Movies Rate and Discuss the Last Movie You Saw v.16

Wild Things (USA, 1998)

Neo-noir erotic thriller directed by John McNaughton and starring Matt Dillon, Denise Richards, Neve Campbell, Kevin Bacon, Robert Wagner, and Bill Murray.

Set in the sultry environment of Blue Bay, Florida, the film starts with accusations of rape against a local teacher. The plot twists and turns from there all the way to the end. Actually, the film is still explaining itself during the ending credits. It is that sort of movie.

The film is primarily known for pairing Denise Richards and Neve Campbell in a variety of risqué sex scenes. Richards is at her peak and she is absolutely stunning in this film. The film delivers on what it promises. (For the women in the audience, Dillon and Bacon are handsome men willing to do bad things.).

The film is lurid, pulpy, ridiculous, and melodramatic. It is often quite funny too, especially when Murray, playing a Saul Goodman type lawyer, is on the screen.

I won't deny any aspect of the above description and I will also proudly (ok, maybe not so proudly) extoll the virtues of this film. It is a lot of fun. Trashy fun, but fun nevertheless.

This is, without a doubt, a trashy film. It is also a lot more than just a trashy film. McNaughton directed Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and Normal Life. He is not a hack. He looks to be enjoying making a tabloid style movie, but he also fills it with some subversive elements. The film plays with genre tropes as it begins as a courtroom drama, transitions into a steamy noir thriller, and concludes as a revenge caper. Each character alternates as predator or prey. Even the sex scenes, often seemingly gratuitous, serve to disguise real motives.

In some ways, the film reminds me of Basic Instinct; another 90's erotic thriller that was a very good thriller but was almost entirely remembered for showing off Sharon Stone's vag. Of course, Wild Things is not nearly as good as Basic Instinct. The point remains that that the lurid plot hides that fact that this is a very good B noir movie and it is lot of fun to watch.

Rating: 6/10

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Jingle All the Way (1996) 1/10

My first and last time watching. Strong contender for worst movie i've ever seen.
 
Sinister 2 (2015) 6/10. Both Sinister movies are under rated imo. The 'home movies' are incredibly well done and disturbing but they're almost ruined by the idiotic music. They'd be even scarier with just the sound of the projector running. The second one is a great sequel in that it digs deeper into the lore while delivering just as scary a movie.

Starship Troopers (1997) 10/10. Speaking of under rated. This movie is an absolute masterpiece. It's literally a perfect movie right up there with Jurrassic Park, Jaws and Alien.
 
Subservience (2024). 5.5/10. Ridiculous plot but Megan Fox puts in a great performance as always. Super under rated actress imo. Answers the age old question: If they made robot maids that look like Megan Fox and have working sex organs, would you fuck one? Yes.
 
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revoltub said:
The Conversation - (1974)

-

Second time watching it. Brilliant film, haunting. Gene Hackman's performance is deceptively great. He is able to transfer his anxiousness and paranoia through the screen with seemingly little effort. Like him, You dont know exactly who to trust. And the film does little to chill you out, instead it just adds more reasons why you should be suspicious.

The "spies" in this movie arent slick or sleek. They are kind of dorky, kind of dick tracy villains, almost a carnie mix that seem out of Hackman's dreams. But what they lack in elegance they make up for in a dedication to their craft. And it is very creepy, considering this film came out in the 70s and technology is far more advanced today. Russian super agents are pretty cool villains, but what's really creepy is the possibility of a niche and nerds fighting to master it.

Where does Hackman land in all this? The film gives you hints, and the performance does the rest. I never get the sense either is trying too hard to convince me. Hackman's performance doesn't make up for the writing it just makes the film better on the basis of being such great a great performance.

I dont know why you haven't watched this if you havent

9/10 range.
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that movie has one of those opening shots that is nothing special, but when I'm high I watch i over and over, it's mesmerizing watching that mime strolling around

The only other scene that gets me like that is the car journey from the Shining. They would be two of my favourite scenes in movie history

And Kim Basinger's arse in 9 1/2 Weeks
 
Dragonlord’s Review of KRAVEN THE HUNTER

Bottom Line: Plagued with a half-witted story, dreadful dialogue and a moronic character assassination direction, Kraven the Hunter is the latest, and hopefully last, craptastic offering by Sony in their idiotic live-action Spider-Man spinoff universe.

PCA8S6N.jpeg


[Warning: Spoilers but this movie is not worth the watch, so you might as well read the review.]

Doomed from the very start with the imbecilic choice of making one of Spider-Man’s greatest villain into a hero, Sony Pictures continues their embarrassing streak of milking the Spider-Man brand by foolishly giving side characters and villains their own solo movies. Kraven the Hunter is Sony’s latest offering in their Spider-Man Spinoff Universe without Spider-Man in it.

In Marvel Comics, Kraven is a dangerous big-game hunter renowned for his exceptional hunting skills and is obsessed with killing Spider-Man to prove he is the best hunter in the world. The character gained massive popularity in the seminal and critically-acclaimed Kraven’s Last Hunt storyline. There are so many cool ways to adapt Kraven to the big screen but Sony chose the lamest option and have this character turn into an animal lover and a conservationist who hunts poachers and other bad guys.

Although not as dumb as the origin story of Sony’s Madame Web, Kraven’s origin story on how he gets his powers is still ridiculous and contrived that involves a magic potion from a voodoo mystic, fortune telling from some form of tarot cards and a drop of lion’s blood. We also are (mis)treated to an almost 30 minutes flashback of teen Kraven to show the convoluted process on how he got his powers and to explain his family dynamics. Sometimes less is more.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Sergei Kravinoff a.k.a. Kraven the Hunter. Sporting a beard, long locks and ripped physique, the English actor looks good as a young Kraven but his weak, boyish voice just throws me off and is just unfit for the character. It’s so funny that teen Kraven has a deeper voice than the full adult Kraven. Despite his puny voice for the role, Taylor-Johnson is generally a terrific actor and he gives an adequate performance taking into consideration the shoddy script he has to work with. He also looked good in his action scenes especially in the extended chase scene in the city streets of London (the best part of the movie) which gave off that bad-ass Steve Rogers/Winter Soldier vibes.

Jason Momoa on the other hand was born to play Kraven (and Lobo). So hopefully Momoa will be available in the future when they finally do a reboot of the character where Kraven finally hunts down Spider-Man. Pablo Schreiber and Gerard Butler would be great choices also for the Kraven role.

It was weird seeing Fred Hechinger again after just seeing him a few days ago in Gladiator II where he played a demented Ed Sheeran. In here, Hechinger plays Dmitri Smerdyakov, Kraven’s cowardly half-brother who would become the Spider-Man villain Chameleon at the end of the movie. His transformation into Chameleon is so abrupt and absurd. He looked especially silly when he transformed into Kraven because Dmitri’s so strikingly short in height. Does this mean Chameleon in the future can only impersonate Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo?

Alessandro Nivola on the other hand would have been a great Chameleon. Unfortunately he plays Rhino in this movie. I didn’t mind Nivola’s performance as the mercenary and main antagonist Aleksei Sytsevich, it had a certain charm and his mannerisms had a beguiling effect. His transformation into full Rhino mode was not that flattering and the CGI was not convincing but I appreciated its character design more compared to the mech Rhino suit in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Russell Crowe was surprisingly great as Kraven’s estranged father and the ruthless gangster, Nikolai Kravinoff. The pieces are already set up. The actors gathered here are impressive. They already have a good director in J.C. Chandor (Margin Call, A Most Violent Year, All is Lost). If they tweaked the script, didn’t force a link to the Spider-Man world and just made an original action movie, this would have some potential.

The silliest character in here is the assassin known as the Foreigner played by Christopher Abbott. He has the ability to instantly hypnotize a person in a trance for a few seconds if they look into his eyes. This comic book character is an obscure one but I do remember him being a cool, skillful mercenary. This movie version is just corny as hell.

At some point, Dmitri is kidnapped and is ransomed for $20 million. This just bugs me up to now. It feels like this script was written in the early 2000s where $20 million would be a suitable demand. But in 2024 and considering the kidnapped person is the son of a very successful international crime lord, $20 million is too low.

The R-rating helped in showcasing some of the brutality in the action scenes but wished they gave it more thought to come up with some truly creative kills. The film’s use of Basil Poledouris’ “Hymn to Red October” at the beginning bugged me also, felt like they don’t deserve to touch this classic orchestral piece. There is no post-credits scene which is a blessing because Sony’s Spider-Man Spinoff Universe sucks so badly at it.

At the very end, Kraven finally wears his signature lion mane vest and do a forced cringy pose to recreate his famous comic book posture sitting down. With only one begrudgingly passable movie (2018’s Venom) and the rest are varying degrees of trash (Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius, Madame Web, Venom: The Last Dance, Kraven the Hunter), Sony’s Spider-Man Spinoff Universe is hands-down the worst shared cinematic universe ever, worse than the DCEU and Fox’s X-Men universe. Mercifully, Sony has no movie projects on the horizon for their Spider-Man Spinoff Universe... for now.

RATING: 3.5/10
 
revoltub said:
Black Christmas (1974)

I enjoyed it, does a good job of mixing in comedic elements while also genuinely having creepy moments. For me, what really makes it all work is the deadpan delivery of the cast and the serious presentation and tone. It almost made me question if it was supposed to be funny a few times.

Overall It was a fun short horror movie to watch during Christmas.

7.2/10 range.
Click to expand...
I rewatched this and it's remake a few month ago and loved it. I love Christmas horror lol....
 
Dragonlordxxxxx said:
Dragonlord’s Review of KRAVEN THE HUNTER

Bottom Line: Plagued with a half-witted story, dreadful dialogue and a moronic character assassination direction, Kraven the Hunter is the latest, and hopefully last, craptastic offering by Sony in their idiotic live-action Spider-Man spinoff universe.

PCA8S6N.jpeg


[Warning: Spoilers but this movie is not worth the watch, so you might as well read the review.]

Doomed from the very start with the imbecilic choice of making one of Spider-Man’s greatest villain into a hero, Sony Pictures continues their embarrassing streak of milking the Spider-Man brand by foolishly giving side characters and villains their own solo movies. Kraven the Hunter is Sony’s latest offering in their Spider-Man Spinoff Universe without Spider-Man in it.

In Marvel Comics, Kraven is a dangerous big-game hunter renowned for his exceptional hunting skills and is obsessed with killing Spider-Man to prove he is the best hunter in the world. The character gained massive popularity in the seminal and critically-acclaimed Kraven’s Last Hunt storyline. There are so many cool ways to adapt Kraven to the big screen but Sony chose the lamest option and have this character turn into an animal lover and a conservationist who hunts poachers and other bad guys.

Although not as dumb as the origin story of Sony’s Madame Web, Kraven’s origin story on how he gets his powers is still ridiculous and contrived that involves a magic potion from a voodoo mystic, fortune telling from some form of tarot cards and a drop of lion’s blood.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Sergei Kravinoff a.k.a. Kraven the Hunter. Sporting a beard, long locks and ripped physique, the English actor looks good as a young Kraven but his weak, boyish voice just throws me off and is just unfit for the character. Despite his puny voice for the role, Taylor-Johnson is generally a terrific actor and he gives an adequate performance taking into consideration the shoddy script he has to work with. He also looked good in his action scenes especially in the extended chase scene in the city streets of London (the best part of the movie) which gave off that bad-ass Steve Rogers/Winter Soldier vibes.

Jason Momoa on the other hand was born to play Kraven (and Lobo). So hopefully Momoa will be available in the future when they finally do a reboot of the character where Kraven finally hunts down Spider-Man. Pablo Schreiber and Gerard Butler would be great choices also for the Kraven role.

It was weird seeing Fred Hechinger again after just seeing him a few days ago in Gladiator II where he played a demented Ed Sheeran. In here, Hechinger plays Dmitri Smerdyakov, Kraven’s cowardly half-brother who would become the Spider-Man villain Chameleon at the end of the movie. His transformation into Chameleon is so abrupt and absurd. He looked especially silly when he transformed into Kraven because Dmitri’s so strikingly short in height. Does this mean Chameleon in the future can only impersonate Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo?

Alessandro Nivola on the other hand would have been a great Chameleon. Unfortunately he plays Rhino in this movie. I didn’t mind Nivola’s performance as the mercenary and main antagonist Aleksei Sytsevich, it had a certain charm and his mannerisms had a beguiling effect. His transformation into full Rhino mode was not that flattering and the CGI was not convincing but I appreciated its character design more compared to the mech Rhino suit in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Russell Crowe was surprisingly great as Kraven’s estranged father and the ruthless gangster, Nikolai Kravinoff. The pieces are already set up. The actors gathered here are impressive. They already have a good director in J.C. Chandor (Margin Call, A Most Violent Year, All is Lost). If they tweaked the script, didn’t force a link to the Spider-Man world and just made an original action movie, this would have some potential.

At some point, Dmitri is kidnapped and is ransomed for $20 million. This just bugs me up to now. It feels like this script was written in the early 2000s where $20 million would be a suitable demand. But in 2024 and considering the kidnapped person is the son of a very successful international crime lord, $20 million is too low.

The R-rating helped in showcasing some of the brutality in the action scenes but wished they gave it more thought to come up with some truly creative kills. The film’s use of Basil Poledouris’ “Hymn to Red October” at the beginning bugged me also, felt like they don’t deserve to touch this classic orchestral piece. There is no post-credits scene which is a blessing because Sony’s Spider-Man Spinoff Universe sucks so badly at it.

At the very end, Kraven finally wears his signature lion mane vest and do a forced cringy pose to recreate his famous comic book posture sitting down. With only one begrudgingly passable movie (2018’s Venom) and the rest are varying degrees of trash (Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius, Madame Web, Venom: The Last Dance, Kraven the Hunter), Sony’s Spider-Man Spinoff Universe is hands-down the worst shared cinematic universe ever, worse than the DCEU and Fox’s X-Men universe. Mercifully, Sony has no movie projects on the horizon for their Spider-Man Spinoff Universe... for now.

RATING: 3.5/10
Click to expand...
I would expect no less. They really have no clue.
 
Biggest Heist Ever-(Documentary, Netflix)--9/10

This doc tells the story of Ilya "Dutch" Lichtenstein and Heather "Razzlekhan" Morgan. The two were a married couple who laundered $4.5 billion in stolen Bitcoin in 2016 through cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex. This is some batshit crazy stuff. The wife is a looney bird who created an alter ego rap persona so bad and cringe that you think she could not be part of the biggest hack/heist in history. He was a nerdy quiet tech start up guy. This is a great watch.
 
HUGHPHUG said:
that movie has one of those opening shots that is nothing special, but when I'm high I watch i over and over, it's mesmerizing watching that mime strolling around

The only other scene that gets me like that is the car journey from the Shining. They would be two of my favourite scenes in movie history

And Kim Basinger's arse in 9 1/2 Weeks
Click to expand...

Have you seen Abre Los Ojos? The original Spanish Vanilla sky? There is an interesting mime scene with Penelope Cruz that's worth watching when high.
 
revoltub said:
I was gonna skip the remake but if you say it's good I might check it out.
Click to expand...
Not good but if you like the genre, it's ok. Interestingly enough, back in the 70s there were two movies that had the premise "The Call is coming from inside the house!" which they famously spoofed years later in a Bud ice commercial with penguins. Black Christmas was one.
 
I Am Legion said:
Not good but if you like the genre, it's ok. Interestingly enough, back in the 70s there were two movies that had the premise "The Call is coming from inside the house!" which they famously spoofed years later in a Bud ice commercial with penguins. Black Christmas was one.
Click to expand...

Yeah when a stranger calls. Good movie. Surprised when I watched it that the scene happens early in the film.
 
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watched Smile the other night & thought it sucked donkey dick. i haven’t hated a movie experience this much in awhile.

i still have decently high hopes for Smile 2 though. it just seems like a way more enjoyable experience from what i’ve heard. @ColemanwastheGOAT
 
eddymotto said:
Wild Things (USA, 1998)

Neo-noir erotic thriller directed by John McNaughton and starring Matt Dillon, Denise Richards, Neve Campbell, Kevin Bacon, Robert Wagner, and Bill Murray.

Set in the sultry environment of Blue Bay, Florida, the film starts with accusations of rape against a local teacher. The plot twists and turns from there all the way to the end. Actually, the film is still explaining itself during the ending credits. It is that sort of movie.

The film is primarily known for pairing Denise Richards and Neve Campbell in a variety of risqué sex scenes. Richards is at her peak and she is absolutely stunning in this film. The film delivers on what it promises. (For the women in the audience, Dillon and Bacon are handsome men willing to do bad things.).

The film is lurid, pulpy, ridiculous, and melodramatic. It is often quite funny too, especially when Murray, playing a Saul Goodman type lawyer, is on the screen.

I won't deny any aspect of the above description and I will also proudly (ok, maybe not so proudly) extoll the virtues of this film. It is a lot of fun. Trashy fun, but fun nevertheless.

This is, without a doubt, a trashy film. It is also a lot more than just a trashy film. McNaughton directed Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and Normal Life. He is not a hack. He looks to be enjoying making a tabloid style movie, but he also fills it with some subversive elements. The film plays with genre tropes as it begins as a courtroom drama, transitions into a steamy noir thriller, and concludes as a revenge caper. Each character alternates as predator or prey. Even the sex scenes, often seemingly gratuitous, serve to disguise real motives.

In some ways, the film reminds me of Basic Instinct; another 90's erotic thriller that was a very good thriller but was almost entirely remembered for showing off Sharon Stone's vag. Of course, Wild Things is not nearly as good as Basic Instinct. The point remains that that the lurid plot hides that fact that this is a very good B noir movie and it is lot of fun to watch.

Rating: 6/10

View attachment 1075261
Click to expand...

Watched this for the first time recently. Was disappointed. I agree with most of your points, and in retrospect it was trashy fun.
But while watching it was hard not to compare it to the original Scream, which handled the multiple twists so much better.


Get Carter (1971)
Michael Caine plays an English gangster out for revenge after the murder of his brother. Along the way he has sexual intercourse with multiple women and kills some anonymous henchmen.
This film is apparently well-regarded, with both BFI and Total Film magazine ranking it among the greatest British films.
I was not impressed. Many of the moments which should have been more exciting or climactic were ruined by ridiculously nonsensical decisions by the main characters (eg- Carter yells "Don't move" to a henchman, they stare at each other, not moving for a few seconds, then Carter shoots him).
Other aspects seem to have not aged very well. For instance, pornography is a recurring motif which is meant to reinforce how grimy and immoral the British underworld is. Watching in our current age this has lost a bit of its punch.
It is shot on location, and makes the most of the setting. Caine does some cool 1970s tough guy stares.
5/10

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Michael Caine plays Ebeneezer Scrooge. You know the plot. Some good songs, and some decent laughs. Most of the way, Caine plays it straight enough to not distract from the Muppets, who are the reason most people would choose this out of the plethora of Dickens adaptations. He turns it on at the end, when required and does an admirable job. However, the music and dance scenes at times feel like a pale imitation of Albert Finney's Scrooge.
You could do much worse, especially if introducing kids to the story.
7.3/10

Batman Begins (2005)
Michael Caine plays the butler to a vigilante. I think this film has already been discussed in Mayberry once or twice.
I hadn't seen it since watching it in the theatre, but still remembered almost every scene. A standout is Tom Wilkonson as Carmine Falcone.
Enjoyed the first half a bit more than the second half, but still a very fine movie, by superhero standards.
8.5/10

Heretic (2024)
Hugh Grant walks a fine line between charming charisma and sadistic insanity as he mentally and physically tortures two young Mormon girls performing missionary work.
At times the camera work and music direction amplify suspense in a way reminiscent of other A24 films like Hereditary and Everything Everywhere All At Once.
This is an enjoyable, well made movie. Its biggest strength, Hugh Grant's character, is unfortunately also its biggest weakness, as not enough explanation is given on his motives or backstory to make the events believable.
Would rate a 7/10, but contains a disturbing lack of Michael Caine, so I have to give it the 0/10 it deserves.
 
Reindeer games (2000)
-

Okay. I dont know exactly what to say about this one. It feels very convoluted. To the point I'm not sure if it is or if the story is so complex I'm just too retarded to figure it out.

Charlize Theron shows her tits. That's a positive, along with some other moments that dont lead to anything.

Overall: reindeer games start's out fairly well, but never continues very well. It is full of moments where you watch and you say "oh shit it is on" and then is off. It just never gets going despite several hooks being thrown throughout the film to bite on.

I think it is because the film, like I alluded to, doesnt make a whole lot of sense. On any level. The plot is very convoluted and insane that I am almost tempted to review it as a major satire or unintentional comedy.

I really dont think it is though. And the reason isnt because the film doesnt feel cohesive, which it doesnt - but not in a cool, dreamlike way. In a "let's make everything fit now" kind of way.

But why do I kind of like this movie? Charlize Theron doesnt hurt, iykyk, I guess ikn. Gary Sinese doesnt hurt either. Ben Affleck is decent but I'm not gonna lie and say he Cruise'd it because he didnt.

I guess despite the movies flaws it has moments where you can see a genuine spark. Its just that the inbetweens arent great.

6.5/10 range but might move up.
 
franquito said:
Watched this for the first time recently. Was disappointed. I agree with most of your points, and in retrospect it was trashy fun.
But while watching it was hard not to compare it to the original Scream, which handled the multiple twists so much better.


Get Carter (1971)
Michael Caine plays an English gangster out for revenge after the murder of his brother. Along the way he has sexual intercourse with multiple women and kills some anonymous henchmen.
This film is apparently well-regarded, with both BFI and Total Film magazine ranking it among the greatest British films.
I was not impressed. Many of the moments which should have been more exciting or climactic were ruined by ridiculously nonsensical decisions by the main characters (eg- Carter yells "Don't move" to a henchman, they stare at each other, not moving for a few seconds, then Carter shoots him).
Other aspects seem to have not aged very well. For instance, pornography is a recurring motif which is meant to reinforce how grimy and immoral the British underworld is. Watching in our current age this has lost a bit of its punch.
It is shot on location, and makes the most of the setting. Caine does some cool 1970s tough guy stares.
5/10

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Michael Caine plays Ebeneezer Scrooge. You know the plot. Some good songs, and some decent laughs. Most of the way, Caine plays it straight enough to not distract from the Muppets, who are the reason most people would choose this out of the plethora of Dickens adaptations. He turns it on at the end, when required and does an admirable job. However, the music and dance scenes at times feel like a pale imitation of Albert Finney's Scrooge.
You could do much worse, especially if introducing kids to the story.
7.3/10

Batman Begins (2005)
Michael Caine plays the butler to a vigilante. I think this film has already been discussed in Mayberry once or twice.
I hadn't seen it since watching it in the theatre, but still remembered almost every scene. A standout is Tom Wilkonson as Carmine Falcone.
Enjoyed the first half a bit more than the second half, but still a very fine movie, by superhero standards.
8.5/10

Heretic (2024)
Hugh Grant walks a fine line between charming charisma and sadistic insanity as he mentally and physically tortures two young Mormon girls performing missionary work.
At times the camera work and music direction amplify suspense in a way reminiscent of other A24 films like Hereditary and Everything Everywhere All At Once.
This is an enjoyable, well made movie. Its biggest strength, Hugh Grant's character, is unfortunately also its biggest weakness, as not enough explanation is given on his motives or backstory to make the events believable.
Would rate a 7/10, but contains a disturbing lack of Michael Caine, so I have to give it the 0/10 it deserves.
Click to expand...

I didnt love get carter either but I feel like I need to rewatch it. Batman begins is the best Nolan batman imo. Love that movie.
 
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