The Puppet Masters
This is a nice little horror film from the 80’s which went on to have lots of sequels. It’s fair to say that if you are into these sorts of low-budget horror films then you will love this film. It might be low-budget but it’s got really good visual effects, and a good amount of gore.
The story is ok but quite confusing I think, and I didn’t really know really what was going on in the last scenes - except for the really last of course. So, for horror fans there are nice things in this and it’s generally entertaining stuff.
It’s a B-movie, sure, but that doesn’t mean that you cannot be entertained at all by this. Obviously, the acting isn’t of a great kind, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be because that’s not what makes a horror film. No, what makes it is horror, and this film does deliver on that genre requirement. I recommend it to all horror fans and also I recommend the sequels, which aren’t exactly better than this first entry, but the second and third ones come close.
Burnt
Burnt is about Adam Jones, a man who is straying onto the right path after hideous years of debauchery. We don’t see his debauchery, but we do hear plenty about it. In the midst of trying to get his act back together, however, there are others who want him dead.
I liked this film; it’s certainly digestible (there we go). It’s a fun and entertaining film, but it’s not a film that, like certain dishes, you don’t want to revisit again and again. It’s not the worst film, don’t get me wrong. It’s just plain, and you feel that there’s nothing really under the surface. I really enjoyed the acting, especially from Daniel Bruhl who I think was really well cast in that role. I also liked Bradley Cooper in the main role and Sienna Miller. I think they all did really well in their roles. It’s just a shame that the film is hollow, really. However, I have to give a special mention to the menu on display. It is absolutely mouth-watering how much delectable food is in this film. It certainly leaves you wanting to eat afterwards. It is an enjoyable film, with great food, good acting and a plot which, however simple it may be, makes for an entertaining time in front of the screen.
Special thank you to The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre who provided a wonderful time.
The Dressmaker
The Dressmaker is an absolutely astonishing film. A film that one cannot just simply put into words how great it is. It is honestly one of the best films that I have seen in a cinema. It is that good. It’s also really hard to describe in what genre it is. It’s a combination of a few genres ranging from western, to comedy (also a lot of black comedy, as well) to romance, to thriller and tragedy. It’s also a mystery, which finds the lead character, played by a magnificent and enchanting Kate Winslet, who truly lights up the screen with her splendid presence, returning to the village of her childhood in Australia. There she finds her mother (who doesn’t remember her – not even her name). She also has troubling thoughts of a murder that she believes she committed, but does not remember.
Well, that’s the main mystery, and that’s what drives the main meat of the film, but there are also other wonderful characters and subplots, which, you guessed it, are brilliant and also very interesting and intriguing.
It’s a very beautiful film, as well, with lots of great cinematography of the Australian village. You really feel that you are in that place. Also, all the film genres that this film includes really go well together, the mesh really well. My favourite genre is horror, and one scene in particular towards the end stuck with me. But even if you don’t like horror, you will have a blast with this scene because at how drenched in emotion the scene is. If you like any of the genres I mentioned, then you’ll love this. And while it does get a bit dark, it’s still very interesting and keeps you entertained. One very small peeve I had with it was that I think that it could have ended about 15 minutes before the end and I would have been happy. Not that it took away from the enjoyment of it though. It’s an astonishing work of art.
Once again, thank you ever so much for the brilliant screening at The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre.
Ninja Scroll
Ninja Scroll is a truly great piece of animation. And, as it’s about a ninja trying to take out a horde of otherworldly beings, there is no shortage of graphic brutality with lashings of gore. It’s something anime fans will be familiar with. And, I’m not a very big anime fan, I don’t watch it as much as other cartoons such as Family Guy, which I find more binge watchable. It all depends really on what story they have. But anime is still great and I do like it a lot. Especially the more mature anime. This is a great treat even to those who aren’t big on anime.