Film What was the last movie you watched? Part 2

[Hunter Rider]

9/10

 

[Karelia]

Casablanca: I see why this is considered a classic. I may have to watch it again. I wasn't quite in the mood for this type of film when I watched it.

The Mummy: Has an Indiana Jones vibe for sure. Absolutely love Brendan Fraser in this!

Gladiator: Another great film!

First time watching all of these.

 

[3rdstone]

Nosferatu: A Symphony Of Horror (1922)

I actually hadn't watched the F.W. Murnau original in its whole before, but meaning to do it for a long, long time. I had to see it before the 2024 version. And this silent like 100 years old film (can't believe the 1920s suddenly is now 100 years ago, crap how old am I?!I!) was pretty much what I was expecting. I can truly imagine how terrifying this film must've felt 100 years ago.

My favourite scenes will always include the use of shadows, like when you see Orlock's shadow on the wall with his classic posture with raised arms. I had to check out a few pics of how Max Schreck really looked like, and of course the classic Count Orlock prosthetics and make up had changed him to something unimaginable. The ending maaaybe felt a bit abrupt considering all the slow build ups through the movie, but nevertheless a true gothic horror classic. And worthy as a Dracula movie even though it's strangely enough also a kinda rip off. Whatever. A silent movie that still today 100 years later is way better than many crappy horror flicks.

M (1931)

Another German classic I've been meaning to see for some decades. Interesting how film technique had quite totally changed in just like 10 years. German expressionism and Fritz Lang, hell yes; here we go! The cinematography is beautiful as expected, and this wouldn't be as beautiful with colour film IMHO. The story is really haunting, dealing with a children serial killer. Thankfully the deeds are done off screen, but it's creepy enough watching the killer lure the little girls by i.e buying a nice balloon, and slightly later on we see that balloon hanging up at some telephone wires.. It's also always creepy that the murderer keeps whistling from time to time the Edward Grieg classic In The Hall Of The Mountain King (which later on gets him in a bit of trouble). The "tribunal" in the end, or what one would call it is IMO very interesting. It raises questions about what true guilt and crime is, what punish should be assumed for these crimes etc. Moral dilemmas that surprised me in a good way, and are always actual.

But LMAO, those scenes in which we see both the authorities (like police etc) and the underground criminal world both discussing around tables how to get the killer (for different reasons). That goddamn amount of cigarette-, pipe-, cigar- or whatever huge amount of smoke puffing is something I never noticed before on film, seriously. You see two rooms interchange brilliantly during the dialogues, but the lung cancer fog there is beyond ridiculous. I wouldn't survived long there..

Excellent flick, and I've barely touched upon Peter Lorre's character and performance. Lorre is just brilliant. Interesting though that he hardly has any lines here during most of the film, and have a cool appearance. I love the panic expressions in his face though when he suddenly realises he's hunted. There's loads of dialogue between this vast cast, that takes up most of the film. But when Lorre finally breaks down he really shows why he probably got cast here.

A Boy And His Dog (1975)

It's 2025 now, hence I needed to wtch this movie pretending to be in 2024.

Watching the super entertaining Fall Out show, they had a fun little easter egg nod in one episode (a poster with "A Man And His Dog"), which reminded me to do a rewatch of this B-sci-fi flick. I watched this in like 1989 or 90, on something we had back then called Super Channel. A mix of music movies, TV-shows at whatnot. I hardly remember now. They also showed some old B-level sci-fi flicks as well, and of course I had to watch them being in my early 20s. Sometimes for pure enjoyment, sometimes for judging how bad they were (or so bad they were good). Win win there. But that was a loooong time ago.

Watching this for the first time since like 35 years ago, the only thing I remember (apart from a young before Miami Vice Don Johnson) were actually in the third act with the creepy sect people with white powdered faces. And that Don Johnson had a superintelligent dog in wich they commuincated without words (well, the dog at least). And the dog, called Blood was smarter than 25yo Don Johnson.

Watching this B-flick now, I see other stuff. It takes place in the 4th World War, since in this story there was a 3rd war in 1958. And in 2024, the last war ended in like a few days. Johnson is scavenging the wastelands with his superintellengent dog which he can communicate with telepathy. Nothing really interesting happens before he gets to this sect-like people which I remembered from first watch. A young Don Johnson is actually quite good here. His character though is quite unlikable. I was hoping for a redemption, but that's not really happening. The ending is quite abrupt as well. I know some people felt this flick as quite misogynic, and I certainly would agree to that. The most interesting part for me was in the 3rd act with the underground "sect people", since they were such a contrast to the wasteland characters.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Casablanca: I see why this is considered a classic. I may have to watch it again. I wasn't quite in the mood for this type of film when I watched it.

Casablanca is my all-time #1 film. An absolute classic!

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

House on the Edge of the Park (1980)

Divisive Italian exploitation directed by Ruggero Deodato (Cannibal Holocaust), and starring David Hess, Giovanni Lombardo Radice, and Annie Belle (all sadly no longer with us - Belle died a year ago).

In New York two low-life auto-garage workers manage to invite themselves to a private party at a large, secluded house after making an urgent repair to a partygoers car. Once at the house the assembled yuppies quickly make fun of the two, mocking their 'working class ways' and drawing them into a crooked game of cards. However, before long the yuppies find themselves on the receiving end of brutal treatment from the pair (beatings for the men, and rapes and torture for the women). As the night stretches on it's by no means certain who'll be alive come morning...

This movie soon found its way onto the UK list of banned 'video nasties' in the 80s; extreme violence, blood, gore, rape, torture, (lots of) full-frontal nudity - it must have ticked nigh-on every box on the censors' checklists! It's what many would call a 'mean film', in that it seems to exist just to show these awful, sadistic acts. I don't quite agree with that; sure, it feels like it for most of the 92 min runtime, but there is a twist at the end which gives an added context to what's been shown (which to be honest I found welcome; I'd reached the point where the violence was actually starting to bore). Whether the twist adequately explains everything and justifies characters' actions/reactions as events were unfolding is, however, debateable. Another drawback is that not one of the characters comes across as likeable; I really didn't care what happened to any of them (apart from the young girl towards the end). However, Deodato's direction is tight (if lingering), and the performances of Hess as chief aggressor Alex (virtually reprising his role from Wes Craven's The Last House on the Left eight years earlier), and Radice as his dim-witted, easily led friend Ricky are enjoyable. Sadly, the rest of the cast are pretty bland.

If you're into Eurosleaze the film's notoriety makes it pretty much 'required viewing' at least once, but it's not one I'll be going back to. Oh, interesting titbit - Alex's victim right at the start of the film was actually played by David Hess' wife in real life. 5/10

 

[Brutikus]

 

[Ash J. Williams]

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Carry On Loving

 

[Hunter Rider]

7.5/10

7/10

 

[Brutikus]

 

[Hunter Rider]

View attachment 117918

Christmas childhood memories.

 

[Frodo]

 

[Hunter Rider]

7.5/10

 

[emielaen]

 

[Batgirl0202]

6/10

 

[Sculder]

Gladiator II (2024)
Ted Bundy (2002)
Takuya (2018)
Yaneura no Rajâ / The Imaginary (2023)
The Blackout (2013)
The Monkey King (2023)
Cunk on Life (2024)
Es ist zu deinem Besten / It's for Your Own Good (2020)
Der schwarze Abt / The Black Abbot (1963)
Brothers (2024)
The Suicide Sheik (1929)
Heretic (2024)
Paradise Z (2020)

 

[Hunter Rider]

Quality thriller with a number of twists that subvert expectations and keep things gripping, Ashley Judd is class and has great chemistry with the legendary Morgan Freeman.

8.5/10

 

[ObiWanCon]

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024)

 

[Dave McFly]

Outlaw Johnny Black it was hilariously awesome

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Carry On Constable
Carry On... Don't Lose Your Head

 

[Detective Conan]

Carry-On (2024)

7.5/10

A good ol’ fashioned throwback to those action thrillers from the 90’s. As someone who works at the LAX, it was kind of amusing to see areas I recognize on film. I had fun and my boy Taron Edgerton doing his best Tom Cruise run.

A good first film watch to kick off the new year.

 

[Dave McFly]

The Art of Racing in the Rain
god this movie punches you in the feels a few times I loved it, I loved that the dog in the film is a Golden Retriever, my mom when I was a kid had 2 of em and my neighbors have 2 of them they are one of my all time fave dog breeds.

 

[Ash J. Williams]

 

[Ghostrider87]

Gladiator 2
10/10

An incredible epic direct sequel is similar to Terminator 2 which reuses aspects from a great first movie while still having more unique aspects.
Gladiator 2 stands on its own as a direct sequel with continuity from the first movie.
It greatly avoids being the frustrating uncreative sequel equal to Die Hard 2, Escape From LA, Home Alone 2, and other lazy written sequels that copied mostly everything from a well-made first movie.

A Gladiator Soundtrack song from the first movie gets reused except most of the Gladiator 2 movie soundtrack is an impressive memorable original soundtrack much like Terminator 2.

A direct sequel that has continuity from the first movie because of talks about Maximus, showing scenes from the first movie during the opening credits, and body armor and battle weapons used by Maximus are attached to a wall indicating that Maximus is an admirable revered Gladiator by other Gladiators.

The main protagonist Lucious Aurelius is the grandson of the former Emperor Marcus Aurelius, and he is shown to be a likable character with an understandable motivation for his main goal.

What stood out in the action scenes is Lucious and other protagonsits battling baboons that are challenging Wild Animals, also a Gladiator riding on a Rhino for a battle in the Rome Coliseum, and the protagonsits on a WarShip battling the antagonists that are also on a Warship inside the Colosseum with Sharks in the water which was very epic along with all weapons used during that impressive unique action scene.

The charismatic shrewd main antagonist is Macirinus is played by the incredible actor Denzel Washington. His main objective is to become Emperor of Rome. He is similar to Alonzo in Training Day, and Sinestro because he has no issues with messy actions to accomplish his main goal.
He is shown to be a Machiavellian Antagonist which fits perfectly in this movie because his primary goal is to become Emperor of Rome.
Also, he is a Chess Master because he uses calculated actions to progress toward his main goal.

General Acacius is a General of The Roman Army who has the advantage because he trained under Maximus and Lucilla's husband. It is believable why he attempts to overthrow the Evil Emperors since he can recognize they are remorseless Evil Rulers, along with being frustrated being a pawn of the Evil Emperors because most of his time is spent away from away while on Military Campaigns for the Emeprors so having a luxurious lifestyle in Rome can't be enjoyed.

Acacius fights Lucious in the Rome Coliseum which isn't contrived, and it's understandable why Acacius is attempting to persuade Lucious that his vengeance against him is misguided. The movie succeeds in showing it's a terrifying unsafe Rome by showing what happens when a Gladiator decides to show mercy instead of kill a foe.

The very high-stakes climax has impressive action between the shrewd main antagonist and the main protagonist Lucious in a suspenseful sword fight that delays a battle between 2 Armies.
Lucious gives an impressive persuasive main speech that they can build a United Rome after he reveals that he is the Imperial heir. It is a very believable reason why 2 Armies decided not to move forward with a battle after hearing an impressive persuasive speech by the main protagonist.
The memorable incredible soundtrack songs fit the scenes in this movie, and the movie succeeded with a consistent dark serious tone in a Rome ruled by remorseless Evil Emperors.
The Gladiator fights were memorable and impressive because of being suspenseful along with a variety of weapons including arrows.

The kills are creative which includes a beheading done with 2 bladed battle weapons that were shown in TV promos for the movie, the violence is fiercer than in the first movie similar to Aliens and Terminator 2.

I was satisfied with the open ending which made me feel hopeful for a better future in this Cinematic Universe similar to the ending of Terminator 2.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Finally decided to sit down and watch this. Not sure how I feel about it. There is a slightly stuffy quality to the film where the dry narration, combined with the flute march music that often plays, makes it feel like you're watching a film made for a museum. Which is not to say the movie is boring, but I think Kubrick has better films in his filmography.