Movies I Watched in September 2022

Date: 9/1/2022
Viewed: Blu-ray (Red Box Rental)
First Viewing

Note: I've always been interested in this film because it seems fascinating and was released by Well Go USA, who usually puts out quality content. I ended up renting the film at my local Red Box and finally sat down to watch it. I must admit that I was disappointed by the film. In my opinion, Project Gemini is an uninspired and boring film to watch. I enjoyed the first 20 minutes of the film, and I wondered: "Why is the rating of this movie so low? It's not bad at all." The film has excellent production values, a fascinating story, and good lighting. After 35 or 40 minutes into Project Gemini, that's when I began to understand why this film is unpopular. As the film continues, Project Gemini becomes increasingly dull and slow. I'm a big fan of slow-burn sci-fi films, but this film did nothing for me. None of the characters struck me as very likeable, and the movie tries way too hard to be like other science fiction movies. This film was so boring that I felt like taking a nap after it was over. I probably won't remember a single thing from Project Gemini in another week or two from now.

Project Gemini tries to combine Solaris (1972), Alien (1979), Saturn 3 (1980), Event Horizon (1997), Promethus (2012), and Interstellar (2014) into one huge hot mess. Every time this film tried to pay homage to previous sci-fi horror movies, I was like, "Why watch this when I can watch other films instead?". You also get a creature that begins to kill people, similar to Alien, but done worse. It doesn't appear until a very late point in the story, and you hardly even see it on screen. Even if Project Gemini isn't a good film, I believe in giving credit where credit is due. The production values are excellent for a movie with a relatively small budget, and the cinematography is stunning. The movie was probably an English dub, considering I watched it in English. Honestly, the English dubbing wasn't that horrible. At least the voices mostly matched the lips and were appropriate for the characters. To be honest, these are the only good things I can say about this film.

Overall, Project Gemini is a mediocre film at best. You should watch something else instead.

Date: 9/2/2022
Viewed: Tubi-TV
Re-watch

Note: Seeing that I have nothing else to do tonight on a Friday night, I searched for some movies to watch and found this one on Tubi. I haven't seen Robot Wars since I was a kid when it was on TV, probably around 25 years ago. So I'm interested in seeing how it holds up. Robot Wars is not a sequel to Robot Jox (1989), despite what the general public has been led to believe. There are certain similarities between the two movies, such as their producers and having giant robot battles. However, that's about it. Calling Robot Wars a sequel to Robot Jox is like calling Ninja Resurrection (1997) a sequel to Ninja Scroll (1993), if you ask me. Having said that, Robot Wars isn't a particularly great film, but I do enjoy watching it. I enjoy this film's overall atmosphere. I can't help but adore sci-fi movies from the early to mid-1990s that were released directly to video. They have a special vibe to them that makes them feel like they stand out from other big budget films at the time. I enjoy the giant robot designs and the stop motion special effects. Watching the giant robots on screen is entertaining. I particularly admire the film's washed-out set designs, which help to portray the post-apocalyptic feel of the world in which the story is set.

The acting isn't very good and the dialogue is corny, but that's the charm of the film. Everyone in the film was obviously having a great time and not taking the script too seriously. Yuji Okumoto (Inception, Cobra Kai) is my favorite actor in Robot Wars because you can tell that he is having a blast with the film. His character is so cheesy and over the top, I can't help but love him. The 72-minute run time is just right for Robot Wars; it's neither too lengthy nor too short. I can enjoy this entertaining and straightforward movie while turning off my brain. The lack of originality is Robot Wars' biggest flaw. Robot Wars feels too much like Robot Jox, despite the fact that it is not a sequel to that film. They both use stop motion robots and are sci-fi post-apocalyptic films with similar characters. It made me wish that Full Moon had done something more original instead. Except for a couple of characters, most of the film's characters are dull and forgettable. Additionally, the two major characters' relationship came across as clichéd and predictable. For a film that is called "Robot Wars," there's not much robot fighting. I know the film didn't have a big budget for many fight scenes, but I still wish there were more of them.

Overall, Robot Wars is a fun guilty pleasure, and I do recommend it if you're interested.

Date: 9/3/2022
Viewed: Blu-ray
Re-watch

Note: With Clerks 3 coming out soon, I decided to rewatch the first film. Clerks is still a fantastic film almost 30 years later. I'll keep my review short because there isn't much I can say about this film that hasn't already been said. I love how Kevin Smith draws inspiration from both Jim Jarmusch and Richard Linklater, as Clerks has a similar tone to those directors' work (Stranger Than Paradise (1984) comes to mind). The plot, characters, and environment of Clerks give the film a real-world feel. Given how grounded it is, watching this film is soothing. The film being shot in black and white gives the film a special charm. It stands out on its own because of the vibe that many independent films from the 1990s had. I don't think Kevin Smith or anyone else will ever make another movie like this again. I adore Kevin Smith's other films, but with Clerks, he managed to capture lighting in a bottle.

With its strong performances and clever dialogue, Clerks is also really hilarious. The characters in Clerks that feel genuine and relatable were expertly crafted by Kevin Smith. The film's characters give off the impression of being the kind of people you may encounter in real life. The version of the film I saw was the director's cut, and I actually prefer it the most. Sure, it does have some scenes that go on for a little bit too long. The absence of music and David Klein's (The Book of Boba Fett) grainy cinematography, in my opinion, give the film a more unique and authentic vibe. The film also gives you the impression that everything is happening in real time, which is another aspect I admire. I always find it appealing that everything seems to be happening simultaneously in the story.

Overall, Clerks is a great classic movie that I highly recommend.

Date: 9/5/2022
Viewed: Blu-ray
First Viewing

Note: I purchased this film on Blu-ray earlier this year, but I still haven't had a chance to watch it. I chose to watch my Blu-ray copy for the first time on Labor Day because I had nothing else planned for the day. I'm glad that I watched it because I liked it. In my opinion, Alley Cat is an enjoyable film. The dark atmosphere and tone of Alley Cat are my favorite aspects of the film. I enjoy the film's setting in a gritty, sleazy Los Angeles. The plot isn't particularly unique because it's similar to Death Wish 1-5 and Ms. 45 (1981). Alley Cat was still entertaining to watch, though. You have enjoyable characters, gratuitous nudity, catchy music, and a primary heroine who is a badass in action. Grindhouse lovers (like myself) will find enough content to satisfy their enjoyment.

Despite the poor acting and dialogue, I can't help but love Karin Mani (Avenging Angel) as the protagonist. She is a lovely actress, and I really appreciate her effort in making the most use of the material that was provided to her. It's a shame that they never appear in many other films. The other actors give hammy performances, and at moments it almost seems like a Saturday morning cartoon lol. Another thing that I enjoyed about Alley Cat is the social commentary on the dysfunctional judicial system and the patriarchy. In the film, it shows the complete unfairness that women go through compared to men. Alley Cat is still far from perfect because I do have some issues with the writing. The characters act really stupid at times, and that made me facepalm hard. I'm pretty sure that was undoubtedly the story's point, but that does not exclude it from occasionally being stupid and questionable.

Overall, Alley Cat is a fun 80s action movie that you should watch.

Date: 9/7/2022
Viewed: Youtube
First Viewing

Note: Despite watching the 1997 remake of Breeders on TV when I was a kid, I had never seen the original film before. Better late than never, I finally saw it today. I did enjoy it after seeing it for the first time. In my opinion, Breeders is a fun, trashy film. It fulfills all of my expectations for an 80s sci-fi horror B movie. It has bad acting, blood and gore, gratuitous nudity, and a ridiculous storyline. When you watch these types of movies, you are aware of what you are getting into. I was never bored while watching it because it's so much fun. I adore the dirty, gloomy atmosphere of the sleazy parts of New York City you have in this film. It perfectly portrays the 42nd Street Grindhouse era of the 1980s. In my opinion, the alien space monster's suit could have looked better. Even for a low-budget B movie, I thought the creature occasionally looked extremely silly. The film also has a lame, anticlimactic ending.

There's not much else to say about Breeders other than it's a fun, trashy horror movie. I recommend checking it out if you're curious.

Date: 9/8/2022
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First Viewing

Note: This film was recommended to me by an online buddy of mine, and it appears to be rather intriguing. By going into it, I give the film the benefit of the doubt. This film is a tremendous waste of time, and I regret watching it. In my opinion, Chrome Angels, aka Cyborg Conquest, was awful. I really wanted to enjoy this film, but I was disappointed. Every character in the film was paper thin, and I had little interest in what was happening in the plot. Due to how boring this film was, I nearly fell asleep while watching it. I probably won't even remember Chrome Angels by the end of the week for how forgettable it was. Although the film had a decent cast of actors, their abilities were not fully utilized. Given that Stacey Dash has appeared in mainstream movies in the past, like Clueless (1995), I was shocked to see her in this one. I do feel bad for her because she had to waste her time with this awful film. Also wasting their time and talent are Paul Le Mat (American History X) and Richard Lynch (Scarecrow), who are both in the movie.

Chrome Angels looks and feels like trash, and I don't mean that in a nice way. Just by watching it, you can tell how little was spent on the production values. I've seen porn movies with better cinematography and set designs than this film. The film makes use of god awful-looking CGI blood and bullets. When the film tries to use bullet timing effects, it gets worse. People are still attempting to replicate the bullet timing effect even a decade after The Matrix (1999) was released. I thought people would stop trying to copy The Matrix's gimmicks after the early-mid 2000s, but here we are. The actresses in this film looked great, but that's about it in terms of positives.

I strongly recommend avoiding Chrome Angels, as you can probably tell by now. Even watching it for free on Amazon Prime or Tubi is not worthwhile.

Date: 9/10/2022
Viewed: Blu-ray
First Viewing

Note: My friend chose to show this film as the main feature of the movie night that he was hosting. Despite knowing about this film for years, I had never seen it before. After watching it for the first time, I actually really enjoyed it. In my opinion, Romancing the Stone is a fun classic movie. Romance the Stone is a blast to watch thanks to its hilarious humor, memorable characters, and fun action scenes. I was reminded of how much I missed Robert Zemeckis' earlier films while watching this one. He makes boring and bad films these days. I like that Romancing the Stone is doing its own thing and is not trying to be an Indiana Jones rip-off.

Kathleen Turner (Serial Mom) and Michael Douglas (Falling Down) have great chemistry together. They do a much better job with the characters than I expected. Danny DeVito (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) is awesome, as you would expect from him. Given how popular she was in the 1980s, Mary Ellen Trainor (Die Hard) appears in the movie as well. You even have a cool role for Alfonso Arau (El Toppo) in the film. Also, Alan Silvestri (Predator 1-2) created a superb musical score for the film. I don't have much more to say about Romancing the Stone that has already been said. Check it out when you get the chance.

Date: 9/11/2022
Viewed: Youtube
First Viewing

Note: I decided to watch a film that has been on my watchlist for a while because it was a rainy day today. This film has always piqued my interest because it is a mummy movie based on a Bram Stroker novel. After watching it for the first time, I can see why people have forgotten about this film. The Awakening isn't a good film, but it's also not terrible either. Let's start with the positive aspects of this film. Jack Cardiff's (The African Queen) cinematography for The Awakening is impressive. I enjoy the way the film looks and feels. The makeup and set design in the film are both pretty good. I was shocked by how brutal some of the movie's scenes were. In my opinion, the gruesome killings were executed fairly well. I also like Claude Bolling's (California Suite) eerie soundtrack. I will give it credit for trying to do something different with a Mummy movie. That's about it when it comes to positives in The Awakening.

The rest of the film is, at best, mediocre. The characters in The Awakening are uninteresting, and I don't think I connected with any of them well enough to care about them. I watched a film where a cursed mummy takes possession of humans, but very little actually happens. The main characters in the movie spend most of the time doing nothing, and there is a ton of pointless exposition. The performances and dialogue are also bad. They attempt to give Charlton Heston (the original Planet of the Apes) an English accent, but he fails miserably. When watching the film, his accent is highly annoying to sit through. The film's ending is also terrible. After it was over, I was still confused about what had just happened. I didn't regret watching it after all was said and done. I would only recommend The Awakening if you're curious.

Date: 9/11/2022
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First Viewing

Note: For a while now, I've been intending to watch the original Puppet Master movie again. I hadn't watched this film since it was on late-night TV when I was a kid back in the mid 90s. It holds up pretty well. In my opinion, Puppet Master is a fun direct-to-video horror film from the 1980s. Puppet Master has a fun premise of killer puppets coming to life and killing people. It's a fun and simple concept that works well. You have some entertaining, cool, and gory deaths that are noteworthy. Even more impressive is how well-done the stop motion is given the film's low budget. Puppet Master also has cool world building. The film creates a fascinating universe of puppets connected to WW2 and the Ancient Egyptians who used the technique of giving inanimate figures life. Richard Band (Re-Animator) created a spooky music score that is both memorable and fun to listen to. I will always have the film's theme stuck in my head until the day I die.

The atmosphere of Puppet Master is another noteworthy feature. The slow-burn, eerie atmosphere is created in the film thanks to the excellent camera work and the awesome cinematography by Sergio Salvati (The House by the Cemetery). The film is barely 90 minutes long, which is the ideal runtime for the film. It does not feel too long or too short. Puppet Master is obviously far from perfect. The performances and dialogue are a mixed bag, ranging from pretty good to bad. The main villain in the film, played by Jimmie F. Skaggs (Lethal Weapon), gives the best performance. By not taking the part too seriously, he is obviously having fun. Robin Frates (Man's Best Friend) and Paul Le Mat (American History X) aren't the best with their performances, but at least you can tell that they are trying their best. Even though it isn't very long, William Hickey (The Nightmare Before Christmas) does have a noteworthy role. The writing could have been better as some of the details in the story don't always match up with what is actually happening. I also think the characters could have been handled better. They felt thin and underdeveloped.

Overall, Puppet Master is a decent film. I recommend checking it out.

Broken Image

Date: 9/13/2022
Viewed: Blu-ray
Re-watch

Note: I decided to watch the second Clerks movie again because Clerks 3 is releasing this weekend. It's been a while since I last watched Clerks 2 because I only saw it twice, once in theaters and once on DVD back in late 2006. I still remember being hyped up for Clerks 2 in 2006 because I waited forever for Kevin Smith to do something with the View Askewniverse at the time. After watching it again over 15 years later, I felt like Clerks 2 held up pretty well. The film is hilarious and has several scenes that still make me laugh aloud. The Lord of the Rings vs. Star Wars moment is undoubtedly one of my favorite parts of the film because of how funny it is. It's enjoyable to see most of the original movie's characters in a new environment. I do like that they try to do something different instead of just rehashing the first film. The acting is solid, and Rosario Dawson (Sin City) has the best performance in the entire film, in my opinion.

The great character development in Clerks 2 gives the film more to it than just a series of crude jokes. Dante and Randal, who are now in their 30s, are given the opportunity to confront their own problems and decide what they want to do with their lives. These characters are in their 30s and they are still doing the same old things as they did in their 20s. Looking at the film now as an adult made me relate to what was going on in the story with the thought of "What the hell I'm doing with my adult life?". Kevin Smith gave these characters their own closure, and you can feel the emotion and effort he put into it. This could have easily been the closing book for the Clerks franchise, and I would have been okay with it. Clerks 2 is still far from perfect. It does have some cringeworthy gags and bad dialogue that were bad even in the mid-late 2000s. The distinctive feeling from the first film isn't present in Clerks 2. The first Clerks film had something unique going for it, but Clerks 2 lacks that aspect. In contrast to Clerks 1, which had the atmosphere of a Jim Jarmusch film, Clerks 2 looks and feels like any other Hollywood comedy from the mid-late 2000s.

After all is said and done, I still enjoyed Clerks 2 and do recommend it.

Broken Image

Date: 9/13/2022
Viewed: First viewing
TubiTV

Note: I was interested in seeing this film because I often have a soft spot for Al Adamson's work. Not to mention, the poster looks awesome. What to make of this film is beyond me. Horror of the Blood Monsters is one strange film. The majority of the movie is merely stock footage from other films that has been edited together to look like a Frankenstein creation. None of the actors are able to mix in with the footage they are interacting with, making it obvious that this is stock footage. The story is strangely set in the distant future, yet the opening scene of the film is obviously set in the United States during the 1970s. The main characters encounter dinosaurs, vampires, and other unusual people as they travel to a new planet outside of our solar system. The story is so disjointed that I have no idea what is happening. Even the scenes inside the spacecraft are bizarre since they have the vibe of a weird 60's Star Trek episode.

The gimmick is that the film uses a new, exciting technology called Spectrum X. They are actually merely poorly tinted colors that were used to recolor black and white footage. The film's stupid gimmick is a total eye sore. My eyes began to bleed when I watched Horror of the Blood Monsters. They employ unpleasant colors, which makes it difficult to watch without getting eye discomfort. I wouldn't recommend seeing this film if you have epilepsy. To display its Spectrum X gimmick, the opening titles of the film include bright flashing colors. Even if it hurt my eyes, I still had fun watching the film. The fight scenes are unintentionally hilarious. The bad acting and the way the actors are trying to interact with the stock footage are other things that I enjoy watching. I also laughed at the bizarre space sex because of how ridiculous it was.

If it hadn't made my eyes burn, I would have given this film a higher rating. Even still, if you enjoy watching bad movies, I still recommend it if you're curious.

Broken Image

Date: 9/13/2022
Viewed: In Theathers
First Viewing

Note: SPOILERS!!!



After waiting over 15 years, Kevin Smith finally made Clerks 3. My best friend and I went to see the film together because we both enjoy Kevin Smith's work. Writing this review required some thought because I needed time to consider what to say about the film. Clerks 3 is a solid film and it's not a bad way to conclude the trilogy. The film was way different than I thought it was going to be. It was wonderful to see characters return for one more time as someone who has loved these movies since I was a kid. I didn't think Kevin Smith would use his premise from the canceled Clerks: Sell Out animated film for this film's story, but he ended up doing it. I was also taken aback by how emotional this film became. I didn't think it would hit me in the gut so hard. Given that Kevin Smith nearly died from a heart attack and Randal has a similar fate, this film actually depicts Kevin Smith's life. I feel like Kevin Smith's real-life heart attack made him want to go back to the Clerks universe knowing that he would never have the chance to do it again. Randal does a similar thing by making a movie, knowing that he has a second chance in life now. The film also covers the themes of death, growing old and seeing everyone else moving past you. They handle these themes very well.

There are so many heartwarming character moments, which I love. When Dante becomes progressively furious with Randal in this scene, Brian O'Halloran truly goes all out with his acting. It's perhaps his greatest performance of his career. There are some really touching moments between Dante and Becky (played by Rosario Dawson) that are also rather touching. With these two characters, you can almost feel the tension and emotion. Jay and Silent Bob are back, and they haven't changed a bit. In my opinion, those two goofballs will never get old until the end of time. The biggest moment in the movie—and one that I didn't see coming—is when Dante finally passes away. My jaw dropped to the ground when it happened. Seeing that Becky was killed off screen was something that I didn't see happen as well. It would have been nice if we had a flashback of the scene after Clerks 2 though.

The film had several hilarious scenes that made me laugh a lot. The NFT stuff was quite stupid, and ultimately turned out to be a macguffin. It won't surprise me if viewers of this film try to create their own NFTs since they will believe that doing so will make them rich, as Elias did in the film. I don't want to stray too far from the review, but NFTs are a stupid fad and a scam. I did like the concept of them attempting to replicate the original Clerks in the movie universe in which they live. I enjoy movies with a meta theme, and they did a pretty good job, for the most part. The meta material can, however, get a little tiresome at times. The humor does rely on nostalgia to the point that it is predictable. If you found the meta stuff in The Matrix Resurrections (2021) to be tedious, you're going to dislike the meta stuff in Clerks 3. After all of that, I'm pleased with how this film turned out. I recommend checking it out with an open mind.

Broken Image

Date: 9/16/2022
Viewed: Amazon Prime (Rental)
First Viewing

Note: I have been curious about this film for a while now because I like the Foo Fighters. My sister and her husband rented it for a movie night, and they didn't like it. Meanwhile, I had a lot of fun watching this film. In my opinion, Studio 666 was a fun film. The film wasn't anything like what I had in mind. Before seeing it, I expected it to be a cliched horror comedy that tries far too hard to be funny. Studio 666 has a nice balance of seriousness and comedy. At points, the film has the feel of a genuine, serious horror movie. The humor is genuinely very funny and does not attempt to be overly self-aware or incorporate an absurd number of pop culture references. Unlike some modern horror comedies that try too hard to be self-aware by adding homages. The film's blood and gore practical effects are excellent. I wanted to fast-forward the film so I could view some of the really awesome gory sequences again. For what it is, the acting isn't terrible. I have seen far worse acting from people who had no acting experience. The pacing is Studio 666's biggest problem, in my opinion. The film, in my opinion, does go on for too long. Additionally, I can't help but notice how sometimes choppy the editing can be.

Overall, Studio 666 is a silly and entertaining horror film. I still recommend giving it a watch, even if you're not a fan of the Foo Fighters.

Broken Image

Date: 9/17/2022
Viewed: TubiTV
First Viewing

Note: When I was a kid, I remember seeing copies of this film at Blockbuster, but I had never seen it before. I figured I may as well check it out as I had nothing else planned for the remainder of the night. Adrenalin: Fear the Rush, in my opinion, is an entertaining movie. I believe that the film is handled unfairly because of its very low rating on websites like Rotten Tomatoes and other movie review sites. I won't call Adrenalin: Fear the Rush a great film because it isn't. The characters are shallow and the performances are mediocre. It's far from being god awful, though. I can think of several recent theatrical movies that are much more difficult to sit through. I enjoy the atmosphere and production values of Adrenalin: Fear the Rush. The use of dark blue lighting is excellent since it properly conveys the tone of the film. I really appreciate how the film's grungy set designs serve to capture the post-apocalyptic atmosphere of the story. Even the blood and gore were entertaining to see. The vibes that you would find in many 90s sci-fi direct to video films are something that you can't find anymore in modern day films.

While watching the film, I couldn't help but think of Nemesis (1992), another post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie from the 1990s. Later, I learn that they both come from the same director, which makes sense of everything. Even if the performances aren't great, I still enjoy watching Christopher Lambert (Highlander) and Natasha Henstridge (Species) together on screen. Additionally, Andrew Divoff (Wishmaster) plays a cool role. When I finished watching the 77-minute version of the film, I learned that there was also a director's cut. I would like to watch the longer cut one day to see if it's any different or not. Overall, Adrenalin: Fear the Rush is a fun sci-fi film from the 1990s. If you like sci-fi direct-to-video movies from the 1990s, check it out.

Broken Image

Date: 9/18/2022
Viewed: Amazon Prime (Rental)
Re-watch

Note: I haven't seen this movie in a long time, so I was interested in how it would hold up. I chose to rent it on Amazon Prime rather than purchase the Blu-ray because I didn't want to pay $17-20 for it at the moment. This is a film that I have nostalgia for because it was probably the first TCM film that I saw on late night TV in the mid 90s as a kid. Although Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III isn't a good film, I do think it is entertaining. I do consider it to be the best Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie after TCM2, but that isn't saying much. The atmosphere of the film is what I enjoy most about it. While the first two films were independent films, this one has the feel of a mainstream Hollywood horror movie from the late 1980s and early 1990s. It helps it stand out when compared to the first two films.

I also love the movie's gritty, dusty tone. James L. Carter's (My Dog Skip) cinematography gives the movie a dry, dirty, and disgusting aesthetic. It accurately portrays the mood of the hot, dry weather that comes with being in the middle of nowhere in Texas. I really enjoyed the practical special effects and the makeup in the film. Despite how badly trimmed the gore sequences are, they are nonetheless awesome. Both Tom Everett (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Ken Foree (the original Dawn of the Dead) delivered entertaining performances. Even R. A. Mihailoff (Hatchet 2), who played Leatherface, did a solid job, in my opinion. You even have a role for Viggo Mortensen in his early career, before he appeared in major films like G.I. Jane (1997), the Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003), and Crimes of the Future (2022).

I like that Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3 makes an effort to be scarier and less comedic than the second film. They make an effort to return to the series' roots. The rest of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3 isn't very good. With the exception of Ken Foree's character, most of the characters were uninteresting to me. The story didn't do anything new, and it did feel like it was trying to play things too safe. Most of the film is set at night, making it difficult to view the awesome, gruesome death sequences on screen. This film features the new Sawyer family, who appear out of nowhere. Given that they were never mentioned or seen in the prior movie, we are never sure where they came from. I think it merely makes the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise's lore more confusing. Despite its flaws, I still like Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III and think it's an enjoyable guilty pleasure. If you're interested, I recommend renting it.

Broken Image

Date: 9/19/2022
Viewed: Youtube
Re-watch

Note: I decided to watch this film today since I felt like seeing a quick movie. I remember seeing it very late at night on TV when I was a kid. I remember that during the mid-late 1990s, you could find obscure and gruesome horror films during graveyard shift hours on TV. Finding these movies while channel surfing as a kid was cool. I'm glad that I watched it again. In my opinion, Criminally Insane aka Crazy Fat Ethel is a fun trashy film to watch. I'm surprised that this film was never on Mystery Science Theater 3000. This is the kind of movie you see with friends on a Friday or Saturday night while drinking beer and having a good time. The acting and writing in the film are so bad that it's hilariously awful.

Priscilla Alden (Nine Months) plays Ethel Janowski, a large, obese, and absolutely crazy character who adores food. Her character is enjoyable to watch because of how brutally she murders people and how awfully poorly she handles the aftermath of her crimes. The death scenes are unintentionally hilarious and are easily the best part of the film. The film's characters are as dull as a pile of rocks. They are far too stupid to be unaware of their surroundings. Criminally Insane has a certain charm that I find appealing in many classic grindhouse movies, thanks in part to the wonky editing and the cheap 16mm cinematography. It has an atmosphere of authenticity that could only be achieved during the time period in which the film was made. Additionally, noteworthy and worth mentioning is George Buck Flower's (Back to the Future 1-2) role. I forgot that he was in the film. The film should have been longer; an additional 10–20 minutes would have been excellent.

Overall, Criminally Insane is a trash gem and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys bad movies.

Broken Image

Date: 9/20/2022
Viewed: Netflix
First Viewing

Note: Although I had no intention of watching this film in the first place, I decided to give it a go because it was on Netflix (as of 9/20/2022) and people had stopped making stupid memes for it. Morbius turned out to be worse than I had anticipated, despite the fact that I knew it would be horrible. The whole film is very tedious. Morbius is like chewing on rubber when you watch it. You essentially get nothing from this film. The characters are boring and forgettable. While I was watching the film, I kept forgetting the names of the characters. It shows how poorly written the film's characters are. The acting and dialogue was awful too. Not even Jared Harris (Dead Man) could save this film. Morbius tries to be funny at times, and fails miserably. I felt like I was going to die from the cringe when Morbius made a hulk joke.

The film's CGI is god awful. The film's aesthetics feel 15–20 years out of date. The film seems so outdated, as if it were created for edgy teenagers who spent too much time at Hot Topic back in the 2000s. I was one of those nu metal era people back in the day, but I don't think they would ever pander to that audience again lol. Speaking of outdated, Morbius uses Matrix-style bullet time effects. I haven't seen anyone employ bullet time dodging effects in a long time in a non Matrix movie. That gimmick was one that I always found annoying since it quickly grew stale in the 2000s. After 1999, everyone started doing it in their movies, to the point that Scary Movie 2 (2001) made fun of it. In 2022, we're doing it all over again.

I get a headache from the film's camera work. When it came to the fight scenes, I had no understanding of what was happening. The fight scenes are so disjointed with so much stuff going on. With its washed-out color scheme, the entire movie looks hideous. Other than a few cool shots of NYC, there are no good looking scenes in the film. The PG-13 rating was hurtful to this film as well, since gore and blood are essential elements of the narrative. It seems pointless to me to have a modern day vampire movie without any kind of blood bath. With an R rating, the film could still be terrible, but at least it had some cool, noteworthy kills that would have made up for it. The worst thing about Morbius is how boring it is. There's not much happening in the film. I was even on my phone when watching the film because I could care less about what was going on screen.

Watching this film reminds me of Ang Lee's Hulk from 2003, with both films being slow, boring, and dealing with the theme of man vs. their inner monster. The 2003 Hulk movie at least makes an effort to develop the characters and tries to do something different with the superhero genre. Morbius, on the other hand, is devoid of that. There are also a few end-credits scenes that I could care less about. After watching Morbius, I first believed it would make my list of the worst movies that I've seen. I chose not to add the film to that list after giving it some thought. Even though Morbius was terrible, I didn't become angry while watching it. The entire film was one big forgettable experience. I probably won't remember anything about this film by the end of the year.

Overall, Morbius is an awful film, and I don't recommend it. Don't even watch it for free on Netflix or on TV.

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Date: 9/21/2022
Viewed: Vudu
First Viewing

Note: I've always wanted to see this film since it seems interesting. I figured I may as well watch it since Corey Feldman (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter) plays the main character. To be honest, this film sucks. In my opinion, Voodoo is a forgettable horror film. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood when I saw this film, but I found it to be boring from beginning to end. The story and the characters didn't interest me. Voodoo has a cool premise of zombies who practice voodoo to kill people, but the poor execution ruined the cool premise of the film. Even some awesome actors like Sarah Douglas (Superman 1-2), Jack Nance (Eraserhead), and Christopher Kriesa (The Man Who Wasn't There) are included in the film. It's a shame that their talent was completely wasted. The film at least has a good, eerie atmosphere going for it. Some gruesome moments were enjoyable as well.

I don't have anything else to say about Voodoo other than it's a bad and boring film. Go watch something else instead.

Broken Image

Date: 9/22/2022
Viewed: Youtube
First Viewing

Note: I've watched the first two Xtro films, but I had never seen the third one until now. The first Xtro film is a solid, legitimate horror classic that deserves more love and respect. Although I haven't seen Xtro 2 in the past 25 years, I remember it being a poor imitation of Aliens (1986). So, do you want to know if Xtro 3 is any good? The answer is no. In my opinion, Xtro 3: Watch the Skies is a boring film. I enjoyed how the opening of the film is reminiscent of a 1950s commercial, and it did give me a chuckle. The rest of the film afterwards is not very good. The majority of Xtro 3 plays out like a typical military action movie with uninteresting characters. There wasn't a single character in the entire film that I genuinely liked. The film was boring to watch because you had characters spending most of their time doing nothing. It felt like it took forever for something interesting to happen.

Even Andrew Divoff's (Wishmaster 1-2) character in the film is uninteresting and forgettable. It's unfortunate that the alien creature doesn't get much screen time because it has some very gruesome kills. Even though Xtro 3 is a bad film, I still give it credit for attempting to be different, unlike Xtro 2. There were other parts throughout the film that made me laugh, even if they weren't supposed to. Some of the actors from this film went on to greater, more well-known roles in the future, such as Martin Starr (The Marvel Cinematic Universe films) and Nigel Gibbs (Breaking Bad). Despite the film's extremely low budget, I even enjoyed some of the special effects.

Overall, Xtro 3 is a bad movie, and I wouldn't recommend watching it unless you're drunk or high.

Broken Image

Date: 9/23/2022
Viewed: In theathers
First Viewing

Note: I finally had the opportunity to watch this film in a theater while I still have the chance. Since both films are outstanding, I find it difficult to choose between this and X as my favorite in the series. If I was forced to pick one, Pearl would win (just barely). In my opinion, Pearl is a great film. It's amazing that Ti West is able to release two amazing films in one year. Pearl is beautifully filmed, and the cinematography is breathtaking. The film's colors are very striking. Despite being produced in the 2020s, I love the way the film has the vibe of a 1970s movie with a 1910s setting. The film did an incredible job of capturing the late 1910s, which truly drew me into its atmosphere. The film is a character study of Pearl's gradual descent into madness, and Mia Goth (Suspiria 2018) gives an outstanding performance as the lead role.

I also like that the film stands on its own without watching X (2022). There isn't much more I can say about this film without giving everything away. When you have the opportunity, I highly recommend watching it in a theater.

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Date: 9/24/2022
Viewed: TubiTV
First Viewing

Note: I wasn't sure what to expect from this film, but because I love giant monster movies, I figured I'd give it a watch. Not to mention, some of my friends on Letterboxd like this film. I have to say that I found this film to be more enjoyable than I anticipated. The Millennium Bug is, in my opinion, a fun film. The Library of Congress is not going to select this film for inclusion in the United States National Film Registry, but that hardly matters in the first place. These types of movies are fast food for me. I enjoy how The Millennium Bug reminds me of From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) because both films switch genres around the halfway mark. The film begins similarly to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, with a bunch of mad, nasty rednecks out to kill the main cast of characters. Later on, a giant monster appears in the film. I enjoy the film's original premise, which is that it takes place at the beginning of the year 2000. They turned the fear of the millennium bug into one involving an actual bug.

I appreciate how the film itself has a vibe of a direct-to-video movie from the late 1990s or early 2000s. If I watched this film without any context, I would have assumed that it was released at the end of the 20th century on VHS. The giant monster in The Millennium Bug is a man wearing a rubber suit, just like in many old kajiu films. The giant insect monster almost resembles a cross between Godzilla from the 1998 American remake and the Mosquito from Mosquito (1994). I adore how all of the special effects in the movie are created with practical effects. For once, there is a ton of blood and gore that is not CGI rubbish. Still, there are some problems with the Millennium Bug. The characters are bland and mostly forgettable. Most of the time, the acting and dialogue are pretty bad. I'm still happy I saw it, despite the film's flaws.

Overall, The Millennium Bug is an entertaining, trashy B movie. I recommend watching it if you enjoy B movies or giant monster films.

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Date: 9/28/2022
Viewed: DVD
Re-watch

Note: I wasn't in the mood to watch movies during the last few days due to stress and other real life crap. I decided to watch Future War because I needed to see something stupid and entertaining to help me feel better. Thankfully, I was able to find it on DVD for a decent price at my used book store. I watched the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode of Future War as a kid back in 1999, but I've never seen the unriffed version of it. I also don't usually review the MST3K episode of a film because I enjoy seeing movies in their original form. In my opinion, Future War is a total trash gem. I'm giving this film a high rating because it's so bad, it's amazing. This film totally made my day.

Future War is unintentionally hilarious for having awful fight choreography, special effects, and performances. Some of the battle sequences in the film were filmed in front of cardboard boxes, which shows how bad the special effects were. Every fight scene in the film made me laugh so hard that I was in tears. I can't help but love the bizarre, idiotic plot of Future War. The whole film has the vibe if Ed Wood trying to combine Kickboxer (1989), Carnosaur (1993), and the first two Terminator films into one film. Even with certain religious undertones, the film strives to be deep but completely fails. I was like "Huh?" and "What?!?" when they tried to make references to the bible. I adore how terribly inconsistent the film is as well. You have a scene where the main character (played by Daniel Bernhardt) has bloody scars on his chest, followed by a scene where he is unharmed. Robert Z'Dar (Maniac Cop 1-3) has a fun role that is note worthy too. The only thing that I didn't like about this film it was too short. I would have loved another 10-15 minutes because it would have added more cheese factor to the film.

Overall, Future War is fantastic for all the wrong reasons. I highly recommend it for a bad movie night with friends.

Broken Image

Date: 9/29/2022
Viewed: Arrow Player
Re-watch

Note: I've been meaning to rewatch Shogun's Joy of Torture for a while now. I can still remember watching it in the 2000s when I was an adolescent, back when I was really interested in gathering all the disturbing foreign films I could find. For these kinds of films, I have to be in the appropriate frame of mind, which is one of the reasons I haven't watched it recently. Surprisingly, this film holds up nicely. In my opinion, Shogun's Joy of Torture is a solid film. The film has amazing special effects. Even by the standards of today, they are pretty good. I love how they handle the practical effects of the blood and gore. Anyone who is a gorehound will be happy with this film. I adore how gorgeous and vibrant the cinematography is. Every frame of the film is stunning to look at.

The fact that Shogun's Joy of Torture is an anthology movie set in medieval Japan is one of the many things I admire about it. The three stories are interesting and show how horrible torture actually was in those days. The first story, with the woman and her brother, is my least favorite. That one was alright, but seemed overly predictable. The second story about the lesbian nuns is my favorite one in the film. I truly liked the characters in this segment and had an emotional connection to them. I like how well they were able to tackle the emotional turmoil that these characters experience. The last story, about the insane tattooist who kidnaps a lady to serve as his model, was awesome. I thought the story was quite interesting and unique. All three of the storylines in the movie have one thing in common: they are all anti-patriarchy stories that demonstrate how bad men may take advantage of women. Some people probably won't agree with me, but I thought they handled those themes pretty well. I did think the pacing could have been better because you have some scenes that felt a bit slow at times.

There isn't much I can add to what has already been said about Shogun's Joy of Torture. I don't recommend watching this film if you have a weak stomach. If you can handle extreme violence, I recommend checking it out.

Broken Image

Date: 9/30/2022
Viewed: Youtube
First Viewing

Note: I decided to watch a film I'd been curious about for years to close the month of September. I went into this film without having any prior knowledge of it. I'm delighted I finally got to watch this film. In my opinion, From Inside is a fantastic film. I'm surprised that this film is not well known or talked about. This film's gothic horror atmosphere makes it gruesome, dark, and depressing. The dark and gritty color schemes with post-apocalyptic overtones and nightmare visuals give the film a hopeless vibe. Watching From Inside gave me the impression that Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails had created their own Dante Inferno adaptation. It's like watching a living graphic novel come to life. It gave me the impression that I was trapped in a horrifying nightmare from which I would never be able to escape.

I adore the film's art direction, and the animation is incredible. They did a terrific job experimenting with various animation techniques. The handling of the characters is excellent, and they have a grounded feeling too. They are the kind of characters that you can identify with while watching the film. From Inside, was, in all honesty, the most depressing thing I've watched in a while. I got shivers throughout the entire film because of how dark it was. After it was through, I felt absolutely dreadful. In my opinion, you should only see this film if you're in the appropriate frame of mind.