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Looking for something to watch on Prime to keep me company as I work.

Transformers The Last Knight. Prime’s chosen keywords? Action Adventure Downbeat Harrowing

Harrowingly bad, sure.

You may also know this one as Anthony Hopkins & The Urgent Tax Bill.

Not too long ago I found Maniac - 2012. a remake of the 1980.
Not bad but I prefer the 1980 movie a bit more.

Elijah Wood plays frank. Frank has a problem."
Frank meets a photographer and helps her with an upcoming exhibition. "

The Black Phone

I'd seen the trailer for this a little while ago, and that was enough to make a mental note to watch at the earliest opportunity.

It's a film that borrows heavily from Stephen King, most obviously It, as well as bandwagoning on the current trend to set these sorts of things in a retro era (aka Stranger Things syndrome.)

We are introduced to Finney in an unusually leisurely way, the presence of an active serial child abductor that is so crucial to the story is almost incidental against a background of day to day life of a young American high school kid. Finney is unusually nuanced, a talented baseball pitcher, but also with less than clear sexuality, a victim of bullying but also defiant, he has a close relationship with his sister and appears to have healthy friendships with others, but they both suffer at home under the care of an alcoholic father.

The father is another character worthy of praise, he is clearly struggling with grief over the death of their mother as well as drink, but where many films would reduce him to a violent ogre, we are also shown the side of him that clearly loves his kids and wants the best for them, adding depth to an otherwise fairly incidental role.

The benefits of not leaping in with both feet means we get time to know and like Finney and his sister, which undoubtedly helps when he inevitably crosses paths with the Grabber (Ethan Hawke.)

Hawke is terrific and terrifying, aided by a mask that has every chance of making it into the figurative gallery of iconic horror props, his performance is the stand out of what is a really very decent film, and worth the watch alone.

But there is an elephant in this underground child prison, and that's the fact that if you've seen the trailer, you already have all the pieces. Yes, there's a lot to simply watch and enjoy, all the connective tissue between the plot points is entertaining (especially any scene with Hawke) but the story pans out exactly how you might expect (with one minor misdirect which has basically no impact, and is fairly clearly signposted) and that's a huge problem.

So, well written, some excellent acting performances, a refreshing aversion to cliché, and a genuinely disturbing villain all just about offset the totally unsurprising plot. But if this could have thrown in a few more twists and turns, it would be an all time great.

 aku-chan wrote:
Monster Hunter

It's Resident Evil all over again, Milla Jovovich being badass in something that bares little more than a passing resemblance to the source material.
Fortunately, I love the Resident Evil movies so I found this entertaining even though it wasn't that great of a film.

To be fair, the first one was surprisingly good. The second one started pushing things but it was okayish. Everything after that? Yeah no. We get it. Mila is hot but I wanted a Resident Evil movie.

Sea Fever, on hulu

Very simple, low budget horror film.

An Irish fishing trawler goes out to sea, looking for a big catch... in an exclusion zone, and find a horrible monster. It's got the parasite elements of Leviathan and Deep Star Six, but without the conceit of deep sea mining. The monster's done minimalist style, with the crew most often seeing its effects and battling its indifferent results, rather than attempting to avoid being eaten.

It's not the action packed, exciting traditional horror film- this one is more contemplative. It's very focused.

Sounds neat, I'll have to check that out.
We love horror movies. Good ones, bad one doesn't really matter.


We just watched scream 2022.
It's a scream movie, not bad. I'm sure we could nitpick.
Plot.
The killer is back in town with a cast of characters both new and old favorites.

Much better than I had expected. I'm not much of a fan of the scream movies.

Harry Potter 7.2

Again a serviceable and decent HP adaptation. Nothing great, someone really needs to turn on the lights in some of these scenes, but nothing to hate either. The girls liked it.

I wonder if they intentionally downplayed the deaths to prevent upset kids though.

Unearthed - An anti-fracking horror movie starring Adrienne Barbeau. Unfortunately it’s too unbalanced and is mostly a drama until 3/4 way through when they shove in some horror.

Potter’s Ground

Random supernatural cowboy yarn I stumbled across on Prime.

Genuinely not sure what to make of it. Found it a wee bit boring, but then Cowboy flicks aren’t really my bag.

Top Gun Maverick Prequel

Set in the 80s, this prequel covers things like how Maverick met Iceman, his relationship with Rooster's father "Goose" and how he became a Top Gun instructor. Nice soundtrack and acting, had to fast forward through a sex scene since I was watching with the kids, but the de-aged Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer had a bit of uncanny valley at times

The original Jaws (1975 dir. Spielberg) is in theaters with a new 3D version. I'm not going to really go over the 47 year old movie but just to comment on the 3D work. It is very good. This isn't some slap-dash conversion but one you can tell they put some time into and it really shows. There has been a bit of confusion as it is being advertised as Jaws in 3D which has had some thinking it is the third movie in the franchise Jaws 3D, which obliviously it is not. If you enjoyed the original and like well done 3D then I definitely recommend giving it a look.

I do like this new trend of putting classics back in theaters. I am JUST old enough to remember the days before VCRs when there was such a thing as revivals and so I got to see some real classics on the big screen.

Let's keep it up.

I recall going to see A Clockwork Orange at a 2pm matinee on some random Tuesday when I was atUniveristy. That was a film that was truly odd to come out of and it still being light.

Scream

The new one. It’s bloody good fun! Perhaps a bit more tongue in cheek than it’s predecessors, but serving as a critique of the original’s critique, I think it works.

Whilst knowingly tropey (that’s kind of it’s point) they still manage to keep it fresh, even if there’s nothing exactly new about it,

This could’ve fallen flat for me, and it might fall flat for you. But…it’s going into my Church of Latter Day Sequels, on the Good Pews.

Cowboys vs Aliens

By rights, this movie should be awful. However, it is a masterclass in screen writing. Everything in this movie is there for a reason, and with a single line of dialogue serves to humanize characters very, very well.

Directed by the guy how plays Happy in Iron Man.... Jon something or other?

Drive Angry

This is not Ghost Rider.... honest!

This movie was made by a committee of 12-15 year olds, and then put on film. Every woman is a randy sex object, every cop is a gun-toting stereotype, ever dude is a dirtbag, and every cultist is.... well.... they at least had some character to their visuals.

Nic Cage is collecting his paycheck and being Cagey.

 LordofHats wrote:
....
To be fair, the first one was surprisingly good. The second one started pushing things but it was okayish. Everything after that? Yeah no. We get it. Mila is hot but I wanted a Resident Evil movie.

I hated the first film. But I watched it in the cinema and I hated everything back then. Well, I kinda still do. Definately don't hate Milla Jovovich though and I kinda even like the thing her and her husband got going on.

Years ago I saw a pretty okay Resident Evil film, I think it was 5? Jovovich was walking through a huge underground Umbrella installation which was made for testing their zombie virus in all sorts of different enviroments. It's basically her walking through different levels and settigs and the camera filming her kill them by moving around a lot. It was great and probably the purest Resident Evil film experience. I like honest films. Couldn't give a toss about RE background, because Capcom don't either. They're also pretty honest about it: It's a justification to have a good game. And that's it. You're here, there are zombies all around, go to over there and don't die on the way. That's it. That's a video game. Or an action film. Don't bore me with made up silly names or made up silly explanations for things.

Few weeks ago I watched the excellent film The Warriors. Imagine that vitalistic, fast-paced (especially for the time), alive film getting bogged down with dialogues about character backstories about the gang members or how the gangs function or stuff like that. That's not only unnecessary padding, that's also taking the audience for fools. Oh well.



@Easy E: I watched Cowboys vs. Aliens and I fully agree.How they made this perfectly fine film based on the perfectly silly title is beyond me. But they got a surprisingly strong cast who also do a very good job doing their jobs. On Drive Angry I disagree, because I love Drive Angry. Maybe it's because I often showcase 12-15 year olds' sensibilities though. There are some fun ideas though and it's very much a car-driving supernatural genre film. You'll have to give it that: it's unique.

I had the opposite experience watching Cowboys and Aliens. I put that down on the same tier of cringe as Peter Jackson’s King Kong and the Eragon movie. Different tastes, I guess.



Harry and the Hendersons.

Still holds up. Fun and fast paced—so much so that they seem to waterski from reading Harry to adopting him into the family in what row like a single scene. Watch it for the Kevin Peter Hall performance and for the scene near the end that TV Tropes calls “The Harry and the Hendersons” trope.

Amadeus, Amadeus, Rock Me Amadeus, Amadeus...

So this came out of watching a Japanese game show with Mrs. Kyoto and the Wonder Twins and wanting to see Amadeus. Which I happened to have in the DVD cabinet.

A bit grown up for the twins, and we had to fast forward through a sex scene, but definitely one of the greatest movies of all time. Heck I want to see it again and hear the DVD commentary.

Watched Thor Love and Thunder. Enjoyable. Not as good as Ragnarock in my view. However, now I want a soundtrack of screaming space-goats to play wargames with.

Still love the lightning effects.

Fear Street 1994

Based on R L Stine books, so I was expecting something fun, and perhaps a little scary.

It’s just….not. At all. Granted the biggest warning sign was It’s A Netflix Original.

The pacing is bad. It’s not scary. There’s no tension whatsoever. Yet…due to content it’s not exactly aimed at the same audience Goosebumps was. I mean, there’s visible stabbing and slashing. And a scene where whilst not exactly graphic, would cause cringe in both parties if watched by parents and teenagers.

Oh, and if you’re going to set your show in 1994? And demonstrate that through a Stranger Things type use of contemporary music? Maybe use songs from 1994. And not later in the 90’s. Such as Garbage’s “Only Happy When It Rains”. A banger to be sure, but released September 18th 1995. Your Woman, Whitetown. Released in 1997.

Because I notice such things. And they point to a careless lack of attention to detail.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not being a Horror Snob. I love horror movies. And I can find something to enjoy in most, even if it’s just laughing at the cheesiness.

But this? This is just a flaccid outing, with no clear audience due to a curious mix of punch pulling and (latterly) distinctly R rated gore (such as someone being pushed head first through a bread slicer, which to be honest i very much doubt would result in the…erm….result….shown on screen.

One to avoid.

This is just a flaccid outing

Now there's a phrase to work into casual conversation.

Spree

Saw this advertised on Channel 4 a few weeks back, finally got round to watching it on catchup. Overall not a bad watch. The premise is interesting; a guy goes to extreme measures in an attempt to go viral and improve his social media following, with almost the entirety of the movie filmed as if it was a livestream.

It's a low budget production but overall not a bad film. Probably wouldn't watch it again but worth giving it a go.

The Mutant Chronicles

Someone mentioned it, so I went and found it on Plex (maybe) for free.

This movie was made in a time when everyone was doing the Phantom Menace all CGI backdrops. This movie hits a lot of plot points for a standard Dirty Dozen kind of film. The problem is no one and nothing really gets time to breath. However, it does look like folks were really trying to capture the aesthetic for this film.

Somehow, this flick got Thomas Jane, Ron Pearlman, John Malkovich, other people you have seen in other movies (like Devon Aoki). No idea how they pulled that.

Those that wish for a 40K movie, should watch this as a warning.

Dead or Alive
Since Devon Aoki was in the first movie I watched, I was recommended this. So I watched it.

Ridiculous, but cheesy. I could see it being fun if you are in the right state of mind. Terrible fights and stunts edited to death, and cheap CGI abound!

A slice of quality cheese, but not good.

 Easy E wrote:
The Mutant Chronicles

Someone mentioned it, so I went and found it on Plex (maybe) for free.

This movie was made in a time when everyone was doing the Phantom Menace all CGI backdrops. This movie hits a lot of plot points for a standard Dirty Dozen kind of film. The problem is no one and nothing really gets time to breath. However, it does look like folks were really trying to capture the aesthetic for this film.

Somehow, this flick got Thomas Jane, Ron Pearlman, John Malkovich, other people you have seen in other movies (like Devon Aoki). No idea how they pulled that.

Those that wish for a 40K movie, should watch this as a warning.

Dead or Alive
Since Devon Aoki was in the first movie I watched, I was recommended this. So I watched it.

Ridiculous, but cheesy. I could see it being fun if you are in the right state of mind. Terrible fights and stunts edited to death, and cheap CGI abound!

A slice of quality cheese, but not good.

Anything that keeps people from asking for a 40k film is good in my book. Also good: Plex.


Dead or Alive to me is one of the most faithful (in spirit) video game adaptations out there. They probably did the best you could do with the source material given you have to do it with a western mind, the thing has to run in cinemas and actors rather than cgi or dolls. I love me some DoA, I was alright with the film (despite it having Jaime Pressly in it. Whom I don't dislike, but she tends to have a pretty overwhelming presence and do the same things over and over).


Have I seen any films lately? I don't think so. Spent my time being afraid, just like everybody else.

So, I watched some samurai flicks, because I can! These were in Tubi.

Blade of the Immortal

This is directed by Miike, the same guy who did Hari-kiri and 13 Assassins. He also made the infamous Audition. This is supposedly his 100th movie! Anyway, this guy knows how to make movies and good samurai movies.

This one was.... not as good. Our main hero is immortal, which takes some of the stakes away from the battles. However, expect a lot of sword play and a lot of blood with a Miike Samurai movie. This one delivers.

Sword of Desperation
A Samurai gets caught up in court intrigue. This one is more of a slow burn, with a big finish. Of course, that is practically the definition of samurai dramas, right?

Great set-up in this one. Then, a big blood soaked finish. Much more real than the last one I watched, and reminded me a lot of Samurai Rebellion with Mifune.... which is a good thing.

It was also nice to see that many samurai were just civil servants with swords. Most of them, weren't even good with them!

The Hidden Blade
A similar plotline to the previous movie, but a different movie. This one is at the dawn of the end of the shogunate, just before the Meiji Restoration. Despite the very similar plot line,

However, this one taught me a very cool technique in some detail. The finish is not as blood soaked, in fact the final revenge is near bloodless. However, I enjoyed this one a great deal, despite the slower pace.

If Love & Thunder’s saccharine take on epic Viking quests sickened you, try…The Northman.

It’s much closer to the flavour of epic sagas including box of frogs visions, things that clearly aren’t going to end well and some great visuals.

It does at one point feel a little long but it’s otherwise an excellent movie.

If you like a good jump scare and some MK Ultra craziness I recommend Banshee chapter

It has Ted Levine in it as a Hunter S. Thompson Proxy. And he plays that part very well.

Cannibals and Carpet Fitters

Does what it says on the tin. A low budget B-Movie style romp. But one to watch and share if people want to understand the difference between Low Budget Horror, and Cheaply Made Horror.

The whole thing is tongue in cheek, and it works. I’d even go so far to say as it’s another “better than it has any right to be”. Not to say that it’s Oscar worthy like. Just it rises above its humble origins to deliver a genuinely enjoyable slice of gory fun,

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
I do like this new trend of putting classics back in theaters. I am JUST old enough to remember the days before VCRs when there was such a thing as revivals and so I got to see some real classics on the big screen.

Let's keep it up.

Poltergeist (1982 dir. Hooper) will be back in theaters near the end of September so looking forward to that.

Depends on the film.

Home cinema has spoiled me somewhat. Spooky stuff and classics? Those I prefer to watch at home, where I can get the ambiance right.

But….big blockbuster stuff? Like Return of the King, End Game and even Rogue One? Happy to watch those at home, but the scale of cinema genuinely adds something,