Scorethefilm's Movie Blog

Black Caesar (1973)

2012-02-06T10:12:00.004-06:00

Director: Larry Cohen

Starring: Fred Williamson, Gloria Hendry, Art Lund, D'Urville Martin, Julius Harris, Minnie Gentry, Philip Roye, William Wellman Jr., James Dixon, Val Avery

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Hail Caesar, Godfather of Harlem...The Cat with the .45-Caliber Claws!

Plot: Tommy Gibbs is a tough kid, raised in the ghetto, who aspires to be a kingpin criminal. As a young boy, his leg is broken by a bad cop on the take, during a payoff gone bad. Nursing his vengeance, he rises to power in Harlem, New York. Angry at the racist society around him, both criminal and straight, he sees the acquisition of power as the solution to his rage. He performs a free-lance hit on a Mob contract to attract the attention of the head of a Mafia family. Reluctantly accepted into 'The Family,' he grows increasingly autonomous and aggressive, eventually starting a gang war.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Sure.

#1 on the Black History Month Project 2012

When I first saw this years ago I didn't really dig it. I like more after this latest watch but it's not the home run you'd hope for...or maybe it is. I like how it's a lot like the Edward G. Robinson (one of my favorite actors) picture, LITTLE CAESAR (1931). It follows the same structure in the rise and fall of a big city gangster. BLACK even has a great montage with machine guns just like the '31 film and it feels like it was taken right out of a 30s gangster flick, too. Williamson (as Tommy Gibbs) does a great job as the titular character. He's a brute and even though his character is a little charismatic, he's selfish and not what you'd call a nice man. You get this early on in his rise to power when he takes his white business partner's (the guy who essentially helped (more than anyone) put him at the top of the bad guy food chain) apartment and everything in it. Then later he rapes the woman he loves in an attempt to make her reciprocate.

D'Urville Martin is always a hoot to watch. I love that guy. It's a fun flick for the first 2/3 but the pacing and the story suffer in the final half hour once things aren't looking good for Tommy. There's definitely a tonal shift for the final third and it's bad news on top of bad news for Tommy but there's something about this section that doesn't feel as strong as the rest of the picture. It's not as tight and it feels like it could have been handled better. I don't know. All I know is it's still a pretty good movie and it's much better than I remembered it. Plus it's got some great James brown tunes on the soundtrack (although they're used often enough to make you think they only hired him for the three tracks and wanted to milk that cow as far as they could).

Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974)

2012-01-26T09:23:00.006-06:00

Director: Terence Fisher

Starring: Peter Cushing, Shane Briant, Madeline Smith, David Prowse, John Stratton, Michael Ward, Elsie Wagstaff, Norman Mitchell, Clifford Mollison, Bernard Lee

More info: IMDb

Tagline: His brain came from a genius. His body came from a killer. His soul came from hell!

Plot: Last of the Hammer Frankenstein films, this one deals with the Baron hiding out in an insane asylum, so that he may continue his experiments with reanimating the dead, along with inmate Dr. Helder, who has been institutionalized for conducting such experiments.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Maybe.

This is the last of the Hammer studio Frankenstein pictures, the last of their Gothic pictures, the last picture for Terence Fisher and the next to last for composer James Bernard (for Hammer) and it's not that shabby. I rather enjoyed it but it's not without a few problems. Take for example the mute girl, Sarah (Smith). She doesn't speak until the end of the picture when she suddenly pipes up and has a mouthful to say. Then there's the 'monster' who looks more monster than man and it's never explained why he looks like he does. These are kind of important when you spend a great deal of time developing characters and a story. And I don't think I'm being nit picky here by letting this bother me even just a little bit.

The exterior model and matte work is fantastic. Cushing is fun as usual. I've thoroughly enjoyed his take on Dr. Frankenstein over the many outings he had with Hammer. He was brilliant and his performances in this role are definitive. Bernard's score is weighty and solid. That man sure knew how to get a lot from such a small orchestra, much in the way Bernard Herrmann could but heavier. Listening to the commentary it was mentioned that the budget was something around 137 (or 187) thousand pounds! That's astonishing. You would never know it from watching the film. It looks fantastic.

There's a commentary track with Madeline Smith, David Prowse (who, by the way, does a fantastic job as the monster. He's very sympathetic and brings a lot of humanity to the creature) and genre historian Jonathan Sothcott. Prowse and Sothcott are very pleasant and knowledgeable while Smith, despite knowing her stuff, is pleasant, full of herself, a drama queen and condescending. At one point she asks Prowse if that scene was filmed at night and he said 'no'. She then says something along the lines of if it were filmed during the day (it was a night scene) then it must have been shot as 'day for night', proceeds to ask Prowse if he knows what 'day for night' is (as if someone who's been in the business for 40 years wouldn't know) and after he responds in the affirmative, she tells him to explain what it is to the listeners as no one listening would know. Bitch. She pulled shit like that often enough I had to turn it off prematurely. I hate actors who can't handle themselves with dignity and courtesy.

Deadly Manhunt (2001)

2012-01-25T19:48:00.010-06:00

Director: Joe Wiecha

Starring: Paul John Knowles

More info: Wikipedia

Plot: This made for TV documentary
covers the last few days of Paul John Knowles, a serial killer responsible for 18-35 lives.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Maybe.

I like it when I come across a serial killer I'm not familiar with. This guy seems like a killer of desperation and convenience more than anything. The strength of this film lies in chronicling his last few days before being stopped as he's being chased through Florida by the fuzz. It's an even-handed mix of interviews with the authorities and victims's families with reinactments. It's about an hour and a half long and although they do a fantastic job of chronicling his final run from the law they do very little in digging into his background and the people he murdered prior to this incident. The mention it but there isn't much time spent on it. If they had taken the time and care to present a more complete picture of this guy's life and activities this would be a sure-fire home run. It's still worthy of tracking down and watching despite that.

Crimes That Shook the World: The Vienna Strangler (2006)

2012-01-25T19:05:00.008-06:00

Director: Ross Harper

Starring: Jack Unterweger & his victims

More info: IMDb

Plot: Documentary series exploring major crimes of the 20th century. Using archive footage, reconstructions and interviews, the series profiles the most notorious murderers in recent history. This episode recounts the sensational story of Johann Unterweger, the Austrian media figure who was responsible for a string of murders across Europe and America in the early 1990s.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? Probably not as there's another documentary that's a little better.

If you're going to watch just one documentary on this cat, watch JACK UNTERWEGER: POET OF DEATH (2004) as it's a bit better. This guy is unique and very fascinating in the annuls of serial killers. He loved the spotlight but was famous in Europe for being a highly acclaimed writer and former convicted murderer. He did the talk show circuits and was highly regarded in literary and social circles. This British doc is a treat to watch and it's almost as good as the other one. Those Brits don't waste your time with filler like they do over here in the U.S.. The entire episode starts on the YouTube video above.

BTK: The Killer Next Door (2005)

2012-01-25T16:24:00.005-06:00

Director: ???

Starring: Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer

More info: Wikipedia

Plot: This made-for-American-TV documentary covers the general story of a serial killer who murdered from 1974-1991.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Nah. There are better docs out there on this subject.

It's hard to believe a sweet-lookin' fella like that could hurt anyone, right? This short doc (43 minutes) gives you most of the major details of the case but there's just not enough time allotted to really do a story like this justice. It's also very repetitive as it was made for TV to allow for commercial breaks. I hate that shit. There is so much time wasted telling you what's coming up after the break and then re-capping shit once they're back that it can be very annoying. This one isn't that bad in that respect but there's enough to turn me off of it and seek a better one. I've watched so many of these over the past few months that I'm having to skim through them to jog my memory. Gee whiz.

Straight on Till Morning (1972)

2012-01-25T13:55:00.004-06:00

Director: Peter Collinson

Starring: Rita Tushingham, Shane Briant, James Bolam, Katya Wyeth, Annie Ross, Tom Bell, Claire Kelly, Harold Berens, John Clive, Tommy Godfrey, Mavis Villiers, Lola Willard

More info: IMDb

Plot: A timid, withdrawn woman meets a man she believes is finally the love of her life, unaware that he is a vicious serial killer.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? I think I'm compelled to.

This one took me by surprise. It starts out with brief scenes of our killer and of the girl he's going to soon meet and possibly fall in love with, Brenda (with an utterly fantastic performance by Rita Tushingham). It's rather off-putting and it makes a lot more sense once you've reached the end. For a while I didn't like this picture at all partially because I found Brenda naivety annoying and the picture was a pretty slow go. Then we properly meet Peter (coldly and eerily played by Shane Briant) and it starts to move. More than that, Peter is a flaming asshole and it's difficult to see why anyone but a desperate and lonely woman would see anything in him. He's horrendous but Brenda accepts it because she wants a baby. No spoilers here but the finale chilled me to the bone. We hear tape recordings of previous and future events that are effective enough to feel like it's happening to someone you love. Outstanding. I'm keen to re-watch this someday. I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be even better than before.

Ghosts of Mars (2001)

2012-01-25T13:31:00.004-06:00

Director: John Carpenter

Starring: Natasha Henstridge, Ice Cube, Jason Statham, Clea DuVall, Pam Grier, Robert Carradine, Joanna Cassidy, Richard Cetrone

More info: IMDb

Tagline: You Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance

Plot: 200 years in the future a Martian police unit is dispatched to transport a dangerous prisoner from a mining outpost back to justice. But when the team arrives they find the town deserted and some of the inhabitants possessed by the former inhabitants of the planet.

My rating: 4/10 and that's generous

Will I watch it again? Hell, no.

If you told me that this was made by a first time director, I would believe you. It's hard to imagine that John Carpenter, THE John Carpenter, the man behind so many fantastic movies would be capable to making this picture. The writing at times is laughable. It was only last night that I saw this for the first time and I'm still shaking my head. Sure, the special effects are shoddy at times but that doesn't bother me because I realize a budget will only stretch so far but it's the other things that didn't have to be this way like the aforementioned dialogue. You've also got some miscasting like Pam Grier (I adore her but she didn't feel comfortable and a lot of her dialogue was just bad) and Ice Cube for starters. He'd been acting for 10 years so he's got no excuse.

The only bright spot, really was from Jason Statham. Henstrige was fine but I couldn't get past some of the ridiculous lines she had and how she carried herself in the action scenes. Oh, the action. There's one about every 5 minutes once the shit hits the fan (or so it seemed) and the heavy metal score that accompanies it made me laugh it was so repetitive. I've seen most of Carpenters directorial feature films and there's a great deal of them that I really enjoyed the hell out of. I'd like to see him get back on his game and not go out with such a whimper.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

2012-01-25T13:03:00.004-06:00

Director: Quintin Tarantino

Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Eric Stoltz, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Phil LaMarr, Maria de Medeiros, Rosanna Arquette, Uma Thurman, Frank Whaley, Christopher Walken, Harvey Keitel, Quentin Tarantino, Kathy Griffin, Julia Sweeney

More info: IMDb

Plot: Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega are two hitmen who are out to retrieve a suitcase stolen from their employer, mob boss Marsellus Wallace. Wallace has also asked Vincent to take his wife Mia out a few days later when Wallace himself will be out of town. Butch Coolidge is an aging boxer who is paid by Wallace to lose his next fight. The lives of these seemingly unrelated people are woven together comprising of a series of funny, bizarre and uncalled-for incidents.

My rating: 9.5/10

Will I watch it again? Duh.

I have nothing but love for this movie ever since I saw it in the theater nearly 20 years go. It blew me away just like it did with about every other person that saw it. It shook up the film world and an exciting way and I've been a tremendous fan of Tarantino's ever since. There are tons of quotable dialogue and every performance, save one, is tops. Tarantino's acting role is 75% great but he's got a couple of line readings that are just atrocious and keep me from giving it a perfect 10. His choice in music couldn't be cooler. The picture's funny, violent and shocking. I expect it would be difficult for anyone watching it for the first time all these years later not to understand how important and revolutionary this film is. It came at a time when the cinema had gotten stale and in a rut. Like him or not, Tarantino added some much needed spice and inspiration to films and a legion of film makers that followed.

Angels' Brigade (1979)

2012-01-25T09:09:00.004-06:00

Director: Greydon Clark

Starring: Sylvia Anderson, Lieu Chinh, Jacqueline Cole, Liza Greer, Susan Kiger, Hoela Velasco, Jack Palance, Peter Lawford, Jim Backus, Neville Brand, Pat Buttram, Arthur Godfrey, Alan Hale Jr.

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Seven super sexy girls take on the bad guys in an explosion of wild action, crazy stunts, and loads of laughs!

Plot: Meet six women and a teenage girl who never expected to risk their lives fighting for justice. A schoolteacher had seen one too many kids succumb to drugs. A Las Vegas entertainer learned her brother had been beaten by a drug pusher. A martial arts teacher knew how insidious drugs were among children. A top model knew that drugs were destroying her life. A stunt driver was in shock when her brother overdosed - on drugs! Add a nosy schoolgirl and a policewoman with a perm, and you've got the Angels Brigade. These women (and the girl, too) are sexy, smart - and dangerous! Just ask the right-wing militia these ladies have destroyed. But the evil fat cats pushing drugs to kids? Not even they are a match for these vengeful vixens. They just say POW! to drug pushers.

My rating: 5/10

Will I watch it again? No.

This is an average low budget action flick from the 70s but with a difference - it's got Jack Palance, Peter Lawford, Jim Backus, Neville Brand, Pat Buttram, Arthur Godfrey Alan Hale Jr.!!! I know none of them were headlining any movies (except Palance) at that time and they were all on their way out but they're still all huge names in showbusiness. How the hell did Clark get these guys in this thing? It's not like he had any mainstream films under his belt. BLACK SHAMPOO (1976)? SATAN'S CHEERLEADERS (1977)? I don't think so. Anyway, Palance owns every scene he's in and he's a lot of fun which accounts for an extra point in my score.

The acting from the girls is what you'd expect from a low budget movie like this and the same goes with the plot but it's not all that horrible. The big problem I've got with this CHARLIE'S ANGELS ripoff is that there's not a single shot of nudity. A movie like this screams for it and we get bupkiss. This isn't nearly as bad as the IMDb reviews suggest, largely because of the brief extended cameos by the folks stated above, just don't expect much in the way of exploitation and you'll have a reasonable time.

Check out Greydon Clark's YouTube channel for some low budget fun.

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)

2012-01-24T15:08:00.004-06:00

Director: Adam Marcus

Starring: John D. LeMay, Kari Keegan, Kane Hodder, Steven Williams, Steven Culp, Erin Gray, Rusty Schwimmer, Richard Grant, Leslie Jordan, Billy Green Bush

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Evil has finally found a home.

Plot: Jason Voorhees, the living, breathing essence of evil, is back for one fierce, final fling. Tracked down and blown to bits by a special FBI task force, everyone now assumes that he's finally dead. But everyone assumes wrong. Jason has been reborn with the bone-chilling ability to assume the identity of anyone he touches. The terrifying truth is he could be anywhere. Or anybody. In this shocking, blood-soaked finale to Jason's carnage-ridden of terror, the horrible secret of his unstoppable killing instinct is finally revealed.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Sure.

I thought for sure this one was going to suck but it didn't. I dug it. The humor isn't Troma-silly like it had been in one of the previous films (I forget as they're all blending together in my mind) and there are some really funny moments. I really like how Jason takes over other bodies and we don't get to really see him like we know him until the end. The kills are fun, there's an awful lot of fighting and plenty of nudity (there's even something for the ladies...sort of), and the ending with a brief cameo of Freddy's hand was the icing on the cake. For someone who put off watching any of these films for 30 years after they came out, I'm having a pretty good time with this series. There's only one more left to go and then it's FREDDY vs. JASON and the remake.

Hands of the Ripper (1971)

2012-01-24T14:56:00.005-06:00

Director: Peter Sasdy

Starring: Eric Porter, Angharad Rees, Jane Merrow, Keith Bell, Derek Godfrey, Dora Bryan, Marjorie Rhodes

More info: IMDb

Tagline: A new terror-filled X film

Plot: The infant daughter of Jack the Ripper is witness to the brutal murder of her mother by her father. Fifteen years later she is a troubled young woman who is seemingly possessed by the spirit of her father. While in a trance she continues his murderous killing spree but has no recollection of the events afterwards. A sympathetic psychiatrist takes her in and is convinced he can cure her condition. Soon, however, he regrets his decision.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

#50 on Hammer Horror (1957-1976)

Wow. What a surprisingly good movie. I was rather disappointed in the beginning because it played out as you would expect a Jack the Ripper movie would but then there's a plot twist that moved my ass from the back to the edge of the seat and just as it would slide back they'd throw in something else that would put it back. Christopher Gunning's score is lovely. While the picture might lack in major thrills it makes up for it with some gory kills and one hell of an ending that I didn't see coming. I really enjoyed this flick. Only 5 more to go before I've watched every Hammer horror picture. I hope there's one left that's at least as good as this one.

Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

2012-01-23T21:45:00.007-06:00

Director: Ruggero Deodato

Starring: Robert Kerman, Francesca Ciardi, Perry Pirkanen, Luca Barbareschi, Salvatore Basile, Ricardo Fuentes, Carl Gabriel Yorke

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Ripout! Barbeque! Devour! How long can you take it?

Plot: A New York University professor returns from a rescue mission to the Amazon rainforest with the footage shot by a lost team of documentarians who were making a film about the area's local cannibal tribes.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Maybe.

I've been meaning to watch this one for years and I've finally gotten around to it thanks to a reader's suggestion. My only other experience with anything close to this genre is CANNIBAL FEROX (1981) (a fun Umberto Lenzi cannibal flick even better than this one) and MOUNTAIN OF THE CANNIBAL GOD (1978) (another really fun flick). I was hoping that this picture was going to live up to the hype it has received. Not bad, I suppose.

It's the very first 'found footage' film made and for that you've got to give the writer, Gianfranco Clerici, and director, Deodato, some well-deserved credit. This flick is notorious for a number of reasons but largely for how effective it was in convincing a lot of people that it was real. READ THIS for an interesting read on what went down. It's fascinating.

I can handle just about anything when it comes to movie gore but I can't stand the killing of animals like what you'll find in most of these cannibal movies. Fortunately a lot of these scenes were re-used in other films of the genre (the Italians made most of them). Nevertheless, I fast forward through them. I can stomach even the most realistic human mutilation because I know it's fake.

For me the big money shot is the most famous image of the movie that comes pretty close to the end and it's a doosey. Even knowing how they did it still has me floored at the talented folks who made it happen. Hell, all of the gore effects are top notch. I love it.

I'd give this flick a better score if the performances weren't so over the top. It could be due to the English dubbing (the original Italian track was not an option on the disc I have) but still, the actors featured on the found footage portion are overly childish and cruel that don't quite fit regardless of what language it's in. They certainly hammer home the point that we're probably more savage than those primitives we perceive as savages. It's a pretty fun flick and it's got my respect for being a first but if you get a chance to see CANNIBAL FEROX you'll probably find that one more entertaining and owing a large debt to CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST.

Dragonslayer (1981)

2012-01-23T15:11:00.004-06:00

Director: Matthew Robbins

Starring: Peter MacNicol, Ralph Richardson, Caitlin Clarke, John Hallam, Peter Evre, Albert Salmi, Sydney Bromley, Ian McDiarmid

More info: IMDb

Tagline: In the Dark Ages, Magic was a weapon. Love was a mystery. Adventure was everywhere... And Dragons were real.

Plot: A King has made a pact with a dragon where he sacrifices virgins to it, and the dragon leaves his kingdom alone. An old wizard, and his keen young apprentice volunteer to kill the dragon and attempt to save the next virgin in line - the Kings own daughter.

My rating: 8.5/10

Will I watch it again? YES!

Usually seeing "Disney Presents" at the beginning of a movie spells out boring for adults but not this one. I haven't seen DRAGONSLAYER in nearly 30 years and I'm blown away at how well this one has held up and how mature and lacking in anything childish it is. WOW! This is a fantastic fantasy film and one that came just before the big Sword & Sorcery boom of the early to mid 1980s. OK, so Peter MacNichol is a teensy goofy looking (I think it's the perm) but you kind of forget that with the bleak world he lives in with the grimy people he encounters. The special effects are outstanding and I can't dare stop before mentioned Alex North's dissonant score. It's the kind of score that could stand toe-to-toe with most classical works. It's not your typical score and it's one of the many reasons why North is one of my favorite film composers. There are tons of sub-par movies in this genre and this one gets overlooked when thinking of things like LORD OF THE RINGS or CONAN. Don't let this one pass you by. It deserves a wider audience.

Gremlins (1984)

2012-01-23T15:01:00.004-06:00

Director: Joe Dante

Starring: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Keye Luke, Don Steele, Corey Feldman, Dick Miller, Judge Reinhold

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Cute. Clever. Mischievous. Intelligent. Dangerous.

Plot: A boy inadvertently breaks 3 important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

Man, it's been a long, long time since I saw this - probably more than 20 years ago. I'd forgotten how grim it is. I can do without the cuteness of those little teddy bear fuckers but I can forgive that a little because of all the harsh shit that follows it. The deaths all around are great, the special effects are a hoot and Jerry Goldsmith's score is fantastic and fun. It's probably been about as long since I saw the sequel and I'm going to have to add that one to the list pretty soon. I hope it holds up as well as this did although I'm not overly optimistic.

Raising Arizona (1987)

2012-01-23T14:54:00.004-06:00

Director: Joel Coen

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, Trey Wilson, John Goodman, William Forsythe, Sam McMurray, Frances McDormand, Randall 'Tex' Cobb

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Their lawless years are behind them. Their child-rearing years lay ahead...

Plot: When a childless couple of an ex-con and an ex-cop decide to help themselves to one of another family's quintuplets, their lives get more complicated than they anticipated.

My rating: 10/10

Will I watch it again? You betcha or my name ain't Nathan Arizona!

This is one of my all time favorite comedies. It's the kind of movie that I've seen a gazillion times and can quote most of the dialogue, the kind of movie that has given me a plethora of funny shit to say and take great pride when someone catches the reference as if there are only a few people on the planet that can appreciate something so fucking hilarious. It's a high point in the career of Nicolas Cage whose made more shit than Larry the Cable Guy on taco night.

Everyone in this picture is pitch perfect in their performances. The script runs the gamut from brilliant comedy to heartfelt tenderness (especially during the finale). Carter Burwell's score is brilliant as well. For me to keep going is pointless because I'll end up throwing out quote after quote. If I were to record a commentary for the movie it'd basically be me laughing for an hour and a half. I love this film and barely go 72 hours without tossing out some line from it. Nathan needs some Huggies. My friends call me Lenny...only, I ain't got no friends. Ahahahahahahaha.

Superbad (2007)

2012-01-23T14:49:00.002-06:00

Director: Greg Mottola

Starring: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bill Hader, Seth Rogen, Martha Maclsaac, Emma Stone

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Come and Get Some

Plot: Seth, Evan and Fogell are three teenage guys who love to drink and desperately wish to get laid. When a girl that Seth really likes, asks him to get the drink for her party, he sees this as a perfect opportunity to make her his girlfriend. The trio plan out how to get the alcohol, even including Fogell's new fake ID, but things won't got smoothly for the trio. Seth and Evan become separated from Fogell (now called McLovin) and they still haven't got the alcohol for the party that night.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Sure.

I just discover some movies I forgot to write about that I saw about 3 years ago. My memory is hazy on this one so it's going to be short. I liked it. It was funny enough to keep me engaged and the pacing was brisk. There were some good, hearty laughs and lots of heart, especially in the final minutes of the film. It got to me and that's the big payoff. I'm looking forward to seeing it again someday to see how it holds up. It's one of the better modern teen comedies to come out in a long time. I usually hate them (if I ever watch them to begin with) but this one's A-OK.

The Strangers (2008)

2012-01-23T14:45:00.003-06:00

Director: Bryan Bertino

Starring: Scott Speedman, Liv Tyler, Gemma Ward, Kep Weeks, Laura Margolis, Glenn Howerton

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Lock the door. Pretend you're safe.

Plot: A couple staying in an isolated vacation house receive a knock on the door in the mid-hours of the night. What ensues is a violent invasion by three strangers, their faces hidden behind masks. The couple find themselves in a violent struggle, in which they go beyond what either of them thought capable in order to survive.

My rating: 4/10

Will I watch it again? No.

I hate Hollywood sometimes which means I sometimes hate movies made here in the US. I knew nothing of this film going in except I heard from a couple of podcasts that it was a really good home invasion flick. I didn't even bother to watch the trailer. The ONE good thing I liked about this picture is the scene where the head stranger sidesteps into the view of the camera but not where Liv Tyler can see. I must have blinked when I was watching the movie because it took someone else pointing it out after I finally picked up on it. THAT WAS FUCKING BADASS COOL & CREEPY! And that was the only good anything in this movie. After it was over I watched the trailer only to discover that moment was in it. REALLY? One of the best moments I've seen in a horror movie made in recent memory and it's fucking given away in the goddamn trailer? W...T...F? It takes forever for things to start happening which would be fine and dandy if the pre-invasion shit was interesting instead of pathetic. Then once the shit hits the fan it's one cliche after another and if you didn't see it coming you probably checked out and stopped caring anyway. Oh, and the icing on the fucking cake is the damn jump scare the instant before the credits roll. It's cheap and insulting and I wish I could extract vengeance from those who told me this was a great movie but you can't exactly reach through a podcast and rip someone's throat out now can you. ARGH I'm so frustrated.

Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006)

2012-01-23T11:16:00.005-06:00

Director: Lloyd Kaufman

Starring: Jason Yachanin, Kate Graham, Allyson Sereboff, Robin L. Watkins, Joshua Olatunde, Caleb Emerson, Rose Ghavami, Khalid Rivera, Joe Fleishaker, Lloyd Kaufman, Ron Jeremy

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Humans... the other white meat... Unless you're black, then it's dark meat... Or if you are Asian, then it's yellow meat... Or if you are Native American, it's red meat...

Plot: When the American Chicken Bunker, a military-themed fried-chicken chain, builds a restaurant on the site of an ancient Indian burial ground, local protesters aren't the only ones crying fowl! The previous tenants, fueled by a supernatural force, take "possession" of the food and those who eat it, and the survivors discover that they must band together before they themselves become the other white meat! Film lovers have been starved for sustenance. The relentless diet of predictability and pretense Hollywood has been serving up just doesn't cut it. Poultrygeist is hearty food for thought. In Poultrygeist, Troma takes on the the fast-food industry-skewering the soulless restaurateurs-in the world's first horror-comedy film to feature zombie chickens, American Indians and a bit of singing and dancing! It's Poultrygeist!

My rating: 5/10

Will I watch it again? No. No. No.

I think I'm done with Troma movies. POULTRYGEIST has some genuinely funny and outrageous bits and they're not afraid to say and do things that most people will find offensive. I respect that. BUT, do they have to be so damn loud and obnoxious? That's my biggest problem with this picture is there's too much sound and noise. I felt like my ears were being assaulted. I can handle just about anything thrown my way but this is ridiculous. The script, songs and such weren't that bad and had moments of laugh out loud funny but gee whiz, fellas, did the accompanying barrage of sound have to be cranked up to 11? This would be a great movie to throw on at a frat party where the party noise might just drown out what Troma cooked up. I do love their willingness to say and do anything they want.

Return to Horror High (1987)

2012-01-23T11:03:00.005-06:00

Director: Bill Froehlich

Starring: Richard Brestoff, George Clooney, Vince Edwards, Al Fann, Panchito Gomez, Brendan Hughes, Maureen McCormick, Alex Rocco

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Killer to the left...Killer to the right...Stand up...Sit down...FRIGHT! FRIGHT! FRIGHT!

Plot: A few years ago, a mysterious serial-killer caused panic on Crippen High School. The killer was never caught. A movie company, Cosmic Pictures, has decided to make a feature movie about these events - on location, at the now abandoned school. Since members of cast and crew disappear without a trace, it seems as if history is repeating itself...

My rating: 4/10

Will I watch it again? No.

Here's an 80s slasher movie that's trying to be clever and only partially succeeds. After you 'get' what's going on with the actual story and the movie that's being made within the movie, it's time to move onto something else. It's a decent slasher with nudity, gore, humor and all but once I got on board with the film maker's conceit I just didn't care. It's like someone telling you a joke that seems to take forever but you see the punchline a mile away and you spend the rest of the time waving your arms to get your friend to hurry up and finish the joke. That's this movie. It's OK but it shouldn't have lasted as long as it did. If you're wanting to watch it for an early appearance of George Clooney, you won't have to commit to more than probably 20 minutes. He was the smart one.

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

2012-01-23T10:52:00.002-06:00

Director: Jake Kasdan

Starring: John C. Reilly, Tim Meadows, Kristen Wiig, Jenna Fischer, Matt Besser, Chris Parnell

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Life made him tough. Love made him strong. Music made him hard.

Plot: The up-and-down-and-up-again story of musician Dewey Cox, whose songs would change a nation. On his rock 'n roll spiral, Cox sleeps with 411 women, marries three times, has 36 kids, stars in his own 70s TV show, collects friends ranging from Elvis to the Beatles to a chimp, and gets addicted to - and then kicks - every drug known to man; but despite it all, Cox grows into a national icon and eventually earns the love of a good woman - longtime backup singer Darlene.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? Yeah.

I've been a big fan of John C. Riley's for probably twenty years and I was thrilled to see him to finally star in a big budget comedy because he's a really funny guy. I was also worried that it was going to be along the lines of the typical lame Will Ferrell comedies that man keeps cranking out. Fortunately it's not and it's a genuinely great satire of the popular music industry that feels very much Monty Python-esque in that the humor is literally all over the place from silly slapstick to biting, intelligent satire. The performances are great with Riley as the standout, the script is clever and doesn't always go for the obvious (huge points there) and the songs are catchy and spot on for hitting their targets. WALK HARD might not be a home run but it's a great film that hit most of what it was aiming for. Besides, with lyrics like "In my dreams you're blowin' me...some kisses." Ahahahahahaha.

Carlito's Way (1993)

2012-01-23T10:39:00.005-06:00

Director: Brian De Palma

Starring: Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller, John Leguizamo, Ingrid Rogers, Luis Guzman, James Rebhorn, Joseph Siravo, Viggo Mortensen

More info: IMDb

Plot: Finally released from prison, Carlito Brigante has vowed that he will not go back to the life he once had. His move to a new life isn't easy, as Carlito must resist every taunt and every opportunity back into his old lifestyle. He meets up with his old love, Gail who shows him the person he can be in a happy life, but his good friend and lawyer, David Kleinfeld is having problems of his own and would love the help he could gain from the legend known as Carlito.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? Yes!

After recently watching DePalma & Pacino's previous gangster turn in SCARFACE (1983) (and for the last time) it was nice to revisit CARLITO, a much better film. It's a more mature picture and more solidly put together. The music plays a big part and it's one of the better-used song soundtracks out there. Pacino is much better than his Scarface character. I'll stop right here comparing the two films although it is difficult not to.

Sean Penn is great as Carlito's shady lawyer. He's a lot of fun, actually, a real skeezy guy. Penelope Ann Miller does a fine job as well and we even get to see more of her than usual. Hubba hubba. There's a lot to like in this gangster, drug, crime picture from the solid performances to the great dialogue, tense conflicts and great disco era soundtrack. Check it out if you haven't already.

The Invention of Lying (2010)

2012-01-23T10:25:00.005-06:00

Directors: Ricky Gervais & Matthew Robinson

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Louis C.K., Jeffrey Tambor, Fionnula Flanagan, Rob Lowe, Tina Fey, Christopher Guest, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jason Bateman, Edward Norton

More info: IMDb

Tagline: In a world where everyone can only tell the truth... ...this guy can lie.

Plot: It's a world where everyone tells the truth - and just about anything they're thinking. Mark Bellison is a screenwriter, about to be fired. He's short and chunky with a flat nose - a genetic pool that means he won't get to first base with Anna, the woman he loves. At a bank, on the spur of the moment he blurts out a fib, with eye-popping results. Then, when his mother's on her deathbed, frightened of the eternal void awaiting her, Mark invents fiction. The hospital staff overhear his description of Heaven, believe every word, and tell others. Soon Mark is a prophet, his first inventive screenplay makes him rich, and he's basically a good guy. But will that be enough for Anna?

My rating: 6/10

Will I watch it again? Noop.

I'm a huge fan of Ricky Gervais's UK TV comedy, THE OFFICE and I generally really dig this guy's edgy, biting humor. I guess that's why I'm disappointed with this flick which he co-wrote and co-directed. The story is kind of neat and could be ripe with all kinds of possibilities but it somehow misses the mark kind of like Mike Judge's IDIOCRACY - there are some good bits and gags but it left me unfulfilled.

For starters this takes place in a world where no one has ever lied so that means everyone tells the truth. Duh. But what feels strange is that the characters not only tell the truth but speak their inner dialogue which doesn't sit well with me. I could be wrong but speaking your mind and telling the truth aren't necessarily the same thing. My other big issue is, while this looks like a well-made movie, it isn't. It's disjointed and it plays like there are scenes that were cut that would help the structure feel more like a nicely flowing narrative. Oh, the product placement is embarrassing.

There are touches of hilarity and emotion but they don't feel balanced in a way that they are able to compliment each other. There's a really heartfelt scene when Mark (Gervais) concocts a story to make his dying mother happy just before she snuffs it in her hospital bed. I actually teared up. Everyone in the movie believes that when you die, that's it. The lights are out and there is no "other side" (I'm of the same opinion, btw). He basically makes up this story about what most people (not in the movie) believe to be heaven. She dies with a smile on her face. It's here where the movie takes a turn toward religious satire which is hit and miss. I laughed every once in a while but when it was all over it felt like this flick was trying to be two movies and the only way to do this was to compromise. Gervais & co. should have given this one more thought before committing it to film and letting it loose unto the world.

The Cave (2005)

2012-01-23T10:13:00.006-06:00

Director: Bruce Hunt

Starring: Cole Hauser, Eddie Cibrian, Morris Chestnut, Lena Headey, Piper Perabo, Rick Ravanello, Daniel Dae Kim, Kieran Darcy-Smith, Marcel Lures

More info: IMDb

Tagline: There are places man was never meant to go.

Plot: Decades after a rock church in communist Romania's Carpathians caved when an expedition caused a landslide and buried everyone, Dr. Nicolai's scientific team exploring the associated Templar Knights monster fighting-legend discovers a deep, flooded cave system and hires the brothers Jack and Tyler's brilliant divers team to explore it. Another explosion traps them, after finding a mysterious parasite turning all species carnivore, and later an independently evolved predator species. Jack may be infected and turning, but Tyler sticks with him, so the group splits, hunted by the monsters, which also fly.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

I didn't care much for THE DESCENT which sucks because I really dig caves, I'd heard a lot of positive talk about it and I didn't see how it could fail but it did. I've done a little bit of cave exploring myself and I never pass up an opportunity to take a cave tour whenever I'm near one. I also dig diving and underground waterways. That means that I'm primed and ready for THE CAVE and blow my ass away. In a way, it did.

I expected a bunch of hot young somethings doing and saying badass shit underground and that's not too far off the mark but what I didn't expect was all of that type of shit was played down more than usual and that the underwater and cave photography is stunning and utterly jaw-dropping. I use such high praise because this is a low budget film that has no right to look this good but it does. I'm most impressed - impressed enough to give THE DESCENT another look. Maybe this time I'll like it. If THE CAVE can do that then it's even better than I thought. If this sounds remotely interesting then you need to see this. Don't overlook it because the DVD box reeks of direct to DVD, Sci-Fi channel, low budget horseshit because it ain't.

Judge Dredd (1995)

2012-01-23T09:54:00.004-06:00

Director: Danny Cannon

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Armand Assante, Rob Schneider, Jurgen Prochnow, Max von Sydow, Diane Lane, Joanna Miles, Joan Chen

More info: IMDb

Tagline: One man is Judge, Jury, AND Executioner.

Plot: In a dystopic future, where urban areas have grown into mega cities that cover entire coastal regions, the justice system has evolved to a single person invested with the power of police, judge, jury, and executioner: the Judge. Among the Judges of Mega-City One, Judge Dredd is one of the best, and a particular favorite of the Head of the Council, Judge Fargo. But there are evil forces at work in the Justice Dept: block riots and the escape of Rico, a homicidal maniac, are only steps in a plan that ultimately lead to the sentencing of Dredd for a murder he didn't commit. And Dredd must discover the secrets of his own past and survive to stop the evildoers.

My rating: 6/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

By the late 1990s I had only watched about 3 or 4 of Stallone's movies, something I've been making up for over the past few years as I've since become a huge fan of his career. He made some really fun movies and I'm ashamed to admit that I used to dismiss his work as dumb and boneheaded without finding out for myself. That was the 'me' of 20 years ago. Having said that, this isn't all that great but it was fun and I did enjoy myself. What surprised me is how short it was and how simple everything laid out. There's nothing wrong with that but for a sci-fi comic book movie I thought there'd be a bit more to the story or elongated action set pieces. It's always great to see Armand Assante (what a great name - I don't care what you look like, if you had that name you'd never go without chicks). For a solid performance, though, check him out in HOFFA (1992). It's a magnificent film.

An American Crime (2007)

2012-01-23T09:30:00.005-06:00

Director: Tommy O'Haver

Starring: Ellen Page, Hayley McFarland, Nick Searcy, Romy Rosemont, Catherine Keener, Ari Graynor, Scout Taylor-Compton, James Franco

More info: IMDb

Tagline: This has been the most terrible crime ever committed in the state of Indiana

Plot: Based on a true story that shocked the nation in 1965, the film recounts one of the most shocking crimes ever committed against a single victim. Sylvia and Jennie Fae Likens, the two daughters of traveling carnival workers are left for an extended stay at the Indianapolis (3850 E. New York St. is hardly suburban, nor was it in 1965, by any stretch of the imagination.) home of single mother Gertrude Baniszewski and her six children. Times are tough, and Gertrude's financial needs cause her to make this arrangement before realizing how the burden will push her unstable nature to a breaking point. What transpires in the next three months is both riveting and horrific, leaving one child dead and the rest scarred for life.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Nah, I'll watch THE GIRL NEXT DOOR (2007) instead.

There were two films that came out in 2007 dealing with this true crime case. I saw THE GIRL NEXT DOOR first and I expect the first one you watch will be the one you prefer. But then these two films fill different voids. This one has a little more emotional impact whereas TGND is cold, brutal and in your face. AAC is more mainstream audience-friendly since it shows very little of what makes these two girls' ordeal so horrific. Grandma wouldn't be able to stomach either picture but AAC makes it more digestible. It's a pretty good film but because it's so focused on the emotional angle that it cheated the audience out of bringing the horror all the way home. I think crimes like this are best served with the stark details at the forefront. I'm not opposed to emotional weight and impact but to truly get a grasp of something as hideous as this you need a good mix of both emotion and cruel details.

The Frighteners (1996)

2012-01-22T18:12:00.003-06:00

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Michael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Peter Dobson, John Astin, Jeffrey Combs, Dee Wallace, Jake Bussey, Chi McBride, R. Lee Ermey

More info: IMDb

Tagline: No Rest for the Wicked.

Plot: After a car accident in which his wife, Debra, was killed and he was injured, Frank Bannister develops psychic abilities allowing him to see, hear, and communicate with ghosts. After losing his wife, he then gave up his job as an architect, letting his unfinished "dream house" sit incomplete for years, and put these skills to use by befriending a few ghosts and getting them to haunt houses in the area to drum up work for his ghostbusting business; Then Frank proceeds to "exorcise" the houses for a fee. But when he discovers that an entity resembling the Grim Reaper is killing people, marking numbers on their forehead beforehand, Frank tries to help the people whom the Reaper is after!

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

Here's yet another one that's been on my list to watch for more than a decade and I'm finally getting around to it. It starts out much sillier than it ends. For as playful as it is it's got a lot of adult weight to it which I really dug. The story is good and the performances stand up even better but it's the special effects (by WETA, the same group that handled the LORD OF THE RINGS pictures) that are fucking outstanding! NICE!!! Overall it's a fun movie and worth seeing. You'll see some of Jackson's style and sense of fun throughout and with Michael J. Fox bringing his likability you can't go wrong. OK, you can but not so wrong you'll hate yourself for it in the morning.

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011)

2012-01-22T18:00:00.006-06:00

Directors: Joe Berlinger & Bruce Sinofsky

Starring: The same folks from the first two films.

More info: IMDb

Tagline: The complete inside story of the West Memphis Three.

Plot: A further investigation into the arrest of three teenagers convicted of killing three young boys in Arkansas who spent nearly 20 years in prison before being released after new DNA evidence indicated they may be innocent.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Probably not.

I don't have cable and I don't watch TV but I was visiting a friend who does and we noticed HBO was showing the 2nd film and then the third and final documentary about the West Memphis 3. I have no clue why they failed to include the first (and best) film of the series despite the abundance of viewings for the other two that weekend. Anyway, this one is the weakest of the bunch but not without interest. If you've seen the others (or only the first one) then you'll want to give it a spin.

The problem with this one (and the second one for that matter) is that it spends a good deal of time bringing you up to speed on the events surrounding the murders and the subsequent investigation, trials and appeals. The first film did a great job of covering that. The other problem (and this, too, applies to the second picture) is the introduction of possible theories as to who the killer might be without going into too much detail. The film makers cast doubt on someone only to move on a couple of minutes later. I want to hear more about the evidence supporting such theories, that's all.

Mark Byers, the stepfather of one of the slain boys, is the most entertaining subject in all three films. He's hilarious, pathetic and sad. There's a nice moment where he turns a 180 in his beliefs that the boys are guilty and publicly apologizes for it. One of the boys, in turn, writes him a letter thanking him for it and adds that he no longer believes that Byers could be the true killer. I would pay to see a film that was nothing more than a compilation of all of his scenes from all three films. He's THAT entertaining. This guy needs his own reality show.

After a back-to-back two-fer of the second and third film a few nights ago I really don't see myself reviting them although I am keen to watch the first film again. It's nice to know that the boys are out of prison and it's a sad state of affairs that they were put there to begin with. I see that Peter Jackson had taken a keen interest in the case (as have a lot of folks in the film industry) and he has his own documentary in the works. I'm looking forward to seeing someone else's take on this most interesting story.

UPDATE: I just noticed this was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary. You have GOT to be fucking kidding me. It's the emotional vote. I'll say it again, I really appreciate how these films helped free these boys. All the praise in the world can't top that but to say this is up there among the best? Five bucks says it wins.

Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972)

2012-01-22T17:52:00.004-06:00

Director: Robert Fuest

Starring: Vincent Price, Robert Quarry, Valli Kemp, Peter Jeffrey, Fiona Lewis, Hugh Griffith, Peter Cushing, Beryl Reid, Terry-Thomas, John Cater, Gerald Sim, Lewis Fiander, John Thaw, Keith Buckley, Milton Reid

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Flesh crawls! Blood curdles! Phibes lives!

Plot: The moon rises at a predestined angle and awakens the sleeping Dr. Phibes three years later. To his dismay, he finds his house has been demolished and his papyrus scrolls stolen, the scrolls he needs to find the Pharoah's Tomb in Egypt, where the River of Life flows. After identifying the source of the papyrus theft, he packs and leaves for Egypt with his assistant Vulnavia, still intent upon awakening his dead wife Victoria. The parties responsible for the theft of Phibes' scrolls suffer an attrition problem as Inspector Trout chases him across the world.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

Released just one year after the first film, THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES (1971), this one adds to the ridiculousness of the first one by continuing it in a most outrageous and unbelievable manner. At the end of ABOMINABLE Phibes hooks himself up to a machine (all inside a large coffin that doubles as a small tomb) that replaces his blood with embalming fluid. At the beginning of this sequel we find out he had rigged the device to reverse itself after 3 years when the moon shines on the face of the tomb. That's right, the embalming fluid is replaced with his blood!

If you can accept that then you're prepared to watch the rest of it. While it's not quite as good as the first movie it's kind of more of the same with lots of neat kills (my favorite being the one involving the RCA dog filled with scorpions.) and a rather nice and touching finale. It was nice to see they brought Terry-Thomas back (as a different character). It's not a bad picture and I did find it entertaining, it's not something that I'm likely to want to see again. I read that a third film was planned but not filmed which is a real shame as it was to have Phibes return to go after the Nazis or something. THAT has WATCH ME written all over it!

The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)

2012-01-22T17:43:00.004-06:00

Director: Robert Fuest

Starring: Vincent Price, Joseph Cotten, Hugh Griffith, Terry-Thomas, Virginia North, Peter Jeffrey, Derek Godfrey

More info: IMDb

Tagline: There are two sides to Dr. Phibes.....both of them EVIL!

Plot: A doctor, scientist, organist, and biblical scholar, Dr. Anton Phibes, seeks revenge on the nine doctors he considers responsible for his wife's death.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

This picture and it's sequel the following year have been on my "to watch" list for a couple of decades but with so many movies to watch, it can take a while to get around to it. A friend of mine popped these two in, back-to-back, and forced them upon me. I didn't resist. I guess I was ready.

Not bad. It appears as if the SAW franchise began here. There are many specially-designed kills, 8 or 9 in total, and they're fun and inventive. The whole movie is over the top in that wink wink sort of way. The performances are good and there's not really a weak link in the bunch (no surprise as it's a largely British cast). The whole plot is rather ridiculous once you see it unfold on the screen but it does provide for 94 minutes of entertainment.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

2012-01-22T17:14:00.006-06:00

Director: David Fincher

Starring: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgard, Steven Berkoff, Robin Wright, Yorick van Wageningen, Joely Richardson, Geraldine James, Goran Visnjic

More info: IMDb

Tagline: She's coming.

Plot: This English-language adaptation of the Swedish novel by Stieg Larsson follows a disgraced journalist, Mikael Blomkvist (Craig), as he investigates the disappearance of a wealthy patriarch's niece from 40 years ago. He is aided by the pierced, tattooed, punk computer hacker named Lisbeth Salander (Mara). As they work together in the investigation, Blomkvist and Salander uncover immense corruption beyond anything they have ever imagined.

My rating: 8.5/10

Will I watch it again? YES! I can't wait!!!

I loves me some David Fincher. This guy can't do anything wrong and I really need to get on the ball and watch the two movies of his I haven't seen. I really dig this flick and I'm looking forward to seeing it again. It's not an easy movie to peg because when you think you know what the main focus is the movie throws something into the mix to set you off on a new path and this happens a few times which is very, VERY cool.

The performances are great, especially Mara who needs to have my dragon tattooed babies. I REALLY like her character and I really hope they make the other two films. I'm not going to wait long because the original Swedish trilogy is already done and ready to watch. Trent Reznor's score is most effective and the Led Zeppelin cover song (Immigrant Song) he did perfectly compliments this film. I know it's retarded that I spent more time talking about UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING (2012) which isn't in the same game as this one but I'd love to watch this one again. I REALLY liked it and I can't fault it with anything. I also watched this from the comfort of my car at a drive-in theater during a rainstorm for the first half of it. It's a damn fine thriller.

Underworld: Awakening (2012)

2012-01-22T16:57:00.005-06:00

Directors: Mans Marlind & Bjorne Stein

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Stephen Rea, Michael Ealy, Theo James, India Eisley, Sandrine Holt, Charles Dance

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Vengeance Returns

Plot: When human forces discover the existence of the Vampire and Lycan clans, a war to eradicate both species commences. The vampire warrioress Selene leads the battle against humankind.

My rating: 6/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

I caught this one over the weekend at a drive-in theater along with THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (2011). Because it's a really darkly-lit picture, it doesn't lend itself to watching outside. Maybe the projector bulb needed to be replaced. Any case, I like the first UNDERWORLD movie a little, didn't see the second and saw the third one in the theater for free and didn't care enough about it to go see the second one. I still feel that way but this entry isn't all that bad but it's flawed.

My biggest issue is the plot. While I like where it goes with the vampires and werewolves being found out and hunted to near-extinction and then jumping twelve years into the future, the rest of the film is about as simple as it gets. I'm not opposed to simple but there should at least be an attempt at something more than girl gets frozen for 12 years, escapes the lab to find out she's got a daughter, the daughter gets kidnapped and she and her pals rescue her to live long enough to make it to the next sequel. That's really the gist of it. They fortunately had the sense to know they couldn't survive long on that basic plot and they let it go for about 77 minutes before running the long-ass credits. That's an hour and 17 minutes.

With movies like this you can't apply much logic. It's just a bunch of beautiful people running around looking macho, doing and saying things that sound like they're badasses. Along the way there are things that just don't make any damn sense and stand out like a sore thumb. Take, for example, when Kate Beckinsale breaks out of her frozen chamber she's been locked in for the past dozen years. She's naked but that's OK because right next to her chamber is a 6' glass display case with the outfit she was wearing when she arrived, on display as if in a museum for movie clothes. It's a huge WTF moment. It's not enough to ruin the movie but it's so ludicrous that it's laughable. U:A isn't a bad movie but it's such a safe sequel that it's kind of a let down they didn't try for more.

Along Came a Spider (2001)

2012-01-17T10:02:00.004-06:00

Director: Lee Tamahori

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Monica Potter, Michael Wincott, Dylan Baker, Mike Boorem, Anton Yelchin ,Michael Moriarty, Penelope Ann Miller

More info: IMDb

Tagline: The game is far from over.

Plot: A congressman's daughter under Secret Service protection is kidnapped from a private school by an insider who calls Det. Alex Cross, sucking him into the case even though he's recovering from the loss of his partner.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Nope.

NICE opening credits with the letters descending like a spider hanging from a web. I liked Jerry Goldsmith's score, too, which only reminds me that he's sorely missed. I saw the previous film Morgan Freeman did with the character a few years ago (KISS THE GIRLS (1997)) and I remember digging it OK. I'll have to revisit it because I think it was better than this one. I really dig Freeman in this kind of role. He owned it in SEVEN (1995). I just wish we had more of seeing his mind at work.

This flick was going strong until the last half hour when "the surprises" started to happen. I'm not going to spoil anything. When a certain someone is removed from the picture, that's when it becomes a standard thriller. It almost felt like someone else took over filming it at that point. I don't have a beef with choices in the story direction and reveals but just in how it was handled on the screen. Then there's the thing with the antique shotgun and how Cross just happened to either have the shells in his pocket (that's what it looked like) or the shells were right next to the gun which doesn't make any sense considering the story behind the gun. It's little shit like that that can muddy up an otherwise good story.

Michael Wincott is fantastic as the antagonist. It was neat seeing Yelchin (Chekov from the latest STAR TREK (2009) flick) in an early role, though. And I really liked Monica Potter's performance. Besides, she's a spitting image of a ballroom dance instructor I was, uh, "seeing" around the time this movie came out. Mmmmmm. She had a small chance (and lots of practicing) to qualify to have my babies. I guess I just wanted more from this decent thriller. With such a strong first two thirds I didn't have any reason to believe that it would end with a fizzle.

Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens (1979)

2012-01-10T09:24:00.006-06:00

Director: Russ Meyer

Starring: Kitten Natividad, Ann Marie, Ken Kerr, June Mack, Patrick M. Wright, Henry Rowland, Robert E. Pearson, Michael Finn, Sharon Ceccatti, Don Scarborough, Aram Katcher, DeForest Covan, Steve Tracy, Uschi Digard, Stuart Lancaster, Candy Samples

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Six Chicks in search of a Cluck! ...and so hilariously funny!

Plot: Believe it or not even in Smalltown USA there are still people who are unfulfilled and unrelieved in the midst of plenty. Levonna & Lamar could have the perfect relationship if it were not Lamar's obsession with rear entry. After submitting to the one last time Levonna comes up with a plan. While Lamar is trying find other tail to try his technique on, Levonna becomes Lola with aid of a wig and a Mexican accent. A Mexican cocktail later Lola finally has Lamar straight, but he wasn't awake for it. The gay marriage counselor, attracted to Lamar's problem, couldn't help them and Lemar must finally seek redemption at the church of Rio Dio Radio and the laying on of hands by Sister Eufaula Roo.

My rating: 6/10

Will I watch it again? Probably not.

I love Russ Meyer, if for no other reason, because his style is unique. I've never seen anyone else make movies like he did. The dialogue is fast and fun, there's a lot going on his films and, of course, there are the gargantuan jungle drums of his female cast. It's been a while since I saw this one and it all came rushing back to me why I didn't like this picture as much as I wanted to. Like SUPERVIXENS (1975), BENEATH suffers from being too long (even at 93 minutes!) and the music is too busy and constant. I know, I know, with a picture loaded with HH cups how did I even notice the music? I'm weird that way, I guess. While I'm at it, Ann Marie's high-pitched radio bits are hard to listen to after a couple of times and there are tons.

The big draw (hahaha) for this picture, though, is Kitten "5'3" 44DD-25-35" Natividad. I-chi-wawa! Her chichis are world class and she must have had the Michelangelo of plastic surgeons because she came from a 34B to this and they look as natural as Tura Satana wanting to have my babies.

Like a lot of Meyer's films, there's a lot of outrageous humor. He's over the top but in a way that's unlike anyone else and he gets a great performance (as always) out of Stuart Lancaster. I love that guy. He's got a great old man look and voice. I swear I'll probably make a project someday of watching all of his movies (all 29 of 'em).

You really need to see some of Meyer's pictures from the 60s and 70s. For the most part they're fun. His opus is the fantastic FASTER, PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL! (1965). It's definitely his finest hour (and 23 minutes). This, however, is not but it's more entertaining than a most soft core comedies of the 70s, and boy can that man make an entertaining trailer! This was Meyer's last picture.

Jaws 2 (1978)

2012-01-10T08:51:00.005-06:00

Director: Jeannot Szwarc

Starring: Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Joseph Mascolo, Jeffrey Kramer, Keith Gordon, Collin Wilcox Paxton, Ann Dusenberry, Mark Gruner

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...

Plot: Four years after the events of the original "Jaws", the town of Amity suddenly experiences series of mysterious boating accidents and disappearances. Chief of Police, Martin Brody, fears that another shark is out there, but he is ignored by the townsfolk. Unfortunately, he's right.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? Yup.

I've only ever seen the first two JAWS flicks and it's been years since I saw this one but I remember liking it. The first picture is one of my all-time favorites. It's the best shark movie ever made and JAWS 2 is the second best. I really liked it. It's even better than I remembered. There are some great, thrilling set pieces, John Williams' score tops his original (!!!) and I like the character development with Chief Brody. I can't believe the IMDb score is so low. JAWS 2 isn't just a re-hash of the first story; they actually tried to make a different movie with a few similarities and it really works. I'm satisfied. The region 2 DVD I have has over an hour's worth of extras like a 45 minute making of, a 9 minute interview and look at John Williams' music, another with the director, actors etc, deleted scenes and trailers for all 4 movies. I'm kind of looking forward to seeing the next two sequels but I know my expectations are going to have to be in the basement. I've heard they're bad, really bad.

Fallen (1998)

2012-01-10T08:22:00.005-06:00

Director: Gregory Hoblit

Starring: Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Donald Sutherland, Embeth Davidtz, James Gandolfini, Elias Koteas, Gabriel Casseus, Michael J. Pagan

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Don't trust a soul.

Plot: Homicide detective John Hobbes witnesses the execution of serial killer Edgar Reese. Soon after the execution the killings start again, and they are very similar to Reese's style.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

I was diggin' on this until an hour in (halfway through) when we find out that the 'angel' can only survive outside a human body for one breath and not able to go farther than 500 cubits (finger lengths) or something like that. That's when my eyes began to roll and they started to lose me. But for some reason I kept watching it and I was still diggin' it. It's actually a pretty good horror/thriller with a reasonably satisfying final act. The performances are good and the story, not without a few holes, is different and good as well. Besides from crazy stipulations like how this angel can survive and die (and how exactly do the characters know this? Unless I stopped paying attention for the two minutes they may have explained this, it's a weak plot device) the only thing that bothered me was the use of the Rolling Stones tune, Time Is On My Side. It's annoying the first time you hear it (I dig the Stones but not that song) and really annoying the 257th time. Surely an angel that's lived thousands of years knew a better tune or at least several other 'time'-themed songs...but then that would have cost too much money in copyright fees and we all know that angels are usually strapped for cash. Degenerate gambling winged fucks.

1968: Happy Birthday To Me 2011

2012-01-06T14:25:00.003-06:00

Born in December of '68 I thought I could change things up a bit by watching movies this month from 1968. This year I was able to get through 20 flicks. Like anything, there was some bad with the good but I've got tons of movies still to go so I might continue this experiment next year.

1) Targets (1968)
2) Once Upon a Time In the West (1968)
3) The Hell with Heroes (1968)
4) Tower of Screaming Virgins (1968)
5) The Pink Jungle (1968)
6) Shalako (1968)
7) The Detective (1968)
8) Hammerhead (1968)
9) Witchfinder General (1968)
10) Bullitt (1968)
11) The Boston Strangler (1968)
12) The Golden Claws of the Cat Girl (1968)
13) Anzio (1968)
14) Coogan's Bluff (1968)
15) Satanik (1968)
16) Honor Among Thieves (1968)
17) Tarzan and the Jungle Boy (1968)
18) Ace High (1968)
19) The Magus (1968)
20) 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

2012-01-06T13:34:00.005-06:00

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Starring: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Daniel Richter, Leonard Rossiter, Margaret Tyzack, Robert Beatty

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Let the Awe and Mystery of a Journey Unlike Any Other Begin

Plot: Mankind finds a mysterious, obviously artificial, artifact buried on the moon and, with the intelligent computer HAL, sets off on a quest.

My rating: 9/10

Will I watch it again? YES!!!

Until about 1998 every attempt I made to watch this resulted in sleep. It bored the piss out of me and I could only watch it in pieces before getting to the end. Then something happened in '98 that changed my life forever. I attended a one-time showing of this film on the largest movie screen in New England. It was huge, gargantuan. If I told you that I didn't blink for the more than two hours it was on I'd be exaggerating but not by much. I was captivated. It was like watching a moving work of art at play. It's pure eye candy. I had a similar experience when I saw THE SHINING (1980) on the big screen. Suddenly I saw this movie for what it was and how it was mean to be seen. This is the first time I've seen it since then and it was on my big ass TV. The Blu-ray is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. I've used is many times over the past couple of years to show off how good an old movie in hi-def can look.

This movie's been dissected all over the place so I can't add anything to it except you must see this on the big screen. If you struggled with watching it on the small screen you will see what I mean. Having had that theater experience I can watch this flick with a different set of eyes, eyes that allow me to soak up the visuals in a new light. What keeps me from giving this a perfect score is the music. I dislike half of Kubrick's classical music choices. The dissonant ones can stay but things like The Blue Danube Waltz and other more popular tunes are distracting. Alex North (one of my favorite film composers) wrote a score for the film that was never used. There are some examples to follow but I think in some ways it works better. We'll probably never know for certain since it's highly unlikely that anyone will re-do the film with the new score to include the dialogue and sound effects but the following videos come closer than we'll probably get.

ALEX NORTH'S 2001: WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN PART 1 ALEX NORTH'S 2001: WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN PART 2

The special effects are stunning even by today's standards. It's remarkable how well this 44 year old movie holds up. I haven't met a Kubrick film I didn't thoroughly enjoy and I've seen them all. The way he lights a scene is unlike anyone else. He definitely had a signature style and you can easily see it in this film and each of the ones that followed. I cannot recommend this Blu-ray enough. It will straighten your short & curlies...that is if you still have them.

A Hard Day's Night (1964)

2012-01-06T09:58:00.005-06:00

Director: Richard Lester

Starring: John, Paul, George, Ringo, Wilfrid Brambell, Norman Rossington, John Junkin, Victor Spinetti, Anna Quayle

More info: IMDb

Tagline: The Beatles starring in their first full-length, hilarious action-packed film!

Plot: The Beatles--the world's most famous rock and roll band--travel from their home town of Liverpool to London to perform in a television broadcast. Along the way they must rescue Paul's unconventional grandfather from various misadventures and drummer Ringo goes missing just before the crucial concert.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

After watching HEAD (1968) the other night, it made me Jones for the real deal with one of the pictures The Beatles made. Since I fell asleep watching YELLOW SUBMARINE (1968) (I'll have to catch that one later), I'll talk a little about this picture. I've seen it a couple of times already and it never gets old. It's a lot of fun and you get the sense that these four fellas were having a laugh and enjoying their unfathomable fame very much. Their music in the picture is fantastic and there are some genuinely funny bits but there's an overall sense of fun and mischief that really makes the picture something different and enduring. For as big of a Beatles fan as I am it's a crime that this is the only one of their 4 movies I've seen (but I've seen it 4 times now if that counts for anything) and I'm terribly keen to see their follow up picture, HELP (1965), which looks like it was the true inspiration for THE MONKEES TV show, aka Beatles-lite (but I am a fan of The Monkees and their show).

The Magus (1968)

2012-01-06T09:40:00.003-06:00

Director: Guy Green

Starring: Michael Caine, Anthony Quinn, Candice Bergen, Anna Karina, Paul Stassino, Julian Glover

More info: IMDb

Tagline: THE MAGUS plays a vicious game. The game is love. The game is lust. The game is life itself. Or is it death?

Plot: An English teacher arrives on a sleepy Greek island to take up a vacant teaching post. The last man to hold the post committed suicide under mysterious circumstances. Slowly but surely, he is drawn into a bizarre game engineered by a reclusive local magician. The deeper into the game he is drawn, the more he senses danger... yet cannot seem to untangle himself from the fascinating and compelling influence that the game is having on his mind.

My rating: 3/10

Will I watch it again? NOOOOO!

This is about as much fun as the pretentiously lame tagline suggests. Maybe this plays better in the novel but I'll never know since I don't want to go anywhere near it after seeing this flick. It's slow, dull and pointless until you get to the surprise ending. By then you've invested nearly 2 hours of "I don't care" and are ready to go. The performances are OK I guess but the movie feels so full of itself in playing us with its mind games that it loses any sense of importance or investment on the viewer's behalf. I didn't care about the characters and they didn't seem to care much either. I'm sorry I watched it. To date this is the worst Michael Caine picture I've seen. It's so bad that I'm willing to bet JAWS 4: THE REVENGE (1987) is better. Woof.

Head (1968)

2012-01-05T16:46:00.004-06:00

Director: Bob Rafelson

Starring: The Monkeys, Annette Funicello, Timothy Carey, Sonny Liston, Frank Zappa, Teri Garr, Victor Mature, Toni Basil

More info: IMDb

Tagline: What is HEAD all about? Only John Brockman's shrink knows for sure!

Plot: A plot-less collection of various musical encounters and adventures by the famous rock band "The Monkees" which follows Davy, Peter, Mike and Mickey as they travel through an assortment of places in search of meaning.

My rating: 6/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

It's been over 20 years since I saw anything of their TV show from the 60s but this feels like a longer big screen version of that but a little more adult. It's always nice seeing the scrummy Teri Garr and there are a few celebrities to spot if you don't blink (Jack Nicholson (who co-wrote this with the director) and Dennis Hopper for starters). I liked a lot of the songs but all they did was make me want to watch any of the movies The Beatles made (that's going to happen tonight). There's not much of a plot and that's OK because as long as what's there is entertaining, that's what counts. I'm glad I finally got around to seeing it but I'll never need to go there again.

The Eagle (2011)

2012-01-05T15:41:00.003-06:00

Director: Kevin Macdonald

Starring: Channing Tatum, Istvan Goz, Bence Gero, Denis O'Hare, Paul Ritter, Zsolt Laszlo, Donald Sutherland, Jamie Bell

More info: IMDb

Plot: In 120 A.D., Flavius Aquila led 5,000 elite Roman soldiers on a mission beyond the edge of the known world. They and their treasured Eagle standard were never seen again … 20 years later, the commander’s son set out to solve the mystery of their disappearance.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

First of all, I'll watch any film about ancient Rome. I find Roman history fascinating and while this picture isn't as good as it should have been, I still enjoyed the two hours I spent hundreds of years in the past. THE EAGLE is a good looking picture and it's especially surprising that it only had a $25 million budget (I say only because I'm loaded with dough and that's chump change). There's enough to like about it except for one glaring thing and that's the lead, Channing Tatum. He's bland and he brought nothing to the performance that interested me in the least. It reminded me of how Orlando Bloom brought down KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (2005). Add to that Tatum's co-star, Jamie Bell, who brings out a more interesting character and performance. That doesn't bode well. Bell didn't blow me away or anything but he was more compelling than the lead. It's a case of getting the pretty boy instead of someone who is older and better.

The Masque of the Red Death (1964)

2012-01-05T15:16:00.005-06:00

Director: Roger Corman

Starring: Vincent Price, Hazel Court, Jane Asher, David Weston, Nigel Green, Patrick Magee

More info: IMDb

Tagline: LOOK INTO THIS FACE - SHUDDER... at the blood-stained dance of the Red Death! TREMBLE... to the hideous tortures of the catacombs of Kali! GASP... at the sacrifice of the innocent virgin to the vengeance of Baal!

Plot: Satan-worshiper Prince Prospero invites several dozen of the local nobility to his castle for protection against an oncoming plague, the Red Death. Prospero orders his guests to attend a masked ball and, amidst a general atmosphere of debauchery and depravity, notices the entry of a mysterious hooded stranger dressed all in red. Believing the figure to be his master, Satan, Prospero is horrified at the revelation of his true identity.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? YES!!!

I've seen a few of the Roger Corman Edgar Allen Poe pictures and it's been a mixed bag. I liked the overall dark feeling of THE PREMATURE BURIAL (1962) and and I found the humor and shabbiness of THE RAVEN (1963) insulting but this picture blew me away. WOW! From all of the Vincent Price pictures I've seen so far, this one has him at his most wicked and sinister. He's fantastic. The sets look richer like a Hammer horror movie of this time (as opposed to the cheapness Corman brought to THE RAVEN a year earlier), the music is good, the pacing, story, casting...you name it. It's a superior picture to his previous Poe efforts. If only they all had these elements working so well. I see on the IMDb trivia that this was filmed in England with a British crew. I'm sure that made a huge difference. Corman has said this and X: THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES (1963) are his two favorites of the films he made. I can see why. There's more care and love of the material in this one than most of the others I've seen. Great job all the way around!

I Stand Alone (1998)

2012-01-04T21:10:00.008-06:00

Director: Gaspar Noe

Starring: Philippe Nahon, Blandine Lenoir, Frankie Pain, Martine Audrain, Jean-Francois Rauger

More info: IMDb

Tagline: In the bowels of France

Plot: France, 1980. A retired butcher fights to survive. After abandoning his teenage daughter, and hoping to rebuild a new life, he moves to Lille with his pregnant lover. He doesn't love her. He likes even less living at his mother-in-law's apartment. Quickly his hopes turn into bitterness, and this bitterness into obsessions. Violence explodes. The man returns to Paris and tries to restart his life again. He counts on his luck to find work and new friends. But both are hard to find. In this city, like elsewhere, living is a selfish act. Alone against everyone the ex-butcher stays in the hotel room where many years ago his daughter was conceived. Without a penny and with the sole company of a gun charged with three bullets, he doesn't see clearly what the purpose of his life is. His stomach cries for food. His brain orders him to take revenge. And his heart...

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? I could but with so many movies to watch it's not likely.

SPOILERS AND DELIVER...

Stacey recently left a comment suggesting this, Noe's first film, along with his second, IRREVERSIBLE (2002) and a couple of others, all of which have been on my radar just waiting to give them a spin. In short, I liked it. In the first few minutes you get an idea of exactly what you're going to get for the next 93 in this darkly funny (it's got some REALLY black humor) and disturbing picture.

What you can't know are the dark places you'll suddenly find yourself in. Nahon (The Butcher) is fantastic. He plays miserable really, really well. He's pretty much the picture. There are other characters but this guy is in every scene and has a lot of dialogue, most of it being his narrated thoughts. I can't recall another movie with more subtitles being cranked out as fast as these. After seeing the film I do my usual look online to see what other people have to say and I was surprised to see so much nasty chatter about the pregger punching bag scene and the incest angle but then maybe I'm not so surprised.

When The Butcher is pushed hard one night by his pregnant wife, he snaps and starts wailing on her baby bump. It's pretty harsh although I am somewhat desensitized a bit by the thousands of movies I've seen. Regardless, I can recognize the impact a scene like this must have on the unsuspecting public and the balls that it takes to do something no one else has. I appreciate that. But it's the implied incest at the end that surprised me. It's creepy but not run-out-of-the-room-screaming-in-horror-shocking. I don't want to play that game of comparing movies but I've seen it applied in a more distasteful manner in several other films. What struck me, though, was the dream he has just prior to the end when we don't know it's a dream. THAT had some impact. Seeing his daughter lying on the floor dying was horrifying and I felt relieved when he shot her a second and final time to put her out of her (and my) misery. After that scene played out, the implied incest that was about to happen seemed OK (not acceptable, of course, but tame in comparison.)

It's a great first feature film for Noe and I'm keen to watch the other two films he's directed since (a fourth is due out this year). Don't watch it for the shock value because you have probably seen flicks that put out more of that than this one but watch it for the great performance by Nahon and his character's gradual descent into his dark, mentally disturbed world. You're definitely taking a trip to a place you haven't been before. Whether or not you mail a postcard afterward is up to you.

Honor Among Thieves (1968)

2011-12-27T11:44:00.007-06:00

Director: Jean Herman

Starring: Charles Bronson, Alain Delon, Olga Georges-Picot, Brigitte Fossey, Bernard Fresson, Marianna Falk, Ellen Bahl, Jean-Claude Ballard

More info: IMDb

Plot: After serving together in the French Foreign Legion, a mercenary and a doctor leave the service and go their separate ways. Later, they are reunited by a coincidence. The doctor has made a promise to a friend which involves his breaking into a safe to return some improperly removed bearer bonds. When he hides in an office building to accomplish his task, he is followed by the mercenary, who is out to steal the contents of the safe. Locked inside the building together, they reluctantly agree to cooperate in cracking the safe. However, surprises await them both and in the end, they both must rely on 'the honor among thieves' to straighten everything out.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? Sure.

#45 on Project: Badass Charles Bronson

BRONSON'S AGE: 47
LEVEL OF BADASSICITY (10 being the highest): 8 (he refrains from killing anyone but he's clearly capable)

It really sucks that I can't find a trailer anywhere for this picture. It's a good caper flick with an unusually playful performance from Bronson as a fun-loving asshole. He's a hoot. Everybody else does a fine job, too, but it's Bronson that stands out for me. It's got one of those neat but strange scores you'd get from European genre pictures from that era and it looks really neat. The only issue I have with the film is that it's slow. It's the kind of slow that's off-putting to most people but if you're a genre freak like me, it's great - just don't slap this one in a half hour before bedtime because you'll drop this quicker than Dennis Hopper would drop a hit of acid.

Saw 3D: The Final Chapter (2010)

2011-12-27T11:27:00.003-06:00

Director: Kevin Greutert

Starring: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Cary Elwes, and lots of main characters from the previous films.

More info: IMDb

Tagline: The Traps Come Alive

Plot: As a deadly battle rages over Jigsaw's brutal legacy, a group of Jigsaw survivors gathers to seek the support of self-help guru and fellow survivor Bobby Dagen, a man whose own dark secrets unleash a new wave of terror.

My rating: 5.5/10

Will I watch it again? No.

Well, it's over, it's finally over. I liked the first one very much although it's flawed and the sequels were interesting if for just the traps and the wildly ridiculous ways the film makers were able to keep this gravy train running but it had to stop and I'm glad they're done. It's funny that one of the main recurring actors, Mandylor (as Det. Hoffman) who was pretty bad in the previous pictures, turns in his best performance in this one. I like how they brought Elwes back to bookend the series. You can't get too deep into these movies because they're so over the top and ludicrous. The ending puts the final nail in the coffin to a series that should've stopped a couple of pictures ago. If they make another one it's going to have to be a self-referential comedy because they've been skating on thin plot ice for too long. Hell, most of the sequels are pretty laughable as it is.

Dead Calm (1989)

2011-12-27T09:48:00.005-06:00

Director: Phillip Noyce

Starring: Sam Neill, Nicole Kidman, Billy Zane

More info: IMDb

Tagline: A Voyage Into Fear.

Plot: A married couple sail the Pacific Ocean to forget a tragic accident. After a month at sea, they sight a mysterious yacht and are boarded by its lone surviving crew member. When the husband discovers the yacht's terrible secret, the crewman goes wild, kidnapping his wife and taking his ship. Terror on the high seas is center stage as the husband fights to keep the mystery yacht afloat and his wife battles the psychotic who's assumed control of their ship.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

I remembered this being good but not THIS good! It's an excellent thriller with solid performances from all three leads (Zane makes a surprisingly good psychopath). There's a good deal of suspense and everyone's actions are pretty much what you think someone in that situation would do. The camera work is fantastic and there are shots that are so smooth (like circling a yacht while it's moving that seem too goo to be done without the help of some digital effects or something but this is before all of that came around. Director Noyce turned in a top notch flick. I'm impressed.

Murders in the Rue Morgue (1971)

2011-12-27T09:25:00.006-06:00

Director: Gordon Hessler

Starring: Jason Robards, Herbert Lom, Christine Kaufmann, Adolfo Celi, Maria Perschy, Michael Dunn, Lilli Palmer

More info: IMDb

Tagline: LOVE and MURDER are the two consuming passions of the Rue Morgue!

Plot: In the midst of preparing his theater troupe for their upcoming production, Cesar (Robards) struggles to soothe his wife, Madeleine (Kaufmann), who's been suffering dreadful nightmares, and races to figure out who is brutally murdering his lead actors one by one. A loose adaptation of an Edgar Allan Poe story, this chilling horror tale effectively weaves back and forth between disturbing dreams and reality.

My rating: 4.5/10

Will I watch it again? No.

#36 on 42nd Street Forever Vol. 2: The Deuce (part of the TRAILER TRASH PROJECT)

I looked at the time remaining because it felt like the picture was about to wrap up and it turns out I was only one hour into it and another 38 minutes to go! Fortunately the last 20 minutes moved much faster than the rest of the film but it didn't matter, I was ready to go and looking forward to move onto something else, anything else. It's not that RUE MORGUE is too long and poorly paced in spots. No, it's that the lead, Robards, was miscast AND he was phoning in his performance. Lom delivers probably the best performance in the picture but that's not saying much and Celi, as the inspector leading the case, has the thankless job of acting a part that could be done by anyone.

Will someone PLEASE get me out of this picture?

This movie is uninspiring in most ways except the art direction and cinematography. This looks like the most lavish production AIP ever made. It looks fantastic but it's too bad it's dampened by forgettable performances. The only other thing I dug was a certain someone's death by decapitation. THAT was nicely handled. If the performances had any life to them and the pacing tightened up then this could easily be a 6 or 7 out of 10. The MGM Midnite Movies Double Feature DVD I have also has the Vincent Price flick, Cry of the Banshee, and if memory serves me this is another dull flick. Two snoozers for one low, low price.

The Cottage (2008)

2011-12-26T13:34:00.004-06:00

Director: Paul Andrew Williams

Starring: Andy Serkis, Reece Shearsmith, Jennifer Ellison, Steven O'Donnell, James Bierman, Cat Meacher, Danny Nussbaum, Logan Wong

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Sleeps six bloody comfortably.

Plot: In a remote part of the countryside, a bungled kidnapping turns into a living nightmare for four central characters when they cross paths with a psychopathic farmer and all hell breaks loose.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

Andy Serkis was what drew me to this picture and he's the best part about it. Unfortunately his two cohorts in crime are idiots and that's where they started to lose me. Sometimes their foolishness worked and sometimes it was "are you fucking kidding me?". It might sound like I didn't like the movie but I did. That's just my big annoyance. The killers sent to dispense of the kidnappers were fun as was just about everything else. I really like the unexpected horror aspect and that it wasn't played for the obvious laughs. The giggles came from things like hacking part of a guy's foot off or a shovel to the face between the jaw line. Shit like that was pretty funny and I'm glad they decided to play straight the mass murderer. If they hadn't you'd be rolling your eyes. There's some good gore and some genuinely good laughs and I liked it enough to check out the director's other two British crime films, LONDON TO BRIGHTON (2006) and CHERRY TREE LANE (2010).

Ace High (1968)

2011-12-26T12:51:00.005-06:00

Director: Giuseppe Colizzi

Starring: Eli Wallach, Terence Hill, Bud Spencer, Brock Peters, Kevin McCarthy, Tiffany Hoyveld,

More info: IMDb

Tagline: The smile that kills...

Plot: Cacopoulos (Wallach) takes $300,000 from two hombres of questionable moral fiber (Hill & Spencer), then proceeds to spread the cash around generously. His victims follow his trail, but when the men finally do meet, they must join forces to defend themselves against a murderous desperado. Before that battle is over, Cacopoulos has once again absconded with the cash. And the chase is on, leading them, ultimately, to a crooked Mississippi gaming house, a blazing gun battle, and lots of money for everyone.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Yeah.

#17 on A FISTFUL OF TRAILERS (part of the TRAILER TRASH PROJECT)

Good flick. I was worried that Wallach would be borderline great performance or over the top like he was in THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY (1966) (and I LOVED his performance in that one) but that fear didn't last long. He's got a little Tuco in him but with a bit more hate and vengeance. It's a good role for him. What I didn't care for, though, was Hill (and to a lesser degree, Spencer) as they play two major badasses on the wrong side of the law. The issue I've got is they come across as tough-guy-swaggering assholes that walk into town at the beginning and get their way. Clint Eastwood can pull that off beautifully but these two make it look silly. But once things start rolling with the three of these guys, all of that changes and they are much more easy to handle. Now we're right at halfway into the just over two hour movie.

Yeah, it's two hours but the second half fares much stronger than the first. ACE HIGH isn't loaded with action but the pacing (especially in the last hour) is strong. The performances are fine (except for what I noted above plus it's great seeing McCarthy in a Western), the direction, story, and everything else works well but it does suffer from being too long. What's there is enjoyable. It'd make my top 50 Spaghetti Westerns if I had to make a list after seeing all 500+ films of this genre made between '65 and '77.

Cobra (1986)

2011-12-22T15:55:00.005-06:00

Director: George P. Cosmatos

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Brigitte Nielsen, Reni Santoni, Andrew Robinson, Brian Thompson, John Herzfeld, Lee Garlington, Art LaFleur, Marco Rodriquez

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Crime is the disease. Meet the Cure.

Plot: A gang of neo-fascist thugs, led by the self-proclaimed 'Night Slasher', are breaking into people's homes & cars, then killing them at random. When of of these thugs holds up a food store & takes hostages, Lt. Marian Cobretti - an intense, take-no-prisoners cop, is brought onto the scene to end the hostage-taking. Ranting bizarrely about a 'New World', the man levels a sawed-off shotgun at Cobretti, who hits him with a knife, then guns him down when the man refuses to put down his weapon. Later that night, another murder occurs, attributed to the Night Slasher - and the next day, another one. This one is witnessed by a young woman, Ingrid Knutsen. She drives away before the thugs can kill her, but it isn't long before some creepy-looking people start making attempts on her life - and Cobretti's. Cobretti plans to move the only witness to the blood spree upstate, but with inside information, the thugs follow them. And a battle for survival rages between Cobretti and the thugs...

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

I love Stallone. I'm going through his catalog as I didn't see most of them growing up. I was a Schwarzenegger fan and saw a bunch of his 80s flicks in the theater instead. Back then I though Stallone's movies looked dumb (as if Arnold's weren't). A lot of you may agree but some of these have a high entertainment value. COBRA is cheesy fun with an over the top tough cop who spits out one liners and does lots of crazy shit. These movies are filled with cliches, many of them were still being formed around this time, but it doesn't matter. Some of them, like this one, were made for one reason (besides making shitloads of dough) and that's to entertain. I had a really fun time with this one.

HERE'S A GREAT SCENE WITH
A FEW MEMORABLE LINES

Dirtbag: I've got a bomb and I'm going to blow this whole place up!
Cobra: Go ahead, I don't shop here.

Ahahahahahaha. Classic. Stallone cracked me up. I'm a HUGE fan of the now defunct Adult Swim cartoon, ASSY MCGEE (2006) (I would pay good money to help get that show back on), and I couldn't help but see where some of that show's inspiration came from. There were lines Sylvester threw out that I'd swear I was hearing Assy and not him, especially when he called someone a dirtbag. Goddamn that was funny.

Ooh, then there's that poor classic car that gets beat to hell and back. Man, that was painful. I really dug this flick. It's ridiculous, fun and gives you a pretty good bang for your buck. I'm just sorry it took me 25 years to get around to it. Crap, I almost forgot...Brigitte Nielsen is terrible. It's plain to see that she had to marry Stallone to get into films (sadly her movie career didn't end as quickly as their year and a half marriage did). Woof.

Fighting Life (1981)

2011-12-22T14:41:00.007-06:00

Director: Kei Law

Starring: Sam Chung-Chuen, Jackie Conn, Thomas Hong Chiu-Ming, Frankie Shum

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Two brothers, one without legs & one without arms, together they will persevere!!

Plot: Fighting Life is a remarkable film rejoicing the spirit of life. It is the dynamic tale of two brothers who overcome immense physical and emotional handicaps, and become vital members of society.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Sure, at some point.

Starring the two guys from THE CRIPPLED MASTERS (1979), this picture is regarded as the third in that series but there's a big difference, this film takes place in modern times while the other two are set more than a hundred years ago. Regardless, I'm a sucker for crippled kung fu movies. This one is basically a kung fu drama with one guy who has no legs and another who has no arms (he's got a flipper for one arm, though). Even though this is loaded with cliches about people overcoming their physical handicaps (and boy do they hit you over the head with that in the dialogue) and it gets REALLY sappy and the comic relief provided by a couple of bungling thieves is so over the top it's nauseating, it's what these two guys can do that's truly amazing. The final few minutes really show off what these guys can do.

Is that insane or what? Too bad you have to wait until the end of the picture to see it. One side note - every once in a while someone in one of the many crowd scenes will say the most outrageous things. If you are fortunate to find a copy of this, listen carefully 'cause it's funny as hell. Now I'm going to have to fast track watching TWO CRIPPLED HEROES (aka THE CRIPPLED MASTERS 2) (1980) and RAIDERS OF THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE (1982). Cripple fu is awesome!

ViCAP: On the Trail of Violence (2002)

2011-12-22T14:15:00.004-06:00

More info: IMDb

Plot: Here's another fine entry into the made-for-cable, serial killer-centric documentaries genre which tend to air in the middle of the night on Investigation Discovery. This one, though not about any one particular killer, focuses a lot on several different killers, and how they led to the creation of (or were apprehended because of) the FBI's crime tracking software, called ViCAP (Violent Criminal Apprehension Program.) This film traces the origin of said program, from it's early days, in the 50's, when a crazy dreamer in L.A. (Detective Pierce Brooks, to be more precise) envisioned a nationwide network of police computers which would share information about crimes and criminals, therefore making it easier to connect seemingly unrelated crimes in different jurisdictions, and therefore get the bad guys. Oh, his superiors called him crazy, telling him that such a computer would cost a million dollars and take up a whole city block. Well, time went on, serial killing became more of a thing, and lo and behold, 25 years later, technology caught up with Detective Brooks' vision. He would, in fact, become the FBI's first director of ViCAP, n the late 70's.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Sure.

This is an interesting piece. It seems obvious now that having a central database for this sort of thing is a no brainer and a huge win for law enforcement across the country but it wasn't 5o years ago. It's a great story with everything you would expect in a documentary from talking heads to archival footage. I specifically enjoyed hearing about some of the early success stories. While I enjoy watching people do bad things (especially if they're really, really good at it), I really dig the flipside seeing the detectives and cops do their thing. I LOVE great police work and problem solving.

Satanik (1968)

2011-12-22T13:54:00.006-06:00

Director: Piero Vivarelli

Starring: Magda Konopka, Julio Pena, Umberto Raho, Luigi Montini, Armando Calvo, Mimma Ippoliti, Isarco Ravaioli

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Man hunting she demons

Plot: Scarred, ugly Dr. Marny Bannister (Magda Konopka) listens to her research partner talk about the dangers of trying their rejuvenation serum without further testing, but she kills him instead, imbibes the serum, and emerges a lovely young woman. The nagging side effect is evil behavior, and she wastes no time hooking herself up with a rich but crooked businessman. When the serum wears off at an inopportune moment, Bannister kills and robs him. Scotland yard, aided by the Madrid police, try to figure out the mystery, while Bannister murders the wife of a crooked club owner, assumes her identity, and skips to Geneva to retrieve the blood money the wife had collected for turning in the gang. There she partners with the club owner's equally rich and crooked brother, and performs a striptease in his club, the Chez Mio. That's when both the cops and the crooks catch up with her.

My rating: 5/10

Will I watch it again? Nope.

Here's yet another comic book based super criminal movie with a hot broad putting the fix on bad men. I already watched one this month from 1968, THE GOLDEN CLAWS OF THE CAT GIRL, which oozes with style but isn't all that fulfilling. SATANIK is slightly worse, or rather more boring. It looks cool from time to time and it's got a groovy score by Manuel Parada but that's about it. The biggest problem is it drags. It takes about 20 minutes to get into the film and another 2 hours to get out (even though it's really only 86 minutes long).

There were things that didn't make sense like the two detectives that go after the murderer behind theses killings and that one of them shouldn't even be there and how they're miraculously able to come to conclusions that lead them along the killer's path but by their own logic shouldn't even be close. Shit like that. I was captivated by the image above. You see her in that mask and outfit on some of the posters so I was hoping for more cat burgler or spy action and got neither. It's a light crime thriller without any real thrills and the only crime is I was robbed of 86 minutes plus however long it took me to write this.

The Antichrist (1974)

2011-12-22T12:42:00.006-06:00

Director: Alberto De Martino

Starring: Carla Gravina, Mel Ferrer, Arthur Kennedy, George Coulouris, Alida Valli, Mario Scaccia

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Deliver her from evil.

Plot: Ippolita is a paralyzed young woman with serious mental problems stemming from the death of her mother. Her crisis of faith and the intervention of a well-meaning psychologist lead Ippolita to remember her past life as a witch during the Inquisition. Eventually, Ippolita becomes possessed and starts seducing local men, only to kill them. An exorcism seems to be the only solution to stop the madness.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

When it comes to jumping on a popular film's bandwagon and riding into the ground, the Italians excelled at it and usually with poor results. Surprisingly, though, this film (coming out a year following the immensely successful, THE EXORCIST (1973)) is the best I've seen so far of THE EXORCIST rip offs - almost too good. I rather enjoyed it.

OK, so that's only one really cool scene but the attention paid to lighting, sets, special effects and so on is very solid and professional. The horror sub genre of demonic possession and exorcism created by THE EXORCIST fortunately lasted only a few short years but there seems to be ripoffs from nearly every major country for the 4 to 6 years that followed and most of them are bad. I'm sure I'll catch shit for this but I'd about rather watch this film than THE EXORCIST. At least it's got the goat orgy scene. What's THE EXORCIST got? Head spinning? Anybody can do that. Geez.

Planet of Dinosaurs (1977)

2011-12-22T12:17:00.002-06:00

Director: James K. Shea

Starring: Mary Appleseth, Harvey Shain, Derna Wylde, Max Thayer, CHuck Pennington, Charlotte Speer, Louie Lawless, Pamela Bottaro, James Whitworth, Michael Lee

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Trapped On A Lost World of Prehistoric Monsters

Plot: A space ship gets lost and is forced to make an emergency landing on an unknown planet. The planet looks much like earth, only with no trace of civilization. Soon the crew discovers that there are dinosaurs on the planet, and blood-thirsty buggers at that. The crew hopes to be found and rescued, but they have to struggle to survive until then.

My rating: 4/10

Will I watch it again? No.

This picture took obvious inspiration from a bunch of movies like PLANET OF THE APES (1968), ONE MILLION YEARS B.C. (1966), LAND OF THE LOST (1974 TV show), and every stop motion animated dinosaur movie to have ever existed. Is this a bad thing? It's not an automatic "yes" but in this case it is. The stop motion effects work is outstanding! I can't emphasize this enough. If you dig that sort of thing then you MUST see this. Retromedia has put out a nice widescreen DVD of it. For everyone else, avoid it. The dialogue is awful and it matches the level of performances you get from the actors. Except for the dinosaurs, it's low budget all the way. All of that doesn't mean it's not fun to watch but when 84 minutes feels like 3 hours, you've got a huge problem. I watched this with a group of friends and we goofed the shit out it but I couldn't help but look at how much time was left after about 50 minutes. It reminded me of STARCRASH (1978) where it's so bad it's good but after 45 minutes you're ready to get off this ride. But, DAMN, the dinosaur work was fantastic!

The Night Digger (1971)

2011-12-22T12:02:00.005-06:00

Director: Alastair Reid

Starring: Patricia Neal, Pamela Brown, Nicholas Clay, Jean Anderson, Graham Crowden, Yootha Joyce

More info: IMDb

Tagline: A lonely woman in a decaying mansion... A young stranger on a big, black bike.

Plot: Effective psychological love story with a macabre twist not found in the original Joy Cowley novel. The dreary existence of middle- aged spinster Maura Prince takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of young handyman Billy Jarvis, but there is more to Billy than meets the eye. This well-crafted film, full of sexual tension and Gothic flavor, was Patricia Neal's second after her return to acting, her real-life stroke worked deftly into the story by then-husband Roald Dahl.

My rating: 5.5/10

Will I watch it again? No.

Had I seen a good widescreen print of this it might have fared better but besides the excellent Bernard Herrmann score, it's rather slow. That's not to say it's not worthwhile but I found it boring but not so bad that you couldn't see the potential for a better film. There's just no tension. You've got the great background score but you've also got a good story that unfortunately just plods along. The performances are fine but the direction spends too much time getting from scene to scene. This is one of those pictures that I came to watch ONLY because of the composer. I'm glad I did but now that it's over, I'll just stick to listening to the soundtrack instead.

CLICK HERE & CHECK OUT THIS FANTASTIC UNUSED CUE

Tarzan and the Jungle Boy (1968)

2011-12-22T10:40:00.010-06:00

Director: Robert Gordon

Starring: Mike Henry, Rafer Johnson, Aliza Gur, Steve Bond, Ron Gans, Edward Johnson, Jose Lewgoy

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Eric Was Just a Boy, But He Could Still Teach the Mighty Tarzan a Few Secrets of the Jungle!

Plot: A reporter comes to the jungle looking for a boy who was lost a few years ago. She goes to Tarzan for help. They go to the chief of the tribe where he was seen and they tell them that there is such a boy on their land. At the same time the chief's two sons, Buhara and Nagambi are battling each other to see who will the next chief. Nagambi cheats which Tarzan notices and saves Buhara. Because of his treachery the chief declares Buhara the new chief. But then they discover that only Nagambi knows where the boy is, and because Tarzan foiled him, he intends to find the boy and kill him. Buhara tells them that he will try to find him but their custom doesn't allow strangers on their land and anyone who violates that will be killed, and he warns Tarzan that he will kill even him if he enters their land. Tarzan decides to go and find the boy anyway and tells the reporter that he has to do it alone but she decides to follow him after he leaves.

My rating: 5.5/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

This is the first Tarzan picture I've watched since TARZAN'S GREATEST ADVENTURE (1959) which I saw about this time last year. Gordon Scott made a great Tarzan in that one. Not only that, it was a stellar jungle adventure movie and it was lots of fun. Cut to 1968 with JUNGLE BOY and it's a few steps in the wrong direction.

Mike Henry was OK as Tarzan (his voice sounds pretty damn close to Fess Parker's as Davy Crockett and it feels out of place) but then it's really hard to stack up to Scott's solid portrayal. Henry donned the loin cloth for three Tarzan pictures in '66, '67 and '68, with this being the last one. I'll get to them eventually but I think I'll have to space them out with the Gordon Scott pictures. This flick is OK but it's flawed.

15 minutes into the film Tarzan and pals end up at a Segunda tribal competition to see which son of the Chief will assume their pop's job. The competition lasts TEN MINUTES. No big deal, right? Yeah except we literally watch them race each other, swim, jump over spears, etc and there's very little spoken. All of this serves two purposes - to show us that one of the brothers is bad and the other is good and it's there to fill up 10 minutes of screen time which isn't necessary because the picture runs an hour and forty minutes anyway.

It's dumb stuff like this that brings the movie down a notch or two. Tarzan insists that the female photographer doesn't go with them and then he quickly changes his mind after she tells him otherwise. I hardly think the Lord of the Jungle is going to succumb to some city broad so easily. it's not like she flashed a boob or anything.

Say, wait a second...this isn't the picture I signed on for!

???????!!!
(and don't try to justify it simply because the chimp is female)

Brazil provides a lovely substitution for Africa (although it's supposed to be set in Africa) with some beautiful location shooting. William Loose's score is good BUT every time, and I mean EVERY TIME, Hilda (a chimp that is to the Jungle Boy as Cheetah is to Tarzan) or Cheetah show up, Loose vomits up a ridiculously silly theme. It's awful and embarrassing. Apparently the film makers think you have to have shitty music to speak to the kids at their level. When will they ever understand that you don't have to talk down to kids for kids to enjoy a movie?

The action is fine but the film suffers from being too long and rather dull. It's a shame they couldn't come up with a better character than Jungle Boy. It's a weak story but the gorgeous scenery is almost worth watching this for. If you like Tarzan pictures you'll want to see this in the great new widescreen print that Warner Bros. released as part of their burn-on-demand Archive collection. It's a lesser entry into the long-running series but not a terrible one. Gee, that hardly sounds like a recommendation.

Serial Killers: Dennis Nilsen (2009)

2011-12-22T08:59:00.006-06:00

Director: Jeremy Turner

Starring: Dennis Nilsen and miscilanious body parts

More info: IMDb

Plot: On a frigid winter day in London, a group of tenants complained of drainage problems in their apartments. Five days later, a plumber arrived to inspect the pipes and made a grisly discovery... the drains were being blocked by a mass of rotting flesh. The plumber contacted the police. The remains were examined and found to be of human origin. Dennis Nilsen was a serial killer who resided in a London flat and killed no less than fifteen people during a five-year murder spree. He cremated the remains of his victims in his backyard. This method of disposal was no longer possible when he relocated to an apartment without a yard, and so he began dissecting his victims and flushing their remains down the toilet.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

I love these concise British TV documentaries. They're much better than what we do over here in the States. Of the ones made in the UK about serial killers, they give you lots of information without repeating much and without sensationalizing the killers and their victims, much less so than the U.S.-made ones. One thing about this film is the dramatic recreations are very well done and feel like they were pulled from a movie or a highly produced TV show. The subject of Nilsen himself is an interesting one as once the coppers show up to inquire about the human remains found in the drain that came from his flat, he's very calm about the visit and proceeds to quietly spill the beans to them as if he'd been wanting to confess all along. Good doc. You can watch the whole thing on the video above.

Hard to Handle (1933)

2011-12-21T18:59:00.004-06:00

Director: Mervyn LeRoy

Starring: James Cagney, Mary Brian, Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly, Claire Dodd, Robert McWade

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Hey, Folks!... I'm back!

Plot: Small time con artist Lefty Merrill has co-organized a crooked dance marathon and set-up his girlfriend to win the prize money. When his partner disappears with money before the contest is over, he's forced to come up with a series of cons to help pay it back.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? Of course.

I can't get enough Cagney lately. The guy's a class act. This picture is a hoot with Cagney trying to make a fast buck left and right. He's a schemer and a charmer. Comedies like this one move very fast and there's never (if ever) a dull moment. The performances all around are fun, the dialogue's fast and the double entendres are all over the place. I love pre-code talkies. Naturally, Cagney is the real draw here and he's as strong as ever. For all of the fast-paced comedy there's a scene at the end where Lefty (Cagney) has to find out if the gold-digging girl he loves would feel the same way if he were penniless and in jail. It only lasts a few seconds but it's so tender and genuine that I started to tear up. As always, though, they follow the scene up with something uplifting and very funny. Fun picture. Most of Cagney's pictures aren't on DVD so you'll have to set your DVDRs to Turner Classic Movies (TCM). I haven't had pay TV in years and I sure do miss that channel.

Jack Unterweger: Poet of Death (2004)

2011-12-21T18:29:00.004-06:00

Writer/Producer: Jon Siskel

Starring: Jack Unterweger and a high body count

More info: Crime & Investigation Network and Wikipedia

Plot: Jack Unterweger had been a convicted murderer who, seemingly, had completely transformed himself into a reformed character. He wrote a novel, poetry and an autobiography. After his release from prison, he became a celebrity and TV personality, explaining how he was grateful for a chance to redeem himself. What he didn't tell his new audience was that he was also grateful for the chance to kill again.

My rating: 8.5/10

Will I watch it again? Yes!

It sucks that there is very little information about this fascinating documentary and not a single video online anywhere. Set your DVRs to record anything about Jack Unterweger. As you can see by the plot above, he was unique in his place in serial killer history. This made for TV documentary (A&E network perhaps?) is under an hour and it's loaded with surprises. This guy took duping people to a whole new level. If you should ever have a chance to see this then don't you dare miss it. Wow.

The Millionaire (1931)

2011-12-21T17:26:00.006-06:00

Director: John G. Adolfi

Starring: George Arliss, Florence Arliss, David Manners, Evalyn Knapp, James Cagney, Bramwell Fletcher, Noah Beery

More info: IMDb

Plot: Automaker James Alden is told to retire by his doctors and does so in deference to his wife Laura and daughter 'Babs.' He is not only bored after six months, but is told by a life insurance salesman that retired men are bad risks. So James secretly responds to an ad in the newspaper about a garage being for sale, but he (using the alias Charlie Miller) buys only half of the garage, since the other half was already sold to Bill Merrick, who becomes his partner. The ex-owner, Peterson, was dishonest in not revealing he was opening a new gas station near the new highway a mile down the road where most of the traffic will be. Not willing to be slickered by anybody, Charlie and Bill buy and elegantly rebuild a decrepit building across the street from Peterson's new station and compete handily with the charlatan. James uses a pretense to get away every day, but wonders how long he can keep up his double life.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Nah, I'll just watch the Cagney clip instead.

I've got two things to say (mostly). This is a pretty good flick. I dug it. It's got moments of humor but it's more of a light drama with no real drama. It's one of those kinds of film. You won't find yourself laughing your ass off but then you're not asked to get too invested with these thin characters. It's "cute". I dislike that term but I can't find anything that better suits it.

The other thing is JAME CAGNEY IS THE MAN!!! He's only in the film for a few minutes (see the above clip - that's all he's got) but he's such a whirlwind of an actor in those few minutes. What energy! Wow. He's fantastic. Gee, it sure would have been swell to have met him. I'm not a celebrity hound and there are few actors that I would like to have met but he's tops on the list. He brought so much to every role, something you just don't see from anyone else. I need to control myself from gushing on every Cagney picture but he consistently brings something to the table that no one else could. His performance in this film exemplifies why he's my favorite actor. He had 'it' and in spades.

Sinners' Holiday (1930)

2011-12-20T07:36:00.006-06:00

Director: John G. Adolfi

Starring: James Cagney, Grant Withers, Evalyn Knapp, Lucille La Verne, Noel Madison, Otto Hoffman, Warren Hymer, Ray Gallagher, Joan Blondell

More info: IMDb

Plot: Based on the play Penny Arcade. After seeing the performance on Broadway, Al Jolson bought the rights to the play and sold it to Warner Bros. under the agreement that both Cagney and co-star Joan Blondell reprise their stage roles for the screen. The story concerns an overprotective mother, Ma Delano (LaVerne), who runs a penny arcade in Coney Island and lives with her children: Harry (Cagney), Joe (Gallagher), and Jennie (Knapp). Harry works for a sideshow ran by liquor-dealing gangster Mitch McKane (Hymer), who wants to date Jennie. Grant Withers plays Angel, Harry's co-worker and the hero that saves Jennie from Mitch's advances. When Mitch goes to jail, Harry takes over his shady liquor business and keeps the extra money for himself, leading to a deadly gunfight. When he's accused of murder, Harry begs his mother for protection and she frames Angel with the weapon out of a bizarrely obsessive love for her son.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

James Cagney has been and always will be my favorite actor. Ever since I was a kid I've been captivated by his performances. He is truly unique in the film world. I've seen plenty of debuts of movie stars that didn't amount to anything but Cagney's is one of the few where you can tell this guy is going on to bigger and better things. He's not the star of this picture but he sure steals your attention from everyone else.

One thing I like about his performances is he's always moving and doing things - he's alive with "business" as he called it. From the get go, as you can see in the clip above, he's delightful to watch. He can be both sides of the coin, from the tough guy to the sweetheart. I've seen tons of his pictures and I'm convinced I'm going to make his catalog the next project I start in the next couple of months.

Anyway, SINNERS' HOLIDAY is a good crime flick from start to finish. You've got guns, liquor, killin' and carny shit a-plenty. Without Cagney it'd still be a good show but it wouldn't be nearly as fun. He's the real reason to see this. What a guy. Oh, and then there's Joan Blondell. This was the first of 7 pictures she and Cagney did together over the next 4 years, their most well-know collaboration being THE PUBLIC ENEMY (1931). It should go without saying that Joan Blondell needs to have my babies but I like sayin' it.

Gambit (1966)

2011-12-15T17:24:00.003-06:00

Director: Ronald Neame

Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine, Herbert Lom, Roger C. Carmel, Arnold Moss, John Abbott

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Shirley MacLaine raises Michael Caine!

Plot: Cockney cat burglar Harry Dean needs Hong Kong dancer Nicole Chang's help to pull off the perfect heist. With a simple makeover and a new wardrobe; Nicole's resemblance to wealthy recluse Mr. Shahbandar's late wife is uncanny. While Shahbandar is distracted by the mesmerizing Nicole, Harry takes steps to swipe a priceless artifact from under the tycoon's nose. But even the most foolproof schemes have a way of backfiring.

My rating: 5/10

Will I watch it again? No.

I guess I expected more from the cast. Herbert Lom comes off best. MacLaine does a fine job and is very likable but it's Caine that delivers a very bland performance. I mean, there's no life in it and this is from a guy who's generally solid. The opening (which lasts for many minutes) is a false one. Once they start the story over for real it's like you've been duped. I found myself suddenly not caring. I liked the false start and thought it was different and kind of funny but I just didn't care enough at that point to go through it again only much longer. I didn't buy Caine's character falling in love with MacLaine. I challenge anyone to show me where Caine exhibits any believable emotion. OK, I'll stop. I have a problem with Michael Caine phoning it in and that's that. The little twists at the end were slightly cute and one of them was very predictable - almost like afterthoughts.

Anzio (1968)

2011-12-15T10:31:00.004-06:00

Directors: Edward Dmytryk & Duilio Coletti

Starring: Robert Mitchum, Peter Falk, Robert Ryan, Earl Holliman, Mark Damon, Arthur Kennedy, Reni Santoni, Joseph Walsh

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Where the end of World War II began.

Plot: One of WWIIs bloodiest battles as the Allies smash through the German lines which have enclosed the Anzio beachhead. Four months and 30,000 casualties before the Allies finally march to Rome.

My rating: 5.5/10

Will I watch it again? No.

Man, what a wasted opportunity. Robert Mitchum saunters through the entire picture. I don't think that man could run with his pants on fire and that's essentially how the picture moves, too. It's almost kind of pointless. You'd think that a movie about a real event where 767 men went into battle and only 6 returned that it would be infinitely more exciting than this picture. The Italian landscape was welcome but it's pretty bad when about all I can think of that's positive is that. Then there's Peter Falk. He's fantastic and the only real reason I'd advise anyone to see it. He's always fun but he does have a couple of scenes that feel like filler and add nothing to the story except giving us an extra few minutes with the only cool guy in the picture. I normally like Riz Ortolani's music but this score seems out of place as if it were written for another film. And that theme song at the beginning sung by Jack Jones has got to go.

That pretty much sums up ANZIO - misplaced elements that belong in any number of movies except this one. It's a real bummer when a movie about so many people who lost their lives turns out like this.

Coogan's Bluff (1968)

2011-12-15T09:33:00.011-06:00

Director: Don Siegel

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Lee J. Cobb, Susan Clark, Tisha Sterling, Don Stroud, Betty Field, Tom Tully, Melodie Johnson, James Edwards, Rudy Diaz

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Clint Eastwood gives New York 24 hours... to get out of town!

Plot: Coogan's an Arizona deputy sheriff, who doesn't get along with his boss and doesn't exactly do things by the book, and also a little arrogant. Fed up with his rugged individualism, his boss sends him to New York to get a man who's waiting to extradited. Upon arriving everybody thinks he's just another bumpkin. When the New York Police Lieutenant tells him that his prisoner is still not ready to be transported, Coogan tries to be patient. But when he decides that he can't wait anymore, he tricks one of the attendants into releasing the prisoner and at the airport someone springs him. Coogan's boss is pleased that he has screwed up so bad, and orders him to return but Coogan feeling responsible or his ego has been bruised stays and tries to find despite being warn by the Lieutenant that he has no authority here.

My rating: 6/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

It makes me sad when I see a Clint Eastwood flick for the first time and it turns out to be mediocre or bad (TRUE CRIME (1999) ugh). COOGAN is OK. It's one big missed opportunity. I found myself bored at times which is just wrong for a Clint picture like this that should be a hoot. I just didn't care about his character. I really, really like Clint but he just didn't seem like he cared about the role, like he was calling it in. There are some funny lines here and there and some little things that were entertaining but on a whole the movie seemed to meander without much purpose. I don't really dig Lalo Schifrin's scores but this one takes the cake as the most bizarre countryfied movie theme I've ever heard. There's very little momentum and by the time it was over I was kind of glad.

Mission: Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol (2011)

2011-12-15T09:08:00.005-06:00

Director: Brad Bird

Starring: Tom Cruise, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, Michael Nyqvist, Vladimir Mashkov, Samuli Edelmann, Ivan Shvedoff

More info: IMDb

Tagline: No Plan. No Backup. No Choice.

Plot: The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? Maybe.

I'm not a Tom Cruise fan...but I'm starting to dig some of the guy's movies. He's always seemed like a cocksure asshole and I can't stand people like that. Anyway, I didn't much like the first movie and I only watched the second one because John Woo directed it and I didn't care for that one, either. I never watched the third one figuring it'll be the same deal but when I scored free tickets to see a sneak preview of this new one on the only IMAX screen (OK, so it's one of those retro-fitted screens at a regular theater so it's nowhere close to being a true IMAX screen), I thought why not. I really liked it.

I'm sure if I watched it again I could easily pick apart the plot holes but as an action movie it's got some great set pieces. The Dubai hotel-climbing scene was harrowing and it was probably my favorite bit in the picture. Michael Giacchino's score is great. I really dig this guy's work. Of the composers who've come onto the scene in the past 20 years, he's my favorite. Cruise was enjoyable and nowhere near the arrogant prick he's been in a lot of his movies. I actually liked him. I know he'll be 50 next year but it was nice to see that his body is starting to age normally instead of looking like he's Adonis or something. So often chicks in action movies like this can be annoying but Paula Patton does a great job and she surprised the hell out of me. She doesn't have that "look at me, I'm a badass" attitude that so many actresses employ in roles like this.

Director Brad "THE INCREDIBLES" Bird has put together a fun, better than average action movie that stands out these days because he doesn't use the shaky cam technique that plagues most action flicks. It's a straight forward action flick with some great laughs and an overall sense of fun and adventure. It's not all that plausible, even though the gadgetery is fantastic, but it is what movies were meant to be - escapism. Grab some Coke and corn and have some fun.

Prohibition (2011)

2011-12-14T17:59:00.003-06:00

Directors: Ken Burns & Lynn Novick

Starring: Bootleggers, Fuddy Duddys, now-dead Party Animals and really old people

More info: IMDb

Tagline: How did a nation founded on rights ever go so wrong?

Plot: Prohibition tells the story of the rise, rule and fall of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, an amendment that made it illegal to manufacture and sell alcohol anywhere in the United States. The film starts with the early history of alcohol in America and examines the 19th-century temperance and progressive movements through the repeal of the 18th Amendment in 1933.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? Sure.

I really dig this flick and I'm fascinated with this period in time in the U.S. but my biggest problem with this documentary was deciding on what to drink while watching it. I know, right? Usually it's a piece of cake. I like wine when I'm watching vampire flicks, bourbon for modern horror, white Russians for WWII movies, martinis for spy, Scotch (or bourbon) for crime, Grasshoppers or Carrot Cakes (a GREAT drink that's equal parts Irish cream, Goldschlager (don't try other Cinnamon schnapps - I've tried others but Goldschlager works best) and butterscotch schnapps - this may become your favorite drink for a while) for comedies and whiskey or beer for action. Oh, and if it's a jungle picture, whatever I drink will have some kind of fruit juice in it. You could say I love booze. I love it so much that I'm determined to keep myself at arm's length from letting it control me. I never want anyone or anything to tell me I can't (or shouldn't) have a drink or two from time to time.

I love all things about the 1920s and 30s, the music, films, etc. I love crime films and documentaries from that era and the larger than life characters that emerged from it. This 3-part, near 6-hour (!!!) documentary spends a lot of time covering the emerging backlash from religious busy bodies in the 19th century. The first part deals with everything that led up to the passing of the 1919 amendment (it would be another 12 months before it went into effect). The second is all about the bootleggers and the breakdown of disregard for the new law and the third deals with the eventual downfall and repeal of the 18th amendment 13 years later.

It's a fascinating and seemingly exhaustive look into a social experiment that ended up being a miserable failure in nearly every aspect. I really liked it but I was hoping for more on the lawbreakers. They talk about Capone a bit but they really only touch on the big talking points - things like the St. Valentine's Day massacre. But then there's so much else to talk about and there are countless docs on gangsters of this time that there's no need to delve too deeply into it.

After watching the AMAZING season 2 finale of BOARDWALK EMPIRE (2010) the other day, I was primed to tackle this lengthy doc. And to tell the truth, I didn't drink anything during it because I'm fighting off a cold. Now that I think about it, it's kind of funny. I'll make up for it this weekend should I feel better.

The Golden Claws of the Cat Girl (1968)

2011-12-14T10:22:00.006-06:00

Director: Edouard Logereau

Starring: Daniele Gaubert, Michel Duchaussoy, Julien Guiomar, Carole Lebel, Albert Simono

More info: IMDb

Plot: Daniele Gaubert stars as Francoise, a trapeze artist turned cat burgler who, after being caught red-handed by the government, is forced to work for them on a job that should be a breeze. Assisted by undercover agent and gifted lip-reader Bruno (Michel Duchaussoy), Françoise undertakes a daring heist to help nail a drug trafficking gang. Complications inevitably ensue.

My rating: 6/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

While watching this, especially during the opening heist, I couldn't help but be reminded of another and better flick that came out the same year, Mario Bava's really fun DANGER: DIABOLIK. DANGER oozed with style and a quirkiness that should have been in this picture. CAT GIRL feels like it was based on a comic book (like DANGER) but it takes itself too seriously but at the same time it's on the cusp of doing something playful and fun if that makes any sense. Had it crossed that line it would have been more enjoyable. I really like that they kill off a very important character when you least expect it. That was pretty damn cool. Maybe if they had waited just a few more months for DANGER to come out they would have altered the tone a little. I kind of wish they had because this could have been a total gas. Still, I did enjoy it and it's somewhat worthy entry into the Super Criminal/EuroSpy genre.

Bullitt (1968)

2011-12-13T13:27:00.004-06:00

Director: Peter Yates

Starring: Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Vaughn, Don Gordon, Simon Oakland, Norman Fell, Robert Duvall

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Steve McQueen As 'Bullitt'

Plot: Frank Bullitt is selected by Chalmers, a politician with ambition, to guard a Mafia informant. Bullitt's friend is shot and the witness is left at death's door by two hit men who seem to know exactly where the the witness was hiding. Bullitt begins a search for both the killer and the leak, but he must keep the witness alive long enough to make sure the killers return. Chalmers has no interest in the injured policeman or the killers, only in the hearings that will catapult him into the public eye and wants to shut down Bullitt's investigation.

My rating: 8.5/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

Great flick. The car chase is classic but, after more than 40 years of car chases that built on this, it's difficult feel the impact that it had upon its release. I'd love to see this in a theater. Anyway, it's a no nonsense action crime drama that takes the time to show the tedious parts of police work. A modern film maker would probably chop a good 20 minutes out of it for fear of losing the audience to boredom but not Peter Yates. Hats off to sticking more closely to realism. McQueen is great as the titular character partly because he's so serious about the job. Cop movies these days have wisecracking detectives with something quirky about them. Not here. McQueen is a badass and one who is deeply focused on his job and seeing to it that justice is done. It's refreshing to watch a well-constructed action movie that doesn't rely on nonsense to earn its audience.

The Boston Strangler (1968)

2011-12-13T12:24:00.005-06:00

Director: Richard Fleischer

Starring: Tony Curtis, Henry Fonda, George Kennedy, Mike Kellin, Hurd Hatfield, Murray Hamilton, Sally Kellerman, William Marshall, William Hickey

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Why did 13 women willingly open their doors to the Boston Strangler?

Plot: Boston is being terrorized by a series of seemingly random murders of women. Based on the true story, the film follows the investigators path through several leads before introducing the Strangler as a character. It is seen almost exclusively from the point of view of the investigators who have very few clues to build a case upon.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? Man, I don't know.

Going into this I had very vague memories of the actual crimes I read about so many years ago. The first half of the picture deals with the crimes and the hunt for the killer. The second half (which is when Curtis shows up) is largely about trying to get inside the mind of DeSalvo. The first hour is a home run for police procedural fans. It's very well constructed and it features one of the best (if not THE best) uses of split screen.

Once DeSalvo is arrested (for attempted robbery) and is under questioning, it's a completely different film and much slower. It's now a character study on just one man and it's not a particularly fascinating one at that. It's too bad, too. While I admire the film maker's attempt at doing something different, the second half takes the piss out of the first. Curtis does a fine job but the amount of time it takes for him to realize what he did pulls the picture down. After watching the picture I did a little reading up on the case and, as I suspected, A LOT was changed for the film and the true account is far more interesting than the movie. But I sure loved the hell out of the first hour. It was highly engaging.

For the Love of Dolly (2006)

2011-12-13T11:42:00.005-06:00

Director: Tai Uhlmann

Starring: Dolly Parton and a plethora of rabid fans

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Dolly Parton is more than a country singer. She is a way of life.

Plot: This documentary, filmed over the course of a year, focuses on the lives of five of Dolly Parton's biggest fans, why they love her, what drew them to her, and the lengths to which they go to connect with her in person. It weaves their personal histories via interviews and home movies with footage from their pilgrimages to Dollywood. Ms. Parton makes several appearances throughout.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? No.

Wow. Just. Wow. I'm not obsessed with anything. I'm very passionate about a few things but not to the point that any of these fans are - not by a long shot. This picture is just under an hour long and it's quite entertaining; well, the subjects of the piece are entertaining akin to watching a train wreck - you stare in disbelief that something so tragic could happen. It's easy to make fun of them but I won't except for the two female best friends who built a replica of Dolly's childhood home (a small shack) in their backyard! They also go through a rental car used by Dolly and her assistant/driver to find such valuables like hair. They're just plain nuts. The other two subjects seem normal in comparison.

I didn't realize Droopy Dog went on to a career in law enforcement.

It's remarkable the length fans will go to be closer to their idols. I'm glad I'm not one of them. I have better things to do like watch shitty movies. Say, that reminds me, I should see what I can get on Ebay for that half drunk can of Tab Olivia Newton-John gave me back in '82. It should fetch a fair price - it tastes the same as it did 30 years ago.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1968)

2011-12-09T13:26:00.006-06:00

Director: Charles Jarrott

Starring: Jack Palance, Denholm Elliott, Leo Genn, Torin Thatcher, Rex Sevenoaks, Gillie Fenwick, Elizabeth Cole, Duncan Lamont, Paul Harding

More info: IMDb

Plot: Dr. Henry Jekyll experiments on himself with a concoction that he hopes will neutralize his baser instincts but will release without inhibition his long-repressed animal inclinations.

My rating: 8.5/10

Will I watch it again? YES!

I can't say I've seen most movie versions of this story but I have seen a bunch and this is without question the best of the lot! That's a bold statement, sure, but have you seen this? Palance is a beast. He's acting his nuts off. He's very soft spoken and gentle (a nice change of pace for Palance) but when he goes to the Hyde side, HOLY SHIT is he a mean ass mother fucker! I was beside myself.

Everything about this production is tops. I can't say enough about it. Sure, it's 2 hours long but it's worth every minute. The entire crew deserves a round of applause for putting this together as well as they did. And to think this was for TV!!! It had to have been pushing the limits at that time. I can't remember how many years it's been since I actually watched anything on TV that had commercial interruptions besides the news. I can't imagine how awful it must have been to see something this good and intense with commercials. Anyway, you need to see this, Palance fan or not. He's absolutely fantastic but the greatness doesn't stop there. WOW!

Hugo (2011)

2011-12-09T12:23:00.005-06:00

Director: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ray Winstone, Emily Mortimer, Christopher Lee, Helen McCrory, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jude Law

More info: IMDb

Plot: Hugo is an orphan boy living in the walls of a train station in the 1930s in Paris. He fixes clocks and other gadgets as he learned to from his father and uncle. The only thing that he has left that connects him to his father is an automaton that doesn't work; Hugo has to find its heart-shaped key. On his adventures, he meets with a cranky old man who works in the train station and his adventure-seeking god-daughter. Hugo finds that they have a surprising connection to his father and the automaton, and as he discovers it, the old man starts remembering his past and his significance to the world of film-making.

My rating: 9/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

I just now watched the trailer. I hate music like that. It's so Hollywood and feel-goody for my taste. Had I seen it before I saw the picture I may have changed my mind. I'm glad I didn't. I only caught it a couple of days ago during a matinee. I was the only person in the theater. The 3D version looked great but it's not a must see like this. The movie itself is a MUST SEE for anyone who loves movies and movie making. I cried my eyes out but not at anything to do directly with the kid. It was finding out how many films of the early days of cinema that have been lost even by the 1930s. It's staggering and depressing. Everything dealing with Georges Milies and his days as a film maker had me in a tearful mess.

You can read all about Georges Milies HERE. After seeing this film I'm going to delve into whatever I can find. I've been reasonably familiar with his work since I was a child (who hasn't seen the iconic image of the rocket in the Moon's eye?) and HUGO opened up a world I had only touched on. Milies is the father of movie special effects and the first science fiction film. He made over 500 short films in about 20 years! Scorsese has created a love letter to the movies, specifically the early days of cinema and to Georges Milies. Anyone with a passing interest in any of this MUST see this in the theater. I literally cried when clips of his films were up there on the screen. It was soooooooo cool. It breaks my heart that I live in a piddly ass city that has no interest in showing older films. I was instantaneously crying out of joy and sadness.

HUGO is the kind of picture that inspires people to do great things, things that set you on a new path. I will not be surprised to hear that, in 20 years, there are many people in the movie industry who are there because they saw this picture. Please go see this in the theater before it's too late.

The Killers (1946)

2011-12-09T12:08:00.004-06:00

Director: Robert Siodmak

Starring: Burt Lancaster, Ava Garnder, Edmond O'Brien, Albert Dekker, Sam Levene, Vince Barnett, Virginia Christine, Jack Lambert, Charles D. Brown, Donald MacBride, Charles McGraw, William Conrad

More info: IMDb

Tagline: THE MOST SUSPENSEFUL PICTURE OF ALL TIME!

Plot: Two professional killers invade a small town and kill a gas station attendant, "the Swede," who's expecting them. Insurance investigator Reardon pursues the case against the orders of his boss, who considers it trivial. Weaving together threads of the Swede's life, Reardon uncovers a complex tale of treachery and crime, all linked with gorgeous, mysterious Kitty Collins.

My rating: 8.5/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

This is one of the great Noirs. Lancaster was made for pictures like this. Right from the start this movie grabs you by the short & curlies with the introduction of the two hitmen, Al and Max (McGraw and Conrad). These guys are tough guys like nobody's business.

Nails and broken glass flow through these guys' veins. Miklos Rozsa's score is iconic. You'll recognize the first part that was later stolen (Rozsa won the lawsuit, though) for the TV show, DRAGNET. The opening minutes of the film until The Swede is murdered are some of the most harrowing you'll find in a Noir. It's cold, man, just cold. The rest of the film kind of plays out like a more conventional Noir which is perfectly fine because it's a great picture. I like this one over the 1964 remake because there's less of the love story (it brought the remake down a couple of notches) and more of the investigation into The Swede's life. And what a story!

Witchfinder General (1968)

2011-12-09T11:22:00.004-06:00

Director: Michael Reeves

Starring: Vincent Price, Ian Ogilvy, Rupert Davies, Patrick Wymark, Wilfrid Brambell, Hilary Heath, Robert Russell

More info: IMDb

Tagline: The Year's Most Violent Film! [

Plot: England is torn in civil strife as the Royalists battle the Parliamentary Party for control. This conflict distracts people from rational thought and allows unscrupulous men to gain local power by exploiting village superstitions. One of these men is Matthew Hopkins, who tours the land offering his services as a persecutor of witches. Aided by his sadistic accomplice John Stearne, he travels from city to city and wrenches confessions from "witches" in order to line his pockets and gain sexual favors. When Hopkins persecutes a priest, he incurs the wrath of Richard Marshall, who is engaged to the priest's niece. Risking treason by leaving his military duties, Marshall relentlessly pursues the evil Hopkins and his minion Stearne.

My rating: 8.5/10

Will I watch it again? YES!!!

I remember liking this many years ago but after such a long absence and watching it again, I REALLY dig this film. First of all, and I LOVE Vincent Price, It's got Price reigning in his acting. He can be over the top sometimes and at least in this picture he's closer to being a real, evil dude that's more like a believable person rather than some typical monster. The story is well handled and doesn't get ridiculous. I LOVED Paul Ferris' score. It's gorgeous. Too bad he didn't do many films. The same can be said about the director, Reeves. This was his second and last before he died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 25! I hate it when shit like that happens to promising talent. The atmosphere is thick and rich and the pacing is right on target. It's a real winner with great performances (I almost forgot to mention how good Olgilvy was) and a fun 86 minute ride.

Hammerhead (1968)

2011-12-06T14:13:00.007-06:00

Director: David Miller

Starring: Vince Edwards, Judy Geeson, Peter Vaughan, Diana Dors, Michael Bates, Beverly Adams, Patrick Cargill, Patrick Holt

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Nothing ever hit you like 'Hammerhead'.

Plot: Secret Agent Charles Hood (Edwards) is on the trail of the criminal master spy Hammerhead (Vaughn) and discovers some NATO secrets in between his hobby of collecting antique erotica from around the world. Hood must stop the evil hammerhead before he uses the secret information to spark an incident of international terrorism. In order to stop Hammerhead’s sordid plan, he poses as a courier delivering erotica to the spy.

My rating: 4/10

Will I watch it again? No.

OK Eurospy movie that's lighthearted enough in tone so as to let you know it doesn't take itself too seriously but then it doesn't have what it takes to play it straight - a good story. I was rather bored. Edwards makes an OK lead I guess but I wasn't buying him as a James Bond type but more aloof. Seriously, just look at how he dresses (he's the one on the right)...

Was it ever groovy to wear a short sleeved dress shirt and tie in '68? I don't know. There just wasn't anything to rally behind in this picture to make it worth my time. You can do worse and you can do better. Bland. Maybe a nice widescreen print would help but I don't see how. And to think this director also made LONELY ARE THE BRAVE (1962), one of best (if not THE best) roles Kirk Douglas ever had. He must have been asleep at the camera.