Retreat

[cougarlady]

Agree 100% about Thandie, not a fan at all. Whether it's her real life personality or the characters she plays, she always comes across to me as angry, and this film was no exception.

Just as an aside, I find that I dislike more of Cillian's female co-stars than not....hmmmm... wonder why that is? lol No, not due to the obvious feeling of envy, but because, IMO, they just aren't in the same league with his talent, no matter how much training they may or may not have had. And let's be honest, most are certainly not in the same league with his physical appearance. I feel that they overact, underact, or just aren't believeable in the way that Cillian is. I have enjoyed his performance in every film, but it is usually the story line and/or the co-stars that relegate some of his films to the "once was enough" category.

[28days]

Just don't know what it is. She's a beautiful woman but I just can't warm to her.

Hmm. I'll think about that one. I don't like Keira Knightley for the simple fact she can't act. Lucy Liu? Pretty much the same. Who else? Naomie Harris? She doesn't bother me. Off the top of my head and in my sleep deprived state, I can't even think of any others he's had massive interaction with. The one off Red Eye whose name escapes me. Very pretty, not a bad actress but isn't going to set the world alight but nothing about her gives me feelings of negativity. I see your point, though. They kind of do pale in comparison. Doesn't help that he's tinier and prettier than so many of them. He looked so painfully thin in Watching the Detectives that even Lucy Liu looked strong in comparison.

I think the 'once is enough' on this particular film is that it was spoiled before I even watched it. If I'd had the impact of the ending fresh and without input to begin with it might've actually left me stunned, but I knew what was coming so when it came to the end I thought "There, seen it, now. That's done with." All 'joy' was stolen the minute I read that damn Youtube comment. Grr. Didn't help that I couldn't really invest in the relationship between Cillian and Thandie for some reason. They just didn't look right together, somehow, and dare I say it was her and not him. I felt bad for him. But having personal experiences somewhat similar to Thandie Newton's character, I could kind of relate to her coldness.

28 Days Later, though, I can watch over and over. I don't know what kind of person it makes me when one of my 'comfort films' is about zombified human beings with blood for eyes and rage as a driving force and a poor, bewildered coma patient who can miraculously run only minutes after awakening from his coma as one of the only people attempting to fight them off.

[Megan87]

Whaaat. Rachel Mcadams, the 'one off Red Eye' is an amazing actress. She's the best female co-star Cillian has ever had. But holy hell also the girl who played Sinead in The Wind That Shakes The Barley.

I thought Thandie did a great job in Retreat, but seriously not that great of a movie. It was hnngh worthy for all the contact between Cillian and Jamie bell, that's it.

[cougarlady]

Must agree with Megan here.. I too feel that Rachel McAdams is one of the few actresses who can match Cillian in terms of talent and physical beauty. Like Cillian, she knows how to use eye movements, head movements and even micro expressions to convey what she is thinking. It's that subtlety and nuance that I love, not underplayed and definitely not overplayed either. Take the "might cause you to buy yet another self help book " scene for example. The look in Rachel's eyes and on her face, along with her tiny head movement, tells you exactly what she is thinking about Rippner at that moment -- mild surprise that he is that much of a jerk after all the nice guy comments. I really can't picture any of his other co-stars performing the role of Lisa with that much subtle skill. And certainly not with the chemistry that they had.

Agreed that Thandie is a stunning woman, but she just seems...I don't know...perpetually miffed about something.

[28days]

Jaysus, so I forgot the woman's name. Shoot me I'm not on a Rachel McAdam fansite so I didn't think I needed to go and scratch up on my knowledge of the woman.

I said she was one of the better ones, doesn't make me feel negative. My apologies that I didn't gush ;D She was good in Red Eye. But, like I said, to me she's not going to set the world alight - how can she, with the choices she seems to make? She's a classic example of a woman with some degree of talent making a majority of terrible film choices. IMHO. And I'm allowed my HO.

Got to say Orla Fitzgerald in TWTSTB was stunningly raw, though. She's in barely anything but in that film she kind of just made me feel very, very sad.

[punctuator]

Try The Lucky Ones. Rachel should have gotten a Best Supporting Actress nod for that one.

[28days]

Thanks, Punctuator. I'm really not that bothered though, like I said. I never said she was terrible. Im starting to feel like I trod on someone's kitten just because I didn't gush. Didn't realise I had to.

[28days]

Back to Retreat (since RMcA is not in) I saw what people were talking about at the end. I didn't notice it consciously at first but kind of unconsciously. More a director's fault than anything else. He should've noticed, never did.

[cougarlady]

All right 28, you are making me laugh, lol. Of course many different opinions are expressed here, and you know what they say about those. Lots of Jackson and Lisa fans here I think, so fair warning

And since we are expressing different opinions, gotta disagree about the WTSTB actress, whatever her name is. Granted, I only viewed that movie once, but to my recollection, she was just another plain little peahen who was panting after beautiful peac*ck Cillian. Cannot recall anything about her performance, other than the fact that she practically attacked him in the love scene. Seems to be a common occurrence in his films. And again, just IMO, that's all!

BTW, interesting to discover that Cillian and Jamie Bell were not part of the original cast. They replaced Jason Isaacs and David Tennant. I did enjoy this film, but have to mention that DH said at the end, "Wasn't that the same guy from the other virus movie in the UK? (28 Days Later) Why are all the viruses in the UK?" lol

[28days]

LOL. Do I need a warning? If i thought it was a must to be a fan of an actress and gush about her when I'm kind of indifferent, i might not have emerged from lurking. I'm here for him, nobody else, really  

Back to lurking for me after this post. I'm not gonna conform Will only get on trouble.

For a somewhat inexperienced Cork actress I thought she had a lovely subtlety. She was authentic. The scene with the hair cutting and the scene at the end, they jarred me. She wasn't OTT. She wasn't even particularly attractive. Raw, like I said. I've watched that film a lot of times. I always feel sick during that bloody headed scene. Again, not a world beater. But I believed her.

Can't say I saw the peac*ck thing. She wasnt even interested in him at first, it seemed. But we all see different things I guess

Knew about Tennant. He might've been good. Jamie Bell has grown up well though.

[razzthekid]

*Of course everyone is entitled to there own opinions on which actors they like and which they don't and healthy debate is always good, please try not to take offense if someone disagrees or says something negative about someone you like. Diversity makes the world go round after all- without it the world would be a very boring place! ;D At least we all agree that Cillian is amazing.
So please don't return to lurking 28Days, we love having new members here and every single member is free to express their opinions openly- as long as it isn't a direct attack on anyone else. We don't want you to feel you can't do that, we don't want anyone to feel they can't say what they feel. So, please, post away. *


I had never noticed the mistake at the end of Retreat until it was pointed out here and i rewatched it to check. It is pretty obvious when you notice it and look out for it but it doesn't take anything away from the film for me. I don't know who exactly should be blamed for it, i mean i'm sure the director should've noticed it first and if not the editor should've pointed it out to him- i'm sure he couldn't miss it during all the viewings of it he would've done. Maybe he did point it out but at that stage filming was done and they couldn't so anything about it.

On Thandie, i was never much of a fan of hers but i also never had anyhting against her- except that i thought she was skeletal in Pursuit of Happyness, but seems nomal now- i suppose i was kind of indifferent but i have to say i thought she was able to hold her own against both Cillian and Jamie in Retreat. In fact i thought she was brilliant. And she is a very pretty woman. Much like Cillian she has gorgeous bone structure.

And on Orla Fitzgerald from TWTSTB i think she was very good too, i'll never forget that end scene where Padraic Delaney comes to here house to tell her what's happened and she breaks down. It's so powerful. I do adore everything about that movie though, it's just a very touching story to anyone who's Irish i suppose.

[28days]

If it's mandatory to be a fan of this woman then maybe I'm better off lurking ;D It was like I'd blasphemed because i didn't know her name.

I related to Thandie's character in Retreat. I read her words, the words she was typing, and I saw her behaviour towards her husband and I saw myself two years ago. Yet, at the same time as relating to the character I didn't relate to the actress. I never have. She was adequately cold and adequately broken but at the same time when I actually *saw* them together I didn't think they looked right. Don't know what it is. There were a few cute moments between them when she 'let him in' so to speak, or at least softened towards him. Down in the basement where he's wearing that ridiculous dressing gown exhibiting his inadequacy as a DIY man. That was cute. I believed that. And then when she made her confession to him. I believed that, too. Yet looking at them together, something just physically didn't fit with them. I can't put my finger on what it was.

Oddly enough, I thought he looked lovely with Deirdre in Intermission. They were both so normal. Cute, in a way.

That scene at the end with Teddy, yes, I recognise that kind of grief, that screaming, damning, raging grief where you're close to smacking someone, close to punching them, and the inevitably you simply break down. They didn't develop their relationship a whole lot but there was a subtlety to it. I believed it.

[razzthekid]

Haha don't worry it's not a requirement here. Red Eye does have a very strong following on here, i suppose you could say it's a cult movie in a way. I'm like you, i have nothing against Rachel, i thought she was very good in Red Eye ad she is a very prety woman but i wouldn't call myself a huge fan or be following her career or anything

I forgot about Kelly MacDonald from Intermission, she is a really great actress, i like her a lot. She was great in the small part she had in Trainspotting and, even though her Irish accent is quite dodgy , i do like her in Boardwalk Empire too.Though with Michael Pitt in that i tend to only have eyes for him. He's one of my favourite actors along with Cillian- so powerful in everything i've seen him in and he makes great choices, i love all those indie movies he's done.

[28days]

Again, getting back to Retreat - so many gifs of the way he runs. It's so wonderfully carefree. Flaily little arms. Bless.

[cougarlady]

O.K., I am still trying to figure out what the mistake might have been. Saw it on Amazon VOD, and cannot think what it might have been. Would someone mind PMing me and letting me know? Thank you