Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Junesploitation 2016 Day 22: Free Space!

If you can't beat the system...break it!

104 comments:

  1. J.D.'s Revenge (1976)

    A blaxploitation movie about a law student who gets possessed by the woman-slapping spirit of J.D Walker who is out to avenge his death 30 years back (and apparently beat up some women while he's at it). Absolutely worth watching and it's free on Prime.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Weird thought when reading this title: can we make J.B's revenge a thing? He goes on a quest for revenge after being released... from Patrick's (tje man with the violets) basement.

      Delete
  2. Tenebrae (1982)

    I've had some rough times with Argento films this month, but this film came heartily recommended by PB and so many of you guys. And for good reason. This film is spectacular.

    I loved everything about this film and it felt so good to find another Italian Horror film this great. Honestly, one of my favorite things about this is the instantly likable and charming Anthony Franciosa, who could not be a better leading man. And when he's paired up in a scene with the sweet and wonderful Daria Nicolodi, you get cinematic gold. Argento directs this bloody masterpiece brilliantly and the Horror is genuinely disturbing and effective.

    Bravo.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Brett Ratner's HERCULES (2014, 96 min.) on Amazon Prime for the first time.

    Since we're not doing a Peplum! day this year I'm going with the most recent big-screen version of Hercules for free space. Is it me or has Brett Ratner actually become a good director in the years since "Rush Hour 3" and "X-Men Last Stand"? Yes, "Hercules" is an obvious "Avengers" knock-off (Atalanta = Hawkeye, etc.) filtered through modern-day sensitivities about myths and heroes. It's also exciting as hell (tremendous action set pieces with rising stakes and genuine jeopardy), well paced (time just flies by) and cast perfectly. Ian McShane steals the movie with his death wish predictions, nobody does elder king better than John Hurt, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal is such a cool Amazon warrior you hope she's cast in the new "Wonder Woman," and Dwayne Johnson's chiseled body & charisma are tailor-made to embody Herc in his still-aging prime.

    Special effects are OK (could have been a little more polished), but the CG vistas and digital crowds of thousands never lose sight that characters and people are the focus of the grounded-by-modern-cynicism tall tale its presenting. It took two studios (Paramount and MGM) to finance "Hercules," and every dollar spent is up on the screen. The misleading trailer is not the movie you think you're getting, and for once that's a very good thing. It's not perfect (Reece Ritchie's Iolaus character should have been condensed into McShane's Amphiaraus, the double-crosses can be seen coming a league away, Rufus Sewell's Autolycus is no Han Solo, etc.), but when Herc & friends get into battle formation you can't help but feel pumped-up for the ass-whooping about to take place. #Hercsploitation! for the win, indeed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This HERCULES is so much better than it has any right to be that I have a hard time accepting that Ratner had anything to do with it. But I gotta give him credit where it's due.

      Just a fully entertaining flick. Period.

      Delete
    2. Saw this earlier this year and was surprised by how much I liked it. Very reminiscent of A KNIGHT'S TALE.

      Delete
    3. I really wish I went to see this in the theater because when I caught up with it on blu ray I absolutely loved it! We need more summer blockbusters like Hercules.

      Delete
    4. I'd agree. A fun film when I was expecting a typical Ratner helmed bag of shite.

      Delete
  4. Xtro (1982)

    All I can say is, thank you for championing this movie, Dennis! I'm sure I would never have seen it without you.

    The movie is weird and wonderful and unpredictable and disturbing and so much fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You rock Mikko

      Stoked you watched it and even better you enjoyed it too, its an Amazing film, the Midget dwarf clown with the knives Yoyo has yet to be beat as a memorable character or The best Birth scene Ever, never been beaten in my opinion ...




      Delete
    2. Day 22 appears to be Xtro day, what a day.

      Delete
    3. Hell yeah! You never forget your first viewing, today is a special day

      Delete
  5. Freaks (1932)

    I was not expecting this movie to be as poignant as it was. Actually I had no idea what to expect with this pre-code movie of a treacherous trapeze artist who tries to suduce and marry little person Hans. With the nature of the movie, using real circus performers who would traditionally be considered 'freaks', the movie was incrediably un-exploitative. Most of the movie is just the circus hanging out, eating dinner, having a drink shooting the shit. It is sad that a big chunk of the movie had been lost. I would have liked to see more.

    I kept wondering why Hans (Harry Earls) sounded like a Lollipop Kid, because the dude was a Lollipop Kid.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Freaks is unbelievable. I'm so fasinated by it!

      Delete
    2. While watching it, I kept looking up trivia about it. It is incrediably fasinating.

      Delete
    3. One of us has become my F this movie mantra.

      Delete
    4. It is one of those movies that the more you learn, the more you admire it!

      Delete
  6. The Wave (2015) Norway - shades of early 70s disaster films...one civil engineer can read all the signs of impending doom and yet NO ONE around him has an instinct of self preservation..there is even one bitch who needs a slapping who hesitated to set off the siren after things had started popping off..what IS it with people? regardless 6 million budget gives us a surprisingly satisfying suspense film.water, mud, fire, death, disater and a cute child - the only thing missing is the golden retriever. I would watch it back to back with the Impossible. ..pray tell me has Norman Reedus set off some sort of anti-fashion bomb? cause seriously we need more barbers in the world.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The Warriors (1979)

    Somehow I have gotten through life with never seeing this movie. So I am real proud of myself that I can now cross this off my movie shame list. How can you dislike this movie? Urber cool, very slick, solid as an oak and way more prettier than it had ever right to be. Yeah I really loved it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Another one joins the fold...we welcome you. Can you dig it?

      Between this and Freaks, you're having a great Junesploitation day, Lindsay!

      Delete
    2. ...Gabby says, surprising no one;)

      Delete
  8. The Brotherhood (2001)

    Free Space - great, I make this a gaysploitation day, because we don´t have that category here. ;-)

    While the category may be a good idea, my choice of film wasn´t.

    Full Moon veteran David DeCoteau has made this dumb and boring wannabe vampire picture just as an excuse to show lots of well built guys walking around in their undies.
    While naturally I do appreciate half naked guys, I expect a little bit more from from my movie than a gay soft core touch and a few drips of fake blood.
    On DeCoteaus IMDB page I found out, that there are at least 5 sequels to this boring mess. After seeing part 1 I wonder who wants to see more of this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oliver, I am guessing that is because every day of life should be gaysploitation day! For real though us gays need a day. In June when it is such a gay month, well in London it is anyway.

      Delete
    2. Gabby, if every day is gaysploitation day, I surely have to find way better films than the one I choose ;-))

      Delete
    3. I will help you! What is your twitter handle? :)

      Delete
  9. Turbo Kid (2015)

    Feel the wrath of Mr. Gnome!

    My second time seeing this, and it's even better than the first. The first time, I didn't really like Apple until well into the movie, but now that I knew the deal, I loved the performance from the off. It makes sense now. I'm sure you know what I mean.

    Love the '80s aesthetic (not least the soundtrack, which I just bought), the ridiculously over-the-top gore and the fun characters.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really love this movie. I remember seeing the trailer and thinking it looked amazing then heard Patrick talk about it really made me want to watch it. Seen it a couple of times since my first viewing and it keeps getting better.

      Delete
    2. Me too, Apple plays a certain performance that the first time you see it because you don't understand what she's doing or why and it can rub you the wrong way, its like her character needs a disclaimer, but the second time, third, I love her more and more everytime I see it,

      Eyes, Throat, Genitals....

      Delete
    3. You'll never get me on Apple, Dennis! But I promise, Xtro is in my near future brotha!

      Delete
    4. Turbo Kid: I had pucked this put before seeing this so yay, syncing. My first viewing, but really lived it. And with you, Mikko, the 80s vibe really adds to the fun!

      Delete
  10. Xtro (1982) (first time viewing)

    Dennis, you convinced me to watch this masterpiece. And all I can say is thank you.....I needed Xtro in my life. Holy wow, this was awesome!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am smiling ear to ear today, another convert, You Rock Kyle!

      Delete
  11. Xtro (1982)

    Looks like that kind of day. Thank you, you wonderful F Heads.
    Three pressing questions after watching this wonderful movie.
    1- Why does an only child have a bunk bed?
    2- What's with the unibrow photographer at the shoot?
    3- Who drinks milk during a brief sexual interlude?

    Also, the dad totally destroys Tony at Connect 4.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Excellent Frank, I love it, reminds me of one of my favourite sayings, "I went looking for Answers but just ended up with more Questions"

      I want to know why the Black Panther in the White room? (Though I know the answer to that one).
      Where did all the blood come from in the Bed?
      Why was Annalisse perfect? Though I agree she pretty much is!
      How did the full grown man get into her belly?
      How did the plastic tank shoot real missiles?
      Where did the circus lights come from in the bedroom?
      I love not knowing the answers, that's why I love the film, it has the Fantastical about it, #Xtrolives

      Delete
  12. Double Feature

    Shogun Assassin (1980)

    The Lonewolf and Cub mixtape. I bought this as a VHS when I was in college when I was going through a major martial arts / Hong Kong phase and it got lost in all the Jet Li, Chow Yun-Fat, John Woo, Jackie Chan stuff I was watching. So finally Junesploitation was the perfect opportunity to dig out a digital version. It's a fantastic movie and the Lone Wolf and Cub series are on my must watch list for this summer. It's so easy to see where directors like Tarantino and Carpenter amongst others were influenced in their movies. Because it is made up of scenes from the early Lone Wolf and Cub series the movie moves along nicely and you're never more than a minute or 2 from a new fight scene.

    Xtro (1982)

    Yes I'm another one to jump on the bandwagon and thank god I did, what a crazy fun movie. I haven't seen a bad review of this yet for Junesploitation so I think it may just be MVP for the month. Aliens, snakes, living toys, a life size living GI Joe, a dwarf clown, and a future Bond girl is an unlikely recipe for greatness. I checked out the trailers for the American made sequels the second looks like a low budget Alien rip off with Jan-Michael Vincent from Airwolf and the third looks like an even lower budget Predator rip off. I really don't know how this movie escaped me before Junesploitation.

    Today was a good day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brilliant Ronan, you got the recipe for the Fantastic, MVP, I love that, Junesploitations film of the month,
      Part 2 was a real let down to me, Part 3 is better though still not a patch on the original, Welcome to the club, "One of us, One of us...."

      Delete
    2. Dennis there will never be another birth scene to match the one in this movie either. What other newborn is gonna walk straight into the shower to clean itself off after being born, so amazing.

      Delete
    3. And bite through his own umbilical chord!

      Delete
  13. THE WAILING (2016-Korea)

    A strangely satisfying horror/thriller movie that is a juggling act of comedy, folklore, b-grade horror, profound existential dread and crises of faith--but somehow manages to make it all work bafflingly. There is an ambiguity to this film that left me thinking about it long after it ended and feels like a film that will greatly reward multiple viewings. I'm not sure if the film makes sense-- or even intends to--but this is a truly unique genre film that at times feels a bit like it is falling off track tonally but somehow manages to find it's footing in the end and the 2 hr. 30 min run-time truly flies by.

    Unlike anything I've seen in a long time and one of the best Korean films I've seen in a long time. Highly recommended.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've heard this is a beast. Good to hear another high recommendation.

      Delete
  14. After (2012)

    My friend Nicky recommended this one as having a Stephen King feel, which was certainly enough to sell me on checking it out, and I'm glad I did. The story is a Twilight Zone-y kinda thing about two people who wake up a couple of months after a bus crash and find they are the only people left in their town (shades of The Langoliers). There is also a darkness encroaching on the town that may contain a dangerous creature (shades of The Mist, Under the Dome, and, well, The Langoliers).

    It's not perfect, but it's strangely sweet and the leads are likable enough to make the journey with them worthwhile. While I get that the reason is to convey the encroaching darkness, the cinematography is often so murky that it's difficult to see what's happening on screen (the better to hide some budget-limited CGI). Still, the story is compelling and well-structured, and the payoff is satisfying. Worth a look.

    ReplyDelete
  15. "She Shoulda Said NO"-or "Wild Weed"-or "Marijuana, The Devil's Weed"-or "The Story of Lila Leeds and Her Exposé of the Marijuana Racket"-or "The Devil's Weed" (1949) Dir. Sam Newfield

    What can I say! You know what you're getting into just from the title(s) of this film. I loved it! It's just so strange to see how they treated this subject matter back then. At times you can forget that you are watching some anti-marijuana propaganda since the production value seems to actually be pretty high! (pun-intended) Bottom line is I think it's worth a look if you're interested in these types of films.

    ReplyDelete
  16. ATTACK THE BLOCK (2011)

    We haven't gotten another Joe Cornish directed flick why, exactly?

    This flick is almost too much fun to be legal, but damn am I glad it is. That's truth, fam --

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yo brov, dat movie is sick man!

      Delete
    2. "It smells like a shit did a shit!"

      Big ups to you Mr. Muller...although this film makes me sad. Attack the Block melds so many genres together and makes them all work so well...yet some films can't even manage to work in ONE genre. Ok...I take it back...the fact that this film is such a spectacular genre-bending piece of awesomeness actually makes me very, very happy!!

      "It's a big room...full of weed...and it's Ron's!"

      Delete
    3. I try and use po po in a posh voice at least once a day

      Delete
    4. I follow John Boyega on Twitter and he seems like the nicest guy in the world. If you haven't seen the video of his reaction to watching The Force Awakens trailer, you should. If you don't get a little weepy watching him, you are a monster.

      Delete
    5. Thanks Brent, that video made my day. I love he's getting excited as a fan - then remembers he's in it.

      Delete
  17. Waterworld (1995)

    What a weird movie. I had never seen this thing in its entirety before but was inspired to do so after seeing the surprisingly good Waterworld stunt show over at Universal Hollywood park. This movie is all over the place, I suppose Kevin Costner is the anti hero yet he's a huge dick the entire movie. The tone of this thing is all over the place where for one action sequence it's a rollicking adventure film and then we are shown another attempted Jeanne Tripplehorn rape scene. At the end of the day it's rather surprising this movie didn't bomb (technically it made money) due to the rather odd characters but it was the 90s and in the 90s Costner gots to have his big budget unique project (gotta watch the postman one day)

    Quick note don't go in expecting a Speed level villain performance from Dennis Hopper, something tells me there's a lot left on the cutting room floor.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Rows (2015 dir. David W. Wakefield) on Amazon Prime.

    I'm not sure how I feel about this. I admire the ambition and the main actress was very good. However, it was frustratingly confusing and the ending was not satisfying. I'm being vague about the plot mainly because it goes into spoiler territory, but also because reading the plot synopsis makes it sound like something it's not. A weak recommend for now.

    ReplyDelete
  19. The Whisperer in the Darkness (2011): For the majority of this, it uses a well crafted story to build suspense well with pretty cinematography. Then near the end, something... happened to it...?

    Orange is the New Black; Season 4, episode 4- 'Doctor Psycho: I am really getting into this again now, things are kicking off!

    ReplyDelete
  20. BULLITT (1968):

    Using my free space to catch up on some stuff I've blind bought in the past.

    There's not much to say, really: McQueen is god, Bisset is a fox, and the car chase is great. I love how the cinematography sells how gritty and difficult a car chase like that actually is; no quips or one-liners, just scowling and grunting.

    Off to shop for turtlenecks!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Mister Lonely (2007, dir. Harmony Korine, on DVD) – First Time Viewing: These are becoming more and more rare, so truly unique movies like this one are a real treat. Artists impersonating Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, Abraham Lincoln, etc. all congregate together in a commune and things get weird. In the meantime Werner Herzog is piloting nuns in a small plane and one falls out, but don’t worry, she’s fine. I mean I can’t really explain what even happens or why it happens in this movie, but I know I loved it as a piece of art. It flirts with being ultra-pretentious, but I really struggle to call any movie pretentious. Movies are such a massive undertaking requiring so much work, just getting one made means something (4 out of 5 Griers).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You don't have to struggle to call Korine pretentious...Trash Humpers. Hmmmm...I really don't like Korine at all, but this sounds pretty good.

      Delete
    2. You're right about Trash Humpers, it's unwatchable, but I'm still a Korine fan. I think Spring Breakers is one of the best movies of this decade.

      Delete
  22. "Xtro" (1982) Dir. Harry Bromley Davenport

    HAHAHA!! Nope!! Not gonna do it!!

    Ok ok...I'll just say this is the movie where a woman gives birth to a full-size adult!

    Oh...there's a black panther as well...don't ask.

    Is it good...NOPE...is it worth watching...OVER AND OVER!!

    3 life-size toy soldiers out of 5

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Damn the first slightly negative comment, can't win um all, sounds like you still enjoyed it even though you did not think it was good. ..

      Delete
    2. This is where I always trip myself up. I didn't mean to sound negative...I actually enjoyed it quite a bit!! When I said it wasn't good I guess I meant in that technical arty-farty film school aspect of "good"...not from a pure sit back and enjoy the craziness aspect. It's one of the reasons I always find it hard to rate movies because there are SO SO SO SO SO many different factors that can come into play that one can use to "rate" a film.

      So yeah...I most definitely enjoyed it...and I think that it is pretty safe to say that with the help of Mr. Atherton XTRO OFFICIALLY WINS THE DAY!!

      Let June 22nd forever now be known as XTRO DAY!!

      Delete
    3. I understand where you are coming from, Thanks for coming back, that's cool, Xtro is still on top then with everybody who has seen it really enjoying it, if anyone has not found time for it yet the 28th is the next and last perfect slot

      Delete
    4. I totally get you TJ I was watching thinking do I like this and at the same time I never looked away, not once, so a movie that had me this hooked can only be a good thing. It's batshit crazy and is the kinda movie that needs a few viewings to try piece everything together but it's something I really want to watch again. It's just one of those movies that's never gonna be Goodfellas good but will always be Day of the Dead good.

      Delete
    5. You got it

      "One of us, One of us...."

      Delete
  23. THE MERMAID (2016)
    This Chinese movie just broke all the box office records, yet remains relatively unknown here. It’s an incredibly wacky romantic comedy about a mermaid sent to kill a billionaire polluter, only to fall in love with him. Then there’s an enormous tonal shift for a mermaids vs. humans battle where, as the saying goes, shit gets REAL. I liked the movie, but I’m baffled at its biggest-blockbuster-of-all-time status.

    976-EVIL (1988)
    A bullied kid uses a supernatural 1-800 “horrorscope” phone line to enact revenge on his enemies. The filmmakers throw out the phone gimmick halfway through and just turn the kid into a full-on demon. I’ve wanted to see this movie for years, so it’s a bummer to discover how boring it is.

    JUST IMAGINE (1930)
    In the far-distant high-tech future of 1980 (!) the government controls all aspects of life, including who you marry. A man and woman want to marry for love, and the adventure begins. This just barely covers the surface, as the movie goes to some truly insane pre-Code places. (Two words: Martian orgies!) The big deal is the special effects and production design, which were years ahead of their time and will take your breath away.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dude. It sounds like you had a CRAZY fasinating movie-watching day. Hats off!

      Delete
  24. Willow Creek 2013

    Bobcat Goldthwaite Found footage Bigfoot movie, it does what it says on the tin, but surprisingly it is a slow burn decent, with two people I kinda liked, one particular long scene in a tent plays out slowly with no cuts and builds great tension if seen in a dark room with good volume, I was a little creeped out, as this type of film goes this is one of the better ones

    ReplyDelete
  25. Boardinghouse (1982) 2 and a half hour director's cut

    Chaybee made me do this...and I love him for it.

    Wow. Where to start. This movie is bananas. It's SOV. It's crude. It's terribly acted. But...it's absolutely hypnotic. I haven't seen the original version but Chaybee said told me that he was going to watch the extended version. So I said "Fuck it. Let's do it!" I started it late last night but couldn't quite finish it(it's 2 and a half hours fucking long!) But I couldn't wait to get up and finish it. I think it's brilliant. You have to go into it using a different part of your brain. Don't think of it as a movie. It's almost an experience. Some people will watch these movies and go "You are fucking insane. That's the worst piece of shit I've ever seen!" Both those things are probably true but I don't care. I feel like I might be diving into a deep rabbit hole with these SOVs but I'm excited. What were these people thinking when they made this movie? Who knows. I'm just glad they did.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. said told me...you know what I mean

      Delete
    2. Yes! So glad you dug it! So Brent and I decided we were both going to tackle this today. Being that I have seen and loved the original 98 Min. cut years ago, I now consider making my way through the 2 hour 37 minute cut one of the greatest accomplishes of my life. This cut is half an endurance test of painful proportion and half a ton of tremendous fun.

      Look, you DO NOT need to see this cut AT ALL but Boardinghouse is one of the top three definitive SOV Horror films and it's also recognized as being the first. It is simply incredible and everyone needs to see it, especially with a crowd. I'm thinking of having a Boardinghouse, Things and Sledgehammer party for Halloween, although I will lose a ton of friends to brain damage.

      Only thing I'll add to Brent's post (which is dead on, "Hypnotic" is a perfect word) is that Wintergate's (the director and only film) use of EVERY SINGLE VHS, 1st Generation effect editing is freakin' insanity. It's comparable to Godard's editing for Breathless magnified by 1 million digital sweeps and transitions and does nothing to keep the pace going as Godard's intention was.

      (Oh, and how about that David Schwimmer with a beard look and sound-a-like in the beginning?! Holy crap.)

      One last thing - I read a blog review which stated:
      "Boardinghouse is essentially the sleazy american version of Nobuhiko Obayashi's House." Whoa! Bold statement, but actually not that far off.

      Delete
    3. I didn't realize the main guy played the gardener, too! Count me in for that Halloween Party!

      Delete
    4. Haha, I had no clue either! And that's the director. Surprised he didn't play more parts. Nice catch!

      Delete
    5. Nice! I should have realized he was the director when he was banging all the women!

      Delete
  26. The Den (2013)

    I.....hate this movie. Thoroughly unengaging. I'm only about halfway through, and I know exactly where it's going. Banal, uninspired, annoying. I'm gonna finish it, but I really, really don't want to.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't do it. You could have spent that time watching a better movie.

      Delete
    2. I thought it was pretty good but if you weren't into it right away, you might not like the rest.

      Delete
  27. Jurassic World...if i was gonna see it anytime it is Junesploitation...what annoys you more...thinking that they know the movie they made isn't good? or the idea that they knew it wasn't good and don't really give a damn? Parts of it are good....parts of it are convenient for going out to the restroom.. IMHO they spend too much time telling us what the movie is about instead of just showing us, and letting us decide. who am i kidding, people just want to see dinosaurs chasing and eating people. They should have cut it down to just that and saved the film stock. lots of red shirts to feed the dinos... and a long and pointlessly cruel death of some assistant minion, when the person who was begging to be eaten was Bryce Howard..and of course those left alive to be villains in the next film...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The best part is Chris Pratt's character, whose only reason for being in the movie is to vocally explain things that the audience can already see. It happens so much it's hilarious! Man, that movie is not good.

      Delete
    2. I found it really frustrating. I could kinda see what (I can't remember director's name) was going for but it got lost and smothered by a shitty block buster.

      Delete
    3. That completely unnecessary and mean-spirited assistant death is more shocking and brutal than half the X-rated shit I've seen this Junesploitation. What were they thinking?

      Delete
    4. There are no words for how terrible that scene is.

      Delete
    5. They were thinking "hell yeah! That scene will cement us into a perfect Juneploitation flick!"

      Delete
    6. The one thing we can agree on is that Patrick watched it wrong.

      Delete
    7. That scene went on way too long. It comes close to a Naked Gun death. And I agree that it was mean-spirited and unnecessary. The Jurassic 3 are on Netflix now, and I had forgotten that there is a similar death in The Lost World. A guy is trying frantically to save Julianne Moore and Jeff Goldblum and gets eaten in the process. But the manner in which he is killed, tossed about, then ripped in half by two dinosaurs competing for the treat, all while trying to save the heroes of the movie is about the same level as the Jurassic World death scene.

      Delete
    8. Michael GiammarinoJune 22, 2016 at 10:32 PM

      The death in The Lost World: Jurassic Park plays like something out of Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. It plays like a drive-in movie death. The death in Jurassic World plays like an exploitation/slasher movie death. When we see Zara and Bryce Dallas Howard together, when Bruce is welcoming the kids to the island, she and Zara are like two peas in a pod. They've become jaded by their job. Both are more in tune with their cell phones and their own business than their youthful charges. I think the point is to see Zara as an extention of Bryce. Soon after Zara dies that drawn out death, we see Bryce take charge of her situation more, protecting her nephews. Her previously jaded, out of touch behavior dies with Zara.

      Delete
  28. A Lizard in a Woman's Skin (1971, dir. Lucio Fulci)
    Good to fill in one of the biggest blanks in my Fulci viewing. I was put off at first with all the late '60s psychedelia and what I thought was Fulci being weird for the sake of weirdness, but then the movie calmed down and all that stuff found its purpose. There are still a handful of totally insane images (like a giant goose flying over the city and some dogs that are cut open from sternum to scrotum but are still being kept alive), but I found myself genuinely interested in the mystery that's established. It feels different from most of his other work, but I'd put this in the top third of Fulci's filmography.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is one of my favorite Fulci films but more so I might have this as my favorite Morricone score ever. It's ridiculously insane and it adds so much to the film. I actually find myself wanting to listen to the score more than wanting to rewatch the film.

      Delete
    2. For those who don't know - this is so sick:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQs5DEu6RHw

      Delete
    3. That is pretty great. I know this has nothing to do with this movie but the not-so-great movie The Ogre(Demons III) has a simple but great main theme. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xhrAlgqvJ4

      Delete
    4. I just said great 3 times. My thesaurus is broken.

      Delete
  29. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016, dir. Bryan Singer) - first viewing

    Impromptu outing to the cinema coincided with a Free Space day so there's that. Very paint by numbers - not the worst, not a whole lot to report. Don't think I'm long for the cinema.

    Off to listen to the podcast!

    ReplyDelete
  30. E.T. (1982)
    I have a distinct memory of watching the last 45 minutes or so when I was really young. Didn't think I'd seen it all the way through so the newest podcast convinced me. It's weirdly charming but I constantly felt like it shouldn't be working on me the way that it did. At least my memory of the ending makes more sense now.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Jaws 2 (1978)

    June 22, 2016. That's the day Daniel finally broke down and watched the sequel to his favorite movie.

    Man, I reeaally did not like this movie. The first half is a mediocre remake of Jaws. The second half is so painfully boring I almost died. I could not believe how dull they made Roy Scheider vs a shark. I wonder if the censors hit this movie hard, because the death scenes look terrible and are almost completely bloodless. Just goes back to what the guys said on today's episode. Spielberg makes it look easy.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Manhattan Baby (1982)

    Ho tre peni. Due dei tre parla italiano.

    A family is vacationing in Egypt when a lady hands the little girl an amulet. The dad gets blinded by a tomb but gets his sight back. When they return, hilarity ensues. Actually, the kids start acting weird...start disappearing and coming back. I was pretty bored and there wasn't enough gore or crazy acting to keep me going. I've seen Zombie, City of the Living Dead, The Beyond, The House by the Cemetery and The New York Ripper. To me, this is the worst Fulci that I've seen. Watch one of those instead.

    ReplyDelete
  33. The Game (1997)
    It is a fun, worthwhile thriller with great style, but unfortunately not a lot more.
    And that's ok.

    Antichrist (2009)
    I'll start with what seems to be the general consensus, which is the constant and almost overpowering sense of dread which practically oozes through the screen and speakers. It is incredibly atmospheric, and in terms of tone, absolutely accomplishes making the viewer as uncomfortable as possible. (STOP ZOOMING THOUGH!)
    I don't really know... I don't even feel like commenting on the movie as a movie because at this point it's basically just what I expected from Lars Von Trier. I guess I could say that I slowly lost interest in what was going on as it devolved into the kind of conversations that reminded me a lot of what I hated about Nymphomaniac (the only other full Lars Von Trier I've seen at this point). Or I could complain about the seemingly pretentious talking animals and blurry faced hill climbers. But maybe I'm just the one being lazy for not "getting" it.

    To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
    I liked it a lot more when I read one reviewer say that it's basically what would happen if Riggs and Murtaugh tried their rogue cop stuff in real life.
    The movie is VERY 80s, which is not inherently a problem, but it is sometimes quite distracting (especially the music). Willem Dafoe is perfectly cast and that car chase is excellent. Those are really the stand out things about the movie. It wasn't amazing, but it certainly wasn't bad.

    Beginners (2010)
    Whoever marketed this movie did a pretty bad job. By the look of the poster (especially that font) and the general plot description, it seems like a pretty generic quirky indie movie. But with a few generally unobtrusive exceptions (like the graphic design job he has or the inserted pictures of objects and time periods with voiceover), the movie is nothing like that. Ewan McGregor is phenomenal, and to me, the standout of the movie. Everyone else is great too though. I really feel like this is a movie I could come to love upon repeat viewings, I think the reason I'm not there yet is because I was just caught so completely off guard by how genuine and real the whole thing felt.

    ReplyDelete
  34. THE AWAKENING (2011)

    This one just sort of happened tonight and I am glad it did.
    Classy, old-school ghost story...or is it?

    Dominic West, solid as always. Imelda Staunton, the same.
    But Rebecca Hall...I'm just going to point out what a travesty it is that she is not a GIANT star.

    Solid flick.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, this was a really slept on, classic ghost story with great atmosphere and a creepy location. This came out during an awesome year long run of indies that included The Pact, Lovely Molly, Resolution, The Innkeepers, Absentia and Kill List to name a few. 2011-2012 was really strong for indies.

      Delete
  35. CLOSE RANGE (2015)

    Isaac Florentine directing Scott Adkins.

    That should tell you everything you need to know about whether or not this is a flick for you.

    It is SO for me.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Independence Day

    To get ready for the sequel I watched the original, Goldblum is the besttttt

    ReplyDelete
  37. The Untouchables (1987) and De Palma (2016)

    Caught both of these movies last night at the Music Box. I really love The Untouchables. It's a movie that De Palma makes look easy. Just about everything works except it is pretty surface-level throughout. Nothing wrong with that but I have to point out the reason I love this movie is for its style and swagger above all else.

    The documentary De Palma was OK. It's entertaining but going through the director's entire filmography in 110 minutes makes for a very cursory examination of most of his movies. At best you get maybe 3 or 4 minutes focused on them and at worst probably less than 1 minute. I came away from the movie wanting to continue plumbing the filmmaker's filmography but also thinking "That's it?" in terms of the documentary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Michael GiammarinoJune 23, 2016 at 2:48 PM

      If you're looking for a more immersive study of De Palma, might I recommend the books The De Palma Cut and De Palma Split-Screen, my favorite study of De Palma and his films in print. There's another book, Un-American Psycho, that I have yet to purchase.
      There's also the website DePalma ala Mod.

      Delete
  38. X-Men First Class (2011)

    I was slowly working my way through all the x-men movies until it got interrupted by Junesploitation, and decided to sneak one in. It was quite enjoyable, and it was nice seeing a new cast of characters. Unfortunately, as in all the movies the CGI is ramped further up, although it was mostly well done. By the time I get to the one in theaters now, it's just going to be an animated movie. Also, I believe Mystique must have had breast reduction surgery sometime between this movie and X-men.
    Pretty good watch, but it loses its way near the end, like most prequels, and it ties everything up to match up with the original X-men.

    ReplyDelete