Reviews

I just watched this one for the first time and fail to understand the hatred for it. While you could definitely argue about the technical aspects of the film such as editing and ADR work and could note some of the jokes that come across as pretty outdated, it was still an entertaining film. Some people have also complained about a boxing match that appears out of nowhere and it makes me think that either this was a second idea Hemsley had for another film or they just needed a reason to win some quick cash to resolve the eviction subplot of the movie. Either way, who cares because Avalos is hilarious in it. When I heard than Hemsley financed the film it made me think perhaps he and Avalos were going to try to do a new set of Abbott and Costello like pictures but with a slightly more updated adult theme where they play different characters each time but remain in familiar roles. They both look like they are having fun and giving it their all and I wish we could have seen more from the pair. Having vampires, zombies, cemeteries and haunted houses makes a perfect backdrop for that later Abbott/Costello horror comedy formula that worked so well. Overall it is far from perfect, but if you like either lead actor, I think you'll enjoy this film.

From The Earth To The Moon tells the story of the entire American space program from Mercury to Gemini to Apollo. Soon enough they had to get around to Apollo 13, but how do you tell the story that is already so well known thanks to a brilliant movie a few years earlier? The 1995 movie Apollo 13 was so perfect and so well done that I, like some reviewers, used to think I disliked this episode. Boy was I mistaken! This episode takes this familiar tale and puts us in the seats of the viewing public at the time. The movie Apollo 13 focused on the astronauts and their families and tells a great tale, but this episode gives us history. We never see anymore of the astronauts than the average TV viewer saw in 1970. We only get to hear the garbled transmissions of those trapped in space facing certain death. We as the viewer are occasionally moved into the press pool, but even there we only gets bits and pieces of information. Some of it accurate and germane and some of it off the wall nonsense. This gives us a view of the situation on the ground and like the public we're never allowed to know the full story and like NASA we're unsure of the whole story. The splash down finally gives us some relief because despite knowing what's going to happen in the end, we are put into the story and become emotionally involved.

Now in addition to this masterful new way of telling an already popular story, there's some nice commentary here that we don't really see in the other episodes. To me it's a commentary of the failings of journalism and perhaps our attention spans beginning in the late 1990s and continuing to this very day. The young tabloidesque reporter (Jay Mohr) ousting the far more experienced, far more talented veteran reporter (played by Lane Smith in perhaps his greatest performance ever) is a comment on the take over of real news and real television shows by corporate propaganda parading as news and falsely labeled "reality" television. They also focus on how quickly the world became bored with space exploration. While somewhat true I see it more as a warning about our pathetic short attention which has diminished ten fold since this TV series was made. In a car race, most people don't care to watch until there's a crash. In 1970 America lost interest with human beings accomplishing the most astounding scientific achievement ever. Things have only gotten worse since then and HBO's From The Earth To The Moon saw it coming a mile away...

While I probably didn't read the original stories from 'Sub-Mariner' or 'Tale To Astonish', I do remember some of these stories from reading Marvel reprints. You see, one of the greatest things about these Marvel Super Heroes shows of the mid 1960s is the cartoons themselves are xerographed from the actual pages of the comic book so you can see your favorite pages coming to life. That's why a series like this is perfect for those fans who have a favorite penciller, inker or colorist. The voice acting here is decent, but what sets the Sub-Mariner sequences apart is the dialogue. Very Shakespearean in nature, it's a pleasure hearing Namor and his citizens interacting and it's even better when he's doing battle with a super villain or a giant sea monster. Granted the Sub-Mariner portions are a touch more one dimensional than the other heroes, but that doesn't make these episodes any less entertaining. Truthfully, Namor doesn't come across as a very good leader though. It seems like every episode someone else has captured the crown or the city of Atlantis must be evacuated. Many of the episodes also have the prince searching for some cure to Atlanteans who have been frozen or become ill or turned to stone. Overall this series is very episodic in nature and each episode itself comprises of 3 sub stories...kind of like a mini movie serial. As a fan of comic books back in their simpler days I have no problem with this sameness and watching a couple hours of this show should appeal to people who actually read comic books a heck of a lot more than the latest CGI laden cinematic release from Marvel.

Please note that this review is for the full length, original Japanese version of the movie. Sure the Sandy Frank versions are hilarious, especially on MST3K, but they do not properly express the original film or it's more intelligent dialogue. Unfortunately when most people review the Gamera movies, it's probably based on these inferior, sillier American versions.

By no means am I calling this a great film, but it is pretty much a nonstop focus on the adventure even if Gamera doesn't get as much face time. As usual though, our title character shows up with half an hour left and does endless battle with the evil, unstoppable Guiron who loves sawing his/her/it's victims into bits and pieces with his dull looking yet razor sharp fin. He also has some awesome ninja like shuriken to launch at his foes. Guiron is a pleasure to watch on the screen as are our two main characters Akio and Tom. Very reminiscent of Invaders From Mars, these two lead kids see aliens land, no one believes them and eventually they are inside the flying saucer. This all happens quite fast and the rest of the film focuses on the child actors trying to escape from the planet of Terra where they have encountered very shifty aliens who seem kind and gentle at one moment and cannibalistic the next. As far as visuals go, the matte work is pretty awful, but I really enjoy the look of the spaceship(s) and the alien planet. There's no question you have to be a fan of Godzilla or Ultraman to appreciate this film series, but if you take the time to delve into the Gamera universe, make sure you do so with the Japanese versions. They will still make you smirk, but I assure you in this original version you will find a film like Gamera Vs Guiron smarter and a bit more serious than you expected...

What a way to end a series! This entry is a few notches above the previous film and perhaps just a hair lesser horror than the first 2 movies and overall it's European horror in it's purest form. This film is a bit more surreal and dreamlike than the other Blind Dead films and I'd probably also call it the scariest of the series. Another plus is it kind of plays out like Night Of The Living Dead combined with Straw Dogs. Of course I'm not comparing this film to either of those masterpieces, but what great templates to use.

The plot of unwanted visitors to a cursed village might feel familiar to fans of Italian or Spanish horror. While in today's cinema they'd probably CGI a creepy, coastal village but of course nothing beats the real thing. You could probably look into where the movie was actually filmed, but I prefer to think it just exists in a dream (or nightmare if you prefer). When you watch this movie you'll understand what I mean. This locale, combined with some of cinema's best looking zombies, along with the requisite hints of blood and nudity will make any horror fan want to watch. The film starts strong and then slows up a bit in the middle to build tension. The zombies look so good and are so creepy that you'll wish they were on screen more. Never fear because the final 35 minutes are dedicated to our Blind Dead "heroes" and their siege on the doctor's house. Will mankind triumph over the evil zombie hoard in this final chapter or are we all doomed? You'll have to watch the movie to find out.

While I consider the 3 Flash Gordon movie serials to be the best serials ever made, The Green Hornet would fall in line right behind them. Serials are the episodic precursors to TV shows, but typically they will carry over a plot line over the course of 12-15 episodes. This serial kind of follows that format, but instead of having one long story there are half a dozen or so stories all connecting to the same criminals in the end. The acting for the most part is top notch and the characters the actors play are interesting without being unbelievably eccentric. One unfortunate issue with the portrayal of female characters in old movies and serials is how they are dismissed by their male counterparts. However, in this series the woman is 100% correct and the men who look at the Green Hornet as a criminal are the ones who look foolish.

The Hornet is a fantastic vigilante character who appeared on the radio in 1936 and clearly was influential to many comic book heroes particularly Batman. Like any serial the first 2 episodes are a bit slower because they have to try to introduce all the characters, but once you make it past them it's non stop action and intrigue. The fights between the real actors can come across as a bit funny, but when the stuntmen do the fighting it's awesome and pretty acrobatic. While not a special effects driven series, the effects for the Green Hornet's iconic gas gun are done quite well. Stock footage is also utilized to perfection to make the serial feel even more big budget than it ever could be. You might think the endless Rimsky Korsakov music would get annoying, but it really doesn't. Just like some 13 year old in the theater in 1940, every time "Flight Of The Bumblebee" would play my adrenaline would spike and I'd want to cheer out loud for our heroes! However despite the appeal to kids, I would definitely call this one of the more intelligent movie serials out there and while at first you'll wonder why Britt or Kato do this or that don't worry...it all comes together in the end. Looking at this more seriously, you also see the Green Hornet grow as a hero. At first he seems a bit gullible and easy to escape from, but as the series progresses we see a stronger hero from who crime can not escape. Whether you're a fan of old movie serials or classic vigilante heroes like the Shadow, Batman or the Green Hornet I'd encourage you to go out and see this masterpiece right now...it doesn't get much better than this!

Let's start with the second part of that summary first. Considering that 95% of the cast and crew have been replaced, it's hard to look at this as a proper sequel. In some cases, the new actors and actresses are better, but in most cases the acting is inferior to the original. The actor who played Carl Conrad Coreander is back, yet for some reason they spell his name with a K in this one so when Bastian first looks into the book shop, you think it's a Korean restaurant or something until the camera pans over the 'der'. The father seems to play a larger role in this second part, but somehow he has become much younger. Waiting 6 years to do a sequel is usually a mistake especially if the storyline is only supposed to take place a short while after the original. All of your child actors have aged drastically in that time, so they simply couldn't use them which makes the whole film feel like a disjointed story not truly connected to the original.

Now for the good parts. Jonathan Brandis was always a very talented actor and always brought a lot of emotion to his roles. Because he's in the realm of Fantasia for almost the whole movie, it does feel a bit more action oriented than the first film. Also, contrary to what many say, the special effects are really well done. Of course it's difficult for anyone to top the creations and sets of the original film, but that doesn't mean this film looks bad. The giants that Xayide controls look especially terrific and quite creepy at times and while some of the sets do feel like 1980's Flash Gordon, they do look appropriate for this fantasy world. Granted the special effects are more like you'd find in a lower budget Cannon film instead of an overblown Warner Brothers flick, but I really enjoy effects like that. If you're a fan of the book, this is also a decent representation of the second part of Ende's novel. While EVERY SINGLE aspect is not perfect, I want a filmmaker to take a little liberty with the property the movie is based on or otherwise why should I see a film that is a word for word, plot for plot copy? Overall, if the original Neverending Story is your favorite film ever, you probably won't like this one. However if you're like most of us who simply are fans of fantasy cinema, then I think you'll really enjoy this one even if it sux as a sequel.

I used to own this movie on DVD, but after a couple of views I dumped it because it was goofy and confusing as Hell. Recently I watched the 2003 film 'The Animatrix' and it finally gave me some understanding of the 2nd film in the trilogy. Don't get me wrong, as a whole it's still quite confusing. New characters are introduced with no backstory, many characters look somewhat similar to other characters which occasionally makes distinguishing them difficult and the long expositions only serve to confuse things even more. 'The Animatrix' will only help you understand some, but not all of this.

'The Matrix Reloaded' basically introduces us to a whole new world in Zion. This is good because it makes us care more about the fate of the humans who are disconnected from the Matrix. We see them living in a crowded city with families just like us as opposed to simply sticking with Morpheus and the gang. A lot more cinematic influences are clearly shown in this film from spaghetti Westerns to Bruce Lee to Shaw brothers films the movie never hides from it's origins. Occasionally the CGI is over the top as it is in every movie made after the original 'Matrix', but I don't have too much of a problem with what is supposed to be a giant computer program looking like a computer program.

Neo has become a messiah and a superhero by this time and he seems unsure of whether or not that's a good thing. Although only shown briefly, Neo is basically Jesus to many people and that's when we also get to see some of the influence of the Bible on this movie. Neo is actually called Superman in a scene because of the unbelievable powers he now possesses. Granted when a hero or villain is this unstoppable the numerous fights in the film could get boring, but they don't. In fact the fight against the Merovingian's henchmen is possibly the coolest fight scene of 21st century cinema. Yes, Neo is going to win this battle too, but it's interesting to see just how. If you don't understand the movie you aren't going to like it and if you have no previous experience with the Matrix universe you will probably downright hate it. However, if like me you think the 1st film is one of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made and would like to comprehend it better watch the other films in the series. Watch 'The Animatrix', watch a documentary or read the plot synopsis a few times before going in because I honestly believe that the better you understand this, the more you will be able to appreciate what is actually a pretty decent sequel...

How any zombie movie or Italian horror movie fan could dislike this film I'll never know. This movie has a decent story, loads of action, a healthy amount of gore, an exotic locale and relentless zombie attacks...what else do you people want? Yes, the similarities to Return Of The Living Dead can't be ignored and the filmmakers obviously love George Romero, but they seem more influenced by The Crazies than Night Of The Living Dead. Oh sure the obligatory "let's board up the house to keep the zombies out" scene is here, but it doesn't last long. Granted many of the people trying to survive are portrayed as rather stupid, but they are also rather good hearted. For the most part everyone is trying to help friends and strangers alike to survive the epidemic. The military is portrayed as heartless as they usually are. However this time we also get a trio of kick ass super soldiers who fight off 50 zombies with an M-16 all while carrying an injured woman over their shoulder. That balance is nice as we get to see the military can be evil and ignorant, but they can also still be our heroes. The idea behind this being a virus that can affect not only man, but animal is also really smart. It makes a happy ending appear hopeless as who knows how wide the virus truly spread. Horror movies with happy endings are okay occasionally, but it's those bleak ends that bring a little smirk to my face. Overall, this may be a patchwork film that is technically two movies in one, but the guys who did the patching are honest to God masters of horror.

An actor wanders around a darkened, empty theater and over reacts to things...there's the whole movie for you. Now you don't have to waste 20 minutes. Okay it's not quite THAT boring and I know Ed Wood fanatics are going to want to see it. After all, my fanaticism is what brought me to watch this TV pilot. The lead actor is not exactly terrible, but he has nothing to work with! The narration by Dudley Manlove is just atrocious, but some viewers may find that charming. The few scares that are present are on par with a Scooby Doo episode, but I believe Wood put a little horror twist on the ending which I did enjoy. The twist I refer to is alluded to in the prologue - "Even the Devil rejects them. Doomed to haunt the Earth throughout the endless reaches of time". Even I gotta admit, that's pretty damn cool. It would have been nice to see what would have come from an Ed Wood anthology horror series, but as a TV exec I probably would have passed on this pilot as well.

This 3rd entry in the Blind Dead series may be the weakest link, but it still has a lot going for it. First of all, like all the films in the series, Ghost Galleon has some of the most original looking zombies ever committed to celluloid. We get to see plenty of them, but at times their presence on a dark boat can be obscured. They also don't turn in any kind of high body count which is what fans expect from a zombie film. This makes it kind of the oddball in this fine quadrilogy, but perhaps De Ossorio was being influenced by Italy's Giallo films at the time and was going more for atmosphere. I say this because this movie is almost pure creepy atmosphere with it's shapes, shadows and sounds. The main setting of the haunted, centuries old ship is also terrific even if the miniature version of the boat looks more like a 4th grade class project. Despite the lack of death, blood and serious action I never once felt the film was boring. The feel of dread and hopelessness kept me wondering who would win the day and the magnificent ending made me proud to be a horror fan.

Definitely not your average kaiju film and not just because it's North Korean. This movie has some destruction and loads of fire, but about 75% of that comes from the evil government. Yes, some people would call this a "propaganda piece" because how dare you say the peasants are being treated terribly by their feudal monarchy. The government heads make sure to steal from, starve and torture the citizens and what's sad is this is what is happening regularly in North Korea to this very day. I hate to get political here, but that's really what the film is about. The titular character is more of a side story or simply a way to draw a bigger audience. I mean we don't see any creature for over 20 minutes and we don't see any kind of giant monster until 20 minutes after that. Large and small, Pulgasari is on the side of the peasants who revolt against the governor and then the king after they can stand no more abuse. Pulgasari charging the battlefield was easily the funniest thing I saw in this movie, but unlike something like Mothra or some Godzilla sequels, I don't think this is supposed to be humorous in any way...did I mention the torture? Considering this was done in the mid-80s the monster suit is about 15 years behind the times and at times they use rear screen projection which is what they used for King Kong back in 1933! Despite that, it's still a good story of rebellion against forces of evil, I would just question if we even needed the monster? For me the film could stand on it's own as a historical, war, action piece, but I have to admit as a kaiju fanatic it was the picture of the monster that made me want to see the film in the first place and that was probably what the North Korean government was counting on...

For the most part if you've seen the original Demons from 1985 you know the plot. This movie substitutes a television for a movie screen and an apartment complex for the theater. Personally, these are always my favorite type of horror films. A group of people trapped somewhere, facing insurmountable odds against demons, zombies, psychopaths, etc. and the odds are not looking good for the cast of Demons 2.

I'd say simply enough that if you are a fan of horror cinema, you should check this one out. The constant darkness and flickering lights add some nice atmosphere. The special effects and makeup look extraordinary even if the Venus flytrap looking demon is kind of goofy. There are some scenes that look very similar to modern horror efforts such as REC or 28 Weeks Later, so the movie feels a bit ahead of it's time. Asia Argento turns in an emotional performance in her film debut. Although used rather sparsely, her talents are just a notch below the great child actors like a Corey Feldman or a Drew Barrymore. All the other actors involved also manage to turn in decent performances. Although we don't really get to know these characters too well, we hope people such as the two stuck in the elevator or the pregnant woman or toy ray gun brandishing boy make it through the ordeal. Meanwhile, the most annoying character gets killed off first and the entire party, along with the viewers cheer.

From giallo horror to zombies to infection/demon films like this one, I've always felt the Italians did a better job at horror cinema than anybody else and a movie like Demons 2 just proves my point. It's a film that was probably rushed and wasn't given much thought outside of the plot lines of the original movie, yet it manages to be amazingly entertaining. Although not always the case with Italian cinema, this movie gets right down to business and keeps up the terror and the action until the very end. More brutal and heartless than gory and since the Italians don't always do happy endings you wonder who will win in the end, the demon hoards or humanity...

I didn't really like this movie when I first started watching it because it was so confusing, so silly and it felt so rushed. Well, after about 10 minutes I started falling in love with this plot less, goofy structure. What little plot there is, is a post apocalyptic wasteland that is kind of, sort of, a sequel to Death Race 2000. Before you think about grouping it in with one of dozens of Mad Max ripoffs, keep in mind that this film came BEFORE Mad Max. Although it looks similar to many post apocalyptic movies you remember from the 80s or even from today with something like Fury Road, it is a pre-cursor to those films and probably had some influence on them. Deathsport incorporates old magic with futuristic technology with plenty of things you'd recognize from the present which is common with many films in this genre. I know most people who have seen this flick will focus on the absurdity of it, but I think there's a few impressive even intellectual things that viewers miss. The movie is clearly fueled by drugs (weed, LSD and cocaine if I had to guess) and because of this there is a lot of experimentation with acting, camera shots and filming styles. The way the movie plays with color, at times it looks like the director is being influenced by Dario Argento. Also, between what is happening mentally with the evil Lord Zirpola and the gladiatorial like games, I'd say the writers have clearly studied the reign of Caligula. Despite the heavy drug use on the set, or perhaps because of it, this film is smarter than most people think. But regardless of whether you want to see a film with experimental shots and smart metaphors or you simply want to see full frontal female nudity, plastic swords that would later be used for the Crystar toy line and David Carradine kicking butt in a loincloth, you will enjoy this film.

If someone asked me to define 80s horror there's a lot of obvious films to select from, but this would be one of my choices. Between the body obsessed people, the slasher elements, the nudity and the blood, this kind of says it all about your typical 1980s horror film. What's cool about this one though is it's no ordinary slasher. There are your typical red herrings and very inventive kills, but there's also a great supernatural element that at first seems fake but then turns out to be very real and changes the whole dynamic of Death Spa. The movie does seem a bit more brutal than your standard fare as far as it's tortuous ways of killing people and all the bloody/boiled corpses it is willing to show us. That's perfect for those of us who enjoy some dirtier grindhouse elements in our horror movies. I assure you, as typical as this film may feel at first stick with it because whether you enjoy Friday The 13th, The Exorcist or Jungle Holocaust this should appeal to you in some way.