Any good horror/fantasy/sci-fi? I'm am...

Hi!

i am looking for movies that can be places in one of the above genres; horror, fantasy, sci-fi and also thrillers sometimes.

Do you have any good movies to recommend? Movies with supernatural elements, and stuff like that, that have something fantastic to them?

I'd love to get recommendations about movies that you think is good (or even better than good :)).

Even drama is OK along at it has something supernatural or in that direction, like for instance "Donnie Darko", which is a drama but with supernatural elements.

Anyway...appreciate your help.

Oh, one more thing...I'm looking for movies from America (USA, Canada, Mexico etc)

I keep pushing "eXistenZ" as a fantastic David Cronenberg jaunt.
Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Willem Defoe to boot. Take a look if you havent seen it already.
P

I always thought Alien was fantastic movie. Great cast, great atmosphere - a simple story that's probably as old as humankind, but done to good effect when set on a spaceship.

I remember seeing a movie called "A Cold Night's Death" on television when I was a kid. I was great. It had Eli Wallach in it - so you know it's good. A Cold Night's Death could be described as SF / thriller / abit like a Twilight Zone episode.

Cheers

I was thinking about movies that are no older than 2000. That is movies from 2000, 2001, 2002 and coming movies in 2003.

Preferably movies that arent mainstream, than doesnt go in ordinary movie-theaters.

Thanks :)

I still believe "Forbidden Planet" and "The Day The Earth Stood Still" continue to have an impact, though dated, they remain sci fi classics with themes that are as eternal since they were made. John Carpenter's remake of "The Thing" also captured my attention. "Big Trouble in Little China" For totally different type of supernatural feel but more along high drama are the superb classic by Director Peter Weir "Picnic at Hanging Rock" and one that most people have never heard of and one of my personal favorites "Nomads" starring Pierce Brosnan as you have never seen him before. "Brazil" (original cut) and "Alien" and "Bladerunner" and of course "2001: A Space Odyssey" are the masterpieces of contemporary sci fi. Lastly, of course, as "Carnival of Lost Souls" (1962) and "THX-1138." Well there is "Soylent Green" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and "Silent Running" and "Planet of the Apes" (original version) and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Finally, and I'm definitely in the minority here, "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" the first Star Trek movie really kept the original television series character. "Time After Time" and "Count Dracula" (1977) and then Rod Taylor's "The Time Machine." Ok. I better stop.

"Equilibrium" is getting great reviews which is being shown in the top 20 movie marekts now. "Solaris" is getting highly mixed reviews, but for serious sci fi fans, it's great for American fare. "Fahrenheit 451" is being remade and scheduled to be released in 2004 and "Rendezvous with Rama" coming 2005.

I don't want to hear about a Fahrenheit remake. Good god why are they bothering?

The scariest film I've ever seen (save The Exorcist) is Riget (or The Kingdom). Lars von Trier created the nastiest place on earth: a haunted hospital that has down's syndrome afflicted actors relay the fates of principal "doctors" & "nurses".
It's like the video box says: "Like ER on acid."

STIFF WARNING: the film is 9 hours long in two parts. But I swear you won't leave the livingroom. It's un-f***ing-believeable. Sorry, it was made before the year 2000.

I may check "Forbidden Planet" and "The Day The Earth Stood Still" out someday, even though sci-fi frpm that early years is somewhat lame. Sci-Fi almost requiers special effects, and even if it sont, I am not very impressed with the movies from the 50:ies.

I have seen both "The Thing" An "Big trouble in little china", and i like the Thing very much, except for the monster. i have already seen Brazil, Bladerunner and Alien, and most of the ones you (Tabuno) mentioned :) But i appreciate your help anyway.

"Riget" as it is called in Danish I have also seen...both Riget I och Riget II. Ernst Hugo Järegård (a swedish actor) is anbelievable in the role! His extremely funny and the hole serie is GREAT! To bad that the americans are doing a remake of it!!! HAHAHA! What a joke! THey can NEVER do it as godd as Trier did.

Anyway...I'll keep looking for movies and thanks for your help.

Oh my god. Did you just say they are doing a remake of Riget?

Well fuck me with a rubber spoon. How in the name of lucifer are they going to pull that off? WAIT! I KNOW!


THEY'LL NEVER DO IT IN A FUCKING MILLION STARDATES!

(sorry, I had something stuck in my spleen...)

Hehe, that's right.

They can't just look at the Danish one but they HAVE TO do one of theri own. THat's almost like dubbing a movie...even worse (if it can get any worse than dubbing)


It's ridicilous that they can look att Riget and only add subtitles...

ridicilous

In my opinion, the best horror/fantasy/sci-fi movies are coming out of Asia. Most are available on DVD but were not released in theatres in the US. My favorite recent (relatively) American film in this category is DARK CITY. Although some would consider the awesome MULHOLLAND DRIVE a fantasy, I won't.

DARK CITY is a science-fiction film in film-noir clothing. Aliens tinker with the world, and the memories of men. An "innocent-man-wrongly-accused" searches for an explanation with assistance from a radical scientist, while being pursued. As you'd expect from the director of The Crow(Alex Proyas), the cinematography, art direction and f/x are outstanding. DARK CITY is smarter and more fun though. Anybody who liked Metropolis or Brazil or Blade Runner must rent the dvd. It includes many extra features including running commentaries, Roger Ebert's is very interesting and illuminating.

Could you list some titles, Oscar? My exploration of flicks from the orient is quite weak. I think Crouching Tiger was the last fantasy film I saw.

And Dark City. Hell of a show. True film fans love this movie. Jennifer Connelly had me riveted, I recall. Only seen it once, however, but I don't think I can forget Kiefer Sutherland practically hyperventilating. Does Ebert do commentatry on the whole film or just selected scenes? Do you know of any other Ebert commentaries?

Ebert does film-length commentary in Dark City and CITIZEN KANE, a must for film buffs.

From So. Korea: THE ISLE(Seom), a Seven-inflected serial killer procedural famous for causing fainting and vomiting at the Venice F. Fest, and MEMENTO MORI, a high school-set ghost story. TELL ME SOMETHING is also excellent, not "horror" but certainly horrific.
From Japan: Kiyoshi Kurosawa's CURE and PULSE, Hideo Nakata's RING and DARK WATER. Also, from director of the cult Tetsuo, GEMINI, a film I recommend to Greenaway fans. I like Takeshi Miike's AUDITION, but I find his other films:Dead or Alive, Visitor Q, the increasingly popular Ichi the Killer, shocking samplers of abject cruelty, torment and gore, recommended exclusively to nihilists.
I also recommend a horror/fantasy from H.K. called THE EYE.

Asian countries are releasing their dvds in NTSC format and without regional codes so they can be seen(and sold on Ebay) worldwide. Cost is in the low to mid teens, shipping included. I could list recommendations in other genres if there is interest.

Thanks for the recommendatons!

Now I have to buy the Kane DVD. You can bet I'll be paying attention to what Roger has to say....

>Hideo Nakata's RING and DARK WATER

So far the only Nakata I've seen is Ghost Actress/Don't Look Up. I like this one a lot because it uses simple but effective techniques, just flashing a small ghost onto the screen for a second so you'd wonder if your eyes were playing tricks on you if you didn't know better. Also, it relies on mystery rather than a stupid "startling revelation" (ie you are a moron if you didn't see this coming) like Sixth Sense and Others.
Los Sin Nombre (The Nameless) is a good Se7en-inflected one.
Battle Royale might not exactly fit this discussion, but I'd recommend it anyway.

Mike
Raging Bull Movie Reviews