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

[Yi-Long]

The Reader 4/5

Post-war drama about a young man falling in love with an older woman (Winslet). The romance only lasts one summer, and the woman disappears.

Years later their paths meet again, this time when the woman is charged with murder for her time as an SS-guard for the nazi's.

An intruiging drama with an acting masterclass (as always) by the brilliant Winslet. She's just stunning in every scene she's in, and just for that performance already worth the watch.

The story is interesting, the rest of the cast is good although the young actor David Kross playing the lead role doesn't really resemble Ralph Fiennes, which hurts the character somewhat.

Anyway, recommended viewing for everyone, even if only to watch the very best actress of our generation doing her thing

[Markgway]

Michael Gough is awesome in this!

Gough is an incredible ham as usual.

Might have added an extra half star if Shirley Anne Field got her tits out.

Oh, well....

Have you seen Konga?

Not a title I'm familiar with.

[Markgway]

Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987-Canada) **

Bears no relation to the original, but is a significant improvement all the same.

[Markgway]

Maniac (1980-USA) *

Repellent in the extreme.

[Markgway]

Real Genius (1985-USA) **

Zany teen comedy about science geeks.

[Markgway]

Dragon Eyes (2011-USA) *½

Risible martial arts vehicle for MMA flavour Cung Le (Van Damme fans will be disappointed in that he only has a guest role here). The smash 'n' crunch fights are well enough done... but the stupid storytelling is off the chart bad. I didn't like John Hyams' Universal Soldier: Resurrection... this may be even worse. At least that movie knew it was dumb.

...and what on earth possessed the filmmakers to make our "hero" the murderer of an unarmed woman (and how did he get out of jail after what looks like a few months??)

[grim_tales]

The Invisible Man (1933): 3.5/5

Truth to be told I couldnt stand the squealing, screeching, cocker-nee British character actors here, like the innkeepers wife, she was so annoying (and others that had a monotone way of talking), they just got on my nerves - but the story is a good, creepy one and there are some very clever effects, astonishing and way ahead of their time (remember this is 1933), along with Claude Rains (who is brilliant) they steal the film.

[saltysam]

Hills Have Eyes Part 2 1.5/5 Risible sequel full of poor acting and loaded with flashbacks to the previous movie.Definitely not Wes Craven's finest hour.

[Keung]

Hollywood Homicide - ★★
- I was very tired and ill (still am) when I put this on so found it hard to follow. Best part of the film: http://youtu.be/4h0DA0Ad0Zo

[Markgway]

Indiana Jones reduced to stealing a little girl's bicycle.

[gasteropod]

In Time (2011) - 2.5/5

[Markgway]

Jumper (2008-USA-Canada) **

CGI dominated adventure pic is mostly watchable in spite of mediocre performances and a vague plot (seems obvious that the makers had a sequel or series in mind since they leave so much unsaid and multiple loose ends).

[HungFist]

Tuntematon ystävä (“The Unknown Friend”) (Finland, 1978) – 3/5
Long forgotten Finnish late 70’s B-film with international flavor. The story follows a Finnish-American couple seducing and killing desperate men in hopes of insurance money, and detective trying to stop them before it’s too late. Very clumsy, entertaining and occasionally unintentionally cool film that screenwriter Ismo Sajakorpi recently wished no one would ever see. Ironically, the film’s first TV screening in 25 years followed only months later.

Matti (Finland, 2006) – 2/5
Matti Nykänen is a legend – the most successful ski jumper of all time, and more recently, a walking disaster whose downfall first made him a singer, then a stripper, and finally a wife beating tabloid hero. Now he’s in prison. This flashy film adaptation with pretty boy Jasper Pääkkönen in the lead is embarrassingly bad a with a potentially fatal facepalm factor. Yet, much like with the real Matti, there’s something fascinating about the sheer awfulness of it. Pääkkönen isn’t entirely bad in his role, and there are some strong supporting actors (Jope Runansuu, Juha Veijonen). Peter Franzen is a whole different story – it may take a while for the audience to realize his character is NOT Matti’s imaginary friend or a random hallucination.

edit: I think he's out of prison by now: the review draft was written a good half a year ago
film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbN17FYrCmU

[Killer Meteor]

Marnie (1964)

Alfred Hitchcock starts to go off the rails with this acceptable but minor psychotherapy brew. Tippi Hedren isn't bad in the lead, but lacks the depth or range to make the best impact - Hitchcock being a pervy douchebag to her behind the scenes surely didn't help. Sean Connery is miscast but does his best in a rather oddly written role - and it's very hard not to look at him here and keep thinking he's James Bond. The acting honours go to the gorgeous Diane Baker, who makes for an excellent distraction from the tepid nonsense around her.

The film suffers also from Hitchcock's increasing reliance on matte paintings and rear projection that was bizzarely looking more fake the later his films were made - the endless car scenes here are pretty weak, though not as bad as the Austin Powers-esque car chase in Hitch's Family Plot, and the frequent shots of Marnie's home are dominated by an enourmous painting of a docked ship that looks like it's was a background plate from a Disney film. And there's the horse chase scene...oh dear...

The robbery scene halfway through the film, does demonstrate that Hitchcock is indeed THE master of suspense. A 5min needle of brilliant cinema, in a haystack of humdrum mediocrity.

6/10

[bradavon]

The Reader 4/5

I saw this recently too. I thought the first half was definitely stronger than the second and the most interesting part and like you say Winslet is a great actress. She's naked for much of the first half too, always a bonus.

The scene when Fiennes gives the tin to the daughter of one of the holocaust victims was rather repulsive and downright insulting. I think that was the point though. I really enjoyed it, recommended.

[gasteropod]

The Cabin in the Woods (2012) - 2.5/5

It tried something a little different, but I wasn't that mad for it, it's getting overrated.

[Yi-Long]

The Reader 4/5

I saw this recently too. I thought the first half was definitely stronger than the second and the most interesting part and like you say Winslet is a great actress. She's naked for much of the first half too, always a bonus.

The scene when Fiennes gives the tin to the daughter of one of the holocaust victims was rather repulsive and downright insulting. I think that was the point though. I really enjoyed it, recommended.

I think he wanted her to know that the woman she had held accountable all this time, couldn't have been responsible for what she was charged with (writing that letter), and the fact that 'Winslet' had left her money and that tin for her, showed Fiennes and perhaps also that woman that she had at least felt SOME regret about her actions, even though she herself felt she didn't have much of a choice at the time...

[Markgway]

Justice aka Seeking Justice (2011-USA) **½

Sinister conspiracy thriller-vigilante actioner with Nic Cage.

Kills time OK.

Dr. Strangelove... (1963-UK) **½

Black comedy-satire. Strange, indeed. I didn't laugh, but I'm not sure that makes it unfunny. If it's possible to have a successful comedy where nothing is obviously funny then this is it.

[HungFist]

It's April 19, and I've seen 1 (one) movie this month... must be a personal record!!

Shame (USA, 2011) – 3.5/5
Stylish and moody N.Y. film, somewhat like Drive but with an aggressive sex drive. JP theatrical print wasn’t much of a delight, though – fogging censorship galore. I thought Japan was done with this, AV aside, with the amount of bush visible in recent Takashi Ishii films. Oddly, Carey Mulligan made it uncensored, as did Fassbender in his first nude scene. Someone who saw the film in a civilized country might clue me in whether the other nude scenes were more graphic?

[bradavon]

I think he wanted her to know that the woman she had held accountable all this time, couldn't have been responsible for what she was charged with (writing that letter), and the fact that 'Winslet' had left her money and that tin for her, showed Fiennes and perhaps also that woman that she had at least felt SOME regret about her actions, even though she herself felt she didn't have much of a choice at the time...

Maybe but she was still guilty, just not to the level they thought of. She was no angel either way you look at it.

Shame (USA, 2011) – 3.5/5
Stylish and moody N.Y. film, somewhat like Drive but with an aggressive sex drive. JP theatrical print wasn’t much of a delight, though – fogging censorship galore. I thought Japan was done with this, AV aside, with the amount of bush visible in recent Takashi Ishii films. Oddly, Carey Mulligan made it uncensored, as did Fassbender in his first nude scene. Someone who saw the film in a civilized country might clue me in whether the other nude scenes were more graphic?

I really wanted to see this back in January but it only got a one week release in my part. It's out American NC-17 BD this month and then UK 18 BD next month. Both I believe are uncut. I'll be picking it up. Have you seen Hunger? That's excellent, very visceral in places.

The director and main star are British. I'm not sure you can really called it an American film. It's set in New York but is British.

[HungFist]

oh, you're right. I didn't actually check the production country...

And no, I haven't seen Hunger.

[Markgway]

The Salton Sea (2001-USA) **

Oddball neo-noir about a junkie trumpeter trying to avenge his wife's murder.
Curious... but not much fun.

The Last Exorcism (2010-USA-France) **½

Another 'found footage' horror
Interesting for the most part... loses its way toward the end.
Strong stuff for a PG-13.

Suspect Zero (2004-USA-Germany) **½

A serial killer plot with an unusual bent makes this worth a watch.

[Markgway]

The Forgotten (2004-USA) **

Competant but dreary thriller.

[gasteropod]

The Tenant (1976) - 4/5

Polanski rarely disappoints! The dream scene was pretty creepy, loved that bit. I was distracted by the dubbing though, it seems that in the English track half are dubbed, and in the French track the other half are, how annoying

[Markgway]

Zombieland (2009-USA) **½

Quirky fun... though not quite the cult classic it would like to be.