Monday, June 27, 2016

Junesploitation 2016 Day 27: Apocalypse!

It's the end of the Earth as we know it!

68 comments:

  1. Turbo Kid (2015)

    I'm glade I waited until now to watch this. I could forget about the hype surrounding this movie, and just take it as it is. I loved it. I loved how the whole 80s vibe is there for a reason and not just because it looks cool. Though it looks freaken cool. I have never liked Aaron Jeffery more, I am in the Apple is adorable camp (though I did like the way she had an ark - if she had kept that pitch Apple had at the beginning it might have been too much). Michael Ironside is great, but I am always happy to see him pop up, and the last thing I will gush over is the torso that on that one dude and then the legs slush on top, might be one of the greatest gags I have seen in a movie ever.

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    1. It's a movie made just for junesploitation participants.

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    2. My film of the year last year, Apple's character first viewing can throw you a bit until you understand what she's doing and why, just have patience and faith in the film, second viewing is better than the first

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    3. Dennis I agree, at first Apple is just a big bundle of strange enthusaism. But you are seeing her through the Kid's eyes. But in a lesser movie, or a lesser actor, would have kept Apple at a certain pitch and it wouldn't have had any of the nuance she has.

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    4. Daniel - its like they read the junesploitation playbook :)

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    6. Amen about the Junesplotation handbook. I also am in the Apple is adorable camp :) Some fab comic gore too

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  2. Meteor (1979)

    There's a massive meteor heading towards the Earth, but luckily both the US and USSR have secret satellites with nuclear weapons in orbit, despite treaties to the contrary.

    A mix of a disaster movie and a cold war thriller, and it has all the hallmarks of both. Individuals are slow to trust the "enemy" but eventually overcome their prejudices, actors shouting exposition at each other in dramatic close-ups with sweeping music, interspersed with shots of the meteor making its way closer and closer. And a mustachioed Sean Connery, cranky because he was pulled out of retirement in the middle of a sailboat race, but quick to hit on the Russian girl.

    It's by the numbers, but not a bad movie if you can get past the terrible effects and the occasional overacting. I kinda love that several inanimate objects have their own theme music. The meteor has its own twangy guitar riff and both satellites have distinct themes.

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  4. She (1982)

    The only movie from 1982 that I had to watch that I had already seen.

    All credit goes to Chaybee for this one. I was in Mexico in May and I get this text that said "you have to watch She." I watched it the next night and fell in love with it. I love a movie that keeps trying to out-weird itself. It mixes a lot of different genres. It's post-apocalyptic, sword & sandals, science-fiction, a comedy. There's a Frankenstein robot, werewolves, swastikas, a cult leader who shoots lasers from his eyes, an impersonator...I could keep going on until the end of time. I think I liked it even better on this second viewing. If you go on Wikipedia, there's a one or two paragraph summary that barely scratches the surface of this crazy thing. It's like someone ate everything in their kitchen and puked up rainbows.

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  5. Night of the Comet (1984)

    First time watching. A comet causes the sky to turn red with tiger stripes, those exposed turn to red dust or become zombies, the only ones unaffected are those who were sheltered by metal.

    It's a fun movie more in the mood of Dawn of the Dead or Near Dark in that it follows the characters more than being a all out action or horror movie. It's a movie I imagine I might get more out of on further viewings now that I know what to expect from the movie.

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    1. Bought the Blu-ray after this year's #fthismoviefest, and I've been waiting all June to re-watch it tonight. Can't wait.

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    2. I wanted to watch this apocolypse, but life happened and I could only watch one movie. Am going to have to squeeze it in on free space. The more I read about it the more I want to watch it.

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    3. I want to rewatch this soon, I think it is great!

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  6. Yakuza Apocalypse (2015)

    Standard Japanese gangster movie. Until the vampires. Soon arrive more fantastical characters and the plot becomes more opaque. This is all before the point the movie completely derails (in a good way). Then it just ends.

    This movie seems to be saying, if everyone becomes a gangster, who can they prey upon. Perhaps there is more subtle commentary going on, but I missed it, due to not being Japanese. There is a lot of humour, but again, some of it just seems weird (but fun) because I'm not Japanese.

    I was surprised to learn this was the same director of 13 Assassins, which I've been meaning to watch. I think I might be visiting some of his other good movies (he made a lot of movies, many of them crap).

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    1. If I can nail a Revenge and Bugs movie today, I'll be all caught up! I'm glad to get back to more Junesploitation fare, as I relaxed back into more standard stuff lately.

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    2. 13 assassins is awesome! You should definitely seek it out. It's gorgeous, and dirty, and bloody, and super entertaining.

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  7. Exterminators of the Year 3000 (1983)

    The Road Warrior meets...uh, The Road Warrior, I guess. But Italian. And with a kid who's also an android. So in other words, pretty much exactly what you want out of Junesploitation.

    Crazy stunts are the order of the day as our intrepid heroes (they probably have names but forget it Jake, it's Junesploitationtown) face off with marauding gangs over their limited water supply. It's a lot of fun and super fast-paced, as fat-free a Mad Max ripoff as you could hope for. It's easy to expect to enjoy a movie like this ironically, but it was a pleasant surprise in that it was just plain enjoyable without that ironic remove. Really fun.

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  8. She (1982)

    Such a weird mix of stuff, like someone threw ten fantasy movie scripts into the air, randomly picked up some pages and made a movie out of them. A real blast!

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  9. SUPERSTARLET A.D. (2000)
    How to describe this? It’s the post-apocalypse, and all the survivors are women -- only they’re dolled up in burlesque lingerie, hair, and makeup. There’s some business about a search for a long-lost stag film, but mostly this is plotless. Filmed in grainy black and white, the movie is content to jump randomly from one burlesque and/or performance art piece to another. I enjoyed the movie, but its art-for-art’s-sake vibe won’t be for everyone.

    DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS (1963)
    This one is often a bad-movie punchline, but I really liked it! It’s got a great sense of atmosphere, and the monsters are total B-movie cool. The fact that most of the human survivors of the apocalypse have gone blind adds a lot of complications, as well as a sense of real creepiness.

    BOUNTY KILLER (2013)
    Another winner! This one has a sharp sense of humor and wonderfully silly mythology built up around the characters. At the halfway point, there’s a terrific Mad Max-style chase through the desert with all sorts of awesome stunts and gore gags. Unfortunately, the movie loses steam after that, for a “that’s it?” ending. The good outweighs the bad, though, so it’s still fun.

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    1. I am not sure why I havw wanted to watch Day of the triffids but this has vocalised something I might want out of it, despite hearing it is bad it is before going in!

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    2. Can I ask how you saw Day of the Triffids? It's one I've wanted to see since John Carpenter was rumored to be involved in a remake about 15 years ago.

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    3. I saw this in high school, probably on a betamax. I remember liking it, though it might just have been better than usual school.

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    4. Triffids has a reputation of being a Plan 9 from Outer Space type of thing, but I thought it's way above that. There's a scene at a train station that is especially intense.

      And, yeah, I YouTubed it.

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    5. Triffids is a wonderful book, though. I highly recommend it.

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    6. You can rent Day of the Triffids from Amazon streaming although it's in SD. It's got Howard Keel in it though who'll I'll always love after Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

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  10. Z For Zacharia (2015, dir. Craig Zobel, on DVD) - First Time Viewing: 3-Hander about the last 3 people in the world(?) starring Margot Robbie, Chiwetel Ejiefor, and Chris Pine. The apocalypse will only be populated by hunks and babes! Some really good performances here but this doesn't bring a whole lot new to the table. It was ite (2.5 out of 5 Griers).

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    1. I saw this like a month or two ago and I swear I already forgot this movie even existed till I read this.

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    2. Ditto, except I never made it past the trailer. Looked instantly forgettable.

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    3. I also saw Independence Day: Resurgence (ID5?) and say what you will but it was not forgettable! I will remember this one long after I forget Z For Zacharia (which is riiiiight.... NOW). I hope Patrick and co. hold true to the tease and do a podcast on this bad boy, it could be a great one.

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    4. Haven't seen it. Will wait for VOD.

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  11. Lynne Littman's TESTAMENT (1983, 89 min.) on Amazon Rental for the first time. Trailer.

    Released theatrically in '83 even though it was meant to be a made-for-TV movie for PBS (where it wound up airing a year after "The Day After"), "Testament" is the "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" (i.e. genuine article) of movies about nuclear apocalypse befalling the United States. That the movie's first 19 minutes are a Spielbergian homage to American suburbia (the Wetherlys could easily swap places with "Poltergeist's" Freeling family) directed by a woman only makes the plight that befalls this family all the more harrowing. Imagine a monster-less "Cloverfield"-type drama on sticks about the civilians in the background of the shots where the hero of a post-apocalyptic movie is going somewhere. No talking dogs, super computer that wants to play games or robots from the future in this nuclear wasteland, though. Just radiation poisoning in the air/water and gradual breakdown of societal norms taking its months-long toll on housewife Carol (Jane Alexander) and her children (including Lukas Haas in his film debut) as they tough it out in their California community waiting for dad Tom (William Devane) to return home from work... someday.

    For a movie clearly exploiting Cold War anxieties from the era (#Nukesploitation) the most unnerving aspect of "Testament" is how easily it finds non-exploitative ways to crush your soul. Whether it's Carol describing to daughter Mary Liz (Roxana Zal) what's it like to have sex that they both know the latter will never experience, or newlyweds Kevin Costner and Rebecca De Mornay worried about breastfeeding their newborn, the reliance on actors and realism instead of special effects elevates the production. I can't recommend this to everybody (the handful of clips on YouTube are all you need to get an idea), but for fans of pull-no-punches sobering dramas (i.e. not "Maggie," which tries to be what "Testament" is and falls way short) this is standout work. I'd give it a 'DING! DING! DING!,' but that'd feel too uncivilized and beneath this movie's pedigree (because snobbery). A little too classy for Junesploitation!, but that's what I was in the mood for on a rare free day from work. :-)

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  12. World Gone Wild (1987) Dir. Lee H. Katzin

    Pretty fun post-apocalyptic flick taking place in 2087 where water is now the most important commodity. Bruce Dern and Michael Pare are our heroes trying to protect a water source and take down an evil cult leader (played by Adam Ant!) who has other plans for them. Julius "Sho Nuff" Carry plays a dude named Nitro wearing a purple skintight leotard thing. Catherine Mary Stewart is our leading lady. Bruce Dern is great as always. The theme song "World Gone Wild" during the opening credits by the band Chequered Past is definitive of 80's theme songs.

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    1. Wow, not available for streaming or even on Amazon for VHS purchase in the States. Where'd you see it, Chaybee?

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    2. YouTube - good copy too. Btw - I refuse to ever watch a movie on my phone or computer so I just want to be clear that I cast YouTube to my 60" :)

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    3. Ditto, except I'm old-fashioned and hook-up an HDMI laptop to my 58" Vizio. :-)

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  13. The Last Man on Earth (1964)

    The first and most faithful adaptation of I Am Legend, it's still maybe not a great movie despite starring Vincent Price. An early example of a movie that maybe suffers a bit by following too closely to its source material, it hits most of the plot points but never really seems to find the emotion in any of it.

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    1. Though out legend and this, which do you prefer?

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    3. I love the novel but it's a shame none of the adaptions have been able to capture the essence of the source. The book is legitimately scary but most adaptions play as action. I have yet to check out this one but a faithful adaption of the book is something I would love to see, even if it does miss the mark!

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    4. I much prefer this to I Am Legend. I actually like The Omega Man also even though it differs a lot from the story. I don't dislike The Last Man on Earth but there's just a little something missing. Richard Matheson actually helped write the screenplay which is probably why it's so faithful to the story but he ended up being disappointed enough by it that he was credited under a pseudonym.

      Another fun fact, Matheson also wrote the Twilight Episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" among others.

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    5. Cool I always find this stuff interesting! !!

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  14. When Worlds Collide (1951): So I wanted some of that apocolypse B movie style. This looked interesting, so I went for it. I tjought it had a lot going for it. It has some bleak things to say about humanity and it has morality take a head to head with the end of the world, though this is not dealt with nearly as well as some others I have seen has done. This movie feels uncomfortably white washed at times. I know the year it came out in, but it made a point of using other nations and races during faux news bullitins and the UN scene. There would have been a powerful point to end the movie, which is a line a charater says as the ship takes off. However, some awful studio note happens making it actually painful. It would be enough to ruin the film if it didn't feel like a rotally different film. Darn 50s studios sometimes. You can tell they were worried about the seriousness of the film and the audience needed a happily ever after to appease their weak and feeble hearts. Nevertheless, I will probably revisit and end at the point I refered to earlier. Sydney is a very interesting character thatcadds a good touch of melodramatic cynism to the mix.

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  15. Prince of Darkness (1987, dir. John Carpenter)
    I was going to seek out something new today but I'm sick as fuuuck and wanted something comfortable, provided you can agree that 102 minutes of sustained dread is "comfortable." I still wish some things were different about the movie (better characters, less dialogue in which people try to explain very difficult concepts), but it gets better every time I watch it. Now that this and In the Mouth of Madness have been embraced not just as underrated but as two more of Carpenter's greats, what will be his next underrated movie to have its reputation restored?

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    1. Escape From LA? (Is it considered underrated? I've yet to see it).

      No, The Ward. Definitely The Ward. I'm going for the long odds/big money!

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    2. Definitely Ghosts of Mars. Such an entertaining movie.

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    3. I'm just gonna toss this out there, but I actually think Village of the Damned is pretty good.

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    4. Having just rewatched the Scream Factory Blu-ray, I though the first 45/60 minutes were much stronger than I remembered. The rest was pretty much what I thought.

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    5. That sounds about right. But I do like all the stuff with Reeve at the end. But I haven't seen it in a while, I should give Carpenter a revisit in October, because right now I'd say I like Village more than The Fog (I'll show myself out now)

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    6. I think "Christine" is very underrated as a Carpenter joint. Yes, it's lumped together with "Carrie" as an early good film adaptation of King's work, but it's still mostly perceived as Carpenter work-for-hire. Personally I rank it very high among Carpenter's filmography, one of his better studio pics.

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  16. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
    It's cheesy now, but it worked then. It's still entertaining to watch, but it lost some of the old movie thrill that it had the first time I saw it. Really can't stand how horrible Bobby's mother is to him either. That always gets me for some reason.

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  17. Night Watch Nochnoi Dozor. 2004


    This film baffled and amazed me, again, it so strange to see a big Budget Dark vs Light film with a massive scope made in Russia Vampire epic, Russia does already have towns that look apocalyptic so they got that nailed, Fantastic special effects and the Camera work is beautiful, the film in places looks Stunning, its not a film I hear much talk about but its kinda fantastic that it actually exists in the world !

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  18. Ps I'm excited for tomorrow, its Xtro day, spread the love

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  19. Real late getting into Junesploitation – unfortunately work and life got in the way. But I’m here! (I’ll try and make up for lost time…)

    Knowing (2009)
    Similar to M Night Shyamalan, I recognise that Alex Proyas is a director of diminishing returns. That being said, I kind of dig the ridiculous solemnity of this movie (weird light aliens included). Nic Cage can really sell a conspiracy theory and the (SPOILERS!) apocalypse at the end of the movie is strangely satisfying. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    Turbo Kid (2015)
    A no brainer for the F This Movie Community (I see Lindsay beat me to the punch). It’s great. This movie has a vibe that feels utterly unique – I can’t really describe it, it’s kind of old but also very fresh & new at the same time. Apple’s aggressive quirkiness is so endearing that I totally get the Kid's utter bemusement. I love love love this movie and love the movie website that introduced it to me (love you P Broms!).

    WALL-E (2008)
    This one’s a cheat, but I saw Finding Dory earlier today and was hankering for more Pixar. I know people bang on about how most Pixar movies end up in an “action-y” third act that never quite fulfills the promise of the first two acts, but most of the time the movie has generated that much goodwill in me already that I sort of just ride the wave. WALL-E is probably my favourite Pixar movie out of the bunch. The opening scenes never fail to completely suck me in.

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    1. I think Wall-E is a great choice I love that movie

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  20. Pacific Rim... apocalypse with monsters. seriously after a few viewings you start ffwding past the talky parts. Just get to the rock em sock em robot parts..and the part with Charlie Day, cause that's funny. The Mako character still bothers the crap out of me, she is essentially a manga character, but then so is the whole film. But Del Toro has given us more balanced women characters elsewhere I suppose we can forgive him this one male fantasy chick - cause the base for this film are boys who live in their moms basement who are afraid of 3d women. How can i not own this film... Idiris Elba in bespoke suits and form fitting armor...yummy....

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  21. I'm late again, but who really cares?

    These Final Hours (2013)

    Phew...
    Besides a few small problems (occasional dialogue and some of the little girls acting) These Final Hours is fantastic. It sucked me in immediately and didn't let go until the credits started rolling. Excellent acting from Nathan Phillips and gorgeously haunting cinematography. I highly recommend it.

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  22. I´m even later ;-)

    Carriers (2009)

    Four friends are fleeing a viral pandemic that wiped out most of the population. On their way to a beach they often visited during their childhood, they pick up a father and his daughter. When it turns out that she is infected, everything goes south.
    Small and slow but interesting movie, which is more interested in the moral decision people make to survive.
    Fine performances by Chris Pine, Lou Taylor Pucci, Piper Perabo and Chris Meloni.

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  23. Akira - 1988

    First time watch, love anime but man this film is crazy, think it needs a rewatch but i thought it was ok/good, feel like Chronicle took a lot of inspiration from this.

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    1. We should have an Anime day next year. It's a genre I haven't explored at all....yet.

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  24. A Boy and His Dog (1975) (first time viewing)

    Don Johnson and his telepathic dog wander the post-apocalyptic wasteland to find women for Johnson. If you want a light-hearted take on rape and cannibalism, then this one's for you.

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