Last film you watched and your rating: The Directors Cut

Tafdolphin wrote:

Hime wrote:

Nibble wrote:Dunkirk

The Nolan film I've liked best since The Prestige.

8/10

I'm a big fan of Nolan's films but I will never understand the love for The Prestige. I have to assume it's reverence on the internet is due it being the least popular or the least mainstream.

Was the twist supposed to be completely obvious?

Nope, you're obviously much, much cleverer than everyone else.

Back from Dunkirk. It's better than Interstellar, and it's better that the Batmans. It is not better than Inception or The Prestige (which is my favourite Nolan, but only because of the edge it gives me, obvs). As beautiful as it is, and it is, the standout had to be the sound. Christ, the noise those Stukas make...utterly terrifying.

A solid 8/10.

you're no stranger to the 'edge opinion', that's for sure.

strawberry float, I'm so edgey Bono wants me on his new album.

The Prestige is brilliant. The twist is one aspect of a deeply effecting and disturbing central narrative about obsession. I'd argue it's the most narratively complete of all Nolan's films. To dismiss it because "I saw it coming!" is insanely shallow.

Denster wrote:Got to be on IMAX.

Goddamn, I can't even imagine the soundscape of Dunkirk on IMAX sound systems. The Stukas are up there with the Tripods from Spielberg's War of the World in terms of terrifying sounding movie monsters. And they are monsters in this film.

Dunkirk (IMAX Laser) - 9/10 Absolutely awesome, the sound definitely deserves a mention as it's stunning, the film as a whole is an amazing experience. I'd be interested in seeing it in 70mm IMAX if possible, but I don't think that's going to happen.

War for the Planet of the Apes - 8/10 Also very good, a decent ending to the new trilogy, though I think they should probably leave it alone now.

Tafdolphin wrote:strawberry float, I'm so edgey Bono wants me on his new album.

The Prestige is brilliant. The twist is one aspect of a deeply effecting and disturbing central narrative about obsession. I'd argue it's the most narratively complete of all Nolan's films. To dismiss it because "I saw it coming!" is insanely shallow.

Denster wrote:Got to be on IMAX.

Goddamn, I can't even imagine the soundscape of Dunkirk on IMAX sound systems. The Stukas are up there with the Tripods from Spielberg's War of the World in terms of terrifying sounding movie monsters. And they are monsters in this film.

For the record, the rest of WotW is absolute gash, but the Tripods are brill

Woof.

In all honesty I just didn't enjoy it that much, not just because I realised the twist.

Ack, sorry. That was a bit harsh. Personally I loved it, and I think it was the thought that you simply didn't like it because you got the twist that set me off.

Wasn't The Prestige that film with Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale playing magicians?

I though it was alright, but stopped talking it seriously when Nicola Tesla turned up as some kind of mad scientist who invented teleportation.Shame that's what the whole twist hinges on, as it's a really interesting idea otherwise.

Or...did he?

Dunkirk - ****

Great, but not a masterpiece. At least not after my first viewing. I love the structure, and the way it builds tension at a steady rate from the opening few seconds until the relentless, horrific final act. My problem was that I thought it failed to sell the scale of the operation. Nolan is adamantly old school and averse to using CGI if it can be helped, but this film needed some shots showing the enormity of what happened. We're told there are 400,000 people on the beach, but we only see them 50 at a time. Not sure why I'm spoilering this as its history, but when British civilian ships turn up there are maybe a dozen of them, when they could have shown more. It needed just a few shots to establish all this, and it would have been truly brilliant.

Having thought about it a bit more I'm utterly convinced Dunkirk has one of the best soundscapes I've ever heard in a film. There were a few big moments where it was the music and the sound effects, not the visuals, that created the impact. I'm thinking specifically of the silent Spitfire flyby, and any time the Stukas were around. The gunfire inside the trawler was also excellent, with those one or two bullets becoming utter terrifying. I agree with Skippy that it's an oddly sparse movie, but I can't help feeling this was for "realism's" sake. Perhaps they though the real situation too unbelievable, that if they threw the real number of soldiers that were actually on the beaches up on screen it would look like Hollywood excess.

Dunkirk - 8/10

Totally agree with the above comments about the sound, thought the end was magnificent too.

Harry Styles is a considerably better actor than I would have imagined.

Skippy wrote:Dunkirk - ****

Great, but not a masterpiece. At least not after my first viewing. I love the structure, and the way it builds tension at a steady rate from the opening few seconds until the relentless, horrific final act. My problem was that I thought it failed to sell the scale of the operation. Nolan is adamantly old school and averse to using CGI if it can be helped, but this film needed some shots showing the enormity of what happened. We're told there are 400,000 people on the beach, but we only see them 50 at a time. Not sure why I'm spoilering this as its history, but when British civilian ships turn up there are maybe a dozen of them, when they could have shown more. It needed just a few shots to establish all this, and it would have been truly brilliant.

Strongly disagree. The closeness, the claustrophobia is what makes it. It's purposely localised so you feel like you're up close with the subjects. That's why you get so many tight close-ups, that's why the aspect ratio is as it is, that's why you've got IMAX cameras stuffed inside cockpits, that's why you don't see the enemy. The focus is on the intimacy of fear, not the broader conflict. It's an experiential film, and if you start zooming out, you lose that trump card. It's why it feels so distinctive from other war films.

Besides, you're totally underselling the numbers there. There are shots with hundreds of extras.

I get all that. The closeness and small scale of the immediate action is why the film works so well, but I felt it needed a better sense of the context for all that, just a handful of shots showing the scale of what was happening rather than Kenneth Branagh just telling us there are 400,000 people there. Not that I wanted a shot of all 400,000 of them. If you took out Branagh's line and showed this to someone who didn't already know the story of Dunkirk, they'd think just a few hundred soldiers were rescued. Even with the line it's a problem I think. Films should show rather than tell.

Films like Dunkirk are Stuka in the past.

Here's my lengthier review of the film https://medium.com/@bskipper27/dunkirk- ... d821a4dd32

Skippy wrote:I get all that. The closeness and small scale of the immediate action is why the film works so well, but I felt it needed a better sense of the context for all that, just a handful of shots showing the scale of what was happening rather than Kenneth Branagh just telling us there are 400,000 people there. Not that I wanted a shot of all 400,000 of them. If you took out Branagh's line and showed this to someone who didn't already know the story of Dunkirk, they'd think just a few hundred soldiers were rescued. Even with the line it's a problem I think. Films should show rather than tell.

I think given the logistics of it, and the (in my opinion) correct focus on the experience of the survivors rather than the scale of the operation, that's not an entirely fair ask. With practical effects used throughout, you throw in one bit of CGI for something (which, as you've acknowledged, you're already told) and it's a distraction.

I dunno, maybe it's just me, but I'm genuinely a bit taken aback by how blasé people are being about the film. I think it's an incredible achievement.

I've not really paid any attention to Dunkirk, I think I just wrote it off as a lazy "r brave bois" war drama back when I saw it announced and that Harry Styles was in it.

Suddenly really interested given the reception it's getting, though.

Resident Evil Vendetta.

Excellent/10

The Prestige 10/10

Discussing the film in here made me go back and watch this and I've actually upgraded my opinion: not only is it my favourite of Nolan's I'd say it's in my top ten films ever. It just doesn't put a foot wrong. I remember being utterly confused after the first viewing but found myself enjoying it more every time I watch it as the layers slot into place and the whole becomes apparent. In terms of his other works it's probably got most in common with Inception and Memento due to it's multifaceted narrative and complex framing (a man reading a diary of a man reading a diary). In hindsight the twist is telegraphed almost from the off, but it's one of many turns the film takes that are take you completely off guard and lthough there is one "big" twist, the last 20 minutes is a constant barrage of reveals and revelations that you simply could not have seen coming. The only thing I'd change is the immediate smash cut at the end to Thom Yorke.

Dunkirk IMAX.

Simply amazing and an all out assault on the senses in the best way possible. Some of the most uplifting scenes ever during a complete clusterfuck of death and destruction that doesn't seem so unrealistic or overly heroic to be believable.
As a war film it's pretty raw and all the better for it.

An easy 10/10 from me and I urge anyone on the fence to go and see this and go all out for IMAX if you can.

Tafdolphin wrote:The Prestige 10/10

Discussing the film in here made me go back and watch this and I've actually upgraded my opinion: not only is it my favourite of Nolan's I'd say it's in my top ten films ever. It just doesn't put a foot wrong. I remember being utterly confused after the first viewing but found myself enjoying it more every time I watch it as the layers slot into place and the whole becomes apparent. In terms of his other works it's probably got most in common with Inception and Memento due to it's multifaceted narrative and complex framing (a man reading a diary of a man reading a diary). In hindsight the twist is telegraphed almost from the off, but it's one of many turns the film takes that are take you completely off guard and lthough there is one "big" twist, the last 20 minutes is a constant barrage of reveals and revelations that you simply could not have seen coming. The only thing I'd change is the immediate smash cut at the end to Thom Yorke.

Ive just watched the prestige. Not seen it before. good film. The thing i dont get is why didnt hugh jackman at the end ask him if he tied the knot? I figure his wifes death was jackmans motivation to ruin christian bale, so with his dying breath why didnt he ask him about that? Also even if it was the other twin who got scolded by micheal caine for suggesting the other type of knot, then surely bale 2 would have known he shouldnt tie the knot because its dangerous. Im trying to work out who the baddy was - hung Bale , alive Bale or Jackman?

I also just watched memento. Not seen that before. Also a good film. I kind of feel worse for watching Memento than the Prestige though.

EDIT: Id say on reflection Memento is the better film than the prestige. Even though its confusing, the storyline seems to tie up better.