Movies I Watched in February 2020

Date: 2/3/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
Re-Watch

Note: I was in the mood to revisit this movie because I haven't seen it in the last 15+ years. This movie still holds up pretty well for the most part. I love the atmosphere that this movie has because the movie feels like a mixed between a gritty sleazy Grindhouse movie and hypnotizing artsy movie. Abel Ferrara does a great job as a struggling artist that slowly becomes a crazy madman. I also like the movie's social commentary on the punk wave that was going on in the late 1970s.

I would give this movie a higher rating if the movie didn't have bad pacing. This movie has 1/3 filler, and most of it adds nothing to the plot. You also have to listened to a very cringey music band rehearsal that goes on for way too long.

Overall, The Driller Killer is a pretty solid movie. The movie is worth checking out if you like slasher movies.

Date: 2/5/2020
Viewed: 4K UHD (Amazon Prime Rental)
First viewing

Note: I didn't see this movie when it came out in theaters because I was super busy at the time. After waiting 3 or 4 months for it to come out on home video and VOD, I finally got the chance to watch it. To be honest, I both like and didn't like this movie. It is the best Post-T2 Terminator movie, but that's not a very high bar. I did like the main characters and the action sequences are pretty cool. It did felt nice to have a R rated Terminator movie again.

The biggest issue with this movie is that the movie didn't do anything new. It just rehashes Terminator 2 all over again (The movie has another Terminator with liquid powers similar to the T-100). One character death in the movie (Not spoiling it) really ruined the movie for me and made me yell at my TV screen for 5 minutes.

Overall, Terminator: Dark Fate is a very mixed bag to me. I don't recommend it unless you're curious.

Date: 2/4/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First viewing

Note: I always wanted to check out this movie for a while now because I remember hearing great things about this movie during the last couple of years. I finally got the chance to watch the movie on Amazon Prime and I really enjoy it. I do admit that I'm not the biggest expert on Jeffery Dahmer, so I will be judging this movie on its own merits. I always feel like movies should be viewed on their own without knowing the source material or the life events.

The acting was great and the cinematography was solid. Ross Lynch as the young Jeffery Dahmer was fantastic and his role would give me the chills when he is on screen. All the characters feel believable and would be the type of people that you would know in real life.

I kinda wish that we got to see some serial killing, but that's just me. It was still great seeing Dahmer slowly going through progression into madness. I also like that they didn't use any CG blood on the dead animal killings because it made the movie feel more real and disturbing.

Overall, I really enjoy My Friend Dahmer. I highly recommend checking out this movie.

Date: 2/7/2020
Viewed: In theaters
First viewing

Note: I never plan on seeing this movie to be honest because I thought the trailers for it look mediocre. After hearing good things about this movie, I decided to watch it in theaters. I thought the movie was surprisingly good. I like that the movie is under 2 hours because I hate when comic book superhero movies over stay their welcome after 2 hours. This movie had perfect pacing because the movie didn't go by too quick or didn't drag like snail pace.

The action sequences are enjoyable and I like the main cast of characters. All the actors did a great job on their roles because I didn't think there was one bad performance in this movie in my opinion. The flashback structure is the only thing that I didn't like about this movie because it took me a while to figure out on what was going on.

Overall, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is a lot of fun and it is worth checking out. I hope we get a sequel soon.

Date: 2/8/2020
Viewed: Shudder
First viewing

Note: I have been waiting for months to see this movie and I finally got the chance to watch it on Shudder. This movie did not disappoint me at all because I thought it was fantastic from start to finish. I was totally glued by my seat when watching this movie because I love the music, visuals, and the story that this movie has. The movie almost feels like something that David Cronenberg would have made back in the 80s or early 90s.

I also love how the movie has a social commentary on sex addiction and how dangerous the world of BDSM can be. I can't think of anything else that I didn't like about this movie to be honest. I guess the last 5 or 10 minutes did start to drag out the movie, but that's just me.

Overall, Dogs Don't Wear Pants is a fantastic movie and I highly recommend watching it. Most people probably won't like this movie, but I do think fans of horror movies and thrillers will enjoy it.

Date: 2/9/2020
Viewed: Netflix
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen this movie since I rented it on VHS back in 2001 at my local Blockbuster. Almost 20 years later, my opinion is still the same as it was back in 2001. It's not a bad movie, but it's nowhere as good as the first two Tremors movies. Burt Gummer is still awesome as always and it was nice to see the other returning characters from the first Tremors movie. The movie also has some neat ideas like Flying Graboids. The special effects are not bad for the most part.

My biggest issue with this movie is that it feels unnecessary. I think the second Tremors movie had a nice ending to it and could have ended the series. I also hate the CG in this movie because it still looks terrible. Even back in 2001, it looked bad.

Overall, Tremors 3 is an okay movie. If you like the first movies, you may like this one.

Date: 2/10/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First viewing

Note: I remember hearing about this movie growing up, but I never saw it until now. This movie is a lot of fun to watch and I don't regret watching it. The movie gives you on what you would expect from a movie that is shot on VHS with the title "Death Metal Zombies". Death Metal Zombies has cheesy acting, over the top violence, and a silly plot. That's not a bad thing because this is a movie that you enjoy for the trash factor.

I also like the main characters oddly enough because they are pretty likable. Not to mention, the metal music in this movie was awesome too. The special effects are pretty good for a low-budget movie as well. I was surprise that the blood and gore in this movie looked decent. They didn't use ketchup for blood like some shot on video movies do.

Overall, Death Metal Zombies is a lot of fun and I can see myself revisiting this movie in the near future. If you enjoy SOV (Shot on Video) movies like Burning Moon (1992) or Zombie Bloodbath (1993), this movie is for you.

Date: 2/11/2020
Viewed: 4K UHD (Amazon Prime)
First viewing

Note: To be honest, I knew nothing about this movie before I watched it. I decided to watch this movie after hearing great things about it last year. I'm glad that I watched this movie because I really enjoy it. I really love the story and characters that this movie has because everyone in this movie is very likable and memorable. The cinematography in this movie is amazing because everything looks wonderful to look at. This movie made me felt like that I was actually in San Francisco with these characters.

I also like that the movie is pretty relaxing to watch because the movie almost feels like a slice of life movie at times. The movie also has a good social commentary on racism, masculinity, friendship, and how bad the real restate industry is towards people. The only thing that I did not like about the movie is the padding that this movie has. I do feel like that this movie can be a bit slow at times, but that's about it.

Overall, The Last Black Man in San Francisco is a great movie and I highly recommend it. Too bad, this movie didn't get any Oscar nominations.

Date: 2/13/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime rental
First viewing

Note: I didn't know that this movie existed until a few days ago when I saw some of my friends on Twitter talking about it. I'm glad that I saw this movie without knowing anything about the movie because I really enjoy it. The movie is a slow psychological burn with awesome action sequences and great cinematography. I love that the movie has some bright colorful lighting that you would find in some horror movies from Italy in the 70s-80s.

This whole movie had me on the edge of my seat because the movie is pretty suspenseful and is filled with extreme tension. Ellijah Wood is also great in this movie too. The only thing I didn't like about this movie was that the last act felt rushed. There's a scene in the movie that felt rather anticlimactic, but I won't spoil it.

Overall, Come to Daddy is a great movie and I highly recommend it.

Date: 2/14/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Redbox Rental)
First viewing

Note: I wanted to see this movie when it came out in theaters, but I missed out on it sadly. A few months later, I got the chance to watch this movie and I really enjoy it. I didn't like the idea of a sequel to The Shining at first, but they pull it off very well. I like that the movie didn't try to rehash the first movie and did something original for once unlike most movie sequels (I'm looking at you Force Awakens). While the movie did something original and fresh, I still like that the movie still try to keep the first movie's essence. For a movie that is over 2 hours, it went by quickly. There was not a single boring moment in this movie.

The movie also has great acting, fantastic visuals, and amazing cinematography as well. The movie should have been nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 92nd Academy Awards in my opinion. The only thing that I didn't like about this movie was the ending was a bit predictable in my opinion.

Overall, Doctor Sleep is a great movie and it is worth checking out. The movie is nowhere as great as The Shining (1980), but that's not a bad thing. I want to check out the director's cut soon.

Date: 2/15/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First viewing

Note: I remember when this movie came out in 2010-2011, but I never saw it because I was so sick of vampire and zombie movies at the time. A decade later, I finally got the chance to see this movie and I really enjoy it. I love the dark and gritty atmosphere because it really captures the tone of the story. Everything about this movie feels so grim and hopeless similar to The Walking Dead. Unlike The Walking Dead, this movie didn't bore me to death.

I also like the characters in this movie because I actually care about them. The movie has some death scenes that really took me by surprise. I also like how the movie went at a nice steady pace because the movie didn't drag or felt rushed at all. The special effects in this movie are pretty awesome as well. All the blood, and gore looks superb. Not to mention, the makeup for the vampires looks great too.

The only thing that I didn't like about the movie is some scenes felt a bit predictable. Overall, Stake Land is a very good movie and it is worth checking out. I do want to check out the sequel soon.

Date: 2/17/2020
Viewed: Netflix
First viewing

Note: I was curious to check out this movie because I grew up with the Dragon Quest video games. I thought the movie was pretty good for the most part. The animation is solid and the movie uses musical elements from the games. The movie also has a pretty likable cast of characters that you do care about. I also like how the movie borrows some elements from the game like having enemies from random encounters that can join your team.

The biggest issue with this movie is that the movie introduces characters that we don't have any back story to them. The movie just assumes that the audience knows who they are, and is just cool with it. The movie also has a stupid twist that happens in the movie (I won't go into many details about it).

Overall, Dragon Quest: Your Story is a fun animated movie that could have been better at times. Fans of the games and children will probably enjoy this movie. If you are not a fan of the games, you will probably won't like this movie.

Date: 2/18/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
First viewing

Note: I always wanted to check out this movie when it first came out in 2015, but never had the chance too until now. The movie was pretty interesting to watch because this movie is pretty much a giant gore fest and has many scenes of torture. This movie makes Hostel 1-2 look like Teletubbies in comparison. Most people are going to hate this movie because it's very sick, disturbing, and even extreme at times, but I can't help to enjoy it.

Watching this movie is like watching a giant train wreck because you can't help to look at the screen during the violent gory moments. This movie has you on the edge of your seat on what will happen next. Not to mention, all the blood and gore in this movie are all practical. The atmosphere in this movie is very top-notch as well because it's very dark, gritty, and gross. The film makers did a great job on making the movie feel so dark and disturbing. Not to mention, the music in this movie is fantastic as well.

Outside the gory violence, this movie does not offer much to be honest. The main cast of characters in this movie are cliché stereotypes that you see in many horror movies, but I do admit that Doctor Wolffenstein is a cool horror movie villain. This movie also overstay its welcome because the movie is almost 2 hours long. Most of the death scenes become boring during the last act because they keep on rehashing the same kills over and over.

Overall, I admit that I enjoy The Curse of Doctor Wolffenstein despite it not being a good movie. If you enjoy extreme violent movies, you may enjoy it. Anyone who is squeamish should stay away from this movie. Rating: 7/10 for the trash factor.

Date: 2/20/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Redbox Rental)
First viewing

Note: I wanted to see this movie in theaters when it came out, but I didn't have the chance too. I finally watched this movie after I rented this movie from my local red box. Jojo Rabbit was a pretty solid movie in my opinion.

The movie has a lot of great funny moments that give me a good laugh. I'm surprise that this movie got a PG-13 rating to be honest. I also thought the movie did a great job on the characters because you can relate to them. Not to mention, the acting in this movie is fantastic as well. Everyone did a great job on their roles in the movie in my opinion.

My favorite thing about this movie is the theme of blind idolization because the movie shows what happens you idolize the wrong people in my opinion. I don't want to spoil anything else about this movie because it's still a pretty new film.

Overall, Jojo Rabbit does a great job on mixing comedy and drama into one movie. I do recommend watching this movie.

Date: 2/21/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime rental
First viewing

Note: I have been looking forward to this movie ever since I watched Bliss last year. This movie did not disappoint me because this movie was non-stop brutal action from start to finish. The story is plain and simple, but that's the whole point of this movie. This movie is meant to be a throw back to classic grind house action movies and does a great job on not taking itself too seriously.

All the action sequences are amazing and not a single moment in this movie is boring. The movie only runs at 90 minutes which is a perfect run time for this movie. This movie knows when not to overstay its welcome and having it go on for way too long would make things way too repetitive. I also love the red and blue neon lighting that this movie has too. The lighting in this movie captures the dark and violent tone of the movie perfectly.

For a movie that has a thin story, they still did a great job on making the characters likable. All of them have fun personalities and you like them enough that you don't want them to die. This movie also has synth-heavy soundtrack that is awesome as well.

Overall, VFW is an awesome movie and it is probably is my #1 favorite movie of 2020 so far. I highly recommend this movie if you are into action movies.

Date: 2/24/2020
Viewed: Sony Crackle
Re-Watch

Note: I decided to rewatch this movie because I was in the mood to revisit it. Over 20 years later, I still enjoy this movie a lot. For a movie that is over 2 hours long, it was paced pretty well. This movie didn't have a single boring moment that made me want to look at my phone during the movie. The movie has a great cast of characters that I find to be pretty memorable. Sean Penn's character in this movie is awesome because I like that he keeps on being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I also love the movie's dark and gritty atmosphere because it captures the isolation that the story takes place in. This movie almost feels like a horror movie at times because crazy stuff always happens one thing after another. The movie is filled with many shocking twist and turns that puts you on the edge of your seat. People didn't like the ending, but I enjoy movies with dark endings. With this movie, you never know what is going to happen next. Not to mention, the soundtrack for this movie is awesome as well.

Overall, U Turn is a great movie that is worth watching. I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it yet.

Date: 2/25/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
Re-Watch

Note: I decided to rewatch one of my favorite blaxploitation movie for Black History month and this movie still holds up very well. The movie is filled with kick ass action, awesome characters, and great music. Coffy herself is a great female character and has become an enduring feminist icon for almost 50 years now. Coffy is a great character because she is fearless and knows how manipulate her way around villains.

The movie is a typical revenge story, but the movie has more to offer than just revenge. You really feel for Coffy because she wants revenge for the people responsible for her younger sister's heroin addiction. The movie also has a pretty good social commentary on both drug addiction and racism as well.

Overall, Coffy is a great movie and I highly recommend it if you never seen it before.

Date: 2/26/2020
Viewed: Tubi TV
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen this movie since it was on TV back in the mid 90s when I was a little kid. The only reason why I decided to rewatch this movie because I was in the mood for something bad and stupid. This movie is still a lot of fun to watch from start to finished.

It's a bad movie, but I don't care. This movie has a lot of charm going for it with the bad special effects (Even for 1950s standers), bad acting, and bad writing. I can't help to laugh at this movie unintentionally. Not to mention, this movie is super short to watch. You got nothing to lose by wasting 62 minutes down the drain with this movie.

Overall, Robot Monster is a fun bad movie that is worth watching for laughs.

Date: 2/27/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: This movie is in my top 10 favorite movies of all time and I decided to revisit it for the 100th anniversary. 100 years later, and this movie is still a masterpiece. Every time when I rewatch this movie, I'm always completely blown away by it. The movie has amazing visuals that makes you feel like that you are watching a living painting. All the painted shadows and warped imagery really makes this movie feel super unique. I love how this movie puts you in a trance like you are in someone's else twisted fantasy.

This movie would later become a major influence for later horror movies like Nosferatu (1922), and many more for the next 100 years. You can totally see why because this movie also help created some tropes that we would later see in the horror movies that we have grown to love today. I also love the score in this movie because it's very haunting and chilling to listen too.

The story in this movie is also incredible because it tells a story that is very different. There's a lot of things in this movie that is open for interpretation with the viewer (Without spoiling things). The movie also has a social commentary on current forms of society and government. Caligari and Caesar are both obviously representing the idea of dictatorship and a brainwashed victim of authority. This movie came out over a year after World War I ended in Germany, so you can tell this is what most people were fearing at the time.

Overall, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a masterpiece and a true piece of art. This is a horror movie that is very subtly and psychologically undermining like no other.

Date: 2/29/2020
Viewed: IMDB TV
First Viewing

Note: I wanted to check out this movie for a while now because I enjoy Tetsuya Nakashima's work. I'm glad that I saw this movie because I really like this movie a lot. This movie is dark, sick, brutal, and depressing from start to finish. I love it when a movie is not afraid to pull punches and hits the viewer in the gut with them.

While the story is not perfect or totally original, I still find the story to be interesting. This movie shows the dark and sick side of human nature by showing how evil everyone can be towards each other. I like the movie's social commentary because the message of this movie is that some people are just awful, and they can't always be rehabilitated. The movie is also beautifully shot and does an amazing job on capturing the story's dark atmosphere.

I also like all the characters and found them to be pretty well done. Kōji Yakusho does a wonderful job on his role on playing a dark and violent character as well. I was also surprised to see Joe Odagiri in this movie because I love him in Kamen Rider Kuuga. There's not a single bad performance in this movie in my opinion.

My biggest issue with this movie is that the movie starts to overstay its welcome during the last act of the movie. I would cut down the movie by 10 or 15 minutes. Also, I didn't like how the movie would keep on switching between the past and present. I thought it was rather annoying at times.

Overall, The World of Kanako was better than I expected. This movie is not for everyone, but I do feel like most people who enjoy dark, and edgy movies will like this movie.