Recent viewings

[Rev. Powell]

ZOOTOPIA (2016): An eager bunny rabbit becomes the first leporine cop in the multi-species metropolis of Zootopia, and teams up with a shady fox to track down a missing otter. Basically a cartoon version of a mismatched cop/bunny (I mean, buddy) picture, but a very funny one, with an intelligently structured moral about prejudice and stereotyping. Sequel assured. 4/5.

MEMORIES (1995): Three animated science fiction shorts: scavengers discover an opera house floating in space, a clueless chemist accidentally turns himself into a walking chemical weapon, and a day in the life of a city eternally at war with an unseen enemy. This triptych is more intelligent and adult than the anime that usually makes it to these shore; skip the mediocre middle entry to bump the rating up a star. 3/5.

[FatFreddysCat]

"The Beastmaster" (1982)

http://youtu.be/rd0vVaT8BWA
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Don "Phantasm" Coscarelli's cult sword-and-sorcery classic about a musclebound barbarian (Marc Singer, later of "V") who has a knack for communicating with animals. This talent comes in handy frequently as he sets out on a mission to take down the tyrant (Rip Torn) who destroyed his village.

This silly but still-watchable fantasy flick features cool creature makeup, lots of butt kicking action, cute critters, and perhaps most importantly, Tanya Roberts' boobs.

"Beastmaster" played so frequently on early '80s cable that Dennis Miller once joked that "HBO" must have stood for "Hey, Beastmaster's On!" 

[lester1/2jr]

The Congress (2013) - This starts off as a pretty good sci fi movie with an interesting premise, makes an unexpected turn into very cool Looney tunes style animation, but kind of gets bogged down in what I would guess is an attempt to remain true to the original source (a comic excuse me graphic novel). It's 2 hours long a little editing would have fixed it I think. purists could have gone and watched the director's cut while people who like a tighter sort of plot could have watched the dumbed down sell out version. It's a Lucy type everything is going to keep becoming more computerish until we're all literally just megabytes or something type thing plot

4/5

[FatFreddysCat]

"We Are Twisted F***ing Sister!" (2014)

http://youtu.be/MW5VD5rx2tQ
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This insanely entertaining documentary focuses on Twisted Sister's ten year struggle to land a record deal and escape from the endless grind of the suburban New York club circuit. (Their subsequent shot to the top and equally swift fall from grace could easily be a whole 'nother film!) Dee Snider and Jay Jay French get most of the camera time and have all the best stories, unsurprisingly, but many other T.S. members and associates past and present get to have their say as well. Even if you're a long time die hard fan who thinks you know everything about Twisted Sister, you're bound to learn some new bits of trivia from this doc. Required viewing for all SMF's!!

[claws]

Magic Magic (2013)

Alicia joins her cousin and three friends on a road trip trough Chile. Soon enough Alicia feels isolated and lonely when her cousin must depart for one day. Paranoia and hallucinations settle in, leading Alicia to a dramatic mental breakdown.

Subtle yet tense psychological thriller with a rather frustrating ending that pretty much destroys whatever good the movie had build up. This is not a "thinking man's" ending that leaves room for interpretation. It is lazy, and not even trying hard at pretending to be ambitious. 3/5

The Green Inferno (2013)

College freshman Justine joins a social activism group with intentions of making the public aware of the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. Things don't run as smoothly as planned but the group still scores a minor success. While taking a plane out of the jungle the aircraft crashes, leaving the group trapped in the jungle. The situation gets worse when they encounter a native tribe of very hungry cannibals.

Seems like Eli Roth is still struggling to please them all. His homage to hyper violent Italian cannibal movies from the 1980s is seriously lacking much needed Grindhouse flavor. Instead we get a polished splatter movie with very little CGI, which isn't really a bad thing either. So in the end there remains mixed feelings. I won't dismiss it as bad because it is not, but I can't say it was great either. 3/5

[FatFreddysCat]

"Eden" (2015)

http://youtu.be/EXxQ52VaJPQ
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After their plane crashes on a remote tropical island, the members of a pro soccer team proceed to go all "Lord of the Flies" on each other as hunger and thirst begin to take their toll. An entertaining, but mostly predictable thriller.

[Rev. Powell]

I saw about half of Tom Hanks in CAST AWAY. I was impressed, but since I didn't finish it, it gets an "incomplete" grade.

[lester1/2jr]

the Seventh Sign (1988) - give yourself a hand if you remember this random entry into Demi Moores filmography. Demi is pregnant and has a problem the health clinic can't help her with: her health issues are related to the book of Joel, Revelation and the apocalypse! not exactly the follow up to St Elmo's fire people probably expected. It flopped but is actually really interesting and not unlike a quirky, obsessive independent film. It no doubt left Demi's more mainstream fans confused a la Julia Roberts in "Closer" (though this isn't quite as good as that) though.

I heard about this on (atheist) Robert Price's great youtube/ podcast The Bible Geek and if you are this sort of geek this is an obvious recommendation. I won't get into the plot, good and evil are fighting it out and this woman is like in the middle of it. There's an interesting sub plot with a mentally deficient guy on death row for murdering his parents who were brother and sister.

Though there have been popular movies with themes like this (like The Omen)  it does come off as kind of Off Broadway and obsessive rather than edgy but transcendent and entertaining. The person who wrote this must have been really really surprised it was made into a movie starring Demi Moore.

4.5 / 5

def not a masterpiece but if you're into this sort of thing which I am it's pretty cool

[Ticonderoga 64]

Terror Of the Tongs(1961)
The Monster and the Ape(1945)
A Study In Terror(1965)
The Man Who Turned To Stone(1957)
Tales From the Crypt(1972)
Ghost Of Frankenstein(1942)
Mystery Of Marie Roget(1942)
Bathory(2008)

[BoyScoutKevin]

ZOOTOPIA (2016): An eager bunny rabbit becomes the first leporine cop in the multi-species metropolis of Zootopia, and teams up with a shady fox to track down a missing otter. Basically a cartoon version of a mismatched cop/bunny (I mean, buddy) picture, but a very funny one, with an intelligently structured moral about prejudice and stereotyping. Sequel assured. 4/5.

MEMORIES (1995): Three animated science fiction shorts: scavengers discover an opera house floating in space, a clueless chemist accidentally turns himself into a walking chemical weapon, and a day in the life of a city eternally at war with an unseen enemy. This triptych is more intelligent and adult than the anime that usually makes it to these shore; skip the mediocre middle entry to bump the rating up a star. 3/5.

Well, as of this date, $483 million earned internationally at the box office. And against weak competition, 2nd week in a roll, that it's the #1 film at the U.S. box office. so, I presume so.

Not only does "Zootopia" talk about such serious issues, as . . .

clueless politicians
corrupt politicians
diversity
fear
minorities
the "N" word
prejudices
stereotypes

. . . in a relatively lighthearted way.

It also features Tommy Chong in his 1st Disney film. While his partner Cheech Marin has been voicing characters in Disney's animated films for almost 30 years, ever since "Oliver and Company," this is the 1st time that Tommy Chong has done it.

Then there are the in-jokes.
New York City
Macy's
The Godfather
Disney films of all kinds, including Frozen.

It is also a good example of film noire, even if it is in color and not black-and-white.

It also nails the feeling of what it means to leave home for the 1st time and to be out on one's own.

+
1 good song
2 good jump scares
3 good, though obvious, twists

and it may be a film worth checking out.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Mission Bloody Mary" (1965)

http://youtu.be/4_bxBR3s9Wc
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More Euro-spy fun from Italy. This is the first of three Italian/French co-productions that starred American bit player Ken Clark as Dick Malloy, aka "Agent 077" (groooan!).
Just in case you're keeping score, by the way, this series of films has no relation to the OTHER trilogy of Italian made James Bond knockoffs which starred American bit player Richard Harrison as a totally different American spy whose code number was also "077." Glad we cleared that up. :rofl2:
Anyway, Clark is sent across Europe to track down a stolen nuclear device from a spy organization called the "Black Lily," tangles with a bunch of Russian and Red Chinese spies and of course scores with a couple of hot '60s chicks. The action is slow moving and the dubbed English dialogue is hilariously awkward but I'm addicted to these cheap spy movies so it was an entertaining way to kill a lazy afternoon.

[lester1/2jr]

The Boys Next Door (1985) - wow very dark take on suburban angst by Penelope Spheeris who would become known for much more upbeat fare like Decline 2 The Metal Years and Wayne's World. Charlie Sheen starts off a little shaky but is ultimately pretty good though not quite at the level of his co star Max Caufield, who is an all too believable nutcase. They are an efficient team though, rampaging through the Los Angeles night.

This is no Dazed and Confused or Ferris Bueler's day off. Even if the film didn't open with quotes from and about serial killers things get disturbing rather quickly. The exact moment probably being when the boys chase a dog with their car trying to run it over. They go from wild to scary and keep going. Most of the movie takes place in Los Angeles which of course Spheeris knows in and out so you get all the color of the sunset strip or Hollywood or whichever one it is.

No question this really bummed me out. Something about these guys just going out and doing all this stuff and not caring because they have nothing to look forward too but factory jobs... I couldn't help but feel a bit of contact stress, like I was in trouble. I would never do any of this stuff though! I'm probably going to have nightmares. Still, it has a lot of formal integrity as far as not wimping out. it goes for the jugular, even if it's not a very pleasant jugular. I've never actually seen Platoon but I have to think this is among the more substantial works in Sheen's oevere.

4.5 /5

It's an experience to watch it, you might want to chase it with some teletubbies or something though

[claws]

The Lords of Salem (2012)

A female Radio DJ is drawn into satanic insanity after receiving a mysterious vinyl album containing strange music.

Director Rob Zombie adds his usual weird pop culture stuff, while mixing his atmospheric witch-spectacle with nods to Ken Russell's trippy Altered States (1980) and several other horror cult classics. This is Rob's best movie since The Devil's Rejects (2005) but it appears the majority still has issues with it, which would explain the low IMDb rating. 4/5

[alandhopewell]

     REVENGE OF DR. X (1970)

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     This movie is SO bad, beginning with the fact that the opening credits are actually from MAD DOCTOR OF BLOOD ISLAND; I spent the first twenty minutes of the film waiting for John Ashley and Angelique Pettyjohn to show up.

     An'hoo, this purports to be about a NASA scientist who has a nervous breakdown, and decides to go to Japan, to chill and pursue his true calling, botany.
To further this end, he makes a side trip to North (South?) Carolina, to cop a Venus Flytrap....the plant, not this guy....



     On to Japan, where it gets REALLY silly; check it out.

     I found this treasure in this Mill Creek set....



     If you're into cinecheese, this one's a keeper.

These were also part of the bounty contained therein-

 

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     THE BLANCHEVILLE MONSTER

[lester1/2jr]

the ring finger (2005) - the young actress in this French movie is extremely pretty, but it's basically a really weak hipster date movie. Imagine the Secretary with a prettier lead and 75% less sex and no tension or anything to fill all that space. the acting is okay, The setting, some kind of port town is okay the writer just doesn't have the goods.  the sort of quasi magic realist plot, she works at a laboratory where people bring in treasured memories to be preserved, makes no sense. Who would do that? You would have to create a movie that had a society where that was normal. the eroticism is so awkward it's laughable. It is on some level a real turkey and yet the girl is so pretty it actually works somewhat at least visually, particularly if you don't think about it too much.

It's kind of like one of those car commercials with a girl singing along with a ukelele. it's a bad song and a totally unoriginal idea but the girl sounds like she's probably hot.

2/5