Films worth a watch.

[BB]

Legend sounds interesting

[croweman]

Yeah legend is an excellent watch, the part he plays of Ronnie is particularly good and you can imagine him being just like that.

[Kingy]

The Martian

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/

Quote:During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring "the Martian" home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible, rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney's safe return.

I've not bothered with this film as I thought it looked over hyped. After watching The Hateful Eight and The Revenant I decided it would be worth watching as no film could be more overhyped and disappointing that the Hateful Eight. I also have 'Interstellar' in the back of my mind. That was a film full of promise, which ended up being a very tedious way of wasting hours waiting for one plot twist.  

So, watched this at weekend and must say I quite enjoyed it. It's quite humerous in parts and despite being based on one mans efforts to survive, it does not go down the often used route of no hope (The Grey), instead showing mans ingenuity in the face of overwhelming odds. It goes a bit 'Armageddon' here and there, but it's worth allowing it poetic license and just enjoy it.  
I enjoyed it more than The Revenant (which will sweep the awards) and it is without doubt several times more enjoyable than The Hateful Eight Borefest.

[Kingy]

Sicario

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3397884/

Quote:When drug violence worsens on the USA Mexico border, the FBI sends an idealistic agent, Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) on a mission to eradicate a drug cartel responsible for a bomb that had killed members of her team.

I like Emily Blunt. She has a way of looking fragile, then being exactly the opposite. For me she is a strong lead for a film. The cast on this film is very strong, and I quite like the subject matter, so it was a no brainer to watch it. 
It's written in a clever way. You are given enough information to know what is happening - to a point - but kept in the dark over significant plot developements so that you are (almost) seeing it from Blunts eyes. It's FBI / taskforces and has a very real life feel to it as you would expect it to be smoke and mirrors all the time. 

I was initially a little disappointed with the ending. Not the finale - that was very good, but the very end of the film. BUT - It had me thinking for the next day or two, which for me shows how well written it was. I think my initial disappointment was because the film ran true to life. Life or death decisions made under pressure by real people, rather than gung ho cartoon characters who kill ten people in a  room without breaking a sweat. With hindsight it was a clever film, giving you a direct insight into the cloak and dagger dealings with the very secretive services that go on all the time.

[Kingy]

Bone Tomahawk

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2494362/

Quote:Four men set out in the Wild West to rescue a group of captives from cannibalistic cave dwellers.

I'd heard this was quite good so decided I'd give it a watch. It's another of the modern western films which have been made with the sole purpose of trying to be a 'modern classic'. This is a pseudo Western - Horror as it is very visually brutal with the violence in parts. (One in particular where it would have been more powerful to skip some of the specifics of the 'brutal act' imho, but the director chose to show it in all of it's gory-glory.)
Like the two recent big hitting Westerns, this is a slow burner.

I've now decided I'm obviously not a 'Western' fan, as I thought the Hateful Eight was rubbish. Over three hours for 30 mins of action. 
The Revenant was better, but again, a slow burner which relied on brutal gore to shock and had a lead character who, if a normal human being would have been killed numerous times in the film. 
This film looked to be developing a good traditional 'ish' plot as the sub and main plots came together, but then went a bit too gory for me. More B Movie style like  'The Hills Have Eyes' than a Western. I don't mind horror films, but this just felt wrong for the film. But, that is probably my personal taste so maybe not too valid a point. 



  

[croweman]

With you totally on that Paul, the body split in half bit was just a bit wtf. It just went totally out of context...

[Kingy]

Deadpool.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1431045/

Quote:This is the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.

My son is desperate to watch this film. It's a 15 at the cinema and he is a mature 12 nearly 13 years old so won't be getting in! He has mithered me to death asking if we can watch it at home. He is a 'Deadpool Expert' and knows everything there is to know as he is Marvel mad. 

So, I decided to have a watch to see if it's a film I could let him watch. 

Have to say I thought it was brilliant. Very very funny. Deadpool is played to perfection by Ryan Reynolds. Smart mouth with a wise crack ALWAYS. Even in the face of torture or death Wade / Deadpool just can't help himself. He is an anti-hero and played purposely that way. Deep down he cares, but face value is another thing entirely. The Movie links in with X-Man Genre in that it features a couple of the lesser known (to Movies) X-Men who try (and fail) to keep Deadpool on the straight an narrow. 
I thought the film was very good. Laughed all the way though. Lots of adult themed content which surprised me for a cert 15, but with hindsight much of it was cleverly filmed so 'off camera'. 

If you enjoy the odd Marvel film or quirky comedy then you will love this. I did, but now I'm deliberating on whether the boy can watch it. Head says no, but annoyingly his sister is 15 in a couple of months and if she watches it and he doesn't / can't then there is a good chance we may have World War 3 at home! 

[Kingy]

13 hours - The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4172430/

Quote:During an attack on a U.S. compound in Libya, a security team struggles to make sense out of the chaos.

Poor description, but if you enjoyed (in any respect) films like Black Hawk Down or Lone Survivor you will love this. It will get slated for it's gloryfication of war, but I sat through it and enjoyed it. You can argue it is Political (Ie. The reason the 'secret soldiers are there for 13 hours) and that there is not much character development - or you can just sit back and enjoy a feast for your eyes that is filmed in typical Michael Bay fashion which means it's busy and atmospheric. Good solid 7 or 8 out of ten. 
If you don't like War Films, or macho buddy films then steer well clear.

[FraserG]

Paradox (2016)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4540434/

Quote:A group of young scientists are working on a secret project that may allow them to travel ahead in time. They test it by sending one of their own ahead one hour. He returns pleading with them to shut it down, explaining that within that hour, they will all die.

Watched this last night on Netflix and if you enjoy time-travel based films that focus on the conundrums of trying to change the past and the future then this may be worth watching. About 90mins in length with a couple of plot twists that, if you're into time-travel as a whole, you might figure out before they're revealed but overall a decent film surrounding the events of the first deadly hour following successful time travel.

[Kingy]

Have watched a few since last adding a post on here. Will have to get them written down and add a note. The one which stands out as the most enjoyable by a country mile is ...


Marvellous

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659786/

Quote:Neil Baldwin, born just after World War II, is considered to have learning difficulties but he has an appetite for life and, encouraged by his mother Mary, leaves his butchery job to join the circus as Nello the Clown, being undaunted when the circus moves on without him. He moves to Keele University, where Mary has a cleaning job, appointing himself the unofficial greeter to new students, a role rewarded by an honorary degree in 2013. He also gets to manage its unofficial football team, named after him, and in 1992 talks his way into becoming the kit man and mascot of his beloved football team Stoke City. For Neil there are no boundaries - his interest in religion leads to his becoming a lay preacher whilst he presents himself at the House of Commons for tea with MP Tony Benn and at Cambridge University, where he strikes up a friendship with Prince Andrew, which results in his being on the queen's Christmas card list.

I decided to watch Marvellous after going to an evening at Old Trafford in aid of MUDSA (Man United Disabled Supporters Association). They have a dinner each year and the local United Supporters Club support it - so dad, brother and I toddled along. We listened to Sir Alex Ferguson and other ex players and managers who were there. The main speaker was ex player Lou Macari, who among other teams managed Stoke twice. During his first appointment at Stoke he met Neil Baldwin (Nello) who was an avid supporter. Nello has learning difficulties but simply ignores them using a strong character and the ability to ask for whatever he wants regardless of the circumstances. 

Lou had Nello with him at the meal and they spoke of the film and confirmed that whilst some parts have been embelished slightly it's pretty much the truth. We saw a few clips and I decided to watch it the next morning. Thought it was fantastic. A must watch ... so do yourself a favour and ignore the core subject (football) as this is about Nello and everything else (clowns, circus, vicars, bishops, arch bishops, mp's, the boat race ... I could go on!).