Recent viewings

[claws]

Christmas Evil (1980)

Always advertised as some sort of holiday horror slasher but Christmas Evil has much more to offer. Very unusual, unique movie. 5/5

[Rev. Powell]

RIFFTRAX: SANTA AND THE ICE CREAM BUNNY:  The Rifftrax version of S&TICB is almost as good as the original is bad.  They have a lot to work with here and the jokes help get us through the slow spots.  4/5.

[FatFreddysCat]

"You Better Watch Out" aka "Christmas Evil" (1980)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRvUezlOYMQ&feature=player_embedded

Obscure holiday horror about a demented toy company employee who snaps on Christmas Eve and travels around town dressed as Santa, delivering gifts to good boys and girls but murdering people who've been "bad."

This flick pre-dates the far more infamous "Silent Night, Deadly Night" and though I thought it was going to be a straight up slasher flick like "S.N.D.N." there's more psychological drama in this than I expected. Seeing this poor schmuck slowly go insane is kinda like watching "Taxi Driver" in a Santa suit. And it was filmed mainly in New Jersey!!!

[Jack]

Mountaintop Motel Massacre (1986) - a crazy old lady owns the world's crummiest little bunch of cabins and decides to kill all her guests with a sickle.  Luckily they all freeze in terror upon seeing her, otherwise I think it would have been a much shorter movie.  Pacing was very slow, but the motel guests were entertaining enough to keep me interested.  There's a very noteworthy wet T-shirt scene that definitely brightens up the middle part of the movie.  3.5/5.

[lester1/2jr]

The Kids are Alright - I found this kind of annoying at first, just too sort of liberal Starbucks sort of lifestyle movie but it ended up growing on me. Two lesbians and their teenage kids have a family crisis when one of the kids locates the sperm donor ( an amiable, cocky blue collar entrepenour of sorts) and begin getting to know him.

The family dynamic is kind of strange. I couldn't tell which mother gave birth and Moores character didn't really seem all that close to the children. She is good though and also looks a good ten years less than her 50 years. If you are in the mood for something Starbucksy check it out! and i mean that in the best possible way 4/5

[Vik]

Up In The Air
Good movie, great performances. But it lacked a sense of direction and had awkward pace. The message it sends was also very predictable, but it definitely had great moments.

[claws]

Lady Street Fighter (1985)

Linda from East Europe avenges the death of her sister in Los Angeles. She investigates and goes undercover at some shady escort service. The bad guys are semi-aware and send a hired killer to eliminate Linda, but she is always a step ahead. Linda - equipped with a turbo charged car, good looks, funky tight clothing and martial arts skills -  eventually falls in love with a mystery James Bond type of guy who acts like her bodyguard. But can he be trusted?

Director James Bryant (Don't Go In The Woods) lays on the cheese thick in this inept budget action sizzler adding heaps of sleaze, bad acting, bad editing, bad overdubs, bad special effects and bad ass clothing. Cudos to Renee Harmon (R.I.P.) for playing Linda. Renee was 58 years old (but looks 10 years younger) when this was shot. Apparently she did all her own stunts including corny kung-fu, lots of running and taking showers in the nude, twice, without a body double 

Highlights include a freaky swinger party of some sorts, with Linda sucking on a celery stalk while some black chick gets champagne poured on her exposed boobs. Linda then acts like a Dominatrix disciplining random creep by stepping on his hand and whipping him with a lash. If that wasn't enough the mentally disabled daughter of the host shows up clutching a giant teddy bear while babbling like a 5-year old 

This film is quite something and highly recommended for bad movie lovers. 5/5 Cheese

[Jack]

Brain Twisters (1991) - a college professor is using his students for research subjects - he has them view a sort of kaleidoscope image and next thing you know, they've turned into murderers.  A cop teams up with a female student to try to get to the bottom of it all.  This wasn't bad for movie #1 in Mill Creek's Sci-Fi Invasion 50 movie pack.  The plot was slow as molasses - actually they seemed to have exhausted the plot by the halfway point but just kept slogging on.  The characters were mildly interesting.  There were more than a few chuckle-inducing moments, my favorite being when the slutty (and extremely hot) girl stepped out of the bathroom, about to begin her murderous rampage.  All curves and big hair, silhouetted against the fog and floodlights behind her (in the bathroom)...I thought it was time for her guitar solo    3/5.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Observe and Report"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQrognYHLUc

Black-as-pitch comedy stars Seth Rogen as a mall security guard who dreams of becoming a legitimate police officer, despite shall we say "multiple issues." However, when his mall is suddenly plagued by a pervert who runs around flashing female patrons, he sees it as his "ticket to the big leagues." Funny stuff.

[Jack]

Star Trek (2009) - Some pi$$ed off Romulan from the future comes back to the present looking to take revenge on everybody.  Says a lot about the villain when he's totally overshadowed by his cool spaceship.  Then you've got the 90210 version of Kirk, who comes off as an idiot basically.  Spock wasn't too bad, though they should have dubbed a man's voice in for him.  The movie really borders on Galaxy Quest territory in quite a few spots, like when Scotty is getting sucked through some water pipes and what's waiting for him at the end?  Why the chompy crushy thing of course.  Seriously, where's Sigourney Weaver to say "Jim, we're actors, not astronauts?"  That's what the whole thing really comes off as.  And why does the bridge of the Enterprise now look like a Victoria's Secret store, just without the bras and panties?  I dunno, if you're going you make a sci-fi movie, then it has to be something that people can take seriously.  If you're going to make a big dumb summer blockbuster, then you have to give us characters we care about and a plot.  This had neither.  2.25/5.

The Head (1959) - A mad scientist has discovered a way to remove people's heads and place them on other people's bodies.  So whatch'a gonna do with technology with that?  Well, find some hot babe and replace her head with that of a smart, sensitive girl of course     The scientist, Dr. Ood, really steals the show.  He's evil, he's unemotional, he's suave and sophisticated (in a totally evil way).  This wasn't too bad at all considering the ridiculous premise.  It took itself more seriously than Star Trek, that's for sure     3/5.

[lester1/2jr]

I think" the Head" has been lost in the shuffle a bit because "The brain that wouldn't die" is the same thing but more memorable.

[claws]

House of Fears (2007) Blu-ray (Region B)

Six friends spend the night before Halloween in a local Funhouse. Soon they are trapped because an imported artifact from Africa is turning their worst fears into reality.
Decent but not perfect Supernatural Horror. Interesting set, likeable characters. Standing out performance-wise is Sandra McCoy as the b***hy stepsister Hailey. She really shines during the first 20-30 minutes and nails it without going over-the-top. 3.75/5

[Newt]

Star Trek (2009) - Some pi$$ed off Romulan from the future comes back to the present looking to take revenge on everybody.  Says a lot about the villain when he's totally overshadowed by his cool spaceship.  Then you've got the 90210 version of Kirk, who comes off as an idiot basically.  Spock wasn't too bad, though they should have dubbed a man's voice in for him.  The movie really borders on Galaxy Quest territory in quite a few spots, like when Scotty is getting sucked through some water pipes and what's waiting for him at the end?  Why the chompy crushy thing of course.  Seriously, where's Sigourney Weaver to say "Jim, we're actors, not astronauts?"  That's what the whole thing really comes off as.  And why does the bridge of the Enterprise now look like a Victoria's Secret store, just without the bras and panties?  I dunno, if you're going you make a sci-fi movie, then it has to be something that people can take seriously.  If you're going to make a big dumb summer blockbuster, then you have to give us characters we care about and a plot.  This had neither.  2.25/5.

I have avoided this one like the plague.  I grew up with TOS, so the previews really put me off.  Now: if they played up the 'Galaxy Quest' angle, I'd be more inclined to go...

The Head (1959) - A mad scientist has discovered a way to remove people's heads and place them on other people's bodies.  So whatch'a gonna do with technology with that?  Well, find some hot babe and replace her head with that of a smart, sensitive girl of course     The scientist, Dr. Ood, really steals the show.  He's evil, he's unemotional, he's suave and sophisticated (in a totally evil way).  This wasn't too bad at all considering the ridiculous premise.  It took itself more seriously than Star Trek, that's for sure     3/5.

Dr Ood?  Really?  This I could go for.  Thanks!  

[Jack]

Dr Ood?  Really?  This I could go for.  Thanks!  

Doctor Ood, he was named after the ship he was born on.  'Cause you know, that's a totally normal name for a ship   

[indianasmith]

I watched COLUMBIANA with my wife the other night.  Fairly solid revenge flick with a few golden moments.  Young girl sees her parents killed by a Columbian drug lord's minions and becomes a contract killer so that she can exact revenge 15 years later.  Kinda by the numbers but still a fun watch.