Recent Viewings, Part 2

[lester1/2jr]

To Live and Die in LA (1985) - I didn't realize William Friedkin directed this. It's above average for a mid 80's action movie, but obviously didn't have the kind of impact that 48 Hours or something did. William Peterson, later of CSI, wasn't the all time flashiest choice for the "plays by his own rules" cop protagonist. He's a decent actor, but that show was a better use of his limited skills. Cable, not the big screen, was the proper arena for this memorably titled bit of car chase mania.

Has anyone ever seen "T-Men", the film noir about the Treasury Department? I've somehow seen it a bunch of times. This is also about a counterfeit operation, which in 1985 seems kind of random. Why would you bother counterfeiting US currency when, post 1971 gold standard ending, there is so much of it out there? Just sell crack or something.

Willem Defoe is striking as always as the bad guy and the title, later imitated in the x rated feature "To Live and Shave in LA", is again, relatively memorable. There is plenty of brutal violence and seediness.

solid 4/5




To Live and Shave in LA

5/5

[Dr. Whom]

Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

Hong Kong kung fu movies meet Looney Tunes. One of silliest movies I've ever seen and one of the funniest.

[M.10rda]

I think that final fight scene was, as of 2006 when it was released, the best onscreen superhero or comic book action ever choreographed on film. Of course they technically aren't "super"heroes or villains and I don't think KUNG FU HUSTLE was a manga, but that final battle is still a better and more faithful comic book-like fight than any in the early SUPERMAN or BATMAN or SPIDER-MAN or X-MEN flicks et al. Maybe it's been surpassed since - however I think later comic books/superhero movie directors took inspiration from what Stephen Chow accomplished. Fabulous, classic sequence.

[Alex]

Sinners.

From Dusk Til Dawn with racism and blues. Could have done with a bit more time developing the bad guy for the kind of movie it is. Kristi didn't care for it.

[indianasmith]

Iced in yesterday, so I did a double feature.
ALIEN: ROMULUS was entertaining, but really it was just another ALIEN movie - deserted space ship, eggs hatching, face huggers hugging, one chest-busting, final girl and her synthetic companion somehow survive.  Well done, but we've seen it all before - except for the human/Xenomorph hybrid.  That was pretty cool, and raises it from three stars to four. 4/5

SINNERS (2025) Finally got around to seeing this, and it was pretty good!  Basically an African-American take on FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, with better acting. It was a very solid film, but I'm just gonna come out and say it - this was NOT worthy of 16 Oscar nominations!  Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but NUREMBURG was a far better film in every way.  WEAPONS was more original. SUPERMAN was more uplifting.  Fun movie, but way over-hyped.  4/5

[FatFreddysCat]

"Living With Chucky" (2022)
The long, strange history of the "Child's Play" horror franchise is examined in this fun documentary directed by the daughter of the series' producer, David Kirschner. In addition to looking back at each film in the franchise, there's also a lot of commentary about the "family" vibe behind the scenes, as the same writer / producer team (Don Mancini and Kirschner) have been at the helm through all the films (except the 2019 "remake") and the Chucky TV series, along with a lot of the same puppeteers and special effects artists. A trip down memory lane that  made me want to revisit some of the early "Child's Play" installments.

[M.10rda]

SINNERS isn't perfect - it takes its sweet time in the first half (to great effect, though) and then I felt like it rushes the second half at times. However, I will say I didn't mind the lack of development of the "bad guy" or bad guys, even (vampires and humans). This was a film squarely in the camp of its protagonists and focused on their experience, and in 2025/2026, I am okay with that. The Bad Guys have always gotten a lot of screen time and attempts at identification, and it never seems to make the world a better place.  So, ya' know, Stake 'em and let God sort it out.

[lester1/2jr]

Sins of Jezebel (1953) - I highly enjoyed this Swords and Sandals, seemingly repurposed for American Christian audiences technicolor thingy! Tubi's print wasn't that great, but that's the case like 50% of the time so what are you gonna do?

Ahab, the not very inspiring King of Israel, decides to marry Jezebel, a much more confident and also hot (she looks like Betty Page) queen of some other place. One tiny issue: She worships Baal and wants to incorporate Baal stuff into Israel, which goes against their worship only the one God thing. Ahab is so horny and p***y whipped he goes along with it, but the prophet Elijah is like "not so fast, compadre". It's a showdown for the ages.

The story is of course, time tested and I especially enjoyed the horny captain of the guard guy character, who embodies the whole thing of trying and failing to balance patriotism with submission to authority. There's a very occasional minister guy who says stuff and even a tiki lounge Baal dance sequence.

5/5