Last film watched

[Puja]

As someone who hadn't read the books the first film was truly one of the most bland, boring things I've ever seen. Seems like it served the true fans well though.

That's what I thought might be the impression for a fresh viewer. I don't know if it even did do a good job for me as a fan - it was a loving homage to the book and showcased some absolutely stunning visuals, but if I want to revisit the story again in the future, there's absolutely no question in the slightest of whether I'll be heading to the bookshelf or the television, which suggests it's an abject failure as an adaptation.

Compare that to Nimona from earlier this year, which changed quite a lot from the source material in terms of looks, setting, and plot, but still kept the same feel and important character beats as the original, becoming a different way of telling the story that I like just as much as the book, possibly more. Mind, there's too big and old and entitled a fanbase to endure anything other than a loyal retelling of the book of Dune, but it feels like they could've taken some more chances than trying to do a page-by-page recreation that missed out a lot of the emotion that's told through internal monologue in the book.

Puja

[switchskier]

As someone who hadn't read the books the first film was truly one of the most bland, boring things I've ever seen. Seems like it served the true fans well though.

That's what I thought might be the impression for a fresh viewer. I don't know if it even did do a good job for me as a fan - it was a loving homage to the book and showcased some absolutely stunning visuals, but if I want to revisit the story again in the future, there's absolutely no question in the slightest of whether I'll be heading to the bookshelf or the television, which suggests it's an abject failure as an adaptation.

Compare that to Nimona from earlier this year, which changed quite a lot from the source material in terms of looks, setting, and plot, but still kept the same feel and important character beats as the original, becoming a different way of telling the story that I like just as much as the book, possibly more. Mind, there's too big and old and entitled a fanbase to endure anything other than a loyal retelling of the book of Dune, but it feels like they could've taken some more chances than trying to do a page-by-page recreation that missed out a lot of the emotion that's told through internal monologue in the book.

Puja

Interesting. I really liked the books but I loved the film. It looked stunning but was really faithful, not just in story but in feel and look. Can't wait for the next one.

[cashead]

As someone who hadn't read the books the first film was truly one of the most bland, boring things I've ever seen. Seems like it served the true fans well though.

I thought Anatomy of a fall was fantastic. It's kind of amazing to me that you can still make a murder mystery/court room drama format interesting and original.

"Vicious in its self awareness" is certainly one way to describe the new Matrix film. There were some good moments, but most of the entertainment came from "see - I told you this film would be absolutely awful if you made us make another sequel" style jokes. I don't know that I'd say that's a good thing. I'd say good on them for the middle finger, but it still turned out being the paint-by-numbers movie the studios were pushing for, for the most part.

Where did you watch that Mikey? I can't seem to find it.

If it's on near where you live, your localised Google will usually show which cinema and the showtimes.

Oh, and go watch Godzilla Minus One when it opens up in the UK in a day or two. It's the platonic ideal of a giant monster movie that is about stuff and things, much like the 1954 original, which is a stone cold classic. It's legitimately one of the best films of the year.

[cashead]

Barring Raising Ariizona I don't think I'd bother with any Cage films, he is a wooden as they come, perfecting the look of gormlessness. I haven't seen Leaving Las Vegas as thet just looks depressing, is ther any substance to this effort or is it more straight to VHS standard stuff?

Now wait just a goddamned minute, what is with this Nicolas Cage slander.

[Son of Mathonwy]

I finally got around to watching the fourth Matrix film and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was solidly okay. Everything I'd heard had led me to believe that it was appalling, but it was a solidly fun movie - not as good as the first one, but probably better than the other two and vicious in its self-awareness. It did suffer a bit from not being able to get Hugo Weaving back though - would've been a lot stronger with the original Smith rather than a recast.

Puja

No, no, no, no, no, no! This is what you get when your expectations are lowered too far.

Having said that I love the first two Matrix films but not the third, so perhaps I have strange tastes.

For me, Matrix 4 would have been fine if there had been no previous films. As it was it was a cash-in which had nothing new to add to the series, so just dragged all of them down. This is a lesson - don't resurrect a franchise if there is nothing new to say (just like the latest Star Wars trilogy).

[Son of Mathonwy]

As someone who hadn't read the books the first film was truly one of the most bland, boring things I've ever seen. Seems like it served the true fans well though.

That's what I thought might be the impression for a fresh viewer. I don't know if it even did do a good job for me as a fan - it was a loving homage to the book and showcased some absolutely stunning visuals, but if I want to revisit the story again in the future, there's absolutely no question in the slightest of whether I'll be heading to the bookshelf or the television, which suggests it's an abject failure as an adaptation.

Compare that to Nimona from earlier this year, which changed quite a lot from the source material in terms of looks, setting, and plot, but still kept the same feel and important character beats as the original, becoming a different way of telling the story that I like just as much as the book, possibly more. Mind, there's too big and old and entitled a fanbase to endure anything other than a loyal retelling of the book of Dune, but it feels like they could've taken some more chances than trying to do a page-by-page recreation that missed out a lot of the emotion that's told through internal monologue in the book.

Puja

I had no idea Nimona was an adaptation. The story seemed way too lightweight to suggest that. Nice enough film but nothing special.

[Son of Mathonwy]

To me, the first film just felt like part 1
A load of set-up and no pay-off.
A lot like the book at that point.

I suspect it'll look a lot better when the 2 are watched in conjunction.

For me, the best part of the book is the beginning, the downfall of Leto etc. Once Paul is in the desert it's all a bit boring watching him

► Show Spoiler

slowly rise to predestined victory over the sneering villains. (Not the biggest spoiler, to be honest )

So it's difficult to make the second film better than the first.

[cashead]

What was everyone's film of the year, and why?

Also, try to do this without using it as an opportunity to shit all over other, usually more popular movies. It's not big, it's not clever, but it is obnoxious.

Anyway, for mine, it's

Godzilla Minus One
Set in Tokyo during the aftermath of World War II, as the nation is rebuilding itself, the film focuses on Shikishima, a disgraced kamikaze pilot who survived the war due to his cowardice and fear of "doing his duty." In the final days of the war, he encounters a creature - a juvenile form of Godzilla - on Odo Island (a shout-out to the 1954 original) where, according to the engineering corps stationed there, the locals speak of a giant creature that occasionally swims up from the depths to wreak havoc. During the attack, he also has a chance to gun down the juvenile Godzilla, only to once again freeze up out of fear. On his return to Tokyo, he discovers his family has been wiped out by the air raids, and his neighbour, Miss Sumiko resents him for his "shamelessness" in not doing his duty, blaming him for her son also burning to death during the bombings. He ends up taking in a young woman, Noriko, carrying around an infant that isn't even hers but nevertheless cares for because the child's parents begged her to take the baby as they also burned to death during the bombings. Miss Sumiko also tacitly forgives him, taking on the role of a surrogate aunt for the child and shows Noriko how to look after a child. Basically, Tokyo be fucked, but people are finding ways to survive by relying on each other. Eventually, Shikishima is able to secure a high-paying job as part of a crew removing sea mines around the coast of the Kanto region to help open up shipping lanes and despite clearly being in love with Noriko and clearly being a dad to the infant who has grown up into a toddler, he can't bring himself to ask her to marry him because he suffers from survivor's guilt and PTSD. It is at this point that the creature that wrecked shit on Odo Island returns, bigger, angrier and meaner, as the American military stationed in Japan and the precursor to the JSDF repeatedly fail to stop the creature from attacking and causing destruction.

The film is directed by Takashi Yamazaki, who also wrote the screenplay, and with his usual collaborator Kiyoko Shibuya, took on the visual effects. Yamazaki has a fairly diverse CV, working on special effects heavy fare, as well as films that focus on human relationships. Imagine if Mike Leigh did films that heavily featured extensive special effects, and would occasionally also make CGI-animated kids movies for the fuck of it too, like an adaptation of Lupin the III, and that's Takashi Yamazaki. He also filled the cast with actors and actresses that have the chops to get the audience invested in their characters, as well as frequent collaborators that he knows won't let him down - and that's a key element. Godzilla only really appears in it 4 times. The initial attack on Odo Island, the battle out at sea against a former Imperial Japanese cruiser that's been recommissioned to defend Japan, the attack on Ginza, and the climactic battle. Therefore, it's up to the human characters to keep the film going and keep the audience invested, and it's impossible not to be invested. This also helps support the scens involving Godzilla, because by getting the audience invested in the characters and them being caught up in Godzilla's rampages, it makes them all the more terrifying and tense. Unlike other depictions of Godzilla, he is unquestionably the villain. Just like with the 1954 original, and 2016's Shin Godzilla, it's a film where you'll want to see Godzilla defeated, and the humans to overcome, and therein lies what the film is really about. The 1954 original was about the horrors and devastation of nuclear war. Shin Godzilla was about the horror and devastation of natural disasters, in addition to being a satire of Japanese bureaucracy. Godzilla Minus One is about overcoming trauma, and a parable of forgiveness. It's also one of the greatest films of its genre ever made. So do yourself a favour, and if it's still on at a cinema near you, absolutely do yourself a favour and go out of your way to see it.

[paddy no 11]

A few recent films I watched

Saltburn - rubbish, give Barry keoghan his dignity back please

Minari - decent American/korean drama 7/10

Past lives - good romantic drama 8/10

The killer - pathetic effort from fincher 1/10

Must get through more korean films, the handmaiden and in the mood for love on top of the list

[Son of Mathonwy]

These are the new films I can remember watching in 2023 (although some may be 2022?).

Outstanding or unique:
Infinity Pool
Spider-Man across the Spider-Verse

Very good:
Unicorn Wars
Landscape with Invisible Hand
Oppenheimer

Reasonable/good but flawed:
Barbie
My Love Affair with Marriage
Knock at the Cabin
Saw X
Talk to Me

Disappointing:
The Creator

I only have myself to blame:
Five Nights at Freddie's

Also I finally got around to watching No Time to Die this year, which I enjoyed the most of all the Craig Bond films, perhaps because it was less hyped.

[Mikey Brown]

I’m intrigued which of those categories Infinity Pool fell in to for you. There were definitely moments of both, but really did not know how I felt afterwards overall.

Anatomy of a fall was easily the best thing I saw in the cinema but I don’t think I actually went much this year. Not for new releases anyway.

[paddy no 11]

The graduate - got too 44 years without seeing it. Enjoyed it, great performances all round.

[Son of Mathonwy]

I’m intrigued which of those categories Infinity Pool fell in to for you. There were definitely moments of both, but really did not know how I felt afterwards overall.

Anatomy of a fall was easily the best thing I saw in the cinema but I don’t think I actually went much this year. Not for new releases anyway.

Yeah, more unique than outstanding perhaps, but something of both. I accept it's not unflawed but, looking back over the year, it really stands out for me.

I will have to check out Anatomy of a Fall...

[Mikey Brown]

Anybody watched Poor Things or The Boy and The Heron yet? Can't quite choose which. Will definitely check out Zone of Interest when that comes out too. Saw the Godzilla film and that was pretty fun.

[Puja]

Anybody watched Poor Things or The Boy and The Heron yet? Can't quite choose which. Will definitely check out Zone of Interest when that comes out too. Saw the Godzilla film and that was pretty fun.

The algorithm is determined that I should watch Poor Things, so I've seen about a dozen different mini-trailers. Looks like good fun, tbh.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Anybody watched Poor Things or The Boy and The Heron yet? Can't quite choose which. Will definitely check out Zone of Interest when that comes out too. Saw the Godzilla film and that was pretty fun.

The algorithm is determined that I should watch Poor Things, so I've seen about a dozen different mini-trailers. Looks like good fun, tbh.

Puja

I generally can’t stand trailers but have also ended up seeing that one several times. It looks very different to what he’s done before and I’m a bit dubious about the fantastical look of it all. Amazing cast though.

[paddy no 11]

Off to see poor things tonight, expecting good things

[paddy no 11]

Absolutely loved poor things

The sets alone were worth the trip to the cinema

[Numbers]

Off to see poor things tonight, expecting good things

That is quite confusing

[paddy no 11]

Anatomy of a fall is very good - drama and the French justice system. Like spiral without the drugs

[Mikey Brown]

Watched Bottoms with absolutely zero expectation, just wanted some background nonsense, but it was actually really good. Really properly funny, with a pretty bizarre, unpredictable tone to it. The story itself isn't anything ground-breaking but it's brilliantly executed. Just stupid, weird and fun.

Would highly recommend. Easily one of the better films I've seen from last year.

[Mikey Brown]

Finally saw Poor Things. Was worried I’d built it up too much but it was fantastic. Weird and long and self-indulgent, but fantastic.

[Mikey Brown]

Absolutely loved poor things

The sets alone were worth the trip to the cinema

Yep, just by fluke happened to see it on an idiotically large screen and it was really something. Loads of shit films get rave reviews for the “visual spectacle” which is just a load of big, loud CGI bullshit, but this was truly unique looking and tied so heavily in to the story.

The music throughout was just insane. In a good way.

[morepork]

keen to see this. Tina Turner said we don't need another hero, and I by fuck don't need to see another superhero movie.


I also saw bottoms Mikey, and it was a good solid romp. Fun and funny.

[paddy no 11]

The mission - brilliant film, though not bobby de niros finest effort

Interesting career from director joffe, works on coronation street, than makes 2 outstanding though thematically similar films in the mission and the killing fields. Then wins the golden raspberry for the scarlet letter