Films

Krizon

You will love the Clooney film. Alexander Payne is the director and as with Sideways and about Scmidt he gets just the right balance between great black comedy and very touching scenes. He's my fav director (although i couldnt believe it was seven years since the wonderful sideways)

Clooney is excellent although in truth he just plays clooney, which is perfect for the film really
 
Great - thanks for that, Clivex. I've actually got some time off in February's racing schedules, so a visit to the 'bioscope' should fit perfectly.
 
Just watched The Descendants - Clooney brilliant but dont watch if you are of a depressed disposition! Its a very understated film - simple in execution but well worth watching.
 
Watching The Wrestler with Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei. Mickey's so not the beautiful younger man he was in Angel Heart, having let his face get pounded in boxing, but has still got one very attractive body. And one helluva good piece of acting from him, too. Enjoyable insight into the physical acting which is American 'show' wrestling.
 
Another film that I was disappointed with, again because it was over hyped and I expected too much. Have yet to see Angel Heart, which is on my ever growing list of films I must watch. The Descendants was a film that I had no intention of going to see, not realising it was Oscar nominated, so I'll have to give it a go. Looks like I need to see Moneyball as well. And my SIL has got Super 8 on dvd. Seeing Shame tomorrow and The Artist on Wednesday.
 
I think The Wrestler works as a snapshot of part of a life in an area of work most of us know little about, but as for reading great symbolism into it, etc., no, that'd be pretentious. I enjoyed it for what it is - probably won't need to see it again as it's a simple tale, but neatly told.

What I can always watch, but haven't seen as a re-run for some time, is Blade Runner. Rutger Hauer's dying soliloquoy is poetically exquisite. Funny how we get so many films showing over and over again (Point Blank for one), but others far more rarely.
 
Watched Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy tonight and felt a little bit annoyed by it! Oh, come on, the colour palette of the time was not that dreary! There's this tendency now to think that almost monochromatic filming is trendy and lends a sort of gravitas to proceedings, whereas when it's not true to the time, it's clearly faking it. I also found it fairly boring and far too in love with parody-worthy occult references.

"You going to the circus, Pug Dog?"

"To see Karla? No, I saw him last week at 'bingo' with The Pooch."

"No, I mean, are you going to the circus? It's in town and there are some terrific acts, like the trapeze ballet."

"Not the trapeze ballet? The Hungarians again?"

"Oh, for feck's sake, Pug, no! A real trapeze ballet, not a bloody cell!" :blink:
 
Shame was so bleak I've had to watch The Boat That Rocked on dvd to cheer myself up [and I HATE Richard Curtis films...]. Was expecting some sort of 'answer' or 'conclusion', but there was none.
 
I don't think any kind of 'answer' at the end of Shame would have rung true. It would be simplistic to suggest that the trauma of the final act would have been enough on its own to break him out of his self-destructive cycle, so I'm glad it was left open.
 
"Occult" as in the correct sense of the word meaning "hidden", Gareth, not in the more popular language of meaning "paranormal". I imagine that most intelligence services are run by the seat of their pants more often than not, if most public service organisations are anything to go by! If you missed the American series Rubicon it's replaying on BBC 2, Gareth - the first two shows were re-run last night and if you want "occult" (hidden) shenanigans, it's the show for you! Very nicely underplayed - there's plenty of tension, fear, and naughty goings-on, but the menace is never totally banged into your face. Try it if you haven't already.
 
Just checked for it on iPlayer, but no luck. Pity, sounds like perfect fodder for a day of database admin.
 
That's a bummer - it's like peeling an onion, plot-wise, as there are hidden connections at all levels and you're not entirely sure what they're leading to, and certainly no sureties about the good guys and the bad. There are codes, symbols, crossword puzzle clues, mysterious figures outside apartments, and double lives. Very interesting stuff, Gareth, if you can find a way to get your hands on it.
 
I expect it to win a ton of Oscars, and normally I'd go out of my way to see something with so many noms, but there's nothing about it that makes me want to see it right now. What am I missing? What's the draw?
 
Most films hit a flat spot, whereas The Artist constantly entertains. A bit marmite; there were people who seemed to be nodding off. The dog was adorable. I left the cinema feeling happy. Probably my favourite film of the last 12 months, along with Tyrannosaur.
 
I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. It's got to have something about it (even if its just the dog!).
 
Last Of The Mohicans on television tonight - brilliant if for nothing else than the casting of Daniel Day-Lewis. I would love to know the story behind him being cast for that role.
 
Probably the only actor prepared to live in a log cabin in the woods for 6 months prior to filming to get into the zone. One of my favourite films ever; can watch it over and over again. The bit where Alice throws herself off the cliff is, imo, the most romantic scene in cinema [I hadn't realised, whilst watching the film for the first time the relationship that had been developing between Alice and Uncas. The score alone should have won an Oscar, but missed out to some stupid Australian film about ballroom dancing. I always titter to myself watching the closing scene, imagining them a few years down the line, Cora with half a dozen kids, complaining that Hawkeye wasn't catching enough food for them and she didn't get enough help with the chores. 'You're always out bloody hunting...nag nag...'
 
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Been a bit under the weather for a few days, so I've been crawling into work [and probably infecting everyone with my lurgy], crawling home and crashing out on the sofa watching dvd's that I've meant to watch for ages. Nowhere Boy was superb; I so wanted to hate it; I've never been able to understand why London art society pivots around Sam Taylor Wood, and then, to boot, she marries the lead actor who is all of 20 [if that]. So, her first attempt at directing a movie and she produces this one. Then, last night it was Me and Orson Welles. Wish I'd re watched Apocalypto [but not a good idea if you're feeling a bit queasy]. At least I now know who Zac Efron is, and why everyone thinks he's so pretty. At least, to my knowledge, the director didn't marry him....
 
Bought it for the S.O. ages ago who promptly lost it, then caught the last ten minutes or so when I was flicking channels last night. Will it be on again?
 
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