Items tagged "UK":
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A Lonely Place to Die (2011)
A group of mountaineers in the Scottish Highlands discover a kidnapped girl and are pursued by her captors.
Off to the mountains! For some R&R and… death.
Directed by Julian Gilbey, who surprised me with his rowdy and violent Rise of the Footsoldier (2007).
Hell yeah! A survival thriller starring Melissa George - who came out in a bunch of horror films (I personally enjoyed): Triangle (2009), Turistas (2006), 30 Days of Night (2007) and The Amityville Horror (2005). Horror-suspense-thriller is her genre, she can sell it.
A British adventure horror looming in the realm of “it could happen” or “it’s fairly possible”. Adding fright to an already frightful separation from civilization. You’re on your own…
It’s a nail biting ride that slowly edges through the crime genre. Hikers discover a child in the forest “who’s she?” And in a blink of an eye - they fall one by one. There is little information given about the mountaineers and the criminals that surround them. The suspense bit and sudden shocks are what this film’s all about.Yeah, this ain’t an award winner. Some may even call it “stupid” - But if you’re looking for some thrills and death spills, this one’s for you.
What gave this film strength was the foley/sound effects used in death/violent scenes, you can hear ‘em bones break. I cringed a few times. Another thing that kept my interest was one of the criminals - The fat bearded one. He was very horror monster-ish.
The scenery and dialogue was… sorta typical, BUT this film got me. I can’t quite put my finger on where or how.
Watch it for what it is… a survival/chase thriller.
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Jan 19, 2012 (a Thursday)
- time:
- 9:12:04 (3 months ago)
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The Holding (2011)
A heart-pounding suspense thriller, set on an isolated farm in England’s beautiful, rugged Peak District.
Psychopathic father figure thriller, produced by the UK. Big bad man comes into town, gets mom and drives family mad. A familiar story…
We are all victims… because we deserve it? Hmmm, feeding off others pain. Some righteous mumbo jumbo from the crazy vagabond, oddly enough his moves work on the ladies - how the hell does that happen?
Lunatic love can be brutal, family life can get terrifying. The cast was surprisingly great. Pedobear likes blondes with dark eyeliners. They slowly grew on me after a doubtful start.
A dark thriller captured wonderfully on film. Slow start, the pace and visuals intensify as the films goes on, very nice touch. The tone and mood (lighting) was superb once things picked up. This snuck up on me…
The ending was a little funny, this could pass as a great Hallmark/B-movie thriller. It got the message across and managed to keep me glued ‘til the credits.
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Sep 18, 2011 (a Sunday)
- time:
- 5:51:24 (8 months ago)
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There are 48 notes on this item.
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Submarine (2010)
15-year-old Oliver Tate has two objectives: To lose his virginity before his next birthday, and to extinguish the flame between his mother and an ex-lover who has resurfaced in her life.
Based on the novel by Joe Dunthorne.
It would be cliche to call this “a British coming of age comedy”, but it totally is.
Refreshing! This had heart and a funny bone. Directed by The IT Crowd (2006) fro-hair funnyman Richard Ayoade. Good debut!
The narration (flow/pacing) was brilliant and gave this film a solemn and distinct aura of realism through the lens. Matched with some sarcasm and wit, with accompaniment of chapter breaks. Life is truly colorful.
“Smart kid” Craig Roberts was terrific in the leading role. His tandem with Yasmin Paige was cute and vibrant. Fresh talent is always appreciated. The story of their characters took me back to my younger years, goddamn. Young love, sweet love. I believe we will be seeing more of Craig Roberts in the near future.
The demoralized bum-lookin’ dad Noah Taylor, was darkly hilarious. “I am exciting and delicious” Paddy Considine is the flashy and bizarre motivator, with a questionable motive. All the characters were endearing…
Impressive and profound, with all too familiar banter. The music added that “And so it is…” vibe. Viewers can expect to take something with them after watching this, some good stuff here. Not an award winning film, but one to pass on and share.
The “Tragedy and Comedy” of life… a backhand bitchslap of reality that makes you all fuzzy inside.
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Wake Wood (2011)
The parents of a girl who was killed by a savage dog are granted the opportunity to spend three days with their deceased daughter.
A UK Pet Sematary (1989). A little village practices a ritual that brings back the dead. How far would a parent go?
A dramatic horror for all parents to fear. Losing a child is unimaginable, imagine having to do it twice. A fantasy about second chances and selfishness. Eh… this was kinda weak. There is some gore and some (predictable) twists, but nothing impressive. TV worthy, i’d say.
The only good thing was seeing Timothy Spall… and the rest is mediocre and dismal parental scare. It was a boring experience and the end of the film unravels terribly and leaves you with nothing.
My grandpa would call this a good film.
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Apr 11, 2011 (a Monday)
- time:
- 4:26:54 (1 year ago)
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There are 4 notes on this item.
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Blooded (2011)
In October 2005, five young people were kidnapped in the Highlands of Scotland. Stripped and abandoned in the the wilderness, they were forced into a deadly game where the hunters became the hunted…
“Based on witness accounts” and a viral video made by an extremist animal rights group. How much truth there is to the story? I really wouldn’t know… but it’s a compelling story nonetheless. A UK Hunting mockumentary documenting the battle between pro vs anti hunting groups.
Newcomers James Walker (writer) and Edward Boase (director) deliver a social conflict with chase/thrill elements close to a kidnapping/lost horror. Some of the commentary could have done some work though… can i say “unintentionally funny”?
TRIVIA: The film was released 1st of April.
Great timing with the release, because it makes us/audiences think “is this real life?”. A documentary/reconstruction style of presentation (with some “actual footage”), tells the tale pro fox hunting versus an extremist animal rights group.
One of the stars of the film was the Scottish highlands. Absolutely beautiful, despite being barren.
I imagine this being a controversial issue in other countries. Thought provoking, necessity vs hunting for sport. And the extremes people would go to prove a point. Extremism does work. But at what cost? We do have mouths to feed.
This was “ok” but bordering boring and lame, it’s kinda slow. And has a morally bland end. But will leave you with the question “did this really happen?”, and that’s pretty much all it left me. Questions…
“The last resort of compassionate people”
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Apr 7, 2011 (a Thursday)
- time:
- 11:57:00 (1 year ago)
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There are 19 notes on this item.
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Jack Falls (2011)
Former undercover police officer Jack Adleth returns to London seeking those who tried to have him killed in Amsterdam.
Jack Fails… What the hell was i thinking? The poster should have been a dead giveaway…
Sin City (2005) style/ripoff but… crappier. Way to go UK!
Upon looking at ALL Paul Tanter’s work we see a common denominator. Black, white and red… blood splatter patterns. Ladies and gentlemen, originality has left the building.
The acting was bad, the story was ok but still bad, the dialogue was cliche and visuals were… “my 13 year old cousin does that”. A cheap digital film, loaded with different effects styles (in hopes to be “cool”? i didn’t get it).
I thought this was gonna sneak up behind me and offer more than your typical revenge flick. This was extremely boring…
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Mar 29, 2011 (a Tuesday)
- time:
- 7:51:55 (1 year ago)
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There are 9 notes on this item.
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Outpost (2008)
In war-torn Eastern Europe, a world-weary group of mercenaries discover a long-hidden secret in an abandoned WWII bunker.
A man steps into a bar… and hires a mercenary team to find a hidden treasure, protected by zombie Nazi soldiers.
Very much like a combination of GP506 (2008) aka The Guard Post and (a serious) Dead Snow (2009) aka Død sno. Two films i enjoyed, so this movie was a trip to watch. Nothing new about it. It’s a serious UK horror that looks into the Nazi super soldier cult-ish experiments. A clean and well executed silly film with minimal gore.
The undead Nazi troops were ok/typically scary, there were some pop-out-of-nowhere scares. The mercenaries were a nice bunch of guys, it’s too bad we didn’t really get a chance to know them well. A bit shallow and straight to the point… If you’ve watched you fair share of horror movies you’d pretty much know how this is gonna end.
I can’t wait to see Outpost: Black Sun (2011).
It’s a no-brainer… enjoy!
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‘Tamara Drewe’ (2010)
A young newspaper writer returns to her hometown in the English countryside, where her childhood home is being prepped for sale.
Many stories in one little butt-crack of the world. A good UK romantic comedy that looks into country life, a writers escape, juvenile behavior, inspiration and love.
There’s a lot going on in this movie, there are a bunch of writers who escape to a little village, with some quirky townsfolk. A former resident returns anew after living the city life, and causes ripples in the calm waters. Relationships are betrayed, confused and tested. A rocker, a gardener, an author and a farm… too much to handle?
The story is nicely spread out for all the cast to have a moment to shine. Simple and relaxing to watch, It was like i was holding a glass of wine. You pretty much know how it’s all gonna end, it all the “what happens in between?” that matters.
Gemma Arterton of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) & Clash of the Titans (2010) suited the curvy and sultry role (i didn’t like her in the earlier films mentioned). She sold me Tamara… I can’t wait to see her next film Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (2011). The rest of the cast was quite good, a bunch of nutters. Nice scenic shots. Well distributed story and had a very “homey” feel to it. Kinda like remembering your roots.
I must say… Roger Allam was the man. “Sir Douchebag”.
The idea of “a bunch writers together out of town” to escape, write and find that inspiration the city cannot offer really appealed to me and made me want to take a sabbatical. Away from the city, there will always be… Drama, drama, drama, you can never escape it. *sigh* Life…
I’m sure this is something the ladies will like, gentlemen… not so much. But hey, who am i to judge? It’s a proper and steady drama about relationships, choices and life as it (sometimes) is. My mom would love this.
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#Tamara Drewe#2010#Roger Allam#UK#Review#Movie#Film#zombiemergencyresponseoperations#romance#comedy#countryInfo
- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Feb 4, 2011 (a Friday)
- time:
- 6:07:00 (1 year ago)
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There are 1 notes on this item.
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Outcast (2010)
It tells the tale of Petronella (a Scottish/Romany girl) and Fergal (her mysterious Irish traveler boyfriend). As their doomed relationship plays out, a Beast stalks the estate, killing locals, working its way towards our protagonists. Meanwhile Cathal and Liam, two mysterious travelers from Ireland use ritual and magic on a blood hunt. Mary, Fergal’s mother performs ritual and magic of her own. As Cathal comes face to face with Mary in a vicious finale we know one thing: the Beast must die.
A fantasy horror romance by UK t.v. director Colm McCarthy. My enthusiasm for this film was instigated by it’s (other) “posters”, which had some pretty impressive claims such as:
“The best British horror since The Descent” - EYEFORFILM
“An excellent film. See it at all costs” - AIN’T IT COOL NEWS
*This raised my eyebrows: “The most original horror since Let The Right One In”
One thing’s for sure, it AIN’T original. A story we’re heard many times, but told a little differently. When i started the film my first thought was “Holy shit a Scottish/Irish Twilight (2008)” and then our protagonists meet in the swings “i’m guessing that’s where the Let the Right One In (2008) Låt den rätte komma in comparison is based on” A little after that the mother son relationship unravels i thought “Oh, it’s like Sleepwalkers (1992)”. With the budget and creature effects, indie feel, atmosphere of a film like Ginger Snaps (2000). Original.
*There are hundreds of borrowed ideas, visible to the trained horror movie eye.
So, how was the film? Decent. I thought it was a genuinely good attempt, the charms, rituals and magic were interesting enough and executed well. The characters were good but not great. Some gore… but the creeping and lurking around was old and dragged on ‘til the last minutes. They really build it up… towards and ending that was “mediocre”.
There were some nice things about this. The acting was good (especially the mother and hunter), the music and sound effects were great and there were a few nice shots a s well. Some nudity and R18 stuff, which tells you this is NOT for kids. The film IS good, but the claims that came before my viewing it… had dampened my perception.
And the pace was quite slow, it felt a little too dramatic. The film also has it’s own little twist (“the beast”), audiences may hate or love. In the end it was “ok”, nothing spectacular but a pretty clean Brit horror. Better than most i’ve recently viewed.
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The King’s Speech (2010)
The story of King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it.
A historical drama about battling a not-so-funny impediment. Based on a true story… Who says movies don’t teach you anything? It may not be exactly how it went, it’s still an interesting story.
Colin Firth makes a tremendous return to the limelight as the stuttering king. His chemistry with the brilliant Geoffrey Rush was enjoyable to watch. Their conversation grabs you. Helena Bonham Carter was definitely a “Queen” Elizabeth. Such a strong woman. And big brother Guy Pearce wraps up this exceptional cast.
Great technical work and a interesting look at misfortune and redemption. Grand and wholesome. A story we can all learn from. Perseverance pays off. In the wise words of Rob Schneider “You can do it!”
Royalty seen with a sympathetic eye. This movie had “heart”.
Tags
#Colin Firth#Geoffrey Rush#Helena Bonham Carter#The King's Speech#2010#King George VI#brit#UK#king#drama#history#film#true#story#movieInfo
- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Jan 22, 2011 (a Saturday)
- time:
- 9:02:00 (1 year ago)
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There are 15 notes on this item.
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F (2010)
A group of teachers must defend themselves from a gang of murderous kids when their school comes under siege after hours.
Teachers beware! of vengeful students… and this film. A run and survive UK thriller.
Damn these high hopes… This turned out to be cheap scares that jump at you… surprising trivial moments. Boo! got ya. Add the mediocre acting and predictable dialogue… sigh. The filming was probably the only really good thing about this. I was curious how this would play out, and it came off as dumb and boring.
The dad and teachers are people i would never root for. And the security guards were silly. The killers, in hoodies, were not as frightening as i’d thought they’d be.
Seemed like forever before hitting the 1st 30 minutes. The pacing is horrible, it was so slow. And then we see “the hooded villains”, dropping from the ceiling and shadows. Thankfully there was some mutilation shown, which kept my interest. But then the “kill” scenes were amateurish. Basically it’s a no win situation for this film…
This would make for a good tv movie, or a commendable indie. I just thought the poster/photo (i found) yelled “false advertising”. It’s a typical UK horror.
I give it an “F”, fuck.
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The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009)
Two men fortify a nondescript British apartment so it can serve as a prison, and then kidnap a woman and tie her to a bed. Before there’s even time to react, we’re plunged into a very nasty situation, but not a simple one.
A well planned kidnapping gone astray. Typical in nature but executed with it’s own ingenuity. A simple 3 person cast (not unusual in small budget films) drive this story of betrayal and doubt.
Brought to us by Writer/Director J Blakeson, who was named as one of Variety’s 10 directors to watch in 2010. He also directed a sequel to one of my favorite horrors, The Descent: Part 2 (2009).
The main character (victim) is Gemma Arterton who stepped in the Hollywood spotlight as Strawberry Fields in Quantum of Solace (2008). She recently starred (annoying) in two blockbuster adventure films Clash of the Titans (2010) and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010). I liked her in this flick “gagged and bound”.
This UK released thriller is average and good for a one time view. 90% of the film happens in a room, an idea made famous in the horror genre by Saw (2004), which has been done by a few other recently released thrillers. It’s got a few entertaining aspects and a “WTF?!?” moment that will either be expected or deliver a guaranteed shock. The twists in a “hostage” type of film are usually predictable, this film doesn’t stray from the rest.
Straight to the point and steady paced. A simple tale of captivity.
ATTENTION (speaking of disappearances): I accidentally deleted the link with the name of the person who suggested this great find. So if you do read this, let me know so i can thank you properly for sharing this film with us.
Tags
#2009#Captive#Clash of the Titans#Drama#Film#Gemma Arterton#J Blakeson#Kidnap#Movie#Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time#Quantum of Solace#Ransom#Suspense#The Disappearance of Alice Creed#UK#The Descent: Part 2Info
- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Sep 8, 2010 (a Wednesday)
- time:
- 6:54:00 (1 year ago)
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There are 2 notes on this item.
