Film Thread

[Manc]

I almost watched it at my local theatre. Bullet well and truly dodged.

[Spikey M]

That sounds terrible.

[Baz]

I watched it without knowing anything and feel like my experience benefitted greatly for it.

Recommend us some films @Dark Soldier? From the last ~5 years, either mindfucks or holy shit gore.

[Dark Soldier]

That sounds terrible.

It's really not. Reading a synopsis, like most films, doesn't do it justice. It's a film about belonging in a world, about love and, oddly, compassion. Ducournau has an incredible ability to take the most fucked up premise and switch it into a very human story. See Raw, her previous work.

@Baz - Burning, Bull, The Dark and the Wicked, Possum, Violation, The Beta Test, Spree, Color out of Space, Ultrasound, History of the Occult, High Life, Climax (Noe is God), Border, Burning to name a few.

If you want outright ridiculous levels of gore then The Sadness is king of late. Dinner in America is my favourite film of recent years though.

[Lofty]

Don't forget Bone Tomahawk!

[Ian]

I watched Boss Level on Amazon last night and really enjoyed it. Grillo is a good action lead, Mel Gibson does a good job of being the villainous crank (shocking, etc ) and they have some fun with their time loop concept.

[Baz]

Watched the first two Fantastic Beasts films the past couple of evenings. Really not very good at all but the bakers amusing enough and Zoe Kravitz is fit. The nazi stuff is far too on the nose in the second though.

[phonics]

Operation Mincemeat is a really enjoyable watch. That woman who stars in it is always great inn everything I see.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The Batman is very good. I've heard some say it's better than the Nolan films, it's definitely not as good as The Dark Knight but it's close with the other two.

I was wrong about Pattinson, he was damn good.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Dune is visually stunning but it is so fucking boring. I do not get the hype.

I will watch the sequels but it needs to pick the pacing up.

[Pepe]

Wait, Dune doesn't cover the entire book? Fucking lol.

[Ian]

I think I read it was only when the film came out that that became apparent too. I may have misunderstood or misremembered what I read but I gather until people actually saw it nobody involved had mentioned that they this one wasn't covering the whole thing.

[Giggles]

I always thought it was based on a video game.

[Shindig]

Nah, you're thinking of Doom.

[Kikó]

The Batman is very good. I've heard some say it's better than the Nolan films, it's definitely not as good as The Dark Knight but it's close with the other two.

I was wrong about Pattinson, he was damn good.

I enjoyed it (enjoy is probably the wrong word). It's very dark, it's very gritty and I'm going to rewatch.

[Lofty]

Choose or Die is an interesting concept that fizzles out in 15 minutes.

[Manc]

The Worst Person in the World is infuriating.

[Ian]

I watched Dune last night. Visually striking, well acted but quite often a bit boring and doesn't half feel like a load of set up for part 2.

[randomlegend]

I watched The Batman yesterday and thought it was shit.

[randomlegend]

Just watched Uncut Gems and thought it was really good. Not the most relaxing watch in the world but still.

[Lofty]

I like Uncut Gems, it is so uncomfortable which is why it works.

[Dark Soldier]

Have you seen Good Time @randomlegend ?

[randomlegend]

I have a vague memory of starting it once but getting interrupted. I'll give it anither go.

[Yevrah]

Watched the second Dr Strange film today and it was probably one of Marvel’s best.

[Manc]

Still shit then.

[Yevrah]

Still shit then.

I’d go for ‘just about good’.

[Alex]

I've recently decided (in an admittedly Partridge-esque move) to watch all of the Bond's, after seeing Amazon have stuck them all on there. I would say I've never before seen at least three quarters of them. And Goldeneye is the only one I remember the plot to, and that's purely down to the game. So I'm basically a Bond novice. Incoming spam for the first (I think) ten, which I have now watched.

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Dr. No - I mean it's fine. It's just finding it's feet and that isn't it. Connery looks cool as fuck in it. I could only dream of giving off these kind of Alpha Male vibes. 6/10

From Russia With Love - Better. The close quarters fight with the bloke on the train is probably my favourite action sequence from the series so far and peak Connery as a sort of "bruiser" type Bond. I wish they pursued this version of him more. Which I believe is basically what Daniel Craig has done successfully? I guess I will find out. 7/10

Goldfinger - I mean this is basically the blueprint for a lot of the future ones and all the pop culture parody of the series, I guess? I liked it, but I didn't love it. I know a lot of people consider it the pinnacle. It's just weird when they go to America and then he spends half the film sort of dossing around Goldfinger's house while things just happen and Goldfinger explains the evil plan to everyone and keeps letting him escape and shit. But, still, "No Mr. Bond, I expect you to DIE!". 7/10

Thunderball - I loved this and it's my favourite so far. I liked the setting and the underwater bits. Proper good villain too. 8/10

You Only Live Twice - I had to look up what happened in this and I only watched it a week ago. Make of that what you will. Connery going "undercover" as a Japanese man is one of the most ridiculous things that has happened in the series thus far. Which is saying something. 4/10

On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Interesting. Bit of a mess, but interesting. Lazenby could have been good maybe with more of a chance. The "this never happened to the other guy!" bit at the beginning was cool. Blofeld (who honestly I'm not a huge fan of!) and the mental institute full of attractive international bombshells was daft even by Bond standards though. Obviously a good twist at the end with them killing his missus. Shame Connery comes back and they kind of ignore it afterwards. 5/10

Diamonds Are Forever - An absolute bag of wank. Connery looks terrible in this. He's only about 40 or something too I think. Maybe the best theme song though, but that's all I'll give it. 3/10

Live And Let Die - Blaxploitation bond, I didn't see that coming. Felix Lieter calls in an APB on a "white pimp-mobile" at one point I believe. Fucking weird film. Especially strange one to introduce a new actor in. I like Roger Moores more "cocky, arrogant wanker" take on Bond though. There's a chase down a river in speed boats that goes on far too long. And an inexplicable amount of screen time given to this deep south sheriff caricature who plays like a Dukes of Hazard character. 5/10

The Man With The Golden Gun - Christopher Lee is ace in this. But the film itself is a bit of a fucking mess. I basically wish Scaramanga had won. He's the best character. Bond straps a crazy midget to the mast of a boat at the end to teach him a lesson, which was quite amusing. The deep south American sheriff who inexplicably took up so much time in the previous film is inexplicably brought back and given a shit load more screen time. 5/10

The Spy Who Loved Me - This is probably my second favourite so far, after Thunderball. Moore has proper settled in. He gets a few more good action scenes too. It just strikes a good balance between the action side of Bond and the more ridiculous, gadgety campness of it. The underwater car is a good example. On paper, ridiculous. But I loved it. I like how you get to see Bond in Navy mode too, with everyone saluting him and shit. Was a big fan of the opening twist of his Russian counterpart actually being a girl. Also, Jaws is class. And the end of the opening with the Union Jack parachute when he ski jumps off the cliff is, as I believe the kids would say, "iconic". 8/10

Do I currently have too much spare time on my hands? Possibly, yes.

Am I going to continue? Also yes.

[Ben]

As a bit of a Bond obsessive, I’m subscribing to your reviews. Interesting to read the perspective of a complete casual.

[Shindig]

I think I could excited for a return to daft gadget Bond.

[Dave.]

As a bit of a Bond obsessive, I’m subscribing to your reviews. Interesting to read the perspective of a complete casual.

Another Bond obsessive checking in. What I love about the Bond franchise is the wildly different opinions people have. When it comes to Bond, there is no right or wrong answer, just different opinions.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Wasn't there someone on the old board who was a Bond Obsessive who would watch them all every year or two?

[Dave.]

I think I could excited for a return to daft gadget Bond.

I get excited for Bond full stop. Moonraker and Octopussy are probably my least favourite Bond films but I still really enjoy them, own the DVDs, watch them on TV when they appear if I have time and watch them on Amazon Prime occasionally.

[Dave.]

Wasn't there someone on the old board who was a Bond Obsessive who would watch them all every year or two?

I don't remember ever posting this but it sounds like me.

[Giggles]

I’m all over this too as another massive fan. RTE show one every Sunday evening at the moment so I’ve been watching them all again - View to a Kill was yesterdays. Looking forward to Dalton.

[Dave.]

I’m all over this too as another massive fan. RTE show one every Sunday evening at the moment so I’ve been watching them all again - View to a Kill was yesterdays. Looking forward to Dalton.

Love Dalton's Bond.

[phonics]

Hangman in TopGun is cartoonishly American.

[Alex]

Update on the Big Bond Watch.

Moonraker:

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I thought he would spend a lot more time in space. He's only up there for the last half an hour or so. It's a mess for the first two thirds but when he actually gets up there I really liked it. That went a long way towards salvaging it for me. I like how Bond just goes to space. He's not even remotely phased by it at all. There are moments of this where they're just playing it as a straight up comedy, which is something I think they embrace and do very well in the Moore era. Jaws and his weird love story. Bond driving a gondola through the middle of Venice. "I think he's attempting re-entry, Sir", how can you not love that? 6/10

For Your Eyes Only:

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"Bond Does the Winter Olympics". I liked this one. More serious in tone. The car chase in the little Citroen was cool and might actually be my favourite car sequence in the series so far. I was worried Roger was getting a bit old for it (he starts to look a bit ropey in Moonraker) but they have somehow, I don't know, sort of acknowledged that and he's pulling it off. I can't really explain how. He just sort of dressed a bit more distinguished and acts a little bit different. He just starts to better inhibit the form of an older Bond. He turns down getting his end away with the young figure skater, for example! I really liked that they acknowledge his dead wife from the Lazenby film in this one too, he's visiting her grave at the beginning. Then there's a proper mad sequence with a helicopter and Blofled which has got nothing to do with the rest of the film. The scene with the parrot talking to Margaret Thatcher at the end is fucking batshit crazy but I love it. 7/10

Octopussy:

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I fucking loved this one. I think this might be peak Moore. He just delivers all the typical Bond one-liners really well and hits all his marks. I like it when Bond openly mugs off the bad guys, and he does that really well in this. It's the same as the previous one too in that he's obviously getting on a bit now but they just sort of slow it down a bit to make it work for him. The intro where he's bombing around in the little fighter jet is brilliant. The final act where he's chasing the bomb down, particularly the bit where he's advancing through the train and fighting on the roof, is excellent too. The big Sikh lad a classic "burly Bond henchman" type too. It has some proper daft bits, don't get me wrong. He disarms a nuclear bombs in full clown costume and make-up at the end, for fucks sake. But I don't know, it all just really worked for me. Great film. 8/10

Never Say Never Again:

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I know it's not "official" but what are you going to do, not watch it? Connery returns a decade plus later to kind of re-make Thunderball. Which is still my favourite so far. It's not as good as Thunderball. It's a lot better than his last outing though. It's worthwhile, better than a fair few of the official ones. The version of Largo in this is a lot of fun. He's just this sort of mad-cap European playboy type. I love him. An interesting curiosity, for sure. 6/10

Side note, a real barren patch for Bond themes with this instalment. They're all shit. Some good actual film scores, but in terms of the actual titles tracks I mean.

I think one more with old Roger and then on to Timothy Dalton and I guess the more "modern" era.

[Ben]

Keep them coming. I was going to say it after your first post but it’s obvious now that we prefer different types of Bond but it’ll not stop me being interested in your thoughts.

[Spikey M]

I'm struggling to think of a single good "Bond song". It's always just whatever musician was in fashion at the time churning out some self-indulgent (usually orchestral) wank.

[Shindig]

I really love the one for Casino Royale.

[Alex]

I'm struggling to think of a single good "Bond song". It's always just whatever musician was in fashion at the time churning out some self-indulgent (usually orchestral) wank.

Well, yeah. I know what you mean. Maybe "good" is the wrong word in the grand scheme of music I personally would choose to listen to. They're often very schmaltzy and overdone anyway. I'm not going out and buying the official collection in a rush.

I suppose I more mean good for what they are, "memorable" or whatever. For example Diamonds Are Forever, I didn't like the film, but that is a "good" Bond theme to me.

[Spikey M]

Diamonds are Forever is the one that immediately springs to mind and it is the best one. And to be fair, it was so "good" that every cunt has been trying to mirror it for every Bond film since.

[Lewis]

A View to a Kill is a choon.

[Shindig]

I quite like the two they did for On Her Majesty's Secret Service as well. Post Goldeneye, they've been a bit rough.

[Alex]

Live And Let Die is right up there too, that's a good one.

[Spikey M]

We should just be grateful we haven't had an Ed Sheeran effort I suppose.

[Ian]

I liked You Know My Name but I do love a bit of Cornell.

[Giggles]

I'm struggling to think of a single good "Bond song". It's always just whatever musician was in fashion at the time churning out some self-indulgent (usually orchestral) wank.

Some of them are quality.

[Giggles]

Everything tells me I should hate the Jack White one but I really like it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I quite liked the most recent one by Billy Eilish.

'The World Is Not Enough' by Garbage also a guilty pleasure, shame about the film.