SCI-FI September!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

It'll be the same with Oct/Nov: Just horror and noir respectively.

Theme months = serious business.






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I've been saving my Brit noirs that i got from Network as something new to watch in Noir November.

Four to watch plus the unseen Mildred Pierce and Carol Reed's The Key, which may or may not be a noir. I'll probably pick up a few more blind buys before then to watch too. Plus quite a few rewatches.

Looking forward to it.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I've been saving my Brit noirs that i got from Network as something new to watch in Noir November.

Four to watch plus the unseen Mildred Pierce and Carol Reed's The Key, which may or may not be a noir. I'll probably pick up a few more blind buys before then to watch too. Plus quite a few rewatches.

Looking forward to it.

I'm not sure what I'll be watching yet... I don't think I have anything saved in preparation either so will likely have to rely on Love Film and YT for the most part to satisfy my lust for noir.

These lists will no doubt get a fair few films shaved off them again.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

I'm not sure what I'll be watching yet... I don't think I have anything saved in preparation either so will likely have to rely on Love Film and YT for the most part to satisfy my lust for noir.

These lists will no doubt get a fair few films shaved off them again.

I'll need to quickly scan last years thread so i don't rewatch and review the same films again. I've plenty to go round.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I'll need to quickly scan last years thread so i don't rewatch and review the same films again. I've plenty to go round.

I usually aim for a lot of first time watches with these themed list as I'm always on the hunt for new things to watch. In some respects it is a shame that some of the classics/favourites get overlooked in the process, but there's just so much stuff out there that I want to see.

I have been balancing my sci-fi list out with a few re-watches though at least.

[trebor8273]

Jason X.

never been a big fan of the movies but this is my favourite by far, unlike the others which to me had lots of time with not much happening this is virtual none stop action and killing.

Jason has been captured and is about to be shipped to be studied for his unique healing ablites, which the scientist who has been studying him think is a very bad idea and she is soon proven right when Jason escapes killing everyone but her, she manages too get Jason into a cryogenic chamber but not before he wounds and traps her with him.

jump forward 400 plus years in the future in which earth is a desolate wasteland, a group of students along with some marines, teacher and an android on a salvage mission to earth discover Jason and the scientist, back on there ship they recover the young woman but its not long before Jason comes back to life after sense teenagers having premarital sex, jason goes on a killing rampage killing most of the crew and the marines, its only be upgrading the android they manage to defeat Jason, at this point great Damage has been done to the ship and they are awaiting rescue but little to they realise that Jason has been given an upgrade by the ships medical computer(or was its Jason spirit possessing it?) how can the the remain survivors mange to stop the uber Jason when they had so much difficulty with the normal one . 7.8/10

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Doomsday (2008)

Following an outbreak of the deadly Reaper virus in Scotland the country is walled off and it's inhabitants left to die. Decades later the virus returns to threaten London, so battle hardened Rhona Mitra is sent with a military team into the wilderness that is now Scotland to seek a cure.

Director Neil Marshall's third film is a hard as nails mix of Escape From New York, Mad Max 2, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and 28 Days Later.

Filmed on a much bigger budget than previous efforts Dog Soldiers (2002) and The Descent (2005), Doomsday is a rampaging post apocalyptic action / road movie, full of breathtaking stunts, gory horror and scene stealing performances from the likes of Bob Hoskins, Malcolm McDowell and David O'Hara as a politician whose as corrupt as they come. Mitra handles a tough role well and it's a shame her career never really took off to the level of superstardom she might have deserved.

Doomsday has it's critics that suggest the film is too derivative of the many post-ap films that came before it, but i see it more as a homage from a director who is a fan of the genre, and i love it.

[Inspector Abberline]

Bug (1975 film)

Bradford Dillman is sweaty Prof. James Parmiter,a teacher at the local High School,when he is not playing with the local squirrels,he is undertaking some rather unsavory experiments with a bunch of weirdo cockroaches that have come from the bowels of hell,or some where equally abhorrent like Croydon. What seems like innocuous insects that can set fire to objects like paper,cars and people's heads and any stray cat that might like to play with them,these creatures manage to cause chaos and destruction to small town USA just by hitching a lift inside the exhaust pipes of the locals cars,clever bleeders these bugs. Dillman gets very crazy as he experiments on his new buddies,trying all sorts of things including decompression to try and kill off his buggy nemesis. But when all else fails,he tries cross breeding,and manages to breed some sort of super bug that can fly and spell,so at least he has help for the crossword. Produced by William Castle,this would be his last film as producer,and its a fine example of showman who knew a thing or two about exploitation cinema and what can send a tingler up the audiences spines. Bugs is a fine example of that,EUGH factor,creepy crawlies getting tangled in your hair,creeping into your ear when you answer the phone and setting fire to you just as your about to tell the man on the phone that he can shove his PPI claim up his own bug hole. Bradford Dillman does an extraordinary job acting alongside these creatures,he goes from calm calculated scientist to crazy bug eyed unshaven mad scientist as seems to build some sort of symbiotic relationship with his little friends as he nurtures some new evil onto the planet,when will they learn.It has a laughable premise to be sure,but Dillman plays it straight,and gives it his all,and since he takes up the most screen time on his own with the critters, you really do feel his evolving madness.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

A couple of quickies.

Skyline (2010)

From the brothers Strause, yes them of the ill conceived Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007). Skyline is a fast and frenetic mixture of sci-fi and action. Predominantly set on the rooftops of LA, the film has a decent array of lively set pieces and some original alien invaders as a group of youths battle to survive. Decent cinematography and a downbeat ending should have ensured better fan responses than it originally received.

Island of Lost Souls (1932)

A first time viewing for me and i don't think it fair to do a proper review on a film such as this after just the one watch. However i will say that it's certainly one of the most chilling products to come out of thirties Hollywood with it's Hays code baiting sequences of vivisection on Dr Moreau's grotesque human / animal hybrids.

Charles Laughton as Moreau, whilst down playing made me think of Peter Kay, and Bela Lugosi, even under creature make up comes over as Bela Lugosi. It's set on a Polynesian island for god sake, where did they find a Hungarian ham? Thankfully Kathleen Burke's sexy panther woman makes up for everything.

Fine sets, superb make up and a pacy script ensure i'll be visiting the Island of Lost Souls again quite soon.

[trebor8273]

Day the earth stood still.(2008)

Of course it was never going to be as good as the iconic original but its not the awful movie the critics made it out to be, Keanu emotionless acting suits Klaatu and is probably more realistic than Michael Rennie in that respect, also how the world response and Klaatu mission feel more like how things would go if something like this would happen, with how we would respond and with how different they would be to us. Gort was a highlight and gave us a sense of mence and hopelessness of how powerless we are. As I said it doesn't carry the spirrt of the original and its could of been paced better and it suffers from jaden smith, who just seems to make ever film he's in a flop, sure filmmakers hire him if they want there movies to do poorly, if you don't jump on the hate bandwagon and leave your mind open you might find an enjoyable if not groundbreaking film. 6.9/10

[Inspector Abberline]

John Cleese trying very hard not to head butt Keanu.