[TobyD]

My neighbour totoro

A studio Ghibli movie I hadn't seen until recently,  its not Spirited Away,  but it is an entertaining hour and a half.  Probably more of a kids film really but enough weirdness to keep me watching.  The cat bus beast is a particular highlight,  some pretty powerful mushrooms must have been used to come up with that idea.

Was walking in to Cuckoo Rock, this afternoon and No.1 blurted out “Ha! So we’re climbing on Totoro today”. Never thought about it before, but now can’t unsee it:

Awesome! I haven't been up to coombeshead for years I'll have to try to make it next time I'm down there.  I love that place,  even more so now I know I can visit Japanese film stars and boulder.

OT, but we had to retreat from our summit attempts, because the wind dropped and the entire tor was suddenly covered in an incredibly dense swam of flying ants, that choked you or filled your ears. No escape except dropping back into the valley. I think I weight 2-3kg more in dead ant corpses on the walk back.

I don't know if that's off topic, attack of the giant ants could be a good horror movie. 

[Oldmanmatt]

My neighbour totoro

A studio Ghibli movie I hadn't seen until recently,  its not Spirited Away,  but it is an entertaining hour and a half.  Probably more of a kids film really but enough weirdness to keep me watching.  The cat bus beast is a particular highlight,  some pretty powerful mushrooms must have been used to come up with that idea.

Was walking in to Cuckoo Rock, this afternoon and No.1 blurted out “Ha! So we’re climbing on Totoro today”. Never thought about it before, but now can’t unsee it:

Awesome! I haven't been up to coombeshead for years I'll have to try to make it next time I'm down there.  I love that place,  even more so now I know I can visit Japanese film stars and boulder.

OT, but we had to retreat from our summit attempts, because the wind dropped and the entire tor was suddenly covered in an incredibly dense swam of flying ants, that choked you or filled your ears. No escape except dropping back into the valley. I think I weight 2-3kg more in dead ant corpses on the walk back.

I don't know if that's off topic, attack of the giant ants could be a good horror movie.

Well, the classic there is “Phase IV”, however my kids still rave about “Marabunta” and will still emulate scenes from that movie, when they encounter an ant nest etc.
I think the youngest two, were still young enough, to be actually slightly traumatised by that movie when they first watched it. Traumatised the way my eldest was by the “Weeping Angels” in Dr Who…

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legion_of_Fire:_Killer_Ants!

[Durbs]

Watched "Beckett" recently as it was suggested in Netflix.

Meh.

Can kind of see what they were attempting, the whole "lost in a country where you don't speak the language and people are after you", but the ending was ridiculous, and it never really got tense... Seemed they'd tried to keep things realistic to build drama, so no choreographed fight scenes, or explosive gun battles - but then so many plot holes, and an utterly ridiculous ending undid all this.

[TobyD]

Watched "Beckett" recently as it was suggested in Netflix.

Meh.

Can kind of see what they were attempting, the whole "lost in a country where you don't speak the language and people are after you", but the ending was ridiculous, and it never really got tense... Seemed they'd tried to keep things realistic to build drama, so no choreographed fight scenes, or explosive gun battles - but then so many plot holes, and an utterly ridiculous ending undid all this.

I almost watched this, and then had a look at it's rotten tomatoes score after putting myself through suicide squad. This put me off, but nice one for confirming that it's gash.

[tommytwotone]

For anyone with Disney+ , I only discovered the other day that the default profile setting is to block anything that isn't for kids.

I spun up a new profile the other day and changed that, and found a load of stuff on there with age-restrictions on it, including Aliens.

[teestub]

I almost watched this, and then had a look at it's rotten tomatoes score after putting myself through suicide squad. This put me off, but nice one for confirming that it's gash.

This is the key filter for any of this straight to Amazon/Netflix fare for me, combo of IMDB and rotten tomatoes seems to allow for any fanbase effects.

[SA Chris]

For anyone with Disney+ , I only discovered the other day that the default profile setting is to block anything that isn't for kids.

I spun up a new profile the other day and changed that, and found a load of stuff on there with age-restrictions on it, including Aliens.

STAR has loads of good films too.

[TobyD]

I almost watched this, and then had a look at it's rotten tomatoes score after putting myself through suicide squad. This put me off, but nice one for confirming that it's gash.

This is the key filter for any of this straight to Amazon/Netflix fare for me, combo of IMDB and rotten tomatoes seems to allow for any fanbase effects.

I often use just the top critics filter on rotten tomatoes, and look at a few of the ones whose likes / dislikes I know from their reviews and whether they're similar to mine. The overall critical score doesn't always work for me, I also listen to people's opinions on here, I haven't noticed anyone who likes awful movies yet!

[Falling Down]

Same. I also have a look at Roger Ebert and Grauniad reviews as another check.

Some recent good ones:

Pig - Brilliant and unexpected from Nicholas Cage.

The WeWork doc - Great documentary filmmaking. Madness, hubris and money.

Mystery Road and Goldstone - Superb Aussie grittiness.

[jwi]

I just came back from seeing Dune. I have not seen a better film in a long time.

[teestub]

How come you get it a month before us? Bloody Brexit 😡

Is it only half of the first book?

[jwi]

Yup it is the first act from the book. The film ends exactly where you would imagine the cut-off between part 1 and part 2 ot be.

Rebecca Ferguson is magnificent as Lady Jessica. Some of the best acting I have seen.

I think it doesn't get a release in UK because of HBO MAX?

[Duma]

OMG I'm so psyched for this!

[tommytwotone]

Me too - I read the book for the first time about this time last year in anticipation. From what I've heard it's been well-received so I have high hopes.

[crzylgs]

Same. I also have a look at Roger Ebert and Grauniad reviews as another check.

Some recent good ones:

Pig - Brilliant and unexpected from Nicholas Cage.

The WeWork doc - Great documentary filmmaking. Madness, hubris and money.

Mystery Road and Goldstone - Superb Aussie grittiness.

Agree Pig was excellent - some VERY lazy critics/reviews giving it the 'John Wick meets Chef' analogy completely missed the point of the film imo and to reference John Wick at all due to a single scene seemed fairly silly to me.

If you enjoyed the WeWork Doc and also enjoy PodCasts there is an excellent series produced about Elizabeth Holmes/Theranos called 'The Dropout' - the one created by NBC News to avoid confusion as there are a couple. I believe there was also one called 'Bad Blood' and perhaps a netflix doc of the same name but I've not consumed either. Who as it happens is finally being tried for all kinds of fraud charges right now.

Regarding DUNE - I believe it only gets it's nationwide cinema release on the 22nd October in the UK?? Even though I've read the book (and all of the somewhat questionable sequels) multiple times I'm doing all that I can to avoid any for of spoiler, trailer, review... I don't even want to see a single still from the film before I'm sat in an IMAX absorbing every detail my eyeballs can manage... Which is fairly tricky when my Google algorithms know my love for all things sci-fi!

[Bradders]

Watched Sicario the other day. Not sure how it had passed me by until now, but I thought it was brilliant.

[SA Chris]

Opening scenes are pretty grim!

[Bradders]

I didn't say it was an easy watch!

[Falling Down]

Thanks crzylegs, I’ll have a look for the Theranos docs.

Looking forward to Dune and one for a slightly more niche audience, Fire Music, a great looking documentary on the history of free jazz.

[Oldmanmatt]

Apart from the fact I’m convinced my name is now Todd Hewitt…

Chaos Walking.

On Prime and now free.

[Falling Down]

The Green Knight. I’ve been scratching my head about this all day. It’s visually stunning, beautifully written, the actors are all amazing and it’s a _really_ interesting take on the story. But, it’s a bit, erm… boring.

It’s been getting 5* across the board in the papers but I wonder whether it’s more of a critics film? I was very excited to watch as it ticks so many boxes for me but I was a bit underwhelmed and I love slow paced, symbolic and clever films. Maybe I was tired? I’ll give at another go I think.

Sean Harris is magnificent though. I could watch him all day, every day.

[Pope B]

Saw Green Knight yesterday evening. I really enjoyed it.

Been a while since I've read any versions of it, but from what I saw it didn't seem to be anything that different from other versions. The bits on his journey to the green chapel were new but I don't think the journey is ever actually covered in the original poem?

I thought that acting was excellent, the lighting & colours really good and the use of ambient sound and music pretty engaging and suspenseful.

That said I could definitely see people finding it boring, was a bit slow perhaps and quite a different watch to how it was portrayed in the trailer

[Falling Down]

I’ll definitely watch it again. I think I was too tired to really appreciate it last night.

[teestub]

I'd agree with having another go. Yes the pacing is slow, but they've put so much effort into every shot, that I think if it was any faster you wouldn't have time to soak it all in. So much going on, I'm sure most the symbolism going straight over my head! For me there was a slow suspense and sense of foreboding almost throughout which helped keep me on the edge of my seat.

[Fultonius]

Some recent films I've watched on Mubi:

First Cow Kelly Reichardt

I thought this was really good. Long and slow, but always kept you engaged. Some great acting and directing. A simple enough plot, but just washing over you type of film. 4/5

https://mubi.com/films/first-cow

Sweat

Quite good but not quite excellent; watchable and a novel concept. About a girl who is an instagram influencer, but is lonely and sad. Almost a faux-documentary ish thing. Short. I guess it felt like it didn't delve too deep. Magdalena Kolesnik was good in the main role https://mubi.com/films/sweat-2020. 3.69/5

Yellow Cat

Weird, kind of interested as it was set in Kazakhstan where I've been many years ago now.

This sums it up for me pretty well (spoilers). Can't say I'd recommend unless you have a fondness for odd films...

https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/yellow-cat-busan-review/5154234.article

https://mubi.com/films/yellow-cat