Recent viewings

[Rev. Powell]

BLACK MOON (1975): Fleeing a war being fought between men and woman, a young girl takes refuge in a farmhouse inhabited by a batty old bedridden woman, a mute brother and sister, a pack of naked children, and a portly unicorn. Unexpected Surrealist outing from the ever-mutating Louis Malle; this sexually-charged but low-key "Alice in Wonderland" variation might drag after a while, but there are some unforgettable ideas and images here. I liked this better the second time around after letting it sit for a couple of years. Having Joe Dellasandro not speak was a stroke of genius that more directors should have taken advantage of. 3.5/5.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Alien Resurrection" (1997)

http://youtu.be/-qJjiq72WOo

200 years after her "death" in "Alien 3," Ellen Ripley lives again - as a clone produced by some space-station scientists with nefarious plans for the Alien embryo they've taken from her body. Naturally, things soon go horribly wrong and Ripley and her new space-pirate friends (who include Ron "Hellboy" Perlman, Michael "Bad Guy From The Crow" Wincott and a seemingly-miscast Winona Ryder) must stop the now-infested station from reaching Earth. 
I saw this once before when it first hit video in the late 90s and didn't remember much about it at all aside from a vague feeling that I didn't like it much. This time out I'd say it's better than I remembered, it's nowhere near as good as the first two "Alien" flicks but it's a definite improvement over the disappointing "3."

[Jack]

House of Death aka Death Screams (1982) - some kids go to a small town carnival and hang out there for the first two-thirds of the movie, going on the rides and playing the games. It's pretty easy to forget this is a slasher. The killer finally shows up when they have a party at a lake and then tell ghost stories in a cemetery. Then it starts raining so they take shelter in an abandoned house. The killings are all pretty lame, you just see a machete swinging through the air and then the victim getting some blood squirted on their throat. Luckily the characters were entertaining and had some personality, but the main attraction was probably all the retro '80s charm. I liked the part where the killer took two decapitated heads and set them side-by-side with what looked like a little bouquet of roses between them; my wife's like "Oh it's so romantic!" 3/5.

[dean]

The Millenium Trilogy

The Swedish mini series that encompasses 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' 'The Girl Who Played With Fire' and 'The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest'

This was the extended version which works about approx 9 hours for the whole thing. This follows journalist Mikael Blomkvist and goth hacker Lisbeth Salander and their various adventures. The first one is an absolute classic, the rest are still pretty good. Noomi Rapace does a terrific job as Salander and for 9 hours I have to admit that I didn't find any parts boring which is a feat unto itself.

It's interesting comparing the originals to the Hollywood remake by Fincher [which I also think is excellent] but there's something to be said for the understated way the Europeans handle the content: it actually has a sense of realism that really can't be replicated in any Hollywood production really and it makes for some pretty believable characters.

9/10 [though if split I'd say 9.5 part one, 9 part two, 8.5 part three.]

[Trevor]

I liked the part where the killer took two decapitated heads and set them side-by-side with what looked like a little bouquet of roses between them; my wife's like "Oh it's so romantic!" 3/5.

[JaseSF]

The Secret life of Walter Mitty (2013): Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) is a long time employee at Life magazine performing what seems a mundane job. However while his life seems rather dull on the surface, Walter frequently escapes into a fantasy world inside his own mind. When suddenly a very important photo negative for the magazine's last in-print cover goes missing, Walter embarks on an adventurous global journey against seemingly impossible odds to try and find it and keep his job.

What's real and what's fantasy? That's a good question watching this film but regardless I found this really enjoyable. It delivers startling visuals, shows off the beauty and danger of the world yet also indulges in the wonders of fancy. The lines are blurred here but I did not care. For me this was a whole lot of escapist fun. Great support here from Kristen Wiig as love interest Cheryl Melhoff and Adam Scott as an uncaring new boss. **** out of ***** stars.

Mallrats (1995): Having recently been dumped by their respective girlfriends Rene (Shannen Doherty) and Brandi (Claire Forlani), Brodie (Jason Lee) and TS (Jeremy London), two slacker friends, meet at the local mall and eventually hatch a plan to try and win them back.

While not entirely realistic or believable in a lot of ways, I nevertheless enjoy this film. It's nice to watch a film with heroes to whom I can relate a little and believe it or not, I can relate a little to our slacker heroes here although I've never known guys like them in real life to have women as hot as these guys have. Sure the adventures our characters have here are a little comic book-ish and there's an entertaining subplot with Jay & Silent Bob trying to outwit the mall police. One of the Kevin Smith movies I actually like (along with Clerks). ***1/2 out of ***** stars.

Airplane vs. Volcano (2014): A commercial airliner somehow gets trapped in a circle of suddenly erupting volcanoes, now the survivors must try and find a way to try and remain alive long enough for a seemingly impossible rescue to happen. Some troops nearby want to attempt said rescue but those in charge believe it a suicide mission.

Incredibly dumb Asylum movie starring Dean Cain as a grunting, straining would-be pilot Rick Pierce, Robin Givens as a scientific expert on volcanoes who mostly pouts and looks concerned, Tamara Goodwin as stewardess Rita - the only character who seems like a real human being and not a complete caricature. This is a very limited concept being stretched into a full movie. Cain looks constipated throughout this thing, maybe it's because of what this movie is full of... * out of ***** stars.

Asteroid vs. Earth (2014): When Earth is threatened by a collision with a meteor capable of ending all life on Earth, the young genius who discovered it devises a seemingly impossible plan - move the Earth out of the approaching meteor's way.

Yeah, it's another ludicrous offering from the Asylum. This one stars Tia Carrere (as scientist Marissa Knox) and Jason Scott (as a weapon's officer/submarine commander) assigned to setting off nuclear bombs in the Yap Trench which is supposed to cause the Earth to shift its orbit. This one is so out to lunch it has some almost so bad it's good moments and a supporting cast that includes Tim Russ, Robert Davi among others. The ending sequence involving a trip through a mine field to drop nukes into a volcano has some has to be seen to be believed moments. Still a really, really dumb movie. ** out of ***** stars.

[Rev. Powell]

THE PHANTOM FROM 10,000 LEAGUES (1955): Boaters are mysteriously disappearing from the beach near the Pacifica Ocean College, their corpses found with radiation burns, and the local marine biology professor is acting funny. Cockamamie beach espionage and a guy in an uncomfortable-looking rubber monster wetsuit combine to make dull 1950s B-movie action. A generous 1/5.

[indianasmith]

Yesterday I watched STRANGE BLOOD - the story of a scientist who was trying to create a vaccine against all communicable illnesses, making the human immune system essentially invulnerable.  He had created an artificial life form to serve as an incubator for his serum - a lump of flesh about the size of a beachball that was hung in a cage.  But the life form began growing and mutating, and one day as he goes to inject it with another trial run of the serum, it spikes him in the hand with some sort of barbed stingers it has grown.  He begins to change, and develops a powerful thirst for blood, which of course freaks out his hot lab assistant/girlfriend.  This one was not too bad! 4/5

Next I watched AMITYVILLE THEATER, a pretty pedestrian little horror flick about a girl who inherits a haunted theatre in the small town of Amityville.  Turns out the  theater is haunted by the ghosts of the victims the town has sacrificed over the previous centuries to honor a secret pact it made with the devil.  OK, the plot on this one was nonsense, but it had a couple of decently scary moments. 3/5

[lester1/2jr]

red cockroaches (2003) - this is not really my end of the weird movie swamp. I mean it's close, but the fact is at the end of the day I don't want to see a guy having sex with his sister, even if they are actors. That's just not acceptable subject matter for a moving picture. Maybe on a soap opera or some other form of entertainment I don't partake in you can have that, but not on my netflix queue. if for some reason must have it put it in the plot description so people don't feel violated.

Well, beyond that how was it? It was generally good for a very low budget, shot on video deal. A guy sees a strange girl in the subway. When he goes to talk to her shes gone but a tooth is there. Later, it turns out that this girl is his sister who everyone thought was dead, or at least claims to be. There are allusions to things that could have been interesting. One is possible abuse at the hands of their father. another is some sort of bizarre experiment involving the titular red roach.  It's also supposed to the place in the future which is why it has sci fi in it's description but we don't hear much about any of this stuff.

I would say, explore them more and explore intercourse with the sister a lot less next time. 2.5 /5

[FatFreddysCat]

"Batman: Assault on Arkham" (2014)

http://youtu.be/-6abltUcric

In this ultra-violent new DC Animated Universe flick, a shadowy government agency recruits a group of villains - dubbed "The Suicide Squad" - to break into Arkham Asylum and steal property belonging to The Riddler. Naturally he doesn't take kindly to that idea. The Joker makes things worse when he sees his former sidekick Harley Quinn in the Squad and decides to get in on the action too. Eventually a visit from the Dark Knight is required to clean up the mess. Nicely animated as usual with an impressive voice cast, this is not a cartoon for the kiddies.

[Trevor]

I recently viewed my undies: the verdict was   

[Rev. Powell]

HEAVENLY CREATURES (1994): Two teenage schoolgirls in 1950s New Zealand form an unhealthy, obsessive love based on a fantasy world they create together; murder results. A tragedy of teenage imagination and romance gone awry, based on a true story. This was the movie that launched Peter Jackson's "legitimate" career after his successful stint in B-movies. 4/5.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Johnny Dangerously" (1984)

http://youtu.be/_WEPlSPwWu8

Michael Keaton stars in this "Airplane!"-esque slapstick send up of '30s gangster movies, as a nice-guy hood who rises to the top of the New York rackets. Lots of silly, endlessly quotable fun with a great cast incl. Peter Boyle, Joe Piscopo, Maureen Stapleton and a smokin' hot Marilu Henner.

[JaseSF]

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010): Investigating a series of Kryptonian meteors falling near or in Gotham City, Batman discovers something rather unexpected has crashed into Gotham Bay. Eventually a mysterious young blonde woman emerges who seems to have powers similar to and a connection with Superman. Things take a turn for the worse when Darkseid discovers the powerful young woman and sets his sights on her as the new potential leader for his Furies on Apokolips, his deadly home planet.

Action packed direct to video movie from Warner Brothers based on several popular DC characters. Also appearing here in very important roles are Wonder Woman, Big Barda, Harbinger, and most can probably guess who the mystery woman is. Some great moments that ring true to the comics that inspired this story. Each character gets a chance to shine, Batman with his smarts and wit, Superman with his morals and ethics and being a role model, Wonder Woman shows off her power and battle skills. The animation looks great but honestly I prefer the look of the women here to the way they drew Batman and Superman, who both look a bit too stiff. The story here gets pretty intensely violent and there are some bloody moments so this is not really aimed at kids (maybe older teenage boys). It's definitely enjoyable fast-paced superhero action with a pretty solid story. ***1/2 out of ***** stars.


Air Collision (2012): An intense electromagnetic solar storm cripples communication centers and wipes out some major satellites sending them crashing to Earth. Back on Earth in part due to this storm, a commercial air liner and Air Force One, carrying the President of the United States and his family, are on a collision course. Air traffic controller Bob Abbott (Reginal VelJohnson of Family Matters and Die Hard fame) frantically works to try and communicate with the jets in time to try and stop the impending doom.

Yeah another really dumb Asylum movie. This one was slightly less offensive than many others because it starred likable VelJohnson although he's not on screen all that much. Jordan Ladd also stars as an overworked and laughably ineffectual stewardess. There's some of those so bad, so incredibly, laughably dumb moments that make this almost so bad it's good but not quite. Yeah it's worse than the Airport sequels...this is like the dumbest cheapest Airport sequel/rip-off ever which also tries to rip-off Air Force One while it's at it. You won't believe how they patch an hole that gets ripped open in the commercial airliner...** out of ***** stars.

[Jack]

The Pyramid (2014) - some archaeologists find a previously undiscovered pyramid in Egypt and once they go inside, soon find themselves lost in its labyrinthine corridors and oh, they're not alone down there mwahahahaha. This was pretty good, the characters were decent enough and I'm always a big fan of anything having to do with ancient Egypt. It was a tad cheesy though, so as far as atmosphere and tension it was more of a "well they tried" rather than succeeded. The ending was kind of neat though. 4/5.

Toxin (2014) - a military guy kind of hijacks a charter plane and causes it to crash on a remote island, where biological warfare experiments were being carried out. He was the lone survivor of those experiments and wanted to return there to take revenge on his commanders or something. So the survivors of the plane crash eventually start turning into zombies etc. Pretty standard direct-to-video stuff, I may have sort of fallen asleep in the middle of it but it's not the kind of movie where that really makes much difference. 3/5.