The Movie Reel

[the AntiPusher]

Jurassic World was pretty sub-par.

It was overrated, best movies I have seen thus far this Summer was Furious Seven and Mad Max Fury Road

 

[kskate2]

I'm looking forward to Craig's last Bond installment and Cruise's new Mission Impossible.

 

[Kieran]

I'm midway through The Lone Ranger, have to stop until a later date, but it's a lot better than I expected. It suffers, of course, from the same predicament as all of Johnny Depp's films - namely, he's in it - but still, it's good humoured and flashy, if a little drawn out...

 

[Kieran]

The nature of the Netflix beast, put The Lone Ranger on hold until the other day, and finished it on Saturday. Very enjoyable, entertaining, witty. Even Johnny Depp. Even - I tells ye - Helena Bonham Carter! It's a truism of the form, that JD + HBC = TRIPE. But perhaps the Tripe is Tim Burton, the common denominator? Anyway, they were good in this one, as was Armie Hammer, who i'd never seen before. Think of the original Zorro film with Antonio Banderas, and you've got it. You either like that stuff or don't. For me, growing up watching old episodes of Zorro and the Lone Ranger on telly, I love it.

Then, we watched A Most wanted Man, one of Phillip Seymour Hoffman's last films, and an excellent spy flick, though the ending might disappoint, or thrill you, depending on your taste. To me, it seemed unfinished. It's one of those films which are based on a book, and I suspect the book did things differently. But I wasn't disappointed, and it also has Willem Defoe and Rachel McAdams.

Started a great old French noir last night, Rififi. Watched about forty minutes and can already sniff the word "classic" on this one. It's from 1955, made on a ridiculously small budget, but the elements are superior: the acting, the writing, the direction. They're setting up a heist. We all love heist films. I can already guess that this one might go wrong...

 

[shawnbm]

Re-watched Schindler's List last night for the first time since 1993 when it came out. It still packs a pulverizing punch to the soul. I read afterwards that Spielberg intentionally had the one little girl in red (one of the very few splashes of color in the film) as a symbol of USA's failure to bomb the German rails when it knew or should have known of the atrocities being committed. I did not know that is why that little girl was the only color in the scenes from Krakow.

 

[Kirijax]

Re-watched Schindler's List last night for the first time since 1993 when it came out. It still packs a pulverizing punch to the soul. I read afterwards that Spielberg intentionally had the one little girl in red (one of the very few splashes of color in the film) as a symbol of USA's failure to bomb the German rails when it knew or should have known of the atrocities being committed. I did not know that is why that little girl was the only color in the scenes from Krakow.

I just finished reading the book again a couple days ago. Very depressing. You can't stop reading/watching though. The story leaves me feeling empty and with a need for more justice, but there is none really. Just a testimony of how horrible humans can become.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I'm midway through The Lone Ranger, have to stop until a later date, but it's a lot better than I expected. It suffers, of course, from the same predicament as all of Johnny Depp's films - namely, he's in it - but still, it's good humoured and flashy, if a little drawn out...

Kieran, the Lone Ranger was so horrible, they had to pay the US patrons to watch that movie

 

[brokenshoelace]

Re-watched Schindler's List last night for the first time since 1993 when it came out. It still packs a pulverizing punch to the soul. I read afterwards that Spielberg intentionally had the one little girl in red (one of the very few splashes of color in the film) as a symbol of USA's failure to bomb the German rails when it knew or should have known of the atrocities being committed. I did not know that is why that little girl was the only color in the scenes from Krakow.

Interestingly enough, I've only this seen this film once as well, and I loved it, but it's not one of those films you go back and watch again shortly thereafter. The first time I watched was I think about 5 years ago. I should give it another look.

 

[Kieran]

I'm midway through The Lone Ranger, have to stop until a later date, but it's a lot better than I expected. It suffers, of course, from the same predicament as all of Johnny Depp's films - namely, he's in it - but still, it's good humoured and flashy, if a little drawn out...

Kieran, the Lone Ranger was so horrible, they had to pay the US patrons to watch that movie

What's not to enjoy! They had great use of the William Tell overture - the Lone Ranger TV series theme tune - the LR on his horse, galloping along the tops of a train, explosions, damsels in distress, a stage villain, large dollops of silly humour, and stunts galore. It's popcorn stuff, kids could watch it too. I thought it was very underrated for what it was, and I don't even like the director (forgotten his name) or Pirates of the Caribbean, or Johnny Depp or any of that stuff...

 

[Kirijax]

I'm midway through The Lone Ranger, have to stop until a later date, but it's a lot better than I expected. It suffers, of course, from the same predicament as all of Johnny Depp's films - namely, he's in it - but still, it's good humoured and flashy, if a little drawn out...

Kieran, the Lone Ranger was so horrible, they had to pay the US patrons to watch that movie

What's not to enjoy! They had great use of the William Tell overture - the Lone Ranger TV series theme tune - the LR on his horse, galloping along the tops of a train, explosions, damsels in distress, a stage villain, large dollops of silly humour, and stunts galore. It's popcorn stuff, kids could watch it too. I thought it was very underrated for what it was, and I don't even like the director (forgotten his name) or Pirates of the Caribbean, or Johnny Depp or any of that stuff...

I haven't seen it yet. The Depp look scared me off. It looked like Jack Sparrow finally went of the deep end and sniffed too much glue. I'll have to try watching it sometime.

 

[Kirijax]

Just watched a couple of movies called The Purge. With all the mess of riots and brutality going on in America, it was a bit unnerving and hit close to home. Have you guys seen these movies?

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0LLaybEuzA[/video]

 

[Kieran]

I see The Purge is on Netflix, haven't watched it yet, but it's only one movie, right? Is it good?

 

[Kirijax]

I see The Purge is on Netflix, haven't watched it yet, but it's only one movie, right? Is it good?

There is a sequel. They were ok. Definitely intense.

 

[Kieran]

The Grandmaster is new on Netflix: yea or nay?

 

[Kirijax]

Spoiler Alert!

Went and saw the new Avengers movie today. Pretty good. My favorite Marvel hero when I was growing up was Iron Man but even I was surprised that the Iron Man was able to take down the Hulk with the Hulk Buster suit. Always thought he could give him a good fight but in the end Hulk would prove to be too strong.

 

[Kieran]

Just finished The Legend Is Begun: Ip Man - very good stuff. Chop socky hero flick, great story, broad sweep stuff taking in history, propaganda, betrayal, love, and great violence, with the old martial arts code. By the end I was leaning in and wondering, "Ip Man, hurry the feck up!" Brilliant fight sequences, too...

 

[Riotbeard]

This documentary was incredible. Last time I checked it was on netflix.

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNp0AuPiZ3Y[/video]

 

[Kieran]

This documentary was incredible. Last time I checked it was on netflix.

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNp0AuPiZ3Y[/video]

That looks really sad, and interesting. It's not, unfortunately, on Netflix Ireland. I hope it challenges the lazy assumptions we all make every day about disadvantaged people...

 

[Kieran]

I just finished watching The Grandmaster, another film about Ip Man. Front alerted me to the two Ip Man films starring Donnie Yen, but neither of them are related to the Ip Man films I watched, and neither are on Netflix, which is the pity of it.

The Grandmaster was okay, very well made, beautiful at times, excellent cast, with Tony Leung taking the starring role, but after building up the tension, it fizzled out, and the showdown I was waiting for took place in a different way, not so satisfying and with still a lot of the film left. Mushy, sentimental, pompous: it was these things too, with a serious lapse of taste at the very end. It was okay, not a great film though...

 

[Riotbeard]

This documentary was incredible. Last time I checked it was on netflix.

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNp0AuPiZ3Y[/video]

That looks really sad, and interesting. It's not, unfortunately, on Netflix Ireland. I hope it challenges the lazy assumptions we all make every day about disadvantaged people...

It's amazing, and very much challenges typical unsympathetic depictions of people in poverty. Moreover, it shows a level of poverty, that I think many Americans (or people in the 1st world generally) like to think does not exist in this country. Also, it's so beautifully shot, that it is hard to believe it is a documentary.

It's very sad, haha.