Movie opinions thread (what have you seen, what did you think?)

SouthtownKid

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That's an amazing movie. Dude's eyebrows are fucking outrageous. He does them just like the comic. Diabolik is probably best known in the US from that Beastie Boys video, which is made up almost entirely from scenes of this movie.

 

terry.330

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I mean just look at that fucking thing.
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I knew about the Beasties video, I just never knew exactly where all the footage came from. I've never read any of the comics but am familiar with a lot of the cover art. The whole movie is a fever dream of 60s lunacy and it is magnificent.
 
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100proof

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Yeah he's based off the early 20th century French crime series anti-hero Fantômas. I originally saw it when it was the "original" finale of Mystery Science Theater 3000 but came to enjoy it later in life on its own. Italian movies are always rough but John Phillip Law is such a bad ass and the music is so good.
 

SouthtownKid

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I got a bunch of the comics, including the first few volumes from the 1960s in hardcover while in Rome about 15 (?) years ago. Like proof said, he's basically lifted from Fantomas (those are fun reads if you get the chance) and created by two sisters, which is even more unusual because of how irredeemable the character was. I mean, a thief, yeah, but also a murderer and rapist. And on that note, another thing that's interesting is how closely early Lupin III mirrors Diabolik. Some of the early Lupin stories are very close to the first volumes of Diabolik. I just don't know if Monkey Punch would have had any exposure to Italian comics in the 1960s. The characters also had very similar trajectories in the public consciousness, both starting very hard-edged, with evil protagonists who were diluted over time to eventually become child-friendly.
 

SouthtownKid

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You get the idea.
 

terry.330

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Next of Kin- I've heard this called "Australia's The Shining" more than once and I don't agree with that at all. It's more giallo mixed with straight up Ozploitation. A young woman inherits her mothers estate which it turns out is a very creepy retirement home in the middle of nowhere and shit gets wild. Is she going crazy? Is the place haunted or is some maniac secretly behind it all?

It's a bit of a mixed bag at times, the basic plot and spooky occurrences are all a bit wobbly and the lead actress's turn to outright hysteria near the end is pretty bad but the positives outweigh any minor annoyances. I found it very entertaining with some nice cinematography and the ending is quite satisfying. Bonus points for this one as well, the score is done by one of the members of Tangerine Dream.
 

terry.330

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Warlock- A VHS rental and cable staple of the 90s that hasn't exactly stood the test of time. Julian Sands and Richard E. Grant are both great (Scottish accent aside) but the main actress is atrocious. Even worse than her acting and dialogue is her wardrobe, that truly awful transition period between the 80s and 90s. A lot of the comedy elements are just awkward and you can tell the movie has been severely edited in a couple spots. While it's not as charming as I remembered it's still goofy fun and there's also some occasionally impressive practical effects.
 

100proof

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I have a soft spot for the first two Warlock movies. They're both pretty bad but I loved Julian Sands in that part. It was just a shame nothing else in those movies (particularly the lead performances) ever matched up to him.
 

jro

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Re-watched the R-rated Fox/Marvel stuff.

Deadpool: Holds up well enough as something that was and still is generally pretty unique in the genre. I still really like Ed Skrein as Ajax.

Deadpool 2: Feels like a slightly less interesting story but the movie itself is better overall I think. Higher production values, better cast, better script (IMO anyway). "The Proposition has a wonderful Guy Pierce performance!" is quite a line. Still holding out a tiny bit of hope that Disney will greenlight an X-Force movie at some point but I strongly doubt it will ever happen.

Logan: I had forgotten how good this was. Jackman and Stewart obviously really carry it well, and Dafne Keene is good enough at what they asked her to do with her role. I'd probably have Logan in a dead heat with The Dark Knight for best superhero movie.
 

terry.330

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Poltergeist- As iconic as the movie is I honestly don't think it warrants the praise that it gets. There's been a lot of contention over the years as to just how much Tobe Hooper was actually involved in directing it, people say that Spielberg essentially ghost directed it. I think Hooper was far more involved than people want to believe. Sure it has all the Spielberg hallmarks of the era but it's all executed so dull and flat that it's obvious that it's someone trying to emulate that Spielberg magic and failing.

It's not a terrible movie but it's just so half-baked. If you watch Hooper's movies they aren't great, he's a creative guy but he lacks any sort of style, flair and specific personal touch that they're all to some degree just kind of utilitarian. The man has managed to parle an entire career out of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and coast on that for decades. Half the reason TCM turned out as well as it did is simply because everyone was so inexperienced and they had no money, sometimes that works to the benefit of a creative project.

Anyways it's an enjoyable movie with some iconic sequences but I have a hard time considering it a real classic.
 
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SouthtownKid

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Poltergeist- As iconic as the movie is I honestly don't think it warrants the praise that it gets.
Never liked it. Didn't hate it, but the only thing about it that has had any lasting power whatsoever is bringing the idea of Indian burial grounds (and not fucking with them) into the pop culture lexicon. Everything else, even the "TV people" line, has faded into obscurity.
 

jro

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Firestarter (whatever year remake I'm not looking it up) - honestly, I didn't hate it. Nearly middle-age middle-ambition Efron is not the worst thing in the world as far as low-budget Stephen King goes. Felt kinda like a bad X-Men spinoff most of the time, with the ending being kinda huh (I've read a little bit of King but not this, I have no idea if it's true to the source material or not, and again, I don't care enough to take 45 seconds to check).
 

terry.330

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Oculus- A friend recommended this to me because Mike Flanagan was the director and co-writer. While it's one tiny step above total shit like Ouija and The Boy it's still typical Blumhouse PG-13 disposable junk.

Mad Dreams and Mosters- A really well done documentary on special effects and stop motion master Phil Tippet. The guy behind lots of work on the OG Star Wars trilogy, Robocop and Starship Troopers among many others. Lots of great interviews and behind the scenes stuff, Phil himself is an interesting person and he comes across well. It covers the transition period from practical to digital effects that Jurassic Park brought and really shows the importance of still having guys with those kind of skill sets around. Also it's just awesome to see all the original puppets and models and how they were made and shot. Highly recommended.
 

neo_mao

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Wasn’t there a member here named fantomas? A fake account or name change by Electricgrave or something...
 

terry.330

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Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)- Easily the best of the Body Snatcher movies (though I prefer the 93 one) and an excellent movie overall. The direction is masterful and the sense of paranoia and dread are palpable from the start. Top notch performances all around and while the effects aren't necessarily amazing the are very effective and suit the visual style of the movie well. Definitely a movie that has stood the test of time.
 

Burning Fight!!

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Samurai Cop- I've been saving this one for quite awhile and it did not disappoint. A masterpiece of shit from the man who made Killing American Style and Hollywood Cop. Truly one of the best bad movies ever made, just a shining example of incompetence and laziness. The dialogue, sound, editing, camera work, stunts and sex scenes are all (chefs kiss) perfection. While not as entertaining as Miami Connection (what is?) it's still hilarious and just a nonstop spectacle of ineptitude. And that fucking wig... If you love bad movies and haven't seen this it is truly a must watch.

I don't know about you guys but I can never get into these "so bad its good" movies... they're always hilarious in short clips but an absolute bore in feature length. I get more from them by watching other people like RedLetterMedia discuss those movies, than by actually watching.

And yeah, that sequel shouldn't have been made at all. Fucking cringe.
 

terry.330

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I don't know about you guys but I can never get into these "so bad its good" movies... they're always hilarious in short clips but an absolute bore in feature length. I get more from them by watching other people like RedLetterMedia discuss those movies, than by actually watching.

And yeah, that sequel shouldn't have been made at all. Fucking cringe.
It totally depends on the movie. Troll 2 is just awful and unpleasant in every way possible, I take zero pleasure in watching it. Miami Connection on the other hand I could watch on an infinite loop. Also some of them should definitely be watched with a group of friends and some booze/weed for maximum enjoyment.
 

100proof

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I don't know about you guys but I can never get into these "so bad its good" movies... they're always hilarious in short clips but an absolute bore in feature length. I get more from them by watching other people like RedLetterMedia discuss those movies, than by actually watching.

And yeah, that sequel shouldn't have been made at all. Fucking cringe.

Yeah, same boat. I love watching other people watch shit movies but generally can't sit through a "good bad" movie without assistance.. Guys like RLM or MST3K/Rifftrax add an element of fun to something that, in most cases, would be a fucking slog. Like terry said, there are exceptions... Miami Connection is the perfect combination of weird and fun and completely nonsensical but you have to have the right group of people to watch it with.
 

terry.330

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Cronos- Guillermo Del Toro's debut and kind of a mixed bag, this and Mimic have very similar vibes and problems. It's not a very cohesive movie logic wise but it's interesting and certainly original. The main character and Ron Perlman are both great though even for Perlman it's a pretty odd role but the whole movie is odd so he doesn't really seem out of place. I can't say it's a amazing movie but it's certainly a solid start to what has become a pretty amazing career and it established a definite style that he would continue to improve on. I think he really got it down by The Devil's Backbone. The only thing that really bugged me about this was the score which seemed totally out of place most of the time.

Witchery (aka Witchcraft aka Evil Encounters)- A modern New England witchcraft story starring Linda Blair and David Hasselhoff. This is one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Absolutely painful from the first frame to the last. I could go on but man it doesn't even deserve the effort. A total piece of shit, avoid at all cost and never trust trailers.
 

fake

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Three Colors: Blue
The local theater had the 4K restoration. I'd never seen the Three Colors movies, but Dekalog (by the same director) is one of my favorites. This definitely didn't have the grit of Dekalog, and I never felt super invested or emotional. It's considered a fantastic movie, so I must be missing something.
 

terry.330

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Cabin in the Woods- Not exactly a modern classic but close, highly enjoyable all around. I think it succeeds because it's so far beyond the suspension of disbelief, it just keeps getting crazier. It plays off the cliches of the usual dumb teens on vacation getting slaughtered and twists them to great effect. I was worried it wouldn't hold up on repeat viewing but I think it does. There's just so many references and quick jokes plus it's so fast paced that there's a of stuff you don't catch the first time. The ending is solid as well, it subverts the final girl cliche and just says "fuck it". Recommended.
 
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