What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Burial Ground (1981)

Just when you thought Andrea Bianchi's film couldn't get anymore inept, the cash runs out during the finale with our two survivors in extreme peril, the lecky goes off, the bandsaw cuts out, a caption (misspelled, naturally) fills the screen and the end credits roll.

Garbage, but strangely watchable.

[SymbioticFunction]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

[REC]. 2007.

A television presenter for a show "While You're Asleep" and her cameraman follow the nightshift of the fire services, they get a call to attend a woman trapped in her flat and are confronted by something terrifying and a night of survival begins.

One of the decent Euro horror films to come out in 2007, what starts off as a happy night shift for people turns into a complete nightmare set around one building with nowhere to escape. What seems to be a infectious disease carried by a resident then being told it could come from a household pet then gives you another twist and turn to the end.

The acting is amazing, the directors never gave out the script to anyone until they are told what will happen on the day and certainly built up apprehension with the cast. The make-up effects for those that are infected are decent and scary when you see them up close. What helps the film is the sense of claustrophobia and having some place to run but can't really stay there too long with a bunch of people trying to kill you and you don't know the building itself for sanctuary.

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Brilliant film, fantastic sound design. Would also highly recommend first sequel (although I own them all).

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by SymbioticFunction

Brilliant film, fantastic sound design. Would also highly recommend first sequel (although I own them all).

Be interesting if the makers would do a prequel as to what happened in the penthouse with the Meideros girl and her possession.

[Demoncrat]

Anaconda 3: Offspring (2008, Don E. Fauntleroy)

Wanna see the Hoff do a driveby on a cartoon snake? Line up ...
We're a looong way from the first flick with this mother. While twas gory in places, it was a bit of a slog (formulaic structure etc). But as least it was a "movie" unlike ...



Twisted Pair (Neil Breen)

What with the new one hovering on the horizon, I had to ...
Ending with a message of peace, the Breen is yet again the man ... or is he Gawd
Genuinely made me zone out at one point
88 min!!!

[MrBarlow]

Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans. 2009.

Nicolas Cage is the Police Lieutenant, after suffering a back injury and becoming addicted to pain meds and then going to stronger drugs, gets into some gambling debt while trying to solve a murder.

I'm sure we all saw the 1992 Abel Ferrara Bad Lieutenant that seemed a bit darker and near violent and shows corruption within the police. Werner Herzog takes the director's chair for this and doesn't really disappoint the audience. Nic Cage manages to act well in this and his character isn't shy about abusing his position within the police due to the state of what's in his system he tends to be unbalanced in life along with his girlfriend Eva Mendes who is a prostitute and causes more problems.

I went into this one blind and to be honest I actually enjoyed it, right from the start we are thrown in with Nic and Val Kilmer teasing a guy that's just about drowning getting meds then jump to 6 months later. Werner manages to keep the pace of the film fast but not too fast and and small role by Fairuza Balk who could have been given a bo=it more screen time to show off her body a bit more.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Really enjoying the BFI's Marlene Dietrich at Universal 1940-1942 four film box set.

I've watched Seven Sinners (1940), The Flame of New Orleans (1941) and The Spoilers (1942) with Pittsburgh (1942) still to go.

Although they aren't what you would call cutting edge cinema all three have been extremely enjoyable with Marlene Dietrich like some otherworldly sensual presence leaving me, as with most of the men in the films, feeling like some sex crazed Chihuahua pathetically attempting to hump her ankle in the desperate hope of being noticed.

The Spoilers is notable for it's casting of John Wayne and Randolph Scott. Scott playing very much against type as a scheming Yukon gold commissioner swindling miners out of their claims. The two slug it out at the finale in a fierce and lengthy bar room brawl which is fantastic to see, even eighty years on.

All three films have been effortlessly watchable with their ninety minutes positively flying by.

[gag]

Wonka,

We tried watching this, sorry we both found it truly awful, it's like when a normal friend suddenly tries to hard to be something they're not to point it becomes embarrassing, that's what I thought about this, far too whimsical, making a musical wtf that all about? Not even entertaining music either, the point when all 3 owners where prancing around the copper my wife just said this is cringeworthy I'm going toilet, I said do you want me to pause it? She replied no I want you to turn it off. They was trying to hard to make it different and something it's not. (Yes I'm aware willy wonka different) I don't get all the good reviews either, either I don't get it or I watched something completely different, and I thought Timothée Chalamet who played wonka was awful and not right for the character.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967)

I've had this limited edition release from Indicator kicking around for years and always forgot to watch it on Feb 14th, Well not anymore.

Directed by Roger Corman it tells the story in pseudo documentary form of the 1929 mass murder of seven members of the Northside Gang (led by George "Bugs" Moran) on orders from Al Capone.

Due to the voice over and matter of fact way said voice over tells you who won't survive the shooting, the film lacks any suspense or genuine intrigue and it never really grips. It isn't however a poor film, Corman had the biggest budget of his career for this Fox movie and used some superb sets (In typical Corman fashion most were borrowed from other films such as the Von Trapp family interiors from The Sound of Music doubling as Capone's luxurious home) and excellent period detail throughout.

Jason Robards as Capone, despite not looking at all like him, is really good, as is George Segal as Peter Gusenberg, one of Moran's chief thugs. Sadly though the rest of the characterisation is lacking due to script deficiencies despite having some quality acting talent on show.

The film is fun though, harking back to the James Cagney tommy gun gangster films of the thirties, with exuberant shoot outs and loads of bloody casual violence.

[MrBarlow]

American Ninja. 1985.

An American soldier arrives on a military base in the Philippines, not welcome by his comrades and is tasked to be in a convoy that is ambushed. Soon after he becomes a target by a drug lord and a army of ninjas. Michael Dudikoff plays the non verbal Joe who manages to take out the guys causing the ambush single handed, becomes a target for hate and gets into a fight with Steve James and then manages to find his vocal cords and talks. Mindless action B movie from the Cannon group that managed to spawn 4 other sequels. The action packed scenes are choreographed well but seem to be badly edited in, some cheesey moments but in fairness this still becomes a little entertaining number.

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[MrBarlow]

Repo! The Genetic Opera. 2008.

After a epidemic wipes out most of the population, a company called GeneCo offers organ transplant for a price, if payment is missed the company sends out it's Repo man who is battling to keep his daughter alive.

Darren Lynne Bousman who gave us a few Saw movies, comes on board to direct this rock opera movie with a decent star cast with Paul Sorvino as the head guy of Geneco, Anthony Head as the mad doctor and Repo man who sings while reclaiming a bowel. Sarah Brightman tags along with Paris Hilton who looks better in the film's make-up and Bill Moseley. Filmed like a dark Gothic comic book coming to life that almost makes it the inspiration for Sin City movie. Daft as this one sounds and seeing Anthony head sing, this wasn't too bad for afternoon feature while high on caffeine.

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