Movies I Watched in March 2021

Date: 3/1/2021
Viewed: Netflix
First Viewing

Note: I wanted to see this movie for over a year now because the animation for this movie looks amazing. Seeing that this movie is now on Netflix (As of 3/1/2021), I can finally watch it. Unfortunately, I could not get into this movie at all. Children of the Sea aka The Sea Monster's Children is a very beautiful movie, but the lackluster story ruined it for me. The animation is breath-taking with many scenes of animation that made my jaw drop. Almost every scene in this movie feels like they belong in a Museum in my opinion. The large amount of detail that they put into this movie is fantastic because the animals look like they are ripped straight from a Zoo Book. Another good thing about Children of the Sea is the music from Joe Hisaishi (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind). The music in this movie is wonderful to listen too and every bit of music fits so well with the beautiful animation.

Too bad, the story did nothing for me. I didn't find any of the characters to be memorable or interesting at all in my opinion. The story was all over the place and the third act of the movie left me confused about what just happened. Children of the Sea tries to add some mystery and build-up to the story, but I feel like there's barely any explanation to anything on what was going on. The pacing is my least favorite thing about this movie because it moves so slow. 30 minutes of this movie felt like one hour. Children of the Sea is almost 2 hours long and you can feel the long length when watching this movie. I almost wanted to press fast forward during the boring scenes of this movie, but I don't like doing that (It feels disrespectful to me).

Even though I didn't like this movie, I still give an A for effort because the movie is very well made. You can tell that they put a lot of love when making this movie. I still recommend Children of the Sea if you are curious because you will probably like this movie more than I did.

Date: 3/1/2021
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First Viewing

Note: I've heard about this movie for a while now and I never watched it until today. I'm glad that I went into this movie knowing nothing about it because this movie was awesome. Starry Eyes is a very well-made movie that is very brutal to watch. I like that the story is a really interesting look at sexual harassment in the film industry. Louis Dezseran plays a really creepy character that made my skin crawl because his performance mimics Harvey Weinstein's behavior on screen. The story also shows that people will do almost anything for fame and glory. Not to mention, not everyone gets the job that they want. Another thing that I love about this movie is the changes that Sarah (Played by Alex Essoe) goes through when trying to become an actress. The movie reminds me of both The Fly (1986) and Safe (1995) with her character losing her humanity when becoming sick. Also, just like with those two movies, we get to see her character lose her humanity over time and become a totally different character by the end of the movie. You also have an awesome synth score in this movie as well.

The movie has a lot of gory moments that are very well done in my opinion. They did a wonderful job of making the blood and gore look so sick and gross looking. There's even one scene in this movie that makes the hammer scene in Oldboy (2003) look tame in comparison. Alex Essoe (Doctor Sleep) does a good job with her performance and the other actors did a solid job as well including a role from Noah Segan (Knives Out). If I had to pick one thing that I didn't like about this movie is that this movie had some dumb dialogue that could have been easily written out of the script.

Overall, Starry Eyes is a solid movie and I do recommend checking it out. If you are squeamish, you may not want to watch this movie.

Date: 3/2/2021
Viewed: Youtube
Re-Watch

Note: Unlike the other movies from Hirokazu Koreeda, I actually have seen this movie before. I first saw it back in the early 2000s and I remember not liking it. Over the past 20 years, I have seen more movies from Hirokazu Koreeda and he has become one of my favorite filmmakers. I was hoping to like this movie now than I did back in 2001. I do think After Life aka Wonderful Life is a good movie, but it's not my favorite movie from Hirokazu Koreeda. The movie is very well made with great acting and wonderful cinematography. I also like the themes that this movie has, but I have a hard time getting into the characters. I don't think they are badly written, they just didn't click with me.

This movie was just as slow as I remember it because this movie felt like it took forever to be over. I normally like slow-moving movies, but it's hard to like a slow movie if you are not invested with any of it in my opinion. I do hope this movie will be picked up by Criterion or Arrow because this movie needs a good HD remaster. The DVD quality of this movie did not age well at all on my 4K TV.

Overall, I still consider After Life to be a good movie and it's worth checking out if you enjoy Japanese cinema or movies from Hirokazu Koreeda.

Date: 3/3/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Redbox Rental)
First Viewing

Note: The only reason why I watched this movie is that it looks like a fun movie. It should be noted that I never played any of the Monster Hunter games and I know very little of the franchise. I end up renting this movie from my local Red Box and I honestly liked it. Monster Hunter is not a good movie, but it's dumb fun. I knew this movie was going to be stupid and that's what I got. This movie gives me what I wanted which was people fighting monsters. I love the special effects in this movie because the visuals look awesome. I thought the movie would look cheap, but they didn't. For a movie with a budget of 60 million, the movie feels like it has a budget that is way bigger. Rathalos himself was awesome and it was a total treat to see him wreck some shit up.

What ruined the movie for me was the characters. The military characters in this movie feel so pointless. None of them are interesting and have any personality to them at all. Milla Jovovich's character feels like a diet version of Alice from the Resident Evil live-action movies. Tony Jaa (Ong-Bak 1-3) as Hunter should have been the main character because his character was more interesting in my opinion. You also have other cool hunters and they didn't show up until later in the movie. Makes me wonder why did they need these military characters in the first place? You have a cool fantasy world with a group of characters that are already fighting monsters. It feels like wasted potential to me.

Despite the flaws that this movie has, I still enjoy it as a guilty pleasure. I recommend checking it out if you are curious.

Date: 3/3/2021
Viewed: Netflix
First Viewing

Note: I have always been curious to check out this movie for a while now because the premise sounds neat. It's also on Netflix at the moment (As of 3/3/2021), I thought I might as well check it out anyway. Unfortunately, this movie was not good at all. Holidays is a hot mess of a movie in my opinion. Most of the stories are either terrible or boring. The Valentine's Day story was easily my least favorite because it was so cringy and mean-spirited. If I had to pick a favorite story, I did like the Easter and Christmas story. At least those two didn't make me angry or made me feel sleepy when watching them.

I do give Holidays credit for trying because the directors who work on this movie did put a lot of effort into making it. It's a shame that everything else is badly executed. I don't recommend watching Holidays at all even for free on Netflix.

Date: 3/4/2021
Viewed: Youtube
First Viewing

Note: I remember watching the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode of this movie back in the late 90s, but I have never seen the full version of this movie until now. This movie is actually not as bad as people make it out to be in my opinion. Soultaker is a fun cheesy horror fantasy movie in my opinion. The movie has a cool premise and it does not take itself too seriously. Joe Estevez (Apocalypse Now) does a good job of playing a villain in my opinion. I love that he is able to play a villain that is both cool and campy at the same time. Robert Z’Dar (Maniac Cop) also has a fun role in this movie that is worth mentioning.

There's also a low-budget direct-to-video vibe that this movie has that I always love. Everything about this movie is so entertaining. It's so much fun watching these characters trying to return back to the world of the living meanwhile a Soultaker is trying to take them to the Afterlife. The acting and dialogue are pretty bad, but at least it is laughable. I found myself laughing when watching this movie because the dialogue is very corny. The special effects are not very good, at least they try their best with the budget that they had.

Overall, Soultaker is a fun bad movie that is worth checking out (with or without the MST3K commentary).

Date: 3/4/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: Genocyber has been a big fan favorite of mine for years and I finally got my Blu-Ray copy from Discotek over a week ago. Genocyber is far from perfect, but I do consider it to be a very entertaining anime in my opinion. I love the animation and story that this anime has. Watching Genocyber is like watching an odd mixture between Stephen King's Carrie, Akira, and The Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor. You get plenty of action and ultra-violence in a total of five episodes. The body horror in Genocyber feels reminiscent of movies from David Cronenberg and other 80s horror movies. There are enough blood and guts in this anime that will probably turn off anyone that is squeamish. The soundtrack is awesome because it feels like it belongs in a Sega Genesis video game. It's very catchy and memorable in my opinion. I still have the music stuck in my head after all of these years.

The first three episodes of Genocyber are great in my opinion with a solid story and disturbing surreal mental imagery. I really like the emotional story that they set up with Elaine. You can really feel sorry for her seeing that she has become a bio monster from an evil company. There are also really good themes of anti-war, and unethical human experimentation. After episode 3, this is when the series starts to fall apart. The last two episodes feel very rush and the ending still leaves me confused. If the last two episodes were just as strong as the first three episodes, this anime would be better receive from people. I also don't recommend watching the dub because the voice acting is pretty bad for the most part. The dialogue in the dub can be both funny and cringy at the same time. Watching Genocyber in Japanese with subs is the best way to experience this anime in my opinion.

Overall, Genocyber is a fun gory anime to watch. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys violent anime or people who enjoy body horror movies from David Cronenberg and Shinya Tsukamoto.

Date: 3/5/2021
Viewed: Popcornflix
First Viewing

Note: This is the only Kevin Smith movie that I never saw until now. I remember seeing a trailer for it when I saw Sausage Party (2016) in theaters and I thought it looked really bad. Seeing that I had nothing else to do on a Friday night, I decided to give it a watch on Popcornflix. To be honest, it was not very good. Yoga Hosers is a boring and unfunny movie to watch in my opinion. It is probably my second least favorite movie from Kevin Smith next to Cop Out (2010).

Almost every scene of humor and dialogue feels like it was written by a High School student that just finished a screenplay for their creative writing class. Kevin Smith feels like he is trying so hard to appeal to the Generation Z audience by adding modern-day references to Instagram and other popular Internet trends. I probably laugh once during this entire movie. The CGI in this movie is terrible and it probably looks just as bad as CGI that you would find in a Syfy channel original movie. That's pretty sad seeing that this movie was made by professionals from Hollywood. You also have talented actors such as Natasha Lyonne (Uncut Gems) that are wasting their time on screen.

The dumb pop culture references to comic books and video games also feel really forced. This is probably the first time that I actually cringe when Stan Lee was on screen. It also bothers me that some of the female characters were actually rather sexualized when they are high school students. It kinda creeps me out that Kevin Smith had his daughter wearing revealing clothing to look sexy. I'm pretty sure it wasn't intentional but it felt rather awkward to me. If I had to say anything positive about this movie, it was cool seeing Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense) on screen. I haven't seen him in any movie in the last 20 years and I was unaware that he was in this movie until I saw the end credits.

I highly recommend not watching Yoga Hosers at all. Do yourself a favor and watch Clerks (1994) instead.

Date: 3/6/2021
Viewed: TubiTV
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen this movie in the last 25 years when my family rented it on VHS. If it was not for The Crap Movie Collective (another movie group that I'm in), I would probably not bother to rewatch it. Remote is just a harmless dumb 90s kids movie in my opinion. The movie felt like it is Full Moon's answer to both Home Alone (1990) and the Dennis the Menace movie (which also came out that same year). The humor is the typical slapstick comedy that you would find in any other kids' movie. The acting and dialogue are nothing special neither.

At least, this movie made me laugh more than I did when watching Yoga Hosers (2016). So I will give this movie credit for that. I only recommend Remote for children under the age of 10. Otherwise, skip it.

Date: 3/6/2021
Viewed: HBO Max
First Viewing

Note: My family had a hard time on what to watch for a family movie night and we decided to watch this movie. Seeing that I had nothing else to do, I was like "Why not?". I also do have a soft spot for Tom & Jerry because I grew up with re-runs of classic Tom & Jerry on Cartoon Network back in the 90s. Tom & Jerry (2021) was neither bad nor good. To me, this movie was mediocre at best. You do have some funny scenes that made me laugh. The rest of the humor is pretty boring.

I feel like this movie was trying so hard to capture the classic humor of Tom & Jerry while trying to modernize it for a new audience that never grew up with Tom & Jerry. The movie has plenty of talented actors and actresses such as Chloë Grace Moretz (Kickass 1-2), Patsy Ferran (Darkest Hour), and Michael Peña (The Martian) that play boring characters. The story feels like it is on autopilot because the story is super predictable. You watch this movie for Tom and Jerry, and yet the movie wants you to like these boring human characters instead. This movie also has a random choice of music because you have plenty of hip hop and R&B songs. None of those two music genres feel like that they belong in Tom & Jerry in my opinion.

The live-action/computer-animated hybrid was an interesting choice for this film. It took me a while to get used to it because most of it stick out like a sore thumb. I'm glad that they didn't make Tom and Jerry into realistic CGI animals because that wouldn't be Tom & Jerry at all. The animation for Tom & Jerry does look pretty good for the most part. Some of the animation in this movie looks really bad at times. You have 2D animated characters that look like that they are ripped straight out of a video game cut scene on the sixth generation of video game consoles (PS2/Gamecube/original Xbox).

Don't bother with this movie unless you're bored or if you have small children.

Date: 3/7/2021
Viewed: IMDB TV
Re-Watch

Note: I remember watching this movie when I was a kid in the late 90s and I was curious to see if the movie still holds up. DNA is hardly a great movie, but I still consider it to be a fun creature feature. DNA is pretty much what happens when you mix Alien (1979), Predator (1987), and Jurassic Park (1993) into one movie. While the story is nothing original, it's still entertaining to watch. There's not a single dull moment in the movie. It also does not take itself too seriously. The acting is pretty decent in my opinion. You have fun performances from Mark Dacascos (John Wick 3), Jürgen Prochnow (Das Boot), Robin McKee (Speed), and Roger Aaron Brown (Maniac Cop 2). You can tell that everyone had a good time working on this movie.

The special effects are a mixed bag. You have solid practical effects from The KNB EFX Group (The Walking Dead TV series) that hold up well in my opinion. I do like the design for the monster in this movie despite it being mostly hiding in the dark. However, the green screen effects have aged terribly. You can tell that they obviously filmed the movie in front of a green screen during the helicopter crash scene.

Despite the flaws that DNA has, I still recommend it if you enjoy creature features or dumb action movies.

Date: 3/7/2021
Viewed: Criterion Channel
Re-Watch

Note: It's been years since I have seen this movie and I felt like that I should re-watch it at some point. I end up rewatching this movie tonight and it still holds up very well. Kuroneko is a fantastic work of art in my opinion. This movie may be one of my favorite ghost films (This is coming from someone who normally finds ghosts to be boring). Every scene in this movie is breathtaking to watch. It makes you feel like that you are watching a poem coming to life. The black & white cinematography is absolutely beautiful and the use of fog makes the movie feel very spooky. This movie is so atmospheric, that you can almost taste it. If this movie was shot in color, it would have not worked at all. A movie like Kuroneko needs to be in black & white in order to fit with the tone of the movie.

The story is very well written with a tragic story of two women that were killed by Samurai Warriors. Kuroneko does have some disturbing scenes that will probably make some people feel uncomfortable (Viewer discretion is advised). The disturbing scenes in the movie do have a purpose to the story and they are not just added for pointless shock value. Kaneto Shindo (the director) did a wonderful job of creating a wonderful cast of characters that felt very grounded and realistic in my opinion. Without going into spoilers, there is one emotional scene that is very powerful, and the build-up to it was perfect. I don't have anything bad to say about this movie other than you can see some technical errors when watching the movie (The strings are not very well hidden when the characters are jumping).

Overall, Kuroneko is a wonderful movie and I do highly recommend watching it.

Date: 3/7/2021
Viewed: DVD
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen this anime in years and I still enjoy it for what it is. M.D Geist is a fun guilty pleasure anime in my opinion. This anime has a bad rep for being one of the worst anime ever made when it's nowhere as terrible as people make it out to be. The story is nothing original and the characters are generic, but it's so entertaining. You have plenty of gory and cheesy action sequences that are a blast to watch. Not to mention, the music in this anime is awesome. Violence of the Flame and Merciless Soldier are easily one of my favorite anime songs ever because they are so catchy to listen to. I bet if MD Geist was not rushed and was a full-length movie, I do think it would have been a better anime.

I’ll probably watch MD Geist 20 more times before revisiting Naruto, One Piece, Soul Eater, or whatever popular Shonen anime that people like these days (Sorry, they are not my thing). If you like testosterone-fueled action movies or cheesy anime, I recommend checking out MD Geist.

Date: 3/8/2021
Viewed: TubiTV
First Viewing

Note: I always have been curious to watch this movie for years because I always remember seeing DVD copies of this movie at my local video stores back in the late 2000s. You also can't go wrong with Robert Englund (The original Freddy Krueger for people who don't know). I finally watched this movie on Tubi and I didn't like it at all. Heartstopper does have decent special effects and some fun performances, but that's about it. You have Robert Englund playing a cool Sheriff and James Binkley (The Boondock Saints) did his best by playing the main villain. James Binkely's character is a serial killer that goes around ripping people's hearts out as if he was in a Mortal Kombat video game or pretending to be Mola Ram from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (If you want to be more technical about it). I do like the practical effects for the gory kills and the makeup is pretty solid. However, you do have scenes of CGI that are bad even for a low-budget movie. The CGI in this movie is just as bad as your typical Syfy channel movie in my opinion. At least, it was fun to see Lori Hallier (The original My Bloody Valentine) in this movie.

The rest of this movie is boring with bland characters and bad pacing. After the first 20 minutes of the movie, the movie started to move at a snail's pace. The main character (Played by Meredith Henderson) is your typical final girl character that we have seen so many times before in a horror movie. The dialogue in this movie is awful in my opinion because you have many lines that sound incredibly awkward. I still give this movie some credit for trying. You can tell that they did their best with the material that they were given with.

I don't recommend watching Heartstopper unless you're bored with nothing to watch on a rainy day.

Date: 3/8/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: Just like last year, I decided to celebrate International Women’s Day with a Japanese movie starring Meiko Kaji. Meiko Kaji is easily one of my favorite actresses of all time ever since I saw Lady Snowblood (1973) nearly 20 years ago. Stray Cat Rock: Delinquent Girl Boss aka Alleycat Rock: Female Boss may not be as good as Lady Snowblood or Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (1972), but it's still an awesome movie in my opinion. This movie is very 1970s because everything is groovy. You have funky music, bright colors, awesome women, and badass motorcycles. Mei (played by Meiko Kaji) is a total badass and knows how to put up a good fight.

They did a wonderful job of creating a friendship bond with Mei and her biker gang. They are very likable and you can feel the connection between them. Each member has their own unique personality traits that make this movie stand out from your typical biker exploitation film in my opinion. I also love the gritty feeling of Shinjuku, Tokyo by having the city feel dark and dangerous, but also feeling colorful at the same time. I also don't expect everyone to enjoy Stray Cat Rock because some people will probably find it boring. You also have some disturbing scenes that will turn off some people as well.

Overall. Stray Cat Rock: Delinquent Girl Boss is a great movie and it is worth checking out if you enjoy Japanese cinema or Outlaw Biker movies.

Date: 3/9/2021
Viewed: Amazon Prime (Rental)
First Viewing

Note: Ghost in the Machine is one of those movies that I remember seeing at Blockbuster and other video stores as a kid, but I never saw it until now. I'm glad that I watched this movie because it was pretty cool. Ghost in the Machine is a fun sci-fi horror-thriller in my opinion. I really like the premise and the atmosphere that this movie has. The idea of someone's subconscious is able to travel through electricity is a very neat idea. When this movie came out, the idea of being stalked by a hacker and having your life ruined in a matter of seconds was pretty scary seeing that the worldwide web was still a brand-new thing back in 1993. Even 28 years later, it's still scary that someone knows every piece of information about you on the Internet.

Obviously, the CGI is outdated, but it was pretty impressive at the time. I have a nostalgic soft spot for early CGI in movies and I can't help to love watching the dated visuals. Movies sure have come along way in the last 30 years when it comes to CGI. Everything else about this movie is a fun time capsule of the early 90s with outdated technology, hip-hop music, and characters wearing outdated fashion trends.

Ghost in the Machine is not a perfect movie because the acting and dialogue are a mixed bag in my opinion. Karen Allen (Raiders of the Lost Ark) does a pretty good job of playing the lead role, and I like the connection that she has with her son (played by Wil Horneff). I even like Chris Mulkey's (First Blood) character in this movie as a hacker. The other characters are pretty forgettable and you have lines of dialogue that feel laughable at times.

Overall, Ghost in the Machine is an enjoyable movie that is worth checking out. I wouldn't mind if they remade this movie now with today's technology.

Date: 3/11/2021
Viewed: TubiTV
Re-Watch

Note: The Crazies aka Code Name: Trixie is still a scary and powerful movie to watch even almost 50 years later. The movie is even scarier to watch now in the current world that we are living in with Covid-19. You get to see what happens to people when they have to deal with a virus outbreak. People go insane and the government abuses its power to make the situation even worse. The movie has a great social commentary on human insecurity and how unorganized the US military is. You get to see people lose trust over each other and more people get themselves killed. The movie almost becomes satire at a point when you have "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" playing out of nowhere.

Another thing that I love about this movie is the gritty atmosphere that it has. George A. Romero is able to make the movie feel like it is grounded into reality by using a documentary/news style approach with the story. The acting in this movie is not the best, but it's still pretty good for what it is. Lynn Lowry (I Drink Your Blood) is probably one of my favorite actresses in the movie. Her performance is surprisingly not bad.

Overall, The Crazies is a great movie and I highly recommend checking it out.

Date: 3/12/2021
Viewed: 4K UHD (Amazon Prime Rental)
Re-Watch

Note: It's been over a decade since I last saw this movie. I notice you can rent or buy the movie in 4K UHD on Amazon Prime, and I was curious to see what the movie looks like in 4K UHD. I still remember being a kid back in 1998 and being confused on why we have two asteroid movies coming out that are very similar to each other (I saw Armageddon first BTW). I personally prefer Armageddon, but I do think Deep Impact is a better movie. Deep Impact is honestly not a bad movie, but it could have been better in my opinion.

The story is interesting and I like the tension that the movie is able to create. You can feel the end of the world when watching this movie. It shows what could happen if humanity is going to be wiped out similar to what happened to the Dinosaurs over 65 million years ago. You get to see the paranoia that the world is going through when they only have a matter of days left. It is a pretty scary thing to think about because it tries to tell the story in a realistic way. The visuals were amazing back in the day, but they didn't hold up sadly. Watching New York City being destroyed is pretty cool, but the CGI for the water looks like a PS3/Xbox 360 cut scene now when you are watching it in 2021.

Morgan Freeman does a fantastic job playing the President of the United States in my opinion. He feels like a believable politician and you can tell that he cares about the fate of the human race. You also have decent performances from Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings) and Téa Leoni (Bad Boys). You also get a small role from Jon Favreau and this was long before he would direct bigger titles such as Iron Man (2008) and The Mandalorian on Disney+. What ruins the movie for me is that the movie is overly long and most of the characters are pretty weak in my opinion. I honestly feel like the story in Deep Impact could have been told in under 2 hours. The drama in the movie feels very painfully melodramatic at times. It is hard for me to care about most of the characters in the movie because they are bland. Morgan Freeman's character is the only character that I really like. They should have done a better job on developing the characters when you have 2 hours to tell a story.

Overall, Deep Impact is a decent movie and I still recommend it if you're curious.

Date: 3/13/2021
Viewed: DVD
First Viewing

Note: It took me a while to find a copy of this movie because it only aired on MTV in the United States and I could not find it anywhere to rent or buy. I had to buy a DVD import from Hong Kong on eBay. I was looking forward to watching the most recent movie from Richel Talalay because I really like Ghost in the Machine (1993) and Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) is a fun guilty pleasure. Too bad this movie was not very good. The Dorm is a forgettable horror movie in my opinion. This movie does have some good ideas on the surface level such as the idea of acceptance of yourself and being careful with social groups that you enjoy. I even like the spooky atmosphere that this movie has.

Everything else about this movie is boring and predictable. I didn't care for the characters and the story feels like it is on autopilot. You can find almost every horror movie cliché in this movie. Alexis Knapp (The Pitch Perfect movies) does an okay job with acting in my opinion. The rest of the acting is not very good, but you can tell that everyone was really trying their best with the material that they are given with.

I don't recommend watching The Dorm at all. I will probably end up donating my DVD copy to my Good Will store seeing that I probably won't watch this movie again anytime soon.

Date: 3/13/2021
Viewed: Netflix
Re-Watch

Note: I watched this movie with my friends and they enjoy it. I have already seen this movie before and I still enjoy it.

Date: 3/14/2021
Viewed: Netflix
First Viewing

Note: Better late than never, I finally saw this movie. I'm a big fan of Martin Scorsese's films and I don't mind watching long movies. However, 3 and a half hours is a long time to watch a movie. I need to be in the right mindset to get in the mood to watch something very long. Seeing tonight was a rainy night, I had plenty of time to spare. The Irishman may not be my favorite movie from Martin Scorsese, but it's still a great movie nevertheless. For a movie that was over 3 hours long, the pacing was well done. Not once did the movie moved at a snail's pace. The story was very interesting and it kept me intrigued. Everyone did a fantastic job with acting in my opinion. Even Ray Romano (Ice Age) was great in this movie, and he is normally known to be in TV sitcoms. It was also great to see Robert De Niro and Al Pacino together in a great movie after being in mediocre movies for over a decade (Righteous Kill comes to mind).

I also thought the technology that they did use to de-aged the actors looked superb. Some people thought it look awkward, but it didn't bother me. It almost looks like they used a time machine to film this movie. Even though I really enjoy the story, it felt like it was about half an hour longer than it needed to be. I would have been fine if it was 3 hours at max. I was honestly started to get bored with the story during the last 30 minutes of the movie. Other than that, I'm glad that I finally watched it. I recommend checking out The Irishman if you have over 3 hours to waste.

Date: 3/14/2021
Viewed: Youtube
Re-Watch

Note: When picking a Category III movie to watch, I decided to go with this movie because I haven't seen it in years. Naked Killer is still a great action movie in my opinion. This movie has plenty of action, blood, guts, and hot women. All the action sequences in this movie are entertaining and not a single moment in this movie is boring. This movie has a brutal pencil scene that would make John Wick jealous. While the story is nothing groundbreaking, it's still well told with a fun cast of memorable characters. Chingmy Yau (City Hunter) is a total badass woman that can kick ass and chew bubblegum.

I also like that Naked Killer does not take itself too seriously by adding comedy into the movie. The humor is actually funny even though some jokes can be a bit stale at times. I don't have anything else to say about this movie other than it's awesome. I highly recommend checking out Naked Killer if you enjoy action movies from Hong Kong.

Date: 3/15/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray
First Viewing

Note: Panic Beats aka Heartbeat is one of those movies that I remember hearing about growing up, but I never saw it until now. I didn't see it for the longest time because I always remember hearing that the movie was badly cut. Thankfully, Mondo Macabro was able to release the movie on Blu-ray in its full uncut form. I'm glad that I finally watched this movie because it was pretty cool. Panic Beats is a fun horror movie in my opinion.

I really like the gory violence and the atmosphere that this movie has. The movie does not hold back when it comes to gory kills, and they still look pretty good even almost 40 years later. The overall atmosphere and the aesthetics of this movie do remind me of The Beyond (1981). You can tell Paul Naschy (the director) was inspired by Lucio Fulci's work when making this movie. I even like the music in this movie because it was catchy to listen to. What ruined the movie was that the narrative makes relatively little sense. Some scenes in this movie made me scratch my head at times because I was confused about what was going on. I also had a hard time taking Paul Naschy seriously in a Knight of Armor because he almost felt like a Scooby-Doo villain at times lol.

Overall, Panic Beats is still an entertaining movie to watch despite the flaws. I recommend checking it out if you are curious.

Date: 3/16/2021
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First Viewing

Note: I never heard of this movie until it was announced at Otakon 2017 from Discotek's Panel. I finally watched this movie on Amazon Prime and it was pretty awesome. Hells is a fun anime to watch in my opinion. I love the animation and the character designs. Pretty much every character in this movie looks really cool with unique designs. I do like you have some character designs that pay homage to characters from Go Nagai's art. The animation is flashy, over the top, and experimental. If you ask me, the animation reminds me of other anime titles such as Dead Leaves (2004), Redline (2009), and anime from Trigger Studios (Kill la Kill).

Hells is also hilarious and I found myself laughing several times when watching this movie. I watched the dub because that was the only choice that was available to me on Amazon Prime. Discotek hired YouTubers such as LittleKuriboh, KaiserNeko, and other members from Team Four Star to do voice work for the dub. They are both surprisingly good in my opinion. The story is very entertaining and it keeps you interested. There are enough twists to develop a decent plot filled with cool surprises that you won't see coming. If I had to pick one thing that I didn't like about this movie, it would be the run time. Hells is nearly 2 hours long and the final act of the movie really starts to drag. You could have easily cut out 10-15 minutes of the movie and nothing would have changed. The movie has scenes that try to be super emotional and it comes off as annoying at times. Themes such as friendship and being positive can be fine if you don't try to hammer it into the ground so badly.

I still recommend watching Hells if you enjoy watching anime with unique art styles or if you enjoy watching wacky anime.

Date: 3/16/2021
Viewed: Vudu
First Viewing

Note: I remember watching the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode of this movie when I was a kid, but I never saw the full movie until now. I went into this movie expecting a total train wreck, but it was not bad. Robot Holocaust is a fun dumb movie to watch in my opinion. Everything about this movie is so cheesy that it's adorable. I found myself laughing for all the wrong reasons when watching this movie. Robot Holocaust is set in a post-apocalyptic New York City (In the year 2023) and yet barely anything in this movie feels like it is post-apocalyptic. You can clearly see the Chrysler Building and The Twin Towers still standing as if nothing happened to them.

I also find it funny that the main character in this movie is named Neo (played by Norris Culf), and he is chosen to be the one that will save the world from evil machines. This movie predates The Matrix by 13 years and it is probably a coincidence lol. Despite Robot Holocaust not being a good movie, it's still not as terrible as people make it out to be. The characters are fun and you do have decent production values. Angelika Jage plays a fun and sexy villain that is total eye candy in my opinion. Even the main robot villain has a pretty cool design as well. I even like the metallic makeup work that they did for one of the character's faces. However, I did hate the main robot character that is friends with Neo because he was so annoying. He is like this movie's equivalent to C-3PO from Star Wars, but worse.

I still recommend watching Robot Holocaust if you enjoy cheesy movies.

Date: 3/17/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: Happy Saint Patrick's Day everyone. I decided to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day by watching this movie because I recently bought the Leprechaun: The Complete Movie Collection on Blu-Ray. Not to mention, I haven't seen this movie in over 20 years. Leprechaun is still a pretty good movie for what it is in my opinion. It's a fun horror-comedy that is self-aware of how silly it is. Warwick Davis (Harry Potter) is awesome as The Leprechaun because he is over the top and funny. You also have decent special effects that still look pretty good in my opinion. I honestly forgot how gory that this movie can be at times. The other characters in the movie are pretty bland and not very likable, to be honest. The entertainment value makes up for it because this movie is not boring. Leprechaun moves at a nice pace and it does not overstay its welcome. Also, “Fuck you, lucky charms!” is one of the funniest lines in a horror movie in my opinion.

It's also cool that this movie would be a career launching point for Jennifer Anniston, who would later go on to be a big actress a year later in Friends. After all, Horror movies can be a good gateway for people's careers (As seen with Leonardo DiCaprio in Critters 3). I still recommend Leprechaun if you are curious. I may revisit the other movies in the franchise and check out the newer ones in the near future.

Date: 3/18/2021
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First Viewing

Note: I remember when I would stumble upon this movie on VHS at Blockbuster or Sam Goody back in the day, but I never saw it until now. I'm glad that I watched this movie because it was pretty good. Killer Tongue is a fun and wacky movie that knows how to use its silly premise. A movie like Killer Tongue would only be made in the 90s because that decade was more experimental when it comes to wacky ideas. When movies try to be silly and self-aware these days, they normally try too hard or have zero effort put into them.

This movie is hilarious and it made my day. I was laughing hard when watching this movie because it is so strange and clever. There are so many WTF moments in this movie that you have to see it to believe it. I also like the atmosphere and vibe that this movie has because it has elements that you would find from directors such as Frank Hennenlotter, Lloyd Kaufman, and Quentin Tarantino. The special effects are awesome except for some small scenes of CGI. You get plenty of blood, and gore that are delightful to watch.

Melinda Clarke (Return of the Living Dead 3) is great as the lead role in my opinion. It's ironic to think that her character has a black symbiotic suit with superpowers because Melinda Clarke would later star in the Spawn movie a year later in 1997. You also have other fun performances from Robert England (Nightmare on Elm Street), Doug Bradley (Hellraiser), and Stephen Marcus (My Beautiful Launderette) that are also noteworthy. Killer Tongue is still not a perfect movie because I do feel like this movie has pacing issues. It took me a while to get into this movie because this movie was all over the place. The transfer on Amazon Prime is terrible and some scenes look way too dark. Someone really needs to restore this movie in HD because the transfer on Amazon Prime is a VHS upscale.

Overall, Killer Tongue was a blast to watch and I do recommend it for people who like wacky movies.

Date: 3/18/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Red Box Rental)
First Viewing

Note: I was actually looking forward to watching this movie when it was coming out, but I didn't see it in theaters due to lack of time and money. Three and a half years later, I end up renting the movie at my local Red Box and I liked it. The Foreigner may not be the best Jackie Chan movie, but it's still a pretty good movie nevertheless. It was nice to see Jackie Chan in an R-rated action movie again. The plot is pretty basic, but I do feel like the story was well told in my opinion. Jackie Chan plays a tragic character that is willing to do anything to get revenge on the murder of his daughter. You actually feel sorry for him and it is a lot of fun to see him get payback.

The action sequences are well done and the pacing was perfect. It didn't move too slow or too quick. Jackie Chan and the other actors do a solid job with their performances in my opinion. I also like the movie's tone with it being dark and gritty. It really captures the bleak atmosphere of the story perfectly. The one thing that I didn't like about this movie was that the twist in this movie is super predictable. Without spoiling things, you can easily see it happening a mile away.

Overall, The Foreigner is a solid movie and I do recommend checking it out.

Date: 3/19/2021
Viewed: Youtube
First Viewing

Note: Growing up, I always remember hearing bad things about Harmagedon: Genma Wars. Many of the older generations of anime fans really dislike this anime and called it one of the worst anime movies ever. I went into this anime expecting it to be hilariously awful similar to Garzey's Wing (1996), but it wasn't. Harmagedon: Genma Wars is actually pretty decent in my opinion. I was unaware that Rintaro (Galaxy Express 999) directed this movie until the movie was over. Even at his worse, he can make something fun and watchable.

I thought the premise for this movie was really neat by having a group of people with psychic powers trying to save the world. It was almost like watching a mixture between Scanners (1981) and Cyborg 009 (I know Shotaro Ishinomori did the artwork for the Harmagedon manga). The movie is very entertaining with fun characters and action sequences that are well animated. The animation is not bad for a movie that came out in 1983 and it will probably look even better if it was given an HD remaster. I even love the soundtrack for this movie because it sounds like it was ripped straight from a JRPG video game on the SNES.

The story can be a bit confusing at times because not everything makes sense. However, I did watch the dub, and the information that they explained in the movie is probably not very well translated. The dub for this movie is awful and most of the voice acting is very cringy to listen to. The pacing for this movie is pretty slow and you can feel the 2+ hour run time. It took me a half-hour to get invested with the story and characters. I still would like to revisit this movie again in the near future and watch it subbed.

Overall, Harmageddon: Genma Wars is not a bad anime and I do recommend it if you're curious.

Date: 3/19/2021
Viewed: Itunes
First Viewing

Note: I had people recommend me this movie for a while now and I finally had the chance to watch it. After watching this movie for the first time, I really enjoy it. Julia's Eyes is a well-made horror movie in my opinion. The movie was suspenseful by having a creepy atmosphere that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I like how this movie puts you in the shoes of the main character (played by Belén Rueda) because she is slowly losing her eyesight, and she has no idea what is in front of her. It allows the movie to be more creative with its unpredictability. I even like that the movie had jump scares that didn't feel cheap.

Another thing that I like about Julia's Eyes was the cinematography from Óscar Faura (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) because I like the movie's use of dark colors. The dark blueish colors work well with the movie's atmosphere. While I do like this movie, I do think the story could have been better. You do have some inconsistencies in the story that don't always make sense. I also feel like the movie wants to have as many twists as possible to make the movie feel smarter than it actually is.

I still recommend watching Julia's Eyes if you enjoy horror thrillers or Spanish movies.

Date: 3/20/2021
Viewed: Hulu
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen this movie since it came out on Blu-Ray at my local Red Box in 2018 and it's still a great movie. Sorry to Bother You is one of the best and most creative comedies in the last few years in my opinion. This movie is hilarious by being a satire of corporate greed. You get to see how stupid, evil, and racist people can be when they are on the top of power. I like the social commentary with people going on strike at RegalView because it feels like a metaphor for what is going on with people at the Amazon Warehouse. People in this film want better pay and less slave labor, but the main company is refusing to give it to them. It is a reminder of why we should not underpay our workers.

I also really like how Sorry to Bother You can be very creative and surreal with its storytelling and imagery. The movie almost feels like it took some influence from Spike Jonze's directing style in my opinion. I also feel like that Sorry to Bother You also took some influence from other movies such as Robocop (1987), UHF (1989), and Idiocracy (2006) by having TV shows in this movie's universe that are spoofs of reality TV shows and consumerism. People enjoy watching TV shows even it involves the most ridiculous things that people do for money. The characters in this movie are well done because they did a wonderful job of making you feel emotionally invested with all of them.

Lakeith Stanfield (Straight Outta Compton) is absolutely wonderful as the lead role. Armie Hammer (Call Me by Your Name) is totally insane in this movie and makes me wonder if he was actually acting on camera or not lol. Tessa Thompson (Creed 1-2) also does a good job by playing the love interest for Cash (Lakeith Stanfield's character). It's even cool to see both Danny Glover, Patton Oswalt, and Forest Whitaker in this movie as well. Heck, I didn't even know that Tom Woodruff Jr. (The suit actor for the Xenomorph for the other Alien movies) was in this movie until after I saw the end credits.

Overall, Sorry to Bother You is a great movie and I highly recommend watching it.

Date: 3/21/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray
First Viewing

Note: I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this movie because I know nothing about it. I bought it on Blu-ray a while back on Right Stuf and I never bother to watch it until now. Tokyo Living Dead Idol is a decent Japanese zombie comedy movie in my opinion. The story and characters are nothing special, to be honest. I didn't find any of the characters to be interesting and the story was super predictable. They did try to make you care about the main character (played by Asakawa Nana) because she only has 72 hours to keep her humanity. If they add more depth to the characters, I would probably care more about what is going on.

At least, the humor was pretty funny though. I probably laugh a couple of times when watching this movie. The special effects in Tokyo Living Deal Idol are awful even for a Japanese movie in my opinion. I hated how they use digital blood because it looks so bad. It feels so cheap and lazy when I see digital blood on screen. Is it that hard to make practical gore for your movie? I have seen low-budget SOV (Shot on Video) movies that have better blood than this movie. I'm still glad that I only paid $5 for this movie, otherwise, I would have been disappointed that I wasted money on it.

Overall, Tokyo Living Dead Idol is an average movie at best. I only recommend it if you can find it cheap or for free on a streaming service (Like Tubi).

Date: 3/22/2021
Viewed: Tubi
First Viewing

Note: I'm not sure what I can say about The Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec Mummy, to be honest. It's a dumb and cheesy low budget movie from Mexico that is fun to watch. While the movie does have some pacing issues, I still find it enjoyable. You have a cool-looking Mummy and the wrestling sequences are unintentionally hilarious. I would rather watch The Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec Mummy again than sit through The Mummy (2017).

I still recommend The Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec Mummy if you like "so bad, it's good movies" similar to Manos: The Hands Of Fate or Plan 9 From Outer Space.

Date: 3/23/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen The Orphanage since it came out on DVD back in 2008 and I wanted to revisit it for a while now. Thankfully, I bought the Blu-ray for $1 at my local Dollar Tree and it was totally worth it. The Orphanage is still a great movie in my opinion. J. A. Bayona (the director) did a wonderful job of making a creepy and disturbing haunted house movie by creating a strong atmosphere. The Orphanage is so atmospheric, you can feel the cold chilly weather going down your spine. The story in The Orphanage is well written with a strong cast of characters in my opinion. Every character in this movie is likable and you can relate to what they are going through. I also like that the story is unpredictable with many cool surprises that you won't see coming.

If you haven't seen The Orphanage yet, I highly recommend checking it out now. Even non-horror movie fans will probably enjoy it.

Date: 3/23/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Red Box Rental)
First Viewing

Note: I have been looking forward to watching The Kid Detective for a while now after hearing good things about it last fall. I just rented it at my local Red Box and I thought it was pretty good. The Kid Detective is not a bad movie, but I didn't like it as most people did. I thought the story was interesting and I did like the main characters. You have some cool surprises in the story that are actually well done. The story was not going to be predictable as I thought it was going to be. Adam Brody (Ready or Not) does a great job of playing the lead role in my opinion. It was even cool seeing Peter MacNeill (Crash 1996) in this movie as well because I haven't seen him in anything recent in years. I even enjoy the performances from Sophie Nélisse (The Book Thief), Wendy Crewson (Air Force One), Jonathan Whittaker (Land of the Dead), and Maurice Dean Wint (Cube).

My least favorite thing about The Kid Detective is the comedy. To be honest, I didn't think this movie was very funny. I probably laugh once or twice. The rest of the humor did nothing for me. I still recommend checking out The Kid Detective if you've got time to spare.

Date: 3/24/2021
Viewed: TubiTV
Re-Watch

Note: Invasion of the Blood Farmers is still a fun trashy movie from the 1970s in my opinion. I can't help to smile when I always watch this movie. You have over-the-top acting, ridiculous dialogue, and cheesy special effects. The story is so silly that I can't help to love it. Don't let the PG rating fool you because it's pretty brutal with plenty of blood. I also love the atmosphere that Invasion of the Blood Farmers has because it has that low-budget campy feeling to it. They made this movie with a very small budget and there are no big-name stars in this movie. At least, the movie did help John Stewart's career, who would later go on to direct Action USA (1989) and do stunts for mainstream Hollywood movies such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986).

I do recommend watching Invasion of the Blood Farmers if you enjoy Grindhouse movies.

Date: 3/25/2021
Viewed: DVD
Re-Watch

Note: I've been itching to revisit Ebola Syndrome for a while now. So far (As of 3/25/2021), no one has released it on Blu-ray. Thankfully, I still have the old Discotek DVD that I bought at Otakon in 2017. Ebola Syndrome is still a wild ride in my opinion. Like most Category III movies, Ebola Syndrome is not for the faint of heart. I recommend not watching it if you are squeamish. The blood, gore, and violence in this movie are totally insane. The extreme violence is so over the top, it's almost funny. I always find myself laughing for all the wrong reasons.

Anthony Wong (The Untold Story) does an excellent job by playing a totally insane person. His character is so sick and disturbing, it does give me the chills at times. I also do like the other characters even though they could have added more depth to them. Another favorite thing about Ebola Syndrome is the trip to the Zulu tribe land in South Africa. It almost makes you feel like that you are watching a nature documentary in my opinion. I do think Ebola Syndrome is harder to enjoy now given the current times that we are living in. I still don't like the unnecessary edgy dialogue in the movie because some lines of dialogue have no reason to exist.

Overall, Ebola Syndrome is still a fun and crazy movie to watch. I do recommend it for anyone who enjoys extreme cinema.

Date: 3/26/2021
Viewed: TubiTV
First Viewing

Note: Jigsaw (2002) is yet another good example of a bad movie with a cool cover. I had a hard time enjoying this movie because 90% of it is boring. Jigsaw has a run time of under 80 minutes and barely anything happens. You are mostly watching a bunch of boring and unlikable characters doing nothing for 45 minutes. I know this is a Full Moon movie, but that is not always an excuse. Even The Gingerdead Man (2004) was better in my opinion because at least that movie has Gary Busey in it. Almost nothing in this movie is explained as to why the Killer Mannequin is able to come back to life. The ending makes the movie even worse because they ended things so terribly. There is no real closure to the story at all whatsoever.

Every bit of music in Jigsaw is awful because it is so annoying to listen to. It wouldn't surprise me if Full Moon hired a bunch of college rock bands to create music for the soundtrack because they can't afford to hire any major band that was big in the early 2000s such as Evanescence or Drowning Pool. I do admit that the design for the Killer Mannequin is neat looking. You also have some great scenes of blood and gore, but that's about it.

I don't recommend watching Jigsaw (2002) at all. Go watch something else instead.

Date: 3/27/2021
Viewed: Netflix
First Viewing

Note: Seeing that I thought the first Babysitter movie was surprisingly decent, I was curious to check out the sequel. While The Babysitter 2 is not a bad movie, I still prefer the first movie in my opinion. I do like that they try to do something new with the story by linking it with Faust (the deal with the Devil) and you get to see the trauma that the main character (played by Judah Lewis) is trying to recover from after the events of the first movie. I even like the gory kills despite some of the awful digital effects that they used.

The reason why I prefer the first movie because I feel that most of the humor was not very funny. You have humor that feels very force by trying to be so gimmicky. I enjoy pop culture references and throwbacks to older movies as much as the next guy, but it does get annoying when the film is trying to be so cool about it in your face. It's like McG (the director) is saying "Look at our VHS grainy filters. Horror fans love to eat this shit up". The story has some really bad plot holes because no one believes that the events of the first movie happened despite having eyewitnesses and people who have gone missing. It reminds me of what happened in Ghostbusters II (1989) when no one believes in Ghost despite everything that happens in New York City. How stupid are these people?

Overall, The Babysitter 2 is not a bad movie and I do recommend checking it out if you enjoy the first movie.

Date: 3/28/2021
Viewed: Youtube
Re-Watch

Note: If I had to pick a favorite anime from Mamoru Oshii, it would be Angel's Egg. Angel's Egg is a fantastic work of art and is truly one of a kind in my opinion. The animation is still fantastic even over 35 years later and the art direction from Yoshitaka Amano (Vampire Hunter D) is breathtaking. Every scene in Angel's Egg will make your jaw drop to the ground because it is a very stunning movie to look at. You also have a chilling music score that almost makes Angel's Egg feel like a horror movie. I also love how that Angel's Egg has little to no dialogue at all. Having the characters speak very few lines of dialogue makes Angel's Egg feel more atmospheric in my opinion.

The story is pretty simple, but you do have a lot of symbolism that makes up for it. In Angel's Egg, you can find themes of death, rebirth, and the loss of faith in religion. Everything is up for interpretation on what the story is about. There is so much mystery to Angel's Egg, I feel like that no one will ever figure out what the true meaning of the story is. Angel's Egg is not going to be everyone's cup of tea because you will have people that will find it to be boring and pretentious. If you don't like this movie, I do understand that.

Overall, Angel's Egg is a masterpiece and I do highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys art house movies or surrealism.

Date: 3/29/2021
Viewed: Pluto TV
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen Urban Legend since it came out on VHS back in 1999 and I was curious to see if it still holds up or not. I do have a nostalgic soft spot for this movie and the other Scream-era slasher movies that were big from 1997-2003. Heck, I still remember seeing a trailer for this movie when I saw Godzilla (1998) in theaters (Both are from Tristar Pictures). Urban Legend may not be a great movie, it's still a fun movie in my opinion.

The story is very entertaining with a neat premise of a series of murders that are connected to certain urban legends. They did a good job of developing a decent plot filled with cool surprises that you won't see coming. It keeps you intrigue about what is going to happen next. You think it will lead up to something super obvious, but it doesn't. The acting is not bad for a slasher movie in my opinion. Jared Leto (Requiem for a Dream) and Alicia Witt (Dune 1984) both did a good job with their performances. You also have fun roles from John Neville (The Adventures of Baron Munchausen), Brad Dourif (Child's Play 1988), and Robert Englund (Nightmare on Elm Street 1984) that are noteworthy in my opinion. Christopher Young's musical score is also great and it is an underrated score in my opinion. You can tell that Christopher Young (Hellraiser) was trying to go for a classic horror music vibe similar to Halloween (1978) and Friday the 13th (1980). It makes the movie feel more atmospheric in my opinion.

I also can't help to be nostalgic when watching this movie because it's very late 90s. You have music from Rob Zombie, Crystal Method, Monster Magnet, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Stabbing Westward. Not to mention, you have Marilyn Manson posters and characters using dial-up Internet. Urban Legend is still not a perfect movie in my opinion. The movie does use reliance on dumb jump scares and the characters do feel lackluster. It also does try a bit too hard on trying to copy & paste the formula that Scream created back in 1996. It wants to be clever by poking out the cliches just like Scream did.

Overall, Urban Legend is a fun nostalgic guilty pleasure. I do recommend it if you're curious.

Date: 3/30/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: It’s been 10 years since I’ve seen this movie and I was in the mood to revisit it. Helldriver is still a badass movie in my opinion. Many people prefer Tokyo Gore Police (both are from the same director), but I like them both in my opinion. Helldriver is mostly heavy on the action, blood, and gore than the story and characters. That's not a bad thing because Yoshihiro Nishimura gives the audience what they want. People go into these types of movies for a gore fest and nothing else.

Helldriver is nearly 2 hours long and it does not feel like it at all. The pacing is very well done without feeling slow or too quick. I can't think of a single boring moment in this movie. There is so much blood, and gore that it will give any gorehound a boner. Helldriver is so ridiculous that it is not afraid to be funny. The humor always reminds me of what you would find in an early Peter Jackson movie or a Troma movie in my opinion. I love the makeup and gory visuals that they were able to create for this movie. Sometimes they do use practical gore enhanced with CGI blood which can be annoying to watch at times. Thankfully, it is not overdone like most movies with CGI blood.

If you're not a fan of gory movies then this movie is not for you. If you enjoy gory Japanese movies such as Machine Girl (2008) or Tokyo Gore Police (2008), I highly recommend watching Helldriver.

Date: 3/30/2021
Viewed: Blu-Ray
First Viewing

Note: Even though I grew up with Sherlock Holmes, I have never seen this movie until now. From what I've read, this movie is not based on any Sherlock Holmes stories from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. After watching this movie for the first time on Blu-Ray, I really liked it. A Study in Terror is a solid film from the 1960s in my opinion. My favorite thing about this movie is the production values because they did a good job of re-creating London during the late 19th century. The set pieces and costume designs still look great in my opinion. A Study in Terror almost feels like a Giallo movie during the murder scenes by having colorful lighting and showing graphic scenes of blood. Despite the movie being over 55 years old, A Study in Terror can be bloody at times by showing people being stabbed to death by Jack the Ripper.

Another thing that I love about A Study in Terror is the atmosphere. The story has a moody tone thanks to the fog during the nighttime scenes. The use of fog helps create a claustrophobic feeling of someone that is stalking you down. I can see this movie being a big influence on Lucio Fulci's New York Ripper (1982) because both movies give off the same vibe and atmosphere. The story is very entertaining because it's a lot of fun to see Sherlock Holmes trying to solve the mystery of Jack the Ripper. You have many cool surprises that will keep you intrigued. John Neville (The Fifth Element) does a great job playing Sherlock Holmes in my opinion. They did a good job of creating chemistry between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (played by Donald Houston). It's even cool that we have Robert Morley (The African Queen) playing Mycroft Holmes and he does a good job with his performance in my opinion. You even have a role from Judi Dench, who later go on playing M in the modern James Bond films. What ruined the movie for me was that the ending was extremely disappointing.

Overall, A Study in Terror is a good movie and I do recommend it if you enjoy horror mystery thrillers or Sherlock Holmes movies.