What films have you watched recently?

ennspek

I also watched Outside the Wire. The very definition of average.

skullfunkerry

I’ve just had a week off work and spent a lot of it watching films...

A Nightmare on Elm Street (the remake). Not bad... on its own it’s a decent horror film, but compared to the original it didn’t really feel very necessary. They made Freddy Krueger a lot darker and less of a comic character, and there were some nice nods to the original, but I watched the original the next day and although it’s as camp as anything in places, it’s got a lot more soul than the remake.

As Above, So Below. A group of people go looking for some treasure in the catacombs below Paris. Wasn’t really sure what to expect from this, and it didn’t grab me immediately, but actually I thought it was excellent - didn’t quite go where I expected it, although I guessed the ending. Some good tension and scares though.

Cabin in the Woods. Not to be confused with Cabin Fever, which is what I was actually looking for! Sort of comedy horror, lots of gore, not a huge amount of plot but pretty enjoyable - definitely worth a watch if you like that sort of thing!

House at the End of the Street. Was listed as a horror on NowTV, but it was a fairly run of the mill teen thriller, really. Wasn’t bad, but wasn’t great.

The Purge: Anarchy. It was okay, definitely better than I expected. If you liked the first one you’ll like this one...

JoJo Rabbit. Absolutely loved it, and *that* scene hasn’t been out of my head since I saw it last night. Hard going in places, but wonderfully filmed, great characters and genuinely moving.

Moe_Zambeek

Midnight Sky - Netflix - nothing earth shattering but an enjoyable enough experience and it looks amazing. 

LastMantra

ICBM said:

The Mercy

Colin Firth as round-the-world solo sailor Donald Crowhurst. An interesting true story - if you don’t know anything about it, don’t read up first... although if you do, it’s not really a spoiler since the film is so well-made. Also don’t pay attention the critical review scores - I don’t know why they missed how good it is.

It’s an amazing film - Firth is mesmerising and completely believable, I would say it’s his best performance in anything I’ve seen him in. The feeling of foreboding he conveys even before he gets to sea is remarkable, and the overall atmosphere of dread over the whole thing is really unusual for a film set in such a ‘normal’ world - and only increases as things fall apart.

If there’s a weakness, Rachel Weisz is somehow not quite convincing as his wife, although the other supporting cast are much better, especially Ken Stott.

9/10

(iPlayer)

That sounds good. My dad is interested in sailing plus he likes Firth. Last film we watched together was the railway man. If I ever see him again I'll suggest this.
Thanks. 

Philly_Q

Witching and Bitching (Las Brujas de Zugarramurdi)

Spanish horror comedy about a group of small-time crooks on the run who stumble into a village populated by a coven of witches with a plan to take over the world.  It's a typical Alex de la Iglesia film - it's funny and very entertaining, heads off in surprising and ambitious directions, but does go on a bit too long and loses its way at times.  Still well worth a watch if you like his other films.

On Shudder.

Hurling_Fruitmig

ennspek said:

I also watched Outside the Wire. The very definition of average.

As was Ides of March, a not particularly thrilling political thriller starring George Clooney, Ryan Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Perhaps the most interesting thing was spotting Jennifer Ehle in a non speaking bit part role near the end. 4.5/10

Moe_Zambeek

The Mercy was good, I watched most of it when it was on the beeb. But - the actual story behind it all is even more intriguing. Really interesting story.

EricTheWeary

Sunset Society.

On Prime. 

I think this was supposed to star Lemmy (as the head vampire)but he passed away before the filming ended and it was finished later - possibly by throwing everything they had recorded up in the air and putting it back together in the order it fell to earth - and he appears mostly in flashbacks and as a cartoon (!). 

Several cameo/ minor roles by musicians that you might need an encyclopaedic knowledge of the LA rock scene to recognise, verging on soft porn at times and there are a few rock songs on the soundtrack ( Thor!). Ron Jeremy almost certainly the best actor in this. Yes. 

As a film it’s complete bollocks but you might like the mix of elements. 

Moominpapa

Border (2018) Excellent Swedish film which joyously blends folk supernatural and Scandi noir. Don't want to give spoilers & if you are interested I would recommend not knowing anything about the film beforehand.

EricTheWeary

Moominpapa said:

Border (2018) Excellent Swedish film which joyously blends folk supernatural and Scandi noir. Don't want to give spoilers & if you are interested I would recommend not knowing anything about the film beforehand.

Where would one find Border @Moominpapa ? 

Moominpapa

@EricTheWeary ; Moominmama says she ordered it off Amazon

EricTheWeary

Cheers  

SPECTRUM001

The Equalizer (2014).

Denzel Washington (always watchable) playing Edward Woodward’s role in a remake of the seventies film.

It’s a decent update with a pretty good cast and atmosphere. It did leave me with the quandary that Denzel is such an accomplished assassin, we should utilise his skills to sort out all our global problems.

At least to bump off Trump.

7/10.

zepp76

SPECTRUM001 said:

The Equalizer (2014).

Denzel Washington (always watchable) playing Edward Woodward’s role in a remake of the seventies film.

It’s a decent update with a pretty good cast and atmosphere. It did leave me with the quandary that Denzel is such an accomplished assassin, we should utilise his skills to sort out all our global problems.

At least to bump off Trump.

7/10.

Watch part 2, it’s even better. (IMO) and it has the Mandalorian in it!

ThePrettyDamned

The village.

I recommend watching it with *no prior experience* of it. Just watch it. 

It was one hell of an experience that led me questioning what makes a film good - intention or execution. I've seen it twice now and it's still good on the second watching. 

EricTheWeary

X Men: Apocalypse 


On Film 4. 

Not entirely sure why this has always passed me by as my inner teenager still has a fondness for the gifted ones. 

It’s OTT CGI nonsense and running around but there is some humour, some playing with genre. 

There’s even a bit of Metallica...


https://youtu.be/C4nCy5CITc8

JAYJO

The Apartment on bbc iplayer.  Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine.   Q.  "Shall we go back to your place?"   A.  "Might as well everyone else does". 

Kalimna

Just watched Pixars Inside/Out again with my two boys. Still one of my favourite Pixar films - the beautiful animation touches (lack of 'solidity' to the emotions' characters), the humour (Anger remains my spirit animal!). And the emotional hit of childhood memories lost, both for the child, and the parent realising this. Im looking at you, Mr BingBong..

Adam

SPECTRUM001

zepp76 said:

SPECTRUM001 said:

The Equalizer (2014).

Denzel Washington (always watchable) playing Edward Woodward’s role in a remake of the seventies film.

It’s a decent update with a pretty good cast and atmosphere. It did leave me with the quandary that Denzel is such an accomplished assassin, we should utilise his skills to sort out all our global problems.

At least to bump off Trump.

7/10.

Watch part 2, it’s even better. (IMO) and it has the Mandalorian in it!

Good call @zepp76 - watched Part 2 tonight. It is indeed very good. Darker and less obvious, with a really well staged and original set ending.

Mrs 001 missed out, as she thought Part 1 pretty run of the mill. Her loss, as this was the rare ‘sequel better than the first’ experience.

8/10.

Philly_Q

Color Out of Space

A meteorite crashes onto a family's land... bad things start happening.  There are no real surprises here (even if you haven't read the HP Lovecraft story) but it's all done with considerable style.  And if you're a Nic Cage fan.... yes, he's in full-on deranged mode here.  It works.

On Amazon Prime.