Recent viewings

[lester1/2jr]

Cigarette Burns really sticks out in my mind in terms of that collection and horror shorts in general

[claws]

Cigarette Burns was actually directed by John Carpenter.

[indianasmith]

Cigarette Burns was actually directed by John Carpenter.

For some reason I get those two mixed up!

[FatFreddysCat]

"Bright" (2017)
Will Smith stars in this strange, Netflix-original mashup of the "buddy cop" action and fantasy genres, set in a modern day Los Angeles where humans live alongside Orcs, elves, and other fairy-tale creatures. Smith's a burnt-out L.A.P.D. cop saddled with the first-ever Orc police officer as his new partner, and together the mismatched pair try to keep a powerful source of magic out of the hands of a vicious street gang as well as an evil creature who needs it to take over the world. 
Reviews of this flick have been pretty brutal but I mostly enjoyed "Bright." It reminded me a lot of the '80s favorite "Alien Nation," and Smith is always fun to watch even if the movie isn't very good. It runs on a bit too long but lotsa stuff gets shot and blown up along the way so at least I wasn't bored. 

[indianasmith]

MASTERS OF HORROR: CHOCOLATE  A young man, still reeling from his divorce, begins having psychic flashes in which he sees through the eyes of a beautiful young woman - feeling everything she feels, being privy to her thoughts.  He becomes more and more obsessed with her, and when he sees her murder her boyfriend, he travels cross country to find her, to help her, to comfort her with his love . . . but she has no idea who he is or why he is stalking her.  A fascinating look at madness, obsession, and unrequited love written and adapted for the screen by Mick Garris.

[claws]

The Harvest (2013)

A young wheelchair bound boy is dying from some disease. His strict doctor mother and his awkward father take care of him at home, but things lighten up when the boy gets visits from a girl who just moved to the neighborhood. Mom is not very pleased with the girl visiting, matter of fact she starts getting downright rude and abusive. Soon enough the girl discovers a dark family secret causing pain and madness amongst the family.

Director John McNaughton, who once shocked the world with his movie Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986), combines elements from Coma (1978) and Misery (1990) while keeping the audience guessing with clever plot twists. However, they can't fill up the plot holes which there are many. Still, this is an engaging drama/thriller with a few dark moments worth checking out. Rating: 3/5 (Good)

[316zombie]

shin godzilla. this movie is sad it's just...bad. it could go on the disappointing movies thread for us.

[javakoala]

TOKYO FILE 212 (1951)

Great Commie-smashing fun, but it comes with a rather wicked twist for a B movie.

Agent is sent in to reconnect with his former college roommate -- who went through kamikaze training and on the day he was to fly his only mission in life, Japan officially surrendered. Kinda messed him up, so he starts siding with the Commies against the evil USA. And the whole thing is filmed in Japan. Just 6 years after dropping atom bombs on them. I'm sure it poked a few barely-healing mental and emotional wounds there.

Florence Marly steals the entire film as Steffi, the worldly lady of no country but she has a million contacts to get what she wants or needs.

Basic story greatly enhanced by location and time. I mean, the story could have been set in the 30s with racketeers, but Japan? So soon after the war? And you include the "police action" in North Korea at the time? Damn, dude! You got a awesome flick.

Easily a 3.5/5.

[AoTFan]

I just watched Patriot's Day, a really good film about the Boston marathon bombings.

[FatFreddysCat]

Finished off my 2017 movie slate with a primo slice of VHS trash:

"Terror In Beverly Hills" (1989)
Arab terrorists kidnap the President's daughter, and only one man can save her - martial artist/former black-ops Marine/all around bad-ass Hack Stone, played by Frank Stallone, Sly's younger lookalike brother. Yup, that's the entire plot.
This dollar-store wonder features wooden performances, cardboard sets, a mushy sound mix and all-around film making ineptitude from beginning to end. You'll laugh, you'll cheer, you'll cry tears of Z-Movie joy.

[lester1/2jr]

the Silence (2010) - well made but a bit creepier than I generally like to go German movie. A young girl is kidnapped and killed and then 23 years later to the day a similar crime occurs.

This is kind of like Law and order SVU if it was like Law and order Criminal intent where they show stuff from the view of the criminals. There are cops in it but it focuses mostly on the criminals and their immediate surroundings. the creepy tone is what separates it from a tv show, but man its just really creepy. imagine if Dazed and Confused was about 2 red headed perverts I mean just gaah. it was good but I was glad when it was over.

3/5 well done but no thanks

[FatFreddysCat]

"Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" (1988)
In a 1940s Hollywood where humans and cartoon characters exist side by side, a down on his luck private detective helps a rabbit avoid a murder rap and uncovers a huge conspiracy. Featuring cameos by just about every famous cartoon character from the Disney and Warner Brothers stables and many more.
Robert "Back To The Future" Zemeckis' landmark fantasy flick still manages to amaze after all these years. I've lost count of how many times I've seen this one but I never get tired of it.

[FatFreddysCat]

"The Brain" (1988)
A mad scientist and an alien brain-creature have taken over the minds of everyone in a small town through specially doctored TV signals, and they're about to take it nationwide unless a local juvenile delinquent and his girlfriend can stop 'em.
This awesomely cheesy '80s video-store fave steals a little bit of "The Blob," a little from "Videodrome," and a lot from "They Live." The title creature is one of the most ridiculous rubber monsters I've seen in ages - it looks like a giant piece of poop covered in K-Y Jelly. Hilariously bad!

[claws]

The Enchanted (1984)

After being abscent a few years a young man returns to the outbacks of Florida to reclaim the old family farm. The young man is greeted by an old friend of his father who warns him about weird activity in the forest and a mysterious family living there. Nonetheless the young man hires the amish/hippie-like family to help him fix up the old farm, and falls in love with the oldest daughter, who then moves into the house. Soon enough the woman shows signs of (even more) odd behavior and things get dangerous when something is killing the young man's Livestock.

Not sure about the origins of this award winning PG rated film, google tells me it used to be a CBS Movie of the week a few times back in the day, but it looks like it never had a VHS release unless I missed info. This is atypical movie territory, a fairy tale with contemporary setting about mystical accounts and what not. There are brief elements of horror (speedy POV Evil Dead type cam), and creepy visuals but not necessarily done in a 'scare you' manner. It's obviously low budget but very imaginative and quite entertaining. I'd rate this 3.5/5 (Very good)

[claws]

"The Brain" (1988)
A mad scientist and an alien brain-creature have taken over the minds of everyone in a small town through specially doctored TV signals, and they're about to take it nationwide unless a local juvenile delinquent and his girlfriend can stop 'em.
This awesomely cheesy '80s video-store fave steals a little bit of "The Blob," a little from "Videodrome," and a lot from "They Live." The title creature is one of the most ridiculous rubber monsters I've seen in ages - it looks like a giant piece of poop covered in K-Y Jelly. Hilariously bad!

I like this movie. According to David Gayle director Edward Hunt made everyone's life miserable on the set. He was a screaming tyrant and bully, constantly threatening cast and crew except for Gayle who Hunt for some reason respected.