The last film you watched....

[Nathan Ross]

Some good, convincing character acting though. John Simm as Sexby, and our friends from Centurion Michael Fassbender (Rainsborough)and Dominic West (was Virilis and Cromwell in this). And whoever it was who played Charles I was excellent but the credits run SO fast it is impossible to tell...off to imdb to check!

Charles was played by Pater Capaldi, best known for his raging spin-doctor in The Thick of It - he's a tremendously versatile actor. I agree the characterisation of the major historical figures was the best thing about this - it's rare to have both sides portrayed so sympathetically. The 'story' plot was less good, as you say.

And did you notice that John Simm's character didn't change his clothes once in ten years? hock:

[joeandmich]

I recently saw a French film called "Days of Glory" which is set during WW2. It follows a small group of Algerians who were part of the French Africa Corps. It starts out slow but the story and character development was well done. As in most WW2 movies it has a sad ending and makes a social/political point. If you don't like English subtitles then don't bother getting it on Netflix.

Cheers

[Vindex]

And did you notice that John Simm's character didn't change his clothes once in ten years? hock:

Now you come to mention it... :wink:

On the back of his performance in this, I have also watched Hunger with Michael Fassbender as Bobby Sands. The back ground is the IRA hunger strikes in the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland in 1981.

I'm really not sure what to make of this extraordinary film and it may cause a lot of division if we discuss it too much but I would urge fans of cinema at least to watch it.

Not for the squeamish, perhaps not entirely historically accurate but very, very powerful!

I now can't understand why Fassbender did Centurion if he can act thike this... hock:

[Narukami]

At the Cinema: Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes

This was actually more fun than I feared it might be, and certainly more enjoyable than the Tim Burton version of a few years ago, and not for lack of trying by the cast & crew of the Burton film.

Of course, it is not necessary to have seen the original film to enjoy the new one, but it helps as Rise makes frequent, and sometimes rather amusing, reference to the original series of films. (One site claims there are 21 such references -- I did not count but did notice at least a dozen.)

The motion capture technology is getting better with each new project and although at times the apes look like CGI, there are also times when they seem very real indeed. Although there is some talk of an Oscar nomination for Andy Serkis in the role of the ape Caesar, that seems like a long shot at best. Indeed, I would be surprised of the Actor's branch of the Academy would support such a nomination ... at least not yet.

What is missing from the original films is the very innovative and imaginative make-up designed by John Chambers (and for which he received a well earned Oscar). That make-up coupled with the performances of the original's strong cast gives that old film a charm that is lacking from the new film using the latest technology.

That said ...

As with all such 'popcorn' movies the question is: Does it pass the kid test? The grandson liked it so consider it worth a discount matinee showing or video on the home theatre screen.

I should note that none of these films have the charm of the Broadway Musical, but then how can you top singing & dancing apes?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMnG3gOqigE

:wink:

Narukami

[Epictetus]

I'd like to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes. That's on my list of things to watch, eventually.

I went to see the new Conan the Barbarian movie last weekend. As a "Conan" movie, it was awful. I love the original, with its strange mix of campy charm, brilliant music and Oliver Stone / John Milius writing.

This new one lacks all the those qualities. It has the subtlety of a belching elephant. It's all hack and slash, with a few lacklustre sex scenes thrown in, occasionally interspersed with such terrible dialogue that the audience groaned out loud.

The 3D seemed to have been used simply because everyone else was doing it. The special effects, were not-so-special. They seemed to have been reserved mostly for blood splashing and one cartoonish giant monster snake that looked to have been created as a project for a high-school computer design class.

Instead of a Conan movie, it should be considered as one of the Conan rip-offs that flooded the cinemas in the 1980s.

[Narukami]

"It has the subtlety of a belching elephant."

Good one.

After viewing the trailer for the new Conan I'll wait until it shows up on cable, and then I'll turn the channel to something else.

However...

I do remember going to the cinema in Honolulu to see the first Conan film. The theatre was packed, which I thought a bit unusual for that film, particularly as most of the audience seemed to be young local surfers from the North Shore. However, it all became clear when, about 30 minutes in, the character Subotai made his appearance.

Suddenly the crowd erupted into chants of "Gerry! Gerry!"

I turned to my wife, who was born and raised in Hawaii. She simply smiled and said, "Of course, it's Gerry Lopez the surfer."

The kids may have liked Arnold, but they were there to see Gerry.

I always thought it a mistake not to use him in the second film, but then there is not much about the second film that isn't a mistake of one sort or another. Grace Jones was fun, but even her scenery chewing was not enough to save that film.

Perhaps Conan would work best as a series on the Sci-Fi Channel or on Starz.

:?

Narukami

[Vindex]

I have to say that having seen the trailer for Conan I have decided to give it a miss!

It may not suit the purists but I found my DVD of the 1961/2 film "The 300 Spartans" and had a really good evening's entertainment.

Ok, David Farrar as Xerxes is a bit OTT most of the time but like the original Spartacus, extras seemed to have no limit so there's realistic numbers lining up against the 300. And although the fight scenes are tame by today's standards I think Richard Egan pulls off Leonidas remarkably well without the extreme costume and rippling muscles!

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Yes, I remember it from cough cough, when i first saw it! It was a good film!
I was really hoping they would do Pressfields Gates of Fire, as a suitable
modern telling of the story.

The last film I have watched was The Fifth Elemant! 8-) 8-)

[joeandmich]

Yes, I remember it from cough cough, when i first saw it! It was a good film!
I was really hoping they would do Pressfields Gates of Fire, as a suitable
modern telling of the story.

The last film I have watched was The Fifth Elemant! 8-) 8-)

I agree Gates of Fire would make a great movie.

[Vindex]

Yup...like Fifth Element too.

Someone just leant me Henry of Lavarre and 1612 both of which have the only comment that the battle scenes are brutal. hock:

Looking forward to my evening of slaughter... :wink:

[Marcus F.]

Le Havre by Aki Kaurismäki - a modern fairy tale

[Virilis]

Watched "Thor" (adaptation of the Marvel hero), directed by Kenneth Branagh. I was pleasantly surprised, some scenery was fantastic.

[Vindex]

Viggo Mortenson in The Spanish Musketeer/Captain Alatriste.

Much better than either Henry of Navarre (far too long) and 1612 (still trying to work out all the Russian-Polish-Spanish connections - all with English subtitles) neither of which lived up to their alleged grisley descriptions BTW (although the depiction of the Polish Winged Hussars in 1612 seemed to be very good)

Anyhoo...The Spanish Musketeer, 17th C Spain and a sword for hire mercenary. Very good story, excellent atmposphere and a steady stream of pathos, misery and stoicism beautifully portrayed by Mortenson (in Spanish). Good film but certainly a 15+

[Ghostmojo]

I got Henry of Navarre on DVD. The trailer clips looked good, but when you get down to the actual film - it's pretty boring isn't it? The lead character is dull as dishwater ...

[Dithrambus]

Viggo Mortenson in The Spanish Musketeer/Captain Alatriste.

Much better than either Henry of Navarre (far too long) and 1612 (still trying to work out all the Russian-Polish-Spanish connections - all with English subtitles) neither of which lived up to their alleged grisley descriptions BTW (although the depiction of the Polish Winged Hussars in 1612 seemed to be very good)

Anyhoo...The Spanish Musketeer, 17th C Spain and a sword for hire mercenary. Very good story, excellent atmposphere and a steady stream of pathos, misery and stoicism beautifully portrayed by Mortenson (in Spanish). Good film but certainly a 15+

An excellent film indeed! So good that I don't mind the subtitles at all, actually I think the film would not have been as good had it been in English.