What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

I also much prefer Gene Kelly's rendition of You Were Meant for Me to Charles King's delivery in The Broadway Melody (1929).

[Demoncrat]

The Zone Of Interest (2023, Jonathan Glazer)

Probably my film of the year then.
A man does a job. As his place of work tends to dominate the background, it's an easy commute. It's a happy place for a young family etc. But still ...
Well then. Far more restrained than his other films, this one doesn't really need to be showy ahem. Neither does it pander.
Recommended.

[MrBarlow]

Reach For The Sky. 1956.

Biopic of Douglas Badar who joined the RAF in 1928 and became a pilot and after loosing both his legs still carried on flying during WWII.

Kenneth More plays Badar who struggled with his disability and comes to learn on how to cope with it and leads a fighter squadron and his capture in a German POW camp and his mentions that he escaped twice. Some may say Badar was arrogant but loosing both your legs at the age of 21 will certainly change people's perspective on life and their attitude. More gives a great performance and came up with good ideas on the film and how he should be able to walk and give the audience the feel of authenticity on the character. A great entertaining flick.

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[nicholasrope]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Despite my apathy toward this i won't be getting rid of it. It's Disney so unlikely to ever get another physical release again. I won't be getting rid of any Disney / Fox dvd's either for the same reason.

I also need to get a Blu of next film On Stranger Tides seeing as that's the only one i'm currently missing from the collection.

Next Goal Wins, which is a Fox Searchlight release has been given a DVD release date and apparently, Sony will be releasing Disney Films, which may mean we'll get The Menu, See How They Run and Barbarian as well as Disney/Touchstone Films from the 80's and 90's hopefully.

[MrBarlow]

Harvey. 1950.

James Stewart plays Elwood who seems normal but claims he can see a six foot rabbit and introduces him to those around him and has one sided conversations. This one has you thinking that Elwood is a bit cuckoo in the head and the way James Stewart portrays the character brings out the sift side of the audience that he does believe that there is a rabbit in his life and those that are doubtful and did he do away with his doctor. Certainly is a feel good comedy movie that still bring a laugh and smile. Is Elwood seeing a rabbit or has he just been hitting the drink too, or just a happy go lucky guy enjoying life and bringing happiness to those around him in a different way??

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[nicholasrope]

Slaughter In San Francisco

70's Martial Art Film which sees a former Policeman get revenge on the Criminal Organization who killed his former partner. The leader of which is played by Chuck Norris (Who is quite psychopathic)

Norris is pretty good and doesn't portray bad guys as much as he should have really. The English Dubbing is jarring especially for Norris (If you know his voice) He's not in it as much as cover suggests and its worth a pick up when it's in a Sale.

Wicked Little Letters

Apparently based on the True Story of a woman (Olivia Colman) being sent rude sexually explicit letters through the Post and the witch hunt against her feisty foul mouthed Irish Immigrant (Jessie Buckley) who is accused of the Crime even though there isn't much actual evidence.

It's rather different with great performances from Colman who portrays the victim card and starts to relish it, Buckley who doesn't take any nonsense and Timothy Spall who is the overbearing Father who likes to control people and doesn't like people defying him. This is a really enjoyable Film with some really funny moments. Think of it as a Ealing type Comedy.

Thanksgiving

Probably the start of a new franchise which sees a Killer on Thanksgiving get revenge the people who caused a Riot during a Sale. It's enjoyable with some really nice gory kills, be interesting to see how the gore factor will be topped in any Sequels but there are bits than can be forwarded on though.

[MrBarlow]

Rope. 1948.

John Dall and Farley Granger have committed the perfect crime, strangling their roommate, placing the body in a trunk and hold a party till guest James Stewart believes something is wrong.

Hitchcock's first color film was also shot in 10 minute takes a thought to provide a seamless flow of narrative. This was adapted from a play works very well, it's not distracting at all and the film does move very smoothly. Hitchcock purposedly had the color toned down he didn't think bright Technicolor was appropriate for the subject matter.

The actors are able to alleviate this somewhat, as when James Stewart explains his theory of permissable homicide to Constance Collier. John Dall's sneaky, vicious persona aids in the film, his venomous little strokes usually followed by his philosophical explanations as to why they are acceptable for society's supermen and Farley Granger's fretful and nervous behavior is a perfect balance to it. The three leads manage to carry the film very nicely. This was more entertaining than I thought It would be.

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[MrBarlow]

First Blood. 1982.

Classic early 80s film with Sly playing John J. Rambo, a Vietnam vet passing through a small town and victimised by the local authority Sheriff Brian Dennehy and his corrupt deputies that leads to a full scale search of the backwoods when Rambo escapes.

There came a time when soldiers returned home and really not celebrated for the Vietnam war and protested on how the Americans lost. Rambo has seen the horror and still lives with it and forced to go "Gorilla War Fare" on the pursuers. Richard Crenna plays Colonel Trautman who trained Rambo on survival and tells the great Sheriff to back off and let him cool down....yeah reallly great advice to ignore especiially when there is little body bags around. With less guns and explosions till the finale shootout, director Ted Kotcheff competently builds the tension and suspense and you get the feeling Rambo may not make it till the end. The locations are wonderfully atmospheric foggy, earth capturing the true outdoors of a good battle ground and home made bear traps.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Insanitarium (2008)

A young man (Desperate Housewives' Jessie Metcalfe) has himself locked up in an asylum in order to break his sister out.
Upon arrival he discovers the asylums director (Peter Stormare) experimenting with new drugs on the inmates which have the side effect of turning them into cannibalistic crazies.

The film plays out in two parts. The first being Metcalfe's plan to free his sister which isn't anything you haven't seen before in every other film set in an asylum, whilst the second half is a great big gore fest of a bloodbath.

What pleased me as much as anything about the film was the fact that the mayhem was played out in well lit rooms and corridors, rather than the gloomy near dark interiors of more inferior movies. This way you always see the blood spurt, the bones break, the skulls cave in and the eye balls pierced. Oh and the effects are all practical and created with prosthetics including the cat that gets it's head ripped off.

A direct to dvd gem.

[Justin101]

Mr Barlow watching these critically acclaimed stone cold classics and being surprised that they’re good lol