What was the best film you saw this week? (04/12/2017 – 10/12/2017)
The way this works is that you post a review of the best film you saw last week. It doesn't have to be a new release, just any film you have seen over the last seven days that you feel is worth talking about. Here are some rules.
1. Check to see if your favourite film of last week has been posted already.
2. Please post your favourite film of last week.
3. NO TV SHOWS!
4. ALWAYS use spoiler tags. Report any comments that spoil recent / little-known films (e.g. Blade Runner 2049, Murder on the Orient Express) without using the spoiler tag.
5. Comments that only contain the title of the film will be removed!
Here are some great comments from last week's thread:
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Probably a cliche answer here, but Citizen Kane. As this classic film opens Charles Foster Kane lies dying in Xanadu, his palatial home in Florida. The last word he speaks is 'Rosebud'. A newsreel film about his life in which we learn how he acquired a failing New York newspaper, rose to prominence, stood for the governorship, married and divorced (twice) before retreating to Xanadu and becoming a recluse. After this reporter Jerry Thompson is told to find a different angle to the story; in particular the meaning of 'rosebud'. Over the course of his investigation he talks to Kane's second wife; reads through the archives of Walter Thatcher, the man who raised young Kane; he also talks to his business manager, Mr. Bernstein and former closest friend Jedediah Leland. As Thompson sees each of them we see snippets of Kane's life… how he was effectively sold as a child when gold was found on his mother's land; his idealist sentiments when he took over the newspaper; how he later manipulates public opinion; stands up to a corrupt governor only to be brought down by a scandal that ends his first marriage; a second marriage where he is determined to put his new wife, a singer, on the stage even if she knows she isn't good enough and ultimately how after others can't stand his controlling ways he dies in his private palace. This film is rightly considered one of the greatest films ever made; this isn't just because it contains a fine story that is told in an interesting way but because of how innovative it was at the time it was made. This alone makes it a must see for fans of cinema. Orson Welles dominates the film; playing Kane through a variety of ages as well as writing, directing and producing the films. Even so he isn't carrying the film alone; all of the main cast are very impressive. The mystery behind 'rosebud' is intriguing but ultimately proves to be a McGuffin used to get Thompson to look more deeply into Kane's life and it is this life that drives the story. The way the story is told via a series of flashbacks works well as each person Thomson talks to reveals another aspect of Kane's life. Overall I'd say that this is a great film and certainly an important one; I don't know if it is the greatest but it is certainly in the running for that title.
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Jurassic Park – It was the first time for my younger brother, and the first time for me since I had been much younger. It's really, really, really good. This is one of those films you know you enjoyed before but when you watch it again with experienced eyes you are simply astounded by the sheer skill that went into making it. It's a masterclass in building tension. Every scare feels deserved, every (surprisingly frequent) violent moment got me gasping out loud. My boy Tim is a fuckin soldier. The amount of shit those kids lived through! The plot is a constant thrill without being suffocating or tiring, it's a perfect 'edge-of-your-seat' film. The effects are still bloody amazing, John Williams' score is still bloody phenomenal, the dialogue is still bloody great. The characters are all interesting, if not outright likeable. All in all I finished it having felt like I had just got off the biggest rollercoaster after avoiding it for a while and thinking 'damn, why did I not do this sooner?'
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This week I've actually gone back and watched Blade II for what feels like the 100th time which is a bit of hyperbole but I used to watch this film all the time when I was a kid. It's amazing how well this movie still holds up even now. It's a perfectly good action/horror film which is incredibly fun to watch no matter how many times I've seen it. The characters in this are super memorable even if the vast majority of the Blood Pack outside of Reinhardt could've done with some more scenes. Wesley Snipes is perfectly cast as Blade, the action scenes are super cool, the lines are really cheesy but that's all part of the fun, the music used in the film is particularly memorable (specifically in that club scene), the film also does a good job with the whole vampire mythos in particular with the stuff about Nomak and the Reapers and even getting to see how the vampires spend their time around other vampires in a club environment too. It's a damn shame what happened with Blade: Trinity after such a well done film like this one, I means sure this film has its flaws but I find them easy to look past considering how much sheer joy watching this film brings me. Therefore Blade II is the best film I've seen all week bar none, that very well could change considering I'm planning on watching even more of my old favorites this week as well!
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