Recent viewings

[javakoala]

Slaughterhouse (1987)

You got dumb teens, a rural setting, hogs, gore, pig s**t, and a human mountain named Buddy. It just don't get any better than that.

A slaughterhouse owner forced out of business and about to be forced off his property sends his pig-grunting, not-all-there son out to carve up those who aim to take his land. Of course, lunk-headed teens are also offered up as fodder. Unfortunately, we aren't given enough to make us care about any of the characters (except the deputy -- maybe), so you pretty much just want to see them all die.

Full of fairly bloody deaths, this flick at least keeps the action going, but falls a bit flat in the end. Still, worth a look if you gotta have your 80's slasher fix.

2.5/5

[claws]

Ghostbusters: Extended Version (2016)

Despite being longer the extended version has a much better flow, Kristen Wiig's character is more fleshed out (and funnier), and it appears she has more screen time than the first billed Melissa McCarthy. There are a few alternate scenes included, but still missing footage from the trailer. Whole blocks of scenes were added back in (Kristen & Melissa's reenactment of a high school dance), McCarthy's possession is longer and less funny, and the film has a more "sophisticated" tone. Overall I thought this was an improvement over the Theatrical version. 3.75/5

[Rev. Powell]

WAX, OR THE DISCOVERY OF TELEVISION AMONG THE BEES (1991): A military software engineer starts listening to the voices he hears from the hive of Mespopatamian bees his grandfather left him, who send him on a mystical journey into death and rebirth. It's probably an experiment in what it's like to be inside a schizophrenic's head as he spins out deranged theories, but it's more fun to take the movie at face value and assume the bees really are alien intelligences in league with the dead. There were all kinds of wacky, colorful visual distortions in the second half of this that made it even stranger; unfortunately, they weren't intentional--it's just a sign my VCR is finally dying. Or, maybe the bees had finally discovered video cassette recorders and were trying to send me a coded message.... 3.5/5.

[JaseSF]

Evolution (2001): A pair of college scientists make a fantastic discovery: rapidly evolving life that originated from a meteorite that crashed into the Earth. Soon enough however, government and army officials take over and force them out of their own discovery. However these aliens evolve at a fast, unpredictable, and dangerous rate.

This movie ended up being a disappointment for me. In terms of plot, it seems to be something of a mesh of Men in Black and Ghostbusters but it lacks the charm those movies had. There seems to be much too high a focus on gross out humor and unconvincing CGI critters usually sporting lots of teeth. Honestly I didn't laugh much watching this but I did like the Morlock looking creatures and some of the flirting between Duchovney and Julianne Moore's characters. **1/2 out of ***** stars.

[lester1/2jr]

The Razor's Edge (1946) - not a film noir as the title might indicate, but a very good normal not shadowy spy less film blanc et noir. Tyrone Power plays a guy who gets out the Air Force after WW1 and can't figure out what to do with his life. He meets a very pretty girl played by Gene Tierney but she isn't into his whole inward searching thing and they have one of these like each other but can't be together things. It's two and a half hours long and follows them from the post war boom to the depression where they are in the US and Paris respectively.

When people speak wistfully of black and white movies (to the extent that they do anymore) this is the kind of thing they're talking about. The men are manly but classy, the women beautiful and the story is realistic but not tawdry (well the Arab opium den whatever it's supposed to be in Paris maybe a little). TCM only gave it 3 stars but that seems a little low formally speaking and in terms of my enjoyment it was a

4.5 /5

[indianasmith]

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 3D (The 2D Version) - Any movie with zombies, nudity, AND Sid Haig is going to get my attention, and this was no exception!  I had meant to rent this a time or two, and when Hastings began its closeout sale, I snatched it right up, but last night was the first time I had the chance to sit and watch it.  It begins much like the original film: brother and sister on their way to their aunt's funeral; they arrive at a deserted graveyard and then are chased by zombies.  Here it parts company with the original, though - the house they hide in is occupied by stoners and pot growers (who are watching the original NOTLD on TV!).  Zombies lay siege to the house, killing a young girl and a naked couple making out in the barn.  Sid Haig, the funeral director, shows up and explains how the zombies started coming back to life and offers to lead them to safety.  Mayhem ensues.  This was a fun and not altogether predictable zombie movie that I thoroughly enjoyed! 4/5

[lester1/2jr]

Scanners - This definitely has that early 80's horror/ sci fi atmosphere but is longer on decent acting and plot coherence than karate and gore. It probably could have played at both an indy movie theater and a on late night tv after a cop movie and gotten respect from both audiences.

A guy is a "scanner" meaning he does this thing where off kilter industrial sounds start and he can make people freak out using his weird brain. He seeks out other scanners but meanwhile they are always pursued by various authorities and evil masterminds. the gif of the guys head exploding that you've seen here and elsewhere is from this.

I figured everything out well enough but maybe it could have been slightly more clear here and there I don't know. If you've backed off because Cronenberg seems too artsy fartsy I'd say check it out.

4.5 /5

[Rev. Powell]

CLOSET MONSTER (2016): A closeted gay teenager who wants to be a horror makeup artist finds himself inhibited from same-sex experiences due to a traumatic hate crime he witnessed as a child. Mostly drama, but the light horror movie motifs give this familiar coming-out tale a little more texture than most, and Isabella Rosellini as a talking hamster spirit guide doesn't hurt things. 3/5.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Justice League: The Brave and The Bold" (2002)
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest of the DC superhero crew face off against Gorilla Grodd, Lex Luthor, the Joker and more in this DVD compilation of four episodes of the Cartoon Network show. The animation isn't as nice as the "Superman" and "Batman" toons that preceded this series but otherwise it's decent kid stuff with the usual fine voice work (incl. the always-welcome Mark Hamil! as the Joker).

[FatFreddysCat]

"Finding Dory" (2016)
The long awaited sequel to "Finding Nemo" focuses on El!en DeGeneres' forgetful blue fish, who sets off on a quest to find her long-lost parents. Naturally her friends Marlon and Nemo are along for the ride and they al! make some new friends along the way, including a hilariously depressed octopus voiced by Ed O'Neill. It's Pixar so of course it's gorgeously animated, frequently funny and fun for the whole family. Recommended even if you don't have kids.

[Rev. Powell]

THE HOURGLASS SANATORIUM (1973): A man visits his deceased father, who is being kept in a sanatorium where the rules of time and logic don't apply, and is dragged into the dreamlike world inside. Totally surreal and inscrutable work from Communist Poland, but with an impressive visual opulence. 4/5

[FatFreddysCat]

Miserable weather today - perfect for a "Stay inside and watch movies" marathon...

"Justice League: Throne of Atlantis" (2015)
The all new, more badass Aquaman makes his debut in this DC Animated Universe flick, as half human/half Atlantean Arthur Curry discovers his birthright just in time to help the JLA fight off an Atlantis invasion of the surface world. As usual it's full of stylishly animated ultra-violence.

"Red Dog" (2011)
An entertaining Australian comedy/drama (apparently based on a true story) about a well traveled stray canine who wanders into a remote iron-mining village and has a profound effect on the lives of each of its residents. A quirky, heartwarming family flick.

"Batman: The Killing Joke" (2016)
The classic graphic novel from 1989 - considered by many to be the definitive Batman/Joker story - gets the long awaited DC Animated treatment, but the result is a mixed bag. A lengthy, mostly unnecessary prologue involving a Batman/Batgirl romance (?) which wasn't in the original story has been added, apparently to pad out the run time to feature length. Once it gets that out of the way and gets down to business, though, it's a faithful adaptation of the G.N., with Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy (from "Batman: The Animated Series") returning to voice the Joker and Batman. Be warned, this one earns its "R" rating, it is not a cartoon for the kiddies!

[indianasmith]

CARNIVORE (198-)  This was one of the films I bought from Hastings during their closeout sale.  It was EVERYTHING that was goofy about 1980's B-movies rolled into one!  Half the budget was spent on hairspray, for one thing.  The two cops were every single stereotype about dumb small town police ever done, combined into two idiotic characters.  The government agents were idiots, their supervisor not much better, and the whole premise was goofy - I mean, put a top secret genetic research lab in the basement of a deserted house with only one scientist to run it?  And the makeup effects were also pretty cheesy.  As a horror film, this is a 1/5, but as a Bad Movie, it's more like a 5/5 - PRICELESS!   

[Chainsawmidget]

Lego Batman:  This may very well be the best Batman movie they've ever made. 

School Spirit:  A Roger Corman 80s teen sex comedy.  It's not particularly funny, or good, or even bad.  It's really just a harmless little thing that you might watch on late nights if nothing else good is on. 

[FatFreddysCat]

"Highway To Hell" (1991)

A young couple (Chad Lowe and Kristy "Original Buffy" Swanson) on their way to Vegas to get married take a detour on a remote desert highway that lands them in the underworld. As they search for an escape route, they encounter demonic bikers, a very determined lawman known as the Hellcop, and eventually, Beelzebub himself, who wants to take Kristy as his bride. Yikes!
This very silly horror/action/comedy looks like it was thrown together on a budget of six bucks and a broken cracker but it boasts a surprising number of familiar faces, including Patrick "Sleeping With The Enemy" Bergin, Ben Stiller (and his parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara), Gilbert Gottfried (as Adolf Hitler!), and even Lita Ford. Someone must've called in a lot of favors!
Make no mistake, this movie is godawful, but in a bizarrely entertaining way!