Recent Viewings, Part 2

[FatFreddysCat]

"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.

[lester1/2jr]

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

[indianasmith]

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.

[FatFreddysCat]

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!

[Dr. Whom]

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.

[FatFreddysCat]

"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.

[RCMerchant]

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.

[FatFreddysCat]

"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.

[FatFreddysCat]

"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.

[Rev. Powell]

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.

[Trevor]

I tried (I mean, genuinely tried) to get through Incubus (1966): didn't make it and fell asleep.

Had some weird ass dreams though.

[lester1/2jr]

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

[indianasmith]

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

[RCMerchant]

I tried (I mean, genuinely tried) to get through Incubus (1966): didn't make it and fell asleep.

Had some weird ass dreams though.

William Shatner speaking Esperanto is strange indeed.

[Rev. Powell]

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.