[pred_2002]

Hot Fuzz.
I love Shaun of the Dead and dont object to a spot of Spaced either but I was a bit disappointed in this to be honest, thought it dragged and wasnt half as funny as Shaun - maybe I was expecting too much

[michael blunty]

Originally Posted by grambax

At the cinema - The Fountain.

Hmm.... I'm really not sure what to say about this. A sort of existentialist drama from Darren Aronofsky, with Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz.

Its an ambitious film thematically, with a non-linear "plot" (do they still make films with linear plots?). Its one of those films that if it catches the right person at the right time, you could fall in love with it. It certainly has cult potential and would bear repeat viewings but while I found it interesting I'm not convinced that it entirely worked. Whether you find it pretentious or profound will be a matter of taste and mood, so I'm loath to commit - I suppose I found it to be a bit of both.

The film talks about "awe" quite a bit, but it failed to create that in me I'm afraid. Although it didn't have a massive budget ($35m I think) it looked rather cheap, with dark and dreary cinematography (second film I've said that about in the last week so maybe my eyesight is going!) and limited looking sets. The use of micro-photography for the space scenes, rather than CGI, was a nice change and worked very well, although it kept reminding me of the "All The Time In The World" Guiness ad from a few years ago.

I hate to knock a film that dares to try something different and is obviously heartfelt, so I would certainly say it is well worth a look, if you approach with an open mind, and are perhaps in an experimental rather than an "entertainment" mood.

:eek:

I watched this in Sydney...I love aronofsky and his films and this was absolutely unbelievable...there were people in the cinema who didn't quite understand the film (australian, duh) but it was awesome.

[grambax]

Originally Posted by michael blunty

:eek:

I watched this in Sydney...I love aronofsky and his films and this was absolutely unbelievable...there were people in the cinema who didn't quite understand the film (australian, duh) but it was awesome.

Is that you home Blunty? Welcome back!

I read a review of The Fountain just after seeing it and it said the film looked stunning, but it really did look dreary to me, so I'm wondering if the cinema has been reducing the projector lamp power - I've heard some cinemas do this at times in the (apparently mistaken) belief that it prolongs lamp life, and this was showing in a virtually empty hall. My OH though it looked very dull too (this is the actual picture I'm talking about). If that is the case, it would certainly have detracted - at times I found it physically difficult to see properly.

There have been a number of quirky films being "dumped" in cinemas at the moment, running 1 week and disappearing, and to me they've suffered because I went to see them not when I was in the mood for them, but simply because had I not seen them that night, I'd never see them in the cinema.

Having said that, one of the staff at my local cinema is a huge Aronofsky fan (Requiem... is his all time favourite film) and he was disappointed in this too. So it will polarize opinion, as well as being a matter of taste, mood, and, possibly, technical issues.

[michael blunty]

Yeah I totally felt that it was 'marmite' film...love it or hate it...
I personally have the graphic novel and enjoyed that (concept and writing) and so the fact that it actually got made (have been following it's path for nigh-on years!) was a bonus.
That I loved it and will love it in the future (maybe not 500 years in a bubble) is another huge bonus.
Casting wise, i'm glad brad pitt and blanchett dropped out. Although Pitt was good in Babel and Blanchett in practically everything she does, I don't think they were right.
Weisz was very good and Jackman really stepped up.
And yeah mate...just back yesterday from down under... :grin:

[homerpovey]

Death Note

I quite enjoyed this though not as much as I thought after all the hype. It looks like the sequels gonna be better though or at least better potential. I was tempted to get the Jap LE with both films but no English subtitles

[TheReverend]

I saw Hot Fuzz on valentines (what a great gf I have) and I also thought it was fantastic. I've heard there's been very mixed reviews about it with most saying it's a bit of a letdown. I can see how someone expecting to see a repeat of SotD would seem disappointed, but I thought it was a very nice change. Alot of the humour in the first half for me was in the way things were done rather than direct comedy moments. A little differnt to their usual delivery of comedy, but I thought it worked very well over all :)

[jas]

Did anyone spot the 2 oscar winners in Hot Fuzz ?

According to Simon Pegg (My friend was at a Q&A) The santa who stabs Nicholas in the hand is Peter Jackson and Nicholas`s girlfriend was Cate Blanchett

[mcnolegs]

Hot Fuzz - sat there grinning like an eejot all the way through. So many references jus hope there'll be a homage-ometer on the dvd. Only thing was at times there seemed a bit too much self-backslapping.

Missed the cameos though.....

[michael blunty]

The Prestige

Not perfect but stilll a really brilliant film...there is some stuff that I won't comment on (spoilers and all that) but the whole mechanics of the film are daring and well pulled off.
Nolan's first film following also deals with something similar (in subject not in location) so that's worth a watch.
Nine Queens I think it was called (argentinian flick) is great too

[Silent Bob]

Pans Labyrinth

Really enjoyed it but not as much as I thought I would though, perhaps I built it up too much before seeing it - I think I expected it to be all fantasy worldy. Beautifully shot and acted though and fantastic sound on the DTS setting. 9/10