The Wild Bunch (1969) Sam Peckinpah’s masterpiece which tells the story of a group of ageing outlaws in the early 20th Century coming to terms with the fact their days are numbered. “We’ve got to start thinking beyond our guns. These days are closin’ fast” says the bunch’s leader Pike Bishop played by William Holden in one of his finest performances.
While the film is notorious for its depiction of violence, what shines through to me is the depth of the characters. They are not one dimensional bad guys. They are cruel, ruthless, ignorant, funny, loyal and, in their own way honourable.
The story concerns the final days of the gang as they head to Mexico after a bank robbery has gone wrong. While a posse led by a former gang member (Robert Ryan) is on their trail, the bunch become involved with the Mexican revolution which ultimately proves to be their undoing.
There are very few modern action movies that don’t owe something to Peckinpah’s style of direction with his use of slow motion and fast cross-cutting between scenes. Even by today’s standards it’s still a violent movie. But it doesn’t glamorise violence, it shows it as nasty, bloody and brutal.
Sightseers - Bloody marvelous. Really great british film with some really very dark parts and some parts that are genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. Seeing places I'm extremely familiar with on film was fun too. Definately worth the price of buying the BR (£15) - 8/10
Moonrise Kingdom - Wes Anderson can be a hit/miss director for me but I liked The Life Aquatic and Fantastic Mr Fox and this one looked interesting so I picked it up. Really enjoyed it. It looked great and the story was nice. It was a bit weird at times, but overall I was thoroughly entertained. 7/10
Richly fascinating Argentine drama that stirs together a grubby murder thriller with a touching passage-of-time romance. An odd cocktail, but it works like a charm, even with its psycho-thriller endgame. And the camerawork during the football match is something to behold. 8/10
Watching the LOTR trilogy again, since it's on tv. I have all the extended editions, and must have seen them a half dozen times each, but I just can't resist watching it, whenever it is on Truly a masterpiece for me.
Dire, not a single original idea in its empty head. It's like if Signs had a baby with Paranormal Activity and left any semblance of logic at the door. Speaking of doors, quite why the residents of the house felt the need to board up all the doors and windows was particularly hilarious considering that it had been blatantly established that the aliens didn't even use the doors to get inside. Utterly moronic. Avoid.
Dire, not a single original idea in its empty head. It's like if Signs had a baby with Paranormal Activity and left any semblance of logic at the door. Speaking of doors, quite why the residents of the house felt the need to board up all the doors and windows was particularly hilarious considering that it had been blatantly established that the aliens didn't even use the doors to get inside. Utterly moronic. Avoid.
I was gonna watch it last night too but feared it would be crap. I shall avoid.
Comments
One word to describe it so far..... bizarre! :eek:
While the film is notorious for its depiction of violence, what shines through to me is the depth of the characters. They are not one dimensional bad guys. They are cruel, ruthless, ignorant, funny, loyal and, in their own way honourable.
The story concerns the final days of the gang as they head to Mexico after a bank robbery has gone wrong. While a posse led by a former gang member (Robert Ryan) is on their trail, the bunch become involved with the Mexican revolution which ultimately proves to be their undoing.
There are very few modern action movies that don’t owe something to Peckinpah’s style of direction with his use of slow motion and fast cross-cutting between scenes. Even by today’s standards it’s still a violent movie. But it doesn’t glamorise violence, it shows it as nasty, bloody and brutal.
10/10
Moonrise Kingdom - Wes Anderson can be a hit/miss director for me but I liked The Life Aquatic and Fantastic Mr Fox and this one looked interesting so I picked it up. Really enjoyed it. It looked great and the story was nice. It was a bit weird at times, but overall I was thoroughly entertained. 7/10
Godfather - ditto. clearly 10/10
9/10 best film I have seen all year
Brilliant 8/10
Richly fascinating Argentine drama that stirs together a grubby murder thriller with a touching passage-of-time romance. An odd cocktail, but it works like a charm, even with its psycho-thriller endgame. And the camerawork during the football match is something to behold. 8/10
An Australian version of Open Water come Jaws.
Pretty good much better than expected. Apparently based on true story.
The Wild 5/10
Wreck It Ralph - 7/10
Misery 8/10
Shrek 3 - 5/10
Spoof Western is often very funny thanks to Frank Tashlin's background in cartoons, and Jane Russell really is very lovely
The 3D although did not do anything for me.
5/10
Wacky film about a weirdo math teacher (Jessica Alba). I suspect the novel worked better than this film.
Seen it a few times, never gets old.
The Embryo Hunts In Secret (Taiji ga mitsuryô suru toki) (1966) 5/10
Dire, not a single original idea in its empty head. It's like if Signs had a baby with Paranormal Activity and left any semblance of logic at the door. Speaking of doors, quite why the residents of the house felt the need to board up all the doors and windows was particularly hilarious considering that it had been blatantly established that the aliens didn't even use the doors to get inside. Utterly moronic. Avoid.
It was your typical London gangster flick, sort of Lock Stock, meets Rock n Rolla, meets Layer Cake, meets The Football Factory.
Agreed; one of the best cop films I've ever seen.
I'd give it 9/10.
4/10
Feeble Disney comedy.
I was gonna watch it last night too but feared it would be crap. I shall avoid.
4/10
I'm keen on the sequel, got some interesting directors for the sequel.
8/10
Only watched 20 minutes of the last bit but it looked good.