What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[nicholasrope]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004)

An exploratory team travels to the jungle in search of the rare blood orchid, a flower unique to the region that blooms once every seven years. Obviously everything that can go wrong does go wrong including giant Anacondas after their lunch.

I decided to watch the dvd box set of Anaconda films in order to judge if they should be upgraded to the 88 Films Blu-ray box set. I know the first film like the back of my hand having seen it at the cinema then owned it on vhs and dvd. However the other three i suspect i've only seen once before.

I was pleasantly surprised by this first sequel in name only. Johnny Messner as the river boat captain and KaDee Strickland as one of the researchers were both likable enough to get behind whilst Matthew Marsden's boss scientist was the unscrupulous bastard we all love to hate and love to see eaten by Anacondas. The location photography was excellent and although the actors were probably playing their parts against hosepipes, the snake attacks were decent enough in their execution.

Although this was a box office success the next two sequels were direct to dvd so i'm expecting a bumpier ride but as far as Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid goes i had a good time revisiting it.

I liked this one also.

I read a comment a while back that Johnny Messner came around in the wrong decade, I agree, he would have fitted in quite nicely in the Action Movies of the mid 80's through the 90's.

[nicholasrope]

Escape From L.A.

Kurt Russell is back and this time, he has to retrieve a stolen Black Box held in the now isolated Island of Los Angeles. Just a 90's version of Escape To New York with the same characteristics of the original but with some dodgier F/X. It's ok I suppose.

I remember seeing the Trailer at my local MGM Cinema back in 96 when I saw Barb Wire and Executive Decision. Well I've seen it now.

Bad Dreams

When a woman survives a Fire at a Cult Compound after a mass suicide attempt, she awakens from a Coma after 13 years but is placed in a Psych Ward, When she starts having visions of the Cult Leader, other members of the group start dying.

Half way through this, I realized I was watching a take of A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors but the kills are rather good and the ending is based on grounded in reality instead of being paranormal and whilst I enjoyed the Film, it's not one for regular viewings even if it does have a brisk running time. But I probably would have loved it if I saw it within the 1st few years of it's release.

It's worth having

Memphis Belle

True Story based on a Flight Crew of the Memphis Belle who are on their last mission before going home. However things don't go as planned. Not really a War Film fan but picked up the DVD from a CEX because I remember seeing the Trailer many times on my Gremlins 2: New Batch VHS and with a all star cast, it was enjoyable but again, not one for repeat viewings.

Epicenter

Gary Daniels plays a Hi-Tech Thief who is captured by F.B.I. played by Traci Lords. However Russian Mobsters and Crooked Agents are after them Oh yeah, there is a Earthquake and it's aftermath as well as finding her Daughter to deal with also.

I forgot that this was a P/M Entertainment Film and it's full of Action and Disaster F/X, which they are known for. A decent Film and a P/M Entertainment Box Set would go down a treat for me.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Anaconda 3: Offspring (2008)

Turgid sequel made for the Sci-fi channel in which David Hasselhoff plays a hunter who is pretty fly (for a white guy) who teams up with Crystal Allen's scientist whose self esteem takes a dent after mutant Anacondas escape from a research facility. When it becomes clear one of the snakes has issues (Ie- pregnant) Hasselhoff and co realise they gotta' get away as the kids aren't alright and they want to come out and play.

Sadly Anacondas 3: Offspring fails to come out swinging. Director Don E. FauntLeRoy fills the film with all his usual bad habits with the actors sharing no chemistry or interpersonal drama and the script and action scenes fall flat. I'll spare you the details but come the end you'll be screaming at FauntLeRoy, why don't you get a job? Either that or you'll wanna hit that off button on the remote.

Tonight it will be Anacondas: Trail of Blood. Let the bad times roll

[MrBarlow]

Diary Of A Chambermaid. 1946.

A chambermaid plots to climb the social ladder by marrying a wealthy man.

Paulette Goddard plays the title role, she is a conniving woman who comes to her new home as a maid in order to marry a rich man. She's mostly interested in the master's son. Burgess Meredith is the old wacky neighbour who seems to enjoy eating flowers in the garden but also trying to seduce the new comer to the house next door and Frances Lederer keeps the tension ticking and is very watchable as the valet with something sinister going on in his head.

Although I have put this down as a unseen movie, I did watch part of it years ago and wasn't really paying attention till today, it may not be a great masterpiece it had its share of comical moments and entertainment but may add it to the re-watch list.

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[nicholasrope]

American Flyers

1985 Film based on a couple of Brothers (One played by Kevin Costner) who participate in a grueling Bike Race in Colorado. Along the way there is triumph and tragedy. Rae Dawn Chong, Alexandra Paul and John Amos co-star.

Even though I didn't see this when it came out in the 80's, seeing the Cover in a VHS Magazine is one of the earliest memories I have also this was the 1st Film I watched during Lockdown, where I saw many, many, many Films. It was a Saturday and I watched Student Bodies and New Jack City afterwards. The Film is pretty good.

War Games

Matthew Broderick is the High Schooler who is able to hack into the U.S. Defense System and almost start World War III. Ally Sheedy co-stars along with Michael Madsen (Probably in a earlier role) this was the 1st time seeing this and whilst it isn't bad, I probably would have enjoyed this more back in the day.

If this was on one Christmas in the 80's, I probably would have recorded this and watched it many times (Like I did with Innerspace)

[MrBarlow]

M. 1931.

A spate of child murders in Germany, police are unable to find the killer, other criminals join in the manhunt.

The stunning performances define the careers of exceptional actors such as Peter Lorre and Gustaf Grundgens. Director Fritz Lang gives depth and dimension to his production by distinctly capturing the ecstasy of the film's many characters and focusing accurately on individual situations. This is an intriguing journey into the mind of a psychotic child murderer, blending terror, complexity in one amazing movie.

The film captures the chaos of the town in terror perfectly. This is more about the results of a serial killer than an actual serial killer. Never do we directly witness a murder; the violent encounters are implied. This method of film making perhaps makes the movie's impact even greater. With an creative perspective through a third person point of view, the filmmakers repeatedly give us examples of a solid structure through characters and occurrences.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Anacondas: Trail of Blood (2009)

I had Carlito's Way in the Blu-ray player last night, menu screen ticking over when i remembered i still had to sit through this.

A direct sequel to Anacondas: Offspring (2008) once again directed by Don E Fauntleroy, this is more of the same with scientists and military type grunts snake hunting in the forests of Romania (I have no idea how we got from the Amazon jungles to some Romanian woods but there you go).

John Rhys-Davies reprises his role of the dying billionaire funding the expeditions as does Crystal Allen, the only survivor of the last film.And once more the CGI snakes look awful. They slither through the trees at incredible speeds and not a branch bends or a leaf on the ground churns.

Sadly this is only a slight improvement over Anacondas: Offspring, mainly because it's four minutes shorter.

My quest to see if i should upgrade my Anaconda dvd box set is over. The first film is a fun monster movie with a good cast, the second also very good for what it is, but the third and fourth films are uninspired with barely one dimensional characters and worse SFX. So the answer is no. I won't be upgrading in fact i'm tempted to get rid of the dvd box set.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

First Blood (1982)

Sylvester Stallone stars in this classic action thriller as John Rambo, a tough and resourceful victim of the Vietnam war, haunted by his violent past he comes into conflict with the over zealous police chief of a small backwoods town (Brian Dennehy) as things escalate into a full scale manhunt in the surrounding forests.

Prior to subsequent sequels becoming full on action blood baths, First Blood is a more measured and involving film of a loner, a reminder of a war a country never wanted, a man alienated by just about everyone he comes across. Stallone is on top form here as both wounded victim and violent aggressor whilst Dennehy snarls as the bigoted small town sheriff and the catalyst for the shit hitting the fan.

Ted Kotcheff's direction is excellent, especially the taut action sequences in the forests as the US National Guard become the mice in Rambo's trap. As an aside it's a good job the National Guard are never needed to defend their country as between this and Southern Comfort (1981) they are portrayed as ineffective idiots, just ripe for slicing by the knives of Rambo or any Cajuns they might piss off.

[MrBarlow]

The Missing Corpse. 1945

A feud between two rival editors of a newspaper escalates further when the body of one of the men turns up in the boot of a car.

J. Edward Bromberg is the wealthy man who does not like pictures of his daughter being splashed about in the papers being at a house party, yet fails to notice his son is suffering the hangover from hell. Paul Guilfoyle is the paper editor that is killed and his body keeps popping up in different areas which makes it more comical. it's no mystery who the killer is but keeps you intrigued on how the killer will be unmasked and caught. This is one of those oddball movies that sounds daft but keeps your attention.

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[MrBarlow]

The Lazarus Effect. 2015.

A group of medical discover a way to bring back the dead unaware of the side effects that can cause.

This was a good horror concept that takes some notes from Flatliners and Re-Animator with a little bit of Carrie in the mix, we all know experimenting with the dead can lead to a bit of Frankenstein if you want to go down a scientific route but some things should stay dead. The acting is solid in this with Mark Duplass and Olivia Wilde as the lead doctors who try something new and then big Ray Wise comes in and takes control and then all goes haywire with a unexpected new test. The film can be dark in places and sets up the tone for a good atmospheric horror and claustrophobia.

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