Van_Dammer

Cannibal Holocaust

Released in 1980, this is one of the most notorious 'video nasties.' After being banned in numerous countries, Cannibal Holocaust is now available in a slightly edited form...

 

A group of documentary filmmakers journey to the amazon, hoping to produce a piece on cannibal tribes. When they don't return, an anthropology professor and a rescue team are sent to the same location in order to find them. The professor finds that the original crew have been killed and returns to America with their footage.

 

Cannibal Holocaust is a surprising film in the sense that it is very serious. The majority of video nasties are absolutely laughable and look incredibly cheap. This is actually quite well-made and features some good direction. At times, it's tranquil, brutal and manic.

 

There's no doubt that's disturbing, though. This film has several shocking, unsettling, horrifying and uncomfortable scenes. If I didn't have such a high threshold for material of this nature, I'd probably describe some scenes as, 'sick.' However, it isn't all mindless. Cannibal Holocaust does hold a thought-provoking message.

 

As one would expect, a great deal of controversy has followed this movie. The director has been taken to court over it and had to prove that it isn't a snuff film. In a recent interview, he said that he now wishes he hadn't have made it because of its strong content.

 

Although Cannibal Holocaust could be more entertaining, it deserves your attention because it's an intense film and a unique experience - if you've got the stomach for it. You'll also see that it probably influenced The Blair Witch Project.

Pumping Iron

Hilarious.

 

I'm a huge fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger and I have a lot of respect for him, but I also like the numerous comedic aspects of his personality, such as the musclehead image and thick accent. In my opinion, there isn't much funnier than listening to him compare training to cumming day and night, being gawked at by a bunch of prison inmates and saying the words, 'air,' 'shoulders,' and, 'whole,' many times.

 

In all seriousness, though, Pumping Iron is a very good documentary. It takes an insightful look at the world of professional bodybuilding as it follows several competitors and focuses on their aims.

 

A Night At The Roxbury

This movie spawned entirely from the hilarious Saturday Night Live sketch, The Roxbury Guys. It featured Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan and Jim Carrey and can be seen here (YouTube link).

 

In A Night At The Roxbury, Ferrell and Kattan reprise their roles as Steve and Doug Butabi, respectively, from the SNL bit. They aspire to open their own night club after they're denied entry elsewhere. However, they have other problems, such as their stern father and that they're totally uncool.

 

The chemistry between Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan is fantastic. They perfectly play a pair of lazy, uncool, idiotic and borderline-metrosexual brothers and even the simpliest things are incredibly funny when these two are on screen together. Individually, their performances are good, too, especially Ferrell's.

 

The trademark head-bopping scene just isn't as funny without Jim Carrey, but it's still good and used well in this film. A Night At The Roxbury offers a lot more, though, as it's loaded with awesome quotes, silly moments and great physical comedy. In some respects, it's pretty unorthodox, but completely entertaining throughout.

 

A Night At The Roxbury is a criminally underrated comedy, but I get the feeling that people will either love it or hate it. I absolutely love it.

 

Pulp Fiction

Tremendous.

Pulse (2001)

The American remake of Pulse will be out shortly and since I'd already heard much the original Japanese horror, I decided to check it out. The plot concerns a group of young people, who investigate a number of suicides that are somehow linked to the internet. Interactions with ghosts soon follow as more and more people begin to disappear.

 

Don't expect an endless array of shocking scenes and gore from Pulse because it's not that type of film. Its sense of horror is created through the incredibly eerie atmosphere, creepy moments and brooding feeling of hopelessness. It's practically all psychological.

 

Fittingly, the fims central theme is loneliness. Throughout, there are several forms of symbolism that are associated with this key element, as well other underlying meanings. In fact, a great deal of the material in Pulse can be interpreted in different ways. Some may be less important than others, but it all contributes to the overall message.

 

The film truly excels because of its visuals. The dull interiors, dark skies and lifeless colour schemes are essential to the atmosphere and really emphasise all that they aim to.

 

There are only two criticisms that I can think of for Pulse. The first is that, at two hours, it is slightly long, but that's important to the gradually-building tone of the film. Secondly, I'm not sure how those accustomed to straightforward horrors will react to it.

 

Anyway, Pulse is quite a haunting experience. It may not be as tense as the Ring(u) movies or as extreme as Suicide Club, but it's still an original and great film. I certainly don't like that it's being bastardized by an American remake.

Do The Right Thing

In Spike Lee's renowned film from 1989, tensions grow high between different groups in the Brooklyn community during the hottest time of the year, resulting in racial conflict. Do The Right Thing is executed perfectly as it doesn't feel like a film that tells a story, but rather a film about characters and their interaction with each other.

 

There's a set of distinct personalities, all of which are very well established. Within a relatively short time period, you begin to care about them, understand their background and grasp their motives. I think it works equally for each race depicted, which why the viewer can interpret many elements of Do The Right Thing in their own valid way.

 

The performances by the cast are obviously pivotal to this. The acting by Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis and Bill Nunn, in particular, are exceptional because they can emote flawlessly. Spike Lee himself delivers a decent performance, too. Do The Right Thing is probably his greatest achievement because he showcases his talent in several forms. Starring in, writing and directing this film, he's created a piece of work that is poignant, involving and can evoke a range of emotions.

 

Visually, this film is brilliant. The cinematography and vivid colour scheme excellently convey the environment and, generally, looks really stylish. There's also an array of great camera shots and imaginative scenes that provide a unique quality.

 

Although Do The Right Thing may seem dated in some regards as it features old-school boomboxes and sneakers, it appears to have captured its respective time period effectively. Nonetheless, the themes represented are still undeniably relevant today. It is definitely a strong film, but despite what anyone tries to tell you, though, it simply isn't better than Crash.

 

Dead Man On Campus

This 1998 comedy is about two college students, Cooper and Josh, who have somewhat dissimilar personalities and are roommates. After Josh is corrupted by Cooper, they both begin to fail their classes miserably. They then learn of a clause, which states that any student who suffers through the death of a fellow roommate is automatically given an A in his courses. So, they begin their mission to find the most suicidal person on campus and ask him to move in with them.

 

Throughout the course of this movie, a fair amount of the comedy is akin to that found in other college films, such as American Pie and Van Wilder. Conversely, Dead Man On Campus has a much darker edge do it due to the inclusion of black comedy. Not many films of this nature will poke fun at an issue like suicide. It succeeds on both levels, though, and the product is very funny indeed. Actually, judging by other reviews, I think this comedy is awfully underrated.

 

Nonetheless, it does have its negative points. Certain parts of Dead Man On Campus feel extremely rushed, especially at the beginning. There is ceraintly room for character development and, perhaps, some more memorable jokes.

 

Despite this lack of early development, though, the characters come across considerably well. Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who people will recognize as Zack from Saved By The Bell is exceptionally good in his role and he effectively sheds his previous image. However, the best performance is, arguably, by Lochlyn Munro. He's simply fantastic at playing a complete psycho bastard. Nearly every scene that he's in is absolutely hilarious.

 

In short, Dead Man On Campus doesn't take itself too seriously and, if you watch from that perspective, it is a totally enjoyable and entertaining film.

Which wrestler has come out of the most retirements? Would I be right in thinking that it's Terry Funk?

Rollerball

A friend of mine recommended this movie to me and I'll never forgive him for it. Honestly, Rollerball is utter shit and should be avoided like the plague.

 

Oh, and Paul Heyman's in it...

Hard Candy

After all that I've heard about this film, I was definitely looking forward to watching it. It's about a young girl who meets up with an older man over the internet. When she is invited into his house, she attempts to expose that he's a paedophile.

 

Due to the subject matter and general nature of Hardy Candy, it obviously isn't for everyone. After watching a lot of World cinema, though, and being open-minded anyway, I welcome controversial and disturbing movies. However, personally, I wouldn't say that Hard Candy is that bad. It leaves an impression, but it's not exactly overly distrurbing. There's not an excessive amount of gore or violence because it, primarily, functions on a psychological level.

 

Hard Candy is quite suspenseful and tense in some places. Elements such as the performances, dialogue and gradual unfolding of the characters' back stories are all pretty good and effective, too.

 

Additionally, I think the camera work and overall direction is excellent; the focus is mainly on the characters' expressions. Technically, some aspects of this film are remiscent of 28 Days Later and it actually reminded me of several Japanese movies, in terms of both the cinematography and use of music/sound. Also, in regards to the story, I'm assuming that Takashi Miike's Audition had a slight influence on Hard Candy...

 

This film is not without its flaws, though. You could easily criticize it in a few different respects, but it's entertaining, very well-made and pretty original. Hollywood is flooded with crappy formualic rom-coms and remakes that don't even need to be made. Although we need movies of all genres (comedy, family, etc.), I'd gladly welcome an influx of edgey films like Hard Candy.

 

So, in short, I liked it.

Kill Bill Vol. 2

In the conclusion to Quentin Tarantino's revenge epic, The Bride (Uma Thurman) continues to seek vengeance on a group of assassins and their boss, Bill.

 

The most significant difference between this film and Vol. 1 is that of tone. The first installment of Kill Bill featured an abundance of violence, quips and homages. Vol. 2 is a considerably different experience because its of a slower pace and only has a couple of fight scenes as the emphasis is mainly on the characters themselves. Its definite strenghts lay in the sharp dialogue, strong performances and brilliant direction.

 

Many of Tarrantino's trademarks are still evident, especially in terms of narrative structure, obviously. I particularly liked the fact that a great degree of the back story is explored, which created better character development than Kill Bill Vol. 1, as well as the jumps in the more immediate events. Additionally, there's some foot fetish-related content, as per usual from Tarrantino.

 

I think Kill Bill Vol. 2 is more consistently entertaining than its predecessor because Vol. 1 drags somewhat in the middle. This film is also more emotional in some respects and, in my opinion, has much more substance to it. However, I'm still inclined to say the first one was better because it leaves a greater impression, mainly due to the violence and number of memorable scenes.

 

Nonetheless, it's a major thumbs up for Kill Bill Vol. 2.

Teen Wolf Too

The love the first Teen Wolf film, which starred Michael J Fox as Scott Howard. It may not be a legendary movie or anything oscar-worthy, but it's a very entertaining and enjoyable flick. So, I decided to check out the sequel, which follows Todd Howard (Scott's cousin). He suffers from the same werewolf problem that ran in Scott's side of the family as he begins university.

 

I don't think I need to say much about Teen Wolf Too other than; it is unbelievably awful. I simply cannot express just how dire it really is. I was completely bored by the time it was half over, which is when I came to the conclusion that it's quite possibly the worst film that I've ever seen.

 

Avoid at all costs.

RV

I saw this film with extremely low expectations. The reviews haven't been that favourable and the concept seemed pretty weak, too. Basically, Bob Munro (Robin Williams) and his family take an RV trip. Of course, there are issues within the family, like the fact that they don't spend much time together, so they're pretty dysfunctional.

 

To be honest, RV was a lot better than I had expected. Although it's nothing special and there have certainly been better family films out lately, it's actually alright and fairly entertaining. There's a mixture of toilet humour, physical comedy, mild innuendo and even some instances of off-beat humour, so it'll satisfy practically all ages.

 

From what I've heard, the critics have panned Robin Williams' performance, but I thought he was good in this movie. He's a diverse actor and, in my opinion, it's nice to see him doing comedy again because he can carry it well.

 

Pop star JoJo, who plays Cassie Munro, is quite surprising in this movie, in the sense that her performance isn't completely shit.

 

Jeff Daniels is awesome in RV, though. He plays his role perfectly and he's just great whenever he's on screen. I realize that he's old now, but Daniels deserves to have some bigger and better parts. As far as I'm aware, he's only known for Dumb & Dumber and Arachnophobia (the greatest B-movie of all time). Personally, I think he's an underrated actor.

 

I suppose the main negatives in RV are the somewhat cliched characters and cheesy moments...

 

So, in short, if you're in the mood for something light and entertaining, give RV a try. You'll probably forget most of it within a week, but it's relatively enjoyable. Just don't expect it to be anything more than average.

 

By the way, the son of the Munro family has a John Cena poster in his room.

The Ultimate Warrior Does A Charlie Haas:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHO0zGtXoWg...imate%20warrior

 

The Ultimate Warrior Cuts A Promo:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbPpHpLvCB0...imate%20warrior

More Physco Hart, i love Brets reaction here. Convincingness~

Awesome.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

This is a film that I've seen on practically every list of great movies. It's currently in the twelfth position on the IMDB's Top 250 and was ranked the fourteenth best film of all time by FilmFour.

 

Jack Nicholson plays Randle McMurphy, a man who is sent to a mental institution for 'evaluation.' Being a rebellious character, he brings the patients together to revolt against the oppressive nurse Nurse Ratched.

 

I think my expectations for One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest may have been too great. I wouldn't rate it as much as most other people, but I'd still rate very highly indeed. It's undoubtedly a brilliant film and it's truly effective.

 

Due to the excellent performances by Jack Nicholson and the supporting cast, you genuinely care for the characters and their relationships with each other. It's a really compelling film because of the combination of that and the well-executed story. Additionally, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest has a very memorable, great ending...

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

Stephen Hillenburg's cartoon with a cult following comes to the big screen.

 

In this feature-length film, SpongeBob and Patrick journey to Shell City in order to retrieve King Neptune's stolen crown. They encounter many obstacles along the way as the evil Plankton tries to stop them from achieving their goal.

 

Although the critical response to The SpongBob SquarePants Movie has been mixed, I really liked it. It's obviously a different experience from the eleven-minute TV episodes, but it still maintains a lot of the original charm. For example, the humour is, fundamentally, the same. There's plenty of fantastic juvenile comedy and a couple of songs to keep the youngsters fully entertained, whilst a number of jokes will also keep the older audience giggling. There's a fair amount of stuff that, generally, adults are likely to appreciate more, such as the cameo by David Hasselhoff.

 

I think the film could have made use of more characters, though. Squidward is definitely one of my favourites from the TV show, but he doesn't actually do much in the film. Also, until the end credits, I didn't even realize that Scarlett Johansson played the part of Mindy. Interestingly, her voice doesn't sound as gruff and husky as usual.

 

To sum it up, if you like the SpongeBob TV series, then you'll probably like this movie, too. However, if you're not familiar with it, you might just dismiss it as a silly and obscure film. In my opinion, it's a totally fun movie that's very easy to enjoy.

Masters Of Horror - ImprintI only have two minor gripes with Imprint. The first is that Billy Drago, who plays the American journalist, isn't a particularly good actor. I haven't seen any other episodes of Masters Of Horror, but the production is really TV movie-like. I suppose that's to be expected, but it seems slightly odd when coupled with Miike's work.Overall, though, Imprint is damn good and it certainly leaves and impression. Download it now.

How dare you diss Billy Drago, he absolutely rules in Delta Force II, the best colombian drug-lord psycho mental bastard ever!

Maybe I shouldn't judge Billy Drago as an actor just yet, as I've only ever seen him in Imprint. Nonetheless, his acting in that is relatively poor. He delivers his major lines unrealistically and, at certain points, really overacts.Pee-wee's Big AdventureI'm familiar with the Pee-wee Herman character and some of the accompying material (such as Pee-wee's Playhouse) as I've seen a few clips and it's been referenced in a number of TV shows and other media. However, I've never seen this 1985 film. As it's directed by Tim Burton and written by Phil Hartman and Paul Reubens (who plays Pee-wee Herman), I knew to expect something unique...The very first factor of the story to be established is Pee-wee's love of his bicycle. After that, the character itself becomes the most prominent part of the film. Pee-wee is an oddball man-child, who lives in a house filled bizarre mechanisms and oversized everyday objects. The quirky and unusual aspects of this comedy become immediately evident, which is pretty much to be expected from Tim Burton. The plot is simple; Pee-wee's bicycle is stolen and he has to find it. Still, it leads to a huge chain of events as the quest takes him to several locations and lands in him differing situations. If anything, the plot is secondary to the 'road trip' element of the movie.Throughout, the humour is quite silly and immature, but it's remarkably childish in some places, which may not appeal to some. However, I loved it, especially because of Pee-wee's hilarious delivery. In fact, his exaggerated tonality, reactions and mannerisms are far superior than a lot of the material.Tim Burton's direction is notably good, too. He incorporates a style that's present in some of his later work and it's truly effective within a zany comedy like this one. It's strange because there's also a fairly dark edge to some of the funniest scenes...In short, Pee-wee's Big Adventure is a thoroughly entertaining and amusing film. I doubt that it'll please everybody, though, because it's an outlandish comedy and I'd imagine that, generally, it's an acquired taste.

From what I understand, when John Cena was The Prototype, the Freestyle/Killswitch/Spin-out powerbomb was known as The Protobomb. What was The Protoplex? Was that his cradle/twisting fisherman suplex?

Went to see the Omen remake earlier. After not being impressed with the original after watching it again a few days ago (I really don't remember it being so poor)... [it] had its moments, but was ultimately not a particularly good film.

Perfect BlueThis 1997 anime is one that is well-known in western circles. Although I'm not that well versed in anime, I am quite fond the genre. My earliest experience with it was the original Guyver series, which I loved, but I was quite young at the time and can't actually remember much about it. Within the last year, though, I've had the chance to watch Akira and Spirited Away; I think both of those films are phenomenal. So, after hearing a great deal about Perfect Blue, I was definitely willing to check it out.I won't reveal too much of the story as the development of the plot is absolutely essential to the film. Basically, Perfect Blue is about Mima, a JPop star. She leaves girl group Cham in order to embark on an acting career. Soon, her past begins to haunt her, as does a mysterious stalker.As the film begins, it seems somewhat similar to drama. However, the narrative becomes fairly complex as the psychological thriller elements of it come into effect. Many have described it as 'Hitchcock does anime' and I totally agree with that. The film's engrossing, completely engaging and has a great ending.Judging from what I've seen within the genre and the numerous titles that I've heard about, Perfect Blue is not your typical anime. There are no superhuman characters or robots, etc. It's considerably more realistic and has a riveting edge to it. There are a few graphic scenes, in terms of violence and sex, so it's not for the squeamish. Also, I love the direction; the film features a range of interesting, innovative and effective scenes. The music compliments them well, too.I'm aware that some critics have been baffled that a film of this nature, a psychological thriller, would be done as an anime. Quite frankly, I don't care because the result is fucking amazing.

Masters Of Horror - Imprint

Masters Of Horror is an American TV series that comprises of unrelated episodes and, If I'm not mistaken, each one is directed by a famous filmmaker. Granted, they're not necessarily films, but they're akin to TV movies. Therefore, I'll leave my thoughts on this, the thirteenth Masters Of Horrors episode, in this thread.

 

Imprint was directed by renowned Japanese director Takashi Miike. Anyone who's seen some of his other work, such Audition, Visitor Q and Ichi The Killer, will know what to expect from him. Miike's films are usually extremely well-made, critically acclaimed and often quite disturbing. Imprint has never actually been show in the US because the network refused to broadcast it uncut. However, it has aired here in the UK and will soon be included on the Masters Of Horror DVD set.

 

Anyway, Miike's English debut has a pretty good premise. Set in the 19th century, an American journalist travels back to Japan in order to find the woman that he left behind, Kimono. His journey leads to a mysterious island, where his only sanctuary is a brothel. There, he meets a strange lady, who considers herself a freak. She informs him of the haunting story of her past and Kimono.

 

Approximately the first twenty minutes of Imprint is used to establish the characters, which is achieved quite well. From that point, the majority of the narrative consists of flashbacks. Everything that is depicted in the 'present' is very atmospheric and erie, whilst the story that is told is creepy, yet intruiging.

 

Some of Miike's usual themes are present in Imprint. There's an abundance of disturbing and bizarre imagery and I can see why it was banned. However, I could easily tolerate more. Then again, maybe that's just me...

 

I only have two minor gripes with Imprint. The first is that Billy Drago, who plays the American journalist, isn't a particularly good actor. I haven't seen any other episodes of Masters Of Horror, but the production is really TV movie-like. I suppose that's to be expected, but it seems slightly odd when coupled with Miike's work.

 

Overall, though, Imprint is damn good and it certainly leaves and impression. Download it now.

Sally Wheeler

 

 

Carrie from Two Of A Kind.

 

Soleil Moon Frye

 

 

 

She was mentioned in the Nickelodeon discussion and definitely deserves to be in this thread. Soleil played Roxie in Sabrina The Teenage Witch...

 

Amy Davidson

 

 

Screw Bridgette, the real hottie from 8 Simple Rules is Kerry.

Kane does comedy:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U324OFwE8i8&search=WWF

Audition: This is a deeply unpleasant film, not really scary just really horrible (which I guess is the idea). Note: do not watch this film while eating.

I hope you're not denying that Audition is a brilliant film. In my opinion, it's a masterpiece and puts Ichi The Killer, which some people consider Takasha Miike's best film, to shame.

Shannon Sossamon from The Rules of Attraction and 40 Days & 40 Nights

 

Drop Dead Fred (1991)

I decided to watch this film for two reasons. Firstly, it's one that quite a few people seem to remember from their childhood, but I've never seen it. Secondly, it stars Rik Mayall. I realize that Drop Dead Fred is a kid's film, but, in my opinion, movies of that genre can still be very enjoyable, such as Ice Age.

 

Rik Mayall plays Drop Dead Fred, the imaginary friend of Elizabeth Cronin (Phoebe Cates). She saw him as a young girl, but he returns 21 years later, as Elizabeth struggles with her womanizing husband and controlling mother. Ultimately, it's a story about finding yourself.

 

I found Drop Dead Fred to be a very quirky film; akin to something that Tim Buron would make when he's not fucking it up like Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. The majority of the humour is extremely immature, but totally effective, and there are a few instances of slapstick comedy. Drop Dead Freds's somewhat extreme dialogue is the funniest element of humour, though. For example, in one scene, he asks Elizabeth for an axe, so that he can murder her mum.

 

Another interesting and surprising aspect of Drop Dead Fred is the incorporation of some adult humour. As only Elizabeth can see him, Drop Dead Fred likes to look up women's skirts. Additionally, there are several instances of fairly explicit language, such as 'bitch,' 'shit,' and, 'piss off.'

 

I've seen Rik Mayall in a couple of other family films and I thought his performances were relatively good. I think he's brilliant in Drop Dead Fred, though. His over-the-top actions and exaggerated mannerisms are perfectly suited to this film.

 

In short, I think this is a great and rather unorthadox juvenile comedy. In some parts, it's strangely moving, too. Although I'm sure that there are many who will disagree with me, I think the harsh reviews for Drop Dead Fred are unfair, as is the 4.5 IMDB rating.

In Good Company

The plot concerns ad exec Dan Foreman (Dennis Quad), who is given a new boss, Carter Duryea (Topher Grace). Duryea is considerably younger than Foreman and, after meeting Foreman's family, forms a relationship with his employee's daughter (Scarlett Johansson).

 

To be honest, I was actually quite suprised by this movie. Considering that it's essentially a romantic comedy with elements of drama, it's not overly conventional; in some respects, it's pretty original. Unlike many films of this genre, it has an interesting story, the plot develops well and there's even a number of highly effective scenes.

 

The perfomances by Dennis Quaid and Topher Grace particularly good. However, I can't help but see Grace as Eric from That 70s Show. It doesn't help that he's cast alongside Scarlett Johansson, who sounds like Laura Prepon (Donna from That 70s Show) and has rather similar similar facial features to her, too. Although I think they're both attractive, the two actresses also seem to have a fairly lesbian look to them.

 

In Good Company was better than I had expected, but about average overall.

100% totally agreed. My brother got me Eddie Murphy: Raw as one of my Christmas presents, and I hold it high in my list of stand-up gigs, so high in actual fact it is on an even playing field with Bill Hicks: Relentless for me. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?!"Gold. 10/10 stuff for Mr. Murphy. It's times like these you wonder what the fuck happened to him.

I think the transsexual prostitute incident and the crappy family movies ruined him.Chris Rock - Bring The PainThis is an excellent stand-up and, quite possibly, Chris Rock's most well-known. He actually explores a range of interesting and important issues, whilst also presenting his viewpoints very well. For instance, he talks about social problems and criticizes the government, but it's all incredibly funny.The best moments in Bring The Pain are those in which Rock introduces a somewhat taboo subject, such as violence towards women, but then delves into the opposite side of it just before he crosses the line. Additionally, his most famous joke is featured in this stand-up; niggaz Vs. black people.In my opinion, it still can't touch Eddie Murphy's Raw, though.