Made back in 1986, this has to be one of the weirdest werewolf movies I've ever seen. Sometimes the rediculousness is simple like a magic spell blowing a dwarf's eyes out fo his head. Or something far more insane like a demon raping a priest in the mouth and giving birth.
The acting in this movie is nothing to write home about. By far the best actor in the movie is Christopher Lee and even he gives such a low key performance it's like he's ashamed to be in the movie. That's saying something from the guy who played Dracula in the Hammer movies.
This one isn't for the kiddies because there's a good number of werewolf orgy scenes I don't think younger audiences need to see. Or anyone else for that matter. At one point there's three of them together and they are covered in really bad looking fake hair.
It rewrites a lot of standing werewolf lore and takes some liberties with Stirba being both a werewolf and some kind of sorceress. This is a weird movie but if you like really goofy stuff and cheesy acting, I'd say this is worth seeing.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Coming Soon: 2/3/12
Hey everyone. I know my theatrical movie reviews have kinda been few and far between. There's a few reasons for that. 1) There's not too many playing I'd really want to spend money to watch. 2) I've been pretty busy with getting registered for classes and taking care of my parents. And 3) I've been trying to get research done for the movie I'm writing. I'm setting up a deadline of the next 6 months. It's mostly for me so I actually get around to making it happen so I need a goal to meet.
Anyway: I'll try to do more older movies since I can watch many of them on tv and from my DVD collection. I certainly don't have a short supply of older movies I could talk about. If there are any requests, don't be afraid to post a comment. I'll be sure to get it on the list.
With all that aside let's see what's coming out this week.
1) The Woman In Black: A ghost is haunting a village
The Good: Daniel Radcliffe doing something other than Harry Potter. Should be a scary movie too.
The Bad: The trailers don't really give us very much in terms of what the story is about or enough to judge any acting performances.
Final Thoughts: There really just isn't enough information to even make an informed guess on if it's a good movie or not. If you like ghost stories, go ahead. It might be good. But I just don't know.
2) Chronicle: High school kids get super powers and start abusing it.
The Good: It's not your standard super kid comic book movie. Instead of being drawn to fight crime, they use it to pick up girls and play pranks. It's an interesting idea.
The Bad: Who's the guy we are supposed to cheer for?
Final Thoughts: The effects look good, the story is interesting, but I'm just not interested enough to see it in the theater.
3) Big Miracle: The true story of how people saved gray whales trapped under ice.
The Good: True stories are usually great. And who doesn't like a feel good family story with animals?
The Bad: It's Dolphin Tale with whales. It's going to be really boring.
Final Thoughts: skip it.
See you at the movies
Anyway: I'll try to do more older movies since I can watch many of them on tv and from my DVD collection. I certainly don't have a short supply of older movies I could talk about. If there are any requests, don't be afraid to post a comment. I'll be sure to get it on the list.
With all that aside let's see what's coming out this week.
1) The Woman In Black: A ghost is haunting a village
The Good: Daniel Radcliffe doing something other than Harry Potter. Should be a scary movie too.
The Bad: The trailers don't really give us very much in terms of what the story is about or enough to judge any acting performances.
Final Thoughts: There really just isn't enough information to even make an informed guess on if it's a good movie or not. If you like ghost stories, go ahead. It might be good. But I just don't know.
2) Chronicle: High school kids get super powers and start abusing it.
The Good: It's not your standard super kid comic book movie. Instead of being drawn to fight crime, they use it to pick up girls and play pranks. It's an interesting idea.
The Bad: Who's the guy we are supposed to cheer for?
Final Thoughts: The effects look good, the story is interesting, but I'm just not interested enough to see it in the theater.
3) Big Miracle: The true story of how people saved gray whales trapped under ice.
The Good: True stories are usually great. And who doesn't like a feel good family story with animals?
The Bad: It's Dolphin Tale with whales. It's going to be really boring.
Final Thoughts: skip it.
See you at the movies
Monday, January 23, 2012
From the Vault: Margin Call
Made in 2011, this is one of several movies made recently about the stock market collapse in 2008. And that's about the extent of the plot. A young stock broker manages to deduce that the company he works for is so over leveraged that once the economy turns not only would their company be bankrupt but so would a lot of others.
In many ways this is a microcosmic look at what happened with Goldman Sachs. They decided to start a fire sale and sell off all the bad securities they had and many times well below the market rate just to get it off their books.
Once the fire sale started, the company fired all the stock traders, paid them a lot of money, and left them with a ruined reputation and the senior partners in a great position to make a killing on the upswing.
It's really hard to like any of the characters in this movie. The young guys never get enough screen time to develop their personalities. All they tell us is that they are obsessed with money. The senior partners were also just obsessed with money and are willing to screw over those under them so they could continue to make a lot more money. No feelings of responsibility, no remorse, no compassion for those about to lose their jobs and the small time investors, no thoughts to the people who can't retire because their pensions were wiped out. Instead we get a pretentious little speech about how money has no real value.
From a docudrama point of view it's a fairly good movie. It tries very hard to make a complicated issue easy enough to understand for everyone. But if you are looking for any kind of entertainment value, this isn't the best choice. The subject is dry and not a whole lot really happens. It's still a good watch. Check it out.
In many ways this is a microcosmic look at what happened with Goldman Sachs. They decided to start a fire sale and sell off all the bad securities they had and many times well below the market rate just to get it off their books.
Once the fire sale started, the company fired all the stock traders, paid them a lot of money, and left them with a ruined reputation and the senior partners in a great position to make a killing on the upswing.
It's really hard to like any of the characters in this movie. The young guys never get enough screen time to develop their personalities. All they tell us is that they are obsessed with money. The senior partners were also just obsessed with money and are willing to screw over those under them so they could continue to make a lot more money. No feelings of responsibility, no remorse, no compassion for those about to lose their jobs and the small time investors, no thoughts to the people who can't retire because their pensions were wiped out. Instead we get a pretentious little speech about how money has no real value.
From a docudrama point of view it's a fairly good movie. It tries very hard to make a complicated issue easy enough to understand for everyone. But if you are looking for any kind of entertainment value, this isn't the best choice. The subject is dry and not a whole lot really happens. It's still a good watch. Check it out.
Coming Soon: 1/27/12
There were some great movies out last week. Let's see if the trend continues. What's coming out this Friday?
1) The Grey: Oil workers must survive the Alaskan wilderness and wild wolves after a plane crash.
The Good: It sounds like a great adventure story. The survival genre needs more great stories.
The Bad: I'm not a fan of Liam Neeson. Plus the CG wolves look terrible.
Final Thoughts: I don't have the highest hopes for it, but I don't think it'll be that bad either. Give it a try.
2) Man on a Ledge: An ex-cop convicted of a crime stands out on a ledge and talks with a negotiator.
The Good: It's a tense drama that goes beyond the simple plot.
The Bad: It's one of those stories that gets into the absurd the longer you think about it.
Final Thoughts: It's not going to be a good movie. I'd avoid it.
3) One For the Money: A woman down on her luck takes a job as a bounty hunter. Her first assignment is to capture an ex love from high school.
The Good: You can't be serious.
The Bad: This is a rehashed story from an already disasterously bad movie. AKA "The Bounty Hunter"
Final Thoughts: Do not see this movie. It's going to hurt. It's The Bounty Hunter but without Jennifer Aniston. Just don't.
4) The Wicker Tree: A sequel to The Wicker Man where two missionaries are asked to be the Queen of the May and Laddie.
The Good: It won't be good.
The Bad: It's a sequel to a movie that had already been ruined by an unnecessary and unsuccessful remake with Nick Cage. The Wicker Man is less of a horror story and more of a punchline because of the Nick Cage remake. Maybe this will resurrect the franchise, but I doubt it.
See you at the movies
1) The Grey: Oil workers must survive the Alaskan wilderness and wild wolves after a plane crash.
The Good: It sounds like a great adventure story. The survival genre needs more great stories.
The Bad: I'm not a fan of Liam Neeson. Plus the CG wolves look terrible.
Final Thoughts: I don't have the highest hopes for it, but I don't think it'll be that bad either. Give it a try.
2) Man on a Ledge: An ex-cop convicted of a crime stands out on a ledge and talks with a negotiator.
The Good: It's a tense drama that goes beyond the simple plot.
The Bad: It's one of those stories that gets into the absurd the longer you think about it.
Final Thoughts: It's not going to be a good movie. I'd avoid it.
3) One For the Money: A woman down on her luck takes a job as a bounty hunter. Her first assignment is to capture an ex love from high school.
The Good: You can't be serious.
The Bad: This is a rehashed story from an already disasterously bad movie. AKA "The Bounty Hunter"
Final Thoughts: Do not see this movie. It's going to hurt. It's The Bounty Hunter but without Jennifer Aniston. Just don't.
4) The Wicker Tree: A sequel to The Wicker Man where two missionaries are asked to be the Queen of the May and Laddie.
The Good: It won't be good.
The Bad: It's a sequel to a movie that had already been ruined by an unnecessary and unsuccessful remake with Nick Cage. The Wicker Man is less of a horror story and more of a punchline because of the Nick Cage remake. Maybe this will resurrect the franchise, but I doubt it.
See you at the movies
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Red Tails Review:
The story of the all black fighter pilots is one I feel can't be told enough. It was a major triumph of overcoming tremendous adversity and racism. Unfortunately, that isn't the story this movie wants to tell. If you want to hear that story, HBO had a made for tv movie called The Tuskegee Airmen. The best way to explain my position is to compare Red Tails to The Tuskegee Airmen. If you want my concise review, Red Tails is a good movie with a lot of bad acting and not a whole lot of depth. It's more of a look at what they did during the war and downplays what they went through just to get to that point.
The beginning of these two movies is drastically different. In The Tuskegee Airmen, the movie starts in basic training. It emphasizes how much racism they went through just to learn to fly. Any excuse the instructors could find to send them home, they found. In Red Tails, they start with the 332nd already in Italy. There is the racism element in the movie, but it's so much more low key it's like the movie is ashamed to even go there. But here's the problem: that is the story. Yes, the 332nd is a highly decorated fighter group. What they did was amazing. But you can't talk about what they did without talking about how hard it was just to get an opportunity.
In Red Tails, the major subplot of the movie was the life of one of the pilots named "Lightning". Much is made how reckless and talented he was. Many times he was outright disobedient. Another part of it was a romance story between Lightning and a local Italian girl. Honestly, it didn't have any emotion behind it. It's a subplot that is just there. She didn't speak much English and he didn't speak any Italian. It's a little hard to believe there's anything there other than physical attraction. In The Tuskegee Airmen, the subplot is World War II. The success of the pilots is secondary to the struggle against racism. I think that makes a more interesting story.
Red Tails is a good movie and it's worth seeing. But I'd wait to rent it rather than going to the theaters. In the meantime, try to find The Tuskegee Airmen. It's better and well worth watching.
The beginning of these two movies is drastically different. In The Tuskegee Airmen, the movie starts in basic training. It emphasizes how much racism they went through just to learn to fly. Any excuse the instructors could find to send them home, they found. In Red Tails, they start with the 332nd already in Italy. There is the racism element in the movie, but it's so much more low key it's like the movie is ashamed to even go there. But here's the problem: that is the story. Yes, the 332nd is a highly decorated fighter group. What they did was amazing. But you can't talk about what they did without talking about how hard it was just to get an opportunity.
In Red Tails, the major subplot of the movie was the life of one of the pilots named "Lightning". Much is made how reckless and talented he was. Many times he was outright disobedient. Another part of it was a romance story between Lightning and a local Italian girl. Honestly, it didn't have any emotion behind it. It's a subplot that is just there. She didn't speak much English and he didn't speak any Italian. It's a little hard to believe there's anything there other than physical attraction. In The Tuskegee Airmen, the subplot is World War II. The success of the pilots is secondary to the struggle against racism. I think that makes a more interesting story.
Red Tails is a good movie and it's worth seeing. But I'd wait to rent it rather than going to the theaters. In the meantime, try to find The Tuskegee Airmen. It's better and well worth watching.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
From the Vault: Game of Death (1979)
Released back in 1979, this movie had been in production for well over five years and if you'd ever seen it, you'd wonder why they even bothered. The short answer is of course why dozens of other bruceploitation movies were made. Everyone loves Bruce Lee. And this was Bruce Lee's last movie.
Bruce Lee left the filming of Game of Death to film one of the most influential kung fu movies ever made: Enter the Dragon. Shortly after filming Enter the Dragon, Lee intended to come back and finish Game of Death, but tragically died before he could do that. So, unlike movies such as Exit the Dragon Enter the Tiger, The Clones of Bruce Lee, or Bruce Lee Fights Back From the Grave, Bruce Lee actually did star in the movie.
Really this movie is a mess of stock footage, horrible dubbing, and atrocious acting. In one truely tasteless scene of the movie, they used footage from Bruce Lee's real life funeral to further the plot. The best part of the movie is the movie's climax where, naturally, we have Bruce Lee doing what he does best: bone breaking kung fu. Bruce Lee vs Kareem Abdul Jabbar is actually satisfying; a testament to just how good an actor Bruce Lee truely was.
If you are in the mood for a great kung fu movie featuring the greatest martial artist ever on screen, watch Enter the Dragon or Fists of Fury before you ever attempt to sit through something like this.
Bruce Lee left the filming of Game of Death to film one of the most influential kung fu movies ever made: Enter the Dragon. Shortly after filming Enter the Dragon, Lee intended to come back and finish Game of Death, but tragically died before he could do that. So, unlike movies such as Exit the Dragon Enter the Tiger, The Clones of Bruce Lee, or Bruce Lee Fights Back From the Grave, Bruce Lee actually did star in the movie.
Really this movie is a mess of stock footage, horrible dubbing, and atrocious acting. In one truely tasteless scene of the movie, they used footage from Bruce Lee's real life funeral to further the plot. The best part of the movie is the movie's climax where, naturally, we have Bruce Lee doing what he does best: bone breaking kung fu. Bruce Lee vs Kareem Abdul Jabbar is actually satisfying; a testament to just how good an actor Bruce Lee truely was.
If you are in the mood for a great kung fu movie featuring the greatest martial artist ever on screen, watch Enter the Dragon or Fists of Fury before you ever attempt to sit through something like this.
Coming Soon: 1/20/12
One week and a nice little snow storm later it's time to see what's playing in the theaters.
1) Underworld Awakening: Humans have discovered that vampires and Lycans exist and try to kill both clans.
The Good: Kate Beckensale is sexy.
The Bad: Looking at Kate Beckensale in tight leather is the only reason to watch this movie.
Final Thoughts: If you want porn, look on the internet.
2) Haywire: A special agent is double crossed during a mission.
The Good: An amazing cast and a lot of action scenes.
The Bad: nothing. It looks like it'll be a big hit.
Final Thoughts: I felt that Stephen Soderbergh had the best movie of the year with Contagion. Hopefully this one goes as well.
3) Red Tails: The true story of the all black pilots during World War II.
The Good: I love true stories and this is one of those stories that is stranger than fiction.
The Bad: HBO did a similar movie called The Tuskegee Airmen in 1995. Also with Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Final Thoughts: I think this and Haywire are the movies to watch this month. If you don't know about this amazing story from World War II, you have to see this movie.
4) Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: A boy searches for a secret message by his dead father he believes is out there in New York City.
The Good: Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock are amazing actors.
The Bad: Based on the trailers, I have no idea why I should watch this movie. I don't know what's happening. I don't know why this kid thinks there's a hidden message from his Dad. I don't know anything other than it's another fluff movie trying to make me cry.
Final Thoughts: If there's anything here, I don't see it. It might be good, but my initial response is to just wait and rent it at home.
5) Miss Bala: A beauty queen contestant sells out to a Mexican gang so she can win.
The Good: Sounds like a transformative story that will effect lots of people while giving a glimpse of the problems Mexico is going through today.
The Bad: nothing. It looks like a good movie.
Final Thoughts: If you like foreign films and want to do a little leg work to see a movie that might not necessarily be in the theaters in your area, this one is worth looking for.
See you at the movies.
1) Underworld Awakening: Humans have discovered that vampires and Lycans exist and try to kill both clans.
The Good: Kate Beckensale is sexy.
The Bad: Looking at Kate Beckensale in tight leather is the only reason to watch this movie.
Final Thoughts: If you want porn, look on the internet.
2) Haywire: A special agent is double crossed during a mission.
The Good: An amazing cast and a lot of action scenes.
The Bad: nothing. It looks like it'll be a big hit.
Final Thoughts: I felt that Stephen Soderbergh had the best movie of the year with Contagion. Hopefully this one goes as well.
3) Red Tails: The true story of the all black pilots during World War II.
The Good: I love true stories and this is one of those stories that is stranger than fiction.
The Bad: HBO did a similar movie called The Tuskegee Airmen in 1995. Also with Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Final Thoughts: I think this and Haywire are the movies to watch this month. If you don't know about this amazing story from World War II, you have to see this movie.
4) Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: A boy searches for a secret message by his dead father he believes is out there in New York City.
The Good: Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock are amazing actors.
The Bad: Based on the trailers, I have no idea why I should watch this movie. I don't know what's happening. I don't know why this kid thinks there's a hidden message from his Dad. I don't know anything other than it's another fluff movie trying to make me cry.
Final Thoughts: If there's anything here, I don't see it. It might be good, but my initial response is to just wait and rent it at home.
5) Miss Bala: A beauty queen contestant sells out to a Mexican gang so she can win.
The Good: Sounds like a transformative story that will effect lots of people while giving a glimpse of the problems Mexico is going through today.
The Bad: nothing. It looks like a good movie.
Final Thoughts: If you like foreign films and want to do a little leg work to see a movie that might not necessarily be in the theaters in your area, this one is worth looking for.
See you at the movies.
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