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

[Atrophist]

To be honest I have no particular expertise to judge whether the depiction of ceremonies and rituals are accurate or realistic, but to me they hit true. I just enjoyed the effortless originality and refusal to follow any standard formulas.

Anyway, over the weekend I watched Red Rooms (2023)

French-speaking Canadian film set in Montreal. Supposedly a dramatic exploration of female hybristofilia. Deals with a beautiful but incredibly uptight-seeming model (and pro poker player) who seems obsessed with a man accused of abducting and murdering three underage girls. The title refers to supposed dark web torture dungeons.

Juliette Gariépy does an amazing job as the main character, but sadly the plot falls apart at the very end. I won't spoil it for anyone, but it's a cop out that retroactively renders much of the previous scenes completely nonsensical. Very disappointing and as such, difficult to recommend.

[BlackCavendish]

To be honest I have no particular expertise to judge whether the depiction of ceremonies and rituals are accurate or realistic, but to me they hit true. I just enjoyed the effortless originality and refusal to follow any standard formulas.

The Abramelin's text is a medieval grimoire to summon the guardian angel ("angel" not in a strictly Catholic terms). The long preparation, the diet, the rooms with a certain exposure, etc. are all coherent, so the director did a good job. But anyway "effortless originality and refusal to follow any standard formulas" are definitely the selling points of this movie. Very refreshing.

I also saw Starve Acre by Daniel Kokotajlo
a folk horror flick that could remind a less artsy "Lamb", with a darker mood. A good work, maybe a bit too canonical (the use of desaturated colors is now a trademark of folk horror) but still a good variation on the theme.

[Manhog_84]

Just saw positively the best film of the year; The Devil's Bath/Des Teufels Bad by Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz at Love & Anarchy Film Festival. It deals with very unique subject matter: depression and suicide by proxy in 1750. It's such a tour de force film making that you rarely come across. Not "folk horror", and I'm still on the fence should this be classified as horror, but surely a haunting drama. It puts the viewer in the shoes of it's protagonist and makes you feel the despair of her situation. As a period piece, it's very authentic. Well written and rich on different themes. Shot on 35mm and the use of natural light makes every frame look like a painting. The woman who plays the main lead role also composed the music, and it's amazing. There was some talk about The Girl with the Needle with Puce Mary soundtrack (good film also) but the music here is better. Those who live in Helsinki, might be interested to see this as there's one more screening next Saturday.

[XXX]

Anyway, over the weekend I watched Red Rooms (2023)

saw this as well. not bad but not the best. had odors of paul schrader although not quite up to that level.

[aububs]

red rooms is a modern classic

infinitely superior to any of the mediocre crap paul schrader puts out these days

[Atrophist]

red rooms is a modern classic

infinitely superior to any of the mediocre crap paul schrader puts out these days

My problem with it was the ending, which turned the whole thing upside down, and rendered much of the film pointless. Up to that point, it was indeed great.

[aububs]

i'm not really sure what you mean about the ending but hard to discuss it without giving spoilers i guess

[Atrophist]

Other, Like Me: The Oral History of COUM Transmissions and Throbbing Gristle

A brief, interesting but frustratingly superficial documentary on a fascinating subject. This would, in reality, have deserved maybe a 3 or 5 part doc series?

But then again, it may be a bit late as many of the main players are already dead. Also, possibly a lack of decent footage and other material would have made a more thorough approach difficult?

Still, a decent companion piece to Cosey's book. It's a pity that Genesis never got the chance to defend him(her/they/whatever)self against the allegations in it, as it's pretty much destroyed his artistic legacy. Although I admit I'm probably biased in that sense.

[Atrophist]

Last film I watched was The Substance which I saw at a sneak preview screening (it comes out officially in a week's time in the UK and US, maybe a little later elsewhere in Europe). In my humble opinion it's one of the best [horror] films I've seen in recent years, and I was grinning from ear to ear by the end of it. I'd rather not give spoilers away just yet, but I'd definitely be curious to know what others think once it's more widely seen.

I watched this over the weekend. I wasn't terribly impressed, to be honest. Basically to me it seems like this year's Saltburn -- a jumble of themes, setpieces and moods from earlier classic films, with no clear message or intention. There are cavernous plot holes and multiple unexplored loose threads. And like Saltburn, this one collapses under its own weight about 2/3 of the way in, since there is no real substance to prop it up. However, although many folks have hated the ludicriously over-the-top ending, I though its channeling of HG Lewis and early Peter Jackson was a lot of fun.

[Krigsverk]

Just saw the new Alien movie and I want my time back.

[BlackCavendish]

I've been through a small Jeff Nichols retrospective in the recent weeks. Definitely less celebrated than Eggers, the overrated Aster or the crazy Wheatley, Nichols is a solid director, with a nice eye behind the camera and a great taste in telling stories set in rural America. None of his films are masterpieces (at leats in my opinion) but all of them have really good narrative ideas, some interesting visual solutions, some unexpected twists and overall they work well even without having exorbitant budgets.

Shotgun Stories (2007)
A nice drama that revolves around a feud between 2 families.

Take Shelter (2011)
A psychological drama in which a father begins to have apocalyptic visions of a terrible storm coming, wondering if he is simply going crazy or if he is having a vision from the future.

Mud (2012)
A coming-of-age movie where 2 teenagers meet a fugitive hiding in a wood on a small island in the  Mississippi.

Midnight Special (2016)
Nichols' personal take on science fiction. Basically a road movie: a father and his "special" son are on the run from both government and a cult.

[BlackCavendish]

Just saw the new Alien movie and I want my time back.

Oh boy... that was really awful. Prometheus was bad, Covenant was very bad... didn't think they could even get worse. They did.

[Cranial Blast]

Just saw the new Alien movie and I want my time back.

I can imagine that. That franchise has been stretched to levels of utmost humiliation. I'm a huge fan of the third Alien film and for a lot of reasons, despite it's production failures and seeing the franchise today, I'm hoping people look back and go...yah know...maybe this one is a failed attempt, but looks genius today!