What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Frankie Teardrop]

KILLERS - The recent Mo Brothers film. It's a tale of two serial killers, one being superficially the classic reptilian psychopath we've come to know from countless B-movies over the years, the other being more of a vigilante type who kills out of a sense of frustrated self righteousness rather than for sadistic kicks. We see them develop a relationship over the internet, and they end up tangling with each other during the film's finale. I thought 'Killers' was a good movie, and I'd say it's definitely worth a watch - it's well made, cinematographically suave, and contrasts a nice line in emotional exploration (even the really bad dude is shown to harbour an enticing fragility) with requisite brutality. It's long, but absorbing, and I was impressed by the way it makes characters which would usually bypass any real audience sympathy seem human and complex and on some level worthy of empathy, which isn't an easy thing to do at all - you get into their world, which is for the most part lonely and empty rather than excitingly depraved. Good.

[PaulD]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

KILLERS - The recent Mo Brothers film. It's a tale of two serial killers, one being superficially the classic reptilian psychopath we've come to know from countless B-movies over the years, the other being more of a vigilante type who kills out of a sense of frustrated self righteousness rather than for sadistic kicks. We see them develop a relationship over the internet, and they end up tangling with each other during the film's finale. I thought 'Killers' was a good movie, and I'd say it's definitely worth a watch - it's well made, cinematographically suave, and contrasts a nice line in emotional exploration (even the really bad dude is shown to harbour an enticing fragility) with requisite brutality. It's long, but absorbing, and I was impressed by the way it makes characters which would usually bypass any real audience sympathy seem human and complex and on some level worthy of empathy, which isn't an easy thing to do at all - you get into their world, which is for the most part lonely and empty rather than excitingly depraved. Good.

As ever, top review Frankie. This came through my door yesterday courtesy of a Cult Labs twitter competition and you've convinced me to unwrap it sooner rather than later.

[trebor8273]

Some recent viewings





ImageUploadedByTapatalk1410109658.954196.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1410109664.711038.jpg

[Buboven]

I watched As Above, So Below at the cinema on Saturday and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. It is certainly one of the strongest found footage films I have seen. The moments that really stand out for me are those when they find all the objects relating to the characters, so I thought it was kind original in a way. Overall a 8/10. Doesn't quite replace the original Grave Encounters as my fav found footage horror though. I have read several reviews saying there was too much shaky camera and jump scares but I only remember one outright jump scare and thought they effectively build up the atmosphere through engaging characters and quite intriguing imagery.

I would have enjoyed it slightly more if the rude behind me, slightly to the left, took their feet of the seats and shutted the up. Alas, that's the risk you take when you go into a mainstream multiplex cinema on a Saturday night to this kind of horror film.

I wish that Mark Kermodes proposed policy for horror movies, or any film for that matter would be taken up by mainstream cinemas like Cineworld, though I know that is never gonna happen. I guess some people are too thick to realise that people go to a cinema to watch a film, not to chat to their friends.

Also watched my first Pre-Code Hollywood film today; Baby Face (1933) with the elegant Barbara Stanwyck. Really enjoyed this one aswell. Strong performance by Stanwyck. Excellent combination of Neitsche and sex. 9/10.

[SShaw]

Two cinema visits and one blu-ray screening since yesterdays post.

First the German blu-ray of Down by Law which I greatly enjoyed. Its Jarmusch close to, but not at, his best. Brilliant. I have double dipped on this one by ordering the upcoming box-set which contains the first six of Jarmusch's films (I am also sorely tempted by the French box set which contains the three films I don't currently have on blu-ray).

The cinema visits were Best Offer which I believe already had a U.K. direct to video release under the title Deception. I really liked the film, Geoffrey Rush puts in a fine performance as a cold auctioneer who is called to assess the contents of a large dilapidated house and who becomes entranced by its agoraphobic owner. Recommended.

That was good, but the best film of the weekend was the rather excellent A most wanted man which is real edge of your seat, nail biting tension. Hoffman, in his last performance, is simply brilliant- although this is not his best performance- and is supported by a very able cast. Go and see it, its worth your time and money.

The Oldenburg film festival starts on Wednesday and I have plans to spend Thursday and Friday evenings there before heading to Hamburg to catch the second half of Fantasy Film Fest on Saturday until the following Friday. I plan to see 31 films so the updates should come thick and fast from the end of the week.

[gag]

I have a box at home that I plug into the TV and connects by internet and allows me to watch just about everything bit like Netflix but it not a company based once bought no more fees

Just about ever film in existence is up there and the product is good but way it set out is pants ( rubbish) so instead of looking for a certain film I browse and see what films I come across that I've never heard of and watch.
Hence how I found I am a ghost that I previewed recently .
My latest film is across 110th street, never heard the film so gave it a blast and boy am I glad its blaxploitation at it finest about 3 black guys who do a hit and steal 300 thousand of another gang causing gang war. And 2 coppers on opposite sides one black one white who refuse to work with each other to find the culprits.
Plenty of action violence etc to keep anyone happy
This is a film done in the finest way and forget fact its a blaxploitaion film proves it films like these that the golden oldies from yesterday year are the best and prove they just don't make films like these anymore, give me films like this and films from that area than most of today's modern films .

[Frankenhooker]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

KILLERS - The recent Mo Brothers film. It's a tale of two serial killers, one being superficially the classic reptilian psychopath we've come to know from countless B-movies over the years, the other being more of a vigilante type who kills out of a sense of frustrated self righteousness rather than for sadistic kicks. We see them develop a relationship over the internet, and they end up tangling with each other during the film's finale. I thought 'Killers' was a good movie, and I'd say it's definitely worth a watch - it's well made, cinematographically suave, and contrasts a nice line in emotional exploration (even the really bad dude is shown to harbour an enticing fragility) with requisite brutality. It's long, but absorbing, and I was impressed by the way it makes characters which would usually bypass any real audience sympathy seem human and complex and on some level worthy of empathy, which isn't an easy thing to do at all - you get into their world, which is for the most part lonely and empty rather than excitingly depraved. Good.

I really enjoyed 'Killers' suitably nasty in places, the opening ten minutes is genuinely disturbing. I thought it pushed the levels of plausibility in the final third but was thrilling from start to finish.

It was a blind buy for me but money well spent.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Hallam Foe (2007)

Seventeen year-old Hallam Foe can't get over his mothers death in a lake after overdosing on sleeping pills. Blaming his stepmother for her death, Hallam becomes reclusive, spying on his neighbours, his destructive obsession with his stepmother ever growing. After an argument with his father, Hallam runs away to Edinburgh and gets a job in the kitchen of a swish hotel. It's there he meets the hotel manager (Sophia Myles) who has a striking resemblance to his mother which fuels both his desires and his peeping fetish.

Hallam Foe is certainly an original love story. We shouldn't feel anything but pity for Hallam as he's clearly a disturbed individual, but the script is so well written and Jamie Bell's performance so affecting and riveting that you can't help but get carried along on his weirdly disturbing yet rather erotic journey of sexual awakening. Bell's fellow stars Sophia Myles, Ciaran Hinds and Claire Forlani are all uniformly excellent making Hallam's actions all the more believable in his turbulent world of confusion It's the most voyeuristic film i've seen since Krzysztof Kieslowski's brilliant A Short Film About Love and whilst never hitting the erotic majesty of that film, Hallam Foe is more than worthy of your attention.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Curse of Bigfoot (1976)

A mummified Bigfoot is reawakened by a group of archeological students on a field trip. Once reanimated the creature starts laying waste to a small California town.

An interesting 'Bigfoot meets The Mummy' premise is marred slightly by the overly-padded story and over-use of narration, to the extent you often feel as if you're flipping between low budget horror and nature documentary throughout.

The main stand-out factor is the creature design, which is quite radical and projects a 'wolf man with leprosy' vibe rather than your traditional ape-man look.

Despite the film trying to be a little more original and putting a different spin on the tried and tested Bigfoot formula, the overall result is sadly a little lacking. I think some of this can be attributed to the fact that pieces of the film appeared as 'Teenagers Battle the Thing', an incomplete work made in 1958, but it's also clear that some of the '70s additions take their toll too.

Originally posted here: Nightmare USA Films Discussion Thread

[Demoncrat]

Watched Mansion Of The Doomed (1976, Micheal Pataki) Digital UK dvd.

Containeth Spoilers Doth this Review.....




Charming little tale of obsession, another variant on Eyes Without A Face really, as the Captain from Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea stacks up the basement with sightless victims, after blinding his own daughter in a car accident. Quite grim in places really, as was the print which was either a product of a poor transfer or the result of cheap film stock. Or I'm going blind haha.
Just don't accept a drink from the good doctor.....