Recent Viewings, Part 2

[M.10rda]

"John Carpenter's so-80s-it-hurts sci-fi satire has aged better than expected." it certainly has

This has become an almost universal perspective and I can't disagree. I'll only add that I watched it when it was new on VHS or HBO back in the day and was disappointed, then watched it w/in another year or so w/ friends and automatically liked it better the second time. I wonder if the handsome vintage appeal of THEY LIVE has as much to do w/ overcoming one's initial expectations of a good or great John Carpenter film before just accepting this film for what it is: a lot of posturing, wrestling, gum-chewing, and ass-kicking.

Of course, the fact that our world has "aged" or developed to more closely resemble the world of THEY LIVE is a happy accident for Carpenter. 

[lester1/2jr]

It was actually kind of a retro -70's conspiracy flick, but a clever one

[indianasmith]

BLOOD VESSEL (2020)  In the waning days of WW2, a military hospital ship is torpedoed by a German U-boat, setting a small group of Allied survivors adrift in a lifeboat.  They cross paths with a German destroyer, chugging along at half power, but crewed only by dead bodies and a mysterious young girl.  But just because no one on the ship is alive doesn't mean they are out of danger . . .
This is an EXCELLENT vampire flick that hits all the right notes!  Free on Amazon Prime and TOTALLY worth the watch!  5/5

[RCMerchant]

the RETURN OF THE EXORCIST (1975) aka the POSSESSOR aka NAKED EXORCISM

Another Italian EXORCIST rip-off. A young man becomes possessed by a succubus and kills his mother, tries to rape his nun sister, and is saved in the most boring exorcism ever committed to film. What a muddled mess. Lotsa naked folks in softcore orgies, though! 
In the words of the antagonist- "I spit on your mumbo jumbo!"
It's on Tubi, if you have time to waste.
As far as EXORCIST clones- Give me ABBY (1974) or BEYOND THE DOOR (1974) any day!

[Alex]

Studio 666.

A vanity project for the Foo Fighters about supernatural problems while attempting to record their 10th album. I'd guess they had fun making it, although Dave Grohl looks old and tired. Maybe the rock n' roll lifestyle is telling on him? Anyway, the film is about what you'd expect. Entertaining enough if you aren't too demanding. I doubt anyone but the most rabid Foo Fighter fan would watch it a second time though. The band do better at acting than you'd expect. Taylor Hawkins died not long after it was released if I remember correctly which I guess adds an extra touch of poignancy to the proceedings. Film snobs should avoid it as well as people who only watch films for boobs.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Tango & Cash" (1989)
Two rival L.A. cops (straight-arrow Sylvester Stallone and scruffy Kurt Russell) are framed by a major crimelord (Jack Palance) and sent to prison. These two opposites have to learn to work together so they can escape and clear their names, causing lots of stuff to explode along the way. A dumb but fun, tongue-in-cheek buddy cop popcorn flick; Sly and Kurt make a great team. I'm surprised there were never any sequels to this one.

"Dressed To Kill" (1980)
Brian De Palma's Hitchcock-style mystery about the murder of a sexually frustrated New York housewife (Angie Dickinson) and the witness (Nancy Allen) who becomes the slasher's next target. This erotic thriller was pretty much the "Basic Instinct" of the early 1980s. I don't think it's aged very well, but the performances are fine and good Lord, Nancy Allen sure does look good in lingerie.

[Trevor]

"Dressed To Kill" (1980)
Brian De Palma's Hitchcock-style mystery about the murder of a sexually frustrated New York housewife (Angie Dickinson) and the witness (Nancy Allen) who becomes the slasher's next target. This erotic thriller was pretty much the "Basic Instinct" of the early 1980s. I don't think it's aged very well, but the performances are fine and good Lord, Nancy Allen sure does look good in lingerie.

Banned in South Africa 

[Alex]

"Dressed To Kill" (1980)
Brian De Palma's Hitchcock-style mystery about the murder of a sexually frustrated New York housewife (Angie Dickinson) and the witness (Nancy Allen) who becomes the slasher's next target. This erotic thriller was pretty much the "Basic Instinct" of the early 1980s. I don't think it's aged very well, but the performances are fine and good Lord, Nancy Allen sure does look good in lingerie.

Banned in South Africa 

Might be easier if you tell people if a film wasn't banned in SA. There seems to be so many less of them.

[Trevor]

Banned in South Africa 

Might be easier if you tell people if a film wasn't banned in SA. There seems to be so many less of them.
[/quote]

Indeed: my banned film list runs to almost ten pages 

[indianasmith]

SMILE (2022) - Rewatched this one on Prime last night.   One of my favorite recent horror movies; genuinely creepy with some great acting!

[Alex]

Monster Portal.

A low-budget but not-bad Cthulhian film. They are clearly aware they don't have a lot to work with moneywise, but they do their best to make it work. I've seen a lot less done with a lot more. I think most of the budget went on a few seconds of film. Unlike most films with a Lovecraftian influence, I think they got the ending right.

[Alex]

Royal Jelly. 2022.

An outsider is 'adopted' by a would-be mentor who clearly has other intentions. Not an especially good film (but I've seen a lot worse). I was definitely confused by one part of the ending though. When the things hiss, they revealed large fangs. Are they honey vampires? Was it just to indicate that they weren't quite human, but didn't have the budget to give them bee mouths? Really I have no idea. Looking online, it appears other viewers had the same question as me.

[Alex]

Crabs.

Starts off as a fairly standard horror comedy, but at the end it seems to change into an episode of the Power Rangers. Milage may vary depending on how much you liked them. Enjoyable enough if you just want something undemanding. I think the end song was the best thing about it.

[Trevor]

Crabs.

I never saw the movie but I had crabs before 🦀😳😉🐢

[RCMerchant]

the EERIE MIDNIGHT HORROR SHOW (1974) aka the TORMENTED aka ENTER THE DEVIL

Now THIS is an Exorcism movie!
What a f**ked up movie! Really perverse!
A young woman see's her mother being whipped with thorny roses, is raped and possessed by a crucified demon, tries to f**k her father and a priest, and pukes LOTS of melted pistachio ice cream! VERY sacralgious! Losta nudity too! It's Italian, of course!
I love it!