Mr. Right (2015)
In this time of responsible social distancing and self-quarantining due to the new corona-virus, we figured it was a good time to cull our Netflix list and find a true diamond in the rough. A suggestion I have for you is Mr. Right written by Max Landis and directed by Paco Cabezas. Mr. Right is not your typical Rom-Com. It's more tongue in cheek, which is humor I appreciate, and there is plenty of action to go around.
The Premise
Newly single Martha isn't looking for love but that's what she finds when she runs into Francis. She isn't put of by his casual "jokes" about being a hitman, but when people start really trying to kill to them, she thinks it might be time for a break.
My Take
I have self confessed crushes on both Anna Kendrick, who plays Martha, and Sam Rockwell, who plays Francis. So imagine my elation when I saw they were paired up in this film! They make an adorable, awkward, and super cute movie couple.
In Mr. Right, Francis never lies to Martha about being a killer. He slips it into casual conversation, telling her the truth the whole time. She never quite knows what to expect from him, which is why she likes him so much. He's new and exciting and not like any guy she's ever been with before. But when the bullets start flying, she starts having second thoughts, like any sane woman would. Then again, she really likes this guy...
Acting as Martha's voice of reason is her roommate and best friend Sophie (Katie Nehra). Sophie is immediately suspicious of Francis and has no problems voicing her concerns. She has every right to be worried about her friend. Especially because people like Tim Roth, RZA, Anson Mount, Michael Eklund and James Ransone are all after him.
The Verdict
A lot of times, movies that have all-stars casts like this make me nervous to watch them. Truthfully. I have found there are times not enough attention is paid to the script or direction and all of it goes to who stars in the movie. If you enjoy dark humor, action, comedy, and romance, I suggest giving Mr. Right a chance. It seems to have slid under the radar as far as movies go. I give Mr. Right 1 perfect clown nose. Why? You'll have to watch to find out.
Showing posts with label netflix. Show all posts
Showing posts with label netflix. Show all posts
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
I'm a big fan of heartwarming stories and an even bigger fan of tales of redemption. I was finally able to watch "The Peanut Butter Falcon", written and directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz, which has been at the top of my Netflix since its release. It's one of those rare films that is funny, touching, and also manages to sneak in a life lesson at the same time.
The Premise
Zak, a young man with Down Syndrome, is living in a retirement home because he has no family left to care for him. However, that hasn't dampened his dreams of becoming a professional wrestler. After breaking out of the retirement home, he meets Tyler, who is running away from problems of his own. To make matters even more complicated, the duo are being pursued by Eleanor, an employee of the retirement home, and people seeking revenge for Tyler's wrongdoings.
My Take
Having spent a good portion of my professional life working in special education and retirements homes, I have a soft spot for characters like Zak. No one should ever be abandoned or made to feel it's impossible to pursue their dreams. I was fortunate that the educators I worked with were very good at what they did and (I hope) left all the children feeling loved and encouraged. That being said, the situation Zak was left in was very sad indeed and it highlights the need for more characters like Eleanor in schools and retirement homes.
Zak was played by Zack Gottsagen. Zach was naturally brilliant in this role and a perfect choice. Of course rumor has it that the role was written for Zack, so why wouldn't he be perfect? To back him up were fellow Texan, Dakota Johnson, as Eleanor and Shia LaBeouf as Tyler. I liked Johnson as Eleanor. She played Eleanor as soft spoken, sweet, and patient. All good qualities for working in retirement homes or with people with disabilities. As the opposite, Shia LaBeouf was gruff and impatient. He treated the character Zak as if he were no different than anyone else. That's also a good quality for people to have - not to talk down, shame, or belittle those that are different. So here you are with Zak book-ended with perfect examples of people he needs in his life. The overprotective "mothering" Eleanor and a "big brother" that takes no shit to show him the world.
I spoke earlier of a story of redemption. LaBeouf's character, Tyler, is in need of a little saving when he meets Zak. Tyler is on the lam when he and Zak first meet. He agrees to takes Zak just as far as his goal - a wrestling school - but the adventures they have on the way forge a bond between the two men. The actions Tyler takes in teaching, protecting, and befriending Zak renews his spirit when he is at his lowest point.
Rounding out the cast is Thomas Haden Church as Zak's all-time favorite wrestler, Salt Water Redneck, and real wrestler Jake 'The Snake' Roberts as Sam. Also, a special shout out to Zak's roommate played by Bruce Dern. He was the perfect accomplice to Zak's great escape..
The Verdict
"The Peanut Butter Falcon" was a well executed tale. It has all the elements of a great story - comedy, suspense, heart, wonder. I began to really feel for Zak and Tyler as they made their way to the wrestling school and as it came to the climax, I was pleasantly pleased at the way it all came out. I give "The Peanut Butter Falcon" 1.. 2... 3! 3 out of 3 wrestling moves. (I would count to 10 but that just seems really long haha!)
The Premise
Zak, a young man with Down Syndrome, is living in a retirement home because he has no family left to care for him. However, that hasn't dampened his dreams of becoming a professional wrestler. After breaking out of the retirement home, he meets Tyler, who is running away from problems of his own. To make matters even more complicated, the duo are being pursued by Eleanor, an employee of the retirement home, and people seeking revenge for Tyler's wrongdoings.
My Take
Having spent a good portion of my professional life working in special education and retirements homes, I have a soft spot for characters like Zak. No one should ever be abandoned or made to feel it's impossible to pursue their dreams. I was fortunate that the educators I worked with were very good at what they did and (I hope) left all the children feeling loved and encouraged. That being said, the situation Zak was left in was very sad indeed and it highlights the need for more characters like Eleanor in schools and retirement homes.
Zak was played by Zack Gottsagen. Zach was naturally brilliant in this role and a perfect choice. Of course rumor has it that the role was written for Zack, so why wouldn't he be perfect? To back him up were fellow Texan, Dakota Johnson, as Eleanor and Shia LaBeouf as Tyler. I liked Johnson as Eleanor. She played Eleanor as soft spoken, sweet, and patient. All good qualities for working in retirement homes or with people with disabilities. As the opposite, Shia LaBeouf was gruff and impatient. He treated the character Zak as if he were no different than anyone else. That's also a good quality for people to have - not to talk down, shame, or belittle those that are different. So here you are with Zak book-ended with perfect examples of people he needs in his life. The overprotective "mothering" Eleanor and a "big brother" that takes no shit to show him the world.
I spoke earlier of a story of redemption. LaBeouf's character, Tyler, is in need of a little saving when he meets Zak. Tyler is on the lam when he and Zak first meet. He agrees to takes Zak just as far as his goal - a wrestling school - but the adventures they have on the way forge a bond between the two men. The actions Tyler takes in teaching, protecting, and befriending Zak renews his spirit when he is at his lowest point.
Rounding out the cast is Thomas Haden Church as Zak's all-time favorite wrestler, Salt Water Redneck, and real wrestler Jake 'The Snake' Roberts as Sam. Also, a special shout out to Zak's roommate played by Bruce Dern. He was the perfect accomplice to Zak's great escape..
The Verdict
"The Peanut Butter Falcon" was a well executed tale. It has all the elements of a great story - comedy, suspense, heart, wonder. I began to really feel for Zak and Tyler as they made their way to the wrestling school and as it came to the climax, I was pleasantly pleased at the way it all came out. I give "The Peanut Butter Falcon" 1.. 2... 3! 3 out of 3 wrestling moves. (I would count to 10 but that just seems really long haha!)
Friday, December 13, 2019
Ready or Not (2019)
Ready or Not (2019)
Since I can't go to the movies because of my seizures, I tend to load up my Netflix list with movies I really want to see. Ready or Not has been at the top of my list ever since I saw its first preview. It looked like a combination of The Most Dangerous Game (Richard Connell) and You're Next (2011).
The Premise
When a member of the Le Domas family gets married, it's tradition to initiate the new in-law by playing a game on their wedding night. The whole family gets into the spirit of things. Why? Because there's a curse on the Le Domas family and if they don't play, they believe something awful will happen. Sometimes the games are harmless, like chess or checkers. But every once in a while, they are forced to play a deadly game of hide and seek.
My Take
I love a good dark comedy and that's how I viewed this movie, more so than a horror film. The actors played their parts straight despite the somewhat absurd circumstances they were put in. I mean, who plays hide and seek on their wedding night with their entire clan of in-laws hunting them down with antique weaponry?
Samara Weaving and Mark O'Brien play the newly married Grace and Alex Le Domas. You may remember Samara from The Babysitter (2017). Except this time she's on the receiving end of some weird shit from a devil worshiping family. To round out the family, there's Adam Brody who plays Daniel Le Domas. With Daniel's character, you never know which side he is on and that makes it really exciting to watch from scene to scene. Melanie Scrofano plays sister Emilie who, from an actor's standpoint, would have been a lot of fun to play. She seems like the family member that took full advantage of the family fortune and never worked a day in her life. And of course there are dear old mom and dad played by Andie MacDowell and Henry Czerny. My favorite thing about their relationship is thinking about the fact that Andie MacDowell's character, Becky Le Domas, would have had to endure the same initiation right of choosing a game to play that the current bride, Grace, is doing right now. What doesn't kill us, I suppose... That brings us to the other in-laws played by Kristian Bruun and Elyse Levesque. I am familiar with Kristian and Elyse from their work on Orphan Black (2013-2017), one of my favorite shows ever. It's fun to see them paired up in the same movie. And finally, there is what appears to be crazy Aunt Helene (Nicky Guadagni), but we learn more about her as the movie progresses.
There are many things I enjoy about this movie. The plot moves along quickly and it doesn't give the audience much time to anticipate what happens next. I like that because it makes it less difficult to predict the scriptwriters next move. There's nothing I hate more than figuring it out all in the first act. So thank you very much Guy Buick and Ryan Murphy. The direction was also well thought out I loved the production design (Matt Bettinelli-Olin and Tyler Gillett).
The Verdict
I was not at all disappointed in Ready or Not. I am disappointed in that I feel like it was sleeper in the cinemas. Maybe it will find its footing in its DVD release or in streaming. I recommend you give it try. I give Ready or Not 5/5 pentagrams. And a little word of advice - be careful who you marry.
Since I can't go to the movies because of my seizures, I tend to load up my Netflix list with movies I really want to see. Ready or Not has been at the top of my list ever since I saw its first preview. It looked like a combination of The Most Dangerous Game (Richard Connell) and You're Next (2011).
The Premise
When a member of the Le Domas family gets married, it's tradition to initiate the new in-law by playing a game on their wedding night. The whole family gets into the spirit of things. Why? Because there's a curse on the Le Domas family and if they don't play, they believe something awful will happen. Sometimes the games are harmless, like chess or checkers. But every once in a while, they are forced to play a deadly game of hide and seek.
My Take
I love a good dark comedy and that's how I viewed this movie, more so than a horror film. The actors played their parts straight despite the somewhat absurd circumstances they were put in. I mean, who plays hide and seek on their wedding night with their entire clan of in-laws hunting them down with antique weaponry?
Samara Weaving and Mark O'Brien play the newly married Grace and Alex Le Domas. You may remember Samara from The Babysitter (2017). Except this time she's on the receiving end of some weird shit from a devil worshiping family. To round out the family, there's Adam Brody who plays Daniel Le Domas. With Daniel's character, you never know which side he is on and that makes it really exciting to watch from scene to scene. Melanie Scrofano plays sister Emilie who, from an actor's standpoint, would have been a lot of fun to play. She seems like the family member that took full advantage of the family fortune and never worked a day in her life. And of course there are dear old mom and dad played by Andie MacDowell and Henry Czerny. My favorite thing about their relationship is thinking about the fact that Andie MacDowell's character, Becky Le Domas, would have had to endure the same initiation right of choosing a game to play that the current bride, Grace, is doing right now. What doesn't kill us, I suppose... That brings us to the other in-laws played by Kristian Bruun and Elyse Levesque. I am familiar with Kristian and Elyse from their work on Orphan Black (2013-2017), one of my favorite shows ever. It's fun to see them paired up in the same movie. And finally, there is what appears to be crazy Aunt Helene (Nicky Guadagni), but we learn more about her as the movie progresses.
There are many things I enjoy about this movie. The plot moves along quickly and it doesn't give the audience much time to anticipate what happens next. I like that because it makes it less difficult to predict the scriptwriters next move. There's nothing I hate more than figuring it out all in the first act. So thank you very much Guy Buick and Ryan Murphy. The direction was also well thought out I loved the production design (Matt Bettinelli-Olin and Tyler Gillett).
The Verdict
I was not at all disappointed in Ready or Not. I am disappointed in that I feel like it was sleeper in the cinemas. Maybe it will find its footing in its DVD release or in streaming. I recommend you give it try. I give Ready or Not 5/5 pentagrams. And a little word of advice - be careful who you marry.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Return of Horror Fest - Teen Version
Yes Horror Fest made a (small) return to the Romero household this year. But please do not get your panties in a wad if you didn't receive an invite! It was dubbed Horror Fest Returns - The Teen Version for a reason. All of our children (ages 14-18) collectively agreed they wanted to host another 24 hour monster movie marathon. We the parents graciously allowed them to invite their friends over and allow them full fridge access for 24 hours and they could watch whatever Halloween movies they wanted. Here's what they chose this year:
Intruder (1989)
Victor and I picked this flick to start things off. The teenagers wanted a classic '80s slasher flick and this one has always one of our favorites. It's also a bit of a whodunit as one by one the overnight stock crew of a grocery store gets picked off in gruesome ways. Stay tuned till
Jason vs Freddy (2003)
This pick made me laugh because it turns out that half the kids watching the movie never saw the original Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street! How is that possible? So there were a lot of questions about the dream killer, but ultimately they enjoyed the battle between Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger.
Ghostbusters (1984)
Always a classic, though maybe not so much a horror movie, Ghostbusters chronicles three parapsychologists as they capture ghosts around New York City.
Always a classic, though maybe not so much a horror movie, Ghostbusters chronicles three parapsychologists as they capture ghosts around New York City.
Hush (2016)
I'm a big fan of writers and directors taking control of their projects, especially when they're as well done as Hush. Written and starring Kate Siegel and written and directed by Mike Flanagan, Hush is a thriller about a mute and deaf woman terrorized by masked killer.
I'm a big fan of writers and directors taking control of their projects, especially when they're as well done as Hush. Written and starring Kate Siegel and written and directed by Mike Flanagan, Hush is a thriller about a mute and deaf woman terrorized by masked killer.
13 Cameras (2015)
Talk about creepy. Has anyone ever just given you the heebies jeebies? Actor Neville Archambault does a great job of it in Victor Zarcoff's, 13 Camera's. You can't help but feel for this couple that is being unwittingly spied on in this thriller.
Talk about creepy. Has anyone ever just given you the heebies jeebies? Actor Neville Archambault does a great job of it in Victor Zarcoff's, 13 Camera's. You can't help but feel for this couple that is being unwittingly spied on in this thriller.
Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
This was a first for many of our teenage guests. They thoroughly enjoyed each and every gory death (especially Johnny Depp's). And they loved Robert Englund's portrayal of Freddy, in this one and in Freddy vs Jason.
This was a first for many of our teenage guests. They thoroughly enjoyed each and every gory death (especially Johnny Depp's). And they loved Robert Englund's portrayal of Freddy, in this one and in Freddy vs Jason.
Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
This was solely for the thespians in the crowd, though the other guys loved Audrey II and Bill Murray's masochistic Arthur Dent. The theatre crowd was more into Ellen Greene and Rick Moranis. But overall, it was a win! (Of course)
This was solely for the thespians in the crowd, though the other guys loved Audrey II and Bill Murray's masochistic Arthur Dent. The theatre crowd was more into Ellen Greene and Rick Moranis. But overall, it was a win! (Of course)
The Conjuring (2013)
My daughter loves scary movies and she loves this one. Obviously it starts off the Annabelle series, but that's not why we like this one. It's very Amityville Horror (which we watched next) in that a family is haunted by an unknown presence. And it's supposed to have been based on a true story which always makes a haunting even scarier.
My daughter loves scary movies and she loves this one. Obviously it starts off the Annabelle series, but that's not why we like this one. It's very Amityville Horror (which we watched next) in that a family is haunted by an unknown presence. And it's supposed to have been based on a true story which always makes a haunting even scarier.
The Amityville Horror (1979)
This is one of my my husband's favorites, because of Margot Kidder, but that's okay. Of course by this time we started losing some of the teenagers. Haha They were dropping like the flies on Father Delaney. This one is also supposed to be based on a true story which always makes a story even better, in my opinion.
This is one of my my husband's favorites, because of Margot Kidder, but that's okay. Of course by this time we started losing some of the teenagers. Haha They were dropping like the flies on Father Delaney. This one is also supposed to be based on a true story which always makes a story even better, in my opinion.
Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
I have to tell you I don't know why I own this one and not any of the others, but I do. And it was the first time I watched it. It was a little long, and a little strange, but it was also a little unsettling, which is exactly what it was supposed to be. I obviously can't say much because it gives away the ending, but I did enjoy Paranormal Activity 3.
I have to tell you I don't know why I own this one and not any of the others, but I do. And it was the first time I watched it. It was a little long, and a little strange, but it was also a little unsettling, which is exactly what it was supposed to be. I obviously can't say much because it gives away the ending, but I did enjoy Paranormal Activity 3.
House of Wax (2005)
This one is kind of my guilty pleasure. I enjoy that in the end it's a brother/sister duo that team up (Elisha Cuthbert and Chad Michael Murray) and not a romantic link. Have you ever had a hot wax massage treatment? It's super satisfying. So being covered in the stuff seems like a great idea. But I guess these killers just take it way too far.
This one is kind of my guilty pleasure. I enjoy that in the end it's a brother/sister duo that team up (Elisha Cuthbert and Chad Michael Murray) and not a romantic link. Have you ever had a hot wax massage treatment? It's super satisfying. So being covered in the stuff seems like a great idea. But I guess these killers just take it way too far.
Death Note (2017)
Imagine having the power to kill anyone you want - and then giving that power to a teenager. That's Death Note. A great movie that keeps you in suspense up until the very end, Death Note is a great movie to add to any Halloween movie fest.
Imagine having the power to kill anyone you want - and then giving that power to a teenager. That's Death Note. A great movie that keeps you in suspense up until the very end, Death Note is a great movie to add to any Halloween movie fest.
The Babysitter (2017)
This is another one of our guilty pleasure movies. The Babysitter has all the elements - it's sexy, has dark comedy, and gore. A group of teenage Devil worshipers didn't count on the young boy they were babysitting spying on them. Hilarity ensues. Watch it.
This is another one of our guilty pleasure movies. The Babysitter has all the elements - it's sexy, has dark comedy, and gore. A group of teenage Devil worshipers didn't count on the young boy they were babysitting spying on them. Hilarity ensues. Watch it.
Student Bodies (1981)
This movie was a total spoof and the only one filmed in Houston, as far as I know. (Yay hometown!) If you loves spoof and don't mind the silliness of it all, this one's for you.
This movie was a total spoof and the only one filmed in Houston, as far as I know. (Yay hometown!) If you loves spoof and don't mind the silliness of it all, this one's for you.
The Banana Splits Movie (2019)
This is a new movie we added to our collection this year. My husband grew up watching The Banana Splits so it was only natural he would gravitate toward this movie. It was pretty good, considering the main characters had giant animation robots chasing them all around a TV studio for the duration of the film. Not as silly as it sounds.
This is a new movie we added to our collection this year. My husband grew up watching The Banana Splits so it was only natural he would gravitate toward this movie. It was pretty good, considering the main characters had giant animation robots chasing them all around a TV studio for the duration of the film. Not as silly as it sounds.
Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)
We can't have a Horror Fest without Tucker and Dale vs Evil. This is our favorite movie about mistaken identities. A group of college kids think that Tucker and Dale are hillbilly killers. After a freak accident in which the hillbillies save one of the college girls from drowning, the rest of the group meet their untimely ends in hilarious freak accidents.
We can't have a Horror Fest without Tucker and Dale vs Evil. This is our favorite movie about mistaken identities. A group of college kids think that Tucker and Dale are hillbilly killers. After a freak accident in which the hillbillies save one of the college girls from drowning, the rest of the group meet their untimely ends in hilarious freak accidents.
Saturday, October 28, 2017
The Babysitter (2017)
My favorite genre is horror-comedy. Movies like Tucker and Dale vs Evil are a staple in our home. We have found yet
another film to add to our list of absolute faves with The Babysitter. Brian Duffield, writer of The Babysitter, caught the innocence of childhood, the manipulation
of naughty teens, and the comedy of accidental murder in his screenplay.
The Premise
It's parental date night and Cole is stuck at home with his babysitter Bee. Not that he minds. Bee is smoking hot and they always have a blast. This time is different, though. Cole stays up to find out what happens after bedtime and finds out Bee and her friends are Satan worshipers and they need his blood to complete their ritual! Cole spends all night evading Bee and her friends, accidentally killing a few along the way.
My Take
I sympathize with Cole in more than one way. I always thought I had a babysitter for way too long. Then I was the babysitter for my little sister and all our neighbors. Now as a parent I feel for my kids. My mother-in-law lives with us - we have a built-in babysitter 24/7. Poor guys! So, I see a bit of Cole in myself and my kids. Except I was never as hot or half as fun as Bee.
Judah Lewis and Samara Weaving portray Cole and Bee, respectively. This is where the combination of writing, direction, and acting collide to make the chemistry of these two characters work perfectly. Cole is discovering girls and thus discovering Bee as an older woman. The awkward and tender moments between them are beautiful. It makes everything that happens later all the more tragic and emotional.
To be fair, Bee does try to protect Cole from all her evil doings. But, kids being kids, his curiosity ruins all her plans which leaves her Satan worshiping friends with no choice but to hunt him down. Bee's friends include Robbie Amell - the jock, Hana Mae Lee - the Goth, Bella Thorne - the cheerleader, Andrew Bachelor - the best friend, and Doug Haley - the nerd. Each friend, sadly, meets a tragic, and hilarious, end.
The Verdict
Now, I am biased because I love these kinds of movies. But given the combination of writing, McG's direction, and everyone’s acting, I personally recommend The Babysitter to anyone with a dark sense of humor and a twisted funny bone. I give The Babysitter 6/6 Satanists or was it 666??? I can never remember.
The Premise
It's parental date night and Cole is stuck at home with his babysitter Bee. Not that he minds. Bee is smoking hot and they always have a blast. This time is different, though. Cole stays up to find out what happens after bedtime and finds out Bee and her friends are Satan worshipers and they need his blood to complete their ritual! Cole spends all night evading Bee and her friends, accidentally killing a few along the way.
My Take
I sympathize with Cole in more than one way. I always thought I had a babysitter for way too long. Then I was the babysitter for my little sister and all our neighbors. Now as a parent I feel for my kids. My mother-in-law lives with us - we have a built-in babysitter 24/7. Poor guys! So, I see a bit of Cole in myself and my kids. Except I was never as hot or half as fun as Bee.
Judah Lewis and Samara Weaving portray Cole and Bee, respectively. This is where the combination of writing, direction, and acting collide to make the chemistry of these two characters work perfectly. Cole is discovering girls and thus discovering Bee as an older woman. The awkward and tender moments between them are beautiful. It makes everything that happens later all the more tragic and emotional.
To be fair, Bee does try to protect Cole from all her evil doings. But, kids being kids, his curiosity ruins all her plans which leaves her Satan worshiping friends with no choice but to hunt him down. Bee's friends include Robbie Amell - the jock, Hana Mae Lee - the Goth, Bella Thorne - the cheerleader, Andrew Bachelor - the best friend, and Doug Haley - the nerd. Each friend, sadly, meets a tragic, and hilarious, end.
The Verdict
Now, I am biased because I love these kinds of movies. But given the combination of writing, McG's direction, and everyone’s acting, I personally recommend The Babysitter to anyone with a dark sense of humor and a twisted funny bone. I give The Babysitter 6/6 Satanists or was it 666??? I can never remember.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Jessica Jones (2015-?)
Well, Jessica Jones is no Daredevil. But I mean that in the best possible way. As much as I wanted to like Daredevil, I enjoyed Netflix's stab at Marvel's Jessica Jones even more. And this time I wasn't wishing, hoping and praying that the best friend wasn't going to get it in the end. Sorry, Foggy.
The Premise
Jessica Jones is a hard drinking, hot-tempered, ill-mannered private eye who has more than a few personal demons to face. When one of those demons, who was thought to be long dead, comes back to Hell's Kitchen to begin another reign of terror, it quickly becomes clear that Jessica is the only one that can stop him. But can she stop him for good this time? Or will he get the best of this former super hero?
My Take
From the very first episode I was hooked and I watched the entire series in two days. Hey, I was on vacation. I am admittedly not up on my comic book lore, but I know good entertainment when I have found it. With Jessica Jones, Netflix was able to capture a woman who has been beaten down and gotten back up only to have to face her tormentor once more.
Jessica (Krysten Ritter) has been working as a private detective. I guess a former super hero can't escape helping the downtrodden for long. A couple comes in seeking help finding their missing daughter, Hope (Erin Moriarty). The trail leads Jessica down a familiar path; one that leads directly back to a man she thought she had killed.
With the help of her best friend Trish Walker (Rachael Taylor), her sometimes boyfriend Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and sneaky lawyer Jeri Hogarth (Carrie-Anne Moss), Jessica hunts down the mysterious, mind controlling Kilgrave. Meanwhile, Kilgrave's (David Tennant) only goal in life is to get back the one he lost - Jessica.
Dealing with a villain who can control people's minds is obviously not an easy job. Throughout the season, Jessica and her band of misfits go after the slippery Kilgrave only to be thwarted again and again. And to make matters worse, they never know who can be trusted and who is under his control.
The Verdict
Jessica Jones was exciting, smart and funny. It brought a female hero to light in a positive way. Sure she was sexual, but she wasn't overly sexualized. Krysten Ritter was an excellent choice to play the role of Jessica and I am so thankful that her best friend was a good actress, too. Thank you, Rachael Taylor. Stay tuned for a familiar face towards the end. Jessica Jones gets my two very strong thumbs up.
The Premise
Jessica Jones is a hard drinking, hot-tempered, ill-mannered private eye who has more than a few personal demons to face. When one of those demons, who was thought to be long dead, comes back to Hell's Kitchen to begin another reign of terror, it quickly becomes clear that Jessica is the only one that can stop him. But can she stop him for good this time? Or will he get the best of this former super hero?
My Take
From the very first episode I was hooked and I watched the entire series in two days. Hey, I was on vacation. I am admittedly not up on my comic book lore, but I know good entertainment when I have found it. With Jessica Jones, Netflix was able to capture a woman who has been beaten down and gotten back up only to have to face her tormentor once more.
Jessica (Krysten Ritter) has been working as a private detective. I guess a former super hero can't escape helping the downtrodden for long. A couple comes in seeking help finding their missing daughter, Hope (Erin Moriarty). The trail leads Jessica down a familiar path; one that leads directly back to a man she thought she had killed.
With the help of her best friend Trish Walker (Rachael Taylor), her sometimes boyfriend Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and sneaky lawyer Jeri Hogarth (Carrie-Anne Moss), Jessica hunts down the mysterious, mind controlling Kilgrave. Meanwhile, Kilgrave's (David Tennant) only goal in life is to get back the one he lost - Jessica.
Dealing with a villain who can control people's minds is obviously not an easy job. Throughout the season, Jessica and her band of misfits go after the slippery Kilgrave only to be thwarted again and again. And to make matters worse, they never know who can be trusted and who is under his control.
The Verdict
Jessica Jones was exciting, smart and funny. It brought a female hero to light in a positive way. Sure she was sexual, but she wasn't overly sexualized. Krysten Ritter was an excellent choice to play the role of Jessica and I am so thankful that her best friend was a good actress, too. Thank you, Rachael Taylor. Stay tuned for a familiar face towards the end. Jessica Jones gets my two very strong thumbs up.
Monday, January 4, 2016
Slow Learners (2015)
Finding love is hard. Being lucky in love is even harder. Especially if you are slow to realize who is right and who is wrong for you, even when they are standing right in front of you. Written by Matt Serword, Peter C. Swords and Heather Maidat, Slow Learners is a movie about love, friendship, losing your dignity and putting it all back together again.
The Premise
Jeff and Anne are best friends and co-workers who have a lot in common, including still being single in their thirties. They decide to take their summer break to look for love. By experimenting with different styles and lots of sex and alcohol, these friends find themselves (and love) after nearly losing each other.
My Take
Slow Learners is a love story in which the formula is near perfect. Boy and girl already know each other, lose each other and then have to find each other again. But of course, we are talking about slow learners so there are quite a few mistakes made along the way, much to the audience's delight.
Starring Adam Pally as Jeff and Sarah Burns as Anne, the movie starts off on a comedic note with a really bad date. Jeff and Anne decide to change themselves for the summer and see if what has been wrong with their love lives all this time has actually been them.
Over the course of the summer, high school guidance counselor, Jeff, gets in a bar fight, changes his style, gets drunk, has lots of sex and alienates himself from friends, Dan and Lenny (Gil Ozeri and Bobby Moynihan, respectively). Anne, who is either a librarian or an English teacher, gets a complete makeover, has numerous one-night-stands, many drunken nights and pushes away her best friend, Julia (Catherine Reitman).
In short, they both become the assholes they were idolizing.
So, what's a body to do when your friends hate you, you're hung over and you no longer know who you are? You go back to the beginning.
The Verdict
Slow Learners was an excellent film directed by Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce. I think that it was the casting that made it so good, however. The principal players, Pally and Burns, were impeccable. They each had small nuances that made their characters totally believable. The supporting was amazing as well. From their cast of friends, Ozeri, Moynihan and Reitman, to their love interests for the summer, Reid Scott and Mary Grill, the casting was superb. I would tell you how many stars or whatever I give this film, but being slow learners, you probably wouldn't get it anyway.
The Premise
Jeff and Anne are best friends and co-workers who have a lot in common, including still being single in their thirties. They decide to take their summer break to look for love. By experimenting with different styles and lots of sex and alcohol, these friends find themselves (and love) after nearly losing each other.
My Take
Slow Learners is a love story in which the formula is near perfect. Boy and girl already know each other, lose each other and then have to find each other again. But of course, we are talking about slow learners so there are quite a few mistakes made along the way, much to the audience's delight.
Starring Adam Pally as Jeff and Sarah Burns as Anne, the movie starts off on a comedic note with a really bad date. Jeff and Anne decide to change themselves for the summer and see if what has been wrong with their love lives all this time has actually been them.
Over the course of the summer, high school guidance counselor, Jeff, gets in a bar fight, changes his style, gets drunk, has lots of sex and alienates himself from friends, Dan and Lenny (Gil Ozeri and Bobby Moynihan, respectively). Anne, who is either a librarian or an English teacher, gets a complete makeover, has numerous one-night-stands, many drunken nights and pushes away her best friend, Julia (Catherine Reitman).
In short, they both become the assholes they were idolizing.
So, what's a body to do when your friends hate you, you're hung over and you no longer know who you are? You go back to the beginning.
The Verdict
Slow Learners was an excellent film directed by Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce. I think that it was the casting that made it so good, however. The principal players, Pally and Burns, were impeccable. They each had small nuances that made their characters totally believable. The supporting was amazing as well. From their cast of friends, Ozeri, Moynihan and Reitman, to their love interests for the summer, Reid Scott and Mary Grill, the casting was superb. I would tell you how many stars or whatever I give this film, but being slow learners, you probably wouldn't get it anyway.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Fido (2006)
In a film set in the Nifty Fifties, Fido offers a very unique view of what could have otherwise been a traditional, gory zombie movie. Writers Robert Chomiak, Andrew Currie (also the director) and Dennis Heaton have created a world in which the elderly are feared, head caskets are a commodity and children are trained in small arms.
The Premise
A cloud of space dust has fallen to Earth and the radiation from it reanimates corpses. The living dead have a craving for flesh and that just won't do, thus Zomcon has been created to solve all you zombie problems. Zombies can be trained for menial tasks, people are buried with separate head caskets and citizens are trained in basic zombie killing tactics.
My Take
The Robinson's are the perfect example of a nuclear family; mom, dad, son and one on the way. Except that little Timmy doesn't seem to have a lot of friends and they are the only family on the block without their own zombie. The head honcho of Zomcon has just moved in down the street with his wife and daughter, and they have six zombies. What is one to do?
In a great example of "keeping up with the Jones's", perfect wife and mother, Helen Robinson (Carrie-Anne Moss), purchases a zombie for their household without consulting her husband. Gasp! Much to the eventual delight of their son Timmy (Kesun Loder), mom and dad decide to keep the zombie because he proves to be so useful. Bill Robinson, the father (played by Dylan Baker), remains suspicious of zombies throughout due to a traumatic childhood incident.
Timmy names the zombie Fido. Fido, who never speaks an intelligible word, is played by Billy Connolly (and if you ever want to talk about your singing days with The Humblebums, I wouldn't say no). There is a series of accidents in which Timmy protects Fido, Mom protects Timmy, and then Fido protects them both proving that zombies may not be the soulless, heartless beings we have made them out to be.
There are some fantastic supporting characters, too. Sonja Bennett and Tim Blake Nelson are the Robinson's neighbors. Nelson's character, Mr. Theopolis, once worked for Zomcon and may or may not have been fired for his inappropriate relationship with Tammy the zombie (Bennett). Cindy Bottoms, played by Alexia Fast, is Timmy's only human friend.
The Verdict
Expertly written and acted, Fido is one of our new favorite movies to watch in October. I love that it is set in the 1950's and is able to get away with the attitudes and ways of thinking that it does. I strongly recommend this film if you enjoy tongue in cheek comedy, dark humor and zombie movies. I give Fido 10 zombie attacks.
The Premise
A cloud of space dust has fallen to Earth and the radiation from it reanimates corpses. The living dead have a craving for flesh and that just won't do, thus Zomcon has been created to solve all you zombie problems. Zombies can be trained for menial tasks, people are buried with separate head caskets and citizens are trained in basic zombie killing tactics.
My Take
The Robinson's are the perfect example of a nuclear family; mom, dad, son and one on the way. Except that little Timmy doesn't seem to have a lot of friends and they are the only family on the block without their own zombie. The head honcho of Zomcon has just moved in down the street with his wife and daughter, and they have six zombies. What is one to do?
In a great example of "keeping up with the Jones's", perfect wife and mother, Helen Robinson (Carrie-Anne Moss), purchases a zombie for their household without consulting her husband. Gasp! Much to the eventual delight of their son Timmy (Kesun Loder), mom and dad decide to keep the zombie because he proves to be so useful. Bill Robinson, the father (played by Dylan Baker), remains suspicious of zombies throughout due to a traumatic childhood incident.
Timmy names the zombie Fido. Fido, who never speaks an intelligible word, is played by Billy Connolly (and if you ever want to talk about your singing days with The Humblebums, I wouldn't say no). There is a series of accidents in which Timmy protects Fido, Mom protects Timmy, and then Fido protects them both proving that zombies may not be the soulless, heartless beings we have made them out to be.
There are some fantastic supporting characters, too. Sonja Bennett and Tim Blake Nelson are the Robinson's neighbors. Nelson's character, Mr. Theopolis, once worked for Zomcon and may or may not have been fired for his inappropriate relationship with Tammy the zombie (Bennett). Cindy Bottoms, played by Alexia Fast, is Timmy's only human friend.
The Verdict
Expertly written and acted, Fido is one of our new favorite movies to watch in October. I love that it is set in the 1950's and is able to get away with the attitudes and ways of thinking that it does. I strongly recommend this film if you enjoy tongue in cheek comedy, dark humor and zombie movies. I give Fido 10 zombie attacks.
Thursday, August 20, 2015
The Skeleton Twins
Family life is even more complicated than your run-of-the-mill average life. Can a broken family help each other heal after tragedy? Writers Craig Johnson and Mark Heyman have managed to capture the tragic side of life, and still make it entertaining, in The Skeleton Twins.
The Premise
Estranged twins, Milo and Maggie, are reunited after Milo's suicide attempt. He moves in with his sister only to discover that she isn't any more stable than he is. Personalities and opinions clash as the past rears his ugly head. The siblings try to mend their relationship, leaving collateral damage in their wake.
My Take
I have a feeling that this film doesn't get nearly the respect that it deserves because of the casting. Stars Bill Hader and Kristin Wiig are widely known for their comedic roles and The Skeleton Twins is a (welcome) departure from their norm. However, the roles of Milo and Maggie, respectively, are a chance for Hader and Wiig to really dig in and show the audience that they are much more capable than SNL and other cheap jokes. That being said, this is my favorite film of both of theirs.
Milo and Maggie contemplate suicide on the same day. The only thing that saves Maggie is that Milo actually attempts it. After visiting him in the hospital, they decide that Milo will go back home with Maggie for a while to recover.
At home, Milo discovers that the perfect life that Maggie is trying to live is not so perfect after all. Her husband, Lance (Luke Wilson), couldn't be nicer or more perfect but that's also the problem. Maggie is attracted to the bad boys. And Milo is still attracted to his old high school English teacher (Ty Burrell). The one who lost his job for their inappropriate relationship.
The Skeleton Twins isn't all drama. There are wonderful moments of sibling bonding mixed in with the suicide and affairs and dead goldfish. Milo and Maggie get high and Nitrous Oxide and giving a rousing lip sync to Jefferson Starship's Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now. I can't hear that song anymore with thinking of Milo and Maggie.
The Verdict
Severely underrated. You can't go into The Skeleton Twins thinking, "Oh, what a funny cast." This movie shows you a more serious, and dare I say, better Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. Director Craig Johnson brings out the best in overly positive Luke Wilson and gives you a different side of Ty Burrell. What happens when two damaged people need each other? They break each other down, then they pick each other up. That's family. I give The Skeleton Twins 2/2 twins. Give it a chance.
***
As a side note: Suicide is serious.
If you or someone you know thinks that suicide might be the answer, please talk to someone right away.
There's free help!
1-800-273-8255 (call toll free)
www.afsp.org
suicide.org
Save a life!
The Premise
Estranged twins, Milo and Maggie, are reunited after Milo's suicide attempt. He moves in with his sister only to discover that she isn't any more stable than he is. Personalities and opinions clash as the past rears his ugly head. The siblings try to mend their relationship, leaving collateral damage in their wake.
My Take
I have a feeling that this film doesn't get nearly the respect that it deserves because of the casting. Stars Bill Hader and Kristin Wiig are widely known for their comedic roles and The Skeleton Twins is a (welcome) departure from their norm. However, the roles of Milo and Maggie, respectively, are a chance for Hader and Wiig to really dig in and show the audience that they are much more capable than SNL and other cheap jokes. That being said, this is my favorite film of both of theirs.
Milo and Maggie contemplate suicide on the same day. The only thing that saves Maggie is that Milo actually attempts it. After visiting him in the hospital, they decide that Milo will go back home with Maggie for a while to recover.
At home, Milo discovers that the perfect life that Maggie is trying to live is not so perfect after all. Her husband, Lance (Luke Wilson), couldn't be nicer or more perfect but that's also the problem. Maggie is attracted to the bad boys. And Milo is still attracted to his old high school English teacher (Ty Burrell). The one who lost his job for their inappropriate relationship.
The Skeleton Twins isn't all drama. There are wonderful moments of sibling bonding mixed in with the suicide and affairs and dead goldfish. Milo and Maggie get high and Nitrous Oxide and giving a rousing lip sync to Jefferson Starship's Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now. I can't hear that song anymore with thinking of Milo and Maggie.
The Verdict
Severely underrated. You can't go into The Skeleton Twins thinking, "Oh, what a funny cast." This movie shows you a more serious, and dare I say, better Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. Director Craig Johnson brings out the best in overly positive Luke Wilson and gives you a different side of Ty Burrell. What happens when two damaged people need each other? They break each other down, then they pick each other up. That's family. I give The Skeleton Twins 2/2 twins. Give it a chance.
***
As a side note: Suicide is serious.
If you or someone you know thinks that suicide might be the answer, please talk to someone right away.
There's free help!
1-800-273-8255 (call toll free)
www.afsp.org
suicide.org
Save a life!
Friday, February 13, 2015
The Fall (2013-?)
I have three main criteria when I watch new shows: good writing, good acting and good direction. If any one of those things lags, it can make a television series fall flat. The Fall, created and written by Allan Cubitt, fits the bill.
The Premise
A serial killer has been terrorizing the citizens of Belfast. A specialized detective from the MET (Metropolitan Police Service) has been brought in to track him down and bring him to justice.
My Take
The Fall is a psychological thriller that delves deep into the psyches of all the people that are touched by the events in this story. No one is written as stereotypical or flat or thought of as just a side note. Granted, having to watch the show on Netflix means that we are a little behind (which is so frustrating), but thus far, the timeline of events have been laid out carefully and thoughtfully. That's not to say there haven't been several twists and turns to surprise viewers along the way.
The Fall stars Gillian Anderson as Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson. She has been tasked with the difficult job of tracking down a serial strangler in Northern Ireland. I've been a fan of Anderson since the X-Files and Detective Gibson is no Agent Scully. Anderson plays Gibson with such flawed casualness, that you can't help but be drawn into her story line. She is sexy, distant, emotional, smart and intuitive; a perfect choice to play Gibson.
Jamie Dornan is Paul Spector, the Belfast strangler. The show makes no secret of his sexual proclivities. Let's just say, The Fall gave Dornan plenty of practice for any bondage scenes he may have in 50 Shades of Grey. Paul Spector is a family man by day, married to Sally Ann Spector, played by the very talented Bronagh Waugh. He and his wife live a normal life complete with a mortgage, jobs and two small children. But Paul Spector can't help himself when it comes to stalking young, beautiful, dark haired women.
When officers start closing in on Paul, he begins to rely on his obsessive, teen-aged babysitter to give him his alibis. Aisling Franciosi plays 16 year old Katie Benedetto. She goes to extraordinary lengths in order to protect the man she loves. Even after he is accused of not only murder but of assaulting Annie Brawley (Karen Hassan) and kidnapping his old girlfriend, Rose Stagg (Valene Kane).
The team of Belfast officers are well rounded and extremely well played, each with their own unique personalities. They are played by John Lynch, Niamh McGrady, Emmett J. Scanlan and Bronagh Taggart and are too good not to get a mention.
The Verdict
The Fall is one of those shows that I have to binge watch when the new seasons come out on Netflix. Everything falls right in place with The Fall. I give it 4/4 murders. I am just so infuriated with Season 2's ending and can't wait for Season 3!
The Premise
A serial killer has been terrorizing the citizens of Belfast. A specialized detective from the MET (Metropolitan Police Service) has been brought in to track him down and bring him to justice.
My Take
The Fall is a psychological thriller that delves deep into the psyches of all the people that are touched by the events in this story. No one is written as stereotypical or flat or thought of as just a side note. Granted, having to watch the show on Netflix means that we are a little behind (which is so frustrating), but thus far, the timeline of events have been laid out carefully and thoughtfully. That's not to say there haven't been several twists and turns to surprise viewers along the way.
The Fall stars Gillian Anderson as Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson. She has been tasked with the difficult job of tracking down a serial strangler in Northern Ireland. I've been a fan of Anderson since the X-Files and Detective Gibson is no Agent Scully. Anderson plays Gibson with such flawed casualness, that you can't help but be drawn into her story line. She is sexy, distant, emotional, smart and intuitive; a perfect choice to play Gibson.
Jamie Dornan is Paul Spector, the Belfast strangler. The show makes no secret of his sexual proclivities. Let's just say, The Fall gave Dornan plenty of practice for any bondage scenes he may have in 50 Shades of Grey. Paul Spector is a family man by day, married to Sally Ann Spector, played by the very talented Bronagh Waugh. He and his wife live a normal life complete with a mortgage, jobs and two small children. But Paul Spector can't help himself when it comes to stalking young, beautiful, dark haired women.
When officers start closing in on Paul, he begins to rely on his obsessive, teen-aged babysitter to give him his alibis. Aisling Franciosi plays 16 year old Katie Benedetto. She goes to extraordinary lengths in order to protect the man she loves. Even after he is accused of not only murder but of assaulting Annie Brawley (Karen Hassan) and kidnapping his old girlfriend, Rose Stagg (Valene Kane).
The team of Belfast officers are well rounded and extremely well played, each with their own unique personalities. They are played by John Lynch, Niamh McGrady, Emmett J. Scanlan and Bronagh Taggart and are too good not to get a mention.
The Verdict
The Fall is one of those shows that I have to binge watch when the new seasons come out on Netflix. Everything falls right in place with The Fall. I give it 4/4 murders. I am just so infuriated with Season 2's ending and can't wait for Season 3!
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
What We Watched This Halloween Season - 2014
We have a tradition every October. We try to squeeze in as many horror movies as possible before the end of the scary movie season. This year we took it up a notch and even had a Monster Movie Marathon the weekend of Halloween.
To make the rating game easy, I decided to rate the movies on a 1 through 5 scale; 1 being the worst and 5 being the best. But of course, do not let my ratings keep you from watching any of these gems next horror season or any season. Happy Watching!
(In the order in which we watched them...)
You're Next (2011)
A family comes under attack during an anniversary party by a group of masked murderers. Unfortunately for them, one of the guests is better at killing than they are.
You're Next was not that bad. Gory? Yes. Fun to watch? Yes. It was well written and even decently acted, for a slasher flick. 4/5
Tormented (2011)
Daigo has become withdrawn and has formed a strong attachment to a stuffed rabbit. His sister, Kiriko, can't talk and is having trouble trying to convince her father to help. Kiriko has to enter a dangerous dream world when Daigo goes missing in order to discover the truth about her life.
Tormented was a little out there for me. I can see how fans of Japanese horror films would dig on this. In fact my husband enjoyed it more than I, but I had a hard time getting into it. 3/5
The Initiation (1984)
College student Kelly is to be initiated into the Delta Ro Kai sorority. While performing the prank in order to get into the sorority, a killer begins picking all the initiates off one by one.
A classic '80s horror film, that's for sure. It had it all; the hair, the boobs, the gratuitous sex. It was very predictable but fun to watch. But I'm a sucker for the classics. 3/5
Big Ass Spider (2013)
The military creates a killer spider (what?!?!) that grows bigger every time it eats. Eventually it grows so big that even the military can't kill it. It is up to a handful of scientists, and one exterminator, to take it down.
One word, Jose. The banter of the two main characters, Alex and Jose, was what made this movie worth watching. They were hilarious. 3/5
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)
Loosely based on a true story, a Texas Ranger hunts down a serial killer who was terrorizing residents in Texarkana, Texas in 1946.
If you ever get a chance to read up on the true story, it is pretty fascinating. 4/5
13 Sins (2014)
Preying on those who have fallen on desperate times, a game show host calls Elliot and gives him tasks to complete, each with an increasing monetary reward. Each task gets more and more gruesome until Elliot is under threat of incarceration until he finishes the game. And earns the big pay out.
Very good and original idea. It was well written, well acted, and well directed. In fact we shared this one with friends at our Monster Movie Marathon. 5/5
The House of the Devil (2009)
College student Samantha takes a babysitting job at a large and isolated house during a total lunar eclipse. As the night wears on, she begins to realize that her clients are devil worshipers and she has been lured there as a sacrifice.
This was very slow to develop. Very slow. But if you happen to watch it, you may recognize an actor from You're Next. 2/5
ATM (2012)
Three people are trapped in an ATM kiosk overnight by a deranged killer.
I saw about twenty plot holes in this movie, but it was still fun to watch. Plus I was pissed at not ever finding out the killer's motives! I hate that! 1/5
Haunt (2013)
A family moves into a house where a tragedy had befallen the previous tenants. The teen-aged boy of the family befriends the girl next door. They start fooling around with a radio that can communicate with the dead and strange things start happening in the house.
I thought it moved too slowly and was too predictable in its jumps and scares. Plus I had the ending figured out way ahead of time. But overall still an enjoyable watch. 2/5
Dead Silence (2007)
After his wife is murdered, Jamie returns home for the funeral. The killer is later linked to the ghost of a ventriloquist that hails from his hometown. As he digs into his wife's murder, he discovers a grisly folktale that centers around Mary Shaw, a murdered ventriloquist with a vendetta against his family.
Dead Silence was a really unique story. It was a little far fetched, but it was made nearly believable by the way it was written, directed and performed. 3/5
Bruiser (2000)
After years of being treated badly by his boss, his wife, his friends, his coworker and even his dog, a man wakes up one day with a blank white mask as a face. He uses this anonymity to get revenge on those who have wronged him.
This is a George A. Romero film. Though I don't know that it is technically a horror film, it still has its fair share of blood and sex. He is, after all, a masked killer. 4/5
New Year's Evil (1980)
While hosting a Punk Rock New Year's Eve television show, Diane Sullivan gets a call saying that someone will die when New Year's strikes in each time zone, ending with her.
Again, pure 80's cheese, but I love it. 3/5
Tamara (2005)
Tamara is the nerdy, unattractive girl that doesn't quite fit in. But no one knows that she is a witch. When she dies in a bizarre accident she comes back, sexy and ready to kill.
It's like the Carrie for witch lovers. And actually not too bad. 3/5
Hellgate (2011)
After a terrible accident in which he lost his wife and son, Jeff is now living in the shadow world between life and death. He has frightening visions in which he sees demons and ghosts. Now he has to make the choice to live in the world of the living or join the world of the dead.
I enjoyed the different view Hellgate took on the underworld. Another very slow moving movie.3/5
Donovan's Brain (1953)
Dr. Patrick Cory and his wife have been experimenting with brains. When they are unable to save the life of millionaire, Mr. Donovan, they keep his brain to experiment on it as well. Donovan's brain establishes a link with Dr. Cory's brain and uses Cory to seek revenge on his enemies.
A classic movie from the 1950's, Donovan's Brain was fun to watch. What I didn't like was the surprise ending. I felt like I had the carpet pulled out from under me. I like to have some hint at what is going on. 3/5
House of Whipcord (1974)
Young, beautiful girls are lured to an isolated mansion by a handsome young man, Mark E. Desade. Once there, they are forbidden to leave, charged with ludicrous crimes and told they are going to be rehabilitated. In truth they are tortured and some are even killed.
House of Whipcord was an interesting film. I can definitely see how people were disturbed by it in 1974. 3/5
Chillerama (2011)
It's closing night at the last drive-in in America and four movies are on the reels to be shown: Wadzilla, I was a Teenage Werebear, The Diary of Anne Frankenstein and Zom-B-Movie. All promising to be in very bad taste.
And they did not disappoint! I cringed and squirmed my way through the first three, but I turned it off at the start of the fourth and final short film. Too gross. And I can put up with a lot. 2/5
Humanoids From the Deep (1980)
Half-men, half-fish monsters terrorize a small fishing town.
Total camp and fun. Horny half-fish-men? One of my husband's favorites and if I don't give it a five, I'll never hear the end of it. So let's compromise and say 4.5/5
Satan's Little Helper (2004)
A little boy accidentally helps a serial killer, who is dressed up like a character from his favorite video game, on Halloween.
Satan's Little Helper is pretty silly, but it was actually a good idea. All kids (and some adults I know) would totally geek out if they met their video game idol. It was an easy, mindless watch. 4/5
Grave Secrets (1989)
A professor of psychic phenomena helps a woman investigate the unusual occurrences surrounding the bed and breakfast she owns.
This was a decent ghost story. It was interesting enough that the lack of scares kept me watching. 3/5
Gildersleeve's Ghost (1944)
Throckmorton Gildersleeve is running for public office so who better to help him out than the ghosts of his ancestors? Except idea of helping is to get him involved with a mad scientist, a giant gorilla, and a (sometimes) invisible woman.
My kids and I watched this movie together and laughed the whole way through. It was basically just good clean fun. 4/5
The Smiling Ghost (1941)
Elinor Bentley Fairchild is one unlucky woman. All of her previous beaus have met a tragic and untimely end due to the Smiling Ghost. Now the Fairchild family has hired "Lucky" Downing to pretend to be her latest fiancee to get to the bottom of this mystery.
Another oldie but a goody, The Smiling Ghost was funny with a touch of mystery. 4/5
Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Based on the Stephen King story, Trucks, the movie is about what happens when a mysterious comet allows machines to come to life and terrorize the people of Earth. A group of survivors try to wait it out in a tiny truck stop.
Another of my husband's favorites, Maximum Overdrive is not necessarily a Halloween movie because there are no monsters in the traditional sense, but rather it is scary because the terror comes from objects we take for granted. 4.5/5
The Fog (1980)
Ghosts in a killer fog come seeking their revenge on the 100th anniversary of the night of their ship wreck. They won't rest until they claim their quota of soles.
The Fog is a good campfire story. That's the feel behind this movie for me. When you can cuddle up and watch a scary story that has lasted through the years, you know you have something good. 4/5
Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)
Tucker and Dale are two hillbillies trying to get some work done on their vacation home out in the middle of the woods. After a misunderstanding with some college kids, the bodies start piling up.
This is one of our favorites and it kicked off our Monster Movie Marathon. 5/5
Cockneys vs Zombies (2012)
A group of bank robbers have to fight through waves of zombies in East London in order to get back to their grandfather's retirement home and save him.
Another of our annual favorites. 5/5
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
An alien and his robot land on Earth with a message of peace to give the world leaders. But the alien is wounded so he decides to try a different approach.
This is the movie that brought us Klaatu Barada Nikto. What more do you want? 4/5
World War Z (2013)
A world wide zombie epidemic has broken out. Gerry Lane is on a mission to help find the cure.
I know some people didn't like the fast moving zombies of WWZ, but I did. I think it made them even more frightening. I haven't read this book by Max Brooks, yet, but I did enjoy this film. 4/5
Strippers vs Werewolves (2012)
The head of a local werewolf pack is killed in a strip club, giving the strippers until the next full moon to prepare for their revenge.
Um, it was a lot better than I thought it would be. The dialogue was actually pretty funny and very tongue in cheek. I could have lived without some of the choices in cinematography and music, but otherwise, eh. 2/5
Halloween (1978)
Michael Meyers escapes from an asylum and terrorizes the babysitters of Haddonfield on Halloween night.
Another classic! 5/5
Halloween 2 (1981)
Laurie has been hospitalized from the injuries she sustained by Michael Meyers. Meanwhile, the hunt for the killer continues.
Too bad the series was never better after this. 4/5
Hell Comes to Frog Town (1988)
Much of the world has been rendered infertile after a nuclear war. Sam Hell, a prisoner, has been tasked with the terrible duty of mating with the few remaining fertile females. However, he and his sexy escorts need to rescue them from Frog Town first.
This was nothing but pure 80's camp and cheese. The only scary thing here was the fact that we actually enjoyed watching this B movie. 2/5
Poltergeist (1982)
A family's home becomes haunted by ghosts. They appear harmless at first but eventually become more aggressive and kidnap their young daughter.
This was the movie that ended our Monster Movie Marathon. The perfect ending to a perfect horror movie season. 5/5
To make the rating game easy, I decided to rate the movies on a 1 through 5 scale; 1 being the worst and 5 being the best. But of course, do not let my ratings keep you from watching any of these gems next horror season or any season. Happy Watching!
(In the order in which we watched them...)
You're Next (2011)
A family comes under attack during an anniversary party by a group of masked murderers. Unfortunately for them, one of the guests is better at killing than they are.
You're Next was not that bad. Gory? Yes. Fun to watch? Yes. It was well written and even decently acted, for a slasher flick. 4/5
Tormented (2011)
Daigo has become withdrawn and has formed a strong attachment to a stuffed rabbit. His sister, Kiriko, can't talk and is having trouble trying to convince her father to help. Kiriko has to enter a dangerous dream world when Daigo goes missing in order to discover the truth about her life.
Tormented was a little out there for me. I can see how fans of Japanese horror films would dig on this. In fact my husband enjoyed it more than I, but I had a hard time getting into it. 3/5
The Initiation (1984)
College student Kelly is to be initiated into the Delta Ro Kai sorority. While performing the prank in order to get into the sorority, a killer begins picking all the initiates off one by one.
A classic '80s horror film, that's for sure. It had it all; the hair, the boobs, the gratuitous sex. It was very predictable but fun to watch. But I'm a sucker for the classics. 3/5
Big Ass Spider (2013)
The military creates a killer spider (what?!?!) that grows bigger every time it eats. Eventually it grows so big that even the military can't kill it. It is up to a handful of scientists, and one exterminator, to take it down.
One word, Jose. The banter of the two main characters, Alex and Jose, was what made this movie worth watching. They were hilarious. 3/5
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)
Loosely based on a true story, a Texas Ranger hunts down a serial killer who was terrorizing residents in Texarkana, Texas in 1946.
If you ever get a chance to read up on the true story, it is pretty fascinating. 4/5
13 Sins (2014)
Preying on those who have fallen on desperate times, a game show host calls Elliot and gives him tasks to complete, each with an increasing monetary reward. Each task gets more and more gruesome until Elliot is under threat of incarceration until he finishes the game. And earns the big pay out.
Very good and original idea. It was well written, well acted, and well directed. In fact we shared this one with friends at our Monster Movie Marathon. 5/5
The House of the Devil (2009)
College student Samantha takes a babysitting job at a large and isolated house during a total lunar eclipse. As the night wears on, she begins to realize that her clients are devil worshipers and she has been lured there as a sacrifice.
This was very slow to develop. Very slow. But if you happen to watch it, you may recognize an actor from You're Next. 2/5
ATM (2012)
Three people are trapped in an ATM kiosk overnight by a deranged killer.
I saw about twenty plot holes in this movie, but it was still fun to watch. Plus I was pissed at not ever finding out the killer's motives! I hate that! 1/5
Haunt (2013)
A family moves into a house where a tragedy had befallen the previous tenants. The teen-aged boy of the family befriends the girl next door. They start fooling around with a radio that can communicate with the dead and strange things start happening in the house.
I thought it moved too slowly and was too predictable in its jumps and scares. Plus I had the ending figured out way ahead of time. But overall still an enjoyable watch. 2/5
Dead Silence (2007)
After his wife is murdered, Jamie returns home for the funeral. The killer is later linked to the ghost of a ventriloquist that hails from his hometown. As he digs into his wife's murder, he discovers a grisly folktale that centers around Mary Shaw, a murdered ventriloquist with a vendetta against his family.
Dead Silence was a really unique story. It was a little far fetched, but it was made nearly believable by the way it was written, directed and performed. 3/5
Bruiser (2000)
After years of being treated badly by his boss, his wife, his friends, his coworker and even his dog, a man wakes up one day with a blank white mask as a face. He uses this anonymity to get revenge on those who have wronged him.
This is a George A. Romero film. Though I don't know that it is technically a horror film, it still has its fair share of blood and sex. He is, after all, a masked killer. 4/5
New Year's Evil (1980)
While hosting a Punk Rock New Year's Eve television show, Diane Sullivan gets a call saying that someone will die when New Year's strikes in each time zone, ending with her.
Again, pure 80's cheese, but I love it. 3/5
Tamara (2005)
Tamara is the nerdy, unattractive girl that doesn't quite fit in. But no one knows that she is a witch. When she dies in a bizarre accident she comes back, sexy and ready to kill.
It's like the Carrie for witch lovers. And actually not too bad. 3/5
Hellgate (2011)
After a terrible accident in which he lost his wife and son, Jeff is now living in the shadow world between life and death. He has frightening visions in which he sees demons and ghosts. Now he has to make the choice to live in the world of the living or join the world of the dead.
I enjoyed the different view Hellgate took on the underworld. Another very slow moving movie.3/5
Donovan's Brain (1953)
Dr. Patrick Cory and his wife have been experimenting with brains. When they are unable to save the life of millionaire, Mr. Donovan, they keep his brain to experiment on it as well. Donovan's brain establishes a link with Dr. Cory's brain and uses Cory to seek revenge on his enemies.
A classic movie from the 1950's, Donovan's Brain was fun to watch. What I didn't like was the surprise ending. I felt like I had the carpet pulled out from under me. I like to have some hint at what is going on. 3/5
House of Whipcord (1974)
Young, beautiful girls are lured to an isolated mansion by a handsome young man, Mark E. Desade. Once there, they are forbidden to leave, charged with ludicrous crimes and told they are going to be rehabilitated. In truth they are tortured and some are even killed.
House of Whipcord was an interesting film. I can definitely see how people were disturbed by it in 1974. 3/5
Chillerama (2011)
It's closing night at the last drive-in in America and four movies are on the reels to be shown: Wadzilla, I was a Teenage Werebear, The Diary of Anne Frankenstein and Zom-B-Movie. All promising to be in very bad taste.
And they did not disappoint! I cringed and squirmed my way through the first three, but I turned it off at the start of the fourth and final short film. Too gross. And I can put up with a lot. 2/5
Humanoids From the Deep (1980)
Half-men, half-fish monsters terrorize a small fishing town.
Total camp and fun. Horny half-fish-men? One of my husband's favorites and if I don't give it a five, I'll never hear the end of it. So let's compromise and say 4.5/5
Satan's Little Helper (2004)
A little boy accidentally helps a serial killer, who is dressed up like a character from his favorite video game, on Halloween.
Satan's Little Helper is pretty silly, but it was actually a good idea. All kids (and some adults I know) would totally geek out if they met their video game idol. It was an easy, mindless watch. 4/5
Grave Secrets (1989)
A professor of psychic phenomena helps a woman investigate the unusual occurrences surrounding the bed and breakfast she owns.
This was a decent ghost story. It was interesting enough that the lack of scares kept me watching. 3/5
Gildersleeve's Ghost (1944)
Throckmorton Gildersleeve is running for public office so who better to help him out than the ghosts of his ancestors? Except idea of helping is to get him involved with a mad scientist, a giant gorilla, and a (sometimes) invisible woman.
My kids and I watched this movie together and laughed the whole way through. It was basically just good clean fun. 4/5
The Smiling Ghost (1941)
Elinor Bentley Fairchild is one unlucky woman. All of her previous beaus have met a tragic and untimely end due to the Smiling Ghost. Now the Fairchild family has hired "Lucky" Downing to pretend to be her latest fiancee to get to the bottom of this mystery.
Another oldie but a goody, The Smiling Ghost was funny with a touch of mystery. 4/5
Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Based on the Stephen King story, Trucks, the movie is about what happens when a mysterious comet allows machines to come to life and terrorize the people of Earth. A group of survivors try to wait it out in a tiny truck stop.
Another of my husband's favorites, Maximum Overdrive is not necessarily a Halloween movie because there are no monsters in the traditional sense, but rather it is scary because the terror comes from objects we take for granted. 4.5/5
The Fog (1980)
Ghosts in a killer fog come seeking their revenge on the 100th anniversary of the night of their ship wreck. They won't rest until they claim their quota of soles.
The Fog is a good campfire story. That's the feel behind this movie for me. When you can cuddle up and watch a scary story that has lasted through the years, you know you have something good. 4/5
Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)
Tucker and Dale are two hillbillies trying to get some work done on their vacation home out in the middle of the woods. After a misunderstanding with some college kids, the bodies start piling up.
This is one of our favorites and it kicked off our Monster Movie Marathon. 5/5
Cockneys vs Zombies (2012)
A group of bank robbers have to fight through waves of zombies in East London in order to get back to their grandfather's retirement home and save him.
Another of our annual favorites. 5/5
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
An alien and his robot land on Earth with a message of peace to give the world leaders. But the alien is wounded so he decides to try a different approach.
This is the movie that brought us Klaatu Barada Nikto. What more do you want? 4/5
World War Z (2013)
A world wide zombie epidemic has broken out. Gerry Lane is on a mission to help find the cure.
I know some people didn't like the fast moving zombies of WWZ, but I did. I think it made them even more frightening. I haven't read this book by Max Brooks, yet, but I did enjoy this film. 4/5
Strippers vs Werewolves (2012)
The head of a local werewolf pack is killed in a strip club, giving the strippers until the next full moon to prepare for their revenge.
Um, it was a lot better than I thought it would be. The dialogue was actually pretty funny and very tongue in cheek. I could have lived without some of the choices in cinematography and music, but otherwise, eh. 2/5
Halloween (1978)
Michael Meyers escapes from an asylum and terrorizes the babysitters of Haddonfield on Halloween night.
Another classic! 5/5
Halloween 2 (1981)
Laurie has been hospitalized from the injuries she sustained by Michael Meyers. Meanwhile, the hunt for the killer continues.
Too bad the series was never better after this. 4/5
Hell Comes to Frog Town (1988)
Much of the world has been rendered infertile after a nuclear war. Sam Hell, a prisoner, has been tasked with the terrible duty of mating with the few remaining fertile females. However, he and his sexy escorts need to rescue them from Frog Town first.
This was nothing but pure 80's camp and cheese. The only scary thing here was the fact that we actually enjoyed watching this B movie. 2/5
Poltergeist (1982)
A family's home becomes haunted by ghosts. They appear harmless at first but eventually become more aggressive and kidnap their young daughter.
This was the movie that ended our Monster Movie Marathon. The perfect ending to a perfect horror movie season. 5/5
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
God's Not Dead (2014), The Unbelievers (2013)
Often you will watch a set of movies and notice that they have an actor or a director in common and think, "Huh, what a coincidence?" Less often, you will find a set a movies that are meant to challenge your beliefs with a common theme. Even less often, those same movies will also have names in common. The names, in this case, happen to be those of real life people. In the case of God's Not Dead and The Unbelievers I found that both films were too similar in too many ways to avoid speaking of them separately.
The Premise
In God's Not Dead, a college student finds it difficult to sign a statement in a philosophy class saying that "God is Dead". The professor, an Atheist, gives the Christian student a chance to state his case that God is in fact alive. But if he fails to convince the class, he fails the course.
The Unbelievers features famous scientists Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss who are traveling the globe to spread their message that approaching things scientifically and through reason, thus casting off religious and political views, could improve the modern world.
My Take
God's Not Dead provides a powerful message about faith in God. Kevin Sorbo plays Professor Radisson, who in the movie is a self proclaimed Atheist and wants his students to sign a paper stating that God is dead so that there will be no further discussion of God in his philosophy class. Shane Harper plays the student who, because of his faith in God, cannot bring himself to do so. Radisson gives Josh Wheaton (Harper) a chance to prove his case or fail the course. Josh takes him on despite the odds.
In his arguments, Josh mentions many scientists by name, both past and present, most of whom are renowned Atheists in order to prove his stance that God is not dead. Many of the people this character mentions are in the documentary film, The Unbelievers. In The Unbelievers, Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss are speaking publicly about living life through reason. And part of their reason is that religion is not reasonable and therefore there can be no supreme being.
An interesting dynamic in The Unbelievers is the different faces that Dawkins and Krauss give to Atheism. Dawkins is very adamant and aggressive about his belief that there is no God whereas Krauss is more scientific in his approach and therefore comes across as more approachable. There were also many surprising interviews from celebrities that support their point of view, some quiet and soft spoken, others loud and combative.
The Verdict
Religion isn't something you can put a number on. Both sides are clearly craving more attention. Toward the end of The Unbelievers there was footage from the 'Rally for Reason', a gathering of extremely well known (and not so well known) Atheists. I would never go so far as to call this a revival, in a church sense, but it was definitely a way for people with a common belief system to get together and share their feelings and their message. Christians are happy to have more movies going mainstream, like God's Not Dead. They want their message to get out as well. But what bothers me about both sides is the anger and fear. Why are we so afraid?
If we can both find a way past this, I'll give you as many Darwin fish and Christian crosses as you can carry.
This coming from someone who went to college for Forensic Science and is a Christian.
The Premise
In God's Not Dead, a college student finds it difficult to sign a statement in a philosophy class saying that "God is Dead". The professor, an Atheist, gives the Christian student a chance to state his case that God is in fact alive. But if he fails to convince the class, he fails the course.
The Unbelievers features famous scientists Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss who are traveling the globe to spread their message that approaching things scientifically and through reason, thus casting off religious and political views, could improve the modern world.
My Take
God's Not Dead provides a powerful message about faith in God. Kevin Sorbo plays Professor Radisson, who in the movie is a self proclaimed Atheist and wants his students to sign a paper stating that God is dead so that there will be no further discussion of God in his philosophy class. Shane Harper plays the student who, because of his faith in God, cannot bring himself to do so. Radisson gives Josh Wheaton (Harper) a chance to prove his case or fail the course. Josh takes him on despite the odds.
In his arguments, Josh mentions many scientists by name, both past and present, most of whom are renowned Atheists in order to prove his stance that God is not dead. Many of the people this character mentions are in the documentary film, The Unbelievers. In The Unbelievers, Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss are speaking publicly about living life through reason. And part of their reason is that religion is not reasonable and therefore there can be no supreme being.
An interesting dynamic in The Unbelievers is the different faces that Dawkins and Krauss give to Atheism. Dawkins is very adamant and aggressive about his belief that there is no God whereas Krauss is more scientific in his approach and therefore comes across as more approachable. There were also many surprising interviews from celebrities that support their point of view, some quiet and soft spoken, others loud and combative.
The Verdict
Religion isn't something you can put a number on. Both sides are clearly craving more attention. Toward the end of The Unbelievers there was footage from the 'Rally for Reason', a gathering of extremely well known (and not so well known) Atheists. I would never go so far as to call this a revival, in a church sense, but it was definitely a way for people with a common belief system to get together and share their feelings and their message. Christians are happy to have more movies going mainstream, like God's Not Dead. They want their message to get out as well. But what bothers me about both sides is the anger and fear. Why are we so afraid?
If we can both find a way past this, I'll give you as many Darwin fish and Christian crosses as you can carry.
This coming from someone who went to college for Forensic Science and is a Christian.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
The History of Future Folk (2012)
There are some movies out there that still have the ability to surprise you. The History of Future Folk is an independent film, which you know I have a penchant for, that manages to be quirky, romantic, touching and even absurd at times, yet rolls it all together in a script that works. Whether it's the dry delivery of the main character, the clueless nature of his sidekick or the catchy tunes of their songs, The History of Future Folk managed to get me swept up in their story line all the way through till the end.
The Premise
The History of Future Folk is quite literally the history of the folk duo, Future Folk. After crash landing on our planet, General Trius of the planet Hondo, abandons his mission to destroy Earth's inhabitants after discovering one of our greatest commodities, music. General Trius goes on to change his identity, marry an Earth woman and raise a family. When fellow Hondonian, Kevin, is sent to assassinate him, things get even stranger.
My Take
One of the things that makes this movie so successful is the dry, deadpan delivery of Nils d'Aulaire. d'Aulaire is General Trius who has taken on the identity of Bill Hunt. When he crashed on Earth, his planet was on a collision course with a killer comet and taking over Earth was their only salvation. However, General Trius heard music for the first time before he could release a virus that would wipe out Earth's population. After falling in love with music he fell in love with Holly (Julie Ann Emery) and settled down.
The years goes by and Hondo's eminent destruction is still looming. They send an assassin to kill General Trius, who has made a happy life for himself on Earth moonlighting as a folk musician. Fellow Hondonian Kevin comes to Earth and fails miserably at the assassination attempt. He is captured by General Trius who introduces him to music for the first time. Jay Klaitz, who plays Kevin, does the greatest job acting like a full grown man who is hearing sounds put together in such a way for the very first time.
In fact he is so impressed, he runs out and learns to play the guitar and sing and write songs overnight in order to join his new friend on stage. They form the duo, Future Folk, and that is the history of Future Folk. But the movie doesn't end there. Hondo is still on a collision course with a killer comet, another assassin alien is coming after the virus, General Trius (AKA Bill Hunt) has to win his family back and Kevin needs to win the heart of the Earth woman he loves (April L. Hernandez).
The Verdict
The History of Future Folk is a surprising must see. When it first started and I saw General Trius put on his bright red costume before going onstage, I decided to give the movie my requisite fifteen more minutes before giving up on it. And I'm glad I did. Turns out the goofy red costumes are a pivotal part of the plot and they are actually quite endearing. Future Folk are very talented musicians and songwriters. Their songs are witty and goofy and their stringed instrument playing is impressive. I give The History of Future Folk 2/2 Aliens From Hondo. My only regret is that I didn't discover them until after they went on tour.
The Premise
The History of Future Folk is quite literally the history of the folk duo, Future Folk. After crash landing on our planet, General Trius of the planet Hondo, abandons his mission to destroy Earth's inhabitants after discovering one of our greatest commodities, music. General Trius goes on to change his identity, marry an Earth woman and raise a family. When fellow Hondonian, Kevin, is sent to assassinate him, things get even stranger.
My Take
One of the things that makes this movie so successful is the dry, deadpan delivery of Nils d'Aulaire. d'Aulaire is General Trius who has taken on the identity of Bill Hunt. When he crashed on Earth, his planet was on a collision course with a killer comet and taking over Earth was their only salvation. However, General Trius heard music for the first time before he could release a virus that would wipe out Earth's population. After falling in love with music he fell in love with Holly (Julie Ann Emery) and settled down.
The years goes by and Hondo's eminent destruction is still looming. They send an assassin to kill General Trius, who has made a happy life for himself on Earth moonlighting as a folk musician. Fellow Hondonian Kevin comes to Earth and fails miserably at the assassination attempt. He is captured by General Trius who introduces him to music for the first time. Jay Klaitz, who plays Kevin, does the greatest job acting like a full grown man who is hearing sounds put together in such a way for the very first time.
In fact he is so impressed, he runs out and learns to play the guitar and sing and write songs overnight in order to join his new friend on stage. They form the duo, Future Folk, and that is the history of Future Folk. But the movie doesn't end there. Hondo is still on a collision course with a killer comet, another assassin alien is coming after the virus, General Trius (AKA Bill Hunt) has to win his family back and Kevin needs to win the heart of the Earth woman he loves (April L. Hernandez).
The Verdict
The History of Future Folk is a surprising must see. When it first started and I saw General Trius put on his bright red costume before going onstage, I decided to give the movie my requisite fifteen more minutes before giving up on it. And I'm glad I did. Turns out the goofy red costumes are a pivotal part of the plot and they are actually quite endearing. Future Folk are very talented musicians and songwriters. Their songs are witty and goofy and their stringed instrument playing is impressive. I give The History of Future Folk 2/2 Aliens From Hondo. My only regret is that I didn't discover them until after they went on tour.
Friday, July 18, 2014
The Sapphires (2012)
In 1968, the Vietnam War was in full swing, Americans were fighting for their civil rights, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated and four Australian Aboriginal girls formed a group called The Sapphires. Inspired by a true story, The Sapphires is a touching film about four girls, with their own lessons to learn about life and love, who are swept off to war torn Vietnam by the only man who believes in them.
The Premise
Family group, The Sapphires, is comprised of three sisters and one cousin from indigenous Australia. Led by their inexperienced talent scout, the girls go to Vietnam to entertain the troops in 1968. While overseas, they experience the world's triumphs, defeats and heartaches together. They overcome their own family dynamics in order to make The Sapphires a success and to get out of Vietnam alive.
My Take
In Australia, the girls of the The Sapphires were not accepted in mainstream society because they were considered to be non-white. In the 1950's, Aboriginal children that were light skinned were literally stolen from their homes in order to be mainstreamed in an effort to breed out the Aboriginal race. So it was no wonder that in 1968 these girls were ready to get out of Australia, go to Vietnam and perform for the colored troops.
Gail, Cynthia and Julie are the sisters that started the group. Gail, played by Deborah Mailman, is the eldest member and is the heart of The Sapphires. She holds them together with her strength and perseverance. Mailman plays Gail in such a way that we grow to love her and understand her plight without being angry with her outbursts and bossy ways. Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell) often acts as a referee between the girls. She bounces between wanting to be mature and grown up and also acting out and being young and foolish, much like any other middle child. Julie is the youngest sister. Played by Jessica Mauboy, Julie wants it all. She is the one with the most talent and is determined to be part of the adventure, despite her responsibilities at home.
Cousin Kay is the last to join The Sapphires. The sisters want her to part of the group, much as she was when they were children before Kay was taken away to be mainstreamed into white society. Shari Sebbens plays conflicted Kay. Kay doesn't know quite who she is when she becomes a Sapphire. She has spent much of her life being told she is white and now she is being thrown into a soul group being labeled as Aboriginal Australian. It is a constant source of conflict between Kay and Gail.
Looking out for the girls is talent scout, Dave Lovelace. Chris O'Dowd is the heavy-drinking, inexperienced, Irish man that takes it upon himself to manage The Sapphires. And I think there might be something going on between he and Gail. I'm just saying.
Adapted from the stage play by Tony Briggs and written by Tony Briggs and Keith Thompson, The Sapphires is inspired by real events. Briggs is the son of original Sapphires member, Laurel Robinson. In the movie, four girls momentarily escape their troublesome lives by going to Vietnam to make music. There, they experience life, love, war and prejudice and form a family bond even deeper than they ever imagined.
The Verdict
The Sapphires is an amazing film. The performances are incredible, the singing is gorgeous and the story is beautiful. The Sapphires is one of those rare films that comes along that can make you feel a wide range of emotions in an hour and a half. You laugh, you cry, you get angry, you get wrapped up in the characters and in the story which is what any good film is supposed to make you do. I give The Sapphires 4/4 sapphires. Well done. In fact, I've already watched it twice.
The Premise
Family group, The Sapphires, is comprised of three sisters and one cousin from indigenous Australia. Led by their inexperienced talent scout, the girls go to Vietnam to entertain the troops in 1968. While overseas, they experience the world's triumphs, defeats and heartaches together. They overcome their own family dynamics in order to make The Sapphires a success and to get out of Vietnam alive.
My Take
In Australia, the girls of the The Sapphires were not accepted in mainstream society because they were considered to be non-white. In the 1950's, Aboriginal children that were light skinned were literally stolen from their homes in order to be mainstreamed in an effort to breed out the Aboriginal race. So it was no wonder that in 1968 these girls were ready to get out of Australia, go to Vietnam and perform for the colored troops.
Gail, Cynthia and Julie are the sisters that started the group. Gail, played by Deborah Mailman, is the eldest member and is the heart of The Sapphires. She holds them together with her strength and perseverance. Mailman plays Gail in such a way that we grow to love her and understand her plight without being angry with her outbursts and bossy ways. Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell) often acts as a referee between the girls. She bounces between wanting to be mature and grown up and also acting out and being young and foolish, much like any other middle child. Julie is the youngest sister. Played by Jessica Mauboy, Julie wants it all. She is the one with the most talent and is determined to be part of the adventure, despite her responsibilities at home.
Cousin Kay is the last to join The Sapphires. The sisters want her to part of the group, much as she was when they were children before Kay was taken away to be mainstreamed into white society. Shari Sebbens plays conflicted Kay. Kay doesn't know quite who she is when she becomes a Sapphire. She has spent much of her life being told she is white and now she is being thrown into a soul group being labeled as Aboriginal Australian. It is a constant source of conflict between Kay and Gail.
Looking out for the girls is talent scout, Dave Lovelace. Chris O'Dowd is the heavy-drinking, inexperienced, Irish man that takes it upon himself to manage The Sapphires. And I think there might be something going on between he and Gail. I'm just saying.
Adapted from the stage play by Tony Briggs and written by Tony Briggs and Keith Thompson, The Sapphires is inspired by real events. Briggs is the son of original Sapphires member, Laurel Robinson. In the movie, four girls momentarily escape their troublesome lives by going to Vietnam to make music. There, they experience life, love, war and prejudice and form a family bond even deeper than they ever imagined.
The Verdict
The Sapphires is an amazing film. The performances are incredible, the singing is gorgeous and the story is beautiful. The Sapphires is one of those rare films that comes along that can make you feel a wide range of emotions in an hour and a half. You laugh, you cry, you get angry, you get wrapped up in the characters and in the story which is what any good film is supposed to make you do. I give The Sapphires 4/4 sapphires. Well done. In fact, I've already watched it twice.
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