Movie Review: APP

Posted on June 2, 2014 by geelw

As the first second screen “horror” film, Bobby Boermans’ APP dares to ask you to not only keep your cell phone ON during its entire running time, it wants you to download an app just for the purposes of getting the most out of the wild ride it sends you on for a very brisk 75 minutes.

However, if the very idea of having a phone buzzing away a few times on your lap as you watch a film outrages you to no end, you can watch the film without a phone and still enjoy it quite thoroughly. It’s certainly worth seeing this one both ways (which I did for the purposes of this review) as the phone-enabled parts are cleverly crafted to not distract from the film at all, giving you enough time to glance down then back up without missing anything important.
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LUCY Poster Gets Me Thinking Of Much Funnier Memories From The Past…

Posted on May 28, 2014 by geelw

Hmmmmmm. I’m sorry, but I laughed out loud when I saw the name to Luc Besson’s new film about a sexy gal (Scarlett Johansson) who gains superhuman powers after she accidentally ingests some of the drugs she’s forced to smuggle. Not because I don’t think Mr. B and Ms. J can pull it off more than ably and not because it’s one more Besson action flick about a killer lady doing her stuff kicking all sorts of butt and getting into serious trouble in fancy locations. Nope, those well-aged tropes make me smile and nod. It’s the title, ladies and gents. Why? Because I think of Lucille Ball making a 20-foot loaf of bread, stuffing chocolates in her mouth on that assembly line, stomping grapes versus a real grape stomper and getting into other mischief that requires “splain”-ing to her harried hubby. Of course, when I get around to actually seeing the trailer, I’ll be expecting a laugh track and a orchestral/bongo back beat. Oh, wait… it was already dropped onto YouTube in April? D’oooooh! (Goes to microwave some popcorn, microwave is busted. *Crap!* Runs out to buy bad of equally nasty cold bagged popcorn… Seven minutes, thirty eight seconds later)…

(thanks, Movieclips Trailers!)

“Luc-yyyyyyyy? I’m hooooooome” (Hee-hee…)

Random Film of the Week: HOUSE (1977)

Posted on May 23, 2014 by geelw

(thanks, tubesoda!)

One of the most unusual “mainstream” horror films you’ll ever see, Nobuhiko Obayashi’s 1977 film HOUSE is one of those inventively crazy movies that will stick in your head for a long while after those end credits roll.

Paradoxically, it’s tricky to talk about the film in detail and not give a lot away. But on the other hand, you could go in knowing the entire story and what happens to every character in the film before you see it and still have your mind completely blown by the bizarre visual effects and how the tone switches from comic to horror (and back and forth at that) at the drop of a hat.

Or drop of the head, in this case… Continue reading →

Sin City: A Dame To Kill For Poster Gallery: Rogues, Not Rubes Coming To A Theater Near You…

Posted on May 21, 2014 by geelw

Aha. I was waiting for the photo versions of Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller’s upcoming Sin City: A Dame To Kill For to start popping up on the internet and here you go. Well, below the first four promo posters, which are stylish and all, but don’t show how some of the returning characters look in the flesh:

Now, THESE five are more like it, I say:

Of course, Mickey Rourke as Marv is mostly makeup, so he’s probably the lest changed from the original film. I’ll get slapped if I say Jessica Alba’s Nancy looks “older” even if I’m just being honest about it, but if she’s doing the slapping, I’ll stick out my chin and let her have at it. Ouch! Anyway, everyone else here is new to the Sin City saga and we’ll all see what’s what on August 22, right?

Random Film of the Week(end): The Horror of Party Beach

Posted on May 17, 2014 by geelw

(thanks, Tommy Retro’s Blast From The Past!)

As it’s almost (but not quite) beach season (unless it’s summer when you’re actually reading this, then BEWARE!) here’s a cautionary tale for you hep cats and hip chicks looking for some fun in the soon to be summer sun: DON’T DO IT! Hell, I mean between the assorted oil and chemical spills and their assorted hasty to long term cleanups that just add MORE nasty chemicals to the waters around everywhere, you’re only bound to run into something monstrous coming out of the water (or heck, just IN the water) that wants to EAT. YOUR. FLESH! (Mua-ha-ha-ha-haaaaa!, but somewhat true! Eeeek!).

Anyway, 1964’s Horror on Party Beach kind of predicted this modern age of old-school waste making hasty retreats for beaches everywhere, but the film was SO bad that no one listened because they were busy laughing their bottoms off as this bottom of the fish barrel “Z”-grade spook-tacular stunk up a theater near them… Continue reading →

Guardians of the Galaxy Teaser Trailer: In Space, Everyone Can See You Tease…

Posted on May 16, 2014 by geelw

Well, I’ve changed my tune on this flick since I first heard it was being made, but yet… I worry a tiny bit about its future. I’m betting the fans will ABSOLUTELY eat it up and make it a box office champ for a bit, but I know the more curmudgeonly critics will not get this all that much. There will be whining about everything from the stunt casting, the snarky late 20th century jokes, maybe a knock on any visual effects they dislike, and yes, probably some complaints about James Gunn’s direction when stacked up to the other recent Marvel movies. Eh, whatever, I say.

Of course, I could be wrong (again!), but based on a few Godzilla reviews from folks who didn’t get that film, I’d say Guardians of the Galaxy is in for a rough ride in the mainstream newspapers and websites. Anyway, the real noise drops on Monday, so this teaser is just that. I hate these teasers for actual trailers, by the way… but it’s so common that there’s no way this practice will go away anytime soon because of all the interest each microsecond of new footage draws to movies that do this. Well, it seems to work, as I know I’ll be back here on Monday with another update on THAT trailer. Oh, and yes, that’s the new poster for the film. Nice, huh?

Interstellar Trailer: Nolan’s Next Will Be Even More Of A Trip…

Posted on May 16, 2014 by geelw

When I first heard that Chris Nolan was making an honest to goodness science fiction picture, I knew it would be packed with a fine cast and at the very least worth a look for its visual effects, I didn’t expect to be as impressed as I was with this first actual trailer. Interstellar poses some interesting questions that look as if they’re going to be answered in a few ways before those credits roll. That, or it’ll be one of those great and very re-watchable “debate” movies as to what it all means.

Interestingly enough, Matthew McConaughey was also in another sci-fi flick that posed some deep questions that got answered, Robert Zemeckis’ Contact, released in 1997 by Warner Bros. to primarily positive reviews. Nolan seems to be looking to go deeper in his film, but we’ll see how it all turns out on November 7, 2014.

Random Film of the Week(end): Mother’s Day (1980)

Posted on May 11, 2014 by geelw

(thanks, frightism!)

As horror movies from the era go, Mother’s Day hits all of the right notes genre fans should appreciate, which means this oldie’s NOT for the squeamish or anyone who hates a bit of nastiness in their fear flicks. Riffing off on better movies like Deliverance and gore classics such as I Spit On Your Grave and Last House On The Left, co-writer/director Charlie Kaufman (no, not THAT one, this one’s Troma Picture’s Lloyd Kaufman’s brother) cooked up a mean little revenge movie with a few twists and turns. It’s at turns scary, sick, and funny, and as noted, NOT for everyone, so beware if that goofy poster piques your curiosity and you decide to go in cold.

While more of a cult film than actual “classic,” this one’s got some pretty sharp teeth, bites really hard and deep. When three gals set out on their yearly camping trip, they run afoul of a pair of crazed brothers and their even more unhinged mother who’s not even close to a sympathetic character. The old bat has her boys kidnap and put the three girls through hell in some disgusting torture and abuse scenes that are still effective and hard to watch today. One girl dies from her injuries, but the other two survive… only to return loaded for bear in order exact revenge on their former tormentors…

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Godzilla Poster Gallery Update: That Big New Lizard Inspires Some Mighty Fine Works Of Art

Posted on May 8, 2014 by geelw

I hadn’t checked in on the Godzilla gallery over at Imp Awards in a while, but the need to dig up posters for some other films had me check to see what was new and wow, were there some nice additions. Granted, they’re not all my taste and I think a few are overdone. Nevertheless, all are striking and would make excellent additions to any movie fan’s walls and/or collection. I wish I had room here (or still collected movie posters, for that matter)…

But wait, there’s MORE! Product placement, anyone? (and VERY amusing product placement at that!):

Hmmmmm… I wonder how much FIAT had to pay to be the first commercial to REALLY show the new Godzilla off? Probably way too much to contemplate, but at least they did a spectacular job with this commercial. Um, in case you haven’t figured it out after all those posters AND the commercial, Godzilla opens here May 16, 2014.

Random Film of the Week: Happy Birthday To Me

Posted on May 7, 2014 by geelw

](thanks, oldhockstatterplace!)

I actually don’t do much on my birthday other than pore over whatever greetings sent my way (and this year has been good for people sending well wishes), while trying to stay out of trouble (so far, so good). It’ll be a light dinner (wait, pizza is light? It is when it’s your birthday!) and a glass of Chianti later tonight and maybe a movie or two, one of which may or may not be this 1981 slasher flick with the somewhat loyal cult following.

I’m aged enough to have first seen this one back in 1981 when it was initially released and while it’s got some effective, offbeat murders and a few cast members of note, it’s far from the best the genre has to offer. That said, it is fun to put together the plot’s parts and uncover the killer as you go, even though the film seems to want to surprise you with a twisteroo near the finale that may or may not make you want to stab someone…

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