Film The Redcafe Movie review thread

[The Corinthian]

See I found the Hateful Eight as one of Tarantino's better works. I love the tension and intimacy of the set and its characters.
The fact the film has a very strong theatrical vibe gives it a unique feel outside the Tarantino's other films.

It definitely was reminiscent of Reservoir Dogs with a closed intimate setting. It's not a bad movie by any stretch. I think the final act missed its mark a little considering it had been building up to that.

Walter Goggins was fantastic throughout.

On the theatrical vibe - I was reading that Tarantino is looking to make a Broadway version of it. Not sure if it's happened yet though.

 

[FrankDrebin]

It definitely was reminiscent of Reservoir Dogs with a closed intimate setting. It's not a bad movie by any stretch. I think the final act missed its mark a little considering it had been building up to that.

Walter Goggins was fantastic throughout.

On the theatrical vibe - I was reading that Tarantino is looking to make a Broadway version of it. Not sure if it's happened yet though.

Now that does not surprise me. The film lends itself to theatre in alot of ways.

You're right about the films length though. There's no need for it to be as long as it is.

 

[pauldyson1uk]

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Despite the poor reviews, I really enjoyed it.
I am a big fan of Cumberbatch and I thought Xochitl Gomez did a good job.
Olsen did a good jo of being the villain.
I did wonder at time if I was watching a Dr Strange film or Wandavision 2
The 2 hours pasted quick and I was not bored with it, both plus points for me
Bruce Campbell cameo was OK

6.5/10

 

[pauldyson1uk]

Morbius.

I was not expecting a classic, but I want more than this offered.
Leto did OK, my big problem was Matt Smith, Matt Smith with his Doctor Who , dirty trainers was just dreadful.
No doubt there will be another, hopefully it will be better, a lot better.

3/10

 

[Fingeredmouse]

See I found the Hateful Eight as one of Tarantino's better works. I love the tension and intimacy of the set and its characters.
The fact the film has a very strong theatrical vibe gives it a unique feel outside the Tarantino's other films.

Surely Reservoir Dogs is about as theatrical as is possible?

Edit: Ah. I should read for a few more posts.

 

[pauldyson1uk]

The Twin.

A mother has to confront the unbearable truth about her surviving twin son.
A bit of a slow burner, but the story was good, acting was good and the twist was good.
A good solid film.

7/10

 

[FrankDrebin]

Crimes of the Future (2022)​

David Croneberg returns to bring us another beautifully crafted and twisted biomechanical film with a social political edge in Crimes of the Future.

The film delves deep into the world of human evolution and where humanity finds itself in the unknown future where pain is now practically defunct.

The story revolves around a notorious art performer Saul Tenser, played by Viggo Mortensen, and Caprice , played by Lea Seydoux, as his personal surgeon and organ tattooist who produce live exhibitions that involve the graphic procedure of organ removal and replacement.

As the narrative progresses we're witness to the world around the two individuals with evolutionists , shady underground revolutionaries hide in decrepit buildings and shifty, quirky mechanics lurk in the shadows.

Thematically this film is everything you naturally associate with a auteur such as Cronenberg. Its showcases all the layers accustomed to one of Cinemas great original thinkers what with its erotic nature, its biomechanical substance and the continuing question of what does it really mean to be internally and externally Human. Social prejudices are continually brought up in his films and they continue to do so here.

Visually, the film has that restrained look that you ,not only associate with Cronenberg, but also David Lynch.
Interiors are rustic, dated and irregular in there furnishing. The surgical appliances have that biomechanical combination of something that seems to have lived at some point in the past whilst being visually arthropod in texture.
I find there's a odd tension throughout Cronenberg films that these objects will burst into life at some point.

Dialogue wise, for such a heavy conceptual film , there's understandably quite abit of exposition but it doesn't ruin the experience. Cronenberg's dialogue, for the most part, is fascinating so any expository dialogue is, not only much needed, but also engaging.

Overall, this is a film I've been in need of. It's so refreshing to see Cronenberg back in the game of producing thought provoking surreal entertainment which still seems highly original.

Throughout the last third of the film I was thinking how cinema will be a lessor place when Lynch and Cronenberg move on.

Recommended if you enjoy films such as : Crash, Videodrome, Eraserhead, Existenz and Tetsou The Iron Man.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Surely Reservoir Dogs is about as theatrical as is possible?

Edit: Ah. I should read for a few more posts.

Yep, completely forget about that for some reason.
Been meaning to re-watch it.

 

[Mr Pigeon]

Everyone is sick this weekend so we ended up watching nothing but Netflix movies. So here's the run down;

Outside the Wire (2021)

It's set in the not too distant future where there's robot police and all of the actors are given cybernetics instead of characters traits because that would take effort. It's really dumb, makes little sense, and the action scenes look like those ones from cheap 80s movies where the director didn't know what to do other than film two lines of actors rapid firing towards one another, back and forth, with lots of loud noise and screaming.

And as for the actual story. Everyone swears. Every single sentence. Because they're badasses fighting rough against evil badasses and it's the only way the crap writers were able to convey this, because they're crap writers. It becomes redundant within the first five minutes, irksome after 30 minutes, and by the time it ends you just think to yourself "thank feck".

1/10


The Man From Toronto

Pint sized Kevin Hart is a clumsy oaf with a big heart, who gets thrusted into a dangerous situation by accident. He has to adapt to this as best as he can, whilst being mentored by an extremely badass partner who is usually played by The Rock or Ice Cube. But on this occasion it's Woody Harrelson.

It wasn't bad by Kevin Hart movie standards...

4/10


Outlaw King

I genuinely expected this one to be the worst of the lot before we started the binge. American Yankee Doodle Chris Pine not only playing a serious role but also attempting a Scottish accent for his performance as Robert the Bruce? Flashes of Mel Gibson saying "tapestries" went through my head with this one.

It turns out that his accent is really good, to the point where I assumed the first voice I was hearing at the start of the film was a proper Scotsman and not Captain Kirk. And his performance is that of a leading man.

I liked this one. Florence Pugh, Billy Howle and Stephen Dillane deliver great performances and Aaron Taylor-Johnson is bloody brilliant as the slightly unhinged commander of the Bruce, James Douglas. If you've not watched it yet then you could do a lot worse.

It ends a bit abruptly but Robert the Bruce's campaign was a long and arduous struggle for Scottish independence so it feels like the movie does a great job at showing a slice of his life whilst stopping at arguably his second most pivotal moment.

7/10

 

[Vidyoyo]

Crimes of the Future (2022)​

David Croneberg returns to bring us another beautifully crafted and twisted biomechanical film with a social political edge in Crimes of the Future.

The film delves deep into the world of human evolution and where humanity finds itself in the unknown future where pain is now practically defunct.

The story revolves around a notorious art performer Saul Tenser, played by Viggo Mortensen, and Caprice , played by Lea Seydoux, as his personal surgeon and organ tattooist who produce live exhibitions that involve the graphic procedure of organ removal and replacement.

As the narrative progresses we're witness to the world around the two individuals with evolutionists , shady underground revolutionaries hide in decrepit buildings and shifty, quirky mechanics lurk in the shadows.

Thematically this film is everything you naturally associate with a auteur such as Cronenberg. Its showcases all the layers accustomed to one of Cinemas great original thinkers what with its erotic nature, its biomechanical substance and the continuing question of what does it really mean to be internally and externally Human. Social prejudices are continually brought up in his films and they continue to do so here.

Visually, the film has that restrained look that you ,not only associate with Cronenberg, but also David Lynch.
Interiors are rustic, dated and irregular in there furnishing. The surgical appliances have that biomechanical combination of something that seems to have lived at some point in the past whilst being visually arthropod in texture.
I find there's a odd tension throughout Cronenberg films that these objects will burst into life at some point.

Dialogue wise, for such a heavy conceptual film , there's understandably quite abit of exposition but it doesn't ruin the experience. Cronenberg's dialogue, for the most part, is fascinating so any expository dialogue is, not only much needed, but also engaging.

Overall, this is a film I've been in need of. It's so refreshing to see Cronenberg back in the game of producing thought provoking surreal entertainment which still seems highly original.

Throughout the last third of the film I was thinking how cinema will be a lessor place when Lynch and Cronenberg move on.

Recommended if you enjoy films such as : Videodrome, Eraserhead, Existenz and Tetsou The Iron Man.

Enjoyed this review. I haven't been a big fan of many of Cronenbourg's films but you've just about convinced me to give him another shot

 

[FrankDrebin]

Enjoyed this review. I haven't been a big fan of many of Cronenbourg's films but you've just about convinced me to give him another shot

I would recommend it if you're interested in the works of Cronenberg, Lynch, Philip Ridley or Trier. They produce a very niche film for a specific audience so naturally you may need to give the film time and abit of patience.
And without ruining the experience there's some lovely titbits of information that gives you a great sense of the films world and, similar to Lynch, the film only takes itself seriously just enough before someone could accuse of of being overly pretentious. There's a lingering sense of humour hovering over each act/scene.

Beavis and Butt-Head Do The Universe​

This is everything I expected from the two horney little dipshits. They're strangely charming in their ignorance and dumb foolery. The writing from Judge and Morton is typically on point with the characters. Nothing has been lost in these years. They're still on the sharp end of satire.
The film itself has a rather silly narrative involving accidental Interstellar travel and shady bureaucratic individuals. Similar to Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, the two individuals are taken far more seriously by the films main antagonists than they really should and, in doing so, all kinds of mis-haps and disaster ensues.

Spoiler

I was crying with laughter during the College Lecture White privilege scene

Marvellous stuff.

 

[Keefy18]

The Northman - 4/10

Just all very weird, managed to get about an hour in and was bored and a bunch of people speaking in tongues!
Bizarre viewing but probably loved by some folks here.

 

[Vidyoyo]

I would recommend it if you're interested in the works of Cronenberg, Lynch, Philip Ridley or Trier. They produce a very niche film for a specific audience so naturally you may need to give the film time and abit of patience.
And without ruining the experience there's some lovely titbits of information that gives you a great sense of the films world and, similar to Lynch, the film only takes itself seriously just enough before someone could accuse of of being overly pretentious. There's a lingering sense of humour hovering over each act/scene.

Beavis and Butt-Head Do The Universe​

This is everything I expected from the two horney little dipshits. They're strangely charming in their ignorance and dumb foolery. The writing from Judge and Morton is typically on point with the characters. Nothing has been lost in these years. They're still on the sharp end of satire.
The film itself has a rather silly narrative involving accidental Interstellar travel and shady bureaucratic individuals. Similar to Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, the two individuals are taken far more seriously by the films main antagonists than they really should and, in doing so, all kinds of mis-haps and disaster ensues.

Spoiler

I was crying with laughter during the College Lecture White privilege scene

Marvellous stuff.

Never heard of Philip Ridley but yeah I like abstract ideas presented in film form. I still rate Crash as Cronenbourg's best and and am sad he never got to do a version of High Rise

 

[FrankDrebin]

Never heard of Philip Ridley but yeah I like abstract ideas presented in film form. I still rate Crash as Cronenbourg's best and and am sad he never got to do a version of High Rise

Oh I love Crash by Cronenberg and especially Ballard. It's actually my favourite ever book.

Always felt Ballard's Concrete Island would make a great little TV series or atleast a little surreal independent film.

Regarding Phillip Ridley, he directed one of my favourite vampire films of the 90's in The Reflecting Skin. I regard it as a masterpiece of gothic cinema. Visually breath-taking and has the eerie silent atmosphere that is usually felt in Lynch films and has some really interesting undertones and ,naturally, disturbing moments.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Mad God is the best film I've seen this year. Tippets long awaited twisted motion captured post apocalypse vision is breath-taking.

I'm super excited for this one.

Lost Highway(1997)

9/10

It's so good. I saw it at a late showing in a small cinema in Greenwich Villlage a couple of months ago, it was my first time seeing it, and it kinda fecked with my head but I really enjoyed it.

The Northman - 4/10

Just all very weird, managed to get about an hour in and was bored and a bunch of people speaking in tongues!
Bizarre viewing but probably loved by some folks here.

Most people have loved it, it's been received very favourably. Glorious film, Eggers is a gem.

 

[caid]

Mad God is the best film I've seen this year. Tippets long awaited twisted motion captured post apocalypse vision is breath-taking.

Yeah, it was interesting. Visually unique.

 

[Keefy18]

Most people have loved it, it's been received very favourably. Glorious film, Eggers is a gem.

All a bit too weird for my liking.

Saying that I totally get he was portraying Norse mythology and he done it well, just not to my liking.

 

[jderbyshire]

Beavis and Butt-Head Do The Universe​

This is everything I expected from the two horney little dipshits. They're strangely charming in their ignorance and dumb foolery. The writing from Judge and Morton is typically on point with the characters. Nothing has been lost in these years. They're still on the sharp end of satire.
The film itself has a rather silly narrative involving accidental Interstellar travel and shady bureaucratic individuals. Similar t LPo Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, the two individuals are taken far more seriously by the films main antagonists than they really should and, in doing so, all kinds of mis-haps and disaster ensues.

Spoiler

I was crying with laughter during the College Lecture White privilege scene

Marvellous stuff.

Yeah I liked it too! 7/10

I watched it back to back with...

Cha Cha Real Smooth (on Apple TV+)

The new film by Cooper Raiff (Shithouse - released a year later as Freshman Year in the UK)

A bit of a let down after I really liked Shithouse. It felt like a paint-by-numbers indie "returning to home town" movie.

Looked a cool story on the trailer and I think there's definitely better to come from this guy. But it was just a bit of a weak script. We get told his mum (played by Leslie Mann) is bi-polar, but we never actually see this - she seems rather chilled.

Loads of little things like that. It's just all a bit clichéd and trite. But the guy is only 25 and has made 2 feature films.

I don't know whether it's him personally or the younger generation, but they're very open about their feelings and analyzing every little emotion that happens to pass through their mind. It's a little bit odd but also weirdly refreshing.

Anyway. Give it a watch if you want a short adolescent funny indie drama.

5/10

 

[buchansleftleg]

The Lives of Others
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0405094/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

As a german that was born in West Germany in 1987 this movie was far too long on my "movies I have to watch" list.

It really feels surreal that such a cruel system was in place not that long ago and just around the corner.

The story was great, as were the actors. It's a slow paced movie driven by its narrative and the dialogs. So anyone expecting Hollywood-esque action scenes might be disappointed.
But for anyone that wants a good impression (at least as far as I can tell everything pictured is very close to reality) about the life in the GDR should watch this movie.

9/10, easily one of the best german movies, if not the best

This film just breaks my heart and every time I watch it I notice another subtle hint or foreshadowing of the events that unfold. It's subject matter isn't dated because ultimately it's the human story that is so engaging.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

I rewatched Children of men over the weekend. It's even better than in my memory, and I had an excellent opinion of it. I remember watching it circa when it came out, and thinking it was great but more importantly it would age well... It really has.

Such a powerful film, and some of the themes, notably the Foogees plot, seems a little too close to reality considering what's going on in the UK these days.

Wonderful, wonderful film, one of the true gems of the genre, and probably one of my top 5 films of the 21st century.

 

[Cheimoon]

I rewatched Children of men over the weekend. It's even better than in my memory, and I had an excellent opinion of it. I remember watching it circa when it came out, and thinking it was great but more importantly it would age well... It really has.

Such a powerful film, and some of the themes, notably the Foogees plot, seems a little too close to reality considering what's going on in the UK these days.

Wonderful, wonderful film, one of the true gems of the genre, and probably one of my top 5 films of the 21st century.

Absolutely. So powerful in terms of both the story/message and the way it's filmed. Really hard-hitting in many ways - and then also beautifully done.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Absolutely. So powerful in terms of both the story/message and the way it's filmed. Really hard-hitting in many ways - and then also beautifully done.

The production is spot on. You really feel like it could realistically be a not too distant future, it's immersive (in a depressing way). And I love all the characters in it, Michael Caine's hippie, Clive Owen's disenchanted portrayal, etc. It's seriously perfect, I can't find a single flaw in it.

 

[Cheimoon]

The production is spot on. You really feel like it could realistically be a not too distant future, it's immersive (in a depressing way). And I love all the characters in it, Michael Caine's hippie, Clive Owen's disenchanted portrayal, etc. It's seriously perfect, I can't find a single flaw in it.

Exactly. Just the first couple of minutes (if I'm remembering the order of scenes correctly) - it's such a realistic dystopia, the combination between rabid nationalism, high-tech (screens everywhere), and then the slums and segregation. Give it another decade of xenophobic idiots in charge and you can absolutely see this happen, in various places.

Definitely a film that isn't mentioned enough when people talk about great movies. At least, for me personally, messaging/impact matters. That's part of the reason why I myself rate Apocalypse Now higher than a lot of other films that are otherwise great cinema, but don't really make much of a point. (Or not one that I particularly care about, anyway.)

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Exactly. Just the first couple of minutes (if I'm remembering the order of scenes correctly) - it's such a realistic dystopia, the combination between rabid nationalism, high-tech (screens everywhere), and then the slums and segregation. Give it another decade of xenophobic idiots in charge and you can absolutely see this happen, in various places.

Definitely a film that isn't mentioned enough when people talk about great movies. At least, for me personally, messaging/impact matters. That's part of the reason why I myself rate Apocalypse Now higher than a lot of other films that are otherwise great cinema, but don't really make much of a point. (Or not one that I particularly care about, anyway.)

War is bad and makes people crazy.

Actually Apocalypse Now is one that I'd rank in my top 5 of all time favourite films probably so it's interesting you chose that one but I definitely get your point. Children of Men talks about a lot of things and is often ignored when talking about great films, it deserves more recognition. The mate I watched it with the other night had never seen it and was gobsmacked by the end.

 

[Cheimoon]

War is bad and makes people crazy.

Actually Apocalypse Now is one that I'd rank in my top 5 of all time favourite films probably so it's interesting you chose that one but I definitely get your point. Children of Men talks about a lot of things and is often ignored when talking about great films, it deserves more recognition. The mate I watched it with the other night had never seen it and was gobsmacked by the end.

Yes, exactly perfect summary.

OK, just for my own sake, I'll clarify by saying I like the messaging to be complex and layered. Otherwise even Avengers can be accused of having a message. (Actually, I'm not sure. Unite in the face of evil?)

 

[V.O.]

The Black Phone

Excellent little horror/suspense film with a Stephen King movie kind of a feel (based on a story written by his son, I think). A child murderer's latest victim is locked in the killer's basement awaiting his fate before an old disconnected phone that has been left down there for years suddenly rings, and starts to give him advice on how to escape.

Ethan Hawke is great and his character is probably the most memorable bad guy I've seen in a movie in years. The filmmakers show very good discipline for the standards of the horror genre in avoidance of the most obvious tropes and allow themselves only a couple of cheap jumpscares in a movie built much more heavily on atmosphere and suspense. There are a couple of slight logic/plotholes even allowing for the supernatural elements, but nothing that is going to bring you too far out of the film at all.

The biggest surprise to me was the performance of the child actors involved, as I'm someone who'd usually actively avoid seeing a film that leans as heavily on the acting chops of kids as this one does, but the young'uns knock it out of the park - even when they're asked to carry most of the emotional high points of the movie.

9/10

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Yes, exactly perfect summary.

OK, just for my own sake, I'll clarify by saying I like the messaging to be complex and layered. Otherwise even Avengers can be accused of having a message. (Actually, I'm not sure. Unite in the face of evil?)

Probably a message about the loss of brain cells?

 

[Cheimoon]

Probably a message about the loss of brain cells?

Let's ask the expert: @Sweet Square.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Let's ask the expert: @Sweet Square.

Shots fired

 

[Cheimoon]

Shots fired

I didn't even mean if that way! Just teasing that @Sweet Square knows a lot about Marvel films for someone who really hates them. Plus I'm sure he could say something appropriately scathing about the layered messaging of Avengers.

 

[Wibble]

Slow burn ? interesting. Think its Mann's best paced film alongside Man-Hunter.


The second major set-piece ,regarding the robbery, is a big bug-bear for me, though. All logic fly's out the window.
The over the top action and indulgent macho bravado of that act is totally ridiculous.

You wouldn't have the police department acting in such a loose and unprofessional manner by basically have a Western-esq shootout in the middle of a highly populated civilized area just because some guys robbed a bank. You just tail them and see where they go.
It was such a classic 'Hollywood scene'.

I love the film but that act just made my eyes roll.
Mann's better than that.

I haven't seen it since it came out at the cinema and I remember being very underwhelmed at the time.

 

[Wibble]

See I found the Hateful Eight as one of Tarantino's better works. I love the tension and intimacy of the set and its characters.
The fact the film has a very strong theatrical vibe gives it a unique feel outside the Tarantino's other films.

It was just ok IMO. Not a patch on his best films.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

I didn't even mean if that way! Just teasing that @Sweet Square knows a lot about Marvel films for someone who really hated them. Plus I'm sure he could say something appropriately scathing about the layered messaging of Avengers.

You just called @Sweet Square braindead, don't backtrack.

 

[Vidyoyo]

Watched a Korean movie called A Petal yesterday, a sort of dramatic parable about the Gwanju Uprising. I'll cut to the chase and say it's not a nice film at all. It's about a young girl who watches her mother die and is held captive by a man who forcibly rapes her over and over. There's a twisted romance arc in the sense he's trying to care for her and also a mystery plot as there's several journalists(?) who are trying to find her whereabouts. It's the kind of film that I could see heavily inspiring Kim Ki-duk, and also a fitting double-viewing alongside Chang-dong's Peppermint Candy (which is an excellent film while I'm here). What's most interesting I think is the non-linear order of events. The whole thing feels like an attempt to mirror the psychological fallout of the uprising and its effects, something I'm told still lives long in the memory of older Koreans. It all works well and I'm going to see if I can find more of the director's work (Sun-woo Jang)

 

[Vidyoyo]

MUBI added this today for those of you who like Japanese movies

https://mubi.com/films/a-girl-missing

 

[Cheimoon]

You just called @Sweet Square braindead, don't backtrack.

Not brain-dead, just that he lost a lot of brain cells. That either means he's short of them or that he completely lost his brain. That's not brain-dead either way.

 

[pierrethesnack]

Anyone into Australian films here? Always found the setting a bit meh, but recently rewatched the old Mad Max movies and now I can't get enough of it.

Went on to watch The Quiet Earth (1985) and Gallipoli (1981). Really enjoyed Gallipoli, wholesome but heartbreaking film.

 

[Mr Pigeon]

Samurai Cop

Somehow I missed this movie when it first came out, presumably because I was four years old.

But there's a certain, as @FrankDrebin would say, joie de vivre about this movie. A je ne sais quoi, or even a bibliothèque cochon. It impales you from behind with its long and thick story, passing through your passages and hitting you deep. It cuddles you, kisses you, before laying thick with its contents onto your chin, and slipping away in the night back to the bridge where you first found it.

Only a handful of movies can really be classified as "cinema". An old man who looks like the bastard child of a wet sock and a melted welly once said that, and I fully believe him. Samurai Cop isn't your flashy, airtight MCU fare like the ones @Cheimoon loves or those shit films by that old man who does nothing but gangster flicks. It doesn't rely on a big budget to tell it's story, merely real people with real problems. It is the truest essence of film in every way, and I suggest you seek it out.

10/10

Trailer below...

 

[Vidyoyo]

I second Ms Pigeon. Samurai Cop is a mustardpiece.

 

[Cheimoon]

Samurai Cop

Somehow I missed this movie when it first came out, presumably because I was four years old.

But there's a certain, as @FrankDrebin would say, joie de vivre about this movie. A je ne sais quoi, or even a bibliothèque cochon. It impales you from behind with its long and thick story, passing through your passages and hitting you deep. It cuddles you, kisses you, before laying thick with its contents onto your chin, and slipping away in the night back to the bridge where you first found it.

Only a handful of movies can really be classified as "cinema". An old man who looks like the bastard child of a wet sock and a melted welly once said that, and I fully believe him. Samurai Cop isn't your flashy, airtight MCU fare like the ones @Cheimoon loves or those shit films by that old man who does nothing but gangster flicks. It doesn't rely on a big budget to tell it's story, merely real people with real problems. It is the truest essence of film in every way, and I suggest you seek it out.

10/10

Trailer below...

I love how you always insert a lot of personal experience into your reviews.

I am also entirely unsure now whether this is actually a good movie or not.