Recent Viewings, Part 2

[Rev. Powell]

THE MADS: 'MANOS,' THE HANDS OF FATE: Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff rewatch the movie they discovered, with all new jokes at poor Torgo's expense. I'm not really a fan of "re-riffs," but I have to admit I laughed at this one more than most of the Mads shows---Manos is truly the gift that keeps on giving, an inexhaustible well of mockery. Jackey Neyman-Jones, the original Debbie, is the aftershow Q&A guest; if you don't know, she's really made her child actor appearance in one of the worst movies ever made into a career, having written a book, appeared at conventions, and now created an upcoming web series, "The Manos Chronicles." 3.5/5 or even higher if you're a Manos fanatic. Also, in a bit of good news, they are finally going to start selling downloads of the old Mads livestreams (previously, you had to buy a ticket to the livestream and get the download the next day). So ya'll can catch up on the first four if you're interested. 

[indianasmith]

THE DEAD GIRL (2006) - Five different lives intersect with the discovery of a murdered young woman's body in New Mexico.  Some impressive performances by well-known actors and actresses make this vignette collection an interesting watch.  4/5

[FatFreddysCat]

"Super Duper Alice Cooper" (2014)
Director Sam Dunn of "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" and "Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage" fame comes through with yet another cool hard rock doc, this time focusing on the long strange career of Alice Cooper, from their days of living in Frank Zappa's basement through the dizzying highs of the 70s through Alice's struggles with various intoxicating substances in the early 80s. Lots of cool stories and vintage clips throughout.

"Batman: The Long Halloween Part One (and "Part Two," 2021)
An epic length animated Batman feature based on the mid 90s graphic novel. In Part One, someone is killing off the major figures of Gotham's underworld, striking only on holidays. As Batman tries to figure out "Holiday's" identity, the killing spree draws out the Joker, who doesn't like having competition in the homicidal-maniac department.
In Part Two, a few more super villains are added to the mix like the Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, and Two-Face. Both chapters are loaded with lots of cool animated ultra-violence. These are most definitely NOT kiddie cartoons!

[Dr. Whom]

Green Snake (2021)

This is a sequel to White Snake, which I haven't seen, and I am guessing it would have made this one a lot more comprehensible.

It opens with both snake sisters attacking the monk Fahai, for reasons which are presumably explained in the first movie. It doesn't go well: the white snake is defeated and buried under a pagoda, while the green snake is banished to a kind of limbo for souls who can't let go of their obsessions. She then tries to get out and free her sister.

It is pretty much just pure unadulterated action. There is never a dull moment, and it feels like computer game made into a film. The animation is OK and some of the monsters are truly spectacular. This is a typical film where its strength is its weakness and vice versa. If you like things like Inframan or Kitamura's movies, give it a watch. For the more feministically minded among you: half way through, the green sister realises that it is useless to wait for a Prince Charming, and if you want get stuff done, you have to rely on yourself.

[Rev. Powell]

Green Snake (2021)

This is a sequel to White Snake, which I haven't seen, and I am guessing it would have made this one a lot more comprehensible.

It opens with both snake sisters attacking the monk Fahai, for reasons which are presumably explained in the first movie. It doesn't go well: the white snake is defeated and buried under a pagoda, while the green snake is banished to a kind of limbo for souls who can't let go of their obsessions. She then tries to get out and free her sister.

It is pretty much just pure unadulterated action. There is never a dull moment, and it feels like computer game made into a film. The animation is OK and some of the monsters are truly spectacular. This is a typical film where its strength is its weakness and vice versa. If you like things like Inframan or Kitamura's movies, give it a watch. For the more feministically minded among you: half way through, the green sister realises that it is useless to wait for a Prince Charming, and if you want get stuff done, you have to rely on yourself.

Or check out Tsui Hark's live action version of the same Chinese folktale if you can.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Eve of Destruction" (1991)
"Eve," a military android that looks like a human female, goes rogue during a training exercise and starts shootin' and blowin' stuff up everywhere "she" goes. Gregory Hines is an anti-terrorist expert and sharpshooter assigned to destroy "her." So essentially, this is "Terminator" in a mini-skirt.
...I actually saw this box office bomb during its theatrical run; given how fast it came and went, I feel like I'm one of only a few dozen people who can say that. Very Happy
There are a few cool action scenes in "Eve," but the casting is all wrong. Hines isn't very believable as a military bad-ass, and Dutch actress Renee Soutendijk (making her U.S. film debut), who plays both "Eve" and the scientist who created her, isn't nearly as hot as the filmmakers want us to think she is. (Apparently Renee was a sex symbol back home in Holland, for whatever that's worth.)
I guess there were worse "Terminator" wanna-be's made during the '90s, but unless you're a cheesy action completist you can safely skip this "Eve."

[Dr. Whom]

Green Snake (2021)

This is a sequel to White Snake, which I haven't seen, and I am guessing it would have made this one a lot more comprehensible.

Or check out Tsui Hark's live action version of the same Chinese folktale if you can.

I'll look out for that one. A quick Google shows that are a bewildering number of White Snake/Green Snake versions out there, though. I am referring to the Amp Wong animation that has just come out on Netflix.

[FatFreddysCat]

Terminal" (2018)
In the middle of the night, a diverse group of people -- including a dying man (Simon Pegg), a pair of inept hired assassins, and a creepy janitor (Mike "Wayne's World" Myers) -- cross paths in a deserted train station. One by one they learn that the mysterious coffee shop waitress (Margot Robbie) has a specific grudge against each of them, and she's gathered them together to put an elaborate plan for revenge into motion.
This weird but stylish noir thriller is a nice looking, well acted movie, but unfortunately it's just not very interesting. Everyone pretty much sits around talking for the first hour, then it finally kicks into gear in its last 30 minutes. I only paid a buck for this DVD so I'm not gonna complain too much. It was worth the dollar just to ogle Margot Robbie, but then I'd watch her read a phone book for 2 hours as long as she was wearing something tight.

"The November Man" (2014)
Pierce Brosnan may not be 007 anymore but he's still playing the spy game. He plays a retired CIA agent who gets pulled back into the biz to protect a lovely Russian informant from some very bad people -- including the agent he trained as his protégé. Lots of fist fights, gun battles, car crashes, and lovely European scenery in this fast moving butt kicker.

[Rev. Powell]

Green Snake (2021)

This is a sequel to White Snake, which I haven't seen, and I am guessing it would have made this one a lot more comprehensible.

Or check out Tsui Hark's live action version of the same Chinese folktale if you can.

I'll look out for that one. A quick Google shows that are a bewildering number of White Snake/Green Snake versions out there, though. I am referring to the Amp Wong animation that has just come out on Netflix.

It's an old Chinese legend. But the 1993 version is best because of scenes like this:

[lester1/2jr]

Capricorn One - If this were remade today it would have more bells and whistles and less "suspend your disbelief please" type escape plans but it would still be the same basic script. I liked it better the second time around, even Elliot Gould didn't annoy me too much. OJ Simpson as one of the astronauts though, really seals the deal. Whatever happened to that guy anyway? It is seriously weird how few lines he has a relatively major character though.

A classic, classic conspiracy movie and you gotta love it because it plays a faked moon landing type scenario as totally straight as it can be played.

5/5 that's right. I said it

[FatFreddysCat]

"Dragnet" (1987)
Action-comedy update of the 50s/60s classic cop show, with Dan Aykroyd as the hilariously uptight nephew of the original Joe Friday, saddled with a free wheeling new partner (Tom Hanks) as they investigate a series of robberies that may be tied to a crooked TV evangelist (Christopher Plummer).
This movie never gets much love, but I've always enjoyed it -  I saw it twice during its theatrical run. Aykroyd's dead-on impression of Jack Webb is a hoot and he and Hanks are backed up by a great supporting cast that includes Harry "Col. Potter" Morgan, who was one of Webb's many partners on the TV show, Dabney Coleman (as a lisping Hugh Hefner style porn kingpin) and Alexandra Paul, later of "Baywatch," as "The Virgin Connie Swail."

"Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2" (1987)
The now grown up brother of the psycho Santa Claus killer from the first movie, pours out his tragic life story to a jail psychiatrist (illustrated by a more than generous amount of recycled footage from the first movie) and then escapes so he can carry out his own Christmas Eve kill spree and get even with the evil Mother Superior.
This is the definition of a "so bad, it's good" movie. Eric Freeman, who plays "Ricky," gives us a master class in terrible acting (it's all in the eyebrows) and thanks to the rampant re-use of clips from the original, you practically get a double feature.
Is it bad that this movie has become a holiday season perennial in my house? All together now: "GARBAGE DAAAAAAYYYY!"

[Rev. Powell]

THE ELEMENT OF CRIME (1984): Under hypnosis, a detective recalls a case where he tried to catch a serial killer by retracing his steps using investigatory techniques pioneered by his mentor in his book "The Element of Crime." A multilayered early experiment by Lars von Trier, shot almost entirely in orange (like the film's on fire) and filled with noirish doom and surrealistic subtexts. 4/5.

[Dr. Whom]

Phantom from Space (1953)

A flying saucer with an invisible alien crashes in the San Fernando Valley. This movie manages to avoid most of the clichés of the alien invasion/first contact movies of the 50s. However, it is let down by the script. Nothing much happens, and while the set up is certainly interesting, it doesn't lead to very much. The second problem is an obvious lack of budget. There are only a handful of characters and sets, and everything has to happen within those confines.

[Rev. Powell]

ACASA, MY HOME (2020): A family of eleven living off the grid is kicked out of their home after it is turned into a national park, and predictably have trouble adjusting to life in the big city (Bucharest). The portrait of the family is balanced, but there are no true surprises, and its studious objectivity means it fails to draw attention to broader themes. 2.5/5.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker" (1991)
In the final installment of the "SN, DN" series, lethal playthings are mysteriously turning up on people's doorsteps, and the culprit would appear to be kindly old guy who runs the local toy store (Mickey Rooney)... but is something even more sinister going on behind the scenes?
This flick is kinda like a holiday mash up of "Child's Play," "Pinocchio," and "Demonic Toys."  The last ten minutes in particular go completely over the top into WTF territory. The killer-toy effects are pretty cool and there's some decent gore, which makes this the most competently made entry in the series.
On a side note: Mickey Rooney was one of the most vocal celebrity critics of the original SN, DN (apparently he said that the film makers "should be run out of town" for defiling the sanctity of Christmas), but when your career is on the skids, I guess a gig's a gig. Way to stick to your principles there, Mick.