Movie Poster Monday- Chopping Mall

 

Terror Two's Tuesday

 I lined horror part two's this past Tuesday night and had a blast.  Let's check them out:

A Nightmare in Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge- A teenage boy is haunted in his dreams by deceased child murderer Freddy Krueger, who is out to possess him in order to continue his reign of terror in the real world.  I have not watched this in years and it is still my least favorite Freddy.  Seems to be that way with a lot of people because part 3 was make or break for the franchise.

Child’s Play 2- While Andy's mother is admitted to a psychiatric hospital, the young boy is placed in foster care, and Chucky, determined to claim Andy's soul, is not far behind.  I have really grown to love Chucky movies over the years and I think it’s because the franchise has one voice behind it, writer Don Mancini.  Mancini has been involved in all the movies and the TV series, no other horror franchise can say that.

Friday the 13th Part 2- Five years after the events of the first film, a summer camp next to the infamous Camp Crystal Lake is preparing to open, but the legend of Jason is weighing heavy on the proceedings.  My favorite Friday movie.  Jason is scary as hell with just a bag over his head.  Also, Jenny is the best and smartest final girl in the series.

Halloween II- While Dr. Loomis hunts for Michael Myers, a traumatized Laurie is rushed to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, and The Shape is not far behind her. Back in the day the OG Halloween was very hard to find in video stores but I could always find this one so it holds a special place with me.  Trivia-  Did you know that Dr. Loomis shot Michael six times?

Movie Poster Monday- Southern Comfort

 

Suck Your Blood Sunday

 It's horror time around here so I decided to to stick with a theme all night and go with the vamps.  Here's what blood suckers I checked out:

Dracula: Prince of Darkness- Ten years after his demise, Count Dracula is resurrected by his servant and preys on four unsuspecting English tourists who have taken shelter in his castle.  Besides Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee is my next favorite vampire.  He does not have any lines of dialogue in this but hisses his way thru it.

Near Dark- A small-town farmer's son reluctantly joins a traveling group of vampires after he is bitten by a beautiful drifter.  The absolute most underrated vampire movie ever.  If you have not checked out this gem do us all a favor.  It is difficult to watch this legally, it's not streaming anywhere and it is only on DVD.  I have read it should be coming out on 4K blu ray for its fortieth anniversary next year.  Fingers crossed. 

Dracula’s Daughter- When Countess Marya Zaleska appears in London, mysterious events occur that lead Dr. Von Helsing to believe that the Countess must be a vampire.  I wanted to watch a Universal pic that I have not seen and rolled with this one.  Meh.

Lost Boys- When a recently divorced mother and her two teenage boys move to a coastal town to stay with her father, it doesn't take long for the brothers to realize the area is a haven for something much more sinister than party-going surfers.  One of the greatest vampire movies ever.  This is that vampire movie you watch and you think to yourself, being a vampire might be kind of cool.  A stacked cast of nobody’s back then who most went on to have great careers.

Remember, September is Halloween Eve

 

Werewolf Wednesday

I was at the gym the other day and a buddy mine that once we see each other we talk horror movies instead of lift mentioned that it is getting close to Halloween.  It is getting so close to the season that I have already switched my viewing pleasures to all horror related.  Yesterday while coming up with my viewing list they were two werewolf movies on there so I went all out and proclaimed it Werewolf Wednesday.  So here are the lycanthropes that I watched:

A routine military exercise turns into a nightmare in the Scottish wilderness.  Think Walter Hill's Southern Comfort here but these soldiers run into werewolves, not hillbillies.  A great action horror movie from director Neil Marshall who would later brings us The Descent.

A new awkward park ranger arrives in a small town, and murder and havoc soon follows. The paranoid townsfolk soon suspect each other, but a devious, shapeshifting werewolf becomes their prime suspect. But who is it?  A great who done it horror comedy and yeah, that the AT&T girl in the middle of the poster.

Upon his return to his father's estate, aristocrat Larry Talbot meets a beautiful woman, attends a mystical carnival and uncovers a horrifying curse.  Of course I had to add the grand daddy of all werewolf movies here.  Universal's 4k is absolutely gorgeous.

In a small town, brutal killings start to plague the close-knit community. Marty, a paraplegic boy, is convinced the murders are the doings of a werewolf.  I always remember staying up late one night to watch this on HBO for the first time and fell in love with it immediately.  Gary Busey is the worst/best uncle ever and is quite the character in this werewolf classic.

Movie Poster Monday- Remember the Titans

 

Movie Poster Monday- A Force of One

 

Movie Poster Monday- Braddock: Missing in Action 3

 

New Release Tuesday

 

Rambo Set- Just like last week’s Dollar Trilogy release I have bought this set quite a few times as well.  But reviews say this is the best the films have looked and the Last Blood cut is different from the international cut that had been previously released.  This is an Amazon exclusive that was very hard to get but this guy got lucky by checking randomly several times a day and finally got one.  Amazon has announced it will release 4 thousand more copies in August so if you want this check there often.  

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves- Robin Hood decides to fight back as an outlaw when faced with the tyranny of the Sheriff of Nottingham.  A very enjoyable action flick getting the 4k treatment from Arrow Video who has been killing it lately.

Terror Train- Three years after a prank went terribly awry, the six college students responsible are targeted by a masked killer at a New Year's Eve party aboard a moving train.  A so-so horror movie with the great Jaime Lee Curtis that seem to be forgotten when people seek out New Years Eve horror movies and always settle on New Year’s Evil.

Voices from Beyond- When a family man is poisoned to death, it's covered up as a stomach hemorrhage and his spirit returns to aid his daughter in finding his killers.  I am always needing to check out more Fulci movies and this was one of his last ones.

New Release Tuesday

 

The Dollars Trilogy- I have bought this set more times than I care to admit and I really do not know how many I have bought but anyway the Holy Trilogy of Trilogies comes out in a brand-new sparkling edition from Arrow Video and the reviews are magnificent.  The colors are finally right as this new 4k set is quite the stunner.  I already have my copy and will see for myself soon.

The Yeti- Merriell Sunday Sr. and Hollis Bannister vanished in Alaska. Ellie and Merriell Jr. mount a search, but an ancient threat stalks their expedition into the wilderness, hunting them as they seek the truth behind the disappearances.  Oh what a great little horror movie.  This has a nice looking snowy outside stage area where the film was shot and features mostly practical effects.  It is a good-looking Yeti.  It’s a monster not a cooler.

Avatar: Fire and Ash- Jake and Neytiri's family grapples with grief, encountering a new, aggressive Na'vi tribe, the Ash People, who are led by the fiery Varang, as the conflict on Pandora escalates and a new moral focus emerges.  I just could not make myself go to the theater for this one.  I am sure it’s a much better experience in the theater but it just seemed like a chore so I did not make it, but I will gladly watch it at home.

The Bride!- In 1930s Chicago, Frankenstein asks Dr. Euphronius to help create a companion. They give life to a murdered woman as the Bride, sparking romance, police interest, and radical social change.  You do not get many movies and with an ! at the end.  It is not The Bride it is The Bride!  This movie was shot over a couple of years ago so maybe it went thru some issues during postproduction so it had a bad wrap attached to it already.  Now when the trailer premiered I noticed it it’s the monster and the bride as Bonnie and Clyde in the 30s so my interest was piqued.  But reviews were not kind to this monster tale and it crashed and burned on arrival.  I am still interested in it and word is it will be a cult classic sooner rather than later.

Dicknado- A strange weather phenomenon causes dread and desperate behavior. The storm has a vulgar shape, but this is not new to nature; some mushrooms and snakes also bear this form. The winds of change push some people toward desperate acts while others take less drastic measures.  I got no words on this one.

Movie Poster Monday- Missing in Action 2: The Beginning

 

New Release Tuesdays

 

Good Boy- A loyal dog moves to a rural family home with his owner, only to discover supernatural forces lurking in the shadows. As dark entities threaten his human companion, the brave pup must fight to protect the one he loves most.  A nice little movie with a great puppy dog.  It is like Evil Dead happening at a country house and you are seeing it from the dog’s perspective.

Primate- A group of friends' tropical vacation turns into a terrifying, primal tale of horror and survival.  I cannot say enough good things about this one.  This is a great horror movie because you do not know where this monkey is and he is anywhere and everywhere in this flick.  It also features a great John Carpenter like score, check it out.  Highly recommended.

Deathstalker- A remake of the cult classic 1983 sword and sorcery film.  Ah yes, the 80s Roger Corman swords, sorcery, sandals, and boobs movies.  This remake features all of these except the boobs.  This is a nice little fantasy flick that just like back then has a little He-Man and Star Wars in it.  This was very enjoyable.

Send Help- When an employee and her insufferable boss become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash, they must overcome past grievances and work together to make it out alive.  One of my favorite movies of the year so far.  Great to see Sam Raimi making a semi-horror movie here with all the usual Evil Dead shots.  Can you spot Bruce Campbell and the Delta 88?  Let me know!

The Strangers: Chapter 3- In the series' most brutal chapter, Maya collides with the masked killers and finds the only way out of the nightmare...is in.  This trilogy started out promising but just unraveled with each new chapter.  This was a meh.

Uncommon Valor- Ten years after his son went M.I.A. in Vietnam, U.S. Marine retired Colonel Jason Rhodes assembles a private rescue team to find Americans held in P.O.W. camps in Laos.  The movie that started the Vietnam craze of let’s go get our soldiers and bring them home.  This is the smarter version of Rambo 2 or Missing in Action and it has a great cast of ensemble character actors that are very likable.  Highly recommended.

Shelter- Michael Mason is a recluse on a remote Scottish island who rescues a girl from the sea, unleashing a perilous sequence of events that culminate in an attack on his home, compelling him to face his turbulent history.  Jason Statham is on a good run of action flicks lately and you can add this one to that list.

Soldier- A soldier trained from birth is deemed obsolete and dumped on a waste planet where he is reluctantly taken in by a community of defenseless, stranded wayfarers.  Arrow Video has been releasing some good WB titles lately and this one has become a cult classic over the years after a rather poor run in theaters.  Kurt Russell is an absolute beast in this movie that takes place in the Blade Runner world.  

Blue Thunder- The cop test pilot for an experimental police helicopter learns the sinister implications of the new vehicle.  Another Arrow Video release that is a fantastic political action movie.  It is showing its age because of the technology in it then but that does not harm the story one bit.  Highly recommended.

Bambi: The Reckoning- A car wreck strands a mother and son in the deep woods where a mutated, vengeful deer stalks them. As local hunters and an obsessive grandmother converge, the forest becomes a bloody arena for a grieving creature's primal rage.  This is part of the Pooh Verse where all of our childhood favorites will team up in the near future.  

Movie Poster Monday- Missing in Action

 

Movie Poster Monday- Lone Wolf McQuade

 

Movie Poster Monday- The Octagon

 

Movie Poster Monday- An Eye for an Eye

 

Movie Poster Monday- Slaughter in San Francisco

 

R.I.P. Chuck Norris 1940-2026

More to come...

 

New Release Tuesdays

 

TAG: The Assassination Game- College assassination game turns deadly as someone starts playing for real.  This title has been in the works for years.  It has never ever been issued on DVD.  Back when I saw it at the theater it was called Kiss Me, Kill Me and I remember catching it on cable at one point later on.  It is way better than I remember and it has a very nice noir style to it.  Directed by the OG Michael Myers himself, Nick Castle.  Give this a spin, recommended.

Silent Night, Deadly Night- After seeing his parents killed by someone dressed as Santa, a grown man later wears a Santa suit himself and seeks violent revenge.  I caught this in the theater and I was blown away.  It was a great early Christmas gift.  Take the classic version and add some Dexter and Venom to it and you get this new version.  I was very impressed. So if you enjoy the original, give this one a spin.

Predator: Badlands- A young Predator outcast from his clan finds an unlikely ally on his journey in search of the ultimate adversary.  If you thought the last Predator movie Prey was good then you are going to love this new one.  For the first time it makes a Predator the protagonist and shows what he has to deal with his race known as the Yautja.  Here the Predator teams with a synthetic from the Weyland Corporation (You know they are gonna take another crack at Predator vs Aliens again) on an alien planet to capture a trophy.  This is action packed and I loved it, highly recommended.

SISU: Road to Revenge- A man returns to dismantle his family's house, where they were murdered in war, to rebuild it elsewhere. When the killer, a Red Army commander, tracks him down, a brutal cross-country pursuit begins.  These movies are The Fast and the Furious/ John Wick/ World War 2 flicks that defy all gravity but man they are a ton of bloody fun.  

The Man Who Wasn’t There- A laconic, chain-smoking barber blackmails his wife's boss and lover for money to invest in dry cleaning, but his plan goes terribly wrong.  A Coen Brothers movie I really do not remember much about it but I like them and Billy Bob so will get this when the Criterion sale hits this summer at Barnes and Noble.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2- One year after the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, Abby runs away to reconnect with her animatronic friends, uncovering dark secrets about the true origins of Freddy's and unleashing a horror hidden for decades.  This is not near as good as the first one but still enjoyable and I imagine there will be at least one more to make it a trilogy.

Excalibur- Merlin the magician helps Arthur Pendragon unite the Britons around the Round Table of Camelot, even as dark forces conspire to tear it apart.  I remember seeing parts of this on cable back in the day but have never committed to watching all of this movie.  Arrow has put a new edition, and people are loving it so it has piqued my curiosity. 

Force: Five- A martial-arts expert leads a team of fellow martial artists to rescue a senator's daughter from an island ruled by the evil leader of a fanatical religious cult.  A generic but entertaining martial arts movie with a bunch of Chuck Norris’s buddies.  From the director of Enter the Dragon so you know the action scenes are good.