What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[trebor8273]

Originally Posted by Zann

Exterminator 2

Great fun that doesn't out stay it's welcome. Even has Ron Taylor of Trading Places fame...who I hadn't seen in anything else (though clearly from IMDB he's done quite a few movies). Favourite novelty death = man burned out of tree. Favourite unintentionally funny moment = Mario Van Peebles doing one armed press-ups in a service elevator.

Will have to get around to watching this watched the first a few days ago.

[Zann]

Originally Posted by trebor8273

Will have to get around to watching this watched the first a few days ago.

It's quite different and is more like the Castellari Mad Max rip-offs....well kind of.

[Frankie Teardrop]

MURDER OBSESSION - Tacky late entry in Ricardo Freda's ouvre which I do quite like because of the schizophrenic bizarreness that takes hold after the talky first half hour. What actually carries the build up beyond the sleazy opening is the cockeyed mix of lavish but suffocating gothic atmos and passages of ridiculous cheapness (never has an A4 piece of acetate been wielded before the camera in the hope of inducing a 'trippy' visual with quite the same panache). If you can make it over the acetate threshold, there are the many splendours of whacky dream sequences which veer from laughable to genuinely disturbing, some really ludicrously bad gore, more sleaze and an exit which loses itself in utter confusion.

LIVE FEED - From the director of 'Gutterballs' and 'Hanger', two lip smackingly sordid nasties which are much meaner and much better than this. Having said this, I enjoyed 'Live Feed', which at least manages to wallow unapologetically in its own sleaze when it finds it can't cut it in terms of plot or dynamics. It's pretty gory and, despite being an obvious 'Hostel' rip, throws a couple of Yakuza action type diversions into the pot as well. I was a little surprised to find it uncut in the uk, but I guess it doesn't go THAT far. Well, anyone checking this out probably knows what they're getting into so is unlikely to care too much about the shitty acting and awful shot on video look, but, on this last point, I have to say that the uk DVD presentation sucks big time. Still worth a look for Nicholson fans.

NAKED VENGEANCE - Enjoyable pot boiler which doesn't really take its rape-revenge storyline anywhere new, nor is it particularly transgressive. It does move along pretty swiftly after it establishes the avalanche of bad luck which will set its lead character up as a righteous avenger bent on venting the wrath of the wronged well to do white bread middle classes. Slight disappointment in that I was maybe anticipating something a bit harder, but, like I said, its fast paced enough not to offend and is just the right side of ridiculous to work as a VHS era exploitation relic. Needs a DVD release.

THE NIGHT OF A THOUSAND SEXES - Or 'Night has a Thousand Sexes' or something like that. This is mid-eighties era Jess Franco, and those entranced by the gossamer sleaze of 'Macumba Sexuale' will recognise a similar hazy vibe. This really is hypnotic stuff, I guess some will revile it as boring and nonsensical, and maybe on some level it is - I suppose it depends on which part of your brain you're coming from. You'll know already if you dig it or not. Personally, I think Franco was some kind of genius - I can think of few who could wring so much from so little. Here, the most minimal ingredients come to seem utterly haunting - the highlight has to be a scene which seems to roll on for hours, but which is just basically Lina R smoking some pot and getting down with some hippie girls before stabbing their gigolo, all to some really weird music (the soundtrack to this one is particularly outstanding). Possibly a slightly overlooked Franco film, but, I think, it's up there with the best of them.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

LIVE FEED - From the director of 'Gutterballs' and 'Hanger', two lip smackingly sordid nasties which are much meaner and much better than this. Having said this, I enjoyed 'Live Feed', which at least manages to wallow unapologetically in its own sleaze when it finds it can't cut it in terms of plot or dynamics. It's pretty gory and, despite being an obvious 'Hostel' rip, throws a couple of Yakuza action type diversions into the pot as well. I was a little surprised to find it uncut in the uk, but I guess it doesn't go THAT far. Well, anyone checking this out probably knows what they're getting into so is unlikely to care too much about the shitty acting and awful shot on video look, but, on this last point, I have to say that the uk DVD presentation sucks big time. Still worth a look for Nicholson fans.

I too enjoyed Live Feed. It was a Poundland pick up a few years ago. As you say the shot on video look nearly kills it but i also felt it gave the torture scenes a tad more realism, as if the assailants were filming it for some grubby internet feed, but it didn't exactly enhance the rest of the movie.

I thought i was the only one who didn't loathe this film. Pleased there are other kindred spirits.

[Frankie Teardrop]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I too enjoyed Live Feed. It was a Poundland pick up a few years ago. As you say the shot on video look nearly kills it but i also felt it gave the torture scenes a tad more realism, as if the assailants were filming it for some grubby internet feed, but it didn't exactly enhance the rest of the movie.

I thought i was the only one who didn't loathe this film. Pleased there are other kindred spirits.

Concur on 'Live Feed', it's a nice little bit of grot. But, I don't normally moan about picture quality and the like, but I thought the rubbishness of the English dvd kind of dampened my experience of it a bit. On the other hand, I can't be sure whether this is how it's actually meant to look (it would please me if it were actually this lo-fi). I doubt the 16:9 aspect ratio of the US release would improve things in any meaningful way, but it would be nice to have one aspect ratio as opposed to a constantly changing one unless, again, this was intended, in which case, nice one Ryan for making your film look like utter bollocks and managing to get it released.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

Concur on 'Live Feed', it's a nice little bit of grot. But, I don't normally moan about picture quality and the like, but I thought the rubbishness of the English dvd kind of dampened my experience of it a bit. On the other hand, I can't be sure whether this is how it's actually meant to look (it would please me if it were actually this lo-fi). I doubt the 16:9 aspect ratio of the US release would improve things in any meaningful way, but it would be nice to have one aspect ratio as opposed to a constantly changing one unless, again, this was intended, in which case, nice one Ryan for making your film look like utter bollocks and managing to get it released.

I can't actually remember the aspect ratio changing constantly. Either the whisky was going down smoothly or i just thought it was how the director intended the movie to play.

[Frankie Teardrop]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I can't actually remember the aspect ratio changing constantly. Either the whisky was going down smoothly or i just thought it was how the director intended the movie to play.

I have to admit the 'whisky' was flowing a little when I watched it too, and maybe the whole aspect ratio thing was down to me forgetting I'd moved my head a bit closer to the screen or something...

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by trebor8273

Texas chainsaw massacre

Not much to say about this classic. 8.5/10


Texas chainsaw massacre 2.

Loved it, completely bonkers and Dennis hopper has to be seen to be belived. Makes leather faces family look nearly normal. Great gore and dark humor and has to have the best chainsaw battle in any movie. I actually like this more than the first and will probably get band for say it. 9.5/10

You rate The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 higher than The Texas Chain Saw Massacre?

[nosferatu42]

Each to their own Trebor, personally i do like Texas chainsaw massacre 2, like you say it's completely messed up (in a good way) and i find it really entertaining. Especially Dennis Hoppers scenery chewing performance who i really like as an actor. But personally i would rate it an 8/10.

The original Chainsaw i would rate 10/10 any day of the week (and there's only a handful of films that i rate this highly), for me it is just a outstanding film that oozes a disturbing atmosphere. I wanted to see it since i was about 10 but due to James Ferman and the BBFC i had to wait about 14 years to see it, and was not disappointed when i finally saw it, in fact it was better than i expected.

But that's just my opinion.

[nosferatu42]

Keep meaning to post reviews but for some reason haven't felt up to it lately.
I think it's the crappy weather and time of year, or summin.

I've watched quite a lot of films lately though, so gonna do some quick notes on the most recent to try and get myself back into the swing of things.

Byzantium

I've watched this twice now and really enjoyed it both times. A different take on the vampire theme that deviates from the usual cliches but is all the better for it. Really nicely shot in places and quite poetic and thoughtful, i thought the acting was good all round but the young girl steals the film with a really mature performance. 8.5/10

This is now my second favourite Neil Jordan horror, after Company of wolves (which i adore) with Interview with the vampire last, as a horror director he really seems to focus on the female point of view. Kirsten Dunst was my favourite thing about Interview.

Misery

I hadn't seen this for years but really enjoyed it, quite a simple story that i could see working as a play (being set mostly in a couple of rooms).
The battle of wits between Kathy Bates (who is both funny and disturbing) and James Caan is really entertaining and pretty suspenseful at times. 8/10
(still convinced this was inspired by Whatever happened to Baby Jane though)

Picnic at hanging rock

Hadn't seen this for years either, really interesting, well acted and beautifully shot. Only my second viewing and enjoyed it more this time, one of those films you have to be in the right mood for. 7.5/10

Apocalypse Now

Don't really have to say much about this except it's a classic, i'm not a big war film fan ( prefer the more psychological or unusual ones- Full Metal Jacket, Paths of glory, Come and see, Cross of iron and Battleground) but this is so much more than just a war film. Beautiful, powerful, hypnotic and disturbing with a great soundtrack.
Watched the original version which i prefer, the redux version has some really good scenes but for me it screws up the pacing of the film, and i'm sure the soundtrack has been messed about with on that version.
A masterpiece. 10/10