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Awix (3310 KP) rated Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975) in Movies
Mar 24, 2018 (Updated Mar 25, 2018)
Final movie in the first Godzilla series often gets some stick for supposedly killing off the original continuity, but is actually not that bad. Bacofoil-wearing aliens team up with mad scientist and his cyborg daughter to conquer the world; there are many opportunities for evil laughter at the planning meetings. The usual strategy of using giant monsters as invasion weapons is employed, despite it having utterly failed in at least five previous movies.
Original director Honda comes back and at least ensures this film has a degree of dignity and craft to it: pretty good monster suits and model work, but the back projection is terrible. There's slightly more focus on character than usual (particularly that of the tragic cyborg girl), which the film seems unsure how to handle. To be honest, one of the main problems is that it's not really about Godzilla any more - he just turns up to fight the bad guys at the end and everyone else takes him for granted. By no means the worst Godzilla movie even of the 1970s, but you can see why Toho decided to take a break. Best line (possibly in the whole of cinema): 'Please kill me - Mechagodzilla's brain is installed in my stomach!'
Original director Honda comes back and at least ensures this film has a degree of dignity and craft to it: pretty good monster suits and model work, but the back projection is terrible. There's slightly more focus on character than usual (particularly that of the tragic cyborg girl), which the film seems unsure how to handle. To be honest, one of the main problems is that it's not really about Godzilla any more - he just turns up to fight the bad guys at the end and everyone else takes him for granted. By no means the worst Godzilla movie even of the 1970s, but you can see why Toho decided to take a break. Best line (possibly in the whole of cinema): 'Please kill me - Mechagodzilla's brain is installed in my stomach!'
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Wicker Man (1973) in Movies
Feb 18, 2018 (Updated Feb 18, 2018)
British folk-horror film is part of the mini-boom in 'British civil servant travels by seaplane to sun-obsessed Christopher Lee's remote island in search of missing girl, discovers Britt Ekland waiting for him' movies that happened in 1973-4. Devout Christian copper (Woodward) visits Summerisle (off the Scottish coast) after receiving a tip-off about a vanishing schoolgirl, is appalled by what he sees as the immorality of the islanders. The lord of the place (Lee) assures him that there's nothing to be worried about, they just have different ethical standards (they're all Pagans), but Woodward is not convinced. Is something nasty lined up for May Day?
Books have been written about the tortuous distribution endured by The Wicker Man and its producers; rumours persist that the original much longer version is buried under a motorway somewhere in England. But all the available cuts are excellent, if not superb: the film is not particularly scary per se, more a queasy examination of how society, morality and religion intersect with one another; manages to make moral relativism seem more disturbing than devil-worship, somehow. Has one of the greatest non-endings in cinema history. Great performances, banging tunes, thoughtful and playful script; a film for all seasons, but goes especially well with a barbecue.
Books have been written about the tortuous distribution endured by The Wicker Man and its producers; rumours persist that the original much longer version is buried under a motorway somewhere in England. But all the available cuts are excellent, if not superb: the film is not particularly scary per se, more a queasy examination of how society, morality and religion intersect with one another; manages to make moral relativism seem more disturbing than devil-worship, somehow. Has one of the greatest non-endings in cinema history. Great performances, banging tunes, thoughtful and playful script; a film for all seasons, but goes especially well with a barbecue.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Dawn of the Dead (1978) in Movies
Mar 12, 2018
The big daddy of modern zombie movies builds on the micro-budget charms of Romero's own Night of the Living Dead to create its own sub-genre. World is gripped by zombopocalypse; survivors flee the city in search of refuge, come across a vast mall filled with provisions (also many luxury items). They decide to stay and fortify the place, but is this really wise...?
Few films depict society on the verge of collapse quite as convincingly as this one; the relatively low budget just makes the scale of Romero's achievement more impressive. The film plays with gory B-movie tropes with cheery abandon, and you're seldom more than a few minutes away from the next grisly set-piece, but its ability to quietly engage with more serious and mature themes is also striking. Romero seems equally in love with having zombies' heads blasted off their shoulders and making serious points about the toxic effects of consumerism and the human predilection for unchecked violence. Even the parts of the film which feel a little primitive are still somehow just right for it, and couldn't really be improved upon. One of those virtually perfect films; the reason the scale goes up to 10.
Few films depict society on the verge of collapse quite as convincingly as this one; the relatively low budget just makes the scale of Romero's achievement more impressive. The film plays with gory B-movie tropes with cheery abandon, and you're seldom more than a few minutes away from the next grisly set-piece, but its ability to quietly engage with more serious and mature themes is also striking. Romero seems equally in love with having zombies' heads blasted off their shoulders and making serious points about the toxic effects of consumerism and the human predilection for unchecked violence. Even the parts of the film which feel a little primitive are still somehow just right for it, and couldn't really be improved upon. One of those virtually perfect films; the reason the scale goes up to 10.
Joe Julians (221 KP) rated Hereditary (2018) in Movies
Jun 18, 2018 (Updated Jun 20, 2018)
Superbly Tense
Full review here:
Just a quick one as I've already filmed a review for this that said all I needed to say, but this is, for the most part, a wonderful film. The way it's shot really works well, every shadow and corner of the screen demands your attention. It's so tense too. A lot of times it will build you up for a jump scare that never comes and as a result, I was left with baited breath for far longer than I have been in most movies. This is a horror that knows what it's doing and knows exactly how to make the most of every second of screen time. Toni Collette is incredible here too and it's one of the best performances I've seen in a while.
It's just a shame the ending is such a letdown. Narratively it works, it just shows too much and goes too far and the end result is a tad silly. I wouldn't write the whole film off as I loved what came before it, but it's a shame it drops the ball so much in its final few minutes. Until then, this had 10/10 written all over it for me.
Just a quick one as I've already filmed a review for this that said all I needed to say, but this is, for the most part, a wonderful film. The way it's shot really works well, every shadow and corner of the screen demands your attention. It's so tense too. A lot of times it will build you up for a jump scare that never comes and as a result, I was left with baited breath for far longer than I have been in most movies. This is a horror that knows what it's doing and knows exactly how to make the most of every second of screen time. Toni Collette is incredible here too and it's one of the best performances I've seen in a while.
It's just a shame the ending is such a letdown. Narratively it works, it just shows too much and goes too far and the end result is a tad silly. I wouldn't write the whole film off as I loved what came before it, but it's a shame it drops the ball so much in its final few minutes. Until then, this had 10/10 written all over it for me.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Dark Star (1974) in Movies
May 31, 2018
Massively influential spoof of overly-solemn and pretentious 60s sci-fi movies looks like what it is - a student movie blown up to feature proportions. John Carpenter was known to comment that the world's greatest student movie would still only be a pretty unimpressive 'real' film and there is an element of truth in this, for Dark Star is often slightly primitive, especially in its visual effects.
But never mind that, just enjoy the way it deconstructs the likes of 2001 and their philosophical concerns - 'never mind all that intelligent life crap, just give me something I can blow up,' snaps the commander early on. Classical music is eschewed for a jaunty country tune, and so on.
Most significant is way the pristine interiors of other films' spacecraft are replaced by the squalid, utilitarian quarters of the Dark Star's crew - this is space bereft of novelty and glamour, it's just a boring and dangerous place to work. You can see the 'used universe' aesthetic of the late 70s SF boom and beyond being invented here. Plus this is the movie that directly led to Alien. Not the biggest or best SF movie of the 70s, but still one of the most significant in the history of the genre.
But never mind that, just enjoy the way it deconstructs the likes of 2001 and their philosophical concerns - 'never mind all that intelligent life crap, just give me something I can blow up,' snaps the commander early on. Classical music is eschewed for a jaunty country tune, and so on.
Most significant is way the pristine interiors of other films' spacecraft are replaced by the squalid, utilitarian quarters of the Dark Star's crew - this is space bereft of novelty and glamour, it's just a boring and dangerous place to work. You can see the 'used universe' aesthetic of the late 70s SF boom and beyond being invented here. Plus this is the movie that directly led to Alien. Not the biggest or best SF movie of the 70s, but still one of the most significant in the history of the genre.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated First Blood (1982) in Movies
Jun 23, 2018 (Updated Jun 23, 2018)
They drew First Blood, not me!
Sylvester Stallone will probably always be best remembered for his portrayal of boxer Rocky Balboa, but a close second is his role and character of troubled Vietnam War veteran John Rambo.
All he wanted to do was stop and settle in a small, rural town, but the local sheriff would have none of that. Rambo, the drifter, was arrested and booked for just wanting to have a hot meal somewhere. Thus, this is when the ordeal began. Rambo quickly escaped his captors as well as the police station and set forth a sequence of events, like a game of cat and mouse, whereas the authorities try to bring him back into custody.
After their initial attempt are unsuccessful they even try bringing in his former commanding officer, Colonel Trautman, to try and talk him in.
Stallone's portrayal of Rambo in First Blood shows real depth and emotion. Subsequent Rambo sequels show him as more of a huklish, strongman, badass, one man army, but First Blood shows his emotional scars come to the surface several times. You feel empathy for him and realize his actions were defensive and only used because of his intense training.
It's one of the great chase movies ever made.
All he wanted to do was stop and settle in a small, rural town, but the local sheriff would have none of that. Rambo, the drifter, was arrested and booked for just wanting to have a hot meal somewhere. Thus, this is when the ordeal began. Rambo quickly escaped his captors as well as the police station and set forth a sequence of events, like a game of cat and mouse, whereas the authorities try to bring him back into custody.
After their initial attempt are unsuccessful they even try bringing in his former commanding officer, Colonel Trautman, to try and talk him in.
Stallone's portrayal of Rambo in First Blood shows real depth and emotion. Subsequent Rambo sequels show him as more of a huklish, strongman, badass, one man army, but First Blood shows his emotional scars come to the surface several times. You feel empathy for him and realize his actions were defensive and only used because of his intense training.
It's one of the great chase movies ever made.
Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016) in Movies
Jul 14, 2018
Unique characters (2 more)
Great cast
Another great tim burton style
Great movie, rather unique
This was a great Tim Burton movie. I do believe it is underrated, I've heard many bad things about this movie mainly being told it's boring but its far from it.
Each character is very unique and sometimes kinda creepy and there were some very interesting parts of the story I found very very interested, more specific the loops.
The cast was great but was surprised not to see Helana Boham Carter playing the lead. I've not heard anything about a sequel but I really hope it happens with the cast returning and maybe add a few new characters (I'm yet to read the books).
It was shot really well, you can see Tim Burton all over it and the CGI was pretty good. I loved the design of the monsters. I would have loved more and it is missing something that I can't quite put my finger on.
However, I could see myself going back and watching this again and that is the sign of a good movie. It was predictable and it's not going on my list of the greatest movies ever but it did not disappoint me.
Each character is very unique and sometimes kinda creepy and there were some very interesting parts of the story I found very very interested, more specific the loops.
The cast was great but was surprised not to see Helana Boham Carter playing the lead. I've not heard anything about a sequel but I really hope it happens with the cast returning and maybe add a few new characters (I'm yet to read the books).
It was shot really well, you can see Tim Burton all over it and the CGI was pretty good. I loved the design of the monsters. I would have loved more and it is missing something that I can't quite put my finger on.
However, I could see myself going back and watching this again and that is the sign of a good movie. It was predictable and it's not going on my list of the greatest movies ever but it did not disappoint me.
Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated Ready Player One (2018) in Movies
Jul 17, 2018
So many references to games and movies (2 more)
Great story
Visually beautiful
Perfect movie for gamers and movie buffs!
I want to start off by saying I've never read the book so I can't make comparisons like so many have. For the movie it's self it's incredible.
Visually it's beautiful. So much action and set pieces. It felt like a video game most times but as it kept going back to the real world, the CGI ended up being a little distracting at times but it never put me off. They did an amazing job with it. It was probably even intended to keep reminding you it wasn't real. To differentiate between was was real and what was not.
So much references and it's fun to spot them. I saw the back to the future delorian, iron giant, tracer from overwatch, master chief.....I can keep going. I was quite surprised at a lot of them though, especially of the shining.
The cast is great, the plot was great, the environments were great. It makes you want this world to be real.
I really hope a sequel is considered. I'd be happy with the same cast as long as the story is right. I had a lot of fun with this movie.
Visually it's beautiful. So much action and set pieces. It felt like a video game most times but as it kept going back to the real world, the CGI ended up being a little distracting at times but it never put me off. They did an amazing job with it. It was probably even intended to keep reminding you it wasn't real. To differentiate between was was real and what was not.
So much references and it's fun to spot them. I saw the back to the future delorian, iron giant, tracer from overwatch, master chief.....I can keep going. I was quite surprised at a lot of them though, especially of the shining.
The cast is great, the plot was great, the environments were great. It makes you want this world to be real.
I really hope a sequel is considered. I'd be happy with the same cast as long as the story is right. I had a lot of fun with this movie.
Lou Grande (148 KP) rated Tau (2018) in Movies
Jul 5, 2018
I had heard little whispers about this movie before it came out, comparing it to Upgrade (2018), only less gory. First of all, it was nothing like that, but it was very good. The premise is interesting--a young woman is kidnapped and held for experimentation by a sociopathic computer genius, who has created an AI named Tau to run his house. Only he's kept Tau in the dark about a lot of stuff. Like that there's more than just the house and other humans exist. I think lately, movies have skewed more towards negative depictions of AI, but Tau is actually rather positive. Without revealing anything, both Julia (the kidnapee) and Tau learn things about themselves and each other. The whole film brings up the question of what it is to be a person, how much empathy we can grant to non-human sentience, and what it means to be a prisoner.
Very good, and visually appealing as well. I loved the way Tau "looked," but there were times when the CG got a little shaky. Nothing unexpected for a movie with this kind of budget. If you enjoyed Dean Koontz's "Demon Seed" or the film adaptation, I think you'll like this.
Very good, and visually appealing as well. I loved the way Tau "looked," but there were times when the CG got a little shaky. Nothing unexpected for a movie with this kind of budget. If you enjoyed Dean Koontz's "Demon Seed" or the film adaptation, I think you'll like this.
Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated Cheap Thrills (2014) in Movies
Jul 29, 2018
Great cast (2 more)
Some extreme moments
Unpredictable
How far would you go when your desperate?
This was a fun movie, it reminded me a lot of that movie called Nerve. You do more and more dangerous dates for more money. It does beg the question "How far would you go when your desperate for money?"
This resulted in some extreme moments which I never saw coming. It was written well with an excellent cast. I can never take David Koechner seriously in anyovie he does but he does have a certain creep factor about him.
I like how contained it was. It was mainly set inside 1 house. It didn't go too crazy or extreme with too much money on the line. It went far enough with a believable amount of $250,000 overall. I feel the less money being offered, the more it felt desperate and extreme. It does make me think there may be some rich people out there who get off on this kind of thing.
There are definitely some "look away" moments which is good for this kind of movie and there was a decent amount of gore.
Definitely worth a watch and this was 1 of those movies that I only paid £1 for the blu ray. Can't argue with that.
This resulted in some extreme moments which I never saw coming. It was written well with an excellent cast. I can never take David Koechner seriously in anyovie he does but he does have a certain creep factor about him.
I like how contained it was. It was mainly set inside 1 house. It didn't go too crazy or extreme with too much money on the line. It went far enough with a believable amount of $250,000 overall. I feel the less money being offered, the more it felt desperate and extreme. It does make me think there may be some rich people out there who get off on this kind of thing.
There are definitely some "look away" moments which is good for this kind of movie and there was a decent amount of gore.
Definitely worth a watch and this was 1 of those movies that I only paid £1 for the blu ray. Can't argue with that.