[Film] Film 2020

[dolphins]

Just back from the Marina, seeing Unhinged, the new Russell Crowe film.

Whilst not the most intellectual movie around, I found it very entertaining/absorbing/tense. Running for just over 90mins, it's a tight story, with elements of Duel initially but with added peril and interaction between the protagonist and the victims. Recommended for those who like a film with some good tension/threat and a fair amount of violence to be fair.

As for the Cineworld at the Marina, the refurb is now finished, and I was very impressed. A large Starbucks now with an outside seating area, a glass canopy over the entrance, and most importantly, the manky Gents are now a thing of the past! That area is now (I think) the ticket machines - these certainly appeared to be in that area. Lots of sanitiser stations, and apparently they are doing increased cleaning generally. For those who've not been there for ages, there's new, raked seating (some screens of which were open pre-lockdown) and also a ScreenX enabled screen. New projection screens and sound systems, and possibly new projectors or properly calibrated existing ones. I used to travel to Crawley as Brighton's Cineworld was so poor, but now...

 

[Meade's Ball]

I watched another film on that there CurzonHomeCinema. 12 notes. I find that a bit steep to watch a film on this here laptop. Anywho, i wanted to watch something new, and having seen the trailer last week felt it something of a must to watch Young Ahmed, the new film from the Dardenne Brothers. I suppose i came to them rather late, but know full well that i'll be mostly enthralled by their next film. This isn't their recent finest, but i was engrossed, and unbearably tense as this tale of a radicalised 13 year boy unfolds. There's an obvious sense of right and wrong over Ahmed's actions and intentions, mostly, but us witnessing one little doing is an invitation to an hour or more of dread for what's to come. Ahmed, at 13, at times professes to be an adult, refusing now to shake hands with women, and in doing so awakens all those internal debates of when a child does becomes responsible for their actions, and what hope we have for those who have such time to turn their lives around.
The last 20 minutes or so of the film don't have it all run out of steam, but did have it head in directions that feel a tad enforced and unsubtle, and sped into. Still quite a watch at the conclusion though. Well acted and a little upsetting and very tense and agonisingly matter of fact. And 12 bleeding quid. Glad to have gone for it though.

 

[piersa]

The kindness of strangers. A good and well acted film. Love Bill Nighy, 7.5/10

 

[Acker79]

DC Fandome this afternoon into tomorrow - a free online 'convention'. I expect to see some footage from upcoming movies such as James Gunn's Suicide Squad, Matt Reeves' The Batman, The Rock's Black Adam, possibly some video game announcements. I'm sure the footage will make it on to various social media sites quite quickly.

 

[Acker79]

Oh, cinema, you beautiful beast, how I have missed you.

Just back from a showing of Tenet at the newly refurbished marina Cineworld. Such a lovely place, spacious, comfy seats, proper tiered seating. Hand sanitiser and wipes everywhere. Also, with social distancing making people sit with two seats gap, it makes me feel less crowded and even more comfortable than cinemas generally make me feel.

As for the film, way more deserving of 'wibbly wobbly, timey-wimey' than any episode of Dr Who. While watching it felt like every time I thought I understood what was going on, things took another turn and I felt like I wasn't understanding anything, but then eventually it felt like I was catching on again. I think I got the overall gist of it. If I did, things are mostly simple, dressed up in a confusing time flow gimmick. There are some 'twists' that are quite obvious at certain points.

It doesn't displace The Prestige as my favourite Nolan film, but I definitely think I liked it.

 

[Acker79]

The New Mutants
Previews this weekend of a film that has had multiple delays going back to the original scheduled release in 2018. According to IMDb there were significant reshoots (though a storyline involving John Hamm was entirely cut, so he doesn't show up at all).

It was trying to take different approach to the superhero film, looking to lean heavily into horror, taking inspiration from haunted house movies, with our main cast stuck in a 'hospital' which is more prison-like, than hospital. Eventually, apparitions appear, in the form of the kids' darkest fears.

For me, it didn't get to the horror quickly enough, so didn't feel much like a horror movie, and because it was leaning into horror, it didn't feel very superhero-ish. Then there is the issue of the finale - superhero movies tend to have big CGI-fests as the finale, and horror movies... don't. It therefore felt odd to have the big special effects/super power finale to a film that was trying to be about psychological horror.

Not sure it really worked for me.

 

[Is it PotG?]

The Painted Bird.

An experience I shall not forget. The goat, the eyes the list goes on.

Not family, Sunday afternoon viewing but a real quality piece of work.

12.6 / 13

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Tenet

Breath taking action. Several scenes never seen before in a lifetime of film watching.

The Plane and Freeway scenes are on a level I have never seen before. Tension at the peak. A superb soundtrack and great acting all round.

Better than Inception, just behind Interstellar

It needs to be seen about 8 times to get it all and on the biggest screen possible. $ 225 000 000 is all there.

It rates a 93 out of 100

 

[nordicgod]

Am I missing something with Tenet , just watched and thought it was up its own bottom . Terrible film and over hyped

 

[dolphins]

Bill & Ted Face The Music... well, whilst I wasn't expecting a huge amount from this, I definitely felt very underwhelmed. I'm unsure why early word of mouth was so positive for it...

Flimsy storyline and wonder why Dave Grohl made a cameo in? Maybe doing it as a favour to someone - really didn't add anything to it (and had to tell my missus who he was/what bands he's been in...sigh!)

Anyway, suggest you approach with caution.

 

[Stat Brother]

Rocks - Netflix (after a small cinema release)

Much championed by Mark Kermode, I watched this last night with teenaged Stat Club Jnrs.

I can see why Mark loved it, very affirming.
The makers collated a load of inner city stories in order to create the film then made it with a natural cast.


Very much Junior Ken Loach.

If he's your bag this film is your thing.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Just got the dvd of Unhinged with Russell Crowe. I really liked this, it does what it says on the tin and Crowe was bloody good in it playing a bloke who had lost all and did not care anymore. They were all decent in their roles

Not going to pull up any trees but it was a 90 minute intense experience based on road rage and not knowing the state of mind of the other person.

Decent story with limited background bar the first few minutes. Duel and Falling Down mix. Edge of seat stuff and as I said a 20 stone Crowe is someone on a bad day you do not want to be fcking with. A great performance from him.

A bit like Taken on steroids

Do not honk your horn

Was going to be a big film this year but due to c19 had limited release but still took $ 42 000 000 at the box office which is huge

86 out of 100

 

[jimhigham]

Really want to see Supernova with Colin Forth and Stanley stucco. Was due to be released on 27th November but that obviously got messed up and now I can’t find any trace of either a physical or streaming release. Anybody in the know?

 

[Easy 10]

Le Mans 66 - Ford vs Ferrari

If there's anything like an instant sporting classic, then this is it. I had Joker pegged as the best film I'd seen of 2020, but this is a late contender and might just pip it. Every great film needs a great leading role, and whilst Matt Damon is excellent as Carroll Shelby, this is Christian Bale's movie from start to finish. Playing the role of an obnoxious, chippy Lancastrian in 60's america, but a GENIUS engineer and race driver (Ken Miles), every scene he's on the screen is his. This is richly entertaining on and off the track, and the race scenes are off the scale in terms of dynamism and thrill-factor. Absolutely LOVED this film,. If you haven't seen it yet, you're in for a treat.

94%

[edit]

Shockingly Ken Miles was from Warwickshire, so his sons shirt was presumably Villa - but in my defence, his accent sounds FAR more Lanc than brummie. Nevertheless, dodgy accents apart, Bale was brill.

 

[The Clamp]

Le Mans 66 - Ford vs Ferrari

If there's anything like an instant sporting classic, then this is it. I had Joker pegged as the best film I'd seen of 2020, but this is a late contender and might just pip it. Every great film needs a great leading role, and whilst Matt Damon is excellent as Carroll Shelby, this is Christian Bale's movie from start to finish. Playing the role of an obnoxious, chippy Lancastrian in 60's america, but a GENIUS engineer and race driver (Ken Miles), every scene he's on the screen is his. This is richly entertaining on and off the track, and the race scenes are off the scale in terms of dynamism and thrill-factor. Absolutely LOVED this film,. If you haven't seen it yet, you're in for a treat.

94%

[edit]

Shockingly Ken Miles was from Warwickshire, so his sons shirt was presumably Villa - but in my defence, his accent sounds FAR more Lanc than brummie. Nevertheless, dodgy accents apart, Bale was brill.

Was a very enjoyable film. And I have no interest in motor racing.

My film of 2020 is probably The Lighthouse.

Obviously a bad year for cinemas and I hope we see our Dukes back soon. However, a real tonic not to have another year dominated by ****ing super hero films. Or Star Wars for that matter. The amount of screens and attention dedicated to these behemoths is ludicrous. Yeah, they bring it the money but they are mostly disappointing CGI drenched dog-shit.

I think I saw a marvel film about 6 years ago because it had Scarlett Johnansen in it. I tried to watch that last avengers one that grown men were spaffing their scrudders over. Baffling.



Bait was excellent.

Tenet was probably the most disappointing film I saw this year. Nolan needs to strip back and return to the scale of films like Prestige. He really over-Nolan’d the pudding here.

Unhinged was enjoyable. Shallow old nonsense and another forgettable entry into Crowe’s really rather poor recent body of work. But yeah, perfectly watchable in a 90’s stylee.


Ben Affleck’s performance in the superb The Way Back was a real treat. Really recommend that one.
As was Cosmo Jarvis in the sometimes sensitive/sometimes brutal flick, Calm With Horses.

Make Up was good, of a little hard to follow.

Bad Education with Hugh Jackman was a little seen gem. Seek that out of you can. Ray Romano is also good in this true tale of greed and vanity set in the US school funding sysytem.


Other highlights

Sorry we missed you
The Nest
Bacurau
The Silencing
The King Of Staten Island
The invisible Man
The Assistant


Some good stuff. Shame I didn’t get to see a lot of it at the pictures but some good stuff released.

 

[Acker79]

I think we can call it. While there is still 24 days left this year, and some big hitters to come (well, Wonder Woman 1984), I think it's safe to say this will be the movie of the year:

[tweet]1335947170281885699[/tweet]


And if that poster isn't enough to convince you, here is the trailer:


https://youtu.be/rHHbTm3Npfk

 

[Palacefinder General]

Straight out of the 2006 archive, a debate needing settling - Apocalypto by Mel Gibson, bag of arse cheeks or a fantastic watch? IMDB goes with 7.8/10. Personally I Iove it.

 

[sydney]

Straight out of the 2006 archive, a debate needing settling - Apocalypto by Mel Gibson, bag of arse cheeks or a fantastic watch? IMDB goes with 7.8/10. Personally I Iove it.

great film.

 

[The Clamp]

The Sound Of Metal.

Riz Ahmed will surely be an Oscar contender. I thought it was an extraordinarily good film.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VFOrGkAvjAE

 

[Acker79]

Took a trip out to Lewes Depot to see Wonder Woman 84. I'm not sure what I thought about it. Bits I liked, bits I'm not sure on, bits that seemed unfitting. Pedro Pascal is an odd one, there's something about him in the Mandalorian. Take the armour off and put him in a suit he seems a bit weird, but he certainly went for it. I think I need more time to digest it, and probably a second watch.