What Have You Just Seen... Marks Out of 5

Film Reviews and Release Comparisons
EvaUnit02
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Post by EvaUnit02 »

Incase anyone (basically Brad) didn't understand my original Clive Owen post:- He's a fricken block of wood. Just witness the first half-hour of Derailed (or rather don't, as it's literally a painfully bad film).

Thank god that he wasn't cast as Bond, he would've killed Casino Royale stone dead.
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Post by bradavon »

I hadn't noticed you'd even discussed Owen. He would've killed Casino Royale, for some reason filmmakers seem to think he has talent.
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Post by grim_tales »

A Better Tomorrow 3 is still worth owning in the set IMO. But Eva, you're right in that BITH is basically Woo's version of ABT 3. It's a superb film. But that doesn't make ABT 3 a bad film.

Blood and Honey Volume 7 - 4.5/5

I loved this show, what a great storyteller Tony Robinson is. I just wish I had the other tapes (they're quite rare).
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HungFist
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Post by HungFist »

Lost in Beijing – 2,5/5
Give this director (Yu Li) a camera crew and kill the screenwriter (Yu Li, d’oh) and she might do amazing job. Lost in Beijing is pure joy whenever nothing is happening. Unfortunately 95% of the running time is wasted on plot and Tony Leung (Ka Fai)’s over-acting. Still, the movie somehow managed to keep my attention till the end even if there wasn’t much else good than the visuals.

I’m a Cyborg but that’s Okay – 1,5/5
And what happened to Chan-wook Park? I’m a Cyborg but that’s Okay is a painful mess that lacks almost everything that made his previous films good. The stunnning soundtracks, magnificent visuals, clever storylines... all vanished. Ironically Park (only) succeeds with violence, the very theme he was trying to move further away from with this awkward drama/comedy that seemingly has no deeper meaning hidden under the messy core.

Breath – 4/5
I’m glad to report that Kim’s new film is a step up after the melodramatic Time. While not quite up to his best days Kim has mostly abandoned the crowd pleasing elements and put the aim back on silent obsession. The storyline is about a married woman who starts casual meetings with a death row prisoner (Chang Chen) who may or may not be her old boyfriend as she tells people.

El Custodio – 3/5
El Custodio follows the everyday life of an Argentinan bodyguard. Instead of action and excitement the movie concentrates on realism. The main character is a man who’s job is to stand for hours outside the meeting rooms waiting for the important people to make the decisions, never to talk unless he’s been spoken to, and never to show his personal feelings. El Custodio is a movie that will put an average viewer into sleep in no time but will gain respect from fans of slow moving cinema.
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thelostdragon
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Post by thelostdragon »

HungFist wrote:I’m a Cyborg but that’s Okay – 1,5/5
Aren't the shoot-out scenes amazing, though? :D
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HungFist
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Post by HungFist »

thelostdragon wrote:
HungFist wrote:I’m a Cyborg but that’s Okay – 1,5/5
Aren't the shoot-out scenes amazing, though? :D
HungFist wrote: Ironically Park (only) succeeds with violence
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Markgway
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Post by Markgway »

Road to Perdition 3/5

Stylish period gangster film, but rather cold around the heart.
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bradavon
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Post by bradavon »

It's supposed to be cold, it's about redemption. I don't think the ending is cold though.
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Markgway
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Post by Markgway »

I didn't really care though....

Execution seemed awfully clinical.
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Post by saltysam »

Evil Dead 2 (blu-ray) 4/5

crazy sequel you'll love or hate,there is no middle ground.solid transfer and the added resolution has the unwanted effect of showing up some of the cheap effects work.
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HungFist
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Post by HungFist »

13 Tzameti – 3/5
There’s been a lot of talk about this film but I guess that’s often the case when a new director picks a rough theme and shoots it in b/w. 13 Tzameti is a very decent thriller but ultimately there isn’t that much spectacular about it. It however isn’t too underlining like some other similiar films, and the b/w cinematography saves a lot.

London to Brighton – 2,5/5
Ah, the intentional roughness. It’s not too bad but it would be a good idea to either have some characterization first, or more cinematic skills to make the audience buy it. Paul Andrew Williams’s dedut film of a beaten up prostitute and a 12 year old girl on the run works if you don’t let the ”damn we’re doing hard hitting cinema” - attitude get on your way. Georgia Groome who plays the little girl is quite interesting to follow. It took me about 25 minutes before I started understanding any of the dialogue (brit accent warning). A good thing the print came with unexpected swedish subtitles.

Triangle (Tie saam gok) – 3,5/5
Instead of directing three separate episodes Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam and Johnnie To deliver a single storyline, with each director helming one third of the movie. The outcome is an undeniable mess, but a very enjoyable one. The movie begins as a crime thriller but soon gets weirder and weirder. By the time To takes over the movie has turned into a sort of violent mystery farce told with a straigh face. Lam Suet’s appearance near the end is a small classic that will be equally hated and loved. Just like the whole movie.
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Post by slasher13 »

Django - 4/5
Frances Nero excels as Django, I really enjoyed this Spanish Western. Love what is in the coffin :lol:

Django Kill - 3/5
I think they just put in Django just because they want that title, it is a good movie, some bits are disturbing, The man with no name is a good lead star. It was an enjoyable romp

Deathdream - 3.5/5
Very cool 70's low horror movie, I didn't have that much high hope for this, and really enjoyed it. A different take on a zombie movie, Didn't realise this was Tom Savini first movie, there is a lovely extra about him on this.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: Mini Series (The movie) - 4/5
Talk about bleak, this is great. I've watched the old 70's series, but never saw the reimaging, so I got the r1 boxset which has the movie, and starting off, the show is brilliant. Completely bleak, no hope and a good twist at the end. Now can't wait to watch each episodes
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Knetan
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Post by Knetan »

hey,

and in Germany, they created a Django movie whenever they could, despite only Nero the ACTOR being the connection sometimes. See Lucio Fulci's Massacre Time.
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Post by slasher13 »

Knetan wrote:hey,

and in Germany, they created a Django movie whenever they could, despite only Nero the ACTOR being the connection sometimes. See Lucio Fulci's Massacre Time.
Hey just been checking that, that sounds cool :), May also get Four of the Apocalypse , Another Lucio Fulci western :)

Frances Nero rules... (Plus he was my childhood hero as the Ninja in Enter the Ninja :) )
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Post by grim_tales »

Rome: Season 1 Ep 1: 4/5

How many episodes does the DVD version have? The BBC version had 10 (I think).
The acting is very good, and there's mucho sex and violence :D
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Post by romerojpg »

slasher13 wrote:
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: Mini Series (The movie) - 4/5
Talk about bleak, this is great. I've watched the old 70's series, but never saw the reimaging, so I got the r1 boxset which has the movie, and starting off, the show is brilliant. Completely bleak, no hope and a good twist at the end. Now can't wait to watch each episodes

Battlestar Galactica, if you think the mini series is good! you will cry by the time Season 1 is half way thu, and you will probibly die by the time Season 2 starts :D its that good!
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Post by bradavon »

Hot Fuzz

8 out of 10

Miles better than Shaun of the Dead. I loved all the police and cop film references (the biggest had to be Wickerman). It was really funny in places.

I've been reading most people (including Kermode) wished the film was 20 minutes shorter. What? The last 25 minutes are the best part of the film. The shoot out was really fun. I didn't much like how they finished off Timothy Dalton though.

I loved Nick Frost's character. He was so likeable and had some great lines. The other village cops were fun too.

Both Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz heavily rely on you being fans of the genre. I guess that's why I didn't really connect with Shaun of the Dead, which was only fairly good.

Grind House: Death Proof

8 out of 10

I ended up seeing this last night. I was going to go tonight but luckily I decided to have a look and to my surprise last night was it's last showing, it's only been out a week???. There must've been no more than a dozen people in the cinema. I guess that's why it's tanking. I can see both Grind House films fairing much better on DVD.

I really enjoyed it too. I particularly liked the first half, the second half was also fun but not quite up to the same quality. I loved all the razor sharp dialogue QT does so well. All the gratuitous female shots were cool too :D . Even QT's appearance wasnt annoying for once. Kurt Russell's character was ace. I didn't much like that blonde getting killed though, that was a bit OTT.

What decade was the first part supposed to be set in? It was clearly the 1970s yet it had mobile phones and references to CGI???

I've also been reading some didn't like all the women talking bits. I thought they were great. Lots of cool dialogue. The ending was pretty gruesome.

I'm definitely pleased we weren't given the two films together. Three Hours of B-List fun would've been too much. I'd not have been able to give Death Proof a fair chance.

Bring on Planet Terror. I'm not expecting this to be as good though. I don't rate Rodriguez in the same league as QT. Is there any word at all when Planet Terror is getting a UK release? I'd rather see it on the big screen if I can.

How did you guys manage to see it so early? Both the UK and DVD release have only recently happened.
Last edited by bradavon on 28 Sep 2007, 17:02, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by romerojpg »

Timothy Dalton got a great finish :D I rewatched the film the other day, its better second time around I thought.



Planet Terror is out soon, most people had the trailer play beforre Death Proof :D I didnt sadly :(

There was 8 people in the cinema with me seeing Death Proof, on a saturday night! the day after opening at the peak showing time! Flop does not even come close to this film.

Most people have seen Pirates of both films, many will not admit it, but most people had seen both parts of Grindhouse well before it was out anywhere.
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Post by bradavon »

romerojpg wrote:Timothy Dalton got a great finish :D
I didn't think it was in connecting with the rest of the film.
romerojpg wrote:Planet Terror is out soon, most people had the trailer play beforre Death Proof :D I didnt sadly :(
Neither did I. Great though. Any idea how soon?
romerojpg wrote:There was 8 people in the cinema with me seeing Death Proof, on a saturday night! the day after opening at the peak showing time! Flop does not even come close to this film.
Just before you walked through the door they't put up a sign explaining the bad quality was deliberate (which I loved).

Considering most people go to see films based on Word of Mouth or Trailers. It's still odd it tanked. The trailer makes it look really cool and you'd not really even know it looked bad from the trailer.
romerojpg wrote:Most people have seen Pirates of both films, many will not admit it, but most people had seen both parts of Grindhouse well before it was out anywhere.
That's what I was thinking. It seem these two films way more than normal.
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Post by romerojpg »

Planet Terror at the moment is set for November (It was March next year!!!!!!!!) as they are advertising it in cinemas now I would hope November at the latest.

Death Proof the trailer for it in UK cinemas showing latley, easily THE WORST trailer I have seen in my life, it deserves to flop for it. It was pure shit, just shots of ladies and a few cars, with music. Not a trailer at all, it deserved to bomb for that piece of crap, no wonder people stayed away.

Many people own Grindhouse on dvd (the full 3 hour version) its not out anywhere in the world, hence they own pirates. But in this case I think its fine, as the full Grindhouse film was not released many places. Hell even I want to see the sodding complete thing! I want to see the silly trailers etc.. but at the moment we have to settle for cut down versions, with two films cut together slightly different. Shame.
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Post by bradavon »

Ladies + Fast Cars = Magic :D

The two separate longer cuts suit me just fine.
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Post by saltysam »

I was the opposite Brad,i thought the 2nd part Of Death Proof was better.the last 20 minutes were cool 8) i didn't think the dialogue was snappy as some of QT'S earlier stuff. my Planet Terror dvd shipped from Axel today,more than 2 weeks before release :P
bradavon
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Post by bradavon »

Definitely it's not as snappy as other QT material but it's still way snappier than most Hollywood scripts. Oh and the music as usual was ace. QT really knows how to big a good song.

The last 20 minutes were cool. I loved the look of the first half though.

Have you seen Planet Terror before?
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Post by saltysam »

yes,it's nothing like Death Proof. it's a mad sci-fi/action/zombie flick.i agree about the music from Death Proof,ace.i can't get the closing credits track out of my head :D
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Post by tom2681 »

Sunshine: 2,5 / 5
That's what I call a missed opportunity.
The first 70 minutes are fine, but after that the film turns into cheap/weird alien-like horror crap.

Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift: 0 / 5
Shouldn't have watched this.
I just wanted to know if it was as bad as I expected it to be.
... and it's much worse. :D
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