[Joepicalli]

Didn't really enjoy Gomorrah, I thought the plot was a bit too fragmented 

Can see what you're saying, stylistically its explicitly  neo-realist (down to using real locations and non-professional actors), and it deliberately does not relate the events in the film to a plot; but rather to a world in which all of the protagonists are involved. Its a mood piece not a gangster movie.

[moose]

A few recent DVDs:

Tropic Thunder

The opening 15 minutes is promising: an unsophisticated but amusing riff on the stupidity and self-absorption of Hollywood. Unfortunately, once the cast go "in country" things go downhill fast. Mockery gives way to a tedious mix of cartoon violence and weak, endlessly repeated jokes (including one that was presumably sponsored by TiVo).

In essence the makers have failed to understand that there is more to a successful spoof than repeating the flaws of its target.  Parodying a stupid action film by apeing its conventions just results in another stupid action film. A huge disappointment.   


JCVD

"Jean-Claude Van Damme is Jean-Claude Van Damme": broke and broken by age, irrelevance and a custody battle. Besieged in a bank is he a victim of circumstance, or a desperate plotter making a final play? 

Yes, you read that right: the muscles from Brussels has gone all self-referential.  However, this isn't a joyous guns blazin' spoof: the tone is moody, the filming is muted, and the sensibilities are wounded.  The action is sparing and its execution almost reluctant.  The humour is more bitter than knowing and aside from a few digs at the likes of Steven Seagal (cutting off his ponytail to steal one of JC's roles) and John Woo (he'd apparently still be shooting pigeons without JC), largely comprises blackly comic meditations on a life lately defined by its physical decline. It's all more "Dog Day Afternoon" than "The Last Action Hero"; an impression reinforced by the bizarre stepped-from-the-70s stylings of the robbers (unless that's just suburban Belgian fashion?).

These are themes are shared with "The Wrestler", and although JCVD is not as good as that film, it is far stranger.  Its approach is epitomized by a soliloquy scene where, elevated outside of time and filmic space, JC reflects on his predicament.  His deeply etched face crumpling as he recounts a journey from karate fixated youth, to fame, through  sex and drugs, into regret and emptiness.  It's extremely affecting with a genuine sense of catharsis.  However, in the context of an off-beat heist film the impact is more surreal than devastating.  Still, despite a lack of balance JCVD is a worthy curio. 

Death Race

Undemanding entertainment that does the job but feels like a missed  opportunity.  The original, whilst not exactly BrassEye, mocked the public's thirst for violence and their complicity in the machineries of manufactured fame.  With the advent of reality TV it now seems rather prescient and ripe for a properly satirical update. Unfortunately, aside from a few passing references to viewing figures, this version sticks to the action. 

Still, it plays its limited hand with enthusiasm.  Cars are crashed.  Bodies are crushed. An oiled Statham does chin-ups.  You know what to expect. Serve with curry and copious alcohol.

[Jaspersharpe]

Great stuff as ever Moose. I've heard only good things about JCVD. It looks fascinating.

[Joepicalli]

Yeah JCVD, I was very impressed. Like Moose I felt it had an affinity with Dog Day. I was really impressed with Van Damme's acting (this is not a sentence that I ever thought I would find myself writting) and found the soliloquy to camera quite moving.

[lagerstarfish]

A couple of weeks ago I watched a couple more films with Dragon Pete
Sir Henry at Rawlinson End - pure madness, worth waiting for the torrent.
Also watched The Bedsitting Room in the same session.
I shan't describe these films, but all fans of the odd should seek them out.

[SA Chris]

Watched How to lose friends and alienate people and ghost town on the plane. Both were pretty much shit with similar story lines. Good British TV comedy actors do not Hollywood stars make.

[Joepicalli]

A couple of weeks ago I watched a couple more films with Dragon Pete
Sir Henry at Rawlinson End - pure madness, worth waiting for the torrent.
Also watched The Bedsitting Room in the same session.
I shan't describe these films, but all fans of the odd should seek them out.

Surprised you'd not seen the "Bedsitting Room" before it is an all time classic.

[tomtom]

A few recent DVDs:

Great reviews Moose, you should be writing these for a living...

[lagerstarfish]

A couple of weeks ago I watched a couple more films with Dragon Pete
Sir Henry at Rawlinson End - pure madness, worth waiting for the torrent.
Also watched The Bedsitting Room in the same session.
I shan't describe these films, but all fans of the odd should seek them out.

Surprised you'd not seen the "Bedsitting Room" before it is an all time classic.

Everytime I had the opportunity to see it, I ended up getting unconscious 

[highonair]

I watched wanted the other night with angelina jollies out was good and so was she 

[Dr T]

watching cool hand luke right now... so cool...

[Joepicalli]

It is clever.

Nolan filmed Memento in reverse order to confuse the fuck out of you

Don't think it was actually filmed in reverse (see notes here) but the film itself plays out backwards in time, repeating sections and going back further each time.

Very good film and its reminded me I've the three disc set with some hidden features to unlock (one of which is watching the film in reverse order, now thats going to be confusing!)

I've got that set if you find out how to unlock it post 'cos I could do with the headfuck (without the head fuck).

[slackline]

It is clever.

Nolan filmed Memento in reverse order to confuse the fuck out of you

Don't think it was actually filmed in reverse (see notes here) but the film itself plays out backwards in time, repeating sections and going back further each time.

Very good film and its reminded me I've the three disc set with some hidden features to unlock (one of which is watching the film in reverse order, now thats going to be confusing!)

I've got that set if you find out how to unlock it post 'cos I could do with the headfuck (without the head fuck).

Haven't tried it yet, but theres a suggestion here.  Might be easy to access them on the PC too, I know I've found hidden things easily when watching DVDs in mine (under Linux).  Also I just bothered to follow the Wikipedia link above to here that suggestions theres more than just this hidden in the sub-menus, but lacks full details on how to access them.

[Houdini]

Just finished watching Salo, 120 Days of Sodom by Pasolini, the Italian director who was murdered shortly after completing the film.  It was banned just about everywhere but Sweden and Mars.  It's still a banned film in a few countries.

Lots of torture, coprophagy, and sodomy lubricated w/ a healthy pearl of fascism.

You can find it here.

[moose]

Great reviews Moose, you should be writing these for a living...

Cheers, but I'm under no illusion of being anything other than a bored dole-scrounger who hasn't got around to cancelling their home DVD rental account!  Still, it keeps me busy when the crags are mingin' and my elbow's hurting.

A few more current DVDs:

Apaloosa

Stolid, old fashioned western starring Ed Harris, Viggo Mortenson and Rene Zellwegger.  Despite having all the ingredients of a good story (whiskey swiggin' gun-slingers, Injuns etc) it's all rather unexciting. The major incidents have little build-up and occur with even less ceremony.  Not bad, but a sad waste of some fine facial hair.


The Wackness

Amiable comedy set in 90s New York. Luke, a dope-dealin' young wigga, seeks sollace from a deteriorating home-life with the aid of his ravenously self-medicating shrink, and number one customer, Dr Squires (played with gusto by Ben Kingsley). Further complications ensue when he falls in love with the increasingly unstable Dr Squires' fun but unfeeling step-daughter. 

A chilled paeon to the Daisy Age that's less self-consciously arch than most modern "coming of age" and "finding ones self" films.  For better and worse the young characters are not the usual fonts of razor-sharp dialogue and world-weary wisdom (no one appears to have spent the entirety of their short life channelling Dorothy Parker).  Instead it's left to Ben Kingsley's raddled Doctor to steal scenes and provide impetus.  Despite an energetic and somewhat irksome "hippety-hop" styled start it develops into a gently engaging and heartfelt affair.  A likeable exploration of what it's like to grow up, fall in love, grow old, and fall out of love.  Whilst "The Wackness" is too passive to be in any way great, it's worth putting on your rental shortlist as it manages to feel pretty fresh despite hefty borrowings from its well-travelled genres (teen romance, stoner, odd-couple).  A nostalgic soundtrack and a Method Man cameo add to the appeal for those of a certain age.

[Houdini]

This documentary of Scott Walker is essential viewing for anyone w/ an interest in either his 60's doom ballads or his more recent abstractions. 

[Zods Beard]

Excellent choice Houdini, watched this on the Beeb a while ago, although Wikipaedo tells me it was an edited version. The guys one in a million, I'm sure it showed him sampling the sound of him hitting a piece of meat. Good shout earlier for Lives Of Others, fucking awesome film. 

[Duma]

Zidane - a 21st century portrait is on iplayer at the mo - if you have even the vaguest interest in football you need to watch this.

Spoilers..

Favourite bits: His detachment from all the goals, esp the one he makes. The contrast between how lost he looks in the first half and his command in the second. The amazing last few minutes - from the joke with Carlos to Becks trying to avoid the inevitable. The whole mood of the peice is the winner for me though, really caught him at the right time -just on the cusp of the waning of his genius.

[lagerstarfish]

Just remembered another film I watched whilst ill in Argentiere
Crank
Mental. Fast. Piss funny. Violent.  Proper non-stop action, but for a change there is a really good reason for the action to not stop. Really good plot and interesting characters.
I must watch this again.

[Kingy]

I saw Anvil last week, a rock documentary about the Canadian heavy metal band of the same name that was big in the early 80's for a short while but never really made it. They had an album 'Metal on Metal' which apparently was highly influential on early 'thrash' (not that I know owt about that). Metallica, Megadeath and Slayer followed in their wake and made the bigtime but Anvil were sadly forgotten....til now. They go on an ill fated tour of Europe and make some new fans in Japan and play to 5000 ppl there...and thats about it. They release a new album with their original producer but can't get a record deal as they are all in their 50's so they decide to sell it direct to the fans via their website. Interesting fly on the wall stuff, the lead singer seems quite an emotional guy which makes for some pretty cringeworthy scenes but its all good value. I'd probably recommend it if you're struggling to find new films to see.

[lagerstarfish]

Heard an interesting interview with the guy who made Anvil (Radio 4 of course). Sounded very interesting.

[St Hubbins]

Did anyone catch CYBORG on itv4 the other night? Man, i hope there is a Van Damme season starting.

I think cyborg was nominated for 4 oscars but only got best supporting actor for the bad guy's ability to roar non stop at the end

[robertostallioni]

Definately up there with Bloodsport and AWOL...

I ain't your pal, dickface.

You break my record, now I break you, like I break your friend

[Ena]

Saw Che Part 2 last night. Brilliant.

[Adam Lincoln]

Watched Gran Torino last night. Was disapointed with most of it, slow build up, but for some reason the last half makes it worthwhile. Great acting from Clint. 3.5

Also, Pride And Glory. Typical dirty cop story, not exceptional, but mediocre. Gets better again as film goes on. Another 3.5.

Most of the new films coming out now are a bit dissapointing.