Dracula
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Post by Dracula on May 13, 2020 19:52:24 GMT -5
Tunnel (2016) I didn’t really have much in terms of preconceptions about Tunnel going into it. I don’t remember it ever getting American distribution and the reason it probably never did was because it was a little too conventional and straightforward to really make sense in arthouses but was also a little too not in the English language to get very far with more “basic” audiences. That is unfortunate because it is a very solidly made disaster movie that’s one part Buried, one part The Martian, and one part Ace in the Hole. It concerns a regular guy who was driving through a longish tunnel through a mountain when the whole thing collapsed trapping him inside. We then cut between him trying to find water and food and surviving in the cave-like ruble pile he’s stuck in and people on the outside trying to do the rescue operation while struggling with all the obstacles and bullshit that that effort entailed. I was kind of expecting the movie to draw a bit on the 2014 sinking of the MV Sewol and the political discontent that was caused by that, and there are hints of that, but it wasn’t as major of a theme as I was hoping. For the most part this doesn’t reinvent the wheel or give us much we haven’t seen before but it is pretty well made and has nicely large Hollywood style production values.
***1/2 out of Five
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thebtskink
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Post by thebtskink on May 14, 2020 19:54:03 GMT -5
Three Days of the Condor (1975)
I've seen bits of All the President's Men before, and knew of the reasoning why Redford was chosen for The Winter Soldier, but for a conspiracy movie this was a lot more subdued than I expected.
Here, Redford plays a nerd-archetype, combing through hundreds of books for the CIA in an Literacy Society front. When he steps out of office for lunch, the rest of his colleagues are killed. When he goes to phone-in the happenings to HQ, he can barely remember his codename "Condor." This is all within the first 15 minutes, so I'm comfortable i'm not giving away the whole film. Where the film excels is showing you how deep over his head Redford is. He's crafty, sure--but he's too cocksure to realize when he is being played and by whom.
Throughout the opening scene and the movie, the movie hammers home how much the average Joe would be royally fucked in such a scenario. A co-worker exits the bathroom to see what's going on, then quickly retreats back closing the wooden door which does nothing to stop the hail of gunfire coming his way. Isolated background sounds get louder as Redford crosses the street.
There are significant flaws in the movie. While I appreciate the movie respects the audience intelligence, it is a bit jarring to attempt to sift through CIA jargon while watching it. Multiple times the viewer ends up just as confused as Redford, which I suppose is half the point. I don't think the movie is half as clever as it thinks it is, and it may be perhaps better served if it stuck to the original Six days (or reason behind the conspiracy) of the novel. Redford is dating and considerably affectionate with a co-worker in the opening scene, and having sex with Faye Dunaway two days after in one of the most laughably terrible sex scenes I've ever seen. The plot mechanics are good, but the camera work isn't "great". Maybe it's the cynic in me informed by 45 years since of shady government dealings, but I'm not blown away by the the conspiracy itself.
But my god, does Max Von Sydow steal the show here. Cold, calculating, and an accent you just can't place - he is absolutely captivating every second he's on screen. An antagonist in the movie, you're never really sure what he is going to do. I got a kick out a scene late in the movie with him receiving a phone call in the midst of the heat of the action where he couldn't appear to be bothered by what was going on; his last scene gives the movie its ethos and mkaes me forgive the dumb change of the conspiracy plot. Honestly, it should've been the last scene of the film.
B+
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Doomsday
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Post by Doomsday on May 14, 2020 21:18:04 GMT -5
Tunnel sounds really cool, I'll have to check it out.
I saw Three Days of the Condor years ago and remember almost none of it. I'll have to watch that again sometime too.
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thebtskink
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Post by thebtskink on May 14, 2020 21:34:09 GMT -5
I feel so betrayed by this club. Now I'm writing actual reviews and crap.
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IanTheCool
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Post by IanTheCool on May 17, 2020 10:24:05 GMT -5
Manhattan Murder Mystery
This Woody Allan movie from the 90s sees Diane Keaton and himself as a married couple who suspect their neighbour has been murdered by her husband. They investigate further and the game is afoot. The mystery plot is fun, the humour is natural to the story, and the acting is really good. Diane Keaton in particular steals the show, but Alan Alda is also great. Allan is his usual neurotic self, but he's got some great stuff. "This must be one of those new doors" was one of my favourite lines. Angelica Huston was good too, and I don't often think that. Allan uses an interesting style for his camerawork, where the characters are often obscured by extras or the back of people's heads or obscured windshields. I'm not sure what the point of this is, but its certainly interesting and aids in the realism. I think it was maybe his way of "making the city a character", or something. The dialogue is also pretty rapid fire and almost constant, another way to make the film its own thing. If you are looking for an interesting take on the murder mystery, this is a fun one. 7.5/10
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Doomsday
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Post by Doomsday on May 18, 2020 15:16:04 GMT -5
One week left.
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on May 18, 2020 17:13:19 GMT -5
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Doomsday
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Post by Doomsday on May 18, 2020 19:41:39 GMT -5
That sack of wine!
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Neverending
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Post by Neverending on May 18, 2020 19:57:24 GMT -5
Predestination (2014)Remember the episode of Futurama in which Fry goes back in time and knocks up his grandmother thus becoming his own grandfather? That’s this movie excepts it’s not a comedic cartoon but a low-budget sci-fi thriller that PhantomKnight found at the Walmart bargain bin. It’s made by people that watched The Crow, Dark City and Equilibrium growing up and made their own homage to it. It’s alright. I was — intrigued. The journey justified the comical destination.
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on May 18, 2020 21:25:51 GMT -5
Predestination (2014)Remember the episode of Futurama in which Fry goes back in time and knocks up his grandmother thus becoming his own grandfather? That’s this movie excepts it’s not a comedic cartoon but a low-budget sci-fi thriller that PhantomKnight found at the Walmart bargain bin. It’s made by people that watched The Crow, Dark City and Equilibrium growing up and made their own homage to it. It’s alright. I was — intrigued. The journey justified the comical destination.
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Doomsday
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Post by Doomsday on May 24, 2020 0:49:31 GMT -5
Who’s all in for next round?
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Neverending
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Post by Neverending on May 24, 2020 1:35:32 GMT -5
Who’s all in for next round? I’m in
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thebtskink
CS! Silver
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It puts the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again.
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Post by thebtskink on May 24, 2020 4:54:35 GMT -5
Sure.
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PG Cooper
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And those who tasted the bite of his sword named him...The DOOM Slayer
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Post by PG Cooper on May 24, 2020 8:05:15 GMT -5
Yes. Will watch my film soon.
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Dracula
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Post by Dracula on May 24, 2020 8:26:35 GMT -5
in
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on May 24, 2020 10:48:58 GMT -5
In.
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Doomsday
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Post by Doomsday on May 25, 2020 11:00:07 GMT -5
Any others? I'll try to get a new round up tonight.
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IanTheCool
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Post by IanTheCool on May 25, 2020 16:35:59 GMT -5
If you need someone to even out the numbers, i can.
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Doomsday
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Post by Doomsday on May 25, 2020 16:37:45 GMT -5
If you need someone to even out the numbers, i can. If you want in I’ll put you in, if you want to sit out a round I can put myself in to even it out.
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IanTheCool
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Post by IanTheCool on May 25, 2020 16:38:50 GMT -5
I dont want to cut you out
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Doomsday
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Post by Doomsday on May 26, 2020 10:22:44 GMT -5
I dont want to cut you out It's all good, if you want in I'll put you in.
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Doomsday
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Post by Doomsday on May 26, 2020 21:42:22 GMT -5
What say you IanTheCool ? Are you in? Or are you OUT?
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Neverending
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Post by Neverending on May 26, 2020 22:23:52 GMT -5
What say you IanTheCool ? Are you in? Or are you OUT? Dude’s like 3 reviews behind. Let’s make it 4.
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IanTheCool
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Post by IanTheCool on May 27, 2020 8:36:38 GMT -5
out
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Doomsday
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Post by Doomsday on May 27, 2020 9:22:46 GMT -5
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