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Recent Viewings, Part 2

Started by Rev. Powell, February 15, 2020, 10:36:26 PM

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FatFreddysCat

"Mayhem" (2017)
Steven "The Walking Dead" Yeun is a mid-level employee at a shady law firm, who's just been unjustly fired... but before he can leave the premises,  the CDC arrives and seals off the office building due to the presence of a "rage virus." As his former co-workers slowly turn into violent lunatics, Yeun figures he can take advantage of the chaos to get even with the higher-ups who screwed him over, with help from fellow vengeance seeker Samara "Ready Or Not" Weaving. This hilariously brutal, ultra violent, funny as hell horror/action comedy is total wish fulfillment for everyone who's ever had a soul-sucking office drone job. I mean, c'mon, who hasn't wanted to beat the crap out of their boss at least once:teddyr:
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Jim H

Kill Or Be Killed - Reasonably entertaining but very odd karate film.  Some of it is so strangely edited and filled with jumpcuts I felt like I was having a stroke.  Best character is the dwarf, wish he was the lead.  Worth a watch.

Quote from: FatFreddysCat on September 28, 2022, 07:32:05 AM
"Mayhem" (2017)
Steven "The Walking Dead" Yeun is a mid-level employee at a shady law firm, who's just been unjustly fired... but before he can leave the premises,  the CDC arrives and seals off the office building due to the presence of a "rage virus." As his former co-workers slowly turn into violent lunatics, Yeun figures he can take advantage of the chaos to get even with the higher-ups who screwed him over, with help from fellow vengeance seeker Samara "Ready Or Not" Weaving. This hilariously brutal, ultra violent, funny as hell horror/action comedy is total wish fulfillment for everyone who's ever had a soul-sucking office drone job. I mean, c'mon, who hasn't wanted to beat the crap out of their boss at least once:teddyr:

Much better than the similarly themed Belko Experiment from the previous year, I enjoyed this one too.

Trevor

Quote from: Jim H on September 28, 2022, 08:27:05 PM
Kill Or Be Killed - Reasonably entertaining but very odd karate film.  Some of it is so strangely edited and filled with jumpcuts I felt like I was having a stroke.  Best character is the dwarf, wish he was the lead.  Worth a watch.

Also known as Karate Olympia and Karate Killer (1976), that is South Africa's first martial arts film, shot in Afrikaans and later dubbed into English and directed by my friend Ivan Hall. Followed in 1980 by Kill and Kill Again, a huge box office hit internationally.  :teddyr:
We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.

Dr. Whom

The Rocketeer (1991)

I had seen this way back when it came out and had fond memories of it. This time, it was a bit of a disappointment. The movie is not only retro, but deliberately old-fashioned. Whether you find this charming or boring will determine much of your experience. My main problem this time was the protagonist couple of Bill Campbell and Jennifer Connelly is extremely bland (my younger self tended to zone out during these scenes, and wake up for the spectacular stuff). Still you have lots of action scenes, stuff exploding and a glamourous Jennifer Connelly wandering through a beautifully lit Ennis House. By far the best part is Timothy Dalton going all out as the villain. If the Oscars had a 'Best Smirk' category, he would have won it hands down.
"Once you get past a certain threshold, everyone's problems are the same: fortifying your island and hiding the heat signature from your fusion reactor."

Wenn ist das Nunstück git und Slotermeyer? Ja! ... Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput.

Rev. Powell

VIDEOPHOBIA (2019): An aspiring actress in Osaka finds her life falling apart after a surreptitiously-filmed clip of her one-night stand is posted on an Internet porn site. An important subject that is unfortunately given a dull dramatic treatment, filmed, for some reason, in black and white. 2/5.
I'll take you places the hand of man has not yet set foot...

Jim H

Departures - Excellent Japanese drama about a cellist finding a second career as a traditional Japanese mortician.  Poignant, funny, meditative and moving, with multiple very good characters, excellent performances, and beautifully shot.  Highly recommended.

Quote from: Trevor on September 28, 2022, 11:35:21 PM
Quote from: Jim H on September 28, 2022, 08:27:05 PM
Kill Or Be Killed - Reasonably entertaining but very odd karate film.  Some of it is so strangely edited and filled with jumpcuts I felt like I was having a stroke.  Best character is the dwarf, wish he was the lead.  Worth a watch.

Also known as Karate Olympia and Karate Killer (1976), that is South Africa's first martial arts film, shot in Afrikaans and later dubbed into English and directed by my friend Ivan Hall. Followed in 1980 by Kill and Kill Again, a huge box office hit internationally.  :teddyr:

That's pretty cool!  Friend of mine recommended both to me, he quite enjoyed them.  I'll get around to the sequel too.  For those who like odd and interesting films, I do recommend it.  It's also free on Tubi and Amazon, at least in the USA.  I could tell it was dubbed, but I was assuming it was just shot silent and looped - had no clue it was in Afrikaans. 

FatFreddysCat

"Friday The 13th: Vengeance" (aka "Vengeance," 2019)
An impressive, feature length Friday The 13th fan film that picks up after the events of "Part VI: Jason Lives." The estranged daughters of Tommy Jarvis end up being pulled into their father's ongoing battle with Jason Voorhees, and Jason's long lost father has resurfaced with a deadly mission of his own. Naturally, this leads to a whole lot of bloody ultra-violence.
A lot of fan films are cheap crap, but this one obviously had a budget and was made by people with actual film making skill - it could almost pass for a legit "F13" entry. A sequel, Vengeance Part 2: Bloodlines, is due to premiere on YouTube this month, I'll be watching for it.
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Trevor

Unearthed and Untold: The Path To Pet Sematary.

Not a bad docco at all.  :smile:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6ULlnM7sxg&t=14s
We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.

Rev. Powell

THE MADS ARE BACK: BEACH GIRLS AND THE MONSTER: Hey, truth in advertising: this movie has lots of beach girls and (arguably) a monster. It's really bottom of the barrel, though: BEACH GIRLS AND THE MONSTER is to HORROR OF PARTY BEACH as HORROR OF PARTY BEACH is to CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. The movie has a real MST3K feel, though, and Frank and Trace provide a higher-than-average number of laughs. Also, it doesn't seem to be edited, like so many of their movies are. Post-show guest is Lizz Winstead (co-creator of THE DAILY SHOW) who's pretty funny and does a nice old-Minnesota-woman-talking-about-fishing. A possible good movie to start with if you're curious about the Mads. 3.5/5.
I'll take you places the hand of man has not yet set foot...

Alex

Hocus Pocus 2.

A belated sequel that relies too much on nostalgia.
Hail to thyself
For I am my own master
I am my own god
I require no shepherd
For I am no sheep.

lester1/2jr

Don't Let Her In - You can tell from the title that this Full Moon release will be pretty stupid, but it fills out the "more or less entertaining time waster" quota well enough. Two "bohemians" with of course a gigantic apartment rent a room to some lady who dresses in all black and hits on both of them in the first 5 seconds of meeting. As is the trend these days, there's very little actual nudity but tons of innuendo. It's basically an alternative lifetime movie with special effects and camp replacing the tortured drama.

The high point for me was the ridiculous Max Shrek like presence of the witch lady room mate. The scenes where she backs out of a room like a spider are  hilarious. The lead blonde's ridiculous haircut was a let down and they missed a golden opportunity by not showcasing any of the music of the loser boyfriends band. in other words: highly recommended!

3.99/ 5

Dr. Whom

Dogtooth/Kynodontas (2009)

A couple keeps their adult children isolated from the world by inventing an elaborate system of false facts and imaginary dangers. Eventually this situation reaches breaking point.

This is an early one by Yorgos Lanthimos, and it has its signature weirdness. There is callous cruelty and quite a lot of sex, but that is filmed in the most unsexy way possible. It does, however lack the narrative strength and the existential dread of The Lobster or The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Interesting but not -yet- his best work.
"Once you get past a certain threshold, everyone's problems are the same: fortifying your island and hiding the heat signature from your fusion reactor."

Wenn ist das Nunstück git und Slotermeyer? Ja! ... Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput.

Gabriel Knight

BACKDRAFT (1991)

Two Chicago firefighter brothers, who don't get along, have to work together while a dangerous arsonist is on the loose.

A very much engaging film about firefighters, something that doesn't really catch my attention, but the amazing special effects of this movie really manages to grab you. The trivia is most interesting, too.
Nice story, great performances, although sometimes a little bit cheesy - something I actually expect from Kurt Russell, tho. The only negative thing I can say, it's like 20 minutes longer than it should be. And the music is outdated, to say the least.

Definitely recommended. 8/10  :thumbup:
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FatFreddysCat

Cold, clammy, wet weather today, perfect for staying inside and kicking off my annual Schlock-Tober Halloween season movie slate...

"Cannibal Apocalypse" (aka "Invasion of the Flesh Hunters" and "Cannibals In The Streets," 1980)
Three soldiers return from Vietnam with bad cases of PTSD and a mysterious virus that eventually turns them into crazed flesh eaters, forcing them to go on the run. This bizarre Italian action/horror blend feels like they started out making a serious drama about the mental struggles facing Vietnam vets, and then halfway through they said "Mmm, needs more cannibalism," because it turns into a combo of "The Deer Hunter" and "Dawn of the Dead" in a blender. It may not make a hell of a lot of sense, but "Cannibal Apocalypse" is never boring, thanks to the solid performance by the always dependable John Saxon, who as usual gives it his all despite the absolutely ridiculous goings-on.

"Frankenhooker" (1990)
Frank "Basket Case" Henenlotter directed this sleazy horror comedy about a New Jersey electrician and part-time mad scientist whose fiancee dies in a tragic lawn mower accident, so he reassembles her using body parts of dead prostitutes. Yes, that's the whole plot. Silly, gory, funny junk. Gore hounds with long memories may remember the gimmicky VHS box for this flick, which yelled "WANNA DATE?" if you pushed a button on the front. Good times!

"Saturn 3" (1980)
A pair of scientists (Kirk Douglas and Farrah Fawcett) stationed on one of Saturn's moons get an unexpected visitor from Earth (Harvey Keitel) and his pet robot - both of whom quickly develop an unhealthy obsession with Farrah. This bland "Alien" knock-off has some cool set designs, passable special effects, and a really bad-ass looking robot, but the story just plods along. But hey, at least you get to see Farrah's bare boob for about two seconds, which was this movie's major selling point for ten year old me when it first hit HBO back in the day. :D
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Jim H

Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014) - OK quasi remake/sequel.  Interesting concept, I'll say - it posits to be a "real world" sequel, where the actual Texarkana murders happened and the original film was made.  It's decently made, shot and acted...  But, unexceptional.  Just, watchable, OK, masked killer slasher.  Can't recommend exactly, but OK if that's what you want.

Hellraiser: Judgement - Obviously very limited budget, but you can tell this one is trying to be a bit more creative and interesting than the other more high budget (but still cheapie) Hellraiser sequels.  Not good exactly, but not totally without merit either. 

Slime City - Like an even more low rent and much more poorly made Basket Case in aesthetic and tone.  It's OK if that's what you want, but I found most of it kind of boring.  Fun climax, and the mugging scene was a bit of a hoot.