What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

A Lonely Place to Die (2011)

Highly recommended.

I second your recommendation. It's a tense and compelling film, with great performances Melissa George and Sean Harris.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

I second your recommendation. It's a tense and compelling film, with great performances Melissa George and Sean Harris.

I deliberately didn't mention Harris in my review so as not to say what part he played in the film. The same with Karel Rodan.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I deliberately didn't mention Harris in my review so as not to say what part he played in the film. The same with Karel Rodan.

That makes sense, though because Sean Harris features prominently in the trailer, I don't think it's a massive spoiler to mention that he's in the film.

[MrBarlow]

Turkey Shoot. 2014.

A ex Navy S.E.A.L accused of a massacre is sent to jail, he can win his freedom and receive a pardon in he competes in the game Turkey Shoot.

Does this sound familiar...Turkey Shoot aka Elimination Game aka a poor remake of The Running Man, this time Dominic Purcell takes the lead as the ex service man battling it out over a few days to avoid death and expose those that framed him. The kills aren't too bad, some blood splatter, but the hunters aren't really much of a challenge for the new hero and the sport announcer...talk about trying to over act.This helped pass a bit of time but I won't come back to it.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Lullaby of Broadway (1951)

Stuck this musical on the other night as i couldn't remember a thing about it and i basically had the intention of getting rid of it to make space.

Whoa there! I loved it.

Although the plot is fairly slight - an entertainer (Doris Day) moves to New York to catch up with her mother who she thinks is a successful Broadway star but in reality is now a washed up cheap cabaret performer. However once there she finds her mothers house now lived in by a Broadway producer (S.Z. Sakall) and his wife as she ends up living there anyway thanks to her mothers former butler still in residence. What follows is a kind of ruse in order for Day to finally meet her mother not to mention falling for song and dance star Gene Nelson along the way. - it's enough with the songs and routines to fill the ninety minutes run time.

It's the songs and routines that make this film so good. Nelson is a brilliant dancer although dubbed as a singer - he leaves the bulk of the singing to Doris Day- and the songs courtesy of the likes of George Gershwin and Cole Porter are instantly catchy and memorable.

The brilliant S.Z.Sakall takes the acting plaudits with a wonderful cheery uncle type performance similar to his bar tender in Casablanca (1942), but he has a much bigger role here and made me chuckle several times. I should also mention Billy De Wolfe as the butler. He practically outshines everyone and his song and dance routine early on with the maid (Anne Triola) was my favourite part of a hugely enjoyable film that holds up well today.

I still intend to get rid of the dvd...if i can pick it up on Blu-ray.

[MrBarlow]

Legend Of The 7 Golden Vampires. 1974.

Hammer Horror blending of the traditional vampire tale with martial arts stars Peter Cushing as Professor Van Helsing. The plot follows Van Helsing, who is drawn into a plot involving a legendary seven golden vampires, the prince of darkness; Dracula himself, the undead and a load of martial artists. Our hero must, along with his son and an escort of kung fu fighters travel to a cursed village in China to rid it of the vampire curse that holds it.

The Eastern style makes for a very different vampire film to what we're used to, and Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires seems keen to capitalise on that as it changes many of the traditional vampires. This classic flick was well produced by the famous British production company along with Run Shaw Brothers, respect to the makers for the background score that was used in the previous Hammer Dracula movies that reminds you that your still watching a British Dracula film.

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[J Harker]

Plane. Jean-François Richet. 2023.

When an airline executive insists veteran pilot Brodie Torrance take his commercial airliner from Singapore to the US via some seriously dodgy weather the craft is hit by lightning and forced to make an emergency landing in a lawless war torn island in the Philippines. It soon becomes apparent that the actual landing was only the beginning of Captain Torrance's problems as the area is rules over by guerrillas and gangs with no police or military whatsoever. Being the man's man he is Captain Torrance sets off into the surrounding jungle looking for help or a way to contact the authorities. Oh yeah, their just happens to be a convict on board the flight. A killer being extradited to the States for murder.
This film reminded me of a few others. It certainly isn't shy of nicking plot ideas. There's a bit of Escape From New York here, a slice of Vin Diesel's Pitch Black too.
I like Gérard the Butler, can't think of a film he's made I didn't enjoy on some level. He's an extremely charismatic performer and capable of lifting a role higher than it may have got otherwise. His turn here as airline pilot Brodie Torrance is typical of his output, I was willing to believe...even if I didn't.
Mike Colter on the other hand is merely ok as convict Louis Gaspare. A character that feels almost written in after the fact to make things more interesting. I've only seen Colter as Marvel character Luke Cage, a series which to be honest I lost interest in. Twice. I've never gone back either.
The action scenes are a bit all over the shop here. A few are quite gritty, there's no fancy choreography going on here, it's two blokes trying to make one another die, simple as that. Others are rather corny but I can forgive them.
Tony Goldwyn amuses as the man called in to tidy up Trailblazer Airlines mess. In some ways my favourite character. No hidden agendas, no concern for company policy. Save lives at any cost while swearing at the penny pinching idiots responsible. Quite a refreshing character in such a film.
I enjoyed Plane. Its the kind of engaging but brainless entertainment we don't get much of anymore.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Plane is one that's on my shopping list when it reduces in price. I know i'll like it.

It's earmarked for Christmas viewing for me.

[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Plane is one that's on my shopping list when it reduces in price. I know i'll like it.



It's earmarked for Christmas viewing for me.

Why Christmas?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by J Harker

Why Christmas?

I like to have some new to me 'biggish' films to watch over Christmas and this is pretty much all there is so far.

Probably have Indiana Jones and Mission Impossible out by then as well which will be fantastic.