What was the last movie you saw?

[J Riff]

Ice Age Continental Drift. The Scrat bits are good as always, overall it's a bit cute, so who can suggest something better, I have run out of newish rubbish to view. )

 

[HanaBi]

"Assault on Precinct 13" (1976)

A low-budget film with fairly unknown actors, and helmed by a totally unknown director at the time - John Carpenter!

However, the final product was an amazing police/crime drama with a scintillating score, tight editing, and some truly shocking scenes (the girl buying the ice cream for one)

Looks rather dated nowadays of course; and the acting is pretty dire. But it's still a good film for all that; and a film that took us into the wonderfully weird world of Mr Carpenter.

3/5

 

[StuartBurchell]

Lights Out, just out on dvd, came out this year.

The hateful spirit of a girl who suffered from a light sensitive skin condition can only be seen -and attacks people, when the lights are off.

Good and scary.

Don't watch at night with the lights off.

 

[Rodders]

The Fifth Wave. Not a great movie, but entertaining enough. I wouldn't want to watch it again, though.

Debug. Pretty good. Okay, it's cheap and some of the acting can be a little poor, but it wasn't a bad movie at all.

 

[Rodders]

Syfy's Childhoods End.

Very good. I've been quite impressed with the quality Syfy's productions this last few years and I'm becoming quite a fan,

 

[HanaBi]

"The Great Escape" (1963)

Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without another viewing of this classic WW2 action drama.

More stars than you can throw a stick at, and all shine very brightly. And while the screenplay takes a few liberties with the true "great escape", the film still contains plenty of dramatic, somber, compelling and comedic scenes in equal measure to offer a certain measure of respect to the real heroes of the escape.

Every time I watch this film I keep hoping Steve McQueen will jump that fence, lol

4/5

 

[Jeffbert]

Superman Vs. Batman; or was it B Vs. S? Did not see that coming. Just finished Hitchcock [something Trufalt, sorry cannot recall spelling, not going to google it]. Interesting documentary. Don't think I ever saw Vertigo, wish I had, would have made this better. Currently have The Thin Man playing in the PiP; saw it more than a few times already, but wanted to watch the film guy's comments before and after. Friday was Myra Loy day on TCM, & it finished with all 6 Thin Man films, all on DVR. I really like the old stars, I don't even know any current ones.

 

[HanaBi]

Saw (2004)

Can't believe this films is getting on for 13 years old!

Still a tremendous journey with a good script, decent characters and some pretty gory scenes along the way.

The ending was a bit "samey", and didn't think much of Danny Glover's role as a "detective-on-a-mission". But the two starring leads - Cary Elwes and Leigh Whannell, were exceptionally good as the two incarcerated men chained up and with some bitter history between them, and time not on their side given that Elwes' wife and daughter are being held kidnapped by some mad nutjob intent on torturing and killing them in the same manner as his previous victims.

As I said, the ending was all rather predictable, but still watchable. And all done a very tight budget, but became one of the most successful/profitable horror films to date (typically it spawned a number of inferior sequels. None of them really matching the first for quality)

4/5

 

[J Riff]

The Other Guys. Wilf Arrell and partner are bumbling cops. This movie is noteable because one of the MCs shoots Derek Jeter of the Yankees. I can't remember what else happened, I guess it was okay. Then came; The Man, in which a dental salesman becomes a criminal druglord, by accident, and it too, was okay, as such things go.

 

[Hilarious Joke]

Rogue One. Beautifully made film imho, wonderful original Star Wars feel.

 

[WaylanderToo]

Passengers - surprisingly good (and entertaining) scifi flic

 

[HanaBi]

Passengers - surprisingly good (and entertaining) scifi flic

Have read it isn't doing all that well at the box office, and was panned by the critics (according to RT at least)

The trailers look promising, and was going to make a point of seeing it. But given the mixed reviews I'll wait until it comes out on demand.

 

[dekket]

We went and saw Rogue One on Monday. We all enjoyed it very much. I hope that the future Star Wars stories are as good.

 

[HanaBi]

Battleship Potemkin (1924)

A film not from approaching its 100th birthday, and yet in some respect still retains the test of time. And for me remains one of the greatest films I have had the pleasure of seeing.

The classic "Odessa Steps" still sends shivers down my spine; and although often imitated in more contemporary cinema ("The Untouchables" from 1987, springs to mind here), none can hold a flame to the original.

A hard-going pleasure from start to finish, and I would heartily recommend it.

Battleship Potemkin


5/5

 

[Jeffbert]

A rather silly Mexican Spanish language horror film, El Baron del Terror, whose English title is THE BRAINIAC (1962).
[GALLERY=media, 2078]Baron-del-terror.jpg by Jeffbert posted Dec 29, 2016 at 12:11 PM[/GALLERY]
While watching the fiend attack the victims, I could not help but think of STAR TREK episode, THE MAN TRAP. Both 'creatures' sucked things from their victims, using holes in their hands or fingers, after having taken on human appearance then 'hypnotizing' them. Yet, this one had to resume its natural appearance to attack; I do not recall the ST creature needing to do so.

 

[JunkMonkey]

Planet of the Vampires (1965) one of those films which has been on my "I must get round to watching" pile for a while now. For a couple of reasons:
1. it was directed by Mario Bava who gave us all sorts of goodness including Danger: Diabolik!
2. Ib Melchior's name was on the credits and I think Melchior is one of those vastly underrated writers who need to be celebrated more.

Ib Melchior - Wikipedia

Come on, people! He created Death Race 2000!

1960s Italian SF films. Like everything else 90% crap but when they're good... Planet of the Vampires is one of the best. Storywise it's cobblers, two ships land on a planet from which signals have been emanating. As soon as the ships land the crews are overcome with a strange, homicidal madness and, one by one, are picked off by unseen, and then later very seen, forces until the last few escape. Just like every other cheapo SF movie of the period really - except this one is so gorgeously lit and costumed it hurts.



As I watched it I thought (and, as it turns out, so has everyone else under the sun who has seen it), "Wow! The guys behind Alien watched the hell out of this film didn't they?" (Scott and O'Bannon say they hadn't so maybe it was HR Geiger.... whoever.... some of the visual and thematic similarities are shall we say 'interesting'.)

I think the most interesting thing for me, about the story side of it at least, was the equality of the sexes in the crew. The ship carried a mixed sex crew with identical uniforms - no sexy miniskirts for the girls - and when it came to picking up the blasters and zapping alien dudes (and in turn getting zapped by alien dudes) the women just picked up a weapon and blasted away. There was no girly recoiling in horror and letting the men do the fighting. Indeed ,during one three way life or death struggle the lead girl throws herself on the bad guy and gets pretty thoroughly punched in the face and knocked back across the room. Strangely refreshing.

There's a 'twist' ending too!

But I'm really not sure to make of this shot of our intrepid heroes entering the derelict space ship...



I'm pretty sure there's some sub-textual message here but I damned if I can work it out....

 

[HanaBi]

"Jaws" (1976)

Still stands the test of time (can't believe this film is over 40 years old now!) And far exceeds Peter Benchley's overlong, waffling novel.

Great performances all round, especially Robert Shaw's crusty old sea-dog "Quint", and mild-mannered, out-of-his-depth Roy Scheider's "Chief Brody"

Full credit to Steve Spielberg's direction, and some fine editing by Verna Fields. But perhaps the most standout piece in this great jigsaw is the musical score by John Williams, and in particular that oh-so familiar opening signature.

There are rumours abound of a reboot. I really hope it stays as just a rumour.

5/5

 

[J Riff]

There's a list of 17 'awesomely' bad shark movies.... Zombie Shark, yes... but here, no movies that I could sit through, so it's been Game of Phones, which I find unentertaining.

 

[JunkMonkey]

Have read it isn't doing all that well at the box office, and was panned by the critics (according to RT at least)
.

Really? Empire Magazine gives it four stars and calls it "undeniably effective" and "a journey well worth taking" and "a touching, heartfelt tale of loss and love for the Gravity generation. and implies that it is the "most heart fluttering romance" of 2016. (Feb 2017 page 47. I have it sat here in front of me.) Hardly sounds like panning to me.

Tonight I watched Run, Lola, Run with Daughter Number One.

 

[HanaBi]

Really? Empire Magazine gives it four stars and calls it "undeniably effective" and "a journey well worth taking" and "a touching, heartfelt tale of loss and love for the Gravity generation. and implies that it is the "most heart fluttering romance" of 2016. (Feb 2017 page 47. I have it sat here in front of me.) Hardly sounds like panning to me.

Tonight I watched Run, Lola, Run with Daughter Number One.

Passengers

overall rating of 32%, seems like a panning by the lead critics apparently