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-   -   What Films Have You Seen Recently? (https://www.cult-labs.com/forums/general-film-discussions/220-what-films-have-you-seen-recently.html)

harryd 6th November 2015 08:33 PM

MEAN GUNS

Ice-T buys a prison and brings a bunch of people in that have betrayed him in the past and pits them against each other with a $10m prize split between the remaining 3. Decent enough premise but makes a lackluster film that doesn't manage to create any decent characters. Not offensively bad but just falls into the "kinda boring" category for me.

Demdike@Cult Labs 6th November 2015 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harryd (Post 467480)
MEAN GUNS

Ice-T buys a prison and brings a bunch of people in that have betrayed him in the past and pits them against each other with a $10m prize split between the remaining 3. Decent enough premise but makes a lackluster film that doesn't manage to create any decent characters. Not offensively bad but just falls into the "kinda boring" category for me.

Sounds like a poor version of The Tournament.

Zann 7th November 2015 07:34 AM

Night Train Murders

Beautifully shot quasi-giallo with lots of nice European scenery, plenty of deviant oddballs including the bystanders, advertising all over the f@cking place...when did I last see product placement for Lowenbrau? BD from 88, never got round to buying the BU version. Macha Méril is stunning, just looked her up on IMDB - she was in the TV series Doc Martin!

Zann 7th November 2015 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harryd (Post 467480)
MEAN GUNS

Ice-T buys a prison and brings a bunch of people in that have betrayed him in the past and pits them against each other with a $10m prize split between the remaining 3. Decent enough premise but makes a lackluster film that doesn't manage to create any decent characters. Not offensively bad but just falls into the "kinda boring" category for me.

Sounds utterly ridiculous but I'll have to see it :nod:

Sam 7th November 2015 09:56 AM

Carrie (2013) - whilst watchable, this sticks a little too closely to the original to be truly worthwhile, even regurgitating chunks of the script at times. Chloe Moretz puts in a decent performance but is too conventionally attractive for the Carrie character in my opinion, although to be fair, she has a lot to live up to since Sissy Spacek was virtually born to play the part. The ending is a bit more bloody and visceral and there is the almost inevitable use of the dreaded social media but, ultimately, I'd say your time is better spent watching the original.

Justin101 7th November 2015 11:27 AM

I took a little break from horror films after October so I have watched;

The Godfather

I'd never seen this before, yes I know... 5/5 etc, a lesson in film making, never have 3 hours felt so brief!

Nishi Ginza Station

Delving into my Imamura box set, I've not seen any of these films so I thought it'd start with the shortest one. There was no synopsis on the case as it's a bonus feature to the main film but it turns out to be a bit of a screwball comedy about a man trying to get a bit on the side while his wife is on holiday with the kids! Aside from some dodgy and uncomfortable 'blacking-up' of one of the actresses it was fun and made me laugh out loud a few times!

Birdman

Been meaning to watch this for a while and it's on Sky Movies so I stuck it on while I wrapped my Christmas Presents. It was a good film, it was not what I was expecting at all, but then I never looked at any reviews or synopsis and based my opinions on the poster and the Oscar buzz. I don't think it deserves the hype it received but Keaton was excellent and Norton made me laugh a few times - on-stage boner...

The Insect Woman

This is the main feature that is paired with Nishi. This film is pretty epic in it's scope, following the life of a woman from child to matron. I must admit I found the first 25-30 minutes to be a little confusing and it wasn't until the film settled down in Tokyo that it started to show some clarity. Tome, the titular protagonist is it not a nice person, in fact no-one in this film is particularly nice. It's as if the theme of the film is that people are screwed up selfish beings and are all out to get what they want any way they can. It was a very good film and I hope the other Imamura's are as good as this one was.

Tenderness of the Wolves

I saw this one before as a featured film in a festival in Sheffield. I thought it was good then and it was projected from a very well used almost grindhouse quality print. This new BD from Arrow breathes life into the film, it looks pristine. The story is based on true events from the 1920's but transformed into post WW2 Germany due to the production crew having access to props from that era.
It's uncomfortable to watch in some places, the scenes where Haarmann attacks his victims are done in grim realism and you feel every moment of them. If you can persevere with the narrative it's well worth watching.

Probably going to watch The Godfather part 2 tonight :) after i've done my homework... I have to write an assignment about website usability and standards compliance :rolleyes:

iank 7th November 2015 09:08 PM

The Long Kiss Goodnight. Geena Davis is a mild-mannered schoolteacher with amnesia whose past suddenly comes back to haunt her - the past where she was a trained killer for the CIA. Samuel L Jackson co-stars in this mildly amusing mid-90s actioner.

SShaw 7th November 2015 10:56 PM

Spectre opened in Germany on Thursday and so I took myself along this evening. A fantastic opening is ultimately let down by a boring linear narrative that echoes other parts of the franchise to provide a best of Bond feel. Disappointing after Skyfall.

Demdike@Cult Labs 7th November 2015 10:59 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Battle: Los Angeles (2011)

Another in the long running Team America series of films which initially began with 1998's Saving Private Ryan and it's sequel U-571 (2000)

In Battle: Los Angeles Trey Parker and co forget about winning past wars single handed with Team America and move to the present day as America saves the world yet again this time from aliens in what could be seen as an unofficial sequel to their other huge blockbuster Independence Day.

This is ****ing awful to say the least, not helped by Team America deciding they'd film it shaky cam style for added authenticity.

profondo rosso 8th November 2015 09:50 AM

4 Attachment(s)
The Killers (1964)
Attachment 172059

First time I have seen this film and thought it was fantastic. A gritty crime thriller starring the always brilliant Lee Marvin and the sassy Angie Dickinson as the main protagonists along with a brilliant performance by John Cassavettes. The film without spoiling too much is about two killers (Marvin and Clu Gulager who I thought was mesmerising as a child like cold blooded killer who obviously enjoys his job...a little too much) who are contracted to kill Cassavettes, but when the hit turns out too easy cue flashbacks and breadcrumbs that led to why.
Attachment 172057

The film involves a lot of brutality for its day, hanging women out of windows, slapping / punching women in the face, torture scenes to get information, cold blooded kills and a great dialogue.
Attachment 172058


In the making off Dwayne Epstein (wrote Lee Marvin's biography) talks about how Tarantino took the quick witted dialogue of everyday things that you see between Travolta and Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction, from the conversations that Lee Marvin and Clu Gulager have throughout this movie. In between conversations about hits they exchange information about vitamins / holiday resorts.

I also did not know that Lee Marvin in his own life probably suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome form the second world war, feeling guilty about 240 out of 247 of his platoon being killed and him feeling guilty all his life about surviving! hence the alcoholism and an attraction to violent roles. Lee Marvin for me epitomises screen presence and I love to watch his films. The only weak link in the film is Ronald Reagan, who is not that bad but he is starring alongside some screen greats and this exposes him. Apparently Lee Marvin was a real nice guy off screen and always liked honesty and was upfront and got on with everyone but never liked Ronald Reagan as he said he was full of bullsh*t.....no surprise there then!

This film was originally just made for t.v in the USA but released over here in cinema's and won Lee Marvin a BAFTA!

A cracking film, excellent interesting extras on this arrow release and brilliant picture quality. Highly recommended.
Attachment 172060

J Harker 8th November 2015 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by profondo rosso (Post 467600)
The Killers (1964)
Attachment 172059

First time I have seen this film and thought it was fantastic. A gritty crime thriller starring the always brilliant Lee Marvin and the sassy Angie Dickinson as the main protagonists along with a brilliant performance by John Cassavettes. The film without spoiling too much is about two killers (Marvin and Clu Gulager who I thought was mesmerising as a child like cold blooded killer who obviously enjoys his job...a little too much) who are contracted to kill Cassavettes, but when the hit turns out too easy cue flashbacks and breadcrumbs that led to why.
Attachment 172057

The film involves a lot of brutality for its day, hanging women out of windows, slapping / punching women in the face, torture scenes to get information, cold blooded kills and a great dialogue.
Attachment 172058


In the making off Dwayne Epstein (wrote Lee Marvin's biography) talks about how Tarantino took the quick witted dialogue of everyday things that you see between Travolta and Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction, from the conversations that Lee Marvin and Clu Gulager have throughout this movie. In between conversations about hits they exchange information about vitamins / holiday resorts.

I also did not know that Lee Marvin in his own life probably suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome form the second world war, feeling guilty about 240 out of 247 of his platoon being killed and him feeling guilty all his life about surviving! hence the alcoholism and an attraction to violent roles. Lee Marvin for me epitomises screen presence and I love to watch his films. The only weak link in the film is Ronald Reagan, who is not that bad but he is starring alongside some screen greats and this exposes him. Apparently Lee Marvin was a real nice guy off screen and always liked honesty and was upfront and got on with everyone but never liked Ronald Reagan as he said he was full of bullsh*t.....no surprise there then!

This film was originally just made for t.v in the USA but released over here in cinema's and won Lee Marvin a BAFTA!

A cracking film, excellent interesting extras on this arrow release and brilliant picture quality. Highly recommended.
Attachment 172060

Agreed great film. Does start to lag as soon as Lee Marvin isn't on the screen though.

Nosferatu@Cult Labs 8th November 2015 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by profondo rosso (Post 467600)
The Killers (1964)

Have you seen the 1946 film of the same name (also based on the short story by Ernest Hemingway) and directed by Robert Siodmak, starring Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Charles McGraw, William Conrad, Edmond O'Brien, and Sam Levene?

If not, you should remedy that as soon as possible because it's brilliant and I prefer it to the 1964 version.

profondo rosso 8th November 2015 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs (Post 467605)
Have you seen the 1946 film of the same name (also based on the short story by Ernest Hemingway) and directed by Robert Siodmak, starring Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Charles McGraw, William Conrad, Edmond O'Brien, and Sam Levene?

If not, you should remedy that as soon as possible because it's brilliant and I prefer it to the 1964 version.

I know of its existence Nos but not seen it, I will remedy that today and try find a copy at the right price, thanks. Is it a similar storyline?

Nosferatu@Cult Labs 8th November 2015 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by profondo rosso (Post 467608)
I know of its existence Nos but not seen it, I will remedy that today and try find a copy at the right price, thanks. Is it a similar storyline?

It's exactly the same story, but there are some slight differences because it was made nearly 20 years earlier when the violence in the 1964 one would have been unthinkable. If you can afford it, the Criterion Collection DVD set contains both versions and is a top release.

profondo rosso 8th November 2015 01:03 PM

As I have the 1964 arrow I have just bought the arrow 1946 to go with it, I do like uniformity on my shelves :nod: I will leave my review after seeing it.

J Harker 8th November 2015 08:37 PM

Just got in from Spectre.
Decent film, not quite up there with Skyfall but certainly no Quantum of Bollocks either.
Daniel Craig is starting to look a bit bored now so it may be for the best that this be his last turn as Bond.

JoshuaKaitlyn 8th November 2015 08:52 PM

1968: part 3

If.... - I'm going to say 'pretentious'. I didn't hate it but for me this is one of those movies that people claim greatness for but for me it really does nothing...the black & white sections are just that...B&W, not significant to the story not even for art’s sake...just cheaper film stock!
:star: :star:

The Boston Strangler - Started with something else entirely different at first then realise it was from 1971! So abandoned that, (it was boring me) and went with this. Tony Curtis, Henry Fonda and George Kennedy star.
:star: :star: :star:

Barbarella - WTF! Yeah it’s another virgin film for me, Jane Fonda is very nice to look at but what the hell was that? Very much a late 60's / early 70's psychedelic trip. Not entirely sure whether this is crap or great!
:star: :star: :star: ?

Carry on Up the Khyber - Number 16 and another of my favourites, Angela Douglas' fourth and final 'Carry On'. Best gag: Bernard Bresslaw's 'Bungdit Din' telling the Fakir to leave....."Fakir...Off!"
:star: :star: :star: :halfstar:

If You Meet Sartana Prey For Your Death - The first Sartana movie, starring Gianni Garko it was followed by four official sequels but like Django it would have numerous copycats.
:star: :star:

Will Penny - Billed as an adult western this Chuck Heston picture is bleak, desolate and dirty. Unfortunately it’s also boring, (as much as I like Heston movies).
:star: :star:

Oliver! - Carol Reed's multi Oscar winning musical, it’s OK if overlong!
:star: :star: :halfstar:


Once Upon a Time In the West - A cinematic masterpiece, Sergio Leones spaghetti western in my view is one of the greatest pictures ever made! The reveal of Henry Fonda as the villain after the McBain family massacre is great as is the duel between him and Bronson's 'Harmonica', add to that the score from Ennio Morricone and you have perfection! The Dollars trilogy is great but this blows them out of the water!
:star: :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

Django Prepare a Coffin - Terence Hill takes over the role from Franco Nero in one of the many Django sequels / copycats pictures that were made following Sergio Corbucci's 1966 original.
:star: :star: :star:

The Blood of Fu Manchu - Jess Franco takes over directorial duties for the fourth installment in the franchise and throws in some boobs and the odd swear word but unfortunately it doesn’t make the film any better. This is actually the worst Fu Manchu film I've seen yet.
:star:

and thus ends 1968. I'm on track to finish the 60's by the end of the year.

Prince_Vajda 8th November 2015 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshuaKaitlyn (Post 467639)
1968: part 3

Barbarella - WTF! Yeah it’s another virgin film for me, Jane Fonda is very nice to look at but what the hell was that? Very much a late 60's / early 70's psychedelic trip. Not entirely sure whether this is crap or great!
:star: :star: :star: ?

It also very much depends on the mood of the viewer. After a hard day's work, I'll love a loony flick like Barbarella. To me, it is silly fun and a great example of late 60s movie making. David Hemmings' performance as Dildano is epic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshuaKaitlyn (Post 467639)

Once Upon a Time In the West - A cinematic masterpiece, Sergio Leones spaghetti western in my view is one of the greatest pictures ever made! The reveal of Henry Fonda as the villain after the McBain family massacre is great as is the duel between him and Bronson's 'Harmonica', add to that the score from Ennio Morricone and you have perfection! The Dollars trilogy is great but this blows them out of the water!
:star: :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

A great film indeed, with excellent actors and quite a few memorable scenes. Overall, however, I think it is a tad overrated. I prefer gritty raw spaghetti westerns like The Great Silence, Django, or A Bullet for the General . I also very much liked For a Few Dollars More back in the day. Then again, I adore almost every film with Eastwood and/or Kinski.

Nosferatu@Cult Labs 8th November 2015 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshuaKaitlyn (Post 467639)
If.... - I'm going to say 'pretentious'. I didn't hate it but for me this is one of those movies that people claim greatness for but for me it really does nothing...the black & white sections are just that...B&W, not significant to the story not even for art’s sake...just cheaper film stock!
:star: :star:

I love the film, and the whole 'Mick Travis Trilogy', but don't read anything into the changes between colour and monochrome, because it was done out of necessity rather than any aesthetic or narrative reasons.

JoshuaKaitlyn 8th November 2015 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs (Post 467647)
I love the film, and the whole 'Mick Travis Trilogy', but don't read anything into the changes between colour and monochrome, because it was done out of necessity rather than any aesthetic or narrative reasons.

If I'm honest once I've seen the movies I do a read up on them, and I was intrigued as to the colour changes and when I read that there was nothing significant about them I think it 'coloured' my overall opinion of the film.

Justin101 9th November 2015 08:49 AM

I got carried away yesterday and in between typing up an assignment I managed to fit in 4 films!

Ex Machina

A quiet and brooding and somewhat intense feature by writer/director Alex Garland set in a remote cabin and featuring a cast of only 4 people. Although it's the most tech cabin in the woods you've ever seen! It managed to build up suspense and tension very well even though nothing really happens. Then it's the finale which makes you ask questions of yourself.

Annie

No, not the remake... Don't know why but I thought I'd watch this for the zillionth time while typing. Ended up spending more time watching the TV screen than the laptop screen so perhaps it wasn't a great idea haha ♫♪Easy Street...

Stephen King's IT

Tim Curry again, although not intentionally. Technically I watched this over two days, I stuck part 1 on before I went to bed on Saturday and watched the flipside of the disc yesterday afternoon. Not watched this since it came out, I think it was in the video shop back in 1991 and I was 14... It's not as good as I remember it. The main problem with IT is the kids grow up, everything is far more interesting in the first half. I've not read the book but I do have it loaded onto my kindle. All the amazon/imdb reviews are saying the book is awesome even if the filmed version is not.

Marnie

Going through the Hitchcock Universal Box Set and watching the ones I've never seen before, and wow. Marnie is a very damaged woman who literally sees red! Some of the plot is questionable and most of this is down to Sean Connery's character of Mark who seems to think that the best way to solve an issue with a woman freaking out is to kiss her, or later on, force her to perform wifely duties! Aside from the dubious sex overtones this was a rollercoaster ride of a thriller.

Inspector Abberline 9th November 2015 05:55 PM

Slap Shot 1977 George Roy Hill,
 
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Slap Shot 1977 George Roy Hill,
I remember back in the giddy days of the VHS /betamax wars (kids today don't know there born,there was no such thing as netflix or downloads, I had to walk 5 miles to the nearest video rental emporium)When I rented the film Film Rollerball,with its cover of James Caan wearing a crash helmet and waving a spiked glove in my face,I assumed it was gonna be wall to wall mad max style carnage,er I was wrong,the actual rollerball scenes themselves were well done but didn't make up for the ponderous navel gazing Rollerball is used to control the populace by demonstrating the futility of individuality as quoted,yeah right.Slap Shot on the other hand not only dishes out the violence in spades but does;nt trying to figure out why people like to beat the crap out of each while wielding a bloody great stick (we know why because its fun)It just then shows us that in between the violence is drinking,sex more drinking and even more sex.
Written by Nancy Dowd and inspired by her brother Ned Dowd who played minor League hockey,Ned also appears in the film as notorious Ogie Ogelthorpe.The film easily swings from drama to comedy to violence to unadulterated debauchery.
Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman) has to steer his hockey team thru the Federal League but the owner Joe McGrath (Strother Martin) wants to close the team at the end of the season.So bring in the Hanson Bros who basically fight there way thru matches and when there not playing hockey there playing with there toy cars.With a menageries of misfit characters and Porky style shenanigans there's no need to be sports fan or a hockey enthusiast ,if only they could make real sport this interesting.

keirarts 9th November 2015 06:07 PM

Tusk

Given the apparent implosion of his career following the disastrous Copout it was nice to see Kevin Smith returning to film-making. Even better that the film is terrific. I'm sure some people will disagree but Tusk is a film made based on personal obsession and with blatant disregard for mass appeal. This tale of a man who finds redemption (of a kind) after being turned into a walrus by a crazy Michael parks, is weird & self indulgent and interesting enough to appeal to me. Is it perfect? No. But its a damned site more interesting than a lot of the bland formulaic junk that's being released. Along with the entertaining RED STATE I think Smith has really become an interesting film maker again.

10 to midnight

More ultra violence from the Cannon studio, this one has Cannon stalwart Charles Bronson playing a worn down cop who crosses the line in order to nail a vicious misogynist killer who is terrorising women. J lee Thompson delivers solid direction and a nice bit of brutality to the proceedings, the films premise that the mentally ill are all faking it to get off charges is a little nuts, but then it was the 80's and this shit seemed to fly better then. Its a terrific little film nonetheless.

Wheels of fire

Corman produced, Phillipines shot road warrior knock off. A wafer thin plot filled with violence, rape and car chases. The sexual violence gets a little uncomfortable as it feels there for titillation purposes but its overall a fun slice of exploitation.

The sisterhood

More post apocalypse exploitation, this one about a group of mutant women called the sisterhood who are on a rescue mission after a bunch of sleazy warlords capture their sisters. More car chases and violence, less sexual violence and the ending kicks ass.

Equalizer 2000

Yet more, this one has a bloke with a super weapon travelling across post apocalypse Alaska fighting goons (including an early appearance from Robert Patrick) possibly the best of the 3, with tons of violence and car chases.

Stone cold

Cheesy but fun cop thriller with Brian Bosworth going undercover to bust some bikers. Its a pretty ludicrous and over the top slice of action but fun so long as your willing to suspend all sense of disbelief.

Justin101 9th November 2015 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keirarts (Post 467714)
Tusk

Given the apparent implosion of his career following the disastrous Copout it was nice to see Kevin Smith returning to film-making. Even better that the film is terrific. I'm sure some people will disagree but Tusk is a film made based on personal obsession and with blatant disregard for mass appeal. This tale of a man who finds redemption (of a kind) after being turned into a walrus by a crazy Michael parks, is weird & self indulgent and interesting enough to appeal to me. Is it perfect? No. But its a damned site more interesting than a lot of the bland formulaic junk that's being released. Along with the entertaining RED STATE I think Smith has really become an interesting film maker again.

I've been meaning to check out Tusk, I loved Red State. I don't count Copout as a Kevin Smith movie though haha. I did enjoy his rant against critics though and saying that he would no longer do free screenings for magazines etc and if they wanted to review his films they have to buy a ticket :lol:

iank 9th November 2015 08:58 PM

The Final Girls. Really wanted to like this... really didn't. Horror-comedies are presumably supposed to be a mix of the scary and the funny and this was neither. Far too stupid to be remotely scary, and the humour was very much of the deeply tiresome, deeply unfunny "look how clever-clever we are" variety so beloved of the modern age. The lead girl was quite cute, but the whole mother plot just made it seem to me like the filmmakers wanted to be making something else entirely. Awful!

Nosferatu@Cult Labs 9th November 2015 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iank (Post 467733)
The Final Girls. Really wanted to like this... really didn't. Horror-comedies are presumably supposed to be a mix of the scary and the funny and this was neither. Far too stupid to be remotely scary, and the humour was very much of the deeply tiresome, deeply unfunny "look how clever-clever we are" variety so beloved of the modern age. The lead girl was quite cute, but the whole mother plot just made it seem to me like the filmmakers wanted to be making something else entirely. Awful!

It's on my 'to watch' pile, but Noir-November is taking priority at the moment.

keirarts 9th November 2015 11:33 PM

Creature

An adaptation of the Peter Benchley story, Creature stars Craig T Nelson as a marine biologist studying sharks in order to cure cancer. Science myth no.11324 Sharks don't get cancer.. yes they do!
It turns out a navy research base on the island had been doing some frankenstein experiments some years back and the fruits of that research, a shark-man hybrid is on the loose.
Creature could easily cut down to a 90 minute creature feature and be all the better for it. This is a TV movie and is 3 hours. While a little overlong its entertaining enough and the shark creature looks pretty decent.

Demdike@Cult Labs 9th November 2015 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keirarts (Post 467763)
Creature

An adaptation of the Peter Benchley story, Creature stars Craig T Nelson as a marine biologist studying sharks in order to cure cancer. Science myth no.11324 Sharks don't get cancer.. yes they do!
It turns out a navy research base on the island had been doing some frankenstein experiments some years back and the fruits of that research, a shark-man hybrid is on the loose.
Creature could easily cut down to a 90 minute creature feature and be all the better for it. This is a TV movie and is 3 hours. While a little overlong its entertaining enough and the shark creature looks pretty decent.

I've tried to buy this from marketplace sellers twice but been sent a dodgy movie about Indian spirits instead...on both occasions. I returned the first one but kept the second copy as it was actually pretty decent. :lol:

keirarts 10th November 2015 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs (Post 467766)
I've tried to buy this from marketplace sellers twice but been sent a dodgy movie about Indian spirits instead...on both occasions. I returned the first one but kept the second copy as it was actually pretty decent. :lol:

I'd actually be interested in knowing what that film is..

Nosferatu@Cult Labs 10th November 2015 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keirarts (Post 467763)
Creature

An adaptation of the Peter Benchley story, Creature stars Craig T Nelson as a marine biologist studying sharks in order to cure cancer. Science myth no.11324 Sharks don't get cancer.. yes they do!
It turns out a navy research base on the island had been doing some frankenstein experiments some years back and the fruits of that research, a shark-man hybrid is on the loose.
Creature could easily cut down to a 90 minute creature feature and be all the better for it. This is a TV movie and is 3 hours. While a little overlong its entertaining enough and the shark creature looks pretty decent.

I'm pretty sure the DVD I have is part of the B-Movie Collection. As I recall, it's surprisingly enjoyable nonsense.

Demdike@Cult Labs 10th November 2015 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keirarts (Post 467777)
I'd actually be interested in knowing what that film is..

It's very low budget Keirarts.

Creature [DVD]: Amazon.co.uk: Andre Ware, Steve Hedden, Frank Gorshin, Doug McCoy, Lynda Carter, Shirley Jones, Christopher Coppola: DVD & Blu-ray

Frankie Teardrop 10th November 2015 10:27 PM

WE ARE STILL HERE – Pretty good indie horror, supposedly inspired by Lucio Fulci. In it, a grieving couple attempt to come to terms with the loss of their son by renting a new house with some zombies in the basement. OK, their letting agent was a bit slippery about that last bit. 'We Are Still Here' builds slowly to its splattery conclusion and pays careful attention to atmosphere. There's a stiltedness to some of the performances, but somehow this seems to add to the air of dislocation, or to me it did. As for the Fulci angle.... I dunno, I can sort of see it in a way, but the overall 'feeling' is very American, and the scrungey zombies / ghosts / whatever reminded me more of 'The Fog' than anything from 'House By The Cemetery'. There were some nice little touches which I might need a revisit to get my head around ie. an undead couple tentatively holding hands near the climax. Not amazing, but very good and worth some of your viewing time for sure.

GHOSTS OF MARS – Carpenter riffs on his early hit 'Assault On Precinct 13' (I would say 'Rio Bravo' but I'm not that cine-literate) with this Mars based action horror, which sees future con Ice Cube forced to team up with the law in order to stave off some hostile body modification enthusiasts. Maybe not classic Carpenter, but I found it vastly entertaining and full of the requisite punchy dialogue, even punchier violence and general all round B movie atmos. Neglected to see it before now, and more fool me.

GIVE US TOMORROW – Although the title sounds like it belongs to some epic chronicling revolution in South America, 'Give Us Tomorrow' is a British heist / home invasion flick from the late seventies and as such is steeped in an atmosphere of beigeness and cortinas, not that either feature heavily, or at all. It's really cheap and threadbare looking. Two incompetent hoods hold up a middle class household whilst their buddies are off robbing a bank – it all goes wrong when one of the bank clerks does a hero act and gets shot. Focus is back on the household and how its occupants, the bank manager's wife and her teenage daughter, cope with two oiks and a shotgun. There are plenty of reasons to watch 'Give Us Tomorrow', not least its period creakiness, which is highly charming and has an air of something from the TV of the time, like a dumbed down and grimy 'Play For Today'. I say this because it doesn't really have the feel of an action thriller – I guess our, or my, perceptions of what that means have become too streamlined by Hollywood. Those looking for similar dynamics might end up drumming their fingers, and it's fair to say that the 'one room' situation is slightly grating rather than tense, but it's the film's other aspects which are worthwhile – the class fuelled rancour, the obnoxious dialogue, the desperate stupidity of the robbers... the grotty Englishness of it all. There are also some sleazy moments which are a little unexpected (or not, given the director) and which culminate in a dull and cringeworthy sex scene, although this aspect isn't particularly mined for full shocking effect. Definitely a curio which lovers of the arcane seventies will find of interest, 'Give Us Tomorrow' might struggle to captivate in some ways, but it still has its charms.

Demdike@Cult Labs 10th November 2015 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop (Post 467844)
GHOSTS OF MARS – Carpenter riffs on his early hit 'Assault On Precinct 13' (I would say 'Rio Bravo' but I'm not that cine-literate) with this Mars based action horror, which sees future con Ice Cube forced to team up with the law in order to stave off some hostile body modification enthusiasts. Maybe not classic Carpenter, but I found it vastly entertaining and full of the requisite punchy dialogue, even punchier violence and general all round B movie atmos. Neglected to see it before now, and more fool me.

I also really rate it and think it gets better with each subsequent viewing too.

Demdike@Cult Labs 10th November 2015 11:05 PM

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Dark Passage (1947)

The third of four films Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made together and the chemistry is there for all to see. You can really see the tenderness in Bacall's eyes as she cares for the stricken Bogart during the first hour.

The film is classic noir. Violent, fast paced, great San Francisco locations and camera work, and a vicious femme fatale in Agnes Moorehead whose scheming is central to the plot of an innocent man on the run from San Quentin and desperate to clear his name and avoid the police.

It's the camera work that really stands out though, especially during the first hour. During this time we never see Bogart's face and the whole piece is shot from his view point. It's all superbly done and a joy to watch.

Originally posted in this thread https://www.cult-labs.com/forums/cri...tml#post467846 which you should all visit on a regular basis in this month of November noir.

Demoncrat 11th November 2015 03:19 PM

A mixed bunch reflecting the paucity of my reviews recently ahem!!

Soul Boys Of The Western World (2014, George Hencken)
The musical (?) equivalent of watching paint dry.

Satan Returns aka 666: Mo gui fu huo (1996, Ah Lun)
Purportedly a Se7en clone, according to the MIA sleeve anyhoo, this is this usual HK lunacy from the off. Recommended!!

The Moomins On The Riviera (2014, Xavier Picard)
A rather cloying version of Tove Jansson's creations. No Bjork either!!! Like Cycle, this seems to have disappeared. Buggeration!!

Demdike@Cult Labs 11th November 2015 11:20 PM

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The Way Back (2010)

Siberian gulag escapees travel 4,000 miles by foot to freedom in India.

Based on a true story, Peter Weir's film is an often harrowing but in the end life affirming piece of film making that isn't added to for cinematic or dramatic effect. It doesn't need to be. The journey itself together with the beautiful cinematography make the film. It's testament to all the actors - Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, Saoirse Ronan and Colin Farrell among others - together with an intelligent script, that even though it clocks in at over two hours The Way Back is a gripping piece of cinema throughout.

Justin101 12th November 2015 02:17 PM

Some good and some bad but mostly 'ok' so far this week for me.

River’s Edge

Teenagers in a grim town react when their friend murders one of their group. Understated performance from Keanu which is great and shows he can act when given the correct script. Crispin Glover though is off the charts with a positively insane over the top but utterly compelling performance as Layne.

Nekromantik

Unfortunately the most interesting thing about this film is it's notorious history. I think it was exciting to watch back in the day because it wasn't allowed but now it just seemed pointless.

The bonus documentary about it's first UK showing at a film festival and all the opinion pieces were much better than the film itself.

Heaven Adores You

Not as good as I had hoped, a little muddled in the beginning, but lots of interesting archival footage of Elliott Smith as well as talking heads with ex band members, family and friends. A very sad story indeed.

Eraserhead

Too surreal for me but some amazing imagery.

LynchOne

A weird little fly on the wall doc about the creative thought process of David Lynch. It's not particularly entertaining and the photography is all over the place but there are some bits of interest.

Zann 12th November 2015 09:02 PM

Live Like A Cop, Die Like A Man

What a treat! The beginning looks like the eighties programme Kickstart only set in Rome. Policemen that can do whatever they like and a weary but ultimately approving superior. Total objectification of women even by seventies standards - every women under forty in this film is a nymphomaniac and the ones over forty prostitute relatives. Had Ruggero been down the pub when he signed off on that theme tune?

keirarts 13th November 2015 07:32 AM

Been watching Leviathan documentary in anticipation of watching the Scarlet Box this wet weekend while waiting for Amazon to turn my account back on.
Overall a great documentary, so lengthy I've still the bonus 3rd disc to get through. Will sit nicely next to documentaries like Crystal lake memories on my shelf.

Make Them Die Slowly 14th November 2015 08:09 PM

JOHN WICK.

Ultra streamlined revenge flick with Keanu Reeves killing off the Russian Mafia after they steal his car and kill his puppy! Reeves is fantastic as a blank slate for the audience to project all their violent fantasies upon as he mixes up judo, jujitsu and gun play in his rampage across New York. Shit blows up. Recommended.


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