What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[monkeypedro]

Tusk is available on Blu-ray and dvd in the US on the 30th December 2014 so not long to wait. Will definitely be adding to my collection as one strange movie.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Dead of Night - The Exorcism (1972)

Four wealthy, middle-class friends (Clive Swift, Edward Petherbridge, Anna Cropper and Sylvia Kay) gather for a Christmas dinner in a country cottage only to find that the past will not rest while they feast.

Eerie and chilling, The Exorcism's slow and wordy build up is captivating from the off and the tension builds up gradually. Although there are no jump scares the film has some genuinely creepy stand out scenes such as the discovery of the corpses in the bedroom and the blood / wine dinner table scene.

It all culminates in a four minute monologue from Anna Cropper under possession. Whilst there's no head spinning or random swearing shoutyness, Cropper's performance is utterly compelling and it's every bit as gripping as anything in The Exorcist.

The Exorcism's social message of greed,wealth and class difference is perhaps even more apparent in today's political climate than it was in 1972 when this was originally screened, and all though it is fairly hammered home it doesn't really distract from this disturbing piece of television.

In fact the whole production is as good a piece of horror television as you're likely to see. Superb stuff.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Dead of Night - The Exorcism (1972)

Now on my rental list.

[SShaw]

Trying to work through my pile of unwatched films in preparation for Christmas starting with:

Shockwaves rather fine blu-ray from my good friends at Blue Underground.

Across the River I rather liked this when I originally saw it and find no reason to change my view on a second viewing (UK DVD, the German blu has no English subs )

Tim Burton's Batman which I hope needs no introduction (U.S. blu).

The Sorcerers Michael Reeves other feature.

[Make Them Die Slowly]

THE AMAZING SPIDER MAN 2. Plays like clips from a computer game with bits of plot and characterisation thrown in for good measure.

IRON MAN 3. Tony Stark has a panic attack post Avengers but resolves his issues by blowing shit up.

I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE 2. Pre cut by the director of over 2 minutes worth of nastiness for a UK release, this still packs quite a punch mainly due to the lead actress' ability to be totally convincing in all the rape and humiliation scenes that dominate the first 2 thirds of the film. However once the revenge gets under way, the film loses it's way and opts for some very graphic bollock torture and a miserable ending by having a man save our heroine. Shame as otherwise this was better than the film that preceded it.

MAD MAX. A howling maelstrom of exploitation.

MAD MAX 2. There is some weird religious allegory going on in this, one of the greatest action films ever made, but I'll be buggered if I can put my finger on it.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Pyx (1973)

Karen Black and Christopher Plummer star in this Canadian supernatural thriller. Plummer plays a detective investigating the deaths of known prostitutes whose bodies are always found with a crucifix and a small metal container known as a pyx.

Cult actress Black's death, by falling from a great height, begins the investigation by Plummer. It's not all quite as straightforward as it seems though. Director Harvey Hart constantly toys with the viewer. Jumping around in time to before Black's murder, juxtaposed with the ongoing investigation.

Essentially a character piece, the film is quite slow moving but never dull as it almost languidly maneuvers it's pieces and characters into play, culminating in an encounter with an occult sect.

In a way it's difficult to call this a horror movie, more a murder mystery. Never the less The Pyx is still recommended viewing.

[Frankie Teardrop]

CHAINED – A killer abducts a kid and raises him as his own in this film from Jennifer Lynch. 'Chained' is heavy on claustrophobic ambience, but avoids playing obvious genre cards. This is after all a relationships movie, but of the feel-bad variety, and its emphasis is on the twisted father-son dyad at its core rather than murder and mayhem. It avoids being too graphic, but some scenes are brutal, particularly the ones which show the killer's messed up childhood. It's sustained by good, intense performances which feel real and ensure the tension flowing from the two main character's curdled dynamics never drops. I wasn't really into the imo ill-conceived and slightly lame 'twist' brought in to wrap things up, although the film ends on an interestingly ambiguous note. Maybe not quite as harrowing as some reviews seemed to suggest, but not far off, and it certainly doesn't fail to disturb. Recommended.

FOUND – Another warped relationships movie bent on sidestepping genre cliches, 'Found' again comes from an indie-'arthouse' angle (sort of) in its portrayal of a child whose big problem, besides growing up in general, is that his brother is a serial killer. It's won quite a few superlatives and has kicked off some low key controversy here and there because of some slightly 'provocative' elements which mostly occur when the kid and his friend watch a splatter video. A pre-cut version was trimmed even further by the BBFC, who still seem freaked out by naked hard-ons. Whatever. I am no advocate of censorship at all, but 'Found's more overt aspects don't really do much for it and actually feel grating and out of place, as tonally the film is once more a slow burn focussing more on its central character's day-to-day life and a gradually dawning sense of dark awakening. An interesting approach, but too much is fumbled – I didn't believe the kid's relationship with his brother, nor the psychological transformation he undergoes in the latter half. The performances weren't bad, but needed to be more than they were. And something else was missing, the film just felt stylistically too blunt / bland. But still, I thought this was an honest attempt to go beyond the obvious and explore unfamiliar (in a 'horror' context) territory, so although for me it lacked the subtlety it perhaps needed, I do recommend 'Found' as at least imaginative and sometimes powerful, with some intense imagery that isn't limited to a guy shagging a severed head in a video nasty.

[demonknight]

Dead Poets Society by Peter Weir (1989).

I remember watching this movie some years ago and liking it even then. Great direction by Weir, good acting by the young cast and a super performance from the late Robin Williams. I also enjoyed Kurtwood Smith in this too. He was a great villain in ROBOCOP, and while he wasn't blowing peoples hands' off in this flick, he was great at playing the stern and arrogant father of the character Neil. A wonderful movie. Nice soothing and subtle score from M. Jarre. It's hard to believe that Robin Williams is no longer with us, but I'm glad he has this movie as part of his resume. Happy to get reacquainted with this late 80's gem.

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by demonknight

Dead Poets Society by Peter Weir (1989).

I remember watching this movie some years ago and liking it even then. Great direction by Weir, good acting by the young cast and a super performance from the late Robin Williams. I also enjoyed Kurtwood Smith in this too. He was a great villain in ROBOCOP, and while he wasn't blowing peoples hands' off in this flick, he was great at playing the stern and arrogant father of the character Neil. A wonderful movie. Nice soothing and subtle score from M. Jarre. It's hard to believe that Robin Williams is no longer with us, but I'm glad he has this movie as part of his resume. Happy to get reacquainted with this late 80's gem.

Still think the film missed a trick by not having Kurtwood say "bitches leave" at some point through the film.

[Nordicdusk]

Xmen Days Of Future Past.

I was round my mothers for dinner last night with my girlfriend so we watched this my mother likes these films so to please everyone I sat through it. I enjoyed the dinner my mother prepare.