What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[nicholasrope]

Last Kumite

A retired fighter is forced into fighting in a Kumite when his Daughter is kidnapped. Whilst there he meets up with Billy Blanks and Cynthia Rothrock. This is an homage to the 80's/90's fight films that certainly gives authentic vibes, very enjoyable. Also stars Mattihas Hues, who shows charisma as the lead bad guy and Michel Quizzi as is top henchman.

Elvira's Haunted Hills

Elvira and her Assistant end up in a mansion where the family is cursed. This was hit and miss, there were some good sarcastic one liners but even at 89 minutes, it ran rather thin. At least with Mistress Of The Dark, the plot was could be expanded in different directions, the plot on this one was contained.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

I settled down to watch Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl with high expectations and a little bit of trepidation. The high expectations were based on the previous films involving the animated inventor and his canine companion; the trepidation was because Peter Sallis would not be voicing the protagonist.

I thought it was wonderful, a brilliant piece of cinema with an engaging story, more references than I could spot in a single viewing, and some genuinely exciting sequences which were both gripping and amusing.

There wasn't a single point where the voice acting was a problem because Ben Whitehead is a very talented actor whose portrayal of Wallace was pitch perfect, Peter Kay made a welcome return as police officer (now) Chief Inspector Macintosh, and Reece Shearsmith was wonderfully cast as Norbot, Wallace's robotic creation which (brilliantly and inexplicably) has an 'evil' setting which criminal mastermind Feathers McGraw exploits.

If you haven't already seen this, do yourself a favour and take 80 minutes to watch on iPlayer; I'll be watching it many more times in the next 12 months both on iPlayer and when it is available to buy.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Terrifier 3 (2024)

Sicker and more violent than any of the video nasties, Terrifier 3 is kind of ironic. Usually by the third film the quality is beginning to drop along with the budgets, but Damien Leone's Terrifier series began with practically no budget ($35,000) with the irony being that the more films they do the more successful they are and the bigger the production values of the next film - in this case $2m. We even get treated to Dolby TrueHD sound on the Blu-ray.

This probably doesn't have the greatest story but all we are really here for are the gruesome set pieces of which there are several, including a seriously gross out visit by Santa and a shower scene that features more blood than water. The special effects are once again outstanding and David Howard Thornton a revelation as Art the Clown matched by Samantha Scaffidi as the equally twisted Victoria Heyes. A fun Tom Savini cameo too.

I imagine the BBFC examiners had long since given up on attempting to classify this by the time Victoria masturbated with a long shard of broken mirror as Art playfully skinned a guy alive. Whilst they didn't even bother submitting it for classification in the States.

Terrifier 3 is the most refreshing and honest horror film since the the last Terrifier and stands out like a beacon of light among the anaemic horror dumped in cinemas by the major studios.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Terrifier 3 (2024)

Sicker and more violent than any of the video nasties, Terrifier 3 is kind of ironic. Usually by the third film the quality is beginning to drop along with the budgets, but Damien Leone's Terrifier series began with practically no budget ($35,000) with the irony being that the more films they do the more successful they are and the bigger the production values of the next film - in this case $2m. We even get treated to Dolby TrueHD sound on the Blu-ray.

I know it is Dolby TrueHD based, but doesn't the Blu-ray have a Dolby Atmos soundtrack for 3D object based sound? What do you say about the franchise is unusual because the second and third films have had 4K Ultra HD releases, whereas the first one didn't.

I haven't seen it yet as both sequels are on my 'to watch' shelves, but I'll probably watch them after watching the first as a triple bill one day soon.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)

For a supposed action film there's not an awful lot going on in the first hour other than a get to know you with the cast, a pretty impressive one at that. However the second half almost makes up for it, especially the wild jump Nic Cage does in his Shelby Mustang to escape his pursuers.

A cool soundtrack - Janes Addiction, Apollo 440, The Cult, DMX, Johnny Cash - ensues there's always something to listen to as we go.

Mars Attacks! (1996)

Tim Burton's love letter to all the sci-fi movies he grew up watching in his youth. Another where it takes a while for the fun to begin but once it does and the Martians arrive it's beautiful mayhem until the end.

If i thought Gone in 60 Seconds had a good cast, it's nothing compared to this, and i mean nothing, as Burton brings together one of the greatest ensemble casts of all time.

[MrBarlow]

Night School. 1981.

A Boston police detective is assigned the case of a woman being decapitated outside a children's school, as he thinks he is getting somewhere more killings begin to happen. A decent...ish entry into the American Giallo genre, I wasn't really a big fan of this one but gave it a second viewing and enjoyed it more this time round, Rachel Ward is probably the reason why this became a bit more enjoyable than what it should have been. The film does shift from person to person on who the killer is and then we get the big reveal and why they were doing the killings. Most of the kills are done off screen so we get the aftermath of it.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Scream VI (2023)

An enjoyable couple of hours in the Scream franchise but here several days later i don't remember an awful lot about it. The cast other than Courtney Cox in an extended cameo role, Dermot Mulroney and the returning Hayden Panettiere, were instantly forgettable but the kills were inventive as usual.

The finale at the theatre was over long but the film on the whole was entertaining even if it doesn't reinvent the Scream series.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Scream VI (2023)

An enjoyable couple of hours in the Scream franchise but here several days later i don't remember an awful lot about it. The cast other than Courtney Cox in an extended cameo role, Dermot Mulroney and the returning Hayden Panettiere, were instantly forgettable but the kills were inventive as usual.

The finale at the theatre was over long but the film on the whole was entertaining even if it doesn't reinvent the Scream series.

It sounds like a bit of a curate's egg, being good in parts. It's a film I would like to watch, though not a full price blind buy of the 4K Ultra HD

[iank]

It's a solid entry, and that's from someone who hated the previous one.

[Dave Boy]

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THE QUICK AND THE DEAD (1995)

Gunslinger Sharon Stone rides in to town with vengeance on her mind. She enters the quick draw shooting competition in the hopes to kill town leader Gene Hackman, the man responsible for her fathers death..

Not seen this one in a long time and really enjoyed it. Stone looks good in her western garb, playing alongside a good assembled cast.
Alan Silvestri's score sometimes plays spaghetti western themed tunes which fits nicely in the movie.
Another movie in my archives that I should have dug out a lot sooner.