Film Review Thread

[Mustafaster]

Exactly. However much people rave about The West Wing or The Sopranos or The Wire or any of them, I'm loathe to invest even the 10-or-so hours needed to see if it gets going, never the mind the 100-odd most of the established "greats" take up.

As far as I'm concerned, most stories worth telling don't need that long to be told. It must be the least-compact format of any story-telling medium -- even the most epic books don't take that long to read! I'm sure there must be plenty of filler in there.

I can understand you being wary of it, so was I.
The Wire is worth every minute. There is almost no filler in it. It has about a dozen totally unforgettable characters, and that isn't counting the main protagonist (the city itself). The use of language is just fabulous.
I know people bang on about it, but there is a reason for that, it's head and shoulders above anything else, still nothing to compare to it for me.
It tailed off a bit towards the end of the last series, but that takes nothing away from the sustained briliance over 80 hours imo. Amazing acheivement.
Try it.

[SimonB]

I am really enjoying Game of Thrones, I think the long TV series format does allow for development of the characters and an understanding of motivations and political dimensions of a story well beyond what could ever be achieved in a couple of hours in the cinema. But then I have always enjoyed the fantasy series genre of books.

Also watching Alcatraz which I am enjoying as well as some fun series on the Sci Fi channel, lost girl, the almighty johnsons and todd and the book of pure evil.

Went to see This Means War last week and really enjoyed it, thought it was much funnier than I had imagined and it had some decent special effects which I always enjoy.

Going to see The Hunger Games tonight.

[topbin]

Going to see The Hunger Games tonight.

Never had you down as a 14 year old girl, Simon.

[SimonB]

Going to see The Hunger Games tonight.

Never had you down as a 14 year old girl, Simon.

My wifes choice, although I am happy to go and see it.

[eric olthwaite]

Going to see The Hunger Games tonight.

Never had you down as a 14 year old girl, Simon.

A 14 year old girl, trapped in the body of a 40 year old pisshead.

Too horrific to contemplate, really.

[Phil LUFC]

MightyWhite: Touch looks pretty decent from the opening episode.

As far as I'm concerned, most stories worth telling don't need that long to be told. It must be the least-compact format of any story-telling medium -- even the most epic books don't take that long to read! I'm sure there must be plenty of filler in there.

Do you not ever watch something and want to see more from the same world? Something like Game of Thrones is perfect for TV but make a shit film, there's a lot going on and a whole world to explore, once they're done with that its potentially open to further series set in the same world, either in parallel or at a different time period.

I've not seen most of the mentioned "must see" series, I either watch from the beginning or I don't bother, there's no time to watch everything and I've managed to commit myself to some pretty shit series, but stuck with them (eg Tera Nova).

[FER]

Also watching Alcatraz which I am enjoying as well

Got that bitch Sky+'d. Just need to find time when her indoors isn't watching Corrington or DeadBenders, or I'm not at the pub, to start watching the fucker.

[Supernorm]

Seen Eragon again at the weekend, it was on the telly here in Montreal. I want my own Dragon!!

[BC]

The yanks are turning out some fantastic TV series, much better than their films imo.
Since The Sopranos broke the mould, they have produced: The Wire (greatest thing ever on screen, FACT), Deadwood, Defying Gravity, Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire, Sons of Anarchy, Game of Thrones ... to name a few. The long format of the series allows them to develop a plot and characters in a way that films just can't, for me.
Saw J. Edgar at the weekend, pretty decent by Hollywood standards 7/10 but still not a patch on the above mentioned series.

If you haven't already check out Justified, Terriers and the Generation Kill miniseries (another David Simon gig) there are loads more very goods show an'all. I think all the shows you've listed are tops (though Deadwood comes out over the Wire for me) but have never heard of Defying Gravity, worth a shot? I see it was on network tv in the US which I normally don't like but there were only 13 eps rather than the 20+ they normally put out plus the beeb seem to have had a hand in it.

[Mustafaster]

The yanks are turning out some fantastic TV series, much better than their films imo.
Since The Sopranos broke the mould, they have produced: The Wire (greatest thing ever on screen, FACT), Deadwood, Defying Gravity, Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire, Sons of Anarchy, Game of Thrones ... to name a few. The long format of the series allows them to develop a plot and characters in a way that films just can't, for me.
Saw J. Edgar at the weekend, pretty decent by Hollywood standards 7/10 but still not a patch on the above mentioned series.

If you haven't already check out Justified, Terriers and the Generation Kill miniseries (another David Simon gig) there are loads more very goods show an'all. I think all the shows you've listed are tops (though Deadwood comes out over the Wire for me) but have never heard of Defying Gravity, worth a shot? I see it was on network tv in the US which I normally don't like but there were only 13 eps rather than the 20+ they normally put out plus the beeb seem to have had a hand in it.

Thanks for the tips. As somebody said ye cannae see 'em all, I'l check those out sometime.
Defying Gravity was an odd one. It was a full blown sci-fi series, must have cost a bloody fortune to make. It took a while to get into its stride (too long maybe) but once it got up and running it was ace.
The US network pulled it after the 1st series probably because it had taken so long to get going properly. Shame, because the end of the 1st series was a belter and set up the rest nicely.

[eric olthwaite]

How we all doing with Homeland? Quite like it, but I do find the whole 'is it him / is it her' false tension thing a bit tedious.

Mrs O says the kinky twist is that Saul and Brody are in on it together. Not convinced (yet).

[Porkchopexpress]

Sopranos was the finest thing ont idiot box. Except the ending. Really well written, but as a small child trapped in a larger body, it really narked me.

Yeah, Sopranos was ace, from the pilot on.
Have to disagree about the ending, though, it was superb imo.
There was only one way they could end it, just a question of how, and the way Chase handled it was brilliant for me, total shocker.

No, what I meant was the ending was class, but I just want to know what happened. Is it a happy family sit down, or a gun-in-the-khazi godfather moment?

[Mustafaster]

Sopranos was the finest thing ont idiot box. Except the ending. Really well written, but as a small child trapped in a larger body, it really narked me.

Yeah, Sopranos was ace, from the pilot on.
Have to disagree about the ending, though, it was superb imo.
There was only one way they could end it, just a question of how, and the way Chase handled it was brilliant for me, total shocker.

No, what I meant was the ending was class, but I just want to know what happened. Is it a happy family sit down, or a gun-in-the-khazi godfather moment?

Tony got whacked.
It was beautifully set up, Chase played with different POV shots thoughout the final diner scene, and the final shot was Tony's POV. Then the shocking smash cut to black...
Well, that's my take, but part of the brilliance was that there were various possible interpretations. Great show.

[SimonB]

Going to see The Hunger Games tonight.

Never had you down as a 14 year old girl, Simon.

A 14 year old girl, trapped in the body of a 40 year old pisshead.

Too horrific to contemplate, really.

Interesting concept

The film was shit, it was so so dull particularly at the start. So much so that I managed to fall asleep and start snoring much to the embarrassment of my wife. Even the hunger game itself with lots of fighting and slaughter they managed to make dull by long winded shots of running through woodland. Really didnt like they way they shot the fighting sequences either lots of blurring out of focus shots. Overall what should have been a decent idea for a film was made into something that I would have to be paid a lot to see again!

[the flying pig]

How we all doing with Homeland? Quite like it, but I do find the whole 'is it him / is it her' false tension thing a bit tedious.

Mrs O says the kinky twist is that Saul and Brody are in on it together. Not convinced (yet).

on this - i quite like homeland & kind of want to really like it, but can't quite, it just doesn't seem good enough for that.

[Mustafaster]

How we all doing with Homeland? Quite like it, but I do find the whole 'is it him / is it her' false tension thing a bit tedious.

Mrs O says the kinky twist is that Saul and Brody are in on it together. Not convinced (yet).

on this - i quite like homeland & kind of want to really like it, but can't quite, it just doesn't seem good enough for that.

It's OK. Not Champs League stuff, but very watchable. Game of Thrones is back in a few days, now that is CL.

[jackos]

Game of Thrones is back in a few days, now that is CL.

Downloaded this n watched the first episode last night, after the build up its been given on this thread it'd better improve rapidly. It's like a teenage version of 'The Lion, The Witch n The Wardrobe', with a few tits n people having the most boring sex possible, while making sure they don't ruin they makeup. Aimed at white, middle class, American, church going, youths .. Telll me it gets better?.? I'm told the books are exceptional, so I might try them instead.

[Mustafaster]

Game of Thrones is back in a few days, now that is CL.

Downloaded this n watched the first episode last night, after the build up its been given on this thread it'd better improve rapidly. It's like a teenage version of 'The Lion, The Witch n The Wardrobe', with a few tits n people having the most boring sex possible, while making sure they don't ruin they makeup. Aimed at white, middle class, American, church going, youths .. Telll me it gets better?.? I'm told the books are exceptional, so I might try them instead.

It's a series, so you can't really judge anything from the first episode, it's just scene-setting and introducing characters.
It really is pretty good, imo, some fine performances and looks great. It's a fantasy thing so yes it has elements of Tolkieneque silliness, goes with the territory like Sci-Fi and aliens. If you don't like that sort of thing it's not for you, obviously.
When the plots starts to kick in around E03 it gets much better.
The books are very good, I'm told. I'm not a fan of fantasy books, but for some reason I quite like film adaptations.

[Dods]

In other film news, they're making a sequel to Anchorman.

"I would like to extend to you an invitation to the pants party."

[BARE-NAKED-LADY]

I don't wish to nit-pic but can the TV reviews be saved for that "Shit TV Girls watch" thread? I think the Wire was mentioned on there.By the way to the people who haven't watched The Soprano's or The Wire- shame really as it really was good TV. And SimonB, 'Lost Girl?' Never figured you for that kind of program? I have watched it by the way....

Will bring up the other TV thread, as I need something answering....