As a horror movie junkie, I come across a lot of off beat Horror movies as well as the run in the mill straight to video. I will share my thoughts of the ones that I see this month. So, if you seen a movie new or old and want to share your thoughts go ahead, and if its horror, even better!!!!
I will edit in my horror views here with my rating scale on how I liked it.....
8 = Donnie Darko
7 = Excellent !!!!!
6 = Great
5 = pretty Good
4 = OK/Good
3 = not good
2 = Bad
1 = Unwatchable
==========================================
#3786 The Ritual (UK-2017) ... 6.0/8
#3787 Kanika (India-2017) ... 3.5/8
#3788 Before I Wake (US-2016) ... 7.0/8
#3789 1922 (US-2017) ... 4.0/8
#3790 Cloverfield 3: The Cloverfield Paradox (US-2018) ... 5.0/8
#3791 Crocodile (UK-2017) ... 6.0/8
#3792 The Babysitter (US-2017) ... 6.0/8
#3793 Hide & Seek (India-2010) ... 1.5/8
#3794 The Vault (US-2017) ... 3.0/8
#3795 The Void (Canada-2016) ... 5.5/8
#3796 King Kong (US-1976) ... 4.5/8
#3797 Friend Request (Germany-2016) ... 4.5/8
#3798 Bedeviled (US-2016) ... 4.5/8
#3799 Demonic (US-2015) ... 5.0/8
#3800 Be Afraid (US-2017) ... 6.0/8
#3801 Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (Japan-2017) ... 3.0/8
Mystic River (2003)- interesting movie directed by Clint Eastwood starring Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon. Penn and Robbins won Oscars for best actor and best supporting actor for this movie. Kind of a murder mystery with compelling twists and turns. Very well done. 7/8.
1945 - One of the best films I will see this year. The story is of what happens at the end of WWII when Jews come back to a community in which they previously lived. Do they want revenge? Will they demand their property back? What do they want?
The Hungarian director obviously loves the American film, High Noon (1952) as he borrows many motifs, images and even the story line template from that film. Just like High Noon, there are clocks everywhere, ticking away the minutes until an event revolving around a train takes place. There is also a crucial moment which takes place in a church full of people and involves a plea for help, just as in High Noon.
The ending is unexpected, jarring and very moving.
Run Silent, Run Deep 1958 - This is at least the second time I have seen this WWII flick about a submarine crew. Clark Gable, Burt Lancaster, Don Rickles (yes, that DR) and Jack Warden. I thought the acting left a little to be desired, but the movie did a good job of depicting the multiple perils of being on a sub during wartime. Those torpedoes, depth charges and Jap Zeros (?) get your attention!
5/8 though in an earlier viewing I might have given it a 6.
Brilliant, deeply dark comedy about the events that unfolded immediately after the death of Joseph Stalin. Great performances by a host of diverse actors. The decision by the director to allow the actors to portray their characters using non-Russian accents was inspired. Whether it's Steve Buscemi's nasally Nikita Krushchev or Jason Isaacs bombastic cockney Marshal Zhukov, it works.
If you're a history buff you should check this movie out. It's a masterful tale of life under a totalitarian dictatorship. It's also nice to see "Hollywood" actually make a movie critical of the most evil ideology of the 20th century - no, not the Nazis but the communists.
Buscemi plays Krushchev? I gotta see this? Buscemi is a string bean and Krushchev was a balding fat man who stood 5'3".
Yes he does and against all odds it works. The guy that steals the show IMO though is Jason Isaacs as Marshal Zhukov. Zhukov was the red army's greatest WW2 general (think Patton but only tougher) and he played a crucial role in the post Stalin death coup attempts.
The other surprise is that behind the dark humor the story is historically very accurate.
Thanks, I always appreciate your insight into shows and movies. I saw this the other day on my appletv and liked the premise, but thought ehhh, been burned too many times and moved along.
Looks like I know what I will be watching tonight.
Godspell (1973) - Much more dated than its contemporary Jesus Christ Superstar (1973). The film tells the gospel in a very entertaining nature but the slapstick, pantomime and Sesame Street like action leaves a lot of people cold. One has to remember this was a film made by young "show kids" in the early seventies who grew up watching early film comedies on tv. There was a lot of Keystone Cops and Chaplin type shtick.
Godspell (1973) - Much more dated than its contemporary Jesus Christ Superstar (1973). The film tells the gospel in a very entertaining nature but the slapstick, pantomime and Sesame Street like action leaves a lot of people cold. One has to remember this was a film made by young "show kids" in the early seventies who grew up watching early film comedies on tv. There was a lot of Keystone Cops and Chaplin type shtick.
The songs are very good and hold up well.
4/8
I attended a Catholic high school in the early-to-mid seventies and a nun played the song "Day by Day" (from "Godspell") every single day before class started.
We nicknamed her "Sister Groovy".
Our entire school also watched "Jesus Christ Superstar" in the school gym before our Easter break. Groovy.
I attended a Catholic high school in the early-to-mid seventies and a nun played the song "Day by Day" (from "Godspell") every single day before class started.
We nicknamed her "Sister Groovy".
Our entire school also watched "Jesus Christ Superstar" in the school gym before our Easter break. Groovy.
Yeah, I was a "Jesus Freak" back then as well. I still am in many ways. Really, I just gave up the bell bottoms and suspenders.
Words and Music (1948) - Very sad story of Lorenz Hart of the musical team Rodgers and Hart (before Rodgers teamed up with Hammerstein). The movie was a star studded tribute to Hart and his music but all of the glitz could not hide the obvious difficulty of being a gay man in 1930's and 1940's Hollywood. They played it off by describing his depression as being a result of being rejected by one woman who was his only serious relationship but most gay men in Hollywood at that time married or pursued women publically as a "beard". I am glad things are easier, relatively speaking, for gay men today.
An unintended influence on Rock and Roll music was his partner making the "50's progression" popular in their hit "Blue Moon" which became a torch song and a rock and roll standard. The cord progression created the foundation for early rock and roll.
Horror: Stephen King adaptation. A struggling farmer in 1922 will go through drastic matters so keep his land... 4.0/8
Before I Wake (2016)
Horror: A couple foster an 8 year boy with a deadly gift. This one was from Mike Flanagan who has become one of my favorites in the horror genre as he as done the movies: Absentia, Oculus, Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil, and Gerald's Game. Before I Wake is an amazing film and had a scene that made me about crap myself. This guy knows how to do movies!!!! Great job by the actor who plays the little boy who sold the part perfectly..... 7.0/8
Horror: A doctor is haunted by a little girl to the point where it starts to destroy his career. Oh the secrets we have in this one.... ok, I really liked the story but this one had no delivery. The ghost girl was not scary at all but could of been with some better direction.... 4.0/8
The Ritual (UK-2017)
Horror: 4 chums head into the wilderness of Sweden or Denmark not quite sure and experience strange events when they seek shelter from a storm in an old cabin. Oh yes, this is my type of film.... 6.0/8
Horror/Sci-Fi: energy crisis, space station... the crew, something goes wrong. Where are we, where is the Earth??? OK, no giant monsters in this one but it was still interesting.... 5.0/8
5/8
Sci-fi: I love Gal Gadot and they did a pretty good job of casting the heroes. The main villain (Steppenwolf) was a terrible choice because he is an obscure DC character. Plus, all I could think of was going on a magic carpet ride. They should've had Darkseid as the villain.
I attended a Catholic high school in the early-to-mid seventies and a nun played the song "Day by Day" (from "Godspell") every single day before class started.
We nicknamed her "Sister Groovy".
Our entire school also watched "Jesus Christ Superstar" in the school gym before our Easter break. Groovy.
Catholic HS also mid 70's. I think we spent an entire semester analyzing "Jesus Christ Superstar"
Horror/Comedy: A 12 year old boy Cole who gets picked on still has a babysitter but hey, she is very hot. One day Cole decides to see what she does after he is supposed to go to sleep, well, I'm not telling..... This was an entertaining watch and if you can ignore the flaws it is a blast.... 6.0/8
Horror: This is not the one with Robert D'Nero. We are back in India and this time a group of 6 find themselves trapped in a closed mall and forced to play a deadly game of Hide and Seek. This one was pretty bad and the score made it worse. Of course we had that "Saw" like twist at the end but I could care less by then. I needed a bad one like this..... 1.5/8
Took the grandkids and surprisingly had a good time. The kids laughed a lot and the characters were interesting. In the battle of X Cav players / movie roles Irving blows away Lebron.
Make up people did a good job overall with most of the character transformations. Seeing Shaq made of like a 350 pound Wolverine and Chris Weber made to look like a 7 foot tall Indian was bizarre.
Gotham 6/8 Binging now starting Season 4. Sometimes, absolute Gold with huge swings of repetitiveness and shark jumping.
I would jones if they had an episode where these characters were watching an old Adam West episode. Reactions could be hilarious. There was some other show, a re-do or show about a show, I was thinking this would be a cool idea, but I can't think of it now.
Horror: Bank robbers rob a bank that just happens to be haunted. No character development so did not care what happened to everyone plus stupid character decisions... 3.0/8
Horror: this one was strange and felt a lot like "Prince of Darkness". A police officer takes an injured man to a closing understaffed hospital and here is where bizarre things takes place. Not sure if I really understood everything that was happening but the 80's feel made it an interesting watch and I'm glad they old schooled the creature affects! CGI creatures would of ruined it!!!!! ... 5.5/8
Linear Mode
