Last movie watched...

[SmallBlueThing]

Dawn being sixth only means that it's my least favourite,  not that I don't like it.  I should have made that more explicit.

SBT

[pictsy]

As I mentioned in my Dawn of the Dead post, Land was one reason why I was hesitant to watch the others.  I have seen the film two or three times and I just don't think it is that good.  Even as far as "master of horror" doing "crud but strangely watchable" goes I don't rate it highly.  Ghost of Mars probably takes top spot in that particular category for me.  All that being said, I am glad that my displeasure of Land affecting my opinion of the Dead series at large was reduced enough for me to give Dawn and Day a go.

I'm not sure about giving Land another go.  I've given it a fair try and unlike Dawn and Day it never managed to win me over on it's own merits.  The last two in the series look a little too bad for my tastes.  It is going to take one hell of a pang of curiosity to get me to watch them.  I am more likely to watch The Amazing Spider-Man 2 before that pang occurs.

Maybe for my next films I will watch John Carpenter's Apocalypse Trilogy.  I've not seen The Thing yet, but I have seen Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness and enjoyed both.

[Goaty]

I've not seen The Thing yet, but I have seen Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness and enjoyed both.

Oooh you will enjoy that!

[CheechFU]

Army of Frankensteins.
It's got something for everyone, love! action! frankensteins! drama! armies! but mostly armies and frankensteins.
I never thought I would see a black woman in a hot air balloon trying to persuade a frankenstein to help out with the civil rights movement but now I pretty much have and it was everything I imagined it would be. exactly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9wTWwEwwEQ
YOU'VE RUPTURED THE MULTIVERSE, YOU FOOLS!

[Keef Monkey]

The Thing for the first time? You're in for a real treat, it's incredible.

[Jim_Campbell]

The Thing for the first time? You're in for a real treat, it's incredible.

Saw it in the cinema a couple of years ago, and there wasn't one single shot, one frame, I'd change. That's not to say it's the greatest movie ever made, obviously, but watching it on the big screen was like seeing it for the first time again. The pacing, the acting, yes, the FX work, are all just superb.

Such a good film.

Cheers

Jim

[von Boom]

I've not seen The Thing yet,

Simply the best of the Carpenter/Russell films. Perhaps Carpenter's best film.

[Greg M.]

That's not to say it's the greatest movie ever made, obviously

I'd certainly argue it has a place in the upper echelons, for exactly the reasons you detail - it's not just a great horror movie, it's a great movie irrespective of genre. Funny enough, all this talk of Day of the Dead got me in the mood for some 80s horror (as if I'm ever not in the mood!) and so I rather presciently gave The Thing its regular airing last night. The bit where [spoiler]Palmer[/spoiler] things-out has to be one of the great set-pieces of cinema. I also read quite an interesting blog about the movie (though it'll probably turn out I read it 'cos someone posted it elsewhere on the forum): http://theoriginalfan.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/when-thing-became-john-carpenters-thing.html

[pictsy]

I watched The Thing.  A second viewing will be needed at some point as I feel it deserved more of my direct attention.  It is clearly a really good film.  I was surprised at how polished it looked.  The Thing itself is gruesome and a terrifying prospect to be confronted with.  The conflict between the characters was expertly and the pacing is never ponderous.  The ending is nicely ambiguous that left me slightly wondering about it rather than seeing clear and intentional polemic interpretations.

The best thing about it?  It looks really good.  This is slick and well shot and gives anything made today something to live up to.  My first impression is certainly that this is the best directed work from Carpenter that I have seen.  Which says a lot considering how much I absolutely love Big Trouble in Little China.  Anyway, The Thing is an excellent film and I will definitely be watching it again sometime in the future.

[shaolin_monkey]

Cheers for that blog link Greg! Fascinating.

I agree with previous statements re this film. It might as well be genre-less. It is its own entity - a masterclass in characterisation, pace, setting, and utter paranoia.

I can watch The Thing over and over and still be as clueless as the men in that station as to who has succumbed, and when.

Just bloody brilliant.

[blackmocco]

That's not to say it's the greatest movie ever made, obviously

I'd certainly argue it has a place in the upper echelons, for exactly the reasons you detail - it's not just a great horror movie, it's a great movie irrespective of genre. Funny enough, all this talk of Day of the Dead got me in the mood for some 80s horror (as if I'm ever not in the mood!) and so I rather presciently gave The Thing its regular airing last night. The bit where [spoiler]Palmer[/spoiler] things-out has to be one of the great set-pieces of cinema. I also read quite an interesting blog about the movie (though it'll probably turn out I read it 'cos someone posted it elsewhere on the forum): http://theoriginalfan.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/when-thing-became-john-carpenters-thing.html

And defies all sorts of Hollywood movie "logic" in that it never, ever gives you any exposition or character background, thank fuck. Everything's in the moment, just like real life. Here's the setting, here's the people, here's the menace. Action defines characters.

[Famous Mortimer]

Balls Out

Sport parody movie, crammed with comedy talent (three current SNL cast members, loads of other people from those US comedy troupes). The poster makes it look like one of those dumb teen raunch movies when it's absolutely nothing of the sort -



I did a bit of a review of it, anyway. I try to write in a coherent fashion but I still haven't got past just spewing every word in my brain onto the page. But even if you don't read it, you should watch this because it's actually pretty good.

http://iscfc.net/2015/06/25/balls-out-2015/

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

While babysitting my nephew, there were movies on the TV, while he showed me all his favourite toys, first up: The Shaun the SHeep Movie.

Holy crap it's good. While I have enjoyed all of Aarman's output, none of their full length efforts have matched up to the magic of the Wallace and Gromit shorts, or Creature Comforts. This is up there. The attention to detail is astounding, not a single frame is wasted. It's basically a silent movie too, in the same sense Mr Bean was silent comedy. When my wee three-year-old nephew earnestly explained key scenes, it struck me just how cute the wee shite is and how clever the visual story telling was. This was the only movie we watched that had him sitting enrapt.

A bouble bill of the first two Jurassic Park movies followed. You've all seen them. The young one didn't pay much attention, other than to cheer on the Dinosaurs as they chased people. The best part was when he scolded the Dilophosaur for spitting.

[pictsy]

OOOH, I'd really like to watch the Shaun the Sheep film.  Years and years ago I saw the TV program (when I still had TV) and thought it was fantastic.  Best thing on kids TV at the time.  I even got my Mum into it to the point where her grandkids (one of my nieces or nephews - I forget which) gave her a Shaun the Sheep DVD.  I was somewhat jealous.  I was excited to hear that they made a movie.

[Colin YNWA]

My wife took the kids to see Shaun the Sheep during the school holidays when it was out and then insisted that I did so later in the week when I was looking after them they all enjoyed it so much. It was great I have to say. Though to be honest I prefered Sponge Bob: Sponge Out of Water which is even better!