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SMB Film Thread 2025

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Monty Pigeon said:
Rambling Rose (1991) 8/10
During the Depression in the Deep South, a nymphomaniac ex-prostitute (Laura Dern) is taken in by an eccentric family headed by Robert Duvall. Interesting script that includes a controversial scene - sensitively directed by Martha Coolidge - in which Laura Dern shares a bed with a 13-year-old boy.
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Rounders (1998) 7/10
Decent film in which Matt Damon is a poker hustler trying to go straight, but ends up in debt thanks to his ex-con best mate Edward Norton. Totally derailed by John Malkovich with one of the worst accents ever committed to film.
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The Room Next Door (2024) 8/10
Pedro Almodovar's first English-language film. Tilda Swinton as a former war reporter stricken with cancer, Julianne Moore as her novelist best friend. Not top drawer Almodovar, but a good illustration of why he's one of the best directors of women.
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Really enojoyed rounders I'd have it as an 8 feels very Good Will Hunting vibes
 
Training Day (2001) 8.5/10

A rogue cop (Denzel Washington) takes in an aspiring detective on his first day (Ethan Hawke) around the streets of L.A. An enjoyable watch with a fair few cameos (some good, some bad) and the film that made a name of Eva Mendes. Both lead actors do a great job.

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Accidentally posted in the 2024 thread 🤦🏻‍♂️

Just been to see Flight risk. One of the worst movies ive seen at the cinema if not at all. If that's the standard of movies coming out at the cinema then no wonder they are all closing down.

Not sure how they managed to convince Mark Wahlberg to do that.
 
Sicario (2015)

Revisited this tonight. Super directing from Denis Villeneuve, cinematography from Roger Deakins and performances from Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro and a career best from Emily Blunt, with an ominous score for the ages. A haunting aura set against the backdrop of the war on drugs at the US/Mexican border. FILMS.

10/10
 
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Drexl said:
Sicario (2015)

Revisited this tonight. Super directing from Denis Villeneuve, cinematography from Roger Deakins and performances from Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro and a career best from Emily Blunt, with an ominous score for the ages. A haunting aura set against the backdrop of the war on drugs at the US/Mexican border. FILMS.

10/10
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Excellent film, the follow up is strangely Aliens to Alien in it's relentless pace.
 
Drexl said:
Sicario (2015)

Revisited this tonight. Super directing from Denis Villeneuve, cinematography from Roger Deakins and performances from Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro and a career best from Emily Blunt, with an ominous score for the ages. A haunting aura set against the backdrop of the war on drugs at the US/Mexican border. FILMS.

10/10
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It’s absolutely excellent isn’t it. The score is perfect.
 
Drexl said:
Sicario (2015)

Revisited this tonight. Super directing from Denis Villeneuve, cinematography from Roger Deakins and performances from Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro and a career best from Emily Blunt, with an ominous score for the ages. A haunting aura set against the backdrop of the war on drugs at the US/Mexican border. FILMS.

10/10
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That reminds me, my pod should have a Spotlight on Denis Villeneuve one of these times
 
back in action - Jamie foxx Cameron Diaz,daft but enjoyable spy action comedy 6.5/10
Civil war - no context to anything that was going on, don’t think it could decide what it wanted to be 5/10
 
January stats:

Watched 46
Current watchlist 377

Highlights:
The Queen of My Dreams [2023] 10/10
Nye [2024] 10/10
Das Boot [1981] 9/10
The Room Next Door [2024] 8/10
Val [2021] 8/10
The Connection [2021] 8/10
Nosferatu [2024] 8/10
Kill the Jockey [2024] 8/10
Two For the Road [1967] 8/10
Funny Face [1957] 8/10
Flow [2024] 8/10
 
Small Things Like These (2024) - 6/10 - Pretty drab movie starring Cilliam Murphy as a father with a troubled past who we watch go about his business as a coal merchant before getting involved with the goings on at a convent.
 
Local Lad said:
Accidentally posted in the 2024 thread 🤦🏻‍♂️

Just been to see Flight risk. One of the worst movies ive seen at the cinema if not at all. If that's the standard of movies coming out at the cinema then no wonder they are all closing down.

Not sure how they managed to convince Mark Wahlberg to do that.
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In fairness, that trailer felt like it was going to be a Netflix film which is generally a bad sign
 
He Walked By Night (1948)

In a completely unpredictable move, I settled down to watch another noir yesterday. A random YouTube pick I’d never heard of.

Richard Basehart is stopped by a cop lurking around a shop front. He guns him down in cold blood. So begins a police procedural manhunt led by Scott Brady’s team. They hit dead end after dead end, until Whit Bissell’s electronics business owner offers a clue.

An engrossing film that relies quite heavily on the viewer’s ability to accept the actions of a criminal without any explanation. We are not given any insight into why the villain commits the acts he does. Things are hinted at, and I made several guesses, but nothing is confirmed. It may be something to do with the fact that the film was loosely based on a contemporary event, and maybe they wanted to restrain the film to the ‘facts’. I didn’t mind this decision, because I enjoyed the intriguing nature of Basehart’s character, like his dedication to his dog.

The real winner here, though, is the photography. There’s some wonderful lighting and camera angles, creating a fantastic sense of atmosphere, especially in the finale. I wouldn’t say it’s anywhere near a top rank noir, but for a quick watch B movie, it’s entertaining and quite gripping in places.

7/10
 
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Doogie Hauser said:
He Walked By Night (1948)

In a completely unpredictable move, I settled down to watch another noir yesterday. A random YouTube pick I’d never heard of.

Richard Basehart is stopped by a cop lurking around a shop front. He guns him down in cold blood. So begins a police procedural manhunt led by Scott Brady’s team. They hit dead end after dead end, until Whit Bissell’s electronics business owner offers a clue.

An engrossing film that relies quite heavily on the viewer’s ability to accept the actions of a criminal without any explanation. We are not given any insight into why the villain commits the acts he does. Things are hinted at, and I made several guesses, but nothing is confirmed. It may be something to do with the fact that the film was loosely based on a contemporary event, and maybe they wanted to restrain the film to the ‘facts’. I didn’t mind this decision, because I enjoyed the intriguing nature of Basehart’s character, like his dedication to his dog.

The real winner here, though, is the photography. There’s some wonderful lighting and camera angles, creating a fantastic sense of atmosphere, especially in the finale. I wouldn’t say it’s anywhere near a top rank noir, but for a quick watch B movie, it’s entertaining and quite gripping in places.

7/10
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Never heard of it. I’ll have a look. Cheers.
The shadows and angles aspect of the whole film noir genre apparently came from the 30s-40s influx of German and Eastern European Jewish film industry workers fleeing to the US. They were used to working quickly and cheaply and had developed the shadowy style to avoid having to dress a set up completely enough to resemble the room it was supposed to be. IE bedroom, living room, office etc etc.
 
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