What Emmanuelle Movie Did You Just Watch?

[Bobby Bear]

I've not seen this summer's giant robot-fest, so I can't evaluate that performance; but Elba was very much bland in the Alien prequel that wasn't an Alien prequel, but then was one after all (not that he was the only problem there, granted).

I just told him it was the first film of his that I saw.

Ah, OK. From what you've already said, it doesn't sound like he would've been up for my barrage of questions about the politics which led to the future's mecha gladiator battlefields anyway.

I still really liked it. I was sold after 10 minutes and it managed to keep surprising and entertaining me. I think I'm just surprised that it actually got made starring the usually bland Hutcherson - and exec produced by him, I believe - and came out as fun as it is.

If anything, it had too many surprises for me. Surprises, like "jump" scares in one of the finer horror movies, succeed when they don't arrive in an endless stream. That's just wearying to me. Detention packed so many incidents on top of each other I found it difficult to connect with anyone or anything beyond the most superficial level. It was like it was trying to use the Airplane! gag rate approach - "Didn't like the last thing? Here's another one! And another!" It worked for that film because, apart from the hilarity, there was at least a basic premise established - a foundation, however loose, for the anarchy. Detention didn't seem to have that.

Detention was the cinematic equivalent of a Max Landis monologue, which is perhaps the most succinct explanation available for my negative reaction to the film.

[B_Metal]

Idris in Pacific Rim was a snoozefest. He didn't bring jack shit to the table and was completely wasted. So yes, Shia over Idris in this case.

Everybody that acted in PR was a snoozefest. As much as I hate the TF films and dislike Shia in general, I've gotta give it up that Shia delivered 'the goods' more than Idris did.

[Martin]

Wait, what? I must be confusing the Jaegers then. Who was the sword attached to? Gipsy right?

Yes.

ok. I don't remember all of the specifics. That being said, it's still sloppy.

Mako supervised the improvements and added stuff. But the training was cut short when Mako went apeshit. That's why Jax didn't learn about the swords. Only Mako knew, and even then, it's really simple to assume that once the fighting started, jsut like a real fight, the first times you forget some stuff and focus on the simpler things.

Remember, the swords were used right after Jax discovered about it to open the next battle.

And as much as I like the first Transformers, Shia is garbage. Rim is a better flick.

[gravedigger]

VHS 2- eh, not as entertaining or scary as the first one, I thought. Also missing the underlying theme of douchebros getting punished. I did like the creepy Korean cult short, though. At least until the full shot of the monster that looked like it was created by a high school craft club.

[Abraham Smashington]

The zombie one was great imo and that fucking alien one was amazing and still creeps me out.

But yeah, the cult one is the best but I loved that ending shot (craft club and all). It just worked for me.

[IggytheBorg]

MISOGYNISTIC FUCKS!

[Captain Russ]

I still enjoyed the opening short the most.

[Martin]

VHS 2- eh, not as entertaining or scary as the first one, I thought. Also missing the underlying theme of douchebros getting punished. I did like the creepy Korean cult short, though. At least until the full shot of the monster that looked like it was created by a high school craft club.

Indonesian, Grave. Indonesian. it's the director of The Raid. That one was by far far away the best one.

[IggytheBorg]

Took a mental health day off work and watched the original, 1933 Dracula. I know I'm the horror guru and all, but I confess I haven't seen this since I was a kid and don't remember it. After watching it now, I think I understand why. It had a few great moments and lines (e.g., "There are far worse things than. . . death."), but seemed like a jumbled together, plodding string of scenes. I just don't see people reacting to the situation in such a helpless, passive way. Drac kind of seemed like a dolt at the end, too. And he went down way too easy. The fact there was little if any score to speak of was also a little jarring. It was eerily silent, and probably less effective for it. I know allowances have to be made for the era it was produced, but I don't see this being a beloved favorite I'll be rewatching again & again.

Please forgive me, Tim.

[Matt]

The Spanish language one that was shot at the same time is actually better, in my opinion.

[Timothy225]

Took a mental health day off work and watched the original, 1933 Dracula. I know I'm the horror guru and all, but I confess I haven't seen this since I was a kid and don't remember it. After watching it now, I think I understand why. It had a few great moments and lines (e.g., "There are far worse things than. . . death."), but seemed like a jumbled together, plodding string of scenes. I just don't see people reacting to the situation in such a helpless, passive way. Drac kind of seemed like a dolt at the end, too. And he went down way too easy. The fact there was little if any score to speak of was also a little jarring. It was eerily silent, and probably less effective for it. I know allowances have to be made for the era it was produced, but I don't see this being a beloved favorite I'll be rewatching again & again.

Please forgive me, Tim.

The Spanish language one that was shot at the same time is actually better, in my opinion.

All honesty? It's been so long since I saw either one that I can't really question either opinion.

I do remember the original Dracula being a bit of a plod to get through. A classic film, yes, and I remember many movies of the era being the same way - no score/music playing, some of the performances are a bit wooden and lack any real emotion, the camera work is kind of bland, etc. But, put in context of the time it was released, I can see audiences back then being riveted by themes and situations us horror hounds take for granted nowadays.

As for the Spanish version, I do remember it being a bit moodier, and even the acting a notch above the Lugosi version. Maybe because it was shot at night, only the lead was allowed to see what Lugosi was doing during production of both films and putting his own spin on Lugosi's performance, and some technical improvements from the Spanish production crew over what they saw from what the English crew was doing. As I only saw it once or twice awhile back, I can't say for sure. I will add that I find Christopher Lee's take superior to both versions, but I've always been more of a Hammer kid than a Universal one anyway.

[FilmNerdJamie]

Bad Grandpa.

It's in the title. I walked out after 45 minutes.

[B_Metal]

What if the rest of the movie was so great it redeemed the first 45 mins? You'll never know now.

[Timothy225]

Evil Dead (2013)

It'll never replace the original flick, nor the sequel/redux that made Bruce Campbell's Ash the manliest of men, but it's still a neat lil' horror flick. Some very squirm inducing, balls out moments, and wisely reigns back on the comedy that Evil Dead 2 & Army of Darkness became famous for. No punch pulling here, folks. Give it a whirl.

Robocop (1987)

While the new take on Evil Dead worked for me (not so much for my best friend, who hated it), I can't see how the new version of this classic can possibly work at the level the original did. An ode to consumerism/evil corporations and how dominant they were back in the 80's (just like now!), Robocop is very much a product of its day, yet transcends that to play very well in today's world. The tech would have no problem fitting in nowadays, the messages/themes are very relevant in this post-Occupy world, and the performances work. No goofiness, no campiness - everyone played their parts straight and delivered a solid piece of work. The sequels and TV show might've tarnished its rep a bit, but the original still shines like Murphy's armor-plating.

Plus, Miguel Fucking Ferrer. Young. With hair. Snorting blow off a redhead's chest. Pissing off Ronny Cox AND Kurtwood Smith. TOP THAT, SOULLESS "GOTTA SELL ACTION FIGURES" REMAKE!

[Ben Thomas]

I turned Evil Dead off after half an hour and haven't been back to it. SO I can't couch for any of the gory stuff, but the character introductions are painfully dumb and I lost patience when the hairy kid with glasses started reading from the book.