What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[MrBarlow]

Second in Command 2006.

In Moldavia, a new president has been elected, a civil war has broken out and the president seeks help from the U.S Embassy. Newly appointed Security Attache, is asked to rescue the president and secure his safety.

This may not be Van Damme at his best but better than some of his other films, this is one of his low budget straight to dvd flick but still entertaining. The camera work is a bit shoddy to the point if motion sickness in a tunnel scene, the shots of the helicopter look well fake, at least we get to see him kick some ass even though the fight scenes are limited and plenty gun fire, it's a bit unusual to see him in this type of character 5 out of 10.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

Second in Command 2006.

In Moldavia, a new president has been elected, a civil war has broken out and the president seeks help from the U.S Embassy. Newly appointed Security Attache, is asked to rescue the president and secure his safety.

This may not be Van Damme at his best but better than some of his other films, this is one of his low budget straight to dvd flick but still entertaining. The camera work is a bit shoddy to the point if motion sickness in a tunnel scene, the shots of the helicopter look well fake, at least we get to see him kick some ass even though the fight scenes are limited and plenty gun fire, it's a bit unusual to see him in this type of character 5 out of 10.

I like this one. Thought it was very enjoyable. It's not as low budget as you may think - $12m apparently.

Fascinating fact - It recouped $1.04 million in it's first week of US rentals.

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I like this one. Thought it was very enjoyable. It's not as low budget as you may think - $12m apparently.

Fascinating fact - It recouped $1.04 million in it's first week of US rentals.

That is fascinating (no sarcasm) it doesn't look like that money was spent. Atm got on The Shepherd this one isn't too bad.

[MrBarlow]

The Shepherd 2008.

A ex New Orleans cop joins a New Columbus border patrol team and uncovers a drug smuggling ring involving ex special forces team.

This was a decent made flick, Van Damme plays Jack the ex cop destined to take out the drug cartel, Natalie Robb (Moira from Emmerdale) stars along as the no nonsense border patrol captain. Stephen Lord plays the cartel smuggler and Scott Adkins as the right hand man. As to be expected there is a lot of decent gun fire, fights and how to win a fight in a small bar, from start to finish was enjoyable and quick funny one liners. Think Scott Adkins talents as a actor and fighter were a bit wasted as he seemed more for being leader than a henchman. Worth a watch. 7 out of 10.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Unfriended (2014)

Well, for all it's shortcomings Unfriended was certainly something different.

Playing out entirely through a laptop screen, Unfriended somehow managed to engage, frustrate, fascinate and infuriate at the same time. The fact it played out on a computer just like mine or yours with Gmail, Google and so on made it feel very real and yet the ludicrousness of it all also made it feel really far fetched, then there's the whole voyeuristic aspect of basically spying on someone's web cam chats, emails and texts. Think I Know What You Did Last Summer played out via your laptop and you have Unfriended.

As an experiment this was a success, as a horror film it was underwhelming, so much so as i had to watch a John Carpenter film afterwards for a horror fix.

I certainly want to see the sequel at some stage, although not just yet.

[bleakshaun]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Unfriended (2014)



Well, for all it's shortcomings Unfriended was certainly something different.



Playing out entirely through a laptop screen, Unfriended somehow managed to engage, frustrate, fascinate and infuriate at the same time. The fact it played out on a computer just like mine or yours with Gmail, Google and so on made it feel very real and yet the ludicrousness of it all also made it feel really far fetched, then there's the whole voyeuristic aspect of basically spying on someone's web cam chats, emails and texts. Think I Know What You Did Last Summer played out via your laptop and you have Unfriended.



As an experiment this was a success, as a horror film it was underwhelming, so much so as i had to watch a John Carpenter film afterwards for a horror fix.



I certainly want to see the sequel at some stage, although not just yet.

I watched this a couple of weeks ago and I just thought every character deserves what they got

Sent from my PRA-LX1 using Tapatalk

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Ward (2010)

Kristen (Amber Heard) finds herself committed after setting fire to an abandoned farmhouse. Once there she becomes friends with the other girls as she comes to realize things are not as they seem and a gruesome ghostly figure stalks the ward at night.

The Ward is an interesting mystery, a slow burning story which gradually escalates, drawing the viewer in as both we and Heard's Kristen character try and figure out the reasons for her being hospitalized in the first place. Carpenter allows the suspense to come to the fore through the story telling as the film gradually flips from mystery to ghost story. The film is nicely acted with characters to sympathise with and tries to avoid the typical genre cliches of bullying wardens and such like. The soundtrack, although often subtle and low in the mix, (thankfully Carpenter doesn't resort to musical jump scares), has echoes of Goblin's Suspiria score. There is little gore, but what there is is gruesome, and one sequence is definitely not for the squeamish in it's eye opening nastiness.

The films only real let down for me was the extremely rushed denouement. I have to admit i didn't see it coming but when you actually think about it, it makes the preceding 80 minutes a bit redundant as it's difficult to say if it happened or it was all in Kristen's mind.

Whilst The Ward is nowhere near classic John Carpenter, (he hasn't a writing credit or responsible for the score), however one or two of his directorial flourishes can be found such as slow, creepy tracking shots which add to the ghostly feel of things.

Better than Escape from LA. The Ward is worth checking out as it's nowhere near as poor as you've probably heard, in fact second time around i thoroughly enjoyed it once more.

[Justin101]

I think I should give The Ward a second chance, I turned it off after about half an hour the first time I watched it, I either didn't enjoy it or I just wasn't in the mood, it was so long ago that I can't remember which...

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Justin101

I think I should give The Ward a second chance, I turned it off after about half an hour the first time I watched it, I either didn't enjoy it or I just wasn't in the mood, it was so long ago that I can't remember which...

Ouch!

[Rik]

Just finished watching the remake of Flatliners, most of the reviews on IMDb said it was shit, but I thought I’d give it a go anyway seeing as it’s on Netflix.
Like a vegetarian breakfast, it suffers from a lack of Bacon, shite! 2/5