DVD's and Films You Have Watched Recently

[Mr. Seven]

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Probably because he came out of his shell, made a friend in McMurphy and couldn't live in such a horrible place anymore without his friend.

[Stephanie]

I've seen loads of DVD's recently but the one that springs to mind is Dicso Pigs. It was really good but it's so tragic. Cillian Murphy is amazing, that it all.Also, has anyone seen Glengarry Glen Ross? It's a film we were all told to watch by one of the Senior Directors of the company I work for to inspire us!!

Edited May 26, 2006 by Stephanie

[Mr. Seven]

Glengarry might just be the greatest film ever made, certainly top three.

 

I watched Running Scared last night, after hearing it was "fucking brilliant!" from several people. It's not. It's pretty bad actually. It is arguably Paul Walker's best performance to date, though that's not saying much. His character is extremely unlikable, and every second word out of his mouth is either "fuck", "fucking" or some other pointless expletive. It's one of the filthiest scripts ever written, but less really would have been more here, which is also true of the non-stop whizz bang camera effects used in seemingly every scene. A major case of style over substance.

 

That said, it's at least watchable, has a relatively original story and has a couple of good moments, but the bad ones (including an absolutely ludicrous sub-plot involving paedophiles - honestly, the kid on the run seems to subsequently encounter every scumbag on the bottom rungs of the society ladder and it gets a little far-fetched) far outweigh the good ones. And then there's that ending.

 

Check it out if you have absolutely nothing else to do.

[ukedge87]

Delieverance

 

This is a great film, but not as superb as all the hype it garners. Sure it is a shocking, brutal, slow burning horror/ thriller with parallels to the capatilisation and industrialisation of the 20th century, but the proof is in the pudding. Burt Reynolds plays the superb character of Lewis Medlock, whoose submission into savagery at the hand of the hill billys is almost as shocking as the inbred mountain dewellers themselves. The erie soundtrack combined with the beautiful pastoral imagery creates a vivid picture in the readers mind of the wilderness and isolation of the situation, which also reinforces the reprehension of their actions. This is a very strong film, not a great horror film or an outstanding thriller, instead it is genre-less and can only be what it is: a chilling reminder of what human-kind has created.

 

8/10

Edited May 28, 2006 by ukedge87

[Van_Dammer]

Freaks (1932)

A bizarre, but very interesting and entertaining film. Set in a circus, it features an array of unique characters, such as a dwarf, a man with half a body and a man with no limbs. The intro effectively establishes that Freaks intends to change the views of society on those with disabilities and abnormalities. Although this is definitely evident by the ending, I think it could have been a somewhat stronger theme at certain points. Nonetheless, it is apparent throughout the film and because of the gradual development of the plot.

 

Interestingly, Freaks is classed as a Horror, but I don't think that there any scary or terrifying moments. If anything, this film is a drama that features a few funny scenes and some very memorable dialogue. There was even a reference to it in a very early episode of The Simpsons, which used one particularly significant quote from the film. The fact that Freaks is supposedly a Horror makes me wonder how audiences in 1932 would have reacted to it...

 

Overall, I'd rate this film very highly.

[ukedge87]

Freaks (1932)A bizarre, but very interesting and entertaining film. Set in a circus, it features an array of unique characters, such as a dwarf, a man with half a body and a man with no limbs. The intro effectively establishes that Freaks intends to change the views of society on those with disabilities and abnormalities. Although this is definitely evident by the ending, I think it could have been a somewhat stronger theme at certain points. Nonetheless, it is apparent throughout the film and because of the gradual development of the plot.

This is a film that has been on my rental list for some time. I've read a few articles about it and it sounds really bizaree and interesting. From your comments it sounds like you read the same article in last month's Empire.

[Van_Dammer]

This is a film that has been on my rental list for some time. I've read a few articles about it and it sounds really bizaree and interesting. From your comments it sounds like you read the same article in last month's Empire.

No, I don't actually read any film/DVD magazines. I just downloaded Freaks because I'd heard that it was a classic cult movie and, for some reason, I wanted to see a film that old. Also, I have enjoyed a quite a few cult films; Thriller: A Cruel Picture definitely left an impression. Edited May 28, 2006 by Van_Dammer

[Foale]

Has anyone here seen Castaway? Is it any good?

[mancuniankid]

Has anyone here seen Castaway? Is it any good?

Yeah its an alright film. I'd give it a 3.5* rating.

[The Cum Doctor]

The ShiningThe image of the dead Jack Torrance is quite hilarious, it has to be said. So is the picture Halloran has above his TV, and that thing is the biggest afro I have ever seen in my life. I wish I could find a picture of it, I really do. The movie itself is still chilling. Remains one of my top horror movies of all time, although it's not quite as good as Don't Look Now and The Wicker Man.

[Egg Shen]

Glengarry might just be the greatest film ever made, certainly top three.I watched Running Scared last night, after hearing it was "fucking brilliant!" from several people. It's not. It's pretty bad actually. It is arguably Paul Walker's best performance to date, though that's not saying much. His character is extremely unlikable, and every second word out of his mouth is either "fuck", "fucking" or some other pointless expletive. It's one of the filthiest scripts ever written, but less really would have been more here, which is also true of the non-stop whizz bang camera effects used in seemingly every scene. A major case of style over substance.

Thing is, Paul Walker is like every chavs favourite actor cause of the Fast & The Furious films...they think everything he does is the nuts, even though he's pretty fucking dire.my buddy saw Running Scared and said it was probably the best film he'd ever seen, then the other day he told me You Got Served was one the best films he'd ever seen (#22 on imdb's worst movies of all time list), kinda lost my faith in listening to his recommendations.

Also, has anyone seen Glengarry Glen Ross? It's a film we were all told to watch by one of the Senior Directors of the company I work for to inspire us!!

it's an amazing film, the final scene with Pacino/Spacey/Lemmon is probably my favourite movie scene ever its fucking incredible...your boss said it would inspire you? aint it about a bunch of desperate property salesmen who try to make a living by ripping people off? who do you work for

[Adam G]

Im no good at reviews but recently ive seen Resident Evil 1 & 2 and War Of The Worlds. All excellent.

[Van_Dammer]

Date Movie

I don't think that this film is awful as most have made it out to be, but it is still exceptionally poor. Too much of the comedy seems forced and as though the filmmakers were looking for any grounds to include it. For instance, an early scene in Date Movie features a fat Alyson Hannigan, dancing in the steets to Kelis' Milkshake. It would have been funny if there was a substantial reason for it, rather than it happening for little or no reason. In other cases, the spoofs serve no purpose. There's a minor Napoleon Dynamite parody, which I quite liked because I think that movie is overrated, that lasts about a minute. At least two other parodies are rushed; the Dodgeball and Wedding Crashers satires are approximately ten seconds long. Additionally, a considerable amount of the material/humour in this film has already become cliched or simply played-out. The Michael Jackson spoof may have been slightly funny ten years ago.

 

There are a couple of funny moments in Date Movie, though. Unfortunately, most of the material that has some potential is completely overdone, which makes it painfully unfunny. Most of the scenes with the cat exemplify this. However, this movie boasts two definite positives. I've never really found Alyson Hannigan attractive before, but she looked quite good in Date Movie. Also, Sophia Monk, who I've never even heard of, is extremely sexy.

Edited May 29, 2006 by Van_Dammer

[bAzTNM#1]

Glengarry might just be the greatest film ever made, certainly top three.I watched Running Scared last night, after hearing it was "fucking brilliant!" from several people. It's not. It's pretty bad actually. It is arguably Paul Walker's best performance to date, though that's not saying much. His character is extremely unlikable, and every second word out of his mouth is either "fuck", "fucking" or some other pointless expletive. It's one of the filthiest scripts ever written, but less really would have been more here, which is also true of the non-stop whizz bang camera effects used in seemingly every scene. A major case of style over substance.That said, it's at least watchable, has a relatively original story and has a couple of good moments, but the bad ones (including an absolutely ludicrous sub-plot involving paedophiles - honestly, the kid on the run seems to subsequently encounter every scumbag on the bottom rungs of the society ladder and it gets a little far-fetched) far outweigh the good ones. And then there's that ending. Check it out if you have absolutely nothing else to do.

I agree with you that the film wasn't too good. The kiddie fiddler couple scenes were rather, I agree again, ludicrous.

DelieveranceThis is a great film, but not as superb as all the hype it garners. Sure it is a shocking, brutal, slow burning horror/ thriller with parallels to the capatilisation and industrialisation of the 20th century, but the proof is in the pudding. Burt Reynolds plays the superb character of Lewis Medlock, whoose submission into savagery at the hand of the hill billys is almost as shocking as the inbred mountain dewellers themselves. The erie soundtrack combined with the beautiful pastoral imagery creates a vivid picture in the readers mind of the wilderness and isolation of the situation, which also reinforces the reprehension of their actions. This is a very strong film, not a great horror film or an outstanding thriller, instead it is genre-less and can only be what it is: a chilling reminder of what human-kind has created.8/10

Poor Ned Beatty. I don't usual feel sorry for film characters but I did in that bumming scene, and when Beatty is running up a steep hill in his Y's. "Squeal piggy!".

[Van_Dammer]

Suicide Club (AKA Suicide Circle)

An impressive and effective film. I think the plot is fantastic; a number of girls throw themselves in front of a train and a many subsequent suicides occur across Japan. A group detectives must then investigate and try to find the cause. There are probably two reasons as to why I love Asian cinema. The first is because of the fact that the films are incredibly well-made, such as Spirited Away, OldBoy and the majority of Bollywood movies. The second is that, creatively, films from places like Japan push the limits. I can imagine that Suicide Club caused an immense amount of controversy. I think it's one movie that won't be bastardized by an American remake aimed at teens.

 

The film opens with a very gory and shocking scene. There are several throughout the course of Suicide Club, some of which are definitely not for the faint of heart and are actually quite difficult to watch. Although it's nowhere near as violent as films like Battle Royale and Ichi The Killer, Suicide Club is pretty graphic in its own right. The film undeniably excels with its atmospheric scenes and tense moments, though.

 

Additionally, the interesting developments in the plot succesfully engage the viewer. As with many similiar films, some elements of the story are open to interpretation. There are, however, some improvements that could have been made. For example, I feel that the characters in Suicide Club could have been developed to a greater degree. Nevertheless, it's an enjoyable film that is part-social commentary and absolutely worth checking out.

Edited May 29, 2006 by Van_Dammer