What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[MrBarlow]

Critters 2. 1988.

Brad Brown returns to his home town of Grovers Bend to visit his gran for Easter weekend only for the Crites to return as well.

Very entertaining and action packed sequel that is almost on the same par as the original with some black humour mixed in by co-writer and director Mick Garris. The pacing of of this one is fairly much the same as in the previous movie. However, it takes some twenty odd minutes before the movie starts to get up in gear. So taking 20 something minutes to set the atmosphere and build up the story.

Scott Grimes returns as Brad or as the town folk call him "The boy who cried Crite". Don Opper returns as Charlie who isn't a drunk but now a space bounty hunter along with Terrence Mann. Barry Corbin takes over as Harv that was played by M. Emmett Walsh and Lin Shaye who now works as a secretary to the local newspaper.

The special effects are decent at times with the canon blasters and Crite splatter, at the end with the space ship appearing looks like a bit like a cartoon drawing. When Charlie meets his other self, it's not greatly done but suppose you go with what you can do, still a great Easter movie.

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[Nordicdusk]

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Dani and Christan have a very fragile relationship it's Dani that seems more into the relationship than Christan preferring to hang out with his friends than spend time with her. Christans friends are constantly giving him a hard time demanding that he end the relationship before they all head to Sweden for the Midsommar festival in their friend Pelles village. When there is an horrific event in Dani's life and her whole family is found dead Christan gives into pressure and invites Dani on the trip to help her escape and hopefully deal with such a tragic event but his friends are not best pleased. But is she going from the frying pan into the fire?

Once at their destination at first glance the place seems beautiful and innocent everyone is happy to see old friends and welcome new ones the place is like a paradise away from the stress of everyday life a place where you can be free and find yourself surrounded by what makes life beautiful .... Nature. But like in everyday life not everything is as it seems.

I have waited it out for ages before I sat down to finally check this out I have heard so many mixed reviews but I didn't do much reading into the actual film itself so when I finally did get to it I wouldn't know what to really expect the main thing I would hear was the influence of The Wicker Man which if done right would sure be a great film.

Right from the start I got the feeling that this was building up to something pretty dark even before we leave the states to go to Sweden something felt off and strange the music has this haunting bubbling under the surface feel to it that makes you feel something but not something I could explain but I was excited and intrigued. Once we get to our destination and we are taken down the path through the forest there is an ever growing feeling of mixed emotions on one hand there is so much beauty the way the flowers guide the guests along the path growing in numbers as we get closer to the actual village until we emerge from the woods into the opening where we are greeted by the locals all in their traditional dress dancing playing music welcoming everyone with open arms making any fears or anxiety leave our bodies.

The buildings all look amazing the white walls glowing in the sun so beautiful and clean and once we get inside it's even more beautiful with paintings covering the walls and carvings on the beams on the surface all so pleasent until we look closer and what the paintings depict isn't as wholesome as we first thought.

As the film progresses what started out as friendly welcoming people open to sharing there traditions with new people the place just starts to feel cultish people while smiling and friendly their eyes hide darker thoughts and some even look like they have nothing to hide because there is just simply nothing going on behind them like they have been gotten to and their only focus in life is the festival. People walk in sync they sleep in sync they even eat in sync there doesn't really appear to be much free will. Psychedelics seem to fuel most of what is going on here between mushrooms and drinks made from herbs and spring water which won't just quench a thirst.

Midsommar is visually stunning and the fact almost everything happens in the blaring sun creates more of an unsettling atmosphere there is no creeping in the shadow everything is there for all to see and when we see it it's extremely brutal and the lack of reaction from anyone makes it even more brutal and memorable.

As the film gets closer to the end it starts to take a turn becoming stranger and stranger with more disturbing imagery and I can see where this may turn people off but to me its perfect it just ramps it all up a level or ten and the way it's shot you begin to question if your on hallucinagenics yourself the scenery is moving flowers and grass appear to be breathing the trees are gathering around almost protecting the festival from the outside world at times it can be a little disorienting but it puts you right in the situation like your sitting at the head of the table watching events unfold.

Beautifully acted beautifully shot and beautifully told Midsommar is a journey I'm glad Im glad I finally took. I watched this on Netflix but I'll be sure to grab a physical copy of it in the future.

I loved it /10

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I never knew Murphy was Rose's choice for the role.

Eddie is a lot of fun but the idea of him as Candyman is terrifying and not in a good way.

I'll have a listen to Kim Newman and Stephen Jones chat track and see if they discuss it.

There are a number of films that could have been vastly different if Eddie Murphy had been cast, from Ghostbusters to Malcolm X. They are detailed on this website:

https://web.archive.org/web/20150723...-eddie-murphy/

[MrBarlow]

The Greatest Story Ever Told. 1965.

This is a impressive though slow moving story of the life of Jesus Christ from his birth in Bethlehem to his Crucifixion and subsequent Resurrection. As it displays a very fine support cast with David MacCallum as a furtive as well as shifty Judas, Charlton Heston plays a splendid John the Baptiste, Jose Ferrer as Herod Antipas, Dorothy McGuire as Mary, Telly Savalas as Pontius Pilate, Martin Landau as Caiaphas, Gary Raymond as Peter , Joseph Schildkraut as Nicodemus, Paul Stewart as Questor and even John Wayne as a Centurion at the crucifixion. But it's main focus is Max Von Sydow playing Jesus and leading his apostles through the land and delivering his lines brilliantly from his first on screen presence right through to the end.

There are other little gems strewn throughout The Greatest Story Ever Told, moments that shine with unexpected clarity. The calling of Matthew, the betrayal and suicide of Judas, the healing of the crippled young man are just a few examples. The Last Supper is very surprising in its similarity to the way a priest consecrates the bread and wine in a modern day Mass.

Although filmed in Arizona and Utah for the desert scenes the cinematography is amazing even though at parts the background does look like paintings, this is definetly old school realistic visual effects. This was the 190 minute cut version of the original 260 minute cut I watched and happily sit through it all again.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)

A vast sprawling epic that heavily influenced Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000) in that it tells the story of Commodus (Christopher Plummer) short reign as Caesar of the mighty Roman Empire.

Stephen Boyd, best known as Messala in the even more epic Ben Hur (1959) takes the role as Livius, General of the Northern armies, and rightfully named as Caesar by the ailing Marcus Aurelius (Alec Guinness) prior to him being murdered by Commodus' men.

Livius and his legions are then sent off on many pointless crusades by the new Caesar basically to keep him out of the way as the new leader pronounces himself a God in front of the senate and the whole political structure of Rome begins to crumble in decadence and corruption.

The Fall of the Roman Empire is one hell of a spectacle. Filmed in Spain - the weather was blizzard like and really gave the impression the Legions were situated in the northern Germanic regions - and at Rome's vast Cinecitta studios with a cast of thousands. One of the battle sequences against the Persians reportedly used 8000 men whilst the indoor sets are expansive and lushly decorated. Other action sequences are just as impressive with a chariot race between Livius and Commodus in the Germanic woods ridiculously exciting.

Both Boyd and Plummer are fantastic, with Plummer all preening evil whilst Boyd remains dignified despite all that is put upon him. Other cast members don't perhaps fair as well with Alec Guinness only around for the first hour, James Mason flits sporadically in and out of proceedings and top billed Sophia Loren mainly there as a name to draw the European audiences. The likes of Anthony Quayle, Omar Sharif, Mel Ferrer, Douglas Wilmer and a whole host of recognisable British faces are merely reduced to bit parts (In a three hour film).

I didn't remember a thing about this from the time i saw it on dvd so watching last night was a whole new wonderful experience. Monstrous sweeping films like The Fall of the Roman Empire were just made for Blu-ray. Wow!

[Nordicdusk]

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The dead have completely taken over the world and the only place on earth left untouched appears to be Canada. But in the good old USofA the wealthy have used their financial power to build their own version of uthopia away from the scum and filth of the lower classes but some of these lower classes will do everything in their power to buy their way into living with the elites. When out on supply runs instead of thinking about the welfare of the people trying to survive from day to day certain people are putting others lives at risk to find cigars and expensive liquor to kiss the asses of those who makes the decisions on who can live in the safe zone that's protected by a heavily weaponised army and a river. Things with the dead are not as cut and dry as they were before the dead are starting to think for themselves and regroup with other dead to get what they want rather than aimlessly wonder around hunting food. It won't be long until no amount of money of privilege will keep you alive.

Not only George A Romero's most underrated film but one of the most criminally underrated horror films there is. It's got a really fun story and some brilliant acting from everyone but the main thing is how amazing the zombies look I mean even the zombie in the distance that has barely any screen time and no really even infocuse screen time looks absolutely amazing. The kills are all brilliant and really creative be it person on person or zombie on person every shot punch kick stab crossbow bolt exploding zombie or just simple getting run over it all feels different and looks like actual thought was put into every detail of what happens. The gore effects are amazing too and boy is there plenty of it it's a real gore fest start to finish. I'm not sure if there was much if any cgi used in the gore if there was I honestly didn't notice. I have always been a big fan of Land of the Dead and it honestly gets better everytime I watch it.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nordicdusk

I have always been a big fan of Land of the Dead and it honestly gets better everytime I watch it.

Same here.

Excellent review, Nordy.

[trebor8273]

Taking directly after the end of the wrath of Khan, Kirk and crew find out that Spock is not truly dead and set out to rescue him while defying Starfleet orders . Another enjoyably slice of trek.




A highly enjoyable musical , with some of the world's most well knowing musical numbers . Gene Kelly plays a silent movie star who has to make the change too talkies which wouldn't be so bad if his costar didn't have a voice that could shatter glass . We follow Gene as he sings and dances to make the transition and finds love with Princess Leias mother.

A amazing looking 4k release with bold and bright colours popping off the screen

Now watching which is perfect viewing for Easter weekend.

[Demoncrat]

Attack Of The Killer Chickens (2023, Genoveva Rossi)

Well, it has eggs in it, so this counts as my Easter flick
Part Troma, part Breen, all hell breaks loose when intergalactic fowl pester humanity to death.
Whether you find such a prospect charming, stupid or gut churning, there's something for everyone.
The performances teeter betwixt laughable and just inaudible. The villians ... well, if a certain segment of The Muppets always used to terrify you, then maybe pass. Otherwise, strap in for the silliest hourish of the month. Or not. Lawdy.

[nicholasrope]

Super Mario Bros. Movie

The 2 Plumbers accidently get sent to The Mushroom Kingdom and save Princess Peaches from Bowser. This version stays true to The Computer Games and is very colorful as well as having Easter Eggs for the fans but I did find it rather boring.

Air

The story of how a then struggling company called Nike managed to secure the Endorsement Contact from Michael Jordan. I like Sports Movies and found this enthralling as to how Matt Damon's character was able to go through all the stages to making it happen. Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis Chris Tucker co-star. It also has a great Soundtrack and all the highlights of 1984 was great as well.

Lost In Translation

Bill Murray is in Japan to do a Whiskey Commercial and is bored out of his wits as well as having difficulties adapting to the different culture. Scarlett Johansson is there to support her Husband as he is working but has similar issues. Together they form a friendship.

This Film is an anomaly for me, when I first saw the Trailer, it looked boring and it looked like a Feature Length TV Special over a Bank Holiday Weekend but as I work in a Cinema, I was able to see bits while doing Screen Checks and liked what I saw. Therefore when I actually saw the entire thing, I really enjoyed it. Watching it again, I still really enjoyed it, you can actually feel what they are going through and have empathy and I did like that they didn't sleep with each other.

District 9

Thoughtful and intelligent Sci-Fi Film from South Africa which sees Aliens land in South Africa and become Refugees and having encountered hatred from the locals. An attempt is made to relocate them, however the person in charge is accidently sprayed with a substance which starts turning him into an Alien and the company he works for starts hunting him. I really like this one, Sharlto Copley is amazing as the Bureaucrat who gets in over his head.

Beetlejuice

Classic 1988 Tim Burton Film which sees Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis die and want the new family who moved into their House gone. So out of desperation, they hire Michael Keaton's Beetlejuice to get the job done. but getting rid of him is really difficult. Still really enjoyable and as this was the first time, I ever saw Michael Keaton, I wondered why he looked different in following Films LOL.

Sin City

Stylish, Comic Book, Film Noir starring a multitude of stars in separate storylines but have some interactions. It's violent but for me it was too long and too hit and miss. I did like the Mickey Rouke Storyline with Bruce Willis's one a close second. The one with Clive Owen was boring for me.