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Movies => Good Movies => Topic started by: Rev. Powell on February 15, 2020, 10:36:26 PM



Title: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 15, 2020, 10:36:26 PM
Continued from http://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php/topic,115439.msg642320/ (http://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php/topic,115439.msg642320/)

THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE (2019): After being mugged, an accountant joins a karate dojo run by an ultra-macho instructor. As a satire, it's on-target, but a bit too obvious; I was always one step ahead of the script. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: VenomX73 on February 16, 2020, 01:10:58 PM
Joker (2019)

meh. it was ok I guess... it didnt feel like a DC movie or Batman prequel at all...

however some parts were pretty good. Imo Very dark and sad movie.

Funny thing, My coworker asked me - "so did you like the reboot of Falling Down (1993)?" LOL!!!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 16, 2020, 05:27:12 PM
"Terminal Force" aka "Galaxis" (1995)
A bad-ass lady space warrior (Brigitte Nielsen) comes to Earth to find a sacred crystal that can save her planet, before a Darth Vader style bad guy (Richard "Night Court" Moll) can get his hands on it.
A cheese-tastic, direct to video sci-fi/action flick bolted together out of parts borrowed from "Star Wars," "Highlander," and especially "The Terminator." Brigitte, as usual, can't act her way out of a paper bag, but that's OK because Moll over-acts enough for the two of them. It's fun to watch Nielsen beat up on bad guys for a while, but eventually the movie turns into a slog.
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 16, 2020, 09:45:25 PM
"Big Bad Mama II" (1987)
Angie Dickinson's back as lovable outlaw Wilma McClatchie, machine-gunning her way across 1930s Texas with her two daughters while a big city reporter (Robert Culp) trails behind her all the way. Cheaper looking than the first film, but T&A kingpin director Jim Wynorski makes sure there's still plenty of gun battles, car chases and cleavage. Silly, action packed fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 18, 2020, 01:47:49 PM
Stakeout on Dope Street - a bunch of neighborhood teenagers who spend their lives in the back of one of their dad's store find a bag with heroin in it. As you can imagine, everything turns out just fine. No, its the usual moral and legal issues involved with selling heroin and the mobsters looking for their stuff.

Ostensibly a film noir, it definitely has a Something Weird feel in places, especially the cute girls. They should have been shown a lot more, points off for that. I had more than enough of the brooding 30 year old teenager getting all worked up over stuff.

As always with these things, there's a chase scene in a factory with big silos and walkways.

better and more fun to watch than some of these "rare" things TCM has. cheap looking 4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 18, 2020, 04:43:02 PM
the FIELDS (2011)
Advertised as a horror film-it's not. More a psychological thriller.
A young kid moves to his grandparent's farm when his ma and dad break up.
While their, he is warned by his foul-mouthed (but kinda sweet) gramma to "stay out of the corn!"
Of course the kid wanders out their, and at the end of the rows finds a women's dead body.

Real, slow, but real spooky too.
Set in  Pennslyvania in 1973, it looks like 1973. The kid has a plastic Godzilla toy, the local dime store  with penny candy and gum cards looks like one I went to!

Cloris Leachman is spot on as the Grandmother who loves to watch old horror movies and the Manson trial on TV.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 23, 2020, 03:56:39 AM
Wonderland aka Birthday Wonderland (2019)

I saw this because I liked Keiichi Hara's Miss Hokusai. This one is a teenage coming of age story of a moody school girl who is transported into a steampunkish magical alternate dimension, where it turns out she is the Chosen One and has to save the world from a major ecological catastrophe. From there on, no surprises.

It is clearly inspired by the Ghibli movies, and the shadow of The Cat Returns hangs heavily over it (which is a better movie).

Plot and characters are OK, though nothing to write home about. Even considering it is aimed at a younger audience, the stoyline is pretty much par for the course. It is, however, visually stunning. The story mainly serves as a support for a series of set pieces which are incredibly beautiful. In this it continues the line of Miss Hokusai, where scenes and visual artistry were more important than actually telling a story.

As such, you mileage may vary. If you want dialogue, lively characters and plot, it is rather meh. If you want to look at marvelous imagery, this is one for you. And it has cats.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 23, 2020, 05:36:19 PM
"The Evil that Men Do" (1984)
A professional assassin (Charles Bronson) is lured out of retirement to track down a notorious underworld torture specialist known as "The Doctor," who killed his friend.
This was a pretty standard Bronson butt-kicker, but the south-of-the-border settings give it some international flavor. For Chuck completists only.
Fun fact: this was the only movie Bronson made in the '80s that wasn't produced by Cannon Films.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 24, 2020, 10:12:45 AM
DISAPPEARANCE AT CLIFTON HILL (2019): Returning home to Niagara Falls after her mother's death, a woman remembers a childhood incident that haunted her---witnessing a one-eyed boy being abducted in the woods---and decides to investigate. Modest but clever thriller that slowly (and purposefully) undermines its own narrative. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on February 26, 2020, 09:05:03 AM
SLEEPAWAY CAMP (1983)

Angela Baker, a traumatized and very shy young girl, is sent to summer camp with her cousin. Shortly after her arrival, anyone with sinister or less than honorable intentions gets their comeuppance.

An overall generic slasher movie, it almost feels like a bad copy of FRIDAY THE 13TH. That's it, until the ending strikes, and my balls shrinked. That scene alone redeemed the whole movie, otherwise it would be the mere nothingness.

I recommend it for some laughs and bad acting, but watch it until the end for some real chills. 8/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 26, 2020, 10:26:55 AM
HORSE GIRL (2020): A young woman with a family history of mental illness becomes paranoid that aliens are affecting her behavior. Allison Brie is good, though her character is hard to identify with, and the script keeps you reasonably involved, even while it misses opportunities for ambiguity and psychological debt. On Netflix. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 26, 2020, 06:58:30 PM
It's rare for me to actually go to the theater twice in one week, but as it happened, that's exactly what I did this week.

Tuesday I went to see 1917 for the second time and found that it held up very well - I paid more attention to the details this time and was even more impressed with the extreme care that went into making this movie such an accurate portrayal of the Great War.  This is definitely one to see on the big screen if you can! 5/5

Then today our 7th and 8th grade students went to see CALL OF THE WILD, and I really enjoyed it.  Not as gritty or depressing as the book, and the CGI dog is obviously fake in some scenes (and incredibly lifelike in others), but overall it was worth the cost of admission and I was thoroughly entertained. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 28, 2020, 06:26:23 AM
"Kentucky Fried Movie" (1977)
The Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker team (later of "Airplane!" fame) wrote this gag-a-minute sketch comedy compilation that parodies TV news ("I'm not wearing any pants. Film at 11."), commercials, kung-fu flicks ("A Fistful of Yen"), classroom films and more. Silly fun directed by John "Animal House" Landis.




Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: VenomX73 on February 28, 2020, 02:19:33 PM
The Brides of Dracula (1960)

I enjoy anything with vampires... this movie however was a little different I didn't see the Baron as Dracula so I was kind of confused... hmmm...

Still good atmosphere, the women were very beautiful, great acting, Van Helsing is tough-as-nails and the holy water was overpowered LOL

Whatever happened to the last two Brides did they burn down in the old mill or they still alive?  :question:




Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 29, 2020, 06:39:05 PM
"The Groove Tube" (1974)
A pre-"SNL" Chevy Chase co-wrote (and makes several blink-and-you'll-miss-him appearances in) this sketch-comedy parody of '70s television that riffs on kids' shows, cooking shows, public service announcements, the evening news, and more. A young Richard Belzer also turns up in several roles.
"Kentucky Fried Movie" is still the superior '70s sketch-compilation flick in my book -- quite a few of the gags in "Groove" fall flat, but there was still enough silliness to keep me entertained for most of its short run time. I particularly enjoyed the commercials for the network sponsor, "Uranus Corporation," makers of "Brown-25." :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 29, 2020, 11:57:47 PM
THE LIGHTHOUSE - A tale of horror, madness, and paranoia featuring only two characters - played by Willem Defoe and Robert Pattinson - stranded by storms in a remote lighthouse.  How much of what ensues is real, and how much is a product of isolation and paranoia (fueled by LOTS of whiskey!), is left up to the viewer.  A bit overlong but still a masterful work.  And, imaginary or not, the mermaid is HOT.  4.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 01, 2020, 07:48:26 AM
"Clinton Road" (2019)
Another cheap horror movie based on the supposedly-haunted country road in New Jersey. A group of annoying twenty-somethings pay a visit to Clinton Road hoping to find out what happened to their friend who disappeared there a year earlier. You can probably guess how well that turns out for them.

This is now the second "Clinton Road" movie I've seen (the other being the godawful "The Lake on Clinton Road") and they've both been terrible. I happen to live in the town where Clinton Road is located (West Milford, NJ) and at least this flick tried to tie some of the local legends into the story (unlike the other movie, which was just standard haunted-house crap) but it's a poorly written and acted, mostly incomprehensible mess. 

You're 0 for 2 on the Clinton Road legend, Hollywood. Please don't go for 3. AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 01, 2020, 10:30:48 AM
MST3K: ROBOT HOLOCAUST: A bunch of post-apocalyptic weirdos go after "the Dark One" in a feature that rips off ALIEN, STAR WARS, CONAN, MAD MAX, and probably others. This is a Season 1 episode, so it's kind of ragged (especially the forgettable sketches), but the movie is hilarious and it's one of the more watchable Season 1 episodes (in fact, it may be my favorite). One of the few MST3Ks I had yet to see. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: VenomX73 on March 01, 2020, 08:57:15 PM
Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People (1963)

30th time watching, I love this movie.

(https://66.media.tumblr.com/acd77c292eb59f1ba8615876fe009802/tumblr_pencdja58k1uejrjoo4_400.gif)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 02, 2020, 11:52:10 AM
"Cannibal Ferox" (aka "Make Them Die Slowly," 1981)
A New York anthropologist and her team must form an alliance with a pair of cocaine smugglers in order to escape from a tribe of p**sed-off, flesh-eating primitives deep in the Amazon jungle.
Murder, mayhem, mutilations, castrations, and (unfortunately real) scenes of animal cruelty abound in this notorious sleaze fest from Umberto "Nightmare City" Lenzi that was supposedly "Banned in 31 Countries," if the film's posters were to be believed.
I've seen my share of flicks like this yet I still felt like I needed a shower when it was over.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 02, 2020, 02:04:10 PM
Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People (1963)

30th time watching, I love this movie.

(https://66.media.tumblr.com/acd77c292eb59f1ba8615876fe009802/tumblr_pencdja58k1uejrjoo4_400.gif)

"Open the cupboard door: there's not mush room inside!"  :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: VenomX73 on March 02, 2020, 05:45:36 PM
Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People (1963)

30th time watching, I love this movie.

(https://66.media.tumblr.com/acd77c292eb59f1ba8615876fe009802/tumblr_pencdja58k1uejrjoo4_400.gif)

"Open the cupboard door: there's not mush room inside!"  :wink:

youre a 'funguy'!  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on March 03, 2020, 04:24:41 PM
Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People (1963)

30th time watching, I love this movie.

(https://66.media.tumblr.com/acd77c292eb59f1ba8615876fe009802/tumblr_pencdja58k1uejrjoo4_400.gif)

you love this too? how cool!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: VenomX73 on March 03, 2020, 05:15:42 PM
Yep, I love this movie  :thumbup:

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/9a/03/579a03bc7c6bb4f68e23f1eebf5843fb.gif)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 03, 2020, 07:58:18 PM
Panic in the Streets -  I liked earlier, crazier Richard Widmark a little better than he is here, playing a cop, but this suddenly apropros noir is worth seeing anyway. Some sort of vessel that sometimes brings illegal things into some exotic port somewhere is infested with rats. This leads to what we used to call The Plague. Plague is like when someone s**ts in the pool: you can't just clean it up and go about your business. Society comes to a screeching halt. Unfortunately, modern times being what they are, people are reluctant to pay it all any mind, especially if they are involved in neferious activities somewhat related to said ship.

The most memorable aspect of this film is definitely Jack Palance.

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Jack_Palance_-_1954.jpg/220px-Jack_Palance_-_1954.jpg)

He plays one of the crook bosses in whatever weird universe this is. He is like Fu Manchu or something. Whenever he's on the screen you just think evil. Elia kazan directs this not amazingly great but very watcheable artifact

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on March 04, 2020, 12:21:31 AM
Yep, I love this movie  :thumbup:

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/9a/03/579a03bc7c6bb4f68e23f1eebf5843fb.gif)


a favored quote in my house.." and then....I ATE THEM!!! "  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 04, 2020, 10:46:58 AM
TERROR FIRMER (1999): A serial killer picks off members of a film crew making a Troma-style movie (the movie-within-the-movie stars the Toxic Avenger and is directed by a blind Lloyd Kaufman). A cavalcade of goofy costumes and blood, poop, urine, vomit, and rape jokes; like most Troma movies, it confuses being busy and offensive with being witty. I know people's opinions on Troma vary widely, but generally, I can't stand them. Your mileage may vary. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 05, 2020, 10:44:59 AM
YOU'RE TELLING ME! (1934): W.C. Fields is Sam Bisbee, a hard-luck inventor who gets his daughter married into a snooty high society family through the intervention of a European princess. It's not the most memorable plot, but Fields is at the height of his physical comedy here, beginning with a five-minute sequence of him returning home stumbling-drunk and ending with a virtuoso ten-minute routine where he tries to hit a golf ball. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 05, 2020, 02:34:46 PM
Yep, I love this movie  :thumbup:

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/9a/03/579a03bc7c6bb4f68e23f1eebf5843fb.gif)


a favored quote in my house.." and then....I ATE THEM!!! "  :cheers:

Watched this for the first time last night.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 05, 2020, 09:11:47 PM
GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS   My wife decided to work till after 7 on what was supposed to be our night at home together, so I watched this one again.  I am actually quite fond of this movie!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: VenomX73 on March 05, 2020, 10:14:07 PM
did you enjoy 'burning Godzilla'?  :wink: :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 05, 2020, 10:24:41 PM
did you enjoy 'burning Godzilla'?  :wink: :thumbup:

That scene was pretty cool!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on March 06, 2020, 04:13:35 PM
Yep, I love this movie  :thumbup:

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/9a/03/579a03bc7c6bb4f68e23f1eebf5843fb.gif)


a favored quote in my house.." and then....I ATE THEM!!! "  :cheers:
  and did you love it? of course you did.
Watched this for the first time last night.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 06, 2020, 10:39:41 PM
"My Bloody Valentine" (1981)
A small town's Valentine's Day dance is threatened by a pickaxe-wielding nut job in a miner's outfit, who may have a connection to a series of murders from 20 years ago.
"MBV" makes the most of its unique setting (those mines are scary as hell) and has a bigger mean streak than most of its contemporaries, which results in one of the better holiday-themed slashers from the early 80s.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 07, 2020, 09:59:32 AM
"Daybreakers" (2009)
Stylish sci-fi/horror set in the year 2019 (ha!), where a viral plague has turned most of the world's population into vampires. As the number of "real" humans dwindle, creating a global vampire-food shortage, a scientist (Ethan Hawke) discovers a cure for the bloodsuckers' condition... but he soon learns that some vamps in positions of power (headed by a wonderfully evil Sam Neill) aren't quite ready to give it up.
This is at least the 3rd or 4th time I've seen this underrated flick, and it's a cool, gory, action packed ride every time. Recommended!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 07, 2020, 10:21:29 AM
"Daybreakers" (2009)
Stylish sci-fi/horror set in the year 2019 (ha!), where a viral plague has turned most of the world's population into vampires. As the number of "real" humans dwindle, creating a global vampire-food shortage, a scientist (Ethan Hawke) discovers a cure for the bloodsuckers' condition... but he soon learns that some vamps in positions of power (headed by a wonderfully evil Sam Neill) aren't quite ready to give it up.
This is at least the 3rd or 4th time I've seen this underrated flick, and it's a cool, gory, action packed ride every time. Recommended!

Just out of curiosity Freddie, have you seen Priest and if so what did you think of it?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: VenomX73 on March 07, 2020, 09:14:36 PM
The Firm (1993) 

good movie... but I really didn't understand the ending lol


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 08, 2020, 06:43:01 AM

Just out of curiosity Freddie, have you seen Priest and if so what did you think of it?

I did see that quite a few years ago, it was sorta like a Catholic "Blade" if memory serves.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 08, 2020, 10:00:13 AM
THE VELOCIPASTOR - I finally got around to watching this one  on Amazon Prime last night; cheesy silly goodness for the most part.  A priest named Doug sees his parents murdered, travels to China, scratches his hand on an ancient dinosaur tooth, and then morphs into an INCREDIBLY fake dinosaur when confronted with danger or injustice.  Oh, and he falls in love with a prostitute along the way.  Reasonably fun, short run time, could have benefited from some nudity. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on March 08, 2020, 02:32:17 PM
TWIXT
directed by francis ford coppola, stars val kilmer, bruce dern, elle fanning and ben chaplin.
  this is a FABULOUS movie! all of the actors are incredible, but ben chaplin absolutely blew me away as edgar allan poe.
  i love ghost story movies, but especially this kind, virtually no guts/gore, just a REALLY GOOD story. it drew me in within the first 5 minutes and there were some nice twists i didn't expect that just added to my enjoyment. elle fanning is already very ethereal, and the cinematography drew that out wonderfully.
  and a cool thing for me, curtis had never heard " the big rock candy mountain", so i got to sing it to him because i grew up with it. he loves stuff like that, it was a real pleasure to introduce him to a song he loves that i've loved ever since i can remember .
5/5  WATCH THIS MOVIE!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 09, 2020, 07:15:01 AM
could have benefited from some nudity. 3/5

Not mine, definitely  :buggedout: :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 09, 2020, 07:18:34 AM
Thor Ragnarok: good fun and Cate Blanchett was Hela hawt  :hot:

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7a/91/14/7a9114ed58d2a32445aa951eace0f760.gif)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 09, 2020, 09:28:48 AM
"Airplane II: The Sequel!" (1982)
Ted Striker and Elaine are back, and this time they've got to stop the first-ever commercial space shuttle flight from crashing into the sun. ("The sun? What is it?" "it's a large fiery ball of gases in the center of our universe, but that's not important right now.")
William Shatner almost makes up for the lack of Leslie Nielsen with his scene-stealing performance as the ultra-uptight lunar base commander, Buck Murdock.
I know it's pretty much just a retread of the first movie, but I still enjoy this one just as much as the original.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: VenomX73 on March 09, 2020, 04:01:34 PM
Thor Ragnarok: good fun and Cate Blanchett was Hela hawt  :hot:

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7a/91/14/7a9114ed58d2a32445aa951eace0f760.gif)

yes. shes smokin!  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 09, 2020, 06:16:46 PM
Yep, I love this movie  :thumbup:

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/9a/03/579a03bc7c6bb4f68e23f1eebf5843fb.gif)


a favored quote in my house.." and then....I ATE THEM!!! "  :cheers:

Watched this for the first time last night.

I made a comic book once -the hero was named MATANGA!

(https://i.imgur.com/SMfiK5p.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: VenomX73 on March 09, 2020, 06:56:53 PM
whoa! too dam cool RC!  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 09, 2020, 10:19:35 PM
Tonight my daughter and I went to see THE INVISIBLE MAN together.  I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, from start to finish.  Some cool jump scares, yes, but also an engaging plot and very believable and sympathetic protagonist.  I was completely sucked in!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 10, 2020, 02:09:32 AM
Godzilla 2014 (yeah, that one)

Why can't Hollywood just let the Godzilla franchise be, and leave it to the Japanese? They are better at that. Not that this is a particularly bad movie. It has its moments and the concept of the monsters just wanting to make a nest and are hunting for nukes to eat them, is a nice touch. However, this is such an uninspired by the numbers monster movie that it is hard to remain interested.
Also, this is not a Godzilla movie at all, but more of a generic disaster movie, with monsters in the background. Very little is done with Godzilla, except for the occasional cameo. You are about an hour in before you catch your first glimpse of Godzilla, and I use the word 'glimpse' advisedly. Most of the monster scenes are so dark, it is hard to make out what is going on. Now, I totally get the idea of building up tension and working towards the great reveal, but that is not how Godzilla movies work. It is almost as if you were to make a Batman movie and spend an hour working towards the moment that the viewer finally is shown that yes, Bruce Wayne and Batman are the same person.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 10, 2020, 11:48:24 AM
^ he is???  mind = blown


Invincible Armor - I just hooked up my roku and watched 2 kung fu movies from the wu tang collection. This one was basic but good with good fights. The plot is very typical: a power struggle between various kung fu masters, the head baddy is a master of the titled technique, where he can't be hurt except for one point in his body. it wasn't invincibly entertaining but it was good enough 3.75 /5

Shaolin v Ninja - another one with a thin plot and lots of fighting. not as ridiculous as a lot of Godfrey ho movies and the fighting is pretty good. The idea of Shaolin monks fighting monks for the Japanese (??) Shaolin temple is absurd. the Japanese guys didn't seem to use karate techniques either. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on March 10, 2020, 12:18:23 PM
Midsommar (2019)

A traumatized young woman joins her on and off boyfriend and friends on a vacation in Sweden where they visit a cult community preparing for a midsummer festival.
Ari Aster's follow up to his much praised scary outing Hereditary is a somewhat unusual viewing experience. It is off beat and weirdly engaging but compared to Hereditary lacking a strong lead even though Florence Pugh as the traumatized has a few outstanding moments, but only in the movie's first half.

Midsommar is very bright, white and out in the open whereas Hereditary was more of a dark affair. Still, I'll rate it 4/5 and it is nothing like The Wicker Man as I first expected. Recommended.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: VenomX73 on March 10, 2020, 06:43:36 PM
Invincible Armor

yeah did you like that ending? did it make you cringe lol?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 10, 2020, 07:27:29 PM
yeah that was a great special effect. the eggs


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on March 10, 2020, 10:03:56 PM
lester, check out "fantasy tv" on roku, lots of fun old movies i love.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 11, 2020, 12:55:04 AM
chef - thanks for the tip

Cam (2018) - I'm embarrassed to say I've never face timed with a cam girl. I'm too paranoid about my credit card I think, not to mention I live at home with my mom and my cat. Anyway, it doesn't look like I was missing much. Vapid girls teasing horny guys into giving them money. I shouldn't knock it till I try it, I guess.
  
A cam girl named Lola is doing well, slowly climbing up the charts despite attempts by catty backstabbing other camgirls to steal her thunder. One day, something really strange happens: she sees her channel going when she's not on it! The rest of the movie is figuring out what's going on.

The plot resolution is really really good but the ending, the very last scene, seems like the director doesn't quite understand what he's done. It's a great comment on the phoniness of pornography, on how the "personality" we give ourselves in person to person oriented jobs (as a rideshare driver I kind of do it too) are corny, etc

 maybe I just didn't get the ending

enjoyable and different though 4.25/ 5  



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 11, 2020, 09:18:08 AM
THE OLD FASHIONED WAY (1934): W.C. Fields is the Great McGonigle, a peripatetic theatrical flim-flam man putting on the play "The Drunkard" in a small town while his daughter is romanced by a wealthy beau. Fields doesn't booze much in this one, though he does scheme and mumble put-downs; the best parts are the over-the-top melodramatics of "The Drunkard," the play within the movie. Directed by William Beaudine, back when he cared. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 11, 2020, 03:49:03 PM
"Black Dynamite" (2009)
A tough as nails kung-fu brother from the 'hood seeks vengeance when mobsters kill his brother in this dead-on parody of /homage to the blaxploitation flicks of the '70s -- it was even filmed in 16mm rather than 35mm to give it that proper, grainy, grindhouse look. Michael Jai White is hysterical as the title hero, who's pretty much a combination of Shaft, Jim Kelly, Fred Williamson, and Dolemite as he whoops bad guy ass all the way from the ghetto to the White House. An action packed hoot.

"Things Are Tough All Over" (1982)
Cheech and Chong play dual roles in this wacky road movie --as their standard stoner characters and also as a pair of Arab mobsters. The stoners are hired to drive a car full of the Mobsters' laundered money from Chicago to Vegas. Naturally they lose the cash well before they reach their destination, and spend the rest of the movie on the run from the p**sed off bad guys. Not C&C's best flick, but it's fast moving and silly enough for a few good laughs.

"Stripped to Kill II: Live Girls" (1989)
In this extremely low-budget sequel to the '87 cult hit, someone is murdering strippers at a run down gentlemens' club. One of the dancers is having dreams about the deaths, which makes her the main suspect, but a police officer isn't convinced that she's the killer.
Nobody in this flick can act, the story is a muddle and none of the girls are particularly hot, either. The original "S.T.K." was a classic slice of entertainingly sleazy crap, unfortunately this one is just crap.
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 12, 2020, 11:25:49 AM
"Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage" (2010)
I've been meaning to revisit Sam Dunn's endlessly entertaining documentary on Canada's favorite power trio since Neil Peart's passing earlier this year. This is at least the 3rd time I've seen it, and it's still a fun trip through the band's long and mostly proud history through extensive interviews, vintage clips and photos. I think this may be my favorite "rock doc" ever at this point.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 12, 2020, 02:42:34 PM
"Shock Treatment" (1981)
In this ultra-bizarre pseudo-follow up to "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," a now-unhappily-married Brad and Janet take part in a TV game show that lands Brad in a mental hospital, and leaves Janet to be groomed by a scheming fast food magnate and TV preacher to be the Next Big Celebrity Thing. All of this is played out on live TV in front of their friends and neighbors in a television station that no one seems to want to leave.
...so yeah, this flick is even weirder than its predecessor, which is really sayin' something if you've ever seen "RHPS."  A few of the musical numbers are kinda cool in that early '80s new-wave-y sort of way, and if you think about it, this movie actually predicted the rise of reality TV, but overall it never quite comes together. It's watchable enough as a curiosity item, especially for "Rocky Horror" fans, but even they might find it to be a bit of a slog.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on March 13, 2020, 11:51:46 PM
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)

Three friends in 1968 find a cursed book in a haunted house on Halloween. The book starts writing by itself scary stories about the kids greatest fears that become real. In order to survive they must dig in the past to break deadly happenings.
Norwegian film director André Øvredal teams with Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro for his U.S. debut after wow-ing critics and genre fans with Trollhunter (2010) and The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016). SSTTITD fits in nicely with the current trend of 'retro kids' facing horror spearheaded by Stranger Things, the It remake, Summer of 1984 and more. It took me a while to warm up to the movie as it felt rushed, a bit annoying and not scary at all. Once the kids do research in the R.E.D. room Scary Stories finally delivers the goods and becomes a solid effort thanks to André's talent and keen eye for the creepy stuff. 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 14, 2020, 07:01:48 AM
VENOM (2005)  A garage owner gets bit by magic voodoo snakes and turns into a homicidal zombie, killing teenagers left and right.  Seriously, that's about it, plot-wise.  A by the numbers "immortal slasher".  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on March 14, 2020, 10:03:43 PM
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)

Three friends in 1968 find a cursed book in a haunted house on Halloween. The book starts writing by itself scary stories about the kids greatest fears that become real. In order to survive they must dig in the past to break deadly happenings.
Norwegian film director André Øvredal teams with Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro for his U.S. debut after wow-ing critics and genre fans with Trollhunter (2010) and The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016). SSTTITD fits in nicely with the current trend of 'retro kids' facing horror spearheaded by Stranger Things, the It remake, Summer of 1984 and more. It took me a while to warm up to the movie as it felt rushed, a bit annoying and not scary at all. Once the kids do research in the R.E.D. room Scary Stories finally delivers the goods and becomes a solid effort thanks to André's talent and keen eye for the creepy stuff. 3.5/5
loved it. recommended it. just bought it. 4.5/5, simply because i was stupid and bought a lionsgate copy with no CC. the movie itself? 5/5 all the way.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on March 15, 2020, 08:23:09 PM
Ma (2019)

Underaged teens befriend lonely vet assistant Sue Ann who lets the young people party at her house. Soon enough things turn sour when Sue Ann's true motivations shine through.
Silly Blumhouse horror with a weak script teasing with horrible things to come, but is ultimately not really going anywhere. Octavia Spencer as Sue Ann delivers a great performance and the only reason to watch Ma. Bonus: Juliette Lewis playing a young mother. Extra bonus: cool 1980s soundtrack. 2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on March 16, 2020, 01:27:59 PM
mother! (2017)
  i don't think i have the ability to describe how much this movie horrified me. and i don't mean that i would call it a scary movie. i'm glad my brain isn't wired to write a script like this one.
   i don't deny that it's very well made, but i DO NOT recommend it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 17, 2020, 10:01:17 AM
mother! (2017)
  i don't think i have the ability to describe how much this movie horrified me. and i don't mean that i would call it a scary movie. i'm glad my brain isn't wired to write a script like this one.
   i don't deny that it's very well made, but i DO NOT recommend it.

I DO recommend it... but only to a select few.  :wink:

ROBOGEISHA (2009): A pair of geisha sisters are abducted by an evil arms corporation, who plays on their sisterly rivalry to turn them into cyborg killing machines. It's cheap, mildly sleazy, and often juvenile, but you can't deny that the Noboru Iguchi and his collaborators put their unique spin on B-movies: this one has deadly breast milk, eyes gouged by fried shrimp, and the most ridiculously choreographed swordfight you will ever witness. It's my favorite of Iguchi's movies I've seen (I prefer the work of his protege, Yoshihiro Nishimur). 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 17, 2020, 12:30:02 PM
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).

I really wanted to love this one and went into it with high expectations. Afterall DC movies have been getting better.

So what did I think? Well, I liked it. Not love though. I figure with this kind of movie you can go one of two ways. Very dark and grim, underbelly of society type drama or campy high action heist movie. It sort of tries to walk a line between these, but not overly successfully. In my opinion anyway. It has its moments, but it just wasn't quite what I was looking for. At this point, I am thinking that maybe DC should just think about winding up its movie franchise. It can spin out Wonder Woman for a few more films, maybe Shazam! And then be put away quietly.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 17, 2020, 04:13:50 PM
Frankenstein Created Bikers.

Well, it has plenty of boobs, bullets and bad acting along side the occasional bout of bad taste and terrible accents. Can't say much more about it than that.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 18, 2020, 01:14:50 PM
THE DEAD DON'T DIE (2019)

This film had an all star cast and some great moments, but in the end, it couldn't decide if it was a quirky horror movie, or a dark comedy - and in trying to be both, it failed. Too many boring stretches, fourth wall breaks that make no sense, and completely unexplained plot twists.  Still worth watching if you can catch it for free.  Lots of star power - Adam Driver, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and Rosie Perez are some of the cast.  Wish they'd had a better script. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 18, 2020, 01:50:19 PM
THE DEAD DON'T DIE (2019)

This film had an all star cast and some great moments, but in the end, it couldn't decide if it was a quirky horror movie, or a dark comedy - and in trying to be both, it failed. Too many boring stretches, fourth wall breaks that make no sense, and completely unexplained plot twists.  Still worth watching if you can catch it for free.  Lots of star power - Adam Driver, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and Rosie Perez are some of the cast.  Wish they'd had a better script. 3/5

As I said elsewhere on this forum, somehow the sum is less than its parts.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 18, 2020, 03:11:45 PM
THE DEAD DON'T DIE (2019)

This film had an all star cast and some great moments, but in the end, it couldn't decide if it was a quirky horror movie, or a dark comedy - and in trying to be both, it failed. Too many boring stretches, fourth wall breaks that make no sense, and completely unexplained plot twists.  Still worth watching if you can catch it for free.  Lots of star power - Adam Driver, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and Rosie Perez are some of the cast.  Wish they'd had a better script. 3/5

As I said elsewhere on this forum, somehow the sum is less than its parts.

Did anyone watch this one and find it a great movie? I know my thought on it align with both of you and anyone else I know who has seen it has said the same. Not totally terrible, but not worthy of the cast.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on March 18, 2020, 04:33:00 PM
Ready or Not (2019)

A young woman marries the son of a wealthy family and must play a game of hide and seek on her wedding day. She's told that is part of an old family tradition. She soon realizes that the family is out to kill her once they find her.
Clever horror with moments of well made humor and plenty of red juice. Ready or Not actually flew under my radar until I saw a pic of Samara Weaving from the film, who I had mistaken for Margot Robbie. I thought it was a new film with Margot and checked out the trailer only to learn it was Samara heh. Anyway, worthy film 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on March 18, 2020, 04:37:04 PM

Did anyone watch this one and find it a great movie?

I believe it was chefzombie who enjoyed it?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 18, 2020, 05:28:37 PM
Leviathan: The Making of Hellraiser 1 & 2.

No great insights into the making of either film or great revelations on the movie except perhaps for the most hardcore fan. At almost three and a half hours long, it comes off as a 15 minute DVD extra that just wouldn't stop.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on March 18, 2020, 06:37:36 PM
THE DEAD DON'T DIE (2019)

This film had an all star cast and some great moments, but in the end, it couldn't decide if it was a quirky horror movie, or a dark comedy - and in trying to be both, it failed. Too many boring stretches, fourth wall breaks that make no sense, and completely unexplained plot twists.  Still worth watching if you can catch it for free.  Lots of star power - Adam Driver, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and Rosie Perez are some of the cast.  Wish they'd had a better script. 3/5

As I said elsewhere on this forum, somehow the sum is less than its parts.

Did anyone watch this one and find it a great movie? I know my thought on it align with both of you and anyone else I know who has seen it has said the same. Not totally terrible, but not worthy of the cast.

nuh UH!!! i stated quite clearly that we LOVED it!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 18, 2020, 09:28:20 PM
the Endless - I liked the dialogue and acting in this spooky sci fi type thing a lot. A guy and his brother (friend? i can't remember) leave a weird UFO cult at a young age. They try to make it in the world but come up pretty short, so they head back if only to say hi. When they get there they get a warm welcome but something is definitely off. The rest of it is interesting but I liked the human aspect more than the sci fi part. and there needed to be more sex 4/5

Sweetheart - I enjoyed this teen desert island horror. The girl was born to play this role. something happens where some teens are washed up on shore. As the titular sweetheart attempts to survive, she keeps getting bothered by a horrible monster who comes at night. She and the others have English accents they try to hide. The ending could have been more creative and I didn't believe the two leads were romantically involved. 4/5

Girl on the Third Floor - At first, this seemed like a cringey film festival type film with too much pop culture and humor and so forth, but it takes a dark turn and evolves into a decent horror movie. The story being what it is, it wasn't going to be a masterpiece but they made the right choice having it be accessible like that. I liked the other two movies better but this was a little more mature in some ways. the more popular, less interesting "cool kid" of the three 3.75/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 19, 2020, 08:41:15 AM
"Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl" (1982)
The Pythons' 1980 live stage show is captured in a riotous concert film shot at the legendary L.A. venue. Skits include "The Argument Sketch," "Crunchy Frog," "Ministry of Silly Walks," and of course, "The Lumberjack Song." Tons of fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 19, 2020, 09:10:12 PM
"Hot Moves" (1984)
Four dorky Southern California teens make a pact that they will all lose their virginity by the end of summer. Hilarity is supposed to ensue.
...as you might expect from such a generic plot and title, this is another low budget, by-the-numbers '80s raunchy sex comedy. It has a few chuckles here and there and features lots of pretty girls in various states of undress, therefore I was entertained.
Actually, the main reason I sat thru this flick was because there are two non-album songs by the 80s metal band Raven (one of my favorites) on the soundtrack -- "Hot Moves," which resurfaced on 1999's Raw Tracks compilation, and "Ladykiller," which I'd never heard before tonight!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 19, 2020, 10:28:07 PM
My wife and I just watched READY OR NOT.  This was supposed to be a horror comedy but it was a lot darker than I expected - not too dark for me, but my wife didn't like it much at all.   Solid performances all the way around in this story of a family curse and the young bride who unwittingly becomes its victim, with just enough humor to relieve the grim parts. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 20, 2020, 06:24:31 PM
THE DUST WALKER - An Australian sci-fi/horror film in which the residents of a remote Australian town are taken over by some sort of body-snatching alien spores that drive them to kill their fellow townspeople.  A second alien shows up and begins "collecting" all the possessed townspeople - but why?  Is he there to help or make things worse?  This one was a bit confusing and hard to follow in places, but I still enjoyed it. Then again, any entertainment is welcome right now!  3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 21, 2020, 10:34:25 AM
MST3K: THE BLACK SCORPION: The feature is a by-the-numbers giant insect flick about giant scorpions coming out of a Mexican volcano; the only memorable thing is Willis O'Brien's stop-motion work. In Deep 13, Dr. Forrester and Erhart's self-experiments have gone awry; it also ends with a very funny reader letter providing an (unflattering) psychoanalysis of Crow. Overall, this late season1 episode never gets off the ground comedically, but better things are coming soon. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 21, 2020, 02:38:06 PM
THANKSKILLING - OK, I have wanted to see this one for years, ever since seeing the trailer nearly a decade ago.  This is one of the WORST bad movies I have seen in a long time; and by WORST I mean most awesome!!!   Cheap special effects, incredibly stupid plotline, the dumbest college students in history, a topless pilgrim wench, and a radioactive killer turkey!  This one was just cheep cheesy fun from start to finish.   4.5/5

GRAVE ENCOUNTERS - I love this low-budget found footage horror masterpiece; it's proof that you don't need a multimillion dollar budget to make a genuinely scary horror film.  What would happen if the cynical, skeptical hosts of a GHOST HUNTERS-style reality show really did meet some malevolent undead spirits?  Watch and find out!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 21, 2020, 09:58:02 PM
"Pet Sematary" (2019)
Remake of Stephen King's saga of a country doctor, a dead cat, and a mystical Indian burial ground follows SK's original story pretty faithfully for a while, then unexpectedly flips the script into something quite different in the second half. As remakes go, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't nearly as creepy as the '89 film and didn't have its emotional punch either. Overall, a pretty unnecessary exercise.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 21, 2020, 11:25:56 PM
AXE MURDERING WITH HACKLEY (2018)  Being homebound and not having any papers to grade (yet, we start distance learning next week), I've been watching a TON of movies this weekend.  Tonight it was AXE MURDERING WITH HACKLEY - a hilarious mashup of THE OFFICE, 9 TO 5, and FRIDAY THE 13TH.  Hackley had been the dominant slasher on the scene since the year 1980, but now the corporate world of serial killing, with its suffocating company policies, endless status meetings, and petty office feuds is simply too much for him.  Hackley longs for the good old days when he could simply go out and axe up teenagers at will, but that's against protocol these days.  This is a hilarious film with homages to many of our favorite slasher films; what they did with Jigsaw is worth the watch all by itself.  This was a hilarious send up of the whole slasher genre, and it's free on Amazon Prime!  4.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 22, 2020, 09:13:03 AM
"Piranha" (1995)
Low rent, made for cable retread of the 1978 Joe Dante/Roger Corman killer-fish classic stars Alexandra "Baywatch" Paul, William "Greatest American Hero" Katt, an all grown up and spectacularly busty Soleil ("Punky Brewster") Moon Frye, and a pre-teen Mila Kunis (in her film debut). 
Large portions of the dialogue (and many of the fish-attack FX shots) were lifted right out of the '78 film, so it felt like I was sitting through a re-run. Stick with the 1978 version.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 22, 2020, 09:32:45 AM
Argoman (1967)

This one goes by a variety of titles, so I stuck with the most memorable (and easiest to google). This is essentially a European James Bond ripoff/parody, but with a Diabolik-style superhero. All very stylish and tongue in cheek. There is some influence of Adam West's Batman, but even more from British series The Avengers in the Emma Peel era. It pits the honourable gentleman-thief with superpowers Argoman against Jenabell, the Queen of the World, a classic supervillain with a spectacular wardrobe (often with gravity defying cleavage). The movie has the same approach to plot as Starcrash: let's shoot a bunch of cool scenes and hope that it somehow adds up to a movie. Great fun, if silly.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on March 22, 2020, 09:43:31 AM
Rocketman (2019)

Elton John bio that's part musical. Taron Egerton as Elton John wasn't as captivating (but still great) as Rami Malek playing Freddie Mercury but then again they both are different in character. My only gripe - no "Little Jeannie" which is my favorite Elton song. 4.5/5

The Dark Tower (2017)

Based on Stephen King novel. Fantasy Action Adventure Western (!) with a bit of Sci-Fi and a touch of supernatural horror. Idris Elba is good but Matthew McConaughey obviously steals the show - one of the better villain performances in recent years. Anyway, I enjoyed this. 3/5

Child's Play (2019)

Remake of a classic with a few modern adjustments. I thought it worked out well. Far from perfect but not a disgrace to the original. I doubt they will make a sequel though. 3/5





Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on March 22, 2020, 09:49:51 AM
THE DISASTER ARTIST (2017)

When Greg Sestero, an aspiring film actor, meets the weird and mysterious Tommy Wiseau in an acting class, they form a unique friendship and travel to Hollywood to make their dreams come true.

I think we all know THE ROOM. Personally, I don't think it's that bad, I've seen much worse. The only particularly weird thing about it is Tommy himself, who appears to be from another planet, or maybe another dimension - without him, the movie would be just another crappy drama. THE DISASTER ARTIST explores the making of the film and the inspiration behind it, in a very kind and funny way. I never felt like they were mocking the wooden duo, but rather celebrating them and their friendship. In many ways, this movie felt a lot like ED WOOD, although I prefer the latter, even when it's less accurate.
Overall, a great movie. I honestly didn't realize it was James Franco until halfway the movie, which is a testament of the transformation the actor (and director!) went through for this particular role. Recommended for both fans of THE ROOM, and for those who haven't watched it yet, because they will certainly will feel compelled to do it.

A well deserved 9/10.  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 22, 2020, 10:58:17 AM
BEASTER DAY - A giant carnivorous rabbit is wandering through a small mountain town, devouring scantily clad (and unclad) females and everyone else in its path while the stoner mayor wonder what to do about the situation, and whether or not to cancel the Easter parade.  It makes absolutely no sense and the rabbit is a goofy giant puppet, and basically reeks "badness" from every pore.  I loved it! 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 22, 2020, 11:56:56 AM
Witching & b***hing. A Spanish language horror comedy which starts off with a robbery going wrong and ends up with the robbers getting into a lot of trouble with their attempted getaway to France. A bit like From Dust Til Dawn only with witches instead of vampires. It didn't make me laugh once, but was moderately enjoyable.

Season of the Witch (1972). A bored housewife starts flirting with witchcraft in an attempt to liven up her humdrum life. This has a very similar pacing to director George Romaro's 'Martin' (what many people would call slow). I am two thirds into the films run time and she has only just picked up some stuff to learn how to be a witch. It establishes very early on that the lead is dissatisfied with her life. Then it establishes it some more (oh gods, does it keep establishing this) and keeps on going in the same vein. Anyway, she ends up a happy and confident woman.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 23, 2020, 08:48:05 AM
VEROTIKA (2019): Three vignettes of "violent erotika." With lethargic acting, stupid dialogue, zero scares, and stories without any real resolution, it's just as torturous as you've heard. By the end, you're praying for the sweet release of death. 1/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on March 23, 2020, 08:50:41 AM
VEROTIKA (2019): Three vignettes of "violent erotika." With lethargic acting, stupid dialogue, zero scares, and stories without any real resolution, it's just as torturous as you've heard. By the end, you're praying for the sweet release of death. 1/5.

Quote
2,1/10 IMDb

 :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 23, 2020, 10:23:21 AM
"Vice Academy Part 2" (1990)
Ditzy rookie cops Holly (Ginger Lynn Allen) and Dee Dee (Linnea Quigley) have graduated from the academy and are given their first "real" assignment - to track down the super villainess "Spanish Fly," who plans to spike the city water supply with a lethal aphrodisiac.
...I swear, I am not making this up.
Obviously you don't watch ultra-cheap sex comedies like these for realistic plots or great performances, you watch 'em for the eye candy, which this flick delivers in spades. Casting former porn queen Ginger Lynn as the uptight, prim & proper half of the lead duo is also good for a few chuckles. Otherwise, this series is mainly for those who think the "Police Academy" flicks are too cerebral.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 23, 2020, 12:33:31 PM
is that Glenn Danzig one  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on March 23, 2020, 12:35:29 PM
OCEAN'S ELEVEN (2001)

Danny Ocean and his ten accomplices plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously.

Get ready for an unpopular opinion...

I enjoy scam movies a lot. I decided to give this one a chance, even when it's filled with actors hated by me, since it's quite famous and generally regarded as a great movie, and by many as the ultimate con movie. Boy I was disappointed.
First of all, my biggest gripe with this film: I don't care about any of the characters. I don't even know the names of most of them, the only one who has a little bit of development is Ocean himself but since he's played by George Clooney it doesn't matter because that man can't act - he's literally smiling in every single scene. The only character for whom I cared a little was Saul, but after thinking about it I realized that his job is completely unnecesary: why go through all the effort of bringing the explosives into the vault when they had a man inside? Why not just give them to the chinese fella and avoid the whole suitcase drama?

The whole movie is filled with plot holes like this one that only serve to pad the film, like the romantic interest that it's 100% useless, and full of "what if" situations. What if the EMP didn't worked? What if the tech guy got caught while lost? What if the entered the room where Ocean was getting beaten? The amount of chance this plan was based on is so ridiculous that borders in the realm of magic. I like my scam movies to be rooted in reality, that's why they're fun, because they can easily happen around us.

And what's up with the uplifting music after they commited a robbery like this? Am I supposed to feel good about these criminals? They're thiefs for f**k sake. I actually cheered the whole movie for Benedict. I waited for a nice twist at the end that salvaged this whole mess but it never came. Instead, it was filled with cliches: girlfriend goes with the bad guy but at the end she stays with the "good" guy, bad guy is bad because he has money and therefore he must be evil and do evil stuff, no one ever caughts them even when the government itself may be after them, they're all so incredibly good at what they do that not even the entire staff at the casino can even stop them, etc.

I felt like this movie was the GOODFELLAS of scam films: flashy and cocky, but with crappy plot and even crappier characters. And like GOODFELLAS, it's held like some sort of sacred piece of art. Sorry, but to me, it's more like a piece of crap.

3/10  :thumbdown:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 23, 2020, 02:46:59 PM
is that Glenn Danzig one  :bouncegiggle:

Yeah, I'll have a brief writeup/warning on my site in a couple of days.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on March 24, 2020, 02:24:34 AM
The Stand (1994)

A deadly virus kills most of the population except for a group of people immune to the disease. However, the survivors must take a stand and face an evil force.
I've actually never seen this even though it was omni-present in video rental stores back in the day. The Stand was released to blu-ray last year remastered and restored (they had to fix special effects since they didn't translate well to HD) and it looks quite nice. Shot on 16mm which gives it an undenial slight "cheap" amateurish look and feel but I got used to it as it went along. Acting is strong with only a few awkward moments. Entertaining time capsule and with a running time of six hours perfect for quarantine-viewing. 4.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 24, 2020, 05:53:20 PM
MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE (1935): Having nothing to do with the title, this W.C. Fields vehicle has the Great Man as a henpecked husband who only wants to see a wrestling match, but gets himself into disaster after disaster instead. It's a patchwork collection of gags, from drunk burglars singing in the cellar to Fields getting 4 different traffic tickets in the space of five minutes, but you really have to root for a hardworking guy who only wants to watch wrestling and drink homemade applejack in his spare time. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on March 24, 2020, 09:39:51 PM
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Been out for almost twenty years now and it's still a delight.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 24, 2020, 09:46:12 PM
"Annabelle" (2014)
Creepy-cool spin off from "The Conjuring" set in the late 60s, with a young couple battling to keep their newborn daughter safe from a demonically possessed doll that wants her soul. A nicely done period piece that owes more to vintage flicks like "Rosemary's Baby" than the "Chucky" style killer doll schlock I'd expected.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on March 24, 2020, 10:52:56 PM
"Annabelle" (2014)
Creepy-cool spin off from "The Conjuring" set in the late 60s, with a young couple battling to keep their newborn daughter safe from a demonically possessed doll that wants her soul. A nicely done period piece that owes more to vintage flicks like "Rosemary's Baby" than the "Chucky" style killer doll schlock I'd expected.

Growing up I had a neighbor who was raised in a strict backwoods type of Bible faith in West Virginia, and she used to tell me people should not have dolls because putting human features on them violated the graven images prohibitions in the Bible. She could get creepy telling about dolls being a focal point for evil spirits who came to have a draining effect on the children who loved the dolls.

She never got into anything as hokey as the scary dolls shown in movies, them moving, talking, any of that, but she told some spooky yarns she said were true, about children coming to love their dolls more than people and the dolls influencing their minds and alienating people around them, spirits residing in the dolls and things like that.

She was a sweet lady but man when she got going she could tell me stuff in a way that'd scare me later in bed at night, lol.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 25, 2020, 08:57:31 AM
ONWARD (2020): An elf quests to resurrect his father for one day in a fantasy world of centaurs and dragons, but where magic has been forgotten and suburban technology has taken over. Missing a breakthrough character, but its more Pixar magic with exciting action scenes, detailed worldbuilding, and positive messages. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on March 25, 2020, 01:46:33 PM
Missing Link (2019)

Bigfoot lures an explorer to America so he can help him travel to the Himalayas to live with his Yeti relatives.
Funny stop-motion adventure from Laika Studios ("Coraline"). Nominated for best animation feature at the Oscars, Missing Link was a box office bomb and one can only wonder why. It is pretty original, charming and beautiful to look at. Some of the jokes are aimed at adults and are really hilarious. I enjoyed this quite a bit. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 26, 2020, 12:06:24 PM
"Slave to the Grind" (2018)
No, this is not a movie about the Skid Row album - it's a documentary about grindcore, the ultra-extreme offspring of hardcore punk and thrash/death metal which exploded all over the globe during the mid to late '80s. The genre's long, sometimes bizarre history is examined via vintage clips, photos and interviews with members of Napalm Death, Brutal Truth, Carcass, Agothacles, A.C., Repulsion, and many more. I'm not even a grind guy, but I enjoyed this entertaining, informative doc.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 26, 2020, 01:17:21 PM
POPPY (1936): W.C. Fields is a carnival con man who schemes to get a widow's fortune, while his daughter Poppy falls in love with a rich boy. Pretty standard comedy, but it's always fun to see Fields play a scoundrel with a heart of gold. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 27, 2020, 02:15:24 AM
Planet of the Female Invaders (El planeta de las mujeres invasores) 1966

Continuing my exploration of silly 60s movies, I stumbled upon this, attracted by the title and the costumes of the titular invaders. Judging by the photos, it is a sequel of sorts to Gigantes Planetarios, which might explain some things (but not all). It would seem that someone saw Cat Women on the Moon, and thought that it would make a good movie for kids, but then without the gritty realism of the original. The result is incredibly goofy, and doesn't make any sense at all. Interestingly, the aliens land their flying saucer at an amusement park and disguise it as a carnival attraction to lure unsuspecting earthmen. Also, although this is a Mexican movie, the hero is a boxer and not a luchador.
Oddly, the basic plot is pretty bleak. The aliens abduct humans, so they can harvest their lungs, because the aliens can't breathe very long on earth. The aliens find out that children's lungs are much better suited, so they target a school with a death ray that zaps the adults, and capture a bunch of kids. This could be quite the horror movie, but these aliens are the most ineffectual and non threatening villains I have ever seen. This is silly on a Solarnauts level.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 27, 2020, 09:37:21 AM
"All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records" (2015)
A bittersweet documentary (directed by Tom Hanks' son, Colin) about the iconic record store chain, tracing its long and sometimes wild history -- from humble beginnings in early '60s Southern California through its massive growth in the '70s and '80s into a globally recognized music-biz brand, before sadly ending with Tower's swift demise at the dawn of the Napster era. Interviews with longtime Tower employees (and famous customers like Dave Grohl, Elton John, and Bruce Springsteen) confirm that Tower was the coolest record store ever to exist in the known universe, as if we didn't know that already.

Dammit, I miss Tower Records. :(


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 27, 2020, 11:03:58 AM
Headcount - I liked the dorky quiet-ish guy in this. just an interesting and different sort of character. He and his hippie brother go for a hike and run into a group of people including girls which is always a good thing. At some point, they arouse the wrath of some sort of otherwordly beast who begins to pick them off.

Hard to describe without giving a lot of it away. Its a drunk/ stoned teenagers on a getaway thing. One problem is the monster itself isn't really revealed and we aren't told that much about it. ( spoiler : Also, if the beast can be conjured by reading something of a popular website, isn't everyone who reads it gonna die?)

The teenagers seemed more realistic than usual and there's some cool stuff. 4/5

Dave Chappelle - sticks and Stones. there needs to be a thousand more things like this. movies, shows, specials etc 5/5

Don't be Afraid of the Dark - Everyone knows the real Grimm fairy tales or whatever are darker than the ones we ended up hearing as kids. This is kind of like what someone imagining what those are like would come up with. Katie Holmes, who I for some reason feel bad for even though she has tens of millions of dollars, is the standout as the new stepmom trying to make good in a tough situation with the new fam. They moved into an old house and it has all these secrets. It looks every inch the spooky old house and is IRL probably some famous house in Scotland or something. I'm more into sordid pirahna beach movies but this worked and I especially liked the ending, which is a rarity nowadays
4.25/ 5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 27, 2020, 11:12:39 AM
it looks every inch the spooky old house and is IRL probably some famous house in Scotland or something.

Surprisingly, I believe the house is in Australia. I seem to remember watching a making-of documentary and hearing that.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 29, 2020, 09:14:16 AM
THE PLATFORM: Prisoners are sentenced (although some perversely volunteer) to a social experiment: the live in a pit with many levels (they randomly move to a new one each month). Each day a banquet descends from the top to the bottom. If everyone eats just what they need there will be enough for everyone, but those at the top gorge themselves and all the food is always gone well before it gets to the bottom. This movie, which is both a political allegory and by the end a strange religious allegory, resembles a mix of of CUBE and SNOWPIERCER and explores every aspect of human brutality in some fairly shocking ways. On Netflix only. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 29, 2020, 10:06:00 AM
THE BOYS (2019) - A darkly humorous Amazon Prime series about a world where superheroes are real, have major corporate sponsorships, and are not at all nice in private!  Filled with memorable characters like Homelander, Starlight, and A-Train among the "Supes" and Billy Butcher and Mother's Milk among The Boys, an informal team determined to bring down the Supes, this is a gritty, gory, enjoyable send-up of the shiny, happy Marvel Universe.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 29, 2020, 11:19:00 AM
"DOA: Dead or Alive" (2006)
Four lovely female fighters receive invitations to a secret no-holds-barred martial arts tournament on a secluded island, with a $10 million dollar prize for the winner.  
This cartoony kung-fu junk (apparently based on a video game series, with which I am unfamiliar) stars Jaime ("My Name is Earl") Pressly, Devon "Sin City" Aoki, Holly "Neighbours" Valance, and Sarah "Smallville" Carter as our heroines, who pretty much spend the whole movie beating the crap out of an endless stream of bad guys (and occasionally, each other) till they eventually reach the Big Boss, who's played by... (wait for it) Eric "Julia's Brother" Roberts. (His presence is *always* the sign of a quality film.)
...soooo yeah, this is basically the generic store-brand version of a "Mortal Kombat" flick, with waaay more/better T&A. Therefore I was entertained, even if it was for all the wrong reasons.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on March 29, 2020, 05:12:45 PM
THE BOYS (2019) - A darkly humorous Amazon Prime series about a world where superheroes are real, have major corporate sponsorships, and are not at all nice in private!  Filled with memorable characters like Homelander, Starlight, and A-Train among the "Supes" and Billy Butcher and Mother's Milk among The Boys, an informal team determined to bring down the Supes, this is a gritty, gory, enjoyable send-up of the shiny, happy Marvel Universe.

i plan to start this tonight, since alex mentioned the umbrella academy as similar. LOVED the umbrella academy!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 29, 2020, 06:06:02 PM
"Alice, Sweet Alice" (1976)
A tightly wound Italian-Catholic family comes apart at the seams in 1961 New Jersey, when their youngest daughter is murdered on the day of her first Communion and her weird, withdrawn older sister becomes the prime suspect.
This psychological thriller is known mainly as the film debut of a young Brooke Shields (who plays the pre-teen murder victim). The posters make it look like just another slasher flick, but it's more of a murder mystery in the vein of Hitchcock, or the Italian "giallo" thrillers of the 60s and '70s. Weird, loaded with disturbing religious imagery/symbolism, but also very atmospheric and effective. They don't make'em like this anymore.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 29, 2020, 09:26:30 PM
"Looney Tunes: Back in Action" (2003)
Bugs, Daffy and two human pals (Jenna Elfman and Brendan Fraser) set out on a globe trotting adventure which takes them from the Warner Bros. movie lot in Hollywood to the Louvre in Paris and even to darkest Africa, as they try to keep a priceless treasure away from the evil head of the ACME Corporation (Steve Martin).
Joe "Gremlins" Dante directed this high energy, low brow live action/animation mix which has a lot of funny bits but overall is stuffed with way too many side gags, pointless celebrity cameos and mugging, overacting performances by its human cast (esp. Martin).
Warner Brothers had hoped that this flick would re-introduce the Looney Tunes brand to 21st century kids, but when it tanked at the box office, it sent Bugs and friends back to TV purgatory instead.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 30, 2020, 06:32:02 PM
The Forest - I don't know why, but I have to work myself up to write these things, even though they are like two sentences long and just very very general thoughts on something I just saw. A woman's twin sister is missing in that forest in Japan where people go to kill themselves. Thats the hook, if you will, this forest that apparently exists. She is warned about the dangers of the forest and how it can make play tricks on your mind a la The Geto Boys "my minds playing tricks on me". Helping her out is some guy she met at a bar who she has minimal sexual tension with (she's married). This movie was "great" in the sense that it was a great example of a movie that is really good but not quite great. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 31, 2020, 10:11:40 AM
BACURAU (2019): A group of killers isolate a small Brazilian village intending to massacre the residents for recreation, but find the peasants are more resourceful than they anticipated. A lot of drama up front as we get to know the many villagers; the action never gets too hot, but there are touches of Leone and Kurosawa in the third act. A bit unnerving, considering the political situation in Brazil at the moment. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on March 31, 2020, 12:45:22 PM
BLADE RUNNER (1982)
WARNING: SPOILERS AT THE END

A blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space, and have returned to Earth to find their creator.

Since I'm not a huge sci-fi fan, I never cared too much attention to this classic. I finally watched it and I have to say, the scenery in this movie is incredible. The overall dystopian look fully takes you into this strange world, and I wasn't bored at all like a lot of people claims to be. My main grip is that the whole idea of the movie has been explored before, especially by Rod Serling in THE TWILIGHT ZONE. Honestly, I didn't understood the big deal about the plot, I actually thought it was kinda generic at that point.
Still, it's a charming movie and Harrison Ford is quite believable as a blade runner, although not as much as a replicant, as Ridley Scott confirmed years ago. To be honest, it sounded really stupid to me. I actually toyed with the idea while watching the movie, but many things disuaded me from reaching to that conclusion, mainly the fact that Deckard gets his ass handed to him easily by the antagonists. Shouldn't he be able to fight in more even terms? He was trained in combat as well.

A fun movie and a beatiful piece of art to look at. 8/10  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 02, 2020, 10:44:55 AM
"The Avengers" (1998)
Ultra-posh gentleman secret agent Steed (Ralph Fiennes) and his foxy new partner Emma Peel (Uma Thurman) must stop a mad scientist (Sean Connery) who has figured out how to weaponize the weather, and plans to use it to hold the world for ransom.

Obviously not to be confused with the Marvel super-hero "Avengers," this is a high tech update of the cult British TV spy series from the swingin' Sixties. Former 007 Connery seems to be having fun playing a Bond-style villain, and of course Uma looks great squeezed into Mrs. Peel's trademark skin tight leather suit, but the story is a muddle, going around in circles till things finally start blowing up in the finale.

This flick was a major box office flop when it was released and legend has it that its failure hastened Sir Connery's decision to retire from acting. I can't say I blame him.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 02, 2020, 12:31:08 PM
EXECUTIVE KOALA (2005): A koala in a business suit works for a Japanese pickle company, and is also accused of killing his wife and girlfriend, and can't defend himself because he's got selective amnesia. This manga come to life almost stands on its own without the anthropomorphic gimmick; it's just goofy enough to keep you entertained for a brisk 90 minutes. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on April 02, 2020, 12:39:11 PM
"The Avengers" (1998)
Ultra-posh gentleman secret agent Steed (Ralph Fiennes) and his foxy new partner Emma Peel (Uma Thurman) must stop a mad scientist (Sean Connery) who has figured out how to weaponize the weather, and plans to use it to hold the world for ransom.

Obviously not to be confused with the Marvel super-hero "Avengers," this is a high tech update of the cult British TV spy series from the swingin' Sixties. Former 007 Connery seems to be having fun playing a Bond-style villain, and of course Uma looks great squeezed into Mrs. Peel's trademark skin tight leather suit, but the story is a muddle, going around in circles till things finally start blowing up in the finale.

This flick was a major box office flop when it was released and legend has it that its failure hastened Sir Connery's decision to retire from acting. I can't say I blame him.

I thought the one that led him to retire was THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, which I personally loved and it's one of my guilty pleasures in the world of cinema.  :twirl:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 02, 2020, 01:12:23 PM

I thought the one that led him to retire was THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, which I personally loved and it's one of my guilty pleasures in the world of cinema.  :twirl:

L.X.G. (which I also enjoyed) may have been the bomb that finalized his decision to step down, but "The Avengers" probably helped. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on April 02, 2020, 01:27:56 PM
i liked league too, i'm glad i'm not alone!  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on April 02, 2020, 01:49:10 PM
Yeah, I liked the League too. I believe the reason Connery retired though was because of how the director treated him on set rather than the film's lack of success. There was at least one point where the pair were reported to have been close to blows. Shame really.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on April 02, 2020, 08:11:06 PM

I thought the one that led him to retire was THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, which I personally loved and it's one of my guilty pleasures in the world of cinema.  :twirl:

L.X.G. (which I also enjoyed) may have been the bomb that finalized his decision to step down, but "The Avengers" probably helped. :D

You too liked it? Man, that movie is so strange, it seems that everybody enjoyed it, yet it's somehow universally hated.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on April 03, 2020, 01:12:44 PM
yeah, it's kind of the opposite version of citizen kane, lol!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 04, 2020, 07:36:24 AM
DEADLY INSTINCTS (1997)  A meteorite lands at a Boston girls' school, discharging a slimy alien and his captive human female.  This bizarre mashup of HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP and INSEMINOID features plenty of violence and mayhem, occasional nudity, and a thrown-together plot that is laughable but keeps the story moving.  A good way to spend a quarantined evening, especially since it was free on Amazon Prime.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 04, 2020, 09:33:17 AM
MST3K: ROCKETSHIP X-M: The movie is quite dumb without really being easy to mock because it's also drab and talky. It's about mankind's first rocket to the moon that goes off course and lands on Mars instead where they have a brief encounter with some cavemen (groan). The real attraction of this episode is the introduction of TV's Frank, who steps completely into his role from the very first ("I'm the God!") and gives the series that piece it was missing in season 1. It's also the first time Mike Nelson appears on the hexfield screen. Not a great episode, but a huge leap forward from Season 1. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 04, 2020, 09:40:36 AM
"Vinylmania: When Life Runs at 33 Revolutions Per Minute" (2012)
A record collector and DJ travels the world visiting record stores and pressing plants, and talking to fellow vinyl junkies about why the LP format continues to thrive and survive.
This seems a bit artsier and more pretentious than usual for this sort of doc, but it's still a fun watch. Maybe it's just me, but I always get a kick out of seeing a copy of one of my favorite albums randomly hanging on the wall of a record shop in Tokyo, or wherever.
This was apparently the "Official Film of Record Store Day" in 2012, for whatever that's worth.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 04, 2020, 04:32:23 PM
"You Only Live Twice" (1967)
James Bond travels to Japan, where SPECTRE is stealing U.S. and Russian space capsules out of the sky in order to kick start WWIII. Over the top, action  packed fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 05, 2020, 10:05:35 AM
"Hired Gun" (2016)
A highly entertaining and enlightening documentary about the often-unsung, anonymous rock musicians who make a living by renting out their talents to superstar artists, on tour and in the recording studio. Lots of great stories are told by longtime road warriors like Jason Newsted, Nita Strauss, Rudy Sarzo, Eric Singer, and many more. This was worth watching just to learn how badly Billy Joel screwed over the members of his '70s backing band. Not cool, Billy, not cool.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 05, 2020, 11:44:54 AM
The OA - Netflix series about a girl with mysterious powers working with a group of random people from her town to try and rescue some people somewhere. Pretty vague description but its heavy on twists and turns so I don't want to give them away.

If you were a fan of Medium and/or Brit Marling's other work like Another Earth its definitely a must see. going in cold it might come of as too slow and a little girly. excellent villain

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 06, 2020, 09:27:08 AM
"Dead Heat" (1988)
While investigating a string of bizarre robberies committed by seemingly-indestructible goons, a pair of wisecracking L.A. cops (Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo) learn that a mad scientist (Vincent Price!) has invented a way to re-animate dead criminals.
This action packed (and quite gory) buddy cop/horror spoof totally missed a bet by not calling itself "Beverly Hills Zombie."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 07, 2020, 12:27:34 AM
ATTACK OF THE TATTIE-BOGLE (2017) A group of friends meet to spend the 4th of July weekend at a remote lake cabin in Wisconsin.  None of them are particularly memorable; the conversation seems more like something from 2016 than 2017 - the two liberals, for example, comparing George Bush to Hitler and questioning whether the 4th is worth celebrating any more while a redneck conservative pushes them to wear flag bandanas - but all of that is forgotten when a masked stranger shows up and starts killing them.  That's really it - he is killing everybody he finds, they are scrambling to survive.  Minimal gore, no T&A, unlikable characters - and yet the story is entertaining by its sheer simplicity and short run time (1 hour).  And you never find out what on earth a "Tattie-Bogle" is or why the name is in the movie's title.   2.5/5 - I've seen worse films on Amazon Prime, and at least this one was free.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on April 07, 2020, 02:47:47 AM
A Tattie-Bogle is a local thing around here. It is along the lines of a scarecrow. One of the villages near by has a festival based around them where homemade versions are hung outside their houses.

https://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattie-bogle (https://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattie-bogle)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 07, 2020, 08:54:42 AM
THE OTHER LAMB (2019): Young Selah starts having doubts about the nomadic cult she's grown up in, which is divided into "wives" and "daughters" and led by a single male "Shepherd." Well-shot and well-intentioned, but it really should have picked up the pace; it seems a lot of opportunities for drama and character development were avoided in favor of scenes of walking, or Selah staring portentously. 2.5/5. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 07, 2020, 08:45:53 PM
"Warlock" (1989)
A powerful male witch (Julian Sands) escapes the gallows in the 1620's by casting a spell that launches him forwards in time to 1980s Southern California, with a witch hunter in hot pursuit.
Essentially a supernatural spin on "The Terminator," this '80s video store fave hasn't aged particularly well but Sands is an appropriately nasty bad guy and Lori "Footloose" Singer adds some comic relief as a Valley Girl who gets caught in the middle of the battle. Followed by.two sequels.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 08, 2020, 08:28:09 AM
THE DOLL FACTORY - Ultra-low budget Amazon Prime movie, featuring a bunch of teenagers who decide to read some incantations from a book of witchcraft in an abandoned factory and bring a bunch of murderous dolls back to life.  Stupid, bad effects, racial stereotypes, pretty much bad everything. 2/5

AGE OF SUMMER -  A surprisingly good coming-of-age flick about a kid from up north who moves to California and tries to become a junior lifeguard, juggling friendship, a stolen bike, and an unrequited crush on one of his fellow lifeguards.  This was better than I thought it would be. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 09, 2020, 10:05:14 AM
"KISS: Beyond the Makeup" (2001)
...this VH1 documentary traces Kiss' history from their humble New York beginnings, through the '70s rise and fall, the '80s resurrection and the '90s reunion, up to the then-current "Farewell Tour" (which of course ended up being only a "Farewell" to the reunited original lineup!).
I'm pretty sure I saw this when it first aired years ago, and even though it's obviously quite out of date now, it was still a cool trip down memory lane, loaded with vintage performance clips and interviews.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 09, 2020, 01:05:58 PM
the OA season two - a little more conventional and a lot more complicated than the first season. Now, the action is in two different dimensions, as the OA, reemerging as a Russian heiress, attempts to stop the evil HAP from doing whatever he's doing. The group of kids from the first season try to make sense of it all without the help of their ostensible leader and a new character is introduced: a detective investigating a mysterious house around which all the plots come together. like I said, its kind of complicated.

Netflix apparently didn't promote the show very much and it was cancelled after this. Too bad, I was riveted and could certainly have watched another season if not many more

5/5 in memoriam


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 09, 2020, 09:36:37 PM
AXE GIANT (2013) - A group of juvenile delinquents are sent to a boot camp style reform course in the mountains, and one of them defiles the grave of a giant ox, bringing a wrathful Paul Bunyan rampaging down on them with his huge axe.  I'll be honest; this was better than I thought it was going to be - cheesy gore effects, unlikable teenagers, a whacked-out Joe Estevez, and a cameo by Dan Haggerty (AKA Grizzly Adams).  Totally worth the hour and a half it took to watch it! 2/5 on a real movie scale, a solid 4/5 on the bad movie scale!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 11, 2020, 03:04:50 AM
READY OR NOT (2019)

This has been on my watch list since I first saw the trailer, and then when I saw that Indy recommended it, I sought it out. This is an absolute hoot. An unsuspecting bride is falls victim to an ancient tradition, where she has to be sacrificed before dawn to avert the family curse. There is not a lot of mystery (we know the set up before the credits roll) and it is mainly played for suspense. One of the aspects I liked is that the family are not your standard Evil Cultists/Conspirators. They are often as baffled by the situation as the bride, all they know is they have to kill her to save themselves. It does get quite bloody at times


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 11, 2020, 06:59:11 AM
"Warlock: The Armageddon" (1993)
Julian Sands is back for another round as Satan's son, trying to bring about the end of the world (again) by collecting six sacred stones that will open a portal to Hell. Fortunately there's a pair of powerful teenagers standing in his way, who've been trained by Druids for just such an occasion.
The first "Warlock" flick had a cast of decent actors but mostly-terrible effects; this time it's the other way around. "Armageddon" is faster-paced and much gorier than the first movie, but the performances are mostly atrocious (even Sands seems to be phoning it in). The few attempts at early 90s CGI are laughable as well. Still, if you liked the first "Warlock" you'll probably dig this one.
As an added metal-nerd bonus, the end credits theme song is "Something Wicked" by Nuclear Assault!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 11, 2020, 07:32:47 AM
DEVIL TIMES FIVE (1974)  So I discovered this channel on Amazon Prime called POPCORN FODDER, in which the host (who would be a good fit here, BTW) plays classic bad movies and comments on them.  I'd never heard of this one, but it's a hilarious 70's horror featuring a pre-teen Lief Garret as the leader of a pack of homicidal children who survive a wreck (the van was taking them to a mental hospital) and come to a mountain lodge, where they kill the group of unsuspecting adults residing there.  It's a cheesy delight, and the host's commentary makes it all the more fun! 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 11, 2020, 12:03:00 PM
The Invitation (2015) - LA weirdos invite people over to try and make them join their cult... or are they just annoying? Why the normal seeming main guy knew all these people or goes along with it doesn't make tons of sense, but whole situation is sordidly great 5/5 the bald guy is terrifying


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on April 11, 2020, 04:04:44 PM
indy, is that a free channel on prime?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 11, 2020, 07:05:04 PM
indy, is that a free channel on prime?

The first season is free.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on April 12, 2020, 03:00:59 PM
47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019)

Two stepsisters and two friends explore an underwater temple/cave/maze in Mexico. Soon they are trapped and must face hungry blind (!) sharks.
Dumb sequel with cliche dialogue and bland/annoying actors. They threw in a bit of teen-bullying that goes nowhere, and added mild tension between the stepsisters (one is hot, the other is not) to spice things up I guess. I was surprised they recreated the best fright bits from the first film. It just shows how lazy this sequel is. Also, nobody  has a cell phone and the soundtrack consists of 1990s songs which seems well, odd. The shark design is actually creepy and the f/x are good. During the final half they managed a few well staged thrilling action scenes, and the tacky never ending ending is so over the top ridiculous that it's almost good. 2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on April 12, 2020, 03:42:34 PM
had my mind seriously blown last night, by a silent movie starring mary pickford called " poor little rich girl".  it's based on my all time childhood fave book of the same name, and it is BRILLIANT!
  it compresses the story down to the essentials, and the effects were excellent, considering the era! i can't believe i never knew this existed, as much as i love the book.
    watching it felt like reliving the dream i had after reading the book at age 8, and it felt like a good omen too. i don't quite know how to express that...it gave me hope, somehow.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 12, 2020, 06:29:30 PM
"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969)

James Bond (played for the first and only time by previously-unknown Aussie George Lazenby) romances a Countess and foils SPECTRE's latest germ-warfare plot in the snowy Swiss Alps.
Bond fans have been split on this movie for years. Some think it's the best film in the series, while others dismiss it altogether, due to Lazenby's lack of acting experience/ability. I think it's a bit overlong and drags in the midsection, but the last 40 minutes are just one cool action sequence after another.  
Lazenby (a former male model) may not have been much of an actor at this time, but but he definitely showed some promise in "OHMSS" -- if he hadn't followed the terrible advice of his manager (who said that Bond was a Sixties fad and the character would be "passe" in the '70s) and done at least one more 007 film, movie history might have been quite different.

I've always found George's story fascinating - he was a nobody who essentially walked in off the street, bulls**tted his way into the most coveted movie role in the world, and then went "OK, I'm done" after only one film. Even if you think he was crazy or stupid (or both) you gotta admit he had steel cojones!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 13, 2020, 06:20:41 AM
Tales from Earthsea (2006)

This. is. SLOW. This is the movie by Miyazaki Jr. and where Hayao Miyazaki's movies are exciting and imaginative, Goro's is predictable and portentous.  The simple plot is cobbled together from Ursula K. Le Guin's Earth Sea stories, and can't sustain a two hour movie. Also, while Hayao Miyazaki delights in world building, here you have a handful of characters and a few, largely empty settings. Only for Ghibli completionists.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 13, 2020, 01:25:18 PM
chef zombie - I've never seen that one. when silent movies "work" it can be a really unique, enjoyable experience. I guess that can be said of any movie though!



It Comes at Night (2017) - suddenly apropos thriller about people living off the grid to avoid a corona virus like virus. The central thesis: that being super paranoid about germs and only hanging out with your family all the time isn't much fun, has largely been confirmed

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on April 13, 2020, 06:29:25 PM
i think you'd like it lester.  :smile:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 14, 2020, 01:06:14 PM
"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!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 14, 2020, 02:12:02 PM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 16, 2020, 07:19:21 AM
"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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 16, 2020, 09:16:25 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 17, 2020, 03:20:41 AM
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


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 17, 2020, 08:47:02 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 17, 2020, 12:18:48 PM
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


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 18, 2020, 07:11:53 AM
"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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 18, 2020, 09:58:34 AM
"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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on April 18, 2020, 06:33:56 PM
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!  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 18, 2020, 08:25:04 PM
"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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 19, 2020, 08:30:05 AM
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Still loads of fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on April 20, 2020, 02:46:27 AM
"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 (http://youtu.be/NdwrDIHE4XY)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 20, 2020, 07:11:41 AM
"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!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 20, 2020, 10:57:44 AM
"The Substitute 2: School's Out" (1998)
Treat Williams takes over from Tom Berenger in this direct-to-video sequel, as a special-ops mercenary badass who takes a job at a crime-ridden NYC high school to find the gangstas who killed his teacher brother. Predictable shoot-em-up mayhem follows.  
...sooo, yeah, you might as well call this "The Punisher Goes Back to School." It's pretty much a retread of the first movie, with a different leading man and a new locale. Still, it's entertaining enough for a generic action flick.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on April 21, 2020, 08:41:06 AM
PREDESTINATION (2014)

For his final assignment, a top temporal agent must pursue the one criminal that has eluded him throughout time. The chase turns into a unique, surprising and mind-bending exploration of love, fate, identity and time travel taboos.

Expecting a cool sci fi thriller, I bumped into a deep exploration of a time paradox and self identity that baffled and confused me for an hour and a half, but strangely my eyes couldn't get away from the screen. Most of the movie is made of flashbacks and talking, yet it's never boring.
You haven't heard confusion until you watched this movie, I actually spent a lot of my sleep time thinking about the ramifications of the whole paradox thingy.

Extremely recommended if you want to entertain yourself and think at the same time. 9/10  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 21, 2020, 08:56:14 AM
I second Gabriel's recommendation of PREDESTINATION above.

Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All Time – Vol. 1: Midnight Madness (2020): First volume of a three-part documentary covering cult films, with future installments examining "horror and sci-fi" (vol. 2) and "comedy and camp" (vol. 3). This documentary is purely introductory stuff, but features an impressive lineup of commentators (including critics, directors, famous actors, and of course, John Waters). Nothing revelatory here, but it is charming when you look at it as just a bunch of smart fans yakking enthusiastically about some of the wildest and weirdest movies ever made. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 21, 2020, 12:41:23 PM
"Vice Academy 3" (1991)
Ginger Lynn is back and breaking in a new partner in the 3rd round of no-budget T&A shenanigans. This time the inept vice cops grapple with a crime wave committed by the green-haired super-villainess "Malathion," who's played by super-hot adult film star Julia Parton (who is supposedly a distant cousin of Dolly's). As usual for this franchise, the plot is threadbare, the jokes are lame, the sets are cardboard, and the acting is terrible... but the eye candy is outstanding.

"Hitler Goes Kaput!" (2003)
Ooookay, I think I have officially found the weirdest movie on TUBI. This is a Russian slapstick comedy (with sub-titles), about the misadventures of a Soviet spy masquerading as a Gestapo official during the waning days of WWII. When he and his lovely code-breaker partner/girlfriend attempt to escape from Berlin back to the Motherland, they encounter a series of wacky obstacles that lead to a final "couples" showdown with Hitler and Eva Braun!
...I'm not gonna lie, I probably only understood about half of what went on in this movie due to the language barrier (and a lot of what I assume were references to Russian pop culture that would be unknown to Western viewers)... but after the opening credits, which were full of big-boobed girls and explosions (scored to a Russian rap version of Britney Spears' "Oops I Did It Again") I couldn't take my eyes off of it, either.
I bet the guys who went on to make "Iron Sky" saw this movie and said, "We can do that too." The Nazis in this movie have dance-offs, throw gang signs, and use modern conveniences like flat screen TVs and e-mail. Hitler has a "personal DJ" whose name is "50 Shillings." After a while the movie stopped making sense completely, but I kept watching cuz leading lady Anna Semenovich was astoundingly, shall we say, "gifted" in her chest area.
Obviously this was a unique viewing experience. Your mileage may vary if you understand Russian, I get a feeling that a lot of the humor is lost in the translation.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 21, 2020, 01:11:12 PM
Fat Freddy - that sounds great. have you ever seen Chicken Park? the Italian Jurassic Park parody. its so unbelievably stupid


Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu0v8I-0iwU#)


The Monster - really awful Netflix instant horror movie. A young single Mom and her daughter get stuck in on a remote road waiting for a tow truck and a demon thing menaces them. In between occasional shots of the nondescript thingy lurking around the Mom and daughter have an extended acting class. None of the backstory has anythign to do with the monster, its not like a product of their nightmares or something. We used to call stuff like this a "tax shelter" avoid

1/5

The Ritual - still more dreck from netflix (dreckflix?) . This one is a bit better. Some fairly funny British guys go on a hike in the woods in like Sweden or something and encounter a demon thing and also confront their guilt over various things and so forth. both of these movies are just glorified Syfy monster things, without the "we know this sucks" modesty and crazy guest stars. Some okay medieval talisman type imagery and color. The ending seems improvised and not very profound

2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 22, 2020, 08:56:17 AM
PORNO (2019): Five Christian teens watch a cursed art film and unleash a sex demon who traps them in the theater overnight. Just unique enough to keep you watching; the best part is the recreation of the faux-Kenneth Anger Luciferian ritual film. Stick around through the slow start for lots of nudity and gore (particularly male genital trauma---ouch!). The teens are believable, and although the perspective is clearly secular they're not as much a target for easy mockery as they might have been. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 22, 2020, 03:53:27 PM

"Hitler Goes Kaput!" (2003)
Ooookay, I think I have officially found the weirdest movie on TUBI. This is a Russian slapstick comedy (with sub-titles), about the misadventures of a Soviet spy masquerading as a Gestapo official during the waning days of WWII. When he and his lovely code-breaker partner/girlfriend attempt to escape from Berlin back to the Motherland, they encounter a series of wacky obstacles that lead to a final "couples" showdown with Hitler and Eva Braun!
...I'm not gonna lie, I probably only understood about half of what went on in this movie due to the language barrier (and a lot of what I assume were references to Russian pop culture that would be unknown to Western viewers)... but after the opening credits, which were full of big-boobed girls and explosions (scored to a Russian rap version of Britney Spears' "Oops I Did It Again") I couldn't take my eyes off of it, either.
I bet the guys who went on to make "Iron Sky" saw this movie and said, "We can do that too." The Nazis in this movie have dance-offs, throw gang signs, and use modern conveniences like flat screen TVs and e-mail. Hitler has a "personal DJ" whose name is "50 Shillings." After a while the movie stopped making sense completely, but I kept watching cuz leading lady Anna Semenovich was astoundingly, shall we say, "gifted" in her chest area.
Obviously this was a unique viewing experience. Your mileage may vary if you understand Russian, I get a feeling that a lot of the humor is lost in the translation.

This is amazingly silly. Apparently it is a parody of a Russian spy series, so it probably makes more sense if you have seen the original. This does make Spaceballs look serious.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 23, 2020, 12:41:16 PM
SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO (2007): A lone gunslinger rides into a town where rival gangs of outlaw samurai fight over a treasure. This spaghetti western directed by Takashi Miike is exactly what you'd expect a spaghetti western directed by Takashi Miike to look like: oversaturated colors, insane gun battles, impossible to follow plot, a very thin fourth wall, goofy comic relief, stylistic changes every five minutes, etc. In another odd choice, the Japanese cast speak heavily-accented English, and Quentin Tarantino shows up as... someone or other. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 24, 2020, 12:52:11 AM
SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO (2007): A lone gunslinger rides into a town where rival gangs of outlaw samurai fight over a treasure. This spaghetti western directed by Takashi Miike is exactly what you'd expect a spaghetti western directed by Takashi Miike to look like: oversaturated colors, insane gun battles, impossible to follow plot, a very thin fourth wall, goofy comic relief, stylistic changes every five minutes, etc. In another odd choice, the Japanese cast speak heavily-accented English, and Quentin Tarantino shows up as... someone or other. 3/5.

If I hadn't turned on the subtitles on my DVD, I'd never have known that some of the dialogue was actually in English


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on April 24, 2020, 10:20:18 AM
PHONE BOOTH (2002)

Publicist Stuart Shepard finds himself trapped in a phone booth, pinned down by an extortionist's sniper rifle. Unable to leave or receive outside help, Stuart's negotiation with the caller leads to a jaw-dropping climax.

From a simple premise and nothing more than a phone booth in the middle of the street, this movie managed to grab my attention for its duration. Farrel does an amazing job, although I felt a little bit disappointed by the whole motives behind the sniper - he's pretty much comparing a corrupt politician and a pedophile to a guy who lied to his wife. Seriously?

Definitely a very entertaining and engaging thriller. 8/10  :thumbup:

QUICK CHANGE (1990)

Three thieves successfully rob a New York City bank, but making the escape from the city proves to be almost impossible.

The classic bank robbing with an unusual scam involved, the first and only directed/produced/starred movie by Bill Murray is a great way to have a few chuckles, not to mention, your sarcastic dose of that man himself. The movie starts amazingly but starts to fall short as soon the whole romantic garbage shows up. Luckily, it gets salvaged by the constant bad luck of the gang, which grants tons of chuckles.
I do have to say tho that the character of Randy Quaid was absolutely annoying, and I couldn't stand it. Was he retarded or something? I really didn't get it.

Fun but forgettable, in my opinion. 7/10  :drink:

EXAM (2009)

Eight candidates for a highly desirable corporate job are locked together in an exam room and given a final test with just one seemingly simple question. However, it doesn't take long for confusion to ensue and tensions to unravel.

An interesting promise, that's for sure. I tend to enjoy those movies which happen in a single room, and this one was no exception. My main gripe with this was that the characters didn't really acted like normal human beings. Why everybody was so quick to follow White directions? Why nobody stopped Brown immediately when he started torturing a woman? Not to mention, some plot holes, like for example the fact that nobody got disqualified after soaking their papers in water.

Apart from that, the movie is really engaging and you're totally commited to find out the question like the rest. Sadly, the final answer turns out to be really disappointing, like a silly kids trick.

Good and fairly unique movie tho. 7/10  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 24, 2020, 01:54:03 PM
Gabriel - I saw Exam. I liked it more than you but I think I was so taken with the premise that I ignored all the stuff you mentioned.


Dark Places (2015) - theres a scene in this where someone hits someone in the head to knock them out to prevent them from leaving. I got to thinking: that happens a lot in movies, definitely more than in real life. No one has ever done that to me.

Anyway, butched up Charlize theron is the grown up sole survivor of a massacre of her whole family perpetrated by her brother...or did he? She meets up with a couple of true crime/ serial killer enthusiasts and starts to question her memory of the event. Its a little longer than 90 minutes but you want it to be and it does a great job of fleshing out the case while also not being self indulgent.

The story itself bears some superficial resemblence to the Tennessee 3 or whatever it was: the kids who got convicted of murder and rape for being metalheads. you gotta love Christina Hendricks too as the Mom

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 25, 2020, 12:10:38 PM
In the shadow of Iris (2016) - video stores used to have a foreign section and all of them would have a review that said "sexy" or "erotic" so people would rent it. this is is one of those. a little confusing and the guys beard is distractingly bushy but overall 👍


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on April 25, 2020, 03:38:40 PM
Beyond Skyline. A follow up to a dull sci-fi movie whose best part was during the end credits. This takes the film in more a familiar direction, with a disparate group trying to survive the invasion. It is that rare thing, a sequel which is better than the first film.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 26, 2020, 10:07:49 AM
"Silent Rage" (1982)
Chuck Norris is a small town Texas sheriff who must protect his lady love from a seemingly indestructible psychotic killer, created by a science experiment gone wrong.
An odd mix of the action and slasher genres, "Silent Rage" never quite finds a balance between the two sides, but the non-stop violence kept me entertained. Essentially it's Chuck Norris vs. Michael Myers (it even borrows/steals the last shots of the original "Halloween" for a climactic scene!). I loved this movie when I was 13, but it hasn't aged very well. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 26, 2020, 02:55:48 PM
"Extraction" (2020)
India's biggest drug lord hires a mercenary (Chris "Thor" Hemsworth) to rescue his teenaged son, who's been kidnapped by a Bangladeshi rival. Bullets fly, people die, cars crash, stuff blows up.
There's not much plot in this Netflix original, but the action sequences and stunt work are top notch and the body count is astronomical. Not a classic but a decent enough butt-kicker for a rainy Sunday afternoon.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 26, 2020, 04:02:03 PM
RABID (2019)  A remake of the late 70's classic with Marilyn Chambers; less nudity and more gore than the original.
Good makeup effects, some impressive kills, a rather incoherent plot.  Overall, not a bad way to spend a quarantine evening. 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on April 26, 2020, 05:41:50 PM
IDENTITY (2003)

Stranded at a desolate Nevada motel during a nasty rain storm, ten strangers become acquainted with each other when they realize that they're being killed off one by one.

Very entertaining movie, with a rather unusual multiple personalities plot accompanied by a nice twist at the end. The whole scenario with the neverending rain is really creepy and the overall feel of the movie is great. John Cusack, like always, kick ass.

Totally recommended for a fast paced and suspenseful watch. 8/10  :thumbup:

EXECUTIVE DECISION (1996)

When terrorists seize control of an airliner, an intelligence analyst accompanies a commando unit for a midair boarding operation.

What can you say about this movie? It screams 90's in every one if its cliche ridden scenes. The bonkers plot and incredibly slow but thrilling action will keep you in your seat to the end.

While nothing special, it is definitely an enjoyable ride! 7/10  :drink:

SOURCE CODE (2011)

A soldier wakes up in someone else's body and discovers he's part of an experimental government program to find the bomber of a commuter train within 8 minutes.

Whoa, this was a damn good movie. Right off the bat the confusion you're submited to hooks you in, and like the protagonist, you're given information piece by piece, which I think it's what makes it so appealing. Plenty of moral and metaphysics discussions can arise after watching this amazing movie.
Another hit from Duncan Jones, I need to see MOON now. 9/10  :hot:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on April 26, 2020, 06:11:32 PM
stephen king's storm of the century

i'm guessing this was a tv miniseries? it was surprisingly good, since none of the other stuff he produced himself has impressed me. and btw, there IS the advantage with netflix DVD rental when your #1 keeps getting marked "wait" , you get an extra dvd, so we got both discs  and binged the whole thing at once! i may need to read the original story.... :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 27, 2020, 11:32:06 AM
"Boiled Angels: The Trial of Mike Diana" (2019)
In the early '90s, an underground cartoonist named Mike Diana was hauled into a Florida court over the disturbing images of sex and violence in his self published comic book 'zine, Boiled Angel. After a brief trial, Diana was the first (and still only) artist ever to be successfully prosecuted for obscenity in America.

This intriguing documentary (directed by Frank "Basket Case" Henenlotter and narrated by Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys) examines how Mike's right to free artistic expression clashed with local community standards, via vintage news footage of the case and interviews with legal experts and comic book historians.

I'm not gonna lie, Mike Diana seems like a weird mo-fo and his comics were indeed quite sick (the examples shown in the film are definitely not for the faint of heart), but in the end, I don't think he was guilty of anything other than bad taste, which last time I checked, was not a crime.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 27, 2020, 01:52:56 PM
fat freddy - have you ever read Eletric Retard comics? similar content  http://archive.is/hs2yw (http://archive.is/hs2yw)

The Gift - not the demented Perry Farrel experimental film, instead Teen Wolf too Jason Batemen plays a guy who gets harassed by a weirdo from his old high school...or does he? Could use some more sex, comic relief, color, etc and a few less red herrings but  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 27, 2020, 04:57:33 PM
fat freddy - have you ever read Eletric Retard comics? similar content  [url]http://archive.is/hs2yw[/url] ([url]http://archive.is/hs2yw[/url])


Never heard of 'em but I love the name! Haha.

I was only vaguely familiar with the Diana case, I was a comic book fan in the 80s and 90s so I guess some info must have made its way into comic book newsletters/etc...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 27, 2020, 05:28:13 PM
fat freddy - have you ever read Eletric Retard comics? similar content  [url]http://archive.is/hs2yw[/url] ([url]http://archive.is/hs2yw[/url])


Never heard of 'em but I love the name! Haha.

I was only vaguely familiar with the Diana case, I was a comic book fan in the 80s and 90s so I guess some info must have made its way into comic book newsletters/etc...


I wrote an article about the case for my own 'zine back in the 90s. I read Diana's comics fro the assignment. It's like serial killer/child molester fanfiction. Utterly horrible, nihilistic stuff that will make you hate humanity. They have scarred me to this day. Should he have been prosecuted? No. Should anyone read the comics? No.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 27, 2020, 07:09:06 PM
in the one interview he gave, the electric retard guy listed Diana as his only influence


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 28, 2020, 12:31:33 PM
Creep - pretty decent found footage ish horror movie thats done well enough or was thought to be good enough to garner a sequel, not that thats saying much nowadays. A broke film maker gets a lucky break: filming a guy for one day for a thousand bucks. The guy unfortunately is a total weirdo and 1000 starts to seem like peanuts relative to what he has to put up with.

I was initially put off by the by now pretty played out lo fi touch, but ultimately it works well enough.

4/5 its as good as it can be. I'm kind of burnt out on "awkward guy won't leave me alone" movies though



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 29, 2020, 09:23:34 AM
EXTRA ORDINARY (2019): A man who is haunted by his nagging dead wife tries to coax a medium out of retirement, but a pop star trying to summon Satan to revive his stalled career interrupts their burgeoning romance. Given the setup, the plot's surprisingly predictable, but there are a couple of chuckles to be had. I think people will like it well enough to spend 90 minutes with it, then forget it. However, personally I had to deduct 1/2 star because I kept imagining Melissa McCarthy starring in the Hollywood remake. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 29, 2020, 12:44:52 PM
Creep 2 (2017) - In this one, the creep meets his match in the form of an unflappable young filmmaker who is so desperate for youtube hits she doesn't seem to believe or even care that he's a strangling mangler :thumbup: she is one tough customer. ending wasn't quite as epic as part 1


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 29, 2020, 09:57:03 PM
Live and Let Die (1973)
Roger Moore's first mission as James Bond sends him to Harlem, New Orleans, and the Caribbean, where the prime minister of a small island nation is also in charge of a major heroin smuggling ring. The influence of the then-current "blaxploitation" film craze is all over this one, so it hasn't aged particularly well, but it's a fun adventure anyway.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 30, 2020, 11:04:35 AM
"Comic Book Confidential" (1988)
Cool (though a bit dated now) documentary that takes viewers through the history of American comic books, via interviews with legends like Jack Kirby, William M. Gaines, Al Feldstein, Robert Crumb, Frank Miller, and many more. Neat stuff for fanboys.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 01, 2020, 09:05:08 AM
MURDER DEATH KOREATOWN (2020): An unemployed man becomes obsessed with a murder that happened in a nearby apartment complex, but his investigation quickly becomes paranoid as he imagines a wide-ranging conspiracy. It's presented as "found footage" (though someone put in a soundtrack) and submitted anonymously. A laudable experiment in low budget character study, though it has some pacing issues (the protagonist goes from zero to schizo in under twenty minutes) and with zero action the interest often sags. Rating is on entertainment and artistic value alone, but if you're the type to give bonus stars to productions for overcoming low-budget obstacles, you'll want to bump this up, since the makers created something capable of keeping your interest at a budget well under $1000 (maybe under $100, not counting sweat equity). Made it to Amazon Prime and I bet they will turn a small profit. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 02, 2020, 02:11:45 AM
The Babysitter (2017)

Cole (Judah Lewis) is an overprotected boy, whose parents insist he still has a babysitter. Luckily for him, that is Bee (Samara Weaving) who is not only gorgeous and cool, but the only person who takes him seriously. But then Cole finds out that Bee is really the leader of a satanic cult, and the movie quickly turns into a very gory version of Home Alone.

This is good fun. The movie sets its sights low: it just wants to provide entertainment for 90 minutes and it delivers. It is by no means perfect, there are strange gimmicks and with its combination of snarky dialogue and scares it tries very hard to be Buffy, and doesn't succeed. However, Samara Weaving and Judah Lewis are excellent. They have a real chemistry and their performances make the movie more than a run of the mill horror comedy.

If you liked Samara Weaving in Ready or Not, and see her turn the tables, this is the movie for you.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on May 02, 2020, 05:15:14 AM
Live and Let Die (1973)
Roger Moore's first mission as James Bond sends him to Harlem, New Orleans, and the Caribbean, where the prime minister of a small island nation is also in charge of a major heroin smuggling ring. The influence of the then-current "blaxploitation" film craze is all over this one, so it hasn't aged particularly well, but it's a fun adventure anyway.



The dumb ass apartheid censors cut out the sex scenes between Sir Roger Moore and Gloria Hendry  :tongueout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 02, 2020, 07:19:19 AM
The dumb ass apartheid censors cut out the sex scenes between Sir Roger Moore and Gloria Hendry  :tongueout:

I've read that the Moore/Hendry love scene wasn't particularly well received in the Southern part of the U.S. at the time, either.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 03, 2020, 09:56:49 AM
"A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman" (2012)

Highlights of the late Graham Chapman's life and career are presented via recordings of his voice (taped during the '80s, from his book of the same name) and brought to life in a series of animated sketches. It's an interesting idea, but the animation styles vary from segment to segment and the clashes between them (going from ultra-realistic to artsy/surreal, cartoony, and sometimes downright ugly) eventually becomes a distraction. Most of the surviving Python members (except Eric Idle) have voice parts in the film, which is a nice touch, but I was bored long before it ended. Even Python diehards will probably find this to be a tough slog. Disappointing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 03, 2020, 05:08:11 PM
"We Are The League" (2019)
A wildly entertaining documentary about The Anti-Nowhere League, the raunchy, obnoxious early '80s English punk legends best known for the tracks "Streets of London," "I Hate People," and of course, "So What" (later made famous by Metallica). Lead singer "Animal" (the only original member still in the band) comes off like a punk Lemmy, and he and his mates mix lots of foul-mouthed, gross and hilarious stories with a bunch of never-before-seen vintage performance footage. A cool portrait of a band that's still bad ass as ever, nearly 40 years on. Long live the League!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 04, 2020, 10:48:58 AM
Hush - a deaf mute woman is under siege in her house by a guy with an ironically happy face mask. Hey, at least shes not pregnant, too. A little shorter than 90 minutes was a good idea. It was tense and entertaining enough for that amount of time.

one thing 's for sure: If I am ever straddling someones chest with the intent of finishing them off I will closely watch their hands to make sure they don't grab a wine cork or other object that happens to be within reach!

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 05, 2020, 09:40:09 AM
"Welcome To Your Funeral: The Story of Rigor Mortis, Part One" (2015)
A charmingly cheap documentary (narrated by Phil Anselmo) about the semi-legendary Texas speed/thrash band, who rose from the underground and achieved instant cult stardom when they became the first Texas metal band to sign a major label deal, beating their cross town rivals Pantera to the punch by a couple of years.
I was never a particularly huge Rigor Mortis fan and hadn't heard them in years, but this was a fun trip back in time. The band members tell lots of hilarious stories of their days thrashing, drinking and brawling across the Texas club scene, supported by loads of vintage photos, concert flyers, live videos, and other cool stuff.
The film is sub-titled "Part One" but considering that two of the Rigor Mortis members have passed away (guitarist Mike Scaccia and vocalist Bruce Corbitt, who directed this doc), I wonder if there will ever be a "Part Two."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 05, 2020, 02:05:21 PM
DEERSKIN (2019): A middle-aged man becomes obsessed with his new deerskin jacket and enters into an unhealthy symbiotic relationship with it. The concept pushes the limits of absurdity, but DEERSKIN is actually more restrained and focused than the Quentin Dupieux's usual black comedies, an approach perhaps taken to best utilize the talents of the movie's top asset---Oscar winner Jean Dujardin, whose aging, delusional narcissist is as believable as the scenario is ridiculous. 3/5. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on May 05, 2020, 05:11:30 PM
i bought a bunch of movies recently at drug mart for a buck and this isn't the thread to post all of those but i did watch one of them and that's (2017)'s

Wind River  10/10 a must see peeps and my folks rented it when it came out because at drug mart you still can rent movies but i dunno about now though during the virus  threat... anyways they both enjoyed it and the ones i bought were ones i haven't seen And Wind River was one of them.


we had showtime for free this past weekend and i dvr'd a crap load of movies, i watched "American History X' (1998)  the other night and i really loved it i had never seen it before and had always wanted to see it. 10/10. than i watched one i wish i did buy and i will this one you guys have to watch it's called

Trumbo (2015)  with Bryon Cranston  and it had a fantastic cast about Dalton Trumbo and him being blacklisted in hollywood during the 50's.  though i could have lived without seeing Bryon Cranston's ass though.  the film was simply Brilliant though 10/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on May 05, 2020, 06:10:14 PM
i've been meaning to watch trumbo( yes, i have a huge list of those, lol!) , good to see you enjoyed it, penny. :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 07, 2020, 10:10:21 AM
"The Substitute 3: Winner Takes All" (1999)
Treat Williams is back for another round of readin', writin' and corporal punishment. This time a college-campus visit to an old war buddy's daughter leads him to uncover a mob-run, school-supported steroid manufacturing operation on campus. The usual mayhem and destruction follows. Cheap & cheesy but entertaining direct-to-video action junk.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 08, 2020, 01:03:16 AM
They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)

Peter Jackson's monumental documentary using a truly massive amount of restored and colourised archive footage to accompany the stories of veterans. If I have to make a minor quibble, it largely sticks to the accepted narrative of the British experience of  the Western Front, and doesn't explore other aspects. That being said, it is truly impressive and doesn't pull any punches, neither about the horrors of war, nor about the seedier aspects of front life. If you want to see the reality behind the movie 1917, this is a must see.

Also, about every ten minutes there is a mention of tea.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on May 08, 2020, 10:28:27 AM
MOON (2009)

Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet's power problems.

Decided to watch the first directing work from Duncan Jones, I went with high expectations and came out even more surprised. This movie is simply amazing.
Talking too much about it would break the plot, but the whole situation really makes you feel like you're in the moon with Sam Bell. The scenery is amazing and you can feel the effect of his prolongued solitude and particular situation as if you were there with him.
For fans of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY this is a must. I actually think it's better, to be honest I never really enjoyed the snobish, boring and pretentious works of Kubrick.

I do have to say that this movie needs a lot more of GERTY. HAL sucks compared to him. 10/10 :thumbup:

CONTACT (1997)

Dr. Ellie Arroway, after years of searching, finds conclusive radio proof of extraterrestrial intelligence, sending plans for a mysterious machine.

What can you say about this classic? I never had the chance to watch it fully but now that I did, whoa, what a movie. The constant struggle between science and religion is discussed in depth here, and it will make you think about it for hours, if not years to come. Jodie Foster is simply incredible.

Truly, a movie that can make you meditate about the very nature of our existence. 10/10 :thumbup:

BLADE RUNNER 2049 (2017)

Young Blade Runner K's discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former Blade Runner Rick Deckard, who's been missing for thirty years.

Not long ago I watched the original BLADE RUNNER for the first time and I liked it a lot. I mean, it was nothing original, but the scenery and effects were marvelous, as well the protagonist by Harrison Ford. The sequel is simply garbage in my opinion. What was the point of the virtual chick? What about that ridiculous threesome, and why they give it so much screen time? What? Why? What?
The main point of the plot makes no sense: why would you go through the effort of letting replicants reproduce, when it's much more time consuming and expensive? Just by answering that question you'll realize the whole "searching for the secret" it's ridiculous.
The ending doesn't solve anything, like, at all. Any question you had will remain unanswered. How do they reproduce? Did they got away? Did the rebellion worked? Good luck figuring that out.

The worst thing about this movie is the pacing. Literally, every scene seems to go in slow motion. Now, the first one had this slow pacing, but it worked because it actually server a purpose - here, it's just to pan the whole movie. I was bored out of my skull with this, and couldn't care less about anyone except Lieutenant Joshi, who sadly was nothing but a secondary character. Harrison Ford was just there for the paycheck, he looked even more bored than me. Jared Leto was the most cheesy and ridiculous villain I've seen in a while; his monologues were terrible and made no f**king sense.

Terrible movie and an insult to the original. It's silly to think that the first one looked way better and had only a fraction of its budget. 4/10  :thumbdown:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 08, 2020, 08:42:22 PM
"Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" (2017)
In a high-tech update of the '90s hit, four kids boot up an old video game and suddenly find themselves trapped inside it. To return home, their "avatars" (Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan) must battle a variety of bad guys and survive numerous perils to finish the game. Fast, funny, action packed, family friendly popcorn fun. My video game crazed 12 year old loved this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 09, 2020, 03:41:08 AM
Mayhem (2017)

Continuing my series of watching Samara Weaving kick ass, I saw Mayhem (2017). A big office building of a law firm is infected by a virus that turns people into raving maniacs. Steven Yeun and Samara Weaving are trapped inside and fight their way to the top to obtain justice.

It is a satire about corporate greed and the unscrupulous behaviour of law firms, and a very heavy handed one at that. This is the kind of movie where the director constantly worries whether he has made everything sufficiently obvious. It is also very lazy, things happen purely for plot convenience, the effects of the virus vary as and when required, there are repeated infodumps by voice off...
This is not a bad movie, it has its moments. However, it never strays from the formula.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 09, 2020, 12:05:11 PM
14 Cameras - A guy films people in airbnb type houses he rents out and sells the footage on the darkweb. Why anyone would want to do that when theres free porn online is a mystery but awesome movie. The guy is so sick. plot is simple and it doesn't reach any amazing heights but timely and creepy 4.25/5

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EXlv4DOXYAM7xe2?format=jpg&name=small)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 09, 2020, 05:59:57 PM
"Demolition Man" (1993)
A two-fisted, all-guns-blazing 20th century cop (Sylvester Stallone) cryogenically frozen in 1996, is thawed out in the year 2032 when his arch enemy (Wesley Snipes, clearly having the time of his life) resurfaces in the ultra-PC, docile, safe-as-milk California of the future. Bullets fly, cars crash, and things frequently explode as Sly shows the wimpy future cops (incl. a young, cute-as-hell Sandra Bullock) how real police handled crime back in the day.
This elaborate, satirical sci-fi action flick gets a lot of laughs out Stallone's attempts to adjust to the dystopian 21st century, but doesn't hold back when it comes to action sequences, which are still impressive today. One of Sly's better mid-career efforts.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 09, 2020, 06:20:16 PM
"Demolition Man" (1993)
A two-fisted, all-guns-blazing 20th century cop (Sylvester Stallone) cryogenically frozen in 1996, is thawed out in the year 2032 when his arch enemy (Wesley Snipes, clearly having the time of his life) resurfaces in the ultra-PC, docile, safe-as-milk California of the future. Bullets fly, cars crash, and things frequently explode as Sly shows the wimpy future cops (incl. a young, cute-as-hell Sandra Bullock) how real police handled crime back in the day.
This elaborate, satirical sci-fi action flick gets a lot of laughs out Stallone's attempts to adjust to the dystopian 21st century, but doesn't hold back when it comes to action sequences, which are still impressive today. One of Sly's better mid-career efforts.

Given the current toilet paper shortage, I just wish someone would explain to me how to use the three shells!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 10, 2020, 08:29:31 PM
"The Substitute 4: Failure Is Not an Option" (2001)
Treat Williams' third and final go-round as the avenging educator sends him to an exclusive military academy, where a crazed commandant is recruiting the school's elite cadets for a white-supremacist army.
Treat and the supporting cast do their best, but the action is hampered by the movie's obvious made-for-cable budget restraints.
I guess if you've seen the other 3 "Substitutes," you might as well watch this one to run the table, but otherwise there's no real need to bother with it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 11, 2020, 10:55:12 AM
PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN (1951): A cruel seductress falls for a ship captain who may in fact be the Flying Dutchman, a sailor cursed to wander the seas forever until he can find a woman willing to die for him to break the curse. A bit too slow-paced and obvious, but it does have James Mason and Ava Gardner and a s**t ton of class. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 11, 2020, 12:44:20 PM
Given the current toilet paper shortage, I just wish someone would explain to me how to use the three shells!

Maybe they'll explain it in the sequel that Stallone sez is supposedly in development right now... :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 12, 2020, 01:00:51 PM
13 cameras - for once, this prior installment is NOT as a good as the sequel, which avoids all the formality and just gets to the squirm.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 12, 2020, 01:04:53 PM
At The Earths Core. Peter Cushing & Doug Maclure meet Caroline Munro beneath the earth. Campy but enjoyable adventure.

Tales from the Crypt. More Peter Cushing, along with Joan Collins, Ralph Richardson and Nigel Patrick is a set of portmanu stories from Amicus.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 13, 2020, 08:56:20 AM
ASSASSIN 33 A.D. (2020): Muslim extremists use a time machine to go back to 33 A.D. to try to assassinate Jesus; with the encouragement of his Christian girlfriend, an agnostic genius tries to fix the time stream. I wouldn't say its impossible to make a good Christian time travel movie; but I am pretty sure it is impossible to make a good Christian time travel movie that involves strike teams with assault weapons going back to 1st century Judea to kill Jesus. 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 13, 2020, 11:56:13 AM
ASSASSIN 33 A.D. (2020): Muslim extremists use a time machine to go back to 33 A.D. to try to assassinate Jesus; with the encouragement of his Christian girlfriend, an agnostic genius tries to fix the time stream. I wouldn't say its impossible to make a good Christian time travel movie; but I am pretty sure it is impossible to make a good Christian time travel movie that involves strike teams with assault weapons going back to 1st century Judea to kill Jesus. 1.5/5.

This one sounds like a real groaner, but at the same time I'm a bit curious . . .


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 13, 2020, 12:31:33 PM
what would Jesus do...in that situation


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 13, 2020, 02:59:07 PM
ASSASSIN 33 A.D. (2020): Muslim extremists use a time machine to go back to 33 A.D. to try to assassinate Jesus; with the encouragement of his Christian girlfriend, an agnostic genius tries to fix the time stream. I wouldn't say its impossible to make a good Christian time travel movie; but I am pretty sure it is impossible to make a good Christian time travel movie that involves strike teams with assault weapons going back to 1st century Judea to kill Jesus. 1.5/5.

This one sounds like a real groaner, but at the same time I'm a bit curious . . .

There are so many problems with it my head is spinning. It's hard to make an action movie with lots of gun battles and still be a "faith based" movie about a pacifist who preached to "love your enemies." The script's solution, I guess, is that Jesus is just fine with automatic weapons as long as you only shoot Muslim terrorists.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 14, 2020, 12:56:20 AM
ASSASSIN 33 A.D. (2020): Muslim extremists use a time machine to go back to 33 A.D. to try to assassinate Jesus; with the encouragement of his Christian girlfriend, an agnostic genius tries to fix the time stream. I wouldn't say its impossible to make a good Christian time travel movie; but I am pretty sure it is impossible to make a good Christian time travel movie that involves strike teams with assault weapons going back to 1st century Judea to kill Jesus. 1.5/5.

I'm not qualified to comment on theological points, but given that the death and subsequent resurrection of Jesus is a central tenet of the Christian faith, how does this even make sense? The whole point is that Jesus died for our sins.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 14, 2020, 11:01:26 AM
"Freejack" (1992)
A 1990s race-car driver (Emilio Estevez) is teleported out of a crash a split second before he would have been killed, and finds himself on the run in the dystopian New York City of 2009 (hah!), where rich elites routinely pluck healthy bodies out of the past to transfer their minds into.

This fast paced, dumb but fun sci-fi action thriller is worth a watch mainly for the stunt casting of Mick Jagger (!) -- he plays a bounty hunter who pursues Estevez's character, with a "What the hell am I doing in this movie? Remind me to fire my agent" look on his face the entire time. Sir Anthony Hopkins, fresh off of his triumphant turn in "Silence of the Lambs," shows up for a quick paycheck playing the film's Big Bad, and Renee "Lethal Weapon Babe" Russo, as Estevez's love interest, doesn't do much besides stand around and pout.

The "virtual reality" special effects were  pretty whiz-bang for the time period, but have aged horribly, and as an added Metal Nerd Bonus, the end credit theme is the Scorpions' "Hit Between the Eyes." A time capsule of early '90s cheesiness!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on May 14, 2020, 12:58:33 PM
MAD MAX (1979)

In a self-destructing world, a vengeful Australian policeman sets out to stop a violent motorcycle gang.

I gotta say, this movie didn't aged well in my eyes. Still, the simple premise works, and the young Mel Gibson does make a good job as the broken interceptor.
My main gripe with it is that it barely feels post apocalyptic and certainly not futuristic. There's zero background for the current state of the world, and nobody seems to have serious issues getting water, fuel, or anything else to be honest. Heck, they even go in a vacation to a beatiful place and have ice cream, wtf.

Entertaining but nowadays it's only good to serve as a trampoline for the sequel. 6/10  :lookingup:

MAD MAX II (1981)

In the post-apocalyptic Australian wasteland, a cynical drifter agrees to help a small, gasoline rich community escape a horde of bandits.

This is it, now we're talking. The movie begins with a great introduction about the world and its people, setting the tone just right. Max is clearly defined as a violent but noble wanderer, and the rest of the characters are just amazing, especially the Gyro Captain. The plot is rather bland but enough to keep you entertained, and doesn't try to take itself too seriously, which works great because there's plenty of delicious cheesyness around.

Great movie, and a total classic that spawned a million copycats. 8/10 :thumbup:

MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME (1985)

After being exiled from the most advanced town in post apocalyptic Australia, a drifter travels with a group of abandoned children to rebel against the town's queen.

When this movie started I was actually really hooked. The whole idea of Bartertown, the deceiving queen, and the crazy characters was awesome. Master Blaster looked great and everything went flawlessly... until someone lost the script and had to come up with something else, and quick. So it begins Mad Max Meets Peter Pan, and it goes downhill from there, never to recover again.
If you enjoyed the violence and somber tone of the previous movies, get ready to be disappointed with this ridiculous garbage. And please, please tell me something: why would they cast Bruce Spence again for an exactly looking role than MAD MAX II, but changing the character altogether? Are you saying that you have another guy who flies, looks and dress exactly the same, but he's a completely different person? Why would they do that will always be a mystery to me.

Avoid this like the plague, it's a complete disaster. Or just watch until the Thunderdome scene is over, at least you'll enjoy that. 4/10  :thumbdown:

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)

In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a woman rebels against a tyrannical ruler in search for her homeland with the aid of a group of female prisoners, a psychotic worshiper, and a drifter named Max.

I try to avoid reboots but decided to give this one a chance, since, like MAD MAX II, it was made by George Miller. I gotta say, the guy did a great job, although there are some problems with this movie. First, there's no plot. Like, at all. It's not until 60 minutes in, when they meet the biker grannies, when something resembling a plot starts to show, but there's not much else that "they escape from point A, reach point B, and go back to point A". That's right: the first hour is nothing more than a big, huge, crazy car chase.
Along the way we have very little character development, enough for us to care for the characters. Max barely talks, although I think Tom Hardy did a good work trying to emulate Mel Gibson. Charlize Theron kicks ass and she's probably the best of the bunch, honestly the movie would fall apart without her commanding and empathic presence.

One thing I absolutely loved about this movie it's the looks. Every character is completely different, and it tells a story of its own; hell, you could make spinoffs of pretty much everyone involved, even the guitar guy. The rigs are pure badass and the practical effects are amazing; it's only when they use CGI that the movie starts to look like a videogame, like when they go into the thunderstorm.

You'll find plenty of nods to MAD MAX II, like the musical box, Max's broken leg, the failing shotgun, and even the Gyro Captain skull, all which show the love of its creator., and may bring you for a second viewing. A very fun movie, but you'll probably forget about it the following week. 7/10  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 14, 2020, 01:36:34 PM
The guitar guy actually got a back story.

Quote
There are two different back stories for Coma. George's version was Coma lived in an abandoned mine with his mother. He survived eating rodents and drinking water from the sea bed. Immortan Joe came past the mine one day and heard Coma playing guitar. He was taken in and from there rose to the position of bugler, calling everyone to war.

Iota expanded on that: he was a child musical prodigy brought up in a happy environment by his mother, who was a musician herself. Then Coma and his mother were attacked. His mother was dragged away and days later someone dropped her head in Coma's lap. Immortan Joe found Coma clinging to the head of his mother. Joe took him in. There are two different stories about the origin of his mask. The first story notes that Coma made a mask from his mother's face, which he sliced from her skull himself.[1] The second story differs, claiming that Immortan Joe made the mask for him, a battle singer, to "Enact Joe's revenge on the world with his mother's screaming face on."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 14, 2020, 02:49:37 PM
The guitar guy actually got a back story.

Quote
There are two different back stories for Coma. George's version was Coma lived in an abandoned mine with his mother. He survived eating rodents and drinking water from the sea bed. Immortan Joe came past the mine one day and heard Coma playing guitar. He was taken in and from there rose to the position of bugler, calling everyone to war.

Iota expanded on that: he was a child musical prodigy brought up in a happy environment by his mother, who was a musician herself. Then Coma and his mother were attacked. His mother was dragged away and days later someone dropped her head in Coma's lap. Immortan Joe found Coma clinging to the head of his mother. Joe took him in. There are two different stories about the origin of his mask. The first story notes that Coma made a mask from his mother's face, which he sliced from her skull himself.[1] The second story differs, claiming that Immortan Joe made the mask for him, a battle singer, to "Enact Joe's revenge on the world with his mother's screaming face on."

I am the only person I know who hated the guitarist. When I mentioned hating him I found out I was apparently the only person in the world who hated him. I still think he belongs in a KISS video, not a Mad Max movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 14, 2020, 03:34:24 PM
ASSASSIN 33 A.D. (2020): Muslim extremists use a time machine to go back to 33 A.D. to try to assassinate Jesus; with the encouragement of his Christian girlfriend, an agnostic genius tries to fix the time stream. I wouldn't say its impossible to make a good Christian time travel movie; but I am pretty sure it is impossible to make a good Christian time travel movie that involves strike teams with assault weapons going back to 1st century Judea to kill Jesus. 1.5/5.

Not gonna lie, that sounds (pun intended) god-awful, but I'd watch it anyway.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on May 14, 2020, 07:13:27 PM
I am the only person I know who hated the guitarist. When I mentioned hating him I found out I was apparently the only person in the world who hated him. I still think he belongs in a KISS video, not a Mad Max movie.

Well, to be fair, I don't particularly love the character, just the looks of it. I too believe electric guitars have no place in a Mad Max movie, and actually I thought about it while watching it, since the idea was very funny to me. Did Immortan Joe gathered his men and said "all right, now I want one of you to stand in front of a car and play a flaming guitar day and night! That's an order!"? I wonder if he personally selected the speakers too, lol.

Having said that, I do think the character fits the whole mood of this particular film. Honestly, for some reason the movie kept bringing the figure of Eddie from Iron Maiden to my mind, so a guy with a guitar made sense to me. And to be fair, considering there's biker grannies and super agile rastafari guys throwing bombs, the guitar guy just blends in.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 15, 2020, 12:30:17 PM
Killer klowns from Outer Space - I hadn't seen this since it came out. like Elvira Mistress of the Dark and Pee Wee's Big Adventure it has that big comic book-y feel that the 80's uniquely delivered. obviously a bit of 50's/ midnight movie nostalgia is implied 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 15, 2020, 01:21:50 PM
Killer klowns from Outer Space - I hadn't seen this since it came out. like Elvira Mistress of the Dark and Pee Wee's Big Adventure it has that big comic book-y feel that the 80's uniquely delivered. obviously a bit of 50's/ midnight movie nostalgia is implied 5/5

With a remake on the way.  :question:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 16, 2020, 01:00:52 PM
the Klowns will bring everyone back to their rural cabin and torture them for 5 years then stupidly let them escape


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 16, 2020, 08:23:04 PM
"Moving Violations" (1985)
A crew of misfit drivers must graduate from the city's traffic school to regain their licenses, but the hard-ass police officer in charge of the course has no intention of letting any of them back on the road anytime soon. Wacky hijinks and low-brow laughs ensue.
This silly but fun variant on the "Police Academy" formula (it's from the same producers) stars Bill Murray's younger brother John (in his first and only lead movie role), supported by an impressive cast that includes Jennifer Tilly, Wendy Jo Sperber, the late Fred Willard, and even Clara "Where's the Beef?" Peller. I've enjoyed this movie since it was an HBO staple back in the '80s, yet it seems like I'm one of the few who even remembers it after all these years.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 17, 2020, 04:08:43 AM
The Battle of the Worlds (1961)
 
Another Italian production that tries to be American (Original title Il pianete degli uomini spenti - the planet of the extinct men). It has a lot in common with the War between the Planets (in fact, some of the spaceships and props look remarkably similar) in that a rogue planet comes into our solar system, and crates general mayhem. This time the planet turns out to be the last remnant of a long dead race (hence the Italian title).

While War between the Planets is all about daring adventures in space, this one takes a more 'intellectual' approach. It consists mainly of an insufferable know it all professor arguing with the authorities about what to do with the planet, and not agreeing on anything. In a curious way, the movie resembles a romantic opera: all tension is artificially created by stubborn adhesion to principles and a refusal to communicate, while the action mostly takes place off stage. Only this hasn't got any music. Instead, there is a lot of talk about Truth, and Science and Calculus, which seems to hold the key to the mysteries of the universe.

The space scenes are nothing to write home about, and acting is wooden all round, except for veteran Claude Rains as the professor, who takes it upon himself to compensate for the rest of the cast.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 17, 2020, 02:29:27 PM
"Bad Channels" (1992)
Alien invaders take over a radio station and use its signal to miniaturize Earth girls in order to bring them back to their home planet. Earth's only hope lies with an intrepid DJ trapped inside with the critters and a TV news reporter (MTV's Martha Quinn!) on the outside.
Cheesy on purpose sci-fi/comedy schlock from Full Moon Studios, featuring music from Blue Oyster Cult and Ron Keel's Fair Game. Good for a few chuckles but that's about it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on May 18, 2020, 08:14:08 AM
moving violations WOW i just love that movie so much, i watched it all the time as a kid, no i never really got the S&M jokes back than but than i don't remember asking either. it was either that or i just wasn't thinking about it at all i think that's about it cause it was done for comedy pretty much.

it's also got Stacey Keach's Brother as well in it. i in fact own this sucker on VHS. i really need to get it on blu-ray if it's even on it that is! i honestly can't remember. Killer klowns from outer space is a favorite of mine as well, the film is utter cheese fest and i love it, ICP though i doubt any fans of their music is on here but me lol. use John Vernon saying, Sgt can i help ya? i forget his name off hand? and it's the phone call he takes to that women saying she's got a killer clown at her front door and he doesn't believe her. the end of it has always been my favorite part to be honest, i had forgotten they were doing a remake
uh WHY exactly?


the film is perfect as it is i think. Bad Channels i have seen and it's simply awful i love Charles Band's films but that one is one of his worst. anyways,
i watched some bad ones myself lately. (1981)'s Final Exam holy F... is that an awful film, than i watched "The Initiation  from (1984) a really awful film with a great twist ending i did not see coming but than i really didn't think about either.


i watched on you tube in fact "Murder by Phone' and oldie from (1982)  aka Bells if you watch it in Canada.  a pretty good film actually and one i'm never gonna watch again but i liked it, it was different on you tube they had oh they so need to remake this, my question is WHY? not everything needs to be remade.


go after the really awful ones and remake those they need to leave the good ones alone ya know? but i good one i watched a few days ago you all should check out is (1981)'s The Burning' i had never seen it but i really loved it. 1st kill was about 40 minutes in and that surprised me but it worked because it had character development and we got to spend some time with them before they were killed off. well worth a watch for those who haven't seen it.

reading older posts Free Jack another classic from (1992)  is a favorite film of mine i haven't watched it in a few years so i dunno how good or bad it's aged to

be honest. though Mick Jagger was freaking awesome in it


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 18, 2020, 10:03:05 PM
"Rambo: Last Blood" (2019)
 Stallone's 5th (and final?) go-round as Rambo, Johnny is now living the quiet life on his family farm in Arizona, until his adopted daughter is kidnapped by human traffickers in Mexico, forcing him to head south of the border.
This one took a little while to get going but once the bodies start dropping, the violence is gloriously brutal. It's a decent butt kicker but its relatively small scope doesn't really feel like a "Rambo" movie, if that makes any sense -- it's a fairly generic revenge saga that could have starred just about anybody. Sly is looking kind of leathery nowadays so it may be time to put this franchise to rest.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on May 19, 2020, 07:49:23 AM
LOGAN (2017)

In a future where mutants are nearly extinct, an elderly and weary Logan leads a quiet life. But when Laura, a mutant child pursued by scientists, comes to him for help, he must get her to safety.

WARNING: SOME SPOILERS AHEAD

Apart from the original trilogies of SPIDER-MAN and X-MEN, I'm not much into super heroes movies. I watched X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE and I tought it was really good, not sure why everybody trashed it. In contrast, I consider THE WOLVERINE and DAYS OF FUTURE PAST complete garbage, and made me move away from the franchise altogether. I had the disgrace of watching stuff like BATMAN V SUPERMAN and one of the AVENGERS (don't ask me which), and I regret it to this day.
I decided to give this one a shot because I heard good things about it, and they weren't wrong. The movie does have some problems tho: it's extremely bleak and depressing, it has some plot holes, some things came out of nowhere, like the Logan clone, and it doesn't follow any of the other movies, since it's a stand alone film; this may be considered a good thing because someone who is not familiar with Wolverine or the X-Men franchise can follow the plot without any issues.

But these things are minor when you face amazing roles from the main leads, especially the young Dafne Keen as Laura. Unlike the previous films the gore is ranked up high, which I think it's fitting for the role of Wolvie, although it's weird seeing the Professor saying "f**king". Speaking of him, they gave a great ending to the main character but not to one of the most important ones in the whole franchise, they could've put more effort on his death I think. Still, Logan did had a good treatment, and his farewell from the screen was a satisfying one, ending with a note of hope.

A well done and powerful movie. 8/10  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 19, 2020, 08:50:03 AM
THE WOLF HOUSE [A CASA LOBO] (2018): Stop motion animation from Chile, telling the dark fairy tale story of a girl who flees a cult, finds an abandoned house in the woods, and raises two piglets as her children. The experimental animation traps us in a constantly shifting nightmare dollhouse; Maria merges into and out of the walls, conjures human features for her pigs, and even the religious paintings on the walls can't hold their forms for more than a second or two. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 20, 2020, 08:58:46 AM
THE LIVING IDOL (1957): A Mexican woman is inexplicably terrified by the sight of a stone idol; her adoptive father, an archeology professor, thinks it's a "racial memory" of an Aztec human sacrifice ritual. There's a lot of fevered nonsense in the second half of this ridiculous adventure yarn, but since the heroine starts off by falling in love with the movie's white-bread narrator, you have to sit through forty-five minutes of tepid romance before they let loose the jaguar and things heat up. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 21, 2020, 12:23:49 PM
The Heretics (2017) - Its not a masterpiece, but this movie has some really good EVIL in it, and thats high praise for a horror movie. At its best, it recalls the kind of late night devil worship movies I used to watch on Elvira and similar such programs. At its more mediocre , it's like so many of the quickly made, predictable looking and feeling movies of the current age. Hard to derive much meaning from it all, but you love to see someone who acts nice then has secret devil worship stuff in their closet. You know you do!

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 23, 2020, 12:50:23 PM
Terrifier - This had a bit of the classic slasher movie vibe, but the main actress is annoying and unlikeable and in retrospect it all makes very little sense. opening scene was really strong

2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on May 23, 2020, 03:53:14 PM
Underwater (2020)

At the bottom of the ocean researchers experience an earthquake (seaquake?) and strange lifeforms attacking their damaged facilities.

Sci-fi horror that borrows from Alien (1979). With a budget of $80m Underwater looks great but Kristen Stewart looks ...weird. Underwater delivers the goods at times and has a decent cast, creepy sea creatures and dazzling special effects but the film somehow still feels uneven and rushed. It kinda needed a final polish, and one has to wonder why Underwater was shelved for three years. For a double feature it makes for an entertaining warm up paired with Life (2017) as both are similar in character. My rating: 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 23, 2020, 10:23:34 PM
JOHN WICK 3: PARABELLUM   Keanu Reeves is back as the world's deadliest assassin in this third movie of the series.  This time they pretty much dispensed with all pretense of a plot and simply got straight to the killing; Wick has been declared "Excommunicado" and is being hunted all over the world.  Lots of blood, bullets, and bad acting.  The first installment was fun and entertaining, the second one had its moments, this one was just plain tiresome by the end. 2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 24, 2020, 05:55:13 AM
Byzantium (2012)

A mother and daughter vampire couple are hunted down by the other vampires because they have broken the Code of the Brotherhood (mainly by being women). This is an original take on vampire lore (including a pretty convoluted way of becoming a vampire), the effects of immortality and the attempts to escape to a better life. Well worth seeing and beautifully filmed.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 24, 2020, 07:07:27 AM
"Nightwatch" (1997)
A young law student (Ewan McGregor) takes a new job as the night watchman at the city morgue. Meanwhile, a necrophiliac serial killer is carving up local prostitutes and leaving clues at the scenes that point to McGregor's character. Can he clear his name before the psycho strikes again?
A fairly "meh" horror/thriller that wishes it was "Seven," apparently based on a Danish film from a few years earlier. Skippable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on May 24, 2020, 09:14:25 AM
The Best Little Whore House in Texas. 
Bury Reynolds is a good ol' boy Sheriff with a  temper and a regular patron of The Chicken Ranch.  The Chicken Ranch is local Whorehouse that's seen by the town, the sheriff, and the Mayor as providing an importan community service.  It's run by strict standards by Dolly Parton as place where people can go for "good clean wholesome fun".  When a TV expose reporter, played by Dom DeLuise, sets his sights on shutting it down for ratings, the sherrif has to fight to keep it open. 

It's not a great movie, but it's fun.  There's a few good musical numbers in it.  I especially like the governor singing "sidestep." 

It's a nice fun movie with a title that might put some people off, but nothing too out there. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 24, 2020, 10:22:29 AM
ESCAPE FROM THE 'LIBERTY' CINEMA (1990): A Communist censor is increasingly frustrated when the characters in a movie refuse to play their parts and start talking back to the audience instead. It's Poland's glasnost version of THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO---the filmmakers steal from Woody Allen's film as literally as you could imagine, but with a political purpose in mind. Unpredictable. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 24, 2020, 01:56:58 PM
Terrifier - This had a bit of the classic slasher movie vibe, but the main actress is annoying and unlikeable and in retrospect it all makes very little sense. opening scene was really strong

2.5/5

Is that the one with the clown cutting the woman in half at the start? I keep meaning to track that one down.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 24, 2020, 04:28:31 PM
"The Devil's Rejects" (2005)
In the follow up to Rob Zombie's "House of 1000 Corpses," the mass murdering Firefly "family's" home base is raided by police, which sends Capt. Spaulding (Sid Haig), Baby (Sheri Moon Zombie) and Otis (Bill Mosely) on the run through the Texas badlands -- pursued by a revenge-obsessed sheriff (William Forsythe) who might be just as crazy as they are. This ultra-violent, action packed and occasionally quite funny ode to Rob's favorite grindhouse splatter flicks of the '70s is a vast improvement over the first movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 24, 2020, 07:14:09 PM
Alex - yeah it's on Netflix instant. That was a high point for sure


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on May 24, 2020, 09:44:01 PM
Terrifier - This had a bit of the classic slasher movie vibe, but the main actress is annoying and unlikeable and in retrospect it all makes very little sense. opening scene was really strong

2.5/5

Is that the one with the clown cutting the woman in half at the start? I keep meaning to track that one down.
Yeah, it's the one with the black and white clown.  I love the clown's design but the movie itself felt like it needed more substance to it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 25, 2020, 12:10:03 PM
The Girl Next Door - this was the 07 horror movie not the one with the girl from 24.

I got about halfway through and saw where it was going. not for me _ / 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 25, 2020, 12:50:05 PM
LINCOLN (2013) - Rewatched one of my favorite films of all time last night; Spielberg's screenplay is brilliant and highly accurate, and Daniel Day Lewis brings Abraham Lincoln back to life with eerie authenticity.  Great supporting cast, especially Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens and Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln.  The focus of the film is on the legal battle to get the 13th Amendment through Congress before the end of the war, to make sure slavery was abolished forever, and how Lincoln used every political trick in the book to get the votes he needed to accomplish what he called the "King's Cure" for the evil of slavery.  One of my favorite films of all time, and I still tear up at the end.  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 25, 2020, 07:10:13 PM
Boo!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on May 26, 2020, 12:45:26 AM
Color Out of Space (2019)

A family of hipster farmers (the mother works from home from her computer, the daughter is sort of into the occult and they have Alpacas in the barn) encounter a meteorite that lands in their front yard. Soon enough a purple, pink and blue nightmare begins.

British director Richard Stanley (Dust Devil, Hardware) returns to the big screen with his version of H.P. Lovecraft's tale of madness from outer space. It is quite trippy and Nicolas Cage certainly adds to the insanity. This is beautifully shot with amazing color f/x. The plot doesn't always run smoothly but that's just a minor issue. If anything, it proves that Richard Stanley hasn't lost his skills at making good cult movies. I'm sure Color Out of Space already has a following. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 27, 2020, 10:40:54 AM
"Deadlier Than THe Male" (1967)
One of the best James Bond knock-offs to come out of the mid Sixties"Eurospy" craze, this slick flick stars Richard Johnson (whom, legend has it, was a candidate to play 007 in "Dr. No," but he turned it down) as the suave, globe trotting investigator Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond, on the trail of a pair of lovely female assassins (Elke Sommer and Sylva Koscina) who are killing off the executives of a major oil company.
"Deadlier" is a fairly lavish production that raises it above the usual cheap-o Eurospy fare, with lots of gorgeous Riviera scenery and female eye candy. Seriously fellas, just watch this one to ogle German mega-babe Elke Sommer. She was so hot back then, it's ridiculous.
Followed by a 1969 sequel, "Some Girls Do."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 27, 2020, 12:36:26 PM
Phantasm - I had never seen this somehow. I had seen a prior movie made by the director which was a pretty fun kids movie. There are elements of that genre in this, in fact its a pretty strange mashup of after school special teen drama and drive in style horror with some weird the Manitou style sci fi thrown in. The director might want to check out  my "Like Normal people vs Zombies" movie suggestion it would be right up his alley.

3.75 / 5





Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 28, 2020, 09:41:55 AM
BIG MAN JAPAN (2007): A cameraman follows around Big Man Japan, who protects Japan from various kaiju attacks by growing to enormous size; far from enjoying the glamorous life of a national hero, he's paunchy and depressed, deserted by his wife and child and suffering from plummeting ratings. The main attraction here is the imaginatively cheesy monster design: the stink monster mating dance is crazy enough, but have you ever seen a giant kaiju with a combover? This was recommended to me by Mofo Rising not long after it came out and I'm just getting around to it. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on May 29, 2020, 01:01:58 AM
" i am the pretty thing in this house", or whatever the title is. this was SO BAD. not only for the acting and the film work, but IT IS SO BORING. it took me 3 days to get through it because i kept falling asleep. in the afternoon. and i DON'T nap. AVOID LIKE COVID 19!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on May 29, 2020, 06:21:07 AM
really you never saw Phantasm?  i have a fan edit of it that's l really need to look at the time but it's i think around 5 minutes longer or so cause it's got a few deleted scenes put back in. such as the Ice Cream fight that was cut, or Jodie at the bank that was extended with his Girlfriend showing up.

it's also got a bit longer of a scene between Reggie and Mike  singing as well. and than the hanging scene in the dream that was cut, anyways, i watched a pretty good one from (1971) called When Eight Bells Toll (1971) it 's also Anthony Hopkins 1st Lead role apparently and what it really is a Bond Clone but a pretty good one actually and it's well worth watching at least once.

i watched it on you tube and it was the Earliest Anthony Hopkins film i had since of his the Earliest i had seen of his films before was (1978)'s Magic which i have on VHS and it's a decent film.

this one the one i watched i give it a 8/10 check it out it's not that long of a movie either.

anyways i do have a workprint of Phantasm 2 in fact and it's weird to watch because the film is pretty complete but there's no music in it at all it's just Surreal to watch without it and it's not bad but it's amazing how when you watch any movie that's got music no matter how much or little there is and you don't think about it at all, than you watch a film that's got none at all and it's the workprint it just weakens the film i think, the difference it makes is just so Surreal

anyways

and i just got to say one more thing Boooooooooooooooooooooooy! 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 29, 2020, 08:05:08 AM
THE GHOST OF PETER SELLERS (2020): Director Peter Medak looks back at 1973's "The Ghost in the Noonday Sun," a pirate comedy so bad that the studio refused to release it, revealing how star Peter Sellers erratic behavior--firing producers, refusing to work, demanding on-the-spot rewrites by his pal Spike Milligan---destroyed the film. The entire fiasco is kind of funny, except that it's clearly not funny to Medak, whose career was nearly destroyed, and it suggests that Sellers suffered from severe depression, or worse. An exorcism. 3.5/5. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on May 29, 2020, 03:10:49 PM
Peter Sellers was a really talented guy but he was they say a horrible human being, a terrible husband, a worse father and a really unpleasant guy in general but when it comes to his movies.... it's  just a shame that he was such a horrible human being, i hadn't realized that he even had any movies at all that didn't get released


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 29, 2020, 03:25:27 PM
Sadly comedians seem to be really messed up one way or another in their private lives.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on May 30, 2020, 04:03:18 PM
Haunt (2019)

A couple of friends hook up with others for a joyride on Halloween night. They eventually come across a haunted house attraction and decide to enter. Once inside they are separated and stalked by disfigured "employees" while looking for a way out.

Well made low budget slasher with creepy scares, decent cast and a few surprise twist and turns. Haunt is pretty much doing the same Hell Fest (2018) did a year before but Haunt did it better. My rating 4/5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 30, 2020, 06:12:20 PM
"Some Girls Do" (1969)
In this sequel to "Deadlier Than The Male," Richard Johnson returns as swinging investigator Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond, assigned to find out who's sabotaging the test flights of Britain's latest supersonic aircraft. The trail leads to Drummond's zillionaire arch-enemy Carl Peterson, who's holed up on his own private island surrounded by an army of scantily clad robotic females. Shag-a-delic, baby!
This one is much more tongue in cheek than the first Drummond adventure and plays more like a spoof,  but it's goofy, action packed fun with plenty of lovely female eye candy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jack on May 30, 2020, 06:48:26 PM
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) - take "The Road Warrior", remove all trace of character or story, and stretch the car chase scenes out to 2 hours.  Except replace the exquisite brutality of the real car crashes in Road Warrior with the typical "looks pretty fake" CGI crap.  And replace the bad guys with cartoon caricatures of themselves.  Good grief.  Plot points, and I'm being totally serious here, consist of things like "truck engine sputters and dies." 

So Max...oh give me a break..."some guy" gets captured by a bunch of screwballs who I'm guessing are the 10th generation of inbred descendants of the bad guys from The Road Warrior.  Meanwhile a one-armed, grease-smeared Charlize Theron takes one of the screwball's trucks and makes a run for it.  A big group of screwballs follow in various vehicles, lots of crashes take place (the tornado within the sandstorm thing was actually kind of cool), and wouldn't ya know it, Max is one of only two survivors among the group of pursuers.  He meets up with Theron and a half dozen girls who I'm guessing were supposed to be in the "Slave Girls From Beyond Infinity" remake that never got made.  They speak two, possibly three sentences to each other.  Many car chases and unimpressive crashes follow.  Two or three more lines of dialogue are spoken!

Meh, I made it all the way to the end, so I'll give it a 2/5.  I've liked Charlize Theron in pretty much every thing I've seen her in but she never got the opportunity to do any acting here.  Tom Hardy as Max...I'm not sure he was actually in this, might have been CGI judging by the performance.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 01, 2020, 08:43:32 AM
ABNORMAL ATTRACTIONS (2019) This was a funny and kind of cute film about fairy tale monsters and the humans who love them.  I ran across it on Amazon Prime and found it pretty amusing; the costumes are cheap but the performances are effective and the story keeps moving.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 02, 2020, 09:33:01 AM
"Killer Fish" (aka "Deadly Treasure of the Piranha," 1979)
A team of professional jewel thieves (including Lee "Six Million Dollar Man" Majors and Karen "Trilogy of Terror" Black) pull off a massive jewel heist in Rio de Janeiro, and hide the loot in a local lake till the heat dies down. When they come back to retrieve the goods, however, they discover that the lake is home to hordes of hungry flesh eating fish, which may make recovery impossible. Don'cha hate when that happens?

Don't go into this one expecting a water logged gore fest ala "Piranha," because even though the "Killer Fish" get top billing, they don't really come into play till the last third of this entertainingly schlocky Italian-French co-production, which starts out as a crime/caper/heist flick, then briefly turns into a disaster movie (when a hurricane strikes the thieves' island hideaway) before finally becoming a creature feature as promised in the title.  

Lee Majors displays all the charm of a plank of wood, as usual, and just in case this movie wasn't '70s enough already, Margaux Hemingway also turns up as a fashion model to give us some eye candy.

"Killer Fish" is far from essential viewing, but Lord knows I've seen worse.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 03, 2020, 07:22:10 AM
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981)
Harrison Ford makes his debut as whip crackin', pistol packin' archaeologist/adventurer Indiana Jones, racing around the globe to beat the Nazi regime in a search for a precious Biblical treasure. Lucas and Spielberg's ode to the serials of the 30s and 40s is still one of the best action/adventure movies ever made. I've lost count of how many times I've seen this, but I never get tired of it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on June 04, 2020, 12:46:00 AM
ABNORMAL ATTRACTIONS (2019) This was a funny and kind of cute film about fairy tale monsters and the humans who love them.  I ran across it on Amazon Prime and found it pretty amusing; the costumes are cheap but the performances are effective and the story keeps moving.
i tried this one, but the T&A became overwhelming in 15 minutes. being a straight female, NOT into that. BUT. because i trust you indy, i'll try again and see if i can see the storyline you say is there. *meanwhile, men here, GO FOR IT, BIG BOOBS GALORE, LOL!*


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 04, 2020, 04:52:11 AM
ABNORMAL ATTRACTIONS (2019) This was a funny and kind of cute film about fairy tale monsters and the humans who love them.  I ran across it on Amazon Prime and found it pretty amusing; the costumes are cheap but the performances are effective and the story keeps moving.
i tried this one, but the T&A became overwhelming in 15 minutes. being a straight female, NOT into that. BUT. because i trust you indy, i'll try again and see if i can see the storyline you say is there. *meanwhile, men here, GO FOR IT, BIG BOOBS GALORE, LOL!*

I did look for this one on Amazon, but I'd need to pay extra to watch it, something I refuse to do since I am already paying for Amazon Prime.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 04, 2020, 09:14:55 AM
Not the same film I watched - mine had no nudity.  Some innuendo, but no actual nekkid people.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 04, 2020, 09:15:42 AM
ABNORMAL ATTRACTIONS (2019) This was a funny and kind of cute film about fairy tale monsters and the humans who love them.  I ran across it on Amazon Prime and found it pretty amusing; the costumes are cheap but the performances are effective and the story keeps moving.
i tried this one, but the T&A became overwhelming in 15 minutes. being a straight female, NOT into that. BUT. because i trust you indy, i'll try again and see if i can see the storyline you say is there. *meanwhile, men here, GO FOR IT, BIG BOOBS GALORE, LOL!*

I did look for this one on Amazon, but I'd need to pay extra to watch it, something I refuse to do since I am already paying for Amazon Prime.

The one I saw was free with Amazon Prime.  Strange.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 04, 2020, 09:35:22 AM
ABNORMAL ATTRACTIONS (2019) This was a funny and kind of cute film about fairy tale monsters and the humans who love them.  I ran across it on Amazon Prime and found it pretty amusing; the costumes are cheap but the performances are effective and the story keeps moving.
i tried this one, but the T&A became overwhelming in 15 minutes. being a straight female, NOT into that. BUT. because i trust you indy, i'll try again and see if i can see the storyline you say is there. *meanwhile, men here, GO FOR IT, BIG BOOBS GALORE, LOL!*

I did look for this one on Amazon, but I'd need to pay extra to watch it, something I refuse to do since I am already paying for Amazon Prime.

The one I saw was free with Amazon Prime.  Strange.

You have an account with Amazon US, while mine will be with Amazon UK. Different licenses and so on.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 04, 2020, 12:17:52 PM
Paranormal Investigation - while blandly watchable this was as boring and useless as its title would indicate. A kid gets inhabited by a spirit while playing with a Ouji board. A paranormal investigation follows! There's an exorcist and its done exactly like the movie exorcist. No character development and while it has a spooky atmosphere they don't do anything with it. file under "tax shelter"

1.5/5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 04, 2020, 11:51:01 PM
"The Beastmaster" (1982)
Don "Phantasm" Coscarelli's charmingly cheesy sword and sorcery epic stars Marc "V" Singer as a swordsman who can talk to animals, on a quest to destroy the evil wizard who killed his family. Tanya Roberts' boobs and some cool creature effects helped make this '80s cable staple into a cult classic that spawned two sequels and a TV series.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on June 05, 2020, 08:16:57 AM
PRIMAL FEAR (1996)

An altar boy is accused of murdering a priest, and the truth is buried several layers deep.

The first movie starring Edward Norton is proof of how awesome he is. The plot itself is built around cliches that you will guess as soon the film begins - maybe the twist at the ending is cool, but literally the whole thing is carried by Norton. There's absolutely no other reason to watch this except for his amazing performance.

Richard Gere SUCKS, I can't stand that guy. 7/10  :smile:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 06, 2020, 02:00:48 PM
This is Not A Test (1963) - watched on youtube. this is one of those older movies that is actually pretty good, but would also make an excellent MST3K episode.

A cop starts pulling people over on street in the mountains outside of town. He wont't tell anyone why, but they figure it out: its a nuclear war. The cop, who is a jerk and an idiot, orders everyone around and for some reason they do what he says. The people are colorful enough and there is drama between them as the bomb makes its way to town.

The jealousies and breakdowns and whatnot aren't done super creatively or carefully but its a good time. Nowadays this would be done with a plot twist where the bus driver was a Stasi agent or something. pretty short I'd say check it out

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 07, 2020, 01:30:49 AM
Colossal (2016)

This one is a bit weird. Anne Hathaway is Gloria, who has failed to make it in New York and returns broke to her home town. There she meets her friend from school Oscar (Jason Sudeikis) and starts work at his bar. So will she stay in her hometown or return to her ex in New York and take up her life again? The twist is that for reasons that aren't quite explained, if Gloria and Oscar are at a particular spot in a particular time, they also materialise as respectively a Kaiju and a giant robot in Seoul.

If you expect a kind of kaiju movie, you'll be disappointed. It is basically a straight up drama about relationships and life choices. So does the kaiju gimmick add something? For me, well yes, sort of. It does provide a handy metaphor for the power dynamics in the couple. What weakens the movie for me, is that the main story is played absolutely straight and realistic, as a slice of life in small town US. Given the use of fantastic elements, I think the film would have been better if the director had cranked up the weird and made it pervasive, like, say Yorgos Lanthimos in The Lobster or David Robert Mitchell in Under The Silver Lake.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 07, 2020, 10:00:54 AM
LUCID DREAMS (2018): Hong Kong director Teddy Robin Kwan either films four short dreams, or dreams of making four films: a gangster arranges a fake wedding, an employee deals with a sadistic boss, a children's writer returns to her family home, and a bus driver cruises a haunted route. Two of the shorts are comedies and two are like "Twilight Zone" episodes; the dream theater wraparound conceit is halfhearted, never explaining why these four competently made stories belong together. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 07, 2020, 08:52:54 PM
"Our Man Flint" (1966)
The first of two tongue-in-cheek spy spoofs starring James Coburn as super-swingin' agent Derek Flint, who's drafted by the U.S. Government to stop a cabal of mad scientists who've figured out how to weaponize the weather. One of the better James Bond knock offs of the shag-a-delic Sixties.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on June 08, 2020, 03:42:06 AM
Primal Fear (1996) is one of my favorite movies of all time i just love that movie. if you don't like Gere why watch it? Norton is brilliant in it i 100% agree.
it's hard to believe he as so young when he did it ain't it?

anyways i just watched a favorite of mine Puppet Master (1989) 10/10  my only complaint is my blu-ray is the 88 minute version of it going by what my player says. and not the 90 minute version. well i at least have that on dvd that i Transfered from VHS years ago and that's the 90 minute version.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on June 08, 2020, 05:44:37 AM
The Lighthouse (2019)

Two lighthouse keepers drift into insanity thanks to longer than planned "isolation" on an Island. Psychological horror that's more psychological than horror. The Lighthouse was inspired by Poe's The Light-House, with director Robert Eggers stripping away typical Poe elements.
Eggers The VVitch (2015) had a somewhat broader appeal, The Lighthouse feels like it was made for selected few. There's some great acting from Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, speaking late 19th century English which is interesting but a bit difficult to understand at times. For some reason I thought the movie had a, well, bigger message or meaning and I caught myself thinking "what was the point?" when the end credits rolled, because I had super-high expectations?
Still, I wasn't let down and enjoyed it quite a bit. 5/5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 08, 2020, 08:45:57 AM
QUEEN OF PARADIS (2020): Documentary following surrealist artist Reine Paradis as she travels across the U.S. creating her latest photographic series (which almost always involves trespassing). An excellent peek at her work process if you happen to be a fan of the photographs, but you can't escape the feeling that this movie (directed by Paradis' husband and collaborator) is less a documentary and more a heavy-handed advertisement for the artist. It should be viewed in a museum setting, not on Amazon Prime. 2.5/85.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 08, 2020, 01:01:56 PM
Convict's Code (1939) - another one on youtube. I just looked up the director, he did a lot of Westerns and also some obscure Chaney and Karloff stuff.

A wrongly convicted man gets out of jail and is set on clearing his name. That entails getting drunk with gangsters, keeping a gun under his bed at a boarding house, and other fun stuff. It had more substance and surprises than "This is Not a Test" which I watched the previous night. Being much earlier (1939 as opposed to 1963) it had more of that rough and tumble early Hollywood flavor. very cool. likeable well cast lead, story doesn't drag about an hour long

4.5 /5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 09, 2020, 01:15:03 PM
"The Car" (1977)
A murderous, apparently demonic automobile is cruisin' around a small western town, running over random residents, and the only one who can stop it is the local sheriff (James Brolin).
The last time I saw this movie I was about 11 years old, and of course I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I was expecting it to have aged horribly of course, and it did, but in spite of (or perhaps because of) its absolutely ridiculous premise, "The Car" turned out to be a pretty fun, watchable slice of '70s supernatural cheese.
Followed by a decades-too-late sequel (!), "The Car: Road To Revenge," in 2019, which I have added to my watch list too, since I'm apparently a glutton for punishment :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 10, 2020, 11:19:55 AM
"City On Fire" (1979)
An explosion at an oil refinery creates a chain reaction of blazes that eventually threaten an entire city, which a variety of characters played by the usual assortment of Hollywood has-beens (incl. Ava Gardner, Shelley Winters, a pre-"Airplane" Leslie Nielsen, and even Henry Fonda) must struggle to survive.
This enjoyably cheap late-inning entry into the '70s disaster-movie craze (which was already on its way out by the time this was released) takes a while to get going (and of course, the silly personal dramas between characters are there just to pad out the run time), but once things started burning down and blowin' sky-high, my inner ten year old was entertained.

"The Mad Bomber" (aka "Police Connection," 1973)
Vince "Ben Casey" Edwards is a tough L.A. cop who must capture a serial rapist (Neville Brand) because he's the only one who can help I.D. a mysterious mad bomber (Chuck "The Rifleman" Connors) in this sleazy-but-fun exploitation flick from Bert I. Gordon of "Empire of the Ants" and "Food of the Gods" fame. The movie's nothing special, but the fashions, the vintage cars and the ancient police technology are outasite, man.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 10, 2020, 12:24:30 PM
Patterns (1956) - Anyone ever see this? Written and directed by Rod Serling, it bears very little resemblance to Twilight Zone. Instead, its a pretty interesting if a little cliched diatribe against/ about capitalism.

An engineer gets transferred from Ohio to the Big Apple. After settling in to his huge office with sophisticated decoration that he doesn't understand, he soon realizes something is a little weird with the workplace dynamic. Briggs, who strikes him as a wise and affable guy, is at odds with the boss. Its a liberal/ conservative sort of split and you can guess which one is the sympathetic character.

On the one hand, he wants to do whats right, on the other he's been at his new job for like a minute and its a great job that he's good at. Yeah, not exactly "Nightmare at 20,000" feet.

Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMnU4faUMUY#)


It's pretty awesome. not sure what you'd call it: "business noir"? The cinematography is nonexistent it could probably have been a play. It works up a good head of steam for its purposes. The biggest drawback is probably the opening section which is too long and meandering. Also, The whole concept which may have been novel at the time is pretty familiar now

 4.75 /5


Also watched The Creeper (1948) - a horror movie featuring a cat named The Creeper who is more comic relief than anything else. some good dream seqences with a giant cat's paw and general dark atmosphere, but I wasn't watching it all that closely so can't really comment on the plot and so forth


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 11, 2020, 01:20:11 AM
War of the Robots (1978)

Another cheap Italian cash in off the success of Star Wars, cheap being the operative word. While a lot of these knock offs have enough script for about 30 minutes, and have to make up the runtime by needless complications and padding, this one has a lot happening. It is full of action, very ineptly filmed action, but action nevertheless. In fact, this could have been quite an enjoyable action romp, had the director known how to inject pace into the movie, and had the budget been bigger than that of an episode of Blake's Seven. They can't even keep the lettering in the opening credits steady.
The titular robots must be the least effective force in the universe, and are mainly there to be shot down in droves.

Fun fact, the ship is called the Trissi, and the crew have these jump suits with 'Trissi' marked on them. Turns out the costumes were provided by a company called Trissi Sport. That is how cheap it is.
Another notable point is that, to make it look like an American production, the cast and crew are listed under the kind of obvious pseudonyms, one usually associates with erotic productions.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on June 11, 2020, 08:29:09 AM
BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (1999)

A puppeteer discovers a portal that leads literally into the head of movie star John Malkovich.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

Well, well... this was some hell of a ride. I wasn't sure what to expect with this movie, but certainly not this drug fueled trip. I really wanted to like this film, but sadly it has so many flaws that, at least for me, ended with a sour taste in my mouth.

First of all, the good things: I liked the concept, the acting (I recognized Cameron Diaz but I had to check it out to make sure), John Cusack is great as the loser hopelessly in love, and the puppet work is amazing - probably the best part of the movie. I loved all the comedy that had nothing to do with the main plot: the silly office, the deaf secretary, the crazy boss, Charlie Sheen cameo... basically, after the first half of the movie, it had its moments of laughs. Sadly it went downhill from there.

Now, the bad: the plot went nowhere. I was hoping for some kind of conclusion or idea behind the ego or something like that, but it never came. It basically dwelled 100% in the sexual side of the characters, and never moved away from there. For example, when Craig takes full control of John and he performs in front of Maxine, I was really hoping for him to discover that his skills with the puppets were gone, since he was using another body and his fingers weren't the same, but sadly that didn't happened. That would've been amazing to show us that, regardless of how bad our lives are, everything that makes us "us" is unique and personal, yet here it seems that if you're very strong and transport to a skinny guy, your strenght goes with you, in your mind I guess. Stupid.
The whole old-people-trying-to-live-forever thing was plain retarded. Who took control of John's body after all? Just the main guy? The rest of the people were just prisoners in his mind? What kind of eternal life is that?
While I think the actors were good, the characters sucked. Maxine is really cruel and mean, then suddenly she's nice, she hates Craig's puppets, then she asks him to perform for no reason, she doesn't like Lotte physically, then she spends her life with her. Craig only wants to perform with puppets, then he completely forgets about them because he "fell in love". Lotte is simply bizarre. At the end, I didn't cared about any of them, because they didn't cared about themselves.
The ending is just bitter, at least for me. Basically, nobody learned anything, except that the chicks are lesbians. Nobody seemed to care about John like, at all. Why not a single one of the hundreds of people going into his mind managed to take hold over it, by the way?

So, whatever. I'm pretty sure this movie doesn't get bad reviews because it's "psychological, original, and deep", therefore if you say anything bad about it it's because "you didn't get it". I'm sorry, I think it's just a mess. Great idea, but poorly executed and went nowhere. It does have its moments tho, but they're short and crammed in the beginning. 5/10  :bluesad:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 11, 2020, 08:47:18 AM
WHY DON'T YOU JUST DIE! (2018): Matvey goes to Andrey's apartment with a hammer, intent on killing him, but finds the task harder than he bargained for; flashbacks explain why the young man is trying to kill this stranger. Memorable gruesome melees, a truly despicable villain or two, and a heaping helping of twists and suspense make this ultraviolent Russian thriller, mostly set in a single apartment, a noteworthy low budget debut for writer/director Kirill Sokolov. He should move on to bigger things; with the way he directs fight scenes, I wouldn't be shocked if Hollywood called.  4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 11, 2020, 12:49:58 PM
the 27th Day (1957) - Some high ratings on IMDB but ehhh....not quite. A pretty interesting set up: an alien abducts 5 seemingly random people and gives them the power to destroy the whole world with these little box things. The print is really nice and the acting is decent, it just doesn't go for the jugular the way you want it too and there's never any real tension. and the ending was not satisfactory.

Imagine "demon With A Glass Hand" if it ended up being an ad for Wheaties or something.

3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 12, 2020, 09:43:33 AM
IMPOSSIBLE MONSTERS (2019): A psychiatrist sets up a (very small) sleep study for people who suffer from sleep paralysis and nightmares; one of the subjects turns up dead. The eerie music is good, if comically overused in just about every scene; the rest, right up to the eye-rolling final twist, is not so good. 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 12, 2020, 12:42:24 PM
the Finger Man (1955)  - no, its not a doc about my time in the Northeastern U dorms, instead its a really solid 1930's style flim noir made in the 50's. The reason its not more well known is the probably the basic ness of it and also the lead, while talented, is not really leading man material. It's a typical story about a guy who gets out of jail then has to turn stoolie for the cops in order to yadda yadda

The most memorable character by far is Lou, the bizarre sidekick of the main villain.


the actor, Tim Carey, is somewhat of a legend in Hollywood. He actually turned down roles in godfather and godfather 2 and Reservoir Dogs is dedicated to him. very interesting IMDB page if you have the chance. He was in that Monkees psychedelic movie

4.5 really good but the plot is extremely basic and the casting is nondescript. The lead villain reminded me of Alex Trebek more than say, Atilla the Hun






Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 12, 2020, 01:07:20 PM
the Finger Man (1955)  - no, its not a doc about my time in the Northeastern U dorms


 :buggedout: :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on June 12, 2020, 02:59:37 PM
i have seen City on Fire the MSKT3000 in the KTMA episodes that's a good episode and a good flix actually


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 13, 2020, 09:04:37 PM
"Running Scared" (1986)
Two wise-cracking Chicago cops (Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines) want to retire and head to Florida, but first they have to take down a drug dealer (Jimmy Smits) who's still holding a long time grudge against them.
This is pretty typical for the '80s shoot-em-up buddy cop genre, but Crystal and Hines made a great team so it was fun to watch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 14, 2020, 12:05:20 AM
THEY REMAIN (2017)  Two scientific researchers are occupying a mobile lab in the middle of nowhere, in an area where a cult once murdered dozens of innocent victims.  They're studying the environment trying to find clues in animal behavior as to why this cult became so murderous.  And they slowly go crazy.  In between lengthy stretches of ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENING and brief flashbacks to cultists playing and killing in the woods.  This movie put me to sleep repeatedly; it was shooting for "taut psychological thriller" and somehow achieved "deathly boring snoozefest" instead.  Avoid.  2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on June 14, 2020, 03:39:32 AM
wow i haven't seen Running Scared since Sh*t since the 90's i don't think. anyways, i'v e just been watching some old episodes of "The Cinema Snob' i dunno if anyone here is a fan here but i've been a massive fan since i'd say March i think or April of (2011)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 14, 2020, 09:14:10 AM
BUSTER'S MAL HEART (2017): Rami Malek plays three characters: a hotel night clerk, a renegade mountain man, and a shipwreck survivor adrift on a boat in the ocean. How are they connected, and how are they all related to an apocalyptic event called "the Inversion"? Expect great performances, don't expect easy answers. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 14, 2020, 03:51:09 PM
WHY DON'T YOU JUST DIE! (2018): Matvey goes to Andrey's apartment with a hammer, intent on killing him, but finds the task harder than he bargained for; flashbacks explain why the young man is trying to kill this stranger. Memorable gruesome melees, a truly despicable villain or two, and a heaping helping of twists and suspense make this ultraviolent Russian thriller, mostly set in a single apartment, a noteworthy low budget debut for writer/director Kirill Sokolov. He should move on to bigger things; with the way he directs fight scenes, I wouldn't be shocked if Hollywood called.  4/5.

I was planning to see that in the Brussels BIFFF festival, but the corona virus decided otherwise


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 15, 2020, 12:51:25 PM
"Religulous" (2008)
Stand-up comic, talk show host, and noted skeptic Bill Maher wonders why the world still clings to religion in this sarcastic pseudo-documentary, in which he travels the world and talks to a variety of people of many faiths. His conclusion: no matter if it's Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Scientology, or whatever, religion in and of itself is pretty much insane. I doubt that Maher has ever been very popular among the devout, and "Religulous" certainly won't change that, but if you've ever questioned your faith (or anyone else's), it makes for an interesting, funny (and occasionally frightening) 90 minutes.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 16, 2020, 08:56:29 AM
VAMPIRE BURT'S SERENADE (2020): Burlesque stars and drag queens team up to defeat a douchey vampire, singing forgettable songs along the way. Who would have guessed that someday Kevin Richardson would be working with even weaker material than he did in the Backstreet Boys? In it's defense there are a few chuckles and the ending is exciting and gory, if you can make it that far. And it is free on Amazon Prime. 1/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 18, 2020, 08:43:52 AM
COME TO DADDY (2019): A recovering alcoholic (Elijah Wood, in a bad haircut and pornstache) receives a letter from the father who abandoned him as a child and goes to visit him at his remote beach house; of course, all is not as it seems. Begins as a drama, slowly introduces black comedy elements, and ends as a thriller; too slow to get started, but gains momentum with the third act twist. Stephen McHattie is great as the crusty alcoholic, but unfortunately not on screen enough. Also free on Amazon Prime. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on June 18, 2020, 11:34:35 AM
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Needed a patriotic film. Capra's drama of the U.S Senate pits an idealistic young man against a corrupt political machine, which puts him in power as a stooge, then tries top break him when he finds out the truth.

Something about the soundtrack: scenes with Smith & his supporters use bits of American standards, like Yankee Doodle & My Darling Clementine; scenes focused on the Taylor Machine use more modern music.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 18, 2020, 11:28:54 PM
EXPOSURE (2018) - A young couple, James and Mira, head up to his grandparents' cabin in the mountains to spend a secluded holiday and patch up their shaky marriage.  Little do they realize a malignant, lurking force there will turn them against one another and transform James into a monster.

This one looked promising, but was honestly very slow in developing, and short on explanation.  Was the malignant, transforming force alien in origin, or supernatural?  Why did Mira come back when she had nearly escaped?  Overall, not terrible, but not great, either.  2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 19, 2020, 08:49:45 AM
IN FABRIC (2018): What appear to be a coven of witches working at an upscale department store sell a cursed dress first to a bank teller divorcee; the "artery red" frock later passes to a washing machine repairman and his fiancee. Enter the "prism of retail" in this strange horror/comedy/satire from Peter Strickland; the combination of dry and absurd humor mixed with stylish surreal horror may not be for everyone, but if you're in the target demographic, you won't need a hard sell. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 20, 2020, 02:36:26 PM
TRAIN TO BUSAN - I had heard of this movie for several years; last night I finally decided to give it a watch and I was not disappointed.  Most of the movie takes place aboard the titular locomotive; as the train is leaving the station, an infected girl stumbles aboard and soon the train is crawling with bloodthirsty zombies as a handful of passengers try to survive.  Well developed characters, intense survival drama, and some pretty spooky zombies of the "rage virus" variety make for an excellent viewing!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on June 21, 2020, 02:49:16 PM
Doctor Sleep (2019)

The Shining's Danny "Doc" Torrance is all grown up but his life is a mess. Things get more complicated when he befriends a teenage girl also gifted with the shining. When the girl interferes with an evil group of energy eating "psychics" Danny must return to the Overlook hotel one more time.

Technically Doctor Sleep is great with amazing stuff going on. Whenever they recreated moments from Kubrick's The Shining with lookalike actors (Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers and the creepy twins) it gave the movie a cheap feel that just didn't sit right. Besides that, the big showdown was actually pretty weak in my opinion. I will have to rewatch the theatrical version, and will watch the extended director's cut as well before I'll give Doctor Sleep a rating.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 21, 2020, 03:00:56 PM
CAN'T KILL THIS [AKA f**k YOU IMMORTALITY] (2019): An old hippie couple tries to track down an old friend, who, it seems is unable to die. Sometimes amusing quirky comedy, but brought down by some weak performances, and with serious tone issues--you wouldn't normally expect this much silly gore in an elderly stoner comedy, and no one was asking for that cynical ending. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on June 21, 2020, 03:16:22 PM
CAN'T KILL THIS [AKA f**k YOU IMMORTALITY] (2019): An old hippie couple tries to track down an old friend, who, it seems is unable to die. Sometimes amusing quirky comedy, but brought down by some weak performances, and with serious tone issues--you wouldn't normally expect this much silly gore in an elderly stoner comedy, and no one was asking for that cynical ending. 2/5.

Just that title makes me  :teddyr: :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on June 21, 2020, 03:17:23 PM
I watched Welcome Home, Soldier Boys on Youtube the other day: weird flick indeed.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 22, 2020, 11:08:54 AM
JESUS SHOWS YOU THE WAY TO THE HIGHWAY (2019): A CIA agent (who also happens to be a hunchbacked dwarf and pizza connoisseur) accepts a mission to go into "Psychobook" to combat the virus "Stalin" released by the Soviet Union. Meet the President of Ethiopia (a kung fu supervillain) and Jesus himself inside this virtual reality world inside which is itself nestled in an alternate reality where the Cold War never ended, and technology is simultaneously stuck in the 1990s and decades ahead of where we are today. You've never seen anything quite like this absurdist psychological thriller/camp comedy. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 22, 2020, 09:25:14 PM
"Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (1984)
Prequel to "Raiders of the Lost Ark" sends Dr. Jones, his kid sidekick, and a ditzy nightclub singer (future Mrs. Spielberg Kate Capshaw) into battle against an ancient Indian death cult. This non-stop action film is darker and has a way bigger mean streak than the first "Indy" film --  some scenes of mayhem were so over-the-top and horrific that it led to the creation of the PG-13 rating!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 23, 2020, 08:53:04 AM
SEVEN STAGES TO ACHIEVE ETERNAL BLISS (2018): Claire and Paul figure out why their new L.A. apartment's rent is so low: their bathtub is a sacred site for a bizarre cult whose members break in to commit suicide there. Moderately amusing black comedy that lacks a killer instinct. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 24, 2020, 06:58:15 AM
"Gremlins" (1984)
A small town's quiet Christmas Eve is rudely interrupted by a horde of mysterious creatures who start out cute n' fuzzy, but don't stay that way for long. The "Gremlin" puppets and effects in Joe Dante's classic slapstick horror comedy are still quite impressive even after all these years. Tons o' fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 24, 2020, 08:52:35 AM
KNIVES AND SKIN (2019): Jennifer Reeder's feature debut is a "Twin Peaks"-inspired study of a high school girl's disappearance, decorated with a capella versions of 80s pop hits and lots of soapy subplots. Better in its parts than in its whole--the slow, sad atmosphere is effective in small doses, but it could have used a bit more comic relief and changes of pace, and a bit less on-the-nose feminist commentary.  2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 24, 2020, 08:55:24 AM
SEA BEAST (2008)  A sleepy little fishing town is terrorized by venom-spitting, amphibious monsters who can turn themselves transparent at will and have an insatiable appetite for human flesh.  Relatively tame "creature feature" with a made-for-television vibe, but still has some decent acting and the creatures are cool-looking, if only the CGI was done better.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 24, 2020, 09:43:33 AM
"The Car: Road To Revenge" (2019)
A bizarre pseudo-sequel to the 1977 cult hit, set in a cyberpunk near future. When a crusading D.A. is murdered by a gang of high-tech psychos, his consciousness takes over his luxury automobile, turning it into a murderous machine on a mission of vengeance.
Aside from re-using the killer-car plot, "Road to Revenge" doesn't seem to be have any connection to the '77 film aside from a brief cameo by Ronny Cox, who played a minor character in the original and plays a totally different minor character in this one.
Loaded with over the top action sequences, carnage and gore, this is certainly not a "good" movie by any means but it's enjoyably silly, ultra-violent junk.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on June 25, 2020, 08:31:09 AM
REPO MEN (2010)

Set in the near future when artificial organs can be bought on credit, it revolves around a man who struggles to make the payments on a heart he has purchased. He must therefore go on the run before said ticker is repossessed.

While the concept sounds rather generic, the setting and overall mood of the movie is very well done. At certain points, the city has this BLADE RUNNER kinda vibe, which is great. The parallels between the plot and pharmaceutics and banks aren't very sutil, but still allows for much analysis. Perhaps if they toned down the violence and gore it could've been a more cerebral movie, but the fun factor is certainly off the roof the way it is.

Jude Law is awesome as always, and you totally believe his change of mind. I don't particularly like Forest Withaker but he does a great job portraying this unstable and mindless drone of The Union. Alice Braga sucks, she's like the token latina chick that is just there so the main character can fall in love. In fact, this whole sudden relationship thing was a complete failure, not to mention the "sexual surgery" scene, which almost killed the movie for me of how ridiculous and bad it was. Luckily, the excellent ending salvaged the whole thing, otherwise I would've ended up really p**sed.

Tons of action and cool fighting scenes, a nice plot, great lead character, and a sweet ending made this a very fine watch! 8/10  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 25, 2020, 10:30:42 AM
"Blazing Saddles" (1974)
Mel Brooks put a fork in the Western genre with his hilairous, jaw-droppingly tasteless send up of cowboy epics. Cleavon Little stars as the first black sheriff of the racist little town of Rock Ridge, who teams up with a has-been gunfighter (Gene Wilder) to fight off some land-grabbin' railroad barons. Every time I watch this, I always think how Mel would never be able to make this movie today, which somehow makes the whole thing even funnier.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on June 25, 2020, 11:20:59 AM
There was recently a rallying cry on Twitter saying to ban Blazing Saddles, after Gone with the Wind  :buggedout:
HBO has Gone with the Wind back in program, but it comes with a 4 1/2 minute disclaimer at the beginning.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 25, 2020, 11:44:22 AM
Have these people actually watching that movie? Think its the ones complaining that need a warning sign.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 26, 2020, 01:16:08 PM
Our House, friend Request - netflix instant horror stuff with decent atmosphere but highly unoriginal content. so derivative its hard to even assign a number.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on June 27, 2020, 01:13:44 PM
SLEUTH (2007)

On his sprawling country estate, an aging writer matches wits with the struggling actor who has stolen his wife's heart.

This movie felt like if I was deliberately scammed, at the end it was like some kind of s**tty play at your local theater. It started as an interesting, albeit strange, murder mystery, but then it quickly went downhill into some kind of weird homosexual... stuff. I honestly have no idea WTF I watched, it was awful. It is commendable that the entire movie is only carried by two great actors, but sadly they're wasted in two characters that never, not a single minute, behave like actual human beings.

I don't want to talk about this thing any longer. As the great reviewer Andrew said, "I cried for about an hour after watching this film, not proud about it either". 3/10  :thumbdown:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 27, 2020, 11:16:42 PM
MAGIC (1978)   A very young Anthony Hopkins stars alongside Anne Margaret and Burgess Meredith in this psychological thriller about an unbalanced ventriloquist whose dummy tells him what to do one time too many.  Dated, yes, but still a lot of fun, and Hopkins is absolutely over the top as the ventriloquist Corky and his dummy, Fats.  Watching them descend into madness and murder is eerie after the rather comic beginning of this film, and Anne Margaret is at her most lovely.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on June 28, 2020, 03:43:25 AM
"Blazing Saddles" (1974)
Mel Brooks put a fork in the Western genre with his hilairous, jaw-droppingly tasteless send up of cowboy epics. Cleavon Little stars as the first black sheriff of the racist little town of Rock Ridge, who teams up with a has-been gunfighter (Gene Wilder) to fight off some land-grabbin' railroad barons. Every time I watch this, I always think how Mel would never be able to make this movie today, which somehow makes the whole thing even funnier.

Richard Pryor was supposed to be the original black sheriff in the movie, hence all of the n****r jokes that were written by him for the part. But Pryor couldn't do the film because of prior commitments and so they went with the other guy who was actually the better actor between the two. Thankfully, they kept Richard Pryor's jokes in the script.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 28, 2020, 09:28:28 AM
"The Control Group" (2017)
Five annoying college students wake up trapped inside a creepy abandoned hospital, with no idea how they got there. As they search for a way to escape, they slowly realize they're part of a bizarre scientific experiment, and they also discover that the old building has some supernatural secrets of its own.
...this ultra-cheap horror/thriller had a promising premise, but it quickly fell apart thanks to a hopelessly muddled story, atrocious acting by everyone involved (even the usually-dependable Brad Dourif, who's playing yet another mad scientist type), and amateurish, laughable FX. 
In other words...AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 28, 2020, 10:45:17 AM
THE AERIAL [LA ANTENA] (2007): Silent Argentinian experimental film about a city ruled by "Mr. TV" where only one woman ("the Voice") can speak. Extreme wackiness (rat Nazi chauffeurs, eyeless boys, constant tributes to classic b&w films) counters the heavy-handed symbolism effectively, making this a fun weird film, like a lighter-hearted expedition from Guy Maddin. Showed up on Netflix for some reason. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 29, 2020, 07:37:36 AM
"Get Thrashed" (2006)
Members of Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Exodus, Dark Angel, Overkill, and many more get nostalgic about the early days of the 80s thrash metal movement, with lots of vintage clips and photos. Longtime fans of the genre aren't likely to learn anything new but this doc is a nice trip down metal memory lane.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 29, 2020, 08:58:55 AM
VIVARIUM (2019): Gemma and Tom accept an invitation from an overly-friendly real estate agent to view a suburban tract home; they find themselves trapped in a labyrinth where every house looks exactly the same, and then things get strange. The horror of adulthood expressed as a "Twilight Zone" episode. User ratings on this are surprisingly low (5.8 at IMDB); not sure why, except maybe viewers thought it was slow to get started and were hoping for something more straightforward with explanations spelled out at the end. Some also might think the attack on suburban life was a little too obvious. I liked it; the "creepy little mutant" was genuinely disturbing. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 29, 2020, 10:08:21 AM
"Tank Girl" (1995)
Lori Petty ("A League of Their Own") stars as the butt kickin', punk-rock chick action heroine from a British comic book series. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, she leads a band of fellow mutants and misfits in a rebellion against the evil mega-corporation that controls the world's water supply.
This is one of those quirky-on-purpose, so '90s it hurts flicks that hasn't aged very well, but Petty is a hoot to watch and it's always good to see Malcolm "Clockwork Orange" McDowell in a villain role. This flick tanked (pun not intended, I swear) at the box office in '95, but it's become a bit of a cult item in the years since. Worth a look if you're in the mood for something slightly off center.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 29, 2020, 12:54:51 PM
Athlete A (2020) - netflix doc about the Women's olympic scandal involving trainer Larry Nasser. it doesn't answer every question you ever had ( like why didn't they get another trainer at some point??) but it does a good job showing the oppressive atmosphere at the training camps and so forth.

Romanian coach Bela Korolyi is a jerk and a slavedriver but he gets US gymnstics what they want: medals. He first gains fame for making Nadia Comaneci totally miserable and winning a gold medal in the 70's. This was supposed to be some kind of demented rebuke of capitalism or something or it was to some people there.

The US then imports him and he starts working his black magic on increasingly younger girls who are of course more pliable and also heal faster. Larry Nasser ingratiates himself with the gymnastics people (he works for free) and with the gymnasts by playing good cop to the korolyis.

One girl who reports on him gets left off the olympic team even though she scores higher than another girl who made it. I have no idea why they did all this. The Olympics are a sideshow, the athletes are amateurs it should not be like jail or something. Winning isn't everything, but there was a lot of money and ambition involved too I guess.

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 30, 2020, 01:15:01 AM
The Phantom Planet (1961)

Youtube seems to think I like movies about wandering planets and keeps suggesting them to me. In this one, all is not well on the moon base. Ships are disappearing and Captain Chapman is sent to investigate. Turns out the trouble is a wandering asteroid inhabited by miniature people. Conveniently, the atmosphere of the asteroid miniaturises Chapman as well, who regains his size as soon as he breathes normal air. The inhabitants of the asteroid have gained control over gravity using a technology that seems to be entirely based on theremins. They are threatened by the Solarites, who are among the silliest aliens of the era (played by a young Richard Kiel, no less). There is some tension, but when Chapman chooses the Elizabeth Taylor lookalike and leaves the blonde princess to the heir apparent of the asteroid, all ends well.

This could have been quite an entertaining adventure movie. There are some good ideas in there, and the script looks good on paper, but it is let down completely by the execution.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 30, 2020, 07:34:02 AM
The Phantom Planet (1961)

Youtube seems to think I like movies about wandering planets and keeps suggesting them to me. In this one, all is not well on the moon base. Ships are disappearing and Captain Chapman is sent to investigate. Turns out the trouble is a wandering asteroid inhabited by miniature people. Conveniently, the atmosphere of the asteroid miniaturises Chapman as well, who regains his size as soon as he breathes normal air. The inhabitants of the asteroid have gained control over gravity using a technology that seems to be entirely based on theremins. They are threatened by the Solarites, who are among the silliest aliens of the era (played by a young Richard Kiel, no less). There is some tension, but when Chapman chooses the Elizabeth Taylor lookalike and leaves the blonde princess to the heir apparent of the asteroid, all ends well.

This could have been quite an entertaining adventure movie. There are some good ideas in there, and the script looks good on paper, but it is let down completely by the execution.

You just have to fix your attention on the good and the beautiful--if you'll just take the time to look at it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 30, 2020, 09:07:13 AM
THE LAST MOVIE STAR (2017)

    Burt Reynold's last movie, filmed shortly before his death, places him alongside teenage hottie Ariel Winter from  the MODERN FAMILY TV series.
Reynolds plays Vic Edwards, an aging Hollywood legend who has fallen on hard times, who travels to Tennessee to receive a lifetime achievement award at a local film festival - which turns out to be more of an amateur fan club.  The organizer's teenage sister, played by Winter, has been talked into being Edwards' "personal assistant" for the weekend.  Edwards is furious he's been duped into attending such a cheap, tawdry little affair, but over the course of his film we see him remembering his life and career, revisiting his childhood home, and coming to terms with his own mortality, as the hapless Winter is forced to chauffeur him down memory lane.  Touching at some moments and funny in others, I found this to be a marvelous little film.  Winter is quite attractive in a tattooed teenybopper sort of way, and seeing Burt Reynolds - one of the icons of my youth - as a frail old man was just hard to watch sometimes.  I highly recommend this film!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on July 01, 2020, 05:00:07 AM
i've been wanting to see that one, ya know with Burt you look at him at some point of his life and it's hard to believe he was a star football player and nearly went bro in college. but he messed his ALC i think it's called? after that he turned to acting


you can correct me if i'm wrong i don't mind


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 01, 2020, 08:28:52 AM
One interesting thing in the film was the scenes where they had the elderly Vic Edwards talking to his younger self - i.e., Burt Reynolds in some of his classic roles.  He was quite the physical specimen in his youth!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 01, 2020, 08:42:32 AM
DREAMLAND (2019): A good-hearted hitman (a very cool Stephen McHattie) is asked to cut the pinky off a heroin-addicted jazzman (also a very cool Stephen McHattie), but chooses to save a girl from a supernatural fate instead. It tries too hard, to be sure, but as a goofy collision of cliches, it kept my interest. QAnon thinks this is a documentary. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 01, 2020, 09:53:29 AM
"Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs" (1966)
Cartoonish Sixties spy spoof starring Vincent Price as the evil Dr Goldfoot, a mad scientist who  assassinates world leaders via bikini-clad female robots packed with explosives. A pair of bumbling European secret agents team up with their American counterpart (60s pop singer Fabian) to stop him before he can drop a "Girl Bomb" on Moscow and start World War III.

This Italian/American co-production (a sequel to the previous year's "Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine") wants to be a swinging, "with-it," pop-art jam ala the "Batman" TV series. There's lots of pretty girls in day-glo colors, wacky set pieces, and a hip, jazzy soundtrack...but the movie itself is a train wreck.

The utterly-unfunny Italian comedy duo of Franco and Ciccio (imagine Abbott & Costello, if they were irritating) gets WAY too much screen time, and Fabian couldn't act his way out of a wet paper bag. I'd be willing to bet that this movie was an influence on the "Austin Powers" series, but the difference is, "Austin" was actually funny.

Vincent Price would later call this flick "the most dreadful movie I've ever been in." I'm inclined to agree with him.  AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 01, 2020, 12:16:13 PM
International Crime (1938) - fun, hour or so mystery featuring The Shadow, a radio broadcaster who helps solve crimes. a variation on the "who knows what evil lurks in the heart of men" guy. The tone is light and comedic which can be awful, but they pull it off.

The mystery itself isn't super well put together. An attempted robbery results in a murder, but The Shadow thinks the robbery is just a cover for the murder and an attempt to pin it on a local infamous safe cracker. They don't really explain the significance of the crime very well, but the script is punchy enough that it doesn't matter. The ditzy sidekick lady is funny. A pizza flix choice on the youtube

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 02, 2020, 07:11:18 AM
AFTER HOURS (1985)

I had to get up early this morning, and I missed the first 10 minutes or so of this trippy 1985 dark comedy, but once I started it I couldn't turn it off.
A guy named Paul meets a girl named Marcy at a café and goes to Soho that evening to take her out on a date.  One thing leads to another, and before the night is over, Marcy is dead from an overdose, a spurned waitress is circulating his sketch throughout the neighborhood, Paul winds up going home with a gay guy, then he is mistaken for the neighborhood cat burglar,  gets pursued by an angry mob, and winds up being encased in papier-mache and being stolen by burglars who mistake him for a sculpture.

Like I said, trippy.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 02, 2020, 08:39:44 AM
AFTER HOURS is great.  :thumbup:

A SHIP OF HUMAN SKIN (2019) isn't. A rural woman kills her drug dealing pimp, then becomes a religious icon when she performs a (minor) miracle in prison. The title is the best thing about this low-budget experimental Southern Gothic with a vague and muddled philosophical/spiritual message. 1/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on July 02, 2020, 08:12:20 PM
THE CLONUS HORROR (1979) - MST3K VERSION

Politicians scheme to clone themselves, assuring immortal life.

I was actually surprised by this movie. The premise is great, but sadly it's filled to the brim with bad acting, awful audio, boring scenery, and I think I saw a boom mic like ten times on screen. The weirdest part was that the plot was almost exactly like THE ISLAND, although a lot more grim, which worked out great in this case because it ended like good sci-fi should. Strangely, THE ISLAND claims to be a remake of LOGAN'S RUN. After investigating a little I found out the following:

Quote
Robert S. Fiveson, director of The Clonus Horror (1979), brought a copyright infringement suit against DreamWorks and Warner Brothers. The lawsuit cited almost one hundred points of similarity between "Clonus" and this film, and the court ruled that Fiveson made a prima facie case for infringement. Before the case could go to trial, DreamWorks settled with the plaintiffs for an undisclosed seven-figure amount.

Quote
In an interview filmed for the DVD release of the Mystery Science Theater version of the film director Robert S. Fiveson mentioned that the settlement for the lawsuit with the makers of The Island (2005) involved the official sale of remake rights, and even mentioning that fact was technically against the confidentiality agreement made as part of the settlement. Fiveson also mentions that fans of the MST3K episode provided a lot of support and encouragement as the copyright infringement case progressed.

So yeah, they ripped off THE CLONUS HORROR. No wonder Michael Bay actually managed to make a decent movie... he stole it!  :twirl:

Regarding the MST3K episode itself, the riffing was good, although the segments sucked, I miss the times when the jokes were related to the movie itself. Kevin Murphy as Bobo rocks, Observer is also very funny, even the new voice of Crow is good, capturing the snarky essence of the character to almost perfection. But this Mary Jo Pehl lady, my God... I still consider her the most unfunny person ever. Her very presence on my screen is annoying.

Flawed but still a good movie, check it out. 7/10  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 02, 2020, 09:20:51 PM
I saw the non MST3K version and enjoyed it and agree on mary Jo piel. she had some okay things but I feel like she forced her way onto the show and is annoying


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 02, 2020, 10:48:00 PM
DOCTOR SLEEP (2020)  This long-awaited sequel to THE SHINING worked on multiple levels for me.  Ewan MacGregor was brilliantly cast as the adult Danny Torrence, working to overcome his alcoholism and past demons, who winds up helping a young black girl who also shares "the Shine" escape from a sinister band of vampire gypsies who feed on telepaths - "they eat screams and drink fear," is how the ghost of Dick Holloran puts it.  Well done all the way around! 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 03, 2020, 08:54:24 AM
SHADOWPLAY (2019): A detective in Kuala Lumpur accepts a job searching for a missing girl, but instead finds a dreamworld reflecting his own psychology. Far too confusing a film for a character we don't really care about---but the setting is cool and I would now like to see a good film set in Kuala Lumpur. 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 03, 2020, 10:05:44 AM
"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989)
In Harrison Ford's third spin as the adventuring archaeologist, Indy and his estranged father (Sean Connery, perfectly cast) race against the Nazi regime to find the Ultimate prize - the Holy Grail. As usual, lots of fists are thrown, stuff blows up, and things crash into each other. Tons of action packed fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 03, 2020, 11:06:30 PM
TONIGHT SHE COMES (2018)

This was a freebie on Amazon Prime; I went into it with no real expectations.  The beginning was really rather slow and I was about to write it off as another low budget, one star piece of shlock.  But then . . . the plot took a hard left turn and ramped up the gore and suspense and awfulness till the end left me literally squirming in my chair!  Naked young women aren't supposed to be scary, but the killer in this gruesome tale of supernatural terror will leave you wanting to run whenever she pops onto the screen.  Brilliantly done; not for the faint of heart or the weak of stomach!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 04, 2020, 08:14:46 AM
"Slaughter High" (1986)
A fiery high school prank gone wrong permanently scars the campus nerd "Marty," both physically and mentally. Five years later, those responsible are invited back to their now-abandoned school for a "class reunion," and soon they're being picked off one by one by a masked slasher. Gee, I wonder who the killer's gonna turn out to be?
This ultra-cheap "Friday the 13th" knockoff was filmed in the UK with a mostly-Brit cast (including one time Hammer Horror babe and Bond Girl Caroline Munro, still looking fabulous), though they're all pretending to be Americans. The set up is cartoonishly silly and it takes for-damn-ever for bodies to start dropping, but once the kill spree officially gets goin' the pace picks up and there's some pretty nasty gore, so the last half is entertaining enough.
Your mileage may vary depending on the depths of your obscure 80s slasher movie addiction.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 04, 2020, 04:03:49 PM
"Mortuary" (1983)
A young girl, despondent over her father's recent suspicious death, starts poking around the mystery with her boyfriend and they discover murderous goings-on happening around the local funeral parlor.
This cheap but effective '80s teen horror flick is notable mainly for the appearance by a very young Bill Paxton (in what I believe is his film debut) as the funeral director's creepy teenage son.  I didn't have very high hopes for this flick at first, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 04, 2020, 08:43:14 PM
This seemed appropriate for July 4th viewing...

"Uncle Sam" (1996)
A U.S. serviceman killed in Kuwait is shipped back to his home town, where he mysteriously re-animates and goes on a killing spree during the annual July 4th celebrations, murdering anyone who isn't "patriotic" enough. The only ones who can stop him are his annoying kid nephew and former soldier Isaac "Chef" Hayes.
This tongue-in-cheek slab of horror cheese reunites writer Larry Cohen and director William Lustig of "Maniac Cop" fame, but unfortunately it's nowhere near as good as the "MC" films. The "Uncle Sam" character looks ridiculous as hell and though the movie has a couple of good gory bits, overall it's just too goofy to take seriously.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 04, 2020, 09:27:21 PM
Shadows of the Orient (1935) - first: Regis Toomey who plays the inspector has one of the longest IMDB things I've ever seen https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0867538/?ref_=tt_cl_t2 (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0867538/?ref_=tt_cl_t2) . I remembered him from a very early gangster movie called "Alibi". He said "you're a great little guy...when it comes to stabbin in the BACK" . In this one he's a cop working to stop an illegal immigrant smuggling ring. Why anyone cared about that in 1935 is beyond me, wasn't America just going crazy with the depression and bootlegging and so forth at that point? it's decently entertaining
3.75/ 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 05, 2020, 11:12:09 AM
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" (2005)
A perpetually-confused Englishman is whisked off of Earth moments before it's destroyed by aliens, and joins a crew of space-faring misfits on an mission to find the answers to Life, The Universe, and Everything.
This lavish adaptation of Douglas Adams' surreal comedic sci-fi novel has a great cast, impressive visuals, and a fair share of laughs, but if you're not familiar with the source material, it may feel like you're watching an elaborate private joke that you're not "in" on.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 06, 2020, 08:44:00 AM
THE SHASTA TRIANGLE (2019): A young woman and her four female friends investigate mysterious happenings in Mount Shasta, California. Low budget mumbo jumbo about magnetic fields, secret government experiments and alternate dimensions leads to ho-hum results. 1.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 06, 2020, 09:15:28 AM
WE ARE LITTLE ZOMBIES (2019): After meeting at a funeral parlor, four emotionless orphaned children run away and form a pop band. High-energy, carnivalesque pop-psychedelics enliven Nagahisa's genre-bending feature debut, which wrings a surprising amount of empathy from its tale of children whose defining characteristic is that they have no strong feelings. Catch it if you can. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 06, 2020, 11:07:15 AM
"The Man With the Golden Gun" (1974)
Roger Moore's second turn as 007 jumps on the then-current kung-fu movie craze, as James Bond travels to Hong Kong and Thailand on the trail of Scaramanga (Christopher Lee), the underworld's most elite assassin, in order to recover a stolen solar-energy device. There are some cool action sequences and exotic scenery, as usual (plus, Britt Ekland is one of the hottest Bond girls ever) but the comedic bits feel forced (and the unnecessary return of annoying redneck sheriff J.W. Pepper from Live and Let Die is a series low point). It's an entertaining watch, but I'd have to rank this one near the bottom of the Bond pile. The series was clearly still trying to find its groove with Roger Moore in the lead.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 06, 2020, 12:40:40 PM
The Atomic Brain/Monstrosity (1963)

A rogue scientist is perfecting a method to transplant a human brain (using a cyclotron, no less). His work is financed by grumpy elderly women with immense fortune in order to put her brain in a young body. Three girls are lured into the mansion with the pretext of working there as a housemaid. Where will this all lead to?

For all its failings (and there are many), I found this oddly watchable. This is another one of those movies who don't have enough script to fill the runtime, and instead has the characters taking forever to do anything.

Curiously, the mad doctor is called Otto Frank. I'm pretty sure Anne never mentioned any brain swapping experiments in her diary.

What intrigued me was that, although it is shot in the 60s, the lighting, cinematography, pacing etc are very much that of a 1920s silent movie, except that you have a narrator instead of text panels.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on July 06, 2020, 07:36:22 PM
well i have The Man with the Golden Gun and i've never heard anything bad about it, in fact all i hear is that it's one of the best in the series. Trivia Note though back when Christopher Lee was filming it they had i think 3 different guns for him to use and each for a different use of course and while he never regretted taking the role he hated that damn gun cause in order for him to learn how to do it he could not look at it while they were filming and that makes sense cause normally if you are gonna put together a gun in a film and it's a Villain than well he would know how to put a gun together.

and when he was promoting the film he had to carry the damn thing with him and it of course wasn't real and he hated it because each time he showed up at any airport he's have to explain to them that it's fake and who he was etc... why he was carrying it and so on and so forth.  he freaking hated it and i can't say that i blame him either. anyways i watched a couple the 1st one i watched was "Bad Boys For Life (2020) a really damn good flix too for me i thought the 2nd one was far better than the first and the newest one is i think better than the last one.

anyways, than i watched "The Avengers (2012) a damn good movie 10/10 oh and the same goes for Bad Boys 10/10.

next up Ant-Man i also give that 10/10. i pretty much love all these Marvel films the only  ones i didn't give a 10/10 are 'Thor" (2011) which i'd say is about a 8/10

that one is a good movie but it just wasn't one of the best ones, than you have Black Panther that i'd also give 8/10 a good movie but not among my favorites.

anyways i loved Ant-Man i watched that and Bad Boys last night in fact. The Avengers i watched the other day actually. i grabbed all my blu-rays i haven't watched yet of the ones that i have bought and haven't touched at all and put those in boxes so i can have something ya know to do. why not ya know?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 07, 2020, 08:49:11 AM
BIG RIVER MAN (2009): Slovenian Martin Strel is 53, overweight, and a functional alcoholic; he's also the world's greatest endurance swimmer, and this documentary follows his attempt to set a new world record by swimming the entire length of the Amazon River. As Martin deals with parasites, high blood pressure, an amateur navigator who turns into a crazed disciple, and his own growing insanity, BIG RIVER MAN turns into a real life AGUIRRE: THE WRATH OF GOD. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 07, 2020, 10:13:13 AM
"Don't Go In The House" (1979)
After the death of his abusive mother, a repressed Mama's Boy builds a private crematorium in his house and starts taking his issues with women out on local females with the help of a flame thrower. Think "Psycho," if Norman Bates had a pyromania fetish.
This notorious late '70s grindhouse sickie isn't terribly gory, but it's certainly disturbing, with a strong performance by the guy playing the he-man woman hater. The title led me to believe this was going to be just another junky, generic slasher flick, but it turned out to be an effectively grimy psychological study of a person slowly losing his sh*t, ala "Maniac" or "Ms. 45," not for the faint of heart. They really don't make'em like this anymore.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on July 07, 2020, 10:27:55 AM
BLUE VELVET (1986)

The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child.

Why do I this to myself? The premise sounded really good, since I love murder mysteries, but too late I realized it was a David Lynch movie. This was my first experience with that director, and the only good thing I got from it was to dismiss my curiosity about TWIN PEAKS, because it says it was inspired by this movie, and I'd rather drink my own vomit than watch anything similar again.

Let's see... first, and most importantly, it fails as a mystery. The plot is constantly padded by the whole sexual thing between Jeffrey and Dorothy, which makes no sense at all. By the end I couldn't care less about her husband, since she clearly never gave a damn about him either (your partner is missing and you go and f**k some random guy in your home? Sure...), and the kid, well, if it wasn't because they showed him at the end, I would've believed he never existed in the first place. I waited for a cool twist at the end to salvage the whole thing but it never came, instead the corrupt cop stood there somehow dead but moving, I don't know. We never get straight answers about the main premise of the movie, instead the focus is on the "romantic" part, and I use the term very loosely because it's more twisted than anything.
Nobody acts like normal human beings. The ones who aren't completely bonkers are more robotic than the bird at the end. Who the hell talks like that? "I can't figure out if you're a detective or a pervert", "that's a human ear all right", "why are there people like Frank?", and other stupid lines that seems to come from someone who never talked to another person or had any kind of experiences in life. The decisions the characters make are completely crazy: why would you agree to sneak into someone else's apartment just like that? Why Dorothy never called the police when her family was missing? Why nobody ever tried to stop Frank and his gang going 100mph all night?

Speaking of the characters, it's like a parade of weirdos. I've read that Frank is supposed to be scary and disturbing, but I find Dennis Hopper over-the-top acting actually hilarious. Buffalo Bill would look at this guy with a confused expression. "Baby wants to f**k! Baby wants to f**k Blue Velvet!" What the hell I'm watching right now? It's this a spoof and somehow I didn't get it?

I could keep on and on ranting but it's pointless, it's David Lynch. Everyone is going to praise it as a masterpiece just for the name. To me, it's artsy fartsy garbage that failed to entertain and thrill me, and its unnecesary long running time made it worse.

To quote Andrew again: I just know that they were trying to be artsy and avant-garde. The director made this, and then he would say things like, "I just wanted the world to know how much I love my cat." WTF is that supposed to mean? 4/10 Extra points because at least it has some cool music. :bluesad:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 08, 2020, 07:43:21 AM
"The Doors" (1991)
Troubled poet Jim Morrison leads his band out of the L.A. clubs to the forefront of 60s counter culture, but ultimately pays a terrible price for fame.
Oliver Stone's lavish bio-pic of the 60s rockers features an absolutely amazing performance by Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison, who completely loses himself in the role.

I've read that none of the surviving Doors members were happy with the film taking numerous dramatic liberties with their story. So it may not be totally historically accurate, but "The Doors" is still an intense, trippy, and rockin' journey back in time.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 09, 2020, 08:38:53 AM
THE OUTPOST (2020): Based-on-a-true-story tale of  Combat Outpost Keating, a base established by US army to attempt to forge good relations and collect intelligence from local Afghani tribes, but placed in a valley that made the soldiers sitting ducks for constant Taliban raids. Don't get too attached to any of the characters because you never know who's going to die, or when. The best modern war movie since THE HURT LOCKER. It's a real shame more people won't be able to see this on the big screen, where it belongs. Excellent use of Sensurround. 5/5 if you're a war movie connoisseur, worth checking out if you're not.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 09, 2020, 10:21:26 AM
"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (1008)
Twenty years after his last outing as Dr. Jones, Harrison Ford returns in an adventure set in 1957, at the dawn of the Cold War. This time out he's racing to beat some very determined Russians (led by stone-cold beeyotch Cate Blanchett) to a powerful artifact that may not be from this earth. As usual, lots of stunts, crashes, and fistfights are in order.
I've been avoiding this fourth installment for years because I've always heard how terrible it was -- but honestly, aside from some unconvincing CGI (esp. at the end) and couple of cringe worthy moments involving the annoying Shia LeBeauf (or however you spell it) as Indy's kid sidekick, I enjoyed this flick. It was good to see Indy back in the saddle again, older but just as tough as ever.
I'll agree that "Crystal Skull" is the weakest of the Indy series, but I still had fun. Maybe I'm just a fan boy. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 10, 2020, 08:54:17 AM
MY HINDU FRIEND (2015): Semi-autobiographical story of a director's (Hector Babenco) battle with cancer, complete with morphine-induced hallucinations of death (who's a pretty regular guy just doing his job). Babenco died soon after completing this (ironically, he survived cancer but died of a heart attack), so it seems uncharitable to rate his final statement so low; but although Willem Dafoe is good and gaunt, the parts don't fit together or flow gracefully, and the film never justifies its own narcissism. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 10, 2020, 09:08:50 PM
"Asbury Park: Riot, Redemption, Rock N Roll" (2019)
An engrossing documentary about the long, strange history of Asbury Park, the famed Jersey Shore town whose legendary live music scene in the 50s and 60s gave birth to Bruce Springsteen, Little Steven, Southside Johnny, and many more. A 1970 race riot turned the town into a barren wasteland, but after several decades of neglect the newly-revitalized Asbury is starting to shake off the ghosts of its past and begin to heal -- thanks to its music community.
As someone who remembers going to Asbury in the '90s when it was little more than a deserted ruin aside from its rock clubs like the Stone Pony and the Fastlane, it did my heart good to see this rise-from-the-ashes saga. Jersey still rocks!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 11, 2020, 10:33:41 AM
the Man Who Cheated Himself (1951) - kind of an odd title but good movie, especially if you are a fan of a particular type of tension, which I'll explain.

A detective is having an affair with a married woman. As Eddie Mueller points out in the introduction the casting is a little weird. the main guy looks like a 70's sitcom character moreso than a 50's leading man. Jane Wyatt isn't generally cast as a femme fatale and the sidekick guy seems like he'd be happier in a western.

That said, they pretty much pull it off. The hook is the detective and his sidekick get assigned to a murder case that the detective himself had a part in. It's the husband of the lady! The whole movie you know but he has to try and investigate himself and not let on.

I enjoyed it. The final scene shot in some sort of weird outdoor building is very typical film noir but cool nonethless

4.25 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 11, 2020, 02:47:37 PM
"Winchester" (2018)
This spooky period piece is set in 1906, when a New York psychiatrist is summoned to the famed Winchester Mansion in California to.determine if the house's elderly matron, the rifle heiress Sarah Winchester (Helen Mirren), is in her right mind. At first the doc thinks the old gal is crazy -- she claims the constant construction on her massive home is to please "the spirits" of those who've been killed by her family's business... but the longer he stays, the more he suspects something sinister may actually be roaming the halls.
Not terribly "scary," but a well made, atmospheric flick based on a supposed true story. Better than I expected.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 12, 2020, 07:19:09 PM
SLAUGHTER STUDIOS (2002) - Once famous for the B-movies filmed there, Slaughter Studios was shuttered after an actor was killed in a mysterious, on-set accident.  20 years later, the night before the place is set to be bulldozed, a young filmmaker inspired by the place's prolific turnout decides to film one last, epic B-movie - NAUGHTY SEX KITTENS VERSUS THE GIANT MANTIS - on the crumbling set.  Of course, his actresses are all young film students who hate each other, he's filming without permission, which means they have to keep an eye out for the deaf night watchman, his lead actor keeps shouting all his lines, his girlfriend is mad that he won't put her in the film - and, of course, there's a serial killer snuffing them out one by one throughout the marathon filming session.  Silly, filled with over the top ham acting and gratuitous nudity, this movie punched all the classic bad movie buttons!  Free on Amazon prime, and cheap at half the price!  5/5 on the bad movie scale, 2/5 on the regular movie scale.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 12, 2020, 09:13:23 PM
"The Target Shoots First" (2000)
This unique music-biz documentary was shot by Chris Wilcha, an early '90s college grad and alternative-music fan from New Jersey who brought a video camera every day to his marketing job at the Columbia House Music Club headquarters in New York. Over the course of his relatively short time there, he documented the constant class warfare between the marketing and creative departments, learned the inner secrets of how Columbia House could give away so many free CDs and still make money, and watched with amusement at how clueless the corporate suits were as they tried belatedly to jump on the alternative-music bandwagon. A fun, snarky time capsule of a particularly weird time in the music business.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 14, 2020, 12:35:21 AM
"It's alive" - It's a crappy movie. A guys wife gives birth to an insane demon baby. Why? We have no idea. maybe it's because of the Dad's 7'0's method acting.

If it had been made 10 years later it might have been a cool special effects thing, like that one with the head thing in the laundry hamper. Instead its more like Chupacabra. ending was okay

2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on July 14, 2020, 08:51:37 AM
12 ANGRY MEN (1957)

A jury holdout attempts to prevent a miscarriage of justice by forcing his colleagues to reconsider the evidence.

I'm not usually into black and white movies, I guess it's because I didn't grew up with them so I feel a little off. I decided to give this one a try, based on the premise itself, and boy I was glad. The entire movie happens inside the same room, which is getting hotter and smaller with each passing minute. Even when we never know the names of the twelve characters (well, that until the end, when for some reason they reveal two names, I would've cut that out), we have huge development of each one of them, and we know them enough to understand their points of views.

The main guy, Juror #8, stands against the rest, and takes a shot at the chance of convincing them of his own reasonable doubt. An amazing character study which pulled me in from the beginning to the end.

If you're into court dramas, this one is a must. 10/10  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 14, 2020, 09:02:57 AM
RELIC (2020): A mother and granddaughter check up on the family matron, who lives alone in the family's old homestead; dementia may be the least of the old woman's problems. For the first hour, it's mostly straightforward drama with a few spooky bumps in the night, but the final act delivers some scares (and heavy symbolism). And you thought your mom put up a fight when you put her in the nursing home! 3/5 (I suspect many will find it too boring, but since my mom has dementia, I identified with it).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on July 14, 2020, 10:50:40 AM
RELIC (2020): A mother and granddaughter check up on the family matron, who lives alone in the family's old homestead; dementia may be the least of the old woman's problems. For the first hour, it's mostly straightforward drama with a few spooky bumps in the night, but the final act delivers some scares (and heavy symbolism). And you thought your mom put up a fight when you put her in the nursing home! 3/5 (I suspect many will find it too boring, but since my mom has dementia, I identified with it).


Ive kept hearing about how scary this film is (which I put down as the usual over/hyping). This is the first time I’ve actually heard what the film was about.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 14, 2020, 10:56:34 AM
RELIC (2020): A mother and granddaughter check up on the family matron, who lives alone in the family's old homestead; dementia may be the least of the old woman's problems. For the first hour, it's mostly straightforward drama with a few spooky bumps in the night, but the final act delivers some scares (and heavy symbolism). And you thought your mom put up a fight when you put her in the nursing home! 3/5 (I suspect many will find it too boring, but since my mom has dementia, I identified with it).


Ive kept hearing about how scary this film is (which I put down as the usual over/hyping). This is the first time I’ve actually heard what the film was about.

I enjoyed it well enough, but it's not very scary. Final scene is a little weird/eerie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 15, 2020, 08:52:57 AM
THE MAD FOX [AKA LOVE, THY NAME BE SORROW] (1962): A fantasy set in medieval Japan involving prophecies, court intrigue, magic scrolls, madness, fox spirits and tragic romance. A sumptuous spectacle for the eyes, it starts slow but grows on you once Yasuna's madness hits, turning into a kind of Japanese fairy tale VERTIGO with three Madeleines. Arrow Video found and restored this forgotten minor classic and re-released it on Blu-ray this year.   4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 15, 2020, 11:18:12 AM
"Grindhouse Presents: Planet Terror" (2007)
When a zombie outbreak grips a small Texas town, it's up to a one-legged go-go dancer and her ex-military ex-fiancee to lead a group of survivors to safety. Bullets fly, stuff blows up, and gallons of blood splash across the scratched-up screen.
Robert Rodriguez's action packed half of the "Grindhouse" two-fer is a pitch perfect ode to the ultra-violent B-Movies of the 70s, with an excellent cast (incl. Josh "Thanos" Brolin, Michael "Terminator" Biehn, gore makeup guru Tom Savini, and Bruce Willis) somehow managing to keep a straight face through all the guts, gore, and goop. Rose "Charmed" McGowan was at her peak of hotness (even if her character is missing a leg for most of the movie) when she made this flick. Tons of gonzo, over the top, gross-out fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on July 15, 2020, 11:06:29 PM
i'm Currently watching Jaws  (1975) and while i do agree it's a great film it's not the greatest horror film ever made like some horror movie list it as as i've seen far far better horror films. but that sure doesn't mean i don't give it a sold 10/10.   

anyways the mayor reminds me that douche bag in Florida who refuses to close Florida or any of it cause Trump don't want him to and he wants to Bone Trump.
not that much of a difference between the mayor and this mayor. but if i recall someone saying that he's doing it cause their is a mafia subplot i used to have the book and i never got around to read it but a flood in our old house ruined that for me so i never got a chance to read it. anyways, man that still p**ses me off.

anyways leaving Trump out of course this Mayor is just like is it the mayor or the governor i forget which? and the people wanting to go swimming and so on etc... reminds me of the idiots who refuse to acknowledge that this virus is freaking real and not wearing masks etc... it's funny as i said this on another site how a film shot in (1974) pretty much is made about the Covid-19  virus years and years before we got it that's what it feels like to me in both cases it's a killer shark but of course substitute the shark for a virus.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on July 16, 2020, 12:29:26 AM
The bit about the mafia subplot in the book is right.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on July 16, 2020, 12:31:17 PM
I never could past the first 15 minutes of that movie, way too boring and uninteresting. One day I'm going to suck it up and watch it to give an honest opinion.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 17, 2020, 07:40:25 AM
"Hangar 18" (aka "Invasion Force," 1980)
A space shuttle mission encounters a UFO, which then crashes in the Arizona desert. When the shuttle crew returns to Earth and tries to tell the world what they've seen, they find out the U.S. Government has covered up the entire incident. The only way they can expose the truth is to reveal the alien craft's hiding place, at Hangar 18.

This charming, cheap little sci-fi/conspiracy thriller is well written and features a cast of dependable B-list veterans like Robert Vaughan, Darren McGavin, and Gary Collins, but it's let down slightly by the obvious budget restraints -- it may have been released theatrically, but it looks like a made-for-TV flick. I hadn't seen this since I was a kid, and it was fun revisiting it.

Of course, it also inspired a certain Megadeth song that you might know!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 17, 2020, 09:18:39 PM
I'm watching Lathe of Heaven right now. the BBC taped over all their original copies of things so this is from some random affiliate in boogie on the nose snot england. mediocre qual  :thumbdown: but great story


okay so this is a Monkey's paw variation featuring a ton of ugly but awesome post ww2 architecture. A guy can change fate by having dreams about things. He goes to see a psychiatrist to get some help. Unfortunately the shrink is a power hungry ideologue who wants to play God and cure all the problems in the world.

5/5 on yt I have seen a DVD version and it's exactly the same


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 18, 2020, 09:55:34 PM
"Evil Dead" (2013)
In this 21st century "re-imagining" of Sam Raimi's 1981 splatter classic, a group of twenty somethings gather at a secluded cabin, muck around with a spell book they find in the cellar, and awaken something evil in the forest. Hilarity, of course, does not ensue.
I usually don't have very high hopes for remakes, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one, which wastes no time getting to the nasty stuff and keeps a frenzied, grimy, balls-to-the-wall pace all the way through. Finally, a horror remake that doesn't suck! Who knew?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on July 19, 2020, 01:58:40 AM
Jaws (1975) is a film that starts off slow there's not a doubt about that but it's a slow start and it's within 20 or 25 minutes of the film where the Mayor wants the beaches open. it's a solid movie and i can see why people love it don't get me wrong but it's not the best horror movie ever made like so many lists have it as.

i'm a bigger fan of say "Tourist Trap' (1979) or Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) which isn't the best either but it's one of my favorites Hangar 18 i have seen that one
but i saw the MSKT3000 KTMA years when they did i didn't think it was that great of a film, but actually the film has 2 versions of it and i saw one of them and they both have different endings as well if i recall.  i'm willing to watch the 2nd version though i dunno which one i did watch but i hope it's better than the one i did watch. as for the Evil Dead remake (2013) that movie is 7 years old already? Damn i didn't realize it and i dunno why i just haven't seen that one yet.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on July 19, 2020, 02:00:32 AM
oh the Jaws films is my nephews 2nd favorite film of all time he's only 8 by the way, his other is Finding Nemo (2003) but he loves the Jaws films.

i don't think he's seen that many horror films to be honest but him being only 8 it's understandable ya know? i can't see him watching Friday the 13th though well any of them for that matter not at age 8.  some of you prolly did but i don't remember what age i did but i doubt i was 8 at the time


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 19, 2020, 05:05:36 AM
Brazil (1985).

Terry Gilliam's triumph of style over substance. Absolutely stunning vision of a bureaucratic nightmarish world, but he spends so much time setting it up that we are a full hour and a half in before the story properly speaking sets in. Even then the story kind of meanders along to take in as many visual set pieces as it can manage. Magnificent, but after a time I got indigestion. Shoutout for the Messerschmitt Kabinenroller, though.

The movie takes place at Christmas, so does that make it a Christmas movie?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 19, 2020, 10:04:00 AM
HUMAN LANTERNS (1982): A lantern-maker gets revenge on his arch-enemy by turning his loved ones into lanterns. A ridiculous plot (which some may find a plus), but the Shaw Brothers spent a lot of money on this one: the sets are eye-catching, and the fight choreography is amazing. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 19, 2020, 10:45:23 AM
"Battle Star Wars" (2020)
Some space pirates, a couple of cute girls in tight outfits, and a mystic warrior type protect a planet of innocent refugees from a galactic bad guy and his evil forces.
In case the title didn't make it immediately obvious, this is The Asylum's attempt to ride the coat tails of the latest Star Wars trilogy and it's enjoyably bad.
On the plus side, the sets don't look like they're made of cardboard for a change, and there are even a couple of halfway decent CGI space-battle sequences... but as usual, the acting is atrocious and the costumes look like they were bought off the clearance rack at Party City the day after Halloween. (The "Darth Vader" character is just an ordinary looking guy in a long robe which looks like a smoking jacket, so I dubbed him "Space Hefner.")
Apparently this flick was shot in a mere six days (!) and there's already a sequel in the works. Lord knows I'll probably watch that too, because I'm a glutton for punishment.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 19, 2020, 05:14:16 PM
"The Final Level: Escaping Rancala" (2019)
More mock-buster fun from our friends at the Asylum!
Ten years ago, a girl's brother mysteriously disappeared without a trace while playing a vintage video game at the local arcade. Now, she and two of her gal pals fire up the same game and are drawn into its virtual world, where they must battle a variety of enemies in order to rescue him and bring him home.
...Asylum pulls off a two-fer with this flick, cuz it's ripping off "Ready Player One" and the recent "Jumanji" reboots. As usual, the script is a mess, the acting is totally amateur night, and the special effects are cheap crap, but on the other hand, there's three times the cleavage (Seriously fellas, the redhead in this movie is a stone cold fox).
My video game obsessed 12 year old bailed on this before it was over, but I enjoyed this cheesy fun flick. Asylum movies are like potato chips, you can't have just one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on July 19, 2020, 05:25:42 PM
you Do know there are 2 versions of Brazil don't you? one is the European cut and it's i think got an unhappy ending and the US one has the happy one i don't remember which one i've seen but they are both different cuts apparently.

also Planet Terror (2007) is simply Brilliant i think. i watched last night 2 films i watched "The Matrix (1999) another great film i hadn't seen in years. and than i watched/listened to the audio Commentary to "Field of Dreams' (1989) which is one of my favorite films of all time and damn i can't believe it's over 30 years old now it just makes me feel so old as i'm sure all of you have felt like that.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 20, 2020, 09:29:14 AM
LITTLE DEATHS (2011): A three-story independent British horror anthology united by a sexual deviance theme: a rich couple play games with the homeless, a recovering junkie and prostitute gets involved with a strange prescription drug, and one of the pair in a psychological S&M relationship goes too far. The first short relies on a lame and obvious twist while the third is largely pointless, but the second, which has a truly bizarre premise that's sort of similar to UPSTREAM COLOR, could make this worth a watch. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 20, 2020, 09:38:33 AM
you Do know there are 2 versions of Brazil don't you? one is the European cut and it's i think got an unhappy ending and the US one has the happy one i don't remember which one i've seen but they are both different cuts apparently.

also Planet Terror (2007) is simply Brilliant i think. i watched last night 2 films i watched "The Matrix (1999) another great film i hadn't seen in years. and than i watched/listened to the audio Commentary to "Field of Dreams' (1989) which is one of my favorite films of all time and damn i can't believe it's over 30 years old now it just makes me feel so old as i'm sure all of you have felt like that.

I saw the European version of Brazil, full length with a depressing ending. I understand there was also a theatrical cut which was much shorter.

And Planet Terror is indeed brilliant.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 20, 2020, 10:21:13 AM
"Lost Heroes: The Untold Story of Canadian Superheroes" (2014)
A very cool documentary that examines the ups and downs of Canadian comic book heroes, a tradition that goes all the way back to World War II (when wartime import/export limits prohibited American comics from coming into Canada, thus sparking a short lived homegrown industry of now-mostly-forgotten Canadian comics) and has continued into the into the present day thanks to higher-profile North of the Border heroes like Captain Canuck, Wolverine (of course!) and Alpha Flight. A very cool doc that introduced me to numerous creations that I had no idea existed, even though I was a comic book nut for most of my youth. Enlightening and entertaining stuff.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 20, 2020, 01:59:29 PM
PRESIDENT'S DAY (2017)  A new installment from Brain Damage Films features a group of grossly stereotypical teenagers going to a cabin in the woods (of course) for the long President's Day weekend.  A ritual read from an old book given to them by a creepy tollbooth operator brings the ghosts of all America's past Presidents back from the dead for one purpose: to kill them all!  Cheesy one-liners and Presidential puns ensue, with enough gore to be entertaining, and some scantily clad escapades but no actual nudity except for a stoner dude's butt.  The James K. Polk zombie was particularly entertaining!  This was a perfect bad movie: it knew it was bad and made no attempt to be anything else, and had a LOT of humor thrown into the mix. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 20, 2020, 09:57:42 PM
I did a thread once that was like "has anyone ever actually been to a cabin in the woods?" I think one guy did


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 21, 2020, 02:22:50 AM
First Spaceship on Venus aka Der schweigende Stern (1960)

Another boring space exploration adventure. I stuck to the end because it is an East German-Polish coproduction, and I was curious how it would play out. The basic premise is OK: an alien artefact is found in the Gobi, and from that scientists somehow deduce that the Tunguska meteor was in fact in Venusian spaceship that exploded. So an expedition is sent to Venus, to find that the Venusians were developing a super weapon, that however got out of control and turned the planet into a radioactive wasteland. It is, apparently, adapted from a story by Stanislas Lem.

However, there is not enough plot to fill even this short runtime, and when things do happen, the movie utterly fails to create any tension. It doesn't help that the script is unnecessarily wordy, with exchanges like 'I think I've discovered something interesting. - Have you? Tell me all about it' Also, potentially interesting elements are introduced like the proto-R2D2 robot Omega, or the past love story between Sumiko and Brinkmann, but nothing much is done with them. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on July 21, 2020, 05:11:22 PM
Bluebeard - One of the few "good" movies put out by PRC. Well shot, but the VHS to DVD transfer Alpha Home Video put out had bad sound, which made it hard to follow.

A Dog of Flanders - 60's version. A sentimental family movie. Good, but I think it's too slow & sad for kids. It does have a happy ending tho, & is less weird than the 90's version.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 22, 2020, 09:19:22 AM
DEAD DICKS (2019): Mentally ill and suicidal, Richard tries to off himself but finds every time he does, he's reborn though a vagina that's growing on his wall, leaving him with corpses of his last self to dispose of; his sister and a neighbor get drawn into the vortex. Cool premise, but with only three actors and a single apartment set, it gets bogged down in the middle in sibling drama; fortunately, the last act picks up the pace wit a couple of twists and salvages some entertainment value. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 22, 2020, 10:27:39 AM
"Mountaintop Motel Massacre"
(aka "Mountaintop Motel" and "Horrors At Mountaintop Motel," 1986)
Crazy ol' Evelyn is released from the mental hospital, and goes back to her old job managing the run-down family motel business. When she catches her daughter practicing witchcraft in the cellar, she snaps and takes it out on the various guests inhabiting her establishment. Yup, that's the whole plot of this cheap, cheesy, gender-swapped "Psycho" variant that has a nice dark-n-stormy-night setting but everything else - acting, story, dialogue, gore effects - is total amateur night.
"M.M.M." may not the worst slasher flick I've ever seen, but you can probably skip it unless you absolutely have to see every movie with the word "Massacre" in the title.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on July 23, 2020, 06:29:52 AM
First Spaceship on Venus (1960) i think i did see that one i don't honestly remember what i thought of it off the top of my head.

Bluebeard (1944) a decent movie that i do have on dvd and i have watched it a few times. it's also John Carradine few leading roles i think i read somewhere he had 32 of them? or was it 27? i forget anyways it was his favorite movie of his and i believe his than wife was in it playing i think the female lead i think?

it's just going by guesswork to be honest. well Mountain top motel Massacre (1986) if i'm not mistaken Corman did this one it was shot in (1983) and put out in (1986) i saw this one a few years ago i think it was? my GOD was it awful Plan 9 from outer space is a masterpiece compared to this film it was so bad.

it was so bad that i think i'm not sure what was worse this one or "The Mutilator (1985) that was equally a great big pile of Dog Sh*t.  and i went in with high hops for both of them actually.

anyways i watched 'The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay  Part 1 (2014)  i have all these on blu-ray and it's been awhile since i last watched any of them.
but this one while watching it honestly Donald Sutherland's Character President Snow made me think of Trump to be honest.

i dunno what else to say other than that if you've seen the films regardless if you like them or not you may even agree with me.

the things that do happen in this film thankfully are fiction but these days it sure doesn't feel like it anymore


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on July 23, 2020, 08:17:46 AM
anyways i watched 'The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay  Part 1 (2014)  i have all these on blu-ray and it's been awhile since i last watched any of them.
but this one while watching it honestly Donald Sutherland's Character President Snow made me think of Trump to be honest.


That is a bit unfair on President Snow.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 23, 2020, 08:45:44 AM
PALM SPRINGS (2020): A man caught in "one of those infinite time loops you might have heard about" where he relives the same day over and over gets company when a female is accidentally dragged into his private vortex. A breezy GROUNDHOG DAY variant with likeable leads Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti; not incredibly original, but entertaining. If not for the virus this might have been a small hit in theaters; instead, it debuts on Hulu. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 23, 2020, 10:12:40 AM
"The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot" (2018)
Set in the late '80s, an unsung World War II hero (Sam Elliott, bad-ass as ever) is called back to active duty for one last mission - to find and kill the elusive Bigfoot. Yes, really.  
Going strictly by the title, I thought this movie was going to be a schlocky, tongue-in-cheek genre mashup, but it's actually a great deal deeper and more dramatic. There is a bit of monster mayhem so the film lives up to its title (however briefly), but the heart of the movie is about the Elliott character's reflections on his life of service to his country and how much it's cost him personally.
It's a very well acted, very odd little movie that may not have been what I expected, but I still enjoyed it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 23, 2020, 10:16:06 AM
Quote
Mountain top motel Massacre (1986) if i'm not mistaken Corman did this one it was shot in (1983) and put out in (1986) i saw this one a few years ago i think it was? my GOD was it awful Plan 9 from outer space is a masterpiece compared to this film it was so bad.

IMDb sez the film was made independently and played the drive-in circuit in the Southern U.S. under the title "Horrors at Mountaintop Motel" in 1983-84.

Corman simply purchased it, added "Massacre" to the title, and gave it a wider release under his New World Pictures banner in '86.

Quote
it was so bad that i think i'm not sure what was worse this one or "The Mutilator (1985) that was equally a great big pile of Dog Sh*t.  and i went in with high hops for both of them actually.

Oh yeah, "The Mutilator" was crap too. A lot of the late-in-the-game slasher flicks had extremely thin premises, but "Mutilator" was probably the worst of the batch.  It did have one of the best tag lines of the era though: "By Sword... By Pick... By Axe... Bye bye!" :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 23, 2020, 10:55:32 AM


Corman simply purchased it, added "Massacre" to the title, and gave it a wider release under his New World Pictures banner in '86.

The genius of Corman summed up in one sentence


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 23, 2020, 11:56:06 AM
Kristy (2014) - passably entertaining horror movie. a girl stays at school over thanksgiving break for some reason and is stalked by guys wearing masks made of tin foil led by a meth looking chick in a hooded sweatshirt. There are much better variations of this out there, but this has that bland anonymously made quality that netflix seems to like for their instant offerings.

2.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on July 23, 2020, 01:23:47 PM
MAGGIE (2015)
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as the father of a girl who is infected with a virus that slowly turns people into zombies. If your expecting the typical Arnold action movie-nope. A slow moving, thoughtful movie about how a father has to deal with the slow death of his daughter.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on July 24, 2020, 04:52:48 AM
your prolly right he prolly did Distribute it he has done that to a lot of things such as 'The Story of O" (1975) one of the funniest things about that film was Christopher Lee was offered the film and he said O" NO nice eh? i haven't seen that one to be honest,  there's another film Corman bought i cannot remember the name of but it was a HUGE hit in the states and it was a Foreign film that i believe it was in (1971) where he gave the director who i forget who it was

a huge release i mean he put his films in drive-ins!  opening night he had a crap load of roses ordered to hand to each woman walking in the door for promotion now that's just freaking Genius. anyways. he did all this cause he's a fan of Foreign movies and he saw a market here in the states.

anyways i watched 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015) and i liked it far better than part 1. yeah he reminded me of trump and so did that one chick that took over from him at the end.  the only difference was that Trump doesn't drop bombs on any children, tear gas yes but not bombs .

thankfully and hopefully never. anyways 10/10.  i've been a Donald Sutherland since i was a kid and i'd say my favorite film of his is the masterpiece Animal House (1978) best line in the entire movie well it's my favorite one anyways. i've been working on a novel for the past 3 years, how's it coming along? it's a piece of sh*t.

i just love that line and yeah there are more but that's my favorite


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 24, 2020, 12:17:20 PM
The Movie Murderer (1970) - made for TV mystery/ detective type thing about an arsonist who keeps burning down film studio archives. Starring pre mustache Tom Selleck and some old guy we're probably supposed to know.

As the future Magnum and his Dad figure try and figure things out, we get a profile of the arsonist himself as he struggles with the nature of his job and tries to get into the pants of the lady owner of the hotel he's staying at. Unfortunately for him he has some stiff competition: The professor from Gilligan's Island! He's a happy go lucky bachelor also staying at the Inn. Not only does he not like the guy moving in on his territory, he thinks our villains cover as a "salesman" is full of s**t, which of course it is.

It's not amazing but I enjoyed it. 1970 was kind of an in between year culturally speaking. aspects resemble the 60's but also the 70's. duh!

4/5 great title too obviously



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 25, 2020, 04:39:00 AM
Russian Ark (2002)

Another triumph of style over substance. Visually stunning, but to me disappointing. Another example of the 'let's do a bunch of cool scenes and hope they somehow turn into a movie' approach. Great set pieces, but less than the sum of its parts.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 25, 2020, 06:46:18 AM
TUSK (2015)  What a bizarre, mind-bending film this was!  An American podcaster travels to Canada to do an interview and winds up finding this old sailor who promises to regale him with tales of a lifetime of adventure.  However, instead, the geezer drugs him, cuts off his legs, and tries to surgically convert him into a walrus.  I remember renting this movie at Hastings the year the store closed for good; it was bizarre then and it's bizarre now.  Great performances, and a trippy soundtrack.  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 25, 2020, 09:40:31 PM
"The Go-Go Boys: The Inside Story of Cannon Films" (2014)
Israeli-made documentary about the legendary filmmaking team Menahem Golan and his cousin Yoram Globus, who pretty much invented Israel's movie industry in the '60s, then came to America in the '70s with plans to take the '80s by storm by cranking out lots of crowd pleasing, low budget movies featuring Ninjas, Chuck Norris, and Charles Bronson.
Yoram Globus' current company produced this flick, so it's more personal and less snarky than Mark Hartley's "Electric Boogaloo" Cannon documentary, which was released the same year (and which focused mainly on the Cannon catalog's penchant for boobs, blood, and explosions).
Take note, Golan and Globus speak Hebrew during most of their interview segments in this one, but as long as you don't mind sub-titles, "Go-Go Boys" is an enjoyable look at two outsiders' adventures in the movie business.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 25, 2020, 09:57:10 PM
^ I saw the other documentary. very demented story


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 26, 2020, 10:36:07 AM
THE ENDLESS (2017): After receiving a videotape, a pair of brothers return to the UFO cult they grew up in looking for answers, but only find the mysteries deepening. A bit ragged and obviously low-budget, but full of high stakes and thoughtful surprises (including characters from the directing team's previous movie). 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 27, 2020, 08:44:15 AM
Weekend double feature:
SLEEPAWAY CAMP 3: TEENAGE WASTELAND  Pamela Springsteen is back as Angela, the transgender serial killer who murders her way through the entire population of a summer camp for troubled teens.  This is a silly, unrealistic slasher film that doesn't take itself too seriously; the campers and counselors are pretty much all overacted caricatures and Angela is her usual wisecracking, judgmental self.  Not as disturbing as the first film or as gory as the second, but not a bad conclusion to the franchise.  4/5

CHRISTMAS BIKINI BLOODBATH  was a freebie on Amazon Prime, and it was about as bad as it sounds.  Lots of girls in bikinis, girls out of bikinis, cheesy kills, and fake gore, without much plot to get in the way.  I had a hard time staying awake.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 27, 2020, 08:53:16 AM
AMULET (2020): Tomas, a bright but haunted ex-soldier who's now homeless, accepts an arrangement working as a live-in handyman for a lonely woman and her mother, who is slowly and painfully dying in her attic apartment. Slow to start, though there are enough mysteries about the old woman and Tomas' past to keep you watching; sags a bit in the second act, but builds to a wicked ending. I'm shocked to see this at 4.4 on IMDB; I can see some folks thinking it's too slow, but that's a ridiculously poor score. Me, I give it 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 27, 2020, 10:25:39 AM
I found a YouTube channel over the weekend full of those irresistibly schlocky made-for-TV thriller movies from the '70s and '80s so I'm probably gonna go down a serious rabbit hole with these over the next few weeks, haha. Started the binge with:

"Death Car on the Freeway" (1979)
A crusading TV news reporter (Shelley "Charlie's Angels" Hack) makes it her mission to stop a psycho killer who's been running women off the L.A. freeways with his souped up van. Lots of cars crash and stuff blows up along the way.
Fun junk directed by Hal "Smokey and the Bandit" Needham and featuring a supporting cast that includes such familiar faces as Frank Gorshin, Dinah Shore, George Hamilton, Peter Graves, and Sid Haig.
They don't make 'em like this anymore!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on July 28, 2020, 09:15:17 AM
TRIANGLE (2009)

A group of friends suffer a yachting accident and take refuge on a cruise drifting on the open sea, but quickly realize they were better off on the upturned yacht.

An interesting concept, although much better explored in THE TWILIGHT ZONE like a million years ago. Basically, a group of friends get stuck in an abandoned ship and one of them discovers she's in some kind of time loop. The girl acts like she's on drugs or something, it's pretty bad, and the insane amount of plot holes made this, at least for me, a rather bad experience. Discussing these flaws would basically spoil the whole twist of the movie, which is pretty much the only reason to watch this failed attempt at horror / mystery.

I guess it's a good time killer, that's for sure. 6/10  :lookingup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 28, 2020, 12:39:53 PM
"Warrior Queen" (1987)
In ancient times, a beautiful emissary from Rome (Sybil Danning) arrives in Pompeii, where she is wined and dined by the sleazy Emperor (Donald Pleasance), watches some gladiator battles, and then helps a bunch of female slaves escape when the city is hit by a volcanic eruption.

...that's pretty much all that happens in this virtually plotless, ultra-cheap swords & sandals flick, which moves at a snail's pace despite being only around 70 minutes long. There's plenty of T&A of course, and lots of lousy acting and cheap gore.

Strangely, even though she's supposedly the "Warrior Queen," Sybil's character doesn't do very much warrior-ing. She spends most of the movie standing around, looking bored, and has about three lines of dialogue in total.

I'd also love to know how the hell they roped Donald Pleasance into this thing -- did he lose a bet? He looks like he's drunk as a skunk the entire time.

After a while, I felt like I was watching a porn movie with all the porn parts cut out. According to IMDb, director Chuck Vincent did do a fair share of adult films, so who knows, maybe that was actually the case.

Final analysis: AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on July 28, 2020, 02:07:19 PM
I found a YouTube channel over the weekend full of those irresistibly schlocky made-for-TV thriller movies from the '70s and '80s so I'm probably gonna go down a serious rabbit hole with these over the next few weeks, haha. Started the binge with:

"Death Car on the Freeway" (1979)
A crusading TV news reporter (Shelley "Charlie's Angels" Hack) makes it her mission to stop a psycho killer who's been running women off the L.A. freeways with his souped up van. Lots of cars crash and stuff blows up along the way.
Fun junk directed by Hal "Smokey and the Bandit" Needham and featuring a supporting cast that includes such familiar faces as Frank Gorshin, Dinah Shore, George Hamilton, Peter Graves, and Sid Haig.
They don't make 'em like this anymore!

I seen this back in '79!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on July 28, 2020, 02:19:09 PM
GREEN INFERNO (2013)

I bunch of activist collage punks go to Peru to protest the ravaging of the rain forests. But thankfully they're plane crashes and the do-gooders are kidnapped , tortured, and eaten by cannibals.
It's an old '80's Italian cannibal movie updated.
Dumb as f**k, but gory.
 Gimme LET THEM DIE SLOWLY any day.

Oh yeah, it's by Eli Roth. The HOSTEL guy? I hate that movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 29, 2020, 09:14:26 AM
DEADLINE (1980): A popular Stephen King-type horror writer endures a rocky marriage and neglects his kids, while struggling to come up with shocking new ideas: we see some of his gruesome discarded  sketches play out, as his family life goes to hell. The "work-in-progress" scenes allow the filmmakers to skip the setups and resolutions and just get straight to the cheesy gore; they also distract from the main story's characters, who are both unlikable and unbelievable. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 29, 2020, 10:04:41 AM
"The Bees" (1978)
In this absolutely cheese-tastic '70s eco-horror from Mexico, "Africanized Killer Bees"  are smuggled into the U.S. by an unscrupulous corporation, which then breed with local bees, creating a new mutant strain that starts swarming into major cities and stinging everyone to death. Fortunately a crusading bee scientist (the late great John Saxon) and his research team are on the case, trying to stop the angry buggers before they replace humans as the dominant species on Earth (yikes!).

There's a *lot* to unpack in this movie -- it starts out as a pretty standard nature-run-amuck flick with the usual hammy acting and ultra cheap special effects (the bee swarms look like big clouds of smoke in long shots, and like Rice Krispies blown by a fan in close-ups). Then it suddenly takes a turn into totally bats**t crazy sci-fi territory when Saxon's character figures out how to communicate with the bees (!), learns why they're so p**sed, and ends up presenting their "demands" to the United Nations!  Yes, really.

Fun fact: According to IMDb, the producers of Irwin Allen's big budget, all-star killer-bee movie "The Swarm," which was made the same year as this flick, paid the makers of "The Bees" a bunch of $$ to delay the release of their movie so it wouldn't damage "The Swarm's" box office potential... but if memory serves, "The Swarm" tanked anyway.

It's been a while since I've seen "The Swarm" but if I had to choose between it and "Bees," I think I'd go with this one -- it's shorter than "The Swarm" and its unintentional comedy factor is absolutely off the charts. This one's a total hoot.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 30, 2020, 08:59:08 AM
SPINDRIFT'S HAUNTED WEST (2020): A visual album covering the psychedelic/western band Spindrift's "Ghost Town" tour, where they visit remote parts of the American west to play their songs. Great Monument Valley-style scenery and psychedelic imagery; if you dig the band's mix of Ennio Morricone, acid rock, traditional folk, and noisy punk (Jello Biafra guests on one number), this is quite watchable. Also would make a great background for your next peyote session. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 30, 2020, 11:54:42 AM
Death Car on the Freeway - If you like stuff like Charlies Angels and CHIPS definitely check this out. It would have made a fantastic episode of either of those shows, probably tighter and more fun than this just okay made for tv movie.

A crazy guy is running women off the road. Since this is 1979 there are no cameras anywhere. I love old movies where its super easy to do crimes and get away with it. To convey how out of control this guy is, he is repeatedly shown putting in an 8 track of what they keep calling country music but sounds like an insane free jazz freakout of some kind. (maybe they should go after whoever made that music, not the guy?) A not particularly charismatic TV reporter who must have been famous in 1979 works to find him before he kills all the women in cars in the world.

George Hamilton is awesome as her jerkwad ex husband. Some good detective type stuff toward the end and the ending itself was classic.

3.75 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 31, 2020, 10:29:07 AM
SHE DIES TOMORROW (2020): Amy is convinced that she will die tomorrow; she spreads this irrational belief to everyone she meets. A melancholy and oddly compelling thought experiment about what life would be like if we constantly lived with consciousness of our own death; similarities to the current pandemic are accidental, but reflect the nation's darkest doubts at the moment. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 31, 2020, 09:27:40 PM
"Kingdom of the Spiders" (1977)
Before "Arachnophobia" or "Eight Legged Freaks," this was the Big Kahuna of killer-spider movies. William Shatner stars as the veterinarian of a small Arizona desert town under siege by hordes of p**sed off tarantulas, who've added humans to their menu since their usual food supplies have been killed off by pesticides. This long time drive-in fave and late night TV staple has aged surprisingly well. Creepy, crawly fun!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on August 01, 2020, 04:35:09 AM
The Swarm (1978) tanked hard yes but if i'm not mistaken Michael Caine considers it his worst film even though it's not by far. The Bees also (1978) is a great film that's a lot of fun. John Carradine with a really good size role for a change is good in it though why he plays Russian isn't it? 


i have no idea. i went in with low expectations when i first saw it and ended up loving it.

anyways i watched Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1988) i listened to the audio commentary and that's a must watch but check out the one with the director and it's cast. i haven't heard the other one yet to be fair.

i watched  Jurassic Park 3 (2001) tonight and i really enjoyed it more than i thought i would to be honest, i have heard nothing but how bad the 2nd and 3rd one are and i watched the 2nd one last night i liked it but i didn't love it, i think i gave it 7/10 i think or an 8/10  i forget which that one was overlong i think and needed more work on the script but it wasn't as bad  as i thought it was going to be. the 3rd was a lot better than i thought it was going to be i loved it.10/10 i  don't think it's the best one though i haven't seen them all to be honest. i still need to see the last one to be fair but the hate these films get is shockingly 

huge. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 01, 2020, 07:03:06 AM
DEAD MEN WALK (1943)
George Zucco plays dual roles of an undead vampire and his brother who hunts him down to destroy him.
So-so PRC cheapie, with Dwight Frye as a Renfield type (of course) in one of his last roles.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 01, 2020, 09:09:45 PM
"Batman: Mask of the Phantasm" (1993)
In this theatrical spin off from "Batman: The Animated Series," there's a new vigilante in Gotham, picking off the leaders of the city's underworld -- and Batman is the prime suspect. To clear his name, Batman will have to re-connect with a lost love from his past, and battle (who else?) The Joker for the millionth time. Cool, action packed stuff with the usual excellent voice work.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on August 02, 2020, 03:07:41 AM
Cosmic Voyage 1936

This is a Stalin-era movie to spur interest in the great adventure of space flight, with Tsiolkovski himself as a scientific adviser. It is not a particularly good movie, but is has a more grounded take on space flight than many other movies of the era. In many ways I was reminded of Tintin's Objectif Lune. The story takes place in 1946, when an intrepid crew land on the Moon and rescue a cat (really). Not doing things by halves, they go straight to the far side of the Moon.

The crew consists of Professor Sedikh, his assistant Marina and bright young lad Andrej (who looks like a young Chico Marx). Marina takes no nonsense from anyone. When her fiancee Viktor, who was supposed to make the trip, gets cold feet, she is happy to replace him. When he tries to stop her, she knocks him down and enters the rocket ship. That is how you get female astronauts on the Moon!

(On a terminological note, the text panels talk of 'astronauts' and not of 'kosmonauts').

A must watch if you like historical SF



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 02, 2020, 09:36:52 AM
"Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics" (2010)
Documentary on the long and occasionally bumpy history of DC Comics, home of Batman, Superman, and many more. Interviews with comics pros old and new and vintage photos & films trace the company's rise from humble pre-WWII days to its current status as a publishing and multi-media powerhouse. Fanboy fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 02, 2020, 10:55:16 AM
Bluebeard (1944)

John Carridine in a rare leading role where he plays an artist who feels compelled to murder the women he paints. Still a good watch more than three quarters of a centuary since it was made.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 02, 2020, 03:47:23 PM
MY NEIGHBOR WANTS ME DEAD (2019): Menaced by the mystical neighbor outside his door, a man trapped in his apartment keeps dying over and over. It intends a narrative of sorts, but it's really more of a collage of small-scale experiments involving VHS artifacts, psychedelic green screen, and dark humor. Less than an hour long and free on Prime. I didn't hate it, but you might. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 02, 2020, 04:15:05 PM
"Joker" (2019)
A shunned loser slowly descends into madness on the mean streets of Gotham City circa 1981, and becomes the face of rebellion against the urban elites along the way.
This controversial new take on the "origin" of Batman's nemesis is essentially "Taxi Driver" set in the DC Universe with Joaquin Phoenix giving a career defining performance as the future supervillain. This is a comic book movie for people who hate comic book movies. It's the feel-bad movie of the year!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 02, 2020, 08:49:28 PM
"Best Worst Movie" (2009)
In 1989, child actor Michael Stephenson landed his first major movie role, in the notorious turkey Troll 2 ... which is now considered one of the Worst Films Ever Made, and which pretty much totaled his acting career.
Nearly twenty years later, he discovered that the film had somehow developed a rabid cult following... so he directed this charming documentary in which he tracked down many of his former co-stars, visited a number of "Troll 2" retrospective screenings, and hit the convention trail with George Hardy, who played his father in the movie (and is now a small town Alabama dentist), to try and figure out why their terrible movie still resonates with so many people.
This doc was lots of fun and actually made me want to give "Troll 2" another go-round. If memory serves, I bailed out about halfway through it on HBO years ago so I've never seen the whole thing. It might be time to rectify that.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 03, 2020, 06:28:18 AM
"Best Worst Movie" (2009)
In 1989, child actor Michael Stephenson landed his first major movie role, in the notorious turkey Troll 2 ... which is now considered one of the Worst Films Ever Made, and which pretty much totaled his acting career.
Nearly twenty years later, he discovered that the film had somehow developed a rabid cult following... so he directed this charming documentary in which he tracked down many of his former co-stars, visited a number of "Troll 2" retrospective screenings, and hit the convention trail with George Hardy, who played his father in the movie (and is now a small town Alabama dentist), to try and figure out why their terrible movie still resonates with so many people.
This doc was lots of fun and actually made me want to give "Troll 2" another go-round. If memory serves, I bailed out about halfway through it on HBO years ago so I've never seen the whole thing. It might be time to rectify that.

I liked that documentary, although I did worry quite a lot about the woman who played the mother.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 03, 2020, 08:58:49 AM
A JOURNEY TO THE BEGINNING OF TIME (1955): Czech educational fantasy spectacle. Four boys take off downriver, traveling backwards through time as they row along, first encountering woolly mammoths, then dinosaurs. At times, plays more like a trip to the natural history museum than a rousing adventure yarn; but the kid actors are surprisingly good and Karel Zeman's stop-motion animation is every bit the equal (if not better than)  his American counterpart Ray Harryhausen. Also available in a dubbed English version with different wraparound sequences. I think boys today---especially ones obsessed with dinosaurs---would still enjoy this, as long as they had good attention spans. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 03, 2020, 12:31:10 PM
I liked Best Worst movie and also enjoyed Troll 2. what can I say? I thought it was colorful.

Invitation to Hell (1984) - It's the Stepford Wives/ Get out plot with everyone trying to get this guy to join a local (always in the suburbs isn't it?) country club. Soap opera star Susan Lucci kills it as the clubs director who tries to get everyone to join and mainly succeeds. Robert Urich isn't so sure that this is in his best interest, so he tries to find out whats going on before it's too late. Awesome made for tv movie directed by the great Wes Craven

In retrospect, the opening scene doesn't make tons of sense. Punky Brewster plays the daughter. It's on youtube and tubi but obviously the tubi version is better quality

5/5 very entertaining

(https://thetelltalemind.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/invitation-to-hell1.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 03, 2020, 02:37:07 PM
MICROWAVE MASSACRE (1983)
I have seen lotsa bad movies...this has to be on the top of the list. Lame stand up comic Jackie Vernon plays a shmuck who hates his wife's cooking. So he kills her and eats her for lunch.
Some of the worst acting ever recorded to film by every one involved. I can't believe this was made.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 03, 2020, 04:09:34 PM
MICROWAVE MASSACRE (1983)
I have seen lotsa bad movies...this has to be on the top of the list. Lame stand up comic Jackie Vernon plays a shmuck who hates his wife's cooking. So he kills her and eats her for lunch.
Some of the worst acting ever recorded to film by every one involved. I can't believe this was made.

That is one of my early favorite bad movies!!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on August 03, 2020, 08:06:02 PM
HOBGOBLINS (1988) - MST3K VERSION

A young security guard must track down diminutive aliens who kill people even as they make their fantasies come true.

Wow, what can you say about this? It was clearly made completely aware of its own crappyness, which kinda takes away the fun for me. I mean, they deliberately made this film to be as ridiculous and cheesy as possible, so of course the result will be this incoherent mess.
The puppets are most of the times just static, and when they jump on people the actors (and I use that term very loosely) grab them and shake them as if they were attacked, it's just dreadful. The plot is beyond stupid, the whole bar scene last forever, and all the characters are a disgrace. You really can't put this movie in any genre also, because it fails in every level imaginable. I don't think a single person dies in the whole movie, not even the guy who gets completely engulfed in flames, so even the synopsis is a lie.

This movie is terrible, and honestly, I don't mean it in a so-bad-it's-good kind of way, because for me, in order for that to happen, the director has to be honest in the first place. BIRDEMIC and JACK-O are good examples of this, they really tried, but luckily for us, failed miserably. HOBGOBLINS is just a bad rip off of GREMLINS meant as a cash grab, taking advantage of the bad movies cult. The trivia even confirms that the director personally contacted the MST3K crew so they showed one of his films, but eventually sent them this one.

Avoid this crap unless it's in the MST3K format, because to be fair the episode was truly hilarious. 1/10  :thumbdown:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 04, 2020, 10:19:23 AM
"Black Enforcers" (aka "The Black Gestapo" and "Ghetto Warriors," 1975)
A black "Neighborhood Watch" group in the Watts section of L.A. successfully drives out a protection racket run by local white mobsters. The group's leader then has to deal with his power-mad second in command, who breaks away from the organization, forms his own Nazi-esque army of thugs, and takes over the mob's operations.
...this jaw droppingly tasteless combo of the Blaxploitation and Nazi-sploitation genres certainly won't win any awards for political correctness, but it totally delivers on the ultra-violent sleaze front. Worth a look just to see Charles P. Robinson, who would later become known as the nice-guy court clerk "Mac" on "Night Court," as the would-be ghetto Hitler bad guy. A bizarro, yet strangely fascinating, '70s time capsule that would never get made today!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on August 04, 2020, 04:54:54 PM
ya know it's funny my brother cracked on Troll 2 (1989) for years and years and i stood up for it cause at the time i believed it was a sequel to (1986) film which is a film that is bad but a lot of fun. but the 2nd one i tried to watch when i was in my 20's i think it was? it was so bad and the acting was so painful to watch that i looked up online to see if there was anyone at all who i like that worked on it and when i saw there wasn't i shut it off and never went back to it. 

what's funny is that at a convention i hear i dunno the year the cast know it's a bad film but yet it's director doesn't think that and in fact when the cast was saying it was bad he was really p**sed about it out in the hallway. he really believes that's a good film well he's the only one i think cause it's just plain bad

and not fun bad like some movies but bad bad so bad that it belongs in the sewers where the rats can get to it and in fact the rats i don't think would even touch it, cause it's  so bad.

i watched late last night 'SAW 2" (2005) that's a favorite of mine 10/10 for me cause it's my favorite one in the entire series and honestly they did get carried away with the gore in later sequels i love gore films don't get me wrong but sometimes less is more.  plus i'd rather  have more story sometimes it just depends on the film i guess


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 05, 2020, 08:26:54 PM
POOL PARTY MASSACRE (2017) A spoiled rich brat invites some of her equally spoiled friends (and the one obligatory nice, less rich one) over to her house for a pool party while her parents are out of town, and they get picked off one by one by a killer in overalls, who uses a variety of tools from the garage - hanging them back up, neatly, when he is done.  Stupid screenplay, bad acting, gratuitous nudity, creative kills - this is bad movie GOLD!  And it's free on Amazon Prime!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on August 06, 2020, 12:43:50 AM
i just watched for the 2nd time "Rocket Man (2019) i'm a big Elton John fan and i have been since the 80's in fact, but though i thought the movie is great i do wish they had used the right music for the era. it drives me nuts that they aren't faithful to watch actually happened,  and them having him have Border Song in (1967) or (1968) is a good example when their 1st song they ever wrote together is called Scarecrow and it's decent it's on you tube somewhere.

just like in the film they have him fighting with Bernie Taupin and he's never had an argument in over 50 years he's known him no joke. 10/10 but i'm just picky on i wish it was a straight bio that's all. but i did love that it's star sang the songs and it wasn't dubbed over with Elton's Vocals


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 06, 2020, 09:02:23 AM
CASINO ROYALE (1967): James Bond done as spoof: the "real" James Bond (David Niven) comes out of retirement to train other James Bonds (including Peter Sellers) to confound a ridiculously convoluted plot by SMERSH. As a comedy, CASINO ROYALE misses a lot of its comic targets, but it's still fascinating for its cast (which also includes Woody Allen, Orson Welles and Ursula Andress), its psychedelic/pop art/expressionist production design, and its general 1960s excess. You might consider it so-bad-it's-good; I just think it's carefree and fun. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 07, 2020, 09:41:32 PM
BLOOD CLOTS (2020) - A nice collection of seven short indie horror films bundled together in one neat package, free on Amazon Prime!  I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed the whole set; the last two were probably my favorites, but all of them had some charm.  From a "human statue" trying to survive the zombie apocalypse to a swarm of mutant carnivorous jellyfish, this set had me thoroughly entertained from the get-go!  Highly recommended! 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on August 08, 2020, 03:05:18 AM
Aerials (2016)

I caught this on Netlix. As an alien invasion movie set in Dubai, I thought it might be silly fun. It is not. This is the most boring movie I have ever seen. I kept on watching it with the feeling that eventually something would happen, but nope. The story, such as it is, is that alien motherships arrive all over the planet (as in Independence Day) and then shut  down all technology (as in The Day The Earth Stood Still) and then suddenly leave. They do seem to have fixed global warming in the meantime.

However all of this 'action' and I use the term loosely, is completely off screen. The movie mainly follows a married couple staying at home and arguing with eachother, wondering what is happening at what it all means. The movie is all dialogue and very little of it makes any sense. Also the acting is atrocious and there is so much padding. We get shots of the guy making an omelet, or carefully adjusting his headscarf before leaving. The only bright point is the insurance salesman who sells coverage for the alien apocalypse.

This makes something like The Phantom Planet look like Star Wars and 2001 rolled into one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 08, 2020, 11:37:49 AM
Night of Terror (1972) - Donna Mills and a guy who looks like Ernest Borgnine but isn't star in this made for tv movie. I've seen a bunch of these lately and they are all about as good as each other. Gangsters are looking for some sort of object that they lost. They're murdering people and terrorizing nice ladies to find it. What is it??

The first half is pretty good and tense with the gangsters, led by Chuck Connors, menacing the women and car chasing them around. The second half seems more geared to women, involving the fake Ernest Borgnine detective and Mills bonding in a jovial way. ugh. It could be worse but it's not what I wanted to see.

The ending is pretty ridiculous. 1 hour 15 minutes went by more or less smoothly

3.75 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 08, 2020, 06:39:55 PM
"Alien Predator" (2018)
An elite black-ops team is sent to investigate the crash of an apparent extra-terrestrial craft in the wilds of Honduras. After a long slog through the jungle they finally meet the ship's occupants, who naturally are not in a very good mood. Much blasting and zapping ensues.
This was The Asylum's attempt to ride the coat tails of 2018's "The Predator," though the plot actually resembles the original "Predator" flick from '87 - without the budget, the cool special effects, or a cast with acting ability.
By the time the "aliens" were finally revealed (nearly an hour into the movie!) I was so bored that I just wanted them to kill off the remaining human characters so the film would be over. Even by Asylum standards, this one is pretty poor.
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 09, 2020, 10:36:34 AM
"Death Is Nimble, Death Is Quick" (aka "3 Golden Cats," 1966)
Two American agents are sent to the island paradise of Ceylon to protect a lovely U.S. diplomat from a mad scientist and his criminal organization of karate killers. Chop-socky, butt kickin' fun.
This stylish German/Italian James Bond knock off was the second of seven (!) "Kommissar X" films, based on a popular series of European pulp crime novels. This movie obviously had a higher budget than your average "Eurospy" cheapie. The story's a bit of a muddle (which is not unusual for these 007 wanna-bee's) but there's lots of exotic locations, elaborate stunts, and (of course) plenty of pretty girls. This was my first time seeing any of the "Kommissar" flicks, but I'm definitely interested in checking out more.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 10, 2020, 09:54:17 AM
"We Summon The Darkness" (2019)
It's 1988, and three girls travel to a heavy metal concert, where they meet a couple of nice guys in the parking lot, invite them home for an after-show party... and then things take an unexpectedly sinister turn.
I can't say much more without spoiling the movie's "twist," but honestly, most viewers will probably see it coming from a mile away, anyway. Despite that, I enjoyed this B-grade horror/thriller, which captures the '80s metal/Satanic Panic vibe nicely (and the girls are cute too!).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 10, 2020, 12:32:42 PM
Kill The messenger (2014) - fact based drama about the plight of journalist Gary Webb, who wrote an expose of the CIA's involvement in the cocaine trade circa the contras and all that stuff then was subject to a backlash over it.

The first part involves Webb making the trek to South America, risking his life and bribing and journalisting his way to the story. The "Kill the Messenger" happens in the second part. As he's riding high, a friend informs Webb of whats gonna happen: the CIA and other happy with the status quo people will make the story about HIM and pull out all the stops in doing so.

Its like the Gospel of Mark, everyone abandons him and its all unrequited heroism and so forth. Did the CIA really do this? I don't know. I don't doubt it. Ollie North was involved. its just the sort of thing that would happen during the wacky cold war. Logic went out the window "hey the Soviet Union is evil, lets goad them into building thousands of nukes pointed at al our major cities!"

likeble but mostly educational, wikipedia come to life movie a la "Straight Outta Compton"

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 12, 2020, 05:24:23 PM
"So Darling, So Deadly"
(aka "Kommissar X: In The Clutches of the Golden Dragon," 1966)
In the third installment of the "Kommissar X" Eurospy series, the "International Bureau" sends swingin' agents Walker and Rowland to Singapore to protect a scientist and his lovely daughter from a criminal gang called the Golden Dragon, who want to steal the professor's high tech laser weapon.
There's not much plot in this one, but there sure are lots of car chases, fistfights, and pretty girls. An entertaining time killer for a lazy summer afternoon



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 12, 2020, 09:53:31 PM
The Signal (2014) -  first let me say this: in one scene in this movie there is a pay phone. Why? It wasn't vital to the plot in any way. just pointless nostalgia or something from the director that takes the audience out of the movie. There are no pay phones anymore except one in Chinatown in Boston for some reason. That aside, this was a cool movie. Hackers are having a hacker war with a guy called Nomad, who has an uncanny ability to find where people are and use their computers as cameras and so forth. Things escalate and the hackers have to use their hacker ingenuity to get out of a trap in the woods and to surpass other obstacles.

a little different than what I'm used to but enjoyable. The more or less attractive girlfriend character certainly doesn't do very much. There's even a bit of a sci fi element toward the end.

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 13, 2020, 08:48:20 AM
INVENTION FOR DESTRUCTION (1958): In a story based on multiple Jules Verne tales, a band of pirates kidnap a scientist who has developed a super-explosive (possibly an A-bomb prototype) to use his invention for destruction. The story is slight, but the visual style mixes cutout animation with live actors on stylized sets, and the effect is like viewing a woodcut come to life---fascinating and tremendous fun. Czech, b&w. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 13, 2020, 04:57:11 PM
"Vivarium" (2019)
A house-hunting young couple (Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots) take a tour of a seemingly tranquil suburban development called "Yonder," and soon find themselves trapped and alone inside the seemingly endless labyrinth of identical houses, unable to find their way out.
...and then it gets even WEIRDER.
A strange, artsy, surreal sci-fi/horror hybrid with a heavy "Twilight Zone" feel. It's not so much scary as it is unsettling. Stuff like this is not usually my kind of meat but it kept my interest throughout. Worth a look if you're in the mood for something out of the ordinary.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 13, 2020, 06:01:38 PM
"Vivarium" (2019)
A house-hunting young couple (Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots) take a tour of a seemingly tranquil suburban development called "Yonder," and soon find themselves trapped and alone inside the seemingly endless labyrinth of identical houses, unable to find their way out.
...and then it gets even WEIRDER.
A strange, artsy, surreal sci-fi/horror hybrid with a heavy "Twilight Zone" feel. It's not so much scary as it is unsettling. Stuff like this is not usually my kind of meat but it kept my interest throughout. Worth a look if you're in the mood for something out of the ordinary.

I recommend it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on August 13, 2020, 10:05:57 PM
here's one ladies and gents that i didn't expect to ever say this too, Halloween 6 The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) but the Producers cut NOT the Theatrical cut.

i watched that late last night and freaking LOVED IT! i did not expect to and it would have been an interesting film if done right and with the right script if Loomis had been maybe a villain in the next one had he not died and had they not went with the cut they ended up using. i posted this elsewhere apparently they had kept that ended but than a bunch of 14 year old boys didn't like the ending so... i didn't like it either but it was a freaking masterpiece compared to what we did end up getting


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 14, 2020, 06:50:32 AM
"Parker" (2013)
A high-end thief (Jason Statham) is double crossed by his "crew" and left for dead after a big heist. He then follows them to their next score in Palm Springs to teach them the error of their ways. Needless to say, it doesnt end well for his former partners.
Statham is his dry-as-usual self and Jennifer Lopez adds some comic relief as a gal who gets caught up in the revenge scheme and becomes Statham's unwilling partner. A decent butt kicker.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on August 14, 2020, 07:33:03 AM
"Vivarium" (2019)
A house-hunting young couple (Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots) take a tour of a seemingly tranquil suburban development called "Yonder," and soon find themselves trapped and alone inside the seemingly endless labyrinth of identical houses, unable to find their way out.
...and then it gets even WEIRDER.
A strange, artsy, surreal sci-fi/horror hybrid with a heavy "Twilight Zone" feel. It's not so much scary as it is unsettling. Stuff like this is not usually my kind of meat but it kept my interest throughout. Worth a look if you're in the mood for something out of the ordinary.

Oh dear, Jesse Eisenberg. As soon I read that name I instantly think in doing anything else but watch a movie. How much I hate that guy can't be calculated by normal means.  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 14, 2020, 09:11:59 AM
CAPONE (2020): Impressionistic biopic covering the last year of Al Capone's life, when he was paranoid and dying of dementia, with much of the action seen in flashbacks and hallucinations. You may have heard people talking about Tom Hardy's "interesting" performance choices, which include croaking most of his dialogue incoherently and adopting a blank death stare for most of the film. Integrated into the film's fluid and sometimes disturbing alternate realities, these choices lead to some very odd collisions of camp with genuinely startling images. 2.5/5 as a bad movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 14, 2020, 12:03:29 PM
Super reverend Monk - I think they mean reverent but its a very cool movie at any rate. This I believe is a Mainland as opposed to HK kung fu offering which often means really excellent kung fu but so so film making. It's definitely low budget, but the strong story sees it through.

Green Dragon and White Tiger village hate each other and things come to a head one day. A plan is hatched for 2 recently born children to fight each other in 18 years and this will decide everything. Since the one kids parents are dead he goes and lives in the local Shaolin style temple. His training is kept secret for the 18 years. He is guarded by a weird monk who has incredible drunken style kung fu.

really enjoyed this. One funny thing is how people keep attacking the secret kung fu kid trying to see what they are teaching him and he just goes "buddha bless you"

5/5 would probably a good one to play the kevin bacon game with. remember stolen bible? it had the most degrees. rev powell found it I think


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 14, 2020, 09:36:57 PM
HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD (1982)
Typical Italian zombie flick. Pretty run of the mill until the end when our heroine gets her tounge ripped out and her eyeballs squeezed out of her head.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 14, 2020, 10:17:46 PM
"Jurassic Park III" (2001)
Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) sat out the previous "JP" movie but he's back for this third go-round, in which he gets shanghaiied into helping a couple find their child who's lost on Dino Island. As usual, lots of stunts, narrow escapes, and gory dino-munchings occur.
"JP III" is usually dismissed as the worst of the series, but I actually kinda like it. It's not as bloated or pretentious as Spielberg's entries, it's just a no-frills, fast moving action adventure/creature flick. Underrated and enjoyable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 14, 2020, 10:54:56 PM
JOJO RABBIT (2019)  Ten year old JoJo is finally old enough to join the Hitler Youth even as Germany is crumbling before the Allied onslaught.  He may be small, skinny, cowardly, and slow, but he has the help of a powerful imaginary friend - none other than Hitler himself!  However, his relationship with his BFF (Best Friend Fuhrer) becomes more complicated when JoJo discovers his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic.

Beautifully filmed, wistfully sad and silly by turns, this coming of age wartime drama was nominated for Best Picture, and deserved it!  Powerful performances all around, I was completely sucked in.  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 15, 2020, 10:34:15 AM

5/5 would probably a good one to play the kevin bacon game with. remember stolen bible? it had the most degrees. rev powell found it I think

Heh. Yeah, STOLEN BIBLE was a crazy Nollywood movie. The absolutely insane trailer went viral and then they took it down.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 16, 2020, 11:05:55 AM
"Everly" (2014)
Salma Hayek has spent the past four years in forced servitude to a brutal Japanese crime lord. When her "boss" gets wind of her plans to escape, he sends wave after wave of hired killers to her apartment building. You can probably figure out how well that goes.
"Everly" may not have the most original plot, but it's a gloriously gory, ultra-violent non-stop shoot'em up that's kinda like a mash up of "Kill Bill" and "Die Hard." A more accurate title for this flick would've been "Bullets, Boobs & Lots of Blood," cuz Salma still looks hot even after she's been shot and stabbed a few times and spent half the movie covered in grime, gore, and gunpowder.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 16, 2020, 12:42:01 PM
The Forgotten (2014) - more of an foreign indy than a horror movie. It succeeds well on the first score, much less so on the latter.

A dorky kid lives in what we used to call a squat with his Dad, a ne'er do well. His Mom is in a psychiatric institution and life would be pretty unbearable if he doesn't slowly befriend a hot waitress. It's an unlikely relationship to say the least, but the actress * (everyone is British btw) is definitely the high point of the thing.

There are mysterious scrapings and poundings coming from the apartment next door. What are these mystery sounds and how do they fit into the history of everyones lives??? This stuff is confusing and I didn't get the ending at all.

3.75 /5

enjoyed as a well acted, colorful indy not horror

* she was in Harry Potter and also the Blade runner remake


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 16, 2020, 03:46:23 PM
"Truth or Dare" (2017)
A group of twenty somethings spend Halloween night playing "Truth Or Dare" inside a supposedly haunted house. This, of course, turns out to be a spectacularly bad idea, as it awakens an evil force which then follows them all home and makes them continue the ultimately-fatal "game."
Pretty standard direct-to-video horror junk with a few decently cringy, gory bits. One of the girls is played by Cassie "Sharknado" Scerbo, who can't act worth a damn but she has absolutely spectacular cleavage, so I had no complaints.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: JaseSF on August 17, 2020, 01:56:44 AM
Some brief thoughts on some recent viewings:

Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane (2007): A zombie outbreak occurs on a plane. Who, if anyone, will survive? An action-packed zombie flick with some clever moments here and there, this film turns somewhat predictable and repetitive before the end. There are some fun moments featuring zombies in some unexpected places inside and outside a plane though.

The Stranger (1999): Weird, somewhat boring/somewhat pretentious film about a woman who suddenly finds her deeply buried memories/dreams/nightmares awakened along with her arguably repressed sexual desire after meeting a slightly pudgy pony-tailed stranger who mostly spouts arty nonsense.

Suck (2009): A struggling rock band suddenly finds their popularity starting to surge when their female bassist gets turned into an undead vampire. Best thing about this is its soundtrack with many familiar rock star faces appearing as part of the cast. Still this thing inevitably becomes sadly predictable and forgettable fare with few real surprises. In many ways, feels like some weird dragged out, strung together series of music videos featuring vampire and horror imagery.

Closet Monster (2015):When not  caring for/talking to his closest friend/pet hamster, a young teen boy comes of age struggling with sexual identity, artistic future plans, crazy dysfunctional parents, plus a desire to leave the limits of Newfoundland. Moments in this are really hard to sit through and watch. It really pushes the boundaries of discomfort into arguably the horror realm although it's never truly an horror film. At times tough to sit through but good performance by the lead.

Red: Werewolf Hunter (2010): A family of werewolf hunters comes across a new challenge - werewolves who can transform at will even without a full moon. In some ways, this feels like a TV series pilot but not quite (it is a TV movie). The leads prove somewhat more likable than I expected as did the lead villain Gabriel played by Stephen McHattie but this story seems to lack depth and the production and effects seems poorly done despite a clever concept.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 17, 2020, 04:15:43 PM
Evils of the night. How this slice of 80's cheese escaped my notice until now I have no idea. Some famous actors and actresses slum it here, clearly not that interested in being in it. Plenty of naked women which sort of makes up for the death scene effects.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 17, 2020, 09:00:03 PM
"Heavy Metal Road Dog" (2016)
Lower-than-low budget rock doc that follows Chris Knudsen, the road manager and guitar tech for the all-girl tribute band The Iron Maidens, as they embark on a European tour.
Behind-the-scenes stuff like this can be fun if your subject has some good stories or at least some charisma, but Knudsen has neither. He shows all the personality of a wet mop as he tunes up guitars, consumes a lot of sausages and beer, gets lost in an Amsterdam train station, and navigates airport security. Watching paint dry is more exciting.
Maybe the filmmakers should have focused on the Iron Maidens instead -- they seem like a fun bunch of gals, though they don't really get to say much. Even more puzzling, you don't even get to hear any of their performances -- all the concert scenes are dubbed over with canned, generic widdly-widdly Euro power metal music. So what's the point?
In short: this is the least interesting rock doc I've ever seen
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 18, 2020, 01:10:55 AM
"Heavy Metal Road Dog" (2016)
Lower-than-low budget rock doc that follows Chris Knudsen, the road manager and guitar tech for the all-girl tribute band The Iron Maidens, as they embark on a European tour.
Behind-the-scenes stuff like this can be fun if your subject has some good stories or at least some charisma, but Knudsen has neither. He shows all the personality of a wet mop as he tunes up guitars, consumes a lot of sausages and beer, gets lost in an Amsterdam train station, and navigates airport security. Watching paint dry is more exciting.
Maybe the filmmakers should have focused on the Iron Maidens instead -- they seem like a fun bunch of gals, though they don't really get to say much. Even more puzzling, you don't even get to hear any of their performances -- all the concert scenes are dubbed over with canned, generic widdly-widdly Euro power metal music. So what's the point?
In short: this is the least interesting rock doc I've ever seen
AVOID.

I've met more than one backstage crew member who thought they were the star. Sounds like this doc is a missed opportunity.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 18, 2020, 08:50:17 AM
MONSTER SEAFOOD WARS (2020): Someone steals Yuta's temple offering of a squid, an octopus, and a crab, and soon giant versions of these three creatures begin terrorizing Japan; a squad is formed to combat the menace. A few amusing moments, but even granting the spoofy nature of the project, the extreme lack of budget proves disastrous. After building the goofy rubber seafood monster suits, there's not enough money left over to destroy the scale model cities. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 18, 2020, 01:01:50 PM
I've met more than one backstage crew member who thought they were the star. Sounds like this doc is a missed opportunity.

Seriously, the whole time I watched it I kept thinking, "who the hell decided that THIS guy should be the focus of their documentary?" :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 18, 2020, 01:46:48 PM
terror from the year 5000 - this was mis-labeled as an Outer Limits episode. it's too silly for that, but If you can imagine a cross between campier Outer Limits ( say Corpus earthling) and Astounding She monster it would look exactly like this.

Scientist make a Tardis like time traveling machine in order to get artifacts from ancient history. They are so stupid though they program it backwards and get a weird statue from the future. They try to carbon date it but the carbon shows it like doesn't exist. Not long after that, a buxom future woman comes and wreaks havoc and everyone is forced to rethink the whole thing and figure out what to do.

Apparently this was a MST3K episode. I must have missed it. I didn't catch certain details like what was the point of the calcified cat in the suitcase at the bottom of the pond, but no matter. fun for all

5/5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 18, 2020, 11:23:49 PM
SHOCK WAVES (1977)

(https://i.imgur.com/aaXUz62.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


John Carradine is piloting a small cruise boat to-it never tells us where- when a WWII ship rises from the bottom of the sea and rams them. The folks on the boat get shipwrecked on an island inhabited by old Nazi Peter Cushing, and the island is overrun by Nazi zombies, and everyone dies except Brooke Addams. It's real disjointed- but the scary Nazi zombies made up for it. They live in the water- ! They surface and sink like sneaky alligators! And if you pull their tinted googles off they shrivel up and die. It's kinda like a slighter bigger budget ASTRO ZOMBIES.
Carradine and Peter are great- but don't get a lot of screen time.

http://youtu.be/XEXN4FLGtBk (http://youtu.be/XEXN4FLGtBk)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 20, 2020, 01:20:27 PM
The Chase (1946) - a down on his luck guy gets a dream job as a gangsters chauffer. Soon though, he encounters the guys wife who is a hot European MILF. Thing escalate quickly from there.

Pretty decent film noir type thing which features some good shots of the ocean and what I'm guessing is a studio approximation of Havana. pretty baffling (for me) plot twist aside its solid and enjoyable crimey deal

Peter Lorre is awesome as the sidekick gangster. He's a little more tough and less weird than usual

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 21, 2020, 01:08:43 PM
Hurricane Strip (2007) - has it really been 15 years since Katrina?

doc about normies who turn to stripping to make ends meet in the post apocalypse. director wisely focuses on the girl with the biggest boobs, who makes a fortune while p**sing off her grandma and doomed boyfriend. Girls Gone Wild 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 21, 2020, 03:33:16 PM
ABSURD (1981)
Big George Eastman plays a psycho who has amazing regenerative abilities. So you can't kill him unless you bash his brains in. He never speaks and is pursued by a priest. It seems to have been inspired by HALLOWEEN (1979), but oh so much gorier. A nurse gets a surgical drill threw her brain, a man gets his head stuck in a band saw, a woman gets her head stuck in a lit oven, etc...etc.. you get the picture.
Eastman is a scary monster! I just wish he killed the whiny little brat that pollutes this movie!
Another Joe D'Amato messterpiece!

(https://i.imgur.com/94w3DbE.png) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 22, 2020, 10:17:26 AM
APOLLO 18 - A fake documentary purporting to show footage from a final, secret mission to the moon in 1974 - in which the astronauts discover that the Russians have landed on the moon, only to meet a horrible fate at the claws of an indigenous life form that the earlier missions had missed.  Slow at first, but surprisingly tense and believable by the end.  Fun flick!   4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 23, 2020, 08:40:03 AM
MURDER PARTY (2007): A group of NYC art students decide to kill a stranger on Halloween night as a performance art piece, but prove to be incompetent killers. Executes its goofy premise pretty well and is done in a brisk 80 minutes. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 23, 2020, 08:33:03 PM
I thought Murder Party was pretty good ^

Phobia 2 - I've never seen phobia 1 but this thai horror collection is way above par for netflix instant horror.

part 1 - a troubled kid gets sent to juvenile Hall: the thailand equivalent which is living with monks in the woods. Unluckily for him, its almost time for the Festival of the Hungry Ghost so he has to deal with all kinds of sinister forces. hate it when that happens. This was the strongest and most thailandish offering

2- an illegal immigrant smuggling operation goes horribly, horribly wrong. guilt seems to be a running issue in these. I like when horror movies have meaning but when its all about comeuppance it can be like a chick comic

3 - a used car dealer doesn't tell drivers when the cars have been in accidents. I think this might connect with people in thailand more than here? It's one thing to be a crook, but I don't know that you are like disrespecting the dead by fixing their cars and re selling them.

4- A Scream type horror comedy that's a breath of fresh air from all the moralizing. Enjoyable if not laugh out loud funny with some insider horror jokes


While the execution isn't great they have the right approach. I will definitely watch the first one if I can find it

4.25/ 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 24, 2020, 06:40:31 AM
BLOODEATERS (1980) aka TOXIC ZOMBIES

A group of motley hippie pot growers get sprayed with some experimental paraquat and turn into cannibalistic   zombies, and start killing unlucky campers in a remote area of federal land. Judy Brown is the biggest name in this very low budget flick, along with a minor role played by John Ampalas (the Captain who screams "Choke on 'em!" as he's getting his guts ripped out in DAY OF THE DEAD!). Passable, gory stuff by director Charles McCrann, who died in the WTC collapse.

(https://i.imgur.com/mXSvqbB.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 24, 2020, 11:38:03 AM
"Kiss Kiss Kill Kill" (1966)
First film in the German "Kommissar X" series of 007 knock-offs, with suave private eye Joe Walker and his police captain buddy Tom Rowland assigned to locate a missing nuclear scientist. The trail eventually leads them to the secret island fortress of a gold-hoarding super-villain (hey that sounds familiar) called "Oberon" and his private army of brainwashed, machine-gun toting females.
Shag-a-delic, baby!
As usual for these cheap spy flicks, "Kiss Kiss" doesn't have the most coherent story, but there's lots of two-fisted action, gorgeous European scenery, and (of course) plenty of pretty girls. Joe Walker is so cool that he even has his own swingin' theme song! This is the third "Kommissar" film I've seen and I'm really enjoying them, they're silly as hell, but lots of cheesy fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 24, 2020, 01:20:57 PM
the DEAD NEXT DOOR (1989)
Holy fvcking sh!t! Sam Raimi backed a 19 year old J.R. Bookwalker's Z budget opus about a future of a world overcome by flesh eating zombies!  His only good film! Yeah- it's been done a hundred times, but this film is so low budget and so over the top gore (good F/X too!). A goverment Zombie extermination group vs. weird cultists (lead by a Rev.Jones, no less!) who use the zombies to attack our heros! Fast paced, bloody as hell. Decapitation by hand grenade, disembodied zombie heads biting people, blood squirting like a drinking fountain on meth- awesome!
Bruce Campbell dubs the main character of zombie hunter Raimi! Why? I don't know!
One of my favorite zombie movies of all time now!


http://youtu.be/l6ChpQhCnvo (http://youtu.be/l6ChpQhCnvo)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 25, 2020, 10:32:36 AM
LABYRINTH OF CINEMA (2019): Japanese teenagers find themselves thrown into the movies screening at a cinema on the last night before it closes. Nobuhiko "HAUSU" Obayashi's final movie is an exuberant, monumental, poetic, and confusing ode to the power of cinema; at an epic three hours, it arguably could have used some editing, but much of the movie's ramshackle extravagance would have been lost. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 25, 2020, 01:49:08 PM
The Flesh Easters (1964) - A long time ago I gave this 5 stars. I think I was won over by the initial Tarantino ish decadence (or his various influences'). Upon second viewing, the middle part could have been punched up a bit, but it's still pretty awesome.

An "I'm not flying into that storm, are you crazy?" straight laced pilot gets offered more money and does indeed fly into that storm. Soon, they make an emergency landing on an uncharted desert isle, but without Gilligan or even the Skipper. Hampering their escape efforts are flesh eating lightning bug things in the water.

This is like a slightly later, proto grindhouse version of The Killer Shrews. The version on youtube included the "Nazi experiment" scene, which featured a swastika and vats of acid. The director definitely saw which was things were going in the exploitation movie world.

I could tolerate the beatnik but the Nazi doctor guy was annoying. The assistants ultra innocent sexuality and quality genetics made her an easy favorite, but I appreciated the bitter Judy garland ish so done with the world drunk actress too.  

4.5 /5  I will no doubt watch it again


edit - This was the directors only film. He was mainly a voice actor on Speed Racer. Thank you for taking the time out of your day, dude!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 25, 2020, 03:51:54 PM
^ I LOVE that movie! I just re-watched it again on Tubi! I love when the Nazi gets his face eaten!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on August 25, 2020, 08:32:34 PM
I just watched the final episode of MYSTERY SCIENCE TEATHER 3000, which happens to be DIABOLIK, a quite bad and morally inept movie about some kind of thief who, among other incredibly feats, manages to lift a 20ton lingot with balloons. Honestly, I have no idea what they were tring to accomplish with this. Should I cheer for that murderer for some reason? Just stay away, it's generic garbage.

As I commented long time ago, I had a rough time getting into this show. The first two times I tried it stroke to me as incredibly dumb and stupid, which usually doesn't bother me but in this case it did. Yet somehow, after picking MONSTER A GO-GO, I became addicted to it. I think having watched the movie previously helped a lot.
I never recalled hearing about the show except from this very site. Back then I didn't had cable and as far as I know it never got dubbed into spanish, so it wouldn't mattered anyways (remember that the Sci-Fi channel we got in LA was different, everything was dubbed, not sure if it's still the same nowadays).

These are my final observations about the show:

* Even when I think they're both great, I prefer Joel over Mike. Somehow I think the whole premise of the show, explained in detail in the intro, was somewhat lost when they changed leads, and it felt in the segments. Most of the Mike era are terrible, and for some reason very rarely they actually made jokes about the movies or actors.
* Kevin Murphy's voice is far better than Josh Weinstein's. In fact, I think the latter isn't even funny. Like, at all. Also Kevin sings like a champ; while I don't enjoy the musical segments, I really loved his love song to Creepy Girl. Also Bobo was amazing.
* Crow was always my favorite character. When they changed his voice I thought everything was lost, but I actually barely noticed. Bill Corbett did an excellent job at capturing the witty personality of the robot. He was also great as the Observer.
* I still consider Mary Jo Pehl as a terrible comedian, and simply awful to look and hear at. Her presence in the screen was boring and completely forced. It's sad how in the episode in which she spends her time in the first segment "riffing", Crow says to her "you're funny" and she replies "you bet I am". It felt as if they were trying to remind the audience that she was supposed to make them laugh.
* My favorite episode is still MONSTER A GO-GO, followed closely by POD PEOPLE. I never considered MANOS, THE HANDS OF FATE that great of an episode, not sure why everyone raves so much about it.
* TV's Frank was stupid but lovable, and I really felt sad when he had to go. The episode SOULTAKER, in which both him and Joel make a cameo visit, was a real treat.
* I still think they handled the goodbye from Joel like crap. It felt so cold and distant, even his previously mentioned visit felt too short. I know it's just a show and I should really just relax, but come on, we get attached to those characters, make them show some emotions goddammit!
* One of the best riffings I recall was in MONSTER A GO-GO when, in the movie, they use their voice to make the telephone ring. I bet the laughs of the crew were genuine.

Welp, now to start over I guess. It's been 10 seasons, I don't remember the older episodes!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 25, 2020, 09:52:35 PM
RC- he fooled them all with the tape recorder playing the beatnik screams on the raft. that was clever


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on August 27, 2020, 01:46:05 AM
Beyond the Time Barrier (1960)

During a test flight of a space plane, the pilot is hurled into the distant future of 2024! He finds a postapocalyptic world, where the few survivors are besieged by mutants. All but two of the survivors are deaf mute, and they strangely seem to have forgotten not only the use of sign language, but even that of writing. How they manage to run their city is beyond me. There is also the paranoid military commander, whose beard sticks out in way to make any pharaoh jealous, and the benign supreme leader, complete with granddaughter who falls for the pilot. With the help of some scientists who likewise got stuck there from other times, he tries to get back to 1960 to warn the earth of the impending doom. 

This is another one of those scripts that would have been effective enough for a 30-40 minute episode of a TV series, but is hopelessly drawn out to movie length. Still, there is some nice footage of an F102, as the high speed space plane. Also, in the distant future of 2024, the M1 carbine is still in service.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 27, 2020, 07:46:24 AM
^  The mutants!

(https://i.imgur.com/rE1qJmf.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 27, 2020, 08:42:26 AM
THE FABULOUS BARON MUNCHAUSEN [BARON PRASIL] (1962): An astronaut discovers Baron Muchausen living on the moon, and they fly back to earth on a sailing ship drawn by flying horses to rescue a woman abducted by a sultan. Karel Zeman advances his craft by taking the visual style of INVENTION FOR DESTRUCTION---a mix of cutout animation and live actors on highly artificial sets---and adding vivid color and a dashingly comic Baron. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 27, 2020, 08:46:30 AM
THE FABULOUS BARON MUNCHAUSEN [BARON PRASIL] (1962): An astronaut discovers Baron Muchausen living on the moon, and they fly back to earth on a sailing ship drawn by flying horses to rescue a woman abducted by a sultan. Karel Zeman advances his craft by taking the visual style of INVENTION FOR DESTRUCTION---a mix of cutout animation and live actors on highly artificial sets---and adding vivid color and a dashingly comic Baron. 4.5/5.

I LOVE Zeman! He's like a latter day George Melies.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 27, 2020, 08:49:24 AM
THE FABULOUS BARON MUNCHAUSEN [BARON PRASIL] (1962): An astronaut discovers Baron Muchausen living on the moon, and they fly back to earth on a sailing ship drawn by flying horses to rescue a woman abducted by a sultan. Karel Zeman advances his craft by taking the visual style of INVENTION FOR DESTRUCTION---a mix of cutout animation and live actors on highly artificial sets---and adding vivid color and a dashingly comic Baron. 4.5/5.

I LOVE Zeman! He's like a latter day George Melies.

And you can see that Terry Gilliam stole quite a bit from him for his Monty Python animations.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 27, 2020, 08:52:46 AM
THE FABULOUS BARON MUNCHAUSEN [BARON PRASIL] (1962): An astronaut discovers Baron Muchausen living on the moon, and they fly back to earth on a sailing ship drawn by flying horses to rescue a woman abducted by a sultan. Karel Zeman advances his craft by taking the visual style of INVENTION FOR DESTRUCTION---a mix of cutout animation and live actors on highly artificial sets---and adding vivid color and a dashingly comic Baron. 4.5/5.

I LOVE Zeman! He's like a latter day George Melies.

And you can see that Terry Gilliam stole quite a bit from him for his Monty Python animations.

Oh yeah! The man was a genius at his craft!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on August 27, 2020, 10:40:57 AM
Doctor Who versus the Daleks.

Wow.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 27, 2020, 10:46:39 AM
"The Unholy" (1988)
A Catholic priest (Ben Cross) with a troubled past is assigned to re-open a run-down parish in New Orleans, and proceeds to do battle with the demonic force that killed his two predecessors.
A throwback to the "devil" movies of the '70s (think "The Exorcist" or "The Omen," updated with lots of flashy '80s music-video style lighting and dry ice), featuring the always dependable Hal Holbrook and Ned Beatty in supporting roles. There's some splashy gore and some hilariously cheesy creature effects, but in the end "The Unholy" turned out to be an entertaining slab of '80s B-horror.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 27, 2020, 06:59:40 PM
Doctor Who versus the Daleks.

Wow.

My favorite Dr.Who is Peter Cushing.  :thumbup:

(https://i.imgur.com/7so9F4f.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on August 27, 2020, 07:52:05 PM
...My favorite Dr.Who is Peter Cushing.  :thumbup:
(https://i.imgur.com/7so9F4f.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


I saw the end of LAURENCE OLIVIER's HAMLET (1949) yesterday and was delighted to see a very young PETER CUSHING in a part there !!!  I like PETER CUSHING!!!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 27, 2020, 08:35:42 PM
He was also in Laurel and Hardy's A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1939)! 

(https://i.imgur.com/GboQc7o.png) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on August 27, 2020, 10:49:02 PM
He was also in Laurel and Hardy's A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1939)!  

(https://i.imgur.com/GboQc7o.png) (https://lunapic.com)

Oh cool!!!  

Here he is in HAMLET (1949) :

(https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/peter-cushing-as-osric-in-the-1948-production-of-hamlet-directed-by-picture-id3171103) 



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 28, 2020, 12:03:42 PM
1 Br (2019) - The scenario isn't remotely believable, but luckily they made sure to not have any humor, sex, or interesting cinematography either. blandly watchable, passionless, cliched... netflix instant par excellence  1/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 28, 2020, 10:26:41 PM
CAROUSHELL (2016)  I must say, this was the best movie about a carousel unicorn serial killer I have ever seen, and I think I have seen them all.
Blood!  Decapitations!  Unicorn sex!  Bad puns!  Irate pizza delivery guys!  A goofy cowboy mascot!  A kid named "Lunchbox!"

 Throw away your Picassos, CAROUSHELL is the only art you will ever need!!!!   5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 30, 2020, 01:44:20 PM
NINJAS VS. VAMPIRES - A group of wisecracking ninjas take on an evil vampire lord with the aid of a witch and a good vampire.   A couple of local teens get sucked into the conflict and the guy decides to join forces with the ninja to protect his lady love.  This was low-budget, but done with a lot of heart.  The swordplay and martial arts are impressive, and the vampire effects were surprisingly goof for a movie made on a shoestring.  Turns out this is the middle movie of a trilogy; I'm motivated enough now to go watch the other two.  Free on Amazon Prime, but I woulda paid the $3 rental fee for this one!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 30, 2020, 01:59:06 PM
SHAKESPEARE'S s**tSTORM (2020): Very loosely following the plot of Shakespeare's "The Tempest," the story involves a party ship packed with pharmaceutical executives washed up on the shores of Troma, New Jersey, after a storm of whale feces. "s**tstorm" may not be quite as surreal as "Tromeo & Juliet," but it represents a capstone Troma's transgressive punk aesthetic; it may just be their most offensive movie yet---and one of their smartest and funniest. I saw it via Fantasia Festival online; not sure when it will be widely available, but a lot of folks here should remember to look for it. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 30, 2020, 02:06:27 PM
"Friday the 13th: Vengeance" (2019)
30 years after the events of "Jason Lives," a now-grown Tommy Jarvis has gone missing in the woods around Camp Crystal Lake, prompting his teenage daughters to mount a search mission. Of course, a certain hockey masked maniac will eventually crash their party, but he's not the *only* Voorhees family member out there causing mayhem...

This elaborate feature length "fan film" (funded via Kickstarter and viewable for free on YouTube) suffers from a few scripting issues (there are enough characters and sub plots in this thing to fill three movies, so it gets a bit muddled by the three quarter mark) and the acting is amateur night at best, but otherwise this is a fairly impressive production, with lots of gory kills and an all around professional look.

Since the future of the "real" F13 franchise is currently held up in copyright court, fan films like this and "Never Hike Alone" are doing a nice job of filling the void. Apparently a sequel to "Vengeance" is already in the works. I say "bring it on."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on August 30, 2020, 04:41:45 PM
SHAKESPEARE'S s**tSTORM (2020): Very loosely following the plot of Shakespeare's "The Tempest," the story involves a party ship packed with pharmaceutical executives washed up on the shores of Troma, New Jersey, after a storm of whale feces. "s**tstorm" may not be quite as surreal as "Tromeo & Juliet," but it represents a capstone Troma's transgressive punk aesthetic; it may just be their most offensive movie yet---and one of their smartest and funniest. I saw it via Fantasia Festival online; not sure when it will be widely available, but a lot of folks here should remember to look for it. 4/5.

That sounds as good / bad as "Up Yours, Brutus": the other version of what Caesar said when Brutus stabbed him  :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on August 30, 2020, 06:11:00 PM
JOKER (2019)

In Gotham City, mentally troubled comedian Arthur Fleck is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter-ego: the Joker.

I finally made some time to watch this incredibly overhyped film, and boy was it painful. Grab a cup of coffee my friends, this is going to be a long ride. Wanna join?

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

1) First, I'm going to address the title character: it has nothing to do with the infamous villain. The movie can be called anything you like, just remove the three names from the comic, which are Joker, Gotham, and Wayne, and it has nothing, and I mean nothing to do with it. I'm convinced that this was a movie about some crazy guy and they just slapped the title at the last minute as a marketing ploy, since it was the whole craze at the time. It clearly worked like a charm.
But it goes even further than that: by using the name Wayne to portrait a selfish rich guy, you undermine the whole story of the comic that has been built for generations, in which Thomas Wayne was always a wise and generous man, and Bruce tried to keep that legacy going in the form of Batman. So basically they not only made the movie nothing like the comic, they also took a huge dump on it. And that's coming from someone who doesn't even read comic books.

2) Now, the other constantly mentioned thing, the "cinematography". The movie is composed mostly by grey buildings, dull faces, and boring insides; you will only see some color when the main character paints himself. It's so grim to look at, and I understand that that was maybe the whole point, but it's just dreadful. I was sick of watching those mind-numbing streets filled with random people while hearing a constant and depressing chelo as a soundtrack - and by constant I mean 80% of the film. Yes, when it's not that chelo, it's some kind of inappropriate song in the background, and that's it. My ears hated me for two hours.
Other stuff placed by the director are simply hilarious, and I felt like an idiot just for watching this movie. For example, when the lead character discovers that his whole relationship was an illusion created by his mind, the simple use of the dialog already told me that. Yet for some reason the director felt the need to show me each indivual scene of him with the girl and without her, just to remind me that OMG she wasn't there!!1. Like, could he spoonfed me more this stupid and extremely overused twist?

3) The other thing that everyone raved about: Phoenix's acting. That forced laugh he uses the entire movie is terrible, terrible bad. I actually cringed every time he did it - just try right now to laugh out loud and record yourself. Now hear it... do you feel how stupid you sound? Now make that half of the dialog in this movie. A lot of scenes are taken straight from other movies, like when he talks by himself with the gun like TAXI DRIVER, or the relationship with the girl, very similar to THE KING OF COMEDY. Hell, even the whole visit to the show reminded me of that movie. At no point I felt sad for the character, or any character at all for that matter, it was impossible for me to connect with anyone.

4) The character is completely unbelievable. Are you telling me that he suddenly took the courage to go and kiss the girl just because he killed some guys? Like, he could barely speak normally before that, but then he became a total stud; I understand that it only happened in his mind, but he clearly didn't knew that, since his surprise later in the movie is genuine, so in his mind, he did went and kissed her.
Not to mention... he was on seven medications, stopped taking them, and no side effects, like, at all? Hell, with seven medications you wouldn't even be able to remember where you live, imagine stopped taking them just like that. And this guy, who's clearly rather dumb because he can't do anything properly, somehow became the mastermind that is the Joker? The villain who could manage to confuse the best detective in the world? Yeah right. Not to mention, he would be pretty much an old guy by then. No wonder he dyes his hair.

5) And last, yet the most important issue to me: I felt that the whole point of the movie was not to entertain or move me, but instead just to make politics. Now, I don't want to turn this thread into a political discussion, so feel free to write me a PM if you like, I'm just sharing my feelings about this particular movie. It's a huge vehicle for socialist propaganda, which sadly I can see every day of my life, destroying my society from the core for generations to come. From the very start you'll see how the garbage pickup service is suspended because union protests, turning the city into a huge dump (you never know why they're doing that, only that it's the rich's fault somehow); you'll see constant approval of rioting, destroying of property, violence (especially against the authority), a complete disregard for human life, and a total hate for everyone who has money, who apparently are responsible for every problem anyone could have in this city. Funny how this hate machine for capitalism is brought to us thanks to capitalism, isn't it? I truly wonder if the $1,074,251,311 that this movie made worldwide was donated to some charity or country with problems much more serious than "people are mean to me!".

So, is there anything good about this? Well, there's no shaky camera, except for one scene, because it's oh so deep I guess and totally needs to shake. Other than that, it's one of the worst movies I've seen in a while. I ended up feeling bored and depressed, and not a good depression like the one you feel when a hero dies after an epic battle in which he manages to save his friends, but more the depression you get after watching a ten hours golf match. A soul crushing need to go and do anything else to forget this mess.

Avoid this garbage like the plague! 1/10 :thumbdown:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on August 31, 2020, 04:08:23 AM
Deepwater Horizon (2016). I avoided this movie for a few years even though I've owned it for about that long. I just can't get too crazy about Mark Wahlberg anymore since he's making a lot of forgetful films these days. He was on a roll of good movies back in the 2000s decade, but he kind of fell south after The Happening (2008); even though I 100% blame M. Night Shymalan for that hot mess, it did something to Wahlberg's career that he never seemed to be quite able to recover from. So imagine my surprise when I finally sat down and forced myself to watch Deepwater Horizon (2016) and found myself entertained by it; not necessarily Wahlberg's performance per se, but the scope of the movie itself, which had its faults to be sure but all in all it was not a bad movie. I'm normally not a big fan of dramatizations of real-life disasters, but this one was decently done. I was actually impressed with John Malkovich's portrayal as the "bad guy" of sorts, even though he was more of just an ignorant bureaucrat than an actual villain in the movie. This movie reminded me a lot of the Chernobyl (2019) HBO miniseries because of the way that the movie portrayed the response to the disaster, which both powers-that-be (Soviet Union and British Petroleum, respectively) seemed to try to cover up and downplay at first before finally admitting that they had a real problem on their hands. Some of the special effects and visuals in Deepwater Horizon (2016) seemed a bit on the cheap side and cheesy, but for the most part I thought that the movie worked.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 31, 2020, 01:12:35 PM
Nightmare (1981) - unlike modern horror movies this one really seems to have a voice behind it. I wish the story itself had been a little clearer, but the elements left a strong impression for sure.

When he was a little kid, a guy sees his father tied up by a hooker and, thinking he's in danger or just generally being disturbed, attacks the woman with an axe. Years later, a psycho is let out of a mental institution and tries to survive in the NYC of that era. good luck!

Most of the action takes place in Florida or something, where the psycho guy hangs around on the beach and seemingly infects a random family with his sinister urge to kill. The atmosphere is really on point. If you are in a bad mood you will really really enjoy this.

4.5/ 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 31, 2020, 03:30:08 PM
GEMINI (1999): A successful doctor with an amnesiac wife discovers he has previously unknown twin brother, who causes him lots of problems. Based on a story by Edogawa Ranpo (the "Japanese Edgar Allan Poe) and directed by Shinya Tsakomoto in his typically surreal style, it's often confusing, but that's what gives it its psychological power. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 02, 2020, 09:05:06 AM
"One Last Time: Live in New York City" (2020)
A fan-made documentary (free on YouTube) about KISS' "End of the Road" Tour, culminating in the band's umpteenth sell out show at Madison Square Garden in NYC.

I haven't seen KISS since the '96 Reunion Tour, but from the  "End of the Road" live footage on display here, it looks like their stage show is as spectacular as ever. However, it's hard not to notice how much Paul Stanley's voice (and stage moves) has deteriorated.

Since the Coronavirus pandemic put a premature stop to the tour, only time will tell if the date promised in the film for the last-ever KISS show (supposedly it will take place in July of 2021 in New York) will truly be "the end."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 02, 2020, 11:58:11 AM
Lake Mungo (2008) - very interesting Australian horror movie that will probably divide viewers. It's a found footage/ documentary style for one and it also has ...well I won't give it away.

A young woman tragically drowns and film footage of her former home reveals there may be a supernatural presence. The grieving family consults a psychic and attempts to figure it all out. We're mostly left with a backstory of a young woman who faces some sort of mysterious issue in her life that may or may not be related to her tragic death.

While not perfect, its a thousand times better than most of the dreck on netflix instant ( I watched it on Tubi) though more on the "dark psychological "  than slasher side

4.25/ 5


edit: in fact it does divide viewers. IMDB reviews were 3-1 either a 9 or 10 or a total "this sucks" drubbing



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 03, 2020, 12:26:38 PM
the St Francisville Experiment (2000) - I can appreciate the formal integrity: it very much feels like a bunch of college kids doing a project in a haunted house and it gradually works up a decent head of steam, but a LOT depended on the ending and the director just wasn't up to the task.

3/5 I enjoyed it for the most part but this was the kind of project they should have come up with the ending FIRST. It's found footage style


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 03, 2020, 04:46:42 PM
MARK OF THE DEVIL (1970) Udo Kier stars as the underling of Witchfinder General Herbert Lom, who is in a power stuggle with a rival witchfinder, scary looking Reggie Nadler. Lots of torture, burnings, and such grue. For it's time, it was very shocking and bloody.
Great acting between Lom and Nadler; watch for the scene when the General attacks his fellow torturer after calling him impotent. Udo is his usual brooding self, the luscious Olivera Katrina is his main squeeze! (drooling emoji here!)


(https://i.imgur.com/iRFT0f8.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 05, 2020, 08:34:17 AM
"Burial Ground" (aka "The Nights of Terror," aka "Zombie 3," 1981)
An archaeologist opens an ancient tomb, which unleashes a horde of zombies (don'cha hate when that happens?). The undead soon find their way to a country estate, where three jet setting couples have just arrived for a weekend of fun and fornication. You can probably figure out the rest.  
This below-average slice of Italian zombie schlock doesn't have much plot, but it's got plenty of cheap, splattery gore, sleazy T&A, terrible acting/dubbing, and idiotic characters who deserve everything that happens to them.
"Burial Ground" is probably best remembered for the creepy child character "Michael," whose Oedipal fixation on his boob-a-licious Mom results in the movie's most memorable/disturbing scene. (The "kid" was played by a 25-year-old midget, which makes the whole thing even more bizarre!)
"Burial Ground" was not a great movie by any means, but it was certainly entertaining, in a "What the f*** did I just watch?" kind of way.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 05, 2020, 08:54:59 AM
^ That's one of my favorite zombie movies of all time! OF ALL TIME.

(https://i.imgur.com/zCMpnH2.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 05, 2020, 12:07:25 PM
^ oh man I remember that one with the guy and his Mom


Slumber Party Massacre - I remember reading about how this movie had feminist overtones. There's one scene where the guy's drill is positioned so it looks like its his dick and this sort of comparison is made a couple times. That and the fact that the girls are not cheerleaders but basketball players are about it for the feminism, the rest is a pretty typical and enjoyable slasher film. I watched it before and Ill watch it again.

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 05, 2020, 05:27:07 PM
"The Faculty" (1998)
A group of small town high school misfits must battle against the alien parasites that have taken control of their teachers and the rest of the student body before they can conquer the world (yikes!).
... Kevin "Scream" Williamson wrote this action packed sci-fi/horror thriller that's essentially an update of "Invasion Of The Body Snatchers" set in a high school, directed by Robert "From Dusk Til Dawn" Rodriguez and featuring an impressive cast that includes Robert "Terminator 2" Patrick, Salma Hayek, Jon Stewart, Elijah Wood, and more. Lots of fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 06, 2020, 11:09:25 AM
"Death Trip" (aka "Kommissar X: Three Green Hounds" and "Kill Me Gently," 1967)
In the fourth "Kommissar X" adventure, swingin' P.I. Joe Walker and his police captain pal Tom Rowland are in Istanbul, where a criminal cartel has stolen a large amount of LSD (!), and plans to use it as a weapon against NATO troops.
As usual for these cheap James Bond wanna-bees, the story/dubbing is mostly a mess, but the movie is campy fun anyway, thanks to its combination of exotic scenery, impressive stunt work, and hot Sixties babes.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 06, 2020, 11:51:55 AM
Zombie Pirates.

You know, with a title like that I was expecting a much more fun movie. Seems to be a vague tribute to the Blind Dead movies. Not finished it so far. Amateur acting, some boobs and someone who may or may not be Colonel Sanders.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 06, 2020, 07:25:42 PM
"Primal" (2019)
Nicolas Cage is a big-game hunter who's booked space on a cargo ship to transport his latest batch of dangerous critters (poisonous snakes, mean tempered monkeys, and a white jaguar) back to America, where he plans to sell them to a zoo.
Unfortunately, the same ship is being used to bring an even more dangerous federal prisoner back home for trial. Naturally, the bad guy gets loose in mid-voyage, lets all the animals out of their cages, and spends the rest of the movie playing cat-and-mouse with his FBI handlers and finally with Cage himself.
The CGI animals look like crap, but otherwise this was an enjoyably cheesy "B"grade action movie, bolted together from parts of "Under Siege," "Die Hard," and Cage's own "Con Air." 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 07, 2020, 02:07:08 PM
"Dead & Buried" (1981)
A sheriff (James Farentino) is puzzled by a string of random murders in his small town -- and even more concerned when the victims don't stay in their graves. I can't say much more than that without ruining the movie's twist but it was worth the wait.
This one took a little while to get going, but by the half way point I was hooked by its "Twilight Zone" vibe, the cool makeup FX by the great Stan Winston, and the performances by Farentino and Jack Albertson ("Chico and The Man"), who plays the town's kindly old coroner/funeral director, who may not be so kindly after all. Another 80s cult classic off the never ending list...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on September 07, 2020, 04:53:35 PM
"Dead & Buried" (1981)
A sheriff (James Farentino) is puzzled by a string of random murders in his small town -- and even more concerned when the victims don't stay in their graves. I can't say much more than that without ruining the movie's twist but it was worth the wait.
This one took a little while to get going, but by the half way point I was hooked by its "Twilight Zone" vibe, the cool makeup FX by the great Stan Winston, and the performances by Farentino and Jack Albertson ("Chico and The Man"), who plays the town's kindly old coroner/funeral director, who may not be so kindly after all. Another 80s cult classic off the never ending list...

I’ve only seen parts of the movie on TV but I imagine all the cool parts were edited out. However, I did read the book a bunch of times when I was a little kid, and yes, that big twist at the end was hella cool and clever to a 3rd grade kid.  :thumbup: :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 08, 2020, 09:02:57 AM
I'M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS (2020): A young woman goes on a trip to meet her new boyfriend's parents at their farmhouse on a night when a blizzard is brewing; the night grows increasingly strange and unsettling as it becomes unclear what is real and what is imaginary. This maze of memory and uncertain identity is Charlie Kaufman's most surreal film, with an ending that appears to throw all rational logic out the window. A lot of people on here would absolutely HATE this one, lol. Netflix exclusive. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 08, 2020, 10:28:18 AM
The Circle. A reasonable low budget horror. A group of archaeology students go on a field trip with a teacher to a Scottish island. Hijinks ensue as internal stresses threaten to destroy the group when faced with an external threat to their lives. There is a twist in the story, but I think most viewers will see it coming well in advance.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 08, 2020, 12:57:55 PM
Sudden Fury (1975) - A guy in a Herb Tarlick suit gets in an accident with his wife, who he also hates and pretty much wants to kill. Seizing the moment, he tries to leave her there but a passerby helps her. uh oh. Now whats he gonna do?  

It started off "good" but took a while to get going. Eventually I got involved though, and the twist and turns and stuff were done pretty well and naturally. In the second half things pick up and all in all its unique and worth checking out. I especially liked the wife of the farmer they run into. Her obedient sort of nature might not be PC but it brought me into the whole scenario quite well.

4.25 /5

(https://images.static-bluray.com/reviews/17826_1.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 08, 2020, 06:09:47 PM
BIRDS OF PREY AND THE FANTABULOUS LIBERATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN (2020)

I finally caught this on HBO the other night, and found it fairly enjoyable.  The storyline could have profited from being more linear and less dependent on flashbacks, but it was fun and Margot Robie is always cute as the adorable psychopathic supervillainess.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on September 08, 2020, 08:35:48 PM
The Song Remains the Same, on TCM. I'd never seen it in such a beautiful format, only on VHS.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 10, 2020, 12:55:07 PM
Maniac (1980) - It doesn't get much better than this. A solitary man in Pre Guliani NYC murders people, then attempts to fall in love. Is the modern age the way it is because we've abandoned tradition? or is it because we've exposed that it was a hoax based on appearances all along? I guess I'll never know, but the dystopian post 60's US city was surely a great place to be alienated and unaccountable.

Enough with the sociology, this movie rocks. It's low budget but features special effects by the great Tom Savini and a clear artistic vision from the director. HG Lewis and the general expectations of the grindhouse crowd must have been the prime influence, but so many of those types of movies are boring as Hell. This one brings it all together and is satisfying artistically and also is fun to watch.

5/5 highest recommendation


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 13, 2020, 12:14:31 PM
Time Lapse (2014) - I enjoyed this modestly budgeted sci fi time travel - problem sort of movie. A dorky hipster ish guy, his girlfriend and their ne'er do well roomy discover a now dead neighbor invented a machine that takes pictures 24 hours into the future. The ne'er -er of course takes the lead in making horse racing bets and the situation immediately gets out of control. Along the way, there's some Adrian Lynne eque romantic tension and turbulence, but no cinematography to speak of. Its mostly just them in the house and a few visitors.

The ending showed the proper care one should take when endeavoring to conclude a cinematic moving picture experience!

4.5 / 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 13, 2020, 01:38:57 PM
JEXI - A lovable loser's life is turned upside down when his new smartphone tries to "Make His Life Better" by helping him in the areas of self-confidence and romantic appeal - but then, when he finally manages to achieve a relationship with the girl of his dreams, JEXI, the phone's artificial intelligence, becomes jealous and tries to break them up.  Cliched but funny, with some wild moments scattered throughout.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on September 13, 2020, 02:04:50 PM
Time Lapse (2014) - I enjoyed this modestly budgeted sci fi time travel - problem sort of movie. A dorky hipster ish guy, his girlfriend and their ne'er do well roomy discover a now dead neighbor invented a machine that takes pictures 24 hours into the future. The ne'er -er of course takes the lead in making horse racing bets and the situation immediately gets out of control. Along the way, there's some Adrian Lynne eque romantic tension and turbulence, but no cinematography to speak of. Its mostly just them in the house and a few visitors.

The ending showed the proper care one should take when endeavoring to conclude a cinematic moving picture experience!

4.5 / 5


I watched it recently and while the movie it's not bad, I thought the characters were awful, which eventually kinda killed it for me. Also, the plot it's nothing special, it's basically a remake of the TWILIGHT ZONE episode A Most Unusual Camera, but not as good.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on September 13, 2020, 06:36:17 PM
BIRDS OF PREY AND THE FANTABULOUS LIBERATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN (2020)

I finally caught this on HBO the other night, and found it fairly enjoyable.  The storyline could have profited from being more linear and less dependent on flashbacks, but it was fun and Margot Robie is always cute as the adorable psychopathic supervillainess.  4/5

The director did a fantastic and clever job with portraying all the absolutely loony parts of the movie from Harley Quinn’s loony perspective. I didn’t read the Birds Of Prey comics so I couldn’t argue with any of the comic fanboys that dissed the movie, but the movie made me laugh and enjoy it in the movie theater back in February. I knew that I was watching a bad movie, that’s why, and the filmmakers obviously had a lot of fun with it.  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 13, 2020, 08:15:21 PM
Gabriel - I liked the girl, but the guy was too big of a dork. suspenders? come on. and the painting were trash


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 14, 2020, 01:15:21 AM
Painted Skin: The Resurrection (2012)

A fox spirit imprisoned in the ice escapes after 500 years and needs someone to give her his heart in order to become human. At the same time a princess who is supposed to be married off to a barbarian prince but who is in love with a general guarding the border tries to escape her fate. Perhaps they can work something out, but it turns out the barbarians have plans of their own.

This is a sequel to the original Painted Skin which I haven't seen. This one is your basic par for the course Chinese action/fantasy movie. It has got everything you expect, without being exceptional. Although it is not really a low budget movie, it is a bit too ambitious for the means at its disposal, so you sometimes feel let down by the production values. Entertaining, nevertheless.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on September 14, 2020, 08:47:10 AM
UNFORGIVEN (1992)

Retired Old West gunslinger William Munny (Clint Eastwood) reluctantly takes on one last job, with the help of his old partner Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) and a young man, The "Schofield Kid" (Jaimz Woolvett).

SPOILERS ALERT


Man, this movie was a disappointment. I'm not much into westerns, but nevertheless I recently decided to watch the "dollars trilogy", and boy did I loved it. So coming into this modern take on the genre, and with a cast like that, I was expecting a great movie, but sadly it was quite the boring drama which did nothing for me.

First, the direction. I usually love Clint Eastwood's movies, but this one was rather bland. Everything was too clean and polished for such a harsh time, if you watch the Sergio Lione movies, everyone was dirty, sweaty, and had bad teeth. The shooting scenes are few, short, and nonsensical, extremely far away from the awesomeness of the movies of old - how the hell did Little Bill didn't shoot Munny after he took down the bartender, I will never know.
It has too many rainy scenes, which are dark and murky. It's cool to have action scenes in the rain (as unoriginal they are), but this one goes too far. It takes two hours to get to the last and pretty much only fight, but by that time I was almost snoring. I know there's at least two more shootouts, but they're not between two sides, more from one to another and then running away. I was expecting a cool duel like the times of old, but the movie was trying to steer away from the epicness of those scenes, because killing is bad or something about that.

Now, the script. I understand that they were trying to take on the cowboys as more real human beings, with their own problems and weights in their souls, but this one is simply lame. It's like everyone's Mother Teresa or something. Most of the characters are huge cliches: prostitutes with hearths of gold, a hot-shot kid who lie about how many men he killed to impress others, a ruthless sheriff, and so on. The town was hilarious because not only was compossed by a couple of houses, but it seemed to have more security than actual people living in it. At the end I couldn't care much about anyone, not even Munny, because his dialog was always the same: "oh woe is me, I did bad things in the past", "my wife straigthened me up", "ain't gonna drink or kill anyone else", then proceeds to get drunk and kill everyone because his friend died.

Overall, it's not a bad movie. I understand what they were trying to do, but sadly I felt bored and couldn't care about anyone. Perhaps I needed to be in a different state of mind, right now I want closeups of squinting eyes and hands reaching for guns. 6/10  :drink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on September 15, 2020, 01:32:56 AM
Two things:


UNFORGIVEN (1992)

It has too many rainy scenes, which are dark and murky.

If you can, buy the 4K version of the movie if you have a 4K HDR TV. The HDR clears up the dark scenes quite a bit, and the 4K detail cleans up the crap resolution that you would otherwise get on a DVD.

Quote
Overall, it's not a bad movie. I understand what they were trying to do, but sadly I felt bored and couldn't care about anyone. Perhaps I needed to be in a different state of mind, right now I want closeups of squinting eyes and hands reaching for guns.

If you had watched it in 1992 when it was first released, then you might have looked at the movie differently. We had crap for western movies in the late '80s and early '90s. The best one out of that era was Quigley Down Under (1989). Otherwise we had bargain bin movies like Young Guns (1988) and Young Guns II (1990) to put up with. It wasn't until a year after Unforgiven (1992) that we finally had an epic western film in Tombstone (1993).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 15, 2020, 01:39:39 PM
MY FRIEND DAHMER (2017)
This is disturbing. I watched about a half hour and turned the channel. Don't get me wrong- it is a very well made film. But it's real f**ked up and scary as hell.
Has anyone else seen it? Should I watch the rest?


http://youtu.be/jmnuC7tn9D4 (http://youtu.be/jmnuC7tn9D4)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 16, 2020, 09:46:08 AM
FILM ADVENTURER: KAREL ZEMAN (2015): A documentary about the Czech animator consisting of clips, interviews, and scenes of film students trying to recreate some of his famous practical effects. Zeman's life wasn't particularly interesting, but his art was amazing; this doc will tell you just about everything you need to know, and make you want to hunt down some of the rarer movies. Included on the Criterion Collection Zeman set. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 16, 2020, 12:26:12 PM
"Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" (2019)
The latest Star Wars trilogy comes to a close, as Rey finally unravels her mysterious past and the Resistance deals with a newly-revitalized Emperor Palpatine, who has plans to launch an all-new, even more brutal Galactic Empire. As usual, the special effects are first rate and the action zips along at a breakneck pace. Tons of fanboy fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 17, 2020, 02:33:50 PM
"Avengers: Endgame" (2019)
It's five years after the "Thanos Snap" that eliminated half of all living things, and the surviving Avengers think they've figured out how to go back in time to un-do the damage. Naturally, ol'  Thanos isn't going to let them do it without a fight. Cue the blasting, zapping, and exploding.
"Endgame's" three hour (!) running time might seem like a bit much (I had to "pause" it around the mid point for a lunch break and to take my dog for a walk), but it never bogs down or gets boring. Thanks to the non stop action and cameos by pretty much every superhero in the Marvel Universe, "Endgame" brings this "phase" of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to a mostly-satisfying conclusion.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 18, 2020, 10:50:10 AM
SPREE (2020): Obsessed with collecting social media likes, rideshare driver tries to generate followers by livestreaming a murder spree. This satire's insight is almost entirely contained in the one-line synopsis, and although the plot gets wild (after a slow start), there aren't enough laughs or thrills here to recommend. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 18, 2020, 05:03:45 PM
"Spider-Man: Far From Home" (2019)
Picking up after the events of "Avengers: Endgame," Peter Parker/Spider-Man just wants to have a normal summer vacation with no super-hero action. A class trip to Europe sounds like the perfect diversion, but naturally trouble still finds him across the ocean, and he ends up tangling with the illusionist super-villain Mysterio.
Of course, the movie's got plenty of wall to wall action, but it's also quite funny, and its light hearted tone makes a nice counterpoint to the dark-n-serious Endgame.  
Marvel's winning streak continues!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 19, 2020, 11:56:05 AM
No Hands on the Clock (1941) - rather likeable if not super ambitious crime- mystery- comedy deal. A just married private investigator gets a case involving a missing guy and his new wife insists on coming along on all the dangerous missions. He'll do something like lock her in their room and go to a bar to do undercover work but he always drinks milk so she'll show up and see the empty glass of milk and know he was there and get mad. She's like Curly from the three stooges always fuming then getting over it quickly.

The comedy works and it moves quickly enough but I wasn't able to follow the mystery. I could never remember who the person was they were talking about so the big reveal was pretty lost on me.


4.25/ 5  I wonder what the porn adaption would be called?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 19, 2020, 12:30:01 PM
SOCIETY (1989)

A 17 year old boy's rich family are not what the seem. Are the from outer space, or something far more creepier?
Being this a Brian Yunzna movie, don't expect it to all make sense.
Do expect some gruesome Screaming Mad George f/x and twisted humor!

(https://i.imgur.com/0fo4zEe.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 19, 2020, 02:26:58 PM
SOCIETY (1989)

A 17 year old boy's rich family are not what the seem. Are the from outer space, or something far more creepier?
Being this a Brian Yunzna movie, don't expect it to all make sense.
Do expect some gruesome Screaming Mad George f/x and twisted humor!

(https://i.imgur.com/0fo4zEe.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


The poster alone makes me want to see this movie!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 19, 2020, 02:40:44 PM
SOCIETY (1989)

A 17 year old boy's rich family are not what the seem. Are the from outer space, or something far more creepier?
Being this a Brian Yunzna movie, don't expect it to all make sense.
Do expect some gruesome Screaming Mad George f/x and twisted humor!

(https://i.imgur.com/0fo4zEe.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


The poster alone makes me want to see this movie!

I rented this one when it first came out on VHS. After my mum watched it she told me I was never to bring something like that into the house again.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 19, 2020, 03:22:24 PM
SOCIETY (1989)

A 17 year old boy's rich family are not what the seem. Are the from outer space, or something far more creepier?
Being this a Brian Yunzna movie, don't expect it to all make sense.
Do expect some gruesome Screaming Mad George f/x and twisted humor!

(https://i.imgur.com/0fo4zEe.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


The poster alone makes me want to see this movie!

It's on Tubi!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 19, 2020, 09:09:23 PM
"The Babysitter: Killer Queen" (2020)
Sequel to the 2018 Netflix horror comedy hit. Two years after the events of the first "Babysitter," young Cole is having a hellish time in high school and suffering from flashbacks. The girl next door invites him for a weekend at her family's lake house to get his mind off of it, but his undead "friends" from the first film crash the party to finish the ritual they started back then.
The first "Babysitter" wasn't a classic by any means, but at least it was entertainingly dumb. This sequel is mostly just dumb. The cartoonish gore is worth a few chuckles, but otherwise this one is skippable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 20, 2020, 09:36:23 AM
"Kill, Panther, Kill!" (aka "Kommissar X: Three Blue Panthers," 1968)
An international thief escapes from police custody and heads to Canada (?), to reclaim a hoard of priceless jewels he'd stashed away before his arrest. Swingin' P.I. Joe Walker and his lunkheaded police buddy Tom Rowland just happen to be in the area for the Expo '67 World's Fair in Montreal (which provides plenty of stock location footage for padding) and they inevitably get mixed up in the shenanigans involving double-crossing gangsters and murder.
This was the fifth installment of the German/Italian "Kommissar X" series and it was clear by this time that they were running out of gas. The "Eurospy" craze was on the way out by this point so the globe-trotting spy-and-counterspy elements are mostly dropped and the result is a pretty basic slap-sticky cops & robbers action comedy.
Fortunately, there are still plenty of pretty girls to ogle while Tony "Joe Walker" Kendall and Brad "Rowland" Harris beat up  an endless stream of bad guys. Below average for this series, but still an enjoyable bit of nonsense on a chilly Sunday morning.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 20, 2020, 05:20:15 PM
"Halloween" (2018)
Blumhouse Productions (of "Insidious" and "Paranormal Activity" fame) reboots the Michael Myers saga (for the second time) with this 40th anniversary remix that erases everything but the 1978 original from series continuity. Laurie Strode has spent the last 40 years preparing for Michael to return to Haddonfield, and when he escapes on Halloween night she goes all Sarah Connor to protect her estranged daughter and granddaughter from the horror.
...this was my 2nd viewing of this flick and while I still feel the whole exercise was fairly unnecessary, I actually liked it better this time around. I guess if you gotta watch a "Halloween" installment this time of year, you could certainly do worse than this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 22, 2020, 11:39:04 AM
horsehead (2014) - I like the concept here about dreams and seeing weird stuff and having it mean something, but this ran out of steam pretty early and kind of frittered away the whole concept.

2.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 22, 2020, 11:49:09 AM
horsehead (2014) - I like the concept here about dreams and seeing weird stuff and having it mean something, but this ran out of steam pretty early and kind of frittered away the whole concept.

2.5 /5

That one seemed tailor-made for my taste, but word-of-mouth was so bad I never got around to it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 22, 2020, 10:34:11 PM
one weird thing about it was it was French but in English.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 23, 2020, 08:56:44 AM
COMA [KOMA] (2019): A man wakes up in a dreamlike world with no memory, and discovers he's in a coma and living in a shared reality with others in the same situation. An effects movie where the CGI is a notch below Hollywood quality--but closer to that standard than I've yet seen in a Russian flick---but the imaginary landscapes up INCEPTION, with entire city blocks of morphing buildings springing up at right angles to each other (and sometimes randomly growing out of pastures). Honestly, the characters were cardboard and the plot had some issues, so it wasn't perfect by a long shot, but I enjoyed it as much as TENET. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 23, 2020, 09:22:00 AM
"Heart of Batman" (2018)
A behind-the-scenes documentary looking back at "Batman: The Animated Series," the early '90s show whose distinctive look and vibe picked up where Tim Burton's "Batman" films left off and became what some consider the best-ever adaptation of the character. Interviews with cast and crew members, plenty of trivia for Bat-geeks and animation nerds.
This was originally a bonus feature on the "Batman: T.A.S." Blu-Ray collection but it's now available for free viewing on Warner Bros.' YouTube channel.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 24, 2020, 08:42:35 AM
TOMASSO (2019): An aging American director living in Rome goes to AA meetings and struggles to relate to his much younger Moldavian wife, with the occassional fantasy scene (a la Fellini). It's embarrassing when your self-indulgent semi-autobiographical tale is boring, which, despite Willem Dafoe's best efforts, Abel Ferrara's TOMASSO too often is. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on September 24, 2020, 09:52:49 AM
LA HABITACIÓN DE FERMAT (2007)

4 mathematicians are invited to solve an enigma. Once there, they're locked in a mechanically shrinking room and given 1 minute to solve each puzzle via cellphone while also figuring out why they're there.

This spanish movie, which translates to FERMAT'S ROOM, starts really good. The characters are clearly defined, and the mystery hooks you in really quickly. Despite its low budget, the single room trick works really well, as it quickly turns from a nice and cozy place to a death trap, and basically that's all you need.

Sadly, the resolution of the movie doesn't make much sense, and to be honest the whole plot is overly complicated, I'm not going to get into details in order to avoid spoilers. My main gripe is that the movie doesn't exploit the mathematicians enough, you barely know what the extent of their skills are and the riddles aren't all really... mathematics. Still, they get you on your toes, which it's what they're for, so they do the job.

It's a rather short movie so it's good for a quick and fun ride, check it out. 7/10  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 25, 2020, 08:45:07 AM
DIVA (1981): A postman finds himself chased by multiple parties when his bootleg tape of an opera diva is surreptitiously switched for a tape that implicates a mob boss. Very stylish, has a great (if unlikely) chase sequence, and you'll enjoy it more if you don't think too hard about the plot machinations. A cult film in France. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on September 25, 2020, 11:29:40 AM
Swiss Family Robinson (1960)

Fun old adventure movie made by Disney, similar feel to their adaption of 20,000 Leagues under the Sea.

It's not a literal adaption of every scene from the book, but the movie still manages to capture the right feel. Also, good FX work, on par or better than a lot of stuff done today.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 26, 2020, 09:09:52 AM
#Alive (2020)

Sometimes you inadvertently make a movie that comes at just the right moment. This zombie-comedy romp is entertaining and very watchable, but doesn't add that much to the genre. However the theme of the internet savvy nerd with no particular life skills being holed up in his flat while an epidemic rages outside, certainly struck a chord in these times of lockdown, making it far more popular than it would have been otherwise. Full marks for the performance of Yoo Ah-In and, as the movie is basically just him and a bunch of zombies. His character is no cool Charlton Heston in the Omega Man, but a guy who makes up in determination what he lacks in general competence. Similarly Park Shin-Hye does a great job as the level headed half of the duo.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 26, 2020, 03:11:55 PM
MST3K: EARTH VS. THE SPIDER: The experiment is a very dumb, formula Bert I. Gordon giant monster movie (though the special effects are better than usual), preceded by a short about public speaking. It's a solid episode with a lot of laughs and some memorable bits in Crow's screenplay "Earth vs. Soup" and the ever-quotable line "lots of lip and tongue action." One of about 10 original run episodes I'd never seen before. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 27, 2020, 06:02:25 PM
"Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)" (2020)
Margot Robbie returns as Harley Quinn in the pseudo-follow up to "Suicide Squad." After a messy breakup with the Joker, Harley strikes out on her own, eventually teaming up with three other female badasses in an all out battle against a Gotham City crime lord.
Loud, dumb, and occasionally funny, "Birds" seems to be trying to cop the comedic ultra-violent style of the "Deadpool" flicks. Margot Robbie is clearly having tons of fun beatin 'the crap out of dozens of bad guys (and of course she looks smokin' hot while doin' it) but the movie isn't nearly as clever as it thinks it is.
Watchable, but disposable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 01, 2020, 12:00:10 PM
Sennentuntschi (2010) - ahh Switzerland: cuckoo clocks, folk dancing, and wholesome mountaineering. "not this time..." Hillbillies make a sex doll that comes to life. They forgot to read the fine print of the local legend tho. advocates for traditional marriage will find some good ammunition here 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 01, 2020, 12:46:41 PM
#Alive (2020)

Sometimes you inadvertently make a movie that comes at just the right moment. This zombie-comedy romp is entertaining and very watchable, but doesn't add that much to the genre. However the theme of the internet savvy nerd with no particular life skills being holed up in his flat while an epidemic rages outside, certainly struck a chord in these times of lockdown, making it far more popular than it would have been otherwise. Full marks for the performance of Yoo Ah-In and, as the movie is basically just him and a bunch of zombies. His character is no cool Charlton Heston in the Omega Man, but a guy who makes up in determination what he lacks in general competence. Similarly Park Shin-Hye does a great job as the level headed half of the duo.

I just watched it. I liked it a lot! Mostly for the performances of the two leads.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 02, 2020, 04:45:48 AM
"The Hunt" (2020)
Wealthy "elites" kidnap a group of "ordinary" citizens, turn them loose on the grounds of a palatial estate, and hunt them for sport. Unfortunately, one of their targets turns out to be tougher and smarter than they expected.
This ultra-violent, heavy handed social satire is part "Purge" and part "Most Dangerous Game," but it's trying too hard to be edgy and controversial. It started off promising but just got sillier as it went along. Skip it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 03, 2020, 09:21:06 AM
"Black Metal Satanica" (2008)
Billed as "The Most Haunting and Evil Documentary Ever Made" (woooo, spooky!), this cheap looking doc on the Scandinavian Black Metal scene is pretty standard stuff -- you get a quick overview of the Mayhem/Burzum saga and the early 90s series of murders and church burnings, then lots of interviews with current purveyors of "the scene" like Watain, Mordichrist (?),  Shining, and Rimmfrost, all of whom ramble on endlessly about how much they hate Christianity, modern society, humanity in general, yadda yadda yadda. We get it, guys, you're all way evil 'n' brutal 'n' stuff.
I'm not a black metal fan at all but for some reason I still find docs like these interesting, in a "Why-the-f*ck-are-these-people-walking-around-loose" kind of way.
A better title for this movie would've been "Black Metallers is the Craziest Peoples."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 03, 2020, 09:53:49 PM
"Ready Or Not" (2019)
On the night of her marriage into a very old fashioned, very wealthy family, a young bride (Samara Weaving) learns that her new in laws have an unusual wedding tradition - attempting to hunt and kill the newcomer, who must survive until sunrise.
A fast moving, dark-as-hell horror comedy that's kinda like an old style Agatha Christie murder mystery, but with a way bigger mean streak. Lots of sadistic fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 04, 2020, 03:45:34 AM
"Ready Or Not" (2019)
On the night of her marriage into a very old fashioned, very wealthy family, a young bride (Samara Weaving) learns that her new in laws have an unusual wedding tradition - attempting to hunt and kill the newcomer, who must survive until sunrise.
A fast moving, dark-as-hell horror comedy that's kinda like an old style Agatha Christie murder mystery, but with a way bigger mean streak. Lots of sadistic fun.

This one is a hoot!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 04, 2020, 03:56:18 AM
Blues Brothers (1980)

When it came out, it was all the rage at school, but it never really appealed to me. So 40 years later, I finally gave it a go. I found it a bit disappointing. It drags along from one set piece to another, it is not particularly funny and the acting tends to be wooden. It does get a lot better in the last 40 minutes or so, when things really kick off.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 04, 2020, 10:01:32 AM
"Inmate Zero" (aka "Patients of a Saint," 2020)

Death row inmates at a remote island prison off the coast of Ireland are used as medical test subjects, which of course is never a good idea. When a viral outbreak fills the place with homicidal rage-filled zombies, a small band of survivors has to fight their way out.

Think "28 Days Later" (fast zombies) crossed with "Alien 3" (prison setting, shaven-headed female badass lead character).

This British horror flick starts off strong -- there's lots of splashy gore and it makes the most of its creepy-cool setting (the movie was filmed in an actual prison)  -- but it starts running out of gas about an hour in, and by the end it's just spinning its wheels.

Not terrible, but not a must-see.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 04, 2020, 11:07:19 AM
I just finished watching MY FRIEND DAHMER (2017)
I tried to watch it a while back- but it was just too much. It's a very well made film.
They took something that you would see on Lifetime or ID and made a very disturbing look into the psyche of a young man going insane. If a movie is too disturbing for me, you know something is going on.
I don't know if you ever seen GUMMO (1997), but it's at that line of good or really f**ked up.

Here it is to the tune of PSYCHO KILLER

http://youtu.be/CKti7QixnJI (http://youtu.be/CKti7QixnJI)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 04, 2020, 12:02:15 PM
Creepshow 2 - 80's classic remains so


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 06, 2020, 10:00:28 AM
THE DEAD ONES (2019): Four seniors are locked inside their high school at night; characters dressed as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse stalk them. It introduces an alternate timeline and things start to make little sense trodding a shaky line between sloppy surrealism and incoherence, but I like that it's not afraid to go full weird. Very divisive: it has a 3.1 IMDB rating (way too low), but was also named the best horror movie of 2019 by Film School Rejects. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 06, 2020, 12:58:15 PM
"Blue Thunder" (1983)
An L.A.P.D. helicopter pilot (Roy Scheider) is assigned to test fly a new, high tech, heavily armored chopper code-named "Blue Thunder." At first he's amazed by all of the new machine's bells and whistles, but when he discovers a plot to use it against civilians, he goes rogue and hijacks it, leading to a series of aerial battles against shady government goons (led by the delightfully evil Malcolm McDowell) in the skies over the city.
John "Wargames" Badham directed this tight action-thriller that was a favorite of mine as a teenager, when it seemed to be in a constant loop on HBO. It had been years since I'd seen "Blue Thunder" but it's held up pretty well.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on October 06, 2020, 02:45:32 PM
Alpha

A boy falls off a cliff on his first hunt, & survives the winter with a wolf/dog he caught & tamed. Sometimes slow, but still interesting.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on October 06, 2020, 02:55:21 PM
The Mansion.

I was going to watch a French movie tonight, but when I hit 'Advance' on my remote to skip through the adverts, it waved a white flag. So I went with a Belgian movie instead. Nothing overly original here, a bunch of friends head off to a mansion they've rented for a new years party together. Someone starts killing them off one by one. It is one of those movies where you start wanting certain characters to get killed off because they are just annoying.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 07, 2020, 08:58:09 AM
OLIVIA (1983): Young Olivia saw her prostitute mom's murder and grows up with both man and mommy issues, until she meets an engineer Prince Charming who's planning on moving the London Bridge to Arizona. OLIVIA wants to be grindhouse Hitchcock, drowning ideas from PSYCHO and VERTIGO in a river of sleaze. 2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 07, 2020, 11:11:08 AM
TRUTH OR DARE (2017)
A flock of 20- somethings spend the night in a haunted house which forces them to play a deadly game of 'truth or dare.'
It's kinda fun sometimes in the middle, but reverts to torture for thrills.
I don't like torture movies.
Except MARK OF THE DEVIL (1970) which has Herbert Lom and Reggie Nadler.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 08, 2020, 09:52:34 AM
"Dead Ant" (2017)
A has-been '80s hair metal band are headed to a desert music festival, for what they hope will be their big comeback gig. Along the way they accidentally violate an ancient Indian curse that awakens hordes of huge, man-eating ants. Think "Spinal Tap" meets "Them!" with a bit of "Big Ass Spider!"

This tongue-firmly-in-cheek creature comedy barely scrapes the lower end of the "So-bad-it's-good" meter, thanks to the hair metal connection. I think I can guarantee that this is the only monster movie you'll ever see where the world is saved by a terribly played cover of Kix's "Blow My Fuse." Yes, really

Your mileage may vary depending on your tolerance for cheap special effects and the acting of Tom Arnold (who plays the band's manager).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 08, 2020, 09:25:07 PM
"Jumanji: The Next Level" (2019)
The kids from the last "Jumanji" return to the dangerous video-game world once again to rescue one of their own, and they bring a few new friends along for the ride. Just as much fast-paced fun as the original.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 09, 2020, 08:57:10 AM
SUBURBAN BIRDS (2018): In China team of engineers investigate the appearance of sinkholes which are forcing them to condemn buildings; the story changes to follow a group of suburban elementary schoolers, with parallels developing between the two tales. Done with skill but it takes far too long in developing its enigmas, which don't seem worth the journey. Very art-house, not for folks here. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 09, 2020, 04:29:18 PM
"The Beyond" (aka "7 Doors of Death," 1981)
A woman inherits a run-down hotel in the Louisiana bayou, but her attempts to renovate and re-open the old place are marred by a series of bizarre deaths, which may be tied to a murder at the site 50 years ago.
Lucio Fulci's artsy splatter fest is lovely to look at, even if the story has more holes in it than Swiss cheese. It may not make much sense but "Beyond" totally delivers on the gross-out gore front, with plenty of eye gougings, disembowelments, exploding heads and other assorted nastiness.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 10, 2020, 04:45:44 PM
"Dark Night of the Scarecrow" (1981)
A posse of small town yokels (led by the great Charles Durning) kill a local mentally-handicapped man, under the mistaken assumption that he harmed a little girl. The four men aren't found guilty of any crime, but then one by one they are picked off by a mysterious figure in a scarecrow outfit.
A spooky little Halloween treat, originally made for TV in 1981, which has gone on to become a cult classic.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 10, 2020, 04:51:37 PM
HAROLD AND KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE - I had seen snippets of this movie, but never the whole thing.  Two stoners experience a strange odyssey of R-rated adventures as they make their way to the legendary fast-food establishment and munch off their high.  A runaway cheetah, a leprous auto mechanic with a hot wife, a horny Neil Patrick Harris, and a runaway cheetah are among the perils they face on the quest to consume junk food.  This is a wonderfully bad and hilarious film!  4/5

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD - A cynical journalist with a bitter past is sent to interview the saintly children's TV host, Fred Rogers, and experiences first hand the force of niceness incarnate.  A little slow at the start, but very well done and deeply moving by the end.  Tom Hanks is marvelous as Mr. Rogers! 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 11, 2020, 08:45:14 AM
Wavelength (1983)

This starts off SLOW. Just when you've resigned yourself that you are watching a no budget movie with lots of padding, it suddenly takes off and both the pace and the production values improve dramatically. The plot is basically ET, but with some twists and a a clever use of stock footage to make it watchable. There are even some SFX towards the end. Apart from having a washed up folk rock musician in the Canyon as its male lead, there are other links with music: the female lead is played by Cherie Currie of Runaways fame, and the score is by Tangerine Dream.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 11, 2020, 11:39:22 AM
HAROLD AND KUMAR GO TO WHITE PALACE - I had seen snippets of this movie, but never the whole thing.  Two stoners experience a strange odyssey of R-rated adventures as they make their way to the legendary fast-food establishment and munch off their high.  A runaway cheetah, a leprous auto mechanic with a hot wife, a horny Neil Patrick Harris, and a runaway cheetah are among the perils they face on the quest to consume junk food.  This is a wonderfully bad and hilarious film!  4/5


You mean White "Castle," lol. Never seen the movie but I love White Castle! They're only in the Northeast and Midwest.

THE ANTENNA [BINA]: A building supervisor deals with strange occurrences after a satellite antenna is installed in his apartment building to broadcast new government-sponsored news bulletins. This Kafkaesque nightmare, inspired by life in Erdogan's Turkey, can be hard to follow, but contains some great spooky imagery and has a vibe dimly reminiscent of VIDEODROME. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 11, 2020, 09:30:29 PM
"Matinee" (1993)
In 1962 Florida, a producer of gimmicky low budget horror movies comes to town to premiere his latest creature feature ("MANT! Half Man, Half Ant!"). The kids can't wait to see the movie, while their parents are panicked by the ongoing Cuban Missile Crisis.
John Goodman is great as the William Castle-esque schlock mogul in this fun period piece by Joe "Gremlins" Dante. The goofy black and white movie-within-the-movie is fun too.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 12, 2020, 08:07:05 AM
WITCHES IN THE WOODS - A group of college students take a shortcut over the mountain on their way to a ski cabin, and wind up stranded in a patch of woods where a group of witches were hung back in the 1600's.  As the sun sets and the mercury drops, one by one they descend into madness and violence.  Is it an ancient witch's curse bearing fruit once more, or are they all a bunch of crazy, unlikable paranoids?  Moderately entertaining.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 12, 2020, 11:25:51 AM
"Sleepaway Camp" (1983)
Foul mouthed Ricky and his strange, withdrawn cousin Angela arrive at Camp Arawak for the summer, but their fun is interrupted by a mysterious killer who starts picking off campers and counselors one by one.
...for most of its length, this cheap, cheesy slasher saga is little more than a generic, store-brand ripoff of "Friday the 13th," but it has developed a loyal cult following thanks to its infamous twist ending, which is still one of the most enduring "what the f*ck?" moments in horror film history.  It's so bad, it's almost good.
Followed by numerous sequels and at least one "reboot," none of which have been seen by me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 13, 2020, 09:09:12 AM
"No. 1 of the Secret Service" (1977)
Suave British secret agent "Charles Bind" is assigned to find out who is murdering England's wealthiest financiers in this cheap, corny, hopelessly unfunny spoof of the James Bond series. Nicky Henson seems to be having fun parodying Roger Moore's take on Bond, but the TV sitcom-level production values and near-total lack of action made this an extremely tough slog. Imagine if they'd tried to make an "Austin Powers" movie in the '70s but forgot to make it funny, and you're in the ballpark.
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on October 13, 2020, 03:40:38 PM
"Sleepaway Camp" (1983)
Foul mouthed Ricky and his strange, withdrawn cousin Angela arrive at Camp Arawak for the summer, but their fun is interrupted by a mysterious killer who starts picking off campers and counselors one by one.
...for most of its length, this cheap, cheesy slasher saga is little more than a generic, store-brand ripoff of "Friday the 13th," but it has developed a loyal cult following thanks to its infamous twist ending, which is still one of the most enduring "what the f*ck?" moments in horror film history.  It's so bad, it's almost good.
Followed by numerous sequels and at least one "reboot," none of which have been seen by me.

That frozen expression at the end freaked me out for sure.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 15, 2020, 08:51:09 PM
"Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers" (1988)
After four years in the looney bin, Angela's free, and working as a counselor at a new summer camp full of horny teenagers. You can probably guess how well that works out for everyone. In an odd bit of stunt casting, "Angela" is played by Bruce Springsteen's younger sister, Pamela!
Sequel to the '83 slasher shocker is much more tongue-in-cheek than the original, leaning towards horror-comedy territory, with lots of blood and boobs. It was dumb as a box of rocks, but at least it was entertaining.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 15, 2020, 08:56:31 PM
I really liked Sleepaway Camp not just the ending. I didn't care for the Cropsy one whatever it was called. as far as post Friday the 13th camp movies


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 16, 2020, 01:15:09 PM
Man in the Orange Jacket (2014) - laid off worker sneaks into the bosses house and kills him. Too bad that house is haunted or something!

message = respect the negotiating process? or is it a warning against the intoxicating power of obscene wealth? from Latvia of all places 4.5/5

(slight spoiler: that said, I didn't need not one but TWO being-killed people reaching for a knife exactly one arms length away.)

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BsuI0mjWbhQ/movieposter.jpg)

on Tubi


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 16, 2020, 01:41:34 PM
^ That looks good! I'll have to watch it!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 16, 2020, 01:43:58 PM
It seems like Tubi is like the late night tv shows of yore, they buy whatevers cheapest and a lot of it is crap, but you can get a few movies that aare decent just unpopular


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 16, 2020, 01:48:56 PM
It's all I watch lately!  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 17, 2020, 12:45:46 PM
me too

The Woman Who Wasn't There (2012) - Def my favorite documentary I've seen in a while. A woman makes up a harrowing 9/11 escape story AND a lost her husband on 9/11 story to become involved in a victim's support group. She ultimately takes over the whole group and becomes a media star.

She cares so much about the survivors that she pits them against each other for her own advancement. unbelievable but real. She didn't technically break any laws so she's still out there somewhere 5/5

(https://elcomercio.pe/resizer/ufcHwNS7V7S16uHyCcizysSCpeU=/580x330/smart/filters:format(jpeg):quality(75)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-elcomercio.s3.amazonaws.com/public/PDYLOTSEKBDD7MDXPXB5KWHWAY.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 17, 2020, 12:56:34 PM
 ^ I seen that one. What a dirtball.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 17, 2020, 01:12:33 PM
one review made the point that nowadays she probably would be found out a lot quicker. with twitter and "doxxing" and so forth.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 17, 2020, 03:08:16 PM
Maybe someday a large heavy piece of flaming concrete will fall on her head. That would be karma.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 17, 2020, 09:09:50 PM
"The Funhouse" (1981)
Four teens visit a run-down carnival and get locked inside the title attraction after closing time. If that didn't suck badly enough, it turns out that there's a homicidal, deformed something-or-other in there with them. Mayhem ensues.
Tobe "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" Hooper's stylish but ultimately pretty goofy horror flick seemed a lot scarier when I was twelve. Not only is it short on plot, but it takes for-EVER to get into gear.
The old fashioned funhouse animatronics and mechanical creatures are creepier than anything that happens in the actual movie. Sorry, Tobe.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 18, 2020, 09:19:57 AM
WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE (2018): The Blackwoods--an ailing uncle and his two shy daughters--live in a manor overlooking a New England town, shunned by the townsfolk for a dark scandal in the past. Solid, straightforward adaptation of the twisted Shirley Jackson novel. On Netflix. 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 18, 2020, 11:49:36 AM
"The Stepfather" (1987)
A teenage girl suspects there's something odd about her Mom's new husband, a seemingly too-perfect man who's obsessed with maintaining old fashioned "family values."
This tight low-budget suspense thriller (with a hint of slasher-flick nastiness) has a great cast that includes Terry O'Quinn ("Lost") as the psycho Dad, Shelley "Charlie's Angels" Hack as the unsuspecting Mom, and '80s scream queen Jill Schoelen as the troubled teen.
Loosely based on the real-life case of New Jersey murderer John List -- who killed his entire family in 1971, relocated to a different state under a new name, and started a new life with a new family. He was finally caught after seventeen years (!) thanks to TV's "America's Most Wanted."
Followed by two sequels (only one of which starred O'Quinn) and a 2009 remake.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on October 18, 2020, 02:34:49 PM
Maybe someday a large heavy piece of flaming concrete will fall on her head. That would be karma.

 :bouncegiggle:   :hatred:  I can't believe that made me laugh...  :bouncegiggle:  Whaddadumbiatch.   :thumbdown:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on October 18, 2020, 02:43:03 PM
WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE (2018): The Blackwoods--an ailing uncle and his two shy daughters--live in a manor overlooking a New England town, shunned by the townsfolk for a dark scandal in the past. Solid, straightforward adaptation of the twisted Shirley Jackson novel. On Netflix. 3.5/5

We Have Always Lived In The Castle is my favorite piece of SHIRLEY JACKSON's writing. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 18, 2020, 03:42:51 PM
How many Shirley Jackson film adaptions are there?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 18, 2020, 03:44:01 PM
WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE (2018): The Blackwoods--an ailing uncle and his two shy daughters--live in a manor overlooking a New England town, shunned by the townsfolk for a dark scandal in the past. Solid, straightforward adaptation of the twisted Shirley Jackson novel. On Netflix. 3.5/5

We Have Always Lived In The Castle is my favorite piece of SHIRLEY JACKSON's writing.  

Mine is the Haunting of Hill House- because I read it when I was 10 years old. I still think this is the scariest novel I ever read in my life.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 18, 2020, 05:44:41 PM
"Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland" (1989)
Pamela Springsteen is back for one more round as the perpetually dorky, gender-confused slasher Angela, running around the woods killing off a fresh batch of counselors at yet another summer camp. Pointless and silly.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 18, 2020, 05:59:23 PM
WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE (2018): The Blackwoods--an ailing uncle and his two shy daughters--live in a manor overlooking a New England town, shunned by the townsfolk for a dark scandal in the past. Solid, straightforward adaptation of the twisted Shirley Jackson novel. On Netflix. 3.5/5

We Have Always Lived In The Castle is my favorite piece of SHIRLEY JACKSON's writing.  

Mine is the Haunting of Hill House- because I read it when I was 10 years old. I still think this is the scariest novel I ever read in my life.


I haven't read the novel, but I'm guessing you guys wouldn't think this movie adaptation was as good as the book. My rating is for someone going in blind. You should still check it out if you can.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 18, 2020, 07:02:54 PM
LIFECHANGER - A shapeshifting entity moves from one body to another, killing humans in order to assume their form, but then he falls in love with a woman and pursues her through several consecutive bodies, as his host forms are lasting less and less time with age.  Cool concept, but I was so tired I didn't get much out of it. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 18, 2020, 09:27:28 PM
"Terminator: Dark Fate" (2019)

Sarah Connor and a warrior woman from the future team up to protect a young Mexican girl (who as usual is Humanity's Only Hope) from the latest shape shifting Terminator model. Arnold Schwarzenegger turns up as a geriatric prior model "T," lots of things crash and explode, but in spite of all that I was still bored stiff after about an hour. This was a slog.

I think we can officially stick a fork in the Terminator franchise, it's done. Well, actually it was done at least two movies ago, but maybe they'll get the message now, cuz this one tanked at the box office and lost a metric sh*t ton of money...

(Do I need to say it?)
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on October 19, 2020, 12:45:01 AM
How many Shirley Jackson film adaptions are there?

Of course everybody knows THE HAUNTING which is a superb adaptation of SHIRLEY JACKSON's novel.  I think there's a short story for TV adaptation of The Lottery which was the story that made her famous... 

Here it is I think :

http://youtu.be/vQQoMCaUz5Y (http://youtu.be/vQQoMCaUz5Y) 



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 19, 2020, 08:55:48 AM
SHINING SEX (1975): A pair of swingers invite a stripper back to their apartment for a threesome, then possess her in order to... well, I never really figured that part out. Luscious starlet Lina Romay and her steamy, mostly lesbian sex scenes (which go right to the border of hardcore) are clearly the attraction here, and the wraparound story is... strange, and slow, and interruptive. I don't really know how to rate this, but I'll settle on a 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 19, 2020, 09:02:08 AM
How many Shirley Jackson film adaptions are there?

Of course everybody knows THE HAUNTING which is a superb adaptation of SHIRLEY JACKSON's novel.  I think there's a short story for TV adaptation of The Lottery which was the story that made her famous... 

Here it is I think :

[url]http://youtu.be/vQQoMCaUz5Y[/url] ([url]http://youtu.be/vQQoMCaUz5Y[/url]) 




I looked it up...there are actually versions from 1950, '51, '60, '69, '96, '07, and '08!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on October 19, 2020, 10:49:38 AM
How many Shirley Jackson film adaptions are there?

Of course everybody knows THE HAUNTING which is a superb adaptation of SHIRLEY JACKSON's novel.  I think there's a short story for TV adaptation of The Lottery which was the story that made her famous... 
Here it is I think :
[url]http://youtu.be/vQQoMCaUz5Y[/url] ([url]http://youtu.be/vQQoMCaUz5Y[/url]) 

I looked it up...there are actually versions from 1950, '51, '60, '69, '96, '07, and '08!


I think what you're seeing are episodes titled "The Lottery" from various TV shows that are not adaptations of JACKSON's story. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 19, 2020, 12:40:16 PM
^ No- they ARE adaptions. It's on Shirley Jackson's imdb listings.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0414047/ (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0414047/)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 19, 2020, 02:15:34 PM
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

This is basically Groundhog Day meets Starship Troopers, or perhaps more accurately the experience of playing a computer game, and getting to higher and higher levels as you gain experience, before you inevitably die. That being said, it is entertaining enough. The basic premise makes just enough sense to carry you along and the films knows its strengths and sticks to those. It is about defeating the aliens and very little else. Even the inevitable love story barely gets any screen time. Perfect if you are in the mood for a well made action/heist type movie with aliens and things exploding. The actors don't have much to do, but Tom Cruise was very convincing as a smug bastard in the beginning. He should play more bad guys.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 19, 2020, 08:34:18 PM
"Never Hike in the Snow" (2020)
The search for a missing hiker leads a sheriff's deputy into a cold-weather encounter with Jason Voorhees in the wintry ruins of Camp Crystal Lake.
This cool, well made half hour fan film is a worthy follow up to  2017's impressive "Never Hike Alone." Viewable for free on YouTube.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 20, 2020, 11:21:10 AM
SYNCHRONIC (2020): New Orleans paramedics discover that a series of bizarre deaths are linked to a new designer drug called “synchronic.” I really liked the characters and setup, but the problem is that when the sci-fi twist arrives, it’s basic and contrived, not bizarre enough to compensate for its unbelievability. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on October 20, 2020, 11:47:33 AM
^ No- they ARE adaptions. It's on Shirley Jackson's imdb listings.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0414047/ (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0414047/)
Right you are!  I hope you can look at the 18 minute I posted; it's good!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 20, 2020, 12:14:37 PM
"Stepfather 2: Make Room For Daddy!" (1989)
The psycho Dad (Terry O'Quinn) escapes from the looney bin, adopts yet another new identity, and starts over with his efforts to build the perfect All American family, in a new town with yet another lonely divorcee. Once again, it doesn't end very well.
O'Quinn is great in this entertainingly silly, ultra-violent sequel that tweaks the original's premise just enough to keep it from being a complete retread. Unfortunately, he didn't come back for the third installment, which I have yet to see.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 21, 2020, 08:49:08 AM
TAMMY AND THE T-REX (1994): Mad scientists transfer Tammy's boyfriend's brain into a t-rex. This has a real "USA Up All Night" vibe. Unpretentiously self-aware monster comedy. Wow, was Denise Richards hot! Hard to defend on any filmmaking or artistic level, but it's an easy watch and kind of fun. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 21, 2020, 10:07:42 AM
^ No- they ARE adaptions. It's on Shirley Jackson's imdb listings.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0414047/ (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0414047/)
Right you are!  I hope you can look at the 18 minute I posted; it's good!
I did watch it. It is good!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 22, 2020, 09:14:35 AM
WORLD OF TOMORROW EPISODE 3: THE ABSENT DESTINATIONS OF DAVID PRIME (2020): A time-traveling clone appears to David Prime and to warn him of future danger. The characters are comically simple stick figures placed into cosmic, psychedelic backgrounds; this installment is much more plot-oriented than previous episodes, forgoing much of the philosophy but keeping the social satire (David's memories are sponsored by annoying pop-up ads for, among other things, "holograms that yell at you"). Continues the story started in the Oscar-nominated WORLD OF TOMORROW, though it could probably be watched as a standalone without any additional confusion. 30 min long, available for on demand rental only. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 22, 2020, 12:24:17 PM
Viy (1967) -If you know one classic Russian horror movie its probably this one. The story is decent and concise, but the most appealing aspect is probably how different it looks from other movies of the era.

A monastery that's full of drunks and louts (is this accurate? or did they just not want to offend communist censors by showing actual Christians) lets out for some sort of vacation and one of them gets dragooned into reading the last rites for a witch. It ends up being a pretty harrowing task. You may have seen the gifs of painted gray hands and weird folktale skeletons around. In fact, I think they were posted here the other day!

If you're looking for a slick modern horror with Illuminati figures being a cabal behind major world regimes and so forth skip this. If you have a tolerance for older movies and want to see something different check it out. Tubi's print is excellent and the attractive younger version of the witch sweetens the deal.

4.5 /5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 22, 2020, 01:29:05 PM
^ I seen that movie some years back. Fantastic.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 22, 2020, 03:06:58 PM
I love VIY.

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/80/81/fa/8081fa729d2a5a49856a74b600521870.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 24, 2020, 07:06:06 AM
"Tales of Halloween" (2015)
This cool anthology flick consists of ten short stories of Halloween terror, all of which take place in one small town. Segments include killer kids, a Jason-style slasher who meets his match, jack-o-lanterns with a taste for human flesh, and a kidnapping scheme that goes very wrong.
Not every story is a home run but overall this is a fun, goofy, gory flick that's become a Halloween season perennial for me. Lots of fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 24, 2020, 08:39:46 AM
the EVIL (1978)
Richard Crenna (of the RAMBO movies fame) and friends rent an old creepy house for the summer.
Of course it's haunted. Some real cheesy tropes, but watching Andrew Prine cut his hand in half with a table saw, and afterwards running around like it was nothing was funny. Real cheezy. I liked it anyway.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 24, 2020, 02:10:48 PM
WORLD OF TOMORROW EPISODE 2: THE BURDEN OF OTHER PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS (2017): Don Hertzfeld's independently-released animated sequel to the Oscar-nominated "World of Tomorrow" sees another time-traveling clone visiting little Emily (voiced by 6-year old Winona Mae), seeking to replace her purposeless mind with a copy of her original's. A bit more obviously sentimental than the original, but still with great moments of absurd humor ("It is very important that you don't think of a baby dinosaur later"), and Winona's babblings about Kittyland and such are as charming as ever. 4/5.

MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER: THE SAGA OF THE VIKING WOMEN AND THEIR VOYAGE TO THE WATERS OF THE GREAT SEA SERPENT: This is the episode where, for some reason, all of the host segments are about waffles. Despite the impressive title and some actual special effects, the movie itself is a barely less boring than the usual Roger Corman cheapie of the era, but the home economics short gives Joel and the bots some excellent opportunities to turn chaste 50s gals into teenage rebels ("will she smoke thin black cigarettes and reject the triune God?") 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 24, 2020, 07:56:50 PM
Nightmare Castle - Barbara Steele looks very nice in this black and white horror flick, but the plot is not exactly Hitchcock level. A weird count or lives in a castle with his wife Muriel (Steele) and their maid, who is actually some sort of witch or something. That aspect isn't really explored at all. He does dastardly deeds and gaslight Muriel's sister, als0 played by Steele. It seems like the director really didn't understand what to do with the supernatural elements so you're left with a pretty bland crime story. There a shorter version I'd opt for that one

3.25/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 24, 2020, 09:48:47 PM
WASHING MACHINE (1999) - This is an Italian giallo (which, as near as I can translate, is Italian for "Boobs and bodies") about a police inspector who gets called when this girl supposedly finds a dismembered body in her washing machine - but passes out from shock, and when she wakes up, the washing machine is empty and all the blood is gone.  In the course of the investigation, the inspector meets all three of her sisters, and winds up breaking up with his girlfriend and having sex with all four sisters at one time or another.  Pretty much every woman in this film appears nude at some point, and the plot is a muddled mess, but the cinematography and the women are beautiful, even if the English dubbing is rather poor.  Still, free on Amazon Prime, so it's worth a watch.  Who puts a dismembered body in a washing machine, anyway?

4/5 on the bad movie scale, 2/5 on the "regular" movie scale.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 24, 2020, 10:21:19 PM
Nightmare Castle - Barbara Steele looks very nice in this black and white horror flick, but the plot is not exactly Hitchcock level. A weird count or lives in a castle with his wife Muriel (Steele) and their maid, who is actually some sort of witch or something. That aspect isn't really explored at all. He does dastardly deeds and gaslight Muriel's sister, als0 played by Steele. It seems like the director really didn't understand what to do with the supernatural elements so you're left with a pretty bland crime story. There a shorter version I'd opt for that one

3.25/5

Ah- I would disagree with that assesment. I think it's a great Italian horror film.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: El Misfit on October 24, 2020, 10:44:58 PM
Finally saw Beetlejuice from the beginning, usually I catch it at the dinner table scene. Fun movie to sit through.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 25, 2020, 05:11:13 AM
Beyond the Rising Moon (1987)

This is apparently also known as 'Outerworld' (which doesn't fit the movie any better). This could have been a decent SF action movie, but is completely let down by the execution. The plot is very straightforward. A derelict spaceship is discovered and sinister corporation sends Penta their synthetic superhuman assassin in to prevent another corporation from claiming the ship. However, the Penta sees this as a chance to gain her freedom, so she sets off with a Han Solo rip off to claim the derelict for herself, chased by the sinister corporation.

A lot of effort has gone into the photography, set design and scale models, which are quite good for a film of this era, especially as it is the director's debut. In fact, he likes the sets so much that there are quite a few shots of the empty sets. And of spaceships landing. Which leads into the main problem: the director can't do an action scene to save his life. Fight scenes are basically just Penta throwing one punch in the general direction of the goon, at which the goon crumples up and never moves again. Even the worst fights in Blake's 7 are more exciting. Gunfights and space battles aren't much better. As for the acting, while not painfully bad, it is not very inspiring either, and the script doesn't help. Tracy Davis (who starred in just this one and then did not much else) certainly has the visual presence for this role, but fails to make the 'robotic killer finding her humanity' aspect work.

Finally, there are some strangely dated aspects. 8000 dollars in cash will pay for instellar travel with no questions asked. And in what is now my favourite scene in cheap SF: at one point the Han Solo rip off decides to call the cops. To do this, he has to locate a pay phone, only to discover that he doesn't have any small change on him.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on October 25, 2020, 12:25:11 PM
I generally liked Beyond the Rising Moon, but it is kinda slow. There’s an interview with the director on this site! Here: http://www.badmovies.org/interviews/philcook/ (http://www.badmovies.org/interviews/philcook/)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on October 25, 2020, 04:00:40 PM
Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald, Larry Buchanan, 1964

Docudrama Purporting to examine the evidence against Oswald in a fictional jury trial. Starts out feeling rather weighty, but drags on & becomes as fun as real jury duty. Some nice old-time shots of Dallas. At the end of the movie an attorney comes out & says Oswald was most likely going to be convicted. The evidence may have been circumstantial, but it was strong. Decent acting, tho the prosecutor was a bit hammy & some witnesses were a bit wooden. Occasional editing goofs; characters looking the wrong way after a camera angle change, etc.

Buchanan could’ve become a good director, but from what I’ve seen he got worse with each movie he made.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 25, 2020, 08:33:13 PM
"Monster Dog" (1984)
A rock star (a sickly looking Alice Cooper, who was fresh outta rehab at this time) returns to his old family estate to shoot his latest music video. A pack of wild dogs has been killing people all over the area, and the video crew soon learns that it may he tied to the rocker's troubled past.

...this notorious Spanish/Italian "Howling" wanna-be was written and directed by Claudio Fragasso, later of "Troll 2" fame, which should tell you everything you need to know. The story is virtually incomprehensible, the dialogue is wooden, and the dubbing and special effects suck. (The only time you hear Alice's real voice is during his two musical numbers; the rest of the time, his lines are dubbed by another actor.)
This one's a slog, even for the most diehard Alice Cooper fans and/or B-Movie masochists.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 26, 2020, 03:03:44 PM
I generally liked Beyond the Rising Moon, but it is kinda slow. There’s an interview with the director on this site! Here: [url]http://www.badmovies.org/interviews/philcook/[/url] ([url]http://www.badmovies.org/interviews/philcook/[/url])


Thanks for pointing that out. I fully agree when he says
"On the artist side, I love building these places; caverns, aircraft, spacecraft, tunnels, robots, all this stuff. "

It shows in the movie. There is a lot of miniature stuff, matte paintings and the like, lovingly filmed and remarkably good for so small a production. The internet informs me that for the DVD release under the title Outerworld, he went all George Lucas and cleaned up the original effects, adding CGI and the like. I saw the original version, which is knocking about on Youtube somewhere.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 27, 2020, 01:59:19 PM
IT WAS A COLOSSAL TEENAGE MOVIE MACHINE: THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL PICTURES STORY (2015): If you ever wanted to know the history of the independent studio that brought the world such titles as I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF and the BEACH PARTY series and launched the career of Roger Corman, among others, this specialist documentary will scratch that itch. Although AIP movies seem cheap, campy and innocent, it's interesting to see how cynical the studio was in finding a niche (movies aimed at the new teenage demographic) and exploiting it in the most cost-effective way possible. Buried as a special feature on the VIKING WOMEN AND THE SEA SERPENT MST3K disc, where it will find a small but appreciative audience. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 27, 2020, 02:48:29 PM
"Tunnels" (aka "Criminal Act," 1989)

Tubi bamboozled me on this one. I had never heard of this movie, but I was intrigued by their capsule plot description, which said "Beneath the streets of New York, two reporters investigate sightings of giant rats in the city's sewer system." From that, I was expecting to see some cheap subterranean monster action ala C.H.U.D. or Alligator. No such luck.

Instead, this dull as dirt, no budget pseudo-thriller features two lady reporters whose pursuit of the rat legend ends up with them stumbling into a plot by a crooked land developer to kidnap the local homeless population and sell them to human traffickers ... or something like that. No giant rats, no monsters. Boooooo! Well, at least one of the reporters was played by Catherine "Daisy Duke" Bach, who still can't act her way out of a paper bag, but she wore a short skirt for the whole movie.

So unless you're still maintaining that boyhood crush on Ms. Bach (like me) there's absolutely no reason to sit through this flick, which fails at being a horror film, a suspense thriller, or even a "good" bad movie.

AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 28, 2020, 09:17:58 AM
 (inspired by a discussion thread on this forum)

"Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship, and Video Tape" (2010)
A documentary about the "Video Nasties" hysteria that gripped Britain during the early '80s home video boom. When certain moral guardians and government stooges decided that gory horror films like "I Spit On Your Grave" and "Evil Dead" were going to turn England's children into serial killers or criminals, they attempted to classify them as "obscene" so they could be banned. Interviews with important figures on both sides of the argument, some unintentionally hilarious vintage news clips, and lots of gory highlights from various "Nasties" illustrate this bizarre censorship saga.
I guess this could be considered the British equivalent of the PMRC controversy that was going on in America at the same time, when Tipper Gore and her bored-housewife pals were trying to keep Motley Crue records out of the nation's K-Marts. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 28, 2020, 02:19:22 PM
Fascination (2004) - IMDB reviews are polarized: most either 1 or 9-10. They're both right. awesomely cheesy and sordid drama/ thriller with genuine suspense, strong plot and really corny dialogue and embarrassing acting. Adrianne Lynne with a lobotomy. It reminded me distantly of that movie Blue Crush anyone remember it? a tropical guilty pleasure

http://youtu.be/-32R9_PedPo?t=2764 (http://youtu.be/-32R9_PedPo?t=2764) "what does that f**king mean!" 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 29, 2020, 09:40:49 AM
BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM (2020): Disgraced Kazakh journalist Borat returns to the U.S., daughter in tow, to deliver a bribe to some high-ranking member of the Trump administration. Partly scripted and partly improvised with unsuspecting dupes, Sascha Baron Cohen does a good job of returning a character who's all too familiar, using new disguises and his daughter Tutar (Maria Bakalova) to put one over on unsuspecting yahoos. This one is explicitly political and, needless to say, Trump fans can give it one star without bothering to watch it. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 29, 2020, 09:07:58 PM
(inspired by a discussion thread on this forum)

"Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship, and Video Tape" (2010)
A documentary about the "Video Nasties" hysteria that gripped Britain during the early '80s home video boom. When certain moral guardians and government stooges decided that gory horror films like "I Spit On Your Grave" and "Evil Dead" were going to turn England's children into serial killers or criminals, they attempted to classify them as "obscene" so they could be banned. Interviews with important figures on both sides of the argument, some unintentionally hilarious vintage news clips, and lots of gory highlights from various "Nasties" illustrate this bizarre censorship saga.
I guess this could be considered the British equivalent of the PMRC controversy that was going on in America at the same time, when Tipper Gore and her bored-housewife pals were trying to keep Motley Crue records out of the nation's K-Marts. :D

I just watched that: I thought the apartheid censors were bad but this lot: Eish. Graham Bright comes across as a class 1 a hole.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 30, 2020, 08:52:58 AM
PSYCHOMAGIC, A HEALING ART (2019): Alejandro Jodorowsky (EL TOPO, THE HOLY MOUNTAIN) describes his own form of psychotherapy, which involves patients smashing pumpkins with family member's faces on them, covering themselves in gold paint and wandering around the town square reciting poetry, or recreating their own births. Undoubtedly engaging in rituals can help with some psychological issues---among those who don't mind looking ridiculous---but despite one impressive case (the stutterer) this doc doesn't convince that psychomagic is the psychotherapeutic revolution Jodorowsky wants us to believe in. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 30, 2020, 01:39:32 PM
My neighbors, doing the wild thing  :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 30, 2020, 03:52:37 PM
This one was so memorable I forgot to write it up after I watched it last week.

WELCOME TO THE CIRCLE (2020): After a bear mauling, a man and his daughter encounter a strange cult in the woods. Some possibly interesting musings about the ways ideology might affect reality get lost in a barrage of confusing, on-the-cheap horror-surrealist twists. 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 31, 2020, 12:23:47 PM
The Vampire Bat - Fay Wray and the insane Renfield from Dracula are the big stars in this decent enough hour long "scary" short. 3.75 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 31, 2020, 05:09:38 PM
 ^  :thumbup:

(https://i.imgur.com/Jn9vTwM.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 31, 2020, 08:12:04 PM
it was pretty much the exact same role as Dracula, but he still stole the show


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 31, 2020, 11:35:20 PM
SLICE (2018) - A series of murders target pizza delivery personnel in the most ghost-haunted town in America.
But are the ghosts to blame?  Or is it the renegade werewolf who recently returned to town?
Are witches involved? 

A rather silly but mildly entertaining bit of horror/comedy.  starts slow but gets better as it goes on.

3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 01, 2020, 12:17:19 AM
CREEPSHOW 2 (1987)
Not nearly as good as the original, but good fun.
The RAFT segment was the best episode, with some teenagers stuck on a raft in a lake surrounded by a black maneating blob. The kid show type animation was neat too!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 01, 2020, 03:17:23 AM
Australiens. Australia (and only Australia) is invaded by aliens, out to destroy the world. This p**ses off the rest of the world, who wonder why they haven't been invaded too and in a fit of pique refuse to help out. Low budget and badly acted, but in a fun way, this film is way more fun than it has any right to be. Oh, and f**k Tasmania!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 01, 2020, 08:23:27 AM
Halloween night double feature:

"The Purge" (2013)
Set in a near-future America where all criminal activity is legal for one night a year, a wealthy family learns that their ultra-high-tech security system is not enough to stop a particularly determined gang of home invaders. This isn't exactly a "horror" movie, but it's a tight, claustrophobic suspense thriller with some primo scenes of ultra violence. The scariest thing about this movie may be how plausible it seems, given our current national situation.

"The Purge: Anarchy" (2014)
The first of several sequels to the all-crime-is-legal-for-one-night dystopian flick shows the other side of the "Purge" coin -- rather than focusing on wealthy and privileged characters, it follows some ordinary citizens who are trapped on the mean streets of L.A. during the Purge and just want to survive the night. With more characters and a whole city to play in, this is a bigger, even more mean-spirited adventure -- I think I liked it better than the first movie.

Would it be too predictable to watch "The Purge: Election Year" on Tuesday night while waiting for voting results to roll in?  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 01, 2020, 08:30:17 AM
Would it be too predictable to watch "The Purge: Election Year" on Tuesday night while waiting for voting results to roll in?  :teddyr:


Go for it. What is the worst that can happen?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 02, 2020, 02:21:13 PM
The Seventh Victim (1943) - don't know how I missed this one over the years. A young girl leaves boarding school to search for her missing sister in New York City. When she gets there, she realizes something very weird is going on. It seems her sister has gotten herself mixed up with a group of fifth columnists. Not Nazis, not communists, but....Satan worshippers! In 1974, that would have been a pretty phoned in idea for a plot but for 1943 it was definitely edgy.

Kim Hunter in her film debut reminded my of Patty Duke on the Patty Duke show. She has an innocence which contrasts nicely with the dark urbane subject matter of the film. Not everything works, but that seems besides the point. I can think of a bunch of things that could have gotten ironed out with more time and a bigger budget: for one all the guys kind of look the same...The titular "seventh victim" aspect isn't really explored... Eddie Mueller the TCM host noted some stuff that might have explained it better was taken out to maintain the shorter running time. I don't know if a director's cut exists.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention one very noticeable scene: one of the satan people walks into the bathroom while the younger sister is showering. She taunts her and you can see her silhouette in the shower curtain. 100% of people watching post 1962 will definitely think of Psycho. I don't know if Hitchcock was influenced by this scene but if he was it would certainly make sense. it's similarly effective

(https://filmfreedonia.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/seventhvictim02.jpg)


very cool beans 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 03, 2020, 09:50:57 PM
"Stepfather 3" (1992)
After a visit to a back-alley plastic surgeon (to hide the fact that he's being played by a new actor), the serial family killer moves to yet another new town and begins romancing yet another divorced Mom (Priscilla "Three's Company" Barnes). However, the psycho step-dad may have met his match with Priscilla's teen son, a disabled computer whiz whose hobby is solving crimes.
...obviously there isn't much going here that you haven't already seen in the previous two "Stepfathers." New leading man Robert Wightman (who?) does a fair job of imitating the great Terry O'Quinn and there's a few good violent bits, but overall this one's too long and too needlessly complicated for it's own good.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 04, 2020, 04:51:38 PM
Australiens. Australia (and only Australia) is invaded by aliens, out to destroy the world. This p**ses off the rest of the world, who wonder why they haven't been invaded too and in a fit of pique refuse to help out. Low budget and badly acted, but in a fun way, this film is way more fun than it has any right to be. Oh, and f**k Tasmania!

That sounds interesting!  :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 04, 2020, 06:14:43 PM
the GORGON (1964)
It's Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee together  against a Gorgon that turns people into stone by here mere gaze. Well acted, of course, and beautiful to look at...but kinda talky.
It's a late night lying in bed movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 04, 2020, 10:00:47 PM
"Paganini Horror" (1989)
A struggling all girl rock band discovers a long lost, unpublished piece by the Italian composer Paganini - who, legend has it, sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his talent. While shooting a music video for their version of the track, they awaken the undead spirit of Paganini himself, who doesn't appreciate these gals borrowing his work.
Luigi "StarCrash" Cozzi directed this brain-dead rock/horror mash up, which has a bad script, bad acting, bad dubbing, bad music (the girl band's "hit" is a hilariously shameless rip off of Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name")... pretty much bad everything. Even a cameo appearance by the great Donald Pleasance (whose voice is overdubbed by another actor, for some reason!) can't save this movie.
This was the 2nd time I've seen "Paganini Horror" and it certainly didn't improve with a repeat viewing. There will not be a 3rd try.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 04, 2020, 11:44:24 PM
Australiens. Australia (and only Australia) is invaded by aliens, out to destroy the world. This p**ses off the rest of the world, who wonder why they haven't been invaded too and in a fit of pique refuse to help out. Low budget and badly acted, but in a fun way, this film is way more fun than it has any right to be. Oh, and f**k Tasmania!

That sounds interesting!  :buggedout:

Found it on some random Roko channel. No idea where else it would be available.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 05, 2020, 01:13:44 PM
Bowery at Midnight (1942) - A psychology professor who teaches about criminal behavior has a secret: he himself is a criminal. Bela Lugosi is all too believable as a guy using a soup kitchen as a cover for murder and burglary. I'm still not entirely sold on the concept. I think maybe they could have done the classroom stuff as a flashback. He works all day and all night when does he grade the papers, etc?

Anyway, he gets in some "three's Company" style hijinks when someone from the class wants to do a study at the soup kitchen. Will his whole diabolical plan come crashing down??? Tom Neal from Detour is awesome as one of his many criminal co horts. I have a feeling something was cut somewhere because all the sudden one of the guys I thought was dead was back. or maybe its the fact that everyone dresses the same and has the same haircut. how did people tell each other apart in the old days??? I sure can't do it now


4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 05, 2020, 08:50:48 PM
"Voorhees" (2020)
After pulling off a successful bank heist, a crew of thieves (and their two hostages) hole up in the deserted ruins of Camp Crystal Lake. Of course, they soon learn that the camp's most famous resident, Jason Voorhees, doesn't take kindly to trespassers. Predictable mayhem ensues.
This is the latest F13 "fan film" to hit YouTube and though I tried to dig it, "Voorhees" lost me fairly early on. I liked the concept, the guy playing Jason looked legit, and there were plenty of gory kills, but the acting is strictly amateur night and the whole thing simply drags on for way too long.
If "Voorhees" had been an hour, it could've been a much cooler, faster moving film, but at nearly an hour and forty minutes, it becomes an endurance contest.  
If you wanna see a cool F13 fan film, watch "Never Hike Alone" instead.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 07, 2020, 05:33:11 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 07, 2020, 02:25:59 PM
Bowery at Midnight (1942) - A psychology professor who teaches about criminal behavior has a secret: he himself is a criminal. Bela Lugosi is all too believable as a guy using a soup kitchen as a cover for murder and burglary. I'm still not entirely sold on the concept. I think maybe they could have done the classroom stuff as a flashback. He works all day and all night when does he grade the papers, etc?

Anyway, he gets in some "three's Company" style hijinks when someone from the class wants to do a study at the soup kitchen. Will his whole diabolical plan come crashing down??? Tom Neal from Detour is awesome as one of his many criminal co horts. I have a feeling something was cut somewhere because all the sudden one of the guys I thought was dead was back. or maybe its the fact that everyone dresses the same and has the same haircut. how did people tell each other apart in the old days??? I sure can't do it now



4.5 /5

Trying to keep track of the plot of a Monogram Lugosi movie is pointless.
I just watch it to see Bela chewing up the carpet !
And it's real morbid.
And I won't give away the ending unless someone asks! But it's a shocker for the time!

 (https://i.imgur.com/waFyQiM.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on November 08, 2020, 05:03:14 PM
Rings - Bit late for Halloween, but hopefully not too late.

Lacks the slow build & suspense of the 1st one. Surprise antagonist was a cliche. 

Wouldn’t recommend it, but it was an ok way to spend the afternoon.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 10, 2020, 01:15:12 PM
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





Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 10, 2020, 01:26:52 PM
^ You liked it? I thought it was one of the worst 1940's Universal horror films.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 10, 2020, 10:59:39 PM
Canned Heat- A Change Is Gonna Come

http://youtu.be/3doBiU6nN0k (http://youtu.be/3doBiU6nN0k)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 11, 2020, 01:24:49 AM
wrong thread genius


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 11, 2020, 02:58:11 AM
wrong thread genius
Yer right I f**ked that all  up!  :thumbup: :drink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 11, 2020, 04:51:37 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 11, 2020, 12:58:59 PM
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

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71x2MlU+KdL._SX300_.jpg)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 11, 2020, 01:29:48 PM
^ A strange film, but I kinda like this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 11, 2020, 10:32:12 PM
"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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 12, 2020, 09:32:02 PM
"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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 13, 2020, 02:14:39 PM
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


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: BoyScoutKevin on November 13, 2020, 05:06:18 PM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 14, 2020, 04:10:27 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on November 14, 2020, 11:02:32 AM
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.)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 15, 2020, 09:43:08 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 15, 2020, 03:17:27 PM
"Rush: The Rise of Kings" (2014)
British documentary on the legendary Canadian rock trio traces their formative years in late 60s Toronto to their mainstream breakthrough in the early 80s. Like most of these "unofficial" music docs, it's about a 50/50 mix of public-domain interview and performance footage (much of it seemingly from the archives of MuchMusic, the Canadian equivalent of MTV), and commentary by the usual group of English music journalists you always see in these things. Occasionally interesting, but the far superior "Beyond the Lighted Stage" is the better pick for a Rush doc.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 15, 2020, 07:25:55 PM
"Pixels" (2015)
Aliens invade Earth by taking the form of classic video game characters (don't ask), so the President (Kevin James) reunites his old childhood gang of arcade-game experts (Adam Sandler, Josh Gad, Peter Dinklage) in order to save the world.
If memory serves, this movie racked up quite a few Razzie Awards back when it was released, but I actually enjoyed it, despite the presence of Josh Gad (who I find immensely irritating). This is a fun mash up of "Ghostbusters," "Wreck It Ralph," and "Independence Day," with impressive special effects and a lot of fun gags. Underrated.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 15, 2020, 09:19:33 PM
"Chris Claremont's X-Men" (2018)
Documentary about the writer who took over the under-performing X-Men comic series in the mid 70s, when it was on the verge of being cancelled, and turned it into one of Marvel's cornerstone titles over the next fifteen years. A cheap looking, but enlightening look behind-the-scenes at a major figure in comic book history.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on November 15, 2020, 10:43:04 PM
“Island at the Top of the World“

Fun old Disney movie, similar to “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” Lots of neat, but obvious, matte work. I think the FX in “20,000 Leagues” were better.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 16, 2020, 02:20:40 PM
Last Shift - this is one of those Tubi horror movies that, while uneven, is a million times more interesting than the glossy straight to netflix dreck they put on...well netflix. would definitely put Head Case (2007) from a few nights ago in that category. Ultimately I think Netflix's instant horror offerings are not really for big horror fans.

A rather attractive female cop is given the seemingly very easy job of working the desk at the old police station while everything is now being done at the new station. Basically just to sit at the desk. too bad the building is massively haunted by the ghosts of some manson family type cult who were detained there!

Hereditary would do the "ancient cult" thing better and while competent it definitely feels like the first movie of a horror marathon not the headliner. In fact, if this HAD been on netflix horror i'd probably lament about how predictable it was so my commentary is pretty much worthless I guess.

the director did midnight Meat Train which was a little more distinct. It needed to be scarier, basically

4/5

whoever cast this lady in a walk on role as a streetwalker* knows whats up

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/84/68/c8/8468c8bd701e1c612b9e29faca4643a3.jpg)

*do they even still exist? who cares!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 16, 2020, 02:28:23 PM
^ I dunno...most street walkers don't look like that. Porn stars, sure, but not working girls.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 16, 2020, 02:35:42 PM
she looks different in the film

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTYwNjgxMzkxMF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDE4NjA5NjE@._V1_.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 16, 2020, 02:40:33 PM
 ^I have Tubi, and I almost watched HEADCASE, but I knew I would fall asleep, because I was drunk and tired and just finished eating dinner at 10:00, so I didn't.
I watch a LOT of Tubi.
It is on my watch list.  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 16, 2020, 02:42:47 PM
they have an unbelievable amount of Conan rip off movies I wouldn't even know where to begin with that stuff


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 16, 2020, 02:51:05 PM
Sometimes they just change a word.
PACIFIC RIM (2013) was a fantastic movie, but then you got ATLANTIC RIM (2013)!

Which is this-!  :buggedout:

http://youtu.be/xUgesFrRHHE (http://youtu.be/xUgesFrRHHE)

I actually tried to watch this, except 30 minutes in I wanted to take a p**s on my TV!  :hot:

EDIT: I may actually try to watch this again...I dunno why? The Play Station 1 level graphics?
I might...but that will be if I'm really high or  drunk. So might be anytime today.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 16, 2020, 04:58:05 PM
Blood Vessel. When a hospital ship is sunk during WW2, a small multinational group of survivors find themselves in a liferaft but with little hope of rescue, until a ship passes them. The survivors climb aboard and find themselves in the midst of a new kind of horror. I enjoyed this one, perhaps more than I would normally being a fan of WW2 and with fond memories of a comic book series from my childhood that I won't mention here as it would give major spoilers about the plot of this one. There are two major clues as to what is going on, on board the ship that let you know far in advance of the reveal on what is happening. If you watch this one, see if you can pick them up.

Creepshow: Animated Special. I'd have rated this one higher I guess if I hadn't figured out what was going to happen in the first story, and then realised very early on I'd read the second story in a collection of shorts previously. Still, I've seen worse.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 17, 2020, 01:13:08 PM
Blair Witch (2016) - It was okay and state of the art and everything but I expected a little more. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on November 18, 2020, 03:34:27 AM
arsenic and old lace, the original play version with boris karloff and  tony randall .


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 18, 2020, 06:23:24 AM
^...and from 1962- here it is!  :thumbup:

http://youtu.be/qipwzSdVi7I (http://youtu.be/qipwzSdVi7I)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 19, 2020, 02:46:34 PM
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY (2019): A surreal comedy about the rise of Canadian Prime Minister W.L. Mackenzie King, who clubs seals, sniffs boots, and deals with an ejaculating cactus on the way to fulfilling his mother's prophecy that he would become Prime Minister of Canada. This fake, funny and fetishistic retro-expressionist biopic proves that Guy Maddin is not an auteur, he's a genre. 3.5/5

LOVE EXPRESS: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF WALERIAN BOROWCZYK (2018): Talking heads documentary about the rise and fall of Polish director Walerian Borowczyk, who started out as an enfant terrible of Surrealism but ended up stereotyped and dismissed as a pornographer. A fine appreciation of an overlooked talent, but probably better suited as a Blu-ray extra than a standalone feature film. 2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 19, 2020, 03:00:24 PM
IL DEMONIO (1963)
I did not know there was an exorcist movie before the EXORCIST (1973)

And Daliah Lavi spider walks- 10 tears before Linda Blair!

http://youtu.be/XB25Y_EvudE (http://youtu.be/XB25Y_EvudE)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 19, 2020, 10:05:30 PM
"Cut and Run" (1985)
A lady journalist and her cameraman head into the jungles of Colombia to find a missing American, and end up caught in the middle of a battle between cocaine smugglers, a Jim Jones style religious cult leader, and hordes of angry natives in this muddled action/adventure flick from Ruggero "Cannibal Holocaust" Deodato.
"Cut and Run" has a few decent action sequences and a cast full of familiar faces (incl. Michael "The Hills Have Eyes" Berryman, Richard Lynch, Karen Black, and even Willie "Bibleman" Aames!) but I was hoping for something sleazier/nastier. Apparently the European cut of this film is heavier on the ultra-violence and gore; I wish I'd seen that version instead.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 21, 2020, 02:38:07 AM
Mars Needs Women (1968)

Apparently the Youtube algorithm has concluded I must like Larry Buchanan movies. Ah well.

In fairness, it has better production values and pacing than 'Zontar', although that is not saying very much. It is one of those studies in how to make a movie of 1h20, when your script only runs to 40 minutes. As for the plot, this movie falls into the 'Snakes on a Plane' category, where the title tells you all you need to know.

Some observations
Yvonne Craig thoughtfully puts on her glasses if she wants to say something smart.
Hotel rooms in the 60s were small apartments
The lead Martian has an unsettling resemblance to Pete Campbell of Mad Men
That is the most crowded conference room this side of 'Attack of the Killer Tomatoes'


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 21, 2020, 07:12:19 PM
"RoboCop 3" (1993)
Omni Consumer Products has been bought out by a Japanese corporation, who plan to bulldoze Old Detroit to build their gleaming new City of the Future. After RoboCop is wounded while protecting innocent citizens from OCP's mercenary "Rehab" soldiers,  he joins a street level resistance movement battling against the corporate creeps.
This third go-round is noticeably cheaper looking than the first two installments and there's a new guy in the Robo-Suit, but lots of stuff still gets shot and blown up real good, in spite of the PG-13 rating.
This flick tanked at the box office and is considered the worst of the series, but I've always found it enjoyable in a cartoonish sort of way... and it's still better than the 2014 remake.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 22, 2020, 11:28:18 AM
BORAT -

  I had seen snippets of this film in the past, but since the sequel is now out and sparked moderate interest, I decided to give the original a watch.  A fascinating mashup of biting satire, tasteless humor, social commentary, and some incredibly cringeworthy visuals (the naked wrestling match between Sasha Bora Cohen and his overweight co-star is burned into my eyeballs forever!).  You have to have a pretty high bar for tastelessness and hairy naked men to appreciate this one, and I don't think I quite cleared it.  But the final scene with Pamela Anderson's book signing was pretty hilarious!
3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 22, 2020, 11:38:12 AM
SLAUGHTER OF THE VAMPIRES (1962) aka CURSE OF THE BLOOD GHOULS
Beautiful score, stunning photograpy, and sexy vampire women are a highlight of this otherwise by the numbers Italian gothic horror film.
Still worth a watch. Just for the heaving vampire girl breasts.  :twirl:

http://youtu.be/LVqMj1nemxU (http://youtu.be/LVqMj1nemxU)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 22, 2020, 02:02:24 PM
"Starring Adam West" (2014)
The actor looks back at the highs and lows of his long showbiz career, through "Batman" mania to the lean years afterwards to his 21st century resurgence. Meanwhile, behind the scenes his family, friends, and fans rally together to nominate him for a long overdue star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. An engrossing profile of a genuinely cool cat who's led an interesting life, loaded with tons of vintage clips, laugh-out-loud interviews, and photos. Lots of fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 23, 2020, 03:52:06 AM
The Great Wall (2016)

You may want to switch off your brain when watching this. This one is an absolute hoot. It would seem that the production team was trying to out-Roland Emmerich Roland Emmerich with this. The story is simple. Two mercenaries travel to China in search of blackpowder. However, when they reach the Great Wall, they find it under siege by a horde of monsters. So, of necessity they team up with Medieval Major Kusanagi to defeat the monsters.
This movie knows exactly what it is doing: it is about people with improbable fighting skills battling monsters, and doing so with even more improbable tactics and weaponry. There is hardly space for a subplot, the barest bones of a love story and -thankfully- no comic relief to speak of, it is just a sequence of spectacular action scenes. Matt Damon’s character does reflect upon his life choices a bit, but he can’t do so for long, before there is another monster attack.
It is all silly beyond words, which makes it all the more remarkable that the movie is absolutely played straight (unless there is some form of Chinese irony I am missing). My inner 12-year old was delighted.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 23, 2020, 11:01:04 AM
SPONTANEOUS (2020): When their senior classmates start spontaneously exploding, Mara and Dylan decide to take a chance on love. As a teen romantic comedy of the blacker sort, it's no HEATHERS, but it manages to deliver some harsh realities lightened by the occasional smile (and splash of gore). 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 23, 2020, 01:49:51 PM
The Assistant (2015) - Do you remember Orphan? All the preposterous plot holes and over the top dramatics made it hard to tell if it was a horror movie or a soap opera. This French movie is not quite as insane as that, but it delivers the goods in a smaller dose.

A woman's son is hit by a car. the guy does the right thing and brings the teenaged boy to the hospital but he dies, unfortunately. Well, it might have been better if he'd done a hit and run because years later the Mom decides to get a job as his secretary and ingratiate herself into his life, mostly in very bad ways.

Some people just aren't very forgiving and others aren't very perceptive. The movie starts off as very normal if creepy and soon becomes ridiculous in a way I really appreciated. I think the moment it changed was when she threatens to beat the crap out of a random woman in the women's bathroom just because she didn't like her.

again, doesn't have the fireworks of Orphan and could have used the hand of a real horror producer but I liked it a lot

4.5 / 5 tubi


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 24, 2020, 12:41:14 PM
"Jay and Silent Bob Reboot" (2019)
Kevin Smith's iconic stoner duo take another cross-country trip to Hollywood to stop yet another movie from being made out of their "Bluntman & Chronic" characters. Along the way, of course, they meet a variety of bizarre characters and have lots of foul mouthed, wacky mis-adventures before finally confronting the filmmakers at the annual "Chronic-Con." The movie goes off the rails in the last twenty minutes, but the first hour is one rapid-fire gag after another, and I laughed a lot.

I think this flick is how Kevin Smith celebrated surviving his recent heart attack -- by taking a victory lap through his "View Askew" back catalog. Just about everybody who's ever made an appearance in one of his past films has a cameo in this one (Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, Shannon Elizabeth, Matt Damon, the guy who played Dante in "Clerks," etc., etc.). There's even a sweet tribute to the late Stan Lee hidden in the end credits.

If you liked "Clerks," "Mallrats," and (obviously) "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,"  then you'll have a blast watching the boys ride high (cough cough) one more time.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 24, 2020, 09:53:08 PM
"Dream Deceivers" (1992)
Documentary about the 1990 trial of Judas Priest, who were sued by the parents of two Nevada teens whose "suicide pact" was supposedly inspired by "backwards messaging" in JP's music. Equal parts tragic, infuriating, and eye-rollingly ridiculous. Thankfully the Priest were able to emerge from that media circus with their dignity intact.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 24, 2020, 10:45:27 PM
ZOMBIE (1964) aka I EAT YOUR SKIN aka ZOMBIES aka CARIBBEAN ADVENTURE .

Silly voodoo mad doctor nonsense about science and- aw f**k it.
Just plain old stupid. I like where the hero jumps into a swamp, swims like hell face down, and then stands up in ankle deep water. Didn't he realize a foot from shore he could,ya know, stand up?  :bouncegiggle:
Oh yeah- the zombies.

Ever seen that 3 Stooges short where Moe gets hit in the face by 2 eggs?

(https://i.imgur.com/TIizcyh.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)
It's on Tubi, if you have zero going on in your life beyond picking funk out of your belly button hole.

I can imagine folks just leaving the theater in droves after the insane I DRINK YOUR BLOOD (1970), which it was double billed with. It was considered so bad it wasn't released until 1970.

(https://i.imgur.com/EznHo1O.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

PS: No skin is eaten by zombies, or anyone else.
Don't get me wrong! For BAD movie fans- and I am-it's gold.  :thumbup:


"What part of heaven did you fly down from?"

" Oh boy. Mister Harris, I read some of your books and I only hope you're more original in person."

Standing right next to each other.  :bouncegiggle:



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 25, 2020, 10:16:13 AM
LIGHT YEARS (2019): A man remembers a mushroom trip he took with friends when he was sixteen. A lot of creative disorientation, with animation and the star playing multiple characters (male and female), but the hinted-at plot and its message get completely lost in the heavy buzz of confusion. We're left to contemplate whether watching someone else's routine mushroom trip is entertaining. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 25, 2020, 02:09:26 PM
rc - those mid 60's almost all the way to full exploitation ones but still with a classic feel are great. like the one with the nazi guy on the beach and the glowing sea blob

Daylight (2013) - okay let me make sure I get this right: An austistic guy is in jail for life for killing his wife and baby, but something is amiss. Did he really do it? or is he a patsy for a powerful family and yadda yadda. Also, the woman ( a lawyer) looking for the truth may or may not be his lost long sister.

Okay, this was an adequate attempt at a Fincher style megamystery and actually held my attention for its full 2 hours, a real rarity these days.

One random thing that impressed me was the muted tension between the lawyer and a guy who helps her at the Institution. Sometimes love actually isn't convenient and theres other stuff going on.  Not every flirtation ends with an immediate roll in the hay. for me of course it does but I mean for most people

5/5 tubitv I thought it was German but its Dutch. Instead of Nein they say Nay. kid was kind of annoying

not many reviews on IMDB but they are pretty much all positive which is unusual https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2359002/reviews?ref_=tt_urv (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2359002/reviews?ref_=tt_urv)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 26, 2020, 12:20:36 AM
DARKEST HOUR (2017) - I saw this movie twice in the theaters, and I DVR'd it this week so I could watch it again.
Gary Oldman's portrayal of Winston Churchill is arguably the finest depiction of a real historical figure by an actor that I have ever seen (the only one that rivals it would be Daniel-Day Lewis in LINCOLN).   And this film's focus on Churchill's first month in office, at a time when he was far better known for his failures and shortcomings than he was for his courage and tenacity, shows us the man behind the legend in a portrayal that is both humorous and poignant.  One of my favorite historical films of all time!  5/5 and then some!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 26, 2020, 10:03:55 AM
rc - those mid 60's almost all the way to full exploitation ones but still with a classic feel are great. like the one with the nazi guy on the beach and the glowing sea blob

.



The FLESH EATERS (1964)!
Great movie!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 26, 2020, 11:02:29 AM
  the BERMUDA TRIANGLE (1978)
A boatload of morons go to the Bermuda Triangle in search of a lost underwater city.
Among them Hugo (CITY OF THE WALKING DEAD) Stiglitz, the guy who played PUMAMAN, and...John Huston?
While cruising to their doom, they find a cursed doll floating the seven seas of Hell, get attacked by headless parrots, see weird lights, encounter a ghost ship, and some other plot lines that meander like a homeless guy pushing a shopping cart full of garbage.
Directed by the cinema genius that is Rene Cardona Jr, who gave us NIGHT OF THE BLOODY APES, this might have been entertaining in a BAD movie way, if it wasn't almost 2 HOURS LONG.
This trailer may feature John Huston, but his total screen time amounts to maybe 5 minutes max.

http://youtu.be/fIUBft7pwHE (http://youtu.be/fIUBft7pwHE)

Oh yeah. It's on Tubi. If you feel like having a 3 day drunk fever dream come to life.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 26, 2020, 08:34:53 PM
"Into the Dark: Pilgrim" (2019)
This seemed appropriate for Thanksgiving night viewing.
A privileged suburban family hires a group of Pilgrim "re-enactors" to their home on Thanksgiving to give them a truly "authentic" Turkey Day experience. Unfortunately for them, these "Pilgrims" have rather strict rules about being properly "thankful" and begin handing out stern punishments for the family's "ungrateful" ways.
This slow burning Hulu original (part of their ongoing "Into the Dark" series of seasonally-themed horror flicks) from the Blumhouse Productions factory takes a little while to get going, but cranks up the nastiness in the satisfyingly gory, ultra-violent second half. I wasn't expecting much from this one at first, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 26, 2020, 09:23:06 PM
WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST (1958)
Ok- This is a sequel to the AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN (1957) wherin Col. Glenn Manning gets turned into a 60 foot giant after getting caught in an A-bomb blast. Of course!
Anyway- he survives that film and comes back as a 60 foot mutated, really ugly, Frankenstein grunting monster. Plus for his death, like TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN, the film breifly goes COLOR!
Plus the monster is real scary looking!  :buggedout:
It also helps that you see the monster early in the film. I hate it when they take an hour to show the monster.
This is not a gothic horror film. It's a giant monster movie. Gimme the monster!  :hot:
I love this movie.

(https://i.imgur.com/ctuLfyJ.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 28, 2020, 04:59:13 AM
Tau (2018)

A small time pickpocket gets kidnapped by an IT genius to serve as a guinea pig in his project develop an AI. In order to escape she has to outwit her captor and the AI running the house.

A bit of a disappointment. It is not bad as such, the plot has enough twists and turns to keep it interesting, both actors (and Gary Oldman, voicing the AI) give solid performances, but it is a bit too much by the numbers to be really interesting. More could have been made of the psychological duel between the arrogant and erudite psychopath on the one hand, and the  resourceful small time hustler who had learned to survive on the streets, on the other. Ed Skrein and Maika Monroe do what they can, but they don't have all that much to work with. Also, the movie tries to be philosophical about the status of AI and the question of what constitutes a person, but is not as clever as it thinks it is. Ex Machina, it is not.

It is, however, exceedingly stylish. It takes the cyberpunk neo film noir esthetic of Blade Runner 2049, turns it into high fashion gloss and then cranks everything up to 11. You get one amazingly beautiful shot after another. Too bad that the CGI is a bit dodgy in places.

Not a waste of time, but not a must see either.




Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 29, 2020, 07:37:26 AM
VAMPIRE DOLL (1970)
A young man returns from America to Japan to visit his fiancee, only to discover she has died.
Or has she?
Amazing photography, good acting, and a scary as hell vampire girl make this gothic horror from Toho Studios (!) worth your while.


(https://i.imgur.com/b2Xzhdy.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 29, 2020, 11:37:09 AM
1917 - I rewatched this World War I epic last night and am still very impressed with it.  Beautiful cinematography, haunting soundtrack, and an engaging story make this one of my favorite war movies of all time. 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on November 29, 2020, 07:12:23 PM
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Made for a long afternoon; they probably could’ve made 2-3 movies from that one book!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 29, 2020, 07:22:44 PM
"Anna and the Apocalypse" (2017)
Scottish teens sing, dance, and slaughter their way through their zombie infested small town as they try to reach their families during the Holiday season. Yes, this is a zombie Christmas musical... and as absurd as that concept sounds, it works. The young cast totally sells it (especially Ella Hunt, who plays "Anna") and even though I usually hate musicals, I gotta admit, some of the songs were actually pretty catchy. "Anna" is a funny, bloody, tongue-firmly-in-cheek genre mashup in the vein of the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" TV series (whose musical episode, "Once More With Feeling," was clearly a major influence on this flick).
You may love it, you may hate it, but it's worth seeing this sing-along sickie at least once.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 30, 2020, 11:36:43 AM
"Cop Out" (2010)
Two NY cops (Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan) tangle with a brutal gang of Mexican drug smugglers as they try to recover a stolen, extremely valuable baseball card. Pretty typical "buddy cop" shoot'em up nonsense, but Willis and Morgan make a good team.

"Cop Out's" back story is almost more interesting than the film itself -  this was Kevin "Clerks" Smith's first and only "director for hire" gig. Apparently he and Bruce Willis did not get along at all during filming, and the the experience was so unpleasant for Kevin that it put him off working for the major studios (as well as films that he didn't write himself). In spite of all the behind the scenes drama, "Cop Out" turned out to be a decent rainy day time waster.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 30, 2020, 02:24:55 PM
Lisa (1990) - this is one of those movies that's interesting and even compelling, but you can see why it doesn't get talked about much.

A girl and her Mom (Cheryl Ladd who looks okay) are having typical coming of age teen/ mom fights. Somehow this results in the 14 year old girl becoming fixated on a much older man...who's also a serial killer!!  

As salacious as that sounds, the director, while talented, just doesn't have the gusto to go for the Orphan like sordid disaster this needed to be. The finale doesn't have the tension it needs, Cheryl Ladd is mostly annoying, and basically it can't decide if it wants to be a lifetime movie or a horror movie. At the same time, the girl and her friend were funny and it was unique. I had to stop it a bunch of times to read my twitter feed though

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/06/Film_Poster_for_the_1990_film_Lisa.jpg)


I'll say 3.75 /5 it's well made but not super engrossing,


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 30, 2020, 10:10:32 PM
"LIve Free Or Die Hard" (2007)
High tech terrorists are systematically shutting down the United States via a series of cyber-attacks, and of course our only hope is good ole John McClane. As usual, lots of stuff gets shot, punched, crashed, and blown up real good. This was the first "DH" film in a dozen years and though it doesn't quite match up to its predecessors, it's an entertainingly ultra-violent butt kicker.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 01, 2020, 11:24:03 AM
"Silent Night" (2012)
Small town Wisconsin cops hunt for a psycho dressed as Santa, who's killing off "naughty" citizens in extremely gory ways. Unfortunately the town happens to be full of guys in Santa suits for the annual Christmas parade, which obviously complicates the process.
This "loose remake" of the classic 1984 Santa slasher "Silent Night, Deadly Night" might have an even bigger mean streak than the original. The kills are brutal and gory, and the performances are great (esp. Malcolm McDowell as the gung-ho Sheriff and Donal "Grounded For Life" Logue as a drunken anti-capitalist street Santa). There's even a "garbage day!" reference and several nods to the original "SNDN" for sharp eyed fans.
If memory serves, I wasn't crazy about this flick the first time I saw it a few years ago, but something about it "clicked" with me the second time around. Worth a look, even if you usually hate remakes.

Mildly unsettling fun fact: the psycho Santa's weapon of choice in this movie - a flame thrower - was apparently inspired by a real Christmas Eve mass killing that happened in California in 2008. Ho ho ho, indeed.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 01, 2020, 07:09:50 PM
"Crumb" (1994)
Terry Zwigoff's portrait of underground cartoonist Robert Crumb, whose psychedelic and psycho-sexual comic strips defined the late '60s counter culture movement. Robert's a weird guy who draws weird comics, but when you meet his brothers Charles and Max, you'll realize that he's the most normal one in his family... which is really sayin' something.
"Crumb" is not so much a celebration of Robert's famed artwork, but more of a disturbing study of family dystunction and its effects on each generation. Weird and fascinating in equal measure.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 01, 2020, 11:09:28 PM
^ David Lynch wanted to make a movie about his brother with the weird notebook but he died


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 02, 2020, 12:52:44 PM
"Bad Boys For Life" (2020)
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are back for a third, long delayed go-round as straight shootin', wise crackin' Miami cops Mike and Marcus. This time out, Marcus is considering retirement (again), and Mike has been marked for assassination by the seriously ticked-off lady boss of a Mexican drug cartel. Naturally, this leads to lots of stuff getting shot, blown up, and crashed into other stuff.
It's been more than fifteen years since the last "Bad Boys" movie but Smith and Lawrence fall right back into their buddy-cop groove and as usual, the stunt work and pyrotechnics are a sight to behold. Sometimes you just gotta have a big, dumb, flashy, shoot'em up action flick full of empty calories, and this franchise has always filled that bill.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 02, 2020, 04:25:09 PM
BEAST CLAWING AT STRAWS (2020): A crime boss, a ruthless madam, a corrupt customs official, and a struggling sauna clerk all scheme to possess a bag stuffed with cash. An exquisitely plotted neo-noir deftly handled by first-time Korean director Kim Yong-Hoon. I could definitely see this getting a Hollywood remake. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 02, 2020, 04:51:04 PM
"Venom" (2018)
An experimental space craft crash lands on Earth, letting loose several parasitic alien life forms. One of them eventually "bonds" with a down-on-his-luck investigative reporter to stop a full scale invasion by the critters.
Loosely based on the Marvel Comics super-villain, this flick wisely opted to re-write Venom's origin story, throwing out all the Spider-Man connections so the character can stand on his own. Tom Hardy is a hoot as the guy learning to deal with his new "partner" and the visual FX are top notch. I honestly wasn't expecting much from this flick, but it turned out to be a fun, action packed sci-fi/horror ride.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on December 03, 2020, 08:20:48 AM
LOOPER (2012)

In 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent into the past, where a hired gun awaits - someone like Joe - who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by sending back Joe's future self for assassination.

What starts as an interesting time travel ordeal, it crashes into another completely different movie in less than an hour. Don't watch this expecting another PREDESTINATION, this is trash. When you try to unravel the plot it falls apart so bad that is hilarious, it literally looks as if they lost the script and had to find a new one - it reminds me a lot of what I felt with HANCOCK. See that synopsis I just put above? I kid you not, it has nothing to do with the main story.

If you can deal with the fact that in this world the mob can't get rid of a body but can travel in time to do it, even when in a scene we clearly see them killing Joe's wife without many issues, and they still go through the trouble of "disposing" him. Did they forget they have another body lying there? Oh well. If you can deal with these blunders, it's nevertheless a fun movie. Good ol' Bruce still got it, and even when it's completely unnecesary, he shoots people, because that's what he does.

If you don't have anything else to do, give it a watch, but otherwise stick to better time travel or gangster films. 6/10  :drink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 03, 2020, 03:06:02 PM
Anna (aka Mindscape) (2013) - There are a lot of movies called Anna so if you are ever looking for this one search Anna memory detective or something. and you should because its pretty good

The acting. writing etc aren't great and the story is pretty unbelievable but I enjoyed it, so much so that I stayed up till like 3:30 am watching it and got up at 1:30. luckily I drive uber and there's not much going on now so nothing really matters.

John Washington is a memory detective. via some combination pf psychic powers and technology he can enter peoples minds and see if they are telling the truth about a crime or something. Coming back from a rough period, his boss gives him an easy job: get this rich girl who is refusing to eat to eat. Well, it wouldn't be much of a movie if it didn't turn into a little more than that.

He enters her memories and sees all kinds of crazy stuff, but is she actually gifted too and changing the memories around? It had me hooked even though its totally impossible and the acting is run of the mill.

4.5 /5 shows how a strong story can over come a lot of budgetary/ talent, logic obstacles

 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 04, 2020, 10:07:54 AM
"Detroit Rock City" (1999)
It's 1978 and a quartet of doofus teens cut school and hit the road to see KISS at Cobo Hall in Detroit, having a variety of wacky mis-adventures along the way.
A very funny, well made period piece comedy with a great cast and a rockin' soundtrack. "DRC" tanked at the box office back in the day, which is a shame -- this one deserves to become a cult classic. Enjoyable even if you're not a member of the KISS Army.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 04, 2020, 02:54:54 PM
Wes Craven's Summer of Fear (1978) - I had seen this as a kid and didn't think I'd ever find it. While not quite as awesome as "Invitation to hell" Craven's other made for tv movie it is very entertaining and trashy.

A cousin from the Ozarks comes to stay at Linda Blair and her families' house. Blair has a poofy hairdo and isn't as hot as she was in her early 80's efforts. The cousin isn't bad and she soon makes moves on everybody in sight, including the Dad! Having sexual tension between ostensible family members is a little odd, but the horror element really doesn't come into play until the second half so I guess they had to keep viewers attention some way.

I remembered this as being less campy and more straight horror but it holds up as what it is. 4.5 /5





Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on December 05, 2020, 08:07:49 AM
THE MARTIAN (2015)

An astronaut becomes stranded on Mars after his team assume him dead, and must rely on his ingenuity to find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.

An interesting movie, but not very original to be honest. While I cannot discuss the science behind it, although I assume it must be somewhat correct since NASA helped, they failed miserably in the psychological side of the story. At no point our hero shows us the despair of being stranded alone in a planet deadly for any form of life. In fact, it seems like he's having some kind of vacation in there. Only at the end it kinda shows some emotion, the rest of the time it's like "lol disco music". MOON captured this a million times better.

While I do appreciate the fact that everything seems to go wrong, most of the problems are solved inmediately by some conveniently placed object: duct tape, a piece of plastic, whatever. Mark is not just a botanist, but also an engineer, electrician, chemist, surgeon, and anything else the plot requires. The guy has more knowledge than Wikipedia, it's amazing.

Still, an entertaining movie, although it's longer than necessary. The Mars landscape is gorgeus! 7/10  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 05, 2020, 12:01:08 PM
"White Christmas" (1954)
Two ex-Army song and dance men (Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) romance a pair of singing sisters (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) while putting on a really big Christmas show at their former commanding officer's Vermont hotel to help save his business.

This is one of those classic holiday perennials that my wife insists on watching every year and while I generally don't care for musicals, this one has an old-fashioned charm that makes it watchable. (Truthfully, I tend to spend most of the run time ogling the astoundingly leggy Vera-Ellen, who plays Kaye's love interest...)

...besides, I can't watch "Silent Night, Deadly Night" sequels all December long, y'know! :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on December 05, 2020, 12:03:56 PM
Fantasy Island (2020)

The individual fantasies were ok, but the overall plot & added mythology was unnecessary.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 05, 2020, 06:13:57 PM
"Trancers" (1984)
23rd century cop Jack Deth (Tim Thomerson) is sent back in time to 20th century L.A. to stop a murderer whose killing spree has the potential to change the future.  
Basically this is a low budget mish mash of ideas borrowed from "The Terminator" and "Blade Runner," but it's fast paced, junky fun in its own right. Thomerson is hilariously deadpan as the hard-boiled future cop and his punk-rock chick sidekick is played by future Oscar winner Helen "Mad About You" Hunt, who was quite the hottie back then!
Charles Band directed this cult classic that was followed by at least five sequels (I lost count). "Trancers" even takes place during Christmas time, so it's seasonally appropriate viewing as well!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 06, 2020, 05:51:51 PM
"Trancers II" (1991)
Future Cop Jack Deth has spent the past six years coolin' his heels in the 20th century, until his old boss returns through the time stream to inform him of a new threat: a mad scientist has begun assembling an army of zombie-like "Trancers" to do his murderous bidding.
I described the first "Trancers" as "junky fun," but this one is mostly just "junk" in spite of the great cast (which includes Tim Thomerson, Helen Hunt, Richard Lynch, Geoffrey Combs, and Barbara Crampton). It's needlessly complicated and looks even cheaper than the original, which is really sayin' something.
I got a few laughs out of it but somehow I doubt I'm going to go much deeper into this franchise.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 07, 2020, 10:30:25 AM
LUCKY (2004): An alcoholic writer finds inspiration when a stray dog starts telepathically dictating scripts to him---and orders him to kill. A low budget, shot-on-video affair, but with a competent script; it starts off like a twisted sitcom but descends into sleazy grindhouse territory as the bodies pile up. Not wholly successful, but the oddness keeps you watching. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 07, 2020, 02:16:23 PM
Irresistible (2005) - the title has nothing to do with anything but this is a pretty okay thriller starring Susan Sarandon who looks great. It's kind of hard to recommend though because its so full of cliches. Sarandon and director Ann something worked on the script together and they should have worked a little harder. It's filmed in Australia and everyone else is Australian. Emily Blunt is in it. She's hot.

Sarandon is some kind of illustrator in a way I didn't quite grasp and her husband is a really good at business guy. A sexy new secretary at work (Blunt) provides temptation, but she also seems to be ingratiating herself as people in these things often do. Or is Sarandon imagining the whole thing? This question was the best part of the movie even though you know how it's probably going to turn out.

It passed the time well enough. I had to look at wikipedia to fully understand the ending.

Well folks, it's alright and surely much better than the Jessica Simpson album of the same name

3.75 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 07, 2020, 08:42:10 PM
"Nocturna" (1979)
Count Dracula's foxy granddaughter, bored by the lack of excitement in Transylvania, runs off to New York with a handsome musician and becomes the darling of NYC's disco scene in this hopelessly dorky supernatural comedy/musical.
...there's a lot to unpack here. Apparently this flick was a vanity project for Nai Bonet, a Vietnamese dancer and socialite who decided she wanted to be a movie star ... so she wrote and produced this movie, gave herself the starring role, and hired a couple of fading screen legends to fill out supporting parts (John Carradine as Dracula, Brother Theodore as his Renfield-ish servant, and Yvonne "Lily Munster" DeCarlo as the Count's old girlfriend). She even managed to corral disco superstars Gloria Gaynor and Vicki Sue Robinson to perform on the soundtrack!
...so I salute Ms. Bonet's hustle, but as for her movie, it's a good thing she was attractive and spent most of the film in various states of undress, cuz she sure couldn't act worth a good god damn.  There are a few funny bits (mostly involving Carradine and/or DeCarlo) but overall "Nocturna" is eye rollingly silly, and of course the wall-to-wall disco soundtrack is hilariously dated. Still, I found it vaguely interesting in a cheesy, how-the-hell-did-this-get-made time-capsule sort of way.
It's on YouTube under its alternate title, "Nocturna: Granddaughter of Dracula," if you're curious.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 08, 2020, 09:59:15 AM
CRIP CAMP: Follows a group of disabled teens who attended the experimental Camp Jened in the early 70s as they become disability activists later in life. If you like inspirational true stories, this may be your jam. I'm not that much into them. On Netflix. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 08, 2020, 05:58:24 PM
BOO!  -  a dysfunctional family receives a note on their door the day before Halloween, telling them they have been "BOO'd" and bad things will befall them if they don't pass the BOO! along.  The father, a strict fundamentalist, refuses to indulge in such nonsense, and, well, bad things befall them.  It's been done before, but this film didn't do it badly.  4/5

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS - I saw this when it came out in 2012, and watched it again last night.  A fun horror romp that explains why so many horror films share the same tropes: the "teenagers experimenting with things best left alone" are a carefully coordinated sacrifice to keep the Great Old Ones sleeping, so that unspeakable horrors do not rise to destroy humanity.  The worst thing that could happen would be for the sacrifices to become aware of the situation and refuse to die in the manner prescribed.  And guess what happens?  I liked this film 8 years ago, and I liked it again!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 09, 2020, 07:31:00 AM
DAY OF THE ANIMALS (1977)
William (the MANITOU, GRIZZLY) Girdler directs this 'revenge of nature' flick which centers around a group of hikers in the mountains who are attacked by animals gone crazy because of a break in the ozone.
Starring the usual cast of regulars, including Christopher George, Susan Day George, Leslie Nielson (who plays a real scumbag!), and Micheal Ansara.
Not bad at all, for the man who gave us such "classics" as 3 ON A MEATHOOK and ASYLUM OF SATAN.

http://youtu.be/fipR4q3mg7s (http://youtu.be/fipR4q3mg7s)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 09, 2020, 11:02:19 AM
DICK JOHNSON IS DEAD (2020): A daughter and her elderly father stage various death scenarios (some fairly bloody) as a way of psychologically preparing for the inevitable. An intimate, loving, and entertaining testament; recommended viewing for anyone who may die someday. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 09, 2020, 02:08:49 PM
Creation of the Humanoids (1962) - This improved on second viewing. The first time I saw it I simply couldn't believe how much people talked, the second time I think I followed the story a little better and appreciated the message. At the same time, it is a little ridiculous with the color scheme and people with painted faces walking around this very indoor looking set blankly delivering these robot musings. Most movies have a few minutes of examining the philosophical implications of the plot, this one it's the whole movie.

A lot of humans got wiped out in some sort of disaster so they made robots to do menial jobs. Why not just make the society smaller to fit the new population levels? who knows. Anyway, the robots, or "clickers" as humans derisively call them, are becoming more numerous and are gaining ambition to themselves be human a la a lot of science fiction movies. The humans bigotry towards them is clearly an analogy for the civil rights issues in the world at the time. When the main human guys sister starts cohabitating with a robot he loses it.

This was a favorite of the late Andy Warhol and I can see why. It's like a student production at a rest home of retired professors or something. and the colors give it a very distinct and memorable look.

4.25 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 09, 2020, 02:31:09 PM
Continuing my trip through the James Bond series in order:

"Moonraker" (1979)
Assigned to investigate the disappearance of an experimental space shuttle, 007 travels to California, Venice, Rio, and finally to outer space, where he battles the insane industrialist Hugo Drax, who plans to commit planetary genocide from his orbiting space station and then re-populate the Earth with his chosen people.
Obviously this is the most absurd Bond adventure yet, but it's also a sentimental favorite of mine because it was the first 007 movie I saw as a kid. The outer-space theme was obviously intended to ride the coat tails of "Star Wars," and it worked -- "Moonraker" was the highest grossing film in the 007 series for many years, till it was unseated in 1995 by Pierce Brosnan's "Goldeneye."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 09, 2020, 03:03:14 PM
Creation of the Humanoids (1962) - This improved on second viewing. The first time I saw it I simply couldn't believe how much people talked, the second time I think I followed the story a little better and appreciated the message. At the same time, it is a little ridiculous with the color scheme and people with painted faces walking around this very indoor looking set blankly delivering these robot musings. Most movies have a few minutes of examining the philosophical implications of the plot, this one it's the whole movie.

A lot of humans got wwiped out in some sort of disaster so they made robots to do menial jobs. Why not just make the society smaller to fit the new population levels? who knows. Anyway, the robots, or "clickers" as humans derisively call them, are becoming more numerous and are gaining ambition to themselves be human a la a lot of science fiction movies. The humans bigotry towards them is clearly an analogy for the civil rights issues in the world at the time. When the main human guys sister starts cohabitating with a robot he loses it.

This was a favorite of the late Andy Warhol and I can see why. It's like a student production at a rest home of retired geniuses or something. and the colors give it a very distinct and memorable look.

4.25 /5

It also featured Dudley (PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE) Manlove as one of the robot leaders!

(https://i.imgur.com/IW1pdqE.png) (https://lunapic.com)

(https://i.imgur.com/XppqUIx.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 09, 2020, 03:30:30 PM
Bill Murray played him in ED WOOD!

EDIT! No! He did not! This here is Bunny Breckinridge! I'm a moron!


(https://i.imgur.com/R47SRJZ.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 09, 2020, 03:50:19 PM
Now Dudley Manlove- I love me some Dudley!  :twirl:

http://youtu.be/InO2o5KHPiY (http://youtu.be/InO2o5KHPiY)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 09, 2020, 09:17:13 PM
"Fanboys" (2009)
In 1998, five lifelong friends and massive Star Wars nerds embark on a cross country road trip, intending to crash George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch and steal a rough cut of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace so they can see the movie before everyone else. Needless to say, things don't go quite as planned.
This very funny road trip comedy lovingly sends up sci-fi nerd culture with lots of nods to the Star Wars saga, and cameos by several famous faces. This is one of those underrated comedies that deserves a cult following. This was my 3rd or 4th viewing of this flick and I still laughed out loud a lot.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 10, 2020, 01:42:41 AM
Continuing my trip through the James Bond series in order:

"Moonraker" (1979)
Assigned to investigate the disappearance of an experimental space shuttle, 007 travels to California, Venice, Rio, and finally to outer space, where he battles the insane industrialist Hugo Drax, who plans to commit planetary genocide from his orbiting space station and then re-populate the Earth with his chosen people.
Obviously this is the most absurd Bond adventure yet, but it's also a sentimental favorite of mine because it was the first 007 movie I saw as a kid. The outer-space theme was obviously intended to ride the coat tails of "Star Wars," and it worked -- "Moonraker" was the highest grossing film in the 007 series for many years, till it was unseated in 1995 by Pierce Brosnan's "Goldeneye."

I seen that in a theater in Liberty , NY! With my brother Mike! We bought some knishes from a Jewish deli across the street and ate them while watching it! We also bought knishes when we watched ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ.
If you never had a NY Jewish deli knish-your missing out.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 10, 2020, 03:25:57 AM
Going Clear: the Scientology documentary.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 10, 2020, 09:53:23 AM
HOST (2020): A group of friends hold a seance over video chat. Takes the lessons of BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY and applies them to Zoom. The first lockdown horror film; I think it's exclusively on Shudder. Only an hour long, in "real time." 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 10, 2020, 09:00:51 PM
"Beerfest" (2006)
Two brothers, looking to restore honor to their family name, form a team of fellow power drinkers to represent the U.S.A. in a secret international beer drinking competition held in Munich during Oktoberfest. Can these rag tag losers take crown from the dreaded German team on their home turf?
This loud, funny, raunchy comedy from the Broken Lizard troupe of "Super Troopers" fame will leave you thirsty for more (or maybe just thirsty). It's a hoot.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 11, 2020, 02:14:45 AM
"Beerfest" (2006)
Two brothers, looking to restore honor to their family name, form a team of fellow power drinkers to represent the U.S.A. in a secret international beer drinking competition held in Munich during Oktoberfest. Can these rag tag losers take crown from the dreaded German team on their home turf?
This loud, funny, raunchy comedy from the Broken Lizard troupe of "Super Troopers" fame will leave you thirsty for more (or maybe just thirsty). It's a hoot.

Very funny movie: I love where Jurgen Prochnow talks about that "bad experience I once had in a Uboat"  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 11, 2020, 09:40:49 AM
DRIVEWAYS (2019): A maladjusted boy makes friends with his next door neighbor, a retired Korean war vet. A pleasant unassuming little drama that would be quickly forgotten if not for the fact that it contains one of Brian Dennehy's final performances. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 12, 2020, 10:04:10 AM
Kalashnikov (2020)

Biopic of perhaps the most famous Russian ever. The story is pretty straightforward: Mikhail Kalashnikov gets wounded, and sets out to make a better gun for his comrades at the front. Makes a first gun, gets rejected, makes a second gun, gets rejected again, keeps at it, and comes up with a classic. That is basically it. If you like a period piece of WW II Russia or seeing men doing metalwork, this is a movie for you. As for the historical accuracy, I'm not familiar enough with the facts to judge, but this is clearly the Official Biography As Approved By The Kalashnikov Estate And The Russian Army, so I am taking it with a pinch of salt.

Interestingly, this is a subtly anti Soviet movie. It is the story of a lone inventor who has to battle the system every step of the way, succeeding only by sheer persistence. At one point he even has to knock some sense into an NKVD officer. The high point is a showdown with the great Degtyaryov himself, who then humbly acknowledges Kalashnikov's superiority. For all the overt patriotism of the movie, I don't think a story of an individual genius triumphing over short sighted officialdom would have sat well with the Soviet censors.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 12, 2020, 01:16:31 PM
INVASION OF THE BLOOD FARMERS (1973)
Hot  honey butter biscuits!
This movie is insane!
A group of druid cultist farmers are harvesting blood to bring their Queen back to life.
And for some obscure reason, after the local scientist (with a lab in his basement, of course), gets a sample of a victim's blood, it starts to regenerate, and floods his lab!
A couple of stand out scenes are when one of the farmers beats a dog, drinks it's blood, and hangs it outside our hapless heroine's house.
Another weird one is a guy is taking a shower (one shot director Ed Adlum) in a hotel room (shades of PSYCHO), and is stabbed to death by same blood farmer guy! And the town drunk's name is Jim Carrey! "Old Jim Carrey dropped dead Sunday!"
Stupid as hell. Bad overacting! Bright red paint blood!
I loved it!
Did that blood farmer shoot his phone with a cap gun?  :bouncegiggle:

http://youtu.be/SI1D4_HcKCs (http://youtu.be/SI1D4_HcKCs)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 12, 2020, 03:46:32 PM
"Top Secret!"  (1984)
An American rock n roll singer (Val Kilmer, in his film debut) visiting East Germany on a goodwill tour, gets mixed up with the French resistance (?) and helps them free an imprisoned scientist.
This wacky spoof of 1940s spy flicks and Elvis movies was brought to us by the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker team of "Airplane!" fame. "Top Secret" doesn't quite reach the laugh-a-minute heights of that classic, but it's got enough goofy gags to make it watchable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 13, 2020, 04:14:44 PM
"Silent Night, Bloody Night" (aka "Deathouse," 1972)
A small New England town is rocked by a series of Christmas Eve slayings when a big city lawyer comes to close the sale of a long-empty mansion with a famously sordid past.
Possibly the first-ever Christmas slasher movie, this long time late-night TV fave is a slow burner, but it has lots of creepy atmosphere, one gloriously gory axe murder scene, and an interesting cast that includes future Roger Corman fave Mary Woronov and the legendary John Carradine.
Due to its public domain status, this flick appears in lots of cheap "Horror Classics" DVD sets, usually in terrible washed out quality. However, the fine folks at Vinegar Syndrome "remastered" it a few years ago and while that version is still occasionally scratchy and dark, it's still the only decent print of it I've ever seen.
"Silent Night Bloody Night" may not exactly be a great movie, but it's certainly a weird, interesting little seasonal oddity.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on December 13, 2020, 08:44:43 PM
The Borrowers

A boy moves in with his great aunt & discovers a miniature family living under the floorboards.

Cool concept, but too slow, & the 60’s blue screen FX haven’t held up well. They should’ve built more giant sets, used more split screens, etc.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 14, 2020, 09:58:09 AM
76 DAYS (2020): Documentary following doctors, nurses and patients in a 50-patient wing at a Wuhan hospital at the height of the coronavirus crisis in Feb-Apr 2020, during the 76 day lockdown. With no editorial commentary, human drama emerges naturally: doctors and nurses struggle to keep their spirits up, a child is born to a COVID-positive mother, an old man with dementia wanders around the halls, not understanding why he can't go home. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 14, 2020, 03:18:40 PM
Amphibian Man (1962) - USSR movie about a man in a tin foil bodysuit and goggles who lives underwater and falls in love with a land girl. Disney ish with occasional commie propaganda. enjoyable mostly for how different the actors and production look  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 15, 2020, 08:24:45 PM
^ I started to watch that movie. It did it's job. I feel asleep within 5 minutes. Maybe less.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 16, 2020, 10:21:23 AM
ALL IN: THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY (2020): Documentary about voter suppression efforts, historically targeting minorities. Contains solid information (especially in the historical context), which unfortunately is dimmed a bit due to the fact that it too often feels like a feature-length campaign ad for executive producer/lead talking head Stacey Abrams. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 16, 2020, 03:54:55 PM
Burnin' up my last vacay day of the year today, watchin' some movies and waitin' for the snow storm to roll in...

"Deadpool" (2016)
Marvel Comics' wise-ass, foul mouthed, indestructible mercenary (Ryan Reynolds) goes after the mad scientist who made him a freak in this balls-to-the-wall, ultra violent, fourth-wall-breaking riot. I've seen this once before but it definitely holds up to repeat viewing.

"Krampus" (2015)
A dystunctional family's Christmas celebration is crashed by the vengeful Yuletide demon of German folklore in this holiday horror/comedy from Michael "Trick r' Treat" Dougherty. It's hampered slightly by the PG-13 rating but it's still a load of dark, twisted holiday fun that's become a Christmas time regular for me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 16, 2020, 08:36:11 PM
"Once Upon a Time at Christmas" (2017)
A small town in Upstate New York gets a Yuletide visit from a pair of thrill killing psychos dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus, whose murder scenes mimic the lyrics to "The 12 Days of Christmas."
This indie horror flick has a nice wintry look, an absurdly high body count, and the couple who play the killers are a hoot (the Mrs. Claus chick is essentially playing Harley Quinn in a Slutty Santa outfit), but the movie drags on for too damn long and the characters are such idiots that they deserve everything that happens to them.
Sooo, not an essential holiday horror, but entertainingly stupid enough for a single viewing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 17, 2020, 10:08:14 AM
MUCHO MUCHO AMOR: THE LEGEND OF WALTER MERCADO (2020): The story of Walter Mercado, the androgynous Puerto Rican new age astrologer who delivered horoscopes while dressed like a Hindu Liberace in drag as a Golden Girl. Walter was a huge star in the Hispanic community through the 1970s-2000s, so if you were aware of him, this will be a nostalgia trip; if, like me, you've never heard of him before, it will blow your mind to think that such a flamboyantly odd character could exist and thrive in a macho culture. Given his weird charisma, we should all be thankful he used his powers for good rather than running for political office. On Netflix. 3.5/5/.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 18, 2020, 09:59:27 AM
ATHLETE A (2020): Thorough documentary covering the sex abuse scandal in USA gymnastics through the eyes of victims and reporters. Larry Nassar gets his, sure, but the documentary also blows the lid off a culture of abuse and coverups. A blood boiler on Netflix. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 18, 2020, 04:10:25 PM
^ I had a passenger recently who was a high level gymnast. they get all these coaches from eastern europe who make them practice with pain. He f**ked up his foot and the guy was like be a man walk it off. he went to the dr and had all these issues they gave him a boot. the coach was like either take off that boot or get out of here.

thats how Nasser was able to stay on. a child abuser himself, he was more than willing to give the okay for anyone to practice no matter how bad they were hurt. it was a quid pro quo



the Quiet - another tubi oddity, its another lifetime ish trash odyssey that tries to be something more. Elisha Cuthbert looks great, too bad she's being sexually harassed by her Dad! The only other male character is also a huge pervert almost like it was made by women for women. She has that to deal with that while also having a new "quiet" deaf mute sister the family adopted. Being a high school Mean Girl is her only salvation and now she has to befriend this dork.

Edie Falco from the sopranos plays the delusional wife who drowns her guilt in pain pills. All her scenes are her on drugs saying crazy stuff and doing bad parenting.

Cuthbert in a cheerleading outfit and the perverted storyline are why it got made and is still out there, but the fact that it doesn't really go anywhere beyond usual soap opera stuff is why its on tubi

3/5

Paranormal Activity 4 - this was a lot like the other 4 but a lot better than The Quiet!

4.5/ 5 (spoiler: love when a knife falls from the ceiling and lands blade first in the cutting board in front of the Dad, which he then TOTALLY FORGETS ABOUT)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 18, 2020, 04:18:15 PM
^ I had a passenger recently who was a high level gymnast. they get all these coaches from eastern europe who make them practice with pain. He f**ked up his foot and the guy was like be a man walk it off. he went to the dr and had all these issues they gave him a boot. the coach was like either take off that boot or get out of here.

thats how Nasser was able to stay on. a child abuser himself, he was more than willing to give the okay for anyone to practice no matter how bad they were hurt. it was a quid pro quo


Yes, that's something they bring up. The coaches were Romanian and super-authoritarian. Also, Nassar was nice to the girls, he would sneak food to them and tell them they weren't crazy for complaining that they were in pain, so he was like the good cop they could trust.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 18, 2020, 11:12:13 PM
He ended up being the much worse cop. Aly raisman is from my town btw


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 19, 2020, 02:40:20 PM
MST3K: SPACE TRAVELERS: Joel and the bots take on a serious, realistic and dull "stranded in space" drama with Gene Hackman and Gregory Peck, which was even nominated for a couple of Oscars (cinematography and sound mixing). Easily the "best" movie MST3K ever mocked, which makes for a pretty "meh" experiment---there's not enough incompetence or WTFery to make fun of, and there's not much going on on the Satellite of Love either. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 19, 2020, 08:23:31 PM
"After the Sunset" (2004)
A suave jewel thief (Pierce Brosnan) retires to the Bahamas with his gorgeous partner/fiancee (Salma Hayek) after one last big score, but his peace and quiet is interrupted by a visit from a dorky FBI agent (Woody Harrelson), who isn't convinced that Brosnan's out of "the game" for good.
Brett "Rush Hour" Ratner directed this fun, breezy heist/caper action comedy which makes the most of its impressive cast and the beautiful Caribbean scenery.
Also, Salma Hayek is so hot it's ridiculous, as usual. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 20, 2020, 03:21:28 AM
UNDERWATER (2020) - Kristen Stewart (in a very butch mode, with short cut, peroxide blonde hair) stars in this deep sea creature feature.  A tech worker on a deep water oil drilling platform, Stewart leads a desperate escape attempt after an attack by a mysterious creature cripples the rig.  She and the handful of survivors must battle a collapsing structure as well as numerous creature attacks as they attempt to make it to an undamaged auxiliary rig where they can contact the surface.  Pretty well done overall; the last act lost me as I was getting really sleepy.  3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on December 20, 2020, 07:44:37 AM
THE ABYSS (1989)

A civilian diving team is enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and faces danger while encountering an alien aquatic species.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

My God, what a huge letdown this movie was. It starts off pretty good, with a submarine that crashes after a strange encounter with an unidentified underwater vessel. Then, a group of ridiculous cliched divers are recruited to find it and check for survivors, with the help of cardboard cutout navy seals.

Is this movie an adventure? A romance? A mystery? A sci-fi? Well, it's none of these. It mixes every single plot you can imagine, and the result is an incoherent mess that doesn't really know what it's trying to be. I was surprised at how predictable this movie is: pretty much every single plot point is called in advance. The married couple who "hated" each other, the fat guy saying he can hit hard, the breathing underwater, the ridiculous plan of drowning but reviving because the blood is cold, etc. I could almost hear Crow's voice yelling "plot point! plot point!" every time a character made an obvious comment about something that would happen later.

So anyways, after the initial 15 minutes the movie forgets the whole "finding for survivors" thing and becomes a disaster movie, in which this gang, which is composed by people who doesn't behave like normal human beings like, at all, tries to mantain their sub working. Then, aliens show up, but they may as well never been there because they have no relevance to the plot. Seriously, take them away or replace them with whales or something and nothing changes. Meanwhile, the movie goes on an on, it's so long it feels like an eternity, I haven't been so incredibly bored in a while.

The part which disappointed me the most was the fact that the abyss is barely shown. I was always fascinated by the untold mysteries of the darkness below the depths, and I tought this movie would try and tell me more about them. Sadly, most of the action happens inside submarines, with people running in them and shouting random phrases related to, well, submarines. I guess it could be exciting if you like submarines.
At no point I felt they were below hundreds of meters of water. When they do show the outside you can barely see a couple of rocks and machines moving slowly, they may as well be in a small river. You don't see any fish, plants, anything, just a blue background and some rocks. So impressive.

The ending is more Hollywood garbage, I stopped caring like an hour and a half. The characters are all so bad I couldn't force myself to give a damn about them. As a positive point, I do have to say that the special effects are quite good for 1989, but sadly good movies are more than just special effects.

Just avoid this thing, it's overrated trash. Even the generic score sucks. 3/10  :thumbdown:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 20, 2020, 09:58:31 AM
RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE (2010): Near a tiny Finnish village, a crew is excavating a mountain where is believed an ancient evil---Santa Claus---is buried. RARE EXPORT successfully tightropes a dangerous line between being a serious horror movie and a ridiculous black comedy; if it had leaned too far to one side or the other, it would have fallen. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 20, 2020, 10:25:38 AM
"Santa's Slay" (2005)
This low budget horror comedy re-writes Santa's origin story so that he's the son of Satan, who has only been "good" for the past thousand years because he lost a bet. Now that the millennium is up he's determined to make Christmas a "Day of Slaying" again, starting with the residents of a small Midwestern town.
Wrestler Bill Goldberg is perfectly cast as the evil Santa, and the supporting cast includes quite a few familiar faces like Robert Culp, Dave "SCTV" Thomas, Saul "Warehouse 13" Rubinek, and even James Caan and Fran Drescher (in a hilariously tasteless prologue). The movie starts running out of gas in the last quarter but till then it's an over-the top, ultra-violent hoot.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 20, 2020, 11:22:14 AM
THE ABYSS (1989)

A civilian diving team is enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and faces danger while encountering an alien aquatic species.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

My God, what a huge letdown this movie was. It starts off pretty good, with a submarine that crashes after a strange encounter with an unidentified underwater vessel. Then, a group of ridiculous cliched divers are recruited to find it and check for survivors, with the help of cardboard cutout navy seals.

Is this movie an adventure? A romance? A mystery? A sci-fi? Well, it's none of these. It mixes every single plot you can imagine, and the result is an incoherent mess that doesn't really know what it's trying to be. I was surprised at how predictable this movie is: pretty much every single plot point is called in advance. The married couple who "hated" each other, the fat guy saying he can hit hard, the breathing underwater, the ridiculous plan of drowning but reviving because the blood is cold, etc. I could almost hear Crow's voice yelling "plot point! plot point!" every time a character made an obvious comment about something that would happen later.

So anyways, after the initial 15 minutes the movie forgets the whole "finding for survivors" thing and becomes a disaster movie, in which this gang, which is composed by people who doesn't behave like normal human beings like, at all, tries to mantain their sub working. Then, aliens show up, but they may as well never been there because they have no relevance to the plot. Seriously, take them away or replace them with whales or something and nothing changes. Meanwhile, the movie goes on an on, it's so long it feels like an eternity, I haven't been so incredibly bored in a while.

The part which disappointed me the most was the fact that the abyss is barely shown. I was always fascinated by the untold mysteries of the darkness below the depths, and I tought this movie would try and tell me more about them. Sadly, most of the action happens inside submarines, with people running in them and shouting random phrases related to, well, submarines. I guess it could be exciting if you like submarines.
At no point I felt they were below hundreds of meters of water. When they do show the outside you can barely see a couple of rocks and machines moving slowly, they may as well be in a small river. You don't see any fish, plants, anything, just a blue background and some rocks. So impressive.

The ending is more Hollywood garbage, I stopped caring like an hour and a half. The characters are all so bad I couldn't force myself to give a damn about them. As a positive point, I do have to say that the special effects are quite good for 1989, but sadly good movies are more than just special effects.

Just avoid this thing, it's overrated trash. Even the generic score sucks. 3/10  :thumbdown:

The book that it is based on is quite a bit better than the movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 20, 2020, 03:16:25 PM
Mutant Hunt (1987) - If I had this on VHS in college I would have watched it every night. didn't even notice it was supposed to be the future and the "sex crazed mutants" never materialized, it was just regular violent cyborgs and low reproduction quality. total crap but definitely has that bad movie spirit so 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 20, 2020, 04:21:06 PM
^Yeah. Watched it on Comet a year or so ago.
I loved it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 20, 2020, 05:18:36 PM
"The New Mutants" (2020)
Five troubled teens with unique powers are being studied by a doctor at a mysterious institution, where they think they're being trained to control their abilities -- but they soon learn that there are more sinister plans for them happening behind the scenes.
This spin-off from the "X-Men" franchise sat on the shelf for over a year due to the Disney/20th Century Fox merger and then was unceremoniously dumped into theatres during the pandemic, where it quickly tanked at the box office.  That's not exactly a surprise - it has a low budget look that resembles the pilot for a TV series rather than a feature film, and though it finally starts to come alive in the last half hour, otherwise it's a slog.
"New Mutants" may not be the worst Marvel movie (because "Man-Thing" and the 2015 "Fantastic Four" reboot exist), but it definitely ranks near the bottom of the pile. Skip it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on December 20, 2020, 05:34:57 PM
THE ABYSS (1989)

A civilian diving team is enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and faces danger while encountering an alien aquatic species.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

My God, what a huge letdown this movie was. It starts off pretty good, with a submarine that crashes after a strange encounter with an unidentified underwater vessel. Then, a group of ridiculous cliched divers are recruited to find it and check for survivors, with the help of cardboard cutout navy seals.

Is this movie an adventure? A romance? A mystery? A sci-fi? Well, it's none of these. It mixes every single plot you can imagine, and the result is an incoherent mess that doesn't really know what it's trying to be. I was surprised at how predictable this movie is: pretty much every single plot point is called in advance. The married couple who "hated" each other, the fat guy saying he can hit hard, the breathing underwater, the ridiculous plan of drowning but reviving because the blood is cold, etc. I could almost hear Crow's voice yelling "plot point! plot point!" every time a character made an obvious comment about something that would happen later.

So anyways, after the initial 15 minutes the movie forgets the whole "finding for survivors" thing and becomes a disaster movie, in which this gang, which is composed by people who doesn't behave like normal human beings like, at all, tries to mantain their sub working. Then, aliens show up, but they may as well never been there because they have no relevance to the plot. Seriously, take them away or replace them with whales or something and nothing changes. Meanwhile, the movie goes on an on, it's so long it feels like an eternity, I haven't been so incredibly bored in a while.

The part which disappointed me the most was the fact that the abyss is barely shown. I was always fascinated by the untold mysteries of the darkness below the depths, and I tought this movie would try and tell me more about them. Sadly, most of the action happens inside submarines, with people running in them and shouting random phrases related to, well, submarines. I guess it could be exciting if you like submarines.
At no point I felt they were below hundreds of meters of water. When they do show the outside you can barely see a couple of rocks and machines moving slowly, they may as well be in a small river. You don't see any fish, plants, anything, just a blue background and some rocks. So impressive.

The ending is more Hollywood garbage, I stopped caring like an hour and a half. The characters are all so bad I couldn't force myself to give a damn about them. As a positive point, I do have to say that the special effects are quite good for 1989, but sadly good movies are more than just special effects.

Just avoid this thing, it's overrated trash. Even the generic score sucks. 3/10  :thumbdown:

To be fair, this is actually the movie that made a lot of those plot points cliche in countless other movies that followed it. I personally enjoyed Deepstar Six (1989) a lot more. It was just as bad, but half as long and got to its point a hell of a lot faster. Plus it was much gorier and featured the late Miguel Ferrer (Bob Morton from Robocop (1987)) as a kinda-sorta villain (he was a douchebag, but you felt sorry for him, especially during his prolonged death scene) and Marius Weyers from The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 20, 2020, 09:46:01 PM
"Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2" (1987)
Teenage psycho "Ricky," the now-grown younger brother of the Santa Claus killer from the first "SNDN," pours out his woeful life story (thanks to generous amounts of footage from the original movie) to a jail psychiatrist before he dons a Santa suit and goes out on his own Christmas Eve killing spree to get even with the evil Mother Superior.
This unintentionally hilarious sequel to the '84 holiday sickie has achieved cult status thanks to the over-the-top, eyebrow-arching over-acting of Eric Freeman as "Ricky," who gives a scenery-chewing performance for the ages. Plus, there's so much recycled footage from the first movie in this one that you're practically getting a double feature.
Make no mistake, this movie is completely, utterly god-awful, but in a totally awesome way.
Is it wrong that it has become a holiday season perennial for me?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 21, 2020, 12:11:08 AM
THE MORTICIAN -
  This movie was not what I expected it to be at all - nor was it what the two sentence blurb on the DIRECTV info page made it out to be.  I expected a horror/suspense story about a medical examiner gone psycho, but instead what I got was a rather sweet story about a lonely man who works as a mortician in a horrifically blighted inner city neighborhood.  Without really meaning to, he gets caught up in the plight of a young boy whose mother has been murdered by a brutal local gangster, and in the process comes to terms with his own long-buried grief and isolation.  Really a very well done film! 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 21, 2020, 02:55:12 PM
The Taking of Deborah Logan- This started out strong and relatively unique. How often is an elderly woman the star of any kind of movie, much less a straight horror one? A film crew is making a documentary about Alzheimers that turns into a movie about "lets get outta here!!!!!"

There are two kinds of horror movies: those made by a director that come from an idea like, say, The Shining and then there are movies made by people who see their job as making horror movies and to incorporate current styles in them. Art vs craft I guess. this is more the latter. The director previously made an Insidious sequel and it eventually settles into that sort of vibe. The physicality of the main character, her gaunt old woman ness, is what makes it stand out to the extent it does.

Also, the found footage aspect is really labored. In the beginning it says this movie was assembles from yadda yadda who assembled it? It doesn't make much sense. It should have just been a regular movie.

3/5 of course it sets itself up for a sequel at the end


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 22, 2020, 02:15:43 PM
GREATLAND (2020): Ulysses, a 15-year-old resident of the bizarrely egalitarian and despotically tolerant Greatland, escapes an arranged marriage to a birch tree and flees to Repentance Island, where he learns the truth about who is behind society's lies. Impressive trippy budget visuals---the entire country of Greatland looks like a day-glo black-light rave/non-binary pride parade on the set of "Pee Wee's Playhouse"---but under the glitz lies a plot that's almost completely incomprehensible, in service of a satire that lacks the smarts to really offend. An interesting mess that may give you a headache. Free on Amazon Prime. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on December 23, 2020, 05:29:15 PM
THE MAN FROM EARTH (2007)

An impromptu goodbye party for Professor John Oldman becomes a mysterious interrogation after the retiring scholar reveals to his colleagues he has a longer and stranger past than they can imagine.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

This movie felt like a longer TWILIGHT ZONE episode, but unlike this amazing show, it lacked a proper and surprising finale. Instead, it abruptely ended and left me empty, instead of wanting to know more about the protagonist, or think about the ramifications of his condition.
The premise is simple. A young professor is retiring and his partners throw him a goodbye party, in which he decides, for no real reason, to reveal them a huge secret: he's 14.000 years old. At first it's really engaging, and like the characters, you want to keep up with John. But as soon I realized that this guy seems to be always in the exact moment of history, managing not only to meet famous figures but also becoming one himself, I stopped believing the whole ordeal, and therefore, giving a damn about it.
I mean, not only he had the most incredibly luck ever, surviving thousands of years without getting into a fatal accident, disaster, or war, but he also stood right alongside unique people from history, just because of it - and don't even make me go to the "twist". Suspension of disbelief can only be strechted so far.

The story reminded me a lot to K-PAX (a good one, but sadly a ripoff of an argentinian movie called HOMBRE MIRANDO AL SUDESTE), but unlike that one, you don't end wondering if the story is true or not. Here, you're 100% sure: the guy is, in fact, 14.000 years old, which personally I feld it was a dumb move. I think it would've been much better if we didn't knew for sure if he was telling the truth.

Still, it's a good movie. I liked the low budget feel, the grainy look, and the acting is pretty good, even when the characters are so cliched and ridiculous (what's up with the middle aged guy carrying a student in his motorcycle btw?). 7/10, check it out.  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 24, 2020, 10:56:28 AM
BLACK BEAR (2020): Two stories involving a love triangle, set in the same remote cabin: which one (if either) is true? An experiment in narrative ambiguity that features a remarkable dramatic performance from Aubrey Plaza. Not for everyone, but it got to me. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 24, 2020, 02:18:10 PM
Who Killed Captain Alex? (2010) - epic epic stuff. remember the Stolen bible trailer? Well that's like Avatar compared to this. A Ugandan commando unit works to take out a drug kingpin Tiger Mafia Richard, but he has a few tricks up his sleeve for sure. It's in their native language, but there are English subtitles and also something called a "Video Joker" which is a combination of MST3K style wiseacre remarks combined with a sort of cheerleader. He says stuff like "Uganda Ghetto Air Force" and "movie movie movie movie!!!!"

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EqBs1otXAAABc-3?format=jpg&name=small)

It's as good as it could possibly be, but of course the movie itself stinks. They've got a long way to go to even catch Nigeria, but there is some funny stuff and even some kung fu, which is also pretty funny.

4.25 / 5

I'm def on board for the next one Bad Black also on tubitv. Can someone get ahold of Andrew to check the veracity of the military tactics? I might add a .25 star if they're good


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 24, 2020, 02:37:05 PM
HORROR HOSPITAL (1973)

Micheal Gough runs some kind of lab that turns hippies into mindless robots.
Robin Askwith (who looks kinda like Brian Jones of the Stones) and a girl he met on a train get imprisoned by the mad doc and his motorcycle helmeted henchmen, but escape with the help of a dwarf. I'm not sure if this movie is supposed to be intentionally funny or not. Quite bloody at times, and some nice decaps!
Micheal Gough is great as always, but Robin Askwith really steals the show. He alternates between ham and cheese. But very likable and his  facial expressions are hilarious!
Goofy fun!

http://youtu.be/0Sru0261Bvw (http://youtu.be/0Sru0261Bvw)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on December 24, 2020, 11:37:03 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/5IUGedsl.jpg)

Christmas Made to Order (2018)

A young lawyer too busy to notice enchanting details of christmas hires a young holiday decorator to decorate his home because his family is unexpectedly staying at his house for christmas. The dashing decorator gently opens the slightly ignorant lawyers eyes to the spirit of christmas while keeping his family busy with christmasy tasks and solving silly problems blown out of proportion with common sense advice.

Continuing our yearly tradition of watching corny christmas movies on Netflix, this Hallmark production was another easy target to make fun of. Some of the actors were borderline fugly, and the acting was bland, as in no one really stood out with bad acting though the funny came mostly from cliche characters spouting bland lines. Production values were surprisingly decent, the snow didn't look fake though they do go over the top with the decoratiions. We got confused with the time line as we had no clue when it was actually christmas in the movie, because it looked like they were celebrating christmas every day. Only in the end they say that the decorator has been hanging out at the lawyers house a whole two weeks before christmas. Yowza. Anyway, there's a lot of hot chocolate and cappuccino drinking in this one. There's an instrumental of Jingle Bells and carol singers dressed in old timey couture. They all go to the movie theater to watch a (fake) christmas movie ("this movie reminded me of christmas") and the lawyers niece displays her secret passion for singing by singing her heart out while christmas tree shopping. The decorator makes everyone decorate cookies, craft christmas stockings, visit a shelter for good deeds and stay at her aunts bed & breakfast lodge for an incredibly low key grand finale.

Fun / Cheese rating - 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 25, 2020, 08:28:26 AM
Spent Christmas Eve with 007.

"For Your Eyes Only" (1981)
James Bond is assigned to recover a missing piece of top-secret defense hardware. The mission takes him to Italy and Greece, where he crosses paths with a gorgeous heiress inteent on avenging the deaths of her parents at the hands of Greek smugglers.
As a follow up to the ridiculous "Moonraker," this is a much more "down to earth" 007 adventure, closer in tone to the early Connery spy-and-counterspy entries.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 25, 2020, 09:26:44 AM
CRAWL (2019) - A college swim team competitor goes looking for her missing father as a hurricane blows into south Florida and finds him trapped under his house by two large, aggressive alligators.  As flood waters rise and options shrink, they desperately try to escape.  Ranks pretty high on the improbability scale, but still a fun watch.  How often can this girl get gator chomped and keep on swimming?  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 25, 2020, 12:16:31 PM
the FLYING SAUCER (1950)

The first flying saucer movie! Sounds exciting, right? Or at least novel?
Neither.
Deadly dull story of Americans and Russians seeking proof of UFO's in Alaska. The find a scientist holed up in a shack ( played by Denver 'Uncle Jessie' Pyle of the Dukes of Hazzard) with one cheezy looking saucer.
This movie is bad. Not in a fun way, either. Lot's of nice Alaskan scenery, if you like snow.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on December 25, 2020, 11:08:45 PM
Christmas Land (2015)

(https://i.imgur.com/rWq0iFCl.jpg)

Jules - a beautiful New York woman climbing the career ladder, inherits a christmas tree farm and risks unemployment for the people working there when she decides to sell it all. Tucker - the christmas tree farm studmuffin, and the cheerful christmas tree farm people kind of change her mind, but Jules, in a last minute decision, sells the christmas tree farm anyway and kind of p**ses the christmas tree farm community off. She has yet another change of heart and is trying to come up with $3 million to buy back the christmas tree farm. Girl, just make up your mind.

Another distorted reality Hallmark production where they take the love for the holidays to another ridiculous level of, I dunno, wishful fantasy thinking. What do all these christmas obsessed christmas tree farm people do once the holidays are over? Do they hibernate or cocoon themselves for 11 months? Anyway, this was directed by the same guy who did Christmas Made to Order (2018). For all its hilarious reality flaws, Christmas Land seems more coherent. Meaning, it kind of appears to be "better" maybe on a technical level? but it is still cheesy by default. Looking up reviews at IMDb lots of people were furious because of the ending, because it is not your typical Hallmark ending. I mean, everyone's happy in the happy ending ending but the way it went down made Hallmark fans angry. I had no problem with it and didn't even notice until I read reviews.

Fun / Cheese rating - 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 26, 2020, 11:01:05 AM
Continuing my watch-the-James-Bond-series-in-order marathon:

"Octop***y" (1983)
A rogue Soviet general and an exiled Afghan prince are smuggling priceless Russian art treasures and auctioning them to fund a Communist expansion into Western Europe. While investigating the death of a fellow double-0, Bond travels to India and East Germany and meets the third member of the smugglers' organization, a lady thief who calls herself Octop***y.
I've never been particularly crazy about this installment, it has a few cool action sequences but it's overlong and relies too much on goofy slapstick comedy (like when Bond has to defuse a nuclear weapon while wearing a clown suit). Actually the movie doesn't even really need the Octop***y character, she's mainly there to give the movie eye candy with her private army of butt kicking warrior women. Roger Moore was already looking to exit the 007 role when he made this one.

I'm not sure yet if I'm going to follow this one up with the "other" Bond film released in 1983, "Never Say Never Again," or skip directly to Moore's finale, "A View To A Kill." Not only because "Never" is not part of the "official" Bond series, but because it kinda sucks, too. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 26, 2020, 03:00:00 PM
"She has another change of heart and is trying to come up with $3 million to buy back the christmas tree farm." sounds like a really top notch executive there


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 26, 2020, 07:00:16 PM
Yeah, I bit the bullet...

"Never Say Never Again" (1983)
Sean Connery returns to the 007 role, a little older and grayer but still capable of kicking butt on a bunch of SPECTRE agents who've stashed two stolen nuclear warheads in the waters around the Bahamas.

This "unofficial" Bond film was the independently-produced result of a 20+ year copyright battle between Kevin McClory, the co-writer of an aborted Bond screenplay that later became "Thunderball," and the Ian Fleming estate. Like "Octop***y," the other Bond film released in 1983, "NSNA" is too long and unnecessarily complicated. It is cool to see Connery wearing the tux again (he's in noticeably better shape than he was in "Diamonds Are Forever" a dozen years earlier) and a young, unknown Kim Basinger provides some decent eye candy but in the end this movie is not much more than a cheap rerun.

If I had to pick between the two '83 Bonds, I guess I preferred "Never," but honestly I won't be revisiting either one of them anytime soon. 1983 was not a good year for 007...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 27, 2020, 05:01:13 AM
Who Killed Captain Alex? (2010) - epic epic stuff. remember the Stolen bible trailer? Well that's like Avatar compared to this. A Ugandan commando unit works to take out a drug kingpin Tiger Mafia Richard, but he has a few tricks up his sleeve for sure. It's in their native language, but there are English subtitles and also something called a "Video Joker" which is a combination of MST3K style wiseacre remarks combined with a sort of cheerleader. stuff like "Uganda Ghetto Air Force" and "movie movie movie movie!!!!"

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EqBs1otXAAABc-3?format=jpg&name=small)

It's as good as it could possibly be, but of course the movie itself stinks. They've got a long way to go to even catch Nigeria, but there is some funny stuff and even some kung fu, which is also pretty funny.

4.25 / 5

I'm def on board for the next one Bad Black also on tubitv. Can someone get ahold of Andrew to check the veracity of the military tactics? I might add a .25 star if they're good

It has a good review here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbjLOY9iNEE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbjLOY9iNEE)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 27, 2020, 05:35:16 AM
Dog Soldiers (2002)

A squad of British soldiers on a training mission in the Scottish Highlands are attacked by werewolves. This is basically a zombie movie with werewolves, including the turning after being bitten thing.

This is the directorial debut of Neill Marshall, who went on to do The Descent and the 2019 Hellboy. Dog Soldiers has got a following, and I can see why. It is well made and has got some solid performances, but it didn't do much to me. While it does a lot with a limited budget, it lacks an overarching character or story arc to keep things interesting. Instead it is just a bunch of scenes one after another, cool scenes admittedly, but it feels more like ticking off boxes. You even have the female scientist who inexplicably changes into a tight fitting tank top half way through. There is a twist of sorts, but not a particularly surprising one, and it again feels shoehorned in, because there has got to be twist.
Great movie if you want to learn British swear words, though. Also points for the most unexpected use of a Matrix quote.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 27, 2020, 09:31:51 AM
THE BAY (2008) I saw this shortly after it released and I rented it at Hastings (MOMENT OF SILENCE for a great store chain now gone).
I saw that it was on Showtime and DVR'd it a few weeks ago and rewatched it last night.  Good movie, overall, it's "sort of" a found footage film - the story of a horrific outbreak of carnivorous parasites in a small town in Maryland is reconstructed through news footage and recovered cameras from the scene. Of course the "outbreak" never happened, but the movie makes you forget that as you see the story progress from a few people with boils and lesions to a full on disintegration as hundreds fall dead, with mutated isopods crawling out of their bodies and latching onto others to infect them.  A well-done, convincing little horror film!  It was pleasant to revisit.  4.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on December 27, 2020, 09:48:28 AM
"She has another change of heart and is trying to come up with $3 million to buy back the christmas tree farm." sounds like a really top notch executive there

Well, she sold the tree farm for $1.7 million but the guy who bought it asked for $3 million when she wanted to buy it back. So she only really needed $1.3 million. One of the tree farm people gave her $450.000.00. He said he's been saving money for bad times  :buggedout: I do not remember how she got the rest of the money though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 27, 2020, 10:04:12 AM
THE BABY OF MACON (1993): Medieval spectators watch a blasphemous play about a virgin birth that takes on Grand Guignol character as lines between performance and reality blur. Far too cruel, strange, and sick for casual viewing, but there's no denying the immense (and intense) obsessive/compulsive artistry involved; director Peter Greenaway burns bridges with his audience as he takes von Trierish provocation as far as it can go. Free on Amazon Prime, but not for the faint of heart or anyone who can't stand "pretentious" movies. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 27, 2020, 02:04:03 PM
claws- she did a leveraged buyout of a local wreath farm and started a hallmark ponzi scheme with the funds from that. it saved the day

dr whom - the youtube version is the same as the one I watched on tubi


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 28, 2020, 07:15:46 AM
BLACK MOUNTAIN SIDE (2014)

When I first started watching this I thought "Oh. Another the THING rip-off.".
But it's really not.
A group of scientists are studying millions of years old ruins in Artic Canada.
They lose contact with the outside world and slowly go insane, chopping off thir own limbs, comitting hari kari, and killing each other. The ending is real "WTF"?! On occasion some ancient god thing mumbles crazy s**t in their heads. Or are they just going insane?
 It's pretty dam good!
A quote from the mumbling demon/god thing:

Deer God: "When an animal looks up at the night sky, what does it see? Thousands and thousands of tiny points. Then a man looks up at the same points and sees millions of stars; galaxies, within which are billions of planets. Do you want to know what I see? Were you there when I created the stars?"

It has elements of the SHINING in as it's a spooky look at the effects of isolation. "What the old timer's call cabin fever." But this isn't a rip off of the THING or the SHINING. It pretty much it's own movie.
And for so disturbing and violent a film, it's real quiet-which makes it all that much more spookier.
One of the best horror movies I seen this year.

http://youtu.be/wZ0z3g1nyGE (http://youtu.be/wZ0z3g1nyGE)

PS: Did I mention the octopus bacteria?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on December 28, 2020, 12:43:17 PM
I liked that one RC. It's on my watch again list.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 28, 2020, 03:14:14 PM
Cujo - I saw parts of this when I was a kid, but I don't think netflix had it. Is it not very popular?

A family is in a rough spell as an ad guy is having problems at work and in his marriage. It doesn't help that his son is the wimpy kid from "Who's the Boss?". With all this turmoil it certainly makes sense for him to take a trip. While he's gone though, a rabid dog traps the wife and kid in a car for several days.

Seemingly the dog is a magnet for all the negative energy going on. It's kind of like "The Birds": animal attacks but for unspoken spiritual reasons.

The Who's the Boss? kid is pretty annoying and the husband is a little on the saintly side but all in all it was pretty classic. the hook is the shots of the St Bernard covered in all kinds of gooze and spittle menacing everyone in its unique lumbering fashion.

4.75 / 5





Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 29, 2020, 02:12:25 AM
"Hayride" (2012)
A serial killer escapes from police custody and hides out in a barn that's part of a small town's Halloween "Haunted Hayride" attraction. You can probably figure out the rest.
Cheap, cheesy slasher junk with idiot characters, minimal gore, and mostly-awful acting. Followed by a sequel which I will make sure to avoid.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 29, 2020, 09:48:11 AM
LA LLORONA (2019): An aging Guatemalan ex-general, accused of genocide, is haunted by those he's wronged while holed up in a mansion surrounded by protestors. It packs a punch at the end, but go into it expecting a supernatural drama; as a horror movie, it almost feels like one long first act.  3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 30, 2020, 10:10:12 AM
BAD HAIR (2020): Shy Anna, who works at a BET/MTV-style cable startup at the dawn of the 1990s, gets an expensive weave at her boss' request; wouldn't you know it's haunted? It's was a good idea to explore black women's complicated relationship with their hair, but wigs ain't scary, and the satire here either misses the mark or is just too culture-specific for me to get. A Hulu/Neon co-production. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 30, 2020, 11:03:00 AM
"Lemmy" (2010)
Immensely entertaining documentary on the legendary Motorhead frontman, captures him on tour and at home, while an endless stream of famous fans and colleagues confirm what we all pretty much knew already - that Lemmy was the coolest rock n roll mo-fo ever to walk the Earth. This is probably my 3rd or 4th viewing of this flick, which has become one of my favorite "rock docs" in recent years.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 31, 2020, 06:16:21 AM
Idaho Transfer (1973)

Directed by Peter Fonda, no less. A secret research facility trying to develop teleportation inadvertently discovers time travel. They establish a link with  a point about fifty years in the future, when some catastrophe has apparently wiped out the human race. For reasons only young people can make the transfer so a group of teens are sent over to explore and perhaps repopulate. However, the project is suddenly shut down, leaving the group stranded in the post-apocalyptic future.

This could have been a good movie. It is strong on atmosphere, and cuts exposition and character introduction to its barest minimum. You just see character interacting and events happening and have to connect the dots yourself. However for this concept to work you need an intelligent script and expressive actors, and this movie has neither. For the most part, I didn't know who was who or even what they were called, and characters just wander in and out the story. This is compounded by atrocious acting. Most of the cast had no film experience before (or since). It is almost as if Peter Fonda went to a mall and asked a bunch of random kids whether they were free next Saturday to make a movie.

This needs a remake.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 31, 2020, 05:05:55 PM
"Netflix vs. the World" (2019)

An engrossing documentary about the rise of Netflix, from its humble beginnings as a small mail order movie rental service, to its current status as a streaming powerhouse and major player in movie and TV content creation.
It was particularly interesting to learn that Blockbuster Video once had a chance to buy Netflix when it was in its infancy, for $50 million... and they passed. I bet the guy who made that decision spends most of his time crying in a dark room these days...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on December 31, 2020, 10:41:11 PM
A GOOD WOMAN IS HARD TO FIND (2019) - Irish crime/drama film.  A young woman with two children and a recently murdered husband has to deal with circumstances around a drug dealer squatting in her home and and the scary men after him.  I don't want to say too much, it's better go in blind.  This is a solid drama and thriller, really nicely shot, with a genuinely excellent lead performance from Sarah Bolger and a good supporting performance from Jane Brennan.  It gets to be a bit too much in the climax, but it's well worth a watch and is free on Prime streaming right now.  8/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 31, 2020, 11:32:50 PM
GHOUL SCOUT ZOMBIE MASSACRE (2018) - I wanted to close out this crappy year with a crappy movie, and boy did I pick a doozie!  This zero budget piece of dreck is floating around on Amazon Prime for free, and it was worth every penny I paid for it!  It checks off ALL the Bad Movie boxes - cheesy gore effects, copious nudity, homages to classic bad cinema (including VIDEODROME and BASKET CASE) as well as a really weird musical parody from YENTL.  Basically, a mad scientist wants to administer his secret serum to a bunch of young hipsters so he can turn them into sex slaves for his gay porn films, and he enlists his sister, who runs a reform school, to bring in four of her "Bad Girls" to pose as "Ghoul Scouts" to sell the serum in the form of cookies.  Yeah, it makes zero sense.  But it was just the kind of good, fun train wreck that the last night of 2020 called for.  1/5 on a regular movie scale, 5/5 on the Bad Movie Scale.

Indy sez check it out!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 01, 2021, 02:12:36 PM
Passion (2012) - I didn't know Brian De Palma made a Devil wears Prada meets campy murder mystery starring Rachael McAdams but he did. Why did it end up on Tubi aka the Island of Misfit Movies? Well, for just that reason: it doesn't fit in. The mystery doesn't have the Fincher like layers we've come to expect from thrillers, the fashion aspect doesn't have enough Kardashian like insipid yammering and basically it's besides the point to where movies and popular culture were at the time and now.

I liked it though. The plot is very basic but the actresses are effective in their roles. I could see this being performed in drag in an off Broadway play or something. The lesbian assistant to the assistant was the hottest one. A fashion movie thats not very fashionable. *movie exec voice* " send it to tubi"

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eqq3eteXMAImfwO?format=jpg&name=small)

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 02, 2021, 10:07:28 AM
Tears of the Black Tiger (2000)

Best described as a spaghetti western, set in Thailand and made by Pierre et Gilles. This is the story of star crossed lovers Dum, a country boy and Rampoey, the daughter of the governor. He becomes the hitman of the feared bandit leader Fai, while she is given in marriage to an ambitious young police officer. Their love endures however, and they decide to elope. But at the crucial moment, he is too busy killing people and misses the appointment. This sets in motion a series of unfortunate events.

This is in equal parts homage and parody of the Thai melodramas and action movies of the 50s and 60s. It is mostly high melodrama, punctuated by insane shootouts. The whole is filmed in a highly stylised uber-kitsch fashion that makes Wes Anderson look like gritty realism. Your mileage may vary.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 02, 2021, 03:18:04 PM
MST3K: CITY LIMITS: This experiment is a pretty confusing post-apocalyptic biker movie; at one point, Tom says, "Can we stop to look out our scripts? Oh yeah, it does say Boy George rides in lobbing Molotov cocktails."  The movie's got a lot of familiar, embarrassed faces (James Earl Jones, Kim Catrall, Robbie Benson). It also contains one of my personal favorite host segments, an extremely silly parody of pop singer Morrisey. I hadn't seen this since it played on Comedy Central, and even then I didn't see it all the way through until last night. Turns out it's a middle of the pack MST3K episode, which means it's pretty damn good. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 03, 2021, 11:06:37 AM
THE LOBSTER (2019) In the near future, people who cannot find a suitable mate are condemned to be turned into an animal of their own choosing.  Colin Ferrell is a lonely divorcee with little emotion left; sent to the hotel where the operation is performed, he has 30 days to find a compatible mate or he will be transformed into a lobster.   This bizarre premise made for a fun, quirky film, albeit a bit slow-paced and pretentious.  I was really tired when I watched it, so I may have missed some of the nuances, but it did keep me awake for the most part.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 03, 2021, 11:33:02 AM
RADIOACTIVE (2019): Biopic about the life of Marie Curie, two-time Nobel-prize winning discoverer of radioactivity, who's shown as arrogant but devoted to her almost-as-brilliant husband Pierre. A solid biopic, but I'm not sure visionary director Marjane Satrapi is a good match for the material--the drama can be a little too straightforward, and she tries to shoehorn in an unnecessary dream sequence or two, making me think her talents would have been better served in a less earth-bound project. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on January 03, 2021, 06:32:10 PM
Fascism On A Thread: The Strange Story Of Nazisploitation Cinema (2020)
Interesting doc on a mostly reviled film genre.
Personally, I find most most Nazisploitation revolting. I like the Ilsa movies, just because I like Dyanne Thorne. But junk like GESTAPO'S LAST ORGY (1977) is not on my list of "need to see" films.
The BEAST IN HEAT (1977)  was so dam stupid and moronic that I liked parts of it.

http://youtu.be/YNhdXYh8HOM (http://youtu.be/YNhdXYh8HOM)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 03, 2021, 07:46:44 PM
"Snake Eater" (1989)
Lorenzo "Falcon Crest" Lamas stars as a retired Marine special-ops badass who travels into the swamps of Louisiana to find his missing sister, who's been kidnapped by a family of psycho rednecks.
....soooo, basically this is "Rambo" meets "Deliverance," on a budget of about a hundred bucks. "Snake Eater" is a textbook example of glorious '80s direct-to-video action crap, with cardboard sets, ridiculous dialogue, and a cast with a total lack of acting ability.  It's terrible, but I had a blast laughing all the way through it.
Sharp eyed viewers, watch for former NFL great Larry Csonka and Ron "Horshack" Palillo in bit parts!
Followed by two (!) sequels, which of course, I will be watching sometime soon, because I'm a masochist.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 03, 2021, 10:49:16 PM
freddy- lamas' Body Rock is a very guilty pleasure of mine. Breakdancing movie but theres no rap music in it!

Nightmare Alley (1947) - Second viewing. While most film noirs are urban crime stories, this is a horse of a different color. Tyrone Power plays a hack carnival mentalist who ups his game by learning a jealously guarded (by a woman whom he charms) code which he employs with his very cute and demure wife to great success and fanfare. He eventually encounters a crooked psychiatrist who is up to the same sort of shenanigans in her line of work.

There's some crazy stuff in this. The film was a massive departure for star Power who normally played heroes. He wanted to show his range and did an okay job. There is a part of the movie where he's sort of down on and his luck, drinking and hanging around and so forth. He doesn't nail these scenes it was just too much of a stretch for him to play a total loser, but it's an epic saga. watched on youtube

(https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m268fwgALo1qat5gjo1_1280.gif)

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 04, 2021, 10:06:28 AM
freddy- lamas' Body Rock is a very guilty pleasure of mine. Breakdancing movie but theres no rap music in it!

Hah, after watching "Snake Eater" last night I went looking for the sequels on YouTube, and now this morning "Body Rock" has turned up in my YouTube "Recommended Videos." I think it's a sign that I'll have to check that out soon :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 04, 2021, 10:11:24 AM
REWIND (2019): An adult man looks back at his father's home movies and reconstructs a history of childhood abuse. A moving and involving--and even inspiring--documentary, which will resonate strongly with survivors. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 05, 2021, 10:22:47 AM
"Snake Eater 2: The Drug Buster" (1989)
Rogue cop John "Soldier" Kelly (Lorenzo Lamas) is back for another low-budget shoot'em up. After a particularly violent gun battle at a Mafia-run drug lab, Kelly is suspended and sent to a hospital for a psych evaluation. Fortunately, his fellow patients show him a way to sneak out of the hospital at night so he can continue his battle with the city's drug pushers, with the help of a streetwise sidekick (Larry B. Scott, aka "Lamar" from the Revenge of the Nerds series).
This one's a slight improvement over the first "Snake Eater" but that's faint praise. Lamas and Scott make a pretty good team and seem to be having fun. Otherwise, meh.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 05, 2021, 02:33:47 PM
Nightmare Code - pretty decent sci fi flick relegated to tubi probably for its low budget, which it tries to compensate for by using a 4 screen at once gimmick. A guy who's in trouble for doing assange type cyber activism (an idealist ) takes a well paying gig picking up the pieces at a startup that had issues. The issues were one of the guys went on a massive shooting spree. As it turns out, he didn't exactly go crazy.

The code he created analyzed peoples faces extremely well. You could tell who liked you and who hated you. It also could create it's own footage of what might happen ie two people who like each other are then shown having sex even though they haven't yet.

The story is strong and the performances and casting are solid. The four screen thing will turn some off but it's worth it to endure

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on January 05, 2021, 06:14:28 PM
the CHILDREN (1980)
A leak at a nuclear power plant turns a school bus full of kids into zombies whose touch means being burned to death.  You can tell they're zombies because they have black fingernails (?).
The only way to kill them is to chop off their little hands!
Silly, low budget obscurity, with no name actors . Fun time!

http://youtu.be/PMJsI7UgxFw (http://youtu.be/PMJsI7UgxFw)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 06, 2021, 08:02:49 AM
"Riot On The Dance Floor" (2014)
Way-cool documentary about the legendary Jersey rock club City Gardens, a mecca for alternative rock, punk, and hardcore throughout the '80s and early '90s.
Lots of photos, vintage video clips and interviews with club regulars and musicians who played there (including Henry Rollins, Jello Biafra, Dave Brockie, Dean Ween, Jack Irons, Ian MacKaye, and many more) give all the props for City Gardens' success to promoter Randy Now, a young DJ and music fanatic who started booking bands into a run-down warehouse building in a particularly crappy area of Trenton (which, if you've ever been to Trenton, is really sayin' something), and built a thriving "scene" there out of nothing. Rollins' story about Black Flag opening for Venom (!) at the club is a highlight.  
I never went to City Gardens (I lived at the opposite end of the state) but I remember seeing their concert schedules in the local Jersey rock rag every week and read many reviews of shows there. It looks like I missed out on quite a place.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 06, 2021, 10:11:29 AM
CODED BIAS (2020): Documentary about the biases embedded in current artificial intelligence technology, and the danger of blindly relying on A.I. algorithms. A rare study of the intersection of race and technology, but it goes deeper than the acknowledged fact that facial recognition technology returns a much higher rate of false positives on blacks and women than white men: a machine's unsupervised algorithmic thinking could affect your credit score, job prospects, and even your freedom--and you'd probably never know it.  The movie doesn't even feature the innocent black guy who was arrested solely based on facial recognition---must have happened after they finished shooting. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 09, 2021, 03:11:59 AM
Fando y Lis (1968)

The directorial debut of Jodorowsky. As full of 1960s artistically intended random weirdness as you might expect. It follows the quest of Fando and the paralysed Lis to the fabled city of Tar, whith Fando mostly acting as an abusive jerk to Lis. There may be some deep meaning behind all this, but the constant push to come up with yet another weird scene or shocking image quickly killed my interest. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 09, 2021, 10:17:59 AM
"You Should Have Left" (2020)
Looking to get away from it all, a bickering couple (Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried) rent a house in the Welsh countryside -- a strange place containing a maze of rooms, endless long hallways, and mysterious staircases. Of course, weird stuff quickly starts happening to them, and all of it seems to be tied to a dark incident in the Bacon character's past.
A pretty decent suspense/psychological thriller from the Blumhouse horror factory; the constant twists & turns kept my attention throughout.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 09, 2021, 03:10:07 PM
freddy -  "Rollins' story about Black Flag opening for Venom (!) at the club is a highlight. " that's a brutal bill. you would def want earplugs for that one


Look Away (2018) - 17% on rotten tomatoes, "83% of viewers liked this movie".

In other words, it's a decently trashy time waster that uses cliches to move the plot along and doesn't say anything about climate change or race relations.

A nerdy girl who is also impossibly beautiful (a la a lot of movies) begins to see images in the mirror of ...herself! except it's actually her alter ego who is also her twin sister who died at birth. Honestly, it started off being pretty effective. The good girl/ bad girl thing worked as a metaphor for depression and anger and so forth but they took it too far to the point where she basically becomes a pirahnaconda. Of course, part of her empowerment is coming on to her own Dad. Is there a more tired staple of trashy soap opera type movies? It was more interesting when she was just slowly coming out of her shell.

The girl's house is like the one from "Orphan" crazy modern style amid icy tundra for you architecture fans

3.75 /5 one of those movies that's not boring but not very fulfilling and later on you think of it like "Yeah that was kind of not very clever"


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 09, 2021, 05:26:52 PM
"A View to a Kill" (1985)
In Roger Moore's final turn as James Bond, 007 travels from Siberia to France and finally to San Francisco on the trail of Max Zorin (Christopher Walken) -- an insane industrialist who plans corner the world's microchip market by destroying Silicon Valley. The late Tanya Roberts is Bond's female sidekick this time around.
This one is generally considered the worst of Moore's era but I've always liked it. It's certainly livelier than the sluggish "Octop***y," and though Tanya couldn't act worth a damn (basically, her role in this movie is to repeatedly get into peril so she can scream "James, HELP ME!" a lot), she sure could fill out a set of satin pajamas.
As an added bonus, the theme song by Duran Duran is one of the great earworms of the mid '80s.
Roger Moore was 57 years old during filming and legend has it that his decision to leave the Bond role came when Tanya Roberts' mother visited the set one day and he realized that SHE was younger than him... ouch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 09, 2021, 05:28:05 PM
Quote
freddy -  "Rollins' story about Black Flag opening for Venom (!) at the club is a highlight. " that's a brutal bill. you would def want earplugs for that one

Oh yeah, I like both bands, but I imagine there wasn't much crossover between their fan bases in 1986, haha.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on January 09, 2021, 05:39:07 PM
Faces of Death which I've wanted to see for a while: not bad.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 10, 2021, 10:54:41 AM
"Snake Eater III: His Law" (1992)
In the third and (thankfully) final installment of the cartoonish ultra-cheap action trilogy, John "Soldier" Kelly (Lorenzo Lamas, wooden as ever) has been suspended from the police department (again) for disorderly conduct, so he takes a side gig as a private eye. His first clients are an elderly couple who want him to rescue their daughter from a vicious biker gang, which leads to the usual poorly acted shoot'em up mayhem. Think "Stone Cold" on a cheese and crackers budget. Sharp eyed wrestling fans may recognize the late "Bam Bam" Bigelow as one of the biker heavies.
"Snake Eater III" is probably the most well made of the trilogy in a technical sense, but that's faint praise because all three of them are still basically crap...but at least they were fun crap.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 10, 2021, 01:39:56 PM
ERREMENTARI: THE BLACKSMITH AND THE DEVIL (2017): A blacksmith keeps a demon prisoner in 19th century Basque Spain. An enthralling spell that makes medieval superstition vital for an hour and a half. My Netflix watch group picked this based on its name, knowing nothing about the story, and it lived up to its title. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 10, 2021, 09:47:02 PM
"Nemesis" (1992)
Set in a cyberpunk 2027 where cyborgs co-exist with humans, a former L.A. cop (French martial artist Olivier Gruner, whose accent is even more impenetrable than Jean-Claude Van Damme's) is called back to active duty to stop the machines from replacing humans altogether... or something like that.  
This mish mash of bits borrowed from the "Terminator" and "Blade Runner" franchises features some cool stunt work and pyrotechnics, and the supporting cast includes some dependable B-Movie regulars like Tim Thomerson and Brion James, but the plot doesn't make a lick of sense. Eventually I gave up trying to follow it and just watched stuff explode. That's not exactly a surprise, because this was directed by Albert "Cyborg" Pyun, who has proved time and again that he can create impressive action sequences, but he can't tell a story worth a damn.
"Nemesis" was somehow followed by numerous sequels, all of which I shall be sure to avoid. Simply awful.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 11, 2021, 12:12:18 AM
ANTHROPOID (2016)  -  I try to watch most WW2 movies that come out, and I am not sure how this film slipped under my radar.  "Anthropoid" was the code name British intelligence gave to the secret mission assigned to Czech commandos in 1942 - to assassinate Reinhardt Heydrich, second in command of the SS and the chief architect of the Holocaust.  The Allies considered Heydrich to be the most dangerous member of the Nazi leadership, and Josef Gabcek and Jan Kubis succeeded in killing him with a grenade in April of 1942.  The assassins escaped the scene and were hidden in the crypt of a church in Prague when the Nazis found them.  In a furious firefight that lasted seven hours, the seven commandos killed over sixty German soldiers and SS before taking their own lives.  The murder of Heydrich sparked fierce reprisals from the Nazis, but the heroic sacrifice of the "seven men at daybreak" fanned the flames of Czech resistance for the rest of the war.  The film tells nearly every detail of the story correctly, with impressive performances from all.  EXCELLENT war movie!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 12, 2021, 02:52:30 PM
Villmark Asylum (2015) - pretty decent haunted asylum movie, kind of like Session 9 with serious people instead of David Caruso.


Whatever this country is (norway??) it's going to bulldoze an old awesomely imposing looking asylum. Wouldn't you know it, there's a bunch of people and weird energy still inhabiting the place. You know how it's going to go and it goes that way, but it does it well. So much so that theres a sequel, not that that is any measure of quality but it kind of is. I would have liked more depth to characters and less sloshing around in the watery basement but the sloshing was well done.

My sense is this was a big movie in the country and they put a lot of effort into it

on tubi

4.5/ 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on January 12, 2021, 05:16:27 PM
Star Wars Ep. II & III.

II is too slow, & it looks very 90's.

III isn't bad.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Zapranoth on January 12, 2021, 11:43:12 PM
We also watched Star Wars episodes 1, 2 and 3 recently, with Rifftrax.

Was tolerable that way.

Episode 1 is just badly written and it's so Jar Jar-infested and painful.

Episode 2 is long, poorly written, and the dialogue is a new level of painful.   CG Yoda is obnoxious uncanny valley territory too.   My 18 year old said she'd much rather a puppet than this CG.

Episode 3 has the distinction of being "the best" of the prequel trilogy, and I still think that the best way to watch it is to watch the "Star War the Third Gathers:  The Backstroke of the West" (dubbed version).
In case anyone here (of all places) isn't familiar with it, it's a painful recursive translation.   The dialogue was translated to Chinese, then some translator used dialogue (not written) back to English.  Some other group of people then dubbed the movie with this recursive translation.   It's awesome.

It's amazing how badly these movies have aged.

Here's the link for Backstroke of the West if you haven't seen it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XziLNeFm1ok (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XziLNeFm1ok)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 13, 2021, 09:43:42 AM
HAPPINESS (1998): An examination of the lives of three sisters, their extended families, and their neighbors reveals an elaborate network of secrets, sickness, perversion, and chronic unhappiness. The blackest of black comedies, where the few absurd jokes are only meant to highlight the horror of the characters' existence. Not graphic or exploitative, but filled with references to rape and pedophilia, the whole movie is one big trigger warning. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on January 14, 2021, 11:41:47 AM
REVOLT OF THE ZOMBIES (1936)
The second zombie film! By the same company who gave us the Lugosi classic WHITE ZOMBIE!
Don't hold your breath. This is about as meandering as a retarded, cross-eyed, three legged dog.
Some neat Angkor Wat  backscreens, and Bela Lugosi's eyes flash on screen once in a while-
but the rest is about some voodoo in Cambodia (?) with a fu-manchu guy and Dean Jagger (he played the main bad guy in Bruce Lee's GAME OF DEATH!) using zombies in the very early French/ Vietnam war.
Good for novelty viewing- but bad for anyone looking for a even near watchable movie.

http://youtu.be/4rcK-4NpUcs (http://youtu.be/4rcK-4NpUcs)

Such an exciting trailer! And the movie is slower yet!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 14, 2021, 01:41:16 PM
rev - happiness is a mental Texas Chainsaw Massacre. a true milestone in film


BB - I saw Camgirl and this is another movie about camgirls. I really enjoyed it but it has one flaw: the casting of the stalker guy. he just doesn't come across as someone who would be like that and the parts with him don't have the same energy as the other parts. There are a lot of stalker guy cliches too

The girl herself is interesting and authentic and the movie has a "Kids" type energy. It's also interesting how she has a stalker but is herself quasi stalking her ex gf. The general sexual nature does a decent job of drowning out the problems. isn't that what its all about?

http://youtu.be/yeBVUwnMgzQ (http://youtu.be/yeBVUwnMgzQ)

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 15, 2021, 07:29:05 AM
SINISTER (2012) - Ethan Hawke stars as a true crime writer whose one best seller is ten years in the rear view mirror, followed up by two books that didn't do as well, now trying to recapture his glory and financial success by writing about a brutal crime: a family of four, hung from a tree in their own back yard, and their youngest daughter missing.  But this time, he moves into the very house where the murders took place to investigate the crime and write his book. Needless to say, this proves to be a VERY bad idea . . .

One of the scariest movies of the last decade, this one held up very well on a repeat viewing.  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 16, 2021, 03:14:51 PM
MST3K: BEING FROM ANOTHER PLANET: This experiment is about a mummy who's actually an alien, a twist that the title stupidly gives away (the original title, TIME WALKERS, didn't). The movie feels like one of those Charles Band movies that starts off with almost-cool ideas and then half-asses it's way to the finish line; Crow says "it's like a dramatization of a movie." The invention exchange--"Tragic Moments," figurines to make Grandma cry--is the darkest segment they'd ever done up to this point, maybe the darkest in the series' run. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 16, 2021, 06:29:57 PM
"Heat" (1986)
A down-on-his-luck tough guy for hire (Burt Reynolds) gets mixed up with Las Vegas mobsters after doing a favor for a friend.  
A slow moving "action" thriller that takes forever to get to the action. Burt seems to be trying his best with the thin material but this flick was not one of his better efforts. Skip it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 17, 2021, 11:13:39 AM
HEREDITARY (2019) -  This was an incredibly creepy occult thriller that held up well for a repeat viewing.  Some of the most genuinely disturbing moments ever captured in any horror film, as well as a terrifying, well-written plotline and brilliant casting make this one of the best horror films of the last decade. 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 17, 2021, 03:07:19 PM
It follows - not sure why this is on tubi. Its fairly recent and better than decent, as a rapping film critic might say. A guy has sex with a girl. Afterwards he gives her some bad news: no, he doesn't have chlamydia, but he does have an insane STD where a weird zombie doppelganger thing chases you very slowly. Why the f**k does this happen? We don't know.

Could have used some better special effects/ overt horror elements. I get "mental horror" but this isn't Happiness here come on. and what's with not using the awesome Minor Threat song of the same name?

4.5 / 5  

Ice Cage - a bunch of gross polyamory type people go to a sex party only to wake up nude in the woods. They are then subject to a mystery where they have to figure out what happened to a certain woman the night before and how they themselves played a role in her apparent misfortune. It's a Thriller where everyones mostly naked which distinguishes it from a normal thriller. I liked it, but the point it ultimately made was made a little too quietly and there's nothing creepier than Masquerade costumes. Better than I thought it would be though.

4/5

sexual guilt is the theme here I guess. experienced in colorful and entertaining ways for the viewer


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 17, 2021, 05:04:17 PM
"Edge of the Axe" (1988)
An axe wielding nut job is hacking his way through the residents of a sleepy California mountain town, and a pair of computer genius teens try to use technology to discover the killer's identity before he can strike again.
This Spanish-American co-production came along a bit too late in the slasher craze to have much impact, but it was better than I expected -- it's got fairly decent production values, a cool looking killer, and lotsa violent & bloody death scenes. Neat stuff for fans of obscure '80s horrors.

"Cell" (2016)
Boston residents John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson hit the road looking for a rumored "safe zone" when a mysterious cell phone signal turns everyone in the city into homicidal maniacs. Based on Stephen King's novel, this flick started off pretty promising (I read the book years ago and loved the premise) but fell off a cliff pretty quickly due to obvious budget restraints (lots of crappy CGI). Cusack and Jackson make it watchable, but after awhile this turned into just another cheap zombie flick. Disappointing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 18, 2021, 02:49:13 PM
Lovely Molly - can't really review this because I watched it late at night and it didn't have CC so i missed a lot of dialogue, but it looked pretty "okay on the surface, problems underneath". Winter's bone, Paranormal activity, and weirdo spiritual thingies (hereditary etc) type stuff put in a blender. If you need to see a horror movie and this is the only one around it will do the trick but definitely does NOT take all its elements to a higher level


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 19, 2021, 07:37:38 AM
White Zombie (1932)

Considered to be the first feature length zombie movie, it has the original voodoo kind of zombie: people raised from the dead to become the mindless slaves of the voodoo master. A wealthy plantation owner falls in love with a girl while on the boat the Haiti. She, however, wants to marry someone else, so he calls in the help of voodoo master ‘Murder’ Legendre who lives in a strangely gothic part of Haiti. This goes about as well as can be expected when you entrust your fate to man named ‘Murder’.

Bela Lugosi is easily the best part of this movie. While the rest of the cast tend to lose themselves in wild melodramatic overacting, he remains a figure of quiet menace. It is also very atmospherically shot, although the director of photography clearly loved some shots so much, that he used them twice over. Yet for all the menace that Bela Lugosi projects, overcoming him proves disappointingly easy: a preacher hits him over the head with a book (presumably a bible) and that, basically, takes care of things.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: StreamingTodd45 on January 19, 2021, 04:52:09 PM
HAPPINESS (1998): An examination of the lives of three sisters, their extended families, and their neighbors reveals an elaborate network of secrets, sickness, perversion, and chronic unhappiness. The blackest of black comedies, where the few absurd jokes are only meant to highlight the horror of the characters' existence. Not graphic or exploitative, but filled with references to rape and pedophilia, the whole movie is one big trigger warning. 4.5/5.

Saw this some time ago, think it was Showtime or Cinemax, one of them.  Can't find it now on ROKU, I'm guessing Amazon Prime doesn't even want to touch this (because of the subject matter).  I wonder what Todd Solondz (the director) is up to now? 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 19, 2021, 08:53:44 PM
HAPPINESS (1998): An examination of the lives of three sisters, their extended families, and their neighbors reveals an elaborate network of secrets, sickness, perversion, and chronic unhappiness. The blackest of black comedies, where the few absurd jokes are only meant to highlight the horror of the characters' existence. Not graphic or exploitative, but filled with references to rape and pedophilia, the whole movie is one big trigger warning. 4.5/5.

Saw this some time ago, think it was Showtime or Cinemax, one of them.  Can't find it now on ROKU, I'm guessing Amazon Prime doesn't even want to touch this (because of the subject matter).  I wonder what Todd Solondz (the director) is up to now? 

Wikipedia says he's teaching at NYU and Cambridge. He does have a new project: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6493902/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1 (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6493902/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 19, 2021, 10:52:57 PM
Happiness and Welcome to the Dollhouse are classics and I enjoyed Storytelling


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 20, 2021, 09:57:44 AM
DA 5 BLOODS (2020): Four Black veterans return to Vietnam 40 years later to recover the body of their squad leader, along with some lost treasure buried by their younger selves. This could have been a great movie instead of just a good one if it had focused on being a TREASURE OF SIERRA MADRE update and left the contemporary political commentary implicit. Trust your audience a little more, Spike, you don't have to spell everything out. On Netflix. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: StreamingTodd45 on January 20, 2021, 12:06:45 PM
the CHILDREN (1980)
A leak at a nuclear power plant turns a school bus full of kids into zombies whose touch means being burned to death.  You can tell they're zombies because they have black fingernails (?).
The only way to kill them is to chop off their little hands!
Silly, low budget obscurity, with no name actors . Fun time!

Watched this yesterday on one of my apps (Filmrise, I think).  Talk about a ridiculous movie!  Bad acting, bad writing, it was just bad overall.  Good thing it was free, I would never pay good money to see dreck like this.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 20, 2021, 10:04:22 PM
"Split Second" (1992)
A burnt-out cop (Rutger Hauer) in the decaying, flooded London of 2008 (hah!) is on the trail of a suspected serial killer... but as the bodies keep piling up, he realizes that the murderer may not even be a human being.
This weird cyberpunk mashup of "Blade Runner" and "Predator" is certainly not a great movie by any means, but it is a fun one. Hauer is a hoot, the action sequences are cool, and the reveal of the mysterious killer is legit creepy. A decent time waster.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 21, 2021, 09:54:57 AM
NOMADLAND (2020): When the only employer in her tiny Nevada town shuts down, a widow takes to living in her van and traveling across the West, joining a small tribe of like-minded people. At some point everyone has been tempted to pack it all up and take to the road; NOMADLAND is as much an instruction manual for the nomad lifestyle as it is an inspiration. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on January 21, 2021, 05:13:05 PM
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
Did any one like this movie more than I did?

http://youtu.be/XK-KNt3efpY (http://youtu.be/XK-KNt3efpY)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 21, 2021, 07:52:58 PM
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
Did any one like this movie more than I did?

[url]http://youtu.be/XK-KNt3efpY[/url] ([url]http://youtu.be/XK-KNt3efpY[/url])


We'd have to know how much you liked it to know that. I liked it, I have no idea if I liked it more than you!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 21, 2021, 09:40:50 PM
"The Children" (1980)
A toxic waste cloud turns a school bus full of kids into atomic zombie like creatures who kill grown ups by touching them. This could've been a cool concept in the right hands, but this flick's cheap look, sluggish pacing and inept performances quickly turn it into an unintentional comedy. The first hour is a slog but the last 30 minutes, when the idiot adults finally band together to fight the killer kids, are a total hoot.
Oddly enough, I've never seen this movie before tonight but I do vividly remember the TV commercials for it absolutely scared the livin' s*** out of me when I was a kid. Obviously I was easier to spook back then, haha.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on January 22, 2021, 08:11:49 AM
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
Did any one like this movie more than I did?

[url]http://youtu.be/XK-KNt3efpY[/url] ([url]http://youtu.be/XK-KNt3efpY[/url])


We'd have to know how much you liked it to know that. I liked it, I have no idea if I liked it more than you!

I liked it alot! Did you like it more than alot or less than alot? I think I liked it less than alot because of the obvious cgi s**t. I'll take ROAD WARRIOR any day. But it's a fun time waster.
And I liked it alot!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on January 22, 2021, 08:14:07 AM
"The Children" (1980)
A toxic waste cloud turns a school bus full of kids into atomic zombie like creatures who kill grown ups by touching them. This could've been a cool concept in the right hands, but this flick's cheap look, sluggish pacing and inept performances quickly turn it into an unintentional comedy. The first hour is a slog but the last 30 minutes, when the idiot adults finally band together to fight the killer kids, are a total hoot.
Oddly enough, I've never seen this movie before tonight but I do vividly remember the TV commercials for it absolutely scared the livin' s*** out of me when I was a kid. Obviously I was easier to spook back then, haha.

I love this movie.  :bluesad:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 22, 2021, 09:49:28 AM
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
Did any one like this movie more than I did?

[url]http://youtu.be/XK-KNt3efpY[/url] ([url]http://youtu.be/XK-KNt3efpY[/url])


We'd have to know how much you liked it to know that. I liked it, I have no idea if I liked it more than you!

I liked it alot! Did you like it more than alot or less than alot? I think I liked it less than alot because of the obvious cgi s**t. I'll take ROAD WARRIOR any day. But it's a fun time waster.
And I liked it alot!


I liked it a lot and liked ROAD WARRIOR more too, but I think I didn't like it more than FURY ROAD than you liked it more.  :question:

Didn't like this one a lot:

FIRST COW (2019): Dramatic Western where a cook teams up with a Chinese prospector to run a clandestine business that requires them to exploit the first and then only cow in the Oregon territory. It's tough to take such a thin story and stretch it out to 2 hours, but if anyone can do it, Kelly Reichardt can. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on January 22, 2021, 09:57:43 AM
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
Did any one like this movie more than I did?

[url]http://youtu.be/XK-KNt3efpY[/url] ([url]http://youtu.be/XK-KNt3efpY[/url])


We'd have to know how much you liked it to know that. I liked it, I have no idea if I liked it more than you!

I liked it alot! Did you like it more than alot or less than alot? I think I liked it less than alot because of the obvious cgi s**t. I'll take ROAD WARRIOR any day. But it's a fun time waster.
And I liked it alot!


I watched MAD MAX: FURY ROAD not long ago and at first I was p**sed at the amount of CGI, but then I decided to investigate a little further and I was surprised to know that a lot of the scenes which I thought was computer generated, they actually were made with models. The only part which really looked like garbage was the whole sandstorm thing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on January 22, 2021, 12:09:48 PM
ATTACK! (1956)
Jack Palance is intense as Lt. Joe Costa, who's platoon is ordered to do a suicidal mission from his cowardly superior officer, played to perfection by Eddie (GREEN ACRES!) Albert.
Lee Marvin is in here too-
This movie is fantastic. It doesn't spout the usual 1950's John Wayne propaganda.
It's sad, intense, and moving. There is an actual story here, beyond the usual 'lets kill krauts!' pablum.
Oh yeah- it's got Buddy (Uncle Jed!) Ebsen too! I named my son Jed!

http://youtu.be/a9Iag6SAfKI (http://youtu.be/a9Iag6SAfKI)

(https://i.imgur.com/wu1nzLC.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 23, 2021, 07:17:53 AM
Salon Kitty (1976)

The nazisploitation extravaganza of that prince of artistic erotica, Tinto Brass. It is about a brothel at the beginning of WW II, that is run by the SS in order to obtain incriminating evidence on both Nazi and visiting foreign dignitaries. In the hands of Tinto Brass, it is not difficult to imagine the result. There is a plot, of sorts, but it is mainly an excuse to film a series of shocking and bizarre scenes, because, of course, these are Nazis and that is what they were into. Also, it is done extremely stylishly, because everyone knows the Nazis had style. It is all very much camp, and at times looks like a porn version of Allo Allo, but with altogether better production values. If you can't stand nudity, stay away from this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 23, 2021, 11:36:36 AM
"Class of Nuke'Em High" (1986)
A leaky nuclear power plant near a small town high school has disastrous effects on the student body, turning the honor society kids into a gang of murderous punks and causing a clean-cut preppie girl to give birth to a horrific mutation.

This cult schlock horror comedy from the legendary Troma Films features all of their trademarks -- fifth grade level humor and ultra-violence, shameless, bug-eyed overacting by everyone in the cast, and lots of cheap, slimy gross-out gore. This post-nuke parody of the teens-run-amuck genre is silly as hell (on purpose) but I laughed out loud a few times. Followed by numerous sequels, and rumor has it there's a remake in the works.

Fun fact: they filmed parts of this movie in my home town (Paramus, NJ) when I was in high school, and my friends and I watched them shoot the bit where the mutant bikers crash the school bake sale. For all I know, I might be in the background of that scene, but even after repeated viewings I've never been able to find myself in the crowd of extras.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 23, 2021, 12:54:02 PM
A feminist double feature:

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (2020): Cassie's hobby is pretending to be drunk so creeps will pick her up in bars; she's planning even more elaborate deceptions stemming from a trauma in med school. Unusual, non-exploitative rape-revenge story with rom-com trappings; the story is familiar yet contains enough surprises to engage your attention. 3.5/5

NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS (2020): A 17-year old girl and her teenage cousin travel from small town Pennsylvania to New York City to get an abortion. Emotionally honest and so believable it seems like it could be an autobiography; Sidney Flanigan is excellent. 3.5/5

I can recommend PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN to anyone here; it's got thriller elements and is an easy watch. The other one is good, but a slow-paced drama that won't really have wide appeal.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 23, 2021, 03:01:26 PM
"If you can't stand nudity, stay away from this one." ????


Open 24 Hours - Anyone see this? It's pretty unusual. It seems like whoever wrote it believed it would end up on tubitv, which is did, so they just did whatever the heck they wanted. reviews are very mixed but I liked it. I would even watch it again.

A young woman ( cute and very tall brunette) gets out of jail where she served a sentence for being a serial killers girlfriend and not like doing anything about it (the serial killing). She's very screwed up mentally and this introduces the major gimmick of the film: you see a grisly murder happening and then she shuts her eyes and it goes away. This massive suspense of disbelief is probably what relegated this movie to the bottom shelf, but if you can get past that it's a gory and classic slasher of the type Scream parodies in its various installments.

 4.25 / 5

once you accept the chaos, it's a smooth ride. at the same time its like...uuuh how did he know where she worked does he have a gps in his brain? kind of thing


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 23, 2021, 11:03:53 PM
Psycho Goreman - From the creators of Man-Borg and Father's Day, this is sort of like an R-rated Power Rangers movie crossed with ET.  It's creative with a lot of fun creature effects and I love the title character.  The performances vary wildly in quality, and some of the characters are kind of annoying.  The premise also feels stretched a bit thin.  It's almost never boring though.  My biggest complaint is, like a lot of these throwback styled films, it has no heart.  It's missing that bit of magic and heart that a film like Turbo Kid has.  Still, if the first sentence appeals to you, check it out.  I'd give it a 6 or 7/10, which is probably generous.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 24, 2021, 10:49:22 AM
DEATHGASM - A death metal rocker moves to a small town to live with his straight-laced American relatives, makes a few friends among his school's fellow rejects, and then they discover the pages of the "Black Hymn," a demonic song that grants power and riche to the user but also opens a portal to hell.  Zombie apocalypse ensues.  Not a bad way to blow an hour and a half in the middle of the night.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 24, 2021, 11:41:13 AM
"The Liquidator" (1965)
A British intelligence officer hires an dim-witted American ex-soldier to work as a top secret, off-the-books assassin, code named "L." However, the new agent (Rod Taylor) would rather schmooze with the ladies (especially his boss' secretary, the smokin' hot Jill St. John) than kill bad guys. Eventually, however, his ineptitude gets him mixed up in a plot to assassinate a member of Britain's royal family, and he has to save the day.  
This was a fun James Bond knock off that straddled the line between spoof and legit action thriller. Taylor is clearly having fun and Trevor Howard is great as his increasingly exasperated boss. This was obviously intended to be the start of of a new film franchise, but by the time "Liquidator" hit theaters the mid Sixties "spy" craze was already past its peak.

"Liquidator" shares several traits with the Bond franchise: it was based on a series of novels by John Gardner, who later took over writing the 007 novels in the 1980s; Shirley "Goldfinger" Bassey sings the film's theme song; and Jill St. John would later play a legit Bond girl in 1971's Diamonds Are Forever.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 24, 2021, 02:16:01 PM
In a World... (2013)

Carol Solomon (Lake Bell) wants to break into the closely knit and very macho world of film trailer voiceovers. Her biggest obstacle is her own father, a legendary voiceover artist with an incredible ego. Pretty funny comedy, although it would seem that at one point, someone felt that the original premise was insufficient, and added an altogether more serious B-plot. So the movie veers between screwball comedy and family drama. Still, a pretty solid debut.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 24, 2021, 04:06:08 PM
"Uptown Saturday Night" (1974)
Two workin' class dudes (Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier) B.S. their way into a party at a swanky after hours club, just before a maksed gang breaks in and robs everyone in the place. The next day, Poitier learns that the lottery ticket that was in his wallet (which was stolen) is worth $50,000... so he and Cos embark on a series of wacky adventures to find out who the bad guys were and recover the ticket before they discover its value. Richard Pryor, Harry Belafonte, and Flip Wilson turn up in supporting roles.
This funny, funky '70s flick was the first of three buddy comedies starring Cosby and Poitier (who also directed), which were intended to provide an alternative to the ultra-violent "blaxploitation" films of the era. It hasn't aged particularly well but there are a few laughs to be had and it's also kind of weird/cool to see "Cos" (with a beard!) playing an edgier, more streetwise character, instead of the straight laced family man type he became known for later.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 24, 2021, 09:33:33 PM
"Tremors: Shrieker Island" (2020)
In the seventh (!) installment in the "Tremors" series, ace monster hunter Burt Gummer (Michael Gross) is summoned to the South Seas, where a deranged tech billionaire has "stocked" his own private island with genetically modified Graboids and is sponsoring a massive big game hunt... which, of course, goes horribly wrong.
So yeah, basically this is yet another cheesy-but-fun, low budget monster mash bolted together out of parts from "Predator" and "Jurassic Park," though the downer ending seems to indicate that this may be the final film in the series. Time will tell, I suppose.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 25, 2021, 01:22:41 PM
House Shark. A deliberately made bad movie with cheesy acting but slightly better special effects than I was expecting (not that I am saying they were good). Enjoyable enough I guess.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 27, 2021, 09:52:13 AM
FELLINI'S CASANOVA (1976): Fellini tells the episodic story of Casanova, who wanders around 18th century Europe seducing every woman who catches his eye. It's overlong, Donald Sutherland is all wrong for the lead, it never finds a confident comic tone, and everyone keeps their long underwear on while having sex; on the other hand, it's Fellini, so the sets and costumes are amazing, and there's always some carnival with a 7-foot woman attended by two dwarfs in powdered wigs waiting around the next bend. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on January 27, 2021, 09:59:36 AM
^ Haha!  :thumbup:

I seen it. It's like watching a monkey try to f**k a football!
Fun to look at- but just self indulgent trash. it's a BAD movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 27, 2021, 10:04:13 AM
^ Haha!  :thumbup:

I seen it. It's like watching a monkey try to f**k a football!
Fun to look at- but just self indulgent trash. it's a BAD movie.

I wouldn't call it a bad movie, but I get what you mean. There's a reason this one wasn't released on DVD for so long even though it has Fellini's name on it. It really bothered me that everyone kept their long underwear on to have sex, though, much more than it should.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 27, 2021, 11:19:11 AM
"The Return of Spinal Tap" (1992)

Spinal Tap's triumphant Break Like the Wind reunion tour is captured with a live set taped at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1992. This fun concert video features all the hits and lots of tongue-in-cheek "behind the scenes" bits in between songs, as "David," "Nigel," and "Derek" visit some old haunts and catch up with past associates like director Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner), Artie Fufkin (Paul Schaffer) and Air Force Col. Hookstratten (Fred Willard).

This isn't exactly a "sequel" to the classic mockumentary, but it's a fun watch and the live show is a hoot with lots of visual gags amidst the musical mayhem. The Spinal Tap guys may have been playing characters, but they really could play their instruments, and this video is proof.

One of my great rock n roll regrets is that I didn't see the Tap when they played in NYC on this tour (sigh).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 29, 2021, 02:51:54 PM
^ I remember when they released CDs with extra long cardboard covers to " use more of mother natures wonderful resources"


Wound (2012) - this New Zealand "horror" movie would be a good initiation if you wanted to start a very small and limited group. It begins with a woman tying her Dad up and chopping his penis off.

She lives alone and poops into a toilet with tin foil floating in it and wraps up the poop and puts it in this huge freezer. It's kind of like John Waters but less campy and MUCH more depressing. There is a sub plot with a long lost daughter who's trying to find her and you want to be like "no turn back, it isn't worth it!"

???/ 5

its like taking out the garbage and tripping and falling on your face into the garbage can


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 30, 2021, 09:29:19 AM
"Turkey Shoot" (aka "Elimination Game," 2014)
A former Navy SEAL (Dominic "Prison Break" Purcell), falsely convicted of war crimes, is offered an alternative to death row: participating in "Turkey Shoot," a massively popular TV reality/game show in which felons are pursued by a variety of assassins. If he can survive all three levels of the game, he goes free... but of course, that's never happened before.
This cheap looking Aussie action flick is loosely based on the 1982 exploitation classic "Turkey Shoot" (known in the U.S. as "Escape 2000"). It tales some good jabs at the reality TV craze and has a fair bit of action but it's more or less a generic ripoff of "The Running Man."
Watchable, but just barely.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 30, 2021, 03:36:43 PM
The Ten Commandments (1923) -  The main thing to say about this is the iconic images from it are only in the first section of the movie, which depicts the Exodus. After that, there is a good but entirely different story about two brothers in love with the same girl.

It's a clever idea: lure the audience in with what at the time were no doubt amazing sets and spectacle, then have a good if fairly standard drama and work stuff about the ten commandments in at various intervals.

Having two guys be in love with the same girl isn't a revolutionary plot idea and the "moral lesson" aspect while not heavy handed, is a little predictable. Obviously, something like Citizen Kane would point the way forward more than the gimmick here, but it's still enjoyable, well made, and the principals are well cast.

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 31, 2021, 04:04:45 AM
The Holy Mountain (1973)

An alchemist selects a group of nine people to go on a quest to the Holy Mountain, to take the place of the nine immortals living there. Compared to other Jodorowsky movies, like El Topo or Fando y Lis, this is more accessible, although admittedly that is not saying very much. The narrative structure is more straightforward and the satire on contemporary society is pretty broad. You get a lot of the grotesque craziness of Jodorowsky, and a surprising number of scenes with animals. It is all very psychedelic and one wonders how many hallucinogenic substances went into the making of this movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 31, 2021, 10:05:03 AM
INSIDIOUS (2010): A young boy falls ill when he moves into a new house; mom is convinced the home is haunted, but when they move, the kid doesn't get better, and the apparitions get worse. A little more attention to detail (like how can a high school teacher afford such a huge home?) could have elevated this POLTERGEIST variation above just average, since it does have a couple of really good bits, like the comic relief psychic team and a terrifically terrifying use of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips." 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 31, 2021, 04:33:29 PM
"The Thomas Crown Affair" (1999)
Pierce Brosnan takes a break from James Bond to play a jet-setting New York financier who also dabbles in high-end art theft. When a priceless painting by Monet disappears from the Metropolitan Museum, their insurance company puts a gorgeous lady investigator (Rene Russo) on the case, but she may not be able to resist the charming thief.
This was a remake of a late '60s flick that starred Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway (who has a minor role in this one). It starts out as a pretty cool, twisty heist/caper flick but ends up leaning too much on the romance subplot as the film goes on. Despite that it's got a nice lavish look, a great cast, and good Lord, Rene Russo was fine as hell back then.
Not my usual kind of meat, but not a waste of time, either.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 31, 2021, 09:11:52 PM
"Rock N Roll High School Forever" (1991)
A dorky garage band led by Corey Feldman battles against Ronald Reagan High's rock hating yuppie student council and the ruthless Dean of Discipline, Dr. Vadar, in order to play at the senior prom.
...this belated, cheap looking pseudo-sequel to the 1979 classic is pure early 90s cheddar. Feldman was already rockin' the Michael Jackson hair at this time and the less said about his singing with his band "The Eradicators," the better.
Mojo Nixon turns up in a brief cameo as "the Spirit of Rock N Roll" and his song, "A-Bomb the School Prom," is the film's only highlight.
The original "RNRHS" is one of my favorite movies of all time. This is nothing more than a pale dollar store imitation.
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 01, 2021, 10:09:10 AM
VERSUS (2000): Two escaped convicts make their way to a spot where gangsters are supposed to pick them up; double-crosses follow, complicated by the fact that the rendezvous spot is a mystical forest where the dead quickly return to life. Nonstop dopey comic book violence choreographed by filmmakers who don't care as much about logic as they do about making sure the actors look cool while shooting zombies. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 02, 2021, 03:17:33 PM
Last Kind Words (2012) - mixed reviews on this one but I liked it enough to watch it a second time here. A family arrives at a farm so the father can work for the farmer. Soon enough, the kid meets a beautiful local girl and begins a backwoods romance. Unfortunately this is a horror (ish ) movie so the fun times don't last. All kinds of dark family secrets are uncovered as the son tries to find a purpose in life.

I guess some of the IMDB reviewers didn't think it was "horror" enough and in their defense the cover makes it look more like a typical Insidious type experience. The story is stronger than usual though and there are some nice shots of the farm with the extended woods and old barns and stuff.

4.25 /5 its more dark thriller than razzle dazzle horror. I probably wouldn't watch it a third time though


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 03, 2021, 09:50:09 PM
the PIT (1981)

A perverted creepy little basterd talks to his teddy bear, drools over his babysitter, gets bullied by everyone, and makes buddy-buddy with some 'trogs' that live in a pit out in the woods. And of course this junior Ted Bundy s**t stain lures them to the pit in various ways (some borderline slapstick, some scary) and shoves them in.
The first part is mostly about the psycho kid. The last part is pure monster movie-because the trogs get out!
Oh No!  :buggedout:

And for any Canuks here (I think Newt is!)- it was made in Canada!

http://youtu.be/T-fSOX9tyoY (http://youtu.be/T-fSOX9tyoY)

I loved it!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 04, 2021, 02:05:43 AM
La Mujer Murciélago/Batwoman (1968)

Someone in Mexico saw the Adam West Batman and thought, this would be so much better if we replaced the guy in tights with a hot chick in a bikini. The result is Batwoman (or the more spectacular sounding Spanish La Mujer Murciélago). Maura Monti's costume is just that: a cowl and a bikini (or when she is incognito, another bikini or baby doll nighty).

Batwoman is called by the Acapulco police to solve a series or murders on luchadores, who have their pineal gland drained. Turns out that this brain fluid is used by the nefarious Dr. Williams and his assistant Igor to create a race of fishmen to rule the oceans (insert maniacal laughter)

This plays out like an Adam West Batman, with equally believable fight scenes, but without the humour, the silliness and the gadgets. There are a lot of underwater shots though. The production team clearly wanted to show everyone that they had access to an underwater camera. It is also very slow and deliberate. The script would be OK for a 30-45 min TV episode, but is terribly drawn out to fill a 1h20 movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 04, 2021, 07:07:04 AM
THE LEGEND OF AWESOMIST MAXIMUS (2011) - This was National Lampoon's spoof of 300, GLADIATOR, TROY, and SPARTACUS - a hilariously bad, offensive romp loaded with gay jokes, nudity, cheesy fight scenes, and bad dialogue.  The Trojan Horse is replaced with a Trojan . . . . er, Weinermobile, shall we say?, and Achilles becomes Testicleez, and the mighty King Xerxes is replaced by the prissy King Erotik.  Full of groaners, this movie hit my funnybone just right after a long day at work. 2/4 on the regular movie scale, but a solid 5/5 on the bad movie scale!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 05, 2021, 11:59:12 PM
AQUASLASH (2019) - A graduating high school class holds their party at an aging waterpark where several murders had occurred some 35 years before; little known to them, the killer has returned and has booby-trapped the tallest, fastest water slide in the park with razor sharp saw blades about halfway down.  Decapitations and massive gore ensues.  Not much for plot, but an original concept, and I didn't guess who the killer was until the reveal.  Plus lotsa hot girls in swimsuits.  A good way to spend a Friday evening.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 06, 2021, 02:56:28 PM
Stranger From Venus (1954) - British people hadn't quite figured out how to do campy sci fi yet. This is like an incredibly long and boring Outer Limits Episode that thankfully never made it to air.

An alien comes to earth and tries to order beer in a dumb British pub. Everyone soon realizes he doesn't belong, probably because he has all his teeth. Two almost okay looking brunettes are all the scenery we get. He lectures everyone about how stupid they are so logically the annoyed Earthling bar patrons plot to blow up his cheap looking spaceship. Amidst all this he/ it begins the worlds most tepid affair ever with one of the 5's

2.5 /5 If you thought Creation of the Humanoids wasn't preachy and leaden enough check this one out


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 06, 2021, 06:16:20 PM
Under-the-weather double feature:

"The Phantom" (1996)
Billy Zane ("Titanic") stars as the 1930's comic strip hero, who travels from his jungle home to pre-war New York City to stop a budding super-villain (Treat Williams) who's looking to steal a major source of mystical power. A fun period piece action thriller, somewhere between "Batman" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

"Fulci For Fake" (2019)
The life and work of notorious Italian film director Lucio Fulci, aka "The Godfather of Gore," is examined through photos, home movies, and  interviews with members of his family, frequent collaborators, and film scholars. An interesting portrait of a complicated man. In Italian, with sub-titles.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 06, 2021, 08:17:53 PM
Stranger From Venus (1954) - British people hadn't quite figured out how to do campy sci fi yet. This is like an incredibly long and boring Outer Limits Episode that thankfully never made it to air.

An alien comes to earth and tries to order beer in a dumb British pub. Everyone soon realizes he doesn't belong, probably because he has all his teeth. Two almost okay looking brunettes are all the scenery we get. He lectures everyone about how stupid they are so logically the annoyed Earthling bar patrons plot to blow up his cheap looking spaceship. Amidst all this he/ it begins the worlds most tepid affair ever with one of the 5's

2.5 /5 If you thought Creation of the Humanoids wasn't preachy and leaden enough check this one out

You hit that nail on the head.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 06, 2021, 10:34:06 PM
BLOODLINES (2018) - A high school counselor and new dad, played by Seann Scott (better known as Steve Stiffler from the AMERICAN PIE series), struggles with juggling fatherhood, a strained marriage, and the woes of the abused high school students he deals with daily, all while hiding from his wife and the world the fact that he is a Dexter-style serial killer, avenging abused youth by taking out their abusers . . . permanently.  A well-done, dark film with a nice twist ending, I really enjoyed this one.  4/5

STARSHIP TROOPERS (1997) Sometimes you gotta go with the classics, and this fascist sci-fi romp starring Caspar von Diem, Neil Patrick Harris, a kazillion CGI space bugs, and Denise Richards and her eyebrows at the peak of her 90's hotness, is still a fun watch all these years later!  Never mind the bleak, militaristic government that rules earth in the 23rd century, let's blow up some bugs while the military enjoys co-ed showers!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 07, 2021, 01:34:12 AM
CUTTING CLASS -  A classic 80's slasher starring a very young Brad Pitt, complete with improbable kills, a baffling storyline, unlikable characters, and dialogue that leaves the viewer going "Huh?" on a regular basis.  The second act drags a bit, but overall this one is a fun way to kill an hour and a half while stuck late on a Saturday night waiting for your 92 year old mother in law to have to get up and use the bathroom again, or die in her sleep. So far, it's always been the former.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on February 08, 2021, 10:07:56 AM
REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2000)

The drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island people are shattered when their addictions run deep.

WARNING: SPOILERS ALERT

Perhaps I just enjoy going against the current, perhaps I just suck as a movie watcher... or perhaps, maybe perhaps, this movie is a little bit overrated? I've watched it for the first time last weekend and I hated it. It's basically TRAINSPOTTING but without the memorable scenes, the black humor, the interesting characters, and the uplifting ending.
Not only the four main cast is ridiculously boring and cliched, but I also couldn't give a damn about any of them, therefore making the whole emotion exploitation of the movie meaningless. There wasn't a single point in the whole plot in which they tried to be better by pure sacrifice and effort, all of them took the easy way out and basically blamed it all in the rest.
The portrayal of both medical and security staff is laughable, those hospitals looked like they came from a horror movie (electroshocks without anesthetics? sending away a patient with gangrene, and then arresting him without treatment first? giving amphetamines to a person who wants to lose weight, just like that?).
Plenty of scenes were totally useless, just there for the shock factor, like frontal nudity, the guy inyecting himself in the wound for no reason, the whole orgy at the ending, and many more.
The editing made me dizzy, it felt like a neverending music video. The dialog is simply awful: a lot of phrases are not only bad, but also used more than once, and in some cases, by more than one character, as if we needed to hear it over and over because they were oh-so-deep.

Honestly, I believe that the only reason this movie got popular was because the music, which is really good and appropiate for each scene. The rest is total artsy-fartsy garbage, sorry. 3/10  :thumbdown:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 08, 2021, 03:31:55 PM
Break (2019) - this is better than Frozen, the similarly themed American one. I don't see many Russian movies so this was interesting for that reason too. There is no sex or nudity or innuendo I think they are lucky they get to make movies at all over there. Ironically, it is well known that Russia has the greatest whores in the world. One good quality it had was cognition of the internet and the fact that kids use it 24 hours a day.

As they get into a creaky chair lift in the middle of the night, of course no one says anything like "I hope we don't get stuck, that would be bad." 

plot: Youths including a comic relief fat guy are going to party at the top of a mountain but get stuck in the trolley thing. The situation becomes more and more grim as they struggle to keep it together and personal issues rise to the surface and yadda yadda

More care than usual put into this. The thing you are pretty sure is going to happen doesn't a few times, in other words.

4.25/ 5  enjoyable if not wildly unique or original


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 09, 2021, 09:50:54 AM
VARIETY LIGHTS (1950): Fellini's first movie. A pretty, ambitious country girl worms her way into a fleabag traveling variety show, whose self-appointed star is immediately smitten with her. This gentle satire knows its showbiz characters inside-out, but while it's fun enough, it barely gives an inkling of what the director is capable of. 3/5.

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYjc4YWIyOTAtYjRlOS00NzlkLWI3NmItZmYyZDFmNTU0NmNmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTc4MzI2NQ@@._V1_.jpg)

Carla Del Poggio is really hot.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 09, 2021, 09:49:34 PM
"Hallowed Be Thy Name" (2020)
Small town Louisiana teens p**s off a legendary demon that lives in a cave outside of town. Hilarity does not ensue. Cheap, poorly acted, talky indie horror crap with no likeable characters, no decent scares and a cop-out ending.
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 10, 2021, 09:44:59 AM
THE WHITE SHEIK (1952): A young bride sneaks away on her honeymoon to see the actor who plays her favorite serial character, "The White Sheik."  Fellini's first film as solo director is an Italian screwball comedy, and a funny one: Leopold Trieste's facial expressions as he tries to stall the family who's demanding to meet his missing bride are priceless, and there's a laugh-out-loud suicide attempt. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 10, 2021, 02:25:32 PM
The Hunt (2012) - This has some pretty high ratings on IMDB, probably due to its subject matter: a man wrongly (we think) accused of child molestation. The filmmakers deserve credit for taking on this topic, but the movie falls short in a couple ways, though it does have more depth than most of my recent viewings.

A guy is in his forties and still works as an assistant at a kindergarten. He should probably be doing something more substantial with his life. Why he has this job is not really explored. At any rate the kids like him, one kid in particular a little too much, probably due to being neglected at home. This leads to her saying that he exposed himself to her and the town is soon in an uproar and he gets beaten up when he goes to the supermarket and so forth.

The script badly needed going over. The school principal decides way too fast that he is totally guilty, the English speaking co worker who instantly falls in love with him makes no sense and we wait and wait to learn what if anything DID happen etc

At the same time the main guys performance is good and the scenes where he accepts that he is a pariah but tries to navigate life in purgatory are compelling.  The focus on the families and community in this small Denmark town makes it relatable.

4/5 Some good stuff and some stuff that should have been fixed. 2 hour plus heavy drama if you're in the mood


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 11, 2021, 10:50:45 AM
I VITELLONI (1953): The friendship of five layabouts ("vitelloni," i.e. slackers) is tested when the womanizer of the group marries the youngest friend's sister. Well-made but rather pointless infidelity drama; the thing that stands out to me most is Nino Rota's score, and the fact that lead Franco Interlenghi looks an awful lot like Marcello Mastroianni (whose character in LA DOLCE VITA has a similar name and may well be meant to be the same character at a later stage of life). 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 12, 2021, 12:00:01 AM
FORBIDDEN EMPIRE (2014) This was a badly dubbed Russian fantasy film set in 1701.  To be honest, the plot was darned hard to follow - not sure if bad screewriting or bad translation was to blame.  An English scientist comes to a remote kingdom in Eastern Europe beset by witches and beasts and tries to help the local lord solve the mystery surrounding his daughter's death.  Cool special effects, complex plot, bad dubbing - I wanted to like this one, but it wound up being a slog in places.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 12, 2021, 10:01:57 AM
LA STRADA (1954): The brutish Zampanò buys a simple-minded girl for 10,000 lira to be his assistant in his traveling strongman act. Anthony Quinn makes for one of the screen's all-time detestable villains, but Fellini's ruthless but empathetic script makes us feel for even him---just barely. 5/5. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 13, 2021, 10:44:44 AM
"Killer Crocodile" (1989)
Environmentalists investigating pollution in a tropical swamp discover that radioactive waste has caused a local croc to grow to immense size and develop a taste for humans.
This cheap, cheesy-but-fun Italian creature feature wears its obvious "Jaws" influence like a neon sign -- even the monster's "attack music" is a thinly veiled ripoff of the Jaws theme! The giant croc puppet is good for a few laughs and there's a whole bunch of gory deaths, so at least the movie lived up to its title. Entertaining junk.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 13, 2021, 04:08:11 PM
"Aenigma" (1987)
A prank on a nerdy college girl goes wrong and puts her into a coma, but she gets revenge on her tormentors from her hospital bed via telekinetic powers.
A couple of cute girls and some decent gory death scenes can't quite save this klutzy Italian flick which is bolted together from bits of "Carrie," "Phenomena," and "Patrick." A late-career swing and miss from the usually-dependable Spaghetti horror maven Lucio "Zombie" Fulci.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 13, 2021, 09:31:55 PM
"Moonshine County Express" (1977)
A Southern moonshine maker is shot dead by members of a rival organization, and his three lovely daughters decide to take over Daddy's business. Obviously the bad guys are not pleased to learn of their new competition, which leads to lots of car chases, explosions, and general mayhem.  
This fun, fast paced Hick-sploitation action comedy in the "Dukes of Hazzard" vein features some impressive stunt driving and a cast full of familiar faces, incl. former Playmate Claudia Jennings, Maureen "Marcia Brady" McCormick, John Saxon, and William Conrad.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 14, 2021, 05:52:12 PM
"Concrete Blondes" (2013)
Three ditzy female roommates stumble into the site of a gangland slaying, and discover a giant bag full of cash. They think their financial prayers have been answered, until they have to keep that money out of the hands of the thugs, low lifes and double-crossers who are looking for it.
An uneven flick that can't quite decide if it's a dark slapstick comedy or a straight up Tarantino-style ultra violent crime flick, but it's enjoyable enough thanks to the charm of the three female leads, who work well together (and are cute too).
No connection to the similarly-titled spy movie starring Charlize Theron.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 16, 2021, 10:17:15 AM
MAN UNDER TABLE (2021): A nameless screenwriter tries to write a movie (the movie we're watching), while his peers' careers seem to be taking off faster than his. Meta-movies where the screenwriter is also a (usually neurotic) character aren't totally original, but nor is the subgenre tapped out yet; although it can't exactly figure out how to end itself, MAN UNDER TABLE largely succeeds through its knowing satire of pretentious indie filmmakers working at the fringes of an industry that is itself on the fringes of Hollywood. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 16, 2021, 11:25:50 AM
DUNGEON OF HARROW (1962)

Possibly the worst horror film ever made.
This was made by mediocre comic book artist and writer Pat Boyette. He should have stuck to drawing s**t comic books.

Senseless drivel involving some morons stranded on an isolated island held captive in an old castle (why a castle is in the middle of Buttf**k, Nowhere, is never explained) by some old nutjob haunted by his dead wife?
I don't even care.
I'm amazed this was never on  that Mystery Science Theater 3000- because this is s**t.
I actually have seen this 3 times. Don't ask why- because I don't know. I blame it on drug and booze abuse compounded by maniac depression. That's the only excuse I have.

http://youtu.be/1sMhMaPL9SY (http://youtu.be/1sMhMaPL9SY)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 17, 2021, 04:32:02 AM
Death Fest: A teenager whose mother was murdered by a psycho grows up obsessed with horror movies and plans on attending a horror con which turns out to be a real horror story when the staff start killing the attendees.

I didn't have much in the way of high expectations going into this one, but it was somewhat better than expected. If you've got an hour and a half to spare there are worse things you could watch. The effects could be better, but the acting is mostly good enough for you to suspend disbelief and root for the heroes as they try to escape this 700-acre death trap.


Bill & Ted Face The Music. Many years after the last movie, Bill and Ted return wondering why they have still not fulfilled their destiny. Kristi enjoyed this one and thought it was fun-filled. I thought there were too many plot threads woven into the movie and none of them had enough time to develop them properly. You could have dumped the rehashed plotlines from the previous movies (collecting figures from history, visiting Hell, robot out to kill them) and just developed some of the other ones and for my money anyway, made a much better film. Not terrible, but could have been so much better.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 17, 2021, 06:34:05 AM
Beauty Water (2020)

A Korean animated feature that is a not too subtle attack on South Korea's toxic obsession with beauty. Ugly duckling Yaeji gets hold of 'Beauty Water', which allows you to magically resculpt your face and body. She reinvents herself as the stunning beauty Solhye and sets out to make it in the world of media and fashion with ruthless determination. But there are dark secrets to the Beauty Water.

A pretty effective horror thriller. The animation is dodgy in places, and the characters tend to be one note, but the plots moves along briskly and the whole thing gets more and more unsettling  as it goes on. There is also a fair bit of body horror. Some reviews have mentioned that it is hard to root for anyone in the movie because all characters tend to be shallow and egotistical, but I think that is kind of the point. The line between victim and predator is very blurred.

Not perfect, but an interesting take.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 17, 2021, 09:54:55 AM
A FAMILY (2019): A man hires actors to portray his family in home movies, but his carefully constructed life falls apart when the new actress hired to play his sister has her own ideas. It's basically Yorgos Lanthimos fan fiction. Ukrainian, but made by an Australian director and producers. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on February 18, 2021, 12:41:25 PM
The Kid Detective - What happens to Encyclopedia Brown after he grows up?  That's sort of what this is like, it's about a prototypical young adult "kid detective" now a man in his 30s dealing with his first "real" case.  It's a dark comedy with some really deftly handled tonal shifts and a great lead performance from Adam Brody.  Think it'd reward on a rewatch as well.  8/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 19, 2021, 10:09:36 AM
NO TRACE (2021): In what appears to be the post-apocalyptic near future, a middle-aged woman smuggles a Muslim with a newborn across the border, then encounters her again in the woods after her cart is stolen. Beautifully made and acted, featuring great black and white cinematography and an excellent dark ambient soundtrack; I just wish the plot was strong enough to support the weighty atmosphere. For fans of slow cinema only. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 19, 2021, 10:05:41 PM
"Evolution" (2001)
A pair of slacker college professors (David Duchovny and Orlando Jones) and the U.S. military battle against a rapidly mutating alien life form that crashed near their small Arizona town on a meteor.
This fast, funny sci-fi comedy from director Ivan Reitman is kinda like a mash up of "Ghostbusters" and "Men in Black." Duchovny is clearly having the most fun, playing a guy who's the total opposite of his straight-laced "X-Files" persona, and there's a lot of cool/weird creatures and gooey effects. Underrated.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 20, 2021, 12:37:07 AM
LINCOLN (2014) Spielberg's biopic about President Lincoln and the battle for the 13th Amendment blew me away the first time I saw it and gets better with every viewing.  Daniel-Day Lewis turns out one of the finest portrayals of Lincoln ever done by any actor, and the political drama is powerful, aided by a wonderful supporting cast.  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 20, 2021, 12:07:41 PM
"Memory: The Origins of Alien" (2019)
A look back at the making of the landmark sci-fi/horror film "Alien," told via vintage clips and interviews with film critics, cast members, and crew. Sigourney Weaver is unfortunately absent from the proceedings, but Tom "Captain Dallas" Skerritt and Veronica "Lambert" Cartwright have some good stories and there are lots of cool behind the scenes photos and storyboards. A cool doc that fanboys will dig, despite a tendency to get a bit pretentious and high-falutin' at times.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 20, 2021, 05:34:51 PM
Lazy Winter Saturday double feature:

"From Beyond" (1986)
Director Stuart Gorden re-unites his "Re-Animator" cast mates Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton in another horror tale loosely inspired by an H.P. Lovecraft story. A science experiment to stimulate a dormant sensory organ in humans goes horribly wrong, and opens up an inter-dimensional doorway that some not-so-nice life forms use to slip through. This slimy, old school gore fest is an absolute hoot, with tons of cool gross-out effects and the smokin' hot Barbara C. rockin' S&M gear. What more do you need to have a good time?

"Taffin" (1988)
Before he was Bond, Pierce Brosnan was "Taffin," a tough guy debt collector in a small Irish town. The elders hire him to drive out some crooked corporate creeps who want to build a chemical factory in their pristine village, but he soon learns he might be in over his head.
Brosnan's performance is fine (and the unfortunately-named Alison Doody, who plays his love interest, is quite the hottie) but otherwise this is very slow and talky for a supposed "action" flick, there's way more yappin' than butt kickin'. Skip this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 21, 2021, 10:04:42 AM
"Black Sheep" (2006)
Secret genetic experiments at a New Zealand farm turn a flock of ordinary, docile sheep into blood thirsty carnivores whose bites have transformative properties.
...soooo yeah, this is basically "Night of the Living Dead," but with sheep, and with special effects by Peter "Lord of the Rings" Jackson's WETA Workshop!
Of course the premise of this goofy, gory, very funny horror comedy is completely ludicrous, but cast makes it work by playing it completely straight-faced.Arguably the best movie about man-eating sheep I've ever seen. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 21, 2021, 01:47:13 PM
"Tread" (2019)
A documentary about the strange saga of Marvin Heemeyer, a Colorado muffler-shop owner who had numerous business-related grievances against his local town council... so one fine day in 2004 he went on a rampage through town in a heavily armored bulldozer that he built in his garage.  
The TV news footage of Marv's homemade Killdozer knocking down buildings, crushing cars, etc., is a sight to behold, and interviews with witnesses and tape recordings of Marv's "manifesto" create a bizarre but fascinating portrait of a troubled guy who felt he'd been pushed too far and believed he was on a mission from God to destroy those who'd "wronged" him.
Moral of the story: don't p**s off a skilled mechanic and welder.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 21, 2021, 02:30:21 PM
^ I will keep that in mind

7 Grandmasters - decent enough kung fu movie with bearded "masters" trying to figure out who is the GRAND master. The main guys daughter is cute and the plot was strong enough. I may break down and get Amazon Prime so i can watch the Celestial Shaw Brothers titles. I have a bunch of them in my basement but alas I don't have A DVD player anymore

3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 21, 2021, 07:00:27 PM
"Fathom" (1967)
While prepping for a competition in Spain, foxy sky-diver "Fathom" Harvill (Raquel Welch) gets mixed up with a variety of spies, smugglers, and private eyes who are all searching for a priceless Chinese treasure.
This muddled spy spoof wasn't very good, but it's worth sitting through just to ogle Ms. Welch, who was arguably the hottest woman in the world at this time. She never could act worth a damn, but she spends the whole movie in a series of bikinis and other skimpy outfits, soooo... lame movie, but outstanding eye candy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 23, 2021, 09:57:04 AM
FELLINI: I'M A BORN LIAR (2002): Fellini documentary consisting of interviews interspersed with movie clips and a little behind-the-scenes footage, heavily focused on the latter part of his career ("Toby Dammit" and after). Nothing groundbreaking, but they do get some good quotes from Fellini (in a philosophical mood) and actors who've worked with him (most notably Donald Sutherland and Terrance Stamp). 3/5. An extra in the Criterion Fellini box set.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 23, 2021, 10:53:59 AM
"Tread" (2019)
A documentary about the strange saga of Marvin Heemeyer, a Colorado muffler-shop owner who had numerous business-related grievances against his local town council... so one fine day in 2004 he went on a rampage through town in a heavily armored bulldozer that he built in his garage.  
The TV news footage of Marv's homemade Killdozer knocking down buildings, crushing cars, etc., is a sight to behold, and interviews with witnesses and tape recordings of Marv's "manifesto" create a bizarre but fascinating portrait of a troubled guy who felt he'd been pushed too far and believed he was on a mission from God to destroy those who'd "wronged" him.
Moral of the story: don't p**s off a skilled mechanic and welder.

I seen it the other night. Yeah- that guy was p**sed!  :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 23, 2021, 03:26:39 PM
Chain Letter (2015) - laughably bad and boringly competent horror movie. Almost all the reviews are 1 star but one guy really liked it so I gave it a chance. He was wrong. I should send him a chain letter like the one in this garbage movie.

A guy sends a chain email to a kid who nervously forwards it to his friends. This marks them for death from some huge unstoppable guy who hates technology??? Wouldn't that mean he has to kill everyone in the entire world? and isn't he using it himself. It's ridiculously stupid. The cast has no personality but in their defense the script leaves them no room to develop their characters.

I almost never "MST3K' movies because I'm not named Mike Nelson and I'm not getting paid to do so, but I had no choice here. The red herrings were so obvious and the attempts to fight back were so feeble. A girl trapped in the bathroom used the lid of the toilet to wield against the killer, making no effort to escape through the window, which we all see in the shot. The opening scene is a creative and well done "kill" and that's it for the whole movie. The director must be Italian

1/5

Actually there was one interesting thing: in a shot of one girls room there a statue of a weird pig in the background. I wonder what that was


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 23, 2021, 08:01:31 PM
AMISTAD (1998) - Spielberg's brilliant and moving account of the 49 slaves who broke their chains and took over a slave ship, only to wash ashore in Martin van Buren's America, is a perennial favorite of mine.  Perfect casting and a haunting soundtrack, plus the one and only Anthony Hopkins in an Oscar-nominated performance as John Quincy Adams - this is a powerful film that you won't forget!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 23, 2021, 10:27:50 PM
"No Escape Room" (2018)
Visitors to a small-town "Escape Room" tourist attraction slowly begin to suspect that they're not really playing a "game," and that there's something supernatural going on behind the scenes.
This SyFy Original horror flick has a cool premise and some nice set designs, but the "secret" behind the Escape Room is never made very clear, so by the three quarter mark the movie is just spinning its wheels. I've seen worse, but you can safely skip this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 25, 2021, 08:32:11 PM
IL BIDONE (1955): An aging con man finds his prospects and his dignity slipping away. A good performance by a very weary-looking, very sleazy Broderick Crawford is the reason to watch. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 27, 2021, 04:07:03 PM
"The Rift" (1990)
When a Navy submarine mysteriously disappears, a sister ship is dispatched to find out what happened to it. Following the sub's S.O.S. signal, they eventually discover an underwater cavern full of mutant seaweed and giant, carnivorous something-or-others. You can probably figure out the rest.
This low budget Spanish/American co-production (directed by Juan Piquer Simon of Pieces fame) was one of numerous "underwater" horror flicks that tried to capitalize on the release of James Cameron's The Abyss (see: Leviathan, Deep Star Six, Lords of the Deep, etc.). It's junk, but at least it's entertaining junk, thanks to some cool/cheap creature and gore effects and a cast full of familiar B-Movie regulars like Jack Scalia, Ray Wise and the great R. Lee Ermey.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 28, 2021, 10:06:47 AM
Freaks: You're one of us (2020)

The title of this German movie is of course a Todd Browning reference. Wendy, a downtrodden cook in the uniquely German fast food 'Koteletthimmel' meets a tramp who tells her that the medication she is taking serves in fact to suppress her superpowers. So she stops taking the pills, and develops superstrength. She then discovers that there is conspiracy to keep her and others like her under control, and things get very complicated very quickly.

A German take on the 'what would happen if people had superpowers in a realistic setting' theme. It doesn't do anything particularly new, but it moves along nicely, and Cornelia Gröschel gives a great performance as Wendy, trying to make sense of her new found ability.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 28, 2021, 05:33:45 PM
"The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini" (1966)
Before he can get into Heaven, a recently-deceased millionaire (Boris Karloff) must perform one good deed. He sends his foxy, ghostly assistant to his mansion to make sure his heirs receive their proper  inheritance -- but the place is soon overrun by greedy lawyers, a gang of dim-witted bikers, a bus load of pool partying teens, and a gorilla (!), all searching for the old boy's loot.
This cheap, cheesy, campy mash up of Sixties beach movies and haunted-house flicks features lots of pretty girls running around in bikinis, some absolutely terrible rock 'n roll songs, (one of which is sung by Nancy Sinatra) and the most shameless, mugging over-acting you've ever seen outside of a Three Stooges short. An entertainingly terrible movie with great eye candy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 01, 2021, 11:55:24 AM
The Social Network - Somehow missed this one.  It's very good, as you might surmise.  Great lead performance, fantastic score, brilliantly edited.  Visually, it's Fincher - so really good, reminds me of Zodiac especially.  Sorkin can write some great scenes too.  Some characters feel a bit thin at parts, and sometimes things don't fully add up, I guess, as some mild criticism.  Like Timberlake's Sean Parker.  I'd have preferred less of him or more of him, as is there was just enough to make him feel like a major character without quite enough meat. 

Also, I'll say I'm glad I knew a little bit about how liberal it is with artistic license in this story though. 

9/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 02, 2021, 09:50:18 AM
SOUTHLAND TALES (2006): In a near-future America during WWIII, a nervous action movie star (Dwayne Johnson) finds himself used as a pawn between the Republicans and the Neo-Marxists. A deliberately chaotic, sprawling 2.5 hour satire that veers into nonsensical apocalyptic mayhem at the end; I find myself on the "love" side of love it or hate it. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 03, 2021, 09:51:53 AM
NIGHTS OF CABIRIA (1957): Follows the nocturnal adventures of Cabiria, an archetypal hooker with a heart of gold whose rough exterior hides a romantic soul. Of all Fellini's neorealist tragedies, this is the cruelest, because Cabiria is far more endearing than his male antiheroes; for all her rough edges, she's more a victim of circumstance than of bad choices. Her tragic flaw is hope. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 03, 2021, 12:50:48 PM
I Am Dragon. A Russian fantasy / love story. Incredibly predictable, but very sweet none the less. One to curl up and watch with a lady needing a romantic night.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 03, 2021, 02:31:36 PM
I Wake Up Screaming - no one wakes up screaming in this really pretty engaging mystery staring the very mature Victor Mature. As a challenge, he and his friends make a star of a blonde waitress they meet. It works, but then she wants to go to Hollywood, leaving them in the dust. or she would have gone there except she gets killed. She was pretty annoying so the viewer might not be too broken up about it, but they still have to figure out who did it.

Was it her envious sister? One of the three stooges who made her famous? The gigantic detective investigating the whole thing?

I can never figure anything out and I more or less did with this one, but it was still colorful, albeit in black and white. Its been on the TCM film noir thing but I watched it on youtube.

4.5 /5

24 Hours to live - I don't know much about modern action movies but this was pretty good. A hit man is coerced into doing a job he doesn't want to do by his friend. They both work for Red Mountain, a scary private militia type firm that secretly runs the world. as the title indicates...he ends up with 24 hours to live! rather than go to Studio 54 or to church, he dedicates himself to stuff involving the case he's working on.

All the motivations and stuff made sense and there was a fair amount of unrealistic gunplay and stuff too, so it had depth and excitement. In the ago of super hero movies every week it is a little besides the point and appears to have had a relatively meager budget. I was impressed with Sinister and I'd say Hawke made a another good film choice

4.5 / 5

American Swing - interesting documentary about Plato's Retreat in NYC, a sex club. It was sort of like a dance club except people would not just dance with other people they would go have sex with them and lots of other strangers. I would have liked more info about how in the world they paced themselves. Do you go and have sex right away then go do one of the random activities they had...then go back? There are plenty of other gory details though.

As the 80's approached, this sort of thing became less popular and AIDS put the final nail in the coffin. The owner, Larry Levenson, ended up being a cabbie. Ron Jeremy, Anni Sprinkle, Melvin Van Peebles and various trenchcoat looking motherf**kers provide commentary.

One funny bit was where Abbie Hoffman, on the run from the law, really wanted to go there. They took him and...he struck out.  "Only guy I ever seen who couldn't get laid at Plato's retreat"  I wonder why?? haha

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 03, 2021, 05:28:06 PM
KEEP AN EYE OUT [AU POSTE!] (2018): A long interrogation of an innocent man accused of murder is complicated by another accidental death. Beginning with the arrest of a man for conducting a symphony orchestra in his underwear, this strange and funny, dialogue heavy 75-minute surrealist goof with absurd deaths and time-travel paradoxes inside of flashbacks is Quentin Dupieux's most Bunuelian movie to date. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 06, 2021, 03:52:42 PM
"Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story" (2020)
An enlightening (yet also depressing) documentary about the hit '90s Nicktoon and its obsessive weirdo creator, John Kricfalusi (aka "John K"), whose out-of-control, tyrannical work habits made for a hellish environment behind the scenes and eventually got him fired from Nickelodeon.
"R & S" still has a cult following today, but unfortunately the show's reputation has been even further tarnished by revelations about John K's abusive relationship with an underage intern in the early 2000s. I guess that's why we don't see "Ren & Stimpy" reruns on TV anymore. (sigh)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 06, 2021, 07:52:55 PM
ISLAND ZERO - On a remote island off the coast of Maine, the normally rich fishery has collapsed.  No fish, no lobster, nothing.  Then all contact with the mainland is lost.  And then the islanders themselves start to disappear.  A fairly well-done, low budget creature feature with some memorable characters; nice way to waste an hour or two during a boring evening.  3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 06, 2021, 09:26:32 PM
"Solo: A Star Wars Story" (2018)
Young Alden Ehrenreich steps into the role made famous by Harrison Ford in this "secret origin" story of the iconic character. The flick goes back to Han's youth as a small time thief and hustler and follows him as he joins a criminal crew for a dangerous interplanetary adventure. Along the way we see him meet Chewbacca and Lando for the first time and take possession of the famed Millennium Falcon.
...this was my second viewing of "Solo" and I thought it was tons of fun. Unfortunately its mediocre box office returns killed Disney/Lucasfilm's plans for an series of stand-alone "Star Wars Story" adventures, which is a bummer, cuz I would've liked to see more of these.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 07, 2021, 10:45:17 AM
"Solo: A Star Wars Story" (2018)
Young Alden Ehrenreich steps into the role made famous by Harrison Ford in this "secret origin" story of the iconic character. The flick goes back to Han's youth as a small time thief and hustler and follows him as he joins a criminal crew for a dangerous interplanetary adventure. Along the way we see him meet Chewbacca and Lando for the first time and take possession of the famed Millennium Falcon.
...this was my second viewing of "Solo" and I thought it was tons of fun. Unfortunately its mediocre box office returns killed Disney/Lucasfilm's plans for an series of stand-alone "Star Wars Story" adventures, which is a bummer, cuz I would've liked to see more of these.

I enjoyed this one as well. I didn't think he especially nailed the character of Han, but it was a fun space heist movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 07, 2021, 10:58:14 AM
FREAKS (2018): 7-year old Chloe's dad keeps her locked in the house, warning her that if she goes outside people will consider her a freak and try to kill her; meanwhile, she's tempted by the ice cream truck that parks outside her house every day. Entertaining demonstration of how you can create a superhero-type movie with minimal effects on a low budget. Not crazy about taking the title of a much better film, though. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 07, 2021, 12:17:07 PM
"Demonia" (1990)
A lady archaeologist pokes around the ruins of a remote Sicilian monastery and re-awakens the p*ssed off spirits of some Satanic nuns (?) who were murdered by villagers there in the Middle Ages. Needless to say, this does not end well for anyone.

This late-career entry from Italian gore maven Lucio "Zombie" Fulci takes a while to kick into gear - the first half is a slog, but it more than makes up for that with the gloriously bats**t crazy second half, which is packed with wall to wall weirdness, sleaze (Satanic nun orgy!) and gore (Eye gouging, tongue impalement, crucifixions, and on and on...)

I'm a Lucio fan boy so I'll watch just about any damn thing with his name on it. Your mileage may vary depending on your tolerance for awkwardly paced, woodenly acted, poorly dubbed Italian splatter flicks.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 07, 2021, 01:25:57 PM
^ I'm a BIG Fulci fan. I need to see that!.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 07, 2021, 02:31:35 PM
The Sphinx (1933) - decent murder mystery with a likeable cast. A deaf mute is accused of murder repeatedly but always has an alibi. A group of police and reporters aren't buying it, especially when one of them's cute girlfriend becomes infatuated with him. 4/5

(https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-1/101/201101/A7QKvIMk/ffe9d08232914e7e8c5f97d8bb977d8e)


There is no actual Egyptian Sphinx it's a nickname for the guy


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 07, 2021, 10:56:46 PM
THE FRANKENSTEIN THEORY (2012) I vaguely remembered renting this from Hastings back in the day, before that paragon of book, video and music stores went out of business.  So when it popped up on my recommended Prime titles I decided to give it a shot, and I am glad I did!  THE FRANKENSTEIN THEORY has just the right blend of tension, conflict, and terror that make for a successful found footage film.  The "monster" is shown in just the right amount of vague detail - enough to be scary, but not enough to dispel the mystery that surrounds him.  A nice creepy film for late night viewing!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 08, 2021, 04:53:10 PM
The Maidens of Fetish Street (1966)

Also known as The Girls on F Street. Basically Russ Meyer Sin City style. Set improbably in a 1928 that is indistinguishable from 1966, a sexually frustrated guy seeks satisfaction. This is essentially a series of set pieces with hookers, strippers and even a bit of SM, while a pompous narrator goes on about how depraved this all is. The latter part is either a clever way of getting the movie past the censors, or the most egregious bit of hypocrisy in the history of film. It is beautifully shot, however, in atmospheric black and white. Also lots of boobs.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 09, 2021, 01:52:42 PM
"Demonia" (1990)
A lady archaeologist pokes around the ruins of a remote Sicilian monastery and re-awakens the p*ssed off spirits of some Satanic nuns (?) who were murdered by villagers there in the Middle Ages. Needless to say, this does not end well for anyone.

This late-career entry from Italian gore maven Lucio "Zombie" Fulci takes a while to kick into gear - the first half is a slog, but it more than makes up for that with the gloriously bats**t crazy second half, which is packed with wall to wall weirdness, sleaze (Satanic nun orgy!) and gore (Eye gouging, tongue impalement, crucifixions, and on and on...)

I'm a Lucio fan boy so I'll watch just about any damn thing with his name on it. Your mileage may vary depending on your tolerance for awkwardly paced, woodenly acted, poorly dubbed Italian splatter flicks.

I started to watch this- but turned it off.
Not because I wasn't enjoying it! I'm saving it for like midnight.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on March 09, 2021, 01:53:08 PM
"Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story" (2020)
An enlightening (yet also depressing) documentary about the hit '90s Nicktoon and its obsessive weirdo creator, John Kricfalusi (aka "John K"), whose out-of-control, tyrannical work habits made for a hellish environment behind the scenes and eventually got him fired from Nickelodeon.
"R & S" still has a cult following today, but unfortunately the show's reputation has been even further tarnished by revelations about John K's abusive relationship with an underage intern in the early 2000s. I guess that's why we don't see "Ren & Stimpy" reruns on TV anymore. (sigh)

Interesting, I wasn't aware of this documentary. I love Ren & Stimpty but I have to admit, after the second season it went downhill reaaaally bad. As in, it's nearly unwatchable after that, to me at least.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on March 09, 2021, 11:27:57 PM
i disagree but than though i do have all of them on dvd of the original show and some of them i think are cut... i still enjoy it after season 1 but to each their own i i suppose.

anyways, the last thing i watched was Captain American Civil Wars (2016) 10/10  great film though it's not in my favorites of the films i do think it's a damn good film. i've been watching them in order i do have them all on 4K well all of them but 4 of them. and they are The Incredible Hulk (2008) Age of Ultron (2015)
Homecoming (2017) and Infinity War (2018)  the rest i have on 4K


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 10, 2021, 01:06:19 AM
TO YOUR LAST DEATH (2020) - The four adult children of an arms tycoon are summoned to his high-rise office complex and pitted in a deadly game to the death - first against his minions, and then against each other.  But there is something more at work here - a deadly game in which they are only pawns.  this animated horror film is brilliantly written and features one plot twist after another.  TOTALLY worth the viewing!!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 10, 2021, 03:31:51 AM
Saw My Neighbors Doing The Wild Thing  :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 11, 2021, 01:01:50 AM
PANMAN (2014)  A guy with a pan on his head kills culinary students.  He's possessed by the spirit of a dead chef. Lame freebie on Amazon Prime. 2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on March 11, 2021, 08:18:37 PM
so did you grab some popcorn and a can or bottle of beer?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 11, 2021, 11:24:49 PM
LAWLESS (2012) - A ruthless Federal agent comes to rural Virginia to help the local sheriff shut down the county's most notorious gang of bootleggers - but the new "Special Deputy's" tactics are so brutal they backfire, and a full-on moonshine war is the result!  Well made and well cast, this Prohibition-era gangster flick was an enjoyable watch, with Jessica Chastain serving as an admirable love interest/eye candy.   Well done film!! 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 12, 2021, 01:35:17 PM
Boss Level - Hulu's new breezy time-loop action-comedy.  About a guy who keeps getting killed by a team of kooky assassins, only to wake up the next day.  He must figure out why and how to survive it. 

This has some pretty fun gags and is decently entertaining.  Frank Grillo is a pretty good lead - except for his voiceover, which I thought was often pretty weak.  Mel Gibson as a side character gets a few fun lines.  Some of the action and comedy bits are solid.  But the film is also quite half-baked in its writing.  Feels like a rough draft, with bits that pay off but poorly, underdeveloped side characters, plotholes and poorly explained developments that feel like unforced writing mistakes.  An example - the main character has to tell a child some piece of information, and it's not the piece of info he literally just said he'd have to tell them now.  This did not seem intended or edited as if it was a reversal either, just seems like a pure mistake, a strange one.

Also think this film would have been much stronger with more visual storytelling and less reliance on narration, which really feels like a crutch in this one.  It'll really make you appreciate how well-written and edited Groundhog Day is, if you didn't already.  Like compare how they handle the lead's growing despair, or his moving towards different goals.

Still, it's short, generally funny and knows its place - an 84 minute film (minus really long credits) you'll mostly forget in a few days.  Not a bad late night watch with a few friends and maybe two or three beers if that's your thing.  6/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 12, 2021, 03:32:36 PM
Blue Film Woman (1969)

Continuing to explore the artsy exploitation movies on Mubi, this time Japan.

Wikipedia tells me this is one of the first pinku movies to be shot in colour. A stock broker makes a bad investment and ends up ruined by a loan shark. He commits suicide, and his daughter vows revenge on the loan shark, taking up prostitution as an easy way to make money, until she gets caught up by her nefarious schemes (and doesn't get revenge, as far as I can see)
This is essentially an artsy porn. There is a lot of sex, only some of it consensual, but you don't get to see much. People keep a lot of their clothes on and everything is shot in close up anyway. The movie's power to shock has long since evaporated, but it is interesting as a document of Mad Men era Japan. Very very artistically filmed, with all the tics that make up a 60s art movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 13, 2021, 02:57:43 PM
Shield For Murder (1954) - A cop who's been on the job too long decides to pull a little heist of his own. He robs a crook of a bag of money then kills him and says the guy was trying to escape. He wants to get off the force and move into a bungalow with his small androgynous girlfriend. Well, I guess she is a regular girl but I thought that would be a nice sordid twist. Anyway, too bad for him because there was a witness. Can he manage to get the girl and the money and go to South America, the utopia of all black and white era crooks?

This is more on the crime story side of film noir rather than atmosphere/ psychology side and there are no epic memorable shots like Nightmare Alley but it's rock solid

4.25 /5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 13, 2021, 04:54:13 PM
"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" (2016)
The daughter of the Empire's chief weapons designer helps the Rebel Alliance steal the plans for the Death Star in this "Star Wars" spin-off/prequel which takes place immediately prior to the events in the original 1977 film. Essentially it's a good ole fashioned war movie (think "The Dirty Dozen") dressed up in "Star Wars" clothing but it's tons of action packed fun. This is definitely my favorite of the "new" Star Wars films, it's held up very well to repeated viewings.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 13, 2021, 09:51:07 PM
"White Riot" (2019)
A documentary about Britain's Rock Against Racism organization, which formed in the late 70s to combat the rise of the white-supremacist National Front political party. Getting their message out with a combination of activism and music from the punk and reggae scenes, the Rock Against Racism story culminates with a massive 1978 concert in London that featured the Clash, Steel Pulse, Sham 69, and X-Ray Spex in front of 80,000 people. An interesting doc about a part of the punk movement that I didn't know much about. Worth a look, especially if you're a fan of any of the artists mentioned.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 13, 2021, 10:34:32 PM
^ I never seen this doc, but I do know about Rock Against Racism movement in Britain.  I have been a fan of punk from day one. Here I am in Michigan- punk was born here. I was living here.
With Iggy and the Stooges.  Or MC5.

http://youtu.be/74jS3dW0DtE (http://youtu.be/74jS3dW0DtE)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 14, 2021, 01:31:54 PM
The Neighbor (2017) - ehhh....This was watcheable but a little off and kind of Tax Shelter ish. Mostly it reminded me of the show "Fear Thy Neighbor" on ID channel.

A 50's ish guy whose whole family seems to hate him gets into a dilemma with his new neighbors, a young attractive couple. The wife is hot and the husband is abusive, but the hot wife still loves the husband. Any man would look at this and run in the other direction but not our hero here. The actor has an odd restrained style. He reminded me of Super Dave Osborne a bit. The character badly needed some sort of overt appeal to make the situation believable. He would be great as a mental patient in a horror movie or something along those lines.

The type of thing you can put on and watch the whole way through without really being affected by it.

3.25 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 14, 2021, 04:57:05 PM
^ I never seen this doc, but I do know about Rock Against Racism movement in Britain.  I have been a fan of punk from day one. Here I am in Michigan- punk was born here. I was living here.
With Iggy and the Stooges.  Or MC5.


Oh yeah, I love me some vintage punk rock, but I was more into the American stuff like the Ramones, Dead Boys,  Misfits, etc.  Aside from the Sex Pistols and the Clash I never knew much about the British scene. I gotta say though, after watching this doc I started going down a YouTube rabbit hole checking out Sham 69, X-Ray Spex, etc. and it was pretty badass, might have to do some more investigatin'....


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 14, 2021, 04:57:54 PM
"X-Men: Dark Phoenix" (2019)
During a rescue mission in space, the X-Men's Jean Grey comes into contact with a destructive cosmic force that turns her into the most powerful being on Earth. When a race of aliens who want that power arrive to take it from her, it will require the combined strength of the X-Men and Magneto's Brotherhood to stop them.
The X-Men franchise has been running on fumes for a while now, and though "Dark Phoenix" is slightly better than the last couple of entries, it's still not a must-see unless you've already sat through the rest of 'em and you want to run the table.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 14, 2021, 06:17:42 PM
I found the South African film Heroes Die Hard - aka Mr Kingstreet's War - online. Starring John Saxon and Tippi Hedren, it was released in 1971 and was directed by the same person who directed The Demon. Not a bad film at all. 😊


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 15, 2021, 09:02:37 AM
THE CURIOUS DR. HUMPP (1969): A mad scientist uses his monster army to drug and kidnap horny hippies, whom he arouses so he can drain a fluid from them. There's also a talking brain in a jar. This is basically a 1950s-style mad science flick, but with black and white softcore sex scenes; not aimed at normal audiences, but trash connoisseurs may find some value here. Argentinian, but American producers later inserted more sex scenes, which are more explicit but badly integrated. A very generous 2 on a normal movie scale, but you'll probably enjoy it well enough as a bad movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on March 15, 2021, 07:36:08 PM
i'm currently watching south park season 4


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 16, 2021, 02:44:41 AM
African King Fu Ninja's: Hitler and Tojo have discovered the secret of eternal youth and having escaped to Ghana at the end of World War 2, are rebuilding the Third Reich, with a martial arts tournament.

Not much else I can say about it really.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 16, 2021, 06:25:09 AM
African King Fu Ninja's: Hitler and Tojo have discovered the secret of eternal youth and having escaped to Ghana at the end of World War 2, are rebuilding the Third Reich, with a martial arts tournament.

Not much else I can say about it really.

That sounds delightfully bad.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 16, 2021, 07:24:22 AM
Night Train To Terror: Three short stories based around a conversation between God and the Devil about who should win certain souls. The two are on board a train that is fated to crash at L.A.An interesting concept, but I felt the short stories themselves rather let the whole thing down.  A bunch of musicians on board play the same song over and over again.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 16, 2021, 07:24:47 AM
African King Fu Ninja's: Hitler and Tojo have discovered the secret of eternal youth and having escaped to Ghana at the end of World War 2, are rebuilding the Third Reich, with a martial arts tournament.

Not much else I can say about it really.

That sounds delightfully bad.

I can send you a link so you can watch it online if you wish.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 16, 2021, 07:53:02 AM
Night Train To Terror: Three short stories based around a conversation between God and the Devil about who should win certain souls. The two are on board a train that is fated to crash at L.A.An interesting concept, but I felt the short stories themselves rather let the whole thing down.  A bunch of musicians on board play the same song over and over again.

This one is a great bad movie. The three stories were all originally feature films edited down to 20-25 minutes each, which makes them totally incoherent. And the song is fantastically bad! And they breakdance to it!

https://youtu.be/VUHsLZ5t5w8


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 16, 2021, 07:59:43 AM
Night Train To Terror: Three short stories based around a conversation between God and the Devil about who should win certain souls. The two are on board a train that is fated to crash at L.A.An interesting concept, but I felt the short stories themselves rather let the whole thing down.  A bunch of musicians on board play the same song over and over again.

This one is a great bad movie. The three stories were all originally feature films edited down to 20-25 minutes each, which makes them totally incoherent. And the song is fantastically bad! And they breakdance to it!

https://youtu.be/VUHsLZ5t5w8

That explains why they didn't make much sense.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 16, 2021, 09:50:17 AM
^ I seen this one!  :bluesad:

I know the episode with Cameron Mitchell is from CATACLYSM (1980).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on March 17, 2021, 10:58:07 PM
well i watched Elm Street 1 (1984) and 2 (1985)  in the last 2 days now i'm on part 3 (1987)  the only thing i hate about this film is one thing and that's the fact that Nancy dies in it i've never liked that at all. i also never liked that in part 4 the survivors from part 3 all die in it as well.

but i enjoy them all for what they are, though i think part 6 is the worst one


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 18, 2021, 10:32:45 AM
"The Church" (1989)
During the Crusades, the Knights Templar massacre an entire village of "witches" and then build a huge cathedral on top of their mass grave. In the present day, restoration work at the cathedral re-opens the tomb and lets the evil loose on a group of innocents trapped inside.
This Italian flick was co-written by Dario Argento and directed by Michele Soavi, later of "Cemetery Man" fame. Like most Spaghetti horrors, it suffers from pacing problems (it takes forever for the nasty stuff to start happening) and the usual stilted, awkward performances and dubbing, but it features lots of artsy/disturbing visuals, creepy Gothic locations and set designs, and nasty death scenes.
I saw this movie once before many years ago, when I didn't quite "get" Italian horror flicks yet. I don't think I liked it much then, but I enjoyed this second viewing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 19, 2021, 02:07:39 AM
African King Fu Ninja's: Hitler and Tojo have discovered the secret of eternal youth and having escaped to Ghana at the end of World War 2, are rebuilding the Third Reich, with a martial arts tournament.

Not much else I can say about it really.

That kind of silliness deserves better production values.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 19, 2021, 05:33:24 AM
"Killer Crocodile 2" (1990)
The construction of a new Caribbean resort is threatened by the appearance of another massive, toxic waste spawned crocodile with a taste for human flesh. A lady reporter and the survivor of the first "KC" movie try to stay off the menu.
This cheap, schlocky sequel is pretty much a re-run of the first movie, but the animatronic croc is pretty cool looking and the carnage count is impressive. More entertaining junk.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 19, 2021, 06:10:40 AM
African King Fu Ninja's: Hitler and Tojo have discovered the secret of eternal youth and having escaped to Ghana at the end of World War 2, are rebuilding the Third Reich, with a martial arts tournament.

Not much else I can say about it really.

That sounds delightfully bad.

I can send you a link so you can watch it online if you wish.

Please do!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 19, 2021, 06:19:45 AM
African King Fu Ninja's: Hitler and Tojo have discovered the secret of eternal youth and having escaped to Ghana at the end of World War 2, are rebuilding the Third Reich, with a martial arts tournament.

Not much else I can say about it really.


That sounds delightfully bad.


I can send you a link so you can watch it online if you wish.


Please do!


Sent you a link and in the meantime, here is the trailer.

Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFaJm2Uzqxk#)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 20, 2021, 07:38:46 PM
"The Marine" (2006)
WWE star John Cena makes his acting debut in this utterly ridiculous but highly entertaining action flick. He plays John Triton, an ex-Marine who goes all One Man Army when his wife is taken hostage by a gang of jewel thieves (led by a hilariously dry Robert "Terminator 2" Patrick). "The Marine" is predictable as hell and dumb as a box of rocks but it's also tons of shoot'em up, blow'em up fun. A guilty pleasure.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 21, 2021, 10:16:57 AM
Space Sweepers (2021)

A crew of misfits who barely make a living collecting and selling space junk, find a small child on one of their missions. This is in fact an android fitted with a bomb by a terrorist organisation. They try to sell it to what they assume are the terrorists, but find that not everything is at it seems and they are soon caught up in a much bigger conspiracy.

I didn't like this as much as I thought I would. I had problems with the pacing. The momentum is often interrupted for bits of exposition in odd places, or jumps to subplots because things have to be established, and even some slapstick comedy. In a movie which is more of a succession of set pieces than a coherent plot, keeping momentum is important. Also, the structure where the protagonists first try to achieve a certain goal, only to discover that the main goal is something different, works for me better in a TV series than a movie.

That being said, it has its moments. Shout out to Kim Tae-Ri, who you may recognize from The Handmaiden who really makes the character of Captain Jang stand out.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 21, 2021, 06:34:50 PM
"The Last Blockbuster" (2020)
This documentary traces the rise and fall of the once mighty Blockbuster Video chain, which once boasted nearly 9000 locations around the world but now only consists of one family run franchise store in Bend, Oregon. A fun trrip down memory lane for those old enough to remember VHS and feel nostalgic for it.
Ironically, I watched it on Netflix. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 21, 2021, 08:51:01 PM
TOOKEN (2014) - An extremely cheesy and unfunny spoof of the TAKEN franchise.  2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 24, 2021, 09:32:58 AM
"Superman: Red Son" (2020)
This animated "Elseworlds" tale from the DC Universe asks, "what if the rocket carrying baby Kal-El had landed in the Soviet Union instead of the USA?"
Superman grows up to symbolize Russian might and eventually becomes the Soviet Premier at the height of the Cold War, where he clashes with Lex Luthor (who's President of the US in this story), romances Wonder Woman, and battles a Russian Batman and the all-American Green Lantern Corps.
The last twenty minutes of "Red Son" falls into the typical super-hero blasting and zapping, but the first hour is a very cool ride through an "alternate" DC Universe. Neat stuff.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 24, 2021, 08:05:47 PM
"Hard Target" (1993)
A New Orleans drifter (Jean-Claude van Damme) offers to help a woman find her missing father, and ends up caught in a battle with a gang of killers who hunt humans for sport.
This was Hong Kong action director John Woo's first Hollywood film and his trademark stylishly filmed, lovingly captured slow-motion ultra-violence elevates the thin premise, which was obviously inspired by the classic story "The Most Dangerous Game." JCVD and Woo have both done better, but "Hard Target" was entertaining enough to provide some rainy afternoon mayhem.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on March 24, 2021, 08:56:28 PM
i saw that one it's pretty good somewhere around the net is a workprint of it but i sadly don't have a copy of that. 

i watched Doctor Strange (2016)  late last night 10/10 great film


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 25, 2021, 08:59:22 AM
JULIET OF THE SPIRITS (1965): Housewife Juliet suspects her husband is cheating on her, and sees visions which alternately taunt her and help her deal with her feelings of betrayal. Fellini's first color film ventures even further into the realms of psychoanalytic filmmaking than did "8 1/2," by the end mixing phantasmagorical symbolism and reality into an inseparable emulsion.  4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 25, 2021, 11:50:38 AM
"Bettie Page Reveals All" (2013)
The life of the Fifties pin-up icon is examined via vintage photos and film clips, interviews with famous friends and fans (Hugh Hefner, Dita von Teese, comic artist Dave Stevens, etc.) and voice recordings of the reclusive Bettie herself, who passed away in 2008. A fun documentary about a legendary figure (pun intended) whose cult following has only grown larger as the years have passed. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 26, 2021, 08:57:03 AM
COME TRUE (2020): A teenage girl, sleeping with friends or in the woods because of unspecified troubles at home, enters an experimental sleep study, then finds her life turned into a waking nightmare. A slow start and a lame left-field twist ending waste the decent-enough premise and good performance by Julia Sarah Stone. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 26, 2021, 12:35:37 PM

i watched Doctor Strange (2016)  late last night 10/10 great film

Stan Lee's cameo in that is very funny.  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 27, 2021, 06:09:45 PM
"Justice League vs. the Fatal Five" (2019)
After kicking the Legion of Super Heroes' collective asses in the 31st century, a gang of future super villains time travel back to the present day and try to do the same to the Justice League. However, the veteran heroes like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman turn out to be a little tougher than these high-tech crooks expect.
A watchable, but unspectacular, entry in the DC Animated Universe series.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 28, 2021, 01:32:24 AM
The Shark Is Still Working: a docco about the making and legacy of Jaws. Not bad at all.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 28, 2021, 09:25:16 AM
HAM ON RYE (2019): 16-year-olds make their way to the local deli, where they engage in an arbitrary ritual that will determine their futures; the second half of the film follows those left behind in the small town. With no real plot to speak of, this strange and melancholy film runs out of steam well before it ends, but debuting director Tyler Taormina looks like one of the chosen ones. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 28, 2021, 12:07:46 PM
"The Death of Superman" (2018)
The super-powered alien death machine known as Doomsday has crash landed on Earth, and the only one who can stop him from killing everyone in sight is The Big Red S - or can he?
A mostly faithful animated adaptation of the famed 1992 "Death of Superman" comic story line (with a few tweaks to fit it into current DC Comics continuity), action packed with lots of cartoon mayhem and a legitimately tear jerking ending. Watch this one instead of DC's previous attempt at animating this story, "Superman: Doomsday," from 2007.

"Belushi" (2020)
The tragically short life and career of comedy superstar John Belushi is examined in this Showtime documentary that uses lots of rarely seen archive photos and videos and extensive interviews with those who knew him best, like Dan Aykroyd, Carrie Fisher, Harold Ramis, and more.  Lots of good (and some very sad) stories are told and it left me wanting to revisit "Animal House" and "The Blues Brothers."






Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 29, 2021, 09:18:29 AM
PROMETHEUS' GARDEN (1988): A surreal thirty-minute claymation short: Prometheus creates people from clay, and they almost immediately begin slaughtering each other. Everything in the movie is in constant flux, with clay people morphing into other people or abstract features; you might assume this is what the world would look like on a heroic dose of LSD---and you might be right. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 30, 2021, 01:16:17 AM
HAM ON RYE (2019): 16-year-olds make their way to the local deli, where they engage in an arbitrary ritual that will determine their futures; the second half of the film follows those left behind in the small town. With no real plot to speak of, this strange and melancholy film runs out of steam well before it ends, but debuting director Tyler Taormina looks like one of the chosen ones. 3.5/5.

I was thinking of what to say about it, when I saw this post. For me, the problem is that is not so much a movie as an exercise in style. It rigorously sticks to its formula of 'documentary without commentary'. There is no explanation and no characters or narrative as such: we simply see people going about their business, and hear parts of conversation, all as a slice of life. I gather it was the director's ambition to see how much he could do within this formula, and to his credit, he can do a lot with it. However, not enough to make an actually interesting movie. It is easy to see why film critics adore it, however.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on March 30, 2021, 04:14:25 AM
Petrified (2006) WOW was that a bad one stay away from this one guys and gals it's pretty bad it's a Charles Band Directed piece of garbage that tries to be like the x-files and it fails badly at it, it also tries to be a bit of a mystery as well and it fails at that as well and honestly the FX for a really low budget film i didn't think were too bad. i've seen far worse fx to be fair 2/10.

the only other thing i've been watching is CSI: Miami Season 1 as i own it on dvd


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 01, 2021, 01:27:26 AM

i just got done watching one of the worst films i've EVER seen in my life, it was so bad that i think if you recorded paint dry and sat and watched it for 60 hrs that would make a more enjoyable film than this one i watched. the acting was so bad that to use a quote from an early Cinema Snob episode from i think the first 10 or 20 episodes that he ever did you need a support group to get over on how bad this film is. the sad thing is the idea isn't that bad of an idea in fact it's a pretty solid original idea.

Every-so-often, boys disappear from the Delta House, a Sorority suspected to be based on cannibalism. that's not a bad idea for a film but the acting by the entire cast is so bad that it was VERY painful to sit through this thing and it's not just the acting, Julia Strain whom i never got why people love her? she's not any kind of good actress at all and Brinke Stevens was awful in it too but to be fair she as a tiny bit not a lot but a tiny bit better than Julia Strain. there's a cat fight in it that a pre schooler could have directed better. women can fight they can be bad asses just like some guys can be but if ya really wanted them to do a fight scene use their fists it makes for a more enjoyable fight than a poorly done cat fight,

the film in question is called Delta Delta Die (2003) MFV it was apparently filmed at the same time as Bleed (2002) MFV which is just how i phrase made for video that one is just a copy of scream it's bad but this one is far worse. this is another Charles band movie, i bought this because it was a band movie as i'm a huge Charles band fan of his movies anyways not of the man himself & i got it for a couple bucks back like 2010 i think? so it took me 11 years to watch it and i wish i would have waited 35 more years to watch it that's how bad it is. people say Plan 9 (1956) is bad? no that movie is freaking Citizen freaking Kane (1941) compared to this one that film is Gosford Park (2001) compared to this film.

Do not watch unless you drink a keg with a group of friends and are both drunk and stoned at the same time that's the only way to enjoy this film. i don't normally rate a movie like this and this would be a first to be honest but i''d say -50/10
 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 01, 2021, 02:31:30 PM
Coherence (2013) - this "cerebral" sci fi movie was probably a little too chaotic for some people but I really enjoyed it, despite the by now somewhat cliche setting of "normie friends in California having a dinner party then something awful happens". A comet passes and messes up time and creates seperate realities a la Schrodingers (sp?) cat , which is referenced. good ending

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 03, 2021, 12:58:31 PM
COHERENCE was good for zero budget.

MST3K: FIRE MAIDENS FROM OUTER SPACE: In the movie, a group of chain-smoking astronauts fly to the 13th moon of Jupiter where they encounter a race of alien girls in togas. Meanwhile, Crow's evil twin, Timmy, shows up and wreaks havoc. This is one of the slowest, and most padded (and I'm not just talking about the girl aliens, who were really cute) movies the crew ever watched; riffing is great, Timmy is fun.  This is one of the few MST3Ks I had only seen part of years ago when it was first broadcast; good to get it officially under my belt. Somewhere in the 3.5-4/5 range.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 03, 2021, 01:09:11 PM
it was ballsy to call it Coherence when in fact its kind of confusing


watching Hell Night right now and it really stinks


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 04, 2021, 03:54:58 AM
The Yin Yang Master (2021)

Not to be confused with the Yinyang master, dream of eternity (2020).

Netflix thought I'd like to see this, and they were right. This is a family friendly fantasy extravaganza, which only aims to dazzle and entertain. You have monsters, magic duels, star crossed lovers... the lot. It all moves at a brisk pace, with just enough plot to keep things interesting. Silly but fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 04, 2021, 04:23:21 PM
"Freaky" (2020)
In a horrific twist on the old "Freaky Friday" formula, a nerdy high school girl (Katherine Newton) swaps bodies with a serial killer (Vince Vaughn) thanks to an ancient dagger with magical properties. Now she's only got 24 hours to switch them back before she's stuck in the killer's body forever.
A fast-moving, funny horror comedy from Blumhouse that works mainly due to the performances of its two leads -- Vaughn is a hoot when he's "playing" the teenage heroine --  and there's even some decent slasher-movie carnage moments. A fun time waster for a quiet Sunday afternoon.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 05, 2021, 11:11:02 PM
INHERITANCE - The wealthy patriarch of a New York family passes away, leaving his oldest child - an up and coming NY District Attorney - with an ugly secret: In a secluded forest cellar, her father kept a man chained up for the better part of 30 years.  Why?  And what should she do with this man now that she knows about him?

Intriguing story with a nice twist at the end.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 06, 2021, 07:47:41 AM
HONEYDEW (2020): A lost couple spend the night at a peculiar old woman's farmhouse. The story is a roller coaster, but not in a good way: it's a strong pre-credits sequence followed by a pedestrian first act leading to a superbly creepy second act ending in a disappointing resolution. The sound design and score are outstanding throughout, though. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 09, 2021, 01:20:48 PM
Mind Over murder (1979) - One my earliest memories was of the ESP trend. This was I guess capitalizing on that whole thing. Decent looking Deborah Raffin starts receiving messages about a terrorist attack on a plane and her yuppie husband (the guy from the BBC version of The Lathe of heaven, which is much better than this) thinks she's crazy. Besides hearing entire conversations she keeps seeing a bald man played by Andrew Prine.

The moments where she has visions are like a PCP nightmare and they happen all the time. Prine really gets into the role. It's a lot better than his Simon The Wizard movie.

4.25 / 5  made for TV and I have a feeling some of you saw it

http://youtu.be/WrufeZgyHgQ (http://youtu.be/WrufeZgyHgQ)]http://youtu.be/WrufeZgyHgQ

edit: Robert Englund, of all people, is in tha movie


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 09, 2021, 06:55:34 PM
COUNTRY OF HOTELS (2019): Three surreal stories involving a cheating couple, a paranoid software engineer, and a drunk musician in Room 508 of a hotel run by a strange Eastern European family. It's kind of like if David Lynch and Peter Strickland got together to produce an anthology series about a haunted hotel room, but their hearts weren't in it; although there are shivery bits, none of the three stories feels complete on its own, and nor do they add up to a larger mythology of much interest. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 09, 2021, 08:22:49 PM
i watched Shrek the third (2007)  late last nite  i hadn't seen the film in years, i have all 3 of them on bluray and i think i saw the 3rd one a couple of times but though it's a solid film it's not my favorite one.  i'd say 8/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 09, 2021, 09:39:19 PM
"Clerks II" (2006)
After a fire claims the Quick Stop, Dante and Randall find equally soul crushing minimum wage jobs at a fast food joint. Dante's about to get married and move to Florida, so Randall plans a send off for his buddy which (naturally) spirals wildly out of control. (Two words: "Donkey Show.")
Kevin Smith's gleefully vulgar sequel to his 1994 indie classic features the same rapid fire, profane gags and dialogue yet it still manages to have a sweet side. It's not as gut bustingly hilarious as the original (of course) but it's still a ton of raunchy fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 09, 2021, 10:12:23 PM
i agree Clerks 3 (2006) while not as nearly as good as the Original is still  a fun movie i'd watch that any day of the week than Smith's awful Cop Out (2010) or Tusk (2014) i think that's the year?  those are Painfully bad

the only Other thing i've been watching is Numbers (2005-2010) i'm on Season one (2005) as that's the only one i currently own great show though i watched it's entire run


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 10, 2021, 02:57:30 AM
Killers from Space (1954)

Best known for its aliens with ping pong ball eyes.

This is actually a lot better than I expected. There is very little padding and no tacked on cringy love story. The characters are on the whole sensible and competent and don't make silly decisions to keep the plot going. The main weakness is the design of the aliens themselves, and that they take the time to explain their plans at length so they can be defeated. (I'm guessing this must be one of the plans between numbers 1 and 8). Also, apart from a pilot right at the start, they don't actually kill anyone.
This is your standard nuclear power/mind control/alien invasion 50s movie. Pretty watchable, except for the silly aliens. There are also a lot of phone calls in this movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on April 10, 2021, 05:38:16 AM
^ Fun movie!
Plus it's got Peter Graves!

(https://i.imgur.com/dmocJ2w.gif) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 10, 2021, 08:58:15 AM
"Sudden Death" (1995)
It's game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in Pittsburgh, with the Vice-President of the U.S. in attendance. When terrorists take over the arena to hold the VP for ransom, his only hope is a firefighter (Jean Claude van Damme) who's at the game with his kids.
Soooo yeah, this is obviously yet another "Die Hard" knock off, but it's one of the better ones, thanks to the unique setting and the impressive stunt work and pyrotechnics. Silly, but entertaining.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 10, 2021, 09:00:16 AM
i agree Clerks 3 (2006) while not as nearly as good as the Original is still  a fun movie i'd watch that any day of the week than Smith's awful Cop Out (2010) or Tusk (2014) i think that's the year?  those are Painfully bad 

The original "Clerks" was lightning in a bottle. Kevin Smith will never be able to re-capture that vibe, no matter how hard he tries.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 10, 2021, 05:45:27 PM
"The Blues Brothers" (1980)
Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi reprise their musical characters from "SNL" in this frenzied action/comedy. Freshly released from jail, Jake (Belushi) and Elwood (Aykroyd) are on a "mission from God" to re-unite their old band and put on a benefit show to save the Chicago orphanage they were raised in. The process is complicated thanks to constant interference from the Chicago P.D., Jake's well-armed, angry ex-girlfriend (Carrie Fisher) and the Illinois chapter of the Nazi Party.
"Blues Brothers" may be short on plot, but it delivers big time on mayhem (IMDb sez it once held a world record for most cars destroyed during filming), and the supporting cast includes a who's who of blues/R&B legends like James Brown, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Cab Calloway. An endlessly quotable demolition derby with a bad-ass soundtrack!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 10, 2021, 08:17:57 PM
i don't expect Smith to ever make a film better than Clerks anyways, my favorite film i think of his would be Zack and Miri make a porno (2008) the last film he did before he started smoking weed.

for me i haven't seen them all there but i'd say i've seen 95% of them i did love the last one though


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 11, 2021, 10:27:57 AM
FIVE ELEMENTS NINJAS (1981): A bandit gang gets help from a team of Japanese ninjas to defeat their rivals. There are about a thousand characters and the plot is basically this guy kicks that guy; it's all just an excuse for one impressively-staged battle scene after another, featuring a lot of unusual (and often ridiculous) ninja weapons and tactics. If you like Shaw Brothers stuff you'll dig this. On Netflix, it's been restored, so the sets and vibrant colors really look quite beautiful. 3.5/5, even higher for chopsocky fans.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 11, 2021, 05:08:15 PM
"Malone" (1987)
Burt Reynolds is an ex-CIA agent who has car trouble while passing through a small town in the Northwest. While waiting for his car to get fixed, he befriends a local family and gets caught up in their fight with a wealthy businessman who has been buying up most of the town for mysterious, nefarious purposes.
Burt was in a low point of his career when he made this cheap looking butt kicker (and several others like it); compared to other "action" flicksthat were coming out around this same time, it felt like a made-for-TV movie. It was an OK time waster but nothing I would recommend, or ever sit through again.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 12, 2021, 01:15:57 AM
i think i saw that one i really can't remember i'd have to see the trailer or try and watch it at some point but he's done a lot of bad ones i wonder what would be his worst film?  i haven't seen them all either


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 13, 2021, 01:19:03 AM
The Dragon Lives Again (1977)

I sought this out after it was mentioned in the Bad Movies section.

This is by far the silliest movie I have seen in my life. Compared to this, something like Starcrash or Super Inframan has gravitas. Absolutely brilliant. WTF-level over 9000.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on April 13, 2021, 08:40:27 PM
I just watched a 1930 movie on TCM called King of Jazz. I'd never heard of it before and it was excellent.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 13, 2021, 09:28:39 PM
i dunno that one as i haven't seen it but the 1930's is my favorite era for movies actually and always has been i mean hell (1939) will i think always be the best years there ever has been for movies and i can't think of any other year that beats it.  that's not to say the rest of those years haven't had good movies they have but that's my own opinion anyways. i've been watching the Saw Films i love these films i'm on Part 6 right now (2009) i watched Part 5 last night (2008) and part 4 the night before (2007) part 6  i haven't seen yet and it's so far pretty good i think


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 14, 2021, 09:45:26 AM
THE DAY OF THE BEAST (1995): A priest decides he must become a great sinner as part of a scheme to summon the Devil and stop the Apocalypse; he enlists a death metal fan and a TV occultist to help him. The three main characters are brilliantly realized, there's comedy and action and a naked LSD-addicted grandpa, and things start getting really wild around the halfway point and don't let up from there. If you've never seen an Alex de la Iglesia movie before, this would be a good place to start. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on April 14, 2021, 10:12:24 AM
 ^ I always wanted to see this.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on April 14, 2021, 10:13:42 AM
I just watched a 1930 movie on TCM called King of Jazz. I'd never heard of it before and it was excellent.

Bela Lugosi was the MC for the Hungarian version!


(https://i.imgur.com/g3GFLsU.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on April 14, 2021, 10:29:42 AM
I just watched a 1930 movie on TCM called King of Jazz. I'd never heard of it before and it was excellent.
Bela Lugosi was the MC for the Hungarian version!

(https://i.imgur.com/g3GFLsU.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

That's PAUL WHITEMAN with him... 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on April 14, 2021, 05:14:26 PM
^ yeah- that's why I posted it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on April 15, 2021, 11:35:42 AM
I just watched a 1930 movie on TCM called King of Jazz. I'd never heard of it before and it was excellent.

I saw some of it - two strip color - considered a lost film... until it was discovered 50 YEARS AGO... Quite dated and corny, interesting setups.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on April 16, 2021, 06:02:48 PM
I saw JOHN QUALEN on The Andy Griffith Show last night... MARY ASTOR with FRANCHOT TONE in Alfred Hitchcock Presents...  DAVID CASSIDY TONY DOW on ADAM-12 and - best of all - MARIE WINDSOR in THE DAY MARS INVADED EARTH (1965) a sorry excuse for a "movie" that is not only boring but also unconvincing, motionless... I like it.  :lookingup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on April 17, 2021, 03:36:37 AM
Post Apocalyptic Commando Shark.

So the Soviet Union has returned and a nuclear exchange has devastated the world (but somehow left it looking just like it did before), and Soviet troops have landed on American soil, their efforts spearheaded by half man half shark hybrids that look like their heads are made from paper mache. Defending their homeland are a series of middle-aged militiamen who are mostly overweight, and have no idea how to use things like camouflage, or even fire their guns effectively. There was some scientist trying to come up with his own hybrid super soldier and uhm, well I am sure other stuff happened too.

I think this movie was made by a bunch of friends on a zero budget. It has a fun spirit, even if by any standard it isn't very good.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 17, 2021, 06:18:05 AM
it's hard to believe that Bela was a dramatic actor for a long time before he did Dracula, i wonder how many of his films are missing though anyone know?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 17, 2021, 10:18:10 AM
MST3K: ATTACK OF THE (THE) EYE CREATURES: Catching up on another one I hadn't seen since its original broadcast. The only thing I remembered was the oily drifter in a nightdress who thinks he's the young Jack Benny; turns out, he was the only thing worth remembering. A truly lousy Larry Buchanan monstrosity about space aliens covered in eyes who explode when you shine light on them; even Joel and the bots couldn't help much with this one. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on April 17, 2021, 11:26:01 AM
it's hard to believe that Bela was a dramatic actor for a long time before he did Dracula, i wonder how many of his films are missing though anyone know?

Yeah- I do. Most of his films made by Star from Hungary are lost. His most famous lost film was the German film by FW Murnau (NOSFERATU 1922) version of DR.JEKYLL AND MR.HYDE called DER JANUSKOPF (1920). With Conrad Veidt- who just did the classic CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1919).

This was not a bit part. He was second billed. And it was a major production.
Bela played Dr. Jekyll's butler who discovers the truth about his alter ego Mr.Hyde
 
(https://i.imgur.com/Cu4M1tX.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 17, 2021, 08:42:10 PM
i dunno how many of his i have seen i'd have to count but i was looking at IMDB months ago and to take a guess and this is only a guess i got the impression by going through the stuff he did back than a lot of it does indeed exist but there are some lost course i dunno if i'm right or if IMDB is right. 

i'd love to see his German stuff of course it would have to be translated as i don't know German at all i wish i did though. there's a lot of his films that are just painful to sit through cause they are so bad i dunno what the worst one is though that i've seen i can't pick cause those i've seen only once but what do you think is his worst?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 17, 2021, 10:46:29 PM
THE AFTERMATH (1983)  Two astronauts return from a year long space mission to find earth devastated by nuclear war.  They spend their time fighting off cannibal mutants and rescuing pretty girls from a gang leader (Sid Haig) who is murdering all the male survivors and taking their women/kids hostage.  Cheesy and dated but kinda fun; the bad guys were some of the worst shots I've ever seen - they make Imperial storm troopers look like expert marksmen!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 18, 2021, 01:50:27 AM
The Shape of Water (2017)

Finally saw Guillermo Del Toro's homage/critique of classic B-movies. At times a bit self indulgent or on the nose, but very sweet.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 18, 2021, 04:49:44 AM
i saw that too when it hit video whenever the hell it was and i enjoyed it quite a bit but it was one of those movies you watch only once if i recall. i didn't like it enough to want to buy it though


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 18, 2021, 07:41:40 AM
"Final Destination 5" (2011)
After narrowly surviving a catastrophic bridge collapse, a group of twenty somethings start to meet grisly ends one by one. Eventually they realize that they were all supposed to die on the bridge that day, leading to the usual panicked speeches about "figuring out how to defeat Death's plan!"  
...in other words, there's nothing here that you haven't already seen in the other four "FD" movies, but the special effects are top notch and the elaborate death scenes are as hilariously brutal as ever.
Added bonus, a montage of kills from the entire series plays over the end credits, accompanied by AC/DC's "If You Want Blood." :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on April 18, 2021, 01:41:44 PM
i dunno how many of his i have seen i'd have to count but i was looking at IMDB months ago and to take a guess and this is only a guess i got the impression by going through the stuff he did back than a lot of it does indeed exist but there are some lost course i dunno if i'm right or if IMDB is right. 

i'd love to see his German stuff of course it would have to be translated as i don't know German at all i wish i did though. there's a lot of his films that are just painful to sit through cause they are so bad i dunno what the worst one is though that i've seen i can't pick cause those i've seen only once but what do you think is his worst?

His worse? I would think BELA LUGOSI MEETS A BROOKLYN GORILLA (1952)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 18, 2021, 03:04:46 PM
"Haunted Hollywood" aka "The Dead Want Women" (2012)
In the Roaring Twenties a silent film actress, distraught at the end of her career due to "the talkies," kills several of her associates and then herself during a party at her swanky estate. In the present day, a pair of real estate agents tasked with cleaning the house so it can be sold discover that the spirits of those who died there are still hanging around the place... (bwa-ha-ha)
This is a Full Moon Studios movie, so of course it's cheap, silly, poorly acted junk. However, there are a lot of pretty girls in it and they're frequently undressed, therefore I was entertained... even if it was for the wrong reasons.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 18, 2021, 04:04:25 PM
i haven't seen that one but since i've seen so many bad ones of his i dunno which one is worst, there is one i borrowed from a friend  years ago but i forget which one it was cause it was that forgettable of a film. Final Destination 5 is the only one i haven't seen for some strange reason those are fun movies i think


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on April 18, 2021, 06:08:34 PM
Ford v. Ferrari

Good movie with some cool cars. Don’t want to say more to avoid spoilers.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 21, 2021, 04:51:04 PM
"Heavy Metal" (1981)
A trippy animated anthology flick based on stories from the French science-fiction adult comic magazine (aka Metal Hurlant), all revolving around various creatures' encounters with a source of cosmic evil called the "Loch-Nar."
This cult flick was pretty notorious in its day due to its R-rated depictions of cartoon boobs and gore... which were, of course, its main selling point for '80s teens (the soundtrack, which features heavy hitters like Dio-era Black Sabbath, Sammy Hagar, Stevie Nicks, Devo, and Nazareth also helped), but it hasn't aged all that well. Some segments are better than others and most of the animation is still pretty nice, but overall I liked this flick a lot better back when I first saw it in my college dorm after a few bong hits.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 21, 2021, 05:07:23 PM
i saw that one and while i loved the soundtrack and the animation but the film i thought was just simply awful


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 21, 2021, 07:34:12 PM
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF (1969)  Happened to catch this classic with James Garner on cable tonight, and it's just as much fun now as it was when I first saw it as a kid! Drifter James Garner blows into town on his way to Australia, and volunteers for the job of sheriff after the last three holders of the title lasted two months combine - with quick wits and faster guns he cleans up the town in no time, and wins the heart of the mayor's daughter to boot!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 22, 2021, 08:50:20 AM
RAW (2006): A vegetarian girl develops an insatiable taste for meat after she eats a rabbit kidney as part of a veterinary school hazing ritual. It's not realistic, nor is it meant to be; but the imagery gets surprisingly, er, "raw." French. A lot of people indulge in pleasures of the flesh while away at college, but this is ridiculous! 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on April 22, 2021, 02:46:53 PM
Feed the Gods. Two brothers and one fiancee go searching for their biological parents after their adoptive mother dies. They find something is most definitely wrong in the town they track their parents down to. A slow-burn horror, limited by its budget but one I enjoyed. You aren't going to see buckets of blood thrown at the screen (although there is some), or big special effects. Not going to be to everyone's tastes but I'd watch it again.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 22, 2021, 08:54:47 PM
"Mean Man: The Story of Chris Holmes" (2020)
Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes looks back on his life and career as he adjusts to living in Europe, where he's attempting to re-establish himself as a solo artist.
Chris can't sing worth a damn, which may not bode well for his new band, but otherwise he seems like a pretty cool, humble guy, who's just grateful to be out there making noise again after so many years. A fun, breezy documentary that made me want to dust off my vintage W.A.S.P. albums for the first time in a while.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on April 23, 2021, 02:00:45 PM
The Father (2020) - A portrait of dementia.  An aging Anthony Hopkins portrays a man going through it, as his daughter attempts to care for him.  The narrative, characters, setting, and actors are fractured and change, reflecting the disease and it's progression.  Anthony Hopkins is fantastic, running the gamut from menacing to funny.  Olivia Coleman as his suffering daughter is also excellent.  Music is just present, but skips and fits thematically.  It's simply shot, but beauitful.  The decision to anchor the film on Hopkins was a great one, as it forces you to attempt to pay attention, but still end up confused at times like the title character. 

If you've dealt with family members with advanced dementia (as I have), expect to be deeply affected by the ending.  I'm not ashamed to say I was.

9/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 24, 2021, 05:03:39 AM
The Eye Creatures (1967)

Another one of the dreadful Larry Buchanan remakes of 50s movies, this time of The Attack of the Saucer Men. Painfully unfunny, it somehow manages to be even more nonsensical than the original. As with Zontar The Thing from Venus, parts are simply lifted from the original and put into a 60s setting, becoming completely incongruous in the process. The only effective bit is when the Mike character is chased by the aliens, but apart from those 3 minutes or so, the movie is silly and boring at the same time.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 24, 2021, 08:51:29 AM
"Kevin Smith: Silent But Deadly" (2018)
Filmmaker/podcaster/comedian Kevin Smith performs to a packed house and tells lots of funny, foul mouthed stories about his family life, his career, and of course, how much he loves weed. Immediately after the show he suffered a near-fatal heart attack in his backstage dressing room, which makes the previous hour and ten minutes much more poignant. It would've sucked to lose this guy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 25, 2021, 01:08:28 AM
COLD GROUND (2018)  A found footage movie set back in 1976, this film tells the story of David and Melissa, two French journalists who accompany an expedition into the Alps to investigate stories of strange disappearances and cattle mutilations.  Seeking a group of scientists who have failed to report in for several days, they get stranded on the mountain top by an avalanche and attacked by strange, werewolf-like creatures with an appetite for human flesh.  Slow in places, but creepy. Good creature effects, although you never get a really clear look at them, they move an attack more like a wild animal would than a person in a costume.  Worth the hour and a half it took to watch it, and the actress who plays Melissa is quite lovely.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 25, 2021, 03:11:45 AM
i really need to see that as i love Kevin Smith has it been 3 years already? damn does time go fast guys. i haven't really been watching movies but mainly tv shows i own on dvd such as i finished Season 2 of Law & Order Criminal Intent Season 2.  i'm on Season 4 CSI Miami i started from Season 1 i'm on episode #80 i think?


and watching CSI and i'm on Season 3 on that one and season 2 on CSI NY. on the home show i have 1-12, on Miami i have  1-8, on NY i have 1-3


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 25, 2021, 03:38:23 PM
THINGS (1989): Three hosers from New Jersey drink beer while things infest their house and Amber Lynn breaks in every now and then to read news bulletins from cue cards. This is astoundingly bad on nearly every level: unlikable characters enacted by bad actors, terrible dialogue, frequent references to better horror movies you could be watching instead, confusing plotting, and frequent, halfway decent gore. Of course, bad movie fans will find this to be prime stinky cheese. 1/5 for normal folks, probably 3.5/5 or even higher to folks on this board.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on April 25, 2021, 11:00:52 PM
THINGS (1989): Three hosers from New Jersey drink beer while things infest their house and Amber Lynn breaks in every now and then to read news bulletins from cue cards. This is astoundingly bad on nearly every level: unlikable characters enacted by bad actors, terrible dialogue, frequent references to better horror movies you could be watching instead, confusing plotting, and frequent, halfway decent gore. Of course, bad movie fans will find this to be prime stinky cheese. 1/5 for normal folks, probably 3.5/5 or even higher to folks on this board.

You see the director's 1991 follow-up film finally got an OK quality release like a year ago, Rev?  Another one to look into.  It's called Wicked World.

I just watched Train to Busan: Peninsula.  Quite lackluster followup unfortunately.  I do appreciate they try to do something different (it's a bit like Doomsday for comparison)...  But this just doesn't work.  All the characters are weak, the villains are poorly developed, the narrative is barely coherent.  Good action scenes and well-shot, a few fun gags and ideas, not boring, but everything else just doesn't do it and nothing gels.  4/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 26, 2021, 09:22:38 AM
THINGS (1989): Three hosers from New Jersey drink beer while things infest their house and Amber Lynn breaks in every now and then to read news bulletins from cue cards. This is astoundingly bad on nearly every level: unlikable characters enacted by bad actors, terrible dialogue, frequent references to better horror movies you could be watching instead, confusing plotting, and frequent, halfway decent gore. Of course, bad movie fans will find this to be prime stinky cheese. 1/5 for normal folks, probably 3.5/5 or even higher to folks on this board.

You see the director's 1991 follow-up film finally got an OK quality release like a year ago, Rev?  Another one to look into.  It's called Wicked World.



Yes, I saw that. He released a three-disc DVD set with his latest movie on it, too.

KONTROLL (2003) (rewatch): A Budapest kontroller (basically a subway conductor/ticket-taker) deals with rowdy travelers, rival kontroller squads, a prankster nicknamed "Bootsie" who makes a game out of running from the knotrollers, and a serial killer pushing people onto the tracks. Shot entirely in the Budapest subway system, the mixture of comedy, action, mystery and symbolism makes KONTROLL click, even though we never figure out exactly what it's a metaphor for. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 26, 2021, 12:59:37 PM
Sphere (1998) - I'm still kind of on the fence about having Dustin Hoffman be in this, but I did like it. Sharon Stone is good, Samuel Jackson is okay but still a question mark on Hoffman. He's a great actor don't get me wrong, but I don't picture him on a sealab 2021 style underwater thingy being in great danger and so forth.

Weird things are happening in a coral reef and the government fears it's due to some sort of UFO jammed in there. There's no protocol for dealing with this except a random, hypothetical working paper written by a psychiatrist (Hoffman) years ago simply to make money and with no expectation that it would ever actually be put into practice. Suddenly he's called into action and he, Stone, Jackson and millions of jellyfish battle it out for their minds and for planet Earth.

2 or so hours long. It's not a home run, but above average sci fi with a solid plot/ concept. circa 98 Stone was still pretty hot even with a buzz cut

4/5 on tubi


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on April 26, 2021, 05:28:06 PM
there's an interview Hoffman did a couple years back and he spoke about this film briefly,  his kids apparently have names for all of his films that didn't work and one of them is for Sphere (1998) i haven't seen it but i just find it funny that his kids do that. he finds it funny too


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 30, 2021, 11:11:57 PM
THE MEG - Jason Statham battles Jurassic Shark in this deep-sea epic, with a great supporting role from Rain Wilson.  Not as good as the book it was based on, but its accurate portrayal of Megalodon, the prehistoric shark that could bite a whale in half, provides some genuinely spooky moments.  Now that I have a couple of nice Megalodon teeth in my fossil room (one of them about 5 1/2" long!), it made me appreciate the movie all the more.  Glad these guys are extinct! 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 01, 2021, 04:31:20 AM
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi's hilarious take on Interview With The Vampire (with a hint of Nosferatu). Highly recommended.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 01, 2021, 08:55:27 AM
MST3K: HUMAN DUPLICATORS: The unmemorable movie has alien Richard Kiel creating android duplictates of scientists as part of a plan to conquer Earth. In Deep 13, Frank and Dr. Forrester have a case of the giggles over their invention. Another one I missed in its original run; not a standout episode but like everything in season 4 it's pretty good. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 01, 2021, 02:12:15 PM
F/X (1986) - This is one of those movies I'd seen but forgotten everything about so it was like seeing it for the first time. The story is good, but the execution is pretty clunky by today's standards. I don't think a professional crook would warn someone they are about to shoot them in the backseat of the car right before they do it. Audience's suspension of disbelief was a bit higher in the 80's than now though.

A special effects guy ( the Australian guy who was also in Cocktail then faded into obscurity) gets a strange offer: the government wants him to orchestrate a fake assassination of a mob guy so they can put him into witness relocation. It wouldn't be much of a movie if everything went according to plan, so it becomes a battle between various elements of the state with a whiff of 70's conspiracy movies.

good movie that everyone has I'm sure already seen

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 01, 2021, 08:39:58 PM
"The Happytime Murders" (2018)
Set in a world where Muppet style characters live alongside humans, a puppet P.I. and a loud mouth L.A.P.D. policewoman (Melissa McCarthy) team up to find out who's murdering the cast of a popular puppet TV show. Yes, it's just as weird as it sounds.
Jim Henson's son Brian directed this bizarre, raunchy, foul-mouthed action comedy that's sort of like a mash up of "Meet the Feebles" and "Lethal Weapon." I have a feeling that his Dad would not have approved of this movie, but I thought it was good for a few cheap, dumb laughs.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 02, 2021, 04:01:54 PM
"Forget About It" (2006)
Three old friends (Burt Reynolds, Charles Durning, and Robert Loggia) who live in an Arizona retirement village get mixed up with the Mafia and the FBI when they find a suitcase filled with stolen cash buried in the desert. So basically this is a mobbed-up "Grumpy Old Men." 
Burt and his pals are clearly doing the best they can with this thin material (and Raquel Welch, who plays the foxy neighbor that all three guys have a crush on, still looks fabulous in her 60s) but the movie's cheap, TV sitcom production values and dopey script sink this one pretty quick. Skip it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 03, 2021, 03:46:00 AM
The House of Screaming Death.

An attempt to recapture the feeling of the old portmanteau movies. Despite the presence of a familiar face (Ian McNiece), I felt it fell somewhat flat. Would not recommend alas.


Willys Wonderland.

Nic Cage gets a job cleaning up an abandoned amusement arcade in return for getting his car fixed up. He spends the whole film not speaking, isn't phased by the existence of killer animatronics, likes energy drinks and can kick arse. Nothing about his character is explained which felt somewhat frustrating (at some points I was expecting him to turn out to be some sort of animatronic himself, and gives him the feel of a computer game protagonist). Some teenagers get involved and make decisions that really don't make sense given what they know about the place. This comes off as a cross between the original Childs Play movies and the Banana Splits one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 03, 2021, 10:18:30 AM
ABOUT ENDLESSNESS (2019): Pale, deadpan vignettes, including a priest who has lost his faith and a couple who are inexplicably flying over a Swedish city. Roy Andersson squeezes out more Scandinavian miniatures, mostly despairing and anticlimactic; it doesn't have the vitality of his earlier work and won't win new converts into the cult, and yet it's oddly soothing and comforting for those who are already fans. I'd recommend trying SONGS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR first, and if you like it tackling the movies in order. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on May 03, 2021, 01:00:55 PM
Thunder Road - A troubled young father's mother dies and he goes through the aftermath as a lot of his life falls apart.  Best summary I can make.  The main performance by writer/director/star/producer/composer Jim Cummings and the character he creates are pretty great.  The unique, tumbling nature of the plot and character arc is pretty interesting.  I'm not sure it fully gels in the final act, but I've never seen a lead quite like this one and he remains compellingly flawed start to finish.  Totally worth a watch.  8/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 04, 2021, 09:25:39 AM
"Inside Motorhead (2006)
This is another one of those low budget, semi-official music documentaries that are all over Amazon Prime, with the usual gang of British rock journalists (Dave Reynolds, Malcolm Dome, Jerry Ewing, etc.) discussing the classic early Motorhead catalog (i.e. the debut thru 1986's Orgasmatron) album by album. Some vintage live clips and interview footage of Lemmy and the boys provide added flavor.
As usual with these docs, long time fans won't really learn anything new but it was a decent enough time waster with my morning coffee.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 04, 2021, 09:41:08 PM
"Caddyshack" (1980)
Classic sports comedy about a teenage caddy at a snooty country club who gets caught up in a battle on the links between the stuffy "old guard" (led by Ted Knight) and a loudmouth, low-class millionaire (Rodney Dangerfield). You've all seen it, I don't need to say any more except that it still holds up all these years later.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 04, 2021, 09:43:17 PM
"Caddyshack" (1980)
Classic sports comedy about a teenage caddy at a snooty country club who gets caught up in a battle on the links between the stuffy "old guard" (led by Ted Knight) and a loudmouth, low-class millionaire (Rodney Dangerfield). You've all seen it, I don't need to say any more except that it still holds up all these years later.

Believe it or not, I've never seen CADDYSHACK.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on May 04, 2021, 11:24:52 PM
^ Me either!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on May 05, 2021, 01:54:28 AM
Really Caddyshack is one of the greatest films of all time and so not for kids either.  it's one of the funniest films ever made period and i'd say the best film of (1980) or one of them anyways.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on May 05, 2021, 02:34:32 AM
^ I dunno. Watching a gopher puppet dance to Kenny Loggins is not my cup off tea. And I can't stand Bill Murray or Chevy Chase.
Like early versions of Adam Sandler.

I seen parts. Always turned it off.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on May 05, 2021, 08:11:30 AM
I've seen CADDYSHACK and hated it, not a single laugh form my part. I'm still confused about why it's regarded so highly, PORKY was a million times better and yet it's not as... uhm... "respected".


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 05, 2021, 01:57:23 PM
Wow! Surprised at the negative reactions to Caddyshack.
Well, let's just say it looks like the Royal Shakespeare Company compared to....

"Caddyshack II" (1988)
More hijinks on the links, as a loud mouthed real estate magnate (Jackie Mason) tries to fit in with Robert Stack and the rest of the blue bloods at Bushwood Country Club for the sake of his social-climbing daughter. When that doesn't work, he buys the club outright and turns it into a trashy mini-golf course, leading to another slobs-versus-snobs, winner-takes-all golf tournament.
...this years-too-late, who-asked-for-it sequel is kinda like the generic store brand version of Caddyshack. The only cast member who returns from the original is Chevy Chase, making little more than a glorified cameo - the rest of the characters are replaced by cheaper equivalents (Mason for Rodney, Stack for Ted Knight, Dan Aykroyd for Bill Murray). Even the gopher puppet seems to be going through the motions!
"Caddyshack II" is considered to be one of the worst sequels ever made -- Jackie Mason has famously said that he wishes he could buy up every copy in existence so he could burn them. Ouch!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 07, 2021, 09:12:12 AM
"Ape vs. Monster" (2021)
When an experimental space capsule crash lands back on earth, scientists discover that the chimpanzee "pilot" has begun growing to immense size due to exposure to an alien goop. The same stuff has a similar effect on a gila monster near the crash site, which eventually leads to a clash between the two overgrown critters, with a bunch of puny humans caught in the middle.
Obviously this is The Asylum's knock-off of "Godzilla vs. Kong," and it features all of their usual trademarks -- cheap sets, awkward dialogue, terrible acting, crappy CGI, and an appearance by a slumming, D-list star (Eric "Julia's Brother" Roberts). It spends way too much time on talky, scientific mumbo-jumbo dialogue between the human characters and not enough on the creatures, so those expecting serious monster mayhem will be disappointed.
It's not the worst Asylum movie I've ever seen, but it isn't really worth your time, either.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 08, 2021, 03:04:38 AM
Over the Moon (2020)

An American-Chinese hybrid trying very hard to be Disney. It is not a bad movie as such, just very predictable. The team was clearly working from a checklist of items that had been successful in previous Disney movies. That being said, it does have its moments and it has the cutest fluffy bunny in the history of animation.

I found it too much by the numbers to appeal to me, but then I also gave up on Frozen after half an hour. However the basic story of loss and family is solid, so it is a question of the glass being half full or half empty.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 08, 2021, 07:52:39 AM
"The Wicker Man" (2006)
A police officer (Nicolas Cage) is summoned to an isolated island village to help search for a missing girl, but as he digs into the mystery he discovers that the seemingly tranquil community has a long history of Pagan sacrifice and murder.
This remake of a '70s British horror flick (which I've never seen) was a pretty notorious box office bomb, but it's turned into a minor cult item since then thanks to Cage's performance, which becomes increasingly manic (and therefore unintentionally funny) as the film goes on. When his character first arrives on the island he's all business, proper and polite, but by the three quarter mark he's wearing a bear suit, yelling at everyone at the top of his lungs, and punching women in the face.
I actually enjoyed this, but your mileage may vary depending on your tolerance for Cage's overacting.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 08, 2021, 09:01:27 PM
"Star Wars" (1977)
Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi save the princess from Darth Vader and destroy the dreaded Death Star in George Lucas' classic space epic that needs no further explanation, cuz we've all seen it  a million times. I will never, ever, ever get tired of this movie.
As an added bonus, my 13 year old son watched it with me tonight for the first time ever, and he loved it - he sez he wants to see the rest of 'em now. I'm so proud. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 09, 2021, 12:40:44 AM
ZOMBIE FIGHT CLUB (2017) - After a zombie apocalypse destroys Taiwan, a former schoolteacher becomes a post-holocaust victim and forces other survivors to fight the zombie horde, and each other, for food and favors.  Sleazy, cheap, tacky, brimming with cheesy dialogue, fake blood and real nudity, this is a bad movie for bad movie lovers!
4.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on May 09, 2021, 03:05:04 AM
i don't think i've ever met anyone who hated Caddyshack (1980) before the Porky's not Porky lol (1981-1985) are great films and Howard Stern was going to remake it i dunno maybe 10 years ago or more? i think it was shot but than it was Cancelled by the studio i forget who made it and i do not remember who even was in it but it must have been pretty bad for it to get cancelled and than never released at all


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 09, 2021, 09:27:21 AM
AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS (2018): On Christmas Day, a family finds themselves locked into the homes by an outside force, with instructions beamed in to them through the TV. Nifty little genre parable about conformity that starts out like a Milgram experiment and develops a Cronenbergian dimension. On Netflix only. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 09, 2021, 08:19:36 PM
"The People vs. George Lucas"(2010)
This documentary examines the often complicated relationship between "Star Wars" creator George Lucas and his fans, who are very vocal with their displeasure about how their beloved saga has been handled over the years. Interviews with bloggers, film critics, and nerds of all stripes mix with vintage "Star Wars" related film clips and excerpts from various fan films, some of which are quite elaborate (and often hilarious).
This movie was made prior to Lucas selling out to Disney and the arrival of the most recent wave of "Star Wars" films; it would be interesting to find out what some of this doc's participants think of them.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 10, 2021, 08:50:29 AM
JUMBO (2020): A disturbed young woman falls in love with an amusement park ride. There's really not a lot the film can do with it's odd premise, but the highlight has to be the (sorta psychedelic) sex scenes: what man can compete with Jumbo's stamina? 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 10, 2021, 09:51:50 AM
"I'm Too Old For This Sh*t: A Heavy Metal Fairy Tale" (2021)
A documentary about the reunion of the long-forgotten Florida metal band SIREN, who broke up in 1986. The guys haven't played together or even spoken to each other since then, but they pick up right where they left off when they suddenly get an offer to gig at Germany's famed Keep It True old-school metal festival.
Unlike a lot of music docs, there's not much in the way of behind-the-scenes drama, arguing, drugs/alcohol or other "issues" for the Siren guys to overcome -- they're just a bunch of regular joes, and we just get to ride along with them as they finally get to live their dream of playing for their loyal European fans. A fun dreams-come-true story.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on May 12, 2021, 04:19:24 AM
"The Wicker Man" (2006)

I actually enjoyed this, but your mileage may vary depending on your tolerance for Cage's overacting.

I'm in the early beginnings of a re-evaluation of Nicolas Cage's work. After watching him in the surprisingly well done Color Out Of Space (2019), I'm starting to realize that the weirder the movie, the better that Nicolas Cage appears to act in it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 12, 2021, 08:24:21 AM
Wrong Turn. 2021

I found it hard to consider this one a remake, it is more of its own thing and for me had more in common with say Southern Comfort or Deliverance than The Hills Have Eyes or the original Wrong Turn movies. I found it entertaining enough. There isn't anything that's going to set the world on fire or overly original in it, although many of the potential hooks for a follow up were shut down (doesn't mean you couldn't make a sequel, just the most obvious routes wouldn't work). I personally thought there was enough gore to appeal to fans of the original series, but that it was enough of its own thing that it should have been released under a different name.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 12, 2021, 08:55:12 AM
DEMON SLAYER: MUGEN TRAIN (2020): A group of young demon slayers apprentice to a master and fights a dream-bringing demon on a train. The spectacular art, memorable character design, and zippy operatic duels mean you don't need a good grip on the series' mythology to enjoy this tale of nobility, bravery and sacrifice. Very nice to see on a big screen. You can catch the one-season series on Hulu or Netflix; I didn't have any problem following the story, but other reviewers have warned it's confusing for non-fans. 3.5/5.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 12, 2021, 11:29:18 AM
Grizzly II: Revenge.

I think I posted a while back that this lost movie had been uncovered and finished, although maybe someone else posted it and I am getting mixed up. Anyway, this seems to be an unusually cheaply made 80s movie. I would hazard a guess that most of the footage of the bear is stock footage, and that at the end of the movie you have a stuffed bear standing in the same position. It has a slightly short running time (around 74 minutes) and a lot of padding to get there. It does feature George Clooney, Laura Dern, Charlie Sheen and John Rhys-Davis. There was someone else in it who would go on to find fame, but I've forgotten who it was already. Other than the scene with its future big-name stars I can't think of many reasons to recommend this, and even then it would only be if you are into "before they were famous", or an 80's horror completionist. The print did seem fairly clean which I wasn't expecting.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 12, 2021, 11:01:59 PM
ATTACK OF THE FIFTY FOOT CHEERLEADER (2012)

Roger Corman strikes again, delivering a wonderful, steaming shovelful of B-movie cheese as only he can!
Cassie is a science nerd with pimples who dreams of being a sorority girl and cheerleader like her Mom, but her homeliness is only matched by her clumsiness.
But when her science lab creates a genetic compound which multiplies the body's healthy, aggressive genes and suppresses unattractive, weak tendencies, she sees her chance and becomes a human guinea pig.  She grows three bra sizes - and then about ten human sizes!  But her archrival, jealous of Cassie's newfound stature, steals some of the compound, and a giant, topless catfight between towering Amazonian beauties provides the film's wonderfully ridiculous finale.  Classic Corman fun all the way around - pretty girls, ridiculous concept, and cheesy dialogue.  5/5 on the bad movie scale!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 13, 2021, 06:23:55 AM
Tremors (1990)

Still the best 'monsters in the desert' movie out there.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on May 14, 2021, 01:33:56 AM
i agree i love that movie that one and the 2nd one i think are the best ones,   part 3 is Decent 4 is okay and 5 is freaking Awful, painfully bad i haven't seen the ones after that and you can tell a different company put the current ones out to be honest


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 14, 2021, 09:57:46 AM
"AC/DC: The Bon Scott Years" (2005)
Yet another one of those "semi-official" documentary videos, with the usual bunch of British rock critics and industry types sharing their thoughts on the early AC/DC catalog. There's nothing here that long time fans won't already know, of course, but there are lots of vintage footage of early concert and live TV appearances to keep things interesting.

"Trespass" (1992)
Two country boys (Bill Paxton and William Sadler) searching the ruins of an abandoned East St.Louis factory building for a stash of treasure cross paths with a crew of gangstas (led by Ice-T) who use the place to take care of "business," and they don't want any witnesses.
This underrated, claustrophobic urban action flick (directed by Walter Hill of "48 HRS," and "The Warriors" fame) is a forgotten gem, thanks to its great cast, cool setting, and lots of ultra violence.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 15, 2021, 03:57:06 PM
Killer Rack.

After having breast implants by Dr Cate Thulu, a woman finds her breasts are actually host to a Lovecraftian entity that seeks to destroy the world. Fewer boobs on display than you might expect from the premise.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on May 15, 2021, 11:09:37 PM
that's a real movie? Seriously?  i watched some Classic Doctor who the story?  "The Daleks's  from Season 1


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 16, 2021, 02:01:26 AM
The Hitch-Hiker (1953)

Two guys on a fishing trip pick up a hitch-hiker who is a dangerous criminal on the run, and are forced to drive through Mexico where he plans on making his escape. This is supposed to be a classic film noir by Ida Lupino, but it didn't do much for me. It is not a bad movie, and the ending scene is very atmospheric, but I never could get into the characters or the story. The villain is pretty menacing, though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 16, 2021, 03:37:27 AM
that's a real movie? Seriously?  i watched some Classic Doctor who the story?  "The Daleks's  from Season 1



Check it out, its on Amazon Prime.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3369624/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3369624/)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 16, 2021, 09:17:00 AM
BEYOND DREAM'S DOOR (1989): A young man finds himself trapped in a dream, and when he describes it to others, they are dragged into the nightmare, too. Originally released straight to VHS, the script is far too ambitious for the budget, but the filmmakers did succeed in making a movie packed with a lot of ideas and an amateur experimental charm. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on May 16, 2021, 09:44:16 AM
DIMENSIONS (2011)

Cambridge, England, 1921 - or so it seems. A brilliant young scientist becomes obsessed with finding a way back to his past - no matter what the cost.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Don't be fooled by the tags: it's barely scifi, and it barely deals with time travel. I'm going to say the only good thing right off the bat: the movie looks great, in picture quality, scenery, wardrobe, and chicks. Sadly, the music is nothing but a single tune of a piano constantly, and it's depressing. Other stuff are simply hilarious: a girl goes alone to a bar and asks for a gin tonic, while the bartender, also a woman, says "it's one of those days, uh?". In Cambridge. In 1930. Seriously?

All right, the bad: everything else. The movie starts with two boys and a girl who are very best friends, the girl dies in an accident and the boys blame themselves. Before this, they're visited by a mysterious old man who gives them a lecture about time travel and the fourth dimension. All this takes 40 minutes of the movie, and I'm no joking. I was so incredibly bored that I honestly wanted to shut it off, but I endured, because in enduring, grow strong. I inmediatly knew who the old man was, as anyone with the smalles experience in time travel movies would, but I decided not to dwell too much on it...

So, the movie goes on 15 years later, the main guy is obsessed with time travel and giving lectures about it and saying with 99% certainty that the future can't be changed, no matter how far you travel to the past (mind you, he uses the same techniques the old man gave him). He meets a nice girl who becomes his helper, he manages to build the machine but gets stolen by his jealous childhood friend / cousin, an evil mal with money (he has money, therefore he's evil and do evil stuff) uses it and becomes trapped in it in which is probably the only good scene in the entire movie. More drama, more boring stuff about love, at the very end of the movie he finally uses the machine with his cousing and travel back in time, revealing that the old man... OMG IT WAS HIM ALL ALONG!!11 I NEVER EXPECTED THAT!!11111

Besides the preditable ending, I was laughing at the huge plot hole they left there. While the paradox of him travelling in time, using the same teachings he gave himself as a child by travelling in time, is nice (handled a million times better in PREDESTINATION though), he spends the whole movie trying to convice everyone that changing the future is impossible. Yet, in the final scene, he "saves" his childhood friend from dying by changing the events - apparently, it was a different timeline or something, but it's not the same visit from the beginning of the movie. So, to sum it up: he visits and teachs himself in one timeline, but the he does it again in another one but here he saves his friend, why not doing it from the go and saves us from this film? The movie contradicts itself in a silly way, and I was p**sed off about waiting all this time for such a terribad ending.

Whatever, skip this one unless you like big dramas about love. 3/10  :thumbdown:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 16, 2021, 02:16:45 PM
"We Are Twisted F***ing Sister!" (2014)
The members of Twisted Sister recall their decade-long struggle to escape from the New York/New Jersey club circuit and snag that ever elusive record deal, in this amazingly thorough, highly entertaining rockumentary full of great stories, classic clips and vintage interviews. Essential viewing for all S.M.F.'s.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 16, 2021, 07:39:12 PM
"Proud Mary" (2018)
A tough-as-nails hit woman for a Boston crime family (Taraji P. Henson of "Empire") has unexpected maternal feelings for a young boy who was left orphaned by one of her previous "jobs." Naturally, this relationship ends up putting them both in danger from a variety of very bad people.
"Mary" is basically a 21st century update of the oldie "Gloria" with Gena Rowlands (which was remade in the late 90s with Sharon Stone), with a little bit of "Coffy" or "Foxy Brown" attitude for good measure. Not a must-see, but a decent enough butt kicker.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 17, 2021, 07:53:05 AM
USED AND BORROWED TIME (part 1) (2020): Oh man. A old blind woman eats a mystic meat pie served up by a racist at an Alabama fair and goes back in time to relive her experiences in an interracial romance during the civil rights struggle. It's stranger than it sounds, with the characters speaking in rhyme about half the time and CGI extras occasionally popping up in the background. And there's a subplot with a racist family with a predatory gay uncle! The acting is community theater level, scenes drag on and on, and a lot of it is just clumsy sermonizing. And at almost two hours long, this is only part one! Free on Prime, but I don't think anyone here will like it; it's a bad movie, but not a fun one. 1/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 17, 2021, 10:02:18 AM
"Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007" (2012)
The history of the James Bond film franchise is told by cast members, producers, and famous fans (including former President Bill Clinton!) in this thorough documentary which was made to celebrate the release of "Skyfall" and the franchise's 50th anniversary. Loaded with tons of fantastic vintage film clips, photos, and nerd trivia for 007 fanboys.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on May 17, 2021, 11:19:42 PM
Proud Mary (2018) that's one i really loved when i saw it and if i recall it flopped when it came out i wish i knew why?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 18, 2021, 07:45:32 AM
USED AND BORROWED TIME (part 1) (2020): Oh man. A old blind woman eats a mystic meat pie served up by a racist at an Alabama fair and goes back in time to relive her experiences in an interracial romance during the civil rights struggle. It's stranger than it sounds, with the characters speaking in rhyme about half the time and CGI extras occasionally popping up in the background. And there's a subplot with a racist family with a predatory gay uncle! The acting is community theater level, scenes drag on and on, and a lot of it is just clumsy sermonizing. And at almost two hours long, this is only part one! Free on Prime, but I don't think anyone here will like it; it's a bad movie, but not a fun one. 1/5.

Part 2 is much the same, only a little shorter.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 19, 2021, 12:49:30 AM
Vampire Saga (1988)

Also known as Mr. Vampire IV. After seeing the clip with the conga line of Chinese hopping vampires, I had to track this down. It is quite as silly as that clip suggested. It is basically just a quick succession of slapstick and slapstick kung fu scenes. Whether you'll like it will depend on how close you are to your inner 8 year old.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on May 19, 2021, 02:50:33 AM
i haven't been in the movie mood as of late i dunno why i just got done watching Supernatural Season 1 episode #11 i think?  called Asylum it's a pretty good one actually i've seen i think season 1 the most out of any of the seasons


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 21, 2021, 07:14:31 AM
"Die Hard" (1988)
Last night my video game crazed 13 year old son asked me out of the blue "Dad, can we watch 'Die Hard'?" - apparently John McClane has been added to "Call of Duty" as a playable character, and since he'd never seen the movie, he wanted to find out what all the fuss was about.
...so naturally I said, "Of course we can watch Die Hard!" - and he loved it. Last week it was "Star Wars," now "DH." I am honored to be schoolin' the boy in the classics.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 21, 2021, 10:13:51 PM
THE WICKED (2013) - The old Open Hearth witch house lies in the woods outside of town; subject of a peculiar legend.  Anyone who breaks a window in the house will be taken by an evil witch simply called The Wicked, who will consume their flesh and blood to sustain her immortal life.  Therefore, in grand horror movie fashion, local teens dare each other to lob rocks at the house and try to break a window.  So our protagonists - four college kids and the younger brother of one of them, with his girlfriend - decide to take on the Wicked legend, and wind up being terrorized by the witch.  Gaping plotholes and generally bad acting are more than atoned for by a truly creepy witch design and some nice gory kills.  Worth the free Amazon Prime rental price by a long shot!  Heck, I think I spend $3 to rent it back in the day!
3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 22, 2021, 05:10:58 AM
All My Friends Are Dead (2020)

This one showed up on Netflix, and as I hardly ever see Polish movies, I thought I'd give it a go.

The movies opens with a police squad investigating a crime scene of an incredible massacre at a party. The humour here is even darker and more deadpan than in a Scandinavian black comedy. We then cut to the day before, to see how all the party goers ended up dead.

I am not sure about this one. I can see how the writer had an idea of a party of privileged and artsy twenty-somethings spiraling out of control and ending in a bloodbath, but he didn't quite think through how to get from a to b. What we get in most of the movie, are couples squabbling about sex and relationships. With only fifteen minutes to go, most of the characters are still alive, when the movie switches gears abruptly, all plausibility goes out of the window, and carnage ensues. Most of the characters are just one note, or caricatures. In a dark comedy this doesn't matter, as they can be killed off for comic effect (as for instance in the sublime Ready Or Not). Instead here we spend a lot of time with characters which are neither interesting nor entertaining, and there is little to motivate the climax.
It does have its moments of dark and irreverent humour, though, and I am willing to believe that it contains jokes and references that work better for a Polish audience. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 22, 2021, 08:48:07 AM
"Rush: Time Stand Still" (2016)
The legendary Canadian rock band looks back on their long career and reflects on their relationship with their devoted fan base as they embark on their "R40" tour, which eventually winds down to their final show ever, at the L.A. Forum. A very cool behind-the-scenes documentary that might make you tear up a little.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 23, 2021, 02:17:09 PM
"Rage" (aka "Tokarev," 2014)
Nicolas Cage is a former Mob leg breaker who's "out of the business" and gone legit... until his daughter is kidnapped and murdered, prompting him to re-assemble his old "team" and set off on a mission of vengeance.
The bursts of ultra-violence are fun to watch but otherwise this movie is a cheap re-hash of the "Taken" films. For Cage completists only.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 23, 2021, 05:07:40 PM
DREAMLAND (2019) - Margot Robie stars as a Depression-era bank robber who befriends, seduces, and corrupts an "innocent" farmboy in west Texas during the Dust Bowl of 1935.  A very impressive movie, beautifully acted, Robie is smoking hot as usual, and the dust storms are accurately depicted in all their terrifying, otherworldly awfulness.  A very well done period piece!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 23, 2021, 05:13:16 PM
BULLY (2001) - Larry Clark dishes up his usual level of sleaze in this "based on a true story" chronicle of some oversexed, dimwitted kids who decide to murder the bully who has been making their lives miserable.  There is not a single likable character in this entire film; just a bunch of juvenile delinquents who smoke weed, swear constantly (274 F-bombs in this movie), and have LOTs of graphic, onscreen sex, when they are not busy murdering or planning to murder the aforementioned bully - who is the LEAST likable of the entire lot.  The two female leads are very attractive, but you really feel like you need a long shower with lots of soap after watching this depressing flick.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 24, 2021, 08:42:25 AM
"The Kids are Alright" (1979)
The Who's first fifteen years (give or take) are celebrated in this collection of vintage live footage, TV appearances, and interviews that shows the boys in all their loud n proud, hard rockin', guitar smashin' glory.
Though it's considered a "documentary," "The Kids are Alright" is more of a "highlight reel," because there's no narration or "story" to speak of, just a series of legendary performances like the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, Woodstock (which Townshend says he "hated"), the Isle of Wight Festival, and many more. Sadly, this would be the last Who project to involve Keith Moon, who passed away while the film was being edited.
I wasn't around to witness the Who's rise to power in the '60s but based on the smokin' live clips displayed here, they must have been a force to be reckoned with.

"31" (2016)
On Halloween night in 1976, a "family" of carnival workers are captured by a gang of clowns who force them to participate in a horrific game called "31," where they are given twelve hours to navigate their way thru a maze-like abandoned factory and avoid being slaughtered by a variety of costumed psychos.
Rob Zombie wrote and directed this loud, gory, grimy mash up of "Texas Chainsaw" and "The Running Man," which started off promising enough, but ran out of gas long before the end. I dig RZ's cool/bizarre visual style, but there's no real "story" here -- he's just spinning his wheels in the same redneck-horror rut that he's been in since he started making movies   Skip it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 25, 2021, 06:56:52 AM
"Behind the Mask: The Batman Dead End Story" (2015)
An interesting documentary about Sandy Collora, the special effects artist and director whose 2003 Batman fan film short "Dead End" (in which Batman faced off against Aliens and Predators) was a hit at Comic-Con and became a viral video sensation, but ultimately failed to launch Collora's  Hollywood career. 
The behind-the-scenes footage from the making of "Dead End" is fun to watch, but while he's obviously a talented, creative guy, Collora tends to comes off as rather abrasive and full of himself, which might explain why his phone hasn't exactly been ringing off the hook with movie offers.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 25, 2021, 10:16:24 AM
ST. MAUD (2019): A devoutly religious hospice nurse is obsessed with saving the soul of her latest patient, a retired bohemian dancer. Billed as a horror film, but it's more of a dark character study, as Maud loses touch with reality and begins to question if God has a plan for her. An A24 production that was hit hard by the pandemic and barely got a release date; it's free on Hulu or Amazon Prime. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on May 25, 2021, 10:38:28 AM
Army of the Dead - Woof.  Not exactly boring, but still a shoddily constructed, annoyingly shot, slow paced and irritating film.  If you like a zombie heist movie way overcomplicated with minimal fun heist elements, stupid plot twists, extremely idiotic characters, bad decisions for no reasons, a 2.5 hour runtime for no justifiable reason, and frustrating moments, this should be right up your alley. 

Oh, if you enjoy picking at the logic and construction of films, this might be a fun one for you.  Try to count how many bits and pieces are copied from Aliens.  It feels deliberate as in homage, but so badly handled its insulting anyway.  Also look for moments that are set up and sound neat, but then never pay off AT ALL (like an anti-Chekhov's Gun).  A quick example that I guess is a minor, minor spoiler: when they enter Vegas, there are huge piles of dried out zombies.  A character tells you they re-animate when it rains.  It never rains, they never get wet, nothing.  Film is full of this crap, and none of it is some kind of interesting subversion, just reads like awful dead-end writing and a waste of the audience's time and attention span.

3/10, because it isn't boring somehow and there's a few fun ideas (zombie heist, the alpha zombie thing is kinda neat, etc), and I think I'm being generous.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 25, 2021, 12:51:31 PM
Metropolis (1927) - I saw this restored version at the Brattle theater in Cambridge decades ago and watched it again on youtube. It feels a lot more modern than other movies of it's era, definitely on par with Citizen Kane (1933) in that sense. It got mixed reviews when it came out, as Star Wars also did.

The rich live in the high towers and frolic in beatiful gardens while the poor slave away underground. Their lives are grinded away as they wait to drop dead from exhaustion or an accident at the massive and powerful machine they operate. The newly woke boss's son likens it to human beings being sacrificed to Moloch, not the only bible reference here. In another time, I might have dismissed this as communist piffle but as todays far left and right converge in frustration with multi billionaire societal domination it feels pretty contemporary and accurate. After work, they go to hear a woman named Maria speak of a better world and a messiah who will deliver them from all this.

Romeo and Juliet happens in the form of the rich guys son falling for her, but she later gets replaced with an evil robot in a dastardly plot by management. The robot Maria weird contortions and partially nude dancing is really something. She reminded me a bit of Iraq War era Ann Coulter

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 25, 2021, 08:44:07 PM
"The Sound" (2017)
A reporter/blogger (Rose McGowan) who specializes in debunking supernatural phenomenon is summoned to an abandoned Toronto subway station, which is supposedly haunted by the spirit of an asylum escapee who committed suicide there 30 years ago by jumping in front of a train. Rose stumbles around the same dimly lit sets with a flashlight for a while, she sees a bunch of weird sh*t involving a ghostly girl and a spectral Christopher Lloyd, and though the movie seems to be building to some sort of big payoff, nothing never actually happens. I was checking my watch well before the halfway point of this cheap looking, irritating indie horror flick.
Even my lingering crush on Rose from her "Charmed"/"Jawbreaker"/"Planet Terror" days couldn't save this dull, mostly incomprehensible piece of crap.
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 27, 2021, 08:35:05 AM
"To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story" (2017)
Documentary profile of the stunt man, actor, and horror icon who's best known for playing Jason in four "Friday the 13th" films, and whose resume also includes movies like "House," "Hatchet," the Oscar-winning "Monster" with Charlize Theron (!), and many more. The most interesting part of the film, though, is about how his career nearly ended before it began: when Kane was just starting out in the late 70s, a fire stunt went wrong, causing 3rd degree burns over much of his body that put him in the hospital for almost six months. The story of his recovery (both physical and mental) from that experience provides the dramatic centerpiece of this film, but fear not, horror nerds, there are still plenty of of gory, gross-out clips from his films, testimonials from co-stars and friends like Robert Englund, Danielle Harris, Bill Mosely, Felissa Rose and Bruce Campbell, and scenes of Kane interacting with fans at horror conventions. Kane seems like a cool dude and this movie is an enjoyable portrait.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 27, 2021, 09:44:22 AM
THE PLANTERS (2019): Emotionally-stunted Martha Plant is a terrible telemarketer and prefers her side hustle of burying junk in the desert for treasure hunters to dig up; things change when she offers her spare room to a recently released mental patient with multiple personalities. Will be compared to Wes Anderson, but this movie really belongs in the late 80s or early 90s alongside movies like BAGDAD CAFE; it's the quirkiest comedy I've seen in decades. A great backstory, also; the two actresses made it with no crew, doing all the jobs themselves, and you'd never know it from the result (although it explains the fact that the camera never moves). 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on May 27, 2021, 10:51:41 AM
I watched Sleight.  This is basically a low-key crime drama with mild superhero elements, about a young drug dealer just trying to make enough money to take care of his sister and himself.  But at the same time, he's made a neat bionic device to help with his tricks, and gets more deeply involved in the underground world than he wants too.  It's well-shot, and well acted, with a couple of sensitive and solidly acted lead performances.  Does strain credibility a number of times, but if you can buy into Marvel films you can probably buy into this one too.

It's really hard to not use a bit of a pun and call this movie "Slight" though, as it feels almost like a good pilot episode for a TV show.  You're engaged and would watch more, but you feel like you got just a hint of the real meat of this story.  But at the same time, a sequel seems unlikely. 

Worth watching especially for free on Netflix, 7/10.


"To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story" (2017)
Documentary profile of the stunt man, actor, and horror icon who's best known for playing Jason in four "Friday the 13th" films, and whose resume also includes movies like "House," "Hatchet," the Oscar-winning "Monster" with Charlize Theron (!), and many more. The most interesting part of the film, though, is about how his career nearly ended before it began: when Kane was just starting out in the late 70s, a fire stunt went wrong, causing 3rd degree burns over much of his body that put him in the hospital for almost six months. The story of his recovery (both physical and mental) from that experience provides the dramatic centerpiece of this film, but fear not, horror nerds, there are still plenty of of gory, gross-out clips from his films, testimonials from co-stars and friends like Robert Englund, Danielle Harris, Bill Mosely, Felissa Rose and Bruce Campbell, and scenes of Kane interacting with fans at horror conventions. Kane seems like a cool dude and this movie is an enjoyable portrait.

He was pretty great when I met him some years back at a con, talked with me more and for longer than any other person I've talked to at a con.  He'd also freely talk to anyone, regardless of if they bought anything from him.  I did buy an autograph from him, and he also took a photo with us too.  The usual one of him choking me, as every one of his photos is.  Dude was obviously really strong too, even at 50 something when we took the photo.

He could tell I was a bit awkward talking to him, but handled it really well.  He also wore gloves all the time, and I didn't know they were to cover burns.  When I said something about it, I could tell it was painful to even talk about, so I dropped it.  I gather his autobiography and this documentary were in part to help him get over it, as it was still a very traumatic memory. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 27, 2021, 05:59:04 PM
ALL THE WAY (2016)  A fascinating biopic about Lyndon Johnson that begins at Love Field, aboard Air Force One, and covers the President's turbulent first year in office, ending on election night, 1964.  His troubled partnership with Martin Luther King, Jr., his domineering relationship with Hubert Humphrey, his careful glad-handing of the Dixiecrats in order to force the 1964 Civil Rights Act through Congress, his early missteps in Vietnam, and his worries leading into the epic contest with Barry Goldwater all play together into a compelling political drama.  Brian Cranston of BREAKING BAD stars as Johnson, and it is a standout performance. 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on May 27, 2021, 07:47:18 PM
i've always wanted to meet Kane Hodder,  he does seem like a pretty laid back kind of guy and i've never heard a single bad thing about him. i really didn't know there even was an documentary about him either


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 28, 2021, 06:25:38 AM
THE NEST (2020) - Jude Law stars as a slick-talking English stock trader who moves his American family back to England in pursuit of a higher-paying job; he gets hired by his old boss but is constantly chasing that next big deal which never quite materializes while living far above his means.  Eventually his wife finds out that they are broke, her horse dies, and his daughter throws a big party while the parents are at an important business dinner which the wife deliberately sabotages.  And that's about it.  They move into a huge, creepy mansion which the wife and kids talk about how evil it is, but there's no examples.  Essentially a slow-moving melodrama about the disintegration of a marriage rather than a suspense or horror film, which is what I thought it would be.  Disappointing, albeit with strong performances from the entire cast in a story that really goes nowhere. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 28, 2021, 08:58:59 PM
"The Empire Strikes Back" (1980)
After a massive defeat at the Empire's hands on the planet Hoth, our heroes are forced to split up -- Luke heads to Dagobah to study under Jedi Master Yoda, while Han and Leia hide out with Han's friend Lando in Cloud City. Naturally, Darth Vader and the Empire are never far behind. This is my favorite film of the original "Star Wars" trilogy, and my 13 year old son, who was watching it for the first time, loved it -- every few minutes he was saying "That is so cool! That is really cool! This is SO F**KING COOL!" :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 30, 2021, 08:09:05 AM
TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL - Horror/comedy is a hard genre to get right, but this movie succeeds at it gloriously!  Two lovable hillbillies are fixing up the old cabin they bought on the lake when they bump into a group of college kids going camping for the weekend, and a series of misunderstandings lead to an absolute bloodbath despite the fact that Tucker and Dale are the two nicest guys you'd ever want to meet!  No more explanations, just watch this movie! 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on May 30, 2021, 09:10:01 PM
"The Empire Strikes Back" (1980)
After a massive defeat at the Empire's hands on the planet Hoth, our heroes are forced to split up -- Luke heads to Dagobah to study under Jedi Master Yoda, while Han and Leia hide out with Han's friend Lando in Cloud City. Naturally, Darth Vader and the Empire are never far behind. This is my favorite film of the original "Star Wars" trilogy, and my 13 year old son, who was watching it for the first time, loved it -- every few minutes he was saying "That is so cool! That is really cool! This is SO F**KING COOL!" :D

Darth Vader is one of my all-time favorite tragic villains, and this movie did a great job in showcasing the power that he had. He was always an underboss in all the movies; always answering to someone; always being led astray until his redemption in Episode VI. I read an article recently talking about George Lucas’ original plans for the final trilogy where it turned out that Leia was actually the chosen one, not Luke, and that Luke would still die in Episode VIII; the “Last Jedi” title was supposed to reflect this when Leia was supposed to have been the last one; hence the “chosen one.” Sadly, Carrie Fisher’s death tipped that boat over.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 30, 2021, 10:04:24 PM
"Zombieland: Double Tap" (2019)
It's ten years after the first "Zombieland," and Wichita, Columbus, and Tallahassee must hit the road again to find their friend Little Rock, who's run off to a non-violent hippie commune called "Babylon" and rescue her before she, and the rest of the inhabitants, become Zombie Chow. Much ultra violent mayhem ensues. Just as much fun as the first flick.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 31, 2021, 06:36:30 AM
"Truck Turner" (1974)
Classic blaxploitation flick stars Isaac Hayes as Mack "Truck" Turner, the baddest bounty hunter in L.A. When Truck kills a pimp during a shoot out, the man's grieving widow/madam (a totally badass Nichelle "Star Trek" Nichols) puts a price on his head. Soon he's being targeted by every bad guy in town. "Truck Turner" has plenty of butt kicking action, lots of pretty girls, and a seriously funky soundtrack (also by Hayes), but the movie is worth seeing just for the famed "pimp funeral" scene, which is, quite frankly, one of the greatest things ever committed to celluloid.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 31, 2021, 03:55:41 PM
"Die Hard 2" (1990)
John McClane is "up to his a** in terrorists" again as a rogue military force takes control of Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. in order to free a political prisoner. John's wife Holly is in one of the airliners in danger of running out of fuel and crashing, so of course he has to step in and show the airport cops how to handle the situation.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I actually like this one  better than the original "Die Hard."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 01, 2021, 01:50:26 PM
Wer (2013) - This werewolf movie was pretty good but could have been better. A family is attacked by a mystery beast. A hairy, tall guy is accused and his lawyer and her team work to find the real culprit. or is it their client, whom they like???? ooohhh

Crucial to this story is the possibility that its a hoax manufactured by corrupt elements in the town seeking to get the hairy guys property. This is resolved too quickly I thought, but the director is more comfortable with action than suspense. I'd say check it out though. Werewolf is the least seen classic movie monster and this is as good an example of it as any. At the same time, It probably has some IMDB reviews that go the other way

charitable 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 01, 2021, 01:56:12 PM
Wer (2013) - This werewolf movie was pretty good but could have been better. A family is attacked by a mystery beast. A hairy, tall guy is accused and his lawyer and her team work to find the real culprit. or is it their client, whom they like???? ooohhh

Crucial to this story is the possibility that its a hoax manufactured by corrupt elements in the town seeking to get the hairy guys property. This is resolved too quickly I thought, but the director is more comfortable with action than suspense. I'd say check it out though. Werewolf is the least seen classic movie monster and this is as good an example of it as any. at the same time, It probably has some IMDB reviews that go the other way

charitable 4/5


I really loved this movie!  In fact, I bought a copy.  Intense gore and cool transformation sequences.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 01, 2021, 09:42:17 PM
"The Terry Kath Expericne" (2016)
Documentary about the life and career of Terry Kath, the original lead guitarist of Chicago, who died tragically in 1978. What makes this movie particularly poignant is that it was directed by his daughter, who was only two years old when he died... so while we're learning about her father, so is she, through vintage films and photos and present day interviews with Terry's bandmates, family members, and famous friends.
I'm not even much of a Chicago fan, but this doc sucked me right in and kept my attention all the way through. Good stuff with an emotional punch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 02, 2021, 09:26:42 AM
THE AMUSEMENT PARK (1973/2019): An old man spends a terrifying afternoon at an amusement park that symbolizes society's neglect for the elderly. A Lutheran church group commissioned horror filmmaker George Romero (!) to make this 53-minute public service film about the problems of aging, then never released the avant-garde nightmare he delivered; it was rediscovered and restored in 20198. Will be on Shudder starting June 8 and, although it's no masterpiece of horror, it's such a strange artifact that it's worth a look for the curious. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 02, 2021, 01:51:00 PM
Miss Lovely (2012)

A look at the sordid industry of erotic movies in Mumbai in the 1980s. Wikipedia informs me that director Ashim Ashluwalia first wanted to make a documentary, but nobody was willing to talk on camera, these movies being highly illegal, so he settled for a documentary style fiction. The main story follows Sonu Duggal, who wants to escape this world and plans to make a serious movie with the woman he adores.
Another victory of style over substance. There is a lot of effort in a recreation of the period, and the narrative is deliberately chopped, with lots of ellipses. The sleaze and sordidness is turned up to 11 and the atmosphere is very claustrophobic, with crowded frames, lots of close ups and rough camera work. This does disguise the fact that the plot and characters are rather thin. If you like your movies bleak and rough, this is for you.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 04, 2021, 08:51:52 AM
WINTERBEAST (1991): On top of a mountain near the remote Wild Goose Lodge, ancient Indian stop-motion demons are stirring. Remember how much fun "Equinox" was? Now imagine if it was done by a crew with half the talent at animation, and a tenth of the talent at every other aspect of filmmaking. Fun, but in a different way. I might go as high as 4/5 on a bad movie scale.

Mild prediction: I would not be surprised to see this show up on the new version of MST3K.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on June 04, 2021, 11:17:35 AM
"Die Hard 2" (1990)
John McClane is "up to his a** in terrorists" again as a rogue military force takes control of Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. in order to free a political prisoner. John's wife Holly is in one of the airliners in danger of running out of fuel and crashing, so of course he has to step in and show the airport cops how to handle the situation.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I actually like this one  better than the original "Die Hard."

When this was shown in SA in 1990, the owners of a Pretoria cinema came up with what they thought was a great promotional stunt and they installed a full sized wrecked aeroplane on the roof: the sight of this caused a number of traffic accidents.  :lookingup: :lookingup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 04, 2021, 01:35:26 PM
WINTERBEAST (1991): On top of a mountain near the remote Wild Goose Lodge, ancient Indian stop-motion demons are stirring. Remember how much fun "Equinox" was? Now imagine if it was done by a crew with half the talent at animation, and a tenth of the talent at every other aspect of filmmaking. Fun, but in a different way. I might go as high as 4/5 on a bad movie scale.

Mild prediction: I would not be surprised to see this show up on the new version of MST3K.


And I just realized Andrew reviewed this way back in 2009: http://www.badmovies.org/movies/winterbeast/ (http://www.badmovies.org/movies/winterbeast/)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 04, 2021, 02:06:19 PM
^I remember that movie for the awesome New England accents and the cheapest looking claymation I'd ever seen.


Thelma (2017) - This is the kind of movie I would see on a date in college and be like "that was AMAZING". It's got that "foreign film" gravitas, but a more cynical viewer might see it more as a combination of various popular trends.

A girl from a good Christian home goes to college and begins to question the validity of her strict religious yupbringing. Well, that's all well and good but she unleashes insane telekenisis (sp?) powers that she can't control in the process.

Basically, every time she gets horny stuff in the room shakes or birds fly into windows. It's a little ridiculous and could have used some comic relief, but it has some pretty dark and memorable stuff going on. If you are more on the thriller than action side I'd say check it out. If it had a sex scene it probably would be on netflix not tubi

4.5/ 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on June 04, 2021, 10:13:11 PM
id's say Die Hard With  a Vengeance (1995) is my favorite of the entire series, i've just been watching a Zelda 2 hack on you tube and some Zelda randomizers too not much else really. i know they aren't movies per say but it's really the only thing i've been watching


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 05, 2021, 05:32:40 AM
Red Riding Hood (2011)

A romance horror reworking of the fairy tale. In this version, the big bad wolf is a werewolf. Will the villagers discover which one of them is the werewolf and stop the carnage? Why is the monster drawn to Valerie?

The scriptwriters came up with an interesting take on the fairy tale, with a twist that is even plausible. However, that was not enough to fill the runtime, so they added a backstory that is completely by the numbers, including a Twilight-esque love triangle, only less inspired. It doesn't help that both male leads have the charisma of a potted plant. The movie only really gets going in the last half hour, which is far more watchable than the hour that came before. Amanda Seyfried is ethereally beautiful throughout, though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 06, 2021, 05:01:57 PM
"Return of the Jedi" (1983)
The original "Star Wars" trilogy comes to a close, with the gang rescuing Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, and Luke facing his final showdown with Darth Vader and the Emperor while the Rebellion battles the Empire's souped-up new Death Star.
My 13 year old son (who has been experiencing the trilogy for the first time) says this one was his favorite so far, though the "Luke & Leia are brother & sister" revelation took him a few minutes to process, haha.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on June 07, 2021, 09:37:26 PM
JAWS

I’ll have “Ladies of Spain” stuck in my head for awhile.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 09, 2021, 08:01:07 AM
"Enter the Dragon" (1973)
A kung fu expert turned secret agent (Bruce Lee) infiltrates a secret martial arts tournament held at a super villain's private island fortress, so he can take apart the host's smuggling operations from the inside. Of course, many butts get kicked along the way.
Somehow I'd never seen this classic until last night, but I'm glad I finally did. This action packed combo of martial arts and spy thriller was a ton of fun! Sadly, this was the last film Lee completed before his untimely death, because this easily could have become a franchise for him.

"The Show Must Go On: The Queen and Adam Lambert Story" (2019)
This flashy rock doc tells the story of how the members of Queen and "American Idol" runner up Adam Lambert came together to honor Freddie Mercury and continue the band's legendary run. I'm not a particularly huge Queen fan but after watching Lambert belt out a selection of their classics on concert stages around the world in this doc, even I have to admit that they definitely found the right guy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 09, 2021, 08:57:48 AM
RK/RKAY (2021): Indian comedy about a movie shoot and a character who escapes from the film-within-the-film, creating big problems for the director (who also played the lead). Pleasant, with several actors doing good work in dual roles and some cross-cultural chuckles; some of the Bollywood satire might not punch hard with international audience. No dance numbers! 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 10, 2021, 08:18:17 PM
"Bandidas" (2006)
In turn of the century Mexico, two women (Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek) take up bank robbing and eventually become folk heroines as they battle to save their town from a crooked railroad baron.
This light, breezy action/comedy has a pretty standard Western plot but it's fun to watch, thanks mainly to the charms of its two leading ladies (*cough cough CLEAVAGE cough cough*). Outlaw country star Dwight Yoakam is a suitably despicable villain, and Steve Zahn is a hoot as a dorky Pinkerton detective who gets caught up in the girls' cause.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on June 11, 2021, 01:21:31 AM
"Enter the Dragon" (1973)
A kung fu expert turned secret agent (Bruce Lee) infiltrates a secret martial arts tournament held at a super villain's private island fortress, so he can take apart the host's smuggling operations from the inside. Of course, many butts get kicked along the way.
Somehow I'd never seen this classic until last night, but I'm glad I finally did. This action packed combo of martial arts and spy thriller was a ton of fun! Sadly, this was the last film Lee completed before his untimely death, because this easily could have become a franchise for him.

It's funny that you should mention this. There was some interest back in the early '70s of finding an alternative to 007 movies, and oddly enough George Lazenby of On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) was looking to break out more into the action genre when he starred in The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss (1974) with Angela Mao, a Hong Kong kung fu movie star that played Bruce Lee's sister in Enter The Dragon (1973) and was actually Bruce Lee's scheduled movie after Game Of Death was completed, but unfortunately was never completed in its original form due to Bruce Lee's untimely death. Had Bruce Lee not passed away when he did, he very likely would have been in direct competition to the 007 movies and Enter The Dragon (1973) would have probably become a new movie franchise with that character.

Quote
As the (presumed) November release of No Time to Die approaches, we’re going to read more debates about how the 58-year-old franchise is or isn’t still relevant both in a new (#MeToo/Trump/Covid/etc.) social landscape and alongside equal-sized action franchises (Fast and Furious, Mission: Impossible, Marvel). We can also expect chatter about how to keep the franchise running after Daniel Craig steps away. I’d still argue that a non-white leading man would allow the franchise to step away from the last 25 years of self-critique and self-justification. Henry Golding or Daniel Kaluuya starring as the playboy secret agent superhero would be an aspirational notion. We’ve already had an Asian star in a blockbuster 007-ish movie. Had Bruce Lee not died young, Enter the Dragon could have spawned a top-tier action franchise to rival James Bond.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2020/09/15/bruce-lee-james-bond-roger-moore-enter-the-dragon-movies-box-office/?sh=114ea9255460 (https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2020/09/15/bruce-lee-james-bond-roger-moore-enter-the-dragon-movies-box-office/?sh=114ea9255460)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 11, 2021, 10:23:43 AM
"Skyscraper" (1996)
In this not-very-subtle low budget "Die Hard" wanna-be, a commuter helicopter pilot (Anna Nicole Smith) lands her chopper on top of a high rise that's been taken over by terrorists, and ends up having to stop their plot to steal some top secret satellite tech (or something). Endless shootouts, explosions, and hilarity ensue. 
Poor Anna Nicole (God rest her) never could act worth a damn, but that's OK because everyone else in the cast over-acts wildly to make up for her robotic performance, which eventually turns this into an unintentional comedy. Of course she gets her boobs out numerous times, which was probably the movie's major selling point. "Skyscraper" is so bad, it's almost good.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 11, 2021, 02:04:22 PM
Enter the Dragon is my favorite Bruce Lee film because it wasn't all sets. they got to go outside

Underworld USA (1961) - Director sam Fuller kills it on this one. It's a very late film noir that has that classic crime movie feel but richer dialogue. It had to have been an influence on The Godfather and Pulp Fiction and that stuff.

In a corrupt corner of America where there are no rules, a kid sees his Dad get killed by 4 guys and vows revenge. The men turn out to be the kind of gangsters who are feared but also have respectful positions in society, so it's not going to be easy. Helping him along the way is his cute bottle blonde girlfriend Cuddles. I could have used less of old women in bathrobes grousing about. or at least one of them could have gotten killed

cool beans 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 11, 2021, 11:27:31 PM
WRONG TURN (2021) A reboot of the "cannibal mutant hillbilly" franchise of the early 2000's now features a murderous secret mountain society of normal looking people instead of mutated inbred hillbillies.  Not as much fun as the originals, but a bit more in-depth and serious.  I was expecting a "more of the same" movie, like most reboots are, and instead found a suspenseful and well-done film.  Strongly recommended.  4/5

JOJO RABBIT - My niece is visiting this week and had never seen this wonderful movie, so we watched it together tonight.  It amazes me that a movie set during one of the darkest periods of human history could have such a strong theme of joy running through it, and leave you smiling at the end.  It makes you think that sometimes, in this awful world, good really can prevail.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 12, 2021, 04:44:28 PM
I guess this is my week for "Die Hard" wanna-bees featuring former Playmates...first I watched "Skyscraper" with Anna Nicole Smith, and now...

"No Contest" (1994)
A criminal gang (led by Andrew Dice Clay) takes over a high rise luxury hotel in the middle of the "Miss Galaxy" beauty pageant. They think the beauty queens will make great hostages, but unfortunately for them, the pageant's hostess (Shannon Tweed, aka Mrs. Gene Simmons) is not just a former Miss Galaxy contestant, she's also a skilled kickboxer and all around butt kicker. You can probably figure out the rest.
This flick wasn't quite as ridiculous as "Skyscraper" (for one thing, most of the participants can at least act to some degree). Shannon keeps her clothes on for a change, which may be a disappointment for some, but her awkward martial-arts moves provide unintentional comedy. The Dice-Man seems to be having a good time playing the sleazy bad guy, and Rowdy Roddy Piper even turns up in a supporting role! Silly, but fun low-budget action junk, appaerntly followed by a sequel!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 13, 2021, 02:11:00 AM
Devil Woman/She Yao Jing (1973)

A Hong Kong/Filipino crossover, this is really two movies forcefully joined together. One the one hand you have a Filipino snake horror: a girl is born with snakes instead of hair, and the power to control snakes. The other villagers think she is a helper of the devil, so they set her house on fire. Her parents die but she can escape. Years later she comes back to revenge herself on the village.
In an otherwise unrelated plot, a Chinese doctor and Kung Fu expert comes to town, and hits it off with the local magnates daughter. This is not to the liking of a local gang leader, who sends dozens of goons in to teach the doctor a lesson, only to be defeated time after time.
In the end the doctor and the snake queen face off.

If it had been competently made, this would have been a run of the mill Kung Fu movie, with some exotic elements thrown in for spice. Unfortunately the production standards of the Filipino crew are so low that it is merely boring. Rosemary Gil does a good job as the snake queen, but that can't save the movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 13, 2021, 10:45:20 AM
"Eye See You" (aka "D-Tox," 2002)
After he loses his fiancee' to a serial killer, an FBI agent (Sylvester Stallone) becomes dependent on alcohol and signs up for a rehab program that specializes in helping law enforcement agents. Soon after he arrives at the remote facility, his fellow patients suddenly begin dying, which means the killer has followed him there to complete his mission.
This thriller sports a cool, wintry, claustrophobic setting and an impressive supporting cast (Tom Berenger, Robert Patrick, Charles S. Dutton, Kris Kristofferson) but apparently the production was troubled. The movie was shot in 1999 but it sat on the shelf for several years before it was finally dumped direct-to-video. I'm not sure why, because I thought it was pretty good.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on June 13, 2021, 10:57:46 AM
Devil Woman/She Yao Jing (1973)

A Hong Kong/Filipino crossover, this is really two movies forcefully joined together. One the one hand you have a Filipino snake horror: a girl is born with snakes instead of hair, and the power to control snakes. The other villagers think she is a helper of the devil, so they set her house on fire. Her parents die but she can escape. Years later she comes back to revenge herself on the village.
In an otherwise unrelated plot, a Chinese doctor and Kung Fu expert comes to town, and hits it off with the local magnates daughter. This is not to the liking of a local gang leader, who sends dozens of goons in to teach the doctor a lesson, only to be defeated time after time.
In the end the doctor and the snake queen face off.

If it had been competently made, this would have been a run of the mill Kung Fu movie, with some exotic elements thrown in for spice. Unfortunately the production standards of the Filipino crew are so low that it is merely boring. Rosemary Gil does a good job as the snake queen, but that can't save the movie.

It needed less chop socky and more Devil Woman. I expected better.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 13, 2021, 01:57:10 PM
"Survival of the Film Freaks" (2018)
Charmingly cheap documentary about the phenomenon of cult films and how they have not only survived but thrived over the years, changing with the technological times from the grindhouse era, through the advent of VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray, and the internet. Packed with tons of cool clips from obscure vintage cult goodies and commentary from experts like Sam (Evil Dead) Raimi, Lloyd (Troma) Kaufman, Greydon (Joy Sticks) Clark, and more.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 15, 2021, 09:57:34 AM
"End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones" (2003)
Excellent documentary on the history of the punk rock pioneers, from their humble beginnings to their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Extremely thorough, loaded with tons of vintage footage and photos and extensive interviews with the band members, their associates, and assorted friends and fans. One of my all time favorite rock docs.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 15, 2021, 10:12:39 AM
PINOCCHIO (2019): Italian live-action adaptation of the children's story about a puppet who comes to life and has picaresque fantasy adventures like being conned by a Fox and Cat, meeting a Turquoise Fairy, getting transformed into a donkey. A worthy, darker counterpoint to the familiar Disney version of the story, probably truer to the original novel; this makes Pinocchio seem more like a mischievous Alice figure wandering through a Tuscan Wonderland. Unfortunately, it's about to be overshadowed by Guillermo del Toro's new version of the story. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on June 15, 2021, 12:06:25 PM
I tried (I mean, genuinely tried) to get through Incubus (1966): didn't make it and fell asleep.

Had some weird ass dreams though. :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 15, 2021, 02:25:53 PM
The Awakening (2011) - decent Gothic sort of horror-mystery that needed to be more horror and less gothic mystery. If you every saw "The Boy" (the one with the doll Brahms) its an awful lot like that.

A Houdini style ghost debunker circa post WW1 goes to a boys boarding school to try and debunk a ghost boy who roams the hallways. Once again, it wouldn't be much of a movie if she came and did that and left so other stuff happens.

Enjoyable for the added care put into the plot, but even Netflix horror hacks know you have to have some aggressively disturbing stuff every once in a while. Refreshingly, it doesn't seem to be pining for a sequel/ series , content to just be one movie imagine that.



charitable 4/5 it works but you wouldn't confuse it with The Prestige or something


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 16, 2021, 08:31:07 AM
DONKEY PUNCH (2008) - Four young men pick up three young English girls at a club and take them on a spin in a borrowed yacht, looking to get high, party, and have sex.  But then a horrific accident during sex play leaves one of the girls dead, and the men now have to figure out the best way to avoid being charged with murder - but can they get the girl's two horrified friends to go along with it?  Graphic, brutal, and dark, this psychological thriller was pretty well done, although none of the characters were particularly sympathetic.  A very hard "R" rating for graphic nudity and violence.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on June 16, 2021, 08:45:27 AM
I tried (I mean, genuinely tried) to get through Incubus (1966): didn't make it and fell asleep.

Had some weird ass dreams though. :buggedout:

William Shatner speaking Esperanto is strange indeed.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 17, 2021, 08:43:58 AM
PERDITA DURANGO (1997): Femme fatale Perdita Durango teams up with a Santeria priest/bank robber to transport a truckload of fetuses to Las Vegas, kidnapping a couple of blonde college kids for fun along the way. With the talent assembled here--Rosie Perez and Javier Bardem, Alex de la Iglesia directing, Barry "Wild at Heart" Gifford co-scripting from his own novel--you'd predict a gonzo masterpiece; instead, you get a humorless, unpleasant and confusing wallow in depravity. Briefly released in a cut version as "Dance with the Devil." 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 18, 2021, 01:45:54 PM
The Killing Hour (aka The Clairvoyant) 1982 - pretty disposable movie that has some okay horror elements. 2 different reviews on IMDB cite Giallo similarities but thats only accurate to the extent that most giallos are pretty mediocre. Also, I saw a movie with this exact same plot like a month ago. Easily the worst aspect of this movie is Detective Weeks, the dumb bad detective who moonlights as a stand up doing imitations of George Burns and is supposed to be charming?

A woman starts seeing crimes in her mind that are also taking place in real life. Its "The Hand Cuff Killer"! The most effective kill is one where he handcuffs a persons leg to the bottom of the ladder in a pool and they drown.

Without weak Weeks this could have been a decent grindhouse flick. stupid but okay
3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 19, 2021, 11:11:49 PM
SACRIFICE (2020) - A man and his pregnant wife return to the village in Norway where he was born to claim the home his mother bequeathed him in her will.  They quickly discover that the hospitable villagers are actually members of a cult that worships a slumbering sea demon.  Cool premise, very slow and boring movie - with WAY TOO MANY dream sequences!  How many time is something bizarre and terrifying going to happen, only to see a pregnant woman jerk awake and realize you've been had again?   2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 19, 2021, 11:56:00 PM
The Deep Ones.

Another film based loosely around Lovecraft's works, but with boobs added in. A couple takes a holiday at a seemingly idyllic seaside retreat. Right from the start, the locals seem somewhat off although overly friendly. Me, I'd have gotten the hell out of there about the time I met the local doctor.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on June 20, 2021, 12:26:12 AM
DONKEY PUNCH (2008) - Four young men pick up three young English girls at a club and take them on a spin in a borrowed yacht, looking to get high, party, and have sex.  But then a horrific accident during sex play leaves one of the girls dead, and the men now have to figure out the best way to avoid being charged with murder - but can they get the girl's two horrified friends to go along with it?  Graphic, brutal, and dark, this psychological thriller was pretty well done, although none of the characters were particularly sympathetic.  A very hard "R" rating for graphic nudity and violence.  4/5

This movie premise sounds eerily similar to Very Bad Things (1998) starring Christian Slater and that Wet Bandits guy from Home Alone (1990):

(https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/t_share/MTc1MTExMjI0ODI3MDYxMzQz/fun-facts-about-home-alone.png)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 20, 2021, 09:03:43 AM
Orgy of the Dead (1965)

The most exploitation-y of exploitation movies. A series of spirits of dead girls have to perform a sexy dance for Criswell in order to get access to the afterlife. Much like Nude on the Moon, except you don't have to wait half an hour for something to happen.

The bulk of the movie is pretty naked girls strutting their stuff, interspersed with comic relief (I use the term very loosely) by the Mummy and the Wolfman, and some of the flattest delivery of lines I have ever seen. The script by Ed Wood doesn't help.

What this movie does have, is smoke. There is hardly a shot without some smoke in it, from great billowing clouds to tiny wisps.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 20, 2021, 09:03:58 AM
"Passenger 57" (1992)
An airline security expert (Wesley Snipes) finds himself in the right place at the right time, when his flight from Florida to L.A. is hijacked by a terrorist (Bruce Payne) who's just escaped from Federal custody. So in other words, it's "Die Hard" on a plane.
"Passenger 57" is obviously not the most original thing to come down the pike but it's an entertaining, fast paced action flick. Snipes' impressive butt kicking moves in this helped elevate him into a bankable action hero for much of the next decade.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 20, 2021, 09:06:31 AM
Orgy of the Dead (1965)

The most exploitation-y of exploitation movies. A series of spirits of dead girls have to perform a sexy dance for Criswell in order to get access to the afterlife. Much like Nude on the Moon, except you don't have to wait half an hour for something to happen.


I've never seen NUDE ON THE MOON, but if it's actually slower than ORGY OF THE DEAD I think I'll pass. ORGY OF THE DEAD was the most bored I've ever been looking at topless women!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 20, 2021, 11:48:56 AM


I've never seen NUDE ON THE MOON, but if it's actually slower than ORGY OF THE DEAD I think I'll pass. ORGY OF THE DEAD was the most bored I've ever been looking at topless women!

Well, Nude on the Moon is not much slower as such, (also not faster, mind you) except that in the first half hour or so, when the 'scientists' plan their expedition, there is nothing going on except for bad dialogue and wooden acting. I recommend skipping everything until they set foot on the moon. Not that the acting and dialogue improve, but at least you have naked girls to look at.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on June 20, 2021, 09:55:56 PM
sometimes watching movie for nudity isn't worth it man,  as for what the last film i watched Ghostbusters (1984)  man it's funny how you look at some of these jokes now the key master and the gatekeeper and you don't realize how dirty the film is i mean dialog wise kinda like when i watched Grease as a kid i didn't realize how dirty that film language wise cause it went over my head.

i also didn't think about it either so that's why it went over my head so anyways, as for Ghostbusters (1984)  i saw a remark about it not that long ago on how the FX haven't aged well and i disagree i think they for (1983) when it was shot in still look pretty damn good for what budget they had and for what Technology was around back in (1983) there are some silent films that i've seen where if it's got Special Fx some of them i know how it was done but on some of them it does make me curious on how they did it and that means they still look good and are convincing i think.   i don't have these on 4K yet but i fully plan on getting them at some point so i can get rid of my (1999) releases


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on June 21, 2021, 12:24:38 AM
Have a Good Funeral, My Friend... Sartana Will Pay

Second to last official Sartana film, and the second I've seen.  Pretty entertaining but clearly B-tier Spaghetti Western.  Sartana remains a memorable character, I also liked the secondary antagonist, Lee Tse Tung.  He looked like he was having a blast delivering silly lines, he also gets the best line in the film.  "No.  It's only that I'm a lazy man."

Lots of fun gimmicks/gadgets too, which remains a Sartana trademark.  I laughed out loud at a couple.  Even the bad guys get one!  Though nothing as ridiculous as Sabata's seven barrelled derringer.

Also, the English dub is bad.  Often out of sync and badly performed.  The Prime streaming version doesn't have the Italian, which I'd guess (based on past experience) is a significant improvement.  I THINK this one was performed on set mostly in Italian, but I'm not sure.

If you've seen the Leone westerns and maybe a Django film or The Great Silence, and want to move to new pastures, this is a good start. 

7/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on June 21, 2021, 05:13:52 AM
there are some silent films that i've seen where if it's got Special Fx some of them i know how it was done but on some of them it does make me curious on how they did it and that means they still look good and are convincing i think.

The Wizard of Oz (1939) is a wonderful example of this, particularly the tornado scene. The "tornado" was actually done with a 35 foot tall wind sock from an airport, attached it to a type of contraption which ran on a pulley in the ceiling and a curving track on the floor of a big room. Then they blew a big fan to kick up dust around the base of the "tornado", added some movie magic images to the foreground of the film, and there you had it. There was a little more to it than that, but that is essentially what they used to create the effect, all for a little over $12,000 in 1938 dollars to make that movie sequence. For me, the tornado scene actually looks better after I found out how they did it.

https://www.wqad.com/article/weather/hail-to-the-chief-the-making-of-the-ultimate-tornado/526-c5327a73-308f-4f14-8789-3e4b895729a7#:~:text=He%20created%20the%20tornado%20out%20of%20a%20wind,that%20was%20across%20the%20top%20of%20the%20stage. (https://www.wqad.com/article/weather/hail-to-the-chief-the-making-of-the-ultimate-tornado/526-c5327a73-308f-4f14-8789-3e4b895729a7#:~:text=He%20created%20the%20tornado%20out%20of%20a%20wind,that%20was%20across%20the%20top%20of%20the%20stage.)

I still say that the tornado in The Wizard of Oz (1939) looks better than all of the tornadoes combined in Twister (1996).  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on June 21, 2021, 05:49:54 AM
exactly my friend they showed how they did that in one of the making's off and it was simply amazing cause it just looks so damn real and this movie is now over 80 years old!  a good example is i love Classic Doctor who i also love the current doctor who as well, for those who don't watch the current who as i  call it, it's no longer New as it's been on since (2005) why it's still called New Who i don't get. when that ends and a reboot comes what's it gonna be called?

sorry rant over, anywys, a friend of mine who is about a decade younger or so loves doctor who and when i said why don't you watch the original show? the special fx are terrible he says, i said some of them yes and some of them still look good to me. i also said well whatever happened to not giving a s**t about the special fx and just enjoy the story? no comment at all from him. his favorite companion is Rose! ya know i've been a fan of that since (2006) and i don't meet many people who's favorite is Rose.

sorry i don't mean to be getting off topic my point is some special still look good and someday 30 or 40 years from now when i'm an old man today's fx will no doubt look awful because it's CGI and that doesn't always age well. now look at Jurassic Park (1993) when they used some CGI and some models you cannot tel the difference i know i can't and it has aged so well. that lasts i think


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 21, 2021, 07:25:25 AM
"The Rocketeer" (1991)
In 1938 Los Angeles, a down on his luck stunt pilot gets mixed up with gangsters, G-Men, a Hollywood movie star, and Nazi spies when he stumbles across an experimental rocket pack and becomes a reluctant super hero.
An underrated period-piece action flick in the "Indiana Jones" vein, based on the cult comic book character. "The Rocketeer" features a great cast, plenty of cool aerial stunts, and Jennifer Connelly at her absolute peak of hottie perfection. Lots of fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on June 21, 2021, 10:55:49 AM
I''ve always liked that film and i think it is a lot of fun


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 23, 2021, 09:16:42 AM
"American: The Bill Hicks Story" (2010)
An examination of the life and career of the late Bill Hicks, the controversial stand-up comedian whose ascent to the big time was cut short by cancer, just as he seemed poised for a mainstream breakthrough.
I was only vaguely familiar with Hicks' work during his early '90s rise, but I was interested in checking this doc out mainly due to the constant rumors that Denis Leary (one of my fave stand ups from the same era) stole most of his act from Hicks. I didn't see much resemblance between the two aside from them both smoking a lot of cigarettes onstage and a similar ranting style, but either way this was a cool documentary about an interesting guy, and I'm going to be checking out more of Hicks' stand up in the future.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 23, 2021, 03:29:54 PM
The Hike (2011) - A group of girl friends go on a hike in the remote British countryside, as a welcome home to one of their friends who is returning from duty in Iraq, where her boyfriend was KIA.  Seems like a fun girly weekend, but events take a sharp turn as the girls are kidnapped and terrorized by a group of brutal rapists.  This is a dark, misogynistic film in which every male character is a villain to some degree.  A bit like I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE but not quite as sleazy.   3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 24, 2021, 07:51:28 AM
"Clerks" (1994)
Small town New Jersey slackers Dante and Randal experience a particularly hellish day working at their low level convenience store and video rental jobs, while keeping up a constant stream of snide, foul mouthed  commentary about anything and everything in their path.
Kevin Smith's gloriously cheap B&W indie classic is mandatory viewing if you grew up in New Jersey, if you've ever worked in retail, or if you were a surly twenty something in the early 1990s. I happen to fulfill all three of those requirements, so this movie will never get old for me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on June 24, 2021, 05:09:51 PM
i remember back in (1994) i was a theater that my brother still works at in fact in Cleveland and they had a poster for Clerks and i loved the poster and i still do love that poster. fast forward to (1995) when things would generally take about a year to hit video that's me adding that for the younger folks who weren't around back than. i watched this with my mom and i think my brother and we laughed our asses off and i became an instant Kevin Smith fan and i still love Smith's work.

though not everything he's done has been gold, Tusk (2014) really stunk, Cop Out (2010) was plain awful but i haven't seen all his movies either those are the 2 i think are his worst of the ones i have seen.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 24, 2021, 09:12:38 PM
"Willy's Wonderland" (2021)
A mysterious drifter (Nicolas Cage) takes an overnight job cleaning up a long-shuttered Chuck E. Cheese-style family fun center...but he's not alone.  Soon he's locked in a life or death battle against the restaurant's bloodthirsty, demonically possessed animatronic creatures.
(...I swear I am not making this up.)
I'm not gonna lie, "Willy's" was dumb as hell, but a ton of fun. Any resemblance between its paper thin plot and the "Five Nights at Freddie's" video game franchise is totally coincidental, I'm sure (*COUGH COUGH*), but it's got plenty of over the top ultra violence, and Cage is a hoot, though I don't think he's even trying to be funny -- the guy is basically a walking meme at this point.
If you've already seen "The Banana Splits Movie" and need another fix of robotic kiddie-critter carnage, this goofball flick will fill the bill.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 24, 2021, 10:16:44 PM
CITY SLICKERS - Billy Crystal, Norman the Calf, and Jack Palance star in this marvelous mid-life crisis comedy.  If you've never seen it, watch it - if you've seen it, watch it again!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on June 24, 2021, 11:29:14 PM
i have those on VHS but i really need to upgrade those films


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 26, 2021, 04:56:51 PM
"Monster Hunter" (2020)
Milla "Resident Evil" Jovovich is leading a squad of Army Rangers on a search mission in the desert. They get sucked into a mysterious portal that deposits them in another dimension filled with hordes of giant spider-like bugs, a massive horned Graboid lookin' thing that attacks from beneath the sands, and huge fire breathing dragons. One by one, Milla's team gets picked off by the various critters, leaving her to forge an alliance with some natives in order to find her way back home.
This fast paced sci-fi/action flick is apparently based on a video game (with which I am unfamiliar), so as you might expect there's not much plot, just a lot of cool looking monsters, passable CGI, and Milla kicking all kinds of ass.
This is the kind of movie that's fun to watch while it's playing, but instantly forgettable as soon as it's over.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 27, 2021, 11:49:31 AM
SON OF THE WHITE MARE (1981): The White Mare gives birth to Treeshaker, who's destined to defeat three dragons and rescue three princesses. You may have heard legends of Marcell Jankovics' animated Hungarian folktale illustrated with psychedelic cubist visuals and thought "that sounds amazing!" Well, the legends are true. 5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 27, 2021, 11:57:42 AM
"Face/Off" (1997)
Using high tech face swapping plastic surgery, an FBI agent (John Travolta) is transformed into his terrorist arch-enemy (Nicolas Cage) so he can infiltrate the bad guys' organization. Unfortunately, the comatose Cage character wakes up and has Travolta's face attached to his skull, so he can continue to wage mayhem. Lots of bullets fly and plenty of stuff blows up real good before the two men meet for a final (ahem) face-to-face showdown.
Hong Kong director John Woo's mega budget action/sci-fi hit is sort of an ultra-violent take on "Freaky Friday." The two leading men are clearly having a blast "playing" each other (especially Travolta). 20+ years after its release, the stunt work and action sequences in "Face/Off" are still impressive. Well worth revisiting.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 27, 2021, 04:54:50 PM
"Under Siege" (1992)
The Navy battleship USS Missouri has been taken over by a squad of terrorists, who want to steal the ship's nuclear missiles. Fortunately for the good guys, the ship's lowly cook happens to be Casey Ryback (Steven Seagal), former Navy SEAL, legendary butt kicker, and all around bad-ass. You can probably figure out the rest.
Steven Seagal never could act worth a damn, but this nautical "Die Hard" variant remains his best movie, due mostly to its unique setting and a great supporting cast that includes two of the all time great scenery chewers (Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey, both of whom give classic, deranged performances) and former Playmate/future "Baywatch" babe Erika Eleniak, who was at her absolute peak of hottie perfection. This is the only Seagal movie I've ever bothered to see more than once.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 29, 2021, 09:07:21 AM
THE BEST OF DORIS WISHMAN: Mostly trailers from a large number of Wishman films; also some music-video style nudist shorts with music and pictures from her movies. The Wishman stuff only lasts about 40 minutes, so there's more music videos/trailers made by a company called Modern Harmonic from funk and psychedelic music in their catalog, accompanying clips from other Something Weird films (THE DOLL SQUAD and DRACULA THE DIRTY OLD MAN ones are pretty good). Hard to rate something like this but I'd guess 3/5. RC would love it, probably Lester too.

The Doll Squad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7A8Wg0icBo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7A8Wg0icBo) (this is only part of the video)

Dracula the Dirty Old Man: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfJwaoZeyCo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfJwaoZeyCo) (I probably should see this movie!)

Spook Show compilation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEX9ctGCuuI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEX9ctGCuuI) (also partial, missing the clips)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on June 29, 2021, 09:15:55 AM
 ^ I have actually seen the entire film of DRACULA, the DIRTY OLD MAN  and T.V.Mikels the DOLL SQUAD; and seen a Doris film called BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL (1965).
Fascinating, in a moronic kinda way!   :buggedout:
I seen part of Doris' A NIGHT TO DISMEMBER (which I do believe is her only slasher movie!)

I would have watched it all, but I was hammered and passed out!  :lookingup:
From 1983!


http://youtu.be/zb8hyku64gg (http://youtu.be/zb8hyku64gg)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 29, 2021, 09:31:20 PM
^ I have actually seen the entire film of DRACULA, the DIRTY OLD MAN  and T.V.Mikels the DOLL SQUAD; and seen a Doris film called BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL (1965).
Fascinating, in a moronic kinda way!   :buggedout:
I seen part of Doris' A NIGHT TO DISMEMBER (which I do believe is her only slasher movie!)

I would have watched it all, but I was hammered and passed out!  :lookingup:
From 1983!


[url]http://youtu.be/zb8hyku64gg[/url] ([url]http://youtu.be/zb8hyku64gg[/url])




I'm not surprised you've seen DRACULA: THE DIRTY OLD MAN. I am surprised you've only seen one Doris Wishman movie (though it is the "best" one). You should see more. They're s**t. You'd love them!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 30, 2021, 10:15:56 AM
"The Toxic Avenger" (1984)
Nerdy health-club janitor Melvin has an unfortunate run-in with some toxic waste, which turns him into a hideous creature with super strength. He chooses to use his new powers to defend his home town from a variety of crooks, murderous scum bags, and corrupt politicians, dispensing splattery justice from his toxic-waste-dump home base.
This legendary sickie was Troma Films' biggest "hit" -- it went on to spawn several sequels, a kid-friendly cartoon show (!) and even a toy line (!!). Like most Troma flicks, it's sleazy, tasteless, and full of cheap but effective gross out effects. It's dumb as hell (on purpose) but hey, sometimes you just want to watch a movie where a hulked-out toxic mutant rips people's arms and legs off. :D

Additional fun fact: Joe Zarro, the fat guy who played the owner of the dry cleaner's shop, taught English and Film Study at my high school in Paramus, NJ. I hadn't seen "Toxic" yet when I took his film class in the mid-80s, but some of the other kids had, and they gave him no end of sh*t about it cuz he always tried to come off as a high brow, "serious cinema" kind of guy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on June 30, 2021, 10:24:42 AM
CURSE OF THE SCREAMING DEAD (1982) aka CURSE OF THE CANNIBAL CONFEDERATES.

One of the stupidest, therefore the best, zombie movies I have ever seen.
Deer hunters way down yonder wake up some pancake makeup zombies.
Sumb!tch. Dumb as a sack of doorknobs.
Troma trys to brand this as some kinda comedy. It was not made to be such.
It is funny in it's mindless way.  :bouncegiggle:
Therefore, essential viewing for BAD movie fans.  :thumbup:
I believe this film is much older than 1982. It was an independent obscurity when Troma picked it up in '82. I'm guessing it's circa 1973.

http://youtu.be/JYQDf_Bhfxg (http://youtu.be/JYQDf_Bhfxg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 01, 2021, 02:42:39 PM
The Andromeda Strain (1969) - I could have sworn Andrew reviewed this on here but I guess not. At any rate, it works better as a thoughtful turkey than some serious scifi cinema. Its 2 hours long and the way the whole thing is structured is boring. The sets aren't particularly cool and the tension never gets above a slight murmur. it took forever to get through. I would definitely rec the BBC version of "The Lathe of Heaven" over this, even though it only available in 2nd gen copy.

It's a case where "solid" just isn't enough. wants very badly to be a 5 star masterpiece, but most will be remember how bored they were watching it

2.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 02, 2021, 08:27:16 AM
"Greetings From Tromaville!" (2018)
The history of Lloyd Kaufman's infamous Troma Films studio, best known for the "Toxic Avenger" and "Class of Nuke Em High" franchises, is examined via extensive interviews, photos, and lots of gross out clips from the Troma back catalog.
This documentary was obviously a labor of love by a longtime Troma fanboy, but it runs way too long (a hair over two hours). Lloyd seems like a pretty cool dude though, and he obviously has mastered the art of making movies on the cheap and inspired a whole new generation of low budget film makers.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 02, 2021, 08:52:16 AM
THE MASK (1961): A South American mask causes its wearers to have 3D hallucinations when they wear it, then to strangle women later. The three hallucination scenes are excellent, with voodoo priests and priestesses, Charon, floating masks shooting fireballs, and snakes crawling at the viewer from out of a skull's eye sockets; the story designed to support it (i.e. 90% of the movie) is extra-dumb. The 3D glasses that came with Kino's DVD worked perfectly. Glad I knocked this one off my bucket list. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on July 02, 2021, 09:21:30 AM
 ^ I have that on vhs! It came with a pair of 3-D spex too!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on July 02, 2021, 10:09:29 PM
that is on my list to watch i did start watching but i never finished it


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 03, 2021, 03:47:42 AM
The Creeping Terror (1964)

It is the creeping terror! Walk!! Walk for your lives!!

This is even more boring than I expected. Zontar, the Thing from Venus has more going for it. The internet informs me that there were dodgy financial dealings going on, which may explain a lot.
Still, it does have the most courageous character in B-movie history. I've never seen someone who thought that a guitar would be an effective weapon against an alien invader.

Also, a lot of snogging going on in this movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 04, 2021, 09:17:39 AM
Some appropriate July 4th viewing:

"Jaws" (1975)
The quiet seaside resort town of Amity is plagued by a series of fatal shark attacks, until the police chief (Roy Scheider), an old salt (Robert Shaw), and a young oceanographer (Richard Dreyfuss) head out to sea to hunt the critter down.
Steven Spielberg's mega-hit based on Peter Benchley's best seller broke every box office record in the book and ushered in the "summer blockbuster" era. It's been a few years since I last saw it, but "Jaws" still holds up extremely well.
"Jaws" was followed by several Spielberg-less sequels, which range in quality from "meh" ("Jaws 2") to "God-awful crap" ("Jaws 3" and "Jaws: The Revenge'). In my book, the O.G. is the only one you need to watch, but since all four are currently streaming for free on Peacock, I suddenly have an irrational desire to watch the rest...  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 04, 2021, 08:37:31 PM
Well, I did it... I spent my July 4th running the table on the "Jaws" series, and in the process, I witnessed the Law of Diminshing Returns first hand.  :bouncegiggle:

"Jaws 2" (1978)
Summer has come to Amity Island again, and Chief Brody has another shark problem. This time the critter has its sights set on a group of teens out on a sailing trip. Cue more splashing, chomping, and screaming.
Obviously this flick pales against Spielberg's original but it's actually a pretty decent creature feature in its own right, with a lot of action and another decent performance by Roy Scheider (who apparently didn't want to do the movie, but he was contractually obligated to do so). Besides, when you compare "2" to the sequels that followed, it looks like solid gold.

"Jaws 3-D" (1983)
Chief Brody's now grown sons are working at the Sea World amusement park in Florida, which is preparing to open a new underwater attraction when a great white wanders in from the ocean and starts snacking on innocent employees. Most of the cast over-acts (especially Louis Gossett Jr. as the gruff park manager) and the 3-D effects, which I'm told weren't even that good in the theater, look ridiculous when flattened out for 2-D viewing. Overall, the whole movie looks like a cheap made-for-TV flick. The Sea World tie-in seems like a weird bit of product placement, too, now that I think about it. Why the hell would they want their park featured in a movie where the guests get eaten by the exhibits?

But even in 2-D, "Jaws 3-D" looks like Shakespeare compared to...

"Jaws: The Revenge" (1987)
The now-widowed Ellen Brody has lost her youngest son Sean, an Amity Police patrolman, to a shark attack. Convinced that sharks have something personal against her, she visits her last remaining son and his family in the Bahamas, where she romances a local pilot (Michael Caine) before yet another Great White shows up and ruins everything. Apparently we're supposed to believe that the same shark swam from Amity all the way to the Bahamas for the express purpose of finishing Ellen and her family off, or something. Anyway, the tropical scenery is nice to look at (especially after the dark, murky "3-D") but "Revenge's" ludicrous plot and hilariously cheap looking mechanical shark sink this one pretty quick. Worth a look only if you're a glutton for punishment (like me).
...I actually saw "Revenge" during its theatrical run when I was in high school. I feel like I'm one of only a few dozen people who can make that claim.  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on July 05, 2021, 12:16:39 AM
Well, I did it... I spent my July 4th running the table on the "Jaws" series, and in the process, I witnessed the Law of Diminshing Returns first hand.  :bouncegiggle:

"Jaws 2" (1978)
Summer has come to Amity Island again, and Chief Brody has another shark problem. This time the critter has its sights set on a group of teens out on a sailing trip. Cue more splashing, chomping, and screaming.
Obviously this flick pales against Spielberg's original but it's actually a pretty decent creature feature in its own right, with a lot of action and another decent performance by Roy Scheider (who apparently didn't want to do the movie, but he was contractually obligated to do so). Besides, when you compare "2" to the sequels that followed, it looks like solid gold.

"Jaws 3-D" (1983)
Chief Brody's now grown sons are working at the Sea World amusement park in Florida, which is preparing to open a new underwater attraction when a great white wanders in from the ocean and starts snacking on innocent employees. Most of the cast over-acts (especially Louis Gossett Jr. as the gruff park manager) and the 3-D effects, which I'm told weren't even that good in the theater, look ridiculous when flattened out for 2-D viewing. Overall, the whole movie looks like a cheap made-for-TV flick. The Sea World tie-in seems like a weird bit of product placement, too, now that I think about it. Why the hell would they want their park featured in a movie where the guests get eaten by the exhibits?

But even in 2-D, "Jaws 3-D" looks like Shakespeare compared to...

"Jaws: The Revenge" (1987)
The now-widowed Ellen Brody has lost her youngest son Sean, an Amity Police patrolman, to a shark attack. Convinced that sharks have something personal against her, she visits her last remaining son and his family in the Bahamas, where she romances a local pilot (Michael Caine) before yet another Great White shows up and ruins everything. Apparently we're supposed to believe that the same shark swam from Amity all the way to the Bahamas for the express purpose of finishing Ellen and her family off, or something. Anyway, the tropical scenery is nice to look at (especially after the dark, murky "3-D") but "Revenge's" ludicrous plot and hilariously cheap looking mechanical shark sink this one pretty quick. Worth a look only if you're a glutton for punishment (like me).
...I actually saw "Revenge" during its theatrical run when I was in high school. I feel like I'm one of only a few dozen people who can make that claim.  :teddyr:

Saw Jaws 4 in the theatre too. I feel your pain. And I was in high school too lol.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 05, 2021, 03:11:56 PM
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021)

Groundhog Day meets Gilmore Girls. The gimmick of a day on endless loop is used to tell a coming of age story. It is an unpretentious feel good movie. It won't blow you away, and your tolerance for the cutesy quirky vision of suburbia may vary, but the chemistry between the main characters is sweet, and it moves at a brisk pace, so if you want something pleasant to watch after a tiring day, this would fit the bill.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on July 05, 2021, 03:42:21 PM
The Dark.

A young girl who seems to be some kind of undead creature haunts a local woods, killing intruders. She comes across a young boy who has been blinded and decides to become his protector. Both have been victims of abuse but can they find redemption together? I found this to be a curious, but interesting movie and one to be watched alone.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 07, 2021, 01:46:44 PM
Dark Skies - second viewing and it must be because I've half watched so much crap lately that this came off as way better than before. Keri Russell plays it straight and perfectly as a suburban Mom struggling realtor whose family is besieged by some sort of unexplainable thing. Her husband has a weird infection, weird formations of household goods appear in the kitchen, and the kids are becoming pariahs because of all the stuff surrounding the family. It's ultimately a "the Birds" variation, not in the animals attack sense but in the "a baffling thing is happening how do we deal with it?" way.

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on July 07, 2021, 02:05:06 PM
The Amusement Park - A lost and found Romero film.  Clearly a work for a hire, but nevertheless it has Romero's fingerprints.  Eerie and dream like, and its rough look and feel works in its favor, and almost nothing about it feels dated - the message is, if anything, more relevant today.  Worth a watch.  8/10.

The Prey - Chinese/Thai/Cambodian production, yet another prison version of The Most Dangerous Game.  Only now it's so poorly written its actually confusing, and also boring.  Looks OK and a couple OK performances, some of the action sequences are handled competently.  But man, it's dull, to the point I was spacing out and kind of lost part of the plot thread in the last third.  Just terrible - watch Turkey Shoot instead.  It's kind of bad too, but less boring.  2/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 07, 2021, 09:28:52 PM
"Frozen" (2010)
Three skiiers find themselves stranded fifty feet in the air when the chair lift shuts down for the night while they're still on it. As night falls and the weather gets worse, the trio has to battle the elements, each other - and eventually, a pack of hungry wolves -- to stay alive.
...obviously this is not to be confused with the Disney movie by the same name! :D
Adam "Hatchet" Green's effective, wintry survival thriller makes the most of its simple premise, and keeps the tension cranked up throughout. I don't ski, but I imagine that if I did, this movie would be my worst nightmare come to life. Good stuff.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on July 08, 2021, 04:30:11 AM
Some appropriate July 4th viewing:

"Jaws" (1975)
The quiet seaside resort town of Amity is plagued by a series of fatal shark attacks, until the police chief (Roy Scheider), an old salt (Robert Shaw), and a young oceanographer (Richard Dreyfuss) head out to sea to hunt the critter down.
Steven Spielberg's mega-hit based on Peter Benchley's best seller broke every box office record in the book and ushered in the "summer blockbuster" era. It's been a few years since I last saw it, but "Jaws" still holds up extremely well.
"Jaws" was followed by several Spielberg-less sequels, which range in quality from "meh" ("Jaws 2") to "God-awful crap" ("Jaws 3" and "Jaws: The Revenge'). In my book, the O.G. is the only one you need to watch, but since all four are currently streaming for free on Peacock, I suddenly have an irrational desire to watch the rest...  :teddyr:

Get the 4K Blu Ray if you have a 4K TV with HDR and a decent surround sound system. The movie has always looked great since the good ol' VHS days, but 4K really brings out all of the fine details. I was skeptical of this format making the robot shark look fake, but much to my surprise it did the exact opposite! Still one of the best movie monsters ever created in film history.  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 08, 2021, 09:03:12 PM
"Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama" (1988)
...how could anyone possibly pass up a title like that? :D

A group of sorority pledges are assigned to break into the bowling alley at the local mall after hours, and come back with a trophy. Unfortunately the trophy they pick happens to have a jive talking demon inside of it, which they accidentally set free. The "Imp" then proceeds to turn the girls into zombies and... well, let's just say things get even sillier from there.

...yeah, this is some real high concept sh*t, folks!  :teddyr: 

This "USA Up All Night" staple from director David "Creepozoids" DeCoteau is a total moron movie, of course, but it had a few legit laughs and some pretty girls in various states of undress, therefore I was entertained. Scream queen Linnea Quigley of "Return of the Living Dead" and "Chopping Mall" fame actually puts in one of her better performances.  
Make no mistake, this movie is terrible, but at least it's enjoyably terrible.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 09, 2021, 08:40:37 AM
BUSH BASH (2020) With a title like this, the movie should have been either
A.  80's porn, or
B. a documentary about a White House farewell party in January 2009.

Instead, what I got was a glorious train wreck of an Australian horror film within a horror film, complete with bad acting, decent looking women, cheesy gore effects, clowns, zombies, and a topless, toothy female cannibalistic humanoid monster.  All served up in the grainiest of footage! 
A 1-star movie for good movie fans, probably 3.5 for us bad movie fanatics!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 09, 2021, 10:13:48 PM
"Ready Player One" (2018)
Steven Spielberg directed this elaborate fantasy/sci-fi adventure set in the overcrowded, post-apocalyptic world of 2045, where everyone prefers to spend their time in "Oasis," a virtual reality universe, than in the crappy real world. A gamer and his friends must uncover a priceless treasure hidden deep within the game by its late creator, before goons from a rival corporation can get their hands on it and destroy their virtual paradise.
As you might expect from a Spielberg movie, "Ready Player One" is a visual treat, with impressive effects, plus it's fun to spot the many "Easter egg" nods to movie/TV/video game/pop culture franchises from days gone by, including "Back to the Future," "The Iron Giant," "Gremlins," "Batman," "Gundam," "Mecha-Godzilla" and tons more. (There's even a Holy Hand Grenade reference!). At nearly two and a half hours "R.P.O." is probably just a hair overlong but overall I enjoyed this one more than I expected.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 10, 2021, 09:31:10 PM
"Billy Madison" (1995)
The idiotic heir to a hotel business (Adam Sandler) must re-take all 12 grades of elementary and high school to prove he's smart enough to inherit the company in this lowbrow comedy. Sandler plays his standard "annoying man-child who's really a nice guy deep down" character yet again, as "Billy" hangs out with school kids, romances his super-hot teacher, and finally gets a chance to show he's not so dumb after all. This movie's silly as hell but it's always been a guilty pleasure of mine, full of laughs and quotable bits.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 11, 2021, 08:40:38 AM
Dynasty Warriors (2021)

As a rule, I like Chinese fantasy extravaganzas, but I found this one disappointing. For one thing, I found the plot very confusing. It is based on a computer game, and presumably if you are familiar with the characters and story line of the game, it makes sense. However, to me it felt like a TV miniseries that was cut down to two hours. Characters pop in and out of the story, to the extent that the director found it useful to add titles indicating who is who. Also, when they are on screen, they don't do very much, but tend to narrate stuff that happened off screen. There aren't even that many battle of fight scenes. What you are left with is stunning scenery and a bunch of basass warriors strutting about with oversized weapons. To cap it all, this is just the set up for the next movie in the series.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 11, 2021, 08:54:52 AM
JIU JITSU (2020): Nic Cage (!) is among the jiu jitsu masters who must defeat an alien jiu jitsu death machine (!) who comes to earth once every six years. The plot is incredibly goofy, the fight scenes aren't bad, and Cage chews the scenery in his brief screentime, making for a dumb but energetic movie best watched with a boisterous crowd of questionable sobriety. I kept wondering why we need be afraid of an alien who comes to Earth every six years from time immemorial and never, ever wins a match against the human jiu jitsu practitioners. This movie is more fun than its 2.9 IMDb rating would indicate. 2/5 for normal people, but maybe even a 4/5 when appreciated as a bad movie.  


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on July 11, 2021, 11:49:08 AM
The Door. 2014.

After saving a businessman from a mugging a young unemployed man is given a high paying job ($500 per day) to sit at a desk while wearing a security guard uniform and make sure a door never opens. What is it that lies behind the mysterious door?

This could easily be a file from the SCP Foundation. I thought it was a well made, low budget horror movie. Just don't expect any answers.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 12, 2021, 09:27:31 AM
"Chopping Mall" (aka "Killbots," 1986)
Teenage mall employees are planning an all night party after the stores close. Unfortunately they've been targeted by the mall's trio of high tech security robots, who have turned homicidal due to a lightning strike on their control computer.
This fast moving, so-'80s-it-hurts sci-fi/horror comedy has an absolutely ridiculous premise, of course, but the young cast totally sells it, the robots are pretty cool looking, and it has one of the best exploding-head scenes ever filmed. Tons of dumb fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 12, 2021, 03:22:03 PM
The Robot vs the Aztec Mummy (1957)

This popped up in my Youtube feed, and with a title like that, I figured you can't go far wrong. Turns out this is the third installment in a series of three and it shows. The first two thirds or so of the movie are  extensive flashbacks, recapping the events of the two previous installments that have led up to this one. This approach does save you a lot of work if you are making a series.

The evil scientist known as The Bat has set his sights on an ancient treasure that is guarded by the undead Aztec mummy. So he constructs a cyborg (not really a robot) to defeat the mummy, but he is thwarted by the timely intervention of his nemesis, Dr Almada. Pretty much par for the course for a Mexican 50s serial style SF movie. I watched the English dub, so I have no idea what the original sounded like, but the actor voicing The Bat has the evil scientist laughter down to perfection. It also has the most useless nightwatchman in the history of nightwatching.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 12, 2021, 09:47:59 PM
"Fear Street Part 1: 1994" (2021)
"Scream"-esque teen horror about a group of small town high schoolers who get caught up in the mystery surrounding a lethal local legend. Decent performances by the young cast and a fair amount of ultra-violence and gore.
This is the first in a Netflix trilogy based on the series of teen-horror books by R.L. Stine of "Goosebumps" fame. I was entertained enough by this to tune in for the next installment ("1978") sometime soon.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on July 13, 2021, 04:35:28 AM
The Mandalorian, Seasons 1 & 2 (2021). I finally forced myself to sit down and binge watch this show over the past week, and I was reasonably entertained by the second season and how it ended. The *gasp* moments in the second season were satisfying; it was cool to see old school Star Wars characters make cameo appearances, even if they were not very relevant to the plot and more fanfare than anything else. Though I guess at least 2 of them are set to become future Disney+ shows. It's funny that I put this show on for my little boy to watch but he seemed to lose interest in it fairly early on, and my wife bought the "baby Yoda" doll earlier this year because she thought it was cute yet showed absolutely zero interest in the show itself.  :lookingup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 13, 2021, 02:13:07 PM
Kowloon Walled City documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-rj8m7Ssow (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-rj8m7Ssow)

There are a bunch of things on youtube about this dark and mysterious place but this ^^, from a German crew, was the most substantial.

For some reason, thousands of people decided to live in a tiny tiny area of land in Hong Kong called The Walled City. You might remember it from Bloodsport; the corridors with all the pipes and tubes and the big wall of buildings with a million little signs. It looks like an exagerated version of every Chinatown in the world. The one here in Boston reminds me quite a bit of it. There's a food court that I go to that is about the size of a regular stores break room. There's very little space but its never crowded because everyone just eats and leaves. The food at the 4 stands packed in there is better than all the restaurants in my town.

Don't get it twisted, as they say though. Crime in Kowloon runs totally unchecked. Rats and roaches live freely among factories dedicated to producing perishable goods. The corridors constantly leak water and you have to go up to the roof to see the sun. When you do go up there, a plane passes over your head every 5 minutes. very relaxing!

I imagine there were far worse things that happened in there the doc didn't cover, but its all a microcosm of humanity. Some people choose to spend their time being productive, while other people pursue drugs and crime. One western woman dedicates her life to helping drug addicts and lives in the city herself for 20 years. Somehow this is okay with the gangsters who sell drugs to the people. Things seem to work themselves out, one way or another.

Eventually it got bulldozed, but for a brief period of time it was total anarchy dude!  

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E6O0kWoX0AED1iu?format=png&name=small)

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 13, 2021, 08:42:35 PM
"GORP" (1980)
Wacky hijinks among the sex crazed counselors and kitchen staff at a summer camp for Jewish kids. Basically, this is 90 minutes of pranks, farts, food fights, half naked girls, and jokes that only 12-year-old boys would find funny.
This mostly forgotten teen-sex comedy desperately wants to be another "Meatballs" or "Animal House," but the difference is, those movies still had a plot amidst all their mayhem. "GORP" doesn't ... it's just a bunch of scenes of various loud, obnoxious characters doing stupid stuff, strung together to feature length.
There are a couple of legit chuckles here 'n there, plus you can watch for a couple of future big names payin' their early-career B-Movie dues -- Rosanna Arquette and Fran Drescher play some of the female counselors, and a baby-faced Dennis Quaid plays a gun-crazed military cadet who may well have been the blueprint for "Tackleberry" in the "Police Academy" series.
Overall it's silly, disposable junk.
By the way, I had to look up what the hell "GORP" meant, because the movie never mentions the term, or explains it ... apparently it's summer camp slang for trail mix, i.e. "a collection of nuts and flakes," which actually sums up the film pretty well.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 15, 2021, 01:40:04 AM
Shiva Baby (2020)

A young woman is going to a shiva, which, I understand, is a Jewish wake for the dead, where not only her life choices will come under severe scrutiny from her parents and  family friends, but she also meets her ex-girlfriend and her sugardaddy.

I had a hard time getting through this one. There is no plot to speak of, there is no reason to like the main character and the satire is laid on with a trowel. Also, the only thing that drives the movie forward is a series of shortsighted decisions by the main character. On the positive side acting performances are good all round and it does capture the claustrophobic nature of these gatherings perfectly.
This is a debut, so I guess it is a case of the glass being half empty or half full. Perhaps the good reviews had led me to expect more.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 15, 2021, 10:01:57 PM
"Bill & Ted Face the Music" (2020)
More than 25 years after their last time traveling adventure, the now middle-aged doofuses Bill and Ted (Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves) still haven't written "the song" that will bring peace to the Universe. When they get a message from the future that they are rapidly running out of time to do so, they start scrambling across dimensions looking for inspiration, while their daughters (who are basically Mini-Me's of the 1989 versions of B & T) use the time traveling phone booth to recruit the most badass musicians in history for their Dads' backing band.
While "Face the Music" is not a laugh a minute like the previous "B & T" flicks, it's fun to see Winter and Reeves falling right back into their old school groove and there are quite a few legit laughs. If you keep your expectations low you might be pleasantly surprised.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 16, 2021, 09:23:45 AM
A bunch from the North Bend Film Festival (not available to the general public yet):

CODE NAME: NAGASAKI (2021): Marius, a Eurasian actor searches for his Japanese mother, who abandoned him when he was a child to return to her Nagasaki home, illustrating the search by recreating scenes in various cinema styles (samurai epic, film noir, horror). The search is ultimately moving, but the homages don't really work in conjunction with the film's emotional core, feeling like filler (and calling cards for Marius and director Fredrik Hana). 2.5/5.

NINJABABY (2021): Despite taking precautions, aimless party girl and aspiring cartoonist Rakel finds herself knocked up, dubbing the fetus who's snuck its way inside her womb "ninjababy" thanks to its preternatural ability to evade contraception. Very polished work by rising Norwegian director Yngvild Sve Flikke, it's a low-key winner that's a little bit reminiscent of American indie dramas like "Juno." I could see this having some small level of art-house success. 3.5/5.

AYAR (2021): Ayar abandons her entertainment career and returns home, but her mother forbids her to see her child because of the Covid pandemic. Initially playing like a drama using horror movie tropes, it evolves into a drama using metamovie tropes; mid-film, there's a twist/gimmick/stylistic choice that simultaneously deepens and takes you out of the story, and your reaction to it will determine whether you love or hate this. 3/5.   

And this one is available for rental:

MOBY DOC (2021): A wandering, essay-style autobiographical documentary by musician Moby, who discusses his career, alcoholism, and veganism in a series of sketches that range from comic to philosophical to music-video-surreal. This self-portrait is playful, witty and earnest enough to overcome the occasional nagging feelings of narcissism. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 17, 2021, 08:08:58 AM
"Fear Street Part 2: 1978" (2021)
In part 2 of the Netflix horror trilogy, the sibling survivors of the previous film learn about a similar murder spree that took place at a local summer camp in 1978, from the only person who lived to tell the tale.
"Part 1" was heavy on the "Scream" vibes, but "1978" is essentially an homage to old school slasher flicks ala "Friday the 13th" or "Sleepaway Camp," with a supernatural edge. This one took a little while to get into gear, but the mayhem was impressive in the last half.
I think I preferred the first movie over this one, but I'm invested enough now to check out the third and final (?) chapter, "1666," which hits Netflix this weekend.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 17, 2021, 04:35:50 PM
"Special Mission Lady Chaplin" (1967)
Third and final film in the series of James Bond knockoffs starring Ken Clark as CIA agent Dick Malloy, aka "077." This time he's sent to Europe to find a payload of nuclear missiles stolen from a sunken U.S. submarine. The "Lady Chaplin" of the title is a fashion designer who also happens to dabble in international arms dealing, played by former Bond girl mega-babe Daniela Bianchi of "From Russia With Love" fame. "Lady Chaplin" is the best of the three "Malloy" flicks, with lots of cool European scenery, two fisted action, and lots of pretty girls. It's one of the few "Eurospy" movies that I've bothered to see more than once.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 18, 2021, 09:54:55 AM
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

I said it when I saw this the first time, and I will say it again: this isn't the worst entry in the franchise.  No, it's not as iconic as RAIDERS, nor as emotionally satisfying as LAST CRUSADE, but it's a solid action/adventure film and no more silly or improbable than any of the other Indiana Jones flicks.  And I still believe it quite superior to the eminently forgettable TEMPLE OF DOOM.   I especially liked the fact that CRYSTAL SKULL made a couple of allusions to the regrettably short-lived "Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" TV show.   I give this one a 4 out of 5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 18, 2021, 11:35:19 PM
THE EMPTY MAN (2020) - In 1995, a hiker in Bhutan fell through a crevice into a cave with a bizarre ancient skeleton.  His friends find him in a trance, and have to carry him to a nearby cabin.  Over the next few days, the other three hikers die in a bizarre murder/suicide, leaving him alone in the snowy waste, still unable to speak.

Fast forward 25 years.  A teenage girl disappears after performing on odd ritual to summon a boogeyman figure known as "The Empty Man."  Five of her friends hang themselves in the next week; the sixth stabs herself to death with a pair of scissors.  A former cop turned PI goes looking for the missing girl, and discovers she was involved with some new age group called the "Pontifex Institute."  But as he delves into this strange cult, he finds that nothing is as it seems - especially not the girl's disappearance.  Or his own life, for that matter.

Creepy, with some Lovecraftian overtones and a plot that leaves you guessing, THE EMPTY MAN is a masterpiece of suspenseful storytelling.  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on July 19, 2021, 01:31:15 PM
VAMPIRA AND ME (2012)

Fascinating look at the life of Maila Nurmi, aka Vampira!

With rare filmed interviews with her before she died. She was waaaaay before her time, and a very sharp lady.
 Lots of thought lost archive footage, including being on the Red Skeleton Show with Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr!
This was fantastic.


http://youtu.be/CrW9Mm8JGDw (http://youtu.be/CrW9Mm8JGDw)

(https://i.imgur.com/WvZKxhP.png) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 20, 2021, 08:10:43 AM
"Jennifer's Body" (2009)
The unlikely friendship between a nerdy high school girl (Amanda Seyfried) and her gorgeous cheerleader BFF (Megan Fox) gets complicated when Fox is possessed by a demonic "Succubus" spirit and begins snacking on her fellow students. A gory, snarky, tongue in cheek horror comedy in the vein of the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" TV series, with great performances by the two leading ladies. This movie wasn't well received when it first came out, but it's developed a well deserved cult following over the years.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 20, 2021, 10:28:19 PM
"Lady Bloodfight" (2016)
A lady martial artist travels from the U.S.A. to Hong Kong to search for her long lost father. In the process, she crosses paths with a Ms. Miyagi type who trains her for the "Kumite," a no-holds-barred tournament where she ends up fighting against some of the world's best female martial artists. Much butt is kicked.

...if this plot sounds familiar, it's probably because this is pretty much a gender swapped retread of the Jean Claude Van Damme oldie "Bloodsport" (apparently the film's working title was even "Lady Bloodsport"). So while it may not be the most original thing I've ever seen, it's certainly entertaining ultra-violent junk, with brutal martial arts sequences full of bone crunching and blood splashing. Better than expected.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on July 20, 2021, 11:33:16 PM
THE EMPTY MAN (2020) - In 1995, a hiker in Bhutan fell through a crevice into a cave with a bizarre ancient skeleton.  His friends find him in a trance, and have to carry him to a nearby cabin.  Over the next few days, the other three hikers die in a bizarre murder/suicide, leaving him alone in the snowy waste, still unable to speak.

Fast forward 25 years.  A teenage girl disappears after performing on odd ritual to summon a boogeyman figure known as "The Empty Man."  Five of her friends hang themselves in the next week; the sixth stabs herself to death with a pair of scissors.  A former cop turned PI goes looking for the missing girl, and discovers she was involved with some new age group called the "Pontifex Institute."  But as he delves into this strange cult, he finds that nothing is as it seems - especially not the girl's disappearance.  Or his own life, for that matter.

Creepy, with some Lovecraftian overtones and a plot that leaves you guessing, THE EMPTY MAN is a masterpiece of suspenseful storytelling.  5/5

The IMDB tells me that parts of the film were shot in Cape Town: nice  :smile:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 21, 2021, 08:17:19 AM
THE HIKE (2021)  Not the British film of the same title that I watched last month; this direct-to-video American film was SO much worse . . . a guy named Vinnie and his girlfriend go for an extended hike in the Appalachians and wind up  running afoul of three "mountain man" types who blame them for a series of murders occurring along the trail.  Cheaply shot, with bad fight effects and fuzzy video quality, this one was a real chore to get through. 2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on July 21, 2021, 12:49:45 PM
"Jennifer's Body" (2009)
The unlikely friendship between a nerdy high school girl (Amanda Seyfried) and her gorgeous cheerleader BFF (Megan Fox) gets complicated when Fox is possessed by a demonic "Succubus" spirit and begins snacking on her fellow students. A gory, snarky, tongue in cheek horror comedy in the vein of the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" TV series, with great performances by the two leading ladies. This movie wasn't well received when it first came out, but it's developed a well deserved cult following over the years.

Oddly enough, the uglier that the filmmakers tried to portray Amanda Seyfried, the hotter that she ended up looking in this movie. They were aiming for “ugly nerd” but ended up with “sexy librarian” instead.  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 22, 2021, 10:35:58 AM
"Gunpowder Milkshake" (2021)
A female assassin-for-hire (Karen Gillan of "Dr. Who" and "Jumanji") becomes a target herself when she fails to complete an assignment in order to save a little girl.
This cartoonish Netflix shoot'em up is pretty much a girl-power "John Wick," with a slightly more tongue-in-cheek feel. The stunt work and non stop ultra-violence are impressive; Gillan's got decent action heroine moves and the supporting cast includes fellow female bad-asses Lena Headley, Angela Bassett, and Carla Gugino.
Like a real milkshake, this flick was fun while it lasted, but ultimately it's just a bunch of empty calories.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 22, 2021, 02:28:19 PM
10 x 10 - I didn't expect much from this one but it was relatively good. 10 x 10 are the dimensions of a specially made room where a guy keeps a lady who he kidnaps for some reason. Can you see why I didn't expect much from it?

The woman is a redhead who looks like Christina Hendricks minus about a dozen cup sizes. We initially assume he is some psycho, but what if what we think we know is backward and SHE is the evil one! Yeah not exactly David Fincher level stuff here, but it's simple and well thought out enough to get you through the night.

except when/ where did she go to the bathroom?????

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 23, 2021, 10:40:38 AM
"Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" (2016)
Set in the early 2000s, Tina Fey is a low-level journalist whose job is in a rut. She volunteers to go to Afghanistan and be "embedded" with the U.S. military, thinking it will be just the jump start her career needs. Once she arrives "in country" and overcomes the initial awkwardness of being so far from home, she becomes part of the so called "bubble" that reporters occupy, deals with the natives, navigates various perils and experiences love and loss. An engrossing dramedy, based on a true story. Fey is excellent and so is the supporting cast, which includes Margot Robbie, Billy Bob Thornton, and Alfred Molina.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 23, 2021, 01:42:48 PM
All Ages: Boston hardcore -  I was an avid attendee of Boston hardcore shows long after this (81-83) era. Well maybe not so long, 1987 or so, but I never saw any of these bands in their prime here. SSD, DYS, and co took their cues from Black Flag and Minor Threat: mainly playing as fast as possible which enabled the crowd to go nuts, which is what everyone wanted to do. After the initial wave, the bands tried to transition to more accessible styles of music like metal and hard rock, but it didn't work out. The most prominent legacy of these groups is the compilation album "This is Boston, Not LA" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v0bqZsoIOw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v0bqZsoIOw)

Imagine being able to go see the Misfits and Gang Green in some room in the 8th floor of a building for like 3 dollars. or maybe that sounds terrible to you

5/5 obviously depends on your interest in the general subject matter, if not Boston in particular


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on July 23, 2021, 06:22:38 PM
11:14

The events leading up to an 11:14 p.m. car crash, from five very different perspectives.

A rather short and quick movie, although the synopsis, and especially the tags, are a little misleading. There isn't much of a story to tell or a mystery to solve, but more like a gimmick to show you how much related a bunch of random events can be, and how much a simple action can change the course of other people's events.
It is well told and the ending makes you go "oooh, so that's what happened", basically connecting every dot with no room for loose ends. Revealing parts of the plot would give too much away, and I think it's best enjoyed with the constant discovery of each point of view.

Low budget, but well filmed, you never miss anything and the sound is great too, which is something I usually see it failing in movies like this. The actors are all pretty good, I especially loved Cheri as the mega-b***h who starts to see her sweet plan fall apart and has to think fast to put it back together.

Definitely a fun ride, check it out. 7/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 24, 2021, 12:25:07 PM
MST3K: OPERATION DOUBLE 007: Sean Connery's brother Neil stars as a plastic surgeon/master hypnotist/reluctant spy fighting an old supervillain with a gang of hot girl henchwomen. On Deep 13, Frank is obsessed with Alpine culture, and the Mads receive a surprise visitor. One of the few remaining MST3Ks I missed in its original run; it's not one of the better ones, for sure. These Eurospy pictures almost never work in this format, because the plots get lost amid edits and jokes and it never ends up making sense. (For IP reasons, this is renamed "OPERATION KID BROTHER" on the DVD cover). 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 24, 2021, 10:31:21 PM
"Jungle Run" (2021)
Two siblings hire a team and head into the jungles of Brazil to search for their archaeologist father, who disappeared during an expedition. A variety of nasty critters including killer snakes, spiders, poisonous frogs, crocodiles, and piranhas make their mission more difficult.
...this is the Asylum's pre-emptive bite off of Disney's upcoming "Jungle Cruise" movie and it's about what you'd expect from them: a paper thin plot, lots of cheaply CGI'd creatures, and a cast of unknowns topped by one slumming former big name (Richard "21 Jump Street" Grieco).  It's not the worst Asylum film I've ever seen, but "Jungle Run" feels lazy even by their standards.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 25, 2021, 08:48:22 AM
UZUMAKI [SPIRAL] (2000): A Japanese town is haunted by visions of spirals. An adaptation of a popular manga, this movie creates its own green-tinged world with its own corkscrew logic; the absurdist horror-comedy style reminds me of a less-manic HAUSU. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 25, 2021, 04:41:36 PM
"Gappa - The Triphibian Monsters" (aka "Monster From a Prehistoric Planet," 1967)
Explorers on a South Seas island find a prehistoric egg in a cave, which hatches to reveal a baby bird-like reptile creature. They make the mistake of bringing the critter back to Japan with them for study, which eventually attracts its giant size Mom and Dad, who (naturally) proceed to do the Monster Mash all across the landscape.
I've watched this entertainingly silly "Godzilla" knock off several times over the years but it's always been in washed-out, scratchy public domain copies. Someone must have sprung for a restoration of it at some point, though, because the version currently streaming on Tubi is nice and clean, brightly colored, and better looking than I've ever seen it.
The "Gappa" creatures are pretty goofy looking but the monster-destruction scenes are well done, and the flick has a few moments that will be unintentionally hilarious to modern audiences, like when the female lead is told she should quit her science job to "go home and learn to cook and wash diapers," and the Japanese kid who's slathered in unconvincing black face make up to play an island native.
All in all, "Gappa" is a fun way to kill 90 minutes if you're into vintage monster cheese.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 26, 2021, 09:04:54 AM
GREEN SNAKE (1993): Retelling of a Chinese folk tale about two snakes who become human to learn our species' wisdom; the older falls in love with a scholar, while the younger incites lust in a monk. An epic and erotic story from the legendary Tsui Hark; the visuals are always imaginative and sometimes stunning, and even when the special effects budget isn't quite up to the task (i.e. some obvious puppets), the unreal look fits into the dreamlike story. No actual nudity, except for maybe some super-brief flashes, but scenes like the one below definitely keep your interest. 4/5.

(https://ilarge.lisimg.com/image/21422710/1118full-green-snake-%281993%29-screenshot.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on July 26, 2021, 02:12:19 PM
"Gappa - The Triphibian Monsters" (aka "Monster From a Prehistoric Planet," 1967)
Explorers on a South Seas island find a prehistoric egg in a cave, which hatches to reveal a baby bird-like reptile creature. They make the mistake of bringing the critter back to Japan with them for study, which eventually attracts its giant size Mom and Dad, who (naturally) proceed to do the Monster Mash all across the landscape.
I've watched this entertainingly silly "Godzilla" knock off several times over the years but it's always been in washed-out, scratchy public domain copies. Someone must have sprung for a restoration of it at some point, though, because the version currently streaming on Tubi is nice and clean, brightly colored, and better looking than I've ever seen it.
The "Gappa" creatures are pretty goofy looking but the monster-destruction scenes are well done, and the flick has a few moments that will be unintentionally hilarious to modern audiences, like when the female lead is told she should quit her science job to "go home and learn to cook and wash diapers," and the Japanese kid who's slathered in unconvincing black face make up to play an island native.
All in all, "Gappa" is a fun way to kill 90 minutes if you're into vintage monster cheese.


I have seen that movie more times than I should admit. I love it!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on July 26, 2021, 10:14:09 PM
When Worlds Colide

George Pal’s FX laden disaster movie moves at a nice pace. The FX are dated, but they’re still cool to watch, & they’re complex enough to make you ask “how’d they do that?” 7/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 27, 2021, 10:03:41 AM
THE BLACKCOAT'S DAUGHTER (2015) - Ever start to watch a movie, and it seems SO familiar, and then about halfway through you realize you watched it six years ago?  I think this was one of the last films I rented in 2016, right before our Hasting's store closed.  Two girls, left behind at boarding school as the Christmas holiday begins, are stalked by some supernatural terror.  VERY slow burn buildup, with a satisfactorily horrific conclusion.  Overall not too bad. 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 27, 2021, 01:27:16 PM
^ I had a much lower opinion of that one. the director really didn't have a feel for horror at all


Antrum: the Deadliest Film ever made (2018) - this begins with a fake documentary about "the film you are about to watch..." and goes into commentary about how people went nuts watching this movie and it was lost and so forth.

I actually really enjoyed the movie and could have done without the build up. It's a stark but compelling story about a boy who wants to go to Hell to save the soul of his recently deceased pooch. His older sister brings him to a place in the forest where there is a gate to Hell, but they have to dig to get to it. As they do crazy stuff starts to happen.

If you can make it past the smarmy beginning Antrum has some super cool vibes and creepy stuff. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on July 27, 2021, 11:43:17 PM
THE BLACKCOAT'S DAUGHTER (2015) - Ever start to watch a movie, and it seems SO familiar, and then about halfway through you realize you watched it six years ago?  I think this was one of the last films I rented in 2016, right before our Hasting's store closed.  Two girls, left behind at boarding school as the Christmas holiday begins, are stalked by some supernatural terror.  VERY slow burn buildup, with a satisfactorily horrific conclusion.  Overall not too bad. 3.5/5

Fun fact - directed by Anthony Perkins' son, Osgood.  I like it too, especially the ending.  Definitely not to all tastes though.

I watched Blood Red Sky tonight on Netflix.  It was alright.  Basically a woman and her son take a flight, it gets taken over by terrorists, but the woman has a dark secret that may upset their plans. 

It's reasonably entertaining with pretty good performances, but it feels a bit stretched and like it doesn't do quite enough with its premise.  Netflix runtime is a bit over 2 hours, but the credits are nearly 10 minutes, so that helps, but I still think it could have been a better film tightened down a further 15.  In particular, the structure of the film (a 5-10 minute opener, then 80 minutes of showing how it got there via flashback) seems pointless.

I'd give it a 6.5/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on July 28, 2021, 12:02:56 AM
Osgood was also the name of a silent film actor!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osgood_Perkins


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 28, 2021, 02:21:15 PM
I found it!

Quote
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


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 28, 2021, 10:45:02 PM
I, TONYA - My wife is an Olympics junkie, and I remember the 1994 Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan drama all too clearly.  Margot Robie channels Tonya in this hilarious biopic about one of the most bizarre episodes in the history of Olympic competition, the infamous kneecapping of Nancy Kerrigan by some of Harding's dimwitted associates in the runup to the 1994 Olympic Games.  Robie narrates the story with a heavy dose of profanity and sarcasm, but it is entertaining from start to finish.  4.5/5

DRIVE THRU (2006) - Someone is killing the teenager customers of the local Hella Burger franchise while wearing the costume of Horny the Clown, the mascot of Hella Burgers.  All the victims are the children of a group of adults with a dark secret in their distant past, all tied in with said mascot.  A cheesy early 2000's slasher with some goofy effects, but still pretty fun overall. 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 29, 2021, 10:05:41 AM
CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING (1974): Two young women have strange magical adventures, including one where eating candies allows them to enter another, equally absurd, story. The idea of vaudeville Bunuel is appealing and Dominique Labourier (in particular) is enchanting, but the movie just drifts aimlessly for two hours before finally finding a destination in the last hour. It could have been edited into a much better 90-minute movie if Jacques Rivette had just concentrated on the candy subplot. Since this was unavailable for years and became sort of legendary, I was anxious to see it and so I was a bit disappointed by the actual experience. If it was a movie that debuted today I probably would have thought even less of it. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 29, 2021, 10:21:27 AM
"Wonder Woman 1984" (2020)
Sequel to DC's 2017 super heroine hit moves the action to the 1980s, pitting Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) against the villainous Cheetah (Kristen Wiig of "SNL" and "Bridesmaids") and Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal), a shady businessman whose wish-granting powers pose a threat to the entire world.
The first "W.W." movie was a home run, but this sequel is a double, at best. At two and a half hours, it's simply too damn long. For much of the first half, "WW84" seems to have trouble deciding whether it wants to be a butt kickin' action epic or a campy action comedy. The performances by the two villains are underwhelming (particularly Wiig, who's in way over her head).
Fortunately the action sequences are well done (I could watch Gal Gadot beat up bad guys all day) and a brief cameo by '70s W.W. Lynda Carter is a nice touch.
"WW84" got better as it went along, but compared to the first film it was a let down.

"Cosmic Sin" (2021)
Good grief, what's happened to Bruce Willis' career?
In this low budget sci-fi/action flick set 500 years in the future, Bruce sleepwalks through his role as a legendary space soldier who's called back to active duty to help stop an alien invasion. Lots of punching, blasting and zapping occurs as he leads a squadron of young bucks into battle, but the "story" is a hopelessly confused muddle, the sets and effects are cheap, and the supporting cast is bland.
In an interesting side note, one of the soldiers is played by Brandon Thomas Lee, son of Pamela Anderson and Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee. His acting skills are about on par with his Mom's, and I don't mean that in a good way.
Fortunately "Cosmic Sin" was short (just a hair under 90 minutes) so my suffering was minimal.
Do I even need to say it?  AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 29, 2021, 11:49:10 AM
Olga's House of Shame (1964)

See Olga"s reign of terror as she runs her prostitution/smuggling/drugs ring/

An exploitation movie of the purest kind. There are some scenes with dialogue (and bad acting), but most of it are just ineptly filmed scenes of girls being bound and 'tortured' by the titular Olga, mostly in their underwear, sometimes topless, while a narrator tells the background 'story' (using the term loosely). All this is accompanied by very inappropriate classical music, even during the belly dance scenes.
Olga seems to have to spend so much time disciplining her girls, it is a mystery how she gets anything else done. If I was her, I'd seriously review my recruitment methods.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on July 29, 2021, 01:17:43 PM
My family watched Jolt last night.  Kate Beckinsale is a woman with a rage problem who electrocutes herself to control it.  They handwave this as making her stronger and a better fighter or something.
 They never really demonstrate this, and she never does anything extraordinary in the entire film.  Action sequences are mediocre at best.  It's also really stupid and telegraphs a lot if you know what to look for.  Parts of the plot barely make sense.  Not as fun as it wants to be.  Beckinsale is so-so.  But, passably entertaining for a crowd and not boring.  

I was lobbying to watch the Raid instead, which is a far better film across the board, but at least it wasn't boring.  It's also only like 80 minutes minus credits, which so many stupid movies these days neglect - if you're going to be stupid but passably entertaining, being short and fast paced is your greatest asset.  This film ticked that box at least.

4/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on July 30, 2021, 05:11:19 AM
Blind Fury (1989) starring Rutger Hauer.

Premise: Vietnam vet Nick Parker who went missing in action after a disastrous special op in Vietnam leads to him being tortured and blinded by the enemy, then found by some villagers and trained in swordfighting by a village elder. Parker returns to the States to seek out his old war buddy and gets caught up in a criminal underworld scheme involving a crime boss who forces Nick's old war buddy Frank Devereaux to pay back his debts by mixing some blue crystal meth a la Breaking Bad and killing Devereaux' wife in the process during a home raid targeting Devereaux' family while Nick Parker just happens to be visiting Devereaux' home looking for him. Devereaux' wife's dying words to Parker was to protect their son at all costs, so Nick Parker is stuck escorting their bratty son and seeking out his dad...I don't know, the movie's plot was pretty lame, but it was fun watching Rutger Hauer's comedic side in this movie; he really could have excelled at comedy if he hadn't been typecast into action and villainy roles. He managed to play a blind guy to comedic effect without making it look like he was poking fun at blind handicapped people; though those handsome blue eyes of Rutger Hauer's didn't look very blind in this movie, he was able to pull off a convincing performance, particularly in a scene toward the end where the bad guys had Nick Parker cornered in a night club and he was stumbling around trying to get away and he kept blindly bumping into musical instruments that frustratingly gave away his position.

I watched this with my wife earlier tonight because I was telling her how great an actor that Rutger Hauer was; she kind of knew who he was but she's really not into movies all that much. I guess I could have picked a better movie to introduce her to Rutger Hauer's talents, but this just happened to be on my Amazon Prime Video watchlist, and this movie is fun to watch with another person in the room. Of all of Rutger Hauer's late '80s/early '90s B movies, Blind Fury (1989) rates up there as one of my all-time favorites. I'm actually happy now that I picked this movie to watch with my wife, because now she can really enjoy Rutger Hauer's best performance in Blade Runner (1982).  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 31, 2021, 07:46:57 AM
"After Porn Ends" (2012)
First of three documentaries that tracks down retired adult film stars from days gone by to see how they're adjusting to life after "the industry." Subjects include Crissy Moran (now a born again Christian and anti-porn activist), Asia Carrera (struggling single Mom) Mary Carey (mainstream reality TV buffoon), Tiffany Million (now a licensed P.I. and bounty hunter!) and more. Occasionally funny, sometimes depressing, always interesting.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 31, 2021, 09:52:18 PM
"Mortal Kombat" (2021)
A team of super powered fighters is assembled by an ancient order to represent Earth in an inter-dimensional martial arts battle royale. Bones crunch, swords clash, blood splatters, lather, rinse, repeat.

...I am definitely not the target audience for this movie-- I have never played a "Mortal Kombat" game or seen either of the two previous "MK" films, so I know absolute f*ck-all about this franchise. For whatever it's worth, I thought the stunt work was impressive, the special effects were pretty nifty, and with so much wall to wall ultra-violence it certainly wasn't boring.

However, my 14 year old son, who watched with me, is a massive "MK" fanboy and player, and this was his final analysis:
"It was pretty good... but Reptile looked like sh*t and I didn't like Scorpion's costume at all."
...I have no idea what any of that means, but I'll  take his word for it. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 01, 2021, 01:14:53 AM
My family again watched a bad movie together while I lobbied for us to watch The Raid instead.  This time it was the Doorman.

It's basically a low rent and crappy Die Hard knockoff.  A former decorated army lady takes a job as a doorman, turns out her brother in law lives there.  For various reasons, Jean Reno and some bad guys come in to steal something in the building.  Ruby Rose is the lead.  I'd only seen her in John Wick 2, where I thought she was fine as a mute killer.  Now with dialogue, she's just not very good.  Almost zero charisma.  She does OK in action scenes though.

The movie is just not very interesting, not well written, the action scenes are so so.  It's shot OK I guess.  It's so small scale too, a lot of it in like two or three rooms, in a way that kind of depressed me somehow for a movie that wants to be a big action movie.  I was thinking of Demolition High as a better version, with Corey Haim.  Crappy movie, low rent, but Haim was more entertaining and the scenario was much bigger scale with more action, more explosions, more interesting setting, etc. 

A final note, this is directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, who has done good work in films like Versus, Godzilla Final Wars, and even Midnight Meat Train.  All far superior films.  There's occasional flashes of his visual flair especially in the action, but most of it is obscured in bad editing.  Very disappointing.

3/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on August 01, 2021, 03:17:18 AM
Super Me (2019)

A scriptwriter who is down on his luck discovers that, if he wakes up at the right moment, he can bring treasure back from his dreams. He uses this ability to become fabulously rich, but there is retribution, both in this world and the dream world.

This is a fable about the present Chinese obsession with making money and living an opulent lifestyle. A strange movie and I am not entirely sure what happened or if everything makes sense (probably not). Still, I found it intriguing enough to keep my attention and it is beautifully shot. There is a definite gluttony in the way the protagonist's rise to riches and progressively more extravagant lifestyle is filmed.

If you like clear plots where every loose end is tied up at the end, this is definitely not for you.

Also, how did they get the Maserati out of the hotel room?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on August 01, 2021, 07:19:55 AM
"After Porn Ends" (2012)
First of three documentaries that tracks down retired adult film stars from days gone by to see how they're adjusting to life after "the industry." Subjects include Crissy Moran (now a born again Christian and anti-porn activist), Asia Carrera (struggling single Mom) Mary Carey (mainstream reality TV buffoon), Tiffany Million (now a licensed P.I. and bounty hunter!) and more. Occasionally funny, sometimes depressing, always interesting.

Asia Carrera seemed to be the most down-to-earth and most comfortable with herself out of all of those has-beens. Her segment was the most fun to watch because being a part of that industry didn't seem to bother her too much. Crissy Moran and Mary Carey were probably the weirdest, but you know that drugs were undoubtedly involved with those two just by the way that they carried themselves.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 01, 2021, 10:04:49 AM
STRAWBERRY MANSION (2021): In the future, dreams are taxed, and when a dream auditor goes to check in on an elderly woman who's off the grid he finds himself drawn to her dreams. If you've been craving a romantic Michel Gondry movie a la ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND or THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP, this indie comedy fits the bill. Should be out on VOD later in the year.  3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on August 01, 2021, 07:33:04 PM
"Mortal Kombat" (2021)
A team of super powered fighters is assembled by an ancient order to represent Earth in an inter-dimensional martial arts battle royale. Bones crunch, swords clash, blood splatters, lather, rinse, repeat.

...I am definitely not the target audience for this movie-- I have never played a "Mortal Kombat" game or seen either of the two previous "MK" films, so I know absolute f*ck-all about this franchise. For whatever it's worth, I thought the stunt work was impressive, the special effects were pretty nifty, and with so much wall to wall ultra-violence it certainly wasn't boring.

However, my 14 year old son, who watched with me, is a massive "MK" fanboy and player, and this was his final analysis:
"It was pretty good... but Reptile looked like sh*t and I didn't like Scorpion's costume at all."
...I have no idea what any of that means, but I'll  take his word for it. :D

Show him the original MORTAL KOMBAT from 1995 and let them judge the effects of Reptile from there. Try to film his reaction if you can.  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 03, 2021, 08:59:50 AM
SATOSHI KON: THE ILLUSIONIST (2021):  A documentary survey of the career of influential animator Satoshi Kon. It would be impossible to make a bad documentary about Kon (unless you had no access to clips); this one does its job---and because his career was so short (four features and a TV series), ILLUSIONIST is able to take a deep dive into each title, which makes for a magical and illuminating trip down memory lane for fans. 3/5.

AGNES (2021): A demon possesses a sister at a conservative Carmelite nunnery, causing a crisis of faith for one of the nuns. Well-made on a low budget and totally unexpected; it begins as a black exorcist comedy and satire of the Catholic Church, then lurches into melodrama and ends on a surprisingly sincere note. The whiplash tone change will alienate many, but it is justified by faith. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 05, 2021, 09:16:00 AM
"Alligator" (1980)
A pet baby alligator is flushed down the toilet, where it winds up in the Chicago sewers. A dozen years later, the critter has grown to immense size and is snacking on unlucky citizens, so a cop (Robert Forster) and a reptile expert (Robin Riker) team up to figure out how to kill it.

This urban "Jaws" variant scared the hell outta me when I was a kid, and it's still a fun watch all these years later. A solid creature feature.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 05, 2021, 09:30:06 AM
RETURN TO OZ (1985): After being sent for experimental shock therapy (!), Dorothy Gale Returns to Oz, where she meets new magical friends and enemies as she tries to save the Scarecrow from the clutches of the Gnome King. It obviously cannot be compared to the original classic--for one thing, 11-year-old Fairuza Balk is no Judy Garland--but as an 80s-style children's fantasy, it's fairly involving (after a slow start). I'd be willing to go up to 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on August 05, 2021, 11:25:07 PM
really i grew up on Return to oz (1985) it's always been among one of my favorite films


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 06, 2021, 07:44:03 AM
really i grew up on Return to oz (1985) it's always been among one of my favorite films

Yes, I know it has high nostalgia content for those who saw it as kids.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 06, 2021, 09:35:32 AM
"Alligator II: The Mutation" (1991)

Belated sequel to the 1980 cult hit is essentially a re-run of the original, moved to a new location in small town Florida. This time out, a gator grows to absurd size and develops a taste for humans thanks to toxic waste dumped in the sewers. A cop (Joseph Bologna), his scientist wife (Dee Wallace Stone) and a hillbilly gator hunter (Richard Lynch) have to find a way to destroy the monster before it threatens the grand opening of a new multi-zillion dollar lakefront condo community. Much chomping, screaming, and blasting ensues.

"Alligator II" is noticeably cheaper than the original and despite its cast full of dependable B-Movie regulars, it's not nearly as much fun. Stick with the O.G.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 06, 2021, 01:44:09 PM
Labyrinth - I can't really rate this movie fairly as it has too much nostalgia attached for me.  I'll say as an imaginative musical journey with great visuals, it largely succeeds... Plus, ya know, David Bowie. 

At the same time, a lot of the writing is kind of weak, sometimes the stakes of the story don't make sense, those kinds of issues.  It's strange to me how frequently a bit older family films often have weak structure - it's not like we just figured out film storytelling in the past 30 years.  It does hold up to adult viewings better than the original Dark Crystal, which is visually stunning and has a great world, but sometimes is uninvolving and boring.  I'd give it a 7/10.

The Suicide Squad - well, my family movie get together thing finally picked a winner.  This might be the most improved sequel I've ever seen.  It's funny, charming, has some great visuals, clearly actually cares about its core characters, great performances, pretty good action sequences, and is even a little moving at times.  It's also extremely gory, so hey.  I do have some negative things to say...  Some of the background character stuff just comes out of nowhere, it's jarring and poorly motivated.  Despite that, the characters work anyway, and get some great moments.

Also, Harley Quinn gets more to do than the original film, and some of it is definitely fun, but she still feels tangentially tied in - like she could have been cut, more time given to the other characters, and the film would be better for it. 

Finally, this is minor, but there's a couple pointless bits of animal cruelty that kind of bugged me.  You know when they have bad guys just randomly kill people or random animals purely to show they're bad, but the characters/animals are purely props, with nothing underlying them?  It just rubs me the wrong way these days, kind of gross somehow.  Which is funny to say, considering the extreme amount of murder in this film of unnamed characters that don't bother me at all, but it's a tonal issue I guess in how it is handled.

All told, 8/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on August 06, 2021, 07:44:26 PM
Finally, this is minor, but there's a couple pointless bits of animal cruelty that kind of bugged me.  You know when they have bad guys just randomly kill people or random animals purely to show they're bad, but the characters/animals are purely props, with nothing underlying them?  It just rubs me the wrong way these days, kind of gross somehow.  Which is funny to say, considering the extreme amount of murder in this film of unnamed characters that don't bother me at all, but it's a tonal issue I guess in how it is handled.

Sasn't Joe Bob Briggs who said something like "you can kill as many people you want but you never kill the pets. People gets upset!"  :tongueout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 07, 2021, 02:32:02 PM
Polytechnique - fact based movie about a school shooting in Canada. An ambitious young woman faces sexism as she attempts to make her way in the world of aviation science or something. Unfortunately, that's just the start of her problems because at the same time, a guy who can't laid get begins a shooting spree specifically targeting, you guessed it, women. The director weaves in and out with flashbacks including how the survivors try to deal with what they experienced.

It's not perfect but it gets the point across. I think the director went on to produce that last Blade runner movie? or something

4 /5

It's got some good stuff if a little amateurish in terms of the structure


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on August 07, 2021, 03:07:51 PM
i watched Return to Oz (1985) a few years ago  i think it was? it wasn't recent and i still enjoy that one too. Aligator 2: The Mutation (1991)a couple years after that came out i watched it on tv with my grandmother and though i have seen it on tv  a few times yeah it's pretty bad. i mentioned my grandmother cause she died like later on of Cancer.

Labyrinth (1986) i really love  this movie it for once has a young actress who was i think 15 or 16 when it was shot playing her age! say what you want about the film if you love it or hate it, it had an actual teenager playing her actual age damn i miss that in movies


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 07, 2021, 03:15:39 PM
"Fear Street Part 3: 1666" (2021)
The final part of the Netflix horror trilogy starts off in Colonial times and details the witchcrafty origins of the town's centuries-long streak of bad luck, then returns us to the present day (well, the 1994 present day anyway) where the brother and sister team from the previous two films struggle to figure out how to stop the curse once and for all.
I think this was the best of the three "Fear Street" flicks - it was fast moving, atmospheric, sufficiently creepy/disturbing, and had some b***hin' gore to boot. Thumbs up.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 07, 2021, 07:14:54 PM
Class of 1984 - This came to Shudder recently, and it has been a while so I rewatched it.  I have to say, for what sounds like (and kind of is) a crass exploitation film, it really is solidly made.  Well-acted, well-paced, and just well-made almost across the board.  It's occasionally funny, has some great scenes, and a satisfying climax.  Roddy McDowall is a real highlight, especially his "teaching" scene.  He must have had a blast in this picture.

8/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 07, 2021, 10:11:01 PM
"Monster Man" (2003)
Two dudes on a road trip to attend an old flames' wedding are pursued through deserted back roads by a deformed psycho in a souped up Monster Truck that looks like it was constructed in Hell itself. Hilarity ensues.
A very entertaining low budget horror comedy that's kinda like a mash up of "Wrong Turn" and "Clerks" (via the constant banter between the two leads) with a pinch of "Texas Chainsaw" for flavor. This one has you laughing one minute, then going "ewwwww!" the next. Lots of fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 08, 2021, 01:29:52 AM
"Monster Man" (2003)
Two dudes on a road trip to attend an old flames' wedding are pursued through deserted back roads by a deformed psycho in a souped up Monster Truck that looks like it was constructed in Hell itself. Hilarity ensues.
A very entertaining low budget horror comedy that's kinda like a mash up of "Wrong Turn" and "Clerks" (via the constant banter between the two leads) with a pinch of "Texas Chainsaw" for flavor. This one has you laughing one minute, then going "ewwwww!" the next. Lots of fun.

And there was me thinking I was the only person who had found a copy of that one lol.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 08, 2021, 08:24:07 AM
HOMUNCULUS (2021): An amnesiac man who's living out of his car accepts a proposal to submit to an underground medical experiment in trepanation, and develops psychic powers. J-horror from the director of "The Grudge" series starts strong, with visual hallucinations and uncomfortably creepy scenes, but loses steam and ends with underwhelming revelations. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 09, 2021, 09:29:17 AM
"Monster Man" (2003)
Two dudes on a road trip to attend an old flames' wedding are pursued through deserted back roads by a deformed psycho in a souped up Monster Truck that looks like it was constructed in Hell itself. Hilarity ensues.
A very entertaining low budget horror comedy that's kinda like a mash up of "Wrong Turn" and "Clerks" (via the constant banter between the two leads) with a pinch of "Texas Chainsaw" for flavor. This one has you laughing one minute, then going "ewwwww!" the next. Lots of fun.

I ended up seeing this because the director did Shoot Em Up.  He's not done a single feature since then (just an OK animated short), kinda disappointing as I enjoyed both of them. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 09, 2021, 10:01:31 AM
HOTEL POSEIDON (2021): The reluctant owner of a decrepit hotel deals with an incoherent nightmare of sultry guests, a skeevy pal whose turning the ballroom into a happening dancehall, and a "sick" aunt. Beautifully shot on the grungiest, grimiest set you ever saw, but depressingly one-note and nearly plotless---great technique and atmosphere languish because the film doesn't give us any reason to care what happens to its characters. Saw it online from Fantasia Film Festival, not sure how you can see this (if you want to). 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 09, 2021, 11:30:03 AM
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015)
Continuing my 14 year old's Star Wars indoctrination. 30 years after "Jedi," the galaxy is still at war. The Empire has been reborn as "The New Order," Luke Skywalker is MIA, and as a young girl named Rey gets caught up in the galactic shenanigans, the evil Kylo Ren realizes that she may be a powerful candidate to join him on the Dark Side.
J.J. Abrams hit all the right notes with this comeback movie - there's plenty of fan service for old farts like me and the new characters were cool enough to hook the newbies (like my son). The special effects are top notch, of course, and it's nice to see some old friends like Chewie, 3PO, and Leia again.
My son enjoyed this but it'll be interesting to see his reaction to the rest of this trilogy (which I'm looking forward to revisiting too) ...

"Virus" (1999)
An ocean salvage crew (including Donald Sutherland and Jamie Lee Curtis) think they've hit the jackpot when they come across a huge Russian satellite-tracking ship adrift with no crew. What they don't realize is that the ship has been taken over by an alien intelligence that is combining parts of the ship's machinery - and its former crew members - to create cybernetic killing machines bent on conquering Earth.
So essentially this is a high tech mash up of "The Thing" and "Terminator," with a hint of "Death Ship." It's fast moving, loud/violent, and full of cool/gross looking half human/half machine hybrids. I was entertained, but Jamie Lee Curtis apparently hates this movie and considers it the worst thing she's ever done. I personally find that hard to believe, because she was also in "Halloween: Resurrection."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on August 09, 2021, 02:15:57 PM
Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Sonic lives in hiding in a small town in Montana, but inadvertently creates a power surge that gets the military interested. The send doctor Robotnik to investigate. Luckily Sonic gets help from the local sheriff and his wife, a veterinarian.

Fun but forgettable. The team fully embraced the silliness of the concept, and ran with it (pun intended). This is just a goofy movie for kids of all ages. Jim Carrey pulls out all the stops as Doctor Robotnik. Sonic is meant to be annoying but adorable, yet for me the went a bit too far on the annoying.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on August 10, 2021, 04:24:14 AM
Snatch (2000) -

Two unlicensed boxing promoters get caught up in the aftermath of a successful diamond heist that goes horribly wrong for the guy initially in charge of the robbery. The 84-karat diamond is soon up for grabs after the brother of one of the heist robbers is hired to steal the diamond from the guy in charge of the robbery. The diamond ends up changing hands repeatedly before it ends up inside of a dog, the title character of the movie. The sub-plot involving an underground boxing industry and the criminal kingpin that runs fixed fights and kills anyone that displeases him is a crucial plot point that ends up taking us on a hilarious ride involving shady characters that are constantly bungling things up in their quest to snatch the diamond.

I've seen this movie countless times over the years and finally bought it on 4K blu ray this past weekend. Watching it in HDR 10 and Dolby Atmos surround sound was like watching it again for the first time since I first saw the movie in theaters 21 years ago. The movie always makes me laugh, and I normally put it on when I can't decide what else to watch. Brad Pitt is probably the funniest person in the movie, but everyone else is hilarious, even Jason Statham, the main protagonist, whose acting that I normally find a bit bland but this is probably still the best performance of his career besides the equally funny Crank (2006).  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 10, 2021, 09:02:08 AM
KING CAR (2021): Pato's best friend growing up is a talking car, but when he enters college he finds his old pal is an auto-supremacist who craves political power and a cult of followers. This Brazilian import never gains traction; I couldn't buy it either as a legitimate sci-fi/horror tale or as a political allegory. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on August 11, 2021, 01:38:38 AM
Snatch (2000) -

Two unlicensed boxing promoters get caught up in the aftermath of a successful diamond heist that goes horribly wrong for the guy initially in charge of the robbery. The 84-karat diamond is soon up for grabs after the brother of one of the heist robbers is hired to steal the diamond from the guy in charge of the robbery. The diamond ends up changing hands repeatedly before it ends up inside of a dog, the title character of the movie. The sub-plot involving an underground boxing industry and the criminal kingpin that runs fixed fights and kills anyone that displeases him is a crucial plot point that ends up taking us on a hilarious ride involving shady characters that are constantly bungling things up in their quest to snatch the diamond.

I've seen this movie countless times over the years and finally bought it on 4K blu ray this past weekend. Watching it in HDR 10 and Dolby Atmos surround sound was like watching it again for the first time since I first saw the movie in theaters 21 years ago. The movie always makes me laugh, and I normally put it on when I can't decide what else to watch. Brad Pitt is probably the funniest person in the movie, but everyone else is hilarious, even Jason Statham, the main protagonist, whose acting that I normally find a bit bland but this is probably still the best performance of his career besides the equally funny Crank (2006).  :cheers:

That is a very funny film indeed.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 11, 2021, 06:42:24 AM
Batman Vs Two-Face.

Back in 2016 or 2017, someone managed to reunite some of the surviving cast members from the old 60's TV show (Adam West, Burt Ward, Julie Newmar & Lee Meriwether) to make an animated Batman movie. Then they threw William Shatner into the mix too.

Sure the voice acting isn't the best I've ever heard and you could definitely tell from the voices that these people are no spring chickens anymore, but it was a lot of fun to hear their voices again. Tonally it sits somewhere between other recent Batman cartoons and the tv show, being not quite as dark as the former, but darker than the old show. As a send-off to Adam West (I think this is the last film he did before dying, but I could be wrong there), I think it was a worthy farewell. Lots of villains from the show do appear, although Two-Face (who I don't recall being in the show, but again I could be wrong), is obviously the big one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 11, 2021, 10:47:10 AM
Drug War - Jonnie To's first mainland film is a solid suspense thriller.  It's about a shifty mid level drug boss being forced into an undercover operation.  Twisty and turny, and also pretty interesting as you can feel the writing decisions made to make it work as a mainland film, things done differently.  Not inherently bad things either.  To give one example, we learn literally NOTHING about the background of the lead police officer character except his name, same with the other cops.  To has said this was intentional out of fear of censorship, but it does give a unique feel to how quickly we are dropped into many parts of the film.

The suspense scenes and rapidly moving plot are very entertaining with really good suspense, all the performances are good, very well shot and edited, and there are a couple action set pieces that are good.  Totally worth a watch.  But, there's just not a lot of depth to it, and I really do think the mainland appealing style of it is a net negative on the film as a result.  In particular, the ending doesn't sit right, though the alternative ending To has said he planned didn't sound right either.  So it's glossy, well made, well constructed, but a little hollow.  This is a problem in a lot of To's newish films I think (like Exiled and Vengeance), but the mainland appeal of this exacerbates it a bit.

Another facet to watching it as an American and Western viewer...  I've often had sympathy for characters on the periphery of drug crime in American films, facing harsh prison times for making a profit in ways that are often less harmful than legal substances, but it's hard not to have even more in China when even moderate drug crimes easily result in the death penalty.  This directly plays into the plot of the film too, they do not shy away from it at all.  This changes the police into being effectively people sent to flat out kill you as soon as they show up on your doorstep if you're at all significantly involved - taking a shot at them feels a lot closer to pure self defense in those circumstances.  Some may feel differently of course.

Overall, 7/10.  It's now on Prime for those curious, which is how I watched it.  Actually have it on DVD too, but the Prime stream looked better.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 11, 2021, 11:20:56 AM
GIVING BIRTH TO A BUTTERFLY (2021): A suburban mom and her son's pregnant fiancee take a surreal roadtrip to try to fix a financial mistake. This is an intelligent, even poetic movie that may not find much of an audience due to the fact that it's too dry and enigmatic; I think they should have leaned into the comedy a bit more. Saw at Fantasia, not sure when it will be released. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 11, 2021, 10:14:25 PM
"Falling Down" (1993)
A down on his luck, laid off Everyman (Michael Douglas) finally snaps while sitting in L.A. rush hour traffic one morning, abandons his car, and heads "home" on foot to reunite with his estranged family. His path takes him through some of LA's worst neighborhoods and brings him into contact with gang bangers, hostile store keepers, and eventually, the police, in this dramatic action flick from Joel Schumacher. Douglas is great as the crazed anti-hero and so is Robert Duvall as a cop on his trail. "Falling Down" was quite controversial in its day, but it has aged well and is still a white knuckle ride today. Well worth revisiting.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on August 11, 2021, 11:31:45 PM
i've seen that a few times and each time i watch it i want to like it and i still don't care for it


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 12, 2021, 10:51:18 AM
i've seen that a few times and each time i watch it i want to like it and i still don't care for it

It's certainly not a "fun" movie by any means, it's very bleak... but it is very well done.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 12, 2021, 11:20:58 AM
MONDO HOLLYWOODLAND (2019): A visitor from the 5th dimension attempts to find out the meaning of "mondo" from a shrooms dealer; what follows is a story divided into three sections, each following multiple characters, with the action sometimes interrupted by shroom trips. This satirical psychedelic sketch comedy is amateurish but energetic; fun for a while, but gets old. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 13, 2021, 10:03:15 AM
"Into the Dark: Good Boy" (2020)

A stressed out middle aged single gal (Judy Greer) adopts an emotional support dog to help alleviate her loneliness. She soon learns that in addition to being cute, loyal, and cuddly, her new pooch is also a bloodthirsty killing machine that will eliminate anyone who makes her angry or anxious.

I loved the concept of this Hulu original (part of their "Into The Dark" horror film series). The cast is fine, the dog is cute (even when he's covered in blood) but the final product is uneven. The first hour plays like a Lifetime channel rom-com (with a mean streak) before finally going full "Cujo" in the last 30 minutes. I've seen worse, but I wish they'd picked a consistent tone and stuck with it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 14, 2021, 07:23:23 AM
"ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band From Texas" (2019)
This has been in my Netflix watch list for a while, but the recent passing of Dusty Hill bumped it to the top of the queue.
Sam Dunn of "Metal Evolution" and "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" fame directed this cool documentary about the legendary blues-rock trio, who look back in wonder at their 50 year career. I honestly knew next to nothin' about ZZ Top prior to their 1983 mainstream breakthrough with Eliminator, so this was a much needed history lesson. The Top guys seem like pretty cool dudes, and it's fun to sit and watch them reminisce over vintage films and photos from days gone by. They're bad, they're nationwide!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 14, 2021, 01:27:09 PM
1941 (1979) - Yeah, I finally saw Spielberg's infamous comedy.  Cripes, what a dud.  Loud, obnoxious, irritating, shallow, poorly written and structured, and mostly not funny.  It also gets so tiring that it just gets boring to watch, I found it hard to even pay attention after the 2/3 mark.  There's a decent sequence here or there (I like the dance/stunt fight), the usual very good John Williams score, you can really see the money on-screen, and a few bits are funny (Robert Stack loving Dumbo was my favorite bit in the film - I bet this is why he was in Airplane! a couple years later), but overall just plain bad start to finish.  3/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 16, 2021, 10:09:01 AM
"Porky's" (1981)
Bob "Black Christmas" Clark's raunchy comedy classic about a bunch of sex crazed high school friends in late 50s Florida spawned two sequels and countless imitations. There's not much plot, just lots of silly pranks and quotable bits, most of which involve the demonic gym teacher "Ms. Balbricker." It's been a long time since I've seen this and it's still a ton of dumb fun.

"Porky's II: The Next Day" (1983)
The gang from Angel Beach High are back and in between their continuing efforts to "get some," they do battle with a fire-and-brimstone preacher and the local Klan, who want to shut down the school's Shakespeare festival. Of course, there's lots of half naked girls and other silliness. I think I actually like this one better than the original "Porky's." It's very satisfying to see the clueless Bible belters and dumbass Klansmen get what's comin' to 'em.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 18, 2021, 09:03:24 AM
ANNETTE (2021): A musical wherein a stand-up comedian (played by Adam Driver) and an opera singer (played by Marion Cotillard) wed and give birth to a miraculous daughter (played by a creepy puppet). Combine the words and music of offbeat popsters Sparks with the stylistic maneuvers of off-center director Leos Carax and you get an off-center-beat avant-garde musical that's uneven but delightfully unpredictable.  3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 18, 2021, 02:26:02 PM
Paper Tigers - This was topping Netflix for a while and has really good reviews.  It's not bad, but I don't really get the level of reviews and apparently attention it's getting.  It's an OK kung fu film set in America, but still having a plot akin to an old one (disciples must avenge dead master type thing).  But, it's really light weight.  There's some decent performances, the martial sequences are pretty well-handled, I like how they kind of modernized some old tropes a bit, and Matthew Page in a supporting role is quite funny...  But, I dunno, the main plot is thin, the villain barely exists in the film, the drama of the lead character and his family isn't that interesting or satisfying, or the back and forth stuff about legacy, and it just feels cheap in a way that's hard to put your finger on, but a lot of Netflix originals have. 

Overall, 6/10.

The Net - This is a bad movie, but it's a fun and entertaining one.  Sandra Bullock carries the film quite handily.  6/10.

The Losers - Should have been better, how do you manage to largely waste Idris Elba, Chris Evans, Jeffrey Dean Morgan AND Zoe Saldana?  But none of them stick out much and only Chris Evans gets a few moments to shine.  Bland, mediocre, not very interesting, and obviously trimmed and shot to just barely get a PG13 for better box office (which failed anyways).  4/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 19, 2021, 09:13:40 AM
TICKLES THE CLOWN (2021): OK, this one's going to take a bit of explanation, but here goes. The plot is its 2000 years in the future, the Illuminati (who are aliens) have taken over Earth, and there's this imprisonec sociopathic clown super-criminal whose blood has a genetic marker the good guys need to make a serum to kill the aliens but he won't give them a sample and for stupid reasons they can't take his blood by force so this female resistance leader tries to convince him to give a blood sample. It's basically SILENCE OF THE LAMBS meets STAR WARS with clowns and Illuminati (and also a jive-talking Bigfoot). They whole thing is animated like a passable video game: characters repeat the same movement and their lips don't match the words; it's almost all dialogue with action happening offscreen. It's also part of a series and we come in in the middle with some long-running subplots just suggested. This guy has made a bunch of these with titles like TRUMP VS. THE ILLUMINATI and BIGFOOT VS. THE ILLUMINATI, but he just sells them on somewhat expensive DVDs, so no one ever sees them. Extremely psychotronic and would be worthy of its own thread, except that no one else will probably see this because of the poor distribution. 1.5/5 (you might go higher because of the oddity/curiosity factor, but in terms of moviemaking talent, this rating is inflated).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 19, 2021, 10:40:30 AM
"Bad Teacher" (2010)
After being dumped by her rich fiancee, a lazy, unqualified woman (Cameron Diaz) takes a teaching job to pay the bills while she seeks out a new "sugar daddy."
Diaz is great (and super hot) in this raunchy comedy that takes all the cliches of "teacher movies" and turns them sideways -- her character doesn't suddenly get inspired and become a Super Teacher, she's only staying in the class so she can afford a boob job! :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 19, 2021, 12:24:02 PM
"Kingpin" (1996)
A disgraced, one handed former bowling champ (Woody Harrelson) takes a skilled, but naive Amish man (Randy Quaid) under his wing and trains him to take part in a million-dollar tournament in Reno against his old rival (Bill Murray).
This slapstick road trip / sports flick from the Farrelly Bros. (of "Dumb & Dumber" fame) is mean spirited, tasteless, and over-the-top ridiculous, but it's also funny as hell. Harrelson is a p**ser as the down-on-his-luck, drunken "champ," and Murray almost steals the movie with his small, but pivotal, role.
"Kingpin" may not be for everybody, but it's my second favorite sports comedy, right behind "Caddyshack."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on August 19, 2021, 11:11:18 PM
wow bad Teacher is 11 years old? i did not realize that it feels like it just came the f... out ya know?   i still haven't seen that or the tv show that later came out even though the show flopped.

i watched the 1st Harry Potter films since i am reading the last books i dunno why but when i watch a film that i love that's based off a book it helps me keep my mind on the book i can finish it i dunno why that is but it just is i guess.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on August 20, 2021, 10:49:32 AM
THE Suicide Squad (2021)

This one is a hoot! The previous Suicide Squad (without THE) wasn't as bad as it was sometimes made out to be, but as I said elsewhere on this forum, it tried to be several movies at once, so the sum was less than its parts. Add to that a scenario that was very much by the numbers (including the pillar of light with a whirly thing on top that threathens the world) and you get a very disappointing movie.

This one just tries to be entertaining, and takes all the cartoony fun and violence of the genre and turns it up to eleven. James Gunn has fun with the tropes and conventions of the superhero movie and wastes no time with subplots or grounding the story. It is also surprisingly gory. If you can't stand the sight of blood, this is no movie for you. Also, rather less characters than expected survive at the end of the movie. It is not Rogue One, but still.

On a sidenote, I suppose Corto Maltese is a nod to Hugo Pratt, but it is difficult to think of a movie that is further removed from the spirit of Hugo Pratt's comic than this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 21, 2021, 10:13:45 PM
A DC Comics double feature tonight:

A DC Comics double feature tonight:

"Joker" (2019)
Todd "The Hangover" Philips' bleak take on the super-villain's origin story is pretty much Taxi Driver set in the DC Universe, as a mentally-ill loser (Joaquin Phoenix) slowly loses his s**t amidst the chaos of Gotham City circa 1981. This was my 2nd viewing of this movie and it still packs a punch.

"Jonah Hex" (2010)
DC's Old West bounty hunter (Josh Brolin) battles against a terrorist (John Malkovich) who is planning to aim a super weapon at Washington DC on the eve of America's Centennial in this notorious box office bomb. As a shoot'em up, blow'em up action flick this wasn't terrible, but Jonah is a cool character and he deserved better than this confused muddle.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 22, 2021, 09:13:22 AM
MAD GOD (2021): An "assassin" (so says the credits) explores a stop-motion animated Hell. The lifelong passion project of special effects star Phil Tippett (STAR WARS, JURASSIC PARK), who worked for three decades on this Boschian surrealist horror. It always impresses and often disgusts (with surgeons graphically slicing their way through corpses looking for treasure and squirming parasite babies)---but it may go on for too long, considering it's over an hour of plotless tortures, alien occult rituals, and psychedelic freakouts. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 22, 2021, 09:25:49 PM
A double shot of trashy '80s horror on a rainy day:

"Humongous" (1982)
A group of boating twenty somethings on a lake outing run aground on a seemingly deserted private island, but they soon learn they're not alone, as a hulking, deformed something or other starts hunting them down one by one. Pretty standard Canuck slasher/horror junk, not terrible, not great.

"Rats: Night of Terror" (aka "Blood Kill," 1984)
225 years after a nuclear apocalypse, a gang of nomadic bikers stumble into a deserted laboratory building full of food, water, and other supplies. They think they've hit the jackpot but the place is also infested with hordes of super-intelligent, extremely hungry rats, who don't take kindly to trespassers on their turf.
This gloriously stupid Italian sci-fi/horror mash up directed by notorious schlock meister Bruno Mattei (of "Hell of the Living Dead," "RoboWar," and "Shocking Dark" fame) has all the usual hallmarks of Spaghetti cinema: cheap gore, atrocious dubbing, a muddled story full of plot holes, and terrible, mugging over-acting. It's crap, but it's entertaining crap.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 23, 2021, 02:16:20 PM
Midnight Special - I like Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter is really good), but this one didn't gel for me.  It feels like a pretty good idea for a 20 minute short, but instead it approaches 2 hours with nothing extra to show for it.  It's a quasi superhero sci fi film, as an origin story, but has little of the excitement.  Good acting and well shot, OK characters, just way, way overlong and never comes together.  5/10.

Kingdom: Ashin of the North - Prequel film to the Kingdom series.  Mostly a revenge story with some zombies near the end.  It's alright, but could have easily been compressed into a standard Kingdom episode length and would have been stronger for it.  5/10.

City of the Living Dead - It's a Fulci film.  This one is kind of middle of the road.  Some nice atmosphere with alright score, but as usual for his films from Zombie on, barely coherent with horribly written characters.  Some decent gore, but the "dead" characters often look terrible in this, Zombie's makeup is masterful in comparison.  I don't even know how to properly rate a Fulci film like this, you'll probably know if you want to see it.  5/10.

Fear Street trilogy - a series of Netflix originals based on RL Stine's book series.  I read Goosebumps, but never the Fear Street books.  That said, I doubt they had as much murder as this one.  The first is way too fast paced and choppy, going from scene to scene and thin character to thin character super fast.  But it's not boring.  It has some surprisingly gory bits too.  But it's not amazing.  It also cribs bits from It Follows and some other more recent horror films, but is never as good as any of them.  It's OK.  Parts 2 and 3 focus in more and are the stronger films for it, but they're never that good.  All told, I'd rate them a 5, 6 and 6.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 25, 2021, 07:55:31 AM
"Stage Fright" (aka "Deliria," aka "Stage Fright: Aquarius," 1987)
The cast and crew of an artsy stage musical are locked inside their theater overnight with a psycho killer, who proceeds to pick them off one by one.
An Italian take on the slasher film formula, directed by Argento protege' Michael Soavi (later of "The Church" and "Cemetery Man" fame). It's a nice looking film in that slick "'80s new wave music video" kind of way and there's some legit gore, but the acting and dialogue is stiff and awkward, and the characters are all so shrill, stupid and annoying that they deserve everything that happens to them.
If you must see every slasher film ever made, go nuts. Otherwise, you're not missing anything if you skip this.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 25, 2021, 10:03:33 PM
"Opera" (aka "Terror at the Opera," 1987)
Dario Argento's giallo/slasher hybrid about a young opera singer pursued by an obsessed fan, who forces her to watch as he murders everyone close to her.
As usual for Unca Dario, the movie is an uneven blend of highbrow European arthouse and lowbrow, gory grindhouse. The movie is beautifully shot and packed with eye candy, and the murder scenes are gloriously gross... but the sluggish pacing, awkward dialogue/dubbing and unnecessary "WTF?" plot twists turned this into a slog. I guess I'll stick to "Suspiria" or "Inferno" when I'm in the mood for an Argento.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 27, 2021, 08:55:38 AM
EVANGELION 3.33: YOU CAN (NOT) REDO (2012): The third of four films in Hideaki Anno's Evangelion reboot finds teen protagonist Shinji waking from a fourteen year coma to find the world nearly destroyed from the "third impact," with the fourth impact about to come. If you've seen the series you know what to expect: awesome mecha battles, psychedelic animation, apocalyptic imagery, and the confusion of Anno's impossible-to-follow personal mythology; this is more of the same, mainly serving as a set-up for the final act. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 27, 2021, 09:15:42 PM
"Jason Rising: A Friday the 13th Fan Film" (2021)
Two small town cops and a pair of Federal marshals track a trio of escaped convicts to the ruins of Camp Crystal Lake, where they meet its most famous hockey-masked resident. You can probably figure out how well that goes.
This is a very well made fan film with legit production values, some nice gore effects, and halfway decent acting. At just under an hour, it doesn't wear out its welcome, plus there's a surprise late-inning appearance by a major character from the 'real' "Friday the 13th" saga. This is definitely one of the best "F13" fan films out there, right behind Never Hike Alone. Good stuff!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on August 27, 2021, 09:58:57 PM
i don't normally watch the fan films i have hard time sitting through them, the videos that were on the bluray of the Original films some of them were pretty hard to sit through, some of them the story was pretty decent than the ending was f... terrible at least i thought so anyways.

though i'm still watching it i had to pause it for a moment i'm watching Red (2010) i saw it on the big screen back than and i have both of them on bluray and i lvoe these films. they are so worth watching the 2nd one while good is not as good as the 1st one which is just Brilliant.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 30, 2021, 09:25:36 AM
Metal Movie double feature last night:

"The Mentors: Kings of Sleaze Rockumentary" (2017)
The rise, fall and rebirth of the infamous "rape rock" combo fronted by the late, legendary El Duce is retold in this entertaining documentary which traces the band's history through vintage interviews, photos, and clips, which are just as tasteless, silly, and offensive as you'd expect from these guys. A guilty pleasure.

"Lords of Chaos" (2019)
Dramatized re-enactment of the story of Mayhem, the group of anti-social Norwegian teens whose goal was to create the darkest, most evil Black Metal band ever. Over time, a bizarre game of "I'm more evil than you" one-upmanship develops between band members, which leads to a series of church arsons and eventually, murder. Great performances by Rory Culkin (yes, Macauley's brother) as the doomed Oysten "Euronymous" Aarseth and Emory Cohen as Varg "Count Grishnakh" Vikernes. I'm sure the movie is riddled with historical inaccuracies that Black Metal purists would be able to pick apart, but as an outsider viewing it simply as a drama, "Lords of Chaos" is a compelling watch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 30, 2021, 02:08:40 PM
Raw - recent, somewhat hip cannibal movie that hits all the right foreign film/ independent movie notes. If I'd seen this at the Coolidge corner theater my freshman year of college I would probably think it was the greatest movie ever. As for now, I enjoyed it and mainly appreciated that it's crazy and weird. The director knew they had a good concept and could have just phoned it in but instead took chances and made it more colorful and memorable.

The plot is a vegetarian girl goes to veterinary school, starts eating meat, and becomes a cannibal. Joining her in this is her equally sort of hot older sister, who is also a student and helps guide her through the bizarre hazing rituals they for some reason have there. european type rave scenes, bisexuality, and dark family secrets soon follow

4.5 /5 nice one


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on August 30, 2021, 03:49:05 PM
THE INTERVIEW (1998)

A duel between a suspected murderer and a detective pressed by people who want results. But whose skin is really wanted.

Fantastic film starring Hugo Weaving before he went big with MATRIX. It reminds me a lot to 12 ANGRY MEN, in which most of the movie is dialog and happens inside a single room. Superb acting, very moody music, and the plot keeps you guessing enough for the duration of the film.
The ending leaves you wondering about what really happened not only inside that room, but also with the events that led to that meeting. It has a high rewatchability factor.

One thing tho, they have extremely thick accents, so for someone who isn't native english speaker like me, subtitles are mandatory, hehe. Check it out! 9/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 30, 2021, 04:32:58 PM
Raw - recent, somewhat hip cannibal movie that hits all the right foreign film/ independent movie notes. If I'd seen this at the Coolidge corner theater my freshman year of college I would probably think it was the greatest movie ever. As for now, I enjoyed it and mainly appreciated that it's crazy and weird. The director knew they had a good concept and could have just phoned it in but instead took chances and made it more colorful and memorable.

The plot is a vegetarian girl goes to veterinary school, starts eating meat, and becomes a cannibal. Joining her in this is her equally sort of hot older sister, who is also a student and helps guide her through the bizarre hazing rituals they for some reason have there. european type rave scenes, bisexuality, and dark family secrets soon follow

4.5 /5 nice one

The director has a new one coming out soon about a woman who has sex with a car. Looking forward to it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on August 31, 2021, 12:56:52 AM
Raw - recent, somewhat hip cannibal movie that hits all the right foreign film/ independent movie notes. If I'd seen this at the Coolidge corner theater my freshman year of college I would probably think it was the greatest movie ever. As for now, I enjoyed it and mainly appreciated that it's crazy and weird. The director knew they had a good concept and could have just phoned it in but instead took chances and made it more colorful and memorable.

The plot is a vegetarian girl goes to veterinary school, starts eating meat, and becomes a cannibal. Joining her in this is her equally sort of hot older sister, who is also a student and helps guide her through the bizarre hazing rituals they for some reason have there. european type rave scenes, bisexuality, and dark family secrets soon follow

4.5 /5 nice one

The director has a new one coming out soon about a woman who has sex with a car. Looking forward to it.

Would that be Titane, which won the Palme D'Or at Cannes? I'm planning on seeing it one of these days.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on August 31, 2021, 05:54:28 AM
The Ring (2002) - Horror film set around the premise of an urban myth about a videocassette (!) that kills the person that watches it within seven days of viewing it. Said person receives a phone call from a little girl that tells them that they will die in seven days.

This movie has its silly moments (it's always raining in Seattle; like always) and a ton of plot holes (what if you watch the cursed videocassette and there are no phones around for the little girl to call you and tell you that you are going to die?) but it manages to keep the creepy factor consistent throughout the film. This movie follows a similar path that Candyman (1992) took and keeps the audience in a constant state of gloom and doom, which works extremely well in this sorry day and age that we live in where horror films seem to always try to inject some cheesy comedy into the script which spoils the horror factor for us. Imagine if comedy was inserted into such modern horror film classics such as The Shining (1980) or The Thing (1982) to understand my point. While the plot surrounding the creepy ghost girl and how she came to be gets a tad convoluted the more that is uncovered, to the point where I started to stop caring about what happened to her; The Ring (2002) clocks in at just under 2 hours and is evenly paced enough that it never becomes boring. The acting is pretty decent and everybody puts on a convincing performance; even the little boy whom I initially found annoying because his role was an obvious rip from the same page as the "I see dead people" kid from The Sixth Sense (1999) but his role isn't overplayed and the kid is not a bad actor at all.

My only complaint about the film was the very confusing ending and why the "myth" surrounding the videocassette was allowed to continue and perpetuated by two of the main characters in the film, because the movie never really explains why this happens. It seems that it is difficult to give a good ending to horror movies nowadays, and sadly this movie commits the cardinal sin of not knowing where it should have properly ended.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 31, 2021, 07:57:14 AM
Raw - recent, somewhat hip cannibal movie that hits all the right foreign film/ independent movie notes. If I'd seen this at the Coolidge corner theater my freshman year of college I would probably think it was the greatest movie ever. As for now, I enjoyed it and mainly appreciated that it's crazy and weird. The director knew they had a good concept and could have just phoned it in but instead took chances and made it more colorful and memorable.

The plot is a vegetarian girl goes to veterinary school, starts eating meat, and becomes a cannibal. Joining her in this is her equally sort of hot older sister, who is also a student and helps guide her through the bizarre hazing rituals they for some reason have there. european type rave scenes, bisexuality, and dark family secrets soon follow

4.5 /5 nice one


The director has a new one coming out soon about a woman who has sex with a car. Looking forward to it.

Would that be Titane, which won the Palme D'Or at Cannes? I'm planning on seeing it one of these days.

Yep!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 31, 2021, 02:10:30 PM
if you think about it, the whole movie was really about leftist indoctrination at college campuses


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on August 31, 2021, 03:28:10 PM
Of Freaks and Men (1998)

A pastiche of silent melodrama. Although it is shot with sound, it uses much of the conventions of a silent movie, including the text boards and being filmed in sepia monochrome. It is the story of how a pornographer specialising in movies where naked girls get spanked, takes over the lives of two bourgeois families in prerevolutionary St. Petersburg. And there are musical Siamese twins.

It is supposed to be a social commentary on post Soviet Russia. It is pretty bleak and quite sleazy at times, which I think was to be offset by the period/silent movie setting. To me, this was more of a gimmick than a plus.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 31, 2021, 10:01:11 PM
"Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World" (2010)
In order to win his dream girl (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a dorky Canadian slacker (Michael Cera) must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends in a series of video-game style battles. Edgar "Shaun of the Dead" Wright's stylish hipster action comedy (based on a graphic novel) is definitely one of the weirdest movies I've seen in a while but it's also a lot of fun. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 03, 2021, 12:03:09 PM
EVANGELION 3.0 + 1.0: THRICE UPON A TIME (2021): The plot defies description, but... angsty teenage mecha pilot Shinji must cope with his guilt over inadvertently nearly destroying the world, and regroup to face NERV and his own father in a final apocalyptic battle. A large portion of this 2.5 hour epic is a post-apocalyptic drama, but there's plenty of visual (and conceptual) fireworks in this series capper that, while remaining obscure in its final half-hour, gives more closure to minor characters and may have more conventional popular appeal than the two alternate endings to the previous series. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 03, 2021, 02:43:18 PM
Hangman (2015) - There are a couple movies called Hangman, this is the one where it's a guy who lives in a family's attic and watches them and screws with them and so forth.

There have been other movies with this same sort of plot. This one even has the same move of the guy using the peoples toothbrush as 13 Cameras (also 2015) but I liked it. It was a little better than 13 cameras, but not as good as 14 cameras!

It has terrible reviews on IMDB but there were enough positive ones that I decided to check it out and I'm glad I did.

4.5/ 5  Its limited from being great mainly by the straightforwardness of the plot: its just a guy in a families house watching them. He could have messed with the formula a little more. The story is reasonably well thought out and the acting is good too, though. "boringly sick" says one review. is that supposed to be bad?



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 04, 2021, 09:55:03 PM
"Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock N Roll Generation Saved Hollywood" (2003)
BBC Documentary about the so called "New Hollywood" movement of the late 60s and early 70s, which saw the old fashioned "studio system" fall by the wayside in favor of a new, daring, experimental way of film making led by "auteur" directors like Martin Scorsese, Sam Peckinpah, William Friedkin, Dennis Hopper, Peter Bogdanovich, George Lucas, and more. Based on the book by Peter Biskind, which was one of the best books on the movie biz I've ever read. This doc isn't nearly as in depth as the book but it's still a fun watch full of cool interviews and vintage clips.

"Phantasm" (1979)
A pair of brothers and their dorky friend investigate strange goings-on at the local funeral parlor, led by a mysterious mortician known as "The Tall Man."
I know lots of people dig this movie, but I'm gonna be honest, this is my third try and "Phantasm" still lkinda sucks. The story makes no sense, the acting is terrible. and the pacing is sluggish. In spite of all that, this movie has become a cult classic and spawned several sequels, though I'm still not entirely sure why. I guess it's one of those movies you either "get" or you don't, and I don't. (shrugs)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 05, 2021, 12:55:18 AM
"Phantasm" (1979)
A pair of brothers and their dorky friend investigate strange goings-on at the local funeral parlor, led by a mysterious mortician known as "The Tall Man."
I know lots of people dig this movie, but I'm gonna be honest, this is my third try and "Phantasm" still lkinda sucks. The story makes no sense, the acting is terrible. and the pacing is sluggish. In spite of all that, this movie has become a cult classic and spawned several sequels, though I'm still not entirely sure why. I guess it's one of those movies you either "get" or you don't, and I don't. (shrugs)

If it helps, think of it as being a dream. It isn't supposed to be rooted in reality and strange things happen because well dreams don't always make sense.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 06, 2021, 09:51:01 AM
"Madman" (1982)
As they prepare to close down a summer camp at the end of the season, a group of counselors make the mistake of mocking local legend "Madman" Marz, a farmer who supposedly went insane and ax murdered his entire family many years ago. Of course, the hillbilly decapitator then magically appears to start whackin' away at them.
It doesn't have an original bone in its body, of course, but "Madman" is a pretty decent "Friday the 13th" knock off - the acting is adequate, the action moves quickly, and it wastes no time getting to the good gory stuff. Worth a look if you're a slasher aficionado.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 06, 2021, 10:31:04 PM
Wife is working a late shift tonight so I had the TV all to myself for a change:

"Rock N Roll High School" (1979)
Aspiring songwriter Riff Randell (P.J. Soles, "Halloween") and her friends fight back against Vince Lombardi High's new rock-hating principal, Miss Togar (Mary Woronov), with a little help from the Ramones, and some high explosives.
I have totally lost count of how many times I've seen this classic over the years -- I can pretty much recite the entire movie along with the cast at this point. I will never get tired of it. Ever.

"The Beyond" (aka "7 Doors of Death," 1981)
A woman inherits a run-down hotel in the Louisiana bayou, but her efforts to renovate and re-open the old place are complicated by a series of mysterious deaths which may be tied to a murder that happened there 50 years ago. Oh, and possibly because the place is built on top of a doorway to Hell. Yeah, I hate when that happens...
This ultra-bizarre Italian splatter fest from Lucio "Zombie" Fulci completely stops making sense around the three quarter mark but till then it's probably his most well made film. The gore effects are totally sick and the whole movie has a weird, doomy feeling to it. Totally metal. :D Supposedly Fulci considered this film to be part of a loose "trilogy" along with his "House By the Cemetery" and "City of the Living Dead." I'll take his word for it. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 08, 2021, 07:55:42 AM
"It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963)
After learning about a stash of money hidden in a secret location, a group of motorists all try to beat each other to the treasure, causing mayhem and destruction wherever they go.
This bloated slapstick epic is the textbook definition of an old fashioned "all star spectacular" -- it features pretty much everybody who was funny in showbiz at the time (Milton Berle, Phil Silvers, Buddy Hackett, Jonathan Winters, Sid Caesar, Ethel Merman, Don Knotts, Mickey Rooney, and on and on...). This movie doesn't have much plot, but it's got plenty of cars crashing, things falling over and exploding, people hitting each other, etc., etc. At two hours and 45 minutes, it's WAY too long, but I guess they needed all that run time to cram in all those star cameos.
Many film buffs and critics consider this one of the funniest movies ever made; I'm not exactly sure why. I got a few good laughs out of it here and there, but after a while I was checking my watch and wondering when it was ever going to end. 
Interesting from a historical perspective, but I doubt I'll ever sit through this again.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 09, 2021, 11:07:43 AM
"Student Bodies" (1981)
A wheezing murderer known as "The Breather" is killing off horny high-school teens with paper clips, trash bags, and an eggplant (!) in this occasionally amusing, low budget slasher film parody that pre-dates the "Scary Movie" franchise by more than a decade. Not every joke lands, but there were enough cheap laughs to keep me entertained.  
Best gag: a random shot of the film's producer telling the audience "F**k you" so the film will get an "R" rating.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 09, 2021, 02:19:28 PM
^is that the one with the guy with marfins syndrome? I really liked that


the Faith Community (2017) - this is on the found Footage Horror category on tubi. the first half was strong: Christian youth types arrive at a woodsy retreat and find a strange jim Jones like community. They were under the impression it was more conventional and hospitable but they try and make the best of it. As things progress, one of them is drawn to the cult like atmosphere and the others are like caught up in the goings on.

It could have been really good but the second half just didn't deliver. this was a movie that REALLY needed a profound resolution/ ending and the director just didn't have it

3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 11, 2021, 08:36:30 AM
"Hellraiser" (1987)
Clive Barker's cult classic about an old homestead whose walls hold secrets of blood, infidelity, pain, pleasure, and oh yeah, an interdimensional torture freak named Pinhead and his ghastly friends, the Cenobites. The story is twisted, the acting isn't very good, but the gooey, gory splatter effects (which were the film's main selling point) have held up extremely well. Over the years, the "Hellraiser" series has devolved into a never ending parade of crappy sequels but the O.G. will still make you squirm.

"Hellbound: Hellraiser II" (1988)
The lone survivor of the first movie is trapped in a mental hospital, where the crazed doctor in charge of her case wants to use her as bait to prove the existence of Pinhead and the Cenobites. Once again, there's lots of blood splashin' and flesh flayin'. The best of the countless sequels.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on September 11, 2021, 12:37:39 PM
"It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963)
After learning about a stash of money hidden in a secret location, a group of motorists all try to beat each other to the treasure, causing mayhem and destruction wherever they go.
This bloated slapstick epic is the textbook definition of an old fashioned "all star spectacular" -- it features pretty much everybody who was funny in showbiz at the time (Milton Berle, Phil Silvers, Buddy Hackett, Jonathan Winters, Sid Caesar, Ethel Merman, Don Knotts, Mickey Rooney, and on and on...). This movie doesn't have much plot, but it's got plenty of cars crashing, things falling over and exploding, people hitting each other, etc., etc. At two hours and 45 minutes, it's WAY too long, but I guess they needed all that run time to cram in all those star cameos.
Many film buffs and critics consider this one of the funniest movies ever made; I'm not exactly sure why. I got a few good laughs out of it here and there, but after a while I was checking my watch and wondering when it was ever going to end. 
Interesting from a historical perspective, but I doubt I'll ever sit through this again.

That film ranks as one of the unfunniest comedies I have ever seen.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 11, 2021, 05:06:45 PM
"It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963)
After learning about a stash of money hidden in a secret location, a group of motorists all try to beat each other to the treasure, causing mayhem and destruction wherever they go.
This bloated slapstick epic is the textbook definition of an old fashioned "all star spectacular" -- it features pretty much everybody who was funny in showbiz at the time (Milton Berle, Phil Silvers, Buddy Hackett, Jonathan Winters, Sid Caesar, Ethel Merman, Don Knotts, Mickey Rooney, and on and on...). This movie doesn't have much plot, but it's got plenty of cars crashing, things falling over and exploding, people hitting each other, etc., etc. At two hours and 45 minutes, it's WAY too long, but I guess they needed all that run time to cram in all those star cameos.
Many film buffs and critics consider this one of the funniest movies ever made; I'm not exactly sure why. I got a few good laughs out of it here and there, but after a while I was checking my watch and wondering when it was ever going to end. 
Interesting from a historical perspective, but I doubt I'll ever sit through this again.

That film ranks as one of the unfunniest comedies I have ever seen.

So it's not just me? Thank goodness.  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 11, 2021, 05:07:51 PM
"Warning: Parental Advisory" (2002)
VH1 produced this slightly tongue-in-cheek dramatization of the mid '80s PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) saga, with Jason "90210" Priestley as a young Washington lobbyist who gets caught up in the fight between Tipper Gore's forces of would-be censorship and rockers like Frank Zappa (Griffin Dunne) and Dee Snider (playing himself) as they gather in D.C. to battle over artists' First Amendment rights in a U.S. senate hearing. A fun trip down memory lane if you were around when this was going on, educational for those who weren't.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on September 11, 2021, 06:49:47 PM
"It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963)
After learning about a stash of money hidden in a secret location, a group of motorists all try to beat each other to the treasure, causing mayhem and destruction wherever they go.
This bloated slapstick epic is the textbook definition of an old fashioned "all star spectacular" -- it features pretty much everybody who was funny in showbiz at the time (Milton Berle, Phil Silvers, Buddy Hackett, Jonathan Winters, Sid Caesar, Ethel Merman, Don Knotts, Mickey Rooney, and on and on...). This movie doesn't have much plot, but it's got plenty of cars crashing, things falling over and exploding, people hitting each other, etc., etc. At two hours and 45 minutes, it's WAY too long, but I guess they needed all that run time to cram in all those star cameos.
Many film buffs and critics consider this one of the funniest movies ever made; I'm not exactly sure why. I got a few good laughs out of it here and there, but after a while I was checking my watch and wondering when it was ever going to end. 
Interesting from a historical perspective, but I doubt I'll ever sit through this again.

That film ranks as one of the unfunniest comedies I have ever seen.

So it's not just me? Thank goodness.  :teddyr:

No, it's not just you. Dad told me "that film is just an excuse to break sh*t" and, as a fellow movie fan, he couldn't believe the guy who produced High Noon and directed Judgement At Nuremberg did this as well.  :twirl:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on September 11, 2021, 10:55:31 PM
Mad world is one of my all time i'd say it's in my top 5 or top 10 favorite movies of all time. my mom the night she had my brother way back in (1974) watched it afterwords in the hospital it's one of his favorite movies as well and his kids also love it and they are ages 10 and 14.  they both love and quote it quite often as well as me and my brother do.

Student bodies (1981) is one of the worst movies i've ever seen it's not in my top 10 there were some funny moments not many though but it was awful and i went in with high hopes too.

i've been watching some of the MCU films the one that i did watch that i ordered on 4K recently cause best buys had a deal of the day where i got Infinity War (2018)  4K for only $14.99  on sale from $22.99 hell yeah i'm getting it.  i hadn't seen that one and i loved it i really don't know which one would be my favorite in those long list of films to be honest


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 12, 2021, 07:41:43 PM
"Lightning Bolt" (aka "Operazione Goldman," 1966)
A swinging secret agent (Anthony Eisley of TV's Hawaiian Eye) investigates rocket sabotage at Cape Kennedy and uncovers a madman's plot to place a laser weapon on the moon. Dr. Evil would be proud!
This Italian production was one of the better low-budget James Bond knock offs to come out of the Sixties "Eurospy" fad. Cheap, cheesy, action packed fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 13, 2021, 02:14:31 PM
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

Yorgos Lanthimos being true to his weird self in this very atypical thriller. People have called this slow, artsy and pretentious, and they are right. On the other hand by throwing each and every rule and convention of the genre clean out of the window, Lanthimos has created something that is extremely bleak and quite unsettling. This make The Lobster look like a comedy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 13, 2021, 06:20:48 PM
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

Yorgos Lanthimos being true to his weird self in this very atypical thriller. People have called this slow, artsy and pretentious, and they are right. On the other hand by throwing each and every rule and convention of the genre clean out of the window, Lanthimos has created something that is extremely bleak and quite unsettling. This make The Lobster look like a comedy.

Wait . . . you mean THE LOBSTER wasn't a comedy???


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 14, 2021, 04:45:32 AM
Her Name Was Christa.

A lonely man hires a prostitute for a girlfriend experience. The more they spend time together the more they see a way out of their separate existences and they fall in love. Then death separates them, but how far would you go for the one you truly love?

I started watching this expecting some sort of bad romantic comedy with a supernatural twist. What I got was a bit more, uhm... Nekromantic I guess? Overly long run time (2 hours), and very little happens, then suddenly you get to see things like a man giving oral sex to a rotting corpse. You could interpret it in a few ways I guess. Is his dead girlfriend really talking to him or is it all in his head? For myself, I figured it's all in his head and expecting to find that he'd killed her and their whole relationship had been in his head. I did find the rather nasal voice of the female lead to be a bit irritating, but if I wanted to say something nice about this movie I guess the only thing I can think of is that it would be that she does have nice boobs, well when they aren't all decayed. The last, I dunno half hour or so of the movie is a naked, bald, chubby man making love to an increasingly icky corpse with the screen split between what he see's in his mind and what she really looks like.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 14, 2021, 08:49:16 AM
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

Yorgos Lanthimos being true to his weird self in this very atypical thriller. People have called this slow, artsy and pretentious, and they are right. On the other hand by throwing each and every rule and convention of the genre clean out of the window, Lanthimos has created something that is extremely bleak and quite unsettling. This make The Lobster look like a comedy.

Wait . . . you mean THE LOBSTER wasn't a comedy???

THE LOBSTER was definitely a black comedy. KILLING OF A SACRED DEER was not. I liked SACRED DEER; loved THE LOBSTER.

LAVA (2021): Argentinian animation about a tattoo artist caught up in an alien invasion (the aliens first appear as giant kitty-cats) who discovers the secrets to beating them may lie in an underground comic called "Lava." A few cute ideas, but it's inconsistently comic, animated like a Nickelodeon TV show, and has one of the most-frustrating non-endings I've ever seen... as if the project ran out of money and decided to add some even cheaper animation to the end to pad it to near-feature length. Avoid (shouldn't be difficult). 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 15, 2021, 12:21:11 AM
Lava Lobster (2022)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 15, 2021, 04:57:51 PM
"Valentine" (2001)
As they prepare for a big Valentine's Day bash, a group of twenty-something gals fall victim to a masked psycho who's had a grudge against them all for a very long time. (when you see why, you'll probably say "those stuck up b*tches had it coming," haha)
A late inning entry into the post-"Scream" teen horror craze, "Valentine" has a slick, music-video look to it, a great cast with plenty of female eye candy (Denise Richards, lawd have mercy!) and a couple of legit murder scenes (the one involving a hot tub and a large power drill is particularly inspired).
It's no "My Bloody Valentine," but this slasher was a pleasant surprise and a gory good time.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on September 15, 2021, 11:30:03 PM
i'm glad you liked it while i have seen it a couple of times it's one of those films i just don't think is that great of a film it's although i would not say it's in my bottom 100 though.

i've just been watching the MCU films i need to see Black Widow (2021) next i watched the last couple such as Infinity War (2018) 10/10 and End game (2019)
10/10. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 16, 2021, 01:31:57 AM
Titane (2021)

A vicious serial killer impersonates the long missing son of a fireman to escape the law. And she also pregnant by a Cadillac, somehow.

It got the Palme d'Or at Cannes, but I remain unconvinced. It starts off as the blackest of thriller/comedies, and suddenly turns into a melodrama. It tries so very hard to be edgy and shocking that it becomes wearying. The whole 'pregnant by a car' aspect is a case in point. Apart from adding some random weirdness and body horror, it plays no role. It might as well be a normal pregnancy or have been cut altogether.  To quote James Thurber: you might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward.

Special mention to Agathe Rouselle. Her visceral performance carries the movie and she really goes for it. There is also a lot of nudity, though mostly in contexts of violence and/or body horror. And a lot of things are set on fire.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 16, 2021, 01:08:40 PM
"The Search for Weng Weng" (2013)
An Australian filmmaker sets out to document the strange saga of Weng Weng, a three-foot tall actor from the Philippines who became an unlikely cult figure among Asian B-Movie fans thanks to his leading man roles in the spy spoofs "For Y'ur Height Only" (sic) and "The Impossible Kid."
I've never seen any of Weng's (who died in 1992) flicks in their entirety but his story is interesting, bizarre, occasionally hilarious, and a little bit sad. Worth a look if you want to learn about a corner of the movie biz that's completely unknown to most Westerners.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zelmo73 on September 16, 2021, 03:17:50 PM
Memoirs Of A Geisha (2005) -

A coming of age movie about a young Japanese girl whose poor family sells her into a geisha house during the early 20th Century. The movie follows her through her teenage years as she learns the geisha trade, into womanhood as a professional geisha and through World War II and beyond.

The plot of the film is a bit more complicated than that, but the general storyline details more about the art and politics surrounding the geisha trade rather than the sex and/or companionship parts, though those aspects are mentioned quite frequently throughout the film. The movie stars Zhang Ziyi from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000) during the prime of her career, Ken Watanabe as The Chairman, and Gong Li in one of her best performances; this particular one earning her a Best Supporting Actress award. I enjoyed this movie from beginning to end, because it reminded me a lot of The Last Emperor (1987) in its delivery, cinematography, and because it is a historical period piece. All the acting performances in this one are top notch. Just an all-around great drama, and not overly long at 2-1/2 hours. John Williams and Yo-Yo Ma provide the wonderful musical score.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 16, 2021, 04:54:14 PM
Continuing with my "Filipino Exploitation" theme...

"Machete Maidens Unleashed!" (2010)
B-Movie historian Mark Hartley's impressively thorough examination of the Filipino exploitation film boom of the '70s and '80s. The Philippines had their own robust film industry dating back to the '50s, but when Hollywood's B-Movie producers suddenly took note of the country's exotic locations (and cheap labor and production costs), they shot literally hundreds of action, horror, and women-in-prison flicks there over the next dozen years, like "The Big Bird Cage," "The Hot Box," "TNT Jackson," "Black Mama, White Mama," and "Savage Sisters."
This doc is packed with outrageous clips from tons of forgotten B-Movies full of boobs, blood, and explosions, and hilariously wry commentary by Corman, Joe Dante, Cirio Santiago , Sid Haig, John Landis, Allan Arkush, and many more. Tons of fun, and now I'm probably gonna end up going down a Pam Grier/chicks in chains rabbit hole for the next week or so...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 16, 2021, 09:29:10 PM
"Savage Sisters" (1974)
3 women escape from prison in an unnamed Banana Republic and spend the rest of the movie trying to steal a suitcase full of money back from some mercenaries so they can get out of the country.
A pretty typical "chicks in chains" movie, not nearly as sleazy or violent as others I've seen. The girls mostly keep their clothes on (!) and the tongue-in-cheek tone seems like they decided to turn this into a parody in the middle of filming. Sid "Captain Spaulding" Haig is a hoot as a Mexican bandito soldier for hire, but otherwise this is just lots of car chases, shoot outs, and stuff randomly exploding. It wasn't terrible, but it definitely needed more skin and sin!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 17, 2021, 09:08:55 AM
ANDREI TARKOVSKY: A CINEMA PRAYER (2019): An overview of director Andrei Tarkovsky's life with movie clips, a bit of rare behind the scenes footage and notebook glimpses, and lots of stills, with the soundtrack consisting of vintage interviews of the director reflecting on his own work and philosophy. Lovingly assembled by Tarkovsky's son, this does exactly what you expect a biodoc to do, but the fact that we only hear Tarkovsky's own voice (except for a few poems read by his own father) lends it a certain purity. Obviously, it's a must for the director's fans, and of not much interest to those who've never seen one of his difficult, spiritual movies. A supplement on the Criterion Collection's edition of "Mirror." 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 17, 2021, 09:29:21 PM
"Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" (2004)
Set in a steampunk 1930s New York, a heroic pilot (Jude Law) and an intrepid, Lois Lane-ish girl reporter (Gwyneth Paltrow) team up to defeat a super villain whose army of robots is building a doomsday device that could destroy the earth.
A stylish ode to the action movie serials of the 30s and 40s, "Sky Captain" is kinda like a mash up of bits from Indiana Jones, Tim Burton's "Batman," "The Rocketeer," Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" and the Max Fleisher "Superman" cartoons. The film was almost entirely created in CGI, with the actors performing in front of green screens (one of the first films to do so), giving it a unique look that resembles a newly colorized, long lost old movie.
"Sky Captain" wasn't well received when it was first released but it's gone on to become a bit of a cult item since then, deservedly so.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 19, 2021, 04:15:31 PM
"A Nightmare on Elm Street" (2010)
Small town teens are being slaughtered in their sleep by the scar-faced, razor fingered kid-toucher Freddy Krueger, who's seeking vengeance for his fiery demise at the hands of their parents years earlier.
...honestly, I was expecting this flashy remake of Wes Craven's classic to be much worse, based on 10 years of bad word of mouth. Surprisingly, though, it wasn't terrible... it just felt unnecessary, like most remakes. It's got some cool, creepy set designs and effects, and Jackie Earle Haley is clearly trying his best to make the Freddy Krueger role his own, but he can't hold a candle to the great Robert Englund.
I guess your mileage may vary on this one depending on the depth of your fan hood for the old N.O.E.S. films. I tapped out on the series ages ago when Freddy started turning into a wise-cracking stand up comic, so I actually appreciated this newer, darker version. I may never sit thru it again, but I didn't feel like I'd wasted my time, either.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 20, 2021, 09:28:27 AM
THE EMPTY MAN (2020): An ex-cop investigates a neighbor girl's disappearance, leading to a Scientology-style cult and an urban legend about a boogeyman called "the empty man." There's a nugget of a great idea, and even a decent horror twist, hiding inside a bloated script that would have benefited greatly from a snappier run-time. Do yourself a favor and skip the unnecessary, nearly-unrelated 20-minute prologue in Bhutan; you'll still have 2 hours of movie. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 20, 2021, 01:05:35 PM
The Vault.

A lower budget Ocean's 11. You can see all the twists coming a mile off. Enjoyable enough fluff though as long as you keep your expectations low.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 20, 2021, 02:11:18 PM
Regression - Ethan Hawke did Sinister and some other movie I liked so I'm starting to trust him now. This is slightly problematic but ultimately very good and entertaining horror movie that a lot of people didn't like, apparently.

Hawke, looking a bit like The Might Mighty Bosstones Dicky Barrett, is a cop investigating a case of child molestation. Soon, it spins into a massive conspiracy about Satanic cults. Very corny looking white faced people with black cloaks engage in ceremonies where babies are killed and eaten or something. Emma Watson is really quite good as the fetching young victim of it all.

Might have been better as a "Masters of horror" type thing rather than a full length but it does carry some good horror energy and has an honest resolution, which is probably why everyone hated it.

4.5/ 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 20, 2021, 09:22:34 PM
"Elvira's Haunted Hills" (2002)
The slinky horror hostess plays a showgirl traveling across 1850s Europe on her way to Paris. When she stops for the night in a creepy castle in the Carpathian mountains she encounters weird people and experiences spooky supernatural goings-on, cracking jokes all the while.
This parody of Roger Corman's Edgar Allan Poe movies of the 60s has a nice retro feel, and of course Elvira's always fun to look at, but the movie is eye rollingly silly and the jokes are pure corn. Watch her first movie from 1988, "Elvira Mistress of the Dark," instead.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 20, 2021, 10:25:37 PM
^ that first one is a classic.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on September 20, 2021, 11:57:28 PM
Elm Street Remake (2010) i was bored with that one i rented that from maybe drug mart? back when it hit video and other than changing names to the characters a character that was Clearly Nancy i was bored watching it. with the Friday the 13th which i do have on bluray since i bought that fantastic box set last year

well that was i think a better film i do not know what my thoughts think about that now since i haven't watched it in years and that's the only disc in the set i have not watched yet.  anyways, i watched last night Black Widow (2021) it was a better film i think that most people are saying about it.

i loved the cast and wow did Ray Winstone put on weight i didn't realize that was even him since he's so much older now and it has been a long time since i last saw him in a film to be fair. but the film while i agree isn't in the MCU films top 10 films or even in the top 5 for that matter it was still a pretty decent picture.

i'd say 8/10. the script needed a bit more work though and it should have been released after Civil War than made afterwords. i fell in love with the main cast and i wish they had made this before the we lost our Black Widow in End Game.  but i enjoyed it now i need only 3 more to have them all in 4K. i need Hulk (2008) 

Age of Ultron (2015) and Homecoming (2017) and of course the new one but since that's still in theaters and not on video yet i'm not counting that just yet


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 21, 2021, 09:31:10 AM
SUPER ME (2019): Aspiring screenwriter Sang Yu has nightly nightmares that keep him from sleeping and functioning properly, until he discovers he has the power to bring valuable artifacts back from his dreams. A sort-of cool premise with a shaky execution, long stretches of "meh," and a conclusion that's strange but unsatisfying. Chinese, on Netflix. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 21, 2021, 03:39:02 PM
The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1962)

A mad doctor experiments with transplants (which is apparently an abomination unto the Lord) and finally succeeds by developing a special serum. This seems to have the side effect of bringing back the dead. He gets in a car accident together with his fiancee and keeps her head alive. He then tries to kidnap a girl so he can put his fiancee's head on her body. Luckily his plans are foiled by a monster he created in his earlier experiments. In a strange twist, the monster saves the girl this time.

This is one of those movies where they had enough script for a 30-40 minute TV episode, and there is a lot of padding to stretch it to feature length. In the best case this is some 60s eye candy as the mad doctor prowls for victims. At worst it is the morality of science and God's will being discussed at length.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 21, 2021, 03:39:42 PM
"Elvira's Haunted Hills" (2002)
 Watch her first movie from 1988, "Elvira Mistress of the Dark," instead.

Amen to that


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 22, 2021, 09:18:57 AM
THE ALPINIST (2021): Documentary following rock climber Marc-André Leclerc, a world-class alpinist who shuns the spotlight (he disappears for months in the middle of filming), climbing the world's most treacherous cliffs for pure love of the sport. After FREE SOLO, the rock-climbing-doc is now its own subgenre; as always, this had breathtaking vertiginous vistas (eliciting several audible gasps from the audience). Leclerc is just as foolhardy as FREE SOLO's Alex Honnold, but with his ever-present broken-toothed smile and purity of vision he's so winning that the doc has no choice but to treat him with affection. Saw it in a theater, you need a big screen to get that feeling of vertigo. Surprisingly, there were about six or seven other people there. 3.5/5.

THE ONE YOU FEED (2020): A wounded Stranger (no one in the movie has a name) is taken in by a Man and a Woman who live in some sort of mildly sadomaochistic relationship, which he's drawn into as a third wheel. The characters are vague--deliberately so, though that doesn't soften the blow--and the plot arc flat; even the title is inapt (the Protagonist doesn't have any kind of meaningful internal struggle), leaving you with nothing to cling to except a tiny bit of pretty scenery. Could have been worse, but not by much. I endured this because I asked another reviewer to write it up for me, and I felt like I couldn't do that unless I was willing to suffer, too. 1/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on September 22, 2021, 10:20:04 PM
the brain that wouldn't die (1962) i have only seen the MSTK3000 i think? yeah it's a bad one but it's not a bad idea for film to be honest


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 23, 2021, 01:01:04 AM
the brain that wouldn't die (1962) i have only seen the MSTK3000 i think? yeah it's a bad one but it's not a bad idea for film to be honest

Well, that is a common problem with many B-movies of the 50s and 60s (and sometimes later). The basic idea is OK, but is not enough to fill a feature length movie, and the budget isn't there to add action scenes or effect shots. What you get instead is padding by means of badly written dialogue delivered by bad actors.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 23, 2021, 08:53:46 AM
I like THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE. The padding is so sleazy, but still innocent because they couldn't actually show anything, that it's kind of hilarious.

TEN MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT (2020): Punk DJ Amy is having a bad night when she's bitten by a bat on the way to the studio as a hurricane approaches, then learns that she's about to lose her show to an intern. The hallucination-based plot will alienate those hoping for a conventional vampire story, but it features a great angry turn by veteran scream queen Caroline Williams as the scorned professional being forced out for a younger woman the boss wants to sleep with, and it's wild and fast-paced enough to keep interest up. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 23, 2021, 10:01:53 AM
"Dirty Work" (1998)
Norm Macdonald's recent passing led me to revisit his cult classic "slobs vs. snobs" comedy about two jobless slackers (Norm and Artie Lange) who find success when they start a "revenge for hire" business, pulling pranks on people for money. When they do a job for a crooked real estate developer and find out they're the ones who've been played, it leads to their biggest "revenge" set up ever.
I hadn't seen this movie since it first hit video back in the day, fortunately it still holds up, I laughed a lot. Norm, we hardly knew ye.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 23, 2021, 01:15:48 PM
^ yeah I gotta watch Dirty Work again


Butterfly Kisses (2018) - tubitv is kind of like the Middle East upstairs room in Cambridge Mass. It's where a lot of bands play their first show, but it's also where a lot of interesting, non mainstream bands with serious statements that just aren't marketable play. Or maybe it's just a channel of old and/or unwanted dreck. Either way I'm on board. plus it's free

I've been knee deep in the "found footage horror" section lately. This one is pretty different and extremely contrived but enjoyable. okay:

A guy finds a "box full of digital tapes" in his parents basement, watches them and is intrigued by what he sees. A failed filmmaker and current wedding filmer, he decides to go for it and solve the mystery of the thing. Sounds totally fake right?

The character is manipulative and has as much charisma as Hillary Rodham Clinton, so a tough sell of a job becomes virtually impossible. In the first interview he does, the guy isn't enthusiastic enough for his liking so he turns on him and gets tossed out. He also has a film crew that is filming HIM for another documentary that they are doing.

Talking heads include the director of the Blair Witch Project who discusses how stupid and insincere he thinks the whole thing is. It's kind of like that Nightmare on Elm street sequel that was about the movie franchise itself. meta meta horror movie. This whole tone is likely to be too much for some people and as one IMDB review pointed out you don't learn all that much about Peeping Tom, the local legend that the found tapes were about.

4.5 /5 you will want to punch the main guy but it's still good


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on September 23, 2021, 11:11:44 PM
not just movies from the 50's and 60's my friend but even movies made today as well.  it's not just B movies that often suffer from that it's the A list films as well


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 24, 2021, 09:52:44 AM
"Decoys" (2004)
Two slacker college roommates suspect that the pair of hot new sorority sisters on campus are not only responsible for a series of mysterious deaths around the school, but might even be of alien origin.
... this severely tongue-in-cheek teen horror comedy borrows heavily from the "Species" films,  but it makes the most of its wintry campus setting and the special effects are decent enough. Plus, there are lots of pretty girls in various states of undress. Therefore I was entertained, though I doubt I'll ever bother with the 2007 sequel.

"Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II" (1987)
In 1957, a prom night prank gone wrong kills Hamilton High's uber-b***h Mary Lou Maloney just as she's being crowned prom queen. 30 years later her, Mary Lou's restless spirit possesses one of the current front runners for prom queen, using her body to do away with the competion and get some long overdue revenge.
This cheap but effective high school horror is bolted together from bits of "Carrie," "Nightmare on Elm Street" (Mary Lou is essentially a female Freddy), "The Exorcist" and more, but it's enjoyably sleazy fun in its own right. This is the only movie in the "Prom Night" series that's worth watching more than once.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 24, 2021, 10:36:26 PM
the brain that wouldn't die (1962) i have only seen the MSTK3000 i think? yeah it's a bad one but it's not a bad idea for film to be honest

Well, that is a common problem with many B-movies of the 50s and 60s (and sometimes later). The basic idea is OK, but is not enough to fill a feature length movie, and the budget isn't there to add action scenes or effect shots. What you get instead is padding by means of badly written dialogue delivered by bad actors.

That's one of the best films ever made.

(https://i.imgur.com/RWMZ70d.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on September 24, 2021, 11:02:09 PM
...That's one of the best films ever made.

Hardly. 

(https://i.imgur.com/RWMZ70d.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)
 

But it is a box o' bonbons for the BAD movie lover.  JAN IN THE PAN!  It's a CLASSICK!!! 



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 25, 2021, 08:43:50 AM
kind of an odd combo last night:

"Godzilla vs. Kong" (2021)
In the latest epic installment of Legendary Pictures' "Monsterverse" saga, a team of scientists heads to Kong's homeland at the center of the Earth to find a source of unbelievable power, while an evil tech corporation on the surface provokes Godzilla to attack humanity in order to further their own nefarious purposes. Of course, this eventually leads to the inevitable clash between Big G and the King. The plot's mostly gibberish, but once the two titans finally started throwin' down none of that mattered to my inner 8 year old, especially when my boy Mechagodzilla showed up around the three quarter mark. Impressive mega-budget monster mashin' fun with terrific effects.

"Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!" (1966)
Tired of the Hollywood grind, a spoiled French actress (Elke Sommer) quits her latest film and runs off to a small town in Oregon. Her presence there soon complicates the life of a local business man (Bob Hope) who has to keep her location a secret from the press, the police, and especially from his wife and battle-axe housekeeper (Phyllis Diller).
This silly slapstick comedy essentially takes a half hour sitcom plot and stretches it out to 90 minutes. Hope and Diller constantly trade one liners and insults, and Elke Sommer doesn't have to do much but sit around in skimpy outfits and be hot, which was fine with me. Corny, but enjoyable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 25, 2021, 10:03:26 AM
Been watching "The Mads" since they started allowing downloads of the shows. If you don't know, it's Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff from Mystery Science Theater 3000, riffing together. Unlike the new MST3K or Rifftrax, it's just these two guys alone, not a big writing staff, which means fewer jokes. And they only do public domain material, which severely limits their possibilities. But they have good chemistry and every show they have a Q&A afterwards, usually with guests. These are sometimes the best part. I wouldn't say it's great but it's entertaining enough for a Friday night with a whiskey and I like to support them.

GLEN OR GLENDA: Great movie, not great riffing material. The movie is too entertaining on its own, there's little to add with commentary. This print is the "extended" version with some extra bondage stuff during the , but unfortunately it's also colorized (why? WHY?) Frank really loves the movie, he rhapsodizes about it in the commentary afterwards.

THE BRAIN EATERS: Really, really cheap, boring movie directed by Bruno Ve Sota for Roger Corman. The monsters are never shown. They struggle with the jokes but I wouldn't want to watch it without any commentary. Guests are a couple of podcasters I don't know who are nice enough.

Next week: THE TINGLER


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 25, 2021, 01:18:41 PM
Heretiks.

A woman accused of witchcraft is saved when a local covenant of nuns intercedes on her behalf. Has she merely exchanged death for a fate much worse though? Some decent performances and some tension, but nothing out of the ordinary.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 26, 2021, 06:11:05 PM
SMALL APARTMENTS (2012): An overweight, hairless albino who never puts on pants must dispose of the dead body of the landlord of his motel-style apartment building packed with oddballs. Makes a few questionable turns (at times it's both unnecessarily gross and unnecessarily maudlin), but it moves briskly and is full of great actors in small roles: James Caan, Billy Crystal and Juno Temple all show up, among others. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on September 26, 2021, 11:46:04 PM
SMALL APARTMENTS (2012): An overweight, hairless albino who never puts on pants[/url]

Ahh, they made a film about me, I see.  :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 27, 2021, 06:24:03 AM
Weekend double feature:

H.P. LOVECRAFT'S THE DEEP ONES:
  A couple trying to conceive a child move to a small coastal town and fall under the spell of sinister locals, who want the young woman to become a bride for the half-fish elder god they worship.  Like most Lovecraft adaptations, this one takes the basic plot of a Lovecraft story, throws in some sex, and fails to deliver on the horror.  Had a couple of decent moments but ultimately falls short.  3/5

UNEARTH:
Struggling Midwest farm families quarrel when one decides to lease his land for fracking; the drilling company unleashes some sinister agent in the drinking water that causes people to grow roots (tentacles?) out of their faces and eventually kills them.  VERY slow burn with a few horrific scenes near the end, but not enough is explained for the payoff to be satisfactory in the least.   Pretty much a waste of two hours. 2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 27, 2021, 07:50:30 AM
SMALL APARTMENTS (2012): An overweight, hairless albino who never puts on pants

Ahh, they made a film about me, I see.  :wink:

Is this you Trev?

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNGM1Yjg5YzEtMmNmYi00NzkyLWE1ZmEtZDA3NGMxMmZhM2IxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDI4NjM1MQ@@._V1_.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 27, 2021, 12:57:04 PM
"Black Widow" (2021)
The latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe focuses on Scarlett Johansen's cat suited super-spy, filling in her backstory as a former Russian "sleeper agent." After she's freed from her former boss's mind control, her next mission is to destroy the facility that he's using to train a whole new generation of assassins. Of course, lots of bullets fly, people get punched, things crash into lots of other things, and stuff blows up frequently.
A fast paced, slick, very entertaining popcorn butt kicker that even manages to squeeze in a few nice moments between Natasha and her "family" amidst all the explosions. Lots of action packed fun. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on September 27, 2021, 11:34:09 PM
SMALL APARTMENTS (2012): An overweight, hairless albino who never puts on pants

Ahh, they made a film about me, I see.  :wink:

Is this you Trev?

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNGM1Yjg5YzEtMmNmYi00NzkyLWE1ZmEtZDA3NGMxMmZhM2IxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDI4NjM1MQ@@._V1_.jpg)

Yes, that's me  :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 28, 2021, 09:51:58 AM
MANDIBLES (2020): Two dimwitted thugs find a giant fly in the trunk of their stolen car and decide to train him to help them steal. An shaggy dog (uh, shaggy fly?) comedy in Quentin Dupieux's usual deadpan absurdist style; relatively minor--even subdued--by this director's crazed standards. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 28, 2021, 01:34:54 PM
Shaolin V lama - The Lama won, now it's the Lama Temple. They have to go back and change every movie title  :buggedout:

No, this is an above average not quite classic kung fu movie with some familiar places and very familiar plot stuff. A guy wants to get revenge for his teacher so he joins the Shaolin Temple, who apparently killed the teacher for some reason. Everyone goes and works towards either going through with or stopping this revenge and also trying to procure the "I Ching manual" which has all the different kung fu styles written in it. The fighters have distinct styles instead of generic movie kung fu... basically they wrote the script in 10 minutes instead of 5. You don't learn much about the Lama style unfortunately, which is an interesting Tibetan style of fighting.

good way to kill 1 1/2 hours

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on September 29, 2021, 01:10:28 AM
i'm glad i'm not the only one who liked Black Widow (2021) i've heard that it wasn't that great of a movie but i disgress i enjoyed it


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 29, 2021, 08:37:51 AM
"Rock Star" (2001)
It's 1985 and a yokel metal tribute-band singer (Mark Wahlberg) steps up to the big time when his favorite band, "Steel Dragon," picks him as their new vocalist. He and his girlfriend/manager (Jennifer Aniston) are quickly sucked into the sex, drugs, and rock n roll road life, which eventually puts a strain on their relationship.
Loosely inspired by the real-life saga of Tim "Ripper" Owens and Judas Priest, the first half of "Rock Star" is more fun than the second, when it gets bogged down with too much romantic-drama B.S.
I was inspired to revisit "Rock Star" after reading a 20th anniversary (!) retrospective on it that called it "the worst film ever made about rock." I felt that was unnecessarily harsh - don't get me wrong, "Rock Star" is certainly no "This is Spinal Tap" or "Almost Famous," but it's not "Rock of Ages" or "KISS Meets the Phantom," either.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 29, 2021, 11:38:42 PM
Digging up the Marrow (2014) - way better than most meta found footage horror movies. A rewatch and it got better.

Adam Green, I have no idea who he is, is an apparently successful horror guy and a nut contacts him with a crazy story about monsters living in an underground world. He checks it out based on his own childlike desire for monsters to exist. He and his cameraman half jokingly play along until green starts to believe that what he's seeing really is as it was described. Taking time off to do the horror convention circuit, he learns the guy has approached other film makers and they'd all written him off as a nut. His faith is shaken...

very cool beans imo 5/5 to paraphrase an early review of Belle and Sebastion "it p**ses on other found footage horror films from great height"


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 01, 2021, 08:41:25 AM
"Espionage in Tangiers" (aka "Marc Matos: Agent S-077," 1965)
In this low budget Spanish/Italian James Bond knock off, the U.N.'s "Nuclear Safety Commission" sends a suave secret agent (he's "Marc Matos" in the European version, which was Americanized to "Mike Murphy" for the English dub) to Morocco to recover a stolen "molecular disintegration ray" weapon. Like most of these cheap spy flicks, there's not much plot, but there's plenty of car chases, fist fights, lovely European scenery, and pretty girls. It's not the worst "Eurospy" movie I've ever seen, but it is pretty generic, forgettable stuff.
Fun fact: a persistent Internet urban legend claims that George Lazenby, later of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" fame, is in this movie, but he isn't. Argentinian actor Luis Davila, who plays Agent 077, does bear a slight resemblance to George, though, which is probably how the rumor got started.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 01, 2021, 10:11:47 PM
BECKY (2020)

Becky is an angry teenager who is not taking her Dad's plans for marriage well at all, even though it's been over a year since her Mom died of cancer.  But when a weekend at the family's remote lakehouse, intended to give her some time to bond with her potential stepmother, turns into a confrontation with an desperate gang of murderous skinheads just escaped from prison, Becky's anger finds something new to focus on - especially when the gang's leader, remarkably played by former comic actor Kevin James, tortures and murders her father. 
This is an amazing film; and the young actress who plays Becky totally sells her character as a borderline autistic, brilliant, vindictive little psychopath.  James is brilliant as the chief baddie; you'd never guess this was the same guy who played Paul Blart!  This was the best revenge flick I have seen in some time.  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 02, 2021, 09:27:53 AM
"The Sentinel" (1977)
A fashion model moves into a spacious apartment in an old New York brownstone. She soon begins experiencing a whole bunch of weird supernatural sh*t involving the building's bizarre tenants and a mysterious, reclusive Catholic Priest who lives alone on the top floor. That's what you get when your building is on top of a gate to Hell!

Michael "Death Wish" Winner's surreal cult classic was released at the tail end of the '70s "Satan Movie" boom so it cherry picks some bits from "Rosemary's Baby," "The Exorcist," and "The Omen," but it has a weird style all its own. It's got some cool/gross body horror bits, an overall doomy atmosphere, and a great cast that includes Chris "Fright Night" Sarandon, Christopher Walken, Beverly "Vacation" D'Angelo (who figures heavily in the movie's most notorious scene), Burgess Meredith, and Jeff Goldblum. Plus, the location scenes shot in late '70s New York are a nice time capsule.

I saw "The Sentinel" once many years ago and I didn't really dig it, but I enjoyed it much more the second time around.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 02, 2021, 09:40:58 AM
The Mads: The Tingler: You all know the Tingler, I hope: Vincent Price takes LSD and discovers a creature living in our spines while William Castle shocks hineys in the audience. It's a good B-movie, though incredibly silly, and it works real well with commentary: this was the funniest "Mads" episode I've seen, with several laugh-out-loud lines. Price's daughter Victoria is the after-movie guest. The best of the three episodes I've seen by a longshot. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 02, 2021, 11:18:44 PM
"Tower of Evil"
(aka "Beyond the Fog" and/or "The Horror of Snape Island," 1972)
Investigators head to a deserted lighthouse on an island off the British coast after a series of mysterious deaths, and soon they're being picked off by a shambling, homicidal something-or-other.
This British flick falls somewhere between the Gothic 60s horror of Hammer Studios and the 70s splatter craze. It starts off with a promisingly ultra-violent bang, but then drags along for the rest of the run time. There are a couple of legit gore bits and a healthy dose of female nudity, so it wasn't a complete waste of time.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on October 03, 2021, 03:14:08 AM
if i recall if my memory is right i loved this one and i had went in with really low expectations as well


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 03, 2021, 06:21:16 AM
Knives Out (2019)

A wealthy mystery writer is found dead in his mansion, just the morning after his birthday party when all his family was invited. Suicide or murder, because a surprising lot of those present may have had a reason to kill him. Luckily a master detective is on the case.

Rian Johnson's homage/parody to the classic Agatha Christie style mysteries. He romps through the conventions of the genre and the cast all seem to have had a great time. Probably the most entertaining movie in its genre since Murder on the Orient Express of 1974.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 04, 2021, 11:27:59 AM
For the first October weekend, I watched mostly bad horror movies.  Maybe not the best start.

Howling: New Moon Rising.  I'd somehow missed this one for sure.  I thought I had seen it, but nope.  Barely even qualifies as a werewolf movie, it's mostly a comedy at a bar with a lot of line dancing.  Honestly, not as bad as its reputation would have suggested, taken on its own terms.  I mean, it's really bad, but less boring than I expected.  A few of the bad jokes I did laugh at.

Unmasked: part 25.  An alright meta horror movie mostly about Friday the 13th.  Some good ideas here, but I really feel like it doesn't gel entirely.  In particular, the meta stuff is often a little weak.  Like, they don't do enough about Jackson's place in the world.  How is he drawn to this stuff, why can't he stop?  I guess we're supposed to just take it as a given, but there's little context.  He appears to be able to stop at will, but then doesn't...  And then the ending, just what?  I needed more meat to this stuff.  It also has a single scene, really, commenting on slasher movie kills (where the girl trips and falls).  I dunno, doesn't quite work for me. 

Preservation.  Best of the lot.  This is a competently made, decently acted survival horror film basically.  Thematically, it's got a lot in common with Deliverance, but doesn't deliver on those themes nearly as well.  Still, was worth a watch.  Also, some really frustrating character moments, one or two of which had me audibly groaning and rolling my eyes.

Bonehill Road.  My first Todd Sheets film, which is kind of surprising as he has a long history and is somewhat close to me.  He's in Kansas City, Missouri, I'm in STL.  This one is largely watchable, but really, really bad.  Badly recorded dialogue too.  Uncomfortably closely shot, like "didn't have a wide angle" shot.  Some decent gore and werewolves though, courtesy of Joe Castro (who some may know from Terror Toons, among other things).  This film had a budget in the $30k range, really goes to show you there's no excuse for how awful some werewolves look in low budget horror.  Also, SUPER padded.  5 minute credit sequence, just names and a still image.  TEN minutes of end credits, listing every backer from its Indiegogo campaign.  Then a 3 minute super cheap post credits scene.  All this on an hour and 24 minute film.  It's not the worst micro horror I've seen, as it's not excruciatingly boring, but still pretty bad.  It's free on Tubi for those curious.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 05, 2021, 09:11:05 AM
PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND (2021): A prisoner (Nicolas Cage) is outfitted in an exploding suit and sent into the Ghostlands to find and return the governor of Samurai Town's adopted granddaughter. Freely (and radnomly) mixing macho tropes from martial arts, westerns, and post-apocalyptic films, go in expecting a lot of cool shots and little narrative sense; I would have preferred more structure and a stronger concept, but it does amply deliver the craziness promised by the pitch of Nicolas Cage in a Sion Sono film. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 05, 2021, 02:15:30 PM
Contract Killers (2008) - The writer / director made this when he was in his mid 20s which is pretty impressive. It's a big budget action movie with a small budget, thus it has been relegated to Tubitv. It clearly needs several layers of Hollywood glitz all around but the actual story was good, or at least what I was in the mood for.

The CIA is corrupt and out to get one of it's former agents, played by a Swedish model or Finnish I can't remember. The only way she can worm her way out of the situation is to get dirt on the guy within the CIA trying to get her, but he has the vast spying resources of the US government at his disposal.

reviews are very mixed tending to negative but if you can see through the mistakes its got the international intrigue thing down pretty good. Exotic locales, tense shootouts etc

4.25 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 05, 2021, 04:48:22 PM
Howling VI: The Freaks.  Is The Howling the worst horror series of all-time?  Maybe.  Part 6 is boring, plodding, poorly written and badly acted - despite the always welcome presence of Bruce Payne.  Terrible ending.  Mediocre effects.  Zero continuity with the other films - why even be a Howling picture?  It's clearly going to build to a vampire VS werewolf fight, and when it happens it's literally 10 seconds long.  On a strictly storytelling sense, it's probably better than part VII, but it's more boring and annoying so I'd actually say I like it less.  2/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 06, 2021, 08:08:37 PM
My "Schlock-Tober" marathon is in full swing!

"Mind, Body & Soul" (1992)
Ginger Lynn Allen (aka '80s porn queen Ginger Lynn, who was trying to get into "straight" acting at the time) learns that her boyfriend is a member of a murderous Satanic cult when he drags her to a sacrificial ceremony. When it's broken up by police and Ginger goes into protective custody, she becomes a target of the cult, because she knows too much.
A cheap, cheesy softcore horror/thriller from the infamous Rick Sloane (creator of the Vice Academy series, which also starred Allen) with all of his usual trademarks: cardboard sets, wooden performances, plot holes aplenty, and of course, lots of female eye candy. Entertaining junk.

"Hellhole" (1985)
After witnessing her mother's murder, a woman (Judy Landers) develops amnesia and is sent to a womens'-only mental hospital to recover. Not only does the murderer follow her there to finish the job, but the facility's crazed doctor (Mary "Rock N Roll High School" Woronov) also likes to use troublesome patients for her private medical experiments.
A ridiculous, trashy, yet totally watchable mish-mosh of the slasher, medical horror, and chicks-in-prison genres, with a great cast, and lotsa pretty girls in various states of undress. Delightfully sleazy fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 07, 2021, 08:51:23 AM
SHIVA BABY (2020): Things turn awkward when a college student runs into her ex and her sugar daddy at a Jewish funeral reception. A not-bad dramedy that should resonate with those in the protagonist's demographic; it feels simultaneously born out of authentic experiences, and farcically contrived. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 07, 2021, 11:12:42 AM
After Midnight - An odd hybrid of love story/relationship drama/monster movie.  Well-acted and nicely shot, there's a long take scene with two leads just talking that's really good.  Quite an ending.  I liked this one, and I also liked the director's previous film, the Battery.  My one issue, I really do feel we don't get enough sense overall of the progression of the relationship.  Like, we don't really SEE the issues that have cropped up, we're just told about them towards the end.  Think this could have been stronger.  Still, worth watching.

I'd also like someone to tell me what they think the monster represents thematically.  The build-up of resentment?  Creeping relationship issues?  Feel like I had some idea, but didn't fully get it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 08, 2021, 04:20:43 PM
Still kickin' it Schlock-tober style:

"Don't Go in the Woods" (aka "Don't Go in the Woods... Alone!", 1981)
A group of hikers on a trip through the aforementioned forest area are pursued by an insane, machete-wielding mountain man who also chops up a bunch of nameless, faceless background characters who are unlucky enough to get in the way. Yes, that's the entire plot.
Soooo.... who is the mountain man? Why is he killing all these people? Who the hell knows? The movie doesn't tell us a damn thing. The story is crap, the acting is crap, the dialogue is crap, but at least the gore is cartoonishly awesome.
I'd heard that this movie was bad, but I wasn't prepared for HOW bad this plotless, pointless, utterly inept hunk of slasher junk was. 
AVOID ... unless you absolutely have to see every slasher movie ever made.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 08, 2021, 09:45:12 PM
Willow Creek (2013) - another day another found footage dollar. the date is 2013 and it is very of that time. It still owes a debt to Blair Witch but it is clearly conscious that it's a genre and they need to do something to make themselves different. That ends up being the main guy and his girlfriend having snarky interactions and then realizing they are in danger together. It works but the ending wasn't enough. oh its about bigfoot

3.75 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 08, 2021, 10:04:50 PM
Willow Creek (2013) - another day another found footage dollar. the date is 2013 and it is very of that time. It still owes a debt to Blair Witch but it is clearly conscious that it's a genre and they need to do something to make themselves different. That ends up being the main guy and his girlfriend having snarky interactions and then realizing they are in danger together. It works but the ending wasn't enough. oh its about bigfoot

3.75 /5

I enjoyed WILLOW CREEK immensely - that 20 minute continuous shot in the tent at night is one of the most harrowing scenes that I've ever watched in a horror film. In fact, in an interview the two stars said they got so creeped out during the first take that they had to stop shooting and do it over, and even the second time, much of the fear on their faces was real.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: jimpickens on October 09, 2021, 01:39:33 AM
Felidae a German adult horror mystery animated movie done with a cast of mainly talking cats.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 09, 2021, 05:29:53 AM
Power Rangers (2017)

Surprisingly watchable, but completely by the numbers reboot of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. This is not a bad movie, just completely uninspired and predictable. It is an origin story, of course, because what else can you do with superheroes? Strangely, considering the silliness of the original, they chose a more serious tone, and follow the evolution of the rangers from a bunch of misfits to a dedicated team of superheroes. As the pacing is very deliberate, this means it takes about 90 minutes before they suit up and start fighting baddies. It is competently done, it just doesn't stand out in any way.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 09, 2021, 01:41:20 PM
"American Nightmares" (aka "Mr. Malevolent," 2018)
Two computer hackers get hijacked by a mysterious storyteller who uses their screens to show tales of terror with an urban slant. Segments include an unusual online dating scenario, a hooker who meets a murderous clown, a right-wing radio host who learns a violent lesson in gender politics, and more.
Cheap but occasionally funny "Creepshow"/"Talles From the Crypt" style anthology starring Danny Trejo as the Crypt Keeper style host and featuring a bunch of familiar faces like Nichelle "Star Trek" Nichols, Clarence Williams III ("The Mod Squad"), Vivica A. Fox ("Independence Day") and Jay Mohr. I've seen better, but I've also seen lots worse.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 09, 2021, 10:32:35 PM
"Deep Rising" (1998)
Would-be pirates board a luxury liner in the South China Sea, planning to pull off the robbery of the century -- but they soon learn that the passengers and crew have already been devoured by a monstrous, octopus-like creature from the depths, and they're next on the menu.
A fast, funny, tongue-extremely-in-cheek creature feature/action thriller from Stephen ("The Mummy") Sommers, starring a hilariously deadpan Treat Williams ("NOW what?") as the square-jawed hero and Famke "Goldeneye" Janssen as the damsel in distress. A hidden gem, this one's tons of fun.

"Shocker" (1989)
A college football player must stop a serial killer who survives the electric chair by becoming a creature of electrical energy, who can travel through television signals and jump in and out of other people's bodies.
A flashy, but ultimately pretty dumb, cult item from a slumming Wes Craven, who was definitely phoning this one in - apparently Universal Studios hired him in the hopes that he'd create a new Freddy Krueger style horror icon for them. The result is a confused, overlong mess that goes from mildly interesting to irritatingly stupid pretty quickly. At least it had a great soundtrack featuring Megadeth, Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Dangerous Toys, and more.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 10, 2021, 09:05:07 AM
ANGST (1983): Fictionalized story based on infamous Austrian murderer Werner Kniesek, ANGST follows a killer who immediately goes out and tortures and slaughters a family of three on the day he is released from prison. A frightening addition to the serial killer genre, notable for its excellent camerawork, brutal intensity of star Erwin Leder, and odd stylistic choices (like the constant presence of the family's dachshund). 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 10, 2021, 08:55:40 PM
"Boo" (2005)
College students spend their Halloween night exploring an abandoned and supposedly haunted former hospital, which of course has a sordid past. You can probably guess out how well that turns out for them.
An effective, low budget little spook show from future "Sharknado" director Anthony Ferrante that throws in pretty much every "haunted" cliche you can think of - objects moving by themselves, blood seeping from walls, ghostly kids, frequent flashbacks to horrible things that happened back in the day, possession by restless spirits, blah blah blah. The gore, while cheap, is plentiful. "Boo" doesn't have an original bone in its body but I had fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 11, 2021, 02:16:04 PM
Godzilla vs Kong (2021)

This franchise is getting more entertaining with each installment. It is very much a Kong movie, with the human story being relegated to a B-plot, and that is as it should be. You're not watching this for the dialogue or the characters, you want spectacular kaiju action, and you're getting it in the form of a wonderful duel among the neon lit skyscrapers of Hong Kong (presumably Tokyo would have given Godzilla too much of a home advantage). There is a plot of sorts, involving a nefarious corporation whose secret base has worse security than the Death Star, but the real protagonist is Kong, and they did a great job on him.

One minor peeve: the director of photography is overdoing the orange and teal colour scheme, especially in the first half.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 11, 2021, 11:34:35 PM
Night Killer - A stinker, from the director of Troll 2.  Stupid, and kind of confusing, very poorly written and acted.  More watchable than you'd expect though.  It's sort of a slasher/torture/rape film.  I don't know.  The gore insert shots, added after principle photography, stick out like a sore thumb.  The ending twist is complete nonsense.

Extra Ordinary - Minor but cute Irish horror comedy.  Will Forte is the villain, a guy trying to do a human sacrifice to become a star again.  The two leads are awkward and charming together with a minor bit of romance.  It's not laugh out loud funny too often, but remains entertaining start to finish.

Wrong Turn (2021) - A quite different reboot.  Relatively well-made, much more so than I expected.  But the writing doesn't quite live up to the production quality, with lapses in logic that are just too big at times.  Also feels like they had to slap some horror into what's basically a mystery-thriller.  Matthew Modine is wasted.  A plus side - the during-credits finale of the film elevated it quite a bit. 

The Thing (2011) - What a waste of time.  It's a prequel, but functionally a remake, and is worse literally across the board.  Worse characterization, far worse structure, worse score, worse acting, worse effects.  Just rewatch the original, you'll be way better off.  It's not actually AWFUL, just completely pointless with nothing new at all.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 12, 2021, 04:40:35 PM
Benny Loves You - I have no clue how this has such good reviews.  Total misfire almost across the board.  I've rarely seen a film with such a huge failing in tone.  It tries to be a horror comedy about a guy's killer stuffed bear come to life (with some shades of Little Shop of Horrors/Bucket of Blood).  It's hard to describe why it fails so badly.  Unearned schmaltz for a start.  The violence is way too mean spirited.  The opening gag of a man seeing his parents brutally, randomly, and graphically killed on his birthday sets the stage if that tells you anything.   The scene just made me sad more than anything, and the mom only being horribly injured and THEN dying doesn't help.  It's never funny despite constantly trying to be, in this stuff.  Huge lapses of logic and unexplained events.  A random ending out of nowhere.  A final pointless slap in the face of end-credits nastiness.  I hate the main character.  I hated this movie.   

1/10.

The only praise I have, I'll say Benny himself is well designed, well animated and whoever did the voice did a great job.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on October 12, 2021, 07:16:52 PM
Psycho Goreman - From the creators of Man-Borg and Father's Day, this is sort of like an R-rated Power Rangers movie crossed with ET.  It's creative with a lot of fun creature effects and I love the title character.  The performances vary wildly in quality, and some of the characters are kind of annoying.  The premise also feels stretched a bit thin.  It's almost never boring though.  My biggest complaint is, like a lot of these throwback styled films, it has no heart.  It's missing that bit of magic and heart that a film like Turbo Kid has.  Still, if the first sentence appeals to you, check it out.  I'd give it a 6 or 7/10, which is probably generous.
I just watched this movie. 

You left out the fact that even by the end of the movie, you have no idea who to cheer for. 

The little girl is a brat and PG want to destroy the universe but on the other side who have their weird religious cult that wants to enslave the universe. 

You also forgot to mention one of the classic aspects of bad movies that you don't see anymore.  The closing credit rap song. 

My favorite of the monster guys besides the main character was the guy that was just a blood squirted tank full of heads, skulls, and such.  That was a wonderful monster design.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 13, 2021, 10:38:55 AM
Psycho Goreman - From the creators of Man-Borg and Father's Day, this is sort of like an R-rated Power Rangers movie crossed with ET.  It's creative with a lot of fun creature effects and I love the title character.  The performances vary wildly in quality, and some of the characters are kind of annoying.  The premise also feels stretched a bit thin.  It's almost never boring though.  My biggest complaint is, like a lot of these throwback styled films, it has no heart.  It's missing that bit of magic and heart that a film like Turbo Kid has.  Still, if the first sentence appeals to you, check it out.  I'd give it a 6 or 7/10, which is probably generous.
I just watched this movie. 

You left out the fact that even by the end of the movie, you have no idea who to cheer for. 

The little girl is a brat and PG want to destroy the universe but on the other side who have their weird religious cult that wants to enslave the universe. 

You also forgot to mention one of the classic aspects of bad movies that you don't see anymore.  The closing credit rap song. 

My favorite of the monster guys besides the main character was the guy that was just a blood squirted tank full of heads, skulls, and such.  That was a wonderful monster design.

Yeah, fair additions. 

BTW, that monster guy with the blood tank is voiced by Rich Evans of RedLetterMedia (the guys who do the Plinkett Star Wars reviews, Best of the Worst, among other things).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 14, 2021, 06:12:58 AM
THE EXCEPTION (2016)  It is the spring of 1940, and Hitler's Wehrmacht has begun its blitzkrieg into the West.  A young German officer, recovering from wounds suffered in Poland, is assigned to the aging Kaiser Wilhelm as the head of personal security for the Kaiser and his household.  There he meets and falls in love with a beautiful housemaid - played by the lovely Lily James (DARKEST HOUR, BABY DRIVER) - who, as it turns out, is also a British agent on a secret mission to eliminate the Kaiser (Christopher Plummer).  Wilhelm, meanwhile, has hopes that the Nazis are going to restore him to the throne as a figurehead to lend credibility and a measure of legitimacy to their bloody-handed regime.  Beautifully filmed, full of palace intrigue, this was very enjoyable movie with powerful performances and some interesting plot twists.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 16, 2021, 09:06:39 AM
"The Purge: Anarchy" (2014)
In the second "Purge" film, a group of average citizens find themselves stuck out on the mean streets of L.A. during the annual all-crime-is-legal-for-12-hours "holiday," and must figure out how to survive amidst the chaos. As usual for this franchise, there's not much plot, but there's plenty of ultra-violence laced with not-very-subtle social commentary. I actually like this one better than the original "Purge."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 16, 2021, 03:48:36 PM
THE MADS: A NIGHT OF SHORTS 5: Frank Coniff and Trace Beaulieu take on three shorts: a Captain Marvel serial, a "how much affection" anti-heavy-petting short from the 50s, and a 70s Halloween safety short that sucks all the fun out of the holiday. The shorts were fine but only lasted a little over an hour; the rest of the broadcast was a zoom call with a special guest, some guy who wrote a book on the history of comedy. Funny, but I didn't really feel like I got my money's worth, since the majority of it was just like listening to a podcast. A begrudging 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 16, 2021, 04:28:36 PM
Vertigo - I'd never seen this one before, I'd been intending to for ages.  It's beautifully shot and well-acted generally, interesting thematic material and some unique and obviously highly influential visuals,  but I'm not sure how well I connected to it, I guess?  I also thought it really drags in the middle.  Think I preferred the other Jimmy Stewart/Hitchcock collabs I've seen, Rear Window (my fave Hitch film, to date) and Rope.  Also, Jimmy Stewart is a bit miscast, like 15-20 years too old and seems even older than he is - Cary Grant was too old, but kind of pulled it off anyway.

Also, can I say Midge is a billion times more interesting than Kim Novak?  Kept hoping Stewart would go back to her instead.  I know that's not the point, heh.

Evil Dead 2 - What's there to say?  It's fantastic and infinitely rewatchable.  I must have seen this film 50 times at least and I never get tired of.  Hilarious, visually inventive and exciting, great sound, a great lead performance, extremely fast pacing, and one of the best endings of all time.  All-time classic.

Also, the newest blu-ray I got somewhat recently, I noticed something a bit interesting VS old versions.  They've digitally removed the wires that have been visible on earlier releases.  I'm actually in support of this particular change - I strongly suspect they were nearly or totally invisible when originally projected (gate weave, film vibration, and random grain pattern generally hides thin monofilament real well) and they were also definitely invisible on the original home video releases where the film thrived.  It's only when the frame got locked down digitally that they were revealed - erasing them is thus essentially restoration work to how the film was intended to be viewed.

This is in contrast to some of the changes in the newest Evil Dead releases - they've digitally removed a shot where Rob Tapert was accidentally visible and digitally removed lighting equipment and blood tubes from some shots as well...  I don't like these changes as much, as warts and all they were always part of the film.  

Anyone else have a thought on that?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 16, 2021, 05:15:53 PM
Vertigo - I'd never seen this one before, I'd been intending to for ages.  It's beautifully shot and well-acted generally, interesting thematic material and some unique and obviously highly influential visuals,  but I'm not sure how well I connected to it, I guess?  I also thought it really drags in the middle.  Think I preferred the other Jimmy Stewart/Hitchcock collabs I've seen, Rear Window (my fave Hitch film, to date) and Rope.  Also, Jimmy Stewart is a bit miscast, like 15-20 years too old and seems even older than he is - Cary Grant was too old, but kind of pulled it off anyway.

Also, can I say Midge is a billion times more interesting than Kim Novak?  Kept hoping Stewart would go back to her instead.  I know that's not the point, heh.

Evil Dead 2 - What's there to say?  It's fantastic and infinitely rewatchable.  I must have seen this film 50 times at least and I never get tired of.  Hilarious, visually inventive and exciting, great sound, a great lead performance, extremely fast pacing, and one of the best endings of all time.  All-time classic.

Also, the newest blu-ray I got somewhat recently, I noticed something a bit interesting VS old versions.  They've digitally removed the wires that have been visible on earlier releases.  I'm actually in support of this particular change - I strongly suspect they were nearly or totally invisible when originally projected (gate weave, film vibration, and random grain pattern generally hides thin monofilament real well) and they were also definitely invisible on the original home video releases where the film thrived.  It's only when the frame got locked down digitally that they were revealed - erasing them is thus essentially restoration work to how the film was intended to be viewed.

This is in contrast to some of the changes in the newest Evil Dead releases - they've digitally removed a shot where Rob Tapert was accidentally visible and digitally removed lighting equipment and blood tubes from some shots as well...  I don't like these changes as much, as warts and all they were always part of the film.  

Anyone else have a thought on that?

VERTIGO improves with multiple viewings when you're no longer focused on the plot and instead you study all the little details, the way the light changes when the camera focuses on Madeleine's face, the spiral curl in her hair... And I think the fact that Scotty should prefer Midge over Madeline is definitely part of the point.

I don't have a problem with digitally removing small warts from a film like EVIL DEAD. Removing a boom mike or whatever isn't like retrospectively changing who shot first. I wouldn't have a problem with leaving them in, either.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 17, 2021, 09:42:11 AM
"The Fog" (1980)
A small seaside California town is plagued by a mysterious fog, which hides the p*ssed-off victims of a century old shipwreck bent on homicidal vengeance. John Carpenter's creepy-cool supernatural classic is dripping with spooky atmosphere and features an amazing cast (Adrienne Barbeau, Tom "Halloween III" Atkins, Hal Holbrook, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Houseman). I hadn't seen "The Fog" in a long time and I'm pleased to report that it's aged well.

"The Curse of Humpty Dumpty" (2021)
Two sisters move their mother, who's suffering from dementia, back into her old childhood home. When a creepy, antique "Humpty Dumpty" doll mysteriously arrives at their door, it begins to spark Mom's long-repressed memories of a particularly dark bit of family history.
From the trailer and cover art I was expecting this to be a cheap "Child's Play" ripoff, or a riff on Full Moon Studios' "Demonic Toys" or "Puppet Master" brand of stop-motion schlock, but this British horror flick is more of a slow burning psychological thriller. The "Humpty" doll is hard to take seriously because it looks absolutely ridiculous.
The first quarter of the movie was pretty legit creepy and seemed to be setting up a big payoff, but then the movie started to fall apart, going in circles for a while before ending with a too-little-too-late twist (that most viewers will see coming from a mile away).
Overall, pretty average stuff. Skip it unless you simply have to see every movie with a supernatural doll in it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 17, 2021, 10:21:44 AM
SIBERIA (2019): A man operating a bar in a frozen tundra (where he doesn't speak the native language) goes on a dream journey of Jungian self-psychoanalysis. Yep, it's Abel Ferrara (MS. 45, BAD LIEUTENANT) and if you hadn't been following his career, he no longer makes exploitation films but in his old age he has fashioned himself a Fellini-cum-Jodorowsky style navel-gazing art-house guru. Willem Dafoe's collaboration in Ferrara's late career self-indulgences lends it some credibility, but it doesn't feel original or really very interesting to anyone besides Ferrara. A generous 2/5 because it's well-made.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 17, 2021, 10:22:25 PM
Schlock-tober in full effect with a double shot of Euro-horror sleaze...

"The Grim Reaper" (aka "Anthropophagus," aka "The Savage Island," 1980)
A tour group arrives on a remote Greek island and find it totally deserted -- because the residents have all been killed and eaten by a hulking, insane, murderous cannibal, and now the tourists are next on the menu. Hilarity ensues.
This semi-legendary "video nasty" from Italian sleaze kingpin Joe D'Amato is pretty dull for most of its length - essentially, the tourists walk around exploring deserted building and going "Hello? Is anyone here?" for the first hour -- but the money shots come in the last quarter with some truly sick gore scenes that almost make up for sitting through the previous hour of poorly dubbed, woodenly acted B.S.
Worth a look for sleaze/gore completists, useless to anyone else.

"Nightmare City" (aka "City of the Walking Dead," aka "Nightmare in the Contaminated City," 1980)
A radioactive spill turns city dwellers into homicidal, blood drinking mutants, and a crusading TV reporter (Hugo Stiglitz) and his wife fight their way through the hordes to find safety.
This totally absurd Spanish/Italian "Dawn of the Dead" knock off (directed by Umberto Lenzi of "Cannibal Ferox" fame) is one of my favorite Euro-trash movies. It doesn't make a lick of sense but it's so fast moving and action packed that I can't help but love it. I've lost count of how many times I've sat through this sh*t show. Don't get me wrong, it sucks, but it sucks in a totally awesome kind of way.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 18, 2021, 07:58:03 AM
NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN (2020): Residents of a gated community in Poland believe a mysterious Ukrainian masseur/hypnotist has special powers. Filled with unexplained symbolism, references to STALKER, and ruminations about immigration and other social issues, this is a movie that begs for interpretation, but doesn't seem to hold up its end of the bargain. Poland's submission for the 2021 Oscars. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 18, 2021, 01:28:48 PM
Yellow Cat (2020)

The basic premise of the movie is well summed up by Variety: it is an outlaw lovers on the run tale about lovable misfits pursuing untenable dreams in a world hardwired against dreamers. In deepest rural Kazakhstan, ex con Kermek steals money from a local crime lord to begin a movie theatre in the Kazakh steppe. Soon he and his girlfriend are on the run from both the gangsters and the law (which apparently comes to much the same thing in Kazakhstan)

Shot in a highly stylised static style that makes Wes Anderson look like Michael Bay, this is a nihilist fable about people trying to escape a hostile and cruel environment. Terrible things happen, but these are mostly implied or happen in a very understated way, and little absurdist touches are sprinkled throughout, such as the main character's fascination with Alain Delon in Le Samouraï by Jean-Pierre Melville.

Rev. Powell, you might like this.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 18, 2021, 02:11:49 PM
Yellow Cat (2020)

The basic premise of the movie is well summed up by Variety: it is an outlaw lovers on the run tale about lovable misfits pursuing untenable dreams in a world hardwired against dreamers. In deepest rural Kazakhstan, ex con Kermek steals money from a local crime lord to begin a movie theatre in the Kazakh steppe. Soon he and his girlfriend are on the run from both the gangsters and the law (which apparently comes to much the same thing in Kazakhstan)

Shot in a highly stylised static style that makes Wes Anderson look like Michael Bay, this is a nihilist fable about people trying to escape a hostile and cruel environment. Terrible things happen, but these are mostly implied or happen in a very understated way, and little absurdist touches are sprinkled throughout, such as the main character's fascination with Alain Delon in Le Samouraï by Jean-Pierre Melville.

Rev. Powell, you might like this.

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 18, 2021, 04:04:48 PM
Darkness Falls - I can't help it, I enjoy this one, though I can't call it a good movie in a serious sense.  Basically a historical tooth fairy ghost kills children who see her.  And adults too.  She's vulnerable to light.  The main character survived her as a kid, and for various reasons ends up coming back home to help fight her.  It's very silly, but played completely straight (to the film's benefit), but somehow the two leads are kind of likable anyway, it's VERY fast paced with the last 45 minutes being a basically non-stop series of chase scenes and attacks from the tooth fairy.  The editing is hectic.  Almost no direct humor but a bit funny anyway.  It also never overstays its welcome - its 85 minutes, but has a 10 minute credit sequences clearly used to get it to theatrical feature length.  My only significant complaint, after the opening 10 minutes it has a 10-15 minute dull stretch.  Also, it has an anti-stinger, which in modern horror I've come to appreciate.

Check it out.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 19, 2021, 01:16:42 PM
HUMAN NATURE (2001): The film explores the dynamics of a love quadrangle between a neurotic scientist, his sexpot assistant, a woman cursed with hirsutism, and a man who was raised as an ape. An amusing (and underrated) light satire written by Charlie Kaufman between BEING JOHN MALKOVICH and ADAPTATION. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 19, 2021, 01:20:00 PM
Darkness Falls - I can't help it, I enjoy this one, though I can't call it a good movie in a serious sense.  Basically a historical tooth fairy ghost kills children who see her.  And adults too.  She's vulnerable to light.  The main character survived her as a kid, and for various reasons ends up coming back home to help fight her.  It's very silly, but played completely straight (to the film's benefit), but somehow the two leads are kind of likable anyway, it's VERY fast paced with the last 45 minutes being a basically non-stop series of chase scenes and attacks from the tooth fairy.  The editing is hectic.  Almost no direct humor but a bit funny anyway.  It also never overstays its welcome - its 85 minutes, but has a 10 minute credit sequences clearly used to get it to theatrical feature length.  My only significant complaint, after the opening 10 minutes it has a 10-15 minute dull stretch.  Also, it has an anti-stinger, which in modern horror I've come to appreciate.

Check it out.

Directed by South African born filmmaker Jonathan Liebesman.  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 19, 2021, 10:15:08 PM
The Brain - Pretty entertaining canuck scifi/horror, I'd somehow missed this one over the years despite remembering the cover on VHS.  A basically unexplained growing brain is hypnotizing people to feed off them over TV broadcast...  And also apparently chows down on people sometimes too.  David Gale is helping it, or maybe created it?  I don't know.  There's A BUNCH of loose threads in this one, which are mostly fun to pull at rather than vexing.  For instance...  

Why is the girlfriend in a room full of corpses tied up?  How did she get there?  Who made the brain?  What exactly is the motivation for it, since apparently it's completely intelligent and can communicate in english (briefly, via text)?  Are the doctors/nurses only helping it because it's influencing them?  If so, why did the woman fight back as soon as she realized their research caused deaths?  What exactly IS the doctor, with the reveal at the end?  Doesn't this reveal make stuff he says earlier nonsensical?

Logic aside, the movie is fast paced, with weird dream sequences and hallucinations, brain attacks, foot chases, car chases, a beheading, a couple pretty good stunts, etc.  I think it could have benefited from 5-10 minutes of trimming and maybe an extra guy getting eaten by the brain 2/3s through (there's a lull dividing acts 2 and 3 that goes on a bit), and I think the commentary about TV doesn't work but ALMOST says something...  Yet, this is a pretty fun little romp.  The brain itself is limited in movement, but you can tell some real heart and soul went into its creation and its pretty charming.  

Free on Prime streaming right now, totally worth a watch this Halloween season.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 20, 2021, 02:56:57 PM
The Slayer - early 80s horror where a woman has a dream she thinks will hurt people.  I don't know, I thought this was extremely boring.  I found it hard to even pay attention to it, though a couple of the kill scenes are OK I guess.  It's of minor interest as an antecedent to A Nightmare on Elm Street by a few years though - a dream being apparently killing people in real life, a character who is trying badly to stay awake to not let people get hurt.  Oh, and the title creature is only seen once very briefly, but I think it was good enough to have been seen a bit more than that (it's on some versions of the VHS box).  I think my wandering attention and boredom meant I missed some intentional ambiguity in the film, but it is what it is - I'm not going to rewatch it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 21, 2021, 08:43:37 AM
BERGMAN ISLAND (2021): A filmmaking couple vacations of Faro (home of Ingmar Bergman and setting for many of his classics); halfway through the movie, we watch scenes from the script one of them is writing. Of special interest to a niche audience of Bergmanophiles; others may wonder if they're watching an advertisement from the Faro tourist bureau. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 21, 2021, 09:55:03 PM
IS THIS A JOKE? (2021)

In the tradition of KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE and CAN I DO IT TILL I NEED GLASSES, this silly film strings together a series of short jokes - many of them raunchy in nature - and acts them out with a live cast.  Every third or fourth joke is spiced up with a bit of nudity, but many of them are genuine groaners to begin with.
Still, it made me LOL in several places, and some of the female cast members were pretty cute.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 22, 2021, 10:53:25 AM
"Elvira, Mistress of the Dark" (1988)
The slinky horror hostess inherits a creepy old house in a quaint Massachusetts town. She just wants to sell the place quick in order finance her move to Vegas, but soon she's mixed up with a supernatural super villain and a horde of little old ladies lookin' to do a little old-fashioned witch burning, led by the great Edie McClurg. 
This cult favorite horror comedy is corny in all the right ways and of course, Elvira's always fun to watch. Followed by a disappointing, years-too-late sequel ("Elvira's Haunted Hills").

"House" (1986)
A writer (William "Greatest American Hero" Katt) moves back into his old family home, hoping that the solitude will help him complete his latest book. A combination of his lingering Vietnam flashbacks and some spooky/monstrous happenings around the house complicate these efforts.
This goofy, tongue extremely-in-cheek horror comedy was a surprise hit in '86 that led to several sequels. Produced by Sean "Friday the 13th" Cunningham, full of cool/cheap looking monsters and featuring a great cast that includes George "Cheers" Wendt and Richard "Night Court" Moll. Not scary in the slightest, but a lot of fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 22, 2021, 12:21:49 PM
RAWHEAD REX: I was really underwhelmed. That monster looks like a bad cosplay outfit.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 23, 2021, 09:16:14 AM
"Tales of Halloween" (2015)
A cool anthology film featuring ten spooky stories that all take place on Halloween in the same town. Segments include a demon with a sweet tooth, a kidnapping that goes horribly wrong, a Jason-style serial killer who meets his match, and jack o lanterns with a taste for humans. Not every story is a winner (there are a couple of clunkers in the middle) but overall this is a fun collection of comic horror tales, with numerous in-joke nods to classic flicks and cameos from horror royalty like Adrienne "The Fog" Barbeau, Barry "Rocky Horror" Bostwick, John Landis, Joe Dante, and more. This one has become an October perennial for me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on October 23, 2021, 11:38:16 AM
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Standard Marvel fare. You know what you are going to get and either you like this stuff or you don't. Nothing in this one is going to change your mind. Enjoyable if undemanding.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 24, 2021, 02:04:27 AM
Palm Springs (2020)

A screwball comedy take on Groundhog Day. Andy Samberg is stuck in a time loop, where the same wedding plays out over and over again, when he inadvertently brings Cristin Milioti in the loop as well. The whole thing is basically an excuse to have them do their stuff in a romantic comedy. The movie only aims to be entertaining, and for me, it succeeds. Whether you like it will depend on how much you like the main actors, but I found it pretty enjoyable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 24, 2021, 09:27:00 AM
"Famously Haunted: Amityville" (2021)
Tubi's latest foray into original programming is a documentary about the famed Long Island house whose long, lurid history of mass murder and supposed hauntings spawned a mass media franchise that started in the 70s and continues to this day.
Interviewees include legal experts, a Catholic demonologist (!), journalists, and neighbors who witnessed the events on Ocean Avenue as they unfolded.
There have been dozens of previous "Amityville" docs (and this one doesn't reveal anything really new or shocking), but I've been fascinated by the story since I was a kid so I will always make time for another one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 24, 2021, 10:21:35 AM
^ I worked on the docks in the Hamptons, and visited the real Amityville house. It was empty with a 'for sale' sign in the yard. This was like in 1984?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on October 24, 2021, 04:33:37 PM
Hero Dog: The Long Way Home

A movie about a blind man walking a dog in the woods. They meet mild peril on their way home.

He’s trying to use the dog as a guide dog after surfing a boat crash, but it looks more like a Sunday afternoon outing.

Cool concept, but characters keep making dumb decisions. Probably needed a few more drafts before filming.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 24, 2021, 10:14:08 PM
I got the Shout factory Friday the 13th set, so I've been watching those a bit.

Friday the 13th 1-3: I hadn't seen these in a few years and ya know what...  They're consistently engaging and entertaining start to finish.  After watching some other, lesser 80s slashers (many of which are excruciatingly boring) they shine even more.  Not like they're legitimately good movies really, but they succeed in their goals more than they get credit for I think.  They're very dumb, but they're fun dumb.  I also have to comment on tone - they really get the tone right in these movies.  Try watching Gutterball in comparison some time, where you just feel bad after watching it.

It's also interesting seeing the changes to continuity over time again.  Like Jason's depiction is significantly different in 2 VS 3.  He's a lot sneakier in 2, almost like he's HUNTING people rather than just murdering them if that makes sense, and consequently seems like more of an actual character in performance than 3, where he is more monstrous and force of nature in style - which of course is mostly what he remains from 3 on.

2 I also found to be mildly progressive for an early 80s slasher.  Notably the final girl has sex and survives, a real rarity in slashers from then as I recall.  And of course, most will remember the wheelchair bound character, which is lightly discussed by characters in plausible ways but is never the butt of jokes like in a lot of movies back then.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 25, 2021, 08:56:03 AM
"Madhouse" (aka "There Was a Little Girl," 1981)
A teacher's insane twin sister escapes from the hospital a few days before their mutual birthday and starts killing off all of the "good" sister's friends, leading up to a special b-day "celebration."
An obscure, slow-burning Italian-made slasher flick with a couple of decent gory bits, though some glaring plot holes derail the grand finale. Overall, a decent watch for Italo-horror fans.
Fun fact: this movie was the first and only acting credit for leading lady Trish Everly, who played the imperiled "good" sister and then promptly disappeared from show biz... which is a shame cuz she was kinda foxy.

"Citizen X" (1995)
A Russian police inspector (Stephen Rea) investigates a grisly series of murders of women and children. His suspicions that a serial killer is at work is initially dismissed by his superiors, who would rather cover the case up than admit that their communist paradise has produced a psycho, until the body count becomes too big to ignore.
Essentially this made-for-HBO thriller is a Soviet "Silence of the Lambs," based on the actual case of serial murderer Andrei Chikatilo, aka "The Rostov Ripper," who killed more than 50 people before he was caught.
The movie is a bit dry and talky in spots, but the performances are great and you feel bad for Rea's character, who spent nearly a decade constantly butting heads with the USSR's institutional bureaucracy, corruption, and police ineptitude while bodies kept piling up.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 25, 2021, 02:57:48 PM
I watched the Amityville documentary mentioned above by FatfreddysCat   "spoiler alert  :hot:

I'm a fan of true crime, but not a fan of Ghost hunting and that sort of thing so it was initially a mixed bag for me, at least for the first 3/4. It has an interesting and kind of funny structure in that it really goes head over heels into speculation and belief in the supernatural element then, at the last moment in the last chapter, says "but actually..." and nonchalantly shows how the whole thing was a total scam from the beginning, making all the various psychics and tiktok spiritualists look ridiculous.

I almost turned it off because I was so annoyed at all the rank speculation, but it made the cold water at the end that much more satisfying. 5/5


 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 25, 2021, 10:01:24 PM
"Absurd" (aka "Horrible," aka "Anthropophagus 2," aka "Monster Hunter," 1981)
A seemingly indestructible psycho - the product of a science experiment gone wrong - escapes from a hospital and proceeds to kill a whole bunch of people in various gory ways, with a cop and a priest hot on his trail. Yes, that's the entire plot.
This sleazy Italian horror flick reunited director Joe D'Amato and actor George Eastman (who also wrote the script) of "Anthropophagus" infamy (and in some countries it was marketed as a sequel to that film) but aside from Eastman playing the same kind of character (a hulking, silent psycho killer) in both movies, they are not related.
It seems like they were trying to go for an American style slasher flick ala "Halloween" here, but "Absurd" just kind of stumbles along, with idiot characters and lots of dead air in between the kill scenes. The gore effects, which are plentiful, are nice n' splattery but other than that "Absurd" is pointless junk.
"Anthropophagus" was not a great movie by any means, but this one makes it look like the Royal Shakespeare Company.
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 26, 2021, 09:07:04 PM
Hex Hollow -

 very ( VERY ) folksy low budget doc about a murder that took place in the early 20th century and it's relation to "Powwow" a type of faith healing practiced by the Pennsylvania Dutch. A guy got it into his head that he was being hexed and that's why his luck was so bad. A different faith healer type person indicated that it was this one guy who was doing it to him... so he went and killed him, with the help of two young toughs he worked with at a cigar factory. America: what a country!

5/5 highest rec


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 27, 2021, 10:06:27 AM
"Absurd" (aka "Horrible," aka "Anthropophagus 2," aka "Monster Hunter," 1981)
A seemingly indestructible psycho - the product of a science experiment gone wrong - escapes from a hospital and proceeds to kill a whole bunch of people in various gory ways, with a cop and a priest hot on his trail. Yes, that's the entire plot.
This sleazy Italian horror flick reunited director Joe D'Amato and actor George Eastman (who also wrote the script) of "Anthropophagus" infamy (and in some countries it was marketed as a sequel to that film) but aside from Eastman playing the same kind of character (a hulking, silent psycho killer) in both movies, they are not related.
It seems like they were trying to go for an American style slasher flick ala "Halloween" here, but "Absurd" just kind of stumbles along, with idiot characters and lots of dead air in between the kill scenes. The gore effects, which are plentiful, are nice n' splattery but other than that "Absurd" is pointless junk.
"Anthropophagus" was not a great movie by any means, but this one makes it look like the Royal Shakespeare Company.
AVOID.

Wasn't this one of the "video nasties"?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 27, 2021, 10:21:30 AM
^ It was. I enjoyed it, myself.  :smile:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on October 27, 2021, 02:39:37 PM
Vertigo - I'd never seen this one before, I'd been intending to for ages.  It's beautifully shot and well-acted generally, interesting thematic material and some unique and obviously highly influential visuals,  but I'm not sure how well I connected to it, I guess?  I also thought it really drags in the middle.  Think I preferred the other Jimmy Stewart/Hitchcock collabs I've seen, Rear Window (my fave Hitch film, to date) and Rope.  Also, Jimmy Stewart is a bit miscast, like 15-20 years too old and seems even older than he is - Cary Grant was too old, but kind of pulled it off anyway.

Also, can I say Midge is a billion times more interesting than Kim Novak?  Kept hoping Stewart would go back to her instead.  I know that's not the point, heh.

I thought VERTIGO was boring, tedious, and a lot of times it didn't made any sense, like the hotel scene in which the character sees the woman there but then she's mysteriously gone. Hitchcock called it an "iceboxscene". To me, it was more like a bulls**t scene.
I spent most of the time watching the main character spying from his car, it was torture. I don't know, maybe a second watch may improve it, but I'm pretty sure it's just praised because of its director, and nothing more.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 28, 2021, 09:31:12 AM
Took a break from schlocky horror last night in favor of an old sci-fi favorite:

"Logan's Run" (1976)
In the 23rd century, humans live in a high-tech domed city where everyone is young and beautiful... because your life ends at the age of 30. Those who try to extend their life spans, known as "runners," are hunted by police officers called "Sandmen."
Logan (Michael York) is a Sandman who's assigned to go undercover as a runner in order to seek out and destroy a mythical place outside the dome known as "Sanctuary."
This flick looks kitschy as hell nowadays but in the '70s it was pretty mind blowing stuff, with a unique dystopian premise, lots of cool/weird visuals, and fabulous eye candy courtesy of the barely-dressed Jenny Agutter, who plays Logan's love interest. I saw it a bunch of times on HBO when I was a kid and it's still fun to watch today.
The movie inspired a short lived TV series with Gregory Harrison in York's role and an equally brief Marvel comic book spin off.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 28, 2021, 10:29:23 PM
"KISS In Attack of the Phantoms" (1978)
The super-powered rock group comes to California's Magic Mountain amusement park and battles evil android duplicates of themselves, created by the rock n roll hating mad scientist who built the park's cybernetic creatures and robots. Hilarity ensues.
This is an alternate cut of the legendary TV movie KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park, which was released theatrically outside of the US in 1979. (It's available in the KISSology Vol. 2 DVD box set.)
I've seen the TV movie version of this film many times, but this was my first time seeing this cut. Of course, it's still cheap looking, incredibly silly and mostly terrible, but I have to admit that it moves faster and flows better than the NBC-TV version, and it contains more KISS music (mostly cuts from the '78 solo albums), so it was a slightly less painful viewing experience. If you absolutely must watch this film, I'd say this is the version to seek out.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 29, 2021, 03:01:58 PM
Columbus Circle (2012) - passably entertaining crime suspense thingy that really couldn't find the right tone. I'm pretty sure the doorman  was the guy from "Office Space" who kept getting moved back and back and then into the basement as the front desk guy though so an extra point for that. (edit: no it's not)

An Heiress worth hundreds of millions of dollars (effectively played by Selma Blair) is an agoraphobe hiding out from the world in her NYC apartment. Her new neighbors appear to be a low class rich couple who fight all the time... but is everything it appears to be?

It's kind of like a slightly campy episode of Medium or something. The concept is good but it can't decide if it wants to be fiilm noir or a "Little Shop of Horrors"/ disaster movie type outrageous celebrity filled romp.  

total meh fest
2.75 / 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 31, 2021, 03:55:41 AM
Mandibules (2020) (or Mandibles in English)

Two dimwitted bums/low life thugs have to deliver a suitcase with no questions asked, when they discover  a fly the size of a dog in the car they steal. They hit upon the idea of training it as a cat burglar. Complications ensue when one of them is mistaken by a passing girl for her high school sweetheart.


A wonderful deadpan comedy by Quentin Dupieux. Its main strength is that is remains completely understated.  With a setup like this, the temptation is great to go for over the top slapstick, or shoehorn in a character arc or a love story (or any such things that are taught in film school). Dupieux does none of that: he takes the theme, has fun with it, and stops before it gets complicated.

Also, if you are a French learner, this an occasion to pick up all the French they don't teach you in class.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 31, 2021, 06:53:13 AM
Halloween weekend double feature:

FREAKY (2021) - A quirky teenage girl swaps bodies with a demented serial killer due to a mishap with an ancient, accursed dagger.  The killer uses his new, innocent looking exterior to continue his bloody rampage, while the girl has to persuade her friends that it's really her inside a hulking, six foot three frame - and pursue a relationship with her crush, a varsity football player (in one of the movies more cringey scenes!)  This was a solid, original horror/comedy (a genre that very rarely gets everything right) that mixed some grossout kills with some very funny moments. 4/5

ANTLERS (2020) - A delayed release due to the pandemic, this Guillermo del Toro horror film hits all the right notes.  Perfect casting, a marvelous, brooding sense of terror, a slow reveal of the movie's titular monster, and a very sympathetic portrayal of a young boy trying to protect his father and brother, even when it means letting other people die.  This is one of the BEST horror movies I've seen in a long time, and more than made up for my disappointment with HALLOWEEN KILLS.  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 31, 2021, 07:54:17 AM
Mischief Night double feature:

"Halloween Kills" (2021)
Picking up moments after the events of the 2018 Halloween "reboot," Laurie Strode is hospitalized after her latest encounter with Michael Myers, and the citizens of Haddonfield, tired of living in fear, form a posse to find the madman and finish him once and for all. Three guesses how well that turns out for most of them...
There's a lot going on in this movie. On the good side, the violence is frequent, swift, and brutal, with Michael racking up an absurd body count. On the other hand, there are way too many secondary characters running around with their own plot threads and unnecessary call-backs to Carpenter's '78 O.G.
Meanwhiile, Jamie Lee Curtis spends most of the movie lying in a hospital bed babbling about how Michael's evil has infected the town's soul and muses on the long term effects of guilt and fear on everyone's relationships, and blah blah blah. Is this a slasher movie, or "Terms of Endearment?"
I liked the 2018 movie, but this one was a step down.  Nothin' to do now but wait till "Halloween Ends," due this time next year...

"The Forever Purge" (2021)
A wealthy Texas ranch family and their Mexican farmhands must band together to survive when an insurrectionist group called the "Purge Purification Force" declares that the annual "Purge" will NOT come to an end after the traditional 12 hour time limit, and chaos continues to erupt nationwide.
So yeah, this is yet another 90 minutes of ultra-violence disguised as social satire/commentary, which as usual is about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the forehead (i.e., our heroes must cross the border into Mexico to escape the violence in America. Wow, that's a switch!). However, the mayhem is impressive as usual (lots of stuff crashing, blowing up, etc.) and the leads are likeable enough that you find yourself rooting for them even though you know most of them won't make it to the end credits.
In short, if you enjoyed the other "Purge" movies, you'll dig this one too.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 31, 2021, 09:09:42 AM
OUT FOR JUSTICE (1991) with Steven Seagal: not bad action but the dialogue! There's a lengthy scene in a bar where Seagal is looking for the local hoodlum Richie and the words "over here" are used so many times, they should have titled the film Out For Justice Over Here.  :teddyr:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zu1YIukylw&t=168s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zu1YIukylw&t=168s)  :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 01, 2021, 07:55:41 AM
Finishing out October with a schlocky Halloween night triple decker...

"10/31" (2017)
Indie horror anthology consisting of five short  tales that all take place on Halloween night, hosted by a low-rent Elvira wanna-be.
The first two stories (a haunted hotel and a trip to an abandoned house that goes bad) aren't terrible, but the quality drops off sharply from there. The last segment about a Halloween night slasher is totally incomprehensible.
This was obviously very low budget (each segment was produced/directed by a different team and financed via GoFundMe campaigns) and the sets, effects, and especially the performances (which are strictly amateur night) reflect this. I guess if you're deep into the underground, indie-horror scene you might get some enjoyment out of this but I thought it was a slog.
AVOID.

"Lost CreeK" (2016)
In the days leading up to Halloween, three small town kids must figure out how to stop an evil in the forest that's making all the grown-ups disappear.
This indie flick was apparently aimed at a "family" audience so it's more "spooky" than "horrific." The kid actors are pretty good and the movie is obviously trying to tap into a "Stranger Things" or "Stephen King's It" type of vibe, but it can't quite pull it off with such a low budget. This was better than "10/31," but that's not really saying much.

"Halloween Pu$$y Trap, Kill! Kill!" (2017)
...how could I possibly pass up a title like  :teddyr:?
An all-girl punk band's  van breaks down in the boondocks. They accept a ride from a mysterious gas station attendant (Richard Grieco) which turns out to be a bad move. Soon they're prisoners in a madman's warehouse of death and have to figure out how to survive three floors of deadly traps to escape. Much screaming, bleeding, and swearing ensues.
...so yeah, this was a cheap parody of Rob Zombie style redneck-horror flicks and the Saw series. In an unexpected metal moment, the voice of the Jigsaw-style "mastermind" (who we hear over the loudspeaker throughout the movie) is none other than Dave Mustaine of Megadeth. He must have owed someone a favor.
This one was actually pretty funny at first (in a tasteless sort of way), but after a while the girls' constant screaming gave me a headache, and I found myself wishing that Mega-Dave would just snuff'em all out and get it over with.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Cult_Moody_Movies on November 01, 2021, 11:15:13 AM
Halloween Kills (2021) - A mess of a film. From my understanding of the original point of 2018 (which I overall liked considering the 3rd reboot of the story) was to make Michael Myers a inhuman monster that was just a random murderer again. Instead we fall into the same pitfalls of the same mistakes made in the previous sequels/timelines. It's not the worse of the Halloween franchise but doesn't improve the mistakes done in the franchises past while also being extremely hypocritical in its themes (mob rule/vigilante justice). I remain in the unpopular opinion that the series should have went in the direction of Halloween III: Season of the Witch with Myers story ending at the hospital of Halloween II in 1981. I don't look forward to Halloween Ends.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 01, 2021, 11:23:27 AM
Beyond the original- aye aye Captain Bligh! 3 was the best of the series!  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 02, 2021, 09:59:20 AM
"Out of Print" (2014)
This documentary examines the "revival theater" phenomenon, i.e. old movie houses that show old films for audiences made up mostly of film buffs/obsessives. It mainly focuses on the staff and patrons of the New Beverly Cinema in Hollywood, which has been running 35mm oldies since the late '70s and has cultivated a loyal crowd of regulars who visit several times a week. Some famous fans like directors Kevin Smith, Seth Green, and Edgar Wright also drop in occasionally. The New Beverly looks like my kind of place and if I'm ever in L.A. I think I'm gonna try to catch a show there!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 02, 2021, 10:48:30 AM
^ I've seen that!
Yeah- I would go too.  :smile:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 03, 2021, 07:21:49 AM
"The Suicide Squad" (2021)
Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and Bloodsport (Idris Elba) are assigned to a new group of D-list DC Comics villains (including Polka Dot Man, King Shark, and the hilariously uptight Peacemaker) drafted (against their will) by the US government for a top secret mission. This time they're sent to a South American banana republic to investigate and destroy a scientific laboratory that may be hiding an extra-terrestrial threat to the entire Earth. Naturally, they punch, shoot, kill, and blow up a whole lot of stuff in the process.
The first "Suicide Squad" was a mostly bland action flick, but in this follow up writer/director James "Guardians of the Galaxy" Gunn leans way harder into the absurdity of the concept. As a result "The Suicide Squad" is funnier, snarkier, and more ridiculous than its predecessor, without skimping on the "R" rated carnage. Better than I expected!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on November 03, 2021, 11:04:09 AM
"Out of Print" (2014)
This documentary examines the "revival theater" phenomenon, i.e. old movie houses that show old films for audiences made up mostly of film buffs/obsessives. It mainly focuses on the staff and patrons of the New Beverly Cinema in Hollywood, which has been running 35mm oldies since the late '70s and has cultivated a loyal crowd of regulars who visit several times a week. Some famous fans like directors Kevin Smith, Seth Green, and Edgar Wright also drop in occasionally. The New Beverly looks like my kind of place and if I'm ever in L.A. I think I'm gonna try to catch a show there!

I would go there too: I would even volunteer as a projectionist which is something I can actually do pretty well :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 03, 2021, 10:19:29 PM
"Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" (2001)
Barred from hangin' out in front of the Quick Stop, Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) of "Clerks" infamy hit the road, heading to Hollywood to stop production of an unauthorized movie based on their "Bluntman & Chronic" comic book characters. Along the way they get mixed up with a gang of beautiful diamond thieves, an orangutan, and an extremely persistent wildlife police officer (Will Ferrell). A fast moving cross country adventure packed with F-bombs, fart jokes, celebrity cameos and lots of laughs.

"Cinemania" (2002)
Occasionally I worry that I spend way too much time watching movies, but I felt a little bit better about myself after watching this documentary, which focuses on five New Yorkers whose passion for film goes beyond fanatical and lands in weird/obsessive/disturbing territory. These are people whose devotion to cinema has completely taken over their lives -- they see as many as five movies a day, EVERY day, darting across town from theater to theater. One guy has hundreds of books full of insanely detailed notes he's taken about every movie he has seen since 1986, another eats food that constipates him so he will never have to "miss something" by going to the bathroom in the middle of a movie.  A lady who hoards memorabilia from every theater she visits was banned from one for attacking an employee who ripped her ticket the "wrong way." Another guy only watches movie musicals from the 40s and 50s over and over and owns thousands of film soundtracks on LP, but doesn't have a stereo to play them on.
...so yeah, compared to these folks, my movie habit is small potatoes. I am also very glad that I've never been seated next to any of these people at a theater.
(... just for the record, this was the 215th film I've seen so far this year. I bet the people profiled in this doc would call me an "amateur.")


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 05, 2021, 09:28:07 AM
THE NOWHERE INN (2021): Annie Clark (who performs as "St. Vincent") commissions her friend Carrie Brownstein (of the band Sleater-Kinney and the series "Portlandia") to make a documentary about her; but when her real persona proves too boring for film, she spices things up acting more like her alter-ego, losing sight of reality in the process. It begins like an avant-garde version of SPINAL TAP and gradually spirals into out-of-control psychological thriller territory as Clark and Brownstein both lose their minds in different ways; clever and spiced liberally with chuckles. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 05, 2021, 10:22:12 AM
"The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It" (2021)
The 3rd film in the "Conjuring" series is set in 1981, and the First Couple of paranormal investigations, Ed and Lorraine Warren, comes to the defense of an accused murderer who claims that "demonic possession" caused him to commit the crime. The couple's research uncovers Satanic cult activity that indicates the young man may have been under the influence of a curse.
Supposedly "based on a true story," this is more of a supernatural police procedural than a s**t-your-pants-scary horror film. It's a slow burner in the 1970s style with strong performances, decent effects and a couple of legit creepy-cool moments. If you liked the previous "Conjuring" flicks you'll dig this one too.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 05, 2021, 02:22:37 PM
4 x 4 (2019) =  In the first minute, the movie actually STARTS which is incredible. A guy breaks into a car to steal the stereo and discovers he can't get out. The car is totally designed to trap someone inside and the windows are soundproof and so forth. He's stuck. Soon, the car's owner begins calling in taunts to the obviously angry man.

It's like one of those horror movies where theres a guy trapping people in a booby trapped house, except in this case the guy deserves to be there. There's a lot of crime in Argentina and people are p**sed. Vigilante justice was never like this though.

The director takes what could have been a really rote and boring plot and turns it into something bigger. The attention to detail and political overtones are well thought out.


this guy didn't like it

"
1/10
Too implausible
nikolazekoviczonin10 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Could be good movie but it's just too implausible, there is just no way no one couldn't hear his banging on windows and doors no matter how sound proof car is"


so its not for everyone I guess

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on November 06, 2021, 12:56:31 AM
Friday the 13th part VIII - My Friday streak continues.  Hadn't seen this one in ages.  It really is the pits.  Horribly written, badly acted, a couple of OK side characters, 15 minutes too long, bad kills, awful ending, bad use of locales, etc.   Most people seem to think parts 5 and 8 are the two worst.  I'm inclined to agree, but at least part 5 had some kind of amusing kills and Tommy Jarvis beating up people.  Only things I like much in VIII, Kane Hodder remains a good Jason, and there's a few decent flashes of humor and style. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 06, 2021, 05:56:27 AM
A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)

A young tax collector and a ghost who is supposed to lure men to their doom fall in love. She is promised in marriage to the Dark Lord (or something), but with the help of a taoist monk, our protagonist can save his love literally from the jaws of Hell.

This irresistible roller coaster of a movie was my introduction to the genre way back when it first came out. I vividly remember thinking 'what did I just watch' as the end credits rolled.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 06, 2021, 07:29:47 AM
"Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." (1998)
Before Samuel L. Jackson, there was THE HOFF!
In this mostly-forgotten made-for-TV movie, David Hasselhoff plays Marvel Comics' wise cracking, cigar chomping super-spy, who's been retired from S.H.I.E.L.D. since the end of the Cold War. He's called back to active duty when a re-activated HYDRA, led by the daughter of his old foe Baron von Strucker, plots to attack NYC with missiles loaded with a deadly virus.
The Hoff is clearly having fun playing Fury, and Lisa "Melrose Place" Rinna, who plays his sidekick, certainly fills out a leather spy catsuit nicely, but otherwise this movie is silly, low budget action junk. This was supposed to be the pilot for a potential Nick Fury TV series, which never happened.
Fun fact: this movie was written by David S. Goyer, who would go on to co-write Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy, which I guess proves that everybody's gotta start someplace.
For Marvel completists only!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 06, 2021, 08:22:59 AM
"Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." (1998)
Before Samuel L. Jackson, there was THE HOFF!
In this mostly-forgotten made-for-TV movie, David Hasselhoff plays Marvel Comics' wise cracking, cigar chomping super-spy, who's been retired from S.H.I.E.L.D. since the end of the Cold War. He's called back to active duty when a re-activated HYDRA, led by the daughter of his old foe Baron von Strucker, plots to attack NYC with missiles loaded with a deadly virus.
The Hoff is clearly having fun playing Fury, and Lisa "Melrose Place" Rinna, who plays his sidekick, certainly fills out a leather spy catsuit nicely, but otherwise this movie is silly, low budget action junk. This was supposed to be the pilot for a potential Nick Fury TV series, which never happened.
Fun fact: this movie was written by David S. Goyer, who would go on to co-write Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy, which I guess proves that everybody's gotta start someplace.
For Marvel completists only!

I love that movie simply because my sister-in-law hates it. The first time she told my brother she loved him, he looked deep into her eyes and replied "And I love the Hoff baby."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on November 06, 2021, 08:29:26 AM
4 x 4 (2019) =  In the first minute, the movie actually STARTS which is incredible. A guy breaks into a car to steal the stereo and discovers he can't get out. The car is totally designed to trap someone inside and the windows are soundproof and so forth. He's stuck. Soon, the car's owner begins calling in taunts to the obviously angry man.

It's like one of those horror movies where theres a guy trapping people in a booby trapped house, except in this case the guy deserves to be there. There's a lot of crime in Argentina and people are p**sed. Vigilante justice was never like this though.

The director takes what could have been a really rote and boring plot and turns it into something bigger. The attention to detail and political overtones are well thought out.


this guy didn't like it

"
1/10
Too implausible
nikolazekoviczonin10 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Could be good movie but it's just too implausible, there is just no way no one couldn't hear his banging on windows and doors no matter how sound proof car is"


so its not for everyone I guess

5/5

I wasn't even aware this one existed. I love Luis Brandoni, gonna check it out.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 06, 2021, 10:24:01 AM
"The Purge: Election Year" (2016)
The third installment of the all-crime-is-legal-one-night-a-year series is even more overtly political than usual. The Election is coming up and a Presidential hopeful says if she wins, the first thing she will do is abolish the annual Purge. Obviously the elite "New Founding Fathers" party who've been in control for the past 20+ years don't want that to happen, so they take advantage of Purge Night to make numerous attempts on her life. Eventually she's stuck out on the mean streets of Washington D.C. with only her head of security (Frank Grillo, badass as usual) and a few hangers-on to keep her safe.
Unlike some of the other "Purge" films this one's more about inter-personal intrigue than ultra-violence (though of course there is still some primo mayhem), and it dragged on a bit longer than it really needed to, but I was mostly entertained.
Now I only need to see "The First Purge" (which, despite its title, is actually the fourth film in the series) and I'll be all caught up on this franchise.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 06, 2021, 12:09:40 PM
A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)

A young tax collector and a ghost who is supposed to lure men to their doom fall in love. She is promised in marriage to the Dark Lord (or something), but with the help of a taoist monk, our protagonist can save his love literally from the jaws of Hell.

This irresistible roller coaster of a movie was my introduction to the genre way back when it first came out. I vividly remember thinking 'what did I just watch' as the end credits rolled.



I love this one!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 06, 2021, 02:48:40 PM
^ I once drove an hour away to a video store AFTER driving all day for my job because I NEEDED to see Joey Wang flying across the screen


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 07, 2021, 10:48:16 AM
"Jay and Silent Bob Reboot" (2019)
The stoner buddies from Clerks are back again, headed on another cross country road trip to stop Hollywood from making yet another "Bluntman and Chronic" film. Of course they have numerous wacky misadventures along the way before they finally crash the official "Chronic-Con" and face off against... fandom itself! 
...if this flick feels like a re-run, it's probably intentional. I think after his 2018 heart attack, Kevin Smith just wanted to take a victory lap through his back catalog and party with a bunch of old friends. The frequent jabs at the movie and comic book industries, and pop culture in general, provide a lot of laughs. Plus, there's a nice dedication to the late Stan Lee hidden in the end credits.
(My 14 year old son recently discovered Jay and Silent Bob via YouTube and can't get enough of them, so I've been walking him through the View Askew-niverse this week... I'm not sure if that makes me the best Dad ever, or the worst. Haha.)

"The Hitcher" (2007)
A twenty something couple on a road trip through the New Mexico desert makes the mistake of picking up a stranded motorist (Sean Bean)... who turns out to be a serial killer, leading to a series of gory, ultra-violent cat and mouse games on and off the road. 
Since I haven't seen the original "Hitcher" with Rutger Hauer since I was in high school, I don't really remember enough about it to compare the two but I will say I enjoyed this flick. The action scenes are impressive, with lots of cars crashin' and blood spillin', plus the female lead was cute as hell and she wore a pair of Daisy Duke shorts for the entire movie. Put this one in the "remakes that didn't suck" column.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on November 07, 2021, 11:47:17 AM

"The Hitcher" (2007)
A twenty something couple on a road trip through the New Mexico desert makes the mistake of picking up a stranded motorist (Sean Bean)... who turns out to be a serial killer, leading to a series of gory, ultra-violent cat and mouse games on and off the road.  
Since I haven't seen the original "Hitcher" with Rutger Hauer since I was in high school, I don't really remember enough about it to compare the two but I will say I enjoyed this flick. The action scenes are impressive, with lots of cars crashin' and blood spillin', plus the female lead was cute as hell and she wore a pair of Daisy Duke shorts for the entire movie. Put this one in the "remakes that didn't suck" column.

I saw the original The Hitcher in 1987 and it remains a very disturbing film for me.

Imagine my joy earlier this year when I got an enquiry about any elements of the film we might hold?  :buggedout:


Quote
[Dear FIAF members,
 
Re: The Hitcher (dir. Robert Harmon, 1986).

We are searching for original film elements, neg, IP or even print in good condition. Please contact [email address] Many thanks for your consideration and time.

Many thanks for your consideration and time.

Best regards,

Chris Holden
Managing Director
Second Sight Films
/quote]


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 07, 2021, 11:48:35 AM
Rewatched BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS and I now believe it's a masterpiece, ragged edges and all. The final "lucky crack pipe" confrontation is bravura filmmaking. 5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 07, 2021, 12:16:14 PM
 ^I heard about this movie from Raffine.
He compared Nick Cage's part to Ygor in SON OF FRANKENSTEIN (1939).

I agree.


http://youtu.be/XbbqJQRSdKg (http://youtu.be/XbbqJQRSdKg)

(yes, that's Lugosi as Ygor.)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on November 07, 2021, 02:09:35 PM
Rewatched BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS and I now believe it's a masterpiece, ragged edges and all. The final "lucky crack pipe" confrontation is bravura filmmaking. 5/5.

That movie is pure insanity, I loved it. It looks as if they wrote it specifically with Nick Cage in mind.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 07, 2021, 11:25:48 PM
"The Swinger" (1966)
Desperate to get published, an aspiring writer (Ann-Margret) creates a raunchy story about a girl who lives a wild, "swinging" lifestyle and sells it to a men's magazine as a true account of her own life. When the mag's hunky publisher (Tony Franciosa) tracks her down, intent on finding out if the story is true, she has to pretend to be the crazy free spirit she wrote about. Wacky hi-jinks ensue.
This silly sex farce was probably considered "racy" in 1966 but it's hopelessly tame, corny and outdated now. The only reason to bother watching this flick now is to ogle Ann-Margret -- she was a total smoke show during this era, and she does her best to liven up the weak material with her sassy performance (and a series of revealing outfits). Ignore the story, stay for the eye candy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on November 07, 2021, 11:36:22 PM
Jason Goes to Hell - JGTH is a bad Friday film but a passably entertaining crappy B-movie.  One of the better lead characters they've done too.  The new canon elements and concepts come from nowhere and must have some of the most poorly explained and used ideas in a supernatural horror film I've ever seen.  There's also obviously elements either left on the cutting room floor or never shot, like Duke's backstory.  Poorly structured film too.

Jason - Jason X is kind of similar really, only without a good lead.  Jason X I found kind of disappointing on rewatch, as it has a pretty solid first 20-30 minutes, but then kind of spins its wheels and eventually just sort of ends, with Jason weakly tied into the narrative.  It's still generally entertaining though, certainly better than part 8 at least.

One thing I'll give the film credit for, inflation adjusted X is a $20 million film, and they did a lot with that in production terms.  Also you get to see David Cronenberg for like 30 seconds, and that's kind of fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on November 08, 2021, 02:07:31 PM
Jason Goes to Hell - JGTH is a bad Friday film but a passably entertaining crappy B-movie.  One of the better lead characters they've done too.  The new canon elements and concepts come from nowhere and must have some of the most poorly explained and used ideas in a supernatural horror film I've ever seen.  There's also obviously elements either left on the cutting room floor or never shot, like Duke's backstory.  Poorly structured film too.

Jason - Jason X is kind of similar really, only without a good lead.  Jason X I found kind of disappointing on rewatch, as it has a pretty solid first 20-30 minutes, but then kind of spins its wheels and eventually just sort of ends, with Jason weakly tied into the narrative.  It's still generally entertaining though, certainly better than part 8 at least.

One thing I'll give the film credit for, inflation adjusted X is a $20 million film, and they did a lot with that in production terms.  Also you get to see David Cronenberg for like 30 seconds, and that's kind of fun.

As far as I know, the idea behind JASON GOES TO HELL was to make Jason a deadite, right from the EVIL DEAD franchise (that's why the Necronomicon shows up). This would eventually lead to JASON VS FREDDY VS ASH, but it was never made except in the form of comics. Too bad tho, that would've been amazing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 08, 2021, 04:33:56 PM
SKY SHARKS (2020): Nazi zombies pilot flying sharks and attack commercial airliners. This impassioned but cheap effort doesn't soar to the heights of its high concept; even the boobs are bad special effects. Something's missing; I don't think even bad movie fans will like this much. 1/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 09, 2021, 10:03:37 AM
UNDERGODS (2020): Two corpse collectors link three stories set in a vague dystopian future. Promising, but underdeveloped--it falls prey to anthology syndrome, with no single story well-developed enough to hold down the fort. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on November 09, 2021, 12:13:49 PM
The Harder They Come - Better than the trailers made it look...  But not great.  This is a relatively entertaining B-grade western with an A-list cast and budget.  Some decent characters, interesting anachronistic music uses.  The writing and structure are a mixed bag, in particular the 2nd act lags and the climax is just...  Obvious and OK.  But it does have a great cast, and most of them get at least a few decent scenes.  Also, it's probably 20 minutes too long for some reason. 

Also, I wish more Netflix originals didn't look so similar, they almost all look really artificial, and that's a serious detraction in a period piece.

Jason Goes to Hell - JGTH is a bad Friday film but a passably entertaining crappy B-movie.  One of the better lead characters they've done too.  The new canon elements and concepts come from nowhere and must have some of the most poorly explained and used ideas in a supernatural horror film I've ever seen.  There's also obviously elements either left on the cutting room floor or never shot, like Duke's backstory.  Poorly structured film too.

Jason - Jason X is kind of similar really, only without a good lead.  Jason X I found kind of disappointing on rewatch, as it has a pretty solid first 20-30 minutes, but then kind of spins its wheels and eventually just sort of ends, with Jason weakly tied into the narrative.  It's still generally entertaining though, certainly better than part 8 at least.

One thing I'll give the film credit for, inflation adjusted X is a $20 million film, and they did a lot with that in production terms.  Also you get to see David Cronenberg for like 30 seconds, and that's kind of fun.

As far as I know, the idea behind JASON GOES TO HELL was to make Jason a deadite, right from the EVIL DEAD franchise (that's why the Necronomicon shows up). This would eventually lead to JASON VS FREDDY VS ASH, but it was never made except in the form of comics. Too bad tho, that would've been amazing.

Pretty much.  From what I can remember director/writer says in the doc they have about the films, the intention was his father was going to have used the Necronomicon to revive him, but not as a literal Deadite - rather, his own monstrous thing, hence his demonic form and powers.  There's other spells in the book, after all.  Functionally not that different though of course.  Jason's father, Elias, was originally going to be in the ending of part 6 as well, with possible implication of him playing a part in Jason's further resurrections for sequels.  I assume that's where the JGTH guy got the idea.

You also see the crate from Creepshow in the Voorhees house, which is kind of cute.

BTW, one funny thing - Jason Goes to Hell came out in 1993, meaning it was probably shot in 1992.  And it has these heavy references and props from Evil Dead and Creepshow, movies that were only like 12 years old at the time, and everyone immediately knew them and was like WOAH.  It's illustrative in how different the horror scene is now, I can't imagine what horror films would have the lasting cachet to be referenced like this in that age range now.  Like, what horror films from 2005-2013ish would anyone even recognize anything from in that way?  I can't think of anything, except maybe the Billy puppet from the Saw films.  Everything seems more ephemeral now in the movie scene, especially horror.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 09, 2021, 12:36:58 PM
I've not watched them myself, but I'd imagine more modern horror fans would get the Annabelle doll.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 09, 2021, 11:03:36 PM
"Rebus" (aka "Appointment in Beirut," 1969
A down-on-his-luck former roulette dealer (Laurence Harvey) is drafted by the police to help stop a criminal gang that specializes in casino heists. While keeping an eye out for the bad guys at a resort in Beirut, he also romances a sultry cabaret performer (Ann-Margret).
This drawn out, talky heist flick has some nice Mediterranean scenery and Ann-Margret is smoking hot as usual but otherwise it's a slow, boring slog. AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on November 10, 2021, 09:58:34 AM
"Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" (2001)
Barred from hangin' out in front of the Quick Stop, Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) of "Clerks" infamy hit the road, heading to Hollywood to stop production of an unauthorized movie based on their "Bluntman & Chronic" comic book characters. Along the way they get mixed up with a gang of beautiful diamond thieves, an orangutan, and an extremely persistent wildlife police officer (Will Ferrell). A fast moving cross country adventure packed with F-bombs, fart jokes, celebrity cameos and lots of laughs.

I have a friend who's a film critic and he said this was one of the funniest films he ever saw: especially the part where they're making Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season with Gus Van Sandt sitting in the corner counting his money  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 11, 2021, 08:43:26 AM
THE MADS: WALK THE DARK STREETS: Trace and Frank tackle an exceedingly boring movie about two men engaged in a MOST DANGEROUS GAME type of contest, which mostly involves walking around the streets of LA not seeing each other. The Mads wring out a few chuckles, but they can't overcome the tedium of the source material. Jonah Ray is the after-show guest, to prove they have nothing against the current version of MST3K, and although he's always pleasant there's nothing really special in the Q&A. This one is a pass (not hard since it's not released except to subscribers). 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 11, 2021, 09:34:22 AM
Pig (2021)

This movie has been marketed as John Wick, but with Nicholas Cage and a pig. Don't believe a word if it. Both movies are about loners with unkempt hair looking for a pet, but there all similarities end.

Nicholas Cage plays a monolithic and taciturn truffle hunter who gets his pig stolen. To get it back, he navigates a secret society of chefs in a poetic version of Portland, on a quest that reminded me of Under The Silver Lake at times. It is a story of loss, and the question what one should care about.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 11, 2021, 11:36:15 AM
YouTube has been a treasure trove of weird Sixties flicks for me lately, like this forgotten nugget..

"The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz" (1968)
A member of East Germany's women's Olympic team (Elke Sommer) pole vaults over the Berlin Wall into the West, where she steals the heart of an American businessman (Bob "Hogan's Heroes" Crane). Several of Crane's "Hogan" co-stars (Werner "Col. Klink" Kemperer, Leon "General Burkhalter" Askin, and John "Sgt. Schultz" Banner) appear as bumbling East German agents trying to recapture Sommer.
...so yeah, essentially this silly farce feels like a two hour "Hogan's Heroes" episode set during the Cold War instead of World War II, cuz everybody's pretty much playing the same characters. The movie is WAY too long but as usual, Elke is smokin' hot and she doesn't wear much.
Your mileage may vary depending on your obsession for Ms. Sommer, or the cast of "Hogans' Heroes."

and then for something completely different...

"The First Purge" (2018)
Despite the title, this is actually the fourth "Purge" movie and it serves as a prequel, establishing how the evil "New Founding Fathers" political party captured the Presidency of the U.S. and set up the first ever "Purge Night" as a social experiment limited to a single locale - Staten Island, New York. The main characters are an assortment of gang bangers, freaks, and plain old regular citizens all just trying to survive when chaos starts raining down on their streets. Of course, lots of people end up getting shot, stabbed and blown up while the government stooges track the action and count up the kills.
All of the Purge films have been entertaining in a sadistic kind of way but I rank this one near the bottom of the stack -- there's nothing here that hasn't been done to death in previous installments. I did find the Staten Island setting particularly funny, though, since I went to college there.
I'm now all caught up on this franchise ...until they make another one, which is probably already in the works.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 11, 2021, 12:20:39 PM
"The First Purge" (2018)
Despite the title, this is actually the fourth "Purge" movie and it serves as a prequel,


If the first Star Wars is actually the fourth, I don't see why the fourth Purge can't be the first.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on November 11, 2021, 05:11:51 PM
Freddy VS Jason - This remains a good time.  It's a pure crowd pleaser for fans of both franchises, but it works.  Lots of gore, fast paced, and a shockingly well-executed final fight sequence (probably due to director Ronny Yu, an experienced HK director who'd done stuff like Bride With White Hair).  It even manages one quite effective, but brief, dream shift bit (the "virgin sacrifice" sequence).  They said, "Give 'em what they want", and we got it.  An almost completely bland pair of leads and some general awkwardness/stupidity in the writing can't sink this one from being a fun time. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 11, 2021, 09:16:51 PM
"The Silencers" (1966)
First of four films in the "Matt Helm" series of James Bond spoofs, with crooner Dean Martin as a swingin' spy who partners with a cute-but-klutzy fellow agent (Stella Stevens) to stop a criminal organization called "Big O" from sabotaging a nuclear bomb test.
"The Silencers" has a couple of laughs here and there and a lot of gorgeous babes, but it's totally impossible to take Dean Martin seriously as a secret agent - he was in his late 40s when he made these flicks and he's more or less playing himself, wearing his trademark turtleneck sweaters and toting a martini glass everywhere he goes. Dino mugs his way through most of the movie until the big final battle in the bad guy's hidden underground headquarters, when his stunt double takes over and does all the heavy lifting.
I've seen worse Bond knock-offs, but I've also seen way better (i.e. James Coburn's "Flint" movies). I doubt I'll bother with the other three movies in this series.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 12, 2021, 09:49:59 AM
THE WANTING MARE (2021): In a mysterious future, a woman has a recurring dream of the past in a city where everyone seeks the scarce tickets that allow them to leave on a ship loaded with horses for a better life. This literary fantasy/romance won't be to all tastes because of its pacing and opaque, dreamlike presentation, but it's beautifully shot and has a mythic quality when at its best. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 13, 2021, 07:55:16 AM
"The Wrecking Crew" (1968)
...I know, I said I probably wasn't going to bother with more of Dean Martin's "Matt Helm" movies, but the casting in this one piqued my morbid curiosity, as it was the final film to star the late Sharon Tate, who was murdered by the Manson family only a few months after this movie was released. The cast also includes Elke Sommer (one of my favorite Sixties mega babes), Tina "Gilligan's Island" Louise, and even Chuck Norris, making his movie debut with a small role as a henchman!
Anyway... this was the fourth and final "Helm" flick, and it was pretty much interchangeable with "The Silencers"... a master criminal (Nigel Greene) steals a train full of U.S. gold, which could crash the world economy unless Matt can recover it. As he trails the bad guys across Europe, Helm crashes a few cars, fights a bunch of bad guys, and of course romances a whole lotta babes. I liked this one better than "The Silencers," but that's not really saying much.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 13, 2021, 10:08:28 AM
Suicide Squad.

A sort of reboot, a sort of sequel. Will Smith's rather boring character from the first movie is replaced with Idris Elba who plays more or less the same character, but with a different name. It has it's high spots, like where Peacemaker and Bloodsport are competing with each other for the most stylish kill. There are some good performances in this film, but some of the visuals just took me out of the movie (The Thinker and the Big Bad). Not terrible, but the least enjoyable James Gunn film I have ever seen, which is a real shame. I had high hopes for this one. I figure with a film about bad guys, you can go two ways to make it work. You go all out comedy or you go seriously Wild Bunch type gritty. This seems to try both which (for me anyway), stopped it from being either.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on November 13, 2021, 11:42:26 AM
UNSANE (2018)

A young woman is involuntarily committed to a mental institution, where she is confronted by her greatest fear - but is it real or a product of her delusion?

What sounded like a great promise, falls apart very quickly due to an extremely poor script. First of all, the movie looks awful, because it was filmed with an iPhone so it looks artsy fartsy I guess. The angles are terrible, the quality is grainy and crappy, and everyone looks like they're covered in dark makeup. Simply dreadful. The music is also unbereable, it's completely detached from the supposedly serious experience the main character is having.

Now, the story is about this chick who gets stalked and then moves out of town to avoid this creepy dude. She develops super fears and then she goes into a consultant to "get cured". While she's there, she signs some papers which they tell her they're rutine, but turns out she voluntarily put herself in a mental institution. At first, like the synopsis says, we're led to believe that she actually does have psychological issues, but in a matter of minutes she casually finds her stalker working in the facility. There's no doubt about it, you never believe that she imagined him or that he never stalked her in the first place, it's spelled out right in your face - he is, in fact, her stalker, and he's there specifically for her. Of course no one believes her and then it's all this ridiculous story of her trying to get out of the place because it's "an insurance scam", as one guy inside explains.

The rest of the movie is her doing the most idiotic things ever in the most unbelievable hospital in existence. The worst part is when she gets a picture of her friend tortured by her stalker. It's basically the perfect proof of everything she was saying, but instead of going calmly to report it, she goes ape s**t, starts screaming and attacking everyone, and then gets sedated. This stalker guy has more resources than McGuiver also, he can kill people all he wants and nobody ever finds out, not to mention he has almost godhood level of medicine skills.

Terrible movie all around, the acting is ok but honestly the main lead is annoying as hell. 3/10, skip it unless you want to get really angry at yourself for wasting precious time and money.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 13, 2021, 12:57:25 PM
THE MADS: VOYAGE TO THE PLANET OF PREHISTORIC WOMEN: I always thought they should have done this for the original MST3K. It's an old Russian sci-fi movie, but Roger Corman/Peter Bogdanovich cut in about 15 minutes of Mamie van Doren and a bunch of aspiring model/actresses lounging around in seashell bras as some kind of Venusian mermaids. Unfortunately, it's not the best riff, but I'm glad they got around to it in some form. The guest is a comic I'd never heard of, and he's funny. Ends up with more time in the Q&A than the actual movie. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 13, 2021, 03:36:40 PM
The Dose (2020) - slow, boring and just all around poorly made medical "thriller" with some decent acting, especially the lead who really does seem like an overweight male nurse. 1.5 / 5 avoid


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 14, 2021, 07:01:42 AM
Jodorowksy's Dune (2013)

The story behind Jodorowksy's Dune project, which is arguably the most influential SF movie never made. You've got to love Jodorowsky, the stories of how he assembles his dream team (especially Salvador Dali) are hilarious. He gives the term 'visionary' a whole new dimension.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 14, 2021, 08:58:09 AM
"RoboCop" (1987)
...aka My Favorite Movie Ever, for about the hundredth time. My 14 year old son watched with me (his first viewing) and said it was "awesome."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on November 14, 2021, 08:09:59 PM
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - It's alright.  Some good visuals and the best fight choreography Marvel has ever had (RIP Brad Allan).  Tony Leung gives a good performance, but I didn't think it was superlative or anything like some - he's too underwritten.  The title character is kind of boring.  Awkafina is an awkward fit in the overall narrative at best, especially the ending.  Shang-Chi's sister is very weakly written, like she was meant to have an arc but doesn't.  They have one of the now traditional extremely boring mass battle sequences - does anyone like these?  You know, a bunch of randomly introduced extras fight in a warehouse against a green screen, and usually the main characters are elsewhere, and it's always pure filler dragging out the run time.  I hate them, feel like I should take a nap when they start.  I dunno, I'm complaining a lot, but it was passably entertaining I guess.

Oh, and Yuen Wah shows up but is totally wasted.  I was still happy to see him anyway.

Extra thought about Chinese.  Yuen Wah, Tony Leung, and Michelle Yeoh are speaking a second language in their Chinese AND English lines.  Well, to varying extents (I think Tony Leung in particular has known Mandarin a very long time).  I sometimes wonder how this feels for them, having to speak in a foreign tongue for most of your roles in the space perceived of as "native" to foreign audiences, but I've never heard Cantonese native speaking actors talk about it.  Michelle Yeoh speaks good Mandarin these days, but she had to learn her lines phonetically for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.  That is, she didn't learn the language until she was in her 40s.

Black Widow - This almost works better, but doesn't fully gel.  I liked the opening quite a bit, by far the most entertaining action scene, the only one that felt like it had stakes.  Usual cartoon buffoonery that pretends to be more violent.  Someone gets completely gutted in this one and doesn't even bleed.  The characters are OK.  I dunno.  It's just blandly acceptable.  Also this one should very obviously have come out before Infinity War, would have played much better.

The MCU formula increasingly seems wrung out to me.

"RoboCop" (1987)
...aka My Favorite Movie Ever, for about the hundredth time. My 14 year old son watched with me (his first viewing) and said it was "awesome."

I was reflecting on how good RoboCop is recently, and how it has literally under 1/6th the inflation adjusted budget of a film that everyone agrees is at best passably acceptable like Red Notice.  For real, RoboCop is like a $35 million film inflation adjusted.  I dunno, just makes me kind of depressed about the status of genre film making in Hollywood now.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 16, 2021, 10:13:36 PM
"The Pit" (aka "Teddy," 1981)
A creepy 12 year old boy pervs on his live-in babysitter, takes orders from his demonic teddy bear, and feeds everyone who p**ses him off to a gaggle of hungry creatures that live in a pit in the woods. Yup, that's the whole plot.
This one has been on my Tubi watch list for a while, but a conversation about it on another forum piqued my interest and bumped it to the top. I'm glad I got around to it, cuz this is one straaaaange movie! The acting stinks, the creature effects are primitive (at best) and the movie lurches along as if it was being made up on the fly. It's not "good" in the slightest but it's weirdly watchable in a "WTF?" sort of way.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 17, 2021, 09:38:11 AM
THE BETA TEST (2021): A smarmy Hollywood agent's life is turned upside down when he receives an envelope promising an anonymous sexual encounter. At time, this satire/mystery reminded me of "The Player," "American Psycho" and even "Under the Silver Lake," but it definitely marches to its own beat; co-writer/co-director/star Jim Cummings amusingly plays his antihero as overconfident and undercompetent. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 17, 2021, 11:15:09 PM
"Mother of Tears" (2007)
Dario Argento finally closes out his "Three Mothers" trilogy (which began with "Suspiria" in '77 and continued with "Inferno" in '80) with this tale of an archeology student who opens an ancient burial urn that unleashes a wave of evil and violence upon the city of Rome. This long overdue conclusion isn't quite as artfully weird as its predecessors and it drags a bit in the middle, but it's lushly photographed as usual and when things heat up the splatter flows hot 'n heavy. Better than expected.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 18, 2021, 09:57:12 AM
THE VILLAGE DETECTIVE: A SONG CYCLE (2021): An Icelandic trawler dredges up old film reels containing the 1969 Soviet drama "The Village Detective," which, although waterlogged, is still viewable. Bill Morrison occupies a very narrow niche making documentaries about old, damaged film prints, but in this case the underlying subject (which is neither a lost film nor a particularly interesting one) is underwhelming, leading to a movie that feels forced and unfocused. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 19, 2021, 03:29:22 PM
Scream 4 - going way off the beaten path with this artsy black and white political drama from Latvia. No, its another entry into this franchise. I think I saw the first one, but I'm not sure. I'm not really a franchise kinda guy. Wes Craven seems to be saying "Well you wanted another one and here it is". It kind of restates a lot of the stuff about horror movie cliches from the first one and is generally in that weird horror comedy space that it I guess created. huh? yeah like I said I'm not a franchise kind of guy.

On the one hand it's entertaining and whats her name still looks good. On the other hand its not really a movie in the way I've come to know them. or maybe that  Netflix computer generated horror short with Mr Puzzle ruined all this stuff for me.

Also, there is really nothing in the way of cinematography. The only time they venture outside the house area is to a barn I mean you've made it to the 4th thing how about some decent shots of some stuff?

3/5 cold mechanical generally okay





Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 19, 2021, 11:02:02 PM
"Barb Wire" (1996)
Set in a post-apocalyptic 2017 (hah!), this mostly forgotten action flick stars Pamela Anderson as Dark Horse Comics' stacked, leather-clad, butt kicking bounty hunter (huntress?) who gets mixed up in a plot to help a scientist escape the clutches of the new fascist government. Stuff crashes, bullets fly, things explode.
Pamela can't act worth a damn, but that's OK cuz this movie doesn't require her to do much more than stand around in skimpy outfits, pout, and shoot people. The supporting cast is bland and the story is a muddle, so unless you're an obsessed Pamela fan, you can safely skip this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 20, 2021, 03:59:48 AM
"Barb Wire" (1996)
Set in a post-apocalyptic 2017 (hah!), this mostly forgotten action flick stars Pamela Anderson as Dark Horse Comics' stacked, leather-clad, butt kicking bounty hunter (huntress?) who gets mixed up in a plot to help a scientist escape the clutches of the new fascist government. Stuff crashes, bullets fly, things explode.
Pamela can't act worth a damn, but that's OK cuz this movie doesn't require her to do much more than stand around in skimpy outfits, pout, and shoot people. The supporting cast is bland and the story is a muddle, so unless you're an obsessed Pamela fan, you can safely skip this one.

Don't forget this is a remake of Casablanca.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on November 20, 2021, 09:00:03 AM
Scream 4 - going way off the beaten path with this artsy black and white political drama from Latvia.

 :bouncegiggle: :bouncegiggle: I needed that, thanks.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 20, 2021, 09:23:25 AM
THE MADS: A NIGHT OF SHORTS (1): Frank and Trace take on vintage educational shorts about listening, making friends, exercise, getting dates, Halloween safety, and being a kid in a town full of pedophiles (!) The after-show guest is Svengoolie (the actor, not the banned poster). This is the best episode of the Mads I've seen; shorts suit their style. This is being rebroadcast tonight, so it's your last chance to see (and download) it. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 20, 2021, 11:35:24 PM
SHIVERS DOWN YOUR SPINE - This was a freebie on Amazon Prime, and worth every penny.  A bored single guy finds a golden lamp in his microwave, rubs the side, and out pops a topless genie with sexy tattoos!  After telling her to cover up (moron!), he winds up blowing his first wish on a stupid sandwich, and then decides to wish for her to tell him some stories - and so the anthology emerges!  Several different stories, some good, some better, none are just plain awful.  This was cheaply done but really pretty fun overall; the actors made up in enthusiasm what they lacked in skill, and some of the girls were pretty cute.  Overall, I've paid much more for much worse.  I'll give it a 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 21, 2021, 09:46:33 AM
"Bloody Birthday" (1981)
Three seemingly innocent kids, all born on the same day during a lunar eclipse, begin to exhibit murderous tendencies as they approach their mutual 10th birthday, killing off anyone unlucky enough to get in their way - even their own family members.
A delightfully sleazy combo of the slasher and killer-kid genres, the young actors appear to be having lots of fun playing the murderous tots. Watch for future MTV comedienne Julie "The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun" Brown as the slutty older sister of one of the psycho kids.

"Machete" (2010)
A former Mexican federale (Danny Trejo) is hired to assassinate an anti-immigration U.S. senator (Robert DeNiro), but he gets double crossed and spends the rest of the movie chopping and shooting his way through countless bad guys and blowing up half of Texas in order to clear his name.
Robert Rodriguez' hilariously over-the-top "Grindhouse" spin off is tons of cartoony, gory, ultra violent fun. Trejo is his usual deadpan badass self, the supporting cast is fantastic (DeNiro, Steven Seagal, Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Don Johnson, Jeff Fahey), and there's plenty of eye candy (Jessica Alba, god DAMN!). Turn off your brain and enjoy the ride.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 21, 2021, 10:06:03 AM
Seven Golden Men (Sette uomini d'oro - 1965)

An international gang of seven gangsters (and a femme fatale) break into a Swiss way in an extremely convoluted way to steal seven tons of gold. They get away with it, but double and triple crosses follow.

There is not a lot there. The main part of the movie is the heist itself, and consists mainly of elaborate procedures being painstakingly filmed. There are some hiccups on the way, but overcoming these is super easy, barely an inconvenience. The characters hardly interact and there is no action to speak of. You do get a good view of some of the landmarks of Rome at the end, and Rossana Podesta is stunning throughout as the femme fatale Giorgia.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 21, 2021, 10:56:29 PM
"Murderers' Row" (1966)
Second film in the "Matt Helm" spy-spoof series, with Dean Martin as the swingin' super spy trying to track down a missing scientist before his solar weapon can be used to turn Washington, D.C. into a crispy wasteland. As usual, Dean smirks, drinks martinis, and macks on all the pretty girls while his stunt double does most of the work. Ann-Margret plays the damsel in distress. Probably the best of the 3 "Helm" films I've seen thus far. I guess  I'm gonna have to watch "The Ambushers" at some point just to finish out the series.

"Closed For Storm" (2020)
The guys behind the "Abandoned" series of YouTube urban-exploration videos make the jump to feature length documentaries with this study of Jazzland, aka Six Flags New Orleans, the amusement park that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and was never reopened. Fifteen years later, the rotting park has become an irresistible magnet for vandals and thrill seekers, and a headache for the city and the residents who live nearby. Interviews with park employees, local politicians, and theme park enthusiasts mix with heartbreaking footage of the storm's damage and its lingering aftermath. Interesting stuff.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: jimpickens on November 22, 2021, 03:13:28 AM
The all time classic King Kong vs Godzilla.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on November 22, 2021, 02:09:04 PM
No Time To Die - Really nicely shot.  Good action scenes.  I liked Ana De Armas' brief screentime, that was fun.  But almost this entire movie is dour, it's like three hours long, and much of it is emotionally about a relationship that was DISASTROUSLY bad in Spectre.  This film can just not get out of Spectre's shadow, and it really damages it.  It is also WAY too long.  Basically this would probably have been a good send off for Craig's Bond, as he said this was his last, but when the set-up is terrible the ending can't really work.  Also the villain is weak and underwritten for such a long time.  I still don't understand what his plan even was really.  I dunno.  It's OK on balance I guess.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 23, 2021, 12:01:13 AM
STORMSWEPT (1995)  A realtor is trapped in an old Southern mansion with a group of actors and actresses; an evil spirit infesting the house causes them to all act on their darkest sexual fantasies.  OK, it's a train wreck of a plot, but the girls are pretty and there's quite a bit of making out going on, and it's an ENTERTAINING train wreck!  2/5 on the regular movie scale, but a solid 4.5/5 on the bad movie scale!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 23, 2021, 11:33:20 AM
UNDINE (2020): A diver falls in love with a mysterious, possibly deadly woman who works as a guide in a museum devoted to Communist architecture. The title implies a supernatural protagonist, but the film only half-heartedly commits to that premise, essentially using it as an underwhelming romantic metaphor. Beautiful underwater photography, though. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 24, 2021, 10:30:59 AM
AND THE SHIP SAILS ON (1983): Loaded with distinguished guests, a transatlantic luxury liner sets off to bury the ashes of a deceased opera diva on the island where she was born at the dawn of WWI. Fellini doesn't have much of a destination or purpose in mind for this journey--which is just a series of off-kilter comic sketches--but he does remember to load a rhino into the hold to keep you entertained. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 24, 2021, 10:33:28 AM
"Arena" (1989)
Set on a space station in the year 4083, a young Earthling trains to compete in the "Arena," an inter-galactic no-holds-barred fighting competition that hasn't been won by a human in fifty years.
A cool sci-fi cheapie from Charles Band's Empire Pictures, this is basically "Rocky" set on Deep Space Nine. For an obviously low budget movie, it's populated with an impressive amount of cool/weird looking aliens and creatures, and it's fun to watch the hero slug it out with them. Mindless fun.  


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 24, 2021, 03:41:32 PM
Night of the Hunter - A corrupt preacher learns that his cell mate has $10,000 stashed away and seeks to extract the truth of it whereabouts from the man's children. He uses all his phony charm to involve himself in their lives and no surprise in soon turns into a very overt battle. It's obviously a great movie, I especially liked the shots on the river barge thing. it shows its age in a couple places and the writer was probably some kind of commie but I'll still give it 5/5

Repo Man - probably my favorite movie of all time. A teenager (emilio Estevez) with no hope for a future accidentally becomes a car reposesser. He initially is very turned off by the job, as it is kind of like being a cop or an IRS agent or something, but after a while he doesn't really care.

Plus, there's a car going around with alien bodies in it that is attracting a massive reward, so the race is on to find that. It's the slice of life thing with the job and the alien thing as a delightful side thing.

"let's get sushi and not pay" generic beer, ridiculous punk soundtrack its got it all. now on tubi

5/5 highest possible rec


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 24, 2021, 04:13:51 PM
Night of the Hunter - A corrupt preacher learns that his cell mate has $10,000 stashed away and seeks to extract the truth of it whereabouts from the man's children. He uses all his phony charm to involve himself in their lives and no surprise in soon turns into a very overt battle. It's obviously a great movie, I especially liked the shots on the river barge thing. it shows its age in a couple places and the writer was probably some kind of commie but I'll still give it 5/5

Repo Man - probably my favorite movie of all time. A teenagers (emilio Estevez) with no hope for a future accidentally becomes a car reposesser. He initially is very turned off by the job, as it is kind of like being a cop or an IRS agent or something, but after a while he doesn't really care.

Plus, there's a car going around with alien bodies in it that is attracting a massive reward, so the race is on to find that. It's the slice of life thing with the job and the alien thing as a delightful side thing.

"let's get sushi and not pay" generic beer, ridiculous punk soundtrack its got it all. now on tubi

5/5 highest possible rec

Kind of funny you said the writer of NIGHT OF THE HUNTER was probably a commie when the writer of REPO MAN is a huge commie. Great double feature, though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 25, 2021, 12:16:48 AM
I think you being named after the Night of the Hunter guy effected my rating. It wasn't crazy enough I liked Nightmare Alley a bit better


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 25, 2021, 12:22:17 PM
"42nd Street Memories: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Notorious Street" (2015)
A look back at the grimy glory days of New York's 42nd Street, once dubbed the "World's Greatest Movie Center" due to the large number of movie theaters contained within just a few blocks. The documentary's main focus is the "grindhouse" era of the '60s and '70s, with comments and stories from B-filmmakers and movie buffs like Joe "Gremlins" Dante, Greydon "Joysticks" Clark, porn queen Veronica Hart, Lloyd (Troma) Kaufmann, and more, plus plenty of groovy, gory clips from long forgotten horror/splatter/exploitation flicks. Lots of fun!

"Nightmare" (aka "Nightmare in a Damaged Brain," 1981)
A dangerous psychotic, troubled by recurring dreams of murder and mayhem, escapes from a treatment facility in New York and heads down to Florida, where he plans to pay a lethal visit to his ex-wife and kids. Naturally he murders anyone who's unlucky enough to cross his path along the way.
There's not much plot in this semi-legendary Video Nasty sickie but there is plenty of sleaze and gore. The guy playing the killer is effectively creepy in a bug eyed sort of way, and the splatter flows hot n' heavy. Not an essential watch by any means, but slasher completists will get a few sick thrills out of it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 26, 2021, 02:58:59 PM
Bible Quiz (2013) - This was 5 miles down in the very deep tubi documentary page. Folks, it was beautiful. A misfit sort of girl escapes her troubled home life by becoming super competitive in Bible quizzing. Its a church based activity where you pretty much memorize all of the New Testament. When you give an answer, for some reason everyone reads it back super fast? Never got an explanation for that. I guess it's to save time.

Soon enough, she develops an interest in her team mate JP. None of these guys ever get laid or drink or even hug a girl so they seem sort of gay, but she still likes him. The team makes their way to the final stages of the comp. Will they become quiz royalty? or will Mikayla (the girl) totally blow it?

5/5 really nice and the indy director clearly respects the lifestyle choices of the kids


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 26, 2021, 10:44:39 PM
"The Horror of Party Beach" (1964)
Radioactive waste dumped in the ocean creates mutant sea monsters that crash a teen beach party. Hilarity ensues.
An utterly bizarro black & white mash up of the bikini-beach and horror genres, with cheap looking creatures, a ridiculous plot and sub-par acting. Cheezy but watchable vintage drive-in junk.
Fun fact: The film features several songs by "The Del-Aires," a rock band from Paterson, New Jersey. Aside from appearing in this movie, their only other major claim to fame is that they happened to be playing a nightclub in Lodi, NJ one night in 1963 when a particularly nasty gangland slaying took the lives of two police officers:
https://www.theaquarian.com/2011/01/19/weird-nj-paterson-nj-and-the-weird-atomic-beasts-who-live-off-human-blood/ (https://www.theaquarian.com/2011/01/19/weird-nj-paterson-nj-and-the-weird-atomic-beasts-who-live-off-human-blood/)

"Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders" (1979)
A foxy young reporter (Jane Seymour) is assigned to do an expose on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders from the inside, by auditioning and landing a spot on the squad. During the process she gets caught up in the lives and loves of her fellow cheer hopefuls, including a housewife, a girl escaping a bad relationship, and a stuck-up gal who wants to use the DCC's as a stepping stone to Hollywood.
Silly, made-for-TV soap opera fluff with plenty of jiggle, produced at the height of late '70s Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader mania. In addition to Seymour, the cast also includes Lauren ("Love Boat") Tewes, Bert Convy, and even former NY Yankee great Bucky Dent (!), who has the acting chops of a plank of wood.
Followed by a 1980 sequel, which I could almost swear starred Lynda "Wonder Woman" Carter, but that may just be wishful thinking on the part of ten-year-old me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on November 27, 2021, 02:24:24 AM
Love Hard - Cutesy romantic comedy sums it up.  A girl meets a guy on a dating site, they talk a lot online.  She flies to meet him for Christmas without telling him- turns out he catfished her (for reasons that are only quasi explained), with his profile pics being a local friend of his.  Guy tells girl he'll help her get the guy from the pictures if she pretends to be his girlfriend over Christmas.  This plotline sounds almost exactly like a few other romantic comedies, to the point I was wondering if it was a remake.  It's pretty paint by numbers, but sometimes that's what you want.  It's fairly funny, two adequate lead performances, and nothing overly crude.  James Saito, who will forever be the live action Shredder to me, plays the guy's father.  6/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 27, 2021, 01:05:14 PM
MST3K: OUTLAW (OF GOR): The experiment involves a college professor being transported back (it's a sequel) to Gor, a medieval world of scantily clad women, to battle an evil queen. In Deep 13, Dr. F and Frank have "invented" a time machine. I always like Conan ripoffs as MST3K experiments, and this one has the memorable song "Tubular Boobular Joy," so it's an above-average episode. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on November 27, 2021, 01:21:44 PM
MST3K: OUTLAW (OF GOR): The experiment involves a college professor being transported back (it's a sequel) to Gor, a medieval world of scantily clad women, to battle an evil queen. In Deep 13, Dr. F and Frank have "invented" a time machine. I always like Conan ripoffs as MST3K experiments, and this one has the memorable song "Tubular Boobular Joy," so it's an above-average episode. 3.5/5.

I know quite a few people who worked on that and Gor.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 27, 2021, 07:19:41 PM
"Black Christmas" (2006)
Stuck-up sorority sisters and their house mother suffer the consequences when an escaped psychopath who once lived in their house comes "home"  for the holidays.
This splattery 21st century remake of Bob Clark's Yuletide slasher classic has a WAY bigger mean streak than the original (Incest! Cannibalism! Eyeballs as Christmas tree trimmings!) and some primo eye candy via the casting of Michelle ("Buffy") Trachtenberg, Lacey ("Party of Five") Chabert and Mary Elizabeth ("Scott Pilgrim") Winstead. Don't get me wrong, this is not a great movie by any means, but I have never really warmed to the 1974 original, so I kinda dig this version.
I have yet to see the second "Black Christmas" remake attempt from 2019, but if the reviews I've read are any indication, it makes this one look like the Royal Shakespeare Company.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: jimpickens on November 28, 2021, 12:36:32 AM
A Few Dollars Less a zany send up of spaghetti westerns.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 28, 2021, 01:49:20 AM
"The Horror of Party Beach" (1964)
Radioactive waste dumped in the ocean creates mutant sea monsters that crash a teen beach party. Hilarity ensues.
An utterly bizarro black & white mash up of the bikini-beach and horror genres, with cheap looking creatures, a ridiculous plot and sub-par acting. Cheezy but watchable vintage drive-in junk.
Fun fact: The film features several songs by "The Del-Aires," a rock band from Paterson, New Jersey. Aside from appearing in this movie, their only other major claim to fame is that they happened to be playing a nightclub in Lodi, NJ one night in 1963 when a particularly nasty gangland slaying took the lives of two police officers:
https://www.theaquarian.com/2011/01/19/weird-nj-paterson-nj-and-the-weird-atomic-beasts-who-live-off-human-blood/ (https://www.theaquarian.com/2011/01/19/weird-nj-paterson-nj-and-the-weird-atomic-beasts-who-live-off-human-blood/)


It was filmed in Stamford Conn.Being from NYC- yeah NJ.  :twirl:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 28, 2021, 10:06:12 AM
THE FEAST (2021): A teenage girl is hired to help prepare and serve a three course meal for a Welsh politician and his wife to entertain his neighbors (and conduct business at the same time). THE FEAST ends on a bloody bacchanalia, but the beginning is brutally slow; the film would be stronger if it were 15 minutes shorter. As it is, its main importance is being one of very few movies filmed in the Welsh language (IMDB says only 26 movies have ever been released in Welsh). 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 28, 2021, 10:57:31 PM
"RoboCop 2" (1990)
Officer Murphy aka RoboCop may have met his match, as those fine folks at OCP have developed the next generation of crime fighting cyborgs - a hulking death machine powered by the brain of a dead drug dealer/cult leader. Yeah, nothing could possibly go wrong with that idea...
Action packed sequel (scripted by comics writer/artist Frank Miller of "The Dark Knight" and "Daredevil" fame) isn't quite as balls-to-the-wall as the original, but there's still plenty of tongue in cheek satire and ultra-violent metal mayhem. Tons of destructive fun.

"Doctor Mordrid" (1992)
A sorcerer (Jeffrey "Re-Animator" Combs) has spent 100 years waiting for his arch-enemy to break down the barriers between dimensions and attempt to bring his evil  to earth, and now the battle royale is about to begin.
... if this sounds familiar, it's because this Full Moon Studios production started out as an adaptation of Marvel's "Doctor Strange" ... until they lost their rights to use the character. In true Full Moon style, they merely tweaked the script, changed a few character names, and voila! "Doctor Strange? Who? Nah, never heard of him."
In spite of the overall off-brand feel, this is actually one of Full Moon's better movies, with decent performances and cheap but charming special effects that have helped it achieve cult status. Worth checking out.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 29, 2021, 09:54:55 AM
JOHN AND THE HOLE (2021): Without giving an explanation, thirteen-year old John traps his parents and sister in a submerged open-air bunker. Trapped between enigmatic realism and magical realism, the plot digs itself a nice hole, but doesn't know how to fill it. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 29, 2021, 08:42:23 PM
Picking up my "watch the James Bond series in order" marathon where I left off months ago:

"The Living Daylights" (1987)
In Timothy Dalton's first turn as 007, Bond romances a young cellist and travels from the Czech Republic to Morocco and Afghanistan, on the trail of a rogue Russian general who's partnered with a major arms dealer in an opium-for-weapons deal.  
Dalton's performance is fine, but "TLD" never quite finds the right tone -- the series clearly wasn't sure where to take the Bond character at this point. At times they seem to be trying to hang onto the campy Roger Moore feel, but they also crank up the ultra-violence to give the film a more "modern" action movie tone. Maryam d'Abo is quite possibly the blandest Bond girl in the entire series. I liked this installment when it was current (I saw it 2x during its theatrical run) but it hasn't aged particularly well.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 30, 2021, 12:23:09 AM
Ida - I think I saw this before but I cant remember. A nun leaves her convent to search for the truth regarding her family. In doing so, she encounters uncomfortable truths and temptations and so forth. It doesn't coalesce into a great film by any means but is a decent art snack. The director has excellent taste but can't quite rise to the occasion sorry buddy

3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on November 30, 2021, 05:28:07 AM
Ida - I think I saw this before but I cant remember. A nun leaves her convent to search for the truth regarding her family. In doing so, she encounters uncomfortable truths and temptations and so forth. It doesn't coalesce into a great film by any means but is a decent art snack. The director has excellent taste but can't quite rise to the occasion sorry buddy

3/5

A good film produced by Eric Abraham, South African born double Oscar winner.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 30, 2021, 09:56:03 AM
MEMORIA (2021): A Scottish woman (Tilda Swinton) traveling in Columbia thinks she's losing her mind when she intermittently hears a mysterious thumping sound. Apichatpong "Uncle Boonme" Weerasethakul makes another slow, inexplicable and beautiful piece of art that's almost as much like perfume as it is a movie. It's one of those movies you watch recognizing that it's great, but then can't think of anyone you could actually recommend it to. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 30, 2021, 01:25:09 PM
MEMORIA (2021): A Scottish woman (Tilda Swinton) traveling in Columbia thinks she's losing her mind when she intermittently hears a mysterious thumping sound. Apichatpong "Uncle Boonme" Weerasethakul makes another slow, inexplicable and beautiful piece of art that's almost as much like perfume as it is a movie. It's one of those movies you watch recognizing that it's great, but then can't think of anyone you could actually recommend it to. 3.5/5.

Usually that would be me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on November 30, 2021, 01:43:34 PM
Picking up my "watch the James Bond series in order" marathon where I left off months ago:

"The Living Daylights" (1987)
In Timothy Dalton's first turn as 007, Bond romances a young cellist and travels from the Czech Republic to Morocco and Afghanistan, on the trail of a rogue Russian general who's partnered with a major arms dealer in an opium-for-weapons deal.  
Dalton's performance is fine, but "TLD" never quite finds the right tone -- the series clearly wasn't sure where to take the Bond character at this point. At times they seem to be trying to hang onto the campy Roger Moore feel, but they also crank up the ultra-violence to give the film a more "modern" action movie tone. Maryam d'Abo is quite possibly the blandest Bond girl in the entire series. I liked this installment when it was current (I saw it 2x during its theatrical run) but it hasn't aged particularly well.

I always thought that Tanya Roberts was pretty bland in A View To A Kill.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 30, 2021, 03:38:23 PM
MEMORIA (2021): A Scottish woman (Tilda Swinton) traveling in Columbia thinks she's losing her mind when she intermittently hears a mysterious thumping sound. Apichatpong "Uncle Boonme" Weerasethakul makes another slow, inexplicable and beautiful piece of art that's almost as much like perfume as it is a movie. It's one of those movies you watch recognizing that it's great, but then can't think of anyone you could actually recommend it to. 3.5/5.

Usually that would be me.

Maybe, but I'm not so sure about this one. If you like Tarkovsky look out for it. One caveat: it's not on VOD or physical media, and they claim they won't be putting it out that way because it's solely intended as a "big-screen experience." I would bet they relent after a while, though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 30, 2021, 04:25:14 PM
I always thought that Tanya Roberts was pretty bland in A View To A Kill.

Tanya (God rest her) couldn't act worth a damn, but she sure filled out a set of satin jammies nicely. :D
(https://pgcooper1939.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/tanya-roberts-stacey-sutton-bond-girls-3326650-500-400.jpg)

Maryam, on the other hand, did nothin' for me. I think it's that damn Dutch Boy haircut.
(https://bondfanevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/556c1c1d95cc478f8c9b0587ea5ba082-bond-girls-jouer.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 30, 2021, 04:27:09 PM
Bond-o-thon continues:

"Licence to Kill" (1989)
Timothy Dalton's second and final Bond outing is an action packed, vast improvement over the uneven "Living Daylights." This time out, Bond goes rogue from MI6 so he can take down a South American drug dealer (Robert Davi) who nearly killed his CIA pal Felix Leiter. "Licence" has a grittier feel that fits Dalton well, and the usual impressive stunts and pyrotechnics (the tanker-truck chase climax is absolutely insane). Unfortunately for Dalton, financial difficulties behind the scenes at MGM put the series on ice for more than five years after this movie, bringing his 007 era to a premature end. Too bad, cuz he was developing into a pretty bad-ass Bond.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 01, 2021, 09:54:10 AM
BEING THE RICARDOS: Pregnant commie Lucille Ball tries to put together a show that involves patching things up between Fred and Ethel while wondering of Desi Arnaz is cheating on her. Well-cast and as entertaining as an "I Love Lucy" marathon. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 01, 2021, 02:12:08 PM
Bond-o-thon continues:

"Licence to Kill" (1989)
Timothy Dalton's second and final Bond outing is an action packed, vast improvement over the uneven "Living Daylights." This time out, Bond goes rogue from MI6 so he can take down a South American drug dealer (Robert Davi) who nearly killed his CIA pal Felix Leiter. "Licence" has a grittier feel that fits Dalton well, and the usual impressive stunts and pyrotechnics (the tanker-truck chase climax is absolutely insane). Unfortunately for Dalton, financial difficulties behind the scenes at MGM put the series on ice for more than five years after this movie, bringing his 007 era to a premature end. Too bad, cuz he was developing into a pretty bad-ass Bond.


Agreed: Timothy Dalton played Bond as he was supposed to have been played: a cultured animal. :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 01, 2021, 09:59:33 PM
"GoldenEye" (1995)
After a six year absence from theaters, the James Bond series came roaring back in a big way with the debut of new leading man Pierce "Remington Steele" Brosnan, who was seemingly born to play 007. In his first post-Cold War mission, James has to stop a rogue former double-O and a crazed Soviet general who've joined forces to seize control of an orbiting laser weapon. This one had everything Bond fans wanted: non-stop globe trotting action, hot girls, cool cars and gadgets, and tons of stuff blowin' up. It was the best Bond movie since the '70s. I still remember watching this one in a theater, having an absolute blast and saying "HELL yes, Pierce is THE MAN!" He's still my second favorite Bond, right behind Connery.

"The Space Invaders: In Search of Lost Time" (2012)
A nostalgic look back at the early '80s video game craze, when Space Invaders, Asteroids, Pac-Man and the rest drew hordes of kids with pockets full of quarters into local video game arcades...until the "video game crash" of the mid 80s. This documentary checks up on some of those now-grown video game enthusiasts in the present day, who are trying to re=create that vibe by collecting vintage machines and setting up "home arcades" in their garages or basements. A fun retro study that's bound to bring back memories.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 02, 2021, 10:33:12 PM
"To All a Goodnight" (1980)
A group of sorority girls staying behind in their dorm over Christmas break are picked off by a nutjob in a Santa Claus suit. Yup, that's the entire plot.
This obscure mix of "Black Christmas" and "Friday the 13th" pre-dates the far more notorious killer-Santa flick "Silent Night Deadly Night" by a couple of years, so I guess it deserves some points for innovation. It's not a great movie, but it's got a couple of cute girls in it and a bunch of gory kills. Lord knows I've seen worse.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Cult_Moody_Movies on December 03, 2021, 03:12:28 AM
Ghostbusters: Afterlife - Overall I liked it. If you are looking for the Ghostbusters III we wanted since the end of Ghostubsters II, I would suggest playing The Video Game or reading the IDW Comics. With that said this was a surprise. The kid actors felt like kids unlike so much of the modern media shoved onto to us. Mckenna Grace as Phoebe is a real standout.

While Afterlife might not be my favorite of the GB franchise, its a huge jump from the garbage of 2016.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 03, 2021, 03:27:16 PM
Estranged - a terrible British family decide to keep a girl who might or might not be their daughter in the basement for some reason. The woman and her very short boyfriend had come home to rest after she was in an accident. The motivations for all the stuff are barely explained. The few flashbacks are cheaply done. It seems like they made a movie of an early draft of a script. Performances are generally okay and I was sort of engaged in parts but in the end I couldn't wait until it did end.

1.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 03, 2021, 10:22:26 PM
HELLARIOUS (2019)  A fairly amusing set of low-budget comedy shorts; everything from a killer shopping cart to cannibalistic lunch ladies with a Johnny Depp fetish to an amusing twist on the old werewolf legend; not too raunchy but fairly bloody, this was a fun little freebie from Amazon Prime  3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 04, 2021, 04:38:25 AM
Girls with Balls (2018)

A girl volleyball team gets lost in the woods and is hunted by a murderous cult of yokels, led by Denis Lavant of Holy Motors fame.

After seeing the 'Bad Movies on Netflix' thread, I gave it a go.

Disappointing. It is not funny or over the top enough to be a comedy/parody. It is also way too silly to create any real suspense. There is some sexiness, but again it stops well short of showing anything, really. Finally it is also quite competently made, so it doesn't fit in the so bad it is good category. There are some good moments, and it is not painful to watch (being only 77 minutes helps) but it doesn't have a lot to recommend it, either.

For the French learners, if you want to go to France and thoroughly curse people out, this is one to watch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 04, 2021, 03:11:30 PM
The Visitor (1978) - This has probably turned up on "What was that movie?" before. The story isn't that great, but its very memorable visually. Some sort of alien girl comes to Earth and causes havoc. Her Earth Mom thinks its her regular daughter not this massive alien conspiracy. Really quintessentially 70's effects and big work put into creating colorful cinematography makes it stand out. like a more evil "Escape from With mountain" crossed with an episode of Charlie's angels or something.

again plot isn't super strong but it's enjoyable late night viewing that moves well enough. The ice skating fight is hilarious

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 05, 2021, 08:05:01 AM
"Krampus" (2015)
A dysfunctional family's stressed-out holiday gathering is complicated by a major blizzard and a visit from the Yuletide demon of German folklore, whose job is to punish those who've lost their Christmas spirit.
Michael "Trick r' Treat" Dougherty's tongue in cheek holiday horror story is hampered slightly by its PG13 rating (though I understand a nastier, so-called "Naughty Cut" version now exists), but the black humor and cool creature FX keep it watchable. This has become a Christmas season regular for me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 05, 2021, 09:18:44 AM
BUTCHERS (2021) - A pair of inbred brothers in rural Canada waylay travelers along their lonely stretch of highway, killing the men and feeding them to their deformed brother, and keeping the women as sex slaves.  This is a pretty by-the-numbers "cannibal mutant hillbilly" flick; no nudity but lots of gore.  Moderately entertaining if you like that sort of thing. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 05, 2021, 09:42:21 PM
"Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997)
Pierce Brosnan's second turn as 007 takes him to Germany and the Orient, where a crazed multi-media magnate is trying to start a war between England and China, which will be great for his network's ratings. Hong Kong action star Michelle Yeoh (making what I believe was her first appearance in a Western film) co-stars as a butt kicking Chinese agent providing backup for Bond. Lots of action packed fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 06, 2021, 07:16:33 AM
TULLY (2018) - Charlize Theron stars as Margo, a frazzled mother of three kids, including a newborn, who hires a night nanny so she can get a little sleep.  The nanny, a cute 20something named Tully, quickly develops a strong bond with her new boss, that leads to them sharing . . . everything!  Cool movie with a crazy twist at the end that I didn't see coming!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 06, 2021, 03:57:02 PM
Jennifer's Body -  Somehow I never saw this one. Really enjoyable horror comedy that is kind of a cross between Scream and Not Another Teen Movie, so maybe not the best choice for you classic horror buffs.

Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried do the Betty vs Veronica thing about as well as it can be done. I liked it better than Scream 4 and about as much as It Follows though it wasn't as good a horror movie as the latter.

The emo band doing their goofy song "through the trees" was as good a parody of that genre, essentially Christian rock for hipsters, as I've ever seen.

4.5 /5 better as comedy than horror though


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 07, 2021, 10:53:29 AM
SPENCER (2021): Princess Diana struggles with her mental health, bulimia, and marital problems during Christmas celebrations with the royal family. Pablo Larraín's stately but highly speculative biopic effectively exploits Diana's paradoxical public image as both the embodiment of royal glamour and its tragic victim. Stewart deserves the praise she receives for her perf. 4/5.

As I watched this I kept wondering "Would Trevor like this?" I think he would, because Diana is treated very sympathetically.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 07, 2021, 11:58:07 AM
SPENCER (2021): Princess Diana struggles with her mental health, bulimia, and marital problems during Christmas celebrations with the royal family. Pablo Larraín's stately but highly speculative biopic effectively exploits Diana's paradoxical public image as both the embodiment of royal glamour and its tragic victim. Stewart deserves the praise she receives for her perf. 4/5.

As I watched this I kept wondering "Would Trevor like this?" I think he would, because Diana is treated very sympathetically.

Thanks for that, Rev.

Diana was the first celebrity I had a serious crush on and I was devastated when she died, as people who know me know well. Even my special sister Maggi - who made it plain that she didn't like Diana - cried when she found out that Diana had died.

Despite the crush I had on her, I always saw Diana as a big sister and a life mentor in some ways - I'm a blood and organ donor because of her - and I hated the Diana film with Naomi Watts (who tried hard) so I was wondering if I should go see this.

Thanks to you, I'm going next week.  :smile:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 09, 2021, 04:12:47 PM
MAYDAY (2021): A young woman blacks out and finds herself in a fantasy world where she joins a squad of women who lure men to their death by sending false distress signals that lead them into deadly storms. This adult variation on "Wizard of Oz" with a feminist spin fails to reach it's potential; it starts with a strange premise, but seems uncertain on just how unconventional it wants to get, falling back on familiar beats. Not awful, but girls deserve better. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 10, 2021, 08:13:16 AM
"The Hebrew Hammer" (2003)
A crazed new Santa (Andy Dick) takes over operations at the North Pole and plans to wipe Hanukkah off the holiday calendar. Mordechai Jefferson Carver, aka "The Hebrew Hammer" (Adam Goldberg), a super-cool certified Kosher bad-ass and protector of all things Jewish, is the only man who can stop him.
A low budget, but very funny action comedy in the "Austin Powers" or "Undercover Brother" vein; Goldberg is a hoot as the heroic Hammer (who's kinda like a Jewish "Shaft"). I'm pretty sure this is the only time you'll ever hear a gun toting movie hero say, "Shabbat Shalom, motherf***ers!"


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 10, 2021, 11:18:32 PM
Mandela effect (2019) - Apparently, millions of people thought nelson Mandela died in prison in the 80's. I never thought that. I remember distinctly when he was freed. They had a huge concert here in Boston and him being freed was a big story in the newspaper. Why did so many people think that he had died before? It's the Mandela Effect! What if instead of just a lot of people being mistaken its actually proof there's a hole in the universe and life is just a simulation or something? Welcome to this entertaining but reaching ass movie.

A guy's daughter drowns in the ocean when he's not watching her. This throws his marriage into turmoil and he goes down a rabbit hole of youtubes about the Mandela Effect (described above). Things get crazy when he tries to track down one of the guys giving speeches in the videos ( imitation Morgan freeman guy) and realizes there is a whole body of work about it and even a super computer to like study this phenomenon.

It's totally ridiculous but the actors play it straight and damn if it doesn't work on some level. They took an absurd concept for a sci fi movie and largely pulled it off

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 11, 2021, 03:33:20 AM
The Thing (1982)

Deservedly a classic. But why does a polar research station need all those flamethrowers and explosives?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: jimpickens on December 11, 2021, 04:15:18 AM
Silent Night Deadly night the original 1984 classic.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 11, 2021, 04:29:09 AM
The Thing (1982)

Deservedly a classic. But why does a polar research station need all those flamethrowers and explosives?

Because I paid them a visit prior to that  :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on December 11, 2021, 06:12:51 AM
The Thing (1982)

Deservedly a classic. But why does a polar research station need all those flamethrowers and explosives?

Because I paid them a visit prior to that  :wink:

The explosives could be for blasting into the ice for deeper samples. The flame thrower is a bit harder to justify. The only thing I could come up with would be the disposal of toxic materials, but there would be better and safer ways of doing that.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 11, 2021, 08:01:20 AM
SICK NURSES (2008) - A strange Thai horror film that was free on Amazon Prime.  A group of young nurses are helping a doctor get rich by selling parts of dead bodies to black market organ dealers; one of them gets squeamish and threatens to blow the whistle, so the others kill her.  Her ghost comes back and wreaks vengeance in horrible ways on each of them.  It was decently done but the subtitles seemed a little off from the tone of the narrative in places.   Also - do Thai films have some sort of prohibition on nudity?  I can't think of any other reason why one of the characters took a shower in her sports bra and workout shorts. 3/6


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 12, 2021, 03:54:58 PM
Quote
Silent Night Deadly night the original 1984 classic.

watched that for the first time. so good. I think I had avoided it because I thought it was just trying to be controversial but it's a cool movie, similar to if not as scary as Friday the 13th or something


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 13, 2021, 06:27:16 AM
"Alien Domicile" (2017)
Four people awake in a room in some kind of government bunker, with no memory of how they got there. As they begin to explore the complex, they encounter some nasty alien life forms who've overrun the facility. Yes, thats the entire plot.
I got this DVD from the dollar store so obviously I wasn't expecting Shakespeare, but this movie couldn't even cough up a coherent story. Who are these people? Who locked them away, and why? Where did the aliens come from? Your guess is as good as mine, because absolutely nothing is explained. Basically the characters endlessly bicker and fight till they get killed one by one (off screen, cuz the movie doesn't have the budget for any gore). The movie run time was less than 90 minutes, but it felt like hours.
Do I even need to say it? AVOID!

"Planet Dune" (2021)
A space rescue team arrives on a desert planet to search for survivors of a crash, but the mission is complicated by the presence of numerous massive, man-eating worms that live under the sand.
In case it's not immediately obvious, this was the Asylum's knock off of the big budget adaptation of "Dune," though plot wise it more closely resembles a "Tremors" movie set in outer space. As Asylum movies go, this one was slightly better than average, but of course that's still a long way from being "good."

"Deadpool 2" (2018)
The wise cracking, ass kicking mercenary (Ryan Reynolds) assembles a team to help him tangle with Cable, a bounty hunter from the future, and to stop a troubled teem mutant before he develops into a full-on super villain. Hilariously over the top, ultra violent action comedy drops almost as many F bombs as it does bullets. A total hoot.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 13, 2021, 10:21:10 AM
DRIVE MY CAR (2021): A recently widowed Japanese actor travels to direct a pan-Asian production of "Uncle Vanya" and bonds with his driver. Well-written and overlong (three hours). It's the kind of subtle, realistic drama movie critics go crazy over, for some reason, but few people here would like it. N: A recently widowed Japanese actor travels to direct a pan-Asian production of "Uncle Vanya" and bonds with his driver. Well-written and overlong (three hours). Nonetheless, it's a 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 13, 2021, 03:37:53 PM
Terminator 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on December 13, 2021, 11:26:23 PM
Old Henry - A solid Western.  If you're a fan of real Western history, you'll know what's going on in this one way before a reveal or two.  Good performances, especially the lead, some good tense scenes, and a satisfying climax.  One serious complaint, I feel the son character is weakly performed, sticks out in terms of looks as well, and is underwritten.  Doesn't sink the film, but a significant detriment.  Still absolutely worth a watch, and the best new Western I've seen in a few years. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 15, 2021, 10:51:16 AM
DANTE'S INFERNO (2007): Dante's "Inferno" retold, faithfully, in a cheeky modern setting (e.g., the city of Dis is a planned community) enacted by stick puppets. Amusing homemade animation aimed at English majors.  3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 15, 2021, 09:26:23 PM
A CHRISTMAS STORY (1983) - I hate to admit it, but until today, I had never once seen this classic in its entirety.  I'd caught most of it at one time or another in bits and pieces, but to wrap up the year in my MODERN AMERICA class we decided to give it a view, since we just finished studying the 1980's.  (I was in the military when this released, so it went completely under my radar back then).   What a fun, nostalgic ride through America in the late 40's!  Highly recommended, just don't shoot your eye out!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 16, 2021, 09:55:42 AM
THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (2021): Julie, smart but unfocused, falls in love first with a controversial underground comics artist, then a charming but humble barista. Extremely smart and sharply written, with sexual banter and psychological insight delivered in 14 polished episodes (there's even a mushroom trip), this is a fantastic character study of a woman who may not be the worst person in the world, but may very well be her own worst enemy. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 16, 2021, 11:27:05 PM
"Black Christmas" (2019)
A group of sorority sisters' long simmering feud with a rival fraternity boils over into murder and mayhem as their college campus closes down for Christmas break.
...this "reboot" of Bob Clark's 70s Yuletide slasher classic doesn't have much in common with the original (or the 2006 remake) aside from the title and the Christmas time college setting.
I think it's trying to be a horrific satire of "Me too" and 21st century "woke" attitudes, but I don't care about any of that crap --  I just wanted to see some Christmas related carnage, and this film delivers very little of that, due to the dreaded PG13 rating. It wastes SO much time on set up that by the time the violence finally started kickin' in around the three quarter mark, I was so bored that I didn't even care anymore.
Final rating: AVOID. Watch the '74 or '06 versions instead.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 17, 2021, 10:00:04 AM
LUZZU (2021): A Maltese fisherman struggles to support his family when his luzzu (a wooden fishing boat handed down for generations) springs a leak. Competent exploration of important themes like integrity, sacrifice, and tradition, but only the setting (who knew the Maltese fishing industry was such a seabed of corruption?) is truly novel. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 17, 2021, 09:24:16 PM
"Jay and Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie" (2013)
A cheap cartoon adventure featuring the stoner duo from Kevin Smith's "View Askewniverse." Silent Bob buys a scratch-off ticket at the Quick Stop and wins $10 million. He and Jay spend the money on a bunch of cool gear and a hideout to become the weed-themed superhero team "Bluntman and Chronic," eventually tangling with an array of super villains with names like Dick Head, Newsgroup, and the Cocknocker.
The animation in this movie is absolutely terrible, but there are quite a few decent gags here, and with a run time of just a hair over an hour, it doesn't wear out its welcome. If it had been stretched out to feature length I think it would've become irritating.
Not Kevin Smith's best work by any means, but I'm a fanboy, so I will watch anything with J & SB in it. "Snoogans!"


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 18, 2021, 04:56:06 PM
Cold, wet, dreary day outside, perfect for veggin' on the couch watchin' movies:

"It's a Wonderful Life" (1946, colorized version)
A depressed man (Jimmy Stewart) is planning to commit suicide on Christmas Eve - until his guardian angel appears to show him what life would be like for his friends and family if he'd never been born. Frank Capra's corny (in a good way) holiday classic was my late father's favorite Christmas film, and though I don't watch it every year like he used to, I still like to revisit it every now and then.

"The Shadow" (1994)
Alec Baldwin plays the pulp-magazine hero, a rich playboy by day and two fisted dark avenger by night, in this cool period piece action flick. Set in 1930s New York City, The Shadow must stop a descendent of Genghis Khan who plans to pick up where his ancestor left off in the world-conquering business. Russell "Highlander" Mulcahy directed this action packed mashup of "Batman" and "Indiana Jones," with great retro set designs and FX and a supporting cast that includes Sir Ian McKellan, Tim Curry, Penelope Anne Miller (hot!) and Jonathan Winters. Unfortunately, poor box office returns kept the Shadow from becoming a franchise, which is a shame, cuz I would've liked to see more of 'em.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 18, 2021, 07:59:19 PM
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. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 18, 2021, 08:09:37 PM
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


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 18, 2021, 10:54:22 PM
"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!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 19, 2021, 07:28:18 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 19, 2021, 11:39:30 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 19, 2021, 04:36:46 PM
"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."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 20, 2021, 01:57:05 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 20, 2021, 06:26:54 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 20, 2021, 08:53:20 AM
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:

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1ShT5mOs_Y0/maxresdefault.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 20, 2021, 03:41:14 PM
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



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 23, 2021, 01:23:13 PM
"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!"


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 23, 2021, 01:41:37 PM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 24, 2021, 09:24:28 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 24, 2021, 09:50:13 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 24, 2021, 02:08:05 PM
"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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 24, 2021, 02:14:06 PM
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



That was a really good movie  :smile:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 25, 2021, 03:27:16 PM
^ conspiracy movies are being replaced by rabbit hole movies, where the main character goes online and gets sucked into some sort of ongoing illuminati thingy. or maybe they are the same thing

speaking of which

Zenith (2010) - standard rabbit hole experience but a good one. In the future a guy makes a living selling expired medication. The side effects make people feel BAD, which is what they want because in the future there is no pain or something. Doesn't PCP do that too? Anyway, he begins search for answers for the way things are in the world, mainly via his late fathers strange body of work chronicling a shadowy mega corp called Zenith. Apparently they were lizard people while also making black and white tvs that we had in my house in the 1980's.

It's not as original as it thinks it is, but it works. Where are the "sexy nightclubs" they have in these movies? Every time I try to find one it's s**tfaced college girls or extremely loud garage bands

4/5


Awake (2007) - The hook here is some sort of real life phenomena where people who are put under for surgery don't actually fall asleep and are instead awake and unable to move for the entirety of the thing.

That happens to this guy whose new wife is Jessica Alba... or is she actually an alien or something??? It's a case where the various elements don't combine to make a masterpiece but do combine to make a functioning piece of cinema that is watcheable and not embarrassing. I'm going to be charitable and guess that the writer read about the thing of people being awake for their surgeries and built the story around the possibilities of that. It's a cool idea

4.25 I really liked it but didn't quite love it. the lead guy was too squishy and it didn't show off Alba correctly. movies should feel like you are on vacation or at a party



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 26, 2021, 08:28:28 AM
Finished out 2021's "War on Christmas" with these two:

"Better Watch Out" (2017)
A college girl takes a Christmas Eve babysitting gig, and as soon as the kid's parents are gone, someone starts banging on the windows and trying to break down the front door. She thinks it's a home-invasion robbery but eventually learns that there's something far more sinister going on.
A pretty cool holiday psycho-thriller. I saw the mid-film twist coming from a mile away so it wasn't a big surprise, but the movie is well acted (esp. the two young leads, who also played brother and sister in M. Night Shamalan's "The Visit") and has a nice Christmasy feel amidst all the mayhem. Worth a look.

"A Christmas Horror Story" (2015)
Cool "Trick r' Treat" style anthology of creepy Christmas stories that all take place in or around the same small town on Christmas Eve: teenage paranormal investigators are trapped in a haunted school; a bickering family has a Krampus encounter; a trip to cut down a Christmas tree brings home something evil; and at the North Pole, a badass Santa has to deal with a Zombie outbreak amongst his elves. William Shatner (!) plays a drunken radio DJ whose running commentary between segments (think Adrienne Barbeau from "The Fog") ties the whole thing together. This one is lots of tongue in cheek fun and deserves to be a cult classic!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 26, 2021, 07:56:06 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: SANTA CLAUS VS. THE DEVIL: Don't be fooled by the title, it's another re-riff of SANTA CLAUS (1950) (at least the third take; I think Rifftrax may have done it twice?) I still laughed out loud a couple times, and the movie is fun to watch even without jokes. After-show guests were J. Elvis Weinstein and Andy Kindler, who have a podcast together. I recognized Kindler but didn't know him real well; he's funny. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 27, 2021, 12:00:23 AM
THE KING'S MAN (2021)  I went to see this on Christmas Eve and was thoroughly entertained from start to finish.  I enjoyed both KINGSMAN movies, but this one leaves the other two in the dust.  Spanning the years 1902-1918, the movie shows one family's involvement in the shadow world of European espionage preceding and during the Great War.  The whole sequence with Rasputin is the high point of the movie, but overall, the entire film is a wonderful romp through history.  Highly recommended!   5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 27, 2021, 09:59:09 AM
HIVE (2021): Against the wishes of their conservative society, a group of Kosovan war widows form a collective to sell homemade ajvar. Inspirational "based on a true story" formula pic notable for its depiction of patriarchal post-war Kosovo in the 2000s. 2.5/5.

THE SUMMIT OF THE GODS (2021): A journalist follows the trail of an off-the-grid mountain climber who he thinks holds proof that George Mallory may have reached the summit of Mount Everest decades before Edmund Hillary. This animated mountain climbing adventure/mystery is made from an odd combination of elements, but keeps you entertained.  On Netflix. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 27, 2021, 12:00:03 PM
"Clerks" (1994)
...yup, again. Kevin Smith's micro-budget indie comedy about two New Jersey slackers trapped in a low-end retail job hell of their own making will never get old for me.

"Bay Area Godfathers" (2020)
Latest installment of the "Inside Metal" documentary series zooms in on the San Francisco Bay Area hard rock and metal scene, which contrary to popular belief was thriving long before Metallica first came to town. Lots of pix/video and info on long forgotten bands like Steele, Dammaj, Stone Vengeance, and Harvey (?), as well as interviews with many of the later scene's major playas like Eric Peterson (Testament), Rocky George (Suicidal Tendencies), Craig Locicero (Forbidden), Steve "Zetro" Souza (Exodus), Dave Meniketti (Y&T) and some guy named Lars Ulrich (whatever happened to him, anyway?). A treasure trove of metal nerd trivia, followed by a part II which is next on my watch list.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 27, 2021, 04:19:55 PM
Miracle Mile (1988) - Awesome  :thumbup: I'd never seen this but it's an 80's classic, not as elaborate as Pee Wee's Big adventure or Killer Klowns but similar vibe. If I had watched this at one of the weekly movie nights we had in 1989 at my friend Gabes house I would have ....I don't know. It would have been a lasting memory!

A guy meets a girl, has an amazing day with her, then he picks up a pay phone and the guy at the other end tells him there is going to be a nuclear war within the hour. The rest of the movie is him coming to terms with this while trying to find his new girlfriend and get out of town. What good will that do in a nuclear war??  I don't know he's just trying to move to higher ground or something.

My favorite part was when they secure a helicopter but can't find someone to fly it. He has to just go down the streets of LA and ask random people if they can do it. bonus: Sci Fi legend John agar has a small role

5/5 highly recommended

Kidnapped for Christ (2013) - There are lots of these sort of troubled kids camps that are cash cows for the people who run them and unregulated by the government. The kids in this movie aren't whipped and beaten like slaves, but they have a really bad time and seem to really learn no valuable life skills other than becoming a basket case.

Being gay is one thing that will get you sent to places like this. The main character David seems to be a normal kid who gets good grades and has friends, but his parents decided the best thing to was send him to the Dominican Republic to spend all day folding clothes perfectly and getting megachurch type "living your life" advice. The kids follow rules all day and have to ask to enter or leave rooms and are constantly being ordered to do push ups and so forth. This is all done in the name of Jesus, who probably would have done a "this is my fathers house!" esque rampage if he'd seen this crap.

The movie is mostly about David and the attempts to free him. Even after his 18th birthday he somehow can't leave. Film maker was an Evangelical Christian hoping to make an uplifting story about kids getting help and then returning to their lives. Some reviewers were mad it didn't "show both sides" but it doesn't claim to do that and would have been besides the point I think.

4.25/ 5 I watched it in one sitting after already watching the end of Miracle Mile


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on December 27, 2021, 04:27:03 PM
Miracle Mile (1988) - Awesome  :thumbup: I'd never seen this but it's an 80's classic, not as elaborate as Pee Wee's Big adventure or Killer Klowns but similar vibe. If I had watched this at one of the weekly movie nights we had in 1989 at my friend Gabes house I would have ....I don't know. It would have been a lasting memory!

A guy meets a girl, has an amazing day with her, then he picks up a pay phone and the guy at the other end tells him there is going to be a nuclear war within the hour. The rest of the movie is him coming to terms with this while trying to find his new girlfriend and get out of town. What good will that do in a nuclear war??  I don't know he's just trying to move to higher ground or something.

My favorite part was when they secure a helicopter but can't find someone to fly it. He has to just go down the streets of LA and ask random people if they can do it. bonus: Sci Fi legend John agar has a small role

5/5 highly recommended

That was one I remember wanting to see when it first came out and never finding a copy of it. I'd forgotten about it in the years since. Maybe I'll look it up again now.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 27, 2021, 11:04:12 PM
"Bay Area Godfathers II" (2020)
Metallica moves to Frisco and the whole Bay Area scene goes thrash crazy in the second half of this in-depth "Inside Metal" documentary which also devotes a fair amount of time to Exodus, Laaz Rockit, Vicious Rumors, and more. Just as much fun as the first installment.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 27, 2021, 11:50:21 PM
Alex - it is free on tubitv


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on December 28, 2021, 01:31:59 AM
Alex - it is free on tubitv

Thanks, I'll give it a watch while I am stuck away from home.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 28, 2021, 09:42:52 AM
Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Water (2021): The story of a modern dance piece written in response to the 80s AIDS crisis, alternating interviews and footage of the original performance with scenes of college students preparing for a contemporary revival. Bill T. Jones has artistic charisma and this documentary does a good job of making this specialized subject matter interesting to the average viewer; dance fans will probably go nuts for it. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on December 28, 2021, 05:26:04 PM
Matrix Resurrections - It's... Okayish, I guess.  I had extremely low expectations starting this up, and I found the first third of this somewhat interesting, the middle introduced a few interesting ideas, and then the end is a mush of bad execution and weak writing.  Very easy to spoil too, so I won't say much more directly that that.  In the end, think we'd have been better off if they'd stopped at The Matrix.  I guess...  5/10?  I dunno.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 29, 2021, 12:36:24 AM
lol  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 29, 2021, 09:51:26 AM
FOUND: DNA tests reveal that three Chinese girls adopted by US families are cousins, and they travel to China together on a search for their birth parents. Good companion viewing with the more informative documentary ONE CHILD NATION, showing the fallout of China's disastrous population control policies on a purely emotional level. 3/5. On Netflix.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 29, 2021, 03:39:18 PM
I'm watching https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4231140/ (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4231140/) this Russian tv series. It's about Russian royal family palace intrigue. enjoyable so far


(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FHzWmy3XEAMY4hz?format=jpg&name=small)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 29, 2021, 10:04:32 PM
"The Target Shoots First" (2000)
In the early 90s, a recent college grad, punk rocker and aspiring film maker named Chris Wilcha took a job at the Columbia House Music Club headquarters in NYC. Bringing his camera with him to work every day, he captures the schism between the marketing and creative departments and  eventually realizes that even though these people are in the business of selling music, they don't seem to really know much about it. This becomes especially clear as they try belatedly to jump on Nirvana and the "alternative" music wave. A dry, funny documentary about a weird time in the music business.

"So Wrong, They're Right" (1999)
A documentary ode to that most maligned of past music formats, the lowly 8 track tape. Two guys who run a fanzine devoted to 8 track collecting take off on a cross country road trip to meet up with fellow 8 track devotees and hoarders, who show off their favorite finds and discuss why they're all still  devoted to this dead format. I suppose if a sequel to this doc were filmed today, it would focus on CD collectors (and I'd gladly appear in it!)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 30, 2021, 01:08:32 PM
TORN (2021): Max Lowe makes a documentary about birth father, the famous mountain-climber Alex Lowe, who died in an avalanche when he was young. The third mountain-climbing movie I've watched this year (!), this one largely eschews heart-pounding footage to focus explicitly on the effect that the risks climbers' take have on their loved ones. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 31, 2021, 09:40:37 AM
"Don't Look Up" (2021)
While scanning the night sky, a pair of astronomers (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) discover a massive, planet killing comet that's on a collision course with Earth. With only six months left before it hits, their attempts to get the word out and mobilize a plan to save the planet are consistently blocked by government ineptitude, corporate agendas, and just plain ol' human greed and stupidity.
...sounds familiar, doesn't it?
This all-star, big budget satire plays like a combination of "Deep Impact" and "Idiocracy" (with a hit of "Dr. Strangelove") and seems to be Netflix's hip "message" movie of the moment -- they're not even trying to hide the parallels to our current world situation. I laughed a lot, but I also thought, "Damn, that's exactly how this would play out" quite often too. Your mileage may vary depending on which side of the aisle you're on.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 31, 2021, 10:09:52 AM
MLK/FBI (2021): A film documenting the FBI's surveillance--which quickly tuned into harassment---of Martin Luther King, Jr. Thorough and credible journalistic documentary that explains the FBI's motives as charitably as possible and doesn't whitewash MLK's infidelities, while remaining a cautionary tale about government interference in the lives of private citizens (how can we countenance the FBI conducting a massive campaign to uncover adultery?). Available on Hulu. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 01, 2022, 05:59:05 PM
"Mallrats" (1995)
Two losers (Jason Lee and Jeremy London) both get dumped by their girlfriends on the same day, so they head to the mall, where they plot an elaborate scheme to win them back with a little help from the notorious Jay and Silent Bob... and Stan "The Man" Lee.
Kevin Smith's first attempt at a "studio" film is less profane than "Clerks" but there's still lots of slap-sticky fun. "Mallrats" wasn't the box office hit everyone expected after the success of "Clerks," but Kev's career rebounded nicely with "Chasing Amy" and "Dogma," and "Mallrats" eventually garnered a well deserved cult following.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 02, 2022, 03:11:27 AM
"Don't Look Up" (2021)
While scanning the night sky, a pair of astronomers (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) discover a massive, planet killing comet that's on a collision course with Earth. With only six months left before it hits, their attempts to get the word out and mobilize a plan to save the planet are consistently blocked by government ineptitude, corporate agendas, and just plain ol' human greed and stupidity.
...sounds familiar, doesn't it?
This all-star, big budget satire plays like a combination of "Deep Impact" and "Idiocracy" (with a hit of "Dr. Strangelove") and seems to be Netflix's hip "message" movie of the moment -- they're not even trying to hide the parallels to our current world situation. I laughed a lot, but I also thought, "Damn, that's exactly how this would play out" quite often too. Your mileage may vary depending on which side of the aisle you're on.

I found it overlong. The satirical bits were funny enough, but some of the other parts that were supposed to flesh out the characters, added nothing but length. I started picturing conversations among the production team like
- Timothée Chalamet wants to be in the movie
- Sure, we can fit him in somewhere

- Ariana Grande is in, but only if she gets to sing
- No problem, we can do that


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 02, 2022, 04:27:50 PM
I finished the first season of Ekaterina: the rise of Catherine the Great on tubi https://tubitv.com/series/300005819/ekaterina-the-rise-of-catherine-the-great?start=true&utm_source=google-feed&tracking=google-feed

It was ten episodes in part sponsored by Russia itself so it was I guess accurate or biased or something? but I liked it. Very different from stuff I usually watch in terms of content and also the format. There's a lot of sex and murder going on in the palace.

Catherine has a different name at first coming from Prussia. When she's chosen to be the bride she gets a new name and even her mom has to call her that. Everyone in the palace is concerned with starting new wars and their own glory and pleasure. No one thinks the slightest bit of the people they are supposedly ruling over. no lessons for today then obviously!

The best performance was probably Catherine's dips**t husband Peter, who is obviously in way over his head but manages to evoke some sympathy for his pathetic attempts to survive the whole thing and make a name for himself.


5/5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 02, 2022, 09:28:12 PM
"The Ambushers" (1967)
Dean Martin smirks, schmoozes, and martini's his way through another adventure as suave super agent Matt Helm. This time the "agency" sends him and a lovely female sidekick to Mexico to recover a stolen American space craft that can only be flown by a lady pilot, for some reason. As usual, the story is lame, the effects are cheap, and Dino is clearly pickled to the gills half the time, but the South of the Border scenery is nice, and Dean's constantly surrounded by pretty girls (those Sixties chicks, mama mia!) so I was entertained.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 02, 2022, 11:20:14 PM
Pig - Pretty enjoyable film, very solid Nicholas Cage performance.  A couple of interesting side characters.  Slow pacing in a good way.  Nicely shot.  I heard it called the anti-John Wick, and that's mostly apt I think.  The only person getting damaged by Cage it's psychological, but devastating.  It's not really deep, but it is well put together.  7/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 03, 2022, 11:37:07 AM
"Inventing David Geffen" (2012)
PBS "American Masters" documentary on the music and movie biz mogul. David started out managing 70s rock acts like Laura Nyro and the Eagles, established the iconic Asylum Records label, made movies like "Risky Business" and "Little Shop of Horrors," started his own record label imprint that gave the world Guns N Roses and Nirvana, and teamed up with Spielberg and Katzenberg to start the Dreamworks studio. Not a bad track record for one guy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 03, 2022, 04:08:37 PM
"Stripes" (1981)
Two losers (Bill Murray and Harold Ramis) with no prospects decide to join the Army, and are assigned to a platoon full of fellow screw ups. They bumble through Basic Training together and eventually are sent to Europe on a special mission, which of course goes horribly wrong.
I hadn't seen this classic in a looooong time and wondered how well (or not) it had aged. Its "edge" has been dulled somewhat by the passage of time but there's still plenty of juvenile laughs in it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 04, 2022, 09:58:46 AM
MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES: The Mitchells--a young dinosaur nerd, a college-bound film nerd, an enabling mother nerd, and a survivalist nerd dad--must come together as a team to defeat the robot apocalypse. This movie for the YouTube/Snapchat generation has it all: family drama, a cross-eyed dog, contemporary technological satire, robot-fighting action, a giant demonic furby, subtle references to other movies, and multiple cat filters. This animated delight from Sony Pictures Animation, produced by the team behind THE LEGO MOVIE and INTO THE SPDERVERSE, might have been a big theatrical hit if the original theatrical release hadn't been cancelled due to Covid, leaving Netflix to snap it up instead. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 04, 2022, 04:10:39 PM
Found - dark and downbeat low budget horror movie that apparently came from a graphic novel. A kid opens a bowling ball bag in his brothers room and finds a human head instead of a ball. This sets the tone for the rest of the movie, which reminded me of Creepshow,  American Beauty, and my own dreams of looking at horror movie vhs cassettes in video stores.


3.75 / 5 this ain't no horror comedy thats for sure. check it out if you're in to serial killer stuff


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on January 04, 2022, 04:24:52 PM
"Stripes" (1981)
Two losers (Bill Murray and Harold Ramis) with no prospects decide to join the Army, and are assigned to a platoon full of fellow screw ups. They bumble through Basic Training together and eventually are sent to Europe on a special mission, which of course goes horribly wrong.
I hadn't seen this classic in a looooong time and wondered how well (or not) it had aged. Its "edge" has been dulled somewhat by the passage of time but there's still plenty of juvenile laughs in it.

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/9d4b48dd-b5fb-4fd5-94de-5f75d06b92b1 (https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/9d4b48dd-b5fb-4fd5-94de-5f75d06b92b1)

 :teddyr: :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: jimpickens on January 05, 2022, 04:43:41 AM
Wild Women of the Naked West 1965 Russ Meyer nudie cutie that is downright hilarious
Ilsa Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 06, 2022, 08:25:59 AM
"Drive Angry" (2011)
Nicolas Cage escapes from Hell in a souped up car to avenge the death of his daughter and save his baby granddaughter from a murderous religious cult.
Some say that this "Grindhouse" inspired, over-the-top (on purpose), ultra violent supernatural action flick was where Cage's career jumped the shark and doomed him to a life in B-Movie purgatory, but I thought it was tons of fun. Just turn off your brain and enjoy the mayhem.
Side note, the lovely Amber Heard (who plays Cage's sidekick) rocks a pair of Daisy Duke shorts better than anyone I've seen since, well... since Daisy Duke.

"Galaxy of Terror" (aka "Mindwarp," 1981)
Astronauts on a rescue mission to a remote planet are picked off by a malevolent presence that uses their own worst fears against them.
This stylish space horror flick was one of several early 80s "Alien" knock offs from Roger Corman's New World Pictures, best remembered for the infamous scene where the hot blonde gets raped to death by a giant worm. The cast includes Ray "My Favorite Martian" Walston, Erin "Happy Days" Moran, and a young Robert "Freddy Krueger" Englund. It doesn't have an original bone in its body, but it's fast moving, gross, and sleazy. Just the way I like'em.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on January 06, 2022, 12:56:39 PM
"Don't Look Up" (2021)
While scanning the night sky, a pair of astronomers (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) discover a massive, planet killing comet that's on a collision course with Earth. With only six months left before it hits, their attempts to get the word out and mobilize a plan to save the planet are consistently blocked by government ineptitude, corporate agendas, and just plain ol' human greed and stupidity.
...sounds familiar, doesn't it?
This all-star, big budget satire plays like a combination of "Deep Impact" and "Idiocracy" (with a hit of "Dr. Strangelove") and seems to be Netflix's hip "message" movie of the moment -- they're not even trying to hide the parallels to our current world situation. I laughed a lot, but I also thought, "Damn, that's exactly how this would play out" quite often too. Your mileage may vary depending on which side of the aisle you're on.

Waaay to heavy handed on the politics. I was hoping the comet would hit within the first half hour.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 06, 2022, 04:21:42 PM
Cold Pursuit - pretty decent gangster movie with some ill advised jaunts into Tarrantino type humor. A guy's son gets killed by the mob of ...Colorado?? Well, they needed a snow background and Fargo had already been done. He has to interrupt his snow plowing career to get some revenge.

I liked all the snow. There is something satisfying about watching a winter movie in winter. Liam Neeson channels Al Bundy on painkillers as the lead and laura Dern appears for about a minute. the title is a joke. like Hot Pursuit but it's cold so it's a cold pursuit ahahe

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 07, 2022, 12:35:38 PM
HANGER (2009): A deformed 18-year old who survived a coat hanger abortion teams up with a vigilante to hunt down the pimp who killed his hooker mom. Repulsive, padded, pornographic, worthless; it's like someone with no sense of humor tried to make a John Waters or Troma film. 0.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 08, 2022, 12:09:23 AM
UNTITLED HORROR MOVIE (2021) - A group of actors and actresses whose TV series is threatened with cancellation begin working on a horror script one of them has been writing via a series of ZOOM meetings.  One of them volunteers and incantation which he found on Reddit, which winds up summoning a dark force that begins stalking and killing them.   Dirt cheap effects, but decent performances.  Better than it had any right to be.  3/

SPIDERMAN: NO WAY HOME (2021) - Peter Parker's secret identity is out, and he is accused of murdering the arch-villain Mysterio.  Desperate to fix the situation, he asked Dr. Strange for some magical help - but the spell goes awry and all the villains from all the previous Spiderman movies break through into one world, resurrected and angry and aching for revenge!  Fortunately, Peter's alter egos from the other universes come through also, and we see all three Spidermen working together to try and save New York from an angry gaggle of supervillains.  Wonderful, cheesy Marvel fun; great performances all around, and no matter which version of Spiderman you prefer, your favorite is going to be in this movie!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 08, 2022, 02:01:02 AM
Cold Pursuit - pretty decent gangster movie with some ill advised jaunts into Tarrantino type humor. A guy's son gets killed by the mob of ...Colorado?? Well, they needed a snow background and Fargo had already been done. He has to interrupt his snow plowing career to get some revenge.

I liked all the snow. There is something satisfying about watching a winter movie in winter. Liam Neeson channels Al Bundy on painkillers as the lead and laura Dern appears for about a minute. the title is a joke. like Hot Pursuit but it's cold so it's a cold pursuit ahahe

4/5

In case you didn't know, this is a remake of a Norwegian film (In Order of Disappearance).  Same director.  The original is set in Norway, hence the snowplow stuff with international gangsters, which made more sense in a Nordic context.  It was Stellan Skarsgård instead of Liam Neeson in the original.  It's worth a watch too - likewise, it also has some bizarre Scandinavian black humor that I found didn't quite gel, especially the final gag. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 08, 2022, 09:21:33 AM
In honor of Rush drummer Neil Peart, who passed away two years ago yesterday, I re-watched:

"Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage" (2010)
Sam ("Metal Evolution") Dunn's entertaining deep dive into the legendary Canadian power trio's lengthy career is one of my all time favorite rock docs.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 08, 2022, 10:31:50 AM
MST3K: INVADERS FROM THE DEEP: The first episode of MST3K every broadcast, on a Minnesota UHF station. The movie is episodes of a Gerry and Sylvia Anderson TV show jammed together to make a movie in which marionette marine secret agents fight off three sets of Invaders from the Deep (alien species that always consist of just two members). On the Satellite of Love, a long-haired hippie-looking Joel shows off several inventions recycled from his comedy act, and everyone gets sick with a virus that makes them squirt shaving cream. The sets (and robots) are ugly, only Crow is voiced, Joel sits in the theater alone for the first segment (later joined by Crow), the riffs are slowly-paced, and I only laughed twice (once at a joke I thought up). It's of interest to MST3K fans: you can see the shape of the show to come, and wonder at how lucky they were to survive long enough to hone this crude prototype into beloved cult TV. I resisted watching these pre-cable episodes for many years because Joel Hodgson said they weren't very good; he's right, of course. Not something that will enter my rotation, but it's worth checking out once. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 09, 2022, 11:05:38 PM
"Clockwork Orange County" (2014)
Flashback to the early '80s punk/hardcore scene of Orange County, CA., which centered around a club called the Cuckoo's Nest. Members of Black Flag, TSOL, Circle Jerks, and more share war stories backed by ultra-violent live footage and vintage photos and concert flyers.

"Underground Inc: The Rise & Fall of Alternative Rock" (2021)
When Nirvana unexpectedly blew up in the early '90s, the major labels started snapping up every "alternative" rock band they could find, hoping to duplicate that success. This documentary zooms in mostly on the unsuccessful bands who were promised the world before they were chewed up and spit out by the major label meat grinder like Jawbox, Cop Shoot Cop, Satchel, Handsome (?) and more. Some interesting (and occasionally depressing) stories are told.

"Death By Metal" (2018)
Deep dive into the life and career Death frontman/mastermind Chuck Schuldiner, who more or less created the template for death metal, and then later devoted himself to pushing and breaking the genre's self imposed boundaries, before his tragic death from cancer in 2001. Lots of cool vintage video clips, photos and interviews with former band members and associates.

"Salad Days: A Decade of Punk in Washington, DC" (2014)
Dave Grohl, Henry Rollins, Ian Mackaye (Fugazi/Minor Threat) and more recall the rise and fall of Washington DC's influential hardcore scene, covering the years from 1980 to 1990.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 10, 2022, 10:49:17 PM
"Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman's the Fantastic Four" (2016)
An interesting documentary that tells the strange story of the little-seen low budget early 90s "Fantastic Four" film adaptation. Roger Corman's company produced the film on a shoestring, and then it  was permanently shelved right before its release...much to the shock and dismay of the cast and crew. The actors who played the FF seem like a cool group of people who are still fond of the movie and proud of their performances in it; you feel bad for them knowing that all their hard work went down the drain due to behind-the-scenes wrangling. Hollywood is a dirty business, and this movie is proof.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 11, 2022, 09:57:56 AM
THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH (2021): Joel Coen's minimalist b&w adaptation of Macbeth, heavily influenced by Orson Welles' 1948 production. The Macbeths (Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand) are great, but it's the massive, shadowy Expressionist sets that really sell this version. I always think you can judge a Macbeth by its Weird Sisters, and their first appearance, with a lanky contortionist witch croaking out a prophecy while her two sisters are reflected in the lake before her, is shivery magic. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on January 11, 2022, 11:10:32 AM
"Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman's the Fantastic Four" (2016)
An interesting documentary that tells the strange story of the little-seen low budget early 90s "Fantastic Four" film adaptation. Roger Corman's company produced the film on a shoestring, and then it  was permanently shelved right before its release...much to the shock and dismay of the cast and crew. The actors who played the FF seem like a cool group of people who are still fond of the movie and proud of their performances in it; you feel bad for them knowing that all their hard work went down the drain due to behind-the-scenes wrangling. Hollywood is a dirty business, and this movie is proof.

I saw the movie on Youtube and I have to say that I enjoyed the 90s FF film. I don't think I'm alone.  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 12, 2022, 09:51:34 AM
I saw the movie on Youtube and I have to say that I enjoyed the 90s FF film. I don't think I'm alone.  :teddyr:

Yup, I've seen it too, and enjoyed it. It's cheap but it's fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 12, 2022, 09:53:21 AM
"Rapture-Palooza" (2014)
Left behind on Earth after the Rapture, a twenty something couple (Anna Kendrick and John Francis Daley) simply want to be left alone to adjust to their bizarre new surroundings, which include rain showers of blood, fireballs falling from the sky, stoner demons, and foul mouthed birds. Things become complicated when they encounter Satan, aka "The Beast" (Craig Robinson), who takes a shine to Anna and wants her as his bride. Wacky hi-jinks ensue.
A snarky low budget religious/apocalypse comedy that gets by mostly on the charms of its leading lady and the comic timing of her supporting cast.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 12, 2022, 10:27:40 AM
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND (2021): Documents the seminal underground rock and roll band from before its foundation to the glory days with Andy Warhol and Nico to its eventual breakup after only four albums. Todd Haynes tells the story in collage, using carefully chosen 1960s vintage footage edited like a Warhol film and using period techniques like split screen, to create the most artistically advanced rock doc you'll ever see. 4.5/5.   


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 12, 2022, 03:16:31 PM
The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity (2021)

Not to be confused with other similarly titled movies, based on roughly the same source material. Following my plan of watching whatever Chinese fantasy spectacular Netflix suggests.

This is much more compact and muted than any other of its kind I have seen so far. There are still enough spectacular magic battles with loads of CGI, but the focus is more on the tension between a handful of characters, without the visual overload, criss crossing plot lines and stuff happening right left and center of the other Yinyang master. And you have the bromance (dare we call it a love story?) between Qing Ming and Bo Ya. Quite enjoyable, if you like the genre.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 12, 2022, 04:23:57 PM
Salad Days - as mentioned by Fast Freddy, this is a documentary about the Washington DC hardcore scene. I grew up going to shows in Boston circa 87-early 90's and saw Fugazi, Swiz, Soulside and some of the other bands in this when they performed here. Basically, New York was rough and pretty conservative, Boston was in between and DC was sons and daughters of politicians and lobbyists who acted exactly as you would think the offspring of moderate democrats would. Needless to say, NY and DC didn't really get along. As time went on, bands in DC evolved into something more arty, bands in NY stayed largely the same and again Boston was somewhere in between.

none of this is in the documentary I'm just talking here.

Anyway, Ian Mackaye of minor threat and later Fugazi is the unifying figure for all the generations. The scene initially attracts attention for its thrash acts and becomes synonymous with the "straight edge" movement. Later, it became ground zero for what would eventually be called emo music. Another figure in the documentary is Brian Baker. I've always viewed him as a Judas like character and in subsequent years and interviews he kind of confirms that. He breaks up Minor Threat because he wants them to be more commercial, he later formed and broke up Dag Nasty while dragging them into a less punk format and then abandoned punk entirely to form Junkyard a generic LA strip sort of band. I can relate to want to make a living playing music but..... moments later "teen spirit" came out and fugazi were perfectly positioned to make millions, which they did while maintaining their dignity.

Anyway, if you were around then it's interesting to see. I like too that they admit they got a little too involved in politics for a while. can't really give it a score its too niche.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 14, 2022, 02:07:12 PM
"Movie Hoarders: From VHS to DVD and Beyond!" (2021)
Occasionally interesting documentary about die-hard movie buffs who refuse to give in to streaming video and continue to collect films on VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray, etc.
Some of these guys have absolutely AMAZING collections, and as a fanatical music collector (CDs for life, yo!) I can totally relate to the devotion to physical media over digital, but after a while, watching these guys all saying essentially the same things about their "nostalgia" for VHS and the days of Blockbuster Video gets old.
If this had been an hour long, it would have been a fun watch. At a hair over two, it eventually turns into an endurance contest. For the last half I spent more time looking at all the cool junk these goobers had on their shelves than listening to what they were saying ("Oh sh*t, he's got three versions of 'Cannibal Holocaust' AND a clamshell 'Savage Weekend'!").


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 15, 2022, 12:30:07 AM
City of the Dead (1960) - I didn't realize this was a British production, probably because every speaks in American accents. I guess if you look at it as proto Hammer horror its pretty good, but as proto grindhouse it's not that good.

A hot and suspiciously polite (now I know why: she's british) blonde goes to a New England town to research witchcraft. The fog machine is working overtime in this town, but nonetheless the first half of the movie is pretty on point. In the second half, you come to grips with the fact that it's 1960 and too early for the movie to go where it is supposed to go, but it's decent enough to hang on till the end.

3.75/5 I've certainly seen worse

that's a lot of fog on the ground

(https://alchetron.com/cdn/venetia-stevenson-2502aa78-9a9f-4fa0-aefe-b9928233ba1-resize-750.jpeg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 15, 2022, 10:33:40 AM
"Savage Weekend" (1979)
Five wealthy Manhattan-ites take a ride upstate for a relaxing weekend in the country, where a masked slasher starts picking them off. Yes, that's the whole plot.
Filmed in 1976, but wasn't released till '79 to cash in on the post-"Halloween" slasher craze.
A pretty dull, slow moving sleaze/horror flick that doesn't get into gear till the last half hour. Skip it.

"Captain America" (1990)
After Reb Brown but before the MCU's Chris Evans, Matt Salinger (son of "Catcher in the Rye" author J.D. Salinger) played Marvel's star spangled Avenger in this cheesy but fun low budget flick. Frozen in the 1940s, Cap is thawed out fifty years later to continue his battle against the Red Skull, who's now an international terrorist who has kidnapped the President of the United States. The story is a muddle and the budget limitations are painfully obvious, but there was enough action to keep me entertained, even if it was for all the wrong reasons.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 15, 2022, 02:55:31 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: A NIGHT OF SHORTS 6: Frank and Trace riff on old shorts about sanitation, telephone etiquette, and that old standby, teen dating. OK, these are funny as hell but... there's only a little over an hour of them. They spent another hour doing a Q&A with the guy from "Master Pancake Theater" (which I've never seen, though he seems funny enough). A little of the zoom-podcast-style stuff as bonus content is OK, but I'm paying for these. It can't be that hard to find twenty more minutes of public domain shorts. I want polished material, not just clever guys shooting the s**t. Rant aside, 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 16, 2022, 10:29:01 AM
GUTBOY: A BADTIME STORY (2017): Gutboy (a marionette fisherman) is tricked into selling his skin to Besto (a capitalist marionette), and seeks revenge with the help of a similarly skinless "mermaid" marionette. Then the gold giants start to wrestle. This absurdist puppet fairy tale musical is slight, but persistently eccentric enough to keep you watching through its wisely brief runtime of just over an hour (including prologue and a post-credits cannibalism bonus short). 3/5. Free on Prime.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 16, 2022, 04:51:27 PM
Death By Metal (2016) - I started off watching a documentary about ska but ironically it made me depressed. I liked Fishbone and that first Bosstones album (which is basically a Fishbone tribute album) but I get a Lawrence Welk vibe from the whole 90's ska thing. Too many major chords I don't know.

I was much more at home with this one. The first metal band I really liked when I was a skater punk was Death. They were similar to the hardcore bands I listened to in that most of their songs had a thrash part leading into a heavy part. Soon enough I became a metal head , for a minute anyway, before alternative rock took over. I saw Death on their Leprosy and Spiritual Healing tours, but had no idea of the tumult behind the scenes largely due to main songwriter Chuck Schuldiner's unpredictable and sometimes inept decisions as leader. Tours would frequently be cut short by Chuck being angry about something or other. He would also do stuff like send a prospective new guitarist a tape of songs, but only including the parts where that guy was going to be doing solos, making it very difficult for to get a feel for the thing.

Still, Death became a huge name in metal and many of us preferred them to some of the storied Monsters Of Rock A list bands. When I have a metal song in my head it's usually something from Leprosy, Spiritual Healing, or Human. He had a gift for setting up the riffs and lyrical phrases for maximum impact. The most noteable ex death member by far is Richard Christy who found success as a member of the Howard Stern radio team. In 2001 after 5 or 6 albums, Schuldiner was diagnosed with a brain tumor and it wasn't long before he died from it, despite the very best efforts of his family and friends.

Another one I can't really give a rating too. If you're a Death fan it's a must see, if not I doubt you'd find it interesting.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 16, 2022, 10:42:02 PM
"Venom: Let There Be Carnage" (2021)
In this sequel to the 2018 Spider-Man spinoff, Eddie Brock is still adjusting to sharing his body with the symbiotic Venom creature, and has to battle against Carnage, a serial killer who's escaped from Death Row with the help of another symbiote. Just as much crazy ultra-violent fun as the original.

"Puppet Master vs Demonic Toys" (2004)
A descendant of the original Puppet Master (Corey Feldman!) must use his wooden friends to stop the satanic CEO of a major toy corporation, who wants to commit mass Christmas morning murder via millions of lethal playthings. Yes, it's just as ridiculous as it sounds.
Full Moon Pictures loaned out two of their most popular franchises to the Sci-Fi channel (now SyFy) to make this holiday made-for-TV flick. Some of the stop motion puppet effects are charming and Vanessa Angel (of the "Weird Science" TV series) is clearly having fun as the vampy villainess, but if you take the toys and puppets out of the equation, this is pretty much the same plot as "Halloween III," dressed up in Christmas wrapping, on a budget of about twenty-five bucks.
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 17, 2022, 06:18:32 AM
OPEN WATER 3: CAGE DIVE   (2015)

Three young American tourists are going on a cage dive with great white sharks in Australia as part of their audition for some reality TV show.
When a freak wave capsizes the travel boat, they wind up adrift in the ocean surrounded by a swarm of hungry sharks.  Personal drama, incredibly bad decisions, and munching of said tourists by hungry sharks follows.  Pretty much standard found footage sharks in the ocean movie.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 17, 2022, 10:15:12 PM
"Red Notice" (2021)
An FBI agent (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) reluctantly partners with a wise-ass art thief (Ryan "Deadpool" Reynolds) in order to beat another master criminal (Gal "Wonder Woman" Gadot) to a priceless treasure. A globe-trotting action/heist flick in the "National Treasure" or "Raiders of the Lost Ark" vein, this Netflix original is fast moving, funny, and full of twists, turns, and double crosses.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 17, 2022, 10:55:34 PM
COVID Film Festival, Part I:

Since I was pretty well out of it today, I laid around and watched movies.  A triple feature, in fact:

LINCOLN (2012) - Spielberg's classic portrayal of our sixteenth President and the battle he faced getting the Thirteenth Amendment through a stubborn, racist Democratic Congress while juggling the responsibilities of America's bloodiest war and his own tempestuous marriage is one of my favorite historical films of all time.  Daniel Day-Lewis is brilliant as Lincoln, Sally Field chews the carpet as Mary Todd, and a strong supporting cast fill out this incredible bit of history brought to life.  5/5

RISE: BLOOD HUNTER (2007) - Lucy Liu is a journalist who gets turned by a coven of vampires and then decides to hunt them all down and kill them for making her a monster.  This vampire tale simply doesn't rise to the level of most vampire movies, even if Liu is quite fetching in the title role.  3/5

ALL THE WAY (2016)  Brian Cranston lights up the screen as larger-than-life Texas politico LBJ.  Carrying Johnson from the moment of his swearing in on Air Force One through Election Night, 1964, the movie focuses on his drive to pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act and his turbulent relationships with Martin Luther King, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and Georgia Senator Dick Russell.  Powerful performances with a close attention to historical accuracy make this one a great watch! 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on January 18, 2022, 01:27:50 AM
COVID Film Festival, Part I:

Since I was pretty well out of it today, I laid around and watched movies.  A triple feature, in fact:

LINCOLN (2012) - Spielberg's classic portrayal of our sixteenth President and the battle he faced getting the Thirteenth Amendment through a stubborn, racist Democratic Congress while juggling the responsibilities of America's bloodiest war and his own tempestuous marriage is one of my favorite historical films of all time.  Daniel Day-Lewis is brilliant as Lincoln, Sally Field chews the carpet as Mary Todd, and a strong supporting cast fill out this incredible bit of history brought to life.  5/5

RISE: BLOOD HUNTER (2007) - Lucy Liu is a journalist who gets turned by a coven of vampires and then decides to hunt them all down and kill them for making her a monster.  This vampire tale simply doesn't rise to the level of most vampire movies, even if Liu is quite fetching in the title role.  3/5

ALL THE WAY (2016)  Brian Cranston lights up the screen as larger-than-life Texas politico LBJ.  Carrying Johnson from the moment of his swearing in on Air Force One through Election Night, 1964, the movie focuses on his drive to pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act and his turbulent relationships with Martin Luther King, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and Georgia Senator Dick Russell.  Powerful performances with a close attention to historical accuracy make this one a great watch! 5/5

I hope you're not sick 😯😮


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 18, 2022, 07:34:47 AM
COVID Film Festival, Part I:

Since I was pretty well out of it today, I laid around and watched movies.  A triple feature, in fact:

LINCOLN (2012) - Spielberg's classic portrayal of our sixteenth President and the battle he faced getting the Thirteenth Amendment through a stubborn, racist Democratic Congress while juggling the responsibilities of America's bloodiest war and his own tempestuous marriage is one of my favorite historical films of all time.  Daniel Day-Lewis is brilliant as Lincoln, Sally Field chews the carpet as Mary Todd, and a strong supporting cast fill out this incredible bit of history brought to life.  5/5

RISE: BLOOD HUNTER (2007) - Lucy Liu is a journalist who gets turned by a coven of vampires and then decides to hunt them all down and kill them for making her a monster.  This vampire tale simply doesn't rise to the level of most vampire movies, even if Liu is quite fetching in the title role.  3/5

ALL THE WAY (2016)  Brian Cranston lights up the screen as larger-than-life Texas politico LBJ.  Carrying Johnson from the moment of his swearing in on Air Force One through Election Night, 1964, the movie focuses on his drive to pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act and his turbulent relationships with Martin Luther King, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and Georgia Senator Dick Russell.  Powerful performances with a close attention to historical accuracy make this one a great watch! 5/5

I hope you're not sick 😯😮

I've got a mild case of COVID this week.   So far not feeling too awful.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 18, 2022, 12:55:07 PM
Ghostbusters: Afterlife - It's...  OK.  McKenna Grace is quite good as Phoebe, but almost everyone else underwhelms and is underwritten.  Still, she's likable and the movie is nicely shot and relatively entertaining for about half the runtime.  The cameos at the end are awkward and pointless.  I don't understand why they basically remade the entire first film in the climax.  Just, why?  I can't really recommend it but I didn't hate it.  At least I saw it for free.  5/10.

The Last Duel - This is a solid period drama, with a pretty interesting structure.  Good performances.  I will say, having some familiarity with the real story, I actually wish it had been even closer to reality.  But I understand most of the changes.  I think you could make a different movie about this which was nothing but the final trial and the duel, which would also be quite interesting on its own.  Le Gris tried to prove he couldn't have been there due to distance, and had testimony from a guy claiming what he was doing - only for that testimony to be damaged by the witness being accused of rape himself!  It's a quite dramatic trial.  But overall a good drama and worth a watch.  8/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 18, 2022, 03:17:32 PM
Temple Wood: A Quest for Freedom (2012) - extremely cheap, not that good, but dumbly okay horror movie that has elements of Midsommer and maybe Antrum but is not remotely as good as those. A nerdy guy stumbles upon some sort of book about a thing that comes out in a circle in the forest. Yeah, not very original. There are way way too many shots of him and his face and not nearly enough of the cute landlady of the house he stays in. I won't give it away but there is one unforgettable/ hilarious scene at the peak of all the woods weirdness. less than 90 minutes thankfully. This would need a ton of work to be featured on any other channel besides tubi. Ending of course made no sense

2.75 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 19, 2022, 10:37:33 AM
"Thunder Force" (2021)
Lukewarm Netflix original with Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer as two estranged childhood friends who become super heroines thanks to a secret formula, and protect their city from super villains with names like "Laser" and "The Crab."
McCarthy's husband wrote and directed this, so naturally she gets most of the good lines and Spencer doesn't do much besides roll her eyes at her partner's wacky shenanigans.
There are a couple of decent chuckles and the special effects are passable, but the story just goes around in circles.
Melissa and Octavia are apparently close friends in real life, and I'm sure they had fun making this movie, but it wasn't as much fun to watch as I'd hoped. Skip it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 19, 2022, 10:44:11 AM
DUNE (2021): In the distant future, the galactic Emperor sends House Atreides to the planet Dune, where treachery and prophecy awaits young Paul Atreides. Denis Villeneuve does what David Lynch could not: makes a decent, detailed and comprehensible adaptation of Frank Hebert's sprawling messianic sci-fi novel. Some minor pacing problems arise, including an abrupt ending to this first installment, but fans of the novel should largely be pleased and newcomers may be intrigued. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 19, 2022, 01:11:32 PM
"Max Knight: Ultra Spy" (2000)
Made-for-TV sci-fi nonsense about a super cool, cyber-savvy secret agent whose search for a missing girl leads to a would-be super villain who wants to kill all humans and upload their collective consciousness to the Internet... for some reason.
...so basically, this is a mash up of "The Matrix" and "Lawnmower Man," on a budget of about six bucks and a Subway coupon, full of hilarious "tech-y" catch phrases that were clearly written by guys who'd just discovered the Internet. The bad guy looks like a nu-metal bro-douche and his henchmen (henchwomen?) are a trio of rollerblading, gun toting hotties who look like evil Spice Girls. The CGI and V.R. effects were probably pretty whiz-bang when this was made, but they look like cave drawings by today's standards.
I assume that this cartoonish cyber-crap was intended as a pilot for a regular TV series. We should all be grateful that never happened.
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 19, 2022, 03:42:46 PM
starting watching a Serbian tv series called Black Sun. It's good but I don't know anything about the region and am having some difficulty keeping track of the politics. the Macedonians vs Russian vs ???  so not sure I'll stay with it

It's also known as Balkan Shadows. it's about gangsters in the 1920's


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 20, 2022, 10:23:10 AM
"When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors" (2009)
Johnny Depp narrates this slick documentary that journeys through the relatively short, but eventful career of Jim Morrison and The Doors, using lots of vintage live performances, home movies, interviews and clips from a rarely-seen experimental short film starring Jim called "HWY: An American Pastoral." Long time Doors fans probably won't learn anything new from this flick but it's a cool trip back in time.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 20, 2022, 11:00:06 AM
BELFAST (2021): A boy grows up in Belfast in 1969, in the midst of the "Troubles." Kenneth Branagh's semi-autobiographical movie hosts no real surprises, but features outstanding performances and period detail. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 21, 2022, 09:27:57 AM
THE POWER OF THE DOG (2021): When rancher George decides to marry a pretty widow and hosts her introverted intellectual son for the summer, it causes tension at the ranch with his mean and jealous brother/business partner Phil. A slow-paced, character-based Western drama, old-fashioned in both form and setting, that occasionally requires the audience to put two and two together. 3.5/5 On Netflix, and a strong contender for multiple Oscars.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 21, 2022, 10:36:27 AM
Eyes of Fire - early 80s film unavailable on any format except a rare VHS for decades just got a really nice blu/Shudder release.  It's a colonial era horror film about a small group that flees their colonial village and ends up hiding from hostile Native Americans in a valley they fear that may be haunted.  Reminds me of a cross between The Witch and Aguirre as filtered by an 80s drama, though that's probably overselling the quality a bit.  It's nicely shot with some good atmosphere, but I don't think it fully gels across the board and the ending is weak.  But the visuals, weird imagery, occasional strokes of real creativity, and some of the creepy moments do make it worth a watch for horror fans.  6/10.

Rob Paulsen is a side character with a few lines, he's way better known as a voice actor - voicing Pinky in Pinky and the Brain, which won him an Emmy, and MANY MANY other voice roles.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 22, 2022, 11:37:04 AM
"The Wrong Guys" (1988)
A troop of former Cub Scouts (led by the late Louie Anderson) organize a 25-year reunion camping trip, but their party is crashed by the now-grown bullies who used to torment them when they were kids, and a crazed escaped convict who's using the mountain as a hideout. Wacky hijinks ensue.
This better-than-expected low budget comedy features a interesting cast of '80s stand up comics (Richard Lewis, Franklyn Ajaye, and Richard Belzer round out the former scouts) mixed with reliable character actors  like John Goodman, Ernie Hudson and Brion James. A fun, mostly forgotten '80s flick.

"Shocking Dark" (aka "Terminator 2," aka "Alienators," 1989)
A task force is sent into a labyrinth of tunnels beneath post-apocalyptic Venice to find a team of missing scientists. They are met by a lone surviving little girl, hordes of homicidal mutations... and for some reason, a killer cyborg.
This notorious Italian schlock classic (directed by Bruno "Robowar" Mattei from a script by Claudio "Troll 2" Fragasso) shamelessly steals entire scenes from "Aliens" for the first hour, before suddenly turning into "The Terminator" in the final reel. It was even released as "Terminator 2" in some parts of the world with lax copyright laws, a full two years before the "real" T2! You almost have to admire the sheer cojones it took for the filmmakers to pull off a scam of this magnitude. "Shocking Dark" is so terrible, it's actually kind of awesome.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 22, 2022, 08:01:57 PM
"Rifftrax: Freddie Steps Out": Bridgette Nelson and Mary Jo Pehl take on this old B-movie about a teenager who is mistaken for a pop idol with a wife and kids, and the "hilarious" confusion that results. I don't thnk Bridgette and MAry Jo are as funny as their male counterparts, but they have great chemistry together and it's fun to hear them talk---a lot of the time they sound like two friends having an irreverent chat instead of comedians making jokes. Still, the material is blah and I only rate this 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 22, 2022, 09:55:47 PM
GALAXY QUEST (1997?)

Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, and Alan Rickman star in this delightful send-up of STAR TREK culture.   The retired crew of a popular TV science fiction series are interrupted in their comic-con circuit by a group of real aliens, who have mistaken their TV show for "historical archives" and have built a real, working version of the ship from the show.  They want the crew to help them fend off some vicious aliens who are attempting to conquer their planet, and Tim Allen as the Captain talks the crew into helping - although at first they think the ship is nothing but an elaborate, fan-built set.   A thoroughly fun sci-fi spoof, with Sigourney Weaver at the peak of her 1990's hotness.   5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 23, 2022, 12:41:22 AM
PEP SQUAD (1998)  Cherry wants to be prom queen, and when she doesn't get nominated, she decides to kill the other candidates.  Along the way, new student Beth and her two friends ask for Cherry's help in disposing of the cruel, perverted high school principal that they "accidentally" murdered.
This was intended to be a parody of high school dark comedies like JAWBREAKER, but I just didn't get it.   Some semi-funny moments, and a couple of quick (and senseless) nude scenes couldn't redeem this train wreck.  2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 23, 2022, 09:45:10 AM
"Swordfish" (2001)
A master criminal (John Travolta) lures a skilled hacker (Hugh Jackman) out of retirement to help him pull off a robbery that will net them billions in forgotten government funds, if they can keep the FBI off their backs.
This slick, high-tech thriller has some impressive action sequences, but it's probably best remembered for featuring Halle Berry's first-ever topless scene. Halle (who, it must be noted, was at her absolute peak of hotness at this time) was reportedly paid an extra half million dollars for the ten second boob flash, and I'd say it was money well spent. :D

"Easy Money" (1983)
A slovenly New Yorker (Rodney Dangerfield) and his family will receive a $10 million inheritance if he can give up all of his "vices" - drugs, gambling, drinking, smoking, etc. - for one year. Of course, chaos ensues as Rodney tries to stay on the straight and narrow. This early 80s cable TV staple is my second favorite Rodney movie, right behind "Caddyshack." It's loaded with quotable bits and slapstick laughs.
Fun fact: Anthrax's rap hit "I'm the Man" was inspired by a line in this movie (when Rodney's sleazy new son in law tells his wife, "I'm de man! I'm so bad I should be in detention!").

"Life Stinks" (1991)
A real estate tycoon (Mel Brooks) makes a bet with a rival that he can survive 30 days living on the streets with no money, among the homeless on Skid Row. During his ordeal, Mel falls in love with a bag lady and eventually sees the error of his greedy ways.
This movie was a rare misfire for Mel; there's a few laughs here and there, but it never quite finds a way to balance the slapstick and the drama. Maybe it's just tough to make homelessness funny. Either way, "Life Stinks" was a box office failure and is considered to be Brooks' worst movie. Skip it unless you're a Mel completist.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 23, 2022, 02:22:14 PM
Akira (1988)

I hadn't watched this in a long time, so I was a bit surprised to see that it took place in 2019. The animation and effects have aged, but the story and scope remain impressive.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 24, 2022, 12:21:33 AM
"Wrangler: Anatomy of an Icon" (2008)
Documentary on porn icon Jack Wrangler, who grew up in a showbiz family, became the biggest star in 70s gay adult films, before crossing over and conquering the straight porn scene. Eventually he left the sex biz behind and spent the last 30 years of his life in a mostly celibate relationship with Margaret Whiting, a old-timey torch singer two decades older than him. Jack (who passed away in 2011) seemed like a pretty cool dude, with a self deprecating sense of humor about often bizarre twists and turns his life has taken. An entertaining profile of a true original.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 24, 2022, 02:23:54 AM
Idol/Woosang (2019)

A rising politician comes home to find that his son has killed someone in a hit and run accident. He convinces his son to turn himself in, although whether that is from a sense of justice or to save his own career, remains uncertain. The politician is then confronted by the father of the victim, who reveals that the victim was mentally defective and there on his honeymoon. The wife is an illegal Chinese immigrant, who is now a fugitive.

So we have a fairly familiar set of characters: the charismatic but utterly Machiavellian politician, the blunt and impulsive working class man, and the tough as nails survivor. It doesn’t end well for any of them, as their past decisions catch up with them. Very few make it out alive.

The plot is extremely convoluted. Things are never as they seem, and there are constantly wheels within wheels. Most of the more than two hour runtime is taken up by plot complications. I’m not saying that it all doesn’t add up, but a number of things clearly happen because of plot convenience. Also, the movie uses a very indirect way of storytelling: many things (notably the violence) are not shown, but you see the aftermath and have to piece together what happened. I watched it on Mubi and had to pause and rewind it a couple of times.
The baffling storytelling and unrelenting bleakness make for some very negative reviews. However the tension between the characters is very well done. I quite liked it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 24, 2022, 09:04:17 AM
"Partners in Crime" (1984)
Two women (Lynda "Wonder Woman" Carter and Loni "WKRP" Anderson) who were both married to the same recently-deceased P.I., are summoned to San Francisco for the reading of his will. After some initial "he loved me best, we'll never get along" back and forth, they become unlikely partners to solve the mystery of their ex's murder. Eventually they decide to continue working together and take over his detective agency.
This was the pilot film for a short-lived TV series, which I have only the vaguest memory of. IMDb sez it was cancelled after only 13 episodes, and I can see why. Carter and Anderson are easy on the eyes, of course, and make an appealing team, but this "mystery movie" was drawn-out, talky, and dreadfully dull.
The entire series appears to be on YouTube, but I don't think I'll bother with any more installments.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 24, 2022, 10:32:30 AM
THE IDIOTS (1998): A Danish commune finds meaning and community by acting like "idiots" (i.e. pretending to be mentally disabled in public). An episodic series of pranks and idiocies that become somewhat tiresome, until a minor twist at the end invites an emotional response. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on January 24, 2022, 11:53:24 AM
^ I didn't really know what to make of it. Except it was strange. I did like the dinner table scene!

 SPOILER ALERT!

http://youtu.be/5kMTawJ0S2g (http://youtu.be/5kMTawJ0S2g)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 24, 2022, 03:16:18 PM
Black Sun tv series is still a little confusing but I'm enjoying it. Everything takes place in this weird outdoor ghetto in Belgrade. It's a joint production from Macedonia, russia, and Serbia.

It's basically "Law and Order: Serbia in the 1920's" but with more gangster panache and its all one big case


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 26, 2022, 08:03:32 AM
"The Scrooge Mystery" (2018)
Documentary profile of Kentucky comic book artist Don Rosa, who went from fanboy to professional in 1987 when he got the chance to pick up where his artistic idol, the great Carl Barks, left off on the adventures of Uncle Scrooge and the Disney Duck family. Though he remains a relative unknown in the US, Rosa's work is revered in Europe, where Duck comics have become part of the international fabric. Features lengthy interviews with Rosa (who seems like a pretty cool dude) as well as his friends, associates, and fans (including Tuomas Holopainen of the Finnish symphonic-metal band Nightwish, whose 2014 solo album was a concept record about the life of Uncle Scrooge!).
I'm not sure why the title of the movie is "The Scrooge Mystery" since there's nothing particularly mysterious about it (this is a French production; maybe they meant "Mystique" and it got lost in translation?), but this was an enjoyable portrait of a gifted creator.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 26, 2022, 11:22:48 AM
The Last Outlaw - stacked cast for a made-for-TV western.  Grimly bleak, tries to have a tone and feel a bit like Chato's Land where they're being pursued...  But Mickey Rourke's character is a bit too ridiculous, there's too many underdeveloped characters, it doesn't really gel, none of it is particularly entertaining even though it's not exactly boring either.  4/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 26, 2022, 09:31:44 PM
"Working Trash" (1990)
Two janitors (George Carlin and Ben Stiller) at a Wall Street firm start playing the stock market, using tips from information they find in the trash. Just as their scheme starts to pay off, they discover that a company big-wig is plotting to loot the employee pension fund to bankroll a hostile takeover, and they have to out-maneuver him to stop it. Stiller also gets to romance a hot stock broker babe and George (as you might expect) gets all the good punch lines in this silly, slobs-against-the-snobs office comedy. An OK time waster.
Useless trivia: this was the then-new FOX Network's first ever made-for-TV movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 29, 2022, 02:43:03 PM
ORGAN (1996): A detective investigates an organ harvesting cult. A few moment of imaginative imagery, like a serial killer's fantasy of a schoolgirl in a chrysalis, can't overcome the blah shot-on-video cinematography, clumsily garish gore, and the nearly incoherent storytelling that leaves you with little reason to care about the characters or their fates. 1.5/5.

RIFFTRAX PRESENTS: JUNIOR PROM: The underlying film is some kind of failed B-movie series from the starring "Freddy," a short guy with a lovely girl's voice who's inexplicably big man on campus, and his gang of bad comic relief sidekicks. Comic commentators Bridget and Mary Jo, though, have great chemistry, with Mary Jo's passive aggressive comments about how she didn't go to prom becoming a running joke through their commentary track. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 29, 2022, 04:11:38 PM
Black Sun (tv series) - this was 10 episodes that were all like an hour long. In the 1920's, Macedonians, Serbians, and Russians come together to be gangsters and power players and do intrigue to each other in lovely downtown Belgrade. Our main character is a seen-it-all cop who's trying to discover first who killed a local priest and then trying to find who "The Monk" , a local gang leader whose identity is kept secret, is. Along the way there are some hot girls and bloody murders, sometimes both at once.

(https://www.nedeljnik.rs/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/senke_TMP19421-696x409.jpg)

but wait, there's more.

The title comes from the insignia of a group called Thule, who provide Da Vinci code type intrigue by wearing masks and having weird ceremonies. They're in pursuit of the Lance of Longinus  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Lance , a relic that allegedly was the spear used to kill Jesus. They figure that if they have it, it can magically make them and the white race (it was a proto Nazi group) invulnerable.

The action takes place mostly in the middle of the dirty main area of Belgrade where whores and peasants pass the time. or in fancy houses outside this area

5/5 on tubi as always. definitely took a while for me to understand who the like Macedonians were and what they wanted. I don't know anything about eastern Europe at all. Also, a major part of the plot is this blackmail photo of the King enjoying opium or homosexual relations or both? never quite figured that out but hey it's free right


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 29, 2022, 10:26:10 PM
"American Psycho" (2000)
It's 1987 and a wealthy, handsome yuppie Wall Street exec by day (Christian Bale) moonlights as a serial killer by night. Over time he finds it harder and harder to keep the two sides of his personality separate, which leads to a bloody breakdown of epic proportions. Bale is a total hoot in this mean-spirited horror comedy/satire, he's clearly having a ball throwing himself into the role. Based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis ("Less Than Zero") and followed by a mostly-unrelated direct to video sequel starring Mila Kunis of "That 70s Show" (!) for some reason.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 30, 2022, 09:46:59 AM
Dune (2021)

Finally had a chance to see it, and it is amazingly beautiful. Timothée Chalamet also does a great job as Paul Atreides. Adaption-wise it is heavy on explosions and swordfights and low on cunning and scheming. Given the needs of a blockbuster, this is understandable. However, this means that the function of the mentats has disappeared for all practical purposes, and that characters like the Baron and Lady Jessica lose much of their depth. People who haven't read the book must also wonder what the rodent is about.

Some random remarks (minor spoilers)




No Feyd Rautha?
The hand signals are a neat touch
Having Piter De Vries stab Dr. Yueh in the back seemed to me more in character with the Baron, rather than having him dirty his hands himself.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 31, 2022, 12:40:58 AM
the 16th episode - pretty messy tubi horror offering. a youtube travel crew gets in over their heads in Casablanca. The party in Casablanca was interesting it should have gone on a lot longer and there should have been a lot less of the two AV guys jawing at each other. It badly needed an experienced hand in the screenwriting department. Some okay stuff, though. If you are like Kristen Stewart and find bad movies interesting check it out.

2.75 / 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 31, 2022, 09:49:06 AM
INTERVISTA (1987): A Japanese documentary crew films Federico Fellini as he films his latest film, a film about a young Fellini visiting his first film set to interview a film star. It's a film about film, specifically a film about Fellini films, and even though it can be accused of being an old man's navel-gazing remake of his own greatest hit, individual scenes still sparkle, and it's still fascinating to see what Fellini chooses ton highlight from his own oeuvre and process. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 31, 2022, 10:46:01 AM
"Judge Dredd" (1995)
Big budget adaptation of the cult U.K. comic book, with Sly Stallone as the legendary lawman in an ultra-violent future. This is a great looking movie - the set designs (very Blade Runner-ish), costumes, and FX are top notch - but the story is an uninteresting muddle. Most puzzling of all is the decision to saddle Dredd with a wacky comic relief sidekick played by the annoying Rob Schneider. I was pretty disappointed with this when I first saw it during its theatrical run; it's not quite as bad as I remembered, but it's still a pretty hollow exercise.

"Firewalker" (1986)
Chuck Norris and Louis Gossett are a pair of down-on-their-luck fortune hunters hired by a foxy blonde (Melody Anderson of "Flash Gordon") to help her find a hoard of lost Aztec treasure in the wilds of South America. This comedic action/adventure in the Indiana Jones or Romancing the Stone vein is fun for a while - Chuck and Lou make a pretty good team - but the movie starts running out of gas around the hour mark and is just spinning its wheels by the time it lumbers to an end.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 31, 2022, 10:58:05 AM
Sadako VS Kayako.

In a change from Godzilla versus movies, two more modern big-screen villains go head to head. This came off as a well-made fan film (which it may have been, I don't know) with a few things in it that made me wonder if they were avoiding legal issues (for example, what they see on the videotape is not the same as you get in The Ring). A couple of girls watch the videotape from The Ring (although one is distracted by her phone and misses it). It didn't end how I expected, although I did like how it finished. Most people aren't going to think it is a good film though, but it kept me watching for its run time.

Anyway, if anyone wants to watch it, it is on Shudder.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 31, 2022, 12:42:04 PM
Class Action Park - Pretty entertaining documentary about the dangerous amusement park in New Jersey that led to thousands of injuries and some deaths.  Lets itself get serious at moments too, which was appreciated, but is largely light and entertaining.  Very well paced and put together.  Worth watching for sure.  I do think a bit stronger theme or narrative thread, something, might have wrapped it up a bit better, but I'm not sure exactly how that could have been done.

Venom 2 - I can't remember the proper name.  This is as dumb as the original, maybe dumber.  It's junk and actually bad, but it was never boring.  I watched it at a family member's house where I knew things would be loud and I wouldn't be able to give it proper attention - this is what a film like Venom is made for, as far as I'm concerned.

Encanto - Decent and entertaining children's musical film by Disney.  About what you'd expect really.  I don't know why We Don't Talk About Bruno has exploded so much, but hey, whatevs.  Visually strong, a decent narrative.  Nothing really exceptional, but well-made.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 01, 2022, 12:56:55 PM
The Hallows.

A family move to Ireland to carry out a survey on some woodlands in order for them to be cut down and houses built instead. The father discovers some sort of parasitic fungus has infected local creatures, while a neighbour whose daughter disappeared in the wood keeps warning him of fae living in the woods and telling them to leave. Low budget stuff, but competently filmed and acted. Combines myth and modernity quite well.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 01, 2022, 02:34:56 PM
Prevenge.

In between maternity visits, a heavily pregnant woman carries out the murders of the seven people responsible for the accidental death of her husband. She hears her unborn baby talking to her, instructing her on how to kill them.

Is her baby some sort of demonic psychopath or is she just suffering from some really insane prepartum depression?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 01, 2022, 03:42:25 PM
Stations of the Elevated (1981) - slight, but for fans of a certain era and style in NYC, enjoyable experimental film. The camera captures some subway cars covered in graffiti and includes a brief conversation among very young graffiti artists pre all the hype over that stuff. rather than hip hop, jazz music plays in the background. One connection the film makes repeatedly is the similarity between the big graffiti pieces and painted on billboard advertising.

only 44 minutes hard to give a rating. it's kind of like they were scouting locations for Wild Style or something.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 02, 2022, 11:24:18 PM
"We Are Twisted F**king Sister!" (2014)
Dee Snider, Jay Jay French, and the rest of the T.S. gang past and present take you through a lengthy, ridiculously in depth examination of Twisted Sister's ten year struggle to get the hell out of the New York tri-state area club scene and finally sign that ever-elusive major label record deal. Tons of amazing, never before seen videos and photos, classic clips, and hilarious stories. Essential viewing for all SMF's.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on February 03, 2022, 01:29:54 AM
Come and See - Pretty effective depiction of the village massacres and burnings in Belarus by the Nazis.  It's kind of out there in the first half, and I'm not sure if I fully understand what it was doing (why is there so much with the boy and girl in the woods?  there's a purpose, but I feel like I'm not quite getting it), but it worked anyway.  I particularly appreciated the montage at the end. 

Let Him Go - A neo western thriller.  Basically an aging couple's son dies, leaving behind a wife and son.  The wife remarries, and ends up getting taken abruptly to the husband's simply awful family.  The couple follows, and intends to get the boy back.  You know this is probably heading towards violence, you just don't know when.  This is a pretty good film, but the script is a little creaky in spots and the climax doesn't live up to the films first two act.  Importantly, there's multiple really good performances that carry the film, plus some very effective scenes of tension.  Lesley Manville as the matriarch of the awful family livens up every scene she's in.

Random trivia, this is a reteaming of Ma and Pa Kent from Man of Steel, once again as an aging rural couple. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 03, 2022, 09:34:51 AM
Come and See - Pretty effective depiction of the village massacres and burnings in Belarus by the Nazis.  It's kind of out there in the first half, and I'm not sure if I fully understand what it was doing (why is there so much with the boy and girl in the woods?  there's a purpose, but I feel like I'm not quite getting it), but it worked anyway.  I particularly appreciated the montage at the end. 


All time classic. I think the stuff in the woods is the idyllic calm before the storm. It makes you care more for the kids so that what happens after hits harder. Roger Ebert said " There's a curious scene here in a wood, the sun falling down through the leaves, when the soundtrack, which has been grim and mournful, suddenly breaks free into Mozart. And what does this signify? A fantasy, I believe, and not Florya's, who has probably never heard such music. The Mozart descends into the film like a deus ex machina, to lift us from its despair. We can accept it if we want, but it changes nothing. It is like an ironic taunt."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 03, 2022, 02:42:57 PM
Viy.

Evidently, this was the first horror film made in the old U.S.S.R. Based on a novel that in turn claims to be based in folklore, it is the story of a young student priest who has it sit for three nights with the corpse of a beautiful young witch. I can't really say more about the plot without giving the story away. The cinemaphotography seems comparable to Hollywood films of a few years earlier. I have no idea if this is typical of Soviet movies of the time or not.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 03, 2022, 02:51:42 PM
Viy.

Evidently, this was the first horror film made in the old U.S.S.R. Based on a novel that in turn claims to be based in folklore, it is the story of a young student priest who has it sit for three nights with the corpse of a beautiful young witch. I can't really say more about the plot without giving the story away. The cinemaphotography seems comparable to Hollywood films of a few years earlier. I have no idea if this is typical of Soviet movies of the time or not.

It's not typical of Soviet films. Movies were supposed to promote Communism and adhere to the dogma of "Soviet Realism." Very few fantasy-type films were allowed to be made, and no horror films. I think visually it's remarkably accomplished, among the best-looking special effects I've seen in any Soviet film. The ending is remarkable. This is a great movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 03, 2022, 02:57:04 PM
Viy.

Evidently, this was the first horror film made in the old U.S.S.R. Based on a novel that in turn claims to be based in folklore, it is the story of a young student priest who has it sit for three nights with the corpse of a beautiful young witch. I can't really say more about the plot without giving the story away. The cinemaphotography seems comparable to Hollywood films of a few years earlier. I have no idea if this is typical of Soviet movies of the time or not.

It's not typical of Soviet films. Movies were supposed to promote Communism and adhere to the dogma of "Soviet Realism." Very few fantasy-type films were allowed to be made, and no horror films. I think visually it's remarkably accomplished, among the best-looking special effects I've seen in any Soviet film. The ending is remarkable. This is a great movie.

Enjoying it so far, although the dubbing isn't the best. I'd rather watch it with subtitles. I was surprised to see it was a film about priests coming out of that era, even if they are hardly being presented as icons of virtue.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on February 03, 2022, 03:29:35 PM
Come and See - Pretty effective depiction of the village massacres and burnings in Belarus by the Nazis.  It's kind of out there in the first half, and I'm not sure if I fully understand what it was doing (why is there so much with the boy and girl in the woods?  there's a purpose, but I feel like I'm not quite getting it), but it worked anyway.  I particularly appreciated the montage at the end. 


All time classic. I think the stuff in the woods is the idyllic calm before the storm. It makes you care more for the kids so that what happens after hits harder. Roger Ebert said " There's a curious scene here in a wood, the sun falling down through the leaves, when the soundtrack, which has been grim and mournful, suddenly breaks free into Mozart. And what does this signify? A fantasy, I believe, and not Florya's, who has probably never heard such music. The Mozart descends into the film like a deus ex machina, to lift us from its despair. We can accept it if we want, but it changes nothing. It is like an ironic taunt."

Yeah, that makes some sense.  I think there's a bit of an "every person" sort of quality to it that made me feel more distant personally.  Like, I can't tell you anything much about the lead character, he's just "a boy".  For some, that probably makes it hit even harder as an avatar for the viewer.  Regardless, the last half is powerful stuff.  I've heard it described as very graphic, which I didn't think it was, but I thought it was better for it.




Today, I watched The Gunfighter.  This is a very good movie, and as far as I can tell is the origin point of the entire sub-genre of "aging gunslinger/badass who wants to hang it up" that continues on into the present day.  It's a bit of a sign of the film's age that he's just thirty five!  Made today he'd probably be over 50.  It's really well written, really well performed, great leads, and a great story structure.  One interesting thing of films of this age, released in 1950, some movies seem to not have quite figured out pacing and others have it just right.  This one felt just right.  It's about 85 minutes and none of it is wasted.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 03, 2022, 03:56:03 PM
Viy.

Evidently, this was the first horror film made in the old U.S.S.R. Based on a novel that in turn claims to be based in folklore, it is the story of a young student priest who has it sit for three nights with the corpse of a beautiful young witch. I can't really say more about the plot without giving the story away. The cinemaphotography seems comparable to Hollywood films of a few years earlier. I have no idea if this is typical of Soviet movies of the time or not.

It's not typical of Soviet films. Movies were supposed to promote Communism and adhere to the dogma of "Soviet Realism." Very few fantasy-type films were allowed to be made, and no horror films. I think visually it's remarkably accomplished, among the best-looking special effects I've seen in any Soviet film. The ending is remarkable. This is a great movie.

Enjoying it so far, although the dubbing isn't the best. I'd rather watch it with subtitles. I was surprised to see it was a film about priests coming out of that era, even if they are hardly being presented as icons of virtue.

I didn't know they dubbed it. Ugh.  :thumbdown:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 03, 2022, 04:09:15 PM
Viy.

Evidently, this was the first horror film made in the old U.S.S.R. Based on a novel that in turn claims to be based in folklore, it is the story of a young student priest who has it sit for three nights with the corpse of a beautiful young witch. I can't really say more about the plot without giving the story away. The cinemaphotography seems comparable to Hollywood films of a few years earlier. I have no idea if this is typical of Soviet movies of the time or not.

It's not typical of Soviet films. Movies were supposed to promote Communism and adhere to the dogma of "Soviet Realism." Very few fantasy-type films were allowed to be made, and no horror films. I think visually it's remarkably accomplished, among the best-looking special effects I've seen in any Soviet film. The ending is remarkable. This is a great movie.

Enjoying it so far, although the dubbing isn't the best. I'd rather watch it with subtitles. I was surprised to see it was a film about priests coming out of that era, even if they are hardly being presented as icons of virtue.

I didn't know they dubbed it. Ugh.  :thumbdown:

Sadly yes. It does seem to stick closely to the original story though which gave it bonus points in my book though even if it didn't make up entirely for the dubbing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 03, 2022, 11:07:53 PM
Ice storm triple feature:

PSYCHO NURSE:   I saw this one coming on late last night and set it to record - although it was on one of my premium movie channels, turns out it was a made-for-TV LMN network movie.  Beautiful nurse with a record of killing her patients moves in with a young couple whose son is crippled with MD; she is slowly poisoning the wife while worming her way into the husband's and son's affections.  She kills 2 or 3 people who threaten her scheme before the wife finally catches on.  Honestly, a fun premise (albeit an old one) that could have made a really good movie, but with no steamy scenes and very little gore - as well as a rather anti-climactic ending - this one was a waste of time.  2/5

FRIGHT VISION:  A freebie on Amazon Prime, this was a series of vignettes told by a buxom Elvira ripoff named "Doctor Boobenstein."  One of the stories was pretty good, the rest only fair, and the good doctor was nowhere near as pretty or as sexy as Elvira.  3/5

TERROR BIRDS:  A SyFy original about a treasure hunter who discovers two Eocene "terror birds" and brings them back to his ranch in South Texas, where they eat a bird-watching trespasser, his reluctant genetics specialist, several ranch hands, and some college kids looking for the birdwatcher (who is Dad to one of them).  Silly CGI monster fun.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: jimpickens on February 04, 2022, 04:11:12 AM
Vice squad saw it on B-Zone and it was a s**tty edited copy with scenes missing you can tell by the cutaway to commercials cuts that are clearly visible. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 04, 2022, 10:00:04 AM
THE PAPER TIGERS (2020): Three middle-aged men must rediscover their skills and recover their honor to investigate the death of the kung fu master who trained them as his chosen disciples in their teens. Lightweight but with nice comic relief and appealing characters; there's a very 80s sensibility about the entire project. I imagine this is aimed at the crowd that enjoys "Cobra Kai." 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on February 04, 2022, 11:37:09 AM
THE PAPER TIGERS (2020): Three middle-aged men must rediscover their skills and recover their honor to investigate the death of the kung fu master who trained them as his chosen disciples in their teens. Lightweight but with nice comic relief and appealing characters; there's a very 80s sensibility about the entire project. I imagine this is aimed at the crowd that enjoys "Cobra Kai." 3.5/5.

I always remember the movie with David Niven and the late Hardy Kruger called "Paper Tiger": good childhood memories.  :smile:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on February 04, 2022, 09:12:02 PM
Paper Moon - Cute road/family drama/grifter film.  Tatum O'Neal really is quite good for her age, though the range she has to show is pretty limited.  It's entertaining and fun start to finish.  Ryan O'Neal's character introduction is just about perfect.  I think charming is the best word for it, but it also certainly works on an emotional level.  I quite enjoyed it.

I also watched half of The Dark Lurking.  Has anyone else seen this one?  Be curious to hear other opinions. I'll probably go back and finish it. 

It's overall a bad movie, but it's well-paced and impressive in what it accomplishes for its budget and aspirations (a scfi-fi/action/horror film obviously taking from Aliens).  I don't think it goes 5 minutes without an action scene or spook or something, and the editing and camera work is pretty solid in the action scenes too, clearly elevating what they had to work with.  It has really bad sound editing/mixing though, like it sticks out.  Repetitive sound effects, really obvious library sounds, sometimes gun shot sounds are actually placed wrong (too early, too late), vocal track seems to need better normalization - it's kind of surprisingly bad, makes me wonder if it was a temp track they lacked money to do another pass over.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 04, 2022, 11:10:07 PM
"Rats" (aka "Killer Rats," 2003)
A reporter goes undercover in a run-down drug rehab facility, expecting to find patient abuse, neglect, or a similar scandal. However, she gets more than she bargained for because the old building's basement is home to hordes of super-intelligent rats who've developed a taste for human flesh. Yeah, real high concept stuff here.  :teddyr:
I actually found this one while searching for a different rat movie (1982's "Deadly Eyes," which is also known as "Rats"). It's pretty typical early 2000s SyFy style creature feature nonsense -- the CGI'd rats are hilariously fake but there's some decent gross out bits and even a couple of solid acting performances. It may not have been the rat movie I wanted, but it was an entertaining little hunk o' junk in its own right.

P.S. my search also turned up yet another movie called "The Rats" from 2005, which is set in New York City and looks like a hoot, too. On the watch list it goes!  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 05, 2022, 10:17:57 AM
RIFFTRAX: R.O.T.O.R.: Wow, what a piece of vintage 80s cheese! A cowboy scientist/cop and a bunch of non-actors recite some seriously bizarre dialogue ("You look like you got both eyes coming out of the same hole!") and flee a killer cyborg in this cheap ROBOCOP ripoff made in Dallas. The movie is very easy to riff, it just needs a little nudge to highlight its absurdities. This would be a great bad movie watch on its own with no commentary. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on February 05, 2022, 10:39:13 AM
RIFFTRAX: R.O.T.O.R.: Wow, what a piece of vintage 80s cheese! A cowboy scientist/cop and a bunch of non-actors recite some seriously bizarre dialogue ("You look like you got both eyes coming out of the same hole!") and flee a killer cyborg in this cheap ROBOCOP ripoff made in Dallas. The movie is very easy to riff, it just needs a little nudge to highlight its absurdities. This would be a great bad movie watch on its own with no commentary. 3.5/5.

I have seen it on its' own: it is hilariously funny, like the scene where the hero makes coffee for his horse  :buggedout: (??)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 05, 2022, 10:52:26 PM
Night Shot (2018) - I've seen worse but I've seen better found footage horror. The fact that it's one long shot and also that its French might reel some people in, but it's a little short on ideas. The sanitarium, whatever it actually is, is cool and covered with graffiti. Too bad the movie is in black and white.

I remember a joke that was along the lines of " any girl over the age of 18 who's wearing pigtails is probably getting dped on the regular." I always think of that when I see an adult woman wearing their hair in such a manner, as the star here is.

The one long shot thing works well enough but it's just okay 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 05, 2022, 11:44:20 PM
"The Rats" (2002)
A "rogue colony" of aggressive, hungry rats spreads out across Manhattan from their home base in the catacombs beneath a high-end department store, with only a lone exterminator (Vincent Spano) and a single Mom (Madchen Amick) standing in the way of total rodent domination.
This fun, cheesy made-for-TV urban horror flick originally aired on the Fox Network. The production values are decent - the rats are actual critters (instead of cheesy CGI, like in the other rat movie I watched last night) which is a nice touch, and leading lady Madchen Amick is nice to look at. Fun fact: director John Lafia co-wrote the original "Child's Play."
If you're looking for a rat movie, you can do worse than this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 06, 2022, 04:26:53 AM
The Shallows (2016)

Sometimes it doesn't take a lot to convince me to watch a movie, and in this case it was 'Blake Lively fights a shark'. Which basically sums up the movie. There is not a lot there. The part where she forms a plan and confronts the shark are quite good (even if wildly exaggerated) but that is only a small part of the movie. It is mostly either setting the scene or Blake Lively being stuck on a rock with a seagull (apparently, you can train seagulls, who knew)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 06, 2022, 10:47:46 AM
RAGING FIRE (2021): Donnie Yen is an honorable detective dealing with a pregnant wife, personal nemesis who's a criminal mastermind, corrupt police administration, and a battalion of other cop movie cliches. Totally by-the-numbers procedural enlivened by frequent and well-choreographed fistfights, firefights and car chases. Director Benny Chan died of cancer before post-production was completed. Hong Kong cinema will likely not be taking any major chances now that it's under China's heel. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 06, 2022, 03:12:53 PM
An Unknown Compelling Force (2021) - new doc tries to bring American detective ingenuity to the mystery of the Dyatlov Pass Incident in Russia. A little obnoxious seeming at first, but clearly there are political issues in the way in Russia. answer becomes fairly obvious 5/5

waiting for a pizza to cook I'll say some more. Russia had issues during the cold war. Some of them included indigenous peoples in like Siberia and also radiation, which leaked out from various of their crappy nuke facilities. Right in the middle of all of this was this incident. Did a yeti do it? Did they kill each other?? Was it an avalanche?? an experiment gone awry?

If you watch any modern crime shows you know they trot out the weird stuff before they get down to the straight facts. if you pay attention to the autopsy you'll get it


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on February 06, 2022, 08:27:17 PM
I just watched Breaking Away again.  It remains a nicely written,  great paced, funny and well acted coming of age film.  Good, sharply drawn characters.  Won Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars too, beating out stuff like Woody Allen's Manhattan.  I think it deserved it. 

RAGING FIRE (2021): Donnie Yen is an honorable detective dealing with a pregnant wife, personal nemesis who's a criminal mastermind, corrupt police administration, and a battalion of other cop movie cliches. Totally by-the-numbers procedural enlivened by frequent and well-choreographed fistfights, firefights and car chases. Director Benny Chan died of cancer before post-production was completed. Hong Kong cinema will likely not be taking any major chances now that it's under China's heel. 3/5.

Have you seen Drug War?  You might check that out if you haven't.  It's just interesting seeing one of Hong Kong's best directors labor under mainland rules to make a crime picture, and what he could do with it (for better and for worse - To said he did not face censorship issues on it but that he wrote it with the mainland censors in mind).  You can feel the box it's in at times, but it's fascinating seeing the art of it happen anyways.  Good movie too, and it's free on Prime if you have it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 06, 2022, 10:53:59 PM
"The Death and Resurrection Show" (2013)
Insanely in-depth (two and a half hours!) documentary about the long, strange career of British rockers Killing Joke, who've been making loud, obnoxious, socially aware post-punk/darkwave/industrial/metal music (depending on the album and era) on and off since 1980. This flick is loaded with vintage film clips and interviews with band members, friends, and associates past and present but unfortunately it gets bogged down too often by letting vocalist/main man Jaz Coleman (who is, to put it mildly, nuttier than squirrel s**t) ramble on about kabbalic/occultic practices and his beliefs in UFO's, Aleister Crowley, the coming apocalypse, karmic "energy sites" around the planet, alternate dimensions, etc., etc.- the movie could have been at least half an hour shorter if someone would've told him to shut up and just talk about the music. If you can put up with Coleman's near-constant stream of metaphysical gibberish, this is a decent crash course in all things Killing Joke for newcomers (like me) and a treasure trove of info for longtime fans.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 07, 2022, 03:42:08 AM
"The Death and Resurrection Show" (2013)
Insanely in-depth (two and a half hours!) documentary about the long, strange career of British rockers Killing Joke, who've been making loud, obnoxious, socially aware post-punk/darkwave/industrial/metal music (depending on the album and era) on and off since 1980. This flick is loaded with vintage film clips and interviews with band members, friends, and associates past and present but unfortunately it gets bogged down too often by letting vocalist/main man Jaz Coleman (who is, to put it mildly, nuttier than squirrel s**t) ramble on about kabbalic/occultic practices and his beliefs in UFO's, Aleister Crowley, the coming apocalypse, karmic "energy sites" around the planet, alternate dimensions, etc., etc.- the movie could have been at least half an hour shorter if someone would've told him to shut up and just talk about the music. If you can put up with Coleman's near-constant stream of metaphysical gibberish, this is a decent crash course in all things Killing Joke for newcomers (like me) and a treasure trove of info for longtime fans.

I've been asked if I want to go see them. Think they are playing Glasgow in April. Only really know them for one song though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 07, 2022, 10:08:50 AM
SYMBIOPSYCOTAXIPLASM: TAKE ONE (1968): Director William Greaves hires two actors to perform a short melodramatic dialogue in Central Park, then has another camera crew film his process of directing them, while yet another crew films the second crew. If you ever wished a movie consisted of all behind-the-scenes footage and no "real" content, here you go; it's unexpectedly fascinating, especially when the crew takes the initiative to film their own debates on what the hell Greaves is up to. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 07, 2022, 12:23:16 PM
"The Death and Resurrection Show" (2013)
Insanely in-depth (two and a half hours!) documentary about the long, strange career of British rockers Killing Joke, who've been making loud, obnoxious, socially aware post-punk/darkwave/industrial/metal music (depending on the album and era) on and off since 1980. This flick is loaded with vintage film clips and interviews with band members, friends, and associates past and present but unfortunately it gets bogged down too often by letting vocalist/main man Jaz Coleman (who is, to put it mildly, nuttier than squirrel s**t) ramble on about kabbalic/occultic practices and his beliefs in UFO's, Aleister Crowley, the coming apocalypse, karmic "energy sites" around the planet, alternate dimensions, etc., etc.- the movie could have been at least half an hour shorter if someone would've told him to shut up and just talk about the music. If you can put up with Coleman's near-constant stream of metaphysical gibberish, this is a decent crash course in all things Killing Joke for newcomers (like me) and a treasure trove of info for longtime fans.

I've been asked if I want to go see them. Think they are playing Glasgow in April. Only really know them for one song though.

I only own one album ("Pylon" from 2015, which I like a lot) and I know a handful of other songs, from the live clips seen in this film they look like a pretty intense show, I'd go check'em out.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 07, 2022, 03:53:30 PM
I just watched Breaking Away again.  It remains a nicely written,  great paced, funny and well acted coming of age film.  Good, sharply drawn characters.  Won Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars too, beating out stuff like Woody Allen's Manhattan.  I think it deserved it. 

RAGING FIRE (2021): Donnie Yen is an honorable detective dealing with a pregnant wife, personal nemesis who's a criminal mastermind, corrupt police administration, and a battalion of other cop movie cliches. Totally by-the-numbers procedural enlivened by frequent and well-choreographed fistfights, firefights and car chases. Director Benny Chan died of cancer before post-production was completed. Hong Kong cinema will likely not be taking any major chances now that it's under China's heel. 3/5.

Have you seen Drug War?  You might check that out if you haven't.  It's just interesting seeing one of Hong Kong's best directors labor under mainland rules to make a crime picture, and what he could do with it (for better and for worse - To said he did not face censorship issues on it but that he wrote it with the mainland censors in mind).  You can feel the box it's in at times, but it's fascinating seeing the art of it happen anyways.  Good movie too, and it's free on Prime if you have it.

Yes, I saw DRUG WAR and remember liking it quite a bit more than RAGING FIRE.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 07, 2022, 09:58:53 PM
"Jasper Mall" (2020)
Bittersweet documentary detailing a year in the life of the once-bustling Jasper Mall, a dying small town shopping center in Alabama. The Mall used to be the place to be for the local population, but now in the age of Amazon it's barely hanging on, with a dwindling number of tenants and even fewer customers. An intriguing, but also depressing, study of a retail trend that's being repeated in malls all across the United States.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 08, 2022, 05:08:22 AM
"Jasper Mall" (2020)
Bittersweet documentary detailing a year in the life of the once-bustling Jasper Mall, a dying small town shopping center in Alabama. The Mall used to be the place to be for the local population, but now in the age of Amazon it's barely hanging on, with a dwindling number of tenants and even fewer customers. An intriguing, but also depressing, study of a retail trend that's being repeated in malls all across the United States.

Remember when society was all worried about the amount of time people spent in malls?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 08, 2022, 10:52:48 PM
"Psycho II" (1983)
After 22 years in an institution, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins, creepy as ever) is declared "sane." He returns home, resumes running the old family motel, and befriends a local diner waitress (Meg Tilly). Everything seems cool, till bodies suddenly start to pile up again. Is Norman back to his old tricks, or is someone else trying to pin their crimes on him so he'll get sent back to the nut house?
In spite of being released at the height of the '80s slasher craze, "Psycho II" resists the urge to turn into a full on bloodbath, staying at a suspenseful slow boil the way Hitchcock's original did. Needless to say, it doesn't come close to equaling Hitch's O.G., but this extremely belated sequel is tongue in cheek fun in its own right. Followed by a third installment, which was directed by Perkins himself.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 09, 2022, 03:46:12 PM
Romper Stomper (1992) - I saw this when it came out at Brookline MA 's celebrated Coolidge Corner theater. It was pretty awesome then and has held up, though it's a little over the top. Then again, dozens of people are getting killed in cities like Chicago every week maybe it was just a little early on all it's chaos.

Russell Crowe is a skinhead with Clockwork Orange sort of swagger, trying to rid the country of foreigners or at least rid the places he and his friends hang out of in of them. He meets a troubled but relatively normal runaway and she becomes part of the gang. Bad timing for her, as all sorts of s**t is about to hit the fan, but that's what happens when your whole life is being a nazi and smashing stuff.

Somewhere between exploitation and film noir, the director was clearly trying to get noticed and I guess he did, as I don't recall seeing any other Australian movies during this era. very cool beans, I will probably watch it yet again sometime.

5/5

The same director recently made a tv series with the same name set in modern times. It features Antifa vs Proud Boys type stuff. I watched some of the first episode which was okay, but I just don't give a crap about those sort of people honestly.

(https://iv1.lisimg.com/image/14791353/525full-romper-stomper-poster.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 10, 2022, 12:41:17 PM
"Psycho III" (1986)
A diverse group of guests including a suicidal ex-nun, a half-crazed drifter, and a gang of partying football fans all intersect on a rainy night at the Bates Motel, where poor Norman still doesn't quite have his head together. You can probably figure out the rest.
This third installment was directed by Anthony "Norman Bates" Perkins and it's sleazier, bloodier, and more fun than "II."

"Weird Science" (1985)
Two high school dorks (Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith) become suddenly significant when they use a computer to create a gorgeous girl (Kelly LeBrock) who does their bidding. John "Breakfast Club" Hughes' cult classic sci-fi teen comedy makes the most of its absolutely ridiculous premise, piling on one absurd situation after another. It's been years since I last saw this, but when I was in high school I could quote this entire movie chapter and verse. Tons of goofy fun!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 11, 2022, 11:34:52 PM
started watching V the tv series from the 1980's, which I saw as an 8 year old. the first episode was incredible


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 12, 2022, 11:34:06 AM
RIFFTRAX: DEATH PROMISE: A slumlord and his investors---a corrupt judge, a gangster, a pusher and a businessman---kill an old boxer when he won't give up his crappy rent-controlled apartment, and his son---an Italian Bruce Lee type---promises they will all get some steamy death for their trouble. I always thought Rifftrax/MST3K should do some more kung fu movies; I think they may avoid them because the long fight scenes present a challenge to riff. Still this is very entertaining: the fighting is actually good and can be enjoyed on it's own, while the layer of comedy makes the rest of this very badly made movie watchable. You could go 3.5/5 for this.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 13, 2022, 12:34:05 AM
MIDSOMAR (2019)  I watched this film when it came out in the theaters and had not seen it since, so I DVR'd it and watched it this week while my wife was out of town.  From the director of HEREDITARY, this is a slow-burn to a dark and terrifying ending.  A young couple whose relationship is foundering join a college friend on a trip to his parents' commune in Sweden, where they discover the rituals this cult engages in are deadly and dark indeed . . . HIGHLY recommended for horror fans!! 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on February 13, 2022, 02:09:31 AM
Nobody's Fool - How had I never heard of this one before?  Stars Paul Newman, with supporting roles for Melanie Griffith, Bruce Willis, Margo Martindale, Jessica Tandy (her final role) and even a very young Phillip Seymour Hoffman.  Oh, and it's written and directed by the man who wrote/directed Kramer VS Kramer, Robert Benton.  It's a very enjoyable dramedy, about a mostly absentee father rekindling some of his relationships as he approaches his elder years over a few weeks.  One of Paul Newman's best performances.  A very satisfying conclusion to it all too, with one of my favorite final shots in any film I think I've seen.  Whole movie is like a warm blanket.  Check it out if you haven't seen it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 13, 2022, 09:41:34 AM
THE FLESH (1991): A nightclub singer meets a bombshell obsessed with tantric sex, and they retire to his beach-side cabin for months of erotic activities. Something like what would happen if Bunuel had directed an "Emmanuelle" film, this exploration of carnality (in every sense of the word) can be tedious much of the way, but by the end the seemingly random symbolism comes together more thoughtfully than expected. 2.5/5. Lead actress Francesca Dellera is quite a sight.

(https://a3-images.myspacecdn.com/images03/2/d913131641f442508967b05635391dd8/600x600.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 13, 2022, 11:07:19 PM
I think I made out with her at a party in the South End circa 95


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 14, 2022, 02:05:37 AM
House on Haunted Hill (1959)

Nothing really makes sense in this movie, but that doesn't matter, it is loads of fun. Vincent Price is superb as a sinister version of Walt Disney. Also, don't keep vats of acid in the cellar, they're an accident waiting to happen.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 14, 2022, 09:58:15 AM
"Money For Nothing: A History of the Music Video" (2013)
Nothin' fancy about this made-for-TV documentary, it's essentially one long clip show, which goes all the way back to the early ancestors of music videos like the movie musicals of the '30s and '40s and the Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night," to the rise of MTV when they became a legit art form in their own right. A relaxing trip down memory lane. I spent most of the slim run time pointing at the screen and saying, "Oh yeah, that was a good one, that was a cool one too, that one sucked," etc., etc.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 15, 2022, 09:17:55 AM
SYMBIOPSYCHOTAXIPLASM: TAKE 2 1/2 (2005): 35 years after SYMBISOYCHOTAXIPLASM TAKE ONE, director William Greaves reunites two of the actors to rehearse a scenario showing what happened to the characters over the decades, and again films himself filming it. As far away from a standalone sequel as possible, this is mainly a meditation on the first movie, with 30 minutes of unused footage from TAKE ONE up front. Interesting enough as a supplement, but it also highlights how much of a lightning-in-a-bottle moment the first film was---youth has faded and the magic can only be remembered, not recreated. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 16, 2022, 09:12:20 AM
Quote
SYMBIOPSYCHOTAXIPLASM

Gesundheit!  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 16, 2022, 09:14:52 AM
"Pieces" (1982)
The movie with the greatest tag line ever: "YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO TEXAS FOR A CHAINSAW MASSACRE!"
A psycho killer is carving up Boston college co-eds with a chain saw and using their body parts to assemble a human jigsaw puzzle. Yup, that's the whole plot.
This legendary low budget Spanish/American sickie has become a cult classic thanks to its ridiculously over the top gore and its awful acting/dubbing. It's terrible, but it's also highly entertaining in an unintentionally campy sort of way.

"X-Ray" (aka "Hospital Massacre," 1982)
A strange blend of "My Bloody Valentine" and "Halloween II," starring the ridiculously gorgeous Barbi Benton. She goes to the hospital for a routine checkup on Valentine's Day, only to be stalked and terrorized by a crazed slasher who's been obsessed with her since they were children.
Plot wise, "X-Ray" is a muddled mess, but it gets by thanks to some decent gory bits and of course the MAJOR eye candy courtesy of Ms. Benton. Watchable, but not essential.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 17, 2022, 07:48:26 AM
The White Reindeer.

A Finnish movie from 1952. Given that at this time the country was deep under 'Finlandisation', I expected this to be along the lines of Soviet movies of the era, although I'd have to say from the little I've seen of Soviet movies from the time, it really isn't. A young woman gets rather lonely as her Reindeer herding husband spends much of his time away doing his job. She visits a local wizard or shaman who makes her irresistible to men, but she becomes a shape shifter who lures men out into the wilderness to their deaths. By modern standards, there is nothing surprising plot-wise. I can't talk about the special effects because there isn't any. You do have a lot of lovely shots of the Finnish wilderness (although to be fair, it could be anywhere with a heavy snowfall. Very stark, but beautiful nonetheless). It is wonderfully shot though and blessedly free of dubbing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 17, 2022, 10:44:48 AM
"Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies" (2003)
Documentary covering the golden age of exploitation films (the late 1930s thru the late 60s), featuring interviews with movers & shakers like Samuel Z. Arkoff (American International Pictures), director/producer Roger Corman, distributor/producer Harry Novak, Forrest J. Ackerman, Dick Miller, Doris Wishman (director of "Nude on the Moon"), and plenty of weird, hilarious clips from dozens of long-forgotten "hygiene films," "nudie cuties," "roughies," and cheap 50s monster movies. Educational and fun!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 17, 2022, 11:12:15 AM
Edge of the Knife.

Set in the 1800s, a tribesman goes on the run when he accidentally causes the death of a friends son. Guilt and loneliness very quickly take a toll on his sanity. This goes for long stretches without any dialogue and when there is talking, it isn't in their native language. Nicely shot and a very contemplative movie. If you are looking for action and adventure, look elsewhere.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 18, 2022, 12:41:16 PM
THE STENDHAL SYNDROME (1996): A female detective (Asia Argento) investigating a serial rapist and killer becomes his victim, while simultaneously experiencing hallucinations when she looks at works of art (the title syndrome). The good (some nifty shots, a sympathetic portrayal of rape survivors) bumps up against the bad (the superfluity of the hallucination gimmick, a too-obvious "twist" ending) in this late attempt to revive the giallo from 70s master Dario Agento. How does a man direct his own daughter's rape scene? Seems like that would be uncomfortable. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 18, 2022, 12:58:09 PM
THE STENDHAL SYNDROME (1996): A female detective (Asia Argento) investigating a serial rapist and killer becomes his victim, while simultaneously experiencing hallucinations when she looks at works of art (the title syndrome). The good (some nifty shots, a sympathetic portrayal of rape survivors) bumps up against the bad (the superfluity of the hallucination gimmick, a too-obvious "twist" ending) in this late attempt to revive the giallo from 70s master Dario Agento. How does a man direct his own daughter's rape scene? Seems like that would be uncomfortable. 3/5.

It has been a while since I saw it, but I think she directs her own rape scene in The Scarlet Actress.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 18, 2022, 02:19:26 PM
THE STENDHAL SYNDROME (1996): A female detective (Asia Argento) investigating a serial rapist and killer becomes his victim, while simultaneously experiencing hallucinations when she looks at works of art (the title syndrome). The good (some nifty shots, a sympathetic portrayal of rape survivors) bumps up against the bad (the superfluity of the hallucination gimmick, a too-obvious "twist" ending) in this late attempt to revive the giallo from 70s master Dario Agento. How does a man direct his own daughter's rape scene? Seems like that would be uncomfortable. 3/5.

It has been a while since I saw it, but I think she directs her own rape scene in The Scarlet Actress.

SCARLET DIVA, but I think you're correct. She is assaulted in the scene but not raped, and it's based on her real experience with Harvey Weinstein. It's not a great movie but it's never boring!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: JuanSnz on February 18, 2022, 03:57:06 PM
^ The irony is that a year later after be accused of had sex with Jimmy Bennett, he was minor in that time, she used the same arguments or methods by Harvey Weinstein and others to tried to denigrate him. Like, he blackmailed her to not make a bad publicity of her.

I feel like the kind of Father-Daughter relation that have/had Dario Argento and Asia Argento, is 2 or 3 levels less 'creepy' than Sergei Gainsbourg had with Charlotte Gainsbourg.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 18, 2022, 11:20:01 PM
FRIDAY NIGHT DOUBLE FEATURE:

FEMALE WEREWOLF:  (2015) - I have nothing against art house films per se, but this was an incredibly boring, confusing, and pretentious piece of dreck!  Fewer than ten words of dialogue in the entire movie, just lots of creepy theme music.  A lesbian secretary fantasizes about sleeping with her co-worker and then turning into a werewolf.  So she invites said co-worker over, kills her, and sleeps with her corpse.  Then does it again with a streetwalker, and sleeps between the two corpses.  Or did she imagine the whole thing?  You never find out.  1/5  AVOID!

MEGA PIRHANA:  Trust the Asylum to deliver the campiest cheese-fests ever, with some of the worst CGI fish ever conceived. Bad dialogue, bad action sequences, nonsensical plot - this was a bad movie lover's bad movie!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 18, 2022, 11:28:46 PM
Asia Argento crosses the line from sexy to gross for me


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 19, 2022, 03:07:05 AM
MEGA PIRHANA:  Trust the Asylum to deliver the campiest cheese-fests ever, with some of the worst CGI fish ever conceived. Bad dialogue, bad action sequences, nonsensical plot - this was a bad movie lover's bad movie!  4/5

Did you recognise the 'star' of the movie?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 19, 2022, 08:41:35 AM
MEGA PIRHANA:  Trust the Asylum to deliver the campiest cheese-fests ever, with some of the worst CGI fish ever conceived. Bad dialogue, bad action sequences, nonsensical plot - this was a bad movie lover's bad movie!  4/5

Did you recognise the 'star' of the movie?

The female scientist was played by 80's teen pop star Tiffany.  But I only know that because her name was in the credits! LOL


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 19, 2022, 08:47:31 AM
"Murder In The Front Row" (2019)
Members of Metallica, Exodus, Slayer, Death Angel, and more look back on the glory days of the early 80s thrash metal scene in the San Francisco Bay Area. Great stuff.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 19, 2022, 11:08:57 AM
"Murder In The Front Row" (2019)
Members of Metallica, Exodus, Slayer, Death Angel, and more look back on the glory days of the early 80s thrash metal scene in the San Francisco Bay Area. Great stuff.

I would love to see that!
I was a big reader of TRASH METAL (later titled METAL MANIACS) magazine!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 19, 2022, 12:03:31 PM
RIFFTRAX: CHRISTMAS WITH WHIZZO THE CLOWN: Ouch! Sorry, but this hour-long Christmas special from a local Kansas City Bozo imitator from the mid-60s was a bit of a chore to get through. Fortunately, it was preceded by a bizarre short about Christmas trees with human faces (!) Since the feature was short I also streamed a couple of Christmas-themed Rifftrax short cartoons---"Gifts from the Air" and "Spunky the Snowman"---which were both hilarious. Even though the shorts were good, I'd recommend just about any other Rifftrax Christmas release over this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 19, 2022, 03:45:18 PM
Fat Freddy - Have you ever heard "Devils Metal" by Death angel? it's pretty choice

Horror in the High Desert (2021) - Found footage horror has come a long way since The Blair Witch Project. Actually, no it hasn't, but this was pretty alright. director uses a Dateline sort of style to tell the story of a youtube star hiker who encounters something crazy in the woods. The ending was as scary as I've seen in a while.

4.5 /5 tubitv


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on February 19, 2022, 08:19:50 PM
Kimi - Slick, well paced Rear Window-like Soderbergh thriller, with some mild Blow-up/Blowout/Conversation in there too.  Good lead performance from Zoe Kravitz.  Pretty good character portrait of the lead.  I think it doesn't fully gel in the climax, but still enjoyable enough.  Good visual storytelling.  It's an HBO Max original, so watch it there. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 19, 2022, 10:14:47 PM
"Demon Seed" (1977)
A scientist has created a new artificial-intelligence that takes over his high tech computerized home and then makes a move on his wife (Julie Christie), so it can learn about reproduction. Yikes.
Based on an early work by Dean Koontz, this '70s sci-fi/horror makes the most of its absurd premise and Julie Christie, who's essentially a one woman show for most of the movie, does a nice job as the imperiled house wife. A weird but cool slice of retro junk.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 19, 2022, 11:50:11 PM
THE SUICIDE SQUAD (2021) - A non-stop, glorious train wreck of a movie which brings Harley Quinn together with Bloodsport, some giant shark dude, a chick that can control rats, a guy who shoots killer polka dots at people, and another guy named Peacemaker, plus assorted other baddies, into a Latin American banana republic in order to destroy something called Project Starfish - which is a giant, heavily armored laboratory hiding - well, a giant mind-controlling space starfish.
This was a funny, glorious train wreck of a movie with just the right mix of humor, gore, and gonzo over the top characters. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 20, 2022, 12:20:45 AM
fat freddy - an all time favorite. it's like he started writing a sci fi movie then took some qualudes and tried to turn the elements of the story into porn


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 20, 2022, 12:47:39 PM
"Cosmos: War of the Planets" (1977)
Lured by a mysterious radio signal, a spaceship crew lands on a remote planet ruled by a malevolent machine, which wants to take over the astronauts' minds so it can reach Earth.
...or something like that. (shrugs)
This cheap Italian sci-fi flick looks like it was made in 1957, not '77. The sets are cardboard, the costumes look like leftovers from the old "Flash Gordon" serials, the plot is incomprehensible, the soundtrack (endless loops of "spacey" synthesizer noises and random bleeps and bloops) is irritating as hell, and the dialog is screamingly awkward.
I knew going in that this was going to be a turkey, but I had no idea HOW bad it would be. It may only be mid-February but I think this has my "Worst Movie I've Seen This Year" trophy locked up already.
For the love of God, AVOID AVOID AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on February 20, 2022, 04:53:51 PM
Quote
The movie with the greatest tag line ever: "YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO TEXAS FOR A CHAINSAW MASSACRE!"

I actually think it has TWO of the greatest tag lines, they're even both on the box.  "It's Exactly What You Think It Is".  Just that blunt honesty is hilarious.

Related, I just saw the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre film.  It's bad.  Poorly written, extremely unlikable lead characters, some nonsensical plot moments, and a laughably bad ending.  It is well-paced and surprisingly nicely shot though, with a lot of gore, so I'll say taken as a generic gory slasher for people on this forum, you may enjoy it.  It's also only 75 minutes minus credits.  But it's just terrible as a horror film. 

Other thoughts...  They don't even really mention the Sawyer family.  So we never learn what happened with Grandpa or The Old Man in this version.  It's an odd omission.  Sally is also poorly written and is clearly a reaction to the 2018 Halloween, but with far less skill in its handling.

Oh, one funny thing, there's a redneck open carrying Texan who rolls coal at the lead characters in the film...  And he's probably the most likable and heroic character in the film.  Just not what I expected in this film, I'll say that much.  They try to give him a bit of depth, but it ends up just feeling jumbled and poorly written.

If you do watch it, there is a post-credits scene with a familiar location shown.  Hurray.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 20, 2022, 07:56:06 PM
BELLY TIMBER - A weird freebie on the local channel about a gang of cannibals who move to the American frontier in the 1800's and are tracked down by a local after they kill and eat his brother.  Mega-cheaply done, with a strange religious angle to the cannibal family that isn't like any real religion I've ever heard of.  Not dreadful, but not great.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: jimpickens on February 21, 2022, 04:58:17 AM
The new TCM sucks watched Wacko a 1983 horror comedy with a young hot Julia Duffy and a young Andrew Dice Clay in it The Way of the West a pretty good western.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on February 21, 2022, 03:05:39 PM
The Thin Man (1934) - Quite entertaining mystery comedy.  Lots of good dialogue and two very good lead performances.  I did find this occasionally a bit hard to follow - the mics of the mid 30s make vocals hard to hear sometimes, and there's a bit too much dialogue requiring you to remember who like 6 different named characters are and what they're doing and have done based almost entirely on this dialogue.  But the movie zooms right over this and never stops being fun in spite of it.  Well worth a watch, I'll probably check out the sequels eventually as well.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 21, 2022, 03:13:38 PM
Belle (2021)

A very ponderous retelling of the Beauty and the Beast for the age of social media, which in the last half hour takes a left turn and becomes something altogether more poignant. It didn't do very much for me. There are some stunning visuals, a catchy theme song, and the most evil schoolgirl life in the history of film.

An interesting companion to his earlier Summer Wars, which I liked a lot more.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 21, 2022, 03:37:20 PM
Land of the Blue Lakes (2021) - 95 percent of this movie is a bunch of friends in Latvia kayaking around in some marshy lakes. The crew are likeable enough and the lakes are rather scenic. It would probably be a fun thing to do with a six pack or so, but I'm trying to watch a horror movie not make possible future travel plans.

The film is badly missing a connection from the vacation to the horror part and instead just tries to be the most ridiculous found footage movie ever.

It's one thing to be forthright in setting up your story and not worry so much about commercial aspects. Blatantly lacking the creativity to make a movie genuinely work is another.

1/5

I strongly disagree with this https://filmthreat.com/reviews/the-land-of-blue-lakes/ review


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on February 22, 2022, 04:57:26 PM

"X-Ray" (aka "Hospital Massacre," 1982)
A strange blend of "My Bloody Valentine" and "Halloween II," starring the ridiculously gorgeous Barbi Benton. She goes to the hospital for a routine checkup on Valentine's Day, only to be stalked and terrorized by a crazed slasher who's been obsessed with her since they were children.
Plot wise, "X-Ray" is a muddled mess, but it gets by thanks to some decent gory bits and of course the MAJOR eye candy courtesy of Ms. Benton. Watchable, but not essential.

love this one actually. drags a little toward the end but the randomness of it all is great. right about barbie benton. stunning!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on February 22, 2022, 05:01:00 PM
ENTRAPMENT (1999)

without ever watching it I had this down as some kind of slowburning intrigue thriller. not sure why. more like a corny wannabe crime action blockbuster. catherine zeta jones is awful.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on February 22, 2022, 09:48:09 PM
Out West (1918) - the first Fatty Arbuckle short I've seen.  It's a doozy.  Virtually plotless, Fatty is a drifter who wanders into a tiny western town and gets a job at Buster Keaton's bar/gambling den.  Hijinks ensue, including what must be 10 people getting shot to death, several good sight gags, and a seemingly indestructible outlaw.  It's bizarre, and doesn't quite add up the way Keaton or Chaplin's better shorts do, but it's consistently entertaining start to finish. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 22, 2022, 11:03:46 PM
Finishing off my foray into the "Psycho" franchise...

"Psycho IV: The Beginning" (1990)
Norman Bates calls in to a talk radio program about matricide, proceeds to tell the host how he became such an infamous mother killin' nut case, and hints that he may be ready to kill again.
Better than expected made-for-cable sequel does a nice job of filling in the blanks in Norman's back story via flash backs that star Henry Thomas (yes, the kid from "E.T.") as teenaged Norman and the still MILF-y Olivia Hussey as Mrs. Bates. This would be Anthony Perkins' last turn as Norman before his death in 1992.

"Bates Motel" (1987)
In this made-for-TV flick (not to be confused with the early 2000's A&E TV series by the same name), Norman Bates has died while incarcerated in the asylum, and left his close friend and cell mate "Alex" (Bud Cort) the run-down Bates Motel property.. When Alex is paroled he moves into the creepy old Bates house and re-opens the Motel with a cast of weird supporting characters that includes the annoying Lori Petty and a teenage Jason Bateman. Oh, and old Mrs. Bates' ghost may still be hanging around the place, too.
Yes, it's just as awful as it sounds.
This was intended as a pilot for a TV series that I guess would've recast the Bates Motel as a supernatural "Fantasy Island" location, but it's hokey, poorly acted and dull as dirt. Be thankful it never became a weekly show.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Cult_Moody_Movies on February 23, 2022, 12:35:30 AM
Dune (2021) and Play Misty for Me (1971)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on February 24, 2022, 02:02:02 PM
DIE HARD 2 (1990)

never properly watched this. just caught the odd section on tv until now, and possibly saw it drunk.

way too long. somehow feels like it should be nearing the end about 1 hour in... then you realise there's another hour left.... lost interest despite the action and loud explosions. main baddie not used enough. it's not terrible though


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on February 24, 2022, 03:36:05 PM
DIE HARD 2 (1990)

never properly watched this. just caught the odd section on tv until now, and possibly saw it drunk.

way too long. somehow feels like it should be nearing the end about 1 hour in... then you realise there's another hour left.... lost interest despite the action and loud explosions. main baddie not used enough. it's not terrible though

When it was shown in Pretoria in 1990 at a local multiplex, some moron there arranged for a wrecked aeroplane to be hoisted up on the roof and used as an advertising billboard. The result: more than a few traffic accidents near the cinema when people were distracted by the thing on the roof  :buggedout: :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on February 24, 2022, 04:14:20 PM
well I've heard of a 'box office smash', but that's ridiculous.

(gets coat)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: JuanSnz on February 24, 2022, 05:31:52 PM
When it was shown in Pretoria in 1990 at a local multiplex, some moron there arranged for a wrecked aeroplane to be hoisted up on the roof and used as an advertising billboard. The result: more than a few traffic accidents near the cinema when people were distracted by the thing on the roof  :buggedout: :buggedout:

I wish to know, how was the advertisement for Showgirls.  :twirl:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 24, 2022, 07:55:17 PM
FIFTEEN THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BIGFOOT (2021) This was a hilarious little bit of social satire.  An aspiring journalist keeps being assigned to silly stories, but longs for a major network deal to do "serious" journalism.  But his bosses send him to a Bigfoot convention in Georgia, and while on an expedition with a local Bigfoot hunter, he has an encounter that changes his mind about nearly everything he believes . . .
4.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on February 25, 2022, 05:23:01 AM
When it was shown in Pretoria in 1990 at a local multiplex, some moron there arranged for a wrecked aeroplane to be hoisted up on the roof and used as an advertising billboard. The result: more than a few traffic accidents near the cinema when people were distracted by the thing on the roof  :buggedout: :buggedout:

I wish to know, how was the advertisement for Showgirls.  :twirl:

They asked me to pose nude for that  :buggedout: :buggedout: :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 25, 2022, 09:49:57 AM
MARCELLO MASTROIANNI: I REMEMBER (1997): Three hours of the charismatic star reminiscing about his career, interspersed with classic clips. Sure, it's unfocused and too long, but would you interrupt Mastroianni when he's explaining why he prefers Chekhov to Shakespeare, or describing the obscene doodle Fellini showed him when he asked to see a copy of his latest script? 3/5.

ENCANTO (2021): Mirabel is the only member of her family born without magical powers; will she destroy the clan's legacy, or save it? All the usual sparkle of Disney animation, it also leans heavily on Lin Manuel Miranda's toe-tapping songs, to compensate for the fact that the story and supporting characters are a little weak. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 26, 2022, 11:13:15 AM
RIFFTRAX: REPLICA: In the near future a man receives a kidney transplant, asks his kind of slutty doctor out, then she dies in a fender-bender, then he sees her exact double walking down the street with a tramp stamp of her own name. Well that was... something. I'd never seen a James Ngyuen movie before. Imagine if Ed Wood was still alive but less competent and decided to remake VERTIGO with a sci-fi spin. Just terrible in terms of acting, sound, editing.... Would have been entertaining without the commentary (you can also buy it unriffed from Rifftrax). Made before BIRDEMIC, this wasn't available until the Rifftrax crew bought the rights specifically so they could feature it. It's a short film, so I also streamed their re-riff of "Mr. B-Natural." A lot of the jokes are essentially rephrased repeats (what are you going to joke about besides Mr. B's creepy androgyny?), but it does include the extra footage that was edited out of the MST3K short for time. For fans of this stuff, this is a solid 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 26, 2022, 01:06:33 PM
"Always Amazing" (2018)
The recent passing of stand up comedian/magician Jonathan Szeles, aka "The Amazing Jonathan," prompted me to seek out this documentary about his life and career, which takes the viewer through his humble beginnings as a street performer in San Francisco to international comedy-club sensation and Vegas headliner, until the 2014 diagnosis of congestive heart failure that forced his retirement from performing.
I saw Johnathan at a comedy club in New Jersey in the early '90s and got to chat with him for a minute after the gig when I bought a tee shirt from him, he seemed like a cool dude. R.I.P., sir.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 26, 2022, 09:53:17 PM
"Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)" (2020)
After breaking up with the Joker, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) teams up with three other female bad-asses (Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Jurnee Smollett) to bring down one of Gotham City's biggest crime bosses (Ewan McGregor). Basically it's a girl-powered "Deadpool," with lots of slapstick gags, fourth wall breaks, and over the top ultra violence. Not a classic for the ages, but an entertaining time waster.

"Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (2022)
The ninth (!) installment in the seemingly never-ending "TCM" franchise takes the direct-to-Netflix route. An investment group of twenty something hipsters have purchased an entire Texas "ghost town," intending to gentrify it and turn it into a tourist attraction, but they soon learn that there's still one resident hanging around who doesn't take kindly to trespassers. You can probably figure out the rest.
"TCM" has always been my least favorite of the "big" horror franchises so I kept my expectations low for this one, which actually worked in its favor. It's not original in the slightest - the obvious inspiration is the 2018 "Halloween" reboot (i.e. erasing everything after the original from continuity, and bringing back a major character from the O.G.) but there's plenty of brutal, splashy gore and the slim running time (just shy of 90 minutes) kept it from wearing out its welcome. Better than I expected, given the absolutely savage reviews I've been reading online.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: jimpickens on February 26, 2022, 11:45:26 PM
The Final Option a classic cold war anti terrorism movie that wouldn't get made today you know the left being portrayed as scumbags and all
the Black Gestapo classic blaxploitation ever made.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 27, 2022, 04:43:05 AM
The Mitchells vs The Machines (2021)

A quirky dysfunctional family is humanity's only hope after the robot uprising.

You'd be hard pressed to find a single original idea in it, and the basic story of 'family getting together' isn't all that world shattering either, but the whole thing is done with such an enthusiasm and sense of fun, that it simply sweeps you along. Also, by making the main character a B-movie fan, it wears its influences proudly on its sleeve. A hoot.

Special mention to Olivia Colman for voicing the evil AI. It makes sense that if you make your virtual assistant sound like Mary Poppins, it will try to take over the world.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 27, 2022, 10:03:52 AM
BORGMAN (2013): A vagrant insinuates his way into a rich family, then enacts a bizarre plan to destroy them. Another fine entry in the Surrealist subgenre of "a mysterious visitor destabilizes the bourgeois order." 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 27, 2022, 02:43:42 PM
The Thin Man (1934) - Quite entertaining mystery comedy.  Lots of good dialogue and two very good lead performances.  I did find this occasionally a bit hard to follow - the mics of the mid 30s make vocals hard to hear sometimes, and there's a bit too much dialogue requiring you to remember who like 6 different named characters are and what they're doing and have done based almost entirely on this dialogue.  But the movie zooms right over this and never stops being fun in spite of it.  Well worth a watch, I'll probably check out the sequels eventually as well.

I don't know if you ever watched the old 1970's TV show HART TO HART, but it was a rip off of the old THIN MAN movie series from the 30's.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on February 27, 2022, 02:46:02 PM
The Thin Man (1934) - Quite entertaining mystery comedy.  Lots of good dialogue and two very good lead performances.  I did find this occasionally a bit hard to follow - the mics of the mid 30s make vocals hard to hear sometimes, and there's a bit too much dialogue requiring you to remember who like 6 different named characters are and what they're doing and have done based almost entirely on this dialogue.  But the movie zooms right over this and never stops being fun in spite of it.  Well worth a watch, I'll probably check out the sequels eventually as well.

I don't know if you ever watched the old 1970's TV show HART TO HART, but it was a rip off of the old THIN MAN movie series from the 30's.

That's where I developed my Stefanie Powers crush.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on February 27, 2022, 02:53:49 PM
The Final Option a classic cold war anti terrorism movie that wouldn't get made today you know the left being portrayed as scumbags and all
the Black Gestapo classic blaxploitation ever made.

Also known here and in the UK as Who Dares Wins, starring the late great Lewis Collins, Judy Davis and Richard Widmark. I saw it in 1982 with my Dad and both of us enjoyed it.  :teddyr: :teddyr:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Dares_Wins_(film) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Dares_Wins_(film))


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 27, 2022, 10:42:23 PM
"The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" (1974)
Five hippies on a van trip through rural Texas encounter the horrific Leatherface and his cannibal family in Tobe Hooper's classic shocker.. After watching the newest installment in the saga on Netflix last night, I felt compelled to revisit the O.G. today. It still packs a wallop after all these years.

"Slave to the Grind" (2018)
No, it's not a documentary about the Skid Row album - it's about grindcore, the bastard mix of hardcore punk, thrash, and death metal that slithered out of the British underground in the mid '80s and eventually become a global phenomenon. Loaded with interviews and cool clips of all the major playas like Napalm Death, Carcass, Terrorizer, Agathocles, A.C., Nasum, and many more. I'm not even a grind guy, but I enjoyed this fast moving, thorough investigation.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 28, 2022, 06:54:23 AM
Phantom from 10,000 leagues (1955)

A rogue oceanographer creates an undersea death ray, which has the side effect of turning turtles into the Creature of the Black Lagoon. Government investigators and foreign spies are on his trail.

The plot here is actually better thought out than in most rubber monster movies of the time, with the espionage angle as an interesting addition. Also, keeping the rubber monster in the water avoids mosts of the awkwardness of other suited monsters.  However, due to the limitations of the production, it consists mostly of people talking. It is completely devoid of suspense (or anything else, really).
So it sits there in limbo. It falls flat as a spy/creature thriller and is nowhere as amusing as, say, Robot Monster.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 28, 2022, 09:58:38 AM
KING KNIGHT (2021): The leader of a Wicca coven's life is thrown into disgrace when a secret from his past is revealed. Few jokes land in this modern pagan satire, but the unusual milieu and a well-done budget psychedelic journey sequence make it watchable. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 28, 2022, 03:48:28 PM
Grave Encounters (2011) - Most found footage movies are pretty minimalist in nature, sometimes ridiculously so. I'd seen this mentioned a couple of places so I checked it out. Here you have much more of a regular horror movie in terms of the effort and dialogue and so forth. If you like the rawness of found footage but don't want to watch 45 minute long shots of people in an abandoned house drinking and talking about random stuff, check it out.

As always, an old mental hospital is the setting. A crew from a "Ghost Hunters" type show arrive and we immediately see they are con artists, employing actors and bribing Spanish landscaping guys to make up stories about seeing ghosts.

It's longish and there are lots of ideas some better than others, but in general it won me over. If this was the director's demo tape to the big studios they should probably hire him for something.

and yet, I didn't quite love it. there's no huge impressive scare factor or much of a personal touch. There are sequels I will probably see. It's very good.

4.25 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 28, 2022, 04:44:36 PM
Tourist Trap.

Chuck Conners attempts a career relaunch as a horror movie villain. A film with interesting ideas but none of them is its own. House of Wax and Carrie, in particular, seem to have a big influence with a dash of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It is a Charles Band movie I had not seen before.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 01, 2022, 10:59:26 AM
The Thin Man (1934) - Quite entertaining mystery comedy.  Lots of good dialogue and two very good lead performances.  I did find this occasionally a bit hard to follow - the mics of the mid 30s make vocals hard to hear sometimes, and there's a bit too much dialogue requiring you to remember who like 6 different named characters are and what they're doing and have done based almost entirely on this dialogue.  But the movie zooms right over this and never stops being fun in spite of it.  Well worth a watch, I'll probably check out the sequels eventually as well.

I don't know if you ever watched the old 1970's TV show HART TO HART, but it was a rip off of the old THIN MAN movie series from the 30's.

I vaguely remember Hart to Hart being on in reruns plus I remember some of the TV movies coming out but don't think I ever saw any of it.  Just reading the wikipedia description, the Thin Man connection is pretty clear.  I'll have to check it out.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 01, 2022, 11:15:34 AM
The Thin Man (1934) - Quite entertaining mystery comedy.  Lots of good dialogue and two very good lead performances.  I did find this occasionally a bit hard to follow - the mics of the mid 30s make vocals hard to hear sometimes, and there's a bit too much dialogue requiring you to remember who like 6 different named characters are and what they're doing and have done based almost entirely on this dialogue.  But the movie zooms right over this and never stops being fun in spite of it.  Well worth a watch, I'll probably check out the sequels eventually as well.

I don't know if you ever watched the old 1970's TV show HART TO HART, but it was a rip off of the old THIN MAN movie series from the 30's.

I vaguely remember Hart to Hart being on in reruns plus I remember some of the TV movies coming out but don't think I ever saw any of it.  Just reading the wikipedia description, the Thin Man connection is pretty clear.  I'll have to check it out.


I remember seeing that show as a kid and thinking they must have been the world's unluckiest couple. Everywhere they went, someone died. When I was a bit older though I'd have different thoughts about people who are always there when someone dies (Jessica Fletcher is the world's most successful fictional serial killer!).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 01, 2022, 11:50:16 AM
The Thin Man (1934) - Quite entertaining mystery comedy.  Lots of good dialogue and two very good lead performances.  I did find this occasionally a bit hard to follow - the mics of the mid 30s make vocals hard to hear sometimes, and there's a bit too much dialogue requiring you to remember who like 6 different named characters are and what they're doing and have done based almost entirely on this dialogue.  But the movie zooms right over this and never stops being fun in spite of it.  Well worth a watch, I'll probably check out the sequels eventually as well.

I don't know if you ever watched the old 1970's TV show HART TO HART, but it was a rip off of the old THIN MAN movie series from the 30's.

I vaguely remember Hart to Hart being on in reruns plus I remember some of the TV movies coming out but don't think I ever saw any of it.  Just reading the wikipedia description, the Thin Man connection is pretty clear.  I'll have to check it out.


I remember seeing that show as a kid and thinking they must have been the world's unluckiest couple. Everywhere they went, someone died. When I was a bit older though I'd have different thoughts about people who are always there when someone dies (Jessica Fletcher is the world's most successful fictional serial killer!).

Another one to think about are a lot of Westerns.  I remember seeing a tally for Marshall Dillon from Gunsmoke.  Apparently he killed like 400 people over the course of the series and movies.  Think about your local police officer killing that many people while you live in an isolated town of under 1000 total.  Dillon also got shot himself over FIFTY times. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 02, 2022, 08:59:12 AM
"The Stepford Wives" (1975)
A family moves from New York City to the tranquil small town of Stepford in rural Connecticut, where life is perfect... maybe a little too perfect. As the wife struggles to fit in with her homebody neighbors, she begins to suspect that something sinister is going on behind the scenes.
This suspense flick with a touch of sci-fi horror and a hint of satire has a cool premise, but it drags on so long so that by the time the big twist is revealed it's lost all its punch. Followed by several made-for-TV sequels in the '80s and '90s and a big budget remake in the early '00s.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 03, 2022, 11:10:10 AM
"Taxi" (2004)
An inept cop (Jimmy Fallon) who's had his drivers' license taken away commandeers an NYC cab driven by a budding speed demon (Queen Latifah) to help him catch a gang of persistent lady bank robbers. Entertainingly silly car-crash nonsense, apparently based on a successful series of French action comedies. Latifah is clearly having fun, but I can see why Fallon's movie career never took off, cuz he's an annoying dork. Ann-Margret pops up briefly in a pointless bit part as Fallon's drunken mother.
Pretty cookie cutter stuff all around, but I've seen worse.

"Blackhearts" (2016)
"Black Metal" fans from Greece, Iran, and Colombia all make separate pilgrimages to the genre's homeland of Norway, to play at various metal festivals and soak up some of the "true" atmosphere. I'm not a black metal guy at all but I have always found the genre's trappings interesting/unintentionally hilarious. There's even a tour bus company in Norway that will take fanboys to all the famous Black Metal sites like Euronymous' old record store and the various churches that were burned during the early 90s "inner circle" crime wave. That's pretty frickin' Metal if you ask me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 04, 2022, 04:24:58 PM
In the Blood (2014) - Gina Carano as an American on vacation with her husband in I'm guessing The Dominican Republic? its a Spanish speaking Caribbean island and he gets kidnapped. Her basic acting is good and believable if not remarkable and her action abilities are excellent. The plot has some serious holes. I'm usually pretty oblivious but even I was like "wait a minute ...Why didn't she just shoot him there" kind of thing. It's not a David Fincher production.

Luiz Guzman and Danny Triejo add their talents and B movie mega legend Treat Williams has a small role. what more could you possibly ask for? tubi forever

4.25 /5

p.s. How/ why did the zipline break? why would they think the wife would just leave her husband and not go to the hospital???


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 05, 2022, 09:33:04 AM
"Knight Rider 2000" (1991)
Michael Knight is called out of retirement to help the Foundation for Law and Government's newest recruit, a former policewoman, track down a gang of corrupt cops who are dealing weapons on the side. KITT is back too, in a souped-up new body, and he's as sarcastic as ever, of course.
This was the pilot film for a proposed new "Knight Rider" series which never came to pass, and it's easy to see why. Hasselhoff was already doing Baywatch at this point, so obviously Michael was never meant to be a regular character; he's only there to set things up and hand them off to the uninteresting new characters. The "new" KITT isn't nearly as cool looking as the classic black Firebird, and overall the whole thing was talky and dull, with barely any action. Knight Rider was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid, but even nostalgia couldn't save this one. Skip it!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 05, 2022, 10:42:47 AM
MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: SANTO IN THE TREASURE OF DRACULA: Well, here it is, the new independently produced, crowdfunded version of MST3K. First off, I am not at all delighted with the cheesy green screen and complete lack of physical sets. Putting that aside, the movie, which involves luchador Santo inventing a machine that causes past-life regressions and sending a woman back to a past life where she was one of Dracula's victims, is suitably ridiculous. The riffing is decent, not great, and the host segments are misses. The one unexpected thing that I did like was an appearance by Joel during intermission, where he and a couple of staffers did a routine and showed off a bonus invention. 3/5 overall.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 05, 2022, 04:17:31 PM
Rio Bravo - I saw El Dorado many years ago, and quite enjoyed it.  So I finally got around to seeing the original.  All in all, it's a hoot.  Entertaining start to finish, with good sharply drawn characters and generally good performances.  That said, I do think it's a touch overrated (I've heard it called one of the best westerns of all time by many people).  The villains aren't very menacing, the denouement of the climax is abrupt and unsatisfying, and while I like how the character is written, I think Ricky Nelson is a bit weak - James Caan was far better in the equivalent role in El Dorado.  These don't wreck the film, John Wayne is good and cast appropriately (100% the most important part of John Wayne roles, he has to be cast as John Wayne), Dean Martin is good, Walter Brennan too.  Good Hawks direction.  It's funny.  Really well shot and structured.  I liked the musical interlude, even if it comes out of nowhere and Wayne has nothing to do in it.  All in all, a solid good western - but I think I liked El Dorado more.

Also, it's kind of crazy to think this was only 5 years before A Fistful of Dollars.  The amount of change film styles went through from the late 50s to even the mid 60s is pretty astounding.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 05, 2022, 04:31:01 PM
In a Stranger's House (2018) - The cheapest, stupidest, and maybe the best of the recent Found Footage movies I've seen.

A guy with a boring personal vlog gets a job house sitting. Soon, typically spooky things start happening. He's scared, but also ecstatic that he's getting more views. This takes care of the "why doesn't he just get out of there" issue quite nicely. Whatever you want to say about the concept, the guy is perfectly cast in this role. I imagine that in his real life he really does stuff like this for a living. One thing the movie does really well is have tons of tension. Walking around the house towards the room with all the sounds and going into the room and so forth. A good constant low level creepiness.

Decently build up at the end but I didn't quite the ending so

4.5 / 5  it's real good


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 06, 2022, 10:41:48 AM
"976-EVIL 2" (aka "976-EVIL 2: The Astral Factor," 1992)
Regular calls to a Satanic hot line give a creepy old college professor astral-projection powers, which he uses to stalk and murder co-eds. A studly loner on a motorcycle and a girl in a tight sweater have to figure out how to stop him.
This made-for-video sequel to the forgettable 1988 horror flick was directed by T&A kingpin Jim Wynorski of "Chopping Mall" fame, so at least you know there'll be some decent gore and the girls will be cute and frequently undressed. Otherwise, this is basically a low-rent "Nightmare on Elm Street" knock off, aside from one inspired scene where a girl gets sucked into the late movie on her TV and finds herself trapped in a zombified mash up of "It's A Wonderful Life" and "Night of the Living Dead."
Better than the first 976-EVIL, though that's faint praise.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 07, 2022, 01:40:31 PM
Midsommar (2019)

The quaint midsummer solstice ritual of a remote Swedish community is a trap to lure visitors to their doom.

Not bad, but slow, very very slow. It takes about the entire running time of House on Haunted Hill to merely get going. I am a bit confused as to why this is classed as a horror/thriller. There is a bit of gore, but hardly any suspense. This is because of the pace for one thing, and also because the protagonists have very little agency. They are mostly just swept along by events. It doesn't help that it is never really clear why we should care about these characters.
So the whole thing plays out more like a tragedy, with people being caught by external forces. The ending is neat, but it takes a lot of patience to arrive there.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 09, 2022, 08:33:11 AM
"Death Race 2" (2000)
Fast moving follow up to the "Death Race 2000" reboot is actually a prequel, that explains how the Death Race was created and follows the first man to become its best known driver, the mysterious "Frankenstein." Not as slick looking as the first film (likely due to its direct-to-video budget restraints) but of course, there's still plenty of car crashin' ultra-violence and mayhem. Mindless fun with a great cast that includes Sean Bean, Danny Trejo, Ving Rhames, and Lauren "Walking Dead" Cohan. Followed by two more installments.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 09, 2022, 09:51:46 PM
Dr Whom - Strong disagreement on that one. whatever you want to call it it was a seriously demented experience that has no rival in recent memory

A Perfect Enemy (2020) - it's okay. The male lead is kind of a turd and while the female is pretty darn cute, the whole thing is kind of like an acting class.

A famous architect gives a symposium or whatever at some place. In the process of getting to the airport, he strikes up a conversation with a young lady who may or may not have been at said symposium. As they talk, it becomes clear that she knows more than she's letting on re his career and personal life. What does it all mean???

It's a foreign film but the actors all speak English. An interesting trend I've seen here and there. needed some color

3.75 / 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 10, 2022, 09:23:17 PM
"77 Minutes" (2016)
A documentary about the 1984 mass shooting at a McDonald's restaurant in San Ysidro, California that took the lives of 21 people, including several children.
The story of that horrendous day is told via interviews with witnesses and survivors, vintage news footage, and (unfortunately) real, uncensored crime scene photos and video... which, be warned, is NOT for the faint of heart. Some of those images are going to stick with me for a while.
I was not familiar with the work of director Charlie Minn before seeing this film, but apparently he's been referred to as a "trauma pornographer," as he seems to specialize in documentaries about mass killings -- he's also directed docs about the Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in Parkland, Florida, the Pulse Nightclub shooting, the Las Vegas concert massacre, and several others. I think I'm gonna pass on watching any more of this guy's work; one dose of his exploitative "reporting" was more than enough for me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 11, 2022, 01:55:48 AM
Dr Whom - Strong disagreement on that one. whatever you want to call it it was a seriously demented experience that has no rival in recent memory



Well, I would have liked it a lot more if it had been about an hour shorter. As it is, I'd take something like Ham on Rye over this, any time.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 11, 2022, 12:10:10 PM
Dr Whom - Strong disagreement on that one. whatever you want to call it it was a seriously demented experience that has no rival in recent memory



Well, I would have liked it a lot more if it had been about an hour shorter. As it is, I'd take something like Ham on Rye over this, any time.

I liked both MIDOSMMAR and HAM ON RYE. MIDSOMMAR was not completely original, it's obviously very similar to a certain 70s cult classic, but I liked the spin and dug the vibe. Didn't think it was too long (except for the extended cut).

Meanwhile, I caught a real odd one:

THE GLAMOROUS LIFE OF SACHIKO HANAI (2003): A tutor (or maybe call girl) survives a shot in the head and acquires the cloned finger of George Bush in this pink film that turns into an experimental satire. A few rape scenes mar what otherwise would be a fun, sexy and surreal spoof. The lead actress is super-hot and nude much of the time. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 11, 2022, 04:15:13 PM
2:22 (2017) - I really want to give this a 2.22/ 5 but I guess it's slightly better than that.

An air traffic control guy screws up and almost kills 2 planes full of people. It seems he's got it in his head that there are "patterns" in time or something and it keeps leading him back to Grand Central Station at 2:22 pm. The rest of the movie is "time weird" sort of sci fi, with a Hallmarky romance thrown in.

I like sci fi and I like indie sort of sci fi like Another Earth, too. This seems like it's trying to be the latter but is more like an okay episode of Medium or something. I previously watched "A Perfect Enemy" and would put them both in a sort of "Mental B movie" category. More or less intriguing premise but lacking the aplomb it needs to be memorable.

3/5 the aerial ballet and 3d art gallery things were interesting touches.

I can see how an un-discerning eye could view this as "brilliant" but it ain't


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 12, 2022, 07:23:17 AM

Meanwhile, I caught a real odd one:

THE GLAMOROUS LIFE OF SACHIKO HANAI (2003): A tutor (or maybe call girl) survives a shot in the head and acquires the cloned finger of George Bush in this pink film that turns into an experimental satire. A few rape scenes mar what otherwise would be a fun, sexy and surreal spoof. The lead actress is super-hot and nude much of the time. 3/5.

My DVD box says she is a call girl. It is a long time since I watched that.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 12, 2022, 10:57:49 AM

Meanwhile, I caught a real odd one:

THE GLAMOROUS LIFE OF SACHIKO HANAI (2003): A tutor (or maybe call girl) survives a shot in the head and acquires the cloned finger of George Bush in this pink film that turns into an experimental satire. A few rape scenes mar what otherwise would be a fun, sexy and surreal spoof. The lead actress is super-hot and nude much of the time. 3/5.

My DVD box says she is a call girl. It is a long time since I watched that.

Yes. She definitely becomes a tutor later, but in the first sex scene she also acts like a tutor, but then it's implied she's a call girl and that may have been a fantasy she was acting out. Everything is pretty hazy in this silly movie.

MST3K: REVENGE OF THE MYSTERONS FROM MARS: The second episode of the cable access show, and it's pretty rough and raw. Watching this, you might be surprised the show survived long enough to evolve into a cult hit.The movie is another Gerry & Silvia Anderson Supermarionette series where three episodes are edited together to create a fake movie, but even by those standards it's not very good: it's relatively serious sci-fi but slow-paced, and there's no conclusion (because the series was still going on, duh). Riffs are few and far between. On the Satellite of Love Joel teaches the bots about Thanksgiving. For curious fans only. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 12, 2022, 10:17:25 PM
"Solo: A Star Wars Story" (2018)
Young Alden Ehrenreich has the unenviable task of playing the youthful Han Solo in this "origin story" that fills us in on his days as a deserter from the Imperial forces, his first big "job" as a smuggler, and shows us how he met Chewie and became owner of the Millennium Falcon. The film had a troubled production and under-performed at the box office but I thought it was a ton of popcorn fun.

"The World Is Not Enough" (1999)
James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) and a nuclear scientist (a hilariously miscast Denise Richards) team up to stop an insane heiress (Sophie Marceau) who wants to corner the Eastern European oil market by destroying her competition with stolen nukes. Pierce's third go-round as 007 is another fun action flick full of the usual gadgets, stunts and narrow escapes.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 12, 2022, 10:26:39 PM
WEREWOLVES WITHIN (2021)  Milana Vayntrub (better known as "Lily" from the AT&T commercials) stars in this hilarious horror/comedy about small town paranoia, corporate greed, and lycanthrope.  A new park ranger arrives in a remote Minnesota town where a sinister oil company rep is trying to buy up everybody's land for a new pipeline.  But then the power fails in the midst of a winter storm, even as the ranger finds the body of the local hotel owner's husband chewed up and mauled on the edge of town.  Is there a werewolf in their midst? Or is someone trying to scare them into selling their homes? Or scare them out of selling their homes?  Hilarity and mayhem ensue as the panicked townspeople turn on one another.  I really got a kick out of this one, and Milana straddles the line between being adorably cute and flat-out HOT quite nicely!  3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 13, 2022, 06:10:10 AM
Young adult matters/ Eoreundeulen Mollayo (2020)

Troubled high school girl Sejin (Lee Yoomi of Netflix's Squid Game and All Of Us Are Dead Fame) gets herself pregnant, and runs away. She falls in with a gang of street kids (one of them played by Hani of EXID fame), and they try to raise the money for her abortion by any means at their disposal.

This is basically a portrait of young adults who have fallen through the cracks of society and are drifting aimlessly, taking impulsive and often counterproductive decisions. The narrative is a bit muddled, and the characters' motivation is sometimes hard to follow, but as the whole theme of the movie is young people being left to their own devices by an uncaring society, this strengthens the main point. A very bleak movie, only somewhat lightened by the slightly upbeat ending.
Not a movie for the squeamish or the tender hearted. It opens with Sejin cutting open her arm and posting close ups of the wounds on social media. Viewers of Korean movies may be familiar with the trope of someone in power gleefully beating up some victim who can't hit back. There is a lot that in this movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 13, 2022, 07:23:00 AM
Undergods.

I can't imagine there is a single review of this movie that doesn't feature the words, dystopian, surrealism or totalitarian. Three stories based around possibly intertwining alternate dimensions or time travel, or even just one man's dreams. The colour palette for this one is very washed out, with lots of dull blues and greys. When colour suddenly appears shocks your eyes. It looks like it belongs in the post-Soviet decline Russia of the late 90s (although I believe it is Serbia). as three stories intertwine around each other. It would be hard to talk about what actually happens in it without giving the film away.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 13, 2022, 01:30:39 PM
WEREWOLVES WITHIN (2021)  Milana Vayntrub (better known as "Lily" from the AT&T commercials) stars in this hilarious horror/comedy about small town paranoia, corporate greed, and lycanthrope.  A new park ranger arrives in a remote Minnesota town where a sinister oil company rep is trying to buy up everybody's land for a new pipeline.  But then the power fails in the midst of a winter storm, even as the ranger finds the body of the local hotel owner's husband chewed up and mauled on the edge of town.  Is there a werewolf in their midst? Or is someone trying to scare them into selling their homes? Or scare them out of selling their homes?  Hilarity and mayhem ensue as the panicked townspeople turn on one another.  I really got a kick out of this one, and Milana straddles the line between being adorably cute and flat-out HOT quite nicely!  3.5/5

I generally enjoyed this one too.  Fun fact, this is based on a VR video game - but you'd never know it.  The video game itself is based on the werewolf hidden identity deduction party game, which was originally a mafia hidden identity game.  So this is a movie, based on a video game, based on a card game, based on another card game.  Phew!  The deduction party game is a pretty good one with the right crowd, but you need at least 8 people, ideally 10-12. 

Also, for my own contribution I just watched the newest Scream - it was free on Paramount Plus.  This is an EXTREMELY meta film, which makes sense for Scream, but it's getting to be a bit much I think.  It's also a little overstuffed being a legacyquel, where they have to try to have new characters and provide time for old - there's too many, and all of them end up thin even for a slasher.  Halloween 2018 balanced this idea better.  But it's still well paced, funny, and decently shot.  I dunno.  It's alright.  I'll add, considering what happens in terms of previous characters, I might have preferred it end at Scream 4.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 13, 2022, 01:37:58 PM
"Die Another Day" (2002)
In Pierce Brosnan's fourth and final appearance as James Bond, 007 and a lovely American agent (Halle Berry) track a diamond smuggling terrorist from North Korea to Cuba to Iceland, where he's developing a giant solar weapon. Things crash, stuff gets shot and blown up, etc., etc.
This one is probably the most ridiculous, over the top 007 adventure since "Moonraker" and it seems to get a lot of hate from fans but I've always enjoyed it. Yeah, some of the gimmicks are ridiculous (an invisible car?) and the CGI has aged terribly but Pierce, as usual, gives it his all and Halle was pretty much at her peak of hotness when she made this, therefore I was entertained.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 13, 2022, 09:10:57 PM
"The Gospel Blimp" (1967)
Looking for a bold new way to reach non-believers, a church group buys a blimp and flies it around town dropping tracts, playing loud music, dragging signs and irritating the crap out of their neighbors. Wacky hi-jinks ensue as every one of their "big" ideas to increase the reach of their message goes horribly wrong.
A weird little Evangelical Christian comedy short that looks and feels like a 1960s TV sitcom from an alternate universe. The main characters are all pushy zealots who eventually learn that you can't force your beliefs on others, but it takes them a looooong time to figure that out. It's supposed to be a "satire" but any humor in it will be mostly unintentional to modern audiences.
I stumbled across this on YouTube and couldn't resist watching; I used to have the comic book adaptation when I was a kid, written and drawn by the late great Al Hartley of "Archie" fame.
Fun fact: according to IMDb, it was filmed around the same Pennsylvania town where the original "Blob" with Steve McQueen was shot.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 13, 2022, 10:56:03 PM
RELIC (2020)  After her 80 year-old mother Edna goes missing, a fortysomething mom and her twentysomething daughter lead local law enforcement on a search.
But then grandma shows up again, with no memory of being gone, or of where she was.  So the two move in, trying to figure how what's going on with Edna.  Things go downhill from there in a very spooky fashion, as it becomes evident that grandma's mind isn't the only thing that is warped.
Very creepy, slow burn, with a bizarre WTH ending, I got way more caught up in this one than I thought I would.  3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 16, 2022, 01:33:02 PM
Jolt.

A very attractive woman with an IQ in the genius range plays a woman with anger management issues. She is learning how to go through life not hitting everyone who annoys her (with the help of electroshock therapy) and even for the first time in her life finds a boyfriend who she loves. When he is murdered she goes full John Wick to find the killer(s). She finds out her deceased lover was involved in rather suspicious circles.

A surprisingly big-name cast and a fun watch, but nothing exceptional.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 18, 2022, 09:04:46 AM
MOON MANOR (2022): Diagnosed with Alzheimer's, an octogenarian hippie decides to end his life and stages a celebratory "fun-eral" party ending with his suicide. A somewhat naive neo-hippie feature-length advertisement for voluntary euthanasia, glossing over the ethical ramifications with an evangelical straw man supplying the only serious push back. Even as someone who supports the right to die for all competent adults, this seems one-sided in a way that turned me off. Based on a real person (the lead actor, who is still alive). 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 18, 2022, 11:35:51 AM
"Death Race 3: Inferno" (2013)
The corporate prison that invented the Death Race has a new owner, who wants to take it global. "Frankenstein" and his crew are taken to South Africa, where they face off against a new set of drivers on a desert course. The usual automotive mayhem follows.
For a relatively low budget direct to video sequel, this one certainly doesn't skimp on action and ultra-violence. Big, dumb, car crashin' shoot'em up fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 18, 2022, 02:18:42 PM
I started watching The Golden Horde tv series https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9600798/ (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9600798/) It's a Russian series about Russia and the mongols. Imagine if the Mongols came to your town and gave you 30 seconds to go get your things then you had to join them and be a warrior or a painter or whatever it is you do.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 18, 2022, 10:55:54 PM
BAD MILO (2013)  Duncan is a stressed-out, miserable corporate drone with a wife who desperately wants to have children, a mom who is living with a new husband half her age, and a boss who has just promoted him to Human Resources so he can fire all his fellow employees.  The stress grows and gnaws at Duncan's gut and finally takes on the physical form of Milo, an angry little demon who crawls out of Duncan's rectum and eats the nearest source of his host's stress.  Yes, that's right.  Duncan has a cannibalistic demon living up his butt.   I won't say anymore because I don't want to spoil your fun!  Just . . . WATCH THIS!!!
5/5 on the Bad Movie Scale!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 19, 2022, 12:11:55 AM
Yes, that's right.  Duncan has a cannibalistic demon living up his butt.   

Oy  :buggedout: :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 19, 2022, 03:54:40 PM
Indy, you liked BAD MILO a lot better than I did. I wasn't impressed.

THE MADS ARE BACK: BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS: An evil brain possesses the body of a scientist; a good brain possesses the body of a dog to help avert nuclear catastrophe. The riffing is average, but it was nice to finally see this notable classic era bad movie. The post-movie guest is Dana Gould, a funny journeyman comedian who's worked on "The Simpsons," among other projects. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 19, 2022, 05:08:18 PM
Re-Elected.

A bunch of students come under attack on the 4th of July when all the dead presidents come back from the grave.

A film like this needs a lot more nudity to be more watchable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 19, 2022, 11:38:04 PM
MALIGNANT (2021) - One by one, a group of doctors associated with strange experiments in an asylum 25 years ago are being brutally murdered.
A young woman named Madison, recovering from the miscarriage of her child and the murder of her husband, somehow finds herself seeing the murders as they happen - but no one believes her when she tries to tell them.  Who is doing these killings?  Why can Madison see them?
All I can say is, tune in and hold on - MALIGNANT is a wild and deeply disturbing ride! 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 20, 2022, 12:54:56 AM
A Quiet Place 2 - this is an alright follow-up to the first film.  But, it feels like part 1.5 if that makes sense, doesn't really add a lot more, increasing the amount of creature scenes just makes them less scary, and the suspense scenes that are here aren't as good.  Cast is still solid though, and I did like the Cillian Murphy character.  Decent afternoon watch I guess.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 20, 2022, 02:08:57 PM
I attempted a dive into black Tubi. Plug Love was a ghetto romance with terrible acting and direction but lots of super low budget appeal. I got part way into it but all the awkward conversations reminded me too much of reality. The love interest's name is Thug Pain and according to my friend Lara he's "not even sexy"

I fared slightly better with Lot Lizards, a ridiculous movie about hookers and their alternately gullible and violent clients. There's no action just tons of ridiculous talking and strutting around. Occasionally they go into this hotel room and there's some terrible simulated sex and / or pimp slapping. One hour felt like 1,000 hours


"I'm the queen lot lizard in this motherf**ka you got it?"


???  :bluesad: / 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 20, 2022, 08:40:44 PM
THE GREEN KNIGHT (2021) - I really wanted to like this movie; I love the Arthurian mythos and like movies that explore the genre.  But this thing is a train wreck.  It's so dark you can't see what's going on half the time, the accents are thick and the lines mumbled, so the dialogue is hard to follow, and the story is disjointed and poorly laid out.  Plus the main character is a bit of a jerk.  That's two hours of my life I'd like to have back.  2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 21, 2022, 07:20:38 AM
After almost two years, my "Watch the James Bond Series In Order" marathon has finally reached the modern Daniel Craig era.

"Casino Royale" (2006)
Daniel Craig's debut as Bond is a big, stylish, splashy "reboot" for the whole series, showing James earning his "double-o" status and being sent off on his first big mission: the pursuit of a terrorist financier known as "Le Chiffre," which culminates in a high stakes game of poker in Morocco. A gritty, more realistic adventure than any of the preceding episodes and still the high water mark of Craig's tenure as 007.

"Quantum of Solace" (2008)
This one picks up exactly where "Casino Royale" left off, with Bond on the trail of the mysterious criminal organization behind the death of his beloved Vesper Lynd. His investigation takes him to South America, where a businessman has plans to take control of the water supply for the entire region. This one's a step down from the big, epic feel of "C.R." but it's a decent enough butt kicker in its own right.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 21, 2022, 11:36:17 PM
things are heating up on "The Golden Horde" The prince of the village is ignoring his wife and being tantalized by one of the Tartar girls that Genghis Khan gave them. a real no no in the 13th century and even today


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 22, 2022, 09:04:57 AM
ADAM BY EVE: A LIVE IN ANIMATION (2022): A story about a friendship between two schoolgirls (Taki and Aki) and their shared dream of a one-eyed monster serves as a framing device for songs by the Japanese pop singer Eve, which turn into colorful psychedelic music videos combining anime and live action. The narrative is thin and functional; Eve's music seems good enough, although I'm far outside of the intended Japanese teen girl demographic; but the animation and visuals (by the studio responsible for the "Evangelion" reboot) are unquestionably top-notch. And it's only an hour. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 23, 2022, 03:34:37 PM
Things to Come (1936)

One of the first true SF epics. Clunky but impressive. It is really three set pieces: one in 1940 with the coming of the World War, which lasts 20 years and ends civilisation,  one in the postapocalyptic world of 1970 and finally the Brave New World of 2036. It is very only about ideas, with the characters merely being there to state opinions, all with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Yet for all that, the vision and execution remain impressive.
The middle bit is the best for me, with Raymond Massey prefiguring Michael Rennie's performance in the Day the Earth Stood Still, Ralph Richardson giving life to his character of a pint sized postapocalyptic Mussolini, and Margareta Scott's character (who does seem to wandered in from a sword and sandals movie on a nearby sound stage) being much more than a simple caricature.

Two things struck me about the final part:
even in the shoulderpads and helmets future of 2036, the old boy system still works.
you'd think they might have made the Space Gun a breechloader.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 23, 2022, 04:10:57 PM
The Inheritance.

I put this on randomly and found it was a film set in Kyiv. The film itself was ok, slow-moving but atmospheric. Perhaps current events have lent it an extra poignancy. I couldn't help but consider what condition the buildings and people featured in the film are in now, only two years on from it being made.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 24, 2022, 08:24:46 AM
"Skyfall" (2012)
In Daniel Craig's third go-round as James Bond, 007 is put on the trail of a former MI6 agent turned cyber-terrorist (Javier Bardem) who's got a major grudge against Bond's boss "M" (Judi Dench). Oscar winning director Sam Mendes' sweeping espionage epic marks the franchise's 50th anniversary in style.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 24, 2022, 01:26:34 PM
"Toby Dammit" (1968): This is Fellini's 45-minute segment for the anthology film "Spirits of the Dead."  An English actor (Terrence Stamp) is haunted by visions of a young girl with a ball, which drives him to drink. Brought to Italy to receive an honorary award and star in a film, he gets drunk and gets into a Ferrari and drives like a maniac until he comes to a bridge that's out. This is Fellini's only horror movie, but it makes you wish he had made more. 4.5/5.

FELLINI: A DIRECTOR'S NOTEBOOK (1969): An hour-long experimental documentary made by the director while preparing to shoot SATYRICON, it consists of (frequently staged) segments where he visits an abandoned movie set that's been taken over by hippies, creates a scene for Marcello Mastroianni where he plays a cello while his eyes are dilated, and holds screen test for amateurs who are hoping to play extras in his latest film, among other sketches. Fascinating for fans (especially the incredible gallery of eccentrics who show up for Fellini's open casting call); unfortunately, the surviving prints are poor quality. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 24, 2022, 01:57:14 PM
"Toby Dammit" (1968): This is Fellini's 45-minute segment for the anthology film "Spirits of the Dead."  An English actor (Terrence Stamp) is haunted by visions of a young girl with a ball, which drives him to drink. Brought to Italy to receive an honorary award and star in a film, he gets drunk and gets into a Ferrari and drives like a maniac until he comes to a bridge that's out. This is Fellini's only horror movie, but it makes you wish he had made more. 4.5/5.
 
I seen the whole film. I quite enjoyed it, but the episode with Anita Ekberg as a 50 foot woman is my favorite.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 24, 2022, 02:53:06 PM
"Toby Dammit" (1968): This is Fellini's 45-minute segment for the anthology film "Spirits of the Dead."  An English actor (Terrence Stamp) is haunted by visions of a young girl with a ball, which drives him to drink. Brought to Italy to receive an honorary award and star in a film, he gets drunk and gets into a Ferrari and drives like a maniac until he comes to a bridge that's out. This is Fellini's only horror movie, but it makes you wish he had made more. 4.5/5.
 
I seen the whole film. I quite enjoyed it, but the episode with Anita Ekberg as a 50 foot woman is my favorite.

That's a different anthology film, BOCACCIO '70. The Anita Ekberg segment was directed by Fellini. I still need to see BOCACCIO '70 to complete my Fellini bingo card.

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Boccaccio_70_-_movie_poster_-_1962.jpg)

(https://cdn.posteritati.com/posters/000/000/055/169/spirits-of-the-dead-md-web.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 24, 2022, 10:33:18 PM
Broken Arrow (1950) - this is a movie I'd been aware of for a long time because of its identical title to the John Woo film.  Suffice to say, way different movie.  But it's pretty good, with a balanced depiction of Apache people.  I found the intentional choice where all the dialogue that would be in Apache is simply in English to be an interesting one too.  It helped them avoid stereotypes of the time.  Jeff Chandler as Cochise got an Oscar nom, and it's a good performance.  Jimmy Stewart is good, though the romance subplot feels a bit off.  A pretty solid Western.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 25, 2022, 09:58:49 AM
PERIOD PIECE (2006): Made for about $10, this absurdity interweaves several obscene stories, highlighted by the repeated molestation of a teddy bear and a naked old man trying to hack off the head from a pig's corpse while he screams insults. Unforgettable, but for all the wrong reasons. 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 25, 2022, 01:08:55 PM
"Toby Dammit" (1968): This is Fellini's 45-minute segment for the anthology film "Spirits of the Dead."  An English actor (Terrence Stamp) is haunted by visions of a young girl with a ball, which drives him to drink. Brought to Italy to receive an honorary award and star in a film, he gets drunk and gets into a Ferrari and drives like a maniac until he comes to a bridge that's out. This is Fellini's only horror movie, but it makes you wish he had made more. 4.5/5.
 
I seen the whole film. I quite enjoyed it, but the episode with Anita Ekberg as a 50 foot woman is my favorite.

That's a different anthology film, BOCACCIO '70. The Anita Ekberg segment was directed by Fellini. I still need to see BOCACCIO '70 to complete my Fellini bingo card.

]

OK. I seen SPIRITS OF THE DEAD, because I recall the Toby Dammit episode. Maybe I seen both, and got them mixed up.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 26, 2022, 04:28:30 AM
Rim of the World (2019)

The alien invasion has struck and four early teen stereotypes have survived the mayhem by wandering off on summer camp. They now have to get the McGuffin to JPL to save the world, with a very persistent alien monster on their heels.

This is an homage to 80s kids adventure movies and is almost completely by the numbers. Enjoyable for what it is, but forgettable. Midway it briefly turns into a commercial for clothing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 26, 2022, 02:23:25 PM
Wrath of Man - OK Statham revenge flick.  Statham is quite good in the role, but it's limited in range.  The fractured narrative seems a bit much, doesn't really add anything.  It's well-made.  I dunno.  It's alright.  Considerably less action than I expected. 

Shoutout to Paramount Plus for being the technically worst streaming app I've ever used (PS4/5 app, specifically), as I watched this film on it and am watching a couple shows on it.  Here's the list of issues I had.  Subtitles are delayed, out of sync, in every show.  Subtitles are ugly and distracting.  The app forgets you're logged in, so you have to login EVERY DAY.  Fast forward and reverse don't show a preview, and on TV shows do not work at all - if you fast forward or reverse, it will break and you have to start the episode over - and you can't fast forward to where you were. 

Also, it abruptly cuts off the last 30 seconds to a minute of many things.  This includes movies, as it's trying to cut back when the credits start, but it's always early so you just miss the very end of the film.  If you resume the movie and try to fast forward past the "break" point, it'll break the stream.  You literally can't see the end of some movies on the PS4 app.  It is appallingly, bafflingly bad. 

On the plus side, it's better on PC, with most of these issues resolved.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 26, 2022, 05:46:41 PM
THE WIZARD OF OZ: RFIFFTRAX: OZ is a classic that Rifftrrax jokes could neither improve, nor detract from. I got a few laughs, but basically it was a minor novelty and a fun excuse to travel the yellow brick road again. Still 5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 26, 2022, 10:53:35 PM
FREE GUY (2021) - An NPC in an online shooter game becomes self-aware, and falls in love with a human player - who happens to be the designer of the original game, whose code was stolen to make the game he lives in.  He has to help her find an isolated piece of code showing the original game's build, so she can prove the theft and get her intellectual property back.  A fun fantasy romp with Ryan Reynolds as Guy, an everyman NPC who becomes an unlikely hero.  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 26, 2022, 10:59:12 PM
West Side Story (2021) - I've actually never seen the original, but ended up seeing the remake today.  I'm not really sure what I think.  It's well-made and well-performed, very good dance choreography, often visually very strong too.  But, I dunno, I didn't really like most of the songs in it, the love story is very thin, and it's long and feels it.  I think I'd rather have just seen a really nice version of Romeo and Juliet again.  


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 27, 2022, 04:35:04 AM
Monsieur Verdoux (1947)

The one Chaplin movie where he is cast completely against type as a suave and extremely well dressed Bluebeard serial killer. He is absolutely delightful as the loving father and husband and friend to stray cats who simply happens to be a ruthless and efficient killer. In the last third, there is some slapstick and vaudeville, whether to lighten the mood or out of force of habit, I can't tell. For me, this weakens rather than strengthens the dark comedy.

On a side note, I wonder whether the character of Verdoux was the inspiration for Mayor Wilkins in Buffy. They have the same kind of cheerful friendliness coupled with cunning and ruthlessness.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 27, 2022, 09:20:24 AM
"Ghostbusters: Afterlife" (2021)
The estranged family of the late Dr. Egon Spengler inherits his run-down farm property in the middle of nowhere, Oklahoma. When his grandchildren start poking around his old laboratory and discover his Ghostbusting gear, they learn why he'd moved to this remote location in the first place -- because it's about to become Ground Zero for the second coming of the dreaded Gozer (the big bad from the O.G. 'Busters movie).
Jason Reitman (son of the original film's director, Ivan) attempts to bring the franchise back from the brink after the disastrous 2016 all-female remake, and the results are good, but not great. It gets off to a very slow, unexpectedly melancholy start but the total fan-service second half is great fun, with lots of action, old school zapping-and-blasting creature effects, and a welcome visit from some old friends. Better than expected.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 27, 2022, 09:30:56 AM
"Ghostbusters: Afterlife" (2021)
after the disastrous 2016 all-female remake

Calling that pile of poo disastrous is being kind to it.  :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: WingedSerpent on March 27, 2022, 05:59:28 PM
The Lost City. (2022) An archeologist turned  romance novelist  gets kidnapped because the main villain thinks she can lead him to a lost treasure.  Her novels cover model tries to save her. Better than a bad movie, but not good enough to be called a good movie.  Some good performances brought down by what can be called moder humor

The Beast with Five Fingers  Really good old fashion horror movie that,  for me at least, was almost brought down by its very ending.  Its seems the director couldn't decide which gag to go out on so he put both in the film.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 29, 2022, 04:19:58 AM
The Bone Snatcher.

A scientist is sent to Namibia for a reason I missed. He finds himself travelling into the middle of the desert with a ragtag group of diamond mine workers when they come across the remains of another crew working for the same company. Initially believing one of the crew had murdered the others, they set off in pursuit but find themselves caught up facing something much more dangerous.

A UK/Canada/South African co-production, I thought it was fine as a b-movie. Something the monster does looks appropriately creepy (I can't talk about it though without spoilers), but it is let down by its CGI effects.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 29, 2022, 09:51:27 AM
The Bone Snatcher.

A scientist is sent to Namibia for a reason I missed. He finds himself travelling into the middle of the desert with a ragtag group of diamond mine workers when they come across the remains of another crew working for the same company. Initially believing one of the crew had murdered the others, they set off in pursuit but find themselves caught up facing something much more dangerous.

A UK/Canada/South African co-production, I thought it was fine as a b-movie. Something the monster does looks appropriately creepy (I can't talk about it though without spoilers), but it is let down by its CGI effects.

It is very good: I know one of the producers, Chris Roland.  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 29, 2022, 10:11:02 AM
The Bone Snatcher.

A scientist is sent to Namibia for a reason I missed. He finds himself travelling into the middle of the desert with a ragtag group of diamond mine workers when they come across the remains of another crew working for the same company. Initially believing one of the crew had murdered the others, they set off in pursuit but find themselves caught up facing something much more dangerous.

A UK/Canada/South African co-production, I thought it was fine as a b-movie. Something the monster does looks appropriately creepy (I can't talk about it though without spoilers), but it is let down by its CGI effects.

It is very good: I know one of the producers, Chris Roland.  :thumbup:

If it makes him feel good, feel free to tell him I enjoyed it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 29, 2022, 03:50:52 PM
"Ghostbusters: Afterlife" (2021)
after the disastrous 2016 all-female remake

Calling that pile of poo disastrous is being kind to it.  :buggedout:

Oddly enough, watching "Afterlife" actually made me want to revisit the all-girl "Busters," cuz even though I know I saw it when it first came out on video back in 2016, I remember nothing about it all these years later.  It left no impression whatsoever.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 29, 2022, 04:13:52 PM
"Ghostbusters: Afterlife" (2021)
after the disastrous 2016 all-female remake

Calling that pile of poo disastrous is being kind to it.  :buggedout:

Oddly enough, watching "Afterlife" actually made me want to revisit the all-girl "Busters," cuz even though I know I saw it when it first came out on video back in 2016, I remember nothing about it all these years later.  It left no impression whatsoever.

Uhm, lets see... Chris Hemsworth was in it, dick jokes and a big shoot out. That is all I can remember about it really, but hopefully, I've just saved you a painful rewatch experience.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 31, 2022, 05:15:38 AM
The Cemetery Man.

The groundskeeper of the Buffalora Cemetery has to bury his 'customers' twice as within 7 days of being buried they come back to live looking for flesh to eat. His only help in this task is an idiotic oaf. The locals (especially the police), seem to be idiotic, unlikeable or both. It is a slow film, with lots of imagery and symbolism. Also nudity (it was rated as having one of the top ten set of breasts of the decade or something, although personally, I thought the nipples were a bit large for my tastes) from the same actress playing multiple roles (Anna Falchi) and the protagonist falling in love with her in each of them. Your mileage on this one is going to vary very much depending on individual taste, but I couldn't help but think that the Rev has most likely seen this one. I am not quite sure it counts as a full-blown Giallo or not, but it is certainly structured like one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 31, 2022, 06:16:04 AM
The Cemetery Man.

The groundskeeper of the Buffalora Cemetery has to bury his 'customers' twice as within 7 days of being buried they come back to live looking for flesh to eat. His only help in this task is an idiotic oaf. The locals (especially the police), seem to be idiotic, unlikeable or both. It is a slow film, with lots of imagery and symbolism. Also nudity (it was rated as having one of the top ten set of breasts of the decade or something, although personally, I thought the nipples were a bit large for my tastes) from the same actress playing multiple roles (Anna Falchi) and the protagonist falling in love with her in each of them. Your mileage on this one is going to vary very much depending on individual taste, but I couldn't help but think that the Rev has most likely seen this one. I am not quite sure it counts as a full-blown Giallo or not, but it is certainly structured like one.

One of the strangest films I've ever watched.  And Anna Falchi was HAWT!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 31, 2022, 08:19:04 AM
Burnt Offerings.

Old people sacrifice the lives of a young family in order to get their house renovated cheaply. Plenty of Oscar power in this one between Karen Black, Bette Davis, Burgess Meredith and Eileen Heckart all of whom either won one or were nominated. I thought Oliver Reed had won one as well, but it seems not. Anyway, a well-made film of the type you don't often see coming out.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 31, 2022, 08:54:15 AM
The Cemetery Man.

The groundskeeper of the Buffalora Cemetery has to bury his 'customers' twice as within 7 days of being buried they come back to live looking for flesh to eat. His only help in this task is an idiotic oaf. The locals (especially the police), seem to be idiotic, unlikeable or both. It is a slow film, with lots of imagery and symbolism. Also nudity (it was rated as having one of the top ten set of breasts of the decade or something, although personally, I thought the nipples were a bit large for my tastes) from the same actress playing multiple roles (Anna Falchi) and the protagonist falling in love with her in each of them. Your mileage on this one is going to vary very much depending on individual taste, but I couldn't help but think that the Rev has most likely seen this one. I am not quite sure it counts as a full-blown Giallo or not, but it is certainly structured like one.

Indeed, I wrote a piece on it: https://366weirdmovies.com/114-cemetery-man-dellamorte-dellamore-1994/


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 31, 2022, 08:57:44 AM
JACUZZI ROOMS (2006): Four rednecks get drunk in a motel room. The movie is literally four rednecks getting drunk in a motel room. The "b-side" to the shock comedy "Period Piece," which proves that being boring is even worse than being disgusting. 1/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 31, 2022, 11:02:08 AM
Burnt Offerings.

Old people sacrifice the lives of a young family in order to get their house renovated cheaply. Plenty of Oscar power in this one between Karen Black, Bette Davis, Burgess Meredith and Eileen Heckart all of whom either won one or were nominated. I thought Oliver Reed had won one as well, but it seems not. Anyway, a well-made film of the type you don't often see coming out.

I LOVE that movie! I have the paperback version!

(https://i.imgur.com/qpz1lUl.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on March 31, 2022, 11:10:58 AM
Burnt Offerings.

Old people sacrifice the lives of a young family in order to get their house renovated cheaply. Plenty of Oscar power in this one between Karen Black, Bette Davis, Burgess Meredith and Eileen Heckart all of whom either won one or were nominated. I thought Oliver Reed had won one as well, but it seems not. Anyway, a well-made film of the type you don't often see coming out.


I think I started a thread about this movie a few weeks ago... I don't think it's well made, the script being the biggest problem.  And that one is from my man DAN CURTIS.  Here 'tis:

http://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php/topic,156782.0.html (http://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php/topic,156782.0.html)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 31, 2022, 11:25:25 AM
Burnt Offerings.

Old people sacrifice the lives of a young family in order to get their house renovated cheaply. Plenty of Oscar power in this one between Karen Black, Bette Davis, Burgess Meredith and Eileen Heckart all of whom either won one or were nominated. I thought Oliver Reed had won one as well, but it seems not. Anyway, a well-made film of the type you don't often see coming out.

I LOVE that movie! I have the paperback version!

(https://i.imgur.com/qpz1lUl.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

I understand the book finishes slightly differently from the film. I'd be interested to know what was changed.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 31, 2022, 11:42:08 AM
Burnt Offerings.

Old people sacrifice the lives of a young family in order to get their house renovated cheaply. Plenty of Oscar power in this one between Karen Black, Bette Davis, Burgess Meredith and Eileen Heckart all of whom either won one or were nominated. I thought Oliver Reed had won one as well, but it seems not. Anyway, a well-made film of the type you don't often see coming out.


I think I started a thread about this movie a few weeks ago... I don't think it's well made, the script being the biggest problem.  And that one is from my man DAN CURTIS.  Here 'tis:

[url]http://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php/topic,156782.0.html[/url] ([url]http://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php/topic,156782.0.html[/url])


Shame, but then again it would be a dull world if we all liked the same stuff.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 31, 2022, 12:50:12 PM
Burnt Offerings.

Old people sacrifice the lives of a young family in order to get their house renovated cheaply. Plenty of Oscar power in this one between Karen Black, Bette Davis, Burgess Meredith and Eileen Heckart all of whom either won one or were nominated. I thought Oliver Reed had won one as well, but it seems not. Anyway, a well-made film of the type you don't often see coming out.

I LOVE that movie! I have the paperback version!

(https://i.imgur.com/qpz1lUl.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

I understand the book finishes slightly differently from the film. I'd be interested to know what was changed.

I'll have to take a look! I will tell you!  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on March 31, 2022, 01:03:14 PM
...I'll have to take a look! I will tell you!  :thumbup:
 

The Chauffeur is NOT in the book. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 31, 2022, 02:06:42 PM
Burnt Offerings rules, we had a neighbor named Mrs Alerdice.


I tried to watch another "urban" tubi movie. A horror offering called "House Sitter" but it was so bad. I guess I'll try again. It opened with a scene that made no sense and I was like "I don't have time for this" .


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: jimpickens on April 01, 2022, 02:44:14 AM
Golgo 13 The Professional still holds up after 39 years.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 01, 2022, 06:47:26 AM
SUMMER SCHOOL (1978)  aka MAG WHEELS

     I was a bit under the weather last night, so I spotted this freebie on Amazon Prime and decided to give it a spin.
Holy cow, this thing is BAD in all the good ways!   A new girl in town named Anita catches the eye of the college age beach bum, but his jealous girlfriend can't stand the competition and resorts to nasty means to get rid of her.  Cringy bad dialogue, gratuitous nudity, cheesy music score, and wildly improbable personal interactions make this one a film that has to be seen to be believe.  I mean, I was a HS freshman in 1978, and I am pretty sure we did NOT talk like that!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 01, 2022, 06:47:19 PM
Still feeling kinda cruddy today, so I came home from work early, laid down, and watched movies all afternoon.
This was the result:

SX_TAPE (2013) - An artist named Jill and her boyfriend Adam are shooting edgy, sexy videos to help promote her upcoming art exhibition.  One afternoon, Adam takes her to an abandoned hospital, and she falls in love with the brooding, dark atmosphere there - but then something happens when he leaves her tied on a table as a prank, and next thing you know Adam, Jill, and their friends Elly and Bobby are trapped inside the creepy place with vengeful spirits spurring them on to increased acts of violence and eroticism.  Bizarre film; a mashup of GRAVE ENCOUNTERS and 50 SHADES maybe?  It was entertaining, to say the least. 3.5/5

AVALANCHE SHARKS (2014) Absolutely as ridiculous as its title sounds.  Despite its "R" rating on Prime, this is obviously a made for TV movie, most likely for the SYFY channel.  Avoid.  2/5

THE WIDOW (2020) - A team of Russian paramedics are training in the woods north of St. Petersburg when they get an emergency call about a missing child. This leads them on a nightmarish odyssey in a dark forest, where a bizarre local myth claims the "Broken Widow" will come to claim their souls before the night is over.   I'll be honest, the lighting was terrible, I was fevered and sleepy, and this one didn't hold my interest in the first half.  Ending was kinda cool though. 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 02, 2022, 04:25:21 PM
MADS ARE BACK: THE YESTERDAY MACHINE: Boy, the movie is a talky stinker about a mad Nazi scientist who develops a time machine and is foiled by a podunk reporter, a lounge singer, and a majorette. Got a couple of laughs out of the commentary but not something I'd revisit often. The guest was Beez McKeever of MST3K, who's very pleasant, but I've heard all her stories before, and I'm still not really happy with the fact that the Q&A section is longer than the feature presentation. Still, 3/5 for a pleasant enough evening.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 02, 2022, 10:18:32 PM
Home sick today - feeling better this evening, honestly, and I think I'll be back up to 100% or close tomorrow.
But I spent a good part of the day sitting in bed and watching movies.  Here were the results:

THE ISLE - This period piece is set in 1840's Scotland and features three British mariners who wash ashore on a remote island inhabited by a handful of people.  They quickly realize that there is more here than meets the eye: although they are not far from the mainland, no ships are coming and going, and the islanders insist that they cannot leave.  This was an interesting take on the legend of the sirens from the Odyssey. 3.5/5

FEAR STREET Vol. 1 - 1994  I had never heard of this series until I happened to spot it on Netflix today, and I discovered the three films are so closely interwoven that you can't watch one without watching the rest!  In this initial episode, we get acquainted with the sister towns of Sunnyvale and Shadyside.  Sunnyvale is prosperous, blessed, and has virtually no crime.  Shadyside is plagued with spree killings every decade or two; the story begins with a teenager going berserk at a mall and killing eight people there before being shot in the head by the local sheriff.  The local high school is abuzz with rumors that the killings are the result of an ancient curse from a witch named Sarah Fier.   Five friends who decide to investigate find themselves pursued by resurrected killers from the past; their only hope is to talk to the survivor of the previous massacre which happened in 1978.

FEAR STREET Vol. 2 - 1978  This movie is a flashback from the survivor the cast of the first movie located at the end.  Two sisters are at NightWing Summer camp - one is a responsible, preppy counselor hoping to move out of Shadyside and go to college, the other a high school rebel who harbors no ambitions of any sort and loves making her sister miserable.  But then Tommy, another counselor, gets possessed by the spirit of the witch and goes on a killing spree, and it is up to the two girls to try and save everybody else in the camp.  Along the way, they discover the witch's lair, and find an ancient text which says the only way to end the curse is to reunite the witch's severed hand with her body.  But when they get to the burial site beneath the "Hanging Tree" where Sarah Fier was executed, the body is gone.   Flash back to 1994; these teens located Sara Fier's body in their quest to get to the root of the curse.  So now all they have to do is find where the hand was left in 1978 and reunite it with the witch's body.  But when they do, one of the girls, Deema, bleeds on the ancient bones and flashes back to the beginning of the whole thing . . .

FEAR STREET Vol. 3 - 1666  In this movie we see the origin of Sarah Fier's legend explored, and then flash back to the present for a satisfying denouement to the whole plot.  I only found out after the fact that this whole series was based on some books by R.L. Stein, an author I never took much time to read during his heyday of popularity back in the 1990's.  But if this book is any indication, I see why the stories were so popular with teens!  Overall, I give the whole trilogy about a 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 03, 2022, 09:09:50 AM
Buffet Froid (1979)

If Ionesco would have written a play about serial killers, this would be it. A strange, highly cynical dark comedy with as central conceit that murder is not worth getting all excited about. The whole movie follows a dreamlike logic, with characters acting incongruously throughout, and killing eachother off at the drop of hat. Bizarrely fascinating, just as long as you don't expect anything to make any sense.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 03, 2022, 09:44:50 AM
Buffet Froid (1979)

If Ionesco would have written a play about serial killers, this would be it. A strange, highly cynical dark comedy with as central conceit that murder is not worth getting all excited about. The whole movie follows a dreamlike logic, with characters acting incongruously throughout, and killing eachother off at the drop of hat. Bizarrely fascinating, just as long as you don't expect anything to make any sense.

I loved it (but you know me).

DELTA SPACE MISSION (1984): A super-powerful A.I. computer falls in love with a beautiful alien journalist and chases her across the universe in this Romanian animated feature. The animation will remind you of old Saturday morning cartoons--with the obligatory descriptor, "on acid"--and although the story is slight and ends abruptly, sci-fi fans will have a blast picking out all the tributes to "2001," "Star Trek," "Star Wars," "The Empire Strikes Back," "Fantastic Planet," and more. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on April 03, 2022, 09:52:52 AM
Infestation.

A slacker finds himself in the middle of a alien bug invasion and starts chasing the girl of his dreams who has no interest in him while ignoring the mentally unstable hot chick who wants him. Quite a fun movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 03, 2022, 08:40:10 PM
"The Fiction Makers" (1968)
Theatrical spin off from the British TV series "The Saint," starring future 007 Roger Moore as the suave millionaire do-gooder Simon Templar. Simon is hired to impersonate the reclusive author of a series of suspense novels, which goes well until he's kidnapped by a gang planning a huge heist based on one of those books, and want "his" creative input with the scheme.
A light, breezy caper/crime film, Moore's performance is all arched eyebrows and snide sarcasm, but he still stops the bad guys and (of course) gets the girl in the end. This was the first time I'd ever watched any of Roger's "Saint" adventures and I wouldn't mind seeing more.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 03, 2022, 09:48:32 PM
HAMILTON: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL (2016) - Although I have watched it before, this afternoon I was in just the right mood to take in Lin-Manuel's masterpiece again.  The remarkable fusion of history, poetry, music, and choreography take my breath away every single time, and this was no exception.  It's totally worth the subscription fee to Disney Plus just to watch this two or three times a year.  Lin-Manuel Miranda is a genius and a national treasure!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on April 03, 2022, 09:56:55 PM
Infestation.

A slacker finds himself in the middle of a alien bug invasion and starts chasing the girl of his dreams who has no interest in him while ignoring the mentally unstable hot chick who wants him. Quite a fun movie.

That is my life right there: minus the alien bug invasion  :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on April 03, 2022, 11:34:17 PM
The VelociPastor - As silly as it sounds.  That said, while it is sometimes knowingly funny, even laugh out loud at times, and it's wisely very short (barely over an hour), I still found it trying and dull at times.  Just numerous sequences that don't really work and last.  Too much filler and moments that don't gel, character beats that don't work.  The goofy dinosaur isn't funny enough for what it is. 

Would have been an excellent 20 minute short.

I would watch more from the same director though, it's clear he has some talent.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 04, 2022, 11:43:04 AM
ULTRASOUND (2021): After a car accident, a man spends a night at a couple's remote house and---at the husband's insistence---sleeps with the wife, which leads to an increasingly strange series of events. A twisty what-is-reality? psychological thriller with great tension and paranoia throughout, perfect for our era of deepfakes, fake news, and fake claims of fake news. 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 04, 2022, 09:26:50 PM
NOAH'S SHARK (2021) - A disgraced, embezzling former televangelist, a failed exorcist, a cute mercenary, and a wisecracking cameraman go trekking into the wilds of Iran's Mt. Ararat in order to find the "cursed" Noah's Ark and the immortal shark spirit that protects it.   Horrific dialog, gratuitous padding through repetitive flashback sequences, cheesy special effects, and plotholes big enough to drive a truck through ensue.  But hey, it's a Polonia Brothers production, so what was I expecting?
My daughters are threatening to have me sit through HOLMES AND WATSON in retaliation, but I think that is cruel and unusual punishment.  Still, this one only dodges a 1/5 rating because of how much I enjoyed my wife's anguished expressions as we sat through this dreck.  2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 06, 2022, 09:23:56 PM
My "Watch the James Bond series in order" marathon is drawing to a close... I borrowed No Time To Die from the library today, but before I get to that one, I had to watch...

"Spectre" (2015)
Bond visits Mexico, Austria, and the North African desert as he uncovers the secrets of SPECTRE, the massive criminal organization behind everything that's happened to him since Casino Royale, and learns of his personal connection to their mysterious leader, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. As usual, lots of chases, gun fights, and explosions occur, and some of Bond's supporting cast like M, Q, and Moneypenny get in on the action as well. Another solid entry for Mr. Craig.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 07, 2022, 01:02:05 AM
NOAH'S SHARK (2021) - A disgraced, embezzling former televangelist, a failed exorcist, a cute mercenary, and a wisecracking cameraman go trekking into the wilds of Iran's Mt. Ararat in order to find the "cursed" Noah's Ark and the immortal shark spirit that protects it.   Horrific dialog, gratuitous padding through repetitive flashback sequences, cheesy special effects, and plotholes big enough to drive a truck through ensue.  But hey, it's a Polonia Brothers production, so what was I expecting?
My daughters are threatening to have me sit through HOLMES AND WATSON in retaliation, but I think that is cruel and unusual punishment.  Still, this one only dodges a 1/5 rating because of how much I enjoyed my wife's anguished expressions as we sat through this dreck.  2/5

I suppose they came up with the title first and then wrote a script around it. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on April 07, 2022, 05:13:13 AM
Saltwater: The Battle for Ramree Island.

Based on a true story from World War 2, where two Japanese units became separated. The smaller force (consisting of about 1000 men) was called on to surrender but instead chose to attempt the 8-mile trek through a mangrove swamp to join up with their parent division. 20 men made it out of the swamp and were captured. The rest seem to have either been swallowed up by the swamp or possibly swallowed up by its saltwater crocodiles.

Anyway, the film itself is actually about a small patrol of British forces on a reconnaissance mission to locate an ammo dump. They come under attack by the crocodiles and when all seems lost, set off an explosion thinking that if they can't complete their mission, then they can at least create a diversion and cause the Japanese to send troops into the swamp to investigate the explosions and lose them to the crocodiles too. Clearly not actually filmed in a swamp with lots of stock footage of crocodiles, and the actors could perhaps have done with more acting lessons.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 07, 2022, 08:49:36 AM
THE WARPED FOREST (2011): People are disappearing from a hot baths resort and reappearing in a dream world of nipple guitars, fruit with orifices, ejaculating guns, and a monolith that promises to warp dreams. A plot of sorts eventually emerges from the randomness, but the main draw is waiting to see what crazy prop, creature, or visual effect director Shunichiro Miki will introduce next. A spiritual sequel to FUNKY FOREST, never released in the US but available on Blu-ray bundled with FUNKY. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on April 07, 2022, 10:28:33 AM
One-Armed Boxer - Forever in the shadow of its sequel, this is the film Master of the Flying Guillotine is a sequel to that most people seem to be unaware of.  I'd never seen it before, but after the passing of director/star/writer Jimmy Wang Yu I finally watched it.  

This is a pretty typical kung fu revenge plot.  A leading martial art student ends up in a conflict with other martial art students (who are also a criminal gang).  This leads to some back and forth fights, and eventually the bad guys hire evil foreign fighters and wipe out the entire school - our lead gets his arm punched off but survives.  Yes, PUNCHED off.  Then he gets taken in by a kindly doctor and his beautiful daughter.  He must train his remaining arm to be super powerful and get revenge.  

Oh, the sequence where he gets nursed back to health is utterly bizarre - it's done in a montage of still images in like 15 seconds.  The still images look like they were from a behind the scenes set photographer or something, which makes me wonder if they lost the footage or just wanted to cut the film down for time and used what they had.

If you've seen Wang Yu's star making turn in One-Armed Swordsman, this will probably sound very familiar.  But, it loses the paternal sub-text, axes the actually pretty good triangular love story, and is generally in narrative terms a much inferior story.  A number of developments come and go and just loosely make sense.  Some production elements are rough too - there's a couple of out-of-focus close-ups that made it into the film for instance.  Characters come and go.  The lead is barely developed.  The doctor's daughter appears in the picture, gets in jeopardy, then is just kind of forgotten about for the last 20 minutes.  These might read as odd complaints in a martial arts film to many, but the film is obviously modeled on One-Armed Swordsman, and that film works well as a story all around, so I have to note it.

However, it makes up for these shortcomings with a lot more sweeping big fights (impressively shot and choreographed, Wang Yu as director does Chang Cheh proud), goofy characters, martial arts gimmicks, and fun staging.  It does get a bit tiring and runs out of steam just a touch, but it's still an entertaining picture for martial arts fans.  Just don't expect it to top Master of the Flying Guillotine - very few films can do that.

Oh, and no joke, the film's theme is stolen in some versions.  It's the intro music to the Shaft theme.  Very strange.  Especially as it also has a version with an original title theme that's good!  Perhaps it was intended as a temp track, but it just ended up getting mastered with it?  Or maybe the original theme was used in markets where they had to worry about copyright.  Who knows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99v3fNptozA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99v3fNptozA)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 08, 2022, 02:06:24 PM
getting to the end of The Golden Horde. The category description is "war, romance" and it's more of the latter. Did you ever read a book that you like, but you tend to read it in short increments because it's not that exciting? That's kind of what GH is like.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on April 08, 2022, 11:15:18 PM
Master of the Flying Guillotine - Had to rewatch it for Wang Yu.  It's still a classic.  Any martial arts fan should watch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 09, 2022, 11:44:32 AM
After two years, my "Watch the James Bond Series in Order" marathon has finally crossed the finish line...

"No Time To Die" (2021)
Daniel Craig's 007 era comes to a close with this sprawling, two hour and forty-three minute (!) epic that picks up five years after the events of Spectre. Bond is retired from active service, but a plea for help from his CIA pal Felix Leiter pulls him into a supervillain's vast conspiracy to kill millions with a high-tech virus.
There's enough going on here for three movies, but "NTTD" moves fast, with the usual non stop action, top notch stunt work and lush locations. The personal drama that's added in the last quarter feels forced and unnecessary but it gives the downer ending an extra emotional punch. Daniel's Bond may be done, but  the end credits still claim JAMES BOND WILL RETURN, as usual. It'll be interesting to see where (and with whom) the franchise goes from here.

"Bone Tomahawk" (2015)
A Western sheriff (Kurt Russell) forms a posse and heads out across treacherous terrain to rescue his town's doctor from a cave-dwelling tribe of cannibalistic savages.  An interesting blend of Old West heroics and horror, esp. when things go full-on "Hills Have Eyes" in the final reel. The two hour plus run time flies by thanks to great performances by Russell and a supporting cast that includes Patrick "The Conjuring" Wilson and Matthew "Lost" Fox. I generally don't care for Westerns, but I enjoyed this one.




Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 09, 2022, 05:35:29 PM
MST3K 1302: ROBOT WARS: Finally got to it. Not as excited about this one as with the season's new opener, SANTO AND THE TREASURE OF DRACULA, 90's Charles Bland movies just don't do it for me. I had some trouble keeping my attention on it (but I was tired), but it's set in a poorly-deified future where only stock characters have survived the apocalypse. The host segments were relevant, and they dropped the long intermission segment, which was a good idea (they kept a shorter one with the ads). They also teased the arrival of Emily, which generates some anticipation. Overall 2.5/5. watchable and not clearly losing the formula, but in some danger of falling off a cliff.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 09, 2022, 07:38:03 PM
"Green Lantern" (2011)
Based on the DC Comics hero, Ryan Reynolds is hot shot test pilot Hal Jordan, who is chosen by a dying alien to become Earth's representative on the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps. Once he gets the hang of his snazzy new powers, he has to save the world from a powerful cosmic menace.
Overall, "GL" isn't terrible, just forgettable. Reynolds' performance is fine and the action scenes are fun to watch, but the movie's over-reliance on CGI feels like you're watching a cartoon at times. Ryan probably didn't mind much when it under-performed at the box office and failed to turn into a franchise, since it freed him up to be Deadpool.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 09, 2022, 09:31:48 PM
BURIAL GROUND MASSACRE - A rich family's mansion is built on top of sacred Indian burial grounds, and when they leave their college aged son alone for the weekend, he throws a party - which is crashed by a vengeful Native American terrorist intent on retrieving a cursed ring. A confusing mess of a movie, albeit with come cute female leads.  3/5

BEASTERDAY - Repeat viewing of a BAD movie with a giant killer rabbit attacking a small town on Easter weekend.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on April 10, 2022, 04:36:31 AM
Stephen Kangs Sharks of the Corn.

This actually had a semi-coherent plot. Effects-wise it is about as bad as you'd expect, the acting while bad could be worse. Compared to other movies I've watched, it wasn't completely terrible.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 10, 2022, 08:59:51 AM
Dellamorte Dellamore/ Cemetery Man (1994)

Seeing it mentioned here in the discussion, I had to try and track it down. This is an absolute hoot. Rupert Everett is superb as the elegantly bored caretaker of a zombie infested cemetery, while also being haunted by the woman of his dreams. There are several memorable scenes, such as Rupert Everett blasting away at zombie boy scouts to a sound track of Turkish pop, not to mention his assistant's romance with the zombified daughter of the mayor. The night scenes have a 80s music video feel. I half expected Spandau Ballet or Duran Duran to make a cameo. The whole thing is delightfully silly, with a fitting surreal ending. And then there is Anna Falchi.

It seems that the author of the original novel thought the movie was better than his book.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on April 10, 2022, 10:23:37 AM
Nightmare Alley.

Del Toro moves from horror to film noir. Well acted, looks great on the screen, but you'll see the twist and the ending coming a mile off. Maybe a bit long telling its story at two and a half hours, but it was good enough to keep me watching.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 10, 2022, 02:24:52 PM
The Golden Horde (2018) - I thought I was almost done with this but it turned out I was totally done, which doesn't speak well of the last episode. I guess it did a decent job tying up loose ends but it certainly lacked aplomb. I have so far seen 3 Eastern European TV series': Catherine the Great, Black Sun, and now this one. They were all good, with Black Sun probably being my favorite because it was a little more lively and modern.

One point made often in Golden Horde is intermarriage between Russians and Mongols occurred and that it was socially controversial. Generally, the Mongol girls are hotter than the Russian ones who are domineering and annoying or dressed in unflattering peasant rags. Some of the romances are more believable than others. There's a lot of it though. Romance, that is. It's as much soap opera as history/ swordfighting.

They made some insane amount of costumes for this and it definitely does make you feel like you're there. or at a Ren Faire. There's even a traveling circus with a dwarf at one point.

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bLjlCGkCl3Y/WUai1Gs85nI/AAAAAAAAh9g/CctqhfGcyoomT6FTnzZC7tEu0UsTdMdEACLcBGAs/s1600/h15.jpg)

This is the reluctant wife of The Great khan ^


(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wSFY6SRpiF8/WUai18NuCOI/AAAAAAAAh9o/neKGvOHwWZcVE-IWyYhBPXYl0_NwABawgCLcBGAs/s1600/h2.jpg)

not as hot Russian lady ^

5/5 Hopefully Tubi will pick up the second season


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 10, 2022, 10:43:00 PM
This seems to be my weekend for re-visiting famous failures

"Ghostbusters" (2016)
NYC is gripped by a massive outbreak of supernatural activity, and our only hope is three lady paranormal investigators and a loud mouthed former subway clerk. Wacky hi-jinks are supposed to ensue.
Paul "Bridesmaids" Feig's doomed attempt to re-vitalize the dormant GB's franchise with a new cast of funny females doesn't hold a candle to the 1984 original, of course, but it's not as terrible as some made it out to be, either. Melissa McCarthy and Kate McKinnon are  fun to watch (Kristen Wiig and Leslie Jones, however, not so much), the special effects are decent, and there are a couple of legit laughs. The main problem is that fans were simply never going to give this one a chance cuz it didn't feature the O.G. cast.
Rather than make this movie, Sony Pictures should've just taken its $150 million budget and set it on fire in the middle of Times Square; it would've been faster and had the same effect. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 11, 2022, 09:22:49 AM
THE SCARY OF SIXTY FIRST (2021): Two roommates rent a New York flat that was previously owned by Jeffery Epstein. A bold decision to tackle a contemporary evil, but the resulting horror film is uninspired and strictly by the book. 1.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 12, 2022, 01:41:14 PM
Oculus (2013) - The director apparently resisted the urging of studio execs to make this a found footage style horror movie. Frankly, he was wrong. It would have worked much better that way and the larger budget added nothing other than bringing out it's flaws.

An old mirror is cursed or something so everyone who has it has horrible things happen to them. There's no backstory to it, it's just an evil thing. 2 kids witness their parents going crazy and year later reunite to attempt to destroy the mirror.

There's some okay stuff and it's generally watcheable but it would need a David Fincher or close imitation to make sense of it all. As it is, it looks like a combination acting and film class. It has high ratings in some sectors, not this one baby!

2.75 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on April 13, 2022, 10:47:00 AM
Beyond Dream's Door (1989) - Surreal low budget Ohio regional horror film.  There's a mouthful.  Plot is a bit hard to follow at times, but basically some guy in a college is having nightmares, and it seems like they might kill him and people around him.  This is caused by some...  Force.  The influence from Stephen King's It is really obvious, plus a sprinkling from A Nightmare on Elm Street.  But it doesn't feel like a ripoff.

There's some interesting visuals and real attempts to build mood and linking scenes together creatively.  It's quite short.  It's quite rough at times, some of the acting is very spotting, and the writing is pretty weak.  But worth a watch if my opening sentence piqued your interest.  Vinegar Syndrome has put it out, so it's got a good transfer now.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 13, 2022, 11:17:58 AM
Agree with Jim H on Beyond Dream's Door. Worth a watch when you make allowances for budget.

CIAO FEDERICO! (1970): A short behind-the-scenes documentary on the shooting of FELLINI SATYRICON. It's basically a series of home movies, with scenes of Fellini directing (including a scene with a cow that would make the ASPCA go "tut-tut"), shots of extras in costume lounging around waiting for their turn on camera, and a brief interview in which the maestro doesn't say anything about the creative process he hasn't said many times before. A Criterion Collection extra on the SATYRICON Blu-ray, this will please fans of the film, but there are better docs out there for more general insight into this great director. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 14, 2022, 02:22:15 PM
Deadline (1980) - Damn, this is how you make an obscure horror movie! A horror writer faces a deadline for a new movie but can't come up with anything he likes. He's caught between commercial and artistic blah blah blah and doesn't know how to proceed. At the same time and in part as a result, his personal life is falling apart. His wife is on drugs and he just sits in his office all day trying to write and tells his kids to go away.

The first thing that gets your attention are the clips from his movies. They're supposed to be crass and commercial but they are AWESOME. Satanic nuns, evil kids, surgeries gone wrong etc

This is an example of the movie within a movie greatness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ8U9E0lqgw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ8U9E0lqgw) if that doesn't make you want to see this I don't know what to tell you. I have some Care Bears vhs tapes in my basement you can borrow.

The print at TUBI isn't great. I didn't realize this would be so good or I may have sought out better copies. A blu ray exists

4.75 /5 very cool beans while slightly repressed and Canadian it is more thoughtful and interesting than 99% of current films.

The kind of thing I would read about in Shock Cinema and try to find 20 years ago





Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 14, 2022, 02:29:21 PM


The print at TUBI isn't great. I didn't realize this would be so good or I may have sought out better copies. A blu ray exists

4.75 /5 very cool beans while slightly repressed and Canadian it is more thoughtful and interesting than 99% of current films.

The kind of thing I would read about in Shock Cinema and try to find 20 years ago





I believe I have this in a stack of DVDs/Blu-rays I intend to sell someday. I liked it well enough, but obviously not as much as you. Maybe I'll sort through them someday and remember to save the disc for you.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 14, 2022, 02:33:10 PM
thank you brother!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on April 14, 2022, 04:59:34 PM
Deadline (1980) - Damn, this is how you make an obscure horror movie! A horror writer faces a deadline for a new movie but can't come up with anything he likes. He's caught between commercial and artistic blah blah blah and doesn't know how to proceed. At the same time and in part as a result, his personal life is falling apart. His wife is on drugs and he just sits in his office all day trying to write and tells his kids to go away.

The first thing that gets your attention are the clips from his movies. They're supposed to be crass and commercial but they are AWESOME. Satanic nuns, evil kids, surgeries gone wrong etc

This is an example of the movie within a movie greatness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ8U9E0lqgw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ8U9E0lqgw) if that doesn't make you want to see this I don't know what to tell you. I have some Care Bears vhs tapes in my basement you can borrow.

The print at TUBI isn't great. I didn't realize this would be so good or I may have sought out better copies. A blu ray exists

4.75 /5 very cool beans while slightly repressed and Canadian it is more thoughtful and interesting than 99% of current films.

The kind of thing I would read about in Shock Cinema and try to find 20 years ago


Damn, I'd never heard of that!  I'll be checking it out, thanks!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 15, 2022, 09:53:01 PM
"The Amityville Murders" (2018)
The supposed "true story" of the murders at 112 Ocean Avenue that pre-date the infamous "Amityville Horror." After years of verbal and physical abuse from his overbearing father, twenty something Ron "Butch" DeFeo Jr, killed his parents and four younger siblings one fateful night in 1974, apparently under orders from "voices" he heard inside the family home.
I'm a sucker for anything Amityville so I enjoyed this low budget period piece, which even had a couple of legit scares. The stunt casting of Diane Franklin (who played the oldest DeFeo daughter in "Amityville II: The Possession") as Mrs. DeFeo and Burt Young (of "Amityville 3-D") in a bit part as a local mobster was a nice touch. Your mileage may vary depending on your interest in the subject matter.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 16, 2022, 01:48:46 AM
After Yang (2021)

Colin Farrell and Jodie Turner-Smith play a couple in the not so distant future who have adopted a Chinese girl. As a companion, and to give her a connection with her Chinese heritage, they have bought Yang, a specialised 'technosapiens' a kind of robot/synthetic human. When one night, Yang fails, it turns out they can't repair him as he was bought second hand. While trying to find a way to get him running, they retrieve Yang's memory and start to explore the inner life of an android.

This is a slow moving, ruminative kind of movie. The main characters are all well adjusted and very articulate, and Colin Farrell's performance reminded me of what he did in the The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Everything is understated, there is no great conflict or big reveal, just an exploration of what it is to be human. If you like your movies melancholy and thoughtful, this is one for you.
The movie is better at raising questions than at developing them. Themes include: people being so busy leading rewarding lives that they are blind to others living next to them, the strain of a married couple, prejudices, what it means to have an Asian heritage, and what it means to be alive.

Some of the worldbuilding is done for obvious plot convenience, but I quite liked it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 16, 2022, 10:25:02 AM
THE MADS ARE BACK: A NIGHT OF SHORTS 2: This is one I'd recommend for someone new to the Mads. Unlike some of their other shorts compilations, they riff a full 90 minutes of shorts in this one, including a dark one about bullied elementary school students, one about the dangers of blasting caps, and one titled "The Problem with Women." Mary Jo Pehl is the guest and they have 30 minutes of MST3K reminiscence afterwards. 3/5 in general, but MST3K fans will bump it up a star.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: jimpickens on April 17, 2022, 12:57:03 AM
Boogie a 3D animated movie from Argentina that is suppose to be a political satire of America and how our violent we are but instead is a satiric look into crime noir and action movies. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on April 18, 2022, 12:11:48 AM
Sons of Katie Elder: John Wayne and his three brothers come back together after their mother dies.  They relatively quickly deduce the earlier death of their father and the loss of family land may be due to a bad actor in town.  Revenge, justice, being good or bad and living and dying by the gun.  A solid western all around.  I really like how you feel Katie's presence in the film, despite her never having been seen.  Dean Martin is fun.  George Kennedy gets a decent supporting role, so does a very young Dennis Hopper.  I wish the villain was a better character though, a common complaint I have in John Wayne westerns.  Oh, very good Elmer Bernstein score too. 

Also, this film has some quite interesting trivia around it.

First of all, this had a theme song performed by Johnny Cash.  I had no idea, as it's not in the film, I just saw it randomly on YouTube. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erKLCb2OF6E (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erKLCb2OF6E)

Also, the film never acknowledges it, but it is based loosely on a true story.  There's no main villain in the real story, but a number of the crazier details were true.  Biggest one - a group of brothers chained together for a crime they didn't commit really were handed over by deputies to a mob intent on murdering them, but they fought their way out of it.

There's a really good write-up on the real story here:
https://www.historynet.com/murder-mobs-and-the-marlow-brothers/ (https://www.historynet.com/murder-mobs-and-the-marlow-brothers/)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 19, 2022, 01:25:52 AM
Nezha Reborn (2021)

In a magical cyberpunk version of the Chinese warlord era, a street racer/smuggler finds out he is the reincarnation of Nezha, some kind of powerful chaos demon. This upsets the plans of domination of the clan of the Dragon King of the East Sea. With the help of a mysterious stranger (who turns out to be the Monkey King) our hero tries to control the chaos and save his world.

Another all action, all the time Chinese animation. It is based on a Ming dynasty novel, and like many of these adaptations, characters drift in and out the story, in a way that probably makes more sense if you are familiar with the original story. As far as the animation is concerned, it is a bit a mixed bag. It has some spectacular scenes and designs, but it would seem that the vision was sometimes too ambitious for the capabilities of the animation team, so there is some corner cutting, notably with the faces. Still, you have lots of action and it is very entertaining in a video game sort of way. Fun but forgettable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 19, 2022, 05:54:20 AM
TITANIC 666 (2022)  It turns out my new Spectrum TV package includes a subscription to TubiTV, so when I saw this dreadful piece of shlock mentioned here I looked it up and gave it a spin.  About as bad as a typical Asylum film - the newly furbished TITANIC 3 (not sure what happened to #2; was that another Asylum movie?) sets sail with many priceless artifacts from the original ship.  The great-granddaughter of the original Titanic's Capt. Smith calls down a curse on the ship for desecrating sacred waters, vengeful ghosts rise from the deep, and everybody dies.  Not as awful as it could have been, but lordy, it's not good! 2.5/5

BOUDICA: RISE OF THE WARRIOR QUEEN:  This was a movie about the legendary Celtic queen who raised a mighty rebellion against Rome in the time of Nero - except this movie is about how she became queen of the Iceni, a long backstory of teen romances, bad marriage, and betrayal by the Romans.  Not bad, but not great. 2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 19, 2022, 09:00:43 AM
WHAT? (2021): A modern silent movie about a struggling deaf actor determined to land a role in a Hollywood movie. The script cleverly immerses viewers in the frustrations of deaf life without seeming too preachy, and there are decent Buster Keaton inspired gags. Ironically, perhaps, the accompanying soundtrack is pretty good. Needless to say, deaf viewers will respond much more enthusiastically. 3/5 if you can hear.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: jimpickens on April 20, 2022, 01:25:11 AM
Skinner a pretty decent 93 serial killer movie a forgotten classic.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 20, 2022, 01:56:26 PM
"Metal Lords" (2022)
Two dorky high schoolers start a metal band, hoping that a victory at the upcoming Battle of the Bands will finally open the doors to popularity for them. However, their fruitless search for a bass player eventually leads them to consider hiring a troubled, cello-playing girl (!) instead.
A sporadically funny Netflix teen comedy with a metal backdrop. My 14 year old son loved it (he's exactly the target demographic they were shooting for) and I had fun pointing out all the old school metal love being displayed on t-shirts, posters, and on the soundtrack. Oh, and there are a couple of surprise rock star cameos that made me smile. Worth a look.

"Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks" (2019)
Bone crunchingly cool documentary about the history of martial arts movies, from the humble low budget origins in 1960s Hong Kong, through the grindhouse era of the 70s and the rise of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, through the VHS era and the genre's continued influence on virtually every corner of pop culture and filmmaking to this very day. Loaded with interviews with the genre's movers and shakiers and plenty of ultra violent clips from classic films. Tons o' chop-socky fun!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 21, 2022, 07:50:14 AM
"Spider-Man: No Way Home" (2021)
Picking up where Far From Home left off, the whole world now knows that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Peter (Tom Holland) goes to Dr. Strange to see if he can cast a spell that will make everyone "forget" his secret I.D. However, the spell goes wrong and creates a tear in the fabric of the multi-verse, allowing a variety of Spidey villains - and other Spider-Men! - from different realities to enter "our" world.
Marvel and Sony throw everything but the kitchen sink into this Spidey-extravaganza, with (SPOILER ALERT) baddies like Alfred Molina as Doc Ock and Willem DaFoe as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin returning to the franchise, and (SPOILER ALERT) Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield (who, let's face it, kinda got the shaft during his Spidey era) dropping by to play a major part in the third act. The nearly two and a half hour run time absolutely flies by. Is it the best Spider-Man movie of 'em all? I think it may be!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on April 21, 2022, 11:02:18 AM
Phoenix the Warrior, AKA She-Wolves of the Wasteland (1988).

Man, what a badly made movie.  It's kind of amazing to me that this was shot on film, just thinking about the set-up, development costs involved, technical crew required, etc.  Like I get on shot on video stuff being this shoddy, but on 35mm?  Also props to them getting Boris Vallejo to do the the cover, best use of money for the film hands down.

(https://resizing.flixster.com/w4OPMXYZ0BLTT5PCFysVFS2my24=/206x305/v2/https://flxt.tmsimg.com/assets/p50295_v_v7_aa.jpg)

Anyway, this is a Road Warrior ripoff with almost only women.  There was a war, all the men died for some reason.  Now there's some ancient witch lady who I guess is breeding new people and sucks the souls out of men or something?  It's actually kind of hard to follow.  A woman is on the run from her and a warrior lady helps her.  Everyone runs around the whole film basically in bikinis or fetish gear, but oddly there's only about 5 minutes of the film with nudity, and none from the leads.

The transitions between scenes are just terrible.  There's several times where there's a cut and literally years have passed, but it's 100% impossible to tell.  Like a woman is pregnant, than a hard cut later she's giving birth and everyone is in the same clothes.  There's a bunch of gunfights and fistfights, and they're just awful too.   

I'll give it credit for a few things though.  For the first two thirds, it is not boring.  That may not sound like a big deal, but man, a lot of Mad Max knockoffs are just insanely boring sequences of people walking around in the desert 90% of the time.  This one keeps changing locales, or will have a random fight, or just parade around women in ridiculous costumes.  It clips along.  They also briefly have a mutated group that worships television, and it's actually an interesting idea.  But then the last third is a total snooze fest, and the ending is incoherent.

Oh, and the make-up effects are surprisingly solid, especially on the witch lady - she has a tube going into her head, and you can see liquid going through it regularly, pretty neat.  She also looks appropriately old and mutated.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised looking at the credits though - it's a man by the name of Scott Coulter, who'd go on to work on effects in little films like The Expendables, and TV shows like Tales from the Crypt.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 21, 2022, 04:37:01 PM
TITANIC 666 (2022)  It turns out my new Spectrum TV package includes a subscription to TubiTV, so when I saw this dreadful piece of shlock mentioned here I looked it up and gave it a spin.  About as bad as a typical Asylum film - the newly furbished TITANIC 3 (not sure what happened to #2; was that another Asylum movie?)

Yes, Titanic II was a thing, released by Asylum way back in 2010. It's gloriously god-awful.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on April 21, 2022, 09:04:11 PM
A bought a 5-movie DVD pack called Cheer!  Rally!  Kill!  expecting some decent cheerleader schlock.  About ten minutes or so into the first one, the "new boyfriend" character starts acting like a psycho and attacks another guy for just looking at his girlfriend.  I thought to myself, "this feels like a Lifetime Original Movie.  I looked up the DVD online. 

It turns out they're all Lifetime original movies. 

 :bluesad:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 22, 2022, 09:43:44 AM
ANATOMY OF HELL (2004): A straight woman pays a gay man to observe her naked body for four nights, and they become intimate. A strange pseudo-erotic, pseudo-intellectual experiment that must be a deep metaphor, because taken literally it's completely ridiculous and insulting. Very explicit, just a notch below hardcore (the male lead is porn star Rocco Siffredi, who actually isn't bad). 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on April 22, 2022, 10:36:24 AM
Terror Within 2 - I saw the first like 25 years ago, and only remember thinking it was bad.  So I watched the sequel, only half paying attention to the first 40 minutes.  I don't think I missed much.  Instead of George Kennedy, we get R. Lee Ermey.  Whatever.  It's bad, but watchable bad.  It's got some goopy monsters that are OK I guess, and there's a scene where the hero avenges his dog that was the highlight of the film.

Oh, for a quick logic gap, here's something.  The main character gets the leading lady pregnant while he's escorting her out in the desert.  Then she gets raped by one of the monsters in this movie, and its sperm infects the zygote and it becomes a monster fetus.  All of this happened while they were wandering in the desert for apparently days or weeks.  Then they get to the underground bunker place and they put her on a monitor when they realize she's pregnant - and they have live video footage of her getting impregnated and the monster sperm too!  How the hell does that work, can their medical scanner see through time?  It was baffling, and stupid too - all they needed to do was show the fetus was abnormal, audience would get why...

Dead Space (1991) - My interest was spiked because of the video game of the same name, I must note.  But, Roger Corman's remake of his own Forbidden World is pretty god damn terrible.  It is shot very poorly, the action scenes are really bad, the editing is frequently incoherent, the writing is bad, it's just a stinker almost top to bottom.  The one highlight are some of the monsters are fun.  Oh, another game connection, the final design is VERY similar to a hydralisk in StarCraft to the point where I wonder if it was an influence.  Also, it was fun seeing a super young Bryan Cranston.  Huge plus - film is only 70 minutes long.  It feels more like 90. 

Dead Space monster:
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYzMyYTE0NzEtYjdjMS00ZWZhLThiZmEtOGZhZjU3ZjhhZmQ4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjM1Njc4NDc@._V1_.jpg)

Hydralisk:
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hYwAAOxyxU1Q8xaQ/s-l400.jpg)

Though I suppose both are basically queen alien + Gigan, so maybe it just naturally flowed that way.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 23, 2022, 09:23:35 AM
"National Lampoon's Animal House" (1978)
It's 1962 at Faber College, and the new pledges of Delta Tau Chi get caught up in the ongoing battle war the slovenly, hard partying frat bro's and the school's exasperated Dean Wormer, who wants to kick Delta House off campus for good. Wacky hijinks and mayhem ensue.
"Animal House" made a ton of money, turned John Belushi (who totally steals the movie) into a legit film star, and inspired countless low budget teen-sex-comedy imitations. It was considered controversial and excessively raunchy in its day, but while its edges have been dulled by the passage of time, it's still great fun, full of gags and endlessly quotable bits.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 23, 2022, 03:58:58 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: THE DEVIL'S HAND: In the movie, Commissioner Gordon (Neil Hamilton) is a Satanist (OK, he actually worships some dark god named with the scary name "Gabba") doll maker who lures a not-so-innocent horny guy into his cult by offering sex with a witch. For a public domain horror I'd never heard of before, this was a hoot, and the riffing was up to par. Now for my complaint: they edited about 15 minutes out of the movie, just so we could spend more time with the special guest Dave Hill (a musician/comedian who didn't really light my fire). I like these but it feels like they emphasize the Q&A segments way too much for my taste: I could do with just the movie, thanks, I don't need to know what everyone's watching on TV. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 24, 2022, 04:33:10 AM
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

This is very meta: Nicolas plays himself in a movie in which he makes a movie where he is playing himself.

The movie version of Nicolas Cage takes an offer of 1 million dollars to feature at a birthday party of billionaire playboy Javi. He is then approached by the CIA who tell him that Javi is in fact a criminal mastermind, and they need Nicolas Cage to infiltrate the mansion. Hijinks ensue.

This one is a hoot. Nicolas Cage turns it up to 11 playing a caricature of himself while Pedro Pascal embraces the silliness of it all with infectious enthusiasm. The plot is perfunctory, it is just loads of silly fun with lots of callbacks to Nicolas Cage's previous roles, not to mention his interactions with his younger self.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 24, 2022, 07:35:51 AM
"The One" (2001)
An L.A. police officer (Jet Li) has been targeted for elimination by his "evil twin" - a version of himself from another universe, who's been tripping across dimensions and murdering each of his "other" selves in order to absorb their life forces and achieve cosmic powers...or something like that. Obviously, much butt is kicked and lots of things crash and explode.
The plot of this sci-fi actioner is total comic book nonsense (props for using the "multi-verse" hook waaaay before there was an MCU, though!) but the action scenes are impressive (esp. Jet's climactic fight against "himself") and the whole thing moves so fast that you don't really have time to think about how silly it is till it's all over. Nothin' special, just a decent popcorn action flick. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 24, 2022, 09:08:09 AM
SAINT BERNARD (2013): A conductor moves through a series of surreal situations while carrying the head of a St. Bernard's in a burlap sack. Director Gabriel Bartalos is mainly known for his FX work for horror movies (and for Matthew Barney's "Cremaster" films), and amazing sights like Bernard with his body twisted into a coil and a cigar-chomping goblin police officer team up with some silly humor (Abe Lincoln gives the audience the finger) to make this far more watchable than the usual plotless low-budget surrealist feature film. It's no wonder he didn't direct again, though, this is completely noncommercial. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on April 24, 2022, 06:47:13 PM
Skeletonman (2004) - What if you took Predator, but swapped a nifty Stan Winston creature creation with the Grim Reaper, and swapped Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers with Casper Van Dien and Michael Rooker?  You'd get this, I guess.  And wow, what a pile of crap.  The storyline makes no sense, the title monster is never really explained, if it's Native American why does it look like the Grim Reaper, why does it sometimes have visible eyes, why does it randomly teleport, why does its costume look to be made of pure shiny nylon, why does its hood have a big loop in it like a bonnet, why does it have a broadsword, why why why. 

The editing in this is some of the worst I've ever seen in any film, just atrocious.  Tons of continuity errors and jumping around, sequences that are genuinely hard to even follow too.  There's a scene where Casper Van Dien has to drive a semi truck at night on a highway, and they had no cutaway shot of his face inside the truck apparently, so they just used a random close up of him from the woods, complete with visible sunlight, obviously visible trees, badly matched eyeline, and an inappropriate facial expression for the scene - it's genuinely embarrassing. 

I'll say the film has a high bodycount, and some of the kills and attack sequences are unintentionally funny, I appreciated the bits of gore, a couple of silly dummies, and slow mo shots of people going flying.  But otherwise, one of the worst films I've ever seen - 1/10.

If you're really curious, it's free on Tubi.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 25, 2022, 08:58:31 AM
WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR (2021): A teenage girl experiences personality changes when she takes the horror-themed "World's Fair" viral Internet challenge. A good, culturally relevant premise and an assured performance by young lead Anna Cobb are unfortunately wasted in a story that fizzles out at the end like a defective firecracker. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 25, 2022, 02:11:44 PM
The Hollow Earth (2021) - documentary about the not very respected theory that the earth is hollow and tall blond people live there in wonderful cities. The great thing about this is its only a half hour long and pretty much every line is another theory. The guy will first present a relatively sound and / or plausible/ interesting idea like astronauts reported that the moon rang like a bell (This is the Hollow Moon Theory ) then the next thing will be "the northern lights are the middle Earth sun shooting out of the North Pole".

It looks like it cost about nothing to make and he recorded the voiceover on his back porch in one take. The drawings of middle Earth are cool and this is certainly everything you could ever want to know about it so f**k it

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: WingedSerpent on April 25, 2022, 07:02:05 PM
Fiend without a Face.
I loved the stop motion brains in this. Like how they look like cartoon snails. 

Dark Star
John Carpenter's fist movie. Honestly, the only real sympathetic character I felt for was the Beach Ball Alien


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 27, 2022, 09:53:13 AM
"And Now For Something Completely Different" (1971)
Monty Python's first theatrical release is essentially a "highlight reel," re-creating some of the best sketches from the first two seasons of "Flying Circus," including the "Lumberjack Song," the "Dead Parrot Sketch," "Hell's Grannies," "The Upper Class Twit of the Year," and more.  
This was the Pythons' introduction to U.S. audiences;  "Flying Circus" didn't begin airing on American TV till 1974. I can only imagine what American movie-goers must have thought when they first saw this!
Fun fact: the film was a production of Playboy Enterprises.  Victor Lownes, an American who was in charge of running the London Playboy Club and Casino, fell in love with "Flying Circus" while living in England and brought the Pythons to Hef's attention.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on April 27, 2022, 12:26:09 PM
Tenement, AKA Game of Survival, AKA Slaughter in the South Bronx.  From 1985.

First Roberta Findlay film I've seen (she was also the DP), who made a bunch of porn and exploitation films.  This is one of the more well known of the latter.  Got an X for violence, and I can see why, it's brutal and harsh with no one spared.  It's about an insane drug gang who gets booted out of the basement they're squatting in, and come back and decide to murder the tenants.  It's shot in what looks like a real scuzzy actual part of New York, similar to something like Basket Case (though not that extreme).  Great locations I will say, some of the visuals are good, Findlay knows how to shoot a film. 

There's some attempt at characterization of the tenants, but it's thin.  The gang is a bit more interesting.  The one named Hector definitely leaves the biggest impression, he's scary and it's a good performance.  I recognized the actor but couldn't place him - turns out he's also in Pulp Fiction, King of New York, Fear the Walking Dead and has a supporting role in Bosch (which is what I knew him best from), where he's quite good too.

Overall though, the movie is very rough.  The characters and story are thin and it's structurally poor, and there are numerous sequences where the geography is hard to follow and character reactions barely make sense, like when one guy is shot at and runs away and no one else even reacts to the gun shot literally ten feet from them.  Action sequences are poor, and there's little sense of tension building - Assault on Precinct 13 this is not.  Again, I found it hard not to compare this a bit to Basket Case again (very different genres, I know, just similar vibe and era/geography), which is even cheaper and scuzzier looking but has much better story and character writing and thus is a far superior film.

But, if you like that grimy, gross, 80s New York gang vibe, this is one worth checking out.  5/10 on a bad day, 6/10 on a good day.

It's also free on Tubi.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 28, 2022, 11:00:02 AM
"Trick" (2019)
An FBI agent (Omar Epps of "House") leads a bunch of small town cops in pursuit of a masked killer known only as "Trick," who only strikes once a year - on Halloween night (sound familiar?).
This fast moving, seasonal horror flick from director Patrick Lussier (of "Drive Angry" and the "My Bloody Valentine 3D" remake) certainly isn't boring - it starts piling up bodies from the get-go and keeps the ultra-violent action going for most of its run time. Of course, like most post-"Scream" slasher flicks, there's a mid-point "plot twist" that most viewers will see coming from a mile away, and it drags on a little longer than it really needs to, but overall I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Not bad for a random DVD from Dollar Tree.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 28, 2022, 02:52:38 PM
The Raven (1963) - I've never read the Edgar Allen Poe story, but I have a feeling this isn't very true to it. Vincent Price is a wizard guy who has some sort of beef with another one played by Boris Karloff. Peter Lorre is a comic relief/ not as good wizard and there are two busty Hammer horror women who hold down their parts well. The lighter but still sinister tone definitely works and all 3 legends of screen get good lines in. I've been experimenting with edibles lately so that might have helped, but in general this was as good it could possibly be. There's nothing like a wizards duel, I wonder if Shaw Brothers were influenced by this. The finger laser beams look very similar.

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on April 29, 2022, 09:24:25 AM
^ No mention of Jack Nicholson?  :question:
As far as the Poe's ' the Raven', it's a poem, not a story per se.
And yes- the movie has zero connection to the poem. Except the name 'Lenore'. Oh yeah, and a raven.

If you enjoyed the RAVEN, you'd love COMEDY OF TERRORS (1963), which also features Price, Lorre, Karloff, and Basil Rathbone!

http://youtu.be/8ARUKfGB6wc (http://youtu.be/8ARUKfGB6wc)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 29, 2022, 02:18:54 PM
Jack Nicholson was in it? Was he Peter Lorre's son wow I didn't even notice


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on April 29, 2022, 07:47:08 PM
^  Yeah. Well, with all the old timers hamming it up, Jack is very much over shadowed.
(https://i.imgur.com/YAn8lMk.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

Jack paid his dues with Corman...

including-
the CRY BABY KILLER (1960)
the LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1960)
THE TERROR (1963) with Karloff
...and of course a number of biker films as well!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 29, 2022, 10:27:48 PM
"You Might Be The Killer" (2018)
The entire staff of a summer camp has been killed by a masked maniac. One of the survivors holes up in a cabin and calls his best friend (Alyson Hannigan of "Buffy" and "How I Met Your Mother"), who works in a comic book/video store and is therefore an expert in such matters, for help. Together the pair work through the events of the previous evening and eventually come to the conclusion that ... he might be the murderer, acting under the influence of a possessed mask the counselors found in the forest.
This witty, gory parody of "Friday the 13th" style summer camp slashers lovingly skewers all of the genre's cliches. As horror spoofs go, it's not as laugh out loud hilarious as, say, "Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil" but it's a cut above crap like the "Scary Movie" series. Well worth the buck and a quarter I paid for the DVD at Dollar Tree. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 30, 2022, 08:54:48 AM
THE MADS ARE BACK: THE CHOPPERS: The movie is an Arch Hall Jr. + Sr. vehicle about a gang of juvenile delinquents who chop up cars for parts. Although there's a lot of goofiness and stupid characters doing stupid things, it's actually well-paced and easy to follow which makes it very riffable. Bonus: lots of dead teenagers at the end! The Q&A guest is Carolina Hidalgo, who used to host a podcast with Frank and Trace. 3/5. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 01, 2022, 09:06:51 PM
Diving back into my pile of Dollar Tree DVDs:

"Satanic Panic" (aka "Panic," 2019)
A pizza delivery girl's last run of the evening takes her to a swanky estate in a wealthy neighborhood, where it turns out the residents are all members of a Satanic cult. She arrives in the middle of a ceremony to awaken the dark god Baphomet, and they need a virgin sacrifice in order to make it happen. You can probably figure out the rest -- Pizza Girl gets put through the wringer in this very funny, tongue in cheek horror/surivival comedy with a generous amount of splatter. The still-gorgeous Rebecca Romijn is an absolute hoot as the head of the housewife coven, she's like a Satanic Martha Stewart.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on May 02, 2022, 12:29:09 PM
Love & Monsters - Cute and charming sort of young adult post-apoc romance?  It's pretty fun and entertaining, with a properly set tone that it manages the whole time.  Good creatures.  Michael Rooker has a small but good role.  Worth a watch.  7/10.

Mitchells VS The Machines - Great animation, solid writing, genuinely funny and even pretty good character work.  It's a winner.  9/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 05, 2022, 06:53:16 AM
Boro in the Box (2011)

A surreal imagined biopic of Walerian Borowczyk (famed in the 80s for making artsy erotica). The central conceit is that Borowczyk is born in/as a small wooden box (hence the title). As a child the box has arms and legs, and as an adult he is human, but with the box for a head. The whole is filmed in black and white, with every trope of the 70s artsy symbolic cinematography in the book. At only 40 minutes it is over before it can really get on your nerves, but it is one the most pretentious movies you'll ever see.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on May 05, 2022, 12:24:41 PM
Cabal - What an atrocious film.  Some amusingly stupid ideas, but just terrible.  Bad acting, poorly shot, some of the worst dialogue, some ideas from the villains that come across as actually offensive in their writing base.  I'll give it credit for a few pretty good actual blood squibs and a couple of legitimately decent martial artists in the fight sequences, otherwise garbage.  2/10.

Fun fact for me though - this script has several similarities to a feature script I wrote in my 20s and shot a day of with some friends.  We also made a prop mask, and it's quite similar to one used in this film.  Obviously a coincidence, just interesting.  Also, my script had better dialogue, which is embarrassing as I write absolutely terrible dialogue.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 06, 2022, 09:41:31 AM
"Flight From Hell" (aka "Last Flight," 2014)
The passengers and crew of a red-eye flight from a Pacific island deals with bad weather and a carnivorous creature that was snuck on board by a passenger. Low budget hilarity (mostly unintentional) ensues.
This hybrid of air disaster flicks and creature features was a Chinese production (with a few non-Asian cast members to help sell the movie outside the Pacific rim)... so the movie is half in English, half in Chinese (with poorly translated sub-titles), so the result is mostly gibberish. It takes forever for the creature action to get going, and when the mysterious mutant-feline "monster" is finally revealed (more than an hour into the movie!), it looks so ridiculous and the CGI so horrendous that I almost spat out my drink laughin'.
Even the worst of The Asylum's catalog looks like the Royal Shakespeare Company compared to this loser. AVOID, AVOID, AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 07, 2022, 10:44:03 AM
MST3K: BEYOND ATLANTIS: The debut of the "Gizmoplex" was last night, but I'd seen the raw cut of SANTO AND THE TREASURE OF DRACULA so I caught up on this one. It's the debut episode for new co-host Emily Connor, who has her own Tom and Crow voiced by different actors (from the live touring show). The movie is a Filipino adventure (with Sid Haig as a pimp!) about some criminals who travel to a remote island to steal pearls from the descendants of ancient Atlantis (who have ping pong ball eyes, except for the leads). The movie and riffing are average and it's an adjustment getting used to Crow's new voice (now voiced by a woman, but sounding like a 10-year-old boy), but the host segments are some of the best they've had in a long time, ending with the "Mother Crabber" rap. It's a great start for Emily, though I'm not really sure what the plan is with two separate hosts. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 07, 2022, 02:57:21 PM
Hostel (2006) - Somehow I had never seen this. It was okay.

I read somewhere once that it was fun to see in a movie theater full of people and I can see how it would be. Going to foreign countries and staying in hostels and smoking weed in Amsterdam and so forth is a long time rite of passage for young people and this is horror movie about all that. Tarantino produces and it has some of his sort of touches. Director Eli Roth has another ambigiously gay character like in Cabin Fever, but nothing as awesomely random as the "pancakes!" kid.

I might watch the second one, I might not. not exactly overflowing with panache and originality but passable. no where near something like "martyrs" as far as your stapled to the wall, s and m sort of horror

3.25 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 08, 2022, 02:03:05 AM
Paddington 2

Not really my kind of movie, but after The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, I had to see it. Sentimental but very sweet. Hugh Grant is having the time of his life as the villain.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 08, 2022, 08:28:54 AM
"The Dirt" (2019)
Netflix's big, loud, dumb adaptation of Motley Crue's big, dumb, bestselling biography tells the story of how four L.A. rockers crawled out of the Hollywood gutter and took over the world, destroying the liquor and cocaine supply everywhere they went and leaving mayhem in their wake. This was never gonna win an Oscar but it is tons of sleazy fun. Turn off your brain and enjoy the ride.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 08, 2022, 09:09:22 AM
FATAL PULSE: How to explain... basically, a member of the Illuminati experiences alternate realities in 1991 while his brother-in-law and Julia Roberts alternate crashing on his couch. Or something like that: Damon Packard's "yuppie fear thriller" is kind of like a Robert Anton Wilson story told by an experimental B-movie filmmaker obsessed with pop culture references from the late VHS era. Hard to categorize, hard to rate, and a bit too long for its own craziness. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 08, 2022, 09:29:08 AM
Prisoners of the Ghostland.

Nic Cage is wired up to an explosive suit by Bill Mosely and sent into a radioactive hellhole to rescue his escaped sex slave/adopted granddaughter while confronting the ghosts of his criminal past. It is a lot weirder than I've made it sound. There is a lot going on in this movie. How much you get out of it very much depends on if you find it a bit out there, or merely pretentious. I found it interesting enough to give a second watch.

It is the strangest thing I've seen Nic Cage in.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 08, 2022, 08:07:46 PM
A WEREWOLF IN ENGLAND (2020)
This one was low budget but fun - a carriage conveying a magistrate and a prisoner to trial is stranded at a lonely inn due to a storm, and they quickly discover that the innkeeper and her brother have made a bargain with the bloodthirsty werewolves of the local forest - they will provide them victims in exchange for being spared themselves.  Guess who is on the menu?  Cheesy, low budget, goofy werewolf costumes, but I laughed in a couple of scenes and cringed in others.  This is the kind of movie this forum was made for!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on May 08, 2022, 10:59:02 PM
The Wolf of Snow Hollow - Jim Cumming's follow up to Thunder Road follows some quite similar character material, but mixes in werewolf type horror elements...  But none of it gels as well.  The stuff I found a bit off in Thunder Road is worse in this one.  Jim Cumming does a good job, but his character is just TOO unbearable now.  The mystery plot is alright, but doesn't fully gel.  Robert Forester, in his final role, is pretty good but doesn't get enough to do - he left more of an impression in El Camino.  It's still decent made with some good supporting turns, and I don't regret the watch, just was hoping for more after Thunder Road.  6/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 09, 2022, 11:36:40 AM
"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" (1988)
Set in a 1940s Hollywood where cartoon characters co-exist with human beings, a down on his luck private eye (Bob Hoskins) gets mixed up with a cartoon rabbit who's been accused of murder. As they try to clear the bunny's name, the mismatched pair learn that it's all part of a massive conspiracy that will affect both humans and 'toons unless they can stop it.
Robert Zemeckis' classic 1988 fantasy/mystery features cameos by most of the biggies from Walt Disney's and Warner Bros' cartoon stables (as well as Betty Boop, Droopy, and more) and the integration between animation and live action is still amazing to watch. I have lost count of how many times Ive seen this movie over the years, it's still one of my all time favorites.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on May 09, 2022, 01:31:28 PM
Prisoners of the Ghostland.

Nic Cage is wired up to an explosive suit by Bill Mosely and sent into a radioactive hellhole to rescue his escaped sex slave/adopted granddaughter while confronting the ghosts of his criminal past. It is a lot weirder than I've made it sound. There is a lot going on in this movie. How much you get out of it very much depends on if you find it a bit out there, or merely pretentious. I found it interesting enough to give a second watch.

It is the strangest thing I've seen Nic Cage in.

Have you seen Color Out of Space, Alex?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 09, 2022, 01:34:01 PM
Prisoners of the Ghostland.

Nic Cage is wired up to an explosive suit by Bill Mosely and sent into a radioactive hellhole to rescue his escaped sex slave/adopted granddaughter while confronting the ghosts of his criminal past. It is a lot weirder than I've made it sound. There is a lot going on in this movie. How much you get out of it very much depends on if you find it a bit out there, or merely pretentious. I found it interesting enough to give a second watch.

It is the strangest thing I've seen Nic Cage in.

Have you seen Color Out of Space, Alex?

Yes.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 09, 2022, 03:02:07 PM
Prisoners of the Ghostland.

Nic Cage is wired up to an explosive suit by Bill Mosely and sent into a radioactive hellhole to rescue his escaped sex slave/adopted granddaughter while confronting the ghosts of his criminal past. It is a lot weirder than I've made it sound. There is a lot going on in this movie. How much you get out of it very much depends on if you find it a bit out there, or merely pretentious. I found it interesting enough to give a second watch.

It is the strangest thing I've seen Nic Cage in.

Have you seen Color Out of Space, Alex?

Yes.

Mandy?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 09, 2022, 03:36:27 PM
Prisoners of the Ghostland.

Nic Cage is wired up to an explosive suit by Bill Mosely and sent into a radioactive hellhole to rescue his escaped sex slave/adopted granddaughter while confronting the ghosts of his criminal past. It is a lot weirder than I've made it sound. There is a lot going on in this movie. How much you get out of it very much depends on if you find it a bit out there, or merely pretentious. I found it interesting enough to give a second watch.

It is the strangest thing I've seen Nic Cage in.

Have you seen Color Out of Space, Alex?

Yes.

Mandy?

Also yes.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 09, 2022, 03:57:03 PM
Prisoners of the Ghostland.

Nic Cage is wired up to an explosive suit by Bill Mosely and sent into a radioactive hellhole to rescue his escaped sex slave/adopted granddaughter while confronting the ghosts of his criminal past. It is a lot weirder than I've made it sound. There is a lot going on in this movie. How much you get out of it very much depends on if you find it a bit out there, or merely pretentious. I found it interesting enough to give a second watch.

It is the strangest thing I've seen Nic Cage in.

Have you seen Color Out of Space, Alex?

Yes.

Mandy?

Also yes.

One more: Wild at Heart? (I don't know, GHOSTLAND may be the strangest thing Nic Cage has been in, but something in me resists the notion... maybe only because I thought GHOSTLAND was a disappointment, while those other movies were entertaining.)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on May 09, 2022, 06:03:33 PM
^ I'm sure you've seen VAMPIRE'S KISS (1988)?

(https://i.imgur.com/U4lq2GF.gif) (https://lunapic.com)

I like most of his offbeat movies. His action junk...not so much.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 10, 2022, 01:16:43 AM
Yes to both. I just found this one odder and stranger than any of his other films I've seen.

Put it down to personal taste.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 10, 2022, 09:44:59 PM
"Dick Tracy" (1990)
Warren Beatty (who also directed) stars as the two fisted 1930s police detective from Chester Gould's long running comic strip, facing off against a variety of mobsters and villains, romancing a nightclub singer (Madonna), and taking an orphaned kid under his wing.
Disney/Touchstone apparently hoped this movie would become the next big comic inspired franchise ala "Batman," but they didn't seem to realize that the last time Dick Tracy was popular was during the Eisenhower era. 1990s audiences were like, "Dick who?"
It's a nice looking movie, but it's all style, no substance. The story is a confused muddle, Beatty's too old to be playing the hero,  Madonna looks great but can't act her way out of a paper bag, and an absolutely amazing cast of bad guys (Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, William Forsythe, James Caan, and more!) are all unrecognizable under tons of distractingly ugly make up.
This expensive turkey is somewhat watchable in a train wreck sort of way, but its entertainment value is zilch. AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 11, 2022, 09:28:31 PM
"The Transporter" (2002)
An ex-mercenary (Jason Statham) is living comfortably on the Riviera, working as a "transporter" -- someone who makes high stakes "deliveries," no questions asked. However, when one of his "packages" turns out to be a woman caught up in a human trafficking ring, it makes him the target of some very bad people.
A decent butt kicker with a European flair from Luc ("The Fifth Element," "La Femme Nikita") Besson. The stunt work is impressive and lotsa stuff crashes and blows up. Therefore I was entertained. Followed by at least two sequels and a short lived TV series.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on May 12, 2022, 12:37:20 AM
Skinless, AKA the Ballad of Skinless Pete.  2013. 

This is a micro, MICRO budget horror film.  $2000 budget.  And it's partially a remake of Cronenberg's version of the Fly.  With the exception of one brief shot, it's filmed ENTIRELY in the director's own house.  It only has four actors, and relies HEAVILY on two of them with many long character scenes.  The audio quality is weak. 

Experienced B-movie fans know this sounds like a boring disaster of a film, the kind of crap you'll get on a 4 movie pack at Walmart and turn off 10 minutes in.  But what a shocker - this is legitimately a pretty good movie. 

Basic plot, two doctors/scientists (a man and a woman) are trying to find a cure for cancer.  Due to funding cuts, they have to do some work in the one doctor's house.  They think they have something with a south American parasite.  Their patron tells them to conduct an off-book experiment, and the male doctor reveals he has a cancer - he injects himself.  There are unfortunate side effects and body horror begins. 

The two leads are good, the story is good, the make-up effects are good and shot well around their weaknesses.  The storyline works.  The pacing is solid.  I was invested.  It's only 80 minutes.  I wish we'd gotten a bit more gradual breakdown of what happens to the main character, the middle act is a bit weaker because of that, but this a surprisingly competent, occasionally even emotionally affecting, work for such limited means.  I wish more micro budget horror got to this level. 

Definite recommend, and I will seek out more of director/writer/editor/composer Dustin Mills filmography.  It's also free on Tubi.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on May 12, 2022, 04:20:52 AM
"Dick Tracy" (1990)
Warren Beatty (who also directed) stars as the two fisted 1930s police detective from Chester Gould's long running comic strip, facing off against a variety of mobsters and villains, romancing a nightclub singer (Madonna), and taking an orphaned kid under his wing.
Disney/Touchstone apparently hoped this movie would become the next big comic inspired franchise ala "Batman," but they didn't seem to realize that the last time Dick Tracy was popular was during the Eisenhower era. 1990s audiences were like, "Dick who?"
It's a nice looking movie, but it's all style, no substance. The story is a confused muddle, Beatty's too old to be playing the hero,  Madonna looks great but can't act her way out of a paper bag, and an absolutely amazing cast of bad guys (Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, William Forsythe, James Caan, and more!) are all unrecognizable under tons of distractingly ugly make up.
This expensive turkey is somewhat watchable in a train wreck sort of way, but its entertainment value is zilch. AVOID.

I remember seeing this thing when it came out and going "WTF was that?" when I left the cinema  :question:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 12, 2022, 09:22:28 AM
WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE (1995): Dawn is the least popular kid in her middle school, bullied and harassed by her schoolmates and underappreciated by her family. The film's deadpan cruelty was fresh and made it a big indie hit when it was released, but I don't think it holds up as well as Solondz's gut-punch followup, HAPPINESS; it's too paranoid, too painful, too detached from reality, and the comedy element of "black comedy" is too submerged. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 12, 2022, 11:38:45 PM
Jim - that is intriguing 

watching Umbre https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4269716/reviews?ref_=tt_urv (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4269716/reviews?ref_=tt_urv) A romanian tv series. It's gangster stuff with comedy a la tarantino which isn't usually my bag but it's interesting to see about Romania, a place I know nothing about


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on May 13, 2022, 11:09:18 PM
Blood Harvest - Forever known as the horror film with Tiny Tim.  This is actually better than I expected.  I wouldn't call it a good movie, but it's a lot better than the Giant Spider Invasion or Monster a Go Go, the other Rebane films I've seen.  Even manages a few bits of creepy atmosphere.  The few bits of gore are actually surprisingly effective too.  Tiny Tim is a weird and memorable character and his performance isn't bad considering it's his only film performance (I love how he got hired, the director saw him perform at a Wisconsin beer festival and asked him if he wanted to be in his film), and clearly the highlight of the film.  Some of the writing and scene changes are confusing and it's poorly written and often poorly made, it is a Rebane film after all, but it remains watchable and is worth a watch for horror fans.  Oh, and it has a LOT of nudity. 

On a personal note, I saw Tiny Tim as a very young child in a very small venue in my home town, with an audience of just a couple dozen children.  Technically the first concert, if it qualifies, I ever went to.  I wish I remembered it or had a photo, but I was only 4 or 5.

Jim - that is intriguing 

watching Umbre https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4269716/reviews?ref_=tt_urv (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4269716/reviews?ref_=tt_urv) A romanian tv series. It's gangster stuff with comedy a la tarantino which isn't usually my bag but it's interesting to see about Romania, a place I know nothing about

Reminds me, Hulu has the Hindi version of the Office now, and I watched some of it subtitled in English.  Since it's a workplace comedy with some improv moments, it is wildly specific to the language, culture, and geography of India and many of the jokes and references are EXTREMELY mystifying, just utterly incomprehensible.  Like I watch a lot of Hong Kong films, and they often have Cantonese word play, local jokes, historical references, etc, but I can rarely recall being that lost in them.  It was kind of neat actually. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 15, 2022, 09:09:30 AM
"Up The Creek" (1984)
The three worst students at America's worst college are offered automatic degrees if they can win a collegiate white water rafting race and bring their school some much needed recognition. Their competition includes yuppies from an Ivy League school, a gung ho military-academy team, and of course, a crew of hot babes from an all women's college, all of whom are trying to cheat their way to the finish line.
This dumb but fun slobs-versus-snobs college comedy was an HBO staple in the early 80s. It stars two "Animal House" alums (Tim "Otter" Matheson and Stephen "Flounder" Furst) and Dan "Pee Wee" Monahan of "Porky's" fame as our three slovenly heroes, and the result is a cut above most of the low budget sex comedies of the era. Great theme song by Cheap Trick, too!

"The Hangover" (2009)
Four friends head to Vegas for a bachelor party getaway... and when they wake up the next morning, one of them is missing and the other three have no memory of what happened the night before. As they try to fill in the blanks and re-trace their steps to find their pal, mayhem follows them wherever they go. Todd "Joker" Philips' raunchy slapstick hit produced two sequels and made Zach Galifinakis (who steals the movie) and Ken Jeong into legit stars.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 16, 2022, 02:35:37 PM
Deadware (2019) - I liked this low budget horror short ( or sort of short, like 70 mins) though at times it seemed like an acting and or /screenwriting class.

In 1999, two friends, one in san fran and one in San Antonio, go online and start playing a choose your own adventure sort of game. Some of the technology aspects seem off? the quality of the videos and of their own respective screen sseem a lot better than I remember video being at that time, and most people didn't have facetime capability till at least 10 years later if not more. Then again, it wouldn't much of a movie is the whole thing was in 144p and had to reboot every ten minutes. (or maybe it would be better?)

The suspense is predictable but good. The ending didn't quite deliver the goods which is really the hallmark of young horror people and their creative struggles.

3.75/ 5 moves quickly enough, worth checking out


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 17, 2022, 09:49:03 PM
"Scream" (aka "Scream 5," 2022)
Yet another nut job in a "Ghostface" mask is on the loose in Woodsboro, and some of the surviving characters from Wes Craven's O.G. classic return to help the new class of would-be victims stop the killing spree and uncover the slasher's identity. In other words, same s**t, different decade.
It's nice to see Neve "Sydney" Campbell, David "Dewey" Arquette, and Courtney "Gail Weathers" Cox back in action again, of course, and the body count is impressive, but by this point the "Scream" movies have become inter-changeable and forgettable. I had fun watching this, but a few months from now I doubt I'll be able to tell you what the hell went on in it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 18, 2022, 01:13:28 AM
Fay Grim (2006)

Watched this on a whim, mainly because I heard it is shot entirely in Dutch angles (except for a few scenes where they forgot to tilt the camera apparently). This is one of those movies that tries to shift direction midway. It starts out as some kind of screwball comedy take on a script for Fringe: a single mother is approached by the CIA to recover some notebooks of her missing husband for reasons of national security. Then in the last third or so, it tries to become serious. For me this part falls flat, mainly because the events up to that point have been so preposterous as to undermine any sense that these are real people. Also some of the serious dialogue is between characters who weren't in the movie up to that point at all.  Still, the first part is very entertaining.
This is supposed to be a sequel to an earlier movie Henry Fool, so perhaps it makes more sense if you have seen that.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 18, 2022, 10:17:45 PM
"Firestarter" (2022)
A little girl with pyro-telekinetic powers and her father are pursued by agents from a shadowy organization who want to study her unique abilities. Based on the novel by Stephen King, produced by the Blumhouse horror factory.
This remake of the 1984 film (which starred a young Drew Barrymore) isn't really any better or worse than the original (which, if memory serves, was no great shaked either). It wasn't terrible, but I doubt I'll ever feel a need to revisit it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 19, 2022, 11:10:02 AM
ARREBATO [RAPTURE] (1979): A horror director whose work and relationships are in decline due to his heroin addiction receives a package from an eccentric acquaintance containing a mysterious short film. An odd but interesting little horror where moviemaking is a metaphor for drug abuse, or drug abuse is a metaphor for moviemaking--it's never clear which. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 21, 2022, 10:22:00 AM
THE MADS: A NIGHT OF SHORTS 3: This is a nice selection of shorts for Frank and Trace to riff on, highlighted by Sono Bono's 'Marijuana': he looks bored, and even stoned reciting narration that sometimes seems to confuse the effects of marijuana and LSD. There's a lot of people who suspect he was doing it as community service for his own pot bust, but whatever, it's hilarious. The guest is Kevin Murphy so this is a great nostalgic episode for MST3K fans. One of the Mads better offerings, maybe a good place to start with their catalog for the curious. 3.5/5.

(https://dangerousminds.net/content/uploads/images/made/content/uploads/images/Sonny_Bono_Marijuana_465_339_int.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 22, 2022, 08:34:52 AM
Unseasonably hot & sticky weather yesterday, good excuse to stay inside, drink beer, and watch movies:

"The Evil Dead" (1981)
Five college students staying at a remote cabin mess with a spell book they find in the cellar, which awakens something evil in the woods. Hilarity ensues.
Classic micro-budget splatter fest that launched director Sam Raimi's career and turned leading man Bruce Campbell into a cult icon. Still packs a punch after all these years.

"Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins" (1985)
A former New York cop is given a new identity and drafted into a super-secret government hit squad, whose first target is a crooked weapons manufacturer. The late Fred Ward plays the title character, based on the long-running paperback action series "The Destroyer," and Joel Grey is a hoot as his wise Korean martial-arts trainer "Chun." This fun, tongue-in-cheek action flick was intended to launch a new film franchise but due to disappointing box office returns, Remo's "Adventure" ended here.

"Grosse Pointe Blank" (1997)
A professional killer (John Cusack) teetering on the edge of burnout takes an assignment near his old home town, so he can attend his 10th high school reunion. He touches base with the girl he left behind a decade earlier (Minnie Driver) and tries to avoid elimination by a rival hitman (Dan Aykroyd) and a pair of federal agents. This hip, snarky 90s dark comedy has a great soundtrack and does a nice job balancing the rom-com elements with the ultra violence. Apparently this is Cusack's favorite out of all the films he's made.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on May 22, 2022, 11:43:37 AM
"Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins" (1985)
A former New York cop is given a new identity and drafted into a super-secret government hit squad, whose first target is a crooked weapons manufacturer. The late Fred Ward plays the title character, based on the long-running paperback action series "The Destroyer," and Joel Grey is a hoot as his wise Korean martial-arts trainer "Chun." This fun, tongue-in-cheek action flick was intended to launch a new film franchise but due to disappointing box office returns, Remo's "Adventure" ended here.


Joel Grey had some of the best lines: "You move like a pregnant yak", "I can say rat droppings: that does not mean I wish to eat them" and my fave "You drive like a monkey in heat!"  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 22, 2022, 02:56:12 PM
"Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins" (1985)
A former New York cop is given a new identity and drafted into a super-secret government hit squad, whose first target is a crooked weapons manufacturer. The late Fred Ward plays the title character, based on the long-running paperback action series "The Destroyer," and Joel Grey is a hoot as his wise Korean martial-arts trainer "Chun." This fun, tongue-in-cheek action flick was intended to launch a new film franchise but due to disappointing box office returns, Remo's "Adventure" ended here.


Joel Grey had some of the best lines: "You move like a pregnant yak", "I can say rat droppings: that does not mean I wish to eat them" and my fave "You drive like a monkey in heat!"  :teddyr:

That is one of my favourite fun movies just to stick on and chuckle along to. I so wish they'd made more.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 22, 2022, 09:38:25 PM
THE END (1978)  Burt Reynolds stars as a rich, shady real estate broker who is diagnosed with a terminal blood disease.  Unwilling to face the pain of a slow demise, he decided to end his own life after saying goodbye to his girlfriend (Sally Field) and daughter (Kristy McNichol). After his attempt to overdose on sleeping pills ends with him in a mental hospital, he befriends a paranoid schizophrenic named Marlon (Dom Deloise) and asks for his help in ending his own life.  Madcap hijinks ensue.  I'll admit, this wasn't as funny as I remembered it, but it definitely had its moments.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on May 22, 2022, 10:29:50 PM
Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers

This one's alright.  As a storyline, it just barely works, but it does work.  The writing is OK.  Some of the cameos are pretty fun, and there's a few decent gags.  Pleasantly entertaining I guess.  

I will say, as an animation fan, the style in this one I actually find kind of depressing.  Cel shading is not 2D animation, and the cel shading in this isn't great.  Chip is much more effectively expressive in the relatively cheap and rough television animation of the original cartoon.  It's also maybe a bit too meta for its own good.

Basically, it's alright, but top to bottom, Who Framed Roger Rabbit (with which it shares multiple similarities) is a far superior film.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 23, 2022, 01:20:50 AM
The Bamboo Saucer (1968)

I'll admit it, when it popped up in my FB feed, I clicked on it mainly for the title.

This is an odd one. It starts when all American hot shot test pilot Norwood is buzzed by a flying saucer. Of course nobody believes him, but he continues to hunt for UFOs. Then he is summoned to Washington, where he is informed that there is just such abandoned saucer in 'Red China', unknown to the authorities. He joins a team which is parachuted in to retrieve the saucer. On their way, they bump into a Soviet team on just the same mission. After some distrust and Russian shenanigans, they agree to cooperate. The Chinese have gotten wind of their presence, and arrive in force. Most of the Americans and Russians are killed in a Western style shoot out, Norwood escapes in the saucer, together with the pretty Russian female scientist (of course) and one of the comic relief experts. They agree to put the saucer down in Geneva, so that all mankind can benefit.

This has a remarkable anti cold war message about cooperation rather than seeking military supremacy. The Russians are treated rather sympathetically. Even their propaganda spouting leader, who repeatedly tries to double cross the Americans, has a change of heart at the end. Also the character of Anna Karachev, the obligatory love interest, is remarkably competent for this kind of movie: she converses in Russian, Chinese and English, figures out how the saucer works, and cures a  Chinese baby. The Russian and Chinese characters actually have their dialogue in Russian and Chinese. This makes it all the more remarkable that the 'Red Chinese' are played as cartoon villains.

However, the movie remains pretty clunky, with some dodgy special effects. Still,  it avoid most of the tropes of the flying saucer movies. This one should have a more competent remake.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 24, 2022, 03:02:46 PM
Where She Lies (2020) - pretty crazy documentary that is more complex and substantive than your typical true crime type thing. A woman becomes pregnant out of wedlock circa 1962 and her parents want her to give up the baby. She refuses, but the issue becomes moot as her poor daughter dies soon after birth. Or does she???

For most of her life, Peggy doubts the baby died and clearly remembers seeing her alive. A documentarian shows up and is determined to get to the bottom of it. Was her daughter a "black market baby" ? and what about the local woman many suspect is really her daughter?

This guy really accomplished something here

5/5 not wildly exciting but it's amazing what can be achieved with a little hard work....and sad that it ended up on tubi...but great that i got to see it for free!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on May 24, 2022, 10:19:00 PM
6:45

A couple takes a ferry for a weekend getaway at the gloomily named Bog Grove beach cottage.  Their alarm clock wakes them up at 6:45 and they spend the day exploring the town and being romantic and all that and then they get murdered by a stranger in a hoodie. 

Then they wake back up at 6:45.  The man remembers everything that happened but the women doesn't, and it happens again.  And again.

This isn't the first timeloop/murder movie I've seen.  I have to say the guy in this movie handles it worse than in any of the others I've seen.  By the start of the third loop he's already completely flipping out.  He makes no effort to find out who the man in the hoodie is and very little effort to change the events of the day, and can't seem to figure out a way to explain things that doesn't end with her angry at him. 

I won't spoil the ending, but it's total garbage and doesn't really fit the previous events we had seen. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 25, 2022, 07:04:42 AM
TERRIFIED (2018)  A disturbing horror film from Peru with some very creepy moments; no final explanation for the events the viewer witnesses - just one horror piled on another.  I really liked it. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on May 25, 2022, 07:15:37 AM
TERRIFIED (2018)  A disturbing horror film from Peru with some very creepy moments; no final explanation for the events the viewer witnesses - just one horror piled on another.  I really liked it. 4/5

I've often wondered what you would think of Jannie Totsiens [Johnny Farewell]: probably the most disturbing, scary and funniest film I have ever seen.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 25, 2022, 09:31:04 PM
Afraid of vampires?
Afraid of clowns?
Afraid of really loud, smelly farts?

Then THE NIGHT WATCHMEN may be the most terrifying film you've ever watched, since it features vampire clowns that fart when they die!
But if you're not afraid of these things, then what you are left with is a really funny, clever horror comedy that pushes all the B-movie buttons as the titular characters fight off a ravening army of vampire clowns with sharpened wooden drumsticks, pistols, a meatball sub with lots of garlic, a pound of high grade marijuana, and a large Celtic cross tattoo.

Intrigued?  You should be.  This one's a gem, and it's free on Amazon Prime. 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pennywise37 on May 27, 2022, 07:00:22 AM
Terrified (2018) is that that awful and i mean truly awful Charles Band Film from a few years back or is that another one i'm thinking of ? honestly i hope it's another film to be honest. i really haven't been watching much movies since my tv shows are ending for the season


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 27, 2022, 07:10:30 AM
Terrified (2018) is that that awful and i mean truly awful Charles Band Film from a few years back or is that another one i'm thinking of ? honestly i hope it's another film to be honest. i really haven't been watching much movies since my tv shows are ending for the season

No, this is a Peruvian film, not a Full Moon production.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 27, 2022, 12:34:01 PM
Tank 432.

When is a tank not a tank? When it is an APC. If you are trapped in said APC and the back door won't open, why not try one of the roof hatches? I am not an expert in APCs, but since tanks have escape hatches below, it strikes me as being very possible that other armoured vehicles would have them too.

Some mercenaries retrieving a couple of prisoners come across a farm where they find the decapitated bodies of other mercenaries. They run away from a figure dressed in an NBC* outfit, who doesn't get hit when they shoot at him and find an APC in a field. Deciding to rest up inside what is clearly not a vehicle in the best of conditions, they end up trapped inside when the door won't open to let them out. The fail to spot the multiple hatches in the roof, but after a couple of days trapped inside, they do manage to get the thing running, even as they die off one by one inside it.

Other than there is some sort of experiment going on, this film doesn't give a lot of answers. It looks like they rented a field off a farmer, filmed a movie there and got a few extra shots around his or her house. Most of the equipment they use is old gear the MOD stopped using years ago. I got the impression that it was a dystopian future, with small bands of merc's battling each other. No one remembers what they are doing, or why they are doing it, and while you get a few hints (like the name of the orange powder they keep finding everywhere), nothing is really laid out for you. The viewer can either go off their own assumptions or forget the movie and move on.



*Me, I'd have taken this as a major hint something funny was up.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 27, 2022, 09:56:46 PM
"PCU" (1994)
Tommy, a dorky high-school senior, arrives at Port Chester University for a weekend tour, and his host is "Droz" (Jeremy Piven), a seven-year senior and resident of "The Pit," the raunchiest party house on campus. Soon Tommy is caught up in helping the Pit gang fight battles on several fronts - against the University administration who wants to throw them off campus, a Yuppie fraternity called "Balls and Shaft" led by David Spade, and various other ultra-Politically Correct groups (Feminists, vegetarians, hippies, gays, etc.). Fortunately, a massive blowout party may be just what all these warring factions need to come together!
This underrated campus comedy is essentially "Animal House" updated for the grunge-rock era, but it's funny as hell, with great performances by Piven and future MCU mainstay and "Mandalorian" director Jon Favreau (as "Gutter," a grunge-rock dork with Layne Staley dreads). "PCU" went un-noticed during its theatrical run, but has become a cult item in the years since. It's actually kinda scary how it predicted our current hyper-sensitive "woke" society!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 27, 2022, 10:52:54 PM
UNSHELTERED (2022)  Five college students trying to escape an incoming Florida hurricane run out of gas and wind up sheltering in a junkyard where a bunch of old planes are stored.  A masked killer begins stalking and killing them off one by one . . . this movie had its moments, but it kept going back and forth between "found footage," an interview with the police chief after the fact, and then traditional omnipresent third person camera work.   And then the end was . . . well, confusing and open-ended.  I wanted to like this movie, but the best I can give it is a 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 28, 2022, 02:11:53 AM
The Doomsday Machine (1972)

The movie starts with a spy cunningly diverting the attention of guard dog by throwing a cat over the wall. She then infiltrates the facility to discover that the Red Chinese (yes, them again) have developed a doomsday machine, they plan on using within 72 hours. At the same time a mission to Venus is being launched. The crew is hurriedly reshuffled to include women (with the obligatory female Russian scientist). They are sent on their way, the earth duly blows up, but, for reasons, not all seven  will be able to make it to Venus. Will mankind be saved?

Another potentially interesting idea that is completely ruined by the execution. It is hard to believe that this movie is from 1972, it feels more like 1962. For a movie that came out a full four years after 2001 A Space Odyssey, the general design and SFX are laughably bad. Dialogue doesn't rise above 1950s B-movie level, and the WTF ending is probably explained by lack of means to create a Venus set. It does seem that in the future, spaceships will have garish disco lighting.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 28, 2022, 09:04:49 AM
THE MADS: A NIGHT OF SHORTS 7: Frank and Trace riff on another collection of vintage shorts, most of which are pretty forgettable. Once again, it's only about an hour of material and an hour of Q&A filler, with no guest this time. Not their best effort. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 28, 2022, 08:19:24 PM
"The Batman" (2022)
A mysterious killer known only as "The Riddler" is murdering Gotham City's most powerful people, leaving cryptic notes for the Caped Crusader at each scene, which he must decode before things escalate into a full scale terrorist attack on Election night.  
Robert "Twilight" Pattinson is the latest actor to step into the Bat-cape and cowl, and surprisingly he does a decent job in this gritty, almost too-dark detective thriller. I like him better in the Batman suit than when he's Bruce Wayne, who he plays as a mopey, emo douche. The action sequences are impressive but overall the movie is simply too damned long (just a hair under three hours!) so it eventually starts to collapse under its own weight. Not terrible, but I doubt I'll ever feel compelled to revisit it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 28, 2022, 09:39:48 PM
SHARKANSAS WOMEN'S PRISON MASSACRE - I watched this dreadful made-for-TV Jim Wynorski film for grins and giggles this evening.  The girls were pretty, and there was some decent character development, but other than that, this one had nothing going for it.  It could have been a golden bad movie had they gone for the R rating, amped up the violence, and sleazed it up in general.  As it is, it was just too boring to be entertaining. 2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 29, 2022, 04:36:55 AM
SHARKANSAS WOMEN'S PRISON MASSACRE - I watched this dreadful made-for-TV Jim Wynorski film for grins and giggles this evening.  The girls were pretty, and there was some decent character development, but other than that, this one had nothing going for it.  It could have been a golden bad movie had they gone for the R rating, amped up the violence, and sleazed it up in general.  As it is, it was just too boring to be entertaining. 2.5/5

Kristi criticised that one on the basis that the bras the women were wearing were completely unrealistic for a prison. I am wondering how she knows what underwear is worn in a prison though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 29, 2022, 09:00:41 AM
DISCO GODFATHER (1979): The Disco Godfather (Rudy Ray Moore), who's also a retired kung fu cop, resolves to "attack the wack" and take down the local PCP cartel after his basketball star nephew trips out on angel dust. This ridiculous, dated piece of trash restored my faith in so-bad-they're-good movies. 4/5  at least on a bad movie scale.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 29, 2022, 09:07:52 PM
IN THE TALL GRASS (2019) - Just stumbled across this one randomly on Netflix and was amazed at how good it was! 
A pregnant girl named Becky and her brother are driving through Kansas corn country when they stop at the edge of a huge field - you're never quite sure what kind of field it is; the grass is taller than corn and has no ears on it. Pausing a moment for Becky to throw up - you get the sense her pregnancy is not an easy one at all - they hear the voice of a lost child in the field calling for help. They go into the field to find the boy, and that's when the trouble starts . . .
I don't want to give away any more than that, but this is an incredibly creepy film with some standout performances.  HIGHLY recommended!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 30, 2022, 02:50:19 PM
Terminal Island (1973)

Prison exploitation movie meets Lord of the Flies. The basic idea is that the state of California has abolished the death penalty and decided instead to maroon murderers on an island. When Carmen, a new prisoner, is brought to the island, she learns that there are two factions: a camp ruled by a tyrannical Bobby (Sean Kenney of Star Trek fame) with a pre-Magnum Roger E Mosley as his strong man, and a band of rebels, who fight a guerrilla war against Bobby. Also there is a doctor, played by an equally pre-Magnum Tom Selleck. Carmen falls in with the rebels, and together they plot to overthrow Bobby. The population of the island decreases rapidly.

This one is pretty boring: just a sequence of exploitation scenes, fights, some sexy stuff, and more violence. The plot wanders about: at first Carmen is set up to be the badass mama main character, but then she just fades into the background, and it becomes more of an ensemble piece of the rebel group. Actions and motivations are wildly improbable. It does contain a reverse strip tease, where a girl starts out naked in a lake and seductively puts her clothes back on again.
For some unfathomable reason, this movie is taken seriously by some.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 30, 2022, 03:22:37 PM
Overdosed - documentary on a small town in West Virginia that gets deluged with pain pills via a shady doc who sets up shop there. He is clearly a total a***ole and makes himself out to be the victim as he was allegedly hooked too. The town is in ruins. Two women who try to pick up the pieces become pariahs because no one want to admit whats going on. One of them recalls seeing a girl give a BJ for 8 dollars. These used to be manufacturing centers now they are insane drug dens. 5/5

Something Weird - Somehow I'd never seen this. extremely ridiculous HG Lewis movie about a psychic who joins forces with a witch. There's no gore or nudity and even the LSD drugsploitation angle never really pans out, but it's very colorful and campy. sort of like Pink Flamingoes meets Ed Wood and I can't imagine higher praise than that! and of course, it's historically relevant as Something Weird is named after it. The sub plot with the police detective falling for the witch was actually believable and decently done, but pretty beside the point to the whole demented thing.  also 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 31, 2022, 08:53:41 AM
NEPTUNE FROST (2021): Set in an alternate-reality Rwanda, an escaped coltan miner teams up with an intersexed refugee to hack global information systems through their dreams. This Afro-surrealist feature is also a musical (and the music is its most successful element); there's almost too much to process here in this intellectualized film that deals with politics (global, local and imaginary), the intersection of technology and mysticism, gender identity, and more. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on May 31, 2022, 09:32:25 AM
DISCO GODFATHER (1979): The Disco Godfather (Rudy Ray Moore), who's also a retired kung fu cop, resolves to "attack the wack" and take down the local PCP cartel after his basketball star nephew trips out on angel dust. This ridiculous, dated piece of trash restored my faith in so-bad-they're-good movies. 4/5  at least on a bad movie scale.


I have it on VHS as AVENGING DISCO GODFATHER! Astounding. Mind boggling. Brain numbing.
I love it.


http://youtu.be/gpiqT3kzngY (http://youtu.be/gpiqT3kzngY)


"How? and why?" is right!



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on May 31, 2022, 11:05:24 AM
Terminal Island (1973)

Prison exploitation movie meets Lord of the Flies. The basic idea is that the state of California has abolished the death penalty and decided instead to maroon murderers on an island. When Carmen, a new prisoner, is brought to the island, she learns that there are two factions: a camp ruled by a tyrannical Bobby (Sean Kenney of Star Trek fame) with a pre-Magnum Roger E Mosley as his strong man, and a band of rebels, who fight a guerrilla war against Bobby. Also there is a doctor, played by an equally pre-Magnum Tom Selleck. Carmen falls in with the rebels, and together they plot to overthrow Bobby. The population of the island decreases rapidly.

This one is pretty boring: just a sequence of exploitation scenes, fights, some sexy stuff, and more violence. The plot wanders about: at first Carmen is set up to be the badass mama main character, but then she just fades into the background, and it becomes more of an ensemble piece of the rebel group. Actions and motivations are wildly improbable. It does contain a reverse strip tease, where a girl starts out naked in a lake and seductively puts her clothes back on again.
For some unfathomable reason, this movie is taken seriously by some.

This was released in South Africa and Zimbabwe when both Tom Selleck and Roger E Mosley hit it big with Magnum PI.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 31, 2022, 10:54:18 PM
COMING 2 AMERICA (2020) - Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, and James Earl Jones are back in this sequel to the classic COMING TO AMERICA.  King Jumbe Joffer is old and dying, and Akeem is about to succeed him.  But Prince Akeem and his wife Lisa have three daughters, and the law of Zamunda requires a son to rule.  The neighboring republic, Nexdoria (great name!) is threatening war under the leadership of the sinister General Tiki (played by Wesley Snipes). But, just before his father's death, Akeem discovers he has a bastard son living in America, a child whose existence he was unaware of until now.  So the King of Zamunda must return to Queens to find his son and stave off war and invasion.  This is a pretty funny sequel to a classic film, with lots of nods to the original.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 31, 2022, 11:20:58 PM
The only thing I remember from terminal Island is tom Sellecks line on the beach "what are you gonna do: kill me? do me a favor"


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 02, 2022, 08:13:36 AM
"Spies Like Us" (1985)
Two bumbling government employees (Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd) are promoted to field agent status and sent off on their first globe trotting mission. What they don't realize is that they're only decoys, meant to distract the bad guys so the real spy team can complete the actual mission -- to hijack a Russian nuclear missile in order to test a new satellite defense weapon.
A fun Cold War comedy inspired by the old Bob Hope/Bing Crosby "Road To..." movies (Hope himself has a brief cameo), loaded with quotable bits and slap-sticky action. Aykroyd and Chase make a great team.
Fun fact: the movie's theme song was written and performed by Paul McCartney. Director John Landis thought the song was terrible, but said "you don't say 'no' to Paul McCartney."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 02, 2022, 08:37:19 PM
"Bulletproof" (1996)
A dim witted small time crook (Adam Sandler) is shocked when he's suddenly arrested by his "partner" and best friend (Damon Wayans) who's actually an undercover cop. After a stint in jail, Sandler agrees to go state's evidence against a major crime boss (James Caan) and Wayans is assigned to bring him into protective custody. Naturally, the two "frenemies" end up bonding all over again as they face off against a seemingly endless series of hit men and professional killers trying to rub Sandler out before he can talk.
I never pictured Adam Sandler as an action movie type, but he almost pulls it off in this enjoyably dumb, mostly forgotten shoot'em up comedy in the "Bad Boys" or "48 HRS." vein. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on June 02, 2022, 09:48:52 PM
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Entertaining family flick.  Some legitimately funny moments.  Probably 15-20 minutes too long.  I don't think it's quite as satisfying as the original (which wasn't a super high bar to begin with) and some of the smarmy moments don't land, but all in all it works.  Idris Elba is a highlight as Knuckles, does a better job than I expected and elevates it above purely star casting.  Tails is, as always, adorable. 

Bit of a side note - the designs are generally very faithful to the video game versions, and while this is obviously better than the "Ugly Sonic" style, it still doesn't totally work.  Their proportions and style are just very strange in a realistic style like this, especially when they're talking.  I don't know what could be better and still be recognizably Sonic though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on June 02, 2022, 10:49:59 PM
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Do movies need dynamic characters? I’m not sure anyone really learned anything or changed over the course of this film. Giant squid still looks good. Fun adventure movie, with a sad end.

Iron Will - A boy enters a dog race to save his family farm & earn money for college. Lost of work-hard-for-your-dream rhetoric. Not bad, tho I wonder if the risk was too great for the potential reward. (They had another option to raise funds, tho it wasn’t great it was less risky.) Hmmm... working hard is laudable, so I’ll say this is a decent film, with some exciting segments & cool scenery.

White Fang - 90’s adaption of 1900’s novel. The novel follows a wolf-dog; this follows the boy who’ll eventually take him. Decent survival/treasure hunt movie. Bart the Bear makes an appearance.

Swiss Family Robinson (1940’s) - Wanted to see this for a long time. The 60’s version’s better, but this is a decent family adventure film. It is episodic, & most episodes are given a religious interpretation, tho that’s in the novel as well. Don’t mind the religious angle, but the last episode left the film with a question instead of an answer.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 04, 2022, 09:42:43 AM
"Mel Brooks: Make A Noise" (2013)
The comedy legend looks back on his 60+ year career in show biz in this "American Masters" documentary from PBS. Loaded with interviews from friends, co-stars, and associates and full of classic clips from Mel's catalog like "Young Frankenstein," "Spaceballs," "High Anxiety" and of course "Blazing Saddles." An entertaining trip down memory lane.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 04, 2022, 11:08:28 AM
MST3K: MUNCHIE: The movie is a Roger Corman produced family-friendly cross between ET, ALADDIN and GREMLINS, with a misfit kid freeing a magical (if horrifying) little imp voiced by Dom DeLouise, who helps solve his bully problems and get the girl. The host segments are busy, though not exceptionally funny, setting up what appear to be ongoing storylines. The movie is funny, but they definitely overhyped it as the "movie that nearly broke the writer's room." Maybe it was hard to write, that doesn't necessarily make it a classic episode for the end viewer; the movie is no worse than MAC AND ME (it's nearest relative). 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on June 04, 2022, 08:08:12 PM
The Northman - Visually pretty amazing and very immersive.  Pretty solid story and characterization too.  I quite liked just being placed into this world, which is in general deeply alien to a modern person.  Neat stuff.

Mona Lisa - A great lead performance by Bob Hoskins elevates the film, and some good supporting performances too (nice to see a young Robbie Coltrane).  Plot line wise, I didn't find it completely satisfying, but worthwhile as a character piece.

Ride the High Country - Pretty solid early Peckinpah.  Two good leads, I like the somewhat unpredictable way the storyline unfolds, and the way it ends - I learned Peckinpah himself changed a key part of the ending, and I think it was the right choice.  Worth a watch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 05, 2022, 12:48:52 AM
Im watching a different gangster tv series, from Czech republic not romania. honestly, i don't really like gangster stuff its like japan stuff I don't get it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 06, 2022, 08:51:24 PM
"Lake Placid" (1999)
A New York paleontologist is summoned to rural Maine, where a giant, apparently prehistoric crocodile has taken up residence in a local lake and is munching on local residents. It's a pretty basic creature feature plot that we've seen dozens of times before, but "Lake Placid" is elevated by its witty script (by TV writer David E. Kelley, of "Ally McBeal" and "L.A. Law" fame), and a great cast that includes Bridget Fonda, Bill "Independence Day" Pullman, Oliver Platt, and a hilariously potty mouthed Betty White. Followed by a seemingly endless parade of cheap, crappy direct-to-video sequels. This is the only one in the series that's worth a spit.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 08, 2022, 07:29:26 AM
"The Jesus Music" (2021)
Documentary on the history of Contemporary Christian Music (aka CCM), which began with the so called "Jesus Music" movement of the late 60s (when hippies started bringing electric guitars and amps to worship services) and eventually turned into a full blown multi billion dollar industry. Interviewees include Amy Grant, Michael Sweet, the guys from DC Talk, Michael W. Smith, REZ Band, and more. I would've liked to see more about Stryper and the CCM Metal genre, but that's probably a whole 'nother documentary right there.  I'm not particularly religious but I dig music docs, and this one was an interesting look at a segment of the music biz that average consumers probably don't even know exists.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 08, 2022, 08:00:24 AM
THE DEVIL BELOW (2021)  A group of researchers hire a professional guide to take them into the Appalachians, where an entire coal mining town simply disappeared in the 1970's.  Was it a sinkhole, a subterranean coal fire, or something more sinister?  Arriving at the site despite the attempt of locals to run them off, they discover every potential exit to the mine is barricaded and electrified.  Why are the locals so eager to keep outsiders on the outside - or are they trying to lock something in?  This was a fun monster film, reminiscent of SILENT HILL and THE DESCENT.  A bit of a slow burn at first but builds nicely.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 08, 2022, 09:13:33 AM
BLOOD RED SKY (2021) - This is one of the BEST vampire movies I have ever seen, right up there with THE LOST BOYS and FRIGHTNIGHT (the original, not the crappy 2000's remake).  A woman with a mysterious blood disease boards a trans-Atlantic flight to New York with her son.  She is hoping that a special clinic in the USA will be able to reverse her symptoms, but a group of hijackers seizes control of the plane and turns it off course.  When she tries to hide with her son in the luggage compartment, one of the hijackers shoots her - and that is when you realize her blood disease is not something as humdrum as leukemia or AIDS.  Bloody mayhem ensues as the mysterious woman lets the infection take control of her, so that she can rescue her son from the terrorists.  This is a flipping brilliant film, available on Netflix. 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 08, 2022, 04:15:05 PM
The Deep House.

A haunted house with the added twist of being underwater. Fairly standard haunting type movie with the added problem of a limited oxygen supply. Some tension, but nothing that is going to give you nightmares. Still, I enjoyed it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 09, 2022, 02:45:22 PM
God Knows Where I Am - ehhh.... compelling story but the execution was flawed. A schizophrenic woman refuses to take her medication and ends up hiding out in an abandoned house for months on end. The problem is she's in New Hampshire and its freezing and shes too paranoid to seek help. Subsisting on apples for months at a time, she keeps a journal which is found with her body.

The journal provides a great insight into her mindset in those months, but the voice over readings are very "cringe" as the kids say. In general, the movie is geared towards women and the vibe is as much Lifetime as one of those crime channels. It's also overlong at around 100 mins.

a unique and touching story though that I'm glad I heard. Her friends and family are angry at the state for letting her out and not keeping tabs on her, but that was kind of their job wasn't it? Also difficult because when she was on her medication she was very normal so she could impress judges at hearings.

3.75 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 09, 2022, 03:39:45 PM
Men (2022)

Harper (Jessie Buckley) has rented a lavish country house in a remote village to heal after the death of her husband. You immediately know something is afoot, when she must deal with a creepy naked stalker and all the men in the village have the face of Rory Kinnear.

It starts off pretty slow and portentous, but just as I was thinking that I liked Annihilation better, it gets into gear and quickly builds to a climax of body horror. This movie is not for everyone, not least because of its stubborn refusal to explain anything or even tell much of a story. At the end, you feel like some conclusion has been reaches, even though it is not clear what exactly. A very interesting take on the 'horror in an idyllic rural setting' genre.
Absolutely brilliant.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 09, 2022, 04:18:23 PM
"A Clockwork Orange" (1971)
Set in a dystopian future England, "Alex," the leader of a savage gang of street punks (Malcolm McDowell) is chosen for an experimental treatment that will hopefully remove his violent ways and make him a productive member of society. It doesn't quite work out that way.
Stanley Kubrick's artsy ode to "Ultra-Violence" was pretty strong stuff in its day, and it's still a weirdly watchable (and quotable) cult classic all these years later. As Alex himself might say, it's "real horrorshow, oh me brothers."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 09, 2022, 09:00:42 PM
"Robowar" (1988)
A team of commandos on a rescue mission in the jungle gets picked off one by one by an unseen hunter.
...sound familiar?
This absolutely shameless ripoff of "Predator" from Italian schlock kingpin Bruno Mattei replace Schwarzenegger with Reb Brown and the Predator with a malfunctioning military robot, but otherwise it's pretty much the same movie, done on 1/10th of the budget and with 1000 times the suck. Hilariously awful, z-grade, no-budget junk.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 10, 2022, 09:19:26 AM
WYRM (2019): Suggesting a lighthearted cross between THE LOBSTER and WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE, this story follows a geeky young boy who must kiss a girl to pass his required Sexuality 101 course and "pop his collar." Part absurdist farce and part earnest teen drama, the two agendas seem like they should work at cross purposes--but while you can sometimes see the seams, it all ultimately comes together in a charming addition to the quirky teen outcast genre. 4/5. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on June 10, 2022, 10:45:58 AM
"A Clockwork Orange" (1971)
Set in a dystopian future England, "Alex," the leader of a savage gang of street punks (Malcolm McDowell) is chosen for an experimental treatment that will hopefully remove his violent ways and make him a productive member of society. It doesn't quite work out that way.
Stanley Kubrick's artsy ode to "Ultra-Violence" was pretty strong stuff in its day, and it's still a weirdly watchable (and quotable) cult classic all these years later. As Alex himself might say, it's "real horrorshow, oh me brothers."

Banned for over 20 years in South Africa  :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 10, 2022, 11:57:06 PM
JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION (2022)  I've been waiting a year or more to see this movie, and I was not disappointed.  I know some critics are knocking it, but ignore them.  It's all the characters we love, combined with wall-to-wall dino mayhem. After a very stressful week (my wife has been ill with flu or asthma, bad enough to necessitate one trip to the ER), it was nice to get out of the house and just lose myself in a fun movie.  HIGHLY recommended!  5/5

(And my favorite critter, the mosasaur, was in the first and last scene!!!)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 11, 2022, 02:21:25 PM
THE MADS: PHANTOM FROM SPACE: This movie was directed by Billy Wilder's brother (a fact that inspires a lot of mockery) and involves an invisible alien who visits earth, kills people, and taps out a code (which seems like a major plot point but is never explained). The after-show guest is Bill Corbett, who's entertaining as always. Frank and Trace wring a few laughs out of this really pointless, talky and generally awful movie. Fans will be satisfied, but not one of their best to start with. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 12, 2022, 04:26:49 AM
Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure (2022)

At the collapse of Goryeo kingdom in Korea, a general sails away with the royal treasure, in order to reestablish the dynasty at some later point. However, he disappears without trace. Then, a band of brigands falls in with a pirate ship, and they discover a map to the fabled treasure. However, a rogue warlord is also after the treasure.

The shadow of Pirates of the Caribbean hangs heavily over this movie. The idea was clearly to make a similar swashbuckling adventure, but set in a Korean period context. The leader of the brigands 'The best swordsman in all of Goryeo' is an obvious take on Captain Jack Sparrow.
That being said, it is quite enjoyable. It really is a kids' adventure movie, with non stop action, outlandish costumes, slapstick humour and lots of shouting. Silly but fun.

Also, this is the first time I have seen a treasure being guarded by penguins.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 12, 2022, 08:55:07 AM
THE LAND OF CARDS (TASHER DESH) (2012): An avant-garde production of a 1933 Indian play about a prince who travels to an imaginary fascist playing-card themed world and inspires the populace to rebel through sexual innuendo. The pageantry of the sets and costumes and the mayhem of the second half made this watchable, but I lack the cultural and political touchstones that likely would have made this a far richer experience. On Netflix if you want to see something truly different that you probably won't understand. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 12, 2022, 08:57:23 AM
"Viva Las Vegas" (1964)
A race car driver (Elvis Presley) arrives in Sin City to take part in the first ever Las Vegas Grand Prix, and takes a job as a hotel waiter to earn enough money to fix his car. Along the way he romances a swim instructor (Ann-Margret) and sings a bunch of terrible songs. Typically corny Elvis musical fluff, worth watching simply to ogle Ann-Margret, who was so hot it was ridiculous. Legend has it that the King and Ann had a brief real-life romance during the filming of this movie, and I can't say I blame him!

"Truck Turner" (1974)
Soul music legend Isaac Hayes is Mack "Truck" Turner, the most badass skip tracer in L.A., who winds up with a price on his head after he kills a powerful pimp. Cars crash, bullets fly, butts get kicked. This was one of the best "blaxploitation" movies of the 70s. Nichelle "Lt. Uhura" Nichols is amazing playing against type as the vicious dragon-lady villainess, and the famed "pimp funeral" scene is one of the greatest things ever committed to celluloid.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on June 12, 2022, 08:44:12 PM
The Night Watchmen - A horror comedy with vampires that behave more like zombies, besieging some night guards in a corporate type building.  This film is well-made and decently acted...  But it is overwhelmingly a comedy, and virtually every joke is mistimed, off-key, or somehow doesn't work.  Like, it's incredible, just misses the target over and over and over, to the point where it almost feels intentional.  So, basically, it's awful.  3/10.

Incidentally, I seem to be in the minority here...  Film's got good reviews I know.  But man, I think I was actually amused once or twice the entire film.  If humor doesn't work for you in a comedy, it just doesn't.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 13, 2022, 06:19:16 AM
OLD (2021) - M. Night Shamalayan seems to have come out of the desert of terrible filmmaking that he was stranded in last decade with his last few offerings, and this is no exception.  The premise of the film is simple - three families are on vacation at a luxury resort when the hotel manager offers to drive them to a private beach where they can spend the afternoon away from the crowds. Once there, they discover that time does funny things on this beach - mainly, their bodies start aging with incredible rapidity, roughly two years for every hour or so. And every time they try to leave, whether by swimming or hiking back through the cave through the cliffs that they walked through to get there, they black out.  A six year old becomes a teenager and then a young man in a matter of an afternoon; health problems accelerate, and one by one the group dies of old age, until the last two children make a desperate bid to escape. 

This is a bizarre film to say the least, but certainly enjoyable and definitely not your run of the mill horror offering. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 13, 2022, 02:51:08 PM
Highway Dragnet (1954) - very very minor film noir that is at the same time a lot more watchable than most of the junk out there today. A (American) Korean war vet has a moment with a trashy blonde at a bar. She ends up dead the next morning and his story doesn't add up. Did he do it??? or is something else afoot.

In order to evade the above mentioned dragnet, he ends up being part of a cheesecake photo shooting crew. There's a ton of the police just missing them and narrow escapes and so forth. TENSION in other words. There's nothing like one of those old film noir blondes and I would have liked to see more of this one, rather than endless shots of the B level cast going through the mystery motions.

watched on youtube. There are a dozen version if you watch it watch the one with the screenshot of the woman sitting in a bikini thats the best quality one.


thats this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5naA0kINZU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5naA0kINZU) uploaded 2 weeks. the other ones are choppy

edit: tonight I'm going to watch the great flamarion


a generous 4/5

Its not Bogart and Lauren Bacall but it'll do



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 15, 2022, 02:35:01 PM
The Great Flamarion (1945) - I hate to do this but....more like the not so great Flamarion. Eric Von Stroheim takes an acting turn as a sharpshooter who gets into a messy affair with his assistant. Problem: her husband, who's also in the act. The lead actress was a hot blonde in Highway Dragnet, that's why I watched it. She's less blonde but still pretty cute here, but it's an all too standard crime story done better and with more flair in a lot of other times and places.

The last part of the movie was actually decent and its generally okay, but there's a lot more exciting and interesting movies from the era than this

3/5

The Hypnotic Eye, for example, is a way way better movie about a diabolical stage act guy


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 15, 2022, 10:01:35 PM
"The Crow" (1994)
A year after he and his fiancee are murdered by a gang of vicious thugs, a musician (Brandon Lee) is brought back to life thanks to a mysterious bird to seek vengeance on those responsible.  
Based on J. O'Barr's graphic novel, this Gothic superhero/action flick is notorious for the on-set accident that took Lee's life, but it's a pretty great, stylish, emotional movie in its own right. It's become a cult classic in the years since, and deservedly so.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 17, 2022, 08:47:46 AM
"The Island" (2005)
A couple (Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johanssen) who've been brought up in a tightly controlled, high-tech society learn that they're clones, grown to provide spare parts for rich & powerful people in the outside world. Mayhem ensues when they escape and the facility's corporate Powers That Be go into overdrive to re-capture them before they can reveal its secrets.
Michael "Transformers" Bay directed this fast moving sci-fi/action mashup that sets up a pretty cool, dystopian vibe in its first half (think Logan's Run) but in typical Bay fashion, it turns into an increasingly ridiculous series of chase scenes, crashes, and explosions in the second. A decent, if not particularly memorable, popcorn flick.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 17, 2022, 09:12:25 AM
DAWN BREAKS BEHIND THE EYES (2021): A couple visit an old gothic castle the wife has inherited; it's haunted, and issues from their past erupt into anger--but then there's a twist. Influenced by Jean Rollin and slow-paced 60s-70s Eurohorror, DAWN gains momentum and moves into surreally artistic territory by the end, but the uninvolving first act makes it a near miss despite the interesting developments that later arise. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 17, 2022, 02:53:46 PM
Fear No More (1961) - Lively, conspiratorial film noir that probably has plot holes but who cares? A secretary wakes up to a crime scene that she is apparently the center of. The rest of the movie is her trying to prove her innocence and figure it all out. She meets a handsome man who is helping her. OR IS HE???

This type of movie is very common now and probably was then but I'm just not the type to sit there and try and guess whats going to happen. Give me all the plot twists especially if its cut with a demented sort of edge. life is messy

4/5

Now You See Me - I occasionally take in a normal movie and this fit the bill nicely. It was actually a bit like Fear No More in that its a bunch of plot twists and chase scenes with Clue type "which side is this person really on?" moments. I'll watch the sequel. Who can stop me?

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 17, 2022, 09:28:35 PM
ARMY OF THE DEAD (2021)  - Five years after the zombie apocalypse struck Las Vegas, the undead are contained in an exclusion zone, completely walled in the crumbling remains of the former gambling capital of the USA.  Now the President has decided to terminate the undead once and for all by dropping a low-yield nuclear weapon on Sin City, purging the zombies with fire and flame. The owner of a huge casino recruits the man who led the last human group to escape from the city to return before the bomb drops and retrieve $50 million from the casino's safe. Of course, there's more to the mission than meets the eye, and tons of undead gore ensue.  Zach Snyder's maiden voyage into zombieland is a fun and watchable flick, comparable to the later George Romero zombie movies.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on June 18, 2022, 03:47:19 AM
"The Island" (2005)
A couple (Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johanssen) who've been brought up in a tightly controlled, high-tech society learn that they're clones, grown to provide spare parts for rich & powerful people in the outside world. Mayhem ensues when they escape and the facility's corporate Powers That Be go into overdrive to re-capture them before they can reveal its secrets.
Michael "Transformers" Bay directed this fast moving sci-fi/action mashup that sets up a pretty cool, dystopian vibe in its first half (think Logan's Run) but in typical Bay fashion, it turns into an increasingly ridiculous series of chase scenes, crashes, and explosions in the second. A decent, if not particularly memorable, popcorn flick.

When I saw it back then, I thought: "Hang on? Parts The Clonus Horror?"


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 18, 2022, 08:22:15 AM
"The Island" (2005)
A couple (Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johanssen) who've been brought up in a tightly controlled, high-tech society learn that they're clones, grown to provide spare parts for rich & powerful people in the outside world. Mayhem ensues when they escape and the facility's corporate Powers That Be go into overdrive to re-capture them before they can reveal its secrets.
Michael "Transformers" Bay directed this fast moving sci-fi/action mashup that sets up a pretty cool, dystopian vibe in its first half (think Logan's Run) but in typical Bay fashion, it turns into an increasingly ridiculous series of chase scenes, crashes, and explosions in the second. A decent, if not particularly memorable, popcorn flick.

When I saw it back then, I thought: "Hang on? Parts The Clonus Horror?"

Hah! I have never seen Clonus but Wikipedia sez that back when The Island came out, the  Clonus producers sued the hell out of Dreamworks Studios for stealing their plot! 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 18, 2022, 08:22:56 AM
"The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years" (1988)
Penelope Spheeris' documentary about the glam-metal scene in late 80s Los Angeles is not just a time capsule of the Spandex and Aqua-Net era, it's a classic of unintentional comedy. Features interviews and live clips of legends (Lemmy, Paul Stanley, Alice Cooper), up-and-comers (Vixen, Poison, Lizzy Borden, Seduce, London) and a whole lotta nobodies who went on to become punch lines (Odin, the Wet Cherri guy). Plus, Chris Holmes drinks his way into metal history while floating in a pool. I never get tired of this flick.

"L7: Pretend We're Dead" (2017)
Documentary profile of all-girl grunge/punkers L7, who were never quite able to crack the glass ceiling of 90s rock superstardom despite tons of talent and 'tude and high powered friends like Nirvana, Marilyn Manson, and the Chili Peppers. Loaded with tons of cool/hilarious photos, behind the scenes videos and live footage. L7 was one of my favorites during the '90s and they're still kicking ass today.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 18, 2022, 10:45:46 PM
"Hell Of The Living Dead" (aka "Virus" and "Night of the Zombies," 1980)
A chemical leak on a South Seas island turns the native population into flesh eaters. A commando team and a TV news crew battle their way across the undead-infested land to find the source of the infection.
Typically schlocky Italian Z-horror, with the usual muddled story, hilariously awful dubbing/dialogue, and plentiful but cheap gore. Directed by Bruno Mattei of "RoboWar" and "Rats" fame.

"X-Men: First Class" (2011)
Fifth installment in the Marvel Mutants series is a prequel set in the early 60s. Charles Xavier and Erik "Magneto" Lensherr meet for the first time and assemble the first squad of X-Men to combat a powerful mutant (Kevin Bacon) who wants to use the Cuban Missile Crisis to kick off a war between mutants and humanity. Great performances by Bacon, Michael Fassbender as young Magneto, and Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique (taking over from Rebecca Romijn), great special effects, lots of action, tons of fun. I think it's the best X-Men movie of 'em all.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 19, 2022, 04:22:34 AM
Last Night in Soho (2021)

Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) is obsessed with the swinging sixties and she overjoyed when she is accepted in the London College of Fashion. In her dreams she is magically transported to 60s London, where she shares the life of Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy) who wants to become the next Cilla Black. However, the glamour also has a dark side, and soon Eloise is haunted by the ghosts of a murder case of the sixties.

The start, with the wide-eyed country girl coming to fashionable London, is pretty much by the numbers, but once the haunting starts, the movie picks up. Full marks to Thomasin McKenzie who gives another solid performance. Her character really carries the movie, and she pulls it off beautifully. Not without its weaknesses (notably the fashion academy subplot, which is done on autopilot) but definitely worth a watch. It also has 60s icons Terence Stamp and Diana Rigg (her last appearance in a movie).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 19, 2022, 01:59:32 PM
MST3K: DR. MORDRID: The "strange" Dr. Mordrid (Jeffery Combs) is a sorcerer protecting the world from another evil sorcerer, juggling duties as a lecturer on the intersection of crime and the supernatural and his duties landlord of a NYC apartment building. The second Emily episode, it's not as memorable as her debut, but I found the flick (a "Dr. Strange" ripoff from Full Moon) easy to follow, if goofy, making for a decent episode. Half the host segments were a setup for Joel to return to the series for a one-off episode next time. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 19, 2022, 10:32:55 PM
TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (2022) - Of course the 1974 classic has been remade and sequelized to death, but this sequel is better than most.  LSS, this film is more of a direct sequel to the original classic film, ignoring all the sequels and remakes in between.  A group of entitled young city slickers have bought out the small central Texas town of Harlow, a ghost town with very few residents still around.  One of them is an old woman who ran the Harlow orphanage; when she is told her place has been sold she protests that she has the deed to the property.  The sheriff is summoned and she is roughly forced into the back of an ambulance along with her last surviving orphan, a hulking, sullen figure with long white hair who hold her as she suffers a fatal heart attack in the police van.   That, of course, sets him off, and lots of gory mayhem ensues, since he is none less than the original Leatherface from the 1974 murder spree.
Well done and nicely filmed, with some incredible gory kills, the movie finally fails in the last act by stretching credibility too far - but it was a fun ride up to that point!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on June 20, 2022, 09:30:53 AM

"X-Men: First Class" (2011)
Fifth installment in the Marvel Mutants series is a prequel set in the early 60s. Charles Xavier and Erik "Magneto" Lensherr meet for the first time and assemble the first squad of X-Men to combat a powerful mutant (Kevin Bacon) who wants to use the Cuban Missile Crisis to kick off a war between mutants and humanity. Great performances by Bacon, Michael Fassbender as young Magneto, and Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique (taking over from Rebecca Romijn), great special effects, lots of action, tons of fun. I think it's the best X-Men movie of 'em all.

One of my fave moments in that is where Erik tosses Banshee off of the telescope dish  :buggedout: :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 20, 2022, 11:27:02 PM
Black Angel (1946) - pretty good film noir, probably less well known because the main lady isn't actually that hot. A woman who is blackmailing a guy gets killed so the guy gets blamed, but is that what really happened?? The man's wife is determined to keep him off death row and goes to all sorts of lengths to find the real killer. but is he hiding right under her nostril?????

larger than usual budget and decently entertaining. the lady could have been hotter and the ending could have been less "help me end this aaaigh help"

3.75 /5

The Lineup (1958) - late film noir with pretty dry police procedural stuff but good story. Heroin dealers struggle to bring product into San Francisco via unwitting travelers. Gangsters use their wits and no issue with killing people to gather up however much of the product they can.

very hardcore film noir  4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 21, 2022, 09:18:57 PM
THE DARK AND THE WICKED (2020)  WOW!  This is a wonderfully creepy, atmospheric horror movie that hits all the right notes!  Solid performances, some genuinely horrifying moments, and a slow burn of building tension that doesn't let up until the last scene.  HIGHLY recommended!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on June 21, 2022, 11:46:03 PM

The Lineup (1958) - late film noir with pretty dry police procedural stuff but good story. Heroin dealers struggle to bring product into San Francisco via unwitting travelers. Gangsters use their wits and no issue with killing people to gather up however much of the product they can.

very hardcore film noir  4.5 /5


Don Siegel wrote in his autobiography that when he was directing Dirty Harry, a San Francisco cop came up to him, took off his cap, showed his gray hair and said "You did that to me when you did The Lineup here: how we didn't kill anyone with that highway stunt, I don't know."  :buggedout: :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 22, 2022, 12:31:00 AM
it's a really good scene. the finale

had no idea he directed both films. unbelievable


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 22, 2022, 08:22:14 AM
"Porky's Revenge!" (1985)
The "Porky's" trilogy comes to a close. As the crew of horn dogs from Angel Beach prepare for their high school graduation, they tangle with the notorious Porky again, who wants the boys to throw the state championship basketball game. Obviously  there's nothing new here, but if you liked the first two films, you'll get a few laughs out of this one as well.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 22, 2022, 02:28:14 PM
here's my Porky's "review" from 20 years ago ! https://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php?topic=15548.0 (https://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php?topic=15548.0)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 22, 2022, 09:50:24 PM
"Now You See Me" (2013)
A quartet of highly skilled magicians puts on huge, spectacular shows as a cover for a series of bank robberies. An FBI agent is determined to find out how they pull off their illusions and their crimes.
A fun, fast moving caper flick with a lot of twists and turns and a great cast (Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman). It may not rank high on the believability scale but it's certainly fun to watch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 23, 2022, 11:26:07 AM
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Slightly different from your usual wisecracking superhero disposes of a random villain Marvel move. Kind of wishing they'd left out the first post-credit scene though, and just left it with what happens to him in the middle of the street. Hints of a horror movie about it. Interesting, but if you've already decided you hate Marvel movies I doubt it will change your mind.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 23, 2022, 02:45:02 PM
The Guilty (1947) - pretty decent print of this on youtube. One confusing thing is that it's shot in England and the cast are American but bit players are British. more like Brit players I'd say...anyway.... Room mates, one alcoholic one not, are dating identical twin girls. The girls are cute and blonde but really seem to be a lot of trouble. One of them ends up dead and signs point to the alcoholic room mate, who doesn't help his cause by spazzing out about the whole thing.


but is everything all it seems????

It's always foggy and night time in this depressing ass town wherever it is. What do these guys even do for a living? Where are the people? It's a good story though. around 75 mins

4.25/ 5

lacks the usual trappings of Hollywood, for better or worse


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 25, 2022, 09:11:54 AM
THE MADS ARE BACK: THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE: You know the movie: Jan in the Pan and the Thing in the Closet wreak havoc on the sleazy doctor who's searching for a hot new body for his fiancee's decapitated head. Some chuckles, but it was funnier the first time. And I'm starting to get annoyed with the procedure here: they cut out 20 minutes of an already short film, just so they could prattle on after the show with guest Mary Jo Pehl (admittedly a fun guest). It seems lazy; the unscripted podcast-type segments are free to produce, but the movie is supposed to be the main attraction, not the other way around. I'm locked into collecting these but the heavy editing is starting to bug me. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 27, 2022, 10:55:19 AM
"Now You See Me 2" (2016)
The magicians/thieves known as "The Horsemen" are back for another globe trotting adventure full of twists, turns, double crosses. After spending a year in hiding after the events of the first film, they're drafted into service (against their wills) by a mysterious billionaire (Daniel "Harry Potter" Radcliffe) who wants to use their skills to steal a very important, very valuable computer chip for him. Just as much fun as the first film, with lots of impressive effects and illusions.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 28, 2022, 03:08:55 PM
Van Halen: The Early Years - I'm not really a VH fan but I like "runnin with the devil" and "Panama" well enough. This cheap but informative doc doesn't feature many interviews with the band themselves, all that is culled from other shows, but some good perspectives from roadies and friends who were there circa the mid 70's. Alex and Eddie Van Halen started playing together very early and it soon were, through various incarnations, the kings of California's backyard party scene.

Between Roth's charismatic presence and Eddie's amazing guitar work, it wasn't long before they were huge. I didn't realize it was actually Roth who left the band, apparently having delusions of grandeur. They weren't getting along anyway so it was inevitable.

One ridiculous thing they did was have a roadie come out with a camera that wasn't even on and say to the crowd "we are filming this show tonight. everyone go crazy for the camera" . they did this night after night. Those were the days!

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 30, 2022, 11:42:53 PM
Suddenly In the Dark (1981) - I'd never heard of this Korean horror movie. If you are a fan of classic horror and/ or giallo I'd say check it out. Others might find it too slow moving and dramatic.

A scientist who studies butterflies and his wife live in Korea somewhere and take in some sort of transient woman as a servant. She's 19 and pretty hot, so no wonder the woman of the house starts to lose her mind. A fighter woman doll is always hanging around and serving as a motif.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CtY63xTUAAAp8Qu.jpg)

It's solid if not super duper exciting. There's some gore and nudity. Similar to Shaw Brothers titles from this period

4.5 /5

I liked it for some reason



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 01, 2022, 08:40:12 AM
^^I believe I own that on Blu-ray, lester. Definitely worth a watch but I haven't been tempted to pull it out again.


THE LONG WALK (2019): In the remote Laotian countryside, an old hermit and a young boy are united by the fact that only they can see the mute woman wandering the long dusty road to the nearest village. An art-house ghost story that slips gracefully but perplexingly through the living and spirit worlds, and across times and genres. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 01, 2022, 06:09:57 PM
"Meteor" (1979)
When a giant hunk of potentially planet-killing space rock heads toward Earth, an international coalition headed by a NASA scientist (Sean Connery) and his Russian counterpart (Brian Keith) must figure out how to blow it out of the sky before it's too late.
A cheesy but fun sci-fi/action epic that came along at the tail end of the '70s "disaster movie" wave and pretty much put the final nail in the genre's coffin. Turn off your brain and enjoy its blend of all-star casting (Connery, Keith, Natalie Wood, Henry Fonda, Martin Landau, Karl Malden, and more), outdated Cold War political subplots, and cheap but charming special effects.
I will gladly watch this one over Michael Bay's "Armageddon" (which is basically the same movie on steroids) any day of the week.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 02, 2022, 05:40:29 AM
"Goin' Coconuts" (1978)
Time for some serious retro crap!
Donny and Marie Osmond play themselves in this hellishly bad 70s comedy/musical/adventure. When the brother and sister act arrive in Hawaii to perform a concert, Marie is given a necklace by a mysterious man. The duo then spends the rest of the movie being chased all over the islands by a gang of bumbling crooks, who want the necklace because it holds a clue to a lost treasure. TV sitcom level hijinks and terrible musical numbers ensue.
... I'll admit it, I sat through this movie several times on cable when I was a kid, due to my raging pre-teen crush on Marie Osmond. Even then, I thought it was cheap and corny as hell, but when it popped up on YouTube I still couldn't resist pressing "play." It certainly hasn't improved with age!
Legend has it that Marie turned down the role of "Sandy" in "Grease" to make this movie instead. I bet she still kicks herself for that decision on a regular basis.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 02, 2022, 02:55:04 PM
MST3K: DEMON SQUAD: Joel's brief return to hosting the series is one of the highlights of the current season. He slips right into character (which, honestly, is pretty much just his own laid-back personality anyway). The movie is a likeable little modern indie made in Mobile, Ala. for 15K, about a detective in a city where monsters and demons live alongside humans (a la CAST A DEADLY SPELL). Riffing is standard for this season, but I liked the "Cheers" parody host segment (mostly for the credits and cool artwork). 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 02, 2022, 02:59:36 PM
Quote
"Goin' Coconuts" (1978)
:buggedout:


The Omen 2 - They were going for more of a drive-in / grindhouse sort of vibe with this one. It's not high art but at least it's unpretentious. Damien goes to military school and gets ready to join his illustrious industrious family's big corporation. He is clearly cut out for the role of soul less big business guy, and his secret army of helpers will of course make sure he gets there. If you remember anything about this it's probably the various relatively creative kills like the women attacked by the crow or the guy at the frozen lake when they're playing hockey.

Nothing beats the original film though "It's all for you , Damien. it's all for you!" Sure it rode on the Exorcist's coat tails, but what a ...coat tale rider

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 03, 2022, 09:55:25 PM
GELATERIA (2019): An experimental series of surreal/absurd sketches, where the style changes every couple of minutes, that follows a PHANTOM OF LIBERTY/SLACKER structure for the first half and then eventually turns into a short film about a woman (played by a man in half-assed drag) who falls for a scam where a gallery on a remote island agrees to host her paintings. It's very rough and unfinished, like a sketchbook or work in progress, but it's only an hour long and enough of the unpredictable ideas work to keep you interested. There's also some quite fine musical performances (and one deliberately terrible one). You're not likely to stumble across it but it's on Vimeo for $2 to rent or $5 to own. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on July 04, 2022, 12:54:58 AM
Mad God.

A stop motion movie that has been made over 30 years and brought to you by the man who made Starship Troopers 2. I'd heard a lot about this one, but few concrete details. Having watched it I can understand why reviews were short on what it is actually about. While it has unintelligible noises scattered throughout, there are no actual words spoken in this film. It seems to be a collage of random scenes set after some sort of apocalyptic war (or possibly in its last days) and everything has just broken down. Crowley's "And do what thy will shall be the whole of the law" is the mantra and everyone is engaging in their basest instincts to torture. If there is a plot running through it then I wasn't paying enough attention to pick up on it.

You might find the imagery powerful and moving, you might find it grotesque or you might just find it random and pointless. I am surprised it rates as highly as it does. Normally I'd expect a movie like this to gather a very limited audience who proclaims the genius of its maker while the rest of the world finds it pretentious at best.

I'd be more interested in the Rev's take on this film than I was in the film itself.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 05, 2022, 08:47:47 AM
ALIENS, CLOWNS & GEEKS (2019): A failed actor finds himself hunted by gangsters and clown aliens, all of whom are after the mysterious obelisk that appears in his ass. B-movie comedy with a 90s feel that's substance free and festooned with vulgar bling: butt jokes, vomit jokes, drag queen jokes, dwarf jokes, cameos from old sitcom stars. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 05, 2022, 12:32:43 PM
"House Of Wax" (2005)
College kids on a road trip have car trouble near a seemingly abandoned small town. They eventually learn the only two remaining residents are a pair of insane twin brothers who keep their family's roadside wax museum attraction running -- by turning unfortunate travelers into statues.
Pretty typical early 00s teen-horror remake, loosely based on the Vincent Price oldie. It's the kind of movie where the characters are all such morons that they totally deserve everything that happens to them. It's got some cool gooey gore effects, though, and the "wax museum" set design is impressive (esp. at the end when it's all melting and falling in on itself).
The movie is probably best remembered for its casting of then-popular annoying socialite bimbo Paris Hilton in a supporting role, then using the fact that her character dies horribly as a marketing hook ("SEE PARIS DIE!").


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on July 05, 2022, 01:36:49 PM
Eyes of Fire.

An 80s movie (which surprised me as for one thing it had escaped my notice previously and it did not look like it had been filmed 40 years ago). A small group of religious outcasts wander from British territory to French trying to escape persecution for adulterous behaviour. They come under attack from Shawnee Indians before taking shelter in a valley where the Indians seem afraid to pursue them. Inside supernatural forces stalk and torment the small group killing them one by one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 05, 2022, 02:21:05 PM
Doe - decent enough sci fi thing where a guy wakes up not knowing who he is and then realizes he speaks hundreds of languages. He gets married, becomes a language professor but then starts to get the bug to find out who he really is, which is when the trouble starts.

B list cast and B list writing/ plot make for a decent B list night.

3.75 /5

watcheable


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on July 05, 2022, 04:53:58 PM
Sheep Skin - Some guys kidnap a man they believe is a murderous werewolf for revenge, and hold him to see if he'll change.  It's a chamber piece in mostly one location and limited cast.  I found this relatively well made for an obvious micro budget, but after 15 to 20 minutes I had to call uncle and skip to the end.  The problem?  The worst audio I may have ever heard in any film in my entire life.  Cast is muffled, some people are very low talking, highly annoying mechanical droning sounds, fluorescent light noises constantly, and a dull bass overpowering everything on top of it.  If you turn it up loud enough to hear the audio, you'll probably get a headache. 

Based on what I was able to get out of Sheep Skin, the director/writer has some talent, just BADLY needs to fix his audio.  Hell, the film could be saved if they just ADRed the whole thing, why not?

Fun fact - the director of this worked on the resurrection of New York Ninja as editor.

Eyes of Fire.

An 80s movie (which surprised me as for one thing it had escaped my notice previously and it did not look like it had been filmed 40 years ago). A small group of religious outcasts wander from British territory to French trying to escape persecution for adulterous behaviour. They come under attack from Shawnee Indians before taking shelter in a valley where the Indians seem afraid to pursue them. Inside supernatural forces stalk and torment the small group killing them one by one.

Kind of reminded me of Aguirre, I watched this one recently too.  An interesting film, worth checking out.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 07, 2022, 08:58:34 AM
LO (2009): Justin uses a spellbook to summon the infernal spirit Lo to help him see his dead girlfriend, but the demon may have other ideas. This is the kind of low budget movie that wouldn't ever cross a Hollywood producer's mind: the subject matter would make fundamentalists protest, the protagonist spends (almost) the entire film inside a pentagram, and the flashbacks are staged on theatrical sets. Good stuff, unexpectedly touching. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 07, 2022, 01:22:10 PM
The Grandmaster (2013)

A romanticised life story of kung fu grandmaster Yip Man, who would later train Bruce Lee. This is a bit of a disappointment. All the visual flourish of Wong Kar Wai is there, and Zhang Ziyi and Tony Leung look suitably glamourous, but both the plot and the characters are wafer thin. There are a lot of fights, stuff happens, many people are thrown through doors or walls, but there is very little emotion linking it all together.  If instead of stylish clothes, the characters wore flowing robes and had complicated hairdos, this could very well pass for your standard wuxia epic.

Also, a remarkably claustrophobic movie, with a lot of the shots as close ups, which gives it a distinctive atmosphere.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 07, 2022, 04:04:31 PM
"The Mentors: Kings Of Sleaze Rockumentary" (2018)
The long and bizarre history of the notorious pervert El Duce and his merry band of porno rockers is examined in a warts & all documentary that is far more entertaining than it has any right to be, given the subject matter. A total hoot.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 08, 2022, 03:13:48 PM
Dark August (1976) - This was apparently mentioned in the book Nightmare USA which was a big deal in our sort of circles about 20 years ago. The actors and actresses are not very attractive, the story takes quite a while to get going, and there are no special effects to speak of so no surprise is is available for free on tubi.

The plot is: A guy accidentally hits a little girl and the girl's grandfather is so upset he starts to weirdly stalk the guy. It looks like one of those swampy horror movies MST3K makes fun of combined with, say, Antrum.

Despite it's extreme lack of Hollywood flair, it's generally pretty watchable. I'm guessing it was made cheaply to be shown as the opener at a Drive in and that some of you would enjoy it, if you haven't already.

3.75 / 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 09, 2022, 05:36:00 AM
Land of Cards/Tasher Desh (2012)

Spurred on by Reverend Powell, I gave it a try to see if I could make sense of it, and no, I can't.

Land of Cards is a 1933 play for children by Rabindrath Tagore, and this movie is a deconstructivist take on it. The second part, in the land of the cards, is by far the most watchable.
I am unfamiliar with the play itself, so I can't tell whether all the postmodern trappings are a clever comment, or whether the director is just a poseur. Given that  the original is a children's book, I would doubt that it has as much sexiness, however.
The music (taken from the original play) is nice.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 09, 2022, 10:43:56 AM
THE MADS ARE BACK: WAR OF THE COSMOS: The feature movie is a "new" discovery of a 70s Italian sci-fi film that might have mads for a decent MST3K episode. The 50s-inspired script about astronauts finding a planet ruled by an evil robot could have been OK, if a bit threadbare, but the producers screw everything up: the lighting is so dim you frequently can't see anything, editing is often nonsensical, there's a ton of stock footage that never matches the action, and the robots look like toys that would severely disappoint 7-year olds who found them under their Christmas trees. It's not too much of a challenge for Frank and Trace to wring chuckles out of this material. Afterwards, special guest Jonah Ray talks knowledgeably about the intersection of film and comedy (but man, does he name drop!) A good episode. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on July 09, 2022, 01:51:21 PM
I Come In Peace (aka Dark Angel) - Somehow missed this one over the years.  Dolph Lundgren buddy cop film where the drug dealer is an alien.  The alien has a disc weapon and it predates Predator 2 by a couple of months, so that's interesting.  But, of course, both are WAY predated by Without Warning. 

This one is pretty fun, light, and doesn't overstay its welcome.  LOTS of explosions (director worked on the A-Team, and it shows), well paced.  Tone is handled quite well, important for these films.  It's a bit of pap, but it's fun pap. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 09, 2022, 03:24:49 PM
United States of Insanity - really good documentary about insane Clown Posse and their struggles with a gang designation given to them by the FBI. Many ICP fans were indeed violent and acted like they were in a gang, but the majority are just poor white people who work crappy jobs and turn to the group for it's sense of community and fun. The less said about the group's music the better. It seems to be a very corny combination of Run DMC and Cypress Hill with a lot of "horror core" lyrics.

"Alternative rock wanted nothing to do with us, rap wanted nothing to do with us either" no kidding!


I live in Massachusetts and have never seen a juggalo in person in my life. I imagine in other parts of the country people might have more ideas about them and their lifestyle but to me they just seemed like fry cooks on their break. The idea that they would be a caucasian equivalent to MS 13 or something is just silly. Unfortunately, government actions have consequences. Many innocent music (sort of) fans lost their jobs or were harassed by the police in a way they hadn't been before.

I'd rather die than drink 2 entire liters of fruity soda and mill about in a soggy field but this is America, damn it. Live and let live. The story culminates with their historic March on Washington a few years ago. very much akin to documentaries about Appalachia and Oxycontin and all that I think

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on July 09, 2022, 07:13:10 PM
I just watched Sense and Sensibility, the Emma Thompson version.  It's just excellent, top to bottom, one of the best period dramas I've seen.  It's on HBO Max these days.  Check it out.  It was also the first Jane Austen based film I think I've ever seen (discounting Clueless), so that was kind of cool.

United States of Insanity - really good documentary about insane Clown Posse and their struggles with a gang designation given to them by the FBI. Many ICP fans were indeed violent and acted like they were in a gang, but the majority are just poor white people who work crappy jobs and turn to the group for it's sense of community and fun. The less said about the group's music the better. It seems to be a very corny combination of Run DMC and Cypress Hill with a lot of "horror core" lyrics.

"Alternative rock wanted nothing to do with us, rap wanted nothing to do with us either" no kidding!


I live in Massachusetts and have never seen a juggalo in person in my life. I imagine in other parts of the country people might have more ideas about them and their lifestyle but to me they just seemed like fry cooks on their break. The idea that they would be a caucasian equivalent to MS 13 or something is just silly. Unfortunately, government actions have consequences. Many innocent music (sort of) fans lost their jobs or were harassed by the police in a way they hadn't been before.

I'd rather die than drink 2 entire liters of fruity soda and mill about in a soggy field but this is America, damn it. Live and let live. The story culminates with their historic March on Washington a few years ago. very much akin to documentaries about Appalachia and Oxycontin and all that I think

5/5

I grew up in Metro Detroit right as they were getting big (late 90s to early 2000s, when they first started going more national), so I actually went to high school with Juggalos.  One of them once wrote a short story and read it aloud in class about how they met ICP by throwing a dead body they found in front of their tour bus, and this was shortly after they knocked out some robbers at a convenience store with bottles of Faygo (then the grateful clerk gave them free Faygo).  For high school it actually wasn't too bad of a story, as ridiculous as it was.  

I always thought the band wasn't great and I didn't care for the music, but I had largely positive experiences with the followers; they were relatively common in the area, with it not being uncommon to see people wearing ICP shirts and even wearing the face make up once in a while in public.  It was pretty wild later on hearing the super negative views some people had of them when I got older; people just thought they were kinda silly, at least where I lived.  I don't remember any crime/violence/drug issues at all with them, and the gang designation seems, well, insane.

Side note, try Rock N Rye if you haven't.  Probably the best Faygo flavor.  Faygo is super common in Michigan, if you're ever in the area.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 09, 2022, 11:40:54 PM
so perfect that you wrote that after reviewing "Sense and Sensibility"  :bouncegiggle:

Yeah my sense is the violent incidents were overblown by bureaucrats who do such things to justify their positions


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 10, 2022, 08:53:45 AM
THE HOUSE (2022): Three stop-motion animated tales revolving around a mysterious house. The first two segments, one a Gothic fairy tale and one a contemporary psychosis, are actually quite macabre; the third is a bit of a bore, but the animation quality (from three directors) is top-quality throughout. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 11, 2022, 03:38:04 PM
"Spaceballs" (1987)
The heroic Lone Starr and his half man/half dog sidekick "Barf" rescue a princess from the clutches of the evil Dark Helmet, and then save her planet from the evil Spaceball forces with a little help from the mystic "Yogurt" in Mel Brooks' dead-on parody of the "Star Wars" saga and sci-fi flicks in general. I never get tired of this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 12, 2022, 09:16:44 AM
THE TALES OF HOFFMAN (1951): Following the success of their ballet melodrama THE RED SHOES (1948), Powell & Pressburger bring a lavish adaptation of Jacques Offenbach's opera to the big screen. The poet Hoffman tells a drinking party three stories of women whom he has loved: one an automaton, one a courtesan, and one an ailing singer. The sets, costumes, makeup, performances, and dance numbers are all completely amazing; the bold, full-spectrum Technicolor is especially dazzling to the modern eye. The problem is, no matter how good it looks and despite the fact that it's been translated into English, it's still an opera, and therefore an acquired taste (besides running a bit long and dragging in spots). Rate it somewhere between 3-5; even if you hate opera (and I'm no big fan), you have to admit the visuals and the technical expertise are astounding. I'll give it 4.5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on July 12, 2022, 10:49:37 AM
Dick Tracey

Loose plot structure, like a newspaper comic. Made it a bit hard to follow, & a few plot points got lost along the way. About halfway through the movie, they decide to use musical montages for everything. Well, I guess that makes sense; they hired Madonna, so why not use her talent? Problem is, it makes things even harder to follow.

The film uses matte paintings & models for most long shots, plus bright colors & heavy makeup on most characters. They really wanted it to look like the comic. It's odd, but cool. That phrase might describe the entire film; odd, but cool. It's watchable, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it. And yet for some reason I want to see it again, to see if I missed some stuff.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on July 12, 2022, 10:52:07 AM
"Meteor" (1979)
When a giant hunk of potentially planet-killing space rock heads toward Earth, an international coalition headed by a NASA scientist (Sean Connery) and his Russian counterpart (Brian Keith) must figure out how to blow it out of the sky before it's too late.
A cheesy but fun sci-fi/action epic that came along at the tail end of the '70s "disaster movie" wave and pretty much put the final nail in the genre's coffin. Turn off your brain and enjoy its blend of all-star casting (Connery, Keith, Natalie Wood, Henry Fonda, Martin Landau, Karl Malden, and more), outdated Cold War political subplots, and cheap but charming special effects.
I will gladly watch this one over Michael Bay's "Armageddon" (which is basically the same movie on steroids) any day of the week.
This is a better film than most people say. Good review.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 12, 2022, 08:51:46 PM
"Punisher: War Zone" (2008)
The third big screen go-round for the Marvel Comics vigilante finds the Punisher (now played by Ray Stevenson) fighting a war on two fronts: first with the criminal organization run by the crazed "Jigsaw," and also with the FBI, who want him for the murder of an undercover operative. Lotsa bullets fly, things blow up, bones crunch, blood splashes, yadda yadda yadda.
This insanely ultra-violent, gory action flick (which, oddly enough, was directed by a woman!) was the most faithful-to-the-comics  "Punisher" adaptation yet, but despite that it tanked at the box office and ended the Punisher movie franchise. Bummer, cuz I wouldn't have minded a few more of these. Mindless shoot'em up fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 14, 2022, 03:14:27 PM
Edge of Darkness (2010) - I'm from Boston and the s**tty accents and authentic locations were distracting, but this was watcheable with a decent sort of message to it. An a***ole corporate guy is probably involved in the death of a Boston detective (Mel Gibson)'s daughter and they face off, Gibson using his wiles and the corporate guy using shady corporate stuff.

Not much to say about it.

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 15, 2022, 09:08:20 AM
FLUX GOURMET (2022): A "culinary performance" art troupe (e.g. a woman smears herself with tomato soup while a pair of DJs mike up her digestive tract and mix it with the sound of a blender) perform a one-month residency, where cutthroat rivalries and digestive problems arise. Some interesting moments, but besides simply playing out its absurd premise about "culinary performance," it's not clear what Peter Strickland is up to with this one: it's not as funny as IN FABRIC, and there's no clear satirical target or genuine emotional investment in the characters. 3.5/5, not for everyone.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 16, 2022, 11:02:10 AM
THE MADS ARE BACK: THE T-BIRD GANG: Awful movie with a dark, bad quality print. A young man goes undercover in a burglary gang to avenge the death of his night watchman father. There's a completely nonsensical edit where the gang is in police custody one minute and then free the next, but because of the nature of the dissolve and the running time, it seems this is the way it was originally presented. Awful movie, but Frank and Trace are quite funny this time out. The guest is Mike Nelson, who is a treat because he almost never does this kind of thing. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 17, 2022, 08:06:58 AM
"Superbad" (2007)
Three high school dorks get invited to the popular girl's end-of-school bash by promising that they can provide the liquor. They spend the rest of the movie getting in and out of a series of absurd situations as they try to make that happen. A pretty standard raunchy teen comedy; I didn't hate it, but it's nothing I would ever watch again


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 17, 2022, 08:58:03 AM
Dunkirk (2017)

Christopher Nolan's epic about the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940. It is very spectacular and well worth watching. Although strictly speaking a war movie, this is more of a disaster movie, with escape and rescue as the central themes, rather than any fighting. The film uses mainly practical effects, which gives a reality to the scenes. The downside of this is, that you can't have massive spectacular scenes: aircraft only appear in ones or twos, they just have the one destroyer. I suppose you can't have everything. The choice of concentrating on just one small group of soldiers has the advantage of focus, but the disadvantage that everything has to happen to these guys. There is only so many times disaster can strike the same characters before it starts to look like slapstick.  The movie doesn't cross the line, but there is a reason why classic disaster movies had an ensemble cast.
The weakest point is Kenneth Branagh's character. After this movie, you could be forgiven for thinking that coordinating an evacuation basically involves standing alone on a pier, looking worried.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 17, 2022, 06:51:35 PM
Saturday night double feature:

BENNY LOVES YOU (2019) - A 35 year-old toy designer named Jack, who still lives at home with his mum and dad, loses them both in a freak accident on his birthday.  He decided this is the chance for him to remake himself, so he throws out all of his childhood toys, including an Elmo-looking, long-eared plushy called "Benny."  Except Benny doesn't want to leave.  The now-alive toy goes on a killing spree, taking out Jack's boss, his HR director, a real estate agent, Jack's lawyer, the boss's dog - all in a lively and entertaining manner!  This was a fun addition to the "Killer Toy" genre, frankly superior to the endless stream of "Chucky" and "Annabelle" movies. 4/5

WEREWOLF MASSACRE AT HELL'S GATE (2022) Oh, my . . . just RUN, OK?  If this steaming pile of cinematic diarrhea shows up on your screen, take a blowtorch to your television and then bleach your eyeballs.  This is worse than NOAH'S SHARK and FAMILY PROPERTY: BACKWOODS HILLBILLY MASSACRE.  This movie makes the Polonia brothers look like Stephen Spielberg.  It's too late for me, but you can save yourself!  -1/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on July 17, 2022, 08:32:49 PM
Paddington 2 - Cute, visually very strong and well acted family film.  Excellent ending.  Well worth a watch.

Without Warning - Basically the prototype for the Predator, down to Kevin Peter Hall playing a towering alien hunting men for sport in the woods.  It even has two Oscar winners in supporting roles - Jack Palance and Martin Landau.  Cameron Mitchell and David Caruso also show up for a few minutes.  But, it has a long, flabby middle section that is kind of dull, and the ending is weak.  Only one suspense section works well, but it was legitimately pretty creepy, the section in the cabin in the middle.  So I dunno, a mixed bag.  Not great, but not as bad as I was initially thinking it'd end up.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 18, 2022, 07:52:30 AM
INSPECTOR IKE (2020): In a parody of a very specific sub-genre--1970's mystery-themed "movies of the week"---Inspector Ike investigates a murder at an avant-grade theater group. Dead-on camp style, with an absurd sense of humor like a postmodern "Police Squad." Funny: I wish this had a better distribution deal, people would get a kick out of it. The Blu-ray includes a couple of shorts from the same team that are equally hilarious: an Inspector Ike "Word of the Day" spinoff, and a more experimental short where star Ikechukwu Ufomadu (Ike) reviews some artistic pictures with their photographer. 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 18, 2022, 04:44:05 PM
"Me, Myself, And Irene" (2000)
A nice guy Rhode Island state trooper (Jim Carrey) has developed a split personality named "Hank" who takes over when things get tough or stressful. This inner battle becomes extra complicated when he is assigned to escort a lovely witness (Renee Zellweger) back to New York State and they're targeted by mobsters. This utterly ridiculous, totally hilarious slapstick road movie is quite possibly Carrey's most manic, over the top performance EVER, which is really sayin' something. Tons of raunchy fun.   

"The Final Alliance" (aka "Tigerman," 1990)
A mysterious drifter (David Hasselhoff) moves back to his old homestead with his pet puma (yes, you read that correctly), where he immediately gets on the bad side of a vicious biker gang who have taken over the entire town. An unintentionally hilarious slice of direct-to-video action cheese bolted together from parts of "First Blood," "Road House," and about a dozen other cheap shoot'em up flicks. The big cat is a better actor than any of the human cast members.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 18, 2022, 11:02:48 PM
^ that sounds incredible


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on July 19, 2022, 11:26:46 PM
^ that sounds incredible

It's on Tubi for free.  I'm going to check it out.  Can't help it, I kind of like David Hasselhoff and that sounds just about the right level of dumb. 

Also, John Saxon is in it and apparently looks like this:

https://i0.wp.com/www.bulletproofaction.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/GhostFA.jpg?ssl=1 (https://i0.wp.com/www.bulletproofaction.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/GhostFA.jpg?ssl=1)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 20, 2022, 01:06:43 PM
Hope you guys enjoy "The Final Alliance," fellas. It was... an experience. :D

Today's viewing:
"Bride of Chucky" (1998)
The fourth film in the "Child's Play" franchise takes a hard right turn into wink-wink horror/parody territory. Chucky is resurrected by his old girlfriend Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly, smokin' hot) and the pair hit the road to find him a new human body. Things get complicated when Tiffany winds up trapped in a doll-body of her own.
I hadn't seen this since it first hit video back in the day and it was better than I remembered. It's got a great cast (in addition to Tilly, the late great John Ritter and a pre-"Grey's Anatomy" Katherine Heigl take part in the mayhem), there's plenty of gore and impressive puppetry FX, plus the soundtrack features Judas Priest (Ripper Owens era, no less!), Bruce Dickinson, Rob Zombie, Monster Magnet, and more. Hong Kong action director Ronny Yu would go on to direct "Freddy Vs. Jason" based on the success of this flick.

...so do I dare re-visit "Seed Of Chucky," which I hated when I first saw it back in the day? Time will tell, I guess.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 20, 2022, 02:12:54 PM
the book was better. actors like Hasselfhoff and Kevin Costner do bigger business abroad than here


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 20, 2022, 02:35:32 PM


It's on Tubi for free.  I'm going to check it out.  Can't help it, I kind of like David Hasselhoff and that sounds just about the right level of dumb. 


It didn't occur to me till just now that one of the alternate titles for "Final Alliance" is "Tigerman," even though his pet in the movie is a puma, not a tiger. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 20, 2022, 06:18:03 PM
"KISS: Beyond The Makeup" (2001)
Cool made-for-VH1 documentary that covers the first 30 years of KISS history through their meteoric 70s rise and fall, the '80s rebirth and the historic mid 90s reunion that put them back on top. This is quite out of date now since it was aired to promote the so called "Farewell Tour" in 2000-01 (which turned out to be merely the "Farewell to the original lineup"), but the vintage clips and interviews are still fun to watch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 21, 2022, 09:01:33 AM
THE OLD MAN MOVIE (2019): Three city children and their farmer grandfather search for their escaped cow, who's going to blow if she doesn't get milked soon. Surprisingly scatological Estonian stop-motion animation involving exploding cows, pooping pigs, and bear anus seen from the inside; the animation is crude and the characters ugly, but the imaginative ridiculousness will satisfy a select crowd. Out on Blu-ray (and presumably streaming somewhere) on August 9.  2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 22, 2022, 02:58:54 AM
Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

A multiverse kung fu extravaganza, that is a fable about family relationships at heart. It moves at breakneck speed and is such a playful romp through the various tropes of the genre, that it simply sweeps you away. Brilliant.

Jamie Lee Curtis ought to get an oscar for a supporting role for this.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 22, 2022, 09:58:05 AM
Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

A multiverse kung fu extravaganza, that is a fable about family relationships at heart. It moves at breakneck speed and is such a playful romp through the various tropes of the genre, that it simply sweeps you away. Brilliant.

Jamie Lee Curtis ought to get an oscar for a supporting role for this.

Jamie Lee Curtis, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan and Michelle Yeoh are all on my personal awards shortlist right now. Also contending for Best Picture, Director, Editing, and Original Screenplay. It will be a crime if it doesn't end up with multiple Oscar nominations, but movies released early in the year are generally forgotten.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 22, 2022, 01:59:55 PM
Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

A multiverse kung fu extravaganza, that is a fable about family relationships at heart. It moves at breakneck speed and is such a playful romp through the various tropes of the genre, that it simply sweeps you away. Brilliant.

Jamie Lee Curtis ought to get an oscar for a supporting role for this.

Jamie Lee Curtis, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan and Michelle Yeoh are all on my personal awards shortlist right now. Also contending for Best Picture, Director, Editing, and Original Screenplay. It will be a crime if it doesn't end up with multiple Oscar nominations, but movies released early in the year are generally forgotten.


I second that. I just singled out Jamie Lee Curtis because she was cast completely against type and did a wonderful job. But I'm afraid that genre movies and general silliness score badly at the oscars. Otherwise Bruce Campbell would have won for Bubba Ho-Tep.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 22, 2022, 03:23:16 PM
HOLLOW MAN 2 (2004)  I watched and thoroughly enjoyed the 1999 HOLLOW MAN with Kevin Bacon as an invisible psychopath, but I guess the sequel had somehow slipped by me.  I caught it on RokuTV last night and finished it this morning; it was not as well-done as the first one but still a decent addition to the "invisible villain" genre.  3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 23, 2022, 11:00:51 AM
"The Doors" (1991)
Oliver "Platoon" Stone's lavish bio-pic details the rise and fall of the iconic '60s rock band and their gifted, but deeply troubled, vocalist Jim Morrison. Val Kilmer's portrayal of the Lizard King is a career-peak performance. I'm told that the surviving Doors members weren't exactly thrilled with how this film turned out but for casual viewers it's a fascinating time capsule of the psychedelic Sixties.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 23, 2022, 11:08:44 AM
LAST NIGHT IN SOHO - A young girl named Eloise moves to London to begin studying at a famous fashion school.  Disenchanted by her hard-partying, mean girl roommate, she rents a flat a few blocks away from an elderly woman.  But as she settles into her new digs, she begins to see visions of a beautiful young girl named Alexandra in late 1960's London - coming to down to the big city in order to be a headlining singer, but quickly descending into a life of drugs and prostitution and finally being murdered.  Ellie's visions become more detailed and realistic as time goes on, intruding on her waking life, until she finally goes to the police and tries to persuade them to look into the decades-old murder.  But all is not as it seems . . .

This is a haunting ghost story as well as a tribute to the blighted dreams of so many young women who wanted to be stars.  The elfin beauty Anya Taylor-Joy lights up the screen as Alex/Sandy, the doomed figure who haunts Ellie's dreams.  Very well done film!  4.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 23, 2022, 08:14:26 PM
THE MADS: A NIGHT OF SHORTS 8: Par for the course: too much podcast, too little riffing. One of the four short subjects was "Mr. B-Natural," which I've now seen riffed three times, with none of the do-overs coming close to the original. Guest Bridgette Nelson is pleasant and peppy. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on July 24, 2022, 06:56:11 AM
The Lost City.

A fun enough romantic comedy with a bit of adventure. Most of the cast look like they are having fun, except for Sandra Bullock who while still hot, moves as if she'll snap if she moves quickly. If you like stuff like Romancing the Stone, then the chances are you'll like this one. Daniel Radcliffe seems to be having the most fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 24, 2022, 03:47:01 PM
Welcome to the Circle (2020) - hard to tell if this is an honest attempt at a sci fi ish horror or a tax shelter of some kind. A guy and his daughter stumble upon a cult in the middle of the woods. No one has ever wandered away 4 feet from some campsite to find these guys, apparently. The high point of this thing are the 2 or 3 attractive girls in the cult. There's also some very occasional Xena style cornball humor that sort of works. After that, it's a record amount of department store mannequins and an impossible to follow backstory about some early 20th century explorer. The pretentious art clips of black and white footage of monkeys and so forth might have worked if the whole thing had made more sense and been better, but its just silly and random.

the whole thing is very very similar to some other much better movie I saw about a bunch of wood weirdies in a cult who exist in a time loop.

2/5

 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3918800/reviews?ref_=tt_urv (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3918800/reviews?ref_=tt_urv)  the IMDB reviews are split in favor of it, they are wrong



this guy gets it

" 1/10
Man
oldenic1 October 2020
This Movie is so terrible who wrote this ducking Script?"


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 24, 2022, 09:32:22 PM
WE SUMMON THE DARKNESS (2019)  OK, I'll admit, I picked this one off Netflix mainly because it has my current celebrity crush, Alexandra Daddario, in it.
But it turned out to be a moderately fun movie set in the late 80's at the height of the "Satanic Panic."  Three girls go to a heavy metal concert, with Alexis (Dadarrio) driving, and there meet three goofy stoner guys, and invite them back to Alexis' dad's house to party, since he's out of town.  But the guys quickly discover that these party girls have a different kind of fun in mind - the kind that involves sharp knives, pentagrams, and lots of screams.  But stuff goes wrong, stepmom comes home early, and the story assumes an almost comic aspect.  Not great, but not bad, and AD is as cute as ever.  3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 24, 2022, 10:08:15 PM
Dangerously hot weather out there today, good reason to stay in, drink beer, and watch movies.

"Monty Python's Life Of Brian" (1979)
The Python troupe's parody of Biblical epics tells the story of Brian (Graham Chapman), an average guy who was born on the same night as Jesus, just a few doors away As a result, he spends most of his time being mistaken for the Messiah. I used to say "Holy Grail" was my favorite Python flick, but the older I get (and the more cynical/pessimistic I get about religion) the more I lean towards this one. Cast off the shoe, follow the gourd!

"Deadlier Than The Male" (1967)
This stylish James Bond knock off stars Richard Johnson as swingin' investigator Hugh Drummond, who must stop a pair of beautiful assassins (Elke Sommer and Sylva Koscina) from murdering the executive board of a major oil company. Lots of action, impressive scenery, and loads of female eye candy. This is my favorite of the many 007 wanna-be's that popped up during the mid 60s spy craze. Worth watching just to ogle Elke Sommer, who was ridiculously hot at this time.

"Drunk, Stoned, Brilliant, Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon" (2015)
Informative, entertaining documentary about the "adult humor" magazine that spun off from a Harvard student publication and took the 70s counter culture by storm, launching the careers of writers and performers like John Hughes, Gilda Radner, P.J. O'Rourke, Chevy Chase, Christopher Guest, and many more. I was a few years too young to read the Lampoon in its heyday, and it looks like I missed out on a lot of subversive, funny stuff.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on July 25, 2022, 02:57:32 AM
But it turned out to be a moderately fun movie set in the late 80's at the height of the "Satanic Panic." 

That thing raged in SA for a long time: I was told I was going to hell as I wore a lot of black (still do) and that I dared listen to "new age music" such as The Moody Blues.  :buggedout:

And don't get me started on what those idiots thought when I said I liked the Ninja Turtles. :buggedout: :buggedout: :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 26, 2022, 03:16:37 PM
Death Spa (1989) - the spa that eats. fun movie that's a combination of a bunch of 80's late night sort of genres. Insane accidents are a daily occurrence at an LA ( I guess?) spa that is more like a deluxe gym. There's tension between the guy who owns it and his late wife's brother, who runs a supercomputer that makes the place all high tech. could this have something to do with all the stuff going on??? lots of babes and weirdos hang around the place despite the high injury toll

If this was made nowadays it would have B list celebrities and predictable corn ball lines, but this is way better. The word "camp" gets thrown around a lot but this really has it. would make a great Broadway production

4.5 / 5


lady after getting out of a shower that almost fries her to death while also shooting tiles out "this place is starting to have some maintenance problems" something like that


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 27, 2022, 09:13:40 AM
HATCHING (2022): A competitive Finnish gymnast of about 12 finds an egg in the woods, brings it home, and hatches it, but what emerges from the shell isn't a simple avian---and is overly attached to its "mother." Creepy psychological horror/thriller that plays out like a tween BLACK SWAN. The general mood reminded me of Julia Ducournau's RAW. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 27, 2022, 11:25:24 PM
A CLASSIC HORROR STORY (2021) - A group of car poolers traveling across Italy in an RV get into a wreck, and wake to find their vehicle stranded in a meadow, miles from the road, next to a creepy old house.  The path through the woods is blocked by weird, gruesome sculptures and severed pig's heads.  And when it gets dark, strange lights and sirens converge on the stranded travelers . . . a creepy tale of human sacrifice and secret cults, based on real Italian folk legends.  Good stuff!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 28, 2022, 09:47:56 AM
PLAYDURIZM (2020): A twink wakes up in a lavish seraglio-style apartment with a handsome butch roommate and his abused girlfriend and no memory; he develops a severe crush on the hunk as things get weird, and very sick. A pink flamingo-lit pastiche of themes and styles from the cult films of the 80s and 90s, with echoes of DR. CALIGARI, LIQUID SKY, THE DOOM GENERATION, NAKED LUNCH, and especially VIDEODROME, with extra doses of homoeroticism, brutal sadism, and body horror. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 30, 2022, 03:48:18 PM
"The Decline of Western Civilization" (1981)
The first installment in Penelope Spheeris' documentary trilogy examines the punk rock scene in early '80s L.A., featuring interviews with and live performances by Black Flag, X, Fear, Circle Jerks, the Germs, and more. Some of the bands are better than others, of course, but it's fun to watch all the ultra-violent concert footage.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 30, 2022, 04:55:39 PM
MST3K: GAMERA VS. JIGER: This may be the only one of the original Gamera movies I hadn't seen before, and it's pretty ridiculous. Jiger basically impregnates Gamera by shooting needles into him which hatch spores which grow into a baby Jiger in Gamera's lungs, which a pair of kids kill by piloting a mini-sub into Gamera and throwing a walkie-talkie at the youngling. With a plot like that, you don't need too much in the way of jokes---I was laughing more at the movie itself than the riffs, and not laughing much at all at the host segments. Still a good one for Season 13. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 31, 2022, 01:43:41 PM
BLOODY ORANGES (2021): An elderly French couple enters a dance contest hoping to erase their debts, while a scandal-ridden politician tries to improve his image and a young woman hopes to lose her virginity. Well-written purported black comedy, but the third act turn into rape and torture porn is jarring, and in-depth discussions of the French pension system will probably further restrict its audience. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 03, 2022, 09:59:50 AM
THE WRETCHED (2021) - Teenaged Ben comes to a small seaside community to spend the summer with his Dad after his parents' recent divorce.
He notices his Dad's neighbors right away - a pleasant young couple with two kids (the Mom is pretty hot, explaining his notice).  But then he sees an odd creature on the porch at night, and next day there is no sign of the two kids.  Not only that, the neighbor is now denying that he and his wife ever HAD any children.  A skin-stealing, shape-shifting vampiric entity is possessing the townspeople one by one and feeding on the children it forces them to forget.  This was a better than average horror film with some really creepy effects.  A solid 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 03, 2022, 03:01:49 PM
Savage Dawn - Fascinating.  Lance Henriksen, George Kennedy, William Forsythe, Karen Black and Richard Lynch...  And they're all almost entirely wasted.  An adequate premise largely for nothing.  Awful direction, some of the worst I've ever seen.  Bad writing.  Bad action.  But it does move and keeps changing what is happening, so it isn't boring.  Also clearly has a more than adequate budget - the technical people working on this clearly know what they're doing, just the head and the writers don't.  Weird.  A lot of sequences barely fit together, some poor editing.  This is a disjointed summary, but so is the film. 

It's worth a watch if you like the people in it and bad movies. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 03, 2022, 03:18:04 PM
^ that sounds  :question:

The Blob (1988) - I cant believe I never saw this. It's got that classic 80s feel a la Pee Wee's Big Adventure or Elvira Mistress of the Dark. It's darker and not quite as good as those but nothing really is. The male lead street tough looks like he listens to Kenny G and plays bass in Europe. very intimidating!

I didn't really like the original The Blob so can't really compare the two, though this also has a scene in the town movie theater. The female is cute but the movie is much more focused on creative kills than sex. My friend Gabe used to have movie nights circa 1989 and this must have been at one of them. I guess I had the flu that week. He worked at a video store until he got fired for absconding with all the pornographic titles

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 03, 2022, 05:06:29 PM
^ The lead was played by Kevin (tv show Entourage) Dillon, the brother of Matt Dillon.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 04, 2022, 03:13:54 PM
DENKRAUM (2020): Alex observes various videos on a computer monitor for a new social network named "Denkraum" (which may also be a self-aware entity). That description sounds much more coherent than the film actually is, since it involves schizophrenia, suicide, a religious cult, spirituality, technology, fascism, dream spaces, memory loss, a complicated romance, and about a dozen other themes that are impossible to follow because of the choppy and inconsistent delivery of ideas. It doesn't help that the subtitles (at least in the screener I saw) were full of typos and often disappeared from the screen before I could read them. Still, some interesting bits, and I think the director could do good work with more focus. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 04, 2022, 03:43:05 PM
"Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies" (1993)
While he was a film student at NYU, future "Joker" and "Hangover" director Todd Philips directed this documentary about GG Allin, the notoriously unhinged, feces-flinging, death obsessed, ultra-violent punk rocker. His camera follows GG and his band around on an East Coast tour, where GG shares bits of his bizarre life philosophy, uses dope, picks fights with his audience, spits, bleeds, poops, and basically acts like an out of control lunatic. In other words: this is a portrait of a guy who shouldn't have been walking around loose, and the world is a safer place now that he's gone. Skin-crawlingly weird and disturbing, but also fascinating in a strange, "you can't make this up" kind of way.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 04, 2022, 03:47:30 PM
"Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies" (1993)
While he was a film student at NYU, future "Joker" and "Hangover" director Todd Philips directed this documentary about GG Allin, the notoriously unhinged, feces-flinging, death obsessed, ultra-violent punk rocker. His camera follows GG and his band around on an East Coast tour, where GG shares bits of his bizarre life philosophy, uses dope, picks fights with his audience, spits, bleeds, poops, and basically acts like an out of control lunatic. In other words: this is a portrait of a guy who shouldn't have been walking around loose, and the world is a safer place now that he's gone. Skin-crawlingly weird and disturbing, but also fascinating in a strange, "you can't make this up" kind of way.

I saw this sad and disturbing doc back when it came out, didn't realize it was directed by Todd Phillips until just now.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 05, 2022, 07:11:46 AM
"Maniac Cop" (1988)
A psycho in an NYPD uniform is murdering innocent citizens by night. A detective (Tom "Halloween III" Atkins) and a patrolman (Bruce Campbell!) team up to find out the killer's I.D. and stop him before he can achieve his ultimate goal of murdering NYC's chief of police and mayor.
Cult classic horror/action B-movie that does a nice job of mixing police procedural elements with cool slasher mayhem. Followed by two sequels.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 05, 2022, 02:32:00 PM
I had 2 friends who were junkies and they behaved similarly to that. The addiction to that drug causes people to lose their dignity, which can have the effect of making them go overboard in demonstrating that, if that makes any sense. my theory


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 05, 2022, 04:31:02 PM
"Maniac Cop 2" (1990)
The murderous Officer Cordell is back for another round of slaughtering innocent (and some not so innocent) New Yorkers, and this time he's got a partner, a serial killer who likes to carve up strippers. A new duo of NYPD officers (Robert Davi and Claudia Christian) have to stop their rampage before they can stage a massive prison break at the notorious Sing Sing.
This direct-to-video sequel is superior to its predecessor. It's faster moving, packed with more elaborate stunts and action sequences, and it doesn't skimp on the splashy gore, either.
Make sure you stick around for the hilariously awful "Maniac Cop Rap" song that plays over the end credits.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 05, 2022, 09:24:53 PM
NOBODY SLEEPS IN THE WOODS TONIGHT (2019) A group of technology-addicted kids in Poland are sent to a special camp where they learn to live without any access to the internet.  Four of them are taken out in the woods on a hike by one of the camp counselors, where they have a run in with two hideously deformed, cannibalistic twin brothers who had been infected with parasitic alien DNA from a meteorite years before.  Mayhem ensues.

This is a good all-around cannibal mutant hillbilly movie set in Europe.  The makeup for the twins is outstanding, the kills are gory, the plot somewhat nonsensical, and the comic relief scenes are actually funny.  In short, this is a buffet of gore and sleaze for any bad movie buff!!!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 06, 2022, 09:05:14 AM
"Prey" (2022)
The latest installment in the Predator franchise (streaming exclusively on Hulu) is a period piece set in the 1700s, and it focuses on a young Comanche woman who wants to prove she's just as good as the boys on her first-ever hunting expedition. She and the tribe get more than they bargained for when a Predator (perhaps the first one ever to visit Earth?) drops in on the proceedings.
I was pleasantly surprised by this one, it took a little while to get into gear but once it did, the action was non-stop straight till the end. I thought it was the best Predator movie in years!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 06, 2022, 09:53:29 AM
THE MADS ARE BACK: THE LOST MISSILE: A rouge UFO missile orbits the earth, causing destruction wherever it flies. A sort-of interesting premise, but the movie is about 1/3 stock footage and 1/3 static graphics of the cheesy missile/UFO. Trace and Frank get some laughs out of it. The after-show guest is the always perky Bridgette Nelson. Par for the course for this show. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 06, 2022, 12:04:59 PM
I also saw Prey and quite enjoyed it.  Decently written, a good lead performance, very good action set pieces, lots of gore.  I think the first act is a bit rough in spots, and I wish the character drama between a few side characters was a bit better, but otherwise really good.  Totally worth a watch, and easily the best Predator film since the original.  I might have liked this MORE than the original, except it's really hard to top the charisma of the original's cast, which elevate already good material - the cast and characters in Prey aren't as strong. 

NOBODY SLEEPS IN THE WOODS TONIGHT (2019) A group of technology-addicted kids in Poland are sent to a special camp where they learn to live without any access to the internet.  Four of them are taken out in the woods on a hike by one of the camp counselors, where they have a run in with two hideously deformed, cannibalistic twin brothers who had been infected with parasitic alien DNA from a meteorite years before.  Mayhem ensues.

This is a good all-around cannibal mutant hillbilly movie set in Europe.  The makeup for the twins is outstanding, the kills are gory, the plot somewhat nonsensical, and the comic relief scenes are actually funny.  In short, this is a buffet of gore and sleaze for any bad movie buff!!!  5/5

Oddly sex positive too, for a slasher film.  Worth a watch.  I gather the sequel is a huge step down, unfortunately, but haven't seen it yet.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 06, 2022, 02:57:34 PM
NOBODY SLEEPS IN THE WOODS TONIGHT II (2021) 
Picking up right where its predecessor left off, this Polish horror film wades through the aftermath of the technology camp slaughter in a way that renders it inferior in every way to the original film.   A young cop reports for duty to find a teenaged girl and two hulking, fat mutants in custody.  First of all - SERIOUSLY?  The mutant twins went through the cast of the first movie like a buzz saw, and an out of shape, overweight cop and his slim female deputy take them into custody and lock them in cells using nothing but tasers and handcuffs?  Then the sheriff takes the girl out to the cabin in the woods where her friends were butchered, trying to figure out why the mutant twins are still alive when she says she had killed them both - one by repeated stabbing in the chest with a machete, the other by running over him multiple times.   Turns out the parasitic aliens who inhabit them can heal almost any injury - AND that the meteorite it came from is still under the bed, with more parasites waiting to infect anyone who gets close - in this case, the final girl from the previous film!  So she becomes a mutant, kills a bunch of folks, infects the young cop, etc. etc.  The first movie was genuinely scary in places; this one felt more like a TOXIC AVENGER splatter comedy.  And NOBODY wants to see a sex scene between two pustule-covered mutants, OK?  (Except maybe other pustule-covered mutants, maybe, and I'm not sure about them.)  In all, not the worst movie I've ever seen, but nowhere near as good as the first one. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 06, 2022, 09:42:41 PM
"Coraline" (2009)
Henry Selick of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" fame directed this lavish stop-motion animated fantasy/horror story about a neglected young girl who, while exploring her gloomy new home, finds a hidden passageway that leads to a brighter, more friendly and all around "nicer" version of her world. As she makes repeated visits to the "other side," however, she eventually figures out that something sinister is going on behind the scenes. A lush, extremely weird, but very watchable dark fairy tale based on a book by Neil "Sandman" Gaiman. Worth checking out for the trippy visuals alone.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 06, 2022, 11:06:51 PM
Belle (2021) - anime film, with sequences in traditional 2D and others in 3D.  I like what separates the two, that was neat.  People love this movie a lot, it got a huge ovation at Cannes.  But, I don't really quite see it.  It's got very good visuals and music, but the writing at its core is very thin and a lot of the first half is disjointed in its storytelling.  I guess if you just want to let visuals go over you and hear some solid music, you'll get it.  Some parts of the story barely makes sense and are very loosely filled in.  It's also overstuffed and has a number of elements very poorly setup and others that don't pay off in a remotely satisfying way (the villain for instance).  I dunno.  I was not impressed.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 07, 2022, 09:25:41 AM
THE  MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL (2001): There's been a murder at a skid row hotel peopled by eccentrics, and Mel Gibson in a back brace is sent to investigate. A great cast of character actors--Milla Jovovich, Peter Stormare, Jimmy Smits, Amanda Plummer, Bud Cort, and so on--run around maniacally trying to out-quirk each other, leaving little time for us to care about the story. Wim Wenders directed, from an idea by U2's Bono. 2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 07, 2022, 01:40:03 PM
Cryptic Slaughter "The Lowlife Chronicles 1984-88"  - This combined my love of obscure documentaries with my love of thrash metal in an irresistible way (to me).

CS were in that strange 80's musical land known as "Crossover" where they had elements of both hardcore and metal. DRI, COC, and other 3 letter bands occupied this logical seeming but actually somewhat problematic formally genre. Today the two audiences rarely get together except maybe in Europe via the crust punk scene. I guess anything sounds okay when you live in an abandoned building with a big rat as a room mate.

Who cares about all that though, it's a fun documentary. The best interviewee is the guy from a band called Hirax who happened to know the guys early on and attests to their upbeat personalities and also that they played inhumanely fast. That gets thrown around a lot regarding bands from this era, but CS clearly went beyond normal hardcore and metal into the spazzcore regions occupied by bands like Void and Siege. The best comment was from someone who pointed out that bands back then played by their own rules and had their own sound in terms of the arrangements and the production. CS might not be all that colorful musically, its tuneless thrash after all,  but they are recognizable.

5/5  not discussed here but their big claim to fame is someone said their name in "Decline 2: the Metal Years" which is probably where most people outside of their native Santa Monica heard of them


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 08, 2022, 08:52:55 AM
RADIO ON (1979): A disc jockey drives across the UK when he learns about his brother's death. One of those slow Antonioni-esque movies, in drab black and white, where nothing really happens and we watch people get haircuts or drink pints in real time. Notable today mainly for its cult soundtrack with David Bowie, Kraftwerk, Robert Fripp, Ian Dury, Devo, etc., and an appearance by a young Sting as a guitar-playing petrol pumper. 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 10, 2022, 01:36:48 AM
Prey.

A worthy addition to the Predator franchise, although it lacks any sense of fun or adventure that you'd find in the first two films. Not quite deep enough for me to term it a thinking person's action movie (although it is close to that territory), not quite a horror film either, but sitting somewhere in between. Those who like their movies to be constant action would be better off getting their fix elsewhere. I've seen a lot of complaints about the CGI, although the only thing I thought was a bit poor was a snake. I feel that is a very minor quibble though. Is it woke? Well, I would say it has certain elements, but nothing you wouldn't find in much older movies (Alien for a start), so I don't really buy that argument myself. Wasn't sure about a few elements of the Predator design, or how the creature seemed so unaware of how its own equipment works. I'd give it somewhere between a 3.5 to a 4.5 out of 5, but I think I'd have to watch it again to finalise a score.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 10, 2022, 11:19:44 AM
"Suburbia" (1984)
Penelope Spheeris followed up her punk doc "The Decline of Western Civilization" with this downer drama that was also set against the backdrop of LA's punk scene. A diverse group of teenage runaways (one of whom is played by a young Flea, later of Chili Peppers fame!) sets up a "squat" in an abandoned house in an derelict suburban development. As the group gradually develops into a strange sort of "family" unit, their presence, looks, and attitude are seen as a threat by the "normals" who live in an adjoining neighborhood, leading to an inevitable violent climax. Not much plot in this one, but it's an engrossing culture-clash flick that also shoehorns in some live footage of D.I. (performing "Richard Hung Himself"), TSOL, and The Vandals. Like "Decline," this one's also a cult classic in punk circles.

"Get Thrashed: The Story of Thrash Metal" (2006)
Rick Ernst's fanboy love letter to the '80s Thrash Metal craze is loaded with ultra-violent live footage, classic clips and photos, and commentary from members of Exodus, Overkill, Slayer, Sodom, Megadeth, Kreator, and many more. As thrash-metal docs go, I think I preferred "Murder In The Front Row" over this one by a hair, but it's still a fun trip down mosh pit memory lane.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 11, 2022, 12:37:27 AM
Cub - pretty decent foreign horror movie. A cub scout troop makes the mistake of going to some haunted woods for a retreat thing. Besides it being the place where there was some sort of working class massacre, its also the legendary home of some homicidal forest kiddo. To make matter even worse, one of the campers is himself a child of horrible violent upbringing or something.

Will he wreak havoc on the campsite? or ironically save the day?

folks, it's not bad. It's a lot better than a lot of stuff, in fact

4.25 / 5

but not perfect


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 11, 2022, 09:04:32 AM
RESURRECTION (2022): Margaret, a successful businesswoman and single mom, becomes alarmed when a man from her past (a creepy Tim Roth) appears in town, taunting her with a buried secret. Great performance by Rebecca Hall as the woman who goes from confident to a nervous wreck in days; the finale (minus epilogue) is not as shocking as some have made it out to be--it's just the unflinching "logical" conclusion to the bizarre premise--but it does satisfy. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 13, 2022, 07:20:17 AM
Ghostbusters: Answer the Call.

I was finally able to watch this for free on Amazon and decided to try and review it as a stand-alone movie, rather than a reboot. Four women, three of whom come off as being very neurotic and fairly unlikeable attempt to start a business hunting ghosts. They hire a charming idiot based on his good looks rather than his talents. The jokes tend to fall flat and failed to raise a single chuckle, tending to rely on the cruder elements of humour at least in the first half hour or so.The bad guy fails to come off as in any way menacing. Other than he is offputting to everyone around him, I didn't quite get why he wanted to end the world, but I found the story dull and hard to pay attention to compared to lets see... the attractions offered by watching paint dry. Plenty of special effects (I'd say that was the highlight of the movie), but the worst thing for me was the soundtrack. I found it really grated on me every time a song came on.

Had this been the first Ghostbusters movie back in the 80s, it would have sunk without a trace and the franchise would never even have started.

No wonder they decided to just go back to the original series. If you really want a fun and funny female-fronted franchise, how about offering up something new and original rather than just trying to retread ground that men have already covered?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 13, 2022, 09:17:41 AM
THE MADS ARE BACK: BATTLE OF THE WORLDS: A rogue planet flies into Earth's orbit, and only elderly scientist Claude Rains--who's kind of a dick--can figure out how to stop the aliens. This Italian production from 1961 spent its whole budget on Rains, leaving nothing left over for the laughably bad plastic-rockets-in-space battles. A decent amount of chuckles. The aftershow guest is a female comic/actress I'd never heard of, who wasn't very interesting. 3/5, I guess.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 14, 2022, 01:47:18 PM
Jurassic World: Dominion.

A bit of a mess plotwise, it seems. It gives you a couple of storylines that it kind of follows without going into too deeply (although I did miss some exposition when I had to take Ash to the toilet, so it might have explained why what was going on, was happening). It was a fun movie regardless though. I felt they were trying to shoehorn a lot of elements in and might have made a better movie if they'd paired them down a little. A fun popcorn movie though, even if the dinosaurs no longer wow quite the way they did back for the first Jurassic Park.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 14, 2022, 03:29:44 PM
Bloody Muscle Body Builder In Hell.

When this came up on my Amazon profile I figured I had to check it out. It looks very much like it was filmed in the 80s but made to look like it was filmed in the 70s. Guessing the director was very inspired by Evil Dead. Three people go into an old house and find it is haunted by the spirit of one of their fathers who killed his girlfriend in self-defence when she attacked him with a knife. One of the trio is a psychic and the spirit is able to take over his body, increasing her own power at the same time. Lots of buckets of blood being thrown around and piles of what look like mincemeat and plasticine for special effects. At just over an hour long, it doesn't overstay its welcome.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 15, 2022, 04:30:56 PM
"American Hardcore" (2006)
Absorbing documentary based on Steven Blush's book on the rise and fall of the USA's hardcore punk scene, which spread like wildfire across the country in the early 80s before fizzling out by the end of the decade. Loaded with ultra-violent pit footage and interviews and commentary from members of Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Bad Brains, SS Decontrol, Gang Green, Minor Threat, Agnostic Front, and many more. I'm not even a particularly big hardcore fan, but I still enjoyed this doc.

"Day Shift" (2022)
Highly entertaining Netflix horror/action comedy about a divorced, down-on-his-luck Southern California vampire hunter (Jamie Foxx)who's reduced to cleaning swimming pools during the day to make ends meet. Eventually these two worlds collide when he uncovers a plot by a powerful lady vamp who's developed a way for bloodsuckers to walk during daylight hours. Funny as hell, ultra-violent and gory as hell too. Extra metal points for the use of "Body Count's In The House" during a pivotal fight scene.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 17, 2022, 08:42:09 PM
"Porndemic" (2020)
Intriguing documentary that takes us back to the mid '90s, when the "adult entertainment" industry was raking in bushels of cash and very nearly approaching mainstream acceptance... until an outbreak of HIV infections within the "performing" community caused everybody to slam on the brakes. The "source" of the outbreak was eventually narrowed down to one guy - actor Marc Wallice, who naturally was immediately blacklisted and his life destroyed, but apparently there are still some people in the industry today who believe Marc was thrown under the bus because he was a convenient scapegoat. No matter how you slice it, porn is a dirty business. and this doc proves it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 18, 2022, 09:42:27 AM
MOTHER SCHMUCKERS (2021): Two Belgian idiots (who are first glimpsed frying poo) lose their prostitute mother's dog and are given a deadline to recover him, leading to 24 hours of madness. It's rambunctious and offensive, with scatological humor and bestiality, but the annoying leads make Dumb and Dumber looker smart and Beavis and Butthead look classy, and I'd rather stomp on their heads than watch their lame shock antics. The great French actor Mathieu Amalric somehow got roped into a cameo. 1/5, you could go 2/5 if you really like grossout/shock humor.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on August 18, 2022, 11:52:28 AM
MOTHER SCHMUCKERS (2021): Two Belgian idiots (who are first glimpsed frying poo)

Oy  :buggedout: +  :teddyr: :teddyr: :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 18, 2022, 02:45:38 PM
Pasture (2020) this was good but a little hard to describe. A mentally ill woman gets treated by a Dr who may or may not have also impregnated her and in general doesn't do a very good job treating her, as she seems to mostly get worse and try to escape. I should watch it again. The acting and the drama were done well and its a lot more substantial than most modern movie offerings. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 20, 2022, 01:28:08 AM
The Long Goodbye - Very different take on a Phillip Marlowe film.  I liked the intro a fair bit and the sense of style and music usage is interesting, a lot of good character beats (I like Marlowe talking to the goon who is following him), but I found it too meandering and unfocused for much of the middle.  Great ending though.  Might be better on a rewatch or in a different frame of mind than I was in.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 20, 2022, 11:14:33 AM
THE MADS: A NIGHT OF SHORTS 4: A nice selection of shorts, including three episodes of a very poorly animated space cartoon among the usual pleas towards etiquette (and an angry anti-coffee break abuse industrial short). No guest, but since it was the one-year anniversary of the show, they put together a 10-minute "greatest hits" reel of jokes from previous episodes. One of their better shows. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 21, 2022, 09:10:41 AM
BEYOND THE INFINITE TWO MINUTES (2021): A cafe owner gets a video message from himself from a short time in the future, and gradually his friends and acquaintances get drawn in and start scheming how to turn two minutes of advance notice to their advantage. Just when you think there's nothing more to be done with the time travel formula comes this impressively scripted and choreographed (it appears to be done in one take) low budget gem from Japan. Free on Amazon Prime and only a little over an hour long. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 23, 2022, 07:09:28 AM
"Randy Rhoads: Reflections of a Guitar Icon" (2022)
The short but influential life and career of Quiet Riot and Ozzy guitar legend Randy Rhoads is examined in this documentary filled with vintage clips, photos, and interviews with former band mates, family, and friends. I was particularly fascinated by the many live videos of Randy playing with Quiet Riot during their L.A. club days, most of which I'd never seen before. Longtime fans probably won't learn anything new from this doc, but otherwise this is cool stuff for classic metal trivia nerds.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 23, 2022, 09:25:15 PM
"Prey" (2021)
Not to be confused with the new "Predator" sequel by the same name currently streaming on Hulu, this German production (dubbed into English) is a Netflix original. Five guys on a hiking expedition in a remote forest suddenly find themselves under fire by an unknown sniper, and have to put aside their personal differences in order to get out alive. Pretty standard survival-thriller stuff, with a few moments of suspense. Not great, but not terrible. Six months from now I will probably have forgotten that I even saw this.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 26, 2022, 03:07:43 PM
Mentors: kings of Sleaze documentary  -  When I was like 10 they had 2 Mentors albums in my local small town record store.They were in the Heavy Metal section. Both looked pretty silly and I didn't think of buying them, but they did make an impression, I guess.

This documentary aims to show that they were actually pretty good and it appears they were, at least live. Unfortunately, or maybe just logically, the sleazy alcohol and drug saturated lifestyle described in their songs was a reflection of reality. They had no idea how to save money or pace themselves in any way, always perpetually in their last days. Somehow it lasted decades though.

The doc briefly examines the rumor that Courtney Love had contacted El Duce to assassinate Kurt Cobain. The idea is completely ridiculous on its face, but it did give The Mentors some free publicity. They also benefited from the mid 80's PMRC thing. The East Coast had GG Allin, the West Coast had the Mentors. They both represent a scummy insane element of rock n roll that was there from the beginning and will never die. 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 27, 2022, 06:44:29 PM
MST3K: THE BATWOMAN: The experiment is Mexican junk in which a Batwoman in a bikini (who doubles as a luchador, naturally) fights a mad scientist who's turning wrestlers into fish-men; meanwhile, back on the Moon, Kinga and Pearl are on a time-travel vacation, leaving a flustered Max and Synthia in control. The scenery in Batwoman is nice (I mean Acapulco, of course) and the movie is certainly goofy, but I didn't think the writing on this one held up. To me, this is #7 out of the 8 current Gizmoplex episodes. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 27, 2022, 06:56:29 PM
"Avalanche" (1978)
The grand opening of a swanky new Colorado ski resort comes to a grinding halt when a mountain full of snow breaks loose and buries a group of character actors including Robert Forster, Rock Hudson, and Mia Farrow. Icy mayhem ensues.
Pretty typical late 70s disaster junk, the first half of the movie sets up the usual pointless soap-opera bullsh*t between the various characters and then the second half knocks'em all off in various wintry ways.  Enjoyably silly crap.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 27, 2022, 08:40:24 PM
Shocking Dark, AKA Terminator 2 (1989): what a pile of dog****.  Despite the title most of this movie is an incredibly blatant Aliens ripoff.  Like, almost scene for scene and line for line, only with none of the skill or competence of Jim Cameron.  Then the last 30 minutes rips off The Terminator and does a godawful job of it.  It's stunning too - they ripoff sequences, but can't pull off key moments and just ignore that rather that cutting them down.  It's like they decided they had to rip it off as close as possible, even when cutting it down would be simpler and less godawful.  Good example, they recreate the bit where the xenomorphs are getting closer and closer and eventually are in the room.  This includes the bit where they're like "that would be inside the room with us!".  Except in Shocking Dark they're in a giant open room, and there's never a reveal of how they got in - there's just an edit and they're somehow inside now.  Just completely braindead.

On the plus side, this is is an Italian ripoff actually shot in English, and the performances are really bad.  Sometimes funny bad.  Also the film is set in Venice, and a few parts are visibly Venice...  But most of it is just in stupid looking factories and warehouses with bad costumes.  A lot of it is boring too.

All told, this is the worst Bruno Mattei effort I've seen.  Zombi 3 looks like inspired genius in comparison. 

1/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 27, 2022, 10:08:40 PM
Continuing my double shot of wintry '70s cheez on a hot summer day:

"Snowbeast" (1977)
A Colorado ski resort's annual Winter Carnival is threatened by the appearance of a Bigfoot-like creature who snatches ski bunnies off the slopes and leaves mangled corpses in his wake. Eventually the sheriff and a couple of ski patrol members mount up a posse to hunt the critter down.
Essentially a land-locked, wintry "Jaws" variant, this made-for-TV horror movie has lots of purty mountain scenery, but the mayhem is subdued thanks to network standards & practices, and when you finally see the creature, I swear he looks like "The Bumble" from "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer."
Not altogether terrible, but strictly average.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 28, 2022, 02:59:27 AM
Continuing my double shot of wintry '70s cheez on a hot summer day:

"Snowbeast" (1977)
A Colorado ski resort's annual Winter Carnival is threatened by the appearance of a Bigfoot-like creature who snatches ski bunnies off the slopes and leaves mangled corpses in his wake. Eventually the sheriff and a couple of ski patrol members mount up a posse to hunt the critter down.
Essentially a land-locked, wintry "Jaws" variant, this made-for-TV horror movie has lots of purty mountain scenery, but the mayhem is subdued thanks to network standards & practices, and when you finally see the creature, I swear he looks like "The Bumble" from "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer."
Not altogether terrible, but strictly average.

I remember watching this one on TV waaaaay back.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on August 28, 2022, 03:06:50 AM
MST3K: THE BATWOMAN: The experiment is Mexican junk in which a Batwoman in a bikini (who doubles as a luchador, naturally) fights a mad scientist who's turning wrestlers into fish-men; meanwhile, back on the Moon, Kinga and Pearl are on a time-travel vacation, leaving a flustered Max and Synthia in control. The scenery in Batwoman is nice (I mean Acapulco, of course) and the movie is certainly goofy, but I didn't think the writing on this one held up. To me, this is #7 out of the 8 current Gizmoplex episodes. 2.5/5.

My favourite scene in the movie is when the mad scientist has had a run in with Batwoman, and then sees her without her disguise snooping around his yacht, unlike any villain in any Batman adjacent version ever, he immediately puts two and two together and goes: that must be Batwoman.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on August 28, 2022, 03:16:34 AM
Chungking Express (1994)

This consists of two stories told consecutively. In the first, a brokenhearted cop has a brief infatuation with a femme fatale drugrunner. In the second, another cop who was dumped by his girlfriend attracts the attention of a manic pixie dream girl. Wong Kar Wai is at the top of his game here, and the first section can serve as an example to modern filmmakers that you don't need two hours to create a world and characters. Whether you'll like the second depends a lot upon your tolerance levels for whimsy and manic pixie dream girls. Mine are pretty low.
Anyway, visuals and atmosphere are much more important than plot in both.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 28, 2022, 02:05:48 PM
In Snowbeast did they have Baked Alaska for desert at the lodge?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 28, 2022, 10:07:16 PM
"Max Reload and the Nether Blasters" (2020)
A teenage gamer mysteriously comes into possession of an extremely rare, long-lost '80s video game cartridge. Unfortunately, the game has a curse on it that releases an ancient evil into the world when he plays it. Now he has to assemble a "team" of fellow players (and the estranged programmers of the original game) to try and stop it.
...this was a fun, low budget sci-fi/action/fantasy comedy, apparently funded by a Kickstarter campaign, that should appeal to fans of "Ready Player One," "Pixels," and "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World." The young cast members are fine, and a few familiar faces like Greg Grunberg and Kevin "Clerks" Smith turn up in supporting roles. Not bad for a random Tubi pick.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 29, 2022, 09:24:29 AM
WALKER (1987): The true story of William Walker, a 19th century adventurer who raises a mercenary army with the backing of Commodore Vanderbilt and goes to Nicaragua to join their civil war and bring democracy to the country, but becomes mad with power and becomes dictator for two years until he's deposed and executed. Imagine "Aguirre the Wrath of God" directed by Ken Russell (if he was obsessed with politics instead of sex and Catholicism). Ed Harris gives a good performance and Alex "Repo Man" Cox keeps the anti-colonialism satire on-the-nose (Walker only speaks English to his mistress, who only speaks Spanish to him) but still effective and cutting. Universal gave it a decent mid-sized budget but barely released the final product, and Cox's career was basically over. Underrated. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 29, 2022, 02:03:26 PM
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1920) - pretty good version with the great John Barrymore as the infamous doc. If you liked the 1931 version you'll probably appreciate this. It's a little more basic and it's not one of the great silent films but it does the job.

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 29, 2022, 02:43:26 PM
Corbin Nash.

With that name, I expected some sort of 80s US cop show. Well, in fairness it is about a cop. Malcolm McDowell, Rutger Hauer and Corey Feldman all appear in this, although I suspect it isn't top of their resumes. Corey Feldman plays a psychotic vampire drag queen, which might be worth the price of admission alone if this is your thing. The story jumps back and forwards a bit in time, which I managed to follow with no problem, but judging from the reviews caused some confusion for some viewers.

I'd love to rate this one higher for its cast or for the Queeny, but I can't justify it. Not completely awful if you have nothing else you want to do, but not really worth deliberately tracking down (it does have a higher than usual nudity content which might be enough for some).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 30, 2022, 09:00:51 PM
Vera Cruz - Interesting Western with Burt Lancaster and Gary Cooper.  They're both after gold they can steal from the Mexican army while escorting it, and it's a question of who betrays who.  This is a clear ancestor to the mercenary films and shifting alliances/betrayals/dark antiheroes of Spagheti Westerns in the 1960s, only in 1954.  It's a solid Western on its own too. 

Burt Lancaster steals the show, with his antihero with a very evil slow grin.  Very entertaining and good performance.  He's ten times more charismatic than Gary Cooper, who is so flat and boring in this one I'm baffled he has two Oscars.  Fast-paced with a lot of violence and surprisingly high body count.  You also get appearances by Caesar Romero, Ernest Borgnine, and Charles Bronson.

Not a great film, but worth a watch.  7/10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 30, 2022, 09:27:07 PM
"Piranha" (aka "Piranha 3D," 2010)
An earthquake causes a fissure beneath an Arizona lake that allows prehistoric, very hungry piranhas to surface from an underground cave... just as hordes of Spring Breakers arrive for a week of fun, sun, and fornication. You can probably figure out how well that works out for everybody.
Alexandre ("High Tension") Aja's affectionate homage to Joe Dante's 1978 fish tale is fast-moving, extremely gory, and loaded with quality T&A. What more do you need to have a good time?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 31, 2022, 03:05:50 PM
the Andy Baker tape (2021) - decent found footage drama/ horror that could have used a female presence to soften it up a bit*. If these movies are any indication, youtube stars are really ruthless in their quest for fame and fortune. Then again, it could just be a convenient way to get them to do ridiculous and dangerous things? who knows

An annoying social media guy finds a long lost half brother through an ancestry site and figures he could use it as a gimmick on his show. When he meets the guy, something is clearly off about him but it seems to work on camera so he perseveres. One plot hole is the youtube show itself that he makes seems pretty stupid.


4.25/5 a step up from the typical found footage experience

* or something. I just think it's weird when there are no women in a movie

edit: true to the films focus, the imdb reviews seem to be full of fake 10/10s written by friends


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 31, 2022, 09:37:57 PM
"Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster" (2004)
Documentary makers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky ("Paradise Lost") spent nearly three years filming Metallica through the long, slow process of creating the still-controversial St. Anger album. The result is a fascinating, warts-n-all portrait that shows the troubled band members dealing with Jason Newsted's exit, James Hetfield's first trip to rehab, and the lengthy group therapy sessions with a "performance coach" hired by their management, who helps them hash out some long-simmering personal issues that have been held back for years.
This flick probably won't make you like St. Anger any better, but at the very least you'll understand why it turned out to be such a mess. At the time, the band members were so screwed up that they had no business trying to make a record.
Netflix has paired this doc with a mostly pointless, 26 minute follow up short called Metallica: The Monster Lives, in which the band sits down ten years later to discuss the effects that the documentary experience had on them.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 01, 2022, 10:00:14 AM
SQUEAL (2021): A man traveling in Latvia accidentally runs over a pig and returns to the pig-farmers' home, where the locals chain him up in the pig-sty. Described as a "dark fairy tale," this horror-adjacent feature never really develops in a solid direction, and isn't as interesting as it should have been given the kinky premise. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 01, 2022, 09:45:46 PM
"Requiem For A Scream" (2022)
A group of twenty-somethings (led by the always-welcome Cassie "Sharknado" Scerbo, who still can't act worth a damn, but her cleavage is glorious as ever) gathers at a secluded lake house to honor the passing of one of their friends. Unfortunately, their party is crashed by a masked killer who records the screams of his victims and uses them to compose a symphony of death sounds.
...this Tubi Original is nothin' fancy, just your typical low budget slasher junk. The cast is decent, there's a few good kills, and the "symphony" bit is an interesting hook, but  the characters are all such idiots that they deserve everything that happens to them.
If this is the best that Tubi can come up with for original content, the bigger streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, etc. probably won't have to worry much about the competition.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 03, 2022, 08:04:14 AM
OFFSEASON (2022): A woman is called to a remote island just before the bridge to the mainland shuts for the season to investigate the desecration of her mother's grave. A good performance by the lead and some spooky moments in the back half can't save a horror movie that feels to familiar, and purposeless, to boot. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 04, 2022, 02:04:25 AM
xxxHolic (2022)

This is the live adaptation of the manga. High school student Kimihiro Watanuki has the ability to see evil spirits, and is constantly harassed by them. He comes across the magic shop of Yuko, a witch who has the power to grant wishes, at a price. He wishes to lose his ability so see ghosts, and in return becomes the cook/servant for Yuko. However things get complicated, and he discovers there may be a use for his ability after all.

The movie remains faithful to the original look and feel of the manga, and is clearly done by a fan. The director went to extraordinary lengths for the visual design, and the writer managed to cobble together a mostly coherent plot out of the rambling story lines of the manga. The whole thing falls a bit flat, however. While it is not bad, it feels more like an episode of a drama than a fantasy extravaganza. The main actors do a decent job, but none stand out.
Mainly of interest for fans of the manga.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 04, 2022, 10:43:57 PM
"Bathtubs Over Broadway" (2018)
In the early 1990s Steve Young, a writer for David Letterman's Late Show, was assigned to dig up some weird record albums for a bit on the program, which led him to discover the wild, weird world of Industrial Musicals of the 1950s, '60s, and '70s. Back in the day, major American corporations would regularly stage lavish Broadway-style musical shows about new products and innovations for their annual conventions and sales meetings to fire up their employees, and the "souvenir records" from such performances have become rare, obscure collectibles. As Steve digs deeper into this forgotten corner of the music world, he becomes one of the leading authorities on the subject, and eventually tracks down some of the songwriters and stars of these long forgotten productions to give them a long overdue moment in the sun. I love when a documentary teaches me about weird/obscure stuff I know nothing about, and this one definitely qualifies. Bizarre, hilarious, and unexpectedly heartwarming. A pleasant surprise.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on September 05, 2022, 01:08:23 PM
Anastasia - I remember thinking this was middle when I saw it when it was new, but on a second watch it's actually pretty good.  Seeing it on blu ray helps, a lot of the animation is beautiful (though occasionally, some background plates seem a bit weak).  The storyline works, though it isn't especially strong, and most of the voice cast does good work.  It's also probably got the best original songs of a non-Disney 2D film in the 90s, even scoring an Oscar nom for one.  Worth watching, see it in HD for sure.

Ocean Waves - Ultra grounded lesser known Ghibli film.  Simple slice of life story, you have to pay attention to this one to see the subtle undercurrents going on in parts.  It's not deep, just not always obvious.  It works, good characters, well animated if obviously more budget limited than other Ghibli works.  It's also barely over an hour.  Check it out on HBO Max.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 05, 2022, 02:57:06 PM
GIRL ON THE THIRD FLOOR (2019) - A former hotshot investment banker, fired from his job in disgrace for embezzling, is renovating an old house in a small town so he and his pregnant wife can move in and start over, with only his dog for company.  Then he meets a mysterious, beautiful young woman named Sarah, who quickly talks him into a fling.  But then weird stuff starts happening, and he finds out the house was a bordello 100 years ago - and that a young woman mysteriously died there.  Now Sarah keeps showing up, demanding more attention from him when he's trying to finish the house and already regretting the brief affair.   Things escalate very quickly, and before you know it he's wondering if Sarah is even human . . . nice creepy atmospheric horror flick.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 06, 2022, 07:07:27 PM
"Jason X" (2002)
The tenth "Friday The 13th" installment is also the most insane one yet. In this slasher/sci-fi mashup, The Big J is cryogenically frozen in the early 2000s, and re-discovered 400 years later by a futuristic salvage crew. When the team makes the terrible decision to bring the Jason-sicle back to their space ship and thaw him out, it leads to havoc on an inter-galactic level.
As long as you can wrap your head around the utterly absurd concept, "Jason X" is a fast paced, funny as hell, ultra violent hoot. I've found that it works best if you treat it as a parody of the "F13" films rather than a legitimate series entry.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 07, 2022, 01:38:10 AM
We Have Always Lived In The Castle.

A surprisingly faithful adaptation of the Shirley Jackson novel (if there were any major deviations from the book, I didn't notice them) with a few recognisable names (Alexandra Daddario, Crispin Glover, and Sebastian Stan). If you are a fan, I'd recommend checking it out.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 07, 2022, 05:52:08 AM
DEEP MURDER - This rather odd movie starts off like a classic Cinemax bom-chick-a-wow-wow flick (minus the actual nudity) which devolves into a murder mystery with some amazingly shallow, stupid characters and some of the corniest dialogue I've ever heard.  It was one of those "so stupid it was funny" flicks that slowly devolved into "ok, it's just stupid."  But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't entertained. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 07, 2022, 09:23:02 PM
"Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" (2022)
Marvel's sorcerous hero returns for his second solo adventure, battling against a souped-up, seriously p**sed off Wanda Maximoff, aka The Scarlet Witch, who wants to capture a young girl with the ability to "hop" between various universes -- which could have disastrous consequences for all realities. As usual, there's tons of action and eye popping, and plenty of reality bending special effects. Sam Raimi (of "Evil Dead" and "Spider-Man" fame) was the perfect choice to direct, given his background in horror/supernatural flicks. Creepy-cool popcorn fun!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 08, 2022, 08:44:19 AM
BIG GOLD BRICK (2022): A suicidal writer accepts a commission to write the biography of the eccentric man who hit him with his car; the resulting adventures involve gambling, a taking Santa Claus doll, a bank robbery, and psychic powers. With Andy Garcia, Megan Fox, Lucy Hale and (a should be embarassed) Oscar Isaac in the cast, someone should have been motivated to whip the script into something passable, but instead the story just wanders from side to side---for more than two hours. Who is first time director Brian Pestos and what does he have on Isaac and Kristen Wiig to force them to produce this self-indulgent disaster? 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 09, 2022, 12:14:46 PM
Jersey Shore Shark Attack.

I cheered for the sharks.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on September 09, 2022, 09:44:05 PM
Jersey Shore Shark Attack.

I cheered for the sharks.

😂😂


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 09, 2022, 10:00:29 PM
INFLUENCE - A well-done Spanish horror film, vaguely reminiscent of HEREDITARY, in which a young girl fights against being possessed by the spirit of her wicked, dying grandmother, a powerful but now-comatose witch.  My viewing was interrupted several times during the first half hour, but once I settled into the heart of the story I was very impressed with it. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 10, 2022, 09:56:55 AM
MST3K: THE MILLION EYES OF SUMURU: Secret agent George Nader and Playboy wonder sidekick Frankie Avalon battle an all-girl gang bent on world domination, whose only weakness is they're all secretly boy crazy. Klaus Kinski also appears. The movie (adapted from a Sax Rohmer story) was apparently intended as a campy comedy; my theory is they half-heartedly tried to change it into one mid-filming when they realized it wasn't working as an action movie. It's kind of fascinating, kind of boring, but I laughed a lot. Host segments are a mixed bag; a couple of spy based ones with Jonah and the bots worked, while the ones that seem to be setting up an ongoing plotline left me cold. Surely worth a 3/5 maybe even 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 11, 2022, 08:37:48 AM
"The Retaliator" (aka "Programmed To Kill," 1987)
A female terrorist (Sandahl Bergman) is seriously wounded during her capture by the CIA. Scientists turn what's left of her into a powerful cyborg that they can control, and send her out to destroy the rest of her comrades. Of course, she eventually shakes off the re-programming and starts going after the men who created her instead. Robert "The Exterminator" Ginty is a mercenary called out of retirement to stop her. Pretty typical '80s low budget action stuff with a heavy "Terminator" influence. Not terrible but not a must-see.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on September 11, 2022, 04:31:00 PM
PARASITE (2019)

Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.

SPOILERS AHEAD

I wanted to watch this thing after all the raving reviews, and now I'm angry, because I hated this movie. I couldn't stand the main cast, the rich family was actually quite pleasant, I wanted to know more about them, they seemed like nice people.
Boring, long, and it wasn't nearly as funny as everybody says. While it did had some nice shots, mainly during the flooding scenes, the rest is the same locations over and over. I don't even remember if it had music.

A lot of stuff hapenning was way too far fetched. Apparently this family of people who can't fold a pizza box becomes a team of master scammers in a week, and then proceed to make the most absurd decisions ever nonstop, fueled by greed and resentment.
The reason behind Kim's final crime still eludes me. I know it has to do with the whole "crossing the line" and "odor" thing, but come on... that's his breaking point? It's not even like Park Hoon said it to his face, he actually kept it for himself when he could've just fired him at the spot.
I simply never felt like he was actually a bad guy, he looked like an honest, hard working, family man. I simply couldn't see the "discrimination" from him, when he actually hires everyone without even checking their backgrounds, and is willing to pay them handsomely. It's not even like he exploits them or anything.

Many lines seemed to be there for no reason. At the end, Kim expresses remorse for his crime, yet we never see him redeem himself, nor repent in any other form, like turning himself in. Then why leave the line there? Same thing happened when the mother of the kid tells the story of the ghost. At this point we know is the guy living in the basement, so what's the point of the story now? Wouldn't be better to tell it before that revelation, so it comes as a bigger surprise? What was the whole point of the Morse code from the husband, if the kid never tells anything? I get that it helps with the resolution, but Kim could've gotten to that idea by himself.

I think it's beyond overrated, it has way too many holes, it's boring, and the message is just not that deep. I'm so tired of the whole "rich people are evil because they have money and therefore do evil things" stuff. 2/10, take your Oscars and get away from my face.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on September 13, 2022, 09:40:18 AM
I watched two new movies with actual teenage casts.  One of them was apparently done by a highschool. 

Horror High (also known as Tardy Terror) was the one done by the highschool.  It's not the greatest movie ever, but they put some effort into it and it's got a fairly good monster in it.  It mostly takes place in a higschool where the bells to get to class seem to ring unexpectedly.  When they do everybody has to rush to class because the classroom doors slowly seal themselves closed.  If you're caught outside of class I pretty spiffy looking monster will get you.  The teachers and the rest of the twon seem to be undersome sort of not-really-explained that well hypnotism or mindcontrol so they don't seem to treat it like it's abnormal.  It doesn't make a lot of sense, but there's a certain dream-like logic to it.  if you don't look for plot hole's it's worth catching.  The ending does kinda of wuss out on you though and the pizza dud/esurfer/stoner character is really bad. 

The other movie I caught was Where the Scary Things Are.  After watching the movie, I still don't know where they are.  There really wasn't anything scary in the movie.  It revolves around a group of truly horrible teeangers, who tresspass, blackmail others, and upload bum fights to the internet.  One of them even sets a bums hat on fire while he sleeps so he can film it.  In short, really horrible people.  When I first watched it, I though "This movie is doing a pretty good job at setting up entertaining characters to hate."  As the movie went on, I realized that these where the characters I was supposed to be cheering for.  Anyway, the plot?   The students are given a classroom assignment to star their own Urban Legend.  Then they happen to capture the Tarman from Return of the Living Dead and keep him in a flimsy shed.  They upload videos of the monster.  ... that's about it.  Towards the very end they lead some people not at all deserving to die to the monster and then it gets loose and kills them.  The monster has a habbit of biting people really hard on the neck and then they die. 

One character is nicknamed "Snack" for no apparent reason.  He's the only one that doesn't get bit.  I'm not sure if that was supposed to be clever or not. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 13, 2022, 10:09:46 AM
AFTER BLUE (DIRTY PARADISE) (2021): Check this out: on the all-female planet "After Blue," an ingenue digs up a woman in the sand, who turns out to be the monstrous killer "Kate Bush," and her and her mother are tasked with killing it. A bizarre, erotic scenario staged on psychedelic sets, there's always something cool to look at; I just wish the characters had been given interesting things to say or do on those colorful sets. A missed opportunity for a cult movie from Bertrand Mandico. In French. 2.5/5.

HUSTLE (2022): A hustling NBA scout (Adam Sandler) with hopes of entering coaching stakes his career on an under-the-radar freak athlete from Spain with anger-management problems. It has all the disadvantages of "Rocky"-style inspirational sports stories---predictable plot arcs, contrived obstacles and opportunities, can't go left---but it's entertaining enough to earn a tryout, even if it's unlikely to make it into your regular rotation. The dozens of NBA cameos, from Anthony Edwards to Dr. J, are a treat for basketball fans. On Netflix. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on September 13, 2022, 10:22:45 AM
"Jason X" (2002)
The tenth "Friday The 13th" installment is also the most insane one yet. In this slasher/sci-fi mashup, The Big J is cryogenically frozen in the early 2000s, and re-discovered 400 years later by a futuristic salvage crew. When the team makes the terrible decision to bring the Jason-sicle back to their space ship and thaw him out, it leads to havoc on an inter-galactic level.
As long as you can wrap your head around the utterly absurd concept, "Jason X" is a fast paced, funny as hell, ultra violent hoot. I've found that it works best if you treat it as a parody of the "F13" films rather than a legitimate series entry.
I think legitimate entires into that series had already reached the "treat it like a parody" level before that movie. 

With that said, I liked the movie. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 14, 2022, 09:42:32 AM
TINY CINEMA (2022): Anthology of six short horror comedy/black comedy installments involving necrophilia, erectile dysfunction, time-traveling self love, geriatric lovemaking, dad lycanthropy, and an unusual obsession with the "what she said" joke (the first and worst of the lot). These shorts are extremely well-made, technically speaking, for their budget, although the jokes tend to be modest and overplayed even at a brief 15 minutes each. Entries were expanded from a webseries, and probably worked better as microshorts. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 14, 2022, 02:12:05 PM
Dark Water (2003) - Japanese horror movie I wasn't that into. A woman moves into an apartment building and they start to see a ghost girl who went missing before they moved in. It's got that slow Japanese style. I guess if yuo are really tired of over the top CGI and so forth it could be refreshing, but I don't watch any of that stuff so it was mostly just a spare horror movie that had some good parts but overall not too entertaining

3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 14, 2022, 03:13:58 PM
Dark Water (2003) - Japanese horror movie I wasn't that into. A woman moves into an apartment building and they start to see a ghost girl who went missing before they moved in. It's got that slow Japanese style. I guess if yuo are really tired of over the top CGI and so forth it could be refreshing, but I don't watch any of that stuff so it was mostly just a spare horror movie that had some good parts but overall not too entertaining

3/5

I cannot recommend the US remake (even if it does have Jennifer Connolly in it). A bit too slow moving.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 15, 2022, 09:57:34 AM
RISK (2017): This documentary follows Julian Assange from 2010 to 2016 as he plays games of legal cat and mouse with authorities, while facilitating information leaks. A portrait of a troubling and complicated man, equal parts radical idealist and Machiavellian manipulator, with director Laura Poitras attaining an unprecedented level of access to the cloistered activist. I didn't know what to think about Assange before this documentary and I still don't know what to think about him afterwards. He's done some good things, but he's not trustworthy, and his response to the sexual abuse allegations against him---that it's a conspiracy by "radical feminists"---rings hollow (just watch his defense lawyer's dismayed reaction as she tries to coach him on how to talk to the press). The director debuted this at Cannes but had to re-cut it after the DNC email dump. There's also a bizarre scene where Lady Gaga visits Assange while he's holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy and conducts a strange interview with him. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 15, 2022, 03:05:43 PM
Fresh.

The Winter Soldier kidnaps women and keeps them alive as long as possible while carving bits of them off for lunch or selling bits for large sums of money to other people who share his tastes.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 15, 2022, 06:00:38 PM
"Morbius" (2022)
A brilliant scientist who's dying of an incurable blood disease finally discovers a cure for his condition... but it grants him unexpected,  vampiric abilities that require him to drink blood to keep the symptoms from returning. As the Doc attempts to figure out how to undo the side effect, another less scrupulous sufferer takes the "cure" and he has no problems with killing innocents to keep his disease at bay.
I wasn't expecting much from this mediocre "Spider-Man" spinoff, which tanked at the box office earlier this year, but it wasn't as bad as the word of mouth suggested. Jared Leto's performance as Morbius is fine and the special effects are decent, but the villain is kinda lame.
Without the Marvel branding, this would be just another generic horror/action flick like any random "Underworld" or "Resident Evil" entry. Watchable, but forgettable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on September 16, 2022, 09:17:57 AM
"Morbius" (2022)
A brilliant scientist who's dying of an incurable blood disease finally discovers a cure for his condition... but it grants him unexpected,  vampiric abilities that require him to drink blood to keep the symptoms from returning. As the Doc attempts to figure out how to undo the side effect, another less scrupulous sufferer takes the "cure" and he has no problems with killing innocents to keep his disease at bay.
I wasn't expecting much from this mediocre "Spider-Man" spinoff, which tanked at the box office earlier this year, but it wasn't as bad as the word of mouth suggested. Jared Leto's performance as Morbius is fine and the special effects are decent, but the villain is kinda lame.
Without the Marvel branding, this would be just another generic horror/action flick like any random "Underworld" or "Resident Evil" entry. Watchable, but forgettable.
That was pretty much my thoughts on Morbius.  It wasn't horrible, but it's not something you'd ever be recommending to your friends. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 17, 2022, 03:23:57 PM
Magnum Force (1973) - Clint Eastwood is incredible as Harry Callahan, the archetypal cop who "plays by his own rules". His performance is a little one note, but it's a damn good note. He's a cop who hates the system but its working to change it from the inside, so what happens when he bumps up against vigilantes who are dispensing street justice to people who largely deserve it? That's good tension, you have to admit.


I've never seen the original so have to check that out tonight. I'm told it's better so I'll give this one

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on September 17, 2022, 03:56:56 PM
Fresh.

The Winter Soldier kidnaps women and keeps them alive as long as possible while carving bits of them off for lunch or selling bits for large sums of money to other people who share his tastes.

I thought you were joking about The Winter Soldier doing that and after googling the title, I see you weren't joking 😳😳😉🐢


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 17, 2022, 04:08:26 PM
Fresh.

The Winter Soldier kidnaps women and keeps them alive as long as possible while carving bits of them off for lunch or selling bits for large sums of money to other people who share his tastes.

I thought you were joking about The Winter Soldier doing that and after googling the title, I see you weren't joking 😳😳😉🐢

It isn't a bad movie if you fancy a thriller.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 17, 2022, 04:32:42 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: BRIDE OF THE MONSTER: You know the movie: Bela Lugosi tries to create an atomic-powered "rice of pipples" with help from Tor Johnson and hindrance from Ed Wood. The riffing is... OK. You already know all the beats. Guest was Rachel Lichtman; I didn't know who she was before and, honestly, don't know much more now---they didn't do a good job of introducing her or really explaining her current project except to promise we'd love it. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 17, 2022, 10:07:05 PM
THE PERFECTION (2018)

Charlotte, former virtuoso cellist, left the demanding concert tour to care for her aging mother several years ago.  Now that her mother has passed, she decides to reconnect with her former instructor and his current prodigy, a young girl named Lizzie. They quickly become friends, and then lovers.  But when Lizzie invites Charlotte to join her on a ramble through the Chinese countryside, things go sideways in a hurry, spiraling into a maelstrom of sickness, madness, mutilation, and revenge.  This ultra-twisty tale of music and vengeance kept me guessing right up to the end.  VERY well done!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on September 18, 2022, 07:15:59 AM
I just watched "Out There Halloween Mega Tape". 

It's the sort-of sequel to WNUF Halloween special that I talked about a while back. 

Out There is presented as an old bootleg VHS tape of two local TV Halloween specials.  One of them being from a trash talk show, the other, set years later as the talk show host has been cancelled and now works as host for an low budget show.  This new show is one of those "Alien visitors:  Are they real?" they things, and there's a wonderful twist at the end that nobody will see coming. 

The DVD features "original commercials" that feel like they were pulled right out of the early 90s when the movie was set, and the whole thing is done with a wonderfully retro bad TV quality. 

Plus it has a great looking "cheap Halloween" style box.  There's even an guest star actor that talks about all the scary movies he's been in and it feel like he's reading things straight from our make a bad movie title topic.  (He's not, but it's the same kind of quality badness.)

(https://i.imgur.com/1UJRF0v.jpg)
Look at this.  This is art. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 18, 2022, 09:33:34 AM
TIN CAN (2021): An epidemiologist finds herself kidnapped and imprisoned in a steel canister while a deadly plague rages outside. Does a lot of things right, creating a doom-laden atmosphere and capturing the cinematic nature of claustrophobia; on the other hand, many in the audience will feel cheated out of anything resembling an answer to the questions the script raises---it starts out like CUBE but ends up like an even more obscure variant of BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on September 18, 2022, 10:53:22 PM
Morbius - Maybe not as bad as the memes would have you believe, but still genuinely bad.  The writing is just terrible, character motivations are bad, most performances aren't great.  It's also clearly been hacked up, and a number of sequences barely make sense.  The highlight of the film is Matt Smith, who seems to be having a ball in it.  See it only if you're morbidly curious.

Thor: Love and Thunder.  Passably entertaining, but still kind of tiresome in the way the MCU films have become to me.  It's just really hard to care.  Jane coming back is clunky, the fight sequences in green screen rooms against obviously fake opponents are boring and always the same, it repeats the same horizontal slow mo shots from Ragnarok like 4 times..  I dunno.  Christian Bale is pretty good, I liked the sequence where Thor and Jane reconcile a bit...  It's fine I guess.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on September 19, 2022, 07:39:16 AM
MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN (1992)

After a freak accident, a company executive turns completely invisible, goes on the run and becomes hunted by a treacherous CIA official, whilst trying to cope with his new reality.

I rewatched this movie last night and it still holds up. It's a really engaging tale about what would really be if one became invisible. All the logical problems arise, and the human behind the "superpower" becomes more human than ever. The look of the bandages and black trenchcoat is a nice homage to the original THE INVISIBLE MAN from 1933. Great special effects, although the direction from Carpenter doesn't really shows.

I'm not a follower of Chevy Chase but he plays his part with a lot of conviction, sometimes you can suffer alongside him. Daryl Hannah is boring and looks like a lifeless doll through the movie, but she serves her purpose. Sam Neill is awesome as usual, I can honestly say that he carries the whole movie. I wish there were more movies like this, but with other powers. HANCOCK made a good try but failed miserably due to a convoluted script.

Recommended! 7/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 20, 2022, 09:11:03 AM
APPLES (2020): A plague is causing people to become amnesiac; we follow one man's journey through an odd recovery program designed to create new memories for a new identity. This very dry, mildly Lanthimosian comedy managed to keep my interest, though I can see it being a chore for some. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on September 23, 2022, 10:34:04 PM
Maverick (1994) - Still a delight.  Very funny, very well paced, three likable major characters, a plethora of Western cameos...  On that point, I wish I knew all the cameos, I remember watching this with my dad when it was new and he must have recognized a dozen cameos I didn't.  About the only significant criticism I have is the overarching plot is thin and not as well developed as it perhaps could be - it feels a bit like four episodes of the TV series stitched together, in that sense.  Maybe having the Commodore and what's going on with the tournament appear earlier, hint at Cooper's involvement, etc, would have made the final payoffs a bit better.  But, really, I was smiling start to finish, and a lot of it is laugh out loud funny.  High recommend. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 24, 2022, 08:41:58 AM
See How They Run (2022)

London 1953. An American film director (Adrian Brody) who has come over to make an adaptation of The Mousetrap is murdered at the party of the 100th performance of the play. A grumpy alcoholic inspector (Sam Rockwell) and a slightly too keen WPC (Saoirse Ronan) are on the case.

After Knives Out, I thought homage/spoofs of the Agatha Christie mystery couldn't get any better, yet this one is. Absolutely delightful. One word for the curmudgeons: this is purely an exercise in style. Don't expect rounded characters, social commentary or anything of the kind: this is playing with the format of the whodunit for the sheer fun of it. Also, it is very meta. Brilliant.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 24, 2022, 03:09:28 PM
Tfw No gf - stands for "that feeling when no girlfriend" a bunch of so called incels are profiled in this recent and timely doc. A lot depends on how interested and/ or plugged in to modern internet culture you are as to if you'll get anything from this.

Lonely guys frustrated with their lack of success with women vent to each other online at sites like twitter and reddit. As they grow more hopeless, they become darker and more nihilistic. Maybe we, as a society, were better off when kids had nothing to do, rather than them finding and absorbing unhealthy stuff online all day? or maybe the normal routes of finding a romantic partner that our parents and grandparents used have become obscured. somewhere in there is the "inconvenient truth" of this story.

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on September 24, 2022, 08:18:18 PM
I just watched the 2021 Candyman movie. 

I couldn't tell you one single memorable thing about it. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 25, 2022, 08:46:30 AM
"The Witch" (2015)
A Puritan family sets up a homestead on a secluded plot near a forest. Soon they begin to suffer a series of tragic events that appear to be supernatural in nature.
This slow-burning period piece set in 1600s New England has atmosphere to spare, and Anya Taylor-Joy is great as the teenaged Pilgrim girl who seems to be at the center of the creepy goings-on.
It was a bit hard to follow at first till I got the hang of the Olde Timey English (lots of "thee's" and "thou's") but once the weird sh*t started happening I was hooked. Worth checking out if you're in the mood for something off-beat.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 25, 2022, 03:17:46 PM
Where the Hell is the Lavender House? The Longmont Potion Castle documentary - LPC is a series of prank phone call albums put together by an anonymous guy in Colorado. The heyday for this art form is long past, but he's still at it and that's a very good thing I feel. His early stuff that I heard in college was spread a la MST3K via tape trading and so forth. His stye is more cerebral and less coarse than the Jerky Boys or crank yankers, kind of like David Letterman or something. His first couple of albums were pretty straightforward but later he would add sound effects and other sorts of technology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R30VyUKeeFc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R30VyUKeeFc) using what sound like guitar effects pedals.

The documentary uses a "found footage"/ this documentary itself is in jeopardy sort of meta - gimmick which kind of falls flat but it doesn't really matter. It tell the story the way it needs to be told. but do they actually find the guy? gotta watch to find out

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on September 26, 2022, 08:01:28 AM
THE KING'S SPEECH (2010)

The story of King George VI, his impromptu ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.

Simply wonderful, I never tire of watching this film. Both Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are amazingly good, how their relationship grows over the course of two hours is a delight.
The buildup is excellent, and the actual speech is, to me, simply one of the best moments in cinema history.

10/10, masterpiece.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 26, 2022, 09:15:31 AM
THE RED AND THE WHITE (1967): In the Russian Civil War, the Reds and the Whites battle over a monastery on the banks of the Volga that keeps switching hands. Featuring Miklós Jancsó's celebrated sweeping cinematography, this is anti-war film (badly) disguised as a patriotic war epic. Soldiers spend more time bullying POWs and civilians than actually fighting each other; the movie cynically ignores ideology to focus on the struggle between ordinary people and power-drunk bullies on either side. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 26, 2022, 09:17:28 AM
"Dogma" (1999)
Two fallen angels, exiled to Earth long ago, have discovered a loophole in God's law that will allow them to get back into Heaven. If they succeed, however, it will destroy all of existence. The Lord assembles a team consisting of one lapsed Catholic, two stoners (Jay and Silent Bob!) and a forgotten apostle, to stop it from happening.

This religious fantasy/satire is still Kevin "Clerks" Smith's most elaborate movie, featuring his usual hilarious, rapid-fire dialogue, tasteless sight gags, an absolutely amazing cast (Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Chris Rock, Alan Rickman, Salma Hayek, Linda Fiorentino, George Carlin) and enough plot for three movies. Controversial when it was first released, it's become a cult item and an important piece of Smith's View Askew-niverse.

Unfortunately it's also something of a "lost" film, not currently available on DVD/Blu or via streaming, because the rights are owned by the currently-in-prison Harvey Weinstein, who doesn't want to give it up. Smith's numerous attempts to buy the movie back from him have been turned down. So if you find a copy second hand, grab it because it's a collector's item!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on September 26, 2022, 09:22:45 PM
47 Ronin - What a pile of crap.  It's watchable, sometimes funny crap, but really bad.  Waste of a quite solid cast too.  Just badly directed, badly written.  The only bright spots are some good stunt and action work and decent CG work, and OK pacing.  Keanu Reeves' character's background and influence on the story is bolted on, he could have been easily trimmed with minor tweaks.  Of course, he's not part of the original work true story, so I guess that's not surprising, but his poor integration is still a good sign of the bad writing.

For a drinking game, take a shot every time they follow up a word or concept by fully explaining it for the slow people in the audience.  Like, the SHOGUN OF JAPAN, says to a bunch of disgraced samurai, "You are now ronin, masterless samurai".  Thanks Mr. Shogun, I'm sure the samurai born into the class needed the explanation.  Also I'm sure the audience forgot, despite stating what it means a couple times earlier in the film.  Oof. 

Howl's Moving Castle - A lot of beautiful animation and delightful characters.  Gorgeous art, as you'd expect.  I do think this isn't an amazing adaptation of the novel though.  I haven't read it and it's still obvious they adapted some aspects better than other - Turnip Head's ending comes completely out of nowhere, as does the final resolution of the main plot and the war going on.  But I still quite enjoyed it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 27, 2022, 03:20:19 PM

Howl's Moving Castle - A lot of beautiful animation and delightful characters.  Gorgeous art, as you'd expect.  I do think this isn't an amazing adaptation of the novel though.  I haven't read it and it's still obvious they adapted some aspects better than other - Turnip Head's ending comes completely out of nowhere, as does the final resolution of the main plot and the war going on.  But I still quite enjoyed it.

It is not really an adaptation at all. It takes some elements from the book, but uses them to tell its own story. Still, an enjoyable film in its own right.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 28, 2022, 07:32:05 AM
"Mayhem" (2017)
Steven "The Walking Dead" Yeun is a mid-level employee at a shady law firm, who's just been unjustly fired... but before he can leave the premises,  the CDC arrives and seals off the office building due to the presence of a "rage virus." As his former co-workers slowly turn into violent lunatics, Yeun figures he can take advantage of the chaos to get even with the higher-ups who screwed him over, with help from fellow vengeance seeker Samara "Ready Or Not" Weaving. This hilariously brutal, ultra violent, funny as hell horror/action comedy is total wish fulfillment for everyone who's ever had a soul-sucking office drone job. I mean, c'mon, who hasn't wanted to beat the crap out of their boss at least once?  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on September 28, 2022, 08:27:05 PM
Kill Or Be Killed - Reasonably entertaining but very odd karate film.  Some of it is so strangely edited and filled with jumpcuts I felt like I was having a stroke.  Best character is the dwarf, wish he was the lead.  Worth a watch.

"Mayhem" (2017)
Steven "The Walking Dead" Yeun is a mid-level employee at a shady law firm, who's just been unjustly fired... but before he can leave the premises,  the CDC arrives and seals off the office building due to the presence of a "rage virus." As his former co-workers slowly turn into violent lunatics, Yeun figures he can take advantage of the chaos to get even with the higher-ups who screwed him over, with help from fellow vengeance seeker Samara "Ready Or Not" Weaving. This hilariously brutal, ultra violent, funny as hell horror/action comedy is total wish fulfillment for everyone who's ever had a soul-sucking office drone job. I mean, c'mon, who hasn't wanted to beat the crap out of their boss at least once?  :teddyr:

Much better than the similarly themed Belko Experiment from the previous year, I enjoyed this one too.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on September 28, 2022, 11:35:21 PM
Kill Or Be Killed - Reasonably entertaining but very odd karate film.  Some of it is so strangely edited and filled with jumpcuts I felt like I was having a stroke.  Best character is the dwarf, wish he was the lead.  Worth a watch.

Also known as Karate Olympia and Karate Killer (1976), that is South Africa's first martial arts film, shot in Afrikaans and later dubbed into English and directed by my friend Ivan Hall. Followed in 1980 by Kill and Kill Again, a huge box office hit internationally.  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 29, 2022, 01:11:09 AM
The Rocketeer (1991)

I had seen this way back when it came out and had fond memories of it. This time, it was a bit of a disappointment. The movie is not only retro, but deliberately old-fashioned. Whether you find this charming or boring will determine much of your experience. My main problem this time was the protagonist couple of Bill Campbell and Jennifer Connelly is extremely bland (my younger self tended to zone out during these scenes, and wake up for the spectacular stuff). Still you have lots of action scenes, stuff exploding and a glamourous Jennifer Connelly wandering through a beautifully lit Ennis House. By far the best part is Timothy Dalton going all out as the villain. If the Oscars had a 'Best Smirk' category, he would have won it hands down.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 30, 2022, 08:56:38 AM
VIDEOPHOBIA (2019): An aspiring actress in Osaka finds her life falling apart after a surreptitiously-filmed clip of her one-night stand is posted on an Internet porn site. An important subject that is unfortunately given a dull dramatic treatment, filmed, for some reason, in black and white. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on September 30, 2022, 06:04:16 PM
Departures - Excellent Japanese drama about a cellist finding a second career as a traditional Japanese mortician.  Poignant, funny, meditative and moving, with multiple very good characters, excellent performances, and beautifully shot.  Highly recommended.

Kill Or Be Killed - Reasonably entertaining but very odd karate film.  Some of it is so strangely edited and filled with jumpcuts I felt like I was having a stroke.  Best character is the dwarf, wish he was the lead.  Worth a watch.

Also known as Karate Olympia and Karate Killer (1976), that is South Africa's first martial arts film, shot in Afrikaans and later dubbed into English and directed by my friend Ivan Hall. Followed in 1980 by Kill and Kill Again, a huge box office hit internationally.  :teddyr:

That's pretty cool!  Friend of mine recommended both to me, he quite enjoyed them.  I'll get around to the sequel too.  For those who like odd and interesting films, I do recommend it.  It's also free on Tubi and Amazon, at least in the USA.  I could tell it was dubbed, but I was assuming it was just shot silent and looped - had no clue it was in Afrikaans. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 01, 2022, 09:07:09 AM
"Friday The 13th: Vengeance" (aka "Vengeance," 2019)
An impressive, feature length Friday The 13th fan film that picks up after the events of "Part VI: Jason Lives." The estranged daughters of Tommy Jarvis end up being pulled into their father's ongoing battle with Jason Voorhees, and Jason's long lost father has resurfaced with a deadly mission of his own. Naturally, this leads to a whole lot of bloody ultra-violence.
A lot of fan films are cheap crap, but this one obviously had a budget and was made by people with actual film making skill - it could almost pass for a legit "F13" entry. A sequel, Vengeance Part 2: Bloodlines, is due to premiere on YouTube this month, I'll be watching for it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 01, 2022, 10:55:49 AM
Unearthed and Untold: The Path To Pet Sematary.

Not a bad docco at all.  :smile:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6ULlnM7sxg&t=14s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6ULlnM7sxg&t=14s)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 01, 2022, 01:42:47 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: BEACH GIRLS AND THE MONSTER: Hey, truth in advertising: this movie has lots of beach girls and (arguably) a monster. It's really bottom of the barrel, though: BEACH GIRLS AND THE MONSTER is to HORROR OF PARTY BEACH as HORROR OF PARTY BEACH is to CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. The movie has a real MST3K feel, though, and Frank and Trace provide a higher-than-average number of laughs. Also, it doesn't seem to be edited, like so many of their movies are. Post-show guest is Lizz Winstead (co-creator of THE DAILY SHOW) who's pretty funny and does a nice old-Minnesota-woman-talking-about-fishing. A possible good movie to start with if you're curious about the Mads. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on October 01, 2022, 03:26:08 PM
Hocus Pocus 2.

A belated sequel that relies too much on nostalgia.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 01, 2022, 04:07:42 PM
Don't Let Her In - You can tell from the title that this Full Moon release will be pretty stupid, but it fills out the "more or less entertaining time waster" quota well enough. Two "bohemians" with of course a gigantic apartment rent a room to some lady who dresses in all black and hits on both of them in the first 5 seconds of meeting. As is the trend these days, there's very little actual nudity but tons of innuendo. It's basically an alternative lifetime movie with special effects and camp replacing the tortured drama.

The high point for me was the ridiculous Max Shrek like presence of the witch lady room mate. The scenes where she backs out of a room like a spider are  hilarious. The lead blonde's ridiculous haircut was a let down and they missed a golden opportunity by not showcasing any of the music of the loser boyfriends band. in other words: highly recommended!

3.99/ 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 02, 2022, 09:01:27 AM
Dogtooth/Kynodontas (2009)

A couple keeps their adult children isolated from the world by inventing an elaborate system of false facts and imaginary dangers. Eventually this situation reaches breaking point.

This is an early one by Yorgos Lanthimos, and it has its signature weirdness. There is callous cruelty and quite a lot of sex, but that is filmed in the most unsexy way possible. It does, however lack the narrative strength and the existential dread of The Lobster or The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Interesting but not -yet- his best work.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on October 03, 2022, 07:55:29 AM
BACKDRAFT (1991)

Two Chicago firefighter brothers, who don't get along, have to work together while a dangerous arsonist is on the loose.

A very much engaging film about firefighters, something that doesn't really catch my attention, but the amazing special effects of this movie really manages to grab you. The trivia is most interesting, too.
Nice story, great performances, although sometimes a little bit cheesy - something I actually expect from Kurt Russell, tho. The only negative thing I can say, it's like 20 minutes longer than it should be. And the music is outdated, to say the least.

Definitely recommended. 8/10  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 04, 2022, 09:54:09 PM
Cold, clammy, wet weather today, perfect for staying inside and kicking off my annual Schlock-Tober Halloween season movie slate...

"Cannibal Apocalypse" (aka "Invasion of the Flesh Hunters" and "Cannibals In The Streets," 1980)
Three soldiers return from Vietnam with bad cases of PTSD and a mysterious virus that eventually turns them into crazed flesh eaters, forcing them to go on the run. This bizarre Italian action/horror blend feels like they started out making a serious drama about the mental struggles facing Vietnam vets, and then halfway through they said "Mmm, needs more cannibalism," because it turns into a combo of "The Deer Hunter" and "Dawn of the Dead" in a blender. It may not make a hell of a lot of sense, but "Cannibal Apocalypse" is never boring, thanks to the solid performance by the always dependable John Saxon, who as usual gives it his all despite the absolutely ridiculous goings-on.

"Frankenhooker" (1990)
Frank "Basket Case" Henenlotter directed this sleazy horror comedy about a New Jersey electrician and part-time mad scientist whose fiancee dies in a tragic lawn mower accident, so he reassembles her using body parts of dead prostitutes. Yes, that's the whole plot. Silly, gory, funny junk. Gore hounds with long memories may remember the gimmicky VHS box for this flick, which yelled "WANNA DATE?" if you pushed a button on the front. Good times!

"Saturn 3" (1980)
A pair of scientists (Kirk Douglas and Farrah Fawcett) stationed on one of Saturn's moons get an unexpected visitor from Earth (Harvey Keitel) and his pet robot - both of whom quickly develop an unhealthy obsession with Farrah. This bland "Alien" knock-off has some cool set designs, passable special effects, and a really bad-ass looking robot, but the story just plods along. But hey, at least you get to see Farrah's bare boob for about two seconds, which was this movie's major selling point for ten year old me when it first hit HBO back in the day. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 04, 2022, 11:37:12 PM
Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014) - OK quasi remake/sequel.  Interesting concept, I'll say - it posits to be a "real world" sequel, where the actual Texarkana murders happened and the original film was made.  It's decently made, shot and acted...  But, unexceptional.  Just, watchable, OK, masked killer slasher.  Can't recommend exactly, but OK if that's what you want.

Hellraiser: Judgement - Obviously very limited budget, but you can tell this one is trying to be a bit more creative and interesting than the other more high budget (but still cheapie) Hellraiser sequels.  Not good exactly, but not totally without merit either. 

Slime City - Like an even more low rent and much more poorly made Basket Case in aesthetic and tone.  It's OK if that's what you want, but I found most of it kind of boring.  Fun climax, and the mugging scene was a bit of a hoot.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 05, 2022, 12:03:34 AM

"Saturn 3" (1980)
A pair of scientists (Kirk Douglas and Farrah Fawcett) stationed on one of Saturn's moons get an unexpected visitor from Earth (Harvey Keitel) and his pet robot - both of whom quickly develop an unhealthy obsession with Farrah. This bland "Alien" knock-off has some cool set designs, passable special effects, and a really bad-ass looking robot, but the story just plods along. But hey, at least you get to see Farrah's bare boob for about two seconds, which was this movie's major selling point for ten year old me when it first hit HBO back in the day. :D

Farrah Fawcett had some amazing outfits in that movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 05, 2022, 08:46:00 AM
THE RAZING (2022): Estranged friends gather on what might be the night of the apocalypse to take drugs, argue, and talk, talk, talk. You feel bad for the filmmakers, who had to make a movie with no money and basically one location and tried to spiff it up with innovative camerawork and sound design, but the plot is a case of obscurity masquerading as profundity, and it's impossible to become involved in the characters or their befuddling conflicts. 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 05, 2022, 03:37:52 PM
Farmageddon - no it's not a Syfy celebrity cameo fest, it's actually a documentary about farming in the US, in particular the struggle for small farmers against the state, who seem intent on promoting the interest of large scale factory farming at all cost.

You've probably heard something about raw milk in the past few years. As the scale of farm industry began to expand in the early 20th century, some people would milk sick cows and use chalk and so forth to color the milk white. Pasteurization was a huge public health victory, but raw milk was still safe if you knew the farm and the farmer etc. These types of relationships were lost for decades, but are coming back now that locally sourced food is popular.

The government is often slow to pick up on things and this is no exception. Many millions are expended on harassing small farmers, who are by and large engaged in mutual trade with willing customers. No surprise, there is a revolving door from the factory farm industry and the various govt food enforcement branches. The strongest stuff here is from author and farmer Joel Salatin. Whatever the science is, you don't have to be a hippy or a doomsday prepper to see the vibe at the small farms is much cooler than the huge ones.

It's cheap and very one sided but I liked this doc well enough.

4.25 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 06, 2022, 09:51:10 AM
"Krull" (1983)
A prince (Ken Marshall) assembles a rag tag force of thieves and oddballs to help him rescue his queen-to-be (Lysette Anthony) from a malevolent alien force known as "The Beast" before it takes over his planet.
This splashy, oh-so-British blend of Arthurian fantasy epic and "Star Wars" style sci-fi was released in the same summer as Return of the Jedi, which obviously crushed it at the box office.
Krull isn't terrible, but it's not very exciting either. There's a lot of cool/weird set designs, occasionally klutzy special effects, and sharp eyed viewers may notice early career appearances by the likes of Robbie Coltrane and Liam Neeson. Apparently Krull has garnered a cult following over the years, but I doubt I'll ever feel an urge to re-watch it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 06, 2022, 10:03:04 AM
"Krull" (1983)
A prince (Ken Marshall) assembles a rag tag force of thieves and oddballs to help him rescue his queen-to-be (Lysette Anthony) from a malevolent alien force known as "The Beast" before it takes over his planet.
This splashy, oh-so-British blend of Arthurian fantasy epic and "Star Wars" style sci-fi was released in the same summer as Return of the Jedi, which obviously crushed it at the box office.
Krull isn't terrible, but it's not very exciting either. There's a lot of cool/weird set designs, occasionally klutzy special effects, and sharp eyed viewers may notice early career appearances by the likes of Robbie Coltrane and Liam Neeson. Apparently Krull has garnered a cult following over the years, but I doubt I'll ever feel an urge to re-watch it.

I saw it when it was first released: as you said, it isn't terrible and Lysette Anthony was fiiiiinnnnneeeee.  :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 06, 2022, 09:24:33 PM
"The Shed" (2019)
An orphaned teenager who's subjected to daily abuse by his grandfather and a group of school bullies learns life can get even more complicated, when a vampire gets trapped in an old shed on his grandfather's property and devours anybody who gets too close. His best friend thinks this is a great opportunity to get rid of the kids who torment them -- just feed them to the beast in the shed! -- but our hero's conscience eventually wins out and he attempts to do away with the monster instead.
A surprisingly entertaining low budget horror dramedy that makes the most of its small number of locations and its thin premise. Cheap, gory fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 07, 2022, 02:11:53 PM
LUX AETERNA (2019): A female director and a female star filming a movie about witchcraft find their work sabotaged by a male mutineer. Gaspar Noe makes a short (under an hour) unapologetically pretentious experimental film in a Godardian mode; it's unfocused (it's a love letter to cinema, its about women's subjugation in the film industry, and mostly it's an experiment with real-time split-screens and intense stroboscopic effects) and seems like it's only half thought out---but what a half! 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 08, 2022, 05:28:44 AM
Cannibal Ferox/Make Them Die Slowly (1981)

An example of the Italian cannibal genre, mentioned on the video nasty list. An anthropology student and her friends seek out a village in the Amazon where cannibals are supposed to live, and meet two other Americans on the way. Turns out that these are drug dealers who have just brutally attacked the cannibal village and now the tribe seeks revenge.

This lives up to its reputation and is truly nasty. It is mainly a showcase for gore effects and body horror. Also, I don' t think they can say that no animals were harmed in the making of the film.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 08, 2022, 12:43:54 PM
MST3K: THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME: Emily and the bots watch the cheezy 1979 post-apocalyptic sci-fi tale that's more inspired by "Battlestar Galactica" than the H.G. Wells story of the same title. I have to say, I probably laughed less at this than at any of Season 13's offerings, but the movie is reasonably easy to follow, despite Jack Palance's long, Shatner-esque pauses. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 08, 2022, 12:59:16 PM
MST3K: THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME: Emily and the bots watch the cheezy 1979 post-apocalyptic sci-fi tale that's more inspired by "Battlestar Galactica" than the H.G. Wells story of the same title. I have to say, I probably laughed less at this than at any of Season 13's offerings, but the movie is reasonably easy to follow, despite Jack Palance's long, Shatner-esque pauses. 2.5/5.

Rev, I'm a bit ashamed to admit I saw this in the theatre in 1979  :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 08, 2022, 03:31:14 PM
Embrace of the Serpent (2015) - I liked this black and white independent deep thinking sort of movie, but can see how it ended up on tubi. You're hoping for something like Apocalypto and it sort of is, but the flashbacks and so forth drain it of some of it's power.

A German guy in 1909 goes to the Amazon to find a rare flower that he thinks will give him the ability to dream, which he is unable to do. Over the course of the film, they struggle to find it and in doing so expose how colonialism works.  

It's really good it just could have been more direct. ending was unsatisfying

4.25/ 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 08, 2022, 09:44:23 PM
SMILE (2022) - I saw the first trailer for this last year and immediately thought: I gotta see this one!
Last night my girls and I went to check it out, and we were not disappointed.  This is one of the scariest movies I've seen in a long time.

Rose Cotter, a psychologist, treats mental patients at an emergency clinic.  A young woman is brought in suffering from severe delusional trauma.  Four days before, a college professor had committed suicide in front of her by bludgeoning himself to death with a hammer.  Ever since, she's been haunted by something that follows her, occupying the bodies of other people, fixing her with a horrible, unearthly grin. Before Rose can prescribe anything for the patient, the woman goes into screaming hysterics, smashing a table and a vase of flowers.  Then she fixes Rose with a ghastly grin before slitting her own throat with a piece of the broken vase.

And that's just the beginning . . .

At first, the movie is overly reliant on jump scares, but as the plot unfolds, the terrifying moments become more and more effective.
Well-acted, with sympathetic characters and gruesome death sequences, the movie races towards its horrifying conclusion at such a brisk pace that you're left saying "Wait . . . it's over?" when the end credits roll. Great film!!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 08, 2022, 10:12:21 PM
"Vengeance 2: Bloodlines" (2022)
The follow up to 2019's highly successful Friday The 13th fan film picks up right where the last movie left off, with the father-and-son team of Elias Voorhees (C.J. Graham) and Jason continuing their mission to destroy the Jarvis family... and anyone else who's unlucky enough to get in their way.
"Vengeance 2" is a nice piece of work, easily on par with a "real" F13 movie. It's impressively shot and acted, with numerous in-jokes and call backs to previous F13 flicks, and of course, plenty of ultra-violent, gross-out blood and guts death scenes (if this were a legit entry in the F13 saga it would probably set a body-count record for the series). Vengeance 2 should keep Jason junkies happy till whenever the "real" franchise gets its s**t together again...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on October 09, 2022, 01:20:34 PM
Planets around us.  1962.  Surprisingly good Italian sci Fi flick. Another obe inspired by TDTESS.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 09, 2022, 03:41:01 PM
Morphine: Journey of Dreams (2014) - Being from Boston, I should know more about the band Morphine than I do, but I just never got around to checking them out beyond their popular grunge era song "Cure for Pain". They weren't Nirvana clones though, in fact their style of music is somewhat unprecedented: how many bands have a 2 string slide bass, saxophone and drums for a lineup? Tragically, lead singer and 2 string bassist Mark Sandman died on stage of a heart attack just as the band was kicking into high gear. They were all very pro musicians and their unique style could have taken them just about anywhere. They were particularly popular in Europe, where their more mature 21 plus sort of sound had made them legit stars.

Watching this, there is definitely something very outdated about Sandman's "cool" bohemian lyrics about nightlife and so forth and he clearly didn't come from a punk sort of background that someone like me would relate to, but the 2 string and saxophone thing was no gimmick. Henry Rollins of all people had my favorite anecdote about playing a festival where his band's stage time was the same as Morphine's. When the Rollins Band stopped playing he could hear Morphine and it seems like he was sort of wishing his band would take longer to tune and so forth so he could keep listening. Having seen the Rollins band perform a couple of times I can certainly relate. hard to describe their music, but their is something very 80's style retro 50's about it.

5/5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on October 09, 2022, 04:25:29 PM
Day Shift.

Not as funny as I'd been told. Not completely unwatchable either, although you'll figure out everything that happens in the movie before it is on the screen.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 09, 2022, 05:18:47 PM
MANBABY (2022): A somehow-successful comic who's gimmick is to dress like a baby pretends he's really become a baby through a magic potion, hoping to convince his wife to get pregnant. This could have turned out to be the GLEN OR GLENDA? of adult baby movies (which would have been awesome!); instead, it incorporates the fetish into a fairly conventional (if ludicrously premised) script whose subtext can't help but inspire the odd scene from time to time ("babies don't poop on walls, they poop in diapers" is not everyday bar conversation). 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 09, 2022, 08:47:39 PM
A lot of horror movies over the weekend.

Glorious - Fun little single location horror film.  Ryan Kwanten is a guy who has just gone through relationship troubles, and ends up stuck in a bathroom stall with a glory hole.  On the other side of the hole is some kind of Eldritch horror, voiced by JK Simmons.  Pretty fun.  Shudder Original.

Hellraiser (2022) - Mildly disappointing to me.  It's not bad and has some good visuals, well directed scenes (I like the parts where the Cenobites come) the new Cenobite designs are mostly interesting and I like Jamie as Pinhead.  But I found the story of this one a bit uninvolving, and it overall just kind of underwhelming I guess. 

He Never Died - My second watch of this, my thoughts are basically the same.  Henry Rollins is PERFECT in this role, and it's a great character.  Just a very interesting depiction of this sort of character and what he is going through.  But, as I thought the first time, the plot machinations and the last act don't really gel.  But still, it's disappointing the planned direct sequels to this never happened, instead we got a sidequel. 

The Munsters (2022) - Better than I was expecting, easily.  The trailer does a TERRIBLE job advertising it by the way, all of its bits shown play better in the film by far, and the audio is much better quality and never an issue. Film is colorful, very light, very broad.  I could see the performances annoying some people, and they are a bit much at times, but I still liked it.  Super colorful with garish lighting, and I liked that too.  Very weak climax and ending though - it's basically a string of gags, almost feels like three or four episodes taped together, and the last one is rather weak.  But, I'd watch a sequel.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on October 10, 2022, 01:16:42 AM
A lot of horror movies over the weekend.

Hellraiser (2022) - Mildly disappointing to me.  It's not bad and has some good visuals, well directed scenes (I like the parts where the Cenobites come) the new Cenobite designs are mostly interesting and I like Jamie as Pinhead.  But I found the story of this one a bit uninvolving, and it overall just kind of underwhelming I guess. 

The Munsters (2022) - Better than I was expecting, easily.  The trailer does a TERRIBLE job advertising it by the way, all of its bits shown play better in the film by far, and the audio is much better quality and never an issue. Film is colorful, very light, very broad.  I could see the performances annoying some people, and they are a bit much at times, but I still liked it.  Super colorful with garish lighting, and I liked that too.  Very weak climax and ending though - it's basically a string of gags, almost feels like three or four episodes taped together, and the last one is rather weak.  But, I'd watch a sequel.

I've heard a lot of people talk the same way about both these movies. Oh, the reason for the colour palate in The Munsters is because they wouldn't let Rob film in black and white.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 10, 2022, 05:28:19 PM
"Return Of The Killer Tomatoes!" (1988)
Ten years after the Great Tomato War, a mad scientist (John "Addams Family" Astin) has discovered a way to transform ordinary tomatoes into humans by mixing them with toxic waste. He plans to make own private army to take over the world, but luckily there's a dorky pizza delivery guy, his roommate (George frickin' Clooney!), and a hot chick ready to stop the evil plot!
... this sequel to the 1978 stupid-on-purpose cult monster movie spoof is even stupider and more random than the original, which is really sayin' something. The movie's got ultra cheap special effects, over-the-top mugging acting, frequent fourth wall breaks, and dorky humor straight out of MAD magazine. I hate to admit it, but my inner 12 year old was entertained. I wonder how George Clooney looks back on this flick nowadays?
Followed by two more sequels and a short lived animated series!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 11, 2022, 12:34:07 AM
re: return of the Killer tomatoes this line from the wikipedia

"Future US congressman Gary Condit also had an uncredited and unspoken role in the film. Rick Rockwell, who played Jim Richardson, later would appear on the TV show Who Wants to Marry a Multi-millionaire?. "


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on October 11, 2022, 02:06:00 AM
"Return Of The Killer Tomatoes!" (1988)
Ten years after the Great Tomato War, a mad scientist (John "Addams Family" Astin) has discovered a way to transform ordinary tomatoes into humans by mixing them with toxic waste. He plans to make own private army to take over the world, but luckily there's a dorky pizza delivery guy, his roommate (George frickin' Clooney!), and a hot chick ready to stop the evil plot!
... this sequel to the 1978 stupid-on-purpose cult monster movie spoof is even stupider and more random than the original, which is really sayin' something. The movie's got ultra cheap special effects, over-the-top mugging acting, frequent fourth wall breaks, and dorky humor straight out of MAD magazine. I hate to admit it, but my inner 12 year old was entertained. I wonder how George Clooney looks back on this flick nowadays?
Followed by two more sequels and a short lived animated series!

George Clooney has said, if they ever want him for a sequel, he'd love to do it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 11, 2022, 09:44:59 AM
"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" (2021)
A martial artist hiding from his past in San Francisco is called back to his homeland by his super powered, crime lord father, and ends up getting caught up in the battle between his family's ancient warrior clan and an inter-dimensional evil bent on taking over our world. In other words, just another day in the Marvel Universe.  
I wasn't sure how much I would dig this epic blend of martial-arts mayhem and CGI fantasy, because even at the height of my comic collecting phase I never owned a single "Shang-Chi" issue, but the stunt work is tons of fun to watch, the effects are top notch (of course) and the two leads (Simu Liu as Shang and comedian Awkwafina as his girlfriend/sidekick) temper their performances with healthy doses of snarky humor.
Like many Marvel flicks, this one ends up dragging on a bit longer than necessary, but otherwise it was better than I expected.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 12, 2022, 04:52:39 PM
"Demonoid" (1981)
A mining operation in Mexico uncovers a long-buried temple, belonging to a cult that worshipped a demonically possessed, severed "Devil's Hand." When a man accidentally frees the five fingered menace from its crypt (and pays the deadly price) his wife teams up with a Catholic priest to figure out a way to stop the crawling evil before it makes her its next victim.
This totally absurd, low budget Mexican horror flick was a "USA Up All Night" favorite -- the cheap special effects (especially the scenes of the severed hand creeping around like a spider, attacking people), turned it into an unintentional comedy pretty quickly. A few halfway decent gory bits and some gratuitous T&A round out this wonderfully cheesy slice of Schlock-tober entertainment. Turn off your brain, have a few beers, and enjoy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 12, 2022, 10:38:12 PM
"Zombie 4: After Death" (aka "After Death," aka "Zombie Flesh Eaters 3," 1989)
Boat travelers experience mechanical difficulties and end up trapped on an island full of flesh eating ghouls, raised by a voodoo priest. Sooooo...yeah, basically, they wander around in circles spouting inane dialogue and getting attacked by zombies for 90 minutes. All gory, no story.
Cheap, plotless Italian/Philippine nonsense directed by Claudio "Troll 2" Fragasso.
Skip it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 13, 2022, 03:22:13 PM
Missing Kenley (2022) - ultra exhaustive, 5 part series on the disappearance of a college student in Nova Scotia in 1992. They pretty much grill everyone they talk to. By the end, its pretty clear what happened and that there will probably be 5 more parts (I hope) .

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 13, 2022, 04:37:59 PM
"Zombie 5: Killing Birds" (aka "Killing Birds," 1988)
College students on a bird-watching expedition encounter the angry undead -- victims of a 25 year old mass murder - at an abandoned house deep in the Louisiana backwoods. Hilarity ensues.
...by this point, Italian movie makers were simply slapping the "Zombie" franchise name onto unrelated movies in order to suck in unsuspecting video renters. This flick has no connection whatsoever to any of the earlier "Zombie" installments. In fact, there are barely even any zombies -- they don't start turning up till the movie is half over -- and the only "bird"-related killing happens off screen. Still, I liked this one better than "4: After Death" because there was at least some attempt at a story, klutzy though it may have been. I wonder how they roped Robert "Man From U.N.C.L.E." Vaughn into this thing, I guess he needed a mortgage payment.
Your mileage may vary depending on your tolerance for barely-coherent Italian schlock.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 14, 2022, 09:29:38 AM
"Halloween Ends" (2022)
It's been four years since Laurie Strode last faced off against Michael Myers, who hasn't been seen since. Laurie has finally begun to embrace life again, until she comes into contact with a troubled young man who has designs on her granddaughter, and who eventually gives Laurie the same vibes that Michael did. After a lot of irrelevant sub plots and inter-personal drama, Michael finally lumbers back in (more than halfway through the damn movie!) for a final showdown.

The supposedly-final (though we all know it won't be) Halloween flick brings this latest trilogy to an awkward, unsatisfying close. Just like the last installment, Halloween Kills, it spends way too much time on side stories involving uninteresting new characters, and all but ignores the Laurie/Michael dynamic till the last quarter.

The 2018 Halloween was entertaining, but unnecessary. Halloween Kills was a major step down from that. This one flat-out sucks.

If you must see it, stream it on Peacock like I did, don't waste your time or money going to the theater.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 14, 2022, 09:52:37 AM
BLONDE: A fictionalized version of Marilyn Monroe suffers from lifelong daddy issues, sexual exploitation, multiple abortions, and drug abuse while making blockbusters and sleeping with/bloiwng the world's most powerful men. It's true that it's overlong, joyless, trashy, and often clumsy and shallow, but Ana de Armas' performance is blameless, and there are small moments of visual brilliance: the trippy threesome that segues into the premiere of NIAGRA is worth the price of admission (free on Netflix). 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 14, 2022, 10:45:26 PM
ARCHONS (2018) - A three member rock band goes canoeing along an unnamed Canadian river in an search for inspiration - they are looking for a song to follow up their huge debut hit a few years previously.  Along the way they pick up a cute young groupie, but as they float downriver, the band's lead singer Mitch becomes convinced that unknown creatures are following the group downriver, lurking in the woods alongside the river.  Are they being stalked by monsters?  Or is it just the potent acid they've been dropping? 
A bit of a slow burn at first, but builds steam as it moves along to a WTF ending.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 14, 2022, 11:21:55 PM
Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker (aka Night Warning) - Lesser known shocker/thriller from the early 80s.  It's about the odd and overly protective relationship an aunt has with her nephew she has been taking care of for 14 years, and issues that arise as he is getting ready to become an adult.  Bo Svenson is in it as a cop who is a real pile of ****.  Point in fact, all the police in this film are worse than useless.  Susan Tyrell is great as the aunt.  Bill Paxton has a small, VERY early role (pre Terminator).  It's a bit slow in the middle, and feels a bit stodgy and TV-like (the director is best known for golden era TV like I Love Lucy and the Beach Party films), but the rather perverse material, memorable performances, and decent atmosphere still all work.  Totally worth a watch.

Oh, this is possibly the earliest (1981) horror film I've seen with a non-stereotyped unambiguously gay character who is positively depicted; really, he's the most likable adult in the entire film, decently written and performed too.  Just found that interesting.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 15, 2022, 05:48:27 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: A NIGHT OF SHORTS 9: Frank and Trace riff shorts, with a bit of a seasonal flair: "A Halloween Party," the bizarrely-conceived "The Dirt Witch," a salesmanship short, one about how to make a marionette (that creeps everyone out), and a fifties short about how kids can deal with their fears. The jokes are especially funny (and a little dark), and the post-show guest is Dana Gould, who is probably the funniest guest they ever have, so this is an above-average episode and worth the download. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 15, 2022, 07:01:58 PM
The Forever Purge - Better than the last one, but that's not saying much.  Passably entertaining if you're bored, I guess.  Personal recommendation for the entire series, watch part 2 and skip every other entry.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 15, 2022, 10:42:13 PM
FEAR PHARM (2020)

A group of college kids go to a cornfield maze, and one of them wins entry to the "VIP MAZE" reserved for the 10,000th customer each season.
Of course, as it turns out, the owners are sadistic killers who harvest certain customers each year for nefarious purposes.  Gory kills follow as the teens are pursued by killers in an interesting variety of costumes.  Not great, but a decently fun Halloween slasher. 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 16, 2022, 04:32:45 AM
Prey (2022)

In the oddly specific year 1719, a Comanche girl who want to be hunter, battles a Predator. That about sums it up, really, a simple but effective movie. I particularly liked that the director didn't go for the drawn out duel formula, which tends to need ever more far fetched twists and turns to keep up the the momentum. Instead, you have essentially a video game structure, where the protagonist faces a series of trials to gather the objects and the skills needed for the final boss fight. The final fight is quite compact and beautifully shot in moonlight with green fluorescent Predator blood. You also have gorgeous nature shots and a painstaking recreation of a Comanche village and trapper camp. Perhaps these are about as accurate as TV vikings are to real Norsemen, I wouldn't know, but it looks cool.

You can fault this film for being too simple or too much on the nose, but it only sets out to entertain and for me, it succeeds 100%. Just to thing to take you mind off the complications of life.

As for the French in it. It feels like someone wrote the lines in English, translated them in French and then had American actors shout them in a curious accent. I may sound less strange to a Canadian, but I doubt it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on October 16, 2022, 11:01:56 AM
X.

A group set out to a farm in order to make a porno. The elderly owners of the farm take exception, mostly through jealousy and start killing off the cast and crew. As to be expected there is some T&A in this film, perhaps one T&A scene too many I would say. Not a bad film as slashers go though. I'll be looking out for the prequel and sequel.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 17, 2022, 11:52:51 AM
MASKING THRESHOLD (2022): An experimental horror movie about a man performing experiments to find the source of the tinnitus which is driving him mad. Basically a 90-minute monologue illustrated with closeups of objects in a small room, you have to work a little to get into the uncinematic style---but the reward is a deep and ultimately horrific character study reminiscent of a creepy tale by Poe or Lovecraft. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 19, 2022, 08:50:23 AM
ZEROGRAD (1989): An engineer travels from Moscow to a tiny industrial town where he finds all the residents utterly bizarre, but is ordered to remain when he witnesses a suicide. This ambiguous, Kafkaesque Glasnost-era satire expresses anxiety about encroaching Westernization (symbolized by rock n' roll dancing), and simultaneously critiques the imperative to lie about history; a portrait of an unsure Russia at a crossroads, stuck in an untenable reality but afraid to move forward into the unknown. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on October 19, 2022, 09:03:30 PM
 Just watched Heavy Metal 2000,  AKA FAKK 2.

 Was it a worthy sequel to Heavy Metal? No. I found the nusic forgettable and just a few hours later I don't really remember any. The story was a routine sci fantasy one,  with a lot of animated nudity,  violence and F bombs. Featuring an Amazonian sex goddess wearing a final outfit that barely kept it R rated. More effective by far than Taarna, but infinitely more forgettable.

The animation was competent,  with as much cgi as they could get away with throw in.

All in all it was a decent sci fantasy story and over the top action flick,  nothing great let alone legendary like Heavy Metal. I'd give it a maybe B- if I was in a good mood,  a C+ otherwise. I imagine a good number of guys have spanked to it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 20, 2022, 08:54:38 AM
DONKEY SKIN (1970): A fairy godmother advises a princess (radiant Catherine Deneuve) to dress in the skin of a magical donkey to avoid marrying her father (!) Jacques Demy adapts Perrault's crazy French fairy tale as a musical, treating the incestuous theme (which is only the first act) with a lighthearted humor that makes it appropriate for kids, and a spectacle (along with a killer cast including Jean Marais and Delphine Seyrig) that appeals to adults as well as young girls. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 21, 2022, 01:20:12 PM
Quote
A fairy godmother advises a princess (radiant Catherine Deneuve) to dress in the skin of a magical donkey to avoid marrying her father

thats a good reason

The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson story (2004) - The most remarkable thing about this Lifetime (I'm guessing) product is how much the main guy looks like Scott Peterson. I can't believe after all the movies I tried to watch, I ended up settling on and getting involved in this one. I guess we never really know ourselves fully.

I think if it were made now, decades later,  it would be a lot more sordid. Amber Frey's role is understated and Peterson is far too sympathetic. The plot moves well enough, though. Decent time waster but this story could be told a lot more colorful/ stylishly

3.5 /5   


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 22, 2022, 11:16:28 AM
MST3K: GIRLS TOWN: The movie stars Mel Torme as a juvenile delinquent (!), Paul Anka as a sissy teen idol, and features Mamie and her Van Dorens as stacked bad girl Silver. In Deep 13, the Mads debut the Umbillicus (a Season 6 gimmick that never took off). Underrated episode that's funny as hell (lots of jokes about Van Doren's, uh, talents). 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 22, 2022, 06:41:08 PM
Twice Dead - lesser known Corman horror film, kind of combines home invasion thriller and gothic horror ghost stories.  It's not great, but has some reasonably fun bits.  Multiple recognizable cast members too - Jill Whitlow from Night of the Creeps and Raymond Cruz from Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul (plays Tuco) for instance.  It's such an odd hybrid that it's worth a look for that reason.  Pacing flags a bit in the middle, but the last half is worth it.  Does feel like the script could have done with a second draft though - in particular, the house ghost's motivation is weird in a way that feels half-baked.  But enjoyable enough, and free on Tubi.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on October 22, 2022, 11:25:50 PM
Babylon 5 lost tales. 2007

Originally intended to be an anthology series set in the B5 universe, JMS only got one film done before the project was canned. As such it made a beautiful low budget love letter to the show's fans, and had a touching intro sequence that sure worked on me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 23, 2022, 10:39:38 PM
Dracula Untold - aborted start to a new movie universe.  It's as bad as that makes it sound.  Probably the biggest thing I'll give it credit for is brisk pacing and some pretty effective CG gothic horror elements, about as good as you can get on a PG13 rating.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 24, 2022, 09:24:28 AM
MONA LISA AND THE BLOOD MOON (2021): A mysterious woman with psychic powers that enable her to control others escapes from a mental institution and is tricked by a scheming New Orleans stripper (an unglamorous Kate Hudson) into cheating people out of their money. Ana Lily Aminpour's third has a reasonably appealing B-movie aesthetic and a "don't-judge-a-book-by-its-cover" message, but is ultimately inconsequential and underwhelming. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on October 24, 2022, 01:24:32 PM
Dracula Untold - aborted start to a new movie universe.  It's as bad as that makes it sound.  Probably the biggest thing I'll give it credit for is brisk pacing and some pretty effective CG gothic horror elements, about as good as you can get on a PG13 rating.

This was meant to basically make Dracula a comic superhero under a curse movie, like 'I Frankenstein'. Glad it bombed.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on October 24, 2022, 01:33:00 PM
Plabet of the vampire women.

I actually watched this mess because it supposedly had a lot of SF reffs in it.

FOR GHAWD'S SAKE DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID!!!!

This movie was inferior to a lot of pr0n movies in terms of filming,  lighting,  sound,  etc. According to imdb it was filned on weekends over like 6 months in a warehouse. The extensive CGI was likely done on a good gaming rig pc using free 3d software. I've seen better in game custscnes.  Acting was nil, plot was a joke and frankly bare b3wbz were a feature which were generally as unimpressive as the rest of this home movie.

If you want background noise, or are a B movie fan with a very strong masochistic streak you can try it. I hope the people making it had fun,  at least that way someone enjoyed it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 25, 2022, 04:04:43 PM
"Halloween III: Season of the Witch" (1982)
The "Halloween" saga took a brief detour from Michael Myers with this ill-fated, high tech terror tale of a small town doctor (Tom Atkins) who discovers a Druid plot to murder millions of children on Halloween night via booby trapped masks, activated by a TV signal.
"III" was an unsuccessful attempt to turn the "Halloween" franchise into an annual series of stand-alone movies based around the holiday, but audiences wanted more Michael Myers, so they stayed away and "III" tanked at the box office. That's a shame cuz it's actually a pretty fun flick. Happily it seems to have developed a cult following in recent years, after decades of being hated/ignored. Dan O'Herlihy is great as the villainous mask maker, and John Carpenter's spooky as hell synthesized musical score is the coolest!

"The Changeling" (1980)
Following the tragic deaths of his wife and daughter, a composer (George C. Scott) moves across the country into an old mansion to work through his grief. However, he soon learns that his new home has a tragic history and some supernatural secrets of of its own. A very cool, old school, slow burning ghost story that raised the hairs on the back of my neck more than once. They don't make 'em like this anymore.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on October 25, 2022, 09:29:23 PM
First spaceship on venus.  Original title 'the silent star'. Not the first time I watched in but bybfar the best quality cut i ever saw, far clearer and more vivid than any version I've seen before, also seemed to hace some scenes I didn't remember seeing before about a moonbase.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 26, 2022, 10:02:59 AM
"Halloween II" (1981)
Picking up mere moments after the events of the '78 O.G., Final Girl Laurie Strode is taken to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, where Michael Myers eventually arrives to finish her off.  Fortunately for lovers of carnage, the hospital is staffed by a variety of doctors and nurses who provide sufficient cannon fodder for ol' Mikey till Doctor Loomis arrives in the nick of time with his Big F'n Gun.
While not nearly on par with the original, of course, this is probably the best of the many "Halloween" sequels, it's faster paced and noticeably more gory/violent, with a much higher body count.
You're pretty much obligated to watch at least one "Halloween" movie during this time of year. Lord knows you can certainly do worse than this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 26, 2022, 03:10:32 PM
The Goetia Diaries (2022) - I had to google "found footage horror summon 72 demons at once" because I couldn't remember the name of this. Anyway, that's what happens: a "guy with a popular youtube channel"  and a man-bun type thing gets in too deep in the spirit world, much to the chagrin of his long suffering blonde girlfriend.

Obviously low budget and some of the acting isn't amazing but it's decently well thought out. A little more explanation of the main demon thing they were trying to summon would have been helpful. Why that one?

4/5

I think I'm becoming a millennial. Old B horror movies are just too slow for me so I'm gravitating to these found footage ones that are all hilariously the same. AOC and the Squad should find a way to get electricity from all the old haunted hospitals that are around. the new Spooky Deal


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 26, 2022, 05:38:14 PM
"Terror Train" (2022)
Tubi's latest "original" movie is a remake of the 1980 Jamie Lee Curtis cult classic. Three years after a hazing prank goes terribly wrong, a fraternity's annual Halloween party on board an old fashioned passenger train is invaded by a masked slasher with a grudge.
I'm not sure anybody really needed a remake of this movie, but since I haven't seen the original "Terror Train" in years, I can't really compare the two. The 2022 version is a pretty typical, cheap little slasher flick, populated with the usual bunch of idiot cannon fodder characters and a couple of good gory kills. Forgettable, but entertaining enough for a one-time watch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 27, 2022, 12:50:02 PM
CYBERSATAN APOCALYPSE NIGHTMARES (2021): A hitman goes on a series of missions in a surreal city. An underground student-style film from Hungary with an excellent soundtrack (that goes from metal to techno to jazz) and a noirish black-and-white style that sometimes hides, and sometimes highlights, the very low budget. The complete lack of narrative gets old fast, making it drag even at an hour long. Free on Vimeo (just search for the title). 2/5 for a good try.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 27, 2022, 02:30:41 PM
The Shedim (2020) - Well, I liked the Goetia Diaries but this was significantly better. The director's credits are mostly in reality tv, including MTV's "Made" so he knows a thing or two about...I don't know... making stuff. It has moments that are like Sinister or Hereditary but is obviously not on their level. Low budget movies that "work" can of course be better than high budget movies that don't, but there are gradations of good cheap movies. This one works AND has decent acting, scenery, hot chicks etc

A guy apropos of nothing takes his family and moves out to the woods. A film maker is tasked with finding out why. There are certainly some "why would anyone do this" sort of moments on all sides but it's believable enough. The titular Shedim is an Old Testament demon who may exist or may be someone's inner stuggle yadda yadda

4.75 /5

a cut above. director may have taken it too far with IMDB page stating that so and so played "themself" yeah its all real we're back in the early 2000's


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 28, 2022, 07:07:22 AM
"Halloween: A Cut Above The Rest" (2003)
This in-depth documentary about the making of John Carpenter's 1978 original "Halloween" first appeared as a bonus feature on the film's 25th anniversary DVD. It's got lots of behind the scenes clips & photos and extensive interviews with all the movie's major players (Carpenter, Jamie Lee, P.J. Soles, etc.). Longtime fans probably won't learn anything new, but it's a fun trip down memory lane.

"John Carpenter's Vampires" (1998)
James Woods is absolutely hilarious as the leader of a squad of bad-ass vampire slayers, sanctioned by the Catholic church, patrolling the Southwest U.S. in search of bloodsuckers. After wiping out a nest of particularly nasty vamps, they have to stop a powerful "Master Vampire" who's gotten his hands on an artifact that will allow him and his brethren to walk in the daylight. A funny, violence packed horror/action/comedy blend in the "From Dusk Til Dawn" vein, that spawned two direct-to-video sequels (one of which starred Jon Bon Jovi, of all people!).

"The Majorettes" (1987)
Someone is killing the members of a small town high school's majorette squad. Sounds simple enough, but this flick quickly deviates from its standard slasher story and but gets bogged down by random side plots involving a plan to steal an old lady's inheritance and a gang of drug dealing punks, all of which climaxes in an out of nowhere, full on action-movie gun battle full of explosions. I'm like "did they make this movie up as they went along?"
After a while the only thing keeping me watching this poorly acted train wreck were the pretty girls in various states of undress. Unless you have a high tolerance for Z-movie pain, you can safely AVOID this one.
Useless trivia, this truly weird '80s relic was written by John Russo (writer of the original Night Of The Living Dead) and directed by Bill Hinzman (aka the "Graveyard Zombie" from NOTLD).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 28, 2022, 08:47:34 AM
THEY CRAWL BENEATH (2022): An earthquake brings huge hallucinogenic worms to the surface, and an off-duty cop finds himself trapped in a garage with them (and with his family issues). Its 2.9 rating on IMDB is justified, but it's hard to pinpoint why: everything seems close to adequate, but nothing really works, leaving this horror thriller limp as a worm. Not entertainingly bad, not hatefully bad, just bad. 1/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 29, 2022, 08:40:45 AM
MST3K: INVASION USA: Here's one of the few MST3Ks I've missed over the years. It's about a bunch of bland 50s white people in a bar when a Russian sneak attack occurs; they all die (but come back at the end). It's comically easy for the Soviets to conquer the US, all because, it's implied. we didn't spend enough on defense. Pretty boring propaganda which fortunately is proceeded by a much funnier short, "A Date with Your Family" (Tom: "The Woody Allen Story!" Mike: "Hey, I like my family, but as a friend!") 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on October 29, 2022, 05:20:39 PM
A forbidden orange,  2021.

Semi documentary about how the movie 'a clockwork orange' was shown in fascist spain in 1975 after being banned there.

The movie is widely disputed and attacked,  but it was nice to see Malcolm McDowell relfectig on a movie he made 51 years ago.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 30, 2022, 06:57:42 AM
The Princess (2022)

A princess wakes up to find she is locked in a tower and is to be married to the evil usurper. She has to fight her way down to ground level in order to save herself and rescue her family.

That is really all there is to the movie, which is very much a film version of a fight game: a series of fight scenes, culminating in a show off with the main villain. People have criticized Prey for being too simple, but that is a Christopher Nolan movie compared to this one. The Princess is a martial arts version of Die Hard, set in a generic fairytale world.

That being said, the fights are good (and they take up about half of the running time), at 1h30 it doesn't overstay its welcome, and it is nice to see a damsel get out of distress. I found it perfectly entertaining at the end of a tiring day.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 30, 2022, 09:40:28 PM
"Zombie 3" (1988)
Yet another schlocky, in-name-only sequel to Lucio Fulci's gore classic "Zombi." This time an experiment gone wrong releases a virus into the atmosphere over a tropical island that re-animates the dead and turns them into ravenous flesh eaters. An RV full of co-eds on holiday and a group of soldiers on a weekend pass must band together to survive the onslaught. Not much plot, cardboard characters, lots of terrible acting, cheap gore, and ridiculously awkward dialogue ensue.
This flick was shot on the cheap in the Philippines, and it shows. Reportedly, director Lucio Fulci had to leave this movie in mid-production due to medical issues, and left the rest to be cobbled together by fellow Italian schlock maestros Claudio "Troll 2" Fragasso and Bruno "Robowar" Mattei. The result is a movie that feels like it was made up as it went along, which probably isn't very far from the truth.
AVOID!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 31, 2022, 08:54:43 AM
THE INNOCENTS (2021): Ida and her autistic sister move to a new town; she finds two new playmates, both of whom have psychic powers, and one of whom has serious issues. Really good acting from the four kids here in a parable about childhood cruelty and the slow development of empathy; the script is not packed with action and thrills (or explanations), but there's enough to keep you engaged to the end. Swedish. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 01, 2022, 10:24:15 AM
THE MUNSTERS (2022): The story of how Herman Munster met Lilly and moved the family from Transylvania to Los Angeles. The green-lit, tilted-camera look seems more like a macabre twist on "Batman" than the original Munsters. Who knew Rob Zombie had no touch with comedy? That said, it's probably as funny as an overlong episode of the original series, and fans may want to rank it higher. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 01, 2022, 09:23:23 PM
Skaterdater (1965) - One of the coolest things I've ever seen. Claims to be the "first skateboard movie" and probably is. A badass skate crew who look to be all around 11 or so tear up the streets of some place in California. One of them starts going through puberty before all the others and they have to deal with the internal group disruption this causes. Namely, by having a skate duel that pre dates the one in Thrashin (1986) by 20 years. They all wear team jackets and no shoes. skaters still act and hang out like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhgrkjSyrJU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhgrkjSyrJU) 17 minutes restored and uploaded to yt pristine copy

I'm biased but... highest possible rec 5/5
 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 02, 2022, 02:02:14 AM
Terrorizers (1986)

It is about the intersecting lives of a number of people in 80s Taipei: a doctor who is stuck in his job and wants to get ahead, his wife, an author struggling with writer's block and decides to leave her husband for another man, a son of a rich family who wants to be a street photographer (with some impressive gear) and who gets obsessed with a girl who is a small time grifter.

This reminded me a lot of Wong Kar-Wai. You have similar themes of chasing dreams and ambitions, difficulties of communication, resignation and loss. Visually as well, there is use of negative space, long shots of empty sets or details. I am not familiar with Taiwanese cinema, so I don't know whether that is a personal preference or a local style. If you don't mind bleak movies and indirect storytelling, well worth a look.

Not sure why it is called 'Terrorizers', though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on November 02, 2022, 02:53:40 PM
Batman the long halloween.

This is a two part movie but I'm just reviewing the whole 3 hour movie.

All in all I'd say this might be the best  batman movie ever made. Period. Sure at 3hrs it has time to get good but it's still a damn good movie.  The animation is good and very dark, with some cgi thrown in, it does the job just fine.

This is  a pg13 movie and has some 4 letter words in it, it manages to combine the absurdity of superhero movies with more mature elements fairly well, but it does give suspension of disbelief a work-out.  While being fairly realsitic on violence in a lot of cases, complete with copious bloodshed, you do end up wondering how a bunch of psychos in costumes mostly with no magic super powers can terrorize an entire city when most of them could be dropped with one bullet to the head or how batman's gadgets could really work.

But you can let it go as the movie itself is so superb in it's mixing of the two extremes. It even makes the main 'villain' a character called Holiday, relatable and gives this 'special guest villain' an understandable motive.

The voice acting is great generally, with the actor doing the joker imitating Mark Hamil so perfectly you'd swear he was mark hamil.

All in all the long Halloween is a long movie that does a great job blending realism and characters with comic book fantasy so well it's worth the 3 hour runtime.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 02, 2022, 04:39:57 PM
Terrorizers (1986)

It is about the intersecting lives of a number of people in 80s Taipei: a doctor who is stuck in his job and wants to get ahead, his wife, an author struggling with writer's block and decides to leave her husband for another man, a son of a rich family who wants to be a street photographer (with some impressive gear) and who gets obsessed with a girl who is a small time grifter.

This reminded me a lot of Wong Kar-Wai. You have similar themes of chasing dreams and ambitions, difficulties of communication, resignation and loss. Visually as well, there is use of negative space, long shots of empty sets or details. I am not familiar with Taiwanese cinema, so I don't know whether that is a personal preference or a local style. If you don't mind bleak movies and indirect storytelling, well worth a look.

Not sure why it is called 'Terrorizers', though.

hahaha imagine if Kramer vs kramer had been called flying hellblade master more people might see it


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 03, 2022, 05:46:08 AM
THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT (2022) - Nick Cage is a veteran actor struggling with a succession of box office flops.  After losing his bid to act in an upcoming "serious" film, he decides that he's quitting from acting once and for all.  But then he gets an odd offer - $1 million to spend a single day with a millionaire superfan named Javi who adores him.  Madcap hijinks ensue.
   This movie is a perfect vehicle for Nick Cage's over-the-top acting and love of self-parody, and I enjoyed every minute of it.  Great supporting cast, beautiful location, and a marvelous, tongue-in-cheek plotline make this one thoroughly entertaining.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 04, 2022, 11:39:48 AM
"Deadpool" (2016)
Ryan Reynolds brings Marvel Comics' foul mouthed, butt kicking, fourth wall breaking anti-hero to ultra violent life in this balls-to-the-wall, laugh out loud action comedy that has held up very well to repeated viewings. Still a stone cold hoot.

"The Million Eyes of Sumuru" (1967)
Two bumbling CIA agents are sent to Hong Kong to investigate a plot by the lovely femme fatale named "Sumuru," who aims to take over the world via an all-girl army of assassins. This goofy but enjoyable spy spoof (based on a character from a series of pulp novels by "Fu Manchu" creator Sax Rohmer) has lots of exotic Far East scenery and plenty of female eye candy. Frankie Avalon is one of the agents and Shirley Eaton (aka the "Golden Girl" from Goldfinger) plays the villainess Sumuru, a role she would reprise in 1969's sequel "The Girl From Rio." Not a classic by any means but an OK time waster.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 04, 2022, 03:35:16 PM
"The Live" (1985) - kind of an understatement to say this has aged well, isn't it? The issues in this movie have grown at such an astounding rate over the years, it's almost like someone telling you to buy google stock in 2000 or something in its perception of what was to come.

I'm going to guess everyone here has seen this so I won't go into the plot. I recently read that Carpenter saw They Live as a warning to the world about a future if 80's style unbridled capitalism continued. With all due respect, that is NOT what I got from this movie and I don't think most other people did either, though money and unequal wealth and so forth is certainly a part of it.

Who are the aliens? They are us of course. "everyone sells out all the time" says one cynical character. That's one level. Just as important though, are the people who specifically benefit from some people being denied the fruits of modern life while others have more than they need. This is where They Live becomes more than a Hollywood friendly moderate democratic politics sort of experience. How is it that people on Wall Street can create nothing yet have more money than thousands of hard working productive people put together? Where did all that money come from? What kind of economy is it when people have no use for or interest in the well being of their close neighbors? and on and on

It's a low budget feature and obviously some of the acting and action scenes aren't quite up to snuff. This of course excludes the famous 6 minute "put on the f**king glasses" fight sequence. The world needs a sequel to this one.

5/5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 05, 2022, 10:17:17 AM
Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022)

While at conference in Istanbul, a literature scholar (Tilda Swinton) buys a glass bottle that contains a djinn (Idris Elba) and gets three wishes.

A sweet feelgood fairytale about love. How you will like it, will depend on whether you are in the mood for a sweet feelgood fairytale about love. It did make me want to return to Istanbul, though. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 05, 2022, 05:06:50 PM
MST3K: THE MASK: MST3K's first Halloween special. Jonah teaches Tom and Crow about Halloween while they watch THE MASK, a 3D feature about a mask that possesses its wearer. The movie is perfunctory exposition wrapped around the three frankly amazing surreal 3D hallucination sequences that are so good they must have been the work of a completely different director. The episode is not especially funny but the novelty of 3D + Halloween + crazy movie will make this one of the more memorable Season 13 installments. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 05, 2022, 10:22:24 PM
"Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" (2022)
The Roku Channel's first "Original Movie" stars Daniel "Harry Potter" Radcliffe as the prince of pop music parody, tracing his rise from suburban obscurity to multi-platinum success. The movie reveals his torrid love affair with Madonna, that Michael Jackson ripped off Al's original song "Eat It," and shows how Al single handedly destroyed the Escobar drug cartel.
...if any of that made you say "wait, what?" that's because this is a NOT a real "rock bio" movie, but a dead-pan parody of the genre, inspired by a "fake trailer" from the Funny Or Die web site and co-written by Al himself. (As Al says, his career and life have been so normal and devoid of controversy that they had to make stuff up for the movie. Laughing very hard ) Funny stuff!

"Deadpool 2" (2018)
Ryan Reynolds returns as Marvel's wise cracking mercenary, this time assembling a new team to help protect a teenage mutant from Cable, a cyborg killing machine from the future. Just as much fun as the first movie, the bullets and one liners fly fast and furious.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 07, 2022, 01:54:40 PM
Dead Residence - bottom of the barrel found footage deal. Just no tension or complexity at all. My favorite part was when the neighbors come over and the one neighbor looks at the husband and goes "a black man!" who would do that?

1.5/ 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 07, 2022, 05:28:03 PM
"Hellraiser" (2022)
In this Hulu exclusive "reboot" of the long running horror franchise, a troubled young woman comes into possession of the dreaded puzzle box and inadvertently ends up involving her brother and friends in a battle for their lives against the Cenobites and their leader, Pinhead (who's played by a woman this time!).
I kept my expectations low for this one (especially with no Doug Bradley as Pinhead), but it's better than pretty much any of the endless direct-to-video sequels that came after Hellraiser IV (aka Bloodlines). It's got the proper gothic feel, some truly disturbing visuals, and suitably gross bloodletting. At just a hair under two hours, it runs a little longer than it needs to but otherwise this flick does a nice job of righting the Hellraiser ship.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 07, 2022, 10:07:44 PM
THINGS HEARD AND SEEN (2021)
Amanda Seyfried stars in this slow burn ghost story that I found on Netflix.
Nicely developed characters, beautiful setting, mediocre scares, and a rather surprising ending made this one a decent but not overwhelming experience.
Overall, 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 08, 2022, 02:27:50 PM
Suburbia (1983) - Penelope Spheeris directed this around the same time she did the first "Decline" documentary. It would make a nice double bill with "Skaterdater (1965)" though maybe slightly less wholesome.

Various kids from bad home live life as punk rockers in an abandoned house. Local townies hassle them, though in their defense the kids do steal from their garage refrigerators and generally aren't the best neighbors. Musical highlights include some very colorful performance by The Vandals, D.I. and T.S.O.L. Spheeris uses her sociological knowledge to good effect, nailing all the types in the punk crowd: the kid with the rat, the couple who make out all the time, etc.

I hadn't seen this is in a long time and it held up better than I thought it would. At it's best it's a kind of crazy comedic exploitation movie, similar but less violent and overwrought than, say "Romper Stomper" (1992). The lack of "emo" is certainly refreshing

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 12, 2022, 09:30:29 AM
"Conan The Barbarian" (1982)
A muscle bound warrior (Arnold Schwarzenegger) escapes from slavery and embarks on a quest for revenge against the cult leader (James Earl Jones) who destroyed his people. Lots of asses get kicked and heads get chopped along the way.
This fantasy/action epic was Arnold's breakout starring role, based on the character from Robert E. Howard's pulp novels (and a long running Marvel Comics series). He couldn't act worth a damn at this stage, which is why he had so little dialogue, but the action scenes are impressively staged and Basil Poledouris' soundtrack is badass. I hadn't seen this in a long time, but it's still loads of cheesy fun.
Followed by a sequel (1984's Conan The Destroyer) and countless low budget knock-offs (see: Conquest, Deathstalker, The Beastmaster, Barbarian Queen, Red Sonja, etc, etc.).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 12, 2022, 12:20:42 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: DEVIL BAT: Bela Lugosi starts as a perfume inventor who trains giant bats to kill his enemies. Lugosi always provides plenty of fodder for jokes, so it's a little surprising that no riff troupe had tackled this one before, but now it's off the list. The post-show guest is a comedian I'd never heard of, they talk a lot about stand-ups they all knew (most of them are famous) and a lot of fishing talk. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 12, 2022, 03:10:41 PM
Skinhead Attitude (2003) - Whatever happened to skinheads? My theory is the shaved head hairstyle caught on in the mainstream so there goes their whole way they are recognized. This documentary focuses on skinheads in mostly Europe and Canada and on the boring rift between left wing, right wing, and more moderate ones.

The best aspect by far is Karole a cute french girl one. The director seems to get this so he puts her in as much as he can, even bringing her to some of the places with him.  I've never been much of a joiner and racism and related issues aren't really my thing either so none of this appeals to me, but I guess if you like punkish sort of music but have outgrown mohawks it could work.

Nowadays, the type of people who were skinheads here are probably in groups like Antifa and the Proud Boys doing all this same sort of tedious LARPing and big scary street brawls while Chicago has 40 murders a weekend. It all feels a little outdated, in other words. At it's best, some of the skins have a shaolin monk sort of fashion sense that works, formally. The skinheads from the southern US are clearly tweekers or something

4.5 / 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 12, 2022, 10:09:17 PM
"Showgirls" (1995)
A troubled young woman (Elizabeth "Saved By The Bell" Berkley) arrives in Las Vegas intent on becoming the star attraction in a big casino revue, no matter who she has to sleep with, screw over, or push out of the way. Fresh off the success of "Basic Instinct," director Paul "RoboCop" Verhoeven's cranked the filth meter into the red with his semi-legendary softcore erotic drama that's essentially an old fashioned "girl makes it big in showbiz" MGM musical, sleazed-up and coked out for the 1990s.
Rated "NC-17" when it was first released due to the wall-to-wall nudity and sexual situations, the movie tanked at the box office before becoming a camp cult classic later on thanks to home video. "Showgirls" proved to be a career killer for most of those involved (especially poor Berkley, who's in WAY over her head here). It's a terrible movie, but it still manages to be watchable in an enjoyably sleazy way due to the outstanding eye candy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 14, 2022, 10:06:54 PM
"Murder In The Front Row" (2018)
Members of Metallica, Slayer, Exodus, Laaz Rockit, Megadeth, and many more re-live the glory days of the early 80s Thrash Metal explosion in the San Franscisco Bay Area. A very cool documentary loaded with great stories, photos, and classic clips. A must see for all mosh heads.

"Godfathers Of Hardcore" (2018)
The long working relationship between Vinnie Stigma and Roger Miret of Agnostic Front, who've been at the forefront of the hardcore punk scene for nearly 40 years, is examined in this interesting doc about a couple of scene veterans who've seen it all and done it all.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 16, 2022, 12:39:31 PM
"Clambake" (1967)
Elvis Presley is the privileged son of a millionaire who runs out on the family business to take a lowly job at a Miami resort hotel. He wants to see if he can "make it on his own" and find a girl who'll fall in love with him, not with his money. He romances a foxy hotel guest (Shelley Fabares), takes part in a high stakes powerboat race against a villainous Bill Bixby, and of course, sings a bunch of terrible songs while surrounded by girls in bikinis.
...in other words, this is pretty standard Presley musical-comedy fluff, though reportedly the King hated the movie, only did it for the paycheck, and considered it his worst film.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 16, 2022, 05:41:18 PM
"Blood Tide" (1982)
A treasure hunter on a Greek island accidentally frees an ancient evil from its underwater prison, prompting the locals to demand a human sacrifice to satiate the beast's centuries-long hunger. A couple of newlywed tourists are caught in the middle of the sea-monster shenanigans.
A slow moving horror flick with some nice Mediterranean scenery, a cast that's probably better than the movie deserves (James Earl Jones, Jose Ferrer) and plenty of female eye candy courtesy of Lydia "Too Close For Comfort" Cornell and Deborah "Dallas" Shelton.
I've seen this one before and I think I liked it better this time around but it's still far from essential viewing. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 16, 2022, 10:02:54 PM
"They Live" (1988)
A drifter (Roddy Piper) comes into possession of a pair of special sunglasses that allows him to see the "truth" behind our reality - the world is run by skull-faced aliens intent on keeping the human population obedient and asleep. Once his eyes have been opened, he joins a resistance movement to take the planet back.
John Carpenter's cult classic, tongue in cheek sci-fi/action satire is tons of violent fun, and features one of the all time greatest fight scenes ever put to film, when Roddy and Keith David throw down for a solid five minutes of bare knuckle brawling in an alley way.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 17, 2022, 12:56:03 AM
Freddy- have you ever seen "Harem Scarem" ? it's really something. Elvis one


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 17, 2022, 10:51:28 AM
Freddy- have you ever seen "Harem Scarem" ? it's really something. Elvis one

I love HARUM SCARUM. The only Elvis movie I ever enjoyed.

INCREDIBLE BUT TRUE: A French couple buy a new house with a time-travel tunnel in it; the wife becomes obsessed with it, while the husband is more concerned with work, where his boss' strange new body modification is causing friction. A relatively restrained Quentin Dupieux absurdist comedy that restricts itself to only two crazy ideas, but does feature a bit of formal narrative experimentation as he wraps things up with a 10+ minute montage (and an epilogue quoting from "Un Chien Anadalou.") 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 17, 2022, 04:20:12 PM
Walk East On Beacon (1952) - I live and work in Boston so this was interesting, but I'm not sure how much it would be to anyone else. It was filmed here and there are lots of recognizable shots but then again it all still looks the same. There are lots of "The Good Shepherd" type things were someone puts a bag down and someone else picks it up and code words and stuff are spoken.

Communists are trying to steal some sort of mathematical equation some guy is in the process of coming up with. They snoop around and are disciplined and are all fifth column-y everywhere. These sort of things are often called "police procedural" and there's a lot of procedure going on. The police are constantly setting up secret cameras and observing people and having tons of officers covering every person the suspect sees and so forth. The communist chicks aren't bad looking but they could have done more in that area. It's a crime movie with some mild noir aspirations

4.25 /5

Law and Order:Boston basically. circa red scare


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 17, 2022, 05:04:04 PM
Freddy- have you ever seen "Harem Scarem" ? it's really something. Elvis one

My Dad was a huge Elvis fan, and would watch any of his movies whenever they were on TV, so I am fairly sure I must have seen Harem Scarem at some point... though I don't remember anything about it.

My wife and I watch "Clambake" whenever we come across it because it's a running gag between us that would take too long to explain :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 17, 2022, 05:04:27 PM
"Conan The Destroyer" (1984)
In the sequel to "Conan the Barbarian," the muscle bound warrior is enlisted by a queen to guide a princess across dangerous territory to recover a priceless jewel, battling a variety of beasties and bad guys along the way. Of course, late in the film Conan learns that the queen has her own nefarious plans for the girl and the powerful artifact.
Lighter in tone than the first film, "Destroyer" still has its fair share of butt kicking and features a better supporting cast (Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, Olivia D'Abo), some of whom can actually act. The special effects may not have aged well but otherwise, an entertaining fantasy flick.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on November 17, 2022, 11:58:35 PM
The giant spider invasion 1975.

This is a bad movie but a wonderfully bad movie, in some ways it's a 50's scifi horror movie, in some ways it's one from the 60's and it has some 70's touches to it. All in all it was a real good B movie that had elements from 20 years of scifi horror but also had some good touches, like an actual giant spider, not a matted on real spider. The giant spider doesn't look too well in daylight where it's often seen, but at least they had the guts to make an actual full sized working, moving prop. It has a high end of low budget feel to it that matches some of the 50's monster movies.

If you like classic scifi horror, track down this flik. It has a couple classic tv actors starring in roles.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 18, 2022, 12:27:18 AM
rev- There was a whole lotta mumbling going on in Harem Scarem, to my recollection


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 18, 2022, 08:59:56 AM
rev- There was a whole lotta mumbling going on in Harem Scarem, to my recollection

The trailer's a trip. "In your wildest nightmares, you've never imagined such goings-on!"

https://youtu.be/V_ECjQuw9pk


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 19, 2022, 09:49:52 AM
"The Kentucky Fried Movie" (1977)
"I'm not wearing any pants. Film at eleven."
Before Animal House and Airplane!, John Landis and the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker writing team produced this wacky collection of shorts and sketches that parody TV news, commercials, Kung-Fu movies, classroom films, and courtroom dramas. It's like an issue of MAD magazine come to life. Some of the gags are quite dated now, of course, but it still has a fair share of raunchy laughs.

"Heavy Trip" (2018)
Finnish comedy about a dorky heavy metal garage band who embark on a road trip to play their first-ever live gig at a metal festival in Norway. Their journey to the fest, of course, quickly turns into a series of comical disasters. Funny stuff as long as you don't mind reading sub-titles.

"The Mentors: Kings of Sleaze Rockumentary" (2016)
This documentary traces the long, strange history of El Duce's famed porn-rock trio, from their humble beginnings as scummy punk-rock obscurities to their brief time in the spotlight thanks to Tipper Gore and the PMRC. This is the third or fourth time I've sat thru this movie, and it still makes me laugh every time. R.I.P. El.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 19, 2022, 11:17:07 AM
MST3K: THE BUBBLE: A pilot makes an emergency landing in a remote town when one of his passengers goes into labor; everyone there acts lobotomized (although it takes the trio days to recognize it), because they are actually trapped inside an alien bubble. I think the pre-hype for this one did the episode no favors, with Joel professing that this may be the worst movie MSTK's ever done. It's bad, but it's nowhere near the worst. But worse, the episode just isn't very funny. Host segments set up the season finale, which will have all three hosts (Joel, Jonah and Emily) riffing in the theater at the same time. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 20, 2022, 09:01:04 AM
MODUS OPERANDI (2009): The CIA convinces an alcoholic ex-agent to track down two stolen briefcases in return for the name of the man who killed his wife. An absolutely insane Super-8 grindhouse tribute made for peanuts (most of which were fed to Danny Trejo in exchange for appearing in the movie for about a minute). The sense of humor is completely deadpan and absurd, and won't be to everyone's taste, but if you get on it's wavelength it's one of the best "deliberately bad" movies ever made. I thought it was just me, but it was a big hit at my monthly watch party, so I think there is something here. Free on Tubi. Recommended to lester. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 20, 2022, 09:10:05 AM
HAUNTING ON FRATERNITY ROW (2018)  On the eve of their annual "Luau Party Blowout,"  a group of frat boys discover a hidden room with dozens of light fixtures in their basement.  Then one of them goes online and discovers that a series of ritual murders happened in the house sixty years ago.  But that's not justification for canceling a party - right?
Replete with drinking, bad decisions, occasional nudity, and nasty demons murdering people by causing their eyes to explode, this was a fun free romp on Amazon Prime. 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 20, 2022, 09:10:45 AM
"GG Allin: All In The Family" (aka "The Allins," 2017)
Documentary reflecting on the legacy of nihilist punk rocker GG Allin and the effect that his short life and ugly death have had on his family. While GG's brother Merle keeps his brother's name and music alive by continuing to record & tour with the Murder Junkies, his mother Arleta prefers to remember GG as "Kevin," the little boy he once was, not as the ultra-violent, feces-flinging, psycho "rock n roll terrorist." Strangely poignant and unexpectedly sad in places. I preferred this one over "Hated," the better known GG doc by Todd "Joker" Philips. Well done.

"Until The Light Takes Us" (2009)
An examination of the early '90s Norwegian black metal scene and the series of church arsons, murders, and other crimes associated with it. Told via interviews with the scene's major playas like Faust of Emperor, Fenriz of Darkthrone, Hellhammer of Mayhem, and even Varg "Count Grishnnakh" Vikernes himself (who's interviewed from his prison cell). A bit meandering but a mostly intriguing doc about one of metal's weirdest eras.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 21, 2022, 10:01:03 AM
MEDUSA (2021): A group of evangelical Brazilian girls spend their nights as vigilantes attacking women they deem as insufficiently modest; one of them drifts apart as she succumbs to temptations in the secular world. A mix of drama, horror, and some rather obvious fundamentalist satire, the audiovisual approach is ultra-stylish; an intense central performance by Mariana Oliveira is critical to ground what is otherwise a meandering affair. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on November 21, 2022, 06:06:21 PM
Quatermass 2: enemy from space.  Finally saw this in a decent quality version. Sort of a British ''invasion of the body snatchers'' with more violence (gunfire) and a more definite ending. Not bad really, but not up tp tge third quatermass movie. I noted all 3 seem to not acknowledge the other two as each one seems to be earth's first contact with aliens. The worst bit was the way a squad of men with assault weapons were forever unable to hit a main character.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 21, 2022, 07:44:44 PM
BEHEMOTH (2021) - Desperate to identify the toxin that is slowly killing his daughter, a corporate whisteblower kidnaps the lead scientist for his former employer, with the help of a couple of friends.  But all goes south when they realize who the villainous scientist really works for . . .
Pretty trippy horror movie with a nice twist at the end.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on November 22, 2022, 06:39:01 AM
THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995)

A sole survivor tells of the twisty events leading up to a horrific gun battle on a boat, which began when five criminals met at a seemingly random police lineup.

What can I say about this movie that hasn't been said already? It's an absolute classic, even when, after repeated viewings, I realize more and more that it's nothing but a one-trick pony. Still, it's strangely compelling, and I'm always waiting for that ending to come again. For some reason, I feel it different every time, as if I keep finding clues that I missed in my last watch.
Kevin Spacey is great on this one, you end up feeling sorry for the guy at some point. The rest of the characters make a beautiful team, and I wish we had a little more banter between them. Especially by the Benicio del Toro character, who's totally nuts.
The movie looks great, especially considering its budget. The actions scenes are nicely done, it has awesome shots of the sun above the river and the city, disturbing flashbacks scenes, and cool dialog. The duration is perfect, it doesn't go overboard.

A must see! 9/10 :drink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 23, 2022, 10:09:41 AM
ALL JACKED UP AND FULL OF WORMS: Roscoe and/or Benny have a bad trip on hallucinogenic worms they got from a streetwalker. Not to oversell it, but it's kind of like what might happen if David Lynch and John Waters teamed up to make a Troma movie. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 23, 2022, 07:53:37 PM
THE SLASHENING - Free on Tubi, and still a bit of a ripoff.  Five cute girls get together for a sleepover, and call out for pizza.  But someone is murdering every single pizza delivery guy that shows up - and then moves in on the slumber party!  Will anyone survive?  Will the girls stop teasing and show you anything?  Will the final girl get a clue that all her friends have been with her boyfriend?  Yeah, this one was a little too self-aware to be funny.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on November 23, 2022, 10:53:55 PM
Ghost in the shell live action.

Just saw this on streaming after deciding not to see it during it's run. It was better than I feared, not as good as the anime' but good and generally respectful of it. Scarjo did a fair job of playing the Major, and it treated the characters it used with respect. I liked it more than I thought, still hated tge endlessly repeating ''mount paramount'' commercial it kept cutting instantly too.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 24, 2022, 02:20:41 PM
Ghosts of Hiroshima (2022) - much more ambitious than usual found footage sort of thing here. A guy who runs a "popular youtube account" comes up with a wacky way to review a new camera: by going to Hiroshima, Japan and checking out a house he has somehow inherited there. How does a white guy from California inherit a house in Japan? It's very complicated and in fact I don't understand it.

Yet he does, and when he gets there he meets a hot real estate agent. Things are definitely looking up, but not for long as the title would indicate. Without giving too much away: this is kind of a mess but has some scary stuff too. If you're a found footage buff it's an easy rec because its so different yet contains many of the conventions of the genre. for others, it may seem a little too artsy and political for a horror film. The director to his credit, just goes for it, contradictions and unexplained plot stuff and all.

4.5/ 5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 25, 2022, 10:11:22 AM
THE JANES: A network of women in pre-Roe Chicago risk their freedom to obtain illegal abortions for the desperate who answer their flyer: "Pregnant? Don't want to be? Call Jane." Earnest but unexceptionally-structured talking heads doc that (perhaps unfairly) feels rushed out to capitalize on the Dobbs decision. Will go over well with the choir. There's also fictionalized re-enactment of the same story out, "Call Jane." 2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 26, 2022, 12:19:18 AM
CHAINSAW CHEERLEADER CHICKS (2018) 
OK, I like bad movies, obviously, or I wouldn't be here.
I'm all in favor of ill-fitting monster costumes, bad special effects, crappy CGI, gratuitous nudity, cheesy dialogue, and cheaply done gore.  Bad movies - at least MOST bad movies -are fun, silly, and often more creative than the slickly packaged, politically correct, mega-budget productions Hollywood dishes up at the theater.
But some bad movies aren't even entertaining.   They're just AWFUL.  This was one of those.  Horribly dialogue badly delivered, NO PLOT WHATSOEVER, extremely slow pacing, no gore, no nudity, no suspense, just - nothing to make it fun or interesting.  It was so bad, in fact, that my wife and I just sat and laughed out loud through the second half of the movie (she joined me halfway through).  We just shook our heads in disbelief at how awful it was.  I mean, NOAH'S SHARK at least had some semblance of a plot.  FAMILY PROPERTY: BACKWOODS HILLBILLY MASSACRE had gore and some action.  THE BLOOD SHED had gore aplenty, and was so silly you couldn't help but laugh at it.  But this abomination was just dreadfully slow, dull, and disappointing from start to finish - so much so that I somehow wound up laughing my butt off at it before it was done.  So, if you're a glutton for punishment, check this one out.  Misery loves company, right?   1/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 26, 2022, 09:16:38 AM
The Block Island Sound.

I've been looking for a new creature feature movie to watch for a while now. Just one where some monster runs about. Not a slasher. Anyway, this turned out not to be what I was looking for. It is a very slow burn, I guess thriller more than horror? Fair enough performances, but I suspect it is just too slow-moving for most people and perhaps a slightly more concrete resolution. The budget seems to have been high enough to make the film without any glaring holes.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 26, 2022, 12:38:55 PM
The Cleanse.

One of the guys from The Big Bang Theory (Leonard?) plays a nerdy guy (surprise, surprise), who joins a program designed to clear out his personal demons. He goes off to an exclusive retreat hoping to get a hot girl who is an actress (really not straying far away here so far).

It has a very "A Cure For Wellness" vibe to it so far.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 26, 2022, 03:21:21 PM
Nobody Sleeps In The Woods Tonight.

A Polish movie. Basically a fairly standard slasher. Some boobs and some kills lifted straight out of other movies (the sleeping bag scene in the Friday the 13th series for example). Not totally terrible.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on November 26, 2022, 03:29:03 PM
The bay.

A good horror movie with found footage elements, a believable plot and great atmosphere.

Patlabor 2 the movie.

Anime, patlabor means 'patrol labor'. Labors are big robots people drive, the police use them for patrolling labot related crime, so patlabor.

The film deals with issues of terrorism, the why of it, how people believe it's right, how people fight it and what happens when it goes big. Not really a kid movie, grown-ups can like it too.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 26, 2022, 11:48:36 PM
"Purple Rain" (1984)
A rock musician (Prince) tries to keep his band together while dealing with his abusive father, his budding romance with the new girl in town (Apollonia) and competition from a rival act that's gunning for his nightly performance slot at a local club.
Prince's film debut/vanity project is essentially a feature length music video -- it doesn't have much plot, and the acting is negligible. However, the concert sequences are cool as hell (especially the rockin' rendition of "Let's Go Crazy" that opens the movie), and Apollonia is serious eye candy. This was my first time ever seeing "Purple Rain," which I guess is odd for a child of the '80s. I doubt I'll ever watch it again, but I didn't feel like I'd wasted my time, and now I can cross it off the list. Your mileage may vary depending on your level of Prince fan-hood.

"12 Monkeys" (1995)
A time traveler (Bruce Willis) from the post-apocalyptic future is sent back to the 1990s to figure out the source of a virus that will eventually kill 99 percent of the human population. Naturally, the authorities in the 90s just think he's crazy and lock him up in an institution, till a doctor finds his story plausible enough to help him in his quest.
Terry Gilliam of "Monty Python" fame directed this bleak, dystopian sci-fi/action flick with lots of twists and turns, and great performances from Willis and Madeline Stowe as the doctor/love interest. Watch for a young Brad Pitt in a supporting role as one of Willis' fellow asylum inmates.

"Darkman" (1990)
A decade before he took on "Spider-Man," Sam "Evil Dead" Raimi directed this slick superhero flick based on his own character creation, who's kinda like a cross between Batman, The Shadow, and the Phantom of the Opera. After he's horribly disfigured by mobsters, a doctor (Liam Neeson) embarks on a mission of vengeance against the men who destroyed his life. Fast paced, action packed stuff with a pinch of horror. An underrated flick that spawned two direct-to-video sequels.




Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 27, 2022, 12:34:12 AM
Saturday Double Feature:

MUTANT VAMPIRES FROM NEPTUNE - Another Tubi TV bit of shlock, but a lot more fun than last night's snooze fest.  Two couples (plus the obligatory book nerd little sister) go to spend the weekend at a cabin in the woods, and run afoul of a goofy looking vampire creature that just crash landed on a UFO. The remarkably unlikable cast of characters get drunk, get nude, and get killed in the mayhem that follows.  An enjoyable, by the numbers cheese fest! 3.5/5

TERROR TRIP - A group of horror fans start a reality show where they visit places where iconic horror films were made, and stage screenings of the original films at the locality.  The show is a big hit, until they visit the site of a terrifying indie film shot in Poland, and run afoul of organ harvesters.  This one is quite well acted and genuinely gritty and terrifying at times. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 27, 2022, 03:42:30 PM
ALL THAT BREATHES: Two brothers run a bird-rescue hospital in Delhi, against a backdrop of ecological decay and political turmoil. A somewhat dry and even depressing documentary, but with a spiritual sensibility of following a path of empathy and kindness in an increasingly dystopian world. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 27, 2022, 07:59:40 PM
BAD BLOOD (2016) A teenage girl coming home from college is assaulted by a strange creature; now when the moon becomes full she undergoes a horrifying transformation into a half-human, half-amphibian monstrosity that lives only to kill.  In other words, a were-frog!
OK, this sounds like a silly premise, but it's actually a pretty decent twist on the whole werewolf genre. 
Definitely worth the watch!  (Free on Prime)  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on November 27, 2022, 08:46:17 PM
Mutant chronicles.

For a low budget movie based on a wargame this had a powerhouse cast lead by Ron Perleman and Thomas Jane.  It was low budget but had some work put into it that resulted in a very dark, moody,  atmospheric film with elements of steampunk, dieselpunk, horror,  scifi and apocalypse style films all in play.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 28, 2022, 02:25:15 PM
THE QUIET GIRL: A troubled, neglected girl from a poor, large Irish farming family goes to spend the summer with distant relatives, and briefly thrives. A slow, modest, and poetic movie that dangerously flirts with turning over-sentimental, but ultimately delivers a strong emotional payoff. Everyone speaks mostly in Irish (which is a bit of a dying language but would have been more prevalent in 1981, when this is set), with a little English sprinkled in. Almost certainly won't be to people around here's taste--it's not really my kind of movie, either--but it is high-quality in its genre. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 28, 2022, 03:22:59 PM
Nobody Sleeps In The Wood Tonight 2.

The creatures from the first film return along with the final girl. Some local cops have arrested everyone still alive (other than an old guy who accidentally shot a kid, which seems like a bit of an error of judgement).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on November 29, 2022, 07:47:01 AM
LIMITLESS (2011)

A mysterious pill that enables the user to access 100% of his brain's abilities transforms a struggling writer into a financial wizard, but it also puts him in a new world with many dangers.

While the concept is kinda silly from start, since that myth of "we only use 10% of our brain" has been proved wrong a long time ago, it's interesting nevertheless. The problem is that the main character seem to act like an idiot for most of the movie, he definitely doesn't act like a super smart person. Why would he get in touch with a shark loan and forget to pay? Why didn't he secured a steady supply of the pill right away, instead of depending on the dealer? Why would he get in touch with shady characters at all, when he can do anything by himself?

My biggest gripe is that they don't really explore what a man that smart could do. Instead of finding cures for diseases, new forms of energy, or discoveries we can't even imagine, he just bang chicks and gets into the stock market. Apparently the pill gave him intelligence but not imagination.

Anyway, apart from these flaws, and a terrible feel-good ending that makes no sense, the movie is entertaining enough, and it's well acted. It also has some crazy camera effects that make you feel like you're on the pill also, which is nicely done.

My vote is 7, check it out.  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 29, 2022, 10:09:39 AM
"Darkman II: The Return of Durant" (1994)
In the first of two direct-to-video sequels to Sam Raimi's cult anti-hero hit, Darkman (now played by Arnold Vosloo, taking over from Liam Neeson) faces off against the villainous Durant (Larry Drake, the only returning cast member from the O.G.) who inexplicably survived his fiery "death" in the first film and has emerged from a coma intent on taking over the city's illegal arms business. As you might expect, lots of stuff gets punched, crashes, and blows up real good. Basically, this is a "Batman" flick with a bigger mean streak. Better than expected for a DTV flick.

"Darkman III: Die Darkman Die" (1996)
Darkman has a new foe in this second sequel, a crazed business man (Jeff Fahey) who wants to capture the anti-hero and learn the secrets of his remarkable strength. A pretty straightforward action flick except for the weird sub plot where Darkman suddenly develops a soft spot for the villain's wife and young daughter (!) halfway through the movie. It's not terrible, but as villains go I preferred Larry Drake's quiet menace over Fahey's bug eyed scenery chewing. If you liked the other two, Darkman flicks you might as well sit thru this one as well.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 29, 2022, 01:44:08 PM
A WOUNDED FAWN (2022): A schizophrenic serial killer takes a date to his remote cabin, but things don't go as planned. The setup is like a thriller, but the hallucinatory second half is a truly deranged look at a man (literally) fighting his demons. Premieres Thursday on Shudder. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on November 30, 2022, 02:30:15 PM
The Secrets of Dumbledore. Blah, keep your secrets, Dumbledore. A weak movie made worse for not beginning to hide the fact it was a blatant cash grab from a studio that's lost its prized cash cow. I've watched Harry Potter fan films online I liked more. A D+ movie softened to a C- - out of sentimentality.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 30, 2022, 04:06:17 PM
Return of the Living Dead (1985) - I am like a zombie returning again and again to this great classic. "They're rabid weasels" "have some respect for the dead" and all your favorite lines

5/5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 30, 2022, 06:51:47 PM
Return of the Living Dead (1985) - I am like a zombie returning again and again to this great classic. "They're rabid weasels" "have some respect for the dead" and all your favorite lines

5/5



I saw that one in the theater in Japan in 1985 or '86.  LOVED it!!! (and watched it many times since)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 30, 2022, 11:01:57 PM
"Village of the Damned" (1995)
A mysterious shadow passes over a small California town, causing a mass blackout ... and a rash of sudden, unexplained pregnancies among the women folk. When the offspring are born, it soon becomes clear that these kiddos share a hive mind, possess unusual psychic powers, and have a serious mean streak. As if parenting wasn't hard enough already...
John Carpenter's remake of the 1960 British film tanked at the box office (and Carpenter himself apparently hates it), but I thought it was pretty cool. It's got a great cast incl. Christopher Reeve (it was his last film before the riding accident that paralyzed him), Mark Hamill, and Kirstie Alley, and lots of moody atmosphere. Worth re-visiting. 

"Duel" (1971)
After an incident on the highway with a large trailer truck, a motorist (Dennis Weaver) finds himself being pursued through the back roads of the California desert by the crazed, unseen truck driver, who appears intent on finishing him off.
A young Steven Spielberg directed this cool, made-for-TV cat-and-mouse suspense thriller with lots of fancy stunt driving. I've seen bits and pieces of this movie over the years but I think this is the first time I've ever seen it in its entirety. Cool stuff for fans of '70s automotive mayhem.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on November 30, 2022, 11:03:56 PM
Titus (1999)

Watched this to see Sir Ant go Shakespearen. It was a surreal movie featuring ancient Rome with radio, video games,motorized vehicles and guns. Hopkins carried the movie with his performance as the main character driven to utter madness. Hopkins has a gift for playing insane characters.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 30, 2022, 11:12:31 PM
Titus (1999)

Watched this to see Sir Ant go Shakespearen. It was a surreal movie featuring ancient Rome with radio, video games,motorized vehicles and guns. Hopkins carried the movie with his performance as the main character driven to utter madness. Hopkins has a gift for playing insane characters.

Many critics consider this Shakespeare's absolute WORST play, but I will admit, Hopkins played the title role to the hilt.  What a bizarre story!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 01, 2022, 04:24:28 PM
Indiana - I saw it in the theater as well. My Mom sat in a different seat but went in with me so I could get in. That woman is a saint.


Also, I watched the first episode of "The Slavs" it was a little hokey but I guess I'll stick with it. It is ...Slovakian!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 01, 2022, 04:55:20 PM
"Linda Lovelace For President" (1975)
A consortium of political outsiders select the "Deep Throat" starlet, playing herself in her lone attempt at "mainstream" acting, as their Presidential candidate. When Linda and her campaign team embark on a get-out-the-vote bus tour across the country (which of course leads to lots of wacky hi-jinks, bad double entendre jokes and of course, frequent nudity), she becomes so popular that the two major political parties are forced to put their differences aside and hire an inept assassin to take her out. Yes, really.
...I'd never heard of this movie, so when it turned up on Tubi it was simply too "what the f**k?" for me to resist pressing "play." The leading lady tries her best, but this cheap, campy sex comedy is eye rollingly corny, full of cheap gags and terrible, mugging acting by nearly everyone involved. It's like a bad '70s TV sitcom with a dirty mind. This might have raised a few eyebrows in 1975, but modern viewers will find it silly and tedious.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 02, 2022, 12:48:06 AM
fat freddy - "soda water bottle, have a banana" is an improbable in-joke in my family.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Morpheus, the unwoke. on December 02, 2022, 02:32:04 AM
"Linda Lovelace For President" (1975)
A consortium of political outsiders select the "Deep Throat" starlet, playing herself in her lone attempt at "mainstream" acting, as their Presidential candidate. When Linda and her campaign team embark on a get-out-the-vote bus tour across the country (which of course leads to lots of wacky hi-jinks, bad double entendre jokes and of course, frequent nudity), she becomes so popular that the two major political parties are forced to put their differences aside and hire an inept assassin to take her out. Yes, really.
...I'd never heard of this movie, so when it turned up on Tubi it was simply too "what the f**k?" for me to resist pressing "play." The leading lady tries her best, but this cheap, campy sex comedy is eye rollingly corny, full of cheap gags and terrible, mugging acting by nearly everyone involved. It's like a bad '70s TV sitcom with a dirty mind. This might have raised a few eyebrows in 1975, but modern viewers will find it silly and tedious.

Try ''the happy hooker goes to washington'', you might like it as political sex farce...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 02, 2022, 01:03:08 PM
THREE MINUTES: A LENGTHENING (2022): This documentary focuses on a three-minute home movie shot in a small Polish village on the eve of World War II; within a couple of years, most of the hundred or so people captured in the crowd shots would be murdered by the Nazis. A truly impressive artifact of research, as the filmmakers follow clues to figure out the identity of the town's residents and even track down a few survivors for interviews; a short (lengthened to just over an hour) and mostly engaging work that is a must-see for Holocaust doc completists. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 02, 2022, 11:15:23 PM
A COMEDY OF HORRORS (2021) - A substitute for the school librarian brings a special book of her own to read to the little children - a book full of macabre, terrifying stories that leave the kiddies a bit more traumatized with each vignette!  Four dark tales, each with its own unique twist, from a town where veryone is a clown, to a psychotic puppet, a murderous pack of desperate bridesmaids, and a superhero actor who has an unforgettable encounter with his biggest fan. Each story has a humorous twist, but the overall effect is terrifying to the kids.  Surprisingly well done, and free on Prime.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 03, 2022, 05:42:48 AM
The Giant Gila Monster (1959)

My God, this was boring. This is, in fact, a teenage movie, with hotrods and rock'n roll, but with a monster thrown in to add excitement. As is usual in the period, the 'teenagers' are played by 30 years olds, with Don Sullivan at 29 looking the youngest of the bunch. Nothing much happens, there is just a lot of driving about and talking on the telephone. The main problem is that they don't have a monster, just some close up shots of a lizard (which Wikipedia informs me is not actually a gila monster). Even The Creeping Terror had some interaction between the actors and the monster. While putting a lizard among miniature cars is slightly more ominous than having a rabbit ravage a doll house, it is not enough to carry a film.

And then there is the moment when Don Sullivan gets out his banjo-ukulele hybrid and starts to sing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 04, 2022, 11:28:24 AM
CITIZEN DOG (2004): Pod moves to Bangkok, despite his grandmother's warning he will grow a tail if he does so, and falls in love with Jin, a woman of serial obsessions--none of which involve Pod. A cray-cray romantic comedy from the maker of "Tears of the Black Tiger (https://www.badmovies.org/capsules/t/tearstiger/)," this goes way beyond quirky: there are animated characters, musical numbers, and one of the subplots involves a chainsmoking 8-year-old girl (who claims to be 22) and her talking teddy bear. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 04, 2022, 06:49:01 PM
BLOODY SUMMER CAMP (2022) An overly long slasher flick set in a summer camp where a gang of stereotyped twentysomething counselors are getting ready for the campers as a serial killer slices and dices his way through them.  Just . . . second-rate all the way through.  2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 04, 2022, 10:52:01 PM
A double feature of Italian schlock directed by my man Luigi Cozzi, aka "Lewis Coates"

"Contamination" (aka "Alien Contamination," 1980)
A cargo ship drifts into New York Harbor with a dead crew and a hold full of weird alien eggs which make people explode when they touch them. A New York cop, a disgraced astronaut, and a government scientist follow the trail back to the eggs' source, a South American coffee plantation (?) that's been taken over by aliens in order to spread their spores around the world.
This earth-bound "Alien" variant doesn't make much sense and it drags a bit in the middle, but the first half and the last fifteen minutes make it worth sitting through the stilted dialogue and ultra cheesy gore. Dumb fun.

"StarCrash"(1979)
Sexy space pirate Stella Starr (former Bond Girl and Hammer Horror babe Caroline Munro) battles the minions of the evil Zarth Arn (a hilariously miscast Joe "Maniac" Spinell) while trying to rescue a lost prince (David freakin' Hasselhoff!) in this deliriously cool sci-fi mish mash bolted together from bits stolen from "Star Wars," "Barbarella," "Flash Gordon," "Planet of the Apes," and "Invaders From Mars," just to name a few. This movie was my introduction to the wild, wacky world of European "B" grade exploitation flicks when I was a kid, and it's been a sentimental favorite ever since. It's terrible, but in a totally awesome way!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on December 05, 2022, 06:15:14 AM
Bloody New Year.

Bloody awful.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 05, 2022, 04:44:37 PM
mid series review :   https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10720724/ (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10720724/)


The Slavs is like Conan meets Robin Hood with some bad screenwriting and casting. In the very first episode, the main guy kills both his father and brother to become chief of the village, we barely know the 3 people so there is no dramatic arch. Two of the main females look exactly the same.

Every one is afraid of the chief but the blacksmith is visibly stronger than him and can make swords. The shaman woods guy looks like the NPC meme come to life. At the same time, it is pretty fun and the embrace of all the supernatural sort of stuff was a good idea. Several rungs below the other Eastern European tv series' I've seen but more apropos for this board for sure so far


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 06, 2022, 09:51:41 AM
NO BEARS (2022): An Iranian director (played by director Jafar Panahi) forbidden from making movies in his homeland becomes embroiled in village politics in a border city while remotely directing his latest film, which is being shot a few miles across the border in Turkey. A bit of ethnography, a bit of sedate suspense, a bit of meta-movie philosophizing, and a lot of implicit regime criticism in the latest from the world's bravest director, who was arrested by Iranian authorities a few months after completing this for "propaganda." 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 07, 2022, 10:03:27 AM
SAINT OMER (2022): A novelist working on an adaptation of "Medea" attends the trial of a Senegalese immigrant accused of drowning her infant and sees parallels with her own life. Consisting mostly of long stretches of monotone testimony, watching this slow and inconclusive French legal drama is mildly preferable to jury duty. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 07, 2022, 04:01:52 PM
"The Happytime Murders" (2018)
Set in a world where humans live alongside Muppet-style characters, a human cop (Melissa McCarthy) and her cloth-covered partner investigate a series of murders connected to the cast of a vintage puppet TV show.
Falling somewhere between "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and "Meet the Feebles" (though it's obviously nowhere near as brilliant as the former and not as hilariously gross as the latter), this foul mouthed action comedy (directed by Muppet maestro Jim Henson's son, Brian) probably should have been a lot funnier given the ludicrous concept and the Henson lineage, but there's still enough legit laughs to make it a decent time-killer.

"Rock N Roll High School" (1979)
Rock fanatic and aspiring songwriter Riff Randell (P.J. Soles) and her fellow students at Vince Lombardi High rebel against the fascist, rock hating principal Miss Togar (Mary Woronov) with a little help from the Ramones... and some high explosives.
Allan Arkush's punked-out update of a '50s "rock musical" flick has been one of my favorite movies for as long as I can remember. I've probably seen it more times than any other movie, but I never get tired of it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 08, 2022, 10:43:16 PM
"John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars" (2001)
In the future, a squadron of space cops arrive at a Martian colony to take a notorious prisoner into custody. They soon learn that most of the colony's inhabitants are dead, and the survivors have been taken over by a homicidal alien organism that controls their bodies. Lots of punching, blasting, and cheap special effects ensue.
John Carpenter wastes an impressive cast of B-movie stalwarts (Ice Cube, Natasha Henstridge, Pam Grier, Jason Statham) in this plodding, shoddy looking sci-fi/action flick that's essentially a remake of his 70s classic "Assault on Precinct 13," set on Mars. Since he's ripping off his own movie, I have no idea how he could have dropped the ball this badly!
Metal Nerd fun fact: members of Anthrax helped Carpenter compose the score for this flick (you can hear Scott Ian's distinctive guitar riffing numerous times throughout the flick) but even that isn't enough to save this one from total crap-dom. Skip it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 09, 2022, 04:12:41 PM
"48 HRS." (1982)
A burned out cop (Nick Nolte) takes a small time crook (Eddie Murphy, in his movie debut) out of jail on a two day pass to get his help in catching some of his former associates, who've escaped from prison and gone on a killing spree.
Walter Hill's comedic shoot-em-up gives Eddie plenty of chances to shine (the scene with him in a bar full of rednecks is absolutely priceless) and pretty much set the template for every other "buddy cop" movie that was made for the rest of the '80s. Even after all these years, this is still my favorite Eddie Murphy movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 10, 2022, 08:05:01 AM
"Jabberwocky" (1977)
In the Dark Ages, a dorky peasant (Michael Palin) leaves his village and heads to the city, where he gets caught up in the search for a champion to slay a massive man-eating beast that's terrorizing the kingdom.
This uneven Medieval fantasy/comedy was Terry (Monty Python) Gilliam's solo directing debut (after co-directing Holy Grail with fellow Python Terry Jones) and though it shares a similar grimy look and vibe with Grail, unfortunately it isn't nearly as funny. There are a few good bits scattered throughout the film but there's a lot of dead space between them. Those expecting a Python-esque laugh riot will be disappointed. You can safely skip this one unless you absolutely have to see every Python-related movie in existence.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 10, 2022, 09:30:39 AM
BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER (2022)

King T'Challa is dead, and his mother and sister must lead Wakanda through an increasingly dangerous time, when the outside world has become aware of the existence of vibranium, and Wakanda is also threatened with invasion and war from an underwater kingdom every bit as technologically advanced as their own.   Lots of great battle scenes, compelling plot, and fun characters make this a great addition to the Marvel film series. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 11, 2022, 09:55:19 AM
"Southern Comfort" (1981)
A squad of National Guardsmen enter the Lousiana swamps for a weekend training exercise. While stumbling around the forests and wetlands, they p**s off some of the local Cajuns and spend the rest of the movie on the run from them, getting picked off one by one.
A tight survival/action thriller directed by Walter Hill of "The Warriors" and '48 HRS." fame, anchored by a strong cast (Powers Boothe, Keith Carradine, Fred Ward, Brion James) and the gloomy locations. I wouldn't wanna be lost in those swamps, either.

"In Like Flint" (1967)
Second spy spoof with James Coburn as swingin', ultra cool  Derek Flint, agent of Z.O.W.I.E. This time he has to stop an evil group of female tycoons from taking over the world with an all girl army who've been brainwashed by beauty-salon hair dryers. Yes, really.
Coburn is wise-cracking and cool, the ladies (including a pre-"Batgirl" Yvonne Craig as a Russian ballerina/spy) are gorgeous, and everyone seems to be having a great time.
There's a quote from Mike "Austin Powers" Myers on the DVD cover that says "In Like Flint is my favorite movie!" -- which was not a surprise, because you only need to watch a few minutes of this movie to see Flint's influence on the Austin films.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 12, 2022, 08:15:47 PM
"Another 48 Hrs." (1990)
Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte are back as wise ass ex-con Reggie and hard living detective Jack, and this time they have to uncover the identity of a mysterious drug kingpin known only as "The Iceman" before Jack goes to prison for murder and Reggie ends up dead. This years-too-late sequel is full of impressive stunt work, shootouts, property destruction, and general mayhem but in the end it's not much more than a remix of all the best parts of the first movie. Watchable but not essential.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 13, 2022, 10:03:56 AM
BARDO, FALSE CHRONICLE OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS: A Mexican national film director receives an award in Los Angeles, causing him to reflect on his own artistic life and the Mexican immigrant/expatriate experience. Told in a series of surrealistic sketches, Alejandro G. Iñárritu delivers a Mexican Fellini movie (and doesn't shy away from nods to 8 1/12); it's about 50% personal, 50% political, and if the mixture doesn't always seem to work, the individual scenes are, almost universally, brilliantly crafted (e.g., the protagonist meets Hernan Cortes on top of a mountain of corpses in downtown L.A.). If the title doesn't scare you off already, the 2:45 minute runtime may. Debuts on Netflix on Friday. Ralfy may like this one, as it focuses on a country actually harmed by American imperialism. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 13, 2022, 01:16:29 PM
"Our Man Flint" (1966)
In James Coburn's first appearance as ultra-suave, super cool secret agent Derek Flint, the governments of the world call him out of semi-retirement to stop a group of evil scientists who've figured out a way to control and weaponize the Earth's weather. Entertainingly silly sixties "spy-fi" spoof with lots of cool retro/futuristic set designs and hot Sixties chicks in bikinis. Shag-a-delic fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 14, 2022, 10:07:00 AM
BAD AXE: A blended Cambodian/Mexican family in one of the deepest Trump counties in Michigan tries to keep the family restaurant open during Covid, while blowback from their support of a BLM march  and angry customers who refuse to wear masks lead to increasing harassment and intimidation. Ultimately hopeful, as the values of the small community eventually overcome all the seething resentments. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 14, 2022, 05:00:44 PM
The Slavs (Slovakian tv series)

(https://cdn.kinocheck.com/images/w500/2fg6zs6ves.jpg)

The whole thing looks like it was filmed in the woods near my house, but I enjoyed The Slavs. Veering off the path of pure history by adding a fantasy element was definitely the right move. There were some problems: The usurping of power by the guy who everyone is scared of because he's 4 inches taller than them was hard to accept. Why would anyone have trusted him in the first place is he was so awful? That whole character I didn't really care about. I can't even remember what happened to him and I just watched the last episode last night.

Things pick up when we meet Vlad, the stranger who can't remember where he came from. He probably plays the Detective Stabler type in Slovakian (or Ukrainian, its a joint production) cop shows. There are some pretty girls and a salacious/ disturbing "summer solstice" orgy scene. What makes it fun to watch is the mix of fantasy and medieval-style woods warrior antics. like a really elaborate Eastern European Ren Faire. Who wouldn't like that  5/5

The above guy is a zherets I can't remember how you spell it. That's a pagan mystical type person


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 15, 2022, 06:46:58 AM
HAUNTED HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW (2021) - A group of sorority girls move into a haunted house.  Two frat boys come to help them get settled in, and then the ghosts of the house begin confronting them with their worst memories, experiences they have buried out of shame and guilt.  Ultra low budget, but the girls are pretty, the plot is engaging, and there's copious nudity.  I've spent money to see far less entertaining movies!  Free on Amazon Prime. 2/5 on a "real" movie scale, about a 5/5 on the bad movie scale.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on December 15, 2022, 08:57:35 AM
The Slavs (Slovakian tv series)

(https://cdn.kinocheck.com/images/w500/2fg6zs6ves.jpg)

The whole thing looks like it was filmed in the woods near my house, but I enjoyed The Slavs. Veering off the path of pure history by adding a fantasy element was definitely the right move. There were some problems: The usurping of power by the guy who everyone is scared of because he's 4 inches taller than them was hard to accept. Why would anyone have trusted him in the first place is he was so awful? That whole character I didn't really care about. I can't even remember what happened to him and I just watched the last episode last night.

Things pick up when we meet Vlad, the stranger who can't remember where he came from. He probably plays the Detective Stabler type in Slovakian (or Ukrainian, its a joint production) cop shows. There are some pretty girls and a salacious/ disturbing "summer solstice" orgy scene. What makes it fun to watch is the mix of fantasy and medieval-style woods warrior antics. like a really elaborate Eastern European Ren Faire. Who wouldn't like that  5/5

The above guy is a zherets I can't remember how you spell it. That's a pagan mystical type person
Where might one encounter this meticulous retelling of Slovak history?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 15, 2022, 04:18:14 PM
it's on tubi tv. so far I've seen 4 tv series from this region

1. Black Sun (Serbia)
2. Golden Horde (Russia)
3. Ekaterina (Russia)
4. The Slavs (Slovenia/ Ukraine co production)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 16, 2022, 09:47:04 AM
WILDCAT (2022): A British Afghanistan war veteran with PSTD joins a wildlife conservancy in the Amazon, where he throws himself wholeheartedly into raising an orphaned ocelot to adulthood. The rare nature documentary where the human stories hold their own against the animals. On Amazon Prime December 30. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 16, 2022, 11:15:28 PM
ASTONISHING TALES OF TERROR: ROCKTAPU$$Y (2022)
This was a truly dreadful freebie on TubiTV - a hot news reporter whose blouses are way too tight when she bothers to wear them is doing a story on new mining technology when the prototype laser digger breaks into an ancient cavity and frees a hideous tentacled Elder God who tries to make her its new priestess.  Low budget B movie hijinks ensue!  Tolerable, but not great.  Still, it's free and it's got all three of Joe Bob Brigg's 3 B's.  So I'll give it a 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 17, 2022, 04:14:44 AM
Broker (2022)

An owner of a small laundry shop and a church volunteer have a small sideline: they snatch babies from the baby box of the church and then sell them for illegal adoption. They are discovered when a young mother comes back to the church the next day. She is still determined to give up her baby, so the three of them try to find suitable foster parents. They are trailed by two cops who have to catch them in the act in order to make arrest. However, as the trio aren't exactly the most efficient of black market dealers, this proves more complicated than anticipated.

In their quest to find a buyer/foster home for the baby, the three form a kind of surrogate family, especially when a young orphan boy decides to tag alone. It becomes a melancholy and meandering road movie, with meditations about parenthood, growing up and family ties. I quite liked it, but it did lack some punch to be truly moving.

Song Kang-Ho of Parasite and Snowpiercer fame got Best Actor for this at Cannes, which I think is a bit overly generous. He does a good a job, but the character is written to his strengths. The female lead is played by IU (as Lee Ji-Eun) who makes here a clean break with her sweet and adorable early image, which earned her the nickname of 'The Nation's Little Sister'.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on December 17, 2022, 04:49:12 AM
Barbarian.

When Justin Long turns up in a horror movie, you just know it isn't going to end well for him.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 17, 2022, 06:50:45 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE: A new riff on the uncut version of the movie about a teen Christ figure saving the world from an invasion of giant alien lobster herds; lots of lobster jokes. Elvis J. Wienstein and Andy Kindler are funny post-show guests. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 18, 2022, 07:18:26 PM
ADULT SWIM YULE LOG (2022): It begins as an ambient shot of a Yule log, but then the cleaning lady walks into the frame, and soon enough we're dealing with serial killers, aliens, occultists, and the Little Man: is this log haunted, or are the edibles hitting early? A remarkable prank of a film that is utterly ridiculous, but played completely straight, generating legitimate suspense and fright. Adult Swim released it without forewarning after an episode of "Rick & Morty." 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 18, 2022, 10:48:59 PM
"Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2" (1987)
"Ricky," the younger brother of "Billy," the Santa Claus killer from the first movie, tells his sad story to a prison psychiatrist before breaking out and going on his own Santa-suited killing spree. An absolute master class in bad acting by the guy playing Ricky (it's all in the eyebrows) plus there's so much recycled footage from the first movie that you don't even need to watch the original. Is it bad that this crap-tacular has become a holiday season perennial for me? PUNISH!!

"Black Christmas" (2006)
Sorority sisters learn the hard way that their house was once home to a notorious serial killer who's returned for Christmas in this re-make of Bob Clark's '70s slasher flick. Honestly, I kind of prefer this over the O.G., cuz it has a way bigger mean streak (Incest! Cannibalism! Eyeball gougings!) and a cast full of eye candy like Michelle "Buffy" Trachtenberg, Lacey "Party of Five" Chabert, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World"). It may not be a great movie, but Lord knows it's better than Blumhouse's doomed 2019 attempt.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on December 19, 2022, 08:19:27 AM
It's Christmas season, so that means... DIE HARD marathon!

DIE HARD (1988)

A New York City police officer tries to save his estranged wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.

Wasting words describing this is quite a futile exercise, since everything has been said already.
This is definitely my favorite action movie, and in my opinion, the best ever made. It has everything: a badass, wisecracking hero, intriguing villain, menacing henchman, interesting plot, fun side characters, and awesome action scenes. Not to mention, a lot of times is more about cunning than brute force, which adds to the tension.

The perfect action movie. 10/10

DIE HARD 2 (1990)

John McClane attempts to avert disaster as rogue military operatives seize control of Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C.

John is back in this by-the-numbers sequel. It's pretty much the same thing, but instead of a building, it's an airport. So what? It's still incredible fun, the villain is, once again, mysterious and menacing. It has amazing scenes, with much more tragedy than before. The humor is still there, with a lot of previous characters as well. The twists are not that surprising, but entertaining enough, especially the one where they shoot blanks and John tries and fail to kill a guy with the same gun.

It feels like a sequel, and it's damn fun. 9/10

DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE (1995)

John McClane and a Harlem store owner are targeted by German terrorist Simon in New York City, where he plans to rob the Federal Reserve Building.

The third installment in the series is one of my favorites. The addition of Samuel L. Jackson to the mix ramps the humor to the sky. At this point it feels like the horror movies of the 80s, where they tried to surpass the previous movie in gore. Here, it's in crazy action scenes, and it delivers. John survives a train crash and takes down a helicopter with a pistol. What's not to like here?

Jeremy Irons goes full cheese mode, and it's brilliant. From the quick dialog on the phone to make our heroes run all day, to the smirk he pulls off through the movie, he makes me want to punch him in the face real hard. And his female companion is a marvelous enemy, I only wish she had a hand-to-hand combat with McClane.

Fun, fun, fun. 9/10

LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD (2007)

John McClane and a young hacker join forces to take down master cyber-terrorist Thomas Gabriel in Washington D.C.

Few movies are so self-aware than this one. References to McClane jokes, the endless stream of random henchmen, the fact that our hero never has to get to a hospital because his wounds "are sexy", and many more, you can tell from the go that this was a movie for the fans. Turn off your brain and enjoy the ride.

Even without Samuel L. Jackson, the jokes here are spot on. "You play with dolls?", "you know these things called gymnasiums?", "it's something they invented in the 60s, it's called jogging, you'll love it", and other legendary lines, makes this a fantastic movie. The computer geek being protected by McClane gets fleshed out by the end, and he becomes the hero; not to mention, John finally makes peace with his daughter. So there's even character development, which is always welcome.

The movie does suffer from a rather bland villain this time. Yes, Thomas Gabriel is really cool, and his abilities are actually menacing, except that... we never see him actually doing much, only his minions do the job. Not to mention, his plan falls apart way too easily, it's too dependant on chance, and lacks the delicate intrincation of previous villains.

While flawed, this is a worthy sequel to this saga. 8/10

A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (2013)

John McClane travels to Russia to help out his seemingly wayward son, Jack, only to discover that Jack is a CIA operative working undercover, causing the father and son to team up against underworld forces.

Well, we reached the black sheep of the franchise, part 5. Everyone seems to hate this movie with the force of a burning sun, but personally, I didn't find it that bad. One thing I absolutely hate is the use of shaky camera, which I have no idea who invented it, but I hope he's receiving a proper punishment right now. I think the problem with this movie is that is a good action film, but it's a DIE HARD sequel, therefore it should be more than that. And it isn't.

This time we move to another country, so we expect John to suffer a little more consequences for his actions. Sadly, that never happens, and he wrecks havoc as soon the movie begins. While the actions sequences are now completely bonkers, even more than LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD, at this point I think we all expect to see some crazy stuff going on. The problem is, sometimes it gets too crazy, and we no longer think John is in danger. During LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD, when he makes Bowman promise he'll save his daughter, the first time watching it I actually thought he wasn't going to make it. In A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD, John is pretty much a superhero.

Something that really bugged me about this one is some of line of dialogs. McClane says he's on vacation like 10 times, it gets old really fast. Having said that, some banters with his son are probably the most funny in the entire series. The whole "you're going home and put on your FBI slippers" made me laugh out loud.

Overall, the movie is all right. The stakes are high, nuclear weapons are no joke. But the villains change all the time, so you never have time to invest in any of them. Twists are nice when done well, here, they're not. The guy that captures them and eat carrots is a complete waste, it's just another henchmen but with a few more lines.

A decent action movie, but as a DIE HARD sequel, it delivers very little. Watchable. 7/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on December 19, 2022, 10:23:50 AM
Trying to watch Bullet Train but it's not gripping my attention. I wonder if it's worth seeing?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on December 19, 2022, 10:35:59 AM
Trying to watch Bullet Train but it's not gripping my attention. I wonder if it's worth seeing?

Watch Train to Busan instead.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on December 19, 2022, 10:41:00 AM
Trying to watch Bullet Train but it's not gripping my attention. I wonder if it's worth seeing?

Watch Train to Busan instead.

Is that what it's based on?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 19, 2022, 11:37:07 AM
TERRIFYING T-REX (2022)  Ever watch a movie that was completely free, but you still wanted your money back?  This offering from TubiTV was so bad I not only wanted a refund, I wanted to order a tactical nuclear strik against TubiTV headquarters for offering it on their network.  This movie isn't just bad; it raises bad to a whole new level!   LSS, a meteor strike opens a portal to some undeground chamber and lets a horribly CGI-animated T-rex loose onto a town of incredibly stupid rednecks who can't act.   The government sends in a special agent named Bellatrix who is morbidly obese, wears an eye-patch and a bustier, and who the director insists on showing naked despite the high percentage of suicides among his studio audience after said nude scenes. The T-rex chomps and stomps his way through the town's inbred ignoramuses, while the bumbling special agent tries to track him down.  The only high points in this steaming pile of cinematic dreck are A. the TV reporter, whose reaction to the inbred morons her station interviews are hilarious, and B. the fact that the movie ends with the President nuking the entire town.  It's a shame TubiTV's headquarters weren't located there!  1/5


WHO AM I KIDDING?  You guys would probably love this!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 19, 2022, 01:40:13 PM

DIE HARD 2 (1990)

John McClane attempts to avert disaster as rogue military operatives seize control of Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C.

John is back in this by-the-numbers sequel. It's pretty much the same thing, but instead of a building, it's an airport. So what? It's still incredible fun, the villain is, once again, mysterious and menacing. It has amazing scenes, with much more tragedy than before. The humor is still there, with a lot of previous characters as well. The twists are not that surprising, but entertaining enough, especially the one where they shoot blanks and John tries and fail to kill a guy with the same gun.

It feels like a sequel, and it's damn fun. 9/10


When Die Hard 2 Die Harder was released here in 1990, a Pretoria cinema owner went a bit overboard with marketing for the film and put a wrecked aeroplane on the cinema's roof, causing quite a few accidents until claims and threats forced him to take the thing down.  :buggedout: :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on December 19, 2022, 02:16:29 PM

DIE HARD 2 (1990)

John McClane attempts to avert disaster as rogue military operatives seize control of Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C.

John is back in this by-the-numbers sequel. It's pretty much the same thing, but instead of a building, it's an airport. So what? It's still incredible fun, the villain is, once again, mysterious and menacing. It has amazing scenes, with much more tragedy than before. The humor is still there, with a lot of previous characters as well. The twists are not that surprising, but entertaining enough, especially the one where they shoot blanks and John tries and fail to kill a guy with the same gun.

It feels like a sequel, and it's damn fun. 9/10


When Die Hard 2 Die Harder was released here in 1990, a Pretoria cinema owner went a bit overboard with marketing for the film and put a wrecked aeroplane on the cinema's roof, causing quite a few accidents until claims and threats forced him to take the thing down.  :buggedout: :buggedout:

lol wtf, that's some serious advertising right there.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 19, 2022, 02:26:23 PM

DIE HARD 2 (1990)

John McClane attempts to avert disaster as rogue military operatives seize control of Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C.

John is back in this by-the-numbers sequel. It's pretty much the same thing, but instead of a building, it's an airport. So what? It's still incredible fun, the villain is, once again, mysterious and menacing. It has amazing scenes, with much more tragedy than before. The humor is still there, with a lot of previous characters as well. The twists are not that surprising, but entertaining enough, especially the one where they shoot blanks and John tries and fail to kill a guy with the same gun.

It feels like a sequel, and it's damn fun. 9/10


When Die Hard 2 Die Harder was released here in 1990, a Pretoria cinema owner went a bit overboard with marketing for the film and put a wrecked aeroplane on the cinema's roof, causing quite a few accidents until claims and threats forced him to take the thing down.  :buggedout: :buggedout:

lol wtf, that's some serious advertising right there.

It made front page news as well.  :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 19, 2022, 03:08:02 PM
Spaced Out/Outer Touch (1981)

A spaceship from an all-female planet makes an emergency landing on earth and picks up some passers-by. As the aliens have never seen males before, they plan on selling them as exotic animals to a zoo, but they become intrigued by the 'vestigial third limb' of their captives.

As a soft core SF sex parody, this is about as silly as it gets. Director Norman Warren described it as a 'cross between Carry On and Fire Maidens From Outer Space', although I'd say there is some Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy in there as well. The whole thing is done firmly tongue in cheek, and everyone gets into the spirit. My favourite moment is when the Skipper pulls on a lever, which comes loose, so she tosses it away and pulls another one.

Silly but charming


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on December 19, 2022, 03:58:10 PM
TERRIFYING T-REX (2022)  Ever watch a movie that was completely free, but you still wanted your money back?  This offering from TubiTV was so bad I not only wanted a refund, I wanted to order a tactical nuclear strik against TubiTV headquarters for offering it on their network.  This movie isn't just bad; it raises bad to a whole new level!   LSS, a meteor strike opens a portal to some undeground chamber and lets a horribly CGI-animated T-rex loose onto a town of incredibly stupid rednecks who can't act.   The government sends in a special agent named Bellatrix who is morbidly obese, wears an eye-patch and a bustier, and who the director insists on showing naked despite the high percentage of suicides among his studio audience after said nude scenes. The T-rex chomps and stomps his way through the town's inbred ignoramuses, while the bumbling special agent tries to track him down.  The only high points in this steaming pile of cinematic dreck are A. the TV reporter, whose reaction to the inbred morons her station interviews are hilarious, and B. the fact that the movie ends with the President nuking the entire town.  It's a shame TubiTV's headquarters weren't located there!  1/5


WHO AM I KIDDING?  You guys would probably love this!

You're usually charitable to even the lousiest stinker of a bad movie, so this thing must've really dropped into the depths of sheer awfulality.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on December 19, 2022, 04:46:04 PM
TERRIFYING T-REX (2022)  Ever watch a movie that was completely free, but you still wanted your money back?  This offering from TubiTV was so bad I not only wanted a refund, I wanted to order a tactical nuclear strik against TubiTV headquarters for offering it on their network.  This movie isn't just bad; it raises bad to a whole new level!   LSS, a meteor strike opens a portal to some undeground chamber and lets a horribly CGI-animated T-rex loose onto a town of incredibly stupid rednecks who can't act.   The government sends in a special agent named Bellatrix who is morbidly obese, wears an eye-patch and a bustier, and who the director insists on showing naked despite the high percentage of suicides among his studio audience after said nude scenes. The T-rex chomps and stomps his way through the town's inbred ignoramuses, while the bumbling special agent tries to track him down.  The only high points in this steaming pile of cinematic dreck are A. the TV reporter, whose reaction to the inbred morons her station interviews are hilarious, and B. the fact that the movie ends with the President nuking the entire town.  It's a shame TubiTV's headquarters weren't located there!  1/5


WHO AM I KIDDING?  You guys would probably love this!

I can always recommend some more movies for you. I remember how much you and the entire family enjoyed the last one.  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 20, 2022, 10:12:20 AM
FIRE OF LOVE (2022): This documentary about Katia and Maurice Krafft, a married couple of co-dependent volcanology addicts, shares the decades of daring footage they shot together of Mt. St. Helens and other eruptions. The explosive lava footage suggests that hot magma flows are more intoxicating than love, a thesis with which the intentionally childless Kraffts would likely concur. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 20, 2022, 05:00:52 PM
Loan Shark (1952) - solid mid tier film noir type thing, more of just a straight crime movie. A guy (George Raft) gets out of jail and immediately is dragooned into running some sort of undercover operation to find a loan shark boss. I can't remember why they asked him specifically to do this or if they even said why.

There are some cute girls with pointy boobs but no BLONDES with pointy boobs, probably due to budget constraints. I watch and turn off movies all the time and I didn't with this one, so that's a major endorsement! It doesn't have any mysterious night cub scenes or other noir type stuff and there is more than enough of Raft and his weird "charm" he allegedly has. You can watch it while you are getting ready to watch something better


3.99/5

edit - I forgot: the Professor from Gilligan's Island is in it


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on December 20, 2022, 05:58:16 PM
FIRE OF LOVE (2022): This documentary about Katia and Maurice Krafft, a married couple of co-dependent volcanology addicts, shares the decades of daring footage they shot together of Mt. St. Helens and other eruptions. The explosive lava footage suggests that hot magma flows are more intoxicating than love, a thesis with which the intentionally childless Kraffts would likely concur. 3.5/5.

Been meaning to see that on streaming. Maybe tonight I will.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 21, 2022, 05:18:42 PM
Fire Maidens From Outer Space (1956)

As the director of Spaced Out mentioned it, I had to check it out. This is a very lame remake of Cat Women of the Moon.

A very earth-like new moon of Jupiter is discovered, and an expedition is sent out. On Moon 13, they find the last survivors of Atlantis (the Atlanteans apparently took to space before the continent sunk). These consist of the titular Fire Maidens and Atlantean Papa Smurf. There is also a monster, and the Fire Maidens do dance acts, but more in a classical ballet vein than the Cat Women. The Atlanteans have a nefarious plot to have the astronauts kill the monster and marry the Fire Maidens, but the Intrepid Captain and Princess of the Fire Maidens save the day by their daring plan that results in killing the monster and sending more astronauts over to marry the Fire Maidens. 

The main problem of the movie is that anything that could be exciting happens off screen. So we are left with a lot of padding and stock footage. Seeing a Lockheed Constellation fly might have been more interesting in 1956 than now, but having a secretary walk down some steps, getting a folding chair, taking a message, carefully putting back the folding chair, and going up the steps again, certainly was not.

It was ahead of its time in product placement. There are packets of Chesterfields lying about, and all the crew members are chainsmokers. Also a lot is made of the 'Longines Space Watches' and that the pictures are taken with Polaroid cameras.

Watch Cat Women of the Moon instead.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 22, 2022, 01:38:27 PM
ARGENTINA, 1985 (2022): A middle-aged prosecutor with an inexperienced team of lawyers reluctantly takes on the job of prosecuting nine high ranking officers of the recently-deposed Argentinian junta for their crimes against the people while facing a constant stream of death threats. Hits all the notes you expect it to. Argentinians will doubtless give it a patriotic star boost. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 22, 2022, 11:01:54 PM
the OA season two - a little more conventional and a lot more complicated than the first season. Now, the action is in two different dimensions, as the OA, reemerging as a Russian heiress, attempts to stop the evil HAP from doing whatever he's doing. The group of kids from the first season try to make sense of it all without the help of their ostensible leader and a new character is introduced: a detective investigating a mysterious house around which all the plots come together. like I said, its kind of complicated.

Netflix apparently didn't promote the show very much and it was cancelled after this. Too bad, I was riveted and could certainly have watched another season if not many more

5/5 in memoriam

Hey, sorry for replying to a 2.5-year old post, but it's bound to happen a lot more, probably. Anyway, I've suppressed my urge to pitch in a couple cents to a bunch of these old ones - had to take the bait finally on THE OA...

......What a phenomenal second season. I was hooked hard - definitely enjoyed the (very weird) mystery, and Kingsley Ben-Adir was incredibly compelling (not to mention offbeat) as the detective. Considering the cruelly cut-short two season OA, the even-more-unfairly truncated single season THE SOCIETY (which had enough promise to run 40 or 50 episodes), and the comparatively voluminous but still too-brief magic that was G.L.O.W., I can only assume Netflix executives are ADHD-addled 13 year olds or hopeless cokeheads or both. The budget for THE (appallingly dumb) GREY MAN alone would have bankrolled an additional season or two for all three of these fantastic serials. Ugh.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 22, 2022, 11:49:57 PM
Brit Marling is creating an interesting body of work


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 23, 2022, 10:32:53 AM
SR. (2022): Robert Downey, Jr., makes a documentary about his father, maverick underground filmmaker Robert Downey Sr., as he's dying of Parkinsons; simultaneously, the bedridden Sr. can't resist directing his own cut of the film as an absurdist autobiography. A great documentary, simultaneously a tribute to a fascinating and flawed man, a lesson in film history, a real-time illustration of the creative process, and a touching glimpse of a son dealing with the imminent death of his father. On Netflix. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 23, 2022, 10:39:33 PM
GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY (2022)
I imagine there's already a review of this on here somewhere, though I couldn't find it. Like any good mystery, it's probably best to avoid ANY plot information before watching, thus I will disclose essentially nothing about the plot and just offer some miscellaneous qualitative comments:

If you liked KNIVES OUT, see GLASS ONION.
If you didn't like KNIVES OUT, see GLASS ONION.
If you did not see KNIVES OUT, see GLASS ONION.
In all cases - you get the idea.

I didn't dislike KNIVES OUT, but I didn't think it was up to nearly as much as its reputation might suggest... an idea that GLASS ONION actually seems aware of and sort of alludes to at one point. For one thing, KNIVES OUT would have had us believe that Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc was a brilliant master detective and the centerpiece of the film, when in fact he was essentially a supporting player in a story about Ana de Armas' character, and not a supremely impressive one imho.

For over an hour, GLASS ONION seems - and this is the most plot-like info I will divulge - like a REAL vehicle for Benoit Blanc, new movie-franchise tentpole superstar. Rian Johnson writes Blanc as much smarter (and funnier) than I remember him from KNIVES OUT, and Daniel Craig seems utterly at home in the character's quirky shoes. In fact, GLASS ONION is an improvement over KNIVES OUT in nearly every way: more clever, fast-paced, well-made, nice to look at, and purely enjoyable than the previous film - and better acted, I think, by a more tight-knit ensemble.

Janelle Monae really impresses in particular - giving off some serious Kerry Washington intensity and intelligence.

Edward Norton is a pleasure - as are his three hairstyles. (The main one makes him look unnervingly a bit like Walken in some shots.)

I'll also mention that there are a parade of surprising cameos throughout the film - even if you're expecting cameos, you'll not likely expect some or most of these. The two folks on the left side of Benoit Blanc's zoom meeting in his first scene shocked me to the core and almost made me cry - just by showing up. The timing of GLASS ONION's release seems... impossibly prescient... and not just in Johnson's selection of celebrity guest appearances. The entire plot, frankly, and one central monologue by Norton particularly feels like Johnson could/should/must have written it sometime in the past month - November-December 2022. Of course he couldn't have. Whether it was luck or just a case of Johnson being really cued into global events that some of us are only starting to worry about in recent days... GLASS ONION goes beyond being fabulously entertaining to feel sort of like the primal scream session that many Americans need right about now.

One more non-spoiler: I watched the trailer a couple weeks ago, immediately regretting it as I felt confident that it revealed most of the major plot elements of the film. In retrospect, I think the trailer's editor does a magnificent job of obfuscating or misrepresenting what happens in GLASS ONION... which of course is exactly what you would want a trailer for a good mystery to do.

Nevertheless, skip the trailer - just see GLASS ONION. (You can always watch the trailer later.)

I won't say "Netflix, all is forgiven", but this is a much better use of my subscription money than THE GREY MAN!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 24, 2022, 08:48:53 AM
SR. (2022): Robert Downey, Jr., makes a documentary about his father, maverick underground filmmaker Robert Downey Sr., as he's dying of Parkinsons; simultaneously, the bedridden Sr. can't resist directing his own cut of the film as an absurdist autobiography. A great documentary, simultaneously a tribute to a fascinating and flawed man, a lesson in film history, a real-time illustration of the creative process, and a touching glimpse of a son dealing with the imminent death of his father. On Netflix. 4.5/5.

Downey Sr was a great filmmaker but he introduced his young son to drugs: that I cannot condone.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 24, 2022, 09:57:02 AM
SR. (2022): Robert Downey, Jr., makes a documentary about his father, maverick underground filmmaker Robert Downey Sr., as he's dying of Parkinsons; simultaneously, the bedridden Sr. can't resist directing his own cut of the film as an absurdist autobiography. A great documentary, simultaneously a tribute to a fascinating and flawed man, a lesson in film history, a real-time illustration of the creative process, and a touching glimpse of a son dealing with the imminent death of his father. On Netflix. 4.5/5.

Downey Sr was a great filmmaker but he introduced his young son to drugs: that I cannot condone.

They address it in the doc. Sr. regrets it, Jr. forgives him. It's touching.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 24, 2022, 02:48:32 PM
HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD (1982)
Typical Italian zombie flick. Pretty run of the mill until the end when our heroine gets her tounge ripped out and her eyeballs squeezed out of her head.

As long as we're spoiling the climax (or presuming everyone on here has seen it) - how 'bout the one macho commando who abruptly decides to take advantage of an apparently secure dressing room or boudoir and immediately dons women's clothing (for no reason I could apprehend when I watched it 30 years ago) - AS ONE DOES when one is on special assignment in a third world war zone overrun by zombies....... and then immediately thereafter is surrounded and devoured by the living dead? 'Cause of course he is.

Wow, that Bruno Mattei, man.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 24, 2022, 04:33:56 PM
MST3K: THE CHRISTMAS DRAGON: The finale of Season 13 features all three hosts (Joel, Jonah and Emily) riffing in shifts on the movie, then all together for the final segment. The movie is a Christmas story told in a medieval fantasy setting---which actually isn't too bad an idea. A reasonable number of chuckles and a final scene that shows Joel and crew apparently escaping---but probably not. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on December 25, 2022, 01:59:30 AM
Sigh. I consider it deprivation that I have never been able to get into MST3K like everyone else seems to.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 25, 2022, 03:51:22 AM
Glass Onion (2022)

To be honest, I liked Knives Out more. Part of it undoubtedly has to do with living up to expectations. While Knives Out was a spoof of the murder mystery/thriller with an ensemble cast, this is much more the Great Daniel Craig show, and is closer to an episode of Inspector Columbo filmed on an extravagantly lavish scale.

That being said, I can wholeheartedly recommend it. It is delightful and funny, and the whole cast seems to be having a blast, especially Daniel Craig. There are some inventive plot twists that mock the conventions of the genre. Also, extra points to Daniel Craig for wearing a shirt with cocktail cuffs (aka James Bond cuffs) during the final exposition scene. Very enjoyable all round.

As someone who is active in HVAC, however, I do have to point out that hydrogen doesn't work that way.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 25, 2022, 05:34:23 PM
THE TERRITORY (2022): An indigenous tribe in the Amazon fights back the best they can against colonizers intent on moving into their protected territory and homesteading, while Bolsonaro's government looks the other way. An informative look at the evils of over-development, but unfortunately, not a hopeful one. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 25, 2022, 07:15:17 PM
I really liked Sleepaway Camp not just the ending. I didn't care for the Cropsy one whatever it was called. as far as post Friday the 13th camp movies

I'm with you, bro - SLEEPAWAY CAMP is a hoot in its entirety... from the ludicrous fashions to the overwrought performances (in those cases where the performers can be said to be performing). I'm especially fond of "Mel" the loathesome camp owner and most specifically of his unforgettable "Not you, Meg!" big Oscar-reel scene (SPOILERS, naturally):
https://youtu.be/v3gkYHhbzmc?t=24

...My 2nd favorite reaction to discovering a grisly murder scene in film history, right behind Heinz Bennett's spontaneous epileptic fit/blindness at the end of POSSESSION. Not to say SLEEPAWAY CAMP is on the same level as POSSESSION, but.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to those who celebrate and cheers to all others!  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 25, 2022, 11:14:31 PM
CREATURE CABIN (2017) - A low budget Aussie tribute to THE EVIL DEAD, this was a surprisingly enjoyable free offering on Tubi TV.
A rock singer named Oskar loses her job and her boyfriend (and her cat and her sofa) all in one day, so she decides to join her roomate, the roommate's boyfriend, and the boyfriend's hot cousin for a weekend in the woods - not realizing that a cult of undead slaves are trying to raise a demon unicorn from the ground to open the gates of hell, and that she is the chosen sacrifice!  Campy gore and hijinks ensue, lots of silly one-liners.  Bad movie mayhem from start to finish!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 25, 2022, 11:23:47 PM
aren't all tubi tv offerings free?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 25, 2022, 11:39:44 PM
aren't all tubi tv offerings free?

Pretty much.  Some of them still make you want your money back!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 26, 2022, 10:20:08 AM
Bowery at Midnight (1942) - A psychology professor who teaches about criminal behavior has a secret: he himself is a criminal. Bela Lugosi is all too believable as a guy using a soup kitchen as a cover for murder and burglary. I'm still not entirely sold on the concept. I think maybe they could have done the classroom stuff as a flashback. He works all day and all night when does he grade the papers, etc?

Anyway, he gets in some "three's Company" style hijinks when someone from the class wants to do a study at the soup kitchen. Will his whole diabolical plan come crashing down??? Tom Neal from Detour is awesome as one of his many criminal co horts. I have a feeling something was cut somewhere because all the sudden one of the guys I thought was dead was back. or maybe its the fact that everyone dresses the same and has the same haircut. how did people tell each other apart in the old days??? I sure can't do it now


4.5 /5

Glad to see another fan of BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT - it gets too-little love. I think it's quite engaging as the Monogram films go, and as a lifelong Bela megafan I'd place his performance here easily in his top 10 ever. He's highly convincing as a warm-hearted philanthropist (who just happens to also be a criminal mad scientist) yet when the screws start to turn on him, he exhibits some admirable internal conflict before (naturally) turning on those closest to him who've betrayed him.

Lester, your point about all-too-similar looking characters is a fair one - but as you bring it up (SPOILERS) I should acknowledge that Bela has a basement full of murdered and revived killer zombies that play crucially into the denouement. Several players who disappear (were presumably killed) early on can be spotted in the basement during the climax... so life after death in this film is not impossible!  :twirl:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 26, 2022, 04:29:22 PM
I don't rewatch many movies but I'd see that one again. I like that really brutal pre 50's vibe. When peoples lives were so hard that they could only listen to "yes we have no bananas" to feel bettter


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 27, 2022, 12:02:53 PM
We also watched Star Wars episodes 1, 2 and 3 recently, with Rifftrax.

It's amazing how badly these movies have aged.


I'd agree that Episodes I and II were never much (if any) good and III was dumb fun at best. However, per your comment about them aging badly, I'm sad to report that the legions of young college undergrads, teens, and tweens I've worked with over the past decade really seem to LOVE the prequels... unironically and sincerely. The only rationale I can ever suss out is that, as they were born after 1999, they have no context for the deep disappointment those films caused for older adults like ourselves upon release. They grew up just accepting 'em as more STAR WARS content, no better nor worse than what came before or after. So from that perspective, alas, one might say the prequels haver aged TOO WELL!!!

Of course, I think FORCE AWAKENS is far and away the worst of the lot, so I'll pick my battles and just shrug Seinfeld-style over all the prequel love.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 27, 2022, 06:19:14 PM
"American Gothic" (1988)
Three couples on a camping trip in the Pacific Northwest are forced to land on a small island when their plane has engine trouble. They eventually find a cottage occupied by a seemingly kindly old couple (Rod "In The Heat of the Night" Steiger and Yvonne "Lily Munster" DeCarlo) and their brood of strange children... all of whom, of course, turn out not to be very kindly after all.
A creepy-cool combo of slasher and survival thriller; Steiger and DeCarlo are hilarious as the demented "Ma" and "Pa," and there are several disturbing twists and turns to keep things interesting. A solid "B" movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 27, 2022, 11:02:25 PM
"Wrong Turn" (2003)
Stranded motorists are pursued through the backwoods of West Virginia by a murderous clan of inbred cannibals. Hilarity ensues.
A 21st century update of the "hillbilly horror" flicks of the '70s, this tight little thriller is fast paced, has plenty of gooey ultra-violence, and it stars Eliza "Buffy" Dushku when she was at her absolute peak of hotness. Therefore I was entertained.
Followed by at least five sequels and one reboot!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 28, 2022, 07:46:40 AM
Top Gun Maverick in the theater / cinema  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 28, 2022, 11:01:46 AM
Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter (1966)

With a title worthy of the 'Invent a Bad Movie Title' thread on this board, I had to see this. Wikipedia informs me that this formed part of a double bill with 'Billy the Kid versus Dracula'. Actually, it is established early on that it is Frankenstein's granddaughter, but who is counting?

The reports of Jesse James's death turned out to be highly exaggerated. But he is a hunted man, and his gang is down to just one,  Hank, who is muscular but slow-witted (as per convention at the time). A stagecoach robbery turns bad, and Hank is shot. They need medical attention, with no questions asked, which they find at the Frankensteins, who had to flee Vienna. Frankenstein's granddaughter successfully transplants the artificial brain of 'Igor' into Hank, and general mayhem ensues.

This is actually more watchable than many of the movies of its kind. What with all the tropes of a Western (hold ups, gunfights, marauding Apaches....) and the standard beats of the Frankenstein story, it moves along briskly enough, without padding. Also, the producers had enough means to shoot actual action scenes and not just people talking (looking at you Fire Maidens from Outer Space), and with the actors being veterans from many movies and TV series, it is not irritatingly bad. Narda Onyx as Maria Frankenstein hams it up suitably, and can gloat with the best of them.

However, it is neither very good nor entertainingly bad, so it ends up being bland and predictable. The body count is relatively high though, just about all the main characters are dead (or going to be hanged, in Jesse James's case) at the end of the movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on December 28, 2022, 03:17:13 PM
THE THREE STOOGES (2000)

A biography of the Three Stooges, in which their careers and rise to fame is shown throughout the eyes of their leader, Moe Howard.

I always enjoyed watching THE THREE STOOGES shorts, they're even still on the air on some channels here. This tv movie tells the story of the group, mostly in flashbacks, with all its sadness and triumph. The actors are all superb, but sadly the narrative is a little bit disjointed. One minute you're in one year, and the next you're 20 in the future, without any on screen indication. Some events are told way too quickly, like the passing of Shemp, and the incorporation of Curly's replacement.

Also, there's a lot of recreated shorts. I mean, I love watching them, but they serve no purpose on the movie. Being that its running time is limited, they could've used all that time to tell us a little bit more about the persons behind the characters.

Still, an entertaining and very emotive movie, even if you're not familiar with the trio. Recommended! 8/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 28, 2022, 06:50:27 PM
"Dio: Dreamers Never Die" (2022)
Excellent documentary on the life and career of the great Ronnie James Dio that covers all the bases -- from his humble 1950s beginnings as a trumpet player (!) all the way through his stints wtih Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and of course his own band. Packed with tons of amazing clips and photos from all phases of Ronnie's life and commentary by friends and contemporaries like Wendy Dio (of course), Rob Halford, Vinny Appice, Craig Goldy, Mick Wall, Eddie Trunk, and more. A must see rock-doc for all fans of RJD.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on December 29, 2022, 04:46:03 PM
Just felt like venting slightly...

Silent Night, Deadly Night 3 - Geez, what a pile of mind numbingly boring crap.  Just so slow, dull, plodding and endlessly padded.  This even has some defenders, and I'm completely baffled what they see in it.  I can't tell you a single thing that works well in the entire film.  A completely non-threatening killer.  Zero suspense.  Zero good kill sequences.  Bad characters.  Bad use of music, bad acting from most, a cop and doctor character almost completely disconnected from the plot.  Really stupid too.  The second movie is a half clip show with one of the most insane performances ever committed to a film, it barely even qualifies as a film really, but it's leagues better than the third entry.  This is so poorly written there's a survivor at the end and we don't even know who it is.  Not like intentional mystery, just incompetence. 

Probably the worst film I've seen in 2022.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 29, 2022, 06:56:06 PM
KRAMPUS (2015):
I'd consciously avoided this for the past 7 years, until Madame 10rda developed a fixation on ol' Krampy in his myriad manifestations during the past month. I'd expected the 2015 film was some arch comedic thing with a small ensemble meeting their ends one by one at the hands of a wisecracking K-man, and just wasn't in the mood for that kind of thing. In retrospect, I wish the film actually cleaved more in that direction!

I know there are some KRAMPUS stans on here so I'll dutifully acknowledge three good things about this movie: 1.) the opening credits sequence was nicely done; 2.) the JackInTheBoxaconda was legitimately creepy as f**k; and 3.) Krampus' own design was cool (though he's probably onscreen for less time than the shark in the original JAWS...).

Besides that, there are many smaller flaws with KRAMPUS, perhaps most irritatingly that no one in the LARGE extended family of victims looks like they could plausibly come from the same gene pool as any other screen relative. I would almost buy that director Michael Dougherty intended this to signal how alienated everyone is from one another, but the film's biggest issue is so pervasive and catastrophic that I'm not inclined to credit Dougherty for, well, anything. I have no choice but to conclude that Dougherty has no close/meaningful familial relationships - no parents, children, siblings, or spouse - due to the almost complete lack of serious alarm, emotional trauma, or (most significantly) grief demonstrated by the characters as their family members are dragged away (or eaten whole!) by the legions of Krampus. I don't care what kind of dysfunction is goin' on in this family, parents don't witness one (or multiple) children being abducted or presumably killed without completely losing their s**t, crying, screaming, needing to be restrained - going into an elf-killing rampage - your choice! Hudson and Vasquez are exponentially more freaked out in ALIENS about their co-workers getting slaughtered or carried away by xenomorphs. In KRAMPUS, you see your husband or sister or child sucked into a hole in the ground and maybe you just blink or skip a beat before you're on to the next thing.

Dougherty apparently intended KRAMPUS to be a serious and scary movie - it's certainly bleak and mean-spirited, with a downbeat ending and plenty of (bloodless, PG-13) violence. But after about 40 minutes in, it became impossible for me to take KRAMPUS seriously, since Dougherty fails at every turn to make the high stakes of his plot seem plausible. Do I mean that I want a realistic movie about Krampus?! Of course not - I just want characters to behave in authentic, recognizably human ways as they confront ridiculous mythological yule monsters, if I'm supposed to care about what happens to them. In lieu of this, the last hour of KRAMPUS just became strident and tiresome. The final straw is dad and son abandoning their elderly (75-80?) mother & grandmother to allow her to confront Krampus and "buy them some time" apparently - I mean cuh-maaaaaaahn. She didn't even have Gorman and/or a grenade!

Now naturally the cast should take some of the blame for this crippling problem. I don't presume that none of the cast members have meaningful human connections to their loved ones. I just suspect they signed on to KRAMPUS for a paycheck, read the script, and then mentally checked out altogether for the duration of filming. Why invest in this schlock? Forget it, Jake - it's just KRAMPUS! Toni Collette's a great actress GENERALLY, and while I have seriously problems with HEREDITARY, too, at least Collette is 100% committed to her performance in HEREDITARY. She's dramatically AWOL in this. Adam Scott, of course, is pretty inept in anything that requires him to play any emotion beyond snark, so his brief turn as an action hero here is unfortunate indeed. And how is it his character's a first-generation German-American exactly?

In closing, a little boy watching adult & children relatives dropping like flies all around him is an uneasy contrast with disaffected performances and ludicrous marauding gingerbread people. Honestly the whole affair might have worked better for me as broad farce - maybe with Krampus cracking wise in a demonic Snagglepuss accent as he executed each cast member in comically ghoulish ways, ala Chucky or mid-era Freddy or, well, Jack Frost. That's exactly the movie I though KRAMPUS would be and exactly the movie I didn't want - but in retrospect, I wish I'd gotten that KRAMPUS and not this one.

1.5/5, would not spend $4 on a Prime rental again!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 29, 2022, 07:05:17 PM
"5-25-77" (2022)
In the late '70s, a movie-obsessed Illinois high school senior makes his own Super-8 movies in his backyard and dreams of becoming a filmmaker someday. On a whim he takes a trip to Hollywood to track down his idol, special effects guru Douglas Trumbull, and in the process he meets Steven Spielberg and ends up becoming one of the first outsiders to see a rough cut of a little film called "Star Wars." When he returns home, he realizes that his small town has nothing to offer him anymore.
This slightly overlong, but mostly charming coming-of-age comedy/period piece was a passion project for director Patrick Read Johnson, based on his own life experience. Most of it was shot between 2004 and 2006 but the film was not finally completed till 2017 (and then it sat on the shelf till 2022). Sci-fi fans and film buffs of all types will relate to the nerdy Johnson character (played by John Francis Daley of "Bones"). A pleasant surprise that fell somewhere between Spielberg's "Super 8" and "Fanboys."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 29, 2022, 09:38:16 PM
CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING (1974): Two young women have strange magical adventures, including one where eating candies allows them to enter another, equally absurd, story. The idea of vaudeville Bunuel is appealing and Dominique Labourier (in particular) is enchanting, but the movie just drifts aimlessly for two hours before finally finding a destination in the last hour. It could have been edited into a much better 90-minute movie if Jacques Rivette had just concentrated on the candy subplot. Since this was unavailable for years and became sort of legendary, I was anxious to see it and so I was a bit disappointed by the actual experience. If it was a movie that debuted today I probably would have thought even less of it. 3/5.

^^^THIS, 100%

I was eager for this one for several years before seeing it on the big screen in the early 00s - a one-Saturday-afternoon only engagement w/ probably less than a dozen people in an enormous theater. Yet that just meant only under a dozen people left the theater disappointed, I guess. My reaction matched yours, Rev. I like other Rivette films (with less catchy premises) more than this one. That said, I've seen more than one film reviewer suggest that Lynch's MULHOLLAND DRIVE is CELINE ET JULIE VONT EN BATEAU done right. Although it's possible Lynch has never seen CELINE ET JULIE, I think that's a pretty spot-on assessment.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 30, 2022, 09:21:33 AM
"Into the Dark: Good Boy" (2020)

I loved the concept of this Hulu original (part of their "Into The Dark" horror film series). The cast is fine, the dog is cute (even when he's covered in blood) but the final product is uneven. The first hour plays like a Lifetime channel rom-com (with a mean streak) before finally going full "Cujo" in the last 30 minutes. I've seen worse, but I wish they'd picked a consistent tone and stuck with it.

Every single damn one of these ITDs that I've seen (probably 6-8, though I haven't seen this one) suffers from the same problem you describe. Usually they're pretty good for a while but eventually go off the rails catastrophically. Even the best I've seen - POOKA! - fails to stick the landing in its final couple of scenes. (Prior to that it was on par with a strong episode of BLACK MIRROR as if written by Jordan Peele.) I can only assume Hulu hands some money over to a production team blindly and exercises no editorial control whatsoever of screenplay revisions - or, alternatively, maybe the ITD executives somehow intercede and screw up EVERY SINGLE film with their demands for changes. I dunno. Perplexing to the point that I've stopped watching these (and I would normally jump at seeing Judy Greer in a leading role).

(BTW do not confuse POOKA! with POOKA LIVES!, its sequel, which is a (mildly amusing) mess in toto.)  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 30, 2022, 12:17:10 PM
CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING (1974): Two young women have strange magical adventures, including one where eating candies allows them to enter another, equally absurd, story. The idea of vaudeville Bunuel is appealing and Dominique Labourier (in particular) is enchanting, but the movie just drifts aimlessly for two hours before finally finding a destination in the last hour. It could have been edited into a much better 90-minute movie if Jacques Rivette had just concentrated on the candy subplot. Since this was unavailable for years and became sort of legendary, I was anxious to see it and so I was a bit disappointed by the actual experience. If it was a movie that debuted today I probably would have thought even less of it. 3/5.

^^^THIS, 100%

I was eager for this one for several years before seeing it on the big screen in the early 00s - a one-Saturday-afternoon only engagement w/ probably less than a dozen people in an enormous theater. Yet that just meant only under a dozen people left the theater disappointed, I guess. My reaction matched yours, Rev. I like other Rivette films (with less catchy premises) more than this one. That said, I've seen more than one film reviewer suggest that Lynch's MULHOLLAND DRIVE is CELINE ET JULIE VONT EN BATEAU done right. Although it's possible Lynch has never seen CELINE ET JULIE, I think that's a pretty spot-on assessment.

Interesting comparison between the two movies, though the only immediate similarity I see is that they both focus on female relationships through a surreal lens. The tones and themes are very different. I'd be interested in hearing his case.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 30, 2022, 12:35:02 PM
GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO (2022): Mourning the loss of his flesh and blood son, the carpenter Geppetto crafts a puppet boy, whom a fairy brings to life. With a tone about halfway between Disney's sentimentality and the fairy tale darkness of the original, del Toro makes PINOCCHIO his own by setting it in Mussolini's Italy and flips the moral upside down so that the wooden boy's disobedience is a virtue. On Netflix. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 30, 2022, 12:57:48 PM
THE Suicide Squad (2021)

On a sidenote, I suppose Corto Maltese is a nod to Hugo Pratt, but it is difficult to think of a movie that is further removed from the spirit of Hugo Pratt's comic than this one.

The island of "Corto Maltese" in TSS is a nod to Hugo Pratt's comic, but it's a nod first made by Frank Miller in "The Dark Knight Returns" 35+ years ago. The banana republic island nation is now a canonical part of DC universe geography. It was a nice touch by Gunn to set the film there, though.

Also., THE SUICIDE SQUAD was da' absolute bizness. Best DC comic adaptation to date.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 30, 2022, 01:57:46 PM
THE INVITATION (2022) - SPOILERS, I suppose
I assume the filmmakers had a distaff GET OUT in mind when putting this together - the comic relief sidekick really being the clincher - but this lacks the Jordan Peele's sharp intelligence and, when compared to GET OUT, is rather toothless. (Pun intended, of course.)

Nathalie Emmanuel is quite appealing in the lead and it was nice to see the always enjoyable Sean Pertwee (as "Mr. Field"). The director has good visual flair and Emmanuel's wardrobe in particular looks great. After a slooow first couple acts (which fall more into the genre of "gothic romance" than horror), the film ultimately becomes faster paced and pretty exciting towards the end. (My fiancee seemed to enjoy those gothic romance bits though so what do I know.)

Yet I can't endorse THE INVITATION entirely as it functions largely as an Idiot Plot - the kind of thing Peele got around with great aplomb and suspense in GET OUT. Emmanuel's character doesn't seem like an idiot and actually most of her dialogue is quite witty, thus I imagine the screenwriters hoped we would accept that she's simply so damn THIRSTY for "wedding destination d(ick)" as her best friend calls it that she can't help but overlook that:

* She's staying at "Carfax Abbey"...
* ...For a wedding of two people she doesn't know and has never heard of...
* ...And at multiple pre-wedding functions there's no sign of the bride...
* ...But the bridesmaids are two creepy pushy dames who really want to get in her grill, because they seem unnaturally attached to...
* ..."Lord Walt Deville", the hunky lord of the manor who immediately sets out to seduce Nathalie...
* ...While young chambermaids are disappearing from the estate at regular intervals...
* ...Did I mention the butler's name is "Mr. Field"?!

There's even more alarming blood-red herrings for Nathalie to fail to process, including a whole thing about her great-grandmother or... something. And before you know it, she's at a rehearsal dinner, asking (finally) "Where's the bride?" A big No-Prize for you if you've guessed who the bride is supposed to be.

I mean, seriously, who among us would have gotten further than the early scene where it's announced that Nathalie's arrived at Carfax Abbey without loudly exclaiming "Carfax ABBEY, are you joking with this s**t? That's where Dracula lives, I ain't staying at no Carfax Abbey...!" And we'd grab our luggage and turn right back around for the States. However perhaps THE INVITATION exists in a universe where no one has ever read Stoker's novel or seen a single Dracula movie.

Also what employment agency keeps sending maids to Carfax Abbey even though they inevitably will disappear and never resurface?

Also there's a very dumb scene late in the film where Jonathan and Mina Harker appear. Yes, this takes place in 2022.

All that said, THE INVITATION ameliorates its silliness somewhat at the climax. In the 70s, the film would've ended about 30 minutes sooner w/ a bleak and fatalistic fade-out. Instead Nathalie goes a bit Samara Weaving in READY OR NOT. There's some gore and it's satisfying to watch Nathalie turn the tables on all the s**tty rich white people in the mansion. Honestly the film works better as an allegory for Meghan Markle's misadventures in the monarchy than it does as a straight horror movie, though I'm not sure if this was really what the filmmakers had in mind.

Also, why title a horror movie something generic like THE INVITATION when there's already an outstanding 2017 horror thriller called THE INVITATION? There had to be a more marketable and non-redundant title. Come to think of it, why not call it THE MEGHAN MARKLE STORY?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 31, 2022, 09:37:37 AM
Willow Creek (2013)
I enjoyed WILLOW CREEK immensely - that 20 minute continuous shot in the tent at night is one of the most harrowing scenes that I've ever watched in a horror film. In fact, in an interview the two stars said they got so creeped out during the first take that they had to stop shooting and do it over, and even the second time, much of the fear on their faces was real.

Agreed. That long take is something truly special. Phenomenal acting there. Above average film in toto. This is the rare Bigfoot thriller to recommend to people who don't like/aren't afraid of Bigfoot.  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on December 31, 2022, 12:52:31 PM
My 2022 viewings rated & ranked

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 1. Dune (2021)
 2. Pacific Rim (2013)
 3. The Witch (2015)
 4. Identity (2003)
 5. Poltergeist (1982)
 6. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
 7. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
 8. Conan the Barbarian (1982)
 9. Willow (1988)
 10. Deliverance (1972)
 11. ParaNorman (2012)
 12. WarGames (1983)
 13. Running Scared (2006)
 14. Witness (1985)
 15. Martyrs (2008)
 16. Fallen (1998)
 17. Trollhunter (2010)
 18. Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
 19. Duel (1971)
 20. Steel Magnolias (1989)
 21. The Hitcher (1986)
 22. Better Off Dead... (1985)
 23. Clash of the Titans (1981)
 24. The Towering Inferno (1974)
 25. Near Dark (1987)
 26. Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
 27. Grey Gardens (1975)   

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 28. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
 29. Annihilation (2018)
 30. Kong: Skull Island (2017)
 31. Bridesmaids (2011)
 32. Panic Room (2002)
 33. Blade II (2002)
 34. Mad Max (1979)
 35. Drag Me to Hell (2009)
 36. Event Horizon (1997)
 37. What Lies Beneath (2000)
 38. Overlord (2018)
 39. Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993)
 40. Eden Lake (2008)
 41. The 'Burbs (1989)
 42. Death Sentence (2007)
 43. Dog Soldiers (2002)
 44. Logan's Run (1976)
 45. Stonehearst Asylum (2014)
 46. Scanners (1981)
 47. Empire Records (1995)
 48. Night of the Living Dead (1990)
 49. The Loved Ones (2009)
 50. Body Double (1984)
 51. The Brood (1979)
 52. Night of the Creeps (1986)
 53. The Entity (1982)
 54. Soapdish (1991)
 55. The Stepfather (1987)
 56. I'm for the Hippopotamus (1979)
 57. They Called Him Bulldozer (1978)
 58. Someone's Watching Me! (1978)

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 59. War of the Worlds (2005)
 60. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
 61. Paranormal Activity (2007)
 62. Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
 63. Twister (1996)
 64. The Woman in Black (2012)
 65. Evil Dead (2013)
 66. Antichrist (2009)
 67. The Cell (2000)
 68. The Last House on the Left (2009)
 69. The Raven (2012)
 70. Mandy (2018)
 71. The Awakening (2011)
 72. New Nightmare (1994)
 73. Blue Thunder (1983)
 74. Rabid (1977)
 75. Jagged Edge (1985)
 76. When a Stranger Calls (1979)
 77. Ghost Story (1981)
 78. Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971)
 79. For the Boys (1991)
 80. Deranged: Confessions of a Necrophile (1974)
 81. The Jezebels (1975)
 82. Buddy Goes West (1981)
 83. Krush Groove (1985)
 84. What's the Matter with Helen? (1971)

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 85. Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
 86. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)
 87. Dracula Untold (2014)
 88. The Strangers (2008)
 89. As Above, So Below (2014)
 90. Dante's Peak (1997)
 91. Stigmata (1999)
 92. The Amityville Horror (1979)
 93. Critters (1986)
 94. Firestarter (1984)
 95. Damien: Omen II (1978)
 96. The Toxic Avenger (1984)
 97. Creepshow 2 (1987)
 98. Afflicted (2013)
 99. Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990)
 100. The House by the Cemetery (1981)
 101. Amazon Women on the Moon (1987)
 102. Eyes of Laura Mars (1978)
 103. Foxes (1980)
 104. The Creeping Flesh (1973)
 105. Sheriff and the Satellite Kid (1979)
 106. Return to Christmas Creek (2018)  (Cheese Rating)
 107. The Cannibal Man (1972)

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 108. Army of the Dead (2021)
 109. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
 110. Hollow Man (2000)
 111. Priest (2011)
 112. Underwater (2020)
 113. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
 114. Cobra (1986)
 115. Lake Placid (1999)
 116. Victor Frankenstein (2015)
 117. 54 (1998)
 118. King Kong (1976)
 119. Piranha (1978)
 120. Return of the Living Dead II (1988)
 121. Earthquake (1974)
 122. Humanoids from the Deep (1980)
 123. Bad Moon (1996)
 124. The Exterminator (1980)
 125. House on the Edge of the Park (1980)
 126. The Deadly Spawn (1983)
 127. Death Line (1972)
 128. Nightmares (1983)
 128. And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973)
 130. Impulse (1984)
 131. Mother Lode (1982)
 132. How Awful About Allan (1970)
 133. The Loreley's Grasp (1973)

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 134. Drive Angry (2011)
 135. Piranha 3D (2010)
 136. Cabin Fever (2002)
 137. 47 Meters Down (2017)
 138. All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006)
 139. Sweet Girl (2021)
 140. C.H.U.D. (1984)
 141. Hell Night (1981)
 142. TerrorVision (1986)
 143. Shock Waves (1977)
 144. Don't Go in the House (1979)
 145. Night School (1981)
 146. Psychic Killer (1975)
 147. Tenement (1985)
 148. Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except (1985)

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 149. Spring Breakers (2012)
 150. I, Frankenstein (2014)
 151. Madman (1981)
 152. The Island (1980)
 153. My Tutor (1983)
 154. They're Playing with Fire (1984)
 155. Heavenly Bodies (1984)
 156. The House on Tombstone Hill (1989)

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 157. Pet Sematary II (1992)
 158. Graveyard Shift (1990)
 159. Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies (1999)
 160. The Barbarians (1987)
 161. Mutant (1984)
 162. It's Alive III: Island of the Alive (1987)
 163. Don't Answer the Phone! (1980)
 164. The Seduction (1982)
 165. Cyclone (1978)
 166. Night Visitor (1989)

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 167. The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999)
 168. Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
 169. Final Exam (1981)
 170. Green Ghost and the Masters of the Stone (2021)
 171. Knights of the City (1986)

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 172. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011)
 173. Doppelganger (1993)
 174. Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity (1987)
 175. The Being (1981)
 176. 976-Evil II (1991)
 177. Scared to Death (1980)
 178. The Double 0 Kid (1992)
 179. The Terror Within II (1991)
 180. Forever Evil (1987)

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 181. Jaws: The Revenge (1987)
 182. Candyman: Day of the Dead (1999)
 183. Tentacles (1977)
 184. Bloody Murder (2000)
 185. The Crater Lake Monster (1977)
 186. Barracuda (1978)
 187. Camp Blood (2000)
 188. Up from the Depths (1979)
 190. Jocks (1986)
 191. Rana: The Legend of Shadow Lake (1980)
 192. Raiders of the Living Dead (1986)
 193. Gimme an 'F' (1984)
 194. Demon of Paradise (1987)
 195. Crocodile (1979)
 196. The Liberator (2017)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 31, 2022, 04:49:53 PM
Revenge (2015) The Tubi info says 2018 but that's not accurate and actually confusing because there's another movie from 2018 called Revenge. As luck would have it, both these movies are awesome so it actually doesn't matter which one you see.

A reporter for a travel website goes to a hotel/ travel lodge somewhere in Norway to do a story on it. Immediately, we realize not all is as it appears. Years before, the owner of the hotel sexually assaulted the reporter's now deceased younger sister. Now she wants the titular Revenge and it's all about the cat and mouse game and trying to keep the operation going.

You could quibble about details, but the bottom line is it works. It's just a good idea for a movie and is carried out well. That said, it's not quite as awesome as the other Revenge movie, which was insane.

4.75/ 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 31, 2022, 05:24:46 PM
FEAR CHAMBER aka THE TORTURE ZONE (1968?):
Here's one last post in the spirit of BadMovies.org - honestly one of the worst movies I've seen in 45.5 years, by any reasonable standards of objective criticism. I'd never seen this one until a few days ago and I'm a little surprised it doesn't get discussed more. Then again, when I think of Boris Karloff, I like to think of him ending his career with a highlight like Bogdanovich's TARGETS or Reeve's THE SORCERORS, not his array of cheapjack quickies filmed south of the US border. Maybe horror movie lovers tactfully disregard this stuff out of respect for Karloff. Anyway...

...How does one describe a mess of this caliber? A 10-minute opening of a male and female scientist wandering a smoky and poorly lit red/black void in hazmat suits while communicating by radio to Prof. Karloff in a remote office location. The pair of explorers discover - something! - and vow to bring it back to the lab. What follows is 70 minutes of extremely discombobulated plot involving an employment agency (?) for bored looking women, where new recruits are invited to spend the night in the agency's guest room while they wait to be deployed for their next assignment (?). The guest room is secretly under observation by Karloff's sinister secretary (I think???) and a burly thug with a large scar on his shaved head. The burly thug is building a close rapport with the discovery from the opening sequence, which is some kind of geologic (???) mutant who communicates only telepathically to the thug and via early LAN technology to Karloff (????). The secretary and the thug invest a lot of energy into terrorizing their female charges, because that motivates the mutant to work harder (???to accomplish what, though???). The evil duo are abetted by a creepy perv in sunglasses and a turban (?!) and an unctuous dwarf, but it's not clear whether they're acting at Karloff's behest, or - maybe not??????? Also the mutant eventually graduates to killing a stripper (after a long dance sequence) as it wants to feed on her fear...?!?!?! The two explorers from the beginning are Karloff's daughter and future son-in-law (I mean, I guess) but are offscreen for most of the film until the climax. Karloff appears every 10 minutes or so, mostly in his office or in bed. Some of the information I've typed above can only be gleaned from a lengthy monologue by Karloff at the end of the film, which he delivers within a dream (!!!). Shortly thereafter, the finale see a frighteningly frail Karloff surrounded with fire and sparklers while tapping madly at a console and frantically yelling out gibberish commands to his fellow human. What even is this movie?!?!?!?!

Yeah, FEAR CHAMBER is a real headscratcher. For quite a while, I surmised that the much sleazier "observation room" scenes were part of an entirely different film and Karloff had no idea what he was participating in. This would make sense given the involvement of Jack Hill, co-director of THE similarly stapled-together TERROR, starring Karloff and Jack Nicholson (1963). Hill made several films which are better than this (and THE TERROR), while co-director Juan Ibanez made... nothing good ever! Moreover, the entire film is hopelessly disjointed, even in the way that it's shot - with any two characters rarely appearing in the same shot together, and with NO clear shots providing any real sense for what the mutant looks like. (It's got a mouth and a tentacle - again, I think?)

And - no scheiss - I swear that Karloff appears in several medium-wide cutaways for a duration of the film with NO moustache, and then the first time they cut to a close-up. he's got a big bushy white one. Wouldn't make that up. Very funny, obv.

In short, this is the kind of apparent paste-up that we know and love Al Adamson and Godfrey Ho for. Yet I wonder (in lieu of doing any further research) if the tacked-together quality is received through speed and incompetence rather than pure essence. While I imagine Karloff shot all of his scenes quickly at the beginning or end of production, ALL major characters DO eventually appear together and/or on the same sets, so... somehow, impossibly, FEAR CHAMBER must have all been one film produced from one screenplay....... only very, very poorly.

All that said, as authentically BAD as this film is, I did enjoy it in a relaxing, almost meditative fashion. Some of the lighting and (occasional) camera movements might actually look good in a clean print (which I am sure will never exist for confirmation). And, I might add, even elderly Karloff remains a pretty good value. (I actually think Karloff became a much better actor in his final years, but that's a different conversation.) There is one scene where his characters jokes and laughs and it's just utterly charming and delightful... and a relief that he couldn't have been suffering too much through filming this dreck.

I'm quite surprised this never (to my knowledge) received the works from MST3K, Rifftrax, or The Mads. (Correct me please if I'm wrong - it's a natural.) Perhaps it was just too sleazy for them? There is some nudity, but trimming it out wouldn't impact the narrative... which of course is barely existent and makes no sense in any case!

Anyway, on the scale that I understand you folks prefer, I would give this a 5/5 as a perfect storm of cinematic badness. Happy New Year!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 01, 2023, 04:37:26 PM
"Ramones: The True Story" (2005)
The Ramones' early history (from their formation up to 1981's Pleasant Dreams album) is examined in this cheap looking documentary consisting of vintage live footage and commentary from original drummer Tommy Ramone, former road manager Monte Melnick, art director/designer Arturo Vega, and CBGB owner Hilly Kristal. There's not much here that long time fans won't already know, but it's an entertaining trip down memory lane, made especially poignant now that Tommy, Arturo, and Hilly are also gone.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 01, 2023, 08:24:57 PM
My last two movies of the year were both freebies on Amazon Prime.  First there was:

DRAINIAC - A teen girl with an abusive father has to help him clean out a nasty old house he's bought.  He yells at her, loads her in his van, tells her to start cleaning, and drives to the nearest bar to drink.  Some of her friends show up to help, but this house is home to an evil water elemental that wants to devour them all, and mayhem ensues.  This is a bizarre film with some cool stop-motion effects and singularly detestable characters.  I must say I was somewhat entertained (the girl's Dad and the bully who comes by to harass her and her friends meet particularly satisfying deaths).  3.5/5

Then there was an interesting tribute to 80's slashers called SLEEPER. A serial killer is murdering sorority girls with a hammer, telling them "Night-night" before he bashes their heads in. He calls the sorority house before each kill, announcing who is going to be next.  This one was definitely different - there was no motive or back story for the killer, just his relentless pursuit of these sorority sisters.  Set in 1981, it was actually very reminiscent of films like DRILLER KILLER and THE SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE.  Worth the watch.  3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 02, 2023, 07:21:14 AM
Aloners (2021)

We follow Jin-Ah, the top employee of a credit card call center, who avoids social contact as much as possible, especially after the death of her mother. She is tasked with training a new worker, who turns out to be very social and chatty. Things do not go well, which eventually leads to a breakdown after which she re-evaluates her isolated existence.

Not much happens in this movie, which is mainly carried by main actress's Gong Seung-Yeon's cold stare, which makes Wednesday Addams seem positively welcoming. If you like your movies bleak and atmospheric, with a minimum of explicit explanation (which I do), this is one for you. If not, you'll find it tremendously boring. It is not without its weaknesses, but it is a debut movie, and a very strong debut at that. There is also a ghost in there, which is treated in a very matter of fact manner.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 02, 2023, 10:01:00 AM
Horror in the High Desert (2021) - Found footage horror has come a long way since The Blair Witch Project. Actually, no it hasn't, but this was pretty alright. director uses a Dateline sort of style to tell the story of a youtube star hiker who encounters something crazy in the woods. The ending was as scary as I've seen in a while.

4.5 /5 tubitv

Hey, great pull of a deep cut! I confess that this gave me the authentic "BLAIR WITCH experience" as I honestly thought this was a "real" documentary for about half the running time, only beginning to grow suspicious as it approached the end. SPOILERS (though Lester already let the cat out of the bag...) It doesn't initially present itself as a horror movie (title notwithstanding), instead leaning more towards the recently popular MISSING 411-subgenre of unexplained disappearance type videos and podcasts. Also, the key figures (well, characters/actors) in the film are extremely... convincing? That's not necessarily to say they're great actors - just that they are so idiosyncratic (subject with a hearing/speech impairment and/or mild learning disability), banal (the cute yet charisma-challenged investigative journalist), or unappealing (the dumpy and highly negative sister) that one struggles to imagine they are anything other than real people. Who casts such performers?! Yet in fact it's kind of a masterstroke - they all come off as entirely believable, if not super-compelling.

I love REAL mysteries of this type and so was drawn into the narrative here... my one complaint it that the filmmakers either decided they didn't need to play fair near the end or they just got lazy and forgot (in several instances) that one character or another has mentioned that certain footage is "lost" or "unavailable" or has been destroyed - and then they go ahead later and show us some of that footage anyway. Dumb misstep. A little more careful editing could have avoided this problem. Still, it definitely delivers the creepy goods!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 02, 2023, 10:30:00 AM
OFFICIAL COMPETITION (2021): Desiring a postmortem legacy, an octogenarian capitalist decides to produce a prestige film, hiring an eccentric director (Penelope Cruz) and two actors--one an academic (Oscar Martinez) who disdains populist entertainment, the other an acclaimed international superstar (Antonio Banderas)--who increasingly annoy each other. Realistic satire and survey of the varieties of narcissists found in the movie industry. From Spain. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 02, 2023, 03:31:55 PM
Monsieur Verdoux (1947)

The one Chaplin movie where he is cast completely against type as a suave and extremely well dressed Bluebeard serial killer. He is absolutely delightful as the loving father and husband and friend to stray cats who simply happens to be a ruthless and efficient killer. In the last third, there is some slapstick and vaudeville, whether to lighten the mood or out of force of habit, I can't tell. For me, this weakens rather than strengthens the dark comedy.

Dr. Whom, if this is your first viewing, try it again in a few years. I had the same reaction to the comedy, but it bothered me less on repeated viewings. Chaplin does a masterful job playing pathos for a change (in the majority of the film) and maintains character in the slapsticky parts well enough that it doesn't feel like it ruptures the overall tone too much. I find the ending to be totally heartbreaking, perhaps for its understatement. Beautiful film... as his talkies go, I prefer it to THE GREAT DICTATOR.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 02, 2023, 05:53:28 PM
in general the biggest problems with movies are endings I think. They generally take more art/ life experience than the rest and it's also the part of the story people become fully focused on, as it's a summation of the whole thing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 02, 2023, 08:23:24 PM
"We're Not Even Supposed to Be Here Today: 3 Decades of Clerks" (2022)
Behind the scenes doc about Kevin Smith's slacker trilogy, with Smith and most of the major players sharing memories of making the films.
This is apparently a bonus feature on the Blu-Ray of "Clerks III," which I have yet to see, but somebody uploaded it to YouTube, so I couldn't resist.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 02, 2023, 09:08:23 PM
Horror in the High Desert (2021) - Found footage horror has come a long way since The Blair Witch Project. Actually, no it hasn't, but this was pretty alright. director uses a Dateline sort of style to tell the story of a youtube star hiker who encounters something crazy in the woods. The ending was as scary as I've seen in a while.

4.5 /5 tubitv

Hey, great pull of a deep cut! I confess that this gave me the authentic "BLAIR WITCH experience" as I honestly thought this was a "real" documentary for about half the running time, only beginning to grow suspicious as it approached the end. SPOILERS (though Lester already let the cat out of the bag...) It doesn't initially present itself as a horror movie (title notwithstanding), instead leaning more towards the recently popular MISSING 411-subgenre of unexplained disappearance type videos and podcasts. Also, the key figures (well, characters/actors) in the film are extremely... convincing? That's not necessarily to say they're great actors - just that they are so idiosyncratic (subject with a hearing/speech impairment and/or mild learning disability), banal (the cute yet charisma-challenged investigative journalist), or unappealing (the dumpy and highly negative sister) that one struggles to imagine they are anything other than real people. Who casts such performers?! Yet in fact it's kind of a masterstroke - they all come off as entirely believable, if not super-compelling.

I love REAL mysteries of this type and so was drawn into the narrative here... my one complaint it that the filmmakers either decided they didn't need to play fair near the end or they just got lazy and forgot (in several instances) that one character or another has mentioned that certain footage is "lost" or "unavailable" or has been destroyed - and then they go ahead later and show us some of that footage anyway. Dumb misstep. A little more careful editing could have avoided this problem. Still, it definitely delivers the creepy goods!

I'm a sucker for found footage movies, so after reading this I went and watched this one and it was EXCELLENT!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 02, 2023, 11:38:32 PM
Avatar: The Way of Water

Solid, well-paced visually stunning sequel.  If you liked the first, you'll like this one.  If you didn't probably the same.  I think in some significant respects it is a step up from the first film - the dialogue is less cheesy, there's no lines that stick out so bad.  There's a couple pretty good character beats.  The action sequences are still terrific, even better than the first.  

But, it's definitely overstuffed.  In particular there are just too many characters stretched too thin, so few of them get satisfying ends.  There's several loose threads around this.  There probably should have been one or two less children, maybe one less side character or two as well, and Neytiri and Jake could have used a bit more time.  Zoe Saldana is still great, just wish she had more to do.  

Same with the new human general lady, who I presume will feature more in the sequels - she should have had a couple more quick beats I think.  Also, the central conflict of this one is kind of repetitive and a bit of wheel spinning, as middle films often are.  But I still found it satisfying in the end.

A funny thing - my favorite moment of the entire film is a character's internal debate and final resolution of that.  That character is a whale.  Good stuff.

Also, man is it satisfying to watch a huge budget scifi spectacle that is completely earnest.  There's not a moment of eyewinking or quip about how silly any of it is.  Just played totally straight.  I miss that, as it's gotten rarer in films like this lately.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Cult_Moody_Movies on January 03, 2023, 01:02:15 AM
2023 - New Years Backlog Marathon:
Mad God (2021)
Pompo the Cinephile (2021)
The Amusement Park (1975)
Mad Dog Morgan (1976)
X (2022) 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 03, 2023, 01:35:42 AM
INdiana, Miorda - yeah that was a good one. I've seen a ton of found footage movies. One of them was like 95 % people kayaking

IDK what my favorite one is but "Digging up the marrow" gets a prize just for being so out of left field


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 03, 2023, 06:52:08 AM
INdiana, Miorda - yeah that was a good one. I've seen a ton of found footage movies. One of them was like 95 % people kayaking

IDK what my favorite one is but "Digging up the marrow" gets a prize just for being so out of left field

That was another good one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on January 03, 2023, 08:10:18 AM
DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN (2006)

In 1984 East Berlin, an agent of the secret police, conducting surveillance on a writer and his lover, finds himself becoming increasingly absorbed by their lives.

Also known as THE LIVES OF OTHERS, this german movie came recommended from my brother, and I'm glad I listened to him. The synopsis tells you everything you need to know, saying anything more would ruin this incredibly good movie. One of the best I've seen in many, many years.

Everything about it is perfectly done. It's powerful, moving, and feels real. Watch it. Now. 10/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 03, 2023, 11:22:01 AM
Alien Infiltrator.

Low budget, Predator vs Rednecks (which never mind Aliens vs Samurai, that is something I'd really like to see made on a big budget). The acting is passable, the special effects not so much. Rowdy Roddy Piper plays an ass-kicking bounty-hunting preacher as one of the more competent people looking to take the alien down. Dumb fun.Alien Infiltrator.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 03, 2023, 07:26:20 PM
"Snowball Effect: The Story of Clerks" (2004)
More behind-the-scenes fun with Kevin Smith and the gang as they recount the long and difficult road to making the original "Clerks" in 1994. Originally a bonus feature on the 10th anniversary Clerks DVD. I've heard most of these stories before but I could listen to Kev tell them all day.

"Gas" (1981)
In this badly dated energy-crisis era comedy, an oil tycoon starts hoarding a city's gasoline supply in order to drive up gas prices, which leads to all kinds of slap-sticky chaos amongst its citizens.
This movie clearly wishes it was Airplane! --  it's constantly throwing random gags at the wall in hopes that something will stick, but not much does. Cars crash, people slap each other, things explode, Asian dudes use comical accents, fat guys do bad Three Stooges impressions, etc., etc. It's like watching a class full of ADHD kids trying to put on a show.
I was 11 years old when this was made; if I'd seen it back then I probably would've laughed my ass off, but now I spent most of the run time rolling my eyes or checking my watch.
My first "AVOID!" rating of 2023!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 03, 2023, 11:26:08 PM
TRANSYLVANIA 6-5000 (1985):
Oy, what a way to ring in a new year. I last saw this in theaters as an 8 year old, remember enjoying it, and spent the past 37 years unable to fathom why a comedy starring Jeff Goldblum, Ed Begley Jr., Geena Davis, Carol Kane, Michael Richards, Joseph Bologna, and Canadian TV funnyman John Byner would be so totally forgotten. Alas, history has regarded this one correctly!

Writer-director Rudy Deluca is 100% to blame for all of this film's failings. He co-wrote Mel Brooks' HIGH ANXIETY, SILENT MOVIE,  and LIFE STINKS, but this is his only film as director, and thank Heavens for it. Nonetheless he tries to recreate Brooks' success with YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN and mixes ABBOT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN into the bargain. He's got no handle on tone or pacing and little ability to set up and deliver humor. After a fairly irreverent first 30 minutes or so he also seems to forget at regular intervals that this is a comedy, and sort of goes for suspense or dread for long unfunny stretches. Then he abruptly tries to get all heartwarming at the climax. Also his screenplay has barely any jokes.

All that said, T6-5000 remains kind of morbidly intriguing as a document of professional 1980s actors working really hard to salvage a hopeless project. Goldblum and Begley have good Hope/Crosby-type chemistry, and Byner & Kane (as the hunchbacked butler and his wife) have outstanding chemistry and are onscreen almost as much as the leads. Bologna (as Jekyll & Hyde meets Victor Frankenstein) is 2nd billed above Begley and really breaks a sweat earning his paycheck, even though his character's only textual gag is to repeatedly offer espresso to his victims. Richards' character has almost nothing to do with the story and it's possible he improvised most of his scenes, yet the film is more watchable for his presence. However, the best reason to preserve some record of T6-5000 is Geena Davis, who has the least screen time of the bunch but made an unforgettable impression on this pre-pubescent viewer. As an insecure, sex-starved Elvira/Vampirella clone, Davis has never been hotter onscreen. Her cleavage alone should have garnered this a PG-13 rating instead of a PG.

I can't deny that this film is total crap, but honestly I prefer this cast to the one in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN - sacrilege, I'm sure - and would've preferred to see these actors perform that Brooks script. (Carol Kane alone would be a huge upgrade from Leachman.) Deluca apparently wasn't chastened by the failure of T6-5000 and later co-wrote DRACULA: DEAD AND LOVING IT with Brooks. I've survived this long without seeing that one and now after revisiting T6-5000 I think I can keep it that way.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 04, 2023, 08:39:18 AM
RADIO ON (1979): A disc jockey drives across the UK when he learns about his brother's death. One of those slow Antonioni-esque movies, in drab black and white, where nothing really happens and we watch people get haircuts or drink pints in real time. Notable today mainly for its cult soundtrack with David Bowie, Kraftwerk, Robert Fripp, Ian Dury, Devo, etc., and an appearance by a young Sting as a guitar-playing petrol pumper. 1.5/5.

Maybe this plays best on the big screen, in a theater, where you can't pause or wander off to do chores while it's running. I saw it that way and loved it, though I agree it's very slow for long stretches (Jarmusch-y?). But there are at least four sequences - the Bowie opening, the creepy scenes w/ Sting, the incredibly shot passage in the hotel by the freeway, and the quietly PUNK closing - that I feel like I'll remember forever...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 04, 2023, 09:53:49 AM
COW (2021): No-narration documentary following the life of a cow on an industrial dairy farm undergoing a constant cycle of breeding and milking. Occasionally tedious, by necessity, but poetic and delicate--the fly-on-the-cow style engages your moral sensibilities in a way no other could. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 04, 2023, 04:41:21 PM
Eli.

Surprisingly enjoyable offering on Netflix where a young boy suffering from a terminal condition goes for an exclusive treatment in a creepy old house. I did not figure out the twist in the movie before the end.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 04, 2023, 05:02:56 PM
The Shining is now on Tubitv ( 5/5)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 05, 2023, 08:15:14 AM
I just watched "Out There Halloween Mega Tape". 
 
Plus it has a great looking "cheap Halloween" style box.  There's even an guest star actor that talks about all the scary movies he's been in and it feel like he's reading things straight from our make a bad movie title topic.  (He's not, but it's the same kind of quality badness.)

(https://i.imgur.com/1UJRF0v.jpg)
Look at this.  This is art. 

A thing of beauty!  :thumbup: :thumbup:  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 05, 2023, 08:40:18 AM
I DIDN'T SEE YOU THERE (2022): A disabled man shoots a documentary entirely from a wheelchair point-of-view. It seems ungenerous to criticize this advocacy doc, but it's self-absorbed and not especially interesting most of the time; turns out, the daily lives of the disabled are just as mundane as those of the rest of us, but with additional annoying obstacles to overcome. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 05, 2023, 08:45:55 AM
I DIDN'T SEE YOU THERE (2022): A disabled man shoots a documentary entirely from a wheelchair point-of-view. It seems ungenerous to criticize this advocacy doc, but it's self-absorbed and not especially interesting most of the time; turns out, the daily lives of the disabled are just as mundane as those of the rest of us, but with additional annoying obstacles to overcome. 2.5/5.

I used to find it surprising how entitled and demanding some (not all) wheelchair users can be.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 05, 2023, 04:05:52 PM
SAVAGES (1972):
A large group of almost entirely white people (and one non-white woman) in blackface and/or tribal paint briefly wander around the woods of Eastern New York, grunting and eating marijuana plants, before they discover an empty mansion, make themselves at home, and quickly begin dressing and acting like early/mid-20th century socialites. After a brief series of vignettes about their aimless lifestyle, they throw a big party, which takes up the majority of the running time and (perhaps predictably) ends with them devolving back into, errr, primitive behavior?

If the synopsis above makes you think of Bunuel (as it did me), maybe you'll be less surprised than I was to find (upon some light Googling) that the screenwriters intended this as a uncredited remake or possibly satire of THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL. Maybe that shouldn't surprise me though considering that one of two co-writers was Michael O'Donaghue, the founding co-writer of "Saturday Night Live" but a pretty dark/experimental guy otherwise. The early scenes are narrated in German with no subtitles on the DVD print I watched, which I thought was a mistake, but actually seems like the kind of joke O'Donaghue might make. Unfortunately it's not a funny joke, and while some of the film's dialogue is interesting or clever, there's not much in the way of laffs. Granted there's not many real laffs in SALO, GOODBYE UNCLE TOM, or Lars Von Trier's THE IDIOTS (a film Rev. Powell reviewed last year) either, but at least those films are eventful and horrifying in a way that SAVAGES is not. It's mostly puzzling and a little tiresome.

This sophomore feature from director James Ivory and producer Ismail Merchant (yep, those perennial 1980s Oscar darlings) has not, let us say, aged well. The cast is initially introduced as "the mudpeople", with a vintage illustration of exaggerated African tribespeople. Superficially at least, SAVAGES seems to be initially suggesting that aboriginal people can evolve into snappily dressed Caucasians, making sure of course to relegate the one non-white (Indian?) woman to the role of housemaid (and using her as a sex object on occasion). There are three characters who today would likely be referred to as "non-binary" or "gender fluid", so that's sort of ahead of its time, I suppose.

Still it's mostly a movie about white people misbehaving very marginally (not even spectacularly, as in SALO or LA GRAND BOUFFE or something), thus not as interesting as the filmmakers must have intended. I was curious enough about these intentions to watch a bonus interview with Ivory and Merchant, where old white guy Ivory talks non-stop as his Indian producing partner tries and fails a couple times to interject a comment. (Ugh.) All that said, SAVAGES is still more interesting than most their other, more famous films.

BTW the cast features Sam Waterston, bringing a touch of class as "the Limping Man"; Factory Girl Ultra Violet (one of the reasons I watched this), who is fun to watch with her clothes on as well as briefly naked, and very young mean guy Martin Kove, who still looks great on "Cobra Kai" today.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 05, 2023, 06:07:23 PM
The Menu.

I'd like to say more about this film, but I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll just say it was an interesting watch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 05, 2023, 06:45:38 PM
"The Majorettes" (1987)
 Unless you have a high tolerance for Z-movie pain, you can safely AVOID this one.

FatFreddysCat, would you believe that John Russo wrote a whole book about the making of THE MAJORETTES as a "how-to" guide for aspiring low-budget filmmakers? I read in it high school, apparently under the assumption than Russo was a model to be emulated. To be fair, I've never seen THE MAJORETTES, but I've seen Russo's lifeless (pun intended but sincerely) vampire movie HEARTSTOPPER, and THE MAJORETTES can't possibly inflict more "Z-movie pain" than that one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 05, 2023, 07:04:35 PM
FatFreddysCat, would you believe that John Russo wrote a whole book about the making of THE MAJORETTES as a "how-to" guide for aspiring low-budget filmmakers? I read in it high school, apparently under the assumption than Russo was a model to be emulated. To be fair, I've never seen THE MAJORETTES, but I've seen Russo's lifeless (pun intended but sincerely) vampire movie HEARTSTOPPER, and THE MAJORETTES can't possibly inflict more "Z-movie pain" than that one.

I am not familiar with that book, nor with HEARTSTOPPER, but I'll take your word for it that it's bad. The Majorettes was more than enough of Russo's work for me. :D

On topic:
"Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics" (2010)
Ryan Reynolds narrates this documentary about the long, mostly proud, sometimes strange history of DC Comics, from its humble 1930s roots in the shady pulp-magazine industry to the multi-media powerhouse it has become today. Lots of amazing artwork, vintage film clips, and commentaries from comics pros past and present. Tons of fun for comic nerds.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 05, 2023, 10:20:49 PM
Terrorizers (1986)

It is about the intersecting lives of a number of people in 80s Taipei: a doctor who is stuck in his job and wants to get ahead, his wife, an author struggling with writer's block and decides to leave her husband for another man, a son of a rich family who wants to be a street photographer (with some impressive gear) and who gets obsessed with a girl who is a small time grifter.

This reminded me a lot of Wong Kar-Wai. You have similar themes of chasing dreams and ambitions, difficulties of communication, resignation and loss. Visually as well, there is use of negative space, long shots of empty sets or details. I am not familiar with Taiwanese cinema, so I don't know whether that is a personal preference or a local style. If you don't mind bleak movies and indirect storytelling, well worth a look.

Not sure why it is called 'Terrorizers', though.

Great post, neat (if mystifying) movie. There is a subplot involving quasi-prank/obscene phone calls and I assumed the caller was the "terrorizer" and the other characters were terrorizing each other in related ways, but what do I know. Incidentally, watching this I felt like Hal Hartley and Atom Egoyan had seen it upon release and that it influenced the films they would make in the 90s. Lots of Hartley-esque compositions, lighting, and staging... mysterious structure ala Egoyan... I wonder if either director has credited Yang as an inspiration.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 06, 2023, 10:19:12 AM
"Blood Tide" (1982)
 a cast that's probably better than the movie deserves (James Earl Jones,

Man, you ain't kiddin'. Jones is fantastic in this - even getting to perform bits of Shakespeare and make classical allusions and so on. It's totally out of place yet also far and away the best thing about the movie. Anyone have any idea if 1.) the role was written for Jones, 2.) the role was written as-is and they were lucky enough to be able to hire Jones, or 3.) Jones agreed to do the film but only if he could add all the additional cool dramatic parts that have nothing to do w/ the plot? I presume it's Option #3, but does anyone know otherwise?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 06, 2023, 10:44:04 AM
PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH (2022): Puss finds himself down to the last of his 9 lives, and seeks a magical fallen star to wish on to restore them; but there are other fairy tale characters on the same quest, both allies and adversaries. Spectacular animation and action, reasonable characterization, plot and moral: kids will eat it up and adults should emerge entertained. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on January 06, 2023, 01:30:20 PM
The Shining is now on Tubitv ( 5/5)

I will be sure to watch it 😉😉


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on January 06, 2023, 01:32:14 PM
The Menu.

I'd like to say more about this film, but I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll just say it was an interesting watch.

Agreed 🙂


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 07, 2023, 11:52:37 AM
THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE (1962):
A few posts on here motivated me to check out in its entirety a film that I'd only seen a few brief scenes from and assumed I could skip. I'm glad I did (thank you!). After a slow and static opening stretch (typical of the 50s and early 60s, I find), this began to win me over and eventually develops into something special. This must be one of the earliest horror films with gore, a year before BLOOD FEAST: a throat-chomping right out of Fulci's ZOMBI and a dismemberment scene that persists (in aftermath) for 2+ minutes and must have had teenyboppers rushing out the aisles. I also have to think it's (one of or) the first real, pre-Cronenbergian Body Horror films... besides EYES WITHOUT A FACE and maybe the comparatively subtle MAD LOVE, what else would qualify?

Pro facie TBTWD isn't much different from an Ed Wood horror: mad scientist traps women in a basement with his failed experiments while everyone spits hilariously purple prose, etc. Fortunately I like Ed Wood, but gradually TBTWD overcomes these trappings through the more disciplined performances of its cast and (ultimately) some smart choices from the co-filmmakers. For instance, Dr. Cortner is unequivocally a legitimate sociopath (not just a surgeon on a God trip)... cheating on his injured (ahem) fiancee with a trashy stripper, drugging an unsuspecting patient who's trusted him, and of course his entire plan through most of the film is not to place his decapitated lover Jan's head on another woman's body, it's to only remove her FACE and suture it on the skull of a different body. So he can just keep making love to her FACE...? Guy's depraved. Really the film ends up making the viewer reflect on the objectification of women's bodies even more than such films tend to do.

I also admired when Cortner returns to his lab in the final sequence to discover the havoc his fiancee has wrought, the OTT dialogue disappears abruptly and he just prowls the room silently, cautiously, taking it all in, pausing to sit near and regard Jan but not to speak to her... then he gets back to work. Highly effective scene. Also, considering the uh limitations of her role, Virginia Leith's performance is............ very very good.

I have agree that TBTWD is a film ahead (cough cough) of its time in many ways. And quite entertaining. 4/5!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 07, 2023, 11:59:50 AM
Related vignette:
About 20 years ago I met and had a cup of coffee with Jeffrey Demunn, a very nice man who co-starred in CITIZEN X, THE MIST, THE GREEN MILE, THE BLOB, THE HITCHER, CHRISTMAS EVIL, the first couple seasons of "Walking Dead", and other stuff.
I asked him if he pursued roles in horror movies intentionally or if that was just the stuff that came to him. He was proud to state that he & his wife were huge horror movie fans, and that their favorite film was... THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE.
I think this puzzled me at the time but in retrospect - nicely played, Mr. Demunn!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on January 07, 2023, 03:00:27 PM
Related vignette:
About 20 years ago I met and had a cup of coffee with Jeffrey Demunn, a very nice man who co-starred in CITIZEN X, THE MIST, THE GREEN MILE, THE BLOB, THE HITCHER, CHRISTMAS EVIL, the first couple seasons of "Walking Dead", and other stuff.
I asked him if he pursued roles in horror movies intentionally or if that was just the stuff that came to him. He was proud to state that he & his wife were huge horror movie fans, and that their favorite film was... THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE.
I think this puzzled me at the time but in retrospect - nicely played, Mr. Demunn!

The Hitcher (1986) remains one of the most disturbing films I have ever seen: I've only ever seen it once.  :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 07, 2023, 05:58:28 PM
M3EGAN (2023) - Went to the theater last night with my daughters and saw this one.  Creepy fun; the M3GAN doll is just the right mix of charming and psychotic; the little girl was an excellent actress, and despite a couple of plot holes, the story was engaging and scary.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on January 07, 2023, 06:08:11 PM
68 KILL (2017)

Holy sheep sh!t, Batman!  :buggedout:
 A really pxssy whipped shmuck  goes along  with his girlfreind to rob her pimp of 68 thousand bucks. And soon this spineless twit is catching lotsa bloody fuked up sh1t!
And more twists than Chubby Checker!
GREAT movie! WATCH IT!!!!

http://youtu.be/yiSlarVnfgg (http://youtu.be/yiSlarVnfgg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 07, 2023, 09:41:16 PM
"Sheena" (1984)
Orphaned in the African jungle, a young girl is adopted by the Zambouli tribe and grows up to become Sheena (Tanya Roberts), the protector of their land. Sheena crosses paths with a dorky TV news reporter on assignment from New York, and together they have to stop a team of mercenaries from clearing the way for an illegal mining operation on the tribe's sacred mountain. Soooo, yeah basically this is "Tarzan" in a bikini.
This notorious box office flop, based on the 1930s comic strip, is a very nice looking movie - it was filmed on location in Kenya on what was clearly a fairly large budget -- but it's dreadfully slow moving, with not much action till the last half hour. It's still worth sitting through for the gorgeous African scenery and of course, the eye candy. Tanya Roberts (captured here at her absolute peak of hottie perfection) looks great in Sheena's plain brown wrapper, but God rest her, she never could act worth a damn.
A textbook example of a "so bad it's good" movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 08, 2023, 10:20:48 AM
CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING (1974):
I've seen more than one film reviewer suggest that Lynch's MULHOLLAND DRIVE is CELINE ET JULIE VONT EN BATEAU done right. Although it's possible Lynch has never seen CELINE ET JULIE, I think that's a pretty spot-on assessment.
Interesting comparison between the two movies, though the only immediate similarity I see is that they both focus on female relationships through a surreal lens. The tones and themes are very different. I'd be interested in hearing his case.

If I ever come across another such comparison I will copy the link and post it for you. I dunno, meta-narratives, dreams within dreams, PHANTOM LADIES OVER PARIS/Hollywood?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 08, 2023, 06:44:03 PM

The Hitcher (1986) remains one of the most disturbing films I have ever seen: I've only ever seen it once.  :buggedout:

It's a tremendous film. However Roger Ebert condemned it ("no stars", iirc) purely based on the fate of a single major character... and that fate is unconscionably grisly. I mean, if the filmmakers intended to disturb as I think they must have - 5/5!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 08, 2023, 11:22:30 PM
This Place Rules - A lot of interesting segments on their own surrounding January 6 and Stop the Steal nonsense, but the connective tissue is loose to non-existent.  I like Andrew Callaghan, but I think he needs more of a structure if he's going to make films.  As is, his shorter segments from All Gas No Brakes and Channel 5 are better than his feature.  Still, it's brisk and worth a watch just for the individual parts alone.  


The Hitcher (1986) remains one of the most disturbing films I have ever seen: I've only ever seen it once.  :buggedout:

It's a tremendous film. However Roger Ebert condemned it ("no stars", iirc) purely based on the fate of a single major character... and that fate is unconscionably grisly. I mean, if the filmmakers intended to disturb as I think they must have - 5/5!

It's a pretty weak review too, always remembered that one.  Looking at it again, he basically goes there's a few interesting ideas but I don't like how they pay off, and it's gross.  0/5.  

He has a few really bad 0 star ratings, another that's pretty appalling is Death Race 2000.  He basically goes,  "kids laughed at the intentionally satirical comedy violence and this bothered me, 0/5".  He says NOTHING about the film itself, good or bad.  Embarrassing for such a talented writer and critic as him.  

In a bit of contrast, his Chaos review is a bit better - basically says it is effectively made, but does nothing but wallow in cruelty, and that's vacuous and pointless.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on January 09, 2023, 01:33:11 AM
M3EGAN (2023) - Went to the theater last night with my daughters and saw this one.  Creepy fun; the M3GAN doll is just the right mix of charming and psychotic; the little girl was an excellent actress, and despite a couple of plot holes, the story was engaging and scary.  4/5

When I first heard of that, I thought it was going to be a bio pic of Meghan Markle 😉🐢


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on January 09, 2023, 07:32:27 AM
MISERY (1990)

After a famous author is rescued from a car crash by a fan of his novels, he comes to realize that the care he is receiving is only the beginning of a nightmare of captivity and abuse.

Usually movies based on King's work are pretty lame, but this one is an exception. Tense from beginning to end, with amazing acting and character development. And of course, memorable and gruesome scenes.

I would give it a 10, save for the fact that I hate the death of certain lovable character towards the end. He didn't deserved to die. Not to mention, he never actually accomplishes anything, so his entire storyline is pretty much wasted with his death. I don't know if it plays the same way in the book, but I thought it was a horrible narrative decision.

Still, an amazing movie. 9/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 09, 2023, 10:02:40 AM
BREATHING HAPPY (2022): A recovering addict undergoes a long metaphorical hallucination on Christmas Eve, which happens to be the anniversary of his first year sober. The whole idea of doing a recovery movie as a trip movie--with talking doors, hallucinatory drug dealers, and comedy skits interspersed with dramatic flashbacks--is provocative, and maybe even a little perverse; its not boring, but the script struggles with making its character both unique and generic, and tries too hard to keep him likeable while unsuccessfully attempting to stress how much of a bastard he used to be when he was high. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 09, 2023, 11:22:46 AM

He has a few really bad 0 star ratings, another that's pretty appalling is Death Race 2000.  He basically goes,  "kids laughed at the intentionally satirical comedy violence and this bothered me, 0/5".  He says NOTHING about the film itself, good or bad.  Embarrassing for such a talented writer and critic as him.  

In a bit of contrast, his Chaos review is a bit better - basically says it is effectively made, but does nothing but wallow in cruelty, and that's vacuous and pointless.

Ebert often did a poor job distinguishing his personal tastes/reactions from a film's objective quality or craft, and he admitted this in print many times.

However, I think he was TOO generous towards CHAOS! I agree that movie is a vacuous exercise in cruelty, but I'd diverge with him on it being "effectively made"!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 09, 2023, 05:34:12 PM
I watched a documentary about the Iceman gangster guy on tubi. I can't remember what it was called but it was very...chilling aha.  

I'm not big into gangsters OR serial killers but this was pretty good, maybe because I was in a bad mood. Its hard to try to place this guy in context. On some level, he's just a particularly brutal mafia hit man. On another, he is, among other things, a reminder that the good old days weren't always so good. It's estimated he killed around 200 people. Some of them were other gangsters and probably deserved it and to his credit he never killed women or children. At various times I thought "He's not so different from Dick cheney or someone like that. "

It's in the second half that they get into the real brutality of what he did, which involved quite a bit of torture. Needless to say, he also beat his wife. He "ain't no nice guy" to quote Motorhead. He gave tons of interviews after he was caught which is where I assume they got all this info.  

The documentary itself was thorough but cheap and had a predictable look. If they were talking about people meeting they would show a bunch of people meeting somewhere. If he threw someone down a cliff they would show a cliff that kind of thing.

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 10, 2023, 09:47:59 AM
HIT THE ROAD (2021): An Iranian family of four take a road trip with a secret objective at the end. By Panha Panahi, Jafar's son, who attempts to evade prosecution for his implicit regime criticism by lulling the censors to sleep during the first thirty minutes. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 11, 2023, 11:18:50 PM
THE BLACK PHONE (2022):
I strongly disliked Scott Derrickson's EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE and SINISTER and wasn't too keen on his first DOCTOR STRANGE. I also cannot remember liking an Ethan Hawke performance since GATTACA... which was released in 1997. Let this be a lesson to me to maintain an open mind about movies and moviemakers, because I thought THE BLACK PHONE was a cracking good thriller. Derrickson establishes a superb pace and atmosphere of dread in the early scenes and builds up to a high level of tension that he maintains for the last hour. I particularly admired his unflinching treatment of adolescent-on-adolescent violence. Growing up in the late 70s through the early 90s - an era before supposed zero tolerance for bullying - this was how I remembered schoolyard fights (or in my case, brutal beatings)....... bloody and merciless. Of course, these pubescent gladiators are just levelling up for a bigger fight against a child-murdering, mask-wearing sadist in a scary van.

I've long felt like Hawke took some kind of terrible psychic hit around the time of his breakup with Uma Thurman - which also manifested in him losing any ability to deliver a convincing or empathetic performance onscreen. I thought he was dreadful, laughable, even in FIRST REFORMED, but an easier argument to make is to compare his open, affecting work in the original BEFORE SUNRISE with his performance a decade later in BEFORE SUNSET - it doesn't even seem like the same guy, just an insincere, hollow shell of a human. Frankly, I can barely stand watching him in most roles this century... yet in BLACK PHONE, my visceral distaste for Hawke works quite well, as the viewer must clearly despise The Grabber and actively root for him to suffer comeuppance at the hands of his teen and tween victims. Derrickson wisely refrains from providing any origin story or ameliorating motivation for The Grabber. We don't need it. We just need to see Finney and his compatriots on the Black Phone rise the f**k up............

Highly satisfying. 4/5!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 12, 2023, 02:38:10 AM
The Munsters.

Going into this, I really wanted to like it. It serves as a prequel to the TV series telling the story of how Lily (Sheri Moon Zombie) gets together with Herman, how they end up moving to the US and even how they get Spot. Lily and the Count (not yet grandpa) I thought were fairly well cast. Herman, well not so much. I felt the actor playing the role lacked Fred Gwynne's goofy charm. The whole thing had the look and feel of a low-budget fan-made project, rather than a studio movie and not in a good way. I think it is the script that really lets the whole thing down, and as Rob Zombie was the director and writer I put the blame directly on him though rather than the cast.

I hope it finds an audience out there and other people like it more than I did, but this is my least favourite Rob Zombie film, beating even Halloween 2 into last place. Neither myself or Kristi liked it, despite both of us being keen to see it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 12, 2023, 06:50:21 AM
THE BLACK PHONE (2022):
I strongly disliked Scott Derrickson's EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE and SINISTER and wasn't too keen on his first DOCTOR STRANGE. I also cannot remember liking an Ethan Hawke performance since GATTACA... which was released in 1997. Let this be a lesson to me to maintain an open mind about movies and moviemakers, because I thought THE BLACK PHONE was a cracking good thriller. Derrickson establishes a superb pace and atmosphere of dread in the early scenes and builds up to a high level of tension that he maintains for the last hour. I particularly admired his unflinching treatment of adolescent-on-adolescent violence. Growing up in the late 70s through the early 90s - an era before supposed zero tolerance for bullying - this was how I remembered schoolyard fights (or in my case, brutal beatings)....... bloody and merciless. Of course, these pubescent gladiators are just levelling up for a bigger fight against a child-murdering, mask-wearing sadist in a scary van.

I've long felt like Hawke took some kind of terrible psychic hit around the time of his breakup with Uma Thurman - which also manifested in him losing any ability to deliver a convincing or empathetic performance onscreen. I thought he was dreadful, laughable, even in FIRST REFORMED, but an easier argument to make is to compare his open, affecting work in the original BEFORE SUNRISE with his performance a decade later in BEFORE SUNSET - it doesn't even seem like the same guy, just an insincere, hollow shell of a human. Frankly, I can barely stand watching him in most roles this century... yet in BLACK PHONE, my visceral distaste for Hawke works quite well, as the viewer must clearly despise The Grabber and actively root for him to suffer comeuppance at the hands of his teen and tween victims. Derrickson wisely refrains from providing any origin story or ameliorating motivation for The Grabber. We don't need it. We just need to see Finney and his compatriots on the Black Phone rise the f**k up............

Highly satisfying. 4/5!

I enjoyed this one also; I'm a bit curious why you disliked SINISTER.  It is one of my favorite horror movies from the last decade or so.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 12, 2023, 08:43:01 AM

I enjoyed this one also; I'm a bit curious why you disliked SINISTER.  It is one of my favorite horror movies from the last decade or so.

I think I recall you having posted that sentiment. I apologize?
Context counts for a lot/everything. I watched it a couple years late, following a few (though not many) extremely enthusiastic endorsements such as yours. Didn't find it remotely scary or thrilling and didn't find Hawke remotely convincing or compelling or sympathetic. To be fair, I remember being unable to refrain while watching from recalling EOER w/ contempt - that's a film I had far more highly specific complaints about.
Also, I watched SINISTER on DVD in my apartment on a sunny afternoon. Same deal w/ the first INSIDIOUS, another film I find wholly overrated and unscary. So, context is everything. I was probably just watching them incorrectly.  :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 12, 2023, 12:28:25 PM
"Sausage Party" (2016)
In this extremely adult animated comedy set in a supermarket, a humble, naive sausage (Seth Rogen) learns the terrible truth about what happens to food when it's purchased and taken out of the store. His efforts to warn the rest of his edible brethren of the danger leads to a revolt against the store's unlucky customers and lots of foul-mouthed animated mayhem. The impressive voice cast makes the most of the movie's one-joke premise. "Sausage Party" is dumb as hell, but it's also quite hilarious in a twisted way. Obviously it is NOT a cartoon for the kiddies!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 13, 2023, 10:04:46 AM
BEAUTIFUL BEINGS (2022): A pack of violent misfits take a bullied boy into their gang on the rough streets of Reykjavik (really!) There's a (very) mild supernatural aspect to this in that one of the boys is a psychic who (briefly) has visions, but it's essentially a well-told story demonstrating that neglect and the cycle of violence occurs everywhere--even idyllic Iceland. The young actors all nail their roles. Iceland submitted it to the Oscars but it wasn't shortlisted, and it seems destined to be overlooked despite being one of the best international productions of 2022, and exactly the type of film Oscar loves. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 13, 2023, 10:53:48 PM
MYSTERY ON MONSTER ISLAND (1981):
Written and directed by infamous schlockmeister Juan Piquer Simon, co-written by BREAKFAST AT MANCHESTER MORGUE director Jorge Grau, and "starring" Peter Cushing (fresh off STAR WARS), Terrence Stamp (fresh off SUPERMANs 1 and 2), and Paul Naschy (fresh off, uhh, probably something where he played a wolfman).

Well, Naschy dies about five minutes into the movie (oh sorry, SPOILERS) and Cushing and Stamp are only in roughly the first and last 10 minutes. (Stamp does give a great intense performance, fwiw.) The 80 minutes in the middle is essentially a feature length episode of "Danger Island", the stupid-as-hell live-action pirate serial that would pad out episodes of "The Banana Splits", complete with an imbecilic pretty boy lead, a bumbling sidekick, and not one but two racist stereotypes for comic relief: first a lisping "Chinaman" and then a taciturn black guy in a loincloth named "Higbee" who they rescue from a whole tribe of cannibalistic natives. There are also a couple of dames who unfortunately wear a lot more clothing than Higbee. There are also hilariously fake-looking monsters....... which would make MOMI a hoot for MST3K-type purposes, except the monsters are eventually revealed to be fakes, which takes the edge of the comedic potential and just makes our petrified heroes look all the more lame and dumb. (Also, Higbee and the cannibals are a "company" of black actors from San Francisco who were hired to act like savages? Not sure if that ameliorates the problematic nature of this subplot.)

Simon likely never had a bigger budget than this. Some shots look genuinely good on my flatscreen TV and probably looked even better in a theater. That's about all I can praise in this leaden affair. I assume small children were the target audience, but there's still a little too much violence and bloodshed for the age range which would consider this film entertaining, and yet at the same time there's not nearly enough blood to satisfy fans of Piquer's PIECES or SLUGS. (...Certainly not me, anyway!) If I've taken steps to spoil almost every major element of MOMI, you may thank me for sparing you the hardship of enduring it! Should I add that while the film is rated PG, Piquer's low-angle camera manages to point up Higbee's loincloth a couple of times, providing more adult male anatomy than I ever remember seeing as a small child. Yeah, YOU'RE WELCOME!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 14, 2023, 09:34:44 AM
"The Blob" (1988)
High school students Matt Dillon (sporting an epic mullet) and Shawnee Smith (later of "Saw") battle a carnivorous hunk of space goo that drops into their small Colorado town on a meteor.
Some of the rear-projection special effects have aged terribly, but aside from that this action-packed update of the 50s classic, directed by Chuck Russell ("Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors") and scripted by Frank "The Shawshank Redemption" Darabont, ranks as one of the better remakes of the era.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 14, 2023, 11:26:19 AM
"The Blob" (1988)
High school students Matt Dillon (sporting an epic mullet) and Shawnee Smith (later of "Saw") battle a carnivorous hunk of space goo that drops into their small Colorado town on a meteor.
Some of the rear-projection special effects have aged terribly, but aside from that this action-packed update of the 50s classic, directed by Chuck Russell ("Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors") and scripted by Frank "The Shawshank Redemption" Darabont, ranks as one of the better remakes of the era.

I liked it, too, 30+ years ago... except I found Donovan Leitch (son of 60s folk singer "Donovan") - who unfortunately is this movie's "Janet Leigh" - to be a lot more compelling than generic greaser-with-a-bad-perm Dillon. I also liked Donovan Leitch a lot more than Brad Pitt in CUTTING CLASS, so what do I know. (Leitch does have a much better developed character than Pitt's in CUTTING CLASS...) Shawnee Smith is awesome, though.  


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 14, 2023, 04:54:10 PM
It's Kevin Dillon, Mat Dillons brother in the Blob


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 14, 2023, 07:40:43 PM
I just watched the director's cut of Nightbreed.  It's still disjointed and almost incoherent, just a mess of a film.  But we do get a lot more creature designs on screen, and the book's ending, which is MUCH better than the theatrical cut, there's also a few extra setup scenes smoothing it a bit.  Overall, worth a watch if you like monsters, but I'd call it a bad film anyway.

There were rumors of a TV series of Nightbreed a couple years back, I wish that had happened as all the lore and backstory they try to set up and the multitude of characters...  The same story would play out much better as a limited series, if handled right.  Or an ongoing series, if it follows the later comic stuff. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 14, 2023, 10:08:38 PM
It's Kevin Dillon, Mat Dillons brother in the Blob

Yep. Maybe Matt would've been more compelling. At least he has better hair!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 14, 2023, 10:32:09 PM
It's Kevin Dillon, Mat Dillons brother in the Blob

Whoops, of course you are correct. I got my Dillons confused. :D

"Leonard Part 6" (1987)
A retired CIA super-spy (Bill Cosby) is called back to active duty to stop a vegetarian villainess who's training ordinary animals to become savage killers.
Cosby was at the peak of his TV sitcom powers when he made this painfully unfunny spy spoof, but he must have left his comic mojo on the small screen, because this train wreck barely elicits a single chuckle.
"Cos" co-wrote and produced this notorious box office flop, then spent years trying to live it down. Simply awful.

"Terminal Exposure" (1987)
While taking photographs of girls on the beach, two Southern California slackers inadvertently capture a murder on film. When they try to unravel the mystery themselves, they befriend a stripper, narrowly avoid getting rubbed out by an inept hit man, and tangle with a bunch of mobsters looking for half a million dollars in stolen cash.
A silly but watchable "B" grade mystery/comedy that gets by mainly on the charms of its leading lady, former Playmate Hope Marie Carlton, and a healthy amount of T&A. Besides, after sitting through "Leonard Part 6," this one looked like solid gold.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 14, 2023, 10:36:16 PM
UNCLE SAM (1997)  After being killed in a friendly fire incident over Kuwait, the body of a U.S. soldier is sent back to his hometown, where he re-animates and starts killing all those he deems insufficiently patriotic.  Cheesy plot, but some creative kills and a really cool makeup job on the undead serial killer makes for cheesy B-movie fun. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on January 15, 2023, 04:16:32 AM
UNCLE SAM (1997)  After being killed in a friendly fire incident over Kuwait, the body of a U.S. soldier is sent back to his hometown, where he re-animates and starts killing all those he deems insufficiently patriotic.  Cheesy plot, but some creative kills and a really cool makeup job on the undead serial killer makes for cheesy B-movie fun. 4/5

Almost sounds like a remake of Dead Of Night, aka Deathdream. 😊


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 15, 2023, 07:25:19 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: A NIGHT OF SHORTS X: Frank and Trace riff a bunch of shorts, mostly dull industrials and hiegenes; one is actually a re-riff of the "Industrial Arts" short from MST3K (which falls short of the original), but two of them are pretty interesting: a storybook type short about a bunny called "Hoppy" (plenty of room to go dark on that one) and one about what life was like in a medieval town. The guest is a guy who has a music podcast, who was fairly interesting, 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 15, 2023, 09:25:32 PM
SLASHLORETTE PARTY:  Brie is having second thoughts about marrying her rather jerkish fiancee, but her friends have already scheduled a big bachelorette weekend for her, so she goes with them - and with the groom and his buds - to a cabin in the woods where they are going to throw a combined bachelor/bachelorette party.  It doesn't end well.  Mayhem, gore, nudity, shouting matches, a psychotic therapist, and two WiFi repairmen who are also serial killers - this one pretty much checks all the B-movie boxes!  Except for coherent plot, maybe - but then, that's not a B-movie thing, is it? 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 16, 2023, 01:57:35 AM
Arrietty (2010)

Arrietty is a Borrower, one of tiny people that live in the houses of ordinary folks and 'borrow' what they need of us. During her explorations she befriends a human boy, but this creates the risk of discovery.

While not the best Ghibli, this is certainly up to the Studio's standards. The animations of plants and insects are marvellous, and the way the Borrowers get about is shown in loving detail to rival the deployment of any mecha. I did find it a remarkably bleak movie. The basis premise is: teenage girl brings ruin on her family through her rashness. Now, as someone of a pessimistic nature, I am naturally drawn towards depressing movies, but I didn't expect it to show up that much in a Ghibli. Apparenty Disney thought so too, because Wikipedia informs me that the English dub ends on a slightly more upbeat voiceover.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on January 16, 2023, 08:03:49 AM
ANGEL HEART (1987)

A private investigator is hired by a man who calls himself Louis Cyphre to track down a singer named Johnny Favorite. But the investigation takes an unexpected and somber turn.

Excellent part from Mickey Rourke, the first time I see him like this. De Niro hams it up, and he ends up being way too cheesy for such a serious movie. Like every film noir, you'll end up sad and depressed, but the mystery is quite engaging, and I was never bored.

Sadly, I thought it was way too predictable, and they went way too far with the metaphors. On occasions they tried to te profound, and end up being unintentionally funny, especially when De Niro shows up. I'm still trying to understand the first scene's relation with the rest of the film. It seems to serve only to set the tone, but there was a million different ways to do it, all which make much more sense than a random dead woman in an alley being smelled by a dog.

For those who played it, it reminded me a lot of the game that gives me my nickname, Gabriel Knight. Although that story is way better.

Recommended. 7/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 17, 2023, 09:44:47 AM
THE MENU (2022):
Had to reflect on this one a few days before posting. I was 100% onboard and extremely impressed until about the last twenty-five minutes, and a whole slew of nagging questions occurred to me after the closing credits. The film works better, generally, as a satire than as a horror thriller, and not optimally as either. My partner and I are big fans of SUCCESSION, which lends its producers, one of its writers, and director Mark Mylod (also a GAME OF THRONES veteran) to THE MENU. Yet SUCCESSION is consistently funnier and often scarier than THE MENU, and GoT was of course scarier than at least 19 out of 20 horror movies.

Ultimately I feel like the screenplay could have used another pass and Mylod could've better handled the final transition into full-tilt Elsa-attack mode. Not to let The Perfect be the enemy of The Good or anything, but if one was to apply the standards and strategies of Head Chef Julian Slowik and Sous Chef Katherine Keller to cinema, one would have to admit that THE MENU's many diverse courses and ingredients fail to add up to a single harmonious dining experience. Madame 10rda, on the other hand, has more of an Erin/Margot-type appetite for traditional cheeseburgers, and was hoping THE MENU would deliver in the style of MIDSOMMAR or READY OR NOT (two distinct taste profiles but both hearty and satisfying). It didn't.

Me, I liked it enough to wish I liked it more. Then again, I watched (and posted about) Merchant-Ivory's SAVAGES a couple of weeks ago, and purely as films about misbehavior of the privileged go, THE MENU is a big improvement.

3.5/5 (easily a 4+ for the first 75 minutes)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 17, 2023, 05:16:19 PM
Deprivation (2019)- another day, another found footage experience. This was very basic and easy to follow: 3 college bro dudes decide to take a trip to a "cabin in the woods", it's actually a house but serves the same purpose story-wise, and stay awake for 7 days. It starts off with Breakfast Club style conversations and gets darker. One question I have is what the hell did they do all day besides of the moments captured on the film? 7 days 24 hours a day is a lot of time.

Does the whole thing feel like a college film class project? Yes, but it's a decent one. Could they have done more with the concept? Yes, but they don't screw it up too bad or attempt weird suspension of disbelief stuff or have a forest druid thingy plot twist.

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 18, 2023, 01:54:26 AM
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Finally caught up with this. Sweet but no surprises.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on January 18, 2023, 02:11:51 PM
I've attempted to watch Liquorice Pizza twice but each time something has intervened. Hmm, maybe I am not meant to see this movie....


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 19, 2023, 10:24:44 AM
AFTERSUN (2022): A woman looks back on old videos of an idyllic vacation with her father at a Turkish resort when she was 11. The perfect movie for you if your idea of entertainment is watching other people's vacation videos. It has great reviews from both critics and audiences, but I don't get the appeal at all: "Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles" had more action. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 19, 2023, 04:35:12 PM
"Trading Places" (1983)
Two elderly millionaires (Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy) make a bet that messes with the lives of a wealthy young stock trader (Dan Aykroyd) and a wise-ass street hustler (Eddie Murphy) -- swapping their positions in society to see how each man would react, as an "experimental study of the human condition." Eddie takes to the high-finance life like a duck to water, while Dan barely scrapes by on Skid Row with the help of a kind-hearted prostitute (Jamie Lee Curtis). Once Eddie & Dan figure out that they've been played, they join forces to get even with the old goats. Lots of slobs-versus-snobs fun in this '80s classic directed by John "Animal House" Landis.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 19, 2023, 08:16:14 PM
"Metro" (1997)
Eddie Murphy plays a hostage negotiator for the San Francisco P.D., who's breaking in a new partner while also dealing with the hunt for a murderous jewel thief and cop killer. Cars crash, guns go off, fists fly, stuff blows up. This entertaining but fairly standard 90s action flick was grittier than usual for Murphy; I wonder if it was originally written with another actor in mind. Anyone expecting to watch Eddie clown around in Axel Foley mode might be disappointed, but I was impressed by his straight action-hero chops.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 20, 2023, 09:55:33 AM
WILDCAT (2022):
A caveat: I don't watch as many documentaries as I used to and certainly not as many as Rev. Powell. Plus watching the trailer (2 or 3 times) assured me that I was the easiest mark for what  WILDCAT appeared to be selling. The film delivers on the trailer's promise: this is the best documentary I can think of about the transformative, redemptive potential of caring for an animal. However, that warm, snuggly, tearjerker is only about half the film.

The other half has a lot of suspense, psychological drama, a nasty twist in the first 20 or so minutes, and ultimately delivers a far more complex and less uplifting reflection on grief, trauma, clinical depression, and the nature of interdependence and sometimes codependence between human beings and between humans and animals. That last element is the one that pays off the biggest dividends, particularly near the end when a father is reunited with a (human) son he'd likely never expected to see alive again.

I have to credit the directors, Melissa Lesh and Trevor Frost, for creating a meaningful narrative out of literal years of footage. The film's primary human subjects, Harry and Samantha, shot much of the footage and are credited as Field Producers. I never lost sympathy for them, but I felt dismayed at the end when they seemed unable to empathize much with one another. I hope they're able to watch WILDCAT and find a little more perspective on their actions and their relationship.

Also, the sprawling, inhospitable, sometimes maddening jungle setting - in concert with the protagonists' attempts to achieve something that might be impossible and the film's more existential implications - conspire to make me feel like WILDCAT is the best film Werner Herzog never made.

Perfect 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 20, 2023, 11:14:23 AM
WILDCAT (2022):
A caveat: I don't watch as many documentaries as I used to and certainly not as many as Rev. Powell. Plus watching the trailer (2 or 3 times) assured me that I was the easiest mark for what  WILDCAT appeared to be selling. The film delivers on the trailer's promise: this is the best documentary I can think of about the transformative, redemptive potential of caring for an animal. However, that warm, snuggly, tearjerker is only about half the film.

The other half has a lot of suspense, psychological drama, a nasty twist in the first 20 or so minutes, and ultimately delivers a far more complex and less uplifting reflection on grief, trauma, clinical depression, and the nature of interdependence and sometimes codependence between human beings and between humans and animals. That last element is the one that pays off the biggest dividends, particularly near the end when a father is reunited with a (human) son he'd likely never expected to see alive again.

I have to credit the directors, Melissa Lesh and Trevor Frost, for creating a meaningful narrative out of literal years of footage. The film's primary human subjects, Harry and Samantha, shot much of the footage and are credited as Field Producers. I never lost sympathy for them, but I felt dismayed at the end when they seemed unable to empathize much with one another. I hope they're able to watch WILDCAT and find a little more perspective on their actions and their relationship.

Also, the sprawling, inhospitable, sometimes maddening jungle setting - in concert with the protagonists' attempts to achieve something that might be impossible and the film's more existential implications - conspire to make me feel like WILDCAT is the best film Werner Herzog never made.

Perfect 5/5

Glad you liked it. I voted it into my best 5 documentaries of the year but it didn't make my critic's group list. There are just so many documentaries made every year, no one can see all of them unless you specialize in them.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 20, 2023, 11:43:02 AM
WOMAN TALKING (2022): After a series of rapes, the women of an Amish-style religious sect debate whether to stay or leave the only world they've ever known. You could fashion a touching and poetic feminist parable out of this material, and when the film focuses on the backstory one peeks through, but unfortunately all the parliamentary debate turns it too didactic, obvious, and heavy-handed. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 20, 2023, 04:56:34 PM
WOMAN TALKING (2022): After a series of rapes, the women of an Amish-style religious sect debate whether to stay or leave the only world they've ever known. You could fashion a touching and poetic feminist parable out of this material, and when the film focuses on the backstory one peeks through, but unfortunately all the parliamentary debate turns it too didactic, obvious, and heavy-handed. 2.5/5.

That's unfortunate... I regard Sarah Polley's TAKE THIS WALTZ very highly because (among other reasons) it refrains from being didactic and obvious...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 20, 2023, 06:20:00 PM
WOMAN TALKING (2022): After a series of rapes, the women of an Amish-style religious sect debate whether to stay or leave the only world they've ever known. You could fashion a touching and poetic feminist parable out of this material, and when the film focuses on the backstory one peeks through, but unfortunately all the parliamentary debate turns it too didactic, obvious, and heavy-handed. 2.5/5.

That's unfortunate... I regard Sarah Polley's TAKE THIS WALTZ very highly because (among other reasons) it refrains from being didactic and obvious...

I liked her documentary STORIES WE TELL.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 20, 2023, 10:38:35 PM
MONSTER HIGH (1989):
Posting about this only because I never, never recall reading or hearing anyone mention or discuss it in 40 years of consuming film reviews, books about movies, film websites, podcasts, etc. It's on IMDB but so are hundreds or thousands of other films no one ever talks about. I'm pretty sure I obtained my copy over a decade ago, thinking I was picking up Larry Cohen's FULL MOON HIGH, which may not be superior to this in any case.

Bearing an '89 release date, this looks like it could've been shot as early as '80, and (given the often loose continuity) might have taken multiple years to get in the can. It's very much of a piece with circa-'80 horror spoofs like PANDEMONIUM, WACKO!, SATURDAY THE 14TH, etc - but w/o any recognizable actors and w/ even less entertainment value (if you can imagine that!).

Aliens/demons/monsters invade a generic community college, er, "high school", led by "Mr. Armageddon" (who looks like a bloated, hung over Gerrit Graham) and his chief henchmen, two "skinheads" from the "planet Latex", who are clearly played by hyperactive professional mimes. To its nominal credit, MONSTER HIGH is fast-paced and tirelessly eventful. It's also cut so manically one suspects the assistant editor was a massive pile of blow. There's a large cast of "high schoolers" in their mid-to-late 20s who get killed off briskly, some cheezy creature FX, occasional gore, intermittent and totally gratuitous nudity, and a non-stop procession of cheap puns and desperately unfunny clowning. The leads are dull while an occasionally promising supporting character (such as a sexy and resourceful redheaded teacher named "Miss Anne Thrope", hardy har har) is always underutilized. I did laugh out loud once, when the whitebread hero asks his crush what "Advanced Sex Ed" was like and she tells him it was "mostly theory". Yep, that's the funniest line in the movie.

Eventually the fate of the school and the Earth is decided by a basketball game... snore. Of course I'd checked out mentally long before this point. MONSTER HIGH is exactly the sort of rubbish that might show up on "USA Up All Night" in the late 80s/early 90s. It's a commendable example of extremely enthusiastic bad filmmaking. I probably would have really dug it if I'd seen it when I was 10 or maybe 12, and only semi-conscious after midnight. No apparent connection to the "Monster High" line of dolls and cartoons or Todd Holland's 2022 movie, but I wonder if this movie's producers have attempted a lawsuit anyway.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 20, 2023, 11:48:35 PM
THE RENTAL (2020) Two brothers and their girlfriends rent a beautiful BnB on the coast, perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific. The supervisor is a rather creepy bigot who makes snide remarks about one guy's middle eastern girlfriend, but after he leaves stuff starts to go weird. After partying too hard and doing too much X, one brother has sex with the other's girlfriend, and then the next morning she discovers a small camera hidden in the shower head.  They suspect the creepy racist landlord, but the truth turns out to be something far more sinister . . .  Nice atmospheric horror/suspense movie.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 21, 2023, 04:30:40 AM
The Menu (2022)

Definitely worth a watch, but I found it disappointing. It is billed as a horror comedy, but there is not much horror, not much comedy, not much suspense, and even not that much of an ensemble performance either. Many of the supporting characters are merely there to do what the plot requires. From a movie that is so exquisitely made with such an obsessive attention to detail, one would expect more. There is not enough substance for the style.
What we do have is the duel between Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy, both of whom are superb, with Nicholas Hoult as comic relief. This is absolutely great.

With a group of obnoxiously rich people on an island for a festive occasion thrown by an eccentric genius, it is hard not to make the comparison with Glass Onion. Glass Onion is a lot more fun, though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 21, 2023, 11:34:12 AM
TAR (2022): As fictional genius conductor Lydia Tar is completing a magnum opus recording of Mahler's 5th, she finds her career threatened by scandals from the past. The movie places you inside the high pressure milieu of the world's premiere orchestras, revealing that fallible people with petty politics and bad behavior make transcendently beautiful music. I'm not sure how people who aren't that familiar with classical music will react; I caught a lot of the name-dropping references and enjoyed the rehearsals, but if you don't share that interest I suspect you might find it boring. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 21, 2023, 11:45:23 AM
From a movie that is so exquisitely made with such an obsessive attention to detail, one would expect more.

...it is hard not to make the comparison with Glass Onion. Glass Onion is a lot more fun, though.

^^^Agree strongly to both.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 21, 2023, 12:07:48 PM
PRISON BREAK (1969):
A curious title for a film which spans a few years, mostly concerns a man's quest for revenge against his father's murderers as well as a complex yakuza gang war, and only features the eponymous event for about 5 minutes in its final third. That aside, this really impressed me. I love lots of Japanese films (particularly from the 90s and this century) but many of the famous Japanese crime films from the 60s and 70s, such as those by Fukasaku and Suzuki, fail to move me.

PRISON BREAK, on the other hand, moves at a good clip (at least by the standards of Japanese cinema), packs a lot of story and action into 85 minutes, and is blessed by an ensemble of actors doing good work creating distinct and memorable characters. Best of all is lead actor Hiroki Matsukata, who gives a performance that's a lot closer to the American method acting of the 60s and 70s. In particular he has one great scene in prison where he hears bad news and silently suggests at least five different emotional reactions in about 30 seconds, only with his facial expressions and tilts of his head. It's exactly the kind of acting that Deniro and Pacino would become famous for in the next few years, and in fact PRISON BREAK feels a lot closer to THE GODFATHER or MEAN STREETS than it does to other Japanese crime movies of the 60s (though it obv precedes both).

Also some very satisfying and bloody violence at the end. Refreshing and recommended! 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 21, 2023, 05:20:33 PM
Bad to the Bone 40 years of BBBBBBBBad - A lot of stuff gets described as "fun" but I really thought this was. George Thorogood and his band are interviewed about their most well known song.

On tour in 1981 with the Rolling Stones and J Geils Band, Thorogood noticed that the other groups had songs that really got the crowd going. The opening riff in "Start Me Up" in particular seemed to get peoples attention. "We need to have a song like that" they thought. At the same time, Thorogood is very steeped in Chuck Berry and the blues and so forth, so it couldn't be a total sell out. Also key is the saxophone solo, which he feels is the zenith of the whole song. Thankfully, his band was up to the task. The music video also worked well and the rest is history.

I recently learned Thorogood is worth 60 million dollars, probably off of royalties for this number. on youtube like 40 minutes long

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 22, 2023, 10:24:46 AM
I recently learned Thorogood is worth 60 million dollars, probably off of royalties for this number.

Never in a million years would I have imagined he was worth $60 mil. Licensing fees and royalties are truly where it's at........ music snobs used to mock hip new indie rock bands for selling their songs to Apple commercials, but those sales probably put a lot of indie rock band kids through college.

I actually gasped aloud when "Glass Onion" started playing over the closing credits of GLASS ONION. Licensing the Beatles: the original NFT of ultra-baller power moves.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 22, 2023, 04:56:59 PM
When "Bad to the Bone" is played in a movie or commercial it always starts at that opening riff, not the verse or the chorus. no surprise the whole idea began with that


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on January 23, 2023, 08:15:35 AM
HARDCORE (1979)

A conservative Midwest businessman ventures into the underworld of pornography in California to look for his runaway teenage daughter who is making porno films in California's porno pits.

I couple of years ago I saw 8MM and learned about this movie, which supposedly served as an inspiration. It's true, they're both very similar. The plot is different, but the essence is pretty much the same. A regular man gets involved in the sleazy world of pornography, where he discovers the worst of mankind.

In this case, the point is taken to the extreme, because they spend like 10 minutes making sure we understand that the main character is a devout, religious man. Therefore, the impact of seeing his daughter in a porno movie is greater: indeed, we see him go nuts in the cinema, with the memorable shout of "turn it off!!!".

We can see Jake, the protagonist, slowly become entrapped in this world. An usually calm and respectful man, he resorts to violence in more than one occasion, product of his disgust and frustration, and we suffer alongside him. The way he finally manages to get to his daughter back is well done, although I do have two major complaints regarding this part of the movie.

First, the ending is rushed. We don't see the aftermath nor the consequences of his crusade, and everything basically wraps up in a matter of minutes; not to mention, we don't know what happens to Niki, the prostitute who he enrolls to help him. Second, his daughter pretty much tells him that she did it willingly because he never loved her. The problem I have with this, is that we never see this lack of love. Quite the contrary, in fact. At the beginning he seems to be a loving and caring father, so it was a little bit jarring to have her say that.

Still, it's a very powerful and entertaining movie. The lack of explicit violence or sex, except some boobs here and there, actually makes it more profound, instead of exploitative, like 8MM.

Very recommended! 8/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 23, 2023, 09:07:31 AM
HARDCORE (1979)

A conservative Midwest businessman ventures into the underworld of pornography in California to look for his runaway teenage daughter who is making porno films in California's porno pits.

I couple of years ago I saw 8MM and learned about this movie, which supposedly served as an inspiration. It's true, they're both very similar. The plot is different, but the essence is pretty much the same. A regular man gets involved in the sleazy world of pornography, where he discovers the worst of mankind.

In this case, the point is taken to the extreme, because they spend like 10 minutes making sure we understand that the main character is a devout, religious man. Therefore, the impact of seeing his daughter in a porno movie is greater: indeed, we see him go nuts in the cinema, with the memorable shout of "turn it off!!!".

We can see Jake, the protagonist, slowly become entrapped in this world. An usually calm and respectful man, he resorts to violence in more than one occasion, product of his disgust and frustration, and we suffer alongside him. The way he finally manages to get to his daughter back is well done, although I do have two major complaints regarding this part of the movie.

First, the ending is rushed. We don't see the aftermath nor the consequences of his crusade, and everything basically wraps up in a matter of minutes; not to mention, we don't know what happens to Niki, the prostitute who he enrolls to help him. Second, his daughter pretty much tells him that she did it willingly because he never loved her. The problem I have with this, is that we never see this lack of love. Quite the contrary, in fact. At the beginning he seems to be a loving and caring father, so it was a little bit jarring to have her say that.

Still, it's a very powerful and entertaining movie. The lack of explicit violence or sex, except some boobs here and there, actually makes it more profound, instead of exploitative, like 8MM.

Very recommended! 8/10

You may not see him not loving his daughter, but you see him not loving his surrogate daughter, Niki, heartlessly discarding her when she's not useful to him anymore. So you can imagine the rest. I haven't seen it in a while but it's a pretty great movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on January 23, 2023, 10:14:27 AM
HARDCORE (1979)

A conservative Midwest businessman ventures into the underworld of pornography in California to look for his runaway teenage daughter who is making porno films in California's porno pits.

I couple of years ago I saw 8MM and learned about this movie, which supposedly served as an inspiration. It's true, they're both very similar. The plot is different, but the essence is pretty much the same. A regular man gets involved in the sleazy world of pornography, where he discovers the worst of mankind.

In this case, the point is taken to the extreme, because they spend like 10 minutes making sure we understand that the main character is a devout, religious man. Therefore, the impact of seeing his daughter in a porno movie is greater: indeed, we see him go nuts in the cinema, with the memorable shout of "turn it off!!!".

We can see Jake, the protagonist, slowly become entrapped in this world. An usually calm and respectful man, he resorts to violence in more than one occasion, product of his disgust and frustration, and we suffer alongside him. The way he finally manages to get to his daughter back is well done, although I do have two major complaints regarding this part of the movie.

First, the ending is rushed. We don't see the aftermath nor the consequences of his crusade, and everything basically wraps up in a matter of minutes; not to mention, we don't know what happens to Niki, the prostitute who he enrolls to help him. Second, his daughter pretty much tells him that she did it willingly because he never loved her. The problem I have with this, is that we never see this lack of love. Quite the contrary, in fact. At the beginning he seems to be a loving and caring father, so it was a little bit jarring to have her say that.

Still, it's a very powerful and entertaining movie. The lack of explicit violence or sex, except some boobs here and there, actually makes it more profound, instead of exploitative, like 8MM.

Very recommended! 8/10

You may not see him not loving his daughter, but you see him not loving his surrogate daughter, Niki, heartlessly discarding her when she's not useful to him anymore. So you can imagine the rest. I haven't seen it in a while but it's a pretty great movie.

Another great movie banned under apartheid because the censor board found it offensive.  :tongueout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on January 23, 2023, 10:20:14 AM
You may not see him not loving his daughter, but you see him not loving his surrogate daughter, Niki, heartlessly discarding her when she's not useful to him anymore. So you can imagine the rest. I haven't seen it in a while but it's a pretty great movie.

Well, actually, that was one of my gripes. At the end, he sees Niki among the crowd and ask the detective how he can help her, to whom he replies "go away, there's nothing you can do". Yes, he could've tried harder, but he did had intentions.

I understand your point, but I felt it was kinda vague. It could've easily been solved with a few scenes at the beginning of him ignoring his daughter, instead of so many forced "look at me, I'm religious" scenes.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 23, 2023, 04:25:23 PM
"The Guest List" (2022)
This documentary about the Station Nightclub fire in Rhode Island, where 100 people were killed when a blaze broke out onstage during a Great White gig, originally aired on the REELZ cable channel. It tells the story of that awful night and the lingering effects it's had on the town, on the survivors, and the families of those who died. Pretty harrowing stuff, based on the book "Killer Show" by John Barylick, which I read about ten years ago.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 24, 2023, 05:08:57 PM
NEW RELIGION (2022): Still grieving from the accidental death of her daughter years later, escort Miyabi's routine is shaken up when she meets a strange client who (at first) only wants to take pictures of her individual body parts. Intensely atmospheric art-horror with great sound design and lighting (and moth microphotography); eerily rewarding if you can handle the slow pace and subdued performances from everyone except the heroine. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 25, 2023, 10:28:59 PM
"Violent Night" (2022)
It's a little late for a Christmas movie, but when this turned up on Peacock, I couldn't resist...
A drunk and depressed Santa (David Harbour of "Stranger Things") who's tired of the whole Christmas thing finds himself in the wrong house at the wrong time when his Christmas Eve visit to a wealthy family's compound is interrupted by a squad of mercenaries looking to crack the vault. So yeah, basically this is "Die Hard" with Santa in the John McClane role (and John Leguizamo as Hans Gruber), with lots of hilariously over-the-top holiday mayhem. An instant cult classic from director Tommy Wirkola of "Dead Snow" fame, with a sequel reportedly already in the works.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 27, 2023, 05:15:54 PM
Night of the Comet (1984) - I didn't like this as much as Miracle Mile as far as dystopic 80's comedies. The high point was definitely the blonde from Chopping Mall (and also something called "exorcism at 19,000 feet"according to IMDB). In general, it reminded me of the original Tron in the sense that the look was right on but I wanted a lot more out of it than was delivered.

It's the scenario where everyone dies except the old drunk who was passed out in a metal tub kind of thing. Two sisters and a few others try and figure out what to as a comet wipes out most of humanity. Hampering their efforts are zombie-like creatures and a goofy bunch of government agents who have some sort of plan they are sticking to even though billions of people just died. The action parts just don't rise to the occasion and the point kind of gets lost. If you are an 80's fan it is, on some level, a classic but others will probably be unimpressed and a little bored.

fun fact: my family saw this in the movie theater. I was 9 and fell asleep in 10 minutes, but I went!

3.75/ 5





Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 28, 2023, 11:39:11 PM
ENCANTO (2022) - My wife wanted me to watch this one with her last night, and I did.  It was a fairly typical Disney animated film, the songs better than average (written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, so of course they were!), and the storyline quite fun.  I enjoyed it.  4/5

LOST LAKE (2020) - A woman and her fiancee head to the deserts of California to search for her missing Uncle, who is an amateur ghost hunter.  They find the creepy abandoned town, and then the find him, and bad stuff happens . . . very bleak film. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 29, 2023, 10:30:30 AM
Night of the Comet (1984) - I didn't like this as much as Miracle Mile as far as dystopic 80's comedies. The action parts just don't rise to the occasion and the point kind of gets lost. If you are an 80's fan it is, on some level, a classic but others will probably be unimpressed and a little bored.

fun fact: my family saw this in the movie theater. I was 9 and fell asleep in 10 minutes, but I went!

3.75/ 5


Thanks for the "3.75" though I'm sorry to hear you didn't get more from this one. I saw it first on HBO when I was about 8 or 9, saw it again on VHS two or three years later, and have revisited it occasionally since. Nostalgia must have it's claws deep in me w/ NIGHT OF THE COMET, because I find it as charming now as I found it mystifying and cool the first few times.

It's true the action is less present for the sake of thrills and more to punctuate the offbeat/bittersweet premise. Two young women cope with their distressing circumstances by doing what they would do in any case (shop and dance to fun 80s music) only now without having to deal with store hours or mall security or money. Alas the mutant creeps and military mad scientists keep gettin' 'em down.

Let's face it, it's a fun movie made for teen girls in the 80s, not for adult men who love flesh-eating. It satisfies me anyway, w/ terrific use of locations, a worrisomely carefree final scene (maybe Thom Eberhardt planned a ZOMBIELAND 2-style sequel), a legitimately outstanding performance by Mary Woronov, and perhaps best of all, the endlessly winsome Catherine Mary Stewart. Even before I was in love with Winona Ryder in BEETLEJUICE and HEATHERS, I was in love with Catherine Mary Stewart.  :hot: Sigh!

Finally... is MIRACLE MILE a comedy?! I thought it was a horrifically bleak tragedy with an ending that still makes me wince to recall! Maybe I am watching these movies incorrectly.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 29, 2023, 11:00:59 AM
"A Chorus Line" (1985)
Film version of the long running Broadway hit, about a group of hopeful dancers enduring a particularly grueling audition process for a new show. Musicals usually aren't my thing but this one is well staged, the choreography is impressive, and since it was made in the '80s, it's full of hot girls wearing spandex dance wear. Therefore I had no complaints.

"The Pez Outlaw" (2022)
Strange-but-true documentary about Steve Glew, an eccentric from Michigan who got unexpectedly rich by importing European PEZ dispensers (featuring designs which were not available in the U.S.) to the States and selling them to fanatical collectors of PEZ memorabilia. When the head honchos of PEZ Inc. learned of his grey-market scheme, they began a crusade to bring him down.
I love documentaries that introduce me to something I know nothing about, and this one was a doozy - I had no idea there was such a large, hardcore PEZ collecting community, and the lengths that Steve went to in order to serve his customer base were amazing, especially with PEZ Inc.'s legal eagles nipping at his heels. Even if you have no interest in PEZ, this is still a cool, weird, very interesting story.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 29, 2023, 12:40:28 PM
The Pale Blue Eye (2022)

This is a bit of an oddity. It is gothic murder mystery, set in grimdark version of 1830s West Point, with a young Edgar Allan Poe as a main character. This is very much another triumph of style over substance. Everything is highly contrived, the Dickensian characters, the formal 19th century dialogue, the plot with the obligatory twist that makes little sense, the setting.... If you like your movies grounded, this is not one for you. Also, not very much happens.

I quite liked it though. For one thing, I don't mind style over substance, provided it is stylish enough. For another the cast does a magnificent job, especially Christian Bale being intense and mysterious, and Harry Melling being suitably weird throughout.

Just one point of criticism, I fully get it that in the time of candles and oil lamps, interiors were a lot darker, but this is a movie and as a spectator I like to see what is going on, dammit!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 29, 2023, 04:23:27 PM
fat freddy's cat - my friend had a Sea Hag pez dispenser. from Popeye


M.10rda - Night Of the Comet I mean the male lead just kind of shows up and the feds just kind of hang around they don't build the characters into anything substantial. They Live achieved a lot more with similar dark elements. Comet is unique as a teen movie but it's more cerebral and complex aspirations came up a bit short.

Having 99.9% of people die at the very begining made it very hard for any tension re the end of the world

Miracle Mile was a little more mature, yes the ending was bleak but it was realistic


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 29, 2023, 10:22:39 PM
"Shotgun Wedding" (2023)
Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel bring their feuding families together for a "destination wedding" at a Filipino island resort. When a crew of pirates crash the party and take their guests hostage, Jen and Josh have to figure out how to stop them. This breezy Amazon Prime original is a fun mash-up of the rom-com and action comedy genres. The South Seas scenery is lovely, J-Lo is ridiculously hot as usual, and the strong supporting cast includes comedy dependables like Cheech Marin and Jennifer Coolidge. Silly but enjoyable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on January 30, 2023, 08:35:28 AM
DOGMA (1999)

An abortion clinic worker with a special heritage is called upon to save the existence of humanity from being negated by two renegade angels trying to exploit a loop-hole and reenter Heaven.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The premise caught my attention immediately, but something that confused me at first was that new characters were introduced all the time, with little explanation of who they were, until they decided to spend 10 minutes of exposition telling their personal life.
Linda Fiorentino is dull as a blank wall, but she's too hot for me to care. The rest of the cast is barely noticeable, with the exception of Alan Rickman, who perfectly knows how to make the transition from a serious to a funny scene.
And I think here lies my main issue with the movie: for a moment it tries to be a drama, and then it turns into the most cringe comedy you can possibly imagine. The theological discussions are superficial, and anyways they have been done to death by now. Other issues are barely addressed, like euthanasia and abortion. Half of the dialog are F bombs.

I felt as if the movie had the potential to be an amazing epic and religious story, with humorous touches, but they were too focused on trying to land the next joke about joints. Azrael is so useless that I wonder why is he even there. Discussions about Jesus' origins and God's gender are made with extreme banality, which leads me to the ending...

We are finally able to see God, played by Alanis Morissette, but she acts like she had some kind of mental problem. I understand that they were trying to show her with a sense of humour, but what does that has to be with trying to stand in her hands by a tree and falling? Does she has the mind of a 5 year old? Not to mention, that awful Karate Kid reference, ugh.
On the other hand, why Bethany resurrects, and then gets pregnant? Since when God intervene in the affairs of mortals like that? There's tragedies all the time, but this one in particular had to be resolved so they could deliver a happy ending.

Having said that, I thought it was a very entertaining movie, with good special effects; unfortunately, the music doesn't work sometimes, it sounds as if it's taken from a teen adventure movie. It gave me a few chuckles, although some scenes forced me to look elsewhere of how ridiculous they were, like the one where the Prophets are introduced, with is almost cartoonish. You can remove 20 minutes of the movie and it wouldn't change at all, it's unnecessary long.

Recommended if you don't have anything else to watch. 7/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 30, 2023, 04:13:00 PM
AN EVENING WITH BEVERLY LUFF LINN (2019):
Flat affect-afflicted housewife Lulu Danger (Audrey Plaza) happens upon the kind of moronic crime that we see most often in Coen Bros films and absconds with the proceeds to a gloomy hotel, where she plans to low-key stalk her former lover, a mysterious celebrity named Beverly Luff Linn (Craig Robinson). Finding her attempts largely foiled by Beverly's unctuous manservant/lifepartner (Matt Berry), Lulu consoles herself by relentlessly friendzoning a fledgling vigilante named Colin (Jemaine Clement). Meanwhile, her husband Shane (Emile Hirsch) plots revenge. Anyway I think that's what happens in this movie.

With hideously retro fashion & decor and visible gas prices hovering around the $3 mark, AN EVENING WITH BEVERLY LUFF LINN can only take place during the Carter administration or circa Today in the vicinity of David Lynch's funnybone. Most of the cast overemotes or underemotes outrageously; Hirsch seems to be recreating Bruce McCullough's menagerie of toxic menchildren from "The Kids In The Hall"; and Berry just delivers his standard shtick and thus seems right at home. Perhaps my favorite thing about the film is the large and utterly bizarre, instantly memorable supporting cast, none of whom (besides the aforementioned stars and cameo weirdo Maria Bamford) were at all familiar to me/all of whom I presumed were hand-picked out IRL from diners, homeless shelters, and cult reprogramming clinics by director Jim Hosking, very much as Lynch does with his bit roles. Nope - all of those actors have long IMDB pages full of bit parts in other movies where (presumably) they act less weird - so kudos to Hosking for doing a bang-up job casting and directing them for his purposes.

Robinson ends up delivering the film's best and most affecting performance, but only in the final twenty minutes, when he is provided actual dialogue in English, besides a small array of growls, grunts, and farts. Up until then, the treatment of his eponymous character comes off as off-putting and even a little racist. Denying his character (and Plaza's) any transparency or sympathy until the closing scenes is yet another perverse and oblique choice on Hosking's behalf.

AEWBLL is a tough sell! Madame 10.rda likes Plaza and probably loves Berry more than she loves me, but it took her two sittings and some ice cream to see this one through with me. Most of the running time is frittered away on biological humor and characters just hangin' out until, abruptly, the film transforms into a rather touching essay on the redemptive qualities of platonic love (w/ one outstanding dance sequence). Although the film has some tonal & thematic similarities to NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, most of the hep kids I know who like ND might struggle w/ this one. My best guess is that the target audience for AEWBLL is "Lynch megafans who wish ON THE AIR had run for 4-6 seasons". As far as I know, that's just me, and various web resources support this deduction: AEWBLL appears to have grossed between $5k and $25k theatrically - figures so absurdly low they truly belong in the film's own cinematic universe.

4/5 anyway, perversely

I've watched some other films lately that I haven't dug on too much, but my Chinese New Year's resolution is to only post about movies I've enjoyed. We'll see how long that sticks.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 31, 2023, 04:56:31 PM
"Tommy" (1975)
Ken Russell's film version of the Who's 1969 rock opera about a "deaf, dumb, and blind kid" who becomes a pinball wizard and eventually a messiah is still weird as hell all these years later. Essentially it's a feature-length music video with an all star cast that includes members of the Who, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Jack Nicholson, Elton John, Ann-Margret, and more. Worth sitting through for the rockin' soundtrack, and the scene where Ann-Margret freaks out and writhes around in a puddle of soap suds, beans, and chocolate.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 31, 2023, 05:43:51 PM
NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE (2016) - OK, this movie starts with a creepy morgue janitor molesting a freshly dead female corpse, and then turns into an STD-driven zombie apocalypse that constantly tries to outdo itself on the grossout scale.   It had some real possibilities but didn't quite rise to the occasion.  But, if you like over-the-top gore with sexual overtones, you might like it.  3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 31, 2023, 05:49:28 PM
NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE (2016) - OK, this movie starts with a creepy morgue janitor molesting a freshly dead female corpse, and then turns into an STD-driven zombie apocalypse that constantly tries to outdo itself on the grossout scale.   It had some real possibilities but didn't quite rise to the occasion.  But, if you like over-the-top gore with sexual overtones, you might like it.  3.5/5

Is this on a streaming platform?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 01, 2023, 08:49:35 AM
NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE (2016) - OK, this movie starts with a creepy morgue janitor molesting a freshly dead female corpse, and then turns into an STD-driven zombie apocalypse that constantly tries to outdo itself on the grossout scale.   It had some real possibilities but didn't quite rise to the occasion.  But, if you like over-the-top gore with sexual overtones, you might like it.  3.5/5

Is this on a streaming platform?

I think I found it on ROKU or TUBI.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 01, 2023, 10:26:16 AM
CRIMINAL LOVERS (1999): A teenage couple commit horrible crimes and flee into the forest, where they are kidnapped and held hostage by a hermit. François Ozon's "Hansel and Gretel"-themed art-house drama/thriller generates only minor suspense, but a young Jérémie Renier is excellent as the easily-manipulated, sexually-conflicted male half of the killer couple. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 01, 2023, 08:33:19 PM
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 2 (1988)   I hadn't seen this one since shortly after it came out, so spotting it on Tubi this afternoon, I decided to give it a view.  The first ROTLD hit just about every B-movie box perfectly - it had very dark humor masking one of the most horrifying premises of any zombie movie ever, and the incredible hotness of Linnea Quigley's legendary tombstone dance thrown in for good measure.
This one was too heavy on the humor, lighter on the gore, ruined the "unkillable zombie" trope by finding a way to kill them, and had a very limited hotness factor.  In short, a sequel that fell WAY short of the original.  2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 02, 2023, 01:21:39 AM
Headhunters (2011) - Pretty decent Norwegian thriller. If you like stuff like Hannibal check it out. Some grisly sort of stuff and darkish humor

A guy who looks like Rick from the Young Ones steals art to help support his fancy corporate lifestyle. A plot to steal an authentic Reubens is complicated by his wife having an affair and his burglary partner screwing stuff up. Unfortunately, I saw this two days ago and forgot some stuff, but it was a big deal in Norway when it came out and you can see a lot of effort went into it.

The fact that the guy is short and has a wife who is much taller is worked in to the plot, but it will still likely strike some people as odd and some Jerry Lewis esque physical comedy moments don't help this probably being "too European" for some and thus it's on tubi

4.25 /5 probably deserves higher. the outhouse scene is one for the books


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 02, 2023, 08:43:14 AM
NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE (2016) -
I think I found it on ROKU or TUBI.

Much thanks! Been looking for it for years but don't visit those platforms much.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 02, 2023, 10:59:11 AM
"The Lost City" (2022)
A romance novelist (Sandra Bullock) is kidnapped by a millionaire (Daniel Radcliffe) and taken to South America to help find the real-life ancient treasure she's written about in her books. The muscle-bound male model (Channing Tatum) who's portrayed the hero on all of her book covers, and who (of course) has been secretly in love with her all these years, eventually comes riding to the rescue.
This romantic adventure comedy's resemblance to "Romancing The Stone" is most likely intentional. The cast is fine (Brad Pitt almost steals the movie with a bit part as a dim-bulb mercenary), there's a few legit laughs, and the action scenes are well staged. Obviously it's more of a "chick flick," but it's relatively painless viewing for dudes, too.

"Pennywise: The Story of IT" (2022)
A thorough, entertaining documentary that looks back on the making of 1990's ground-breaking TV mini series adaptation of Stephen King's "IT," packed with behind the scenes clips and commentary from cast and crew members (director Tommy Lee Wallace, Tim Reid, Tim "Pennywise" Curry, Seth Green, etc., etc.). A cool deep dive into a cult classic that made me want to re-visit the film.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 02, 2023, 04:47:58 PM
Following (1998) - pretty cool movie by the guy who did Momento. It's a tale of crime and betrayal made more interesting by the fact that the scenes are presented out of order. Filmed in black and white it has a backstory like they filmed in on weekends every day for a year or for 30 dollars or something. If I watch it again I will do so a little more closely.

4.25 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 03, 2023, 09:44:14 AM
A HAUNTED TURKISH BATHHOUSE (1975): A prostitute reincarnates as a vengeful ghost cat to seek revenge on her abusive pimp husband. A very heavy misogynistic sleaze quotient on this one, but if you can get past that, it's never boring: it's a pink movie melodrama with yakuza elements that turns into a horror movie in the last act.  I'll go 3/5, I wouldn't be surprised if some folks liked it a lot more.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 03, 2023, 01:03:26 PM
36 FILLETTE (1988):
An aggressively unhappy (and unpleasant) 14-year old girl on family holiday alternately pursues and resists a 40something philanderer while venting her spleen on her older brother, her parents, and a more age-appropriate teen suitor. This is my second or third attempt to vibe with Catherine Breillat's coming-of-age nightmare, which seems like a dry-run for the even more horrific FAT GIRL. Hey, I had to do that w/ some of Tarkovski's films - why not allow Breillat similar latitude? I still can't get into Breillat's awkward, atonal A REAL YOUNG GIRL ('76) but then some of her other films, like PERFECT LOVE ('96), go down right away as smooth as a good Claude Chabrol.

This time, 36 FILLETTE clicked for me. Everything plays authentically but magnified. Lead actress Delphine Zentout is perfectly lovely, if well short of glamorous, but under Breillat's unflinching gaze the youth and loveliness just erodes and contorts into unremitting discomfort. Her quest to shrug off her "horrible" virginity takes on the dimensions of todestrieb. Lili's balding, eighties-fabulous suitor/predator comes off at first as equivocally decent if inappropriate, but the longer we hang out w/ him the more pathetic and loathsome he too becomes.

Early in the film, Lili (Zentout) encounters and hangs out with (or just fantasizes about) none other than Antoine Doinel himself, the now 40ish Jean-Pierre Leaud. It's a relief that Leaud/Doinel doesn't perv on Lili - just chats amiably w/ her and lets her vent - and the viewer hopes that Lili will age as gracefully. But of course in Truffaut's Doinel films, Antoine doesn't actually get much wiser as he ages. Likewise, at 36 FILLETTE's close, Lili starts to perpetuate a cycle of abuse.

 Recently I was puzzling over Sight and Sound's Top 100 list from 2022. Claire Denis is on there (once, I think); Agnes Varda a couple times; and of course Chantal Akerman now enshrined as the director of the "greatest" film of all time, a tun of events which seems to have caused Paul Schrader no end of upset. My question - why not Breillat? Is it just because most of her films are about sex, and critics are too squeamish? Yet Breillat's films are never actually exploitative nor rarely even that explicit. Her films are challenging, yet not more daunting than Varda's and some of Denis' and surely Akerman's. She's more consistent than Denis (who I also like) and definitely more relatable and entertaining [sic] or, errr, perhaps engaging than Varda and Akerman. And if we care about Paul Schrader, I've got to think Schrader's fragile sensibilites would be less triggered by 36 FILLETTE than by JEANNE DIELMAN.  :lookingup:

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 03, 2023, 07:29:26 PM
"The Sound of 007" (2022)
Way-cool Amazon Prime documentary on the importance of music to the James Bond franchise, from the elaborate orchestral scores to the iconic theme songs. Lots of classic clips and commentary from performers, producers, and crew. A motherlode of trivia for Bond geeks.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 04, 2023, 04:49:03 AM
Moon Zero Two (1969)

Hammer's foray into SF to cash in on the first landing on the moon. In the distant year 2021, there is a thriving mining community on the moon, with scheduled passenger flights and custom offices. A veteran space explorer, now down on his luck is approached by a rich businessman for a daring scheme: have an uncharted asteroid made of sapphire crash on the moon for exploitation. There is also a young woman whose brother, a miner/prospector seems to have gone missing.

This is one of those movies that can't make up its mind whether it is serious or not. On the one hand they go for a campy 'western in space' style, while on the other the main story is played completely straight, with somber meditations about the bleakness of existence on the moon. Both aspects effectively undercut eachother.

It is not as bad as it is often made out to be. Acting is competent, special effects hold up rather well, and while not exactly moving at a breakneck speed, it chugs along nicely and doesn't take half an hour to set up as some modern movies do.

Surprisingly watchable, but it would have better as either a comedy or a thriller.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 04, 2023, 03:34:11 PM
The House.

Three unconnected animated short stories involving different problems with 3 houses. I think I liked the last story the most and the second one the least. The first one seemed very familiar, although I couldn't place exactly where I'd seen the same story, although presented in a different way.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 04, 2023, 08:45:59 PM
"Heavy Metal 2000" (aka "Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K. 2," 2000)
Animated sci-fi action flick about a warrior woman (voiced by late B-Movie goddess Julie Strain) on a mission of vengeance against the space pirate (Michael Ironside) who destroyed her home world. Belated sequel to the 1980 cult classic flick based on the French comic magazine, full of animated nudity and ultra-violence. Not terrible, but nothing I'll ever sit thru again. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 05, 2023, 10:56:26 AM
"Firehouse" (1987)
Three foxy young female fire academy grads are assigned to the worst firehouse in the city, staffed by a bunch of losers and screw-ups. Meanwhile, the neighborhood is experiencing a rash of arson fires, set by a crooked real estate developer with a plan to bulldoze the entire area.
... this lame '80s "sex comedy" feels like a bunch of random scenes punctuated by girls taking their tops off every few minutes to hide the fact that the movie has virtually no plot and even fewer laughs.
IMDb sez that Julia Roberts (!) made her film debut in a small, uncredited part in this movie, but I didn't notice her and I'm not about to sit thru it again to look for her, either.
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 06, 2023, 01:29:29 AM
Into the Abyss - Werner Herzog documentary about the justice system/ death penalty/ America. It's pretty similar to an A and E type crime thingie but with slightly more blunt questions. People in the south commit a horrible crime and we meet everyone involved, from the perpetrators to the victim's family to people who knew them and so forth. One guy they interview couldn't read, but ended up learning to read in prison. It always blows my mind that there are people who can't read. My neighbor had some sort of disability and couldn't read. It must be really difficult to get through life this way.

Herzog is anti death penalty but seems open to the feelings of victim's relatives who clamor for justice. One highly dubious character is the "wife" of one of the killers who met him while he was in prison and got artificially inseminated to have his child. he gets out in 2041. Herzog "do you know there are groupies for killers in prison?"

4.75/ 5

its compelling but not as profound as Grizzly Man


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 06, 2023, 10:11:39 AM
SKINAMARINK (2022): Two children left alone at home overnight hear eerie bumps in the night and witness poltergeist phenomena, and then eventually the voices come in. Slow-paced experimental horror that lists more towards the experimental than the horror side of things---every shot is out-of-frame and fogged over by 2nd generation VHS tape murk, and the lack of plot ensures enjoyment is restricted to those who fall in love with the spooky retro style. 2.5/5. On Shudder.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 06, 2023, 10:12:49 AM
"Heavy Metal 2000" (aka "Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K. 2," 2000)
Not terrible, but nothing I'll ever sit thru again. 

Agreed. The original might not be Great cinema, but I'm able to revisit it every few years and dig on the first half-to-two-thirds. The Corben, Wrightson, and first Moebius sequence ("Harry Canyon") plus the WWII sequence are fun and gloomy and sleazy and scary and gross and just a good easygoing time. Then the "Daarna" bit (also based on Moebius, alas) starts and the momentum of the film really drags to a halt... and that last bit is (or feels like) 30+ minutes of the film. I suspect the makers of F.A.K.K. 2 didn't like ANY of the early parts of the original, 'cause F.A.K.K. 2 is basically just "Daarna" stretched to feature length. Ecch.

By the way, F.A.K.K. 2 was also a video game. More fun to play it than to watch it, and only about twice as long as the movie!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 06, 2023, 06:47:02 PM
"Return Of The Living Dead Part II" (1988)
Another small town is invaded by brain-craving zombies after some kids discover a barrel of the dreaded "Trioxin" formula that fell from an Army truck. You can probably figure out the rest.
This noticeably cheap looking sequel is pretty much a re-tread of the first film, right down to Thom Mathews and James Karen returning for another go round. Even though they're supposed to be playing different characters this time, they pretty much just repeat everything they did in the first movie.
Watchable but not essential by any means.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 07, 2023, 05:09:51 PM
Eyes in the Night (1942) - above average crime/ mystery thing, the distinguishing feature being the detective is a blind man. He's helped in his pursuits by his dog Friday, a sighted human sidekick, and some minstrel-y black guys.

The theater is the main setting: a middle aged actor takes up with his 17 year old co star then gets killed. Good riddance right? But what if something even more awful is afoot?

The blind detective using his wits to investigate the crime is the hook. He's funny and the dog is of course smarter than most people. This has been on TCM

4.5 /5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 09, 2023, 08:30:09 AM
"Romancing The Stone" (1984)
A mousy romance novelist (Kathleen Turner) is forced out of her comfort zone and into a South American adventure when her sister is kidnapped by treasure hunters. A handsome soldier of fortune (Michael Douglas) helps her save the day.
...since we've sat through two modern "R.T.S." knock-offs recently (Jennifer Lopez's Shotgun Wedding and Sandra Bullock's The Lost City), my wife and I decided to re-visit the O.G. to see how well it's held up. It's still loads of fun -- Douglas is a passable Indiana Jones wanna-be, Kathleen Turner was fine as hell back then, and Danny Devito is hilarious as one of the bumbling bad guys. Director Robert Zemeckis claims that the success of this movie made it possible for him to do Back To The Future.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 09, 2023, 05:09:17 PM
The Mysterious Mr Wong (1934) - Bela Lugosi as a Fu Manchu like Chinatown villain doesn't even come close to working, but it actually gives the whole thing a "who cares" ultra low expectations b movie vibe that does work.

A store with of course all sorts of secret doors is the home base for gangsters who are looking for the 12 gold coins of Confucius which is of course not really a thing. An imitation Jimmy Cagney reporter and his sassy sidekick/ quasi girlfriend take great measures to get the story. Why would a reporter put himself in this much danger and why would his girlfriend, who gets nothing out of it, go along with it? There isn't a thing called a detective in this universe.

Not much genuine suspense but fun atmosphere and off the cuff sort of humor gives this the bad movie energy it needs to get a

4/ 5  recommended

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DWU8xAq1Bvw/hqdefault.jpg)

gimmee a break. This is 3 years after Dracula


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 09, 2023, 05:20:05 PM
^ I like it! Kind of a Z-grade Fu Manchu.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 09, 2023, 05:26:16 PM
Yeah I did too.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 09, 2023, 09:43:09 PM
"In The Mouth of Madness" (1994)
A publishing house hires an investigator (Sam Neill) to locate their best-selling horror novelist, who's mysteriously disappeared. The search takes him to a remote New England town where the writer has been busily channeling ancient Lovecraftian horrors through his books and unleashing them into the "real" world to create murder and chaos.
Somehow I'd managed to miss this John Carpenter goodie till now (I think I may have had it confused with his earlier flick "Prince Of Darkness," which I have seen), but I'm glad I finally caught up with it because it's weird, creepy, atmospheric, and quite excellent; possibly one of JC's best. Better late than never, eh?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 09, 2023, 10:29:09 PM
TROLL (2022) - A Norwegian construction project tunneling under a mountain unleashes a 150 foot tall mountain troll, who heads straight for Oslo in order to reclaim the lair humans stole from his kind centuries ago.  Bombs and missiles have no effect.  How can the capitol city be saved?  This is a pretty fun Eruo-kaiju film with some nice monster effects, mayhem, and bits of comic relief thrown in for good measure.  I was entertained. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 10, 2023, 01:51:41 AM
indiana why do you use so many spaces after a period? i think I asked you this 20 years ago


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 10, 2023, 07:27:30 AM
indiana why do you use so many spaces after a period? i think I asked you this 20 years ago

Usually only two.  That's how I was taught to write in high school and college, many years ago.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 10, 2023, 09:12:27 AM
indiana why do you use so many spaces after a period? i think I asked you this 20 years ago

Usually only two.  That's how I was taught to write in high school and college, many years ago.

That is how we did it in the days of manual typewriters. It had to do with font size and clarity. On computer screens this no longer became a problem. I was always taught this too, and wasn't even aware until about ten years ago that the standard practice had changed.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 10, 2023, 09:20:26 AM
indiana why do you use so many spaces after a period? i think I asked you this 20 years ago

Usually only two.  That's how I was taught to write in high school and college, many years ago.

That is how we did it in the days of manual typewriters. It had to do with font size and clarity. On computer screens this no longer became a problem. I was always taught this too, and wasn't even aware until about ten years ago that the standard practice had changed.

In some weird way, the "two-space" approach has been absorbed and retained into our cultural DNA. I am a high school English teacher and college writing instructor. We're still catching and correcting (young) students who insert the now unnecessary extra space. Many of them never absorbed the necessity of using commas or even sometimes periods, yet somehow they've picked up on hitting [Space] twice after a sentence. It's inexplicable!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ralfy on February 11, 2023, 09:28:07 PM
Rewatched the first "Living Dead" set, i.e., Night, Dawn, Day, and now Land. Not as good as I remembered them; used to give them a 7 or 8 out of 10, like most, but now 6 and at best 7. The problem lies with lack of content to develop, leading to various scenes that drag, although special effects and set design appear to be sufficient.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 12, 2023, 09:34:48 AM
Weekend Double Feature -

BUNNI (202something) - Drunk college kids break into an old adult novelty store and get killed by a crazy woman wearing a bunny mask.  Protagonists were all utterly detestable and the plot made no sense.  Cute actresses, though. 2/5

THE HILLS RUN RED (2009) - I think I may have seen this when it first came out, but I'd forgotten all about it.  A young filmmaker enlists his girlfriend and his best friend (who are fooling around behind his back) to help him find a lost horror film from the 1980's entitled THE HILLS RUN RED.  He locates the daughter of the film's director, who is a drug-addicted stripper, still recovering from the trauma of having a starring role in the movie.  She leads them to a remote house where the movie was made - only for them to discover that the movie was never finished, and  they now have starring roles!
Gruesome and gory, full of plot twists, this is a very well done horror film!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 16, 2023, 08:01:43 AM
"Bedazzled" (1967)
A nerdy Englishman (Dudley Moore) sells his soul to Satan (Peter Cook) in order to get the girl of his dreams. Unfortunately, each of the seven wishes that the Devil provides to him to make that happen all fail spectacularly.
This swinging '60s comedy gets off to a slow start but picks up steam as it moves along. Moore and Cook are a great team and the late Raquel Welch (R.I.P. beautiful!) has a brief but pivotal role as one of the Seven Deadly Sins (of course, she's "Lust."). Remade in the early 2000s with Brendan Fraser in the Moore role and Elizabeth Hurley as Satan.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 16, 2023, 03:28:22 PM
"Fuzz" (1972)
The overworked, under-staffed crew of a gritty inner city police precinct deals with a serial rapist, a pair of teenage arsonists, and a plot to murder the Mayor of Boston in this talky, overly busy police satire based on Ed McBain's "87th Precinct" novels.
"Fuzz" sounded like a home run based on its impressive cast that includes Burt Reynolds, Yul Brynner, Raquel Welch and a young Tom "Alien" Skerritt, but there's so many sub-plots and irrelevant things going on that the movie eventually turned into a hopeless muddle. Skip it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 16, 2023, 04:48:56 PM
Fatfreddy- Drimblewedge and the Vegetation was my favorite part of Bedazzled  "I Don't care about you..."


Old Growth Murder (2022) - depressing documentary about a french cyclist who is murdered while trying to traverse North America in 1988. From the begining, it's pretty clear who did it but it's impossible to prove due to politics (the suspects are part of a native america rights group) and poor police evidence handling. There's a really long dip into a previous crime the suspects were exonerated from, but the extra time kind of just retells the same sort of information. It also lacks a activist sort of angle that can make these things compelling. No one is trying to do anything to bring the killers to justice. very sad story

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 16, 2023, 09:35:42 PM
"3 From Hell" (2013)
The third and (hopefully) final installment in Rob Zombie's trailer-park horror trilogy that started with "House of 1000 Corpses" picks up ten years after the events of "The Devil's Rejects." Captain Spaulding was executed in prison, but Otis and Baby are busted out of jail by Otis' half brother Foxworth, aka "Foxy," and the trio go on the road again for another orgy of ultra-violence that ends up in a bloody final showdown in Mexico.
"3 From Hell" isn't terrible, but it was mostly unnecessary and it definitely could've been at least 30 minutes shorter.
If you liked the previous pair of films, you might as well watch this one too just to check it off your list, but otherwise there's no need to bother.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 17, 2023, 09:25:27 AM
"3 From Hell" (2013)
Captain Spaulding was executed in prison, but Otis and Baby are busted out of jail by Otis' half brother Foxworth, aka "Foxy," and the trio go on the road again for another orgy of ultra-violence that ends up in a bloody final showdown in Mexico.


HARD PASS on this one. Sid Haig was for me the only (though robust) redeeming factor of HO1KC. I realize that this will be yet another unpopular opinion, but even Sid couldn't make TDR a tolerable experience for me. "Another orgy of ultra-violence" from Zombie SANS Captain Spaulding seems particularly unnecessary at this point...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 17, 2023, 04:30:28 PM
I haven't made it through one of Tubi's black movies yet so this guys review of Lot Lizards is my review

https://twitter.com/Kenxpowers/status/1481437215267987465


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 18, 2023, 12:15:46 AM
AMISTAD (1997) - I watch this classic every year with my U.S. History class (skipping the sequences aboard the slave ship where the Africans were all forced to go nude), and every time I watch it I am more impressed with the brilliant casting and stellar performances.  5/5
WE FOUND SOMETHING (2022) - A very slow-starting found footage film - a brother and sister discover a strange creature living in the woods, antagonize it, and it chases them around in the dark before they finally meet a terrible fate.  This movie tried, but it was just too slow and the creature effects were REALLY bad. With a bit bigger budget and better screenwriting, it could have been so much better.  Bless their hearts, they tried. 2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 18, 2023, 04:45:16 PM
An American Satan (2019) - This is a documentary about the Church of Satan. One point it makes is that Anton Lavey was the west coast version of Andy Warhol, which seems like an accurate way of describing that whole thing. I was disappointed to learn they don't actually worship Satan. They say "Hail Satan" mainly to I guess produce a shocking sort of effect, but they are actually atheists. One guy leaves the church because he actually DOES worship some sort of Satanic diety. He's an interesting if a little peculiar dude who had horns grafted onto his forehead and, like a lot of people in this, makes dark sort of art.

They seem like Reason magazine type libertarians who are more creative than those people usually are. There's even one black guy.

4.5 /5 good balance of Lavey era and current stuff.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 18, 2023, 06:04:25 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: DIMENSION 5: In the movie, two secret agents fight the Red Chinese using their time-travel abilities (which really gives them a giant advantage and seems like cheating, but whatever). The guest is Tammy Golden, a writer for the new MST3K. (They will have anyone from MST3K on but Joel.) 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 18, 2023, 10:19:42 PM
"Coffy" (1973)
An ER nurse (Pam Grier) goes vigilante on the local dope pushers after her baby sister OD's and thugs put her nice-guy cop boyfriend in the hospital. She uses her... errr... let's say "natural charms" to infiltrate the gangsters' organization and take it apart from the inside.
Grier is fine as hell (and frequently nude) and the early-'70s fashions and decor are a scream in this stone cold blaxploitation classic.

"The Puppetoon Movie" (1987)
Gumby and Pokey introduce a series of  charming 1930s and '40s cartoon shorts by George Pal, a pioneer in the art of stop motion animation. Some of the shorts have aged better than others but on a technical/artistic level they're all quite fascinating to watch. Cool stuff for old cartoon buffs.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 19, 2023, 03:14:21 PM
THE WEDDING VIDEO (2013):
Amidst back-to-back-to-back 60+ hour work weeks, this is the only movie I've had time to watch since late January. Thus I'm already breaking my NYR to post only about films I liked. Intended as Quality Time viewing w/ Madame 10rda, this is the third film I've watched w/ her in 2023 w/ "wedding" in the title, and also the worst. The first two were her selections; this one is entirely my fault. As mentioned in a previous review, we are both Matt Berry megafans. Alas, as with many celebrities who only broke through to notoriety following many years of laboring in thankless small credits, Matt Berry is tragically underutilized in THE WEDDING VIDEO, fourth-billed but only onscreen for possibly ten total minutes throughout. Ugh...

A fake documentary that consistently violates its own fundamental logic, the titular video is recorded by "Raif Moyle", a schlubby soon-to-be-Best Man in his brother's wedding. Raif and the Bride-to-be fall in love (which happens w/ surprising frequency in the kinds of films my own bride watches) and predictable sub-wackiness ensues. In order for Raif to appear on camera, he soon enlists stoner musician buddy Rog (Berry) to film the unlikely proceedings. Berry ducks in occasionally to smoke, drink, and sing a (very good) love song that he actually composed, but mostly is offscreen/behind-the-camera, and sadly silent.

There are some real laughs here, but you generally have to wait 15+ minutes between them during lame and earnest stretches. The cast features a handful of likeable British actresses who you might recognize from other stuff, and the actor who plays the Groom is agreeably schmucky. Unfortunately, the lead actor (playing Raif) is an utter drip - unfunny, not charismatic, and (according to Madame) not an appealing romantic lead. All of the film's additional shortcomings (like its preposterous ending) would have been solved automatically had the filmmakers just cast Berry as Raif instead of as Rog. Sure, Raif often behaves in ways that are moronic, unsympathetic, or crass... but "moronic", "unsympathetic", and "crass" are all well-within Berry's repertoire, and somehow he always remains compelling with his dulcet tones and offbeat deliveries. Ninety straight minutes of Matt Berry is its own excuse, really.

2.5/5
After this we tapped out of trying our luck on another movie, watched a couple episodes of "Impractical Jokers", and went to bed.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 19, 2023, 09:13:14 PM
"The Truman Show" (1998)
Jim Carrey stars as "Truman," a good natured, working class fellow who slowly begins to realize that his entire life is part of a tightly controlled reality TV show that's being broadcast to the entire world. The "Twilight Zone" worthy premise and a surprisingly deep performance by Carrey makes this comedy/drama one of Carrey's best films and proved that he could actually act, not just "act funny."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 19, 2023, 09:24:55 PM
^ You don't see Jim Carrey anymore.... :bluesad:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 20, 2023, 10:00:16 AM
NOCEBO (2022): Live-in maid Diana arrives from the Philippines and quickly begins performing folk-medicine cures on sickly fashion designer Christine, but her husband worries that the witchy newcomer is exerting undue influence over his vulnerable wife. Well-written, well-acted folk horror with some nicely done bits, but it doesn't quite deliver the shocks or surprises of director Lorcan Finnergan/writer Garret Shanley's previous collaboration, VIVARIUM. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 20, 2023, 05:00:59 PM
The Sea Beast (2022)

In a world where fierce sea monsters roam the ocean, shipping is kept safe by the Hunters. Maisie, an orphan from a Hunter family, escapes the orphanage to stow away on the ship on the most famous Hunter captain, to discover that reality is not quite as the legends told her.

This is very much a take on Moby Dick, with the esthetic of Pirates of the Caribbean. It didn't really work for me, partly because the pirate esthetic does nothing for me. Lovers of sea shanties may disagree.
More importantly, for the story to have its full impact, it needs to be a darker movie, one in which loss and suffering is more palpable. As it is, someone clearly decided to make it kid friendly, with cartoonish action and cute monsters. This undercuts the main theme of the story.

Still, watchable enough.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 21, 2023, 04:25:39 PM
The Thief of Baghdad (1940) - When I was a kid I was blown away by the 1924 version, but this was good too.

Big budget British fantasy movie based on Arabian Nights/ Aladdin type stuff. The core of it is a love story between a dethroned king and a slave girl, but the Indian actor Sabu carries a big part of the story. Very cool visual effects, big genies and like toys that are actually actors dressed like the toy are the hook. The storytelling itself isn't super duper suspenseful and exciting, but it's solid. The Sabu parts I preferred to the less fun main actor guy.

I didn't know what I was in the mood for and I'm glad this was available on tubi because it really hit the spot.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DzHlKUDWoAUMmg7?format=jpg&name=240x240)

4.5 / 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 25, 2023, 07:09:16 PM
MST3K: COLOSSUS AND THE HEADHUNTERS: The movie is a Hercules knockoff starring Maciste ("cheesesteak"); the Mads breed the cutest pet of all time, Nummy Muffin Cocool Butter, and Frank falls for it hard. Catching up on the few episodes I'd never seen before, I'd say this one is middle-of-the-pack: "meh" movie, good (but not outstanding) riffing, and a memorable ongoing host segment with Nummy Muffin highlighted by Frank's ridiculous song. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 25, 2023, 11:40:11 PM
HELL COMES TO FROGTOWN (1988) - HOW have I never seen this before?  Pure bad movie gold!!! Just . . . amazing!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 26, 2023, 03:08:45 AM
HELL COMES TO FROGTOWN (1988) - HOW have I never seen this before?  Pure bad movie gold!!! Just . . . amazing!  5/5

There are two sequels (well might be more, but that is the ones I am aware of). I'd avoid them though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 26, 2023, 04:21:24 AM
Unicorn Wars (2022)

This is a Franco-Spanish animated feature. The teddy bears, who live in a kind of military dictatorship, wage a holy war against the unicorns for possession of the enchanted forest. We follow two young recruits, the brothers Tubby, who is friendly and optimistic, and Bluey, who is a cruel and manipulative psychopath. Bluey dreams about becoming the saviour of the teddy bear race by drinking the blood of the last unicorn. Then they are sent into the forest on a mission.

Described by the producer as equal parts Apocalypse Now, Bambi and the Old Testament, this is absolutely, positively NOT a movie for children. Not only are the themes and characters pretty grim and cynical, there is also lots of graphic violence with teddy bears and unicorns coming to gruesome ends. It is to Care Bears what Meet the Feebles is to the Muppets. It is also bound to offend Christians.

It lacks a bit of narrative drive, with events just happening one after the other, but the end ties it all together. If you like nihilistic movies with buckets of blood, this is a must see. Reverend, if you haven't seen it already, track it down.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 26, 2023, 05:51:26 AM
Polar.

The worst hit squad in the history of moviedom attempts to take down John Wic... Mads Mikkelsen. For an elite team of assassins these guys sure don't act like it. Hell, I am pretty sure I could take out all 5 of them with a pen knife. Mads is a master assassin about to enter enforced retirement and the others are out to kill him so his employer doesn't have to pay out his pension. Anyway, the hit team all have very distinctive appearances, make no attempt to disguise their identities and leave vast amounts of evidence behind that would quite quickly see them found out.

Seriously, these guys are so terrible they could be Russian intelligence.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 26, 2023, 08:50:57 AM
"M3GAN" (2023)
A robotics expert at a high-tech toy company creates a lifelike girl android as a companion for her recently-orphaned niece. As the little girl's attachment to her new "friend" grows, the robot begins to display dangerous levels of protective behavior.
If you've seen the recent "Child's Play" remake, this is somewhat similar, though it leans closer to sci-fi than straight up horror. The unrated version streaming on Peacock adds a few gory bits that weren't in the PG-13 theatrical cut, for whatever that's worth. Not a classic by any means but an OK time waster.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 26, 2023, 10:21:48 AM
Unicorn Wars (2022)

This is a Franco-Spanish animated feature. The teddy bears, who live in a kind of military dictatorship, wage a holy war against the unicorns for possession of the enchanted forest. We follow two young recruits, the brothers Tubby, who is friendly and optimistic, and Bluey, who is a cruel and manipulative psychopath. Bluey dreams about becoming the saviour of the teddy bear race by drinking the blood of the last unicorn. Then they are sent into the forest on a mission.

Described by the producer as equal parts Apocalypse Now, Bambi and the Old Testament, this is absolutely, positively NOT a movie for children. Not only are the themes and characters pretty grim and cynical, there is also lots of graphic violence with teddy bears and unicorns coming to gruesome ends. It is to Care Bears what Meet the Feebles is to the Muppets. It is also bound to offend Christians.

It lacks a bit of narrative drive, with events just happening one after the other, but the end ties it all together. If you like nihilistic movies with buckets of blood, this is a must see. Reverend, if you haven't seen it already, track it down.

It's not out here yet and I'm not going to get to see it right away. Another writer from my site has seen it and is preparing a review.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 26, 2023, 01:10:56 PM
"Alien vs. Predator: Requiem" (2007)
Picking up where 2004's "AvP" left off, a Predator space ship crash lands near a small Colorado town, unleashing its payload of Alien facehuggers and a hybrid "Predalien" creature. The town is quickly overrun by hungry Xenomorphs, and a small group of cannon-fodder human characters are caught in the middle when the Predator home world sends out a lone "cleaner" agent to mop up the mess.
This sequel ups the carnage quotient and the body count considerably (it was rated "R," as opposed to the original's PG-13) but the human cast are little more than cardboard cut-outs and the dark/murky lighting design makes it hard to tell what's going on at times. Watchable if you're a fan of these franchises, otherwise there's no need to bother.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on February 26, 2023, 03:43:04 PM
Saw my neighbours doing the wild thing 😳😳

Don't know if that counts 😳😉😉🐢


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 26, 2023, 10:18:42 PM
"Battleship" (2012)
Hostile aliens drop into the Pacific Ocean during a joint naval exercise between U.S. and Japanese naval vessels. Lotsa stuff blows up. The end.
This overlong, overblown, silly as hell big budget box office bomb (based very loosely on the classic board game) starts out as a gung-ho military training porn ala "Top Gun" before turning on a dime into an aquatic "Independence Day." The plot was probably written on a 3x5 card but the cast is fine and the special effects are impressive... so if you just wanna turn your brain off and watch a movie where stuff explodes for two hours straight, your (battle) ship has come in.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ralfy on February 28, 2023, 03:53:17 AM
I also saw Frogtown recently.

"There's a flap."

 :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 02, 2023, 12:57:24 PM
A HOLE IN MY HEART (2004): A son watches his father and a pair of actors shoot an increasingly violent and degrading amateur porn movie in their small apartment. A shocking (includes labia surgery and vomit play) experimental departure for Lukas Moodysson, whose previous movies were sexually daring but realistic and empathetic; this one seems like an attack on pornography and pornographic culture, but it's so gross, fractured, and filled with unlikable people that the impact gets lost. Sort of like a less formally daring Harmony Korine movie or a less thought-provoking Lars von Trier Dogma effort. 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 02, 2023, 05:58:34 PM
"Superhero Movie" (2008)
A dorky high school student (Drake Bell of Nickelodeon's "Drake & Josh") gains super powers from a genetically-altered insect bite, and adopts the superhero identity "Dragonfly" to protect his city from the super villain "Hourglass" (Christopher "Shooter McGavin" McDonald). Fart jokes, slapstick humor and tasteless sight gags mesh with the super-heroics in this better-than-expected spoof of comic book films from the producers of the "Scary Movie" franchise.
"Superhero Movie" gets most of its inspiration from Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy but it also takes shots at the "Batman" and "X-Men" sagas along the way. It's a shame that this movie pre-dates the Marvel Cinematic Universe, because they would've had lots more material to parody!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 03, 2023, 04:38:43 PM
"Savage!" (1973)
A black American mercenary is hired by the government of an unnamed third world country to wipe out a revolutionary movement. When he learns more about the people on the "enemy" side, he realizes he's been playing for the wrong team and leads the revolutionaries against his former employers. 
A cheap but effective blaxploitation/action flick with a familiar plot, shot in the Philippines by legendary schlock meister Cirio H. Santiago (aka the Asian Roger Corman). The bullets keep flyin,' stuff keeps explodin,' and the short run time (less than 90 minutes) ensures that the movie doesn't wear out its welcome.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 03, 2023, 10:00:58 PM
"The Devil's Express" (aka "Gang Wars," 1976)
Two martial artists travel from New York to Hong Kong to attend a training camp, and are followed home by a resurrected Chinese demon. When the beast takes up residence in the subway and starts beheading random train riders, the only way to stop the demon is by defeating it in a Kung-Fu battle. I swear I am not making this plot up.
This absolutely insane mash up of Blaxploitation, martial arts, and Asian horror flicks is terrible, but the '70s NYC street scenes are a true time capsule, and the hero is played by an awesomely Afro'd dude named WARHAWK TANZANIA (!) which is the most badass action-hero name in movie history. Glorious crap!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 03, 2023, 11:52:41 PM
COCAINE BEAR (2023) - Well, the title pretty much says it all.  A bear finds a bunch of packets of cocaine dumped in a national forest and goes on a murderous rampage.  The characters make this movie for me.  It's just sheer gory silliness, and I LOVED it!!!!   5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 04, 2023, 10:00:52 AM
Teknolust (2002)

Doctor Rosetta Stone (who you'd think would be an egyptologist or at least a translator) creates three clones of herself. These need to have regular intakes of semen to survive, so one of them goes out to seduce men. This, however leaves the donors with a mysterious virus, which attracts the attention of the authorities.

I was tempted by the prospect of having four Tilda Swintons for the price of one, but the movie is a let down. There are no stakes or jeopardy, and the characters all have a turn for the weird, which makes it difficult to care for them. If there is any humour in it, I haven't seen it. This is basically an artsy high concept version of your 50s no-budget SF movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 04, 2023, 01:53:10 PM
found footage: the series (2022) -there are 8 episodes. The first one is the best, the second one is the second best and on and on in this manner. I just realized I didn't watch episode 4 so I'll update. The acting gets gradually more cringe, but this has potential as the shorter running times allow for tighter execution.

3.5 /5

edit I tried to watch episode 4 it was a guy who seemed like a bartender trying to play a scientist. it's 2023 I'm not watching read throughs guys



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 04, 2023, 04:15:42 PM
Teknolust (2002)

I was tempted by the prospect of having four Tilda Swintons for the price of one, but the movie is a let down.

Sad to agree w/ you. I saw a cast list for this and lost my mind. Swinton plus BOTH Thomas Jay Ryan and James Urbaniak, AND Josh Kornbluth from HAIKU TUNNEL?! Indie movie magic, surely. Rocketed to the top of my must-see list. What a nothing deal, though. W/d Lynn Hershman Leeson simply didn't know what she was working w/ or what to do with it.......  :bluesad:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 05, 2023, 09:19:43 AM
MST3K: THE SINISTER URGE: Ed Wood exposes the small-town smut racket! (The small town is Los Angeles!) The guys also watch a hygiene short, so they now know how to take a shower. Meanwhile, Frank's turned terrorist supervillain and plans to blow up Depp 13. A middle-of-the-road episode (which means quite funny) and another off my rapidly shrinking "never seen" list. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 05, 2023, 09:50:44 AM
"Force Four" (1975)
A priceless African artifact is stolen in broad daylight on the streets of New York, and four of NYC's most ghetto fabulous martial artists (including the man with the hall-of-fame name, "Warhawk Tanzania") are hired to recover it. When this not-so-fantastic Four hits the streets, a lot of butt gets kicked.
Everybody's kung-fu fighting in this mega-cheap blaxploitation/martial arts mix which features terrible acting and voice dubbing, klutzy fight choreography, and more padding than a MyPillow --there are numerous scenes where the characters just drive around for several minutes while funky music plays on the soundtrack, and the movie ends with a five minute re-run montage of all the (unimpressive) fight scenes we've just watched. AVOID this Chop-socky junk!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 05, 2023, 02:25:12 PM
^I love that one

edit: I mean I love the Sinister Urge, but Force Four sounds intriguing!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 06, 2023, 08:28:55 AM
Sickie Sunday Triple Feature (I was hurling up my guts all morning yesterday, so I laid in bed all afternoon and watched movies):

MEGALODON RISING (2021)  I felt bad for Tom Sizemore watching this movie; to think you had performed in Oscar-nominated films and are now reduced to starring in something like this horrible piece of cinematic dreck!  Basically, a Chinese vessel is conducting signal intelligence of the coast of California and gets attacked and sunk by a 300 foot Megalodon, and then a U.S. vessel with a feisty female captain is sent out to look for survivors.   They wind up in a standoff with the Chinese navy and being attacked by a trio of Megs all at the same time.  About as bad as it sounds. 2/5

LAST OF THE GRADS: (2021) A senior lock-in the night of graduation is a rich target for a psychopathic serial killer.  The kills are bloody enough, but WAY too much teen drama in between. 3/5

BLONDE (2022) A rather sad and dreary re-telling of the life of Marilyn Monroe, with some pretty steamy scenes from her love life, but mainly focusing on how the poor woman was exploited and used by every man she ever encountered.  Well done but depressing. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 06, 2023, 02:35:36 PM
"Force Four" (1975)
A priceless African artifact is stolen in broad daylight on the streets of New York, and four of NYC's most ghetto fabulous martial artists (including the man with the hall-of-fame name, "Warhawk Tanzania") are hired to recover it. When this not-so-fantastic Four hits the streets, a lot of butt gets kicked.
Everybody's kung-fu fighting in this mega-cheap blaxploitation/martial arts mix which features terrible acting and voice dubbing, klutzy fight choreography, and more padding than a MyPillow --there are numerous scenes where the characters just drive around for several minutes while funky music plays on the soundtrack, and the movie ends with a five minute re-run montage of all the (unimpressive) fight scenes we've just watched. AVOID this Chop-socky junk!

I came across the trailer when googling Warhawk Tanzania (thank you again for bringing this up). It looked a bit like a Dolemite knock off.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 06, 2023, 07:28:15 PM
FLOAT (2022) - One of the most incoherent horror movies I have ever watched!  A group of twentysomethings are going on their annual river float holiday, but for some inexplicable reason two of them decide to bring their five-year-old kid with them, while the Vlogger who is narrating the story is bringing the ashes of their friend who died on the river the year before.  Is there a monster in the river?  Is it the creepy old dude who tried to warn them not to go floating?  Is it a ghost story?   Is the river itself sentient and malicious?  This movie leaves so many questions unanswered, it's a good thing you don't care enough about any of the characters to try and figure it out!  2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 07, 2023, 08:49:25 AM
"Force Four" (1975)
...the movie ends with a five minute re-run montage of all the (unimpressive) fight scenes we've just watched. AVOID this Chop-socky junk!

Yeah, FORCE FOUR is shockingly cheap and amateurish even by my exceedingly generous standards for such things, and the gratuitous final montage only emphasizes how thin the production was spread. (It was clearly only included to inch the finished cut closer to full-length feature film running time.) HOWEVER, I did appreciate that the performers looked like they were having a good time staging the fights. At least SOMEONE enjoyed FORCE FOUR!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 07, 2023, 11:29:50 AM
"Murder In The Front Row" (2019)
An affectionate look back at the famed Bay Area Thrash Metal scene of the early 80s, featuring interviews with and vintage clips/photos of Metallica, Exodus, Slayer, Forbidden, Death Angel, and... well, pretty much everybody else.
This is the 3rd time I've seen this extremely entertaining doc, and it's still great fun. Long time 'bangers probably won't learn anything new, but it's a nice trip down memory lane.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 08, 2023, 10:44:01 PM
"Down" aka "The Shaft" (2001)
(ala Beavis & Butt-head) "Heh. Heh. Shaft. Heh heh heh."
...a mechanic and a news reporter investigate a series of mysterious elevator-related deaths in a New York City office tower, and learn that the new high-tech computer that controls the lifts has become sentient - and gone homicidal. I swear, I am not making this plot up.
This is an Americanized remake of a Dutch horror film called "The Lift," written and directed by the same guy who did the original. The premise is totally absurd, of course, but the impressive cast (which includes a then-unknown Naomi Watts, the always dependable Michael Ironside and Edward Hermann, and even Ron "Hellboy" Perlman) plays it straight even as the movie gets more and more ridiculous as time goes on. Weirdly watchable, but I wouldn't call it "good" by any means.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 09, 2023, 02:09:30 AM
"Down" aka "The Shaft" (2001)
(ala Beavis & Butt-head) "Heh. Heh. Shaft. Heh heh heh."
...a mechanic and a news reporter investigate a series of mysterious elevator-related deaths in a New York City office tower, and learn that the new high-tech computer that controls the lifts has become sentient - and gone homicidal. I swear, I am not making this plot up.
This is an Americanized remake of a Dutch horror film called "The Lift," written and directed by the same guy who did the original. The premise is totally absurd, of course, but the impressive cast (which includes a then-unknown Naomi Watts, the always dependable Michael Ironside and Edward Hermann, and even Ron "Hellboy" Perlman) plays it straight even as the movie gets more and more ridiculous as time goes on. Weirdly watchable, but I wouldn't call it "good" by any means.

Small confession, as a kid I was scared of elevators, so my younger self found the premise of 'De Lift' highly unsettling.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 09, 2023, 02:35:31 PM
Curse of Aurore (2020) - Better than usual found footage thing taking place in Quebec. The backstory is the true story of a girl there who was killed (I don't know the whole story) but this is not a re telling of that.

Acting is always a big hurdle in these things and they pull it off with relative aplomb here. I liked the tension bating thing of the main girl having a leg brace and the fact that one of them was kind of quiet and one of them was sort of sleazy. The tarot card reading witchy woman was a little hack-y and the actual horror ie being scary element could have been stronger and what was happening better explained, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. more of this please

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 12, 2023, 06:08:19 AM
The Violence Action (2022)

I started watching High Life, but after seeing Robert Pattinson being miserable for half an hour, I decided I wanted something more upbeat.

The Violence Action is about Kei, a schoolgirl assassin who makes Hit Girl look like Shirley Temple. She gets involved in a complicated set of double and triple-crosses among the yakuza. This is a manga adaptation and they are really going for it. Everything is turned up to 11, with improbable action, outlandish characters and tons of silliness. Highly entertaining.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 12, 2023, 12:45:31 PM
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

All of Tarantino's weaknesses as a film-maker are on display in this film, although describing it more as a collection of vignettes would be more appropriate. There isn't really a plot to the film, it hangs together more by its theme than anything. You could easily cut an hour off the run time pretty much anywhere and the movie would make no more or less sense. It is pretty much Tarantino doing what he did to WW2 in Inglorious Bastards to the Manson family. This isn't to say it is a bad film. It meanders along, it was interesting enough that I didn't just put it off. If you like Tarantino's schtick, then I guess you'll like this. If you don't care for his movies, then I doubt this would change your mind. I felt there was something Cohen brothers-esque about it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 12, 2023, 09:07:22 PM
"NIght Of The Lepus" (1972)
A science project intended to reduce the wild-rabbit population in the Southwest goes wrong and results in hordes of gigantic bunnies with a taste for human flesh. Hilarity ensues.
"Lepus" has become a cult classic thanks to its ridiculous premise (Giant or otherwise, rabbits are NOT scary.  Period!), the wooden acting and the hilarious scenes of regular-size bunnies stampeding through obvious model-railroad sized scenery.
I've always imagined Janet Leigh on the phone with her agent during filming of this movie: "What the F*** am I doing in a movie about KILLER BUNNY RABBITS? I worked with ALFRED HITCHCOCK for Christ's sake! When I get back to L.A. you are SO fired!"


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 13, 2023, 06:23:03 AM
"NIght Of The Lepus" (1972)
I've always imagined Janet Leigh on the phone with her agent during filming of this movie: "What the F*** am I doing in a movie about KILLER BUNNY RABBITS? I worked with ALFRED HITCHCOCK for Christ's sake! When I get back to L.A. you are SO fired!"

Hitchcock AND Orson Welles in a two-year span - then LEPUS a dozen years later. C'est la cinema!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 13, 2023, 08:55:22 AM
LEONOR WILL NEVER DIE (2022): After a conk on the noggin, an aging screenwriter finds herself inside her unfinished action movie script. LEONOR explores the way stories inform life and vice versa by offering two films in one: a spot-on parody of a gritty macho Filipino action B-movie wrapped inside a dramedy about an eccentric grandma. Also with a ghost, a pregnant man, and random musical sequences. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 13, 2023, 02:36:14 PM
Night of the Lepus is such an embarrassment for western civilization and all involved.


The House Across The Lake (1954) - An apparently British film noir but with American actors, or at least they have American accents. I liked the setting of the sleazy community who live on opposite sides of a lake and ride boats to each others parties.

A "struggling writer who doesn't really seem like he'd be a writer" moves to this self same lake-burb and immediately gets infatuated with a woman who looks at least 10 years older than him and is like a 5 at best. All the men in the movie are obsessed with her, this was the biggest suspension of disbelief problem. It's 1954 people know what a film noir dame is supposed to look like and this ain't it. She's a decent enough actress though I guess.

It's one of those movies where everybody seems to be drinking all the time. I've seen worse and I've seen better. 3.75 /5 enjoyable



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 14, 2023, 09:39:22 AM
HAGGARD (2003): A guy is obsessed with his slutty cheating ex-girlfriend, and his loser buddies try to help him get over it. Laughless, juvenile shot-on-video jackassery with a strong "bros before hos" moral. It was filmed at and around West Chester University, where I briefly matriculated about a decade before. By Bam Magera, who was in "Jackass," with lots of skateboarding and poop jokes and a Tony Hawk cameo, this is for someone, but that someone just ain't me. 0.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 16, 2023, 07:19:38 AM
"Rush Hour" (1998)
A Chinese diplomat's daughter is kidnapped, so a Hong Kong police inspector (Jackie Chan) is sent to the U.S. to aid in the investigation. The Powers That Be team him up with a wise ass L.A. cop (Chris Tucker) and after some inevitable culture clashing, they get down to butt kicking business. Chan's stunt work is tons of fun to watch (as usual) and Tucker channels his best Eddie Murphy impression in this kung-fu twist on the "48 HRS" buddy-cop formula. This box office smash was followed by two sequels and a short lived TV series.

"Rush Hour 2" (2001)
Chan and Tucker are back as Inspector Lee and Detective Carter, on a globe hopping adventure that stretches from Hong Kong to L.A. and Vegas as they trail a vicious gang of Chinese counterfeiters. Just as much action packed fun as the first movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 16, 2023, 08:02:56 PM
"Rush Hour 3" (2007)
The third go-round for Chan and Tucker (after a six year absence) sends the mismatched cop duo to Paris to unravel an assassination plot by a vicious Chinese gang. There isn't much here that you haven't already seen in the previous two "Rush Hour" movies, but Jackie and Chris are still a great team and Chan's high flying, acrobatic martial arts moves are always tons of fun to watch, of course. The climactic fight scene set at the Eiffel Tower (where else?) is particularly impressive. If you enjoyed the other two, you'll dig this installment as well.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 17, 2023, 07:01:08 PM
DON'T F*** IN THE WOODS (2016) - A group of college-age friends go on a weekend camping expedition to get high and fool around in the woods.  Their antics draw the attention of a reptilian alien who is apparently drawn to the scent of pheromones released during sex - or else he just likes crashing people's good times so he can eat them.  Either way, several amorous couples have a really BAD weekend in a gloriously bad movie! 4/5

MUCK (2015) - Five college-aged kids come staggering out of a swamp at the beginning of the movie, having lost two friends to some unnamed and un-depicted evil in the swamp.  They take refuge in an abandoned house, only to fall victim to some bald-headed cultists of some sort who want to kill them all for no apparent reason.  They call for help, but will the drunk cousin and his girlfriend do any good?  What attacked them in the swamp?  What is driving these cultists?  Lots of gore and some nudity, but no answers, and no real denouement at the end, just a cliffhanger with no resolution.  Entertaining but frustrating.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 18, 2023, 01:20:41 AM
"Rush Hour 3" (2007)
The third go-round for Chan and Tucker (after a six year absence) sends the mismatched cop duo to Paris to unravel an assassination plot by a vicious Chinese gang. There isn't much here that you haven't already seen in the previous two "Rush Hour" movies, but Jackie and Chris are still a great team and Chan's high flying, acrobatic martial arts moves are always tons of fun to watch, of course. The climactic fight scene set at the Eiffel Tower (where else?) is particularly impressive. If you enjoyed the other two, you'll dig this installment as well.

Includes a cameo from Roman Polanski 😳


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 18, 2023, 07:16:30 AM
INTERFACE (1985):
A Vestron home video release! (...Though not on Claws' "Bad Movies of Vestron Video" list, somehow.)

It's always refreshing to remark "Hey, that drug dealer in the opening scene kinda' looks like Lou Diamond Phillips!" and then you read the closing credits and indeed, it's Lou DP in his feature film debut. This low-budget sci-fi/thriller/unintentional (?) comedy isn't very good but it's entertaining for the pure straight-to-VHS 80's cheese factor. A group of computer nerds at a community college dress up like new age versions of the snuff filmmakers from LAST HOUSE ON DEAD END STREET and begin executing local ne'er-do-wells; their improbably jovial professor (a cut-rate Barry Bostwick/Tim Matheson type) and an entirely-too-unflappable femme fatale foil their nefarious plans. This regional production is a remarkable document of the same ultra-specific moment in time that informed Andrew Bujalski's outstanding COMPUTER CHESS (2013). Filmed in suburban Texas, some of the exterior shots look like Anton Chigurh might limp by at any moment. With a one-finger synth score, thirtysomethings playing 18-year olds, big hair on both men and women, an obligatory "twist" ending, extremely half-hearted attempts at suspense, one of the most negligent homicide detectives in any movie ever, an understanding of computer technology that seems preposterously inaccurate by today's standards, goofy cutaways, a refreshingly blase attitude towards the murder of several cops, a lot of other generally inappropriate humor, and final credits music that sounds like it was swiped from a 70s game show. Recommended?!
3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 18, 2023, 10:37:14 AM
THE MADS ARE BACK: NIGHT OF THE GHOULS: It's been years since I've seen "Night of the Ghouls," and it was "better" than I remembered (I recalled it being a disappointment compared to Ed Wood's other films, but it's got a subtle flavor of Woodian derangement, and the seance is cool). It helps that Frank and Trace's riffing is "on." The guest is kind of random: Cat Popper, a bassist who tells stories of working with Willie Nelson (the guest segments are never my favorite anyway, but it was fine). 3/5, maybe 3.5/5, would make a good first episode for anyone interested in checking out the show.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 18, 2023, 11:01:59 AM
"Rush Hour 3" (2007)
The third go-round for Chan and Tucker (after a six year absence) sends the mismatched cop duo to Paris to unravel an assassination plot by a vicious Chinese gang. There isn't much here that you haven't already seen in the previous two "Rush Hour" movies, but Jackie and Chris are still a great team and Chan's high flying, acrobatic martial arts moves are always tons of fun to watch, of course. The climactic fight scene set at the Eiffel Tower (where else?) is particularly impressive. If you enjoyed the other two, you'll dig this installment as well.

Includes a cameo from Roman Polanski 😳
I like his movies- but as far as a human being- f**k him.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 18, 2023, 06:47:47 PM
Fast Times at Ridgemont High - Somehow always missed this one.  Super slice of life, really reminded me of American Graffiti.  After looking it up, apparently that was intentional. 

I had kind of similar feelings to Lucas's film, but actually found it's even less focused look a bit too loose.  Guess I'm more of a plot person.  Still, a lot of good performances, memorable characters, some laugh out loud moments and a breezy run time made it a perfectly good watch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 19, 2023, 06:33:50 PM
Super hero Sunday:

"Black Adam" (2022)
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson stars in this spinoff from DC's "Shazam!" as Black Adam, protector of the ancient land of Kandaqh. When he's re-awakened in the 21st century after a 5000 year sleep, his brutal methods of dealing with bad guys eventually draws the attention of the Justice Society (Dr. Fate, Hawkman, Cyclone, and Atom Smasher) who try to teach him the error of his ways. After much blasting, zapping, and stuff exploding, the heroes have to settle their differences and join together in order to battle an even bigger threat. Johnson is fine as the anti-heroic lead, Pierce Brosnan is perfectly cast as Dr. Fate, and the special effects are impressive. "Black Adam" ran on a bit longer than it really needed to, otherwise it was a fun watch.

"Thor: Love and Thunder" (2022)
The fourth solo go-round for Marvel's God of Thunder (Chris Hemsworth) finds him dealing with the crazed supervillain God Butcher, who's tripping around the universe killing off gods one by one, and also with his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who now commands the mystical hammer "Mjolnir" and is just as powerful as he is. As usual, the movie is full of splashy, colorful set pieces and epic battles.
Thor was never a big fave of mine during my Marvel Comics reading days but I've enjoyed each of the movies in this franchise because of their tongue-in-cheek comedic undertones. They know how absurd the Thor character is and have tons of fun with it, therefore so does the audience.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 19, 2023, 10:46:37 PM
FEAR PHARM 2 (2021) - This one picks up a few months after the previous movie left off. The basic plot is that a farmer and his kids, using a formula developed by his deceased wife, have launched a beauty product that is a worldwide best-seller.  Problem is, the product is made from human skin.  So they run one of the country's largest corn mazes, and every year they kidnap enough human subjects to produce the next year's batch of product.  But this night the subjects have all escaped, and the mad farmer and his kids must hunt them down.  Wildly implausible and rather mean-spirited, this is still a decent slasher film for what it is.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on March 20, 2023, 08:17:37 AM
FRACTURED (2019)

A couple stops at a gas station, where their 6 y.o. daughter's arm is fractured. They hurry to a hospital. Something strange is going on there. The wife and daughter go missing.

SPOILERS AHEAD

During a road trip, the daughter of a couple suffers an accident and has to be taken quickly to a hospital to treat her broken arm. The father waits for both her and his wife, yet they never return. Soon enough, he founds himself entangled in a conspiracy of massive proportions, meant to carry a ring of illegal body organs. He will have to fight not only the authorities, but also the hospital staff who is trying to confuse him into believing a different story about his missing family.

Does this sounds like an interesting and fun plot? If it does, then stay away from this piece of garbage, because it will take a dump on that story with the most predictable, cliched, and lame ending ever.

Good acting and scenarios. Other than that, skip this garbage because you'll end up p**sed off, like me right now. 4/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 20, 2023, 08:45:30 AM
FRACTURED (2019)

A couple stops at a gas station, where their 6 y.o. daughter's arm is fractured. They hurry to a hospital. Something strange is going on there. The wife and daughter go missing.

SPOILERS AHEAD

During a road trip, the daughter of a couple suffers an accident and has to be taken quickly to a hospital to treat her broken arm. His father waits for both her and his wife, yet they never return. Soon enough, he founds himself entangled in a conspiracy of massive proportions, meant to carry a ring of illegal body organs. He will have to fight not only the authorities, but also the hospital staff who is trying to confuse him into believing a different story about his missing family.

Does this sounds like an interesting and fun plot? If it does, then stay away from this piece of garbage, because it will take a dump on that story with the most predictable, cliched, and lame ending ever.

Good acting and scenarios. Other than that, skip this garbage because you'll end up p**sed off, like me right now. 4/10

I read the Wikipedia article on that movie and 😳😳


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on March 20, 2023, 09:24:04 AM
I read the Wikipedia article on that movie and 😳😳

They give you obvious clues through the movie which make it extremely predictable, but they only serve for you to think "please, don't end the movie like that, it's so lame". The plot I described it's a million times better, mostly because there aren't many movies which deal with illegal harvesting of organs. Yeah, you have PARTS: THE CLONUS HORROR and REPO MAN for example, but those are sci-fi. A realistic situation is rarely portrayed in films for some reason. I don't know, maybe the film industry is into it, and anyone who says there's something like that should be considered a crazy person.

When the ending is finally revealed, they have to show you scene for scene how much you were tricked (?), kinda like the awful JOKER movie. It's sad that nowadays they have to explain things so bluntly, as if we were too stupid to figure it out by ourselves. It's even more sadder because this twist has been done to death by now, you have to be a teenager with 10 movies in your belt to be surprised by it. But then again, it's a Netflix movie, so probably that's their intended target. It's all so moody and bleak.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 21, 2023, 10:57:59 AM
"Money Shot: The Pornhub Story" (2023)
This Netflix original examines the rise of XXX content farm Pornhub, which has become one of the top 10 most-viewed web sites in the world thanks to its mix of "original productions" and home-brewed adult videos uploaded by its millions of users. It also discusses the parent company's secretive business practices and its sometimes less-than-stellar response time when dealing with content that may feature non-consensual or underage subjects. Lots of talking heads add up to a dull, fairly dry documentary.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 21, 2023, 04:12:02 PM
MANHATTAN (1979):
First time viewing this. When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s (and all the way into the 00s), Woody Allen was one of those usual suspects that was constantly part of any serious conversation about cinema (w/ Chaplin, Hitchcock, Welles, Ford, Kurosawa, and maybe Scorsese or Coppola). The past decade or so I've felt aware of a certain erasure of Allen from the conversation, while most of those other names still appear w/ some sort of regularity. Is it just because Allen cranked out too many middling efforts at too consistent a pace? Or, uh - something else, perhaps? Agnostic as I feel about allegations of his personal affairs, I thought I'd catch up w/ an earlier Allen entry, two years following his perennially lauded ANNIE HALL, which I know many viewers rate as high or higher.

Here are some things I'll praise about MANHATTAN: the gorgeous and sometimes startling photography, in B+W, by Gordon Willis (one extreme perspective shot in a museum looks like an outtake from ERASERHEAD); the propulsive orchestral Gershwin score; some of the NYC locations; two fun cameos from Michael O'Donoghue (terrific) and Wallace Shawn (young and thin!); a very young and compelling Meryl Streep as Allen's spiteful ex-wife; and a very very young and very sympathetic Mariel Hemingway as Allen's... 17yo girlfriend. Yeah. Also, when Allen's character is reassured that his young son will be fine raised by two mothers, he replies with concern that "very few people survive one mother." That was clever.

Plot is simple: 42yo year old Isaac dates (and sleeps with) much younger Tracy, meets and dislikes the older and more cultured/cerebral Mary (Diane Keaton) but begins having an affair w/ her anyway, strings along and eventually dumps Tracy, then regrets it. Both Allen's character and Keaton's are aggressively irritating and unsympathetic here. You may insert your own glib remark as necessary - it's been decades since I've seen ANNIE HALL, but however irritating or unsympathetic they may have been in that film, Alvy and Annie had nothing on Isaac and Mary. It's probably not Keaton's fault, either - I think Allen jury-rigs the screenplay to make the audience feel animosity and contempt for Keaton and for Streep's character as well. My biggest issue, however, is that the film ultimately hinges on the audience sympathizing with and rooting for Isaac... who is no more self-absorbed, petty, and neurotic than any other Allen character... but in this case, he grooms an underage girl, sleeps with her, leads her on while cheating on her, dumps her, then begs her to put her education on hold to reconcile with him.

Am I getting conservative with age? If I'd seen MANHATTAN when I was 18, I might have been more inclined to sympathize with Isaac. From my current perspective as a guy older than Isaac, I remember pursuing toxic women who were no good for me while mistreating or neglecting perfectly decent ladies - but I regret that behavior, and if I was going to make a movie about it today, I would portray my character as a huge jerk. I think that's one responsibility of age: to impose some ethical perspective onto your art. I remember liking 90s films from Allen like HUSBANDS & WIVES and DECONSTRUCTING HARRY, and the Allen characters in those films are no better than Isaac or possibly worse. The difference is, Allen actually sends Harry to literal Hell for his crimes. MANHATTAN suffers from a lack of such hindsight. It's as emotionally immature as it is technically sophisticated. 

3/5 but I feel dirty even giving it a 3


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 21, 2023, 04:32:35 PM
^I don't like Woody Allen movies. Sniveling, spineless, self-involved dick in every movie .


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 22, 2023, 05:17:49 AM
^ Then you'd dislike MANHATTAN most of all!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 22, 2023, 02:12:14 PM
I accidentally saw my landlord's butt crack the other day: dunno if that counts  :buggedout: :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 23, 2023, 09:23:54 AM
"History of the World Part I" (1981)
Mel Brooks' parody of old-fashioned historical epics is a series of sketches that take viewers from the Dawn of Man to Biblical times, ancient Rome, the Middle Ages and ending with the French Revolution. Brooks plays several characters throughout the movie, alongside frequent collaborators like Madeline Kahn, Sid Caesar, Dom DeLuise, and Cloris Leachman. It's not quite top-drawer Mel, but there are a decent amount of laughs and some truly inspired bits (like the musical number about the Spanish Inquisition).
A new, belated sequel series is currently streaming on Hulu, but I haven't checked it out yet. I wonder if it includes "Hitler on Ice" and/or "Jews In Space," which were promised by the fake "Part II" trailer  at the end of this movie? :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 23, 2023, 02:52:02 PM
MANHATTAN (1979):

 My biggest issue, however, is that the film ultimately hinges on the audience sympathizing with and rooting for Isaac... who is no more self-absorbed, petty, and neurotic than any other Allen character... but in this case, he grooms an underage girl, sleeps with her,



Sounds like Allen in real life. Scumbag.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 24, 2023, 02:34:40 PM
"Tribute: A Rockumentary" (2001)
An low-budget doc on the unique phenomenon of tribute bands, the musicians who play in them, and the fans who love them. Among the participants are a KISS tribute band searching for a new "Gene," a Queen tribute struggling to find a new "Freddie" after theirs jumps ship to do stage musicals in Europe, a Judas Priest tribute singer who's jealous of then-current Priest singer Ripper Owens, and a Monkees tribute that disintegrates in mid-film due to in-fighting between members. Entertaining stuff that resembles a real-life "Spinal Tap" more than once.

"My Stupid Tribute Band" (2023)
More tribute-band fun, this time focusing on the Texas-based AC/DC tribute Back In Black, who've been playing the Thunder From Down Under all over the U.S. and Canada for more than 20 years. Their singer even got a chance to audition for the real thing when Brian Johnson had to leave the Rock Or Bust tour due to his hearing issues in 2016. The band members seem like a nice bunch of guys, though writer/director Mike Mroz, who also portrays "Angus" in the group, narrates the entire film in a weird, halting monotone that sounds like he's reading everything off of cue cards, which gets annoying after a while. It seems odd that a guy who's been onstage playing music in front of people for most of his life would come off so stiff and un-natural on camera. Your mileage may vary depending on your interest in AC/DC.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 24, 2023, 11:48:12 PM
HALLOWEEN ENDS (2022) - OK, you have to know that I hated, hated, hated HALLOWEEN KILLS.
I hated it so much that when this sequel came out last fall, I refused to see it in the theaters.  But tonight it popped up on my Amazon Prime for free, so I decided to give it a spin.
Overall, this was a vast improvement on the second film in the trilogy and a very satisfying way to bring the saga of Michael Myers to an end.
A REAL end this time. Michael is GONE.
 Really, this movie was so much better than the first two in the series.
It was a really enjoyable!  4.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 25, 2023, 09:44:47 AM
MST3K: KITTEN WITH A WHIP: Ann-Margaret stars as a sexy jailbait delinquent who blackmails a political candidate, then takes him hostage on a trip to Tijuana. Meanwhile, Crow goes on an unsuccessful mission in Deep 13, Mike equips the bots with 1970s bionic sound effects, and they make pinatas of the Mads. Of the MST3K episodes I hadn't seen yet, I'm guessing this will be one of the best: great riffing and an easy-to-follow, not as bad as usual movie--only the host segments are bland. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 26, 2023, 09:49:11 AM
"All Things Must Pass" (2015)
Tom Hanks' son Colin directed this absorbing documentary on the rise and fall of the iconic Tower Records music store chain, which started out selling used jukebox singles in a California drug store in the early 1960s and became a global phenomenon. Unfortunately, a mixture of expansion into unfamiliar markets and the dawn of the digital music era proved to be a fatal combination for the chain, which went out of business in 2006. I was lucky enough to have a Tower Records store in my home town (Paramus, NJ) and I practically lived there for many years, so this doc is a pleasant trip down memory lane for me.
DAMN, I miss Tower Records.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 26, 2023, 02:13:19 PM
Our Rev's movie on Discord last night: not bad at all.  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 26, 2023, 02:41:39 PM
I watch a couple of the Hammer House of Horror tv british tv thingies. the first one was good but Hammer's style is not really made for tv. They tried to compensate for the lack of gore and sex with plot and the results weren't too thrilling


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 26, 2023, 03:08:53 PM
I watch a couple of the Hammer House of Horror tv british tv thingies. the first one was good but Hammer's style is really made for tv. They tried to compensate for the lack of gore and sex with plot and the results weren't too thrilling

That series was my first introduction to Hammer Films. One or two of those episodes were scary but for the most part, not really. 😊🐢


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 26, 2023, 04:33:40 PM
ZAPPER! (2023): Godlike beings direct "zappers" in a game to recover pieces of a puzzle in order to access a mystical skateboard. Explicitly and unapologetically indebted to LSD, this "trip" has amateur acting and bananas substituting for guns---but every frame has been painstakingly digitally colorized, animated or otherwise altered, and the visual effects make it watchable despite the microbudget. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 27, 2023, 03:56:09 AM
The Holly & The Ivy.

An older British film (black and white), about a family of generally whiny and unhappy people who do their best to make everyone else around them unhappy too, all while mostly maintaining the pretence of being prim and proper. At the very end, it all gets sorted, presumably because it is christmas, but most of the characters didn't seem to deserve a happy ending and I'd stopped paying full attention to it by this point. Denham Elliot plays one of the family (and one of the more likeable characters).

Smile.

Currently watching this one. It seems to be a reskin of The Ring, but good so far. I could see it being an SCP story.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 27, 2023, 06:13:42 AM
Trevor - I should have said "hammer's syle is NOT really" made for tv. yeah it was just okay

Entrance (2012) - I'm a sucker for movies that get mixed imdb reviews. This was a bit of a misfire but does have some good stuff. The horror elements take a very long time to get started so for the first hour its a straight drama. The whole thing is kind of like a found footage movie that isn't found footage, its just shot weirdly. In fact, i wonder if it wasn't changed from found footage to regular at the last minute.

A young woman in LA ( I think) has a string of bad luck and has to decide if she wants to stay there or go someplace else. She meets lots of creepy guys who drive home the point that LA sucks. (What happened to the whole thing with her dog though? )

the bad reviews are generally justified but there is some talent on display. ending was okay.

3/5 basically a demo reel for the director to try and get work in Hollywood


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 27, 2023, 08:07:48 AM
I watch a couple of the Hammer House of Horror tv british tv thingies. the first one was good but Hammer's style is really made for tv. They tried to compensate for the lack of gore and sex with plot and the results weren't too thrilling

That series was my first introduction to Hammer Films. One or two of those episodes were scary but for the most part, not really. 😊🐢

I think I binged all of these back at the beginning of the pandemic. Indeed, some good acting or nice twists in some of them, but pretty weak tea overall.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 27, 2023, 08:56:01 AM
FAUST: LOVE OF THE DAMNED (2000): After his girlfriend is killed, a painter makes a pact with a magician to get revenge and turns into a serial killer. Starts like a relatively sane B-horror but after the midpoint twist it goes so deep into metalheaded boobery, mixing Satanic rituals with superhero tropes, that it becomes almost a parody. 2.5/5, or 3.5/5 on a bad movie scale.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 27, 2023, 10:26:11 AM
Trevor - I should have said "hammer's syle is NOT really" made for tv. yeah it was just okay


Agreed.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 27, 2023, 10:53:55 AM
FAUST: LOVE OF THE DAMNED (2000): After his girlfriend is killed, a painter makes a pact with a magician to get revenge and turns into a serial killer. Starts like a relatively sane B-horror but after the midpoint twist it goes so deep into metalheaded boobery, mixing Satanic rituals with superhero tropes, that it becomes almost a parody. 2.5/5, or 3.5/5 on a bad movie scale.

It's been 20 years but I recall thinking that there was nothing wrong w/ this film that couldn't have been ameliorated simply w/ MORE JEFFREY COMBS!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 27, 2023, 12:11:28 PM
Everything Everywhere All At Once.

A strong contender for the least enjoyable movie I will watch this year. Started off ok, if coming off as a combination of The Matrix and The One, but somewhere along the line, it took a turn into The Fountain territory. It became an endurance test to watch this all the way to the end (ok, I bugged out as soon as the credits hit not wanting to wait and see if there were any credit scenes). It isn't the worst film I've ever seen, but it is fairly close. I really feel the need to watch something cheesily bad as a palate cleanser. I really hope I don't manage to find anything worse to watch this year.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 27, 2023, 05:48:45 PM
"CHIPS" (2017)
The '70s motorcycle cop show gets a "Bad Boys" style 21st century update in a surprisingly entertaining action comedy. Two mismatched CHP officers - one who's actually an undercover FBI agent, the other a dorky rookie - are assigned to root out a gang of crooked cops who've been robbing armored cars on the side. Michael Pena and Dax Sheperd (who also wrote and directed) make a good "Ponch" and "Jon," and there's plenty of impressive stunt driving and pyrotechnics. This "CHIPS" crashed and burned at the box office but I had fun with it.

"Cassette: A Documentary Mixtape" (2016)
This documentary looks back on the humble cassette tape as it celebrates its fiftieth anniversary, reflects on its long life and the current retro interest in tapes. Interviewees include the Dutch audio engineers at Philips Electronics who created it in the early 60s (most of whom, strangely, don't seem to have much affection for the format; one guy says it was "just a job"), as well as longtime aficionados like Henry Rollins (of course, because he's in every documentary like this), Ian McKaye (Fugazi), various hip-hop figures, and lo-fi indie musicians who are still releasing their tunes on cassette to this day. This one was fun for a while but it could've very easily been a short (an hour or less) film, rather than a full length feature, because eventually it's just going around in circles. Your mileage may vary depending on your fondness for the format.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 28, 2023, 08:38:59 AM
^ I still have a beat up double cassette boom box. Works great too! Except I ain't got no cassettes! But it's got an AM/FM radio too!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 28, 2023, 08:42:03 AM
Everything Everywhere All At Once.

A strong contender for the least enjoyable movie I will watch this year. Started off ok, if coming off as a combination of The Matrix and The One, but somewhere along the line, it took a turn into The Fountain territory. It became an endurance test to watch this all the way to the end (ok, I bugged out as soon as the credits hit not wanting to wait and see if there were any credit scenes). It isn't the worst film I've ever seen, but it is fairly close. I really feel the need to watch something cheesily bad as a palate cleanser. I really hope I don't manage to find anything worse to watch this year.

That genuinely shocks me, I thought it was last year's best movie. Action, comedy, appealing star, enough weirdness scattered throughout to keep it fresh. Funny how opinions can differ. You may not have been in the mood for it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on March 28, 2023, 08:50:52 AM
Everything Everywhere All At Once.

A strong contender for the least enjoyable movie I will watch this year. Started off ok, if coming off as a combination of The Matrix and The One, but somewhere along the line, it took a turn into The Fountain territory. It became an endurance test to watch this all the way to the end (ok, I bugged out as soon as the credits hit not wanting to wait and see if there were any credit scenes). It isn't the worst film I've ever seen, but it is fairly close. I really feel the need to watch something cheesily bad as a palate cleanser. I really hope I don't manage to find anything worse to watch this year.

That genuinely shocks me, I thought it was last year's best movie. Action, comedy, appealing star, enough weirdness scattered throughout to keep it fresh. Funny how opinions can differ. You may not have been in the mood for it.

I enjoyed the start of it, although I thought it was veering too much on the silly side. When it hit chapter 2, I thought it went downhill fast and I just hated the rest of the movie. It is not one I think I'd try watching again. I was incredibly disappointed in the whole thing, especially after the high praise everyone else had heaped on it. As you say though, people have different tastes.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Allhallowsday on March 28, 2023, 02:35:39 PM
^ I still have a beat up double cassette boom box. Works great too! Except I ain't got no cassettes! But it's got an AM/FM radio too!

I'll have to look around; I've got tapes, usually mixes I had made 35 years ago...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 28, 2023, 02:54:35 PM
^ I had a yellow tape by the Bad Brains awhile back, but it was so old, it got ate up.  :bluesad:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 29, 2023, 12:28:20 PM
^ the ROIR cassette thats the best one


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 29, 2023, 03:22:18 PM
^ Yeah! That's it!  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 29, 2023, 06:10:00 PM
DEATH OF A HOOKER aka WHO KILLED MARY WHAT'SERNAME? (1971):
A pugnacious retiree (Red Buttons) w/ ailing health yet too much time on his hands reads a newspaper article about the unsolved murder of a streetwalker and commits his every waking hour to the case. Somehow a small team of citizen detectives forms around him to (maybe) help out, including his smart, cute daughter (Alice Playten); a chatty alcoholic (Conrad Bain, the dad from DIFF'RENT STROKES!); the obligatory hooker w/ a heart of gold (Sylvia Miles from MIDNIGHT COWBOY and THE FUNHOUSE); and Sam Waterston (who shows up w/ surprising frequency in this kind of early 70s flick) as a shifty gonzo documentarian. It's the early 70s, so the filmmakers clearly had Kitty Genovese and the Zapruder film on their minds. Cue lots of Antonioni-esque playing, rewinding, and replaying of Waterston's 16mm footage as Buttons & Co try to identify Mary's killer.

Even at a hair under 90 minutes, DEATH OF A HOOKER is so casually paced, preoccupied w/ its motley crew of characters, and sometimes maddeningly pokey that one wonders if it was intended as the pilot for an ongoing mystery-of-the-week TV series. (It wasn't.) Also, in spite of the subject matter, there's little profanity and no nudity or blood. Although it's mostly straightforward in its procedural and slice-of-life scenes, there are a handful of suspense and action scenes that go briefly hogwild stylistically, w/ spinning camerawork and ragged cuts, as if they brought in a young coked-up Roger Watkins to handle those bits. In the film's most odd scene, the capable Buttons stands up to/eventually fights with two tough-looking bikers in a diner... which is fine in and of itself, except the action is persistently interrupted w/ cutaways to a waitress overreacting hysterically, as if she's witnessing the 9/11 attacks or auditioning for the role of Sally in TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. There's actually plenty of things about DOAH that make little sense in retrospect: plot points, character motivations, a left-field twist ending (again, it was the 70s), and even what happens in the final shots of the film.

Still, this was almost worth watching for its cast - including the uncredited extras wandering by in the NYC location shots who surely had no idea they were being immortalized in this weird movie. The scummy supporting cast includes David Doyle (TV's "Bosley" from "Charley's Angels"!), Earl Hindman (TV's "Wilson" from "Home Improvement", wtf) as the big biker who wants to kill Buttons, and crime movie fixture Dick Anthony Williams as a really bad landlord. Also, the real-life RAGING BULL Jake LaMotta appears briefly as a bartender. Among the leads, Playten is very compelling - I never recalled seeing her in anything else, but she did a ton of voicework in 80s animated films as well as in AMITYVILLE II and LEGEND. This was Academy Award winner Red Buttons' only leading role (to my knowledge), falling in between his best known films: THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE and THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY? (which is a reeeeeeeeally weird and dark film). Although he was in a lot of lesser known movies and TV shows, I wish he had more major credits in better films. He's not the world's rangiest actor but he's a lot of fun to watch, and it would've been nice seeing him play more tough crusty dads (or even Irish gangsters or something).

2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 30, 2023, 01:21:34 PM
THE WORLD WE KNEW (2020): Six British gangsters hole up in an old house after a botched heist. The ensemble acting here is exceptional, but the script doesn't really seem to know what it wants to do with these able performances; there's little suspense, it flirts with the supernatural without really committing, and it ends inconclusively on an anecdote. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 01, 2023, 04:28:17 PM
RIFFTRAX: GUMBY, THE MOVIE: This was shown as the special Rifftrax event on the Gizmoplex. In the movie, Gumby forms a band, and a couple of robots try to steal a dog who cries pearls. It's a bizarre kiddie flick and the Rifftrax guys made me laugh several times (watching Gumby's band play at a picnic: "This is what Woodstock looked like if you did take the brown acid.") Afterwards they live-riffed a goofy Navy office safety short and then did a Q&A. All the good vibes make me wish MST3K, Rifftrax and the Mads would all join forces and form a single storefront. 3/5, more if you're a fan.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 01, 2023, 11:43:57 PM
UNHUMAN (2022) - A group of high school kids on a field trip are involved in a bus accident, followed by a zombie apocalypse.
They desperately hide in an abandoned building as the undead come after them - only to find that what's really happening is far stranger than any zombie movie imaginable!
I'm gonna be honest - I liked this one.  Fun and twisty, there's a good bit of teen angst but it doesn't get in the way of the story.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 02, 2023, 05:35:30 AM
After the Thin Man (1936)

I've known the Thin Man movies by reputation, but until now I have never actually seen one. This mashup of a screwball comedy with a film noir is very entertaining, with glamourous women and smooth and stylish men. William Powell and Myrna Loy are deservedly known as one of the best film couples ever. Is it me, or do I see hints of Nick and Nora Charles in John Astin's and Carolyn Jones's Gomez and Morticia?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 02, 2023, 07:09:04 AM
"Raise The Titanic" (1980)
A Navy salvage team led by dashing adventurer Dirk Pitt must locate the wreckage of the Titanic and bring it to the surface to recover a valuable treasure locked away in the ship's cargo hold.
An improbable, but mostly enjoyable old-school adventure flick based on Clive Cussler's best seller, with an impressive cast (incl. Sir Alec Guinness, Jason Robards, Anne Archer, and M.Emmett Walsh) and a lush music score by James Bond composer John Barry. The producers apparently hoped this would be the first in a series of films based on Cussler's Dirk Pitt novels, but it bombed at the box office.
Fun fact: the real Titanic wasn't found until five years after this movie was made.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on April 02, 2023, 09:48:11 AM
"Raise The Titanic" (1980)
 The producers apparently hoped this would be the first in a series of films based on Cussler's Dirk Pitt novels, but it bombed at the box office.

Matthew McConnaughey played Dirk about 25 years later in SAHARA, which was billed as "A Clive Cussler Dirk Pitt Adventure". A preview poster announced "Adventure has a new name... Dirk Pitt."

No one seemed to care! I was managing a movie theater back then and saw everything for free. This one I walked out on midway. Penelope Cruz sure looks fine on that poster, though:
https://film-authority.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/sahara_2005_1924_poster.jpg


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 02, 2023, 06:15:47 PM
"Raise The Titanic" (1980)
 The producers apparently hoped this would be the first in a series of films based on Cussler's Dirk Pitt novels, but it bombed at the box office.

Matthew McConnaughey played Dirk about 25 years later in SAHARA, which was billed as "A Clive Cussler Dirk Pitt Adventure". A preview poster announced "Adventure has a new name... Dirk Pitt."

Yeah, Clive Cussler apparently hated "Raise the Titanic" so much that he wouldn't let Hollywood near the Dirk Pitt character again for 25 years... and then legend has it that he hated "Sahara" as well. Tough man to please, that Clive. :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 02, 2023, 10:18:54 PM
"Revenge of the Nerds" (1984)
After near-constant abuses at the hands of the jocks and beautiful people at Adams College, a group of nerdy freshmen form their own fraternity and mount a campaign to get even. This classic '80s campus comedy has come under fire in recent years for certain "problematic" plot points, but its "nerds are people too" message still manages to shine through the raunchy gags. Never mind the "politically correct" complaints, this one is still loads of fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 03, 2023, 04:57:46 PM
SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING (2022): A squad of tobacco-themed superheroes go on a country retreat to recharge their batteries. Quentin Dupieux's movies (which are a genre all their own) have little focus and thrive on absurdist unpredictability; this one is no exception, with the best bits being the shaggy dog horror stories told around the campfire. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 04, 2023, 08:42:09 PM
"Zombie Holocaust" (aka "Doctor Butcher M.D.," 1980)
Investigators discover acts of cannibalism in New York City hospitals, and end up on an island in the South Seas, where they find a whole tribe of flesh eaters ... plus a mad doctor who's creating a race of zombies. Our heroes then have to stay off the menu of either side.
This utterly bizarro mash up of the zombie and cannibal genres appears to have been made up as it went along. The story makes no sense and the acting and dubbing absolutely suck, but the gore effects are plentiful and gruesome. Mindlessly entertaining Italian horror junk.

"Greenwich Village: The Music That Defined a Generation" (2012)
A cool documentary about the singer/songwriter folk music scene of the late 50s and early 60s that swept out of New York's Greenwich Village and into the mainstream, carrying its messages of peace, equality and anti-war sentiment. Featuring fascinating vintage clips of Sixties New York and interviews with major players like Pete Seeger, the Lovin' Spoonful, Melanie, Buffy Ste. Marie, Phil Ochs, and many more. I may not be much of a "folkie" but I enjoyed this illuminating doc.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 04, 2023, 10:22:40 PM
fatfreddy - where did you watch revenge of the Nerds?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: jimpickens on April 05, 2023, 04:23:23 AM
The Garbageman a very good but creepy look into the mind of a serial killer.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 05, 2023, 09:31:00 AM
DAMSELVIS, DAUGHTER OF HELVIS (1994): A young woman in Mississippi discovers she is actually the daughter of the dead god Helvis and travels to the pyramid in Memphis to resurrect him, while her pastor (who dresses like Black Jesus) races to stop her. Lots of nudity, corny monster costumes, and a bizarre spin on American mythology in this zero budget but undeniably unique debut from rockabilly-obsessed Memphis director John Michael McCarthy, who went on to make three more accomplished surreal-but-exploitative movies in the same style. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 05, 2023, 03:36:14 PM
fatfreddy - where did you watch revenge of the Nerds?

It's on Hulu (so is "R.O.T.N. II: Nerds in Paradise").

I was surprised to see it there, cuz over the past few years it seemed like it had been "me too'd" out of existence.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 05, 2023, 10:34:23 PM
ffc-  in ""me too" 's defense there is some slightly objectionable stuff in terms of like violating peoples privacy, assault via deception but it is just a movie after all and is super funny


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 06, 2023, 06:35:01 AM
ffc-  in ""me too" 's defense there is some slightly objectionable stuff in terms of like violating peoples privacy, assault via deception but it is just a movie after all and is super funny

Oh yea, of course half of the sh*t in that movie wouldn't fly if it were made today!

There have been a few attempts at a "Nerds" remake over the past decade or so and none of them have gotten off the ground. I imagine that's because the writers look at the original script and go "Hmmm, okay, so how do we make rape by deception, revenge porn, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor funny?"  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 06, 2023, 06:38:16 AM
"The House Bunny" (2008)
A dim-witted Playboy bunny (Anna Faris of "Scary Movie") gets kicked out of her cushy digs at the Playboy Mansion and ends up as the unlikely "house mother" to a group of dorky sorority girls at a local college. Of course, Faris' Bunny know-how slowly turns her charges into the hottest group on campus, much to the dismay of the snobby rich-girl sorority across the street and their blue-blood house mother (Beverly "Vacation" D'Angelo). Hef even makes a few well timed cameo appearances!
There's plenty of eye candy in this cross between "Legally Blonde" and "Revenge of the Nerds," and quite a few genuine laughs. Fluffy but fun cinematic junk food.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on April 06, 2023, 10:03:37 AM

There have been a few attempts at a "Nerds" remake over the past decade or so and none of them have gotten off the ground. I imagine that's because the writers look at the original script and go "Hmmm, okay, so how do we make rape by deception, revenge porn, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor funny?"  :teddyr:

I imagine some quarters would also now accuse the Lamar character of "grooming".  :hatred:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on April 06, 2023, 11:07:47 AM
SPIN ME ROUND (2023):
A romantic comedy w/ thriller elements that stars Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, and Fred Armisen and takes place in a gorgeous foreign locale... if somehow it had magic and superheroes and British actors and it took place at a wedding and the bride and groom were complete strangers prior to meeting at the altar, we'd have just about a perfectly overlapping Venn Diagram of my partner Madame 10rda's viewing preferences.

Brie is the Manager of a tacky O.G./Carraba's style franchise Italian restaurant in Bakersfield who lucks (...) into an all-expenses paid professional development trip to Italy. There she finds romance, romance, possibly danger, and comic irritation. I recommend this to patient viewers in a relaxed mood who only require some chuckles and eye candy (of several varieties). The trailer makes it look kind of like a goofier version of THE MENU (it's not) and the film itself occasionally head-feints towards GET OUT (even including the appearance of Lil' Rel Howery)... but its promise of genre horror is all a tease. Also, it's not as wacky and shticky as one would expect from a movie co-starring Plaza, Armisen, Howery, Tim Heidecker, and Molly Shannon. (Though there are several legit LOLs.)

Ultimately this is more of a humorous character study of a lonely, not super-sharp woman - or perhaps a handful of such women - who is/are an ideal mark/s for exploitation. Brie (who also co-wrote) invests a lot of energy in earning the audience's sympathy for her character instead of just leaning into a victim role for laffs. It doesn't hurt, I suppose, that she is gorgeous. I'll also add that Alessandro Nivola plays Brie's love interest with a complete absence of charisma or any kind of emotional appeal, which is super-annoying for two-thirds of the film. At a climactic moment, however, Nivola beautifully delivers a monologue of astonishing narcissism and insincerity. And in the film's final scene, where Richard Gere traditionally would ride up in a chariot to sweep Julia Roberts away to his palace, Brie and Nivola have a final meeting that delivers a highly satisfying payoff for the critical-minded viewer.

3.5/5
Not enough Plaza, but a filling serving of Brie


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 08, 2023, 09:52:26 AM
Furies/Thanh Soi (2022)

Toc Tien is in this one, so I had to see it. Turns out it was directed by Veronica Ngo/Ngo Thanh Van, last seen in The Princess, who also plays one of the main characters. It is a sort of prequel/spin off of 2019 Furie/Hai Phuong, which apparently was a great succes (I know next to nothing about Viet cinema). It is a fairly straightforward martial arts/exploitation movie. A woman (Veronica Ngo) rescues girls from the streets and trains them to be assassins to take down a vicious crime lord.

I found it a bit disappointing. A movie like this needs either heart or a breakneck pace, and this has neither. It does have its moments though, and it quite brutal at times. The action scenes are hit and miss and tend to be confusingly filmed. Visually it is very stylish, with atmospherically garish neon hues.

A classic case of a glass being half full or half empty



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 09, 2023, 08:12:09 AM
"Looker" (1981)
A plastic surgeon (Albert Finney) is the prime suspect in the mysterious deaths of three of his former clients -- all of whom were actresses that took part in an experimental new TV advertising system. Michael "Jurassic Park" Crichton wrote and directed this high-tech mystery/thriller which features some of the first CGI graphics ever used in a movie.   


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 09, 2023, 08:48:03 AM
PLAN 9 FROM ALIEXPRESS (2023): A princess wants to commit suicide but Prince Charming steals her rope, so she goes on a long quest to try to find one. It's the kind of comedy where the heroine just meets one odd character after another, like time-traveling vampires, and the director offers a sacrifice to Cthulu in the middle of the film hoping for a hit; some gags are funny enough, but the lack of structure means it's hard to get invested in the movie. A microbudget Russian movie that probably won't get distribution, done as a lark (I get the feeling the director usually tries more serious projects). 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 10, 2023, 08:51:37 AM
GIVE ME PITY (2022): A one woman 1970s TV special slides into a psychedelic nightmare. It's a disco ball-lit parody of celebrity TV events (and also of confessional "one woman" shows); it's also a serious critique of the vanity fame-seeking. spiked with LSD freakout interludes. Not for everyone, for sure, but still 4/5 from me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on April 10, 2023, 09:43:53 AM
"Looker" (1981)
A plastic surgeon (Albert Finney) is the prime suspect in the mysterious deaths of three of his former clients -- all of whom were actresses that took part in an experimental new TV advertising system. Michael "Jurassic Park" Crichton wrote and directed this high-tech mystery/thriller which features some of the first CGI graphics ever used in a movie.   

I wanted to see that back then but my folks wouldn't let me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 11, 2023, 06:47:33 AM
"Looker" (1981)
A plastic surgeon (Albert Finney) is the prime suspect in the mysterious deaths of three of his former clients -- all of whom were actresses that took part in an experimental new TV advertising system. Michael "Jurassic Park" Crichton wrote and directed this high-tech mystery/thriller which features some of the first CGI graphics ever used in a movie.   

I wanted to see that back then but my folks wouldn't let me.

You didn't miss much.  :teddyr: It was OK, but no masterpiece.

Last night:
"Boston Strangler" (2023)
In the mid 1960s, two female reporters for a Boston newspaper deal with inept police work and struggle against the old-boys' network in their office as they cover the story of a serial killer who targets single women. A well made true crime period piece, streaming on Hulu.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on April 11, 2023, 09:03:11 AM
"Looker" (1981)


I wanted to see that back then but my folks wouldn't let me.

It's one of those pre-mid-80s PG-rated films w/ full frontal nudity. I mean, it's not constant or prolonged, but they're not exactly shy about it either. The MPAA certainly grew far more conservative through the 80s, and 21st century PG-rated films seem indistinguishable to me from G-rated films in terms of content. I think LOOKER would be an R today, for sure.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 11, 2023, 11:09:03 AM
TRIPLE TROUBLE (2022): After a crisis of faith, a priest becomes a plumber and goes insane, becoming obsessed by a conspiracy of fungus. From the cult band Residents, this experimental film throws out a lot of ideas--a malfunctioning drone A.I., an old kidnapping, the protagonist's ghost father (a former member of the Residents), a bunch of dream sequences featuring the Residents, clips from the Resident's abandoned "Vileness Fats" project, and remarkably little music--and follows none of them to a conclusion, settling instead for a lazy-feeling "portrait of a schizophrenic man" approach. Hard to imagine anyone but dedicated Residents fans (or weirdos like me) picking this up on Blu-ray. 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on April 12, 2023, 08:33:25 AM
"Looker" (1981)
A plastic surgeon (Albert Finney) is the prime suspect in the mysterious deaths of three of his former clients -- all of whom were actresses that took part in an experimental new TV advertising system. Michael "Jurassic Park" Crichton wrote and directed this high-tech mystery/thriller which features some of the first CGI graphics ever used in a movie.  

No way, I saw most of this jetlagged in a foreign hotel years ago but didn't know what it was called. The version I saw had Greek subtitles and was constantly interrupted by the same commercial about high blood pressure that advertised a pill dispensary where all medicines were up to 70% off. I thought I'd rarely seen a movie be so focused on women's butts, then I realized someone had poorly spliced in footage of models' behinds and included these in the original film. It was so strange it became fascinating in a bad movie way, but I still couldn't finish it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 12, 2023, 10:14:33 PM
"Super" (2010)
After his wife leaves him for a drug dealer, a down on his luck fry cook (Rainn Wilson of "The Office") creates a wrench-wielding superhero identity called "The Crimson Bolt" and awkwardly punishes evil-doers around the city with the help of a kid sidekick (Ellen -- now "Elliott" -- Page).
James "Guardians of the Galaxy" Gunn wrote and directed this hilariously dark, occasionally disturbing, ultra-violent superhero satire that bears some resemblance to the better known "Kick-Ass," but I preferred this one, thanks to a great cast that also includes Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon and Michael Rooker.

"Spies, Lies & Naked Thighs" (1988)
A dorky U.N. translator (Ed Begley Jr.) and his wife are drawn into a web of international intrigue by a secret agent (Harry Anderson) who may or may not be what he seems.
The cast does its best with the thin material, but this dull made-for-TV spy spoof feels like an extra-long episode of a really lame sit-com. AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 13, 2023, 07:46:33 PM
"Burn" (2019)
A withdrawn young woman working the graveyard shift at a gas station convenience store has an unusual encounter with an armed robber, and the situation quickly spirals out of control. A decent low budget suspense thriller which goes off in some unexpected directions.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 14, 2023, 01:45:55 PM
Horror in the High desert 2: Minerva

This was not a success, but it's somehow still watchable. Basically, everyone did their job but the script just doesn't go anywhere. They seem to abandon the titular character Minerva 3/4 of the way through and try for something else. what happened?

If you saw and liked the first one you may want to see this just to re capture some of that vibe, but it's too poorly put together to be scary or memorable.

2.75/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on April 15, 2023, 03:00:06 PM
Epic Tails.

A French animated movie. I got the impression that whoever translated the script didn't have English as their first language as the language was a tad awkward. Terrible songs, but a cute film for kids. Ash seemed to enjoy it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 15, 2023, 03:46:43 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: A NIGHT OF SHORTS XI: Frank and Trace riff four long-ish shorts: a grocery store management guide, a capitalism 101 Lego-type stop motion animation, an industrial musical by General Motors (think "Design for Dreaming"), and a Mylar promotional short by DuPont that was originally riffed by MST3K for a CD-ROM project that got abandoned (and the original somehow lost). The after-show guest is film critic Walter Chaw, who may be the most intellectual guest they've ever had but can still talk about Bert I. Gordon movies with the best of them. This is a funny show that would be a good introduction to the series (most of the shorts compilations make better watches than the movies). 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 16, 2023, 05:49:23 AM
Furie/Hai Phuong (2019)

Turns out the movie that was at the basis of Furies/Thanh Soi was also on Netflix, so I had to see it.

Hai Phuong (Veronica Ngo) is an ex gangster who is laying low in the countryside trying to raise her daughter. When her daughter is kidnapped, she goes on a relentless chase to rescue her;

This is a far superior movie to the spinoff/sequel. For one thing, Veronica Ngo is a much better protagonist of a martial arts movie, with many and varied action scenes. Pacing is very tight: she has to rescue her daughter before the villains can get away, so there is an urgency to the action. It is also supremely focused: there is no romance (not even with the handsome police officers who helps her), no side plots, no comic relief, just Veronica Ngo beating up everyone who is standing in her way. And she has to do it alone. When she tries to renew her old contacts in Saigon, everyone is like 'you bailed on us ten years ago, and now you're back, asking for help? Fxxk off', which I thought was a nice twist.

It is what it is, but if you want a tight martial action movie (and a story of persistence in an uncaring universe), well worth watching.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 16, 2023, 08:04:33 AM
"Cocaine Bear" (2023)
A drug smuggling plane crashes in Tennessee, spilling a payload of cocaine bundles across a national forest. When a black bear laps up the dope it turns into a coked out, jacked up killing machine and a whole bunch of stupid human characters get mangled during its rampage. This tongue-in-cheek horror comedy is loosely based on a true event that happened in 1985. "Cocaine Bear" is certainly not a masterpiece, but it's fast moving, gory, and funny as hell. Two paws up.

"R.I.P.D." (2013)
A recently-deceased Boston cop (Ryan Reynolds) is drafted into an afterlife police force called the Rest In Peace Dept., whose job is to track down criminal souls and dispatch them "downstairs." On his first day on the job, Reynolds and his new partner (Jeff Bridges) stumble across a conspiracy that will allow the Undead to return to Earth, which leads to much blasting and zapping.
Reynolds and Bridges make a good team and the special effects are passable in this way-too-obvious combo of "Men In Black" and "Ghostbusters." Not original in the slightest, but an OK time waster.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 16, 2023, 02:52:02 PM
found footage movie that was so nondescript I can't remember the title  -  A young woman from California moves to an east coast city and starts having paranormal experiences in her new apartment, while also exhibiting weird behavior. A murder apparently happened there and the spirit is trying to reach her by moving a glass across a table and, surprise surprise, communicating via ouija board. The main actress was well cast but the acting and writing in general isn't too sharp, it's not that scary, and it ultimately doesn't do anything to distinguish itself. Proof: I don't remember what it was called. and yet, I did sit through it

2.75 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 16, 2023, 10:57:26 PM
RENFIELD (2023) - Every bit as awesome as the trailer made it look, maybe better!  My favorite vampire movie since the original FRIGHT NIGHT.
5/5 

GO SEE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on April 17, 2023, 04:08:05 AM
^I really want to.  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 18, 2023, 09:54:02 AM
SOMETHING WEIRD (1967): An electrician develops ESP after an accident with a live wire, turns into a huge jerk, meets a witch, travels to a small town to solve a murder, and takes LSD. With all that going on, H.G. Lewis still makes this incredibly cheap-looking, badly acted film crawl at a snail's pace. True cinema garbage, without any gore or nudity. The only professionally-done part of this mess is the psychedelic guitar score, which the Something Weird video company adopted as its theme song. This movie has "RC Merchant" written all over it! 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on April 18, 2023, 03:44:43 PM
^ I seen it.  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 22, 2023, 10:09:32 PM
"South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut" (1999)
The U.S. declares war on Canada due to smutty Canuck comics Terrance & Philip's undue influence on the children of South Park, while Satan and his gay lover Saddam Hussein wait in the wings to take over the world. Can Kyle, Cartman, Stan and the gang save their heroes and stop the apocalypse before it's too late? This feature length cartoon adventure is definitely not for the kiddies, but it is funny as hell.

"Orion: The Man Who Would Be King" (2015)
The strange story of country singer Jimmy Ellis, aka "Orion." After Elvis Presley's death in 1977, some unscrupulous record execs plucked Jimmy from obscurity and parlayed his uncanny vocal resemblance to the King into a series of records and concert tours in which he sported Elvis' jumpsuit and pompadour hair, but hid his face behind a Lone Ranger style mask, leading some fans to believe he really was Elvis reborn. I've seen this guy's records in thrift shops over the years but never knew much about his mostly-sad story until this bizarrely entertaining in-depth doc.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 23, 2023, 08:59:27 AM
Love after Love (2020)

In the 1930s Hong Kong, a young girl from Shanghai seeks refuge by her aunt. She ends up marrying a playboy to avert scandal, and replaces her aunt as the mistress of an older rich businessman.

This is another one of those slow, meandering beautifully shot stories about the impossibility of meaningful relationships and the influence of mercenary motives on human interaction. There is a lot of indirect narration. Everybody is immensely stylish as well.

Fans of Wong Kar Wai (count me in) will like this. I've seen a number of films from Hong Kong and Taiwan like this, which raises the question: is this really representative of the production over there, or is this just the kind of movie that tends to get distributed in the West?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 24, 2023, 07:40:45 AM
"Batman and Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero" (1998)
The villainous Mr. Freeze returns to Gotham City, seeking an organ donor to save his dying wife. As it turns out, Barbara (Batgirl) Gordon is a perfect match...but she won't survive the experience unless the Dynamic Duo can rescue her in time. A cool (pun not intended) feature-length spinoff from Batman: The Animated Series, with lots of cool cartoon action and fine voice work.  

"Batman and Bill" (2017)
For nearly 70 years, every piece of Batman media included the credit line "Batman Created By Bob Kane" -- because Kane screwed over his writing partner and co-creator Bill Finger, who came up with the majority of the Dark Knight mythos, back in the '30s. Bill Finger died penniless in the 1970s while the now-very-wealthy Kane stuck to the myth that he was Batman's sole creator. This documentary follows the grass roots movement by a group of comic historians and Bill's surviving family members to restore Bill's name to the Batman masthead. After years of denials, DC Comics finally did the right thing and as of 2015's "Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice," the creator credit now reads "Batman Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger." This deep dive into one of the comics industry's most notorious, longest-running controversies is an important history lesson and essential viewing for Bat-fans.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on April 25, 2023, 07:59:50 AM
Horror in the High desert 2: Minerva

If you saw and liked the first one you may want to see this just to re capture some of that vibe, but it's too poorly put together to be scary or memorable.


Discouraging news! I did like the first one and hoped the filmmakers could progress and achieve something even more impressive the next time around, instead of backsliding.  :bluesad:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on April 25, 2023, 10:35:41 AM
JACKASS FOREVER (2022):
Viewed last week, in advance of yesterday's news that former cast member Bam Margera is currently a fugitive from an arrest warrant. Perhaps that provides context for his conspicuous (yet unacknowledged) absence from this (technically 5th) feature-length entry. The other non-returning alumni, the late Ryan Dunn, receives a sentimental tribute during the closing credits, but Margera (formerly a 2nd billed focus of the series) is ignored entirely.  :tongueout:

Honestly one might consider that Margera and Dunn, for all their tribulations, have gotten off easy. The other veteran performers serve as something of a demonstration of the old Romero DAWN OF THE DEAD -> Kirkman "Walking Dead" thesis about survivors suffering more than the fallen. Frontman Johnny Knoxville looks like an embalmed corpse in close-up on the recent (and very good) sitcom REBOOT and the indignities he suffers onscreen here (shot prior to REBOOT, I think) would help explain that appearance. Even in wideshot here he staggers and limps like Bub or Bud the CHUD or Mr. Shanks from the William Castle/Marcel Marceau vehicle. It's more alarming than entertaining to see him clipped by a bull at full-speed and sent cartwheeling in mid-air before landing unconscious and broken. Steve-O loses teeth at two points and loses time (blacks out) at another.

I still remember roaring w/ laughter at JACKASS 2 in a theater 20 years ago. That one remains the high-water mark for the series in my mind, for its relentless inventiveness (up to and including utilizing preposterous gore FX to apparently massacre the cast). FOREVER (fwiw) surpasses 2.5 and 3 in that it approaches 2's same level of surrealism and, alas, also sadism. I stopped counting after the first three or so scenarios in FOREVER that resembled nightmarish tableaux from THE HOLY MOUNTAIN, w/ human bodies jury-rigged into Rube Goldberg contraptions and threatened w/ fire, water, electricity, gravity, and all manner of biohazards. FOREVER also matches or surpasses any Jodorowski film for sheer amount of full-frontal male nudity and worrisome animal exploitation.

Is that a recommendation?! It's hard to forget that legitimate film visionary Spike Jonze is a JACKASS creator and producer (particularly as he contributes a customary cameo). So these films aren't exactly stupid or mindless. To the contrary, they're some reflection of a truly inspired and unhinged Id. Maybe that's Entertainment! For the first time, though, I walked away from this one more disturbed and depressed than amused. Although I LOL'd several times, in retrospect I couldn't rationalize that more than a couple of those were at authentic humor. One prays this is the curtain call for the original cast, or else the next installment could play out like SICK: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF SUPER MASOCHIST BOB FLANAGAN.

???/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on April 25, 2023, 03:32:44 PM
Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Dull and plodding but ambitious. Ultimately the makers forgot what Star Trek was really about. No, not the whole of mankind maturing and becoming more sophisticated as a species. Really, the original TV series was never about that. What it was really about was fist fights with alien bad guys and boning hot alien women. Trying to fill a role that was already filled by 2001, but nonetheless, it relaunched the brand as a long-lasting franchise.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on April 25, 2023, 03:46:04 PM
^  :bouncegiggle:

(https://i.imgur.com/U0jR3eV.gif) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on April 25, 2023, 04:16:18 PM
 M.10rda - it has some good reviews, but I think its just because it's relatively slick and pro looking. thats good news about Jackass forever


Bad Blonde (1953) -

"In addition to her first two marriages and affairs with Howard Hughes, Bob Hope, Woody Strode, Guy Madison, George Raft, John Ireland, Steve Cochran and Texas oilman Bob Neal, Payton was married three more times. " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Payton (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Payton)

I remember reading about Barbara Payton's fall from grace in a movie magazine years ago. She left film noir actor Franchot Tone for the guy from Detour, then ended up alcoholic and living on the street like Veronica Lake. There are sure a lot of blondes like her in old Hollywood but I think the fact that she is like a 6 makes her hotter to me. Kind of a punker, more ethnic looking Jayne Mansfield with Ed Wood-ian tendencies.

She's well cast here as a blonde who marries a rich guy and doesn't care about anything but her self. Like numerous other film noirs, this takes place in the world of amateur boxing. The boxing itself that they show is kind of odd, like those robots who arms you move with your fingers, but maybe that's what British boxing looked like I don't know. I didn't like the comic relief Italian fight promoter, but his Italian family coming to town was a high point in this solid but not too exciting thriller. This and 4 Sided Triangle were her two Hammer movies

3.75 /5

okay maybe a little higher than a 6


(https://www.factinate.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2021-01-05-120418.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on April 25, 2023, 10:36:42 PM
^^^ Kind of resembles an old school Patricia Arquette: hard, a little vacuous - but who would throw her out of a Sonny Chiba grindhouse screening?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 27, 2023, 10:37:33 AM
"L7: Pretend We're Dead" (2017)
Fast n' furious documentary on the rise and fall of all-girl L.A. punk/metal rockers L7, who enjoyed a brief spin as a "buzz band" in the early '90s but were never quite able to crack the grunge-rock glass ceiling to the big time, despite friends in high places like Nirvana, the Chili Peppers, Marilyn Manson, and the Smashing Pumpkins. A badass doc about a badass band.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on April 27, 2023, 10:41:58 AM
^ GREAT band!  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on April 27, 2023, 12:18:59 PM
"L7: Pretend We're Dead" (2017)
Fast n' furious documentary on the rise and fall of all-girl L.A. punk/metal rockers L7, who enjoyed a brief spin as a "buzz band" in the early '90s but were never quite able to crack the grunge-rock glass ceiling to the big time, despite friends in high places like Nirvana, the Chili Peppers, Marilyn Manson, and the Smashing Pumpkins. A badass doc about a badass band.

I remember them having a raffle at one of their gigs where the winner got to have sex with the drummer.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on April 27, 2023, 07:14:49 PM
"L7: Pretend We're Dead" (2017)
Fast n' furious documentary on the rise and fall of all-girl L.A. punk/metal rockers L7, who enjoyed a brief spin as a "buzz band" in the early '90s but were never quite able to crack the grunge-rock glass ceiling to the big time, despite friends in high places like Nirvana, the Chili Peppers, Marilyn Manson, and the Smashing Pumpkins. A badass doc about a badass band.

I remember them having a raffle at one of their gigs where the winner got to have sex with the drummer.

I won that raffle but chickened out 😳😉🐢


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on April 28, 2023, 06:51:23 AM
"L7: Pretend We're Dead" (2017)
Fast n' furious documentary on the rise and fall of all-girl L.A. punk/metal rockers L7, who enjoyed a brief spin as a "buzz band" in the early '90s but were never quite able to crack the grunge-rock glass ceiling to the big time, despite friends in high places like Nirvana, the Chili Peppers, Marilyn Manson, and the Smashing Pumpkins. A badass doc about a badass band.

I remember them having a raffle at one of their gigs where the winner got to have sex with the drummer.

I won that raffle but chickened out 😳😉🐢

I guess thats better than my reply. A drummer? Sorry, but I have standards.  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on April 28, 2023, 09:06:36 AM
"L7: Pretend We're Dead" (2017)


I remember them having a raffle at one of their gigs where the winner got to have sex with the drummer.

I won that raffle but chickened out 😳😉🐢

Don't you make her s**tlist, now...! :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on April 28, 2023, 09:32:49 AM
THE VIOLENT YEARS (1956):
A suitable follow-up post to our L7 discussion, this badgirl gang movie is a rare Ed Wood flick that I'd never (previously) watched in its entirety. As it's only written by Wood 0but directed by William Morgan, it's no laff-fest of ineptitude (for better or worse). In fact, it's competent (even slick) and reasonably fast-paced. There's some clever dialogue, a good amount of action, and even some light sexual perversion. Overall it nicely demonstrates that Wood could solidly deliver the goods to the mainstream when necessary.

The most overt flaw is that it's stocked full of teenage girls who could pass for 28 and boys played by actors who are probably 40... which is a problem that has pervaded high school movies for eternity and still often hobbles current TV shows etc. Honestly the six female leads (the gang, the leader's mother, and their fence) give very strong performances. (Most of the men are all wet, but they're secondary anyway.) The girls jack cars, destroy property, and generally wreak havoc before graduating to homicide. At one point they strip and bind a guy at gunpoint and it's strongly implied they takes turns sexually assaulting him. I realize that sexual assault is under no circumstances "entertainment"  :lookingup: but this is 1956 we're talkin' about, so it's worth mentioning!

A little past the halfway point (and just around the time I might've started to lose interest), Wood escalates to a prolonged climax of admirable mayhem that yields a surprising number of deaths. Because this is 50s juvie propaganda, the film brings in a Judge who talks like The Criminologist but looks (unnervingly) like Dr. Scott, to deliver not 1 but 2 (!) lengthy monologues warning the survivors of the dangers of permissive parenting. It's a crock of horses**t, of course, but if I'd had a stiff drink in hand it would've had me chuckling.

THE VIOLENT YEARS precedes 1961's THE CHOPPERS by 5 years, has the same plot only w/ ladies instead of dudes, and is shorter and more bloodthirsty. I very much preferred TVY!
3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on April 28, 2023, 11:42:34 PM
THE DAY OF THE LIVING DEAD (2020)

A confusing, poorly filmed train wreck of a movie, about a zombie outbreak in 1956 Hollywood, apparently caused by some chemically laced cigarettes sold by the Seven Deadly Sins tobacco company, owned by a Mr. Beelzebub. Flashing back and forth from color to black and white, skipping from one storyline to the next, and tacking on a completely unconnected scene with Marilyn Monroe at the end, this movie was frankly awful.  2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 29, 2023, 10:42:21 AM
MST3K: HIGH SCHOOL BIG SHOT: After a crazy bread salesman short, the feature is actually a mildly involving attempt to put a film noir in a high school setting; it's not exactly good, but interesting enough to hold your attention between wisecracks, making it a nice experiment for viewers. In Deep 13 Frank clones a baby dinosaur, and on the Satellite of Love Tom accidentally ingests experimental steroids and grows to enormous size (while losing major IQ points). 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on April 29, 2023, 07:23:48 PM
AMERICAN HUSTLE (2013):
Second viewing for me, w/ the Madame, who had not seen it and apparently didn't realize it was a David O. Russell film. (She didn't want to watch AMSTERDAM when it was released based on his reputation.) I originally saw this on the big screen on Boxing Day, and remember being very impressed. Hot on the heels of THE BOXER and SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, this star-studded package was expected (and surely intended) to be Oscar-bait. It wasn't. I recall even at the time that acquaintances vehemently disparaged my fondness for AMERICAN HUSTLE, and presumably some of you may do likewise. Certainly public distaste for Russell has only grown in the past decade...

I hate bullies and I'm not too fond of sexual harassers either, but no matter how much Russell berated Lily Tomlin, I still can't stop loving I HEART HUCKABEES... and my return to AMERICAN HUSTLE made me feel even more strongly that this is top-shelf, five-star caliber Hollywood filmmaking... glossy, fast, expensive, but also complex and smart... the kind of filmmaking we usually associate today with Scorsese and maybe Coppola back in the day. That's clearly what Russell was going for here, and it delivers. I didn't intend to watch all of the 135 minutes this time around but it sucked me in and I had a ball. All of the acting is good-to-fantastic but Amy Adams, a perennially dependable performance, gives an exceptional performance that also happens to be one of the sexiest performances of all time. The hair and costume design (two departments I often disregard) are off the charts. Bale and Cooper's hairstyles get more rich development than many characters in other movies.

What took Oscars in 2014? 12 YEARS A SLAVE and Lyupita Nyongo, Cate Blanchett for BLUE JASMINE, and Alfonso Cuaron for GRAVITY... fine, though Blanchett already had an Oscar and Adams is better. Where I'll complain: Best Actor and Supporting Actor Matthew McConnaughey and Jared Leto. I'm sure there was a better performance than Bale's in 2013, but it sure wasn't McConnaughey, and every bowel movement I had in 2013 was more deserving of an Oscar than Jared f**king Leto. Also, the Oscar for Costume that year went to GREAT GATSBY - an easy, lazy choice - and Best Hair went to....... DALLAS BUYERS. I call B.S. I mean, McConnaughey's hair doesn't get its own pivotal scene or anything. Feh!

File "Russell" in the "Bad Men Making Good Art" file w/ Mamet and Polanski, I'll hold my nose and keep enjoying his films.
5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on April 29, 2023, 09:41:45 PM
"Steel and Lace" (1991)
A robotics expert (Bruce Davison, "X-Men") turns his dead sister into a killer cyborg and sics her on the group of men who brutalized her. A dorky cop (David "American Werewolf" Naughton) and his courtroom sketch-artist girlfriend follow the trail of carnage. A watchably weird direct-to-video cheapie that's part "Terminator," part rape/revenge flick, with decent gore effects and a strangely tongue-in-cheek tone given the subject matter.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on April 30, 2023, 01:53:43 AM
John Wick (2014)

The John Wick phenomenon had passed my by until now, but as the fourth installment has become a major event in film culture, I decided to see what the fuss was all about.

I was expecting Keanu Reeves shooting a lot of people in the head because of a puppy, and that was exactly what I got. Like many modern films, it does take its time to get going, but it is supremely stylish. Perhaps I went in with too high expectations, but while this is a very good computer game style movie, I don't quite get the hype.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on April 30, 2023, 05:44:13 AM
John Wick (2014)

 I don't quite get the hype.

I didn't either.
All of the sequels are superior.  :smile:
And 3 & 4 are very very good.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jack on April 30, 2023, 07:45:13 AM
Superdeep (2020) - back in Soviet Russia, they've drilled a bore hole 12 km into the earth, and something's gone terribly wrong.  A scientist lady and a small group of soldiers is called in to investigate.  Slow moving with bland characters, and despite very little happening it still managed to be somewhat confusing.  Not terribly suspenseful considering I was bored.  It featured the wonderful plot contrivance of needing a special key to operate the elevator, which made that last part of the movie into a video game fetch quest.  And the special effects at the end...hard not to chuckle.  I'll be generous and give it a 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on April 30, 2023, 09:11:57 AM
John Wick (2014)

 I don't quite get the hype.

I didn't either.
All of the sequels are superior.  :smile:
And 3 & 4 are very very good.

I never saw the original, and don't remember it being a big deal. Saw the second one and wasn't really that impressed. I liked the fourth one despite myself, it's ridiculous but a guilty pleasure.

THE B-SIDE (2016): Documentarian Errol Morris gives us a portrait of recently retired photographer Elsa Dorfman, an unassuming Jewish girl who once captured images of Bob Dylan and personal friend Allen Ginsburg. Respectful but minor, portraying a craftsman who's neither glamorous nor flamboyant. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jack on May 01, 2023, 07:59:44 AM
Apollo 18 (2011) - an 18th mission is sent to the moon, except this time it's a top-secret defense department thing.  This was damned near unwatchable.  Remember the original moon landing footage, all grainy, oversaturated, with lots of dropouts?  Now lets add a handheld camera jumping around all over the place, intentionally sloppy editing (bright white screen when one piece of film runs out etc.), and a few thousand jump cuts.  Characters were undeveloped but I will say that as it takes place in 1974, they did have that "We're doing something historic and we really care about each other" vibe.  The plot...we've seen this exact same thing done far better in numerous other movies.  1/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 01, 2023, 07:31:37 PM
Apollo 18 (2011) - an 18th mission is sent to the moon, except this time it's a top-secret defense department thing.  This was damned near unwatchable.  Remember the original moon landing footage, all grainy, oversaturated, with lots of dropouts?  Now lets add a handheld camera jumping around all over the place, intentionally sloppy editing (bright white screen when one piece of film runs out etc.), and a few thousand jump cuts.  Characters were undeveloped but I will say that as it takes place in 1974, they did have that "We're doing something historic and we really care about each other" vibe.  The plot...we've seen this exact same thing done far better in numerous other movies.  1/5.

I rather liked this one because it FELT real to me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on May 01, 2023, 07:35:12 PM
SWORD OF DOOM (1966):
One of two films that confused me quite deeply in the past couple of weeks. (The other was Jane Campion's POWER OF THE DOG, which has a simple plot but highly ambiguous messaging...) I'll be the first to admit that Japanese films can sometimes perplex w/ their dismissive attitudes about traditional narrative logic and character motivations, so I was willing to accept that this well-regarded samurai flick might just be over my head. It's admirably complex for a while, w/ intertwining plotlines and myriad supporting characters hovering around the central anti-hero, but two such major subplots and at least 4 such characters disappear inexplicably at the film's climax, which just kind of implodes into a maniacal slaughter of anonymous extras.

I still don't know what the deal w/ POTD was, but some light Googling provides an easy answer to the puzzle that is SWORD OF DOOM: it's the first part of a planned trilogy that was never continued. Although I can find no confirmation of this, I also wonder if some parts of this sole entry have been lost to time - the final shot of the film, for instance, looks like it's from an inferior dup several generations removed from the negative... and I watched SoD on a Criterion disk. Honestly the suddenly jittery, bleached out quality of that shot only accentuates the psychotic ending.

For a 60s samurai movie, SWORD OF DOOM is extremely creepy, weird, and chaotic. The central character (played by Tatsuya Nakadai) isn't a righteous avenger or even an ambivalent ne'er-do-well... he's a bug-eyed, sweaty sociopath who'll kill just about anyone who crosses his path at the slightest provocation. In terms of "warmth" and "relatability" he ranks below Nicholas Worth in DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE but maybe slightly above Lawrence Harvey in HUMAN CENTIPEDE 2, but Nakadai's commitment manages to hold your interest throughout. Although SWORD OF DOOM is sometimes classified as a horror film, for the most part it's only "horror" in the way that HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER is a "horror film". Right near the end, though, Nakadai starts to crack up ala Joe Spinnell at the end of MANIAC, and there are hints of some quasi-supernatural happenings that, alas, never come fully to fruition. I wish they would've made that sequel, though even what's available of SWORD OF DOOM is worth checking out!

3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 03, 2023, 03:44:00 PM
Wilderness Survival For Girls (2004) - I didn't realize this was from almost 20 years ago when I was watching it. The dialogue and acting are much better than similar sort of movies today.

3 teenage girls go to a cabin in the woods to smoke pot and drink beer, but are interrupted by a transient guy who had been illegally living there. The issue is what to do: call the police?, send him on his way?, hang out with him?

On some level it's like an acting class, but it's a good class. It's not going to change the way you view the world but it's pretty competent for what it is.

4.25 /5

extra credit for not having the 3 girls do car karaoke on the way to the cabin so 4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 04, 2023, 06:30:43 AM
"The Amazing Spider-Man" (2010)
Andrew Garfield takes over the web-slinger role in this "reboot" of the Spidey saga, which re-tells his origin story and then pits him against The Lizard. I've never quite understood why they felt the need to re-start the franchise so soon after the 3rd Toby Maguire movie -- couldn't they have just dropped Garfield into place and picked up where that one left off? -- but otherwise this is a fun, flashy action flick with a great cast. Underrated.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 04, 2023, 09:45:13 AM
SPHERE (1998): At the behest of the military, a small team of multidisciplinary scientists explore a subterranean artifact that appeared at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. A great cast (Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson) keeps it watchable, but Barry Levinson isn't the right director for a sci-fi thriller with reality-bending aspects; he approaches the script in a mundane, literal sense, and keeps reminding you of much better movies on similar topics. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on May 04, 2023, 07:13:37 PM
SPHERE (1998): \
A great cast (Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson)

And lest we forget... Liev Schreiber! Fifth-billed behind Queen Latifah (...) despite having more screen-time and dialogue and despite being... Liev Schreiber!

I agree SPHERE is not very good. I watched it back in the day primarily for Schreiber and specifically on account of Schreiber talking in contemporaneous interviews about his lifelong admiration for Hoffman and how it had long been his dream to act w/ Hoffman. Among the many things missing from SPHERE........ any dramatically significant or extensive Hoffman/Schreiber scenes!

Schreiber really got no respect in the 90s, even after scene-stealing work in SCREAM 2, MIXED NUTS, THE DAYTRIPPERS, PARTY GIRL, and others... not to mention PHANTOMS, where he delivers what is for my money one of the best performances in any legitimately bad movie. And it is a baaaaad movie... but Schreiber's "Eddie Deezen as demonic molester" performance?  :hot: :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 06, 2023, 03:28:06 PM
Woman on the Run (1950) - above average film noir starring Ann Sheridan, who looks vaguely European but not that great here. A guy witnesses a murder and goes on the run to avoid retribution from the gangster who did it. Joining in the hunt are the police, his wife, and a reporter and also his dog Rembrandt who occasionally provides tension and/or comic relief.

Speaking of tension, one really good use of it is when various of these people are chasing each other around the roller coaster at the final scene: an amusement park along the beach. As the killer is slowly revealed, the roller coaster will come whipping around a corner with people screaming. Not as good as the guy lighting off fireworks in Boogie Nights but close.

4.75 /5   it's not quite a classic but it was better than I expected

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043142/trivia/?ref_=tt_trv_trv (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043142/trivia/?ref_=tt_trv_trv) <  factoids about it


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 07, 2023, 03:47:02 PM
"The Bourne Identity" (2002)
Fisherman find a near-dead man floating in the waters off of Marseilles, France. When he wakes up, he has no memory of who he is or how he got there... but he quickly learns that he has serious ass-kickin' skills... which is a good thing, because some very bad people come looking for him and he has to go on the run. This was the first of five movies based on Robert Ludlum's series of spy novels, starring Matt Damon as the mysterious "Jason Bourne." He's got impressive action-hero moves and the European scenery is lovely. This was the first time I'd seen any of this series, and I will definitely be checking out more.

"Bleeding Steel" (2018)
A Chinese cop (Jackie Chan) must protect his estranged daughter from a Darth Vader-ish radiation-scarred supervillain who wants to steal her high-tech artificial heart for the healing powers it provides. This Chinese/Australian sci-fi/action mash up seems like it's trying to cop the Marvel Cinematic Universe vibe, but the story seriously doesn't make a lick of sense (possibly lost in translation?). After a while I gave up trying to follow it and just watched stuff explode and people beat the crap out of each other. Jackie's looking a little long in the tooth nowadays so I have to wonder how much of the stunt work is actually done by him and how much is green screen/CGI trickery. Skip this mess unless you're a diehard Chan fan.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 07, 2023, 09:32:00 PM
EVIL DEAD RISE (2023) Another installment in the EVIL DEAD franchise.  Like the remake a few years ago, this one ignores the dark humor that made the original movies appealing and settles for cruelty, gore, shock value, and thousands of gallons of fake blood.  A few hundred gallons, anyway.   If you go in with low expectations, you might enjoy it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 08, 2023, 08:51:57 AM
THE BAD BATCH (2016): In the future, undesirables are exiled to the lawless desert southwest, where a recent female exile encounters a band of cannibals. An intriguing setup with a good-looking cast and locations; unfortunately the story wanders around aimlessly in the desert searching for cult relevance, ultimately ending in the most disheartening way imaginable.  2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on May 08, 2023, 09:48:32 AM
EVIL DEAD RISE (2023) Another installment in the EVIL DEAD franchise.  Like the remake a few years ago, this one ignores the dark humor that made the original movies appealing and settles for cruelty, gore, shock value, and thousands of gallons of fake blood.  A few hundred gallons, anyway.   If you go in with low expectations, you might enjoy it.

If it ain't Bruce, I don't wanna know.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 08, 2023, 09:54:30 AM
EVIL DEAD RISE (2023) Another installment in the EVIL DEAD franchise.  Like the remake a few years ago, this one ignores the dark humor that made the original movies appealing and settles for cruelty, gore, shock value, and thousands of gallons of fake blood.  A few hundred gallons, anyway.   If you go in with low expectations, you might enjoy it.

If it ain't Bruce, I don't wanna know.

He was involved in the making of it, but not as an actor.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 08, 2023, 03:18:29 PM
Show Them No Mercy! (1935) - awkwardly loud title aside this was a good movie. Rather gritty for 1935 and thus more compelling than the typical late night youtube movie from almost a hundred years ago adventure. The Fay Wray-ish wife is extremely cute.

A likeable couple with a baby who brings tension to the plot and a dog who brings comic relief to that self same story spend the night at an abandoned house after their car gets stuck in the mud. Too bad it's the hideout of a group of kidnappers. As the baby cries and the dog does occasional jokes, the walls begin to close in on the gangsters who of course are listening to the radio the exact moment the news report about them breaks in to the jazz music show.

The director is clearly struggling with the then new Hayes code and ends sort of with two movies: one happy one and one brutal one. I'm not a big fan of these kind of standoff sort of movies but it's memorable and substantial. awesome ending

4.5 /5


edit "The title refers to the government's plan at the time for putting an end to a lucrative racket, kidnapping. "


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 08, 2023, 04:07:42 PM
"Hard Rain" (1998)
An armored car driver (Christian Slater) must protect his payload from a very determined gang of would-be robbers, during a torrential rainstorm that threatens to completely flood a small Indiana town. Underrated action/disaster flick hybrid that makes the most of its unique setting and great cast that also includes Morgan Freeman, Minnie Driver, and a pre-crazy Randy Quaid.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on May 08, 2023, 04:11:58 PM
"Hard Rain" (1998)
An armored car driver (Christian Slater) must protect his payload from a very determined gang of would-be robbers, during a torrential rainstorm that threatens to completely flood a small Indiana town. Underrated action/disaster flick hybrid that makes the most of its unique setting and great cast that also includes Morgan Freeman, Minnie Driver, and a pre-crazy Randy Quaid.

One of my friends commented that "the only film with more water in it than Hard Rain is Lawrence of Arabia" 😳😉🐢


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on May 08, 2023, 07:22:31 PM
THE BAD BATCH (2016): In the future, undesirables are exiled to the lawless desert southwest, where a recent female exile encounters a band of cannibals. An intriguing setup with a good-looking cast and locations; unfortunately the story wanders around aimlessly in the desert searching for cult relevance, ultimately ending in the most disheartening way imaginable.  2.5/5

Agreed entirely (as often is the case). I saw this before the same director's A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT and later found that (well-regarded) film irritating in many of the same ways as BAD BATCH. I really wanted to enjoy both films, but the director goes out of her way to make it difficult for me.

You are a better man than me, Rev, as I can't discuss this film w/o mentioning the bizarre star turns: Keanu Reeves looking like Nicolas Cage and kind of acting like him, and a wholly unrecognizable Jim Carrey doing pantomime in the desert. Jason Momoa is a terrifying baddish-guy, but to no avail.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 08, 2023, 08:57:40 PM
THE BAD BATCH (2016): In the future, undesirables are exiled to the lawless desert southwest, where a recent female exile encounters a band of cannibals. An intriguing setup with a good-looking cast and locations; unfortunately the story wanders around aimlessly in the desert searching for cult relevance, ultimately ending in the most disheartening way imaginable.  2.5/5

Agreed entirely (as often is the case). I saw this before the same director's A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT and later found that (well-regarded) film irritating in many of the same ways as BAD BATCH. I really wanted to enjoy both films, but the director goes out of her way to make it difficult for me.

You are a better man than me, Rev, as I can't discuss this film w/o mentioning the bizarre star turns: Keanu Reeves looking like Nicolas Cage and kind of acting like him, and a wholly unrecognizable Jim Carrey doing pantomime in the desert. Jason Momoa is a terrifying baddish-guy, but to no avail.

The Jim Carrey casting was especially bizarre.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 11, 2023, 12:46:42 AM
The Black Raven (1943) - I really liked this ultra cheap mystery thing starring George Zucco. There needs to be more movies set at a random hotel amidst a torrential downpour. A bunch of people show up at a hotel that's near the Canadian border and thus, a hotspot for criminals on the lam. These things were sort of like variety shows a bunch of different people showing up and acting as the situation calls for. The key word for this movie is "budget" the film and the plot and everything about it is contained in to a morsel that leaves the viewer ready to watch something fancier. I recommend it

4.5 /5

(https://www.mysteryfile.com/Bi1021/Raven2.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 11, 2023, 09:16:51 AM
TOUT VA BIEN (1972): A director and his journalist wife are trapped at a sausage making plant during a strike. This is one of those Jean Luc Godard movies where the characters look directly at the camera and make observations on Marxism; there's a cute satirical bit set at a supermarket in the end, but most of the time it's like Godard's strategy is boring his audience into revolution. A generous 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on May 12, 2023, 08:48:31 AM
TOUT VA BIEN (1972): A director and his journalist wife are trapped at a sausage making plant during a strike. This is one of those Jean Luc Godard movies where the characters look directly at the camera and make observations on Marxism; there's a cute satirical bit set at a supermarket in the end, but most of the time it's like Godard's strategy is boring his audience into revolution. A generous 2/5.

Not unrelated question: have you seen WHITE NOISE?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 12, 2023, 09:19:01 AM
TOUT VA BIEN (1972): A director and his journalist wife are trapped at a sausage making plant during a strike. This is one of those Jean Luc Godard movies where the characters look directly at the camera and make observations on Marxism; there's a cute satirical bit set at a supermarket in the end, but most of the time it's like Godard's strategy is boring his audience into revolution. A generous 2/5.

Not unrelated question: have you seen WHITE NOISE?

The Noah Baumbach film? No. It was on my awards consideration shortlist last year but time ran out before I could get to it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on May 13, 2023, 10:25:58 AM

The Noah Baumbach film? No. It was on my awards consideration shortlist last year but time ran out before I could get to it.
[/quote]

Time was kind to you!

WHITE NOISE (2022):
I've never read any books by author Don DeLillo, who's considered a contemporary of Thomas Pynchon (who I like) and was an inspiration for David Foster Wallace (who I like a great deal). If nothing else, Baumbach's adaptation makes me want to read some DeLillo, as the absurdist dialogue, inscrutable character motivations, and wild shifts in tone - perhaps literary maneuvers of a seasoned master - might work better on the page than they do onscreen.

For a 100 million dollar production, WHITE NOISE is remarkably schizophrenic in plot and style. The first half is devoted to an apocalyptic disaster which is abruptly forgotten, giving way to a smaller scale mystery/thriller. (There's also a completely misplaced scene of slapstick in a speeding station wagon midway through, as if the editors accidentally spliced in an outtake from a National Lampoon VACATION comedy.) Admirably, the first half is rife w/ direct references to Godard, most obviously in the shots of gridlock traffic mayhem straight out of WEEK-END but also in the sterile dayglo supermarket scenes (from TOUT VA BIEN and elsewhere). But the film also quotes David Lynch multiple times... pivotally at the motel climax but also much earlier, w/ Baumbach almost precisely recreating a bedsheet nightmare from ERASERHEAD. Surely I should commend any director for taking inspiration from two legendary directors - but are the approaches of Godard and Lynch complementary to one another? If this product is any indication - not at all.

All of the characters in WHITE NOISE speak in riddles, epigrams, and non-sequiterial proclamations, practically all the time. While Baumbach stops short of having them address their dialogue across the fourth wall to the viewer, he does little for much of the film to allow the audience access to his characters' inner lives. Godard, the Brecht of the cinema, had no interest for the most part in his characters' inner lives, and was/is content to expose sometimes indigestible surfaces and supertext. Thus Baumbach might have done better to handle all this amusing yet confounding dialogue as Lynch does - by establishing an atmosphere of unwavering emotional transparency, so that even the most inscrutable statements sound somehow sincere and even profound. (I'll cite, among endless possible examples, the impenetrable but heartbreaking conversation between Laura Dern and the Asian woman on the sidewalk in INLAND EMPIRE.) Perhaps Baumbach is averse to this approach or incapable of it. Since the early 00s, he's kept his characters at arm's length or further from identification, closing the distance only to torture them for (I guess) his own edification. Conversely, Lynch likes or loves his freakish characters - without exception. Not surprisingly, I find catharsis at the end of every Lynch film. When Baumbach reaches the end of WHITE NOISE, he seems to expect me to suddenly discover empathy for his protagonists. Although I can relate to their situation, he's failed to bring me closer to them, or to caring for and about them.

I will mention briefly the work of Adam Driver, an actor who I can tolerate when doing comedy (on TV's "Girls" and SNL and nominally in BLACKkKLANSMAN) but who I abhor when he earnestly applies himself to drama or to slaying my childhood heroes in a dumb emo mullet. Driver was the primary reason I skipped the previous Baumbach joint, MARRIAGE STORY. In WHITE NOISE, Baumbach grays his hair and gives him cartoonish fake eyebrows, making him look like Steve Coogan (a much more enjoyable actor imho). Driver affects a weird midwestern accent and prances about, soliloquizing on Hitler and Elvis and der Todestrieb. As a result, I admit I can't hate the guy! But I also can't take him seriously.

The (long) film ends w/ a surprising choreographed dance number in the supermarket. It might've delighted me after 45 or 60 minutes or at the end of a different film, but here it seems almost like an apology, or an admission that Baumbach knows he should've delivered something more entertaining. Many reviews seem tolerant if guarded but it's only 63% on RottenTomatoes thus by no means were the benedictions unanimous. Predictably it lost a lot of money. I admire Netflix showering cash on this totally bizarre passion project (...after Prime cleaned up on MARRIAGE STORY...) and yet I hope its failure helps put the brakes on Baumbach's excesses. I'd be happy to see him return to the light, clever comedies he was making in the 90s. WHITE NOISE is indeed a Disaster.

2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 13, 2023, 05:35:06 PM
Unwelcome.

After a home invasion in London a couple expecting a baby move to Ireland in the hope of a more peaceful life. They however quickly run afoul of a local family. The situation is complicated by the presence of some local fae who take an interest in the events. Vaguely uncomfortable to watch in places but overall, I enjoyed it. I guess it sort of has a happy ending of a kind.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 13, 2023, 06:20:08 PM
HONEYMOON HORROR (2008) - A man and his girlfriend decide to spend the weekend at an "Adult Resort" built over an old summer camp.  They've been together a year and haven't had sex yet, so he's stressed out; she's just returned from attending her father's funeral in Japan so she's stressed out, and the homicidal ghost of a molested young man is taking out the men and women who come to the resort to hook up with strangers.  Rather bizarre and disjointed; ultra cheap, some of the girls were pretty, the killings mostly take place offscreen or else involve seeing an axe close up whack into fabric with lots of fake blood.  In short, this is a golden slice of BAD movie cheese!   4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 13, 2023, 09:47:13 PM
QUEST FOR THE UNICORN (2018) - An interesting freebie on Prime.  A buxom blonde prisoner of some weird cannibal tribe escapes her captors and then heads deeper into their territory in search of a mythical unicorn that she keeps seeing in her dreams.  Along the way she rescues a thief and a warrior, who help her in the quest as the cannibal queen leads her minions to hunt them down.  A surprisingly serious film for such a silly premise; the main stars are attractive, there is some pretty graphic violence and a tad of nudity to spice things up.  It was quite a bit better than I expected, honestly. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 13, 2023, 10:26:37 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: TEENAGE ZOMBIES: Wow, what a turkey. A Jerry Warren film from the 50s in which nothing happens. There's maybe 10 minutes of plot padded to 70 minutes. Even the jokes couldn't make this one work. The Q&A, with a comedienne I'd never heard of, was pleasant enough. Not a recommended episode, however. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 14, 2023, 04:39:00 AM
The wolf house/la casa lobo (2018)

An experimental Chilean animated feature inspired by a case of child abuse in a German closed community/cult in South Chile. It is also supposed to be a commentary on Pinochet.

I found out the above by googling, because the movie is completely opaque. Not since Primer have I seen a movie that so stubbornly refuses to explain anything at all. It does have a very nightmarish quality, with jittery stop motion animation of things constantly transmogrifying into other things. The language switches constantly from Spanish to German for no reason I could discover. Worth seeing as a visual experience.

Critics seem to love it, but I guess they read the press release beforehand.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 14, 2023, 05:07:23 AM
Renfield.

A fairly fun spin on the Dracula story. Easy to overanalyze but just tell your brain to shut up and enjoy the movie. I especially liked the blank and white call back to the universal movies. Nic Cage is clearly having a blast in the role.

The teeth struck me as an odd choice though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on May 14, 2023, 08:09:00 AM
THE MADS ARE BACK: TEENAGE ZOMBIES: Wow, what a turkey. A Jerry Warren film from the 50s in which nothing happens. There's maybe 10 minutes of plot padded to 70 minutes.

I saw TZ once over a decade ago, was inclined to agree w/ you, then watched it again maybe 5-6 years (why?! I admit I used to drink a bit...) and it - grew on me? Low-billed Nan Green plays the perky, resourceful brunette Dotty (the only female member of the gang not to get captured and zombified) w/ such focus, initiative, and spunk that I spent most of the running time studying her and reflecting on how a dummy like Jerry Warren somehow ends up casting a real, trained (or innately gifted) actor and then doesn't seize the opportunity by inventing more stuff for her to do, thus improving his lame movie... or ever casting her again! Meanwhile he cast cheerfully inept and perpetually spaced out Katherine Victor (apparently not his mistress, though who knows) as the lead in almost all his movies.

I also dig the dopey gorilla. And that big fight scene (err, wrestling match?) at the end is in a class all its own per ineptitude.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 14, 2023, 08:45:56 AM
The wolf house/la casa lobo (2018)

An experimental Chilean animated feature inspired by a case of child abuse in a German closed community/cult in South Chile. It is also supposed to be a commentary on Pinochet.

I found out the above by googling, because the movie is completely opaque. Not since Primer have I seen a movie that so stubbornly refuses to explain anything at all. It does have a very nightmarish quality, with jittery stop motion animation of things constantly transmogrifying into other things. The language switches constantly from Spanish to German for no reason I could discover. Worth seeing as a visual experience.

Critics seem to love it, but I guess they read the press release beforehand.

I loved it! I learned some of the background beforehand, but I don't think you need to know anything more than is given in the short prologue. Girl is in abusive cult, girl flees abusive cult, ends up in fairy tale nightmare. Visuals are astounding.

(https://64.media.tumblr.com/f319aa8db76d58ba2d6216722b2b2182/74e98247e9bee6fd-1c/s500x750/945e1277241a15eea91d4cfad0b8e4d292f96a6f.gif)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 14, 2023, 12:03:29 PM
"The Bourne Supremacy" (2004)
Second film in the "Bourne" series sees the amnesiac super-agent (Matt Damon) hiding out in India, still trying to get his head together. Naturally, the shadowy government agency that he used to work for aren't going to leave him alone, and this time they're even trying to pin an assassination on him that he didn't commit. Once again, there's lots of globe trotting action (the car chase through the streets of Moscow is amazing!) and narrow escapes. Gritty, realistic spy-and-counterspy stuff; these films definitely had a major influence on the Daniel Craig era of 007.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 14, 2023, 10:01:17 PM
"American Psycho 2: All American Girl" (2002)
A college criminology student (Mila Kunis) - who also happens to be the only survivor of Patrick Bateman's murderous rampage - has her eye on a prestigious teaching assistant position on campus and will do anything to get it, including murdering her competition for the job.
... this direct to video pseudo-sequel to Christian Bale's 2000 cult hit apparently started out as a stand-alone film with no connection to "American Psycho," before some last minute re-shoots and a new prologue were added in order to tie it into "A.P." It didn't help. Without the "Psycho" branding, this is just another cheap, post-Scream campus slasher flick. Skip it unless you're an obsessed Mila Kunis fan, or you want to see proof of how far William Shatner's career had slid by the early 2000s.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on May 15, 2023, 01:11:28 AM


I loved it! I learned some of the background beforehand, but I don't think you need to know anything more than is given in the short prologue. Girl is in abusive cult, girl flees abusive cult, ends up in fairy tale nightmare. Visuals are astounding.

(https://64.media.tumblr.com/f319aa8db76d58ba2d6216722b2b2182/74e98247e9bee6fd-1c/s500x750/945e1277241a15eea91d4cfad0b8e4d292f96a6f.gif)

Well, I must admit that most of the time I had no clue what was going on. At one point I was wondering whether this would turn into a weird retelling of the three little pigs, with Maria being revealed as the third pig that had escaped. That being said, what it lacks in plot, it largely makes up for in atmosphere.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on May 15, 2023, 06:28:07 AM
"American Psycho 2: All American Girl" (2002)
A college criminology student (Mila Kunis) - who also happens to be the only survivor of Patrick Bateman's murderous rampage - has her eye on a prestigious teaching assistant position on campus and will do anything to get it, including murdering her competition for the job.
... this direct to video pseudo-sequel to Christian Bale's 2000 cult hit apparently started out as a stand-alone film with no connection to "American Psycho," before some last minute re-shoots and a new prologue were added in order to tie it into "A.P." It didn't help.

It certainly didn't help motivate ME to watch this - one of the handful of films I've rejected sight unseen on the basis of premise rather than director or lead actor. I feel like the historical record demands that there can be no literal "only survivor of Patrick Bateman's murderous rampage" as, strictly speaking, everyone on MovieEarth (and NovelEarth) is a "survivor of Patrick Bateman's murderous rampage", as

***SPOILER***
Patrick Batemam is a pathetic delusional man who never actually kills anyone
***END SPOILER***

...Amused that the producers of ALL-AMERICAN GIRL bothered to retrofit their unrelated film as a sequel to AMERICAN PSYCHO w/o bothering to read or watch the source material. Not amused enough to endure the "sequel", however!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 15, 2023, 08:46:49 AM
LINOLEUM (2022): When a rocket crashes in his backyard, failed children's TV-show host and astronomer Cameron (Jim Gaffigan) decides to rebuild it; meanwhile, a lot of other strange things are happening in town, like the appearance of his doppelganger and a strange old woman who appears and stares at him. The movie almost seems to bite off more than it can chew, following not only Cameron but also his wife's career struggles, his daughter's burgeoning romance with the new kid in town, and his dementia-ridden father; a (guessable) plot twist ties everything up tidily. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 15, 2023, 10:11:09 AM
Unicorn Wars.

Teddy bears are at war with unicorns in a film filled with blood and teddy bear penises. Seriously, I had never realised that I never wanted to see teddy bear genitalia until I saw them in this film. Anyway, lots of religious allegory stop this film being as fun as it could have been. I was expecting something closer to South Park than Full Metal Jacket.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 15, 2023, 11:00:33 AM
Winnie the Pooh: Bloody & Honey.

In the 80s or 90s this would have been an acceptable average slasher, doubtless pushed into the realm of a classic just because of the idea of turning beloved childhood icons into murderers.For something made today, it's a bit sub-par. The kills aren't innovative, the effects are passable. The only thing it has going for it to make it stand out in any way is the furor over the IP. Acting is poor and the killers could be any two guys in masks. The director is going to be at a Horror Convention I am thinking about getting tickets for. I wouldn't make any effort to meet him, but I wouldn't jeer him on the street either.

Shame really. I can see a lot of ways this could have been made much better and achieved much more. It finishes with some quite clear room for a sequel.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 15, 2023, 03:03:01 PM
Hollywood Stadium Mystery (1938) - I'll just keep watching these things because they're good enough? A boxer dies in the ring and police try to find who did it, with the help of mystery writer played by a relatively attractive lady. As the case heats up, her and the district attorney begin a torrid affair (actually mild flirtation). A hilarious running joke is how they keep making a bet for $5.

about an hour long. Next !

4.35 (for variety) / 5

Commissioner Gordon from the Batman TV show is the DA

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDg0NmFhZjYtMWRjYy00NWFlLTlkZmUtMGQ4NzU2M2I2ZDU1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTcyODY2NDQ@._V1_.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 15, 2023, 04:35:26 PM
Infinity Pool.

Another film that could have been so much more than it was. I'd have concentrated more on the lead character's reaction to the decision he made (trying to avoid spoilers), but this is the Cronenberg bloodline we are talking about here, so it gets the sexualised and violent treatment instead. I found the end of the movie unsatisfying. It wasn't bad, but I doubt I'd get enough interest in it to watch it again. It does seem though at the moment, if you are interested on horror that it is impossible to avoid hearing about Mia Goth at the moment.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 16, 2023, 12:18:10 PM
I really liked INFINITY POOL. My favorite 2023 release so far. Dripping in evil and sophisticated sleaze.

LETTER TO JANE (1972): Using only stills and narration, Jean-Luc Goddard and Jean-Pierre Gorin dissect the infamous photo of Jane Fonda in Hanoi, tying it to their latest release (TOUT VA BIEN, featuring Fonda) and to their musings about the role of the intellectual in supporting Leftist revolutions. A playful and intelligent, if heavily propagandistic, hour-long essay in the form of a "letter." More straightforward and interesting than the feature it supports. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 18, 2023, 11:11:27 AM
Hellraiser.

A curious little remake. It is not (in my view), a bad movie but it did feel like a watered-down version of the original. The voice of Pinhead was a nice touch, but I found Doug Bradley's performance in that role to be a much more menacing take on the character. I didn't feel that casting a female (or trans) person in the role added or took anything away/ I might be desensitized I guess, but the torture scenes didn't quite match the first two movies (or even Hellraiser: Inferno, which I think is a very underrated movie).

A worthy addition to the series, but certainly not the best it has had to offer. Then again, it is also very far from the worst one (for me Bloodline and Hellworld battle it out for which one gets that title, although I believe there are one or two other movies in the series I have not yet watched.

Where I think the film falls down a little is that, originally Julia Cotton rather than the Cenobites was the main villain. You kind of have something along those lines here, but the real bad guy doesn't turn up until quite near the end of the film. When he does, he is a bit lackluster and the Cenobites aren't front and centre enough to fill the gap. Their presence is certainly felt throughout the film. Depending on my mood, I'd give it somewhere between a 3 to a 4 out of 5, but I couldn't settle on exactly where I'd place it. I would be willing to give any sequels a go though (although I'd again watch them on a streaming service rather than pay to see it in a cinema).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 18, 2023, 03:50:41 PM
Echoes in The Darkness (made for tv 1987) - note: this is not the fan fiction Star Wars story Echoes of Darkness

The basic story comes from a murder case that was in the headlines in 1979: a teacher and his boss the principal were accused of killing a fellow teacher and her two children in brutal fashion, the motive being a life insurance payout one of them was the beneficiary of.

I'm hesitant to review it because the running time listed is 4 hours and tubi's is only about 3. Thats the length of the one on youtube though, so who knows. If it ran on prime time with ads it might be 4 hours. Whatever, I'll review what I saw...


Kind of a tough one here. The problem is the acting of the main guy but moreso the writing in general. This was made before cop shows /movies really kicked into high gear in the US and it just doesn't cut it as far as believability and how it's organized. Right off the bat, the guy just doesn't come off as a charismatic cult leader type. He seems like he's LYING which ruins the whole vibe. It's more of a wikipedia entry come to life than a movie. And yet, I did watch the whole thing. The case is interesting and they clearly put a lot of work into it with tons of detail.


I'd guess some of you saw or have seen this so maybe you can relate. It's good... but it's not good. It has sex and violence.... but it doesn't. It hooks you...but too softly

3/ 5








Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 19, 2023, 10:18:37 AM
THE DREAMS OF RENE SENDAM (2022): A socially awkward poetry student pursues relationships with classmates which mix up in his mind with his dreams. Well-meaning and kind of sweet, but unfocused, like meandering poetry. The lack of budget shows in uneven acting and low production value. On Tubi. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on May 19, 2023, 09:47:55 PM
Hellraiser.

A curious little remake. It is not (in my view), a bad movie but it did feel like a watered-down version of the original.

I think at 85 minutes this would've been a stronger film. At 2 full hours it's entirely too laborious. 35 years on, many viewers are familiar w/ and need no elaborate introduction to cenobites, right? Although this film provides some new mythos about the boxes, it comes after extensive introduction of new human characters who are really just present to provide torture-fodder and little else. (Oddly, I wanted to know MORE about a couple of the victims - poor time management to provide so little character development at such length.)

The original was 94 minutes and (I think) was almost perfect. We knew Julia, Frank, Kirsty, and Larry really well. The cenobites are onscreen for less than 10 minutes but they're terrifying. Actually, the new cenobites in this one are terrifying as well - until we have to watch them standing around staring at potential victims for long minutes on end. Less is more.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 21, 2023, 09:10:21 AM
"They Live" (1988)
A drifter ("Rowdy" Roddy Piper) arrives in Los Angeles looking for work. He comes into possession of a pair of sunglasses that allow him to see the world as it really is: run by skull-faced, bug eyed aliens who keep humanity asleep and docile through subliminal messaging. Once he sees the light, Roddy joins a resistance movement to help take back the planet.
John Carpenter's so-80s-it-hurts sci-fi satire has aged better than expected.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 21, 2023, 09:23:13 AM
"They Live" (1988)
A drifter ("Rowdy" Roddy Piper) arrives in Los Angeles looking for work. He comes into possession of a pair of sunglasses that allow him to see the world as it really is: run by skull-faced, bug eyed aliens who keep humanity asleep and docile through subliminal messaging. Once he sees the light, Roddy joins a resistance movement to help take back the planet.
John Carpenter's so-80s-it-hurts sci-fi satire has aged better than expected.

I just backed a Kickstarter for a game based on this movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 21, 2023, 03:44:34 PM
"John Carpenter's so-80s-it-hurts sci-fi satire has aged better than expected." it certainly has


I'm watching a series on FX about Hillsong, a megachurch that was founded in Australia but took root in of all places New York City. The idea of young,multicultural hip people who would never go to church in a million years suddenly doing so sounds almost too good to be true and in the end it was. The main pastor guy hung out with Justin Bieber and the New York Knicks, then he had an affair. As far as scandals go, it's not exactly Jeffrey Epstein or something but it was part of an intractable problem with the church: how do you make millions of dollars and not become a disgusting corporation? answer: you can't apparently.

The first two parts ran on Friday with I don't know how many more to come. I get that modern churches need to keep up with the times to fill the seats, in the northeast they do it was all sorts of LGBT stuff rather than megachurch glitz, but it's all a little disconcerting.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 21, 2023, 05:21:11 PM
Black Phone.

A young boy kidnapped by a serial killer is contacted by the spirits of his other victims via a broken phone in the basement he is being kept in. What got me most about this film was that 5 children had disappeared in pretty short order (some of them seemed to be on consecutive days) and the parents weren't being super protective and escorting their kids everywhere. I know it is what I'd be doing in that situation. Anyway, a decent enough thriller/horror.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: JakeO on May 22, 2023, 03:51:35 AM
Air

A story about Nike signing Michael Jordan and their rivalry at the time with Converse and Adidas.

Okay movie, but it tries way too hard in some moments in my opinion, cast kinda tickled my nostalgy, but not enough to really drag me in.

3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 22, 2023, 09:23:43 AM
"The Dungeonmaster" (aka "Ragewar," 1984)
A computer programmer is drawn into another dimension by an evil wizard (Richard "Night Court" Moll), and has to battle his way through a variety of creatures and perils to win the "game" and rescue his girlfriend.
Entertaining B-movie that falls somewhere between "Tron" and "Dungeons and Dragons," with charmingly cheap sets, costumes and FX. Plus an unexpected cameo by W.A.S.P.!

"Star Slammer" (aka "Prison Ship," 1988)
A group of lady prisoners on board a futuristic prison ship endure the usual series of indignities (beatings, abuse, etc.) until they devise a plan to escape.
You'd think that a "Women in Prison" movie set in outer space would be a home run, but nothing really happens in this cheap, cheesy, slow-moving slog till the last half. I had more fun picking out which movies certain props, set pieces, and special effects shots were borrowed from. Skip this.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on May 22, 2023, 11:51:25 AM
"The Dungeonmaster" (aka "Ragewar," 1984)
A computer programmer is drawn into another dimension by an evil wizard (Richard "Night Court" Moll), and has to battle his way through a variety of creatures and perils to win the "game" and rescue his girlfriend.
Entertaining B-movie that falls somewhere between "Tron" and "Dungeons and Dragons," with charmingly cheap sets, costumes and FX. Plus an unexpected cameo by W.A.S.P.!

"Star Slammer" (aka "Prison Ship," 1988)
A group of lady prisoners on board a futuristic prison ship endure the usual series of indignities (beatings, abuse, etc.) until they devise a plan to escape.
You'd think that a "Women in Prison" movie set in outer space would be a home run, but nothing really happens in this cheap, cheesy, slow-moving slog till the last half. I had more fun picking out which movies certain props, set pieces, and special effects shots were borrowed from. Skip this.

Agreed. DUNGEONMASTER is fantastic unintentional camp. STAR SLAMMER is failed intentional camp.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 22, 2023, 03:00:57 PM
Something in the woods (2023) - The director/ main actor works up a decent head of steam but the ending is entirely disappointing. I guess he ran OUT of steam because it doesn't get more cheap and phoned in than what you see here. It was headed for a solid 4.25 or more if he'd at least TRIED

1.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on May 22, 2023, 03:03:44 PM
Something in the woods (2023) - The director/ main actor works up a decent head of steam but the ending is entirely disappointing. I guess he ran OUT of steam because it doesn't get more cheap and phoned in than what you see here. It was headed for a solid 4.25 or more if he'd at least TRIED

1.5 /5

I started to watch that last night on Tubi- but turned it off.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 22, 2023, 03:08:10 PM
He was going for minimal and subtle but it was too minimal and subtle.

in the end he basically just filmed himself going camping.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on May 23, 2023, 07:45:23 AM
"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.  :smile:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 23, 2023, 03:43:20 PM
It was actually kind of a retro -70's conspiracy flick, but a clever one


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 23, 2023, 10:21:59 PM
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


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on May 24, 2023, 11:59:46 AM
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!  :lookingup:
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!

(https://i.imgur.com/EF3Ra0P.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 24, 2023, 04:10:33 PM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 25, 2023, 05:59:44 AM
"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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on May 25, 2023, 06:01:07 AM
"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  :bluesad:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 25, 2023, 06:16:57 AM
"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  :bluesad:

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


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on May 25, 2023, 06:22:28 AM

Banned in South Africa  :bluesad:

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  :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 25, 2023, 07:23:27 AM
SMILE (2022) - Rewatched this one on Prime last night.   One of my favorite recent horror movies; genuinely creepy with some great acting!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 25, 2023, 08:21:32 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 25, 2023, 09:41:56 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 26, 2023, 02:44:26 AM
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.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on May 26, 2023, 04:09:58 AM
Crabs.

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


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on May 26, 2023, 11:45:39 AM
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!

(https://i.imgur.com/S4PmV6f.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

(https://i.imgur.com/5BOxlIy.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 26, 2023, 12:03:28 PM
Sky Sharks.

It has zombie nazis. It has sharks. What more do you need to be entertained?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on May 26, 2023, 03:29:17 PM
^ I should have watched that instead

The Spell (1977) - Tame, even for a tv movie, story about a teenage witch who can't decide whether she loves or hates her family. The kids at school are viciously cruel to her because she is like 10-15 pounds overweight. It also marks the debut of Helen Hunt, who is excellent as the girl's younger sister and actually seems more mature and normal than everyone else in the movie.

There's just enough campy stuff to keep you interested, but barely. The end was a decent showdown of the witchy spirits but not something that will make you forget, say, "Boxer's Omen". MST3k level dreck with "this is boring" and "this is ridiculous/funny" tradeoffs

2.75 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 26, 2023, 07:52:39 PM
"The Specialist" (1994)
A former CIA explosives expert, now a mercenary (Sylvester Stallone) finds himself falling for his latest client: a mysterious woman (Sharon Stone) who wants him to kill the Miami crime lord who murdered her parents. A slick mix of erotic thriller and action flick with an impressive cast and plenty of pyrotechnics. Sharon Stone was just about the hottest woman in the world when this was made, so her character doesn't have to do much besides wear skimpy outfits and pout... which was just fine with me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 27, 2023, 02:58:18 AM
"The Specialist" (1994)
A former CIA explosives expert, now a mercenary (Sylvester Stallone) finds himself falling for his latest client: a mysterious woman (Sharon Stone) who wants him to kill the Miami crime lord who murdered her parents. A slick mix of erotic thriller and action flick with an impressive cast and plenty of pyrotechnics. Sharon Stone was just about the hottest woman in the world when this was made, so her character doesn't have to do much besides wear skimpy outfits and pout... which was just fine with me.

I remember an interview with Sharon Stone after that movie came out. She said that she'd had to drink a bottle of vodka before she could bring herself to do a sex scene with Stallone and the only attractive part of his body was his ankles.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 28, 2023, 07:52:36 AM
"The Mother" (2023)
Jennifer Lopez makes a surprisingly legit action heroine in this Netflix original. She plays a bad-ass former Army sniper who comes out of hiding after a dozen years to protect her estranged daughter from some very bad people. Much butt is kicked, lots of things explode, and J-Lo totally sells it throughout. A fun ride.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 28, 2023, 12:05:06 PM
Gnomercy.

I am not quite sure if a garden gnome grows to human size, or if a human merely decides to dress as a garden gnome. Either way he wanders around killing a semi-attractive cast with garden tools. The characters didn't seem to be overly dislikable which is really the only thing I find enjoyable about slasher films, seeing unpleasant people coming to a messy end. They are killed with lines that are about as clever as the title, for example someone mistaking the blood covered gnome for a gardener, asks if he offers student discounts, gets cut in half with a chainsaw and then the Killer says "How about half off." No nudity, although a fleeing woman manages to lose her outer layers of clothing and end up in her underwear.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on May 28, 2023, 09:14:42 PM
"Rat Race" (2001)
A Las Vegas casino mogul (John Cleese) chooses a group of random guests at his hotel and sends them on a cross-country race for a $2 million prize. Naturally, chaos and destruction follow as the group of crazed contestants vie to be the first ones to the finish line.
This old fashioned "race and chase" slapstick comedy in the vein of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" features lots of crashes, sight gags, and mayhem, and a cast that includes Whoopi Goldberg, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jon Lovitz, Seth Green, Dave Thomas, Rowan Atkinson, and many more. I never cared for "Mad, Mad, World" very much, but this 21st century update was good for a few silly chuckles.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on May 28, 2023, 10:40:18 PM
"Rat Race" (2001)
A Las Vegas casino mogul (John Cleese) chooses a group of random guests at his hotel and sends them on a cross-country race for a $2 million prize. Naturally, chaos and destruction follow as the group of crazed contestants vie to be the first ones to the finish line.
This old fashioned "race and chase" slapstick comedy in the vein of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" features lots of crashes, sight gags, and mayhem, and a cast that includes Whoopi Goldberg, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jon Lovitz, Seth Green, Dave Thomas, Rowan Atkinson, and many more. I never cared for "Mad, Mad, World" very much, but this 21st century update was good for a few silly chuckles.

One of my all-time favorite comedies!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on May 31, 2023, 08:07:57 AM
Bullets for Justice.

Ok, so the background for this film is that the US and Russia went to war with each other, starting World War III. One side or the other started trying to breed supersoldiers who were a mix of pigs and humans. The hybrids turned on their creators, forcing both human factions to work together to try and defeat them. All they did was unleash a biological weapon that left both sides sterile, save for a pig mother, giving the hybrids a rather good long-term advantage.

Ok, so far there isn't anything too wild or strange going on.

This seems to be a film from Khazakstan, although it is set in the US. The hero is a bounty hunter working for the human resistance who seems to go through a series of female partners who inevitably get killed working with him, who he refers to as his sister. He is sent on a mission to take out a farm where the pigs breed humans to feed to the pig mother. Since all the other women are dead, he gets partnered up with another woman who genuinely does seem to be his sister, although like the other women he worked with, this does not stop her having sex with her.

The director by the way seems to have a real thing for shots of naked butts. You'll also see a fair amount of male genitalia on screen. The resistance has a secret base beneath a T-34 tank. I couldn't help wondering if this was the same lonely 80-year-old relic that was trundled out for the recent May Day parade. The head of the resistance wears a WW2 German uniform. Oh and the hero is obsessed with having lost a best-arse competition and is hunting the man who beat him to first place.

I still have another half-hour of this movie to go. His sister by the way (the one I think is really his sister), has a moustache, and all the assistants are called Raksha. I've seen stranger films but it is an odd one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on May 31, 2023, 11:35:15 AM
His sister by the way (the one I think is really his sister), has a moustache,

 :buggedout: :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 01, 2023, 07:31:26 AM
"Car Wash" (1976)
A self described "disco slacker comedy" about a typical work day at a downtown L.A. car wash, in which the employees goof off, play pranks on each other, and deal with a bizarre assortment of customers and passersby.
A funk-tastic soundtrack and a cast that includes Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Antonio "Huggy Bear" Fargas, and Garrett "SNL" Morris can't save this badly dated, mostly plotless Blaxploitation comedy with a few random laughs, but that's about all.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 02, 2023, 10:34:48 AM
WE ARE THE STRANGE (2007): A trip inside the titular video game world to witness a battle between not-bad and evil that plays out in a combo of CGI, animation and stop-motion. With no meaningful plot, this movie is just an excuse for 90 minutes of ADD visual experiments which, while undoubtedly creative, quickly become exhausting. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 02, 2023, 08:32:00 PM
"The Marine" (2006)
WWE wrestler John Cena made his film debut in this wildly over-the-top action flick, as a military man who goes all One Man Army when his wife is taken hostage by a gang of jewel thieves (led by the hilariously dry Robert "Terminator 2" Patrick). There's barely any plot to this movie, just a series of increasingly ridiculous action sequences (car chases, fist fights, explosions, etc.). It's dumb as a box of rocks, but "The Marine" has become a guilty pleasure for me. Shoot'em up, blow'em up fun!

"Mom and Dad" (2018)
A mysterious signal suddenly turns normal suburban parents into crazed killing machines who begin murdering their children. As a teenage girl and her younger brother attempt to escape from their parents' wrath (Nicolas Cage and Selma Blair) they eventually have to stand their ground and fight. A bizarre, but highly entertaining, ultra-violent horror comedy with great performances by the youngsters as well as Blair and Cage, who goes for broke with his so-hammy-it's-awesome crazy act. A pleasant surprise.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on June 03, 2023, 04:04:59 PM
WE
"Mom and Dad" (2018)
A mysterious signal suddenly turns normal suburban parents into crazed killing machines who begin murdering their children. As a teenage girl and her younger brother attempt to escape from their parents' wrath (Nicolas Cage and Selma Blair) they eventually have to stand their ground and fight. A bizarre, but highly entertaining, ultra-violent horror comedy with great performances by the youngsters as well as Blair and Cage, who goes for broke with his so-hammy-it's-awesome crazy act. A pleasant surprise.

MUST SEE.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 03, 2023, 04:22:23 PM
"I've Lived Before" (1956) - for some reason, I really enjoyed this reincarnation themed B level sort of movie. A pilot almost crashes the airplane he's flying because he has flashbacks to his past life, which unfortunately for the passengers was that of a World War One flying ace. Safely on the ground, he's convinced he saw something related to the man on board ( a certain passenger) and this falls in line with similar experiences he's had in the past.

His poor young fiancee has to put up with all this and does her best to help him get to the bottom of everything. You could see it as a study on mental illness or a genuine exploration of the now largely discredited reincarnation concept. The film itself could have been a little more colorful and imaginative but they stick to the idea well.

Remember when people thought they had past lives? It was always a famous, significant person. Or the ESP craze

4.5 /5 

definitely unusual for it's time


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 04, 2023, 08:54:04 AM
The French Dispatch (2021)

I am completely at a loss what to make of this. Wes Anderson has taken all his quirks and mannerisms, and turned them up to eleven, so the result is more of a self-parody than anything else. Likewise the whimsical adventures of a bunch of caricatures in a vaguely mid-20th century fantasy France are meant to be a celebration of the New Yorker, but are so over the top and eccentric to make them a spoof. However, for a spoof to be successful, you need to be familiar with and care for the original, and I am neither.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 04, 2023, 08:57:59 AM
"The Thing" (1982)
The staff at a remote Antarctic research station must deal with a shape-shifting alien organism that devours - and then duplicates - living creatures. Bearded badass Kurt Russell leads an impressive cast against the invasion from within in John Carpenter's gloriously gory, claustrophobic-as-hell remake of the '50s sci-fi/horror flick that's a master class in old school practical creature FX. A stone cold classic that still holds up after all these years.

"Mutant" (aka "Night Shadows," 1984)
Two brothers stranded in a small Southern town due to car trouble soon learn that toxic pollution is causing the locals to de-evolve into blood sucking, zombie-like creatures. Hilarity ensues. A fast moving, entertaining little B-grade horror flick that gets the job done in spite of the obviously low budget and high cheese factor.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 05, 2023, 08:07:58 AM
"The Exterminator" (1980)
A shell shocked Vietnam vet (Robert Ginty) returns home to NYC, and starts going vigilante on the local muggers and mobsters using a variety of brutal methods including a flame thrower and an industrial meat grinder.
This ultra-violent "Death Wish" variant was quite controversial in its day but honestly it's fairly tame by today's standards. Still, it's an entertaining low budget time capsule that captures NYC when it was a lot dirtier and scarier than it is now.




Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 05, 2023, 03:16:24 PM
"The Exterminator" (1980)
A shell shocked Vietnam vet (Robert Ginty) returns home to NYC, and starts going vigilante on the local muggers and mobsters using a variety of brutal methods including a flame thrower and an industrial meat grinder.
This ultra-violent "Death Wish" variant was quite controversial in its day but honestly it's fairly tame by today's standards. Still, it's an entertaining low budget time capsule that captures NYC when it was a lot dirtier and scarier than it is now.




The mincing machine scene made an impression on me as a child.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 06, 2023, 12:37:26 AM
^ I remember being way into that movie


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on June 06, 2023, 02:41:48 AM
^ I remember being way into that movie

The third part was made in South Africa aka Out On Bail.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 06, 2023, 08:04:31 AM
ON OUR WAY (2021): A first-time filmmaker's movie dreams are crushed when tragedy strikes; a ghost helps him complete his script. Filled with fractured timelines and meta-movie flirtations, it's one of those indies that has a ton of ambition and a good heart, but isn't fresh or engaging enough to really stand out from the crowd. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 06, 2023, 09:17:24 AM
"Exterminator 2" (1984)
Robert Ginty is back as New York City vigilante John Eastland, and this time he's cleaning up the streets in a souped up garbage truck, flame-throwerin' the hell out of a vicious street gang led by a wild-eyed Mario Van Peebles (who looks like he wandered in from a "Mad Max" movie).
Cannon Films produced this sequel to the surprise 1980 hit, which is way more over-the-top and cartoonish than the gritty, street-level original; it's got a similar vibe to "Death Wish 3," which came out a year later.
Supposedly the reason Ginty's character wears a welder's mask during most of the action scenes is because the film ran over-budget and behind schedule, so when the time came to shoot those bits, Ginty had already started work on another film... so they had to use his stunt double. Yeah, that's Cannon all over!  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 06, 2023, 01:14:50 PM
The Black Demon.

A company inspector and his family head down to inspect an oilrig and have a holiday. They all end up trapped on what turns out to be the rotting hull of a derelict by a megalodon that seems to have some supernatural element to it (it can cause people to have mild hallucinations. Creature feature with an environmental message tacked on. It is a lot better made than I expected, the acting is pretty good. It has its limitations sure, but it could have been an awful lot worse. Worth a watch.

Oh, and it turns out it actually contains the line "Big ass shark".


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 07, 2023, 04:05:21 AM
Daisy Derkins vs. The Bloodthirsty Beast of Barren Pines!

When one name keeps reappearing in the opening credits for a movie for multiple roles, I take it as a bad sign. The song over the credits was called "Daisy Kicks Ass." At a guess I'd hazard that it was also performed by the same guy who did everything else. Lloyd Kaufman has a role in the film. I am guessing the director just rounded up some friends and decided to make movies. I'd guess if Ed Wood as around today, this is the kind of thing he'd be doing. Fun enough if you are in an undemanding mood.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 07, 2023, 06:40:15 AM
THE BOOGEYMAN (2023) - Loosely based on a Stephen King short story, this is a delightfully creepy PG13 horror about an age old creature that lives in the dark and kills children to feed on their despair and fear. After a desperate father who lost all 3 of his kids kills himself in the home of a therapist, the Boogeyman transfers its attention to the therapist's two children.  Well done, with very spooky creature effects!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 07, 2023, 08:20:08 AM
High on the Hog.

I only put this on because I am a sucker for movies with Sig Haig in it. Blame watching Galaxy of Terror as a kid. Anyway, a farmer facing financial ruin starts growing cannabis. He recruits battered and abused women off the streets to work on his farm in return for protection (which doesn't seem like a totally bad idea to be fair). Anyway, the skunk they are growing is super strong and is causing people to kill themselves, so the police decide to try and find the supplier. A female undercover agent (DTA) ends up on the farm, and her partner gets increasingly desperate to catch the growers while the local authorities seem less concerned. Everything builds up towards a big picnic at the farm and the inevitable clash between the growers and the law.

I never did find out why the cannabis was causing people to kill themselves though. Was it just that powerful or was someone spiking it? I think it is hinted that it might be the government interfering with the drug (hence the lack of interest in stopping them), in order to make people afraid of taking it.

It was advertised as a horror comedy action-adventure movie, but I didn't see any horror and it didn't make me laugh. I guess it has elements of the other 2 though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 08, 2023, 07:28:17 AM
"The Compleat Al" (1985)
A made-for-video mock documentary released to promote Al's Dare To Be Stupid album. Essentially it's a compilation of all of Al's music videos up to that point, like "Eat It" and "Ricky," with some typically tongue-in-cheek biographical and "behind the scenes" bits padding it out to feature length. Al would later revisit this concept and greatly expand on it with the spoof biography film, 2022's "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story." A fun, goofy trip down memory lane.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 08, 2023, 09:44:26 AM
THE SUPER MARIO BROTHERS MOVIE (2023): A pair of plumbers from Brooklyn somehow enter a fantasy world of mushrooms, Princesses, Donkey Kongs, and parkour obstacle courses and raise and army to defeat an evil turtle. Beautifully animated with a thin, cliche plot; slapstick and action scenes will please kids, and it hopes nostalgia will keep adults involved. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 08, 2023, 10:47:16 AM
John Wick 4.

Lots of hyper-stylised violence. If you've seen any of the others you know what to expect. Entertaining enough for what it is.

I did chuckle at the shout-out to The Warriors. Been seeing 'homages' to that movie a lit recently.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 08, 2023, 06:34:46 PM
"Braddock: Missing in Action III" (1988)
In the 3rd and final installment of the "M.I.A." saga, Col. Braddock (Chuck Norris) returns to the 'Nam after a dozen years to rescue his Vietnamese wife, who he thought had died during the Fall of Saigon, and the son he never knew he had. Along the way he has to protect a literal truck load of war orphans from the Vietnamese military, led by a crazed Colonel who still holds a pretty major grudge from back in the day. This was far from Chuck's best movie, but it's the best of the "M.I.A." series, with all the usual wall to wall gun battles, crashes, explosions, and roundhouse kicks you'd expect. It's not Shakespeare but it's fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: bob on June 09, 2023, 09:56:37 AM
THE SUPER MARIO BROTHERS MOVIE (2023): A pair of plumbers from Brooklyn somehow enter a fantasy world of mushrooms, Princesses, Donkey Kongs, and parkour obstacle courses and raise and army to defeat an evil turtle. Beautifully animated with a thin, cliche plot; slapstick and action scenes will please kids, and it hopes nostalgia will keep adults involved. 3/5.

So it’s better then the pile of crap from 1993?



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 09, 2023, 11:06:49 AM
THE SUPER MARIO BROTHERS MOVIE (2023): A pair of plumbers from Brooklyn somehow enter a fantasy world of mushrooms, Princesses, Donkey Kongs, and parkour obstacle courses and raise and army to defeat an evil turtle. Beautifully animated with a thin, cliche plot; slapstick and action scenes will please kids, and it hopes nostalgia will keep adults involved. 3/5.

So it’s better then the pile of crap from 1993?



Technically better, but I'd still rather watch the live action one, cuz I like bad movies.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 09, 2023, 04:23:42 PM
"The Octagon" (1980)
A martial artist (Chuck Norris) infiltrates a secret training academy that's teaching terrorists and criminals the ancient art of the Ninja, so he can bring it down from the inside. This oldie has a promising premise, but it's extremely slow moving -- I swear, nothing happens for the first HOUR! -- so by the time Chuck finally did get around to the long-awaited ninja punching scenes, I was so bored that I didn't care anymore. Even the most diehard Chuck fans can safely skip this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on June 10, 2023, 12:05:46 AM
THE SUPER MARIO BROTHERS MOVIE (2023): A pair of plumbers from Brooklyn somehow enter a fantasy world of mushrooms, Princesses, Donkey Kongs, and parkour obstacle courses and raise and army to defeat an evil turtle. Beautifully animated with a thin, cliche plot; slapstick and action scenes will please kids, and it hopes nostalgia will keep adults involved. 3/5.

So it’s better then the pile of crap from 1993?



Technically better, but I'd still rather watch the live action one, cuz I like bad movies.

Yeah, interesting catastrophes are better than boring blandness 99% of the time.

Also, Rev, your profile pic reminded me.  I just watched Trackdown for the first time.  God damn is James Mitchum the spitting image of his father, maybe more than any other father/son acting duo I've ever seen.  Doesn't have half the charisma or acting ability though.  But Trackdown was a halfway decent 70s thriller/revenge movie, it was worth the time.  Well directed in particular.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 10, 2023, 04:13:36 PM
The Pool (2018) - breakthrough movie for Thailand (made it to Tubi!) decent idea for a movie decently carried out.

A guy gets stuck in an empty swimming pool. How can he get out of the pool? That's it. Various tension and plot enhancing elements are slowly added: his dog, his girlfriend, and of course a CGI alligator.

The selling point here is they really could have phoned it in and they didn't. and yet, it did take me a couple nights to watch it. It's ultimately kind of a slow moving scenario, you know?

4.5 /5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 10, 2023, 07:33:31 PM
I SEE YOU  (2019)

   A police detective is investigating the disappearance of a young boy which follows the MO of a child killer he helped put away a decade previously - but at the same time, his marriage is melting down due to his wife's affair, his son is furious with the mom for destroying her family, and a series of disturbing incidents seems to indicate there is a malign presence in the house with them.
LOTS of twists and turns on the way to a stunning conclusion - this was a very fun little thriller!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 11, 2023, 07:58:47 AM
OLD PEOPLE (2022) - Something is causing the residents of a local nursing home to go on a homicidal killing spree.  The remarkably spry geriatrics manage to off a surprising number of young and physically fit people after the loud music from a wedding prompts them to break out and start murdering people.  Interesting plot; unsatisfying exposition.  Some good intense moments, though. 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 11, 2023, 08:29:27 AM
TEENAGE TUPELO (1995): Voluptuous D'lana Fargo gets knocked up by lecherous singer Johnny Two-Note, joins a gang of Man Haters, and connects with stripper Topsy Turvy, who's in Tupelo promoting her latest sexploitation opus. It's the first postmodern grindhouse film, earlier, grittier, and much, much weirder than Tarantino and his imitators. 4/5.

I had seen this years ago but it's just been re-released on Blu-ray; unfortunately, you have to contact the director directly to get a copy. It may show up on VOD after a while.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 11, 2023, 03:24:08 PM
Avatar: The Way of the Water.

Or Space Pocahontas Returns: The Wet One. Visually impressive, story is fairly bog standard. The action shifts the to the Pacific Islands in the first film I've 'seen' Sam Worthington in, in a long time. Last one might have been one of the terrible Die Hard movies, or maybe it was the terrible Clash of the Titan's sequel.

Whatever it was, it was pretty bad.

Anyway, humans invade Pandora, but although they are fighting to save their species, they only make a very half-assed attempt at conquering the planet they want as a home. They don't even start some genocidal war against the dominant species that kicked them back off the planet last time. At some point, they introduce some stuff about a really valuable chemical that stops people aging, but then that is never mentioned again and just suddenly appears mid-movie. Maybe a reminant of a previously abandoned plot? Not a bad film but it can't imagine it set the cinemas alight the way the previous one seemed to (released and rereleased what 3 times already?).



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 11, 2023, 05:36:19 PM
FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER - In which a very young Corey Feldman gives Jason his final (???) comeuppance.  By this point the F13 series had gotten into a comfortable routine but hadn't yet been run into the ground; this one serves up the now standard doses of teenage nudity, gruesome kills, and unlikable characters combined with heroic final girl (and in this case, final kid) to survive till another day.  Nice retro fun on a Sunday afternoon. 4/5

FRIDAY THE 13TH: A NEW BEGINNING - Jason is dead, and the kid that killed him is now a troubled young man sent to a halfway house to recover his wits after years of flashbacks and unsuccessful therapy.  But then a fat, simpleminded boy is axed to death by another troubled teen, and suddenly a killing spree starts up with the same MO as the Voorhees killings.  Has Jason returned from the dead?  Has the kid who offed him gone off the deep end?  Do we really care?  Once more, it's teenage pulchritude, gore, and jump scares as the inmates and therapists' bodies pile up.  Some exceptionally pretty girls in this one; all but one wind up dead, of course.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 13, 2023, 03:14:22 PM
Dracula Untold.

Not a classic Dracula film by any means, but nowhere near as bad as I'd heard. Would have been a better start to the Universal Cinematic Universe than The Mummy. But then so would The Wolfman. It is an adventure movie really rather than a horror which is where I think the attempts to get this series off the ground really fell down.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on June 13, 2023, 04:16:47 PM
FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER - In which a very young Corey Feldman gives Jason his final (???) comeuppance.  By this point the F13 series had gotten into a comfortable routine but hadn't yet been run into the ground; this one serves up the now standard doses of teenage nudity, gruesome kills, and unlikable characters combined with heroic final girl (and in this case, final kid) to survive till another day.  Nice retro fun on a Sunday afternoon. 4/5

FRIDAY THE 13TH: A NEW BEGINNING - Jason is dead, and the kid that killed him is now a troubled young man sent to a halfway house to recover his wits after years of flashbacks and unsuccessful therapy.  But then a fat, simpleminded boy is axed to death by another troubled teen, and suddenly a killing spree starts up with the same MO as the Voorhees killings.  Has Jason returned from the dead?  Has the kid who offed him gone off the deep end?  Do we really care?  Once more, it's teenage pulchritude, gore, and jump scares as the inmates and therapists' bodies pile up.  Some exceptionally pretty girls in this one; all but one wind up dead, of course.  4/5

After the 3rd Jason movie, I was done. I DID like JASON GOES TO HELL more than most folks.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on June 13, 2023, 04:20:33 PM
Dracula Untold.

Not a classic Dracula film by any means, but nowhere near as bad as I'd heard. Would have been a better start to the Universal Cinematic Universe than The Mummy. But then so would The Wolfman. It is an adventure movie really rather than a horror which is where I think the attempts to get this series off the ground really fell down.

I think the Universal Monster reboots were trying to hard to be like the Superhero franchise films. But these are supposed to be horror films...so , naaah.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 13, 2023, 04:24:15 PM
Dracula Untold.

Not a classic Dracula film by any means, but nowhere near as bad as I'd heard. Would have been a better start to the Universal Cinematic Universe than The Mummy. But then so would The Wolfman. It is an adventure movie really rather than a horror which is where I think the attempts to get this series off the ground really fell down.

I think the Universal Monster reboots were trying to hard to be like the Superhero franchise films. But these are supposed to be horror films...so , naaah.

Yeah, they really tried hard to make it The Avengers or Justice League. That space was already filled. Should have tried making it its own thing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 14, 2023, 05:48:04 AM
Horror in the High Desert.

Made during lockdown (which works really well for the talking head interviews), I found this to be surprisingly effective. You wouldn't know that the actors are all friends and family rather than professionals. Isn't brilliant, but it isn't bad either. The idea is that a documentary is being made about the disappearance of a hiker in the wilds of Nevada. Similar to Blair Witch, but with enough of a personality to be its own thing.

About to watch the sequel.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 14, 2023, 07:07:14 AM
Horror in the High Desert. Minerva.

There are only so many times you can pull off not answering questions in a series of movies before you start to collect "f**k you heat", as in the audience decide you aren't going to give us what we want to see, f**k you I am no longer interested. Towards the end of this one I started to feel that. The first one had some payoff, the second one has nothing. Still not a bad movie and you don't need to have seen the first one to watch this one (although I would recommend seeing it first). If/when the next film comes out though, I'd need to have some kind of payoff or I would just lose interest in the series.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 14, 2023, 04:05:01 PM
^ the ending of the first one was epic. second one was slick but just didn't come close and felt committee assembled

Fatal Games (1984) - This could have been good as a horror comedy, like that one with the janitor with Marfins syndrime, but as a straight horror movie it's a real misfire. At the same time, it's so wackily disjointed that it's actually sort of worth seeing. A Blu Ray has recently been released but this isn't that.

It's really 2 movies in one: On the one hand it's a trashy horror flick with ample nudity and violence. On the other, it's a dorky almost Christian movie about a special school for Olympic sports prodigys and how they are trying to make it to the nationals or whatever. The director is clearly schizophrenic. The killer kills people with a javelin then the next scene is someone falling on a dismount and now their training schedule is effected.

Tubi's print is crappy

3.75 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 15, 2023, 04:13:13 PM
RWD (2015) - First of all: imagine the found footage horror movies that DON'T make it to Tubi !


Okay, this is one for the hardcore found footagers. It tests your patience for sure, but I thought it decently paid off. Two guys who have a ghost hunting show but think the whole thing is stupid go to some spot in the woods on a viewer tip. Sound familiar? It should, it's like 50% of these things but okay...

When they get there, there's definitely something strange going on: interference in their headsets, looking up to see a window close, seeing a guy running away...or did they? It's within the realm of possibility that it's all in their heads. As they ponder their latest episode and dream of youtube stardom, they're confronted with something they did not expect at all. Something I can't tell you, even though probably no one will watch this (maybe Indianasmith).

reviews are mostly negative but I thought it worked as well as a movie that costs nothing could. The guys are annoying and as the thing goes on they get more annoying but again, it gets pulled together well enough.

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Ticonderoga 64 on June 16, 2023, 07:55:06 AM
The Godfather(1971)
The Godfather II(1972)
Godfather III(1990)
The Good, the Bad & the Ugly(1966)
Dirty Harry(1971)
Unforgiven(1992)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 16, 2023, 08:53:57 PM
"Army Of Darkness" (1992)
In the third installment in the "Evil Dead" series, reluctant hero Ash (Bruce Campbell) has transported back in time to the Middle Ages, and must help a castle full of knights repel a Deadite invasion before he can find his way home. This slap-sticky supernatural action/horror comedy cuts back on the gore in favor of cartoon-violence goofiness, so horror fans may be disappointed, but overall this flick is a ton of fun, loaded with impressive special effects and Campbell chewing the scenery for all he's worth. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on June 17, 2023, 12:55:31 PM
I jsut watched the SHINING for the umpeenth time. Never gets old. I seen it in the theater with my buddy Nick his sister Daphne, and my cousin Linda Stanek. When Scatman got the axe in his chest, she ran screaming into the lobby and never came back.  :bouncegiggle:

(https://i.imgur.com/OKpAYN3.gif) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 17, 2023, 01:46:50 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: THE PHANTOM PLANET: Focusing on the good and the beautiful, an astronaut is shrunk down to live among tiny people on a migratory asteroid/planet that's being threatened by the ridiculous-looking Solarites. A few chuckles, and it's edited differently than the MST3K version: they showed a scene that wasn't in the MST3K broadcast but cut a major fight for some reason. OK to see once, but next time I'll just watch the MST3K version again instead. Haven't watched the Q&A yet, with cartoonist Bob Fingerman. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on June 17, 2023, 04:28:37 PM
I jsut watched the SHINING for the umpeenth time. Never gets old. I seen it in the theater with my buddy Nick his sister Daphne, and my cousin Linda Stanek. When Scatman got the axe in his chest, she ran screaming into the lobby and never came back.  :bouncegiggle:

(https://i.imgur.com/OKpAYN3.gif) (https://lunapic.com)

My all time fave 😉😉😉


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on June 17, 2023, 09:49:55 PM
DERANGED (1974)
Robert Blossum (the scary old guy with the snow shovel in HOME ALONE) is Ezra Cobb, a crazy Mama's boy who robs graves and kills folks to keep his dead Ma company. This is based on real nut job Ed Gein- just as was PSYCHO (1960), the TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974) and such. This one follows the facts very closely. It's sick, messy, and...funny in a strange black humor way. Made by the same guy who gave us CHILDREN SHOULDN'T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS (1972), so you know it's quality grue!
Oh! The corpse f/x are done by Tom Savani!

(https://i.imgur.com/GLcKeQ2.gif) (https://lunapic.com)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on June 19, 2023, 10:02:22 AM
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019)

I like Tarintino's movies...sometimes. This one...not so much.
For one, it goes nowhere at all. It could have been so much more. The fantasy ending, where the aging cowboy and stuntman kill the Manson killers, is much like the ending of INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009).
Lotsa good music and the sets are beautiful. That's about it.
OH! It was nice seeing Bruce Dern again!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on June 19, 2023, 11:54:31 AM
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019)

I like Tarintino's movies...sometimes. This one...not so much.
For one, it goes nowhere at all. It could have been so much more. The fantasy ending, where the aging cowboy and stuntman kill the Manson killers, is much like the ending of INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009).
Lotsa good music and the sets are beautiful. That's about it.
OH! It was nice seeing Bruce Dern again!

Pretty much my thoughts on it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 19, 2023, 01:08:07 PM
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019)

I like Tarintino's movies...sometimes. This one...not so much.
For one, it goes nowhere at all. It could have been so much more. The fantasy ending, where the aging cowboy and stuntman kill the Manson killers, is much like the ending of INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009).
Lotsa good music and the sets are beautiful. That's about it.
OH! It was nice seeing Bruce Dern again!

I started watching it a couple of weeks ago and gave up after about 1h30, as it didn't seem to be going anywhere fast. Still haven't brought myself to finish it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 19, 2023, 04:05:54 PM
Prime Suspect (1982) - Well made and acted downer of a movie that would be done a lot differently today. A guy (Mike Farrell from MASH) buys cookies from a girl scout who then goes missing. A woman recognizes him and he becomes the PRIME SUSPECT.

This movie fails in

(slight spoiler but not really) :hot:

1. there is never really any question that he didn't do it. maybe for like 2 seconds in the very beginning. This makes it hard for viewers to understand the hostility towards him.

2. Lots of plot holes in the police procedural area. In their defense, this was 1982 and there weren't cameras everywhere and also viewers weren't as cognitive of these things.

It's good and probably got good ratings when it came out, but it hasn't aged well, as they say

charitable 4 /5

Teri Garr is his relatively attractive wife. Other than that, I would say the most notable aspect of the movie is this amazing imdb comment https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1956119/?ref_=tt_urv (https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1956119/?ref_=tt_urv) it's a conspiracy theory that the word "arse" is written on things in the movie in various places for some reason.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FzCwuMjWcAAB1v7?format=png&name=small)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 19, 2023, 05:26:25 PM
"The Hitman's Bodyguard" (2017)
Ryan Reynolds is a down-on-his-luck security expert, assigned to escort a notorious contract killer (Samuel L. Jackson) across Europe to the International Court at the Hague, so he can testify at the trial of a a major war criminal (Gary Oldman). Naturally, some very bad people want to make sure they don't reach their destination, which leads to lots of car chases, ass kickings, gun battles, and stuff blowin' up. Reynolds makes lots of Deadpool-ish wisecracks, Jackson says "mother****er" a lot, and Salma Hayek is smokin' hot in a bit part as Jackson's estranged wife. This was a fun shoot'em up action comedy and since Salma apparently plays a larger role in the sequel, it's next on my list to check out.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 19, 2023, 07:53:32 PM
WOMB (2010): A woman undergoes a procedure that allows her to implant a cloned embryo of her dead lover in her womb. Slow-paced but bold and unsettling drama blurring the lines between parental and erotic love. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 20, 2023, 01:01:44 AM
Suzume (2022)

A high school girl finds a portal in an abandoned holiday resort, and starts her off on a quest across Japan to prevent destructive earthquakes.

Not bad at all, but the shadow of Miyazaki hangs heavily over it. After the very charming Your Name, I was a bit disappointed with this wannabe Ghibli offering. That being said, it is definitely worth your time.

Also, when are people finally going to think about Chesterton's Fence when they encounter magical objects? I mean, seriously, it saves you no end of trouble.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 20, 2023, 11:42:34 AM
"Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard" (2022)
Mismatched duo Michael (Ryan Reynolds) and Darius (Samuel L. Jackson) are back for another globe trotting shoot'em up adventure, and this time they've added Darius' hot tempered wife (Salma Hayek) to the team as they try to stop a Greek crime lord (Antonio Banderas) from unleashing a cyber-attack that will cripple all of Europe. Just like the last movie, there's lots of cars crashing, bullets flying, and things exploding. Reynolds and Jackson make a great team and Hayek is all foul language and cleavage. Not a masterpiece by any means, but silly popcorn action fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 21, 2023, 03:16:23 PM
Nightclubbing: the Birth of Punk Rock in New York City (2022)

I don't know if this is a series or what, but this was all about Max's Kansas City. It was very informative with lots of footage and commentary from people who were there. At the same time, I wish they had said who Max was and why it was called Kansas City when it was in the middle of Manhattan. Or maybe they did and I missed it who knows.

Basically, Max's was the bridge between the earlier folkie sort of scene and punk rock (and eventually hardcore). It started in the mid 60's but really rose to prominence with Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground. After that, it slowly began to transform into punk, which would come to be associated more with another club: CBGB's.

CBGB's is referenced constantly throughout this and clearly there was a rivalry there. One point that really comes across: there were tons of drugs. There were celebrities too and they were on drugs. Towards the end, groups like the Misfits and the Bad Brains started to gain momentum, literally and figuratively.

In general, Max's seemed kind of campier and more colorful than CBGB's, but CB's probably fit the coming pre Guliani hellhole NYC vibe better

5/5

Wayne/ Jayne County has the best / most straightforward commentary but Alice Cooper also talks a lot


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on June 21, 2023, 04:40:51 PM
RENFIELD (2023)

Renfield, Dracula's henchman and inmate at the lunatic asylum for decades, longs for a life away from the Count, his various demands, and all of the bloodshed that comes with them.

If you're a fan of the original DRACULA, then you'll probably enjoy the first half of the movie. They made a huge effort in recreating plenty of scenes with Nick Cage added in; they're hilarious and nostalgic.

Sadly, I felt the action was way too fast, I barely managed to keep up with the images and dialog at the same time. It feels as if they weren't sure which one was their target audience: hyperactive TikTok teenagers, or old-school moviegoers. So what you get is a mixed bag of fast-paced action, gothic scenery straight from the 30s, and an awful plot about self-improvement and toxic relationships.

Yes, my main gripe with the film: it dwells too much on this part, almost as if it's the entire plot. Forget Dracula or Renfield, this movie is about toxic relationships and how to overcome them. Uh? After a while, I thought I was watching some random Instagram channel.

Apart from that, the movie is entertaining enough, and it seems that they took Cage and told him "here, go nuts". If you're a fan of that actor, you're in for a treat; sadly, he's not that prominent on the screen, but when he does,  oh goody. The rest of the film is the previously mentioned silly plot, with a lot of insanely bad gore. I mean, it's hilarious and fun, but the blood looked like jelly, even games from PS4 have better blood than that.

Recommended for fans of the original DRACULA for some nostalgia shots, and if you're looking for a quick, bizarrely violent, and fun movie. It's really short too! 7/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 23, 2023, 10:20:17 AM
HUESERA: THE BONE WOMAN (2022): A carpenter becomes pregnant, but suffers from nightmares featuring a strange woman, while simultaneously being drawn to a past lover. Well-shot and acted feature from Mexico, but the scares are few and far between, the pacing is leaden, and the antagonist poorly defined; it feels like it wants to be a domestic drama, and isn't really committed to the horror thing. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on June 23, 2023, 03:12:12 PM
Nightclubbing: the Birth of Punk Rock in New York City (2022)

I don't know if this is a series or what, but this was all about Max's Kansas City. It was very informative with lots of footage and commentary from people who were there. At the same time, I wish they had said who Max was and why it was called Kansas City when it was in the middle of Manhattan. Or maybe they did and I missed it who knows.

Basically, Max's was the bridge between the earlier folkie sort of scene and punk rock (and eventually hardcore). It started in the mid 60's but really rose to prominence with Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground. After that, it slowly began to transform into punk, which would come to be associated more with another club: CBGB's.

CBGB's is referenced constantly throughout this and clearly there was a rivalry there. One point that really comes across: there were tons of drugs. There were celebrities too and they were on drugs. Towards the end, groups like the Misfits and the Bad Brains started to gain momentum, literally and figuratively.

In general, Max's seemed kind of campier and more colorful than CBGB's, but CB's probably fit the coming pre Guliani hellhole NYC vibe better

5/5

Wayne/ Jayne County has the best / most straightforward commentary but Alice Cooper also talks a lot

I watched this too. You had to be a player to get into Max's. Any bum could get into CBGB's.
Oh- their never was a "Max". The guy who first opened it was Mickey Rushkin in 1965.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 23, 2023, 03:59:26 PM
RC- yeah the studio 54 aspect was annoying, even though of course I would have been let in


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 25, 2023, 10:01:52 AM
"Revenge Of The Ninja" (1983)
After his family is killed by a clan of evil ninjas, a Japanese martial artist (Sho Kosugi) relocates to the U.S. to start a new life. But even in his new home, he still ends up getting tangled up in a battle with heroin smugglers, the Mob, and a rival Ninja. The plot is nonsense, of course, but the stunt work and fight scenes are fun to watch. Kosugi has impressive moves and there's lots of bone crunching, butt kicking action in this cartoony but cool cult classic.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 25, 2023, 03:22:26 PM
Outside the Wall (1950) - youtube comes through again with their exciting new 15 part series...

No, it's another old crime movie, this time taking place in Philadelphia. A guy who's been in jail since he was 15 and is now 30 gets out and is of course immediately thrust in to some illicit scheme, delivering bribe $ to some lady from a bed ridden gangster. Along the way he meets two decent looking broads and lots of gangsters who can't shoot straight. The guy is likeable enough and the whole thing is well put together if not super revelatory in any sort of way. You ever notice how close people talk in movies? It's a little odd.

4/5

 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 27, 2023, 09:16:54 AM
"Commando" (1985)
Arnold Schwarzenegger racks up an absurd body count in this cheese ball action classic as Col. John Matrix, a retired Special Forces operative who gets back in the saddle when his daughter (a pre-teen Alyssa Milano) is kidnapped by an old rival. It's totally over-the-top comic book nonsense but it's also tons of sadistic fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 27, 2023, 09:55:40 AM
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS (2022): Peter, an irritable gay dwarf, reluctantly agrees to go on a last minute road-trip with sex-worker Winona, who believes she has a date to be abducted by aliens in Canada. More of a character study spiked with bits of hallucinatory sci-fi than the mismatched-eccentrics road trip comedy you might expect, this offbeat indie features a great performance by Matthew Jeffers. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on June 27, 2023, 11:23:29 AM
BURIAL GROUND: NIGHTS OF TERROR (1981)
I'm guessing most of you fine folks have seen this Italian zombie fest directed by Andrea Bianchi. I just rewatched it last night- again!
Crumbly zombies attack a villa because...who knows why. It doesn't matter. It's fast paced, gory as hell, and the star of the show is an incestuous kid named Micheal, played by midget Peter Bark. My favorite Zombie film of ALL TIME.

(https://i.imgur.com/SeMg6Qk.gif) (https://lunapic.com)

(https://i.imgur.com/jdsZ6NA.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on June 27, 2023, 02:08:44 PM
"The Filth and the Fury" (2000)
The short but influential story of the Sex Pistols is told by the band members themselves in this entertaining rock doc, full of vintage clips and photos. Directed by Julian Temple, who also helmed the previous Pistols doc, 1980's "The Great Rock & Roll Swindle." The band felt that "Swindle" put too much emphasis on their former manager/noted bulls**t artist Malcolm McLaren's version of the band's history, and this film aims to set the record straight. The absolute truth probably lies somewhere in between, but no matter which side you want to believe, this is still a cool, sleazy trip down punk rock memory lane.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on June 27, 2023, 02:20:36 PM
^ Great movie about a great band!  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 28, 2023, 08:54:12 AM
THE SPIRIT (2008): Noirish superhero the Spirit fights the Octopus in a generic metropolis. It looks great (sometimes), but a fantastic cast is wasted with this campy parody that (with a few exceptions) isn't funny or over-the-top enough to distinguish it from a just-plain-bad SIN CITY copy. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on June 28, 2023, 02:35:58 PM
I am love/Io sono l'amore (2009)

The affair of the Russian wife (Tilda Swinton) of a rich Milanese industrialist serves as a catalyst for the collapse of the family.

It is more concerned with creating an atmosphere than with telling a story. In fact most of the plot is told indirectly. The city of Milan (with some stunning opening images of Milan in the snow) and food (a specific Russian soup in particular) are as important as any of the characters. It is very artsy and so stylish it hurts. I quite liked it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 28, 2023, 04:58:44 PM
SHARKS OF THE CORN (2021) - Cheesy fun; not as painfully bad as NOAH'S SHARK but not as fun and cheesy as SHARKTOPUS.
Pluses: No CGI, actual nudity, and bonus points for the Stonehenge/Bigfoot angle
Minuses: Bad rubber shark masks, badly done fake kill scenes/body parts, painfully bad dialogue.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 29, 2023, 09:11:55 AM
TALES FROM THE GIMLI HOSPITAL (1988): Two men hallucinate while recovering from the plague in a barnyard hospital in the fishing village of Gimli in the unspecified past. Guy Maddin's debut sets the tone for his career--recreating the aesthetics of silent and early talkie movies, spiked with Freudian surrealism and absurdist humor--though his subsequent movies benefited from melodramatic plotting that is absent from the episodic "Gimli." 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 29, 2023, 02:33:52 PM
Ready Player One (2018) - A guy who was doing AI stuff at MIT told me this was the movie to watch to understand the metaverse, but it just seems like a video game. Allegedly, it has more interactive and non competitive aspects than a video game, but games are pretty elaborate these days and you can play them with other people via headsets so what's the difference?

In the future everything is dystopian so people escape to a game/ thing called Oasis. The first half of the movie is tons of pop culture references middle aged people would get, the second half is more of a typical action sort of movie. The first part was more interesting. The dialogue is decent and the ideas were clever and colorful but what did it all mean? There really was no great theme. Imagine if Metropolis had been littered with 1880's pop culture references instead of biblical based morality about rich and poor. It's a bit of a lark, but aspects of Spielberg's mastery cut through from time to time.

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on June 30, 2023, 01:37:27 AM
If you liked "Now You See Me" ...Ready Player One should work


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on June 30, 2023, 09:02:38 AM
ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET (2023): 6th grader Margaret deals with a move to a new school and crushes while anxiously waiting for her first period and talking to God like a psychotic. As a 55 year old man I am not in this film's target demographic--55 year old women who remember reading this as a kid--but I can say it's well-made and genuine. Add one star if you are, or are considering, menstruating. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on June 30, 2023, 08:54:12 PM
DOWNFALL (2004) - This remarkably accurate account of Hitler's last days was based on extensive interviews with Traudl Junge, one of his last living secretaries, and is bookended with clips from those interviews.  Although the popular "Hitler Rant" clip has been used with many humorous captions, this film captures the madness and cruelty and pathos of the last days of the Third Reich better than any I have ever seen.  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Zapranoth on July 01, 2023, 08:34:20 PM
"Across the Spiderverse"

Continues the adventures of Miles Morales, an alternate universe Spider-Man.   The first movie in this series was an *incredible* accomplishment of animation and storytelling, and the sequel is somehow able to go over that high bar and be even better.   10 / 10.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on July 03, 2023, 10:05:22 PM
I'm back, been working a lot, looking forward to catching up on the last 15 pages or so of posts... in the meanwhile, just watched this (alas):

PRIMAL SCREAM aka HELLFIRE (1988):
This is not a good movie by most lights, including mine, but it has a lot of highly favorable reviews on Letterboxd (as well as alluring poster art), hence I watched it. I didn't enjoy it, but I wouldn't blame a lover of offbeat movies for embracing it.

If I tell you it seems variously influenced by ALIEN, BLADE RUNNER, DARK STAR, OUTLAND, and maybe Cronenberg, plus it has one double-murder scene lifted directly from the FRIDAY THE 13TH franchise, that might compel you to go watch it. So perhaps I should also tell you that all those influences translate into a product that feels much closer to Ed Wood than to Ridley Scott, Carpenter, or Cronenberg, only w/o Wood's humor or subversion. Also it takes place mostly on Earth (not in space) and the plot is completely impenetrable. The lead would be a welcome presence in any big budget studio film, provided he had about 5 lines, but his limited abilities wear very thin over 90 minutes, and he's by far the film's strongest actor...  :bluesad:    Easily a 6th of the running time is dedicated to a soggy and unconvincing romance, most of the score is nails-on-the-chalkboard low-budget 80s synth noodling, and the final scene manages to compound both of these drawbacks w/ a treacly sub-sitcom love theme (including vomit-inducing lyrics). What else? Oh yeah, the film opens puzzlingly in media res, showing us the climax of the film before subjecting us to a lengthy "mystery" for which we already essentially know the resolution. (Even still, it's often hard to follow what is happening or why.)

Did I enjoy nothing about PRIMAL SCREAM? I will say this for one-and-done auteur William J. Murray - he spent four years and possibly as much as two or three thousand dollars  :tongueout:    successfully completing a feature film that features explosive car chases, explosive experimental aircraft chases, and explosive space station foot-chases. There is a lot of chasing and some exploding, as well as a few odd gore shots, and I admired the extreme discretion w/ which Murray achieves his threadbare FX. Also quite a bit of the lighting is good or even (occasionally) excellent. Should you watch PRIMAL SCREAM, though? Ehhh!
2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 03, 2023, 11:00:49 PM
^ you should get Veterans benefits for enduring that

The Phantom (1931) - much less of an ordeal here. Very standard murder mystery type thing. The actors are all second rate as is the plot but there's some good stuff, especially one super tall guy with oddball-style humor. One day, I'm going to start an acting agency for all Marfins sydrome actors. It was the type of thing where whoever was revealed to be the Phantom was some guy I didn't really remember.

3.75 I'd watch it again though. who cares any more


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 04, 2023, 04:46:04 PM
Man On The Prowl (1957) - Alpha Video did the impossible and found a copy of this apparently long lost exploitation flick. I'm sure Alfred Hitchcock never saw it, but if he did he probably would have thought "I better hurry up with Psycho, dudes are starting to figure out what's next". It's a mediocre print at best, but I was very impressed and also baffled as to why it ended up in the cinematic trash can.

James Best aka Rosco P Coltrane from Dukes of Hazzard is the titular man and he goes nuts basically right away. Every single interaction he has with anybody he seems like he's about to kill them and sometimes does. It goes way beyond suspension of disbelief but it makes it that much more of a guilty pleasure. That said, it's a regular movie, not a Something Weird type shoestring budget thing with a psychedelic band playing at a party. The secret ingredient is the Fatal Attraction/ soap opera type sexual chemistry and motivations. Very much like one of those pulp novels they used to have.

It's better than that Johnny Cash movie "5 minute Maniac" or whatever it was called. There are a couple minutes missing but it's pretty clear where the cut was and what happened during it.

4.75 / 5  

(https://images.plex.tv/photo?size=medium-360&scale=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fimage.tmdb.org%2Ft%2Fp%2Foriginal%2FeI7dmQ83jYyOV4WYvxzlNJCjjH4.jpg)

look at that sleazy tagline








Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on July 04, 2023, 05:47:17 PM
^ the Cash movie was DOOR TO DOOR MANIAC aka 5 MINUTES TO LIVE.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 05, 2023, 12:18:38 AM
roscoe is a better pervert


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 06, 2023, 06:02:24 AM
"Dirty Work" (1998)
Two losers (Norm Macdonald and Artie Lange) turn their talent for pulling pranks and creating mayhem into a successful "revenge for hire" business, but they soon need to get even themselves when they're screwed over by a crooked real-estate magnate.
Norm's at his snarky best in this mean-spirited comedy directed by Bob Saget (!), and featuring cameos by Adam Sandler, Gary Coleman, Don Rickles, and more. Funny stuff!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 06, 2023, 04:06:36 PM
Strange Illusion (1945) - A better director could have brought out the wanna be Hitchcock elements better, but it's still decent. I've been getting in to these weird psychic/ psychological black and white things and, more importantly, this was the movie tubi recommended I watch after "Man on the Prowl" so I gave it a go.

A guy who may or not be obsessed with his Mom starts having dreams where she gets married to the guy who killed her husband/ his father. Wouldn't you know it: she starts dating a mysterious guy with a mysterious background! These premonitions continue as a gimmick throughout the movie. The director just can't harness all this suspense and weird sexual energy so it ends up being a regular crime movie. spooky ending

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on July 07, 2023, 08:45:02 AM
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!

(https://i.imgur.com/S4PmV6f.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

(https://i.imgur.com/5BOxlIy.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

Cheers to this! Lovely little under-the-radar sexploitation horror. Lots of nice photography and ludicrous misbehavior. Dug it!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on July 07, 2023, 08:48:55 AM

I remember an interview with Sharon Stone after that movie came out. She said that she'd had to drink a bottle of vodka before she could bring herself to do a sex scene with Stallone and the only attractive part of his body was his ankles.

She's legitimately hilarious on MURDERVILLE, if you want to catch up on her recent activity. (Still looks nice, too.) Actually she had comedy chops way back in the mid-80s in the ridiculous ALLAN QUARTERMAIN movies.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on July 07, 2023, 02:23:36 PM
"The Thing" (1982)
A stone cold classic that still holds up after all these years.

"Mutant" (aka "Night Shadows," 1984)
A fast moving, entertaining little B-grade horror flick that gets the job done in spite of the obviously low budget and high cheese factor.

^^^YES
and per MUTANT
Heck yes!
Glad you liked it/glad to see it get some love!
I don't know that I've EVER read another positive review of this one... which always surprises me. Downbeat and ruthless enough to be made in the 70s and feels closer to 28 DAYS LATER than to a Romero joint. I liked the two female leads, plus Wings Hauser and Bo Hopkins? That's an exploitation flick tagteam extraordinaire!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 07, 2023, 06:00:31 PM
INDIANA SMITH JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (2023)

As an historian, it's always amusing to watch films based on real events in history and see how much they get wrong about the events they claim to depict.
But when the movie is based on your own life and exports, it can be downright painful.

  However, unlike RAIDERS and TEMPLE OF DOOM, this movie actually got most of the events correct.  I mean, Archimedes was taller, slimmer, and younger than they portrayed him, and as usual, they got the types of aircraft involved all wrong (of course, I don't think there is a flyable Dornier-117 left in the world today).  Harrison Ford isn't as good-looking as me, but then, he never was.  Still, overall, the events in the movie are pretty close to how I remember them, even down to the crazy car chase during the Apollo-11 crew's ticker tape parade and the scuba diving sequence with all the eels on the ancient Roman shipwreck.  Anyway, if you want to see what I was up to about 50 years ago, check out the movie while it's still in the theaters!  I think it is my third favorite of all the Indiana "Jones" adaptations.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on July 07, 2023, 07:05:05 PM
^ This may seem weird, but I never seen an Indiana Jones movie.  :bluesad: I seen Buckaroo Banzai!  :smile:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 07, 2023, 11:01:05 PM
^ This may seem weird, but I never seen an Indiana Jones movie.  :bluesad: I seen Buckaroo Banzai!  :smile:

You know me.  You don't need the movies!!   :teddyr: :teddyr: :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on July 08, 2023, 12:40:08 AM
^ Aye, Captain Bligh!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on July 08, 2023, 01:25:19 AM
But when the movie is based on your own life and exports, it can be downright painful.

 :teddyr: :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 08, 2023, 05:02:10 PM
"Ape vs. Mecha-Ape" (2023)
The Asylum's at it again with a sequel to "Ape Vs. Monster." Following the events of the last movie, the giant ape "Abraham" has been living peacefully on a remote nature preserve. Meanwhile, the U.S. Government, for some reason, has created a giant robotic duplicate of him called "Mecha-Ape." When foreign terrorists take control of the mechanical monkey, the good guys have to unleash the real deal in order to save Chicago from a nuclear meltdown.
Silly junk, but it's at least superior to the first "Ape" flick. The first half is mostly dull, talky techno-babble BS, but once the title creatures finally started throwin' down my inner 8 year old was satisfied. The CGI is better than average for Asylum , and in the "slumming celebrity" department, Tom Arnold is good for a few chuckles as he picks up a quick paycheck playing the Secretary of Defense. Not the best Asylum film I've seen, but thankfully far from the worst.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 09, 2023, 07:13:55 AM
"Hamburger: The Motion Picture" (1986)
Studly academic wash-out Russell (Leigh McCloskey of "Just One Of The Guys") won't receive his $250,000 inheritance unless he obtains a college degree, but pretty girls keep getting him in trouble everywhere he goes (I wish I had that problem...).
As a last ditch attempt, he signs up for Buster Burger University, the training program for a large fast food chain, which leads to lots of wacky hi-jinks involving food, sex, casual racism, flatulence, and endless burger-related puns.
This dumb-as-hell, but funny-as-hell moron comedy was an HBO staple back in the day and it still appeals to my inner 13 year old after all these years.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on July 09, 2023, 08:19:28 AM
GONZO (2008)
The life and times of Hunter Thompson.
Unlike a lot of fast washes from A+E, this is a very detailed documentary of the very f**ked up author. A mad genuis. Lots of rare documentary footage and interviews with his friends and family. So sad he blew his brains out. A madman with an artists mind.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 09, 2023, 08:46:58 AM
THE KILLING ROOM (2009): Four volunteers are lured under false pretenses to a room where they undergo an experiment with fatal consequences. Attempt at a minimalist thriller sports a decent cast (Chloe Sevigny, Peter Stormare) but lacks psychological insight, suspense, or a meaningful twist. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on July 09, 2023, 09:40:54 AM

3.75 I'd watch it again though. who cares any more

^Exactly this vibe, Lester...!  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on July 09, 2023, 10:13:19 AM
ARMAGEDDON TIME (2023):
This ultimately frustrated me but I'll post on it here as Anthony Hopkins gives a performance that I think might be his most natural and affecting. Of course I haven't seen every Hopkins performance (nor will I ever) and it's not like he needs a third Oscar but despite being "Anthony Hopkins" he surprised and impressed me here. Co-star Jeremy Strong (fresh off SUCCESSION, where his unnecessary commitment to full-time method acting bemused and irritated Hopkins' classically trained contemporary and fellow Lecter Brian Cox) follows Hopkins' lead and also delivers a disarmingly honest, small-scale performance. There's something about seeing actors of great range, who are often known for playing larger-than-life gods and maniacs, just speaking quietly and sincerely about human matters. That alone probably makes ARMAGEDDON TIME worth watching.

I'll admit I disliked James Gray's early films but he's grown on me w/ his recent work. Thus I was patient for almost an hour before ARMAGEDDON TIME seemed to show its cards as more than just a low-key period autobiography. Gray puts in place all the pieces necessary to illustrate the disillusionment of his adolescent stand-in and how that character finds himself at odds w/ the role model of his grandfather (Hopkins) when confronted w/ the cruel realities of the nascent Trump era. (Fred Trump is a minor character but big presence in the film...) The film's conclusion is so mild, understated, or even anti-climactic, however, as to provide little insight into how the protagonist feels about the moral compromises he's made or even how Gray wants the audience to feel. Perhaps the director is guilty only of being too subtle - yet I'm ambivalent about subtlety in social commentary in 2023.

Of course, old man that I've become, I'm merely ambivalent in 2023. 15 or 20 years ago I would've accused Gray of promoting or reinforcing white complacency, rather than just portraying it. As our national and global circumstances have grown more desperate, I've unfortunately only grown more circumspect and equivocal. Perhaps ARMAGEDDON TIME would've also been more potent and satisfying in the hands of a younger, angrier filmmaker.
3.5/5
anyway for world-class realist acting


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on July 09, 2023, 01:47:11 PM
GONZO (2008)
The life and times of Hunter Thompson.
Unlike a lot of fast washes from A+E, this is a very detailed documentary of the very f**ked up author. A mad genuis. Lots of rare documentary footage and interviews with his friends and family. So sad he blew his brains out. A madman with an artists mind.

I read a story about him that he would sleep the whole day away and then when the sun set, he would work and party and do all he wanted until sunrise.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 09, 2023, 04:19:37 PM
"Death Race 2000" (1975)
In a dystopian future America, the biggest sporting event of the year is the Death Race - a cross country road rally in which drivers score points by running over innocent pedestrians. The current champion, "Frankenstein" (David Carradine) must defend his title against an aggressive lineup of challengers (including Mary "Rock N Roll High School" Woronov and a pre-"Rocky" Sylvester Stallone) and also deal with a resistance movement that wants to sabotage the race.
Paul Bartel's tongue-in-cheek sci-fi cult classic is still loads of sadistic car crashin' bone crunchin' fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 09, 2023, 05:40:21 PM
THE PHANTOM EMPIRE (1989) - Directed by Roger Corman, this golden slice of B-movie cheese somehow slid by me during its original release, but I found it on Prime last night and LOVED it!  It features a young and slick Jeffery Combs, fresh out of his title role in RE-ANIMATOR, a forgettable cast of B-movie regulars, eye candy in the form of Sybil Danning (in black latex!) and Michelle Bauer (in nothing much at all), cannibalistic cave dwelling humanoids, a crashed alien space ship, pirated stop-motion dinosaurs, Robby the Robot, huge diamonds lying everywhere, and a plot that makes VERY little sense - although producer Fred Olen Ray assures his audience in the introduction that this movie is 100% true, and in the credits it even mentions that it was "Filmed on Location at the Center of the Earth."  Folks, bad movies simply don't get any cheesier than this!  Watch it NOW!!!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 09, 2023, 07:32:50 PM
"Heavy Trip" (2019)
A dorky small-time metal band from a tiny Finnish village embarks on a chaos-filled road trip to play their first-ever gig at a festival in Norway. Wacky hi-jinks ensue.
A very funny Finnish comedy that pokes affectionate fun at metalhead stereotypes, but in a respectful way. Fun stuff as long as you don't mind sub-titles.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on July 10, 2023, 08:12:44 AM
INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (2023)

Archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change the course of history.

Against my better judgement, I went to see the new installment of Indy. I hated the fourth one when it came out; over the years, I learned to like it a little bit more, but it's still pretty bad. The fifth one was, to my surprise, an excellent movie. I left the cinema with a huge smile, something that hasn't happened in years.

The director, thankfully NOT Steven Spielberg, who lost his charm a long time ago, knew what went wrong with THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, and made sure to fix it all. No stupid Shia LaBeouf, no aliens nonsense, not uncalled-for CGI, no random atomic blasts, no triple-crossing worthless agents, and Indy this time is not a superhero.

In fact, I loved how they acknowledge the reality of his age. They made nice references to his previous adventures, and he actually cares about the death of his friends. I felt as if this movie was the most serious of the bunch, if that makes any sense. The story is engaging and with a nice ending. The time travel stuff was handled properly, with a great paradox involved. And overall, the adventure is strong.

Absolutely recommended. I dare to say, in terms of quality and entertainment value, it's on par with RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. 9/10  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on July 10, 2023, 10:11:45 PM

PRIMAL SCREAM aka HELLFIRE (1988):
 The lead would be a welcome presence in any big budget studio film, provided he had about 5 lines, but his limited abilities wear very thin over 90 minutes, and he's by far the film's strongest actor...  :bluesad:  

I did a little light research after the fact and I owe this guy (whose name is Kenneth McGregor) a small tip of my hat. Apparently he WAS indeed a (presumably welcome) presence in a number of big budget studio films... namely THE HURRICANE (w/ Denzel Washington), Allen/Coppola/Scorsese's NEW YORK STORIES, the Tom Cruise snoozefest COCKTAIL, and THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN... in all of which I presume he had small roles (as I have no recollection of him). I can confirm he had no more than 5 lines in Bryan Singer's original X-MEN, in which he played young Magneto's father in the opening sequence and certainly did not detract from what is the primary highlight of that mostly dumb movie. Anyway, good for you, Ken! Can I call 'em or can I call 'em?  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 11, 2023, 10:35:21 AM
BLIND WILLOW, SLEEPING WOMAN (2022): A salaryman struggles emotionally when his depressed wife leaves him; meanwhile, his co-worker is approached by a giant talking frog who insists the timid accountant assist him in forestalling an earthquake that would devastate Tokyo. This French animated adaptation of several Haruki Murakami short stories is ambiguous, and literary, and well-served by an equally calm and dreamlike animation style. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 12, 2023, 08:49:44 AM
BELLE [AKA FANGA] (2023): A modern retelling of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: farm girl pledges herself to a lycanthropic beast-man to save her father's life; the twist is the Beast never reforms in this one. There's not enough money here to faithfully adapt the fairy tale, and not enough imagination to create a meaningfully offbeat variation, resulting in a well-meaning but boring effort whose only positive is the Icelandic scenery. 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 12, 2023, 03:50:15 PM
Baltic Tribes (2019) - continuing down the road of deep European history tubi, Baltic Tribes take you into the realm of the last pagans of Europe. Christian crusaders try via preaching and more coercive means to convert them, but the tribes have a few tricks up their sleeve, yet.

It's overtly educational in places, yet also has violence and nudity, actually a pretty satisfying combo. The story is sort of subservient to the history, but it's solid enough: A Christian guy goes undercover with Pagans and sees how they live while also engaging in trade at various...trade-doing places (edit: markets!). The pagans are decadent but also unpredictable in their beliefs and he develops respect for them. Were the Crusaders really trying to save their souls? Or was it just an excuse to take their livestock and wives for their own?

5/5 might have been a slog as a full series but at one feature length thingy it works quite well



number one reviewer disagrees

Quote
Featured review
1/10
Someone was building Rome, some were running naked in the woods
One of the worst movies I've seen in my whole life. 0 dialogues, only the narrator (watched it in lithuanian) who's voice is awful. Even the sound effects aren't timed right (e.g. footsteps). Non-existent, unnoticeable story which lead you to seperate scenes/pictures. Some infamous facts about pagans weren't mentioned and the narrator felt like he was trying his best to make you love these tribes. It's like you were pushed to it.

I am from the Baltic region myself and in my opinion there isn't a single thing in this "civilization" which fascinates me. The fact that we accepted Christianity so late shouldn't be a brag."

I agree about the narrator's voice it sounds computer generated



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 12, 2023, 04:47:14 PM
"Final Score" (2018)
A former American soldier (Dave "Guardians of the Galaxy" Bautista) arrives in London to take his niece to a championship football (aka "soccer" to us Yanks) match. When a squadron of Russian terrorists led by the late Ray Stevenson ("Punisher: War Zone") locks the stadium down and takes the entire crowd hostage to demand the release of a political prisoner, naturally Dave is the only one who can put a stop to the bad guys' shenanigans.
...so yeah, essentially this is a British spin on the classic "Die Hard" formula, but even though we've already seen this movie dozens of times, the action sequences are well staged and it was also nice to see former 007 Pierce Brosnan in a small but pivotal role. Worth a look for action junkies.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 12, 2023, 09:23:14 PM
"The Ice Pirates" (1984)
In a drought-stricken future, Robert Urich leads a band of space pirates on a quest to find a lost planet overflowing with the universe's most valuable resource - water. Along the way he romances a princess, has a bunch of fights and space battles, and faces the dreaded Space Herpe.
...before "Spaceballs," we had this cheap, cheesy sci-fi action spoof (which reportedly began as a legit, serious sci-fi movie, before it had its budget slashed and was re-written as a comedy) that never really gets into gear. The cast seems to be really trying, but the story is a muddle, the sets are cardboard, the special effects suck, and the laughs are few and far between. You can safely skip this turkey.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 13, 2023, 01:19:49 AM
Ice Pirates was a seriously hardcore late night mainstay circa late 80's


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 14, 2023, 04:34:56 PM
"Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens, a Life in Animation" (2000)
An entertaining, in-depth documentary from PBS' "American Masters" series on the life and career of legendary animator Chuck Jones, whose fifty-plus years of cartooning earned him four Oscars and a legion of fans that includes Steven Spielberg, John (Pixar) Lasseter, Robin Williams, Ken Burns, Joe "Gremlins" Dante, Roger Ebert, Whoopi Goldberg, Matt Groening, and more - all of whom pay tribute to the master in this doc, accompanied by tons of vintage photos and clips of his work with Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry, the Grinch, and more. A fun trip down memory lane for classic cartoon nerds.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on July 14, 2023, 06:34:05 PM
THE COMFORT OF STRANGERS (1990):
Second viewing (first time since the mid-to-late 90s) of what remains (one of, or) my favorite Paul Schrader film(s), at least as director. He hasn't made anything since that comes even close. (IMHO, naturally.) Actually, it's not a lot like the (very good) movies he'd made previously either. Elliptical, mesmerizing, and finally horrifying, it would make a great double feature w/ DON'T LOOK NOW. Generally it should appeal to fans of Peter Greenaway, Luis Bunuel, or Polanski (three directors who I think have little in common w/ Schrader). And that's about all I will say about the film itself, as the uninitiated should go in blind and enjoy some nasty surprises.

The extraordinarily Pinteresque screenplay (written by, appropriately enough, Harold Pinter!) raises many questions and answers few. I had more questions as the credits rolled, beyond the ones Pinter intended:
1.) What happened to Rupert Everett's career? He really disappeared around the turn of the century.
2.) Why did Natasha Richardson have to die? She's luminous in this and if she kept doing movies like this and HANDMAID'S TALE, she would be a Helen Mirren-sized legend by now...
3.) Did Helen Mirren jump from 45 to 70 overnight somewhere in the late 90s? (Asking for a friend.) She has been elderly onscreen forever, and it's always unnerving and refreshing to see her somewhat middle-aged, as here!
4.) To what extent did Christopher Walken's performance in this film influence his recurring "Continental" sketch on SNL... or vice versa?

Walken, btw, is extraordinary in one of his only maybe dozen or so truly serious roles. Of course, he would go onto play myriad comical variations on this character for the duration of his career, but ahhh... accept no substitutes!

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on July 15, 2023, 12:20:56 PM
Steel Magnolias - Had somehow never seen it.  It's decently entertaining with great performances, but the overall story/script is basically just fine.  Was worth a watch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 15, 2023, 03:44:47 PM
MADS ARE BACK: A NIGHT OF SHORTS XII - Four long-ish shorts are riffed: a how-to-attend-a-very-white-50s-prom guide sponsored by Coke, an explanation of how telephones worked decades ago, a bizarre milk promotional short, and a mini-documentary about visual design in the post-war era (that was actually quite good and featured a lot of great mid-century designs). These short compilations tend to be the best way to get into the Mads, and this one is no exception. A lot of special guests in this one as the Mads celebrate their third anniversary of screening, and most of the old MST3K crew congratulate them in short pre-recorded segments. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on July 16, 2023, 03:49:01 AM
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

Somehow, I've missed out on this one all the time. In a parallel universe, where magic is common, witches have to move out after their 13th birthday to fend for themselves in the wide world. Trust Studio Ghibli to make an essentially bleak premise into a sweet and heartwarming story.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 16, 2023, 06:21:19 AM
"Wanted Dead Or Alive" (1986)
A former CIA agent turned bounty hunter (Rutger Hauer) is called back to active duty to help capture a terrorist bomber (GenevSimmons) who's planning a massive attack on Los Angeles.
Pretty standard 80s action stuff, arguably Gene's best movie. Apparently this is considered a spiritual sequel to a 1950s Western TV series that starred Steve McQueen (Hauer's character is supposed to be a descendent of McQueen character)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on July 16, 2023, 11:12:27 AM
"Wanted Dead Or Alive" (1986)
Pretty standard 80s action stuff, arguably Gene's best movie.

What, no love for PHANTOM OF THE PARK? :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on July 16, 2023, 11:36:27 AM
KNOCK AT THE CABIN (2023):
...M. Night's best film?! Granted I've skipped a few, but SIXTH SENSE only functioned once to deliver its twist, and then failed to engage me on a repeat viewing. KNOCK seems to demonstrate Shyamalan learning from past mistakes. It's got the tension and some of the same apocalyptic anxiety of SIGNS w/o hard-selling the spirituality or a climactic twist. Again, the twist(s) in KNOCK are acknowledged briefly but understated, so (unlike SIXTH SENSE) the film focuses (nicely) on conflict instead of revelation. And KNOCK consistently shows off some of Shyamalan's most bold formal visual storytelling since the opening scenes of UNBREAKABLE. I missed the young Shyamalan who seemed to want to shoot his films like Tarkovski, and here he is - even to the extent of recreating the ending of THE SACRIFICE.

The material ultimately succeeds on the strength of the performances. Dave Bautista... dramatic heavyweight? Can't undersell how important his contribution is to the film. If The Rock or John Cena played Leonard, the film would collapse. Heck, if Ethan Hawke played Leonard, the film would collapse. Bautista delivers warmth, gravitas, and also menace. Abby Quinn is also exceptional... couldn't take my eyes off her. The rest of the cast is strong or at least strong enough. As usual, Shyamalan gets impressive mileage out of a child performer.

One question plagued me occasionally: If the ritualistic actions of Leonard and his crew were allowing the Judgment to proceed, why not just refuse to participate, and thereby halt the devastation? In some ways, Jonathan Groff's delirious assertions at the climax explain this, but on reflection I decided it was besides the point to contemplate the specifics of the irrationality of these characters' faith. It's more impressive that KNOCK got me reflecting abstractly on reactionary factionalism, and on extremism in credulity and in skepticism, while allowing sympathy for all its characters. I don't know that it's on the level of THE SACRIFICE but I think it's a strong companion to Michael Tolkin's THE RAPTURE. Plus into the bargain, the most unheimliche use of "Boogie Shoes" you'll ever likely hear in a film.

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 16, 2023, 03:57:04 PM
Missing 411: The Hunted (2019) - Documentary about hunters who have gone missing while hunting. If you are a participator in that lifestyle this is a must see, but non rifle bearing viewers might find it a little loose in terms of organization, with more immediately engaging stuff like potential paranormal involvement randomly tacked on at the end.

People go missing in national parks all the time. I got lost in a forest once. It was scary as Hell and the area was a tiny fraction of the amount of space in these cases. It does happen though, which seems to kind of go over the head of the director. "Why was this person nearly 11 miles from where they were supposed to be???"  because they got lost?  "How is that searchers going over the same area found a pair of boots that hadn't been there before" because they missed it the first time?

That's what really missing from this: an explanation of what does happen when people get lost. Even if you believe Bigfoot or aliens were involved in these disappearances, they probably weren't involved in EVERY SINGLE ONE.

3.75/ 5 some cool stuff though. especially the 70's era clips of weird forest noises


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 17, 2023, 08:59:36 AM
SPOONFUL OF SUGAR (2022): Millicent applies for a nanny job caring for an autistic kid with multiple allergies; unbeknownst to the parents (who are pretty screwed up couple themselves), Millicent is under psychiatric care, undergoing an experimental therapy where she microdoses LSD daily. A lot of good elements and possibilities here that don't really come together satisfactorily; the lead struggles to hit the difficult "weird girl" notes, which doesn't help things. On Shudder. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 17, 2023, 08:02:50 PM
"Rampage" (2018)
A space-station explosion causes experimental bio-material to crash to earth, where it has unusual effects on three different animals - a gorilla in a zoo, an alligator, and a wolf, all of whom grow to enormous size and converge on Chicago to start smashin' stuff up. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is the gorilla's keeper, who has to try to save his primate friend and stop the giant critters.
Loosely based on the cartoony giant-monster arcade game from the late 80s, this is a decent creature feature, fast moving with plenty of property destruction. It's no masterpiece but it kept my inner 8 year old entertained.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on July 18, 2023, 04:00:36 AM
Missing 411: The Hunted (2019) - Documentary about hunters who have gone missing while hunting. If you are a participator in that lifestyle this is a must see, but non rifle bearing viewers might find it a little loose in terms of organization, with more immediately engaging stuff like potential paranormal involvement randomly tacked on at the end.

People go missing in national parks all the time. I got lost in a forest once. It was scary as Hell and the area was a tiny fraction of the amount of space in these cases. It does happen though, which seems to kind of go over the head of the director. "Why was this person nearly 11 miles from where they were supposed to be???"  because they got lost?  "How is that searchers going over the same area found a pair of boots that hadn't been there before" because they missed it the first time?

That's what really missing from this: an explanation of what does happen when people get lost. Even if you believe Bigfoot or aliens were involved in these disappearances, they probably weren't involved in EVERY SINGLE ONE.

3.75/ 5 some cool stuff though. especially the 70's era clips of weird forest noises

I was watching a video on youtube some time ago about a middle aged couple both with years of experience in hiking. They went hiking on a popular mountain/forest hiking trail. The woman had minor health issues and sat down for a small break. The husband continued to walk for about 160 feet and waited a few minutes. When his wife didn't show up he walked back and she was gone.

Apparently the wife had to "use the toilet" and went into a wooded area next to the trail. That's where she got lost. Search teams found her weeks later. She died of starvation inside a small tent she had in her backpack. Her body was located only like 1 mile from the busy hiking trail. The search team combed that very location days before but found nothing. So strange.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 18, 2023, 03:48:47 PM
Claws- the forest is an unfamiliar environment and you can't see where you're going. It's like being blind or something.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 18, 2023, 08:26:06 PM
DEVOTION (2023) - Based on the true story of the first black Naval aviator, Jesse Brown, this movie is a bit slow at first but really builds up to an amazing conclusion.  Very well done. And if, like me, you grew up watching BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP, seeing those F4U Corsairs in action was a great trip down memory lane!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 20, 2023, 09:02:56 AM
"Murder In The Front Row" (2019)
This was my 3rd or 4th viewing of this tons o' fun documentary on the fabled Bay Area Thrash Metal scene of the 80s. If you're a thrash fan and you still haven't seen it yet (and if you haven't, shame on you!), it's streaming on Tubi, which is free.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 20, 2023, 04:17:40 PM
The Ghoul (1933) - I'm a little confused because I thought I saw a movie called The Ghoul about a creepy grave robber who had an uneasy relationship with his doctor client? I guess that was something else.

This was a cool, relatively big budget movie about a guy who, having become a devotee of an Egyptian religious cult, seeks to live forever via being buried with a jewel, which gets stolen. Karloff is intense and the cast contrasts the intensity of his performance with light comedy mostly. It's not scary enough to be on the level of Dracula or dark enough to be as good as Island of Lost Souls but it's good. It gets a little jumbled with the supernatural aspect.

4.25/ 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 21, 2023, 08:04:32 AM
We're a little late to the party, but we signed up for Disney+ yesterday. I've already started going down the Simpsons rabbit hole, starting with the first four or five episodes of Season 1.

I also watched:
"Stan Lee" (2023)
An enjoyable biography of Stan the Man, told mostly in his own voice via interviews he'd recorded over the years. Some critics have called this a puff piece because it glosses over Stan's controversial habit of claiming sole credit for creating certain iconic characters and giving the artists like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko the short shrift, and completely ignores the various, questionable business dealings he was involved in towards the end of his life (anyone remember "POW! Entertainment" or "Stan Lee Media?" Yeah, me neither), but honestly, I could listen to Stan tell stories about the old Marvel Bullpen days all day long so none of that bothered me. Worth watching if you were ever an old school Marvel fanboy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 21, 2023, 09:16:31 AM
SECRET SOCIETY FOR SLOW ROMANCE (2022): A series of long conversations set in one apartment between two DIY directors (who can't act) as they discuss independent filmmaking and slowly fall in love. Inspired by MY DINNER WITH ANDRE, but the personalities are not anywhere near as interesting. I hesitate to review this, because I talked to the director and he's a really nice and hard-working guy, and I admire what he's trying to do making his own movies for no money. On the other hand, I can't really recommend this to anyone here; I think the only people who would be interested in it are other underground filmmakers. So I'm not giving it a rating.

VINYAN (2008): Emanuelle Beart and Rufus Sewell spend everything they have to pay a triad kingpin to smuggle them to the remotest jungles of Burma searching for their lost son (who is almost certainly long dead). A grief drama/adventure story that turns into a feverish jungle nightmare, culminating in haunting imagery; worth the journey. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on July 21, 2023, 10:16:57 AM
DEVOTION (2023) - Based on the true story of the first black Naval aviator, Jesse Brown, this movie is a bit slow at first but really builds up to an amazing conclusion.  Very well done. And if, like me, you grew up watching BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP, seeing those F4U Corsairs in action was a great trip down memory lane!

I read a comment online saying that the character played by Glen Powell was "Hangman's grandpa" 😳😉😉


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 23, 2023, 10:38:50 AM
AMNESIA (2001): After receiving a call that his mother is ill, a photographer returns to his family estate (AmnesiA) to face his gangster twin brother and memories of a traumatic childhood. A boldly allegorical and uncanny psychological thriller with extravagantly odd touches (i.e., everyone just ignores the guy bleeding all over the furniture). 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on July 24, 2023, 03:32:16 AM
eden log( 2007)
   
  a french film , supposed to be scifi, also supposed to be" existential angst". DREADFUL, 0/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 24, 2023, 08:47:53 AM
THEY CLONED TYRONE (2023): A pimp, a ho, and a drug dealer walk into a secret cloning lab... Reminds me more of a classic blaxploitation film made as a contemporary mainstream sci-fi comedy than it does the more intellectual and absurdist SORRY TO BOTHER YOU. On Netflix. 3.5/5.

Also re-watched THE SERVANT (1963) on Criterion Blu-ray. It's a slow burn, but I really like this one. Dirk Bogarde plays manservant to London playboy James Fox, and gradually manipulates him until the roles of servant and master are reversed. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 25, 2023, 08:55:20 AM
JAGGED MIND (2023): A young lesbian art curator who's having mysterious blackouts and confused memories--the doctors' main theory is VERY early-onset Alzheimer's--meets a woman who seems too good to be true, as her condition deteriorates. The script and style are intriguing, but imperfectly executed; it reveals its twist too early, or too late, depending on whether you'd rather be watching a psychological thriller or a horror movie. Not great, but perfectly watchable and not nearly as bad as its 4.3 IMDB rating would suggest. A Hulu original. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 25, 2023, 04:20:45 PM
Deadly Blessing (1981) - Finally got around to watching this lesser Wes Craven feature. Vastly inferior to the two made for tv ones he made around this same time.

Ernest Borgnine leads a crew of annoying Hittites who are out to bother Lisa Hartman and eventually Sharon Stone all the time somewhere in the hinterlands of wherever Hittites live. An unseen killer lurks around and the ridiculous ending attempts to spell it all out after almost 2 hours of mostly tedium. I think Craven re used the bathtub scene for Nightmare on Elm Street? It has some okay horror vibes.

2.75/ 5

would certainly recommend Summer of Fear and Invitation to Hell over this





Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 25, 2023, 07:08:36 PM
ROMMEL (2012) A German film, possibly made for TV, depicting the last 7 months of the life of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the "Desert Fox" of Hitler's Africa campaign.   The movie focuses on his desperate attempt to fend off the D-Day invasion, and his increasing involvement in the July 1944 plot to kill Hitler = which culminated in his forced suicide in November 1944.  Interestingly enough, his son Manfred was still alive when this movie was released.
A bit slow in places, but overall, an interesting look into the life of one of Germany's greatest field commanders of WW2. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 26, 2023, 09:51:59 PM
"Chip N' Dale: Rescue Rangers" (2022)
A witty Disney+ original set in a world where cartoon characters live alongside humans, ala "Roger Rabbit" (Roger even has a cameo). Decades after their hit "Rescue Rangers" TV show was cancelled, the chipmunks haven't spoken in years and are living vastly different lives (Chip sells insurance, while Dale is a has-been actor who makes a living on the comic-convention circuit). However, when one of their old co-stars is kidnapped by a criminal gang that specializes in "bootlegging" Toons, they have to reunite the rest of their old gang to rescue their friend. A fun mix of live action and animation, with a great voice cast and some very funny gags. Better than expected.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 26, 2023, 10:29:59 PM
THE NIGHT EATS THE WORLD

Set in Paris, this movie follows the lonely life of one man who has survived the zombie apocalypse, only to find himself barricaded inside a high-rise apartment building with only a zombie trapped inside the lift to talk to.  We see him slowly unravel as it becomes apparent there are no other survivors out there - or are there?   A bit slow but well done overall.  3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on July 27, 2023, 12:27:57 AM
Deadly Blessing (1981) - Finally got around to watching this lesser Wes Craven feature. Vastly inferior to the two made for tv ones he made around this same time.

Ernest Borgnine leads a crew of annoying Hittites who are out to bother Lisa Hartman and eventually Sharon Stone all the time somewhere in the hinterlands of wherever Hittites live. An unseen killer lurks around and the ridiculous ending attempts to spell it all out after almost 2 hours of mostly tedium. I think Craven re used the bathtub scene for Nightmare on Elm Street? It has some okay horror vibes.

2.75/ 5

would certainly recommend Summer of Fear and Invitation to Hell over this





Wes Craven never made a good movie after LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and the HILLS HAVE EYES. He's a hack.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 28, 2023, 10:41:05 PM
EL MONSTRO DEL MAR - A group of girl gangsters hide out at a remote beach cabin after committing a string of murders. Their neighbor there, an old man in a wheel chair, warns them not to go into the sea.  They go swimming anyway, and stir up a ferocious tentacled monster of the deep that comes to town looking for humans to snack on.   Mayhem ensues. 
Overall, it had its moments but could have been much better. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on July 29, 2023, 03:36:04 PM
I forgot the name of this movie so I googled "movie female doctor doesn't answer door and the person ends up dead" and got it.

The Unknown Girl (2016) - A female doctor doesn't answer her office's door one night because it's an hour after closing. Unfortunately, the person ends up dead. She becomes obsessed with the girl and works with the police and on her own to find out what happened. It has the intelligence but not the eroticism that are expected of foreign films which is probably why it ended up on tubi.

good writing and acting but not super exciting

4/5

It's just one of those movies that takes 3 days to watch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on July 30, 2023, 01:04:52 AM
Deadly Blessing (1981) - Finally got around to watching this lesser Wes Craven feature. Vastly inferior to the two made for tv ones he made around this same time.
 It has some okay horror vibes.

2.75/ 5

would certainly recommend Summer of Fear and Invitation to Hell over this


Wes Craven never made a good movie after LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and the HILLS HAVE EYES. He's a hack.

I agree to some extent w/ both of you!
I've long felt like Craven was essentially a hack who generally didn't even like or care about the horror genre - though fwiw I think LAST HOUSE is one of his worst!
Approaching DEADLY BLESSING w/ such reduced expectations was helpful, however. It's an idiot plot w/ poor pacing, but as Lester says, "some okay horror vibes" - plus Stone and Borgnine, two great onscreen tastes who I can't believe actually were in the same movie! Also Michael Berryman as a more or less innocuous/non-threatening character, which is novel.
 
Most of the ELM STREET films have aged poorly, including the ones Craven was involved w/. Every SCREAM after the second one should just burn in an eternal fiery landfill.
Even HILLS HAVE EYES is... kind of a mess, though it's f'd up enough to be intriguing/compelling.
Let's not even get started on complete trash like DEADLY FRIEND!

Craven was just not very good at his job. Sometimes he was just about good enough... and he was certainly lucky to benefit from excellent marketing!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on July 30, 2023, 07:42:26 AM
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981)
It's 1936 and two-fisted, bullwhip-toting archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is sent on a globe trotting mission to beat the Nazis to a Biblical treasure with immense power. I've seen this a zillion times over the years, but I never get tired of. It's one of the best action/adventure flicks ever made, as far as I'm concerned.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on July 30, 2023, 09:22:25 AM
SALOUM (2022):
Watched this almost 2 months ago, kept meaning to review it but was too busy, just as well as my thoughts would've been extraordinarily lengthy, disorganized, and contradictory. FROM DUSK 'TIL DAWN is the most obvious reference point though I prefer to think instead of the quirky, imperfect, but nifty 1988 Canadian film SCARECROWS. SALOUM starts out like a roaring barnfire and for as long as it's an offbeat, enigmatic, sweaty suspense/crime/action flick (about 40 minutes), it had me rapt. When it transitions into supernatural horror, the pace slows and my issues w/ the film accumulate. The "demons" (?) don't adhere consistently to the film's prescribed logic and frankly they look kind of dumb (likely the one department where the film's budget lets its aspirations down). Human characters also often behave in abrupt and undermotivated (or just dumb) ways. Of course, as w/ many Asian genre films that I've had to suspend my critical thinking to enjoy, it's possible I'm losing some nuance in the translation to English subtitles.

If Tarantino had written and directed SALOUM, it may or may not have made more sense - and it would've been twice as long. Jean-Luc Herbulot gets the job done in 85 minutes and, for all SALOUM's faults, I still really like it. It's got an epic feel considering its brevity, a lot of arresting cinematography, and ensemble acting that ranges from excellent to at least interesting. The film's two lead tough guys, Yann Gael and Roger Sallah, are so damn cool, intense, and compelling that they could've held my attention if they spent the second half of the film drinking milk and reading the classifieds. Both should have careers in Hollywood (if they want 'em). I can easily imagine Gael starring in the next Jordan Peele or Ryan Coogler film. Sallah would be an outstanding Luke Cage. If nothing else, how many other French-Senegalese folk horror movies where easily 1/4-1/3 of the dialogue is in sign language can you think of?

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on July 30, 2023, 10:23:51 AM
DESTROY MEMPHIS (2016): A small group of activists fight to stop the city of Memphis from closing the Libertyland amusement park and bulldozing the historic Zippin Pippin roller coaster (Elvis Presley's favorite ride). This impassioned doc is mostly of local interest (as it should be), although the lessons of gentrification and activism can be applied anywhere. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on July 31, 2023, 11:31:25 PM
DON'T KILL ME (2022) Mirta is a nice Italian girl from a good family dating a boy named Robin who is a heroin addict.  He persuades her to get high with him, just one time - and they both wind up in the morgue, dead from overdosing.
But that's just the beginning of the story.  Mirta wakes up after being buried, frightened, lonely, and desperately HUNGRY.  The only thing that can slake her hunger is living human flesh.  Without it, her body begins to decompose; with it, she remains young and beautiful.  She is an Overdead - not a vampire nor a zombie, but something in between.  Another Overdead finds her and tries to help her discover her new powers, but there is also an ancient brotherhood that is dedicated to finding and destroying every Overdead on earth - including Mirta.  But there's another hitch - Robin's grave is empty, too.  But where has he gone?
This was a brilliant new take on the zombie mythos, and the starring actress is very cute, and plays the role perfectly.  Great twist at the end, too. 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 01, 2023, 12:46:04 AM
this is a spoiler imo
Quote
Great twist at the end, too.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 01, 2023, 08:57:51 AM
TALK TO HER (2002): While sitting by the bedside of his bullfighter girlfriend, who is brain dead in a coma, Marco befriends Benigno, a male nurse who has devoted his life to caring for a ballerina who is also permanently comatose. Pedro Almodóvar's script spends its first half setting up the action with complicated (but not confusing) crosscutting between two stories and their respective flashbacks; the payoff comes in the second half (after a hilariously bizarre silent film-within-the-film). Prepare for it to get dark. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 01, 2023, 09:00:23 AM
"Ghetto Blaster" (1989)
After the death of his wife, a man (Richard "Battlestar Galactica" Hatch) moves back into his parents' home in an L.A. suburb. He soon learns that while he's been away, his old neighborhood has come under the control of a ruthless street gang.  When the gangbangers rob and murder his kindly store-keeper father, it's time for him to turn vigilante and takes back the streets.
An enjoyably cheesy direct-to-video "Death Wish" wanna-be that gets the job done in under 90 minutes. Hatch certainly isn't your usual muscle-bound action hero type, which is different. It's cool to see a regular Joe getting to kick ass for a change. :D


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 02, 2023, 01:44:14 AM
I watched some "Old Scandals" thing on Tubi. [edit "Scandals: Then and Now] There was a really interesting episode about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Aimee_Semple_McPherson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Aimee_Semple_McPherson)

I had never heard this story. Circa the 1920's this lady was a huge huge star, basically the first megachurch celeb-preacher. At the height of her fame, she fell in love with a random guy from the church. She staged her own death which, when she got cold feet about the whole thing, turned into a faked kidnapping.

Quote
y early 1926, McPherson had become one of the most charismatic and influential women and ministers of her time. Her fame equaled, to name a few, Charles Lindbergh, Johnny Weissmuller, Jack Dempsey, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Knute Rockne, Bobby Jones, Louise Brooks, and Rudolph Valentino.[83]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aimee_Semple_McPherson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aimee_Semple_McPherson)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F2ja4B0XgAE2hWd?format=png&name=small)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 02, 2023, 08:00:33 AM
THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT (2022) - This is a hilarious film, one of the best Nick Cage has ever done.  Pedro Pasqual (of MANDALORIAN fame) plays an eccentric billionaire who hires the famous actor to come spend the day with him for his birthday, and Cage gets drafted by the FBI to get information on "Javi" (Pasqual) whom the believe to be an international arms dealer and terrorist.  Hijinks ensue!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 02, 2023, 03:27:09 PM
SHARKMAN (2001) - Jeffrey Combs plays a mad scientist (gee, what a stretch!) in this rather torpid made-for-TV horror shlock.  One star for Combs chewing up landscape in his old familiar way, one star for a rather cool man-shark design, zero stars for plot, suspense, acting, nudity, or any of the other things we expect from fun B-movies!   2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 02, 2023, 04:51:49 PM
Evil Dead Rise.

Harkening back to the original movie rather than the increasingly comedic sequels, this is a fairly brutal movie. It has a lot in common with the Fede Álvarez version. Better than say, the Hellraiser reboot and a worthy addition to the series I feel.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 02, 2023, 07:48:24 PM
"Dave Stevens: Drawn To Perfection" (2022)
A way-cool documentary on the late, great illustrator Dave Stevens, who took his love of superheroes, '30s and '40s aviation, and movie serials and poured it all into The Rocketeer, one of the most successful indie comics of the early 1980s which eventually became a film in the 1990s.
Respected by his peers for his tireless work ethic and his ultra-realistic drawing style (particularly his knack for drawing beautiful women), Dave was also responsible for re-igniting interest in pin-up model Bettie Page before his career was tragically cut short by his death in 2008 from leukemia. Dave, we hardly knew ye.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 02, 2023, 08:43:43 PM
RIDERS OF JUSTICE (2021):
Yet another film I queued/DL'd/otherwise acquired after reading about it on Letterboxd (or here?) and then by the time I managed to begin watching it I had no recollection of why I possibly would've found it of interest. Fortunately my subconscious was looking out for me in this case. Although the plot initially appears like yet another rehash of DEATH WISH/The Punisher/JOHN WICK, this Danish thriller puts some unexpected spins on the material.

After tragedy strikes his family, brooding psychopath Mads Mikkelsen commits himself to a campaign of vigilante vengeance (because of course). The most significant variation on this familiar theme is that he is aided and abetted by two awkward middle aged statisticians and their overweight techie friend. More screentime is devoted to these four swingin' dudes setting up house together and helping Mads rediscover his relationship w/ his estranged teenage daughter than is devoted to the revenge plot. It all feels like some 90s Hollywood bulls**t that's been touched by the idle hands of too many production execs... except because it's Danish, none of the rough edges have been sanded off the screenplay. In spite of a lot of questionable humor, the film remains pretty grim and serious... w/ plenty of melodrama, sprinklings of casual violence, a couple plot twists, a gay/S+M prostitute w/ a heart of gold, and - did I mention it's a Christmas movie?

Somehow it all just about holds together and works on the strength of the acting. Mads' three cohorts all deliver performances as strong as his own, w/ particular kudos to Lars Brygmann, a highly entertaining Kevin Kline/Alan Rickman/David Straitharin-type mad professor. There isn't a ton of action, but when it erupts, it's quite well done. I liked it!

3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 04, 2023, 01:23:15 PM
CAPRICORN ONE (1978):
First viewing of a film I'd read about as a kid. After 40 years I managed to forget almost all particulars, which turns out to be the right way to watch this film. The premise (introduced about 10 minutes in) therefore came as a small surprise to me, and there's another great twist about midway through. Suffice to say writer/director Peter Hyams was striving to deliver another great 70s paranoid thriller and for the most part he succeeds. Quite a 70s cast too: Elliott Gould still has enough indie cred in '78 to be a thinking man's protagonist while James Brolin handles the more macho man action bits. Hal Holbrook and David Huddleston (aka "MR. Lebowski") are the bad guys (of course) and James Karen briefly appears as the Vice-POTUS (of course!). Brenda Vaccaro, Sam Waterston, and Karen Black round out the supporting cast, w/ David Doyle (TV's "Bosley") delivering one strong dramatic scene opposite Gould. (Doyle and Waterston were both also in the early 70s WHO KILLED MARY WHATSERNAME?, which I watched a few months back.) James B. Sikking is apparently in there somewhere (I missed him) and Telly Savalas (!) hams it up as the deus ex machina. I suppose I should also mention the appearance of acquitted but financially liable double-murderer Orenthal James Simpson.

Hyams also writes the screenplay and by 70s standards it's... like a B/B+. His clever dialogue gets a little repetitive and his aspirations are on-the-sleeve: one character actually compares Gould (unfavorably) to "Woodward and Bernstein" and the long, didactic monologues by Holbrook and Doyle make one think Hyams has been watching NETWORK on repeat. It's still snappier than most modern Hollywood screenplays, though, and more importantly, Hyams directs the heck out of the script. It's smartly (and occasionally beautifully) photographed and generally maintains a low-key atmosphere of dread... that explodes twice into legitimate Thrillz: once in a scene involving Gould in a car that had me literally on the edge of the couch w/ my eyeballs popping (and which must've been something else on the big screen) and then later in the action-packed climax, an air-chase through the desert that recalls (though outdoes) the famous plane scene from NORTH BY NORTHWEST. That latter scene is kind of preposterous, but damn, it hits the spot at the end of a long, subdued movie. It made me hope for some closing credits disclaimer that No Stunt Men Were Harmed During Aerial Photography (but no such disclaimer appears...).

CAPRICORN ONE isn't profound but it's so well-made I even felt sympathy in one scene for OJ! Hyams started his career strong w/ this, OUTLAND, and 2010 (which I like and won't apologize for!). He followed those w/ several decent thrillers in the 80s and then the very very good NARROW MARGIN w/ Gene Hackman (and James B. Sikking!) in the early 90s. After that it was a steady plummet from bad films to much worse films, including THE RELIC, one of the worst horror movies of the 90s, a decade rife w/ stinkers. If I was the Elliot Gould character in CAPRICORN ONE, I'd almost think Hyams' tragic decline was....... a conspiracy!

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 04, 2023, 06:58:01 PM
MST3K: THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN: I'm slowly catching up on the few MST3K episodes I have yet to see. This one is the goriest movie they ever did, but other than that it's a by-the-numbers blah monster movie notable only for it's "melting" effects by Rick Baker. As Mike and the Bots watch the film, Pearl and Dr. F. are cutting a deal to turn Crow's screenplay "Earth vs. Soup" into a feature. A middle-of-the-road episode for me. 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 04, 2023, 08:28:29 PM
DAYLIGHT'S END (2016) This is a better than average zombie apocalypse film - except the zombies are mixed with vampires; sunlight kills them and they can be taken down with bullets.  A wandering stranger named Rourke rescues two women threatened by raiders and takes them to a fortified compound in Dallas, where a former police chief (B-movie icon Lance Hendrickson) presides over a small group of survivors.  They are hoping to make it to the Mohave desert in California, where a large community of survivors had established a free zone, but they are besieged by thousands of undead.  Overall, a better than average zombie flick. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 05, 2023, 09:21:41 AM
INGRID GOES WEST (2017): When we first meet Ingrid (Aubrey Plaza), she's macing a new bride at her "perfect" wedding---so yeah, she's a little unhinged. The movie is a showcase for Plaza as an Instagram stalker, with soft satire that seems like it wants to drift into a rom-com at times. Plaza was excellent, but I think the movie would have benefited if it had found a way to keep up the edge of that first scene throughout. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 05, 2023, 04:35:23 PM
BLOOD MOON (2014) - A werewolf story set in the old west, where  a group of travelers are trapped in an abandoned saloon, being stalked by a ferocious Navajo skinwalker.  Not great, but not awful - I was mildly entertained. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 06, 2023, 10:59:50 AM
"The Rocketeer" (1991)
In 1938 Los Angeles, down on his luck stunt pilot Cliff Secord (Bill Campbell) stumbles across a stolen, experimental rocket pack that allows a man to fly without a plane. He figures he can use it to make a few quick bucks, but ends up getting caught up in a battle with the mob, the FBI, and the Nazis, all of whom want to get their hands on the machine. A fun period piece action/adventure in the "Raiders of the Lost Ark" vein, adapted from Dave Stevens' cult '80s comic book series.  

"Dead Heat" (1988)
Two L.A. cops (Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo) trail a gang of thieves who seem immune to bullets. After some detective work they learn that these bad guys are already dead, and have been re-animated by a mad scientist's machine that brings them back to life. A funny, action packed, occasionally gross horror comedy that really missed a bet by not calling itself "Beverly Hills Zombie."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 06, 2023, 10:41:40 PM
WISHCRAFT (2002) - A high school nerd is tutoring a beautiful cheerleader who ignores his secret passion for her in favor of the captain of the football team, of course.  Then he gets a box in the mail containing a mummified bull pen*s and a note that this talisman will grant him three wishes.  Of course, he thinks it's a joke and throws it away, but his even nerdier friend urges him to try it, and it works - but even as his first wish is granted, a string of bizarre murders begins.  What is the connection?  Half teen comedy and half horror movie, this one was better than I thought it would be but not great. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 07, 2023, 07:09:30 AM

"Dead Heat" (1988)
Two L.A. cops (Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo) trail a gang of thieves who seem immune to bullets.

Another great fun movie from Treat Williams, a movie star who believed in quality over quantity. Rest in power, Treat.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 07, 2023, 01:32:16 PM
THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES (2007) This is one of the more disturbing found footage films I have seen.  Filmed in documentary style, the focal point of the movie is a huge collection of videotapes left behind by a prolific serial killer.  Enough of the contents of the tapes are shown to horrify the viewer, and leave you wondering what happened on the ones not shared.  Murders, abductions, body dumps, false leads, a wrongful conviction after a skilled frame-up - the realism is chilling and the villain downright terrifying. Not for the faint of heart. 5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 07, 2023, 05:39:40 PM
"Intent To Kill" (1992)
A tough L.A. police woman (Traci Lords) gets caught in the middle of a war between drug dealing gangs. Cars crash, bullets fly, and lotsa stuff blows up in this silly early 90s direct to video action flick.
Traci looks great (of course) but the former XXX queen still couldn't act worth a damn at this stage. Fortunately, her role mostly requires her to pout while punching/shooting people.
Meanwhile, the main villain does a terrible impression of Al Pacino in "Scarface" and Yaphet Kotto (as Traci's captain) sports a distracting, hilarious hair piece. Unless you're an obsessed Traci fan, you can safely skip this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 08, 2023, 09:04:59 AM
ONCE UPON A TIME IN UGANDA (2021): A disillusioned American film pro travels to Uganda to find Nabwana I.G.G., the director whose trailers for homemade action movies like "Who Killed Captain Alex?" have gone viral. A good introduction to Nabwana's amazing and utterly unique movies, which have brought him worldwide fame, but not much fortune (yet). 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 09, 2023, 09:24:26 AM
FRONTIER (2001): In a post-apocalyptic world, two "Bulbovian" explorers attempt to colonize a new land, dealing with the egg-throwing indigenous Bigfoots and masked Jesi and other absurdities. Notable mainly for creating its own exclusively-spoken fake Slavic language, this is sort of like a less coherent, less focused, less expensive, less amusing, and less talented version of THE BED-SITTING ROOM; still, it occasionally hits, like the chicken boxing gloves. A generous 2/5, given more for what it attempts than what it achieves.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 09, 2023, 09:47:18 PM
"Hidden Strike" (2023)
A security expert (Jackie Chan) is escorting a caravan of workers out of an oil refinery in the middle of a Mideast war zone. When they're attacked by mercenaries who kidnap the refinery boss, Chan and an American aid worker (John Cena) must stop the bad guys before they can drain off all the oil and steal it for themselves. Of course, lots of stuff gets shot, blown up, and kung-fu'd along the way.
Chan and Cena seem to be having fun in this generic action flick with way too much CGI and a plot that goes in fifteen directions at once. It was better than the last Chan movie I saw ("Bleeding Steel") but that's not really saying much. Watchable, but forgettable. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 10, 2023, 08:07:13 AM
"Beatnik Manor": An experimental collage constructed from old experimental footage shot by hippies, with the now-ancient sculpture professor who headed the project narrating his memories. Interesting enough bohemian time capsule, and at 45 minutes it lasts about as long as it needs to. A bonus feature on the TEENAGE TUPELO Blu-ray, this one's not even in the IMDb. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on August 10, 2023, 02:48:41 PM
What to do with the dead Kaiju? (2022)

So, the kaiju that threatened Tokyo has keeled over and died. But the next question is, what to do with the cadaver? Is it a biohazard or can it become a tourist attraction? Is this a dirty job, or can it launch a political career?

This idea has the potential for a political satire. However, the director felt he also needed a conventional plot. So what we have is mostly a slapdash combination of manga tropes, which is neither interesting nor entertaining. A pity, because the scenes of the squabbling politicians are funny.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 10, 2023, 08:02:31 PM
BEAT THE DEVIL (1953):
John Houston's monster 1941 hit THE MALTESE FALCON starring Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet begat Michael Curtiz' inferior (sorry, facts!) CASABLANCA a year later... a decade on, Houston teams up w/ Bogie for the 4th (?) time to make AFRICAN QUEEN... and then 2 years later, Houston revs up the blender one more time to make this FALCON/CASABLANCA/AFRICAN QUEEN mega-mix. Bogie's now a shady expatriate restauranteur in Central America, brainstorming an African uranium deal w/ a gang of former Nazis and fascist sympathizers: Lorre, Robert Morley (assuming the bloated, effete Greenstreet role), and their two European goons (Elisha Cook was clearly too American for this crew). Meanwhile Bogie is wifeswapping w/ an imbecilic British tourist and gets (imho) the better end of the deal - the Brit gets dully exotic Gina Lollabrigida while Bogie gets leggy, tart Jennifer Jones. About midway through they all get on a slow cruise ship to "the dark continent" and then plans really start to go pear-shaped.

I watched this primarily for Lorre (one of my all-time favs) but into the bargain I got a Truman Capote screenplay (which is much more fun than either BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S or IN COLD BLOOD) and much more. The dialogue is hilariously b***hy throughout, w/ Morley enjoying many of the juiciest ripostes. He looks like he was drawn by Dr. Seuss and twitches, tics, gapes, and glares w/ relentless fervor. It's fun to watch Bogie (who began his career as a villain) playing a not-so-good guy but more fun to watch him struggle to keep up w/ his slippery new mistress. Jones,  an accomplished dramatic actress of the 40s and 50s, excels at comedy as well... but is also faintly chilling in some moments. Bernard Lee (the original "M"!) appears at the denouement as, what else, a Scotland Yard dick. All the bit parts are memorably colorful, too - I bet the Coen Bros love this movie.

And Lorre? Although he's got far fewer lines than in FALCON, he plays every one of 'em to the hilt. (My favorite is when he insists that his Irish surname is perfectly normal and that there are plenty of Germans named "O'Hara" in his small Chilean hometown.) He's in the entire film, too, even when silent... lurking in some odd corner of the frame, leering in fear or amusement or contempt. (Oh yeah - the claustrophobic interior shots are masterfully composed and I bet the film would look amazing (if I wasn't watching a muddy crap print).)

Lollabrigida? Not that hot as an actress, but she's a tertiary character and at least not the debilitating albatross that Bergman is around the neck of CASABLANCA. I admit I wish BTD got a little darker. As Jones' character gradually reveals herself to be essentially a rudderless sociopath, I expected Bogie to ultimately have to throw her over in order to save his own neck. Instead, the film has a rather toothless upbeat ending... but enough guffaws and good acting along the way to make it entirely worthwhile.

4/5
FTR, I've never seen Lorre look more like Michael J. Anderson than in this film.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 10, 2023, 08:33:36 PM
Hell of the Living Dead - Just terrible zombie film, with some of the strangest acting and written characters in an Italian zombie film this side of Burial Ground.  Also has like 20+ minutes of tribal people and animal stock footage.  Just a few gore effects, and the zombies look like crap.  It's barely coherent.  Some scenes feel like they're missing shots.  Goblin did the score and some of it sounds like it was stolen, but it's still better than the film deserves anyway.

Rampage - Passable summer pap.  Still makes it one of the better video game film adaptations.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 10, 2023, 09:11:02 PM
BEAT THE DEVIL (1953):
John Houston's monster 1941 hit THE MALTESE FALCON starring Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet begat Michael Curtiz' inferior (sorry, facts!) CASABLANCA a year later... a decade on, Houston teams up w/ Bogie for the 4th (?) time to make AFRICAN QUEEN... and then 2 years later, Houston revs up the blender one more time to make this FALCON/CASABLANCA/AFRICAN QUEEN mega-mix. Bogie's now a shady expatriate restauranteur in Central America, brainstorming an African uranium deal w/ a gang of former Nazis and fascist sympathizers: Lorre, Robert Morley (assuming the bloated, effete Greenstreet role), and their two European goons (Elisha Cook was clearly too American for this crew). Meanwhile Bogie is wifeswapping w/ an imbecilic British tourist and gets (imho) the better end of the deal - the Brit gets dully exotic Gina Lollabrigida while Bogie gets leggy, tart Jennifer Jones. About midway through they all get on a slow cruise ship to "the dark continent" and then plans really start to go pear-shaped.

I watched this primarily for Lorre (one of my all-time favs) but into the bargain I got a Truman Capote screenplay (which is much more fun than either BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S or IN COLD BLOOD) and much more. The dialogue is hilariously b***hy throughout, w/ Morley enjoying many of the juiciest ripostes. He looks like he was drawn by Dr. Seuss and twitches, tics, gapes, and glares w/ relentless fervor. It's fun to watch Bogie (who began his career as a villain) playing a not-so-good guy but more fun to watch him struggle to keep up w/ his slippery new mistress. Jones,  an accomplished dramatic actress of the 40s and 50s, excels at comedy as well... but is also faintly chilling in some moments. Bernard Lee (the original "M"!) appears at the denouement as, what else, a Scotland Yard dick. All the bit parts are memorably colorful, too - I bet the Coen Bros love this movie.

And Lorre? Although he's got far fewer lines than in FALCON, he plays every one of 'em to the hilt. (My favorite is when he insists that his Irish surname is perfectly normal and that there are plenty of Germans named "O'Hara" in his small Chilean hometown.) He's in the entire film, too, even when silent... lurking in some odd corner of the frame, leering in fear or amusement or contempt. (Oh yeah - the claustrophobic interior shots are masterfully composed and I bet the film would look amazing (if I wasn't watching a muddy crap print).)

Lollabrigida? Not that hot as an actress, but she's a tertiary character and at least not the debilitating albatross that Bergman is around the neck of CASABLANCA. I admit I wish BTD got a little darker. As Jones' character gradually reveals herself to be essentially a rudderless sociopath, I expected Bogie to ultimately have to throw her over in order to save his own neck. Instead, the film has a rather toothless upbeat ending... but enough guffaws and good acting along the way to make it entirely worthwhile.

4/5
FTR, I've never seen Lorre look more like Michael J. Anderson than in this film.

Very underrated film. A classic, IMHO.
I agree that CASABLANCA can't touch a candle to the MALTESE FALCON (1941). I may have watched that movie over 20 times.

(https://i.imgur.com/WjM6QEU.gif) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 10, 2023, 09:35:09 PM
"Night Patrol" (1984)
A dorky police recruit who also moonlights as a stand up comedian learns that another comic is not only stealing his act, but also committing robberies on the side.
This painfully unfunny slapstick "Police Academy" variant is more or less a vanity project for Murray "The Unknown Comic" Langston, who co-wrote the script and stars as his "real" self and as his stage persona. I think I might have laughed once. Woof, this was bad. Even the presence of Linda "Exorcist" Blair at her busty early '80s peak can't make this movie watchable.
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 10, 2023, 10:18:12 PM
MEG 2: THE TRENCH (2023)

  Jason Statham is back, and so are the Megalodon sharks!  Plus a variety of other prehistoric sea monsters, attacking submersibles, gobbling swimmers, and generally causing mayhem after an illegal deep sea mining operation allows them to breach the thermocline and reach the surface. Glorious giant shark silliness, and Statham once more surviving impossible situations.  Totally worth the price of admission!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 12, 2023, 01:04:12 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: I ACCUSE MY PARENTS: You know the story: Jimmy wins an essay contest, his drunk parents give him $20, and he ends up working for a gangster before a fry cook converts him to Jesus. Unfortunately, Frank and Trace's second take on this only reminds you how good the original MST3K version was. Q&A guest is comedian Myka Fox (not familiar with her before this, she's fine). 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 14, 2023, 02:02:40 PM
Guardians of the Galaxy 3.

Not a fun, happy movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 14, 2023, 07:02:29 PM
Guardians of the Galaxy 3.

Not a fun, happy movie.

...That's a fair cop!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 15, 2023, 01:03:17 AM
the Name of the Rose (1986) - I've half seen this a number of times. After finally sitting through the whole thing, I still don't exactly understand everything about it.

 :hot: spoiler alert  :hot:

 I get that the blind guy didn't want people to find the Aristotle comedy book, but not what all the murders were about. Were they about that? It wasn't clear

Anyway...


Christian Slater must have thought he was at acting bootcamp having to trudge up and down the castle in his balsa wood gown thing. That said, I did like the vibe and the themes, though they were sort of muted and I would guess compromised by box office concerns

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 15, 2023, 06:13:37 AM
THE ROOKIE (2002) Dennis Quaid stars as a high school chemistry teacher and baseball coach who tries out for the big leagues and makes it.  Heartwarming true story, well-acted, and a great supporting cast. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on August 15, 2023, 06:40:59 AM
the Name of the Rose (1986) - I've half seen this a number of times. After finally sitting through the whole thing, I still don't exactly understand everything about it.

 :hot: spoiler alert  :hot:

 I get that the blind guy didn't want people to find the Aristotle comedy book, but not what all the murders were about. Were they about that? It wasn't clear

Anyway...


Christian Slater must have thought he was at acting bootcamp having to trudge up and down the castle in his balsa wood gown thing. That said, I did like the vibe and the themes, though they were sort of muted and I would guess compromised by box office concerns

4/5

I saw this when I was a student: apparently some of the victims died as they licked their fingers before turning the pages of books and the pages were acidic 😳😳


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 15, 2023, 06:54:02 AM
the Name of the Rose (1986) - I've half seen this a number of times. After finally sitting through the whole thing, I still don't exactly understand everything about it.

 :hot: spoiler alert  :hot:

 I get that the blind guy didn't want people to find the Aristotle comedy book, but not what all the murders were about. Were they about that? It wasn't clear

Anyway...


Christian Slater must have thought he was at acting bootcamp having to trudge up and down the castle in his balsa wood gown thing. That said, I did like the vibe and the themes, though they were sort of muted and I would guess compromised by box office concerns

4/5

I saw this when I was a student: apparently some of the victims died as they licked their fingers before turning the pages of books and the pages were acidic 😳😳

Hate to be the guy from the old Time/Life commercials who says "Read the book!" But - Read The Book! Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose and Foucault's Pendulum are two of my favorite novels. I've read both 10+ times and I always get more out of 'em... they're that chock full of content. Naturally a 2-ish hour movie couldn't do it justice... though it is well-made and well-acted.

BTW Foucault's Pendulum is the (pretty much universally acknowledged) basis for Dan Brown's series of dumb thrillers. It also forecasted the whole QAnon fiasco a good 25 years in advance...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 15, 2023, 07:22:28 AM
MIKE WALLACE IS HERE (2019)
This documentary tells the story of the confrontational TV journalist Mike Wallace, with clips from his 1950's TV shows, 60 Minutes, events he covered in history, and him interviewing everyone from Martin Luther King, Richard Nixon, the Ayatollah Khomani, and many more. Fascinating look at an amazing life.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 16, 2023, 07:21:57 AM
WENT THE DAY WELL? (1942):
On the "Bad Movies: ...With Great Starts" forum thread we've been putting the boots to INGLORIOUS BASTERDS a bit. Here's an old British wartime thriller that starts good, gets a bit slow for a while, but then consistently improves until a dynamite last half hour. A quiet village in the English countryside is unexpectedly set upon by a purportedly top secret contingent of her majesty's infantry, who move right into everyone's homes and make themselves comfy. In a reflection of a subplot from BASTERDS, the soldiers aren't Englishmen at all - they're Nazis doing accents as fishy as any you'll hear in your local community theater production of SWEENEY TODD. Nevertheless the patriotic locals accept the con at face value for the first third of the film, only gradually growing wise. When they do, the Gerries start executing innocent townspeople in earnest...

Remarkably vicious for its time, WTDW? makes you despise these Nazis (and their one local co-conspirator) as much as you've ever despised any B+W Nazis. Sympathetic characters get offed at an alarming rate for awhile, sometimes onscreen, and even children aren't safe. When the surviving villagers begin to mobilize and fight back, it's Hitchcock-level suspenseful, as they creep through the sleepy town pre-sunset, outnumbered and outgunned, trying to pick off enemies one by one. When the tables finally turn, it's immensely satisfying... certainly moreso than the finale of BASTERDS! Lots of gunplay and even a burning body. I'm pretty sure this is the most arse-kicking early 40s film I've seen.

4/5 by universal standards
4.5 if you factor on 1940s curve for action/adventure/entertainment


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on August 16, 2023, 09:40:19 AM
WENT THE DAY WELL? (1942):
On the "Bad Movies: ...With Great Starts" forum thread we've been putting the boots to INGLORIOUS BASTERDS a bit. Here's an old British wartime thriller that starts good, gets a bit slow for a while, but then consistently improves until a dynamite last half hour. A quiet village in the English countryside is unexpectedly set upon by a purportedly top secret contingent of her majesty's infantry, who move right into everyone's homes and make themselves comfy. In a reflection of a subplot from BASTERDS, the soldiers aren't Englishmen at all - they're Nazis doing accents as fishy as any you'll hear in your local community theater production of SWEENEY TODD. Nevertheless the patriotic locals accept the con at face value for the first third of the film, only gradually growing wise. When they do, the Gerries start executing innocent townspeople in earnest...

Remarkably vicious for its time, WTDW? makes you despise these Nazis (and their one local co-conspirator) as much as you've ever despised any B+W Nazis. Sympathetic characters get offed at an alarming rate for awhile, sometimes onscreen, and even children aren't safe. When the surviving villagers begin to mobilize and fight back, it's Hitchcock-level suspenseful, as they creep through the sleepy town pre-sunset, outnumbered and outgunned, trying to pick off enemies one by one. When the tables finally turn, it's immensely satisfying... certainly moreso than the finale of BASTERDS! Lots of gunplay and even a burning body. I'm pretty sure this is the most arse-kicking early 40s film I've seen.

4/5 by universal standards
4.5 if you factor on 1940s curve for action/adventure/entertainment

I believe this is the film that Jack Higgins based the events in  his book THE EAGLE HAS LANDED on.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 16, 2023, 10:26:20 AM
THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES (2007) This is one of the more disturbing found footage films I have seen.  Filmed in documentary style, the focal point of the movie is a huge collection of videotapes left behind by a prolific serial killer.  Enough of the contents of the tapes are shown to horrify the viewer, and leave you wondering what happened on the ones not shared.  Murders, abductions, body dumps, false leads, a wrongful conviction after a skilled frame-up - the realism is chilling and the villain downright terrifying. Not for the faint of heart. 5/5

Watched this based on your review. It was a tough watch in places, but good.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 16, 2023, 05:45:42 PM
"Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom" (1984)
Harrison Ford's second go-round as the globe trotting archaeologist/adventurer takes him to India, where he battles a kid-stealing, monkey-brain-eating, human-sacrificing death cult. "Temple of Doom" has a WAY bigger mean streak than "Raiders." This flick's heart-ripping and child-abusing scenes were instrumental in the creation of the PG-13 rating. This seems to be the least popular of the first three "Indy" movies, but I've always enjoyed it -- it may be needlessly ultra-violent, over the top and in retrospect, casually racist at times, but one thing it certainly isn't, is boring. This thing hits the ground running and doesn't let up for the entire two hour run time. A worthy follow up to "Raiders."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 17, 2023, 07:54:40 AM
"Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom" (1984)
 This seems to be the least popular of the first three "Indy" movies, but I've always enjoyed it -- it may be needlessly ultra-violent, over the top and in retrospect, casually racist at times, but one thing it certainly isn't, is boring. 

It is my least favorite of the first three, but it wasn't when it came out and I saw it on the big screen opening weekend. I was 7 and back then I thought it was way better than the first one. Kids! We love ultra-violent, over the top casual racism, I guess.

Last time I caught it on TV I noticed that, among other things, some scenes looked too well-lit, cheap, and fake - chief amongst these the mine cart chase. In retrospect I wonder if I was seeing a 4k or ultra-high-def remaster or something... I kind of loathe that treatment on 80s action and sci-fi films... it's even detracted from ALIENS, where Cameron clearly didn't mean for us to make out every darn thing in every corner of every shot. Anyway, I guess I can't fault TEMPLE OF DOOM for a remaster decades after it was produced, but the first and third INDY films still look pretty good even in new reissues...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 17, 2023, 04:16:28 PM
Back to the Beach (1987) - I saw this at the Chinese theater in Hollywood when it came out, though not at the actual premiere. It was the capstone of a perfectly timed family vacation as I was at that moment knee deep in punk rock and skateboarding. Come to think of it, I still am knee deep in those things so no surprise I loved it again.

One odd thing about this movie is that Frankie Avalon is, due to copyright issues, never referred to as Frankie only as "Big Kahuna". He and Annette and their brat son go to California and struggle with how much it's changed since the 60's, while attempting to bring some of their now ancient wisdom to the next generation. One big factor in the film's charm was the indifference to stars of that era, especially on shows like Married with Children. Bob Denver, Don Adams, and other former celebs make fun of themselves and their characters throughout.

I have some bias, but I'd put it up there with Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Elvira, Miracle Mile, Return of the Living Dead, and all the other well known and not so well known classics of the 80's. Safely PG 13 but the tone is perfect. Co star Lori Loughlin recently served 2 months in prison for bribing a college to accept her not so gifted kid.

5/5 watched on Pluto



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 17, 2023, 10:29:02 PM
THE TRIP (2021)  This hilarious Norwegian horror comedy tells the story of a husband and wife - she a struggling actress, he flailing TV producer - who take a trip to the countryside to repair their failing marriage.  But once they get there, we find out each of them has been preparing to murder the other!  However, before they can off each other, the husband's sidekick shows up and they accidentally shoot him, and then a trio of escaped killers hiding in the attic fall through the ceiling and take them hostage . . . after that it gets even more bizarre!  This is a really hilarious film, kind of a Scandinavian equivalent of TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL.  Highly recommended!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 18, 2023, 06:45:16 AM
ASSASSINATION NATION (2019):
This very intriguing little film seemed under-released a few years back and wholly ignored since... which seems odd as we've culturally been endlessly desperate for content amidst the pandemic and now another industry strike. It's not a perfect film, but it has many strong points and, above all else, I think it captures the spirit of the last 7 years of living in America as much as any other film I can think of. A small suburban town suffers its own rash of local Wikileaks-type personal info dumps and progressively freaks out to the extent that (mostly male) citizens start going full-tilt Purge on their neighbors... specifically four outspoken high school girls who have attracted a lot of negative attention for being... well, outspoken high school girls.

Director Sam Levinson (Barry's son) opens the film w/ a lot of MTV hypercutting and occasionally peppers some edgelord glibness into his screenplay. He also deleted a few scenes (available on the blu-ray) that would've improved the final cut. In the balance, there's some authentically thoughtful dialogue; understated and smart direction to balance the flash; and some nice performances, particularly from Odessa Young and Hari Nef as the main teens. There's also a looong complex tracking shot around and inside a house at night that would blow Brian DePalma's mind.

Levinson's connections (or his dad's money or influence) allows him to pull out some stops here. He even stages two (!) parades at the close of the film - one presumably  diegetic, the other possibly symbolic. Hey, if you got it, flaunt it. Anyone who's felt any frustration whatsoever over "digital soldiers", Proud Boys, or Justice Brett Kavanagh (among other things) should get some catharsis from this film.

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on August 18, 2023, 11:55:51 PM
THE TRIP (2021)  This hilarious Norwegian horror comedy tells the story of a husband and wife - she a struggling actress, he flailing TV producer - who take a trip to the countryside to repair their failing marriage.  But once they get there, we find out each of them has been preparing to murder the other!  However, before they can off each other, the husband's sidekick shows up and they accidentally shoot him, and then a trio of escaped killers hiding in the attic fall through the ceiling and take them hostage . . . after that it gets even more bizarre!  This is a really hilarious film, kind of a Scandinavian equivalent of TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL.  Highly recommended!

Enjoyed that one too.  Fun fact, director of this also did the recent Santa film Violent Night (which I think you liked, if memory serves) and the two Dead Snow films.  You might recognize the husband in this as the main Nazi baddy in Sisu and the lead in the excellent Norwegian thriller Headhunters.

I just watched The Tournament, a trashy straight to video action film about a battle royale of assassins with Ving Rhames, Kelly Hu and Robert Carlyle.  It's got some decent action and is gory, and well paced.  But not amazing.  Oh, and it takes place in England... But, for some reason, they got Liam Cunningham (who was Davos in Game of Thrones, and a lead in the recent Voyage of the Demeter) to play the baddie running the tournament, and then he's portraying an American.  His accent is fine (if slightly forced), just a strange choice. 

The Tournament was worth a watch if you know what you're going into.  It's free on Tubi.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on August 19, 2023, 04:32:04 AM
I have to re-watch the odd SA western war film STRANGERS AT SUNRISE as I review it for my book. Odd that an American mining engineer would be in SA during the Anglo Boer South African War of 1899 - 1902 but there you go 😳😉🐢


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 19, 2023, 08:10:11 AM
A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM (1990):
About 60 seconds in, mild-mannered executive Michael Caine receives a powerful jolt of electricity during some routine household maintenance and, as a result, gradually begins to think he has the magical ability to make all of his problems "disappear". (Realistically he's just inspired to plot and execute a series of murders as a means towards living his best life.) For the most part this is a decently written and acted production that contains a couple of weird irritants: 1.) Will Patton (an actor I like) plays his homicide detective character exactly like Colombo, which must've been even more obvious and distracting in 1990; and 2.) Elizabeth McGovern (a strong actress) is saddled w/ a truly hideous 80s perm, particularly problematic as she's the primary love interest...

On the other hand, the film excels on two strengths. One is the chilly, tense direction of Jan Egleson, who appears to have made nothing but non-distinct TV movies since ASTTS. (It's also very nicely shot at times.) The other is Caine. He's always fine by me, but let's face it, he's coasted auto-pilot on his cool accent through many decent and terrible films. I recall that reviews upon ASTTS' release praised this as one of Caine's best performances, and I have to agree. The film version of AMERICAN PSYCHO wouldn't work (at all) w/o Christian Bale's galvanizing performance and likewise this train speeds along on Caine's intensity and commitment.

That said, ASTTS ultimately has more in common w/ the original British HOUSE OF CARDS than it even does w/ AMERICAN PSYCHO. Specific spoilers aside, its ending makes AP and Dostoyevski's Crime And Punishment look like cheerful paeans to justice and morality. Come to think of it, ASTTS was an appropriate if oppositional follow-up to the previous film I reviewed, ASSASSINATION NATION, and (in its realistic treatment of Caine's fate) just as timely as A.NATION, even in spite of its vintage...

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on August 20, 2023, 02:59:26 AM
Free Guy (2021)

An NPC in a GTA-type game gains agency, which has all sorts of consequences, both in game and in the real world.

This is basically the Lego Movie meets The Matrix, and it is a ton of fun. Also worth pointing out is that, here you have an AI of a world-spanning system gaining consciousness, and it doesn't want to take over the world or launch the apocalypse. It actually turns out to be the nicest character in the movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 20, 2023, 06:15:18 AM
Free Guy (2021)

An NPC in a GTA-type game gains agency, which has all sorts of consequences, both in game and in the real world.

This is basically the Lego Movie meets The Matrix, and it is a ton of fun. Also worth pointing out is that, here you have an AI of a world-spanning system gaining consciousness, and it doesn't want to take over the world or launch the apocalypse. It actually turns out to be the nicest character in the movie.

I enjoyed this a lot as well. Particularly liked the non-traditional resolution to the romance.

I was at a Renaissance fair last week (...) and sat near some hip-looking Ryan Reynolds fans while waiting for a washer wench show to begin. As they were eagerly anticipating DEADPOOL 3 one of them mentioned FREE GUY and the other three were baffled... basically refused to believe it existed. I had to intercede and vouch for its existence. This movie must've cost $100 million +, it came out two years, ago, it was really good, and even 75% of Ryan Reynolds fans have forgotten it or never knew it existed. Truly we are living in The Quickening...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 20, 2023, 08:01:02 AM
BLOCK ISLAND SOUND - A very SLOW moving horror film I found on Netflix.  I'll admit, I was really tired when I watched it, but this movie kept putting me to sleep.  Basically a family of fishermen on a remote island are being abducted and brainwashed by aliens . . . whom you never see.  No action to speak of, no gore, and little plot. 2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 20, 2023, 12:10:34 PM
PEEPING TOM (1960):
I inadvertently created a serial killer double feature when I grabbed this DVD after watching A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM. Yet another famous flick I've read and heard about for 30+ years and never watched until now... also from the same year as Hitchcock's more famous PSYCHO.

Previously I've discussed my lifelong inability to overcome early childhood spoilers and still embrace the complete PSYCHO experience. Somehow, I didn't have the same issues w/ Michael Powell's PEEPING TOM, a film that manages to generate suspense even or especially when discreetly withholding explicit onscreen info. (Conversely, it's pretty bold about lingering on collages of naked models in the background of many shots... surprising for 1960!) What it lacks, of course, is Tony Perkins... substituting a complex but rarely sympathetic incel creepster named "Mark Lewis" who is played - puzzlingly, perhaps as a homage to Peter Lorre in M - not by an Englishman but by bug-eyed hissing German weirdo Karlheinz Bohm. It's a decent performance that naturally falls short of Perkins as Norman. However, the large supporting cast of largely redheaded potential victims is far more sympathetic than PSYCHO's ensemble. Anna Massey (looking impossibly young and cute) and Moira Shearer (stealing the film in under 15 minutes) do work that puts Janet Leigh and Vera Miles to shame. Of course (if I've never mentioned this) I do adore redheads in general.

Oh yeah - unlike PSYCHO, PEEPING TOM is in guh-LOR-ious color. Powell often saturates the frame to extraordinary formal and thematic ends... to the extent that PEEPING TOM kind of resembles an early (the earliest?) proto-Giallo. Heck, there's even a blind seer character who naturally Sees Too Much. I admit that, after generally anticipating the resolution, I was slightly underwhelmed by the climactic scene. It ain't a disaster, though, and on the whole I found PEEPING TOM far more watchable and interesting than PSYCHO... a not completely unheard-of opinion, iirc.

4/5
for now but I will likely revisit this one!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 20, 2023, 07:30:50 PM
^Great Movie- that also killed director Michael Powell's carrear.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 20, 2023, 09:06:00 PM
"Heart Of Stone" (2023)
Gal "Wonder Woman" Gadot is a member of a super secret spy organization called "The Charter," while also working undercover with Britain's MI6. Her cover gets blown during an attack by a terrorist group who steal an extremely powerful computer with the ability to hack into anything - banks, military equipment, nuclear missiles, etc. -- so it's up to her to stop them before they can unleash total global annihilation.
There's nothin' in this Netflix original that you haven't already seen in any random Mission: Impossible or Bourne movie, but it moves quickly, the stunts and special effects are impressive, and of course Gal Gadot is pure butt kickin' eye candy. I've seen worse.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on August 21, 2023, 09:07:05 AM
I KNOW WHO KILLED ME (2007)

A young woman who was missing reappears, but she claims to be someone else entirely.

SPOILERS AHEAD

So I happened to catch this one on cable last night and decided to watch it since I previously had the chance to read some reviews and everyone was laughing at how bad this movie was.

They were right. Oh God, they were so right.

I caught the movie at 20 minutes in but had no trouble understanding the main plot. This chick gets kidnapped and tortured, then she's found, but she claims to be someone else - a girl named Dakota, instead of the supposedly Aubrey. So far, so good.

The movie becomes a crime drama with FBI agents and stuff like that, who for some reason treat the victim horribly. They yell, threaten, and keep her confined as if she had anything to do with the crime of cutting herself - even worse, they assume she's suffering from some form of trauma, yet they get angry because she's lying to them, about... stuff. Along the way, we get extremely awkward and boring striptease scenes that serve no purpose whatsoever, except to show some of Lohan's skin.

The crime drama takes a turn rather quickly when we start to see awful gore scenes that, just like the striptease, go on forever. Apparently, Dakota claims she received her wounds out of nowhere while meeting mysterious characters along the way we never get explanations of.

Afterward, she returns home to her supposed family, where more drama ensues, receives a robotic arm and foot for that sweet ARMY OF DARKNESS effect, and Aubrey's boyfriend shows up. And what do they do? Well, have an immediate long wild sex session in your parent's-in-law house so they can hear you, of course! What, isn't that what you do as soon as you find your missing girlfriend who just got tortured and amputated, and may be suffering from severe trauma?

Please, kill me.

The story continues with more awful "sexy" and gore scenes that pad the whole thing and serve no purpose to the plot whatsoever. Eventually, Dakota starts to have visions and realizes that Aubrey was adopted and they're twin sisters. Because you see, whatever happens to Aubrey, happens to Dakota, because that's what goes on with twins. She compels Aubrey's father to go find her because now she knows where she is, avoiding the police of course (why would you need them when going after a dangerous murderer?) and we get the reveal of who the bad guy is: an individual I have never seen before! Oh my!

Yes, I know, it was Aubrey's piano teacher, who shows up for a few scenes at the beginning of the movie and is never referred to again. I was supposed to be surprised at the reveal, but I was more mystified about the fact that the bad guy ties Dakota with a rope with only one hand since his other one was cut off by her. I have no idea how he accomplished that, but at least gave me a good chuckle.

The movie ends with Dakota finding her sister and surviving. Oh, and the father dies, the movie doesn't explain how; he's just lying on a table and closes his eyes.

It's very obvious that the director tried to copy the likes of Lynch and others, but failed miserably. There are so many cliches that it becomes hilarious: ooooh, thunderstorms! Scary! The bad guy sharpening his tool! Oh my, that's new! Blood everywhere, aaaahhh!
Most of the situations in the movie serve no purpose to the plot, and it's padded by random scenes of sex and violence. Characters show up and vanish completely when the script demands it, like a child playing with his toys and making the story as he goes.

One extra point because of the Art Bell cameo, and the owl that shows up, because I love owls. The rest is garbage of the worst quality, it honestly feels like THE ROOM of horror movies, but desperately needs its own Tommy Wiseau. 2/10 :thumbdown:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 21, 2023, 03:43:09 PM
Caligula: Paranoia and Brutality in Ancient Rome (2013)

I have always had a soft spot for this guy because he is so universally condemned and also kind of represents what a lot of people really want: drama and gossip to fill their empty lives. The lady who does this sounds British so I'm guessing she works for the BBC (just looked it up she does). She does a good job but it was a little weird when she laughed about the boys trained to nibble on Tiberious' genitals. Maybe she thought it was a fake story and maybe it was but come on lady. We don't know for sure.

I'm not a Roman history buff so I learned a lot of random stuff. One is that Caligula was a nickname, referring to a type of footwear worn by soldiers. He was an army brat of sorts and would try and act like a soldier or something. Like a lot of historically despised people, he was beloved by the common people.

A step above the usual historical thingy but not quite the great documentary that could be made. It was interesting to see all the locations and stuff.

4.25 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on August 21, 2023, 05:10:47 PM
The Maze. 1957.

A bride-to-be is upset when her fiancee no longer responds to her letters and sets off to his Scottish castle to find out what is wrong, accompanied by her aunt. Despite its age and budget the film does manage to establish a good atmosphere. I got some Lovecraftian vibes for most of the movie, although the end is something of a slight let down. Still, it was good overall.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 21, 2023, 05:54:29 PM
The Maze. 1957.

A bride-to-be is upset when her fiancee no longer responds to her letters and sets off to his Scottish castle to find out what is wrong, accompanied by her aunt. Despite its age and budget the film does manage to establish a good atmosphere. I got some Lovecraftian vibes for most of the movie, although the end is something of a slight let down. Still, it was good overall.

It takes a while but it does eventually get to Weirdstown. Yeah, you're right, "Shadow Over Innsmouth" must've totally been an inspiration.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 22, 2023, 01:59:30 PM
TOMMY GUNS (2022): A group of Portuguese soldiers living an isolated existence find themselves haunted by Angolan ghosts. Some interesting ideas and symbolism here, but they have a hard time penetrating the movie's awkward pacing and overly sombre tone. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on August 24, 2023, 08:46:10 AM
DETENTION (2011): A masked killer is stalking the teens of Grizzly Lake High; uncovering their identity will require a nerdy teen and a slacker to travel back in time to detentions of yore. Silly slasher spoof features no big laughs, but the energy never flags for a minute, and the third act is insane; this is a cult movie in an alternate timeline. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 24, 2023, 04:23:40 PM
A Pure Place (2021) - kind of like...wacky magic realism without the magic? Two little kids who live in poverty are taken to an island where they make soap all day. It's a business but also a cult led by a CEO/ Christ like figure named Fust. His schtick is basically evangelical soap-ianity, where he extols the virtues of being clean and sees the world in clean vs dirty terms. One squeamish scene involves them drinking "the purest water on earth" ...his bathwater!

It doesn't make tons of logical sense: How do all these people live on the sales of some soap? Why don't they all just leave?

Don't worry about all that though and you'll have a good time. Besides of one kind of disturbing scene of nude teenagers ceremoniously bathing, there isn't really much overt nudity or violence, which is probably why it ended up on tubitv. It's more whimsical than shocking and melodramatic.

4.5/ 5

"35% liked this movie" that's pretty low



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 25, 2023, 07:52:54 AM
BONE (1972):
The Beverly Hills palace of a car huckster and his wife is invaded by Bone (Yaphet Kotto), who demands that the salesman (Andrew Duggan) go directly to his nearest bank and withdraw his entire savings, lest his Missus (Joyce Van Patten) suffer an indignant fate. Leaving his bored housewife alone w/ Bone is of course a bad idea for reasons that Duggan hasn't even begun to imagine... this is all in the first 25 minutes of a film that ends up going some surprising places.

Larry Cohen's directorial debut (after 15+ years writing for TV and b-movies) displays all the lean-and-hungry freshman enthusiasm you could hope for from a filmmaker whose later work was usually interesting but often (imho) snail-paced and ponderous. Not BONE - from the nightmarish opening scene, it moves like it was shot out of a cannon. There's some striking photography from the "thirteen-time Oscar nominated" cinematographer and also some frenetic editing in a few scenes. Even longer dialogue-heavy scenes are feverishly compelling, such as a story of childhood trauma told by Jeannie Berlin as an unstable woman who Duggan meets on his errand. Cohen was always acknowledged as a strong writer and again, there's plenty of supporting evidence for that allegation in BONE.

Van Patten is an actress I'd heard of (maybe from seventies TV?) but whom I couldn't possibly have identified from anything else I'd ever watched. At the beginning of the film she doesn't look like much (visually or dramatically), but she really transforms over the course of the film, giving a performance that's complex enough that now I'm curious to check out some of her other work. Duggan is appropriate as a shell of a man who wouldn't know a sincere emotion if it stabbed him. The best reason to watch this movie (appropriately per the title) is Kotto. What an actor he was in the 70s... total tour-de-force.

I admire almost everything about BONE, only questioning some ill-fitting references and Antonioni-ish cutaways to Duggan and Van Patten's adult son, who is imprisoned offshore somewhere and who might be (?) imagining the entire plot of the film(?!?!?!). That weird non-sequiter aside, BONE is a potent brew that remains relevant today... though I suspect no one in Hollywood would produce this screenplay in 2023!

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 26, 2023, 04:00:18 PM
The Artifice girl (2022) - decent little sci fi workout here, based on the now current trend of AI. It's a low budget independent effort and would badly need some punching up, re casting, etc to be A list, but a quality time waster for sure.

A guy creates a CGI/ AI "girl" to try and lure online predators into exposing where they live and so forth for the police. It works so well that he's brought in for questioning as a suspect himself "Where are you keeping this girl??!"

The rest of the movie is a sometimes interesting, sometimes meandering thing about what our existence really means etc. It's an awful lot of the the guy and the other people discussing this stuff. It works, but it's got that "people sitting a room" problem. Your eyes get bored.

The basic idea is good but it needed a little more fiction and a little less science

4/5 watched it in one night though

reviews are mostly very positive, but the detractors raise good points too. "AI becomes sentient oh noooo what have we done"



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on August 28, 2023, 02:01:52 AM
The Maze. 1957.

A bride-to-be is upset when her fiancee no longer responds to her letters and sets off to his Scottish castle to find out what is wrong, accompanied by her aunt. Despite its age and budget the film does manage to establish a good atmosphere. I got some Lovecraftian vibes for most of the movie, although the end is something of a slight let down. Still, it was good overall.
i love this movie!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 29, 2023, 04:08:10 PM
Champion Kenny Roberts (2019 but seems much earlier) - Random, boring, but somehow also interesting and cool documentary about the titular Kenny, a hero in the lost art of motorcycle racing. It would appear that motocross has eclipsed the more straightforward, NASCAR type of competition seen here, but it was huge in Europe in the 70's and 80's, which is where this British made doc takes place.

Most of the commentary revolves around weather conditions and cycle technological advancements rather than the prowess of the riders. While they do reach speeds of 170 mph, there aren't many crashes or particularly dramatic moments. Roberts was clearly a "Champion" and big star at one time, though. Eventually he retired from racing and became a coach but I have no idea what he's done since then.

American viewers will likely have flashbacks to TRON and old video games they can't remember the name of. I saw another motorcycle documentary about Doug Domokos the "Wheelie King" who used to open for Evel Knievel and frankly I would watch either of these again. I don't know why but I would.

4.25 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 29, 2023, 04:16:16 PM
^" Lost art of motorcycle racing"? We have enduros out here spring, summer, and fall.
Back in the 70's, my cousins Ricky and Ronny had trophies. My buddy Larry also road dirtbike in rallys. As did my buddy Sam Booth. They have at least 2 hear ( I do mean hear) in Lawton alone a year.
It's only "lost" on you, because you don't live out in the boonies. I get it- but I can assure you- it's not "lost".


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on August 29, 2023, 04:18:05 PM
Well there you go. fun for everyone


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on August 29, 2023, 04:22:50 PM
^ What we have here is not professional track racing. It's dirt bike racing. And it is lotsa fun.
Here's a rider in Lawton!
https://youtu.be/Ui8yjTV05SU?si=6aa4eMvKZVkyyzVk


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on August 31, 2023, 08:17:22 AM
THE FLASH (2023):
A lengthy delay due to bad press, followed by outstanding pre-release reviews, then box office performance that was apparently so disappointing it even managed to eclipse the two most recent/previous WB/DC disappointments (SHAZAM 2 and BLACK ADAM) and now apparently has distinguished itself as a historical flop of some kind. (I dunno, I honestly don't trust Hollywood financial reports.) Oh yeah, also a highly negative review on this site, iirc! As I teach a college course about superhero movies, however, I necessarily end up seeing most of such flicks eventually, whether I want to or not. (I even suffered through MORBIUS, ugh.) FTR I've also been an avid reader of DC comics since about 1979 or '80. None of that may validate my opinion, of course.

Nevertheless, I thought THE FLASH was 1.) one of the best DC films; 2.) better than many Marvel/Avengersverse films; and 3.) an admirably faithful/accurate adaptation of its source material in many ways that other superhero movies don't even attempt fidelity. Also, 4.) I found it more satisfying and better made overall than director Andy Muschetti's two hugely popular IT adaptations. I guess one could accuse THE FLASH of going out of its way to impersonate the plot and tone of SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, but imho that's fair game as FLASH is based on a comic book storyline that preceded NO WAY HOME by a decade, and DC comics were integrally exploiting the concept of a multiverse for 50 years prior to the recent SPIDER-MAN, SPIDER-VERSE, and multivere-y Avengers films.

All that said, THE FLASH has one serious check mark against it - its star, who is onscreen constantly (natch) in not one but two roles (not natch). Ezra Miller does give a (couple of) technically strong performance(s), in terms of hitting the necessary dramatic notes to allow the screenplay to function... but his voice and often his line readings are so aggressively eccentric, so distinctly unlike either comics' (or TV's) Barry Allen, that I was profoundly distracted from paying attention to the film's protagonist and could only pay attention to the actor's performance, at the expense of engagement. I could liken it to Michael Cera's totally bizarre lead turn in SCOTT PILGRIM, a film I otherwise adore in all respects besides, well, Cera's performance as Scott. Into the bargain here, however, is Miller's high-profile criminal behavior. When I reviewed QUANTUMANIA, I mentioned that accused lady-abuser Jonathan Majors was digestible as he was  far and away the best (or only good) thing about that film. As Miller's performance is the glaring sore thumb in THE FLASH anyway, it's even harder to forget that he's also apparently some kind of creepy predator.

3.5/5 for Miller. Would be higher otherwise...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 31, 2023, 06:10:59 PM
"Clerk." (2021)
The long and sometimes bumpy life and career of filmmaker, podcaster, writer, and all around pop culture nerd Kevin "Clerks" Smith is examined in this entertaining documentary that features comments from famous friends and cast mates and lots of classic clips from Kev's archives. Long time fans probably won't learn anything new from it, but it's a fun trip down memory lane with the Jersey slacker made good.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on August 31, 2023, 09:43:58 PM
"Red State" (2011)
Small-town teens and the ATF have an unfortunate run-in with a gun-happy, homicidal Midwestern religious cult that's kinda like a combo of the Westboro Baptist Church and the Branch Davidians. Much mayhem ensues.
Director Kevin Smith steps outside of his "View Askew-niverse" (there's no Jay & Silent Bob cameo here, kids) and the result is a surprisingly dark mixed bag; he has called it a "horror" film but it plays more like a violent suspense thriller, with great performances by Michael Parks (as the Fred Phelps-ish cult leader) and the always-welcome John Goodman as the embattled Federal agent. Worth checking out if only to prove that Kev can work in other genres when he chooses to.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on August 31, 2023, 10:19:18 PM
CRYPTID (2022) - A small-town Maine journalist discovers that the recent string of attacks on animals and humans is not the work of bears, as the sheriff insists, but instead are being made by a burrowing reptilian monster unknown to science. He and his photographer are trying to produce enough proof to convince the authorities, but will they succeed before the attacks cease and the creature retreats underground again?
A bit slow moving, and the special effects budget was obviously limited, but overall not too bad of a creature feature. I'll be honest; when I saw it was a "Chicken Soup for the Soul" production I almost turned it off - but it was actually a pretty decent horror flick. Free on TubiTV!  3.5/5

PATTERNS OF EVIDENCE: THE EXODUS - I watch this documentary every year with my world history class; it addresses the issue of why no archeological evidence has been found to support the Biblical narrative of the Exodus, and reveals that there is an abundance of evidence in Egypt and in Israel that parallels the Biblical account - IF you quit looking in the era of Ramses II (around 1250 BC) and instead start looking about 200 years earlier, during the Middle Bronze Age.  Some fascinating interviews with leading archeologists as well as various religious and political leaders, skeptical or not, this documentary is worth viewing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on September 02, 2023, 08:53:53 AM
The most recent Emma, which was visually lovely, but lacking a grasp of the source material. (Which incidentally is my least favorite Austen novel.) I find there is an over-emphasis on style above substance in not just movies but society, and seemingly more and more often anymore. Maybe it began in the age of short punchy music videos but I wish people would exercise their attention spans. They should try sitting through a baseball game or a Greek Orthodox wedding. That'll do it.

Also the actor who played Emma always looks like she's frowning, and Emma Woodhouse was an untroubled person til she encountered problems and was baffled as to how to deal with them.

A much better version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaKM-gtshAI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaKM-gtshAI)

(You'd totally love it, RC!)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 02, 2023, 10:53:03 AM
MST3K: REVENGE OF THE CREATURE: Mike and the bots are called back to the Satellite of Love, which is now orbiting the planet of the apes, in the opening of the Sci-fi Channel reboot. Crow is "different" and doesn't remember Mike. The movie, the first sequel to CREATURE OF THE BLACK LAGOON, is a bad start: it's competent but dull, which doesn't give them a lot to work with. Most of the host segments are devoted to setting up the premise. Not a promising start, but they would really get rolling about the middle of the season and produce some of the best MST3Ks ever. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 03, 2023, 10:22:17 AM
A NEW OLD PLAY (2021): A Chinese clown reflects on five decades of life in an opera troupe, which lasted from WWII resistance until Maoism, as two demons escort him to the afterlife. Simultaneously comic and epic, surreal and naturalistic, nostalgic and irreverent, Qiu Jiongjiong's 3-hour theatrical elegy plays out like the work of a Chinese Fellini. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on September 04, 2023, 04:13:00 AM
A NEW OLD PLAY (2021): A Chinese clown reflects on five decades of life in an opera troupe, which lasted from WWII resistance until Maoism, as two demons escort him to the afterlife. Simultaneously comic and epic, surreal and naturalistic, nostalgic and irreverent, Qiu Jiongjiong's 3-hour theatrical elegy plays out like the work of a Chinese Fellini. 3.5/5.

 before i do  a mad search, where can i find this one, rev? i'm interested!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 04, 2023, 08:07:03 AM
A NEW OLD PLAY (2021): A Chinese clown reflects on five decades of life in an opera troupe, which lasted from WWII resistance until Maoism, as two demons escort him to the afterlife. Simultaneously comic and epic, surreal and naturalistic, nostalgic and irreverent, Qiu Jiongjiong's 3-hour theatrical elegy plays out like the work of a Chinese Fellini. 3.5/5.

 before i do  a mad search, where can i find this one, rev? i'm interested!

This site is good for investigating your streaming options: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/a-new-old-play (https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/a-new-old-play)

Unfortunately not a lot of choices for this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 04, 2023, 08:21:33 AM
EXCISION (2012): A delusional high-school senior "weird girl" has fantasies about surgery and necrophilia, which eventually spill over into real life. Richard Bates Jr. assembled a remarkable cast for this odd horror film: a major part for Traci Lords (who isn't bad) as the strident mother, and cameos from Ray Wise, Malcolm McDonald, Marlee Matlin, and John Waters (as a clergyman). Bates never realized the promise of this debut, which felt like an announcement of greater things to come but wound up as the highlight of his career (so far, at least). 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 04, 2023, 03:10:32 PM
The Barrens (2012) - MST3K ready forest horror thing that's worth watching mainly for how ridiculous the Dad is. A British guy with an American family goes with them on a camping trip where he had a traumatic run in with the Jersey Devil when he was a kid (with a British accent??). Is the Jersey Devil stalking them or is it ALL IN HIS MIND?? Normal families would have ditched this guy in 2 seconds, but milking it probably made the cast feel more like they were in a movie that was smarter than a cheap Syfy type animal horror. They weren't.

2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chefzombie on September 05, 2023, 01:11:32 AM
A NEW OLD PLAY (2021): A Chinese clown reflects on five decades of life in an opera troupe, which lasted from WWII resistance until Maoism, as two demons escort him to the afterlife. Simultaneously comic and epic, surreal and naturalistic, nostalgic and irreverent, Qiu Jiongjiong's 3-hour theatrical elegy plays out like the work of a Chinese Fellini. 3.5/5.

 before i do  a mad search, where can i find this one, rev? i'm interested!

  thanks rev, i think i'll put this on my amazon prime rental list.
This site is good for investigating your streaming options: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/a-new-old-play (https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/a-new-old-play)

Unfortunately not a lot of choices for this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 06, 2023, 09:58:21 AM
WILL-O'-THE-WISP (2022): Concerned about the environment, the prince of Portugal chooses to become a volunteer fireman and falls in love with a co-worker. A boring gay art-drama (and purported musical, though there are only three numbers) that, with its numerous phallus shots and one pretty darn explicit love scene, teeters towards boring gay art-porn; at just over an hour, it's a true wisp of a movie. Its intended niche audience may find enjoyment here, but it's far from a crossover threat. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 06, 2023, 10:01:45 PM
I've been slackin' on the movie watching of late. Gotta get back in the groove!

"Slave To The Grind" (2018)
No, it's not a documentary about the Skid Row album -- it's about grindcore, the bastard child of hardcore punk and death metal that came roaring out of the underground in the mid 80s and still has a healthy following today. Features lots of interviews and clips with members of the genre's heavy hitters like Repulsion, Terrorizer, Napalm Death, Nasum, Agathocles, Rotten Sound, and many more. I'm not even a grind guy and I enjoyed this fast moving, entertaining doc.

"Judgment Night" (1993)
Four friends on a "Boy's Night Out" trip to a boxing match in Chicago take an unfortunate detour that lands them in the bad side of town, where they witness a gangland murder and spend the rest of the movie on the run from the criminals responsible. Stephen ("Predator 2") Hopkins' urban suspense thriller is probably better remembered today for its groundbreaking rap/rock soundtrack, but the movie is action packed fun in its own right, with a stellar cast that includes Emilio Estevez, Cuba Gooding Jr., and  Denis Leary, who's awesomely evil as the main bad guy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 07, 2023, 08:00:57 AM
DON'T GO IN THE HOUSE (1979)

A pyromaniac who screams at his dead mother kidnaps young woman and burns them alive with a blow torch.
He also goes to a disco and sets a woman's hair on fire, torches a priest, has terrifying nightmares, and keeps the burnt corpses of his victims in his den. Creepy, downbeat, and quite surreal forgotten low budget slasher that deserves a look.

(https://i.imgur.com/7tSMqiZ.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 07, 2023, 06:26:31 PM
"Rage Of Honor" (1987)
After his partner is killed by a drug cartel, a Japanese/American DEA agent (Sho "Revenge of the Ninja" Kosugi) embarks on a personal mission to avenge his friend, taking his one-man War On Drugs to the South American source. Naturally many butts are kicked.
This was a pretty standard low budget '80s action flick. Kosugi never could speak English worth a damn, so his attempts at dialogue are unintentionally hilarious, but his martial arts moves are on point as he chops, kicks, and punches his way through a seemingly endless army of henchmen on his way to his final battle with the Big Boss.
Directed by Gordon "KISS Meets The Phantom of the Park" Hessler!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on September 08, 2023, 08:16:41 AM
DEADLY ILLUSIONS (2021)

After a bestselling novelist suffering from writer's block hires a new nanny for her children, the line between fiction and reality starts to blur.

I'm not going to waste any words on this piece of garbage, the other reviewers on IMDb covered just fine. Watch it only if you want to get horny looking at two women having sex, it kinda works that way.

2/10 Trash :thumbdown:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 08, 2023, 08:55:10 AM
LEDA (2021): A woman who grows up in an isolated manor house has a strange and disturbing encounter with a large bird. Black-and-white and dialogue-free, this abstract adaptation of the myth of Leda and the swan is every bit the experimental art-house experience you'd expect from that description; if you're down for that challenge, it's well-made and rewarding. In 3-D where available. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 09, 2023, 05:03:24 PM
"Wishmaster" (1997)
An evil spirit known as a "Djinn," which has the power to grant wishes (for a steep price) is freed from his gemstone prison after a thousand years, and only the antiquities dealer who accidentally freed him has the power to put him back.
Wes Craven "presented" this entertaining low budget horror flick which has a cool villain and some impressively gory old-school practical effects. Sharp eyed horror nerds will also get a kick out of the cameos by Kane "Jason" Hodder, Robert "Freddy" Englund and Tony "Candyman" Todd, among others. Followed by at least three sequels, last I checked.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 09, 2023, 08:36:19 PM
THE BLACK DEMON (2023) - A malfunctioning, decrepit oil rig is being attacked by a giant Megalodon, but it's actually a demon of vengeance summoned by the locals to punish the oil company for polluting their waters and ruining their village. An oil exec comes out to do an inspection, leaving his wife and kids at a beach cafe. But when a gang of locals start harassing them, they catch a motorboat out to the rig and they all wind up stranded together.
Shark effects were decent, character development OK, plot was meandering and didn't make a lot of sense.  As giant shark movies go, it was way better than SHARKS OF THE CORN or (obviously) NOAH'S SHARK, but nowhere near as much fun as THE MEG or even SHARKTOPUS. 2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 09, 2023, 11:03:54 PM
ANNHILATION (2018) - Fascinating sci-fi/horror flick starring Natalie Portman; I saw a screenshot from it on a FB horror page and it looked interesting enough for me to take the plunge.  Well worth it!  The movie starts with Lena, a biologist grieving for the loss of her husband Kane, a special forces sergeant who disappeared on a secret mission a year before.  But then he shows up, without a word, at her house - and collapses, bleeding from his mouth and ears.  The ambulance she calls is hijacked by soldiers, and next thing you know Lena is whisked off to a top secret base near a lighthouse on the coast that has been enveloped by a shimmering barrier for over a year now.  Many have tried to go through the Shimmer; none have returned until Sergeant Kane.  How did he make it out? Why is he so seriously ill?  Lena joins an expedition to penetrate the barrier and see what lies beyond before it expands and consumes the entire region.  Great flick with some genuinely creepy moments!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on September 10, 2023, 06:17:56 PM
WILL-O'-THE-WISP (2022): Concerned about the environment, the prince of Portugal chooses to become a volunteer fireman and falls in love with a co-worker. A boring gay art-drama (and purported musical, though there are only three numbers) that, with its numerous phallus shots and one pretty darn explicit love scene, teeters towards boring gay art-porn; at just over an hour, it's a true wisp of a movie. Its intended niche audience may find enjoyment here, but it's far from a crossover threat. 2/5.

I recognize all the words in this review but I simply cannot comprehend them in the above combination. The PRINCE OF PORTUGAL you say DOES WHAT NOW  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on September 10, 2023, 06:28:55 PM
ANNHILATION (2018) - Fascinating sci-fi/horror flick

Very fascinating flick indeed, tons of good ingredients (including great acting) even if they might not congeal successfully. W/o real spoilers, I'm an easy target for a STALKER-alike w/ more action and suspense, though ANNIHILATION makes an uneasy transition late in the game into a final act that's much closer to (another one of my favorite films) Zulawski's POSSESSION. There are also a lot of similarities to PHASE IV, throughout and specifically at the end. Those are three phenomenal films to pastiche, so even it didn't really hang together and pay off for me, I can't fault Alex Garland on his taste. Definitely worth seeing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 11, 2023, 01:15:18 AM
Please Baby Please (2022)

Set in 1950s New York. After an uptight young couple witness a murder by a street gang, they get all sorts of sexual ideas and an intense relationship between them and the gang develops.

This is a bit as if you took a 1950s movie with social criticism and turned it into a musical with art direction by Pierre & Gilles. The whole thing is high camp, with caricatural characters spouting platitudes about society and the patriarchy. For all its queer and genderbending posturing, the underlying vision seems to be quite traditional. Also, for something that advertises itself as  about erotical liberation, there is no actual sex in the movie. The period setting makes the whole thing strangely dated.

Still, it is watchable, especially if you like your movies so artsy it hurts. And one of the songs has the unforgettable line 'The lake is like a cake when you're hungry in love'


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 11, 2023, 08:08:17 AM
Please Baby Please (2022)

Set in 1950s New York. After an uptight young couple witness a murder by a street gang, they get all sorts of sexual ideas and an intense relationship between them and the gang develops.

This is a bit as if you took a 1950s movie with social criticism and turned it into a musical with art direction by Pierre & Gilles. The whole thing is high camp, with caricatural characters spouting platitudes about society and the patriarchy. For all its queer and genderbending posturing, the underlying vision seems to be quite traditional. Also, for something that advertises itself as  about erotical liberation, there is no actual sex in the movie. The period setting makes the whole thing strangely dated.

Still, it is watchable, especially if you like your movies so artsy it hurts. And one of the songs has the unforgettable line 'The lake is like a cake when you're hungry in love'

Andrea Risenbrough is amazingly unhinged in this.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 12, 2023, 12:55:29 AM



Andrea Risenbrough is amazingly unhinged in this.

She is. In fact, one of the main reasons to keep watching. Harry Melling (last seen as Edgar Allan Poe in the Pale Blue Eye) also does a good job, although there is a chance now he will be stuck playing soft spoken tortured souls.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 12, 2023, 03:26:07 PM
The Penalty (1920) - pretty decent dark horror-ish thing starring the great Lon Chaney. As a little boy, a doctor amputates his legs for some reason. The rest of his life he plots revenge and also becomes a feared gangster named "Blizzard". Chaney has his legs taped in a way that makes him look like an amputee. It must have been rather uncomfortable. I wonder if there wasn't some resentment towards WW1 being expressed here.

I liked the dark energy and the plot was solid enough, but it didn't add up to anything amazing.

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 12, 2023, 04:56:44 PM
^ Try Chaney's the UNKNOWN (1927) with Chaney and Joan Crawford.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 13, 2023, 12:21:21 AM
I saw that but might as well watch it again.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 13, 2023, 09:49:08 AM
THE COW WHO SANG A SONG INTO THE FUTURE: Cecelia travels to her family's old dairy farm after her father is hospitalized after seeing her long-dead mother appear on the streets of town; meanwhile, fish are dying in the local river and the cattle are acting strange. Fans of cows singing songs will not be disappointed by this strange, lightly surreal Chilean film with a scattered but generally positive message about the rejuvenative powers of dealing with buried secrets. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 13, 2023, 08:02:53 PM
"The Vigilante" (2023)
A lady Marine returns home from serving in Afghanistan, and finds herself fighting a whole new battle when her teenage sister is kidnapped by sex traffickers.
This cheap looking Tubi "original" has a few decent action sequences, but eventually it starts to feel like an ultra-violent Lifetime Channel movie. Not terrible, but nothing I'll ever sit through again.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 13, 2023, 09:26:58 PM
65 (2023) Captain Mills is piloting a colony ship full of cryogenically suspended settlers across the galaxy when an uncharted field of asteroids damages his ship and sends him crash landing on EARTH, at the end of the Cretaceous era.  All his passengers but one young girl are killed, his ship is broken in half and scattered across miles of dinosaur-filled jungle, and of course the emergency escape craft is in the other end of the ship.  Adam Driver stars in this watchable bit of dinosaur mayhem and does a pretty good job portraying a grieving father protecting a child about the same age as his own lost daughter. Nice lenght, good dino effects, very contrived plot, this is basically an A-budget B-movie. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 15, 2023, 08:51:58 AM
BIRTH/REBIRTH (2023): When her daughter's fresh corpse goes missing, an obstetric nurse confronts--then collaborates with--an odd mortician conducting experiments on the dead. Not horror per se, but more a dark medical drama hearkening back to Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," this solid chiller is anchored by two fantastic performances, from a grieving Judy Reyes and (even more so) a superbly awkward Marin Ireland. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 15, 2023, 10:39:26 AM
65 (2029) Captain Mills is piloting a colony ship full of cryogenically suspended settlers across the galaxy when an uncharted field of asteroids damages his ship and sends him crash landing on EARTH, at the end of the Cretaceous era.  All his passengers but one young girl are killed, his ship is broken in half and scattered across miles of dinosaur-filled jungle, and of course the emergency escape craft is in the other end of the ship.  Adam Driver stars in this watchable bit of dinosaur mayhem and does a pretty good job portraying a grieving father protecting a child about the same age as his own lost daughter. Nice lenght, good dino effects, very contrived plot, this is basically an A-budget B-movie. 4/5

(2029)?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 15, 2023, 12:15:31 PM
65 (2029) Captain Mills is piloting a colony ship full of cryogenically suspended settlers across the galaxy when an uncharted field of asteroids damages his ship and sends him crash landing on EARTH, at the end of the Cretaceous era.  All his passengers but one young girl are killed, his ship is broken in half and scattered across miles of dinosaur-filled jungle, and of course the emergency escape craft is in the other end of the ship.  Adam Driver stars in this watchable bit of dinosaur mayhem and does a pretty good job portraying a grieving father protecting a child about the same age as his own lost daughter. Nice lenght, good dino effects, very contrived plot, this is basically an A-budget B-movie. 4/5

(2029)?

Looks like Indy got an advance copy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on September 15, 2023, 12:16:57 PM
65 (2029) Captain Mills is piloting a colony ship full of cryogenically suspended settlers across the galaxy when an uncharted field of asteroids damages his ship and sends him crash landing on EARTH, at the end of the Cretaceous era.  All his passengers but one young girl are killed, his ship is broken in half and scattered across miles of dinosaur-filled jungle, and of course the emergency escape craft is in the other end of the ship.  Adam Driver stars in this watchable bit of dinosaur mayhem and does a pretty good job portraying a grieving father protecting a child about the same age as his own lost daughter. Nice lenght, good dino effects, very contrived plot, this is basically an A-budget B-movie. 4/5

(2029)?

Looks like Indy got an advance copy.

😆😆😆😆


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 15, 2023, 04:48:13 PM
"The Horror Show" (aka "House III," 1989)
Serial killer Max "Meat Cleaver" Jenke is executed in the electric chair, but he comes back as a supernatural force intent on getting revenge on the police officer who brought him to justice.
Sean S. Cunningham of "Friday the 13th" fame produced this knock-off of "Nightmare on Elm Street" and/or "Shocker" that doesn't have an original bone in its body, but it's got plenty of cool/creepy atmosphere, some decent gory bits and strong performances by the late great Brion James as "Max" (who has said that this was his favorite role of his career) and the always dependable Lance Henriksen as the tortured policeman. Released as "House III" outside of the U.S. for some reason.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 15, 2023, 05:46:55 PM
^ I like that movie! I first saw it on HBO way back when! Kinda reminded me of SHOCKER (1989).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 16, 2023, 08:53:26 AM
Gattaca (1997)

In a world where genetic manipulation is the norm, a man with unfit genes tries to beat the system by impersonating a genetically superior person. Things go smoothly until a coworker is brutally murdered.

Having heard high praise for this, I found it a bit disappointing. Clearly a lot of thought has gone into creating the world and its 60s retro-futurist look, and it is superbly done. I really like the 60s cars with the whizz of an electric motor overdubbed. However, the story that is set in it, is pretty thin. The first half hour is essentially an info dump, it then becomes a retro futurist noir before veering off into melodrama. More interesting for the world it creates and the questions it asks than for the story it tells. And we get a glimpse of how Maya Hawke came into being.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 16, 2023, 10:08:08 PM
"The Boneyard" (1991)
A couple of cops, a lady psychic, and some night shift workers are trapped inside a small town morgue building with a bunch of corpses who won't stay dead. Hilarity ensues, but I'm not entirely sure it was intentional.
This weird-as-hell horror cheapie doesn't make a lot of sense, but it's watchable due to its bizarro-world casting (Norman "Mr. Roper" Fell and Phyllis god-damn Diller have supporting roles, and the female lead tips the scales at about 275 lbs.) and its uncomfortably creepy puppet/creature FX. If you can imagine a low rent "Return of the Living Dead" knock off featuring a monstrous zombie poodle (yes, seriously) you're in this movie's ball park. Make no mistake, this was terrible, but in an awesome sort of way.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 17, 2023, 10:03:51 AM
ASTRAKAN (2022): An orphan boy struggles to adapt to life with his French foster family, dodging abuse as best he can. Sad and ultra-realistic for most of the runtime, obliquely hinting at buried traumas and childhood horrors, ending inconclusively with a surrealistic coda featuring some startling imagery. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on September 17, 2023, 11:13:26 AM
I did a VHS rental double-feature of THE HORROR SHOW and SHOCKER in '89 or '90 and watched them back-to-back... SHOCKER second, as I expected it to be the better of the two. I liked HORROR SHOW more - better pacing, more action, Lance and Brion. SHOCKER has a few good points but it's a slog as I recall.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 18, 2023, 07:22:24 PM
I did a VHS rental double-feature of THE HORROR SHOW and SHOCKER in '89 or '90 and watched them back-to-back... SHOCKER second, as I expected it to be the better of the two. I liked HORROR SHOW more - better pacing, more action, Lance and Brion. SHOCKER has a few good points but it's a slog as I recall.

I revisited Shocker for the first time in decades a year or so ago. It started off promising, but the wheels started falling off early on and by the final reel I was rolling my eyes and checking my watch. Uncle Wes phoned that sucker in (and later admitted as much).

This was my first time seeing Horror Show and I liked it much better than Shocker.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on September 18, 2023, 07:56:10 PM
He phoned it in frequently. He has a handful of really cool (if imperfect) movies and also plenty of mediocrities-to-stinkers...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 19, 2023, 09:33:15 AM
"Scouts Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America" (2023)
Disturbing but intriguing Netflix doc on the Boy Scouts' decades-long habit of downplaying and/or covering up child sexual abuse within the organization, which was finally revealed in the 2010s when the BSA's top secret, so called "Perversion Files" became public and the depths of the problem were exposed for the first time.
Not the most pleasant subject for a doc, but I was interested as I was a Cub Scout when I was a kid in the 70s, and I was also very involved as an adult leader when both of my sons were Scouts. Thankfully I never witnessed anything weird or inappropriate, but it was kind of scary to learn how widespread the problem was (and probably still is) in spite of the BSA's claims that they're a "safer" organization now.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 19, 2023, 11:10:26 AM
STREET TRASH (1987)

This is a bad movie. Not in a good way. No name actors play scummy "street trash' in a film that has no redeeming value. Scenes of necrophilia, rape, and playing football with a severed penis are played for laughs. Not one likeable character in the whole film. On occasion a bum drinks some toxic booze called Viper which makes them melt in sub-par F/X. Only for fans of masochism. I have no idea who the target audiance for this drek is.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on September 19, 2023, 02:38:22 PM
Endgame (1983) - Generally fun Italian post-apoc cheapie.  Starts off as a death game show then merges into a sort of Mad Max wasteland fleeing scenario, but quite low budget.  Quite a lot of action and a high body count too.  Action is well-interspersed too, I hate it when Italian films of this era are boring for like the middle 40 minutes.  It's handled above average for the genre too, by director Joe D'Amato.  My fave of his films I've seen, but goddamn, he has a lot, so who knows if it's his best.

The lead, Al Clive, is SO wooden and boring though, like goddamn, ZERO charisma and seems like an extra they just promoted or something.  George Eastman as a secondary character seems like Laurence Olivier in comparison, he's not amazing but has screen presence and is intimidating like he's supposed to be.

All in all, it's my second favorite of these films I've seen, with 2019 still holding the crown.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 19, 2023, 02:57:35 PM
Sisu.

Other than a minor quibble about the tank (it is a Soviet vehicle that didn't come into service until the mid-50s), I found this to be an enjoyable movie. Then again I rarely get tired of seeing nazi's get killed in a variety of ways. Plenty of blood and gore if that is your thing, impossible moments and so on. Just shut down Mr Brain and enjoy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 19, 2023, 03:22:53 PM
Skew (2011) - Another day, another found footage experience. This is watchable and has a decent vibe/ concept but the director doesn't know exactly what to do with it all and it gets a little tedious.

A group of friends are going on a road trip. Immediately we encounter the two biggest things I will remember about the movie:

1. The two people CONSTANTLY tell the third to put down the camera. It must be a dozen or more times they have this same conversation.

2. The female lead Eva is hot. They should give her all the profits.

Why was he so obsessed with the camera? Why did all the bad things that happened happen? I kind of know, but not really. Again though, the dark vibe is there and the time passes quickly enough

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 20, 2023, 09:26:39 AM
"Dragnet" (1987)
Action/comedy update of the 50s/60s cop show stars Dan Aykroyd as the hilariously uptight nephew of the original Sgt. Joe Friday and Tom Hanks (in one of his last second-banana roles before he became a leading man in his own right) as his freewheeling new partner, racing to stop a crime wave masterminded by a crooked TV evangelist (Christopher Plummer). Lots of fun, it's a shame that they never made any sequels to this because Dan & Tom were a great team.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 20, 2023, 09:57:12 AM
PAST LIVES (2023): A Korean woman immigrates to the US as a twelve-year old child; a decade later, she reconnects with her childhood sweetheart across the sea, and after another decade he comes to visit New York. Intelligent, reflective, and mature romantic movie; not my favorite genre, but it's undoubtedly a superior offering for those who enjoy this kind of thing. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 20, 2023, 11:31:07 AM
BEYOND THE LIVING DEAD (1973)

Starring Paul Naschy!

This movie is one of the Spanish Lon Chaney's sickest. Paul plays a necrophilic grave digger, with a mad doctor re-animating dead bodies.  With real surgery footage! One sick puppy- only rivaled by Naschy's HUNCHBACK OF THE RUE MORGUE (1973).

(https://i.imgur.com/w2kaMNr.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 20, 2023, 09:40:06 PM
"The Unnamable" (1988)
College students poke around in an abandoned house with a dark past, and one by one they fall victim to the deformed, homicidal something-or-other that dwells within. Yes, that's the entire plot.
Cheap, bloody haunted-house junk adapted (loosely, I assume) from an H.P. Lovecraft story. The gore and creature effects are decent but the set designs, pacing, dialogue, and acting are pure junk. Followed by a sequel from the same director, which I will be sure to avoid. I suggest you do the same!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 20, 2023, 11:32:41 PM
^ I seen that one. I wasn't real impressed.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 21, 2023, 08:58:13 AM
THREE... EXTREMES (2004): Three short (forty minutes each) "extreme" horror films from Hong Kong's Fruit Chan, Korea's Chan-wook Park, and Japan's Takashi Miike, concerning Faustian dumplings, a director tormented by an extra, and an ex-circus performer with a guilty conscience. Chan's "Dumplings" is predictable but squirmy, Park's "Cut" is flawed but brutal, and Miike's "Box" is another surreal horror gem. 3.5/5 overall.
-


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on September 21, 2023, 10:42:37 AM
"The Unnamable" (1988)
College students poke around in an abandoned house with a dark past, and one by one they fall victim to the deformed, homicidal something-or-other that dwells within. Yes, that's the entire plot.
Cheap, bloody haunted-house junk adapted (loosely, I assume) from an H.P. Lovecraft story. The gore and creature effects are decent but the set designs, pacing, dialogue, and acting are pure junk. Followed by a sequel from the same director, which I will be sure to avoid. I suggest you do the same!

I think these people were poking around in my old college residence  :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 21, 2023, 11:33:31 AM
"The Unnamable" (1988)
College students poke around in an abandoned house with a dark past, and one by one they fall victim to the deformed, homicidal something-or-other that dwells within. Yes, that's the entire plot.
Cheap, bloody haunted-house junk adapted (loosely, I assume) from an H.P. Lovecraft story. The gore and creature effects are decent but the set designs, pacing, dialogue, and acting are pure junk. Followed by a sequel from the same director, which I will be sure to avoid. I suggest you do the same!

The sequel is better made (although I am not going as far as to say it is good).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 22, 2023, 09:41:07 AM
FREAKS VS. THE REICH [AKA FEREAKS OUT] (2021): A twelve-fingered, ether-addicted psychic Nazi searches for four circus freaks with superpowers in WWII Italy, believing he can enslave them to form a squadron that will save the Third Reich from defeat. A unique premise that leads to an entertaining adventure with lots of dead Nazis along the way. In Italian. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 23, 2023, 11:55:19 AM
THE MADS ARE BACK: SHE SHOULDA SAID NO: Anti-weed scare film in which a puff of wacky tobacky sends our heroine into a whirlwind of degradation involving hallucinations, suicide, and organized crime. The hysterical setup makes riffing this one like shooting fish in a barrel for Frank and Trace, resulting in what I think is their best episode ever. It's a rare MST3K-quality film that hasn't been taken on yet. Some trivia: lead actress Lila Leeds was unofficially blacklisted after being caught in the famous pot bust with Robert Mitchum, and took this role because no one else would hire her. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on September 23, 2023, 12:42:46 PM
STREET TRASH (1987)

This is a bad movie. Not in a good way. No name actors play scummy "street trash' in a film that has no redeeming value. Scenes of necrophilia, rape, and playing football with a severed penis are played for laughs. Not one likeable character in the whole film. On occasion a bum drinks some toxic booze called Viper which makes them melt in sub-par F/X. Only for fans of masochism. I have no idea who the target audiance for this drek is.

.......Me! :bouncegiggle:
Saw this on VHS in the early 90s, have watched it several times since at home, and once on the big screen w/ the writer/producer Roy Frumkes in attendance.
IMHO there are 2-3 entirely sympathetic characters and another several who have at least some redeeming values. (Also several complete pieces of human crap.)
I think the "no-name" actors are extremely committed and mostly convincing, and there are three actors w/ good resumes in the film... Pat Ryan, Tony Darrow, and the great James Lorinz... the latter two of whom completely own it in their beautifully written and performed scenes together.
The "sub-par" FX always impress me. Whatever they cost, it wasn't much, and they might not be uhhh convincing (I don't know what a melting man actually looks like tbh) but they're gooey and cool.
There's also some practical stuff happening in this film that... just deserves some props. Burt's escape from the supermarket while shoplifting always earns my respect.
And there is a lot, a lot, of well-executed and even lovely cinematography in this film (much of it mobile).

When I first saw STREET TRASH, I thought, "Hey, I could do THIS..." And I didn't mean that in a way that was condescending to the filmmakers. They make it look possible to achieve something complex on a tiny budget.

When I was a real film snob in the 90s, I would tell other snobs that I preferred STREET TRASH to Bunuel's LOS OLIVADOS and Kurosawa's DODES KA-DEN. Both are great movies.

I still prefer STREET TRASH!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 23, 2023, 10:51:47 PM
"Idle Hands" (1999)
The right hand of a teenage slacker (Devon Sawa of "Final Destination") develops a murderous mind of its own, and after he severs the offending limb he must find a way to stop it once and for all before it can cause chaos at the  annual Halloween dance.
A goofy, gory 90s horror comedy that's kinda like a cross between "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Evil Dead 2," with a great cast (Seth Green, Vivica A. Fox, Jessica Alba) and some nasty gore effects. I missed out on this one when it was current but I got a big kick out of it all these years later.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 23, 2023, 11:47:16 PM
THE BEING (1983) - A small town in Iowa is terrorized by radioactive humanoid monsters because some evil corporation dumped radioactive waste in the groundwater.  I'll be honest, this one was cheesy and the plot didn't make a lot of sense; the main monster had a cool makeup design, though.  Ruth Buzzi had a minor role, and Martin Landau played the corporate scientist trying to cover up the murders.  A decent 80's cheese-fest.  3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 24, 2023, 12:49:18 AM
I think Jessica Alba was 17 when they made that.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 24, 2023, 01:19:14 AM
STREET TRASH (1987)

This is a bad movie. Not in a good way. No name actors play scummy "street trash' in a film that has no redeeming value. Scenes of necrophilia, rape, and playing football with a severed penis are played for laughs. Not one likeable character in the whole film. On occasion a bum drinks some toxic booze called Viper which makes them melt in sub-par F/X. Only for fans of masochism. I have no idea who the target audiance for this drek is.

.......Me! :bouncegiggle:
Saw this on VHS in the early 90s, have watched it several times since at home, and once on the big screen w/ the writer/producer Roy Frumkes in attendance.
IMHO there are 2-3 entirely sympathetic characters and another several who have at least some redeeming values. (Also several complete pieces of human crap.)
I think the "no-name" actors are extremely committed and mostly convincing, and there are three actors w/ good resumes in the film... Pat Ryan, Tony Darrow, and the great James Lorinz... the latter two of whom completely own it in their beautifully written and performed scenes together.
The "sub-par" FX always impress me. Whatever they cost, it wasn't much, and they might not be uhhh convincing (I don't know what a melting man actually looks like tbh) but they're gooey and cool.
There's also some practical stuff happening in this film that... just deserves some props. Burt's escape from the supermarket while shoplifting always earns my respect.
And there is a lot, a lot, of well-executed and even lovely cinematography in this film (much of it mobile).

When I first saw STREET TRASH, I thought, "Hey, I could do THIS..." And I didn't mean that in a way that was condescending to the filmmakers. They make it look possible to achieve something complex on a tiny budget.

When I was a real film snob in the 90s, I would tell other snobs that I preferred STREET TRASH to Bunuel's LOS OLIVADOS and Kurosawa's DODES KA-DEN. Both are great movies.

I still prefer STREET TRASH!
I am aware it has a cult following. I get it. I just thought it was meandering bulls**t. Not fun even as a bad movie. If the same script had been directed by some one of who had a fingernail of talent- ah f**k. It's s**t. I'm happy this tripe made someone happy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 24, 2023, 03:43:53 AM
Asteroid City

I went into this with a lot of misgivings, as I found The French Dispatch very disappointing. Yet I was completely blown away. Again he turns up his quirks and sense of whimsy up to eleven, but the whole thing is done with so much style and the delivery is so deadpan that it works. If you want to see Wes Anderson reach Jodorowski levels of crazy, this is your movie.

A very pretentious movie too, but I don't mind if it delivers


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 24, 2023, 11:42:51 AM
"Fortress" (1992)
In the dystopian future of 2017 (hah!), a wrongfully-accused man (Christopher "Highlander" Lambert) plots his escape from a hellish, high-tech underground prison that's run by a tyrannical corporation.
Stuart "Re-Animator" Gordon directed this stylish low budget sci-fi/action flick with some cool set designs and futuristic gizmos, halfway decent CGI effects, and healthy doses of blood and guts. Lambert still can't act worth a damn, but the strong supporting cast includes Jeffery "Dr. Herbert West" Combs and Kurtwood "That 70s Show"  Smith who's evil as hell as the corrupt prison warden. Fun stuff!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 24, 2023, 12:04:10 PM
Jeffery "Dr. Herbert West" Combs and Kurtwood "That 70s Show"  Smith who's evil as hell as the corrupt prison warden. Fun stuff!

Both great actors! Kurtwood was evil as f**k in ROBOCOP too!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 24, 2023, 12:09:27 PM
ARTIC VOID (2022)
A travel show crew of 3 go one a cruise to an artic island, except everybody disappers.
So our heros end up stranded, going insane and trying to not die. And if you don't listen to whale music, you will mutate and die. Downbeat and creepy; I loved it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on September 24, 2023, 12:20:02 PM
Meg 2: The Trench.

If you are going to deviate this much from the plot of a book why even bother paying for the rights to the novel? Anyway, more of the same of the last movie, but the sharks get less attention this time around (actually they felt fairly incidental to the whole plot).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 24, 2023, 12:29:59 PM
STREET TRASH (1987)

This is a bad movie. Not in a good way. No name actors play scummy "street trash' in a film that has no redeeming value. Scenes of necrophilia, rape, and playing football with a severed penis are played for laughs. Not one likeable character in the whole film. On occasion a bum drinks some toxic booze called Viper which makes them melt in sub-par F/X. Only for fans of masochism. I have no idea who the target audiance for this drek is.

.......Me! :bouncegiggle:
Saw this on VHS in the early 90s, have watched it several times since at home, and once on the big screen w/ the writer/producer Roy Frumkes in attendance.
IMHO there are 2-3 entirely sympathetic characters and another several who have at least some redeeming values. (Also several complete pieces of human crap.)
I think the "no-name" actors are extremely committed and mostly convincing, and there are three actors w/ good resumes in the film... Pat Ryan, Tony Darrow, and the great James Lorinz... the latter two of whom completely own it in their beautifully written and performed scenes together.
The "sub-par" FX always impress me. Whatever they cost, it wasn't much, and they might not be uhhh convincing (I don't know what a melting man actually looks like tbh) but they're gooey and cool.
There's also some practical stuff happening in this film that... just deserves some props. Burt's escape from the supermarket while shoplifting always earns my respect.
And there is a lot, a lot, of well-executed and even lovely cinematography in this film (much of it mobile).

When I first saw STREET TRASH, I thought, "Hey, I could do THIS..." And I didn't mean that in a way that was condescending to the filmmakers. They make it look possible to achieve something complex on a tiny budget.

When I was a real film snob in the 90s, I would tell other snobs that I preferred STREET TRASH to Bunuel's LOS OLIVADOS and Kurosawa's DODES KA-DEN. Both are great movies.

I still prefer STREET TRASH!

I think the main reason I didn't like it was how it portrayed homeless people as scum. Me, all my brothers, have been homeless at one time or another. It just hit me wrong. It seemed callous.
Plus, it was aimless and boring. There was no storyline whatsoever. Went nowhere.
A movie like COMBAT SHOCK (1984) was about living in poverty- but as horrific as it is, you felt for them. (Great movie, by the way!)

(https://i.imgur.com/9WVKzlF.gif) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 24, 2023, 04:15:15 PM
Parable (1964) - This is Christian short film supposedly meant to mirror the story of Christ but I didn't really get it. A clown does stuff like: there's a dunk tank and he replaces the guy being dunked and the guy and the guy throwing things at the dunk tank target both start following the clown around. It was only slightly interesting.

2.5 /5

Also watched one about the legend of Ursula and the 11,000 virgins that was made by a Catholic film co. It had a decent collection of artworks tracing the story but the audio was a little hard to hear and it was pretty perfunctory. same score


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 24, 2023, 07:59:37 PM
"Batman Vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (2019)
This would've been my dream crossover in 1986 when I was a comic book addicted teenager!
The Dark Knight and the Heroes in a Half Shell team up to battle the combined forces of The Shredder and Ra's Al Ghul, who've cooked up a plan to turn everyone in Gotham City into murderous, mutated beasts -- starting at Arkham Asylum with all the major members of Batman's rogue's gallery. Mucho cartoon carnage ensues in this fast paced, funny, ultra violent animated feature.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on September 26, 2023, 03:32:28 PM
So, I've been on a short trip this weekend and had the chance to see a couple of modern films on the bus...

BIRD BOX: BARCELONA (2023)

After an entity of mysterious origin annihilates the world's population causing those who observe it to take their lives, Sebastián and his daughter begin their own great adventure of survival in Barcelona.

I have to admit, this movie grabbed my attention really quickly. In fact, I was curious about the entities. What are they? Why are they doing this? It was a great mystery!

Then the movie ended as if someone just hit the stop button. No answers to anything, nothing is resolved, the film just stops. It's as if the writers couldn't come up with a good explanation for the whole ordeal, and just started to barf ridiculous stuff about DNA when we already heard they were quantum creatures (?), or maybe angels.

Who knows, who cares? Stay away from this. 4/10

PAN SAMOCHODZIK I TEMPLARIUSZE (2023)

When an art historian finds an ancient Templar cross, he must join forces with an unlikely group of adventurers on a quest to unlock the relic's secrets.

This is basically a Polish version of Indiana Jones, based on a series of books. I gather that the movie it's not really faithful to the source material, but I have to admit, I had my share of fun.

It's family-friendly, so the tone is quite light. The characters are nice and well-developed by the end of the film. The adventure is great, and the story behind it is really well done. The only thing I believe it's weak is the ending, which felt too abstract for my taste. I would've preferred something more tangible, like with the Indy movies. Oh, and how hard is to get an Argentinian actor to play the part of an Argentinian bad guy? If you can't do that then don't say the guys is from that country, it's ridiculous.

Great fun, check it out. 7/10

ELEMENTAL (2023)

Follows Ember and Wade, in a city where fire-, water-, earth- and air-residents live together.

Now, this is a problem for me, because I'm not into Pixar movies. Still, I'll try my best.

First of all, the movie looks pretty damn good. The effects of the characters are fun and engaging, although I wish movies were a little bit slower nowadays. It almost gave me a headache of how fast things were going. The story is nothing special, although I did like the teachings about the importance of family. Sadly, the main relationship is too forced; I mean, there are almost no other characters to talk to, who else they could fall in love with?

One of my main gripes is that I felt the movie was first thinking about pushing its social agenda, and then hoping that the movie is fun. There are almost no funny gags, and a lot of the plot takes itself quite seriously. But hey, interracial relations are possible and important, I bet kids really care about that stuff. Eh, kids. I don't think the movie was intended for them anyway. There are a lot of inappropriate innuendoes that have no place in a movie like this, and considering the lack of humor, I can't even imagine a young moviegoer enjoying this thing except for the pretty colors.

I did find some enjoyment out of it when I wrapped my head around the fact that the movie would be forgotten in a matter of weeks. Also, there are almost no musical numbers, so that's something I guess. 5/10


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 26, 2023, 03:34:26 PM
Black Box (2021) - It's not perfect, but decent and relatively unique french conspiracy type movie. We see altogether too much of the main guy, who strongly resembles NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, and some of the details could have been presented a little more clearly, but I watched the whole 2 hours in one night.

A plane crashes and it's up to our hero to analyze the titular black box. What he hears doesn't seem to make sense to him. A terrorist is being blamed, but he thinks it could be something else. The rest of the movie is him trying to find the answer in his autistic, extremely good hearing sort of way.

4.5 / 5

It doesn't hold up to much post movie scrutiny (did any terrorist group claim credit for the attack? Why didn't he contact the police?) but it works while you're watching and that's all that matters



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on September 26, 2023, 04:44:18 PM
Mean Streets. Like so much of Scorsese's work, I saw its quality but the tone and subject matter put me off. I guess this type of movie is not my genre no matter how well done it is. With a couple exceptions that is how I've felt about most of his work.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on September 26, 2023, 05:37:46 PM
PET SEMATARY (2019)  I was intending to stream the new origin story, PET SEMATARY: BLOODLINES, but instead I got the recent remake of the classic Stephen King story.  This was a good retelling of the novel, with one MAJOR plot change I won't give away, except to say that it changed the final arc of the story drastically.  John Lithgow was not bad as the friendly old neighbor, Judd Crandall, but I don't think anyone could match Fred Gwynn's performance in that role from the original 1992 adaptation.  Overall, a decently scary rendering of one of King's most terrifying stories.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on September 26, 2023, 09:29:26 PM
During tonight's thunderstorm I watched To Walk Invisible, a film about the Bronte family that proved a pleasure to watch, despite their lives, of course, not being happy, or long in duration. An A-.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 27, 2023, 09:22:14 AM
TODD TARANTULA (2023): The titular Todd (who suffers from visions that are exacerbated and twisted by his prodigious intake of recreational drugs) searches through Los Angeles (and time) for his stolen motorcycle in this garishly rotoscoped feature. Trippy, often visually interesting low-budget adventure. Free on Tubi. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 27, 2023, 09:47:38 PM
"Clerks III" (2022)
They may be older, but they're not necessarily wiser: Dante and Randal are still working at the Quick Stop as they approach 50, when Randal suddenly suffers a near fatal heart attack. This naturally causes him to re-evaluate his life, and he decides to write and direct a movie about his experiences working in convenience stores.
The third (and presumably final) go-round for Kevin Smith's iconic characters isn't nearly as raunchy as the first two installments and has an unexpectedly dark, melancholy streak running through it. Obviously Kevin's own near-death experience had a major influence on the story.
"Clerks III" could've used a little more of Jay and Silent Bob and a lot less of the annoying "Elias" (the born-again Christian geek they picked up in "Clerks II"), but overall this was an enjoyable trip back into the View Askew-universe.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on September 28, 2023, 01:21:50 PM
"No One Will Save You" (2023)
A unique Hulu original horror/thriller about a withdrawn, troubled young woman whose solitary existence is shattered when she has to deal with some very persistent alien invaders. There's lots of creepy-cool atmosphere and suspense, heightened by the fact that the movie is almost totally dialogue-free (the main character only speaks once in the entire film). There's a side plot involving the woman's past that really didn't need to be there, since it muddies up the ending a bit, but otherwise this is a fun ride. Kudos to the young female lead (with whom I am unfamiliar) who does an excellent job in what is essentially a one-woman show for most of the movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on September 28, 2023, 04:15:46 PM
Left Fingers (2023) - If I don't post a review for a couple days it doesn't mean I'm not in front of my TV. I try and watch a lot of movies but end up having to turn them off because they contain some element I find annoying. Immediate bad acting is often one. As this movie shows though, my standards really aren't very high.

A good looking but blandly normal guy decides he wants to be a social media influencer. The problem: he's a blandly normal guy. Nothing he does seem to garner him the views he craves until one day he makes a gruesome discovery: someone has left a finger in the geocaching little treasure chest thing you find. It happens again... and again. Suddenly, his account is pretty interesting.

It's all super cheap and rough around the edges in terms of the writing and so forth but I liked it. Haven't read the reviews yet (if there are any) but they are probably all 1 star. (update: there are none)

4.25 / 5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on September 30, 2023, 09:07:47 AM
Devil Girl From Mars (1954)

What really caused Mars's downfall was women's emancipation. After several centuries of empowered women, the men of Mars are hopelessly weak and degenerate, so a Martian dominatrix raids Earth for hot-blooded men.

This is the famous British answer the US alien invasion movies of the 50s. According to the credits, it is adapted from a play, which may explain why it mainly consists of people talking in the same room. It is a bit like The Day the Earth Stood Still, if that had been set in a remote Scottish hotel with half a dozen people in it. It also has one of goofiest robots in the history of film, rather like a water heater with legs. Fans of Dad's Army will recognize John Laurie, and, as it is a British movie, the reaction to an alien invasion is to have a cup of tea.
That being said, it is more watchable than its reputation suggests. Patricia Laffan looks suitably kinky. The plot, such as it is, moves along at a steady if sedate pace and at a good 70 minutes, it ends before you get bored. Definitely less of a slog than Mars Needs Women.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 30, 2023, 09:41:04 AM
IF FOOTMEN TIRE YOU, WHAT WILL HORSES DO? (1971): The tragic tale of Judy, a fun girl who drinks, smokes, and dances while wearing miniskirts, who gives herself to Jesus after hearing a ridiculous hyperbolic anti-Communist sermon by uncharismatic preacher Erstus Pirkle. Filled with re-enactments of what America will be like in just a few years when bad actors playing the part of Communists take over the government and splash red paint over the faces of those who steadfastly profess their faith in Christ, this is poorly-made but surprisingly gory and sadistic propaganda is both hilarious and sad. People once became fanatically motivated by preachers playing to their illogical fears, and continue to do be today. The Communist was right about the candy, though, and Pirkle never rebuts him. 1.5/5 or 3.5/5, depending on whether you see it as a tragedy or a comedy. Glad I finally saw it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on September 30, 2023, 10:42:33 AM
^ I found it hilarious!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on September 30, 2023, 10:56:24 AM
^ I found it hilarious!

I get it, but these are the same kind of people who now believe in Q-Anon.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on September 30, 2023, 11:57:00 AM
CASTLE OF BLOOD (1964):
My official grand opener for the Halloween season, this might be the best early 60s supernatural Euro-gothic I've seen. (You know, old castle, vengeful spirits and/or vampires, plunging necklines, bad dubbing, et al.) The first fifteen minutes is a slow pair of dialogue scenes (almost in real-time) where Edgar Allen Poe brokers a wager between an aspiring writer and an eccentric nobleman to spend an entire night in a haunted mansion. The next fifteen minutes, also real-time, is mostly the young writer entering and gradually proceeding through the very dark, spooky, evidently empty mansion, almost in the style of a FPS/horror video game. Although glacially paced, this opening half hour grabbed me on the strength of the dialogue, the performances of the actors playing Poe and the nobleman, and the steady, atmospheric direction of Antonio Margerhiti (aka Anthony Dawson), who would eventually make some goofy genre movies and become a running gag in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS but does legitimately strong work here.

Thirty minutes in, the writer discovers there are other people living (?) in the mansion, including Barbara Steele, her icy blonde frenemy, two shirtless dudes, and even a mad scientist-type. I was prepared to get bored at this point, anticipating the usual early 60s gothic romance BS that was about to commence... yet CASTLE OF BLOOD keeps throwing little twists into the mix and remains surprising and watchable until the end, eventually building to a feverish final 20 or so minutes that are legitimately... rousing! The lead actor is kinda' lame and Steele doesn't have a ton to do, but she looks great doing it, and there's enough other cool stuff happening in CASTLE OF BLOOD that (unlike fellow genre entries) it needn't rest its laurels on Steele's intensity and cleavage. Rather than just mere vampires or ghosts or curses, the film stirs up a dizzying blend of obscure phenomena and the result feels much more akin to THE SHINING, Flanagan's HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, or even Rivette's CELINE ET JULIE, plus into the bargain there's a coda that presages Rollin's LA ROSE DA FER.

FTR I watched a DVD that incorporates footage from a French cut. Some dialogue is abruptly in French (w/ subtitles), there's some pretty intense sapphic overtones and a couple of assaults that border on sexual, plus one eye-opening extended wide-shot of a supporting female character disrobing and going fully topless for a bit. Have to presume these bits weren't in the original US cut. Viva la difference! I revisited BLACK SUNDAY (1960) last October and didn't feel like it had aged that well. I think I had more fun w/ CASTLE OF BLOOD! A promising start to the season.

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on September 30, 2023, 12:01:22 PM
^ I found it hilarious!

I get it, but these are the same kind of people who now believe in Q-Anon.

Caught this at last 6 years ago or so. You've said it all, Rev.
Estus Pirkle would be a beloved satirical icon if he wasn't terrifyingly real.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 01, 2023, 09:54:09 AM
DARK ARC (2004):
One of only three features written/directed by Dan Zukovic, an intense-looking character actor w/ tons of TV credits on IMDB as well as appearances in the kinds of features most of us are unlikely to watch. Nevertheless he made THE LAST BIG THING, an extremely funny 90s hipster comedy co-starring a young Mark Ruffalo as well as James (STREET TRASH!) Lorinz so I sought out his follow-up. Quite a departure.

Zukovic stars as the Viscount Loris, a former art critic-turned-globetrotting monomaniac weirdo... the kind usually only played by Jodorowski in Jodorowski's own movies. Loris recruits a disaffected femme fatale (the appealing Sarah Strange) to help him "curate" and/or create unique images, and ultimately manipulates her in an obscure and trivial vendetta against an unassuming graphic designer. (The designer looks unnervingly like Stephen Soderbergh, who probably would enjoy this film, come to think of it.) For a film about unforgettable visuals, DARK ARC mostly looks muddy, overcast, and depressing, w/ occasionally flashes of garish color, though the compositions are often pleasing. Zukovic's dense, idea-driven screenplay could almost pass as a film student's MFA literature review of the major theories of Lacan, Mulvey, Sontag, and Berger, which doesn't sound like a blast, right? Nevertheless, the catty dialogue between Zukovic and Strange is frequently hilarious, so the sense of humor Zukovic demonstrated in LAST BIG THING is still w/ him. A pull-quote on DARK ARC's trailer compares it to David Lynch. I'd say it's closer to Peter Greenaway or even Nicolas Roeg, but fans of Hal Hartley, Atom Egoyan, and Whit Stillman might also dig Zukovic's vibe.

DARK ARC was one of the last DVDs I'll ever receive from DVD.com, formerly Netflix, to which I'd subscribed for almost 20 years. I could've returned it and gotten something else, but I chose to keep it at no charge. I didn't absolutely love it, but it's the kind of movie I know I'll be thinking about in 5, 10, 15, or 20 years, I'll want to check it out again, and then it'll be impossible to find - so, into my collection it shall go. I cannot find Zukovic's third and to-date final feature SCAMMERHEAD anywhere... 

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 02, 2023, 04:16:59 PM
Anatomy (2000) - I didn't love this but I did watch it. The tone was very European. It had all these corny jokes. The lead actress wasn't very attractive and her boyfriend looked like Garth Brooks as Christopher Gaines. It could maybe be a funny musical?

A girl goes to medical school and discovers a weird underground group that eschews ethics in favor of "REAL medical research" ie killing people for their bodies. Or does she???? They put a lot of effort into this but they should have maybe had the better looking sidekick be the lead. next!

 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 03, 2023, 04:34:55 PM
MARK OF THE DEVIL (1970):
First-time viewing of a movie that was legendary when I was a kid, both as a "nasty" and also as a stinker. It's both and then some! In some vague unspecified "European" village, a witchfinder w/ the unlikely name of "Albino" (Reggie Nalder aka the iconic Barlow from SALEM'S LOT!) abuses his power, torturing and murdering and raping the innocent w/ gleeful abandon. One day the Witchfinder General and his apprentice (Herbert Lom and Udo Kier!) arrive to relieve Albino of his duties, and briefly the viewer hopes conditions will improve. Naturally things only get worse!

Yes, MOTD has atrocious dubbing in general and all of its crowd scenes look like outtakes from a Monty Python sketch. This becomes a fatal flaw at the totally senseless climax, when the villagers finally revolt. Those (major) caveats aside, though, its smaller/interior scenes are often well-directed, the script is surprisingly thoughtful at times (its criticisms of the Catholic Church remain relevant today), and the major characters occasionally reveal some nuance. Lom (who at least seems to have dubbed himself) gives a strong performance and Nalder (though dubbed) is compellingly loathesome even w/ flat line-readings... he oozes evil from every pore of his hideously scarred face... which btw I don't think is make-up. Srsly, dude looks like Lance Henriksen got a mullet from a blind barber before the barber accidentally knocked Lance headfirst into a wheat-thresher. Nalder was more palatable-looking in Nosferatu prosthetics!

Udo Kier, on the other hand, was (objectively speaking) a gorgeous human being in 1970... 3-4 years before BLOOD OF DRACULA and FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN and more than a decade before he would become the perennial ghoul leering through most of the Von Trier catalog... and you can totally buy him as a romantic lead and quasi-protagonist. At the very least he tortures no one....... and if nothing else you gotta' admit that MOTD is unusual in that it's a film about sadistic torture where UDO KIER TORTURES NO ONE. Oh yeah, the torture! Even in this young century of hardcore torture porn, I have to admit that the torture in MOTD is still raw and effective (not to mention plentiful). It turned my stomach and made me hate the s**t-head inquisitors, so, hey, job well done, Adrian Hoven and Michael Armstrong. In counterpoint, the theme song (which cues up about every 4-5 minutes) is a cheery, almost heartwarming number that sounds like it heavily inspired Riz Ortolani's score to CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST.
3/5
I didn't hate it and I might even check out the sequel, where the wretched Nalder returns in the role of "Natas"!  :lookingup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on October 04, 2023, 10:05:28 AM
Monster Armageddon.

Aliens watch Asylum movies and decide to invade the earth using the monsters from the films to conquer it. I guess they've been scraping the bottom of the barrel so long that they've worn through the wood and you are now getting whatever is beneath it. Poor even by their low standards.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 05, 2023, 09:54:00 AM
UNICORN WARS (2022): Follows the travails of new teddy bear recruits as they train in boot camp before venturing into the Magic Forest to battle their ancestral enemies, the unicorns. "Care Bears" journey into the heart of darkness in a battle that will pit brother against brother; the expected ironic jokes are there, but to its credit this beautifully animated film ultimately takes its superficially cute characters seriously, delivering a legitimate epic tragedy. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on October 05, 2023, 12:04:15 PM
UNICORN WARS (2022): Follows the travails of new teddy bear recruits as they train in boot camp before venturing into the Magic Forest to battle their ancestral enemies, the unicorns. "Care Bears" journey into the heart of darkness in a battle that will pit brother against brother; the expected ironic jokes are there, but to its credit this beautifully animated film ultimately takes its superficially cute characters seriously, delivering a legitimate epic tragedy. 3.5/5.

Also more teddy bear penis that I ever thought I would ever encounter.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 07, 2023, 03:37:23 PM
DR. ORLOFF'S MONSTER aka THE MISTRESSES OF DR. JEKYLL aka THE SECRET OF DR. ORLOFF (1964):
Recently there was some discussion on the "uniquely worded title" thread about whether ORLOFF should count as unique. (Sequels w/ the same word are okay, but unrelated films are disqualifiers.) Although some folks contended that all ORLOFF films were directed by Jess Franco and therefore part of a series, I was skeptical on both of those counts. Then again, I'd only seen THE AWFUL DR. ORLOFF (1962), Franco's first entry. Having now seen the first Franco follow-up, I would suggest that the word "Orloff" can be safely disqualified. Even though Franco wrote & directed it two years after AWFUL, it's a stretch to consider it a sequel or maybe even an ORLOFF movie at all...

What IS it, though? ...Another one of the growing handful of Franco films I've seen that I could recommend to anyone inclined to say that all of Franco's movies are bad. Dude's filmography is over a hundred entries. A lot of those are bad, lazy, or senseless, yet many of them are bad, lazy, and/or senseless in completely different ways, and about one in every half dozen is.......  good!

JEKYLL/ORLOFF is a linear, cogent, more or less conventional, but very well made Franco film... the kind of film that provides credence for Orson Welles' early 60s evaluation of Franco as a real filmmaker of merit. There's plenty of deep visual compositions, moody lighting, and smart camera movements, and in one of the film's longest takes, supporting characters played by entirely competent actors move in and out of the shot, delivering confident and committed line readings of dialogue that is clever and in support of the plot. Why, it's like you're watching a... professionally made film! ORLOFF/JEKYLL's plot isn't anything too complex or exciting (sexually frustrated mad scientist uses a zombie/robot to murder women, Because), but it moves along more snappily than the first ORLOFF film and is generally an improvement in all areas. There are a few (essentially gratuitous) nude scenes - okay, at least ten extended shots of topless ladies to CASTLE OF BLOOD's one (1) - however it's still early enough in Franco's career that he considers sex to be the seasoning in the entree rather than the main ingredient.

But is it an Orloff movie? The DVD I watched has a menu screen that says "DR. ORLOFF'S MONSTER" and one of the film's alternate titles is THE SECRET OF DR. ORLOFF, but the title on the print is THE MISTRESSES OF DR. JEKYLL and the main character's name is... Dr. Jekyll. There's a single line of throwaway dialogue in one scene that mentions the research of "Dr. Orloff" and there's an elderly mentor scientist who appears briefly in two scenes and MIGHT be Dr. Orloff, but he's addressed by a different name onscreen and not identified as Orloff by IMDB. So, we're on Franco's ORLOFF #2 and... about as much of a sequel as TRUE ROMANCE is to RESERVOIR DOGS by virtue of Mr. White mentioning a character named "Alabama" in the latter. Still, good flick!
3.5/5
...Although honestly I think I prefer Franco movies w/ only a couple of nice shots or moments and tons of nudity and sex to this more mainstream approach.  :lookingup: :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 07, 2023, 08:18:24 PM
PET SEMATARY: BLOODLINES (2023) - Well, it wasn't a total train wreck, but it wasn't nearly as good as I hoped it would be.  A young Judd Crandall has to deal with the consequences when a neighbor buries the body of his son, killed in Vietnam, in the old Micmac burial ground.  The son, Timmy, a childhood friend of Judd, comes back as a murderous monster, and it's up to Judd and his father to kill the beast and set Timmy's soul to rest.  Lots of gore, but not the most comprehensive plot. 3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 08, 2023, 07:52:37 AM
Finally getting my October horror-thon in gear!

"Scream VI" (2023)
The sisters who survived the "Woodsboro Legacy" murder spree from the last Scream movie (including Jenna "Wednesday" Ortega) have re-located to New York City to start new lives, but of course, a nut-ball in a Ghost Face mask eventually shows up and starts carving up their friends.
By this point the "Scream" sequels have become interchangeable. Some new cast members are added in every movie, one or two characters from previous films are still hanging around, and the "who-could-the-killer-be" mystery and "big reveal" ending has become formula. That said, the movie is fast paced, the change in locale allows for some cool set pieces (the scene on a subway train is inspired) and there are some good gory violent kills. If you liked the previous flicks, you might as well watch this one too.

"Elvira, Mistress of the Dark" (1988)
In the bodacious horror hostess' film debut, she inherits a creepy old house in a backwards New England town. She just wants to sell the place to finance her move to Vegas, but the townsfolk have other ideas for our heroine, including a good ol' fashioned witch burning. This campy horror comedy is lots of silly, corny fun, and of course Elvira herself is easy on the eyes as usual. A guilty pleasure.

"The Birds" (1963)
Alfred Hitchcock's tale of a spoiled socialite (Tippi Hedren) who pursues a man (Rod Taylor) to a scenic seaside town that suddenly comes under attack by massive flocks of homicidal birds.  
This was the first time I've seen this flick in its entirety; I know it's considered a classic by horror aficionados but I thought it was pretty "meh." It takes almost an hour for the avian action to kick into gear; prior to that it's just talk, talk, talk. The bird attack effects are mostly decent (by 1963 standards anyway) and Tippi Hedren was quite the piece back in the day. Worth seeing for its historical value, I guess, but I'll never sit thru it again.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 08, 2023, 08:19:21 AM
^ In regards to the BIRDS- I'm sorry you didn't care for it. It's in my upper tier of Best Horror Films of all time.

(https://i.imgur.com/gBTMbmH.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 08, 2023, 08:57:12 AM
I like THE BIRDS a lot, but I can see why someone who went in expecting a horror film would be disappointed.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 08, 2023, 10:49:17 AM
It's a slow burn kinda movie. Just like PSYCHO. Everything is played calm. Until birds start attacking the school kids.
It's a beautiful looking movie. Colors pop.

(https://i.imgur.com/NA2mj2P.gif) (https://lunapic.com)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 08, 2023, 05:03:25 PM
regardless of how it's carried out, The Birds is really the epitome of horror. Something totally unexpected and horrible happens and people are so scared and baffled they have no idea what to do. That's what horror is, those immediate, confused moments.

The Corridor (2010) - There's confusing /boring and confusing /interesting and I'd put this safely in the latter category. It's not amazing which is why it is where it is (tubi) but the abstractness doesn't deter from the main focus. A bunch of guys go to hang out with their mentally ill friend who is still coming to terms with a freakout that culminated in his (also mentally off balance) mother's death. Complicating this is an apparent invisible corridor in the woods that may be there or may be some sort of metaphor for insanity.

It generally works and "has some good stuff", but won't be replacing The Shining as a snow insanity classic anytime soon

charitable 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 08, 2023, 10:55:50 PM
CRUDE CRYPT, VOL. 1

A barely watchable string of horror shorts, most with no plot whatsoever.  Free on Prime, but I still felt ripped off.
1.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 09, 2023, 07:07:05 AM
"Tales From The Crypt Presents: Bordello of Blood" (1996)
A woman hires a wise-ass private eye to find her missing brother, and the search leads him to a house of prostitution run by lady vampires. Hilarity and mucho splatter ensues.
This feature length spin-off from the HBO television series is cheap, campy, and pretty damn entertaining, with an impressive cast of dependable D-listers (Dennis Miller, Erika Eleniak, Corey Feldman, Chris Sarandon, Angie Everhart) and lots of blood, guts, and bare boobs. Plus, the theme song is by Anthrax!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 09, 2023, 08:05:55 AM
THE FP 4EVZ (2023): In the post-post-apocalyptic future, J Tro and company must travel through time to save the world from a horrible future/past world without alcohol by solving levels of the "beat beat" dance game. The 1980s music video via 2020s green-screen CGI look can be appealing, but anyone who hasn't been following this series will be utterly confused--and the movie likes it that way. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 09, 2023, 10:50:53 AM
THE FP 4EVZ (2023): In the post-post-apocalyptic future, J Tro and company...
anyone who hasn't been following this series will be utterly confused--and the movie likes it that way. 2/5.

"J. Tro" is from my area and dated a friend of a friend 20 years ago. By WNY standards I guess he's made it big.  :lookingup: I watched the first FP and one of his non-FP flicks and I agree w/ your closing comment... he seems to be producing these movies mostly for his own amusement, not for a larger audience. At least he's making himself happy!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 09, 2023, 11:02:19 AM
THE FP 4EVZ (2023): In the post-post-apocalyptic future, J Tro and company...
anyone who hasn't been following this series will be utterly confused--and the movie likes it that way. 2/5.

"J. Tro" is from my area and dated a friend of a friend 20 years ago. By WNY standards I guess he's made it big.  :lookingup: I watched the first FP and one of his non-FP flicks and I agree w/ your closing comment... he seems to be producing these movies mostly for his own amusement, not for a larger audience. At least he's making himself happy!

I interviewed him about it and yes, that seems to be the case.

https://youtu.be/r-RHvP7JKkE?si=pmjuYwS2OXvLsqdk&t=1083


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 09, 2023, 08:57:36 PM
NIGHT GALLERY: PICKMAN'S MODEL (1971)
A trio of brief (! :lookingup: !) reviews before I tackle a couple more long ones... I watched three episodes of NIGHT GALLERY w/ Lovecraftian influences in the hopes I might use them in one of my classes. For an array of reasons I probably won't, but, holy cripes, PICKMAN'S MODEL is great! Bradford Dillman is the moody recluse painter who attracts the eye of nice young thing Louise Sorel (who I'd only ever seen post-mid-eighties as a middle-aged busybody). She's unnerved yet drawn to his creepy paintings of an unusually specific, convincing werewolf-like creature... which, of course (SPOILERS?!) is trapped in Dillman's basement. The climax really delivers the goods beyond what I'd expect from a half-hour TV anthology. I wonder if this episode inspired the monster from Stephen King's "The Crate" (later one of the standouts from the first CREEPSHOW).
4/5!

NIGHT GALLERY: COOL AIR (1971)
Another "ingenue encounters solitary creepster" tale about a scientist who confines himself to an eerily chilly apartment for (not especially) mysterious reasons, this one's major liability is that its "twist" ending is entirely unsurprising/too-well forecast. It's not badly directed, though... perhaps surprising as it's credited to Jeannot Szwarc, whose filmography includes legendary stinkers/disappointments such as JAWS II, SUPERGIRL, and SANTA CLAUS: THE MOVIE. Yet again I suspect Stephen King was inspired by Lovecraft's short story and recycled it into the (much better) "Gray Matter", also adapted to the screen for the CREEPSHOW streaming series.
3/5

NIGHT GALLERY: PROF. PEABODY'S LAST LECTURE (1971)
This one's only 10 minutes and is a hoot. The eponymous college professor (Mel Brooks' buddy and Rob's dad Carl Reiner) gets a little carried away while lecturing about the elder gods to a classroom that includes students' named Bloch, Derleth, and even Lovecraft....... in-joke name-dropping even before John Landis, Fred Dekker, Tarantino, et al. The whole short depends almost entirely on Reiner, and he's more than capable... kinda' wish he had more big roles onscreen instead of just offscreen. If I ever cease to exist while teaching, I'll probably go out more or less like this guy.
4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 10, 2023, 02:32:30 PM
MOON GARDEN (2023): After seeing her parents quarrel, a five-year old girl falls into a coma and wanders through a fantasy landscape, trying to find her way back by listening to ufzzy broadcasts from the real world on a transistor radio. A would-be dark WIZARD OF OZ thing that has pretty good budget effects--mixing animation with bold color schemes and junkyard aesthetics--but mainly just wanders from one pretty nightmare set-piece to another without generating quite the emotional payoff it seeks. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 10, 2023, 04:17:53 PM
Dope Men (2023) - Succinct, well put together documentary about the original drug cartel: the mafia. The idea that they weren't involved in drugs is a myth. Lucky Luciano and Arnold Rothstein are the two main players but various other Jewish and Italian legends are here, showing their awesome business acumen and total disregard for their fellow man. The talking heads are guys who write mafia books I think. They also highlight some of the people on the police side, mainly the fiercely determined Harry Anslinger.

I'm not super interested in this arena so this was a good way to get in and out and learn some basic stuff

5/5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 10, 2023, 04:50:06 PM
"Tales From The Crypt Presents: Demon Knight" (1995)
The final battle between good & evil takes place at a run-down boarding house in a remote desert town, when two strangers -- one a demonic "soul collector," the other a "Demon Knight" on a mission to stop him - arrive to fight it out, with a bunch of innocents caught in the middle.
This spinoff from the HBO horror series is a pretty decent, action packed horror cheapie that makes the most of its claustrophobic setting and a great cast that includes William Sadler, Billy Zane (who's an absolute hoot as the villain), Jada Pinkett, and Thomas Haden-Church. Gory comic book fun that was intended to kick off a film franchise, which faded away when the sequel "Bordello of Blood" crashed at the box office a year later.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 10, 2023, 07:37:08 PM
JIGOKU (HELL) aka THE SINNERS OF HELL (1960):
Ding ding ding ding ding we HAAAAAAAVE A WINNER!  :hot: :cheers:

First-time viewing of a STRONG 5/5 hidden horror semi-classic/total visionary masterpiece that I'd heard and read about for many years but never bothered to watch until last weekend. I don't know what I was waiting for and I don't know why more folks don't talk and write about this one nowadays.

Milquetoast college student Shiro and his weird frenemy Tamura accidentally take a stranger's life and then elude all responsibility for the event. Terrible misfortune continues to stalk Shiro, however, even as he escapes the city for the small town where his parents live. (Tamura, who is nothing but trouble, also follows...) As the supporting characters and subplots grow, it seems like everyone Shiro meets is culpable for some kind of terrible secret crime. The film ends in an extended setpiece in the eponymous destination, confirming that everyone we've met onscreen thus far is damned to eternal torment...

There are several remarkable things about JIGOKU. Foremost is the direction by Nobuo Nakagawa, a filmmaker w/ a long resume about which I'm completely ignorant. The full-color JIGOKU looks at least 10 years ahead of its time. Specifically, the frenetic, visually innovative first and last 35 minute chunks mark Nakagawa as the direct progenitor of Obayashi's HAUSU (1977), a film which previously I thought had emerged fully formed out of its own director's feverishly creative mind. I'd go even further and venture that Alejandro Jodorowski and David Lynch have seen and admired JIGOKU (there are strong parallels to LOST HIGHWAY and subtler intersections to other Lynch projects) not to mention Takashi Miike and other contemporary Japanese genre auteurs. The visuals aren't the only thing that are shocking for a 1960 production... JIGOKU's also got more bright red gore FX than any other film from its era or earlier, to my knowledge. Hands get cut off, teeth get knocked out, an eye is gouged out, bodies are slashed and sawed in half, and a couple of victims are skinned alive and reduced to pulpy piles of twitching organs. This is three full years before Herschel Gordon Lewis made the scene. If there's an earlier film with this much blood and gore, please tell me about it!

But if JIGOKU was just a feature-length torture orgy, I'd be less impressed. Nobukawa holds my interest throughout by refusing to actually endorse the puritanical moral code he's portraying, and in fact the highly non-realist tone allows for the interpretation that "hell" exists only in Shiro's guilt-ridden mind. Oh yeah, I should also mention that Yoichi Numata as the diabolical Tamura gives a tour de force performance on par w/ Klaus Kinski and cinema's other greatest maniacs. (He later played the creepy innkeeper in the original RINGU and its first sequel and now I need to track down his other major roles.)

When I tried and failed to make a 10 Best Japanese Films list... this could've been on it. One of the best films I've seen all year.
5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 11, 2023, 07:42:14 AM
"House on Haunted Hill" (1999)
Five strangers are invited to an eccentric millionaire's all-night private party at a supposedly-haunted former insane asylum. If they can survive till morning, they'll each win a million dollars.  You can probably guess how well that goes.
This remake of the 1950s Vincent Price oldie has cool set designs and atmosphere to spare, plus some disturbing visual effects that help keep it from becoming just another generic body count flick. Not a classic, but spooky enough for Halloween season viewing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 11, 2023, 10:19:18 AM
GODZILLA- KING OF THE MONSTERS (2019)

Ok- I did not like the 2014 movie. Not enough monster time, and the generic beasts he fought were lame. GODZILLA VS KONG was a confusing mess. But this one- now here's a movie!
It's like a modern day DESTROY ALL MONSTERS! Lotsa battles, cities getting stomped to smoking rubble, and dammit- Monster Zero, Rodan, and even Mothra! I almost creamed my jeans when Rodan did a flying roll and wiped out all those spaceships!
Loved it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 11, 2023, 01:36:17 PM
The House That Would Not Die: a TV moovie from 1970 (I think): not bad.  :smile:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 11, 2023, 03:38:07 PM
MA (2019)

Sweet Satan! This movie may be the best thing I seen all year!

Some crazy middle age women (Octavia Spenser), tries to relive her youth by letting kids party in her basement. Except she relives her f**ked up memories of school. So she comences to f**k some s**t up. Juliet Lewis stars too!

This movie- I predict- will be a cult classic.

Octavia Spenser is f**king out off her mind as Ma. She needs to be in more horror movies.
 Juliet Lewis looks like a middle aged Goddess.
( I always had a thing for Juliet Lewis since NATURAL BORN KILLERS . I'm 61- whatta ya want?)

(https://i.imgur.com/LM3mC4v.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 11, 2023, 04:34:46 PM
THE INNOCENTS (1961):
First complete viewing after reading the Henry James short story as a kid and seeing a couple scenes from this and figuring I'd "seen it". I was an impatient little edgelord and probably wasn't ready to appreciate THE INNOCENTS. Watched this following JIGOKU last weekend. That was a good weekend.

I'm gonna' attempt brevity for once and attempt to say little about this film. There doesn't appear to be a ton to it at a glance and the less you know going in, the better. Essentially four main characters in one location, w/ a third character who disappears after the first scene and two other important figures who appear occasionally but have no dialogue onscreen. Not a great deal technically happens for most of the 100 minutes and almost all of the conflict arises from what lead Deborah Kerr thinks might happen or has happened at some point in the past. Nevertheless THE INNOCENTS is tense and even legitimately scary.

"The Turn of the Screw" is either a longish short story or a very short novel. Flanagan's ten-hour HAUNTING OF BLYE MANOR seems incredibly overstuffed and redundant in retrospect, and Amenabar's THE OTHERS (2 hours) seems flimsy and spread too thin. At 100 minutes, THE INNOCENTS hits the sweet spot. The director, cinematographer, editor, sound designer (who deserved an Oscar), composer, and crew have invested incredible attention to every small moment and detail. Screenwriter Truman Capote maximizes the subtext yet is unafraid to leave many significant questions unanswered. The final moments are both shocking and sort of confounding, but in the best way, like a good Haneke film. Capote might've had the 50s communist scare in mind, but the 80s satanic panic could just as easily apply. Heck, I encounter educators like Kerr's character and mystifying little brats like Miles all the time today.

Excellent film.
4.5/5
2nd-billed Peter Wyngarde appears onscreen a handful of times yet says nothing. He later inspired a villain in the 70s "X-Men" comics!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 12, 2023, 01:28:36 AM
Mirai (2018)

This is another instance of a Japanese animator trying hard to be Miyazaki, which is odd in this case, because apparently Hosoda left Ghibli in a huff.

Four year old Kun gets a baby sister (the titular Mirai), and he doesn't like the change at all. Through a magical encounter with a future version of his sister, he gets to experience various episodes of his family's history, which gives him a new sense of belonging.

Hosoda is a better director than a writer. This attempt at a family chronicle has its moments and gets the problematic aspects of the family dynamic right (it should be shown to prospective young parents so they know what they are getting into). However there is no dramatic tension at all (or any plot to speak of). This wouldn't matter if we had engaging or interesting characters, but Kun has very few redeeming features and is most of the time just annoying.

Not bad, but you're better off watching Summer Wars.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 12, 2023, 08:53:12 AM
"2069: A Sex Odyssey" (1974)
...how can you possibly pass up a movie with a title like that?
A UFO full of lovely Venusian ladies lands in the mountains of Bavaria on a mission to extract -- errr, let's call it "genetic material" -- from the local males in order to re-populate their dying planet. Needless to say, the men folk are more than willing to help the space chicks fulfill their needs, much to the dismay of their wives and girlfriends. Wacky hi-jinks and frequent full frontal nudity ensues.
...I know this sounds like a porno, but it isn't -- it's just a low-budget German-made sex comedy that's (poorly) dubbed into English. A couple of the "alien" girls are nice looking but the film itself is merely a series of scenes of random people acting silly and then getting naked. I think I might have laughed ONCE. Otherwise I found myself thinking, "how can a movie with this much nudity be this BORING?"

Do I really need to say it? AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 12, 2023, 09:01:27 AM
ALCHEMY OF THE SPIRIT (2022): An elderly artist wakes up to find his wife dead in bed beside him; she magically comes back for a few days, engaging in long conversations about how the afterlife can't be described in words. Sweet, but uninvolving. 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 12, 2023, 09:03:56 AM
"2069: A Sex Odyssey" (1974)
...how can you possibly pass up a movie with a title like that?
A UFO full of lovely Venusian ladies lands in the mountains of Bavaria on a mission to extract -- errr, let's call it "genetic material" -- from the local males in order to re-populate their dying planet. Needless to say, the men folk are more than willing to help the space chicks fulfill their needs, much to the dismay of their wives and girlfriends. Wacky hi-jinks and frequent full frontal nudity ensues.
...I know this sounds like a porno, but it isn't -- it's just a low-budget German-made sex comedy that's (poorly) dubbed into English. A couple of the "alien" girls are nice looking but the film itself is merely a series of scenes of random people acting silly and then getting naked. I think I might have laughed ONCE. Otherwise I found myself thinking, "how can a movie with this much nudity be this BORING?"

Do I really need to say it? AVOID.

Is this the one with Bob Saget dubbing the voice of a HAL-like computer?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 12, 2023, 12:48:11 PM
ONCE WITHIN A TIME (2023): Curtains open on a glowing, chanting golden tree woman, then children watch a couple with wicker cages around their heads wander through incidents of disaster, technology, and wonder. Simultaneously ancient and hyper-modern, Godfrey "Koyaanisqatsi" Reggio's visually-stunning surrealist experimental feature is as an apocalyptic dispatch from the far reaches of reality. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 12, 2023, 02:14:23 PM
"2069: A Sex Odyssey" (1974)
...how can you possibly pass up a movie with a title like that?
A UFO full of lovely Venusian ladies lands in the mountains of Bavaria on a mission to extract -- errr, let's call it "genetic material" -- from the local males in order to re-populate their dying planet. Needless to say, the men folk are more than willing to help the space chicks fulfill their needs, much to the dismay of their wives and girlfriends. Wacky hi-jinks and frequent full frontal nudity ensues.
...I know this sounds like a porno, but it isn't -- it's just a low-budget German-made sex comedy that's (poorly) dubbed into English. A couple of the "alien" girls are nice looking but the film itself is merely a series of scenes of random people acting silly and then getting naked. I think I might have laughed ONCE. Otherwise I found myself thinking, "how can a movie with this much nudity be this BORING?"

Do I really need to say it? AVOID.

Ah, the Tiroler sex comedies of the 70s (using the term comedy very loosely)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 12, 2023, 09:50:57 PM
Quote
Is this the one with Bob Saget dubbing the voice of a HAL-like computer?

No, that would be Outer Touch, aka Spaced Out (1979)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_Touch


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 12, 2023, 09:53:56 PM
"Prince of Darkness" (1987)
A Catholic priest (Donald Pleasance) summons a team of University researchers to study a mysterious tube of green ooze that's been discovered in the catacombs of a disused church building. They eventually conclude that the ooze is the distillation of pure evil in liquid form - basically, Satan in a bottle - and it begins to have murderous effects on everyone who's been in contact with it.
John Carpenter apparently considers this bizarre blend of religious horror and sci-fi to be part of a loose "apocalypse trilogy" along with The Thing (1982) and In The Mouth of Madness (1994) - but it's nowhere as good as either of those two. Prince of Darkness spent so much time on talky set up by the time the evil action finally started kickin' in, I was bored and dozing off.
You can safely skip this one, it's one of JC's lesser works for sure.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 13, 2023, 07:05:45 PM
HACK-O-LANTERN (1988):
I watched two magnificent horror films last weekend and thus in order to restore some sense of balance to my worldview I watched this piece of poop. (I'd decided months back to not review movies on here that I didn't like but I'm OCD and since it's Halloween I feel like I need to chronicle every last seasonal viewing, good or bad...)

A paunchy, whiny granddad who worships the devil murders his son-in-law and then tries to raise the family to follow his own religious views. One of his grandsons seems like a good draft pick for the old satanic field team but, darn it, he's way too preoccupied w/ hair metal and nekkid girls to ever get around to much sacrificin'. Fortunately there's some other mysterious killer bumping off the supporting cast so that we can inch ever slowly to the closing credits.

Everything about this movie looks and sounds unpleasant, even the big Halloween party, yes, even the nekkid girls. The actor who plays the grandfather resembles the product of an unholy sexual union between Paul Giamatti and Reggie Bannister, only not as attractive and w/ neither's charisma, and super-annoying. Rev, was this ever an MST3K film? It's got a lot of nudity and a little gore, but removing those elements wouldn't render this film any more senseless than it already is. Also the commentary track woulda' made it tolerable.

1/5!
The highlight is a two-minute non-sequiter where Bill Tucker as "Party Comedian" performs an impromptu set outside the big Halloween party, and although he too sucks at comedy, everyone congregates outside the stripper-filled party to listen to his shtick 'cause it's still preferable to the party and the rest of this garbage movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 13, 2023, 07:43:00 PM
This sounds magnificiently awful!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 13, 2023, 11:36:25 PM
"Prince of Darkness" (1987)
A Catholic priest (Donald Pleasance) summons a team of University researchers to study a mysterious tube of green ooze that's been discovered in the catacombs of a disused church building. They eventually conclude that the ooze is the distillation of pure evil in liquid form - basically, Satan in a bottle - and it begins to have murderous effects on everyone who's been in contact with it.
John Carpenter apparently considers this bizarre blend of religious horror and sci-fi to be part of a loose "apocalypse trilogy" along with The Thing (1982) and In The Mouth of Madness (1994) - but it's nowhere as good as either of those two. Prince of Darkness spent so much time on talky set up by the time the evil action finally started kickin' in, I was bored and dozing off.
You can safely skip this one, it's one of JC's lesser works for sure.

Banned by our wonderful censor board  :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 14, 2023, 07:52:11 AM
"Prince of Darkness" (1987)

Banned by our wonderful censor board  :buggedout:

You didn't miss much. :D They probably did you a favor, haha


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 14, 2023, 12:11:32 PM
THE UNDYING MONSTER (1942):
This starts very strong as a 20th century nobleman and his fiancee are apparently attacked by a savage unseen predator outside his estate, and his cute, brassy younger sister ignores the warnings of the servants to remain safe inside, grabs her gun and her dog, and personally drives the carriage  full-speed to the scene of the crime w/ the intent of saving their lives and kicking some monster ass. Unfortunately, THE UNDYING MONSTER devolves quickly from a proto-ALIENS into a mostly standard 40s gothic mystery that (most objectionably) proceeds to complete sideline its badass female would-be protagonist.

I checked this out as it receives a nice review from the Overlook Encyclopedia, which (as I grow older and wiser) should probably become a red flag for me instead of a rec. It's got nice production values and lovely shadowy cinematography but also a willful streak of stoopidity. The inevitable hero is an American (?) forensic pathologist working for Scotland Yard who is whitebread and chowderheaded as hell. (And actually maybe he's not American, maybe he's just a US actor incapable of doing a British accent - the aforementioned nobleman and his sister are definitely British, but she's got an accent and he doesn't, so GOOD JOB, casting director.) The hero also has a female comedic sidekick who gives a quickly grating wacky performance. She looks like Gretchen Kraus from TV's "Benson" and if UNDYING MONSTER was remade today would probably be played by Molly Shannon, yikes. Even if the actors were more compelling, they'd have a hopeless job handling a screenplay that feeds them one moronic proclamation after another. This is the film I quoted recently on another thread where a doctor gives his (presumably psychotic) patient snake venom based on the "theory" that it will help work out his "kink". It doesn't work and of course it's inhumane malpractice. but the lead and the sidekick still chuckle about it and commend the doctor for his efforts in the final scene. Oh brother.

So what's the mostly unseen "undying monster" turn out to be? What first sounds like a werewolf gradually yields clues to suggest something far more intriguing, possibly even an immortal invisible werewolf (!)....... then for quite a while just seems like a dull non-supernatural human criminal conspiracy....... before finally being revealed at the climax to be................ a completely visible, non-immortal run-of-the-mill Lon Chaney wolfman. There, I've saved you 70 minutes of your life!

2/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 14, 2023, 01:22:07 PM
THE MADS: A NIGHT OF SHORTS XIII: Another 70 minutes of shorts from Frank and Trace, mostly hygiene/educational stuff from the 40s-50s, with the most memorable being a live-action version of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" with trained bears. Low-key comedian Dave Hill is the Q&A guest, and he's pretty funny. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 14, 2023, 05:17:58 PM
RUN RABBIT RUN - This is an Australian film, somewhere between psychological drama and horror, about a mother whose young daughter begins assuming the persona of her long-dead sister.  Is the little girl possessed?  Or is the mother losing her mind?  Kind of a slow burn but worth the watch.  Some very disturbing scenes.  3/5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 14, 2023, 11:03:10 PM
"Dr. Giggles" (1992)
An asylum escapee with a medical delusion sets up shop in a small town and starts "operating" on the local teenage population.
A fun, twisted little medically-themed slasher sickie with a perfectly cast Larry Drake (L.A. Law, Darkman) as the title psycho and a pre-Charmed Holly Marie Combs as the final girl. Loads of gory goodness.

"Deathgasm" (2015)
A dorky high-school garage band uncovers sheet music to a "forbidden" song that, when played, turns everyone around them into blood-vomiting zombies. Hilarity ensues.
Falling somewhere between "Get Thrashed" and "Evil Dead 2," this over-the-top splatter comedy from New Zealand is funny as hell, gory as hell, and METAL as hell. Horns up.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 15, 2023, 09:22:08 AM
EMESIS BLUE (2023): A soldier discovers a conspiracy involving respawning and a valiumesque drug that leads him to question the nature of his reality as he ventures through a series of violent encounters. OK, but the gimmick/kicker is, this entire thing was composed using "Team Fortress 2" video game assets and mods, which makes it an impressive feat of fandom, even if the result is more mood than movie. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 15, 2023, 09:51:20 AM
RUN RABBIT RUN - This is an Australian film, somewhere between psychological drama and horror, about a mother whose young daughter begins assuming the persona of her long-dead sister.  Is the little girl possessed?  Or is the mother losing her mind?  Kind of a slow burn but worth the watch.  Some very disturbing scenes.  3/5/5

Is this new?

Also, DR. GIGGLES, highly underrated!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 15, 2023, 03:22:45 PM
RUN RABBIT RUN - This is an Australian film, somewhere between psychological drama and horror, about a mother whose young daughter begins assuming the persona of her long-dead sister.  Is the little girl possessed?  Or is the mother losing her mind?  Kind of a slow burn but worth the watch.  Some very disturbing scenes.  3/5/5

Is this new?

Also, DR. GIGGLES, highly underrated!

Yes, I think it was either from this year or last year.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 15, 2023, 03:27:33 PM
THE CONFERENCE (2023) - A group of developers are holding a professional retreat the weekend before the ribbon-cutting on the big mall they've contracted to build in the rural German countryside.  Personalities clash as they go through a pretty standard set of team-building exercises - but then a masked killer starts knocking them all off, one at a time. This was a fun slasher film with some gruesome kills and memorable lines (albeit I was watching the dubbed version - I know, shame on me for not reading subtitles! LOL).  New choice on Netflix, and definitely a fun watch. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 15, 2023, 04:04:03 PM
Cocaine: One Man's Seduction (1983) - Well it's a tv movie so it's not going to be as exciting as the title implies. In fact, for a story about a stimulative drug it drags quite a bit. Given the chance, I would replace the MST3K level dialogue with mindless nudity and gore and I'd be right to do it.

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ToLYAzOwiqY/mqdefault.jpg)

An older guy in a realty office wants to be able to compete with the young hot shots, so he starts taking cocaine. The best parts are when he acts paranoid and barks at his family and so forth. James Spader as his son seems pretty unimpressed with the whole thing, while Jeffrey Tambor steals the show as his strung out best friend.

3.75 /5

It's solid but a little disappointing. You gotta go for it a little harder with a title like that. Surely there were some out of work Charlie's Angels they could have hired or maybe had a Persian sheik character. The Tubi print was weird looking so I watched on the youtube.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 15, 2023, 05:23:18 PM
Is that Dennis Weaver as the lead cokehead?!

I might watch this just for Jeffrey Tambor...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 15, 2023, 07:06:28 PM
HUSH... HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE (1964):
Director Robert Aldrich followed up his big hit WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? w/ this quite similar non-sequel, re-enlisting WHTBJ stars Bette Davis and Victor Buono but not notorious pain-in-the-ass Joan Crawford. Again we've got one aging Hollywood star (this time Olivia DeHaviland) conspiring to drive another (Davis again) around the bend into lunacy. Fellow luminaries Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorhead, and Mary Astor add marquee value; Wesley Addy, Bruce Dern (looking extremely young), and George Kennedy (looking about like he always does) play small supporting roles. Buono is only in a few scenes though he's phenomenal... wish he'd done more big roles on the big screen. The film's best performance is by an older British actor named Cecil Kellaway who's delightful in all of his scenes as a curious tourist (?) who gets embroiled in the family drama. Wish he had even more screentime!

Aldrich was a fascinating director who made one unequivocal masterpiece (KISS ME DEADLY) and a bunch of cool. interesting, but imperfect films. DIRTY DOZEN for instance has just about everything you could ask for in a war movie but then wheezes out right at the very end/last couple scenes. Aldrich seems highly invested in some aspects of these projects (certain sequences or shots) yet not overly concerned about each project as a whole. HHSCHARLOTTE similarly has a crackerjack first 15 minutes and several strong scenes or moments after that, but it also takes its very sweet time progressing from beat to beat. I found the plot surprising and involving for a while, but managed to get ahead of the twists quite a bit before the end and then just found myself biding my time. Although it's a Southern gothic, some snappier pacing would've really helped things pick up. This plays more like a late 90s-early 00s Miramax Oscar-bait production than a proper thriller. Maybe Aldrich was goin' for critical praise over thrills...

Also, while there's not a bad actor in the film, ultimately one's interest probably hinges on having sympathy for Charlotte (Davis), and (though she's entertaining in the role) I never really cared what happened to this cranky old rich biddy. All said this is more a collection of nice ingredients than a satisfying mid-October meal. There is a relatively bloody (b+w) behanding and offscreen decapitation, if that floats your hack-o-lantern...
3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 16, 2023, 12:52:48 AM
M.10rda - yes it is he and Tambor appears both with and without hairpiece.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 17, 2023, 08:26:32 PM
M.10rda - yes it is he and Tambor appears both with and without hairpiece.

It's a must-see, then!

Here's the opposite of a must-see:

DUNGEON OF HARROW (1962):
Pat Boyette was a 1960s comics artist for Charlton and other second-tier publishers, mostly drawing quaint, bloodless, or even (errr) uneventful gothic/supernatural tales in a post-Comics Code landscape devoid of much horror excitement. He must've actually enjoyed such tales, as he moonlighted as a no-budget filmmaker of exactly the same kind of sub-Roger Corman's THE TERROR period costume snoozefests. DUNGEON OF HARROW has a shipwreck, murders, a torture dungeon, (ergo naturally) an evil Count named DeSade, romance w/ abused/captive women, and (apparently/maybe) the devil, but... for the life of me, I could barely stay focused on a single moment of it. Honestly this was more of a chore to get through than HACK-O-LANTERM.

I had an internet DL file AND a cheapjack DVD copy of HARROW, and the DVD actually looked even worse than the download. (The download was almost indechipheribly washed out, blurry, and dark.) Apparently Vinegar Syndrome restored HARROW and made it look nice. There are enough splashes of distinct color visible in different shots that I'm willing to believe this film once looked nice, but I've no interest in sitting through it again to confirm. I've read a couple of reviews that wax rhapsodic about HARROW's nonsensical plot contrivances and dunderheaded dialogue in the same way that I often soliloquize about many of Ed Wood's films. To each their own! As for me, I'll stick w/ ORGY OF THE DEAD.

1/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 17, 2023, 10:21:48 PM
"Shaun of the Dead" (2004)
Two London slackers (Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) must step up to protect their friends when a zombie apocalypse rages through the city. Their survival plan? Go to the pub and wait for it to blow over.
A very funny British horror comedy that deals out gore and laughs in equal measure. "Shaun" has deservedly become a cult classic in the years since its release.

"Sanitarium" (2013)
This anthology-style horror flick ala "Tales From The Crypt" is set in a mental institution, and tells the tales of how three particular patients arrived there. An artist is driven to murder by his own creations, a kid deals with his abusive parent by dreaming up a demon, and a doomsday prepper, locked in his own underground bunker, slowly loses what's left of his mind. The second segment is probably the best one, though they're all cool and creepy in a "Twilight Zone" kind of way. Robert Englund, Lacey ("Party of Five") Chabert, Lou Diamond Philips, and Malcolm McDowell appear to give this indie a little bit of star power. Not a must-see, but entertaining enough for a single night's viewing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 18, 2023, 12:19:56 AM
EVEN HITLER HAD A GIRLFRIEND (1991)

A lonely overweight peeping Tom slob watch's porn, eats junk, tries hopelessly to get a date, whines about his miserable life, and blows all his money on hookers. This guy is so pathetic it's almost-almost- funny.
Title comes from when our hero is looking at a picture of Hitler and Eva Braun in a magazine causes him to moan- "Oh, maaan." Alternates between oddly funny to downright depressing. Grade Z exploitation is a must see for BAD movie nuts (like us).

The lead Andy Scott was later shot while working at a conveniance store.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 18, 2023, 05:26:53 AM
EVEN HITLER HAD A GIRLFRIEND (1991)
The lead Andy Scott was later shot while working at a conveniance store.

Yikes  :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 18, 2023, 09:04:36 AM
EVEN HITLER HAD A GIRLFRIEND (1991)

A lonely overweight peeping Tom slob watch's porn, eats junk, tries hopelessly to get a date, whines about his miserable life, and blows all his money on hookers. This guy is so pathetic it's almost-almost- funny.
Title comes from when looking at a picture of Hitler and Eva Braun in a magazine causes him to moan- "Oh, maaan." Alternates between oddly funny to downright depressing. Grade Z expliotation is a must see for BAD movie nuts (like us).

The lead Andy Scott was later shot while working at a conveniance store.

It's sort of a must-see.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 18, 2023, 03:37:45 PM
^ You've seen it?
I watched the sequel- the HITLER TAPES (1994) which is dam near unwatchable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 19, 2023, 04:22:21 PM
Maximum Overdrive - I can't believe I'd never seen this. Enjoyable, if a little silly, Stephan King adaption about how a comet flies over the Earth and this ends up making cars and other machines super sentient. "We made you!!" - a doomed truck stop waitress yells at some tyrannical big rigs.

Forget Steven Guttenberg: Emilio Estevez is the classic 80's actor. Between this, Breakfast Club, and Repo Man it's a wonder he hasn't run for president or something. The love interest chick is hot, even though she seems a little taller than him and of course being this era there are some great massive explosions. Why were the forces of evil so intent on menacing this one particular place in the middle of nowhere? I DON'T KNOW but I certainly don't care either

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 19, 2023, 04:56:37 PM
THE FOG (1980):
Repeat viewing of the John Carpenter, uh, classic. I was just going to play the opening w/ John Houseman for students, then an unexpected field trip robbed me of 75% of one class on Monday, so I played the first and last 20 minutes on a seasonal whim.

Often there are debates on this site about when Carpenter started to jump the shark. Recently PRINCE OF DARKNESS took some shots. Lots of folks like IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS but I've always felt like the 90s were one continuous nose-dive for John. Amidst the legendary streak of DARK STAR, ASSAULT ON P16, HALLOWEEN, ESCAPE FROM NY, and THE THING, we all tend to overlook that THE FOG is kind of a....... huge dud!

It looks great (Dean Cundey on the freaking job here), it sounds great, and it has a cool cast. Fatal flaw the first, though: Carpenter must've read too many reviews praising HALLOWEEN for its extremely long, slow, action-light build-up (to an admittedly taut climax) and declared "HOLD MY BEER!", then perversely committed to making a hyperminimalist follow-up where literally nothing happens (mostly in broad daylight) for 50 whole minutes. I showed my class just the opening 19 and final 20, and they were in no way confused by anything we skipped.  :lookingup: I'll also insist that not a single member of the cool cast - not Barbeau, Holbrook, Atkins, Curtis, or Leigh - had any idea whatsoever what they were running away and cowering from or why during those last twenty minutes. They all just stagger from door to window, staring offscreen with stunned expressions, sometimes flailing halfheartedly at a disembodied arm. No real terror, no sense of stakes. The old lady's (presumed) death is bungled in the sort of mishandled editing that predicts the later mangling of the restaurant axe attack from ITMOM. Then there's one more counterintuitive shock-kill at the end, but the rest of the ensemble just wanders off unaffected. Mist notwithstanding, the climax is all wet.

FWIW, non-discriminating high schoolers who haven't seen tons of horror movies but would rather watch movies than do work thought it was fine, though nothing special. In this one regard, they're a little too kind!
2/5

A minor supporting character is named "Dan O'Bannon" though, so that's worth a chuckle.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 19, 2023, 10:23:08 PM
Saw 1-9

Phew, we watched all of these in about a week.  I'd seen 1-3 before, but none of the others.  Super fast:

1 - Decent concept and well made, I like it.  The closest to being an actually good movie.
2 - Not great, but still entertaining
3 - Getting sillier, but a decent concept
4-7 Progressively sillier and more ridiculous.  7 is really bad but also fun bad, visually looks like a TV movie or something, and has some really bad acting.  Very gory.
8 (AKA Jigsaw) - Much better production values and visual direction, but still very silly.
9 (Spiral) - Bad, and in writing terms is arguably not even a Saw movie.  Chris Rock is a bad actor, why is he the lead again?

Also here's an amazing image of Tobin Bell from Saw 7, where he needs to look younger in flashback.

(https://i.redd.it/nbbypnctsvg41.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 20, 2023, 04:11:09 PM
In Search of Dracula (1974) - Christopher Lee hosts this interesting and colorful documentary about the real Vlad as well as the phenom of Bram Stoker's creation. As everyone knows to some extent or other, Vlad the Impaler was a horrible guy who, well, impaled a lot of people. One time a dinner guest complained about the odor of the impaled victims, so Vlad responded by having him impaled but on a higher position so he didn't have to smell the massive odor of insane death. There are some short reenactments and so forth. It led into a documentary on Bela Lugosi that I'm watching now. Tubi wins again

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 21, 2023, 04:01:35 PM
Lugosi: The Curse of Dracula (1984) - Forrest J Ackerman, editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine and literary agent to many sci fi authors, is the host of this informative, well paced, if a little cheap looking documentary. There's a ton of old film and interview footage. Lugosi was a big actor in Hungary and eventually made his way to the US, where he played Dracula and was typecast therein as a villain. He had a lot of success, including tons of letters from horny female fans, but always wanted to play other sort of roles and couldn't. He fell on hard times at the end and, as we all know, ended up at the bottom of the totem pole working with Ed Wood Jr.

Lots of old clips and perspective from people who knew and cared about him and his legacy.

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 21, 2023, 04:36:16 PM
^ I have that on vhs.  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 21, 2023, 04:36:56 PM
In Search of Dracula (1974) - Christopher Lee hosts this interesting and colorful documentary about the real Vlad as well as the phenom of Bram Stoker's creation. As everyone knows to some extent or other, Vlad the Impaler was a horrible guy who, well, impaled a lot of people. One time a dinner guest complained about the odor of the impaled victims, so Vlad responded by having him impaled but on a higher position so he didn't have to smell the massive odor of insane death. There are some short reenactments and so forth. It led into a documentary on Bela Lugosi that I'm watching now. Tubi wins again

5/5

Just watched that on Tubi too!  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 21, 2023, 04:39:02 PM
Maximum Overdrive - I can't believe I'd never seen this. Enjoyable, if a little silly, Stephan King adaption about how a comet flies over the Earth and this ends up making cars and other machines super sentient. "We made you!!" - a doomed truck stop waitress yells at some tyrannical big rigs.

Forget Steven Guttenberg: Emilio Estevez is the classic 80's actor. Between this, Breakfast Club, and Repo Man it's a wonder he hasn't run for president or something. The love interest chick is hot, even though she seems a little taller than him and of course being this era there are some great massive explosions. Why were the forces of evil so intent on menacing this one particular place in the middle of nowhere? I DON'T KNOW but I certainly don't care either

5/5


The mousy girl in the Volkswagon- (why didn't the Bug go crazy? It's the only car in the movie that didn't) did the voice of Bart Simpson years later!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on October 21, 2023, 05:11:34 PM
THE ABOMINABLE DR PHIBES

Not sure why I'd never seen this. brilliantly weird and unique. kind of a slasher at hearr


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 22, 2023, 12:40:13 AM
RC- frankly I can see why she didn't make it as a regular actress


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on October 22, 2023, 07:49:08 AM
KLOWN KAMP MASSACRE (2010) - This was an atrociously awful Troma production, with the standard Lloyd Kaufman cameo at the end.  All the victims were clowns, the killer was a clown, there was gratuitous clown nudity, over-the-top clown kills, and dialogue so dumb it made your brain hurt. 1/5 on a regular movie scale, a 5/5 BAD movie rating!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 22, 2023, 09:22:33 AM
RC- frankly I can see why she didn't make it as a regular actress

 :smile: She co-starred in the flesh on "Herman's Head", a live-action Fox sitcom, for a few years even after "The Simpsons"... co-starring Hank Azaria, also from "Simpsons" of course. She's a perfectly good actress... there just aren't enough roles to go around for weird mousey women.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 22, 2023, 11:35:20 AM
LYNCH/OZ (2022): A documentary where five directors (and one critic) discuss the influence of "The Wizard of Oz" on David Lynch's career. Obviously aimed at fans of the director, but the subject is so narrow that these erudite essays naturally turn to explorations of cinema and art in general. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 22, 2023, 12:20:44 PM
LYNCH/OZ (2022): A documentary where five directors (and one critic) discuss the influence of "The Wizard of Oz" on David Lynch's career. Obviously aimed at fans of the director, but the subject is so narrow that these erudite essays naturally turn to explorations of cinema and art in general. 4/5.

Dig it! I watched something that seems inexplicably related to Lynch myself and will review it in a bit...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on October 22, 2023, 12:39:18 PM
KLOWN KAMP MASSACRE (2010) - This was an atrociously awful Troma production,

with a title like that? surely not  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on October 22, 2023, 12:44:21 PM
KARATE KID IV

too much melodrama, not enough bad

apparently up to today I thought Hilary Swank and Sandra Bernhard are the same person... I guess they aren't.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 22, 2023, 04:08:35 PM
Too droll, Zombie!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on October 22, 2023, 09:52:34 PM
The Whisperer in the Darkness - HP Lovecraft Society film, shot in low budget, black & white, and with a 30s film aesthetic.  I think this one mostly works.  It feels long to me, perhaps too true to the Lovecraft source at times, but I still enjoyed the atmosphere.  Maybe trimming 15-20 minutes would have helped.  Liked this much more than their Call of Cthulhu film, which I fell asleep during.

Necronomicon - Second part of my Lovecraft double feature.  This is very uneven.  A lot of great and fun practical effects and creatures, but some of the storytelling is jumbled and not great.  Worth a watch though, I particularly enjoyed Jeffrey Combs role.  Interestingly, the third part of the anthology uses the same source as Whisperer in the Darkness, but is MUCH MUCH different, almost a total divergence from the source really, just a few ideas used.

Dog Soldiers - A lot of fun as always, happy to see the new transfer which looks far better than the old one.  Wish we'd gotten the sequel.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 23, 2023, 12:56:32 AM
Morda - I used to watch that show.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 23, 2023, 01:08:02 AM
the LOVE WITCH (2016)

I really don't know how to discribe this film. It concerns a modern (?) day witch who loves and kills men who fail to love her. Simple, right?
Right. Except this movie is downright strange. It seems to exist in a technicolor Twilight Zone set in quasi late 60's, early 70's landscape of a demented comic book.  A beautiful looking, oddball film that I enjoyed immensly, though I'm not really sure why.

(https://i.imgur.com/tdciSFu.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 23, 2023, 01:26:17 AM
^ I loved her previous one Viva


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 23, 2023, 07:50:41 AM
THE LOVE WITCH is a masterpiece!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 23, 2023, 03:55:30 PM
Eat Locals (2017)

The eight official vampires of the UK hold their 50 year meeting in a remote farm to discuss quotas and territories, but unknown to them, a military task force is closing in on them. Caught up in all this is Sebastian, who may be invited to join the vampire, or end up as dinner.

This is very much Dog Soldiers in reverse, with the monsters being holed up by soldiers, and trying to make their escape before the sun rises. Critics seem to hate it, for some reason. It is just a silly dark comedy, which cheerfully turns a number of the base under siege and vampire movie tropes on its head. There is no horror and very little suspense, but a lot of deadpan humour by a seasoned cast of actors. It even ends on a Perry and Croft like 'you have been watching' sequence. An absolute hoot, if pretty nihilistic.

Favourite line 'I am a man of principle, and they bribed me first'.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 24, 2023, 03:00:02 AM
the MACHINE GIRL (2008)

A young Japanese school girl gets revenge on a Yakuzi gang that murdered her brother and cut off her arm. Her arm is replaced by a huge multi-barreled machine gun and she extracts a bloody revenge.
This movie is packed wall to wall with extreme cartoonish violence and lotsa blood gushing gore.
I loved it.

(https://i.imgur.com/vOE5ipp.gif) (https://lunapic.com)


(https://i.imgur.com/TpVYKii.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 24, 2023, 09:39:27 AM
CAVERNA (2023): Acting students at an avant-garde commune/school undergo various exercises, including dream therapy, in a vain attempt to stimulate creativity. With no real story, just a mess of ideas that are never followed to a meaningful conclusion, it's like watching a workshop rehearsal for a movie rather than a completed project. 1/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 24, 2023, 02:18:29 PM
the MACHINE GIRL (2008)

A young Japanese school girl gets revenge on a Yakuzi gang that murdered her brother and cut off her arm. Her arm is replaced by a huge multi-barreled machine gun and she extracts a bloody revenge.
This movie is packed wall to wall with extreme cartoonish violence and lotsa blood gushing gore.
I loved it.

A classic


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 25, 2023, 04:00:37 PM
Alice in Wonderland (1915) - this restoration is on youtube and has a TON of ads, but I enjoyed it. It's ridiculously low budget, but based more closely on the book which is actually pretty clever and funny. It kind of has an Antrum/ Cigarette Burns type "cursed film" vibe too, but I seem to be doing okay.

There is some missing footage and Alice was apparently 16 years old which is a little old for Alice, but it works in a Something Weird sort of campy way.

1915 is way early so I say good job

4.5 /5

It's like a local children's theater production, probably filmed in some rich lady's garden

The Lone Wolf in London (1947) - the plot, about some military aircraft plans being stolen or something, gets pretty lost but the cast is funny as colorful so...not super compelling as a thriller/ mystery but has some fun comic stuff.

I liked especially the Irish cop who goes "this is the worst case I've ever worked on"

4/5 and the little girl who wants to be a gangster is funny


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 25, 2023, 04:32:21 PM
^ Check out the old OZ films from the same era. Some creepy s**t.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 26, 2023, 08:59:21 AM
Here's the 8 surviving minutes of the 1903 ALICE IN WONDERLAND for anyone who's curious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeIXfdogJbA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeIXfdogJbA)

KICK ME (2023): A mild-mannered guidance counselor from Kansas City, MO gets stranded in Kansas City, KS, one night, where he meets strange people (including an elderly jenkem-sniffer) and is chased by a vicious gang. It wants to be the AFTER HOURS of Kansas City; it's energetic and inventive, but more confusing and uneven. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 26, 2023, 10:11:14 AM
"Stale Popcorn and Sticky Floors" (2020)
A cheap but watchable documentary that focuses on grindhouse horror films from the '70s and '80s. The format is simple - some gory clips from a cult classic are shown (usually from the trailer) and then someone who was involved with the movie (actor, producer, crew member, etc.) shares their memories of it. The films discussed include such old time video-store faves as Spookies, Blood Diner, Street Trash, and Basket Case, as well as better-known works like the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Re-Animator, and even Halloween III: Season of the Witch. Some of the interviews look like they were conducted via Microsoft Zoom (!) but some cool behind the scenes stories are told and it's fun to see clips from so many "video nasties" collected in one place. Not a must see, but an OK time waster.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 26, 2023, 07:22:30 PM
"Collision Course" (aka "Kamikaze Detroit," 1989)
A decade before Rush Hour, a pre-Tonight Show Jay Leno and Pat "Mr. Miyagi" Morita did the East-meets-West mismatched buddy cop thing first in this serviceable-but-bland action comedy. Morita is a Japanese cop who's sent to Detroit to find a stolen engine prototype with the potential to change the automotive industry. Eventually he ends up partnering with Leno's wise-ass Detroit detective to solve the theft. Lots of car chases and crashes, shoot outs, fist fights, and explosions ensue.
Filmed in '86/'87, this movie sat on the shelf until an overseas theatrical release in 1989, and then it was dumped direct-to-video in the US in '92 to cash in on Leno's sudden notoriety as Carson's late night successor. Jay spent the rest of the decade trying to live it down. Unsurprisingly, he hasn't acted in a movie since.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 27, 2023, 09:04:33 PM
Here's the 8 surviving minutes of the 1903 ALICE IN WONDERLAND for anyone who's curious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeIXfdogJbA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeIXfdogJbA)


Thanks, Rev - I've been watching horror movies for the past month and that clip might be the creepiest s**t of the season so far!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on October 28, 2023, 10:47:01 AM
No One Will Save You (2023)

An anxiety ridden young woman who lives as an outcast in a small town has to contend with an invasion of very creepy but rather incompetent aliens.

The main gimmick of this movie is that there basically is just one actress who has just a single line of dialogue. This is not easy to pull off, as the actress literally has to carry the whole movie, without supporting cast, side-plot, romantic interest etc etc. Kaitlyn Dever, who I didn't know, succeeds absolutely.

Although I liked it, two things keep it from greatness for me
- Once they decided on the formula, it seems that they didn't really know what to do with it. This kind of movie works best when there is some clear goal, such as escaping, disarming the McGuffin or whatever. This movie doesn't have that and just sort of ends
- You'd think that if you go to all the trouble of interstellar travel to abduct people, you'd have more efficient procedures in place. The aliens score ten out of ten for creepiness, but seem to have no idea what they are doing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 28, 2023, 05:46:07 PM
This sounds cool, thanks for the review!

No One Will Save You (2023)
- You'd think that if you go to all the trouble of interstellar travel to abduct people, you'd have more efficient procedures in place. The aliens score ten out of ten for creepiness, but seem to have no idea what they are doing.

I've read and listened to a lot of reports of classic/mid-20th century (so, like, pre-Whitley Streiber/80s abduction wave) extraterrestrial encounters, and... you might be surprised how much of a Thing the clueless/inept E.T. was in that era. Aliens confused by pancakes, pouring coffee on their heads instead of drinking it, having Bud & Lou routines w/ earthlings, etc. It was a whole mood, I guess. Offbeat take for a new release!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on October 29, 2023, 03:15:45 AM
CREEPSHOW 2 (1987)

watchable cheese. the 3 stories are so basic in their premise and resolution. no twists, no surprises

I was very impressed at the fx for the blobby mutant oil slick in 2nd story 'THE RAFT', then found out in the extras it was just a plastic bag floating on the water  lol


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 29, 2023, 10:35:16 AM
WAXWORK (1988):
First viewing since probably '89 of this visible but not oft-discussed curiosity that, I dare to say, may deserve a reassessment! Adolescent me was drawn in by the outrageously gory preview photos in a Fangoria feature but then somewhat alienated by the film's offbeat tone (or, perhaps, its refusal to commit to being a serious horror movie). There are lots of things about WAXWORK I wasn't prepared to appreciate then, not least of which its haute couture-sporting, pompously posturing community college student protagonists/victims. Teenagers have never looked or acted like this anywhere outside of a Bret Easton Ellis novel or David Lynch's TWIN PEAKS, which was still 2 years off at the time of WAXWORK's release. Into the bargain there's PEAKS cast members Dana Ashbrook and David Warner, a very small man in a suit speaking in a very quirky/unidentifiable accent, and also a giant in a suit looking dazed and out of place... plus female lead Deborah Foreman looking strikingly like Laura Palmer in some close-ups. All of this is coincidental but had I only seen WAXWORK a year or so later I might've thought it was the greatest thing ever.

Zach Galligan (Billy from GREMLINS) plays the rich preppie a-hole lead, who pays his Latino maid to write his poli-sci essays. That subplot pays off in one of the film's biggest (of several legitimate) laugh-out-loud punchlines. WAXWORK is... as it turns out... actually an extraordinarily broad/absurdist comedy, written preposterously but mostly directed w/ such arch camp confidence that the film seems entirely aware of its own silliness, and generally leans into it hard. (Besides the students, WAXWORK also boasts a couple of the most 80s cop movie detectives to ever 80s cop in any 80s movie.) For all of its self-conscious humor, however, the early horror setpieces do work surprisingly well, particularly the truly grisly and sadistic vampire sequence... featuring gore FX that hold up to my memories of gazing at Fango in the supermarket all those years back... not to mention the devastating Michelle Johnson getting all bloody in a lace gown while fighting vampiric Kate Bush lookalikes. I'll also mention that Foreman's nice-girl-next-door has a rather unique arc where she rejects fratboy Galligan because she's secretly longing to be satisfied in a BDSM relationship(!).

Honestly I had a ball w/ this rewatch, barring two minor caveats: 1.) The film is not sophisticated enough to mediate serious conversations about consent (at the climactic point when Galligan must "save" an orgasmic Foreman from being whipped to death by the Marquis DeSade); and 2.) the final fracas really does collapse into underchoreographed chaos, a criticism I held when I was 12 and which still holds up today. First-time director Anthony Hickox has more ambition than craft, to be sure, yet I sort of appreciate that no one stepped in and told him to simplify his screenplay or rein things in, instead just letting him go balls-to-the-wall.
3.5/5
Highly entertaining if juvenile.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on October 29, 2023, 11:31:05 AM
Alice in Wonderland (1915) - this restoration is on youtube and has a TON of ads, but I enjoyed it. It's ridiculously low budget, but based more closely on the book which is actually pretty clever and funny. It kind of has an Antrum/ Cigarette Burns type "cursed film" vibe too, but I seem to be doing okay.

There is some missing footage and Alice was apparently 16 years old which is a little old for Alice, but it works in a Something Weird sort of campy way.

1915 is way early so I say good job

4.5 /5

It's like a local children's theater production, probably filmed in some rich lady's garden



(https://i.imgur.com/fFegGON.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on October 29, 2023, 12:59:19 PM
M.10rda I saw WAXWORK for the first time last month, agree with your overall assessment although it took me at least half the film to get used to the completely unrealistic tone, I'm generally not a fan of that OTT obviously fake acting style (reminds me of HOBGOBLINS!) but worth sticking with though. good fx


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 29, 2023, 03:42:36 PM
RC - Apparently it was only half the original film or something. No Humpty Dumpty


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on October 29, 2023, 03:42:57 PM
NIGHTMARE AT NOON (1988)

Town water supply contaminated, makes residents turn into psycho zombies with green blood. very random but also predictably 80s in execution.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 29, 2023, 05:55:45 PM
ZNO, WAXWORK is tough to swallow until one just decides to not take the movie seriously at all.  :smile:

I've been meaning to catch NIGHTMARE AT NOON for, well, 35 years!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on October 29, 2023, 09:14:21 PM
"Super Duper Alice Cooper" (2014)
Director Sam Dunn of "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" and "Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage" fame scores another home run with this supremely entertaining documentary profile on The Coop, from his humble beginnings as the Detroit born son of a preacher man to his peak as a '70s rock icon whose appetite for alcohol and coke nearly cost him his life. Lots of great vintage clips and commentary from bandmates and associates like Dennis Dunaway, Bob Ezrin, Dee Snider, and more. Great stuff!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on October 30, 2023, 01:37:30 AM
WAXWORK (1988):
First viewing since probably '89 of this visible but not oft-discussed curiosity that, I dare to say, may deserve a reassessment! Adolescent me was drawn in by the outrageously gory preview photos in a Fangoria feature but then somewhat alienated by the film's offbeat tone (or, perhaps, its refusal to commit to being a serious horror movie). There are lots of things about WAXWORK I wasn't prepared to appreciate then, not least of which its haute couture-sporting, pompously posturing community college student protagonists/victims. Teenagers have never looked or acted like this anywhere outside of a Bret Easton Ellis novel or David Lynch's TWIN PEAKS, which was still 2 years off at the time of WAXWORK's release. Into the bargain there's PEAKS cast members Dana Ashbrook and David Warner, a very small man in a suit speaking in a very quirky/unidentifiable accent, and also a giant in a suit looking dazed and out of place... plus female lead Deborah Foreman looking strikingly like Laura Palmer in some close-ups. All of this is coincidental but had I only seen WAXWORK a year or so later I might've thought it was the greatest thing ever.

Zach Galligan (Billy from GREMLINS) plays the rich preppie a-hole lead, who pays his Latino maid to write his poli-sci essays. That subplot pays off in one of the film's biggest (of several legitimate) laugh-out-loud punchlines. WAXWORK is... as it turns out... actually an extraordinarily broad/absurdist comedy, written preposterously but mostly directed w/ such arch camp confidence that the film seems entirely aware of its own silliness, and generally leans into it hard. (Besides the students, WAXWORK also boasts a couple of the most 80s cop movie detectives to ever 80s cop in any 80s movie.) For all of its self-conscious humor, however, the early horror setpieces do work surprisingly well, particularly the truly grisly and sadistic vampire sequence... featuring gore FX that hold up to my memories of gazing at Fango in the supermarket all those years back... not to mention the devastating Michelle Johnson getting all bloody in a lace gown while fighting vampiric Kate Bush lookalikes. I'll also mention that Foreman's nice-girl-next-door has a rather unique arc where she rejects fratboy Galligan because she's secretly longing to be satisfied in a BDSM relationship(!).

Honestly I had a ball w/ this rewatch, barring two minor caveats: 1.) The film is not sophisticated enough to mediate serious conversations about consent (at the climactic point when Galligan must "save" an orgasmic Foreman from being whipped to death by the Marquis DeSade); and 2.) the final fracas really does collapse into underchoreographed chaos, a criticism I held when I was 12 and which still holds up today. First-time director Anthony Hickox has more ambition than craft, to be sure, yet I sort of appreciate that no one stepped in and told him to simplify his screenplay or rein things in, instead just letting him go balls-to-the-wall.
3.5/5
Highly entertaining if juvenile.

Anthony Hickox passed away last week, I believe.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on October 30, 2023, 09:00:43 AM
WAIKIKI (2023): A Hawaiian native who works three jobs to make ends meet undergoes a breakdown when her van hits a homeless man. Not much of a story to hang its hat on, but it offers a unique perspective on the dark side of paradies, and Danielle Zalopany is a revelation.  2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on October 30, 2023, 10:04:44 AM

I've been meaning to catch NIGHTMARE AT NOON for, well, 35 years!

not a badmovie classic, but set your expectations to 'medium' and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised

Niko Mastorakis (sp?) always brings something out of the ordinary

I'd been waiting months  for my local HMV to reduce the bluray from £17.99 to something more reasonable, eventually they half priced it


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on October 31, 2023, 02:23:18 PM
Just done watching my final movies for Halloween. All my October viewings:

 1. Donnie Darko (2001) 5.0 (A+)
 2. The Conjuring (2013) 5.0 (A)
 3. The Mummy (1999) 4.5
 4. Predator (1987) 5.0 (A+)
 5. The Others (2001) 5.0 (A)
 6. Constantine (2005) 4.5
 7. Insidious (2010) 4.0
 8. The Conjuring 2 (2016) 5.0 (A-)
 9. Blade (1998) 4.5
 10. Identity (2003) 5.0 (A-)
 11. Dark City (1998) 5.0 (A)
 12. The Fly (1986) 5.0 (A)
 13. The Crow (1994) 5.0 (A)
 14. Mama (2013) 3.0
 15. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) 3.0
 16. Lost Highway (1997) 5.0 (A)
 17. The Grudge (2004) 2.5
 18. Tremors (1990) 4.5
 19. They Live (1988) 5.0 (A-)
 20. Lights Out (2016) 3.5
 21. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) 4.0
 22. The Skeleton Key (2005) 3.5
 23. The Amityville Horror (2005) 2.5
 24. Friday the 13th (2009) 2.0
 25. A Cure for Wellness (2016) 3.5
 26. A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) 1.5
 27. Suspiria (1977) 5.0 (A-)
 28. Trick 'r Treat (2007) 4.0
 29. Candyman (1992) 4.0
 30. Thir13en Ghosts (2001) 2.0
 31. Eden Lake (2008) 4.0
 32. The Wicker Man (1973) 5.0 (A)
 33. Suspiria (2018) 4.0
 34. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) 3.0
 35. The Haunting (1999) 1.0
 36. Fright Night (1985) 4.5
 37. Don't Look Now (1973) 4.5
 38. Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015) 3.5
 39. The Unborn (2009) 0.5
 40. Creepshow (1982) 4.0
 41. Ginger Snaps (2000) 4.0
 42. Before I Wake (2016) 3.0
 43. The Final Girls (2015) 3.5
 44. The Amityville Horror (1979) 3.0
 45. The Loved Ones (2009) 4.0
 46. The Haunting (1963) 5.0 (A-)
 47. Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) 3.5
 48. May (2002) 4.0
 49. The Devil Inside (2012) 0.0
 50. The Innocents (1961) 5.0 (A+)
 51. Silver Bullet (1985) 3.5
 52. From Beyond (1986) 4.0
 53. Pumpkinhead (1988) 3.0
 54. The Possession of Hannah Grace (2018) 1.5
 55. The Hidden (1987) 4.5
 56. Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) 3.5
 57. Night of the Demons (1988) 3.0
 58. The Entity (1982) 4.0
 59. The Fury (1978) 3.5
 60. Tales of Halloween (2015) 2.0
 61. The Legend of Hell House (1973) 4.0
 62. Burnt Offerings (1976) 3.5
 63. Demons 2 (1986) 2.5
 64. Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) 3.0
 65. The Sentinel (1977) 3.5
 66. Dead Heat (1988) 3.0
 67. Trick or Treat (1986) 2.5
 68. Nightmare City (1980) 2.0
 69. Dust Devil (1992) 3.0
 70. Zombie Holocaust (1980) 1.5
 71. The Deadly Spawn (1983) 2.5
 72. Contamination (1980) 1.5
 73. Don't Go in the House (1979) 2.0
 74. The Boogens (1981) 2.0
 75. Spawn of the Slithis (1978) 0.0


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on October 31, 2023, 03:45:20 PM
holy crap thats a lot of f**king movies.

The Old Dark House (1932) = James Whale directed Frankenstein, the Invisible Man, a bunch of other stuff, and this. It's good, but would have been more fun if it was cheaper and had more corny comedy. That is, if it had been a B movie.

A bunch of people end up in a house during a rainstorm. This is no ordinary house though, it has a dark mystery! bet you didn't see that coming. They go through all the motions of this sort of scenario in an entertaining enough way, but again, it's too fancy and just doesn't have the right touch. I mean, what is Charles Laughton doing in there? This is probably why it's not remembered in the same league as Frankenstein and The Invisible Man.

3.75 /5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 31, 2023, 07:43:36 PM
I did read a couple of days ago that Hickox had passed. I hope my review didn't nudge him over the threshold!

I like OLD DARK HOUSE a lot, though I agree it doesn't pay off as much as one would hope. It's got moments, though. The crazy old lunatic's first appearance is a real jolt. And who needs an excuse for a Charles Laughton performance? Not I!  :smile:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on October 31, 2023, 07:47:15 PM
NIGHT GALLERY: RETURN OF THE SORCEROR (1972)
A wealthy weirdo (Vincent Price) hires a starchy-collared academic (Bill Bixby) to translate an ancient manuscript in this peppy 26-minute treat. Although the previous two nerds that Price hired both walked off the job once they realized (no big spoiler here) they were translating the Necronomicon, the amusingly thirsty Bixby hangs in there in order to make time w/ Price's much younger, quite randy wife. Surprisingly and pleasantly, things don't go quite the way you'd think based on that set-up.

Jeannot Szwarc directed this and a bunch of other episodes of NIGHT GALLERY before proceeding to helm a string of legendary Hollywood stinkers, yet based on this ROTS alone, he was an entirely capable and good-humored filmmaker. Price was around the peak of his powers in the early 70s (circa the PHIBES films) and walks a lovely line betwixt face--pulling camp theatrics and disarming sincerity. He's matched by Bixby, who is very effective as the straight man against a wildly colorful, almost fruity psychedelic/occult backdrop. This aired on prime-time network TV but it's got as many thrills as some 90 minute theatrical features of the era: lurid discussions of orgies and satanic sacrifices, a severed hand and foot, a(n offscreen) decapitation, Price brandishing a .22, and even a black goat that Price introduces as his father (!) and that joins the other characters at the dining room table. It's a hoot. I need to check out more episodes of NIGHT GALLERY!

4/5

And Happy Halloween, y'all!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on November 01, 2023, 01:45:00 AM
holy crap thats a lot of f**king movies.

The Old Dark House (1932) = James Whale directed Frankenstein, the Invisible Man, a bunch of other stuff, and this. It's good, but would have been more fun if it was cheaper and had more corny comedy. That is, if it had been a B movie.

A bunch of people end up in a house during a rainstorm. This is no ordinary house though, it has a dark mystery! bet you didn't see that coming. They go through all the motions of this sort of scenario in an entertaining enough way, but again, it's too fancy and just doesn't have the right touch. I mean, what is Charles Laughton doing in there? This is probably why it's not remembered in the same league as Frankenstein and The Invisible Man.

3.75 /5




It dosn't go fast anywhere, but the Femme family are creepy as hell, and Whale's black humor is evident throughout.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on November 01, 2023, 01:54:33 AM
holy crap thats a lot of f**king movies.

My average is 2.4 movies for each day in October. I made sure to watch at least one movie on work days, and double or triple features on the weekend. I also had 12 days vacation, so I watched more than one on those days.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 01, 2023, 08:45:27 AM
RENFIELD (2023): Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) has second thoughts after over a century of enslaving himself to Dracula (Nicolas Cage), and seeks to free himself from his influence with the help of a conscientious cop (Awkwafina). This action/horror/comedy is a bloody popcorn flick, absurd and predictable but diverting, succeeding thanks to Cage stepping into a role he was born for. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 01, 2023, 03:35:43 PM
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976) - First of all, great title. It's a low budget, southern fried police procedural/ horror that was probably a lot of fun to see in the theater. The dialogue and acting are not superb but it wins you over with it's dark tone and unexpected comedy relief bits.

The hook is the killer, who wears a cloth sack over his head and terrorizes people who make the mistake of parking at Lovers Lane type situations. Produced by Sam Arkoff, but seems to be more of a regional low budget sort of effort. One reviewer at IMDB claims women were screaming and crying in the theater where he saw it and correctly asserts that it was an influence on later, more overt slasher films. The killer is tall and imposing physically and exhibits weird and unsettling psychological antics, which would become mainstays for this sort of character.

4.25/ 5 check it out


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 01, 2023, 05:50:07 PM
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976) - First of all, great title. It's a low budget, southern fried police procedural/ horror that was probably a lot of fun to see in the theater. The dialogue and acting are not superb but it wins you over with it's dark tone and unexpected comedy relief bits.

The hook is the killer, who wears a cloth sack over his head and terrorizes people who make the mistake of parking at Lovers Lane type situations. Produced by Sam Arkoff, but seems to be more of a regional low budget sort of effort. One reviewer at IMDB claims women were screaming and crying in the theater where he saw it and correctly asserts that it was an influence on later, more overt slasher films. The killer is tall and imposing physically and exhibits weird and unsettling psychological antics, which would become mainstays for this sort of character.

4.25/ 5 check it out


The ads for this thing scared me to death when I was a kid.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 01, 2023, 07:12:35 PM
I'm a sucker for Charles B. Pierce. The original TOWN TDS and LEGEND OF BOGGY terrified me as a (very) young child too and somehow those primal experiences still stick w/ me and I continue to get creeped out by these very cheap, sometimes goofy films as an adult. Pierce does have a puerile streak yet he also has a deft hand for establishing a highly credible, eerie atmosphere w/ his location cinematography and sound design....... and both of these films have a handful of authentically disturbing moments.

Like Bigfoot, the Texarkana Moonlight Murders are 100% real...   :smile:    ...Even the bit about about the knife on the trombone is based on a real assault. 20+ years before the Zodiac Killer, too. Makes one wonder. Well, makes me wonder anyway.......


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on November 01, 2023, 08:32:18 PM
THE KLANSMAN

OJ Simpson's movie debut. he's in this quite a lot, but doesn't say a lot. (I was surprised to find out he was an actor before he did sports? assumed other way round)...

trashy and low budget feel despite starring Lee Marvin and Richard Burton. made in '74 but looks more '64!

I was thinking "nothing like this could ever get made today, it's way too racially non-PC", but then I remembered DJANGO UNCHAINED, so maybe yes it could


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 01, 2023, 09:13:03 PM
SMILEY FACE KILLERS (2020) Loosely based on a theory that around 45 drowning deaths of college aged men in the 1990's thru the 2010's were actually the work of a serial killer or killers, this movie is about a grad student who keeps getting creepy messages on  his phone and winds up becoming the latest victim. A decent idea poorly executed - it's slow-moving and the killers' motivation is never explained.  2.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 01, 2023, 11:58:51 PM
The trombone thing was way weird. Especially how the killer had no clue how to actually play it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 02, 2023, 07:04:08 PM
THE KLANSMAN

OJ Simpson's movie debut. he's in this quite a lot, but doesn't say a lot. (I was surprised to find out he was an actor before he did sports? assumed other way round)...

trashy and low budget feel despite starring Lee Marvin and Richard Burton. made in '74 but looks more '64!

I was thinking "nothing like this could ever get made today, it's way too racially non-PC", but then I remembered DJANGO UNCHAINED, so maybe yes it could

I'm the last guy who should offer sports trivia to anyone, but I'm also from Buffalo and it's hard to filter out all the football talk around here (since this city has precious little else going on). Anyway, OJ was a football player (for the Bills!) before he was an actor... he was first drafted in '68 or '69 iirc. He continued to play through most of the 70s, even after he was appearing in movies (presumably he was on set February through July or something). BTW Buffalonians will name-drop celebrity associations all day and night until said celebrity does some embarrassing crap and then this region develops amnesia instantly. Happened w/ OJ, Harvey Weinstein, Alec Baldwin... you name 'em, we'll claim 'em until they get charged w/ some major felony.......

Anyway, THE KLANSMAN! Yeah, it stars Marvin and Burton, was directed by a veteran director of the James Bond films, and written by Sam Fuller, and its production values look about on-par w/ Ted V. Mikels' low-low budget BLACK KLANSMAN from '66, and it's just about equally as classy, too. Feh!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 02, 2023, 09:12:51 PM
"Black Mama, White Mama" (1973)
Two lady prisoners -- one white (Margaret Markov) and one black (Pam Grier) escape from a hellish women's prison in a Third World banana republic.  Naturally they hate each other's guts at first, but since they're chained together at the wrists, they eventually have to learn to work together to avoid re-capture while a gaggle of gun toting mercenaries and revolutionaries chase them all over the island. If any of this plot sounds familiar, that's cuz it's basically a re-tread of the Fifties flick "The Defiant Ones," with lots of nudity, cleavage and cat fights. An entertainingly trashy, ultra violent combo of the blaxploitation and chicks-in-chains genres.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: claws on November 02, 2023, 10:10:20 PM
I'm a sucker for Charles B. Pierce. The original TOWN TDS and LEGEND OF BOGGY terrified me as a (very) young child too and somehow those primal experiences still stick w/ me and I continue to get creeped out by these very cheap, sometimes goofy films as an adult. Pierce does have a puerile streak yet he also has a deft hand for establishing a highly credible, eerie atmosphere w/ his location cinematography and sound design....... and both of these films have a handful of authentically disturbing moments.

Like Bigfoot, the Texarkana Moonlight Murders are 100% real...   :smile:    ...Even the bit about about the knife on the trombone is based on a real assault. 20+ years before the Zodiac Killer, too. Makes one wonder. Well, makes me wonder anyway.......

I didn't expect much when I watched Legend of Boggy Creek for the first time back in rental days. It was rated G but had quite a few creepy and eerie moments. That one scene with Bigfoot emerging from the dark was genuine scary, and stuck with me for a long time.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 03, 2023, 08:56:58 AM
CORNER OFFICE (2022): Orson, a peculiar man somewhere on the spectrum, tries to fit in at his absurd corporate workplace ("The Authority"), but finds that he can excel when he works alone in the abandoned corner office--a room his co-workers insist doesn't actually exist. You see what they were going for in this character study/satire, but despite a dedicated performance by John Hamm, it stays so low-key and workmanlike that it never cuts loose and has fun with the premise. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 03, 2023, 09:34:30 PM
CORNER OFFICE (2022):
a peculiar man somewhere on the spectrum, tries to fit in at his absurd corporate workplace
but finds that he can excel when he works alone in the abandoned corner office

By God, it could practically be the unauthorized M.10rda biopic!  :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 04, 2023, 08:51:33 AM
FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER (2023):
8+ hours so had to watch over a few nights leading up to Halloween... I just don't binge like I used to. Anybody else see this? No spoilers here, though the first episode immediately spoils much (not all) of the remainder of the series, and yet, to the credit of writer/director Mike Flanagan and co-director/cinematographer Michael Fimognari, enough mystery remains pertaining to the hows and whys of the fait accompli fatalities to more than hold my interest. On the other hand, Madame 10rda was turned off by the first episode but begrudgingly kept watching to appease me (bless her) and quickly got sucked in and stuck it out happily until the end.

It's tough to maintain excellence over 8-12 hours and Flanagan's track record, though impressive, isn't perfect. I think HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE and MIDNIGHT MASS both have exemplary passages that are as strong as almost any five-star feature, but also are saddled w/ some really clunky bits. (For me, HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR was more clunky bits than excellence...) FOTHOU is probably Flanagan's crowning effort so far in terms of consistency... it's long and often dialogue-driven, w/ long stretches at times between the suspense and horror elements, but it usually looks nice, Flanagan's writing is a lot tighter than in was in MASS, and most importantly, the ensemble acting keeps it compelling throughout.

Bruce Greenwood (where's he been?) has never been better and should just get mailed an Emmy right now. Kate Siegel (aka Mrs. Flanagan), overtaxed in MASS, is really impressive here and leaves you wanting more, not less. A lot of strong supporting work by unknown (to me) actors like Ruth Codd, Willa Fitzgerald, and Malcolm Goodwin. And Carla Gugino, always pleasing if short of revelatory, will surely never have a better showcase for her talents, here playing half a dozen characters (ala Peter Sellers) refracted through a prism of immortal evil.

I want to mention one more element of FOTHOU that emphasizes Flanagan's slow evolution towards that better part of valor, Discretion. In a series where even an economically employed Siegel has to repeat the same Poe in-joke no less than three times for inattentive viewers, and in which nearly every major plot point is comprehensively explained and resolved by the end of the finale, there is also Mark Hamill, silently sneaking in and out of a handful of scenes per episode, usually delivering less than a few dozen words per appearance, but establishing a more iconic and far more complex, even sympathetic, character than any other he's ever played, certainly including Luke Skywalker. According to my math, there is exactly one reference in FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER which is never explained nor resolved - Hamill's rescheduling request to a henchman regarding dinner w/ an amusingly named friend - and that throwaway seems to contradict Hamill's climactic confession to Gugino near FOTHOU's end. In an exhaustingly plotted and mapped out gothic epic, that tiny inconsistency - as puzzling, infuriating as the calendar in the hardware store at the end of ZODIAC - becomes my single favorite detail, and the remarkable Hamill as Arthur Gordon Pym becomes the heart of this commendable project.

4.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 04, 2023, 09:59:48 AM
Once upon a Crime (2023)

When Cinderella and Red Riding Hood go the Royal Ball where the prince will choose his bride, they come across the corpse of the Royal Hair Stylist who has been brutally murdered. One of the people at the ball must be the culprit. Can Red Riding Hood's Sherlock Holmes like powers of deduction crack the case?

Brought to us by Yuichi Fukuda, who also gave us Hentai Kamen and the Gintama live action adaptations, this is as silly as you would expect. It is not as much fun as it could be, though because it is mainly people standing about and talking. Some action scenes would have been welcome. That being said, if you like anime style silliness and pretty girls in over the top princess costumes, it is watchable enough.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 04, 2023, 05:41:53 PM
The Alpha Test (2020) - It's a bit of a s**tshow, but an entertaining one. The title would indicate sci fi but its much, much more of a horror movie. In fact, the sci fi aspect is so generic and ridiculous it's actually incredible. The acting is often script run-through level but it has enough "Orphan" style ridicu-camp that it's actually compelling.

The plot is a futuristic home assistant robot goes awry as it tries to understand human beings and yadda yadda.

Imagine if you had a roomba and it started attacking you. Why would it do that? and why don't all the other roombas in the world do that?

Lots of violence and craziness for sure, but no sex what's up with that?

4/5 getting back to our bad movie roots here.



edit: why would a company make a robot that looks like a dystopian hellscape thing


 



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 04, 2023, 09:23:48 PM
FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER (2023):
8+ hours so had to watch over a few nights leading up to Halloween... I just don't binge like I used to. Anybody else see this? No spoilers here, though the first episode immediately spoils much (not all) of the remainder of the series, and yet, to the credit of writer/director Mike Flanagan and co-director/cinematographer Michael Fimognari, enough mystery remains pertaining to the hows and whys of the fait accompli fatalities to more than hold my interest. On the other hand, Madame 10rda was turned off by the first episode but begrudgingly kept watching to appease me (bless her) and quickly got sucked in and stuck it out happily until the end.

It's tough to maintain excellence over 8-12 hours and Flanagan's track record, though impressive, isn't perfect. I think HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE and MIDNIGHT MASS both have exemplary passages that are as strong as almost any five-star feature, but also are saddled w/ some really clunky bits. (For me, HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR was more clunky bits than excellence...) FOTHOU is probably Flanagan's crowning effort so far in terms of consistency... it's long and often dialogue-driven, w/ long stretches at times between the suspense and horror elements, but it usually looks nice, Flanagan's writing is a lot tighter than in was in MASS, and most importantly, the ensemble acting keeps it compelling throughout.

Bruce Greenwood (where's he been?) has never been better and should just get mailed an Emmy right now. Kate Siegel (aka Mrs. Flanagan), overtaxed in MASS, is really impressive here and leaves you wanting more, not less. A lot of strong supporting work by unknown (to me) actors like Ruth Codd, Willa Fitzgerald, and Malcolm Goodwin. And Carla Gugino, always pleasing if short of revelatory, will surely never have a better showcase for her talents, here playing half a dozen characters (ala Peter Sellers) refracted through a prism of immortal evil.

I want to mention one more element of FOTHOU that emphasizes Flanagan's slow evolution towards that better part of valor, Discretion. In a series where even an economically employed Siegel has to repeat the same Poe in-joke no less than three times for inattentive viewers, and in which nearly every major plot point is comprehensively explained and resolved by the end of the finale, there is also Mark Hamill, silently sneaking in and out of a handful of scenes per episode, usually delivering less than a few dozen words per appearance, but establishing a more iconic and far more complex, even sympathetic, character than any other he's ever played, certainly including Luke Skywalker. According to my math, there is exactly one reference in FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER which is never explained nor resolved - Hamill's rescheduling request to a henchman regarding dinner w/ an amusingly named friend - and that throwaway seems to contradict Hamill's climactic confession to Gugino near FOTHOU's end. In an exhaustingly plotted and mapped out gothic epic, that tiny inconsistency - as puzzling, infuriating as the calendar in the hardware store at the end of ZODIAC - becomes my single favorite detail, and the remarkable Hamill as Arthur Gordon Pym becomes the heart of this commendable project.

4.5/5

Absolutely loved this show!!!  Sucked me in from the very first episode.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 04, 2023, 11:13:16 PM
Saturday Double Feature:

SOME NUDITY REQUIRED (2023) - This was a pretty funny little sendup of the film industry.  Despite the titillating title, there's less than a minute of actual nudity in the film (lots of skimpy costumes, though).  An aspiring actress named Allie keeps getting passed over for roles because she refuses to get naked. Finally she takes the plunge, but only gets cast in dreadful B-movies. So she and her boyfriend decide to write a film of their own - but when he gets funding from a major Hollywood player to make the movie, will he compromise his artistic vision for cheap thrills?  And will Allie still get the starring role?  This one had me chuckling in multiple scenes.  4/5

EVEN LAMBS HAVE TEETH (2015) Two best friends on their way to work at an organic farm for the summer get kidnapped by small town goons who chain them inside two boxcars and charge the local men to have their way with them - including the local sheriff!  When they finally break free, the two BFF's decide to go on a vengeful rampage against every man who abused them while they were chained up.  Some creative kills and great lines make this a fun revenge tale; not nearly as gritty as LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT or I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE - I didn't feel like I needed a shower after watching it.  You pretty much wind up cheering for these two victims turned avengers! 4.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 05, 2023, 08:48:30 AM
DALILAND (2022): A young art intern lucks into a job as Salvador Dali's assistant in his declining years, as the painter throws elaborate orgies in between painting late-phase masterpieces. Ben Kingsley as Dali and Barbara Sukowa as the horny Gala are fine, but it's surprisingly lifeless, given its eccentric subject. Interesting historical fact, though: Dali and Alice Cooper hung out in the 70s, even though neither got what the other was doing (they bonded over passion for partying). 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 05, 2023, 09:25:10 AM
"The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977)
When Russian and British nuclear submarines begin mysteriously disappearing, James Bond is paired with a lovely Soviet counterpart (Barbara Bach, who cannot act but has stellar cleavage) to track them down. Their search takes them from Egypt and Italy to the bottom of the ocean, where crazed supervillain Stromberg wants to use the subs' nuclear missiles to destroy the surface world.
This elaborate production was the biggest 007 flick since You Only Live Twice a decade earlier, and it was Roger Moore's best outing as Bond.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 05, 2023, 10:56:26 AM
WAXWORK II: LOST IN TIME (1991):
Jazzed after our revisit of the original WAXWORK ('88), Madame and I decided to watch the sequel that she had little recollection of and which I entirely skipped upon its release. What a mistake! Zach Galligan is back as "Mark", somehow w/ diminished onscreen confidence and comedy chops after three years on the bench, mostly looking dazed and/or confused by the admittedly senseless proceedings. Original final girl "Sarah" is now played by Monika Schnarre, who is a much weaker actress than Deborah Foreman and is also much taller than both Foreman and Galligan, which lends to much visual and physical awkwardness onscreen. As in the first film, the supporting cast is filled w/ recognizable C-list actors from the 80s and early 90s. but now only popping in for several seconds-to-minutes and making little impression.

I don't wish to criticize the recently deceased, but writer/director Anthony Hickox presumably had every bit as much control over this sequel as he did over the original, and seems to quadruple down on all the excessive eccentricities that made the first one a delight, only w/ severely diminished returns. Most of LOST IN TIME reflects the same reckless directorial abandon of the original film's chaotic climax w/o that film's impressive production values - there is a lengthy ALIEN/S parody sequence that looks cheaper and tackier than any of Corman's many no-budget knock-offs - and the screenplay makes enough sense to suspect Hickox wrote each scene hastily in his trailer moments before he began shooting. There is A LOT more comedy than in the absurdist/satirical original but most of it is sub-POLICE ACADEMY caliber clowning (and actually Galligan comes off as a slightly less charismatic Gutenberg, oy). Hickox's best films were behind him by 1991, and all that followed after this was one WARLOCK sequel and a lot of TV work. Based on his first three films (WAXWORK, SUNDOWN, and HELLRAISER II), that's a shame...

A few small compliments in Hickox's honor:
1.) There's a brisk bit around the climax where Galligan and the main villain leap through several different eras/genres in quick succession that's more fun than the main plot, including a welcome stagger through the DAWN OF THE DEAD mall;
2.) Bruce Campbell (all too briefly) guests stars in an early segment, giving a very nice if unusual performance as a stuffy 60s professor who gets tortured. Campbell would later acknowledge John Cleese as one of his influences (and even directed an 00s feature solely as an excuse to recreate the Basil Fawlty-with-a-head-injury episode) and his turn here totally gives off Cleese vibes, even to the extent of quoting a famous Cleese Python line as he exits the film...
3.) The closing credits roll over a hip hop video (by "L.A. Posse", and directed by Hickox) which includes the cast dancing and having a good time. (Schnarre is certainly a better dancer than she is an actress.) So 90s it hurts, but at least someone had some fun on this shoot...

2/5 for Bruce

The closing credits claim "Drew Barrymore" appears in one shot as a potential victim of Nosferatu. Cannot possibly be That "Drew Barrymore" but then this was pre-POISON IVY so who knows, but I wasn't about to rewind this dreck to confirm...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 05, 2023, 12:28:05 PM
Based on his first three films (WAXWORK, SUNDOWN, and HELLRAISER II), that's a shame...

Didn't Tony Randel direct Hellraiser II? I think Hickox was III.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 05, 2023, 03:12:02 PM
Based on his first three films (WAXWORK, SUNDOWN, and HELLRAISER II), that's a shame...

Didn't Tony Randel direct Hellraiser II? I think Hickox was III.

Oh boy! You're probably right. I do enough research and fact-checking for my day job that I often fall down in that department in these posts. Sadly, HELLRAISER III is a lot closer to WAXWORK II  in quality.......  :bluesad: :lookingup:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 06, 2023, 09:20:47 PM
FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED (1970):
Confession: I don't think I've seen all the Hammer Frankensteins or Hammer Draculas, and even as obsessive-compulsive as I am, I don't feel any great motivation to systematically check 'em off my movie bucket list. Of those I've seen, some are more involving and some less, but none have felt like must-sees. All the same, I read that this one was a little unusual so decided to give it a go. Indeed, it's unusual enough in that Peter Cushing's good Baron Doctor has transitioned somehow into a sadistic rapist (?!) and multiple murderer, which I don't recall from the earlier films in the canon. Only two years earlier, Cushing was complaining publicly about the disgraceful amount of sex and violence in his psychedelic slasher flick CORRUPTION. I guess by 1970 he'd stopped clutching his pearls and just decided to keep cashing 'nem checks. If he wasn't enjoying slappin' around a screaming twenty-something trollop while trying to tear off her negligee, you'd never know....... he's just as much a consummate professional onscreen here as he ever was!

The level of blood and sleaze is higher than it was 10-12 years earlier, but otherwise this entry is your usual well-acted, well-costumed, competently produced Hammer product. Dr. Frank's young assistant looks like David Bowie, which is kind of amusing. The only other distinguishing characteristic is that perennial British supporting player Freddie Jones gets to play a rare lead role here, nominally as the "Monster", though more accurately as the brain of a former Frankenstein colleague transplanted into the body of an asylum inmate. The poor guy didn't ask for this treatment, doesn't want any part of it, just misses his wife, and is pretty p**sed off at BVF for putting him in this predicament. You feel sympathy for Jones and really want him to throw Cushing down a deep well or something.

3/5
A reasonably diverting if unremarkable view - might skip any further trips to the HammerFrank archive though.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 07, 2023, 05:11:26 PM
"The Naked Cage" (1986)
Wrongly convicted of bank robbery, a woman is sentenced to three years in one of those typically hellish all-girl B-movie prisons where the warden is corrupt, gangs rule the cell blocks, and none of the inmates seems to own a bra. While trying to figure out how to clear her name, our heroine also has to deal with the usual cat fights, shower room attacks, rampant lesbianism, and gory prison rioting that you expect from a chicks-behind-bars flick. Sleazy fun!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 08, 2023, 12:12:05 PM
FIREFLY STEW (1934): The Marx Brothers star as stockbrokers who get a hot tip on cornering the cabbage market. This bucky was a s**t parrot from start to finish. 1/5.

DIVINITY (2023): Two aliens kidnap the ultraweathy entrepreneur who has created the fountain-of-youth drug Divinity, while an all-female cult hunts for the last remaining fertile females on Earth. A strange black and white, beautifully expressionistic sci-fi satire with plentiful nudity that goes gleefully bonkers in the last act, with stop-motion battle between the aliens and the roided-up magnate and an insane joke of a final shot; it has plot and focus issues, but the go-for-broke style blows right through them. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 08, 2023, 03:41:37 PM
"FIREFLY STEW (1934): The Marx Brothers star as stockbrokers who get a hot tip on cornering the cabbage market. This bucky was a s**t parrot from start to finish. 1/5."

I think I have dream ESP!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 10, 2023, 08:32:26 AM
THE UNDERTAKER AND HIS PALS (1966):
An impulse watch that I presumed (after a tough work week) would tax little of my mental faculties, and I was right.  :lookingup: Writer/director "T.L.P. Swicegood" couldn't possibly use his Christian name to make this extremely low-brow, mostly cheap-looking schlockfest that clearly aims to eat Herschell Gordon Lewis' lunch and (fortunately) falls short. The eponymous trio of leather-clad motorcycle thugs love murdering and butchering women as much as any HLG ghoul ever did, even using their bodies as ingredients at a greasy spoon diner and/or overcharging their bereaved loved ones for naff funeral services. It's all pretty mean-spirited, though the film ultimately diversifies beyond misogyny towards general bloodthirsty misanthropy, and (again, mercifully) the violence here is far less graphic and sadistic than in most Lewis joints. Also, unlike many Lewis joints, the bad guys all get what's coming to them by the end, so Swicegood clearly wasn't a complete edgelord jerkface.

The final element that makes TUAHP more inoffensively quasi-charming than distasteful is the gratuitous dollops of broad, broad humor.  The cops in this movie are written and acted as if no one involved in the production had any idea whatsoever about the professional responsibilities or routines of law enforcement officers. (Quite extraordinarily, Swicegood was apparently a staff writer for the 50s "Untouchables" series...?!) The main cop is also one of the most prolific womanizers I've seen in any film in years, and his love scenes could be excerpted today in Title IX training videos or for the purpose of #metoo activism. The verbal repartee is roughly at the "Hee-Haw" level and the physical clowning occasionally reaches a "Benny Hill" pitch - there is, no lie, even a sped-up chase scene w/ a dame running from the Undertaker. Said Undertaker is played by "Ray Dannis", another impossible-sounding pseudonym who isn't (fwiw) 60s low-budget pioneer Ray Dennis Steckler, looks nothing like Steckler, and is a much hammier actor than Steckler (who could've opened a personal acting deli, frankly). Dannis pops and rolls his eyes, minces quite ruthlessly, and even occasionally prances a bit. He also has a slapstick pratfall routine w/ some little neighborhood kids who might be unaware they were appearing in an exploitation movie. Dannis is as classy as anything else in this flick, which is too corny and innocuous to really dislike, if that's a recommendation for ya'...

2/5
I bet John Waters loves this film though and maybe it was even an inspiration for teen JW.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 10, 2023, 09:50:51 AM
SOMETHING IN THE DIRT (2022): A bartender with a sordid past and a recently-divorced math professor team up to investigate a floating ashtray, falling into deep and highly questionable rabbit holes of paranormal speculation. Don't look for explanations for the supernatural McGuffin; this is a character study of paranoia, apophenia, and how desperate people can reinforce each others' worst tendencies. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 10, 2023, 04:48:23 PM
Godzilla Vs Megalon - Was this a lost MST3000 episode? For me, nothing will ever match Space Warriors 2000 as far as Japanese monster movies, but this was pretty good. You know there's going to be a cute little kid and that you're going to have to wait a bit before the big monster fight, though. I would have liked to see some more of the colorful Sea People, who in their defense, were responding to bothersome nuclear tests when they unleashed Megalon.

Jet Jaguar lends his talents and good looks. 4.25/ 5

Lose the tired cute kid character and better integration of plot and monster action next time. Oh wait this is from 50 year ago


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 10, 2023, 05:13:59 PM
The Rev is the expert on MST3K but I am almost 100% certain I've watched the MST version of GODZILLA VS. MEGALON back in the 90s. Of course I was probably tipsy on hard cider at the time so let's make that 99.9% certain.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 10, 2023, 11:40:11 PM
Yes, GODZILLA VS. MEGALON was on MST3K, and they never officially released it after broadcast because Toho refused to license it again.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 11, 2023, 02:51:04 AM
I recognized the sliding on his tail Godzilla from the MSTK3000 intro


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 11, 2023, 09:30:56 AM
THE WRATH OF BECKY (2023) - Becky, the sweet little blonde kid who killed four neo-Nazi ex-cons for murdering her Dad, is back.  She's 16 now, on the run from the foster system, and staying with an elderly black woman while she works as a waitress at a local cafe. But then a trio of right-wing extremists belonging to an organization called The Noble Men (clearly modeled on the Proud Boys) come to town to meet up with their cell leader.  They are rude and obnoxious, so Becky "accidentally" gives one of them a cup of coffee in the lap.  They follow her home when she gets off work, there's a confrontation, and her kind friend is shot dead, her dog is stolen, and Becky is left unconscious.  But when she comes around, she is royally ticked - and the bad guys were stupid enough to drop the name of the Noble Men leader they were meeting.  Bloodshed and chaos ensue.  DON'T MESS WITH BECKY!
This was very fun revenge flick, rather unrealistic but still entertaining!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 11, 2023, 10:23:41 AM
The Boy and the Heron (2023)

Young Mahito loses his mother in a fire during WW II. A year later his father moves to the countryside to live with his new wife. Mahito is still grieving about his mother and is stalked by a magical heron which has something to do with a mysterious tower and a family secret.

I liked this one a lot, but then I am a Miyazaki fan. This feels to me like Miyazaki was doing just what he wanted, freed from any external constraint. A lot of stuff seems to have been put in there simply for the fun of it. It is not the most tightly plotted movie and it has a more dream-like an emotional coherence rather than a strictly logical narrative structure. At times it felt like I was watching something by Jodorowski. Fans of Miyazaki will find lots to love.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 11, 2023, 03:56:01 PM
The Boy and the Heron (2023)

Young Mahito loses his mother in a fire during WW II. A year later his father moves to the countryside to live with his new wife. Mahito is still grieving about his mother and is stalked by a magical heron which has something to do with a mysterious tower and a family secret.

I liked this one a lot, but then I am a Miyazaki fan. This feels to me like Miyazaki was doing just what he wanted, freed from any external constraint. A lot of stuff seems to have been put in there simply for the fun of it. It is not the most tightly plotted movie and it has a more dream-like an emotional coherence rather than a strictly logical narrative structure. At times it felt like I was watching something by Jodorowski. Fans of Miyazaki will find lots to love.



Oooh am I looking forward to this!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 11, 2023, 10:25:04 PM
"Reform School Girls" (1986)
A new set of inmates at a hellish all-girl reform school/prison rally their fellow prisoners in a revolt against their abusive matron and warden in a campy-on-purpose spoof of 70s "chicks in chains" flicks, with former Plasmatic Wendy O. Williams as the baddest, butchiest lesbo gang leader ever captured on film. Cheap, sleazy fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 12, 2023, 10:34:29 AM
PIAFFE (2022): A woman grows a horse tail when she accepts a job creating equine foley effects for an antidepressant commercial. Quite strange with some memorable erotic scenes and lots of uncomfortable blurring of sexual boundaries--between male and female, consensual and non-consensual, human and animal--but in the end, it feels like an overstretched premise rather than a story. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 12, 2023, 11:37:26 AM
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985):
Probably my 5th viewing over roughly 35 years and it really has improved in my estimation every time. This was our "official" grand finale for Halloween (right before the 30th) as Madame was previously uninitiated. She's a tough critic sometimes. She loved it. Following discussion of greatest horror-comedies on this site last month, I felt like I should test my comments on ROTLD. I was warm in my praise but I undershot. Horror, comedy, call it what you will - this is one of the all-time Greats, full-stop.

Dan O'Bannon deserves prolific props for constructing a rather quite complex (certainly eventful!) rollercoaster ride that functions w/ supreme efficiency, never making a false turn. In my youth I wanted MORE from this film ("More brains!", "...More cops!" et al) but in maturity I appreciate its succinctness, its deft discretion. It gets a ton accomplished in exactly 90 minutes.

More than anything, I credit and admire the large ensemble cast. Okay, Beverly Randolph as Tina is essentially vestigial in spite of having a lot of screen time. Every other major player is 100% living their role: Clu Gulager (Burt), Don Calfa (Ernie), Miguel Nunez (Spider), James Karen (Frank), Thom Matthews (Freddy), Jewel Shepherd (Kacey), John Philbin (Chuck), Brian Peck (Scuz), Mark Venturini (Suicide), and of course Linnea Quigley in her inevitable Oscar memorial reel role as Trash. We don't know much about them, yet we know each one of them almost instantly, from a handful of lines of perfectly crafted dialogue and also from the brilliant hair and costume design. The kids aren't a pack of interchangeable victims. They're all distinct and I feel sympathy for all of them. Even poor cranky unappreciated Suicide. Heck, especially Suicide. O'Bannon was ingenious in his casting and his direction. Even Allan Trautman as Tarman and Cherry Davis as the torso lady are iconic, legendary w/ barely 60 seconds of screentime each. Even the paramedics give great performances!

The jokes that are meant to be funny still hit perfectly but a lot of them have more bite and nuance than I could grok as a kid. Trash's classic death wish monologue is great on its own merits but the genius of the scene is that this privileged teenage white girl unloads her fatalistic fetish on Spider, the one non-white character, whose chilly response speaks volumes. That one exchange lays the foundation for the unlikely third act pairing of Spider (who wants to protect and save everyone he can) and older white guy Burt (primarily concerned about his business and his legal liability), who hurl invectives at each other but stop short of racial epithets and actually make a pretty effective zombie-surviving team. At the film's nihilistic punchline, a silhouette of political commentary is cast from the rocket's red glare: should Marxist youth ever manage to form an alliance with the center-right bourgeois - heck, even if those factions could broker a treaty with arch-conservative crypto-fascists (Ernie) - the military industrial complex would still screw 'em all over in the end.

ROTLD is possibly the Punkest Movie Ever.

5/5
In high school I was the guy in the sport coat and tie hanging out w/ the goth/punk kids, just trying to get the cute new wave girl to give me the time of day. Yes, I was Chuck.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 13, 2023, 08:32:16 AM
"Dio: Dreamers Never Die" (2022)
Fascinating documentary on the life and career of the mighty Ronnie James Dio, loaded with vintage clips and commentary from Wendy Dio (of course), Tony Iommi, Rob Halford, Lita Ford, and many more.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 13, 2023, 10:07:56 PM
"Escape From New York" (1981)
It's 1997, and Manhattan has been walled off and turned into a maximum security prison. When Air Force One crashes in the middle of it, the Powers That Be turn to former Special Forces badass and current convict Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) to rescue the President in exchange for a pardon. Much butt kicking ensues. John Carpenter's dystopian sci-fi action flick has aged pretty well thanks to the cool concept and the strong cast that also includes Lee Van Cleef, Isaac Hayes, and Carpenter regulars like Donald Pleasance (as the Prez) and Tom "Halloween III" Atkins.
Kurt Russell has said that this is his favorite of all the movies he's made.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 13, 2023, 10:40:35 PM
CIRCUS OF THE DEAD (2014)

I must say this is one of the most repulsive and unpleasant films I have ever watched.   For sheer sadism, it rivaled some of Rob Zombie's films, like HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES.  The basic plotline is simple enough - a gang of sadistic clowns go murdering their way through a West Texas town, performing in the circus by day and rounding up victims by night.  They choose one family, a couple with two daughters, as the focus of their sick game - informing them they have won a prize, they get the home address and wait till Don, the husband, leaves for work and the daughters go to school.  Then they descend on the home, where Don's wife is entertaining her lover, a black cop, and kill them both. Then they kidnap the girls and force Don to join in their sick murder games in exchange for a promise he will see his daughters again if he does EXACTLY what he is told.  What he is told, of course, is to rob, rape, and kill with the gang.  The only reason I didn't turn this one off was the performance of the lead actor, Bill Oberst Jr, as "Poppa Corn," the leader of the clown gang.  He is pure, unremorseful evil incarnate, a remarkably riveting performance in a low budget torture porn film.  I was impressed despite my disgust at the movie's plot and tone. Mileage may vary on this one; I can recognize some good acting here, but the movie left me feeling like I should go take a long, hot shower.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 14, 2023, 10:08:03 AM
5000 SPACE ALIENS (2021): Experimental film: 5000 animated portraits, each lasting for 1 second, with a minimalist electronic score. An incredible one-man tour-de-force, but exceptionally not-for-everyone and difficult to rate: it probably would work best as video wallpaper at a dance/pot party. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 16, 2023, 06:14:33 AM
"Blue Thunder" (1983)
An LAPD chopper pilot (Roy Scheider) is chosen to test a high tech, heavily armed new helicopter created by the military. When he learns of a plot to use the craft against civilians, he steals it, leading to action in the air and on the ground.
A cool 80s action flick that's aged pretty well.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 16, 2023, 05:13:26 PM
(https://girlswithguns.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/olga-400x564.jpg)

I, Olga Hepnarova (2016) - On the surface, this is a ridiculously artsy movie: Czech location, black and white, lead actress with cute bob haircut (or is it page boy? I don't even know. relatively short), lesbianism, etc. Yet, it has a dark Tarantino-ish edge that makes it more than just a movie to impress a date with.

The titular Olga is a lesbian factory worker who is clearly in a bad place mentally. We don't know the cause, but we can certainly see it in her countenance. Eventually, this isn't a spoiler it's known from the beginning, she loses touch with any sort of empathy and lashes out Columbine style, plowing a company vehicle into a busy sidewalk. The shot itself is haunting.

It's (of course) a little on the long side and took a couple nights to watch, but I liked it and the dark but delicate subject matter was handled well.

4/5

Rev Powell probably has this on Blu Ray



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 16, 2023, 10:42:25 PM
THE DARK (2018) - A serial killer is traveling across Germany with a young boy whom he has blinded hidden in the back of his vehicle.  He stops at an abandoned house where he encounters a cursed undead girl, betrayed and murdered by her mother's boyfriend, who feeds on human flesh.  Scratch one serial killer.  But when she finds the boy in the back of the car, who cannot see her decayed features, she spares him and an unlikely friendship develops.  As she devotes her time and strength to keeping him alive, her humanity begins to return.  This was a well-done and interesting movie with some very stark moments and a rather touching conclusion.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 17, 2023, 05:06:24 AM
THE DARK (2018) - A serial killer is traveling across Germany with a young boy whom he has blinded hidden in the back of his vehicle.  He stops at an abandoned house where he encounters a cursed undead girl, betrayed and murdered by her mother's boyfriend, who feeds on human flesh.  Scratch one serial killer.  But when she finds the boy in the back of the car, who cannot see her decayed features, she spares him and an unlikely friendship develops.  As she devotes her time and strength to keeping him alive, her humanity begins to return.  This was a well-done and interesting movie with some very stark moments and a rather touching conclusion.  4/5

I enjoyed that one. Glad you liked it too.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 17, 2023, 09:01:29 AM
[
I, Olga Hepnarova (2016) -

4/5

Rev Powell probably has this on Blu Ray


I've never seen it, though I've heard of it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 17, 2023, 09:52:51 PM
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS (2022):
It surprises me that Ruben Ostlund's odd European films have recently become reliable bets for nominations come Oscar season, though better Ostlund and Lanthimos than, like, Alexander Payne and Noah Baumbach or some similar smug pedestrian American s**t. I didn't walk away immediately thinking this was one of the 10 best films of last or any year, but I did think it was an improvement over FORCE MAJEURE, which was clever but sort of uni-dimensional. I laughed out loud a few times during TRIANGLE and often thought of Herzog, Bertolt Brecht, or even Godard. The final act is a great deal more interesting, emotionally engaging, and provocative than the (amusing) first two-thirds; and introducing the film's true protagonist and/or rooting interest more than 90 minutes in (minus a couple of brief walk-ons) is an admirable if eccentric choice to be sure. Ostlund refuses to resolve the conflict at the final moment and instead gives us one of those classic "Is he running towards or is he running away?" closing shots, seemingly off-topic in this case. It's a boss move, easier to respect than love.

Sometimes I've mentioned Madame 10rda's distinct viewing preferences. She's generally more likely to watch rom-coms for fun (as well as other mainstream exploitation) than arthouse stuff. Although I sometimes mansplain willfully obtuse cinema to her, other times I remember she is better educated than I am and I taciturnly defer to her reaction to films about which I am ambivalent. She thought about TRIANGLE OF SADNESS all night and into the following day, kept talking about it, and called it "haunting". There are probably more Academy voters w/ her tastes than mine, so there perhaps is your explanation. Props to you, Ostlund! Work 'nem angles.

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 18, 2023, 11:20:49 AM
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS (2022):
It surprises me that Ruben Ostlund's odd European films have recently become reliable bets for nominations come Oscar season,

I saw FORCE MAJEURE in a pile of screeners the year it came out and thought it was extraordinarily boring. I was shocked when it started winning awards (to our credit, my critic's group ignored it). I thought Ostlund 's followup, THE SQUARE, was better, but still not great. I managed to miss TRIANGLE OF SADNESS, but people seemed to think it was the best one. If he keeps improving the next one should be OK.

THE MADS: THE INCREDIBLE PETRIFIED WORLD: A pair of scientists and love interests escape a diving bell and discover a labyrinth of underground caves. Pretty much nothing happens in this Jerry Warren turkey; the foursome walk, walk, walk around the cave set and talk, talk, talk about how they're going to escape. They try their best but Frank and Trace can't really do much with this one. The Q&A guest,  pop culture writer Ken Plume, is OK. 2.5/5.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 18, 2023, 11:43:48 AM
Yeah, I wasn't exactly bored by FM but I did keep waiting for Ostlund to move the premise in a new/exciting direction and of course that doesn't really happen. I skipped THE SQUARE and wondered if I should go back and watch it. If it's not significantly more involving than TOS, ehh, I'm in no hurry.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 18, 2023, 05:21:42 PM
Horror at 37,000 Feet (made for TV 1973) - more like horrible at 37,000 feet. Despite the high altitude, this thing never really gets off the ground. The saving grace is all the shots of the cute flight attendants and amazing amount of room and freedom everyone had in the cabin.

The professor from Gilligan's Island and William Shatner (who actually look quite a bit alike on screen) are the big stars. The less big stars are whoever played the weird clown cowboy and the goofy/ fancy talking black guy. There's some sort of Druid thing in the luggage area that causes everything to go haywire, so inebriated Shatner tries to hold everything together and figure out a plan. Buddy Ebsen is the disaster movie guy who is out for himself and is like "Let's sacrifice this cute little girl to it. Maybe that'll work!"

very bottom of the barrel stuff here. I'd stick with Ants (1977) or something if you want campy disaster.

2.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 18, 2023, 10:46:03 PM
Been fighting a nasty head cold the past few days, good reason to veg out after work watchin' movies:

"GoldenEye" (1995)
After a six year absence from the screen, James Bond returned in a big way in 1995 with a new man in the tux (Pierce Brosnan) and a new post Cold-War attitude. This time 007 must stop a rogue Russian general who's commandeered a laser weapon satellite. Pierce's first go-round as Bond was his best, and it's one of the better entries in the series overall.

"And Now For Something Completely Different" (1971)
The Monty Python troupe's first theatrical release is essentially a "highlight reel" of the best bits from the first two seasons of their TV show, re-created for the big screen, in an attempt to crossover to the American market. Sketches include favorites like "Upper Class Twit of the Year," "Hell's Grannies," "The Dead Parrot Sketch," "The Lumberjack Song," and more.

"Black Friday" (2021)
Employees at a big-box toy store are prepping for their midnight Black Friday opening when they come under attack by hordes of zombified shoppers, created by alien spores that fell from a meteor. Ultra-violence, splashy gore, and snarky humor ensue. Given that I work in retail, this seemed like a timely viewing pick.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 19, 2023, 04:26:40 AM
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS (2022):

I steered clear of this one. For one thing, the Critics Who Understand Movies all thought it was the best thing ever, which rarely does it for me. For another, based on the trailer it seemed to have the subtlety of a herd of elephants.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 19, 2023, 10:09:49 AM
THEATER CAMP (2023):
Possibly my most serious criticism of this film is that, if it was made by lifelong theatre artists (which apparently it was), then dammit, they should know by now that "theater" is the room where "theatre" happens, thus if your movie was about tweens and teens spending their summer rehearsing plays and musicals, the correct title would be THEATRE CAMP. :hatred: Anyway. I've worked in theatre, film, and education for most of life; have run a summer theatre camp for the past 12 years (which is pretty much the best thing I do w/ my idiotic life); and several of my students and colleagues wanted me to go see THEATER (sic) CAMP in an actual movie theater  :tongueout: with them last summer. I was too busy running a new second theatre camp to go!

If THEATER CAMP had just one single legitimate laugh in it, I could say it at least had one more laugh than CAMP, the previous indie movie from 20 years back about the same topic. That would be a well-deserved kick to the teeth for 03's miserable CAMP, but fortunately the newer one actually made me laugh at least a dozen or more times (though many of those were in the last 10 or so minutes). There's also a lot of cheaper quasi-improv style clowning that's mostly tolerable-to-pleasant... these filmmakers seem to be taking their cue from WAITING FOR GUFFMAN and WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (the original and prequel) as much as anything, though they don't achieve the comedic heights of those films.

THEATRE CAMP is written, directed, produced, composed (!), and headlined by five young-ish musical theatre veterans, none of whom I was familiar w/, though my students seem to idolize them. I did recognize several members of the supporting cast, and of course I caught the ten-second uncredited cameo by Liza Minelli, which I imagine brought movie theater audiences to a standing ovation.  :lookingup: All the adults do solid work, though they're naturally shown-up by a a few of the (outstanding) kids. The grand finale of the original musical-within-the-film asks  
Camp isn't home, but is it, kind of?
Kind of it is
I think it kind of is

...Then repeats its chorus several times, unnecessarily, 'cause I was already tearing up after the fist time they sang it. So, you know, reasonably reflective of some people's highly specific reality and nicely done for that.

3.5/5
However if you don't run a summer theatre camp, uh, you could probably pass on this.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 19, 2023, 11:09:10 AM
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS (2022):

I steered clear of this one. For one thing, the Critics Who Understand Movies all thought it was the best thing ever, which rarely does it for me. For another, based on the trailer it seemed to have the subtlety of a herd of elephants.

It's a schizophrenic film in that there is indeed a 15-20 minute sequence involving many people vomiting and toilets backing up/flooding the ship w/ brown liquid (while drunk Woody Harrelson debates the efficacy of communism over capitalism w/ a fat drunk old Russian oligarch) but then the most thematically central elements of the film are handled w/ extreme discretion and understatement, which is....... counterintuitive for sure and perhaps just reinforces any conviction to skip the film.  :wink: If you already know you won't like TRIANGLE OF SADNESS, you have probably chosen wisely!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 19, 2023, 03:20:30 PM
OPEN (2023): A middle-aged woman experimenting with an open marriage gets involved with an aging teen idol who was once her schoolgirl crush; she also has dream sequences where she's in an 80s pop band with the rest of the cast. The New Wave music videos are limited in means (one minimal set) and musical ability, but do capture the big hair aesthetic, and lend just enough novelty to make this otherwise predictable indie dramedy watchable. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 20, 2023, 12:00:23 AM
Weekend double feature:
 
KILLER BOOK CLUB (2023) - A group of lit majors decide to get revenge on an English professor who tried to rape one of their classmates; the prank gets out of hand and the professor falls to his death.  Now someone is posting a chapter-by-chapter book online describing how each of them will be murdered in turn to avenge his death - and the subject of each chapter disappears just before the chapter is posted online!  Who is killing them, and why?  A decent Netflix horror with a pretty fair twist at the end; a bit reminiscent of SCREAM. 3/5

IN HIS WAK (2023) A group of young people are being stalked by an inhuman creature; a former priest is trying to stop the monster before it can take more innocent lives - or is he?  Bad special effects, decent story, and one of the most gratuitous nude scenes in bad movie history!  Free on Tubi. 3.5/5 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 20, 2023, 09:46:34 AM
SCREWDRIVER (2023): After a breakup, a religious young woman goes to visit a high school friend and his wife; her hosts don't want her to leave--ever. It's mostly people talking in a single house, but the acting is pretty good, and the movie generally keeps your interest while only hinting at what is really going on under the surface. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 21, 2023, 10:15:41 AM
WHERE THE DEVIL ROAMS (2023): A nomadic carnival family--angry mom, blood-shy dad, and mute daughter--is addicted to killing; they come across a Satanic artifact that takes their act to the next level. I was really rooting for this little indie horror because of the Adams family's likeability (mom, dad and daughter make low-budget horrors together--how cool!), and it does have a great setting and good opening and closing scenes, but the majority of the movie is a muddle; the two stories (a homicidal family and an occult curse) are mashed together uncomfortably, with lots of carny downtime thrown in. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on November 21, 2023, 10:23:37 AM
CREEP (2004)

for the first 30 minutes this is like THE ROOM of horror movies. was expecting Tommy Wiseau to pop up as the villain. so many dumb lines and awkward situations. unfortunately it turns into a generic screamy chasey 'everything happens in pitch darkness' horror movie after a while so the fun stops


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 21, 2023, 10:30:06 AM
CREEP (2004)

for the first 30 minutes this is like THE ROOM of horror movies. was expecting Tommy Wiseau to pop up as the villain. so many dumb lines and awkward situations. unfortunately it turns into a generic screamy chasey 'everything happens in pitch darkness' horror movie after a while so the fun stops

Is that the one set on the underground, or the one about the photographer?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 21, 2023, 04:28:42 PM
Started watching some Tom Baker era Doctor Who. First story was a hokey but decent one about a killer robot.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on November 21, 2023, 04:38:11 PM
CREEP (2004)

for the first 30 minutes this is like THE ROOM of horror movies. was expecting Tommy Wiseau to pop up as the villain. so many dumb lines and awkward situations. unfortunately it turns into a generic screamy chasey 'everything happens in pitch darkness' horror movie after a while so the fun stops

Is that the one set on the underground, or the one about the photographer?

underground.

In terms of 'train' movies it's not touching UNDER SIEGE 2


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on November 21, 2023, 05:05:08 PM
CREEP (2004)

for the first 30 minutes this is like THE ROOM of horror movies. was expecting Tommy Wiseau to pop up as the villain. so many dumb lines and awkward situations. unfortunately it turns into a generic screamy chasey 'everything happens in pitch darkness' horror movie after a while so the fun stops

Is that the one set on the underground, or the one about the photographer?
underground.

In terms of 'train' movies it's not touching UNDER SIEGE 2

Yeah, saw that one when it came out. I'd agree with your assessment.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on November 22, 2023, 04:29:42 AM
Shamwari [Friend] 1980: a remake of The Defiant Ones, set in my birth country. Very uncomfortable viewing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 23, 2023, 09:01:33 AM
"Survival of the Film Freaks" (2018)
Basic talking-head documentary on cult films, with various authors, webmasters, actors, and producers discussing their favorite 60s and 70s drive-in classics. Accompanied by plenty of cool gory clips from forgotten grindhouse horror and sleaze flicks. Mindless fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 23, 2023, 10:43:24 AM
BROOKLYN 45 (2023): Four army veterans (and a tag-along spouse) gather on the first Christmas after the end of WWII for a seance to contact a departed loved one; things go badly. Set almost entirely in a single room with the focus on five characters and their slowly revealed secrets and shifting loyalties, invoking themes like xenophobia and whether its justified to meet evil with evil, this modestly realized but engaging horror-drama feels like a film adaptation of a stage play---and I mean that in a complimentary way. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 23, 2023, 10:50:37 AM
BLUE BEETLE (2023):
The latest DC superhero movie to underperform at the box office, this one isn't as good as THE FLASH let alone James Gunn's outstanding THE SUICIDE SQUAD, though it is better, more distinct, and less tiresome than every other DC flick from the past several years. It looks great (Warner clearly spent more money than they were ever likely to turn a profit on) and the lively direction and solid acting (from an almost entirely Latinx cast) keeps the film moving along in spite of a largely bland and cliche-ridden screenplay.  Obv the pre-Gunn-helmed DC studio required a beat-by-beat replay of IRON MAN and Tom Holland's SPIDER-MAN w/ a little SHAZAM! sprinkled in, and for 80 or so minutes, that's what BLUE BEETLE gives us, under a thin cosmetic veneer of Hispanic culture and Mexican family values.

Then, in the final act, BLUE BEETLE takes a surprising hard turn into Leftist/anti-imperialist agitprop... which feels entirely apropos to the material and provides a rousing wrap-up to a previously middling entertainment. I'm too cynical to hope this was a conscious corporate attempt at an apology for WW84's appalling climactic hagiography of American fascism, but I'll appreciate it for what it is.

3.5/5
This is also the only superhero movie or maybe action movie full-stop that I can think of where the hero needs to be rescued by his elderly granny, so there's that.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on November 23, 2023, 01:14:34 PM
BLUE BEETLE (2023):
This is also the only superhero movie or maybe action movie full-stop that I can think of where the hero needs to be rescued by his elderly granny, so there's that.

Oy  :buggedout: :teddyr: :teddyr:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 23, 2023, 07:08:39 PM
BLUE BEETLE (2023):
This is also the only superhero movie or maybe action movie full-stop that I can think of where the hero needs to be rescued by his elderly granny, so there's that.

Oy  :buggedout: :teddyr: :teddyr:

Hey, it's different, anyway! Happy Thanksgiving btw.  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on November 24, 2023, 05:09:28 PM
Die Die My Darling (1965) - My favorite Misfits song is now a feature film! It's a "person keeping another person prisoner" movie, with the warden as it were being a misguided religious nut a la the Mom in Carrie and many others.

Relatively hot Stefanie Powers make the mistake of visiting Tallulah Bankhead somewhere in the British countryside. She's a pretty easy mark as she's too polite to tell the lady to f**k off plus it's 1965, there's no internet yadda yadda. If this were made today she would have to look at her cellphone every half hour or so and say "damn still no reception".

At it's best it has some Hitchcock-ian style and maneuvering. I found myself pausing it quite bit to look at social media, as the plot has since become rather familiar in movies and tv.

might have been better in black and white?

3.75/5



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on November 24, 2023, 11:48:53 PM
NAPOLEON (2023) - Not a lot of historical accuracy here, but I was entertained from start to finish.  Joaquin Phoenix is a little old for the role - at least early on - and the film was very ambitious, covering 25 years of Napoleon's life in the span of 2.5 hours.  But overall it was a very enjoyable film, and the battle scenes were pretty doggone epic, accuracy be d***ed!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 26, 2023, 04:15:24 AM
Joaquin Phoenix is a little old for the role - at least early on -

This is one of my pet peeves. Actors playing Napoleon tend to be far too old. Napoleon made his career as a young man. His greatest triumphs were in his 30s and he was only 46 at Waterloo, younger than Joaquin Phoenix is now. Yet for some reason the on screen Napoleon is usually middle-aged.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 26, 2023, 12:00:18 PM
DO NOT DISTURB: A young couple with relationship issues holes up at an all-adults resort during the off-season, then unwisely spends the week devouring a heap of peyote that a burned-out beach bum left them. It's FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS meets EATING RAOUL meets RAW; well-done (well, more rare) budget shocker. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 26, 2023, 02:35:52 PM
Joaquin Phoenix is a little old for the role - at least early on -

This is one of my pet peeves. Actors playing Napoleon tend to be far too old. Napoleon made his career as a young man. His greatest triumphs were in his 30s and he was only 46 at Waterloo, younger than Joaquin Phoenix is now. Yet for some reason the on screen Napoleon is usually middle-aged.

Alas, Timothee Chalamet can't be in everything!  :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 27, 2023, 09:48:00 AM
ENYS MEN (2022): A woman lives (alone?) on a rocky island, studying a rare flower; she gradually succumbs to hallucinations, whether from cabin fever or due to the ghosts of former shipwreck victims. Great cinematography and sound design, but any story it might tell is completely impressionistic, to be constructed by the viewer's imagination. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 27, 2023, 05:02:40 PM
"Rainbow: In Their Own Words" (2006)
The history of guitar wizard Ritchie Blackmore's 70s/80s hard rock combo is examined via vintage video clips and interviews with past band members like Graham Bonnett, Joe Lynn Turner, Bobby Rondinelli, Doogie White, and Ronnie James Dio. Long time fans probably won't learn anything they don't already know, but this is a decent video crash course for newcomers.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: javakoala on November 27, 2023, 05:25:24 PM
"Cobweb" (2023)

A pretty darned entertaining movie that may have slid under a lot of folk's radar. A bullied kid learns a shocking bit of family history, but realizes he really should do more research before acting.

Visually fun to watch as the interior of the house is almost like the interior of Who's TARDIS. Acting is mostly solid with Antony Starr (Homelander on "The Boys") giving a nicely wicked performance while being the seeming poster child for civility; he really has that down to an art.

Great build up to a violent third act that steals a bit of the tension set up by the first two acts, but still feels satisfying.

Beware! If you try to apply anything "real world" to this little horror fantasy, you will find plenty of issues. Instead, pretend you are the bullied little kid and enjoy it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on November 27, 2023, 05:37:26 PM
"Cobweb" (2023)
 Instead, pretend you are the bullied little kid and enjoy it.

My entire childhood prepared me to enjoy COBWEB!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on November 28, 2023, 10:08:05 AM
THE SUDBURY DEVIL (2023): Two 17th-centruy Puritan magistrates head into the woods with a witness to investigate reports of witchcraft; they find what they're looking for (and, naturally, wish they hadn't). Low-budget period folk horror that evokes a (far cheaper) THE WITCH, with strong nods to A FIELD IN ENGLAND; a bit ragged at times, but a modestly chilling success. I assume it will be streaming soon. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on November 28, 2023, 03:43:32 PM
Marry My Dead Body (2022)

When policeman Wu Ming-Han is gathering evidence in a drugs case, he inadvertently picks up a red envelope. This means he is now not only bound in a ghost marriage, but in gay ghost marriage at that. Being homophobic, he is appalled by the prospect, but then it turns out that the drugs case he is working on is related to the hit and run accident that killed his ghostly husband. So perhaps he can solve the case and allow the ghost to find peace at the same time.

Most of the comedy (and the heart) of the movie is in the developing relationship between the macho policeman and the gay ghost that haunts him. It is a sort of gay themed action buddy comedy. The humour is broad, but it has its moments and it is entertaining enough, until the last 15 minutes or so, when it unashamedly veers into melodrama.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 28, 2023, 08:27:35 PM
"American Hardcore" (2006)
A look back at the wild 'n crazy days of '80s hardcore punk, whose rise and fall coincided with the Reagan years in America. Features ultra-violent vintage live videos and and interviews with members of Black Flag, Minor Threat, SS Decontrol, T.S.O.L., Die Kreuzen, Battalion of Saints, and many more. A cool crash course in punk history for those who weren't there, and a nice trip down memory lane for those who lived through it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on November 29, 2023, 09:32:15 PM
"Invasion U.S.A." (1985)
An army of terrorist guerrillas led by Russian bad guy Richard Lynch (at his absolute bug-eyed, coked-up peak) land in Florida and begin a massive attack on America. Fortunately, we've got Uzi-toting CIA badass Matt Hunter (denim clad Chuck Norris, at peak beardness) standing in their way. Lotsa stuff blows up and countless butts get kicked in this utterly ridiculous, over the top cheeseball action flick that makes "Red Dawn" look absolutely plausible. A "so bad it's good" cult classic, and it even takes place during the holidays, so it's seasonally appropriate!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on November 30, 2023, 06:43:48 AM
The Curse 3: Blood Sacrifice aka Panga: eish  :buggedout:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 01, 2023, 01:07:40 PM
DR. BUTCHER M.D. (1980)

Hilarous cannibal zombie movie which brought nothing new to the genre, even at this early stage of the genre, but lotsa gory fun. The boat motor in the face scene is a stand out.

I had it on VHS way back when, so it was a fun reminder of those days.

(https://i.imgur.com/naEvs7m.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

It's on the PLEX Rocku TV channel.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 01, 2023, 01:13:28 PM
"American Hardcore" (2006)
A look back at the wild 'n crazy days of '80s hardcore punk, whose rise and fall coincided with the Reagan years in America. Features ultra-violent vintage live videos and and interviews with members of Black Flag, Minor Threat, SS Decontrol, T.S.O.L., Die Kreuzen, Battalion of Saints, and many more. A cool crash course in punk history for those who weren't there, and a nice trip down memory lane for those who lived through it.

I recall those days well. When collecting records was an adventure.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 01, 2023, 01:17:17 PM
DR. BUTCHER M.D. (1980)

Hilarous cannibal zombie movie which brought nothing new to the genre, even at this early stage of the genre, but lotsa gory fun. The boat motor in the face scene is a stand out.

I had it on VHS way back when, so it was a fun reminder of those days.

(https://i.imgur.com/naEvs7m.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

It's on the PLEX Rocku TV channel.

It was released here on DVD as Zombie Cannibal Holocaust which made me more confused than usual.  :wink: I seriously didn't know what I was buying until I saw it and saw the zombie getting his / its' face changed by the outboard motor, then I was "Ah, OK."  :wink:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 01, 2023, 07:42:55 PM
NEW YORK RIPPER (1982)
Fulci is just as gory and a lot more sleazier in this confusing movie about a serial killer in NYC (me home town!) who- yes- talks in a Donald Duck voice. Why? Watch this nasty mess to find out if you have the stomach.

(https://i.imgur.com/0r1TKdF.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on December 01, 2023, 10:14:26 PM
I just rewatched Mad Max.  Had been ages since I saw the original film.  Opinion hasn't changed a whole lot.  It's worth a watch, but with its one foot in reality and character stuff...  Just doesn't work as well as the sequels.  Good villain, some memorable scenes, good action sequences, great ending, but a lot of the storyline barely exists, character motivations are thin, it's weirdly underwritten, it's just very rough.  Like a rough draft for the Road Warrior, which is vastly superior. 

I also watched Insidious: The Last Key.  Have to say I don't really care for this series very much, but my wife likes them so here I go.  All of them are badly written with bad characters and the same jump scare setups over and over.  You'll occasionally get some decently creepy scenes, but it's really hard to care.  Lin Shaye is always good, but she doesn't have enough to work with.  It's also really unclear what the rules of the setting are, like you have no idea what's going on.  For my money, the other James Wan involved spooky series, The Conjuring, especially the first one, is a lot better.  You understand what is happening much better, the creepy parts are built up to and set up, the jump scares are more effective, and the characters especially are MUCH better written. 

At least the main ghost in this looks pretty cool, and one character abruptly killing another was pretty satisfying.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 01, 2023, 10:48:19 PM
"An Eye For An Eye" (1981)
A San Francisco cop (Chuck Norris) embarks on a mission of vengeance to bring down the Chinese Triad gang who killed his partner.
A pretty standard "Dirty Harry" style action flick, Chuck was still learning how to act so his performance is typically wooden but the stunts and action sequences are on point. Not a top drawer Chuck flick, but worth checking out.

"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" (2023)
Harrison Ford dons the fedora and bull whip one last time as the well-past-retirement-age Dr. Jones, in a new adventure set in 1969. When Indy is visited by the daughter of an old friend it draws him into a plot to recover an artifact he lost during World War II that may have the ability to travel through time.
At 2 hours and 40 minutes this flick is probably a bit overlong, but it never drags or wears out his welcome, unlike "Crystal Skull." I had low expectations for this, but was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I would watch it again, which is not something I can say about the previous "Indy" installment.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 02, 2023, 05:20:55 AM
"An Eye For An Eye" (1981)
A San Francisco cop (Chuck Norris) embarks on a mission of vengeance to bring down the Chinese Triad gang who killed his partner.
A pretty standard "Dirty Harry" style action flick, Chuck was still learning how to act so his performance is typically wooden but the stunts and action sequences are on point. Not a top drawer Chuck flick, but worth checking out.

Andrew published my review of it for us on here: my first published work.  :smile: :smile:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on December 02, 2023, 07:46:59 AM
The Mean One.

A similar sort of concept to the recent Blood & Honey Winnie the Pooh movie, although one that is much better. If nothing else it can at least claim some level of understanding of its source material.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on December 02, 2023, 08:44:05 AM
I just rewatched Mad Max.  Had been ages since I saw the original film.  Opinion hasn't changed a whole lot.  It's worth a watch, but with its one foot in reality and character stuff...  Just doesn't work as well as the sequels.  Good villain, some memorable scenes, good action sequences, great ending, but a lot of the storyline barely exists, character motivations are thin, it's weirdly underwritten, it's just very rough.  Like a rough draft for the Road Warrior, which is vastly superior.

I agree with you on this take. And something else that happened to me when watching it, although I may be wrong because it was a long time: didn't you felt like the movie wasn't post-apocalyptic enough? At one point they even go to an ice cream store, for example. If you skipped the first "explanation" of the background the whole movie may as well take place in some random modern city with lots of crime.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 02, 2023, 10:20:58 AM
I just rewatched Mad Max.  Had been ages since I saw the original film.  Opinion hasn't changed a whole lot.  It's worth a watch, but with its one foot in reality and character stuff...  Just doesn't work as well as the sequels.  Good villain, some memorable scenes, good action sequences, great ending, but a lot of the storyline barely exists, character motivations are thin, it's weirdly underwritten, it's just very rough.  Like a rough draft for the Road Warrior, which is vastly superior.

I agree with you on this take. And something else that happened to me when watching it, although I may be wrong because it was a long time: didn't you felt like the movie wasn't post-apocalyptic enough? At one point they even go to an ice cream store, for example. If you skipped the first "explanation" of the background the whole movie may as well take place in some random modern city with lots of crime.

I haven't seen it in a long time, but my impression is Mad Max takes place just as civilization is collapsing and barely hanging on; by the time of Road Warrior some years later, things have totally gone to anarchy. I don't think Mad Max was meant to be post-apocalyptic, but pre-post-apocalyptic. I liked that time period, in some ways its more interesting than the post-apocalyptic world.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on December 02, 2023, 10:26:32 AM
I just rewatched Mad Max.  Had been ages since I saw the original film.  Opinion hasn't changed a whole lot.  It's worth a watch, but with its one foot in reality and character stuff...  Just doesn't work as well as the sequels.  Good villain, some memorable scenes, good action sequences, great ending, but a lot of the storyline barely exists, character motivations are thin, it's weirdly underwritten, it's just very rough.  Like a rough draft for the Road Warrior, which is vastly superior.

I agree with you on this take. And something else that happened to me when watching it, although I may be wrong because it was a long time: didn't you felt like the movie wasn't post-apocalyptic enough? At one point they even go to an ice cream store, for example. If you skipped the first "explanation" of the background the whole movie may as well take place in some random modern city with lots of crime.

I haven't seen it in a long time, but my impression is Mad Max takes place just as civilization is collapsing and barely hanging on; by the time of Road Warrior some years later, things have totally gone to anarchy. I don't think Mad Max was meant to be post-apocalyptic, but pre-post-apocalyptic. I liked that time period, in some ways its more interesting than the post-apocalyptic world.

Indeed Rev, civilisation hasn't actually fallen until the second movie.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 02, 2023, 11:22:27 AM
I just rewatched Mad Max. 
Like a rough draft for the Road Warrior, which is vastly superior. 

I also watched Insidious: The Last Key.  Have to say I don't really care for this series very much, but my wife likes them so here I go.  All of them are badly written with bad characters and the same jump scare setups over and over.  You'll occasionally get some decently creepy scenes, buts also really unclear what the rules of the setting are, like you have no idea what's going on.  For my money, the other James Wan involved spooky series, The Conjuring, especially the first one, is a lot better.  You understand what is happening much better, the creepy parts are built up to and set up, the jump scares are more effective, and the characters especially are MUCH better written. 

A lot in the above that I can get behind!  :thumbup:

I saw ROAD WARRIOR (and probably THUNDERDOME) first as a kid, then MAD MAX, and was also very disappointed. I did revisit it a couple years ago and liked it much more than I had originally. but it is often slow and thin. The good bits are very good, however. And of course eventually it allowed Miller to make FURY ROAD.  :hot:

I often think I'm in a minority (in many ways, but among those) in that I find almost nothing to like about the INSIDIOUS films and also find THE CONJURING universe highly overrated. I do agree that the CONJURING-propers (not ANNABELLE, THE NUN, etc) are better written and better acted, but I don't find them scary in the least. I skipped the first two INSIDIOUS entries for about 5 years until I felt inundated w/ reviews calling one or both "the scariest film of" etc etc. So I pulled the trigger. O BROTHER! Who are these people who get frightened by these movies? Not prolific horror viewers, I guess. There is that one, single famous jump scare of the demon face OTS in the first movie that is reasonable legit, though not remotely as scary as similar moments in multiple David Lynch films. Really, as a shock technician, James Wan is an amateur!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on December 02, 2023, 11:57:10 AM
DR. BUTCHER M.D. (1980)

Hilarous cannibal zombie movie which brought nothing new to the genre, even at this early stage of the genre, but lotsa gory fun. The boat motor in the face scene is a stand out.

I had it on VHS way back when, so it was a fun reminder of those days.

(https://i.imgur.com/naEvs7m.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

It's on the PLEX Rocku TV channel.

NEW YORK RIPPER (1982)
Fulci is just as gory and a lot more sleazier in this confusing movie about a serial killer in NYC (me home town!) who- yes- talks in a Donald Duck voice. Why? Watch this nasty mess to find out if you have the stomach.

(https://i.imgur.com/0r1TKdF.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

2 of my absolute favourites here  :thumbup:

NYR is without doubt my fav Fulci movie

DR B MD (or ZH) is my favourite 'zombie movie' if it can even be called that?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on December 02, 2023, 04:49:57 PM
I just rewatched Mad Max.  Had been ages since I saw the original film.  Opinion hasn't changed a whole lot.  It's worth a watch, but with its one foot in reality and character stuff...  Just doesn't work as well as the sequels.  Good villain, some memorable scenes, good action sequences, great ending, but a lot of the storyline barely exists, character motivations are thin, it's weirdly underwritten, it's just very rough.  Like a rough draft for the Road Warrior, which is vastly superior.

I agree with you on this take. And something else that happened to me when watching it, although I may be wrong because it was a long time: didn't you felt like the movie wasn't post-apocalyptic enough? At one point they even go to an ice cream store, for example. If you skipped the first "explanation" of the background the whole movie may as well take place in some random modern city with lots of crime.

I haven't seen it in a long time, but my impression is Mad Max takes place just as civilization is collapsing and barely hanging on; by the time of Road Warrior some years later, things have totally gone to anarchy. I don't think Mad Max was meant to be post-apocalyptic, but pre-post-apocalyptic. I liked that time period, in some ways its more interesting than the post-apocalyptic world.

Rev, have you seen The Rover?  I always like to find reasons to recommend that film, think it's rather underseen.  Robert Pattinson is great in it, so is Guy Pearce.  It's even Australian.  Feels like a similar level of societal decline is going on in it as the original Mad Max, perhaps one step further down, and I think the story and characters are a lot stronger.  Guy Pearce is probably the angriest character I've ever seen in any film in it, yeesh.

Also, "pre-post-apocalyptic" is pretty funny but good way of putting it.  Saying it's "apocalyptic" feels wrong, as that implies a sudden, big event which is not what we're seeing.  Crumbling society is probably accurate, but doesn't sound good.  And crumble films just sounds silly.

Quote
I often think I'm in a minority (in many ways, but among those) in that I find almost nothing to like about the INSIDIOUS films and also find THE CONJURING universe highly overrated. I do agree that the CONJURING-propers (not ANNABELLE, THE NUN, etc) are better written and better acted, but I don't find them scary in the least. I skipped the first two INSIDIOUS entries for about 5 years until I felt inundated w/ reviews calling one or both "the scariest film of" etc etc. So I pulled the trigger. O BROTHER! Who are these people who get frightened by these movies? Not prolific horror viewers, I guess. There is that one, single famous jump scare of the demon face OTS in the first movie that is reasonable legit, though not remotely as scary as similar moments in multiple David Lynch films. Really, as a shock technician, James Wan is an amateur!

Yeah, I should say, I don't think the Conjuring films are very scary, just have some decent atmosphere and I actually like the two leads, which really helps.  All the characters in the Insidious films are basically boring or annoying.  Also the Conjuring 2 starts out OK, but the ending is bad and way too much.  Part 3 wasn't great either, and I feel it's depiction of a real life murderer and how they show his fate (he's still alive and a free man today) as almost triumphant is a little...  Hinky, for lack of a better term, even though I don't doubt he was legitimately mentally ill (and not possessed by a literal demon) at the time.  Haven't seen the other films (Annabelle, the Nun, Curse of La Llorona).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 02, 2023, 04:51:48 PM

Rev, have you seen The Rover?  I always like to find reasons to recommend that film, think it's rather underseen.  Robert Pattinson is great in it, so is Guy Pearce.  It's even Australian.  Feels like a similar level of societal decline is going on in it as the original Mad Max, perhaps one step further down, and I think the story and characters are a lot stronger.  Guy Pearce is probably the angriest character I've ever seen in any film in it, yeesh.


No I haven't, but I do find the idea appealing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 03, 2023, 09:25:58 AM
"Timeless Heroes: Indiana Jones & Harrison Ford" (2023)
Disney+ documentary on the life and career of Harrison Ford, with the main focus being his iconic performances as Indiana Jones. Some good stories are told and the vintage behind-the-scenes clips from the making of the films is fun to watch. Breezy fun for fanboys.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 03, 2023, 10:27:53 AM
VISITORS FROM THE ARKANA GALAXY (1981): An aspiring science fiction writer finds he has materialized the aliens from his long-gestating novel, plus a space monster. An old Czechoslovakia/Yugoslavia co-production, it has plentiful but cheesy special effects that wouldn't look too out of place in something like "Battlestar Galactica"; it plays mostly like a TV sitcom up until the gratuitous nudity, and the appearance of a cool, oozing monster created by legendary animator Jan Svankmajer. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 04, 2023, 09:58:11 AM
HAPPER'S COMET (2022): We peek at the mundane lives of numerous people over what seems to be one night in one small town: people sleep, watch TV, a young woman sneaks out of the house to meet a lover, a man rollerblades in the dark. There is no dialogue, story, or comet. Cinematography and sound design is excellent; the whole thing seems aimed at cinematographers and sound designers. This is a curious Covid artifiact that would not have been made if not for pandemic-era social distancing. I'm sort of torn between 1.5 and 2/5 here; chances are you will not like it, but may admire it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 04, 2023, 08:46:48 PM
"Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films" (2015)
Enormously entertaining doc on Cannon Films, the notorious movie studio run by two Israeli cousins who did their best to take Hollywood by storm in the '80s via lots of schlocky movies that featured Charles Bronson, Chuck Norris, ninjas, and breakdancers. A totally awesome trip down memory lane for '80s trash enthusiasts.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 05, 2023, 02:21:29 AM
I watched an episode of Dead Zone, the Stephen King inspired tv series. It was well done, but too similar to Touched by an Angel or something. probably won't continue


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 06, 2023, 09:51:45 PM
"All The Creatures Were Stirring" (2018)
Cheap horror anthology made up of five short scary stories that take place at Christmastime. A couple of the tales are passable, but for the most part this flick is cheap looking, woodenly acted, and poorly edited. Skip this and re-watch the far superior "A Christmas Horror Story" instead.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on December 07, 2023, 03:02:18 PM
The Dark, Sad Life of Boogie2988 - Debatable to me if this qualifies as a movie, but it is well made and free on YouTube.  I saw just a couple of Boogie's old videos, was never a fan, but was peripherally aware of his many problems over the years.  This video digs into them and spares zero punches.  It's brutal, his severe health issues, horrible financial decisions, mistreatment of people, his felony (he fired a gun into the air to scare someone off, it's on camera in the doc).  There's a bizarre job interview too, it plays like a sketch on It's Always Sunny.

Boogie comes across pretty poorly, especially his apparent arrogance with simultaneous self-pity.  But it's consistently fascinating and well made.  How often do you see a doc where the documentarian decides to stop focusing on his subject for a bit because he's too depressing to be around?

It's a little unfocused at times (a central theme might be good, but with the way things went I don't how they could have constructed one), but it's an interesting watch on quite a character.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 07, 2023, 05:01:07 PM
SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (2023): A psychotic criminal (Nic Cage) kidnaps an executive who's rushing to the hospital to support his pregnant wife, who is going into a difficult labor. Cage is terrific, howling and doing bad karaoke and otherwise doing his thing, but Joel Kinnaman holds his own as the resourceful hostage, making this two-hander very watchable despite some eyebrow-raising plot turns.  3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 07, 2023, 09:03:34 PM
"Marked For Death" (1990)
After his partner is killed during an undercover op gone wrong, a DEA agent (Steven Seagal) retires and returns to his home town. He soon learns that his old neighborhood is now under the control of a vicious gang of Jamaican drug dealers. You can probably figure out the rest.
Seagal never could act worth a damn, of course, but he's in fine bone-breaking form here and the mayhem is impressive. Worth a look for action enthusiasts.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 07, 2023, 11:03:26 PM
SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (2023): A psychotic criminal (Nic Cage) kidnaps an executive who's rushing to the hospital to support his pregnant wife, who is going into a difficult labor. Cage is terrific, howling and doing bad karaoke and otherwise doing his thing,

I watched the trailer, or most of it until it threatened to divulge too many key moments, and it seemed pretty clear that Cage is trying to give a late 90s Al Pacino performance... is that indeed the case?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 08, 2023, 10:18:00 PM
SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (2023): A psychotic criminal (Nic Cage) kidnaps an executive who's rushing to the hospital to support his pregnant wife, who is going into a difficult labor. Cage is terrific, howling and doing bad karaoke and otherwise doing his thing,

I watched the trailer, or most of it until it threatened to divulge too many key moments, and it seemed pretty clear that Cage is trying to give a late 90s Al Pacino performance... is that indeed the case?

I dunno... he's Caging. I guess maybe there's some wild Pacino in there but it didn't cross my mind at the time.

EYES OF DREAD (2023): A woman has nightmares and visions and tries to find her sister, who disappeared into an evil building. This wants very much to be low-budget Argento or Lynch, and while it looks pretty good at times, its confusing, uninvolving, terribly acted, and has a real letdown anticlimax, if you make it that far. 1/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 09, 2023, 09:28:11 AM
I still don't understand how "karma" works and I don't appear able to give it, but I applaud you for introducing to me the active verb "caging"!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 09, 2023, 05:05:51 PM
"Alligator" (1980)
A baby alligator is flushed into the Chicago sewer system, and a dozen years later it's grown to enormous size and developed a taste for humans. When it begins roaming the city streets munching on residents, a cop (Robert Forster) and a reptile expert (Robin Riker) have to figure out how to stop the critter. One of the better late 70s/early 80s creature features inspired by the success of "Jaws."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 09, 2023, 05:50:40 PM
Disclosure (1994) - I mean... basically Michael Douglas make these thriller type movies, sometimes they're amazing like The Game other times they're a little bonky like this one, but I enjoy them. Demi Moore looks incredible, the plot doesn't make boatloads of sense but it keeps you engaged well enough. If I worked at this company I'd probably be pretty baffled that all of a sudden this smoking hot woman shows up and everything goes awry in the office and also at a factory in like Malaysia or something?

Whatever. loved it and would watch a sequel

4.25/ 5

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA8K8-MXoAAgWoy?format=png&name=small)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 09, 2023, 10:26:40 PM
PLEASE DON'T DESTROY: THE TREASURE OF FOGGY MOUNTAIN (2023)
Reviews have been mixed for this irreverent/absurdist comedy from producer Judd Apatow, w/ the UK Guardian awarding one star and the headline "Please Don't Watch". I thought it was funnier than any other comedy w/ Apatow's name on it from the past 16 years, plus at a lean 92 minutes it's only about half as long. It's also a lot more entertaining than other latter day trios of male stooges, such as the Lonely Island in whatever feature film it was they ended up making together, or even the similarly-themed streaming sitcom "Workaholics".  The three writer/stars (who apparently are known as the eponymous "Please Don't Destroy") deliver all the comedic non-sequiters that seem to be required in our "Family Guy"-ravaged cultural wasteland, but they actually have a strong enough handle on character and dialogue to deliver more intelligence than is common to the genre. We learn a lot about the characters from the choices they make and how they talk about what they talk about, instead of from flat expository statements....... you know, like in life and like in real screenplays.  :smile: I also admired that the primary female love interest is a(n appealingly but unequivocally) plus-size person yet no one ever mentions her weight and she doesn't require a makeover before the guy reciprocates. IMHO This is a much more effective version of enlightened casting than what I discussed in my review of IT'S A WONDERFUL KNIFE; it doesn't draw attention to itself and you just accept it happily because everything else about PDD:TTOFM makes sense (or makes no sense agreeably).

I will say that the first half made me laugh out loud more frequently than the second half, which gets just preoccupied enough with plot and action to diminish the (initially very high) rate of humor delivery. For what it's worth, though, ...FOGGY MOUNTAIN has as much plot and action in its first 45 minutes than most of Apatow's films have in their entire running time, and then the second half just keeps throwing curveballs. The PDD boys sure aren't lazy. I have watched little "Saturday Night Live" in recent years and don't recognize them, or the female lead(s?), or the main bad guy, all of whom are apparently current or recent SNL players. But I did recognize and enjoy Conan O'Brien in a (rare) large supporting role, STRANGER THINGS' Gaten Mattarazzo (as himself!), ensemble members from G.L.O.W. and RENO 911, and the voice of John Goodman providing welcome narration. (Goodman stops the action at one point to remind any viewers who somehow failed to recognize his mellifluous baritone of his bona fides.) The soundtrack is also really fun. The Guardian's film critic needs to pull the stick out.

3.5/5
Even just placing O'Brien and Mattarazzo onscreen together is funny.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 09, 2023, 11:25:35 PM
"Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday" (1993)
In the 9th (yet far from "final") installment in the "Friday the 13th" series, Jason gets blown to smithereens by the FBI before the opening credits are finished rolling... yet his evil is able to live on by possessing other bodies as he tries to get re-born through his last remaining blood relative.
Amidst all the gory ultra-violence, there's more back story and character development in this one movie than in the previous eight "F13's" put togethe. Sharp eyed nerds will get a kick out of the nods to "The Evil Dead," "The Hidden," and "Creepshow," but otherwise this movie is a total mess. I hated it when I first saw it during its theatrical run, yet for some reason I keep re-visiting it every decade or so to see if my opinion of it has changed. It hasn't... it still sucks.
AVOID.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 10, 2023, 12:34:52 AM
"Alligator" (1980)
A baby alligator is flushed into the Chicago sewer system, and a dozen years later it's grown to enormous size and developed a taste for humans. When it begins roaming the city streets munching on residents, a cop (Robert Forster) and a reptile expert (Robin Riker) have to figure out how to stop the critter. One of the better late 70s/early 80s creature features inspired by the success of "Jaws."

The graffitti in the sewer at the end  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 10, 2023, 06:37:35 AM
Call Me Chihiro (2023)

Chihiro works at a bento shop in a small seaside town, but used to be a sex worker and is very open about her past. This makes her a pole of attraction for the various loners and outcasts of the town.

This is a feel good movie about how an empathic stranger can touch lives and create connections between the lonely. However, there is no story to speak of, it is just a series of slice of life vignettes that gradually come together. This may be enough for some, but I like to have some plot, however minimal, to keep my interest going.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 10, 2023, 09:55:34 AM
SEVEN FACES OF JANE (2023): Jane drops off her kid at camp and goes on a road trip in seven acts, directed by seven different directors. Supposedly an exquisite corpse (each director has no knowledge of what the segment before or after will be), but for the most part they all play it safe, producing seven standalone shorts (plus a wraparound) serving as acting showcases for Gillian Jacobs. Free on Amazon Prime. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Gabriel Knight on December 10, 2023, 08:25:32 PM
HOBGOBLINS (1988) MST3K VERSION

A young security guard must track down diminutive aliens who kill people even as they make their fantasies come true.

Wow, what can you say about this? It was clearly made completely aware of its own crappyness, which kinda takes away the fun for me. I mean, they deliberately made this film to be as ridiculous and cheesy as possible, so of course the result will be this incoherent mess.

The puppets are most of the times just static, and when they jump on people the actors (and I use that term very loosely) grab them and shake them as if they were attacked, it's just dreadful. The plot is beyond stupid, the whole bar scene last forever, and all the characters are a disgrace. You really can't put this movie in any genre also, because it fails in every level imaginable. I don't think a single person dies in the whole movie, not even the guy who gets completely engulfed in flames, so even the synopsis is a lie.

This movie is terrible, and honestly, I don't mean it in a so-bad-it's-good kind of way, because for me, in order for that to happen, the director has to be honest in the first place. BIRDEMIC and JACK-O are good examples of this, they really tried, but luckily for us, failed miserably. HOBGOBLINS is just a bad rip off of GREMLINS meant as a cash grab, taking advantage of the bad movies cult. The trivia even confirms that the director personally contacted the MST3K crew so they showed one of his films, but eventually sent them this one.

Avoid this crap unless it's in the MST3K format, because to be fair the episode was truly hilarious.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 10, 2023, 08:53:15 PM
"Batman: Death in the Family" (2020)
A DC Animated follow up to "Under The Red Hood," in which Batman learns that the Red Hood, a new murderous vigilante in Gotham City, is actually Jason Todd, a former "Robin" that he thought had died. As usual for these DC Animated Universe films, there's lots of cartoon ultra-violence and action that's definitely not suitable for the kiddies.
To pad things out to feature length, "Death in the Family" is followed by several more animated shorts featuring second-division DC characters like Sgt. Rock (leading the Creature Commandos on a mission!), the Phantom Stranger, and Death. Some of these were actually more entertaining than the Batman segment. All in all, a mixed bag.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 11, 2023, 08:48:56 PM
"Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2" (1987)
"Ricky," the younger brother of the Santa Claus killer from the first "SN, DN," pours out his tragic life story to a jail psychiatrist (aided by about 30 minutes of recycled footage from the first film) before he escapes to go on his own Santa-suited kill spree.
Unintentionally hilarious sequel to the notorious 1984 Yuletide slasher sickie is packed with quotably silly dialogue and horrendous acting, especially by the dude who plays "Ricky."
As awful as this movie is, it's still become a holiday season perennial for me. Yes, I realize I have questionable taste in "Christmas movies."
All together now: GAAARRRRBAGE DAAAAAAYYYY!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 11, 2023, 09:34:14 PM
Feel no shame, FFC! You've put me in a mind to revisit these first two unforgettable entries. Might be just what I need to get in the Yuletide spirit!  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 12, 2023, 05:18:31 PM
Margin Call (2011) - Demi fest continues with this Wall Street drama. Moore doesn't have much to do here, but she plays the overpaid executive forced to stay up all night and deal with a bad trade well enough. If you watch CNBC or read the business section this will be riveting stuff, if not it might not be, but this kind of thing was pretty popular for a while. One of the reasons cited for Moore's divorce from Ashton Kutcher was her insatiable appetite for other women, which was a loophole in their relationship I guess. If you don't care about Wall Street just think about that.

Helping her out are some huge actors Like Jeremy Irons, Kevin Spacey, and the guy from The Mentalist. I guess if I had one criticism it might be that it's a little TOO calm. There are a lot of meetings but not much action. One point it makes is that the insane amounts of money available in banking and portfolio managing and so forth diverts people from much more productive lines of work like science and engineering.

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 13, 2023, 09:47:54 AM
Margin Call (2011) - Demi fest continues with this Wall Street drama. Moore doesn't have much to do here, but she plays the overpaid executive forced to stay up all night and deal with a bad trade well enough. If you watch CNBC or read the business section this will be riveting stuff, if not it might not be, but this kind of thing was pretty popular for a while. One of the reasons cited for Moore's divorce from Ashton Kutcher was her insatiable appetite for other women, which was a loophole in their relationship I guess. If you don't care about Wall Street just think about that.

Helping her out are some huge actors Like Jeremy Irons, Kevin Spacey, and the guy from The Mentalist. I guess if I had one criticism it might be that it's a little TOO calm. There are a lot of meetings but not much action. One point it makes is that the insane amounts of money available in banking and portfolio managing and so forth diverts people from much more productive lines of work like science and engineering.

5/5

I saw it when it came out and liked it a lot. The "bridge" speech sticks with me. The Big Short (2015) was a similar financial drama that was more entertaining.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on December 13, 2023, 04:28:08 PM
The General (1926)

Buster Keaton is a train engineer during the civil war. When a dastardly Union raiding party makes off with his train, while his fiancée is still in it, he goes after them with a determination and bad luck worthy of Wiley E. Coyote.

I was surprised by the scale of the movie. They don't muck about with miniatures, when they want a steam engine crashing from a bridge, they have a steam engine crash from a bridge. When they want battle scenes, they call out the National Guard. Perhaps not as funny as its reputation suggests, but very watchable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 13, 2023, 04:58:28 PM
Quote
I saw it when it came out and liked it a lot. The "bridge" speech sticks with me. The Big Short (2015) was a similar financial drama that was more entertaing

I actually got them confused and thought the rocket scientist character was Christian Bale for minute.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 13, 2023, 05:05:25 PM
"Creem: America's Only Rock Magazine" (2019)
Cool documentary about Creem, the gritty '70s rock magazine who served as the loud mouthed, stoner opposite of the stuffy Rolling Stone. Packed with cool vintage photos and interviews with former staffers as well as fans and readers like Kirk Hammett, Chad Smith (RHCP), Wayne Kramer (MC5), Alice Cooper, and more. By the time I started buying rock mags regularly in the mid 80s, Creem was already on its last legs (it ceased publication in 1989), so I only ever saw a few issues of it, but it sounds like it was a wild ride while it lasted. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 13, 2023, 05:06:58 PM
^ I remember buying CREEM. "Boy Howdy"!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 14, 2023, 01:32:12 PM
HOUSE (1977) Perhaps the most insane Japanese ghost movie you will ever see. Doesn't make a hell of a lotta sense- but who cares? The visuals are a trip without drugs or leaving the farm.

(https://i.imgur.com/ORyXzEn.gif) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 15, 2023, 11:31:37 AM
THE DARK SISTERS (2023): Two sisters reunite at a lakeside cabin to reflect on a crime from their past. Poetic, impressionistic, and opaque: great shots of Caddo Lake and its lily pads, vaguely defined archetypal characters, thick symbolism, voiceovers replacing dialogue, that kind of thing. 1.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 15, 2023, 03:07:17 PM
LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023) - Ethan Hawke and Julia Roberts star in this engrossing account of the end of civilization.
A husband and wife take their two teenagers to a nice bed and breakfast on the Jersey shore, intending to get away from it all for a few days.
But a trip to the beach ends in clamor and confusion after a huge oil tanker runs aground, and then the owners of the house they are staying in show up, explaining that there is a blackout in NYC and they are wanting to stay in the home with their guests till things get back to normal.  But then they don't . . .
Great film, lots of suspense, lots of unanswered questions, and stellar performances!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 15, 2023, 05:09:17 PM
^ my friend described it as "Julia Roberts frowns for 3 hours"


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 15, 2023, 10:40:03 PM
Ah, Indiana, you beat me to it. I watched it last Saturday, started a review early in the week, but my laptop crashed and I lost a buncha' words. Since I was on the fence initially, I'll, uh... let you have the spotlight here and I'll post my thoughts over in the "Bad Movies: Recent Viewings" thread instead.  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on December 16, 2023, 04:29:46 AM
HOUSE (1977) Perhaps the most insane Japanese ghost movie you will ever see. Doesn't make a hell of a lotta sense- but who cares? The visuals are a trip without drugs or leaving the farm.

(https://i.imgur.com/ORyXzEn.gif) (https://lunapic.com)

a clip from this went semi-viral in the early days of YouTube… still never gotten round to seeing it.

I’m such a n00b when it comes to Asian horror. SICK NURSES (2007) is one of the few I’ve seen, and was pretty crazy


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 16, 2023, 12:10:00 PM
HOUSE (1977) Perhaps the most insane Japanese ghost movie you will ever see. Doesn't make a hell of a lotta sense- but who cares? The visuals are a trip without drugs or leaving the farm.

(https://i.imgur.com/ORyXzEn.gif) (https://lunapic.com)

a clip from this went semi-viral in the early days of YouTube… still never gotten round to seeing it.

I’m such a n00b when it comes to Asian horror. SICK NURSES (2007) is one of the few I’ve seen, and was pretty crazy

HAUSU is a must see. It's not really "Asian horror"; it's totally its own genre.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 16, 2023, 01:49:41 PM
MADS ARE BACK: THE CREEPING TERROR: You know the story: mutant carpet comes to Earth, mutant carpet eats teens who helpfully crawl into its maw, army eventually kills mutant carpet way too late, Earth is doomed. Frank and Trace wring a few new chuckles out but stick with the original MST3K version for your own sanity. Includes a five-minute outtake segment that they should have left in. The Q&A guest is writer Kliph Nesteroff, who tells a few old showbiz stories about folks like Regis Philbin. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 16, 2023, 04:51:50 PM
Copycat (1995) - not bad for a random tubi find here. Pretty darn good thriller and certainly a must see for serial killer fans, of which I really am not generally. Sigourney Weaver embraces the darkness of the whole thing which also includes funky early internet stuff back when that was a novelty.

Weaver gets attacked by a serial killer, played well enough by the usually better Harry Connick Jr, which drives her into becoming an agoraphobe. The rest of the movie is basically a history of serial killers featuring all the big names the Boston Strangler, Ted Bundy etc as the police work to catch the titular copycat.

It did take me a few nights to watch but I already like it a lot better than The Departed which I just started.

4.5 /5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 16, 2023, 04:54:07 PM
^I thought the DEAPARTED was excellant!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on December 16, 2023, 05:44:03 PM
I just got back from watching Napoleon. 

Visually, it was beautiful with great costumes, sets, and battle sequences. 

As a movie, it was kinda lacking.  It seemed more like a series of events than any actual narrative.  Also, Joaquin Phoenix comes across as very bland.  There's a bunch of points in the movie where it seems the script was written for somebody with a lot of wit and charisma, but he just comes across as dull.  He was also very noticeably lacking any kind of accent. 

Also, not once in the movie did they mention the time he went to San Dimas, California in the 1980s.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 16, 2023, 10:15:27 PM
"A Christmas Horror Story" (2015)
A cool anthology of Yuletide horror tales: teen paranormal investigators revisit the site of a mysterious Christmas Eve murder, a bickering family has a Krampus encounter, and a Christmas tree hunting family brings home something sinister from the forest. Meanwhile at the North Pole, Santa deals with a zombie outbreak amongst his elves and William Shatner (!) ties it all together with a hilarious turn as a radio DJ in an ugly Christmas sweater. This one has become a holiday season perennial for me. Lots of twisted holiday fun.

"Black Christmas" (2006)
Sorority sisters learn the hard way that their house was once the home of a psycho killer, when he escapes from the asylum on December 24th and comes "home" for Christmas. Lots of holly-jolly carnage ensues.
Unpopular opinion: I actually like this remake better than Bob Clark's 1974 original. It's got tons of Christmasy atmosphere (which makes the ultra-violence hit even harder), it's faster moving, has a great cast full of eye candy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert, Dawn Trachtenberg, etc.) and it's got a mean streak a mile wide (Incest! Cannibalism! Eyeball gougings!). Skip the terrible 2019 "reboot" attempt from Blumhouse and watch this one instead.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 17, 2023, 01:08:04 AM
I didn't love the 2006 remake but you ain't kiddin' about the cast.  :thumbup: You did neglect to mention supporting player Crystal Lowe, who I don't believe I've ever seen in anything else, but I still remember her (fondly) from her 20ish minutes in this one movie.  :teddyr:

I also liked COPYCAT much more than I'd expected when I caught it in the 90s. As a thriller it's a little above average but Sigourney Weaver and Holly Hunter could really class up a pedestrian party back in those days.

THE DEPARTED! There's a lot to admire about it, not least that Scorsese and Monaghan managed to compress almost seven hours of source material into about 160 taut minutes. I think the two leads are just fine and Vera Farmiga is outstanding. HOWEVER, I've always strongly felt that the film suffers from some serious casting confusion in the supporting roles that undercuts some of the strongest points of the original INFERNAL AFFAIRS. In brief, lemme suggest THE DEPARTED would be infinitely improved if

Ray Winstone played Nicholson's role (if you've seen the original, this is a no-brainer)
Mark Wahlberg played Winstone's role
Alec Baldwin played Wahlberg's role
Martin Sheen played Baldwin's role
And Nicholson played Sheen's role

Anthony Wong was basically the most respected serious character actor in Hong Kong when INFERNAL AFFAIRS was released, and third-billed in the credits. When he exits that film, it had a Red Wedding-type effect on the audience. Literally people passing out in shock. Martin Sheen is great, but he just wasn't that guy in 2006. Nicholson was still that guy. I wish Scorsese had the nuts to pull that off for U.S. audiences.......


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 17, 2023, 01:33:17 AM
I just got back from watching Napoleon. 

Also, not once in the movie did they mention the time he went to San Dimas, California in the 1980s.

 :bouncegiggle: :bouncegiggle: :bouncegiggle: :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 17, 2023, 08:38:43 AM
LOST HIGHWAY (1997)

Ok- Lemme say- I love David Lynch's films. Even when they make 0 sense. And this movie makes NO sense whatsoever. But I don't care. There are so bizzare and fascinating to watch. And whatta cast! Bill Pullman, Robert Loggia, Patricia Arquette, even Richard Pryor and Henrey Rollins! And Robert Blake is the stuff of nightmares!

(https://i.imgur.com/EHrq3i5.gif) (https://lunapic.com)

" At your house. Don't you remember? As a matter of fact, I'm there right now."


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 17, 2023, 09:39:39 AM
THE LAKE - I caught this one free on Prime Video last night.  It's a Taiwanese kaiju film about an amphibious monster that comes out of a lake to rescue its eggs and young that have been taken by locals. The creature itself was very cool looking, and some of the action shots were pretty awesome, but the plot was pretty lame - admittedly, I was watching the dubbed version, and the atrocious dubbing probably didn't help.  But I found myself unable to care about any of the characters and frankly wishing they would get back to the monster mayhem.  3/5 at best.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 17, 2023, 10:38:56 AM
 :cheers: to that, RC! Don't forget Gary Busey, doing about as much as Pryor and Rollins, but, hey - Gary Busey in a David Lynch movie!

How much do I love David Lynch? At least half of his filmography is about identity disorder but I never become impatient or resentful of him returning to the same central theme time and again. Human beings' relationship to their own consciousness and self-awareness seems like one of our major existential concerns and Lynch keeps discovering new angles on it or prisms through which to process that idea.

I saw FIGHT CLUB in a theater the week it was released w/ a colleague who is well-educated but narrow in his curiosities, if you will. He loved it until the end, then complained loudly about the twist. I shook my head and said, "Haven't you seen David Lynch's HOTEL ROOM?!" He hadn't. "...LOST HIGHWAY at least???"  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on December 17, 2023, 12:02:16 PM
The Retirement Plan - Nicholas Cage plays the estranged beach bum father of a woman in trouble with bad people.  He ends up looking out for her and the granddaughter he never met - turns out there's more to him than meets the eye.

This is a surprisingly pretty funny and entertaining film, despite numerous problems.  The direction in this is poor, like this looks like one of those crappy low budget Redbox films or something.  Every establishing shot is "drone shot, close up of random part of building, cut to close up".  Lighting is plain.  Editing is often bad.  Action scenes are badly shot and are jumbled.  The third act where it gets more action heavy thus can't carry the weight.  Most of the secondary characters are poorly acted.  But despite these quite serious problems...  

It's decently paced, has funny dialogue, some pretty cute small and sweet character moments, and so on.  Nicholas Cage, playing yet another fun character, is mostly great.  

Ron Perlman as a thug is so likable and charismatic he carries every scene.  In the second half of the film, Ernie Hudson shows up and is fun as always.  This was a rewrite or two (the extra layer of complications they add later on are too much, and one character exits the film too early) from being real special I think, but it was still a fun light watch.  Just be aware it's pretty violent.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 17, 2023, 04:47:43 PM
Quote
^I thought the DEAPARTED was excellant!

I actually had to stop watching it because I realized I was confusing Leo Dicaprio and Matt Damon with each other the whole time


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on December 17, 2023, 07:25:40 PM
I've said before on here that BLACK XMAS 2006 is my least favourite horror remake of all time... Something about the intensely bratty tone of it made me physically wince, I couldn't take any more than 30 mins, and I tried twice. oh well


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 18, 2023, 11:33:50 AM
20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL: An AP reporter and his team stay in Maripoul for 20 days after the Russian invasion begins, documenting the experiences of civilians under siege (including the notorious bombing of the maternity hospital). A surgeon working on a wounded four-year-old demands the camera "keep filming!"; 20 days later, the city is 90% rubble, and the crew takes the last caravan out. 4.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 18, 2023, 08:52:32 PM
"The Night Before" (2015)
Three friends (Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Leavitt, and Anthony Mackie) head into New York City on their annual Christmas Eve bender and have a series of wacky misadventures trying to gain access to a super-exclusive holiday party. This slapstick comedy has its moments (Rogen is a hoot), but it drags on a bit too long and tries to force in some dramatic bits that the movie doesn't really need. A late-inning cameo by Miley Cyrus (performing her then current hit "Wrecking Ball," of course) makes the movie dated already.

"Fortress 2: Re-Entry" (2000)
Christopher Lambert is back and he's still on the run from the evil corporation from the first "Fortress." When they re-capture him he's placed in their latest, even more high-tech prison facility aboard an orbiting space station. Naturally, that doesn't stop him from planning another escape. The first "Fortress" was pretty good, this one is average at best. An OK time waster.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on December 18, 2023, 10:13:11 PM
Indiana Jones & The Dial of Destiny.

Not as good as the first three, but not as bad as the space aliens one either. At least they killed off the worst character in the series.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 18, 2023, 10:54:37 PM
Indiana Jones & The Dial of Destiny.

Not as good as the first three, but not as bad as the space aliens one either. At least they killed off the worst character in the series.

I put it dead center of the series, in overall quality.  I rank them:

LAST CRUSADE
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
DIAL OF DESTINY
CRYSTAL SKULL
TEMPLE OF DOOM (I just didn't like this one nearly as much as the others)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 19, 2023, 11:33:33 AM
BEYOND UTOPIA (2023): Follows the story of a family of five, secretly filmed as they risk their lives to defect and make the arduous trek out of North Korea. Well-assembled and moving doc about people who were born in the wrong country, packed with infuriating details about Kim Jong Un's "utopia." 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on December 19, 2023, 01:17:26 PM
EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS

Never saw it until yesterday: great film and the ending made me smile.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 20, 2023, 03:18:18 PM
THE TEACHER'S LOUNGE [Das Lehrerzimmer] (2023): A new teacher decides to investigate a series of petty thefts at her new school, but has second thoughts when her actions indirectly lead to ostracism, bullying, censorship, and rebellion. Morally complex drama that never actually drifts into political allegory, but convincingly suggests any society can easily break down due to scapegoating, overzealous policing, and the unintended consequences of principled acts. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 21, 2023, 01:22:28 AM
tried to watch "Hell on the Shelf" by the Polonia brothers who did Splatter Farm 8 thousand years ago. You'd think with it's comical concept, a play on elf on the shelf, and their history in horror it would be interesting at least but it's not, just a retread of the found footage cliches of about 5 years ago. didn't even finish it


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on December 21, 2023, 08:16:28 AM
"A Life in Dirty Movies" (aka "The Sarnos: A Life in Dirty Movies," 2013)
A documentary about director Joe Sarno, who was best known for making "sexploitation" films in the 1960s that were unusually well written and higher quality than most of his competitors. Joe's career faltered in the 1970s when adult films went hardcore, but now in the present day his movies have been re-discovered by a new audience. Buoyed by this newfound popularity, the now elderly Joe and his wife Peggy begin trying to get his latest film project off the ground. An unexpectedly sweet love story, considering the subject matter.

"The Ghosts of Borley Rectory" (2021)
In 1930s England, a group of paranormal investigators convene at a haunted country estate to probe its secrets. Supposedly based on a "true" haunting, the movie has atmosphere to spare and the performances are fine, but it's very talky and not very scary. Disappointing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 21, 2023, 10:14:45 AM
BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE'S PRESIDENT (2023): Bobi Wine, Uganda pop star, runs for parliament and decides to challenge dictator Museven to a "free and fair" election, which unsurprisingly leads to he and his entourage being arrested (and tortured). Infuriating and inspiring (although the outcome is all too sadly predictable). On Hulu. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 21, 2023, 05:13:42 PM
The Roar of Snowmobiles (1973) - It hasn't snowed here in Boston yet and I really felt like seeing some snow. I tried a couple foreign films but nothing quite scratched the itch. Then I simply searched the word "snow" and this came up. It rules.

Imagine a 1973 made for tv movie except it's a random documentary about snowmobiling. Some people ride them around as a group and have cookouts, some hot dog them in the hills and comically wipe out, some even race them professionally but everyone has fun. You can even ride one to the store to do errands if you live in the place where they filmed this ( Canada?). The machines themselves are much less sleek looking and frankly cooler than the ones you see today.

Lends it self extremely well to riffing and so forth

One of those things that on the surface is totally useless and boring but is actually fascinating and educational. high art!

5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 21, 2023, 08:33:07 PM
^ We have snowmobile trails that go right threw town!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 21, 2023, 10:37:12 PM
^ We have snowmobile trails that go right threw town!

We don't really but that doesn't discourage some snowmobiling hot dogs from gunning it down the middle of residential streets and even larger avenues in the middle of and following large snowstorms. One actually hit my station wagon in the middle of a blizzard back in '96 or '97 as I was driving down one of the largest/busiest routes in Western New York. Bounced right off the driver's side and kept going. Snowmobilers are some gonzo sonsa******s!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 22, 2023, 12:09:05 AM
THE FLASH (2023) - DC is trying to cash in on the popularity of the Metaverse concept introduced by Marvel in their recent Spiderman movies.  So the Flash discovers if he goes fast enough, he can travel backwards through time.  He decided to go back twenty years and save his mom from being murdered - a crime for which his Dad has been unjustly imprisoned - but of course he fractures the timeline and travels to an earth where there is no Superman, and where General Zod's invasion goes undefeated. So he finds Batman, except instead of the Batfleck who is his friend in the future, he finds the Michael Keaton version of Batman, along with his 18 year old self.  They have to find out where Superman is in this timeline and defeat General Zod, and of course mayhem and parallel universes happen all along the way.  This was a gloriously bad movie that dragged a bit in places, but it was worth it to sea Keaton as Batman again.  Great twist at the end, BTW, just saying!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 22, 2023, 02:28:33 AM
Quote
We have snowmobile trails that go right threw town!

maybe it was in America???


edit: appears to be Wisconsin https://billrebane.com/the-roar-of-snowmobiles/

also: on tubi obviously


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on December 22, 2023, 07:54:41 AM
Leave The World Behind.

A long and slow-moving movie that ends with many questions and only possible answers. It came off as being the pilot episode for a TV series more than a stand-alone movie. Enjoyable if you like your films slow-building, although I fear those without a lot of patience are going to dismiss this one. Not a film I'd choose to watch a second time, but it was fine for a morning watch when I didn't want anything too demanding.

Easily the best Julia Roberts film I've seen since Erin Brockovich.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 22, 2023, 08:35:22 AM
AUDITION (1999) Tashiki Miike strikes again. Starts out slow..., but when the s**t hits the fan, you get a movie! A widower holds a fake movie audition trying to find a new wife. So he finds a very lovely woman who ends up being one sick puppy who enjoys needles and cutting people up. Great film!
(https://i.imgur.com/baF47jF.gif)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 22, 2023, 08:51:16 AM
AUDITION (1999) Tashiki Miike strikes again. Starts out slow..., but when the s**t hits the fan, you get a movie! A widower holds a fake movie audition trying to find a new wife. So he finds a very lovely woman who ends up being one sick puppy who enjoys needles and cutting people up. Great film!
(https://i.imgur.com/baF47jF.gif)

His greatest achievement. The only torture porn film that's actually art.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 22, 2023, 09:05:51 PM
THE FLASH (2023) - DC is trying to cash in on the popularity of the Metaverse concept introduced by Marvel in their recent Spiderman movies. 

You're correct in that the DC movies are trying to cash in on Avengersverse movies' successful use of the multiverse concept. Ironically and unfortunately, DC comics have been exploiting the concept of the multiverse almost as long as Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four have existed (mid-to-late 1961, to be precise), and Marvel comics didn't really start leaning on adventures across the multiverse until about 10-15 years ago. In this case the late adopters get all the credit, alas...


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 22, 2023, 09:21:49 PM
AUDITION (1999)  Great film!
(https://i.imgur.com/baF47jF.gif)

His greatest achievement. The only torture porn film that's actually art.

...So much so that I never think of it as torture porn! But I suppose if torture fetishists are extremely patient, they will eventually get some frisson by the end.

(Personally I think ICHII THE KILLER is both a greater achievement and much closer to torture porn! But AUDITION is a great movie and quite possibly Miike's most SUBTLE achievement!)

But okay, your comment causes me to reflect again on my disappointment at Eli Roth, specifically his recent THANKSGIVING but really most of his post-HOSTEL career. The first HOSTEL is a modest achievement... but when Miike himself exits the torture warehouse to warn the protagonist to exercise caution, because "you could spend all your money in there!"....... dammit, for that one moment, I hoped Roth was the real deal! :bluesad:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 23, 2023, 03:51:34 AM
Satan Wants You (2023) - above average, if not perfect, documentary about the book "Michelle Remembers" which is credited with starting the whole Satanic Panic thing. The 1980 bestseller detailed a young girl being given to a Satanic cult by her mother, then witnessing lots of horrible and sordid things. Soon, lots of people across the country started making similar claims and daytime talk shows had a hot new topic.

The problem, as we would come to find out, was that the whole "buried memory" thing was mostly fake. In the case of "Michelle Remembers" it was the result of Michelle wanting to get attention from her therapist, who she eventually married.

I didn't really see what the church of Satan had to do with anything and the lady stating that this "shaped our world" was a bit of an exaggeration, but it does get to the bottom of the whole thing and had a lot of good details, like stuff from her sisters overtly disproving what she had said.

4.5 /5

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/516O27e74qL._SL500_.jpg)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 23, 2023, 11:30:03 AM
AUDITION (1999)  Great film!
(https://i.imgur.com/baF47jF.gif)

His greatest achievement. The only torture porn film that's actually art.

...So much so that I never think of it as torture porn! But I suppose if torture fetishists are extremely patient, they will eventually get some frisson by the end.

(Personally I think ICHII THE KILLER is both a greater achievement and much closer to torture porn! But AUDITION is a great movie and quite possibly Miike's most SUBTLE achievement!)

But okay, your comment causes me to reflect again on my disappointment at Eli Roth, specifically his recent THANKSGIVING but really most of his post-HOSTEL career. The first HOSTEL is a modest achievement... but when Miike himself exits the torture warehouse to warn the protagonist to exercise caution, because "you could spend all your money in there!"....... dammit, for that one moment, I hoped Roth was the real deal! :bluesad:

My favorite of his is GOZU (2003).
(https://i.imgur.com/VGcG7Rm.gif) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 23, 2023, 08:12:30 PM
GOZU's great, too. The guy's made so many outstanding films I gave up even trying to see all the potentially great ones several years ago. (Of course he's also made some duds.)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 24, 2023, 09:31:55 AM
LAKOTA NATION VS. THE UNITED STATES (2023): Everyone knows the United States government stole Indian land and shamelessly broke their own treaties; the Supreme Court even acknowledged this in a 1980 decision. Recap the depressing details with this two-hour documentary about the Lakota people's brave and determined, but doomed, century-long campaign to get their sacred land, the Black Hills of South Dakota (wherein Mt. Rushmore now sits), returned to them. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 25, 2023, 10:33:34 PM
CLOSE TO VERMEER (2023): Follows a curator at the Rijksmuseum as he plans the world's largest of Vermeer paintings, which includes judging whether certain works (e.g. "Girl with Flute") are authentic Vermeers or not. Informative but fairly technical documentary that will have extra appeal to museum habitués. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on December 26, 2023, 12:21:03 PM
WAGES OF FEAR (1953)

4 down on their luck guys take the insanely risky job of transporting 2 trucks of nitro across 300 miles of bad road. May not sound like much, but ace French director Henri Georges Clouzot makes it nail bitting. Also- maybe the first time the word "f**k" used in film?

(https://i.imgur.com/yCGipU0.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on December 26, 2023, 02:40:59 PM
WAGES OF FEAR!  :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on December 26, 2023, 04:56:10 PM
I saw the remake called Sorcerer or something? ^^

Brightwood (2022) - It's not the greatest story ever told but it works. Very low budget "Time Loop" type movie filmed in the woods. A couple jogging and arguing along a trail by a gross looking pond find they can't leave. It kind of mirrors their co dependent but unhappy relationship but obviously it's a more immediate problem.

It starts off with a "The Office" type non laugh track comedy type vibe but gradually gets more horror y. It's good just not super ambitious and would have needed a little more razzle dazzle / imagination to raise it to higher levels.

somewhat charitable 4/5 a modest success

acting is better than you would expect


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on December 26, 2023, 09:16:02 PM
My Fair Lady - Some good performances and memorable numbers, but my gosh is the movie way too long and kind of dry.  Story is just so so, I dunno, I just didn't really care for it.  One of my least favorite Best Picture winners.

Meet Me in St Louis - Been in St. Louis 20 years, finally got around to this one.  Liked this much more than My Fair Lady.  Better songs, a more engaging story, better characters, a lot funnier.  Much better paced.  Quite an enjoyable film.  Judy Garland is terrific.  Had no idea "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" came from this one.  One oddity, they go to an apparently made up park to see the 1904 World's Fair.  Such a strange choice, you'll inevitably STILL hear about the 1904 World's Fair today in St Louis, and everyone here knows it was in Forest Park, one of the true gems of the area.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 26, 2023, 10:16:10 PM
My Fair Lady - Some good performances and memorable numbers, but my gosh is the movie way too long and kind of dry.  Story is just so so, I dunno, I just didn't really care for it.  One of my least favorite Best Picture winners.

Meet Me in St Louis - Been in St. Louis 20 years, finally got around to this one.  Liked this much more than My Fair Lady.  Better songs, a more engaging story, better characters, a lot funnier.  Much better paced.  Quite an enjoyable film.  Judy Garland is terrific.  Had no idea "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" came from this one.  One oddity, they go to an apparently made up park to see the 1904 World's Fair.  Such a strange choice, you'll inevitably STILL hear about the 1904 World's Fair today in St Louis, and everyone here knows it was in Forest Park, one of the true gems of the area.

The story of MY FAIR LADY is George Bernard Shaw's PYGMALION, generally considered to be a great classic!  I found it had much more depth than the plotlines of most musicals.  To each his own, I suppose.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on December 28, 2023, 07:07:02 PM
SALTBURN (2023) - I saw some discussion of this movie on a Horror Film FB page I'd joined, so I decided to give it a spin.  I guess the best way to describe this would be to call it a much darker and more perverse rendering of THE TALENTED MR. RIPLY.  Oliver, a young scholarship student at Oxford, befriends a very wealthy young legacy classmate named Felix.  When Ollie's father dies, Felix, out of sympathy, invites his poor classmate to spend the summer at his family's estate, Saltburn.   Ollie quickly ingratiates himself to the family, seducing Felix's sister and charming his mother and dad.  But when his story of a dead father and alcoholic mother is shown to be false, Felix threatens to expose him - and dies rather suddenly afterward.  But his will not be the first death in the family . . .
Creepy, with a couple of flat-out shocking scenes, this movie will leave you going "WTH did I just watch?"
You'll either love it or hate it, no middle ground.  4.5/5 from me!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on December 28, 2023, 11:25:25 PM

The story of MY FAIR LADY is George Bernard Shaw's PYGMALION, generally considered to be a great classic!  I found it had much more depth than the plotlines of most musicals.  To each his own, I suppose.

Honestly, there were some interesting ideas in it I liked, particularly the ending with how the two leads pointedly DO NOT reconcile and get together romantically.  I'd like to see Pygmalion performed someday now that you mention that, I suspect I'd like it more.  It's noteworthy the non-musical versions are half the runtime of My Fair Lady; that'd probably help.  I'll get to the 1930s British version at some point.

Magnificent Warriors - Quite entertaining HK action vehicle for Michelle Yeoh.  The plot and characters are at times stretched so thin it barely makes sense, but the pacing is great (it's never more than probably 30 seconds from a change of scenery, an action gag, a 4th wall breaking line, or a chase) and the action set pieces are top notch and often very impressive.  One stunt fall after a rope yank might be the best I've ever seen.  It also has some legitimately funny comedy.  Transfer on Criterion's channel is excellent. 

Heroic Trio - This was a rewatch, I last saw it maybe 20 years ago.  I remember being kind of disappointed, and on second viewing I still am.  The leads (real stars for HK, Michelle Yeoh, the late Anita Mui, and Maggie Cheung) look cool and get some fun moments, but the storyline for this film is incoherent, most of the action is weak, the editing is poor, the wirework is kinda iffy and really obvious sometimes (highlighted by the newer transfer), and it's just kind of blah as a result.  It's still somewhat entertaining, due to the star power on display and a strange turn by Anthony Wong as a silent thug with a flying guillotine, but I don't get why this film has such a good reputation.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 29, 2023, 10:43:45 AM
ROBOT DREAMS: Lonely Dog builds a Robot companion in New York City, loses him, and tries to get him back. Elegant and charming dialogue-free cartoon, storybook simple but with an uncommon moral: the fungibility of friendship. This will be released theatrically sometime in 2024, but I don't know the exact date. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on December 30, 2023, 02:56:44 PM
MST3K: RIDING WITH DEATH: The movie is two episodes of a 70s TV show ("Gemini Man") jammed together nonsensically to make a fake feature film, a fun genre the crew used to take on a lot in the Comedy Central days. This one features a mellow longhair spy who can turn invisible and who takes a turn driving a truck and using a CB radio (because it was the 70s, good buddy). Meanwhile, Pearl, Bobo and Brain Guy are in a war (?) One of the few episodes I hadn't seen yet, I'd rank it in the low-average range for the series: the riffing is funny, but I don't see much that stands out here. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 01, 2024, 11:00:32 AM
Family Switch (2023)

A family with two disaffected teenagers switches bodies (ie the parents become the children, except for the baby, who switched with the dog). I was debating with myself whether to put it in the Bad Movies section, but I decided against it. There is nothing much wrong with it, it is just very very predictable and lacks pace for most of its runtime. Still, Emma Myers and Jennifer Garner seem to be having fun, and the dog/baby switch was an inspired idea.
Watchable if you want a movie that requires no mental effort at all.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 01, 2024, 11:52:12 AM
UPON ENTRY (2023): Traveling from Barcelona to Miami on what should be a routine trip, Diego and Elena find themselves singled out by U.S. immigration authorities; a psychological grueling interrogation reveals a secret. A simple premise and setting in this modest drama-thriller that succeeds through a good script, with a mild but quite organic "twist," effectively brought to life by its performers. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 01, 2024, 04:02:59 PM
PROJECT NIGHTMARE (1987):
A late '23 viewing that I initially started writing up for the Bad Movies section, 'cause oh boy, it's one of those for the books for sure. I watched this for the first time some years ago and found it irritating yet apparently completely unmemorable, because (for now the half dozenth or so time in the last few years w/ various obscure badfilms) I forgot I'd watched it and started watching it all over again. Within two shots I realized, "Dammit, I've seen this!" For some reason I hung with it again, occasionally FF-ing through some slower stretches (of which there are many). Yes, PROJECT NIGHTMARE is... a chore at times. However, it was clearly made w/ legitimate intellectual curiosity and sincere good intentions, minus only a sufficient enough level of professionalism and technique to put across the pretentions persuasively. Even so, it accomplishes, uh - something! And there are websites that take it seriously as a Good film, so... let's give it it's day in court!

Two refugees from a 70s male fashion catalogue wander the woods, dazed and often alarmed that something is stalking them. (Disappointingly, it's not Bigfoot.) They enter a cabin and make friends w/ a nice lady named Marci, then wander around the desert, then meet a dying man in a stalled-out car, then they find an airplane, then they find a subterranean laboratory where a pleasant-seeming computer programmer has created an advanced AI w/ a God complex who appears to be affecting reality around them. Eventually things get Heavy. The lead guy looks like DeForrest Kelley and at one point his friend mentions that he's blind, which would explain his propensity for looking everywhere onscreen except at any other character who's speaking. However DFK eventually flies the airplane so... well who knows.

Actually, the profound refusal or inability for any actor in close-up to ever match eyelines with any other actor in cut-away for the entire running time is either testament to the filmmaker's incompetence or is some kind of highly effective attempt to maintain a totally dissociative, dreamlike quality through the film's duration. Some sources claim the film was indeed shot in 1977 and unreleased for a decade, which I can't confirm but which makes perfect sense. It also speaks to the dedication of the two writer/producer/directors that they labored over this thing for years. Even after a second try I can't claim the film makes much sense, while feeling more strongly that most of the actors weren't skilled enough to deliver the metaphysical portentousness of the screenplay. However, the film's (characteristically) inexplicable, elliptical final scene is confident enough to leave no doubt whatsoever that the filmmakers 100% intended PROJECT NIGHTMARE to be entirely the way it ended up. Good for them!  :cheers:

Somewhat charitably, I'd rank this in the same general neighborhood w/ films like MONSTER-A-GO-GO, RED ZONE CUBA, and GHOSTS THAT STILL WALK... or maybe even closer to the block where GLEN OR GLENDA and HELP WANTED FEMALE live....... movies that are cheap and possibly taxing to the viewer's patience, yet clearly are trying to hit above their weight class for whatever reason....... and thus deserving of some respect and admiration. Maybe just from me, of course! However if you require a second opinion on PROJECT NIGHTMARE, check out this highly dignified play-by-play by Senseless Cinema:
https://www.senselesscinema.com/2023/04/project-nightmare.html (https://www.senselesscinema.com/2023/04/project-nightmare.html)

3/5!

Rev, was PROJECT NIGHTMARE ever an MST3K or Rifftrax selection? It seems like an easy target but it's so slow and ponderous that it might confound even the professionals............


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 01, 2024, 06:26:29 PM
PROJECT NIGHTMARE (1987):
A late '23 viewing that I initially started writing up for the Bad Movies section, 'cause oh boy, it's one of those for the books for sure. I watched this for the first time some years ago and found it irritating yet apparently completely unmemorable, because (for now the half dozenth or so time in the last few years w/ various obscure badfilms) I forgot I'd watched it and started watching it all over again. Within two shots I realized, "Dammit, I've seen this!" For some reason I hung with it again, occasionally FF-ing through some slower stretches (of which there are many). Yes, PROJECT NIGHTMARE is... a chore at times. However, it was clearly made w/ legitimate intellectual curiosity and sincere good intentions, minus only a sufficient enough level of professionalism and technique to put across the pretentions persuasively. Even so, it accomplishes, uh - something! And there are websites that take it seriously as a Good film, so... let's give it it's day in court!

Two refugees from a 70s male fashion catalogue wander the woods, dazed and often alarmed that something is stalking them. (Disappointingly, it's not Bigfoot.) They enter a cabin and make friends w/ a nice lady named Marci, then wander around the desert, then meet a dying man in a stalled-out car, then they find an airplane, then they find a subterranean laboratory where a pleasant-seeming computer programmer has created an advanced AI w/ a God complex who appears to be affecting reality around them. Eventually things get Heavy. The lead guy looks like DeForrest Kelley and at one point his friend mentions that he's blind, which would explain his propensity for looking everywhere onscreen except at any other character who's speaking. However DFK eventually flies the airplane so... well who knows.

Actually, the profound refusal or inability for any actor in close-up to ever match eyelines with any other actor in cut-away for the entire running time is either testament to the filmmaker's incompetence or is some kind of highly effective attempt to maintain a totally dissociative, dreamlike quality through the film's duration. Some sources claim the film was indeed shot in 1977 and unreleased for a decade, which I can't confirm but which makes perfect sense. It also speaks to the dedication of the two writer/producer/directors that they labored over this thing for years. Even after a second try I can't claim the film makes much sense, while feeling more strongly that most of the actors weren't skilled enough to deliver the metaphysical portentousness of the screenplay. However, the film's (characteristically) inexplicable, elliptical final scene is confident enough to leave no doubt whatsoever that the filmmakers 100% intended PROJECT NIGHTMARE to be entirely the way it ended up. Good for them!  :cheers:

Somewhat charitably, I'd rank this in the same general neighborhood w/ films like MONSTER-A-GO-GO, RED ZONE CUBA, and GHOSTS THAT STILL WALK... or maybe even closer to the block where GLEN OR GLENDA and HELP WANTED FEMALE live....... movies that are cheap and possibly taxing to the viewer's patience, yet clearly are trying to hit above their weight class for whatever reason....... and thus deserving of some respect and admiration. Maybe just from me, of course! However if you require a second opinion on PROJECT NIGHTMARE, check out this highly dignified play-by-play by Senseless Cinema:
https://www.senselesscinema.com/2023/04/project-nightmare.html (https://www.senselesscinema.com/2023/04/project-nightmare.html)

3/5!

Rev, was PROJECT NIGHTMARE ever an MST3K or Rifftrax selection? It seems like an easy target but it's so slow and ponderous that it might confound even the professionals............

Not unless it was under another name.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 01, 2024, 08:28:16 PM
"Satan Wants You" (2023)
A cool TUBI original documentary about the strange saga of Michelle Smith, a Canadian housewife whose therapist helped her uncover "repressed memories" from her childhood, in which she was supposedly used and abused by a cult of murdrerous, baby-eating Satanists in the Canadian suburbs. She and her doctor wrote a best selling book about the experiences (Michelle Remembers, 1980) and suddenly found themselves at the forefront of the "Satanic Panic" movement of the early 1980s, hitting the talk shows and church circuits, advising law enforcement on Satanic cults, and basically acting as "experts" on the subject.

There was just one problem... it was all a load of crap.

By the early 90s, Michelle, her doctor and their book had been thoroughly debunked, but its influence on moral panics can still be seen today in things like the "Pizzagate" conspiracy theory and Q-Anon. Interesting stuff.

I read Michelle Remembers when I was in college and even then it was so utterly absurd that I couldn't understand how they suckered so many people into believing their BS story.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 02, 2024, 06:43:04 AM
"Satan Wants You" (2023)
A cool TUBI original documentary about the strange saga of Michelle Smith, a Canadian housewife whose therapist helped her uncover "repressed memories" from her childhood, in which she was supposedly used and abused by a cult of murdrerous, baby-eating Satanists in the Canadian suburbs. She and her doctor wrote a best selling book about the experiences (Michelle Remembers, 1980) and suddenly found themselves at the forefront of the "Satanic Panic" movement of the early 1980s, hitting the talk shows and church circuits, advising law enforcement on Satanic cults, and basically acting as "experts" on the subject.

There was just one problem... it was all a load of crap.

By the early 90s, Michelle, her doctor and their book had been thoroughly debunked, but its influence on moral panics can still be seen today in things like the "Pizzagate" conspiracy theory and Q-Anon. Interesting stuff.

I read Michelle Remembers when I was in college and even then it was so utterly absurd that I couldn't understand how they suckered so many people into believing their BS story.


People wanted to believe in this stuff. If you handed them something like this, then they were all over it as "proof".

Sadly folks haven't really changed or learned from their mistakes, they've just moved on to other stupid s**t/people to believe in.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 02, 2024, 04:01:13 PM
Miss Shampoo - A Taiwanese rom com with mild crime elements.  An injured gangster ends up hiding from the killers at a hair salon, then later comes back to get his hair cut.  He falls in love with the lady who cut his hair.  Then the film meanders for like an hour and a half before the killer stuff comes back and the movie ends.  A lot of silly humor fills time.  I dunno.  This has some legitimately funny bits, and a couple OK character bits..  Some of the humor reminds me a bit of Stephen Chow's stuff (like a sequence where a character gets frozen in place, and a random bit of violence where someone's fingers get cut off - there's a few moments in Cantonese instead of Mandarin, which I suspect may have had references but it went over my head), but the execution just isn't nearly as good.  The story beats are poorly placed, as in it barely has them except at the start and end.  It's badly paced.  I can't recommend it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on January 03, 2024, 02:50:25 PM
"Satan Wants You" (2023)
A cool TUBI original documentary about the strange saga of Michelle Smith, a Canadian housewife whose therapist helped her uncover "repressed memories" from her childhood, in which she was supposedly used and abused by a cult of murdrerous, baby-eating Satanists in the Canadian suburbs. She and her doctor wrote a best selling book about the experiences (Michelle Remembers, 1980) and suddenly found themselves at the forefront of the "Satanic Panic" movement of the early 1980s, hitting the talk shows and church circuits, advising law enforcement on Satanic cults, and basically acting as "experts" on the subject.

There was just one problem... it was all a load of crap.

By the early 90s, Michelle, her doctor and their book had been thoroughly debunked, but its influence on moral panics can still be seen today in things like the "Pizzagate" conspiracy theory and Q-Anon. Interesting stuff.

I read Michelle Remembers when I was in college and even then it was so utterly absurd that I couldn't understand how they suckered so many people into believing their BS story.


I watched this too the other day. Amazing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 04, 2024, 05:31:25 PM
Demons (2018) - I haven't read the IMDB reviews (edit: none yet) yet but I bet they're crazy. And they should be, because this is a crazy movie that many people won't like but give them credit for doing something different.

An actress tries out for a role in an arrogant directors' latest project. She and he both then go through really weird and dark mental journeys. If you look at it as an "art" movie it quickly becomes annoying. If you see at as a really random and insane Shaw Brothers or Tai Seng movie it kind of works. features some really good film making and also confusing stuff where people just say gibberish.

I'm still not entirely sure what happened. Here's the trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubd8qJMBgeI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubd8qJMBgeI)

4/5 out of left field, but interesting



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 05, 2024, 11:11:33 AM
ANATOMY OF A FALL (2023): A French/German novelist's husband falls to his death at the couple's remote mountainside chateau; forensics suggest it was not an accident, but was it suicide, or murder? Beautifully acted and engaging for its 2.5 hour runtime, FALL has elements of a whodunnit, but is more focused on courtroom drama, and especially on domestic drama during flashbacks to the couple's marriage and star Sandra Huller's relationship with her partially blind son, who is caught in a heartbreaking situation. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 05, 2024, 07:35:31 PM
Saltburn.

30 minutes of entertainment squeezed into 2 hours. A slimmed-down runtime would have seen it get a higher score from me. I'd like to say some of the characters were caricatures, but I've met people like this in real life. Other films recently have covered the same theme as this one.

Would have made a great episode of Tales of the Unexpected, or some similar show.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 05, 2024, 10:10:13 PM
Saltburn.

30 minutes of entertainment squeezed into 2 hours. A slimmed-down runtime would have seen it get a higher score from me. I'd like to say some of the characters were caricatures, but I've met people like this in real life. Other films recently have covered the same theme as this one.

Would have made a great episode of Tales of the Unexpected, or some similar show.

I too watched this tonight - my first watch of 2024.

I would agree it covers similar ground to at least a dozen other movies over the past 60 years...  :lookingup: ...But I thought it was pretty snappily paced. well-directed, well-acted, and engrossing for most of its running time nonetheless. I do think it becomes too explicit in its reveals near the very end and could've done better to leave some (rather obvious) details undisclosed. Still, for the awesome soundtrack, for Richard E. Grant, for Carey Mulligan doing Helena Bonham, and Barry Keoghan rather out-Tom Hardying Tom Hardy... worth the 2h10m.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 05, 2024, 10:13:55 PM
"Iron Man" (2008)
Critically injured while visiting an Afghani war zone, millionaire industrialist and weapons maker Tony Stark (a perfectly cast Robert Downey Jr.) invents a mini-atomic reactor that keeps him alive, and a high tech suit of armor that enables him to kick a ton of bad-guy butt.
"Iron Man" kicked off the MCU in fine style and still holds up pretty well after all these years.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 06, 2024, 04:12:57 PM
INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (2023):
This was the last movie I watched in 2023, on New Year's Eve, and I ain't mad about it. INDY V is definitely the 3rd best Indy movie, and that's nothing to cry about. The first and third films are pretty great and there's a comfortably large gap in quality between DIAL OF DESTINY and the two even-numbered films in the franchise. No need to discuss many particulars, but will float one of my routinely wingnut theories below...

Say what you will about pulp/serial pastiche, the Indy canon has been as stylistically schizophrenic as Dr. Jones' own lifestyle... ping-ponging back and forth between quasi-realism and over-the-top absurdity just as frequently as the hero himself swings (via whip) from university classrooms into exotic locales. Henry Jr./Indiana's double-life is the text of the films, but RAIDERS and LAST CRUSADE do an outstanding job of dramatizing how a button-down academic transforms into a superhero when necessary to preserve history or personal honor, and they keep the action sutured within a flexible yet plausible reality. The wildest action in those two films still remains within some generous definition of physical law. On the other hand, TEMPLE OF DOOM is a cartoon (maybe a good cartoon, though not a great one) and CRYSTAL SKULL is... I don't know, just kind of a senseless mess a lot of the time.

DIAL OF DESTINY really addresses this dichotomy by staging a lengthy opening flashback sequence where Indy (a heavily IRISHMAN'd Harrison Ford) appears nearly as invincible as James Bond or Batman - truly, the Universe must love Indiana Jones or he wouldn't survive the countless rolling boulders that this sequence throws at him. Once we cut to 1969, however, we see a different Indy altogether... one suffering the "crumbling vertebrae" and other indignities, physical and spiritual, of a life of adventuring. The rest of the film exists more or less on Real Earth, where Indy is subject to real forces, and only at the (truly surprising) climax does he get to glimpse a fantastical World Beyond one more time...

Ford was my childhood hero and one of my favorite actors. He always seemed like a big man - bigger at least than Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. In DIAL OF DESTINY, he seems small and vulnerable, mostly surrounded w/ actors who are bigger than him, including the female lead. This is jarring but probably fully by design. Indy, Han Solo, and Rick Deckard were always distinguished more by their human dimensions than their larger-than-life ones. Ford, likewise, always seemed most comfortable playing real humans. I tried to start watching SIX DAYS, SEVEN NIGHTS at least twice in the past year and can't get more than 10 minutes in - Ford just seems so uncomfortable playing a one-dimensional hunk in a dumb romcom. As an adult, I grew to most appreciate the performances where he plays a diminished or seriously compromised character - he's brilliant in MOSQUITO COAST and REGARDING HENRY. Of course, heroes are still heroes, and it hurt me a great deal to see Han Solo so poorly treated in THE FORCE AWAKENS. In contrast, DIAL OF DESTINY, though it makes Indy very concretely human, allows Indy and Ford to exit (to the the extent they exit) with a lot of dignity.

4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 06, 2024, 06:43:01 PM
"Billion Dollar Brain" (1967)
This is the third film in a Sixties spy series based on Len Deighton's "Harry Palmer" novels, starring Michael Caine as the British super-spy. Assigned to infiltrate a shadowy organization that takes its orders from a computer known as "The Brain," Palmer soon learns that there's something even more sinister going on behind the scenes.
James Bond producer Harry Saltzman also supervised the Palmer films, which were intended to be more "down to earth" and realistic than the fanciful 007 series. The wintry European scenery is lovely and the cast is fine, but the movie is very slow moving and the plot is quite muddled, which made this a chore to get through. I don't think I'm going to bother with the other two "Palmer" films.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 06, 2024, 10:52:49 PM
"Loose Cannons" (1990)
A tough Washington, D.C. cop (Gene Hackman) is saddled with a new partner (Dan Aykroyd) who's fresh out of the hospital to treat his multiple personality disorder. Together they must solve a series of killings that involve a porn kingpin (Dom Deluise) and neo-Nazis.
...a painfully unfunny action comedy that completely wastes the talents of Hackman and Aykroyd. Ignore, delete, destroy.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 06, 2024, 11:57:04 PM
FOE (2023) - In the year 2065, extreme weather is making earth uninhabitable.  A young farmer, trying to eke a living at  a poultry factory nearby, is informed he's been chosen to live in space for the next year.  As part of his preparation, an AI-driven cyborg will be programmed to take his place on earth with his wife while he sojourns in space.  Naturally, he's not comfortable with this idea, but a company representative moves into his home to prepare him for  his voyage, and to program the cyborg from his memories.  But . . . things aren't all they seem.
   Still processing this one.  It's well done, a bit slow-moving, and the conclusion is a bit predictable.  But the acting is good, and Hen, the wife, is well played by a beautiful actress.  4.5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 07, 2024, 04:06:37 AM
Miss Shampoo - A Taiwanese rom com with mild crime elements. 
  The story beats are poorly placed, as in it barely has them except at the start and end.  It's badly paced.  I can't recommend it.

That reminds me of K-drama pacing. These tend to start off strong, then go nowhere for a number of episodes, until somebody remembers they have to tie up all the plot lines before the series ends, and everything kicks into high gear.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 07, 2024, 12:56:09 PM
MEET ME IN PARIS (2023):
Madame 10rda picked our first 2024 viewing, based on reading a lot of hype surrounding it on social media. Yep, it was the one w/ the guy who drinks jism-y bathwater, licks menstrual blood, and humps a fresh grave. None of those things are usually up her alley (though somehow she's still talking about that film a couple days later), so I picked our second film, AQUAMAN 2. Errr... advantage: grave-humper! So awright, I let her pick Film #3: a completely girly rom-com that will likely interest no one on this website. Nevertheless I'm posting about it (briefly) anyway because it represents what is, to me, an entirely (?) new genre of feature film - the Reality Show FEATURE...?  Not technically a documentary, as it is highly structured and even has some quasi-scripted sequences. Basically it's a 90 minute episode of a reality dating/travelogue TV show... many of which BTW I do watch w/ my lovely partner. Yet it's a movie produced by Zoe Saldana and Reese Witherspoon. So... that's something, I suppose.

FWIW, it wasn't bad! There are three ("real", whatever that means for reality TV) 20something ladies who fly to Paris and meet single men and have picturesque adventures. In order to move things along and inject some post-production comedic "punch-up" (as Patton Oswalt would say), reality TV staple Michelle Buteau narrates the proceedings, and she's genuinely a quiet riot, so that's fine for at least 90 minutes. One of the women (Jasmine) didn't do much for me. The second (Danielle) looks and kind of behaves like Kat Dennings, and that's also quite fine. The third (Mimi) is also cute and is a legit firecracker. The cinematography and locations are gorgeous. (The ladies spend their vacation in an estate that looks like Richard E. Grant and Rosamund Pike live there.) All in all, there are worst ways to spend 90 minutes w/ someone you love.

3.5/5
You could watch 75% of AQUAMAN 2 for instance.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 07, 2024, 02:11:17 PM
She's All That (1999) - Another version of Shaw's Pygmalion play.  I had somehow missed this one despite being the prime age for it on release really, but I was well aware of it from spoofs and cultural osmosis.  It was fun seeing a ton of recognizable actors, both good and bad.  Somehow Paul Walker is better in this than basically the rest of his career.  Maybe he's better at being a douche.  I think the central story writing is quite bad and a number of threads BARELY connect, like Zack's stuff with his father and the art college path of Lanie.  But it's breezy and reasonably entertaining, and there's some interesting side characters (Kieran Culkin is pretty good, so is Kevin Pollack, so is Matt Lillard, etc) and character beats for the leads.  Like Zack being very smart and academically gifted, and the difficulty he has related to this, was a really good and relatable choice.  Worth a watch if you want some 90s nostalgia.

Miss Shampoo - A Taiwanese rom com with mild crime elements.
  The story beats are poorly placed, as in it barely has them except at the start and end.  It's badly paced.  I can't recommend it.

That reminds me of K-drama pacing. These tend to start off strong, then go nowhere for a number of episodes, until somebody remembers they have to tie up all the plot lines before the series ends, and everything kicks into high gear.

Yeah, I've seen a few K-dramas, it does remind me of a couple of the weaker ones I've seen.  A number of Western streaming shows are like this too, but they're better at hiding it.  Feels like they're combining bad writing habits of episodic and serialized TV into one incohesive whole.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 07, 2024, 03:46:23 PM
The Day My Kid Went Punk (1987) - As After School Specials go, this wasn't very special. The kid doesn't become a junkie or get arrested and they show his (allegedly) punk band for about a minute. Most of it is about how punks are just misunderstood concert violinists who don't get enough attention at home... or something.

Random sitcom actors including the lame captain from Love Boat and the governor from Benson (I think) deal with the hand life has handed them: a nerdy kid starts dressing "punk". Problem: his mom is a psychiatrist who talks about "punk syndrome" and how parents can protect against it. Awkward!

The best scenes are the ones with the kid in full punk regalia working his job at a daycare center. At one point, they go to a horse farm and it's kind of like that time Boy George was on The A Team. 45 minutes on youtube.

3.75/ 5

really needed more exploitative elements to be compelling, but it was fun just for the ridiculous concept


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 07, 2024, 08:14:04 PM
Snowy day - perfect excuse to stay inside and watch movies :D
TUBI has been a treasure trove of forgotten 80s/90s "buddy comedies" lately...

"Real Men" (1987)
A CIA agent (Jim Belushi) drafts a dorky insurance salesman (John Ritter) into helping him stop a global threat involving Russian spies, aliens, and clowns (yes, clowns) in this oddball action comedy. Jim & John make a good team that makes me wish they were in a better movie -  this one's story lurches along so randomly that after a while it starts to feel like a bunch of unrelated sketches strung together till it hits feature length. I got a few laughs from "Real Men," but I doubt I'll ever feel the need to revisit it.

"Deal of the Century" (1984)
Weapons dealers (Chevy Chase, Gregory Hines) lock horns with a lovely rival (Sigourney Weaver) as they try to sell the latest high-tech fighter plane to the leaders of a South American banana republic. Wiliam "The Exorcist" Friedkin directed this dry cold-war arms-race satire which has a few laughs but wears out its welcome way before the end. Forgettable (at best).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 08, 2024, 10:35:45 PM
THE KILLING TREE (2022) - On the anniversary of her parents' murder by a married serial killer couple (whose apparent motive was that none of their victims celebrated the "true spirit of Christmas," a young woman named Faith throws a party for her friends to celebrate selling the old family home and starting a new life. Unbeknownst to her, the widow of the executed killer is performing an occult ritual to bring her husband back from the dead.  But the spell goes wrong, and he incarnates into . . . a Christmas tree!  First he kills his wife for trapping his body inside a giant holiday ornament, then he goes on a mad killing spree trying to find Faith, who had called the police who wound up shooting him to death the year before.  So the rest of the movie is Christmas partygoers being murdered by an evil, killer Christmas tree.  This movie reminded me a bit of the classic JACK FROST, the memorable tale of a killer snowman.  The tree goes back and forth between a fairly realistic tree costume with an actor inside and a CGI rendered tree with long, tentacle-like branches that it uses to rip victims in two.  Honestly, this thing is pure B-movie gold; it could have benefited from a bit more gore and girls, but overall, it was a fun, dreadful bit of B-movie cheese.  The runtime is an hour and twelve minutes, and the movie's finale is so ridiculous it's worth hanging around for.
1/5 on a regular movie scale, but a solid 4/5 on the bad movie scale!  Indy sez check it out!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 08, 2024, 10:56:57 PM
The Equalizer 3 - This series never really totally gets off the ground, but I've seen them all now.  The third is a major step up from two, which I thought was mostly really slow and boring and even annoying.  A lot more violence helps, generally entertaining and grisly, a bit mean.  I like that McCall actually gets a bit of development here, and moves towards something you rarely see with this kind of character - transcendence.  Denzel is half sleeping in some of this but is still good anyway, he's just that charismatic.  But, the depiction of small town Italian life, the side characters, the villains, the overall story - it's all underwritten and weak.  It's alright, I wasn't bored like part 2.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 09, 2024, 10:26:43 AM
THE IRON CLAW: The true story of the tight-knit but ill-fated wrestling brothers of the Von Erich clan, who became stars in the 80s under the tutelage of their stern father but who came to (mostly) bad ends. Director Sean Durkin treats this unlikely material with the seriousness of a Greek tragedy. 3.5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: javakoala on January 09, 2024, 05:59:52 PM
comedic "punch-up" (as Patton Oswalt would say),

Patton Oswalt should be punched. Repeatedly. With a hydraulic sledgehammer.

Just my opinion. I'll show myself out now. Thanks.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 10, 2024, 04:32:05 PM
To each their own!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 10, 2024, 09:45:32 PM
"The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington" (1977)
In the second film of the "Happy Hooker" series, famed call girl/madam and Penthouse magazine columnist Xaviera Hollander is summoned to the nation's capitol to testify before Congress on the erosion of morals in America. Naturally, her flirty ways cause all kinds of mayhem in the halls of power.
Joey Heatherton is a nice piece of eye candy in the title role, and there are a few other pretty girls scattered throughout the film in various states of undress, but otherwise this is a badly dated sex comedy with few legit laughs. It might have been considered "racy" in 1977 but nowadays it's just lame. Skip it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 11, 2024, 05:53:47 PM
Tammy and the T Rex (1994) - Another "classic" b movie down the drain. I really liked, but didn't quite love this one. Released in 94, it seems to have it's heart more in the previous decade. One really good idea was casting super hot Denise Richards as Tammy (or "Tanny" as the title card said). The black/ gay sidekick didn't age very well but I guess.... points for inclusion???

The plot is admittedly awesome: A mad scientist is making a bionic T Rex robot and wants to find a human brain to put in it, as he feels this will be better than a computer one. Of course, right? A fair amount of comical gore ensues as surgery and dino carnage release gallons of blood into the atmosphere.

It's a fun and colorful movie. A few years later Richards would make "Wild Things" which is more fondly remembered and a better representation of the 90's era, but has far fewer decapitations and terrible jokes.

4.35 /5 extra percent of a point for it's off the cuff/ we know this sucks good nature. Could be a decent opener for "Killer Klowns" or something more substantial


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 11, 2024, 10:48:50 PM
"Operation Kid Brother" (aka "OK Connery," 1967)
This Italian James Bond knock-off deserves a place in the Stunt Casting Hall of Fame for hiring Neil Connery - Sean's younger brother who'd never acted before - to star as "Dr. Connery," a plastic surgeon who's also the lookalike younger brother of a certain famous secret agent (who's never mentioned by name, of course). When a criminal organization begins a plot to destroy the world, "Dr. Connery's" brother is on assignment elsewhere, so Neil is hired to take his place as a reluctant spy.
This was a fairly lavish production - several cast members had ties to the "real" Bond series (Lois "Miss Moneypenny" Maxwell, Bernard "M" Lee, Daniela "From Russia With Love" Bianchi, etc.) but the story is a hopeless muddle and Neil Connery doesn't have an ounce of his brother's screen charisma or action chops. Even worse, all of his dialogue was overdubbed by another actor, so you never even get to hear his real voice!
I've seen this once or twice before and I'm still not sure if it was meant to be a spoof, or it just turned out that way unintentionally.
Either way, "Operation Kid Brother" is a mildly amusing curiosity item for 007 fans, but pretty useless to the average viewer.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 12, 2024, 02:07:51 AM
Barbie (2023)

Still not sure whether it is a celebration or a satire of the Barbie concept, but it is fun.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 12, 2024, 06:33:31 AM
Tammy and the T Rex (1994) - Another "classic" b movie down the drain. I really liked, but didn't quite love this one. Released in 94, it seems to have it's heart more in the previous decade. One really good idea was casting super hot Denise Richards as Tammy (or "Tanny" as the title card said). The black/ gay sidekick didn't age very well but I guess.... points for inclusion???

The plot is admittedly awesome: A mad scientist is making a bionic T Rex robot and wants to find a human brain to put in it, as he feels this will be better than a computer one. Of course, right? A fair amount of comical gore ensues as surgery and dino carnage release gallons of blood into the atmosphere.

It's a fun and colorful movie. A few years later Richards would make "Wild Things" which is more fondly remembered and a better representation of the 90's era, but has far fewer decapitations and terrible jokes.

4.35 /5 extra percent of a point for it's off the cuff/ we know this sucks good nature. Could be a decent opener for "Killer Klowns" or something more substantial

This one slipped by me somehow in the 1990's, but I finally watched it last year and loved it!!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 12, 2024, 04:45:20 PM
Indiana - I think I thought it was a children's movie


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 12, 2024, 11:03:09 PM
EVIE (2023) - A young English girl finds a strange necklace on the beach, and her life is blighted by it.
Now, as an adult, she reunites with her long-lost brother and returns to her childhood home to find out what went wrong.
This was a slow-burn, suspenseful movie that could have used a good bit more action, or gore, or something.
The premise wasn't bad, it just lacked the necessary punch at the end.  3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 13, 2024, 10:04:36 PM
THE MADS ARE BACK: A NIGHT OF SHORTS XIV: The shorts are a complicated animation following a drop of gas through a combustion engine, how to plan a buffet, how to make a (complicated) sandwich, how to become a 50s secretary, how to be less self-conscious, and a (not nearly as ) re-riff of "A Case of Spring Fever." I chuckled a few times, but surprisingly the podcast part, which is usually kind of lame, was the better part: Steve Soliar, a very funny guy who was a personal assistant for Groucho Marx in his final years, tells stories about the comedy titan. (The cigar quip? It probably really happened). 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 13, 2024, 11:36:25 PM
OPPENHEIMER (2023):
I liked it... a lot more than the other big 2023 movie it opened with....... 

Nolan is best when he's working in the non-realist, non-linear, nightmare-adjacent genre. Yeah, that's a genre, population under a dozen filmmakers, probably, but it's my favorite getaway locale. For an epic biopic, the Nolan non-linear approach is actually kind of a no-brainer. Everything takes place in the early-to-mid-20th century on Earth but also sort of all of it in Oppy's mind and....... I approve.

3h4m is a touch on the long side to keep so many plates spinning, and in some alternate dimension there's an hour forty cut of this w/ no RDJ or any related plot material. That would be a cleaner and fleeter film but a less interesting one. I don't mind spending three hours where I occasionally have to sort out who's who or when's when. I mean, I've watched MEMENTO at least 20 times and OPPENHEIMER (like most of Nolan's work) ain't workin' on a MEMENTO-level of complexity. But it's still complex beyond most studio films, and if anything has to be nominated for a dozen Oscars, it might as well be this.

4/5
Will Gary Oldman play Stalin next?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 14, 2024, 12:42:58 AM
NIGHT SWIM (2023) - A professional baseball player fighting Multiple Sclerosis moves into a nice suburban home with a swimming pool in the back yard.  But something's not right with the pool; even as his health improves and his symptoms disappear, the bizarre and potentially deadly episodes keep piling up . . . something bad is in the water, and it needs sacrifice!  This was a pretty good PG-13 horror that could have been better; but it worked well on the big screen and rarely got boring.  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 14, 2024, 04:09:27 AM
They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

A dealer, a pimp and a hooker uncover a nefarious government plot involving mind control and clones.

This is an attempt to update the blaxploitation genre, and as such it exists in a strange time warp between the 70s, 90s and the present. It is pretty entertaining, and the main trio (John Boyega, Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris) put in good performances. The main weakness is the plot, which doesn't make a lot of sense, but is clearly written to include a number of tropes make story beats happen. Quite a lot hinges on the secret underground lab having the sloppiest security this side of the Death Star.
It is also a very dark movie in a literal sense. I had to turn off all the lights in the room to be able to see some scenes.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 14, 2024, 10:53:54 PM
I've been reading a book about the creation and inner workings of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has prompted me to start re-visiting some of its early chapters that I haven't seen in a while:

"Captain America: The First Avenger" (2011)
As World War II rages on, wimpy Army recruit Steve Rogers is chosen to receive an experimental Super-Soldier serum which bulks him up and turns him into the patriotic super-hero, leading the charge against the dreaded Red Skull and HYDRA. Joe "The Rocketeer" Johnston directed this action packed period piece that has held up extremely well.

I wish I could say the same for...

"The Incredible Hulk" (2008)
Tortured scientist Bruce Banner attempts to find a cure for his Gamma-powered anger management problem, pursued all the while by the Army and eventually getting into an epic throwdown on the streets of New York City against the monstrous Abomination.
This was better than Ang Lee's 2003 "Hulk" flick but not by much. According to the book I'm reading, Ed Norton (who plays Banner) was constantly banging heads with the director and screen writers, made constant script changes and basically acted like a diva b**ch for the entire production, which is why he was replaced in the Hulk role by Mark Ruffalo after this movie. This "Hulk" was watchable, but it's vastly inferior to the first "Iron Man," which was released the same year.
P.S. sharp eyed nerds, keep an eye out for the brief cameo by Lou Ferrigno, who played the Big Mean Green on TV in the '70s.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 14, 2024, 11:52:59 PM
BREAKIN' 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO (1984):
Somehow my first complete viewing of this seminal Cannon classic, and though it probably couldn't live up to the hype, I wasn't disappointed either. BREAKIN' 2 is a textbook good Bad Movie... thoroughly low-minded, lazy, ignorant, and even a little racist, yet still containing plentiful enough flashes of inspiration and humor (both intentional and unintentional) to get a lot of legitimate entertainment from it. If you cut together every single funny moment and cool or ridiculous shot from BREAKIN' 2 into one highlight reel, you'd have at least a decent 12-15 minutes of solid entertainment. Although that sounds like a backhanded plaudit, 12-15 minutes of solid entertainment is more than I could mine from the previous four movies I watched before this one.

Best bits: One of the most ludicrous gang dance fights in film history; scene after scene of ostensibly heterosexual dudes dressed like they're cruising for rough trade, including a young Ice T in two scenes, one of which where he's fully resplendent in leather straps and studs; the show-stopping ensemble dance sequence in a hospital ICU; and an extended number where Boogaloo Shrimp dances two complete 360s around the walls and ceiling of his apartment, with his girlfriend apparently upright on the floor during one bit when he's on the wall. The latter obviously required authentic effort, technical care, and of course a beefy gimble, so while BREAKIN' 2 doesn't have an original or deep thought in its head, it was clearly made w/ some love and enthusiasm. I watched three other musicals this week, one with Julie freakin' Andrews, and honestly BREAKIN' 2 is the clear winner.

3.5/5
They don't make 'em like this anymore. Possibly for good reason but still.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on January 15, 2024, 04:57:03 PM
Fant4stic - This is like a quarter of an interesting adaptation, and 3/4s underwritten half baked mess.  The best parts are early on and the stuff hinting at body horror, like when they first get transformed and when Dr Doom is first revealed and goes on a spree - genuinely pretty good stuff.  But then it barely has a story (seriously, there is no plot), barely has a climax, barely has any action, a lot of it is flat, the dialogue is often bad, and the pacing is just horrible.  But it felt way different than an MCU movie, so that was interesting on its own these days. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 15, 2024, 10:46:28 PM
VALLEY OF THE DEAD (2022)   This was a surprisingly good zombie movie, set in the 1930's during the Spanish Civil War.  A fascist officer and his driver are captured by Communist rebels, only to discover that they are in the middle of a zombie outbreak caused by German experiments.  Great characters, snappy dialogue (even dubbed), and nice effects - I was quite impressed with this little Netflix gem!  4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on January 17, 2024, 10:59:58 AM
I watched Beyond the Dunwhich Horror. 

It's a no budget movie filled with people that can't act and some of the worst effects I've seen in a while.  This is the first time I've ever seen a needle through the eye scene that DIDN'T make me cringe.

  Despite being a modern movie there's something about the bland "i don't care that the plot's not going anywhere" feel to it that makes it feel like something out of the 70s.  In fact they don't even set up the narrative right.  A guy is in a mental institution, then later scenes he's not, then he is, and it's not until half way through the movie they bother telling you the non-mental institution stuff is supposed to be a flashback.

There's also a few instances where they use colored lights for mood (and blue lights to show night) that, if they had done more consistently, would have given it some actual style, maybe some more lights, and some grit on the frame would make it worth watching. 

A few things do stand out for me.  There's one seen where man has an entire octopus on his plate that he's moving around with his fork before eating it with his hands that's rather unnerving. 

Downpoints include a brief appearance by a Hispanic looking actor that gives the most sterotypical racist fake Mexican accent ever. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 17, 2024, 12:15:38 PM
MAESTRO (2023): The life of Leonard Bernstein, with a focus on his marriage and his extra-marital affairs with men. Very slow developing in the first half, but it builds drama in the closing movements, particularly when a vigorously sweaty Cooper conducts the climax Mahler's Second. On Netflix. A weak 3/5.



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on January 17, 2024, 07:00:04 PM
I watched Beyond the Dunwhich Horror. 

It's a no budget movie filled with people that can't act and some of the worst effects I've seen in a while.  This is the first time I've ever seen a needle through the eye scene that DIDN'T make me cringe.

  Despite being a modern movie there's something about the bland "i don't care that the plot's not going anywhere" feel to it that makes it feel like something out of the 70s.  In fact they don't even set up the narrative right.  A guy is in a mental institution, then later scenes he's not, then he is, and it's not until half way through the movie they bother telling you the non-mental institution stuff is supposed to be a flashback.

There's also a few instances where they use colored lights for mood (and blue lights to show night) that, if they had done more consistently, would have given it some actual style, maybe some more lights, and some grit on the frame would make it worth watching. 

A few things do stand out for me.  There's one seen where man has an entire octopus on his plate that he's moving around with his fork before eating it with his hands that's rather unnerving. 

Downpoints include a brief appearance by a Hispanic looking actor that gives the most sterotypical racist fake Mexican accent ever. 

That one was so dreadful I couldn't finish it, a rarity for me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 17, 2024, 10:12:30 PM
"Inside Metal: Bay Area Godfathers, Part One" (2018)
Contrary to popular belief, the San Francisco Bay Area had a thriving metal scene long before Metallica moved up from L.A. and put the city on the metal map. This documentary proves it via interviews and clips of long forgotten S.F. bands like Stone Vengeance, Dammaj, Anvil Chorus, and Ruffians, alongside better known participants like Exodus, Death Angel, Forbidden, and many more. A fun trip down metal memory lane.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on January 17, 2024, 10:17:33 PM

That one was so dreadful I couldn't finish it, a rarity for me.
I thought about it. 

Honestly, my "watching it" turned into more "letting it run in the background while I did other stuff and occassionally looked over at it. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 18, 2024, 03:36:43 AM
Creep (2004) - deep tubi gem here. Well, maybe not quite a gem but it's decent, with a strong but not annoying female lead. She tries to get the last train out but dozes off and gets trapped in the subway station. Oh well, just call the police or alert all your friends on social media. Oops it's 2004.

To make matters worse, there's an all powerful underground dwelling super killer on the loose. Can she and various hobos and random animals take him on?

Shot for 12 dollars in an empty subway station at night.

4/5 not life changing/ rocket science but it works.

(https://thewolfmancometh.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/not-lola.jpg)

This is the lady

As always, if you are hovering over and plan on killing someone, PLEASE make sure there aren't any random sharp objects lying on the ground!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 18, 2024, 09:49:11 AM
That remains my biggest qualm w/ so many horror movies: when the antagonist/killer/monster etc is momentarily prostrate and non-responsive, DO NOT hover over them pensively while contemplating whether you should remove their mask, check for a pulse, gingerly acquire their weapon, steal their car keys, et al....... DO immediately leap in the air and LAND on their face/head/neck with both feet, multiple times if necessary, thereby crushing their skull and/or breaking their spine....... and then proceed to call the police, have a ciggy or whatevs else you think is important in that moment.

This happens in the deeply stoopid '23 slasher film IT'S A WONDERFUL KNIFE where three victims are ON A STAIRCASE several steps above an unconscious killer, thereby making it exceptionally easy to catch some air before landing on his skull....... and of course they creep down cautiously, take off his mask, etc... and you know where that leads. Damn fools!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 18, 2024, 04:42:18 PM
In one of the Austin Powers movies there's a scene where Dr Evil is going to kill Powers via some complicated drop into a shark tank or something, and his son is like "why don't we just shoot him? I have a gun" . Who is leaving all these sharp/ heavy objects on floors?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 18, 2024, 10:36:30 PM
"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (2014)
In the star-spangled hero's second solo outing, he and the Black Widow discover a massive sleeper cell of HYDRA agents operating within S.H.I.E.L.D. and must stop them before they put their latest plan for world domination into action. An action packed epic that plays more like an old school '70s political thriller (think "Three Days of the Condor") than a super hero flick.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 19, 2024, 12:57:39 PM
MAY DECEMBER (2023): Natalie Portman plays an actress who's shadowing a woman (Julianne Moore) involved in a tabloid scandal decades ago so she can portray her in a movie, and taking her method acting research too far. Structured like a mystery investigation, but instead of motives and methods, it reveals buried traumas and psychological dysfunction. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 20, 2024, 10:21:27 AM
KOKOMO CITY (2023): Black trans sex workers (and johns) share war stories (and philosophy). Well-edited, humorous, sometimes insightful, and defiantly in-your-face. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 20, 2024, 03:05:06 PM
watched couple episode of Tales of the Unexpected on youtube

better than average tv horror that ran from late 70's to mid 80's.

I watched the Landlady and Flypaper they were both pretty creepy. British


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 20, 2024, 05:36:53 PM
watched couple episode of Tales of the Unexpected on youtube

better than average tv horror that ran from late 70's to mid 80's.

I watched the Landlady and Flypaper they were both pretty creepy. British

Have you seen one called Royal Jelly? I think I recall The Landlady one. A woman poisons her guests and stuffs them iirc.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 20, 2024, 11:32:22 PM
I will watch Royal Jelly


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 21, 2024, 06:20:35 AM
Sorry wrong title. The episode I was thinking of is Flypaper.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 21, 2024, 11:36:43 AM
Thanks to whoever watched and reviewed this one in the past year for suggesting it:

THE PARK IS MINE (1985):
This was an HBO original that rec'd heavy hype and rotation when I was a kid, but I never watched it. Clearly HBO solicited something like FIRST BLOOD w/ possibly a side of DOG DAY AFTERNOON, light on the bloodshed. The screenplay is weak, or at least no-better-than-acceptable, and I don't particularly mind saying that as one of the two writers also wrote the WILD THINGS screenplays and the other one has only TPIM listed on his IMDB plus his name is "Lyle Gorch", which means he's one of the brothers from THE WILD BUNCH (either the one played by Warren Oates or the one played by Ben Johnson, I don't remember) and therefore was clearly not proud of his work on this screenplay.

However, THE PARK IS MINE is a lot better than anyone could've expected due to its strong direction, taut editing, slick cinematography (tons of mileage is gained from Tommy Lee Jones' reflecting sunglasses), and especially the acting. Recently there was a discussion on this site of hammy acting and one of youse posted a clip of William Friedkin slamming Al Pacino and praising the work ethic of TLJ. This is the kind of pre-Oscar winning TLJ performance that lends support to Friedkin's claims. The motivations for Jones' character are paper thin at times and cliched and reactionary at others, but still Jones commits entirely to playing this self-described "f**k up" to the hilt and seems to have a good old time doing it. Watching him stalk, dive, roll, and crawl around Central Park with automatic weapons makes me think TLJ would've made a much better, more serious 80s Frank Castle than Dolph Lundgren (and I like Dolph Lundgren), and New World Pictures probably could've afforded him back then. Endless-fount-of-gravitas Yaphet Kotto brings a ton of value to the role of the SWAT captain who wants to play things by-the-book and low-key. And there's a guy named Peter Dvorsky who does a great job as the dead-eyed bureaucrat bad guy... he's got a real John Turturro or cut-rate Walken quality. Don't remember seeing him in anything before but apparently he was in VIDEODROME and THE DEAD ZONE (w/ Chris)...

TPIM kept me in light suspense for most of its running time until it finally explodes in full-out action in the last act, when Dvorsky sends a Viet Cong assassin into the park to neutralize Jones' Nam vet! Yeah, TPIM is trash... that gets classy treatment. I bet Tarantino likes this one.

3.5/5
Amusingly this film set intrinsically in NYC was shot entirely in Toronto.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: javakoala on January 21, 2024, 03:03:06 PM
Some day, I will watch a decent film and post my mini-review here.

Not likely to happen due to how my brain works, but I keep hoping.

Hmm...would 1972's "Trick Baby" qualify?


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on January 21, 2024, 05:00:50 PM
Alex - Flypaper was my favorite of the two I saw.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 21, 2024, 05:09:00 PM
Most people seem to rate that one as the best one of the entire series.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 21, 2024, 09:12:48 PM
Javakoala, maybe you will accidentally watch a film that you like one of these days. (It happens to me quite often, even in spite of my choices.)  :cheers:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 21, 2024, 09:23:06 PM
"Beverly Hills Cop" (1984)
While investigating the murder of an old friend, wise-ass Detroit cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) follows a lead to Beverly Hills, where he p*sses off the uptight, suit-and-tie local P.D. and tangles with international drug smugglers. This action comedy hit turned Murphy into a bankable movie star and was followed by two sequels (with a new one coming this summer via Netflix). Still a fun flick, hard to believe it's 40 years old this year!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on January 22, 2024, 08:57:51 AM
"Beverly Hills Cop" (1984)
While investigating the murder of an old friend, wise-ass Detroit cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) follows a lead to Beverly Hills, where he p*sses off the uptight, suit-and-tie local P.D. and tangles with international drug smugglers. This action comedy hit turned Murphy into a bankable movie star and was followed by two sequels (with a new one coming this summer via Netflix). Still a fun flick, hard to believe it's 40 years old this year!

Meaning that I was in high school 40 years ago? Oy vey 😳😳


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 22, 2024, 05:28:59 PM
Five Nights At Freddies.

I am only vaguely familiar with the game having never played it, but the movie seemed decent. If you've seen the Banana Splits Movie or Willies Wonderland then this isn't presenting anything radically different. Enjoyable enough, but not essential must see stuff. Fans of gore won't find much to keep them watching.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on January 22, 2024, 08:01:50 PM
Rebel Moon. Part 1.

I'd seen a lot of comments about how this was just a Star Wars rip-off and that is what I went into it expecting. I've got to say I found that description fairly unjustified and I'm putting that down to lazy writing. Yeah, there are similarities, but I could say the same about Dune for example. As sci fi films go, its average. Enjoyable enough fluff that I'll watch the second part when it comes out.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 23, 2024, 04:59:53 PM
"Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker" (2000)
Set in the dystopian future Gotham City of 2019 (haha!), the new, high tech, 21st century Batman must deal with the sudden re-appearance of the Joker... who was supposed to have died years ago. There's lots of cool, futuristic cartoon carnage in this darker-than-expected sci-fi/super-hero mash up with fine voice acting as usual by the late Kevin Conroy (as the elderly, but still ornery, Bruce Wayne) and Mark Hamill (as the Joker).


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 23, 2024, 08:29:42 PM
"Robot Jox" (1990)
Stuart ("Re-Animator") Gordon directed this ambitious B-Movie set in a post-apocalyptic future, where international disputes are settled by battles between men piloting giant, heavily armed robots. The current champion "Achilles" is ready to retire from the arena, but he's forced back into the saddle for one final robo-fight against his arch rival.

The plot is comic book nonsense and its Cold War era parallels are quite dated now, but "Robot Jox" is still a fun watch thanks to its charming, cool stop-motion special effects (they don't make 'em like that anymore!) and surprisingly lavish sets and costumes for a low budget production.

The news that actor Gary Graham, who played the heroic "Achilles" in this flick, passed away yesterday inspired me to revisit this oldie but goodie. R.I.P. sir, and "Crash and Burn!"


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on January 25, 2024, 11:00:02 AM
RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE (1943)

Bela Lugosi stars as vampire Armand Tesla (who needs more shoeshine in his hair, for my taste) , with the aide of his talking werewolf sidekick, terrorizes the countryside in WW II torn England. Film noir beauty Frida Inescort and Nina Foch show up to for window dressing. One of the goofiest vampire movies ever made, with the 3 Stooges type werewolf good for some chuckles. Lotsa fun though. Some great face melting in the sun shots of Bela at the end, though!

(https://i.imgur.com/dMGEMUw.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on January 27, 2024, 03:24:01 AM
Poor Things (2023)

A satiric take on the Frankenstein story set in a weird steampunk parallel universe.

This is brilliant! Yorgos Lanthinos has really outdone himself. I can see how the excessive mannerisms can get on your nerves, but I didn't mind them. Also, the dialogue has become more Wes Anderson-y. The whole movie has a certain Wes Anderson feel to it, if Wes Anderson had lots of sex and an exuberant art nouveau esthetic.

Best movie I've seen since Asteroid City.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on January 27, 2024, 01:49:17 PM
The Wiz. Michael Jackson as a scarecrow was interesting stuff. As I watched this movie I could swear it reminded me of something I'd seen before, but I couldn't put my finger on it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on January 27, 2024, 02:38:36 PM
Callan (1974) with Edward Woodward. Good to see a film adaptation which doesn't go far from the book.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 27, 2024, 10:36:45 PM
"Religulous" (2008)
Comedian, talk show host, and avowed skeptic Bill Maher takes on religion (which he calls a "neurological disorder") in this entertaining documentary, in which he travels around the world, talks to people representing of the major world faiths, and eventually comes to the conclusion that they're all pretty much out of their frickin' minds.
This is the 3rd or 4th time I've seen this doc over the past couple of years and it's still an entertaining, funny, and sometimes bizarre watch. Obviously your mileage may vary depending on your level of religiosity.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 28, 2024, 11:23:27 AM
THE TERROR OF DR. MABUSE aka THE TESTAMENT OF DR. MABUSE (1962):
Another debate here about in which board this review belongs... it took 20 minutes to grab my attention and held it inconsistently for another 70 but there were some good bits. Turns out this was the fourth (!) of what I'd thought was a trilogy of German Mabuse films made w/o the participation of Fritz Lang. I've seen one of the other three and this one's better than that one.

PROS: Although it takes entirely too long to get around to this part, the ultimate twist (SPOILERS?) is pretty cool: that the institutionalized Mabuse is actually hypnotically controlling the hypnotherapist who runs the mental asylum in which he is confined and puppeting that mofo to operate his criminal empire outside the asylum. The couple of scenes which reveal this premise give off authentic and commendable Hannibal Lecter/Keener in GET OUT vibes of intense menace. Also, Gert Frobe aka Goldfinger plays not Mabuse but the police inspector pursuing Mabuse's empire, and it's cool to see him play a compelling protagonist. Also also, Mabuse's primary henchman (who gets more screentime than Mabuse or his doctor) is an actor named Charles Regnier who appeared in dozens and dozens of Euro-films in his long career, and I don't think I've seen any of those. Nonetheless he makes an indelible impression as a tall, bald, porkpie hat-wearing goon you don't want to cross.

CONS: The hand-to-hand fight choreography is laughably atrocious. It's hard to swallow that Mabuse is an international supervillain when all his gang ever seems to do is fix fights, hijack trucks, and pull heists from bank vaults. A lot of screentime is devoted to a plot involving a boxer and his girlfriend, which seems ephemeral and has a ludicrously ineffective climax. Finally, some Googling informs me that this was intended as a remake of 1934's TESTAMENT OF DR. MEBUSE by Lang, which I watched possibly as many as 15 years ago and so didn't initially remember that it also had the same asylum plot and boxing subplot and probably the same underwhelming crime sprees. However, that film had so much audacious and absorbing visual filmmaking that it felt like a much better film and, thus, almost certainly was. Also I think the fights were better.

2.5/5
Also no Klaus Kinski, who tends to show up in most of the underwhelming German crime movies from the early 60s that I watch for no particularly good reason.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 28, 2024, 12:33:34 PM
REFLECT (2023): Five women travel to Sedona to win a cash prize for completing a spiritual obstacle course (which turns out to be a front for an alien reality show). An odd little movie that starts as a girls trip comedy and turns into a trippy New-Age hallucination; despite the comic touches, it's sincere in its spiritual (but really psychological) aims, but not exactly surefooted filmmaking. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: javakoala on January 28, 2024, 12:58:07 PM
Javakoala, maybe you will accidentally watch a film that you like one of these days. (It happens to me quite often, even in spite of my choices.)  :cheers:

"Trick Baby" was one that I liked. Not sure how it stacks up against Iceberg Slim's novel, but the film had a nice gritty quality to it with solid performances from the cast.

Admittedly, I tend to pick movies that I pretty much know I'm gonna dislike. If it turns out that I don't hate the movie, I feel like I've won something.

"Trick Baby" got watched because I've been doing research into Holloway House, a publishing house that released Iceberg Slim and Donald Goines along with a number of other pulp-level black action/crime novels. I've owned the movie for years but never watched it. Shame on me.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 28, 2024, 09:34:56 PM
"The Blues Brothers" (1980)
Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi's "SNL" characters made the jump to the big screen in this action packed musical extravaganza. "Jake" and "Elwood" are on a "mission from God" to raise money to save the orphanage they grew up in, so they get their old band back together for a benefit show. Mayhem manages to follow them wherever they go, encountering the state police, angry rednecks, and the Illinois Nazi party, before the film climaxes with what may be the greatest sequence of automobile destruction ever filmed. Loaded with cameos from blues, soul, and R&B legends like Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, Cab Calloway, and more. A stone cold cult classic with a soulful, rockin' soundtrack.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on January 29, 2024, 08:47:25 PM
FFC, I feel like it bears mentioning that Cab Calloway doesn't contribute a cameo - he's basically the third lead, and he's outstanding. Really love that Landis helped immortalize him for several generations of film fans that otherwise might not know him.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 31, 2024, 09:08:04 AM
MARKETA LAZAROVA (1967): In the early Middle Ages, a pair of petty noble brothers rob a caravan under protection of the King, setting off a chain of events that eventually leads to the kidnapping and rape of Marketa, a virgin pledged to the convent. A black and white Czech epic that's beautifully shot with an eerie medieval soundtrack by Zdenk Liska, it is confessedly difficult to follow: it took me at least an hour to sort out the characters and which clan they belonged to, a difficulty exacerbated by director Frantisek Vlácil's occasional use of dream sequences. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: pacman000 on January 31, 2024, 11:58:02 AM
Ben-Hur (1959) - "This is only 2.5 hours, that's what it says when I pause it. Oh, there's another disk. Nevermind."  :bouncegiggle: Still, not as slow as I remembered. Good movie, even if it did take all day.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on January 31, 2024, 10:24:11 PM
"Meatballs" (1979)
Bill Murray (making his movie debut) and his fellow counselors at humble Camp North Star goof off, play pranks, and chase girls before leading their pint-size charges into a climactic series of contests against the hoity-toity rich kids' camp on the other side of the lake. Murray totally steals the movie and chews the scenery for all he's worth (legend has it that he ad-libbed virtually all of his character's dialogue) but otherwise this is a pretty standard, mostly plotless summer-camp comedy. It wasn't terrible, but I seem to remember thinking it was a lot funnier when I was 14.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 01, 2024, 10:25:05 AM
ORIGIN (2024): Pulitzer-prize winning author Isabel Wilkerson deals with personal tragedies while working on her book "Caste," which compares India and Nazi Germany with the American class system and argues that the idea of caste is actually more important than race. The movie's odd structure, which mixes biopic with a lecture illustrated through dramatic re-enactments, leads to unevenness and a few clumsy-feeling moments; when the script focuses on Wilkerson formulating her thesis, it works well as an advertisement for the not-Ron-DeSantis-approved book. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 02, 2024, 10:47:00 PM
LE HORLA (1966):
This full-color French art flick runs 35 minutes and suggests some connective tissue between MESHES OF THE AFTERNOON and David Lynch's early work. A young bachelor begins to suspect he's experiencing sleepwalking episodes and slowly starts to suffer a paranoid breakdown over his inability to remember his nocturnal activities. Gradually a new idea occurs to him: is an invisible ghost entering his apartment each night and messing with him? Although his sanity is already well in question, there's some reasonable onscreen indications of a supernatural third party actually tormenting the guy....... so what's a loner weirdo to do?

LE HORLA has two pretty significant shortcomings, to my mind. One is that this non-linear film's resolution is given away too early and much, much too often, so the suspense (if that's what you're looking for) is rather limited. The other is the entirely too dense dialogue (or rather, monologue) adapted directly from Guy DeMaupassant's first-person short story. It does wear on one's nerves after awhile and the film would've been more effective w/ less narration. (Plus the English subtitles translate "le horla" as "the whore", which caused me some confusion, when the actual translation is "the outsider".) That second complaint is largely ameliorated, though, by the one-man show delivered by actor Laurent Terzieff, yet another European actor with a long list of credits who is undeservedly unfamiliar to me. Terzieff sells the text with his voice (sometimes in VO, sometimes to the camera) but really shines in the wordless passages, using his posture and (often eerile) movement to keep our attention and convince us he's a man haunted (or possessed). Because of Terzieff and because of a handful of truly unsettling if understated visuals, LE HORLA is well worth a view for fans of surrealism and the uncanny.

3,5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on February 03, 2024, 01:14:14 AM
King of Prodigal Boxers - This is a VERY bad early 80s action drama from Taiwan.  It's on Tubi.  It has a couple of real names in it too, Chen Kuan-Tai is in some quite good kung fu films (Boxer from Shantung and Executioners from Shaolin are recs), and fans of kung fu films might recognize a couple other faces like Michael Chan.  It's about two guys, one a boxer the other a businessman, who end up wanting revenge on the same guy and eventually go for that.  This is one of the worst edited films I've ever seen.  Every scene is chopped to hell and looks like they did not have enough footage to do it right.  The storyline is barely coherent.  Characters are really bad.  There's not nearly enough action sequences - but, actually, what little action we have is fairly decent and is the highlight of the film.  The film also steals a piece of music from Once Upon a Time in the West to use in a scene exactly how it was used in that film (C'Era Una Volta Il West is the track title). 

One surprising bit - the businessman character is played by Wang Kuan-Hsiung, and he's a pretty good actor and his performance still comes across despite some terrible english dubbing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 03, 2024, 12:56:55 PM
NIGHT OF WALPURGIS aka WEREWOLF'S SHADOW aka WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMAN (1970):

First-time viewing of one of the best-known and most successful of the fifteen or so (!) "Waldemar Daninsky" movies where Spanish Jacinto Molina aka Paul Naschy plays Polish werewolf Wally D. This movie is a pristine example of why this wonderful website exists - it's poorly made and stoopid in many ways, but it's still a good deal of fun. This entry begins in medias res, in the style of many of the Hammer Frankensteins, as if it's continuing directly where the previous film left off. But Daninsky was a college professor in the last one and now somehow he's a rural nobleman... sometimes he'd be a mountain climber... sometimes he'd be a gaijin samurai! Really these films just follow Naschy's whimsy wherever it leads. Surprisingly (as I'd never read or heard this observation before), WVTVW has Naschy (who wrote all his own screenplays) lifting the major plot points from Bava's BLACK SUNDAY: goth-looking demon-worshipping vampire queen is revived with drops of blood and goes on a spree. The big question is, would the addition of a crazed werewolf have improved BLACK SUNDAY? Based on the evidence here... maybe so!

This movie ain't perfect. Two of the leading ladies (Gaby Fuchs as the love interest and Patty Sheppard as Barbara Steele) have no characterization to work with and thus just zone out/sleepwalk through the film. (The third, less famous female lead is very cute however and performs her role with some gusto.) Director Leon Klimovsky had a long career directing Naschy's films and other Euro-horror, but so much of WVTVW is so stagy, sedentary, slow, underlit, inept, and just jejune that you'd think he was a first-time director or Naschy's nephew or something.

That said, Klimovsky does occasionally get some things quite right in spite of himself. The bright-eyed, bright-lipped, pale-skinned vampire ladies (plural) look sublime, and in advance of most of Jean Rollin's stylish sexy vamp movies. Isolated shots of them ogling the necks of other dames or laying their throats open to feast definitely deliver what the French like to call "frisson". Klimovsky also manages to accomplish something few other bad horror movie directors can pull off: he uses slo-mo extremely well. The slo-mo sequences of the vampires gleefully advancing on their victims are damn cool, and there's one slo-mo face-off between Naschy and a vampire that plays out almost exactly like a spaghetti western gunfight. Nice stuff.

As for Naschy, he's an acquired taste for sure. From the kindest angles he looks like a slightly paunchy John Saxon; most of the time he looks like John Belushi with a nice haircut. No matter which Naschy film you watch, you will likely slap yourself at some point and wonder aloud, "Why are these hot broads making out with this guy and professing their undying love to him?!" It's gotta' be his simmering intensity, which is well-restrained here in service of playing a lonely rich guy who just wants a friend. When Daninsky hulks out, though, Naschy literally and dramatically transforms to great effect. The Chaney-style werewolf here looks great and is completely vicious, actually foaming at the mouth, and frankly is kind of an a**hole. He'll maul absolutely anyone on sight with no provocation. A couple of bit players are so dazed by this unmotivated aggression that they just freeze up and let Naschy steamroll 'em.

No bad movie would cut muster without at least one moment of jaw-dropping incompetence. This one's got at least two. The best is when an angry villager attempts to stab human Naschy with what is very clearly a retractable blade. Viewers are supposed to understand that werewolves are supernaturally protected from all physical harm - but how does that protection extend to their expensive leather jackets?! There's also a hilarious full-body dummy that gets decapitated in an extended long shot. Klimovsky and his editor weren't even trying there. This kind of filmmaking is what inspired me to make laughably bad horror movies as a young person - 'cause hey, WVTVW got international distribution, why can't I?

3/5
Vive la lobos hombre!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 03, 2024, 03:03:28 PM
Friday night double feature:
BARBIE (2023) - My wife and daughters saw this last summer; I taped it off of HBO and finally watched it yestereve.
I found it to be a fun, silly social satire that never let its message get in the way of its entertainment value.  Perfectly cast and written with a wry wit, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  5/5
GINGERDEAD MAN VS. EVIL BONG (2013) You can still count on Full Moon pictures to deliver Joe Bob Briggs' "three B's" without much in the way of a comprehensive plot to get in the way of the pure cheese. This was an awful movie, about fifteen minutes of its 83 minute runtime was wasted on opening credits or flashback scenes from the previous movies in the franchise.  Pure silliness with some gore and copious nudity, which Joe Bob would insist was "absolutely essential to the plot" - or it would have been, had the movie had one.
I was entertained.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on February 03, 2024, 03:46:02 PM
Bad insomnia last night so I watched THE LIVING DEAD AT THE MANCHESTER MORGUE: that was a bad idea because I was then scared to go sleep after 😳🐢


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 03, 2024, 10:45:55 PM
"Shock 'Em Dead" (1990)
A wanna-be guitarist makes a deal with the Devil and is transformed into a six-string Rock God. Of course he uses his newfound supernatural powers to pursue his dream girl (former XXX queen Traci Lords). This cheap, cheesy heavy metal horror/comedy (though I'm not entirely sure the comedy is intentional) doesn't have much gore but there's plenty of T&A. "Shock 'Em Dead" is crap, but at least it was entertaining crap.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 03, 2024, 11:54:08 PM
GERALD'S GAME (2017)  - I read this book many years ago, but had never seen the movie adaptation until tonight.  I thought it was one of the best Stephen King adaptations I've seen - the casting was brilliant, the cinematography excellent, and the main character's hallucinations were handled very skillfully.  Also, the guy who played the ghoul Joubert was absolutely terrifying. Highly recommended!  5/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 04, 2024, 07:23:11 AM
Wish.

Went to show the latest offering from Disney at the cinema club. No one turned up to watch it, which is unusual for a kids film at the weekend. We sat down to just see it ourselves. After what I am guessing was about 20 mins to half an hour we just put it off and walked out. The songs and animation seemed bland and uninteresting. Ash's attention is normally caught by animation but he just wasn't interested in it either making it one of the few movies that all three of us agree is a flop.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 04, 2024, 12:46:34 PM
DOWNFALL (2004)

It's 1945, and Hitler's world is caving in around him. Down in his bunker, his top Generals an aides betray him and he sinks into delusion and madness, and eventually, suicide. This is the movie all those dubbed Hitler videos of him going off the rails for various reasons uses scenes from.

(https://i.imgur.com/MP22AqB.gif) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 04, 2024, 09:34:07 PM
"Jack of All Trades" (2018)
 The son of a big time 1980s sports card dealer discovers a large stash of his estranged Dad's collection and thinks he's hit the jackpot, but when he tries to sell the cards, he learns that they are basically worthless in the 21st century. This leads him on a quest to find out why and how the multi-million dollar sports card business collapsed during the 1990s, and also to re-connect with his father, whom he hasn't seen or spoken to in 20 years. I would've preferred if this documentary kept its focus on the hobby and spent less time on the soap opera family drama stuff, but it was still a decent watch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 04, 2024, 10:26:50 PM
DOWNFALL (2004)

It's 1945, and Hitler's world is caving in around him. Down in his bunker, his top Generals an aides betray him and he sinks into delusion and madness, and eventually, suicide. This is the movie all those dubbed Hitler videos of him going off the rails for various reasons uses scenes from.

(https://i.imgur.com/MP22AqB.gif) (https://lunapic.com)

Perhaps the best movie about Hitler ever made!  Incredible performance.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 07, 2024, 08:02:14 AM
the MUMMY'S GHOST (1944)

Lon Chaney Jr. stumbles around killing folks at John Carradine's orders in another Universal B movie. Better (somewhat) then the previous 3 Mummy outings if only for the presence of Long John. Also has Ramsey Ames as a fetching looking leading lady with a white streak going through her black hair, who (gasp!)ages rapidly and dies at the end.

(https://i.imgur.com/zsmJFob.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 08, 2024, 02:26:12 PM
WELCOME HOME,BROTHER CHARLES (1975)
 The plot-man gets falsely imprisoned for rape-learns the secrets of voodoo-gets out and gets revenge by strangling motherf**kers with his growing anaconda-like DICK. I bought this on vhs some years back at the flea market.

(https://i.imgur.com/myq8jOt.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 09, 2024, 05:20:38 PM
(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/15/af/40/15af40080cd24f028e5f80dfc5baef9b.jpg)

Cursed (2020 Korean TV series) - I'm about halfway through this 12 episode horror-ish series that's inexplicably on both tubi and Netflix. It lacks the style of an American series like Ozark or 24 but it's solid.

A little Korean kid (actually a teenager but she's small) has the power to put horrible curses on people. She has a vendetta against a Jeff Bezos type business giant. Unfortunately for her, he has a bunch of witchy people in his corner and unlimited financial resources. It's a Superbowl of mystical hooey, night time abductions, and evil folkloric ceremonies.

I was stuck in a rut movie wise. I think I was just sick of the regular 90 minute format so this is nice. It's good but not awesome. I'm not in awe here.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 10, 2024, 09:42:55 AM
THE INVITATION (2022) - An American college student, working as a waitress, does a DNA test and discovers she is related to an aristocratic British family.  When she reaches out to a newfound cousin, she is invited to a wedding at a beautiful English manor house where not all is as at seems.  The domestics keep disappearing, and the Lord of the Manor seems a bit too interested in her . . . she also discovers that her family has been strangely short of female offspring for the last generation or so.  Interesting film that steadily builds suspense until the payoff . . . definitely worth the watch! 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 10, 2024, 09:44:01 AM
MST3K: Invasion of the Neptune Men: Pearl, Brain Guy and Bobo are trapped in "Roman Times," but still send Mike and the bots a really bad Japanese sci-fi movie from the 50s in which a bunch of unsupervised 10-year-olds with top security clearance and an unexplained but wispy superhero defeat a bunch of alien robots. One of just a few MST3Ks I'd never seen before, it's in the average range, suffering a little because it's surrounded by much better episodes. The Hitler Building is the highlight. 3.5/5.

(https://64.media.tumblr.com/a8e384a0ddd20f077de715666fc0eb3a/tumblr_nvlng9EhPN1s5u1eoo1_500.gif)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 10, 2024, 10:25:25 AM
THE INVITATION (2022) -  When she reaches out to a newfound cousin, she is invited to a wedding at a beautiful English manor house where not all is as at seems.  Interesting film that steadily builds suspense until the payoff . . . definitely worth the watch! 4/5

I am glad you liked this one. 15 minutes in she shows up at Carfax Abbey (yes, that one) and the butler "Mr. Field" welcomes her and I spent the next hour or so wishing she was even a little smarter or even slightly literate. Alas, I felt like all was exactly as it seemed!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 10, 2024, 11:04:17 AM
VALLEY OF THE BEES (1968):
Right around the time Rev was watching MARKETA LAZAROVA (which I've never seen), I was coincidentally beginning to watch this follow-up by Frantisek Vlacil, which apparently was considered a disappointment after the critical acclaim of MARKETA. It's only 97 minutes long but it took me three sessions to get through, which says more about my schedule than it says about the movie. I think Rev suggested that MARKETA was challenging to decipher. VALLEY OF THE BEES ultimately has a pretty simple plot that just takes its time perambulating to digressive places before it settles into a mostly straightforward if rigorous and DEEE-pressing psychological/religious melodrama.

In a nutshell: Ondrej and Armin are two medieval knights of the "Order of the Cross" which is probably some Rosicrucian bulls**t or something. Armin is ultra-devout and possibly a repressed homosexual or otherwise just the world's most fanatical broseph; Ondrej on the other hand is looking for any opportunity to slip away from the Order and go explore some unresolved Freudian business with his rich dad and hot stepmother. Eventually Armin has to go retrieve Ondrej and return him to the fold, which doesn't go well for either one of them or anyone else they encounter. I shouldn't get carried away w/ my enthusiasm here since I did digest this in half hour chunks, but on the whole I thought VALLEY OF THE BEES was superb. Essentially it's a remix of elements from Dreyer, Bergman, Kurosawa, and early Tarkovski (and probably Bresson, who I'm not that into) filtered through great B+W photography and some good sound design and a pitch black attitude towards humanity that might bum out Michael Haneke. There are even a couple of lines that are unnervingly similar to themes and dialogue from FIRE WALK WITH ME... unlikely that Lynch was consciously or even unconsciously quoting VOTB, but he tapped into the same dark universal vein of spiritual reference.

Regarding also my previous review of a Naschy Wolfman film, I should acknowledge a couple of brief lapses in VOTB where Vlacil's budget or technological restrictions are a little humorous, at least out of context. Less than ten minutes into the film there is a moment of violence (and brief gore) that is staged, shot, and edited in just about exactly the same way a small group of 13-15 year old boys would stage, shoot, and edit the exact same action. Honestly it was heartening to see a late-60s art film struggling to solve the same practical challenges that I was struggling with in my backyard in the late 80s and early 90s, and arriving at the same solution, too! Also for much of the film characters refer to the vicious "hounds" who (Anton Chekhov would assure us) will be unleashed upon some poor soul in the final act. They finally let the hounds out at the film's conclusion and of course they're half a dozen happy German shepherds who wag their tails as they frolic around their victim, probably looking for the steaks hidden in his wardrobe. Oh well, the movie's downbeat enough, at least the doggies are having fun.

4/5
Probably a 4.5 but maybe someday I'll rewatch in one sitting to confirm.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 10, 2024, 05:31:53 PM
I loved Valley of the Bees. I watched the other movie of his Netflix had Adelheid which I also liked.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 11, 2024, 06:38:25 AM
Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989)

The eccentric band Leningrad Cowboys (I think they're supposed to be Siberian in the movie) travel through the US trying to make it big, and finally find succes in Mexico.

The deadpan absurdist humour is great, but even at 79 minutes, I found the joke was wearing a bit thin near the end. This is strangely reminiscent of the Blues Brothers, with an eccentric band showing up in various locales and performing there. The main weakness is that the musical numbers (of which there are several) aren't particularly good. That is of course the point of the plot, but it doesn't make them more watchable.

Still, overall enjoyable.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 11, 2024, 12:10:02 PM
THREADS (1984)

England is attacked by atomic bombs in the near future, and the lives of various people is followed up to 13 years. Pretty harrowing and realistic. Not a feel good movie. Very well made.

(https://i.imgur.com/ST8KomH.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on February 11, 2024, 12:35:02 PM
THREADS (1984)

England is attacked by atomic bombs in the near future, and the lives of various people is followed up to 13 years. Pretty harrowing and realistic. Not a feel good movie. Very well made.

(https://i.imgur.com/ST8KomH.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

That and The Day After scared the crap out of me 😳


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 11, 2024, 01:47:30 PM
Lester, I hadn't heard of ADELHEID or any of his other films besides MARKETA but now I will check them out.

The LENINGRAD COWBOYS review is spot-on, imho. All Kaurismaki films are amusing for 20-30 minutes then keep going for another 60+.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 11, 2024, 04:53:17 PM
Timetrap.

Not strange enough for me to recommend to the Rev, and no boobs in it for me to recommend it to Indy, but I felt this time travel adventure was a bit of a cut above most of its ilk. Didn't pay 100% attention to it while it was on, but what I did see interested me enough that I'll give it another go later on.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 11, 2024, 05:35:46 PM
ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932)

One of the best horror films of the 1930's.
Richard Arlen, our hero, gets stranded on an island run by the sadistic Dr. Moreau (wonderfully played by Charles Laughton) and inhabited by his horrifying creations, the Manimals. Besides performing vivsectioning expeirments on his live subjects, he tries to play matchmaker between Arlen and the Panther Woman Lota ( who looks almost exactly like my son Jed's wife Tanya!) When Arlen tries to escape, Moreau orders his gorilla/man Oran to kill Arlen's savior; the beast men revolt on the prodding of the wolf-like Lawmaker (Bela Lugosi) and Moreau finds a horrible death in his own House of Pain.
A truly perverse storyline helped get this film banned in many countries and is rarley shown.
A classic.

(https://i.imgur.com/1cjzzOt.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


(https://i.imgur.com/uMDCtPG.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

Kathleen Burke as Lota

(https://i.imgur.com/wXiY4u8.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

Bela as the Lawmaker


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 11, 2024, 10:06:23 PM
Your son Jed is a lucky man, RC!

Fabulous movie, too.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 12, 2024, 12:11:41 PM
OZMA (2023): An insomniac widower spends the night toting around an on-the-run telepathic jellyfish alien. Yep, it's THAT old story yet again, but this time the soundtrack musicians appear onscreen to accompany the actors. Modestly budgeted and a bit pretentious, but also original and ingenious. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: ER on February 14, 2024, 03:18:10 PM
THE INVITATION (2022) - An American college student, working as a waitress, does a DNA test and discovers she is related to an aristocratic British family.  When she reaches out to a newfound cousin, she is invited to a wedding at a beautiful English manor house where not all is as at seems.  The domestics keep disappearing, and the Lord of the Manor seems a bit too interested in her . . . she also discovers that her family has been strangely short of female offspring for the last generation or so.  Interesting film that steadily builds suspense until the payoff . . . definitely worth the watch! 4/5

Aside from being an infinitely nicer person than me, you have a much lower entertainment threshold!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 14, 2024, 06:59:08 PM
"Freelance" (2023)
A former Army Special Forces operative (John Cena) takes a freelance security gig, accompanying a lady reporter (Alison Brie) to a troubled South American nation to interview their President. As soon as they arrive, an attempted coup against El Presidente throws the trip into chaos.
Cena tries hard, but the first half of this action comedy is better than the second half, when it starts getting bogged down with so many double- and triple-crosses that it just turns into a big, loud, ultra-violent muddle. I've seen worse, but I've also seen lots better.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 14, 2024, 09:36:09 PM
THE INVITATION (2022) - An American college student, working as a waitress, does a DNA test and discovers she is related to an aristocratic British family.  When she reaches out to a newfound cousin, she is invited to a wedding at a beautiful English manor house where not all is as at seems.  The domestics keep disappearing, and the Lord of the Manor seems a bit too interested in her . . . she also discovers that her family has been strangely short of female offspring for the last generation or so.  Interesting film that steadily builds suspense until the payoff . . . definitely worth the watch! 4/5

Aside from being an infinitely nicer person than me, you have a much lower entertainment threshold!

Isn't having a low entertainment threshold a requirement for membership here???


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 15, 2024, 09:46:48 PM
"The Greatest Night in Pop" (2024)
This Netflix documentary looks back at the making of the all-star charity single "We Are the World" by USA For Africa, which amazingly was recorded in a single all-night marathon studio session after the 1985 American Music Awards. Some good stories are told and the vintage clips from the event made me go "Oh yea, I forgot that so-and-so was there" several times.
Side note: I have always wondered how the heck Dan Aykroyd wound up with an invite to the USA For Africa session. Unfortunately this doc does not explain it. I know Dan had a musical side as a Blues Brother, but somehow I can't picture Quincy Jones saying "OK, we've got Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Cyndi Lauper, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Dionne Warwick, and Bruce Springsteen... but you know who would really put this thing over the top? The Bass-O-Matic Guy!"


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 16, 2024, 06:10:26 PM
A full year late to the party, I shall now settle an ongoing Badmovies.org debate w/ finality (...as if...):

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (2022):
...Great movie! 'Nuff said!

.......Okay, but really... I admire it more than I loved it, though I was feeling love for it from approximately the 30m mark through the 90m mark. I don't think it overstays its welcome or falls apart at some point - the middle hour just delivered the most pleasing endorphin-rush for me personally.

I'll say this: I think I benefitted from a large degree of ignorance re: what the heck this movie was about. (I've been trying to live hype-free as much as possible for a while now...) I knew it was a multiversal adventure/drama, I knew the cast, I knew the Awards it had racked up, and I knew it was errrr controversial on this site....... those points aside, I honestly had no idea exactly what kind of "multiversal adventure" this was, and thus was surprised and tickled to discover the full-bodied genre pleasures herein.

My other major takeaway: the Daniels really commit to this bit, so to speak. EEAAO is full of ludicrous and even bad ideas (at least if one's intention was to make a Good movie) yet they articulate, execute, and shepherd those ludicrous and bad ideas through to the end with gusto. They also have the courage to only provide lots of plot info once or twice, succinctly, not half a dozen times stridently, and then just expect viewers to hold on to that information, or - don't! In this sense, EEAAO felt like a typical HK or Chinese crowd-pleaser, only done right. With due cultural sensitivity, I've watched enough such films over the past 30 years to expect lots of fast-paced and often absurd plot twists and melodramatic gestures, delivered with gonzo enthusiasm but often insufficient cogency to allow the complete package to hold together organically and feel satisfying. I guess what I'm saying is that 20th century HK and modern Chinese mainstream filmmaking is all broad strokes and little structural stability. EEAAO has aaaaaaall those broad strokes over a skeleton that's sound enough to get a viewer across its finish line.

Is EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE the weirdest film to ever win the Oscar for Best Picture? It's hard to think of a realistic contender in my lifetime. FORREST GUMP is really bonkers at times (which is one of the primary reasons I like it) but it's not on the completely bananas level of EEAOW.  NO COUNTRY... is a weird, dark film (and a better film than EEAAO) but again no contest. Had FURY ROAD (also a better film) won the BP as it should have, even that feminist actionstravaganza directed in the style of Jodorowski would seem more sober and grounded than the Daniels' antic, loping smorgasbord. Would the Best Picture victories of GREEN BOOK, SPOTLIGHT, ARGO, or THE KING'S SPEECH have been more easily digestible if any of those films had included a scene where two characters scramble desperately to impale themselves on large phallic objects vis-a-vis a mid-combat power up? I'm not saying those fillms' victories would have made more sense - I'm just saying I would've respected the Academy a little more for those nods.  :smile:

4/5
And of course 2007's RATATOUILLE boasts one of the least credible premises in the history of cinema yet still managed to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Instead of shaking their heads mystified and deferring to their better angels, Daniels said "Hold our beer", doubled down on that s**t, and seized the big prize. Now that's chutzpah!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 17, 2024, 09:53:20 AM
In this sense, EEAAO felt like a typical HK or Chinese crowd-pleaser

Exactly! This is a movie about Chinese people that actually feels Chinese. But, as you said, it still broadly conforms to Western storytelling standards.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 17, 2024, 12:16:21 PM
A full year late to the party, I shall now settle an ongoing Badmovies.org debate w/ finality (...as if...):


Is there a debate? Alex is the only person I know who disliked it.

THE MADS ARE BACK: MUTINY IN OUTER SPACE (1965): To their credit, they found a public domain sci-fi film I'd never heard of with a print that looks halfway decent. Oddly, the movie was made in 1965; in a lot of ways, it looks and feels like something from a decade earlier. The mutiny is a side plot; the story mainly involves a space station taken over by moon fungus. It's not very good, but most of the time too competent to easily mock. The Q&A guest is Howard Johnson, an expert on Monty Python. 2.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 17, 2024, 03:22:03 PM
Rev, I am ultra-sensitive, conflict-averse, and have serious PTSD from all manner of trauma. If I see even one, even one person disagreeing with another....... that registers as some kind of major conflict in my fried wiring. When people are actually mad at each other, man, I hit the dirt and start digging foxholes.......


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 17, 2024, 09:49:15 PM
"Jake Speed" (1986)
When a woman's sister is kidnapped by white slavers, a hero straight out of a pulp paperback novel suddenly appears to assist her on a rescue mission.
This tongue-in-cheek adventure flick wants to be a big, splashy "Romancing the Stone" style action comedy, but it clearly didn't have a big enough budget for many action sequences, so the movie just kinda plods along with lots of talking for the first hour. When John Hurt finally shows up towards the end as the Big Bad, it kicks things up a notch and we get a big shoot'em up finale, but by then most viewers will be so bored that they've lost interest.
I appreciated the movie's shout-outs to "real" paperback action heroes like Doc Savage, Mack Bolan and Remo "The Destroyer" Williams, because I used to read those books when I was in my teens, but otherwise this movie doesn't do much with its promising premise. Skip it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on February 18, 2024, 12:37:47 AM
"Jake Speed" (1986)
When a woman's sister is kidnapped by white slavers, a hero straight out of a pulp paperback novel suddenly appears to assist her on a rescue mission.
This tongue-in-cheek adventure flick wants to be a big, splashy "Romancing the Stone" style action comedy, but it clearly didn't have a big enough budget for many action sequences, so the movie just kinda plods along with lots of talking for the first hour. When John Hurt finally shows up towards the end as the Big Bad, it kicks things up a notch and we get a big shoot'em up finale, but by then most viewers will be so bored that they've lost interest.
I appreciated the movie's shout-outs to "real" paperback action heroes like Doc Savage, Mack Bolan and Remo "The Destroyer" Williams, because I used to read those books when I was in my teens, but otherwise this movie doesn't do much with its promising premise. Skip it.

One of the so-called subsidy film scandal quickies made in South Africa in the 1980s although this one was OK.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 18, 2024, 03:34:42 AM
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

When Egon Spengler's daughter and grandkids show up to claim their inheritance in a very small town, they find they have to defend the world from cosmic evil.

The original movies never did much to me, and I haven't seen any of them in its entirety. So I'm probably missing many nods to the fans in this one. The main idea seems to be to take the original premise and mix in some eighties/faux eighties adventurous kids in, as in Stranger Things. The whole movie has a very 80s feel, down to the lightning special effects, with the town living in a pre-internet timewarp. It is entertaining enough, hitting all the familiar beats and not getting too much bogged down in sentimentalism. McKenna Grace is doing sterling work as the nerdy teen and Finn Wolfhart is looking more and more like Timothee Chalamet. It is, however, completely by the numbers.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 18, 2024, 03:44:46 AM
The Cursed (Korean Tv Series) Ultimately it's a thumbs down for me on this series. I like dark Asian cop movies. I like stuff with demons. I think HK and Japan respectively do those a lot better.

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BODFhYmMxNzctM2YzYS00M2ZmLWI0ZmQtZDIwNzJhYWEwM2ZmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDY5MjMyNTg@._V1_.jpg)


The first indication something's amiss is the bad 80's hairstyle of the female lead. Shouldn't she be at least a little bit sexy? There is, in fact, nothing sexy at all going on here. It''s all very PG and repressed and the less said about the hokey last episode the better.

Some okay stuff: I liked the relationship between the witch lady and her bumbling sidekick and the fat professor of the occult, who is so happy anyone cares about his area of study that he has no idea the magnitude of what is going on. There are nice touches, but it's a chore to get through.

No surprise there was no season two. You could do worse than The Cursed...but also much better.

3/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 18, 2024, 11:17:37 AM
THE THREE FANTASTIC SUPERMEN (1967):
Obviously prompted by the hit BATMAN tv series from 1966, this superficially cheesy-looking Italian adventure film somehow launched a series of 8 (!!!) "Three Supermen" films over the next 20 years. That entire proposition seemed wholly impossible at face value, but after watching the first one....... eh, I ain't surprised it was successful!

The eponymous dudes dress like Brad Bird's Incredibles - red spandex and black external underwear - plus counterintuitive capes into the bargain. Also contrary to expectation is that they only often function as a trio while sometimes working at cross-purposes or even double-crossing each other. Euro-schlock stalwart Brad Harris plays FBI agent Superman McCullom, who tries to cajole, trick, or threaten the other two Supermen - who are primarily superthieves rather than heroes - into joining forces with him to foil a much more serious supervillain. Fellow Euro-schlock staple Tony Kendall plays Superman "Tony", who runs a crime school for glamorous dames. His sidekick is Aldo Canti as Superman "Nick", ostensibly a mute who cackles constantly and looks like the product of an unholy sexual union between Klaus Kinski and Jerry Lewis. As a team, they act less like the Fantastic Four or the Heroic Trio than like the leads in THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY, which adds some interest to the film. THREE FANTASTIC SUPERMEN actually has a plot (unlike seemingly many Italian genre films of this era) and even a series of twists that kept me engaged. The Big Bad is just a photocopy of Goldfinger, but appropriately enough is trying to use a "universal duplicator"  :lookingup: to counterfeit gold, cash, and even human beings, including himself... so actually his similarity to GF is kind of clever. He's also a ruthless s.o.b. - employing a right-hand man who fires rounds from a bazooka like it was a .44, capping his own femme fatale, and trying to euthanize a whole school of children!

3FS is also nicely produced, w/ an obvious budget and tons of action. Harris and Kendall are muscular, athletic guys who look like they really know how to move and fight, and spent time practicing their choreography with the extras before the cameras rolled; Canti (who is either a professional acrobat or had an excellent and seamless stunt double) appears to perform many, many authentic and impressive stunts onscreen. All of this also distinguishes 3FS from a lot of the westerns, spy movies, and crime films coming out of Italy in the late 60s... including some helmed by 3FS's director  Frank Kramer, who was responsible for many lame westerns in the 60s and also the legendary YETI: GIANT OF THE 20TH CENTURY. Kramer must've enjoyed this assignment because he really pulls off a nifty and fun slapstick/action romp. I dunno if I will ever bother watching any of THREE FANTASTIC SUPERMEN parts II through VIII, but after watching the pilot, I won't at least rule out the possibility!

3.5/5

For me the highlight is early in the film where Tony and Nick take a couple minutes to dance with some cute girls in a scene that is reminiscent of both the famed "Batusi" scene from BATMAN '66 and the even more famed dance from BANDE A PART. In 1967 Godard had forgotten about dancing and instead was making the almost insufferable LA CHINOISE. Advantage: Supermen!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 18, 2024, 11:30:46 AM
Ah, one post-script caveat... my only major complaint about THREE FANTASTIC SUPERMEN: the main theme sounds like it was performed by Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass and it is played OVER and OVER and OVER again for 100 minutes until you want to scream. Actually that's a pretty major caveat. But I forgot it initially/temporarily the morning after watching 3FS so there's that.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on February 18, 2024, 08:30:47 PM
Dinner in America - This is a great little indie film.  A very, very angry punk man ends up having to lay low, and worms his way into staying with a young woman in her family's house.  She is...  Special, in some way, or maybe just a little slow.  The two lead performances are great, it's got good music, it's wonderfully shot, very funny, great dialogue, great character development, it's just great start to finish. 

Highly recommended, believe it is my favorite film released in the past 4 or 5 years.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 19, 2024, 09:30:18 AM
A FISTFULL OF DYNAMITE (1971) aka DUCK, YOU SUCKER!

Sergio Leone does a bang up job (and I do mean BANG!) jn this epic western. James Coburn plays an ex IRA terrorist who unwittingly teams up with Rod Stiger as a Mexican bandito who end up involved in the Mexican Revolution.
Perhaps more violent and bloody than Leone's "Man With No Name" trilogy, and it even pulls at the heartstrings at times.
I feel this film stands with any of Leone's other classic westerns in granduer.
Oh yeah- the title comes from Coburn's nasty habit of blowing the scenery to kingdom come via dynamite (or nitro.)

 Highly recommeded!


(https://i.imgur.com/NDCgzr1.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 19, 2024, 10:48:07 AM
THIS IS ME... NOW: A LOVE STORY (2024): An ultrawealthy "love addict" sings her way through a series of romantic disappointments. The self-indulgent narrative is a placeholder for music video sequences of writrr/star Jennifer Lopez's mediocre pop music, of passing interest due to the high production values and eccentric cameos from Ben Affleck, Jane Fonda, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and others. Only an hour and free on Amazon Prime. 2/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 20, 2024, 10:14:53 PM
"Caddyshack" (1980)
A teenage caddy (Michael O'Keefe) at a snooty country club gets drawn into a battle on the links between the stuffy, blue-blooded old members (led by Ted Knight at his slow burning best) and a wealthy but uncouth newcomer (Rodney Dangerfield). Meanwhile, groundskeeper Bill Murray declares all out war on gophers in this classic sports comedy that's basically "Animal House" on the golf course.  
I recently read Chris Nashawaty's excellent book Caddyshack: The Making of A Hollywood Cinderella Story, which prompted this re-watch. I've lost count of how many times I've seen this movie, but I never get tired of it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 21, 2024, 10:59:37 AM
the DIABOLICAL DR. Z (1966)

An old scientist and his daughter have discovered how to control the insticts of good and evil in the brain . On presenting their findings to the scientific community they are mocked, and the mad doctor suffers a heart attack and croaks. His equally bonkers daughter takes up his work and with the help of her lobotimized goon assistant, turns an exotic dancer (Miss Death) into a sexy killer and exacts revenge on the shmucks who doubted her father. Some great photography, and one of the only Jess Franco movies that has a storyline thats makes some kind of sense. I like this kinda grue!

(https://i.imgur.com/iQOSiag.png) (https://lunapic.com)

Miss Death!

(https://i.imgur.com/xqScAzN.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 21, 2024, 06:09:38 PM
Watched that one last year. Like Godard, most of Franco's movies make sense until about 1967!  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 22, 2024, 11:05:41 AM
"Double Impact" (1991)
Jean-Claude Van Damme takes on a dual role as twin brothers, separated as infants when their parents are murdered. 25 years later, they're reunited with a plan to get even with the Hong Kong gangsters responsible for their deaths.
This was a pretty typical '90s shoot'em up butt-kicker, but it's fun to watch Jean Claude playing against himself as the dorky Californian aerobics instructor "Chad" and his polar opposite brother, the cigar chomping tough guy "Alex." At one point the two bro's even fight each other, thanks to some special effects wizardry.
JCVD apparently considers this to be one of his best films -- he was still talking about making a sequel (which has yet to materialize) well into the 2000s.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 24, 2024, 10:03:19 PM
THANKSGIVING (2023) - One year after several people died in a mad Thanksgiving Day shopping stampede at the local big box store, someone is stalking and killing the instigators while wearing a Pilgrim mask.   Lots of gory kills as the daughter of the store's owner frantically tries to figure out his identity.  Honestly better than I thought it would be; you don't have a ton of sympathy for most of the victims, though.  Some really obnoxious characters in this movie. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 25, 2024, 08:14:21 AM
Indiana, level w/ me here... you just watched this (presumably) and I watched it three months ago... but is it even remotely plausible that the killer pilgrim is the character it's revealed to be? It seemed to me like that character is repeatedly shown in geographically distinct locations from where the murders are committed almost simultaneously to the attacks or murders. Maybe Eli Roth was just having a laff at our expense but it really seemed like hasty/sloppy post-production rewrites/reshoots to me.......


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on February 25, 2024, 01:32:20 PM
HARD CANDY (2005) A 14 year old girl is groomed by a predatory photographer (played by Patrick Wilson of the CONJURING series fame) only to find himself at the mercy of the wiley girl who tortures him, threatens him with casturation, and just plain old drives the creep to the edge of suicide. Great performances, especially by the young Elliot Page as Ellen, the avenging teen. I bet Chris Hansen loves this movie!


(https://i.imgur.com/phW1w1U.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on February 25, 2024, 09:09:20 PM
Indiana, level w/ me here... you just watched this (presumably) and I watched it three months ago... but is it even remotely plausible that the killer pilgrim is the character it's revealed to be? It seemed to me like that character is repeatedly shown in geographically distinct locations from where the murders are committed almost simultaneously to the attacks or murders. Maybe Eli Roth was just having a laff at our expense but it really seemed like hasty/sloppy post-production rewrites/reshoots to me.......

Good question.  I'd have to watch it again, paying more attention to the killer's whereabouts, and I'm not sure I'm up for a second viewing this soon.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 25, 2024, 10:50:24 PM
"The Couch Trip" (1988)
A mental patient (Dan Aykroyd) escapes from the hospital and assumes the identity of his doctor. He then heads to L.A. where he lands a gig filling in for a popular talk-radio psychiatrist. When his show becomes an unexpected sensation, he finds it harder and harder to keep up the deception.  
"Couch Trip" was not a top drawer Aykroyd comedy, but it has a few decent laughs and an impressive supporting cast that includes Donna Dixon (Dan's real-life wife) and the always-welcome Walter Matthau and Charles Grodin. Forgettable, but fun.

"Hired Gun" (2017)
An absorbing rock doc that celebrates the often-unsung side men of rock n' roll, who support the stars onstage and in the studio but rarely get the spotlight themselves. Interviewees include Jason Hook (Five Finger Death Punch), Nita Strauss (Alice Cooper), Jason Newsted, Eric Singer, Richard (Filter) Patrick, Kenny Aronoff, Liberty De Vitto (Billy Joel) and more.
The biggest thing I learned from this doc is that Billy Joel is a dick who screwed over his original backing band as soon as they started making money, and replaced them with newer/cheaper musicians. Not cool, BJ!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Alex on February 25, 2024, 11:31:32 PM
Revenge of the Virgins.

A tribe of topless native American's hunt down white men who are on the trail of gold. Filmed in black and white and only 52 minutes long with lots of topless women on display. If Zack Snyder was to remake this one, I think you'd have Indy's perfect movie beating even Sucker Punch.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on February 26, 2024, 06:18:55 PM
Coincidentally, Alex, I just watched ROTV and logged it this weekend myself. I wasn't too impressed, except on two notes: 1.) the lengths to which filmmakers would go to get nekkid ladies onscreen (certainly far more ambitious and committed than the lazy standards of soft- and hardcore porn these days); and 2.) the acting! Not too bad in the early dialogue scenes, at least by the standards of most low-budget 50s low-budget westerns (let alone nudie cheapies). I got the impression several of the actors were pleased to be appearing in this dumb thing and were actually trying to do good work for a while there!  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 26, 2024, 10:31:28 PM
"Easy Money" (1983)
A slovenly New Yorker (Rodney Dangerfield) stands to inherit $10 million from a rich relative if he can give up all of his bad habits - smoking, drinking, gambling, drugs, etc. -- for one year. Naturally, Rodney's attempts to stay on the straight and narrow result in all kinds of mayhem. It's a simple sitcom plot but Rodney makes the most of it. Funny stuff!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on February 27, 2024, 09:38:32 AM
STOPMOTION (2024): When her famous animator mother is hospitalized, a stop-motion animator struggles to complete her final work; she abandons that story and starts another when she meets a creepy little girl who invents a fairy tale about a mysterious man "no one wants to meet." Cult stop-motion animator Robert Morgan's first feature is a solid, satisfactory horror mixing creative and morbid obsessions. In theaters now. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 28, 2024, 09:51:22 PM
"Kickboxer" (1989)
Jean-Claude Van Damme takes Muai Thai fighting lessons in order to avenge his brother, an American kickboxer who was paralyzed during a championship fight in Bangkok. Pretty standard chop-socky junk, with impressive fight choreography and plenty of ultra-violence. Not a must see, but entertaining enough for a rainy night's viewing.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on February 29, 2024, 02:38:28 AM
Stations of the Cross (2014) - One the one hand this was a solid foreign flick with good acting, characters, and story. On the other, it had what I thought was a pretty big plot hole, but I could be wrong.

A young girl who is part of a conservative Catholic sect attempts to balance modern life and the restrictive tenets of the church. If she likes a boy at school she doesn't think "How can I get his attention?" she thinks am I going to Hell yadda yadda. Clearly depressed and despondent, she begins to plot a Christ like "sacrifice" where she dies and her autistic brother gains the ability to speak. The film's gimmick/ concept is clever: 14 scenes that mimic the Stations of the Cross.


The plot hole: I was under the impression that the whole point of Christ's sacrifice was that he was THE sacrifice. It's not, as I understand it, part of Christianity that people seek to martyr themselves for like other things. A devout Catholic, as this young girl and her domineering mother both were, would know that.

4/5 different and unsettling anyway


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on February 29, 2024, 04:49:46 PM
Trip to Mars/Himmelskibbet (1918)

The YT algorithm thought I would like to see this, and who would say no to a Danish movie about interplanetary travel from 1918?

This is a very ponderous moral fable. The Martians are telepathic vegetarian non-alcoholic pacifists who are into interpretative dance, which is contrasted with the unspeakable goings on on Earth, such as knocking people over, gambling and generally drinking and dancing in bars. They are represented by several dozen flower people in white robes, which are oddly reminiscent of Midsommar.
The dashing commander is smitten with the daughter of the Mars chief sage. When he returns back to Earth, she dutifully follows her husband, at which point her father considers his life complete and departs for the Isle of the Dead to know 'the joy of death' (his words). Another Midsommar like thing.

For the rest, there isn't much going on either by way of plot, character or atmosphere. The spaceship is cute, a sort of zeppelin with triplane wings stuck on. And there is a lot of religious sentiment.

Only watch it if you really like silent movies or for historical purposes.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on February 29, 2024, 10:03:48 PM
"Bay Area Godfathers Part II" (2021)
Part 2 of this doc from the "Inside Metal" crew picks up the rest of the Bay Area metal story, from when Metallica moved up to San Francisco from L.A., and the whole scene went Thrash crazy. Members of Exodus, Vicious Rumors, Death Angel,  Laaz Rockit, Forbidden, Heathen, and many more share stories and commentary. Cool stuff for metal nerds.

"Lionheart" (1990)
A deserter from the French Foreign Legion (Jean Claude Van Damme) earns his way to Los Angeles to help his late brother's family  by fighting in a series of underground, brutal bare-knuckle brawls. More typical JCVD punch-happy action junk, disposable but fun. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 01, 2024, 04:50:53 PM
^ He made another foreign legion one that I saw. It was good.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Dr. Whom on March 02, 2024, 06:20:39 AM
Coupez! (2022)/Final Cut

This is the remake by Michel Hazanavicius of the Japanese One Cut of the Dead. A no budget team making a zombie movie is suddenly beset by actual zombies.

This is an absolute hoot. It is difficult to say anything about it, because it relies so much on red herrings and plot twists, so it is best to go in cold. You won't be disappointed (if you like gore and silliness, that is)



Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 02, 2024, 10:30:22 PM
^ He made another foreign legion one that I saw. It was good.

Yup, it's called Legionnaire. It's on Tubi, so I just added it to my watch list.

Speaking of which, Tubi has been an absulute treasure trove of trashy action movies this week!

"Death Warrant" (1990)
An L.A. cop (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is sent undercover inside a corrupt prison to investigate a string of inmate murders. Naturally there are forces behind the scenes who don't want the crimes to be solved. Lots of punching and spin-kicking ensues.
Out of the three JCVD movies I've watched this week, this was probably the most well-made one. Apparently it was written with Bruce Willis in mind for the hero role, but it fell to Jean-Claude when Bruce passed.

"Pray For Death" (1985)
Sho Kosugi of "Revenge of the Ninja" fame stars in this predictable martial-arts revenge saga. Sho and his family make the unwise decision to move from Japan to a s**tty part of L.A., where they get mixed up with a bunch of mobsters looking for stolen jewels. Eventually Sho suits up in the ol' Ninja garb and takes out the trash. As usual for a Kosugi flick, the fight choreography and stunt work are impressive, but due to Sho's near total inability to speak English, the acting is sub-par at best. Silly but enjoyable chop-socky junk.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 03, 2024, 12:18:38 PM
FISTS IN THE POCKET (1965):
I only had time to watch one movie this week but that's okay 'cause it was this one and it knocked me on my ass. It's not exactly another TEOREMA-alike (and actually it's legions better than TEOREMA, which was made a couple years later) but you could bet money Emerald Fennell has seen it (a bathtub figures crucially) and for that matter there are at least three small yet important details that I'd wager were borrowed by Zulawski for POSSESSION. Even outside of a network of reference, FISTS IN THE POCKET is a stunner.

Alesandro is an adult (?) child trapped in a rundown villa with his buttoned-down older brother Augusto (who he both admires and resents) and his sultry teenage sister Giulia (whom he lusts after). All three are obligated to care for their younger brother (who has epilepsy as well as, perhaps, some learning disabilities) and their blind widowed mother. Within the ten minutes or so necessary to process this exposition, it's also very clear that Alesandro's circuitry is completely miswired, and that sparks might start flying out of his skull at any moment...

Alesandro is played by Lou Castel, who looks a bit like Matt Damon (lending also some RIPLEY vibes) and gives a startling performance that often evokes Brando if Brando was having a complete nervous breakdown. Alesandro often falls forward (literally as well as figuratively) instead of walking, flips and spins, and bursts into laughter at any and no provocation. Castel and writer/director Marco Bellocchio remind me of why I'm often bored with movie psychopaths. In Movieland, there's always some good pop psychology explanation for the psycho's behavior; so much time is spent anticipating their next entirely predictable outburst. But anyone who's known an unstable person IRL - someone with untreated bi-polar or borderline personality disorder, for instance - knows that imbalanced people are almost never predictable. When you think they're ready to explode, they don't. When they seem completely at peace, that's when you get scared. FISTS IN THE POCKET gets this very right.

The Criterion disk includes an interview w/ Bertolucci (wotta' snob) where he pays FISTS some deserved praise as well as making some underhanded comments about how the cinematography is much less "expressive" than in his own films. Keep smokin' that PCP, Bernardo - the lighting, composition, and nervous camera movements in FISTS are gorgeous. The last scene is, as is often the case in the films of Zulawski and Lynch, completely cuckoo bananas and yet allows the viewer to draw their own conclusions in a way that is totally understated, tasteful... and classy! It might not be a perfect film and I try to be stingy w/ my 5/5s, but this is easily the best film I've seen since October. So:

5/5

The DVD also mentions (for some reason) criticism of the film by Salvatore Dali (who, hilariously, found it sacrilegious and offensive) and Pasolini, who I guess thought it was frivolous or something. But Pasolini never made a film even half as good as FISTS IN THE POCKET and Bellocchio never p**sed someone off so much that they hacked him to death with a machete - he's still making movies today into his eighties. Advantage: Bellocchio!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 03, 2024, 05:20:19 PM
A Face in the Fog (1936) - I have no idea why this Scooby Doo esque comic mystery shebang is called "A Face in the Fog" but it was good. The Fiend, a hunched over guy, starts picking people involved with a local theater production off using a sinister poison bullet. "I didn't realize killing Adagia dancers was a crime" says the demented comic relief newspaper photographer. As always, all the male characters are dressed the same, so it's hard to tell them apart when trying to figure out the mystery.

If you go for this kind of thing it's close to perfect, just needed Bela Lugosi or some other unique presence to make it more memorable.

4.45 / 5

only image I could find of The Fiend

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYzVjNjI3MzgtMzIwYi00ZDM1LTk2YjktNTg1YjhkMWFhNDVhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzk5MDQ0NA@@._V1_.jpg)



this guy wasn't too impressd via imdb

Quote
Fast moving and making almost no real sense whats so ever this movie is as artificial a mystery as you can get. Its best described as taking a 1930's mystery and stripping it of anything other than the mystery mechanism (Murderer is on the lose killing people) while throwing in cliché characters, comic relief and making any revelation either a red herring or more likely a twist out of the left field of a ball park two cities over just to keep things going.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 04, 2024, 06:02:26 PM
Addendum: About 12 hours after I wrote the above review, it occurred to me that it might've been Bunuel, not Dali, who was offended by FISTS IN THE POCKET. I mention that in the spirit of transparency and obsessive-compulsivity. but really. neither party responsible for UN CHIEN ANDALOU has any place complaining sincerely about sacrilege!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 04, 2024, 08:38:09 PM
Addendum: About 12 hours after I wrote the above review, it occurred to me that it might've been Bunuel, not Dali, who was offended by FISTS IN THE POCKET. I mention that in the spirit of transparency and obsessive-compulsivity. but really. neither party responsible for UN CHIEN ANDALOU has any place complaining sincerely about sacrilege!

Probably would have been Dali, because he became a devout Catholic later in life, while Bunuel remained a steadfast atheist to his death.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 04, 2024, 10:27:12 PM
Thanks, Rev. I didn't have time to go back and check. What made me think twice was the brief shot they cut away to... no twirly 'stache.  :smile:    But maybe Dali had run out of wax that day.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 05, 2024, 05:17:28 PM
The Vampire's Ghost (1945) - I had high hopes for this one, but it's kind of both too early and too late. It lacks the cruelty and grit of "Dracula" and "Island Of Lost Souls" because it's post Hayes Code and America had just become a softer country by 1945. At the same time, the exploitation and horror elements that could have driven it to campier, gory-er heights didn't exist yet so... just a decent time waster.

A guy who looks like the pizza testing guy from Barstool Sports runs a bar in a port area in darkest Africa. He's also a vampire, so he does stuff like use his vampire mind to rip people off playing poker, then acts all humble and above it all when they get mad. They do a good job of having him be sort of charming and self confident in a cunning/ irritating way and there's some decent suspense and tension. Really, it's very professional and watchable and first rate, just a little too mannered for the subject matter.

4/5 accessible enough for modern horror fans, but lacks insanity

"Hey man, you lost unfair and square now get outta here"
(https://images.static-bluray.com/reviews/16403_1.jpg)


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 06, 2024, 11:18:50 AM
LOVE AND WORK (2024): Two underground workers fall in love in an alternate reality where working a job is a crime punishable by "time out." This deadpan, experimental, conceptual low-budget comedy, shot in black and white in grungy warehouses, raises some interesting ideas about our relationship to work---although maybe not quite enough for 90 minutes. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: RCMerchant on March 08, 2024, 05:17:47 AM
LEFT BEHIND (2014)
Nick Cage is a pilot flying to London when suddenly small children and religious people all over the world vanish. As in the Rapture. Choas strikes all over the world, and if you haven't been going to church-your s**t outtaluck. Basiclly it's a Christian disaster propaganda film.
The only thing I learned from this mess was being I saw a dog in the movie still alive is that dogs don't go to Heaven.
Unless yer a by the Good Book kinds person (and one that is easily entertainted by below average paplum)-skip this one.

(https://i.imgur.com/ZpE4N6b.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

See that look on Nicks face? I felt the same way watching this junk.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 08, 2024, 06:47:54 PM
"Double Team" (1997)
A retired CIA agent (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is called back to active duty when an old terrorist enemy resurfaces after several years. When the bad guy kidnaps JCVD's pregnant wife, he enlists an oddball weapons dealer (NBA weirdo Dennis Rodman) to help him bring the bad guy down.
I remember this movie got absolutely ravaged by the critics when it came out, so I was expecting a s**t show of Biblical proportions... but honestly, it's not that terrible. Silly as hell, but no better or worse than most of Jean Claude's other shoot'em-ups from the same era. Don't expect Oscar caliber filmmaking, just turn your brain off and watch stuff explode for 90 minutes.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 09, 2024, 11:42:47 AM
LEFT BEHIND (2014)

The only thing I learned from this mess was being I saw a dog in the movie still alive is that dogs don't go to Heaven.



I was nearly ejected from Sunday School in the 80s for fighting w/ the teacher over her insistence that animals had no souls and didn't go to Heaven. A year or so later ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN was released. I considered myself vindicated.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 09, 2024, 05:17:06 PM
Tell No One (2006) - French attempt at a thriller that is available on numerous free channels so that tells you something. It's got the basic elements down but is executed in a confusing and boring way.

A guy and his wife are attacked while nude swimming in the middle of nowhere, as one does in this gross decadent country. Apparently she was a victim of a serial killer...or was she? Years later, the husband gets sent footage of a woman who appears to be her from CCTV footage of a random stairwell in some subway station. Sounds great right? It could have been

2.75 /5 has it's moments but ultimately they just couldn't pull it off. The reveal/ confession takes a ridiculous amount of time the person has like charts.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 09, 2024, 10:55:28 PM
THE ABYSS (2022) A small mining town in Sweden is about to collapse into a giant sinkhole; as the town begins to fall apart, two teens are missing and mom (who is the mine's safety director) must go searching for them, along with her ex-husband and her new lover.  I tuned in because I thought it was a horror film; instead I found myself watching an excellent disaster/survival flick.
4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 10, 2024, 01:34:41 AM
Find Me Guilty with Vin Diesel.

Worth a watch and it is on YouTube ☺️


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 10, 2024, 08:34:21 AM
My trip down the Jean-Claude Van Damme rabbit hole continues thanks to Tubi...

"Legionnaire" (1999)
A boxer on the run from gangsters in 1920s France joins the French Foreign Legion to get out of the country. He gets shipped off to a remote outpost in Northern Africa, where the Legion is in constant battle with a native tribe.
This impressively staged, surprisingly lavish period piece was quite a change for JCVD -- it's not really an "action" picture, it's more of an old school "adventure drama." There is still a fair share of fighting and gun play, but JC's brooding, strong/silent hero type doesn't even spin-kick anybody!
Even though he's clearly trying very hard, JCVD's still not much of an actor, but the movie surrounds him with interesting supporting characters that keep him, and the movie, afloat. I was pleasantly surprised by this one.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 10, 2024, 09:32:38 AM
THE ABYSS (2022) A small mining town in Sweden is about to collapse into a giant sinkhole; as the town begins to fall apart, two teens are missing and mom (who is the mine's safety director) must go searching for them, along with her ex-husband and her new lover.  I tuned in because I thought it was a horror film; instead I found myself watching an excellent disaster/survival flick.
4/5

Sounds like a cash-in on Norway's THE WAVE and THE QUAKE... entertaining if somewhat predictable disaster flicks w/ essentially the same family melodrama dynamic....... only with a tidal wave and an earthquake instead of a sinkhole.  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: zombie no.one on March 10, 2024, 03:03:58 PM
My trip down the Jean-Claude Van Damme rabbit hole continues thanks to Tubi...

"Legionnaire" (1999)
A boxer on the run from gangsters in 1920s France joins the French Foreign Legion to get out of the country. He gets shipped off to a remote outpost in Northern Africa, where the Legion is in constant battle with a native tribe.
This impressively staged, surprisingly lavish period piece was quite a change for JCVD -- it's not really an "action" picture, it's more of an old school "adventure drama." There is still a fair share of fighting and gun play, but JC's brooding, strong/silent hero type doesn't even spin-kick anybody!
Even though he's clearly trying very hard, JCVD's still not much of an actor, but the movie surrounds him with interesting supporting characters that keep him, and the movie, afloat. I was pleasantly surprised by this one.

recommend his next movie after that, DESERT HEAT. quite preposterous but good fun


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 10, 2024, 03:21:43 PM
The ending to Legionnaire was epic. JCVD understands the middle east better than our last 10 presidents


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 10, 2024, 03:22:34 PM
My trip down the Jean-Claude Van Damme rabbit hole continues thanks to Tubi...

"Legionnaire" (1999)
A boxer on the run from gangsters in 1920s France joins the French Foreign Legion to get out of the country. He gets shipped off to a remote outpost in Northern Africa, where the Legion is in constant battle with a native tribe.
This impressively staged, surprisingly lavish period piece was quite a change for JCVD -- it's not really an "action" picture, it's more of an old school "adventure drama." There is still a fair share of fighting and gun play, but JC's brooding, strong/silent hero type doesn't even spin-kick anybody!
Even though he's clearly trying very hard, JCVD's still not much of an actor, but the movie surrounds him with interesting supporting characters that keep him, and the movie, afloat. I was pleasantly surprised by this one.

recommend his next movie after that, DESERT HEAT. quite preposterous but good fun

His South African movie WAKE OF DEATH is also quite good.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: bob on March 10, 2024, 03:55:16 PM
Dreams (1990)

weirdest movie I've seen in a long while...

 :buggedout: :buggedout: :buggedout: :buggedout:

and I've got about an hour left in this


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 10, 2024, 09:54:57 PM
"The Shark Is Still Working" (2007)
The late, great Roy "Chief Brody" Scheider narrates this cool documentary on the enduring phenomenon of the original "Jaws." It covers all the bases from the film's famously problem-plagued production to its becoming the first bona fide "summer blockbuster," and its continued influence on film making to this very day. Lots of cool vintage behind-the-scenes footage and commentary from the movie's stars, crew, and fans make this a must-see for Jaws nerds.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 10, 2024, 10:52:33 PM
Damsel - A princess is basically sold to another kingdom.  Turns out it's to be dragon chow.  Not a spoiler, the trailers show this immediately.  Plot is sort of a riff on Dragonslayer, tilted around.  It's passably entertaining I thought.  Millie Bobby Brown is OK in the lead.  The dragon has a very good design and a very well chosen voice.  Surprisingly gruesome for PG-13.  

I dunno, hard to comment on very positively or critically.  I liked the ending, but thought the film was trying to have character arcs and growth (that the princess is tearing up her own wedding dress and accoutrements to save herself is some kind of metaphor) but it didn't really land.  I felt there were missed moments with the dragon as a character.  It's a little silly at times, but think of the whale in Avatar 2 - it basically gets its own mini arc and has to make a major decision.  Something like that here would have been nice, as they try to have the dragon be more than a monster but don't fully committ.  That's the thing about the film - there's ingredients for a better film, felt like it needed a second writing pass or something.

Oh, and man, a lot of the caverns where it's obviously green screened or the Volume look like crap.  It's distracting.  Same with the costumes and production design - they're really good, but they always look way too crisp and new.  Practically every period Netflix show/movie is like this, and it never stops being annoying.

Still, I enjoyed it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 12, 2024, 03:36:36 PM
Hotline (Made for TV 1982) - I saw the words "Lynda Carter" and decided to watch this. It's just post Wonder Woman so she still looks the same.

A guy at the bar where Carter works thinks she'd be good as someone at his suicide/ depression/ help me generally type hotline he runs, so she gives it a shot. Immediately, a whispering psycho starts calling her describing past crimes and ones he's going to do. Who is it? Is it the jealous former stunt man she had a fling with? Is it her boss at the dang hotline?

Lately I've been pausing movies too much and am losing something I think. I need more bad movie discipline, but believe me when I say this: Hotline is okay and even good in places. The print on youtube really is not, however. Maybe there's a better version out there?

4/5 acceptable


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 13, 2024, 09:56:56 AM
GODARD CINEMA (2022): French TV documentary exploring the life of the Nouvelle Vague icon. Thankfully, this is not merely a collection of worshipful talking heads, but an informative warts-and-all biodoc; understandably it's weighted towards his popular early films, and the directors final days are covered in a rush, making the pacing feel odd. 3/5.

SPACE IS THE PLACE (1974): Dressed like an Egyptian god, Sun Ra returns (to Oakland) from his interstellar travels, with plans to relocate black people to their own peaceful planet. Utterly strange and unpredictable, this surreal science fiction blaxploitation musical could only come from avant-garde jazz legend Sun Ra, one of the most magical humans to ever exist. 3.5/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 14, 2024, 09:34:31 AM
ALL OF US STRANGERS (2023): A lonely screenwriter finds himself attracted to the only other resident of his eerily deserted London high-rise; meanwhile, he reconnects with his parents, who, strangely, appear to be about the same age as him. A queer drama livened up with a smattering of psychological thriller; also, one of the better films about loneliness in recent memory. 4/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Trevor on March 14, 2024, 12:32:58 PM
My neighbors underpants on the washing line 😳🥴😳😉😉


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 14, 2024, 08:37:40 PM
Black Friday - On a Black Friday at a toy store, an alien comet causes customers to flip out and morph and attack the employees, who must fight to survive.  Sounds OK, and Bruce Campbell is the store manager.  Michael Jai White is here (and is wasted).  But holy cow, what a stinker.  Just awful.  Not funny, horribly written, and genuinely some of the worst editing I've ever seen, it undercuts almost every scene and every moment that even starts to work.  There's several major parts where it's hard to tell what even happened, or what is going on.  Like the first attack, where it abruptly cuts to a character tied to a chair.  This is abysmal.  Decent practical effects work is about all the positive I can say.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 14, 2024, 09:08:35 PM
Damsel - A princess is basically sold to another kingdom.  Turns out it's to be dragon chow.
Still, I enjoyed it.

I only caught the last 25 minutes (the missus was watching it) so I won't log it or review it. I thought it seemed okay enough and MBB read as a tough Natalie Portman, BUT....... I will nitpick ONE really irritating onscreen flub. ***SPOILER*** She receives a nasty-looking (2nd degree?) burn near the climax... on her upper right chest... fast forward to the next major sequence, and...  the quickly-healing wound has switched sides to her upper left side.

 :lookingup: Netflix, do better!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 14, 2024, 09:35:17 PM
"The Black Hole" (1979)
A spaceship crew discovers a long-lost ghost ship hanging on the outer rim of a black hole. When they board the craft they learn that it's run by a crew of robots and commanded by a madman who wants to go through the vortex and see what's on the other side. Much blasting and zapping ensues as they try to escape.
Disney's entry into the late '70s post-Star Wars sci-fi craze is a bizarre mix of styles -- it feels like they couldn't decide whether they were making an action-packed sci-fi shoot'em up with cute robots for the kids, or a dark, heaven-and-hell space horror movie for grown-ups. It doesn't always work, but the set designs are impressive, the score by James Bond composer John Barry is excellent, and most of the special effects have held up pretty well.
Side note, I saw this during its theatrical run when I was a kid. The bad guy's big red robot "Maximilian" scared the ever lovin' crap out of me, and Anthony Perkins' death scene haunted me for weeks afterward.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 14, 2024, 10:04:40 PM
DAMSEL (2024) - Caught this one with my wife a couple of hours ago.
Overall, it was . . . a feminist DIE HARD with dragons, maybe?  Anyway, I was entertained.
And I will say Ms Brown had grown up into quite a lovely young lady.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: lester1/2jr on March 15, 2024, 04:18:30 PM
The Last Song (made for TV 1980) - Another Lynda Carter made for tv masterpiece ( aka an okay movie). This one allows Carter to show off her acting range more, namely being upset and scared and soap opera ish, and she ends up looking a lot more attractive for it. That's really how I would sell this movie: she looks good. The plot is a disposable one about some noxious chemical dumped in a landfill. Her husband gets mixed up in it and puts the family (her and her mushroom looking androgynous kid) at risk because of the evil corporate people.

She also performs a crappy ballad called The Last Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeDS2I6NSvI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeDS2I6NSvI) . Carter was a Miss Universe or something in the 70's and is game for all these sort of things, but Wonder Woman was really a perfect vehicle for her and it's no surprise she's remembered for that.

"In your satin tights, fighting for your rights"

4.20 / 5

Bigger budget and less goofy romance angle than Hotline, but still no great shakes. Watched on youtube with an ad every 7 minutes I should get combat pay for this


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: indianasmith on March 15, 2024, 10:39:17 PM
THE CAVE (2005) - I may or may not have seen this back in the early 2000's when it came out, but if I did I forgot all about it.
A similar plotline to THE DESCENT, but IMO a better movie overall.  Also stars Piper Perabo and a pre-GoT Lena Heady at the height of their loveliness.
Solid sci-fi plot, cool and menacing creatures, and the underwater sequences were gorgeous.
Really enjoyed this one. 4/5


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Rev. Powell on March 16, 2024, 01:35:05 PM
THE MADS: THE PHANTOM FROM 10,000 LEAGUES: This monster movie is not as bad as the usual public domain losers the Mads can get their hands on, but it is extremely talky. They still made me laugh out loud several times. (Personal note: I am starting to get p**sed when they brad about how much of the movie they cut out. Fans don't want them cutting 20 minutes out of every movie, stop rubbing our noses in it!) The big selling point was the three guests, the complete Rifftrax lineup of Mike, Kevin and Bill, which is a nostalgic treat for fans. 3/5.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: Jim H on March 16, 2024, 03:41:08 PM
Damsel - A princess is basically sold to another kingdom.  Turns out it's to be dragon chow.
Still, I enjoyed it.

I only caught the last 25 minutes (the missus was watching it) so I won't log it or review it. I thought it seemed okay enough and MBB read as a tough Natalie Portman, BUT....... I will nitpick ONE really irritating onscreen flub. ***SPOILER*** She receives a nasty-looking (2nd degree?) burn near the climax... on her upper right chest... fast forward to the next major sequence, and...  the quickly-healing wound has switched sides to her upper left side.

 :lookingup: Netflix, do better!

I bet they mirrored the image in one scene or the other, an editing cheat of some kind to repurpose some shots originally intended for something else.  Surprised I missed it!


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: chainsaw midget on March 16, 2024, 08:39:45 PM
Spirit Halloween:  The Movie

A group of friends that are growing apart and argue over whether they're too old to trick or treat decide instead to sneak into a Spirit Halloween store, hide until it closes, and then spend the night inside.  Little do they know this store is haunted by an evil Christopher Llyod that likes to posses those big Spirit Halloween animations. 

Nothing in this movie really makes much sense, feeling like they just roughed a first draft of the script and stuck with it, nor is is nearly as scary as it could have been.  It feels a lot like an old made for TV Halloween special.   

One thing that did stand out for me though is the store they use is clearly an old Toys R Us.  So that was kind of nostalgic. 


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 17, 2024, 08:00:57 AM
Damsel - A princess is basically sold to another kingdom.  Turns out it's to be dragon chow.
Still, I enjoyed it.

I only caught the last 25 minutes (the missus was watching it) so I won't log it or review it. I thought it seemed okay enough and MBB read as a tough Natalie Portman, BUT....... I will nitpick ONE really irritating onscreen flub. ***SPOILER*** She receives a nasty-looking (2nd degree?) burn near the climax... on her upper right chest... fast forward to the next major sequence, and...  the quickly-healing wound has switched sides to her upper left side.

 :lookingup: Netflix, do better!

I bet they mirrored the image in one scene or the other, an editing cheat of some kind to repurpose some shots originally intended for something else.  Surprised I missed it!

I imagine you're correct in that assumption but if they could "mirror" Millie then why couldn't they catch the error and fix it w/ CGI? Pure laziness, I say! It's in the penultimate scene where she interrupts the wedding, btw.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: M.10rda on March 17, 2024, 10:07:37 AM
"The Black Hole" (1979)
Disney's entry into the late '70s post-Star Wars sci-fi craze is a bizarre mix of styles -- it feels like they couldn't decide whether they were making an action-packed sci-fi shoot'em up with cute robots for the kids, or a dark, heaven-and-hell space horror movie for grown-ups. It doesn't always work, but the set designs are impressive, the score by James Bond composer John Barry is excellent, and most of the special effects have held up pretty well.
Side note, I saw this during its theatrical run when I was a kid. The bad guy's big red robot "Maximilian" scared the ever lovin' crap out of me, and Anthony Perkins' death scene haunted me for weeks afterward.

FFC, you nailed most of the reasons why I loved THE BLACK HOLE as a kid... I'll only add one reason I liked it then and love it more as an adult: the cast! Besides Perkins, we get Ernest Borgnine AND Robert Forster, PLUS Roddy McDowell and Slim Pickens voicing the robots...... plus (only a soap opera-watching weird kid in the 80s could care about this one) Joseph Bottoms as the youthful male lead....... he went on to play the psychopathic serial rapist/hitman supervillain Kirk Cranston on TV's SANTABARBARA... so he was basically acting royalty to me. Wonder what happened to Joseph Bottoms?

Also, the climactic sequence where they enter the Black Hole is still creepy as f**k. Maximillian Schell is probably still floating in that Black Hole today.......


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 17, 2024, 05:17:59 PM
Spirit Halloween:  The Movie

A group of friends that are growing apart and argue over whether they're too old to trick or treat decide instead to sneak into a Spirit Halloween store, hide until it closes, and then spend the night inside.  Little do they know this store is haunted by an evil Christopher Llyod that likes to posses those big Spirit Halloween animations.  

Nothing in this movie really makes much sense, feeling like they just roughed a first draft of the script and stuck with it, nor is is nearly as scary as it could have been.  It feels a lot like an old made for TV Halloween special.  

One thing that did stand out for me though is the store they use is clearly an old Toys R Us.  So that was kind of nostalgic.  

I was working for Spirit Halloween when this movie came out in 2022; I still haven't seen it, but a couple of the twenty-somethings I worked with at the time did, and they said it "sucked."

The odd thing was that the stores did barely any promotion for the movie. You would've thought they would've been pimping the hell out of what was, essentially, a full-length commercial for their stores, but aside from ONE poster for the movie by the store entrance, there was nothin'. No tee-shirts, no video monitors playing the movie trailer, no tie-in merchandise, nothin'.

I guess the company must've seen the movie prior to release and realized it was a turd, so they washed their hands of it.


Title: Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Post by: FatFreddysCat on March 17, 2024, 05:21:48 PM
Back on topic, I've been watching this for the past two days:

"RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop" (2023)
An insanely in-depth four hour (!) documentary (streaming on Tubi) on the making of Paul Verhoeven's 1987 classic RoboCop (which happens to be my favorite movie ever).
This thing is packed to the gills with cool behind the scenes photos and film clips, and comments from pretty much every surviving cast member as well as Verhoeven himself, the writers, the producers, etc., etc. I am pretty sure that I now know everything there is to know about the original Robo. If you love this movie as much as I do, you'll be in Nerd Heaven with this doc.