What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Deadite]

Phantasm. Notable (to me) as a horror film where the protagonists are pleasant people who like each other and do their best to help each other through a strange, dreamlike world where 'The Tall Man' and his army of dwarf slaves from another dimension play about with the corpses of a small town. Add in misuse of the inimitable flying sphere, add pre-Freddy dreamscapes and shocks (surely Elm Street nicked a fair bit from this movie) and you've got a fairly unique experience.

I like the atmosphere of 'hardy boys meet the grim reaper' but it probably doesn't appeal to everyone. It probably doesn't help that the best acting performance is from the slightly annoying kid, but you can't have everything.

[Prince_Vajda]

Prometheus (2012)

prometheus.jpg

Ridley Scott takes us on a journey to the year 2093. Surprisingly, not much has changed in the many years between the film's production and the future. Most people still accept dangerous and/or silly jobs because they need money, some people still believe that there's an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, seemingly all people still want to get laid, and Charlize Theron is still hot stuff.

The new planet LV-223 turns out to be as unfriendly and as dangerous as any other foreign planet in any other previous sci-fi film. Only this time, we are given at least one good reason why safer sex should be more popular, and we are surprised to find out that electronic tools and devices still make the same stupid sounds that you'd expect them to make.

In the end, Mr Scott is kind enough to show us a slightly revised version of the famous Chestburster who forces himself upon an equally unfriendly engineer who has to swallow quite a lot. Thank you for not cutting it out, sir.

Bottom line 1: in 2017, cars can already find a suitable parking lot on their own and are able to park themselves without the driver's help. In 2093, spaceships still have to be steered manually while landing. On the other hand, a woman can gave birth by cesarean section and participate in many 100-meters races the very same day. That's what I call progress.

Bottom line 2: Androids are sneaky bastards because they can carry out directives that [their] future counterparts might find distressing or unethical. Watch out for them.

Recommended.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

In the Eye of the Hurricane (1971)

Whoever writes the blurb for the back of 88 Films discs clearly hasn't seen the film. - Sex and spice, boobs and bruises, The Bird With the Crystal Plumage, uncut and uncensored - Seriously, In the Eye of the Hurricane features none of these elements and as for uncut? It borders on a 12 certificate.

Just ignore the 88 hype and enjoy what is an Italian / Spanish take on the Hitchcock classic Suspicion. Quite slow moving to begin with the story about a soon to be divorced 40 year old woman (AnalÃ*a Gadé) who cavorts with playboy Jean Sorel in a bid to extract money from her ex- husband, which of course involves murderous twists and turns. It would be unfair to expand any further as it would spoil things for people like myself who had never seen the film previously.

The film is nicely acted by Gade, Sorel, Tony Kendall and Rosanna Yanni and all play their parts convincingly especially Gade whose vulnerability adds to the twist, it's also a well photographed film with some delightful coast line locations which look superb thanks to 88's 4K transfer.

I enjoyed In the Eye of the Hurricane even if it is at times snail paced and lacks any of the usual giallo-esq sex, blood and violence.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Wreckage (2010)

Four friends hole up in an old scrap yard and find it's the domain of a serial killer.

Wreckage was one of those films that played out totally different on screen to how i imagined beforehand. It's quite a twisty turny affair and not just as low budget as you might think. Whether it being different is actually a good thing is debatable as i never found the film completely compelling nor particularly gripping but it was certainly watchable but not really one that's worth shelf space especially when your shelves are at bursting point.

[MrBarlow]

SILKWOOD 1983

A worker at a plutonium processing plant believes she has been purposlely contaminated and murdered to prevent her blowing the whistle on a number of safety issues.


based on the the true story of Karen Silkwood, power plant worker to activist in safety whose death that happened 43 years ago today has never been solved was her death accident or murder. Meryl Streep gives the finest performance of the main character as a happy go lucky gal enjoying life then its slowly turned upside down. This is a film that will keep you glued to the screen for the two hours duration. 10 out of 10.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Adaline: The Conjured (2015)

A young woman moves into an old house left to her by a long lost aunt. Shortly after her move she starts having terrifying visions of the past.

Except they aren't terrifying. Nothing about this film is terrifying, except maybe the lifeless script. The film itself is well made. There's some terrific aerial photography as Daniela, our heroine, drives out of San Francisco and into the country and the acting from Jill Evyn is fine, she's even happy to shed her clothes every so often and there's the odd scene of heart ripping gore on show as well.

The problem is the story. There basically isn't enough there to keep you interested for 92 minutes, neither is the direction good enough to make the film feel atmospheric as to hide the thinness of the plot.

Adaline: The Conjured was a film that began promisingly enough but had petered out into nothingness by the hour mark. Disappointing.

[nosferatu42]

You're doing a sterling job here Dem, watching all these low budget modern films so we don't have to.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by nosferatu42

You're doing a sterling job here Dem, watching all these low budget modern films so we don't have to.

It's a voyage of discovery that i actually enjoy.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

A couple of quickies today's visit to the cinema:

Murder on the Orient Express – I haven't read Agatha Chris's novel and surprisingly knew nothing about the story prior to watching the film, something I tried hard to maintain when I booked the tickets last week, so it was refreshing to watch a murder mystery unfold without any knowledge of how it finishes. It is a beautifully designed and filmed movie, with exceptional cinematography, and the all-star cast (Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Pfeiffer, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Derek Jacobi, Willem Defoe, Daisy Ridley) are all near the top of their games.

Paddington 2 – I was a little sceptical about this because I love the first film, but I needn't have worried as it is equally as endearing, funny and involving. I laughed, I cried, and I wouldn't be averse to a third instalment in the series.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

A couple of quickies today's visit to the cinema:

Murder on the Orient Express – I haven't read Agatha Chris's novel and surprisingly knew nothing about the story prior to watching the film, something I tried hard to maintain when I booked the tickets last week, so it was refreshing to watch a murder mystery unfold without any knowledge of how it finishes. It is a beautifully designed and filmed movie, with exceptional cinematography, and the all-star cast (Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Pfeiffer, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Derek Jacobi, Willem Defoe, Daisy Ridley) are all near the top of their games.

Murder On the Orient Express (1974)

I watched the 1974 film for the first time on Saturday night, also knowing not a thing about the story. I actually figured out what had happened with about half an hour to go. Not because i'm a crime solving genius but because it seemed the only plausible answer given exactly who the passengers were.

Featuring an arguably even more all star cast than the new film - Saen Connery, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, John Gielgud, Martin Balsam, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Michael York, Richard Widmark and Albert Finney as Poirot.

The film is beautifully directed by Sidney Lumet and was clearly and refreshingly all filmed on a moving train.

Interestingly, i thought the way Poirot came to his conclusion, having all the travelers together and basically putting them all on the spot one by one, was exactly the same as Dashiell Hammet and The Thin Man, although in Nick Charles' case it was round a dinner table rather than a train carriage. Neither copied the other as both books came out the same year - 1934.

I'd certainly recommend it to you. But maybe not for a few years as you probably know how it ends.