Recent viewings

[tracy]

Though not a real fan of war films this one stands out as a true classic. A British unit has been taken to a Japanese prison camp and ordered to construct a bridge over the Kwai river to aid in the invasion of Burma. Sir Alec Guiness is superb as the British commander who is proud and a bit off,IMO. Sessue Hayakawa is the equally proud and stern Japanese commander who realizes that,if these prisoners fail to build the bridge he would be forced to commit suicide to save face. This movie is a visual feast of stunning scenery and excellent acting. It captured 7 Oscars,including Best Picture.

[Pilgermann]

Total Recall (1990) - I'm sure most of you have seen or are familiar with this.  First time I've watched it but I really got a kick out of it.  One of those "is it all a dream?" films but it's great entertainment.  I shouldn't have been surprised at how bloody it got at times considering it's a Paul Verhoeven film.  I give it a probably too generous 9/10.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Me, Myself and Irene"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G7PgMdirio

Raunchy slapstick adventure from the Farrelly Brothers stars Jim Carrey (in what may be his most manic performance to date) in a dual role as mild mannered "Charlie," a repressed Rhode Island state trooper, and his split-personality alter ego "Hank," a crazed maniac. When Charlie is assigned to escort a lovely witness (Renee Zellweger) back to New York State, both he and Hank battle for her affections on an increasingly twisted road trip that eventually includes mobsters, crooked cops, and a very hard to kill cow. A total hoot.

[Rev. Powell]

THE LIVING DEAD GIRL (1982): A dead girl comes to life, feeds on the living, and seeks out her childhood blood sister. Bad horror with nudity, silly gore and lots of long dull patches. The dullest effort I've seen from Jean Rollin, who usually has moments of inspiration in even his worst films. 1/5.

I haven't watched it in years, but my memory matches your description.  There is some strange childhood BFF dynamics going on between the two women, the one girl is driven to drink blood and often appears half-clothed, but the main feature of the movie is that nothing happens for extended periods.  Or, when something does happen, it is so drawn out that you get bored with how long the activity is taking to actually occur.

Yup, that's it. Rollin's movies are all slow, but usually there are great visuals and some true WTF? moments to compensate. Not in LDG (though the climax is kind of good, but you've lost interest long before that point.)

I saw another Rollin last night; many/most consider the film below his worst, but I kind of liked it at times. Just goes to show Rollin is all over the map.

TWO ORPHAN VAMPIRES (1997): Two eternally reborn vampire girls who are blind during the day but see in blue at night (!) pose as orphans, try to recall their past lives, and ponder the meaning of their existence. It's cheap, badly dubbed, and the vampire vision blue filters get old, true, but there is an endearing strangeness to the entire concept; unfortunately, it goes on too long and wears out its welcome.  2/5.

[FatFreddysCat]

"The Expendables" (2010)
http://www.youtube.com/v/M1ux_rwSbpQ

Sylvester Stallone heads up an all-star cast of action heroes (including Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, Jason Statham and Stone Cold Steve Austin) in an old school '80s style blow'em up/shoot'em up about a team of mercenaries who are hired to liquidate a South American dictator, but then find out there's actually a sleazy American connection (Eric Roberts) running things from behind the scenes. A totally silly but fun mayhem-filled throwback flick.

[Jack]

Point of Terror (1973) - a lounge singer bounces from girlfriend to girlfriend until he finds one he likes. Of course the previous girlfriend isn't at all pleased about this, and the one before that is even more ticked off. Rather ironic title, as there's no terror and there's absolutely no point to this - just a shallow and manipulative guy dreaming of fame and eventually getting exactly what's coming to him. There's lots of lounge singing - we get to see this guy perform three complete songs, and then they're used as background music in other scenes. It just reminds you that for every one Wayne Newton there are a thousand of these guys crooning their non-existent hearts out down at your local nightclub. Or at least there would be if it was still 1973. I suppose I should mention that there were a few scenes that were so ridiculous as to be comical, but I was WAY too bored to laugh. 1.5/5.

[Rev. Powell]

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT (2004): A college student discovers he can go back in time and alter past events, but every change he makes brings about tragic unintended consequences in the new present. Pretty much "DONNIE DARKO for Dummies." 2.5/5.

[alandhopewell]

Point of Terror (1973) - a lounge singer bounces from girlfriend to girlfriend until he finds one he likes. Of course the previous girlfriend isn't at all pleased about this, and the one before that is even more ticked off. Rather ironic title, as there's no terror and there's absolutely no point to this - just a shallow and manipulative guy dreaming of fame and eventually getting exactly what's coming to him. There's lots of lounge singing - we get to see this guy perform three complete songs, and then they're used as background music in other scenes. It just reminds you that for every one Wayne Newton there are a thousand of these guys crooning their non-existent hearts out down at your local nightclub. Or at least there would be if it was still 1973. I suppose I should mention that there were a few scenes that were so ridiculous as to be comical, but I was WAY too bored to laugh. 1.5/5.

     
I've got that in my PURE TERROR compilation; as you said, zero terror.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Bad Teacher" (2011)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VihlsPKMh4U

Cameron Diaz stars as a vain, superficial, hard drinking, pot smoking, utterly unqualified middle school teacher who's only doing the job until she can find a rich "sugar daddy" to take her away from it all in this fluffy, occasionally raunchy comedy. Instantly forgettable but still funny, and Diaz is smoooookin' hot.

Extra bonus points for some Whitesnake, Dio, and Judas Priest songs heard during key scenes.

[alandhopewell]

     I found this in a 12-pack of recent vampire films....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQKtagdms4Q



     MRS. AMWORTH is a 2007 film based on a short story by E.F. Benson; a version was also done in 1975.

     This is a quietly chilling, sensuous movie-Magenta Brooks, in the title role, subtily effuses sex and menace all at one and the same time, and has that quality of having presence even when offscreen.



     Of the films I've viewed in this set so far






     This is definitely the best....indeed, one of the best films I've seen this year-I recommend it, highly.

[Jack]

Robotropolis (2011) - a news crew is doing a story on a gigantic new refinery just opened by a wealthy industrialist, one in which robots work and live alongside humans. To everyone's great surprise, the robots go berserk and start killing everybody. At first I thought this was really good - it's all presented from the angle of the news crew covering a developing story, as the program editor or whoever feeds lines to the reporter etc. It's like they're making some dark commentary on the news media, as the first person gets killed and the reporter doesn't even try to help, or call anyone for help - she just stands there acting as if this is all quite interesting. Unfortunately by the midpoint of the movie it becomes clear that it's just the bad acting that's creating this illusion. Once the news coverage part comes to an end and we see these characters interacting with each other "off camera" we realize that they're not unconcerned with the lives of the victims - the actors are just unable to convey any sort of emotion. It turns into a fairly typical cheeseball affair after that, with the characters doing one stupid thing after another and stopping in the middle of this life threatening situation to discuss dating and that sort of thing. The big mystery of why the robots went nuts could have easily been handled in an interesting and creative way, but no...lol. Just as anti-climactic as you can get. 3.5/5.

[Andrew]

Alien Raiders (2008)

This movie was a surprise.  I was expecting an Asylum or UFO-quality movie about people trapped in a supermarket with killer alien monsters.  It turns out to be more like "The Thing" than anything else, and it's well-executed.  Due to the aliens being parasites that infect people, the creature effects are more along the lines of a zombie film.  That is disappointing, but the script had some good ideas and writing.  The acting is good, and what the alien hunters are forced to do in their effort to stop the creatures makes them more than just one-dimensional.  The movie also managed to keep both Katie and myself uncertain of exactly how it would end until the last few minutes (although we had figured out the two options in clear detail).  Anyone who enjoys science fiction horror/action movies should give it a try.

[Rev. Powell]

AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY (2012): Documentary about Ai Weiwei, a Chinese conceptual artist whose anti-establishment views (and specifically his quest to uncover the names of Sichuan earthquake victims, considered a state secret) lead him into conflict with the government. Interest flags a little bit when the doc discusses Weiwei's art and personal life rather than his political activism, but it is a peek at China's troubled human rights record and with an important and inspiring message about standing up to bullies. 3.5/5.

TOTAL RECALL (1990): Construction worker Douglas Quaid begins to suspect he is a secret agent who has had his memory wiped clean; clues lead him to the Martian colonies, where mutant terrorists wage a guerrilla war against the government. Cheesy at times with the usual one-liners, but the not-as-dumb-as-usual sci-fi plot makes the Schwarzenegger-in-space outing one of Ahnold's better action vehicles. 4/5.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Halloween II" (2009)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX1ywu5Y0a8

Two years after Rob Zombie's "Halloween," a still-traumatized Laurie Strode tries to get on with her life and Michael Myers continues to pursue her, apparently on orders from the ghost of his dead mother and a white horse (?).

The violence is fabulously brutal as usual, but this movie meanders on waaaaayyy too long for its own good and is pretentious as hell to boot. Sorry, Rob ...Slasher movie fans want to see slashing, we don't want to see a study on the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder on dysfunctional families, or whatever the hell Zombie was trying to portray here.

Avoid.

[claws]

Avoid.

Rob Zombie's Halloween II has become this generation's Halloween III: Season of the Witch. I think Zombie's sequel is a masterpiece. He sure as hell created something unique.