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Films watched in 2020


Raylenth
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RAMBO: LAST BLOOD (2019)

3.5/5 (No Spoilers)

I had high-hopes for this new Rambo film. The previous film, RAMBO (2008), left me disappointed but RAMBO: LAST BLOOD (2019), although not a massive improvement, was at least fun and brought back the one-man-army aspect of the character. However I found this new film, like one before it, to still be lacking in personal ties to the character and added nothing new or interesting about him.

Replace Rambo in this film with any other character and it would just be another generic action-movie which was exactly what I hated about the last sequel. There is nothing here that specifies the plot to Rambo. OK, there's a few nods to his time in 'Nam, he does Green Beret stuff, he uses his signature bow and arrows and he mentions how his new family helped bring him hope but its still basically just another simple, direct rescue film in the style of TAKEN (2008). In the original trilogy Rambo was always portrayed as the conflicted, reluctant warrior trying to find peace but kept getting pushed around but every film after that is just, "the continuing adventures of". 

I just want a RAMBO film that is actually about HIM. He's a really interesting character with so much history behind him to fuel a worthy story but LAST BLOOD offers only a few tiny nods to his days in 'Nam (his love of The Doors, Hendrix, his war memorabilia) and ONE really interesting line about not being able to save his "brothers"; all gone to waste.

The action is good though and its pretty violent. We even see him get really beat-up and vulnerable which we've never seen before. But all this action doesn't make up for the lack of characterization in the plot - yes, he's pissed off about his "niece's" abduction but its still not a story about HIM and his inner conflict. Why did they even write his "niece" in and not just have his dad be the one in trouble? At least that way it would've carried on from the last film's ending and explain what he'd been doing since then. This lack of characterization/conflict really makes the story very simple and dull. There are also missed opportunities here with the nieces's abusive dad and PTSD subplots which could've added so much more depth to such a bland action-vehicle. And that's exactly what this film is; "a vehicle" for the Rambo character to simply ride around in.

I want a RAMBO film where he attends a Veterans' memorial and meets a long-lost war buddy only to find out he's in trouble with organised crime so Rambo wages war on them. Or how about he attends a Veteran's group counselling session and in flashback retells his days in 'Nam. Or what happened to that old idea about Rambo returning to the town in FIRST BLOOD and encountering Sheriff Teasle (Brian Dennehy) again? Whatever, I just hope this isn't his last film.

Edited by nicky
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Pete's Dragon (2016)

:crying::crying::crying::crying:

Very impressively acted by the kid who plays Pete considering he spent a lot of the film acting to a CGI character and he was only 11/12 at the time.

It's a sweet, sad, happy family film that kicks you in the feels.

And Brice Dallas Howard isn't annoying for once.

Edited by Raylenth
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I have just watched the new Guy Ritchie film "The Gentlemen" he's back to what he does best.  In the same vein as Rocknrolla, Snatch and Lock Stock there's lots of strong language. violence and laughs throughout.  Colin Farrell steals the movie as "coach" along with Hugh Grant who is also terrific as a sleazy Journalist.

Really enjoyed the film what with JoJo Rabbit a couple of days ago 2020 is shaping up very nicely to be a vintage film viewing year.

 

Edited by Jabberwocky50
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The Aeronauts - Based on true events. Firstly you need to suspend belief that they go to 36000 feet (same height as a plane) in a hot air balloon and do not freeze to death or die in the rapid descent to earth!

Good performances from the two leads - Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones. They have a good chemistry. The CGI is quality. There is fun, thrills and sadness. But somehow the whole film lacks something. Pleasant enough but not one to watch again. 

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At the cinema:

Little Women 3/5  straightforward version of the classic novel, I was expecting more of a quirky treatment given Greta Gerwig directed, but she obviously has a lot of reverence for the material.  Very likable cast.

JoJo Rabbit 2/5  generally unfunny and one note satirical comedy that simply doesn't hit its targets effectively at all.  A first mis-step from Taika Waititi.

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Finally got round to watching the Irishman and loved it. In a mediocre year for movies, this is one of the better ones. The CG de-aging affects are a bit weird at times but that's a minor quibble. I loved seeing actors I grew up watching, De Niro, Pacino and Pesci get better roles then they have been getting lately

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15 hours ago, charlesberg said:

Finally got round to watching the Irishman and loved it. In a mediocre year for movies, this is one of the better ones. The CG de-aging affects are a bit weird at times but that's a minor quibble. I loved seeing actors I grew up watching, De Niro, Pacino and Pesci get better roles then they have been getting lately

I thought Pesci in particular was great in this; I'm glad he was persuaded back in front of the camera.

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1917- What a way to start my 2020 movie viewings. This thing deserves all of the awards it has earnt and more. This film is incredible. The acting is amazing from the two leads, and the pacing is excellent. The one shot style really adds to the film, as it made me feel like I was there with these men, experiencing it as they did, which made it far more intense to watch. I have no issues with giving this a perfect score, and if you watch it for yourself you'll probably understand why.

10/10.

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1917 - 4/5.  Technically a brilliantly made film, immersive and skilful in a similar fashion to Dunkirk.  But similarly to Dunkirk, for some reason the film did not engage or move me as much as I thought it would, perhaps because the outcome is quite predictable once you get past the halfway point.

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Bombshell 3.5/5 - slick, smartly acted drama about the scandal that engulfed Fox News, and Roger Ailes in particular in 2016.  Charlize Theron dominates the film with her uncanny performance as Megyn Kelly, but John Lithgow is also excellent as Ailes - I'm surprised he hasn't been talked about more as an awards contender this season.

Special mention to Nicole Kidman, who according to the end credits required no fewer than 4 assistants during the making of the film - impressive divaness by anyone's standards.

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Martha Marcy May Marlene.  Another film I watched for reasons*  It's an interesting story that's basically a film about the Manson family in another suit.  It stars Elizabeth Olsen in her first film, about a young woman who flees from a cult she's been in for 2 years.  The film looks at her trying to reconnect with her family whilst struggling with paranoia (or not) and looking back on her time with the cult.  The film and it's ending is left deliberately vague so it's up to the viewer to decide what was going on in the aftermath.

It was OK, I'd not say not to watch it.  The acting by all the cast was fine, fitting in well with what was going on, though I found it slightly frustrating that her family didn't push more to look into what was going on with her in light of her bizarre behaviour, but from the films perspective they didn't want them to know so, hey ho.

 

* Reasons

Image result for hugh dancy martha marcy may marlene stills

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1 hour ago, Raylenth said:

Martha Marcy May Marlene.  Another film I watched for reasons*  It's an interesting story that's basically a film about the Manson family in another suit.  It stars Elizabeth Olsen in her first film, about a young woman who flees from a cult she's been in for 2 years.  The film looks at her trying to reconnect with her family whilst struggling with paranoia (or not) and looking back on her time with the cult.  The film and it's ending is left deliberately vague so it's up to the viewer to decide what was going on in the aftermath.

It was OK, I'd not say not to watch it.  The acting by all the cast was fine, fitting in well with what was going on, though I found it slightly frustrating that her family didn't push more to look into what was going on with her in light of her bizarre behaviour, but from the films perspective they didn't want them to know so, hey ho.

 

* Reasons

Image result for hugh dancy martha marcy may marlene stills

I watched that years ago, for reasons*. I remember really liking it, except for the annoying ending.

 

 

* Reasons

tumblr_na2cwk2A1U1r4gya9o2_500.gifv

 

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