What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Count Fosco]

I thought A FIELD IN ENGLAND was a significant let down and easily Wheatley's weakest film. With such intriguing possibilities to be explored via its premise (the Civil War, the Dark Arts of the Occult and alchemy, magic et al) I am genuinely saddened that the film is as superficial and dull as it is. I also thought it failed completely to evoke a sense of the period (I appreciate the low budget but that black and white photography wasn't fooling anyone it was the 1700s) and to me the film felt like a bunch of historical reenactment enthusiasts having a go at making a sketch or art film. The 'trip' finale had some technical skill informing it but felt hollow and empty: the ending of the film had interesting suggestions of allegory, role-reversal and time displacement but I fear they will not offer up any great complexity subject to deconstruction. So yeah, a big disappointment for me and I say that as someone who has watched and championed Wheatley's previous work.

[Demoncrat]

Have you all forgotten how to write SPOILER then? cough cough




After mate and I had set up my "new to me" 37' plasma tv. I thought, this is a big screen, what possibly can I watch to christen it??

Mate wanted to show me some tv programme about dragons

But I had a certain Clifford Brown film in mind.....and blow me, if the French language print had subtitles on it!! Something that hadn't worked on the old box for some reason....

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Edit - Damn! Wrong thread.

[Count Fosco]

Originally Posted by Demoncrat

Have you all forgotten how to write SPOILER then? cough cough

I'm posting from an iPad and don't know how to insert the spoiler tags to hide text. Apologies if I've revealed too much, to be honest the film has been marketed heavily as a 'trippy 17th Century horror film' in the mould of BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW or WITCHFINDER GENERAL. Needless to say, its neither and has very little plot of substance to spoil. Obviously though this is my subjective opinion. I'm sure may will watch the film and see something completely different.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

When a Stranger Calls (2006)

My follow up film to A Field in England. I just wanted something that might prove diverting and an easy watch. When a Stranger Calls is certainly that.

I haven't seen the original that this film is a remake of so have no comparisons. I did however enjoy this version of events from Con Air director Simon West. The plot is quite simple. A girl goes to babysit two young children at a secluded modern mansion. Once there she is plagued by silent and disturbing phone calls with the possibility that she may actually be in grave danger.

West pushes the film along at a frantic pace reminiscent of his usual action films to the point where i wasn't bothering to reason the situation and allowed myself to just go with it. The house where the action is set is a fantastic place - huge glass windows, a fabulous indoor aviary with amazing water features, all in all a great place to be stalked by a lunatic. Camille Belle the star of the film, seems a likable lead and does a decent job holding the film together which is just as well as she is onscreen for pretty much its duration

I can imagine watching this in the cold light of day rather than nearly one in the morning and pulling the plot apart, but i didn't do on this viewing and ended up enjoying this fun horror thriller.

[PaulD]

Originally Posted by Demdike

When a Stranger Calls (2006)

My follow up film to A Field in England. I just wanted something that might prove diverting and an easy watch. When a Stranger Calls is certainly that.

I haven't seen the original that this film is a remake of so have no comparisons. I did however enjoy this version of events from Con Air director Simon West. The plot is quite simple. A girl goes to babysit two young children at a secluded modern mansion. Once there she is plagued by silent and disturbing phone calls with the possibility that she may actually be in grave danger.

West pushes the film along at a frantic pace reminiscent of his usual action films to the point where i wasn't bothering to reason the situation and allowed myself to just go with it. The house where the action is set is a fantastic place - huge glass windows, a fabulous indoor aviary with amazing water features, all in all a great place to be stalked by a lunatic. Camille Belle the star of the film, seems a likable lead and does a decent job holding the film together which is just as well as she is onscreen for pretty much its duration

I can imagine watching this in the cold light of day rather than nearly one in the morning and pulling the plot apart, but i didn't do on this viewing and ended up enjoying this fun horror thriller.

Definitely watch the original Dem, its one of my favourite thrillers. The entire remake only covers the first act of it where it turns into something a little bit different. I'm not sure of a good DVD release; the one I've got has pretty poor PQ

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by PaulD

Definitely watch the original Dem, its one of my favourite thrillers. The entire remake only covers the first act of it where it turns into something a little bit different. I'm not sure of a good DVD release; the one I've got has pretty poor PQ

Cheers Paul. It sounds very interesting.

The UK release is cheap enough to not really bother about the quality i guess.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike

Cheers Paul. It sounds very interesting.

The UK release is cheap enough to not really bother about the quality i guess.

If you have a multi-region player, by the Mill Creek/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment BD which has the original and Happy Birthday to Me. As Paul says, the remake is the first act of When a Stranger Calls but made into a feature film. The original is hardly a classic, but I think it's better than me remake so is worth buying.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

If you have a multi-region player, by the Mill Creek/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment BD which has the original and Happy Birthday to Me. As Paul says, the remake is the first act of When a Stranger Calls but made into a feature film. The original is hardly a classic, but I think it's better than me remake so is worth buying.

Multi region is fine .... its the BD part thats the problem.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike

Multi region is fine .... its the BD part thats the problem.

That's a shame as, although it has no extra features, it is a really good BD.