fecking over loads of people on your way to the top. The American dream. Fair enough.
Film The Redcafe Movie review thread
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
The Hunger Games - Battle Royale without edge, boring shaky camera action nonsense, occasional stupidness. Lawrence carried it.
Romancing the Stone - picked up the Blu Ray at a fiver. Now thirty years old, but still really enjoyable.
Thing is, there really wasn't any consequence to the real life guy's crime. He went to a relatively nice jail for a few years, then started doing motivational speaking based on his life. He made over a million from the sale of his books alone and failed to make the restitution he was legally obliged too. Yet he faced no real consequences. He got away with it, really.
I think that's the point in the film though. You don't see his comeuppance, victims, or any consequences because as far as he's concerned there are none. The not-very-subtle reference in the movie to Lehman brothers et al is telling. Scorcese is showing you what happened without imposing morals but he's also telling you that this the kind of attitude that caused the financial mess. He leaves it up to you to decide what you think of it, whether Belfort's life should be admired or if he's a scumbag.
I really don't have a problem with the morals or morality of the film, my complaints are over the length, pacing and momentum. That said, the film has stayed with me since I saw it so I suppose that's a good sign.
I meant the consequences for his victims. I mean, I liked the film and I can see what he was he was trying do since I'm smart enough. It just left a bit of a sour aftertaste.
Ok, stop bragging Nilsson.
Well, I can tell the difference between butter and margarine.
Inside Llewyn Davis - another brilliantly crafted movie from the Coens. It's a mood piece that evokes the 60s with an unerring eye, ultimately it's all surface though and quite disappointingly hollow.
Well there could lie the difference. I'm one of the people who thinks their best work has been with other people, and all their collaborations have been slightly disappointing in some way.
No I agree. Like you, I believe Di Caprio's best work is The Beach and Scorsese's best film is Hugo.
The Beach is another film where he plays an incredibly unlikeable dickhead. Only that time I don't think it's intentional.
Leo's best film of recent(ish) years is probably Catch Me If You Can IMO. In fact I think the films he's made whilst cheating on Scorsese with other A-List directors Spielberg, Nolan and Tarantino have all been better films than what he's made in wedlock.
Martin hasn't made anything truly great (as in one of the very best) since Goodfellas, but Hugo is good. My personal fav is King Of Comedy. His whole DeNiro era knocks the Leo one out of the park.
Wolf and Aviator are probably the best L&M works, and both are too long. Gangs is meh, Shutter Island's a B Movie and The Departed is one of my most hated films of all time.
Leo's best film of recent(ish) years is probably Catch Me If You Can IMO. In fact I think the films he's made whilst cheating on Scorsese with other A-List directors Spielberg, Nolan and Tarantino have all been better films than what he's made in wedlock.
Martin hasn't made anything truly great (as in one of the very best) since Goodfellas, but Hugo is good. My personal fav is King Of Comedy. His whole DeNiro era knocks the Leo one out of the park.
Wolf and Aviator are probably the best L&M works, and both are too long. Gangs is meh, Shutter Island's a B Movie and The Departed is one of my most hated films of all time.
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RiP is right. Hugo is his best film since Goodfellas.
The Beach wasn't very good though, except for Pure Shores and the French girl.
The Beach wasn't very good though, except for Pure Shores and the French girl.
The book was a really big deal at the time I seem to remember. All I thought during the film was "this guy's a massive dickhead" and "these hippies are annoying"
These are generally things I think on a daily basis though.
These are generally things I think on a daily basis though.
I want your yearly rant on The Departed! I thought you'd get there naturally with this conversation, but you don't seem to want to! 
The book has a fairly colourful ending that Boyle pussied out of making.
I think Leo's best work was in Django last year - whilst I didn't rate the film as high as a lot of people did - I thought he was great in it.
I'd like to see DiCaprio stop playing it safe and take on different roles but has he got more in his locker than that same-ish troubled soul biopic/period guy and the charismatic criminal? Can he easily do the jump between convinging derangedness and subtle restrainedness like Joaquin Phoenix did from The Master to Her? I'd like to see him give it a shot.
The Hunger Games are every bit as faggy as Twilight
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Well anyone that's seen What's Eating Gilbert Grape and The Basketball Diaries knows what he's capable of.
The problem is he became a huge movie star after doing Titanic and there really aren't many actors of that stature that don't make you think "oh look it's [famous actor] playing another version of himself again"
Fwiw I think DiCaprio manages it a lot better than some other big names. I'd take him over Johnny Depp (who's simply become a parody of himself) for instance, any day of the week.
In conclusion - leave Leo alone.
He ought to do TV if he really wants to challenge himself. Maybe a season of True Detective?
The problem is he became a huge movie star after doing Titanic and there really aren't many actors of that stature that don't make you think "oh look it's [famous actor] playing another version of himself again"
Fwiw I think DiCaprio manages it a lot better than some other big names. I'd take him over Johnny Depp (who's simply become a parody of himself) for instance, any day of the week.
In conclusion - leave Leo alone.
He ought to do TV if he really wants to challenge himself. Maybe a season of True Detective?
HBO and independent films is the way to go.
What's wrong with Departed? I never got to watch it so far but heard quite good things about it.I want your yearly rant on The Departed! I thought you'd get there naturally with this conversation, but you don't seem to want to!
Ask Mockney!
Not if you believe the stories about the scripts he's slowly stockpiled over the years through his production house. He's got no interest in doing what you posted and every interest in playing the Howard Hughes/Jordan Belfort type for at least twenty more years.
Rambo: First Blood
My god, the film is 34 years old this year. Still love it. It's not overly subtle, but Stallone is excellent and the scene when he breaks down is actually pretty convincing- he's not exactly renowned for his emotional range, but this film is perfect for him. Shame about the sequels...
Plus if he really did do that tree jump stunt that broke his arm...feck, he deserved an Oscar for bollocks.
My god, the film is 34 years old this year. Still love it. It's not overly subtle, but Stallone is excellent and the scene when he breaks down is actually pretty convincing- he's not exactly renowned for his emotional range, but this film is perfect for him. Shame about the sequels...
Plus if he really did do that tree jump stunt that broke his arm...feck, he deserved an Oscar for bollocks.
The first half where he gets rousted, escapes and then hunts down the cops is superb. The rest with the guardsmen and him shooting up the town is not so good but overall it's a hell of a film. Have you seen Southern Comfort? That's another of my faves from that era.
Go wash your mouth, Mockers!
I can kind of see where Mockney is coming from. I quite liked Shutter Island but the music composition, sound mix and editing were very weak. Which is strange to see from a Scorcese film...
Yeah would pretty much agree with all that. The lay it on thick with the 'I'm here to protect you from him' stuff from the colonel, but love it when he lobs the rock at the helicopter.
Not seen Southern Comfort. Just read its imdb entry- risky business nicking Cajuns' canoes...sounds like a good bit of casual-racism based violence.
Shorn of any context, the film itself isn't awful. It's probably a 6 or 7. I can completely understand people loving it if they've not seen the original. With context though it's unforgivable.
Short story; They remade a film with a better director, a better cast, made it a whole hour longer, and somehow managed to make it much, much worse. That shouldn't even be possible.
Longer story; Everything about the film that's good is ripped straight from Infernal Affairs (the two big plot events are even framed identically) and everything bad about it is added in by Scorsese & Monahan, who manage not only to ruin one of the main characters (the 'villain' in the original arguably has the bigger part, and a poignant arc. In The Departed he's a 1D baddie. How this is even possible in a WHOLE HOUR LONGER film I don't know) but also remove the entire underlying theme of duality and jealously and replace it with....NOTHING! It's just an action film, though the closest they get is some stupid visual metaphor about being a rat. Which doesn't even make sense because they WERE BOTH RATS!
Yes Hollywood remakes things all the time, but not with Scorsese, and they don't win fecking Oscars for it. Lets take something brilliant, take out all the interesting introspective character stuff, make the villain one dimensional, put a love story in it (Where the hero sleeps with the villains girl no less because feck YEAH! WOOO! HERO!), and then give ourselves fecking awards!
FUUUUCKKKK YOOOOUUUU!!!!
That's what's wrong with it.
Of the 436 films with that twist, it's in the top 75. Below Fight Club, but above Secret Window.
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It's a B movie in that it's a genre pic. Scorsese wanted to try his hand at a certain style, so it was a bit of a sabbatical.
Still a good film and underrated, but it was pulp.
I think that's what Mockney means although judging by the above he could just have it in for ol' Marty.
I don't really remember the soundtrack and to be fair I don't pay much attention to the editing, camera work and such in general, but what about the story, atmosphere and absolutely stellar performance from Di Caprio?
I really thought Shutter Island was a fantastic film but yeah, you can't discuss taste I guess.
Not even in the same ballpark, but I know what you're saying.
Yeah, Shutter Island was after the remake of The Departed, which scarred Mockney for life I guess. I'm going to put it down to that, there's no other explanation.
Cheers, considering that I have seen (and liked) Infernal Affairs I think I will give this one a miss.
I think Scorsese is undoubtedly one of the greatest directors of all time, certainly on a technical level, but I definitely think his recent output is overrated. Gangs of New York, Departed, Aviator & Wolf have all be nominated for Best Picture at both the Oscars and the Baftas and I thought none of them deserved it (possibly The Aviator) Gangs got 10 nominations. 10!! It's to do with perception probably. Maybe if they'd all been underrated films I'd have championed them (except for The Departed. Never The Departed) it's very plausible.
His older stuff I think is generally fantastic. Though I thought Raging Bull was quite uninvolving for such a beautifully made film. Quite similar to Wolf in fact, only much more arty.
You should probably still watch it. Different opinions and all.
His recent output has all been epic in scope, with A grade casts and a couple of towering performances. Tailor made for Oscars.
But you're right, none of the last decade will be looked back on as fondly as his earlier work (barring maybe Hugo, which I really think was top drawer and showed terrific versatility). The critical acclaim certainly hasn't been as strong, despite the awards guff.
Thank you! You have pretty much 100% explained my feelings for The Departed. When I was studying my MA, they used The Departed as some sort of pedestal, a case study on how to create a great thriller film with an intricate plot. When I put my hand up and said they just ripped off Infernal Affairs and made it worse, I was looked at by the class as if I was some idiot moron. I wish you were there that day!
The film is ok but working in post production means I always notice these things because I guess my mind subconsciously looks out for it and when a Hollywood film with the budgets they have make stupid editing and sound errors, it really annoys me. Just a pet hate I suppose but yes, otherwise, the film isnt too bad.
The King of Comedy
Goodfellas
The Last Temptation of Christ
Taxi Driver
After Hours
Are my fav Scorsese films, none made since the beginning of the 90's when his original voice and work sort of ebbed out. I still fairly enjoyed stuff like Gangs, Aviator, Hugo and Casino but they didn't leave much of a mark.
I really enjoyed the Bob Dylan documentary though and I have the George Harrison one ready to watch.
Goodfellas
The Last Temptation of Christ
Taxi Driver
After Hours
Are my fav Scorsese films, none made since the beginning of the 90's when his original voice and work sort of ebbed out. I still fairly enjoyed stuff like Gangs, Aviator, Hugo and Casino but they didn't leave much of a mark.
I really enjoyed the Bob Dylan documentary though and I have the George Harrison one ready to watch.