Chimpomatic

Going The Distance

Tame, mainstream studio-does-indie, long-distance romance flick. 'Like Crazy' was better.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

15th Oct 2011

Skyline

Inept, D-list (Milo from 24) sci-fi, playing out unexplained global alien invasion as sexy-teen horror.

#JustWatched
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#CSF

15th Oct 2011

Radiohead

TKOL RMX 1234567

Never thought I'd say this but what a YOL (Yawn Out Loud), totally unnecessary.

#OnRotation
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#BC

14th Oct 2011

American Horror Story

Loopy, OTT haunted house hysteria from Ryan "Nip/Tuck,Glee" Murphy. Jessica Lange gets best lines.

#Screened
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#chimp71

14th Oct 2011

Misfits S3E1

Cracking opener for UK's premiere asbo-superheroes. Newbie Joe Gilgun has the energy to fill Nathan hole.

#Screened
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#chimp71

12th Oct 2011

Contagion

Post-Sars Outbreak update w big international cast. Convincing, but does it say more than "global virus = v bad news"?

#Screened
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#chimp71

11th Oct 2011

Cyrus

Mumblecore goes mainstream, though this black comedy still keeps it dark and indie.

#JustWatched
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#CSF

11th Oct 2011

Nowhere Boy

Dull, biography-by-numbers of pre-interesting John Lennon from Sam Taylor-Wood.

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#CSF

9th Oct 2011

A Prophet

Well handled but slightly shapeless French take on 'Scarface'.

#JustWatched
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#CSF

8th Oct 2011

Real Steel

Amusing, one-dimensional kids action movie, the likes of which we haven't seen since 'Over The Top'.

#JustWatched
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#CSF

7th Oct 2011

DJ Shadow

The Less You Know The Better

Got a definite late 90's vibe but these beats are booming. Welcome back.

#OnRotation
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#BC

7th Oct 2011

The Ides Of March

Tightly wound, narrow-focus political thriller w Ryan Gilbey working the room for Gov Clooney.

#Screened
#Film
#chimp71

6th Oct 2011

Homeland

Clare Danes makes surprise Jack Bauer material in plotty CIA war on terror thriller with potential.

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#chimp71

5th Oct 2011

The Fall

Luscious, lavish art house epic. Painfully slow, with the emotional depth of a 90's Levi's ad.

#JustWatched
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#CSF

3rd Oct 2011

The Kids Are All Right

Engaging family dynamics drama that goes off the boil in act three.

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#CSF

2nd Oct 2011

The Town

Entertaining heist movie with zero originality. Literally every beat is pinched from another classic.

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#CSF

1st Oct 2011

The Tree of Life

Unique, ambitious, hypnotic masterpiece that makes it's own rules. Arthouse cinema on an epic scale.

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#CSF

27th Sep 2011

Girls

Father, Son, Holy Ghost

This band just keeps getting better. More muscle, more romance, more great songs.

#OnRotation
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#BC

27th Sep 2011

Wilco

The Whole Love

Touching on the musical bravery not seen since A Ghost Is Born this is a return to form. Ish.

#OnRotation
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#BC

26th Sep 2011

Skying

The Horrors

Fleshing out their sound with every release, this is the most solid so far. Esp Endless Blue.

#OnRotation
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#BC

26th Sep 2011

Hesher

Uneven, vaguely allegorical, suburban heavy-metal drama with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Natalie Portman.

#JustWatched
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#CSF

25th Sep 2011

I Don't Know How She Does It

Don't know why she does it: autofill gender studies romcom antics from SJP, lite on rom/com.

#Screened
#Film
#chimp71

24th Sep 2011

Drive

Cliched, shamelessly derivative, thoroughly entertaining, 80s-drenched, LA car chase movie.

#JustWatched
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#CSF

23rd Sep 2011

The Drums

Portamento

Nowhere near as fresh and punchy as 1st album. Even tempo throughout makes for few peaks

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#BC

21st Sep 2011

Ringer

Campy on-the-run mystery w Sarah Michelle Gellar masquerading as her own missing twin. It's double-Bluffy.

#Screened
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#chimp71

19th Sep 2011

Aliens

The original grunts-in-space epic still stands ahead of the pack. Classic.

Halliwell says: Frightening but mechanical sequel with none of the half-assed poetry of the original.*

#JustWatched
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#CSF
#Halliwell

15th Sep 2011

Sin Nombre

Slow, but stylish and well handled Central American indie favourite. Like 'Monsters' without monsters.

#JustWatched
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#CSF

15th Sep 2011

Mesrine

Killer Instinct

Stylish, French thriller, heavily indebted to Goodfellas. Expecting Part 2 to ape Casino.

#JustWatched
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#CSF

13th Sep 2011

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Self-important, pseudo i-told-you-so waffle from an ever-tiring Oliver Stone.

#JustWatched
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#CSF

13th Sep 2011

Terra Nova

Promising big budget dino romp about time-travelling colonialists. Avatar's grumpy army guy does same role.

#Screened
#Film
#chimp71

11th Sep 2011

Tron Legacy

The rules of the original are ignored, but the boring pace remains. Utterly superficial.

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#CSF

11th Sep 2011

The Social Network

Solid direction, tight script and great acting make a Facebook movie as interesting as it can be.

#JustWatched
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#CSF

10th Sep 2011

Eat Pray Love

Tedious, expensive, offensive plod through world cliches, with a self-absorbed Julia Roberts.

#JustWatched
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#CSF

10th Sep 2011

New York, I Love You

Uninspired collection of tepid shorts, drearily executed as a series of cliches.

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#CSF

9th Sep 2011

The Skin I Live In

Cut me up, cut me down? Antonio Banderas returns to the Almodóvar fold for dark surgical menace.

#Screened
#Film
#chimp71

9th Sep 2011

Funny People

Engaging, accomplished comedy, blending fiction with the real world. Until it goes right off the boil.

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#CSF

7th Sep 2011

Blonde Redhead

Union Chapel

Remarkable songs and venue, unremarkable performance. Could have been a radio session.

#Gig
#CSF

6th Sep 2011

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Star studded, self-conscious, compelling Cold War remake. Still slow and complicated.

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#CSF

6th Sep 2011

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Le Carré's mole-hunt played w class. Oldman excels at bringing Smiley's culture to life.

#Screened
#Film
#chimp71

6th Sep 2011

Four Lions

Edgy, challenging black comedy from Chris Morris that doesn't quite deliver, but certainly provokes.

#JustWatched
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#CSF

5th Sep 2011

Days of Heaven

Dated, but still majestic slice of 1970's Terrence Malick. Amazing photography and atmosphere.

Halliwell says: Visually a superb slice of period life, let down by obsessively self-important and symbolic drama; also by imperfect sound recording.**

#JustWatched
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#CSF
#Halliwell

2nd Sep 2011

The War On Drugs

Slave Ambient

Impressive expansion from Future Weather EP. Nicely rocking the Kurt Vile vibe.

#OnRotation
#Music
#BC

2nd Sep 2011

The Cool Kids

When Fish Ride Bicycles

Retro style diluted when stretched over a whole album but some nice jams

#OnRotation
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#BC

2nd Sep 2011

We Are Augustines

Rise Ye Sunken Ships

Formed out of the ashes of Pela this is a worthy debut. Welcome back boys

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#BC

2nd Sep 2011

My Morning Jacket

Circuital

I'm trying but this really is a big pile of poo. Will the real MMJ please stand up.

#OnRotation
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#BC

1st Sep 2011

Baxter Dury

Happy Soup

Sounding more and more like his dad this is a worthy follow up to Floorshow. Loving Isabel

#OnRotation
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#BC

1st Sep 2011

Beirut

The Rip Tide

Another joyous installment from Zach Condon. Not a whole lot of change but who cares.

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#BC

1st Sep 2011

Red Hot Chilli Peppers

I'm With You

The focus has shifted post @JohnFrusciante but the band step up admirably.

#OnRotation
#Music
#CSF

31st Aug 2011

Ian Vine

40 Works For Richard

Party-shuffle ready collection of contemporary classical cuts from chimp alumni.

#OnRotation
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#CSF

30th Aug 2011

All Of My Friends Are Superheroes

Andrew Kaufman

Delightful short story full of insight and heartbreak. Recommended.

#BC

30th Aug 2011