Recent viewings

[FatFreddysCat]

"Popcorn" (1991)

http://youtu.be/779iDWjMVRg
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College film students rent out a theater for a fund raising "all night horror-thon" of gimmicky '50s schlock movies. Unfortunately, someone who might be connected to a deranged film director from years past is stalking the auditorium and picking them off one by one during the show.
This early '90s video store & cable favorite is pretty dated now but it's still a fun watch, particularly for the jokey "films within the film" being shown in the theater. 

[javakoala]

SONNY BOY (1989) -- A curious and rather well-made oddball film about Slue and Pearl (played by Paul Smith and David Carradine, respectively) who raise a baby to be an animal trained to steal and kill. Everyone does a good job in this, but Carradine steals the show as the cross-dressing Pearl.

Not the most pleasant of films, but so worth giving a shot for no other reason other than it is definitely something different. 4.5/5

Fair warning, the trailer contains spoiler scenes. Not sure why.

! No longer available	Small | Large

[Rev. Powell]

SONNY BOY (1989) -- A curious and rather well-made oddball film about Slue and Pearl (played by Paul Smith and David Carradine, respectively) who raise a baby to be an animal trained to steal and kill. Everyone does a good job in this, but Carradine steals the show as the cross-dressing Pearl.

Not the most pleasant of films, but so worth giving a shot for no other reason other than it is definitely something different. 4.5/5

Fair warning, the trailer contains spoiler scenes. Not sure why.

! No longer available

Did you buy the Blu-ray that just came out?

[javakoala]

SONNY BOY (1989) -- A curious and rather well-made oddball film about Slue and Pearl (played by Paul Smith and David Carradine, respectively) who raise a baby to be an animal trained to steal and kill. Everyone does a good job in this, but Carradine steals the show as the cross-dressing Pearl.

Not the most pleasant of films, but so worth giving a shot for no other reason other than it is definitely something different. 4.5/5

Fair warning, the trailer contains spoiler scenes. Not sure why.

! No longer available

Did you buy the Blu-ray that just came out?

Yup. Had that on pre-order for months after I stumbled across it during one of my DVD/BD buying binges.

It left me with a smile on my face that almost hurt. For such a down-and-dirty movie, it almost moves you to tears in a couple of spots, and I mean that in a good way. Definitely worth investing in. If it goes out of print, it'll be one of those crazy expensive movies to buy.

[Rev. Powell]

SONNY BOY (1989) -- A curious and rather well-made oddball film about Slue and Pearl (played by Paul Smith and David Carradine, respectively) who raise a baby to be an animal trained to steal and kill. Everyone does a good job in this, but Carradine steals the show as the cross-dressing Pearl.

Not the most pleasant of films, but so worth giving a shot for no other reason other than it is definitely something different. 4.5/5

Fair warning, the trailer contains spoiler scenes. Not sure why.

! No longer available

Did you buy the Blu-ray that just came out?

Yup. Had that on pre-order for months after I stumbled across it during one of my DVD/BD buying binges.

It left me with a smile on my face that almost hurt. For such a down-and-dirty movie, it almost moves you to tears in a couple of spots, and I mean that in a good way. Definitely worth investing in. If it goes out of print, it'll be one of those crazy expensive movies to buy.

It's on DVD-R too, probably won't go out of print in that format. I may buy the Blu if I can't find a way to rent or stream it.

[Rev. Powell]

ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD (1990): The two minor characters from "Hamlet" wander around Elsinore, amnesiac and confused as to their purpose in the larger story. Tim Roth and Gary Oldman are excellent as the interchangeable title characters in Tom Stoppard's absurdist comedy, which is like what might happen if you hired Samuel Beckett to insert a few Abbot and Costello routines into Shakespeare's play. 4.5/5.

[lester1/2jr]

9 1/2 weeks - smirking Mickey rourke picks up Kim Basinger and they embark on a soft core romance in the big Apple. Basinger is cute if not super believable as an art gallery person, most of them aren't blonde they usually have dyed black hair and bangs. Rourke is some kind of Wall St type we never learn what. Most of this is like a skinemax adventure with a bigger budget until the last part where something sort of resembling depths creeps in.

It's very 80's and with all the colorful if a little corny sex scenes and the zeitgeist catching it was a hit, but director Adrian Lynde was capable of much more. Fatal Attraction being an obvious example but Unfaithful had a similar sort of thing with two people having intimacy and it was a lot better, at least in terms of the story. I didn't really like this, but I do feel like kind of a snob for saying so. I'd put this with Cocktail in movies that haven't aged all that well.

2.75 /5

[indianasmith]

I am watching Season 2 of BLACK SAILS right now. It's kind of a "Game of Thrones" with pirates.
Pretty good stuff.

[Rev. Powell]

MST3K: GIRLS TOWN: Busty rebel teen Silver Morgan is falsely accused of murder by Mel Torme and sent to an orphanage run by nuns until Paul Anka can sort things out. In Deep 13, Dr. Forester reveals the Umbilicus, a tether physically connecting the mad scientists to the Satellite of Love (a plot device that never paid off and was soon abandoned). Nothing really stands out about this episode, except for starlet Mamie Van Doren, if you know what I mean and I think that you do. I still like it for some reason (maybe it's Mamie)? 3.5/5.

[claws]

The Money Pit (1986)

not-yet-married New York couple (Tom Hanks & Shelley Long) purchase $1m house for a bargain, but there is something terribly wrong with their new home.

So-so box office and average to bad reviews upon its release, this Steven Spielberg presentation (actually a pre-Amblin production) wasn't the hit they had probably hoped for. However, time has been kind to The Money Pit as it gathered a following over the years, but it is still not a reference comedy when it comes to naming the best of the 1980s. That said, this movie is (still) quite hilarious, but I wasn't sure to feel bad or to experience schadenfreude for Hanks & Long's costly suffering, continuously pumping money into a broken hell house that puts their relationship to the test.
I love revisiting movies on Blu-ray I haven't seen since VHS days, bought the German Blu-ray not too long ago. Anyway, The Money Pit delivers and made for a fun watch last night. 4/5

[JaseSF]

Some quick thoughts on my more recent viewings:

Life (1999): Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence play two would-be 1930s bootleggers named Ray and Claude who find themselves in completely the wrong place at the wrong time and end up with a life sentence for a murder they didn't commit. Forced to work for the state of Mississippi for the rest of their lives, we see the two continue their reluctant friendship and ongoing rivalry all the while plotting new ways to escape.

This has some good moments here and there but it also drags on too long and bogs down in the fact this story wasn't really designed to be too funny. Still I have to give the stars credit for being able to get the audience to like and sympathize with their characters. Just a weird mash-up of sometimes serious drama, sometimes comedy. It never quite works as well as one would like. ***1/4 out of ***** stars.

Bowfinger (1999): Clever comedy satire of a would-be Hollywood director named Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) who decides to shoot a new low budget alien invasion film called Chubby Rain and hopes to cast mega-action star Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy) and when Ramsey refuses, he decides to shoot the film around the ultra paranoid Ramsey.

I really enjoyed this one. I found it to be really clever satire of Hollywood (movie industry, etc.), really funny, and it had lots of elements that appealed to the low-budget bad movie fan in me.  Heather Graham memorably plays a sexed up vamp a little too willing to sleep her way to the top (no real nudity though). **** out of ***** stars.

The Nutty Professor (1996): Remake of cult classic Jerry Lee Lewis film starring Eddie Murphy as professor Sherman Klump who stumbles upon a formula that helps him magically slim down but also lets loose a much more lecherous side of himself in the form of overbearing and overly confident Buddy Love. Basically it's a Jekyll and Hyde type story only without as much horror. The comedy here though proves very vulgar and fart jokes play a huge part in the proceedings making this remake actually a lesser film IMO than the original. Murphy memorably does play nearly every character in the Klump family and gets a few moments to shine here and there because of it. Also the special FX were a bit above par for the era. The Buddy Love character isn't very likable at all and the romantic sparks between Sherman and his love interest here Miss Purty (played by Jada Pinkett) is never really believable. The comedy gets bogged down by its own crudeness so *** out of ***** stars.

The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000): Fearing for his upcoming marriage to colleague Denise Gaines (Janet Jackson), Sherman Klump (Eddie Murphy) decides to take drastic measures to remove Buddy Love from his character. However it has the unexpected side effect of creating a real life Buddy Love clone and also leads to a fast decrease in his own intelligence.

I honestly felt this film was slightly better than the first mostly because of the family support element and Murphy gets to shine more in the other Klump family roles. Jackson seems a bit more believable/likable as a love interest too on some levels. Overall I also found it to be a bit funnier. Yes there is some very gross crudeness in this one as well which bogs it down a little too.  This one I give ***1/4 out of ***** stars.

Knockout (2011): Young yuppie-looking Matthew Miller (Daniel Magder), finding himself the target of bullies at his new school, decides to pursue his interest in boxing hoping to be able to learn to better stand up for himself. Along the way, he befriends a janitor/former boxer at his school named Dan Barnes ("Stone Cold" Steve Austin) who agrees to help train him.

This was slightly better than I expected. It's a coming of age story all about learning what it takes to succeed. That one is going to get knocked down but if one really wants to get anywhere, he has to get back up and continue the fight. Austin's character is surprisingly likable and he provides the best presence on screen in this small film which feels somewhat like something someone might expect to find on public TV or something.  ***1/2 out of ***** stars.

No Deposit, No Return (1976): Unlucky safe-crackers Duke (Darren McGavin) and Bert (Don Knotts) finds themselves unexpectedly involved in a kidnapping plot when the two grandchildren (Brad Savage and Kim Richards) of millionaire J.W. Osborne (David Niven) decide to have themselves kidnapped by their unlikely new friends Duke and Bert. Unfortunately for the kids, who just want to spend Easter vacation with their overseas Mom Carolyn (Barbara Feldon), their grandfather doesn't seem to be in any hurry to have the often destructive grand-kids returned to him.

While this has some very funny moments, particularly during chase scenes, it never works quite as well as one would like. McGavin seems a strange fit as straight man of sorts to Knotts style of comedy here although he certainly tries his best. The element of the kids seeming 'unwanted' also makes it hard to buy into the parental/grand-parental concern later on in the film at times. The premise also feels a bit forced and unrealistic overall but hey for a Disney film, it isn't all bad. It has its moments. ***1/4 out of ***** stars.

Above Suspicion (1943): Newly married couple Richard (Fred MacMurray) and Frances Myles (Joan Crawford) are ready to embark on their European honeymoon. However the unlikely pair also are in fact are on a spying mission for British Intelligence as the world moves towards World War II.

A lot of what makes this film so enjoyable is its colorful cast of supporting actors including Conrad Veidt, Basil Rathbone, Reginald Owen. The premise isn't always as believable as one likes but the film does have some surprisingly edgy moments at times. ***1/2 out of ***** stars.

An Inspector Calls (1954): A well-to-do British family in 1912 finds their after dinner enjoyment interrupted by a visiting Inspector Poole (Alastair Sim) who cleverly brings to light to them their connections to the death of a young woman, each of the family harboring their own secret guilt with regards to their treatment of said woman.

This was a surprisingly gripping crime mystery story that also deals a lot with ethics of right and wrong. There's also a Twilight Zone-ish style twist or two before the end although story wise, it's much more about morals and how people treat one another. Sim steals the show here in his Inspector role and Jane Wenham does quite well too in the role of Eva Smith. Bryan Forbes also does fairly well in this one too as the son of a rich father who can never please his family. **** out of ***** stars.

The Moon-Spinners (1964): Visiting the island of Crete with her Aunt Frances (Joan Greenwood), young Nicky Ferris (Hayley Mills) finds the locals less than friendly especially Stratos (Eli Wallach), the brother of the Moon-Spinners hotel owner. Nevertheless Nicky manages to befriend an English man named Mark (Peter McEnery) and sparks begin to fly. However the next day when Mark mysteriously disappears, Nicky suspects something strange has happened and that it is connected to Stratos. Eventually she finds herself on the run, the unlikely target of Stratos and his friends. Stolen jewels also play a major factor into the plot.

This convoluted Disney adventure film has numerous twists and turns and features some great moments of suspense. However Mills doesn't prove anywhere near as likable here as in her other Disney film roles probably because her character chatters on way, way too much. Still the story is mostly engaging and Wallach makes for a memorable villain. It's just hard to really buy into some elements in this one. Pola Negri turns up in a memorable role here as Madame Habib, a jewel collector with a pet leopard. ***1/4 out of ***** stars.

Never a Dull Moment (1968): Due to a case of mistaken identity, actor Jack Albany (Dick Van Dyke) gets taken for a hired killer named Ace Williams and is brought back to the headquarters of head mobster Leo Joseph Smooth (Edward G. Robinson) for a new job. While there, Jack realizing his life is in danger continues to play the role of Ace all the while trying to escape the heavily guarded home of Smooth and also hopes to rescue an art teacher named Sally (Dorothy Provine).

This was a somewhat enjoyable Disney comedy helped largely by the efforts of Van Dyke in the lead. How much you enjoy probably depends on how much you enjoy his style of comedy. Also on hand here are memorable character actors in roles as Smooth's henchmen including Henry Silva as Frank Boley, Slim Pickens as Cowboy Schaeffer, Jack Elam as the real Ace Williams, Richard Bakalyan as Bobby Macoon, Philip Coolidge as Fingers Felton, Tony Bill as Florian, and Ned Glass as Rinzy. Best scenes to me were the chase scenes including Sally in the mansion and later Jack in the museum. ***1/4 out of ***** stars.

Lilo & Stitch (2002): A mad alien scientist creates a genetic experiment which is bent only on destruction. When said experiment escapes to Earth, it is unlikely enough adopted as the latest pet dog of a troubled little girl named Lilo and is named Stitch. Stitch continues its usual destructive ways which causes many problems for Lilo and her sister guardian but also comes to learn about family and begin to search for where he belongs in the universe. Meanwhile alien authorities are searching to bring Stitch, a wanted fugitive, back.

I enjoyed this Disney movie far more than I expected. It was a wild ride with moments sure to appeal to giant monster/monster movie/Sci-Fi  fans here and there. But it also has a lot of heart and a sad realism underneath it all given the serious situations characters find themselves in, often not their own faults, other times totally their faults. A really moving story of friendship and family in addition to being action packed sci-fi adventure. **** out of ***** stars.

Pretty in Pink (1986): A Zoid teenage girl named Andie Walsh (Molly Ringwald) finds herself smitten with a Richie named Blane (Andrew McCarthy) much to the dismay of her long time pursuer/friend Duckie (Jon Cryer). Romance is usually frowned upon between Zoids and Richies in both their circles and Blane's narcissistic buddy Steff (James Spader) is particularly disapproving (perhaps because Andie already turned him down).

This has some great moments and rings surprisingly true on a number of levels. Annie Potts is particularly likable in this as Andie's boss/friend Iona and offers great support to her character here. Only real disappointing aspect in the ending because things don't quite pan out to audience expectation and one character seems forgiven a bit too easily. Still enjoyable overall with winning performances from Ringwald an Cryer in particular. ***3/4 out of ***** stars.

[Rev. Powell]

CHRISTMAS ON MARS (2008): On a colony on Mars on Christmas Eve, oxygen is running out, the crew is hallucinating, and a Martian steps in to play Santa Claus. Made by the band the Flaming Lips, this is an amateur's idea of what a surreal art movie should be, which is both a strength and a weakness; there are dull patches but they are willing to try things more sophisticated filmmakers wouldn't dare, like an all-vagina marching band. 2.5/5.

[Rev. Powell]

WAR OF THE PLANETS (1978): A mysterious signal lures a spaceship to a strange planet. Hard to believe this incoherent and inconsequential Italian cheapie was made a year after STAR WARS; it looks at least a decade older. 0.5/5.

[lester1/2jr]

A Blueprint for Murder (1953) - rather good mystery that favors Law and Order style procedure and deduction over atmosphere,action, high drama, etc. In other words its cheap and the actors aren't hugely colorful or dynamic (though they are well cast) but what it does it does quite well.

kind of hard to talk about the plot without giving a lot away but it involves members of a family dying under mysterious circumstances and no one really questioning anything till the one guy starts...asking questions. That's when the detective work and whatnot comes in. The police can only take it so far so it becomes a solo civilian mission to try and find/ expose the killer. It really is a lot like a Law and Order adventure all it's missing is the Crum crum



this lady is not in the movie unfortunately and it's perfectly appropriate for children. I think one of the characters says "making love" once. If you're Amish don't watch it, but then how would you be reading this? on Rumspringa?

4.5 /5 check it out

[Rev. Powell]

LOVERS ON THE BRIDGE (1991): A drug-addicted derelict falls for a newly homeless painter who is slowly losing her eyesight. A few bravura sequences, such as the dancing lovers' parade across the bridge with fireworks in the background and a constantly changing musical score, adorn this tale of manipulative losers and their destructive romances. 3.5/5