What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Gojirosan]

Strangers On A Train - gets better every time you see it.

[Slippery Jack]

Catching up on stuff from this year, a few picks that probably won't make my top 10:

Hanna

A solid, but pretty generic action thriller. A few decent set pieces here and there, but nothing particularly memorable. Odd casting comedy short-arse Tom Hollander as a rubbish psycho henchman. Cate Blanchett would've made a good main villain if her character had been given anything interesting to do. Even the much trumpeted Chemical Brothers sountrack was nothing special. All perfectly watchable, but swiftly forgotten.

Snowtown

Screw the Dragon Tattoo remake, this was clearly the 'feel-bad' movie of the year! Relentlessly and oppressively depressing, with not a single shred of levity throughout its lonnnng 119 minutes. That said, it was all beatifully shot and well performed, with a terrifying performance by Daniel Henshall as a very believable psychopath. A fine film, but not one I'll be coming back to in a hurry!

The Skin I Live In

A lot to admire here, though it never quite came fully to life for me. I don't wanna use the 'style over substance' cliche, but it didn't feel like there was a whole lot going on under the very slick surface. I never really cared about any of the characters, not helped by the stylistically detatched direction. The twists in the plot worked well, but I thought the themes of identity could've been explored more, with the third act and ending particularly unsatisfying. Great score though, like Philip Glass doing Bernard Herrman!

[sawyer6]

Originally Posted by Slippery Jack

Catching up on stuff from this year, a few picks that probably won't make my top 10:

Hanna

A solid, but pretty generic action thriller. A few decent set pieces here and there, but nothing particularly memorable. Odd casting comedy short-arse Tom Hollander as a rubbish psycho henchman. Cate Blanchett would've made a good main villain if her character had been given anything interesting to do. Even the much trumpeted Chemical Brothers sountrack was nothing special. All perfectly watchable, but swiftly forgotten.

Snowtown

Screw the Dragon Tattoo remake, this was clearly the 'feel-bad' movie of the year! Relentlessly and oppressively depressing, with not a single shred of levity throughout its lonnnng 119 minutes. That said, it was all beatifully shot and well performed, with a terrifying performance by Daniel Henshall as a very believable psychopath. A fine film, but not one I'll be coming back to in a hurry!

The Skin I Live In

A lot to admire here, though it never quite came fully to life for me. I don't wanna use the 'style over substance' cliche, but it didn't feel like there was a whole lot going on under the very slick surface. I never really cared about any of the characters, not helped by the stylistically detatched direction. The twists in the plot worked well, but I thought the themes of identity could've been explored more, with the third act and ending particularly unsatisfying. Great score though, like Philip Glass doing Bernard Herrman!

I loved Snowtown! in a normal way of course.Surely one of the darkest films I've ever watched

[James Morton]

Originally Posted by Gojirosan

Strangers On A Train - gets better every time you see it.

one of Hitchcock's best films

[Slippery Jack]

(apart from some of the Benny Hill sped-up action at the end) . . .

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by keirarts

I jest of course, the movie is pretty damnned cheesy to say the least, I like it but it does find itself edging into my guilty pleasures list. Parts 2 and 3 are worse while 4 and 5 are totally unrelated and have nothing to do with xmas at all!

Not seen part 2 (doubt i ever will) but part 3 - Better watch out, is excruciatingly bad.

Makes the first one seem like a masterpiece.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

I went to the cinema earlier today to see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and it's a better film than the (cut down) Swedish one which was released in cinemas last year. Fincher's direction is superb and every aspect of the film, from the cinematography to the editing, soundtrack, sound mixing/editing and acting are all superb.

[Handyman Joe]

Oh-oh, boo boo from me, friends and neighbours round and I stick on Rare Exports for our Xmas viewing pleasure. Next thing scores of naked, demonic, old men filling the screen. Next year Dickie Attenborough methinks.

[PaulD]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

I went to the cinema earlier today to see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and it's a better film than the (cut down) Swedish one which was released in cinemas last year. Fincher's direction is superb and every aspect of the film, from the cinematography to the editing, soundtrack, sound mixing/editing and acting are all superb.

Ooh, can't wait to see it. This is the one film that's changed my mind on the whole 'remaking a recent film' argument. Sure, people might not see the point when the original's so good but at the same time I really want to see what a David Fincher Dragon Tattoo film looks like! He has enough of an individual style to make something fantastic I think. Will definitely be seeing this over the coming weeks. My local indie cinema are showing all 3 Swedish theatrical cuts back to back on 2nd January which I'm extremely tempted to go see.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by PaulD

Ooh, can't wait to see it. This is the one film that's changed my mind on the whole 'remaking a recent film' argument. Sure, people might not see the point when the original's so good but at the same time I really want to see what a David Fincher Dragon Tattoo film looks like! He has enough of an individual style to make something fantastic I think. Will definitely be seeing this over the coming weeks. My local indie cinema are showing all 3 Swedish theatrical cuts back to back on 2nd January which I'm extremely tempted to go see.

The original wasn't designed as a film to be shown in cinemas as it was a two-part television drama/thriller. It was then cut down to the most essential elements to make a two-hour feature film, which was still a great piece of cinema.

Daniel Craig puts in a brilliantly understated performance and Rooney Mara is superb in a really challenging role. The supporting cast is a Who's Who of fine actors from both sides of the Atlantic and, when you see someone like Embeth Davitz appear in a single scene, you know Fincher and the casting director assembled something special.