Movies I Watched in August 2021 Movies

Date: 8/1/2021
Viewed: IMDB TV
First Viewing

Note: I wanted to check out more movies from Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson after watching Synchronic (2020) a while back. I also hear great things about this film for the last few years now, and I finally watched it on IMDB TV (As of 8/3/2021). I'm glad that I watched it because it was fantastic. The Endless is totally up my alley because it was a slow-burn atmospheric movie. I love the mystery that exists in the story because it makes you question what is really going on. It also makes you want to learn more about these characters and the cult (Inspired by Heaven's Gate). The cinematography is beautiful with many wonderful lots in my opinion. I also love how surreal the story can be with many moments that will make you go "What the heck was that?".

The acting is solid with many good performances in my opinion. There's a lot of cool stuff that happens in the movie that I really want people to experience for themselves. I recommend going into this movie without reading anything about it. The Endless does share a connection to Resolution (A movie that I have never seen) and you don't need to watch it to understand the story.

I highly recommend checking out The Endless when you get the chance. This movie will have a nice spot in my Blu-ray collection.

Date: 8/7/2021
Viewed: In theaters
First Viewing

Note: I didn't have much hope for this movie until I started to hear good things about it. After watching it in theaters today, it was surprisingly good. I didn't think James Gunn would be able to pull off a Suicide Squad movie, but he did. The Suicide Squad is probably the closest thing to James Gunn doing a Troma movie again. The Suicide Squad is everything that the first film should have been in my opinion. I love the over-the-top gory violence (even though the CGI blood did annoy me at times) and the dark humor. The Suicide Squad is a colorful-looking movie, and it didn't have the awful color palettes that the first film had.

The chemistry with the characters was excellent and John Cena steals the show as Pacemaker. I still wish they did a stronger connection with the first film because they never explain what happened to the other Suicide Squad members. It was almost just as bad when G.I Joe 2 (2013) did a similar thing. I also didn't care about Bloodsport's backstory at all. With that being said, I still recommend checking out The Suicide Squad.

Date: 8/8/2021
Viewed: Netflix
Re-watch

Note: I have already seen this movie before and it's even better on a second viewing. I recommend checking it out on a second viewing.

Date: 8/9/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray
First Viewing

Note: I've been looking forward to watching the other movies from Shinya Tsukamoto for years now. I finally got the chance to sit down and watch this film. I'm glad that I watched it because it was awesome. Haze is a solid horror film in my opinion. I love the dark, gritty, and dirty atmosphere that this film has. You can feel and taste the atmosphere when watching this film. The anxiety for this film is insane because I was on the edge of my seat through the majority of the story. Shinya Tsukamoto did a wonderful job of putting you in the shoes of the main character and the situation that he is in. Everything in this film is so claustrophobic that I was biting my nails when the main character was being stuck inside. I hate being stuck in small places and I almost wanted to pause the movie because I felt like that I needed to breathe lol. Some gross scenes in the film even made my skin crawl because they had a realism vibe to them.

Haze is under 50 minutes and the short run time is perfect for the story. I can't see it working very well for a 90+ minute movie without overstaying its welcome. Shinya Tsukamoto was able to tell a good story without feeling rushed in my opinion. I don't have anything else to say about this movie other than it's awesome. I recommend checking out Haze when you get the chance.

Date: 8/11/2021
Viewed: Amazon Prime (Rental)
First Viewing

Note: I'm a big fan of Abel Ferrara's work and I have looked forward to watching this movie for the past year now. Lionsgate has officially released Siberia on home video and digital. After watching it for the first time, I really enjoyed it. It took me a while to get used to it, but I started to like it more after it was over. Siberia is one of those movies that I find myself liking when I think about it more often. The story is a surreal trip of an isolated man that is going through his own personal trauma. You have a good deal of surreal imagery that is symbiotic to Willem Dafoe's character. The surrealism allows the film to feel very trippy at times.

The theme of the story is aging, and I do believe the story is close to Abel Ferrara's heart. The guy is not getting any younger, and he probably looks back on his past life similar to Willem Dafoe's character. Another great thing that I love about Siberia is the atmosphere because you can feel the cold snowy weather when watching this film. Abel Ferrara did a wonderful job of showing how chilling isolation can be. Siberia is not going to be a movie for everyone because it's an abstract film and not everyone is into avant-garde cinema.

Overall, Siberia is a great movie and I recommend checking it out. I can see myself rewatching it again in the near future.

Date: 8/13/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Scream Factory)
Re-Watch

Note: Today is Friday the 13th and I decided to end my Friday the 13th franchise marathon with the last movie in the series (As of 8/13/2021). The 2009 remake is my least favorite movie in the franchise and I haven't seen it since it came out. I was hoping that I would like it on a second viewing many years later. Unfortunately, I'm still not a fan of this film at all. Friday the 13th (2009) is like the Star Wars: Force Awakens (2015) of the franchise in my opinion. Both movies poorly rehash elements from the original movies and didn't do anything new or creative with them. I find myself being bored when watching this film because I didn't care about what was going on. You are just watching scenes from the original three movies all over again, and I'm like "Why watch this when you can re-watch Part 1-3 all over again?". The opening scene with Jason's mom was so poorly done, I always roll my eyes when I watch it.

The Friday the 13th franchise was never known to have deep stories and characters, but I still found them to be memorable and interesting. I didn't care for anyone in this film at all, and you barely spend any time with them because they are trying to mix three movies into one story. I'm not a fan of how the movie looks and feels because it has those ugly color panels that were common in movies during the late 2000s. The false jump scares are really dumb and annoying to sit through as well. I hate that they made Jason move too fast when I always like it better when Jason is a slow-moving tank instead. Jason also somehow can build underground tunnels and build traps. I have had a hard time believing that he can somehow do this on his own for the last 29 years.

Despite not liking this film, I don't think everything about it is bad. Derek Mears (Swamp Thing) is great as Jason Voorhees, and he did a wonderful job of making Jason feel scary again. They also try to go back to the roots by focusing more on horror instead of action unlike in Jason X (2002) and Freddy vs. Jason (2003). The atmosphere in Friday the 13th '09 is actually really suspenseful at times. The special effects for the gory kills are pretty good too. You can tell that they really did try their best when making this film.

Overall, the 2009 remake of Friday the 13th is a disappointment in my opinion. I only recommend it if you're curious. Otherwise, go watch the original movies instead.

Date: 8/14/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen Blastfighter in the last 15 years and I had the Code Red Blu-ray sitting around collecting dust on my shelf. I remember liking this movie when I was younger, and I was looking forward to rewatching it. Unfortunately, I didn't like it when watching it again. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Blastfighter is a bad movie. I do feel like it's a step-down compared to the other films that Lamberto Bava has directed such as Demons (1985).

Blastfighter does have stuff going for it such as the catchy soundtrack from Fabio Frizzi (The Beyond). You have two solid performances from both Michael Sopkiw (2019: After the Fall of New York) and George Eastman (Antropophagus). The last 10 minutes of the movie are awesome with brutal action sequences. Sadly, the rest of the movie falls flat in my opinion. I find the rest of the movie to be boring because I didn't really care for any of the characters. The song choices that they picked for the film are annoying to sit through. Valentina Forte's (Cut and Run) performance is pretty bad with her trying too hard on acting. Blastfighter really wants to be Deliverance (1972) meets First Blood (1982), but misses the mark. I do appreciate the social commentary on the poachers that are killing animals for fun and money. With a better script, Blastfighter could have been a great 80s movie classic.

Overall, Blastfighter is an average movie at best. I only recommend it if you're curious

Date: 8/15/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray
First Viewing

Note: The Cellar is a movie that I remember hearing about growing up, but I never saw it until now. I bought the Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome's website a while back, and I haven't had the time to watch it. I end up watching the director's cut because it seems like the best choice. I'm glad that I watched it because I enjoyed it. The Cellar is a fun creature feature in my opinion. I really like the atmosphere and the special effects. For a low-budget movie, the practical effects look excellent. The design for the monster that lives under the basement is pretty neat looking. Too bad, the dark lighting covers up most of its body during 95% of the movie. It was like The Relic (1997) all over again but made eight years earlier.

The atmosphere is one of my favorite things about The Cellar because I like how spooky the film feels. I like how suspenseful the movie is with something hiding under the house. The audience knows something is down there, but we don't know what it is. They did a great job of building up suspense over time until we actually start seeing the monster. I also like how the film captures the feeling of being in the middle of the desert in Texas. You can feel dry weather and the wind blowing by when watching this film. The acting is a mixed bag in my opinion. You do have decent performances by Ford Rainey (Halloween II), Patrick Kilpatrick (Minority Report), and Alex Pederson (the actor who plays Tommy in this film). The other actors either overact or underact which is really annoying at times. It was cool that some actors in this film would later go to work on mainstream titles such as the Shrek movies and Better Call Saul on TV.

My least favorite thing about The Cellar is how stupid the characters are. Tommy (the main character) caught the monster's foot in a bear trap and didn't even bother to show his parents about the bear trap. That's enough proof to tell that he is telling the truth. I also hate the "No one believes the kids or teenagers until the last minute" cliché. The dad in this film is unlikable, and he didn't become a good person until the very end of the story. At that point, I didn't care if anything happens to him. The Cellar has a habit of killing animals for no reason (even though the deaths are fake). It felt tasteless for them killing puppies and kittens just to be disturbing.

Overall, The Cellar is not a bad movie for what it is. I recommend checking it out if you've got time to spare.

Date: 8/16/2021
Viewed: Crackle
First Viewing

Note: I remember hearing about Isolation back in the mid-2000s and I have always been curious to check it out. Seeing that it's now on Crackle (As of 8/17/2021), I thought I might as well check it out. To be honest, I didn't like it. Isolation is not a bad movie, but I couldn't get into it. The premise for Isolation is awesome, and I did enjoy the chilling atmosphere. You can tell that a lot of love and effort was put into making this film. Isolation also has solid performances from Sean Harris (The Green Knight), John Lynch (Hardware), Marcel Iureș (Mission Impossible), and Essie Davis (The Matrix 2-3).

Unfortunately, the slow pacing and the boring characters ruined it for me. I didn't care for any of the characters, and it took forever for something interesting to happen in my opinion. If you're curious, you may want to check it out and give it a watch because you will probably like it more than I did.

Date: 8/17/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Criterion)
Re-Watch

Note: I decided to start the week with a childhood classic of mine. I got the Criterion Godzilla set for my 30th birthday back in May and I haven't had the chance to watch any of the discs. Godzilla vs. Megalon is a movie that I have so much nostalgia for. I still remember being three years old and getting a VHS copy of Godzilla vs. Megalon that was a double feature with The Snow Creature (1954). I would watch the tape religiously until it completely broke my VHS player. Even as an adult, I can't hate this movie. Godzilla vs. Megalon is not a good movie at all because it's cheaply made, and the story is pretty basic (even for a Godzilla movie). However, I still love Godzilla vs. Megalon for being dumb fun. Godzilla vs. Megalon is filled with so many fun moments that the entire film is a blast to sit through. Godzilla's dropkick is worth rewinding multiple times.

Godzilla vs. Megalon has Jet Jaguar, and he is a cool superhero in my opinion. He was growing sizes before Ant-Man made it cool ;). You also get to see Gigan again too. The overuse of stock footage does hurt this film because you can tell that Toho made Godzilla vs. Megalon on a very low budget. With a higher budget, Godzilla vs. Megalon would have a better reputation.

Overall, Godzilla vs. Megalon is a total cheese-fest and I do recommend it for a bad movie night.

Date: 8/18/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: The death of Sonny Chiba really upsets me because I grew up with his movies as a kid, and he was on my list of people who I would love to meet. In his honor, I decided to rewatch the first The Street Fighter movie on Blu-ray. The Street Fighter is still a fantastic movie in my opinion. I consider it to be one of the best martial arts movies that is not from Hong Kong. I love the raw and gritty fight scenes because they are very entertaining to watch. There's not a single boring moment during the entire film. The fight scenes are brutal and bloody even by today's standers. You can tell that the Mortal Kombat video game franchise took some influence from the gory kills in this film.

The story is nice and simple in my opinion. A movie like this does need a deep plot because you watch it for the fight scenes. The Street Fighter does a good job of creating a fun cast of memorable characters. Sonny Chiba is a total badass as Takuma (Terry) Tsurugi in my opinion. Look up badass on the Wikipedia and Takuma Tsurugi will be the first thing that you will see ;). The music from Toshiaki Tsushima (The War in Space) is so iconic to listen to. I always had the musical score from this film still stuck inside my head for so many years. While I do love this movie, I don't think everyone will enjoy it. This is not a movie for the squeamish.

Overall, The Street Fighter is a great movie and I highly recommend checking it out. RIP Sonny Chiba. RIP Sonny Chiba.

Date: 8/22/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: Yet another movie that I haven't seen in years and I have been in the mood to rewatch it. Felidae is still a great movie in my opinion. I love the characters and the animation that this film has. The animation does a wonderful job of capturing the bleak tone of the story. It has a unique look to it that you don't find in most animated films these days. Felidae is like if Ralph Bakshi directed Disney's The Aristocrats (1970). Felidae is a very violent movie with blood and gore. This movie is not for children or the faint of heart. I love the dream sequences in this film because they are incredibly surreal to watch.

The characters are well written because I found them to be memorable and interesting. The English dub is pretty good, and it's a shame that the English voice actors were never credited. The writing is solid, and they did a great job of handling mature themes such as experimentation, and why race purification is a bad thing. Even though the plot twist was pretty predictable, I'm still happy with how the rest of the film turns out. I highly recommend checking out Felidae if you enjoy adult animation.

Date: 8/24/2021
Viewed: Youtube
Re-Watch

Note: Yet another movie that I haven't seen in years and I have been in the mood to rewatch it. Felidae is still a great movie in my opinion. I love the characters and the animation that this film has. The animation does a wonderful job of capturing the bleak tone of the story. It has a unique look to it that you don't find in most animated films these days. Felidae is like if Ralph Bakshi directed Disney's The Aristocrats (1970). Felidae is a very violent movie with blood and gore. This movie is not for children or the faint of heart. I love the dream sequences in this film because they are incredibly surreal to watch.

The characters are well written because I found them to be memorable and interesting. The English dub is pretty good, and it's a shame that the English voice actors were never credited. The writing is solid, and they did a great job of handling mature themes such as experimentation, and why race purification is a bad thing. Even though the plot twist was pretty predictable, I'm still happy with how the rest of the film turns out. I highly recommend checking out Felidae if you enjoy adult animation.

Date: 8/26/2021
Viewed: Blu-ray (Scream Factory)
Re-Watch

Note: With the new Candyman movie coming out this weekend, I decided to rewatch the original movie. I have only seen the theatrical cut and never the unrated version of the film. The first Candyman movie is still a great movie, and it was nice to watch scenes that I have never seen before. The psychologist's death scene is way more brutal and gross compare to how it is shown in the R-Rated Cut. The atmosphere and the camera shots in Candyman are fantastic in my opinion. I like how some scenes are shot in a birds-eye view in order to capture the feeling of a ghost floating above the urban cities. I love the atmosphere that this movie has because it feels cold and creepy. It gives you the creepy feeling that something supernatural exists within today's urban society. The special effects still hold up very well in my opinion.

The acting is fantastic, and I still get the chills when Tony Todd is acting. You also have great performances from Virginia Madsen (Sideways) and Xander Berkeley (Terminator 2). The themes in the story are timeless as the film handles problems with racism, trauma, and social class issues that still exist nearly 30 years later. The transfer from Scream Factory is superb and it looks way better than the old HD transfer that was on Netflix.

I don't have anything new to say because so many people have seen this film. I highly recommend checking out Candyman when you get the chance.

Date: 8/27/2021
Viewed: Tubi
First Viewing

Note: I was curious to check out this movie because it looks interesting. It's also a remake of Forbidden World (1982) and I like the original Forbidden World movie. After watching it on Tubi, I didn't like it at all. Dead Space is a chore to watch in my opinion. The entire film is slow, boring, and forgettable. I didn't care about any of the characters, and it took forever for anything interesting to happen. The best thing about Dead Space is that it had decent production values. The special effects look pretty good for a low-budget film in my opinion. I like how the creature in this film looks. It was also cool to see Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) long before he was famous.

I'm probably not going to remember this movie by next weekend. I recommend watching something else instead.

Date: 8/28/2021
Viewed: Hulu
First Viewing

Note: I heard great things about this film and I finally got the chance to watch it on Hulu. Unfortunately, I couldn't get into it. Another Round is not a bad movie, it wasn't for me. The acting is fantastic, and Mads Mikkelsen knocks it out of the park with his performance. I really like the concept of this film with how alcohol affects people's social and professional lives. The reason why I could not get into this film was that I didn't find myself connecting with the characters. I was never a big drinker which is probably why I had a hard time getting invested with the story and characters.

Maybe I will give Another Round a second chance in the near future. I still recommend checking it out because you will probably like it better than I did.

Date: 8/29/2021
Viewed: IMDB TV
First Viewing

Note: I'm a huge fan of Ruggero Deodato's work and I have always wanted to see this movie for years. It's not his best film, but it's still pretty enjoyable for what it is. Body Count is a fun slasher movie in my opinion. The story is nothing special and the characters are cliché. The gory kills and the music from Claudio Simonetti (Suspiria) makes the film worth watching. The music is very catchy to listen to.

It's a shame that the transfer on IMDB TV is so bad because it looks like a VHS upscale. Some scenes are so dark, you can't see the cool gory special effects. I'm hoping Severin or Blue Underground will release it on Blu-Ray or 4K in the near future. I can see myself revisiting this film again if they release it in HD. If you enjoy slasher movies, I recommend checking out Body Count.

Date: 8/30/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Shout Factory)
Re-Watch

Note: I wanted to end the month of August with a movie that I haven't watched in years. I bought the Shout Factory Blu-ray during their big sale a while back and it was worth it. Wild at Heart is still a fantastic movie in my opinion. My favorite thing about Wild at Heart is the atmosphere and the aesthetics. I love how the film looks and feels with the dark colorful cinematography from Frederick Elmes (Night on Earth). Everything about Wild at Heart feels hot, dry, and surreal. Wild at Heart sucks you into the film's atmosphere, and it makes you feel like that you are living with these characters on screen.

The surrealism is another thing that I love about Wild at Heart because it makes the film feel so abstract. The film has scenes that are total nightmare fuel that will screw with the audience's mind. The non-linear narrative makes the film feel more unique in my opinion. It allows the audience to have their own interpretation. I like how Wild at Heart makes references to Wizard of Oz because it represents the surreal journey that the main characters are going through.

The performances from Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, and Willem Dafoe are fantastic. Nicolas Cage should have been nominated for an Oscar in my opinion. You even have solid performances from Crispin Glover (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter), Calvin Lockhart (Coming to America), J.E. Freeman (Copycat), Harry Dean Stanton (Alien), and Diane Ladd (Chinatown). The amazing performances from Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern help create wonderful chemistry with each other. They feel like believable people that are thrown into some crazy trip. Wild at Heart won't be everyone's cup of tea because the film does have a very slow start and not everyone likes movies with a non-linear narrative.

Overall, Wild at Heart is a great movie and I highly recommend checking it out.