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  • Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

    Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

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    In 1984, young up-and-coming filmmaker James Cameron wowed audiences and impressed critics with his sci-fi action film, The Terminator. On a budget of roughly $6 million, the film grossed over $78 million worldwide, propelling Cameron to superstardom. Seven years later, Cameron followed it up with the even bigger and revolutionary sequel, Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Not only was it considered superior to the original by critics, but the film grossed over $500 million worldwide. Unfortunately, due to rights issues, a new entry wouldn’t see a release until 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Six years later, Terminator: Salvation was released with the intent of starting a new trilogy, but plans fell through. Another six years later, Terminator: Genisys was intended to reboot the franchise, but failed despite doing reasonably well financially. Cut to three years later, where Cameron has reacquired the rights, and we now have Terminator: Dark Fate.

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    Synopsis

    Several years after Terminator 2, a new, more advanced Terminator, the Rev-9 (Gabriel Luna), has been sent back in time. At the same time, an augmented human soldier named Grace (Mackenzie Davis) has also been sent back. Both have arrived at Mexico City looking for a young woman named Daniella “Dani” Ramos (Natalia Reyes). Grace has been sent back to protect her from the Rev-9 for reasons that are made clearer later on. While being pursued by the Rev-9, Grace and Dani are saved by the unexpected appearance of Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). Though reluctant at first, both Dani and Grace agree to let Sarah accompany them to fight off the Rev-9. Along the way, they meet up with a much older T-800 Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), who’s taken on a new identity. With the seemingly indestructible Rev-9 in pursuit, the fate of the future rests on their shoulders.

     

    Review

    Unfortunately, that’s all I can say about the plot without going into spoilers, and there are plenty of those. When I first heard about Terminator: Dark Fate, I was naturally skeptical but still optimistic due to the people involved. To get into the positives first, the cast all does a great job, for the most part. Linda Hamilton is wonderful in her return as Sarah Connor, reminding us of how awesome she was and still is. Plus, it’s always great seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger back, especially since he’s given some of the best lines here. Newcomers Mackenzie Davis and Natalia Reyes, though playing largely one-note characters, still fit their roles well, Davis especially. While not as good as Robert Patrick’s T-1000 in Terminator 2, Gabriel Luna still captures that intensity as the Rev-9. Tim Miller of Deadpool fame does great work behind the camera and stages some awesome action sequences.

    However, what ultimately bogs down Terminator: Dark Fate is the story and some plot choices that are made here. Much like Terminator 3 and Terminator: Genisys, this film more or less borrows the same plot as Terminator 2. Like before, two people are sent to the future, one to protect someone, the other to kill that same person. Even though Terminator: Salvation didn’t work as a whole, it at least tried something different, and I can respect that. Like I said before, I can’t go into too much plot detail without spoilers, but suffice to say, it’s problematic. The choices that are made somewhat invalidate what the previous films established and seem to only justify this film’s existence. While it’s not a bad film, Terminator: Dark Fate will upset some longtime fans of the franchise. Overall, Terminator: Dark Fate is in some ways better and worse than previous entries.

     

    Buy Terminator: Dark Fate from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4nYGRg0.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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    Where to watch Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

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  • TerrorVision (1986)

    TerrorVision (1986)

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    Ted Nicolaou, who some may remember directed Subspecies, has had quite an interesting career, especially in the horror genre. After graduating from film school, his first job was as a sound recorder for 1974’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. In 1979, he worked as an editor on the film Tourist Trap, where he first met producer Charles Band. He continued editing for Band on movies like The Day Time Ended, The AlchemistTrancersGhoulies, and Zone Troopers. Eventually, Nicolaou got to direct a segment of The Dungeonmaster, but later asked Band to direct a full-length feature. Band presented him with a poster and a title, “TerrorVision”, and told him to come up with the concept. With this in mind, Nicolaou decided to make it a comedy that satirized the excess and tropes of the 1980s. After some months shooting in Italy, 1986 saw the release of Nicolaou’s feature debut, TerrorVision.

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    Synopsis

    Stan Putterman (Gerrit Graham) is working on his new satellite dish when it gets struck by a bolt of lightning. This ends up boosting the dish’s signal, much to the shock and amazement of the rest of the Putterman family. Later on, their son Sherman (Chad Allen) settles in to watch some monster movies with his survivalist Grampa (Bert Remsen). Meanwhile, Stan and his wife Raquel (Mary Woronov) go out to meet some swingers, who they eventually bring back home. Their daughter Suzy (Diane Franklin) goes out with her metalhead boyfriend OD (Jon Gries), leaving Sherman and Grampa all alone. That night, while Sherman and Grampa fall asleep, a giant alien monster emerges from the TV and eats Grampa. Soon, the rest of the family return home and Sherman tries warning them about the monster, but to no avail. Soon, the monster runs rampant and eating everything in its path.

     

    Review

    Even for an 80s horror-comedy, TerrorVision is such a strange and ridiculous film that shouldn’t work but weirdly does. The entire cast is having a great time, playing their parts as over-the-top as possible and reveling in the absurdity. You have Gerrit Graham and Mary Woronov as the parents with the sensibilities of the 50s mixed with 80s weirdness. Then there’s Diane Franklin, whose character is like a more exaggerated Cyndi Lauper mixed with a stereotypical 80s valley girl. Along with the crazy survivalist Grampa and the stereotypical metalhead OD, Chad Allen’s Sherman is pretty much the straight man. Also worth mentioning is Jennifer Richards as Medusa, a horror hostess inspired by Elvira who has some fun moments. Lastly, there’s Sonny Carl Davis in a small role, who would later go on to be a Full Moon regular. This is one of the best B-movie casts assembled.

    Given that this was his first time directing a feature, Nicolaou’s direction is fantastic, perfectly capturing that live-action cartoon aesthetic. The creature effects were done by the late John Carl Buechler, and they look fantastic, a testament to his talent. Buechler and his team manage to make the monster both hideous and gross, yet strangely cute at the same time. In terms of production design, the Putterman house is intentionally made to be as garish and tacky as possible. The look and style compliment the cast in satirizing some of the worst aspects of the 1980s. Admittedly, TerrorVision is one of those films that people will either love or hate given the ridiculousness on display. If you rolled your eyes at how I described TerrorVision, then this is not the film for you. But if you enjoy 80s campy cinema, TerrorVision is an underrated gem that’s worth a watch.

     

    Buy TerrorVision from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4hCtHDE.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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    Where to watch TerrorVision (1986)

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  • The Current War (2017)

    The Current War (2017)

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    Some of you may recall that the last new release I reviewed, Gemini Man, was in development hell for years. Well, seems October is the month of delayed movies as we have one that was already filmed before being released. Following the release of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon was offered a new historical drama. Entitled The Current War, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was scheduled for a December release. However, it was owned by The Weinstein Company at the time and was subsequently shelved following the Harvey Weinstein allegations. The company’s assets were then purchased by Lantern Entertainment, and the film eventually got its release two years later. During that time, Gomez-Rejon was disappointed in the version shown at TIFF, so he reshot and re-edited the film. Now the “Director’s Cut”, 2019 sees the release of The Current War.

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    Synopsis

    The film revolves around the “war of the currents” between Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon). Having harnessed the power of electricity, the two are vying to be the ones to power the entire country. Edison favors the costlier and less effective Direct Current (DC), while Westinghouse favors the inexpensive and powerful Alternating Current (AC). In the middle of the conflict is recently immigrated Nikola Tesla (Nicholas Hoult), who soon becomes an ally for Westinghouse. Things take a turn for the worse for Edison when his wife Mary (Tuppence Middleton) dies of a brain tumor. With so much at stake, Edison launches a smear campaign against Westinghouse, claiming that AC is too dangerous to use. Westinghouse stands firm despite the smear campaign, which eventually leads to the creation of the electric chair. It all culminates in the two battling over who will light the Chicago World’s Fair.

     

    Review

    I can remember seeing trailers for the film back when it was supposed to come out in 2017. After that, I heard next to nothing about the film until I saw that it was being released in 2019. Since I haven’t seen the version shown at TIFF, I can’t say whether the version released is better or worse. That said, it’s very clear watching this that there were some production problems given how somewhat disjointed the film is. To get into the positives, the cast does a fairly good job, particularly Cumberbatch, Shannon, and Hoult despite limited screentime. Other highlights include Tom Holland as Edison’s assistant, Samuel Insull, and Katherine Waterston as Westinghouse’s wife, Marguerite. Also, the story itself is fascinating, if only because it makes you think about how we take electricity for granted. Plus, Gomez-Rejon’s direction is solid, really capturing the look of the late 19th century.

    Despite its positives, there are also several negatives, though some can be forgiven considering the troubled production. With a runtime of one hour and 45 minutes, the film feels rushed, scenes going by too fast. For instance, Edison’s wife dies roughly 20 minutes in, giving us almost no time to get to know her. There are also several montages, which makes it feel like there’s footage missing, and there’s hardly any breathing room. For being rivals, Cumberbatch and Shannon don’t share any scenes until the very end, part of the many reshoots. Thankfully, the newly added scenes aren’t as obvious as Dark Phoenix, being saved for the end of the film. With this being billed as the “Director’s Cut”, I can understand and respect that this was what the director intended. Overall, The Current War, despite several pacing issues, is worth a watch for the cast, story, and direction.

     

    Buy The Current War from Amazon: https://amzn.to/47H55Xc.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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    Where to watch The Current War (2017)

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  • Joker Spoiler Review

    Joker Spoiler Review

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  • Demonic Toys (1992)

    Demonic Toys (1992)

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    Throughout the early to mid-’90s, Full Moon Features was dominating the booming home video market, establishing several film franchises. They were finding their biggest successes with their Puppet MasterSubspecies, and Trancers series, and they had Paramount Pictures’ backing. Full Moon was releasing several direct-to-video fantasy, sci-fi, and horror films in hopes of creating more franchises. In addition to bringing talent from the days of Empire Pictures, Full Moon also had plenty of young, fresh talent. One such person was writer David Goyer, who went on to write the Blade and Dark Knight trilogies, among other blockbusters. Then there’s filmmaker Peter Manoogian, who started at Empire directing films like The DungeonmasterEliminators, Enemy Territory, and Arena. After the fall of Empire, Manoogian moved on to Full Moon and joined Goyer to work on their first project. That project became the 1992 killer toy movie, Demonic Toys.

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    Synopsis

    Officers Judith Gray (Tracy Scoggins) and Matt Cable (Jeff Weston) are staging a fake arms deal to catch two dealers. Unfortunately, things go south when the dealers, Lincoln (Michael Russo) and Hesse (Barry Lynch), figure out this is a setup. Matt shoots Heese, Lincoln kills Matt, and they make their way to a nearby toy store with Judith in pursuit. Judith manages to catch Lincoln, while Heese stumbles through the store, bleeding out, which brings the toys to life. Amongst the toys are Baby Oopsy Daisy, Grizzly Teddy, Jack Attack, and Mr. Static, who brutally murder Heese. Meanwhile, the oblivious security guard, Charneski (Pete Schrum), orders his usual chicken dinner from his friend, Mark Wayne (Bentley Mitchum). Soon, Judith and Lincoln join the others, the toys kill Charneski, and Anne (Ellen Dunning), a teen runaway, joins them. As the toys continue hunting them, their true motives are soon revealed.

     

    Review

    Demonic Toys is prime Full Moon goodness, full of fun characters, plenty of blood, dark humor, and tiny puppets. The first thing to spotlight is Tracy Scoggins, who gives a really good performance and is having a good time. It helps that Tracy Scoggins is a huge horror and sci-fi fan who wanted to do this kind of film. Bentley Mitchum does go into overacting territory later on, almost going for something similar to Bill Paxton in Aliens. The rest of the cast does their best, but the real stars are the toys themselves. Designed by the late, great John Carl Buechler, each toy has a very distinct personality and looks great. There’s even a great moment where the teddy bear goes from a puppet to a guy in a full suit. While the film is occasionally scary, it’s more funny in a dark way.

    Though not quite as prolific as the Puppet Master series, Demonic Toys still had life following the first film. There were two spin-offs, Dollman vs Demonic Toys and Puppet Master vs Demonic Toys, and even a sequel in 2010. Manoogian went on to direct SeedpeopleThe Midas Touch, and DevilDolls, while Goyer wrote Arcade and the first spin-off. Demonic Toys is perfect for anyone looking for a fun, cheesy horror film to watch, and it goes by quickly. There will be plenty who say this movie is ridiculous, but they’re not the right audience for it. That said, it’s probably good that there weren’t too many films that went downhill over time. Still, this is a fun horror-comedy that’s perfect fodder for an all-night horror movie marathon, especially for B-movie fans. Overall, Demonic Toys is another example of how entertaining Full Moon movies can be.

     

    Buy Demonic Toys from:

    Disclosure: The above links are affiliate links, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the links and finalize a purchase.

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    Where to watch Demonic Toys (1992)

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  • Gemini Man (2019)

    Gemini Man (2019)

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    Taiwanese director Ang Lee has had a very interesting career, having achieved both critical and commercial success over the years. He made his debut with 1991’s Pushing Hands, which started what’s been referred to as his “Father Knows Best” trilogy. This trilogy continued with 1993’s The Wedding Banquet and 1994’s Eat Drink Man Woman, and all three were considered hits. Lee made his debut in Hollywood with 1995’s Sense and Sensibility, which received seven Oscar nominations and won one. Unfortunately, his next follow-ups, 1997’s The Ice Storm and 1999’s Ride with the Devil, though critically praised, flopped financially. Things turned around with 2000’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 2003’s Hulk, 2005’s Brokeback Mountain, and 2012’s Life of Pi. Many of these achieved financial success, and some received critical acclaim, earning several Oscar nominations and winning two for directing. 2019 sees the release of Ang Lee’s newest film, Gemini Man.

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    Henry Brogan (Will Smith) is an aging government assassin who plans on retiring after several years of active service. While meeting up with an old friend, Jack (Douglas Hope), he’s informed that his latest target was an innocent man. Jack tells Henry where to find the informant, but is subsequently killed by their former agency, making Henry a target. Along the way, Henry befriends a fellow agent, Danny Zakarweski (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and she’s now marked as a target. With some help from Henry’s friend Baron (Benedict Wong), they escape and travel to Budapest to meet the informant. Meanwhile, Clay Varris (Clive Owen), director of a black-ops unit called “Gemini”, sends out his top assassin to eliminate Henry. In a twist, Danny discovers that the assassin sent after Henry is a younger clone of him. It’s up to Henry and crew to stop Clay and take out Henry’s clone.

    When I first saw the trailer for Gemini Man, I was interested but couldn’t shake the feeling something wasn’t right. Turns out I was right as Gemini Man is one of the most forgettable and derivative movies I’ve seen lately. To get into the positives first, the cast is decent, all of whom do what they can be considering the material. The action sequences are decently staged, for the most part, particularly a motorcycle chase and a shootout later on. The CGI used to create the younger Will Smith looks passable, especially during scenes either in darkness or at night. Given Ang Lee’s talent as a filmmaker, the film looks good and there’s nothing awful on a technical level here. So, if you’re looking purely for action, you could do worse, at least compared to, say, Michael Bay’s Transformers films. Unfortunately, the film has too many shortcomings to recommend it.

    As I alluded to earlier, the film is very poorly written and the plot is derivative of much better films. The script was initially written in the late ’90s, and you can tell, especially given the basic setup. It’s a very basic story involving spies, government betrayals, clones, and people on the run, all done much better before. Going back to the writing, there is so much exposition that just drags on, and much of the dialogue is repeated. For instance, there are several instances where characters discuss how the younger assassin is a clone and how it works. It’s repeated so much that it feels like the writers assume the audience can’t grasp the concept of a clone. Honestly, the only things the movie has going for it are its cast and its above-average CGI and action scenes. Overall, Gemini Man is a poor imitation of better action films.

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  • Joker (2019)

    Joker (2019)

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    Throughout the history of comic books, one of the most enduring and iconic villains has been Batman’s arch-nemesis, The Joker. Dubbed the “clown prince of crime”, The Joker first appeared in Batman #1 in April 1940 as his ultimate foil. Since his initial appearance, The Joker has remained one of the most popular and iconic villains in comic book history. The character was first brought to life by Cesar Romero in the 60’s Batman television series and Batman: The Movie. More than 20 years later, Academy Award winner Jack Nicholson would dawn the makeup in Tim Burton’s 1989 film, Batman. In 2008, the late Heath Ledger won an Oscar for his career-defining portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight. While Jared Leto did the character wrong in 2016’s Suicide Squad, filmmaker Todd Philips pitched a dark Joker character study. Three years later, we have the 2019 dramatic thriller, Joker.

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    Synopsis

    In the crime-ridden city of Gotham, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) has been having a tough time getting by in life. He works as a sign twirling clown, where he gets regularly assaulted and mocked for his uncontrollable spouts of laughter. While caring for his mother Penny (Frances Conroy), he idolizes late-night talk show host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro). Arthur dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian, but he struggles with his mental illnesses and his poor living situation. Unfortunately, he loses his job after a number of complaints made, which leads to him going over the edge. Before too long, others start rallying behind him, seeing him as a vigilante standing up for the less fortunate. Eventually, Arthur embraces the attention he’s gotten and manages to get a spot on Murray Franklin’s late-night show. Said show is where Arthur will reveal his new persona to the world, Joker.

     

    Review

    When it was announced that Todd Phillips, who previously directed the Hangover trilogy, was directing this, I had my doubts. However, Joker is not only a fantastic film deserving of its praise, but one of the best films of 2019. Even though there’s not much else that can be said about his performance, Joaquin Phoenix is the sole driving force. As controversial as it sounds, I personally feel that his performance might give Heath Ledger’s a run for its money. While both performances are radically different, Phoenix makes the Joker into an almost sympathetic and tragic figure, though not entirely. Even though you understand his situation, the movie never portrays any of Arthur/Joker’s violent actions in a positive light. The film is more a warning of what may happen if we don’t take mental health seriously and ignore it. It’s a powerful message that’s especially relevant today.

    Surprisingly, Phillips’ direction is very top-notch, having a style similar to a Martin Scorsese film from the 70s/80s. Story-wise, the movie does have references to the Batman universe, but it’s never distracting or detracts from the overall story. Aside from Phoenix, the rest of the cast is also excellent, particularly De Niro as the sleazy talk show host. Frances Conroy is certainly better here than in Catwoman, though Zazie Beetz, while good, doesn’t have much to do. Talking about the controversy, while I understand some people’s concerns, a Joker movie was probably going to be dark. Tim Burton’s Batman and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight both featured the Joker and were dark, but no one complained. Still, if you’re put off by more realistic violence and/or fairly dark material, clearly you’re not the right audience. For everyone else, Joker is everything a movie about this character should be.

     

    Spoiler Review (For Patreon Supporters Only)

     

    Buy Joker from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4es1mgW.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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  • Re-Animator (1985)

    Re-Animator (1985)

    [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_video src=”https://youtu.be/l4xjdlP5Spc” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_video][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]Though never appreciated in his own time, Howard Phillips Lovecraft, aka HP Lovecraft, is considered the grandfather of modern horror. His works, particularly his Cthulhu mythology, have inspired writers like Stephen King, Alan Moore, William S. Burroughs, and Neil Gaiman. Over the years, numerous film adaptations have been made of his work, ironic since Lovecraft wasn’t a fan of cinema. Flash forward years later when Chicago-based theater director Stuart Gordon was looking to make a new Frankenstein-type film. At a friend’s suggestion, he read Lovecraft’s Herbert West-Reanimator and wanted to adapt it either for theater or television. Having met producer Brian Yuzna, Gordon was convinced to move to Hollywood and adapt the story to film. With a roughly $1 million budget, a cast of relative unknowns, and a first-time director, it was a tall order. Then, 1985 saw the release of what would become the highly regarded cult classic, Re-Animator.

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    Synopsis

    At Miskatonic University’s Medical School, Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott) is a young medical student with a promising future. Things are going well for him and his fiancee Meg (Barbara Crampton) until they meet student Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs). West ends up taking the spare room Dan is renting out, though Meg is unsure about West and fears him. It isn’t long before West catches the ire of Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale), and the two instantly become foes. Turns out West has been developing a reagent serum that can reanimate the dead, but with catastrophic results. After an incident where Dean Halsey (Robert Sampson), Meg’s father, is accidentally killed and reanimated, Hill tries to blackmail West. Hill wants to steal West’s work, prompting West to decapitate him with a shovel, then reanimated his head and body. Newly reanimated, Hill steals West’s reagent and commences with his sinister plans.

     

    Review

    For being a low budget horror film made by mostly first timers, Re-Animator has a lot going for it. Much like Evil Dead II, the film is a perfect blending of shocking horror, over-the-top gore, and black comedy. Adding onto that, this film pushes boundaries to where, just when you think it won’t go there, it does. There are so many scenes that’ll either make you wince, laugh, or even both, oftentimes questioning your own sanity. In addition, for a cast of mostly unknowns, everyone delivers a fantastic performance, each actor playing well off one other. Bruce Abbott makes for a likable and charismatic lead, and he has fantastic chemistry with the always lovely Barbara Crampton. David Gale makes for a great villain, having a quality that’s eerily similar to horror icons like Boris Karloff. However, I would argue that the real star of Re-Animator is Jeffrey Combs.

    As Herbert West, Combs’ mix of charisma, dry comedic wit, and quirky charm makes him an instant scene stealer. His character shows such determination in his research that you actually go along with him and believe in his work. At the same time, the film makes it clear that he’s insane in his ruthless determination to get results. Along with the cast, Gordon’s first time directing is top-notch, almost framed and blocked like a filmed theater production. The practical effects, given the low budget, are impressive and among some of the best 80’s practical effects. Admittedly, there are some character decisions and plot inconsistencies that don’t make sense, but much of that is pretty unimportant. This film shows how with determination, passion, and talent, you can still make a great film without a huge budget. Overall, Re-Animator is an entertainingly dark horror comedy that deserves its cult classic status.

     

    Buy Re-Animator on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4e2KNHO.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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    Where to watch Re-Animator (1985)

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  • I Used to Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story (2018)

    I Used to Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story (2018)

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    For the past half century, music groups consisting of young males known as “boy bands” have become a worldwide phenomenon. Though the term didn’t exist until the 1980’s, many consider The Beatles from the 1960’s were the first boy band. Following groups like The Monkees, Jackson 5, and Osmonds, the first modern boy band was New Kids On The Block. This led to a major surge of boy bands in the 1990’s, including Take That, The Backstreet Boys, and NSYNC. Unfortunately, their popularity started to fade into the early 2000’s, but soon reemerged as is with most trends. Soon, boy bands like The Jonas Brothers and One Direction gained popularity, with more soon to come. Many of these groups had ravenous fans, mostly young girls, that’re often ridiculed and judged for their musical taste. However, I Used to Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story presents an alternate and open outlook.

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    I Used to Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story follows the lives of four women and their boyband obsessions. First, there’s Elif, a Turkish girl whose love of One Direction led to her being a viral hit on YouTube. Next, we follow Sadia, a Pakistani 20-something journalist who’s been obsessed with The Backstreet Boys since childhood and still today. We also meet Dara, an Australian woman fascinated by the band Take That, particularly with lead singer Gary Barlow. Finally, there’s the eldest of the four, Susan, a Melbourne-born TV producer with a life-long love of The Beatles. They each share stories of how these boybands have affected their lives, both the highs and the lows. In addition, they discuss how these boybands influenced major life-changing decisions, like Elif wanting to be a professional musician. Through everything in their lives, their love of boy bands is constant.

    Growing up as a young man, I was definitely one of those who would ridicule boybands and their fans. I remember my sister was obsessed with The Jonas Brothers, even putting up posters of them all over her room. Even to this day, she’s still a huge fan, but thankfully she’s not as obsessed as she used to be. Having seen I Used to Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story, I now have a better understanding of the fandom. Even if you’re not into boy bands, this documentary can apply to any ravenous fanbase of any medium. It’s honestly fascinating seeing how these boybands had such an impact on these women, even into their adulthood. There’s one part where Dara explains what she calls the “Boyband Theory”, which perfectly breaks down what makes a boyband. It’s probably the most intelligent discussion someone’s ever had about boybands.

    While I Used to Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story is endearing, there are some things I wish were covered. For one, the documentary doesn’t really touch on how many of these boybands are almost designed by committee. They somewhat hint at this with the “Boyband Theory”, but the film never goes any further than discussing similar traits. Also, the film glosses over many of the darker aspects of these boybands, whether it’s poor management, substance abuse, etc. Some of these issues are touched upon, like band break-ups and members being admitted to rehab, but not much else. Granted, the focus of this is more showing the impact these bands have had, and in that aspect, it works. At the end of the day, this is still an intimate, thoughtful, and non-judgmental look at boyband fandom. Overall, I Used to Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story is a worthwhile watch.

    The film will be available to watch on September 17th on the following:

    • Amazon
    • inDemand
    • DirecTV
    • Hoopla
    • Vimeo on Demand
    • AT&T
    • FlixFing
    • Vudu
    • FANDANGO
    • Sling/Dish

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  • Subspecies (1991)

    Subspecies (1991)

    [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_video src=”https://youtu.be/0kC2dweoieM” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_video][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”]After the success of Puppet Master, Full Moon started releasing more direct-to-video films intending to start potential franchises. Thanks to a deal with Paramount Pictures, they were able to feed the burgeoning home video market at the time. Around the same time, Full Moon also released ShadowzoneMeridian: Kiss of the Beast, and Crash and Burn. Even films originally produced under Empire Pictures, namely Trancers, were made into their own franchises for Full Moon. Speaking of Empire, Ted Nicolaou, who worked on GhouliesThe Dungeonmaster, and TerrorVision, was brought over to Full Moon. For his first film under Full Moon, Nicolaou would also be directing the first American to be filmed in Romania. While initially reluctant, Nicolaou agreed to do it despite some production setbacks, including the last remnants of communism. Then in 1991, Full Moon released Nicolaou’s Romanian film, the vampire tale, Subspecies, kicking off a whole new series.

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    Synopsis

    In the Romanian town Prejmer, the vampire king Vladislas (Angus Scrimm) is confronted by his evil son Radu (Anders Hove). Radu is after the Bloodstone, which will give him untold power, but Vladislas plans on entrusting it to Radu’s half-brother. In retaliation, Radu kills the king and gets the Bloodstone with the help of his diminutive minions, the subspecies. Meanwhile, American students Michelle (Laura Tate) and Lillian (Michelle McBride) meet up with their friend Mara (Irina Movila) in Bucharest. They soon meet Stefan (Michael Watson), who turns out to be Radu’s younger half-brother and is trying to protect them. Unfortunately, Lillian accidentally marks herself for Radu, leading to her and Mara being turned into his vampire brides. Stefan falls in love with Michelle, but Radu also has his sights set on making her one of his own. With the help of local Karl (Ivan J. Rado), Stefan must stop Radu.

     

    Review

    The first thing I’d like spotlight is how Subspecies takes full advantage of the ancient Romanian castles and ruins. The locations used really add to the look of the film and make it seem bigger than it actually is. In addition, Nicolaou’s direction is top-notch, utilizing the locations and heavy shadows to create a dark and foreboding atmosphere. Performance-wise, everyone does a decent job, but the real highlight is Anders Hove, who’s instantly memorable as the villainous Radu. His raspy voice, Nosferatu-inspired look, devilish smile, and drooling snarl make him stand out from other vampire characters. Another highlight are the subspecies themselves, who were brought to life by stop motion animator and frequent collaborator David Allen. While some of the blue screen on the puppets hasn’t aged well, the stop motion animation still looks good. Plus, the musical score is among some of the best in Full Moon’s entire catalog.

    However, while this is definitely one of the better Full Moon films, Subspecies still has its issues and flaws. For one, even at 83 minutes, there are many scenes that drag on and probably could’ve been trimmed. There are many scenes where characters are just standing around and not doing anything, which slows the pacing down. Also, while Anders Hove makes for a memorable vampire, Michael Watson’s Stefan is an incredibly weak and pretty useless vampire. Honestly, the human characters, namely Michelle and Karl, end up doing more than Stefan, a half vampire, does. Speaking of, while none of the human characters are awful, their performances are unremarkable and nothing to write home about. Even with all that said, this still works as an interesting spin on vampire mythology that works on its own. Overall, Subspecies is a great start to another signature Full Moon franchise.

     

    Buy Subspecies from:

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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    Where to watch Subspecies (1991)

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