Movie/TV recommendations

[ThunderPeel2001]

Hanna - Actually really good. Very much like Leon. Sort of set in the same world of incredible evil adults and incredible adept youngsters. Recommended.

Senna - Best film I've seen in a while. I knew nothing about Formula 1 and had little or no interest in it. Doesn't matter, force yourself to watch this. Anyone will enjoy it.

Henna -

I made this one up.

A Clockwork Orange - (Yes, I was late to this particular party) Damned ugly movie, and the dialogue is delivered in this weird mock-Shakespearian way, but the ending makes it all worth while. Very good.

X-Men First Class - A wasted opportunity. Not sure what happened, but it felt like it was between re-writes. Nowhere near as solid and polished as it could (should?) have been. Also, Prof X and Magneto have almost no depth added to their characters... and in the end it sort of re-treads X-Men 2.

I would have loved to see Prof X and Magneto start off as different people, and slowly change into who we know them as. E.g. Magneto starts off trusting (difficult, knowing his Nazi back-story, but nobody said it would be easy). Gets betrayed. Learns to be bitter. Prof X starts off gung-ho about how powerful they all are. Gets his students killed (or something). Learns to be reserved with humility. Then at least there's an interesting back-story to who they are.

Instead we see them as essentially exactly the same people they've always been. It adds next to nothing to the mythology.

Still, it wasn't terrible. Better than X-Men 3, not as good as X-Men 2.

[Kolzig]

I watched King Ralph yesterday.

Peter O'Toole has really selected some weird roles during his career.

Also wtf, Kingdom of Finland? Really? At least they got the anthem and flag right, which is surprising.

But still a funny but weird movie from 1991!

[Thyroid]

A Clockwork Orange...the dialogue is delivered in this weird mock-Shakespearian way

It's called Nadsat. The novel has more of it than the movie, but it's really easy to pick up. Great book and film.

[ThunderPeel2001]

It's called Nadsat. The novel has more of it than the movie, but it's really easy to pick up. Great book and film.

Aye, I know about that, but I wasn't talking about the language used, but the delivery style. It could have been a lot more naturalistic, even with the weird words injected into the language.

Also, apparently there's two versions of the book. One with a chapter at the end where

Alex is finally rehabilitated

-- which is the author's preferred text, and the other one (without that chapter) that Kubrick read and preferred.

I haven't read either, but I think I'm with Kubrick.

Edited June 9, 2011 by ThunderPeel2001

[MrHoatzin]

Clockwork Orange is one of the rare instances where I prefer the movie to the book.

[DanJW]

Aye, I know about that, but I wasn't talking about the language used, but the delivery style. It could have been a lot more naturalistic, even with the weird words injected into the language.

Also, apparently there's two versions of the book. One with a chapter at the end where

Alex is finally rehabilitated

-- which is the author's preferred text, and the other one (without that chapter) that Kubrick read and preferred.

I haven't read either, but I think I'm with Kubrick.

I've seen the stage play, which I guess based on the former one. In fact, Alex just kind of

grows out of it naturally, rather than being 'rehabilitated'.

It's in this version that Alex actually talks about the 'clockwork orange'.

See it if you ever get the chance, it's a very good script. And for a happy ending it contains just as much political bite as, if not more than, the alternative one.

[brkl]

I'm with Kingz. The book disappointed me. Somehow nadsat just felt gimmicky in the book, but not in the movie.

[Thyroid]

Aye, I know about that, but I wasn't talking about the language used, but the delivery style. It could have been a lot more naturalistic, even with the weird words injected into the language.

Also, apparently there's two versions of the book. One with a chapter at the end where

Alex is finally rehabilitated

-- which is the author's preferred text, and the other one (without that chapter) that Kubrick read and preferred.

I haven't read either, but I think I'm with Kubrick.

Alex is a bit of a liar. I didn't buy his last words.

Edited June 10, 2011 by Kroms

[ThunderPeel2001]

Interesting. Sounds like it may be worth a read then.

[Roderick]

I saw Source Code and really liked it. It felt like a worthy follow-up in Duncan Jones' oeuvre, exploring similar themes (technology pushing the limits of humanity and how the little guy responds to that) in novel ways. It was a striking, touching movie.

[Moosferatu]

Long wait for the next Dr Who.

[Sully907]

I have two episodes left in the west wing. Really nice finale arch to it.

[Thyroid]

I really want to see season two of The Wire, but a loved one is visiting and said loved one is a homophobe, so I won't risk it. I do miss those guys, though. Goddamn Wire, making me forget they're not real people.

Yeah.

I'm starting The Sopranos today instead. I can watch that on my laptop and not the TV. For some reason, I can't start a show on a TV and then continue on a laptop, and dammit I bought the complete collection of The Wire to watch on a TV. Sopranos I rented and will start then finish on monsieur lappy. So Sopranos it is.

(Do countries like the States still rent out movies?)

[ThunderPeel2001]

I don't recall there being much gay stuff in the beginning of Season 2, but depending on who's staying with you, I suppose it may not be worth it to you to take the risk. (Also, I could be wrong -- the first shot may be of Omar with a young lover for all I can remember!)

[Thyroid]

It's of McNulty on a boat and it cracked me the fuck up.

Alas, I can't risk it so. Dude means too much to me, his insane views on reality aside.

[Gwardinen]

I'm most of the way through season two of the Sopranos myself right now, and I've been enjoying it more than I thought I would. Not every episode is amazing, but taken as a whole it's surprisingly funny and insightful. I've heard it loses a bit of the bizarre humanity that makes it so charming later on, but for now I'm happy with it.

As for the Wire... I got half way through season four and then stopped watching for a reason I can no longer remember, and for a while now I've been considering either trying to finish, or restarting season four, or restarting the entire series. I'm still not sure what I should do.

[Ben X]

Rewatch the last couple? That should catch you up and get you back in the flow.

[Patters]

X-Men First Class: It seemed to be lacking something. The first half was passable at best, what with retreading of old ground. It got better as other characters came in, though parts of the weaker second half were apparent. Also Havok is Cyclops YOUNGER brother. Not particularly impressed by it, parts were very fun though. Thor was much more enjoyable for me.

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights: In preparation for Green Lantern, which I am cautiously optimistic about. It's a quite good collection of corps tales, clearly aimed at a younger audience but very fun. Also Nathan Fillion as Hal Jordan was an excellent decision.

[brkl]

Oo, I guess I'll get that. I need to hear that voice.

[Wrestlevania]

X-Men: First Class

It, too, felt somewhat empty or incomplete for me. There's nothing here that surprises, except maybe some of the shittiest mutants in the series being used instead of the majority of the original members. No idea why; the replacements feel flat and inconsequential.

Overall, a patchy and ultimately disappointing reboot, but with a few decent ideas and one or two good bits of casting to pull it above "failure".

Hanna

Brilliant! From the casting to the cinematography to the blistering soundtrack provided by the Chemical Brothers, this is much more what a comic book film should be like.

Whether it's actually based on a comic book or not I'm too lazy to look up. What I mean is it has the crisp snap to it of a comic book, along with more languid character studies you get in that medium. It works really well, and never once drops pace or descends into the trite, navel-gazing some comic book introspectives can be.

See this, but make sure you go to a theatre with a kick-arse sound system. You're missing out on a big part of the experience if you don't.

Get Low

A return-to-form for Bill Murray, after the directionless Broken Flowers, albeit in an enjoyably straight role. A tender, endearing performance by Robert Duvall too, as a cantankerous hermit trying to make peace with his inner and outer demons before he dies.

Great casting throughout, sparsely shot yet rich in texture and colour, and a twangy, enjoyable Deep South soundtrack adds to the immersion.

Neds

Brutalist 70s biopic of a disenfranchised school swot growing up in a grotty part of Glasgow. Casting is decent and the story convincingly set and told, but it foolishly tries to incorporate artistic pretensions and ultimately looses its way by the very end.

Enjoyable while it lasts except for the unsatisfying ending, which leaves you wondering what exactly the director was trying to do with the last 2hrs. Watch it if you're even remotely interested in inner city life and/or Scottish urban culture though, but be warned: the accents are thicker than Highland toffee.

Edited June 14, 2011 by Wrestlevania

[ThunderPeel2001]

Hanna

Brilliant! From the casting to the cinematography to the blistering soundtrack provided by the Chemical Brothers, this is much more what a comic book film should be like.

Whether it's actually based on a comic book or not I'm too lazy to look up. What I mean is it has the crisp snap to it of a comic book, along with more languid character studies you get in that medium. It works really well, and never once drops pace or descends into the trite, navel-gazing some comic book introspectives can be.

See this, but make sure you go to a theatre with a kick-arse sound system. You're missing out on a big part of the experience if you don't.

Hey! That's the movie I went to see where the front left and right speakers weren't working... you know, where the music lives. Doh!

[Squid Division]

X-Men: First Class

It, too, felt somewhat empty or incomplete for me. There's nothing here that surprises, except maybe some of the shittiest mutants in the series being used instead of the majority of the original members. No idea why; the replacements feel flat and inconsequential.

Overall, a patchy and ultimately disappointing reboot, but with a few decent ideas and one or two good bits of casting to pull it above "failure".

Agreed. I'd have rather had it been 2 hours of Erik Lensherr hunting down Nazis - that was the coolest part.

[Roderick]

If you have a love for cartoons, then you should probably go and watch the new My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic show. Don't be deterred by the subject matter: there are legions of adult, male fans (called 'brony') and for good reason. It's one of the best things out there right now.

No need for downloading either; everything's on Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeJ6-gN0eB4

[Orv]

If you have a love for cartoons, then you should probably go and watch the new My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic show. Don't be deterred by the subject matter: there are legions of adult, male fans (called 'brony') and for good reason. It's one of the best things out there right now.

No need for downloading either; everything's on Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeJ6-gN0eB4

No it's fucking not. It's not anything fucking special. I don't know why people are so fucking enthralled by this godsdamned show but it drives me fucking insane.

(Fucking.)

[toblix]

What is this. I watched about two minutes, expecting some kind of hilarious thing to occur.