Rate the last movie you've seen

[Neil]

The Rescue (2021) - Documentary of the 2018 rescue of a dozen young boys trapped kilometers down a flooded cave network. Currently on Disney I believe. Brilliant stuff: 8.5/10

[paranoid101]

House of the Devil 2009 I did want to like this movie, I really did, I'm looking forward to his next movie X, but I found this movie just ok, its slow burn and I don't mind slow burn and I liked how he got the 80s setting pretty good making this movie a call back to 80s horror, but it was just too slow, shame but I'm not going to give up on Ti West just yet. 4.5/10 Going to watch Innkeepers next

[MinionZombie]

House of the Devil 2009 I did want to like this movie, I really did, I'm looking forward to his next movie X, but I found this movie just ok, its slow burn and I don't mind slow burn and I liked how he got the 80s setting pretty good making this movie a call back to 80s horror, but it was just too slow, shame but I'm not going to give up on Ti West just yet. 5.5/10 Going to watch Innkeepers next It is quite the slow burn, isn't it? I've only seen it once, but I do recall enjoying it. There's not quite enough pay-off considering the amount of investment in the slow burn, mind you. Innkeepers - I really enjoyed that one. The lead actors work very well together.

[paranoid101]

Innkeepers 2011 Second time lucky for a Ti West movie, this was so much better then House of the devil, better pacing, super likeable characters, nice setting was the hotel, little bit of needed comedy and a Terrifying ending 20 minute or so. 7/10   After the film I did wonder if even the Ghosts were real or just in Claire imagination, no one but Claire even saw the ghosts, maybe see got herself so worked up after drinking too much and seeing the old man suicide she started seeing thing that were not even there she also had a nasty fall and had lost her inhaler and could have been hallucinating. Also was really surprised when she didn't make it and had died in the end, what with her being such a likeable character.

[MinionZombie]

Blacklight The latest 'Liam Neeson movie', now a genre unto itself, and quite possibly the worst of the bunch by far (save for Ice Road, which was pretty fucking shit in the end). It's paint-by-numbers stuff, smacking more of just being 'content' filler rather than a film, it's an exercise in international funding, seemingly written by first-timers, who clearly needed more time to learn their craft. It's the same director as Honest Thief, which was one of the more decent films in the generic end of the Liam Neeson pool of movies of the last 14 years. Melbourne, Australia stands in for ... ... Washington D.C. ... ... yep. Also, the ending makes no fucking sense whatsoever.   Neeson basically tells the bad guy to 'fess up to the authorities and, despite saying he'd never do that, he actually does so! The bad guy actually tries to get Neeson to shoot him as he seemingly wants that, but at no point in the movie do you ever get the sense that he's nothing but proud of his evil achievements with no concern for the fallout of his actions. Neeson doesn't shoot him, and instead of killing himself sometime later, the bad guy doesn't and, as said above, dobs himself in under no real threat from Neeson at all. It really is quite laughably bad as an ending, as laughably bad as some of the dialogue - the worst of which usually tumbles from the mouths of the journalists in the movie. One of them literally self-censors by saying "effing" (this is a PG-13/12 rated movie). I mean, seriously, some of the lines are just idiotically bad at times and make you think the movie was written by 10 year olds. Generic as generic gets, I was playing one of those jewel matching games on my phone through most of it. Oh, for the days of Taken or Unknown or A Walk Among The Tombstones. Innkeepers 2011 Second time lucky for a Ti West movie, this was so much better then House of the devil, better pacing, super likeable characters, nice setting was the hotel, little bit of needed comedy and a Terrifying ending 20 minute or so. 7/10   After the film I did wonder if even the Ghosts were real or just in Claire imagination, no one but Claire even saw the ghosts, maybe see got herself so worked up after drinking too much and seeing the old man suicide she started seeing thing that were not even there she also had a nasty fall and had lost her inhaler and could have been hallucinating. Also was really surprised when she didn't make it and had died in the end, what with her being such a likeable character. Yeah, that ending really does stick with you, doesn't it? I've been meaning to re-watch it for some time. Good flick.

[paranoid101]

Nightmare Alley (2021) I love the films of Guillermo del Toro and with Nightmare Alley you can see his handy work all over it, It's beautiful shot, really well acted with an all star cast, the sets are great with that Art deco style, it's a little long but good. No spoilers here but it's a clever ending, also so never do spooky. 7.5/10

[MinionZombie]

The Bubble aka Crickets Noise: The Movie ... because it's a comedy that's just that unfunny. Not a laugh, not a chuckle, not even a smirk was raised for two whole hours. Having suffered through two years of a motherfucking pandemic, you know what's the last thing I want to see reflected in my entertainment? The fucking pandemic! This is Judd Apatow's worst movie by a long, long, long way (and I'm a fan of a lot of his flicks). Boy oh boy did he miss the target with this one. Chronically unfunny, it's a mish-mash of cobbled-together scenes vaguely linked with a plot that flaps around like a half-dead fly in search of an open window that's right in front of it. Even as a satire on Hollywood, it's a complete arse up, reaching no higher than cliched done-to-death riffs on selfishness, ruthless studio heads, and bullshit masquerading as religion. None of the characters have any kind of redeeming (or particularly interesting) feature, so it's just a bunch of dickheads being annoying. There's a surprisingly decent cast, but they're all squandered on tripe, and Apatow's penchant for nepotism once again pushes the limits. The reviews are all pretty negative, it seems, with some saying it's like the movie becomes out-dated and irrelevant as it unfolds, which feels kinda true. It's certainly a shit idea for a movie. So many people lost loved ones because of the pandemic, or lost their jobs, or their homes, or endured mental health crises, or just had to put up with all the bullshit that came along with the pandemic (and is still going on) ... and Apatow & Co think people will laugh their bums off at the sight of a bunch of highly paid actors rolling around a luxury hotel as they get paid shitloads of money to be in a (shit) movie. Fuck right off. Don't waste your time.

[paranoid101]

the Bubble Netflix Rubbish 2/10 The Adam Project Netflix Let me get this out of the way first liking Ryan Reynolds will help with enjoying this movie, cause you got Ryan Reynolds playing Ryan Reynolds and a younger version of Ryan Reynolds doing a really good impression of the older Ryan Reynolds. The movie was harmless fun, it won't win any rewards, but you will never be bored as it moves at a nice fast pace, it's funny (if you like Ryan Reynolds), nice effects, interesting story and good acting the actor playing young Reynolds did a really good job. 7/10

[shootemindehead]

'In Search of Darkness Part II' The second entry of a lengthy set of frivolous talking head interviews by David Weiner about 1980's horror movies is pretty much the same as 2019's effort, 'In Search of Darkness', in that it's running time is fearsome and it has little to say that genre fans haven't already heard many times before. Clearly, it's suited more to people who have little knowledge of the movies and personalities on show than it would be to someone like myself who's saturated themselves in such fare since the decade in question. That being said, it's still entertaining enough that its run time goes by relatively quickly and it's always nice to see the likes of John Carpenter, Jeffery Combs, Stuart Gordon, Joe Dante, Robert Englund, Tom Atkins and a load of others pop up and tell their stories. There are, however, numerous non-entities and YouTubers that are involved, too, that are really only there to pad things out, one or two of them coming off as insufferable fools into the bargain. 'In Search of Darkness Part II' concentrates on lesser known 80's horror, whereas 'In Search of Darkness' set it sights on more familiar goods. So items like 'Terror Train', 'The Boogens', 'Nightmares in a Damaged Brain', 'Evilspeak' or 'Alone in the Dark' get rolled out and discussed, albeit never too deeply. But also included are popular favourites like the Jason and Freddy franchises. There's also some inevitable discussion about movies that fall firmly outside of the 80's, like 'It Came from Outer Space' or 'Creature from the Black Lagoon' but when you have people like Joe Dante or John Carpenter talking that's a given as their formative cinema experiences are of that time. Like its predecessor, 'In Search of Darkness Part II' brings nothing new to the table and is probably best viewed by someone who's never really stepped too deeply into these types of movies as they will be the audience that will get the most out of it. But it will still hold the attention of those horror freaks who enjoy being reminded of genre's greatest decade. 7/10 - - - Updated - - - 'A Few Good Men' A 90's thriller as slick as the Fonz's hair, which sees Tom Cruise as Navy JAG lawyer, Dan Kaffee, being assigned as council to defend two US Marines who are up on murder charges for a crime committed in Guantanamo Bay. Rob Reiner's 'A Few Good Men' is one of those movies that most people who have seen it will probably only be able to recall Jack Nicholson's famous line at the climax of the courtroom drama. It's, basically, an enjoyable and serviceable thriller that holds your hand all the way through and is populated with decent actors giving decent performances in a story that simply unfolds with no great surprises. But it's also a very entertaining one and very well made. If there are some fall backs, it has to do with an ending that just thumps ungracefully on the ground and some issues with Cruise's acting/character. Cruise, who I have nothing against as a professional, largely played characters in the early part of his career that were insufferable personalities and Daniel Kaffee is no exception. Kaffee is a person that floats along in life, but also possesses a thoroughly unlikeable smugness that won't endear him to most folk. He's just deeply unpleasant, much like a number of Cruise's previous characters, Joel Goodson, Stefan Djordjevic, Maverick, Vincent Lauria, Brian Flanagan and Charlie Babbitt. He's arrogant, undisciplined and full of himself. His excuse for this is some vague daddy issues that never really get explained to any degree. Cruise isn't bad in the role, he just lacks personable qualities and comes off as an amalgam of previous Cruise incarnations meaning that Kaffee holds no revelatory moments for Cruise's thespianism. Ample support is provided by Demi Moore, Kevin Pollack, Kevin Bacon and Jack Nicholson, who in his 15 minutes of screen time (for which he received $5 million dollars!) blows everyone else off of the screen as the completely awful Colonel Nathan R. Jessup. A man who not only enjoys the fact that his rank privileges afford him the opportunity to order people around, he positively revels in it. Reiner's direction is confident and assured and he gets his cast to complete their roles admirably. He manages to maintain a tension throughout even if 'A Few Good Men' never rises above bog standard courtroom drama fare and everything plays out very satisfactorily indeed. 8/10

[MinionZombie]

The Adam Project It initially floated right by me on the 'coming soon' section of Netflix, I kinda dismissed it thinking it was another naff Reynolds cash-in type of movie, but when I learned it was directed by Shawn Levy (who directed various Stranger Things episodes as well as Free Guy) I figured it was worth a shot - I'm glad that I gave it a go as it was jolly good fun. I went in with low expectations, or none really as I'd barely even watched a trailer for it, so I ended up having a nice time with it. Worth checking out. 'In Search of Darkness Part II' It was good that there was a lot less of that gurning, wide-eyed mannequin guy with the stiff grin (from YouTube, I think), who spoke in such an awkward tone of voice ... like he was a tanoy announcer or something ... everytime he popped on-screen in the first part he just delivered such awkward standard information about whichever film, like he was a robot or something. He reappears in this one IIRC, but to a far lesser extent. He just seemed very tense and 'on', like he was forcefully performing, rather than pretty much everyone else who was just chatting with the interviewer quite casually. Like you, there was little that was 'new' to me with either part as I'm already well versed in 80s horror, but there were the odd flicks I wasn't too aware of or hadn't seen (such as Vamp). I enjoyed watching ISOD 1 & 2 just to see which films they'd end up talking about, and then the in-between segments. Mind you, there were a few moments where someone has to grind everything to a Tweet-infused halt to confirm that, yes, the 1980s were indeed in the past when everything wasn't woke-as-fuck. It's just like, really? You needed to state the bleedin' obvious and pull us out of the sweet-sweet 80s horror fun fest to explain that shit? Jog on. It smacked of deep-seated but entirely pointless guilt. The past is the past, dude, as long as you're not acting the same as that now then chill out.

[shootemindehead]

It was good that there was a lot less of that gurning, wide-eyed mannequin guy with the stiff grin (from YouTube, I think), who spoke in such an awkward tone of voice ... like he was a tanoy announcer or something ... everytime he popped on-screen in the first part he just delivered such awkward standard information about whichever film, like he was a robot or something. He reappears in this one IIRC, but to a far lesser extent. He just seemed very tense and 'on', like he was forcefully performing, rather than pretty much everyone else who was just chatting with the interviewer quite casually. Like you, there was little that was 'new' to me with either part as I'm already well versed in 80s horror, but there were the odd flicks I wasn't too aware of or hadn't seen (such as Vamp). I enjoyed watching ISOD 1 & 2 just to see which films they'd end up talking about, and then the in-between segments. Mind you, there were a few moments where someone has to grind everything to a Tweet-infused halt to confirm that, yes, the 1980s were indeed in the past when everything wasn't woke-as-fuck. It's just like, really? You needed to state the bleedin' obvious and pull us out of the sweet-sweet 80s horror fun fest to explain that shit? Jog on. It smacked of deep-seated but entirely pointless guilt. The past is the past, dude, as long as you're not acting the same as that now then chill out. Mmmmm...there's a curious mix of interviewees for sure and, as said, some of them I'd like to roast over a fire. But unfortunately the rise of the internet has given every Tom, Dick and Harry a "voice" and too many of them simply regurgitate much of what's been said before. Maybe I'm just too old now and all the stuff I'm aware of has come back my way too many times. Although it was nice to see Linnea Quigley yap a bit about her stuff, none of which I can claim to be a fan of I have to say. I suppose I kinda have a soft spot for those with little real talent, but they can use what they have with some effect. But I really couldn't care less what some ejit from Slipknot thinks. Both "documentaries" were grand enough I spose and, TBH, I stuck them on while I was doing some work. But they're completely surface level and from what I can gather over at Bluray.com, more than a few people were pretty disappointed. I can't say I'm surprised, though, as these things cost a pretty penny to buy originally and buyers were promised a Blu-Ray only release, only to later find out that it had surfaced on Shudder. Plus a lot of folk received their copies on BD-R's and not proper pressed Blu's, which for people on that site is like getting meatballs when you ordered a fillet. I think there's a part III coming out, too which will focus on straight to video and more Euro horror. Part II made some effort in that respect, but again it was only dipping its toe and what was mentioned was the same, usual, material. So part III may have more of an interesting angle for me as there will be some stuff in there that might be new. But, really, a lot of straight to video was that way because it was simply a load of old bollocks and not worth the bother in the first place. As to the modern take on the 80's, I reckon that's just the "younger generation" going "wow, they really did that back then?", in a faux surprise. It's very "American", for want of a better word - no offence to the yanks on here. I, personally, don't find the 80's to be all that different to nowadays and there's things on TV today that would have hit a movie cutting room floor 30 odd years ago.

[MinionZombie]

I think there's a part III coming out, too which will focus on straight to video and more Euro horror. Part II made some effort in that respect, but again it was only dipping its toe and what was mentioned was the same, usual, material. So part III may have more of an interesting angle for me as there will be some stuff in there that might be new. But, really, a lot of straight to video was that way because it was simply a load of old bollocks and not worth the bother in the first place. As to the modern take on the 80's, I reckon that's just the "younger generation" going "wow, they really did that back then?", in a faux surprise. It's very "American", for want of a better word - no offence to the yanks on here. I, personally, don't find the 80's to be all that different to nowadays and there's things on TV today that would have hit a movie cutting room floor 30 odd years ago. 1) Now that could be more interesting - some of the lesser-known stuff. Even horror fans starting out would likely know certain things already about the mainstream hits that part one covered so much. Getting into the weeds a bit will dig up some intriguing ones, and maybe even some missed rough diamonds that could be worth seeing for the first time. It'd be nice to get a looksee into more of those kinds of movies as they sometimes fall between the cracks, even from boutique labels that specialise in these sorts of movies, and you don't necessarily get the behind-the-scenes stories on some of these curios. Perhaps it would've been a better idea to start off with that kind of stuff as there's so many horror movie docs out there covering the big hitters anyway. Love me a bit of the 80s/90s scream queen vibe - Sorority Babes In The Slimeball Bowl-o-rama, Nightmare Sisters, Slave Girls From Beyond Infinity, Dr Alien, Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, Evil Toons. There was a good doc about these sorts of movies that came out, more from the POV of the screams queens themselves (Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens, Michelle Bauer), which had a good look into the movies and their lives at the time. They're not works of art, but they're made by people who enjoy what they're doing and they're trying to do the best they can under extreme strictures of filmmaking (very tight budgets, very short shooting schedules, only using short-ends of film stock, one-and-done takes etc). 2) Sure, some were younger folks, but there were plenty of people who were in the movies themselves getting all apologetic and trying to be down with the Tweetness by looking all guilty or feeling forced to make a statement about how times were different. Who gives a shit? Don't waste screen time on that pointless jibber jabber, let's talk movies dagnammit!

[shootemindehead]

Linnea Quigley's career begins and ends for me with Trash. I can't say anything else that she's ever done has floated my boat. Really, those sort of movies are often best talked about than actually watched. I've seen the Scream Queens doc a couple of years ago and enjoyed it for what it was. But I've no desire to ever revisit the likes of 'Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers', or 'Hollywood Hookers' as James Ferman preferred. As to your second point: there is, for sure, a weird kind of atonement seeking for "the past" which I have always found quite bizarre. I've seen actors and directors in interviews expressing a, quite disingenuous, aura and it always makes me want to flip tables. Especially when the "sin" is extremely mild in the grand scheme of things. It's a very peculiar...um...trend, as it were, and it always comes off as a very fake owning up to something that doesn't need to be owned up to, because really no one gives a shit. As an aside, I've set sail for the seven seas to...ahem...acquire the other "In Search of..." docs, like 'In Search of Last Actions Heroes' and 'In Search of Tomorrow', which I suppose in the end is a bit of testament to the 'In Search of Darkness' efforts in spite of my lukewarm opinion of them.

[MinionZombie]

Linnea Quigley's career begins and ends for me with Trash. I can't say anything else that she's ever done has floated my boat. Really, those sort of movies are often best talked about than actually watched. I've seen the Scream Queens doc a couple of years ago and enjoyed it for what it was. But I've no desire to ever revisit the likes of 'Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers', or 'Hollywood Hookers' as James Ferman preferred. As to your second point: there is, for sure, a weird kind of atonement seeking for "the past" which I have always found quite bizarre. I've seen actors and directors in interviews expressing a, quite disingenuous, aura and it always makes me want to flip tables. Especially when the "sin" is extremely mild in the grand scheme of things. It's a very peculiar...um...trend, as it were, and it always comes off as a very fake owning up to something that doesn't need to be owned up to, because really no one gives a shit. As an aside, I've set sail for the seven seas to...ahem...acquire the other "In Search of..." docs, like 'In Search of Last Actions Heroes' and 'In Search of Tomorrow', which I suppose in the end is a bit of testament to the 'In Search of Darkness' efforts in spite of my lukewarm opinion of them. 1) Yeah ... "Hollywood (Picture of a Chainsaw) Hookers" ... James Ferman, what a silly boy. 2) "Disingenuous" - most certainly. The sooner the culture stops pandering to three pissy idiots on Twitter over whatever non-issue the better, moreso because it damages actual issues that need to be tackled and discussed (and debated properly, I might add, in a forum that allows for it rather than shuts it down without further discussion and therefore without fully rounded and fleshed out conclusions and approaches). 3) "In Search Of Last Action Heroes" was quite good fun as I recall. It's shorter, for one thing, but it also isn't as broad, so they do get to dig a little bit deeper. It's also a better overview of that action hero genre, so it flows better, rather than the very stop-start bitty nature of ISOD 1 & 2. I've never heard of "In Search Of Tomorrow" - what's that? Sci-fi?

[shootemindehead]

Yeah, it's 80's Sci-fi, so you know the drill.