What Movies are you Watching?

[Sheenar]

I saw the movie Surrogates last week (invited by a guy friend). Lame movie, but hilarious --we all laughed the whole time (no, the movie is not intended to by a comedy, but winds up being so for reasons I do not want to spoil for you).
This would be a good one to wait to rent on DVD so you can rewind and replay some of the parts (also, to save money by not paying $5 to see it when you can get it later at Redbox for $1).

[GhostontheNet]

Tonight I watched Control.

[Htom Sirveaux]

Just finished watching Hogfather. Very well done. The story, as well as Pratchett's trademark satirical humor, are intact. Also, every character and voice is spot-on. Unless I miss my guess, Paul Kidby's artwork seems to have been used as a template for at least a few of them.
Would have liked to see more of The Death of Rats, and the Bursar should have had more lines, but other than that I'm very impressed. I believe I've found another "required yearly Christmas viewing" movie. Though technically it's not a movie, it's a two-part TV miniseries, about three hours total.

[ich1990]

The Ring

I watched it like it is supposed to be watched. Alone, after dark, no lights, with the wind howling outdoors. It was genuinely creepy. It was also very well put together, great acting, great cinematography, great use of colors (especially those dismal grays). And that ending, wow. Frankly, you can keep your slasher films, this is how horror movies are supposed to be. The Sixth Sense is still my favorite "scary movie", but this one is much, much more intense.

[RobinSena]

The Ring

I watched it like it is supposed to be watched. Alone, after dark, no lights, with the wind howling outdoors. It was genuinely creepy. It was also very well put together, great acting, great cinematography, great use of colors (especially those dismal grays). And that ending, wow. Frankly, you can keep your slasher films, this is how horror movies are supposed to be. The Sixth Sense is still my favorite "scary movie", but this one is much, much more intense.

I need to watch that soon, to see how it compares to the original. I did watch a clip of "the video", but it looked rather meh compared to Ringu's.

A few nights ago I watched Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance. I have to say, it's quite a good movie, and I'm looking forward to watching Oldboy and Lady Vengeance.

[GhostontheNet]

The Ring

I watched it like it is supposed to be watched. Alone, after dark, no lights, with the wind howling outdoors. It was genuinely creepy. It was also very well put together, great acting, great cinematography, great use of colors (especially those dismal grays). And that ending, wow. Frankly, you can keep your slasher films, this is how horror movies are supposed to be. The Sixth Sense is still my favorite "scary movie", but this one is much, much more intense.

Oh yes, that's why The Ring is number 10 on my top 13 list of movies. When I saw it, I can't tell you how inspired and exhilirated I was. It was like, 'this is old-school Gothic for the information age, [Ann] Radcliffean terror with sublime aesthetics and skilled CGI touchups. In addition to the elements you mention, the film also has an excellent use of symbolic imagery and intertextual references. It's interesting you should mention slasher films, because on my reading, the Gothic heroine Rachael's quest to discover and put an end to whatever is killing all these teenagers entails a critique of the "dead teenager movies" exemplified by this strand of horror. You can see this in the way tragic pathos is given to the first victim at her funeral, in the finale's deconstruction of Psycho's shower scene ('the only thing going down this drain is the dirt'), and in the skilled application of genre cliches surrounding the demise of female victims onto the final male victim. The film's suggestion that the heroine make skilled use of technology and hierarchies of information to carry out her quest is also quite apt for this day and age.

[GhostontheNet]

Tonight I watched The Amityville Horror and The Village.

[Song_of_Storms]

[SIZE="1"]Watched One Man's Hero a couple days ago with my Brother. It was very good... It invokes you to think a different way then you're accustomed to, as an American. Also, it did a wonderful job of showing how the Irish immigrants were harshly treated, due to their nationality and their devotion to Catholicism. [/SIZE]

[ich1990]

Oh yes, that's why The Ring is number 10 on my top 13 list of movies. It's interesting you should mention slasher films, because on my reading, the Gothic heroine Rachael's quest to discover and put an end to whatever is killing all these teenagers entails a critique of the "dead teenager movies" exemplified by this strand of horror. You can see this in the way tragic pathos is given to the first victim at her funeral, in the finale's deconstruction of Psycho's shower scene ('the only thing going down this drain is the dirt'), and in the skilled application of genre cliches surrounding the demise of female victims onto the final male victim. The film's suggestion that the heroine make skilled use of technology and hierarchies of information to carry out her quest is also quite apt for this day and age.

Actually, I chose to watch this one over "Ringu" or "The Grudge" or "Ju-on" (all of which I intend to watch, eventually) precisely because it was on your list of top 13 movies.

My comment about slasher films definitely was not idly made. Between the way this movie's strong female character fights back against her curse using all the resources available to her (even the internet!), her total lack of extraneous screaming (more than a few points were won there), the director's "stab" at the psycho shower scene (which I noticed as well and appreciated), the almost total lack of blood, and the emphasis on mounting dread (as opposed to visceral immolations) were all put together to make this film into what I would consider an antithesis of slasher movies.

[GhostontheNet]

Last night I watched Fighter. Interesting Danish film, here's hoping for a proper domestic release.

Actually, I chose to watch this one over "Ringu" or "The Grudge" or "Ju-on" (all of which I intend to watch, eventually) precisely because it was on your list of top 13 movies.

My comment about slasher films definitely was not idly made. Between the way this movie's strong female character fights back against her curse using all the resources available to her (even the internet!), her total lack of extraneous screaming (more than a few points were won there), the director's "stab" at the psycho shower scene (which I noticed as well and appreciated), the almost total lack of blood, and the emphasis on mounting dread (as opposed to visceral immolations) were all put together to make this film into what I would consider an antithesis of slasher movies.

Thank you, that's a very nice compliment. Now, as far as slasher films go, are you familiar with any of the genre criticism following the publication of Carol J. Clover's influential feminist study Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film? This work, combined with the realization that the slasher cycle reflects symptoms of post-traumatic stress in the aftermath of Vietnam, has lead to a more nuanced stage in critical readings, which should be taken into account. If you aren't, a good place to start would be The Horror Film: An Introduction by Rick Worland, which combined with The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror by David J. Skal make the best introductory texts. Incidentally, the question of female spectatorship of slasher films is an important subtext of Ginger Snaps directed by John Fawcett, another excellent film on my top 13 list that would be well worth your time, especially as Halloween draws near.

[the_wolfs_howl]

I last watched Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events for like the fourth or fifth time. This is the first time I've seen it after reading some of the books it's based on, and I must say they did even more of an excellent job than I realized before. Count Olaf is perfect, from his single eyebrow to his eye tattoo on his ankle. I've become a swift fan of those books, so it was nice to watch the movie again as well.

On the subject of The Ring, I thought it was a very well-put-together movie, though it didn't haunt or frighten me like Signs or The Grudge did. Those two movies made me flinch at shadows and imagine things in the darkness (or in the shower, in the case of The Grudge). I'm not criticizing The Ring, but I didn't find it as horrifying as everyone was telling me. Creepy, yes, but I didn't even have any nightmares after it. The part I found the most creepy was the video tape. The worst part of it, I think, was that the DVD menu just ran through all the clips from the tape, over and over again. When I watched it, I was waiting for a while for my mom and brother to come, and I just sat there looking at the menu, watching all those things... *shudder*

[GhostontheNet]

Tonight I watched The Wolf Man.

[GhostontheNet]

Tonight I watched Four Flies on Grey Velvet.

[ich1990]

Thank you, that's a very nice compliment. Now, as far as slasher films go, are you familiar with any of the genre criticism following the publication of Carol J. Clover's influential feminist study Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film? This work, combined with the realization that the slasher cycle reflects symptoms of post-traumatic stress in the aftermath of Vietnam, has lead to a more nuanced stage in critical readings, which should be taken into account.

I have not read anything relating to the topic of film or literary criticism, believe it or not. I have often considered it, but I guess I prefer to look at things from "gut feeling" and "rudimentary analysis" standpoints as opposed to the "what the intellectuals think" standpoint. I guess this is a bit of rebellion on my part] If you aren't, a good place to start would be The Horror Film: An Introduction by Rick Worland, which combined with The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror by David J. Skal make the best introductory texts. [/quote]

I will keep these in mind, should I decide to do a study of the subject. Thank you for the recommendations.

Incidentally, the question of female spectatorship of slasher films is an important subtext of Ginger Snaps directed by John Fawcett, another excellent film on my top 13 list that would be well worth your time, especially as Halloween draws near.

Thank you again for your recommendation, but I probably should have clarified. I currently do not have access to my Clearplay system, so I picked The Ring because it was PG-13, as well as on your list.

I'm not criticizing The Ring, but I didn't find it as horrifying as everyone was telling me. Creepy, yes, but I didn't even have any nightmares after it. The part I found the most creepy was the video tape. The worst part of it, I think, was that the DVD menu just ran through all the clips from the tape, over and over again. When I watched it, I was waiting for a while for my mom and brother to come, and I just sat there looking at the menu, watching all those things... *shudder*

We are actually of similar opinion, then. While I found the movie delightfully "creepy", it wasn't scary. It was simply too "far out" and separate from reality to actually convince me that I was in any danger in real life. The DVD menu I would describe as "disturbing". The only thing that I found truly "horrific" was the ending.

EDIT: Also watched The Skeleton Key

It wasn't quite a B horror movie, more like an B+. There was too much fanservice and reliance on cheap scare tactics to make it actually decent, but the ending keeps it from being totally uninteresting. The main character (yet another blond female) was fairly incompetent as well (a dangerous thing, when you are in a horror movie). Add in a few messed up details, such as a shotgun that shoots regular bullets (although to be fair it those could be slugs) and a person staying unconscious for nearly an hour after being strangled (normally one wakes up in 20 seconds or so), and you have a slightly less than mediocre movie.

[GhostontheNet]

I have not read anything relating to the topic of film or literary criticism, believe it or not. I have often considered it, but I guess I prefer to look at things from "gut feeling" and "rudimentary analysis" standpoints as opposed to the "what the intellectuals think" standpoint. I guess this is a bit of rebellion on my part] Gut feelings and a generally educated opinion are good, but it always helps to read up on the topic you're discussing. Carol J. Clover's essay is of paramount importance on the issue of slasher movies because of her detailed discussion of the role of the heroine, or "final girl", contemporary gender crises, and the dynamics of the gaze and audience spectatorship. The two progenitors of the slasher cycle, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween exhibit a high level of technical excellence, and a deeper symbolic resonance than the surface text would let on. The former is a kind of late modern Hansel and Gretel dealing with themes of class conflict and familial dysfunction, in which a dispossessed clan of slaugher-house workers make brutally efficient use of heavy machinery to find a new source of meat to keep the family business going. The latter is a suburban Gothic odyssey exploring ancient Greek themes of fate and nemesis in the context of suburban complacency and familial dysfunction. Whether or not such films are misogynistic depends in no small part upon issues of audience identification, and it is here the role of the final girl comes into play. This is not to say that this family of texts are my favorite horror films, or that their portrayals of gender are without serious issues, just that we should be attentive to what the films are and are not saying.

I will keep these in mind, should I decide to do a study of the subject. Thank you for the recommendations.

You're welcome. You should definitely check them out, I think you'd love 'em.

Thank you again for your recommendation, but I probably should have clarified. I currently do not have access to my Clearplay system, so I picked The Ring because it was PG-13, as well as on your list.

Yeah, as brilliant as Ginger Snaps is, any censorship system will play worse havok on the film than early VHS releases of Dario Argento's work.

EDIT: Also watched The Skeleton Key

It wasn't quite a B horror movie, more like an B+. There was too much fanservice and reliance on cheap scare tactics to make it actually decent, but the ending keeps it from being totally uninteresting. The main character (yet another blond female) was fairly incompetent as well (a dangerous thing, when you are in a horror movie). Add in a few messed up details, such as a shotgun that shoots regular bullets (although to be fair it those could be slugs) and a person staying unconscious for nearly an hour after being strangled (normally one wakes up in 20 seconds or so), and you have a slightly less than mediocre movie.

Okay, the Gothic heroine of The Skeleton Key is definitely blond, but I don't see what you mean about her being "fairly incompetent." In fact, she struck me as being very intelligent and resourceful. The camera lens in the mode of the male gaze does tend to eroticize her more than is usual (although Gothic plots tend to have a heavy subtext of sexuality), but this is offset by a strong sense of countercultural fashion vis-a-vis an ethos of personal independence. The technical elements of the film were well done in an excellent contemporary redeployment of the Radcliffean Gothic and Edmund Burke's aesthetics of the sublime. Overall, I found it to be much better than "a slightly less than mediocre movie", and I'm happy to have it in my collection.

[ich1990]

Okay, the Gothic heroine of The Skeleton Key is definitely blond, but I don't see what you mean about her being "fairly incompetent." In fact, she struck me as being very intelligent and resourceful. The camera lens in the mode of the male gaze does tend to eroticize her more than is usual (although Gothic plots tend to have a heavy subtext of sexuality), but this is offset by a strong sense of countercultural fashion vis-a-vis an ethos of personal independence. The technical elements of the film were well done in an excellent contemporary redeployment of the Radcliffean Gothic and Edmund Burke's aesthetics of the sublime. Overall, I found it to be much better than "a slightly less than mediocre movie", and I'm happy to have it in my collection.

First, I agree the technical aspects were handled nicely, although I didn't find the cinematics or backgrounds to be nearly as beautiful as in The Ring.

I also give the main character "props" for trying to solve the mystery instead of running away and for putting others' needs before her own, but I thought she mishandled things towards the end.

[spoiler]For instance, she never doubted that Father Justify (in his latest form) could be working with the main antagonist (I forget her name). Even though she knows he is from around the area and has spent significant time with the scary couple she doesn't even consider that he could be a bad guy. Perhaps I was suspicious of him because I knew I was watching a horror movie, but I would to think that if, in real life, I found myself in a similar situation I would make an effort to investigate anyone relating to the mysterious happenings and inevitably trust no one. After escaping I would have gone to the police, not the estate attorney.

Second, and most important, she made no effort to restrain and keep an eye on the old lady after she drugged her (which was a fairly competent move, I admit) and told her of her plans to rescue the old guy (not so competent). If she would have remembered the old saying, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." she would have saved herself an enormous amount of trouble. She didn't, and ended up losing because of it.[/spoiler]

I guess there are many horror movie characters who are much more incompetent than this one, but I felt that those two blunders were excessive. Perhaps if I had seen more horror movies I would have felt this character to be intelligent by comparison? I don't know, Ghost, you have seen many more than I.


EDIT: Watched Braveheart

I really wanted to like this movie more than I did. It had all the makings of an epic and it really should have worked. For some reason I just wasn't inspired by it like I was The Patriot, Gladiator, or The Last Samurai, and I don't know why. Maybe it is Mel Gibson with a Scottish accent that is throwing me off.... Anyways, it is a decent movie, if one uses a little fast-forwarding.

[GhostontheNet]

First, I agree the technical aspects were handled nicely, although I didn't find the cinematics or backgrounds to be nearly as beautiful as in The Ring.

I also give the main character "props" for trying to solve the mystery instead of running away and for putting others' needs before her own, but I thought she mishandled things towards the end.

[spoiler]For instance, she never doubted that Father Justify (in his latest form) could be working with the main antagonist (I forget her name). Even though she knows he is from around the area and has spent significant time with the scary couple she doesn't even consider that he could be a bad guy. Perhaps I was suspicious of him because I knew I was watching a horror movie, but I would to think that if, in real life, I found myself in a similar situation I would make an effort to investigate anyone relating to the mysterious happenings and inevitably trust no one. After escaping I would have gone to the police, not the estate attorney.

Second, and most important, she made no effort to restrain and keep an eye on the old lady after she drugged her (which was a fairly competent move, I admit) and told her of her plans to rescue the old guy (not so competent). If she would have remembered the old saying, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." she would have saved herself an enormous amount of trouble. She didn't, and ended up losing because of it.[/spoiler]

I guess there are many horror movie characters who are much more incompetent than this one, but I felt that those two blunders were excessive. Perhaps if I had seen more horror movies I would have felt this character to be intelligent by comparison? I don't know, Ghost, you have seen many more than I.

For sure, The Ring looks a lot better, which is one good reason why it's in my top 13 films, and The Skeleton Key isn't. If I demanded all my movies have the same superb quality as my top films, I probably would have stopped watching them some time ago. As for your two reasons for the heroine's 'incompetence', I chalk those up to narrative coherency. After all, the film would be nowhere near as good if she descried the big ruse in advance, or if we were forced to watch the antagonist play Houdini at the climax. Those two big mistakes are the lynchpins upon which the narrative stands, but the protagonist's choices are generally quite level-headed. Also, given the film's intelligent commentary on Voodoo and Hoodoo religions, it's important that she rely on such magical protections out of belief and not cynicism as a setup for that last big plot twist. Oh, and one last thing. In acting, they teach you how to act out a scene so that you do not appear to know the outcome in advance. In most horror movies, the locus of horror is something that drops unexpectedly into a narrative of a much different kind. Only in the post-modern strand of horror (i.e. Wes Craven's Scream) are the characters distinctly aware that they are in a horror movie.

[GrubbTheFragger]

Watched Saw 6 last night it was decent. Nothing special. The need to end the saw franchise!

[Scarecrow]

Transformers 2 and Trick 'r Treat.

Transformers was alright. IT wasn't as bad as I was expecting.

Trick 'r Treat now, I'd been waiting for this movie for over two years when I saw the trailer for it everywhere. For some reason they never decided to put it in theatres which is a shame cause this is easily one of the best halloween/horror movies to come out in a long while. I loved the atmosphere and design and the way the four stories intertwined with each other. It had a very black sense of humor too. This is THEE movie to watch on Halloween. The halloween theme is actually part of the story so it's not like Halloween or something where these event's just take place around Halloween and stuff. Love the new trick r treater guy. He can happily sit next to Michael Myers, Freddie, and all those guys as a great halloween/horror movie icon.

Here's the trailer since I'm betting most have never heard of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jh0DwJZjz8

Check it out if you love horror movies or halloween.

[GhostontheNet]

Today I watched Ginger Snaps and Marie Antoinette with my friend Amy.

[GhostontheNet]

Tonight I watched Batman Begins.

[GeneD]

I watched UP last week Wednesday. Good movie and the dog was funny.

[ich1990]

For sure, The Ring looks a lot better, which is one good reason why it's in my top 13 films, and The Skeleton Key isn't. If I demanded all my movies have the same superb quality as my top films, I probably would have stopped watching them some time ago. As for your two reasons for the heroine's 'incompetence', I chalk those up to narrative coherency. After all, the film would be nowhere near as good if she descried the big ruse in advance, or if we were forced to watch the antagonist play Houdini at the climax. Those two big mistakes are the lynchpins upon which the narrative stands, but the protagonist's choices are generally quite level-headed.

That is fair enough. Perhaps I have too high of expectations for the average character. This is something that I have consistently found myself arguing with other people about (see: Harry Potter).

I disagree, however, that character incompetence is necessary for plot advancement. In fact, I think it can easily become a crutch that is used to make up for bad writing. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have manga like Death Note, Liar Game, Monster, and 20th Century Boys and movies such as The Ring, Die Hard, Gladiator, and even The Princess Bride. All of these examples have competent characters who don't make stupid mistakes (unless such a mistake is called for, such as in Die Hard where a sudden rush of adrenaline makes it difficult for the protagonist to think clearly) yet these also have dynamic conflict and compelling narratives.

Going back to The Skeleton Key, I think that there are various ways the writers could correct both "incompetencies" that I pointed out without fundamentally changing the movie.

[spoiler]For issue #1, the main character could have asked the attorney a technical question about his job, and he could have then answered correctly (because he read the For Dummies book on the subject). She (and the audience) would then be satisfied with that answer. That would have shown that she wasn't so oblivious as to overlook his conspicuous involvement with these people, yet wouldn't have altered the movie in any meaningful way aside from adding a few seconds to the running time.

For issue #2, the main character would only have had to ransack the local area looking for something to tie the antagonist with, not find anything, then give up and start searching for Father Justify's record.[/spoiler]

Those two changes, adding a few mere seconds to the film, would have totally reversed my opinion of the main character and increased my enjoyment of the film greatly.

[Azier the Swordsman]

Halloween III - Season of the Witch

Mediocre. The concept was decent for a B-horror film, but the acting, dialogue, and directing was sub par.

I think the only reason the movie managed to be somewhat creepy to me is due entirely to my fear of snakes.

[the_wolfs_howl]

A couple days ago I watched the DVD of Michael Flatley's Celtic Tiger, the show he did after Feet of Flames. I must confess that I was extremely disappointed. I love Feet of Flames to death; I love the tapping, the music, the story.... But in Celtic Tiger, the music was mainly just bad reprises of the old music, the dances didn't seem quite as spectacular for the most part, there was a lot more focus on revealing clothing and suggestive dances for the women, and the worst thing of all - there wasn't a cohesive story holding it all together and lending suspense to the show. Plus, they didn't bring Mairead Nesbitt back to do violin, which is a huge mistake if you ask me.

But anyway, now I'm halfway through The Grudge 2. I'm glad I decided to watch it; it's shaping up to be quite a good sequel. I'm not quite as petrified by it as I was by the first one, but I suppose that's mainly because I know how the grudge stuff works now. I'm also detecting some possible The Ring influences....

[GhostontheNet]

I just finished watching The Ring.

That is fair enough. Perhaps I have too high of expectations for the average character. This is something that I have consistently found myself arguing with other people about (see: Harry Potter).

Right, this is a good point to call it quits, as it has grown tedious arguing about it.

[RobinSena]

In the past few days I've watched Hard Candy, Mr. Brooks, most of Starship Troopers, and War. The first two were great, the third was pathetic and annoying, and the last was enjoyable. =)

[GhostontheNet]

Tonight I watched Mad Monster Party and Dawn of the Dead with my friends the Coyles.

[ich1990]

Continuing on in my tour of PG-13 horror (well, this one is more like suspense) movies.

The Others

It was very, very good. Complaint first, though. At times I thought the music swelled at the wrong times leading one to believe something was about to happen then..... nothing. This could be used to great effect but wasn't, at least in my opinion.

Now the good parts. Since Ghost and I have been discussing the role of main protagonists in these sorts of films, I would like to point to Grace Stewart (Nicole Kidman's character) as a shining example of everything I could ask for in such a role. She made an effort to behave logically and not succumb to fear (although the logical world was being pulled out from underneath her); she courageously (but not stupidly) put her life on the line for those she cares about; when she is threatened the first thing she does is go grab a shotgun (if only more horror movie characters had the sense to do that!); she even has the will power to pull the trigger when necessary.

The setting and the music are practically pitch perfect, which is amazing considering this film was made on a shoestring budget. I loved the Victorian setting, and the house was perfect for this style of movie (even better than the one in The Skeleton Key, I would venture to say). [spoiler]Of course there is also the twist ending, which I approve of. Although, I have to say that sometimes I find the more subtle twists are more effective than the earth shattering ones.[/spoiler]

Finally, I should mention that this film derides the director's version of the Catholic faith pretty directly. I am not Catholic, so I don't know how accurate his view of it is, but I got the feeling it was a good ways off.

Overall, I was very impressed with this movie. If you like Victorian mysteries or nuanced psychological thrillers, you should really go watch this movie. It is definitely worth it.

[Azier the Swordsman]

My Fair Lady, Halloween 4, and Prisoner of Azkaban.