Movies I watched in November 2020

Date: 11/1/2020
Viewed: Hulu
Fist Viewing

Note: I always wanted to check out this movie for a while now because I remember hearing great things about it when it came out. I was busy with community college in 2013-2015, so I missed out on most movies that were released in the cinema. The movie is directed by Denis Villeneuve and he is one of my favorite recent filmmakers so far because all of his movies have been a hit for me. After watching this movie on Hulu, I thought it was great. Everything about this movie was fantastic in my opinion.

The acting is amazing and both Hugh Jackman and Jack Gyllenhaal really steal the show. This movie is 2 and a half hours long, but it didn't feel long at all. I was so fascinated with the story, everything went by so quickly. I love the cold rainy atmosphere because it has that late fall/early winter weather feeling to it. You can feel the cold windy weather when watching this movie. Not to mention, the cold rainy weather really helps set up the mood of the dark story. The story in the movie is excellent because it feels very grounded in reality. Everything that happens in this movie feels like it could be a true crime story in real life in my opinion.

I love how the movie shows the human behavior of someone when a child of theirs is being taken away from them. How far is too far when you have to go out of your way to stop someone is who is doing human trafficking. The movie makes the audience wonder when the line starts to blur between good and evil. The cinematography from Roger A. Deakins (Fargo) is absolutely stunning to look at. I can totally see why it was nominated for Best Cinematography at the 86th Academy Awards. If I had to pick one thing that I didn't like about this movie, it would be that the true reveal of the main villain starts to become obvious during the middle act of the movie.

Overall, Prisoners is a great movie and I do recommend watching it.

Date: 11/1/2020
Viewed: Youtube
Fist Viewing

Note: I never heard of this movie until now, to be honest. The poster looks cool and the plot summary sounds interesting. I decided to watch it on Youtube and I didn't like it at all. I find the movie to be pretty boring and it goes on for way too long. I feel like this movie could have been a 75-minute movie at best. The action sequences in the movie feel very repetitive and I didn't find the humor to be funny. I probably laugh once during the entire movie and that was it.

I do respect the effort and passion that went into making this movie. The filmmakers had to use their own money to make the movie and it took them 5 years to finish it. Anyone who works that hard on an indie movie deserves a lot of respect. Even the actors had a blast working on the movie. Sadly, this movie was not for me.

Date: 11/2/2020
Viewed: Netflix
Fist Viewing

Note: I have looked forward to watching this movie for a while now because I'm a big fan of Charlie Kaufman's work. I do admit that I wanted to wait for the hype to die down because I notice people get so angry when other people don't care for this movie. Enough time has passed and I finally watched it on Netflix. To be honest, I'm not sure if I like this movie or not. The acting is great and the production values are solid. I love the cold snowy weather feeling of this movie because it reminds me of both The Shining (1980) and The Lodge (2020).

I could not get invested in the story at all whatsoever. It felt like it took forever for this movie to get started and I still have no idea what happened at the end of the movie. I will give it a second viewing when I'm in a better headspace.

Date: 11/3/2020
Viewed: Criterion Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: I have made a tradition to watch this movie on every election day for the last 15+ years now. Election is one of the best comedy movies of the 1990s in my opinion and it never gets old when I always revisit it. The humor is absolutely hilarious and the general message about voting is spot on. This movie is a satire of the American voting system by using a high school setting and the students in the movie represent how most typical Americans don't really care about politics when it comes to voting. I also love how this movie points how the flaws in America's democracy by showing that the dirtiest of people comes out on top. This movie pretty much foreshadows both the 2000 and 2016 elections if you ask me.

The acting in this movie is great because everyone does a wonderful job of playing believable characters. Matthew Broderick knocks it out of the park by playing an unlikable social studies teacher that is going through a mid-life crisis. It's funny to think that Matthew Broderick was in both a great and terrible movie (Inspector Gadget) back in 1999. I have nothing else to say, to be honest. Election is a smart and funny comedy that is timeless. I do highly recommend watching this movie.

Date: 11/3/2020
Viewed: Shudder
First Viewing

Note: I was curious to check out this movie because it looks interesting. I also had people recommend this movie to me as well. After watching it on Shudder, I was disappointed with this movie. Random Acts of Violence is a movie with a good premise but the execution is poor. I love the concept of this movie because the idea of an artist's creation has taken on a life of its own is very cool. I like that this movie took some inspiration from A Cat in the Brain (1990) because both movies have a person killing people to model the killings after the artist's work. What ruined the movie was the weak characters and poor writing.

I didn't care for any of the characters because they are so paper-thin. I felt like we barely know these characters and I didn't feel any emotion when they were killed off. The main character has no character development at all and it felt like he didn't learn anything by the end of the movie. Another thing that hurts this movie is the short run time because I feel so much was missing out of the story. I also didn't get the general message that this movie was trying to say? Is it trying to warn us that violence in movies, comics, video games, etc can cause people to do bad things? I don't agree with that message at all and it has been proven that violent video games, movies, comics, etc don't cause people to do mass murder unless you are someone like Jack Thompson who thinks otherwise. The artist or art should not be blamed for other people's actions. Maybe if the movie had a message about people who are mentally unstable that are known to imitate violence and what we can do to stop it would have been a better message to say. Sadly, this movie has none of that.

I do like the special effects and the cinematography that this movie has. The cinematography is very nice to look at and they did a good job of creating visuals that feel ripped out of a comic book. I also like the 2D animated sequences earlier in the movie because they remind me of both Killer 7 and XIII (Two video games that I love BTW). The practical blood and gore are awesome because they didn't look cheap or fake. The acting in the movie is alright and I do give credit to the actors for trying.

Overall, Random Acts of Violence is mediocre at best. You are better off watching New Nightmare (1994) or A Cat in the Brain instead because those movies do the "Art coming to life" concept better in my opinion.

Date: 11/4/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime Rental
Re-Watch

Note: To be honest, I never like this movie as most people do. The last time when I saw this movie when it came out on DVD back when I was in High School and I remember I was like "This movie is alright". 13 years later and my opinion is still the same. I do get why many people like this movie, but this movie is not for me.

I can never get into the story and characters in this movie. This movie is way too long for a movie that is supposed to have an incoherent story. I always get bored after an hour into this movie and it ends up becoming background noise. However, I do like the message that this movie has by having an anti-Vietnam War message and the acting is great. It was even cool to see Arabella Holzbog from Carnosaur 2 (1995) in this movie. The Cinematography from Bruno Delbonnel (Amélie) is absolutely beautiful in my opinion. Everything about this movie is very pretty to look at. I even like the songs in the movie too. Sadly, this movie does nothing for me.

If you like musicals, I do recommend it if you are curious.

RIP Lynn Cohen

Date: 11/5/2020
Viewed: TubiTV
First Viewing

Note: I never heard of this movie until someone mentioned it in the Severin Films Facebook group. Seeing that it's free to watch on Tubi (As of 11/5/2020), I decided to sit down and watch it. After watching this movie for the first time, I really enjoy it. I'm really impressed with how they are able to make a dark and sleazy movie set in a post-9/11 New York City. Andres Torres did a wonderful job of creating a modern grindhouse movie in my opinion with the movie taking inspiration from Maniac (1980), Double Exposure (1982), and Bad Boy Bubby (1992). I even love the scuzzy feeling of being inside the character's bedroom.

The story is not going to win any Oscars, but I do love how entertaining the story is. I found myself being invested in the story and I was intrigued to see what direction that the story was heading to. The main character in this movie is very interesting because he wants to create art and he takes his hobby way too far. There is a message in this movie about when someone crosses the line of creating art. Jon Wachter gives a really good performance as the main character because he plays a lonely normal everyday guy who is slightly off. Everyone else in this movie does a good job for the most part. I also love how funny this movie is too. I found myself laughing hard multiple times when watching this movie. The only thing that I didn't like about this movie is that it is too short. I do wish the movie was a bit longer because another 10-20 minutes would have added more to the story.

Bag Boy Lover Boy is not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I do recommend it to people who enjoy 80s grindhouse movies, or movies about lonely weird people such as Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla (2013).

Date: 11/6/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Scream Factory)
Re-Watch

Note: I decided to go back to my Friday the 13th marathon. There are 12 films in all, I plan to watch no more than two-three per month because I don't like to burn myself out by watching them all at once. I do like Part 3 a bit more, but Friday the 13th Part 4: The Final Chapter is still a fun movie nevertheless. I always love the fun cast of memorable characters and you get to see Crispin Glover before he got famous in Back to the Future (1985). You also have Tom Savini doing the special effects again and they look awesome as always.

Corey Feldman is great as Tommy Jarvis and he is the closest thing to a recurring protagonist in the Friday the 13th franchise in my opinion. Another thing that I love about this movie is the stormy night setting. I always love it when it rains at night and the rainy setting is perfect for the movie's story. Ted White does a great job of playing Jason and he feels like a ruthless killing machine without slowing down. I do prefer the original ending that they had for this movie, but that's just me.

Overall, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is a solid movie and I'm glad that the franchise did not end with this movie.

Date: 11/8/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First Viewing

Note: I decided to check out this movie because it looks interesting. Not to mention, I always like Joseph Gordon-Levitt and he can make almost any movie watchable (Including G.I Joe lol). After watching this movie for the first time on Amazon Prime, I thought it was okay. I do like the atmosphere that this movie has because it feels very chilling and suspenseful. The movie did a good job of trying to make a realistic take of terrorists trying to hijack an airplane and not trying to be an over-the-top popcorn flick like Air Force One (1997), Passenger 57 (1992), or the Turbulence trilogy (1997-2001). You also have solid production values and the acting is great. Everything about this movie feels very claustrophobic with the characters being stuck on a airplane with terrorists who won't take no for an answer.

The reason why I didn't rate this movie higher is that I didn't care about the story and characters. The movie felt like it took forever for anything to happen and I had a hard time getting invested with the characters. They felt paper-thin in my opinion. I also hated how this movie ended because it felt so anticlimactic. However, I do give this movie an A for effort because it's still a very well-made movie. Too bad, this movie was not for me.

I still recommend checking out 7500 if you are curious and you have nothing else to do on a rainy day.

Date: 11/9/2020
Viewed: Youtube
First Viewing

Note: I have seen the original Astro-Zombies movie a few times before and I do like it for being a "So bad, it's good" type of movie. I never saw the other movies in the franchise until now. I also have a huge soft spot for Ted V. Mikels because his movies are enjoyable for the wrong reasons. This movie is a soft remake similar to how The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014) was. After watching this movie for the first time on Youtube, I enjoy it for all the wrong reasons. Just like the original Astro-Zombies movie, it's so bad it's good.

I found myself laughing multiple times when watching this movie for how stupid this movie was. The acting is laughable and the special effects are so cheap looking. The main villain in this movie is a reptilian creature that looks like a rejected 80s Saturday morning cartoon villain. You even have Ted V. Mikels trying to run for President of the United States in this movie which is also pretty funny (insert Trump joke here). The movie has a shot on video feel to it because the movie looks like it was made in the 80s and somehow released in the early-mid 2000s.

It's also funny how everyone in the White House is taking everything so seriously. I can't even tell if Ted V. Mikels is trying to do a political satire or not. I do wish they did a better job on the kills because the death scenes in this movie are pretty repetitive. Slasher movies need to be more creative than just stabbing people in the gut and cutting people's throats. The pacing does hurt this movie because it can move very slow at times despite having a 90 minute run time.

If you enjoy bad movies such as The Room (2003) or Birdemic (2010), I do recommend checking out this movie.

Date: 11/9/2020
Viewed: Netflix
First Viewing

Note: I have been curious to check out this movie for a while now because people have recommended it to me before. I didn't bother with this movie when it came out in 2014-2015 because I was so sick of the found footage genre at the time. From 2008-2016, it seems like found footage movies were all over the place. Seeing that I had nothing else to do, I decided to watch it on Netflix. After watching it on Netflix, I like it. Creep was a surprisingly good movie in my opinion.

This movie is shorter than your normal movie seeing that it only runs at 77 minutes and not 90+ minutes. The movie didn't felt short at all and it was able to tell a good story from start to finish without feeling rushed. I like how this movie starts off as nice and innocent before it goes into a darker direction. Patrick Brice (The director) did a wonderful job of creating a suspenseful atmosphere that will have you on the edge of your seat. Everyone did a good job of playing believable characters and Mark Duplass (The One I Love) as Josef was fantastic as the creepy stalker. Josef seems like a nice guy that is lonely and strange but has a dark hidden agenda deep down inside of him.

The only thing that I didn't like about this movie is the dumb character decisions that the main character did in the movie. You also have some plot holes that made me scratch my head at times. I still recommend this movie if you enjoy found footage movies or horror thrillers.

Date: 11/10/2020
Viewed: TubiTV
First Viewing

Note: I never heard of this movie until a few months ago when I was browsing around Diabolikdvd. Seeing that it's on TubiTV (As of 11/10/2020), I thought I might as well check it out. After watching this movie for the first time, I had a lot of fun watching it. Ozone is far from being a good movie, but it's so entertaining nevertheless. I love the scuzzy feeling that this movie has because everything about this movie feels sick and gross. You also have the early-mid 90s SOV (shot on video) quality to it that I always love. Everything about this movie feels like it was shot on a VHS camcorder which gives it that sentimental value to it. The special effects are awesome for a low budget movie that went straight to VHS. They did a great job of making the special effects look so gross and slimy. You can tell that this movie was inspired by movies such as Street Trash (1987) and Body Melt (1993).

I'm not crazy about the CGI in this movie, but it does not look too bad in my opinion. At least, the CGI didn't overshadow the practical effects. Back in 1995, CGI was still a pretty new thing and it was mostly big-budget studio movies that were using CGI at the time (Terminator 2, The Lawnmower Man, Jurassic Park, Mortal Kombat, etc). It was pretty cool to see a low-budget movie trying to use CGI back in 1995. You do have laughable dialogue and cheesy acting, but it works for this movie. James Black (Out of Sight) does a good job as the lead role in my opinion. You also have plenty of action sequences that are both enjoyable and unintentionally hilarious.

The writing is pretty messy, but I do appreciate the social commentary that they were going for. The drugs in this movie can be seen as a metaphor for people being exploited by the upper working class. I'm still glad that I watched this movie because it made my day.

Overall, Ozone is a lot of fun and I do recommend it for anyone who enjoys trashy movies. I give it 4 stars for pure entertainment.

Date: 11/11/2020
Viewed: DVD
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen this movie since my junior year of high school and I remember liking it. I was lucky enough to find a used copy on eBay for super cheap a while ago and I felt like today was the perfect day to revisit this movie. After watching this movie again, I still enjoy it. 2LDK is a fun thrill ride from start to finish. This movie is super short seeing that it only runs at 70 minutes. For a short movie, it moves at a nice pace and the movie didn't felt rush at all. They did a good job of establishing the characters in a short amount of time. The two main characters are likable and memorable in my opinion.

I like how this movie doesn't take itself too seriously and it knows what it is trying to be. The movie knows how to have fun with its simple premise. It's a lot of fun seeing these two characters fight each other to the death. Watching this movie is almost like watching an episode of Tom and Jerry with the two characters wrecking shit up. You also have plenty of dark humor that is very funny in my opinion. The movie also does a great job of building up suspense with moments in the story that you will never see coming. I still wish the movie was a bit longer because I won't mind seeing another 10-15 minutes of more chaos in the movie.

Overall, 2LDK is a lot of fun and I do recommend checking it out.

Date: 11/12/2020
Viewed: HBO Max
First Viewing

Note: I got a free trial for HBO Max and I felt like this was a good choice to start off my subscription with. I never saw this movie until now, but I do remember hearing about it growing up. I remember they would play this movie on TV late at night and every video store had a copy of this movie when I was a kid in the mid-late 90s. I do wish that I saw this movie as a kid because I would have loved it. This movie is awesome and I consider it to be an underrated gem in my opinion.

Cast a Deadly Spell is a very enjoyable movie that has a very fun and creative story. I love the world-building that this movie has because it is like classic film noir, but with demons, witches, and other types of monsters. I'm surprised that this movie was a direct to TV movie because it does not feel like a TV movie at all. You have awesome practical effects that look pretty good and not cheap looking. This movie feels like it could have been a mainstream Hollywood movie in my opinion. Not to mention, the character designs for the monsters are really cool looking too.

The acting is solid and Fred Ward (Tremors) does a great job of playing a badass character that does not use magic to fight against his opponents. Fred Ward's character uses his own tactical skills instead of using cheap tricks to solve detective cases. You also have solid performances from Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption) and Juliane Moore (Boogie Nights) that are noteworthy as well. I also love the atmosphere and the camera work because it makes the movie feel so unique. You also have a great soundtrack that feels right at home during the 1940s.

I was surprised that Martin Campbell directed this movie because he would later direct the two best James Bond movies and one of the worst superhero movies of the 2010s. I don't have anything bad to say about this movie other than the movie did have a slow start and some of the humor was not very funny.

Overall, Cast a Deadly Spell is an awesome movie and I do recommend checking it out. It bothers me that this movie has no Blu-Ray release because this movie would have a nice spot in my collection.

Date: 11/13/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Scream Factory)
Re-Watch

Note: This is one of the most divisive movies in the Friday the 13th series. Growing up, I always remember people either like or hate this movie depends on whom you ask. I always had mixed feelings about this movie because I don't like it or hate it. To me, this movie is alright in my opinion. Friday the 13th Part 5: A New Beginning has some good ideas on paper, but I don't think they were very well executed. I love the sleazy feeling of this movie and you also have some fun gory kills too. I even like some of the characters in the movie such as Reggie, Violet, and Pamela. You even have a cool chainsaw battle that is awesome as well.

The movie has a very cool premise of Tommy Jarvis being tormented by his past and he has been trying to recover for over a decade. The movie is also very suspenseful and it has a good build up on the new Jason in the movie. I love how the suspenseful atmosphere in the movie reminds me a lot of the suspenseful atmosphere that the first movie had (which is a good thing). The movie keeps you on the edge of your seat on what is going on. It makes the audience think if Jason is still alive or if Tommy has become the new Jason. Everything about this movie is great until the end of the movie. The reveal of who the new Jason is in this movie feels so underwhelming in my opinion. In the movie, you find out that Roy Burns (Dick Wieand) is Jason and it feels like it came out of nowhere.

All of the murders happen in this movie because of a chocolate bar (insert Spongebob reference here) which makes the movie feel sillier in my opinion. I do think the idea of Jason's legacy being passed over on to other people is a cool idea, but I don't think they did a good job of executing it. I also wish they went more in-depth with Tommy's PTSD as well. I'm glad that they didn't go into this direction for the series and we had the real Jason return in the next movie. As I said before, I don't dislike this movie. It's a very mixed bag and I still recommend it to people who are curious.

Date: 11/14/2020
Viewed: Criterion Channel
First Viewing

Note: I have been a huge fan of Park Chan-wook's work ever since I watched Oldboy when I was 15. However, I still haven't seen all of his movies and this is one of them. I always wanted to see this movie for years, but I never got the chance to watch it. After watching this movie for the first time on the Criterion Channel, I love it. Joint Security Area is a fantastic movie from start to finish.

This movie is an intense thrill ride as this movie deals with the border that separates North and South Korea. It's very fascinating to see the two other sides of Korea interact with each other on film. You have some really brutal scenes of violence that really fit with the narrative of the movie. Everyone did a wonderful job of acting in this movie in my opinion. I know some people had some issues with Lee Young-ae (Sympathy for Lady Vengeance) speaking in English, but it never bothers me that much. The cinematography in this movie is breath-taking and it's amazing how everything in this movie is so well shot.

My favorite thing about this movie is the general message. This movie has an anti-war message and it is telling us how pointless the war between the two Korean nations has been. 50 years later (At the time when this movie was released) and the two countries are still separated from each other. The movie reminds us that we can't let racism and ideological allegiance control our judgment. War is bad and violence never solves anything.

Overall, Joint Security Area is a masterpiece and I highly recommend it. I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006) and The Moon Is... the Sun's Dream (1992) are the only movies from Park Chan-Wook that I need to see now. I can't wait to own this movie on Blu-Ray soon.

Date: 11/14/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime Rental
First Viewing

Note: I decided to check out this movie after hearing The Giraffe's thoughts on the movie. I went into this movie knowing nothing about it and this movie was way different from what I thought it was going to be. I thought this movie would be some psychological horror-thriller about someone who is overworking to death and not a horror-comedy. However, I still enjoy the movie because this movie was not bad. 12 Hour Shift is a pretty funny movie in my opinion.

The movie starts off pretty slow and boring, but it starts to kick into high gear after 20 minutes into the movie. The story and characters are nothing groundbreaking, but the humor is well done. I actually laugh a lot when watching this movie. Angela Bettis (May) does a good job of playing a drug addict that is sick of the nonsense going on at her job. The practical effects are really good too because they didn't use any digital effects for the blood and gore. David Arquette (Scream 1-4) is also in the movie and he does a great job with the material that he is working with as well.

I also like that this movie is set in the late 90s and is not using its time period as a nostalgic gimmick. It didn't use any nostalgia pandering by being like "Hey guys!!! Remember this thing from the 90s!!! Only 90s kids do". My issue with this movie is some of the plot holes because you have some scenes in the story that made me scratch my head at times. I still recommend watching 12 Hour Shift if you've got time to spare.

Date: 11/15/2020
Viewed: HBO Max
First Viewing

Note: I really had no idea what to expect from this short film, but I end up really enjoying it. I thought Tour de Pharmacy was absolutely hilarious from start to finish. This short movie is filled with many funny moments that had me laughing my ass off. I was surprised to see many big-name actors in this short movie and I didn't even recognize that John Cena was in it. I also love how they made everything feel so authentic by having footage that was recorded from an 80s TV network.

I don't have anything else to say other than go watch this short movie when you get the chance.

Date: 11/15/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: I remember watching this movie when I was 5 and I loved it. After watching it again as an adult, I still enjoy it for what it is. It does have many similarities to Jaws, but I do consider Grizzly to be a fun movie nevertheless. The acting is hammy which helps give this movie a charm. I love Christopher George (City of the Living Dead aka Gates of Hell) in almost anything and he easily steals the show here. He plays a total badass and is willing to do anything to stop the Grizzly from killing people.

I also like the movie's atmosphere because it does a good job of capturing the feeling of being in the wilderness. You also get plenty of gory kills for a PG rated movie. This movie would not work in today's world which is another reason this movie is so much fun to watch because the standers for movies have changed in the last 50 years. The ending in this movie is so wacky because it feels so random in my opinion and I always laugh when it happens. In the movie, they claim that this bear is a Arctotherium angustidens, which went extinct after the end of the Ice Age. It does not explain how an animal like that was able to survive without any major sightings for thousands of years. I know that I'm not meant to take this movie seriously, but that plot hole bothers me a bit.

Overall, Grizzly is still a lot of fun and I do recommend checking it out if you are into killer animal movies.

Date: 11/16/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
Re-Watch

Note: I was looking for movies to watch on Amazon Prime and I notice that this movie is available to watch for free (As of 11/16/2020). I only saw this movie once on VHS back when I was in Middle School. Sadly, the movie is not as good as I remember it. I love the sleazy tone of the movie and the story is pretty interesting. The pacing is pretty good because it moves nicely for a movie that is under 90 minutes. Even the blood and gore in this movie look awesome too.

What ruined this movie for me is the characters because I didn't feel a strong connection to them. I also felt like the twist was super predictable. The Washing Machine is still a decent movie and I do recommend it if you're curious.

Date: 11/18/2020
Viewed: Criterion Channel
First Viewing

Note: I honestly forgot that this movie exists until Criterion release it on Blu-Ray last year. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this movie because it is my first time seeing this movie. After watching it for the first time on the Criterion Channel, I really enjoy it. The Daytrippers is a fun independent movie from the 90s in my opinion. I'm surprised that this movie is not talked about as much.

I really like this movie's atmosphere because it feels very down to earth. This is a slice of life movie that feels reminiscent of movies from Jim Jarmusch and Richard Linklater. I also picked a good time to watch this movie with Thanksgiving around the corner because the movie is set around that holiday season. Greg Mottola (the director) did a wonderful job of creating a great cast of characters. I like how all the characters felt believable and are not totally far-fetched. Stanley Tucci (I always remember him from Monkey Shines), and the other actors did a great job with acting. I can't think of a single bad performance in this movie.

The movie did a wonderful job of handling the themes of dysfunctional relationships without being overly emotional. You actually feel upset for these characters and the struggles that they are going through. The only thing that I didn't like about this movie was the ending because it left me wanting more. I would have like to see what would have happened between the two main characters. It's strange to think Greg Mottola would later do Superbad (2007) afterward.

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

Date: 11/19/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: I bought the Severin Films Blu-Ray earlier this year on their website and I haven't had the chance to watch the movie until now. I remember seeing this movie many years ago as a kid, but I recall it was badly edited. Thankfully, the Blu-Ray is uncut with all the blood, guts, and nudity. After revisiting this movie, I still think this movie is a ton of fun. Bloody Moon is not a good movie in the absolute slightest, but I do consider it to be an enjoyable bad movie.

The dubbing is laughable and you can tell that 98% of the voices don't match the lips at all. The main characters are nothing special and the story barely makes any sense. However, the blood and gore make this movie watchable. You get plenty of gory kills that are a ton of fun to watch. Just like any other Jesús Franco movie, it's very sleazy. The music score from Gerhard Heinz (The Angels' Melancholia) is surprisingly decent in my opinion. The film's main music theme is very catchy and it is fun to listen to.

I do hate the dumb jump scares in this movie because they are annoying to sit through. The main villain in this movie is also not very creative looking and I wish they did something more original with his design. I still recommend Bloody Moon if you enjoy exploitation movies or so bad its good movies. If you don't like sleazy movies, this movie is probably not for you.

Date: 11/20/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
Re-Watch

Note: I revisit the first Death Wish movie last year and I still consider it to be a great movie. I felt like revisiting the second Death Wish movie to see if it holds up or not. Sadly, The Shout Factory Blu-Ray is now out of print (I kick myself for not buying it earlier), but at least it's on Amazon Prime at the moment (As of 11/20/2020). After watching this movie again, I still enjoy it. Death Wish 2 is nowhere as great as the first movie, but it's still a fun movie nevertheless.

I do think the biggest problem with this movie is that it almost feels like a rehash of the first movie. That's probably why most people don't like this movie or they don't bother to remember it. However, I do think the movie is better than what most people give it credit for. I do agree that the movie lacks the emotion that the first movie had, but I do think the movie does have noteworthy moments in it. I do love the scenes of Paul Kersey earlier in the movie when he has moved on from the life of vigilantism and you do feel bad for him when he has to go back to the life of being a vigilante. I also like that Paul Kersey has gone through solid character development since the first movie because he goes after the people who hurt his family and not any bad guy in his way.

The action sequences are a lot of fun and you also get to see Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix) in his early days of acting. You do get an interesting social commentary on the deteriorating state of our criminal justice system. I do wish the social commentary was executed better though. They still did a good job of making LA feel so dark and sleazy by showing violent underbelly parts of LA in the early 1980s. I love Jimmy Page's musical score in this movie because it sounds so good. The movie does have an infamous scene that is known to be controversial with moviegoers. I do understand why that scene is upsetting for people because it is very graphic and disturbing.

One thing that also bothers me is that they never explained what happened to Steven Keats's character from the first film. It's like if the writers forgot that character even exists in the first place. The timeline placement for this movie is also confusing because it is set four years after the first movie and you have Excalibur (1981) being shown at a movie theater. That must mean Death Wish 1 is set in 1977 and this movie is set in 1981. Stuff like that always makes me scratch my head.

Overall, Death Wish 2 is a solid movie and I do recommend it if you enjoy the first movie. If you didn't like the first movie, you probably won't like this movie.

Date: 11/21/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
Re-Watch

Note: I have been in the mood to revisit this movie lately and I felt like tonight was a good night to watch it. I already have seen this movie several times before growing up and it never gets old when revisiting it. I still think Brain Damage (1988) is Frank Henelotter's best movie, but Basket Case is still great nevertheless in my opinion. My favorite thing about this movie is the atmosphere because I love the scuzzy feeling that this movie has. Everything feels very grungy as if you are teleported back in the prime days of 42nd Street. This movie is right at home with other movies that are set during the sleazy days of NYC such as Death Wish (1974), Taxi Driver (1976), The Drill Killer (1979), Maniac (1980), The Exterminator (1980), Ms. 45 (1981), The New York Ripper (1982), CHUD (1984), etc.

You can feel the dirtiness of the hotel that the main character (Played by Kevin Van Hentenryck) lives at. I also love the practical blood and gore in this movie because it still holds up. You have so many fun and creative death scenes that it makes the movie feel like a rollercoaster ride. This movie is also pretty funny because you have scenes in this movie that are both intentionally and unintentionally hilarious. I'm not going to say that Basket Case is flawless because it's not. The acting in the movie is not very good and the stop motion scenes could have been better, but I still consider Basket Case to be a good movie nevertheless. Frank Henenlotter likes to make fun B movies and there's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone needs to be the next Steven Spielberg or Martin Scorsese.

Another thing that most people seem to overlook in this movie is the tragic story of Duane Bradley (the main character) and his brother. You can really feel a symbiotic connection between the two brothers. Duane loves his brother, but he can't live a normal life with anyone else. He also hates that people also view his brother as a freak and he wanted to kill the doctors who try to kill his brother. The movie wraps up the story nicely by having a tragic ending for the two brothers. The sequels always seem pointless to me and I was never crazy about them.

Overall, Basket Case is an awesome movie and I do recommend checking it out.

Date: 11/22/2020
Viewed: Youtube
First viewing

Note: I grew up watching many 80s action movies, but I don't remember if I saw this movie growing up or not. I have a soft spot for Miles O’Keeffe and I had nothing else to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Too bad this movie sucks because this movie is a chore to watch. Phantom Raiders is barely 90 minutes and it felt like it took over 2 hours to finish. The campy nature of this movie was fun at first until the movie's novelty starts to dry out quickly. At least the bad voice acting for the main villain was hilarious. That's the only noteworthy thing that this movie has in my opinion.

I honestly forgot almost everything about this movie after it was over. Don't bother with this movie and watch something else instead. I can name a million other 80s action movies that are more noteworthy than this movie.

Date: 11/22/2020
Viewed: TubiTV
Re-Watch

Note: I have seen many people who think The Wachowskis are a one-hit-wonder and the first Matrix movie is their only good movie. For some odd reason, people forget that they also made this movie. Bound is still a great movie and it gets even better on multiple viewings in my opinion. This movie is filled with so much anxiety that it will have you on the edge of your seat.

The Wachowskis are able to create tension by turning up the volume to eleven with every scene in the movie. This movie knows how to surprise the audience by throwing a curveball at them. You also have superb performances by everyone in this movie including a role from Peter Spellos (Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare). I don't have anything else to say about this movie other than, go watch it if you haven't seen it yet.

Date: 11/23/2020
Viewed: Netflix
First viewing

Note: I remember seeing the trailers for this movie when it came out in 2015 and I didn't bother with it. I finally decided to check it out now after hearing good things about this movie. After watching this movie for the first time on Netflix, I end up really liking it. The Gift is a surprisingly good psychological horror-thriller in my opinion. I love the dark and creepy atmosphere because it does a wonderful job of creating a feeling of being stalk by a creepy person. I honestly feel like being stalk by someone who you don't know or barely know is truly horrifying. This is coming from someone who had dealt with creepy stalkers before in the past.

I also love how this movie is a nice slow burn that moves at a nice pace. The pacing really helps create a spooky tone for the movie allowing enough suspenseful moments to happen. You have jump scares that actually work and don't feel like a cheap gimmick. The acting and dialogue in this movie are top-notch in my opinion. Joel Edgerton (Star Wars Episode 2-3) does a great job of playing someone who is both innocent and creepy at the same time. If you do watch this movie, don't read any spoilers for it because it will ruin the movie experience for you. This is a movie that you should go into it without knowing anything about it.

Overall, The Gift is a solid movie and I highly recommend checking it out.

Date: 11/24/2020
Viewed: Criterion Channel
First viewing

Note: I always wanted to see this movie for years after hearing amazing things about it. So far, Jim Jarmusch has failed to let me down. I was worry that I was not going to like this movie because of the hype. This movie lived up to my expectations because this movie was amazing. Dead Man is probably my favorite movie from Jim Jarmusch so far. I was blown away by this movie after it was over. To be honest, I don't know what to say about this movie.

Watching this movie is like going through a magical ride that you will never forget. I love how beautiful this movie is shot. The black & white cinematography from Robby Müller (RIP) really helps this movie feel very unique than any modern western movie in my opinion. I love how Jim Jarmusch is able to add surrealism to the story making the journey for William Blake (Played by Johnny Depp) more interesting than having a character going from point A to point B. The story is packed with symbolism that deals with death and slowly descending to another person. I love all the characters in this movie and you can really feel the connection between William Blake and Nobody. You also see the character changes that William Blake goes through during this journey from the start of the movie to the end of the movie.

You also have great performances from other actors such as Crispin Glover (Friday the 13th Part 4: The Final Chapter), Lance Henriksen (Aliens), John Hurt (The Elephant Man), Iggy Pop (Hardware), and Gabriel Byrne (Miller's Crossing). I love the pacing in this movie because it's 2 hours long and it moves so smoothly. Not once did I thought the movie felt slow or if it was starting to overstay its welcome. This is easily the quickest 2-hour movie that I have watched in a while and I consider that to be a good thing. Honestly, I can't think of anything about this movie that I didn't like.

I can understand why some people won't like this movie, but I do highly recommend it for anyone who is into art-house films. This movie is worth a 10/10 rating in my opinion.

Date: 11/25/2020
Viewed: Shudder
Re-Watch

Note: I remember watching this movie a couple of years ago and I really enjoy it. I had nothing else to do on a rainy day and I felt like it was a good movie to pass off time. While it's not perfect, but I do find it to be a pretty clever movie. Prevenge is a cool movie that deals with both revenge and pregnancy.

I do like the concept of the main character going on a murdering spree with the baby inside of her that can communicate with her. I know other movies have done a similar premise such as Venom (Both the movie and comics), Upgrade (2018), Brain Damage (1988), and Parasyte (Anime & Manga series), but I found myself really liking the symbiotic relationship between the main character and the unborn child. It's fun to watch to see what happens next with these two characters working together to kill people.

I also enjoy the dark humor that this movie is going for and I found myself laughing a few times when watching this movie. The acting is really solid as well. It's still impressive that Alice Lowe was able to act and direct this movie during her pregnancy. Overall, Prevenge is a good movie and I do recommend checking it out.

Date: 11/25/2020
Viewed: TubiTV
First Viewing

Note: I remember when I was a kid, I would always see VHS copies of this movie at any local video store. I always love the cover art for this movie because it looks so awesome. For some odd reason, I never saw this movie growing up and it would always slipped my mind when I would go to rent movies at my local video store. 25 years later, I finally watched it on TubiTV and it was not bad. Abraxas: Guardian of the Universe is not a good movie, but it's not a bad movie neither.

It was random that they decided to dub over the voices for both Jesse Ventura and Sven-Ole Thorsen when they could just act normally just fine. The dubbing for those two is hilarious for all the wrong reasons. The story is pretty interesting, but it could have been executed better. I do wish that this movie was in the hands of a better director because this movie could have easily been a 90s sci-fi classic.

At least, the movie is not boring because you get plenty of dumb moments in the story that is entertaining. The action sequences are silly and over the top. Most of the acting and dialogue in the movie is cheesy which helps this movie to be enjoyable. The music is not bad and it is surprisingly catchy. I do give this movie some credit for trying to make the villain sympathetic by blurring the line between the hero and the villain.

Overall, Abraxas: Guardian of the Universe is a dumb movie that is harmless fun. I do recommend it for a bad movie night.

Date: 11/26/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
Re-Watch

Note: I didn't want to watch Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987) again for Thanksgiving because I like to watch different movies every year for the Holidays. I decided to watch this movie for Thanksgiving because I haven't seen it in a while. This movie is still awesome in my opinion. Blood Rage aka Nightmare Shadow Woods is not a great movie, but it's so much fun to watch. The movie is super entertaining thanks to the gory kills in this movie. The practical effects for the blood and gore look awesome and they still hold up after 30+ years later. I also love the dark and sleazy tone that this movie has too. Blood Rage always had a similar vibe to Pieces (1983) in my opinion despite those two being different movies. There's something about this movie that also reminds me of Pieces when I always revisit it.

The acting in the movie is fine for what it is and I do think Mark Soper (Knots Landing) easily steals the show as the main role. I like that he can play two characters at once by having one character being totally innocent meanwhile the other character is a total psychopath. It's a shame that he has not been in many movies in the last 20 years. Louise Lasser (Bananas, Requiem for a Dream) also plays a fun memorable role in the movie too. The soundtrack in this movie is awesome to listen to. While I don't go into slasher movies for top-notch writing, I still wish they polish the script more. Some of the plot holes in this movie still bug me when I always revisit this movie.

Overall, Blood Rage is a fun trashy movie and it is worth checking out if you enjoy slasher movies or grindhouse movies. If you are not into those type of movies, you probably won't enjoy this movie.

Date: 11/27/2020
Viewed: Netflix
First viewing

Note: I always wanted to check out this movie for years because I always hear amazing things about this movie. Not to mention, I do like movies by Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men and Gravity). Seeing that it is leaving Netflix soon (As of 11/27/2020), I decided to finally watch this movie. After watching this movie for the first time, I was let down by it. I really wanted to like this movie, but I didn't. Y Tu Mamá También is a popular classic movie and I do have a lot of respect for it.

I do think the acting is solid and I can see why many people love this movie. The reason why I didn't like this movie because I found it to be very boring. I could not get invested in the story and characters at all. Nothing about this movie really clicks with me. However, some of the humor did make me laugh at times. I still recommend watching this movie because you will probably like it more than I did.

Date: 11/27/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Arrow Video)
Re-Watch

Note: I got the Arrow Video Blu-Ray for my birthday in 2018 and I still haven't gotten the chance to watch it. I feel like today is a good time to revisit this movie. I wanted to do a tribute rewatch for Daria Nicolodi because she recently passed away. Deep Red is still an amazing movie and it is a great work of Italian cinema. I do consider Deep Red to be my second favorite Dario Argento movie next to Suspiria (1977). I will probably keep my review short as possible because I don't think I can't add anything new to say seeing that so many people have already seen this movie.

Deep Red has a fantastic story, great acting, and a truly haunting atmosphere. The soundtrack from Goblin is perfect and it is one of my favorite horror movie soundtracks of all time. I have listened to this soundtrack so many times over the years, I have it imprinted into my brain. This is my first time watching the director's cut of the movie which is half English and half Italian. It does go on for a bit too long, but it was interesting to watch scenes that I never saw before growing up.

The only thing that I didn't like about this movie is that I never like Marcus Daly (played by David Hemmings) as the main character. I always found his character to be boring and they should have Daria Nicolodi as the main character instead. If you haven't seen Deep Red, go watch it now.

RIP Daria Nicolodi

Date: 11/28/2020
Viewed: Itunes
First Viewing

Note: I always wanted to see this movie for the last 15 years now ever since I saw a trailer for it online back in 2005. This movie has no official Region 1 release, but it is now on Itunes at the moment. After watching this movie on Itunes, I loved it. Nobody Knows is a great movie from start to finish. I love the acting in this movie because everyone did a wonderful job of playing believable characters. Hirokazu Kore-eda (the director) did a wonderful job of creating character development for the main cast of characters. You really get to see how these characters grow and change without adults around them. The movie shows that it's not easy for kids trying to survive on their own without any adults. At the end of the movie, it really punches you in the gut with a surprise scene that you won't see coming. I didn't think this movie would get dark, to be honest.

The cinematography in this movie is absolutely beautiful in my opinion. I love how this movie is able to make Tokyo have its own special vibe and energy to it. It makes Tokyo feel like a character of its own in the movie. You get many cool shots of the city and it makes me want to travel to Tokyo, Japan in the near future. The pacing in this movie is perfect for a 2+ hour movie. The movie didn't feel slow at all and I didn't feel burned out after it was over. I almost wish it was longer because I really enjoy these characters on-screen and seeing them interact with the world around them.

Overall, Nobody Knows is a fantastic movie and I do highly recommend it. I do want to check out more movies from Hirokazu Kore-eda now (I only have seen After Life before watching this movie).

Date: 11/29/2020
Viewed: TubiTV
First Viewing

Note: I never heard of this movie until last week and I had no idea what to expect from it. After watching it on Tubi, it was a pretty strange film. Everything is Terrible! Presents: The Great Satan is a pretty enjoyable film that mixes much random footage into one satirical movie. The movie itself does not have a plot at all and it feels like a documentary. It does a good job of satirizing both Satanism and Christianity in general. If you are a very religious person, you are probably not going to like this movie at all.

I do feel like it starts to lose its steam halfway through and it didn't need to be over an hour long. A movie like this works better as a short film in my opinion. I do recommend checking out Everything is Terrible! Presents: The Great Satan if you like wacky humor or modern weird cinema.

Date: 11/29/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First Viewing

Note: I always wanted to see this movie for years now because it looks very interesting. Seeing that the movie is finally on Amazon Prime at the moment (As of 11/29/2020), I can finally watch this movie. After watching this movie for the first time, I did like it. Blood & Donuts is not the best vampire movie, but it's still entertaining. My favorite thing about this movie is the atmosphere because it has a grungy feeling to it. Everything about this movie has a dirty look to it and you can literally feel the dirt at Boya's (the main character) apartment. This movie almost has a similar vibe to other movies that I love such as Basket Case (1982) and Bad Boy Bubby (1993).

The story is far from perfect, but I do feel like they did a good job of creating a fun cast of characters. You have fun performances from everyone in this movie including a role from David Cronenberg (Yup, you heard that right). My biggest problem with this movie is that some plot threads in the story went nowhere. I still recommend checking this movie out. This movie feels like a perfect movie to be released by Vinegar Syndrome on Blu-Ray.

Date: 11/30/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First Viewing

Note: I can't believe this movie was under my radar for so long because this movie was excellent. I really wish that I saw this movie on the big screen when it came out in 2013. This is probably my favorite Coen Brother movie of the 2010s in my opinion. I love the dark and cold winter atmosphere that this movie has because you can feel the chilly winter weather going down your spine. The cold weather helps represents the general tone of the story because this movie shows how unfair the world can be without being super dark and gritty.

This movie shows how Llewyn Davis (played by Oscar Isaac) never has any luck getting his music popular. Artists in real-life struggle almost every day to get their work recognized by other people. Llewyn travels across the country and he never gets his lucky break. He is always bumping into bad luck no matter where he goes. Not everyone can achieve their dream and that is the harsh truth of reality. I also love how the movie uses symbolism to represent the themes in the story. For example, the cat in the movie is obviously meant to show that life is changing around him and Llewyn finding a new cat is meant to show that he is trying to take the easy away out of life. The acting in this movie is fantastic and everyone did a wonderful job on-screen. I can't think of a single bad performance in this movie in my opinion.

Overall, Inside Llewyn Davis is a fantastic movie and I highly recommend it.

Date: 11/30/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: I first watch this movie earlier in January and I absolutely loved it. Watching it again on a second viewing, I still love this movie. I don't think I can add anything new to say, so I will keep things short. This movie may not be 100% faithful to the real story, but I do think the message of the movie is still relevant to today's world. It's been 40 years since the Gwangju Uprising, and we still see similar riots in today's world. We can't forget about the past because many people were hurt and killed during the Gwangju Uprising.

I still highly recommend this movie if you haven't seen it yet.