Films

[charlierc]

Just came back from seeing the new Fantastic Four movie, which I thought was pretty fun. Kinda nice to do an MCU movie without needing to watch 40 films beforehand and thought it was a neat take on the characters. Certainly an improvement on the 2015 misfire but that's not hard.

 

One odd thing is that the last trailer before the movie was for the movie itself. Odeon did this before the F1 film as well so the idea of a trailer for the film you're about to watch as you're in the cinema is an odd choice no?

[philipsteak]

11 hours ago, charlierc said:

 

 

One odd thing is that the last trailer before the movie was for the movie itself. Odeon did this before the F1 film as well so the idea of a trailer for the film you're about to watch as you're in the cinema is an odd choice no?

 

 

Before I moved my local cinema was an Odeon and they definitely did that too. Dunno if any of the other big chains do it, my locals are now indies. 

[charlierc]

On 25/07/2025 at 10:15, philipsteak said:

 

 

Before I moved my local cinema was an Odeon and they definitely did that too. Dunno if any of the other big chains do it, my locals are now indies. 

That does check out - I saw Fantastic 4 and F1 in an Odeon where it did this, but I saw Jurassic World and Superman at a Vue which did not.

[charlierc]

On 22/06/2025 at 07:46, philipsteak said:

Went to 28 Years Later last night. 

Much weirder than I was expecting. In a good way. 

Then that ending. f**k me. Absolutely bat sh*t. Came out of the cinema feeling like I had whiplash. Again, in a good way. I think. Bonkers.

I am very late to seeing this (think it's ironically 28 days after release I saw it) but just went to go and watch it.

 

I agree. Very odd movie with an ending setting up a sequel that's coming out in January in a very peculiar way. The kid playing Alfie was really good and I was impressed by the thought put into the zombie evolution.

 

I actually think I'd have enjoyed more of a movie of the shipwrecked Swedish sailor grappling with what it means to be stuck on the island of damned. But maybe that would've been cliche. Although I couldn't help but think the central tenet of the film being steered around two family members making a journey to find medical help for a crisis and think of The Last of Us.

[philipsteak]

9 hours ago, charlierc said:

I am very late to seeing this (think it's ironically 28 days after release I saw it) but just went to go and watch it.

 

I agree. Very odd movie with an ending setting up a sequel that's coming out in January in a very peculiar way. The kid playing Alfie was really good and I was impressed by the thought put into the zombie evolution.

 

I actually think I'd have enjoyed more of a movie of the shipwrecked Swedish sailor grappling with what it means to be stuck on the island of damned. But maybe that would've been cliche. Although I couldn't help but think the central tenet of the film being steered around two family members making a journey to find medical help for a crisis and think of The Last of Us.

 

I hadn't thought of the The Last of Us connection but now you mention it it's right there. 

 

I'm not sure there's a film in it but some sort of view of how the rest of the world now views and treats Britain would be interesting. And how the world has changed and advanced (or not) in the 28 years since the outbreak. 

Maybe a short online series or something

[charlierc]

1 hour ago, philipsteak said:

 

I hadn't thought of the The Last of Us connection but now you mention it it's right there. 

 

I'm not sure there's a film in it but some sort of view of how the rest of the world now views and treats Britain would be interesting. And how the world has changed and advanced (or not) in the 28 years since the outbreak. 

Maybe a short online series or something

Maybe it's the fact I was a big fan of the games and enjoyed the TV show made me think of that comparison. Even if there's probably other stories like that.

 

There was something of a curious comedy interlude in the time the Swedish soldier was there which made me think it could work as a movie, though it would need a lot to make work and I think the creative team said they wanted the focus on the decaying Britain abandoned to the virus. Maybe there is a spin-off graphic novel or something in the works. 

 

I'm aware the strange gang that turn up at the end of the film are meant to be the main drivers of the sequel coming out in January. Given the implication of who they're inspired by in their look, that's going to be an interesting one to try and pull off. 

[charlierc]

Naked Gun is pretty solid. Dunno if it was quite as good as the originals (I watched the original Naked Gun movie at the weekend and that still holds up pretty well) but as its own thing, it was rather good fun.

[Ryan1984]

Saw Bring Her Back this week. If you want horror and to feel queasy, it does a fantastic job. Great performances from all the cast.

[steviewevie]

Fallen Leaves on iPlayer is my recommendation for today.

[-TLR-]

for some inexplicable reason, last night i watched War Of The Worlds (2025).

 

i think i can safely say, without worry of hyperbole, that it is the shittest film i have ever seen in my whole life, ever.

 

i actually hate myself for staying with it til the end.

 

its not even "so bad its good"...  its just mind numbing, soul destroying, intelligence insulting shite.

 

unless it was made by a 5 year old as a school project - in which case, fair play ,i guess...

 

but f**king hell... is this what its come to....

[charlierc]

22 minutes ago, -TLR- said:

for some inexplicable reason, last night i watched War Of The Worlds (2025).

 

i think i can safely say, without worry of hyperbole, that it is the shittest film i have ever seen in my whole life, ever.

 

i actually hate myself for staying with it til the end.

 

its not even "so bad its good"...  its just mind numbing, soul destroying, intelligence insulting shite.

 

unless it was made by a 5 year old as a school project - in which case, fair play ,i guess...

 

but f**king hell... is this what its come to....

I've not seen it but I'm aware the Internet is currently giving it an almighty kicking as one of the worst movies ever made. Dunno whether you deserve props or sympathies for sitting through it. Even the clips I've seen scream multiple Golden Raspberry Award winner. 

[49Lawson]

1 hour ago, -TLR- said:

for some inexplicable reason, last night i watched War Of The Worlds (2025).

 

i think i can safely say, without worry of hyperbole, that it is the shittest film i have ever seen in my whole life, ever.

 

i actually hate myself for staying with it til the end.

 

its not even "so bad its good"...  its just mind numbing, soul destroying, intelligence insulting shite.

 

unless it was made by a 5 year old as a school project - in which case, fair play ,i guess...

 

but f**king hell... is this what its come to....

Me and a couple of friends decided to put it on after the Community Shield to see what all the buzz was about. If you watch it from the perspective of "it's unintentionally the funniest film ever made" we laughed our heads off the whole way through, but it really might be the objectively worst film I've ever seen.

[AtomsForPizza]

On 21/07/2025 at 17:06, steviewevie said:

Watched The Remarkable Life of Ibelin on netflix last night after hearing an interview with the director on Cerys Mathews' 6music show. Strong recommend, very moving.

Watched this recently having heard the segment on 6music, forgetting about it, but then being reminded by your post - so thanks. As you say, a very moving film 

[steviewevie]

 

[-TLR-]

watched The Coffee Table over the weekend - and have to say i really liked it.

 

i'd seen plenty of reviews / comments / over the top hysterics about what an awful / terrible / unbearable film this is, but thought i'd give it a whirl anyways and i'm glad that i did.

 

i love "horror" movies, my absolute favourite films of all time are The Exorcist and The Wicker Man.

 

but i hate anything "real life" - you know stuff like hostel or last house on the left or i spit on your grave.. you know stuff where horrible things are happening to people and very likely at any given moment is happening to someone somewhere in real life.. i find no pleasure in watching that.

 

so to my surprise, i did enjoy watching The Coffee Table.

 

it is billed as a black comedy - and indeed i did find myself chuckling at moments... not really sure what that says about me.

 

the cast are excellent, and the way the story unfolds does a fine job of ramping up the dread... its basically all set within the main character apartment and you can feel the pain and the walls closing in on him...

 

there is a bit of blood, but there is no gore or any overt violence or anything like that.

 

just a normal man, an accident... and the crushing feeling of not knowing what to do... but knowing it has to happen... and soon.

 

so yeah - i'm suprised, but i do recommend The Coffee Table.  

[philipsteak]

The Life of Chuck.

It's had some pretty middling reviews it seems but I really liked it. 

Figured out what was going on in Act 3 but I don't think it was meant to be a big twist anyway. Felt like it was leading you to it. Beautifully done though. 

Act 2 had some lovely performances as well as my 2nd favourite dance sequence of the year. It was just joyous and I found it quite moving. 

Act 1 (the acts play backwards) also had some lovely moments and set up the rest of the story very well. The usual Stephen King thing of "does this really need a supernatural element" nearly came in to play but this time I'll allow it. 

Not usually a fan of voice overs, but if you are going to have one then have Nick Offerman doing it.

 

Read a couple of really sniffy reviews afterwards and it just seemed like everything I loved about it they hated. TBF, if you don't buy in to it or just aren't in the mood I can see how it might be a bit insufferable.

[maelzoid]

17 hours ago, philipsteak said:

The Life of Chuck.

It's had some pretty middling reviews it seems but I really liked it. 

Figured out what was going on in Act 3 but I don't think it was meant to be a big twist anyway. Felt like it was leading you to it. Beautifully done though. 

Act 2 had some lovely performances as well as my 2nd favourite dance sequence of the year. It was just joyous and I found it quite moving. 

Act 1 (the acts play backwards) also had some lovely moments and set up the rest of the story very well. The usual Stephen King thing of "does this really need a supernatural element" nearly came in to play but this time I'll allow it. 

Not usually a fan of voice overs, but if you are going to have one then have Nick Offerman doing it.

 

Read a couple of really sniffy reviews afterwards and it just seemed like everything I loved about it they hated. TBF, if you don't buy in to it or just aren't in the mood I can see how it might be a bit insufferable.

I concur. I know it's not to everyone's taste, but this film really worked for me. Mark Hamill is great in it. I would love it if he got some award recognition.

[NorthernSoul52]

Very late back to the party on this one, but here we go:

 

The Life of Chuck was interesting but didn't seem quite fully formed as a work - though having not read the book, I cannot tell if that is by design as such. Think Mike Flanagan definitely wears his influences on his sleeve, but he's got a way with more gentle work to come.

 

Materialists would likely sit better with me if it wasn't the follow up to Past Lives for its director. Appreciate the need to move conceptual ground somewhat, and think despite her critics, it's exactly the kind of role Johnson excels in; brittle figures in need of control and less than comfortable with their own purpose behind it. Evans probably will land a role that helps his range best at some point beyond franchise filmmaking; think given the material at hand, he probably was best in show.

[NorthernSoul52]

The Naked Gun was as daft as a box of badgers, appreciate firmly that it did not try to ape the style of the originals and functioned more as a Lonely Island-esque send-up of Neeson's late-era film work. Kind of think he may have a flick at some point that gets him back to the Oscars, though we shall see.

[philipsteak]

Not seen Materialists yet. Past Lives was such a good film and this looks like it could be disappointment after such a high bar. 

Well probably end up watching when it's available at home

[charlierc]

Went to see Caught Stealing. Not as intense as some of the director's previous work but was pretty entertaining as a depiction of somebody getting deeper and deeper into trouble. Also made me laugh that Matt Smith was doing a Cockney punk. 

[charlierc]

I was trying to watch the first Spinal Tap movie to see if my memory of it being great is accurate and if I like enough of it to justify going to see the sequel, which was released in cinemas this week, but can't find my old DVD copy of it or find it on any streaming platform.

 

... must be out there somewhere shouldn't it?

Edited September 13, 2025 by charlierc

[Ryan1984]

Not without paying, it seems: 

https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/this-is-spinal-tap

[steviewevie]

Comic Strip's Bad News was better.

[charlierc]

14 hours ago, Ryan1984 said:

Not without paying, it seems: 

https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/this-is-spinal-tap

You'd have thought they'd show it somewhere given the new one. For example, when Mission Impossible came out, all the old ones were on TV for about two weeks beforehand.