What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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XXX: Return of Xander Cage (2016) **
Preposterous action blockbuster/vanity project for Vin Diesel (who takes smugness to a new level here).
I'd be lying if I said a wasn't a little entertained, but a bonafide good movie it isn't.

Spinning Man (2017) **½
Did philosophy professor Guy Pearce murder a nubile female student?
More a character drama than a thriller; fine, but doesn't do anything special.

Ghostbusters II (1989) ***
UHD viewing.
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In Darkness (2017) **
Blind pianist overhears the possible murder of her upstairs neighbour.
What starts out as a creepy Hitchcockian suspenser soon turns into a far less interesting (not to mention hopelessly convoluted) revenge drama.
Conclusion is especially risible.
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Guro Taku
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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The Nightingale (Australia/USA/Canada, 2018) [amazon] – 4/5
Gnarly, violent revenge film about an Irish convict in a Tasmanian penal colony in the early 1800s, who, after numerous rapes and the slaughter of her husband and baby, embarks on a quest for revenge. Unfortunately kind of runs out of steam just when there's supposed to be a showdown but otherwise an impressive film. I enjoyed director Jennifer Kent's previous film THE BABADOOK (2016) but I couldn't have guessed that this was directed by the same person. Aisling Franciosi is outstanding in the lead role. I especially loved the scene where she bonds with her Aboriginal guide (you'd better believe this film has a few things to say about the horros of "colonization") over their mutal hatred for the English.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Our Kind of Traitor (2015) **½
Quite good spy thriller, engrossing throughout, though the ending's a little weak, ill-explained.
Based on a novel by John LeCarre, which one assumes is better plotted.
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Keeping Up with the Joneses (2016) **
Innocuous spy comedy-thriller.
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Patriot's Day (2016) ***
Tense, tactful thriller about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Joker (2019): 4/5

Dark and disturbing character study - Joaquin Phoenix does very well in a complex role and the music is great too. I did notice one of Bob Monkhouse's famous gags was used but it didn't feel right somehow?
Strangely I did almost feel kind of sympathetic for Arthur at times (not always) :(
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Captain America: Civil War (2016) **
If watching gravity-defying superheroes smashing the shit out of each other for 2.5 hrs is your bag,
then this is the movie for you. The internal conflict plays second fiddle to awesome spectacle.
Marvel fans will love this; I was apathetic, and somewhat numbed by the endless chaos and mayhem.

Bad Match (2017) **½
Self-absorbed player swipes right on a hot student and gets more than he bargained for.
Satisfactory thriller with a twist. Worth swiping right for on a late night.
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All the Money in the World (2017) **½
Kidnap drama from Ridley Scott in which world's richest man refuses to pay his grandson's ransom.
Based on a true story, film is never less than watchable, but is as cold and inert as its characters.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Rulers of the City (Italy, 1976) [VoD] - 2.5/5
Lightweight Fernando Di Leo gangster actioner with two young blokes trying their luck against the mafia. Moderately entertaining if you can get past the brain dead script and the fundamental question why make a film with these silly youngsters when there were older, more charismatic actors available? A very passable time waster, but Milano Calibro 9 this is not.
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The Lighthouse Golem (2016) *½
Disappointing murder mystery set in Victorian London district.
Overly theatrical, clumsy structuring, poor storytelling.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Vampires (USA, 1998) [BD] – 3/5
To my great shame, the only John Carpenter film I have seen in theaters upon release. This was my first time revisiting it and it hold up well as his last good film, even if it can't touch his masterpieces. James Woods delivers some hilariously foul-mouthed and politically incorrect dialogue, much of which was improvised according to an interview on the disc.

Conquest (Italy/Spain/Mexico, 1983) [BD] – 4/5
One of my favorite Fulci films, a brain-meltingly insane and mostly incomprehensible CONAN knock-off that boasts some actually impressive cinematography and sets. A couple great gore scenes too. The film is at its weakest during the fight scenes.

Beatrice Cenci (Italy, 1969) [BD] – 3/5
Fulci's historical drama, set in 16th century Italy, does a solid job of evoking the grit and grime of the era and while this was early days for the director, the torture scenes foreshadow some of the excesses he'd indulge in later in his career.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Uncle John (2015) ***
Impressive, very low key revenge drama. Worth seeking out.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Rambo AKA John Rambo (2007): 4/5

Dark, violent and intense action drama with a brooding Stallone performance. I felt the use of CGI/effects kills stood out, but that's inevitable these days I guess. There was some brutal stuff. Still very good nonetheless.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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First Blood: 4.25/5
Solid first film

Rambo: Last Blood: 3.5/5
This felt as though someone decided to make a Mexican-set version of Taken with Sly in the lead, I still enjoyed it though.
The last act is similar to a certain 90's Christmas movie... ;)
Last edited by grim_tales on 23 Nov 2019, 00:39, edited 1 time in total.
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Little Monsters (2019) **
Zombies attack an Aussie farm in patchy horror-comedy.
Some laughs, sharp moments.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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grim_tales wrote: 22 Nov 2019, 23:25 Rambo: Last Blood: 3.5/5

The last act is similar to a certain 90's Christmas movie... ;)
Jingle All the Way? :icon_suspect:
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Miracle on 34th Street?

A drunken Santa takes out his elves with a crossbow?
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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It had Home Alone vibes.
Some thoughts: When Rambo accuses his neice's friend of selling her - was it true? Also when it's revealed the absent dad is an asshole who never loved her, it's not really mentioned again, why?
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Overlord (2018) **
US soldiers parachute into occupied France to prepare for D-day, run afoul of zombie soldiers - the creation of a mad Nazi scientist (is there any other kind?). Watchable enough, but gory video game-like violence fails to impress.
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Captain Marvel (2019) ***
Entertaining Marvel comic blessedly doesn't lake itself too seriously.
Brie Larson is good in the title role. Dig that 90s soundtrack, too.
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Juliet, Naked (2018) **½
Amiable romantic comedy-drama about a reclusive musician.
Entirely forgettable, but hits a few right notes along the way.

The Case of the Bloody Iris (1972) *½
Laughably inept giallo with only a nude Edwige Fenech to recommend it.
The opening murder was "borrowed" by DePalma for Dressed to Kill.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Skinner (USA, 1993) [BD] – 2.5/5
Ted Raimi is a guy called Skinner who walks around skinning hookers. Traci Lords, looking a bit like she stumbled out of a FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION cosplay with her hat and trenchcoat, is an escaped victim looking to bring him down. Schlocky as hell but a surprising amount of fun.

Romeo Is Bleeding (USA, 1993) [BD] – 3/5
Peter Medak's neo-noir boasts a rather impressive performance by Lena Olin as a genuinely scary femme fatale. The mournful saxophone soundtrack and voice-over narration were probably thought to be necessary for the genre but actually undermine the film by being so cliche.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Clear and Present Danger (1994) ***
Best of the Jack Ryan series.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Guro Taku wrote: 27 Nov 2019, 23:39 Skinner (USA, 1993) [BD] – 2.5/5
Ted Raimi is a guy called Skinner who walks around skinning hookers.
His mother must be so disapointed ;)
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but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
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