1001 Films that ARE worth watching. [start new threads for new films please]

[Famous Mortimer]

SyFy Channel original Independence Day-saster

I mean, watch the proper one if you have to watch one daft film about aliens invading, but this cheap-ass cover version is much more entertaining than it has any right to be.

[El Unicornio, mang]

Finished Dekalog 1-6. God, Dekalog 5 (aka: A Short Film About Killing) is GRIM. Amazing that it was responsible for the

Spoiler alert

death penalty in Poland being abolished, also.

[close]

Great series so far though. Poland in the late 80s looks pretty bleak. Some brilliant subtle acting and cinematography.

Also, if you download it I recommend getting the 6.8GB file, the quality is a lot better than the 3GB one which looks like it was taken from a pretty shoddy print, and has hardcoded subs which are apparently less than correct, and leave out a lot of dialogue. Someone made their own subs, they need to be resynced differently for each one, but they work well. http://subscene.com/subtitles/the-decalogue-dekalog--mini/english/722287

[telephone/tough.guy]

I forgot about the issues with the subtitles on the artificial eye release of Dekalog, there were a few "that seems like an odd translation" moments come to think of it, and there are some unflattering comments about them by Polish speakers on amazon.

But yes it's a brilliant series. I was just reading Ebert's review, he makes some well expressed (if not terribly original) points about how intelligently Dekalog depicts human beings dealing with moral problems. Kieślowski's a genius at that. I wonder if transcripts of his lecture series on the director are anywhere to be found.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Finished Dekalog 1-6. God, Dekalog 5 (aka: A Short Film About Killing) is GRIM. Amazing that it was responsible for the

Spoiler alert

death penalty in Poland being abolished, also.

[close]

Great series so far though. Poland in the late 80s looks pretty bleak. Some brilliant subtle acting and cinematography.

Also, if you download it I recommend getting the 6.8GB file, the quality is a lot better than the 3GB one which looks like it was taken from a pretty shoddy print, and has hardcoded subs which are apparently less than correct, and leave out a lot of dialogue. Someone made their own subs, they need to be resynced differently for each one, but they work well. http://subscene.com/subtitles/the-decalogue-dekalog--mini/english/722287

I think I've got the wrong one, so might have to give that a go as mine had hardcoded subs that seemed weak. I did start to watch the first episode this week, but was in a low mood and after about ten minutes

Spoiler alert

(roughly when he found the dead dog, anyhow)

[close]

I couldn't hack it any more. I'm much cheerier now though so plan to give it a second go this week, as it does look fascinating.

[zomgmouse]

Yeah, agreed. In Bruges is a perfect film for me. Seven Psychopaths I found insufferable and smug, but still enjoyable. The Guard's exactly halfway between the two. Really very good.

Wanted to add my support to all three of these films. I didn't have as adverse a reaction to Seven Pscyhopaths as you seem to have done, BoC, in fact I left it feeling greatly touched and not at all annoyed at its self-knowingness - but the other two did outdo it, I think, and are a lot of grim fun. Looking forward to whatever they whip out next.

[Kane Jones]

Wanted to add my support to all three of these films.

Me too.  All three are brilliant and I don't have a particular favourite.  I think Gleeson in The Guard may be my favourite character from all three movies though.

[zomgmouse]

Also, The Guard really did a great job of toeing the line of self-awareness without jumping over it. Especially that ending,

Spoiler alert

twisting round the earlier conversations about happy endings and the like

[close]

. The fucking balance there...

[vrailaine]

Finished Dekalog 1-6. God, Dekalog 5 (aka: A Short Film About Killing) is GRIM. Amazing that it was responsible for the

Spoiler alert

death penalty in Poland being abolished, also.

[close]

Great series so far though. Poland in the late 80s looks pretty bleak. Some brilliant subtle acting and cinematography.

Also, if you download it I recommend getting the 6.8GB file, the quality is a lot better than the 3GB one which looks like it was taken from a pretty shoddy print, and has hardcoded subs which are apparently less than correct, and leave out a lot of dialogue. Someone made their own subs, they need to be resynced differently for each one, but they work well. http://subscene.com/subtitles/the-decalogue-dekalog--mini/english/722287

think I mentioned this earlier in the thread, the region 2 version of Dekalog was released in 2 parts with hardcoded subs by, I think, Artificial Eye and is a lot poorer quality than the region 1 version which also has proper subtitles, Ebert being involved in some way and is much more nicely packaged.

[Ralph Cifaretto]

Wanted to add my support to all three of these films. I didn't have as adverse a reaction to Seven Pscyhopaths as you seem to have done, BoC, in fact I left it feeling greatly touched and not at all annoyed at its self-knowingness - but the other two did outdo it, I think, and are a lot of grim fun. Looking forward to whatever they whip out next.

They're fucking shit.

In Bruges, sub-Pinter. Psychopaths is nowhere near as good as Adaptation (and I'm sure a 'proper' writer (like a novelist) has done this thing in an even cleverer way).

Couldn't get into The Guard after 10 minutes. Sure it's the same old shtick.

[Johnny Townmouse]

They're fucking shit.

In Bruges, sub-Pinter. Psychopaths is nowhere near as good as Adaptation (and I'm sure a 'proper' writer (like a novelist) has done this thing in an even cleverer way).

Couldn't get into The Guard after 10 minutes. Sure it's the same old shtick.

I was going to watch all three this weekend. Thanks for saving me the trouble Ralph.

[Ralph Cifaretto]

I was going to watch all three this weekend. Thanks for saving me the trouble Ralph.

You can watch them brah.

Just if you rate them really highly, I would harbor large doubts that you are an experienced film watcher (alternative description: you have any fucking idea about what a good film is).

[Custard]

Fuck's sake, In Bruges is brilliant. Great film, YOU COW SONS

[checkoutgirl]

In Bruges - Very good, well worth a watch.
The Guard - Pretty good, worth a watch but not straight after In Bruges
Seven Psychopaths - Decent script but confusing plot, don't bother.

That's my take.

[Small Man Big Horse]

I loved The Guard the most, it's perhaps the simpler of the films but oddly joyful, and Brendan Gleeson's amazing in it. In Bruges would come second and Seven Psychopaths third, but I still think it's worth the watch.

[Thomas]

Now, then. Eyes Wide Shut. Watched this for the first time yesterday. I was really with it until Tom Cruise

Spoiler alert

infiltrated the sex party

[close]

, and then I found myself losing interest.

Worth watching?

[Small Man Big Horse]

Not really. And I normally love Kubrick. I'm sure others will disagree with me though.

Best Worst Movie

Mentioned in the Best Documentaries thread, but ages ago so I thought I'd post about it here. It's a pretty simple tale, being a fairly charming movie about the straight to video fantasy horror flick Troll 2, which at one point was the lowest rated film on imdb, and how it eventually achieved cult success. The first half is quite joyously upbeat, as each cast member explains what the success has meant to them, especially dentist George Hardy, who the documentary follows around the most. At first it does seem like it's filmed with slightly rose tinted spectacles, but the second half is a more intriguing as we meet a few of the quirkier cast members, Don Packard especially, as he's refreshingly honest about how he was mentally ill whilst making it, but also how it was "a terrible experience" and that the lead child actor was "a pain in the arse...I wanted to kill him...I just couldn't stand him". Meanwhile the Italian Director also takes it all extremely seriously, and is frustrated by the audience laughing at supposedly serious parts, and he even heckles his own cast members during a Q&A at a screening (referring to them as "dogs" several times). The fame doesn't last forever, either, and when George isn't recognised at a couple of conventions, his mask slips a little.

It's a slightly flimsy film at times, but the love the fans and cast have for Troll 2 is very infectious, and overall it's a lot of fun in general.

[checkoutgirl]

Now, then. Eyes Wide Shut. Watched this for the first time yesterday. I was really with it until Tom Cruise

Spoiler alert

infiltrated the sex party

[close]

, and then I found myself losing interest.

Worth watching?

Eyes Wide Shut went over my head like a frisbee thrown by the frisbee world record holder *whizz* - straight over my head. Didn't get it at all, it's just some odd stuff happening to Tom Cruise for some reason that I don't even care. I've read interpretations about why it's good but none of them convinced me enough to give it another watch. It's a stupid boring film. The only way to know for sure is to watch it but I would not recommend that because it's a load of old arse really.

[Bored of Canada]

Now, then. Eyes Wide Shut. Watched this for the first time yesterday. I was really with it until Tom Cruise

Spoiler alert

infiltrated the sex party

[close]

, and then I found myself losing interest.

Worth watching?

I'd say no. I think it's Kubrick as his strongest as a director. The performances are all pretty exceptional and very understated. But the characters are all fairly hollow. You need a protagonist who you're mildly interested in finding out what happens to them. He visuals of the film feel very 80's and dated. There's very little of the authorial vision in every shot like a good Kubrick film.

I just wouldn't bother, personally.

[Famous Mortimer]

I still haven't seen "Best Worst Movie", for some reason, but my mates Dave and Hado were filmed for it at a convention a few years ago. They were buying me a "You Don't Piss On Hospitality" t-shirt and mentioned on camera how I forced them to watch it on my birthday once. I hope they made it in.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Curse of Chucky is superb Chucky fanservice and probably the best DTV sequel I've ever seen.

I've just watched this tonight and, well, I've really conflicting feelings, it's such an odd beast. At first it's old school scares (Chucky makes an early appearance behind a shower curtain), albeit with a twist as our heroine is in a wheelchair from the get go. But it's a weird mix, at times attempting to be a realistic slasher film, yet it also has gently playful tone,

Spoiler alert

the poisoning incident, especially

[close]

, at least until Chucky's bloodlust properly kicks in and people end up running around and screaming.

It's quite beautifully filmed in a fantastic location (or set, I can't be arsed to look it up) and the acting's fairly decent for this sort of thing (bar, the wife, at least) whilst the blood and gore is nicely gruesome. But on the downside, some of the initial set up is dull, Chucky's dialogue is a little tired on occasion ("Women, can't live with them. Period" being the worst offender) and

Spoiler alert

the victims die in a mostly predictable order

[close]

. And then we get to the final twenty minutes and *HUGE SPOILERS*

Spoiler alert

it almost feels like a different film, what with Chucky's back story, all of the dialogue relating to the previous films, the trial, and then the introduction of Jennifer Tilly being involved all along. I liked it personally, but it still definitely jarred and I'm not sure it quite worked. For me at least.

[close]

So I don't know, I enjoyed it but didn't love it I guess. But at least it wasn't a disaster, like so many modern interpretations of classic horror films.

[Famous Mortimer]

White House Down
Having three main guys with previous form in comedy (C-Tates, Jamie Fox and Jimmi Simpson) made it feel like they were having a little laugh at themselves from time to time, and it was a surprising amount of fun. Telegraphed from a mile off, of course, but much like "Taken" you don't watch it because you're wondering what's going to happen.