What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Buboven]

Going to see Ashes and Diamonds (1958) at the big screen tomorrow, can't wait!

[iank]

Saw Mars Attacks again last night. Jack Nicholson leads an all-star cast (including Glenn Close, Michael J Fox, Sarah Jessica Parker, Pierce Brosnan, Danny De Vito and - er - Tom Jones, among others) in Tim Burton's wonderfully ridiculous mid-1990s alien invasion comedy. Great fun.

[keirarts]

Virus

No, not the Jamie lee Curtis one but the early 90's Brian Bosworth action-er I discovered in the halls of valhalla... actually no, Carlisle cash generator on four for £2.

I had a scan of IMDB and it has some rotten feedback, one comment even describing it as "the low point of Brian Bosworth's career".

Essentially Bos is playing a secret service agent who is wandering about a hot springs national park checking out places for the president of the USA when a lorry crashes and releases bio warfare. Bos and a sexy vet must escape the corporate thugs who are trying to shut things down and must find a cure!

It's flatly directed like a low end TV movie and theres some crummy acting but its trashily fun and passes the time like a lot of vhs era junk of its time. The USA release from lionsgate that I found is quite rare so getting flogged on Amazon however there seems to be an italian release as well thats quite cheap. virus (Dvd) Italian Import: Amazon.co.uk: brian bosworth, eric peterson, alan .a goldstein: DVD & Blu-ray

[Sam]

Watched 'The Guest' last night. I thought this was a compelling, taut thriller in the first half and, whilst it did lose it slightly after the 'big reveal', there was still enough action to keep me entertained. A good, old fashioned action-thriller but, ultimately, a decent beer and Biryani flick and nothing more IMO (not that there's anything wrong with that!)

[profondo rosso]

Phantom of the Opera (1962) - Hammer style

phantom poster.jpg

I saw this rendition many years ago and decided tonight to give it a whirl. As much as I always try to like anything Hammer that I watch, this was quite boring and slow in parts. The documentary attached to the BD version, narrated by Edward De Souza, explains that it was tamed down to try and gain an 'A' rating at the cinema sacrificing its normally bloody / buxom wenches approach to get more money, apparently it worked but its legacy suffers for it.

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Tame, long times between anything happening and a not very scary Phantom (although Herbert Lom does steal the scenes he is in when un-masked) lends itself to a slightly enjoyable but forgettable film. The scenery as usual for Hammer is fantastic and belies their budgets at the time, this film made for £180,000.

phantom.jpg

I love all things Hammer, just some more than others and even though I enjoyed this outing it wont be jumping to the front of the line for a few years again.

[Make Them Die Slowly]

SAMURAI COP. Wigtastic freak of a buddy cop flick that plays like a work of avant garde f*ckwit genius. The trailer below will explain all.

[Buboven]

Just watched Starman. SUCH an underrated film from Carpenter. Exceptional performances by Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen. Way better than E.T.

8/10

Also watched Ashes and Diamonds (1958)

8/10 aswell.

[keirarts]

Devil's Island Lovers.

Dennis Price takes the confession of a dying man who reveals that he framed a love rival and his missus for murder and has them carted off to prison. after his death Price must figure a way to free the couple.
One might ask why there is the need to frame someone when living under a military junta in South America however remember this is a Jess Franco film and just go with it. Before you can say "blimey its a women in prison film!" it's a women in prison film with the requisite abuse and lesbian desires. Its not as sleazy or as sadistic as Barbed Wire Dolls but its still pure Franco with its zooms and Howard Vernon and it has a great location.

[iank]

World War Z. Decent action-horror that stood up pretty well to a second viewing.

[keirarts]

Night of the assassins

Franco delivers more traditional gothic chills in this tale of a group of wealthy relatives heading to an old mansion to hear the reading of a will. The group are a greedy, venal bunch and gradually they are killed off by a masked man one at a time.
This ones based on the classic British country house mystery's mixed in with sadistic euro-horror. It's dripping with gothic atmosphere and is even set on a dark and stormy night! This is one of Francos better efforts and worth seeking out.