What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demoncrat]

Evil Dead Rise (2023, Lee Cronin)

Loved that opening. Hail to the franchise baby!!!

Mike Leigh's Necronomicon.
Tell me different female identified parent cajolers.

Can't wait to see what's next. Looking fondly back to the last one is an emotion I never expected to have. This is not a slight in any way at all, merely a reflection of how that that would be the last of the "traditional" ED films from now on. I'll say very little more. It promises, and delivers ... but.
Ahem.
SEE IT.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Deal (2008)

A sharp satire on Hollywood film making reminiscent of the screwball comedies of the 1940's in style.

The ever watchable William H Macy who excels as the cynical film maker and a return to form from Meg Ryan who, Top Gun Maverick aside, seems to have disappeared from our cinema screens, as the studio exec topline the film which also includes lengthy cameos from Elliott Gould as a rather unconventional Rabbi and LL Cool J as the star of the film within the film.

It was also lovely to see Hammer actor John Carson give an amusing turn as one of the actors in the fictional film.

The movie being made by Macy is frankly bizarre. It's a Jewish action movie with a black leading man who is every bit the Hollywood star arriving on set with three deluxe caravans in tow and forcing everyone on set to wear skullcaps promoting the film. As the film nears it's final days shooting LL Cool J is kidnapped by terrorists and the studio decides the best thing to do is forget about him and withdraw funding which gives Macy the idea of taking over the shoot without the studio's knowledge and making a film, Corman like, on the fly about 19th century British statesman Benjamin Disraeli....

No shit, this is a film summed up by the word 'zany'. It's both comical and charming with a few 'Would they be getting away with that?' moments in today's climate, however the sheer speed of the film simply carries you along. I've had this film for seemingly forever and a day and finally got round to watching it last night. I'm glad i did as i thought it a little gem.

[nicholasrope]

Nico

Steven Seagal is a former C.I.A Operative who becomes a Police Detective and investigates a Drug Operation along with an a Assassination Plot orchestrated by a former enemy. Pam Grier and Sharon Stone co-star in a rather entertaining effort from 1988. Wonder why we got the Nico title instead of Above The Law?

You can certainly say what you want about Seagal but based on his earlier stuff up to Exit Wounds, I find is Films to be entertaining and in his debut, he had a presence which made me look forward to renting his films as soon as possible (Only On Deadly Ground disappointed) however I do think it was a bit strange that Warner Bros gave him a lead role in his debut (No minor henchman type roles beforehand) but it seemed to work out for them at the time, even though Fox released Marked For Death.

Heartbreak Ridge

Clint Eastwood is the rebel Drill Sargent who gets a rag tag bunch of Marines into shape much to the dismay of his Commanding Officer. I really like this Film, one of Eastwood's underrated efforts, he effortlessly oozes class as he bosses his recruits around.

National Treasure

Nicholas Cage is the Treasure Hunter who in order to find the haul that his Family have been looking for has to steal the Declaration Of Independence so it can't be stolen by a rival group lead by Sean Bean. Diane Kruger, Harvey Keitel and Jon Voight star in this wildly entertaining flick.

Big Short

Film based on the events of a big crash involving Mortgage Stocks and follows the stories of some people who saw it coming. Steve Carrell, Brad Pitt, Christian Bale and Ryan Gosling star in a Film that is entertaining and manages to explain all the complicated terms, Margot Robbie in a bath does help with that.

[Demoncrat]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

The Deal (2008)

A sharp satire on Hollywood film making reminiscent of the screwball comedies of the 1940's in style.

The ever watchable William H Macy who excels as the cynical film maker and a return to form from Meg Ryan who, Top Gun Maverick aside, seems to have disappeared from our cinema screens, as the studio exec topline the film which also includes lengthy cameos from Elliott Gould as a rather unconventional Rabbi and LL Cool J as the star of the film within the film.

It was also lovely to see Hammer actor John Carson give an amusing turn as one of the actors in the fictional film.

The movie being made by Macy is frankly bizarre. It's a Jewish action movie with a black leading man who is every bit the Hollywood star arriving on set with three deluxe caravans in tow and forcing everyone on set to wear skullcaps promoting the film. As the film nears it's final days shooting LL Cool J is kidnapped by terrorists and the studio decides the best thing to do is forget about him and withdraw funding which gives Macy the idea of taking over the shoot without the studio's knowledge and making a film, Corman like, on the fly about 19th century British statesman Benjamin Disraeli....

No shit, this is a film summed up by the word 'zany'. It's both comical and charming with a few 'Would they be getting away with that?' moments in today's climate, however the sheer speed of the film simply carries you along. I've had this film for seemingly forever and a day and finally got round to watching it last night. I'm glad i did as i thought it a little gem.

See that Grandma's Boy I did, sounds like a ideal double bill ...

[Frankie Teardrop]

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 7: THE NEW BLOOD – Considering it pitches Jason against the telekinetic powers of a teenage psychic, I thought this would be way more of a laugh. In fact, something in me hoped it’d be the closest the series would get to being a late eighties Italian pot-boiler; I can only dream of what a last-gasp Lenzi or Mattei might’ve made of this stupid device (“probably just a load of shite,” is the accurate reply). But anyway, despite the aforementioned storyline, and despite the fact that at one point it involves an eye socket-related death by clown horn, ‘Part 7’ is basically just your standard slasher run through. Psychic girl has come to a house in the woods to convalesce with Dr Gaslight; next door’s bunch of college studes are willing to party, act like awful brats, then offer themselves up as Jason fodder, which is a useful coincidence as he happens to be in the area with a machete. I will say that the last twenty mins or so contain most of the stuff you were hoping might crop up over the previous hour or so in the psychic battle stakes. But on the whole, meh.

FRIDAY THE 13th PART 8: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN – Takes up and runs with the goofball gauntlet thrown down by ‘A New Beginning’ (well, most of them since mid series really). Maybe it tops them all as far as ridiculousness goes, but full confession ahead – I think Part 8 might even be my fave Friday. I can’t quite figure out why, but it’s just so ripe with oddity. There’s the dumb-ass tone, yes, but it’s played straight. Sort of. I can’t decide! Whatever, it has several cards up its sleeve that separate it from the others. The first is its scope – it’s set on a cruise ship at first, which is nice and atmospheric and all when it comes to the industrial interiors below deck, but then, following a Jason rampage, segues into an almost biblical sea passage in a rowing boat! Maybe it wasn’t intended that way, but humour me. When we wash up in NYC, it’s the whole neon scuzz version of the city enshrined in eighties B cinema, and it’s a pleasure to behold, a sprawl of ratty streets with all the usual nefarious stuff going on. The other thing is, JTM struck me as so much more visually dynamic than a lot of the other movies, the way the camera moves, the way the scenes seem more set-up, contrived and ambitious. It feels quite concentrated and dense with incident, fittingly enough because of course many of these incidents are quite dense – Joan Jett wannabe killed with own guitar, overly intricate little subplots that go nowhere, decisive use of Stephen King’s pen (! – he’s not even in it, by the way) as an anti-Jason device, the strange appearance of the phantasmatic boy Jason (playing a redemptive role at the end it seems!), rooftop punch-ups ending in beheading, badly timed flashbacks that start with a reflection in a puddle… oh, don’t ask … etc etc. It’s just such fun, unexpectedly stylish drivel. For some reason, I kept wanting Donald Pleasance to appear in one of his shouty late eighties dial-ins… wrong franchise I guess, but maybe again I was thinking of that Italian thing, that sense of piling inexplicable weirdness on just to get the thing moving forward. A good note on which to finish all this Friday 13th business, cos now I’m knackered (I know there are all the other ones, but some other time maybe!)

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

FRIDAY THE 13th PART 8: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN – Takes up and runs with the goofball gauntlet thrown down by ‘A New Beginning’ (well, most of them since mid series really). Maybe it tops them all as far as ridiculousness goes, but full confession ahead – I think Part 8 might even be my fave Friday. I can’t quite figure out why, but it’s just so ripe with oddity. There’s the dumb-ass tone, yes, but it’s played straight. Sort of. I can’t decide! Whatever, it has several cards up its sleeve that separate it from the others. The first is its scope – it’s set on a cruise ship at first, which is nice and atmospheric and all when it comes to the industrial interiors below deck, but then, following a Jason rampage, segues into an almost biblical sea passage in a rowing boat! Maybe it wasn’t intended that way, but humour me. When we wash up in NYC, it’s the whole neon scuzz version of the city enshrined in eighties B cinema, and it’s a pleasure to behold, a sprawl of ratty streets with all the usual nefarious stuff going on. The other thing is, JTM struck me as so much more visually dynamic than a lot of the other movies, the way the camera moves, the way the scenes seem more set-up, contrived and ambitious. It feels quite concentrated and dense with incident, fittingly enough because of course many of these incidents are quite dense – Joan Jett wannabe killed with own guitar, overly intricate little subplots that go nowhere, decisive use of Stephen King’s pen (! – he’s not even in it, by the way) as an anti-Jason device, the strange appearance of the phantasmatic boy Jason (playing a redemptive role at the end it seems!), rooftop punch-ups ending in beheading, badly timed flashbacks that start with a reflection in a puddle… oh, don’t ask … etc etc. It’s just such fun, unexpectedly stylish drivel. For some reason, I kept wanting Donald Pleasance to appear in one of his shouty late eighties dial-ins… wrong franchise I guess, but maybe again I was thinking of that Italian thing, that sense of piling inexplicable weirdness on just to get the thing moving forward. A good note on which to finish all this Friday 13th business, cos now I’m knackered (I know there are all the other ones, but some other time maybe!)

I love how Jason leaves bodies littering the walkways and steps below deck and nobody ever notices. Does the ship not have a crew? Is it a ghost ship? Now there's a film for you.

[trebor8273]

It's basically just the original Daleks' story in colour with a bigger budget and some changes , Susan is still the Doctors Granddaughter , but Barbara is as well and Iain is her boyfriend . The 4K release looks stunning . The Doctor here is totally human and unlike Hartnell who is the scary and mean grandpa , Cushing is loveable and nice grandpa.


Now watching

[nicholasrope]

Marked For Death

Steven Seagal is a burned out DEA Agent who is targeted by Jamaican Drug Dealers. This had potential but didn't quite hit the heights, it should have been bloodier and more violent but something felt like it was being restrained. Also appears that this was the first meeting between Seagal and Danny Trejo.

National Treasure 2: Book Of Secrets

The gang is back together and they are trying to clear the name of one of Cage's ancestors who was accused of being part of the Assassination of Lincoln. For this they go on another Treasure Hunt in Buckingham Palace, Effiel Tower and The White House. This was fun with Cage being Cage but it was too long. Ed Harris and Helen Mirren co-star.

This did feel that there was going to be a 3rd Movie but we got the TV Series instead. But considering Disney are going back to their past, maybe it'll happen.

In Good Company

Dennis Quaid is replaced as the Head Of Advertising at a Sports Magazine but his new boss, played by Topher Grace is half his age and starts dating his Daughter played by Scarlett Johansson. Normally this is a Movie, I don't usually go for but it's a really good look at the old guard being replaced and the effects it has.

[MrBarlow]

The Last Emperor. 1987.

Told in flash backs of Pu Yi who was made Emperor at 3 years old and lived in the Forbidden City and never to leave until his expulsion.

Bernardo Bertolucci's direction for this film is amazing, some films with flash back sequences can be confusing but for this film it's not. To use the actual Forbidden City is amazing to have as a great film set. This film vividly portrays the change from the imperial and religious traditions of ancient China to the change of modern communist China. John Lone plays the older Pu Yi, although dates may be fabricated or changed it doesn't really matter on his portrayal of the Emperor is brilliantly done. Peter O' Toole plays the English teacher and friend and is able to do a role without looking drunk and disheveled. A great classic film.

lastemperor.jpg

[MrBarlow]

Malone. 1987.

Burt Reynolds plays the ex C.I.A. hitman looking for peace and quiet arrives in a small town thats facing trouble with property developer Cliff Robertson who has bought local Town Sheriff Kenneth McMillan. Garage owner Scott Wilson and Daughter Cynthia Gibb stand up and refuse to budge even when henchman Tracey Walter comes up showing.

A decent action thriller that's been done over the years, a lone man becoming a a small town hero with wise cracks, good punch ups and guns. The acting is decent enough especially with Cliff Robertson as the land developer that has a small problem with a owner who won't give up his land. This may not be a masterpiece but certainly a good throw back when Reynolds was a leading actor.

MV5BNzMwNzU5MzAxOV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODQ1ODE1NA@@._V1_.jpg