Member DarthKato Posted September 19, 2012 Member Share Posted September 19, 2012 As far as King stories into movies go, I still have to check out Christine and It, though I won't hold my breath. Shining was rather disappoiting, and I'm talking of the Stanley Kubrick film here. All the other SK films I've seen (2001, Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut) I thought were either great or very bizarre (in a positive way), but Shining wasn't that great IMO. Carrie was okay, the ending being the best part. The sad part is that I'm saying that as a horror fan. I would hightly recommend checking out Christine. it is one of the better Steven King movies. Also thought that the "Langoliers" was really good. Had a kind of "Twilight Zone" feel to it. The Shining was pretty good, but it's probably an aquired taste. I hate Carrie. As for what I will be watching: All of the Hammer Dracula films starting tonight with Horror of Dracula:bigsmile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted September 20, 2012 Member Share Posted September 20, 2012 The Dead Zone (1983), a David Cronenberg film based on a Stephen King story. A bit disappointing for a David Cronenberg film, but it's still watchable and the concept of someone able to foresee the future and trying to later it to avoid disasters is quite interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted September 20, 2012 Member Share Posted September 20, 2012 French VHS release of Godzilla vs Gigan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted September 20, 2012 Member Share Posted September 20, 2012 As far as King stories into movies go, I still have to check out Christine and It, though I won't hold my breath. I'd suggest Firestarter and The Dead Zone, especially the latter as it is very faithful to the book and stars Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen. Whoops! Just saw you'd already seen DZ and wasn't too keen on it. Ah well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted September 20, 2012 Member Share Posted September 20, 2012 I'd suggest Firestarter and The Dead Zone, especially the latter as it is very faithful to the book and stars Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen. Whoops! Just saw you'd already seen DZ and wasn't too keen on it. Ah well. No problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member masterofoneinchpunch Posted September 20, 2012 Member Share Posted September 20, 2012 All in the Family aka 花飛滿城春 (1975: Chu Mu: Hong Kong) Curiosity and completism of filmographies can be dangerous (or at least a waste of valuable time) in viewing cinema. It can also be rewarding when you see that film that is underrated and underappreciated, but most often we are looking for fleeting glimpses of sagaciousness. I have seen so many mediocre to bad films just because Jackie Chan (include Police Woman which is also directed by Chu Mu) is in it and the same goes for Sammo Hung. I was surprised when early on I got to see Sammo as a rickshaw driver. Unfortunately he is not in the rest of the film and Jackie (billed as Chan Yuen-lung using Sammo Hung's Peking school name) is not in it until the end. This movie is mostly known as the film in which Jackie Chan has a love scene (technically he has a couple in the movie; I believe he had not had another one until Shinjuku Incident and he had one deleted out of 1911). But he also does not do any martial arts or action in it other than explaining the proper way to use a rickshaw (one of my favorite scenes in the movie and a prognosticator toward his later physical comedy though in his later scenes he is completely misused as a boy toy). The movie though is not really a sex comedy. That only happens toward the last vignette of the movie (his plot comes in toward the last third of the film, but even then it is interrupted with other plotlines) and it certainly is not a porn movie which Jackie has described it as. He actually has hurt himself with his statements on this because this canard still lives on.* This is a Chinese New Year (year of the rabbit) comedy so it is full of then popular actors out of Golden Harvest's lineup including Tanny Tien Ni (Black Magic), Wang Lai (over 200 films in her career), James Tien (The Hand of Death), Carter Wong (Hapkido, The Legendary Strike) and many more. So when you have a variety of stars to showcase what better to create lots of different vignettes and storylines that do not or barely connect. I am being factitious because the plot is rambling with very little cohesion. The longest story is of a mother whose frugal husband has recently died and her horrible sons and daughter-in-laws take very poor care of her until one son makes fake ingots for her to appear to be rich. Then the family members treat her well. These problems could be forgiven if the film was funny or interesting but too often you end a scene with a freeze frame after a bad joke. One joke had a dumpling seller stating that his old dumplings had killed a kid the day before all after he tried to sell the same rotten dumplings to a rickshaw owner -- actually I kind of liked that one. Can you believe they even put in a banana peel gag? There are a few positives for the movie. I liked the animated beginning and end credits, credited to Au Ching, which I do not often see in Hong Kong films. The sets are nice (it would be interesting to know what other films used this set; the car in the film dates the setting from early to mid 20th Century) and a few of the comedic scenes are bizarrely funny, but most are rambling and inconsistent. This was probably rushed out to make the New Year release. I would not recommend this though to anyone other than the morbidly curious or those suffering from Jackie Chan see-everything-itus. I have the R0/NTSC Legendary Collection release from Joy Sales/Fortune Star. The print is decent and the subtitles are better than many from this collection with not many gender mix-ups that are prevalent with these releases, but it is not without spelling and grammatical mistakes. The language is in Mandarin, which was the original release language. The subs are Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese and English. There is a trailer and a photo gallery. * For example check out this site: omg-facts which states a couple of falsehoods, one that the film is pornographic another that the film is a "classic." I have seen so many R-rated films that have worse sex-scenes. Sammo Hung's later released The Iron-Fisted Monk has much more explicit scenes as well as several Shaw Brothers films at the same time (Black Magic). Ultimately I think that the translation was off or Jackie misunderstood in the article that many people have quoted Jackie Chan admits acting in porn movie: China Daily Article (quoted below). Kung Fu film star Jackie Chan Monday admitted that he acted in a porn movie 31 years ago, responding to a report revealed by Hong Kong media, Information Times reported Tuesday. "I had to do anything I could to make a living 31 years ago, but I don't think it's a big deal, even Marlon Brando used to be exposed in his movies," Chan said. "The porn movie at that time was more conservative than the current films," he said. Hong Kong netizens tipped local media that Chan was in the porn movie "All in the Family" in 1975, with a porn movie star who was famous at that time. The Hong Kong made movie, directed by Zhu Mu, was defined as a comedy. Dean Shek, Tien Chun, and Sammo Hung were also co-stars. I'm not sure who the local porn star was. Any answer on this would be helpful. Spoiler question: Is the last joke Jackie getting VD? I'm suspecting that because of the finger disease joke. But the wife doesn't seem to have anything and it almost seems like he got castrated. 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Member TibetanWhiteCrane Posted September 21, 2012 Member Share Posted September 21, 2012 LAVENDER HILL MOB- 1951 Old Ealing Comedy heist classic, one of my faves..... Obi Wan's in this.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member masterofoneinchpunch Posted September 21, 2012 Member Share Posted September 21, 2012 LAVENDER HILL MOB- 1951 Old Ealing Comedy heist classic, one of my faves..... Obi Wan's in this.... I saw this for the first time a few months back. His performance is excellent, but then usually Alec Guinness is. He did so many great performances for Ealing like The Ladykillers, The Man in the White Suit, his several roles in Kind Hearts and Coronets (has a very good Criterion release). If you haven't seen I recommend non-Ealing Last Holiday (1950) which was released by Essential Art House (also Criterion). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DarthKato Posted September 21, 2012 Member Share Posted September 21, 2012 I'd suggest Firestarter and The Dead Zone, especially the latter as it is very faithful to the book and stars Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen. Whoops! Just saw you'd already seen DZ and wasn't too keen on it. Ah well. I didn't really like "The Dead Zone"(the show was pretty good though), but yeah, Firestarter is a great film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TibetanWhiteCrane Posted September 22, 2012 Member Share Posted September 22, 2012 I saw this for the first time a few months back. His performance is excellent, but then usually Alec Guinness is. He did so many great performances for Ealing like The Ladykillers, The Man in the White Suit, his several roles in Kind Hearts and Coronets (has a very good Criterion release). If you haven't seen I recommend non-Ealing Last Holiday (1950) which was released by Essential Art House (also Criterion). Thanks, i'll try and check those out. Think i've seen The Ladykillers. Watched Hunchback Of Notre Dame- 1939 the Charles Laughton version. I know the Lon Chaney version is the most revered, but this is my fave. A true Hollywood classic from the golden years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted September 22, 2012 Member Share Posted September 22, 2012 Watched Hunchback Of Notre Dame- 1939 the Charles Laughton version. I know the Lon Chaney version is the most revered, but this is my fave. A true Hollywood classic from the golden years. Never saw this one, but I just love the 1923 version starring Lon Chaney. Watched this: French VHS release of Terror Of Mechagodzilla. One of my very favorite Godzilla films. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted September 22, 2012 Member Share Posted September 22, 2012 Hard Target (1993) The closest Woo eve got of making an action film similarly done like his HK films. The trademarks, the editing, the explosive action scenes, the distinct feats of some characters: all were mostly on point with showcasing what makes a Woo film what it is. The plot and characters were nothing special but it's legit enough to be taken for something worthwhile. Rating: 7.5/10 Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) As I expected. Overblown CGI, flashy action scenes, clichéd dialogue etc. However, they did as much as they could with the horror factor and it's about the only thing I give the film credit for. Rating: 3/10 Apocalypto (2006) The film was touching. It's a very simple story but it's told really good. But what may seem great could at least have been more expanded on because the rivalry (or cruelty by the Mayans) was rather shown right in the beginning than later so you only get a portion of that history. The plot twist toward the final act was marvelous though and allowed for a little more excitement as well as drive for a change rather than keeping the pace the same. Great film-making overall. Rating: 8.5/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DarthKato Posted September 22, 2012 Member Share Posted September 22, 2012 Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) As I expected. Overblown CGI, flashy action scenes, clichéd dialogue etc. However, they did as much as they could with the horror factor and it's about the only thing I give the film credit for. Rating: 3/10] Sounds like the rest of them, so I guess I will like this one as well. Going to be a day one purchase when it comes to DVD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Keung Posted September 24, 2012 Member Share Posted September 24, 2012 - All About Ah-Long (1989) ★★★★½ - On The Edge (2006) ★★★★ - King of Beggars (1992) ★★★★ - Fist of Fury '91 (1991) ★★★½ - The Heroic Trio (1993) ★★★½ - Her Vengeance (1988) ★★★ - Look Out, Officer! (1990) ★★★ - Wu Yen (2001) ★★ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member masterofoneinchpunch Posted September 24, 2012 Member Share Posted September 24, 2012 Thanks, i'll try and check those out. Think i've seen The Ladykillers. Watched Hunchback Of Notre Dame- 1939 the Charles Laughton version. I know the Lon Chaney version is the most revered, but this is my fave. A true Hollywood classic from the golden years. I'm a huge Laughton fan (saw Advise and Consent last weekend which is his last role, one of the better political movies made, if you have not seen this I definitely recommend it, the pacing is a bit slow but I really enjoyed it) so when I watched that version I thought it was quite good and an underrated classic. I'm a fan of the Chaney version so I'm not sure which one I would consider better, but the Laughton one is an easy lend to people who are not put off by silent movies (they should not be, but unfortunately it happens too often). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DarthKato Posted September 26, 2012 Member Share Posted September 26, 2012 The Avengers(2012)-This film is friggin awsome. I have always been a big fan of The Avengers, so to finally see a live-action version is a dream. Now we need a sequel, pronto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Drunken Cat Posted September 26, 2012 Member Share Posted September 26, 2012 The Hunted (1995) - Finally got around to rewatching this after not seeing it since it's original release. Why the hell do people hate this movie so much? I thought it was great for what it is. Purple Noon (Plein Soleil) - Good film, the ending is a major cop-out though. Reminds me of all the crime does not pay alternate endings in asian cinema (Fulltime Killer, Infernal Affairs, Chinatown Kid, etc, etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted September 26, 2012 Member Share Posted September 26, 2012 The Outsiders (1983) A less talked about but nevertheless good film by Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather trilogy) about a teen gang in the 1950s called The Greasers, whom go through turbulent times after conflicts with rival gangs and the fate of two inexperienced Greasers after one of them commits murders by accident. It's a simple plot but the storytelling was fantastic. Kinda gives the whole picture a poetic and tragic vibe and feel to everything. Another great thing here was seeing many familiar faces, some of whom came to be prominent players in Hollywood later on. Like Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio (The Karate Kid), Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez (Young Guns), Tom Cruise, Diana Lane. Rating: 7.5/10 The Avengers (2012) Pretty good for being an all-round comic book adaptation and summoning some of the most famous figures in comic books in one and same picture but that's as far as the extreme hype goes. The direction was pretty tight and the action was grand, entertaining and all in all it's one of the better ones in the sub-genre to come out. But it's far from gripping and deep as other comic book adaptations, such as Nolan's Batman trilogy. Rating: 8/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted September 27, 2012 Member Share Posted September 27, 2012 Destroy All Monsters Great movie, I'm not too fond of the dub (looks like the International Toho one, got this in late 2011) but the monster scenes are really enjoyable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted September 28, 2012 Member Share Posted September 28, 2012 IN TIME (2011) --- stars Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy Set in the future where time is currency. A person's literal internal clock starts ticking at the age of 25. The poor struggle to gain hours a day to live while the rich amass years by the centuries. Will Salas (JT) lives in the poor time zone. Sylvia Weiss (AS) is the jaded daughter of wealthy time commodity broker. Raymond Leon (CM) is a time keeper, an officer charged with enforcing the legal conveyance of time. When Will's mother dies, he crosses time zones and meets Sylvia with Leon hot on his tracks. He kidnaps her to escape and whisks her back to his part of town. They then become a modern Boonie and Clyde, stealing time cartridges from her father's banks and distributing them to the poor. I really enjoyed this film. The premise is intriguing and will make you think. JT is not a bad actor and does well with the action. CM is always fun to watch and AS is cute and has some pretty funny lines. Definitely check this out. I dvr'ed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted September 29, 2012 Member Share Posted September 29, 2012 Rec 3: Genesis (2012) --- stars Leticia Dolera, Diego Martin Set in Spain. It's the wedding day of Clara (LD) and Koldo (DM). Everything's great until a relative who's been infected goes into full fledged zombie mode during the reception. While this is going on, authorities have sealed and quarantined the chapel and its grounds. Meanwhile, Clara and Koldo are separated and then refuse to leave without finding the other first. I'm a zombie movie fan and this one is great. There's some excellent kills and they're executed:wink: by Clara. She even throws a mean back kick. NO CGI BLOOD SPLATTER!!! Not that I detected, anyway. I enjoyed the ending which actually went the very sappy route and pulled it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted September 29, 2012 Member Share Posted September 29, 2012 Godzilla vs Destoroyah (1995) Last movie of the Heisei series (1984-1995) and by far my favorite. One of the very best Godzilla movies ever made too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted September 29, 2012 Member Share Posted September 29, 2012 Just watched a really crazy Paki action movie in its original dub (Urdu ?) and with no subtitles. Ain't Youtube (and the Internet in general) great ? The movie was called Hitlar (sic) and apparently dealt with a guy who was the son Adolf Hitler had with a woman in Pakistan (and of course he's the villain). This guy also owns a night club (?!) and has henchmen with whom he attacks local small villages. But one villager stands in Hitlar's way, which leads to crazy fight scenes with the henchmen, a couple of bears (!) in the forrest and finally Hitlar himself. I didn't understand all of it but I just loved several things: - the intro is a historical review and there are references to Nagasaki and Hiroshima yet nothing on the millions of people exterminated in camps... WTF ?! - there are songs, which usually come at awkward moments - the way characters talk, with great gestures and as if they were on a stage during a play - the action was nice but the over-the-top sound effects and some mistakes, along with some crazy stuff, made the action scenes hilarious A good illustration of what it's (overall) like (just watch 2:00 to 7:30): Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member OpiumKungFuCracker Posted September 29, 2012 Member Share Posted September 29, 2012 Rec 3: Genesis (2012) --- stars Leticia Dolera, Diego Martin Set in Spain. It's the wedding day of Clara (LD) and Koldo (DM). Everything's great until a relative who's been infected goes into full fledged zombie mode during the reception. While this is going on, authorities have sealed and quarantined the chapel and its grounds. Meanwhile, Clara and Koldo are separated and then refuse to leave without finding the other first. I'm a zombie movie fan and this one is great. There's some excellent kills and they're executed:wink: by Clara. She even throws a mean back kick. NO CGI BLOOD SPLATTER!!! Not that I detected, anyway. I enjoyed the ending which actually went the very sappy route and pulled it off. Holy crap, I saw this too bro.... I fuckin loved it, a lot of fun I thought iw as going to be shot like the 1st two movies but it's actually a movie not found footage camera work... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TibetanWhiteCrane Posted September 29, 2012 Member Share Posted September 29, 2012 I doubt ole' Adolf would have knocked up a pakistani woman:smile: That movie sounds like some deranged fever dream! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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