Recent Viewings, Part 2

[chefzombie]

i think you'd like it lester. 

[FatFreddysCat]

"The Substitute" (1996)
A mercenary (Tom Berenger of "Platoon") takes an undercover gig in a gang-infested Miami high school after his teacher girlfriend is victimized by some of the students.  You can probably figure out the rest yourself.

There's nothing in this so-'90s-it-hurts mash-up of the "hood movie" and action genres that you haven't seen in dozens of other cheap shoot-em-up revenge flicks, but it's an entertainingly silly slab of ultra-violent nonsense.

Followed by three (!) direct-to-video sequels, with Treat Williams taking the place of Berenger.

Fun fact: the teenage gang leader is played by Marc Anthony, who would later marry Jennifer Lopez!

[Rev. Powell]

BUTT BOY (2019): I.T. specialist Chip becomes obsessed with sticking items into his rectum; years later, he becomes an Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor for a police detective who grows to suspect Chip is involved in a child's disappearance. What makes the experiment work, to the extent it does, is its dedication to remain absolutely deadpan up until act three, when it goes all the way to the end of its alimentary canal of a premise. 3/5.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Rat Skates: Born in the Basement" (2007)
Original Overkill drummer Lee "Rat Skates" Kundrat (who left the band in 1987) compiled this entertaining documentary about the early days of his band, and of the thrash metal scene in general, loaded with vintage pix and video from his archives. Rat seems a bit full of himself (he never mentions any of the other guys' names when talking about Overkill - it's always "I," "me," etc.) and the fact that none of his former bandmates appear in it makes the narrative a bit one-sided, but it's a cool trip down memory lane anyway.

[Rev. Powell]

SLAY THE DRAGON (2019): This documentary follows a group of Wisconsin citizens as they propose and create a state ballot initiative to end gerrymandering by creating independent bodies to redraw congressional districts, while the Republican-dominated legislature tries to stop them. Gerrymandering is a pernicious problem in American democracy, one that is only growing worse due to modern analytics and computerized information gathering, and this documentary does a great job explaining it. Although I accept that the Republicans are the villains in this round of gerrymandering, this practice is a bipartisan evil, and the makers really needed to bend over backwards to make that clearer---as it is, "Dragon" may lose some of its effectiveness because it will be viewed as a left-slanted call to action, despite the fact that the reforms it advocates are essential to democracy. 3/5.

[pennywise37]

there's a movie called Butt Boy? what the hell? who names these movies?  anyways i watched 2 of the MCU movies this week last night i watched 'Thor: The Dark World (2013) a film that is i think far far better than the 1st one even if the cast and it's director don't much care for it cause apparently they didn't have a good time in making it. i loved it 10/10


than i watched "Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014) that one is 10/10 i think it's a better film than the 1st one and i loved the first one. it's also a far better film than Thor: The Dark world as well but than Thor has never been one of my favorite heroes anyways

[Rev. Powell]

SAVAGES (1972): A tribe of "mud people" find a croquet ball, follow it to an abandoned mansion, put on the clothes they find, host a dinner party, then fall back into savagery. An obscure attempt at a Buñuelian allegory about civilization that's especially surprising because of who made it: the Merchant/Ivory team, who of course would go on to make Oscar-nominated realist dramas romanticizing the types of manners this movie so thoroughly savages. Too long, but an interesting experiment. 3.5/5.

[lester1/2jr]

As Above, So Below (2014) - the "found footage" format can be gratuitous, but really works here. One of the most nerve wracking, claustrophobic movie experiences ever. all you want is for them to get out of the freaking tunnels and be free 5/5

The Blackcoat's daughter (2015) =  probably the worst horror movie I've ever seen, a least in terms of plot. The director made Legally Blonde in 2001 and should definitely go back to that sort of work.

Two girls are left over during a break at private school. At the same time, another girl who looks a lot like one of the other girls is going somewhere too. Its totally confusing. There are lots of scenes where people are doing nothing in particular but there's loud, dark incidental music playing.

The acting is decent and I like how there wasn't lots of dialogue, but actually it might have helped if they'd had more because there was nothing going on, action or tension wise. I had no motivation to care about anything that happened. Horror movies often shock you, make you examine your soul, and just do all kinds of things none of which are found here  1/5

[FatFreddysCat]

"Diamonds Are Forever" (1971)
After an unsuccessful attempt at transplanting George Lazenby into the series, O.G. 007 Sean Connery was briefly lured back to the James Bond role (for the supposedly "last" time) in this so-'70s-it-hurts adventure. 
This time out, Bond travels to Amsterdam and Las Vegas as he infiltrates a ring of diamond smugglers who are (of course) working for SPECTRE. 
Connery was clearly only in this for the paycheck (he looks quite out of shape too) and the slightly campier tone foreshadows what would come later in the Roger Moore era. "Diamonds" is watchable but it's definitely not a top drawer Bond flick.

[FatFreddysCat]

"The Rainbow" (2019)
The history of the famed Hollywood rocker hangout on the Sunset Strip, the Rainbow Bar & Grill (and its sister venue, the Whisky a Go-Go), which has been operated by the same family for three generations, is told via vintage footage and interviews with many of the stars who've called it home, including Ozzy, Slash, Lemmy, Micky Dolenz, Ron Jeremy (!), Lita Ford, and many more. A fast and fun documentary about an iconic site that should be on every rock fan's bucket list of places to visit.

[chefzombie]

santa claus and the fairy queen( found on classic movies and tv, a roku channel i found last week)
may i just say... O! M! G! i am SO grateful i didn't see this as a child, we're talking MAJORLY nightmare inducing! the brownie, snoopy, is WAY  creepier than mr. B natural, and that is saying something. and santa is an obvious stoner, lol! if you can find it, watch it, but DON'T show it to kids, PLEASE! 

[FatFreddysCat]

"Band vs. Brand" (2019)
A cheap looking documentary that examines the importance of "branding" in the current music industry, and the various methods bands use to keep their names out there. Features words of wisdom  from a diverse group of performers including Dave Ellefson, Nadir D'Priest, Jean Beauvoir, Jack Russell, Marc Ferrari, Nik Turner, and many more.
This flick may possibly be of interest to those studying marketing, but for the average joe-schmoe viewer it's pretty dry stuff. Not recommended.

[Dr. Whom]

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Still loads of fun.

[zelmo73]

"The Substitute" (1996)
A mercenary (Tom Berenger of "Platoon") takes an undercover gig in a gang-infested Miami high school after his teacher girlfriend is victimized by some of the students.  You can probably figure out the rest yourself.

There's nothing in this so-'90s-it-hurts mash-up of the "hood movie" and action genres that you haven't seen in dozens of other cheap shoot-em-up revenge flicks, but it's an entertainingly silly slab of ultra-violent nonsense.

http://youtu.be/NdwrDIHE4XY

[FatFreddysCat]

"Nightmare City" (1980)
A TV news reporter and his wife try to escape a city full of radiation-poisoned, blood-drinking, homicidal maniacs spawned by an atomic spill.
Umberto "Make Them Die Slowly" Lenzi's late-inning entry into the "Dawn of the Dead" knock off sweepstakes is a gloriously inept clusterf**k of atrocious acting, "Engrish" dialogue, awkward dubbing, and cheap gore. It sucks, but it sucks so awesomely that you can't take your eyes off of it. Essential Eurotrash!