@SixTwoSix I’m pretty sure I watched that Hill House scare in bed with an iPad, which was promptly launched across the room by my wife 
What film did you watch last night?
- Thread starter Richeh
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The Dictator (2012) - 3/10
Silly, crass, rude, crude and offensive to everyone but after a while, it gets boring.
It’s impressive the amount of material they get through and how relevant it is, but because it’s so frequent, the shock factor quickly wears off.
Any valid satire is lost in a sea of slurs and silliness, and apart from the odd scene, none of it really stands out.
As with most of his work it’s a committed performance and good production, but the plot isn’t very good and overall, not very memorable.
Silly, crass, rude, crude and offensive to everyone but after a while, it gets boring.
It’s impressive the amount of material they get through and how relevant it is, but because it’s so frequent, the shock factor quickly wears off.
Any valid satire is lost in a sea of slurs and silliness, and apart from the odd scene, none of it really stands out.
As with most of his work it’s a committed performance and good production, but the plot isn’t very good and overall, not very memorable.
Caporegime
For me it's because they feel cheap. It's easy to scare somebody with a loud noise and a thing appearing on screen. For me terror is far more difficult to create, and more memorable. Veronica that I watched the other night only had a few jump scares but the atmosphere it created was excellent throughout. The Conjuring 1 was like this, the second one (and to a greater extent the spinoffs) are more just about how many noise/jumps they can fit in because the tone and atmosphere isn't as well constructed imo. The second Conjuring is still very good don't get me wrong, but it was a bad sign of the direction the 'franchise' was going.
Maybe I just prefer terror to horror. I like the atmosphere of uneasiness and fear, not the loud sound/jump style.
Soldato
AVA - Not bad action but overall forgettable film 6/10
Soldato
Highlander - 9/10
That’s all fair enough. Ultimately it is more impressive to scare people without startling them.
I think it’s probably best to refer to them as ‘startles’ (jump scares) and ‘atmospheric fear’ (i.e. atmosphere without jump scares), since jump scares can certainly induce terror and it’s sort of all under the umbrella term of ‘horror’.
The very best horror does generate significant atmospheric fear without having to rely on startles, which I think comes down to the craft of ‘good film making’ and polish. Startles are sort of the ketchup to the main course. It can be complimentary, but too much sauce or low quality sauce can ruin the meal. And, like with anything, some people just don’t like ketchup!
Edit - I actually despite ketchup unless it’s in a burger, so that’s a terrible analogy for me at least
Three recent ones:
Deliverance - 6/10, nicely done but very dated now.
Psycho - 7/10, glad to have seen it since it's a classic. Not scary these days, but suspenseful and well-acted.
Friday the 13th - 5/10, good up to the point where Jason's 'mum' makes an appearance and then it goes downhill very quickly.
Deliverance - 6/10, nicely done but very dated now.
Psycho - 7/10, glad to have seen it since it's a classic. Not scary these days, but suspenseful and well-acted.
Friday the 13th - 5/10, good up to the point where Jason's 'mum' makes an appearance and then it goes downhill very quickly.
Associate
Ninja Assassin (2009) - 8/10
Excessively gory and violent and so much fun to watch.
Some of the action scenes and plot contrivances are ridiculous but they’re very entertaining, being fast pace, energetic and exciting.
The plot pacing is a bit off and it takes itself far too seriously, but the characters are ok and the cheesy ending is great.
Excessively gory and violent and so much fun to watch.
Some of the action scenes and plot contrivances are ridiculous but they’re very entertaining, being fast pace, energetic and exciting.
The plot pacing is a bit off and it takes itself far too seriously, but the characters are ok and the cheesy ending is great.
Associate
Shanghai Fortress (2019) - 4/10
A cross between the Chinese versions of ‘Ender’s Game’ and ‘Independence Day’ which is probably better as a book as it seems to skip over a lot of stuff and the monologues would fit better.
There’s lots of dramatic music and inspiring scenes, but also lots of ham-fisted teen romance and a lackluster plot.
The mix of Chinese and English voice acting is off-putting and although the military might and special effects are good (if a bit too CGI heavy), it’s all too clean and family friendly.
The plot is predictable and the characters are undeveloped, but the finale is pretty epic and exciting.
A cross between the Chinese versions of ‘Ender’s Game’ and ‘Independence Day’ which is probably better as a book as it seems to skip over a lot of stuff and the monologues would fit better.
There’s lots of dramatic music and inspiring scenes, but also lots of ham-fisted teen romance and a lackluster plot.
The mix of Chinese and English voice acting is off-putting and although the military might and special effects are good (if a bit too CGI heavy), it’s all too clean and family friendly.
The plot is predictable and the characters are undeveloped, but the finale is pretty epic and exciting.
Soldato
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Kiwi, not Aussie!
Yup, another good Taika Waititi film
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Even in the episode of the Mandalorian he directed he managed to add some of that goofy humour, I like how he did the Thor ones too ... I've not watched that Wilderpeople one yet though.
Caporegime
Wilderpeople was good. I don't know if its the Kiwi accent but it just cracks me up. Loved Korg in Thor Ragnarok too.
That group (Taika, Bret and Jermaine) are brilliant in most of what they do. What we do in the shadows was cracking as well.
That group (Taika, Bret and Jermaine) are brilliant in most of what they do. What we do in the shadows was cracking as well.
Oops- my mistake. NZ scenery way better than the other place!!
Associate
Spectral (2016) - 3/10
A modern military story which would have been much better if it had stuck with its initial ghostly premise and explored the folklore, horrors and point of civil war.
Instead, you get an uninteresting sci-fi movie with traditional characters and no suspense or excitement.
The acting, action and special effects are ok but the plot's weak and it's all a bit boring, except for the ending where it gets absurdly silly.
A modern military story which would have been much better if it had stuck with its initial ghostly premise and explored the folklore, horrors and point of civil war.
Instead, you get an uninteresting sci-fi movie with traditional characters and no suspense or excitement.
The acting, action and special effects are ok but the plot's weak and it's all a bit boring, except for the ending where it gets absurdly silly.
The Wolf of Snow Hollow
Jim Cummings writes / directs / stars in a pretty gory indie werewolf horror.
If you've seen Thunder Road, which is a decent cringe comedy/drama about a Springsteen loving American policeman having an existential crisis ( on prime i think ).
Its basically the same character stressed to the eyeballs by a series of brutal killings in a small northern town.
Not amazing but amusing and if you liked Thunder Road then one to look at.
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt11140488/
Jim Cummings writes / directs / stars in a pretty gory indie werewolf horror.
If you've seen Thunder Road, which is a decent cringe comedy/drama about a Springsteen loving American policeman having an existential crisis ( on prime i think ).
Its basically the same character stressed to the eyeballs by a series of brutal killings in a small northern town.
Not amazing but amusing and if you liked Thunder Road then one to look at.
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt11140488/
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#Alive. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10620868/
I saw this mentioned a page or two back and watched it a few nights ago, highly recommended. Very well made.
I saw this mentioned a page or two back and watched it a few nights ago, highly recommended. Very well made.