Recent viewings

[Rev. Powell]

TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME (1992): This prequel to the events of the cult TV show explores the sordid story behind Laura Palmer's last days. There's a good core story here about a doomed girl, but it's obscured by too much fanservice: multiple dream sequences trying too hard to outweird each other, the shoehorning in of popular characters who have nothing to do with Laura's story, and too many digressions (an entire half hour prologue devoted to a previous victim!) meant to tie up loose ends from the cancelled TV series. 3/5.

[alandhopewell]

     Stupid, asinine, juvenile, corny, embarrassing, and BLEAGGGHHHH!

[JaseSF]

My Favorite Brunette (1947): A baby photographer turned would be detective named Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope) gets himself deeper and deeper in danger when he tries to help a lovely damsel in distress - the Baroness Carlotta Montay (Dorothy Lamour) who's trying to find her missing Uncle Baron Montay (Frank Puglia) while waiting in the wings are a group of memorable villains including the assassin Kismet (Peter Lorre), henchman Willie (Lon Chaney Jr.), an impostor Baron (also played by Puglia) and a mastermind played by Charles Dingle. Also on hand here in supporting roles are John Hoyt, Reginald Denny and Jack La Rue. Also there's a really fun surprise cameo appearance at the end not totally surprising for a Bob Hope movie.

This was a pretty good parody of detective movies/film noir and it's great to see Lorre and Chaney given a chance to have a bit of fun with the type of parts they were so often cast in films. Hope gets to deliver many quips and jokes throughout although this film is never quite as funny and/or memorable as one hopes it would be. Still the plot flows along quite well and the mystery element as to how it will all play out keeps one watching. Fans of Hope should enjoy this one although most would perhaps consider it one of his more lightweight efforts. Still very enjoyable and I'd say a little bit of an extra hoot for horror and film noir fans. I'm giving this ***1/2 out of ***** stars.

Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933): After surviving a fire set at the wax museum he worked at in London, a now badly crippled sculptor named Ivan Igor (Lionel Atwill) reopens a new museum in New York 12 years later with the help of his pupils. At the same time, a serious of mysterious murders have been happening in the city with bodies disappearing from the morgue as well. A reporter named Florence Dempsey (Glenda Farrell) tracking down the scoop on the suicide of a young woman named Joan Gale who may have been actually murdered only for her body to mysteriously disappear too abducted we the viewing audience know by an hideously deformed cloaked figure in the night. Eventually Dempsey notices the wax figure of Joan of Arc at the newly opened wax museum bears a startling resemblance to Joan Gale?! Is someone at the museum, host to several seemingly questionable characters including an hulking deaf mute named Hugo (Matthew Betz) and a drug addict named Professor Darcy (Arthur Edmund Carewe), involved in the body's disappearance?

Unlike its remake, this movie is far more concentrated on mystery than horror and the mystery here proves a little less obvious to resolve for those unfamiliar with this story. That said, there are some startling scenes of horror and the hideously deformed cloaked figure could still chill many in the audience to this day. I really wonder if this character wasn't an influence perhaps on the creation of Freddy Kruger. Fay Wray is also on hand for this one in a key role as a potential victim of the horrors hidden in the wax museum and gets to deliver a few screams of note although it is disappointing her character takes something of a backseat to Glenda Farrell's hyperactive girl reporter playing her roommate and the girlfriend of one of the wax sculptors at the museum. This movie is pretty solid but the reporter girl bit is a dated product of the era and the movie would have been even better with more for Fay Wray to do. Still a lot of the best scenes in House of Wax were taken verbatim from this film and overall I like this version a slight tad better so I'll give it ***3/4 out of ***** stars.

[Jack]

Jason of Star Command (1978–1981) - watched a few episodes of this old kid's TV show last night. Well quite a few since they're not much more than 15 minutes long. Some young people are on this small space city built on an asteroid and they're being attacked by none other than Sid Haig, who looks like he's having a good time hamming it up as the villain Dragos. The main character of the thing seems to be this little wind up toy hi-tech robot that Jason carries around with him that solves pretty much every problem he gets himself into. James Doohan from Star Trek is the commander, but he seems to just be there to collect a paycheck. He's not in it much anyway. Good cheesy fun overall, and Susan Pratt as Captain Nicole Davidoff looks absolutely fantastic in her skin-tight uniform    4/5.

[Rev. Powell]

THE DEMONIACS (1974): A crew of "wreckers" rape and possibly kill two female shipwreck survivors, who seek revenge with the help of the evil spirits who live in nearby ruins. It has a unique "beach Gothic" atmosphere, lots of female nudity and a dreamlike fantasy/horror plot; one of Jean Rollin's more successful efforts. 3.5/5.

[Jack]

The Snow Devils (1967) - alien "snow devils" (guys with fur glued to their arms and legs, wearing green leotards with some green makeup hastily smeared across their faces) have come to earth with the intention of melting the ice caps and then freezing the whole planet to make it more hospitable to them. It's up to our intrepid band of space commandos to stop them. Italian, '60s, sci-fi...pure cheese from beginning to end. My favorite parts were probably the asteroids which were swinging back and forth on wires, or the missile that was launched from a spaceship - stock footage from a military test, complete with clouds in the background. Even though they were out at the moons of Jupiter    A good time was had by all. 4/5.

[lester1/2jr]

I have the live action one of the hippies with the sick SUV I can't remember what it's called. Those were cool shows, like Isis.


I had snow devils on in the background last night. I liked the tv description "They're snow yetis"

[FatFreddysCat]

"Godzilla" (1998)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2ATmBoSjxM

A big budget Americanized remake of the Big Green Guy should've been a home run. Unfortunately the project was headed by "Independence Day" director Roland Emmerich, who'd apparently never seen a "Godzilla" movie in his life.

In this version, Godzilla is a radioactive-mutant Iguana from the South Seas (?) who stomps his way across the ocean to set up shop in New York. Mayhem, and of course lots of explosive special effects, ensue. So far, so good. However, this is a "Godzilla" movie in name only.

Here's a partial list of what went wrong:

*Godzilla doesn't look like "Godzilla."

*Godzilla does not breathe fire.

*Godzilla is a "burrower" who hides underground (on Manhattan Island?)

*Godzilla lays eggs (?), resulting in tons of offspring, so that the last half hour of the movie looks like an urban take on "Jurassic Park."

*Most of the actors are hilariously miscast, particularly the uber-wimpy. Matthew Broderick as a crusading scientist and two members of "The Simpsons" voice cast (Harry Shearer and Hank Azaria) as network news men. For some reason, Jean Reno is shoehorned in as a member of the French secret service (?).

I saw this movie during its theatrical run in '98 and I happened to be pretty hammered at the time so after all these years I remembered almost nothing about it aside from a vague feeling that it was terrible. Watching it last night, those "vague feelings" were confirmed. This movie is a travesty. I'm surprised that Japan didn't declare war on us again after seeing what Emmerich did to "their" icon.

[claws]

The Runaways (2010) Blu-ray

I expected something dull and corny but this was pretty bad ass and yeah, well made. Dakota Fanning does a great job and you know what? so does Kristen Stewart. This movie is based on Cherie Currie's book Neon Angel and contrary to internet rumors not a desperate vanity project by Joan Jett.
Bio with the usual ingredients: sex, drugs and rock & roll. Quite surreal and trippy at times, with ugly/cool 70s setting and fashion. Worth checking out 4/5

[lester1/2jr]

Desert Hearts -  real lesbians. They are in Reno and while a few of them are ostensibly bi they all seem like lesbians. It's a pretty typical amateur hour production in that it's decent but flat.  Bruce Lee said "movies should move", this one definitely just kind of lies there.  It's solid, has authentic western atmosphere and has a nice sex scene but not alot to recommend in general

2.5/5

[FatFreddysCat]

Caught the tail end of a Syfy Channel cheapie called "Sand Sharks" w/my kids last night - hilariously awful crap that basically takes the "Tremors" premise and replaces the Graboids with prehistoric sharks that can "swim" through sand. Uh, yeah, suuuuuure. Stretching the boundaries of believability even more, Brooke Hogan (Hulk's daughter) plays a scientist of some sort.

That was followed by the premiere of The Asylum's "Two Headed Shark Attack," which I recorded for viewing later simply because after "Sand Sharks" I didn't think my brain could handle that much badness in one night. 

[JaseSF]

There was actually a classic Outer Limits episode with sand sharks believe it or not. The 98 Godzilla bears more resemblance to Baragon than it does Godzilla but no, it's nowhere near as cool as him either.

Some recent viewings of my own...

Polar Storm (2009): A piece breaks off a comet passing near Earth, the resulting impact disrupts the Earth's magnetic poles setting off a chain of electrical storms and earthquakes eventually threatening to destroy the world with a devastating pole reversal.

This dumb Sci-Fi Channel disaster flick is about as corny as they come. It's actually passable enough fare to kill a few hours but only if there's absolutely nothing else on TV to watch but don't expect anything you haven't seen before. The CGI FX are far from convincing, the acting is mostly terrible with dull and forgettable performances (aside from perhaps lead Jack Coleman as a 50s style scientist hero) and the few cool ideas at work in this film have been done better elsewhere in the past in films like The Day the Earth Caught Fire and Crack in the World which you're much better off watching that this thrash. I'm giving this ** out of ***** stars. No need to revisit this after one viewing despite the seemingly interesting premise.

Road to Singapore (1940): Josh Mallon (Bing Crosby) and Ace Lannigan (Bob Hope), two carefree, fun-loving sailors looking to live life to the fullest and have as much fun as possible find their lifestyle choice challenged by those who want them to grow up and settle down and play the wife and family thing. Soon they're on the run trying to get out of getting hitched and wind up in Singapore where they rescue a girl named Mima (Dorothy Lamour) from an abusive relationship only for the two to eventually learn that their life with Mima is starting to resemble a married lifestyle.  Complicating matters even more, in no time both Josh and Ace have fallen in love with the luscious Mima.

This film started the classic "Road To" series of films with Hope, Crosby and Lamour. This one is a lot of fun and helped establish a lot of the series elements that would follow such as "Pat-A-Cake", both Hope &  Crosby vying for Lamour's affections and Hope & Crosby as con artists who want to do as little real work as possible, have as much fun as possible and have a knack for landing in real trouble. There is one really funny sequence that might have a hard time getting past censors today involving Hope & Crosby pretending to be natives in order to join a feast. Highly entertaining introduction to a fun series of films even if they are only loosely really connected to one another, I'm giving this **** out of ***** stars.

Road to Zanzibar (1941) : A carnival sideshow caller named Chuck Reardon (Bing Crosby) and his partner a carnival performer named Hubert "Fearless" Frazier (Bob Hope), in reality a pair of con men end up on the run from some shady characters they double-crossed and end up falling for the con of another pair of con artists - namely Julia Quimby (Una Merkel) and the comely Donna LaTour (Dorothy Lamour) who use a scam of their own to con men out of their money and in this case trick Reardon and Frazier into a cross Africa safari so Donna can reunite with an old flame.  Along the way both Reardon and Frazier inevitably fall in love with Donna and are soon battling one another vying for her affections.

This just might be the funniest of the "Road To" films with many great ad lib lines and lots of fun and hilarious sequences the best of which happen after Frazier and Reardon are captured by an African tribe. The "gorilla" wrestling sequence has to be seen to be believed and is far more fun than one reasonably expects it should ever be. It's also really fun to see Lamour given such a smart role here where she's clearly in control throughout. I'm giving this one ****1/2 out of ***** stars.

Road to Morocco (1942): Following an explosion on their vessel, two castaways named Jeff Peters (Bing Crosby) and Orville 'Turkey' Jackson (Bob Hope) cling to wreckage hoping to find their way to land. Once they finally do, they find themselves in a desert locale and soon enough they're on their way via camel to Morocco where they meet up with the beautiful Princess Shalmar (Dorothy Lamour) whom both men inevitably want to marry only Princess Shalmar has a secret reason for wanting to marry one of them. Complicating matter even more, sheik Mullay Kasim (Anthony Quinn), leader of a small army of Arabians, has designs on Princess Shalmar himself.

While quite funny and filled with great lines, this film feels a little like a downturn for the "Road To" series with its setting and story feeling a little more preplanned and a little bit more predictable than its predecessors. This one feels a bit more like a formula film although our three leads Hope, Crosby and Lamour are all quite good with Lamour's character once more seeming quite smart and cunning. Some really funny bits in the desert setting with Hope and Crosby stranded and seeing mirages. Overall though, this film feels a slight bit sillier than its predecessors so I'm giving it ***1/2 out of ***** stars.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Men in Black II" (2002)
http://www.youtube.com/v/p4NJHqoojOU

The now-veteran Agent "J" (Will Smith) has to call "K" (Tommy Lee Jones) out of retirement in order to battle a threat to Earth (an alien beastie that takes the very hot Lara Flynn Boyle as its "human" form) which has ties to one of K's most famous past adentures.

Just like the first one, this is fast, funny, action packed slapstick stuff with tons of cool creatures.

[Rev. Powell]

THE LIVING DEAD GIRL (1982): A dead girl comes to life, feeds on the living, and seeks out her childhood blood sister. Bad horror with nudity, silly gore and lots of long dull patches. The dullest effort I've seen from Jean Rollin, who usually has moments of inspiration in even his worst films. 1/5.

[Andrew]

THE LIVING DEAD GIRL (1982): A dead girl comes to life, feeds on the living, and seeks out her childhood blood sister. Bad horror with nudity, silly gore and lots of long dull patches. The dullest effort I've seen from Jean Rollin, who usually has moments of inspiration in even his worst films. 1/5.

I haven't watched it in years, but my memory matches your description.  There is some strange childhood BFF dynamics going on between the two women, the one girl is driven to drink blood and often appears half-clothed, but the main feature of the movie is that nothing happens for extended periods.  Or, when something does happen, it is so drawn out that you get bored with how long the activity is taking to actually occur.