What Films Have You Seen Recently? - Page 3544

Demdike@Cult Labs · #**35431** 28th January 2016, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Decided to give this one another watch having not seen it since it was released. My initial impressions still hold up for the most part and the film, for me, really marks the period in Tarantino's film career when his self-indulgence starts to hit a whole new level. The quality of his work starts to go down-hill as it is eaten up by the smug oh-so-aware of how 'cool' they sound monologues and random 'because I feel like including it' soundtracks and I start to switch off. Maybe it's just me but the substance doesn't seem to be there anymore - or perhaps it was never there in the first place and I'm just tiring of QT's style the more films he churns out. I haven't yet seen The Hateful Eight but I'm certainly in no rush to do so after the train-wreck that was Django Unchained.

64/100

Totally agree with you. Score and all. I've never once thought about watching Basterds again. It does have a lovely choose your own artwork exclusive cover though.

I fell asleep during Django Unchained after about half an hour sat around talking with Leo.

Poor old QT! He's never bettered Reservoir Dogs in my eyes and been on a downward slope ever since.

Nosferatu@Cult Labs · #**35432** 28th January 2016, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

I completely agree with you on this. When I saw it at the cinema – the only time I've seen it – and loved the opening scene in the country about (I think) the dybbuk. By itself, it's a brilliant piece of cinema. However, that's both a strength and the weakness of the film, because it is a series of episodes – similar to Four Rooms in that way – loosely strung together by an overarching narrative.

Like I said, there are some brilliant pieces of writing, acting, and direction, but the whole film doesn't feel like a coherent whole in the same way as Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, or Jacquie Brown do.

Make Them Die Slowly · #**35433** 28th January 2016, 08:16 PM

NICK MONDO: UNSCARRED

Documentary on Nick Mondo, hard-core wrestler that offers no insight whatsoever as to why a man would allow himself to be beaten with barbed wire clubs, set on fire, fight on broken glass and salt and be thrown 40 foot off a roof and miss the tables meant to break his fall!

Instead the viewer gets lashing of real violence as entertainment and man is it entertaining. Favourite scene after the aforementioned 40 foot drop has to be when Mondo gets cut across the stomach with a lawnstrimmer! Recommended.

iank · #**35434** 28th January 2016, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Totally agree with you. Score and all. I've never once thought about watching Basterds again. It does have a lovely choose your own artwork exclusive cover though.

I fell asleep during Django Unchained after about half an hour sat around talking with Leo.

Poor old QT! He's never bettered Reservoir Dogs in my eyes and been on a downward slope ever since.

I loved it at the cinema, was disappointed by it second time and have failed to make it through a third watch. Django I enjoyed at the cinema but have had no interest in seeing again since despite having the DVD. I don't think I'll buy TH8 to be honest.

Buboven · #**35435** 28th January 2016, 09:19 PM

Anyone ever seen Queen of Spades (1949). The Darkside Magazine had an article on it in their latest issue and according to IMBD it won a Bafta Award or two in 1950.

â€ŽThe Queen of Spades (1949) directed by Thorold Dickinson â€¢ Reviews, film + cast â€¢ Letterboxd

bizarre_eye@Cult Labs · #**35436** 28th January 2016, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buboven

Anyone ever seen Queen of Spades (1949). The Darkside Magazine had an article on it in their latest issue and according to IMBD it won a Bafta Award or two in 1950.

â€ŽThe Queen of Spades (1949) directed by Thorold Dickinson â€¢ Reviews, film + cast â€¢ Letterboxd

Yes - I thought it was very good.

An under-appreciated gem for sure.

trebor8273 · #**35437** 28th January 2016, 09:36 PM

Demdike@Cult Labs · #**35438** 28th January 2016, 10:41 PM

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

The final part in the second (or first depending how you look at it) trilogy leading up to the events in the original Star Wars film. Everything ties up rather nicely and all thoughts of Jake Lloyd and Jar Jar Binks can be discarded like a bad dream put in your head by a Sith Lord.

The second half of Revenge of the Sith is as good as Star Wars ever gets. Great action, a cohesive story line delightfully resolved, this time with dialogue seemingly not written by a child, and lots of moments to make the spine shiver with excitement and anticipation

By this stage in the trilogy everyone seems comfortable with their roles. Ewan McGregor is Obi Wan Kenobi at last and Natalie Portman does well with very limited screen time. However the film belongs to Ian McDiarmid's Emperor, no longer worming away in the shadows. Here McDiarmid gets to play Palpatine with a vicious intensity as he very quickly dispatches his enemies and allies alike. This is what all the political struggles, the Trade Federation blockades, everything that enraged many so called Star Wars fans from The Phantom Menace, this is where it all ties up, and frankly in my opinion makes all the moans ludicrous. Unless of course the naysayers had no interest in the hows and whys of the Empires existence, which is fine.

Hayden Christensen also comes into his own here. From a performance where you feared if he shaved there would be sawdust in the sink, he was so wooden. He feels more at home as Darth Vader, the Emperor's new apprentice. The closer to the Dark Side he becomes the darker in appearance also. It's to Christensen's credit that he makes the change in Anakin seamless, handling the dialogue far better this time around, and turning the character into a genuine nasty creation.

In fact nasty sums up much of this film. There is death galore. From the beheading of Count Dooku to the murder of the young Jedi trainees in the temple and much more in between. It's this gleefully sadistic tone that often doesn't feel like a typical Star Wars film, thus making it stand out from crowd and making it the third best of all six* films to date.

*I am yet to see The Force Awakens.

bizarre_eye@Cult Labs · #**35439** 29th January 2016, 07:57 AM

Another 'gialli' double:

Shadow of Death (Viaje al vac?*o) (1969)

A rather formulaic and predictable Spanish 'giallo' revolving around twin brothers, one of the twins' wife and a murder plot.

59/100

Libido (1965)

A very decent, compelling Italian proto-giallo with a good script, some great black and white cinematography and solid performances. Highly recommended to fans of the sub-genre.

77/100

Demdike@Cult Labs · #**35440** 29th January 2016, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Another 'gialli' double:

The still looks like Nieves Navarro. Is she in it?