Recent viewings

[lester1/2jr]

rev powell-  if you haven't heard it, check out Dusty Springfields version of "windmills of your mind".  It's much better than the version from TC affair.  it's on her album "Dusty in memphis" which is one of the best albums ever made in my opinion.

I'm definately in the "hated it" camp for high tension.



Land of Death (2003)-  one of Bruno Mattie's last films.  it's sort of predator meets cannibal holocaust but way too much army talk/ mission dialogue and not enough cannibals and hot native babes, though there is some.

[Rev. Powell]

Thanks for the tip, Lester.  Will check it out when I get the chance---which could be years given my schedule. 

MST3K: THE INDESTRUCTIBLE MAN: The experiment involves a movie where rogue scientists bring executed killer Lon Chaney, Jr. back to life.  The process involves his skin becoming hard enough to deflect bullets and makes him mute, meaning he can only overact with his eyes.  Not a particularly good or bad movie, but a pretty dull one, and most of the riffing involves getting bored at expository scenes.  The host segments aren't very memorable either, making for a fairly "meh" episode.  Devoted fans of the series would probably give it a 3/5, casual fans maybe a 2/5.

[indianasmith]

I saw a Vampire movie called DESERT OF BLOOD last week. It was pretty so-so - not terrible, but not that great either.  And watched 10,000 BC this afternoon.  It was VERY cheesy!

[JJ80]

"The Hostage" - A rather basic little thriller about a young boy who hides in a removal van driven by a violent killer and his brownbeaten accomplice (Harry Dean Stanton) and is eventually taken prisoner. This was very average with relatively poor scripting and acting for the most part and actually felt like a TV movie. Still Don Kelly was rather good as 'Bull' the hulking murderer and Stanton is very effective. John Carradine has a decent part as a local drunk but disappears all too quickly.

[Unda Fiya]

Since i just registered, i'll just post all of the movies i've seen so far this Summer vacation and my thoughts on them:

Videodrome - Pretty cool, haven't seen much Cronenberg, but The Fly is still my favorite

Cube - Very involving and a good "mindf**k" experience. Definitely some bad acting and dialogue, but still, it delivered.

Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan - I still enjoy watching IV and VI more, but this one really is still the best ST movie with all of it's pathos.

The Signal - Kind of intriguing, but at the same time you could tell that the people behind it didn't exactly know what to do with their idea.

Scanners - I'm afraid i didn't really find this one that interesting. And the incredibly unenthusiastic acting didn't really help.

Inferno - I thought it was actually a pretty decent follow-up/spiritual sequel to Suspiria. Strictly a "for-the-fans" movie though, not good for a casual watch.

Opera - RULED. Probably my favorite Dario Argento film i've seen thus far.

[lester1/2jr]

Basket Case-  embarassed to admit I hadn't seen thisone before.  I thought it was great, definately one of the top super low budget horror movies of the 80's and not so low budget because the specialeffects were pretty awesome in places.  totally over the top and excellent.

Brute Force-  this is often venerated as a classic film noir but I found it really preachy and convoluted.  the writer was probably some kind of communist or something

[Rev. Powell]

MST3K: TORMENTED.  Another somewhat disappointing experiment.  The movie is a rare Bert I. Gordon movie with absolutely no giganticism.  It's a ghost story about a jazz pianist who stands by as his ex-girlfriend falls to her death off a lighthouse.  Her ghost then tries to wreck his wedding to his fiancee.  Riffing and host segments are uninspiring, although I liked the Mads drinking jacket (complete with rats and cockroaches to simulate the DTs).  Extras include a fairly pathetic segment with Mr. B.I.G. about the making of TORMENTED (not addressing the MST3k version) and the welcome wraparound segments from THE MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER HOUR.  For fans of the series only.     

[Jack]

Sphere - a huge spaceship is found at the bottom of the ocean - it's been there for hundreds of years.  Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone and Samuel L. Jackson are called in to investigate.  Pretty good suspense and a plot that unfolds nicely, at least if you're watching it for the first time.  This was about my third time, and I just though a good half hour could have been lopped off the movie and it would have speeded things up nicely.

Doomed - in the future, Survivor will still be popular on TV (sigh...).  Prison convicts are dropped off on an island inhabited by zombies and if they make it to the other side, they get their freedom plus 50 million bucks.  This is all done in Survivor-like TV show fashion.  About the only thing this movie has going for it is a few hot babes in sweaty tank tops.  You could make a drinking game out of spotting when the patterns of sweat on the tank tops changes from scene to scene.  Notably, there's never any armpit sweat.  Those convicts may be killing each other and betraying each other at every turn, but at least they use antiperspirant.  Strictly run of the mill stuff.

Ghosts of Mars - Mars is colonized by a half million people or so, luckily one of them is Natasha Henstridge, because that's about the only reason I can see for going there.  Anyhow, ghosts get loose and turn the colonists into Road Warrior rejects.  Henstridge is a cop, and she and her team go to pick up some rapper, but get attacked by the Mad Max dudes.  Lots of flashbacks, they even toss in the not-nearly uncommon enough flashback-within-a-flashback.   Henstridge finally gives us a quick scene in her skin tight tank top and panties at the end.  Not a bad movie overall, one of those you can pull out of the DVD collection once a year when you're really bored.

[VogNhymn]

Just watched the new Russian Film PHILOSOPHY OF THE KNIFE. Sort of a art film blended with interviews and a take on the history of the Japanese WW2 bio warfare unit 731. Very gory and very disturbing and difficult to watch. But at the same time, if taken in context a masterful film.

[Torgo]

SLITHER   *** out of ****.

While the 1st half is better than the somewhat-problematic-at-times 2nd half, this is still a lot of fun.  Michael Rooker is a hoot (why doesn't this guy do more comedy?) and Elizabeth Banks is gorgeous and strong as well.  Most of the effects are practical and there are a few scenes involving CGI that still out like a sore thumb but don't really detract from things.  Pretty gory for a R rated movie at times as well. 

[asimpson2006]

Total Recall ** 1/2 out of ****

I though it wasn't a  bad film overall, but a tad overrated.  I though the fight scenes were really well done, but just the story seemed goofy.  I didn't like how it left the ending open ended.  The effects also look stupid at times as well. 

[lester1/2jr]

the Klansman (1974)- I was really blown away by this.  the director made a bunch of Charles Bronson movies and doesn't shy away from violence and brutality.  The story really gives both sides of the story of the town so that yo uunderstand the motivations of the various players, even if you don't agree with them.  OJ kicks ass!!

[Torgo]

BATMAN (1989)    *** out of ****

BATMAN RETURNS   ***1/2 out of ****

THEY SAVED HITLER'S BRAIN  NO STARS out of ****

[indianasmith]

Last week I watched FOOL'S GOLD with my wife- it's a chick flick with just enough action to keep the guys involved, a good date movie, fun but without much real substance.

That same night I saw SHUTTER,  a fairly cool Japanese ghost story with a good twist ending and a couple of really scary moments.  Not up there with THE RING or JEEPERS CREEPERS, but some very pleasant spooky moments.

[Rev. Powell]

NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955):  A true classic that shouldn't be missed and the source of my avatar.  See this thread.  5/5.

MST3K: THE DEAD TALK BACK:  "Please press 1 to speak to the dead."  After viewing a couple mediocre episodes in a row this was a nice change of pace.  The guys are in top form riffing on the movie, a dull police procedural/mystery with a psychic twist--a scientist has invented a phone the dead can use to call in and report their murderers (maybe).  In the host segments, the bots develop their own psychic phone and get calls from Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill, who want to debate whether the Bills will make it back to the Superbowl.  4/5.

NIGHT OF THE CREEPS (1986):  An alien fugitive shoots some sort of parasite onto the earth, where it infects a madman who is later cryogenically frozen and thawed out by some nerds rushing a fraternity at Corman University, leading to a zombie plague.  A crazy plot and lots of little tributes to B-movies from the 50s to the 80s.  A minor classic.   4/5.