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Post by Sexy Spork #37 on Jun 3, 2014 9:27:05 GMT -5
Safety Not Guaranteed
Quite simply, brilliant.
The plot was based on a genuinely real advert placed in a magazine, although the advert was a joke, the movie looks at it as if the guy posting the ad was being genuine.
'Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. P.O. Box 91 Ocean View, WA 99393. You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before.'
So three magazine workers go to investigate and they find the guy who posted the ad. One infiltrates his life and becomes his chosen candidate. The movie chugs along nicely as a drama with a vague element of sci-fi, but it's lovely to watch. It is a comedy, too, but just a little bit. It's not until the last ten minutes we actually find out if the guy is being serious, until that point, the audience are kept guessing as to whether or not the man is being serious or if he has mental difficulties. It's utterly brilliant because you don't know the genre of the movie until its finished. Drama or sci-fi?
Worth watching to find out.
Wonderful inde film.
10/10.
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Post by ura on Jun 3, 2014 15:26:27 GMT -5
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Post by Sexy Spork #37 on Jun 3, 2014 15:34:46 GMT -5
It was written in a 1997 Backwoods Home Magazine edition, written as a joke filler by Backwoods employee John Silveira. It then became an internet meme. It's not that type of magazine, it was a one off quirk.
Inception
Erm... what?
I think I need a lie down...
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Post by ura on Jun 3, 2014 17:06:20 GMT -5
I stand corrected.
Dallas Buyers Club, Welcome to donkgmakgol, I saw the Devil & Spartacus.
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Post by Sexy Spork #37 on Jun 4, 2014 17:35:05 GMT -5
Extracted
Another inde sci-fi movie, from 2012. It got mixed reviews but I can't understand why, because I genuinely think it's one of the best movies I've ever seen. Certainly one of my favourites. People criticised its lack of originality, but I appreciated it's straightforward and honestly refreshing attitude. The acting was sublime and the direction was brilliant. $100,000 it cost to make, and I suppose it shows in some respects, but I honestly didn't care. The story was so captivating and was always twisting, there was always something new to discover, indeed, the director said he was inspired by Primer, but the crucial difference is, Primer is the most confusing thing ever made, Extracted was rather easy to follow. It keeps you guessing to the last second. I highly recommend it. A real treat for honest, old fashioned sci-fi. And I mean, real old fashioned.
The following isn't a spoiler, it happens in the first ten minutes and sets up the bulk of the movie.
Basically, a scientist with some help from his other half, creates a machine that in true 1970s Doctors Who style, does look very 'home made'. Albeit brilliantly home made, in fairness. And with it, he can 'enter' other peoples memories. But they can't see him. Just an observer. He intended it to be a means of helping people recover from trauma. But soon, he runs out of money, and is poached by some evil government types who want to use it to enter the mind of a criminal. And so it is. But it goes very wrong, and he ends up trapped inside the memory, whilst his real body is comatose and his poor wife is left raising a child she was pregnant with. And now he has to find a way out...
It does sound like a TV movie from the '90s, but it doesn't look like one, the direction supersedes that impression and the acting is very good. Again, as is the way with inde, not really well known actors. Its very compact, too. It's the simplicity that I found brilliantly refreshing. Nowadays, we have a world of Inception. Sci-fi is getting complicated. Extracted is for the purist. It's not pretty, but it ends up being incredibly thought-provoking and will stay with you.
It really is one of the best movies I've seen. I'm almost lost for words. It won't be to everyone's tastes, but go into it with a fresh mind, no expectations, and sit down to enjoy it. I was blown-away by it. By the end, I was shouting at the screen.
"RUN! YOU'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT! THINK OF YOUR DAUGHTER!"
I got a bit carried away.
So if you have a movie night free, fancy something a bit different, give it a shot.
I'll give it nine Sporks out of ten.
I promise, I'll give a bad movie review one of these days.
Elysium was dreadful. There. Watch the prequel, District 9. Much better.
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Post by ura on Jun 4, 2014 19:15:51 GMT -5
Elysium was a terrible film.
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Post by Sigh on Jun 5, 2014 17:45:07 GMT -5
Just saw Godzilla. Too much poorly executed story and weirdly inserted children, and not enough monster. The Japanese guy came across as an overdramatic fortune cookie*. Only props go to Cranston, but his role was too small. * credit to Farouche for that description  I can't stop laughing at "weirdly inserted children"  |
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Post by Sweet Pea on Jun 6, 2014 2:34:33 GMT -5
maleficent. it was pretty cool.
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Post by Sexy Spork #37 on Jun 6, 2014 13:07:51 GMT -5
Europa Report
Well, you know where this is going... What a brilliant movie. You know, it has that guy from District 9 in it. Doing a vague American accent. I presume that's what he was shooting for, it was hard to tell.
It also has, for a brief few seconds, Neil deGrasse Tyson. Oh, yes indeedy.
It came out in 2013, is independent and was made for less than $10mil. Only grossed just over $100,000 and that's ridiculous for such a good film.
Basically, it's like a documentary interspersed with a snuff movie.
It's sci-fi and centres around the first manned mission to Europa to find life, one of Jupiter's moons scientists believe has life. Because it has a huge ocean of water underneath a huge crust of ice.
It's a non-linear story, telling different parts of the story at different moments, and each part is different. For the most part, it's a found footage film, like Blair Witch but with proper, non-shaky cameras inside the ship. Then there's the pre-mission press conference, with interviews. There's a woman and a man in charge of the mission speaking in interview format about what happens in the movie, after it's happened. You also have some shaky hand held camera work and a bit of normal cinema camera work thrown into the mix.
It's a very strange concoction but it really works.
Each of these elements is a story but they're all chopped up and each segment is thrown together in a random order, but it's never confusing. You can follow it rather well. The bulk of the movie is on the spaceship but even that is split in two. Something bad happens on the ship but we don't really know what. A bit of that story is told then it jumps forward to Europa and then back again until both stories are told. And in the middle of all this, there's a press conference and various interviews.
It's very clever. It never feels cheap or cliché, it's just wonderful. The visuals are breathtakingly real. If this really happened, this is exactly how it would look. When you see the shots of Europa, it looks real. How they've done it for ten million I don't know, because certain movies spend a lot more and achieve a lot less. It's the power of an independent film, that they find all these little tricks that are always really cool. They apparently used a lot of real footage of certain things and scale models, but it never feels anything other than well made.
It's been done before, but it's a fresh angle and you can never really take you're eyes off the screen. If you're a sci-fi connoisseur, certainly one to check out. It doesn't follow Hollywood rules, it follows rules of logic and it's wonderfully bleak and beautiful at the same time. A real little gem.
I'd give it my top marks, 10 sporks out of ten.
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Post by Scotty on Jun 6, 2014 16:54:05 GMT -5
Europa ReportWell, you know where this is going... What a brilliant movie. You know, it has that guy from District 9 in it. Doing a vague American accent. I presume that's what he was shooting for, it was hard to tell. It also has, for a brief few seconds, Neil deGrasse Tyson. Oh, yes indeedy. It came out in 2013, is independent and was made for less than $10mil. Only grossed just over $100,000 and that's ridiculous for such a good film. Basically, it's like a documentary interspersed with a snuff movie. It's sci-fi and centres around the first manned mission to Europa to find life, one of Jupiter's moons scientists believe has life. Because it has a huge ocean of water underneath a huge crust of ice. It's a non-linear story, telling different parts of the story at different moments, and each part is different. For the most part, it's a found footage film, like Blair Witch but with proper, non-shaky cameras inside the ship. Then there's the pre-mission press conference, with interviews. There's a woman and a man in charge of the mission speaking in interview format about what happens in the movie, after it's happened. You also have some shaky hand held camera work and a bit of normal cinema camera work thrown into the mix. It's a very strange concoction but it really works. Each of these elements is a story but they're all chopped up and each segment is thrown together in a random order, but it's never confusing. You can follow it rather well. The bulk of the movie is on the spaceship but even that is split in two. Something bad happens on the ship but we don't really know what. A bit of that story is told then it jumps forward to Europa and then back again until both stories are told. And in the middle of all this, there's a press conference and various interviews. It's very clever. It never feels cheap or cliché, it's just wonderful. The visuals are breathtakingly real. If this really happened, this is exactly how it would look. When you see the shots of Europa, it looks real. How they've done it for ten million I don't know, because certain movies spend a lot more and achieve a lot less. It's the power of an independent film, that they find all these little tricks that are always really cool. They apparently used a lot of real footage of certain things and scale models, but it never feels anything other than well made. It's been done before, but it's a fresh angle and you can never really take you're eyes off the screen. If you're a sci-fi connoisseur, certainly one to check out. It doesn't follow Hollywood rules, it follows rules of logic and it's wonderfully bleak and beautiful at the same time. A real little gem. I'd give it my top marks, 10 sporks out of ten. I've had this saved in my netflix queue for a while...with it being rated 10 sporks I should check it out soon. |
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Post by Sexy Spork #37 on Jun 7, 2014 18:51:57 GMT -5
The American Astronaut
It's nuts.
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Post by Sexy Spork #37 on Jun 8, 2014 16:05:45 GMT -5
Upstream Color
The guy who wrote, directed, produced and starred in Primer did the same for Upstream Color. And it's fairly obvious. His wonderful abstract touch is all over it. If you've seen Primer, you'll know what to expect, if not, nothing can prepare you for it.
Shane Carruth is a polarising figure. Upstream Color is only his second movie, this came out in 2013, and some absolutely hated it. Most did. The thing is, nobody liked Primer and now it's a cult classic. I think the same will happen here. I think Carruth's movies are so experimental and chopped up, it's just too much for some people and they can't get passed that. For me, I enjoy that experimental element, but if you want a straightforward movie, then you're not gonna get that, here. It's difficult to put a word to the film. It's complex, but even that word doesn't sum how complex it is.
Some argue it's cliché, confusing, overwhelming, poorly acted and directed, too opaque, a cheap attempt at art-house and a complete failure.
Others argue its beautifully simplistic, one of the most baffling, mind-bending, perplexing, magically confusing movies ever made. The acting is so supple it's an abstract masterpiece. The unsual imagery and strange literally overwhelming chopped up scenes are stolen by a thoughtful mystery wrapped up in a story of feeling. Unlike Primer, a movie of thinking.
I don't know. It depends who you are. I'd say give it a try, but some of you will hate it and not thank me for the headache it will definitely give you, and some will be staggered with anyone arguing Carruth is anything other than a modern Hitchcock whose films are flawless.
I'd move toward the latter. It's very experimental, very 'out there'. I suppose, for me, any flaws are papered over by a man willing to try something different. To break the mainstream. It may be a tad confusing, the noise is prevalent, there's little speech, and the scenes are chopped up a bit making the story a bit hard to follow. But I don't care. It's a wonderfully ethereal, beautiful journey that is mystifyingly crazy.
If you liked Primer, it's ideas, direction, unusualness, the abstract nature of things, if you're a fan of Carruth, then by all means, give it a go. If Primer wasn't your thing, don't bother. If you want to be taken on a journey, either good or bad, that you'll never quite forget, give it a go.
It's a very strange beast.
I liked it.
Erm, tricky, but I'll go for... 8 Sporks out of 10.
It's a shame his movie 'A Topiary' never got made, about 'a group of kids who build a giant, animal-like creature', some of which was seen in Upstream Color. It looked amazing, and the sci-epic would've been a great bridge between Primer and Upstream Color. It would've made more sense of it. The two movies he's done are bookends of his craziness. It's a shame because he was really excited about A Topiary, wrote the script, had the cast and crew in place, but, being an independent filmmaker, he couldn't get the funding. He said he's never gonna do it now, that it broke his heart, but he's already moved on and has started work on his next movie, A Modern Ocean.
'Based on international shipping and the lives of those involved'.
Sounds... different.
But what more would one expect of him?
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Post by Sexy Spork #37 on Jun 9, 2014 18:24:40 GMT -5
Dr. Strangelove
Yes, I know, I'm the only person who hasn't seen it. What? It came out 26 years before I was born, it's hardly surprising. But that's now changed.
I don't get what all the fuss is about. It wasn't even that good...
Kidding. It's absolutely brilliant. Great movie.
I would give it a rating, but no rating can do it justice. It's 'unrateable'.
Kubrick is sadly missed.
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Post by ura on Jun 10, 2014 18:08:10 GMT -5
I have to say that Kubrick is one of the most consistently brilliant Directors whose films I ever watched, I watched his more well known films a few years ago like A clockwork Orange, 2001 & Dr. Strangelove, but then I recently saw his lesser known stuff like Paths of Glory, Spartacus and Barry Lyndon, my god he never missed a beat with his films. I didn't enjoy his very early stuff like Killers Kiss but most of his films I love, the tension in all of his films is superbly done, with scenes such as Tom Cruises arrial in the secret ledge occult ceremony was brilliant along with the fantastic soundtrack.
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Post by Sexy Spork #37 on Jul 2, 2014 12:17:38 GMT -5
Grabbers.
Despite mixed reviews from critics, I actually rather enjoyed this movie. It's a sort of light sci-fi, sea monster, comedy drama, slight romance, modern B-movie set on a fictional Irish island. It came out in 2012.
It's really quite good, the comedy isn't consistent, it comes and goes, but when it comes, it is really funny. But equally, the horror is quite startling at some points. It's not a bloody film, but there's quite a bit of implied gore. And calling it a 'B-movie' is a bit unfair because the CGI and model work is brilliant and very realistic in places. And I think it was filmed in Ireland and there's quite a bit of traditional Irish music, which helps set the scene for a movie with a largely Irish cast. Although the movie is British-Irish made.
There is a bit of Irish stereotyping, but it's all in good fun. I mean, booze does play a significant role in the plot, and indeed, becomes integral to it with a pub being the primary location for much of the back end of the film. It does have quite an Irish mentality and attitude, which suits a horror comedy drama B-movie whatever it is, as does the accent, quite fruity in some places. There should definitely be more horror movies set in Ireland. The beautiful isolation of some scenes in Grabbers really added to the character of the film.
It's a story that's been done before. Flash of light in the sky, lands in ocean, kills a boat full of fisherman and them sets its sight on a small island, an isolated community we're introduced to through a new recruit to the police force and an anti-hero if ever I saw one. But it grows into something I rather enjoyed. It's quite a fun romp.
I'd give it a go if it's your sort of thing.
A solid 9 sporks out of 10.
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