What's in/on Your DVD/VCR/PVR etc

[pxr5]

Currently half way through The Midnight Club - made by Mike Flangan (He of the The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Blythe Manor, Midnight Mass - all excellent). Set in 1994 this series is based on a Christopher Pike novel about a group of terminally ill teenagers at a hospice who tell each other ghost/horror stories as well as investigating mysterious goings on from the past. It's quite slow going, but the acting and script are top notch. I'll reserve judgement on the story itself as it pans out. So far though - 8/10

Started it but lost interest 

Yes it is a bit slow. My wife has lost a bit of interest too, but I'll try and get through it. 10 episodes rather than the normal 8 though, which probably isn't needed.

[R6GYY]

All Quiet On The Western Front

Multiple Oscar nominations propelled this up the to-watch list and I finally got round to it last night.

It reminded me of Sam Mendes's 1917 in that it's so technically accomplished it actually kind of distracts from becoming engrossed in the film.  I think it will win the award for its utterly lush cinematography - it would be well deserved.

Narratively, there are of course plenty of powerful sequences depicting life (and death) on the front line, all tremendously and sympathetically performed by an excellent cast.

But then for the last half hour of its 140 minutes, it seemed to rather unnecessarily smuggle in a bunch of Hollywood tropes, sacrificing historical accuracy for dramatic license - a shame that, as it struck me to have the opposite effect to that intended.

Still, well worth seeing overall.

Rating: ***

We watched the BAFTAs on Sunday, and this did extremely well. Best Director and Best Film being the top honours, but there were others.

Best Animated Feature went to Del Toro's Pinocchio, which I had not heard of. One to look out for.

[Matt2112]

All My Friends Hate Me

Entertaining British dark comedy/psychological horror from last year about a guy who is invited to a country home to celebrate his birthday, which also serves as a kind of student reunion cringefest where he constantly feels like an outsider.

There's plenty to like about this - it reminded me of The Game (the 1997 film with Michael Douglas) but crossed with the style of acclaimed Brit horror director Ben Wheatley.

The resolution doesn't quite live up to everything leading up to it, but overall it's 90 minutes well spent.

Rating: ***

 

[R6GYY]

I see that there is a trailer out for Foundation Season 2. Should be airing in the summer or so it said (I think).

If it is as good as the first season, then we should be in for a treat. I might the first season again before season 2 kicks off actually - get up to speed again.

[pxr5]

^ Yep, the first season of Foundation was tremendous

[Fishy]

Your Honor season 2

[Red Lenses]

I see that there is a trailer out for Foundation Season 2. Should be airing in the summer or so it said (I think).

If it is as good as the first season, then we should be in for a treat. I might the first season again before season 2 kicks off actually - get up to speed again.

Excellent news.

Rattled through all 3 seasons on City On A Hill which had Kevin Bacon belting out Tom Sawyer at the end of the 1st episode - 8/10.
Not sure what to watch next, stock pilling The Last Of Us to binge watch but thinking it will likely be Hunters Season 2 on Amazon (cannot believe Amazon have gone for a 2nd season of The Rig !?!?)

Have been off work this past week on holiday as I never work the week of my birthday and have watched a lot of films :-
Jaws, The Thing, The Warriors, Star Trek The Motion Picture, Star Trek Insurrection, Prince of Darkness, The Ipcress File, Team America - World Police, The Hunger Games, Blade Runner.

[pxr5]

Finished The Midnight Club yesterday. Overall, pretty good and there are talks of a follow on series. I'll watch it if there is.

[Matt2112]

Richard Marx - BBC Piano Room session (on iplayer)

Class!

[pxr5]

Knock at the Cabin - The latest M. Night Shyamalan movie based on the book The Cabin At the End of the World by Paul Tremblay. From IMDb: "While vacationing, a girl and her parents are taken hostage by armed strangers who demand that the family make a choice to avert the apocalypse.". And really that's about it, nothing more. It's well acted and very tense in parts but ultimately unfulfilling. This is not M. Night Shyamalan's best work by a long way and nowhere near as good as his previous movie: Old. But it's the story telling that let's it down mostly, it's just not strong enough. It's short too so worth watch to fill an hour and a half but only 6/10 for me.

[Red Lenses]

Have acquired Brandon Cronenberg's latest 2 films (Possessor & Infinity Pool) to try and watch over this coming week, also grabbed Greyhound which I have been wanting to watch for a while.

[dom]

Brian and Charles - an odd, quirky comedy about a guy living in a remote Welsh village who somehow manages to create a robot. A few laughs and a little heart warming but not enough to recommend it. It is only 90 minutes though

[pxr5]

Have acquired Brandon Cronenberg's latest 2 films (Possessor & Infinity Pool) to try and watch over this coming week, also grabbed Greyhound which I have been wanting to watch for a while.

I really didn't think much of Infinity Pool YMMV  http://betweenthewheels.net/index.php?msg=10949

[R6GYY]

We've just been been binge watching some episodes of 80's "Pop Quiz" on YouTube.

[Matt2112]

On BBC Two I happened upon an Old Grey Whistle Test Special featuring a performance by Emmylou Harris from 1977.

I don't care much for her plodding country songs but...whooah, how fit was she back then?!!