[SA Chris]

Brotherhood

Next film after KIDulthood and Adulthood, which I thought ere pretty good, and an enjoyable if sometimes hard to watch.

This is hard to watch for a different reason - it's shit. Crap characters, feeble plot, crap acting. Best bit is trying to decide if one of the characters is actually Stormzy trying to act, or just someone who looks like him.

[shurt]

For me, the best film I saw last year was Leave No Trace.

I really enjoyed Leave No Trace and was surprised it wasn't nominated for something.

Ditto.

What these people said. What a great film missed entirely by all the awards. Was film of the year for me...

[galpinos]

Should anyone be thinking of watching "Triple Frontier" on  Netflix on the back of the Oscar Issacs/J C Chandor/A most Violent Year combo............ don't.

[teestub]

Should anyone be thinking of watching "Triple Frontier" on  Netflix on the back of the Oscar Issacs/J C Chandor/A most Violent Year combo............ don't.

Agree, the biggest good cast/bad script imbalance I’ve seen in a long time! Starts quite promisingly but goes downhill very rapidly then gets totally stupid.

[Mike Tyson]

I got my geek on last night, and went to the midnight screening of Avengers Endgame.

 

If you like epic blockbustery type of affairs, you’re in for a treat. I’ve been a Marvel fan since I was a boy. These new films from 2008 onwards have progressively built and built. The end result is absolutely ace. I got in at 3.30am, and now I feel and look like I’ve been off my head at a rave!

[SA Chris]

My son is just starting to get into them, where is a good place to start so we can watch a few before seeing this at the cinema??

Are the plots in the individual films linked to the main Avengers movies storyline? or is it a standalone story "arc" (as they like to say).

[Mike Tyson]

You’re in for a treat then Chris!

The easiest answer is just to watch them all......but there are 22 films totalling something like 49/50 hours. So that would take some watching. The sneaky devils have slowly been building up to this latest film. So every one before it had some element shown that features in Endgame.

Some can avoided, Like the Hulk film/s as they are both crap. But, it’s hard to say what to eliminate from the others as I mentioned they all tie in eventually.....

I’m just off to see an insurance broker (wish me luck) so can’t spare much time. I will try and report back later on (on your question, not how the meeting went).

[Yossarian]

I’m off to the cinema shortly - so excited!

Chris - I’m in the same dilemma with my daughter. She’s watched Ragnarok / Black Panther and a couple of others. I would assume Infinity War is the bare minimum, but to understand that you need to have seen Guardians of the Galaxy, Civil War, etc, and I get the impression that Ant Man and the Wasp relates to Endgame too. If you have time, prob a good idea to see the Iron Man films as well.

[teestub]

It's hard to make a judgement of what is required watching, as there are a lot of references to the previous films, but not sure how much not having watched them would take away from the spectacle of the infinity war movies.  There's certainly not a lot of explaining of who people are, or what has happened previously, but I think the movie would be entertaining without the background.

As a minimum if you really want to get some decent background:
- Avengers
- Winter Soldier
- Avengers Age of Ultron
- Guardians or the Galaxy 1
- Civil War
- Black Panther
- Doctor Strange
- Thor Ragnarok
- Infinity War (Obviously)

[Bradders]

It's hard to make a judgement of what is required watching

BBC had a stab at doing this a few days ago:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/entertainment-arts-47623536

[SA Chris]

It's hard to make a judgement of what is required watching, as there are a lot of references to the previous films, but not sure how much not having watched them would take away from the spectacle of the infinity war movies.  There's certainly not a lot of explaining of who people are, or what has happened previously, but I think the movie would be entertaining without the background.

As a minimum if you really want to get some decent background:
- Avengers
- Winter Soldier
- Avengers Age of Ultron
- Guardians or the Galaxy 1
- Civil War
- Black Panther
- Doctor Strange
- Thor Ragnarok
- Infinity War (Obviously)

That's a lot of watching! I think we've just covered Iron Man 1& 2 so far, and first Thor! Might have to wait and miss the cinema release. Still working our way through backlog of Transformers movies! Starting with Bumblebee, it kind of worked out OK.

[Mike Tyson]

Might be easier to chip away at backlog first! I must admit I’m a proper sad loser, who goes to see all the new Marvel films on their release date. Went to Infinity War last year at midnight screening too. Ruins the next day, but well worth it. I love seeing them on the big screen (3D also) but equally enjoy watching them at home. By the time you’ve sat and watched the full back catalogue, Endgame will probably be out to watch at home anyway!

I went to see Antman and the Wasp on its first night. And I had the entire cinema to myself. Very strange......

[SA Chris]

Could have been stranger if a giant rabbit called Frank was sitting next to you.

[Bradders]

Having been to see Avengers Endgame yesterday, thoughts as below (some minor overall plot spoilers).

NSFW  :

Basically, don't waste your time seeing it in the cinema. They'd have been much better off just leaving it with Infinity War, as this one is essentially a re-run of that film but without the superb twist at the end.

The storyline is mundane and predictable (time travel, find infinity stones, everyone who died before comes back, Thanos nearly wins, then he doesn't, and the obvious characters die), the set pieces are no different to any of the earlier films and the whole thing is an exercise in "we've done all this before". In fact, we literally have done much of it before. It feels like they've just tried to get the audience to replay the emotions they went through the first time, in the hope of stirring some underlying attachment. It doesn't work in my opinion.

There are some amusing moments (fat Thor the most obvious), and the action is exciting enough until you realise just how long you've been sat there watching it. I felt myself dozing off at times, it was genuinely that boring.

I'm not saying it's a bad film, it's just derivative and stale. In short, save your money and wait for it to come on Now TV or whatever and then have it on in the background whilst you're doing something else.

[Oldmanmatt]

I was pleasantly surprised by the production quality, cast, and plot of “Wandering Earth” on Netflix.  As
Chinese cinema goes it is actually pretty good and doesn’t suffer unduly for being dubbed.

[TobyD]

For anyone who isn't quite as interested in marvel movies I'd highly recommend woman at war. If I was a real critic I'd probably say it was whimsical nordic eco drama or something, but I'd have said it is a bit like an Icelandic Cohen brothers movie.  Having seen this I'm tempted to get a hunting bow to deal with drones at crags.

[Nibile]

Great thread this one.
I rarely contribute, just because I simply forget to, but yesterday we watched "Gardens of Stone" and after all the years it's still an amazing film with a unique perspective on war.

[slab_happy]

Have you seen "Sorry to Bother You" Ben?

Thanks for the tip Andy - I’d never heard of it but just looked it up and it sounds great.

Its really good.

Just saw it and it's fantastic. Now out on iTunes etc..

[Falling Down]

Still not watched it - but have just added it to the watchlist.  The Skateboarding film Andy mentioned is now on iPlayer so I'll give that a whirl tonight.

Me and W watched 'Cold War' last weekend and I was blown away.  It's amazing, beautiful and moving.  Been thinking about it all week.

[andy popp]

The Skateboarding film Andy mentioned is now on iPlayer so I'll give that a whirl tonight.

Minding the Gap? Do let us know what you think.

[shurt]

I've not ticked off enough films to qualify for an Endgame viewing I'm afraid! Watched a fair few. I was pit off by Black Panther as well which I thought was very average...

Watched Will You Ever Forgive Me. Richard E Grant and a female actor I can't remember who is great. REG is essentially playing an old Withnell which could be terrible bit he's also great.

Also rewatched Big Night a 90s film largely featuring some incredible Italian food which is also highly recommended.

[andy popp]

IRichard E Grant and a female actor I can't remember who is great.

Melissa McCarthy. They are both great in this film.

[TobyD]

Currently on Netflix and iPlayer, the big short almost certainly mentioned before, but its well worth watching.

[Falling Down]

The Skateboarding film Andy mentioned is now on iPlayer so I'll give that a whirl tonight.

Minding the Gap? Do let us know what you think.

Blimey.  Did not expect that at all.  A great film. Very moving and difficult to watch at times.  Thanks for the tip-off. 

[tomtom]

The Skateboarding film Andy mentioned is now on iPlayer so I'll give that a whirl tonight.

Minding the Gap? Do let us know what you think.

Blimey.  Did not expect that at all.  A great film. Very moving and difficult to watch at times.  Thanks for the tip-off.

+1 Great tip - and I had to stop half way through as it wasn’t the right kind of film for how I was feeling....