What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Justin101]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

I've only seen the Hobbit films once, so can't really rank them. The Lord of the Rings ones probably go 1) Two Towers 2) Fellowship of the Ring 3) Return of the King, with the last one spoiled by the excessive length and multiple endings!

I would like to pick up a boxset with the three Hobbit films, but wouldn't pay over the odds for it because I wasn't overly enamoured with them at the cinema.

The theatrical version box set is only £15ish these days (on BD) I think I paid £20 and thought that was cheap. I think after watching 1408 later I'll watch The Battle of the Five Armies later as well.

EDIT: £13.10

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hobbit-Tril...rds=the+hobbit

[bleakshaun]

Originally Posted by Cinematic Shocks

I really like The Hobbit trilogy. While obviously not on par with the three TLOTR films, they’re still terrific entertainment. The Battle of the Five Armies is the weakest of all six, but I still really enjoyed it. It’s just one long battle sequence with set-piece after set-piece, but despite the lack of story, it still manages to be emotional and rousing, due to its solid execution in resolving everything that was set-up in the first two films.

one of the major faults of the hobbit films is that they stretched it to 3 films, in terms of story telling it lacks the stakes of which the lotr trilogy had. i recall seeing battle of 5 armies at the cinema and i was just creased with laughter. everything is bred for war, the bats, the orcs, if there were any toilets i'm pretty sure they would've been bred for war.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Justin101

The theatrical version box set is only £15ish these days (on BD) I think I paid £20 and thought that was cheap. I think after watching 1408 later I'll watch The Battle of the Five Armies later as well.

EDIT: £13.10

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hobbit-Tril...rds=the+hobbit

Through third-party sellers, it is a little over £10, which seems good value. I'm not sure whether to go for that one or, even though they are just over twice the price, the extended editions.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

The Boss Baby

I thought the trailer made this look as if it could be good, so went to today's first showing this morning at 10am, hoping to beat the rush and be in a reasonably quiet cinema. Fortunately, that was the case with only one child chatting away as a level which I thought was a bit too loud and was hushed by his parents or someone close by couple of times.

The film is fairly simple in its setup: Tim, a seven-year-old boy has a wonderful relationship with his parents and everything he could want at home. Unfortunately, one day they come home with a new baby and all the attention which was lavished on him is now devoted to the new arrival. He also has a sneaking suspicion that everything is not as it seems and there is something (aside from the suit and briefcase) a little unusual about this baby, a suspicion confirmed when he hears him talking in adult males voice.

I won't say what happens after that because it would be to the detriment of anyone watching for the first time. The Boss Baby has a strange animated style, with eyes in close-up seemingly borrowed from Japanese anime and other design from mainstream American animated films, plus fantasy sequences with a whole array of styles. These work quite well in visual storytelling, telling you what is going on without relying on a verbal explanation. There are some neat gags as well, such as when Tim tells Boss Baby that his bedtime song, Blackbird, was written for him by his parents, leading the baby to ask, much to Tim's bewilderment, if his parents were Lennon and McCartney.

This DreamWorks-produced film isn't of the standard at which Pixar tends to operate, nor like recent Disney films such as Moana or Zootropolis – it isn't as funny, deep, emotionally resonant, or offering as much to audiences of all ages. That said, what it does do, it does very well and engaged me throughout – I was never bored – and stayed until after the credits because I (correctly) guessed there would be an extra scene. Alec Baldwin is superb voicing the title character, and he is ably supported by Tobey Maguire as the adult Tim and narrator, Jimmy Kimmel and Lisa Kudrow as Tim's parents and Steve Buscemi in a role which I won't divulge so as not to spoil a major plot development.

If you have young children, The Boss Baby will be worth the trip to the cinema during the Easter holidays as they probably will be well entertained for the 98 minute running time. If you don't like busy cinemas and children irritate you, wait for it to be released on DVD or Blu-ray.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Venus in Fur (2013)

Despite having never read the original book i've enjoyed the two adaptations i've watched. Both from 1969 and directed by Jess Franco and Massimo Dallamano respectfully. So it was with great enthusiasm that i bought this new version from the acclaimed Roman Polanski.

This version is unlike any of the others. Based on a 2010 play by David Ives and featuring just two actors in Mathieu Amalric and Emmanuelle Seigner, whilst set on a single theatre stage.

It's the end of the day and tired director Amalric hasn't found anyone remotely near his idea of Wanda the lead character of the book. As he's about to leave a self confidant older woman enters the theatre and demands an audition.

From here on the film is an acting tour-de-force. Utilizing all the books elements of perversion, passion and a fearless battle of the sexes, the film becomes an audacious and thought provoking masterpiece. Amalric moves from tired and listless to almost sexually obsessed and Seigner, who is quite astonishing transforms into an alluring, seductive and arousing dominatrix who had me captivated such was her powerful eroticism. If she'd looked into the camera and said 'You at home, on your knees you c**t!' i would have done, such was the power in her performance.

Polanski moves the viewer with consummate ease into a world slightly left of reality as Seigner's audition takes on the lurid role of Venus, blurring the screenplay with reality and fiction thanks to terrific performances and a tantalizing script. The film is beautifully lit, the two actors manipulating the stage lights as scenes come and go. To say i was gripped by the whole thing is an understatement. It had been on a good forty minutes before i moved in my seat i was so gripped as the drama (and humour) unfolded before me.

Absolutely brilliant and perfect for a late night viewing.

[Demoncrat]

At Long Last Love (1975, Peter Bogdanovich)
After rereading Easy Riders and Raging Bulls again, the one film that intrigued me most this time was this. So a quick trip round to musical obsessed friend who had it on vhs later, I sat and watched it today. More self indulgent than Apocalypse Now is my opinion. In todays climate it would win 11 oscars but then? Killed his career and his relationship in one fell swoop. Did actually laugh at John Hillerman's butler but that's about it.
If it aint The Wicker Man .... I don't give a rats ass

[iank]

Hush. A deaf woman living in the country becomes the target of a sadistic killer in this gripping 2016 horror thriller from writer-director Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Ouija: Origin of Evil). This movie is a lean, mean exercise in nerve-wracking suspense and tension from my favourite modern horror director and genuinely had me on the edge of my seat. Cracking stuff! It's time this got a proper DVD/Blu release!

[Stephen@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by iank

Hush. A deaf woman living in the country becomes the target of a sadistic killer in this gripping 2016 horror thriller from writer-director Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Ouija: Origin of Evil). This movie is a lean, mean exercise in nerve-wracking suspense and tension from my favourite modern horror director and genuinely had me on the edge of my seat. Cracking stuff! It's time this got a proper DVD/Blu release!

I'm surprised it hasn't been released on dvd/blu-ray, but then again, it was picked up by Netflix (where I saw it) and I don't know if any of their films have been given a wide release.

[Rik]

Mike Flanagan's best film IMO

[Deadite]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Venus in Fur (2013)

Despite having never read the original book i've enjoyed the two adaptations i've watched. Both from 1969 and directed by Jess Franco and Massimo Dallamano respectfully. So it was with great enthusiasm that i bought this new version from the acclaimed Roman Polanski.

This version is unlike any of the others. Based on a 2010 play by David Ives and featuring just two actors in Mathieu Amalric and Emmanuelle Seigner, whilst set on a single theatre stage.

It's the end of the day and tired director Amalric hasn't found anyone remotely near his idea of Wanda the lead character of the book. As he's about to leave a self confidant older woman enters the theatre and demands an audition.

From here on the film is an acting tour-de-force. Utilizing all the books elements of perversion, passion and a fearless battle of the sexes, the film becomes an audacious and thought provoking masterpiece. Amalric moves from tired and listless to almost sexually obsessed and Seigner, who is quite astonishing transforms into an alluring, seductive and arousing dominatrix who had me captivated such was her powerful eroticism. If she'd looked into the camera and said 'You at home, on your knees you c**t!' i would have done, such was the power in her performance.

Polanski moves the viewer with consummate ease into a world slightly left of reality as Seigner's audition takes on the lurid role of Venus, blurring the screenplay with reality and fiction thanks to terrific performances and a tantalizing script. The film is beautifully lit, the two actors manipulating the stage lights as scenes come and go. To say i was gripped by the whole thing is an understatement. It had been on a good forty minutes before i moved in my seat i was so gripped as the drama (and humour) unfolded before me.

Absolutely brilliant and perfect for a late night viewing.

Didn't think this would be up your alley to be honest.

Saw it on telly a few months ago and thought it was great. An erotically charged film contained in 1 room and with 2 actors. Brilliant.