The Last Film You Saw..... IV

[DazDaMan]

The Grey

Liam Neeson plays a hunter who, along with a small group of workers, survives a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness. As they struggle to survive, they find themselves in danger from something a lot nastier than the extreme weather...

A real edge-of-the-seat thriller, with some genuine "jump moments" and lashings of gore. One for the DVD collection, I reckon!

8/10

Battle Royale

A group of Japanese schoolkids are left on a deserted island and are faced with the task of killing each other in order to win their freedom. Lots of pretty gruesome deaths abound.

7/10

Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides

Please, Disney, no more! At least I managed to make it to the end of this one - I tried twice to watch the last episode, and gave up both times!

3/10

Nosferatu

The Werner Herzog remake/homage of the 1922 Dracula adaptation. Hmm. I'm gonna have to give this one another watch sometime, but I must say I wasn't hugely impressed with it on my first viewing sortie...

[J Boyle]

The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo...the English language version with Daniel Craig.

Having seen the excellentSwedish film first I was pleased with the quality of this one.
It was better in some areas, but overall, not a lot to choose from between the two.

[Arthur Pewtey]

Evita

Hadn't seen this before so we gave it a go. A couple of the songs are OK but I did find it irritating that the entire thing is sung opera-style. For such a serious story it seemed inappropriate somehow.

Species

Alien/monster thing with Natasha Henstridge. OK I guess but not the best by a long chalk.

Species II

More of the same with a lot more nudity in it. Not nearly as good as the first one. Poor.

[DazDaMan]

Dangerous Moonlight

A Polish fighter pilot, once a famous concert pianist, struggles to regain his memory after a crash. His wife attempts to help him. The film is basically told through an extended flashback which sees Stefan Radzetski (Anton Walbrook) journey from Poland to America to raise awareness of his country's plight, only for him to join up with the Polish fighter squadron in the UK, much to his American wife's horror.

Quite a good little film, this. The leads are engaging enough and, for an early war movie, it's quite well-acted for the most part. The last segment of the film is taken up with Radzetski's service in the fighter squadron, flying Spitfires in defence of the British Isles. Sure, there's quite a bit of stock footage, but there's quite a bit of newly-shot stuff, too. In short, it's a little bit of pornography.

Anyone remotely interested in the RAF, the Battle of Britain, the Polish contribution or the Spitfire itself, should pick up this title if they can.

7/10

[DazDaMan]

Battle of Britain

Just about everyone's favourite warbird film!

This time, however, I watched it with the William Walton score, and I must say this somehow changed the whole tone of the film. Where Ron Goodwin's fantastic score was rousing and uplifting, dare I say massively patriotic at times, Walton's score is often downbeat, and certainly lends a sombre air to the spirit of the film.

I might just be biased but I don't think Walton's score works nearly as well as Goodwin's, although the lack of music in certain parts actually does work better for the mood of the sequences portrayed.

[J Boyle]

Evita

Species II

More of the same with a lot more nudity in it. Not nearly as good as the first one. Poor.

I was living near DC when it was filmed there...My flying instructor and the owner of the helicopter school I was using were involved with the helicopters in it. As I recall there was a Huey and JetRanger with rubberized green peel-off paint.
For some reason, the original seems to be a cult favorite, probably because it didn't take itself too seriously.

About Evita, remember, it's a film of the west-end show, not a standard film biography.
It's my favorite musical...despite the fact Modonna is in it.

[DazDaMan]

Airplane!

8/10 - still chucklesome after the nth viewing!

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Not bad, but Mathhew Broderick's philosophising does get a bit grating after a while! 6/10

[Arthur Pewtey]

About Evita, remember, it's a film of the west-end show, not a standard film biography.
It's my favorite musical...despite the fact Modonna is in it.

I understand that it's from a stage show - most musicals are. I just found the constant singing of all the dialogue slightly annoying. I don't know of many other musicals like that.

Anyway, onto some more movies....

7 Days to Noon

British thriller from 1950. Usual understated style with lots of wooden and/or overacting but very thought-provoking. The thought of someone detonating a nuclear weapon in the middle of a city is still relevant today. A great vignette of life in post-war London.

Never Let Me Go

Kiera Knightley, Carey Mulligan and Andrew Garfield in a story about three children/young adults who grow up knowing what their purpose in life is. Beautiful thought-provoking science-fiction.

The Trouble with Harry (1954)

Small American town deals with a dead body. Great stuff. Hitchcock at his best.

Platoon

One of the best war films ever made. Shows the insanity that was the Vietnam war.

[DazDaMan]

Chronicle

So-so sci-fi drama about three high school boys who inherit telekinetic powers after encountering a strange object buried underground.

Kinda predictable, but watchable nonetheless. 6/10

Batman

Tim Burton's first shot at the character is still the best version we've been treated to. 8/10

[Lincoln 7]

A true story about groups of American soldiers dropped behind enemy lines. They have to set up transmitters that send a signal to the aircraft coming the next day, 5.6.44. and making sure the drop zones are in the right place, they have also been dropped right in the middle of German troops, and have to defend their positions.
I never knew of this story, and it's apparently little known.
Worth watching. 8/10
Jim.

Lincoln .7

[stangman]

Always
The well known firefighting tale based on "A guy named Joe"
So-so story, but PBY Catalina and A-26 porn 8/10

[BSG-75]

I really wanted to enjoy this, as a period piece it was done so well, but it was dry, slow and with no real background into any of the characters and no trail of breadcrumbs to follow to work out who the "spy" was.

A real let down IMHO.

[DazDaMan]

Attack the Block

Low-budget alien invasion horror set in central London, where a gang of "youfs" take on nasty little alien monsters.

Actually pretty bloody good! 6.5/10

Super

God. Bloody awful. The only good thing was Ellen Page getting half her face blown off. 1/10

[BSG-75]

Not as funny as "Shaun Of The Dead" or "Hot Fuzz" but a few good belly laughs, not bad to get you through the Sunday night blues before you head back to work.

[Arthur Pewtey]

Latest from Sky Movies

Husk

American teen horror of the "we've broken down and there's a spooky house nearby" type. A bit derivative but actually not too bad.

Wild Target

Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt in British comedy. Reminiscent of Ealing black comedies of the 40s and 50s. Very enjoyable.

Ironclad

Set in the 13th century it tells the story of King John and the siege of Rochester castle. Very gory in places but decent enough.

Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides

More of the same. Not too bad but it's starting to wear a bit thin now. Time to call a halt I think.

[DazDaMan]

Kickboxer

Early Jean-Claude Van Damme action as he takes down a ruthless Thai kickboxing champ. Still good fun. 6/10

Amelia

Hilary Swank plays the famous missing aviatrix. Lots of aeroplanes, but really not an awful lot else of interest in it in my opinion. 5/10

Terminator Salvation

Half-decent sequel. Think it might have been better than the third entry, I reckon. 6/10

[spitfireman]

Not as funny as "Shaun Of The Dead" or "Hot Fuzz" but a few good belly laughs, not bad to get you through the Sunday night blues before you head back to work.

I seem to like Peggs films second viewing onwards.

In Paul, I started to notice the references to other major si-fi movies throughout, which on subsequent replays made it much more enjoyable.

[J Boyle]

Sarah's Key...
A French drama centering on the French roundup of Jewish families in 1942.
Very well acted with Kristen Scott Thomas playing an American-born journalist whose search for history threatens her French husband's family and opens up long-held secrets.

Though fiction, it illuminates a little known event in French history.

[BSG-75]

I seem to like Peggs films second viewing onwards.

In Paul, I started to notice the references to other major si-fi movies throughout, which on subsequent replays made it much more enjoyable.

That was clever, I was waiting for Sigourny Weaver to shout "get away from her you bitch" as soon as she arrived, or at least somebody to say it to her.

[DazDaMan]

My mate and I sat trying to pick up the various references the second time we saw it - which made it all the more fun.

Such as the band in the bar, playing the same music as the cantina band in the original Star Wars...!

[19K11]

"Red Eagles:America's secret MIGs". Pretty darn good read. Its a book that should be made into a movie.

[Moggy C]

Saw "The Artist" at the cinema. One of those films that your wife wants to see and you go along as she indulges you from time to time.

Then, from about ten or fifteen minutes in you are captured by the sheer brilliance of it and don't want it to end.

A must see.

Kiera Knightley, Carey Mulligan

OMG! My two greatest objects of desire together in one movie? Wow!

Moggy

[grayfly]

Agree, The Artist very enjoyable.

Also recently saw a film by a new up and coming writer called Shakespeare, his latest, Coriolanus, is very good, lots of blood and gore and no CGI. Excellent acting by Ralph Fiennes and quite a good storyline. This writer may go far.

[Arthur Pewtey]

True Grit (2010)

It's so long since I saw the original, I can't make any proper comparison. All I can say is that this is a fine film. Beautifully shot and acted. Well worth seeing.

Watchmen (2009)

Based on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons brilliant graphic novel. Apparently it was said to be unfilmable. Well it took a bit of effort but having read the book this is a fair effort at the "unfilmable" Definitely an "18" though and not a traditional superhero film in the slightest.


Memphis Belle (1990)

Not the greatest war movie ever made but pretty decent all the same. The aerial sequences are great if the acting is bit forced.

I've saved the best until last.

The Muppets (2011)

What a great movie. Anyone of my age group who remembers The Muppet Show from the 1970s and 80s will love this. Very funny at times although brought a few tears as well. Good fun spotting the cameos as well. If only all movies were as enjoyable as this.

[DazDaMan]

The Island

Michael Bayhem as Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson play clones who escape the facility where they were created and go on the run to tell the populace about the acts carried out in the name of science. I don't care what anyone says, I bloody love this film. 6.5/10

True Grit (2010)

Way, way, way better than the original. Jeff Bridges acts John Wayne off the screen as Rooster Cogburn, and the rest of the cast are fantastic, too. Somehow it's a much more raw and emotional film than the original version. 8.5/10

[Moggy C]

Pearl Harbor was on the box yesterday.

I had forgotten how totally pants it is

The Doolittle raid is the worst part of all. The guys at Pearl sit in an office listening to the RT of B25s overhead Tokyo. I wish my comms set was that powerful

Moggy

[91Regal]

12 O'Clock High

Purchased the DVD last week - forgotten how good this film was, even though there's more angst than aviation. At which airfield was the iconic opening sequence filmed, and where did they obtain the B17s ?

Push

Rubbishy film about people with minor psychic abilities trying to obtain an anti-dote for a drug. Set in Hong Kong, it can't decide whether it wants to be a super-hero, martial arts or conspiracy thriller. Missable.

[BSG-75]

I had forgotten how totally pants it is

the attack scene where they lure the "Zeros" past the control tower so "Earl" and his boys (hiding behind desks if I recall?) can jump up and ambush them.... dreadful stuff....

I watched "hereafter" last night, a very thoughtful Clint Eastwood directed film that tells three parallel stories about three people affected by death in similar ways and all three have ideas and thoughts and needs of communicating with the dead.

the ending is a bit sappy, but its subtle, thoughtful, and heart breaking in places.

[DazDaMan]

Blue Thunder

Roy Scheider plays a maverick helicopter pilot who is assigned the task of evaluating a new military-spec police chopper. Conspiracies abound, however, and soon Scheider is flying for his life. Malcolm McDowell plays his sinister nemesis. The low-level helicopter dogfights are fantastic, and worth the watch alone. 7/10

[PeeDee]

Red Tails.
True story. Could have been made better. 5/10

The Immortals.
Blood curdly sci fi. Super SFX 6/10

Tower Heist.
Some great actors dragged out for this one. Watchable if a little silly storyline.
6/10

Dumb and Dumber. My lad can't see it enough and I never refuse. Sheer stupid slapstick 7/10.