Movie Record 2024 Edition - The Bear and Badger

hylian_elf

9. Cute Girl - 24 Feb
Part of my 'Early Hou Hsiao-Hsien' package of three of his earliest films. A melodramatic romantic comedy that reminds me a lot of Bollywood films, but much better.
[7]

10. Dune: Part Two - 2 Mar
Better than the first part but not without faults. Some minor and some major changes from the book, not all good but mostly it worked as a film and glad it found it's own way rather than adapt every single bit of the book. A bit too much on the dramatic slow-mo and Michael Bay style THIS IS EPIC shots than I would like. Editing and pacing was far better this time round although much like the book, the finale seemed rushed.
[8]

davyK

hylian_elf wrote:

much like the book, the finale seemed rushed. [8]

Heh. Yeah - that is weird. But then such is life - the big things do happen quickly after long build ups.

One "failing" is that final battle didn't live up to what I had in my head from the book - but clearly that is next to impossible. The sense of awe from the book wasn't there but it was a damn fine go at it.

As I said in my comments, it didn't have the impact pt1 had on me - maybe because it had the grandeur of a house before the fall and pt2 is the aftermath. I also think the Baron was more menacing in the first because of the obfuscation from the lighting - he's more visible in pt.2. Still enjoyed myself - I will be going back to watch it again on the big screen and it's a no-brainer BluRay purchase for me.

I've still to think of a better word than majestic for it. It's a superb piece of work.

Cos

22. The Big Chill
A group of old uni friends spend the weekend together following the funeral of one of their own. Cue chats about life, death, success, relationships, etc which in some hands could be dire but it mostly works here. Helped by a great cast and script, not taking things too seriously. Inevitably a few cliches abound and I'm not sure there's a good way to end such a film but I didn't think it was this. Overriding memory is I don't think I've ever seen Tom Berenger looking so young. [6]

23. The Taste of Things
So much food! There is a light story, well told that feels like it shares equal screen time with incredible food and that kitchen. Binoche and Magimel are quietly brilliant and their chemistry is incredible - it's a joy just to spend time around them, a solid supporting cast and some of the best cinematic food moments since Ego tried the ratatouille. Two and a bit hours drifted by and I barely noticed, a wonderful experience. And seriously jealous of that kitchen and cookware. [8]

acemuzzy

Building myself up towards Dune Part 2 in a couple of weeks which I'm already hyped for, thoughts it watch some early Villeneuves.

And oof Incendies is quite the film. Best I've seen for a while. Great audio (very little music, understated sound) and cinematography as you'd maybe expect, but a powerful story and acting alongside. That's how movies should be done.

Cos

Great film. Villeneuve’s run since Polytechnique is damn impressive.

hylian_elf

Top 3 Villeneuve, GO!

Mine, although I haven't seen Prisoners or Incendies which I understand are highly rated:

1. Blade Runner 2049
2. Arrival
3. Sicario

acemuzzy

Incendies
Dune
Sicario

but I've not seen prisoners / enemy / polytechnique

poprock

Arrival > Sicario > Dune Pt.1

I doubt he’ll ever top Arrival, for me. I just love that film.

hylian_elf

Of course but you accidentally I assume missed out the ‘BR2049 >’ at the beginning.

poprock

No. I’d put that fourth. Sorry. Not sorry.

(These are all good films. There’s no loser here. But the Blade Runner reboot is the loser.)

Diluted Dante

And F1'97 > in front of that.

acemuzzy

Elf is the real loser, obvs

Moot_Geeza

Loved Enemy, forgot that was him. Sicario, BR 2049 and Prisoners for me.

davyK

Jeez - Villeneuve did Sicario too? wow.

Cos

Probably Arrival > Incendies > Dune for me but Sicario could be in there on another day.

b0r1s

Arrival > BR 2049 > Sicario

Need to Watch Incendies and rewatch Prisoners.

Dune while a beautiful film, doesn’t come close to his best work.

ShabbyMcCrabby

1. Enemy
2. Arrival
3. Sicario

hylian_elf

b0r1s wrote:

Arrival > BR 2049 > Sicario

Need to Watch Incendies and rewatch Prisoners.

Dune while a beautiful film, doesn’t come close to his best work.

o/

b0r1s

davyK

Very difficult to compare those films. I haven't watched one of his that isn't utterly compelling.

Dune is difficult to compare against because its an adaption of one of the legends of literature which stands alongside Lord of The Rings as the greatest example of world building - LotR for fantasy and Dune for science-fiction.

You also have Arrival and BR2049 in the same genre. I find it difficult to compare them - one is a sequel to a member of many people's top 3 sci-fi list and probably features high on many best film lists. So it comes with the baggage of that ; not dissimilar to Dune's baggage.

How does the guy get his trousers on in morning? He has some balls on him to take those two films on.

Arrival stands on its own with no baggage and is a superb achievement in that respect. Sicario is a magnificent film in a different genre and like Arrival, stands among its best.

I take great pleasure in hearing about a few other films he has made. Need to get around to those.

hylian_elf

You don't have to compare them against each other - I just think of which did I enjoy the most and good at what it set out to do etc. I came out of the cinema loving BR2049, have watched it twice since and would like to watch it again very soon. Did not feel that way about Dune. Ergo concordedly vis-a-vis.

davyK

On pure enjoyment it's Sicario. It fucking blew me away. But not sure if it's the sort of thing to rewatch as much as Bladerunner original or 2049.

Sicario makes me jealous of people who haven't seen it yet.

Moot_Geeza

BR2049 probably gets extra appreciation for me because I assumed it was never likely to be any more than good, even with the Dennis factor, then it arrived and it was maybe a bit better than even the top end of my wildest expectations. Sequels that appear 35 years late aren't supposed to be legit.

EvilRedEye

I think BR2049 is the only film I enjoyed so much that I’ve never dared to watch it again.

Gremill

davyK wrote:

On pure enjoyment it's Sicario. It fucking blew me away. But not sure if it's the sort of thing to rewatch as much as Bladerunner original or 2049.

Sicario makes me jealous of people who haven't seen it yet.

I haven't seen Sicario. Must remedy this.

Moot_Geeza

EvilRedEye wrote:

I think BR2049 is the only film I enjoyed so much that I’ve never dared to watch it again.

Humanoid Defender for me.

b0r1s

Gremill wrote:

davyK wrote:

On pure enjoyment it's Sicario. It fucking blew me away. But not sure if it's the sort of thing to rewatch as much as Bladerunner original or 2049.

Sicario makes me jealous of people who haven't seen it yet.

I haven't seen Sicario. Must remedy this.

You absolutely must.

On the BR2049 stuff I couldn’t think of any other way he could have advanced that story other than how he did. The fact that he did it in such a beautiful way just added to it all. I’ve watched it 4 times and loved it each time. I’ve said it before you can pause most scenes in that film and hang them on your wall as art.

hylian_elf

It's the film I tested my new TV and sound system with a couple of years ago. Brilliant.

davyK

Wait - he did Enemy too? Sweet Lord.

acemuzzy

Started Enemy earlier in fact. Slow build up but it's getting interesting now. Will watch the rest tomorrow I expect.

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