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Hey_Sweden
Birthdate: September 25
I bid you...velcome.
I'm a shameless movie fanatic who especially favours the following genres:
Exploitation
Horror
Action
Comedy
Favourite directors include:
John Carpenter
Larry Cohen
George A. Romero
David Cronenberg
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Lists
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Reviews
Spider-Man: Sting of the Scorpion/Trick or Treachery (1968)
A fun closer to the first season.
'Sting of the Scorpion'.
The Scorpion (voice of Carl Banas) escapes from prison, intent on exacting revenge against Spider-Man and Jameson. But first, he must stop at the lab of Dr. Stillwell to replenish his powers. When the scientist refuses, Scorpy drinks some serum at random, and finds that it causes him to grow to about 20 feet tall. The segment is at its most hilarious when Scorpy is stalking through Central Park with Jameson tucked under his arm. It's also indicative of how dumb Spidey's nemeses can be that they always assume that he's done for, and never stick around to make sure! It's this kind of overconfidence amongst the villains that makes them such priceless characters.
'Trick or Treachery'. The Human Flies, a.k.a. The Patterson twins Stan and Lee (har, har), get paroled and immediately start committing crimes for which they frame Spidey. One of the best bits of business has them imitating Spidey's gimmicks, substituting a "fly tracer" for a "spider tracer". What made me laugh the hardest was when they claim to Spidey that they've seen the light and "gone straight" - which Spidey falls for! Not one of *his* brightest moments.
All in all, these two short & sweet segments served as a good capper on this first season, which was overall more upbeat and less sinister & outre than a lot of the second and third season episodes.
Eight out of 10.
Effects (1979)
This is not in the script!
A skeleton film crew travels to a woodsy lodge in rural Pennsylvania to film a low-budget horror film. Said crew includes easygoing cinematographer / special effects man Dom (Joseph Pilato, the original "Day of the Dead"), who is none too pleased to learn about the little side project that dictatorial director Lacey (John Harrison, composer for "Creepshow" and director of "Tales from the Darkside: The Movie") has going on.
Although scripted (by director Dusty Nelson, based on a novel by William H. Mooney), this likeable if modest indie genre flick has a loose, good-natured, improvisational feel to it *until* the final 21 minutes, when, as the saying goes, the excrement hits the fan, and Dom must run for his life. Some people may feel that the film is just a little *too* low-key, however, and find it boring. Personally, I found it reasonably interesting and entertaining, with typically solid effects work by Tom Savini, who also plays the key supporting role of the obnoxious Nicky. Nelson & company *do* have fun with the whole idea of "Where does 'reel world' end and 'real world' begin?".
The film is most noteworthy for the fact that, due to a major distribution problem, it never saw the light of day in either theaters *or* on home video. It finally got released on DVD in 2005, and now there is a Blu-ray release as well. It always is of some interest to finally see movies such as this that become "lost" for a long time. Genre buffs can also hardly fail to notice how many of the players are connected to George A. Romero and his filmography.
It's worth seeking out if you enjoy discovering more obscure films. At the very least, it's a decent little picture that didn't deserve its fate.
Six out of 10.
Jennie: Wife/Child (1968)
Revenge, that's what I want!
Jack Lester ("The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant") plays Albert Peckingpaw, a miserable middle-aged farmer who takes his much younger wife Jennie (Beverly Lunsford, "The Intruder") for granted. She's had all that she can take, so she starts showing lots of attention to the good-looking but simple-minded farmhand Mario (Jim Reader, "The Glory Stompers"). Albert does catch them in the act, so he starts sowing the seeds of revenge.
Overall, this was pretty good for this kind of low-budget, Southern-fried melodrama, although director Robert Carl Cohen *was* tasked by his investors to cut out a lot of material and better commercialize what was left. The result is a very enjoyable dose of sordid sleaze, complete with some skinny dipping from the sexy Ms. Lunsford. The acting is better than you'd expect (it still wouldn't win any Oscars, but it's perfectly suited to this material), and the tuneful soundtrack ("Revenge" is my favorite song, and "My Birthday Suit" is hilarious) is fun to listen to.
Overall, the film is also better made than one might expect, and it does have a fairly dark tone for much of the running time - until the utterly absurd, PRICELESS, feel good (?) ending.
Also adding to the sex appeal: the addition of a "town floozie" character (played by Virginia Wood of "Lady in Cement") to the story, a character that didn't exist in the original version, which apparently ran closer to two hours.
The funniest touch? Silent movie style "intertitles" that appear between scenes.
Seven out of 10.
Il treno (1989)
Would you like some hot soup?
A group of students gets this supposedly great opportunity to witness ancient rituals in Yugoslavia, only to learn that they've been targeted for death. They head for the hills, and hop a train that starts barreling through the countryside once the crew has been decimated.
Re-christened "Beyond the Door III" to capitalize on the otherwise unrelated Italian horror films, "Death Train", or "Amok Train" (as it's titled for the American DVD release) is a generally good time. The viewer WILL have to put up with the expected cheesy acting and goofy plotting, but director Jeff Kwitny does manage to make up for this with a respectable amount of menace & atmosphere. The setting is the most unusual aspect, making this a sort of genre spin on the earlier critical favorite "Runaway Train".
Really, people looking for great European horror nonsense will find a fair bit to enjoy here, as there is some absolutely great gore coupled with some memorable murder set pieces. The film does get off to a rough start, but improves once the assorted expendable victims get on the train; the final half hour is the best part.
The acting may not be quality acting, but most of it is sincere enough. Mary Kohnert ('Star Trek: The Next Generation', "Big Man on Campus") is appealing in the lead, and token name actor Bo Svenson ("Special Delivery", "The Inglorious B*******") does an amusing job of hamming it up a bit as a dubious professor.
Overall, decent entertainment for fans of this kind of thing.
Six out of 10.
Il treno (1989)
Would you like some hot soup?
A group of students gets this supposedly great opportunity to witness ancient rituals in Yugoslavia, only to learn that they've been targeted for death. They head for the hills, and hop a train that starts barreling through the countryside once the crew has been decimated.
Re-christened "Beyond the Door III" to capitalize on the otherwise unrelated Italian horror films, "Death Train", or "Amok Train" (as it's titled for the American DVD release) is a generally good time. The viewer WILL have to put up with the expected cheesy acting and goofy plotting, but director Jeff Kwitny does manage to make up for this with a respectable amount of menace & atmosphere. The setting is the most unusual aspect, making this a sort of genre spin on the earlier critical favorite "Runaway Train".
Really, people looking for great European horror nonsense will find a fair bit to enjoy here, as there is some absolutely great gore coupled with some memorable murder set pieces. The film does get off to a rough start, but improves once the assorted expendable victims get on the train; the final half hour is the best part.
The acting may not be quality acting, but most of it is sincere enough. Mary Kohnert ('Star Trek: The Next Generation', "Big Man on Campus") is appealing in the lead, and token name actor Bo Svenson ("Special Delivery", "The Inglorious B*******") does an amusing job of hamming it up a bit as a dubious professor.
Overall, decent entertainment for fans of this kind of thing.
Six out of 10.
Ride Lonesome (1959)
There are some things a man just can't ride around.
One of the "Ranown" collaborations between filmmaker Budd Boetticher and star Randolph Scott, this intelligent, intimate Western spins the yarn of bounty hunter Ben Brigade (Scott), who captures outlaw Billy John (James Best), intending to bring him back to Santa Fe to face the hangman. Along the way, Brigade picks up additional companions: married woman Carrie Lane (Karen Steele), and pals Sam Boone (Pernell Roberts) & Whit (James Coburn, in his film debut).
We eventually learn what Brigades' real motive is, and it's not a financial one; it has more to do with revenge. He does come to understand that this need for revenge has led him down a dark path.
Engagingly acted, nicely written (by future director Burt Kennedy) and consisting of only six principal characters, this is effective for the way that it has its cast as small (i.e. Lonesome) figures in a very large, bleak landscape. (This is one of the best Westerns I've seen in terms of really utilizing that CinemaScope aspect ratio.). It also has a pleasant music score by Heinz Roemheld.
I particularly enjoyed the performance by Roberts, and the rapport that he has with Coburn. Best is amusing as the giggling, cocky young punk who may instantly remind the viewers of his later performances as crooked but still endearing sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane on 'The Dukes of Hazzard'. The only thing I didn't like as much was that the film didn't give Lee Van Cleef (as Billy Johns' brother Frank, who spends most of the story tailing Ben & company) more to do.
I also appreciated the way that "Ride Lonesome" told a rather *tight* story; instead of trying to be "epic", this film clocks in at a very reasonable 73 minute run time, packing quite a bit of entertainment into that span. It has an especially solid ending with a striking image as Ben puts some closure on his past.
Seven out of 10.
Outside the Law (1956)
Not up to Arnolds' sci-fi classics, but not bad.
Handsome, smooth Ray Danton ("The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond") stars as Johnny Salvo, ex-con turned serviceman who's recruited by Uncle Sam to participate in an operation designed to bust murderous counterfeiters. His specific job involves getting to know the widow (Leigh Snowden, "The Creature Walks Among Us") of an Army acquaintance who was gunned down in Europe, and who had been involved with the counterfeiting ring.
For Johnny, this is not an ideal situation because he has to work with his own father (Onslow Stevens, "Them!"), a Federal agent whom he feels wasn't there for him when he needed him most. Of course, he still resents the old man.
The story, written by Danny Arnold, is not a great one; the film overall is pretty routine, playing out with no real surprises. But it still serves its purpose as a crime drama programmer, and *does* entertain, with a first-rate director in Jack Arnold and a very good cast that plays their parts to perfection. Lots of familiar faces appear, with good-looking Grant Williams playing a real heel a year before Arnolds' "The Incredible Shrinking Man" boosted him to star status.
Danton is fine in the lead role, having decent chemistry with pretty leading lady Snowden. Williams is fun playing the jerk / bad guy determined to claim Maria for himself. And Stevens is great as the father who's just as determined to make it up to his son; he and Danton have some of the best scenes in the film.
Definitely a must-see if you're a Jack Arnold completist.
Six out of 10.
Sons of Anarchy: Seeds (2008)
A solid follow-up to the debut episode.
The Sons continue to deal with the aftermath of the gun theft, doing their best to avoid the watchful eye of over-zealous deputy David Hale (Taylor Sheridan, sometime actor and writer of films such as "Sicario" and "Hell or High Water"). They also have to do something about the dead bodies found in the dumpster since Tig tells Clay that he'd been with those women before they were killed. Dr. Tara (Maggie Siff) confronts Gemma over her suspicion of what happened to Wendy (Drea de Matteo) at the end of the pilot.
The characters continue to be well thought out and multi-dimensional, coming off as real human beings rather than one-note bad boys. Best of all is Katey Sagal, who leaves other characters of hers like Peg Bundy and Cate Hennessy far behind with this portrayal. There is plenty of time for humor, especially the dark kind of humor as some of the Sons stage a crime scene to throw some heat off of them. However, they also prove that they cannot be messed with when they impulsively strike back at a driver for cutting them off in traffic.
Overall, this is a great series that is well cast in both the regular roles and the guest star roles; also appearing here are Mitch Pileggi ('The X-Files') as the scheming Darby and Dayton Callie ('Deadwood') as the pathetic, over the hill police chief Wayne Unser.
My favorite part: the staging of the fake crime scene.
Seven out of 10.
Breaking Bad: Peekaboo (2009)
Another top-notch episode.
Jesse has committed himself to retrieving the cash & drugs stolen from Skinny Pete (Charles Baker) by Spooge (David Ury) and his woman (Dale Dickey). He's still clearly quite nervous about what he might have to do, though. When he breaks into their pad, he realizes that there is an element he did not count on: this disgusting couple has a very young son (played by twins Dylan & Brandon Carr).
Walter, on the other hand, is in real danger of having one of his lies exposed. We know that he's been telling Skyler that Elliott & Gretchen have been paying for his treatments, but now Gretchen (Jessica Hecht) is back and is of course confused by how profusely Skyler is thanking her.
A lot of tension arises from the big confrontation between Jesse and his quarries. Jesse may have his qualms, but also has a reputation to protect, so he threatens them the best he is able. Thing start really heading South until an interesting late-in-the-game development. The best aspect of this storyline is that for all of Jesses' problems, he *does* still have compassion, and feels terrible for this neglected kid who has such lowlifes for parents. The title 'Peekaboo' is taken from his attempts to entertain the child.
The most gripping aspect of Walters' subplot is how deeply he still resents Elliott & Gretchen, feeling that (from his own perspective) that he was utterly screwed over. We've seen his mood get ugly before, and when he unloads on Gretchen, I couldn't help but feel bad for her. He is clearly the kind of man who won't let go of a grudge.
Written by J. Roberts & creator Vince Gilligan, 'Peekaboo' is one of the most intense episodes that I've seen so far.
Eight out of 10.
Slime City (1988)
Endlessly amusing.
Robert C. Sabin plays Alex, a college art student who moves into a run-down building. Since his girlfriend Lori (Mary Huner) is hesitant to move in with him, he becomes easy prey for the residents of the building, who want to resurrect their deceased alchemist leader via Alex's body. After consuming some Himalayan "yogurt" and homemade "wine", Alex soon transforms into a murderous, goopy monster.
The film-making debut for young Gregory Lamberson, who's worked on such things as "Class of Nuke 'Em High" and "Brain Damage", this is a micro-budget splatter epic that makes up for in general grossness whatever it lacks in terms of script or characterization. It's often hilarious to behold, channeling the spirit of such oozing genre favorites as "Street Trash" and "The Incredible Melting Man". (In fact, "Street Trash" director James Muro was the Steadicam operator here.) It does have the charm of other exploitation and genre pictures of the period; it doesn't utilize a LOT of locations, per se, but it's right up there with other NYC-set trash classics like "The Exterminator", "Basket Case", and the aforementioned "Brain Damage". J. Scott Coulters' goopy effects are a definite highlight, although sexy co-star Huner gets a pretty good showcase, considering that she also has a secondary role as a Goth seductress named Nicole.
If you enjoy movies by the likes of Troma and Frank Henenlotter, then this will also be right up your alley.
Followed, 22 years later, by "Slime City Massacre".
Seven out of 10.
The Cat Creeps (1946)
An average mystery-comedy.
Reporter Terry Nichols (Frederick Brady, "Slightly Scandalous") is assigned to investigate the accusations made by a reputed crazy woman that a 15 year old "suicide" was actually a murder. He, his photographer (Noah Beery Jr., 'The Rockford Files'), and a boatload of suspects travel to the womans' island residence, and experience an eventful night as the attempts to unmask the killer are underway.
"The Cat Creeps" is moderately entertaining, mostly due to the supporting cast, although the comedy and the patter really aren't that funny and the "mystery" is rather obvious from the get-go. In lieu of a more fully fleshed-out plot and longer run time, we get a healthy amount of exposition laid out for us once the killer is revealed. Overall, the movie is competently made, capably directed by Erle C. Kenton ("Island of Lost Souls"), and reasonably paced, clocking in at just 58 minutes. The cat mentioned in the title figures into the story in that it is hoped that the feline will lead the characters straight to the evildoer.
Brady is unfortunately an annoying stereotype, overly obnoxious at first although also smarter and more savvy than anyone else in the room. Beery doesn't fare much better as the most blatant comedy-relief character. The other cast members are fine, though, treating the material with straight faces: the pretty Lois Collier ("A Night in Casablanca"), Paul Kelly ("Crossfire"), Douglass Dumbrille ("Mr. Deeds Goes to Town"), Rose Hobart ("Conflict"), Jonathan Hale (Inspector Fernack in the "Saint" series), Iris Lancaster ("West of the Alamo"), and Vera Lewis ("The Roaring Twenties").
"The Cat Creeps" may be nothing special as a movie, but it IS historically significant, seeing that it was the final genre feature film made by Universal after their decade and a half-long horror cycle. It was issued as a double feature with "She-Wolf of London", and after this, Universal wouldn't make another horror film for about five years (if you don't count the Abbott & Costello horror spoofs), starting fresh with "The Strange Door" in 1951.
Five out of 10.
Andre (1994)
Good entertainment for families.
Harry Whitney (Keith Carradine, "Nashville") is the harbormaster of the coastal town of Rockport, Maine, who rescues a seal (played by a sea lion named Tory) that endears himself to the Whitney family - youngest daughter Toni (Tina Majorino, "Napoleon Dynamite") in particular. In fact, "Andre", as Toni christens him, takes such a liking to his human family that he sticks around for a good long time - and becomes a local icon.
Although undeniably very sentimental, predictable, and manipulative (be sure to have some hankies on hand), "Andre" still works pretty well as family entertainment. It's true that the story works best when it focuses on Andre and not so much the cliched human characters, but the human actors all do a solid job: Chelsea Field ("The Last Boy Scout") as the patient wife / mother, Keith Szarabajka ("The Dark Knight") as the mean, miserable antagonist (who eventually redeems himself), Joshua Jackson ('Dawson's Creek') as his son, et al. Top-billed Carradine is likeable as the animal lover who's really NOT that good at his job. But Tory obviously steals the show, especially when he blows raspberries at people. (This gag is done to death, but kids might not mind.) The filmmakers used a sea lion because actual seals are much harder to train.
In any event, although some adults may not be completely won over, this is sure to appeal to your kids, especially if they love animals, too.
Actual home video footage of the real Andre is interspersed with scenes from the movie during the end credits.
Seven out of 10.
The Prestige (2006)
Are you watching closely?
Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale play Robert Angier and Alfred Borden, two magicians performing their acts in the late 19th century. After an escape trick goes horribly wrong, the men turn sour on each other, and engage in all sorts of cutthroat moves as they start competing with each other and scheming to learn each others' secrets.
Before going in, I knew that this Christopher Nolan film was intended as a classic case of a "you didn't actually see what you thought you saw" story. It's perfect for a story about magic & illusion, and may even catch some people off guard, as it was also intended to be the sort of film where, if you *didn't* have it all figured out, you'd re-watch the picture - perhaps more than once - to pick up on whatever you missed.
While it ultimately seemed, at least to me, to be a little wrapped up in its own cleverness, it *did* tell a solidly entertaining period story, with a first-rate cast (also including Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, David Bowie (as Nikola Tesla), Andy Serkis, Roger Rees, and other familiar faces) completely committed to these characters. Caine, as could be expected, is definitely a standout as the wise old "ingenieur" behind the tricks.
In the end, I think this did have something pertinent to say about the way that some of us *want* to be fooled; we don't *want* to know the secrets or the behind-the-scenes details. There remains a certain fascination with the whole concept of magic, although perhaps not as much as there was in the years in which this tale is set.
Seven out of 10.
Spider-Man: To Catch a Spider/Double Identity (1968)
"Underneath that gruff exterior is a gruff interior."
'To Catch a Spider'. Dr. Noah Boddy frees The Green Goblin, Electro, and The Vulture from prison, so that they may all team up and destroy Spider-Man once and for all. It's a great deal of fun to see this variety pack of villains all unite for a common cause, a la that live-action "Batman" feature film. But what's even more entertaining is the method that Spidey employs to defeat them. Who knew he was so good at impressions? The final punchline, where Peter gets to have some fun at Jamesons' expense, is truly rich.
'Double Identity'. A mysterious bad guy who is also adept at impersonating people does so in order to pilfer treasures. He even impersonates Peter to open the episode! It's quite entertaining to see a pair of segments revolve around this theme, and in fact it's this segment that generated a legion of memes, since it's where the "two Spider-men pointing at each other" image originated. As before, the last punchline is hilarious. Gadzooks!
10 out of 10.
The Spider Woman Strikes Back (1946)
Routine but enjoyable.
The classy Gale Sondergaard ("The Mark of Zorro") stars as Zenobia Dollard, a blind recluse who lives with a mute, hulking henchman named Mario (Rondo Hatton, "The Brute Man"). She goes through young female assistants quickly; perky, pretty Jean Kingsley (Brenda Joyce, "Pillow of Death") is the latest to offer her services. Zenobia turns out to be up to no good, with her schemes involving a greenhouse full of carnivorous, blood-sucking plants.
Although obviously a very minor genre picture from this era, with a less than stellar script, it still delivers its goods with efficiency, incorporating elements from various horror sub-genres and giving the distinctive Hatton a decent showcase as a "monster" with something of a conscience. The principal value lies with the cast. While some people may cringe seeing Ms. Sondergaard in this sort of fare, she does elevate it with her presence; she's deliciously evil. Joyce, the second actress of the sound era to play Jane in "Tarzan" movies, is appealing, as is Kirby Grant ('Sky King') as the nice guy rancher in love with her. Milburn Stone ('Gunsmoke') and Hobart Cavanaugh ("A Letter to Three Wives") round out the principal cast members.
Directed by Arthur Lubin ("The Incredible Mr. Limpet", 'Mister Ed') directs this fast-moving entertainment that may not be high art, but is NOT trying to be, either. It does just fine for people looking for a 40s B picture with a nice and trim run time (a mere 60 minutes in this case).
Six out of 10.
Your Friends and Neighbors (1998)
Provocative, without being that enjoyable.
With this film, writer-director Neil LaBute ("In the Company of Men", "The Shape of Things", etc.) examines the lives of six VERY screwed-up people, and the way they muck up their own lives and the lives of others. Ben Stiller & Catherine Keener play Jerry & Terri, Aaron Eckhart & Amy Brenneman play Barry & Mary, and Jason Patric is the guys' friend Cary, a supremely selfish and nasty stud who rehearses his sexual patter before trysts. Nastassja Kinski is Cheri, an artists' assistant who enters Terri's life.
"Your Friends and Neighbors" is nothing if not interesting, although it's clear that LaBute doesn't have much of a story to tell. He's more concerned with looking at the characters and how their flaws create these strains in their relationships, sexual and otherwise. There is some very spicy and intelligent dialogue, although it's practically the only element that would have earned this film an NC-17 rating initially. (There's no nudity or violence.)
I'm aware that great films do NOT necessarily have to have "likeable" characters, but the main problem for me was in caring that much about THIS group of dysfunctional people. Still, the whole cast is first-rate, especially Patric, who was also one of the producers. They make this film worth a look, although the frank sexual dialogue might be a turn-off for some viewers. Patrics' monologue about the greatest sex of his life is a memorable scene indeed.
Six out of 10.
High Road to China (1983)
The ox is slow, but the Earth is patient.
A few years after having to miss out on the plum starring role in "Raiders of the Lost Ark", TV star Tom Selleck made his official feature-film starring debut here. He plays Patrick O'Malley, a WWI veteran hired by heiress Eve Tozer (Bess Armstrong) to find her missing father. If she can't bring him back to England by a certain date, she loses out on her inheritance.
Sparks are destined to fly between the two leads, as they both have their flaws: he's become a surly drunk, and she's a strident, stuck-up brat. But, as the characters become more endearing (to us and to each other), we know that romance will be in the air.
The working definition of an old-fashioned adventure (with practical stunts & special effects), this was directed by Brian G. Hutton, who made such pictures as "Where Eagles Dare" and "Kelly's Heroes". While it's not on the level of the aforementioned "Raiders", it shows the audience a pretty good time. It's LOUD, action-packed, and lively, and Selleck & Armstrong play off each other quite well.
They receive strong support from Jack Weston, as O'Malley's mechanic / sidekick "Struts", Wilford Brimley, who appears late in the film as the missing father, the always superbly hammy Brian Blessed, and the enticing Cassandra Gava. Robert Morley plays his scheming villain entirely for laughs, with Timothy Bateson as his sniveling toady. In small roles you'll see Michael Sheard, Ric Young, and Wolf Kahler (the latter, of course, was the boss German Dietrich in "Raiders").
Overall, "High Road to China" is decent fun for people looking for some globe-trotting escapism.
Seven out of 10.
Turbulence (1997)
It's a wonderful flight.
A commercial airliner makes a flight from NYC to LA at Christmastime. It's almost devoid of passengers, save for a scant few regular people, PLUS two dangerous criminals in the company of incredibly incompetent marshals. One is Stubbs (the great Irish actor Brendan Gleeson), a bank robber, and the other is Ryan Weaver (the late, great Ray Liotta), a charismatic womanizer & ladykiller. The bad guys overcome the lawmen, and take control of the plane. Soon, the plot turns into a rehash of "Airport 1975", with flight attendant Teri Halloran (the lovely Lauren Holly) left to fend for herself - AND try to land the plane!
Just like another 1997 plane-themed movie, "Con Air", "Turbulence" takes screen idiocy to delicious lunatic heights. It's not believable in the slightest, but it's fully aware of its cheesiness and absurdity, and the filmmakers DO have a lot of fun with the premise. To be fair, a big part of the entertainment value lies in Holly's appeal & feistiness, and the go-for-broke, way over the top glee of Liotta and his maniacal character. Some of the best moments involve the cunning Weaver attempting to get to know Teri and get into her head.
The stars are ably assisted by a number of top supporting players: Hector Elizondo, Ben Cross, Rachel Ticotin, Jeffrey DeMunn, John Finn, Catherine Hicks, J. Kenneth Campbell, Heidi Kling, etc. Elizondo is especially amusing as a hard-nosed detective who wasn't above *planting* the evidence that helped to convict Weaver, and who clearly craves attention almost as much as the killer.
You truly have to put your brain in neutral for this one, but its high energy level and brisk pace do reward you in kind.
Although a box office bomb at the time, it did do well enough on video to acquire two direct-to-video sequels.
The last theatrical effort for director Robert Butler, a longtime veteran of TV whose other feature films include "Night of the Juggler" and "Up the Creek".
My favorite line (Weaver has the vast majority of the good ones): "There seems to be a surplus of idiots on this flight."
Eight out of 10.
The Suckling (1990)
Fortunately, the movie does not suck.
A pregnant, unnamed girl (Lisa Petruno) goes to an illegal abortion clinic in Brooklyn that doubles as a brothel. However, her aborted fetus rapidly mutates once in the sewer, and returns to the building to terrorize & slaughter all of the people inside.
Hilariously purporting to be "based on a true story", as the opening scrolling text indicates, this wonderfully dopey & trashy low-budget monster movie was written & directed by Francis Teri, who gives his little epic decent pace and some standout horror moments. Granted, it's predictable in a sense that a lot of the characters are insipid, and that the acting is all amateur-hour variety, but this is still quite a bit of FUN for lovers of low-rent creature features. The monster costume cost about $10,000 to make, and was worn by Michael Gingold, a big name in the horror community having written for both Fangoria and Rue Morgue. And it's a delightfully silly-looking monster, who dispatches our chump victims in the expected glorious fashion.
Of course, no group of intended victims in movies like this would be complete without thoroughly disagreeable characters whom we NEED to see die gloriously: the thuggish Axel, played by Frank Rivera, and the noxious businessman-client, played by Michael Logan.
Absurd in the extreme, cheesy, and absolutely hilarious, this will appeal to people who gravitate towards movies such as those made by the notorious Troma.
Seven out of 10.
Sons of Anarchy: Pilot (2008)
"Tellers do not die easy." "No, we just die bloody."
This debut episode for this vivid series about an outlaw biker gang (otherwise known as "SAMCRO") drops us into a harsh, violent world, fully formed. Charlie Hunnam is "Jax", young vice-president of the club, Katey Sagal (in a tour de force dramatic performance) is his mom, and Ron Perlman his stepfather and president of the club. Jax learns that his trashy junkie ex-wife (Drea de Matteo, in an intense guest star turn) took drugs while pregnant with his kid, and now the poor child's born 10 weeks premature, with severe medical defects to boot. The other main story thread has a Mexican gang, the Mayans, stealing the Sons' stash of weaponry, and the moves that they make to get even.
The show benefits from a talented ensemble (including such top character actors as Mark Boone Junior, Kim Coates, Tommy Flanagan (a real scene-stealer, this guy), and Johnny Lewis. The characters are well-written and colorful, and the violence is no nastier than it really needs to be; after all, this is a lawless world that these characters inhabit.
I was especially impressed with Sagal, whose character Gemma lets Wendy (de Matteo) know in no uncertain terms how worthless she thinks she is, and how she will absolutely NOT be welcome in her new sons' life.
As a bonus, the script can be pretty funny at times. All in all, I will look forward to continuing with this series.
Eight out of 10.
Furankenshutain tai Chitei Kaijû Baragon (1965)
It's got heart, I'll give it that.
The heart of the Frankenstein monster, which beats eternally even without a body to contain it, finds its way to Hiroshima, just in time for the city to be bombed. Years later, a mysterious waif that grew up in the rubble of the hospital turns out to be a new incarnation of the Monster. A trio of doctors / researchers (Kumi Mizuno, Tadao Takashima, and token American "name" actor Nick Adams) take care of the child, although he does grow to mammoth proportions and inevitably go on a rampage. Then, an underground-dwelling dinosaur-like monster, Baragon, shows up.....
This may be a far cry from the best Kaiju that Japan had to offer, but it does offer a fair amount of fun for devotees of this genre. Yes, it can get utterly cheesy - get a load of that horse puppet - but this only adds to the silly charm of the movie. My only real problem is that, like a lot of movies of this kind, it can get awfully talky. Fortunately, scenes with the monsters prove to be worth the wait.
As befitting many Frankensteins' Monster-related stories, it has some pathos going for it: actor Koji Furuhata builds up a reasonable amount of sympathy for "Frankenstein" here; his performance is good. The rest of the cast is appreciably sincere, although the presence of Adams really doesn't amount to much.
Baragon is an enjoyably goofy antagonist, the scenes of destruction are entertaining, and the special effects - while variable - do generate a sufficient amount of smiles. (Just don't expect much in the way of fidelity to the original Mary Shelley tale.)
Six out of 10.
Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1980)
"Child, life's not like a dime novel."
An adorable Diane Lane ("Unfaithful") and a wonderfully spunky Amanda Plummer ("Pulp Fiction"), the latter making her film debut, play the title roles in this highly engaging Western. Cattle Annie (Plummer) and Jenny a.k.a. Little Britches (Lane) are two young orphan girls who hook up with the remnants of the Doolin (Burt Lancaster, "Gunfight at the O. K. Corral") / Dalton (Scott Glenn, "The Silence of the Lambs") gang. Bill Doolin decides that the old gang still has some life left in it, and the girls inspire them to pull a few more jobs.
Overall, the film is good enough to make you think that it in no way deserved its fate. (It was "thrown away" by Universal, who distributed it in 1980.). Only in more recent years did it get released to Blu-ray & DVD, so people can now take pleasure in a slightly adult (there is some profanity, and some male nudity, albeit shot from behind) but still largely harmless bit of entertainment. Just like the Cattle Annie of the title, it has a lot of spirit, and a charismatic Lancaster and a low-key Glenn are just two top players in a cast that also includes Rod Steiger ("In the Heat of the Night") as lawman Bill Tilghman, John Savage ("The Deer Hunter"), William Russ ('Boy Meets World'), Redmond Gleeson ("Dreamscape"), Buck Taylor ("Tombstone"), Michael Conrad ('Hill Street Blues'), John Quade ("Every Which Way But Loose"), and Perry Lang ("Alligator").
The story, based on a novel and screen story by Robert Ward, has a great theme about idolization of outlaw characters and the need to see the reality behind the legend. It's a solid, entertaining tale with some choice bits of dialogue, and a rousing finale guaranteed to have viewers cheering.
The fact that this got such a limited release 44 years ago is in no way indicative of quality (or lack thereof), so give this one a look whenever you can.
Seven out of 10.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)
Now you know!
Finally, the "true" story of music / comedy icon "Weird Al" Yankovic can be told, as we see Al (played as an adult by Daniel Radcliffe) grow up in a household where his father (Toby Huss) won't let him be himself, and who considers the accordion to be the "devils' instrument". But Al perseveres, with his parodies of popular rock and pop songs becoming phenomenons. Of course, it all goes to Als' head, and he becomes a real jerk while embarking on a torrid affair with pop music legend Madonna (Evan Rachel Wood).
You always know what you're getting with Weird Al. True to his warped & wacky nature, this is hardly a serious or factual musical biopic, instead playing like a parody of that genre. While I didn't find it to be *as* funny as "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story", it's still quite endearing in its own way as it skewers the various cliches of this genre. Commendably, the cast plays everything straight-faced, which is usually the correct way to play this sort of material; it helps to sell the absurdity of the jokes.
Both Radcliffe and Wood are fantastic, and they receive strong support from an able cast full of familiar faces, especially Rainn Wilson as Dr. Demento, the man who basically gave Weird Al his start. You can tell the filmmakers were really having fun with the stunt casting (Conan O'Brien as Andy Warhol, Emo Philips as Salvador Dali, Demetri Martin as Tiny Tim, etc.).
Overall, this is a pretty bright comedy with some of the best moments revolving around Als' inspiration for his song parodies: "Like a Surgeon", "Fat", "Amish Paradise", and the like. If you're a Weird Al fan and enjoyed his cult favorite "UHF", you're sure to get a kick out of it. The closing credits song is HILARIOUS.
Al himself appears on screen as record company executive Tony Scotti.
Seven out of 10.
Las viboras cambian de piel (1974)
Nothing special here, but still a pretty good time at the movies.
Two bearded men, played by Pedro Armendariz Jr. And Rogelio Guerra, learn that they are both targeting the same man for revenge, so they team up. They then convert a hired killer turned gambler / womanizer (Jorge Rivero) to their cause, and they travel to Santa Fe to eliminate their quarry (Quintin Bulnes), who's become the local sheriff!
Complete with double crosses, sexy and scantily clad ladies (including Zulma Faiad as the pistoleros' prostitute girlfriend), decent widescreen photography, some hearty laughs, and a final Peckinpah-inspired bloodbath, "Guns and Guts" is generally quite fun. It *does* start out as awfully tongue-in-cheek and goofy, beginning with a series of beatings (!), then changes tone to become more serious. But it remains quite watchable for the duration.
A Mexican answer to the popular "Spaghetti Western" genre, this was a credit for the prolific Mexican cult-favorite filmmaker Rene Cardona Jr., who also gave us things such as "Tintorera!", "The Bermuda Triangle", and "Treasure of the Amazon". While it's no great shakes, really, in terms of either script or direction, I did find it to be pretty entertaining, with amusing performances by all cast members concerned.
Seven out of 10.
Schlock (1973)
I'm just bananas about this movie.
In a movie that very much lives up to its title, the missing link (played by John Landis, wearing a solid ape suit devised by Rick Baker) runs amok in a small town. Fortunately for Schlock, the cops are all Keystone types who literally trip over dead bodies. Eventually, Schlock falls in love with a girl (Eliza Roberts) who's just had her sight restored.
A very young Landis (20 going on 21 at the time) wrote and directed this minor cult favorite, his first attempt at film-making. While undeniably very crude, and amateurishly acted, the laughs *are* there. The pacing does lag at times, as if Landis was struggling to get this to feature length, but the good news is that he often comes up with some truly inspired sight gags and farcical moments. Landis is quite funny as the beast, and the supporting cast is sincere if not exactly polished. Saul Kahan (also the still photographer) is a hoot as the unlikely detective in charge of tracking down Schlock.
Given that Hollywood producer Jack H. Harris got involved, there are some funny moments where Schlock & others watch the Harris-produced "The Blob" and "Dinosaurus!" in a theater.
It's no surprise that Landis would hook up with the ZAZ comedy team for his next effort, "The Kentucky Fried Movie"; there's even a surely / Shirley joke in here! And Landis works in plenty of references to his classic phrase "See You Next Wednesday". He famously worked with Baker again a decade later for the landmark werewolf film "An American Werewolf in London". John Chambers, the man who designed that great ape makeup for the "Planet of the Apes" series, appears on screen here as the National Guard captain.
Seven out of 10.