Recent Viewings, Part 2

[lester1/2jr]

Cry of the Werewolf (1944) - Theres not as much werewolf stuff as there is zombies or vampires so I'm always on the lookout for stuff like this. Really good take, with plenty of gypsy lore and two very attractive actresses, one nice and one evil.

A hot gypsy matriarch is forced to take matters into her own hands and become a werewolf to solve some inter- gypsy issue or other I can't really remember. Well, the police discover somethings amiss and get hot on her trail soon enough. A doll of death is left on a historians desk and... oh wait, now I remember the guy was researching their clan and got too close to the truth that was the initial murder. Anyway, theres secret doors and magic spells and lots of shots of the pretty ladies. I might even watch it gain what the heck

5/5  tubi

[RCMerchant]

^ You liked it? I thought it was one of the worst 1940's Universal horror films.

[RCMerchant]

Canned Heat- A Change Is Gonna Come

http://youtu.be/3doBiU6nN0k

[lester1/2jr]

wrong thread genius

[RCMerchant]

wrong thread genius

Yer right I f**ked that all  up! 

[Dr. Whom]

Robo Vampire 2/Devil's Dynamite (1987)

The first title is confusing, as IMDB gives 1988 as the release date for Robo Vampire, and it is highly unusual for a sequel to predate the first installment. That being said, there are vampires (of the Chinese hopping Mandarin kind) but not really a robot, just a guy who can transform into a shiny helmeted superhero. So it is more of a ripoff of Ultraman than anything else. Nowhere near as entertaining as Robo Vampire. All characters belong in the same movie, there are no lovesick ghost girls in see through clothing, and you can even follow the plot. A gambling king gets out of prison and seeks revenge on the woman who betrayed him. She has, however, enlisted assorted thugs and a Taoist priest, who has created some vampire assassins. Luckily our main character is assisted by the ultraman knock off and another Taoist priest (and some henchmen). The movie is mainly an excuse for a series of fight scenes, and there are plenty of those. The version I saw on Youtube is quite dark, and cropped for video, so it is not always easy to see what is going on.

[lester1/2jr]

The Snake Woman (1961) - this was pretty similar to Cry of the Werewolf except it was British. made in 1961, it feels more like its from the 40's. At the same time, it also resembles Hammer horror movies from the 60's and 70s so it's both stale and ahead of it's time in a way.

A scientist treats his insane wife with snake venom to try and cure her. It works, but then she gives birth to a snake girl. Frankenstein style villagers trash the laboratory and wouldn't you know it, the snake baby grows up to be a hot woman. A visiting scientist from London comes to look into the crazy superstition in the town and find the real reason for the astounding number of deaths they seem to be having.

I would have liked more of the hot medieval style barmaid and Americans generally do this kind of thing better. Everyone seems just a little to normal and relaxed to be involved in this situation. hourish long

4.5 / 5 tubi

[RCMerchant]

^ A strange film, but I kinda like this one.

[FatFreddysCat]

"The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977)
A pair of nuclear submarines from the U.K. and Russia mysteriously disappear, and 007 is teamed up with his lovely Soviet counterpart (Barbara Bach) to find out where they've gone. The search will take them to the bottom of the ocean, where crazed billionaire Stromberg plans to use the missiles from the subs to start World War III.
...the 3rd time is definitely the charm for Roger Moore, who finally seems comfortable in the Bond role. The movie was the biggest, most elaborate 007 production since Sean Connery's heyday and is Roger's best turn as Bond in my book.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Raw Deal" (1986)
A former FBI agent (Arnold Schwarzenegger) goes undercover as an enforcer in a Chicago mob family in order to bring their operations down from the inside. Lotsa guys get shot, stuff blows up, and things get broken in this underrated '80s butt kicker that I somehow had never seen until tonight. Arnold gives one of his better performances in this flick, which occasionally requires him to act (!) in between the bouts of ultra-violence.

[lester1/2jr]

Head Case (2007) - I always like when reviews are split on a movie and they certainly are here. It's "found footage" of a serial killer and his wife, who catalog their multi year killing spree as well as their ridiculous yet in many ways conventional relationship, including their two oblivious kids.

The hook here for sure is how otherwise normal they are even though they have such an abhorrent hobby. problems viewers may notice:

1. they don't show really any of the gore. it had a $5,000 budget and would be a quite a bit higher if they were going to do any service to the plot so smart I guess, but a little distracting

2. How do they manage to get away with all of it???  they seem to just casually murder people whenever they feel like it

The acting, much of it improvised, is pretty good. the wife in particular really has a brutal way of turning from nice to nasty on a dime. Having her be older than the husband and the guy clearing having mommy issues was a nice touch.

I'd say check it out 4.5 / 5 tubi

it has FIVE sequels

[BoyScoutKevin]

Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey (2020)

Well, the actual title is a bit different, but you know what I am talking about. This is a slog. Another one of those movies which can't make up its mind which direction it is going. On the one hand it tries to be an ensemble piece about a bunch of people facing injustice,  finding eachother and working together to do something about it, and on the other you have the zany adventures of Harley Quinn. Not only are these two fundamentally different story arcs, the more grounded tone of the one doesn't mesh with the cartoonish world of the other. I mean, there is a reason we don't have Deadpool starring in the Avengers movies.

Also, the Harley Quinn part falls flat. In order to have a charming rogue, you've got to make your character at least likeable, and preferably smart. This Harley is neither and much more of a sidekick that a real protagonist. Margot Robbie gives it all, but she's got little to work with.
That being said, it is a very pretty movie and the final fight in the amusement park is a lot of fun. Also Ewan McGregor clearly had a blast as the villain.

A production of DC Entertainment with distribution by Warner Brothers.

I won't disagree with Dr. Whom's review, as I have not seen the film, but the review does remind me of the reviews for previous films produced by DC Entertainment and distributed by Warner Brothers. Which makes me ask: "When are they going to get their act together?" Maybe they should take a hint from Marvel and Disney, who, up to this time, seem to know how to do it right.
I will say though, DC Entertainment and Warner Brothers seem to have had some success with Wonder Woman. Whose sequel, I believe was to be released earlier this year, but, whose release date has been pushed back to Christmas, 2020, or 2021.

[Dr. Whom]

Zontar, the Thing from Venus (1966)

Wikipedia informs me that this is 'low budget remake of Roger Corman's It Conquered the World'. Given Roger Corman's legendary thrift, I didn't know such a thing was even possible. This is your standard 'alien takeover by mind control' movie, and the whole thing is more at home in the 50s than in the 60s. I mean, making a big deal out of launching your first satellite in 1966 is pushing it a bit. The plot is perfectly serviceable, if by the numbers. However, once again, the execution is terrible. It mainly consists of people talking, and when the alien is finally confronted, defeating it is 'super easy, barely an inconvenience'. The sound editor does his best by putting extremely dramatic music over scenes of people just walking in the woods or in a cave.

Kudos to the female lead character. Instead of cowering  and waiting to be rescued, she is so fed up with her husband's unwillingness to do something about Zontar, she takes her husband's 1911 and goes out to shoot Zontar herself. Perhaps she shouldn't have told Zontar she was coming, though.

[pacman000]

Zontar, the Thing from Venus (1966)

Wikipedia informs me that this is 'low budget remake of Roger Corman's It Conquered the World'. Given Roger Corman's legendary thrift, I didn't know such a thing was even possible. This is your standard 'alien takeover by mind control' movie, and the whole thing is more at home in the 50s than in the 60s. I mean, making a big deal out of launching your first satellite in 1966 is pushing it a bit. The plot is perfectly serviceable, if by the numbers. However, once again, the execution is terrible. It mainly consists of people talking, and when the alien is finally confronted, defeating it is 'super easy, barely an inconvenience'. The sound editor does his best by putting extremely dramatic music over scenes of people just walking in the woods or in a cave.

Kudos to the female lead character. Instead of cowering  and waiting to be rescued, she is so fed up with her husband's unwillingness to do something about Zontar, she takes her husband's 1911 and goes out to shoot Zontar herself. Perhaps she shouldn't have told Zontar she was coming, though.

Larry Buchanan. AIP thought their earlier films were too dated for syndication, so they hired him to remake them. Looks like he used more on-location shooting, which probably helped keep the budget down. (Based on his other movies for AIP-TV; I've not seen this one yet.)

[Rev. Powell]

CADAVER (2020): After the apocalypse, a cloistered family accepts an invitation to attend a dinner theater performance in an abandoned hotel. Well-made, but it failed to hook me. Netflix exclusive. 2.5/5.