The Recommended Movies Thread

[sandman67]

THE WOMAN IN BLACK

The famous 80s "Victorian Gothic Chiller" novel and excellent long runner West End play comes to the big screen starring Daniel Radcliffe post his Harry Potter typecasting, and y know what....its a corker! Wow...they managed to not bugger it up - even after changing the end around a bit and some of the content of the play/book. Still, its the classic horror chiller makers Hammer Films at the helm, and it looks like they have managed to hit on a winning combination of classic Hammer feel with modern influences and effects.

The thing is the effects are minimal, and the sense of a buildup of chills and creeping dread is mazximised through the creepy sets and props, and an amazing soundtrack....oh and like the play its laced with the odd "BOO!" jump out of your seats shocks. Its a delight to watch, lush and detailed like the old classic Hammer horror flicks, and keeps your attention locked spotting the reflections of the Woman in mirrors and windows. Danny does a good job of it given its mostly a one man show, he's still learning but hes doing well, and the support cast is excellent....even the mad eyed glaring emaciated Woman, whose harpy screech is like nails on a blackboard that sent my cat scurrying under the couch. Watch with the lights off and the 5.1 sound on....its a treat. And put your drink down between sips or wear a bib

Out and about all over the place in very watchable DVDSCR formats - look for a cropped version as the colour has been enhanced. Highly recommended if you like your chiller horrors like "Psycho" rather than splatter teen slashers lke "Texas Chainsaw". So good I watched it from start again after being interrupted half way through for a few hours....watch in one go and the chills build slowly as they should. Will defnitely be keepng the DVDRIP version.

Three very solid cat clawing my legs in shock cheers.

[sandman67]

UNDERTAKING BETTY (aka PLOTS WITH A VIEW)

dark comedy rom com set in a small town in Wales where competition between Boris and Frank for the local funeral trade is hottng up. Boris runs a tradtional shop, whereas Frank is a newcomer American who puts on off the wall "themed" funerals. Boris also has an unrequited love - the local mayors long sufferng wife Betty. Betty decides to run away with Boris, and the two hatch a plot to fake her death. At the same time Frank's drive for business sees him settng up ever more bizarre funerals, Bettys husband is podging his secretray on the sly, and shes dead set on poinsoning Betty so she can have the mayor all to herself.

On a rom com sweet scale this is plain chocolate....dark and a bit sweet, but with a bit of bite as well. Its also gentle feel good fun, and there are some hilarious scenes thanks to Christopher Walken's mad as a hatter Frank and his ideas for funerals. The Star Trek funeral had me in stitches. Its just full of funny characters and one liners. Great fun.

Came out in 2002 so there are excellent quality DVDRIPS about at the usual places. Well worth a watch and a solid three cheers feelgood keeper.

[richard]

Watched Transporter

I like the cast but the plot and movie generally were crap

Whats 2 and 3 like anybody?

[migrant]

Watched Transporter

I like the cast but the plot and movie generally were crap

Whats 2 and 3 like anybody?

IMHO worse

[pharvey]

^^ If you didn't enjoy the 1st, you'll certainly not enjoy the next 2..........

They're just fun and a spot of relaxation Richard, no deep thinking about the plot or sub-plots.... good way of chilling with a beer in front the telly. No more than that and something I love after a day at work.

[sandman67]

THE LAST RONIN

One of the reasons I like veeHD is that its a great source of samurai cinema in pre-subtitled formats. This epic modern samurai drama is a top marks example of that, and uses as a plot springboard the famous tale of the 47 Loyal Ronin.

In the aftermath of the attack Lord Oishi gives a trusted retainer the misson of reporting their deeds to the Lords family, and all the families of the 47. 16 years later the retainer completes his mission, and returns to Kyoto for the 17th memorial services. Whlst there he spots hs friend Mazogo who was supposed to have run away in fear the night before the attack. Mazogo has in fact been on a mission for Lord Oishi too, except his was more sensitive - he was protecting the Lords only child, and for 16 years has borne the shame of being branded a coward. Now she has come of age he needs to find a good husband and so complete his mission.

Its very long and pretty plot dense as the drama swirls between three plot threads, and as each get more entangled the whole story comes out. Theres not a lot of action n terms of swordplay, but its a delight to watch all the same, and reminds me of AME ARAGU (AFTER THE RAINS) or THE HIDDEN BLADE.

Anway, if you are a fan of samura drama theres an excellent copy at veehd and its well worth a watch.

[richard]

Slightly off topic but here we go

Any hints on how to index and cross reference movies and music?

I've now got so much stuff now and it would be nice to be able to retrieve using star name or genre or title

[sandman67]

Richard

I took a look around for you mate but no joy.... "indexing" means something totally different in geek speak. You need to find some form of simple file topic related database software.

One simple but laborious solution would be to set up a folder called Master Index, then in there separate folders marked War, Adventure, Fantasy, etc.

Then for each flm or book file you create shortcuts (Rght click on the file and "create shortcut") - as many as neccessary - so Sucker Punch could have War, Action, Fantasy shortcuts - and then you put each of the shortcuts into the relevant Master Index topic folders.

NB:- If you move the files around on your system you will then also need to update the shortcuts.

Thats basically how the index system works on my Sony PR600 ebook. Its how I manage my own film collection....it works but you have to keep up with it as you add more files.

[richard]

man Hope to see you Friday

[sandman67]

Had another look round via a mate who is more savvy with the geek speak than I am mate and its not good - the stuff he found is pay ware software and isnt exactly easy to use...and you would still need to manually fill in tags for each file anyway.

He suggested a trick with Excel, but I couldnt get what he meant and I guess you are about the same tech savvy level as me. Excel s great if you know what you are doing.....an arse if you dont.

Seems the folders and shortcuts system is the best solution..... keep it simple seems to be true yet again.

Like I said tho mate, set up a folder with all your files in it and once in there dont move the fles about or you wll need to redo all the shortcuts (as I found out).

[sandman67]

THE GREY

Liam Neeson plays a sort of Arctic Circle version of the warehouse bloke who shoots/hawks the pidgeons....except the things Liam shoots are wolves and bears, and its an oil platform hes protecting. On the way home from a "shift" he and a bunch of the other workers are in a plane crash, and have to trek their way back across the wilderness to safety. One problem....theres a pack of hungry wolves on their trail and its an all you can eat oil rigger buffet.

Ok....lets set aside the fact that the film is ridiculous in its basic premise - Wolves hardly ever attack humans when they are alone, let alone in a group. Wolves are intellgent animals and are scared of humans, especially when theres more than one human....even hungry wolves in the middle of winter.

And making the CGI wolves one third bigger (or so) than they are in real life is also dumb. I guess that cinema goers all think that they are the size of dire wolves rather than the small alsatian on a diet sized beasties they really are.

Leave that aside, as it is after all just a film.

Despite those gripes its a good watch....has that Zhivago effect in that it wll have you shivering. The acting is good...especially Liam Neesons gruff voiced woodsman...and the scenery is breathtaking. There are thrills and spills, and even some jump out of your seat shocker moments. So, all in all well worth a watch. Up to you whether you keep it tho....I like wolves and so it went in the bin. Ive already got a man against the wild film anyways = the excellent Anthony Hopkns thrller THE EDGE.

Out and about in DVDRP formats all over the place.

[richard]

SM

I enjoyed it but only because I'm a LN fan and the scenery is fantastic. Loved the end too. Reminds me of my days trekking on foot and canoe down the Zambezi valley floor. It's the wildlife's territory not yours.

On the file organisation issue I'm going to brush the cobwebs off EXCEL and give it a go. Who knows, this old IT retiree may produce something you film/music collectors may want for the price of a beer and a plate of JW English chips

[sandman67]

GAME CHANGE

For political junkies (like me), and despisers of the plague that is Sarah Palin (ditto) this HBO dramatisation of the politcal commentary on the 2008 US election is pure mothers milk, delivered in a silver top HBO top quality bottle and a compulsive viewing of 2hrs.

Focussing on the McCain/Palin ticket process from the perspective of McCain aid Steve Schmidt it exposes the 16 car train wreck that was the McCain run at the presidency, critically crippled from the minute a snap decision was made to run with the loose cannon that is Palin. If it is accurate, and commentary from ex-campagn staffers supports that position, then it stands as a damning inditement of personality politics and populist campaign chicanery, as well as the dirty tricks smear machines that seem to pollute US election processes. It serves to show how a formerly well respected politician like McCain's reputation for honesty and integrity was burned to the ground by his association with the Quitter from Wasilla, and lumps the blame for the campaign derailment and swerve into Swiftboat smear land squarely on her shoulders. And I loved every bloody second of it.

Julianne Moore is in full flight here, and captures Palin so well its scary sometimes just how close the role is to real life, and the film is packed with howlngly funny Stoopid Sarah moments as she flounders around like a fish out of water. She is ably supported by an excellent Woody Harrelson as Schmidt whose pain and frustration is palpable throughout. Ed Harris is less well deployed as McCain, who Im damn sure doesnt swear like a trooper despite having been one, although the famous scene where McCain took the microphone off an octogenarian racist old bag at a rally and corrected her bigotry is so true to lfe you could be watching newsreel.

Excellent, compulsive political drama and highly recommended. Out and about in HDTVRIP formats....do a google search on "Game Change"+watch online to find copies.

[richard]

SEX DRUGS and ROCK and ROLL

A must for Ian Dury fans

[migrant]

Prometheus Looks good!!