I haven't see the superhero movies you've mentioned because well superheroes are just rubbish but I'm not having the Moonlight talk, that was clearly the best of the year and more than deserved all the credit it got(Also feck knows what you were watching as it way more than just a black coming out story.)
Film The Redcafe Movie review thread
- Thread starter golden_blunder
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I watched the same movie you did. No fecking way was it clearly the best of the year. Although it was a good movie. So probably doesn’t belong in my “objectively shit yet lauded by right on critics” category tbf.
What was better ? I did a quick google at I couldn't see that anything else that stood out.
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To he honest, I couldn’t care less about the Oscars. La La Land was crap an’ all. No real stand outs on the shortlist that year so if Moonlight was seen as the best of a bad lot, then more power to it. I was mainly arguing the toss about it “clearly” being better than other decent but unremarkable movies like Manchester By the Sea (which I preferred, personally) but meh, whatever.
My issue was with the feverish hyperbole of the reviews I read/listened to. Critics completely losing the run of themselves in their efforts to tell us how much they love the film. Which ended up with reviews a long fecking way removed from the movie I watched.
Like I said, I did enjoy it but was expecting one of the finest films of the last decade and it didn’t come close to justifying that sort of praise IMHO.
Yes I did mate, but I wish I hadn’t bothered. I was really looking forward to watching it after seeing the reviews, perhaps the fact I wasn’t high ruined it
3/10
I disagree about Moonlight, that's a wonderful film in my opinion (although it shouldn't have won best film at the Oscars but the best films rarely do). But you're right about the other two, there was definitely a political bias in the reviews for Black Panther, which isn't even one of the five best Marvel movies, and Wonder Woman.
Hmmm... Starting to regret dragging Moonlight into this discussion. Might be just one of those times where I should have avoided reading reviews first. Inflated expectations can spoil many a class movie.
I was actually also slightly underwhelmed after seeing it at the cinema, probably due to ridiculous expectations. When I rewatched it at home, I loved it.
Interesting. I must add it to my list of movies I need to watch again. Here’s hoping I ever get to the bottom of my list of movies I need to watch for a first time, so I can get cracking on the repeat viewing list!
Yeah i think critics were scoring more on context than actually content in both films. And don't get me wrong they should be seen as huge cultural landmarks and proof of a shift in the overall filmmaking dynamic but it should still be ok as a critic to call out flaws in the actual film (such as plot holes, strange character motivations or bad CGI which both had by the bucketful) while still lauding the achievement.
Anyone seen "Alpha"? The concept seems cool to me, the beginning of relationship between dog (wolf) and pre-historic man.
I actually do sort of think this, as can be seen in a number of my shitty review/rants. But my issue is not so much about the political leanings of the messages or even that there are messages. What really bugs me is the lack of intelligence and nuance with the way some of the messages are presented.
I found Moonlight fairly unmoving as a film but I do think it's kind of dope to see films that are largely non-white affairs, and I like that it tries to tackle a subject that hasn't been addressed too often. Black Panther too for my money gets a thumbs up for what it represents, given that it's the first black dominated hollywood blockbuster (I think), the film itself also raises some pretty wild and radical ideas before realsing it's a Marvel film and has feck all to say on them. BP's weaknesses as a film are also mitigated by the generally godawful standard of the franchise series it belongs to. WW I aint going to defend, in fact I'm happy to have a go at it because I felt that not only did the film fail as a girl power movie (something that the filmmakers and supporters heavily played up), I actually thought that it's gender politics were rather problematic (bordering at times on the misogynist), not to mention the hateful ableist stuff.
That brings me to my cheif bugbear; films that push a simplistic, comforting, surface level message under the guise of political challenging cinema. And often these films have a politically suspect underbelly themselves. I'm thinking of films like Crash (most inappropriate white saviour ever), WW (as above), Three Billboards (its use of rape, race and little people), Shape of Water (Bojangles Nojangles).
Talk about race and give me something hard and uncompromising like Bamboozled, or give me feminism in the form of the scabrous, man-murdering A Question of Silence. I'm all for pointed messages that'll challenge my assumptions, but give me the cinematic equivalent of a "Trump has shit hair" tweet and I'll call you a twat.
And yes I also think that the traditional art critic is being replaced by bloggers that would rather have an agreeable political message than a good film.
Also, also I find today's "Hollywood liberalism" to be disgustingly capitalistic, duplicitously misogynist and in full support of white hegemony. Feck what ya heard.
A Star is Born
Just about the same plot as the 1976 version. I enjoyed it but was hoping for more from the music. I also thought the pacing and plot advancement was a bit off.
6.5/10
Just about the same plot as the 1976 version. I enjoyed it but was hoping for more from the music. I also thought the pacing and plot advancement was a bit off.
6.5/10
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Game Night
Script was good and I love Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams & Kyle Chandler. So I really enjoyed it. Best comedy I’ve seen in a while actually, but I ain’t seen many recently. Had some really good lines/moments. 7/10
Script was good and I love Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams & Kyle Chandler. So I really enjoyed it. Best comedy I’ve seen in a while actually, but I ain’t seen many recently. Had some really good lines/moments. 7/10
Suspiria
Thought this was excellent though I can see how it will be divisive. It really does have some disturbing scenes which stick with you. Very different film to the original though.
Thought this was excellent though I can see how it will be divisive. It really does have some disturbing scenes which stick with you. Very different film to the original though.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Bite size Coen brothers set in the Wild West. You know what to expect...gorgeous cinematography, comic violence and existential humour. Loved it.
Bite size Coen brothers set in the Wild West. You know what to expect...gorgeous cinematography, comic violence and existential humour. Loved it.
I watched this recently too, I thought it was very good 8/10 for me.
I also watched and enjoyed this film. I'd give it a solid 7.5/10.
Cam
Surprisingly good Netflix half thriller half horror half examination of the perils of the internet half my maths is hit. The lead actress (from The Handmaid's Tale) plays it great. Got a really noir feel which seems weird for a film about a cam girl yet weirdly works. Some people probably won't like the ambiguity of how things unfold in the third act, or the feminist undertones, but I didn't mind. Solid 7/10.
Surprisingly good Netflix half thriller half horror half examination of the perils of the internet half my maths is hit. The lead actress (from The Handmaid's Tale) plays it great. Got a really noir feel which seems weird for a film about a cam girl yet weirdly works. Some people probably won't like the ambiguity of how things unfold in the third act, or the feminist undertones, but I didn't mind. Solid 7/10.
Macabre
A group of friends find a stranded girl in the rain and decide to drop her off home. She invited them inside so her mother can thank them for their kindness. What they don't realise is that this is a family that sells humans as meat, blood baths ensue. Decent Indonesian film, very gory and some decent plot twists. Filmed really well also. Just wish there was more of a point to all the killing 6.5/10
A group of friends find a stranded girl in the rain and decide to drop her off home. She invited them inside so her mother can thank them for their kindness. What they don't realise is that this is a family that sells humans as meat, blood baths ensue. Decent Indonesian film, very gory and some decent plot twists. Filmed really well also. Just wish there was more of a point to all the killing 6.5/10
Ballad of Buster Scraggs (Netflix):
A movie for the sake of it. The first two episodes were irony told in a funny and silly manner then it moves into darker emotions. It was a well directed movie set in amazing locations and direction is excellent! However it's not really something I'd want to go out and watch. Good thing it comes to you as binge option in Netflix.
5/10
A movie for the sake of it. The first two episodes were irony told in a funny and silly manner then it moves into darker emotions. It was a well directed movie set in amazing locations and direction is excellent! However it's not really something I'd want to go out and watch. Good thing it comes to you as binge option in Netflix.
5/10
Crazy Rich Asians - a well below average romcom with a racial gimmick.
So forgettable I can barely get to the end of this post without needing to read it back to remember what I'm talking about.
So forgettable I can barely get to the end of this post without needing to read it back to remember what I'm talking about.
The Incredibles 2
Didn't like as much as the original but still very good. Jack Jack was really funny 7.5/10
Didn't like as much as the original but still very good. Jack Jack was really funny 7.5/10
Game Night
Funny enough at times. Fairly forgettable though.
7/10 (maybe 6.5)
Funny enough at times. Fairly forgettable though.
7/10 (maybe 6.5)
The Titan
A military family takes part in a ground-breaking experiment of genetic evolution and space exploration. Starts ok as it sets itself up to be a fun sci-fi thriller but in the end becomes a shitty monster movie... like a bad prequel for Shape Of Water. Shame as the set up was quite interesting 4/10
A military family takes part in a ground-breaking experiment of genetic evolution and space exploration. Starts ok as it sets itself up to be a fun sci-fi thriller but in the end becomes a shitty monster movie... like a bad prequel for Shape Of Water. Shame as the set up was quite interesting 4/10
The Outlaw King (Netflix)
Quite liked it. A more brutal, realistic spiritual sequel to Braveheart. The people were too good looking though. I mean, I don’t have a clue what Robert the Bruce looked like. I just didn’t picture in my imagination both him and his wife being extraordinarily attractive.
7.125/11
Quite liked it. A more brutal, realistic spiritual sequel to Braveheart. The people were too good looking though. I mean, I don’t have a clue what Robert the Bruce looked like. I just didn’t picture in my imagination both him and his wife being extraordinarily attractive.
7.125/11
The Happytime Murders
When the puppet cast of a '90s children's TV show begin to get murdered one by one, a disgraced LAPD detective-turned-private eye puppet takes on the case. God awful. A movie that confuses crude for funny. There were one or two bits that made me laugh but generally, it was just jokes you'd expect from a sexually frustrated teenager trying to impress his equally sexually frustrated friends. Shame as I quite dug the premise. Thanks for wasting my time @SwansonsTache
2/10
When the puppet cast of a '90s children's TV show begin to get murdered one by one, a disgraced LAPD detective-turned-private eye puppet takes on the case. God awful. A movie that confuses crude for funny. There were one or two bits that made me laugh but generally, it was just jokes you'd expect from a sexually frustrated teenager trying to impress his equally sexually frustrated friends. Shame as I quite dug the premise. Thanks for wasting my time @SwansonsTache
2/10Some feckers in this thread recommended Reign of Fire.
It was absolute shite.
It was absolute shite.
Reign of fire was the bomb.
The plot holes were enormous, just fecking ridiculous. I know it's dragons and shit but fecking hell.
Oh come on, Dirty. It's not like you spend your time watching Oscar winners anyway.The Happytime Murders
When the puppet cast of a '90s children's TV show begin to get murdered one by one, a disgraced LAPD detective-turned-private eye puppet takes on the case. God awful. A movie that confuses crude for funny. There were one or two bits that made me laugh but generally, it was just jokes you'd expect from a sexually frustrated teenager trying to impress his equally sexually frustrated friends. Shame as I quite dug the premise. Thanks for wasting my time @SwansonsTache
Is the Nun as shit as people say btw? Craving me some horror.
Most horror movies are total shit. Which is weird, cause it shouldn't be that hard to make a decent horror flick.
At the box office.
It actually is, because everything has been done already.
Vintage stuff like Rosemarys Baby and The Thing can't be replicated today.
Suspiria
Was really looking forward to this!! Was very disappointed. Failed to maintain the tension so when the 'big' moment came, it fell rather flat. Far too long. Thom Yorke's voice detracted from some scenes - tried something new (and it was a near impossible task living up to Goblin's score) but it wasn't interesting or psychedelic in the right ways, or in any way. Not worth the time/money - watch the original instead (which is one of the best horrors of all time, in my humble opinion). Main positive would be it that the dance sequences were something. Overall though; it wasn't trippy enough, fun enough, creepy enough, just flat shit.
Also
Was really looking forward to this!! Was very disappointed. Failed to maintain the tension so when the 'big' moment came, it fell rather flat. Far too long. Thom Yorke's voice detracted from some scenes - tried something new (and it was a near impossible task living up to Goblin's score) but it wasn't interesting or psychedelic in the right ways, or in any way. Not worth the time/money - watch the original instead (which is one of the best horrors of all time, in my humble opinion). Main positive would be it that the dance sequences were something. Overall though; it wasn't trippy enough, fun enough, creepy enough, just flat shit.
Also
what the hell were they thinking getting Tilda Swinton to also play the old man? Pissed me right off like. cnuts.
You're right
The Nun was utter shit. Boring, slow, too dark etc.
Give Satan's Slaves a go if you want a decent supernatural horror. It's not the best thing ever but it's decent!
I've seen it, it was decent.You're right
The Nun was utter shit. Boring, slow, too dark etc.
Give Satan's Slaves a go if you want a decent supernatural horror. It's not the best thing ever but it's decent!
For some good quality and relatively unknown 80's horror watch Dead and Buried. Got that whole 80's atmosphere thing going which they can't recreate today.
Also I watched my favourite Tales From the Crypt movie yesterday, Demon Knight. It is brilliant
Predator
I don't give a feck what people say, I enjoyed it. I consider the true Predator franchise to have ended with Predator 2, so the tone this sets for the franchise and how it doesn't fit in with the original and 2 I don't really care about.
6/10
I don't give a feck what people say, I enjoyed it. I consider the true Predator franchise to have ended with Predator 2, so the tone this sets for the franchise and how it doesn't fit in with the original and 2 I don't really care about.
6/10
The ending scared me a bit though. If they actually plan a sequel with a bunch of marines jogging around as biomech Predators then I call it quits.
That was an awful, awful film and I really wanted to like it given how much shit it got.
@Grinner
Reign of Fire was great. Don't you dare insult it you bastard!