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SMB Film Thread 2026

A Crooked Somebody (2017)


Michael Vaughan (Rich Sommer - not the ex Cricketer) and his girlfriend Chelsea (Joanne Froggatt) are a team working on a psychic medium con. Chelsea begins to get concerned about the situation. But Vaughan is taken hostage by a Nathan (Clifton Collins). He was responsible for the murder of James Bishop some years ago and wants Vaughan to contact the spirit of the man in order to express his remorse and to contact his daughter. Nathan leads Vaughan to the burial site. But instead of contacting the police he chooses to contact the TV and to capitalize on his new found fame. Chelsea sees a relationship between Vaugh and Nathan as not Captive-Captor but more of two people in collusion when she believed he was kidnapped and forced against his will. This angers her. Bishops daughter Stacey (Amanda Crew) agrees to meet with Vaughan on like TV but sees the meeting as a chance to spring a trap on Vaughan and expose him as a fraud by revealing details that never happened as Vaughan claims. She alleges that someone who was not a spirit led him to the site and the only person who could was the murderer. Chelsea gets kidnapped by Nathan and threatens to correct the situation or he will turn himself in and confess. Vaughan bludgeons Nathan to death and Chelsea has him arrested. Some years later Vaughan sees her on TV with Dr. Phil (himself) and claims she never knew of the fraud but exposes him when she realized - making her rich and famous.

Ed Harris stars as Vaughan's father.
 

I'm not sure that the future of the world's movie heritage is in good hands. Students at film school now find it an unbearable chore to watch films. No matter, it seems that, according to the SMB, some of the greatest films ever made are shite anyway.

In an anecdote that
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, the University of Wisconsin Madison professor Jeff Smith recalled asking his students about the ending of the 1962 François Truffaut film Jules and Jim. Horowitch writes: “More than half of the class picked one of the wrong options, saying that characters hide from the Nazis (the film takes place during World War I) or get drunk with Ernest Hemingway (who does not appear in the movie).”
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Drifter said:
Shelter (omniplex). Jason stathham is a man with a past. Lots of familiar ideas cobbled together in search of a plot. Never really gets going and despite its best attempts it has no heart. 5/10
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Isn't that every Jason Statham film?
Normally an hour and a half of him kicking the shit outta some crime group.😅
 
Drifter said:
That’s what I was expecting. Bit more of a slow burner before the shit kicking.
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Saw one the other week, a construction worker working for a Mexican boss who was gonna be extorted. Unfortunately the bad lads didn't realise the foreman (statham) ....had a past😆
 
Just back from watching Primate. Was canny, bit different.

Chimp that's been part of the family for years gets rabies and goes mental.

Few gory brutal bits in it.
 
Rammstein said:
Indeed.... and a HUGE honourable mention for ' The Wanderers '.


Amazing how some folks seem to reveal themselves in one sentence.....
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As what?
I am correct in what I said.
It is a black film, and deliberately made to showcase black film making.
  • Themes: Sinners explores the "sin" of the past returning to haunt the characters, alongside themes of racial injustice, the Great Migration, and the exploitation of Black culture. The vampires serve as metaphors for historical oppression.
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I'll await an apology, but certainly won't hold my breath waiting.
 
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The Wrecking Crew - Really is borderline take your brain out or just be brain dead, I thought the chemistry was good enough to carry the film, although by the last 10-15 minutes I was wanting it to finish. Absolute carnage across the Island, with dozens of innocents wiped out without a flinch from the cops or the hero's batting an eyelid. Probably a generous 6/10
 
Song sung blue - Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson in a true story of 2 club singers who team up to form a Neil Diamond tribute band, excellent film that is both uplifting and heartbreaking with fantastic performances from the 2 leads, 8/10.

Sinners - Watched it to see what the oscar fuss is sbout as its not my usual type of film, really enjoyed it though, shades of "from dusk till dawn", will get a few of the awards without doubt, another 8/10
 
10 Gary Rowells said:
I Swear
A true tale about a young lad from Scotland with Tourettes. Exceptionally moving, funny at times and life affirming. Best film I've seen for ages. 10/10

Marty Supreme
Decent but quite a slight story. Timothy Chalamat is clearly a brilliant actor but the film didn't match up to the hype. 6/10
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Got both those on this week's 'to watch' list. 👍
 
Off the back watching Weapons the other week I decided to revisit Training Day and Copland, both excellent and have stood the test of time.
 
Is This Thing On? (2026) - Omniplex

Comedy directed by Bradley Cooper about a man whose marriage breaks down, and then accidentally finds himself on stage at a comedy club open mike. Turns out he isn't terrible at stand up and he continues as a form of therapy/midlife crisis. I find out afterwards it's apparently based loosely on John Bishop, though I've never actually seen anything else he's don't or know anyone about him.

It was ok; funny and quite charming in parts. However, the basic set up (accidentally ending up on stage doing comedy on the night a your marriage breaks down) reminded so much of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel on Prime. That was such a terrific show, and I spent most of this film just thinking about how much I loved that show and wanting to go back and watch that instead!

6/10
 
Speakeasy said:
the basic set up (accidentally ending up on stage doing comedy on the night a your marriage breaks down) reminded so much of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel on Prime. That was such a terrific show, and I spent most of this film just thinking about how much I loved that show and wanting to go back and watch that instead!
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there's some irony in that i know its basically about john bishop & have never heard of the marvellous mrs maisel! :lol: we're obviously opposites! :lol:
 
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