What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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HungFist
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

Post by HungFist »

Kill Bill Vol. 1 (USA, 2003) [Japanese Cut] [DVD] - 5/5
Kill Bill Vol. 2 (USA, 2004) [US Cut] [BD] - 5/5


I first saw Vol. 1 back in 2003 when it was in theatres. I couldn't wait for it to hit the local screens, so I took a trip with two friends to a bigger city, and for all of us being slightly underage we were growing beards for two weeks just to make sure we'd look older and get in. I dunno if it worked, but in we got. After the film arrived my hometown three weeks later I saw it four more times. Then, in spring 2004 I got the Japanese DVD on mail the same day when we are about the head to Rome for a school trip, so I called these guys that my DVD just arrived but I've got a bus to catch to the airport at 10 pm, but if we get together around 6 pm we'll have time to watch it! Of course we did!

Now, 11 years and 500 samurai, spaghetti western, kung fu and blaxploitation flicks later I was absolutely thrilled to revisit the film(s) with my girlfriend, who barely knows anything about cinema. So I went to rent both volumes and tell her that we're gonna go to love hotel, there's a 50 inch TV there, and we're gonna have ourselves a Kill Bill double feature, both volumes back to back.

And yeah, it's still fucking blast! Sonny Chiba giving Uma a Hattori Hanzo steel! David Carradine telling Uma the story about Pai Mei and the destruction of Shaolin Temple! Gordon Liu in his white beard speaking Cantonese! Bill's final steps! This is what cinema is all about! I think Vol. 2 might be even a tiny bit better than Vol. 1 but it's difficult to decide. The only regret is that Uma could really have worked on her Japanese a bit more, but then again, butchering the language somehow fits the exploitation context. Lucy Liu did a little bit better.

Oh yeah, and the next morning I really enjoyed bursting into film geek / Tarantino mode like a little boy explain everything about how Gordon Liu fought Pai Mei twice before in his career and now he's playing the character himself (but only cause Lo Lieh is dead) and how in Pulp Fiction (which we saw during Christmas) Sam L. Jackson says he's gonna walk the earth like Caine in Kung Fu (my answer to the question "who is David Carradine"), and explaining from which film every piece of music is from and where the flute and eye patch and all come from.

...I think she still loves me, though :lol:
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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Child's Play 2 (1990-USA) **½
Chucky's back! Pretty decent sequel finds young Andy tormented by the killer doll after being placed into foster care. No flab, some gore.

Child's Play 3 (1991-USA) **
Chucky's back -- again! OK sequel has new setting (a teenage Andy is shipped off to military school) and actors, but feels exactly what it is - a no frills franchise entry.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

Post by saltysam »

That'll Be The Day 2/5 in the late 50's a teenager quits his exams and leaves home to work at the seaside while dreaming of music stardom. well made british drama but the lead played by David Essex is pretty unlikeable. far more entertaining is his best mate played by Ringo Starr.

Stardust 2/5 sequel to That'll Be The Day finds Essex finally hitting the big time and following a familiar path of highs and lows.ok but very obvious follow up stretches credibility by having Scouser Ringo Starr's character replaced and played by Cockney Adam Faith.very strange choice not to just create a new character.

House By The Cemetery 2/5 more Fulci craziness,delivers in the gore department but not his finest hour.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

Post by Tenchu1998 »

HungFist wrote:Kill Bill Vol. 1 (USA, 2003) [Japanese Cut] [DVD] - 5/5
Kill Bill Vol. 2 (USA, 2004) [US Cut] [BD] - 5/5


I first saw Vol. 1 back in 2003 when it was in theatres. I couldn't wait for it to hit the local screens, so I took a trip with two friends to a bigger city, and for all of us being slightly underage we were growing beards for two weeks just to make sure we'd look older and get in. I dunno if it worked, but in we got. After the film arrived my hometown three weeks later I saw it four more times. Then, in spring 2004 I got the Japanese DVD on mail the same day when we are about the head to Rome for a school trip, so I called these guys that my DVD just arrived but I've got a bus to catch to the airport at 10 pm, but if we get together around 6 pm we'll have time to watch it! Of course we did!

Now, 11 years and 500 samurai, spaghetti western, kung fu and blaxploitation flicks later I was absolutely thrilled to revisit the film(s) with my girlfriend, who barely knows anything about cinema. So I went to rent both volumes and tell her that we're gonna go to love hotel, there's a 50 inch TV there, and we're gonna have ourselves a Kill Bill double feature, both volumes back to back.

And yeah, it's still fucking blast! Sonny Chiba giving Uma a Hattori Hanzo steel! David Carradine telling Uma the story about Pai Mei and the destruction of Shaolin Temple! Gordon Liu in his white beard speaking Cantonese! Bill's final steps! This is what cinema is all about! I think Vol. 2 might be even a tiny bit better than Vol. 1 but it's difficult to decide. The only regret is that Uma could really have worked on her Japanese a bit more, but then again, butchering the language somehow fits the exploitation context. Lucy Liu did a little bit better.

Oh yeah, and the next morning I really enjoyed bursting into film geek / Tarantino mode like a little boy explain everything about how Gordon Liu fought Pai Mei twice before in his career and now he's playing the character himself (but only cause Lo Lieh is dead) and how in Pulp Fiction (which we saw during Christmas) Sam L. Jackson says he's gonna walk the earth like Caine in Kung Fu (my answer to the question "who is David Carradine"), and explaining from which film every piece of music is from and where the flute and eye patch and all come from.

...I think she still loves me, though :lol:
Sounds like a good time. :)
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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Witness (1985-USA) ***
Harrison Ford is a big city cop hiding out among Pennsylvania Amish to protect a young boy from crooked colleagues; Top Gun's Kelly McGillis is the boy's beautiful mother. Good drama-thriller from Peter Weir. Could do with more punch and a little tightening, but otherwise recommended.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

Post by saltysam »

Groundhog Day 3/5 first time i've seen this,decent enough,not the classic i'd heard so many say,maybe repeated viewings will help me appreciate it more.

Foxy Brown 2/5 terribly acted but entertaining blaxploitation fare starring the big boobed Pam Grier as the kick ass heroine.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

Post by Markgway »

saltysam wrote:Groundhog Day 3/5 first time i've seen this,decent enough,not the classic i'd heard so many say,maybe repeated viewings will help me appreciate it more.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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Ski Patrol (1989-USA) *
Police Academy on snow and even less funny than it sounds.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

Post by saltysam »

Paddington 3/5 not my usual genre but this British family movie exceeds expectations and is utterly entertaining to young and old throughout.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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saltysam wrote:Paddington 3/5 not my usual genre but this British family movie exceeds expectations and is utterly entertaining to young and old throughout.
I know it's a kids film, but I quite fancy this.

Have I turned into Grim? :D
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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Ha ha :D

I wasnt really sold by the trailer of this, yet I've heard lots of praise for the movie.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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John Carter (2012-USA) **½
SFX-dominated megabomb from Disney isn't nearly as bad as it's fate would suggest. I'm not a fan of fantasy movies per se, but this was lively and well-made, if tough to follow for those (such as myself) unfamiliar with the source material.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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Ski School (1990-USA) *½
Police Academy on snow... with tits!

52 Pick-Up (1986-USA) **
Businessman Roy Scheider is framed and blackmailed for the murder of the young hottie he was having an affair with. Sleazy thriller hasn't enough flair or thrills to overcome unpleasant material. Adaptation of Elmore Leonard novel is less good than I remembered.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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Troop Beverly Hills (1989-USA) **
Shelley Long is enthusiastic (as usual) in this family comedy, but the material is pretty average fodder.

Hang 'em High (1968-USA) **½
Clint Eastwood's first American movie is a fair western that lacks the panache of his work with Sergio Leone or the depth of his own outings as director.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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Miracle Mile (1988-USA) *½
Nerd Anthony Edwards answers public pay phone and is warned of impending nuclear strike... oh, what to do?? Terrible thriller with a Twilight Zone-like setup whose development isn't the tiniest bit convincing.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

Post by saltysam »

Stripped To Kill 2/5 popular 80's vhs staple is sleazy,low rent entertainment. Kay Lenz in her prime getting her baps out is always welcome though.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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Markgway wrote: Hang 'em High (1968-USA) **½
Clint Eastwood's first American movie is a fair western that lacks the panache of his work with Sergio Leone or the depth of his own outings as director.
Was it really his first American film or just first starring role?
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

Post by Masterofoneinchpunch »

HungFist wrote:
Markgway wrote: Hang 'em High (1968-USA) **½
Clint Eastwood's first American movie is a fair western that lacks the panache of his work with Sergio Leone or the depth of his own outings as director.
Was it really his first American film or just first starring role?
First starring role. I had bought the box set for the Creature from the Black Lagoon series and weirdly saw Clint in his first movie appearance Revenge of the Creature (1955) as a doctor. Its interesting that both him and Burt Reynolds got let go from Universal and became stars afterwards.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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HungFist wrote: Was it really his first American film or just first starring role?
Like Master says, it was his first starring role.

He was a contract player at Universal in the 50s, but I believe those were mainly bit parts.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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Byzantium (2012-UK-Ireland) ***
Neil Jordan returns to the theme of modern day vampires (after 1994's Interview with the Vampire) quite successfully in this interesting, gruesome, well-acted drama that held my attention throughout.
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Ghost Story 2.5/5 underrated and mostly forgotten 80's horror has a stellar cast of veterans (Astaire,Douglas,Houseman & Fairbanks jr.) as four lifelong friends housing a dark secret that's coming back to haunt them.Alice Krige does well in a pivotal role requiring plenty of nudity,weak leak is Craig Wasson who is very bland as Fairbank's two sons.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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Event Horizon (UK/USA, 1997) [DVD] - 3.5/5
Paul W.S. Anderson may not be a top director, but his early films are visually interesting, even atmospheric. This one is probably his best. It's a genuinely scary space horror with an excellent use of "space". The space ship's architecture was roughly based on the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the visions of hell were obviously influence by Clive Barker. It's a great tragedy that most of the original gruesome visions no longer appear to exist as they were cut out to avoid NC-17 rating and probably destroyed after that. Some of that material can be seen in the film as quick flashes that only last a fraction of a second. The footage seems absolutely terrifying, and oddly poetic. An underrated film, even in its current form, and who knows what it could be like with the cut footage.
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The Funhouse 2.5/5 Effective and atmospheric fairground slasher from Tobe Hooper.

White Zombie 2.5/5 creaky old early 30's Bela LAugosi horror.stilted acting but quite atmospheric.

Interstellar 1.5/5 Nolan disappears up his own arse with this pretentious,ludicrous and wildly overlong sci-fi saga. ‎Matthew McConaughey literally mumbles his way through the lead role,barely audible at times. Anne Hathaway lends support with Michael Caine & Jessica Chastain.some visual highs but nothing else.And blimey how old does Ellen Burstyn look now :o
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Disconnect (2013-USA) ***
Indie cautionary mosaic shows how the internet can be abused and - underscored by lack of proper human communication - destroy lives. Effective, pertinent drama, good ensemble cast (with Jason Bateman in a non-comedic role and Brit Andrea Riseborough as an American TV reporter standing out).
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out

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Gone Girl 3/5 decent thriller with a weak ending and afflicted by the curse of the modern movie,overlength. well worth seeing though.

The Sentinel 1/5 Ridiculously stupid and tasteless Michael Winner horror with a good cast the movie doesn't deserve.

Night Game 2/5 Slow moving serial killer/slasher movie enlivened as always by the legendary Roy Scheider,slumming it here. Chief Brody & McGill together at last!
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