What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by J Harker

I really liked Plane. Think it was actually one of the last things I reviewed before I hit a wall again.

Just done a search. You reviewed it favourably on May 18th last year. I said the same day that i'd be hopefully watching it that Christmas. I did buy it to watch over Christmas but never got round to it and i've basically watched it a year on from yourself.

[MrBarlow]

Spawn Of The Slithis. 1978.

A nuclear waste manages to create a monster that attacks a community in Venice Beach California.

So to be clear this monster doesn't care who it attacks, normal people, bums, hippies, animals, as long as it's slicing and dicing the monster seems happy. We got a man in some sort of rubber suit that is almost on the same par as Humanoids from the deep on a cheaper budget. The start does give it away that it's not to be taken seriously with the two boys throwing a frisbee with near comedic music in the background. The acting is certainly not the best and almost comical with the delivery of the dialogue, but the make-up for the kills almost saves the film from becoming a disaster.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968)

You get Dracula and Frankenstein's monster, Doctor Who's Celestial Toymaker and Marco Polo, a muscular body builder in a leather thong, a whip wielding Amazonian babe wearing studded nipple pasties and a green skinned and very horny Barbara Steele.

What's not to love?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

In the Earth (2021)

As the world searches for a cure to a disastrous virus, a scientist and park scout venture deep in the forest for a routine equipment run.

I was so disappointed in this so called Folk horror from Ben Wheatley. Whilst the first half delivered horror, black comedy (That foot amputation scene - wow!) and tantalising tit bits of some ancient dark force in the woods, the second half failed to do it justice as it gave way to extended unwatchable sequences of strobe lighting and kaleidoscopic psychedelia that was more annoying than frightening

Parts of the film work wonderfully well. In particular the soundtrack of the forest. The sounds of nature reverberate around the room utilising a surround sound system brilliantly in the way The Blair Witch Project failed to do. It's a shame that these true creepy sounds of Folk Horror gave way to the mess that was the second half.

In a way the last half hour felt like Wheatley was reimagining his earlier A Field In England using strobes and a kaleidoscope rather than any genuine imagination.

This is the first of Ben Wheatley's works i haven't enjoyed.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

In the Earth (2021)

This is the first of Ben Wheatley's works i haven't enjoyed.

I bought the Blu-ray of this last year from HMV and it is still on my watchlist! As much as I enjoyed your review, it's dispiriting to read that you didn't like it, but I'll still watch with an open mind.

[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

In the Earth (2021)



As the world searches for a cure to a disastrous virus, a scientist and park scout venture deep in the forest for a routine equipment run.



I was so disappointed in this so called Folk horror from Ben Wheatley. Whilst the first half delivered horror, black comedy (That foot amputation scene - wow!) and tantalising tit bits of some ancient dark force in the woods, the second half failed to do it justice as it gave way to extended unwatchable sequences of strobe lighting and kaleidoscopic psychedelia that was more annoying than frightening



Parts of the film work wonderfully well. In particular the soundtrack of the forest. The sounds of nature reverberate around the room utilising a surround sound system brilliantly in the way The Blair Witch Project failed to do. It's a shame that these true creepy sounds of Folk Horror gave way to the mess that was the second half.



In a way the last half hour felt like Wheatley was reimagining his earlier A Field In England using strobes and a kaleidoscope rather than any genuine imagination.



This is the first of Ben Wheatley's works i haven't enjoyed.

I'm surprised you didn't mention the awful casting of Joel Fry as the research scientist. Despite being one of Wheatley's lesser works anyway for me it was this that broke the film.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by J Harker

I'm surprised you didn't mention the awful casting of Joel Fry as the research scientist. Despite being one of Wheatley's works for me it was this that broke the film.

He didn't convince as a scientist at all. Actually none of them did.

Only Reece Shearsmith, who played the role he always plays, was any good.

[J Harker]

I wrote this last year and I stand by it.

Originally Posted by J Harker

In the Earth. Ben Wheatley. 2021.

Firstly there is the issue of acting. On the whole it's good with the exception of the lead actor Joel Fry, however I'm struggling to blame the actual acting. I've seen him in a few other things and he's generally suited to roles like 'stoner flatmate' or something. Here he is woefully miscast and simply didn't sell the role of scientist to me at all, particularly when other aspects of the plot start to unfold and this becomes a role that needs an actor of a little bit more weight and diversity. For such a pivotal character, I felt it was essential to care and believe and sadly I found I did neither.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by J Harker

I wrote this last year and I stand by it.

All true. However the scientist in the woods. She seemed more like a Doctor Who companion than an expert on crop efficiency.

[nicholasrope]

L.A. Heat

When a Millionaire's Daughter is kidnapped and held for ransom, a Detective is chosen by him to deliver the ransom but after it goes wrong and his friend is killed, he goes for revenge.

This is PM Entertainment Films first release and their original content was Made For TV and it showed, Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs shows promise as the lead but the Action Scenes weren't good (But they certainly improved from 1991 onwards) There was a good death scene in this however. It was a good attempt.

As you may have gathered, I am a fan of most PM Entertainment Films and I went on YouTube to see if there were any videos on their history but there wasn't, however there were some lists with some uploads of their finer efforts.

Dead Pool

Last of the Dirty Harry Movies which sees a game played the Crew of a Film Production where they guess which Celebrities are going to die. When Harry appears on a list and others on it start dying, he investigates in his usual way.

Made in 1989, this could have been one Movie too far and possibly out of it's time but it works, it's entertaining along with Eastwood's sarcastic delivery. This also has a bit of a Cast in it also, Liam Neeson, Patricia Clarkson and a person named James Carey who plays a Drug Addled Rock Star. I have a feeling that a few years later, he might be a star. All kidding aside, he showed flashes of his goofy comedy in this Film.

Ring Of Steel

When a Fencer accidentally kills an opponent, he is enticed into a sort of Underground Fencing Circuit. After he wants out, they kidnap his Girlfriend.

Joe Don Baker is the main star, Darlene Vogel (Pacific Blue, 98 TV Show) is the love interest and Gary Kaspar (You may not know the name but know his face) is the Bad Guy Fencer but it's Robert Chapin who also wrote the Script (Passion Project) who showed poise and some acting ability, he had potential.

This was my 1st ever DVD I bought and it's very tame especially when you compare it to the synopsis on the cover and similar Films like American Samurai (UK BLU-RAY PLEASE) but it's still enjoyable. I would like this on BLU-RAY.