Great genre films you may have missed

Status
Not open for further replies.
T

tom_hobbes

Guest
Pontypool

This is a thoroughbred masterpiece, and it will be a cult film - if it isn't already. Pontypool is set in a late night talk radio station with a charismatic DJ, zombies, semiological terror, and it's lean, smart and deadly funny. This is a film more than usual about ideas. you'll see what I mean.

Let The Right One In

Let me say immediately I don't particularly care for vampire films, books, stories, lore. Not interested.

However. Let The Right One In, is a Swedish language vampire film directed by Tomas Alfredson, and it's already been remade by a Hollywood studio. Please see the original subtitled version first if you can, it's a memorable experience.

Veiwers might mistake this tale as the heart warming story of a typical outsider, the smart, often bullied and lonely Oskar, who finds a kind of love in the embrace of an extraordinary outsider. What I love about this film is that many of the critics who love it the best seem to have understood it the least, in my view. The story is like a steel trap. Or to put it another way, it's like a kitten, sleek and beautiful, vulnerable and utterly predatory.

Code 46

Like the two films above, I'd never heard of this. A Micheal Winterbottom film and something of a Tim Robbins vehicle. A film about crime and punishment in a near future where the reasons of the heart are the crime and the punishment is both humane and terrible. If you enjoyed Gattaca, well, this is far better.

Paperhouse

An oldie from 1989 you might not know but well worth seeking out is Paperhouse by Candyman director, Bernard Rose.

A film which concerns sickness and death through the eyes of a child might not seem like an appealing prospect. I had cause to watch this again recently and it's still every bit as amazing as I remember. As imaginary worlds go, this is altogether more interesting and unusual than the standard hollywood fare and doesn't suffer from being low budget.

The Orphanage

J.A. Bayona's Spanish language ghost story is set in, you guessed it, an old orphanage, but with a terrible burried secret. A beautifully crafted, old fashioned ghost story, with moments of real terror. Every aspect of the setting is exploited for atmosphere and visual suspense. The film reminded me very much of Nicholas Roeg at his best with all the attendant strangeness. As beautiful and otherworldly a cinema experience as you will find.
 
T

tom_hobbes

Guest
Hey, many thanks for that!

: )

Oh, and of course feel free to add any lesser known gems of the genre (well, not just SF) which others may not have encountered yet.
 
A

a_lost_packet_

Guest
tom_hobbes":19mo97bw said:
Hey, many thanks for that!

: )

Oh, and of course feel free to add any lesser known gems of the genre (well, not just SF) which others may not have encountered yet.


It's been awhile since I've seen any genre films or indy productions. Some, like "Eraserhead", aren't suitable for human consumption. :)
 
D

doublehelix

Guest
tom_hobbes":1rhamdao said:
Let The Right One In

Let me say immediately I don't particularly care for vampire films, books, stories, lore. Not interested.

However. Let The Right One In, is a Swedish language vampire film directed by Tomas Alfredson, and it's already been remade by a Hollywood studio. Please see the original subtitled version first if you can, it's a memorable experience.

Veiwers might mistake this tale as the heart warming story of a typical outsider, the smart, often bullied and lonely Oskar, who finds a kind of love in the embrace of an extraordinary outsider. What I love about this film is that many of the critics who love it the best seem to have understood it the least, in my view. The story is like a steel trap. Or to put it another way, it's like a kitten, sleek and beautiful, vulnerable and utterly predatory.

tom_hobbes, have you seen the remake, "Let Me In"?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjavOLdPk1c[/youtube]
 
T

tom_hobbes

Guest
No, and to be honest, I don't think I will. Let The Right One In is simply superb, hands down the best vampire movie I've seen, and arguably a fine film by any other standard. I doubt any remake could be remotely as interesting or nuanced.

On another note, Dog Soldiers was quite successful and yet was never massive so I'll add it the list above, there are probably some here who haven't seen or heard of it, but it's yet another low budget horror that punches way above it's weight. Arguably the best werewolf film in my view, at least the most enjoyable, more so even than An American Werewolf In London. A group of squaddies on an exercise in the Scottish highlands find themselves tested by far more than the opposing special-ops team. Brilliant story, dialogue and performances.
 
D

doublehelix

Guest
tom_hobbes":trfhxmkv said:
No, and to be honest, I don't think I will. Let The Right One In is simply superb, hands down the best vampire movie I've seen, and arguably a fine film by any other standard. I doubt any remake could be remotely as interesting or nuanced.

My boyfriend saw Let Me In and absolutely hated it. He loved Let The Right One In, though.

-dh
 
B

brandbll

Guest
doublehelix":3gl5foqf said:
tom_hobbes":3gl5foqf said:
No, and to be honest, I don't think I will. Let The Right One In is simply superb, hands down the best vampire movie I've seen, and arguably a fine film by any other standard. I doubt any remake could be remotely as interesting or nuanced.

My boyfriend saw Let Me In and absolutely hated it. He loved Let The Right One In, though.

-dh

I liked Let The Right One In until i figured out....

****VERY MILD SPOILER ALERT******






The little girl throughout this movie was actually a boy who had his penis cut off when he was younger by a King Vampire to "preserve his youth". That was just too damn creepy. I don't even think they mention that part in the movie but my buddy at work said he read the book.







*****END SPOILER*****




The Oprhanage
is an AWESOME movie! Horror movies always disappoint me but this one certainly did not. I'd also suggest Moon as an independent film people should see for the science fiction genre. I really like that movie and own it.
 
A

a_lost_packet_

Guest
brandbll":tgif9k5j said:
I liked Let The Right One In until i figured out....

****VERY MILD SPOILER ALERT******...

Uh, your spoiler isn't much of a hidden spoiler. :)
Try coloring the text so it's hidden a bit and can be read by highlighting. <--Highlight here with your mouse.

The color code I used was #ECF4FF written:

Code:
[color=#ECF4FF]highlighting.[/color]

I really, really, really hope that's not a true spoiler for that movie... I would be terribly disappointed that such a great story had such a crappy twist to it.
 
D

docm

Guest
Jean Cocteau's 1946 French production of La belle et la bête - Beauty and the Beast - a surreal version of the classic done well.

Nicolas Roeg's Don't Look Now (1973) - a creepy story about a couple whose daughter has drowned. They go to Venice to restart their lives, meanwhile a serial killer is about - then the wife starts seeing their daughter.

Bergman's The Virgin Spring (1960) - set in 14th century Sweden this film established the basic premise for Last House on the Left.

Mervyn LeRoy's The Bad Seed (1956) - a woman's perfect young daughter isn't so perfect.
 
A

a_lost_packet_

Guest
I'm sure most have seen this, but if not then I encourage you to see the subtitled version. Dubbing is so.. wrong: Brotherhood of the Wolf.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSjvrlDxlaQ[/youtube]

(I can't get an original trailer.. since it wasn't copyrighted in the US... dangit.. I don't agree with the way this trailer was done... But, they didn't ask me..)
 
T

tom_hobbes

Guest
Thanks for the suggestions so far.

I'm getting hold of The Virgin Spring and Last House on the Left (don't know the former, still haven't seen latter yet, probably the only Wes Craven film I haven't seen)

The Bad Seed sounds interesting, it will be next on my list after Packet's suggestion Brotherhood of the Wolf, after all it's a film with the awesome Vincent Cassel in it that I haven't seen yet, nor even heard of.... Cool!

Cheers guys!
 
A

a_lost_packet_

Guest
tom_hobbes":3acro6bd said:
Thanks for the suggestions so far.

I'm getting hold of The Virgin Spring and Last House on the Left (don't know the former, still haven't seen latter yet, probably the only Wes Craven film I haven't seen)

The Bad Seed sounds interesting, it will be next on my list after Packet's suggestion Brotherhood of the Wolf, after all it's a film with the awesome Vincent Cassel in it that I haven't seen yet, nor even heard of.... Cool!

Cheers guys!

I haven't seen "Virgin Spring" I don't think. I have seen the others. The Last House on the Left has some pretty strong sexual violence scenes in it, IIRC. So, take care where you screen it.

On Brotherhood of the Wolf, get the original, subtitled version if you can. And, don't pay any attention to the preview I linked. (It hurts the story.) It's a good flick with a nice twist at the end.
 
T

tom_hobbes

Guest
You needn't fret. I've never understood what type of person is content to watch a dubbed film, in any language. Dub lovers, reveal thy selves....

Edit: Oh, and on the subject of trailers, those linked above, likewise, if I'd seen them before I saw the films, I'd be markedly less inclined to see them. Strange how often, at least for me, the marketing departments are the film industry's own worst enemy.
 
B

brandbll

Guest
a_lost_packet_":nbw20hu7 said:
brandbll":nbw20hu7 said:
I liked Let The Right One In until i figured out....

****VERY MILD SPOILER ALERT******...

Uh, your spoiler isn't much of a hidden spoiler. :)
Try coloring the text so it's hidden a bit and can be read by highlighting. <--Highlight here with your mouse.

The color code I used was #ECF4FF written:

Code:
[color=#ECF4FF]highlighting.[/color]

I really, really, really hope that's not a true spoiler for that movie... I would be terribly disappointed that such a great story had such a crappy twist to it.

That's not hiding on mine. I tried red because I was thinking of both background schemes.

LOL!!! I know i know, it sucks...big time! I was pissed off too when i first found out. Sucks as a twist, if you can really call it that. The story is still pretty good though, despite that part. But it's a big flaw in the movie IMO.
 
A

a_lost_packet_

Guest
brandbll":h67xmhsg said:
...That's not hiding on mine. I tried red because I was thinking of both background schemes.

Gotcha. I use the default skin so it works fine for me. DH might get around to implementing a /spoiler code so that would solve the problem by hiding the chosen text in a separate box.

LOL!!! I know i know, it sucks...big time! I was pissed off too when i first found out. Sucks as a twist, if you can really call it that. The story is still pretty good though, despite that part. But it's a big flaw in the movie IMO.

Whoever came up with that plot element needs to be shot in the face with a bazooka. It doesn't "add" a darn thing to the story, if true. It does nothing but muddle the characters in the mind of the viewer. If it had some "meaning" that was pivotal in the plot, maybe I could see it as necessary. BUT, wouldn't there have been better choices? meh...
 
T

tom_hobbes

Guest
Frankly Brand, I don't even know if you watched the same movie.

I haven't read the book, and I don't intend to see the remake, this is probably what you're referring to. If the suggestion is there at all in Let The Right One In, it is just that. A suggestion.

It may implied by the ambiguity of the actress and one scene where she says, "I'm not a girl," which the audience may also take to mean, "I'm not human."

It is not revealed, it is not a 'twist.' In fact it is never explicitly stated, and it has nothing at all to do with the story in the film. It may inform the essential ambiguity of the film, it may be there in the back story and be one of many reasons the film is so haunting, but it is never mentioned and in my view, it is an unimportant detail left over from the book, however we aren't here discussing the book.

It's a shame that something you read is spoiling the film for you, it would be like allowing the details of Do Androids Dream.. spoil your appreciation of Blade Runner, because in both cases they are really two separate works, with arguably different concerns.
 
A

a_lost_packet_

Guest
tom_hobbes":3e1wcyy3 said:
Frankly Brand, I don't even know if you watched the same movie....

Whew!

Thanks for putting my mind at ease. :) Now, I can safely watch the film without getting creeped out in a completely unintentional way... Sure, I want to be creeped out.. But, not like that!
 
D

doublehelix

Guest
a_lost_packet_":37xg432v said:
DH might get around to implementing a /spoiler code so that would solve the problem by hiding the chosen text in a separate box.

I've actually tested some out recently but was dissatisfied by aspects of them. I'll take another look, though. Thanks for the nudge.

-dh
 
A

a_lost_packet_

Guest
doublehelix":2z5bac14 said:
I've actually tested some out recently but was dissatisfied by aspects of them. I'll take another look, though. Thanks for the nudge.

-dh

nudge nudge wink wink
 
B

brandbll

Guest
tom_hobbes":293ozer5 said:
Frankly Brand, I don't even know if you watched the same movie.

I haven't read the book, and I don't intend to see the remake, this is probably what you're referring to. If the suggestion is there at all in Let The Right One In, it is just that. A suggestion.

It may implied by the ambiguity of the actress and one scene where she says, "I'm not a girl," which the audience may also take to mean, "I'm not human."

It is not revealed, it is not a 'twist.' In fact it is never explicitly stated, and it has nothing at all to do with the story in the film. It may inform the essential ambiguity of the film, it may be there in the back story and be one of many reasons the film is so haunting, but it is never mentioned and in my view, it is an unimportant detail left over from the book, however we aren't here discussing the book.

It's a shame that something you read is spoiling the film for you, it would be like allowing the details of Do Androids Dream.. spoil your appreciation of Blade Runner, because in both cases they are really two separate works, with arguably different concerns.


**SPOILER***


From wiki:

The novel presents Eli as an androgynous boy, castrated centuries before by a sadistic vampire nobleman. The film handles the issue of Eli's gender more ambiguously: a brief scene in which Eli changes into a dress offers a glimpse of a suggestive scar but no explicit elaboration.

There's a quick flash of a nude scene with Eli. What you see on Eli that could be a mistaken vagina is really a scar. Really, i think it's meant to be that Eli isn't a boy or a girl, which is at least a better thought than Eli really being boy.













****END SPOLIER****
 
B

brandbll

Guest
a_lost_packet_":cfrvbyb0 said:
brandbll":cfrvbyb0 said:
...That's not hiding on mine. I tried red because I was thinking of both background schemes.

Gotcha. I use the default skin so it works fine for me. DH might get around to implementing a /spoiler code so that would solve the problem by hiding the chosen text in a separate box.

LOL!!! I know i know, it sucks...big time! I was pissed off too when i first found out. Sucks as a twist, if you can really call it that. The story is still pretty good though, despite that part. But it's a big flaw in the movie IMO.

Whoever came up with that plot element needs to be shot in the face with a bazooka. It doesn't "add" a darn thing to the story, if true. It does nothing but muddle the characters in the mind of the viewer. If it had some "meaning" that was pivotal in the plot, maybe I could see it as necessary. BUT, wouldn't there have been better choices? meh...

I completely agree. When i heard they we're making an American remake i knew instantly that was one of the first things they were going to take out, and surprise surprise, I was right.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts