Recently watched movies

[Mike Covell]

Just saw on the news that Universal Studio's is on fire......again!
The back lot to Back to the Future has been destroyed (save the clock tower) and the part of the tour were King Kong is situated is partially destroyed (It wasn't beauty that killed the best but another fire)

There was also some sort of movie vault which was damaged!

[sdreid]

Hi all,

I watched The Flock last night and would recommend it. They would probably deny it but I couldn't help but think that the film might have been inspired by Bernardo and Homolka and her release. In the movie, the female part of the serial killing team hooks up with another sex criminal when she gets out and continues her career. This case is set in the U.S.

[Magpie]

Hot Fuzz was a riot.

I thought it was mostly based on The Wicker Man. That team is great for mixing horror, action and comedy.

I saw "The Cottage" last night. What a disappointment

I went to see Prince Caspian on the weekend. Very good movie--better than the first one.

[Maria]

Mike, we went to see the Indiana Jones this Sunday and we enjoyed the special effects and the Irazú cascades, also great action even if its not possible to do some of the stuff you see there but that aside, it was great fun !

The Russians did protest in real life to the producers of the film for portraying them as evil though.

[Mike Covell]

A friend of mine revealed the ending of the movie on his myspace bulletin board! He then told me it was not intended to be seen!
With that in mind I think we are going to wait for its sell thru release.
I did see the article in the latest issue of Fortean Times regarding the skulls though and found it quite enlightning.

Night before last we watched the Tim Burton version of "Sweeney Todd" both my wife and I loved it, and although I am not a big fan of musicals thoroughly enjoyed it!

The Ray Winstone version of "Sweeney Todd" was on TV this week, I sat and watched that too, and loved it.

[Magpie]

Since it was brutally hot and humid today the wife and I fled to the local cineplex to gain some relief. We saw "Kung Fu Panda"--it was really good!

Most of the "kung fu" got a little tedious at times (since they're animated characters, they can do pretty much anything, so you spend a lot of time going "ho-hum, another flying-spinning-somersaulting-back-kick", but the stories a lot of fun and the animation is beautiful.

This evening I watched Sweeny Todd--Burton and Depp have done it again! Beautiful to watch, exciting, great pacing and I was surprised at what a good voice Depp has (reminded me a lot of David Bowie's performance in "Baal"). Some of the music is still weak, and the movie tended to drag a little when Depp wasnt' on-screen, but that was my only complaint. If you haven't seen the movie though, be warned-Burton does not spare the grue at all. Watching Johnny Depp singing cheerfully while (very graphically) slitting a procession of throats is both surreal and a little disturbing. Unlike the stage musical, there's no attempt at making the violence burlesque--it's played straight and relentless. I can't wait to see Burton and Depp's adaption of Dark Shadows in 2010.

Couple of nights ago I saw the new St. Trinian's movie. I don't know what all the complaining was about (critics have been trashing the movie almost since it was announced). It stays true to the spirit of the original movies (and is better than many of them), the story is simple but well told, and it's a lot of fun (just like the originals). So it's not "Citizen Kane" or "Gone With The Wind"--but hey, it's not supposed to be. The one valid criticism is that the whole milieu (note use of fancy film school word) of the finishing school for girls is so outdated today that setting the movie in presen't day England renders it obsolete from the get-go. But get over that (it's easy) and enjoy the ride. It' represents a fitting return for both Ealing Studios and the St. Trinians franchise.

[Mike Covell]

Last night we watched "The Golden Compass........

[Jon Guy]

Hey Mike

Got "Cloverfield" for weekend viewing, I`ve heard it`s pretty good, what d`ya reckon ?

[sdreid]

Hi Jon,

from me

[Mike Covell]

Cloverfield is the sexiest DVD I have seen so far this year, but Rambo 4 is out monday so the fight is on!!

Seriously, Cloverfield is really well made, it's a film which doesn't give much away, but that is a good thing! The following day, I was on IMDB like the rest of the movie geeks asking questions!!

[Magpie]

How was The Golden Compass?

I've been meaning to see it, but I've heard nothing but bad reviews--and not just from the religious nutjobs.

[Mike Covell]

Well, I am not sure if I liked it or not!

The Golden Compass took loads of ideas from mythology and legends, swapped or dropped the first letters, or added letters and created a new mythology.

For eg, "Gyptions", were obviously named after the "Egyptions" but led a nomadic life like "Gypsies"

It was all about "Dust" which is kind of a life force which binds us ala Star wars!

Then there was a team of rag tag adventurers brought together "Lord of the Rings" to free loads of kids "Temple of Doom"! Oh and everybody had souls outside their bodies, these souls were talking, shapeshifting animals! And there was a fight between two polar bears!

And Tom Courtney was in it, sounding drunker than ever!

Oh and some witches!

Other than that it was ok.....

[Magpie]

Thanks Mike!

I'm sure I'll see it eventually.

It's unfortunate that the controversy surrounding the movie has virtually ensured that the two sequels won't get made, which is a shame.

Speaking of fantasy movies I just finished watching "Ladyhawke" (again). I love this movie, although I haven't seen it for a few years. Rutger Hauer and Matthew Broderick are great. Good fight scenes, solid story, and lots of light comic relief. The soundtrack remains the weakest link--it sounded cheesy when the movie was made, now it sounds cheesy and dated.

Minor trivia: watching the credits, I noticed that the drummer for the soundtrack was Stuart Elliott, who was the drummer for Kate Bush throughout the 'eighties

[Magpie]

Slightly off-topic, but are any of our English confreres planning to see "The Chemical Wedding" when it comes out? It looks like it could be a pretty good movie, but alas is unlikely to see a cinematic release this side of the pond....

[Limehouse]

Blade Runner

Yesterday, we travelled down to London to see Blade Runner - The Director's Cut at the Imax cinema in Waterloo. Although the film was not actually an Imax transmission, it was in screen and sound surround and was totally awesome. I am not a huge SciFi fan, but years ago I read the book the film is based on (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) and although it is not totally true to the book, it was still brilliant. I could see many themes within the film that were very thought provoking and we had quite a discussion in the train home.