What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[trebor8273]

Waxwork. 8/10




In the mouth of madness. 9.1/10





Waxwork 2. 8.4/10

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

May (2002)

Lucky McKee's directorial debut and one he has never bettered as of yet. May is a psychological horror film about a young woman who had a difficult childhood and very few social interactions. May's only true friend is a doll in a glass case given to her by her mother. She works at the animal hospital assisting with surgeries and her only possible friend is receptionist and colleague Polly who flirts with her. May soon strikes up a relationship with a guy who apparently likes 'weird' and May is certainly weird....

I'm going to stop there or i'll have written the entire plot outline.

May is an excellent horror film. A standout performance from Angela Bettis is at the centre of the film as she sweeps all before her with her quirky looks and mannerisms. Although Anna Faris, someone who seems more bonkers than May, is great as Polly too and could easily have stolen the film had Bettis given a lesser performance.

As the film goes on we become emotionally involved with May, or at least i did. It's quite a tragic film at times and must resonate with a lot of lonely souls. Other scenes will have you squirming yet unable to take your eyes away from the screen, especially the blind children scrabbling about in the glass. Bettis goes from timid mouse to terrifyingly sexy Goth chic (Am i the only one who found killing spree May in her claret dress extremely erotic? - Perhaps it's best not to answer that one) as the film explodes in a brutal orgy of violence and a final act that i won't spoil here.

[Cinematic Shocks]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Couldn't you have waited a few weeks. You'd be more in the Christmas mood.

Yeah I know but the director got in touch with me about reviewing it. It was actually released earlier this month.

I was expecting the worst but it's surprisingly pretty good. This weird, sleazy and explicitly nasty retro crimbo slasher entertained me. Top draw shlock.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Cinematic Shocks

Yeah I know but the director got in touch with me about reviewing it. It was actually released earlier this month.

I was expecting the worst but it's surprisingly pretty good. This weird, sleazy and explicitly nasty retro crimbo slasher entertained me. Top draw shlock.

It's not out until November 21st on disc in the UK.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

May (2002)

I also watched May this evening, the first time I have seen it in five years (almost to the day, in fact). I was surprised at how much I had forgotten, especially at just how violent the film is, with some of it catching me completely off guard. It is a wonderful film and, like you, I don't think Lucky McKee has made a better film.

Last night, I watched Ouija which, being a Platinum Dunes production, has all the subtlety of a brick. If it was in different hands, say produced by Guillermo del Toro and directed by one of his Spanish friends like Guillem Morales or Juan Antonio Bayona, would have probably relied much more on a growing sense of dread and tension than the cheap jump scares which released the suspense rather than allowing it to permeate and leave you unnerved for a long time afterwards.

It isn't a bad film, just a good story which could have come in different hands, could have been much, much better.

[MacBlayne]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Last night, I watched Ouija which, being a Platinum Dunes production, has all the subtlety of a brick. If it was in different hands, say produced by Guillermo del Toro and directed by one of his Spanish friends like Guillem Morales or Juan Antonio Bayona, would have probably relied much more on a growing sense of dread and tension than the cheap jump scares which released the suspense rather than allowing it to permeate and leave you unnerved for a long time afterwards.

It isn't a bad film, just a good story which could have come in different hands, could have been much, much better.

I thought it was dreadful. Badly acted. Poor direction. No creepy or scary moments. And, it suffered from a lousy script -

SPOILER:

Did you know that the Lin Shaye stuff was filmed after test screenings? Whatever little story the film had revolved around her character and they only figured that out after filming. Aye-yai-yai!

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MacBlayne

I thought it was dreadful. Badly acted. Poor direction. No creepy or scary moments. And, it suffered from a lousy script -

SPOILER:

Did you know that the Lin Shaye stuff was filmed after test screenings? Whatever little story the film had revolved around her character and they only figured that out after filming. Aye-yai-yai!

I didn't know about the thing you mentioned in the spoiler, but it doesn't surprise me. I'm not as hard on the film as you, but that's probably because I had very low expectations!

[Cinematic Shocks]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

It's not out until November 21st on disc in the UK.

It's available on VOD now. Maybe only in the US though. I have a screener.

[Rik]

We watched Ouija last night too, because we're thinking about checking out the prequel this weekend. I'm adding it to the same shit list as The Babadook, It Follows and the more recent Lights Out, dreadful!
The only reason I gave it 2 stars on Letterboxd is because of Lin Shaye, who I'm a fan of.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Rik

We watched Ouija last night too, because we're thinking about checking out the prequel this weekend. I'm adding it to the same shit list as The Babadook, It Follows and the more recent Lights Out, dreadful!
The only reason I gave it 2 stars on Letterboxd is because of Lin Shaye, who I'm a fan of.

As you know, I think The Babadook is a great film and really rate It Follows. Both engage me and create an unnerving atmosphere (which lingers long after the end credits of finish) of which Ouija's makers could only dream.