Movies 2: Electric Boogaloo

I just watched the film "Tickled", a documentary by a reporter from New Zealand. I remember thinking it sounded fascinating when Alice Bell, editor at videogamer, mentioned it last year. It is quite funny and weird, but it goes to some dark, unpleasant and ultimately rather sad places as it investigates a weird little operation to get fit young men to tie up and tickle one another. Well worth a watch if you've got Amazon Prime.

Double post: just watched Troy (2004), I think for the first time since seeing in the cinema. It's the only film I ever watched at the pictures while underage!

It holds up really well. It does as well as any film could with such an unenviable task: all the key moments of the war of Troy play out and it handles events smartly to avoid the constant involvement and reference to specific gods in the Iliad. The wider picture of the war makes more sense with this portrayal of Agamemnon and Menelaos, the former here merely using the latter's wife as an excuse for his war.

The visuals and music and everything are sumptuous. This is probably the last truly great film of its kind we'll ever see. This is a properly grand historical epic with big sets and practical effects all on show for the eye to see. CGI is presumably used to paper the cracks and for long shots that couldn't realistically be achieved in real life, and maybe they're more obvious if you're not watching a DVD of dubious origin your uncle gave you, but for the most part what you're seeing was really in front of a camera. Troy's walls, the horse, the ships, thousands of extras and a cast of great actors in unbelievably buff shape.

The casting here is absolutely on point. Obvious stand-outs include Orlando Bloom and Eric Bana, capturing Paris and Hector absolutely perfectly and Sean Bean as Odysseus. He was so perfect he made me long to see him in a film version of the Odyssey, though of course that wouldn't make sense with the more grounded approach Troy took. The big one, of course, was Brad Pitt as Achilles. Sure, his British accent slips every time he shouts, but I genuinely don't think anyone else could play the role. Pitt's a good actor, with all the world-changing emotions of Achilles playing out on his face, but most importantly he's got the look. The jawline, the hair, the physique: Pitt looks godlike here, like the hero of the age he's meant to represent. He looks like Achilles and he moves like Achilles: I really think this film captures his fight with Hector perfectly.

Honestly, 10/10, 5 ,

Massively underrated film.

I saw both The Wolf of Wall Street and The Departed over the weekend. They're both bloody excellent, but if you're not a fan of Martin Scorsese directing Leo di Caprio to do horrible things on film, then neither of them will be for you.

I haven't been watching many films recently. Sorry 'bout that. However, during a small TV Tropes ramble today, I ended up on the page for my favourite film, Amélie. I clicked on the 'Headscratchers' link - a thing I've never done before - and came across this exchange:

Spoiler:

I never realised that last bit! Have you ever had any realisations/learned something amazing about any of your favourite films, fellow forumites?

I did write about Terminator 2: Judgement Day in a philosophy and ethics A-Level exam. Got an A, as well.

Drunka's watch of troy spurred me after a month of interest to rewatch Troy on netflix not an hour ago, haven't seen it since I was 13 or 14. Good movie that one, don't really have much to say that Drunka hasn't already said although I will say Pitt's an underrated actor imo, while I haven't seen many of his drama roles since I tend to stay away from drama's in general, every time I see him in a dramatic role he absolutely belts it out of the park. Plus the casting of him as Achilles, as Drunka said, was perfection.

That Hector v Achilles fight was brilliant too, just two men in a brutal fight to the death. Loved the choreography of it, especially the spear part of it, always great when that weapon gets showcased on film.

I think because he's a good-looking guy who does lots of big-budget stuff, people think of him as very "Hollywood" and less of a proper actor, but he definitely has chops. He's also funny in all the comedy roles I've seen him in.

Athrun888 wrote:

That Hector v Achilles fight was brilliant too, just two men in a brutal fight to the death.  Loved the choreography of it, especially the spear part of it, always great when that weapon gets showcased on film.  

Hells yeah, loved Achilles moving the spear in front and behind of himself, balancing it on his shield, all of that. Such a versatile weapon that, like you say, you don't see enough of for all the times swords are on our screens.
Other good examples of fights with spears: Jet Li in Hero, Oberyn Martell when he fights the Mountain in Game of Thrones.

I saw Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 yesterday evening. In short - good film! I'd rate it better than its predecessor, but not up there with the heady heights of Civil War or the first Avengers movie. Some of the jokes fall a bit flat - one specific sequence with Big Dave Drax and Kurt Russell ran a bit long - but emotionally it's up there with some of the best moments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date. Worth a look, for sure.

I watched all 8 Fast and Furious films last week. For my thoughts, go here.

I have also seen Guardians Vol 2, first off I have to mention that I really enjoyed it a lot but it hasn't topped the first for me as some sections felt a wee bit rushed. That soundtrack though was absolute quality once again.

I bought Guardians 1 today, with the aim of watching it tout suite and going to see the sequel.

In the meantime I caught Get Out, something I never thought I'd see, so already knew the whole plot and all of the twists. It's still good, but I wish I'd gone into it unspoiled.  Although I would have been massively on edge the entire time, so...

Drunkalilly wrote:

I did mention my other piece in the movie thread. It is exceptionally dumb, but I needed to do something with my 40 hours on Mario Kart and my experience of watching all the F&F films and, well, I couldn't sleep.

You're not wrong, it is good fun though. (I will most likely never watch a F&F film.)

Watched Alien: Covenant last night, if you're a fan of Alien then you will like it as it does feel like Ridley has gone this worked and this didn't, then you end up with sort of a best of Alien.

That doesn't mean it's a great film though.

I would say the series goes:
Aliens
Alien
Alien 3
Alien: Covenant
Prometheus
Alien: Resurrection

My brother and I have been rattling through the Alien franchise over the past couple of weekends. We've got Resurrection and Prometheus to go before we cap it all off with a cinema trip to see Covenant.

I'll be off to see Covenant tomorrow, sorry mas but I've been hearing good things from folk I trust way more when it comes to that franchise. I think I'll give Prometheus a watch tonight as well just for a little refresher.

What they saying? As can't see it being better then Alien or Aliens, maybe Alien 3 at a push.

Have seen on twitter today someone compare Scott to Lucas and he shouldn't be allowed near things any more, the film is nowhere near that bad and was a fun entertaining watch, just that they're in my opinion 3 better Alien films.

Also watch the 5 odd minute video set between Prometheus and Covenant, if you can Jas.

mas wrote:

What they saying? As can't see it being better then Alien or Aliens, maybe Alien 3 at a push.

I'd rather not get into all that now since I haven't seen the film yet & yeah I heard about the little bridge piece that was done so I'll try to give that a watch too.

Be sure to let us know what you think off it.

Just back from seeing Baywatch. It's a big dumb summer comedy - well, actually, about the only genres it doesn't try and throw at the screen are horror and sci-fi, so confused is it. The price one pays for being a fan of The Rock.

The action was only enhanced by the fact that two girls were sat at the back of the theatre, wanging what later turned out to be mini Terry's Chocolate Orange pieces around the place. I got hit on the head - twice! - and had just the best time. The best.

Yeah, really not sure if I can be bothered to go for that one. Will probably just try to catch it on Netflix.

ZeroJones wrote:

The action was only enhanced by the fact that two girls were sat at the back of the theatre, wanging what later turned out to be mini Terry's Chocolate Orange pieces around the place. I got hit on the head - twice! - and had just the best time. The best.

I hope you picked up the chocolate orange piece, strolled up to the back of the cinema, ate it in front of their faces and screamed "DON'T WASTE CHOCOLATE YOU ABHORRENT REPROBATES".

JayMoyles wrote:

ZeroJones wrote:

The action was only enhanced by the fact that two girls were sat at the back of the theatre, wanging what later turned out to be mini Terry's Chocolate Orange pieces around the place. I got hit on the head - twice! - and had just the best time. The best.

I hope you picked up the chocolate orange piece, strolled up to the back of the cinema, ate it in front of their faces and screamed "DON'T WASTE CHOCOLATE YOU ABHORRENT REPROBATES".

They left quite quickly, oddly enough. The chocolate had also broken the two-second rule by some margin.

"Two second rule" is cowardice.

Drunkalilly wrote:

"Two second rule" is cowardice.

I thought it was a five second rule, or am I showing my filthy approach to hunger?

I go by the "no green, still clean" rule personally.

So the car went in for a service today. Once I realised I'd handed the team my house keys along with the car keys ( ) (and Jo was sleeping off her fourth consecutive night shift (fourth and final)), I went to the cinema and saw The LEGO Batman Movie again. It was as pretty-good-but-not-quite-as-good-as-The-LEGO-Movie as it was the last time I saw it, but the point of the anecdote is this: it cost £2. I'm not sure I've ever spent so little to see a film at the old cinema.