What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Buboven]

Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes from 1938.

7/10.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Entity (2012)

A tv crew and a psychic travel to a remote Siberian woodland location where 34 bodies were found in a shallow grave. Once there things take a turn for the worse and it seems not all the bodies were exhumed.

The opening hour works quite well. Much of the suspense is built up through Dervla Kirwan's portrayal of the psychic and some lovely eerie sounds in the woods. In fact it made a nice change having established actresses such as Kirwan and the up and coming Charlotte Riley onscreen in a film such as this, making the whole thing a seemingly more credible film than the majority of other low budget shaky cam movies.

What started out as an entertaining piece, filmed in both movie and shaky cam style, unfortunately veers off into the tried, tested and boring. Wandering through dark factories with the camera pointing at the floor during the interesting parts.

It's for this 'seen it all before' reason that i can't recommend Entity, even though it's better than many in this genre.

[Make Them Die Slowly]

BIG STAR: NOTHING CAN HURT ME. Excellent documentary on the genius that was the band Big Star. However the highlight of the film for me was the stuff on Alex Chilton's post BS work with The Cramps, Tav Falco's Panther Burns and Chilton's own wonky masterpiece of self imploding rock n roll "Like Flies on Sherbet".

[Handyman Joe]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

I recently watched this too and echo your sentiments.

Great to have you back, Joe.

That's very kind mate, good to be back- any other Egoyon recommendations welcome, or should I get the complete box for 28 sqidgers? Hmm

[Handyman Joe]

The Voices - Loved the concept - Look Who's Talking meets Henry - thought the first 45 was pretty good but sad to report the plot has nowhere to go after the second murder, things peter out and no amount of final credit razzle dazzle can disguise it. Could've been a contender.

The Dark Corner - Noirsville again but strictly a second stringer - Mark Stevens as the tough guy is sub Alan Ladd (himself sub Bogie), Lucille Ball (yes that one!) fails to sizzle as the love interest, only the ever reliable William Bendix and oily Clifton Webb log in the memory. OK - call it a 6/10.

Billy Wilder Box Set - I took it upon myself to watch every last one of BWs movies - only two duds out of 26! Latest viewings -
Irma La Douche - proto Amelie Parisienne fairyland, can't go wrong with Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine circa early 60s, although JLs 'Lord X' muggery is the very point amusing meets bloody irritating.
The Emperor Waltz - Bing Crosby blandfest, cute dog, crap patter - lovely technicolor but little else - completists only.
Five Graves to Cairo - efficient little war movie but, apart from Erich Von Stroheim as Rommel, it doesn't linger in the memory.
The Fortune Cookie - one thin gag (Jack Lemmon faking an injury for insurance payout at Walter Matthaus behest) stretched over nearly 2 hours - My least favourite Wilder.
Kiss Me Stupid - there's an inspired middle section here, with Dean Deano Martin and Kim Novak trading on the knuckle double entendres and sending themselves up at the same time. The marital dilemma bookends not so hot, but overall a goody
One, Two Three - Jimmy Cagney is inspired in a rat a tat gag fest set in the West/East Germany border - exhausting but great.
The Spirit of St Louis - Does what it sets out to do - convey the sheer magnitude of flying non stop from St Louis to Paris. Jimmy Stewart is just the man for all American heroism. Unfortunately there's no room for any angles - it's a really well done portrait of a heroic act but not so much of the hero himself.

Le Quai Des Brumes - simply gorgeous French doom noir from the not so auspicious year of 1938, it's as evocative as the whiff of Gitanes and Pernod with a roaring salty sea in the background and fog all around. The portrayal and ultimate deployment of the two villains is masterful. A true classic. That last shot haunts me.

Paradise -Love - Where other directors cut away Ulrich Siedl zooms in - he specialises in extended excruciating scenes of social horror. This tale of 4 fat Austrian woman on a Kenyan sex safari has more than a few - it's compulsive squirmy stuff. The hotel room 'birthday party' scene will be difficult to remove from my brain. This movie is a little overlong, a little repetitive but I'm really glad I saw it.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

All Through the Night (1942)

Humphrey Bogart is a Broadway promoter who stumbles on a plot to sink a new American warship by Nazi spies.

An action packed, funny and thrilling noir propaganda piece where the all American hoodlum always comes out on top. However that's far too easy a description because All Through The Night has a top cast of both US and European character actors. Along side Bogey we get Conrad Veidt, Peter Lorre, Jackie Gleason and Phil Silvers - one and all too good for a war time propaganda throwaway.

The film's main selling point is Bogart of course who displays perfect timing in a performance filled with comedic nuances even though the subject matter is not. The film rattles along at a roaring speed with many twists, turns, fights and car chases along the way making All Through The Night an unexpected gem.

[demonknight]

Trainspotting

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Tower Block (2012)

Several months after witnessing a murder, residents of Tower Block 31 find themselves being picked off by a sniper, pitting those lucky enough to be alive into a battle for survival.

An absolutely riveting one locale, low budget masterpiece. What starts off as a gritty story of social dysfunction and kitchen sink realism of a dilapidated urban tower block of nightmares soon becomes a tense, exciting, horror / thriller.

The film's pacing is excellent with never a dull moment onscreen, largely due to the edgy direction, taught script and a fine ensemble cast including Sheridan Smith, Russell Tovey and Ralph Brown, who carry it all off with aplomb.

I was genuinely gripped from first to last.

Highly recommended.

[SharonLynette]

Amazingly I have so far watched 151 films this year but this will be the first I've mentioned on here this year.

So far today, a re-viewing of The Bride Wore Black (1968) a somewhat overlooked film by François Truffaut, an incredibly stylish, if slow paced, revenge film. It isn't explosive, over the top, its the little things, the characterisation and thoughtful plot that makes this film amazing. One of my all time favourite films.

[trebor8273]

about to watch rabid which I've not seen before, will post my review on this and what else I have watched this week, tomorrow