What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Gothmogxx]

Okay. Big Predator franchise fan here. Lets talk The Predator.

Predator 1 and 2 hold a special place in my film history. Both were the first films I ever saw that were rated 18 (apparently I watched a lot of Die Hard once when I was 6 my mum said but I remember none of it. So Predator was the first "official" viewing of an 18 movie). I rate them both equally. Many people that love the original may disagree but I loved seeing the Predator in LA, killing drug lords left and right. I also loved the characters, Danny Glover doesn't get enough credit.

In my under-age years I have twice tried to sneak into the cinema. I failed with Final Destination 5 but succeeded with Predators, I was 13, the guy clearly knew that when he gave me the ticket but he just sort of smiled and I got in- Only to walk out later feeling crushing disappointment. What I had seen had just felt like a watered down re-tread of the first one (and they blatantly ignored the second one whilst referencing the first which really angered me). NONE of those characters can match Dutch, Dillion, Mac, Blain, Hawkins, Billy or Poncho from Predator. NONE of those characters could match Mike, Jerry, Leona, Danny or Keyes from Predator 2... Or even King Willie for that matter! I mean the character Laurence Fishburne plays is good and had potential but he's barely in it! And they kill off Danny Trejo almost immediately?!? Super Predators instead of the Classic ones?!? It just didn't do.

So for this one after so and so trailers I really did go in with no expectations. And I'm glad I did. Because I really like it. Is it one of the all time great action movies like the first two? No... But it was lightyears ahead of Predators

Characters are well done and acted well.
Classic Predator is back (not a spoiler you see it in the trailer)
Gore is great
Its overall filmed pretty well
Decent story.

It has flaws. There is another Super Predator in this one (again in the trailer) and he is blatant CGI. But they give him a bit of backstory and he feels like he has more reasoning to exist, even if he is CGI, which he shouldn't have been. The third act is weaker than the earlier parts of the film and the usual final fight that you always get between the main character and the Predator isn't really all that good. But these aren't crippling flaws that hurt the film badly like Predators. They just feel like minor faults that stop it from being great like the first two. I still heavily recommend it though. This is the real Predator 3 for me.

I only really have two wishes by this point. Firstly, Arnie should have been in this movie if only to improve the third act (Shane Black did apparently try to get him involved though tbf) and secondly, now that they've made the real Predator 3, can they please make the real Alien 5 that isn't Prometheus or Alien Covenant?

I would need to see it again to really write one of my usual more in-depth reviews but I'm overall impressed. My ONE expectation was that it be better than Predators and it passed that quite convincingly.

Ranking only the Predator films.

1. Predator/Predator 2
2. The Real Predator 3
3. Predators

[Crimson Blade]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I bought two as blind buys a few years ago for a fiver for the two at a time when Odeon couldn't give away some of their stuff.

My criteria wasn't Eve Renzi, it was obscure British thrillers. Suspicion is an 80's remake of the Hitchcock thriller. Tis very good as well.

Never seen or heard of that one.

I do have a couple of their releases though. So Evil My Love, starring Ray Milland, and Blind Corner, starring Barbara Shelley. Both pretty decent from what i remember.

And in their Hollywood collection, i have Female on The Beach, Woman on the Beach, and Angel Face. Again, all total blind buys, but well worth a watch.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

I don't own any of the Predator films despite really enjoying the first one. I didn't think much in the second and haven't seen the third. I haven't seen the trailer of this new Predator film and it will probably be best at the cinema so I may go on Sunday or Monday.

[keirarts]

The nun

Looks great. The film has a real Bava-esque look, with some psychedelic background lighting and impressive Gothic set design. There's also some very pointed references to Italian film-makers including one very noticeable homage to city of the living dead. I wanted to like this film far more than I did. I'm not the Conjuring's biggest fan and Annabelle (the first one at least) was a huge turd of the movie. For the most part though they do make decent theatrical experiences, even if they are ultimately very disposable.
The nun however is is beset with problems. There's not much plot to it. Not a big issue in itself as decent film-makers fall back on creating great atmosphere and suspense. The Nun however feels a little flat. There's very little suspense throughout and it at no point did I feel engaged. The other problem is some of the acting. Mainly the fella they hired to play 'Frenchie' who is absolutely terrible and almost single-handedly drags the whole film down. The only part I got engaged with was the finale, at that point they pretty much gave up and the film becomes very silly. I might pick it up when it appears in poundland or a charity shop (same thing I did with the other conjuring titles) but I wouldn't rush out for this.

The Predator

Another mess, however this was more entertaining. The Predator feels like the initial cut must have run well over the 2 hour mark at least and then was heavily re-edited. Someone pointed out to me that there appears to be several predators in the film and it looks like they cut it to look like there were 2. The regular predator and the big predator-hunter one. There's numerous glaring continuity issues and scenes that literally make no sense. Characters appear with small arsenals of weapons with no explanation. They also have a kid with Hollywood autism where its a superpower. I have autistic friends and while they are bright they're not Stephen hawking's much smarter brother. The editing is also terrible.

But...

Its actually fun. Shane Black delivers the goods with banter and carnage. It actually made me laugh in quite a few places. Its decidedly very un-pc without the usual internet nerd take on un-pc where they go full racist/sexist. It doesn't feel like at any point they are going PG-13 and the effects work is mostly ok. If you go in with expectations lowered the film may be an utter shambles from a technical perspective but its very watchable and silly. Better than either AVP film.

[MrBarlow]

Rollerball 1975.

In a corporate control future, the sport Rollerball is the main feature of the world, player Jonathan E is its star athlete but the corporation wants him to retire. When he refuses they change the game rules and test his strength and stamina.

Forget the 2002 remake, this is still the original classic film, James Caan takes on the lead role as Jonathan and John Houseman plays Mr Bartholomew the head of the corporation, there is some minor appearances from Moses Gunn, Maud Adams and Sir Ralph Richardson.

With the 70s violence was unappreciated but director Norman Jewson didn't really care as he gave us this classic Sci fi movie that keeps us entertained from the start to finish with great cinematography from Douglas Slocombe. 10+

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

White Zombie (1932)

Madge Bellamy plays a new bride moving into her new husbands Haitian mansion who is transformed into a zombie by voodoo master Legendre (Bela Lugosi) in order to have her for himself.

Victor Halperin's early talky non-studio horror film is the first feature length zombie movie. Filmed in a mere 11 days on Universal's sets this is far better than it has any right to be. Lugosi is at his best, even if he is in need of a little restraint, and stalks the screen in a far more sinister way than he did the previous year in Universal's Dracula. Halperin adds lots of atmosphere thanks to the use of unconventional photography and an almost fairy tale trance like ambiance swathes the viewer, helped by some truly outstanding sound design. The scene showing Legendre's sugar cane mill being worked by the living dead is truly fantastic; One of the great sequences of thirties and forties horror.

If the film has faults it's in the performances of the other players which appear quite stilted, the same goes for the dialogue at times and the denouement where Bellamy returns to life (how?) borders on the ludicrous, but Lugosi towers over such trifling faults with his sheer bravado in probably the best independent horror film of the 1930's.

I watched the Roan Group's restoration dvd of the film from 1999 and can report that it's ten times better than any other release i've seen.

[MrBarlow]

Jesabelle 2014.

After a horrific car accident, Jesabelle returns to her childhood home, she thinks she is been tormented by a ghost or is it in her mind.

This was better than I expected it to be from the trailer, yeah OK it does start of a bit slow and dragging but once it starts building up the pace it does get better, it's not a mind blowing greatest horror/thrill type that you will keep talking about for years to come. Blended in with good acting, and the dark gothic surrounding of Louisiana with excellent camera work does help the creepy feel to it. 7 out of 10.

[MrBarlow]

Whispers 2015

A couple grieving at the loss of their child vacate to a house where chilling occurrences happen.

I got no idea what's more painful, sat in a dentist chair getting root canal treatment or watching some people trying to act and look scared.

The start of it was confusing but did hope it would get better which it did with the end credits appearing, if you want to see something that's done before like this check out Half Light 2006 or The Secrets of Crickley Hall, but avoid this at all cost.

[Paul Zombie]

Satans Blood.

A young couple(Ana and andy), by chance or is it? meet up with a strange couple, the husband chap supposidly knowing Andy from their schooldays and get invited to stay at their isolated villa in the country.

one of many films that were made in the 1970s about devil worship and witchcraft and this one is definately entertaining. It has bags of atmosphere and a very creepy vibe that mixes black mass rituals, ouija boards, a very spooky porcelen doll, and loads of sex and nudity. and despite the cast being unknowns they are very good as well, especially the girl who plays Ana who is so pretty.

Yes i recommend this a lot despite the predictable twist ending that a lot of these films used to have. 81.5 out of 100.

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by Paul Zombie

Satans Blood.

A young couple(Ana and andy), by chance or is it? meet up with a strange couple, the husband chap supposidly knowing Andy from their schooldays and get invited to stay at their isolated villa in the country.

one of many films that were made in the 1970s about devil worship and witchcraft and this one is definately entertaining. It has bags of atmosphere and a very creepy vibe that mixes black mass rituals, ouija boards, a very spooky porcelen doll, and loads of sex and nudity. and despite the cast being unknowns they are very good as well, especially the girl who plays Ana who is so pretty.

Yes i recommend this a lot despite the predictable twist ending that a lot of these films used to have. 81.5 out of 100.

I really like this one. Fairly sure it's directed by J.P Simon who made pieces.