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View Full Version : What I've been watching this month...


MinionZombie
21-Aug-2010, 11:52 AM
Westworld, Good Will Hunting, Final Destination 3, Revenge of the Nerds, and Colin:
http://deadshed.blogspot.com/2010/08/pentuple-bill-mini-musings-august-2010.html

...

Knight and Day:
http://deadshed.blogspot.com/2010/08/knight-and-day.html

I wasn't in the slightest bit fussed about this movie. I knew nothing of it until long after it had wrapped, and then I only knew very little - especially as the 'pre-buzz' focussed entirely on Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz being in it. "Not interested", said I.

...

The A-Team:
http://deadshed.blogspot.com/2010/08/a-team.html

Then the first snippets of information - notably, the cast list. Hannibal - check - Liam Neeson is generally awesome, but he was doubly-so in the kick arse action flick Taken, so I knew that was a good choice. Face - check - Bradley Cooper wasn't a particular name of note until The Hangover came along and he was good in that, and I could see him portraying the womanising charm of Templeton quite well, so that was another good choice.

Next up Murdock - check - I'd only seen Sharlto Copley in District 9, which was a great film, and I knew Copley would be able to bring out Murdock's lunacy. Afterall, he'd managed to turn a farty, pencil-neck bureaucrat into an arse kicking, metamorphosing hero in District 9. The only sticking point was Rampage Jackson, the UFC Fighter, as B.A. Baracus - hmmm - it was going to be a hard role to fill anyway, what with Mr. T being so iconic in the role.

...

Year One, The Deal, and Red Heat:
http://deadshed.blogspot.com/2010/08/triple-bill-mini-musings-one-pish-two.html

...

Dial M For Murder, Audition, Ice Age 3, Bronson, Midnight Run, Run! Bitch Run!, The House of the Devil, Raw Deal, A Bug's Life, The Ipcress File, and The Colour of Money:
http://deadshed.blogspot.com/2010/08/hendecuple-bill-mini-musings-catching.html

...

Also, in case you missed them...

Predators:
http://deadshed.blogspot.com/2010/07/predators.html

The previous films were of course about a Predator going on a hunt, but this film really takes the "hunt" angle and runs flat-out with it. The game preserve planet idea works better than expected (even if it still looks like earth most of the time), and the whole escalation of the Predator lore made for interesting viewing. The Predators adapt after every 'season' with new tactics and weapons, and the idea that they even hunt their own is chillingly cool.

Inception:
http://deadshed.blogspot.com/2010/07/inception.html

I was really looking forward to this flick, thanks in part to the spine-tingling trailer (which annoyingly shows too many of the awesome bits, as I was to find out), but I didn't have the same "omfg!" reaction to it whilst watching that I did with The Dark Knight.

Then again, expectation will do that, and if you add in a healthy dose of "must pay close attention" then it can prove to be a challenging watch ... but it's entirely worthwhile, and will easily be in my Top Ten of 2010.
Legion2213
22-Aug-2010, 02:29 AM
Watched "Moon" on Sky HD the other night - Absolutely loved it. :)

Watched "The Time Machine" (original) on DVD this evening...must get the officially sanctioned "follow up" novel by Stephen Baxter. :cool:

I don't have a blog. But who needs one when I can disport myself here? :D
MinionZombie
22-Aug-2010, 10:22 AM
A lot of what I blog about is my response to moves, not really reviews, more musings on the things that catch my attention or some thought process ... so it's a nice way to collect them together in one place and have them all archived by year and month.

I saw Moon on DVD last year and it's a lovely film, isn't it? Great ideas to play with more than the sci-fi setting - even though that's lovingly crafted throughout. I like how they've used models throughout, but just augmented them a smidge with some simple CGI - a nice balance, you know?

I also did how Moon plays with the expectations you have from other sci-fi classics.

Off to see The Expendables today, and watched Up last night (at last) ... which I'll, naturally, blog about later.
bassman
22-Aug-2010, 12:51 PM
Up is bloody fantastic. Huge step up from the disappointing Wall E.
MinionZombie
22-Aug-2010, 01:08 PM
Up is bloody fantastic. Huge step up from the disappointing Wall E.
:eek:

You didn't like WALL.E?!?!?!?!?!?!

I loved that movie. I think it's my favourite Pixar movie to date.
bassman
22-Aug-2010, 01:33 PM
Nope.....couldn't connect with it. Seemed to cold and distant. Needed more of the heart that previous Pixar films have so much of. Then there's the irritating message of the movie that's pounded into your head harder than Romero's latest flicks....

It's not a bad movie, really. It just could have been so much more imo.

Up, on the other hand, is stacked with the things that make pixar movies great. Probably my favorite since Toy Story.
MinionZombie
22-Aug-2010, 06:33 PM
I never really thought the message in WALL.E was on the "pounding" side. It's there, but it never felt like some political agenda being crammed down my throat either.

Odd what you say about heart, being that WALL.E is the most loveable little bugger who just wants to find someone, and then Eve comes into his life and they connect in a really sweet, innocent, almost child-like way.

Up - now the first half an hour is excellent, and the 10th minute is utterly heartbreaking, but then it goes a bit wibbly-wobbly. All the Dug stuff is fantastic, and there's some great interplay between the old grump (the name escapes me right now) and Russell, but there's also the kind of thrown-in villain with the totally unexplained dog collar technology (at least, if there was an explanation, I totally missed it) ... so it does go a bit weak after the first half an hour, but there's still plenty to keep it moving along and to keep your interest, but that first half and hour is just superbly pitched.
JDFP
22-Aug-2010, 06:40 PM
There's sweet and then there's saccharine.

I though "Up" was more saccharine than sweet -- although I enjoyed the majority of it. I, personally, felt that "Wall-E" was a much more fun film as opposed to an older guy pulling a "Danny Deckchair" with his house (it was funny with "Danny Deckchair" although probably only 40 other people have seen it along with me -- "Up" just felt like using the same thing over again to me).

j.p.
Legion2213
22-Aug-2010, 06:47 PM
A lot of what I blog about is my response to moves, not really reviews, more musings on the things that catch my attention or some thought process ... so it's a nice way to collect them together in one place and have them all archived by year and month.

I saw Moon on DVD last year and it's a lovely film, isn't it? Great ideas to play with more than the sci-fi setting - even though that's lovingly crafted throughout. I like how they've used models throughout, but just augmented them a smidge with some simple CGI - a nice balance, you know?

I also did how Moon plays with the expectations you have from other sci-fi classics.

Off to see The Expendables today, and watched Up last night (at last) ... which I'll, naturally, blog about later.

Yes, lovely is a good description, some people say it's slow/boring, they should probably stick with Transformers or something, I found myself really drawn into the whole thing and not bored at all, the performance from Rockwell was fantastic, even Spacey's voice overs for GERTY were superb. The whole thing just worked on every level for me (and yes, lovely model shots, CGI used to enhance/fill in, not to dominate the show). I can't believe it only cost £5 million to make.