|
Post by Mirabilis on Feb 28, 2011 12:27:26 GMT -5
You're quite right of course...that was actually my fault for getting Jeff Bridges and Kurt Russell muddled up again...as I often do!
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Feb 28, 2011 12:34:46 GMT -5
You're quite right about Kurt Russell. That's what I get for relying on my memory. Haven't seen "True Grit" yet but we intend to some time. Definitely, "Unknown" is on the list.
|
|
|
Post by invisiblescientist on Mar 1, 2011 3:32:50 GMT -5
Although David Cronenberg is well known as a movie director, he is also a very good actor. I would like to mention three movies where he has important roles. 1) In "Nightbreed" (1990) David Cronenberg is given the role of the evil psychologist because he has a very calm and convincing voice. This movie reveals the acting ability of Cronenberg. Recommended. www.rottentomatoes.com/m/nightbreed/I2) In "Blood and Donuts" (1998, a Canadian comedy/horror film about vampires), David Cronenberg is given the role of the arrogant but very calm and resourceful Canadian mafia boss. This is a very good movie, as it does not have he expensive special effects of Hollywood, but it relies on authentic acting. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_and_Donuts3) In "Last Night (1998)" (a Canadian film happening in Toronto), David Cronenberg has a brief but very valuable role. This movie won great awards for creativity. It is HIGHLY recommended. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Night_%281998_film%29
|
|
|
Post by invisiblescientist on Mar 7, 2011 7:38:36 GMT -5
There is a very unusual "Steampunk" vampire movie "Perfect Creature" (2007) from New Zealand, with a VERY visual alternate reality setting that looks like a super-British Empire at the beginning of the 20th century. There is a mysterious metropolis that looks like London but it is probably implied that it is in one of the British colonies, where technology is still like the 1920s, but already there are some primitive black and white televisions, primitive genetic experiments, etc. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_CreatureEquilibrium fans will find this "metropolis" type alternate reality very interesting. The film is incomplete and the viewer feels like falling behind the events, but this is actually interesting also. This movie was only shown in New Zealand and then it was immediately released as a DVD but I have seen it on television.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Mar 8, 2011 23:48:15 GMT -5
Just finished a 2-night stretch watching the old ITV series "Quatermass (Conclusion)" from 1979 starring John Mills. Very well done, gritty and believable decaying Britain--and world--and elegantly understated menace from the stars. Has aged very well I think. Recommended.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Mar 10, 2011 0:18:35 GMT -5
Indeed! Does THIS pose look at all familiar?? We watched it this evening and we can say your recommendation was well-made. Excellent. A recommend.
|
|
|
Post by invisiblescientist on Mar 13, 2011 9:52:45 GMT -5
I am glad to hear that you appreciated the Perfect Creature movie, which is very underrated, quite original, and meaningful. I have also started watching Quatermass, and it is interesting. On this occasion, let me emphasize that the 3 movies ( David Cronenberg is the actor instead of director ) that I mentioned above, also provide interesting alternate realities. In particular, the "Nightbreed" movie has cult status despite the bad reviews. The director was forced by the commercially motivated film company to cut too much of the film, and this made the film incomplete, but definitely worth watching. "Nightbreed " is a Jungian movie of alternate realities, and it is so complex that even if you read the plot at Wikipedia, this will not spoil the film. If you read the plot at Wikipedia you will see that this film is like a fairy tale and a Greek tragedy. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NightbreedMeanwhile, the fans of this cult movie are trying to convince the movie company to reconsider making a new DVD with the omitted scenes, which would add nearly another hour to the movie: www.clivebarker.info/morenightbreed.html
|
|
|
Post by invisiblescientist on Mar 16, 2011 23:10:12 GMT -5
"Black Death" is a remarkable movie about the Plague that was devastating Europe in 1347 A.D. Sean Bean is the protagonist: a courageous knight who is almost like a Cleric. Although this movie is about events in England, most of the filming was in East Germany because of the many leftover rubbles and abandoned castles and monasteries, as well as forests etc. The location and setting is very authentic. Thus Equilibrium fans will find this movie interesting. www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw6MtlrdiFw&feature=relatedThis movie has a very unusual and convincing depiction of prejudice and superstition during the Dark Ages in Europe. Many members of the Church blame the Plague on witches and non-Christians, and they commit atrocities as a result. But at the same time, in England and there are some small renegade tribes who still have not lost their ancient Pagan traditions: And these groups then start blaming the Plague on the Christians, and although the Pagans are less numerous and not as powerful as the Christians, given an opportunity, they also start persecuting the Christians with the same atrocities. Thus this film is not an anti-Church movie, it's against all superstitious idiots in the world. This is a low budget film without any special effects, but it has excellent reviews. Highly recommended. www.rottentomatoes.com/m/black_death-2010/It is worth noting that in many parts of Europe, a lot of Pagan tribes resisted Christianity for many centuries, and parts of the Baltic countries and some parts of Russia remained Pagan until the 15th century, and some of these Pagans did crucify Christian monks until the 14th century.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Mar 20, 2011 9:17:30 GMT -5
Recently saw "The Road To Perdition" (2002) with Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, and Tyler Hoechlin. Gorgeous movie with probably the best and deepest storyline I've seen in any gangster film. Awesome all the way around and a solid recommend.
Another solid recommend is "Chocolate," the 2008 movie by Prachya Pinkaew starring JeeJa Yanin/Yanin Vismistananda as an autistic Thai girl with uncanny martial arts skills who teams up with her misfit foster-brother to collect debts owed her mother, who is the cancer-stricken former girfriend of a nasty gangster. The fighting involved probably owes a little too much inspiration to the Jackie Chan school to be entirely satisfying to ultra-purists, but that style is by far the most entertaining for general audiences to watch so that is not a problem for me or, I suspect, for 99.99% of the rest of the world.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Mar 25, 2011 10:04:12 GMT -5
Saw a (home-made) DVD of the 2006 British TV movie "A For Andromeda" starring Tom Hardy and Kelly Reilly. Very good movie with an unusual, intelligent take on alien contact, done in low-key, realistic style. A solid recommend, especially for you Comrade invisiblescientist.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Apr 1, 2011 19:02:15 GMT -5
REcently we watched "The King's Speech." Like "The Social Network" it is a well-done movie about a spectacularly unthrilling topic ... speech therapy/starting a website. Colin Firth did well as 'Bertie,' and whoever played Neville Chamberlain had the look and manner off uncannily well; the same cannot be said for the bloke who played Churchill, who had him too overweight for 1939 as well as speaking in the 'gruff' voice popularised by legions of Churchill imitators, whereas Mr Churchill actually had a clear and intelligible voice in public. And I find it impossible to believe that George V was ever worried about Hitler as the leader of Germany. To a man of his station and generation, Hitler would have been a nobody, a plebian rabble-rousing ex-corporal who was no doubt really the tool of certain aristocrats for the purpose of stirring up Germans to resist the Red tide from the East. Those things being said, they are minor points in a very good movie overall though I cannot in honest give it a Recommend.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Apr 9, 2011 8:13:15 GMT -5
Still watching/re-watching our way through "Blake's 7." Now I understand why friends have been urging me to see it for the last thirty years. A solid recommend for intriguing action and good storytelling ... though one would expect no less from Terry Nation, creator of Doctor Who's Daleks. By the authority vested in me, I rate "Blake's 7" officially as EC-0 and approved viewing for all Clerics and Sweepers, with the sole caution that Blake and those minded like him are not to be thought of commendably. Any staff found expressing approval for Blake or his Resistance will be assigned to Kardashian duty for a week-end.
|
|
|
Post by invisiblescientist on Apr 16, 2011 2:29:18 GMT -5
At long last I have finally finished all the episodes Qatermass. It was very good. Many thanks for bringing this to my attention. But on this occasion, let me emphasize that the War Of The Worlds (1988-1990) Season 2 (the continuation of Season 1 of War Of The Worlds) also has the same post-apocalyptic flavor, where the society is crumbling but a team of humans are fighting the aliens. The Season 2 is substantially different from Season 1, and due to its dark and sinister flavor it became far less popular than the Season 1, but it is highly recommended if you appreciated Quatermass. The British actor Adrian Paul is also in Season 2. But if you have not seen Season 1, you must watch it for continuity, since the Season 2 won't make much sense without seeing Season 1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Worlds_%28TV_series%29You can find both Season 1 and Season 2 at youtube. Season 2 is a great criticism of the flaws in modern society, thus it is highly recommended.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Apr 16, 2011 11:08:55 GMT -5
Recently watched ... um, let's see ... "Witness" with Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis, which is excellent all around, and "Runaway" with Tom Selleck and Gene Simmons. The latter is an entertaining sci-fi romp if you can get past mind-numbing improbabilities, such as police answering crime calls wearing full dress uniforms, including pencil skirts and high heels for policewomen, and also technology which is able to devise bullets which will fire around corners and seek out individuals based on their personal body heat patterns ... which are designed using Commodore 64 computers.
|
|
|
Post by clericjay on Apr 19, 2011 14:39:20 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Mirabilis on Apr 19, 2011 17:02:15 GMT -5
I've recently watched Sucker Punch, which might not have a stunningly brilliant story, but definetely has entertaining surreal action sequences and a very good soundtrack, which's running on my pc up and down since then... But the end has something good though... well, it's not really surprising... but very unusual compared to most movies. It's not the biggest cinema, but very entertaining, especially if you like girls in Japanese Manga school dresses and skirts fighting Germans, robots, Samurai statues and dragons... In this order from most to least dangerous... It's on our list to watch, although the reviews here were very mixed.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Apr 20, 2011 23:09:56 GMT -5
Have been starting to watch "Dark Angel," the TV series starring Jessica Alba. This is the first time for me watching it and I am finding it quite interesting. Also watched the second "Columbo" movie with Peter Falk from 1971, 'Murder By The Book.' I have always enjoyed "Columbo" because its concept is based on one of my favourite novels of all time, Dostoevsky's "Crime And Punishment."
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Apr 22, 2011 9:43:32 GMT -5
Watched "Choke" starring Sam Rockwell and Anjelica Huston. It has a sort of complex plot revolving around sex addiction, Colonial re-enacting, and a con game in which you choke on food in a restaurant. It's got quite a lot of sex in it. Still, quirky humour and interesting plot twists make it a good watch for the unsqueamish.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Apr 24, 2011 8:09:20 GMT -5
In honour of Easter we will be watching "The Passion Of The Christ," which I saw in theatres when it first came out, but Mira has not seen yet. We have also been watching the BBC documentary mini-series "Francesco's Venice" hosted by Francesco da Mosto, a four-part series about that city. Very good with excellent use of re-enactments, gorgeously photographed (of course.) A recommend.
Also, still watching "Jonathan Creek," the series about the crime-solving magician's assistant. It continues to be very good with extremely ingenious plotting and writing. A solid recommend.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on May 4, 2011 8:08:32 GMT -5
We watched "Monsters" last night, excellent little indie film from last year. It's an off-beat romance with a sci-fi setting. The only thing I didn't care for was, once again, the settings. As with "The Fourth Kind," set among the forest-clad mountains of Nome, Alaska (ahem), this one includes a dangerous journey through the rainforests of Northern Mexico, and features our heroes perching atop a Mayan pyramid looking across the Rio Grande into Texas. If you can accept that, and also accept the fact that a zillionaire father can feel all right hiring an itinerant American and a bunch of dodgy Mexicans to take his stranded daughter through a dangerous land journey through the alien zone to the US, but can't think to arrange a simple airline ticket for her (when planes and helicopters fly freely), then you have a very enjoyable little watch. Recommended despite the plot flaws.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on May 6, 2011 10:16:44 GMT -5
We are re/watching the series "Dark Angel," the one with Jessica Alba. It is better than I thought it would be, with a not-unpleasant Hollywood-sanitised cyberpunk feel and good Vancouver locations to represent Seattle. I think we will soon see a young generation who grow up convinced that all cities on the west side of the North American continent look exactly like Vancouver, and all the ones on the east side look like Toronto. A recommend so long as you can accept the blow-dry production style.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on May 8, 2011 10:58:07 GMT -5
Saw "Dark Metropolis" last night, or "The Next Race" as it was known in an earlier version. Depending on the press release you happen to read, it is the first (or second) installment in a three (or four) movie series called "The Creation War Saga," or else "The Chronicles Of Hollow Earth." Now let us proceed to facts. It is some 300 years in the future, and a race of genetically-modified people (the Ghen) created to serve humanity has conquered US and use us (homo sapiens) as THEIR servants. They live below the Earth in a massive underground city. This is the story, or part of the story, of war, negotiation, and possible reconciliation between the two sides. So far, so good. That is not very far, though, and that is where the good ends. Everything about this movie becomes intelligible the moment you realise its writer/producer, Stewart St John, made his name as the mind behind a lot of popular and extremely bad kids' TV shows such as "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" and "V.R. Troopers." If you were a child in the late 1990s and thought those programs were cool, you will also think this movie is cool. It brings a similar sort of style, including wooden actors in heavy eyeliner, villains whose faces are lit from below in all environments, and a sort of vague, bubble-gum New Age spirituality for an underlying message, which amounts to "Why can't we all just get along?" This is not a recommend, unless you would like an experience which temporarily replicates a prefrontal lobotomy. Or, as Mira phrased it: if she had a choice between watching this again and digging her brain out through her ear with a teaspoon, she would take the teaspoon.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on May 11, 2011 11:48:49 GMT -5
Watched the Terry Gilliam film "Jabberwocky" (1977) last night, a comic fable about how a medieval tradesman's apprentice wanders unwittingly, Forrest-Gump-like, into a legendary quest and eventually into a royal estate. A good one for a double feature with "Monty Python And The Holy Grail." It features some wonderful talent including Michael Palin, John Lemesurier, Warren Mitchell, Harry H. Corbett, Max Wall, and John Bird.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on May 17, 2011 23:50:45 GMT -5
Started catching up on the HBO series "Game Of Thrones" tonight--starring Sean ("Cleric Partridge") Bean, watching Part One. Very well-done, with a fair dollop of frank medieval violence and adult content, which is somewhat surprising in an American TV series. Based on the fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin. A clear recommend if you can stand the aforementioned fair dollop of etc.
|
|
|
Post by invisiblescientist on May 20, 2011 2:31:03 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Jun 6, 2011 9:56:16 GMT -5
Excellent! "Virus" sounds good!
Lately we have watched the Mel Gibson remake of "Edge Of Darkness." As a fan of the original TV series I was prepared for disappointment, but it was very good, with one or two plot twists to keep those like me interested, and also excellent locations in Boston, my old home town.
Last night we watched "Innocent Blood," a John Landis horror/comedy from 1992 starring Anthony LaPaglia, Robert Loggia, and Anne Parillaud, who will be remembered as the original "La femme Nikita" from Luc Besson's movie. Also very good, both are recommends.
|
|
|
Post by invisiblescientist on Jun 7, 2011 0:41:59 GMT -5
I have seen Edge of Darkness. It was a very good movie and it did look and feel like the Boston area.
But the but the news about the actor's background somewhat devalued the film.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Jun 10, 2011 8:02:43 GMT -5
I have seen Edge of Darkness. It was a very good movie and it did look and feel like the Boston area. But the but the news about the actor's background somewhat devalued the film. Do you mean Mr Gibson? Yes. As a filmmaker and actor he is very gifted, but with him as with other show business people and artists, writers, musicians, etc., I usually try to hold my nose. I used to be in theatre professionally myself, and from time to time I had to work with people whom I wouldn't have touched with a ten-foot pole--wearing rubber gloves--but they still put on wonderful shows. The Muses sometimes--often--distribute their gifts to people of questionable or even degenerate character without regard for the rest of us. Still, it is deplorable. But on the other hand, it also makes good news when we hear of an artist/actor type who is unexpectedly upstanding, such as Jeff Bridges, who works to ensure nutrition for poor children in America, or Kevin Costner, who donated technology and resources to clean up the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Jun 21, 2011 8:18:54 GMT -5
We have been watching 2 British TV series lately. One is "The Tripods," adapted from the young peoples' trilogy (at the time--later he wrote a prequel) of the same name, by John Christopher. For a TV show of its time, the mid-1980s, it is very well-produced; the special effects seem rather shaky now, but the locations are gorgeous. The other is "The IT Crowd," a newer series (2006-present), a comedy featuring the members of a giant corporation's Information Technology department. Both are recommends.
|
|
|
Post by Aedh on Jul 10, 2011 18:07:16 GMT -5
Last night watched "The Assassin Next Door," the 2010 Israeli film directed by Danny Lerner and starring Olga Kurylenko and Ninette Tayeb. A gritty drama set in Tel Aviv's demi-monde of gang rackets and human trafficking. This could so easily have been another "La Femme Nikita" or "Kill Bill," but Lerner kept it low-key, restrained, and extremely believable. Warning to Americans: no happy-slappy ending here! Highly recommended.
|
|