Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate it | {Insert Appropriate Seasonal Greeting Here}

[A Loyal Demidog]

Also, I was at TIFF for the first few days (had to travel back for work last Monday, following Empire of Light screening). Here are my rankings of what I saw:

1. The Fabelmans (10/10)
2. Glass Onion (9/10)
3. Bros (8.5/10)
4. Weird (8/10)
5. The Swimmers (7.5/10)
6. The Woman King (7/10)
7. Empire of Light (6.5/10)
8. Catherine Called Birdy (6.5/10)

Saw pre-festival (flew in for TIFF CEO’s Choice):
Women Talking (8/10)

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Rogue One (Edwards, 2016) - Rewatched that before going for the new series. It's still some of the best - and definitely the more "adult" - SW material. 4.5/10

 

[Osprey]

The Infernal Machine (2022) - 6/10

"A reclusive and controversial author (Guy Pearce) is drawn out of hiding when he begins to receive endless letters from an obsessive fan." It's a mystery/thriller that reminded me of In the Line of Fire in that the main character is harassed remotely by an unseen person who knows his connection to a tragedy that occurred 25 years earlier. The first two acts are solid as the mystery builds about what that connection is, why this person is hounding him and why the author stopped writing while the latter gets increasingly stressed and upset over his past catching up to him. Andrew Hunt, who wrote and directed it, does a good job of making even packages arriving in the mail suspenseful and Pearce gives a very good performance, especially considering that he often has no one to interact with. The final act goes a bit off of the rails, though, with an overly elaborate and almost confusing resolution. Hunt seems guilty here of what M. Night Shyamalan often is: taking a simple and interesting premise and tacking an overly twisty and dramatic ending onto it. A couple of the twists were satisfying, but another couple were not and rather nonsensical. Even though the last act was a letdown, I'll be a little generous with my score because the first two acts were effective, the film held my interest with a good mystery and I enjoyed Pearce's performance. Also, a phone booth has a recurring role and I miss them in movies.

 

[OzzyFan]

Seconds (1966)
3.25 out of 4stars

“An unhappy middle-aged banker agrees to a procedure that will fake his death and give him a completely new look and identity….one that comes with its own price.”
A great “Faustian” psychological thriller horror with paranoia, mania, depth, and excellent black and white camera work (and film editing). A thought provoking, aesthetically experiential, living and breathing human nightmare. First and foremost, one notices the brilliant camera use during the first act, third act, and parts of the 2nd act. I’m not knowledgeable on the techniques used, but I must say that the unorthodox way the movie was shot in those inner film periods greatly enhanced the uneasy mood and intrigue while being metaphorical. The outermost theme seems to be that happiness is created from within and not external circumstances or projections, literally or maybe even in a hedonic adaptation sort of way given we are all chemically/personally who we are and external circumstances can only temporarily pull us from our “inherent norm”. Or maybe even in a seizing the moment way, there are many possibilities. I could go on and on, but will leave it at that. Not going to ruin any of the movie, but it’s quite fun thinking of all the metaphors and meaning the story as a whole can be interpreted as, wide and intimate…supernatural/theistical, spiritual, existential, substitutive, personal, psychological, contemplative, imaginative, sociological, political, etc. The film is art-like in its ability to be however the viewer interprets it and its inner workings with many possible viable answers on a beholder level.

Excision (2012)
3.05 out of 4stars

“A disturbed, delusional high school senior with aspirations of a career as a surgeon has weird and increasingly violent psychosexual fantasies.”
A great dark comedy psychological drama body horror that is a psychotic high school teen character study and a tale about neglectful parenting. Surprisingly smart, highly entertaining, offbeat, darkly funny, shocking, disturbing, creepy, sad, a bit satirical, and always bluntly on point, especially the dialogue. While her dreams are shocking in multiple ways, there is symbolic meaning scattered in them. McCord is excellent in the lead as the unpredictable outcast, creating sympathy and disgust for her manic misunderstood tortured soul, albeit not totally innocent. Her character Pauline seems to be searching for meaning and connection in a world that almost entirely rejects or uses her like a puppet, which she reacts defiantly to. While she herself has issues on the inside she may not be able to control, it’s clear she’s a product of her all-encompassing environment as well. Her mother, played well by Traci Lords, is arguably the biggest influence on her in a judging and domineering way to constant negative effects. Even with mental illnesses aside, high school aged teens are at such an interesting time in their lives developmentally. Impressionable, vulnerable, and impulsive is a scary combination that leads to notable and sometimes lasting outcomes or imprints. And the who and where they are shaped and surrounded by, some inevitable like parents/siblings/teachers/schools/homes, helps push things in a direction. Whether that group is supportive, antagonistic, or laissez-faire, it’s meaningful. Creating another nature versus nurture debate in regard to these circumstances. There’s also a good amount of commentary on gender roles and some christianity jabs mixed in too. And last but not least, the make-up artists here did an excellent and believable job making McCord look as she did throughout alongside the gory scenes.

The Woman King (2022)
3.10 out of 4stars

“The remarkable story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. The story follows the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life.”
A great epic historical drama that checks off all the boxes you’d hope for in this type of movie while being timely relevant. Viola Davis carries the titular character excellently, deserved of another Oscar nomination that she may yet win again. Overall solidly entertaining. Great fresh action, charismatic and believable cast, real human drama large and small, great direction, top notch set pieces and costume work, and brings to light a historical tale worth telling that’s been collecting dust in the darkness. Also juggles all its storylines greatly. Definitely hits the bar for classic status in its genre, but doesn’t quite hit greatness. For comparison’s sake, it’s not nearly as powerful or memorable as say Gladiator or Braveheart. Arguably a bit too controlled in the way it portrays similar storylines/sub-storylines in good but familiar fashion. But still undoubtedly a success.

 

[Puck]

Emily the Criminal, Directed by John Patton Ford, Film itself 6.0, Plaza's Emily portrayal 8.0

I like the actress Aubrey Plaza. I never watched Parks and Recreation (TV) so she never hit my radar screen until I saw her recently in Best Sellers with Michael Caine. I enjoyed that film and her interpretation of Lucy, the publishing house heiress. I think she is going places. I liked the film Emily the Criminal a bit less than Best Sellers but still enjoyed Plaza's role in it. The film is a character study about a woman pushed to the edge into criminal behaviour she never believed she would partake in, as a losing player in the gig economy. It's her performance here that carries the film. The film itself is standard fare, Plaza makes it better. I would have liked to have known what happened to Youcef (Theo Rossi), her partner in crime at the end, it's left up to the viewer unfortunately

p.s. I'm still not watching much in films. I've migrated more to streaming tv mini-series recently. It's a golden era for streaming tv right now as Hollywood seems to be pivoting more towards streaming services and investing a lot in that to compete for eyeballs. Foreign films are still doing relatively well though, I'll have to catch up on that over the Winter.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

Hud (1963) - 7/10

Superbly acted as written on one of the posters is an understatement. Paul Newman and Patricia Neal are especially good. There's not much of a resolution here, just bleakness. It's also a film keen to pack in as many impressive one or two sentence quotes as it can which it's usually doing pretty well no matter who's talking.

I don't enjoy American bleak 60s/70s cinema like thir or Last Picture Show as much as others so never gonna be a favourite but it's a well-made film regardless. I prefer more of the plot from this same director when he made The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. Both of these were great book to film adaptations.

I never watched Parks and Recreation (TV) so

p.s. I'm still not watching much in films. I've migrated more to streaming tv mini-series recently. It's a golden era for streaming tv right now as Hollywood seems to be pivoting more towards streaming services and investing a lot in that to compete for eyeballs. Foreign films are still doing relatively well though, I'll have to catch up on that over the Winter.

You know what else was a golden era for TV....2000s comedies like...Parks & Rec.

 

[nameless1]

Glad you guys have fun at TIFF.

I still have not been to the theatre in over 2 years now, and I think that will continue. I am tempted to attend VIFF this year, but so many people around me have come down with COVID, and I really do not want to risk it.

Oh well. There is always next year.

 

[Puck]

I still have not been to the theatre in over 2 years now, and I think that will continue. I am tempted to attend VIFF this year, but so many people around me has come down with COVID, and I really do not want to risk it.

You could try matinees, no crowds, and you can keep some social distancing in the theatre. Although that might not work for a festival.

 

[nameless1]

You could try matinees, no crowds, and you can keep some social distancing in the theatre. Although that might not work for a festival.

Yeah, I do miss the theatre, but I have elderly parents whose health have declined in recent years, so I do not want to risk it.

Oh well. Streaming has worked for me so far, so I will just stick with it for now.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Seconds (1966)
3.25 out of 4stars

“An unhappy middle-aged banker agrees to a procedure that will fake his death and give him a completely new look and identity….one that comes with its own price.”
A great “Faustian” psychological thriller horror with paranoia, mania, depth, and excellent black and white camera work (and film editing). A thought provoking, aesthetically experiential, living and breathing human nightmare. First and foremost, one notices the brilliant camera use during the first act, third act, and parts of the 2nd act. I’m not knowledgeable on the techniques used, but I must say that the unorthodox way the movie was shot in those inner film periods greatly enhanced the uneasy mood and intrigue while being metaphorical. The outermost theme seems to be that happiness is created from within and not external circumstances or projections, literally or maybe even in a hedonic adaptation sort of way given we are all chemically/personally who we are and external circumstances can only temporarily pull us from our “inherent norm”. Or maybe even in a seizing the moment way, there are many possibilities. I could go on and on, but will leave it at that. Not going to ruin any of the movie, but it’s quite fun thinking of all the metaphors and meaning the story as a whole can be interpreted as, wide and intimate…supernatural/theistical, spiritual, existential, substitutive, personal, psychological, contemplative, imaginative, sociological, political, etc. The film is art-like in its ability to be however the viewer interprets it and its inner workings with many possible viable answers on a beholder level.

Excision (2012)
3.05 out of 4stars

“A disturbed, delusional high school senior with aspirations of a career as a surgeon has weird and increasingly violent psychosexual fantasies.”
A great dark comedy psychological drama body horror that is a psychotic high school teen character study and a tale about neglectful parenting. Surprisingly smart, highly entertaining, offbeat, darkly funny, shocking, disturbing, creepy, sad, a bit satirical, and always bluntly on point, especially the dialogue. While her dreams are shocking in multiple ways, there is symbolic meaning scattered in them. McCord is excellent in the lead as the unpredictable outcast, creating sympathy and disgust for her manic misunderstood tortured soul, albeit not totally innocent. Her character Pauline seems to be searching for meaning and connection in a world that almost entirely rejects or uses her like a puppet, which she reacts defiantly to. While she herself has issues on the inside she may not be able to control, it’s clear she’s a product of her all-encompassing environment as well. Her mother, played well by Traci Lords, is arguably the biggest influence on her in a judging and domineering way to constant negative effects. Even with mental illnesses aside, high school aged teens are at such an interesting time in their lives developmentally. Impressionable, vulnerable, and impulsive is a scary combination that leads to notable and sometimes lasting outcomes or imprints. And the who and where they are shaped and surrounded by, some inevitable like parents/siblings/teachers/schools/homes, helps push things in a direction. Whether that group is supportive, antagonistic, or laissez-faire, it’s meaningful. Creating another nature versus nurture debate in regard to these circumstances. There’s also a good amount of commentary on gender roles and some christianity jabs mixed in too. And last but not least, the make-up artists here did an excellent and believable job making McCord look as she did throughout alongside the gory scenes.

The Woman King (2022)
3.10 out of 4stars

“The remarkable story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. The story follows the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life.”
A great epic historical drama that checks off all the boxes you’d hope for in this type of movie while being timely relevant. Viola Davis carries the titular character excellently, deserved of another Oscar nomination that she may yet win again. Overall solidly entertaining. Great fresh action, charismatic and believable cast, real human drama large and small, great direction, top notch set pieces and costume work, and brings to light a historical tale worth telling that’s been collecting dust in the darkness. Also juggles all its storylines greatly. Definitely hits the bar for classic status in its genre, but doesn’t quite hit greatness. For comparison’s sake, it’s not nearly as powerful or memorable as say Gladiator or Braveheart. Arguably a bit too controlled in the way it portrays similar storylines/sub-storylines in good but familiar fashion. But still undoubtedly a success.

Seconds is great, and I can't believe I haven't seen Excision. I was already watching way less movies when it came out, but just looked at the trailer and it really should have crossed my path sooner.

Glad you guys have fun at TIFF.

I still have not been to the theatre in over 2 years now, and I think that will continue. I am tempted to attend VIFF this year, but so many people around me have come down with COVID, and I really do not want to risk it.

Oh well. There is always next year.

I'm with you, super prudent since the beginning of this crap (and ironically caught COVID this week from my elderly mom!). I've managed to go see a few films, but only in VIP cinemas, where there's a lot less people and you're far from other people - the choice is what it is, but it's just good to be in a theater once in a while.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Poor man's Ethan Hawke while he's booed off screen by most of the commentators I've read (he really ain't that bad). ​

Boo! (Jaden, 2018) – Reading comments on this one, you'd think it's the worst thing ever made. It's certainly not a good film, and for something that announces itself as from the producers of Insidious, its amateurish cheapness is quickly too obvious. If you can pass that, and if you can pass the fact that a lot of its scary ploys are taken from other films (where they were also more effective – the only one that personally bothered me was the voice commanding the daughter to kill her mother that was straight out of Amityville II, but that's probably just because you don't touch that masterpiece), it still is original enough to be worth a watch – oh, the premise is so dumb and so obviously an attempt to take from It Follows that it also takes an effort to pass over it. Some commentators pin it on poor skills, but the tone and pace, slow and overly dreadful, manage to create a very peculiar atmosphere – the very weird emphasis on cigarette smoke and people smoking (as if it was an aesthetic achievement on itself), the frequent sound saturation, everything contributes to make a film borderline efficient, in its own thing (which is ironic, given that it steals from many other works). The final series of attacks/hallucinations on the characters sadly weaken the whole film, it's like they were trying to showcase some skills in terror, but they mostly showcase bad f/x and create a narrative mess (my favorite one, the scene with the reel viewer, could have been amazing, but suffered from very poor timing). Thematically, it flirts with the psychoanalytical phantom (especially through the family's secret and the unsaid), but it's certainly due to imitation of more achieved ghost stories (and thus is of no real interest through that light). It still portrays one pretty nice dysfunctional family, and has an unclear relation to religion that I enjoyed. Again, not a good film, and not a film you will enjoy if you have low tolerance for amateurish stuff. 3.5/10

 

[nameless1]

I'm with you, super prudent since the beginning of this crap (and ironically caught COVID this week from my elderly mom!). I've managed to go see a few films, but only in VIP cinemas, where there's a lot less people and you're far from other people - the choice is what it is, but it's just good to be in a theater once in a while.

Oh man, please take care. I do not know if it just feels that way, but the strain seems to be particularly potent around me. All of the people I know who caught it got knocked out, and needed to be confined at home.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Oh man, please take care. I do not know if it just feels that way, but the strain seems to be particularly potent around me. All of the people I know who caught it got knocked out, and need to be confined at home.

Thx! Knock on wood, as of now it's a pain in the ass, but not tooooo bad. I work with teens, so it's always all around me - I'm the last one masked everywhere I go (my immune system is crap), just had to have the very bright idea to go eat at my mother's this weekend!

 

[OzzyFan]

Seconds is great, and I can't believe I haven't seen Excision. I was already watching way less movies when it came out, but just looked at the trailer and it really should have crossed my path sooner.


I'm with you, super prudent since the beginning of this crap (and ironically caught COVID this week from my elderly mom!). I've managed to go see a few films, but only in VIP cinemas, where there's a lot less people and you're far from other people - the choice is what it is, but it's just good to be in a theater once in a while.

Excision was a good find for me, I saw it free on Tubi too. I'd say it's worth a watch, especially given your background/preferences. I'd be curious what you get from it if you choose to see it.

You could try matinees, no crowds, and you can keep some social distancing in the theatre. Although that might not work for a festival.

Oh man, please take care. I do not know if it just feels that way, but the strain seems to be particularly potent around me. All of the people I know who caught it got knocked out, and needed to be confined at home.

Thx! Knock on wood, as of now it's a pain in the ass, but not tooooo bad. I work with teens, so it's always all around me - I'm the last one masked everywhere I go (my immune system is crap), just had to have the very bright idea to go eat at my mother's this weekend!

I have no horse in the COVID fight, but it's so weird and unpredictable person to person and strain to strain that it's just crazy. I have never caught it yet, knock on wood, but one of the coworker's in my office in their 40's has caught it 3 times in the last 18months. Knocks her out good for a couple days each time when she gets it too, but gets her taste back and everything after a month. Then I have also heard another friend of a coworker die of it in their 50's with no pre-existing/prone health conditions known. Scary.

As far as theaters go, I've been going regularly since allowable in the states, mask up on busy movie days, but 95% of the time have gone to matinees that have been almost empty. I don't know if I'm in an area saturated with movie theaters, if it's because I go to matinees, or what have you, but it's a ghost town most of the time for me. It's weird, on average opening weekend matinees I've seen with a friend have had an average of 6total people in the theater including me. But I am not pushing anyone toward anything. Stay safe all.

 

[Puck]

As far as theaters go, I've been going regularly since allowable in the states, mask up on busy movie days, but 95% of the time have gone to matinees that have been almost empty. I don't know if I'm in an area saturated with movie theaters, if it's because I go to matinees, or what have you, but it's a ghost town most of the time for me. It's weird, on average opening weekend matinees I've seen with a friend have had an average of 6total people in the theater including me. But I am not pushing anyway toward anything. Stay safe all.

I don't know how it can be profitable to stay open with such a small clientele for matinees but they do it. The multiplex format is probably more cost-effective than the old single cinemas and projector automation probably helps. All theatres in the downtown core here in Ottawa are gone, (except single screen repertory theatre showing indies and foreign fare). It's my preference anyway. The rest have all moved to the suburbs. Another cost saving measure I suppose.

I just read the British Mag "Total Film" and there are lots of good foreign films coming up. I'm pumped. It might be my imagination but I found decent Hollywood studio films rare this year. Like I said, I think they're investing more into streaming.

(Oh and my horse is definitely in the pro-vax camp. Got all my shots, due for a 5th in late November I think. My brother tells me we're probably all eventually going to get it in the future, hopefully it's a weak strain and the vaccine helps, everyone I know who got covid recently said the symptoms were milder than in 2020, like getting a cold (all people who jumped on a plane to travel). My pref is still to avoid it if possible)

 

[Pink Mist]

I don't know how it can be profitable to stay open with such a small clientele for matinees but they do it. The multiplex format is probably more cost-effective than the old single cinemas and projector automation probably helps. All theatres in the downtown core here in Ottawa are gone, (except single screen repertory theatre showing indies and foreign fare). It's my preference anyway. The rest have all moved to the suburbs. Another cost saving measure I suppose.

I guess technically not downtown, but isn't there a cineplex at Lansdowne? Always was a fan of the Bytowne, that's where I cut my teeth as a young cinephile, was worried when I heard it was shutting down a couple years ago. Thankfully it was sold to another indie theatre owner

 

[Puck]

I guess technically not downtown, but isn't there a cineplex at Lansdowne? Always was a fan of the Bytowne, that's where I cut my teeth as a young cinephile, was worried when I heard it was shutting down a couple years ago. Thankfully it was sold to another indie theatre owner

Yes, there is a new Cineplex at Landsdowne Park (in the Glebe, south of the Queensway). I meant that all theatres in the downtown core are gone (Centretown, north of the Queensway). The Mayfair is still there in the Glebe too. But all the old theatres in Centretown are gone (Capitol, Elgin, Somerset, Place de Ville etc..). Even the more recent theatres at the Rideau Centre and World Exchange Plaza are gone.

Yes the Bytowne is great, glad it did not close for good.

I'm in Centretown. I guess that's why I don't think of the Glebe as downtown.

 

[Puck]

After posting my Emily the Criminal review, I noticed the film is getting some mediocre reviews in some circles. Not bad but not great. Aubrey Plaza still gets good reviews. Total Film magazine really praises her, they think an Oscar nom might even be possible. Some reviews liked the film though, that's a mixed bag.

I saw Top Gun Maverick a few weeks ago but did not post a review, I usually don't for the big pop films like Marvel fare either. I thought it was pretty entertaining. Part of me has nit-picking reservations about the storyline, you know, stuff that's hard to believe. But if you turn off the reality switch in your mind, and just accept and go for the ride, it was lots of fun.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Confess, Fletch. Pretty amiable amusing little mystery. Long time fan of the books and it's nice to see the property revived. Jon Hamm is a good fit and the supporting cast is peppered with a half-dozen big, silly performances he's able to bounce off of. Hope it does well enough to justify another one or two of these. The world's a better place with low stakes B-grade movies like this to put on on a Friday night.

Dead Heat. Late 80s (maybe early 90s?) zombie cop movie with a really fun premise that doesn't really gel. Script is sloppy (even for something like this) and feels like it could've used a few more passes. Treat Williams is a perfectly cromulent lead, but I'm pretty sure Joe Piscopo's character speaks only in quips, few of which are actually funny. Some good comedic gore though and Vincent Price is always welcome on my television.

Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning. I had only ever seen the first of this series, but remember reading something years ago about how John Hyams made a pair of sequels that were shockingly interesting, far better than straight to video typically is allowed. This is one of those two sequels and I have to say ... I think I agree. There is some truly brutal, bone breaking fighting in this, if that's what you're looking for. Fights that play out with minimal editing so you really sit in it. The style shifts almost to a first person shooter POV at times. But what was more intriguing to me about it were the themes and allusions to other stuff — The Terminator, Blade Runner, Apocalypse Now — that not only were well done, but felt earned. Van Damme and Lundgren return in supporting roles and both are used to great effect. Some of their best work, both of them.

 

[Pink Mist]

Quo vadis, Aida? (Jasmila Žbanić, 2020)

In July 1995, near the end of the Bosnian War, over 8,000 Bosnian men and boys were murdered by the Army of Republika Srpska led by the war criminal Ratko Mladić, and aided by the incompetence and toothless power of the UN, in what is now known as the Srebrenica genocide. The film follows a schoolteacher turned translator for the UN named Aida (Jasna Đuričić) who helplessly watches the massacre unfold as she does everything she can to get her husband and two teenage boys to safety. Đuričić puts in an extremely powerful performance as the tries to navigate the frustrating bureaucracy of the UN against the real threat of her and her whole family being slaughtered by Serbs. Tough to watch at times, especially when Aida returns to Srebrenica years after the genocide to move back into her home that had been occupied by Serbs, uncover the graves of her family, while the whole town – now part of Serb dominated Republika Srpska in Bosnia – has more or less moved on from it. A really harrowing film about a war that has surprisingly not been addressed in film very often. Although I guess not too surprising given the lack of attention it also received in 1995.

 

[sdf]

Eternials

I actually didn't watch it, i'm just want to say that this scene was really impressive

 

[shadow1]

Nightbreed (1990) - 4/10

A man searches for a city that he's seen in his dreams, but is pursued my a psychopathic therapist intent on framing him for murder.

Nightbreed stars Craig Sheffer as Aaron, a man who constantly dreams of a city named Midian, a place accepting of all people and monsters. He decides to seek the city out after a chance encounter with another man who has also dreamed of Midian. Unfortunately for Aaron, his psychologist Dr. Decker (David Cronenberg) is a serial killer who's hell bent on killing him and framing him for his murders.

Nightbreed is based on Clive Barker's novella "Cabal", and Barker takes a turn behind the camera in one of his extremely rare directorial efforts. Being a big fan of other Clive Barker adapted works (Hellraiser and Candyman), I had pretty high expectations for this movie.

As you can tell by my score, my expectations were not met. I was shocked to find Nightbreed as an underdeveloped and somewhat pointless movie. The film crams in so many characters and ideas and explains so little of it that if feels like they're setting up a film series (think Lord of the Rings trilogy).

For example, why did the city summon Aaron, only turn him away? Why was Decker so hellbent on framing and killing Aaron when he seemed to be getting away with his murders? What are the Nightbreed and who is Baphomet?

These and many other questions aren't answered. "Cabal" is almost 400 pages, so it's likely the source material is more flushed out. The version of Nightbreed I watched was the Director's Cut, which didn't come out until 2014. Even with an additional 20 minutes footage and a completely different ending, I found the movie to be pretty messy.

There's some weird genre blending going on in this film, which is another thing that didn't really work for me. Nightbreed is mostly a fantasy movie, but there are also scenes straight out of a slasher horror film peppered in. Add in a Michael Kamen score that sounds reminiscent of his score in 1989's Batman and you have one unusual final product.

It is not lost on me that the Nightbreed characters are supposed to represent real life minorities (likely LGBTQ+), as they are forced to hide away and are persecuted by people who should be seen as the "good guys" (doctors, police officers, etc.). That's fine, but subtext can't carry an entire movie; especially when the Nightbreed characters are so underdeveloped that it's difficult to feel individual emotional connections with them.

I'm not exactly sure how to rate Nightbreed. It clearly has ambition and certain visual elements only Clive Barker could think up. But I have to admit it took me THREE tries to get through this movie, as it was literally putting me to sleep the first two times I sat down to watch it. The second half drags so much, and with paper thin lead characters that have murky (at best) motivations, I found myself not caring at all what was happening on the screen.

I did enjoy David Cronenberg's performance and the look of his serial killer, but that is one small element of the epic story Nightbreed is trying to tell. There are several cuts of this film, and I'd be willing to give one of those a try in the future. But for now, I'm not a fan of this movie. IMDB users currently rank this movie at a 6.5, so take this review with a grain of salt.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Nightbreed (1990) - 4/10

A man searches for a city that he's seen in his dreams, but is pursued my a psychopathic therapist intent on framing him for murder.

Nightbreed stars Craig Sheffer as Aaron, a man who constantly dreams of a city named Midian, a place accepting of all people and monsters. He decides to seek the city out after a chance encounter with another man who has also dreamed of Midian. Unfortunately for Aaron, his psychologist Dr. Decker (David Cronenberg) is a serial killer who's hell bent on killing him and framing him for his murders.

Nightbreed is based on Clive Barker's novella "Cabal", and Barker takes a turn behind the camera in one of his extremely rare directorial efforts. Being a big fan of other Clive Barker adapted works (Hellraiser and Candyman), I had pretty high expectations for this movie.

As you can tell by my score, my expectations were not met. I was shocked to find Nightbreed as an underdeveloped and somewhat pointless movie. The film crams in so many characters and ideas and explains so little of it that if feels like they're setting up a film series (think Lord of the Rings trilogy).

For example, why did the city summon Aaron, only turn him away? Why was Decker so hellbent on framing and killing Aaron when he seemed to be getting away with his murders? What are the Nightbreed and who is Baphomet?

These and many other questions aren't answered. "Cabal" is almost 400 pages, so it's likely the source material is more flushed out. The version of Nightbreed I watched was the Director's Cut, which didn't come out until 2014. Even with an additional 20 minutes footage and a completely different ending, I found the movie to be pretty messy.

There's some weird genre blending going on in this film, which is another thing that didn't really work for me. Nightbreed is mostly a fantasy movie, but there are also scenes straight out of a slasher horror film peppered in. Add in a Michael Kamen score that sounds reminiscent of his score in 1989's Batman and you have one unusual final product.

It is not lost on me that the Nightbreed characters are supposed to represent real life minorities (likely LGBTQ+), as they are forced to hide away and are persecuted by people who should be seen as the "good guys" (doctors, police officers, etc.). That's fine, but subtext can't carry an entire movie; especially when the Nightbreed characters are so underdeveloped that it's difficult to feel individual emotional connections with them.

I'm not exactly sure how to rate Nightbreed. It clearly has ambition and certain visual elements only Clive Barker could think up. But I have to admit it took me THREE tries to get through this movie, as it was literally putting me to sleep the first two times I sat down to watch it. The second half drags so much, and with paper thin lead characters that have murky (at best) motivations, I found myself not caring at all what was happening on the screen.

I did enjoy David Cronenberg's performance and the look of his serial killer, but that is one small element of the epic story Nightbreed is trying to tell. There are several cuts of this film, and I'd be willing to give one of those a try in the future. But for now, I'm not a fan of this movie. IMDB users currently rank this movie at a 6.5, so take this review with a grain of salt.

In many ways, Nightbreed is a close cousin to Hellraiser, a typical Clive Barker work walking that line between fantasy and horror and making light of the beauty of extremes and differences (isn't Shuna Sassi the most perfect dream girl?). I understand your criticism perfectly, and you forgot to talk about the sets, which are often ridiculous, but even with its many weaknesses, I still think this is a 7.5/10 film - the signature, the subtext (even though a little too on the nose at times - the mother's discourse after Lori saves her child), contribute IMO to build a very relevant work on otherness and expend on the "we're the monster" horror trope.

 

[shadow1]

In many ways, Nightbreed is a close cousin to Hellraiser, a typical Clive Barker work walking that line between fantasy and horror and making light of the beauty of extremes and differences (isn't Shuna Sassi the most perfect dream girl?). I understand your criticism perfectly, and you forgot to talk about the sets, which are often ridiculous, but even with its many weaknesses, I still think this is a 7.5/10 film - the signature, the subtext (even though a little too on the nose at times - the mother's discourse after Lori saves her child), contribute IMO to build a very relevant work on otherness and expend on the "we're the monster" horror trope.

Which cut of the movie did you think was the best (if you've seen more than one)? It looked like there were at least three, and I know the theatrical version has a completely different ending, which includes different fates for some characters.

Maybe the Director's Cut is the best, but I'm skeptical because it came out so many years after the theatrical run. I'd be interested in checking out different cuts of the movie in the future, assuming I can find them.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Which cut of the movie did you think was the best (if you've seen more than one)? It looked like there were at least three, and I know the theatrical version has a completely different ending, which includes different fates for some characters.

Maybe the Director's Cut is the best, but I'm skeptical because it came out so many years after the theatrical run. I'd be interested in checking out different cuts of the movie in the future, assuming I can find them.

I know Barker hated the theatrical ending ("I've seen their God, master..."), and it might run a little counter to what the movie proposes, but I was used to it and kind of like it. I don't think the director's cut makes the film that much better, and I'm not even sure I've seen the Cabal cut. When you can't find something, hit me, I have (some) resources!