The Water Diviner - WWI, post-WWI Middle East and Olga Kurylenko - oh yes!

Quote from: Ithoriel on 07 October 2014, 09:39:56 AM
AABBC - perfectly acceptable rhyme scheme.

Also avoids the obvious rhyme

A bunch of American tanks,
Crewed by some heroic Yanks
In a Hollywood tale,
But a history fail,
Win the war so let us give thanks!

..... better?

Yep, classic limerick format. 

Just watched 'Gravity'.

I don't think I will be sleeping tonight... Too scared!

Quote from: mad lemmey on 12 October 2014, 09:35:35 PM
Just watched 'Gravity'.

I don't think I will be sleeping tonight... Too scared!

One of the few films I've seen where the 3D was worth having.

Not usually a fan of Sandra Bullock as an actress but she pulled off what was pretty much a solo performance with great aplomb.

If you liked that you might want to watch "Moon" sometime. ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1182345/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 )

Moon is superb too! 

Quote from: Ithoriel on 12 October 2014, 09:51:09 PM
One of the few films I've seen where the 3D was worth having.

Not usually a fan of Sandra Bullock as an actress but she pulled off what was pretty much a solo performance with great aplomb.

If you liked that you might want to watch "Moon" sometime. ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1182345/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 )

You watched it in 3D? You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din! I had to look away several times to avoid reviewing my dinner - and that was in 2D!

Good film, Moon.

"Flyboys" is full of teeth-grinding moments. The best thing I can say about this film is that it isn't as bad as "The Red Baron" from 2008.

Just about says it all fsn.

Right. I've been exiled to Cambridge for the past few days, which is why the forum has been bereft of my superior intellect and wit.

I also watched "Sahara". Not the 1943 version with Bogie, not indeed the drippy dross with Matthew Mcconnechery from 2005, but the intensely awful and borderline racist remake of the 1943 version starring the lesser Belushi brother and no-one else of interest.

For those of you who haven't had the pain, the film concerns a M3 tank (which I think ought to be a Lee, but may be a Grant) which was manned by a crew of 3 led by the tough "Sarge" (Belushi). They have had their backsides kicked by Teutonic efficiency and ... wait a minute! What are Americans doing swanning around North Africa before El Alamein? Skip that - don't let history get in the way of a good story - or indeed this one. So Joe and his two buddies (Bland and Blander) head off into the desert and find a group of various British & Empire troops. They pick up a spineless British Officer (who is a doctor so lets Joe walk all over him), steady Northerner (he had a pipe so was reliable), young chap (had a picture of his girl in his helmet, so guess what happens to him) Australian cattle drover, Frenchman with a burning hatred of all Germans, big Sudanese (who I think probably outranked the Sarge, but was black, so was just popped down the well) and a little Italian who hated Mussolini and was awfully eager to please.

At some point they are attacked from the air and pick up the obligatory blonde German, awfully correct but untrustworthy and sneaky.

This band climb on board the M3 and find the only well in miles - but it's dry-ish. News is that a battalion of German infantry are on the way and they're thirsty! Last ditch effort called for!

So obviously Sarge dismounts from the tank (leaving 2 men to crew an M3) and fights with a Tommy gun. Their job is made easier because a) every man has a machine gun of some description and b) the Germans don't know any tactic but the frontal assault in nice neat ranks. Mayhem ensures, and the only thing you need to worry about is who dies and who lives?

I've not seen the 1943 version recently, and the remake feels to have used exactly the same script. It feels like a morale booster showing how the nasty Germans are up against a wide range of canny and doughty fighters. However, in 1995 this message makes no sense and the whole thing just comes over as Xenophobic, pandering to American stereotypes and mores.

Give this film a miss unless you wish to get your blood pressure up.

I give this film 5 angry faces:  





 

8.6 on the rant scale 

Worst film ever.

Already had my rant here.

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,11328.msg145262.html#msg145262

Cross of Iron. I went to see it at the cinema when it first came out. One scene that sticks in my mind for all of the wrong reasons is where the Germans find a bunch of female Russian soldiers and they have some fun. Then there is an almighty scream and one of the Germans walks back in with his hands over his bloodsoaked groin area. In a fit of nationalistic rage the Russian had done a Wayne Bobbitt on him with her teeth. Every bloke in the audience winced at the same time. Sam Pekinpah, eh? Strangely, the film has been on the box on a number of occasions since at various times after the watershed but I have never seen that scene since.

Sahara. I have seen the last twenty minutes and was sooo glad that I missed the rest.

Got Breaker Morant and Paths of Glory to watch at some stage.

Just seen the first episode of Vikings S3, and yes, the King of Wessex's soldiers are wearing BURGONETS - had to do a double take on this. No, they are definitely burgonets, so that particular Saxon army now looks like scruffy C16th border rievers. 

Quote from: Subedai on 27 February 2015, 08:33:15 PM
Worst film ever.

Already had my rant here.

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,11328.msg145262.html#msg145262

Cross of Iron. I went to see it at the cinema when it first came out. One scene that sticks in my mind for all of the wrong reasons is where the Germans find a bunch of female Russian soldiers and they have some fun. Then there is an almighty scream and one of the Germans walks back in with his hands over his bloodsoaked groin area. In a fit of nationalistic rage the Russian had done a Wayne Bobbitt on him with her teeth. Every bloke in the audience winced at the same time. Sam Pekinpah, eh? Strangely, the film has been on the box on a number of occasions since at various times after the watershed but I have never seen that scene since.

Sahara. I have seen the last twenty minutes and was sooo glad that I missed the rest.

Got Breaker Morant and Paths of Glory to watch at some stage.

I have the VHS of Cross of Iron and that scene is in it. I love Cross of Iron think its a great film. I have read that the funding was cut before it could be finished properly though

I watched The Alamo recently, not the one with good 'ole John Wayne, but with Billy Bob Thornton made in 2004. For me, I thoroughly enjoyed it and made a good impression although I still enjoy the originaldespite the cheesiness  

I like that version of the Alamo as well, particularly Davy Crockett's musings on "what have I got myself into?"

Paths of Glory is a real movie, though one of his earlier efforts. Don't despair.

Another one on my 'to get at some time' list is Barry Lyndon. Seen part of it on You Tube -the bit where he is in the Prussian Army- and I remember a mate saying it was quite good if you got over whats-his-face as the lead.

Oddly enough it's usually all the films the critics rave about that I either loathe or can't be bothered to see. Girl With the Pearl Ear-Ring, what was that all about? Ninety minutes of plotless drivel based on the fact that the artist screwed the model. Well, the model was Scarlett Johansson - who wouldn't?

Quote from: Subedai on 28 February 2015, 09:50:23 AM
Another one on my 'to get at some time' list is Barry Lyndon. Seen part of it on You Tube -the bit where he is in the Prussian Army- and I remember a mate saying it was quite good if you got over whats-his-face as the lead.

My number one favourite.

I think everyonei s different in tastes

For me Dambusters and Reach for Sky  are two film I always turn off when they come on as they are both appalling in my opinion