197 replies to this topic

[Chris D]

I can't say I really liked Revolutionary Road, but it was very well acted (and well made all around, just not a movie I was necessarily in the mood for at the time). Kate Winslet should have won the Oscar that year for that movie instead of The Reader (if she indeed needed to win that year...I still think she should have won for Eternal Sunshine), and I felt that Leo deserved at least a nomination. Those two really made the movie work.

[Christian U]

it was. did you read the book, by any chance?

I have. It was a nasty, cruel little piece of work. Very good.

[stephanie familiar]

I can't say I really liked Revolutionary Road, but it was very well acted (and well made all around, just not a movie I was necessarily in the mood for at the time). Kate Winslet should have won the Oscar that year for that movie instead of The Reader (if she indeed needed to win that year...I still think she should have won for Eternal Sunshine), and I felt that Leo deserved at least a nomination. Those two really made the movie work.

don't even get me started on the brilliance of Eternal Sunshine, chris.

kate and leo really did make the movie work, movies like that and Blue Valentine that are about the decay of a relationship between two people rely almost entirely upon the two leads. without their ability to make us believe in their relationship, both in the good times and bad, the movie is nothing. i wish i could think of a similar movie that had two leads that had no chemistry or believability... the only one i can think of, which isn't even really the same type of film, is The Vow.

I have. It was a nasty, cruel little piece of work. Very good.

it was, on both remarks. it had a lot to say about america in the 50's, relationships, women's rights... interesting read.

[Dave Wallace]

I can't say I really liked Revolutionary Road, but it was very well acted (and well made all around, just not a movie I was necessarily in the mood for at the time). Kate Winslet should have won the Oscar that year for that movie instead of The Reader (if she indeed needed to win that year...I still think she should have won for Eternal Sunshine), and I felt that Leo deserved at least a nomination. Those two really made the movie work.

Revolutionary Road is a difficult one for me - whilst (as you say) it was really well-shot, directed, acted and so on, the nature of the story means I didn't come away from it feeling as though I loved the film, or even ever wanted to see it again. I think it achieved its goals perfectly, but I don't think that providing an entertaining or particularly enjoyable-to-watch film was one of them.

don't even get me started on the brilliance of Eternal Sunshine, chris.

Oh go on, get started. I love it too. In fact, I'm long overdue another rewatch.

[jleal]

it was. did you read the book, by any chance?

I did, and thought the book was pretty good, albeit an uncomfortable read.
I agree with the above poster who said it had a lot to say about the 50's, womens rights, etc.
I was going through a divorce at the time I read the book and saw the movie, and the arguments felt a little too real to me..but that said, the movie made me FEEL something, whether it be good or discomfort. The two leads were pitch perfect, and Michael Shannon's character added a nice bit of flash to further discomfort things.

[Steve Sensible]

Young Adult: I thought this was Jason Reitman's first real mis-step. I was looking forward to seeing what he did next after Up In The Air, and this seems like a bit of a retrograde step back into Juno territory - a story about someone outgrowing their small town roots, except this time doing it about 15 years after everyone else. Charlize Theron's character is odd to say the least, bordering on the delusional, and because she's so hard to sympathise with, it doesn't make for particularly engaging viewing.

'F' : A low-budget British horror movie about a bunch of hoodie-wearing youths descending on a school late one evening and terrorising the staff and pupils within. The story isn't particularly strong, but the way it's shot and the way the bad-guys are treated (faces constantly hidden, silently crawling around on top of furniture, lockers etc. so they seem more like Aliens than kids) is nicely done and lends the whole thing a supernatural air.

Unfortunately it got to about 10 minutes from the end and I wondered how they were going to tie things up in a satisfying way in so short a time. Answer? They don't.

[brucegray666]

I saw the advert for F on the telly last night and was tempted to watch it. If the ending is a damp squib I don't think I'll bother now.

[GordonM]

Yeah, the ending for F left me unfulfilled too. The best 'Hoodie' film of recent years is still Attack the Block.

[Steve Sensible]

It's not so much that it's a damp squib, it's just that it's kind of open-ended. It's still worth a look, if only to see some former Hollyoaks actors get mutilated.

[brucegray666]

I'd much rather watch ex Hollyoaks actors get mutilated than ex Hollyoaks actors try to be funny in Two Pints of Lagar...

I'm sure it's completely different story wise but the thing the trailer instantly made me think of was the Cradlegrave story from 2000AD a few years ago:

[Steve Sensible]

The poster for F...

[Rory Abel]

Sounds like it was also inspired by the french film Them about a family in a house undersiege by hoodie wear youths.

[Christian U]

Seems like people are warming up for Community's return. This is kind of nice:




Heh.

[Steve Sensible]

Now I'm imagining Alison Brie in a Catwoman outfit. There goes the rest of my evening.

[Paul F]

Community had a panel at PaleyFest last night, the stream is up on Youtube: http://www.youtube.c...r?feature=watch



Highlights are talked about here: http://www.hitfix.co...renewal-chances

[Rory Abel]

Caught up on finales yesterday so I watched the last two episodes of Chuck. While overall I've really enjoyed this series I think this final season was just a complete disaster with no part of it really working. The finale continues that trend. The idea behind Sarah and Chuck's situation is heart breaking but to watch Chuck actually blubber like a baby just made me laugh. The last episodes plot was terrible, just riddled with holes that had to ignore if you wanted the episode to have any tension. But honestly they can't be ignored. The final problem has such an obvious solution that all the characters come off as giant idiots for not thinking of it, especially when it forces them into an either/or situation (being vague here in case I'm not the only person who hadn't yet watch this).

Also finally watched the final episode of Sherlock, which generally worked for me. It moved along quick enough that I was able to overlook most of the problems. I have no idea what the solution to the ending is, though it clearly has to do with Sherlock asking Molly for help, forcing Watson to stay in one specific spot while he jumped and then Watson getting knocked down. Sherlocks comment about a magic trick makes it clear that there was a slight of hand involved.

Edited by Rory Abel, 04 March 2012 - 10:46 PM.

[Noel Luperon]

Me and the wife are watching THE WIRE for the first time. It's a GREAT series. It's very real, complex, lots of players in the mix, really digging it. Into Season 2 now.

[Jim Ohara]

I watched the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo last night (the original version). I don't get what all the fuss is about - I thought it was a regular murder mystery with shock thrown in for the sake of it.

[Rory Abel]

I watched the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo last night (the original version). I don't get what all the fuss is about - I thought it was a regular murder mystery with shock thrown in for the sake of it.

Yeah I thought the rape was pretty gratitious (and didn't need to be shown since they recap it once she watches the recording). Plus I found it pretty creepy that the stand-in for the author ends up sleeping with girl who's, what, 18? I think it's interest lies in that it upends the normal format and the hero falls into what is usually the female role while the female character ends up being the kickass hero. But overall, I didn't get what the big deal was.

[Chris D]

Yeah I thought the rape was pretty gratitious (and didn't need to be shown since they recap it once she watches the recording). Plus I found it pretty creepy that the stand-in for the author ends up sleeping with girl who's, what, 18? I think it's interest lies in that it upends the normal format and the hero falls into what is usually the female role while the female character ends up being the kickass hero. But overall, I didn't get what the big deal was.

I read the books and saw the US version of the movie. I thought they were solid for what they were, but I admit I was also surprised that it was so popular a thing. Although Lisbeth is, I think, 24 when the whole things start. Not 18. Still significantly younger than Blomkvist, but I didn't find anything creepy about it.