Using Spoilers on all of mine just in case but not giving away any big secrets, just that some people will watch at different points during the week. Some of us can be polite y'know. ha!
I watched the directors cut too.
Film Redcafe Film Club, Week 2 - Leon
- Thread starter Ken Barlow
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
I watched the directors cut too.
Gay
I might watch it later actually.
You can watch too x
9pm?
I might be cooking around then. Will probs be about 11 when I watch. Although there's a good chance I'll just fall asleep instead.
Watching this back in the day, I thought this was one of the best films ever made... Researching this film beforehand, I was hugely impressed after almost 25 years and 900,000 IMDB user votes - this was still considered to be the 29th greatest film ever made. I was excited to watch it for a second time, almost 20 years later...
The storyline of an aging hitman taking on a young protege was very good. However, I’m just going to put it out there at the start of my review, I really disliked the paedo back story. It was very unnecessary, uncomfortable viewing.
The film itself was very representative of a 90s action flick. I mean, there was a part where Leon cheered up Mathilda minutes after her family had been brutally murdered, by making pig noises with a pig puppet. The world class hitman, whose best friend was a plant.
There’s a hell of a lot to like about this film, including the Goldeneye sounding Score, which I loved.
Overall, I liked it much less this time around. The extended version was a huge mistake. 20 Years on rewatching Leon, I’m afraid to say, for me, it’s stock has fallen. A good film in its own right, but I will no longer consider it a true great.
The storyline of an aging hitman taking on a young protege was very good. However, I’m just going to put it out there at the start of my review, I really disliked the paedo back story. It was very unnecessary, uncomfortable viewing.
The film itself was very representative of a 90s action flick. I mean, there was a part where Leon cheered up Mathilda minutes after her family had been brutally murdered, by making pig noises with a pig puppet. The world class hitman, whose best friend was a plant.
There’s a hell of a lot to like about this film, including the Goldeneye sounding Score, which I loved.
Overall, I liked it much less this time around. The extended version was a huge mistake. 20 Years on rewatching Leon, I’m afraid to say, for me, it’s stock has fallen. A good film in its own right, but I will no longer consider it a true great.
Just finished Leon, and I thought it was very good. Enjoyed it, however, I have to agree with @Ken Barlow , peado thing was unnecessary. With all the killing and stuff, we had lot of dark atmosphere going around, no one would have anything against Mathilda wishing Leon was her father figure or something like that, and not some old hit man that would get in love with 13 year old girl. Completely unnecessary, IMO.
Also, didn't even realise that's 13 year old Natalie Portman.
Also, didn't even realise that's 13 year old Natalie Portman.
No paedophile or rape jokes before anyone thinks of posting one. Should go without saying really but have to post it as I know what some are like.
I'd agree with that. The idea that with the life she'd already led, she might be expecting that a payback would be demanded from her, made sense. She wants a protector (even a dad) but knows that that might cost her something, and she knows she hasn't got much to bargain with.
The film overstepped that briefly and slid into the Lolita genre a couple of times, which didn't just seem unnecessary, it seemed at odds with the rest of their interactions.
The "how I think my first time should be" speech.
The lying together in bed scene, the awkwardness is fine, but it serves no purpose for either character
The lying together in bed scene, the awkwardness is fine, but it serves no purpose for either character
While I'm thinking of individual scenes though, I'll mention my favourite scene in the movie.
When she's sat on the apartment steps and a couple of kids demand her pocket money. One of those moments when you really don't know how a character will react, and the response really strikes a chord.
I'm glad people feel like me about the Lolita element, it made me feel quite uncomfortable. Watching the supposed 'Directors Cut' did not improve the film for me, I hadn't remembered anything like this from watching Leon years ago. It's spoiled the memory of what I had felt was a firm favourite.