What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Susan Foreman]

'Blade Runner'

Originally Posted by J Harker

Excellent review Dem. I really need to revisit Blade Runner.

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Thanks, J. Much appreciated.

I keep thinking i should watch the original voice over cinema version but for some reason always opt for The Final Cut each time.

Originally Posted by J Harker

I've had both the dvd and blu with multiple versions for years but I've still only seen the original theatrical version.

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

You should definitely watch The Final Cut. If only because it is how Scott intended the film to be.

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

It's been years since I saw the theatrical and director's cuts of Blade Runner because I also only watch the Final Cut, and have done ever since it was released. I've probably only seen the theatrical version once because I really didn't like the voice-over, so will only watch it for curiosity's sake.

The Final Cut is the definitive version so, once you have that one, there is no reason to watch the others other than to compare them or, as I said, for novelty value or out of curiosity.

It's a film I find tedious to the extreme, but I think the best version of it has to be the workprint, which is very interesting

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Haunted (1995)

Professor and skeptic Aiden Quinn is asked to stay at an old house by house keeper Anna Massey who is sure the place is haunted. Once there he meets the house's occupants, three siblings, and events begin to take a turn for the slightly strange.

Based on a novel by the great James Herbert, Haunted is a terrific ghostly Gothic thriller. Former Bond and Educating Rita director Lewis Gilbert keeps things ticking over steadily adding welcome characterization whilst keeping the viewer just on the right side of uneasy. The three siblings played by Alex Lowe, Kate Beckinsale and Anthony Andrews are all a little too familiar with each other, especially Beckinsale and Andrews whose relationship is all rather incestuous despite Beckinsale seemingly falling for Quinn as well.

As with the best haunted chillers, the scares are subtle, a creaking door here, footsteps on the steps there, and all the better for it.

Fans of ghostly old dark house films should really enjoy this, as should Beckinsale's army of followers. Just remember...James Herbert came well before The Others (2001).

[trebor8273]

Alien

An absolute classic, not much more I can say that's not already been said. 9.8/10

Now watching end of days.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by trebor8273

Alein

An absolute classic, not much more I can say that's not already been said. 9.8/10

Well you could have at least spelled it correctly.

[Nordicdusk]

clowntown-poster.jpg

Two couples are travelling across country to attend a concert when they stop off at a small hick town to use the bathroom in the towns diner. Its not long before they are upsetting the locals but lucky for them the towns sheriff steps in and give them some sound advice to skip town and not stop until they get to where they are headed. On the road again one of the females discovers she has lost her phone that contains all her personal details such as bank numbers and so on. They ring the phone and a man answers and agrees to meet them at the closest town to return the phone. The couples are pretty reluctant to make the meeting but the importance of the phone makes the decision a simple one but is the phone more important than their lives.

Clowntown kept me interested all the way from start to finish. The acting is pretty sketchy at times but there are no annoying characters which is always a great start. On the gore front it's decent but there is a fair bit of cut away from many of the impact shots but strangely i didn't actually bother me as much as usual. The music felt very similar to Halloween in parts which was a good thing really brought a good atmosphere and there is some great lighting for even more added atmosphere blues and greens being the mains colours used. Its nothing amazing or new but its worth a watch i was really surprised by it and the clowns look really cool especially this guy.

7/10

ClownTown1-1.jpg

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Love Bite (2012)

British werewolf horror comedy which is aimed at the dafter elements of The Inbetweeners crowd. Unfortunately this film about a young man desperate to have sex when he hears of a werewolf killing virgins in his sleepy seaside town is short on scares but fails completely when it comes to smutty schoolboy antics as well. Imagine a film full of Jay wannabes without one iota of James Buckley's timing or witless charm.

The cast has none of the spark that would ignite the comedy elements should the laboured script throw any out. Timothy Spall does his best as a werewolf hunter but Luke Pasqualino in a pre Musketeers role verges on border line embarrassing. It's only leads Ed Speleers and sexy Jessica Szohr as a mysterious American girl, who come out of the film with any credit whatsoever.

On the plus side, the werewolf effects are good, in fact too good for a film of this ilk and provide, along with Speleers and Szohr, the only reason for watching this toothless werewolf film.

[Cinematic Shocks]

Don't Go in the House (1979)

**** out of *****

Rabid (1977)

**** out of *****

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

****1/2 out of *****

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

A fantastic triple-bill there.

[Demoncrat]

Indeed.

Queen & Country (2014, John Boorman)
Boorman returns with the sequel to Hope & Glory, aside from the rather unique performance of Caleb Landry Jones, twas nice to hear the Queen's English spoken by most of the characters.

The Veil (2016, Phil Joanou)
A Jim Jones style preacher has found the "gateway" between this world and the next, so when Jessica Alba & crew turn up with the only survivor to find out the truth years later...things don't go according to plan. Bleached out to hell, this rather perfunctory tale had a few moments to note. Thankfully there is no U2 on the ST

[tele1962]

The Last Man On The Moon.

I watched this last night and have to say it was one of the best films i have seen in a long time.
Following the life and career of the very last Apollo astronaut to walk on the moon Gene Cernan. It was often moving and at times jaw dropping but always kept me glued to the screen. These men are looking and are quite old now but the stories and experiences they have had is staggering.

One of the most moving scenes in the film is when Gene revisits the Apollo 17 launchpad, lump in my throat.

A massive 10/10.