Just watched The Void on Netflix. Holy fucking shit, anybody else seen this? Awesome combo of Carpenter-esque body horror and Lovecraftian cosmic horror. Some really superb visuals too, creature effects (almost no CGI) and cosmic landscape shit. And on top of all that, the acting is pretty great.
Eli Roth is directing a remake of the original Death Wish. This guy really is a fucking hack, I like Bruce Willis but c'mon... @H.P. Lovecraft
I wouldn't say The Void was a holy fucking shit kind of movie, but it was pretty cool. The tangible effects were a very pleasant surprise. I thought the acting between the kid and the guy with him was sort of awful though.
The acting wasn't always stellar, but compared to other horror movies, I thought it was way above par. A big reason for my reaction was the body horror/cosmic horror crossover. Haven't seen something that teased the crossover that much since Videodrome, and that struck a very different tone. The Void had a Thomas Ligotti vibe pulsing behind all the blood and gore, and I thought it was so cool.
yeah it's pretty great. i wish more sci-fis felt like something a fucking alien would make. UNDER THE SKIN totally does.
I have not. I'm ambivalent about von Trier, but I do really like Melancholia. Haven't seen enough of his material to make a full judgment. Dogville might be the next place to go...?
Looks like the Dark Tower movie is a giant fucking turd. That's a bit upsetting, as I always like and want to see good fantasy series turn into good movies, but I guess it really fails to capture King's weird novels.
i love DOGVILLE. i wrote an in-depth essay on it at university back in the day, it's a pretty complex work that understands a lot about human psychology/behaviour both individually and collectively, as well as being a super original and intense exploitation movie. definitely not for everyone though, it's... very von trier. maybe the most von trier, hah. i still haven't seen BREAKING THE WAVES, i'm not sure there's another movie that's been high on my wishlist for so long without me watching it.
Do you still have that essay or something else written on it by you or someone else you'd recommend? I loved that movie the one time I saw it, but there was much I didn't get and I'd love to read a good thorough examination of it.
Dogville is a fascinating stylistic experiment. One of the most innovative uses of a soundstage that you'll either jive to or find grating. Same goes for the digital look.
i've been trying to find it. i'm sure it's somewhere, i'll let you know if i do. otherwise i might just rewatch it and jot down some thoughts. i suspect its satire would seem even more biting today given the sociopolitical situation in the US.
i think PAIN & GAIN and 13 HOURS are actually kinda great, or at least distinctive(ly awful?) movies that no other filmmaker could make, but i can't imagine bay ever suiting the fantasy genre.