What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Frankie Teardrop]

Originally Posted by keirarts

Great review. Perhaps the only film I have seen where a director uses a rape scene to provide exposition. There is a sequel that has bugger all to do with the original as well.

Shiryô no wana 2: Hideki (1992) - IMDb

I like the sequel as much as or more than the first film. As you say, it has jack all to do with the original in anything but name, but it carries forward a sense of weirdness. It's quite downbeat and depressing in tone, though. There's a second sequel which I haven't seen - don't intend to, sounds a bit lame from descriptions I've read.

[keirarts]

Mafu Cage

Carol Kane gives a blistering performance as Cissy, a disturbed young woman obsessed with the work of her father, a man who dedicated his life to the study of primates. She spends her days dressing in African Tribal garments and hanging around in the Mafu Cage where her father kept his primates. She is cared for by her Sister Ellen, played by Lee Grant who works as an Astronomer, she cares deeply for her sister in spite of the difficulty in caring for her. The pair have developed a close, creepily incestuous relationship. When Ellen falls for a man at work, Cissy begins to feel threatened, especially when Ellen considers putting her away in an institution after she kills her pet orang-utan in a psychotic rage! Ellen's beau David turns up at the house one day so Cissy decides to play a game of Mafu and things begin to turn really dark.


Mafu cage is a terrific film that's been sat in my too watch pile for far too long. If it's currently sat unwatched in yours I'd suggest giving it a whirl. The performances here are great, especially Carol Kane who is first rate. It's got some admittedly standard elements for a Hollywood psycho-thriller however the setup and delivery make it feel totally unique as well. The soundtrack with a mixture of traditional score and pounding tribal music is excellent and the whole film really works well at delivering a sense of impending dread.

[Frankie Teardrop]

Originally Posted by keirarts

Mafu Cage

Carol Kane gives a blistering performance as Cissy, a disturbed young woman obsessed with the work of her father, a man who dedicated his life to the study of primates. She spends her days dressing in African Tribal garments and hanging around in the Mafu Cage where her father kept his primates. She is cared for by her Sister Ellen, played by Lee Grant who works as an Astronomer, she cares deeply for her sister in spite of the difficulty in caring for her. The pair have developed a close, creepily incestuous relationship. When Ellen falls for a man at work, Cissy begins to feel threatened, especially when Ellen considers putting her away in an institution after she kills her pet orang-utan in a psychotic rage! Ellen's beau David turns up at the house one day so Cissy decides to play a game of Mafu and things begin to turn really dark.


Mafu cage is a terrific film that's been sat in my too watch pile for far too long. If it's currently sat unwatched in yours I'd suggest giving it a whirl. The performances here are great, especially Carol Kane who is first rate. It's got some admittedly standard elements for a Hollywood psycho-thriller however the setup and delivery make it feel totally unique as well. The soundtrack with a mixture of traditional score and pounding tribal music is excellent and the whole film really works well at delivering a sense of impending dread.

Now that's a great film! The Mafu Cage. It really weirded me out when I first saw it. All that hysteria. I think Carol Kane makes it, she just simmers with broiling psychosis. It really warps the edges of the film, gives it an unhinged, claustrophobic feel. Thanks for reviewing!

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

Now that's a great film! The Mafu Cage. It really weirded me out when I first saw it. All that hysteria. I think Carol Kane makes it, she just simmers with broiling psychosis. It really warps the edges of the film, gives it an unhinged, claustrophobic feel. Thanks for reviewing!

I feel a bit guilty about not seeing this earlier. As you say carol Kane is bloody marvellous in it, the general tone and atmosphere are really well delivered and it was a film where you could feel in your bones that something really, really bad was coming.

[Buboven]

Some recent viewings

Dredd (2012)

5/10

Was expecting much more from this from things I have heard round the net. Wasn't expecting much character development due to the nature of the Dredd character himself but even the fight scenes weren't particularly exciting. About the only plus was Dredd's side kick.

Wolf Creek (2013)

Delivered what I expected; a more fun take on the original. Entertaining, if not a the masterpiece wasn't expecting.

6/10

The Canel (2014)

5/10

The Nanny (1965)

Pretty good example of Hammer's 60's pyscho-thrillers. Not as good as Holt's superior earlier effort, Scream of Fear but better than Paranoiac.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Buboven

Some recent viewings

Dredd (2012)

5/10

Was expecting much more from this from things I have heard round the net. Wasn't expecting much character development due to the nature of the Dredd character himself but even the fight scenes weren't particularly exciting. About the only plus was Dredd's side kick.

I enjoyed Dredd. I put off watching it for ages, mainly because i didn't think much of the slightly similar The Raid, and because Hawk banged on about it so much it hurt my brain. However when the dust settled i ended up thinking it was a fun watch.

[Rik]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I enjoyed Dredd. I put off watching it for ages, mainly because i didn't think much of the slightly similar The Raid, and because Hawk banged on about it so much it hurt my brain. However when the dust settled i ended up thinking it was a fun watch.

One of the reasons why it took me 3 or 4 attempts to get through it

[keirarts]

For me, if you took the Mega city one from the Stallone version, then Dredd from this one you would have the perfect Dredd movie.

Still love the Matt Berry Cameo...

[iank]

Octopussy. This was the Roger Moore Bond that I have the least familiarity with. I don't recall seeing it as a kid (though I may have forgotten - understandable if I did) and only vaguely recall seeing it about 20 years ago and having the vague feeling that it was a bit dull. Having seen it again... it's very dull. Octopussy is almost certainly Rog's worst Bond, failing on almost every level. The plot is boring, the villains are boring (and the guy who should be the main villain, Steven Berkoff's mad Russian General who as it turns out - eventually - wants to set off a nuke inside the US, is barely in the film) and even the ladies are strikingly unmemorable. To be fair, the last 40 minutes are an improvement and have some decent action and excitement, but that doesn't excuse the first 90 for being so agonisingly boring. Honestly, until the 90 minute mark all the story seems to be about is counterfeit golden eggs. Who thought that was a compelling plot for anything, let alone a James Bond film? Having now sampled it again, I can see why it's the only Moore to have slipped entirely from my memory!

[JoshuaKaitlyn]

Sunday...Its Shameless:

#7 Flavia the Heretic (1974) A Nunspoitation picture that kind of drags at times.

#8 Manhatten Baby (1982) Bit of strange one this! Its a little make-it-up-as-you-go-along. Seen it before and although it didn't bore me as much as my first viewing did it still not converting me to a Fulci fan.

Seen 8 of these Shameless titles so far, (during Shameless Sundays), and to be honest I'm none to sure why I've bought them as I'm not really enjoying the eurosleeze as I did when I was younger and collecting Redemption titles.