[systemsdead]

Originally Posted by Mark_a

The Orphanage - atmospheric, stylish Spanish ghost film set in an old house that used to be an orphanage. Very well done and with an unexpected emotional punch.

MR 73 - fans of Spiral (Engrenages) will feel right at home with this bleak, nihilistic French cop drama, purportedly based on true events. If so, it paints the Marseille police in a very dark, negative light - all the more surprising when you know the director/writer is an ex-policeman himself, so he ought to know. Compelling but grim viewing as two storylines of brutal, sadistic serial killers centre on one near broken cop, brilliantly played by Daniel Auteuil. The title refers to a type of revolver, by the way.

Mark

Both great films you should also check out 36 if you not seen it already another great film starring the always watchable Auteuil, I believe it's currently being remade with talks of DeNiro in starring role.

[Leumas_10]

I liked both 36 and MR73...but more so 36. As you mention MR73 is very bleak. I think I unintentionally put Brian S off viewing it with my not so glowing review of it a few months ago . It's a good film, but I think I said at the time, for me I would've liked a twist here and there and maybe a glimmer of light/hope, it just kind of got to where it was going and finished very flat. But if it is based on real events I guess to an extent, it had to.

[Mark_a]

A Hole In My Heart - utterly abysmal Swedish effort about some losers attempting to film an amateur porn film in their flat while one of them's moribund son sits and mopes in the room next door listening to random noises on his headphones. I'm sure some muppet somewhere will tell you deep and meaningful significance of it all, but they'd be wrong, it's meaningless tripe.

Regards

Mark

[lucacoleman]

I really liked the movie. I was lucky that I just bought my new bluray player so I got to watch it in hi def.

[Mark_a]

Bedeviled - slightly disappointing Korean story of abuse and revenge in the boondocks of Korea. For eighty slow-burning minutes we're treated to a study of bullying and abuse, followed by the last half hour exploding into Grand Guignol blood-letting that occasionally borders on the comic. Perhaps I was just expecting more from the Koreans these days?

Regards

Mark

[Mark_a]

The Horseman - intense, grim Australian rape/revenge saga as a father goes in search of the low-lifes who drugged and gang-raped his daughter to make a porn movie. Still suffering the effects of the drugs she's left to die in a back alley where she drowns in her own vomit. Not surprisingly her father takes it badly and sets out to exact revenge on all those responsible. Uncomfortable viewing for much of the time and as gritty and raw as you could ask for; there's no Hollywood polish here.

Regards

Mark

[Laubi02]

Originally Posted by Mark_a

The Horseman - intense, grim Australian rape/revenge saga as a father goes in search of the low-lifes who drugged and gang-raped his daughter to make a porn movie. Still suffering the effects of the drugs she's left to die in a back alley where she drowns in her own vomit. Not surprisingly her father takes it badly and sets out to exact revenge on all those responsible. Uncomfortable viewing for much of the time and as gritty and raw as you could ask for; there's no Hollywood polish here.

Regards

Mark

controversy aside, is it a decent movie?! heard mixed reviews on this

[KiLLiNG-TiME]

Finally got around to watching A Town Called Panic, Hilarious, totally surreal,

“I’m a bit scared, Horse.” “Don’t worry, Indian.”

[Mark_a]

Originally Posted by Laubi02

controversy aside, is it a decent movie?! heard mixed reviews on this

It's certainly watchable. It's pretty much like a lot of Australian TV drama but with the violence wound up several notches. One or two of the torture scenes are unpleasant but they didn't seem unnecessarily protracted or wantonly gratuitous. It isn't carefully choreographed balletic violence, but grim, messy, very painful violence, meant to make you wince, not grin and cheer in excitement. There's also an interesting moral ambiguity in all of it that's up to the viewer to decide the rights and wrongs, and who is or isn't justified in doing what they're doing. I'd say it's well worth a watch.

Regards

Mark

[systemsdead]

Originally Posted by Laubi02

controversy aside, is it a decent movie?! heard mixed reviews on this

I thought it was pretty crap but most Aussie movies have the same effect on me.

[Laubi02]

Originally Posted by Laubi02

controversy aside, is it a decent movie?! heard mixed reviews on this

exactly what i was on about

[Mark_a]

Three films where the majority of the budget seems to have been spent on bullet squibs.

Rampage - 5/10 Uwe Boll making a film that whilst not particularly good, at least is within telephoning distance of a reasonable stab at film-making. All shaky cam and painfully obvious improv dialogue (which seems to be his latest wheeze), it tells the story of an alienated chap who builds himself a bullet-proof suit of armour, equips himself with a pair of machine guns and, well, goes on a rampage. Even has an unexpected ending. Keep going, Uwe, you'll get there yet.

The Butcher - 6/10 odd mix of retro wannabe 70/80s muscular action but heavily influenced by Hong Kong heroic bloodshed films. Eric Roberts smirks his way through the role as a has-been mob enforcer who was never quite mean enough, but now gets caught up in a bit of mobster double cross and retribution. Too slow for its own good and not really exciting enough when the gun play finally kicks off in earnest.

Vengeance - 7/10 fairly run of the mill Hong Kong actioner but with the added weirdness of aging French pop singer Johnny Hallyday who appears to have wandered in from a horror movie and forgot to take his make-up off. He plays a chef who wants revenge for the murder of his daughter and grand kids. He engages the services of three hit men, all of whom are unaware that the original hit was ordered by their boss. Much highly choreographed gun play ensues to no great effect or achievement.

Regards

Mark

[systemsdead]

Children: Pretty good Korean drama based on a true story of the disappearance of 5 young children who went missing in the woods never to be seen again,worth a watch but not a patch on Memories of Murder/Mother which a lot of viewers are comparing it to.6/10

The Kid With A Bike: Excellent really liked this about a young boy brilliantly played by Thomas Doret searching for his father,this is the first brothers Dardenne movie I've seen but will definitely be checking out there previous movies.8/10

[indy1975]

Jean Di Florette is an amazing French movie... Worth checking out.

But my fav foreign movie that I watched this year is 'Life is beautiful'.
Loved it

[Mark_a]

Daisy Diamond - 9/10 a Swedish actress tries to make a living in Denmark but is endlessly rejected for parts, eventually slipping down the rungs to pornography and eventually prostitution. Noomi Rapace gives an astonishing performance in a film that is as emotionally raw as you're likely to see - stomach knottingly so. Not a film to watch if you're in need of a lift, but probably one of the best performances of an actress ever committed to film.

Regards

Mark

[systemsdead]

The Cat: Started off pretty good with some very creepy moments,then it quickly became just another very average Korean horror 5/10

[Schreck]

Originally Posted by systemsdead

Children: Pretty good Korean drama based on a true story of the disappearance of 5 young children who went missing in the woods never to be seen again,worth a watch but not a patch on Memories of Murder/Mother which a lot of viewers are comparing it to.6/10

Where did you watch that mate?

[Moldiver]

Just finished Shinkuku Incident on Blu Ray, really enjoyed it and nice to see Jackie Chan in a serious role for a change.

Shinjuku Incident - Trailer HD International - YouTube

[jalaldevil]

Shinkuku Incident was really great, never expected it to be that good.

[Mark_a]

Musashi: The Dream of the Last Samurai - 7/10 curious hybrid affair that's a documentary anime attempting to sort fact from fiction of the life and times of 16th century swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi, but in a jocular manner with a super-deformed CGI prof and his lovely assistant. Mixing live action, anime, CGI, western orchestral music and Kodan singing it's something of a hotchpotch, but entertaining enough.

Regards

Mark

[Mark_a]

The Illusionist - 7/10 melancholic meditation on aging and the passing of the music hall in the late fifties. Beautiful, traditionally animated tale of a French illusionist unable to stay employed in Paris pulling a rabbit out of a hat sets out to find work in London then onto the Scottish islands and finally Edinburgh, picking up a young woman on the way. Based on an old Jacques Tati script it gently meanders about with a wistful charm but no real substance, ultimately leaving you wondering where the story went and to what purpose. Perhaps it simply reflects that there really is no magic in this world.

Regards

Mark

[systemsdead]

The Werckmeister Harmonies - Another good film from Bela Tarr full of great atmosphere and shot beautifully in black and white 7/10,looking forward to The Turin Horse sadly he as said this will be his final film.

Cave Of Forgotten Dreams-Really like Herzog and again he as made yet another well made documentary 7/10

Moby Dick - Well made Korean espionage movie that soon becomes to hard to follow and is especially confusing towards the end 5/10

[CrazyindianZA]

Gantz (2010)

Gantz (2010) - IMDb

"After trying to rescue a man on the subway tracks, two teens wake up in a room dominated by a mysterious black sphere that sends them to hunt down and kill aliens hiding on Earth"

This is a Japanese film, apparently based on some well known Manga that I never heard of. I thought it was pretty decent but not brilliant. The characters were quite likeable and the special effects on par with some reasonable big budget Hollywood movies. 7/10

[jalaldevil]

Watching Julia's Eyes in a bit.

[Laubi02]

Originally Posted by CrazyindianZA

Gantz (2010)

Gantz (2010) - IMDb

"After trying to rescue a man on the subway tracks, two teens wake up in a room dominated by a mysterious black sphere that sends them to hunt down and kill aliens hiding on Earth"

This is a Japanese film, apparently based on some well known Manga that I never heard of. I thought it was pretty decent but not brilliant. The characters were quite likeable and the special effects on par with some reasonable big budget Hollywood movies. 7/10

Never knew they made a live action of the series. same happened with detroit metal city - totally under the radar.

if its nything like the series, im worried about the amount of CG required as jap CG has always been a bit of a put off for me. shouldnt really be snobby but i cant help but be put off by it!

[systemsdead]

Originally Posted by Laubi02

Never knew they made a live action of the series. same happened with detroit metal city - totally under the radar.

I've heard that somewhere before

[Laubi02]

Originally Posted by systemsdead

I've heard that somewhere before

the film or anime? its actually quite a funny slice of life anime

[CrazyindianZA]

@Laubi02, the CGI was actually decent and wouldn't look out of place on a Hollywood set.

[systemsdead]

Watched two old classics last night
Eyes without a face and my favourite Bergman film Wild Strawberries

[systemsdead]

Sector 7 - Oil rig/monster on board/ sounded good fun and I was looking forward to it,but turned out to be a massive fail 4/10