Last Movie You Watched.

I had to at the 'NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN' Post-It note that the Odeon here saw fit to stick on the poster.

Recently watched Enemy at the Gates and rematched Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011).

The former was tense and enjoyable enough. Perhaps a little melodramatic (the music and core relationships), but it was very well shot and I like the play between Jude Law and Ed Harris. I wonder why the actors kept their own accents?

The latter was as excellent as I remembered it. Beautifully crafted film, from writing, cinematography, music and acting. I'd love for Tomas Alfredson to direct a Bond film. And if he can manage Alberto Iglesias to compose the score, that would legendary.

Enemy at the Gates is a pretty entertaining war flick but, for me at least, this has always been overshadowed by its caricaturish and inaccurate depiction of the Battle of Stalingrad and Vassili Zaitsev. You're better off watching state-approved Soviet and Russian films to get a more accurate picture and that's saying something.

On Tinker, hard to disagree. One of the finest pieces of espionage cinema there is.

Figured as much. I did a bit of digging after watching Enemy at the Gates to work out where the inaccuracies lay.

Then I started thinking about Rachel Weisz. Craig is a lucky man.

The Accountant.

Good watch. The action is decent, with some cracking hand-to-hand fights that would make Jason Bourne proud. The story has enough twists and turns to hook you, even if you can see some of the bigger revelations coming from a mile away.

Daughter took me to see it.

Supersonic - this docu is probably only of interest to Oasis fans. Amusing, nostalgic and chock-full of great tunes.

Jack Reacher - an distinctly average start for Lee Child's hero on the big screen. Ploddingly paced, this only jerks sporadically to life in the all-too-brief and all-too-rare action sequences. And Werner Herzog's villain seems to have stumbled in from a Bond film ... not in a good way, either.

Jack Reacher : Never Go Back - a vast improvement. Considerably ups the pace, action and humour to hugely beneficial effect.

Hello, My Name Is Doris

Sally Field impresses as always. In fact, had it not been for her, I'm not sure the film would have been so charming and full of pathos. Her "love interest" was as dull as they come (I thought the twist was that he turned out to be gay... Bad casting choice) but Sally carries this film like a champion.

The Lady Vanishes (2013)

Yup that is Jasper Christensen and yup the lead Tuppence Middleton is rather pretty but despite all that this is a dreary and slightly obnoxious re visitation of the tale lacking wit, charm or any sense of menace. It does make you appreciate the Hitchcock effect even more though.

FURY (2014)

Grim, gritty, and gruesome until it descends into a farcical shoot-'em-up in the final act.

My exact thoughts when I saw it a few years back. Still, enjoyable enough.

Certainly entertaining from start to finish, but I don't know what they were thinking with the final sequence. I mean, first of all, it initially looked like a good 1 in 4 men in that SS battalion were carrying Panzerschrecks, so realistically the tank would've been blown to shit within seconds.

I feel like that sequence just cheapened the whole show. At that point all the blood and guts just became gratuitous given that the film abandoned any pretense of being a brutally real depiction of warfare and descended into Commando-meets-Hogan's Heroes territory. But alas, it seems like there's a visceral sadism in the age of Game of Thrones and ISIL, so the more exploding brains, the better.

Hallowe'en - whilst undoubtedly fun to see on the big screen, more chucklesome than scary these days.

The Evil Dead (original version) - innovative low-budget horror film-making that still packs a punch, a proper 'cabin in the woods' frightener (unlike Joss Whedon's post-modern crappenfest).

Doctor Strange - kind of like an even trippier Inception. Not up there with what for me are the pinnacle of the Marvel flicks (Avengers Assemble and The Winter Soldier), but still fun.

LONDON HAS FALLEN (no stars).

I hate this movie with the white hot intensity of a trillion suns. So bad I won't even dignify the movie by explaining what sucked about it.

All I will say is this: This movie cost $60 million to make in 2016. GOLDENEYE cost $65 million to make....21 years ago.

Don't say you haven't been warned.

That bad, Grav? And BI, I wouldn't mind seeing Doctor Strange, because of Mr Cumberbatch and Mr Mikkleson, but I really can't be bothered supporting more Marvel movies.

I recently saw Saving Private Ryan - excellent war flick. Not sure if it's the definitive war film, as I also recently saw Hacksaw Ridge, which was every bit tremendous. Definitely recommended!

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

LONDON HAS FALLEN (no stars).

I hate this movie with the white hot intensity of a trillion suns. So bad I won't even dignify the movie by explaining what sucked about it.

All I will say is this: This movie cost $60 million to make in 2016. GOLDENEYE cost $65 million to make....21 years ago.

Don't say you haven't been warned.

Yep ... I have heard many, many bad things. Including how the CGI explosions look like they were rendered on a 30-year old computer and that the script can't even be bothered with a proper motivation for the bad guys.

Evil Dead 2 - retains the original's manic energy while considerably upping the comedy element. Really must see Army Of Darkness someday.

The Wicker Man (remake with Rifftrax commentary) - oh dear Lord, it's every bit as gloriously terrible as I'd heard. The original had Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee and an otherworldly, eroticised eerieness ... this has Nic Cage drop-kicking and punching women, telling another at gunpoint to 'STEP AWAY FROM THE BIKE!', 'NOT THE BEES!!!!' etc.

I, the Jury (1982)

Really fun Mike Hammer movie with Armand Assante. Armand gives a good albeit offbeat performance as Mike that does stray enough from the book's depiction and Stacey Keach's one. A comparison I would say think of a more nobler version of Ralph Meeker's Hammer as channeled through Robert DeNiro and you would probably have a close approximation. Barbara Carrera is here as a sex therapist Hammer ultimately falls for while on a case to avenge a murdered comrade which winds up tying into a conspiracy of out-of-control CIA agents. Pretty good supporting cast with Alan King as a mob boss, Geoffrey Lewis as a drunken former intelligence man and Paul Sorvino as Pat Chambers. It's essentially to the Mike Hammer books what Roger Moore's eighties work in Bond is to Fleming's. It takes a few things here and there but ultimately is more an action joyride with some humor thrown in here and there. Also Bill Conti did the score here which gave a car chase scene earlier on a very familiar feeling. Ultimately it's a fun sex and violence-filled romp that sadly is fairly unknown nowadays is only now getting a proper disc release (a Blu-ray from Kino Lorber which is very solid). Shame as I would have loved to have seen Assante and the filmmakers tackle other Mike Hammer books especially the crazier One Lonely Night.

The Nice Guys (2016)

At times laugh out loud and with some inventive action making for an enjoyable romp this film nevertheless ended up disappointing me. The bar was set so very high by 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' but sadly where that film came across as Smart this more often feels contrived, whereas that film was consistently eccentric and engaging this is more just erratic. I would concede the leads are actors I don't really enjoy albeit they are 'ok' Crowe effectively repeating his 'LA Confidential' character (my favourite of his prior roles) but he clearly lacks the hunger today, Gosling is perhaps a bit more of a surprise and that could bode well for his inclusion in the Blade Runner sequel (even if I wish it wasn't going to happen). A nice sense of period however and a very good support in the form of Goslings on screen daughter Angourie Rice, Black is certainly able to field a strong child actor role and avoid the usual pitfalls. 7/10

Scoop.

Middle of the road Woody Allen, but still enjoyable enough. It's brisk and funny enough with all the familiar tropes that characterise one of his films. However, this one was a little more predictable, and the first act was a little clunky before finding its feet. Death seemed oddly optimistic, especially for Woody Allen.

Bullet To The Head - didn't Walter Hill make GOOD action movies once? I turned this utterly, utterly mediocre Stallone flick off after 25 minutes. Maybe the last hour was awesome, but somehow I doubt it.

You saved yourself some time, BI.

Yup, reckon I did. Glad the Blu-Ray only cost £3 when I bought it.

lachesis wrote:

The Nice Guys (2016)

At times laugh out loud and with some inventive action making for an enjoyable romp this film nevertheless ended up disappointing me. The bar was set so very high by 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' but sadly where that film came across as Smart this more often feels contrived, whereas that film was consistently eccentric and engaging this is more just erratic. I would concede the leads are actors I don't really enjoy albeit they are 'ok' Crowe effectively repeating his 'LA Confidential' character (my favourite of his prior roles) but he clearly lacks the hunger today, Gosling is perhaps a bit more of a surprise and that could bode well for his inclusion in the Blade Runner sequel (even if I wish it wasn't going to happen). A nice sense of period however and a very good support in the form of Goslings on screen daughter Angourie Rice, Black is certainly able to field a strong child actor role and avoid the usual pitfalls. 7/10

Just got through watching this one. I liked it a bit better though although I do feel Crowe didn't feel as engaged as Gosling was who did surprise me with a very good performance here as a private eye I'd like to see future adventures of. The story and environmental aspect of it reminded me a bit of Chinatown and the comments toward the end in the bar do have a "forget it, Jake" feel to it. The action was terrific and the film felt nicely balanced between P.I. story and comedy. I haven't seen Kiss Kiss Bang Bang yet but I do see that Shane Black wrote Lethal Weapon which this does feel in a similar vein to (the hitman John Boy definitely comes from the cold-eyed psycho school where Gary Busey's Mr. Joshua in that film came from). The period setting was done well and a good selection of music used ("Love and Happiness" by Al Green over the end credits especially) and I agree on the daughter. Overall I'm giving it an 8/10.

Star Trek Beyond

Feels even more generic actioner than anything Star Trek or sci fi....it doesn't become obnoxious in the way 'Into Darkness' did but equally it never feels very engaging or exciting. Spock cries, laughs and is romantically compromised....so I guess his Vulcan side is just dead Jim, Peggs Scotty is pretty awful, Kirk and the rest are ok but the real standout remains Karl Urban's uncanny McCoy - I'd almost be happy seeing a stand alone film with him.
6/10

Rogue One : A Star Wars Story - coming from a grittier corner of the Star Wars universe than we've seen of late, this is fantastic entertainment that makes amends for the previous shoddy prequels.