What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demoncrat]

Blackjack (1998, John Woo)

This one. Looks like a goshdarn TVM, but it's HK AF.
Dolph gets blinded by the light, but it doesn't stop him protecting a supermodel (and some babysitting cough). It makes little sense, but that just added to the fun. Recommended? Go on go on go on go on ....

[MrBarlow]

The Food Of The Gods. 1976.

We got a group of footballers (namely 3) head to a wilderness and one is attacked by giants wasps that look more like giant mosquitoes. One of the men is attacked by a giant chicken at a farm house that becomes overrun by giant rats.

With a film on a budget, you go with what you can and this film uses every single practical effects a person can do, use real rats and little model scales of a car and house for the rats to climbs about on and use paint for the blood otherwise i/m sure the RSPCA would have a field day. The acting is laughable, Pamela Franklin turns up looking innocent and caring for pregnant Belinda Balaski.

Marjoe Gortner is the lead actor and narrator who seems to think on his feet on how to deal with the infestation along with Tom Stovall who wants to make a break for it but seems to be hindered with bad decisions. Ida Lupino is the simple farmer's wife who has been feeding the animals with her own good inspired by god. Never take it seriously but certainly sit back and laugh a few times.

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[MrBarlow]

Food Of The Gods II. 1989.

A doctor experimenting with growth hormone gets out of control.

Set around some university in Canada...I think, the doctor is experimenting with rats and a small foul mouthed boy who certainly needs a smacked arse. We do get some animal activists who decide to trash the place and then brought to the principals office for a reprimand which is funny cos nobody will grass on each other. Gotta give it to the principal who does voice his fears over the experiments and the new pool complex which may be a good feeding ground and battle of survival. The acting...well nobody won a award not even a Razzie so yeah it is that bad, to be honest it did pass some 90 mins away that shall never be returned.

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[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Poor Things

The new film from Yorgos Lanthimos, who made The Lobster and The Favourite, Poor Things stars Emma Stone as Bella Baxter, a young woman living in Victorian-era London.

The film opens in colour showing her jumping to her death from a bridge, before switching to monochrome where we see Bella living with a heavily scarred scientist, Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Defoe), who she calls "God".

To assist him in his studies, which involve public autopsies and unorthodox/illegal experimentation, he employs a medical student, Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef), who almost immediately falls in love with the awkward and childlike Bella, a woman with a limited vocabulary and almost no 'filter'. To use Freudian descriptors, she is entirely the id and without any ego or superego to limit her desires or extravagant behaviour.

Not only is McCandles smitten with Bella, but his debauched lawyer, Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) also falls in love with her and decides to take her away on a European trip, beginning in Lisbon.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this because the trailer was tantalising, but not exactly detail-rich, so I won't give away too many plot points here. I will say that I thoroughly enjoy the weirdness and discomfort caused by watching The Lobster, the offbeat humour and aesthetics of The Favourite, and the nightmarish surrealism of Dogtooth.

With Poor Things, Lanthimos seems to have taken some inspiration from Wes Anderson, Terry Gilliam, and David Lynch, and has created a wonderful environment for his brilliantly named characters, a steam-punk Victoriana which feels historical and futuristic, perfect for the story and characters. He also uses the fisheye lens to great effect and cleverly switches between monochrome and colour to play with mood and location – cinematographer Robbie Ryan deserves every accolade he receives for such remarkable work, as does composer Jerskin Fendrix for providing a wonderfully weird musical backdrop.

I loved the film and laughed out loud multiple times because some of the dialogue is wickedly funny; some of it comes from Bella's impulsivity and lack of inhibition and some of the other characters wouldn't be out of place in a Jean-Pierre Jeunet-Marc Caro film.

Finally, although this is undoubtedly Lanthimos' finest film, it's also the finest performance of Emma Stone's accomplished career – it's the sort of acting achievement which happens very rarely and is notable because of its bravery (few actors of her stature and fame would make a film with so much nudity and sex) and audaciousness.

If you can, I recommend watching Poor Things at the cinema but, if you can't go before the theatrical run finishes and have enjoyed either The Lobster or The Favourite, then this is definitely one to buy when it is released for viewing. As I haven't seen The Killing of a Sacred Deer, I'm going to watch that this weekend.

[MrBarlow]

Blue Monkey. 1987.

A lot of people said gardening can't be great for you, well this film is a example, old boy pricks his finger on a plant, sent to the hospital apparently suffering a diabetic shock only for a parasite to come out of his mouth. A cop played by Steve Railsback is there after his partner is gunned down and has a laugh with a few children, manages to step up when CDC close off the hospital and everyone tries to man up and go on a bug hunt.

Don't look at the poster it doesn't do the film any praise or justice, but this is a salute or homage to the 1950s B movie Them as it seems to use the same size of Ant from the film but in a darker colour. We always get a doctor or scientist who seems to know every species of bug and predicts the mother ant will give birth to at least 400 babies...yeah mate we all wanted to know that when the mother ant is on the PMS from hell rampage. This was a blind watch for me and although I did enjoy it the down side for me was in parts it did got a bit too dark to where the eye straining was a bit too much, certainly worth a re-watch.

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[MrBarlow]

Deadly Eyes. 1982.

Finally managed to sit through this one in one go and watch it right to the end. Based on James Herbert's The Rats novel, the film is set in Toronto and not London...some films change locations to the source novel.

The city is overrun with rats, nothing new there but these are overgrown rats that have been exposed to some sort of growth chemical that someone obviously flushed down the toilet and gone into the sewers....hold on a second I thought the rats were overgrown by a bigger mutated rat that gave birth to a litter. No wonder Mr Herbert disowned the film, Robert Clouse who gave us Enter The Dragon must have been laughing with the work he had to do.

I'm pretty sure some close up of the rats (dogs in costumes) were shown continuously through out the film, there is plenty of blood and few bits taken from the novel but this was a disappointment for me as i love the books. So I have seen it...that's it for me with this film.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

I simply had to rewatch this last night after posting music from it in the Movie Soundtrack thread, it's such a wonderful score from Randy Edelman and Trevor Jones.

The whole film is a masterpiece from director Michael Mann with Daniel Day Lewis superb as the brooding Hawkeye and Russell Means equally brilliant as Chingachgook, the actual last of the Mohicans, seeing as Hawkeye was adopted.

The final showdown with the main villain Magua, a sadistic Mohawk scout (A terrifying Wes Studi) is sublime. Taking place on a cliff edge path, Hawkeye, Chingachgook and his actual son Uncas (Eric Schweig ) chasing Magua and a band of Mohawk warriors in order to rescue two English women. Uncas is killed by Magua whilst Hawkeye guns down Mohawks left and right.

Just when you think Hawkeye and Magua will face off in one final climactic confrontation it's Chingachgook who fights him. If you can call it that. It's so matter of factly over and done with in a near blink of an eye.

Magua brandishes two blades and swipes at Chingachgook who expertly ducks and thrusts his tomahawk into Magua's back, turns, puts the blade into his arm snapping the bone at the elbow, before scything it into Magua's shoulder. Chingachgook then steps back, tuts to himself at the stricken Magua then delivers a final killing blow through Magua's stomach and out his back.

It's brilliantly constructed and out of the blue and i always end up watching it more than once it's so blink and you'll miss it. There's no white saviour it's Indigenous Native American vs Native American.

A perfect end to a near perfect film.

[MrBarlow]

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor.

A trio of cold case investigators stay at the manor of the Carmichael's who's murder and disappearance was never solved.

Since it was revealed we would be getting a new instalment to the Hell House LLC franchise I was intrigued how it would go and then we are told it would be set in a house....different way to go, but went with this in a open mind.

We got people being interviewed about the family and learn of their fate, and then introduced to the lead investigator who has some childhood trauma and willing to go the distance to find answers. We get the tv investigation reporter from the 80s in the house who really didn't want to be there longer than anticipated, that was a eye catcher. There is some mention to the Abaddon Hotel and mentions of Andrew Tully. This was a bit of a hit and miss, the acting is on par with some found footage films, the actors do their best with what they can, writer/director Stephen Cognetti tried to do something different and give the audience the tense and jump scares we love but some bits don't make sense.

Probably best watched back to back, there is a extra scene after the end credits.

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[nicholasrope]

Mean Girls (2024)

Modern take Musical based on the 2004 original that sees a new student try and navigate the ways of High School. Whilst it incorporates modern ways such as Social Media, if you like the original, stick with that. This wasn't nearly as good and the songs aren't memorable at all. Tina Fey and Tim Meadows return and Lindsey Lohan has a cameo.

Should have stuck to my instincts when I saw the Trailer.

Beekeeper

Jason Statham is a former Operative who goes on the rampage when a friend commits Suicide after being scammed. This is Jason Statham doing what he does best and it seems he had a whale of a time. The villains are detestable and you want them to get what they deserve. Nothing complicated (That is what I wanted) and a very enjoyable watch, definitely one of those sit back and enjoy whilst being able to switch your brain off. Jeremy Irons and Josh Hutchison co-star.

SPOILER:

Whist it's not the most realistic of Films a plot hole I can't get my head around is that the lady got text messages from her Banks regarding possible Fraudulent Transactions. Then surely no money would have been transferred. Unless it's different in America.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Tokyo Joe (1949)

Humphrey Bogart plays an ex colonel who returns to Tokyo following WWII to try and pick up with his old life and his wife (Florence Marly) but discovers nothing is as it was and his wife is now married to Alexander Knox.

A fairly stodgy drama most notable for being the first American movie allowed to film in postwar Japan and being the film to revitalise the career of Japanese matinee idol Sessue Hayakawa. Bogart is always watchable but Knox to put it mildly is dull. Things improve in the final third when the film focuses on the air smuggling of fugitive war criminals in which Bogart becomes involved.