What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Someone's Watching Me! (1978)

Considered John Carpenter's lost movie, this 1978 made for tv affair was the directors first work with Adrienne Barbeau who would go on to be a Carpenter regular during the eighties.

Unfortunately for me this film didn't work at all. It feels like a Channel 5 Monday afternoon production and holds little in the way of suspense and no blood whatsoever. Lauren Hutton heads the film but i didn't find her convincing as the woman in peril from a mysterious stalker.

The film lacked any of Carpenters flourishes and was severely crying out for one of his compositions to give the film a layer of class in the Hitchcock tradition.

Last night was a second viewing for me and to be honest it didn't engage me at all. The ten minute interview with Carpenter as an extra feature on the disc was more satisfying than the film itself.

[Inspector Abberline]

Young Frankenstein...(1974)
Probably Mel Brooks best parody,and it's sending up of The Universal monster movie genre is pretty pitch perfect...It's full of memorable scenes,and chock-full off brilliant performances...But for me the true star of the film is Marty Feldman, although I have to say that subsequent films he made have left me flat,and worst of all he didn't even die on a high note,as his last movie, YellowBeard (1983) (a Graham Chapman vanity project) was in my eyes bloody awful, considering all the talent involved...Gene Wilder is also marvellous,his constant frustration with the pronunciation of his name is brilliant, mixed with his frustration with the incompetent Igor who seems oblivious to his ever moving hump...
DeepStar Six...(1989)
Under water Alien rip off that's slick and fast moving,but takes far too long to get to the monster action...And for a Sean S Cunningham picture you would of expected a bit more gore and such like...But it does have a cool looking monster, even if it does take it's time in getting going....High five to Miguel Ferrer as Snyder the snivelling back stabbing coward, every film need's one...
Leviathan*(1989).
Under water Alien/The Thing rip off that's slick and fast moving,and has plenty of mutating,goey rubber monster action...It seems anybody working in the ocean back in the late 1980s was probably going to get eaten or mirge with some sort of Lovecraftian Dacon type sea munster...Nice seeing Peter Weller in the Sigorneay Weaver role...Daniel Stern is Buzz 'Sixpack' Parrish who is the snivelling annoying prankster who gets his comupence early on...
Porno Holocaust (1981)
Do you ever ask yourself why are you watching a film...Who exactly was this films audience,if you are into watching porn,do you really need a plot, story,why even bother with location shooting....Joe D'Amato manages to make sex and horror seem like the dullest thing on the planet, not even the actors having sex seem like there enjoying themselves...At least Pedro in Emanuelle in America was probably having fun,if anyone had bothered to ask him......

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) ★★★★

I probably hadn't seen this in about 30 years, but I watched it a few times when I was younger (I think I saw it at the cinema) and it felt both familiar and fresh.

The film has aged very well with the visual effects and clever use of super-sized scenery to create a genuine sense of wonder and exhilaration. Compared to some modern films, its 93-minute running time is relatively short, but it zips along at a good pace with clever, energetic direction from Joe Johnson, and a brilliant score by James Horner.

The characters may be somewhat clichéd, but they are all well written and brought to life with committed and engaging performances from the entire cast, by Rick Moranis, Kristine Sutherland, Matt Frewer, Marcia Strassman, Thomas Wilson Brown, Jared Rushton, Amy O'Neill, and Robert Oliveri. From the adults to the children, they are all very good and there isn’t a weak link.

Despite the film feeling somewhat predictable, it still has a genuine sense of danger and excitement. It's a great family film that has stood the test of time – it's still enjoyable after multiple viewings across several decades. It will probably continue to entertain children and adults alike many years from now.


Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992) ★★

There is a lot of comedy potential in a toddler the size of a grizzly bear in the suburbs or walking around a city like a babyish Godzilla. It's a shame that none of it is in this film.

Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves (1997) ★½

This threequel suffers from a tired concept and casting problems, with Rick Moranis the only actor from the first two films to appear.

It is notable for an early screen appearance by Mila Kunis in a small role and the scene in which a teenage girl lectures a boy about the importance of consent in romantic/sexual situations is commendable and ahead of its time.

[Dave Boy]

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DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1966)
THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES (1966)

Hammer double bill. It was great watching the movies like this. Excellent evening of entertainment.
A big shout out to Barbara Shelley in DPD. She is just great. The character of Helen was someone we could all agree with on the many occations that she expressed her fear of going in to the castle and the warning of Father Sandor.
She was the voice of reason and the only real sensible one out of the lot of them!

[trebor8273]

That was chore too watch. It's obvious it's made for tv and it shows no tension and as scary as Scooby Doo.

The Amityville House is exorcised but the evil of the house hides in the world's most horrid and evil looking lamp. Which ends up in a home of woman's mother whom moves in after her husband's death and of course strange things happening and flys appear. BORING , and you just want to slap the mother into a coma. We have Aron Eisenberg (Nog from deep space 9) in a early role, we have another star trek connection the grandmother is the same actress who played spocks mother in the original series and the the star trek the voyage home and that's about the most interesting thing about this film. It's put me off watch the other films after this.

[nicholasrope]

Originally Posted by trebor8273

A archaeologist along with his daughter are hunted by a group of Gargoyles after stealing a skull and a corpse. Obviously made for tv and despite it's short comings I enjoyed it. Watch out for a young Scott Glenn in a early role.



Enjoyed it more than I thought I would, not as good as the original but enjoyable , here it's straight out horror with none of little comedy. Biggest changes are too the Evil Ed character whom is quite annoying and unlikable here and Peter Vincent is now a Vegas showman/ illusionist. Watch out for Chris Sarandon in a cameo.



After a tragic fire at a local bar , a number of bizzare and gruesome deaths take place . Nothing great but enjoyable enough .




Gordons professional career is cut short just before he is about to be sent too the major leagues. He is soon approached to coach the Ducks once again whom are representing America in the junior goodwill games, new members are added to the team which have to learn to get along but the greatest threat to them is the Icelandic team. Think I liked this more than the first.


Next up.

I have a soft spot for The Ducks Movies.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Hugo (2011)

Martin Scorsese's glorious love letter to the birth of cinema. Uplifting, touching and joyous, this is a near perfect family film. Beginning as a mystery / fantasy film due as much to it's lush visuals and amazing soundscapes as the story, the film slowly but surely transforms itself into a classy take on the history of the earliest days of silent cinema and one film maker - Georges Méliès - wonderfully portrayed by Ben Kingsley - in particular.

Hugo isn't a film to simply watch. It's a film to get lost in, to allow yourself to be swept away by a piece of cinema unlike anything that's been on our screens for more than half a century. As Hugo says at one point "Movies are our special place." and Hugo the film, celebrates this.

Highly recommended

[nosferatu42]

Nice review Dem, good film, I saw it on TV a while back and was captivated.

Although i really wanted your review to say....

"As Hugo says at one point "Movies are our special place." and Hugo the film certainly touched my special place."

[Demoncrat]

Originally Posted by Graveyard

This is a kind of hammer movie, I didn't expect to see. A nice thriller with a acid jazz soundtrack.

The main character can be a little annoying sometimes, but still worth a watch.

Her wig is the sore thumb for me ahem. Apart from that, it's a firm favourite in this lair

[MrBarlow]

The Bourne Identity. 2002.

A man is recovered from the sea with two bullets in his back and no memory on who he is, yet he is being hunted down with a female who are trying to kill him, he soon regains some memory and finds out he is a U.S. Spy called Jason Bourne.

This is one of those movies that makes a action thriller very tense, Matt Damon seemed to come out of a shell with some decent fighting moves and proving that a pen can be deadlier than a sword. Here he has to figure who he is and why people are hunting him and a girl called Marie who he met. There is good car chases with involving mini cooper and some good decent shoot outs, although I have never read the books I have been told the movies do deviate from the source novel, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Brian Cox and Clive Owen co star and bring some great acting.

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