Films You Have Watched

[QualityChimp]

Love how in The Fog and Halloween III, Tom Atkins is a total chick magnet.

I only saw Blair Witch the one time at the cinema BITD. Might need to watch it again.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Watched Small Things Like These (2024), Tim Mielants' recent film adaption of Claire Keegan's 2021 historical fictional novel, starring the man-of-the-moment (also producer) Cillian Murphy.

A deceptively nuanced look at trauma and institutionalised abuse (via Ireland's notorious Magdalene Laundries) and the wider generational ramifications of both, although, truth be told, the vast majority of the anxiety, tension and sheer discomfort that comes from watching this film is mostly down to Murphy's performance - arguably the main objective.

As somebody not Irish and unfamiliar with the Laundries, it might have added more substantial weight to the film to elaborate more about the Laundries instead of just implying what happened (a trick the film used often) but then I can appreciate that the main character and his perspective on it was what mattered more.

No real qualms with the quality of the acting but it ultimately felt like something was missing after a relatively short watch that clocked in at just over an hour-and-a-half.

[Neon Ignition]

Silent Hill: Revelation
It's not good, a clear step down from the first film which wasn't a good horror itself but at least captured some sense of the games style. In its favour though, I do recall it being worse than it came across on this rewatch.

[Atticus]

Went to see Heretic last night and it's another winner from A24. The trailer shows a little too much but in its defence it did make me want to see the film (I just wish I could have gone in knowing even less, because it's so good). I was listening to an interview with Hugh Grant afterwards and he talks about the months of prep he put into the character. And you can see it. Paired with some excellent writing, Mr Reed is a fantastic creation. A bad man who you have to side with from time to time. Brilliant.

Love how in The Fog and Halloween III, Tom Atkins is a total chick magnet.

That's where I've been going wrong ... I just needed a 'tache and 70s haircut.

[Finsbury Girl]

Now that Deadpool and Wolverine is on Disney + , I went to watch and saw that the OG X-Men was from 2000 and thought why don't I watch this to get in the mood. It is stil a fairly competent film, you can see the budget restrictions - like why are there only like 3 mutants v 3 mutants etc. Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are as ever excellent and give the movie a bit of oomph but it is really the then relatively unknown Hugh Jackman who steals the show. He's also nowhere near as jacked as he gets in the later movies. Overall I thought it was very good ; X2 up next and then if I recall correctly the quality drops off a fair bit.

[Atticus]

I watched The Hitcher at the weekend. I had a fair bit of VHS nostalgia for this one. Watching again it opens strong but it doesn't sustain. The set-up is there but the tension isn't. It's definitely an iconic film of its era, and that's maybe why it worked so well as a 2quid rental. Not so much a prestige 4K release. For me anyway.

[QualityChimp]

Woovember updates:

Memorial Special:
Carl Weathers (February 1, 2024)

Dolph Bronson Day (November 3):
Watch an action film starring Charles Bronson

Death Hunt (1981 via Dailymotion)
Okay, so I thought this was a pretty decent action film, loooooosely based on a true story of a trapper in the Canadian wilds being accused of a crime he didn't commit and forced on the run from the Mounties through the unforgiving wilderness.
There's a pretty decent siege sequence where Bronson has transformed his wood cabin into a fortress and defends it from the Mounties and local yocals, plus some thrills as he tries to lose their pursuit. Canada is gorgeous and they could've pointed the camera anywhere for a stunning vista. Carl Weathers is one of the trackers working for Lee Marvin and his team.
Similar vibes to Rambo where an ex-military man is driven to defend himself and make rudimentary traps to stop corrupt deputies trying to arrest him. However, this came out the year before! The 1930s setting means it's not quite cowboy-era, but not modern either.

The story behind the film is probably just as interesting. One of 6 films in a deal with Golden Harvest, with the only others that got made being Battle Creek Brawl, The Cannonball Run and Tom Selleck "Raiders" clone, High Road to China. The other 2 never got made.
The film takes a metric tonne of liberties with the book, which is supposedly the true-life story of the "Mad Trapper" who went around killing other trappers for their belongings and their gold teeth, but why should the truth get in the way of a good story.

If you fancy a Bronson Western with a bit of a twist, check this out.


Anniversary Special:
Watch an action film directed by Jan de Bont to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Speed

Speed (1994 via D+)
You know, I'd forgotten what an absolute action banger this is.
The opening sequence with the elevator hostages rescue, the cat and mouse chase for leads and the bus sequences made this really fun to watch again after a massive break. Possibly since the cinema release or VHS!
Keanu is always watchable and his short-haired bomb specialist is determined to win and Sandra Bullock was genius casting as the really likeable Annie who ends up driving the bus. They have great chemistry and have later revealed that they both had a crush on each other whilst filming. Heh!

[QualityChimp]

Woovember
Memorial Special:
James Earl Jones (September 9, 2024)

Conan The Librarian Barbarian (1982 via D+)
I'll be honest, this looks amazing and has some good moments, but there are some quite plodding sections in between.
Deffo worth a watch as it's sumptuous and a benchmark for sword and sorcery flicks.

Listened to Arnie talking about it in his book on the way to work and he was saying that it was made for about $20m (about $100m today), so John Milius had a lot of money to play with, so had amazing sets made, authentically forged swords (four at $10K a pop) and brought in well-known actors like James Earl Jones and Max Von Sydow. The outfits had to be all cloth and leather, the latter was artificially aged by dragging it behind cars! They had animal wranglers (chickens, a hawk, snakes, horses and a panther) and dozens of extras.

Milius brought in the set designer from Alien, the stunt co-ordinator from Raiders and even someone from Madame Tussauds to make the bodies realistic with all the decapitations going on!

The main way they saved money was by filming in Spain with no unions and expensive studio costs.
Instead, they built the "orgy palace" in a warehouse. Dino De Laurentis visited the noisy set and immediately a hush descended and he walked past all the half-naked women, up to where Arnie had been filming. Immaculately dressed, with a fur coat draped over his shoulders, he slowly ascended the steps, walked up to Arnie and said "You ARE Conan" then turned and walked away. Milius said that's the best compliment he could have hoped to have been given.

James Earl Jones came in later to the shoot as he'd been in a Broadway show, but him and Arnie hit it off, with Arnie giving workout tips and getting acting tips in return.

Anyway, it's reeeeally made me want to play Skyrim.

[Dogg Thang]

You know one of those movies you missed back in the day but everyone said was great but, because you missed the moment, when you eventually see it you think it’s pretty godawful? So I watched Minority Report. I did not care for it. Any of it.

I did, however, watch a cheapass 1990 Dolph Lungren film called Dark Angel (or I Come In Peace) and quite enjoyed that bit of nonsense. I felt it was just a few dial turns away from being a stone cold classic but the elements just weren’t totally there.

[charlesr]

The Host. 2006 Korean monster flick. I think it's meant to be a comedy too - a bit tricky to tell in places due to subtitles. Overacted, but worth a watch if you like that sort of thing. CGI monster probably looked amazing back then.

[charlesr]

I did, however, watch a cheapass 1990 Dolph Lungren film called Dark Angel (or I Come In Peace) and quite enjoyed that bit of nonsense. I felt it was just a few dial turns away from being a stone cold classic but the elements just weren’t totally there.

This is one of my fave films. The gun with the different levels. The homing disc weapon. The size of the visitors. All good.

[Neon Ignition]

The Crow
The recent reboot, I have no idea which version plays closer to the source material but this one feels like it misses the mark by quite a wide margin spending most of a film trying to and failing to convince you of the love between the couple, under using Skarsgard (who really deserves better than 2024 gave him) and a weak supernatural based villain.

The Bikeriders
A greta cast in desperate search of a plot. Pretty much sums up the entire experience, the whole thing just lacks any direction. It's well made but astounding that the script was signed off.

Joker: Folie a Deux
I don't agree that this will later be reappraised as being secretly great, it's very clearly a weakly made film with little reason for existing. Not a dime of its massive budget is reflected on screen either, it looks significantly cheaper than the original and the musical sections are genuinely poor. It wasn't was outright bad as I'd heard it was but there's really no point to it.

[Finsbury Girl]

You know one of those movies you missed back in the day but everyone said was great but, because you missed the moment, when you eventually see it you think it’s pretty godawful? So I watched Minority Report. I did not care for it. Any of it.

I did, however, watch a cheapass 1990 Dolph Lungren film called Dark Angel (or I Come In Peace) and quite enjoyed that bit of nonsense. I felt it was just a few dial turns away from being a stone cold classic but the elements just weren’t totally there.

is that the one with the funky alien weapon? If so I loved that

QualityChimp Conan the Barbarian is the pinnacle of sword and sorcery genre. Nothing has come close IMHO. One of my all time favourites. CROM!

[Nu-Eclipse]

Last night, I watched Dylan Kidd's comedy-drama Roger Dodger (2002) for what has to have been the first time in at least 20 years (I went to the cinema to see it the first time out).

- Jesse Eisenberg literally hasn't changed in any way whatsoever during that time. Make of that what you will.

- Campbell Scott's performance as the deeply unpleasant and unlikeable "protagonist" still holds up, even if the character is of course absolutely toxic by today's social standards.

- Campbell Scott's deeply unpleasant and unlikeable "protagonist" isn't even slightly redeemed by the ending.

- What the **** ever happened to Dylan Kidd?

[Dogg Thang]

is that the one with the funky alien weapon? If so I loved that

That’s the one!