Seen any good films lately?

Yeah, the title sort of tipped me off that A History of Violence would be, well, violent but I wasn't prepared for the extent to which it was. It felt a little disturbing at times, but still an excellent film IMO.

Incidentally, one of the next films on my to-see list is Eastern Promises. I've decided it's long since time I should work my way through the rest of Viggo's filmography given how excellent he was in LOTR.

That reminds me of the time I saw the Coen Bros. film Blood Simple at the theatre. On the way out, two people commented on how violent it was. Like you, Eldo, I thought the title of the film should have been a clear indicator.

I think you'll enjoy Eastern Promises. Viggo is great in it.

Another great tough-guy movie (like A History Of Violence) is Ronin. Robert Deniro is so tough that when he gets shot, he talks Jean Reno through how to remove the bullet. At the end he asks "Do you think you can do the stitches on your own? Great. I'm going to pass out now."

-Paul

I forgot the A History Of Violence is from David Cronenberg! He did some WILD movies, like Scanners, Videodrome and the remake of The Fly. Here's some classic Michael Ironside!

I saw Braveheart for the first time tonight and felt the stirrings of Scotshobbit patriotism.

Hate that movie - and seriously.

Yeah Braveheart is pretty poor. It does well at stiring up the sense of Scotsness but it bears little comparsion to history. And Gibson's accent is laughable. As films go its right up there alongside Costner's Robin Hood for awful!

I knew vaguely that the film made a mockery of history (as Gibson seems wont to do), but I can overlook that if a film is good. As for Braveheart specifically, I can't say that I hate it since I had a decent time watching it with my mom, who enjoys the film. However, the film was extremely choppy, the characters and story painfully underdeveloped, and just generally had too many random and nonsensical things that should have been cut or explained. I'm sure they must have, but it doesn't seem like the writer edited the screenplay at all. The battle scenes were decent, but nothing remarkable.

On the other hand, I enjoyed cracking jokes about Mel Gibson's bigotry at various points during the film.

Was it PT that recommended Hogfather to me some time ago? Thanks, it's charming!

I saw a copy at the library, thought of you and took it home. Pratchett's story is fun, and the look of the film is excellent. I always enjoy David Warner.

-Paul

Yeah the film of Hogfather is one of the better Pratchett adaptations, probably followed by Going Postal. Sadly the best of the books have yet to get the full film treatment (any of the witches/guards books and a few stand alone classics like Small Gods or Pyramids) although there are BBC radio play versions of Wyrd Sisters, Small Gods, Mort and 2 of the Guards series (Guards, Guards and Nightwatch) and there are rather cheaply (but not without some charm) animations of Soul Music (the best of the animated ones I think) and Wyrd Sisters.

Small Gods BBC radio.



Soul Music animated film




Eldo cracking jokes at Mel Gibsons expense is always a good sport! Yeah the history in it is a mess- his love interest in the film in reality was only about 4 at the time and they never met, Wallace was a hero but then he was also a complete pain in the arse and he was also hideoulsy violent and unpleasant. Highlander was more historically accurate than Bravheart!!
A better Scottish film is that other great hero of ours Rob Roy. The LIam Neeson film of it is highly enjoyable. And a great supporting cast of John Hurt, Tim Roth. Accents all over the place again however- wish they'd just cast Scots in these things.

I watched Sir Richard Attenborough's Gandhi tonight. What a phenomenal film. The whole film was amazing, but especially Ben Kingsley's performance in the title role.



Incidentally, I was able to watch this movie on YouTube instead of an, er, shadier site. Someone uploaded the entire 3-hour-plus movie in a single video and it's still up (for now, anyway). Enjoy it while you can if you haven't seen this movie before!

Great film Eldo.

We watched that my freshman year in world history when studying Islam and Hinduism.
Also, I just saw the Pianist with Adrien Brody, and it was fantastic! I'd watch in Veterans Day spirit, even though it's quite morbid.

Anyone seen The Thing (the prequel) if so, is it any good ?

I wanted to see Inglourious Basterds when it came out in theatres a couple years ago but wasn't able to because of the R rating, but I finally got around to renting it last night. It was pretty awesome, though I expect that like Pulp Fiction I'll appreciate it more when I get to see it again. The trailers don't really do it justice because the Basterds' storyline is only one of several, but it's awesome nonetheless. If you like lengthy, dialogue-heavy Tarantino movies, I guess.



Also, the best part of the movie was unequivocally Christoph Waltz as Colonel Hans "The Jew Hunter" Landa. He absolutely deserved the awards he won at Cannes and the Oscars.

I've somehow managed to miss seeing any James Bond films until just recently. Shocking, I know. I had meant to see a classic like Goldfinger as my first, but I like Daniel Craig, so on a whim I picked up Casino Royale from the local video rental store and gave it a try. I went in with fairly high expectations and I have to admit they were all surpassed. A great film with awesome action sequences but sharp, almost Tarantinoesque dialogue to keep up with it. A second viewing of the film only increased my opinion of it.

Some of the highlights were, in my opinion, the best action scene:



And the best dialogue scene (the best lines in the movie start at 3:30):



My only complaint about this film is that, either because of our TV's sound, my ears, or the thick British accents, I had to turn on subtitles to understand more than half of what was being said (though it was easier on the second viewing).

I half agree with you Eldo! The first half of Casino Royale is excellent, Bond not disimilar to the books, the second half of the film and in particular the 'woman betrays Bond can you see it coming for an hour cause I can bit' was bloody awful and some of the worst cinema I'd seen in a while (prob since LotR's!). I have no idea how you manged to sit through the second half of that film twice Eldo- you must be made of stern stuff.
The second Craig film isn't much cop at all either sadly. Go watch Doctor No- now that's Bond.

I recently saw The Road with good old Viggo, and I really liked it although it was really sad. Dont like sad films. talking of sad i dont know if this is all my imagination but do the actors in Game of Thrones have zero facial expressions, I was watching it yesterday and I noticed that not one of them actually moved their faces. weird, and its not like they are crap actors, I notice when actors emote and this lot looked like theyd gone in for a ton of botox.

Haven't seen The Road- I tried reading the book but just couldn't get through it, the style was not appealing to me at all (and I've read Joyce!)

Pettytyrant101 wrote:the second half of the film and in particular the 'woman betrays Bond can you see it coming for an hour cause I can bit' was bloody awful and some of the worst cinema I'd seen in a while (prob since LotR's!).

You know, Petty, whenever you start talking about movies, I can't help but think of you as Brian from Family Guy.

Only difference is I am a font of filmic knowledge!!! (and I'm right about the second half of Casino Royale- seriously you want a good Bond watch Dr No -but excuse the, ahem, slight racist undertones of the time).

Mrs Figg wrote:I recently saw The Road with good old Viggo, and I really liked it although it was really sad. Dont like sad films. talking of sad i dont know if this is all my imagination but do the actors in Game of Thrones have zero facial expressions, I was watching it yesterday and I noticed that not one of them actually moved their faces. weird, and its not like they are crap actors, I notice when actors emote and this lot looked like theyd gone in for a ton of botox.

They do move their faces! (I think It's been a while since I watched..) but I think that's to add more drama to the voice and to the words. Also, when they do get excited or sad or something, it makes it that much more of a big deal!

Some of them are ok at facial expression, but i just got this overwhelming sensation of looking at wooden puppets just jawing words. its odd because I dont get that from other productions I have seen recently. The only one that I find at all real is the dwarf Prince, the Lady Lannister has one expression, as does the girl with white hair Daneris whatever shes called, hubby just glowers, even Boromir doesnt, other than that I really like it, the atmosheric Wall is great, and the music too.

Agreed! And I'd say Daneris's brother had quite a bit of expression, except he's dead (and he was in Doctor Who! Human Nature and Family of Blood!)
And I love Rob and John Snow. Favorite characters! I want to punch Gioffrey in his inbred twerpy face!~!!!!!! Little S*&%^!

yes have you seen his spooky eyes too. I like John Snow too and his chubby mate, I like that the people in the North have Northern accents, and that scene with the kid drinking milk from a boob made me want to dry heave.
I thought Daneriss brother was creepy too, but those wigs were more like wool than hair.

Watched the Imbetweeners movie. If you are fan of the tv show you will enjoy it a bit more, if not its a pretty average lads holiday, coming of age, sexual farce kind of thing. Not a patch on the tv show sadly and way too predicatable.