Buried 4/5

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Mark

Buried

Well, I really couldn’t on board with the ending (which I won’t spoil), but the fact the director and writer and indeed Ryan Reynolds could hold my attention so raptly is essentially a single setting involving once character onscreen shows a lot of talent in all respects. It was tense, gripping and extremely well executed. One of the best thrillers of the last 5 years, I’d say.

But the ending just made me want to punch the director. But I do acknowledge that was a very personal view of it, and others will think it’s a good ending. So don’t let my comments about it put you off.

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Godzilla 1954, 1998, 2014 – episode 141

Posted on May 18, 2014 by GoodBadAndOdd

Godzilla

GOJIRA!

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Valerie and her Week of Wonders 4/5

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Mark

Valerie and her Week of Wonders

This was an oddity, and the first few minutes feel like some dodgy European softcore porn in how it plays, but you quickly get used to that, and it becomes a deeper movie, albeit reeking of sensuality, carnality and primal urges.

It’s quite beautiful in places, and lacking any clear coherency or relationship to reality. It was more a dream-composition, always hovering around the theme of awakening female sexuality, and showing imagery and sequences that seemed influenced by Alice in Wonderland, early surrealist movies like Age D’Or, and more obviously by 1922’s Nosferatu, and the more metaphysical work of Ingmar Bergman, and even, maybe the TV show The Prisoner.

I can also see it has either influenced or run a similar, parallel path to such movies as those by Jodorowsky (it reminded me of Santa Sangre), Daughters of Darkness, The Wicker Man.

A beautiful, odd movie.

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Convict 99 3.5/5

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Mark

Convict 99

Another fun comedy with Will Hay, British music hall comic, and his assorted sidekicks. Here, he accidentally becomes a prison governor, and various shennanegins ensue. It’s a shame you rarely see goofy comedy like this these days, where a silly premise is grabbed and run with all the way to the end. I guess the Farelly brothers are the nearest contemporary equivalent.

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King Kong 1933, 1976, 2005 – 140

Posted on May 13, 2014 by GoodBadAndOdd

King Kong

Sam and Mark spend quite a long episode going through the 3 main King Kong movies.

He’s the eighth wonder of the world, you know.

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Silver Streak 2/5

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Mark

Rather dull comedy thriller that really doesn’t do either of those things. Jill Clayburgh is quite good as the everywoman attracted to Gene Wilder, but the comedy just feels mostly off through the whole thing, and the plot gets tiresome.

High point is seeing Richard Kiel doing a kind of tryout for Jaws in The Spy who Love me.

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Demons and Demons 2 – Odd One Out 062

Posted on May 10, 2014 by GoodBadAndOdd

Demons Demons 2

Mark talks about the 80s horrors that are Demons and Demons 2

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Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus 0.5/5

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Mark

There’s very few movies where you watch it and think ‘this could have been better if Michael Bay directed it’, but this is one of them.

An atrocity of the art of film making mostly, though it did earn a score above 0 because of the shark taking out a plane, and a bite out of the Golden Gate Bridge (and let’s be clear, the point is for the ‘idea’ of these things, not the execution).

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Cross of Iron 2.5/5

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Mark

Cross of Iron

First watch for me, and not something I’ve ever rushed to see, but I do like a few Peckinpah movies, so I thought it was time.

I found it very unengaging. The acting wasn’t great, except for Coburn (who was qreat) and some of his troop, and I found the slight story meandered along in a disjointed pace, and I did find some of the scenes either pointless or just poorly constructed.

I think if I’d have liked the film better, I’d have probably liked the non-ending better, and if I’d hated it, I’d probably loathe the ending, but as it was, I was just glad the movie was over. I suspect they did film an ending, but it was not a good one.

Probably overrated, in my humble opinion.

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Night of the Hunter 5/5

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Mark

Night of the Hunter

Superbly crafted movie directed by Charles Laughton, and it’s a damn shame it was its only directorial effort. It looks great, with some very stylised scenes borrowing from German expressionism, and reminds me a lot of another film that similarly borrows, The Bride of Frankenstein (Laughton was actually married to the Bride, Elsa Lanchester!)

It’s beautiful, constantly suprising, has one of the most imposing and scary performance ever put to film by Mitchum, and whilst he imposes, he meets his match in the upright, kind-hearted Ms Cooper.

The scene where they sing as she sits guard with a shotgun is one of cinema’s greatest. And the children floating downriver through a fairytale depression America isn’t far behind.

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Revolt of the Zombies 1/5

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Mark

Revolt of the Zombies

Quite dreadful movie from the 30s that has two redeeming features – it’s only an hour long, and it apparently features Bela Lugosi’s eyes (lifted from White Zombie). The script makes very little sense, the zombies are kind of hypnotised guys, and the melodrama is quite sickening.

Avoid.

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Comedy of Terrors 3.5/5

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Mark

Comedy of Terrors

A goofy comedy about two inept, murderous undertakers played by Vincent Price and Peter Lorre, but also with Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff and Joe E Brown. They’re all hamming it up gloriously, and it’s a lot of fun.

I particularly like Price treating his hot wife like she’s repulsive.

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Alien Quadrilogy – 139

Posted on May 6, 2014 by GoodBadAndOdd

Alien

Sam and Mark discuss Alien, Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection, as well as:

  • Far Cry 3 (XBox 360)
  • Bioshock Infinite (Xbox 360)
  • Ask A Policeman
  • Alien Vs Predator (Xbox 360)
  • Haywire

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Haywire 3.5/5

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Mark

Haywire

Rather good action-spy flick, owing more to 24 and Bourne than Bond, but also very, very reminiscent of late 60s and 70s downbeat spy dramas, like The Ipcress File. The music, filming style, and even the clothing evoked this spirit.

This was in essence an arthouse-action movie, with lots of stylistic sizzle, but some really great, painful-looking fight scenes. Gina Carano was pretty good, and while I spent much of the running time confused about what was going on, it resolved nicely by the end, and Mallory Kane made a good, tough lady-spy.

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Freaks – Odd One Out 061

Posted on May 4, 2014 by GoodBadAndOdd

Freaks

Mark covers the half-silly, half-sympathetic, half-shocking movie, Freaks

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Machete and Machete Kills – Odd One Out 060

Posted on May 1, 2014 by GoodBadAndOdd

Machete

Mark talks about the goofy but fun Machete and the goofier but slightly less fun Machete Kills

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Ask A Policeman 4/5

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Mark

Ask A Policeman

This is a lot of fun, I’ve liked Will Hay comedies since I first saw them as a boy, and this one is solid, with snappy, amusing dialogue from the shady, but good-hearted, boys. Also with the wonderful Graham Moffatt and Moore Marriott.

This is a very British comedy, however, and I’m not sure it will travel well. It’s like an early prototype of the St Trinians movies, if that paints a picture.

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Cloverfield 3/5

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Mark

Cloverfield

I’m sure glad I didn’t see this at the cinema, the shakeycam would have been unbearable, I’d have vomited.

Watching at home, you can at least avert your eyes and look at something else, which I ended up doing for a lot of the running time. I found the first 25 minutes or so really hard going, setting up this twentysomething angsty love affair issues, which was quite tiresome (and didn’t need to be there – a fully formed couple would have worked just as well dramatically, and stopped all the annoying angst-drama), but the film did improve dramatically once they got on to the streets.

There were some nice tense parts and it was effective for the last hour, and quite enjoyable (as long as you looked away from the irritating shaking frequently), and it was nice to see a big monster movie played out with dramatic tension and fear.

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Captain America 1 and 2 – 138

Posted on April 28, 2014 by GoodBadAndOdd

Captain America Winter Soldier

In this podcast, Mark and Sam discuss Captain America 1 and 2, as well as Agents of Shield, and some other movies:

  • Pacific Rim
  • Cloverfield
  • Godzilla – Final Wars
  • Milius
  • The French Connection
  • Repulsion
  • King of the Zombies

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Kingology 001 – Carrie

Posted on April 27, 2014 by GoodBadAndOdd

Carrie by Stephen King

First in a chronological monthly series about the books of Stephen King (and associated media).

In this one Mark covers the book, the audiobook as read by Sissy Spacek, The 1976 De Palma movie, the 2003 TV movie, and the 2013 movie.

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King of the Zombies 1.5/5

Posted on April 26, 2014 by Mark

King of the Zombies

Rather lame comedy horror from the 1940s that’s not funny or horrific. It also relies on racist stereotyping for its light relief, but the main comic relief does have some comic timing talent, but unfortunately his material is desperately poor. I did like he was supposed to be zombified, but continued acting normally, whilst accepting his fate as a zombie.

However, I didn’t get bored, and it was mercifully short.

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Repulsion 4/5

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Mark

Repulsion

One of those movies that represents a primal nightmare, in this case of a single woman who is not comfortable with men. She hates her sister’s boyfriend leaving his razor etc in the bathroom over her things, she hates any intimacy shown both towards her and towards other women, she even find women talking about men uncomfortable.

Slowly, she imagines attacks, and descends into her own private madness where her imagination and reality become mixed and interchangeable.

A masterful movie, with the usually upright and confident Catherine Deneuve giving a mousey, timid performance, and looking more waifish than lovely.

Her look also is echoed in a later movie by Polanski – Rosemary’s Baby – where Mia Farrow looks like a short haired version of this poor girl.

Polanski would go on to reexplore urban alienation and madness in the masterful “The Tenant” several years after this.

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Milius 4/5

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Mark

Milius

Compelling but fun documentary about a guy who writes great, grand dialogue, and was a peer of Spielberg, Lucas and all. Really fun to see what he added to the 70s and 80s moviescape. The world is a better place because of this guy, for sheer entertainment alone.

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Little Shop of Horrors – 137

Posted on April 23, 2014 by GoodBadAndOdd

Little Shop of Horrors

Mark and Sam discuss both versions of Little Shop of Horrors (1960 and 1986), as well as:

  • Miami Vice: Brother’s Keeper 1984
  • Teen Titans
  • Walking Dead Season 4 part 2
  • Amazing Spider-Man 2
  • The Masque of the Red Death
  • Devil May Cry (X-Box)
  • The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl
  • Batman The Animated Series
  • Metamorphosis – Novella by Franz Kafka

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The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 2.5/5

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Mark

Sahrkboy and Lavagirl

Rather childishly written CGI-heavy adventure by Robert Rodriguez. Some of the visuals are cool, some look very dodgy, and it plays like a techno-Oz story. Gets better as it goes.

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Masque of the Red Death 4.5/5

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Mark

Masque of the Red Death

I saw this before as a teenager, and thought it was deliberately overwrought and contrived just to fill the running time, and I had that general opinion of Corman’s Poe cycle.

However, I watched The Haunted Palace for the first time not too long ago, and thought it was wonderful, and thought maybe it was time to give the whole Corman/Price cycle another chance.

Watching it again, I realised I was totally wrong. It is weird, vivid, a mashup of pulp and existential horror that’s works superbly, and apart from Witchfinder General, I think this might be Price’s best performance as the black-hearted Prospero.

I loved the garish colours and the very fine set design and rather good costuming, and I particularly liked the Red Death and his brethren.

A fine film, and a classic of horror.

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5 Disney Movies 1999 to 2002 – 136

Posted on April 15, 2014 by GoodBadAndOdd

In this cast, Mark and Sam talk about assorted movies and games, including Shadow of the Colossus, Justice League, Filth, Stitch The Movie, We Need to talk about Kevin and Bioshock.

And about 5 Disney movies:

  • Fantasia 2000
  • Dinosaur
  • The Emperor’s New Groove
  • Atlantis: The Lost Empire
  • Lilo and Stitch

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Miami Vice: Brother’s Keeper 4.5/5

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Mark

Miami Vice

Well, as I watched the first half, I couldn’t help thinking ‘this really isn’t as good as I remember it’. Then we saw Sonny Crockett lived on a yacht. With an alligator called Elvis. Then we saw a judge with a pump action shotgun, a clerk with a magnum, Sonny getting it on with a work colleague, and a bad guy in a dress.

So 80s, it hurts, in a good way.

I rate it Awesome++

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We Are What We Are (2010) 3/5

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Mark

We Are What We Are

An everyday story of a dysfunctional family who happen to be ritualistic cannibals…

The film has all the elements to work and be great, with nice camerawork, acting and tension, but it’s lack of proper setup or explanation, even through indirect dialogue gets frustrating in the end, and ultimately you really don’t care about these people. It felt like it could have been so much better if the script had had a little more work.

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We Need to Talk about Kevin 4/5

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Mark

We Need to about talk about Kevin

What would it be like to have to raise a kid who is a psychopath? To live among people who vilified you for the actions of your child? To blame yourself, and be in fear that people will confront you with your fears every minute of the day?

It’s a very difficult subject, and front and centre to this movie. Very well acted, directed and written, it has a central coldness in tone that is probably unavoidable, but isn’t helped by the nonlinear nature of the presentation. I felt more at ease with this difficult subject when the narrative stayed linear, but even then it was disconcerting.

A fine movie, one that would make a good double bill with Stoker, but by no means an easy watch.

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