What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Star Trek Beyond (2016)

Extremely bland addition to the Star Trek universe, replacing story and characterization with shit blowing up. Aside from a few decent moments between Bones and Spock and Scotty and new character Jaylah (Sofia Boutella) this was instantly forgettable. Think a poor Fast and Furious in space and you'll be on the right track.

Even the supposedly poignant scenes at the end where Spock finds out Spock Prime has sadly passed and gazes at a photo of Nimoy's Spock with the original Trek crew fails to make sense. The people in the photo are Kirk, Spock, McCoy etc as played by Shatner and co, so how come this new Enterprise crew are the same people and have exactly the same names?

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Last week's viewings:

Doomwatch (1972)

The PG rating does hurt this one, and although the TV show of the same name shares the same rating, you kind of expect it more from TV than film, which has the remit to push things a little further. The run-time is also extended so it does lag a little vs. the 50 min 'leaner' episodes. However, the story itself is told well with some genuine suspense, plus the always lovely Judy Geeson is certainly a welcome addition to the proceedings.



64/100


Repo Man (1984)

A firm favourite of mine since the very first time I watched it. A melting pot of characters and situations blend into a highly unique whole. A lot of fun and highly-quotable. "The life of a repo man is always intense."



94/100


Hounds of Love (2016)

Gritty, Aussie psychological thriller about a couple who kidnap, rape, torture and then kill young girls. Generally well-acted with plenty of characterisation on all sides and lots of tension throughout. Recommended for those who are drawn to these kind of films.



73/100


The Company of Wolves (1984)

Fantasy / coming of age tale, which I've always rated highly and is also quite probably my favourite werewolf film - albeit not in the conventional sense.



84/100


The Day of the Jackal (1973)

A police procedural thriller that dramatises a fictional plot based on a Frederick Forsyth novel to kill Charles de Gaulle by the hiring of an assassin known as The Jackal. What it lacks in raw action it makes up in documenting the details of the plot and is no less thrilling for doing so. Recommended.




80/100


Badlands (1973)

A classic on-the-run road movie based on the Starkweather-Fugate killings of the 1950s employing sumptuous photography, and a mixture of minimalism and madness as Martin Sheen kills and drives his way through Dakota along with Sissy Spacek, who plays his 15 year old girlfriend.



82/100


The Devil Incarnate (El caminante) AKA: The Traveller (1979)

Spanish film directed by Paul Naschy detailing the trials and tribulations of The Devil made flesh on Earth who travels with a companion leaving corruption and evil in his wake. More of an excuse for Naschy (who plays the devil) to fornicate with various women along the way, this whilst predictable and not really having a point as such makes for a fairly pacy film which is chock full of the usual nudity, debasement and imagery we can expect. Recommended for all Naschy and Euro-sleaze fans.



66/100


Dead Heat (1988)

Buddy cop film with a zombie twist, whilst fun lacks some of the chemistry of other buddy cop pairings as well as the laughs / horror of other zombie comedy films from the same era. Also, I don't think I've seen either lead in any other film off the top of my head, which is unusual. Bonus points for Vincent Price and being fairly unique overall with some fun set-pieces though.



63/100


Nightmares (1983)

Fairly standard horror anthology film that doesn't go out of its way to bring anything fresh or new to the table - in fact all of the tales are rip-offs of better films made around the same time except the first story which is just a take-off of a popular urban legend. The acting is pretty solid throughout and the effects are okay (until you get to the 'giant' rat story that is). A curio and enjoyable enough but about as fresh as last month's milk festering at the back of the fridge.



55/100


Cosmos (2015)

Żuławski's swan-song whch is both a middle finger to art-house film as well as cementing its place within it. A great companion piece to Possession in more ways than one... definitely on for the re-watch pile.



75/100


Matinee (1993)

A loving homage to the B-movie against a back-drop of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis complete with giant ants, a cigar-chewing John Goodman, teen romance, comedy and destruction all compliments of Joe Dante. Good fun.



71/100

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Last week's viewings:

Doomwatch (1972)

The PG rating does hurt this one, and although the TV show of the same name shares the same rating, you kind of expect it more from TV than film, which has the remit to push things a little further. The run-time is also extended so it does lag a little vs. the 50 min 'leaner' episodes. However, the story itself is told well with some genuine suspense, plus the always lovely Judy Geeson is certainly a welcome addition to the proceedings.

64/100

I think i like Doomwatch more than you, b_e.

I presume you have the surviving box set of tv episodes from what you say above.

The tv episode Invasion filmed up at Grassington would have made an excellent movie, more so than the eco horror that we got. Also they should have stuck with the tv cast. Simon Oates could have done just as good a job as Bannen in my opinion.

[bleakshaun]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Star Trek Beyond (2016)



Extremely bland addition to the Star Trek universe, replacing story and characterization with shit blowing up. Aside from a few decent moments between Bones and Spock and Scotty and new character Jaylah (Sofia Boutella) this was instantly forgettable. Think a poor Fast and Furious in space and you'll be on the right track.



Even the supposedly poignant scenes at the end where Spock finds out Spock Prime has sadly passed and gazes at a photo of Nimoy's Spock with the original Trek crew fails to make sense. The people in the photo are Kirk, Spock, McCoy etc as played by Shatner and co, so how come this new Enterprise crew are the same people and have exactly the same names?

It was the film to mark the franchises 50th anniversary you would think they would have done something stand out

Sent from my PRA-LX1 using Tapatalk

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I think i like Doomwatch more than you, b_e.

I presume you have the surviving box set of tv episodes from what you say above.

The tv episode Invasion filmed up at Grassington would have made an excellent movie, more so than the eco horror that we got. Also they should have stuck with the tv cast. Simon Oates could have done just as good a job as Bannen in my opinion.

Quite probably, although I do like it a fair bit.

Unfortunately I do not have the TV box set, no. Although I have caught most of the episodes on Youtube and the like over the years.

[iank]

The Medusa Touch. A police inspector investigates a brutal attempted murder that leaves a man in a coma, only to discover the victim has a history going back to childhood of people he dislikes dying in strange ways, and that he himself believed he had telekinetic powers. Richard Burton and Lee Remick (along with a fine supporting cast of British character actors) star in this late 70s British supernatural thriller that I had never seen before and no idea what was about, but really enjoyed it. Had no idea where it was going either, but it was fascinating and intriguing and spooky (in the way only 70s movies can be) enough to keep my attention through to the simply insane ending. I liked it!

[Demoncrat]

Then I recommend Candy (1969)
as it not only contains Dickie as a rather Byronic sort ... Ringo pops up as ha Mehican gardenersenor
Ahem. Enjoy!!!

[iank]

Originally Posted by Demoncrat

Then I recommend Candy (1969)
as it not only contains Dickie as a rather Byronic sort ... Ringo pops up as ha Mehican gardenersenor
Ahem. Enjoy!!!

It's on YouTube, so I might actually be able to, so thanks for that!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Rosemary's Killer (1981)

Aka The Prowler, but i prefer Rosemary's Killer as it actually has something to do with the plot whereas The Prowler is just so, generic.

Probably the best slasher that followed in the wake of Carpenter's Halloween. Superb gore effects from Tom Savini and a memorable killer suited out in GI fatigues. There are tense stalking sequences and director Joseph Zito maintains a nice gloomy, suspenseful atmosphere throughout.

Lookout for what is possibly the finest stalk and slash sequence in slasher history as the killer dispatches a guy in a bedroom by thrusting a bayonet through the top of his head and out through his chin and then spears his girlfriend, taking a shower, with a pitchfork. It's all wonderfully graphic.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

In Dreams (1999)

Annette Bening as a New England illustrator who begins experiencing visions of a missing child, and psychic connections to a serial killer responsible for the murders of several local children.

Neil Jordan's films are usually worth watching but this one really isn't great. I won't lie and pretend i knew what was going on all the time as i didn't, the dream within a dream stuff became both tiring and nonsensical in particular Bening's escape from the hospital. Certainly Jordan captures the imagination with some striking visuals in the dream sequences but the longer the film went on the more bored i became.