Re: Seen any good films lately? [3]

by Forest Shepherd Tue Mar 31, 2015 8:40 pm

Coming Soon to a Cinema Near You!

A film full of incredibly literary but dull-looking Lothlorien greenness, grass just the right length (!), horses of a decidedly off-white-but-not-gray colour, surprisingly pervasive themes of death, a clumsy Aragorn that trips constantly, and more awkward-sounding dialogue than a modern screenwriter could shake a coffee-mug at!

And in the credits:

Literary Adviser, historical moderator, and Grass-length adjuster: Pettytyrant! cheers

(I know historical advisers get ignored, but it was a lot funnier imagining Jackson and Co. following all of Petty's suggestions. Razz

by Eldorion Sat Apr 04, 2015 3:53 am

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels was great. I tried watching it once a couple years ago while recovering from anesthesia and couldn't make sense out of any of it (especially the accents), but we saw it tonight (while I was lucid Razz

) and it was a ton of fun. Laughing

Even my step-mom, who doesn't always like violent movies, got a kick out of it.

by Mrs Figg Sat Apr 04, 2015 3:06 pm

Forest Shepherd wrote:Coming Soon to a Cinema Near You!

A film full of incredibly literary but dull-looking Lothlorien greenness, grass just the right length (!), horses of a decidedly off-white-but-not-gray colour, surprisingly pervasive themes of death, a clumsy Aragorn that trips constantly, and more awkward-sounding dialogue than a modern screenwriter could shake a coffee-mug at!

And in the credits:

Literary Adviser, historical moderator, and Grass-length adjuster: Pettytyrant!

(I know historical advisers get ignored, but it was a lot funnier imagining Jackson and Co. following all of Petty's suggestions.

don't forget Southern hemisphere vegetation lambastor! Very Happy

by David H Sat Apr 04, 2015 3:21 pm

Forest Shepherd wrote:The best example of this that I saw in another one of his videos was about how a person who is holding a torch and looking around would actually hold the torch above and behind their shoulder and head. This would keep them from being blinded by the flames in front of their face and also shed light on the surrounding area. For the sake of lighting an actor's face, however, directors of photography will have the actor hold the torch in front of their face so as to allow the audience to see more of the actor than just their silhouette as they search around with their (blinded) eyes.

At any rate, sacrifices obviously must be made in filmmaking, and it's as naive to assume that a director will try and get everything historically accurate in a production as it is to assume that a book will be adapted into a movie without any changes.

As far as I'm concerned, the high bar for historical authenticity was set back in the 70's when Stanley Kubrick demanded that Kodak specially engineer a type of film to allow him to shoot interiors lit entirely by candle light. Metal

Barry Lyndon Thumbs Up

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Apr 04, 2015 3:28 pm

The most common inaccurate historical one is the ringing noise swards made when drawn- which of course they dont as sheaths are not usually made from metal, pulling a sword from a leather or cloth scabbard is of course soundless. But we are so used to hearing that sound every time someone draws a sword in a film that they have found when its removed people dont think its right.

Anyone know what the first film was to start the 'shiiing' sound when a swords drawn? That sound guy was a genius whoever it was.

by Eldorion Sat Apr 04, 2015 4:00 pm

David H wrote:As far as I'm concerned, the high bar for historical authenticity was set back in the 70's when Stanley Kubrick demanded that Kodak specially engineer a type of film to allow him to shoot interiors lit entirely by candle light.

Barry Lyndon

Barry Lyndon was a gorgeous movie. I think Figgs and I have posted about it before; it really does look like a painting brought to life.

by David H Sat Apr 04, 2015 4:16 pm

Pettytyrant101 wrote:The most common inaccurate historical one is the ringing noise swards made when drawn- which of course they dont as sheaths are not usually made from metal, pulling a sword from a leather or cloth scabbard is of course soundless. But we are so used to hearing that sound every time someone draws a sword in a film that they have found when its removed people dont think its right.

Anyone know what the first film was to start the 'shiiing' sound when a swords drawn? That sound guy was a genius whoever it was.

Interesting question! I just did two quick bits of "research":

The swords in the 1938 "Adventures of Robin Hood" don't ring when drawn. They make a slight dull rubbing sound, like rubbing your hand quickly across the edge of a board.

Drawing a sabre from its sheath (leather over wood) made a similar sound, but the blade continued to ring quietly in my hand from the friction for about a second. Not loud enough to be heard more than a few yards away, but enough to suggest the sound to a foley artist.

by Mrs Figg Sat Apr 04, 2015 5:40 pm

a leather sheath doesn't seem too good of an idea to me. surely swords are razor sharp wouldn't they just cut through leather with wear/friction?

by Lancebloke Sat Apr 04, 2015 5:59 pm

Watched Fury on the plane home. That was an ok film.. quite gritty even for a war film. Not sure about any historic significance or accuracy though.

by David H Sat Apr 04, 2015 6:04 pm

Sword sheaths are typically made of lightweight wood for stiffness and bound with leather for durability and strength. The "mouth" is lined with thicker leather which presses tightly against the sides of the blade so that it's held in place by friction until it's drawn.

Because the cross-section of the blade is sort of triangular, with a broad spine tapering to a sharp edge, if you make the hole in the sheath triangular as well but slightly elongated at the point where the edge goes, the blade will be supported entirely on the sides and spine, and the edge will never touch the sheath.

I hope that makes sense. It would be far easier to draw a picture, but..... Embarassed

by azriel Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:21 pm

No, its ok Very Happy

The explanation is fine Dave Laughing

by malickfan Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:49 pm

I watched Furious 7 earlier: A) It was overlong overblown nonsense, packed with plot holes and terrible dialogue B) Wonkily edited and paced (too slow at the start too long at the end, Jason Statham wasn't given much to work with) though James Wan did a admirable job of stepping into Justin Lin's shoes C) I loved every minute of it! The franchise is one of my guilty pleasures, just a series of fun (if incredibly silly) car chase/action films,Seven took it too the next level, it never took itself too seriously, and in many ways serves as a perfect end to the franchise, though at least 1 possibly three sequels are planned.

The final send off to Paul Walker was surprisingly touching, I never rated him much as an actor (admittedly I only really knew his work in F+F), but he had genuine charisma and seemed a really nice guy, I'm sure the tears shed on the beach were genuine

I'm not sure if I could objectively call it a great film (I would at least call Fast 1 and 5 decent thrillers) but it was a very entertaining one

7/10

EMPIRE's review sums it up well:

http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=138860

The Fast & Furious franchise has gone full Toon Town. What began six films ago as Point Break with pimped-out rims has since become the world’s most expensive Road Runner skit — essentially The Rock hitting Jason Statham over the head with an anvil while Vin Diesel sticks his finger in a light socket. Horror maestro James Wan (standing in for series stalwart Justin Lin) has embraced the saga’s unreserved silliness wholeheartedly, shaking the bottle, popping the cork and letting it all burst forth in a fizzing, frothy fountain of swollen muscles and polished chrome.

The film opens with Statham’s salty killer Deckard Shaw growling “bollocks” at his ailing brother’s bedside. We pull back to see that he’s slaughtered two dozen SWAT members and shot up half the hospital just to deliver a ‘get well soon’ in person. Segue to an outrageous, cock-measuring punch-up with The Rock, and Wan has set the tone for the entire movie. To appraise the plot in too much detail would rather miss the point. Suffice it to say this is senseless bobbins from top to bottom and makes not one lick of sense if regarded with anything approaching logical scrutiny. As with the previous instalment, Diesel’s ragtag band of street-racing ragamuffins have somehow graduated from small-time crooks to a globe-trotting Special Forces outfit — a kind of wifebeater-sporting IMF with a throaty V8 stuffed down its trousers.

They flit from London to LA via Abu Dhabi and Azerbaijan in search of mysterious device ‘the God’s Eye’, which will help them track down Shaw — a premise somewhat undermined by the fact that Shaw himself is in hot pursuit, dropping in on every location they visit like a bestubbled T-1000. But of course, none of that really matters when you’re watching a live-action Looney Tune in which people jump supercars between high-rises and pull doughnuts on the edge of cliffs. This boasts set-pieces that might well be the franchise’s most demented yet (which is saying something after 5’s safe-dragging cars and Diesel’s cross-carriageway tank flight in 6). Paul Walker runs the length of a bus roof as it slides off a cliff, Diesel flings his ride at a helicopter and the entire team parachute out of a plane in their cars. Furious 7, as it’s known Stateside, exalts in wanton carnage, giddily surpassing Michael Bay levels of destruction by the story’s end.

While The Rock continues to gnaw on the lion’s share of both lines and laughs (muscle-flexing his way out of an arm cast is a particular joy to behold), F&F7 is very much Diesel’s film. Meat-sandwich Dom is the unlikely source of both exposition and emotion here, and though the amnesia subplot with Michelle Rodriguez’ Letty is risible (one chapel-based flashback will make you laugh out loud), he fills the role admirably. Sadly, it comes by way of necessity as Paul Walker’s death mid-shoot required substantial changes to the script. To the credit of all involved, the joins are largely seamless. Walker’s brothers, Caleb and Cody, stand in for the actor in a few long shots and CG trickery competently fudges the close-ups. It does add a slightly sombre note to an otherwise upbeat film, but the care with which the issue is handled forms a genuinely moving tribute to the actor, Toretto’s usual guff about “family” striking a chord that it never has before.

Fast & Furious is Hollywood’s most ludicrous (and Ludacris) franchise by a car-length, and 7, which feels like a trolley dash in a napalm factory, is the most gonzo instalment yet. But despite dialogue that makes The Expendables sound like Shakespeare and action to make even Wile E. Coyote cock a disbelieving eyebrow, this is a gleeful, exuberant romp of a movie. Not bad, then. Just drawn that way.

Verdict
A group more bulletproof than The Avengers, causing more mayhem than General Zod. Think Universal doesn’t have a superhero franchise? Think again.

4 Stars

It's a shame The Rock and

Spoiler:

didn't get more screentime (he was filming Hercules the same time as Fast Seven I think) but minor niggles in a very stupid and very entertaining film.

If you are a fan of the franchise and leave your brain at the door you know what to expect.

Here's to Furious 8/9/10 pub

I enjoyed it more than BOTFA

by Eldorion Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:55 pm

I heard really good things about the Paul Walker send-off but I haven't seen any of the previous films. How easy is it to jump in here and/or what would you recommend as an introduction? Watch 'em all in order or are there some to skip?

by malickfan Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:13 pm

Eldorion wrote:I heard really good things about the Paul Walker send-off but I haven't seen any of the previous films. How easy is it to jump in here and/or what would you recommend as an introduction? Watch 'em all in order or are there some to skip?

My recommendation depends on one thing: Do you like brainless over the top action/car chase films, with fast cars, half naked women and a total disregard for logic and tension, all in the service of laughs, explosions and over the top entertainment? With a title like 'Fast and Furious' and ex-rappers and models as lead 'actors' you should probably know what to expect, but just remember to take the films for what they are, not what they aren't, the films become increasingly self aware as they go along and the cast seem to be in it just for fun, that's how I take the films, just fast and furious fun.

You could probably watch 7 without having seen the others, but most of the humour/character interactions (and some of the backstory) will be lost on you, and to be totally frank you probably wouldn't tolerate the increasing stupidity of the stuntwork if you hadn't gradually built things up after watching the prior films, for me personally the more crazy and over the top (and arguably bad) the films got the more fun it was, I've read alot of people on IMDb etc were newcomers to the franchise, and enjoyed the films, but I don't really know what type of films you like (beyond anime) so it's hard to recommend.

I.m.o there are three decent starting points:

I started with 5 which is basically a semi re-boot of the franchise (introduces The Rock, ties together the first four films into one timeline), part car chase film, mostly standalone ensemble heist/action film, it brings together most of the characters from the first 4 films (other than number 3 Tokyo Drift) and is a decent thriller in its own right, low on continuity, but solid fun and mostly grounded in logic, if you watch one film from the franchise it's probably best to make it this one (though you might have to check wiki for a quick recap of the others), it's rather different from the first three in tone.

The first film works well as an introduction in terns of plot/tone, but it's a much smaller scale film and has mixed reception, more a character piece about street racing than a action thriller, 2 and 3 (both widely regarded as terrible-I've only seen about half of each)are both similar in tone and have less action, 4 is halfway between the two, and 6 is very much a action film as well.

You could of course watch in production order (which probably makes more sense) but the first three films aren't direct sequels to each other (Paul Walker is 2, Vin Diesel briefly appears in Tokyo Drift) and introduce new characters, 2 and 3 (I've only seen parts of both) are widely regarded as pretty terrible films by the fanbase-in the sense of being bad films, not just over the top entertainment like 5,6 or 7, whilst 4,5 and 6 are actually prequels to Tokyo Drift.

I only own 5/6 on DVD so I'm going by my memory of the other films (which I haven't seen in quite a while), so don't don't take my word for it, they could be masterpieces Laughing

It is worth pointing out the films have a weird continuity.

Although filmed and released in a different order, the films are in the following fictional chronological order pertaining to the plot events:

Actual chronology Fictional chronology Title Release date
1 1 The Fast and the Furious June 22, 2001
2 2 Turbo-Charged Prelude June 3, 2003 This is a short film, haven't watched it
3 3 2 Fast 2 Furious June 6, 2003
6 4 Los Bandoleros July 28, 2009 Another Short
5 5 Fast & Furious April 3, 2009
7 6 Fast Five April 29, 2011
8 7 Fast & Furious 6 May 24, 2013
4 8 The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift June 16, 2006
9 9 Furious 7 April 3, 2015This actually partially takes at the same time as Fast 7

The Paul Walker send off has already been posted illegally on youtube actually, just look for 'Fast and Furious 7' ending.

I'm not sure if it's a series you'd enjoy to be honest (I would say 3 Billion in Box Office proves something...but look at The Hobbit and Transformers), basically check out 5 then you can either backtrack to one or watch 6 onwards if you are curious.

by malickfan Sat Apr 04, 2015 11:44 pm

I also watched The Shawshank Redemption again I love you

that film.

by Mrs Figg Sun Apr 05, 2015 1:09 am

David H wrote:Sword sheaths are typically made of lightweight wood for stiffness and bound with leather for durability and strength. The "mouth" is lined with thicker leather which presses tightly against the sides of the blade so that it's held in place by friction until it's drawn.

Because the cross-section of the blade is sort of triangular, with a broad spine tapering to a sharp edge, if you make the hole in the sheath triangular as well but slightly elongated at the point where the edge goes, the blade will be supported entirely on the sides and spine, and the edge will never touch the sheath.

I hope that makes sense. It would be far easier to draw a picture, but.....

well wood makes more sense Nod

by Ringdrotten Sun Apr 05, 2015 12:18 pm

I've watched a couple of the F&F films, and I agree with Malick - they are good fun and do the job if you're looking for brainless entertainment Very Happy

Malick - I recently rewatched The Shawshank Redemption myself, and I'm not ashamed to say I shed a tear at the end this time as well Laughing

Beautiful film Sad

by Eldorion Sun Apr 05, 2015 2:49 pm

malickfan wrote:I'm not sure if it's a series you'd enjoy to be honest (I would say 3 Billion in Box Office proves something...but look at The Hobbit and Transformers), basically check out 5 then you can either backtrack to one or watch 6 onwards if you are curious.

I like action movies, and a shaky plot isn't enough to make me dismiss one if it's entertaining and otherwise well-made. It sounds like there's a good deal of genuine passion that goes into this franchise. I'll give Fast Five a try sometime. Smile

by bungobaggins Sun Apr 05, 2015 4:25 pm

Watched this one at 4am this morning because I couldn't sleep from being sick.

It's available on Netflix.

by Mrs Figg Sun Apr 05, 2015 4:40 pm

get better soon Bungo

by azriel Sun Apr 05, 2015 4:53 pm

bungobaggins wrote:Watched this one at 4am this morning because I couldn't sleep from being sick.

It's available on Netflix.

That was poignant, & I Hope you feel better soon Bungers !

by bungobaggins Sun Apr 05, 2015 5:09 pm

by azriel Sun Apr 05, 2015 10:24 pm

This will cheer you up ! Very Happy

by Bluebottle Mon Apr 06, 2015 12:15 am

Hope you feel better, Bungo. Smile

I've been sick over the last couple of days too, but luckily I feel better now.

Still, I hate being sick when on holiday. It's just so poiintless.. Rolling Eyes

by David H Mon Apr 06, 2015 10:09 pm

Pettytyrant101 wrote:The most common inaccurate historical one is the ringing noise swards made when drawn- which of course they dont as sheaths are not usually made from metal, pulling a sword from a leather or cloth scabbard is of course soundless. But we are so used to hearing that sound every time someone draws a sword in a film that they have found when its removed people dont think its right.

Anyone know what the first film was to start the 'shiiing' sound when a swords drawn? That sound guy was a genius whoever it was.

I've been having some fun looking into this, dusting off any old DVD that might have any kind of sword, cutlass, rapier or katana in it. Although there are plenty of times when a sword will make a metal-on-metal scraping noise in the swashbucklers of the 40's and 50's, you can tell it's times when the sound guys are just banging things together, not necessarily in sync, to fill the soundtrack.

The earliest I've found the distinctive "shiiiingggg" sound when a sword is drawn in a well engineered soundtrack is in the opening credits of the 1974 Three Musketeers. I really don't have anything to represent the 60's though, so I'm not saying this is the answer by any means!

Now there are also "ringing" swords, like Hattori Hanzo blades in Kill Bill, which ring when they're drawn, when they're moved through the air, when the light strikes the blade etc. I'm counting that as something different than the raspy shiiing Petty is asking about, though PJ seems to use a hybrid "shiingg/ringgg" when the fellowship draws swords in Moria.

Does anybody else have favorite swordplay movies they want to check? It's not a bad excuse to re-watch sword-porn Very Happy