Let's have a films thread.

[MC Prussian]

Came for Nicholas Winding Refn, stayed for Sophie Thatcher:

 

[urban.spaceman]

Moana (2026 live action)

 

This film has no reason to exist and The Rock agrees. I’ve never seen an actor ‘phone in’ a role with such profound contempt for the film he’s in before. 
 

People who enjoyed the original might enjoy this, but “live action” seems to mean in this case “actors in costume on a soundstage against a green screen fighting CGI for the entire film”.
 

You could layer it over the original and it would be exactly the same shot for shot. Like the ‘creatives’ and crew were just going through the motions with no interest for it. There’s no real craft in this film.

 

I’m so glad this bombed, it deserved to. Enough of this shite. 

[Guest]

The Odyssey is great. Won't forget those pigs in a hurry.

[leicsmac]

40 minutes ago, Guest said:

The Odyssey is great. Won't forget those pigs in a hurry.

Seconded, watched it today, impressive retelling of that portion of the Iliad.

[Blarmy]

Bugonia - excellent in all aspects. Cast, acting, story, cinematography, soundtrack all top notch. Good message too.

[MC Prussian]

This looks fun:

Kenneth Branagh in great shape, fights like he's 30.

[TheGoldenGod]

An underwhelming trailer this! Didn't even realise that was RDJ's voice in the beginning though so that's intriguing at least.

[MC Prussian]

Has potential.

 

[MC Prussian]

Body Double (1984) is hilarious. An absurdist thriller with comedy elements. Plus Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

 

Rear Window, but with a claustrophobic Peeping Tom as the protagonist.

 

And a young, scantily clad Melanie Griffith... in leather.

Definitely some rewatch value in there.

Edited Wednesday at 20:48 by MC Prussian

[urban.spaceman]

Thoughts on The Odyssey. A bit spoilery but I'll put the main stuff behind a spoiler thingy. I mean the story's 3000 years old for ****s sake. 

 

Saw it on the XPlus in town the other day so probably a diminished experience but there's no chance I'm waiting till mid September to see it at the BFI. 

 

I did enjoy it, though I did agree with a couple of mates while walking out that it was very Nolan-y. Probably half an hour too long, inconsistent pacing and a bit too non-linear where it needn't be (or feels like so during the film). 

 

The cyclops scene was incredible. The sound design was brilliant. The Circe scene with Samantha Morton was unbelievable - she's easily up for an Oscar for that and so should production design. Pattinson was expertly ****y as Antinius and fully earned his downfall at the end. The Athena reveal was handled really well too. The Laestrygonians felt a bit like something out of a 70s Terry Gilliam film which I loved. 

 

Other standout performers in their brief screen time were John Leguizamo (excellent), Lupiita Nyong'o, Elliot Page and Himesh Patel. Jon Bernthall, Tom Holland and Zendaya were good. 

 

I did think it suffered a bit from pacing and felt a bit disappointed that we were already moving on from some scenes and set pieces while watching them - the Sirens, Charybdis and Scylla sequences were over and done with very quickly and I don't think the SFX worked that well with the latter when it came to showing the monster IMO. The Calypso scenes seemed to meander a bit too much too. 

 

One bit that made me laugh is near the beginning, knowing already how much Nolan

likes to achieve as much in camera as possible; they had to set up Argos the dog for the pay off at the end of the story but they introduce it by showing Odysseus and Eumaeus lobbing puppies off a cliff. I thought to myself "****ing hell how many puppies did Nolan sacrifice for this film?!?!"

 

I didn't expect some of the themes explored by Nolan but enjoyed them and thought they worked really well. 

 

Nolan - and film - purists will likely love it - regular cinema goes should find a lot to enjoy but I have to say the practical, old-fashioned filmmaking is what really elevates this beyond other films. The cinematography is gorgeous and if had been made by any other filmmaker, most of the stand out scenes like Cyclops, Laestrygonians, Circe, the fight scene at the end, probably wouldn't land as well as they do here. 

 

Seeing it again tonight. 

[MC Prussian]

More than 4 million views in less than a day. Zach Cregger effect.

 

[SemperEadem]

To my shame I have never been to the Phoenix.

[Silebyfox_89]

On 23/07/2026 at 14:12, urban.spaceman said:

Thoughts on The Odyssey. A bit spoilery but I'll put the main stuff behind a spoiler thingy. I mean the story's 3000 years old for ****s sake. 

 

Saw it on the XPlus in town the other day so probably a diminished experience but there's no chance I'm waiting till mid September to see it at the BFI. 

 

I did enjoy it, though I did agree with a couple of mates while walking out that it was very Nolan-y. Probably half an hour too long, inconsistent pacing and a bit too non-linear where it needn't be (or feels like so during the film). 

 

The cyclops scene was incredible. The sound design was brilliant. The Circe scene with Samantha Morton was unbelievable - she's easily up for an Oscar for that and so should production design. Pattinson was expertly ****y as Antinius and fully earned his downfall at the end. The Athena reveal was handled really well too. The Laestrygonians felt a bit like something out of a 70s Terry Gilliam film which I loved. 

 

Other standout performers in their brief screen time were John Leguizamo (excellent), Lupiita Nyong'o, Elliot Page and Himesh Patel. Jon Bernthall, Tom Holland and Zendaya were good. 

 

I did think it suffered a bit from pacing and felt a bit disappointed that we were already moving on from some scenes and set pieces while watching them - the Sirens, Charybdis and Scylla sequences were over and done with very quickly and I don't think the SFX worked that well with the latter when it came to showing the monster IMO. The Calypso scenes seemed to meander a bit too much too. 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

One bit that made me laugh is near the beginning, knowing already how much Nolan

likes to achieve as much in camera as possible; they had to set up Argos the dog for the pay off at the end of the story but they introduce it by showing Odysseus and Eumaeus lobbing puppies off a cliff. I thought to myself "****ing hell how many puppies did Nolan sacrifice for this film?!?!"

 

 

I didn't expect some of the themes explored by Nolan but enjoyed them and thought they worked really well. 

 

Nolan - and film - purists will likely love it - regular cinema goes should find a lot to enjoy but I have to say the practical, old-fashioned filmmaking is what really elevates this beyond other films. The cinematography is gorgeous and if had been made by any other filmmaker, most of the stand out scenes like Cyclops, Laestrygonians, Circe, the fight scene at the end, probably wouldn't land as well as they do here. 

 

Seeing it again tonight. 

I was it last night and agree with this statement.

The sound effects were too loud to hear the actors clearly and reminded of the Dark Knight rises.

The Circe scene was good and I enjoyed the final fight scene the most. I agree the acting by all was top tier with John Leguizamo the standout.

I agree it was very Nolany I felt it was a good film without being great. I thought Oppenhiemer was a better film overall for a  variety of reasons. 

Will probably pick up a few Oscars for SFX and set designs and maybe a nomination for Damon.

7.5/10 for me.

[CosbehFox]

On 24/07/2026 at 09:37, SemperEadem said:

To my shame I have never been to the Phoenix.

I’ve started to use a lot more over the last year. Brilliant place, really should cherished by the Leicester public. Their brunch deal on Sundays is excellent 

[CosbehFox]

Really enjoyed the Odyssey, didn’t find the critique of being too long either. Probably Nolan’s least Nolan film I can think other than a couple of early ones. The immediate thought that came to mind is the narrative similarities to Interstellar, 

[SemperEadem]

4 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

I’ve started to use a lot more over the last year. Brilliant place, really should cherished by the Leicester public. Their brunch deal on Sundays is excellent 

How do you feel it does?

Ive got this worry it’s something the city would regret losing.

[CosbehFox]

18 minutes ago, SemperEadem said:

How do you feel it does?

Ive got this worry it’s something the city would regret losing.

Mixed bag. I’ve been in sometimes and the place is packed out. Apparently the last two weekends it’s been very busy with the Odyssey. Then you’ll pop in on a Monday and it’s dead. Food offering is a bit expensive but very good quality there. I keep meaning to walk out that way for a coffee when im in town for work. They made the right decent to close on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 

Edited 17 hours ago by CosbehFox

[Stuntman_Mike]

On 24/07/2026 at 09:37, SemperEadem said:

To my shame I have never been to the Phoenix.

I recommend their mystery film night which is usually last Friday of each month. You have no idea what they're showing until the opening credits. 

 

Something different and not expensive. 

[Muzzy_no7]

5 hours ago, CosbehFox said:

Really enjoyed the Odyssey, didn’t find the critique of being too long either. Probably Nolan’s least Nolan film I can think other than a couple of early ones. The immediate thought that came to mind is the narrative similarities to Interstellar, 

I liked it but was it as good as Inception and Interstellar? No

 

Would I watch it again and again over the years like the above? Probably not.

 

Oppenheimer also better IMO.

 

In fact, Chuck the Dark Knight films in there too.

 

Its better than Tenet and Dunkirk though.

[MonkeyTennis?]

On 23/07/2026 at 14:12, urban.spaceman said:

Saw it on the XPlus in town the other day so probably a diminished experience but there's no chance I'm waiting till mid September to see it at the BFI. 

If you are not able to see it in 70mm IMAX (and who is, really, in the UK, with so few screens?), I would say that Xplus at Showcase is a strong alternative. The screen is nice and big, but the sound is pretty much the best I have ever encountered. Xplus is certainly as good as digital IMAX (I saw Interstellar in various formats, including at the BFI IMAX, but Xplus worked best).

 

Personally I thought The Odyssey was a total masterpiece.

[Milo]

37 minutes ago, MonkeyTennis? said:

If you are not able to see it in 70mm IMAX (and who is, really, in the UK, with so few screens?), I would say that Xplus at Showcase is a strong alternative. The screen is nice and big, but the sound is pretty much the best I have ever encountered. Xplus is certainly as good as digital IMAX (I saw Interstellar in various formats, including at the BFI IMAX, but Xplus worked best).

 

Personally I thought The Odyssey was a total masterpiece.

I went to a local IMAX* this morning to see it. 8am showing was the only one with seats left! Family still in bed, me on my own with a Starbucks latte and a giant tub of popcorn. Bliss. 

 

*Technically not a true IMAX, but I think only BFI and Science Museum are (?) 

 

Thoroughly enjoyed it - it reminded me of the Saturday morning Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts movies I used to watch as a kid. With a dollop of Gladiator and Indiana Jones thrown in. 

 

One issue, although its definitely not specific to this film, is the fecking mumbling. What's wrong with the audience being able to hear what is being said, ffs???