of dementia. It is a very long and drawn out film, leading to one final all-out action and martial arts scene at the death of the film.
While not a bad film, it is mostly notable for the cameos from Hong Kong cinema's finest, such as Yuen Baio and Tsui Hark. If, like me, you have grown up addicted to martial arts films, you will probably spend the first hour just trying to remember who that was you just glimpsed doing a cameo.
Other than that, the first hour just drags along a bit, in a slow-paced build up to that final scene where Hung's bodyguard goes to get back to the young neighbour who has befriended him. That final scene is well worth seeing, if you like the bone-breaking martial arts action that Hung is truly accomplished at producing.
09 Feb 2017 07:42:30
League Of Gods (Feng Shen Bang) (2016)
This is a Chinese action/martial arts movie, based on a 16th-century Chinese novel, Feng Shan Yan Yi. It is very much in the spirit of the older martial arts movies, just with an over-use of CGI effects, rather than wires. Jet Li is the lead name, playing an older sorceror, but he is not really the main star, as he takes a backseat for long portions of the film.
The film itself is confusing, it leaps from action sequence to action sequence with no character development nor chance to actually get to know the characters and empathise with them. It left some of the characters being merely annoying and difficult to like. However, there can be no complaints about the amount of action in the film, as it was almost non-stop, though all CGI flying around fighting, and over the top magical powers. It is watchable but not the best example of modern day Chinese cinema.
08 Feb 2017 05:13:12
Cold War 2 (2016)
A Hong Kong action movie sequel to Cold War, which picks up the story a few years after the original. Unfortunately I had not see the first movie, which left me completely lost. It is not a sequel that stands alone as a film. It just made little sense on its own.
07 Feb 2017 21:54:25
Latest one I've watched is 'Three Days in August'
Now I can understand anyone who thinks this is hard work to watch,but I found this very thought provoking and a very deep film as I've been involved with one of the issues it raises so my thoughts are like many who watch films involving issues that have significance to themselves (different than just an overview)
The whole idea of putting a paternal parent who you don't know with your adoptive parents can only go one way and it does.
It also has the most scariest woman I've ever seen.
I've started asking Mrs Ed 003 for her ratings so I can balance things a bit better when I/We score movies.
I give it 7/10 Mrs Ed 003 8/10.
Cheers
Ed 003.
07 Feb 2017 06:27:36
Bad Santa 2 (2016)
I loved the first Bad Santa, it is one of my all time favourite Xmas movies and was a classic, if a bit dark. Maybe it was because of that I went into this film expecting to enjoy it and was severely, bitterly disappointed. So much so that I ended up switching it off after about the first 20 minutes. It was truly dreadful, lacking in any of the charm of the original, which made the character likeable, even though he was such a dick. This was just nasty and lacked the comedic edge of the first. Give it a miss.
07 Feb 2017 21:51:55
Agreed loved the first but swear it was like they just tried to see how many sentences could be made from nothing but offensive words.
06 Feb 2017 21:54:05
Gold (2016)
Mathew McConnoughy's new film about a washed up prospector who follows his dream to find gold in Indonesia and what ensues.
First will just say is a good film! Basically like a more realsitic/grim wolf of wall street (but with gold), in that the character has similar flaws but is presented as a more dislikable character (just think Wall Street glorified how much of an a**hat the guy was in real life).
Has a really good plot and McConnoughy is solid but not spectacular which works as he doesn't steal the show, which makes the roles played by his wife and partner better. Also studied geology so found a lot of it interesting!
06 Feb 2017 09:17:18
The Accountant - 2016.
Ben Affleck is a mathematics genius with aspergers syndrome, who is an account for some of America's most wanted criminals, the films split into 2 stories pretty much, 1 is the FBI hunting down afflecks character and the 2nd is the story of the same character working as an accountant for a firm trying to find a fault in there books as they as looking to go public,
I won't go into much on both stories but the film is a much better watch than I thought it would be, Affleck does some of his best work and it has plenty of depth to his character, and the film doesn't end as the 2 main characters falling for each other, i'd highly recommend this to anyone who likes a good action movie with a solid back story.
7.5/ 10!
06 Feb 2017 21:42:14
I don't understand how this film got so much flack. It's got a very good story that hooks you from the beginning, Affleck makes you care for his character and it sheds light on the struggles for family's and sufferers of Autism.
Very good movie, wouldn't necessarily watch it again but as you said J10 definitely worth the watch.
06 Feb 2017 21:46:58
7.5 bit of a push for me but was a really good film! Bit like John wick in that it is just a cool film where afflecks character is really really good! Just think the plot is a bit predictable and the whole bit with him and Kirsten Stewart didn't really work. worth a watch though!
07 Feb 2017 08:27:31
i think 7.5 is justifiable, its a good watch at no point do you want it to end, the story is solid, and what film these days aren't predictable? at least it didn't end as a traditional love story. Gives a good solid back story.
and roland i'm not surprised Affleck and Kirsten stewart didn't work considering she wasn't in the film haha!
07 Feb 2017 21:49:58
Lol what ever the girl was in it, fair enough is a good film like.
07 Feb 2017 22:16:28
The lass in it was the thing that held it back for me as I always associate her with comedy films just couldn't buy her being a serious character
08 Feb 2017 10:16:09
yeah she was wrong for the part, I can't take someone who does films like pitch perfect and other shocking comedy attempts as a serious lead, never mind one who is supposed to be of high intelligence, luckily she wasn't featured to much!
06 Feb 2017 06:27:56
Decommissioned (2016)
Awful movie, meant to be action, but it was just utter dross. Terrible acting, terrible action scenes, rubbish story, avoid at all costs. Nothing to recommend this film at all.
05 Feb 2017 07:05:19
I ended up watching lego batman yesterday, the film is a good family movie with plenty of laughs for young and old. The film is written very well to appeal to both the young and old audiences. Although some of the funnier bits can be seen in the trailers.
The movies story is between joker and batman and how the joker wants to be known as batmans greatest enemy. their are some interesting cameos that you don't expect but plenty of dc characters thrown in and plenty of made up ones to.
You can tell the movie was made by a batman fan with plenty of little details thrown in there. Overall an enjoyable movie, you probably don't need to watch it in the cinema but when it eventually comes onto kodi and your looking for an entertaining movie this is worth a shot.
Disclaimer: I may be going on 27 but my choice was take my younger brother to see this or watch the strictly come dancing tour.
05 Feb 2017 22:54:56
Is it better than the last actual batman film?
05 Feb 2017 23:51:25
Ironically it has a better story. you understand why joker (zach galfinakis, sorry ed001!) is making his master plan and also understand why batman is trying to stop it. Batman is also more complex then most batman movies.
It has no 'martha' like plot holes, actually re-reading my original post I think I undersold this movie, it's thoroughly enjoyable and DC could learn a thing or two from it. Maybe they should just hire the director and his team!
06 Feb 2017 06:27:08
I do like the look of this movie myself. As for Galifinakis, he is fine when it is just his voice, voiceover work is a totally different skill from actually being funny (imo)
06 Feb 2017 21:45:09
Saw it and absolutely loved it! best batman film since the one with Heath ledger!
Has loads of laughs for little kids but had me and my sister in stitches at parts. Visually it actually looks great and is just a really fun movie! Added to that still manages to have a more coherent storyline with characters who obviously are tongue in cheek but make more sense than majority of recent dc characters.
Added to that can just tell it was made by a big batman fan with nods and winks to the ridiculous bad guys of early batman comics (like genuinely most of the ridiculously stupid baddies are actually genuine ones), the camp Adam west show and the overly dramatic and dark new batman trilogy.small spoiler but even bane in its talks with a ridiculous voice similar to the last batman film, dunno why but every time he spoke I laughed!
Is a very different to most films out there in such a fun and refreshing way, the whole thing is played for laughs and can't think of any dull moments. is a film could watch with your mates and laugh or just as easily sit with your young kid and both enjoy
03 Feb 2017 20:55:07
Hi guys first time poster
I've just watched la la land and thought it was extremely enjoyable and fun something different for movies released during this time of year. Ryan Gosling again was superb and it got me thinking on whether he is one of the most underrated workers out there. He's good in everything that he does be it comedy like crazy stupid love or action like drive. I do think the role in the notebook is partly responsible for it. Would love to hear your thoughts?
04 Feb 2017 04:55:44
I am with Ed1 about musicals. I hated them, regardless who in it, or the story.
However, I agreed on Gosling. Have watched some of his other films (especially one that he was a stuntman, I can't remember the title), he is a fine actor.
Once I tried to watch Hairspray. Yuck!!!
04 Feb 2017 17:42:33
I usually hate musicals to but to but there was something different about this one
05 Feb 2017 18:16:25
That was the biggest disappointment about the movie Sweeny Todd, fecking musical!!! >_
02 Feb 2017 19:43:38
Anyone interested about the upcoming Alien: Covenant?
I am a big fan of the Alien franchise though I disliked Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection. I liked Prometheus though they could have made it much smarter.
03 Feb 2017 00:50:18
Not a fan of the franchise. I didn't enjoy both the original and Aliens. But I really liked Prometheus. It was because of Prometheus that I found myself really anticipating for this Covenant.
{Ed001's Note - am I the only one who found Prometheus ridiculously long and overly boring?}
03 Feb 2017 02:24:55
I guess you are Ed01. How can someone felt boring when there was Charlize Theron in it? Haha
{Ed001's Note - she does nothing for me. I don't do blondes.}
03 Feb 2017 19:10:22
I'm really looking forward to seeing how the franchise develops. Prometheus was a massive tease and offered little but promised so much. I just hope this makes up for it.
03 Feb 2017 18:48:16
Hahaha as enticing as Charlize is, I thought her and Guy Pearce were poor casting choices alongside the colossal mistake that was Noomi Rapace being cast as Shaw.
I don't think I cared much for any character in Prometheus and was sort of guilty wanting to see what David could cook up.
There are a few credible spoilers for Alien: Covenant and David will play a big role in this movie, but primarily this is going to be a movie that attempts to bridge the timeline from Prometheus to Alien.
Also, I loved the visual effects and the soundtracks in Prometheus!
03 Feb 2017 19:45:11
I'm really looking forward to it. Really interested to see how Danny mcbride fits in considering he's a comedic actor. Love him in everything he's done.
03 Feb 2017 20:26:15
McBride has a strong role and he plays it out well apparently.
05 Feb 2017 22:56:52
I enjoyed Prometheus but agree it was long. Should've been cut by 30-40 minutes. Also thought it was miscast for the most part.
18 Feb 2017 03:25:41
Casting, I agree with; there were some poor choices and I couldn't really connect with almost any of them. Having read the original script for Prometheus by Spaihts and it would have made a better movie (and longer) than the one that was edited by Lindelof and made as Prometheus. Also, it was confusing as hell because they cut off parts that should really have been included! A longer movie with minor edits to the original draft by Spaihts would have definitely been better received.
02 Feb 2017 17:46:40
Watched The Girl on the Train last night - a divorcee who 'surprisingly' spends a lot of time on a train.
Rather slow to get going but when it does it's worth the wait,after untangling her memory from a drunken haze Rachel (Emily Blunt) then goes on a mission to solve a murder.
Emily Blunt I thought was excellent so much so I'm wondering if she was actually bladdered whilst acting.
My opinion is definately worth watching and 6.5/10.
Cheers
Ed 003.
PS: I'm told the book is far much better but haven't read it so can't really comment on that.
03 Feb 2017 02:28:01
The title is almost similar to that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Are they somehow connected?
{Ed001's Note - my parents loved it, being particularly impressed by Blunt's performance. Personally I nodded off trying to watch it. They had both read the book and that was why they wanted to see the film as the book they thought was brilliant.}
03 Feb 2017 08:24:14
i went to cinema to watch it with my mrs, and I thought it had the same vibe to it as " gone girl" and equally as slow and painful to watch. the reveal became obvious half way through and after that the film just felt pointless.
03 Feb 2017 13:06:17
I thought the film was one of the worst I've seen for a while. I found it extremely boring and predictable.
03 Feb 2017 18:50:06
Decent movie. Blunt's acting was good but nothing spectacular, and I thought they over-hyped her acting in Sicario, where Del Toro stole the show.