EDIT: oh hey top of page.
Last night I did watch Four Flies on Grey Velvet, my first OG giallo and first Argento. cool nightmarish atmosphere, brutal first person killings, creepy mask. Tracks the lead's paranoia well, even if it can't exactly stick the landing when it comes time for the reveal.
The asylum stuff and abusive father voice over is organic and doled out intelligently, yet it feels cheap when it's revealed the wife is the source of everything. The way the hints had been parsed out through multiple perspectives had me expecting a two-person conspiracy, something more twisty with half-siblings and a legacy revenge or something. Instead one woman went crazy and made some insane plane, alright. The shower of shattered glass in the slow-motion car crash
that happens right after the reveal is stunning though. This also gains a lot from the minor characters being such oddballs, livens the web of conspiracy. The hapless poor detective (and homosexual caricature) in his beater beetle, the recluse fisherman/ersatz philosopher/primary confidante, the grifter watchman.
Definitely up for more Argento; had planned for Halloween viewing to entail watching in order The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, this, Deep Red, Suspiria, and Tenebre. Don't know that I'll get to Bird at all because netflix DVD keeps putting it on wait and messin' with my meticulously ordered queue, same way it keeps trying to send me the last two Resident Evil movies before the earlier ones in the series. crazy there isn't a way to tell them you'd rather wait on a short wait movie.
I haven't even seen Everybody Wants Some, but looking through negative reviews on Letterboxd, I see perhaps the most formulaic, dogshit Leftist "criticism" of a film I have ever seen, the kind of thing that embarrasses me to identify as left-wing, myself.
Yeeeah it's not great. Letterboxd being what it is is a double-edged sword. It's excellent that it has a large contingent of writers who are some combo of young, queer, and female confronting canons and building their own. But that also makes it a space where awfully hollow close-minded political criticism gets adulation, bunch of people patting each other on the backs for typing "this movie has frat guys looking to get laid therefore it is sinister" rather than actually engaging
Yeah the elephant bukake party and poison scenes made me laugh. They are basic, raunchy but so exaggerated and long that they work. The rest is just boring.
I haven't even seen Everybody Wants Some, but looking through negative reviews on Letterboxd, I see perhaps the most formulaic, dogshit Leftist "criticism" of a film I have ever seen, the kind of thing that embarrasses me to identify as left-wing, myself.
"Why wasn't the black guy more of a token black guy? They should've been moments where he wasnt accepted at a club because of his skin and we could've got a big liberal acceptance moment from the boyz.
"Why wasnt the film about women? I dont like confident men."
"Why wasn't the black guy more of a token black guy? They should've been moments where he wasnt accepted at a club because of his skin and we could've got a big liberal acceptance moment from the boyz.
"Why wasnt the film about women? I dont like confident men."
Not that far off at all. The weird thing is a bunch of reviews (on LB and off) criticize the black character for being a token. I think people just don't know what tokenism is?
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932): An account of a man who ends up wrongfully imprisoned somewhere in the South, and serves on a brutal chain gang before escaping (as the title indicates). This is heavily based on an autobiographical account (which frankly makes the guy seem like the real-life Jean Valjean), though the real equivalent to Paul Muni's James Allen was actually guilty of the offense and didn't say otherwise; his point was simply how disproportionate and inhuman the Georgia chain gangs were. I suppose the change is a concession to getting the audience wholly on his side, particularly since once he gets to jail the film is quite sympathetic to the actually guilty criminals there.
This is from right near the end of the pre-Code period, and it's fascinating to imagine what Hollywood's output would have been like if the Hays Code had never been enacted. The scenes in the actual chain gang are quite raw, and particularly by the standards of what you'd see in a typical Hollywood film made only a few years later. The film has a lot of ground to cover and can at times feel like it's gliding from incident to incident a bit too quickly, but the immediacy and power of its message is resonant. Paul Muni is quite good in the lead role. And it ending is quite stark.
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932): An account of a man who ends up wrongfully imprisoned somewhere in the South, and serves on a brutal chain gang before escaping (as the title indicates). This is heavily based on an autobiographical account (which frankly makes the guy seem like the real-life Jean Valjean), though the real equivalent to Paul Muni's James Allen was actually guilty of the offense and didn't say otherwise; his point was simply how disproportionate and inhuman the Georgia chain gangs were. I suppose the change is a concession to getting the audience wholly on his side, particularly since once he gets to jail the film is quite sympathetic to the actually guilty criminals there.
This is from right near the end of the pre-Code period, and it's fascinating to imagine what Hollywood's output would have been like if the Hays Code had never been enacted. The scenes in the actual chain gang are quite raw, and particularly by the standards of what you'd see in a typical Hollywood film made only a few years later. The film has a lot of ground to cover and can at times feel like it's gliding from incident to incident a bit too quickly, but the immediacy and power of its message is resonant. Paul Muni is quite good in the lead role. And it ending is quite stark.
I borrowed The Purge: Election Year from the library because I've seen the other two. It wasn't the shit I expected it to be, but it's also not a movie I'd call good. It's stupid at points, okay at others, and forgettable.
Hasbro Hasbro on the wall who's the damndest of them all? Front to back to center across lady to man, characters in vintage-swing drab are bent on kneeing each scene in the balls with a non-existent old America sensibility but otherwise devoid of apparent historical platitudes on the struggle, the second-to-second, the zeitgeist that could define a horror movie so well and ironically like It Follows. Backdrop superficiality aside, there's a sting it wields confidently, from character interaction to performances which shine bright but not enough to keep me from switching on the lamp and seeing which chip I'm trying to get next in the bag, but scares do come intermittently in between giggles and its predecessor never needed a 'prequel' quite as okay or polished or with catchy obscure Americana tracks. But enough with the little demon girls.
First post in these threads. Been on a movie bender the past few weeks, the most recent being:
Collateral (2004), with Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx. Really solid thriller, though it's one of those movies that feels dated watching it today. A lot of thrillers have done the concept better, but the last 45 minutes are pretty great. Cruise does a great job as a villain. Funny note that I think
I counted...3 Chris Cornell songs that played throughout the movie? We don't really see hard rock pumping in action movies like we did in the mid-2000s. Anyway, fun movie. I also picked up Heat when I got this, so I might be watching that soon.
I, Daniel Blake reminds me of my childhood. Scraping by on nothing. Fighting against a system that claims to want to help you but in actuality, seems designed to make it so soul destroying that you give up trying to get help, and how community and the people around you are in the end, gonna be there for you when money isn't.
It's a real good un basically. I, Daniel Blake is a fantastic film. As not expected with a Ken Loach film, its difficult to watch, compelling as fuck. a searing attack on the government's attempt to demonise people from claiming benefits and rights that they're entitled to, and a ringing endorsement for the welfare state. And a ferocious, well deserved attack on the tory government in England cos fuck those guys.
Gripping from start to finish, fantastic acting from the two leads, sharp and sad, hopeful yet tinged with darkness, this was fab.
So I know I've been away and busy, but I return with AWESOME news! I've been hired by my university's official newspaper to be their dedicated film reviewer!!! The fact that I get a platform to share my movie opinions and get PUBLISHED and PAID is AWESOME!!!!!! I am SO excited.
I'm also taking two film classes this semester and I've seen quite a few movies recently!
Perfect Blue: 7/10
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: 7/10
Casablanca: 3/10
Akira: 9/10
Warcraft: 5/10
Lincoln: 5/10
Ghost in the Shell: 7/10
Good Night, and Good Luck: 6/10
Blair Witch (2016): 4/10
Primary Colors: 8/10
The Tale of Princess Kaguya: 6/10
Only God Forgives: 4/10
All The President's Men: 7/10
Cat Soup: 2/10
Bridge of Spies: 5/10
Room: 8/10
The Little Norse Prince: 6/10
12 Angry Me: 9/10
I think that's been mostly everything new I've seen this semester. It's been a crazy semester with 18 credits, a job, 8 clubs, being a chairman of an on campus event, etc. But I'm super happy that I've got to see a ton of films and I'm even happier about the fact that my university is doing a screening of one of my favorite films of all time SUICIDE SQUAD, and that I've been hired to be a movie reviewer :3
Times are AMAZING and AWESOME and I wouldn't have it any other way
So I know I've been away and busy, but I return with AWESOME news! I've been hired by my university's official newspaper to be their dedicated film reviewer!!! The fact that I get a platform to share my movie opinions and get PUBLISHED and PAID is AWESOME!!!!!! I am SO excited.
I'm also taking two film classes this semester and I've seen quite a few movies recently!
Perfect Blue: 7/10
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: 7/10
Casablanca: 3/10
Akira: 9/10
Warcraft: 5/10
Lincoln: 5/10
Ghost in the Shell: 7/10
Good Night, and Good Luck: 6/10
Blair Witch (2016): 4/10
Primary Colors: 8/10
The Tale of Princess Kaguya: 6/10
Only God Forgives: 4/10
All The President's Men: 7/10
Cat Soup: 2/10
Bridge of Spies: 5/10
Room: 8/10
The Little Norse Prince: 6/10
12 Angry Me: 9/10
I think that's been mostly everything new I've seen this semester. It's been a crazy semester with 18 credits, a job, 8 clubs, being a chairman of an on campus event, etc. But I'm super happy that I've got to see a ton of films and I'm even happier about the fact that my university is doing a screening of one of my favorite films of all time SUICIDE SQUAD, and that I've been hired to be a movie reviewer :3
Times are AMAZING and AWESOME and I wouldn't have it any other way
Casablance is like a solid 7/10 that somehow wormed its way into the cultural consciousness such that it's treated like a 9.5/10 like a Citizen Kane or It's a Wonderful Life. Entertaining, but nothing to it, really.
Edit: Also, VJC, I was responding exactly to the review you're talking about, and what do you know, after I posted my earlier comment, I scroll down to the comments section and find you trashing it. Small world.
I wanna do a dramatic reading of that review and just cut Trump going "WRONG" sporadically into it.
that review dude...like the way some people watch movies as an identity politics game, straight up refusing to even try and engage with the movie on its own terms...like you the worst.
that review dude...like the way some people watch movies as an identity politics game, straight up refusing to even try and engage with the movie on its own terms...like you the worst.
Casablance is like a solid 7/10 that somehow wormed its way into the cultural consciousness such that it's treated like a 9.5/10 like a Citizen Kane or It's a Wonderful Life. Entertaining, but nothing to it, really.
Just saw The Bad Sleep Well, because I've been on a Classic Japanese cinema mood lately.
I really loved it and it had me on the edge of my seat for all 2 and a half hours of it. I loved that they didn't focus on Toshiro Mifune's character for the first 30 minutes, so when he finally gets spotlighted, his character becomes more fascinating. As usual for Kurosawa films, the way the movie is shot is always interesting, and the blocking of scenes feel more natural than most movies.
Overall, this goes along with High and Low among my favourite Kurosawa films. I just find the setting of Postwar Japan to be more relatable and interesting than the Samurai movies.
I haven't but I hear it's quite good. I also hear it's more of an action blockbuster than outright horror. If you want Korean horror I gotta highly, highly recommend The Wailing, which is also from this year and one of the very best movies I've seen recently.
I am watching Bram Stoker's Dracula since I am sick and I wanted something comforting. Love that movie to death, lol. The nostalgic special effects, the fantastic set and costume design, a great Oldman that makes up for an abyssmal Reeves (it helps that I am watching the German dub and his voice actor is actually doing a much better job here).
Now Lucy is fading away in her wedding gown leading up to one of the most awesome crypt scenes in history.
I watched Jack Reacher Never Go Back today. On one hand it's kinda nice to see a decent action movie with low stakes and just kinda... stuff happening in a localized space. Feels like we don't get many off those anymore, especially with big stars. On the other hand, it's kinda forgettable. It's a really nothing story. Jack Reacher is some unrelateable super capable dude who is basically Tom Cruise. Jack Reacher's problem is that he's just too good. Jack Reacher's role in the story is that he gets involved with shit by accident but these bad guys fucked with the WRONG guy. The funniest thing about Jack Reacher is that he seems like an accidental Bourne. He's Jason Bourne if no secret agency is hunting him, he just wants to be left alone, but he keeps running into military conspiracies and he can't stop himself from solving them and kicking everyone's ass.
2 out of 4 stars.
But if your dream movie is seeing Ethan Hunt team up with Marie Hill in a Marvel x MIssion Impossible crossover. Then....
The Purge: Election Year Sadly I've seen all three of the films. Frank Grillo (Not Punisher) is back, funny when some people wanted him to be the Punisher before Bernthal but he's already played two characters in Netflix Marvel and theatrical MCU.
Anyways it's such a bizarre film, even for a Purge film. You finally get to see the New Founding Fathers (NFFA) who wear regalia similar to high ranking nazi hierarchy. But they're so crazy that even a group of neo nazi mercs who are covered with tattoos are
around em.
It's got kind of this somewhat racist, stereotype commentary on black on black violence as well. As the film spends a chunk of it's time on this small dehli shop owned by a black guy who gets his shop targeted on the night of the Purge by these two rich black girls who are after him because he caught them stealing a candy bar.
At one point the girls show up in front his shop with AK-47's that are platinum and have the stocks "bedazzled". I dunno, it's kind of like the films have always had a weird thing of "If your a poor minority, your probably a good guy, if your rich your an asshole"
Other than that, there's a bad cgi helicopter that chases the good guys around, a pretty good knife fight and that's about it. Oh, and Elizabeth Mitchell is still absolutely stunning, I can't believe she's only a few years from 50.
edit: Oh there's also a I shit you not Monty Python "Bring out your dead" collection cart in the movie..........
The Purge: Election Year Sadly I've seen all three of the films. Frank Grillo (Not Punisher) is back, funny when some people wanted him to be the Punisher before Bernthal but he's already played two characters in Netflix Marvel and theatrical MCU.
Anyways it's such a bizarre film, even for a Purge film. You finally get to see the New Founding Fathers (NFFA) who wear regalia similar to high ranking nazi hierarchy. But they're so crazy that even a group of neo nazi mercs who are covered with tattoos are
around em.
It's got kind of this somewhat racist, stereotype commentary on black on black violence as well. As the film spends a chunk of it's time on this small dehli shop owned by a black guy who gets his shop targeted on the night of the Purge by these two rich black girls who are after him because he caught them stealing a candy bar.
At one point the girls show up in front his shop with AK-47's that are platinum and have the stocks "bedazzled". I dunno, it's kind of like the films have always had a weird thing of "If your a poor minority, your probably a good guy, if your rich your an asshole"
Other than that, there's a bad cgi helicopter that chases the good guys around, a pretty good knife fight and that's about it. Oh, and Elizabeth Mitchell is still absolutely stunning, I can't believe she's only a few years from 50.
edit: Oh there's also a I shit you not Monty Python "Bring out your dead" collection cart in the movie..........
Paterson [trailer]
While it might feel a bit slight (the film is about the life of a bus driver who likes to write poems), Paterson is a cool little film about life's repetitions and coincidences that come about to colour the journey. Due to the structure of the film, simple changes bring about the biggest reaction such as the reveal to who keeps on tilting the mail box which got the biggest laugh out of the audience. The other indian bus driver (Rizwan Manji) makes for great comedic relief with his downer answers to how he's doing. It's not the kind of film that would turn someone onto a filmmaker, but is a perfect afternoon feature. I didn't catch Jim Jarmusch's previous film, so just going off the turgid The Limits Of Control, this was a welcome change in his filmography for me. Also, Golshifteh Farahani goddamn
I guess I was raped.
ELLE [trailer]
Really unpredictable psychosexual thriller, more down to specifically Michele (Isabelle Huppert) in how she acts after being raped. Paul Verhoeven pulls no punches, and gets straight to the act. Plenty of people in the audience (specifically 40+ yr olds) actually jumped at the handful of extremely well done jump scares. The film is surprisingly very nonchalant about rape and how Michele's inner circle of party friends take to it. A big subplot of the film involves a videogame company that Michele is the head of, and Styx the videogame is actually featured in it but with a much darker addition through cutscenes (tentacles...) that goes parallel with the main narrative. I only feel like highlighting this because it might be one of the most interesting and honest representations of the videogame industry, even down to how to pander to the teenage male demographic (...sexual violence seems popular). Honestly, Isabelle Huppert's Michele is the most interesting female character in film this year. Rather than be a victim's tale, tables are turned when she's seen more as a survivor and gains back agency. It also relays an important fact about rapists not being some unknown monster but someone very close and even affectionate to the person.
I did ask Isabelle in the Q&A if she just gravitates to interesting sexual characters such as her in The Piano Teacher, and she said she loves playing complex characters like these that are a bit provocative. Fantastic thriller from start to finish.
Baby will tell you what to do. I think she already does.
Prevenge [trailer]
For anyone who's seen Alice Lowe in Sightseers, this might feel like a sequel of her serial killer character who decides to become a mom. There are touches of Zulawski's Possession where motherhood is seen to be an otherworldly horrific affair, but the film never stops being darkly funny and quotable (“Children these days are really spoiled, like ‘mummy, I want a PlayStation; mummy, I want you to kill that man’”. Despite the comedy, the film doesn't skirt on the gruesome, especially with knife slashes to the throat. When the film isn't violently gross, there are gross-out moments and one specifically that I'll just dub a "vomit kiss" which is sure to garner an audible reaction from the audience. However, there are sweet touches like counting the kills inside a baby greeting card. A mention should go out to the memorable synth score by Toydrum. While the film is clearly outlandish, there is an underlying honesty about what a single mother (Alice Lowe was actually pregnant during the filming) must struggle through not just psychologically but also socially and the condescension that can come from others which could drive a mother up the wall, although hopefully not to these extents.
Who is you?
Moonlight [trailer]
What is most refreshing for an already critically acclaimed film is how intimate and silent it is. Despite the various characters, it's ultimately about an evolving friendship/first love over decades. A referential shorthand could be like a black gay Boyhood. Not all of the threads or characters get resolved at the end, but that's life sometimes and the relationship between Chiron and Kevin is the focus. Due to its examination and indictment of toxic masculinity, reminded me in ways of Hide Your Smiling Faces.
The most interesting aspect of the film is the evolution and duality of Chiron and Kevin. Due to the environment, both characters flip on each other as they become adults. Chiron is the quiet introvert who bottles it all ("I cry so much, sometimes I feel I'm gonna turn into drops"), while Kevin is the lovable macho extrovert. After a decade, Chiron hardens up to be a typical macho gangster with grill, do-rag and all while Kevin is the quieter innocent man with a family life. Possibly, Chiron is trying to protect himself and in so, puts up a facade of masculinity to stop further homophobic abuse. It can either be seen as a tragic change or him emulating his father figure (Mahershala Ali), either way it's a reaction to what he's been through. This shift in character is not only bewildering to the audience but also to Kevin ("That fronts, that car, who is you, Chiron?"). When he reverts to his softer side even down to how he simply lies on his bed, it's incredibly satisfying.
Has some of the best cinematography (James Laxton) of the year, not just in artistic direction or framing, but also in camera movement such as a car door shot, a rotating shot of Chiron's head hitting the bed, or a following shot for the three different stages of life. The awe-inspiring atmosphere is delivered by the quieter shots with usually Chiron against a background such as the recurring visual motif of water. The score (Nicholas Britell) is achingly beautiful too, which is the same heard in the trailer. The chapter titles preceded by fade-outs and various coloured lights could be symbolising the changes in the character, as the light goes from blue for the second act to red for the third act. Some of the best performances of the year also, from Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris, to the teen and adult actors for Chiron (Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes) and Andre Holland (The Knick) as the adult Kevin. Also, cool to see Janelle Monae acting. I wouldn't be surprised if the actors get snubbed at the Oscars though, as the Academy seems to care more about the screentime of an actor instead of just the sheer quality conveyed in just a few minutes.
There is one moment where I was reduced to tears, and I suspect it'll be the same one for others when Chiron and his mom finally reconvene after many years when the tables of power have turned as she's no longer the shouting junkie
("You ain't gotta love me but you're gonna know I love you")
.
Free Fire [trailer]
Ben Wheatley is turning out to be one of the most versatile genre filmmakers working today, much like Dennis Villeneuve. While not everyone loved High-Rise as much as me, Free Fire seems to be an easier stylistic exercise of a 90min action-comedy shootout set entirely in a warehouse. All of his dark comedy is still here. The writing and character interplay is organic and witty, recalling the best of Tarantino but if he was able to make a straight-up great action film minus the masturbatory tangents. What's surprising is the auditory power of the gunfire, which is the closest equivalent to Michael Mann's Heat in quite a while. Outside of maybe Hard To Be A God, this is one of the filthiest films I've seen actors go through, especially in a mainstream-reaching action blockbuster film. There's nary a frame where an actor isn't covered in sweat, dirt, or glass.
Now, there is a way of doing a pure action film that can go bad, such as this year's Hardcore Henry where when the action stops, you realise how insufferable the rest of the writing, acting, and characterisations can be. Funnily enough, while Sharlto Copley delivers some of his worst work in that, he delivers some of his most charming work here as the arrogant arms dealer in the centre of it all. Here, thanks to Amy Jump and Wheatley's sharp script, even during the downtime of just a couple of minutes you find yourself endearing to even the littlest of side-characters such as Sam Riley's weasel-y provocateur and Jack Reynor's bespectacled quick-tempered jester. As previously mentioned with Nocturnal Animals, while I find Armie Hammer just annoying to watch, here he shines as a calm beardy mediator but someone who you don't want to mess with even when he doesn't have a gun. The whole ensemble cast is firing on all cylinders, cool to see Brie Larson kicking ass and Cillian Murphy in a bigger role (it's been a while). What a bombastic end to a great London Film Festival. One of the best action films in the past decade alongside Shoot Em Up, The Raid, and Mad Max Fury Road.
Saw this a while ago, don't think I have fully processed it yet. If you can't handle second-hand embarrassment and cringe comedy stay far far away from it. You will die. Even though I felt it was a tad bit too long, it never really lets up but at one point it became so exhausting. It's a hard recommendation but I can't really think of anything like it so I have to say that I liked it.
I have only put my top 4 in, but I'll update it more later. The talk of Everybody Wants Some slander drove me to make the account.
Also Lethal Weapon 3 is like the epitome of a 6/10. Average in almost every way, even some bad stuff, but the chemistry keeps it afloat. I'll have to watch 4 just to say I've seen them all.
The Parent Trap (1961): A cute movie that obviously uses split-screen to have one actress play two girls on screen. However, it's worth noting that the two are distinct characters. Haley Mills is really acting for two characters. It's even more interesting at the camp because the two girls have distinctly different hairstyles. They switch places and go to the other parent's house and it's almost surprising the plan doesn't fall apart right away because of an idiosyncrasy one girl has but the other doesn't (it's fortunate they're both good at horseback riding).
Then it gets to the parents and they hope that simply being there will get their parents back together, and it makes you think about relationships and why they fail. Suddenly putting the mother back in the picture isn't going to make the father fall in love all over again, it'll just remind them of why they divorced in the first place. If it wasn't an old Disney movie, I would've thought that they would've stayed apart because relationships don't always work, even with kids.
Overall, it's a good movie, even if it's not Disney's most famous.
Prince of Darkness is a really weird movie, in a good way. It's horror that is firmly going in it's own direction with a very interesting premise. There acting isn't too great, but Carpenter clearly has a strong vision and you have to give him credit for the amount of dread and intrigue he can drum up on a fairly limited budget.
If the horror genre went in the direction Carpenter pushed it in, damn, it would probably be one of my favorites.
Working Girl (1988): The hair, my God (including Alec Baldwin's impressive chest hair). An overall solid romantic dramedy, with a cast of people in minor roles who would go on to be really successful (I didn't even notice David Duchovny as a partygoer until the credits listed him). Older romances typically invite you to examine how well the gender politics have aged, particularly the case in this sort of film, which positions itself as a story about feminist advancement. And it holds up pretty well, other than the stuff about Harrison Ford taking the blackout drunk Melanie Griffith home, which seems like it was done in service of a comedic misunderstanding, but makes him look really creepy. Also, Joan Cusack got an Oscar nomination for this for some reason?
Prince of Darkness is a really weird movie, in a good way. It's horror that is firmly going in it's own direction with a very interesting premise. There acting isn't too great, but Carpenter clearly has a strong vision and you have to give him credit for the amount of dread and intrigue he can drum up on a fairly limited budget.
If the horror genre went in the direction Carpenter pushed it in, damn, it would probably be one of my favorites.
It got shit on upon release, but I've always loved it. Can't think of many films that match it for slow-building dread. The premise is also pretty effin offensive if you think about it.
I would really like to know what attracted Duncan Jones to this (outside of a paycheck). The film is not as corny as some of those post-lotr fantasy movies, but it's just so drab and mundane. Lacks any kind of directorial effort.
Street Smart - Jerry Schatzberg
Cannon Group was known for it's 80's action movies but this was one of their more serious pics (or maybe they owned something to Reeve cause of Superman). Reeve plays a reporter who gets involved in a lot of shit after a bunch of coincidental stuff happens (too coincidental) between a piece he writes and the actions of a pimp (played by a nasty Morgan Freeman). Entertaining schlocky thriller that it's a bit too unbelievable for my taste. I like distorted realism but not when it's made at the expense of dumbness.
watched "Don't Breathe" tonight, it was ok. It's quite good looking and certainly above average in its genre.
If someone wants to see a capable thriller/ horror flick (actually more of a thriller) a would recommend. But dont think its the next Halloween or anything.
Personally I rank it a bit below The Which and It follows if you want a point of comparison. It was fun while it lasted.
I would really like to know what attracted Duncan Jones to this (outside of a paycheck). The film is not as corny as some of those post-lotr fantasy movies, but it's just so drab and mundane. Lacks any kind of directorial effort.
I liked it a hell of a lot more than the bland post-lotr fantasy flicks we have gotten though. It was very cheesy and reminded me of something that would have come out in the 80s
Prince of Darkness is a really weird movie, in a good way. It's horror that is firmly going in it's own direction with a very interesting premise. There acting isn't too great, but Carpenter clearly has a strong vision and you have to give him credit for the amount of dread and intrigue he can drum up on a fairly limited budget.
If the horror genre went in the direction Carpenter pushed it in, damn, it would probably be one of my favorites.
I am watching Bram Stoker's Dracula since I am sick and I wanted something comforting. Love that movie to death, lol. The nostalgic special effects, the fantastic set and costume design, a great Oldman that makes up for an abyssmal Reeves (it helps that I am watching the German dub and his voice actor is actually doing a much better job here).
Now Lucy is fading away in her wedding gown leading up to one of the most awesome crypt scenes in history.
The Skin I Live In. At first this really didn't seem horror related at all. About the first hour or so is just some weird boring stuff with a lot of sex but eventually you find something out that completely changes everything you've just watched. In the end this was pretty good but it started off way too boring.
I don't understand how people can categorize The Skin i Live in as a horror.
horrific stuff happen in it, but horrific stuff happens in Shindler's List, too.
I liked it a lot tho.
- The Silenced (2015): Here i am, searching for some other good Korean horror/thriller (i take suggestions!), this wasn't it though.
Starts out with this eerie feeling, 1938, all-girls school lost in the woods/countryside, i figure it's gonna be some creepy shit like Picnic at Hanging Rock or Innocence, or at least have some good ghost haunting spooks.
Neither, really, it's boring slow burning pseudo sapphic (but not really) drama, with a couple of cliche "apparitions" from long haired ghosts (really, a couple) and some cookie cutter bullying, and then it devolves into some X-Men bullshit until it's over in a classic Korean bummer finale where the good people die.
It's got some slightly interesting angle of female empowerment themes in there somewhere, but its doesn't really do much with it, aside from spelling them outright for you, in case you didn't get them at first.
The 25th Hour: Really enjoyed this; it was poignant to empathize with Ed Norton's situation while also recognizing that he's a jackass who deserves to go to jail. On top of that, I'm also in a trio of childhood friends who have grown up to do extremely different jobs and lead extremely different lives, so that was interesting for me.
Man VS Snake - The Long and Twisted Tale of Nibbler: Entertaining, but King of Kong is still best in class for this topic. The leads here are way less entertaining and sympathetic and engaging than Steve and Billy. The lead guy was a bit of a jerk, tbh. Always nice to see more of Walter Day (that shot after the credits, though, lol) and to learn about Nibbler, which I had never heard of.
I don't understand how people can categorize The Skin i Live in as a horror.
horrific stuff happen in it, but horrific stuff happens in Shindler's List, too.
I liked it a lot tho.
Incidentally that was my argument for why the Witch wasn't horror which that opinion got shot down like a ww2 airplane. For the Skin I Live In I can see your point but once you find out what the big secret is it pretty much becomes
. Despite the comedy, the film doesn't skirt on the gruesome, especially with knife slashes to the throat. When the film isn't violently gross, there are gross-out moments and one specifically that I'll just dub a "vomit kiss" which is sure to garner an audible reaction from the audience. However, there are sweet touches like counting the kills inside a baby greeting card. A mention should go out to the memorable synth score by Toydrum. While the film is clearly outlandish, there is an underlying honesty about what a single mother (Alice Lowe was actually pregnant during the filming) must struggle through not just psychologically but also socially and the condescension that can come from others which could drive a mother up the wall, although hopefully not to these extents. 
