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

[thelostdragon]

I didn't buy Harvey's transformation from sqeuaky clean to deranged psycho for a second).

Same here.

Upon reflection: A hugely overrated disappointment.

Agreed.

[HungFist]

Reindeerspotting – Escape from Santa-Land (Finland, 2010) – 4.5/5

Possibly the best drug movie ever made!

The usual problem with many documentaries is that they’re made by an outsider. Not so with drug documentary Reindeerspotting, which was directed by Joonas Neuvonen, a 20 something year old active drug user from Northern Finland. In 2003 he decided to start videotaping the normal lives of himself and his friends, especially the 19 year old Jani. He continued for several years, eventually following Jani to Southern Europe while Jani was on the run from the Finnish police. Authentic, non-preachy, sad, shocking, fun, and real. And, most surprisingly, absolutely first grade cinema (somewhat similar to new wave Japanese indie films). Only the fact that Reindeerspotting is real separates it from fictional films.



The film drew quite a bit of media attention in Finland when it was rated 18 for “showing the positive aspects in drug use, and not emphasizing the negatives enough”. The distributor filed a complaint, stating that the film’s message is the exact opposite, but the decision held.

To call Reindeerspotting a pro-drug movie is pure madness, but admittedly it’s not a film for everyone. All the drug use, including heroin, is real and shown in detail.

The protagonist, Jani, was found dead in Cambodia in summer 2010. He had been released from prison earlier the same year.

[gasteropod]

I wonder if it would provoke Yi-Long to shoot up?

[Yi-Long]

I wonder if it would provoke Yi-Long to shoot up?

I doubt it. Requiem for a Dream was so awful because it was so extremely OTT and preachy and ridiculous that it was pure brainvomit, made by idiots, for idiots.

Authentic, non-preachy, sad, shocking, fun, and real.

...so this sounds like it's none of that.

I doubt I'll ever watch it though. I find it hard to put myself to watch the movies I AM excited about, so something like this which at most seems 'interesting' to me, is probably only getting a chance when I come across it on TV and I'm bored.

[Markgway]

I've no time for 'non-judgemental' movies about heroin.

World would be a better place if these cunts all OD'd on bad shit.

[romerojpg]

World would be a better place if these cunts all OD'd on bad shit.

we can but hope

[HungFist]

I've no time for 'non-judgemental' movies about heroin.

The whole point with Reindeerspotting is that it's made for people who have brains. It treats the viewer with respect, like an adult, and assumes he can interpret what he's seeing. It doesn't need to say heroin is bad, anyone can see it just watching the film. By giving the entire picture with no judgement is achieves credibility. This is what it (the life of junkies) really is.

Requiem, in this sense, is made for 5 year olds. It assumes all viewers are incapable of any brain activity, and the message has to be yelled in the viewer's ear. It's a collection of worst case scenarios, and doesnt have much credibility.

That being said, the last time I saw Requiem (I think that was back in VHS rental era) I liked it a lot. Putting any education issues aside, it's a strong ride with terrific soundtrack.

[gasteropod]

World would be a better place if these cunts all OD'd on bad shit.

Fairly recently heroin users were dying due to anthrax contamination

[Markgway]

World would be a better place if these cunts all OD'd on bad shit.

Fairly recently heroin users were dying due to anthrax contamination

It wasn't me.

[Markgway]

Never Back Down **

Watchable retread of The Karate Kid (closer in content than the actual remake) is undone by over-familarity and dull, uncinematic MMA fights.

Dead & Buried **

Sort-of Zombie movie is decent for the most part but gets awfully silly by the close. The more they explain the dafter it seems. Gore FX are very uneven.

[grim_tales]

The Two Ronnies: Season 3: 3.5/5

Good old school comedy
Some of it may be a bit un PC by modern standards but it was the 70's after all, and while I dont always agree with how the girls are shown, whats wrong with finding an attractive girl.. attractive?

[saltysam]

Dirty Mary,Crazy Larry 2/5 70's Chase movie with Peter Fonda & Susan George in the title roles aided by Adam Roarke is enlivened by well filmed car chases and a surprisingly downbeat ending,certainly didn't see that coming when i first saw this many moons ago the always dependable Vic Morrow is the cop on their tail.

Race With The Devil 3.5/5

Another 70's chase movie starring Peter Fonda,this time with a horror theme. co-starring the excellent Warren Oates this shares similarities with Dirty Mary, not least another downbeat ending simple story well told and executed,i'm surprised this hasn't had a remake.

Armored 2/5

Recent heist movie starring Matt Dillon,Jean Reno & Fred Ward amongst others.A Team of armored van security guards decide to rob the money they are carrying,things oviously don't go to plan.Pretty much by the numbers but worth a watch if you have nothing better to do & running at a lean 88 minutes it moves along at a nice clip.Reno is wasted in a supporting role.Surprised this was only a 12,some the violence while not extreme,is quite tough for the rating.

[romerojpg]

Armored I sold instantly, worth a watch and thats about it. I expected more from the cast it has to be said.

[saltysam]

yeah,i bought a few blu's cheap in the cash converters by me,this was one,i'll be trading it on.also picked up Daybreakers/Happening/Repo Men,don't expect any of them to be worth keeping,in the case of the Happening i'm thinking it cannot be as bad as Lady In The Water

[romerojpg]

I must say I really liked both Daybreakers and Repo Men. Fingers crossed you do as well, they do what they set out to do well I thought and have a few stonking scenes in them, even if they are not perfect as a whole.

[HungFist]

Scream 4 (USA, 2011) - 2.5/5
15 years since the original. Time for rebirth. Or not. Scre4m is essentially the same movie Wes Craven directed three times already. The opening is terrible - a post modern feast for smart ass kids, the ones who wouldn't understand more subtle references and parody. Nothing new in the series, of course, but it hasn't been done this poorly before. Once past the introduction, the rest isn't too bad. In a way, it's admirable Craven has not attempted to upgrade the series by jumping any new bandwagon. Familiar characters, familiar murders, new suspects. The outcome is safe, perhaps too much so, lacking any new twist. But credit to Craven, still making slasher movies at the age of 71.

[Markgway]

The Changeling ***
Effective, quite scary ghost story with George C. Scott.

The Order **.5
Goofy Van Damme vehicle. Fun if you switch your brain off.

In Hell **
Harsh, brutal prison movie with regular grappling. Not one of Van Damme's best.

[gasteropod]

Escape from L.A.: 2.5/5

It started off all right but got progressively sillier. I liked some of its satirical digs, but I'm puzzled by why it's such a retread of the first film (and a brutal fight to the death from the first film turns into a... slow-motion basketball match in this one, hmmm). And Steve Buscemi was annoying as hell.

[luckystars]

Escape from L.A.: 2.5/5

It started off all right but got progressively sillier. I liked some of its satirical digs, but I'm puzzled by why it's such a retread of the first film (and a brutal fight to the death from the first film turns into a... slow-motion basketball match in this one, hmmm). And Steve Buscemi was annoying as hell.

Great film

[luckystars]

Million Dollar Baby 9.5/10

Been meaning to watch for a few years. Damn Clint does it again. At the beginning of this I wasn't feeling the pace of the film at all, and was rather unsettled by a lot of heavy dialogue scenes early on, and it had me thinking scenes could've been chopped here and there..

Somehow though, Clint always manages to draw you in and even with a twist I knew was coming I was still blown away how he handled the subject matter. Clint the actor was great and Swank's acting and physicality was superb. The heart and mentality of the fighter was brilliantly told, as were the painful moments of drama, humour and not overplayed sentimentallity. All in all Clint's ability to deliver heavy drama that leaves you with a positive feeling is gold. And I don't mean cheese

Not perfect but near perfect moviemaking.

Now I need to see The Aviator to see if it MDB deserved the 2 big Oscars..

[bradavon]

It's excellent. I love how Clint goes for old fashioned film-making, feeling no need for wall-to-wall CGI.

[saltysam]

Clint Eastwood to me is the biggest living movie icon but that doesn't stop me saying Million Dollar Baby is schmaltzy,predictable filmmaking.very well done filmaking mind,with excellent performances but pretty much a by the numbers effort for me.

[gasteropod]

City of the Living Dead: 3/5

[luckystars]

Clint Eastwood to me is the biggest living movie icon but that doesn't stop me saying Million Dollar Baby is schmaltzy,predictable filmmaking.very well done filmaking mind,with excellent performances but pretty much a by the numbers effort for me.

I wouldn't say it was predictable at all. Apart from the girl got to train under Clint. It would've been a shorter film if she hadn't!

[HungFist]

Clint Eastwood to me is the biggest living movie icon but that doesn't stop me saying Million Dollar Baby is schmaltzy,predictable filmmaking.very well done filmaking mind,with excellent performances but pretty much a by the numbers effort for me.

My thoughts exactly. I think I rated it 2.5/5.