What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Justin101]

Originally Posted by keirarts

The dalk half

Continued the Romero marathon with this one.

I haven't seen The Dark Half, or read the book, but I do know it's the one with the sparrows and the scrawled handwriting across the pages! It's one which I've been meaning to pick up recently.

[keirarts]

Monkey shines

One of Romero's more restrained films, Monkey shines has a premise that made it hard to ignore when it appeared on the video shelves. Allan (Jason Beghe) is a promising athlete who is becomes a quadraplegic after a horrifying car accident. Becoming ever more isolated after his girlfriend leaves him for his doctor Allen spends all day holded up and frustrated by his nasty nurse Maryanne, played by Romero's wife Christine Forrest. His friend Geoffrey provides Allan a carer monkey named Ella to asist with his day to day needs. Ella at first appears to be a godsend, however Maryanne is not so keen, having to clean up after Ellas messes. However, what Geoffrey forgets to say is that Ella was an experimental test monkey and as a result of the testing she has increased intelligence and minor psychic powers. Allen begins to notice this when he realises he can see what ella see's, unfortunately the connection goes both ways and the dorman rage allen has as a result of his misfortune is channeled into the little monkey who begins killing for him.
Somewhat more restrained than his Dead movies, monkey shines is one of Romero's most unfairly overlooked picture. As a depiction of struggling with a new disability its great, the monkey scenes are well realised with a great central performance from Boo who played her. Its a terrific little thriller that hopefully will continue to gain an audience.

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by Justin101

I haven't seen The Dark Half, or read the book, but I do know it's the one with the sparrows and the scrawled handwriting across the pages! It's one which I've been meaning to pick up recently.

Scream Factory's release is great. I'm surprised no UK label has picked it up.

[Rik]

I still need to pick that up, I've only got the old MGM DVD

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by J Harker

I'm aware I'm tossing a cat among pigeons here but ultimately why would you judge a film on anything but enjoyment factor?

Originally Posted by SymbioticFunction

Night has a massively depressing ending but is made all the more powerful for it. It's a much more ground-breaking film made on a much lower budget. Hence me highly rating it as the best even if it's not the most enjoyable out of the six Dead films. Does that make any sense or am I just talking nonsense?

A list of the 'best' films in any category is not the same as the most enjoyable ones. For instance, you may love Troll 2, but I don't know why you would put at the top of any 'best fantasy films' list.

I understand what SymbioticFunction has said because, in my opinion, I recognise Night of the Living Dead as a better piece of filmmaking than Dawn of the Dead – superior in its writing, editing, and general execution, but it's not as much fun. That's why Dawn would be top of the list of my favourite Romero movies, with Night, as it is so downbeat, being quite far down that list and probably behind Knightriders.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by keirarts

Monkey shines

Another excellent review – thanks.

As someone who is in the same position as the protagonist, I remember watching this thinking a helper monkey would be brilliant. When the end credits rolled, my position had completely changed to the point I would not entertain the idea in a million years!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

A list of the 'best' films in any category is not the same as the most enjoyable ones. For instance, you may love Troll 2, but I don't know why you would put at the top of any 'best fantasy films' list.

I understand what SymbioticFunction has said because, in my opinion, I recognise Night of the Living Dead as a better piece of filmmaking than Dawn of the Dead – superior in its writing, editing, and general execution, but it's not as much fun. That's why Dawn would be top of the list of my favourite Romero movies, with Night, as it is so downbeat, being quite far down that list and probably behind Knightriders.

You can have all the writing, editing, direction and technical aspects you want but if you don't enjoy a film then it's no good.

Nos, you seem to be looking at this from an almost robotic point of view. Avatar is a hell of a technical achievement but it's still rubbish.

It's all personal opinion. Mad Max Fury Road, brilliance and wonderful film making to some but i thought it was plotless nonsense. Citizen Kane is supposedly one of the best films of all time. Well not to me it isn't as it's about as entertaining as watching grass grow.

[keirarts]

I enjoyed Battleship. I openly acknowledge its utter crap but its fun crap. One of my favorites so far this year is cure for wellness which got critically mauled.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by keirarts

I enjoyed Battleship. I openly acknowledge its utter crap but its fun crap. One of my favorites so far this year is cure for wellness which got critically mauled.

Battleship was fantastic.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

You can have all the writing, editing, direction and technical aspects you want but if you don't enjoy a film then it's no good.

Nos, you seem to be looking at this from an almost robotic point of view. Avatar is a hell of a technical achievement but it's still rubbish.

It's all personal opinion. Mad Max Fury Road, brilliance and wonderful film making to some but i thought it was plotless nonsense. Citizen Kane is supposedly one of the best films of all time. Well not to me it isn't as it's about as entertaining as watching grass grow.

I think my opinion of film was massively changed when I did a MA in International Film: History, Theory and Practice and spent two years studying scene composition, editing, camera placement, score, screenwriting and all manner of technical aspects which I previously hadn't heard of, let alone noticed.

Avatar is a brilliant technical achievement with amazing digital visual effects, but is also derivative (because of its similarities to Pocahontas and Dances with Wolves) and appallingly scripted to the point where it's laughable rather than engrossing with any sense of gravitas.

Mad Max Fury Road is a masterpiece of visual storytelling due to the direction, cinematography and editing. The other aspects which were most impressive, such as the costuming and sound, make it a film which I find entertaining and a rare example of how you don't need a lengthy screenplay with much dialogue to make an engrossing cinematic experience and one which holds up to repeated viewings. I'm really interested in seeing the monochrome version to see how that differs and if it is the same as The Mist were the colour, or lack thereof, makes a huge difference.

When I first saw Citizen Kane, I think I felt the same as you, but it's a film I have grown to appreciate and, because of the screenplay, which is actually funny, something I would watch for entertainment in the same way as Casablanca and other films recognised for the writing.