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

[saltysam]

The Masque of the Red Death (1964-USA) **½
Lavish AIP/Poe adaptation (filmed in England) is pretty good, if a bit arty for my tastes. There's much to enjoy, not least another fine Vincent Price performance, but ultimately it's style over substance for me -- crucial narrative scenes don't make sense, particularly the stuff with Hazel Court, and I didn't get the ending...

If Death in any of its colours is indiscriminate why are only non-villainous characters spared?

you think too much.it's a hokey 60's horror,not a film to wonder the whys and why nots about

[Markgway]

you think too much.it's a hokey 60's horror,not a film to wonder the whys and why nots about

I think it sees itself as more than that.

[saltysam]

Jason Goes To Hell 1/5 utter rubbish entry in this past it's sell by date series.

Jason X 1.5/5 Being a slight improvement on the previous movie is hardly a recommendation.

[Markgway]

Don't Tell Her It's Me (1990-USA) **
Cancer survivor Steve Guttenberg (still showing after affects of Chemo) transforms himself (with his pushy sister Shelley Long's help) into a roguish Kiwi biker to win the affections of pretty reporter Jami Gertz. Less offensive than it sounds, innocuous romcom is very light on laughs, and marks the point when the theatrical careers of Steve and Shelley ran aground. Retitled The Boyfriend School for DVD (also the name of the source novel).

[Markgway]

Impulse (1989-USA) **
Theresa Russell is an undercover cop tempted by corruption in Sondra Locke's twisty but never quite satisfying thriller.

[Markgway]

Fifty/Fifty (1992-USA-Malaysia) **½
Peter Weller and Robert Hays are mercs roped by the CIA into overthrowing an Asian dictator in this enjoyable buddy actioner; largely comedic, but turns serious in the third act, and thankfully gets away with it. Later-day Cannon production actually hit UK video shelves seven months before its brief stateside theatrical outing.

Romeo Is Bleeding (1993-UK) ***
A terrific Gary Oldman heads the quality cast of this darkly ironic neo-noir that just about survives the weight of its umpteen plot twists.

[Markgway]

'71 (2014-UK) ***
Intense, complex thriller in which a young English army private is trapped in the Catholic area of Belfast after a riot. Gets closer than any Hollywood movie on the subject.

2 Guns (2013-USA) **
Fast-paced but stupid buddy actioner.

[Markgway]

The Killing Time (1987-USA) **½
Not bad neo-noirsh thriller in which sheriff Beau Bridges and his lover plot to murder her husband and pin it on the new deputy Kiefer Sutherland who happens to be a murderous impostor. Good setup, fair performances, iffy morality, meh conclusion. Plays like an R-rated TV movie (and that's the best place to view this).

[Markgway]

Illegally Yours (1988-USA) *½
Disastrous attempt at screwball farce by Peter Bogdanovich.
Rob Lowe is miscast as the nerdy juror determined to prove the defendant's innocence.

[HungFist]

The Graduate (USA, 1967) [BD] - 5/5
I didn't remember how bloody great this was. Hoffman's performance, the soundtrack, the editing, the cinematography, the capturing of the era... this is a damn near perfect movie.

The Green Inferno (USA, 2013) (DCP) - 3.5/5
Cannibals are back on screen in Eli Roth's satisfying horror adventure. The storyline is the usual one: a bunch of students crash in the jungles and are captures by a flesh eating tribe. Beautiful locations, some nice adventure film atmosphere during the first half, and pretty damn stomach churning practical gore. It's not a perfect film, though. It doesn't have Cannibal Holocaust's almost schizophrenic mix of strong social commentary and exploitation of the very same matter, even though Roth throws in some superficial commentary, nor does it have Riz Ortolani's beautiful score. But perhaps we shouldn't be comparing it to the best of all cannibal films. It's good enough (and more) the way it is. I'm very happy with the way this turned out.

'71 (2014-UK) ***
Intense, complex thriller in which a young English army private is trapped in the Catholic area of Belfast after a riot. Gets closer than any Hollywood movie on the subject.

I missed this in threatre last summer. I'll give the rental disc a try when I get a chance.

[Markgway]

Get Shorty (1995-USA) ***
Travolta gives his coolest performance heading an A+ cast in this sharp Hollywood/mobster satire.

The Last Samurai (2003-USA-Japan) ***
Cruise gives one of his best performances in respectful period drama that's punctuated by bloody, spectacular battle sequences. Arguably leans too much in favour of the Samurai, but that doesn't diminish film's dramatic impact.

[saltysam]

Freddy Vs Jason 2/5 An improvement on the last few Jason movies and it's undeniably great to see these two go toe to toe but it could've been so much better.

[Markgway]

Batman Begins (2005-USA) ***
The best of the Batman movies comes close to greatness.

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

Batman Begins (2005-USA) ***
The best of the Batman movies comes close to greatness.

Finally I find someone who agrees with me! I liked BB much more than Dark Knight. I'm still undecided if I like BB or the original w Michael Keaton more. I'm leaning towards BB at the moment.... I'm working on a list of my favorite 150? movies and Footprints will definitely be on that list.

I'm one of the few that leans toward the Keaton Batman, though I do like Batman Begins, probably more than The Dark Knight (which I gave a good review to, but still nowhere near as the hyperbole that I read during 2008 with some proclaiming this as the best film of the year; hell even a couple of people told me it was the greatest film they saw, I'm not kidding on this.) Looking forward to seeing that top 150 eh .

[grim_tales]

Shrek the Halls: 4/5

Amusing festive short featuring the famillar Shrek gang. Why isnt this on Blu Ray?

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

Shrek the Halls: 4/5

Amusing festive short featuring the famillar Shrek gang. Why isnt this on Blu Ray?

It is in this great set (unfortunately I think it is OOP):

[grim_tales]

Thanks I didnt know that - is it true HD (I imagine so) or an upscale?
Ah well. one to purchase for next year I guess
I cant find any on Amazon/Ebay ATM
Edit: Found one or two (most are on DVD) but its expensive

[Killer Meteor]

Batman Begins (2005-USA) ***
The best of the Batman movies comes close to greatness.

Finally I find someone who agrees with me! I liked BB much more than Dark Knight. I'm still undecided if I like BB or the original w Michael Keaton more. I'm leaning towards BB at the moment.... I'm working on a list of my favorite 150? movies and Footprints will definitely be on that list.

I'm one of the few that leans toward the Keaton Batman, though I do like Batman Begins, probably more than The Dark Knight (which I gave a good review to, but still nowhere near as the hyperbole that I read during 2008 with some proclaiming this as the best film of the year; hell even a couple of people told me it was the greatest film they saw, I'm not kidding on this.) Looking forward to seeing that top 150 eh .

The Burton Batman is my favourite (aside from Mask of the Phantasm). Part of that is childhood nostalgia (saw it at 5 years on its BBC1 Christmas Day Premiere in 1991 - at 6pm!), but also because I just love its imagery and music. Plot is a mess, but I don't mind style over content when the style is so good!

[Markgway]

The Burton Batman is my favourite (aside from Mask of the Phantasm). Part of that is childhood nostalgia (saw it at 5 years on its BBC1 Christmas Day Premiere in 1991 - at 6pm!), but also because I just love its imagery and music. Plot is a mess, but I don't mind style over content when the style is so good!

The pre-watershed BBC screenings were censored. Sorry to crap over your childhood!

I was only 9 when the original came out in 1989, so I missed it at the cinema, but I made sure to see 1992's RETURNS twice.

I also saw FOREVER (meh) and ...AND ROBIN (ugh).

Then BEGINS (thumbs up), DARK KNIGHT thumbs down)... I skipped RISES because I figured it'd be more of the same (and to an extent it was, though it I did like it more than its immediate predecessor).

[Markgway]

A Few Good Men (1992-USA) ***½
Cracking courtroom/military thriller brilliantly written by Aaron Sorkin (based on his play) and punched across by first rate cast.

A Cry in the Dark (1988-Australia-USA) **½
Interesting true story drama (set in a courtroom again) based on the notorious "dingo ate my baby" incident. Meryl Streep and Sam Neill are terrific, but the director's approach keeps the viewer at arm's length.

[Markgway]

War Games (1983-USA) **½
This probably worked a whole lot better in 1983.

[grim_tales]

Father Ted: A Christmassy Ted 5/5

The Snowman 5/5

Father Christmas 5/5
Apparently there is a US dub of this which replaces Mel Smith's voice. The fact that Father Christmas in the original (UK) version of this short is basically a grouchy old git hoping people dont recognise him, is what makes it funnier.
'Bloomin' this' and 'Bloomin' that'

[saltysam]

Was sweating there...thought christmas tradition was about to be broken with no Grim review of The Snowman.... it's now entered xmas culture along with Slade,Roy Wood, The Pogues and mince pies

[grim_tales]

Ha ha

[Markgway]

The world seems like a more innocent place with Grim in it.