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[furie]

I quite liked The Exorcist. It's not scary but the effects still look alright, even now. It wasn't amazing but I didn't think it was bad at all.

Minor_furie pissed himself laughing at the same points I did when I first watched it back in 1991 (and again on its official re-release). I know what you mean, but they don't look that good really. It looks like a late 80's horror rather than early 70's. So it WAS good, but that doesn't mean it still stands up.

The film is just dull though.

Been watching all the Saw films with Maddie. Won't review them as have done before. But the more you watch them the more you notice and see how the past ones have things that are in the later films. Such as in Saw 4 you see Jigsaw working on the glass box that Strahm was meant to get in in Saw 5.
It does seem a bit silly with all the sequels. But watching them together or one each night is nice as it plays out a bit like a TV series.
It's more just one long story with the gaps being slowly filled in. So seeing what actually happened out and around scenes and traps from earlier films is actually quite neat for when you go back and watch it again and it all fits into this timeline of characters and events that has been developing since the first film.

But I don't believe it was ever meant to be like that. It wasn't a planned "story arc", rather a "shoehorned to fit retro-story arc". That's why I got bored of watching them. It found gaps in the stories and pushed in stuff. In the end, it all just comes across as busting at the seams with story and characters forced in here and there trying to be "clever", but never managing it. Like a teabag, it won't hold water

Some other films I watched...
Gran Torino: Really enjoyed it. A couple of dull scenes here and there but a good film overall.

Great film. I just love watching Clint Eastwood act though. Such a superb screen presence.

Let the Right One In: Probably the most disappointing film out of the past couple of weeks. I've heard great things about it but when we finally got to watch it it ended with us feeling 'is that it?'. Most of the dialogue was really boring and some of the shots and scenes went on for too long. It was good for an 'artsy' kinda film. But for entertainment it wasn't that good at all.

Agreed, I found it a bit bland. I didn't like The Orphanage either though...

 

[coaster_mad]

But I don't believe it was ever meant to be like that. It wasn't a planned "story arc", rather a "shoehorned to fit retro-story arc". That's why I got bored of watching them. It found gaps in the stories and pushed in stuff. In the end, it all just comes across as busting at the seams with story and characters forced in here and there trying to be "clever", but never managing it. Like a teabag, it won't hold water

Completely agree. They should've just left it at Saw 3....

And Thorpe Park should've designed/based a coaster on a true horror classic instead - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre :wink: Imagine hearing the chainsaw during the indoor part of the ride, would've been quite cool.... Or is that just me?

Anyway, has anyone seen the film The Descent? I quite liked it, the first half in particular was great, but then it started to turn into a kind of typical slasher film by the second half, but it was still good nonetheless. :--D

 

[nadroJ]

Anyway, has anyone seen the film The Descent? I quite liked it, the first half in particular was great, but then it started to turn into a kind of typical slasher film by the second half, but it was still good nonetheless. :--D

The Descent is quite brilliant if I remember rightly. Love a bit of British horror. It's everything you (or at least I) expected it to be, which is quite satisfying with horror films now days.

 

[furie]

I wasn't 110% convinced by the ending to be honest, but it was generally a pretty good film. Lots of really excellent "tense" moments.

 

[coaster_mad]

Yeah, most horrors nowadays are awful.... Shame that they are not what they used to be!

 

[coaster_mad]

I wasn't 110% convinced by the ending to be honest, but it was generally a pretty good film. Lots of really excellent "tense" moments.

What was wrong with the ending?

 

[nadroJ]

I wasn't 110% convinced by the ending to be honest, but it was generally a pretty good film. Lots of really excellent "tense" moments.

What was wrong with the ending?

You'll have to see for yourself won't you ;] From what I remember it's quite ambiguous.

 

[coaster_mad]

I have seen it lol, I just wondered why he wasn't completely convinced with the ending? Unless I'm forgetting something here.... I did see it over a month ago after all

 

[Ben]

The Descent is amaazzinnngg.

By coincidence I watched Part 2 earlier. That was awful and spat in the face of the first one.

But the first one is amaazzzzing, great twist and stupidly intelligent for a horror film <3

 

[Will]

Well, against everyone's better judgement, I ended up digging out the DVD this evening, and thus The Exorcist can be crossed off my list.
First up, I'm still not completely sure what all the fuss was about, as that was among the least traumatic of my few horror experiences, but also, speaking as an outsider to both genre and era, I didn't think it was all THAT bad. That said, I wouldn't go along with the fluffy kitten claim; unless, that is, you were confusing said kittens with tiger cubs - since while the film itself isn't especially scary, the possessed kid REALLY is, and as if her performance to begin with wasn't bad enough, her gradual transition into the creature of the last hour or so of the film was especially unsettling... Ergh.
However, I can see precisely where the laughable factor comes in - while some aspects may not have aged too badly, I suspect a 1970s audience could react differently to a frankly comical voice intoning "Your father sucks cock..." or equivalent, but as my own reaction is that it's so ludicrous it's funny, the atmosphere is more than slightly ruined, and nothing finishes fear quite like laughter. As Lain inadvertently points out, even the exorcism scene itself rapidly becomes repetitive to the point of being daft.
As for the rest of the film... I'm not quite sure how it managed to end up over 2 hours long, since not a great deal happens outside the main storyline, and yet the 'villain' isn't even on screen half the time - that may provide suspense up to a point, but it's not enough - in short, I understood why Furie called it dull, especially on a repeat viewing.

Essentially, I could see why it made the 'must see' list, and I've sat through a lot worse, indeed, I know there were a few moments I was quite impressed by - though apparently they weren't all that memorable. However, I've also sat through a lot better, so if that's the best horror has to offer me, it can happily go away again. You'll be pleased to know I won't be requiring spiritual healing; in fact, I might even be able to turn the light off

 

[furie]

The Descent ending? I dunno? It's hard to satisfy me in an "apocalyptic" film.

If they escape (Blade Runner drive off happily into the sunset type of thing), then it's a cop-out.

If everyone dies? You feel cheated and as though you didn't get resolution.

I don't know what the answer is, but mixing the two didn't seem to work either for me :lol:

Last night another tick Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Can't say I really understand why this is so well received and well regarded? Carey does a great job as the pathetic, annoying, wimpy lead. Winslet also does a great job as the bi-polar (double the icy bear), annoying, angry bitch.

I didn't like either character, or any of the characters to be honest. It makes it difficult to watch.

Like Time Travellers Wife too, it can't make up its mind if it's fantasy, or a love story and tries to straddle the line. To be fair, it manages that much better than TTW; it balances it well.

There are some interesting scenes, it's well made and stuff but ultimately, if you want the main characters to die in the first 20 minutes then the film is done for.

Interesting concept, but aggravating to watch - 7/10

 

[coaster_mad]

The Descent ending? I dunno? It's hard to satisfy me in an "apocalyptic" film.

If they escape (Blade Runner drive off happily into the sunset type of thing), then it's a cop-out.

If everyone dies? You feel cheated and as though you didn't get resolution.

I don't know what the answer is, but mixing the two didn't seem to work either for me :lol:

I thought it was made kinda obvious that she didn't escape? Wasn't she just imagining it?

 

[furie]

Spoiler

I thought it was made kinda obvious that she didn't escape? Wasn't she just imagining it?

I know it was clear she didn't escape, but not until it flashed back. So it was
1. "she escaped" - furie feels cheated by cop out.
2. "it was a dream of escape, she died" - furie feels let down.

Worst of both worlds for me

Having said that, I couldn't have come up with a better ending myself :lol:

Spoiler tags are useful

 

[coaster_mad]

Ahh I see. Sorry, I didn't know you could use spoiler tags

 

[Ben]

Plus, the Descent is annoying because it can't deceide WHAT happens at the end.

I watch the British ending, take that, and just stick my fingers in my ear and go "LA LA LA" whenever anything else is mentioned, but, the awful American ending and ****ty sequel piss all over the amazing British ending.

Especially the sequel which just can't seem to deceide if

Spoiler

she did it all or if the creatures actually exist. One scene it's her, then it's the Crawlers and it's ANNOYING. Stupid film.

The first one, though, is probably one of my top five horrors of the 2000s with [rec], Haute Tension, The Ring and summin' else.

PS, we should probably add spoiler to the reply page where we have like, quote and img?

 

[coaster_mad]

Huh what? There are two endings, British and American? Now I'm confused :?

And I thought

Spoiler

the idea that she was killing everyone and not the creatures was just a theory? I'm pretty sure it was the creatures who killed everyone

 

[furie]

How bizarre...

I knew I'd seen one - a single solitary one - post apocalypse film where I enjoyed the ending.

I couldn't remember the name of it, but dug it out by typing in the description: "Scotland cut off from England due to out break of virus apocalypse film".

It's Doomsday and... It's the third film by the guy who did The Descent :lol:

Most of the film was typical "Mad Max" type of stuff, nothing too great, but I really liked the ending. Nobody escaped and nobody died. It worked really well and the only film of this type which has left me really satisfied. So, there we go, he learnt from The Descent and improved on it

 

[Gavin]

frankly comical voice

You take that back! Mercedes McCambridge was FAB!

 

[ciallkennett]

Just watched Memento which has been on my list for goodness knows how long. Wow. It was well worth the long wait, and it really does take what could have been an ok film and flipped it on it's head by using how and when it is shown to make it a very gripping film. I got the main jists of it all, would love to see it again to see it all fit together (Just like I did with Inception )

9/10

 

[peep]

Yay, Furie likes Doomsday. I like the film a lot, it's just very cool.


Well today was cinema day for me. First up was Grown ups

I didn't think it was going to be ok but it ended up being quite watchable with the occasional amusing moment. It was very predictable but I suppose it's good if you want some mindless entertainment on a Sunday afternoon.

Rating: 3/5


Then I watched Diary of a Wimpy kid

It was a good kids film full of predictable and very cringe-worthy moments but overall quite enjoyable.

Rating: 3/5


Finally I watched Tamara Drewe

LOVED it. Great cast, entertaining script and well directed. I highly recommend this film, it's just so much fun. I suppose some may find it boring but then those people clearly don't have a long attention span.

Rating: 4.5/5


I'm hopefully going to be seeing a few films during the week too.