What film are you watching tonight/watched last night???

You're dead to me.

My favourite is The Haunting (1963 - Robert Wise, not the terrible 1999 remake)
Though, now I think about it, should The Shining be on that list? So maybe The Changeling is my third favourite.


I fell out of love with it when I did a big Carpenter rewatch a few years ago. Funnily enough, I ended up liking this way less and In The Mouth of Madness way more.

The old Haunting is a classic. I think I had a rumble on here once over the new one :laugh: Not good for my rage.

I do like In the Mouth of Madness but have to favour Prince of Darkness.
 
You're dead to me.

My favourite is The Haunting (1963 - Robert Wise, not the terrible 1999 remake)
Though, now I think about it, should The Shining be on that list? So maybe The Changeling is my third favourite.


I fell out of love with it when I did a big Carpenter rewatch a few years ago. Funnily enough, I ended up liking this way less and In The Mouth of Madness way more.

I’ve been close to buying The Haunting via HMV’s Premium Collection promo. Maybe I will one of these days.

I love the premise of In The Mouth of Madness. Possibly the last “proper” John Carpenter film?
 
I thought it was pretty terrible to be honest. They should never have touched a stonewall classic, and definitely not with Hunnam in the lead role.



Yeah there was a little window post the likes of The Howling where there was much not to celebrate. The inbetween era I guess.

Still can't beat The Thing I don't think. Just sublime.
I guess if you're a big fan of the original then you're unlikely to like the remake.
I thought the original was good, but haven't seen it for years and therefore I'm not making a comparison as much as others might.
I stick by my score of 7.5/10
 
I just don't get the buzz around Hunnam. He's another one who falls into the Jai Courtney basket for me. He was alright in The Gentleman, but he was massively carried in Sons of Anarchy by heavyweights like Perlman.

I remember when I saw years ago that they were remaking Papillon and he'd been cast. It wasn't a good day for my blood pressure.
Charlie Hunnam can't help but play Jax, he's Jax with a posh accent - Lost City of Z, Jax with Guy Ritchie, Jax in prison, whatever he's still Jax. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy these films, I did, but "oh that's a Jax thing" is almost a drinking game :D
 
Prospect (Amazon Prime)

1631553856184.jpeg


I have to admit that I’d never heard of this film and wasn’t expecting much but I thoroughly enjoyed it and it kept me immersed from 5 minutes in.

I'm becoming a big fan of Pedro Pascal. There’s something likeable that makes you care about him.

I now think that they have made a great choice in casting him as Joel in the upcoming 'The Last of Us'.

I can’t wait.

7/10
 
The Sixth Sense (1999)

A child psychologist tries to help a child who claims that he can see ghosts and talk to them.

I watched this film long time ago not knowing that it was a horror. There were scary scenes throughout the film, but the twist at the end was the most spooky. It was a good film, but I didn't sleep well for a couple of nights after watching it. :D

It was interesting to watch it again. :)
 
The Vigil - 7/10 - A decent horror debut for Keith Thomas, Dave Davis plays a man asked to be a Shomer, an Orthodox Jewish tradition of a person who watches over the recently deceased for a sum of money, he settles into the creepy house with the blanket covered body in the room and starts to hear strange sounds and movement in the shadows, its all done with sublety and builds a very creepy atmosphere, great sound design too.
 
Prospect (Amazon Prime)

View attachment 1570088

I have to admit that I’d never heard of this film and wasn’t expecting much but I thoroughly enjoyed it and it kept me immersed from 5 minutes in.

I'm becoming a big fan of Pedro Pascal. There’s something likeable that makes you care about him.

I now think that they have made a great choice in casting him as Joel in the upcoming 'The Last of Us'.

I can’t wait.

7/10
I saw this advertised on Prime and wondered if it was any good so I think i'll give it a watch now
 
Little Women (2019)
The stories of 4 sisters in 1860's Massachusetts and their various trials and tribulations.
I'm not familiar with the source novel by Louisa May Alcott. Indeed I doubt if I'm the target audience for this kind of fare and for the first 40 minutes I hadn't a breeze what was going on as the film flashed back and forth 7 years to it's hearts content and the sisters looked the same in the different time periods so it wasn't easy to follow. This is the Greta Gerwig version, apparently the 1994 version is more linear. Anyway after a while I got the gist of what was happening and yeah, it's pretty good. Looked very nice and some fine acting from Saoirse Ronan as Jo March who is the author's alter-ego. Then you have the likes of Florence Pugh as the arty one, Emma Watson as the, em, dancy one and Eliza Scanlen as the musical one. Laura Dern is the matriarch. Nice to see the likes of Chris Cooper and Meryl Streep and the ubiquitous Timothée Chalamet in here too (what isn't he in?)
Yeah overall thought it pretty good, a handsome production. Not sure if my cup of tea but certainly not a total waste of time. 7/10
 
World on a Wire - Fassbinder - 1973

fred and eva.jpg


The original and best film about simulation theory. Many have attempted to best it (The Matrix, The Thirteenth Floor, Dark City which I also love, Inception, etc) but lack the heart of Fassbinder's 3.5 hour sci-fi/romantic epic which was decades ahead of the competition in terms of examining the existential horrors surrounding the concept of simulated consciousnesses and worlds.

Plus Neo et al don't come close to matching the humanity of Fassbinder's protagonist Fred Schiller who is played to perfection by Klaus Löwitsch.
He nails the combination of feelings you'd experience if you gradually discovered that your reality isn't 'real' but merely a simulation and that the people you know and love or hate are puppets who dance to a tune created by someone else. The refreshing thing about this film is that the simulators aren't aliens or other computer programs but real humans who're essentially at the same stage of intellectual development as the simulations they create.

You'll discover aspects of many of the sci-fi films that Hollywood have created that use either the same or similar concepts in Fassbinder's classic. I see some Inception (the commercial and industrial opportunities presented by simulating reality), Donnie Darko, The Truman Show (NPCs), Vanilla Sky (horror), and more besides.

The film is packed with memorable characters (Eva, Gloria, Siskins, Kurt Raab's character, Hahn, and many more) and great cinematography by Michael Ballhaus (Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, etc) which Fassbinder uses to great effect to distinguish the simulated world from its real counterpart. In that regard he uses
tons of reflections (mirrors, glossy surfaces, glass, fish tanks, swimming pools, water in general) to get his point across and establish the idea of the simulated characters being trapped and unable to see past their own reflections.

The sets, the amazing vehicles, the depressing drab grey concrete aesthetic of 1970s Germany mixed with garish technicolour (think A Clockwork Orange in that regard) make for a memorable visual experience. I love Fred's white sports car. I don't know what make and model it is but I want it!

The ending is perfect too.

How do you escape the simulation and become a real boy?
Love. The love of Eve (the first woman) allows Fred to escape the matrix.

One of the greatest sci-fi films ever.
 
Last edited:
We're off to tour some of Scotland in a motorhome tomorrow so tonight we will be watching the totally brilliant Dog Soldiers.....get some tips as there is a full moon while we're up there.

Pertwee, Cunningham and McKidd shine in the best werewolf film apart from American Werewolf IMO.
I love the humour, the one liners, the werewolves are pretty well done, the characters well portrayed and for a low budget movie this is as far from "bone" as you can get
 
We're off to tour some of Scotland in a motorhome tomorrow so tonight we will be watching the totally brilliant Dog Soldiers.....get some tips as there is a full moon while we're up there.

Pertwee, Cunningham and McKidd shine in the best werewolf film apart from American Werewolf IMO.
I love the humour, the one liners, the werewolves are pretty well done, the characters well portrayed and for a low budget movie this is as far from "bone" as you can get
You might want to watch Sightseers (2012) too for your travels.
 
You might want to watch Sightseers (2012) too for your travels.

massively underrated film that - i recommend it to friends/colleagues various all the time who look at me gone out when i give a brief, non spoilery, synopsis and they always come back that they loved it.
 
Crimson Peak, Netflix. very good, lovely BdT design/imagery as usual. If Jessica Chastain had been my sister....yes.
 
Crimson Peak, Netflix. very good, lovely BdT design/imagery as usual. If Jessica Chastain had been my sister....yes.
DUDE! GROSS!

SERIOUSLY!

GROSS!

Edit: Also, yes, the design work in that movie is amazing. One of those movies where the making of turns out to be better than the film itself.
 
Incoming barrage (I'e had man flu for a few days)

...brace yourselves


The Haunting of Hill House (2018) - Mike Flanagan
Netflix
Mentioned on its TV thread, but a terrifically well directed and compelling 10-part mini-series. Parts 5 ,6 and 9 are standouts. 8/10

Kate (2021) - Cedric Nicholas-Troyan
Netflix
Seen it all before, time and time again. But there is definitely some violent entertainment value here and former girl-next-door turned badass Mary Elizabeth Winstead proves her mettle yet again, despite being not the most likeable protagonist. Tokyo looks great, notwithstanding the inexplicably dumb cartoon car chase. 5.5/10

Worth (2021) - Sara Colangelo
Netflix
Solidly enjoyable thanks to its interesting subject matter and the dual performances of Michael Keaton and Stanley Tucci. Beyond that, its pretty perfunctory. 6/10

Wrong Turn (2021) - Mike P Nelson
Netflix
Longer than it need to be, but better than it has any right to be. This initially trashy remake has more than a few tricks up his sleeve that surprised me a few times with it's sudden left turns. And the last ten minutes were pretty memorable. 6/10

As Good as it Gets (1997) - 6.5/10
Netflix
Not seen it before but heard it mentioned earlier. Really enjoyed seeing Jack Nicholson's scrooge-like character arc, thanks to Helen Hunt's long suffering waitress and his gay neighbour. Hunt is especially good here and there is some cracking dialogue and deadpan comedy thats probably a bit edgy by today's PC standards. 6.5/10

Jerry Maguire (1996) - Cameron Crowe
Netflix
Re-watch. The show-me-the-money nonsense still irritates the hell out of me, but I really enjoyed the sort of friendship between sports agent Jerry and his client Rod (a wonderful Cuba Gooding Junior). The unrequited aspect of Jerry's relationship Renee Zellweger's character with also struck a realistic chord with me, although I didn't buy the cheesy reconcilliation regardless of the line that's since become a meme. 6.5/10

Crazy Rich Asians (2018) - Jon M Chu
Netflix
Re-watch. Apart from the two leads, and the lovely Astrid (Jemma Chan) I found everyone insufferable in this and the romance plot quite basic (like any old 90s rom com, with an Asian paint job). The wedding scene is beautiful however and the ladies are all lovely. 5/10

Zombieland 2: Double Tap (2019) - Ruben Fleischer
Netflix
Meh. Its ok, some entertaining bits near the beginning but fairly weak stuff. Best character ironically is the annoying valley girl. 5/10

Raw (2016) - Julia Ducournau
Chilli
Been waiting to catch this forever and finally found it half price to rent on Chilli. What can you say, a unique blend of body horror, and weird French extreme indie cinema. I was transfixed and quite often wondered what the hell I was watching. Requires a strong stomach. Performances from the two sisters in particular are remarkable. Track it down if you can, its finger lickin' good. I'm looking forward now to Ducournau's upcoming Titane. 8/10

American Horror Stories Part 1 Rubber(wo)Man (2021)
Disney+
Intriguing start to what I hope turns out to be a quality horror anthology series. 6.5/10

Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) - Sean Durkin
Disney+
Elizabeth Olsen's film debut performance that proves she's always had plenty more to offer than superheroics. We follow two timelines; Olsen's character escapes a cult-like commune to be with her sister and boyfirned, and we see her experiences in flashback. The cuts between them are subtle and smooth so you need to fully engage with it. Its a quiet and restrained drama so dont expect heavy melodrama or histrionics, most of Olsen's performance is conveyed in her body language and silent trauma. Well worth a look; a quality film by the director of the recent (also excellent) The Nest. 7.5/10

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) - William Shatner
Film 4
An objectively bad Star Trek film, that's not even a matter of opinion. Crummy acting, feeble action scenes, and embarrassing special effects (all well worth exploring if you study the film's fascinating production history) and Shatner's ego bigger than his waistline. And yet, despite all the naffness, there's a good film buried deep within, and as one critic said back in the day, "the battered treasures are there to be found". Those treasures include some fantastic character work examining the relationship between the trinity of Kirk/ Spock/ McCoy and their personal histories and traumas. Laurence Luckinbill is also a superbly charismatic figure as Sybok; a trek antagonist with depth and purpose in the best star trek tradition. Corny as hell but still retains the essence of what makes Trek great and will always have a place in my heart despite my score. Talking of scores, Jerry Goldsmith's work is as wonderful here as ever. 5.5/10

Double Jeopardy (1999) - Bruce Beresford
Netflix
Trashy 1990's mystery thriller that is absolutely ludicrous and just keeps, well, doubling down on the silliness. Shame as the initial premise is an interesting one, but they go the typically 90s route of going over the top. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it though and Tommy Lee Jones is always fun to watch being the smartest guy in the room. 5/10

American Made (2017) - Doug Liman
Chilli
First watch, again heard it mentioned earlier in the thread. Another enormously fun rise-and-fall story based (very loosely I hear) on the real life American pilot who smuggled guns and drugs for Pablo Escobar. Feels a bit like a change of pace for Tom Cruise but I liked him in it. A superb watch. 7/10

Crazy Heart (2009) - Scott Cooper
Disney+
Jeff Bridges does the grizzled old cowboy persona to a tee, and I liked him a lot in this. Unfortunately I did find it all a bit on the boring side. I was reminded of the more recent A Star Is Born with Bradley Cooper, where again we have a fading, bearded, alcoholic southern country singer on a downward spiral. Only in this film, there is no Ally character to balance the story. It also felt similar to Daren Aronofsky's The Wrestler which has a similar story structure and vibe. It was ok but it never really clicked and I doubt I'd watch it again. 6/10

The Birds (1963) - Alfred Hitchcock
Chilli
Rewatch after many years and still find it an effortless esperience even despite the long, drawn out (but hightly enjoyable) set up and preamble. I can't decide if Melanie Daniels is the most romantic and resourceful woman ever, or the worlds biggest stalker. In either case, she is a superb character. The bird attacks are well done for the time, despite a few instances where they are unintentionally funny. The scene outside the school by the jungle gym is absolutely masterful in its execution. I also love the dialogue scene in the diner; a scene that quickly introduces us to a plethora of rich character and viewpoints. Some of the later attack scenes also get pretty harrowing. Look out for a very young Veronica Cartright as Cathy. Tippi Hedren is also probably my favourite Hitchcock blonde after Grace Kelly. Gorgeous. 8/10


In order of recommendation:
1631648709087.png
 
The Purple Rose of Cairo - 6.5/10 - I've been a casual Allen fan over the years and like many people prefer his "early funny ones" but this fantasy romantic drama is a lovely easy watch, Mia Farrow is excellent as Cecilia a depression era waitress who is obsessed with the cinema and in particular the titular film, after going to see it a number of times the lead character Tom Baxter breaks the third wall in spectacular fashion and actual walks out of the movies screen, whats follows is a lighthearted romance, fish out of water caper that looks great and will warm the cockles on these darker nights, great rag time soundtrack too.

I've seen a few of Woody's films, what are the other must see's?
 
The Purple Rose of Cairo - 6.5/10 - I've been a casual Allen fan over the years and like many people prefer his "early funny ones" but this fantasy romantic drama is a lovely easy watch, Mia Farrow is excellent as Cecilia a depression era waitress who is obsessed with the cinema and in particular the titular film, after going to see it a number of times the lead character Tom Baxter breaks the third wall in spectacular fashion and actual walks out of the movies screen, whats follows is a lighthearted romance, fish out of water caper that looks great and will warm the cockles on these darker nights, great rag time soundtrack too.

I've seen a few of Woody's films, what are the other must see's?
Veering away from 'the early, funny ones' a little::

Hannah & Her Sisters, Husbands & Wives, Crimes & Misdemenours, Annie Hall, Play It Again Sam (this being the exception, although it's heavy on the pathos) & Deconstructing Harry.
 
Best Sellers 2021
Michael Caine, Aubrey Plaza

Lacklustre tale of Plaza as the inheritor of a publishing firm that desperately needs a new author to save her flagging business.
Who should she find on the books but Caine's Shaw, a 40 odd years ago success. Of course he's a curmudgeon who wants the quiet booze filled life and she semi forces him back.
This tries to be quaint and surrogate fatherly but misses more heartbeats or laughs than it hits.
Shaw uses the word bullshite a lot and this hits that more than anything.
6/10 at a push.
 
I've seen a few of Woody's films, what are the other must see's?

I always liked Woody Allen's

Love And Death
The Sleeper
Bananas
Manhattan

The Sleeper and Bananas are probably the two I've watched the most. I still have the bare bones dvds
 
The Purple Rose of Cairo - 6.5/10 - I've been a casual Allen fan over the years and like many people prefer his "early funny ones" but this fantasy romantic drama is a lovely easy watch, Mia Farrow is excellent as Cecilia a depression era waitress who is obsessed with the cinema and in particular the titular film, after going to see it a number of times the lead character Tom Baxter breaks the third wall in spectacular fashion and actual walks out of the movies screen, whats follows is a lighthearted romance, fish out of water caper that looks great and will warm the cockles on these darker nights, great rag time soundtrack too.

I've seen a few of Woody's films, what are the other must see's?
Another shout out for Sleeper - huge fun in every way. Some sublime physical comedy.
 
Broil (2020, streaming on UK Amazon Prime)

A hugely odd genre jam that brings to mind shades of classic Lovecraftian 'weird' together with an almost classic vampire story about a family dynasty and a centuries long power struggle that comes to a head over a dinner party, there's just something.........delicious about this little Canadian film.

Starting out as little more than traditional family drama - a young girl is in trouble at school and parents ship her off to live with her grandfather - some very odd elements start to creep in: she's told she has a condition that has to keep her out of direct sunlight and requires daily blood transfusions; the family have ties to a local cafe, who's young chef (played almost unrecognisably by Jonathan Lipnicki......yes, THAT Jonathan Lipnicki) has a natty sideline in poisoning customers and delivering pizza with an extra order of extreme violence; odd mentions of the family harvest not quite being of the traditional variety.......

Its a relative slow burn to start with, but there's an assured hand here both directing and on script duty, really cleverly hooking the audience in without revealing its other hand at all. And as the plot starts to advance - the chef is hired to cater for a family meal but he's also asked to provide one of his more specialist services for one of the family members by one of the other family members - more of the mythos surrounding who this incredibly strange family is revealed. Never resorting to the traditional - these supernatural beings are never fully explained, more just accepted - there's a lovely thriller dynamic that develops that again, helps hook the viewer in and keep them hooked while some of the more strange genre stuff is happening around it all. Think Ready or Not with an added dash of a ticking clock.

And it needs this as it keeps on getting weirder and weirder - the dead return via an alternative dimension where time acts differently for example. But it worked a treat for me - cleverly balancing its obvious huge mythos with a limited budget that allowed it to show very little, all via a traditional thriller cum family drama narrative, it sucked me in and it kept me in, even up to a strangely odd (even with everything else going on) but rather emotional denouement.

Not everyone will plug into this - lots of reviews on Letterboxd have this pegged as dull and slow, which I can see. But it worked for me so check it out for fans of the weird......
 
Last edited:

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom