What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[sjconstable]

Witchboard - 3/5

Linda is smokin' when she's possessed, dayum!

[Make Them Die Slowly]

Hostel Part III. Dire straight to DVD film that whilst retaining the underlying racism of the first two, forgets to deliver the goods in the torture and gore stakes that were the selling point of these films.

[Wes]

Originally Posted by Make Them Die Slowly

Hostel Part III. Dire straight to DVD film that whilst retaining the underlying racism of the first two, forgets to deliver the goods in the torture and gore stakes that were the selling point of these films.

Dude, at this point, I must ask (and this I would ask of Mr. Teardrop as well), but all this obscura found at the cinematic junkyard, are they charity store pick ups, random rentals or downloaded contraband ? I'm just asking cos funds are tight enough at this end to make each purchase count - meaning, I'd never take a chance on something risky like Hostel III, I'd only see it if it turned up on TV...

[Rik]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Straw Dogs (2011)

In all honesty i can't remember what the reaction was to this remake of the Sam Peckinpah classic, i'm guessing as with all remakes it was mixed. Two years down the line i decided to give it a go and absolutely loved it.

I own the original Hoffman / George film on dvd but have only watched it twice, i also loved this on both occasions. Rod Lurie's 2011 effort set now in Mississippi rather than Cornwall, certainly isn't a re-imagining and is most definitely a remake.

During the early stages i wasn't at all impressed by the two leads - James Marsden and Kate Bosworth as the newly married couple moving back to her childhood farm, but felt they grew into the parts. The locals, a hastily drawn bunch were more successful though. Alexander Skarsgård was clearly going to be the main protagonist, and the always watchable James Woods, seen here in shouty mode, the chief motivator. Other less successful characters were two brothers played by the excellent, but wasted here, Walton Goggins and Dominic Purcell as his mentally handicapped sibling.

The film skirts round issues such as child molestation, yet never actually says so and also the thorny subject of who is actually the predator and the prey. Once this is out of the way though we are into the films main siege at the couples farm. This was well staged and an exciting set piece and i was gripped by the tension which had been slowly buiding up as the film progressed.

Despite loving the film i always had that nagging feeling that whilst the film was called Straw Dogs it clearly wasn't the Straw Dogs i knew previously. The infamous rape scene is much tamer in this film for a start. Had it been titled The Siege of Trencher's Farm like the book it was based on it may have dispelled these notions in what was a thoroughly entertaining viewing.

Gave this a watch last night (via a Lovefilm rental) and completely agree with everything said here, I too thought it was really good and will definitely be adding it to my collection at some point.

Also watched a short film written and directed by a guy called Paul Doherty (anyone know who this guy is? ) called Death Strikes at Midnight, really enjoyed this too

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Wes

Dude, at this point, I must ask (and this I would ask of Mr. Teardrop as well), but all this obscura found at the cinematic junkyard, are they charity store pick ups, random rentals or downloaded contraband ? I'm just asking cos funds are tight enough at this end to make each purchase count - meaning, I'd never take a chance on something risky like Hostel III, I'd only see it if it turned up on TV...

I think by now you'll know if this stuff appeals to you. These films are often dirt cheap to pick up and you can get 3,4 even five for the price of a new Arrow release of a film you already own for example.

I personally couldn't give a toss about blu-ray and replacing all my thousands of dvd's i own. that would be a waste of money.

[Rik]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I couldn't give a toss about blu-ray and replacing all my thousands of dvd's i own. that would be a waste of money.

I thought that until someone gave me a free blu ray player 2 years ago, I swore I wouldn't replace my DVD's having already done it with VHS, but it's damn hard!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Rik

Gave this a watch last night (via a Lovefilm rental) and completely agree with everything said here, I too thought it was really good and will definitely be adding it to my collection at some point.

Also watched a short film written and directed by a guy called Paul Doherty (anyone know who this guy is? ) called Death Strikes at Midnight, really enjoyed this too

Thanks Rik. Pleased you liked it.

I watched some of Paul's film last night then got side tracked. I kept expecting Nieves Navarro to show up but no such luck.

I'll go back to it and watch it properly tomorrow.

[keirarts]

WILD GEESE.

Picked it up to sell on, but the allure of Roger Moores brown voice persuaded me to give it a watch. Lots of fun in an old fashioned sort of way. With humor you could not get away with in modern cinema its a very politically incorrect slice of action. I think a wet sunday afternoon was the perfect venue for this film. Sort of wish I had a bottle of scotch to hand though. Will look at getting it on blu-ray as it's still great fun.

[Rik]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Thanks Rik. Pleased you liked it.

I thought I would do, seeing as I'm one of those rare people who's enjoyed the majority of the recent remakes and the fact it's been years since I saw Peckinpah's original meant I didn't go into it with that film in my mind, ready to judge

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Rik

the fact it's been years since I saw Peckinpah's original meant I didn't go into it with that film in my mind, ready to judge

I was the same. I remembered it a bit, but not scene for scene, word for word.