Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate It | Cinema at the End of the World Edition

[OzzyFan]

The Thing (1982)
3.80 out of 4stars

"A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a parasitic shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims."
A near perfect pure horror movie. Never ending mystery/suspense/tension/paranoia? Check. Fresh supernatural 'enemy' (awakening from hibernation) with unquantifiable power/abilities that can divide itself across multiple beings and be hidden in plain sight? Check. The ability to shock with both subdued screenshots and action visuals? Check. (Continuing on that) Containing many unique and skilled frightening creature designs and gore effects that 40years later are still effective? Check. Just the right amount of ambiguity surrounding the 'enemy' and 'a few important events' in the story to keep your imagination running wild and spontaneous dread factor high? Check. Unescapable cabin fever dream setting? Check. Of course the score(Morricone)/acting/other factors into making this movie are also excellently done. It uses every resource it has with great success. Carpenter's magnum opus.

The Fog (1980)
2.95 out of 4stars

"An unearthly menacing fog rolls into a small coastal town exactly 100 years after a ship mysteriously sank in its waters."
John Carpenter sure knows how to make great horror scores. Halloween is still his best, but this one enhances, or even creates at times, all the right moods and tones with it's foreboding. The campfire story and concept introduction with a secondary boat of sailors was a great introduction. Carpenter hits mostly all the right notes as the story progresses, but his bread and butter is the atmosphere created and use of his 'sailor zombie' antagonists alongside the score.

They Live (1988)
2.90 out of 4stars

"Nada (Roddy Piper), a wanderer without meaning in his life, discovers a pair of sunglasses capable of showing the world the way it truly is. Socially elite aliens are running the media/political landscapes and subliminally controlling every day citizens and seeking world domination. Nada goes on a mission to stop this."
The movie has a lot going for it, but also has some characteristics that will turn you off/annoy you or entertain and make you think. I had a blast. Carpenter hit a home run imo, creating an excellent parable that is convincing and enjoyable about consumerism, media manipulation/control, class divisions/exploitations, capitalism, and revolutionary shutdowns/annihilations, through the use of other worldly aliens convincing and taking control of the world through underground means of bonds with the people of wealth and high end government employees. Themes that are generally never-ending. Throw in a pair of special sunglasses that "takes the blinders" off the true meaning and faces of everything around you, and you have the plot for this sci-fi/horror/mystery/action movie. That said, it's not all intellectual implementation here. It has some notable b-movie elements, from the acting and action (1 long street alley brawl) to some seriously bad dialogue. Casting Roddy Piper in the main role is partial fault for that, but he also brings a sense of urgency and fire and everyman physical laborer "size" to the role you likely wouldn't get elsewhere. That said, good far and away outweighs the bad while successfully hammering it's political/social messages alongside a fun adventure of a ride.


I am curious where Carpenter should stand historically amongst other horror directors. He's definitely not spotless with some notable duds (alongside some other great films, non-horror included), and as Pranzo has stated "at times has some clear directorial weaknesses/misguided decisions. But on the other end, his 2 greatest horror movies, Halloween and The Thing, can go head to head with any horror director all time's 2 best masterworks. Add the facts of their iconic-ness to the evaluation, Halloween being imo the greatest slasher movie of all time and THE #1 season of Halloween must watch movie, and The Thing is a near perfect true horror film, that some consider arguably the greatest horror film of all time, and from start to finish brings everything one could ask for from a horror film in a top notch manner, and it's hard to shun his success. Two undeniable masterpieces.

House on Haunted Hill (1959)
2.60 out of 4stars

"A millionaire offers $10,000 to five people who agree to be locked in a large, spooky, rented house with a murderous background, overnight with him and his wife."
A fun 50's haunted house movie headed by Vincent Price. Proclaims to live on the theme of hysteria vs supernatural phenomenon, but genuinely wins it's audience over with countless sight gags/horrors, mildly creepy setting, and some witty dialogue.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I am curious where Carpenter should stand historically amongst other horror directors. He's definitely not spotless with some notable duds (alongside some other great films, non-horror included), and as Pranzo has stated "at times has some clear directorial weaknesses/misguided decisions. But on the other end, his 2 greatest horror movies, Halloween and The Thing, can go head to head with any horror director all time's 2 best masterworks.

I don't remember typing that, but I certainly agree with myself! I don't think Halloween is the best slasher ever made (I know it's sacrilegious to say that), I don't even think it's the best Halloween film (I prefer part 2) - and I don't think it's Carpenter's second best film (I'd probably go with In the Mouth of Madness, I'd consider They Live, and I'd like to see Christine again).

As for Carpenter, The Thing certainly makes him look like a genious within his peers, but I still think he's not a very good director. Still, he made very entertaining films, and he has a clear signature, two things I can't say about most of his peers (someone like Craven made quite a few entertaining flicks, and a few great horror films, but he doesn't IMO have the signature Carpenter has, he mostly was a doer).

 

[Puck]

The Venice Film Festival started September 1st and will end on the 11th. I found their own website difficult to navigate the few times I have been there, I don't know if they have corrected some technical issues by today. I will also post the Wikipedia page for info.

official website Biennale Cinema 2021 | Homepage 2021

Wikipedia 78th Venice International Film Festival - Wikipedia

A Guardian article Venice film festival 2021 week one roundup – serious firepower

The Toronto International Film Festival starts Sept 9th and ends on the 18th. I see they have Drive-In screenings now, if you prefer staying in your car due to covid. And looks like the digital online screenings are available to everyone in Canada via Bell Lighthouse (might be complicated though, it was last year but hopefully they have improved the experience to register (have not tried it yet))

official website TIFF - Toronto International Film Festival

Wikipedia 2021 Toronto International Film Festival - Wikipedia

Indiewire article TIFF 2021 Lineup: ‘Dear Evan Hansen,’ ‘Tammy Faye,’ ‘Titane,’ ‘Last Night in Soho,’ ‘Flee,’ and More

how to register How to Watch TIFF Films at Home, from ‘Flee’ and ‘The Survivor’ to ‘Lakewood’

some streaming suggestions 10 movies to stream from home at TIFF 2021 in Toronto

 

[ItsFineImFine]

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) - 8/10

There's nothing better tbh than watching a fun quality short length film on a long-weekend. I actually saw Isle of Dogs first (and liked it more tbh). Maybe it's because Isle of Dogs was made 10 years later so the animation is more polished along with better voice-acting but Fantastic Mr. Fox is probably the better film in terms of plot.

 

[Osprey]

Not sure.

Memento is now a cult classic. Maybe he should just leave it alone.

Nolan does like messing with timelines in his films. Maybe he just wants to go back in time himself to see what he could have achieved with a bigger budget? (or maybe he just forgot he made it)

...or maybe Nolan wants to mess with the timeline of Memento by going in the opposite direction this time!

Sam Raimi did Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2 which was pretty much a remake

Rumor is that Raimi wanted to do a sequel, but the backers insisted on something "just like Evil Dead," so he took them literally.

 

[Osprey]

They Live (1988)

If you liked the consumerism satire, you might be interested in The Stuff from 1986 (I believe). It's a bit more of a comedy horror than a sci-fi horror, though. I watched it for the first time a few months ago and it wasn't bad (and with that glowing endorsement, I'm sure that you'll seek it out immediately).

House on Haunted Hill (1959)

Coincidentally, I watched the first half last week and have been meaning to finish it. I love these kinds of premises (strangers being invited to one place) and this was probably one of the first.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Rumor is that Raimi wanted to do a sequel, but the backers insisted on something "just like Evil Dead," so he took them literally.

Why am I alone in not seeing this? The "remake" part is limited to the first few minutes, no? The rest is clearly a sequel, explaining the first film and leading Ash to the past for the third one.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

If you liked the consumerism satire, you might be interested in The Stuff from 1986 (I believe). It's a bit more of a comedy horror than a sci-fi horror, though. I watched it for the first time a few months ago and it wasn't bad (and with that glowing endorsement, I'm sure that you'll seek it out immediately).

I second this. It's really not as good as They Live, but it's a fun little piece too.

 

[OzzyFan]

I don't remember typing that, but I certainly agree with myself!

You said it indirectly in reference to one or 2 of Carpenter's films, definitely about Halloween, IIRC. Something I didn't forget once I read it. lol

If you liked the consumerism satire, you might be interested in The Stuff from 1986 (I believe). It's a bit more of a comedy horror than a sci-fi horror, though. I watched it for the first time a few months ago and it wasn't bad (and with that glowing endorsement, I'm sure that you'll seek it out immediately)

I second this. It's really not as good as They Live, but it's a fun little piece too.

I actually watched The Stuff sometime in the last month or month and half or so. Didn't make my list for reviews, don't remember if it was because I had a "good week" of films that I considered great or impacted me in some way, or because I didn't feel it was worthy of the review. I'd give it a 2.05 or so out of 4stars. Some of the stuff in it is funny and kind of interesting, but so much of it hilariously bad/unbelievable without really being entertaining or insightful.

 

[Osprey]

Why am I alone in not seeing this? The "remake" part is limited to the first few minutes, no? The rest is clearly a sequel, explaining the first film and leading Ash to the past for the third one.

You're right. What I meant was that Raimi had wanted the sequel to be different and set in the past (basically, he wanted Evil Dead II to be Army of Darkness), but the backers rejected that idea. They wanted something just like The Evil Dead, so Raimi ended up re-hashing the setting and plot of the original by having Ash and friends being trapped in a cabin in the woods by an evil presence for a second time.

I actually watched The Stuff sometime in the last month or month and half or so. Didn't make my list for reviews, don't remember if it was because I had a "good week" of films that I considered great or impacted me in some way, or because I didn't feel it was worthy of the review. I'd give it a 2.05 or so out of 4stars. Some of the stuff in it is funny and kind of interesting, but so much of it hilariously bad/unbelievable without really being entertaining or insightful.

Maybe you didn't want to hurt my fragile feelings, but they're pretty similar to yours. I didn't like They Live, though, so I'm not sure what someone who liked that would also like.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I'd give it a 2.05 or so out of 4stars.

Well I gave it 3.5/10, so you're actually quite generous.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

There's been an Stephen King festival going on AMC today. Pet Sematary (old one) is on right now.

I never realized before how a speed limit, fencing around the road and competent parenting would instantly negate this entire movie.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I just watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull for the first time in a long time. It not terrible as these movies go but aside from Indiana Jones himself most of the characters aren't really likeable. Cate Blanchett really annoys me in this movie. I'd give it a 6.5/10.

 

[OzzyFan]

Maybe you didn't want to hurt my fragile feelings, but they're pretty similar to yours. I didn't like They Live, though, so I'm not sure what someone who liked that would also like.

I am not sure. Don't know of too many horror satire/spoofs that try to give full fledged messages and backup evidence on their political/social agendas, and do so well while being entertaining in the genre they are using as their tool.

Well I gave it 3.5/10, so you're actually quite generous.

I completely understand.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

CODA (2021) - 7/10

Fairly above-average family drama with some strong comedy moments at the beginning and an emotionally packed final third. I do think it builds far better than similar movies. I was ready to roll my eyes because it was leering too far into the 'high school drama' direction at the beginning and I also have no time for musicals but all the scenes involving the family were strong enough to keep it going.

Good acting by the British girl in the lead as well.

 

[Osprey]

Jolt (2021) - 3/10

The only things keeping criminal organizations and even ordinary citizens safe from 100lb Kate Beckinsale beating the snot out of them are self-applied shock therapy and a man in her life. Needless to say, the film's messaging is a bit puzzling. There are some scenes that I liked, in which Kate's character shows vulnerability and I sympathized with her, but most of the film is her strutting around like a fashion model and acting hateful and extremely violent towards anyone who irritates her even slightly (like almost killing someone for talking too loudly on the phone). She looks good doing it, but still. It also has one of the most predictable plot twists that I've ever seen. How the writers didn't imagine that we'd see it coming from a mile away, I don't know. I considered turning the movie off less than halfway through, but I had to find out for sure just to laugh at the writing. In fact, I almost turned it off just 5 minutes in when it opened with narrated backstory and I remembered an article that I read only a few hours earlier in which an actress in the 1984 Dune said that she knew that that film was in trouble when it opened the same way. Anyways, it's just a very generic and uninspired action movie that tries to be Atomic Blonde mixed with Crank. Many of the reviews that I read mentioned the similarity to the latter, which I hadn't seen, so I decided to watch that next.

Crank (2006) - 4/10

After receiving a fatal dose of poison, Jason Statham must keep his adrenaline up to stay alive long enough to find an antidote. It's an interesting premise (sort of like Speed: you slow down, you die) that leads to some amusing situations like robbing a convenience store of all of its energy drinks, deliberately electrocuting himself (sounds familiar) and this tough guy running around town in nothing but a hospital gown. It's very high energy and should've been more fun but I really disliked the handheld camerawork and choppy editing. It appeared very amateurish and the subject matter was pretty immature, as well. It was the writer/director team's debut film and relatively low budget, so I suppose that I should be more impressed or at least lenient, but I just really didn't like the style. It felt like it was made to be appreciated while on something, so watching it sober probably didn't help, either.

Crank: High Voltage (2009) - 3/10

Jason Statham must periodically shock himself to power his artificial heart long enough to get his original back from the men who took it from him. It's basically the same premise as the original, just cranked up a notch or three. It's also what Jolt seemed to borrow the most from, including a flashback to the protagonist as a kid beating the snot out of another kid at school. Though I can't say that I liked the original, I wondered if the writer/director team might've matured a bit (as filmmakers and in general) in the 3 years since the original. Oh naive me. Besides the same choppy camerawork and editing, this one includes a topless dancer being shot in her implants, wild sex on a race track in the middle of a horse race and a guy having a shotgun shoved up his butt, among many other things. This is probably one of the trashiest movies that I've seen, and I've seen my share. I'm not easily offended, but this might've crossed a few boundaries. If anything, I'll never be able to listen to "Heard It in a Love Song" the same way again.

Considering that I didn't like any of these "fun" movies, I might be the last person that you want to invite over for movie night, just FYI.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Jolt (2021) - 3/10

The only things keeping citizens and criminal organizations safe from 100lb Kate Beckinsale beating the snot out of them are self-applied shock therapy and a man in her life. Let's just say that I'm not sure about this film's messaging. There are some scenes that I liked in which Kate's character shows vulnerability and I sympathized with her, but most of the film is her strutting around like a fashion model and acting hateful and violent towards everyone. She looks good doing it, but still. It also has one of the most predictable plot twists that I've ever seen. How the writers didn't imagine that we'd see it coming from a mile away, I don't know. Also, when the movie opened with narrated backstory, I immediately thought of an article that I read only a few hours earlier in which an actress in the 1984 Dune said that she knew that that film was in trouble when it opened the same way. Overall, it's just a very generic and uninspired action movie that tries to be Atomic Blonde mixed with Crank. Many of the reviews that I read mentioned the similarity to the latter, which I hadn't seen, so I decided to watch that next.

Crank (2006) - 4/10

After receiving a fatal dose of poison, Jason Statham must keep his adrenaline up to stay alive long enough to find an antidote. It's an interesting premise that leads to some amusing situations like robbing a convenience store of all of its energy drinks, deliberately electrocuting himself (sounds familiar) and running around town in a hospital gown that occasionally exposes his bare butt. It's very high energy and should've been more fun but I really disliked the handheld camerawork and choppy editing. It appeared very amateurish and the subject matter was pretty immature, as well. It was the writer/director team's debut film and relatively low budget, so I suppose that I should be more impressed, but I just didn't like the style. It's also the kind of film that being sober during probably doesn't help.

Crank: High Voltage (2009) - 3/10

Jason Statham must frequently shock himself to power his artificial heart long enough to get his original back from the men who took it from him. It's basically the same premise as the original, just cranked up a notch or three. It's also what Jolt seemed to borrow the most from, including a flashback to the protagonist as a kid beating the snot out of another kid at school. Though I can't say that I liked the original, I wondered if the writer/director team might've matured a bit (as filmmakers and in general) in the 3 years since the original. Oh naive me. This one includes a topless dancer being shot in her implants, wild sex on a race track in the middle of a horse race and a guy having a shotgun shoved up his butt, among many other things. This is probably one of the trashiest movies that I've seen, and I've seen my share. I'm not easily offended, but this might've crossed a few boundaries. If anything, I'll never be able to listen to "Heard It in a Love Song" the same way again.

Considering that I didn't like any of these "fun" movies, you might not want to invite me over for movie night.

I've only seen High Voltage (I have it at 2/10 on IMDB, but I think it should be 2.5), and for one reason only: Mike Patton made the score.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Took a break from the gialli and watch these...

Sweet Girl (Mendoza, 2021) - I almost wrote "this film thinks its smart", which would amount to say that its pretentious (because smart it is not). Obviously, this film doesn't think, but some people thought that one twist that you see coming from a mile away is enough to make a complex narrative (you see it from so very far that when it's revealed you kinda forgot that you knew it was coming). Momoa is a pretty bad actor too. 3/10

Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood (Tarantino, 2019) - I'm not the biggest Tarantino fan, it took me 2 years to finally see this, but I'm glad I did. Kind of a thematic follow-up to Inglourious Basterds, you once again have the movie (and the movies, and the movie industry) somehow messing up with reality. IG was almost a direct answer (and confirmation) to Godard's Histoire(s) du cinéma, in which he proposes the Holocaust as proof that cinema failed its purpose. Contrarily to IG (or even Django Unchained, though it's a different approach), where you feel the gravity of the propos through the hilarity and absurdity (and through the second-degree contaminating the acting), this one is more of a gratuitous rewriting and never feels serious or important - the whole thing feels like a long farce (and I laughed a lot). Still, quite the intertextual achievement, there's lots of stuff to be read and lots of angles to read it through sewn in there. 6.5/10

 

[Chili]

Scott of the Antarctic-1948

Adventure tale of the attempt to be the first to reach the South Pole. Captain Scott left diaries and still living survivors were consulted so much of he film is based on fact. Impressive shots bring the long arduous trek in the snow to life. John Mills is like the Henry Fonda of British cinema, always good.

Good film for exploration history buffs.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

2046. I feel like Chungking Express is undergrad level Wong Kar Wai and In the Mood for Love is grad school, which makes this doctoral level. Really feels like a culmination of a lot of his interests and styles and characters, but a meaningful one, not a mere exercise. Opens up more the more I watch it. An all-time crowd-pleaser of a kiss.

Scanners. The pulpiest of the sci-fi/horror portion of David Cronenberg's filmography. Lighter on ideas than almost all his other movies, it's still pretty high on action, entertainment and splatter. The lead is a stiff and holds it back and the intense concentrating scanning face acting verges on comical ... but this is still a pretty fun, very gross ride.

Cop Land. Novel-like, but more like a mediocre breezy beach book that makes a good movie, not like an actually good book. A real entertaining popcorn muncher with a stacked cast of actors many of whom probably wouldn't put this among their five or 10 best movies and yet they're all locked in and very good. Frankly most of them can play these roles in their sleep and, funny enough, you could probably shift several of the key actors between roles and produce almost the exact same movie. Stallone is the standout and has never been better. Not great art. But damn it's a really good watch.

Marie Antoinette. A fascinating marriage of filmmaker with vision applying those interests to a historic subject. This is my sort of bio. I don't want or need the history, but I loved the POV. It says as much about Sophia Coppolla as it does about Marie Antoinette (or one can certainly read it that way) and I I love it for it. Sumptuous costume and set design and with a wonderfully anachronistic 80s-centered soundtrack.

The Bedroom Window. The descriptor on this CLAIMS it's a Hitchcock-inspired thriller and I suppose I see that amid its voyeurism and lying and mistaken identities. BUT, I submit this is actually science fiction because there is no known universe in which Isabelle Huppert wants to f*** Steve Guttenberg that bad.

 

[John Price]

9/2 saw Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings (2021) I give it a 9/10

Bit awkward parts but overall a very very good movie

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Dead & Buried. I consume so much entertainment (and news about entertainment and discussions about entertainment) that it's often rare when I'm genuinely surprised by a movie. I don't mean it in a CRAZY TWIST sense, but more in a "I barely ever heard of this and it turns out to be pretty great" sense. I was watching a documentary about 1980s horror recently and this came up. The poster was familiar, but that's it. Then it suddenly pops up at the top of my Prime recommendations so I figured, let's do this.

What a delightful surprise. Good story about a bad seaside town where visitors keep dying in gruesome ways and a dogged sheriff is trying to figure out what's up. Some really gnarly special FX. I'm stealing and paraphrasing a line from the doc that first put this on my radar -- it's the best early Stephen King novel that Stephen King didn't actually write. (Though Alien's Ron Shusett and Dan O'Bannon did). A good-good movie. Not cheesy or hacky. It plays it straight and it works well. Some genuine mystery too. I feel like I'll be recommending this one to folks for years to come ...

 

[Puck]

Did I miss the memo when this thread turned into the horror/giallo movie thread?

Not complaining, but just wondering if it was worth it opening a new thread on art-house films, indies (otherwise known as Sundance flims) and various serious foreign films. We could leave this one to horror, Marvel, giallos, revenge flicks etc.

I'm not sure, there might not be enough to post for an extra thread. And it might get confusing.

 

[Osprey]

Dead & Buried. I consume so much entertainment (and news about entertainment and discussions about entertainment) that it's often rare when I'm genuinely surprised by a movie. I don't mean it in a CRAZY TWIST sense, but more in a "I barely ever heard of this and it turns out to be pretty great" sense. I was watching a documentary about 1980s horror recently and this came up. The poster was familiar, but that's it. Then it suddenly pops up at the top of my Prime recommendations so I figured, let's do this.

What a delightful surprise. Good story about a bad seaside town where visitors keep dying in gruesome ways and a dogged sheriff is trying to figure out what's up. Some really gnarly special FX. I'm stealing and paraphrasing a line from the doc that first put this on my radar -- it's the best early Stephen King novel that Stephen King didn't actually write. (Though Alien's Ron Shusett and Dan O'Bannon did). A good-good movie. Not cheesy or hacky. It plays it straight and it works well. Some genuine mystery too. I feel like I'll be recommending this one to folks for years to come ...

Coincidentally, this has been on my short list to watch for the last week or two. I'll have to put it on my short short list now (meaning that I'll definitely get to it by the end of the year).

Did I miss the memo when this thread turned into the horror/giallo movie thread?

Not complaining, but just wondering if it was worth it opening a new thread on art-house films, indies (otherwise known as Sundance flims) and various serious foreign films. We could leave this one to horror, Marvel, giallos, revenge flicks etc.

I'm not sure, there might not be enough to post for an extra thread. And it might get confusing.

It might not get confusing if we renamed this thread Last Trashy Movie You Watched and Rate It and named the new one Last Artsy Fartsy Movie You Watched and Rate It.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Dead & Buried. I consume so much entertainment (and news about entertainment and discussions about entertainment) that it's often rare when I'm genuinely surprised by a movie. I don't mean it in a CRAZY TWIST sense, but more in a "I barely ever heard of this and it turns out to be pretty great" sense. I was watching a documentary about 1980s horror recently and this came up. The poster was familiar, but that's it. Then it suddenly pops up at the top of my Prime recommendations so I figured, let's do this.

What a delightful surprise. Good story about a bad seaside town where visitors keep dying in gruesome ways and a dogged sheriff is trying to figure out what's up. Some really gnarly special FX. I'm stealing and paraphrasing a line from the doc that first put this on my radar -- it's the best early Stephen King novel that Stephen King didn't actually write. (Though Alien's Ron Shusett and Dan O'Bannon did). A good-good movie. Not cheesy or hacky. It plays it straight and it works well. Some genuine mystery too. I feel like I'll be recommending this one to folks for years to come ...

Saw it myself for the first time last year. Movies: - Last Movie You Watched and Rate It | Part#: Some High Number +3