What Did You Watch Today?

[Jimmy]

6 hours ago, Benkid Cratchit said:

This is exactly how I feel about it. The non-fictional plot, as people seem to be calling it, felt really intrusive of the fictional aspect, which, holy shit, had me on the edge of my seat for the first thirty minutes of the movie. It dials it back quite a bit, though, after that. I wished there was more Michael Sheen, he has like one scene, which sucks, and Jake Gyllenhaal went a bit overboard at times, I feel, but other than that, I thought it was a good movie. I didn't enjoy it so much as want to watch it again when I have more time to try and understand it better.

Oh, I also didn't enjoy American Honey (2016). I don't get what's supposed to be so amazing about it, it grossed me out way more than anything else, I think.

American Honey is, so far, my favourite film of the year. I mean, it's not a film I'd expect everyone to like, but I found it a beautiful and realistic exploration of youth. I thought there was so much texture to it - a kind of freedom which meant it didn't stick to a rigid set of rules and, because of that, it felt incredibly fresh and I never had a grip on where it was going. I could probably elaborate more, but I was utterly mesmerised in the cinema and I haven't been able to shake that feeling it gave me. It probably helps that I count Andrea Arnold as a huge influence and love her style, but I don't think it's a stretch of the imagination to see what people might like about it, even if you don't. 

[Monkey D. Lars]

16 hours ago, Benkid Cratchit said:

This is exactly how I feel about it. The non-fictional plot, as people seem to be calling it, felt really intrusive of the fictional aspect, which, holy shit, had me on the edge of my seat for the first thirty minutes of the movie. It dials it back quite a bit, though, after that. I wished there was more Michael Sheen, he has like one scene, which sucks, and Jake Gyllenhaal went a bit overboard at times, I feel, but other than that, I thought it was a good movie. I didn't enjoy it so much as want to watch it again when I have more time to try and understand it better.

Oh, I also didn't enjoy American Honey (2016). I don't get what's supposed to be so amazing about it, it grossed me out way more than anything else, I think.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[DFF]

Where to Invade Next was surprisingly upbeat; I think Michael Moore is mellowing in his later years! As for the content of the film, if anyone has seen the scene in Sicko where he visits France to discuss the benefits they receive for paying higher tax, it's basically more of that. It's done in a more playful manner / lighter tone than some of his other work, and it's interesting to see which aspects of each country he'd like to take back to America with him. Worth a watch.

[Monkey D. Lars]

Five Graves to Cairo (1943) was a pretty neat Billy Wilder flick starring Anne Baxter  

[MDK]

On 02/01/2017 at 12:42, Benji said:

"Batman VS Superman: Dawn of Justice can not be as bad as people have said. I'm sure it has some positives."

I'm 30 minutes in and hate it. The hokey music, probably still the worst version of Clark Kent I have ever seen, the numerous awfully miscast actors, the direction in general, the GRIMDARK visuals that give me 'Nam like flashbacks to the 90s, the absolute ADD levels of jumping around in the story. I still have two hours left of this.

I have no idea what is going on with this film.

[Monkey D. Lars]

Cruising (1980) was quite the experience. Never thought I would see Al Pacino dance. 

[Benjamin]

La La Land (2016) was the best experience I think I've ever had in a cinema.

[Jimmy]

21 hours ago, Benkid Cratchit said:

La La Land (2016) was the best experience I think I've ever had in a cinema.

Saw it yesterday too - deserving of the hype, it's very cinematic and definitely something I'd recommend seeing in the cinema. I was impressed with the way it managed to feel fresh amongst all of its obvious references and, although it took a little while to get going, it does soar when it gets into its stride. Would probably just about break into my top five for the year: I'm not in the camp of best film evaaaa, but it's pretty great. 

[DFF]

7 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

Saw it yesterday too - deserving of the hype, it's very cinematic and definitely something I'd recommend seeing in the cinema. I was impressed with the way it managed to feel fresh amongst all of its obvious references and, although it took a little while to get going, it does soar when it gets into its stride. Would probably just about break into my top five for the year: I'm not in the camp of best film evaaaa, but it's pretty great. 

In the UK it's a 2017 release - you've seen four better films already from this year?!

[Jimmy]

 my yearly lists are based on the Oscars timeline. 

For reference my top 5 so far would be: 

American Honey

Moonlight

Toni Erdmann 

Certain Women

La La Land 

 

[Benjamin]

I have all those films on my computer ready to be watched except American Honey, which I've already watched, and Moonlight, which is probably still the one I want to watch the most. Toni Erdmann is a bit daunting right now as it's like almost 3 hours long and I need to find enough time to watch it. My Top 5 right now is so weird:

La La Land

Moana

Other People

Captain Fantastic

and number 5 keeps on switching for me between The Handmaiden and Civil War.

@Jimmy, have you watched Other People and Captain Fantastic? I went in knowing that the acting performances were highly praised, but I didn't know I would be moved so much by both films. Definitely came out of left field for me as top films for 2016. The rest of my top 10 are Elle, Zootopia, Everybody Wants Some, The Jungle Book & Popstar, which I think is in only because I hadn't watch a good film in the time I watched that. I really loved Swiss Army Man, Cafe Society, Morris From America & Hunt for the Wilderpeople too.

[Roster Depth Sicko No. 2]

Forgot to post this Monday, but Hidden Figures was excellent, and is one of my favourite movies for a good while.

[lanky316]

I couldn't name a top 5, too many options but would definitely include one neither of you've mentioned up there in Kubo and the two Strings. In a year with good animated competition from Zootropolis and Moana I'd still put it above them.

 

Thinking about it 3 of my top 5 could be animated and that's not a knock on the live action films this year either.

Edited January 13, 2017 by lanky316

[GhostMachine]

DON'T BREATHE

Good movie, but expected more from the trailer. I give it a solid 3 stars. 

However....

If not for the twist with the blind man at the end, making him more or less a bad guy, too, I'd have been cheering for him to kill all 3 burglars. Also didn't like who survived. The first guy was a piece of shit, and I clapped when he was killed. But the girl should have died and the other guy should have survived since he didn't want to take part and was guilt tripped into it by her. 

Hope there's no sequel. Doesn't need to be one.

[Monkey D. Lars]

Point Blank (1967), amazing film, but hey what did you expect? It stars fucking Lee Marvin! 

[Benjamin]

Laika does it again, as Kubo and the Two Strings was fantastic escapism from my shitty weekend. The story was done wonderfully, and I loved the unconventional ending and hilarious characters it had.

[Baddar]

9 hours ago, GhostMachine said:

DON'T BREATHE

Good movie, but expected more from the trailer. I give it a solid 3 stars. 

However....

 

  Reveal hidden contents

If not for the twist with the blind man at the end, making him more or less a bad guy, too, I'd have been cheering for him to kill all 3 burglars. Also didn't like who survived. The first guy was a piece of shit, and I clapped when he was killed. But the girl should have died and the other guy should have survived since he didn't want to take part and was guilt tripped into it by her. 

Hope there's no sequel. Doesn't need to be one.

 

I read they were planning on making a 2nd.

[Benjamin]

Trolls (2016) was terrible except for the part where they start singing "True Colours". Loved that part.

Sing Street (2016) was really wonderful, proper way to define "happy-sad".

[Roster Depth Sicko No. 2]

The first two thirds of Split were really good but I felt the ending was just weird.

[GhostMachine]

Money Monster

Not my favorite George Clooney movie by any means, but it was good, but I didn't like the ending. Specifically

I get that Kyle was pretty much fucked, having lost the money, his girlfriend humiliating him and pretty much dumping him on live tv, and facing criminal charges. But it royally sucked that he got shot and died.

I could watch the scenes where Lee Gates opens the show with the dancers  (first with the boxing gloves and robes, then later with the gold top hat) over and over again, though. Funny seeing Clooney dancing...if you can call it that.