What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Howling Reborn (2011)

I was really enjoying this American high school movie. It had well rounded and interesting characters, albeit with a few typical teen movie cliche's thrown in, and was reasonably well acted. Then it hit me around the fifty minute mark... Hold on isn't this a werewolf film? Where's the horror?

We then up the ante slightly with what could be considered PG scares before finally seeing a werewolf or two in the last ten minutes. Credit where its due - the werewolves are excellent, unfortunately they manage to kill without much blood.

All in all The Howling Reborn is a decent film, a better film in fact than the rest of the sequels, its just not a horror film. Apparently its based on the same novel as Howling II but i saw no similarity at all. I'm sure it was made to appeal to the same crowd Twilight thrills.

[monkeyscreams]

Der himmel uber Berlin

Very boring... Zzzzz... Overrated blabla film

[troggi]

Originally Posted by suziginajackson

Fool!

It's a classic!!

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Although the title gives away the ending, it's a great example of a 'so bad it's good' movie and a bona fide cult classic.

Either you both watched it before your tenth birthdays, you are precocious eight year olds or you've borrowed auntie's and uncle's computers and you should be in bed!

'Night, 'night, sleep tight, hope the bed-bugs bite y' legs off!

[Jinx_Barkman]

The Conjuring

I went to a screening of this in the misty hours of Thursday night/Friday morning with a few friends and while I was excited I couldn't help but limit my expectations after the disappointment that was Insidious (not to mention Dead Silence). I'm relieved to say that this was actually fairly enjoyable. The cast acts exceptionally well which makes the characters likable, unlike many modern horror films where characters seem to be cut from cardboard. The atmosphere that the house provides is one of tension and eeriness which is no surprise but there is also a strong bond between the family that can be picked up on instantly and for that I applaud James Wan. He does a terrific job at taking the time to introduce us to his characters so that when the terror strikes it can be chilling.

Now the negative. The entire film felt extremely familiar. I suppose that is due to the blatant homages or influences James Wan has. (I did like the tiny Bava reference, even though it has been done too many times.) There were a few too many "boo" scares as well which was frustrating because the scenes containing the looming, dreadful scares were so much more effective. Lastly, some scenes needed to be left on the cutting room floor. I can see what Wan was attempting to convey but they just felt unnecessary.

Overall, The Conjuring gets high marks from me and was a breath of fresh air after seeing such drivel as Mama.

[nosferatu42]

Watched the new Pegg/Frost/Wright comedy The World's End at the cinema today with my daughter. I didn't think it was as constantly funny as Shaun of the dead or Hot fuzz but we both really enjoyed it.
The duo of Pegg/Frost still works but at the beginning of the film their characters relationship is uneasy which makes their onscreen chemistry less entertaining until the main part of the story kicks in.
Having said that the story is about how life changes us over time, nostalgia for our youth and how we cope with these things, so it is going to have a few more poignant moments, but it never becomes overly sentimental.
That all sounds quite heavy, but wright suddenly throws in a bodysnatchers style alien invasion and we're all set for an entertaining knockabout enjoyable conclusion (that goes off on a tangent at the very end that i did not expect, but thought was great for that very reason).
Pegg's character is not as instantly likeable as in some of his other movies, but is very human and kind of refreshing because of this.
I was also a teenager at the same time as their characters so the music (late eighties-early nineties) and adolescent shenanigans made me really nostalgic, so i can really relate to the main leads in this film.
Hope this doesn't put anyone off going to see it because as i said i really enjoyed it, there are some great comedy moments and funny one liners.
Recommended 8/10

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

I saw The World's End yesterday and loved it, laughing throughout due to the well rounded characters, brilliant scenario and dialogue. Edgar Wright's direction seems to improve with every film and the screenplay by him and Simon Pegg was excellent with numerous laughs – there were some moments where I was still laughing at one thing when something else happened to make me continue laughing, which rarely happens.

It's really well acted by Pegg, Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman and Rosamund Pike and some nice cameos from the likes of Reese Shearsmith.

I hope to see it again next week as it's a great ending to the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy.

[Paul@TheOverlook]

I'm looking forward to seeing it, Nos.

[Slippery Jack]

The Sicilian Clan

A cracking heist thriller, with another uber cool Morricone score - sort of Spag Western crossed with a 70's Brit tv spy theme . Top cast, slickly shot, and a very entertaining (and unexpectedly twisty) plot. Loved it . . .

[troggi]

"The Lodge"
An odd little "cheapie" from Asda (£3). A young couple hire a hunting lodge for a romantic weekend but soon begin to question the veracity of the "owner" as he seems unfamiliar with the area. Even though we are shown the violence visited upon the lodge's real owner and guests and can deduce that the "owner" that the couple meet, "Henry", committed the murders there is a palpable sense of impending doom throughout the first half.

I enjoyed this budget bargain but it had it's flaws; "Henry" was too obvious, the couple were too one dimensional making it hard to empathise with their predicament and too much extraneous dialogue in the first half (they may as well have been talking about the weather for the most of the time).

On the whole this DVD is well worth the £3 price tag but not much more. At 85 minutes it doesn't "outstay it's welcome" but does drag a little in places. A solid 6/10 for a watchable, but hackneyed, film.

[trebor8273]

Day of the dead
My favourite of the 3 movies. We have bub my favroite character of all the movies and probably the most human of all the characters in the movie 10/10

Runaway train

Never seen before but absolutely amazing film fantastic acting, story and direction, is it strange that I actually liked the character of manny? 10/10

Suspiria

One of Argento's best. Not much more too say, I can understand how people have problems with the blu ray, great picture quality but the colours and brightness do seem to be off. 10/10


The entity

A little slow to beginning with, but once it gets going a truly terrifying film that stays with you, a lot better than movies like paranormal activity 8.5/10

Dr Jekyll and mr Hyde 1932

Tried too watch it but to much background noise, will try again at a later date