Documentary about the lives of backing singers who have performed with the biggest acts. Some of the singing and performances are quality.
Mick Jagger tells the story of the probably the best bit of backing vocals on a record - Merry Clayton on Gimme Shelter. Also contributions from Stevie Wonder and Springsteen.
After All the Mayhem I stuck on the Bones Brigade. Not on the same level story wise but was a decent insight into the take off of skateboarding in the 80s. Features the usual Hawk, Mullen etc. Worth a watch. 6/10
Big Hero 6. Hadn't seen it yet so chucked it on yesterday. Think my expectations were a bit high as even though it was a good film, it wasn't as good as I've heard it is. Certainly not the 7.9/10 imdb give it. I'll go for 7/10 but that's generous.
Headhunters - Just finished and it was really fucking fun. Just the right levels of action, suspense and comedy. And Jamie Lannister still has his prince charming haircut.
Room 237 - I've had many people recommend this film to me. In fairness, i'd have to say that most people recommended to to me saying that it was about theories surrounding The Shining but that most of them are far fetched, at best. But that it was a film about theories of the Shining. That's not what room 237 is about. Room 237 is about - as the shining is on its most superficial level - man's descent into obsession and madness. Almost everyone who gives their views in Room 237 is a self-important conspiracy theorist. All of them talk about Kubrick's genius and they think they're the only ones who understand Kubrick - how fucking conceited.
The level of obsession and straw grasping and ability to ignore inconvenient truths or simply to pretend that things that don't matter actually matter displayed by these people is startling. I don't see the film maker passing judgement on the quality of the theories, but his presentation of the theories says that he's contrasting Jack and people obsessed with the film. From that point of view it's a brilliant film. If it's just a film about the theories then it's nearly un-watchable.
No way could you last 3 years in one of those unless you were hiding behind everybody else. Anyway, we follow our intrepid gang of assorted psychos, evangelists and patriotic minority Americans (token). And, lo & behold, Pitt and his lads get fucked as soon as they're sent in on a special mission. But not because they have a teflon tank and an attitude to match, but rather, because Brad hates the SS.
See that last stand, when he was up on the tank rattling away on the 37mm machine gun, silhouetted by the raging fires and multi-coloured tracer, I swear I had to slap my loins.
The use of strong females is laudable, but this film is made by the invention in the action scenes. It feels like i've been watching the same fight scenes for 20 years now. A couple of tony jaa films and the raid have been the only things to excite me, but this was wonderful
Harold and Maude 9/10
As dark and sweet and funny as i'd always been told it was.
Flight 7/10
It struggled with the tone at a couple of points, especially where John Goodman shows up. He's not bad but it doesnt fit together well and it smacks of them trying to pick up the tempo or play to a demographic and it feels artificial. Other than that denzel is great as an alky pilot. You don't pity him, he's definitely an arsehole, but you really do root for him
No way could you last 3 years in one of those unless you were hiding behind everybody else. Â Anyway, we follow our intrepid gang of assorted psychos, evangelists and patriotic minority Americans (token). Â And, lo & behold, Pitt and his lads get fucked as soon as they're sent in on a special mission. Â But not because they have a teflon tank and an attitude to match, but rather, because Brad hates the SS. Â
See that last stand, when he was up on the tank rattling away on the 37mm machine gun, silhouetted by the raging fires and multi-coloured tracer, I swear I had to slap my loins.
You know that the story of Fury is an amalgamation of true stories from various tank crews during the Normandy invasion? There was one tank in particular that lasted the entire war and knocked out something like 258 enemy tanks, so it's not complete fantasy. It's actually relatively historically accurate, as far as these things go.
I think any film in which Shia LeBouef isn't completely intolerable has to be some kind of qualified success, and this, along with Lawless, is about the only film that's managed it.
Have to agree with Morph, it was ok. Not amazing, but it was well worth a watch. A bit too grisly without enough to say, which made it come across as gratuitous, but by the same token I can't criticise a war film for showing a realistic depiction of the horrors of war.
(07-11-2015, 08:13 PM)Francis Begbie Wrote: A bit too grisly without enough to say, which made it come across as gratuitous, but by the same token I can't criticise a war film for showing a realistic depiction of the horrors of war.
(07-11-2015, 08:13 PM)Francis Begbie Wrote: You know that the story of Fury is an amalgamation of true stories from various tank crews during the Normandy invasion? There was one tank in particular that lasted the entire war and knocked out something like 258 enemy tanks, so it's not complete fantasy. It's actually relatively historically accurate, as far as these things go.
I think any film in which Shia LeBouef isn't completely intolerable has to be some kind of qualified success, and this, along with Lawless, is about the only film that's managed it.
Have to agree with Morph, it was ok. Not amazing, but it was well worth a watch. A bit too grisly without enough to say, which made it come across as gratuitous, but by the same token I can't criticise a war film for showing a realistic depiction of the horrors of war.
I didn't know that. However, I still find it a bit hard to believe that a Sherman drove around France knocking off every Panzer/Panther/Tiger it encountered, well certainly without being a sneaky cunt most of the time.
Saying that, I was probably being a bit unfair with the 5.5; it was certainly watchable but (again) I just couldn't accept the complete lack of any heightened adrenaline whatsoever from Collier during the battle scenes. Perhaps that was the intention for Pitt's character. Only believable in Holywoodland I'm afraid.
I watched about two-thirds of Stalingrad the other day and I preferred that to Fury, in all honesty.