Seen any good films lately? [3]

You wouldn't think RDJ could be boring.

Ive heard its boring, the clips I saw of it are enough for me. For some odd reason people seem to think they can do a better version than the last hopeful did ?

Normally I would agree about RDJ, and he is normally fantastic, as in Sherlock, but this he was trying too hard to be quirky, and did a Jack Sparrow, but not in a good way. The Welsh accent was just showing off.

1917,
A film so powerful in its gentleness. Im still thinking of it now, watched it a few days ago. Im saying 'gentleness' because of the way it rolls along & how you see whats around you thru the eyes of good but simple lads. Simple not in a retarded mind but because they don't ask for much & are happy with their lot ( when at home & not at war ) Dam good film.

I agree Az, it was poetic, haunting, beautiful and horrific at the same time. My favourite bit was the night scene where he is running through a weirdly lighted flared-out bombed out town and there are these flashes of light almost like heavenly bolts, and then he finds himself in front of a huge burning inferno. The music was perfect.

Certainly was Figgles ! Best war film Ive seen so far !

{{ A Midsummer Nights Dream, at the Globe }}

Just watched War of the Worlds in 4k. Looked and sounded great. Hadn't watched it in a while. Really good, liked it alot. Loved the original as well.

Also watched Artemis Fowl on Disney plus. Let my Aussie mate describe it.

which war of the worlds?

{{{ As a partial tribute to Ian Holm I decided to rewatch a favourite Shakespeare adaptation, Henry V, in which he plays the not huge but important part of the aging Welsh Captain Fluellen, who is very keen on everyone knowing and sticking to the established laws of war.
One of the reasons I enjoy this particular Shakespeare based play is its soundtrack. But its also one of the notable features of any Brannagh Shakespeare adaptation, he uses the music in a slightly unusual way to convey the emotion and mood of the dialogue. Where a normal production would have the music silent for the dialogue bits mostly, he always uses to make the language more understandable by translating to it music, so you get it better becaues you know what mood and tone to take the words in. Its quite clever.
This scenes a good example, Henry has discovered three traitors and is about to go into a big meeting with all his top folk prior to going to war in France ,at which all three traitors are in attendance, not knowing they have been discovered and set up for public exposure.



And heres a scene with Sir Ian, making Shakespeare seem like his natural words, and doing it effortlessly with a Welsh accent (technically hugely spoilery for the end of the film, but as hes not in a ton of scenes hard to find one he had much time in, and Id guess everyone here kows how the Battle of Agincourt went.



Anyone else got any favourite Ian Holm moments outside of Lord of the Rings (as we all have them, he's one of the really good things about the films) or roles you remember him for? }}

Branagh's Henry V hit me like a bolt of lightning.  Never before had I known Shakespeare could be so clearly followed and so cinematic.  (Well-taught high school studies of Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar had fostered admiration and appreciation for the plays, but that was when given time to worry apart and ruminate over the words as text before seeing them performed.)

I don't find Branagh's use of music unusual - you see plenty of examples of the same in PJ's Lord of the Rings.  To me it's just part and parcel of Branagh's carefully studied approach to make such a contrived art form feel so natural.  His blunders are always large rather than small, like not trimming Hamlet down to size.

I enjoyed Ian Holme in Fifth Element, though he somewhat stuck out as the only classically trained actor in the cast.   He could make what would normally be a throw away line memorable.

{{ Loved this scene in particular from Naked Lunch }}

This clip entered my mind the second I heard Ian Holmes had died.

It's nice to see him playing evil - though hard to push out all other images of him in order to buy him as that character.

{{ I thought of that one too Az but you beat me to it, he is easily the best thing about that film. }}

Iron Sky is fun. I think it was never popular in the US because folks don't like outsiders making fun of their country, but there were some nice lines. Maybe it didn't seem sure what it was for the first half hour (then it took off), maybe it didn't hit the 85% on target it needed to lure people into theatres, but I enjoyed it. Well worth a rental.

{{ Iron Sky is silly fun, enjoyed it. Knows what it is and doesnt try to be anything else.

Watched the Korean zombie film Train to Busan- can recommend it. Its a nice character driven piece about a father and his releationship to his daughter (and the child actor is superb in it) that has a zombie apocalypse as its catalyst for the examination of character. And on the level of zombie film its pretty good there too. Koreans do horror really well.



Can also recommend if you havent seen it the Korea horror R-Point, well worth looking out. }}

Koreans do horror really well? Somehow I can't see it. They have such an adorable tendency towards obedient conformity that even when they break the mold they're cute. Like Gangham style: bad-ass rap hits Korea, and you just kinda want to pat them all on the head.

(though I have to admit as I get older I've been feeling the same way about classic rockers. Aerosmith and Kiss sort of make me go "awww...")

{{ yeah theres not much adorable in R-Point, its not gory either, their horror doesnt tend to be, just, disturbing and unnerving is what they do very well. Give it a go, Train to Busan its a bit closer to western, as its using a more western idea- a zombie apocolypse, all be it with a Korean twist and focus on character. R-Point I'd say was more in the tradition of Korean ghost stories. Watch it first, it was the first Korean horror I saw and what got me sold on their films.}}

me no likey horror films.  although as zombie films go 28 Days Later was brilliant.

I watched Gemini Man with Will Smith, while the computer generated little Will was amazing, I failed to be impressed with the film itself, it was just ok. Clive Owen is definitely not aging well, unlike most male actors who look better with age, he doesn't.

I have not seen that one Figgs, nor Train to Busan. Perhaps I will give it a go.

I'm gonna be watching Spirited Away for the first time time next week, we shall see how it goes.

which one Forest? '28 Days Later' is a modern classic zombie movie.  It will be a bit like post-Brexit Britain.

I have seen 28 Days, and Weeks, Later. The former is certainly one of the best zombie films yet made!

I was referring to the far-less interesting Gemini Man.

I wouldn't bother, unless you like Will Smith on an off-day. I spent so much time scrutinising the computer jiggery-pokery that it took me out of the film.