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The 2nd. 2020. A estranged father who is a Army Delta Force officer goes to collect his son from college along with a supreme court judge's daughter is taken hostage. Having Ryan Phillippe and Casper Van Dien in this seemed to be a promising film and maybe a throw back to 90s action films but instead these two actors are wasted in this. The dialogue is bearable...just, the fight scenes are barely passable and we are given a couple of scenes of shoot outs but nothing spectacular and a small sword fight with a bit of girl on girl that was just a waste of screen time. This would be better as background noise. MV5BY2M0Yzc5ODUtMThkZS00MmZmLWIzYjItOTAxYzJjZjMzODQ0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDM2NDM2MQ@@._V1_.jpg
__________________ " I have seen trees that look like tortured souls" |
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CAGED HEAT – Jonathan Demme made this influential WIP film for Roger Corman. Anyone expecting an endless parade of boobs behind bars will meet with something a bit more abstract as ‘Caged Heat’ simmers with swirly seventies hippie art film vibes as much as with exploitative potboiling. There are dreamy bits and there are grim bits (forced ECT) before it finally breaks out into runaway shenanigans with cons versus cops. Very good, in part because of era-specific genre faces such as Barbara Steel. PEARL – Starstruck farmgirl in twenties Texas heads towards the realisation that she’s better at murdering people than wowing them onstage. Much touted backstory to ‘X’ by Ti West, but probably owned by writer / star Mia Goth, whose performance is as mesmerising as reported. There are many other highs; if the hilarious ‘X-factor’ pisstake doesn't tickle your fancy, please refer to aforementioned scarecrow roistering. Highly recommended and destined for my end of year top three list (and maybe yours too). A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE – This seems almost universally regarded as one of the most disposable ANOES films. It’s not amazing, but it’s at least entertaining (to my easily pleased eyes). It doesn’t do anything with ‘the mythos’ or Kruger and it certainly doesn’t extend Craven’s work in any interesting direction, being content to simply roll along leaving a trail of pleasant FX-laden dreck broken up by bits of dramatic stupidity and nonsense eighties set-pieces. I’m OK with that. The subtext about sexuality seems deliberate but stillborn – maybe the makers just thought “it’s got dreams in it, there’s got to be some Freudian shit going on somewhere”. Yeah well I can go on about that stuff all day but ultimately I’m more into seeing a burned undead serial killer’s face burst its way through someone’s chest. I’m a bit shallow like that. |
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I'm not what you'd call a fan of the Elm Street series so perhaps not the best judge but i think Freddy's Revenge is more enjoyable than the majority of the other films. Miles better than 4, 5 and 6 and also better than the third. |
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And Freddy 2 is my favourite of the sequels, I used to think I loved the third one but on subsequent re-visits it just gets a bit more boring. I am a fan of 4 though
__________________ Triumphant sight on a northern sky |
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The Big Country (1958) What a superb film this is and how it's not better known is beyond me. It's a genuinely major western and it's title is suitably epic not only due to it's breathtaking Technirama photography but it's near three hour run time. It's brilliantly cast with Gregory Peck probably the only Hollywood star who can make pacifism seem authentic. Co-star Charlton Heston certainly couldn't have pulled it off. Meanwhile Jerome Moross's sweeping, wonderful piece of 20th century classical score elevates the film to masterpiece status. The Blu-ray from Final Cut is gorgeous to look at and there's a plethora of extras as well. I'll give this the review it deserves in the Westerns thread when i've watched it again next week with Christopher Frayling's commentary. |
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Vicious Fun. 2020. A 1980s movie critic accidentally finds himself in a self help group for serial killers and tries to survive the night and save his room mate who is dating one of the killers. The makers obviously wanted to do a homage to 80s horror films and created this, even the actors manage to bring some cheesiness to the screen and add in some dark humour and gore. There is a decent set of actors who bring something different to their characters that can give out a snigger or two. This isn't a time waster and certainly recommend for a good night viewing. 04380ed68356fb82_thumbnail.jpg
__________________ " I have seen trees that look like tortured souls" |
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