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Awix (3310 KP) rated Straight On Till Morning (1972) in Movies

Mar 8, 2021  
Straight On Till Morning (1972)
Straight On Till Morning (1972)
1972 | Drama, Horror
4
5.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Rather atypical Hammer psycho-horror is much stronger on dour naturalism than the usual gothic fantasy. A slightly unstable young woman moves to present-day London in search of her dreams and winds up moving in with a handsome serial killer (late-period Hammer star Shane Briant, in his first film for the company). Things eventually get a bit fraught.

It would be nice to think the change in style was the result of a decision by Hammer to experiment, but the fact the film was clearly made on a punishingly low budget suggests otherwise: the reason it's largely a two-hander, mostly taking place in a single flat, is presumably simply to keep production costs down. The atmosphere throughout is dingy and a bit grim; appalling early-70s fashion doesn't help much. There's a conceit about Peter Pan which is never really resolved (hence the title); the film's most distinctive feature is the editing, which is jarring, almost subliminal, and gets rather annoying very quickly. Good performances from the leads, I suppose, but this doesn't make up for the fact the story is implausible, uninvolving, and doesn't really go anywhere.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Re-Animator (1985) in Movies

Oct 31, 2020 (Updated Oct 31, 2020)  
Re-Animator (1985)
Re-Animator (1985)
1985 | Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
8
7.6 (27 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Schlocky horror picture show. Mad-scientist-in-training Herbert West is partially successful in raising the dead (which is to say he's successful in resurrecting various body parts, not always connected tin the original manner). One of the better-known H. P. Lovecraft adaptations, though the short story in question is hardly Lovecraft's best work (and the writer would probably have hated this movie too).

Not actually that scary, but contains jaw-dropping quantities of gore, all the more startling because the film is clearly being pitched as a knockabout black comedy as well as an exploitation movie. Starts off relatively restrained, but by the climax I was regularly thinking 'I can't believe they got away with that'. Nicely pitched performance from Jeffrey Combs, interesting turns from people who end up having to play either deranged zombies or severed heads in trays. (Slightly distracting soundtrack, mainly because it brazenly rips off the score from Psycho.) Any film which features a main character wrestling with a hostile lower intestine has got something to offer the world; movies like this are the reason we have the term 'splatstick'.
  
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Bruce Robinson recommended All the President's Men (1976) in Movies (curated)

 
All the President's Men (1976)
All the President's Men (1976)
1976 | Classics, Drama, History
8.8 (13 Ratings)
Movie Favorite Watch

"All the President’s Men, because of my hero, William Goldman, who wrote that film. Here we’re sitting in the dark watching a movie and we all know what the denouement is — we all know how this film’s going to end up; they’re going to bust Nixon’s ass — and yet we’re on the edge of our seats all the way through that movie. Of course, it’s Pakula’s fantastic direction and these fabulous actors at the height of their career — Hoffman and Redford — but primarily it’s William Goldman, who managed to write a film where we all know what’s gonna happen, and yet we’re compelled to watch this process. Imagine if, in Psycho, the title sequence was Perkins putting on his wig and robe, so we all know it’s him — that’s the problem Goldman had to deal with. We all knew it was Nixon. And yet he managed to pull it off. Blew me away, that film. The performances, and the writing… who was that actor who played the editor? Jason Robards. He tells them to go after it. I wish the press would behave like that today, you know: “Go after these f–kwits, and nail them.”"

Source
  
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Seven Psychopaths (2012) in Movies

Aug 7, 2019  
Seven Psychopaths (2012)
Seven Psychopaths (2012)
2012 | Comedy
9
7.2 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Unfamiliar with writer and director Martin McDonagh’s previous gangster film In Burges, I was not exactly sure what I was getting into when watching Seven Psychopaths. I had seen a few trailers and was looking forward to what looked like a quirky new movie that I hoped delivered at least a few solid one-liners but was not expecting much more. Well, I am delighted to say that McDonagh delivers a fantastic self-referential crime caper that is one part Pulp Fiction and one part a meta episode of NBC’s TV show Community.

This self-aware film has a story that is hilarious in its antics and creates a world where these characters come to life. Colin Farrell (In Burges) plays Marty, an alcoholic film writer suffering from a terrible case of writer’s block. He has the title for his next film Seven Psychopaths but little more. However in spite of what the title suggest, Marty does not want his film to be violent. He wants his main psychopath to love more than kill, whch is what appears to be giving Marty the writing block in the first place. Enter Marty’s good friend Bill played by Sam Rockwell (Iron Man 2). In an effort to help Marty find inspiration for the characters in his story, Billy encourages and informs Marty of various psychopathic stories he is aware of. He even goes so far as putting a “psycho story” want ad in the paper, asking psycho’s to come to Marty’s house and tell their story. This causes Marty to spend the length of the film trying to create the characters for his story from the crazy interactions going on around him.

While based on “real life” people, these characters are introduced through individual dramatized stories about them complete with glorified over the top cartoon like violence that hits home as visual comedy. From the Quaker psychopath who stalks his daughter’s killer, to the psychopath who spent his youth killing other psycho killers, to the Vietnamese Psychopath who just seems crazy for most of the movie. These stories give us a glimpse into the psychopathic mind of Marty and friends and help create a visual world where anything seems possible from these characters.

In addition to these characters, Marty has to deal with a “real life” shih-tzu-loving psycho gangster Charlie played by Woody Harrelson (Natural Born Killers), when Billy and friend Hans (Christopher Walken, Poolhall Junkies) “accidently” kidnap Charlie’s dog in their regular dog-napping scheme to collect a found reward from owners. This interaction with Charlie helps Marty, Billy and Hans figure out the story to Seven Psychopaths that borrows from their own in-film “real life” experience.
The ensemble cast all hit their mark in his film. Each shows us enough of their characters to fit their quirky stereotypes but gives us something memorable about each. No more is this shown through Rockwell’s performance of Billy that builds on his lunacy throughout the film until his shining moment, a scene where he is telling Marty how he would finish his story. In addition, Walken delivers his best performance in years with his traditional over the top serious but hysterical Walken Style. Any fan of his should not miss this film.

Seven Psychopaths turned out to be an enjoyable experience and thrill ride from start to finish. The ensemble cast breathes life into the crazy characters that help move along the action. It is a film that is self-aware and does not take its self too seriously. As such, we are delivered an eccentric but entertaining film experience that anyone looking for a change of pace should not miss.