I Just Watched (Films)

[2Channelwonder]

The Forever Purge

Basically you thought the series was over with Election Year didn't you? Well this fourth entry breaks the rules of its world in order to bring you this sequel and I didn't notice the fact that there were clips from The First Purge and Anarchy intercut into the rather short (100min) run time. Race is an issue that the writer's referenced before and it's back here in another film which makes its own statements about immigration from the start and throughout.

Series creator James DeMonaco only wrote the script this time and didn't direct which is one reason why the film felt as uneven as The First Purge, Election Year had a very definite end point to its storyline but The Forever Purge appears to be DeMonaco's way of setting up a third TV series with the deliberately open ending in case Covid's delay stops this film from making the same amount of money as previous entries.

For the fans the film basically has its introduction after making its points about immigration but then only really starts where you think it would end compared to the other three main films and so it depends whether we would end up with a TV series set during the same purge or a film taking place at the same time as the events of this film next time. Either way it didn't suffer for breaking the rules but it's a trick that can't be repeated in future sequels.

[Snowy]

Captain Phillips, based on true events, a film about an American cargo ship that comes under attack from Somalian pirates. Really good film with Tom Hanks in the lead role, got a clutch of oscar nominations and you can see why. Very good film, although for me Hanks got a bit OTT in the final scenes - I mean, he acts out of his socks but it was all a bit too histrionic for a bit too long. Anyway, the film overall is really good so I would recommend it whole-mehearties-ly

[Alan]

Black Widow
It’s so dumb! Not in a good way either but in that “this is serious stuff” way. The comic relief “I’m crazy Russian” stuff was so overplayed and cringey. That dumbass super soldier was actually the comic relief with how bad it looked - why does it have a hood!? :p Florence Pugh is generally pretty great in most things but she’s pretty flat here. Some of the banter between the two was ok but like crazy Russian dad it felt forced. I’m probably being too harsh, for a Marvel film it was fine. It was certainly visually nice on imax but if I wasn’t in the cinema I’d have been playing on my phone by the half way point. The most entertaining thing was Ray Winstone's cockney oozing through his Russian accent.

A drinking game could be devised of Scarlett Johansson's mass effect ass shots.


Chaos Walking
A planet of only men has Star Wars Rey crash land on it. Spider-Man has to save her from Hannibal Lector, Nick Jonas and friends. Oh and all the men’s thoughts can he heard out loud as they think them. I lasted about 40mins before turning it off.

[Raid]

Ender's Game

I've held off on watching this for quite a few years because I'd heard that it wasn't a great adaptation of a book that I have fond memories of. It's at least ten years since I read it, but from what I do remember I have to agree with those opinions. I don't think it's a bad film, although the pacing is awkward and I don't think either Harrison Ford or Ben Kingsley are well utilised. But sadly it rushes through stuff that took up half the book (I think there are only three Battle Room scenarios shown), and very little of Ender's relationship with Valentine is shown (and her own arc is completely omitted).

Spoiler

I seem to remember the twist that Ender is actually commanding a real fleet rather than it being a training simulator happening right at the end of the book, whereas here it's hinted at much earlier. Perhaps it's just my knowledge of the plot that I read too much into those hints.

What I will say is that, perhaps unsurprisingly, it sounded incredible on my new living room audio setup and it really did affect my enjoyment of the film (and this was only in 5.1, no Atmos so the upward-firing speakers didn't do anything). I think I'm going to have to go back and re-watch some films from the last few years just to see how much extra value I get from the experience. I haven't watched the 2014 Godzilla in a while, which had phenomenal sound design, so I might stick that on the list. Can anyone offer suggestions for films I should try?

[Animalmother]

You can't go wrong with Saving Private Ryan if your testing out a sound system I suppose, the end battle as the tanks are approaching the village sticks out.

And this...

[Raid]

I watched SPR not so long ago so I'll give it a miss for now, but it's definitely a good shout.

I did have a look at Disney Plus and all of the star wars films, even the original trilogy have had Atmos support added, so I think it's time for a rewatch.

[Achtung Englander]

You can't go wrong with Saving Private Ryan if your testing out a sound system I suppose, the end battle as the tanks are approaching the village sticks out.

And this...

seismic explosions in space

[Animalmother]

Do you have a console Raid? I would recommend Battlefield 1 to test the sound quality of your new telly and give your neighbors PTSD...

[2Channelwonder]

Old

Sadly I watched a trailer for this film before I went to see it because the central theme of the film actually follows a basic setup and seeing it having avoided trailers is much better, as hardly anyone will have read the French graphic novel.

As just a film you have the characters trying to work out what's going on, then the usual twist in the tale and the ending to a Shyamalan film and the director's cameo isn't as wooden as it was in Signs. There's one scene which is blatantly CGI that takes you out of the film for a few seconds and the one character that seems to escape the primary threat isn't out of the woods. Basically I liked this film better than Signs or The Village but there won't be a film to beat The Sixth Sense and it's certainly a closer adaption than The Last Airbender. Will have to see if Glass is on Netflix or Prime so I can complete seeing all the Shyamalans but if you like Shyamalan this is above average, certainly on par with The Visit in terms of menace and threat.

[Raid]

Project Power (Netflix)

Meh. A film about a pill that gives people superpowers should have been more interesting than this. The actual superpowers have barely any impact on the story, and it's just run of the mill drug policing. It's a passable action film, but it's not really one I'd recommend.

[Animalmother]

Ghostbusters
Haven't watched in many years and after looking at the trailer for the new film decided to give it a whirl. What can I say...it's Ghostbusters and it's still wonderfully fun. Some of the effects haven't aged so well but the practical stuff is still great. Everyone looks so young, except Bill Murray who must have been born middle aged. 1984's Sigourney Weaver is stunning looking and I forgot how great Rick Moranis was.

Yeah it's great

[Achtung Englander]

O Brother Where Art Thou

Revisited in over 10 years. Yep, still superb.

I don't want Floss, I'm a Dapper Dan man !

[Sly Boots]

Fop!

[2Channelwonder]

The Suicide Squad

If there had been any sex in the film it would have been an 18 that's how much strong bloody violence and gore there is in this film, it's more violent than the first Suicide Squad film although this time round there's more going on than is given away in the trailer.

However the setup of bad guys vs the worse guys is the same as the first film and Viola Davis's character is once again in charge and willing to do whatever it takes for the sake of the mission. Margot Robbie stands out as Harley Quinn once again but that's due to the story structure putting her in more locations than the other characters. Stay until the very end because there's an after credits scene that's serious following the mid credits scene that's played for laughs. This really is DC's Deadpool in terms of throwing comedy in amongst all that blood gore and violence and the IMAX filming isn't wasted when it comes to the close up action scenes near the end. The money's also on the screen when it comes to all the CGI in the film including two characters matching up and most likely a 4K digital intermediate if it was mostly filmed in IMAX.

Worth watching if you didn't mind Deadpool's level of violence and gore and action and brutal humour.

[Raid]

News of the World (Netflix)

A travelling news reader vows to take a young Kiowa girl back to her home following the murder of her guardian in post-civil war Texas. It's not quite a Western but has a lot of the same elements, set in a vast expanse of beautiful, lawless isolation. Tom Hanks, as charismatic as ever, is now in his 60s so it's hardly an all-action thrill ride, but it's a decent little adventure film with three mostly separate acts. The soundtrack by James Howard Newton (The Dark Knight, The Hunger Games) is beautiful though, for the most part understated and airy, and was probably my favourite part of the film.