Rate the last movie you've seen

[JDP]

Death Wish(2018) The new version written by Joe Carnahan, directed by Eli Roth, and starring Bruce Willis. Depending on your opinion, it could be a remake of the Bronson film, but it was originally a novel and I hear the two films adapt different aspects, so it’s also just another go at the book’s story. After some mediocre-to-bad reviews, I’d expected a train wreck with Roth’s first venture outside of the horror genre, but it’s ultimately a competent and entertaining flick. That’s not to say it doesn’t have some issues, but overall it’s entertaining.. Willis is....well....he’s Willis. Everyone knows how he’s been in recent years, but it seems to work for him in this film. I liked the more modern inclusion of social media/technology and how it would be involved with vigilante justice like this. I recommend it for a viewing. There can only be one Paul Kersey, and his name is Charles Bronson... The Death Wish franchise died with him. Leave it be. It's like trying to make Dirty Harry movies without Clint Eastwood. Preposterous!

[MinionZombie]

Zombieland I've seen it a few times, including at the cinema when it was originally released, but it had been a while since my last viewing. It's still just as entertaining as it ever was, and I'm still mightily impressed by how deftly it can shift tones from comedic to serious and then back to comedy again, and it's brisk as all get out. Not an inch of fat on the whole thing. While I don't dig the 'fast zombie' thing (are these beasties even dead, I wonder, or merely infected and still technically living?), Zombieland is so damn fun with such great characters that you can't help but enjoy it. Death Wish(2018) The new version written by Joe Carnahan, directed by Eli Roth, and starring Bruce Willis. Depending on your opinion, it could be a remake of the Bronson film, but it was originally a novel and I hear the two films adapt different aspects, so it’s also just another go at the book’s story. After some mediocre-to-bad reviews, I’d expected a train wreck with Roth’s first venture outside of the horror genre, but it’s ultimately a competent and entertaining flick. That’s not to say it doesn’t have some issues, but overall it’s entertaining.. Willis is....well....he’s Willis. Everyone knows how he’s been in recent years, but it seems to work for him in this film. I liked the more modern inclusion of social media/technology and how it would be involved with vigilante justice like this. I recommend it for a viewing. By the looks of the trailers Roth's version seems to not just take inspiration from the source text, but the various sequels that Cannon films put out with their larger scale action, scenery chewing, and generally outrageousness. Is that the case?

[bassman]

By the looks of the trailers Roth's version seems to not just take inspiration from the source text, but the various sequels that Cannon films put out with their larger scale action, scenery chewing, and generally outrageousness. Is that the case? I’m not really sure, it’s been ages since I’ve seen the Bronson films and can’t even remember which films were which, or if I even saw all of them. Never cared too much for them.

[MinionZombie]

I’m not really sure, it’s been ages since I’ve seen the Bronson films and can’t even remember which films were which, or if I even saw all of them. Never cared too much for them. Basically, after the first movie - which was tough and gritty and fairly realistic - they got progressively more absurd and out there and became 'vengeance porn' with Bronson shuffling about blowing people up with rocket launchers and such. The series strayed far from it's original vibe and intentions during the 1980s. The second one was the transition from the vibe of the original movie to what came with parts 3, 4, and 5.

[bassman]

Parts 4 and 5?? Yeah I definitely didn’t see them all. Up until now, I was thinking there was only three films....

[JDP]

Basically, after the first movie - which was tough and gritty and fairly realistic - they got progressively more absurd and out there and became 'vengeance porn' with Bronson shuffling about blowing people up with rocket launchers and such. The series strayed far from it's original vibe and intentions during the 1980s. The second one was the transition from the vibe of the original movie to what came with parts 3, 4, and 5. The second movie actually still stayed within the line of the first movie. It was the third one that blew things out of proportion and Kersey became an urban "Rambo" who takes on armies of baddies, no sweat! The fourth one, while retaining this exaggerated style initiated by the third movie, actually developed a clever plot that the third one did not have. The third movie is the weakest in the series, even though it is entertaining and funny as hell, but it's really just mindless violence all over the place for no other reason than for the hell of it. The "plot" is thinner than paper, just a simple pretext to put Kersey in contact with a gang of ruthless street punks and then have him & friends blast them left and right.

[MinionZombie]

The second movie actually still stayed within the line of the first movie. It was the third one that blew things out of proportion and Kersey became an urban "Rambo" who takes on armies of baddies, no sweat! The fourth one, while retaining this exaggerated style initiated by the third movie, actually developed a clever plot that the third one did not have. The third movie is the weakest in the series, even though it is entertaining and funny as hell, but it's really just mindless violence all over the place for no other reason than for the hell of it. The "plot" is thinner than paper, just a simple pretext to put Kersey in contact with a gang of ruthless street punks and then have him & friends blast them left and right. I preferred #3 to #5, as that last one really felt like that Simpsons gag - "I wish I was dead, oy...", and #3 had that OTT 80s Cannon films thing going on. The 90s was kind of an awkward decade for holdouts from the 70s and 80s, if that makes sense? There was still some fun to be had with #5, but generally it felt quite played out. You're right, though, #4 had a much better plot than #3. #2 was tougher, although the sequels (or some of them) are still censored in the UK for certain moments of sexual violence, so the impact was slightly different ... but boy, what happens to his poor daughter in the second movie is like salt in the wound. Bleak! I think that's when a slight sniff of 'formula' crept in (if you're a family member, friend, or lover of Kersey's you're gonna have a bad time).

[JDP]

I preferred #3 to #5, as that last one really felt like that Simpsons gag - "I wish I was dead, oy...", and #3 had that OTT 80s Cannon films thing going on. The 90s was kind of an awkward decade for holdouts from the 70s and 80s, if that makes sense? There was still some fun to be had with #5, but generally it felt quite played out. You're right, though, #4 had a much better plot than #3. #2 was tougher, although the sequels (or some of them) are still censored in the UK for certain moments of sexual violence, so the impact was slightly different ... but boy, what happens to his poor daughter in the second movie is like salt in the wound. Bleak! I think that's when a slight sniff of 'formula' crept in (if you're a family member, friend, or lover of Kersey's you're gonna have a bad time). The third one had more action than the fifth one, but I thought that overall the fifth movie toned down the style again. It kind of reverted Kersey to the more realistic vigilante of the first two movies, rather than the urban "Rambo" who could take on armies of street punks and drug dealers of the third and fourth movies. The fourth movie had a clever plot, with a great unexpected "twist", and John P. Ryan's over-the-top portrayal of the astute baddie who tricks everyone is just friggin' hilarious, which totally elevated it above the third and fifth movies. So, if I had to rank them in order of best to worst, it would be: 1- Death Wish 2- Death Wish 2 3- Death Wish 4 4- Death Wish 5 5- Death Wish 3 Again, the reason why I would rank the third one last is because plot-wise it was the flimsiest. But if what you are looking for is just plain old mindless violent "fun", then the third one is the one to go! I mean, where else can you see a living elderly couple be set on fire by Molotov cocktails AND then, while they frantically run and scream, get mowed down under a barrage of bullets from a MAC-10-toting punk?!?!?! Only in Death Wish 3, baby, only in Death Wish 3...

[bassman]

Lately I’ve been seeking out sequels or well-regarded horror films that for whatever reasons, I hadn’t seen. As I mentioned in the Blu ray purchases thread, I just recently watched Creepshow 2 and today I knocked two more off the list.... Bride of Re-Animator It’s not that I was expecting something equal to the classic original, but for some reason I wasn’t a fan of this sequel. If I’m being completely honest, I struggled to finish it. I can’t exactly put my finger on it, but I was just completely bored with it. Even though it’s obvious that they put in the effort, it just lands pretty far away from the classic original. In The Mouth Of Madness This one I loved. Again, I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to view it. Maybe it has something to do with being a Carpenter film in the 90’s, which is generally regarded as when he lost his touch. However, this was classic Carpenter, IMO. I’ve got to pick up the Collectors Edition Blu Ray now. Hoping for a detailed making-of doc! As a Ghostbusters fan, it was funny to see Lord Vigo with a speaking role!

[beat_truck]

I thought Bride of Re Animator was pretty awful, especially compared to the first. A can't imagine Beyond Re Animator (or whatever the next one was called) being any better, so I never bothered with it. In the Mouth of Madness is on my need to watch list.

[Neil]

I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to view it or purchase it, but it’s a way to pass a few hours at home if you have access to it. Tomb Raider(2018) Much like above, it’s an entertaining way to pass some time. It’s probably the best existing video game adaptation, but as we all know, that’s not saying much when you consider the history of game movies. I did enjoy Walton Coggins in the film, as he’s an actor I’ve thoroughly enjoyed ever since I first saw him chewing scenery as the villain in Justified. Alicia Vikander is fine as Lara Croft, I certainly enjoy her performance more than what we saw in the past with Angelina Jolie. But hasn't she got smaller boobs now? [*joking*]

[MinionZombie]

Bride of Re-Animator It’s not that I was expecting something equal to the classic original, but for some reason I wasn’t a fan of this sequel. If I’m being completely honest, I struggled to finish it. I can’t exactly put my finger on it, but I was just completely bored with it. Even though it’s obvious that they put in the effort, it just lands pretty far away from the classic original. I thought Bride of Re Animator was pretty awful, especially compared to the first. A can't imagine Beyond Re Animator (or whatever the next one was called) being any better, so I never bothered with it. In the Mouth of Madness is on my need to watch list. Hmmm... Now, the first couple of times I saw Bride of Re-Animator I really enjoyed it. Then a few years went by and I watched it again - and took a disliking to it and didn't know why - but then I realised that, for me anyway, I wasn't in the right frame of mind for it. I was lying all cosy in bed and it was late at night, so I was fighting sleep the whole way through. Last year I took a punt on the HD restoration by Arrow Video and nabbed it on a sale. My thoughts on the film (now) are here: http://deadshed.blogspot.co.uk/2017/...uzna-1989.html

[shootemindehead]

Yeh, 'Bride of Reanimator' was rubbish. Lacks everything about the original film that made it good. +1 for 'In the Mouth of Madness' though. Not a great Carpenter film, but a solid one, and one that gets better with each viewing.

[bassman]

But hasn't she got smaller boobs now? [*joking*] As far as I can recall, I’d only seen Vikander as the robot in Ex Machina, but apparently she got ripped to play Laura Croft. They make a point to give her scenes that show off her arms and midrif, and she’s got more abs than I’ve ever had! She does good with the role, though. Cracking some smirking jokes throughout that make her enjoyable enough.

[EvilNed]

As far as I can recall, I’d only seen Vikander as the robot in Ex Machina, but apparently she got ripped to play Laura Croft. They make a point to give her scenes that show off her arms and midrif, and she’s got more abs than I’ve ever had! She does good with the role, though. Cracking some smirking jokes throughout that make her enjoyable enough. Showing abs are just a lack of bodyfat. Having said that, for a women to get visible abs is fucking hell of a lot of work.