What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

[gasteropod]

Death and the Maiden (1994) - 3/5

Stylistically similar to Bitter Moon, but unlike most of Polanski's films this one didn't really have a sense of unpredictability about it, probably because it wasn't written by the usual duo of Polanski and Brach.

[gasteropod]

Impostor (2001) - 1.5/5

A Philip K. Dick adaptation that is kind of like a cross between Minority Report and Blade Runner, but it's just basically one long chase scene which is really boring, and it's pretty much TV movie-quality, not worth watching.

[gasteropod]

Sleep Dealer (2008) - 4/5

A Mexican sci-fi with cyberpunk elements, similar kind of style as the equally underrated 'Code 46'.

[Markgway]

Wayne's World (1992-USA) **½

The best of the SNL spin-offs... though it doesn't hold up quite as well as I remembered.

I'd forgotten that Tia Carrere really could 'wail'.

[Keung]

EXTREME CLOSE-UP!

[Markgway]

Hugo (2011-USA) ***

Magical fantasy for all the family that could very well be Scorsese's most personal film.

Art direction and visual design are spectacular.

Took me a bit longer than it should have to get into the story though...

[Markgway]

Logan's Run (1976-USA) **

Good premise... not so good execution.

[HungFist]

Johnny English Reborn (UK, 2011) – 3/5 (airplane viewing)
Another fun Johnny English movie – possibly slightly better than the original. About 5000 times better than the “parodies” the Americans keep churning out, probably because A) it has a good comedian in the lead, B) is an actual movie with something resembling a storyline, rather than collection of references, and C) is nicely family friendly, without out-of-place dirty jokes.

4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days (Romania, 2007) – 4/5
An excellent, realistic drama set in the 1980’s Romania. Disturbing topic (abortion), but withoyt sensationalism or major drama. Great performances, general underplaying of everything, and a storyline that only covers one day, enhance the realism.

[grim_tales]

Hugo (2011-USA) ***

Magical fantasy for all the family that could very well be Scorsese's most personal film.

Art direction and visual design are spectacular.

Took me a bit longer than it should have to get into the story though...

I enjoyed Hugo too and loved all the cinema references. Couldnt get used to Chloe Moretz speaking with a plummy English accent, or Sacha Baron Cohen's panto villain station master though, and the film hinges on the fact that Melies is a crabby bast*rd, if he would only open up, the film would be over.

[gasteropod]

Battleship (2012) - 1/5

If I were Mark Kermode I would review this film by repeatedly bashing my head against a wall.

[Markgway]

Couldnt get used to Chloe Moretz speaking with a plummy English accent

I thought her accent and performance was spot on.

[gasteropod]

Couldnt get used to Chloe Moretz speaking with a plummy English accent

I thought her accent and performance was spot on.

Yeah I thought it was really good too.

[Markgway]

Beverly Hills Cop (1984-USA) ***

Murphy's best film?

[grim_tales]

Couldnt get used to Chloe Moretz speaking with a plummy English accent

I thought her accent and performance was spot on.

I got used to it as it went on, it was good but seemed a bit stiff at first for me

[Markgway]

Alice, Sweet, Alice aka Communion (1976-USA) **

Competantly directed and acted horror mixes the religious and evil child sub-genres but the plot doesn't make a lick of sense.

[bradavon]

Logan's Run (1976-USA) **

Good premise... not so good execution.

Agreed. The ending is really poor too. They've been muting a remake for years, it could easily be better.

Johnny English Reborn (UK, 2011) – 3/5 (airplane viewing)
Another fun Johnny English movie – possibly slightly better than the original. About 5000 times better than the “parodies” the Americans keep churning out, probably because A) it has a good comedian in the lead, B) is an actual movie with something resembling a storyline, rather than collection of references, and C) is nicely family friendly, without out-of-place dirty jokes.

I've not seen this but it sounds like you like the original. Which is utter nonsense. What was Rowan Atkinson thinking? He's so much better than that tosh. I expect the sequel is no better.

4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days (Romania, 2007) – 4/5
An excellent, realistic drama set in the 1980’s Romania. Disturbing topic (abortion), but without sensationalism or major drama. Great performances, general underplaying of everything, and a storyline that only covers one day, enhance the realism.

I meant to catch this at the cinema. Funnily enough I've recently picked up the DVD.

Battleship (2012) - 1/5

If I were Mark Kermode I would review this film by repeatedly bashing my head against a wall.

Ha ha .

Beverly Hills Cop (1984-USA) ***

Murphy's best film?

Along with BHC2 easily. I love them both.

[gasteropod]

Marvel Avengers Assemble (2012) - 3.5/5

[Markgway]

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011-USA-UAE) **½

Fourth and arguably least in the M:I series. The action sequences are good, but the film as a whole is pretty bland compared to its predecessors. To be fair I wasn't a fan of M:I3 first time I saw it - so who knows if this too will grow on me down the line. The third film had considerable drama and peril (thanks to Philip Seymour Hoffman's palpable threats toward Michelle Monaghan) but despite being on the cusp of nuclear war, M:I4 (sorry, Ghost Protocol) wasn't as dangerous and exciting as it should be. It was however both the most violent (a bloody head shot in a 12?) and most comic (step forward Simon Pegg) of the series. As a night's BD rental it does the job.

Terminator Salvation (2009-USA-Germany-UK-Italy) ***

Now this turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Perhaps my generous rating reflects my low expectations (for any film directed by McG) but this bangs and bucks action blockbuster delivered the goods. Is it on a par with the James Cameron entries? Of course not. Does it bring shame to the franchise? It certainly doesn't - and for that alone I'm very grateful. I don't recall the third film well enough to compare... but TS (which I always assumed was titled Terminator: Salvation) has enough smarts and integrity to fill the gap until Schwarzenegger returns (it could happen...)

P.S. I saw the theatrical cut which is sadly missing a glimpse of the sexy Moon Bloodgood's tits.

[luckystars]

Just finished the Star Wars Blu-Ray set.

Final ratings for the films,

Star Wars 10/10
Empire Strikes Back 9.5/10
Return of the Jedi 8.5/10

Phantom Menace 5.5/10
Attack of the Clones 4.5/10 <---------remembered this being better. Its like watching a videogame cutscene for over 2 hours.
Revenge of the Sith 6/10

[Markgway]

Outland (1981-UK) **½

Mildly diverting sci-fi take on High Noon gets big boost from presence of Sean Connery.

[Yi-Long]

Valkyrie: 3/5

Well-made WW2 movie starring a mediocre Tom Cruise as a german officer fed up with Hitler/the Nazis/the war, and joins a plan to kill Hitler, grabbing the power, and ending the war.

It's an interesting story, but it lacks any kind of heart or characters to care about, and in the end you're probably better off watching a good quality documentary about the story, instead of this pretty dry Hollywood incarnation.

Saving Private Ryan: 4/5

Finally managed to watch this, and it's a good movie, but certainly not the classic epic I expected it to be. Yes it's long, but the story it tells isn't that big that it warrants the 3 hours running-time. The cast is good, especially (ofcourse) Hanks, and it's nice to spot the cameos by Hollywood big-shots like Ted Danson in small roles, but when the dust has settled, you don't really care about any of the characters, and watching them die 1 by 1 is tragic in the sense that it's predictable, instead of meaningful.

[HungFist]

Titanic 3D (USA, 1997 / 2012) – 4/5
Been more than 14 years since I saw the “original” in cinema when I was an elementary school student. The new 3D hardly adds anything to the film, but the movie itself is still a very solid epic reminiscent of the old school Hollywood cinema. DiCaprio looks a bit gay, but Winslet is good, Cameron directs both romance and action well, and Dion’s theme song isn’t as irritating as I recalled. Made a great date movie (Zombie Ass I’m gonna watch alone, though).

edit: http://youtu.be/dJxj1mou03M ( at Michael Bay)
(thanks Heka)

edit 2: just to avoid confusion: Heka was not the date

[brooce-leroy]

Couldnt get used to Chloe Moretz speaking with a plummy English accent

I thought her accent and performance was spot on.

good but seemed a bit stiff at first for me

[grim_tales]

I didnt mean it THAT way

[Heka]

edit 2: just to avoid confusion: Heka was not the date

Anybody would be honored to be on a date with a hunk of love like yourself.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (USA, 2011) – 2/5
Funnily enough I also ended up watching this movie not because I wanted to, but because a girl wanted to see it. I've never seen the three movies that precede this “masterpiece” nor have I ever liked Tom Cruise. So it's clear I wasn't expecting anything out of this movie, but it wasn't completely worthless. If one disregards the fact that a Swedish nuclear terrorist is about as ridiculous as casting the god awful Samuli Edelmann as a scary henchman you're left with a movie that's enjoyable enough when watching it with friends, but I think at least I wouldn't enjoy watching it silently in a movie theater.