Seen and not seen's, recommendations and queries on top films in general.

[Atrophist]

Good to know that the Jude is good.  I have been meaning to watch it.

I went into it completely unprepared and only vaguely aware of what it's about. I hope I'm not overhyping it for you, but yeah I really thought this was amazing.

Some of the criticisms I've read are that it's too long and repetitive, or that it somehow supposedly makes the case that Romania was better of under Ceaucescu. Sure, the film is long and at times difficult to watch -- but that's sort of the point. As for it supposedly being nostalgic for pre-revolution Romania, well, that's so absurd there's no point in even discussing it further. 

Towards the end there is one, very long sequence that really makes you wonder what the hell is going on (you'll know what I mean when you see it), but in my opinion, in the end it works perfectly at making its point.

If you do watch it, make sure to drop a quick review here -- I'm interested in what you make of it!

[Balor/SS1535]

Good to know that the Jude is good.  I have been meaning to watch it.

I went into it completely unprepared and only vaguely aware of what it's about. I hope I'm not overhyping it for you, but yeah I really thought this was amazing.

Some of the criticisms I've read are that it's too long and repetitive, or that it somehow supposedly makes the case that Romania was better of under Ceaucescu. Sure, the film is long and at times difficult to watch -- but that's sort of the point. As for it supposedly being nostalgic for pre-revolution Romania, well, that's so absurd there's no point in even discussing it further. 

Towards the end there is one, very long sequence that really makes you wonder what the hell is going on (you'll know what I mean when you see it), but in my opinion, in the end it works perfectly at making its point.

If you do watch it, make sure to drop a quick review here -- I'm interested in what you make of it!

I will, once I get to it!  I was excited to see his new movie posted here, actually, because I just watched one of his earlier ones (I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians) a few times in the last month or so.  I really liked his style of semi-documentary filming and the citation-filled script.

[BlackCavendish]

Late Night with the Devil - Cameron & Colin Cairnes

Beautiful film that pays homage to the demonic cinema of the seventies (a bit in the wake of Ty West's "The House of the Devil"), shot with little money, great ideas, beautiful aesthetics and admirable attention to detail.
The movie depicts the events of a fictious late-night talk show's Halloween episode went terribly wrong.
Definitely worth a shot if you're into devilish movies.

[Atrophist]

Late Night with the Devil - Cameron & Colin Cairnes

Beautiful film that pays homage to the demonic cinema of the seventies (a bit in the wake of Ty West's "The House of the Devil"), shot with little money, great ideas, beautiful aesthetics and admirable attention to detail.
The movie depicts the events of a fictious late-night talk show's Halloween episode went terribly wrong.
Definitely worth a shot if you're into devilish movies.

I watched this a couple of weeks ago, it's pretty clever and works surprisingly well.

About 2/3 through there's a bit of a "well that escalated quickly" type of feeling, I would have preferred a more subtle approach, but that's just my opinion ofc. A bit too "vibe-y" and pastichey, but other than that a great little horror movie.

[BlackCavendish]

Civil War by Alex Garland

I have a soft spot for Alex Garland (especially his early works and the tv series Devs) and also a bit for A24 and its way of making cinema.
Civil War was therefore a highly anticipated film and I was not disappointed.
Excellent pace, great eye behind the camera, some reflections are perhaps a bit trite (the rhetoric of the journalist who documents but does not participate/is not affected by the events) but the final outcome is definitely good.

[Phenol]

Civil War by Alex Garland

I have a soft spot for Alex Garland (especially his early works and the tv series Devs) and also a bit for A24 and its way of making cinema.
Civil War was therefore a highly anticipated film and I was not disappointed.
Excellent pace, great eye behind the camera, some reflections are perhaps a bit trite (the rhetoric of the journalist who documents but does not participate/is not affected by the events) but the final outcome is definitely good.

I haven't seen it yet, but it's on my list. People I know who have seen it hate it, but I guess it's not universally hated then.

I have watched a couple of classics.

Walkabout (dir. Nicolas Roeg, 1971) which is pretty interesting. Threatening Australian landscapes, uneasy relationships with natives etc. + a beginning that is quite notorious and surprising. A good movie which is pretty much about nothing and with no real consequense, but where a lot is gained from the visuals themselves.

I also re-watched Fulci's New York Ripper (1982). Well, the duck voice is still hilarious rather than scary and the surprising end is no longer a surprise, but It's grimy and oversexed which gives it an edge I really enjoy. The sleazy synth soundtrack reminds me of that era's porn and adds to the grimyness + the cold and depressing outlook gives it an extra touch of nihilism that sets it apart from many other films in the "police vs. serial killer"-genre. Conclusion: it still holds up!

[Atrophist]

The Seeding

The "unsuspecting traveler meets inbred family of cannibals in the desert" thing. But this time it's done by total idiots who think they are creating some profound artistic masterpiece. Don't bother with this one.

Club Zero

Creepy teacher starts her own cult at a posh boarding school, based on not eating. Not just eating very little, not eating at all. Weird premise that works for a while, then simply collapses under its own weight about 2/3 of the way. Tries too hard, and like the above movie, thinks too highly of itself.

The Death of Dick Long

One of those "dumb criminals doing everything wrong" type of movies. Slightly similar to the almost perfect Good Time, except set in rural Alabama rather than New York. Not as good, but still fun. A couple of truly outrageous twists along the way.

[Cementimental]

Beau is Afraid

started extremely well with a kind of After Hours meets Street Trash stress nightmare kind of vibe, but then meandered off into multiple stylistic mixed-metaphors (can you really have "realistic" bad trip scenes that go basically nowhere but then also completely stylised ones which are also just a straight ripoff of Synecdoche New York and that Bjork video with recursive stage plays...? And also go kind of nowhere.) and indeterminate Magic Realism. not to mention Troma-esque monster which the film does absolute NOTHING to justify getting away with including.

I dunno. Interesting mess?


FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA
Haha so apparently grown adults in 2024 are like "huh, a new Mad Max film? What if it's somehow not good, - despite all obvious logic and evidence and common sense telling me a new mad max film will of course be very good.!?!! And I heard there's CGI in it and someone told me thats woke. I think what I'll do, is I'll not go and see it 🤷."

Idiots. :D their loss. Completely astonishing.

[Atrophist]

... I was excited to see his new movie posted here, actually, because I just watched one of his earlier ones (I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians) a few times in the last month or so.  I really liked his style of semi-documentary filming and the citation-filled script.

Just finished watching this one. This seems to be a universal topic in just about every European country, including here in Finland: the desire some people have to interpret their nation's military history as a heroic struggle for freedom and against oppression, and there like totally were never any genocides or atrocities going on.

On the other side of the aisle, of course, are the left-leaning intellectuals who love to shit on their doorstep, so to speak. And who pretend to support the working class, while despising everything they represent in real life.

This is a very clever satire that manages to make fun of both groups. The main character's constant quoting philosophy, guzzling red wine and getting naked were pretty hilarious little details.

Definitely will be checking out more of this director's work.

[Balor/SS1535]

... I was excited to see his new movie posted here, actually, because I just watched one of his earlier ones (I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians) a few times in the last month or so.  I really liked his style of semi-documentary filming and the citation-filled script.

Just finished watching this one. This seems to be a universal topic in just about every European country, including here in Finland: the desire some people have to interpret their nation's military history as a heroic struggle for freedom and against oppression, and there like totally were never any genocides or atrocities going on.

On the other side of the aisle, of course, are the left-leaning intellectuals who love to shit on their doorstep, so to speak. And who pretend to support the working class, while despising everything they represent in real life.

This is a very clever satire that manages to make fun of both groups. The main character's constant quoting philosophy, guzzling red wine and getting naked were pretty hilarious little details.

Definitely will be checking out more of this director's work.

Exactly.  What was very strange was watching this with a group of professors and seeing several of them totally miss that Jude was trying to make fun of Mariana as well as those trying to deny the Holocaust.