Last movie watched...

[Jim_Campbell]

Just to add another voice to the general chorus of approval for the remake of Jungle Book. Saw it last night, and it's terrific.

The CGI is, without exception, superb. The voice cast is brilliant and Neel Sethi is excellent as Mowgli. Worth seeing in IMAX 3D, IMO — the use of depth of field is excellent. Civil War will almost certainly monopolise all the IMAX screens from Friday, so you might want to be quick.

Cheers

Jim

[Steve Green]

Yeah recorded it off Film4 and it only took me 3 sittings to get through. I like a film that survives my brutal lack of time these days!

There's a great Criterion box set which includes the studio cut that Gilliam disowned, along with a commentary track, documentary etc.

https://www.criterion.com/films/211-brazil

[Dark Jimbo]

I don't know if I'd have bothered with The Jungle Book necessarily but the mentions here led me to check it out when I unexpectedly found myself at the cinema. Have to echo all the compliments - it's fast and snappy, doesn't outstay its welcome; a nice bridge between the classic animated Disney adaptation of old and a straight, grown-up adaptation of Kipling's stories. All the best of both worlds. Loved the fact that I knew absolutely nothing about it going in - each and every voice casting was a nice surprise, and it was fun wondering who was going to play each character.

On a related note, King Louis was utterly, utterly terrifying - and I never thought I'd say that! Even singing 'King of the Swingers' doesn't make him any cuddlier.

[Jim_Campbell]

I don't know if I'd have bothered with The Jungle Book necessarily but the mentions here led me to check it out

Yes, absolutely. I made a special effort to catch it specifically because of the good word of mouth here, coming on the back of an engaging trailer at an earlier cinema visit (plus generally being well-disposed towards Favreau as a film-maker).

Well done, forum!

Cheers

Jim

[Steve Green]

I don't know if I'd have bothered with The Jungle Book necessarily but the mentions here led me to check it out when I unexpectedly found myself at the cinema. Have to echo all the compliments - it's fast and snappy, doesn't outstay its welcome; a nice bridge between the classic animated Disney adaptation of old and a straight, grown-up adaptation of Kipling's stories. All the best of both worlds. Loved the fact that I knew absolutely nothing about it going in - each and every voice casting was a nice surprise, and it was fun wondering who was going to play each character.

On a related note, King Louis was utterly, utterly terrifying - and I never thought I'd say that! Even singing 'King of the Swingers' doesn't make him any cuddlier.

There's a rather nice 3D VR trailer - Mowgli's POV with Orang-u-Walken looming over your shoulder is disconcerting.

[Spikes]

Yeah recorded it off Film4 and it only took me 3 sittings to get through. I like a film that survives my brutal lack of time these days!

There's a great Criterion box set which includes the studio cut that Gilliam disowned, along with a commentary track, documentary etc.

https://www.criterion.com/films/211-brazil

Criterion, as I understand it, have branched out, and are now making their releases available for the UK/European market. Which I great news for those without multi-region players.
The Brazil UK DVD/Bluray is pretty basic so maybe we'll be getting a decent package for that at some point...

[Magnetica]

Just watched Captain America the Winter Soldier on Netflix.

It was quite good, but it just ended without any real resolution to some fairly major plot elements. Is it just me, or would it be good for a film to have some sort of proper ending and not have to watch another film (Avengers Age of Ultron I guess)  or indeed Agents of Shield (which I am a season and a half behind on) to see how it turns out?

[von Boom]

Just watched Captain America the Winter Soldier on Netflix.

It was quite good, but it just ended without any real resolution to some fairly major plot elements. Is it just me, or would it be good for a film to have some sort of proper ending and not have to watch another film (Avengers Age of Ultron I guess)  or indeed Agents of Shield (which I am a season and a half behind on) to see how it turns out?

This is becoming a problem for me with Marvel/DC films. Nothing ever seems completely resolved and the overreaching arc are becoming too long to make the films completely satisfying.

[ThryllSeekyr]

Seen both The Hunter & The Jungle Book twice over the last month, but still have some issues wit them...

Saw the Avengers - Civil War film more recently the other night. Not that I have been much of big fin of those films, but I felt compelled to see it anyway.

I will have more to say about this later.

[Colin YNWA]

Okay if I'm tired and grumpy tomorrow its you lot to blame you here me, you lot.

See if I'm tired and grumpy it'll be cos the boy has has nightmares and kept us awake. See took the ratbags to see Jungle Book this afternoon and while we enjoyed it immensely it did seem to scare the lad - to tears at one point (whoops), though he refused to leave and we figured it was best to get him to the happy ending - thanks god [spoiler]Balou makes it out [/spoiler]is all I can say. As I kept telling him (very quietly but luckily it was a noisey screening Bill Murry makes everything better. I even explained that to him afterwards but during the film the confusion seemed to get us through...

... anyway myself I loved it. Okay so not Zootropolis loved it - its good but heck its not that good - I still loved it. By heck for 99% of the time the CGI is breathtaking but as ever there are moments, just moments when it slips and some movement or facial gesture doesn't quite work. Mind I guess you can say that about the acting in any film. The best thing about it is how deliciously villainous all the villians are (see crying boy above however). Loved Christopher Walken as Marlon Brandon as King Louie (my God wasn't it incredible the way they made a 98769lb organutan look utter convincing and at the same time just like Chrisopher Walken) but the absolute best was Ibris Elda as a quite chilling Shere Khan. Oh and the young lad as Mowgli as quite a turn.

So yeah great film and thanks for the recommendation (though I reserve the right to whine in the morning if the lad does have a bad night!) - and the girl wants to read the book now so that's good.

[Mardroid]

Captain America: Civil War

Not so long ago. (Just got home from the cinema after the 9pm showing in fact.)

Very good.

[spoiler]I don't think Aunt May is supposed to look like that, but it was amusing that they made gag out of that.

I liked the twist at the end concerning the showdown with the big bad.

I think it would be more likely that the comic version of Spider-Man would be on Captain America's side, but considering the age of his version, the way Stark recruited him and that exchange between him and Cap, his choice is believable in this case. Ironically this version of Spider-man seems closest to the comics version in some ways. Particularly his chatty nature during combat, which is made a joke of.[/spoiler]

All characters had there bit in the limelight, even those with rather small roles [spoiler]like Pym, ha ha[/spoiler], which made this feel  closer to an Avengers Film rather than a Captain America movie in some ways... yet it does fit.

[Spikes]

Son of Saul - Set in Auschwitz towards the end of the war, Son of Saul believably recreates the hell that place was, and as such, is a very uncomfortable and nightmarish film to watch, and one that really does get under the skin. I've found myself reflecting on it a lot these last few days.

Not for the faint hearted, but also highly recommended.

[TordelBack]

Tomorrowland.  Some odd choices in the third act ([spoiler]dropping the freshly dead body of the child-robot who has just revealed she's been in love with you for 40 years into the bad-vibe machine as a bomb was... I dunno, a downer? As was killing Hugh Laurie, who seemed like he could have been talked around easily enough[/spoiler]) and rather vague explanations of what's going on [spoiler](Who are the smiley robots? Why does Clooney have a teleporter hidden in a warehouse instead of his house with the rest of his super-elaborate escape gear? If there's a portal machine you can walk to Tomorrowland through, what's with all the high-acceleration contraptions?[/spoiler]), and the distinct feeling that many scenes exist simply to map directly onto a theme-park ride, this is a pretty fun film. Also, the central concept(s) are very, very cool.

[von Boom]

Tomorrowland.  Some odd choices in the third act ([spoiler]dropping the freshly dead body of the child-robot who has just revealed she's been in love with you for 40 years into the bad-vibe machine as a bomb was... I dunno, a downer? As was killing Hugh Laurie, who seemed like he could have been talked around easily enough[/spoiler]) and rather vague explanations of what's going on [spoiler](Who are the smiley robots? Why does Clooney have a teleporter hidden in a warehouse instead of his house with the rest of his super-elaborate escape gear? If there's a portal machine you can walk to Tomorrowland through, what's with all the high-acceleration contraptions?[/spoiler]), and the distinct feeling that many scenes exist simply to map directly onto a theme-park ride, this is a pretty fun film. Also, the central concept(s) are very, very cool.

Tomorrowland is a great film and very much underrated. I've gone so far as to track down both versions of the Tomorrowland pins and I keep rubbing them in the hopes of being transported there.

I've also read the Before Tomorrowland book (with a special comic at the end). I would greatly recommend it as it sets up the film very well and is filled with sci-fi nerd nods throughout.

[TordelBack]

Think I'll give that book a go! I  did greatly enjoy the first two-thirds, and liked the big reveal (pretty terrifying stuff, and brilliantly delivered by Laurie), I just felt the third act in general didn't really deliver... but maybe a second viewing would help. There also wasn't half enough of Tomorrowland itself, beyond the by-now traditional Coruscant fly-throughs. Certainly didn't deserve the 'meh' reaction it seems to have received