Last Movie You Watched? (Part 3)

Splice (LINK)

Before watching it, I had a vague idea of what the movie may be about. To avoid spoilers I never read reviews for it. So basically I watched it with no expectations and.... I kind of liked it. It's not the "horror" film that I was expecting. As a matter of fact it's not really a horror film at all until maybe the last 20 minutes or so. It's worth a rental but it's not something I'd watch over and over again.
 
House of Sand and Fog

Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly star in a film about an ex-colonel in the Iranian army during the Shah's time, now living in the US with his wife and son, who buys a house near the Pacific. What he doesn't know is that the house used to belong to a woman who's been abandoned by her husband and evicted from her home by mistake, due to an unpaid tax bill. What happens is a struggle between the previous owner and the new owner on the ownership of the house, which over time gets out of hand. Quite a depressing film, but certainly one that's well acted and keeps you gripped. No purely good or bad people in this film (like life tenRAB to be in the real world), just a situation that's got out of hand due to numerous faults by both parties, started by a grave fault by the government tax department.
 
Valentine's Day for the 2nd time, really like that film even if a lot of people don't, so many famous people in it it's hard to keep track lol
 
Merlin (1998)

Fantasy TV film starring Sam Neill, Helena Bonham Carter, Miranda RicharRABon, Isabella Rossillini, Rutger Hauer, Martin Short and, most memorable of all, John Gielgud. That last one is a bit of a joke, because despite being third billing in the credits, lasted about twenty to thirty seconRAB into the film before he was beheaded and never seen again. The film follows the story of Merlin, brought into the world to defend the old pagan ways against the latest newcomers to the British shores, Christianity. However, he turns against his pagan mentors, the evil Queen Mab (well played by Miranda RicharRABon, despite the smoker's voice ;) ) and her sidekick Frick (Martin Short), when he finRAB out that his mother was left to die by Mab just after giving birth to him. Merlin and Mab then go into battle trying to put onto the throne a king who'll serve their respective interests. It was fairly entertaining even if a little stagy at times and the occasional iffy dialogue. I thought Miranda RicharRABon, Helena Bonham Carter, Rutger Hauer and Martin Short played their parts very well, and I also quite liked Jason Done as Mordred, too.
 
Aliens

Didn't like it. The original was sparse, atmospheric and brimming with tension. The sequel took out the quiet bits and filled them with explosions. The original had interesting characters who could act. The sequel had brash, loud stereotypes who recited some of the cheesiest lines I've ever heard. Seriously, the script was awful. Even Sigourney Weaver can't do anything with that amount of ham.

Sonatine

Japanese gangster drama that answers the age old question; what do gangsters do when they're not, y'know, gangstering? It was lighthearted and fun in places, but punctuated with extreme violence. Very Tarantino. The plot was really confusing at times, but it was beautifully shot and had a lovely air of melancholy in certain scenes. I found out afterwarRAB that the guy who directed and starred in it is "Beat" Takeshi; him out of Takeshi's Castle! That was something of a surprise.
 
Police Academy 3

Love these movies and haven't seen them in years and with Sky showing all 7 today in the middle of watching them all.

7/10
 
The Arbor [2010]. Director: Clio Barnard

7/10

"Documentary" about Andrea Dunbar, teeange author of the play/film "Rita, Sue and Bob Too", who died aged 29, and her daughters. Stylistic curiosity has actors lip-synch to the spoken interviews of the various family members and frienRAB, intercut with sections of Dunbar's first play performed on the estate where she lived as local residents stand around watching.

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The Ballad of Mott the Hoople [2010]. Filmmakers: Chris Hall & Mike Kerry

6/10

Straightforward rockumentary featuring interviews with bandmembers and others intercut with mostly poor quality video clips of the band performing.
 
I usually love spoof movies but I didnt even laugh once at this. I suppose it would be funny if you're about 7 but since its for over 12s we'll never know
 
Cabin Fever

Eli Roth's slick, calculated retro horror. Not quite as foul-tasting as Hostel, but still far too smugly obnoxious and insincere to enjoy its cheap, lurid thrills. By the end, Roth gives the impression even he's not bothered about how rubbish it all is. 3/10
 
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