Recent viewings

[Jim H]

I'm glad someone agrees with me about the original TOXIC AVENGER.  I didn't think it was very funny, and didn't see where its reputation came from.  Probably because it was the first of its kind.

I think the extra gore was edited out to please the MPAA in the original release.  It was restored in a "director's cut" type thing.  Although I admit I could be wrong.

I actually quite enjoyed the original Toxic Avenger.  Unlike most Troma films (which function as a strung together series of gags), I also think it actually works as an entertaining little revenge story too.  It has probably the most money and the most skill put into it of any of their films.  I don't think a lot of it is extremely laugh out loud funny, but I do think quite a few scenes are amusing.. 

I like when the police are eating while examining the fast food massacre.  I like the scene where the old lady gets beat up.  I like how the mayor meets his end.  And I love the 80s musical montages, especially the love one.  Hilarious.

The extra gore is minor in the original Toxic Avenger.  I believe the only major addition is a head crushing scene in the gym.

BTW, Rev, did you watch Eraserhead and Toxic Avenger as a double bill?  If so, that's probably the most awesomely random Double Feature ever.

[Joe the Destroyer]

Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris- I like this movie, but in the trilogy it's my least favorite.  I do agree it's the most well made, but it's not as entertaining as the other two.  That, and it's too long.  Still, worth a watch and has some really cool scenes. 

[Rev. Powell]

I'm glad someone agrees with me about the original TOXIC AVENGER.  I didn't think it was very funny, and didn't see where its reputation came from.  Probably because it was the first of its kind.

I think the extra gore was edited out to please the MPAA in the original release.  It was restored in a "director's cut" type thing.  Although I admit I could be wrong.

I actually quite enjoyed the original Toxic Avenger.  Unlike most Troma films (which function as a strung together series of gags), I also think it actually works as an entertaining little revenge story too.  It has probably the most money and the most skill put into it of any of their films.  I don't think a lot of it is extremely laugh out loud funny, but I do think quite a few scenes are amusing.. 

I like when the police are eating while examining the fast food massacre.  I like the scene where the old lady gets beat up.  I like how the mayor meets his end.  And I love the 80s musical montages, especially the love one.  Hilarious.

The extra gore is minor in the original Toxic Avenger.  I believe the only major addition is a head crushing scene in the gym.

BTW, Rev, did you watch Eraserhead and Toxic Avenger as a double bill?  If so, that's probably the most awesomely random Double Feature ever.

The funniest part of TOXIC AVENGER was the musical montage, especially the part where the monster helps the old lady with the stubborn jar lid.   

No, it wasn't exactly a double bill, but I did watch them on consecutive nights.  I agree, it would have made an excellent double feature!

[flackbait]

I saw a late night showing of Invisible Invaders a couple of nights ago, It was a little cheesey but fairly enjoyable.

[Jack]

Bloody Pit of Horror (1965) - The first time I saw this, I made the mistake of going in with high expectations.  Not good.  On second viewing, it was a little bit better.  Some photographers are driving through Europe, looking for a castle so they can take pictures of scantily clad babes for use as cover art on books.  They find a castle, but unfortunately it's owned by the Crimson Executioner, a character with no backstory who speaks his laughably cheesy lines with gusto.  He starts torturing the scantily clad babes in marvelously exploitive ways.  If you can make it past the inappropriate theme music and the constant hiss of the soundtrack on the Something Weird DVD, I guess this isn't too bad.  The fight scenes are definitely good for a chuckle.  3/5.

[3mnkids]

Land of the lost(2009)~ absolute garbage. hated it.

The crew~ Well done British gangster movie. loved it.

[Rev. Powell]

ONE MISSED CALL (2003): Yumi's friends begin receiving phone calls from their own numbers with a date in the future, and they wind up dead on that date; she fears she too is on the murderer's call list. Miike recycles ideas from the superior AUDITION; attempts to provide psychological depth via child abuse backstories and multiple twist endings can't salvage this talky, overlong effort with too few scares.  He fails to make cell phones scary; if he wanted to truly terrify us, he should have made the movie about cell phone contracts. 2/5.

[lester1/2jr]

The Sinful Dwarf -  You know what would be a cool movie?  Have a dwarf who lives with his mother and like somehow brings home girls and tortures them in his attic and then every once in a while show him making an evil dwarf laugh "hahahaha".    Oh wait, they already made that , it's called "The Sinful Dwarf".   Theres not much more to the movie than that, but I have to admit it was pretty entertaining in a sort of cheaper, less outrageous "Ilsa"  or "Blood Sucking Freaks" sort of way.   The high point to me was more the sort of John Waters-ish Mom and her friend who get drunk and do horrible nightclub singing routines,  sort of a more demented "Sunset boulevard".  But the overt exploitation was great too.  In fact, the only thing I didn't really like was one scene of the hotel border and his wife making love.  It used tastful lighting and conventional camerawork and really didn't fit in to the rest of the movie at all! 4/5

[Psycho Circus]

Four Brothers (2005)

Mark Wahlberg is very disappointing in a film with three other dudes, adopted by Fionnula Flanagan who dies.
Lots of "mans", "brothas", "homeboys" and lots of sickly flashbacks and fake weeping. Could only manage about 20mins. 

[indianasmith]

BRIAN LOVES YOU.  A cult that worships a dead prince named Brian takes over a small town in Arizona.  All the worshipers wear freaky masks when praying or saying the pledge of allegiance.  Lots of talking.  Not much happens.  I watched the last half on Fast Forward.  What a rip off!

What made it so bad was the build-up they gave it in the opening scene, when they explained that this was footage recovered from a local analyst who was spying on the cult, and that hardened law enforcement officers were unable to watch the entire thing in one sitting, it was so disturbing.

They must be easily disturbed. Zero gore. Zero boobs. Zero murders.  Just creepy looking people wearing masks and talking to each other.

[hellbilly]

Scorpius Gigantus (2006) - Special Military Unit fight against gigantic gen-manipulated Scorpions in a warehouse somewhere in East Europe. Cheap CGI, neat gore but the rest wasn't fun enough. 5/10

Caved In: Prehistoric Terror (2006) - A tour guide in Switzerland is forced by bad European trash thugs to assist their emerald hunt in a salt mine. The mine is also populated by gigantic prehistoric beetles! Cheap CGI, neat gore and the rest was actually fun to watch. 7/10

[RCMerchant]

PET SEMETARY II (1992) the brat from Terminator 2 moves with his vetinarian Dad into the Creek's old house. Lots more people come back to life in this one. Pretty far-fetched...but I ain't WyreWizard-it had it's moments. The Sherrif zombie was a hoot. Not nearly as good as the first one...but an ok  timewaster on a Saterday afternoon.

[Jim H]

Righteous Kill - mediocre waste of two of the best actors in the modern era, Pacino and DeNiro.  6/10.

[InformationGeek]

Empire of the Ants

My cousin and me decided to watch and go all Mystery Science Theater on it.  The plot was horrible, but acting was alright.  We found it very funny with the use of green screen ants, filmed to looked like they are huge.  Terrible movie, my cousin said he felt like he lost part of his soul watching it.

[Rev. Powell]

SYMPATHY FOR LADY VENGEANCE (2005):  Beautiful Geum-ja goes to prison for thirteen years for the kidnapping and murder of a six-year old boy, a crime she didn't commit, and on release commences an intricate and shocking plan of revenge on the true culprit. Arty, morally challenging revenge fantasy/meditation that's beautifully shot and acted but confusingly told; fans of the other entries in Park's "Vengeance" trilogy will eat it up.  The actual vengeance is the best part; it's plenty grisly, although most of the blood is offscreen, but very emotional as well.  3/5.