What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Gojirosan]

The Divide - 2011 Germany/Us/Canada d: Xavier Gens

As with Frontier(s), Xavier Gens manages to scupper what good there is in this through his compulsion to overindulge himself and consider what he is doing to be far more important than it is. Here he attempts an occasionally passable but ultimately overwrought post-apocalypse drama that brings nothing new to the table other than extremity.

There are some decent performances here, but these are not rôles that require much subtlety, so we're not looking at anything to evoke Brando or such, rather superior stereotype depiction. Ultimately, this is down to the writing, which is really quite half-hearted and formulaic, giving the performers little to do with their caricatures. Technically, it is all very efficient and the film-makers do make a limited budget and sets seem to go a long way.

Two glaring issues are what finally trip up the film. First up, it's really, really, really long. This is basically the kind of B flick that Roger Corman would crank out in under 80 minutes, but here the pretentiousness of the tone behind it drags it out for two very long and ponderous hours. There is much meandering and faffing and not enough getting to the point. Ultimately, it just runs out of steam rather than ending.

Secondly, it has the most awful music throughout. This is miserable, dreary music that takes itself tremendously seriously and just renders things inappropriately camp. Lots of sub-Coldplay, minimal piano over synth rubbish soundtracks badly thought out slow motion scenes and now and then ever-so-mournful cellos break through. It's all so obvious and falls flat on its face.

So, not a success then, yet in its way, nearly watchable enough. The old hands Michael Biehn, Courtney Vance and Rosanna Arquette come out of things best and I suppose it is almost worth watching for them. But at the end of it all, it's another flawed disappointment from Gens.

[Nordicdusk]

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The hairs on my arms stand up as soon as the theme song starts

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by keirarts

I really enjoyed Santas slay!

So did I. It's far from a classic, but I enjoyed it for what it was.

[VicDakin]

Originally Posted by nordicdusk

Attachment 94619

The hairs on my arms stand up as soon as the theme song starts

yeah i get the same from this film

rude vulgar and sexist,but that's enough about me.

[Delirium]

The other half and I just did a lovely Christmas Eve gothic double-bill of Terence Fisher's Dracula: Prince of Darkness (Blu) and William/Eva Hyuck's Messiah of Evil (Code Red SE DVD).

Dracula looks terrific of course and is a fine return to form for the count, although this time he remains silent throughout (apart from some howls). The blood is upped, with a gruesome slaughter leading to the count's resurrection. The performances are fun too - I particularly enjoyed Barbara Shelley's transformation from buttoned up English lady to sultry vampiric temptress.

Messiah of Evil is an American production with an Italian look and feel. A supernatural, zombie, body-snatchers amalgamation by way of Argento, MOE is delightfully oddball with some incredible set design - namely the house where our glamorous lead resides, complete with creepy, wall high murals of shadowy figures and a cool swinging bed, beautifully shot by Stephen Katz. Marianna Hill (The Baby) stars and Writer/Directors Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz later penned such titles as American Graffitti and Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom. Huyck also directed Howard the Duck!

A great way to see in Christmas. We even watched the extras on both!

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by Delirium

The other half and I just did a lovely Christmas Eve gothic double-bill of Terence Fisher's Dracula: Prince of Darkness (Blu) and William/Eva Hyuck's Messiah of Evil (Code Red SE DVD).

Dracula looks terrific of course and is a fine return to form for the count, although this time he remains silent throughout (apart from some howls). The blood is upped, with a gruesome slaughter leading to the count's resurrection. The performances are fun too - I particularly enjoyed Barbara Shelley's transformation from buttoned up English lady to sultry vampiric temptress.

Messiah of Evil is an American production with an Italian look and feel. A supernatural, zombie, body-snatchers amalgamation by way of Argento, MOE is delightfully oddball with some incredible set design - namely the house where our glamorous lead resides, complete with creepy, wall high murals of shadowy figures and a cool swinging bed, beautifully shot by Stephen Katz. Marianna Hill (The Baby) stars and Writer/Directors Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz later penned such titles as American Graffitti and Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom. Huyck also directed Howard the Duck!

A great way to see in Christmas. We even watched the extras on both!

Love messiah of evil, interesting to see the walter hill cameo at the beginning!

stuck a review up on amazon for it!

Messiah of Evil: Second Coming DVD 1973 Region 1 US Import NTSC: Amazon.co.uk: Michael Greer, Marianna Hill, Joy Bang, Anitra Ford, Royal Dano, Elisha Cook Jr., Charles Dierkop, Bennie Robinson, Morgan Fisher, Emma Truckman, Dyanne Asimow, Herb Margo

[Susan Foreman]

'HUSH'

Crap film - certainly charity shop material!

[Gojirosan]

Originally Posted by suziginajackson

'HUSH'

Crap film - certainly charity shop material!

[Slippery Jack]

Originally Posted by suziginajackson

'HUSH'

Crap film - certainly charity shop material!

Is that the one with the motorway services? I thought the first half of that was pretty good! Motorway service stations are surprisingly cinematic . . .

[Gojirosan]

A Christmas Story - THE best Christmas film. End of.

Silent Night Deadly Night - one of the 80's better slasher offerings and one that retains a little bite and darkness in its uncut form. Decent flick.