What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Dave Boy]

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MOONRAKER (1979)

Often cited as the worst Bond, but not for me. It's the best!
A lot to do with nostalgia as well. Coming at a time when a lot of sci Fi movies and TV were around.
The John Barry score is excellent and coming at a time and quite similar. to his sweeping music for The Black Hole, The Deep and King Kong. Unfortunately, the official score on CD is incomplete so you have to look elsewhere like youtube for the missing music.
Great poster. My mate used to have the UK quad with the 'James Bond Wears Seiko' tag on it. I have a flyer for the movie that I picked up at the time, still mint and the vinyl soundtrack with the black cover. Also, once again, memories of going to the cinema with my Mum and Dad.

..and Lady Victoria Devon (3rd in from right) is my favourite!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

I too love Moonraker. Like you i also saw it at the pictures at the time.

Just seemed so perfect. James Bond in space.

[Dave Boy]

I love it! I was thinking about it while I was at work for a few days and was listening to the soundtrack. I really geared myself up for it.
So last night I watched it and through headphones.. really loud! Awesome!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Wicker Man (1973)

Reports of the mysterious disappearance of a girl on an island outlying Scotland leads Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) to visit Summerisle.. The locals profess to have no knowledge of the girl, but for Howie things don't quite ring true and he begins his own investigation into the the community, and, in particular Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee), seeing what he can uncover. Howie unwittingly becomes the mouse in a game of "cat and mouse" with the islands inhabitants and their never forgotten Pagan past.

A May Day watch of one of the classic British chillers and my first time in glorious Blu-ray high definition.

It could be argued that it's familiarity makes it even more sinister. For we know as the intrepid yet awkwardly naive and religiously strict Sergeant Howie, a never better Edward Woodward, comes into contact with the inhabitants of Summerisle, that each and every one of them knows exactly what fate will fall on the good Sergeant, and every smiling face is a facade of doomed inevitability.

The first time i watched this classic British horror film it scared me in a way no other film had previously, or indeed since. There is no killer stalking the sergeant, no houses are haunted, there is no actual threat to Howie the investigating policeman, he is offered several ways out of the scenario yet fails to take them. (You only realise this after the film ends though). The horror stems from beliefs and old customs the modern world has largely forgotten.

Yet despite the atmosphere of pagan mysticism the film has a sort of comforting quality. Is it because we too know what will befall Howie so we are confident everything leading up to the burning man conclusion should place him in no danger, or is it a sign of the quality of the script that puts us at ease? Having pondered this whilst watching the film for the umpteenth time it still comes as a shock as it dawns on Howie as well as the viewer that there simply won't be a happy ending. We know he's a lamb to the slaughter but even now the film has a potent ability to chill the blood in a way that very few films can. It's when you look around and see the happiness on the faces of the Summerisle inhabitants as the wicker edifice and Sergeant Howie burn, and the Spring sun comes into view that despite the murder of a policeman all is well with the world, and that to me is what makes The Wicker Man a true classic of British film making

[Demoncrat]

Well said that raven!!

[trebor8273]

A few American football players go for a vacation , not long after arriving they are attacked by various giant animals including maggots, wasps and rats.

It's all pretty bad but in it's so bad it's good way, the effects make 70s doctor who look like a modern movie. It does seem that some of the rats are killed for real in the final scene in which they drown.



A technicolour epic about the story of Moses , the first half drags a bit but it's more than made up for by its second half when Moses is exiled and we see the burning bush , the ten plaques and of course the parting of the red sea. They might be dated but I really enjoyed the effects scenes, strangely this has gotten me in the mood for raiders of the lost ark!

Now watching



Then

[trebor8273]

Forgot to post these.



A highly enjoyable horror from the golden age of horror, has too be my favourite mummy move and the mummy itself looks fantastic even after all these years.



This started out well but as soon as the knock off Abbott and Costello appeared it fell of a cliff , well the straight guy was ok but ever time the so called comic relief had a scene you just wanted to brutally murder him , it could of been so much better without him.

[MrBarlow]

Becky. 2020.

11 year old Becky and her dad travel to the lakes to spend some time together until her dad's girlfriend and her son turn up. Things change when four escape convicts turn up.

This appeared on Shudder and never heard of it, Kevin James as a violent convict, Robert Maillet who stands at over 7 foot tall and a convict that I can believe but not Mr James...I was wrong. Here he plays a Neo-Nazi and yes covered in tattoos of the Third Reich and able to step out of the shadow of comedy and do something new. Lulu Wilson plays the young girl Becky who has obviously seen Home Alone and Rambo too many times and is able to be creative. from the home invasion to outsmarting the captors this was decent and can be violent, worth a watch.

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[nicholasrope]

Tournament

Every 7 years, the world's most elite Hitmen/Women have a sort of Battle Royale in a random city. Robert Carlyle is a drunken priest who gets caught in the middle. Very violent and most importantly, very enjoyable. It's a film that knows what it is and provides the viewer with what they want. There's a very small role for Scott Adkins, who if this was made a few years later, would have had one of the bigger roles.

Furry Vengeance

Family Comedy in which Brendon Fraser is a Developer Assistant who is under attack by the Animals who's home he's helping to destroy. It's zany and it's funny.

Cannonball Run

Very enjoyable Film which sees Burt Reynolds amongst others like Sammy Davis JR and Jackie Chan race across America. I thought that this may be a bit outdated however (Other than one possible remark) it isn't. It's also interesting that Golden Harvest and Media Asia were seemingly involved in an American production.

Nanny McPhee

Emma Thompson is the titular Nanny who looks after Colin Firth's naughty Children. Again another enjoyable Film with Angela Lansbury a riot as a very strict Great Aunt. Also the only Family Film I know with a U Certificate to have the word incest in it lol.

Jackass Forever

More of the same really only with more people involved. the non gross out stunts are funny but I had hoped that it would feature the original cast looking back at things throughout instead of mentions. Blu-Ray looked great but wished that the additional scenes on the Extras had a Play All option instead of going back the Chapters.

Intern

Robert De Niro is an Intern to Anne Hathaway's Internet Company. Initially the fish out of water, he becomes her most trusted confidant and advisor the rest of the team. Rene Russo co-stars in a Film that is a very easy watch however I wished that they didn't go in the direction of Hathaway's Husband having an affair, completely unnecessary.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Interpol (1957)

US agent Victor Mature tracks crime boss Trevor Howard across the globe with Anita Ekberg in tow as his investigation takes him from New York to London, Lisbon, Rome, Naples and finally Athens.

This sounded really good from the synopsis on the reverse of the Arrow Blu-ray (Known as Pickup Alley). An international globe trotting thriller from legendary producers Cubby Broccoli and Irwin Allen.

Sadly, although i didn't feel cheated by the Bond like locations, the film itself was actually quite boring. The characters were lifeless cardboard cut outs and the story was as thrilling as boiling a kettle. Trevor Howard seemed if not miscast - the producers obviously wanted him for the role - then the wrong choice for a seedy villain whilst Ekberg, well she clearly wasn't cast for her acting skills. As for that horrible tinny jazz score. My ears are still ringing.

Hugely disappointing.