[Film] Film 2015

[Uncle Spielberg]

Bad move MB, you now have Uncle Spielberg on your case.

Lol I have seen it and thought it was excellent I just don't see why mb sees so many films as he always almost without exception hates them all and anything from Hollywood you already know he will hate it and write a shit review

 

[vegster]

Lol I have seen it and thought it was excellent I just don't see why mb sees so many films as he always almost without exception hates them all and anything from Hollywood you already know he will hate it and write a shit review

You and MB are like Matter and Anti-Matter Uncle. MB needs to accept that not every film released will be a tale of an Andalusian Shepherd boys love of his life/dog/sheep/ blind Grandfather and you need to accept that Stephen Spielberg can do " average " films.

 

[MattBackHome]

I'd like to go on record as loving both MB and USs reviews just as they are.

Don't ever change, either of you xx

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

You and MB are like Matter and Anti-Matter Uncle. MB needs to accept that not every film released will be a tale of an Andalusian Shepherd boys love of his life/dog/sheep/ blind Grandfather and you need to accept that Stephen Spielberg can do " average " films.

Fair enough but bridge of spies is far from average. I respect Kermode as whilst he hates a lot of Hollywood he also acknowledges a lot of great films come from there so he is for a critic not too snobby I just don't see why mb would go and see films he knows he will hate is it just so he can post his contempt on here I don't understand tbh ?

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

Not stained this thread with my thoughts before, but after a couple of wondrous cinema outings I thought I'd report back to the group...

Both films in question were documentaries and both were followed by genuinely insightful and interesting Q&A sessions with directors and a co-writer. A quick nod must go to the Duke of York's comperes who steered these sessions impeccably. Both pitched the mood perfectly and led off with well-researched questions before even managing to preside over some articulate audience questions, rather than the oft fawning non-questions that are seemingly designed to inform us that the questioner "got" the film. Having seen a pretty shambolic display of Q&A in the summer, it was a treat to see these film's enriched further.

Anyway, first up was The Innocence of Memories; fascinating as much for it's approach to documentary as the story within. Gone were the talking heads mixed with relevant B-roll and archive media and in with stalking steady-cam shots through the dimly lit streets of Istanbul as our narrator reconnected with the city she had once called home.

To further muddy the documentary waters the narrator is a (very marginal) fictional character from a novel who visits a real-life museum based on the main characters in the novel. It certainly turns the meta up to eleven but charms in it's delivery and seemed to captivate the auditorium despite a technical glitch robbing us of an insight from the novel's author who appeared regularly throughout on TV screens in-situ as we roamed the streets of the City. Subtitles should have informed us of his thoughts, but we sat unknowing as he spoke in his native Turkish.

Very much enjoyed nonetheless and very interesting to hear that the BFI looked kindly on the director's pitch as they are awash with TV documentary makers looking to flog the same old formats as their TV slots dwindle away.

This week's docu was They Will Have to Kill Us First, which documented the plight of musicians from Northern Mali during the Jihadist ban on music and in the year following the lifting of the ban. With the huge amount of information gleaned from the film itself and the fascinating Q&A there is far too much to dwell on here. But if you have any interest in the politics of the region, the music or just a good documentary then it is definitely worth finding. As would (I imagine) anything penned by the co-writer Andy Morgan who is something of an expert on the film's subject matter and clearly revelled in the fact that his partnership with the director had rendered the sort of tale he would like to portray the region.

Hugely satisfying days at the cinema that make the Winter worthwhile.

 

[vegster]

Fair enough but bridge of spies is far from average. I respect Kermode as whilst he hates a lot of Hollywood he also acknowledges a lot of great films come from there so he is for a critic not too snobby I just don't see why mb would go and see films he knows he will hate is it just so he can post his contempt on here I don't understand tbh ?

Maybe MB is stuck with being only able to get to his local Cineworld and as such, stuck with the mainstream dross he despises, thus prejudging Hollywood corporate output. From the trailers I have seen, Bridge of Spies looks pretty good, however, I saw the trailer for Victor Frankenstein which also looked good but has been trashed by the critics, The Times gave it zero stars. Beauty is in the eye....

 

[Meade's Ball]

" it wasnt awful in places " wow high praise indeed

I wanted to be nice. I just can't do it though, with most Hollywood stuff.
I want to see films and observe a little of how they're put together, to see actors and directors and how they handle character and subject, and, moreso nowadays, the music buzzing in and around them. I find it interesting, even if it grates to see the obscenely costly mainstream bobbins as formulaic and mundane. My expectations there are low in general, and I only become riled if a director churns out a run of very ordinary films after being inventive early on - Burton, del Toro, Neill Blomkamp spring to mind. The rest of it can get on my nerves, but still be interesting, here and there.
Today, I saw Tangerine, a high-octane transgender prostitute black comedy, and I recommend it. Tis all set in the cheap side of Hollywood and is shot on iPhone 5s. It's a bit odd, of course, but the editing is good and the acting potent enough, and the music accompanying this trek for Sin-Dee to find the lover/ex-pimp that broke her heart really thumps and powers the film along. I liked it.

 

[Meade's Ball]

Maybe MB is stuck with being only able to get to his local Cineworld and as such, stuck with the mainstream dross he despises, thus prejudging Hollywood corporate output. From the trailers I have seen, Bridge of Spies looks pretty good, however, I saw the trailer for Victor Frankenstein which also looked good but has been trashed by the critics, The Times gave it zero stars. Beauty is in the eye....

I saw Bridge of Spies at a Vue. The reason being I renewed my Club Lloyds account and they gave me 6 Vue tickets for doing so. I chose that film as it was on about 11am and I thought few other viewers would be in there at that time to annoy me.
I have my cineworld membership, but the main use for that now is to get me into Picturehouse (which I also have membership for) Central screenings for just a fiver. My local cinemas are the Rio, which has good Sunday doublebills, and Hackney Picturehouse, which shows some good films early in the day, again to avoid too many pestering humans.
I have one Vue ticket left and I might save that for that Star Wars flick - although I have a ticket for a secret screening of a film two days before that and my friend believes it to be that, although I don't.

A fascinating inspection of the membership cards in my wallet there.

 

[Acker79]

My cinema going has drastically reduced this year compared to last. I need to up my game.

Krampus
Not great. My friend really did not like it. I didn't like it, but in that way that I just can't be bothered to waste time complaining about it. Started slow, went bonkers, then realised it had written itself into a corner where the only was out is a stupid ending. The casting of Adam Scott and Dave Koechner would suggest a level of humour that is never attained, the casting of Toni Collette suggests a class or depth that isn't actually there - much like the story's internal logic.

I have one Vue ticket left and I might save that for that Star Wars flick - although I have a ticket for a secret screening of a film two days before that and my friend believes it to be that, although I don't.

Cineworld unlimited secret screening? They got a bit of flack for their last one, which was Rise of the Planet of the Apes . They have unlimited card previews of films that are released a day or two later, but always let people know the name of the film.and advertise it simply as a preview, so a lot of cardholders were under the impression the secret screening would be something more special, something further away from official release. RotPotA was released a day or two after that screening, so some people felt misled.

The one I went to before that was The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which was officially released 4 weeks (or so) later, however, there were known previews of it the following weekend, anyway.

Cineworld sent out an email about the secret screening:

Just a quick reminder of your Secret Unlimited Screening on 15th December.

Please note, Red card holders will have to pay the 3D uplift. Remember, Premium Unlimited members get 3D for free - bring your glasses or buy a pair in the cinema.

AND...We'll be giving away a free bag of Sour Patch Kids for every Unlimited customer attending the Secret Screening (while stocks last) so arrive early and pick your sweets up at the snacks counter.

Lastly, a couple of hints - the film will NOT be set 'In A Galaxy Far, Far Away...' and it will not be cert 15, 15A, 16 or 18.

We look forward to seeing you back at Cineworld soon​

Looking at upcoming films, I suspect it might be the Snoopy movie or In the Heart of the Sea.

 

[vegster]

I saw Bridge of Spies at a Vue. The reason being I renewed my Club Lloyds account and they gave me 6 Vue tickets for doing so. I chose that film as it was on about 11am and I thought few other viewers would be in there at that time to annoy me.
I have my cineworld membership, but the main use for that now is to get me into Picturehouse (which I also have membership for) Central screenings for just a fiver. My local cinemas are the Rio, which has good Sunday doublebills, and Hackney Picturehouse, which shows some good films early in the day, again to avoid too many pestering humans.
I have one Vue ticket left and I might save that for that Star Wars flick - although I have a ticket for a secret screening of a film two days before that and my friend believes it to be that, although I don't.

A fascinating inspection of the membership cards in my wallet there.

Not so bad then for you after all, sounds like you have a better choice than me.

 

[Questions]

I'm miles behind when it comes to films. Got a numb bum at Spectre which I knew ai would and am only catching up on films like Birdman and American Sniper. I hated both but didn't turn over American Sniper like I did Birdman. I wish I had now though. Clint Eastwood really is a shit director.
Now The Drop with Tom Hardy and James Gandolfino is superb.

 

[Meade's Ball]

Not so bad then for you after all, sounds like you have a better choice than me.

A bit sad, i know, but when i move house, which hasn't been for quite a few years now, i do need to be somewhere close enough to a cinema or two to keep me going. Also, it's made a difference in who i've ended up being with, relationship-wise, my need for film, i'd say. I wouldn't want an identikit, bloated lady miseryguts Meade, but i couldn't accept a female without at least a bit of an appreciation for cinema. If their favourite films were Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, Insidious 2 and The Shawshank Redemption, for instance, then i couldn't carry on with them. My current lass, who i've been with for bloody ages now, grew up watching a myriad of dubbed European and American classics which were apparently on Spanish daytime tv each day. She's alright in my book.

 

[Meade's Ball]

Cineworld sent out an email about the secret screening:

Just a quick reminder of your Secret Unlimited Screening on 15th December.

Please note, Red card holders will have to pay the 3D uplift. Remember, Premium Unlimited members get 3D for free - bring your glasses or buy a pair in the cinema.

AND...We'll be giving away a free bag of Sour Patch Kids for every Unlimited customer attending the Secret Screening (while stocks last) so arrive early and pick your sweets up at the snacks counter.

Lastly, a couple of hints - the film will NOT be set 'In A Galaxy Far, Far Away...' and it will not be cert 15, 15A, 16 or 18.

We look forward to seeing you back at Cineworld soon​

Looking at upcoming films, I suspect it might be the Snoopy movie or In the Heart of the Sea.

Thanks for that. I looked at the length of the film they were to show, 122 minutes, being rather different from the 140 minutes of the Force, so thought it rather unlikely. I expected to go along, with my friend Roberto who was rather adamant it would be Star Wars, and 20 spotty chaps in their late 30s dressed as Boba Fett hugely unhappy behind their masks to have to sit through an Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore Xmas romcom. I'll now watch the mighty Albion away at QPR.
*relief*

 

[Nibble]

Took myself off to see Spectre. Bond innit. Was good.

 

[mistahclarke]

I hope you don't mind, but I'll try to remember to grade them all when it's over, and out of 11.6.

I love you reviews too, but any chance you could bold the film title as it's hard to find on occasion?

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

My best 5 films of the year are Bridge of Spies, Carol, Jurassic World, MI Rogue Nation, The Martian. I think only The Force Awakens can challenge this now

 

[Barry Izbak]

Good heavens

Jurassic World

Really?

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Loved it

 

[Meade's Ball]

I shan't go on about Star Wars, although maybe i'll merely mention how i rather surprised myself that to a midnight showing of it went. I had very little interest in going, yet as soon as i was home yesterday, i began to look into when i might see it. This was partly down to the Christmas works do i shall be at tomorrow and me planning how to watch the Albion on tv - if experience tells me anything, then i know full well that i will be a foul mess on Saturday and unable to do more than stock up on banana yazoo and nik naks - and maybe seeing it locally afterwards. The times of the showings were inconvenient, so i suddenly thought about the availability of tickets for late last night, to nap beforehand and uber it each way at a pace. Anywhen, the girlfriend came home, i threw the proposition at her, and she bit at it positively, so i began to book. The bother came in the form of forcing myself to sleep of an evening. So difficult to convince the psyche that it's time to close down for an hour or two and the body clock to rearrange itself, twisting knobs and pointed arms for simply my convenience. It happened, though, but not for long enough.
The amusement attached to the uber trip of little more than 12 minutes was of the firm revelation of how Christmas celebrations had duly begun. When at a traffic light in Islington, two young ladies staggering around with the hope to be elsewhere but not quite sure where, decided to try and get in the car we were in, repeatedly. In the end, the driver, who honestly was the 6th in a row Mohamed that uber has sent me, rolled down his window and muttered "not available", to which the young ladies, in business dress but the faces of weathered boozehounds for that night alone, decided to boot the car and call us all "dickheads", quite loudly.
The cinema was most full, but far not full enough to fill the 6 or so screens all showing Star Wars in unison. On entering the theatre itself, the Vue worker greeted us, with our disconcertingly heavy Diet-Coke jugs, briefly with a feverish grin and enquiry of "Excited?!?", to which i answered "No.", because i wasn't greatly. I felt a little bad for them though.
I think in many ways i was there because i have a dislike of being far behind, and seeing the film probably on Sunday at some point felt threatening.

What happened whilst watching was little but enjoyment. A good and fun film made by a fan for fans and a new generation. Nothing fantabulously new, but a good watch.

I think i originally wanted to write, here, about a film i saw last weekend, which was brilliant for the first hour of mayhem and absurdity and psychedelic reimaginings of dreams called The Forbidden Room, but i doubt there is space, or time, for me now to do so. It became a tad flat and samey after the hour, having drifted in and out of stories and invention that pelted the eyes and mind up to then, but was a thoroughly good film. Made by Guy Maddin, who loves to experiment playfully and with humour, it was thrilling and mesmerising - i loved the song by the crooner about a man having an operation to remove the part of his brain that is obsessed by butts. Really good, and utterly nutty.

 

[Ron Manager]

Almost 3 hours but The Hateful Eight is great. Tarantino movies are like Bond films, they have their critics but if you like the genre and style then you won't be disappointed here. Beautifully shot in true spaghetti western panavision style, over the top deaths and some nice music along the way.

Superb.

'Well you'd better sh1t another pistol outta your @rse'.