What Did You Watch Today?

[Benji]

Cars 2 was again, okay. Better than the first one, but still the second worst Pixar film.

[Benji]

Love [2011] was something a bit different. Not altogether realised as a story, but it's good stuff, and is beautifully filmed.

[HC]

The Interview was about what I expected. Funny but not This is the End caliber. I enjoy Rogen movies so I was able to enjoy it without feeling honey dicked out of 6 dollars.

Trick 'r Treat was weird. Didn't enjoy it much in all honesty.

[King Ellis]

Van Wilder

I know it shouldn't really come as such a surprise in a gross out teen comedy but you get to a point when you're watching three guys help a dog fuck some pastries and you have to question what and indeed why you're watching.

Exam

This one is kinda cool. The premise is that a bunch of people are 'locked' in this one to complete an exam as part of a recruitment process, only the piece of paper they're given is essentially blank so they have to slowly try and figure out what's going on and how they can complete this paper. It's interesting to see some of the stuff they try and what not but I think they shoe horned a lot of stuff into the universe the movie is set in to better explain away how things develop. Like, people normally wouldn't go to the extremes shown for a normal job.

Stand By Me

It's funny to see these kids go between these extremes, singing like dorks one minute, having brutally honest conversations about their home life and future the next. Not least Teddy, you can't go from trying to dodge a train and having weird constant army fantasies to having a revelation about only being young once and wanting to have fun. Cool to see Kiefer Sutherland in here too. Only a year between this and Lost Boys, two really good villainous turns from him.

Wayne's World 2

I think I like this one better than the first one. Just feels like with the concert there's something actually being built up. Since I find the characters kind of annoying it helps that there's more humour coming from other places like sight gags and general riffing on movies like the cliche of people crashing through fruit stands and sheets of glass. Plus, this one has Christopher Walken so you know...

Step Brothers

This one kinda falls away once the two titular step brothers actually put their differences aside but the parts where they're still squabbiling are absolutely hilarious.

Asterix The Gaul

Not the nicest of reasons for watching this after seeing the tribute to the victims of the recent attacks in France from the artist of Asterix and thought I might have a looksie of something of his. Pretty funny at times with the stupid Roman general being worn down by Asterix and Panoramix. Witness his brutally as he unleashes his ultimate torture device, a feather to tickles the soles of your feet! Odd though how Asterix's triumphant finale comes in his basically tattling to Julius Caesar and that actually works.

The Lego Movie

I feel I must get the obligatory response to this movie out of the way is saying AWESOME! With that dealt with, it looks absolutely amazing. Like with the video games, it just oozes charm and it's really cool to see all the environments being demolished into the little LEGO parts or stuff like water, steam or clouds done in LEGO. I was always a little confused in the trailers and what not about the licensed stuff, I've said before that I figured the whole point of the movie was them taking the goodwill they built up in the games and putting that sense of humour into a production they'd take a good portion of the takings from. But it makes sense with the different universes in the movie and it does lead to some funny moments.

[Thrilla]

Also Bloodsport, which is a 90s JCVD martial arts flick and therefore is by default terribly awesome.

Bloodsport is the greatest film ever made.

[LL!]

Step Brothers

This one kinda falls away once the two titular step brothers actually put their differences aside but the parts where they're still squabbiling are absolutely hilarious.

That's blasphemy. That movie is perfect.

[Draevyn]

Man, I love Van Wilder but that scene with them and the dog, as well as the accompanying scene make me turn my head every time. I just can't stomach that.

[HC]

Ryan Reynolds did fine, but that chick from American Pie was absolutely terrible in that movie. An inanimate carbon rod could've shown more range.

[Draevyn]

Well, Tara Reid wasn't really in movies for the acting.

[Benjamin]

Oh man, the scene at the end with Tara Reid in a bikini.

[Colly]

Also Bloodsport, which is a 90s JCVD martial arts flick and therefore is by default terribly awesome.

Bloodsport is the greatest film ever made.

Everyone in my house was ill on New Years so we didn't do anything, I ended up watching Bloodsport at about 10pm. Best New Years ever.

[stokeriño]

As I watched it, I kept wondering if I would enjoy Any Given Sunday more if I actually gave a damn about American Football. Conclusion: probably not.

Too long at 2.5 hours. Al Pacino and Jamie Foxx try hard but struggle to tread water in a sea of macho bullshit.

[Benjamin]

Okay, The Guest is amazing.

[Benji]

Watching Elysium and realising how burnt out I am on near future Us Vs Them movies. They're ten a penny these last few years and I can't think of any off the top of my head that stand out except for Cloud Atlas (which isn't really the same thing at all for the most part). It's okay, but nothing fresh.

Also, Jodie Foster is fucking awful.

[stokeriño]

L.A. Confidential

Now I really really really want to replay LA Noire.

[Benjamin]

Big Hero Six is wonderful! A ton of fun to watch.

[Jimmy]

Red Road is utterly brilliant and one of the best films I've seen in a long time. I've been meaning to watch it since I watched Fish Tank, and I actually think Red Road is better. Can't be bothered to repeat myself, so for any one interested, this was the Letterboxd review I just wrote. I liked it so much that I actually wrote more than three sentences for once!

It's been a while since a film really got to me, but Andrea Arnold's debut feature has done that and more, and as much as I like Fish Tank, I can't believe this isn't mentioned more often alongside it, or in favour of it. The build-up is so excruciating. It's slow and ambiguous, and while I can see how this might be alienating to some, I found it completely absorbing.

The results are nothing short of stunning, which is particularly complimentary because the narrative is relatively simple, it's the way in which it's told and portrayed. Everything feels so real; from the complicated characters who are seem effortlessly fleshed out, to the way in which it's filmed. As nothing is black and white in terms of characteristics, the main characters seem to harbour depth beyond their screen-time, they feel like fully-developed characters and it's impossible not to watch intently as the plot unfolds.

My stomach was in knots throughout the final third as the film suddenly and drastically changes pace and it hurtles towards a gut-wrenching finale, which is all the more rewarding as viewer because of the slow-build up which refuses to answer your questions before the film is properly ready.

Red Road takes a simple narrative and turns into something that will stay with me for years to come.

[brenchill]

Lucy

Wow, this is bad. There isn't really any story and apart from Morgan Freeman's character, none of the characters matter or have any purpose. Really weird movie.

[Benji]

Lucy

Wow, this is bad. There isn't really any story and apart from Morgan Freeman's character, none of the characters matter or have any purpose. Really weird movie.

I've not seen it, but I'm pretty sure I lost 10% of by brain just by watching the trailer. I have a morbid curiosity about seeing it though.

[Benjamin]

Weird is definitely a way to describe it. I have to admit, though, it was entertaining to me.