What Did You Watch Today?

[Benji]

And another - RIPD. Basically wants desperately to be Men In Black set in the universe of Dead Like Me but just winds up a missing out on anything beyond average (seriously on the MIB thing, it practically lifts things directly from it).

Reynolds and Bridges are fine and try to make it work, but the chemistry just isn't there, which is what you sorely need in what's basically a buddy cop film.

It has a fun final third, which saves it from being anything too bad, but as I said it's still pretty average.

[RoyWill Rumble]

Hidden Kingdoms is stupid and wonderful.

[HC]

Gone Girl is pretty good shit. Came in with no knowledge of the novel but they had me at Fincher and Affleck.

[Summers]

Watched The Great Gatsby (2013). Really was hoping for something more special, but it's disappointing.

Cinematography was clearly done with intent to show the flashy elements of the tale but never really works, and the soundtrack is downright abysmal at points and rarely suits the film (seriously, I love Jay-Z but who the fuck thought his songs would work in a film based in this period).

Trouble is that no-one ever really comes off as likeable or empathisable so I never invested in anyone either except Isla Fisher's character for the brief moments she appears, and even that's more sympathy than likeability. Not even Nick/The Narrator ever comes across as anything but a voice over as exposition rather than an integral proxy for the viewer. Gatsby himself is more often exposited to be a good person than actually shown as such.

Not a film I'd suggest anyone watch unless you were already intending to see it at some point. It's not really bad, but it does have glaring flaws.

Not gonna lie, I really like this. I love the mishmash of the time period with the music and the flashiness.

[Benji]

This Is The End is brilliant. Between the cast and the humour I don't think there was any moment I wasn't enjoying. Danny McBride was a perfect dickhole too.

[Summers]

This Is The End is brilliant. Between the cast and the humour I don't think there was any moment I wasn't enjoying. Danny McBride was a perfect dickhole too.

Yes! Fucking love this. So, so good. Just great fun all the way through.

[Benji]

Not gonna lie, I really like this. I love the mishmash of the time period with the music and the flashiness.

Did you watch it in the cinema and/or 3D? I felt like it was probably something that was done a lot more with cinema in mind than it's translation to watching at home.

[stokeriño]

Watched The Great Gatsby (2013). Really was hoping for something more special, but it's disappointing.

Cinematography was clearly done with intent to show the flashy elements of the tale but never really works, and the soundtrack is downright abysmal at points and rarely suits the film (seriously, I love Jay-Z but who the fuck thought his songs would work in a film based in this period).

Trouble is that no-one ever really comes off as likeable or empathisable so I never invested in anyone either except Isla Fisher's character for the brief moments she appears, and even that's more sympathy than likeability. Not even Nick/The Narrator ever comes across as anything but a voice over as exposition rather than an integral proxy for the viewer. Gatsby himself is more often exposited to be a good person than actually shown as such.

Not a film I'd suggest anyone watch unless you were already intending to see it at some point. It's not really bad, but it does have glaring flaws.

Not gonna lie, I really like this. I love the mishmash of the time period with the music and the flashiness.

The modern music I think really helps. Gatsby's parties are new, flashy and fairly scandalous. I think if they played period music through it then it would end up appearing more, I dunno, 'twee' than what they're trying to portray.

As for the lack of likable or empathisable characters...this is the same feeling I had with the book, so I can't really blame the film for it.

[Summers]

Not gonna lie, I really like this. I love the mishmash of the time period with the music and the flashiness.

Did you watch it in the cinema and/or 3D? I felt like it was probably something that was done a lot more with cinema in mind than it's translation to watching at home.

Cinema, aye.

Watched The Great Gatsby (2013). Really was hoping for something more special, but it's disappointing.

Cinematography was clearly done with intent to show the flashy elements of the tale but never really works, and the soundtrack is downright abysmal at points and rarely suits the film (seriously, I love Jay-Z but who the fuck thought his songs would work in a film based in this period).

Trouble is that no-one ever really comes off as likeable or empathisable so I never invested in anyone either except Isla Fisher's character for the brief moments she appears, and even that's more sympathy than likeability. Not even Nick/The Narrator ever comes across as anything but a voice over as exposition rather than an integral proxy for the viewer. Gatsby himself is more often exposited to be a good person than actually shown as such.

Not a film I'd suggest anyone watch unless you were already intending to see it at some point. It's not really bad, but it does have glaring flaws.

Not gonna lie, I really like this. I love the mishmash of the time period with the music and the flashiness.

The modern music I think really helps. Gatsby's parties are new, flashy and fairly scandalous. I think if they played period music through it then it would end up appearing more, I dunno, 'twee' than what they're trying to portray.

As for the lack of likable or empathisable characters...this is the same feeling I had with the book, so I can't really blame the film for it.

Definitely agree with these sentiments,

[Jimmy]

Not gonna lie, I really like this. I love the mishmash of the time period with the music and the flashiness.

Did you watch it in the cinema and/or 3D? I felt like it was probably something that was done a lot more with cinema in mind than it's translation to watching at home.

I watched it in the cinema and hated it. I think the casting, on the whole, is quite good. But it's so horribly directed and missed the whole tone of the book. I thought the modern music was terrible, and was there just as a device for trying to make things look flashy for the sake of it. I always felt like the novel was actually like a really small story set in this kind of bigger world, and they just went for style over substance. I just thought basically everything was wrong about it except the casting.

[Summers]

Yeah but you know nothing Jim Snow.

[Liam]

The Great Gatsby is an awful book. Not sure why people view it so highly.

I did buy the one of the older versions of the film when it was going cheap in Tesco, but never got around to watching it.

[Benjamin]

The Great Gatsby is actually a novel that is total style over substance. So the film mirroring that is very apt, it's also very horrible at the same time.

[Jimmy]

The Great Gatsby is actually a novel that is total style over substance. So the film mirroring that is very apt, it's also very horrible at the same time.

Yeah, but it has a very human core which is basically tossed to the side in the film so Luhrmann could just get some cool visuals and contrast them with music which isn't of the period. There's a brilliant and revealing moment in the novel describing how distraught Daisy is before marrying Tom because of the letter she received from Gatsby which is basically skipped over in favour of a cool, slow-mo montage.

[Benji]

I am on fire for this 365 films thing - just watched Uncle Buck. It was okay, standard 80s affair. Certainly not Hughes' best work but it made me laugh.

[Benji]

A Good Day To Die Hard is not a good film. Not just a bad Die Hard film but a mediocre thriller into the bargain.

Totally lost sight of what made Die Hard so great - the one liners are rare, there's no chemistry between McClane and anyone else, there's no person in charge of the mission for McClane to talk back to in classic form, it's too much thriller and not enough action, and there's no memorable villain.

Live Free wasn't great, but it at least kept some of the spirit and elements of it's predecessors. This could just have easily been any other film without the Die Hard name attached to it.

Mind, all credit where due to Jai Courtney who does a good job as McClane junior even whilst Willis phones it in.

[Benji]

Breakfast At Tiffany's is good and totally not what I was expecting. I had it in my head that it would be this classy romantic comedy, but it's amusingly zany.

Audrey Hepburn's infamous performance is the earliest use I know of for the overused 'manic pixie dream girl/boy' trope, but to a degree the film also addresses this. By showing a trail of men Holly has left behind or looked to use, it feels innevitable she will leave 'Fred' too; showing her flaws rather than just seeing her as this perfect creature who will fix everything forever. Either that or Paul will leave her, since it's made clear that he's a bit of a user too.

Finally putting 'Moon River' to the film itself makes one of my favourite songs even better too.

My only major gripe was the insanely racist portrayal of the asian landlord, but considering this was 1961 I can't really hold that against the film. That and the scene where she nearly hurts the cat and later abandons it. Stupid person :@ Makes me glad her relationship is doomed.

[stokeriño]

That and the scene where she nearly hurts the cat and later abandons it. Stupid person :@

At least they get the cat back!

[Benjamin]

The Blues Brothers (1980)

I can't stop smiling.

[Benji]

Watched Enter The Dragon earlier. Kind of disappointed with it.

It's arguably the most significant martial arts film of all time, but the fight scenes just do not hold up well. Add that to a mediocre plot and some really cheesey 70s acting and you've not got a great mix.

Fun for what it is, but it has not aged well at all.