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Post by Stuart on Mar 12, 2010 10:28:40 GMT -5
The Ruins.
There’s been a lot of negative criticism about this but if you go in knowing it’s about killer vines you can’t really complain when turns out to be about killer vines. At least they stay away from that tired old cliché of teenagers stranded in a log cabin in the woods. These guys are stranded on an ancient pyramid in the jungle! How imaginative. OK, so it suffers from HCS - Horror Cliché Syndrome. However, the thinly sketched characters are not as foul as in some similar movies. For once I wasn’t yearning for them all to die (oddly, except the girl with the glasses, for whom I developed an irrational hatred). Also I think it deserves some marks for keeping the tension and narrative going despite the fact that it is virtually all set in a very restricted location - on top of that pyramid - with a bunch of flowers for a predator. It’s short, it’s tight and there’s gore and death. The ending foxed me. On the DVD there is an alternative ending, which I had honestly expected to be the actual ending. If that makes sense.
For me, it worked well enough, successfully helping me kill an afternoon and a bag of Doritos – my preferred movie snack. Now there’s an idea for a thread - What do you munch at the movies?
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Post by Peekysdad on Mar 12, 2010 11:28:44 GMT -5
For me, it worked well enough, successfully helping me kill an afternoon and a bag of Doritos – my preferred movie snack. Now there’s an idea for a thread - What do you munch at the movies? A fine question! Doritos? They're too noisy to be a good movie snack. All that crunching and you miss half the dialogue! I like the traditional popcorn. Yes, it's crunchy, too, but not distractingly so. I'm also addicted to swedish fish. Sometimes I try to combine the two in one mouthful. Sounds disgusting, I know, but I like mixing the salty with the sweet and the crunchy with the chewy. If I'm in a theater I wash it down with a Coke. At home, it's either Coke or an easy to drink lager. Sometimes I go snack free on the couch. Then my beverage depends on the movie. It's usually Guinness or another beer. Red wine goes with classics or foreign films. Single malt scotch as well. I enjoy J & B scotch with Italian horror since it's always present on the set. When I feel like making the effort, I'll occasionally whip up a martini (gin, shaken, served straight, bone dry, with a twist) or some other mixed cocktail. Obviously, Mexican horror demands a margarita or tequila neat, although Corona with lime or Dos Equis are acceptable as well.
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Post by Peekysdad on Mar 12, 2010 11:32:10 GMT -5
PS- I thought The Ruins was pretty entertaining as well. CGI was iffy, but I liked the ending and a good ending is rare.
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doug
Creeping Corpse
Posts: 62
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Post by doug on Mar 13, 2010 10:00:33 GMT -5
Rewatched all three Re-animator films last night, and they hold up great. They are just as bloody, gorey, ridiculous and awesome as I remember.
The first two are clasics, and the third is way better than any direct to DVD sequel has any right to be.
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Post by bishop746 on Mar 13, 2010 10:21:32 GMT -5
Watched a few movies on Hulu last night, and a freebe from Redbox: The Relic: Not a bad little monster movie, also available on Hulu. It's about a evolutionary biologist getting involved with a monster in a Chicago museum that rips off it's victim's head and eats a portion of their brain. The monster doesn't appear until the end of about the first hour, but the film doesn't skimp on the gruesome remains of the victims. The effects are top notch, as is the practical monster (a combination of practial and CGI), all done by Stan Winston Studios. Well acted for what it is, nicely filmed and a action filled last half hour makes this a nice little diversion. Not a classic by any means, but a fun film. Free on Hulu right now. Glad you liked The Relic, Big Mac. I've always thought this was an underrated monster movie. Pretty good dialogue and your right the effects are perfect for this film. Pandorum: Just a mess. A nice looking film but nothing to recommend at all.
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Post by Captain Midnight on Mar 13, 2010 11:36:14 GMT -5
Pandorum: Just a mess. A nice looking film but nothing to recommend at all. Really? I liked Pandorum well enough. It's not a great film, but is not the lame Alien rip off I was expecting. Speaking of lame rip offs, I watched Paranormal Entity last night. It's not quite as bad as I expected . . . but close.
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Post by Scary Gary on Mar 13, 2010 18:11:36 GMT -5
Last night I watched Final Exam (1981) for the first time. It wasn't all that memorable a movie. Mostly college razzing and overly elaborate pranks. I don't think they even bothered to establish a motive for the killer.
Today, I watched Thinner for the first time. This was pretty damn good. The parallels to Drag Me to Hell Ted and Tony mentioned were very clear.
Currently watching a show on The Smithsonian Channel called The Vampire Princess. Only 10 minutes in, they are discussing some of the old folklore of vampirism (including rituals and signs). Pretty interesting for the "historic" point of view. So far, they haven't mentioned anything about sparkling, but there is still 50 minutes to go.
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Post by chainsawadam on Mar 13, 2010 18:47:27 GMT -5
finished off dexter season 4 finally, can go back and listen to that episode now also watched REC for the first time, that film creeped me the fuck out
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Post by Captain Midnight on Mar 13, 2010 20:06:10 GMT -5
finished off dexter season 4 finally, can go back and listen to that episode now also watched REC for the first time, that film creeped me the fuck out [REC] is a good one.
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Post by saltychuck on Mar 14, 2010 2:59:53 GMT -5
Just watched The Thing...definetely one of the best horror films that I have ever seen, and very re-watchable... Also saw John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness, which I enjoyed quite a bit, and then rounded it all off by watching Ghostbusters 2 for the first time. It was less "plot-driven" than most movies I think. It kinda relies on the dry wit of Bill Murray for much of the film.
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mizzbett
Creeping Corpse
"Allow me to retort!" - Jules Winnfield
Posts: 32
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Post by mizzbett on Mar 14, 2010 10:54:27 GMT -5
Well I was away training for work in Virginia all of last week and finally got to sit down and watch a few things, all 3 of which I recommend.
Book of Blood - it finally came from Netflix. I enjoyed it very much! They had to put more detail in to flesh out the story (pun intended) and I thought they did a good job. Good effects, coherent story, acting pretty much competent...all in all a good adaptation of a Clive Barker short story. I would recommend and be curious to see what anyone else thinks. I enjoyed it more than Midnight Meat Train, which I didn't hate either. I think I am biased ;D
Infestation - a recent big giant bug movie, independent and very funny and campy. Ray Wise steals every scene he's in, and the kid who plays the lead character (can't remember his name right now) is very charming and pretty damned funny himself. Lots of CGI but it's just a big bug movie so it didn't bother me at all. Still some nice gooey practical effects too. Great fun.
The House of the Devil - another newer release - independent (I think?) slasher/demonic cult type film. A throwback to the 80's - it has a grainy look and it is an intriguing story. I have heard mixed reviews on this one but I liked it quite a bit. It is a bit of a slow burn but in my opinion worth it, and it has a wide open ending so who knows if a sequel is coming...I hope so.
I also purchased Nosferatu 1979 (never seen it) from Amazon and will be watching that soon, and will be watching Cabin Fever 2 (with some red wine I think - no water!) tonight. I can't wait - hope it's good...I loved the first one and have been avoiding all podcasts who are discussing it.
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mizzbett
Creeping Corpse
"Allow me to retort!" - Jules Winnfield
Posts: 32
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Post by mizzbett on Mar 14, 2010 11:12:38 GMT -5
The Ruins. There’s been a lot of negative criticism about this but if you go in knowing it’s about killer vines you can’t really complain when turns out to be about killer vines. At least they stay away from that tired old cliché of teenagers stranded in a log cabin in the woods. These guys are stranded on an ancient pyramid in the jungle! How imaginative. OK, so it suffers from HCS - Horror Cliché Syndrome. However, the thinly sketched characters are not as foul as in some similar movies. For once I wasn’t yearning for them all to die (oddly, except the girl with the glasses, for whom I developed an irrational hatred). Also I think it deserves some marks for keeping the tension and narrative going despite the fact that it is virtually all set in a very restricted location - on top of that pyramid - with a bunch of flowers for a predator. It’s short, it’s tight and there’s gore and death. The ending foxed me. On the DVD there is an alternative ending, which I had honestly expected to be the actual ending. If that makes sense. For me, it worked well enough, successfully helping me kill an afternoon and a bag of Doritos – my preferred movie snack. Now there’s an idea for a thread - What do you munch at the movies? I read the book - very good - and the movie followed it quite well. I thought it was a very tense ride and I didn't know there was an alternate ending. I must have missed that - damn. My brain has too much information rolling around in it because I don't know but I'm pretty sure the theatrical ending was the same as the book's. Of course, the book gets inside the characters' heads so watching the movie after helps you fill in those blanks. The kids are as annoying in the book as they are in the film - if not more so...so some of them really do deserve their fates. Moral of the story - never guzzle tequila the night before traipsing around ancient ruins in hot humid weather! As far as movie munchies, that is an excellent question. I also like the popcorn because of course it is classic - I can't smell it in the air without thinking "Gee I wish I was watching a movie right now" - although pizza or chinese is good too. Basically stuff that isn't good for you I usually enjoy wine with my movies at home - red wine would be a good choice for italian giallos or zombie movies - and when my budget permits I also like a nice martini - make mine vodka, very dry, with 3 olives!
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maarow
Ghost in the Graveyard
Posts: 509
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Post by maarow on Mar 14, 2010 16:39:41 GMT -5
I've been watching my neighbor, from across the street, with a telescope. Is that weird?
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Post by Scary Gary on Mar 14, 2010 19:02:07 GMT -5
I've been watching my neighbor, from across the street, with a telescope. Is that weird? Only if your neighbor is an old man playing Guitar Hero: Metallica. Otherwise, it sounds like a fruitful Sunday afternoon past-time.
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Post by Scary Gary on Mar 14, 2010 19:07:28 GMT -5
I caught The Relic on Hulu last night and also watched Alligator. I agree that The Relic is underrated. I remember liking it when it first came out but never revisited it until now. It is now on my "wish list". Alligator was one that I used to watch throughout my childhood as it was repeatedly shown on broadcast tv. It isn't great, but it isn't bad either. I forgot that they showed the gator gobbling up the little kid pirate who walked the plank.
Just started The Company of Wolves. Not sure what to make of it yet.
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