All On Syphon Filter

Now as everyone here knows I'm a passionate gamer, but I do go in and out of phases and when I’m not in the mood for gaming I usually go and watch a heap of movies or TV show DVD box sets.

Well recently I had one of these phases of mine and I ended up watched some really great films, most of them were Aussie films that you guys probably can’t get but there was a couple of Hollywood films that I suggest to just about everyone: The Prestige (2006) and Stargate: Continuum (2008).

Unless you’ve seen all ten series of Stargate: SG1 (and the other movie) then you most likely won’t enjoy the latter, but the former is one of the best films I’ve ever seen.

So what films have you seen lately?

I used to fallow the StarGate series more closely, but I've dropped out.

I've always been more into video games than movies, but since maybe 2 years I've started to watch more and more movies (thanks to my girlfriend)... and I like that!

Well I've seen a bunch of good pictures, more or less recently. One I would definitely recommand, one that has become a classic for my girlfriend and I, is Mel Brook's musical The Producers (the 2005 remake). It features Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane who both deliver stunning performances! Yeah I know, I sound like one of those stupid magazine critics, but it's really a good show. One of the rare movies that had me laugh from the beginning to the end (most comedies you kinda get tired after the first half and even if the rest is good, you don't laugh as much). The first scene between Lane and Brodewick is one of the funniest ones I've ever watched! Seriously, if you want a good laugh, The Producers is a safe bet! Plus the other aspects of the movies are great too: songs are entertaining and very well arranged, costumes, set design and so on.

When!? When did you drop out!? What season!? I demand an answer!

Just kidding mate, since the end of Star Trek it’s been the pinnacle of science fiction (TV wise) in my opinion, so I’ve bought or rented every series of SG1 and Atlantis. These shows are produced in Canada aren’t they? And I’m sure my favourite show is also Canadian, The Dead Zone (although series 5 was really strange).

I’ll take note of your recommendation about The Producers, Mel Brooks made Robin Hood: Men in Tights didn’t he? I remember that was a very comical film (saw it over ten years ago) and I don’t usually remember comedies because I’m not a big fan of them.

Also, I’m going to mention those Aussie films cause they might just be available around the world:

Lantana (2001)
Excellent drama/mystery film, probably the best I’ve ever seen. Anthony LaPaglia, Geoffrey Rush, Barbara Hershey, Kerry Armstrong and a small but great role by Vince Colosimo.

Getting Square (2003)
English style crime comedy, I had to stop the film constantly because I was laughing so much. Sam Worthington, David Wenham, Timothy Spall (whoa I just found out he did the voice of Barry in GTA: VCS), Freya Stafford and Gary Sweet.

There are others but it’s late.

I agree, to me SG is the best science-fiction series in a long time. So much cheap crap is produced in sci-fi so this one really stands out (not as crap, but as quality production!).
Is it really canadian? I thought it was american. But I might be wrong...


Yup, that's the man. That's funny, because my girlfriend just made me watch Robin Hood: Men in Thights recently. It was good, but in that genre I prefered SpaceBall! Rick Moranis (Dark Helmet) is so much fun to watch in this movie.

I've never seen the australian movies you mentionned. But I've watched a movie entitled Alexandra's Project that you might know of. Not all movies from Australia make it to Canada, so I guess if this one did it must have been something big. Anyway, it was kinda a freaky story.

I'm positive SG:1 and SG: Atlantis are American productions that are filmed mostly in Canada.



Wow, an Aussie film that I have not seen. I will now be tracking this down and watching it, thanks for bringing this to my attention and I haven't seen Spaceball in years as well.

Rent a movie called Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundi, a comedy featuring Will Farrell and Steve Carell (old buddies from Saturday Night Live). I had seen a few scenes a couple of years ago and thought it was very funny so I wanted to see the whole movie. I did expect a faster-paced movie, but some jokes were just great. Not just vulgar stuff like so many movies these years are made from. It was absurd, yet complex humor. I liked it a lot and had a good time watching it.
Steve Carell, although he does not have many scenes, is always great and funny each time his character comes to the screen.

I’ve been reluctant to rent that film, I’ve seen some of it and didn’t like the style; American slapstick comedy (hey I’m stupid so laugh at me). I am willing to give just about anything a go though, so I’ll check it out.

Has anyone seen Steamboy?

It’s an animation made by the same guy who made Akira, it took 10 years to development this film apparently. Anyway, this is one awesome film, set in the 1900’s when the human race was on the verge of the industrial age. It’s basically about science and technology and it’s repercussions on the world, I did not expect it to be so good when I saw it about six months ago.

It has damn good voice-actors too, lead by Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard from Star Trek: TNG) and some other bloke who’s name escapes me (this guys voice is very ambient). Definitely rent this film, even if it does have a slight kids movie feel about it overall, the plot certainly does not!

Never heard of this title before. I'll see if I can't find it here.

About Anchorman, it's in my opinion better than the average stupid comedy movie. I'm not a fan either of teenage comedies (such as American Pie or Superbad), so if I enjoyed this one it's because it's more than that. Not as many jokes or punches per minute than some other movies, but it's what makes it better : they don't throw jokes in only to throw jokes in, if you know what I mean.

I went over to a mate’s house last night and he was watching one of the American Pie films, the latest one I think, since I have not seen any of them I wasn’t sure.

Right from the start this movie was a disgrace, the first scene was absolutely pathetic. Now I did laugh during the one hour of it that I saw, but that was at the womanising acts of the guys, not at the dumb acts of stupidity (like pissing in a mate’s face) or the rants of the women/girls about how men run around the world with their dicks out.

This is the exact crap I cannot stand, I walked out after an hour (told my mate’s I had to be somewhere). What are people thinking making complete crap like this and what are film companies thinking when they pay people to make crap like this! I thought films were supposed to be art, not an excuse to.... I should stop before I go on a big rant....

I'm totally with you there, believe me!


Well, although I'm not a fan of such movies, I do not agree that all of them have only an artistic purpose. Today, entertainment have taken a large part in the ciname business and wheter we like it or not, it's a trend that has its legitimacy too. What good is a movie with the greatest artistic qualities if it's plain boring when you watch it? I just think that both types have their right to be and the beauty of it is that we have enough choice to find what will fit our tastes.

Anyway, that was my little philosophical aside!

Yeah, yeah, yeah... I suppose I agree, I just get so irate when I see that kind of meaningless production, I see it as a complete waste of time and money, both could have been spent doing something productive (like a documentary).

But I do see your point and I agree.... to each his own.

Yeah I get your point too. I must say I am a little desperate when I see so many crap movies being more succesful than what I think are greater pictures. I rationalize by thinking what I just wrote, e.i. that I cannot deny to right of those who like this genre to enjoy it.

There's new movie by the Coen brothers: Burn after reading. I hear it's a dark comedy, miles away from their last No Country for Old Man. I've heard a few critics who seemed rather enthousiastic about it. I did enjoy No Country for Old Man, so I think I'll give this new one a shot.

I don’t know these names but I actually like dark comedies more than the traditional one’s, probably because most Aussie comedies are exactly that, doom and gloom scenarios that we somehow find to be humorous when acted out by everyday (somewhat stupid) people.

I just finished Stargate: Atlantis series 4 and what a good season it was too. Well I have some bad news for those who don’t know, series 5 will be the last of SA (nooooooo!), funds are given as the reason.

Now I have to hope that the Star Trek revival rumours are true or the backlash from the axing of SA will be so great that they go and make the third Stargate show they have been talking about for years now.

*Edit*

I'd best go and watch some the movies that have been recommended, otherwise my films-to-watch list will end up being too long!

Well, No Country for Old Man won the Academy Awards for best pictures last year.

I actually am going to see Burn After Reading in a few minutes, so I'll be able to tell you more after that!

I've never been a fan of the Star Trek series, but I did enjoy the old movies more than the new ones. That makes me wonder about the good a new ST film could do.

The ST film is apparently set during Kirk’s time period, so you might like it more than you would expect, me on the other hand, can’t stand the old ST (except Spock) so I doubt I’ll like it very much.

I see. Well I'll give it its chance then.

I’m about to start watching ST Enterprise again, even though it has the worst intro of all ST’s (except the awesome dark-mirror universe episodes), it turned out to be my favourite ST show and I don’t even really know why.