I'm watching the Josie Long DVD, Trying is Good. It's very frustrating, because there's some really good stuff but she's all too keen to spoil everything with this overegged studenty punchline delivery and it irritates the fuck out of me. Also, she genuinely has the mannerisms of a child with Downs Syndrome. I'd like to see how her act is different these days.

Correct, he was in Spawn

Just watched Tokyo Gore Polce - has to be the maddest thing Ive ever seen!

The thread would be 'My Best Film' not 'My Biggest Bags Of Shite'.

Going to see Paranormal Activity 3 tonight, in a cinema, not alone.

Just like mickey wasn't allowed to mention the EDL, there should be some kind of mod challenge to se if you can go 10 posts without mentioning that you live in New York and have a wife.

where did he mention New York or the word wife in the last post?

I'll take it!

Did you survive?? Definitely the scariest of the three IMO.

Crazy Stupid Love. Surprisingly, surprisingly good. It's like Love Actually meets The 40 Year Old Virgin. Good cast too. I don't want to ruin this for anyone, and even if you're not that into rom coms, just watch it.

After years of meaning to, I finally watched Ghostwatch tonight. Fucking brilliant.

I really wish the mother and daughters were better actors, but the TV presenters were all excellent, and I loved imagining a technologically different 1992 audience panicking like fuck. It all got a bit silly by the end, but I was clenching my arsehole when they had the nightvision camera on the go. The glancing shot of Pipes in the bedroom was nice too.

Really, really enjoyed it.

I think the mum and the studio expert were the weakest links. Having said that it's still good fun.

Agreed, I thought the kids were pretty good, it was only really the mum that let it down.

Paranormal Activity was good, much better than either of the others - scarier, creepier, and more filled with shocks.

Actually, I'm being harsh on the younger daughter. She was okay. The older one got better when she had to lie there emotionless with scars on her face and other madness, but at that point the show had become a much more conventional horror story way beyond any sort of attempt at reality.

The key was in the first 15 minutes when they were still establishing things. I watched it with Mrs NEWM who knew nothing of it and I'd decided to lie and say it was real and see how far I could get away with it to see how well it resonated. The interraction between her and the mother pretty much killed it from that end right out the gate. The dialogue was a touch too scripted and they were wooden as fuck. Like I said in my original post, the whole thing would never work today, but the one major improvement I'd wager would be the quality of actors trying to play it like real life and a better more natural-feeling script.

Still great though, I've dwelled it on more today since watching it, and I'd still recommend it. A good piece of work by today's standards, and a tremendous effort for something made 19 years ago. I'd have fucking shit a brick and not slept for weeks if I'd have seen that as a 7-year-old back then.

It freaked me the fuck out when I watched it live, I remember waking up from a nightmare that night at my aunties where I'd been stopping and I had to wake her up and sat up the rest of the night in the sitting room cos I was scared to sleep.

I was only 7 like but I was sure it was real no matter what she said.

I'd pretty much agree. It wouldn't work now, but primarily because people have seen it all before. I never saw it when it was on originally, mostly because my folks were so strict about what I could watch- I was 11 when it was on. If you watch it with an open mind, you can see why it caused so much fuss, especially given the choice of the TV presenters involved. The daughters' performances aren't great, but I don't think they really give the game away, it's the mum's wooden performance that does. In fact, I'd say the only thing that makes it REALLY obvious that it's a work is the destruction of the studio at the end. If they closed the broadcast suddenly when they lost transmission as they went into the cupboard under the stairs, the whole thing would still be really convincing.

I wished I hadn't rewatched it. Ghostwatch had this huge mystique in the ten years between airing and when it first came out on DVD. I can't even remember how many times it'd come up in conversation with people in that time, with everyone agreeing how shit-scary it was. In 2002 though, it was just hokey, and totally robbed of its power through the conventions of TV having bled that live broadcast thing dry for real. It's similar, in a way, to how really iconic movies don't feel the same if you're coming to them late, because all the iconic beats are so familiar through parody or cultural memory, and by all the things that were so original having been done dozens of times in other stuff since. Plus, with the utterly horrific acting of Craig Charles and co.

Did acting just get better since then? Rewatching it a decade or two later, you're really struck by how a lot of those performances would simply never, ever make it onto screen now. Generally, it feels incredibly flimsy. Then again, TV of that era probably does anyway. I doubt an episode of Noel's House Party would be that different. But for a reality horror, that kind of aging means it doesn't work at all.

Noel's House Party is, if anything, even more terrifying than it was in the early 90s. Freddie Starr, Vicki Michelle, and Giles Brandreth as a trio of carollers?

Bring on the wall.

I watched Mr. Bean's Holiday yesterday and I was pleasantly surprised. About 90% of the film is either subtitled (Russian and French) or dialogue free which, for a modern kid's film is amazing really. The plot is basically Mr. Bean wins a holiday to Cannes and a camcorder. He inadvertently separates a child and his Russian director father and sets out to reunite them. He has a run in with Willam Dafoe playing a pretentious director. He meets a girl and the three of them travel to Cannes. The father/son are reunited and Bean finally gets to the beach while 'La Mer' plays on the soundtrack. Everybody is happy.

I recommend it if you enjoy silent-era style comedy. There are some great visual gags and lots of shots of the French countryside.

TinTin is a fantastic movie and you should ignore all the bollocks about it not being so. And I'm saying that as a fan on TinTin. It's just a lot of great fun.

Funny you should bring that up. I was watching it as an 8 year old, got about half way through the show, and was sent to bed by my parents who saw how scared I was of it. Presumably, they changed the channel and forgot all about it, as I went a good year or two still believing it was a documentary and nobody put me right. Slept with the lights on until I was 10 becuase of that fucking show.

Watched 3 films this weekend:

The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans
One of those mental Nic Cage roles that works, totally seperate from the Abel Ferrara film of the same name (no idea why they used the title at all to be honest) Hes a drugged up corrupt cop with everything going to shit. Well worth seeing and Werner Herzog flicks from restrained Direction to Lizard point of view shots for reasons known only to him.

Conan The Barbarian
Exactly what you'd expect it to be, Bit disappointed to be honest. Tries to stick more to the original stories than the original film but suffers for it. If you like seeing people getting stabbed with swords then this is the film for you.

Innerspace
Still an absolutley cracking film. The miniture effects in it still stand up today and show just how lazy CGI has made some films. Saying that I still hate Martin Short

I caught that today and it was still excellent fun. Meg Ryan was so lovely.

It's brilliant. I don't talk to people who don't like it.

There are people that don't like Innerspace? Where? BURN THEM!

Probably. You know what people are like.

Although I've been moaning recently about how derivative and poor Asian horror films have become on the whole, if more of them were as inventive and well told as The Booth then they might be in a better state.

It's almost told in real time, which can cause a film to be completely awful or completely awesome, and is about a DJ broadcasting from a spooky old studio where a DJ hung himself a few decades before and sees his past coming to haunt him in more ways than one.

It throws in several really great twists and turns and does not tread the same 'scary long-haired girl ghoul' route as these films usually do. Totally engrossing and at 73 minutes, you can squeeze it in somewhere with no bother.

Is Conan a war movie, or is it more like an adventure/quest type movie like the Arnie ones? The trailer made it look like a war movie and I don't like war movies... I'm still tossing up whether to bother watching this or not.


I also watched Innerspace on TV as it happens. I can't see how you don't like Martin Short. I like both his films; this and Three Amigos.

How can anyone hate Martin Short? This is outrageous

Conan is the typical Adventure/Quest film, couple of bif fight scenes but its not a war film.

We Need to talk about Kevin

A mother tries to come to terms with the fact her boy killed a bunch of people.

This is getting really great reviews so the misses wanted to see it (and she doesnt want to see much) so we went on saturday night to see it.

This is certainly a strange film. on one hand you have what can only be described as some of the most drawn in acting I`ve seen. So much so that I actually wanted to beat the shit out of an 8 year old kid. I found the acting of everyone involved, especially the Kids that play Kevin, to be the best I`ve seen. Without a doubt a milestone in child acting. On the other hand the bordering on Arthouse style of direction killed it, or made it depending on how you see it.

I can only guess that the direction and look was intended from the get go, the difficult to follow time jumps and the constant redness of the shots pissed me off, but I dont know if that is a direct emphasis placed there to make you feel uncomfortable or just mistakenly overused by the director.

It is a difficult film to sit through without feeling something, uncomfortableness, passion, hatred, empathy, deliberate or unintentional it worked. I can only imagine what a family going through this situation would feel like but the film gave a pinch in 110minutes what these familys must be feeling 24 hours a day.

Its worth a watch but only the once. I dont see myself rewatching it on special edition 2 disc dvd but I`m glad I got to see it. It may not be great viewing as an enjoyment but the discussion I had in work with others who have seen it opened it up to a whole other level.

Fucking blinding book, so I really want to see the film version.

Yep... I didnt sleep for 2 days after this..

Aye, been looking forwards to seeing this based on the book and the reviews since. Looks amazing

I watched Blood Creek yesterday, it was great, SPOILER - Highlight the black box to read
about 2 cool brothers going after a Nazi Vampire Wizard The preceeding spoiler was very minor by the way. I really liked it and I think Henry Cavill will be a huge star, he's like a cross between Tom Cruise and Ben Affleck on screen, I can't wait to see him as Superman. Anyone seen it?

No, but your brief summary sold me.

Watched Pontypool last night - loved the understated nature of it, loved the premise, but could have put up with it being about basically anything if it had Stephen McHattie in it. I always knew him as Elaine's boyfriend in a few Seinfelds ("have you been urinating a lot again?"), and my mum always points at the screen when he's on and says "It's that bloke from Centennial," but... shit... he's just incredible in Pontypool.

I'm about to watch the first Paranormal Activity. Should I choose the theatrical or alternate version?

I prefer the alternate version but the theatrical version is the series continuity. Just watch either then the last few mins of the other one, you got it covered then.

So, yeah, Tintin is fucking awesome. Go see it, and see it in 3-D.

Loved the 3D in that film, thats how it should be used (UP being the other example) of adding depth to the shots rather than just have everyone having throwing stuff at the camera.


Anyways rewatched Robocop last night for the first time in a few years. Watched the Directors Cut version and its still in my eyes one of the best films of the 80s. Great Action, genuinely funny script, American bashing satire, the best squib shots outside of a Peckinpah film (seriously I don't know what it is about them but they look brutal) AND Kurtwood Smith bringing the awesome

Robocop does that thing with squibs where they burst out the back so it looks like the bullet has just tore through the guy getting wrecked.

It's also just the over-the-top way it's done, the sheer length of the shots when the bullets are ripping into the guy's body. Verhoeven keeps it going just beyond shocking and into hilarious.

Tin Tin was everything the last Indiana Jones should have been. Infact if Indy had been a washed up Alchy and his son was some straight laced type trying to smarten him up i may have even forgiven them for trying to force Shia The Beef down our throats.

Oh dear. A friend of mine posted on Facebook that when he saw it at the cinema, the audience burst out laughing at the end. I can see why.

Overall, it was cliched and predictable, and something I'm surprised didn't go straight to DVD or Channel 5. I'd even go as far as saying White Noise was better.


And then tops it with "Somebody call a paramedic!".

Watched Peter Kay's new stand up DVD (Didn't buy it, fuck him). Though I don't like him, I still like his old stand up DVD's so I thought I'd watch it for comparison. It was pretty good. If you like the old stuff, you'll like this. Same formula and same delivery, nowt especially clever but pretty funny. He opens by grabbing a camera and filming the audience which is a bit different.

If you like the old stuff, you won't be disappointed. If you don't, this won't change your mind.

His face is a bit odd these days, it looks like plasticine. Has he had work done?

Watched Captain America last night. I found it kind of disappointing. It's a shame because it does seem like there's an excellent film dying to get out, but it never reaches that potential. It's not a particularly bad film, just a little too flat.

So, because I feel the need to self-harm but don't have anything sharp handy, I'm going to watch Paranormal Activity 2. Should I stick to the theatrical version again for continuity, or is the extended version safe to watch without altering the plot?

The extended version just has 7 mins of extra story, nothing that alters continuity. More ghosty/demony stuff. i think Part 2 was my favourite, my mate hates it however and prefers the first. Nowt like split opinon.

I'm in agreeance with your mate, and I find part 1 looking quite good in retrospect now.

Roger Ebert stated in his review of the first one "It illustrates one of my favorite points, that silence and waiting can be more entertaining than frantic fast-cutting and berserk f/x". By introducing the multiple cameras and choppier editing it brings in several negative points. Firstly, conversations are absolutely littered with jump cuts, giving a Big Brother, edited-to-show-what-they-want feel, and so detaches it from the sense of reality they were aiming for, and secondly, whenever there's a long protracted shot, it makes it obvious we're waiting for something to jump out.

Plotwise, I don't get why the photo of Katie as a child was now with her sister. In the first film it was inferred that it was believed lost in the fire that took their parent's house, thus implying that the demon has been after Katie since she was a child, but now it only had the photo since 9 weeks before? Unless I'm missing something, this is an absolute pointless plot twist.
I'm also not sure why the demon has such an issue with a nice clean pool.

The writing on the inside of the cellar door. Was it ever resolved?

After the daughter gets locked out the house, she checks the CCTV footage for proof, yet doesn't think to check the footage after any other incident until the stair dragging?

One of the biggest annoyances I had (and this is true of the first one too) is that despite the CCTV having infrared capabilities, they leave a lot of lamps on overnight. However, whenever there's a supernatural incident, they go scrambling around the house in the dark.

For absolute nitpicking, the additional lighting used in a couple of outdoor scenes made those scenes look too Hollywood and glossy, and by reusing the opening footage of part 1 at the end, it draws attention to the difference in Katie's weight between the two films.