Recent viewings

[fulci420]

Someone's Watching Me-(1978) Early John Carpenter TV movie that he shot between Assault and Halloween. Unavailable for a long time this can be found on the Twisted Terror collection. The plot centers around a young tv director new to Los Angeles who soon realizes she has a stalker on her hands when she moves into a high rise apartment. Unlike a lot of horror heroines she is a brave independent women but her constant talking to herself does get annoying in spots.

In the short interview included on this DVD Carpenter explains that this movie was basically a warm up to Halloween in it's shots and camera movement. This is what makes this film stand out from other TV films as we see some great steadicam shots and Hitchcock nods. Aside from that aspect though there is not much to enjoy here as the TV context keeps kills to a bare minimum, and the pace is slow throughout. Still better than Ghost of Mars though...

[FatFreddysCat]

"Fahrenheit 9/11" (2004)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zf2nCiBJLo

Michael Moore's gripping-but-grim examination of 9/11 and its after effects on America (the Patriot Act, the war in Iraq, etc.) is basically a feature length middle finger to the Republican Party in general and George W. Bush in particular.

Depending on your political leanings, you'll either think this movie is a bunch of biased, left wing anti-American propaganda, or the most horrifyingly truthful film you've ever seen. Either way, this flick will cause a reaction.   

[claws]

The Squad (2011)

During civil war in Argentina a small group of soldiers take up shelter in base camp only to discover dead bodies everywhere. A captured young woman is branded prime suspect but the killings continue, and soon enough the remaining men accuse each other.

Psychological drama that is wrongfully marketed as a horror film. There are many moments of suspense thanks to claustrophobic camera work, eerie score and creepy sound effects.
Overall a well made little foreign indie production that looks like a big budget studio movie. However, the pay off is sort of disappointing because one feels like watching a overlong tease. Either way, an interesting concept nonetheless, and apparently there is a US remake in the works. 3.5/5

[ChaosTheory]

ROCK OF AGES (2012) - screen version of the Broadway show about how great 80s nostalgia and hair metal are. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USxhXb5VC5E

This was pretty bad.  I figured the story would be dumb but the real problem is the two leads are really really dull -that, and the only two people in the cast who can actually sing (Cathereine Zeta-Jones & Mary J. Blige) are the ones given barely any songtime.  If there was ever a movie that begged for a Beavis & Butthead commentary track, this is it.

[Jack]

Android Insurrection (2012) - in the future humans are at war with the robots they created to serve them. A group of commandos is sent to a large robot facility to retrieve an android which has information that will allow the humans to build their own robot army. Lots of really cheesy gunfights with CGI robots ensue. Very low budget and even more silly, my favorite part was the way that when a person got killed, the other people not only didn't care, but barely even noticed. At least the action moved along at a decent pace. But I'm afraid that even the shiny skin-tight pants the girls were wearing couldn't raise this past a 2.5/5.

[FatFreddysCat]

"Slither" (2006)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sag-QZkrs4w

Nathan ("Castle," "Firefly") Fillion stars as the sheriff of a small redneck town dealing with an invasion by slug-like, mind-controlling alien critters in this goofy, gory, action packed horror comedy that's kinda like "The Blob" hopped up on steroids and Red Bull. My wife and I were either laughing or saying "Ewwwww" all the way thru it (and sometimes doing both at the same time). Also stars Michael (Merle on "The Walking Dead") Rooker and the lovely Elizabeth Banks. Worth a look!

[Jack]

Abominable Snowman (2013) - watched this on SyFy last night. A guy goes up on a mountain to hunt for the snowman, but he disappears and a search party goes out to find him. Of course they get attacked and the snowmen truly are abominable - some of the most laughably awful CGI in recent memory. They almost look like those things from the Critters movies, except they've kind of got legs. Of course they're huge when they're outside but only about one-fifth that size when they're inside and have to fit through doors. The characters weren't really too bad and the action moved along pretty well. I suppose I can be nice and give it a 3/5.

[Rev. Powell]

FORBIDDEN ZONE (1982): One by one, a cartoonish family is sucked into the 6th Dimension (ruled by king Herve Villachez and queen Susan Tyrell) in this cult musical comedy. Wild, weird and utterly unique, like a mixture of Jean Cocteau, the Three Stooges, and Betty Boop cartoons, with Busby Berkley-style choreography and music by Oingo Boingo. 4/5.

[lester1/2jr]

I liked Forbidden Zone.

Bones Brigade: an autobiography (2012) - When I was growing up there was one team that mattered: the Bones Brigade. Those were the only videos we watched and generally the boards we rode. They were like the Patriots, so dominant that it was really their era. This movie is satisfying and informative if occasionally a little sentimental and a little too much of a "Stacy Peralta project" rather than an immersionary (is that a word?) documentary. It's hard to complain though. They cover the invention of tricks like the McTwist and the ollie, (would have liked more on the latter particularly as the guy who adapted it for street, Rodney Mullen, is a major character/ team member. ) go over the ups and downs of the skateboard business in it's various eras and generally seek to and succeed in explaining the skateboard historical importance of the Bones Brigade.  4.5 /5

The metal documentaries that have been on VH1 are something I wish Peralta had watched as they seemed to really encapsulate the "waht do fans want to know" angle that I think is a "winner"

[fulci420]

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford-(2007) Killing Them Softly was among my least favorite films of 2012, however I thought that was due to poor choices rather than lack of talent behind the camera. With this in mind I decided to check out Writer/Director Andrew Dominik's previous film also starring Brad Pitt (as Jesse James).

I expected a great movie but what I got instead was a true masterpiece. Gorgeous cinematography from Roger Deakins. Astounding performances from Pitt and Affleck. Narration, music, editing I could go down the line but just about everything worked perfectly for me. Will definitely rewatch this and show it to friends as on first viewing I would put it among my favorite films of all time. I saw glimpses of Andrew Dominick's talent in Killing Them Softly but in this film they are readily apparent. 10/10

Seven Psychopaths (2012)-Trailers and posters made this film look like the worst kind of Guy Ritchie inspired crap but this is actually a much more subversive and funny kind of film. Focusing on Colin Farrel's attempt to write a screenplay entitled "Seven Psychopaths" he end up getting involved in some crazy dog napping plot involving Christopher Walken and his buddy Sam Sheppard. They steal the wrong man's dog, the man being a crazed gangster played by Woody Harrelson. That is actually a pretty poor summary as there is too much here going on to really encapsulate properly.

Overall I thought this was a pretty entertaining movie, but one that might be a bit too convoluted for it's own good at times. A lot of quirky performances and some funny writing made it so I was never bored, even if sometimes I didn't know exactly what was happening. I was pretty drunk when I watched it so that probably didn't enhance my comprehension. 7/10   

Cosmopolis (2012)-Finally a movie that I star in! I can be seen dancing in the rave scene, as this was shot not too far from my home in Toronto and at the time of shooting I was doing a fair bit of extra work in movies/tv. Despite being in this movie I only got around to watching it this weekend due to generally poor reviews. Well on the bright side I loved how much of Toronto we got to see in this movie. So many productions get shot here but usually they dress up our city to be unrecognizable. According to imdb this is supposed to be set in Manhattan but no attempt is made to hide several Toronto landmarks.

As for the bad, well that's pretty much everything else in this movie. First off the dialogue is extremely unnatural and pretentious. Characters endlessly pontificate on money, technology, and various other topics. The first half hour is particularity obnoxious and reports of people walking out during this did not surprise me. The plot revolves around Pattinson's journey across town to get a haircut and the various people he encounters along the way. I started checking to see how much time was left at the 7 minute mark which has to be a record for me. I am a big fan of Cronenburg's work but dialogue has never been his strong suit as this film displays. Supposedly he adapted the source novel into a screenplay in 6 days, when your movie is this unbearable you probably should keep that little bit of info to yourself Mr Cronenburg! 2/10 Only due to my appearance other than that it would be a 1. 

[indianasmith]

Last night's double feature:
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (Original Swedish version) After having seen the American remake and read all three of Stig Larssen's books, I finally got around to seeing the earlier film adaptation.  Honestly, it was very close to the American one; it would be hard for me to pick between them.  I thought that Daniel Craig was a bit more believable as Mikael Blomquist, but I thought that Noomi Pace RULED as Elisbeth Salander.  A very entertaining film all the way around, definitely worth the rental. 
  Unfortunately, at that point my evening took a horrible downward slide.  THIRTY NIGHTS OF PARANORMAL ACTIVITY WITH THE DEVIL INSIDE THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO was all the proof I needed that the art of the spoof is dead. Gross, boring, crude, vulgar, and worst of all, NOT FUNNY in any way.  It is the sad duty to humanity that we all must now assume to save mankind: rent every available copy of this film, burn them to ash, seal them in a lead-lined container with a cross etched on the lid, sprinkle the box with Holy Water, and bury it at a crossroads under several metric tons of concrete.  But whatever you  do, DO NOT WATCH THIS FILM!!!!  It makes BUCKY LARSON look like SCHINDLER'S LIST!

[FatFreddysCat]

"Justice League: The New Frontier" (2008)

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

Action packed flick from the DC Animated Universe is set in the 1950s and details the formation of the Justice League of America, against a political backdrop that included commie paranoia and the space race. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash and the Martian Manhunter (to name just a few) band together to battle a gigantic alien invader with an extinction-level agenda.

Cool, retro-flavored animation and a great voice cast that includes David ("Angel," "Bones") Boreanaz, Lucy ("Xena") Lawless, Brooke Shields (!) and Neil Patrick Harris.

[claws]

The Pact (2012)

Young woman encounters paranormal activity in the house of her recently deceased mother. When her sister and cousin disappear in the house she starts to investigate and discovers disturbing secrets from the past.
Creepy and scary indie horror with a few clever twist and turns. 4.5/5

Lake Mungo (2008)

A grieving family is trying to deal with the loss of their 16 year old daughter who drowned in a lake. As they sift through photos and home video footage to find answers they discover ghostly interference captured on film.
Documentary and found footage style horror without cheap jump scares. Lake Mungo is very slow paced which actually increases the creepy factor. A spooky little time waster worth checking out. 4/5

[tracy]

I hadn't seen this in years and Alan recently bought a copy. I'd forgotten how much I liked the film. Plus....Tim Curry! Love that guy!

[lester1/2jr]

Beauty in Trouble -  This is pretty much your standard "foreign film" meaning it's got some sex, dark hues and yet is still accessible to Starbucks Moms. It doesn't have the strongest story but the characters are fantastic particularly the lead actress who is hot and workin it in overtime throughout.  She has cleavage rocking in every scene, even when she goes to a funeral. It's like they had a story, but they took it out and decided to just focus on the characters.  4.5/5 She is really hot