STRANGE DAYS (1995) - WAY AHEAD OF IT'S TIME KATHRYN BIGELOW BRINGS HANDS-DOWN ULTIMATE NEW YEAR'S EVE MOVIE W/ RALPH FIENNES & JULIETTE LEWIS

It's LA in the future and people's memories of specific events are bought and sold on the black market. They're called "playback" and you "jack it" into your brain, ya dig? Scumbag Lenny (Ralph Fiennes) is a dealer of such druggy material but has a dear friend (Angela Bassett) who wants to see him clean up his life. However, he can't get over an ex-girlfriend (Juliette Lewis in a total Holy Shit performance) who is really wrapped up in the underworld and she holds the key to why a famous rapper has been murdered. 

If any of that catches your attention so far, then dig in as Kathryn Bigelow, hot on the success of the magnificent Point Break, changes backdrops from the sunny beaches of Malibu to the gritty grime of downtown LA. The use of handhelds and production of action scenes in this movie is off the chart.. The story is a bit convoluted but never boring. Juliette Lewis' scenes fronting a rock band are to be seen to be believed, they're that good. That's not new ground for her of course but these scenes are stellar, not to mention her scene in Venice Beach. 

Angela Bassett really shows off her physical skills in fight scenes and Tom Sizemore is his usual very enjoyable self as one of Lenny's friends. An outstanding sci-fi that was way ahead of it's time, highly recommend. Not available in the streaming world, just DVD.  3.5 stars/5

OWEN WILSON IS "THE MINUS MAN" (1999) - A QUIET, FRIENDLY, PASSIVE-AGRESSIVE TYPE WORKING AT THE POST OFFICE BUT ACTUALLY A SERIAL KILLER!

Owen Wilson plays against type as a quiet, reserved and aimless postal worker who is actually a serial killer in this Sundance Grand Jury nominee from 1999. An easy-going yet taut psychological thriller based on a best-selling novel, Wilson's more than distinctive voice (I think he sounds a little like a young Jimmy Stewart) narrates his character's feelings about why he is poisoning people left and right. Wilson strikes that perfect balance in the classic serial killer make-up - strangely detached but very likable, easily accessible to those close to him. 

Janeane Garofalo absolutely nails it as a fellow postal worker who has the hots for him. Brian Cox is great as always, he rents a room to Wilson, then makes the mistake of befriending him. And we love the opening scene with Sheryl Crow of all people as a drunk who also makes the mistake of crossing paths with Wilson. 

Thumbs up, currently streaming on Tubi.  3.0 stars/5

TOMMY'S FIVE FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIES #1 - JONATHAN TAYLOR THOMAS STARS IN DISNEY'S "I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS" (1998) - OR WILL HE?!

Jake has to be home by 6pm Christmas if he's going to inherit his dad's custom Porsche. In a zany road trip from LA to NY he encounters these interesting characters....

A TOM JONES FAN CLUB FOR OLD LADIES

NOLAN, THE GOOFBALL THIEF

THE LOVE-SICK COP AND HIS FIANCE

"CONWAY" THE BUS DRIVER WRAPPED WAY TOO TIGHT

THE SANTA CLAUS RACE

STUCK WITH RINGO THE DOG ON A PLANE

AND FINALLY THE LOCAL PARADE

(WHERE JAKE STEALS A SLEIGH)

He goes through all that and still winds up riding off with the girl? Way to go Jake! 3.0 stars/5

TOMMY'S FIVE FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIES #2 - ARE YOU READY FOR A SINGING, DANCING ALBERT FINNEY AS "SCROOGE" (1970) A MUSICAL FULL OF TREASURES IF YOU LOOK FOR THEM

"Time is short and suddenly you're not there anymore." - Ghost Of Christmas Present

Whereas most adaptions of The Christmas Carol have stuck to the character's precise verbiage from the 1843 story (some sickeningly so,) 1970's Scrooge dared to go way outside the box. The central characters not only express themselves through lavish musical numbers but also dramatic sequences wonderfully written to keep some of the classic lines but also build upon them. The film is surprisingly chock full of  little philosophical nuggets on life perfectly woven in.

A British production, mostly shot at Shepperton by the same company that had produced 1968's successful Oliver, another Dickens novel. For the Scrooge posters they put the clever tagline "What the dicken's have they done to Scrooge?" they hoped to prepare audiences for their musical take on things. While to this day some movie fans just won't bite. it mostly worked thanks to the legendary thespian Albert Finney. His performance is truly masterful. 

While most agree the songs themselves are not that special, the dramatic sequences more than make up for that and in particular the three Ghosts are all handled brilliantly. As the old lady that visits him as Christmas Past breaks down his life, you won't help but be reminded of your own past mistakes and failures. This whole sequence is fantastical but oh so poignant. The mood changes nicely when Christmas Present comes along and parties with Scrooge before flying him over to Bob Crachett's house to peek in on the family. This is also the only adaption to feature a scene where Scrooge goes to hell, literally, before waking up. Since this is a G-rated film the sequence was considered too heavy in the early '80's and cut from early VHS and DVD releases. It has since been restored and is included in modern releases. 

Like it or lump it, or until someone makes a better version, I still consider 1970's Scrooge to be the most outside the box but still entertaining for all audiences version of the classic story. Highly recommend.  3.5 stars/5

TOMMY'S FIVE FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIES #3 - DON'T PLAY NO "REINDEER GAMES" (2000) WITH ME CONVICT! CLASSIC BEN AFFLECK CASINO HEIST THRILLER STILL ROCKS

 
     "Don't do it Rudy, don't you f*cking do it."

I must admit I didn't know quite what to make of Ben Affleck when he first came along and remember quickly dismissing him as someone who wouldn't last. That has morphed over the decades into a tremendous respect for his work on both sides of the camera. One of his best untapped resources I believe is his comedic side. Especially his ability to poke fun at himself which is on full display in the now two-decades old Raindeer Games.

An ex-con who gets entrapped in a scheme to rip off a casino on Christmas Eve, this film also features an outrageous performance by Gary Sinese as the long-haired, black tank-top wearing bad guy. Over the top doesn't even begin to describe the way he plays it. Charlize Theron, Danny Trejo and Dennis Farina are all along for the ride in this part prison flick, part heist and part road trip flick. Wisely, the film is devoid of any cops  on their trail or detective aspect.

Universally panned at release and not faring much better through the decades, I would have thought this should have achieved  at least cult film status by now. I suppose it's more of a guy flick or one of those love it or hate it and no in-between. I know this - can't go back to Vegas.  3.0 stars/5

Darts anyone?

TOMMY'S FIVE FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIES #4 - FROM LONDON TO BEVERLY HILLS : KATE WINSLETT & CAMERON DIAZ SWAP HOUSES FOR "THE HOLIDAY" (2006)

 
From Private Benjamin to She's Gotta Give and many more, Nancy Meyers has given cinema some of the most prolific and thoughtful rom-coms ever made. The Holiday continues what she does best and I really think this is her masterwork.  Fueled by the casting Grand Slam of Kate Winslett, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Jack Black, the two-hour fifteen minute film hardly seems that long and while none of these performances are necessarily nomination-worthy, Kate Winslett continues to blow me away with her skills and this is a Jack Black performance like none other, a perfect hybrid of his dramatic and comedic sides. 

The plot is simple - two heartbroken women who just went thru break-ups decide to swap houses for the holidays and then each land up falling in love with one of the locals. A subplot involving Eli Wallach as an elderly Beverly Hills movie mogul whom Winslett helps and befriends is a nice dynamic to drive home the holiday compassion so it's not just about two sets of lovers. The locations for the houses are beautiful and I love the scene where Winslett first tours her new diggs in Beverly Hills and discovers she scored majorly in the swap. 

A great holiday film for any audience really but particularly I could see this as a perfect choice for a ladies night kind of get-together. A big box office hit but receiver of mixed reviews overall, this is one of those where I scratch my head and wonder if people realize just what a great film this is. 4.0 stars/5 (told ya there would be some shockers, wait til you see #3!)

TOMMY'S FIVE FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIES #5 - EDWARD BURNS WRITES, DIRECTS AND STARS IN "THE FITZGERALD FAMILY CHRISTMAS" (2012) HEARTWARMER ABOUT FORGIVENESS

 

Once again, Happy Holidays to all - this year, a top-five list of my all-time favorite Christmas flicks and I guarantee there will be some shockers as we climb the list. We may lose some blog visitors, there will be people weeping in the streets but here we go!

A unique individual talent exists within Edward Burns and it has not been hard to praise his solo work behind the camera through the years. Totally New York, charismatic, funny, light-hearted, very real. His canon of indies now thirteen titles strong, some of my favorites include Nice Guy Johnny, Looking For Kitty and The Groomsmen. 

Here Burns stars as the older brother of a seven-sibling family, the Fitzgeralds, who have a big Christmas problem. Their father walked out on them twenty years ago but now has suddenly reappeared and wants to know if he can spend Christmas with them. Mom and most of the siblings are steadfast against it which leaves it up to Burns to try and unite the family. 

Connie Britton, Kerry Bishe and a host of other great ensemble actors Burns has used before help round out a terrific cast. An excellent Christmas movie about the true meaning of the holiday - forgiveness. 2.75 stars/2.75  

BEING MICK (TV 2001) - MICK JAGGER VIDEOTAPES A YEAR OF HIS LIFE FOR AN ENTERTAINING TV SPECIAL STATING THE RHETORICAL : YOU WOULD IF YOU COULD!

 

Twenty years ago on Thanksgiving weekend, ABC aired this one-hour doc on ole Mick boy (oh, excuse me, ole Sir Mick boy.) Produced from the vantage point of what it would be like to be Sir Mick, it follows him around as he records his solo album "Goddess In The Doorway" (which Rolling Stone gave a surprising five stars to) hangs out with his family, goes to events, works on a feature and generally lives the rock star life most can only dream of. 

There's too many great parts to list but check out Kate Winslett and Mick at Elton John's party, a segment inside Lenny Kravitz amazing house and studio,  a part with Pete Townshend who is a neighbor of Mick's and much more. If you're even the slightest Stones fan, you'll enjoy this and hardcore fans will love every minute from Sir Mick teaching his daughters how to do back-up vocals to  hunting crocodiles in Florida. The documentary is no more boring than the man himself or to quote his longtime bodyguard when asked why he has worked for Jagger so long, "quite simply, he's one of the most interesting people in the world."  Only available on DVD out of print or VHS, I put a very mediocre up I found on YT below.  2.75 stars/2.75

For more on the Stones, we also really dig....

Brett Morgen's excellent doc produced on the 50th anniversary and told from the "rise to fame" standpoint. It actually only covers up to the 1981 tour but it's still excellent. 

Crossfire Hurricane (2012) Trailer

Legendary TV producer Lorne Michaels of SNL fame produced this very entertaining 1990 doc, covering in nice linear fashion everything from when Mick & Keith first met to the Steel Wheels tour, their current at the time. Still remains the best Stones flick next to Gimme Shelter, 25 x 5 is only available on old VHS although bootleg DVD copies do exist, they're just VHS dupes. 

THE FREAK BROTHERS (TV SERIES 2021-) + CHEECH & CHONG'S ANIMATED MOVIE (2013) - HOMAGE TO OLD 420 CLASSICS WELCOME BUT LACK ORIGINAL VIBE

 

Young people today probably have very little clue as to the downright torture us old folks used to have to go through to score weed. Unless you were rich or in the biz the quality was low, weights were inconsistent and usually measured with just the fingers on your hand. Most deals involved other sets of fingers dipping into the bag as well before it got to you. The world of home delivery and a million strains, Sunset Sherbert this and Strawberry Banana that simply did not exist. 

Most stoners were reading High Times and that's where The Freak Brothers come in as their comics were promoted and available for mail order. You could also buy them in head shops. The ongoing series followed three hippy dudes and their adventures always trying to score weed. Now, in the new animated series (streaming for free on Tubi) the Freak Brothers arrive by time warp to our day and age where they are now in weed seventh heaven due to it's legal availability. New adventures ensue. 

With voicing by Woody Harrelson and John Goodman among others, this new version is about as good as we can hope to expect and I found the animation and production top notch. The situations of course are much different, we live in a different world now, some of the episodes I found a little too vulgar and gory. Somehow the old comics had more innocence to them even though weed was very illegal then. 

On the other hand, Cheech & Chong's Animated Movie which I recently rented has mediocre at best animation and two pretty unauthentic voices for our beloved pair of stoner friends. The premise is nice as it's basically a greatest hits run-thru of all the classic Cheech & Chong skits from their old albums and stage shows. I was blessed enough to see them do this stuff onstage at the LA Forum in 1973 opening up for the Rolling Stones at the impressionable age of eleven. Ahhh, the good ole days. 

The Freak Brothers (TV Series 2021-) 3.0 stars/5                                                                                  Cheech & Chong's Animated Movie (1973) 1.5 stars/5

ALEC BALDWIN IS ALCOHOLIC WASHED-UP EX-DETECTIVE DAVE ROBICHEOUX IN "HEAVEN'S PRISONERS" (1996) - ERIC ROBERTS IS BUBBA THE DRUGPIN IN THIS FORGOTTEN BUT WORTHY 90'S THRILLER

 
Based on a best selling mystery novel, Heaven's Prisoners is an overlong bordering on epic crime thriller. While slow moving at times, if you can latch onto the characters and story it's quite an entertaining film from a decade that produced some awesome crime dramas. There sure is some amazing talent in the Baldwin family and Alec here is outstanding, he owns this from start to finish and also performs some pretty hairy stunts. 

His character is one of the more pathetic in cinema, a washed up ex cop who is a struggling alcoholic very down on himself, defeatist. He's retired to the bayou and living a pretty laid back life when he and his wife witness a small plane crash in the ocean right next to their boat. They rescue a young girl from the sunken craft and this sets off a series of events that brings Robicheoux out of retirement and closer to relapse. His crosshairs are set on a major drugpin played excellently by the always enjoyable and I'll go ahead and use the word legendary Eric Roberts. 

A bunch of excellent supporting players here and some genuinely exciting action scenes from a decade that produced some of the greatest action thrillers ever. Heaven's Prisoners deserves to be remembered with the same reputation as such classics as Thelma & Louise and The Fugitive.  3.5 stars/5

Eric Roberts as "Bubba"

KEVIN SPACEY IS FROM THE PLANET "K-PAX" (2001) - IS HE A MENTAL PATIENT OR IS HE REALLY AN ALIEN? JEFF BRIDGES HAS TO FIGURE OUT WHICH IN THIS FORGOTTEN SCI FI DRAMA

 

Twenty years ago, way way back in the Blockbuster Video days there existed a movie called K-Pax which in due time was quickly forgotten about. I certainly remember those VHS covers adorning the video tape shelves.  Had it not been for a great thing called Tubi, K-Pax probably would have remained mostly forgotten. Which is a bit of a shame as it's a pretty decent sci-fi mystery with an awesome story and a more than noteworthy performance from Spacey.

I actually think Bridges is a little miscast here as the doctor trying to treat our mysterious visitor but as we know, Bridges rarely, if ever, lets down. Funny enough, Spacey originally tried out for the doctor but landed the patient instead, Will Smith having been the original choice. A box office disappointment just missing recouping it's budget, a wide variety of mixed reviews exists on the film. I fall into the camp of thumbs up more than down. 

I would have loved to seen this done by a Kubrick or a Scorcese as the story's statistical density is where it's strength lies and requires some broad strokes instead of short. All in all, a worthy addition to anyone's sci-fi library. Currently streaming on Tubi.  3.0 stars/5

That Blockbuster sticker bring back any memories? 

JOHN TRAVOLTA IS A SOCIAL WORKER TRYING TO SAVE TEEN JOEY LAWRENCE FROM A HORRIBLE GANG OF DRUG DEALERS IN "CHAINS OF GOLD" (TV 1991)

 
Found this in a pawn shop few years back- my headline above describes the basic plot here. Interesting lineage, it was first released as a Showtime original in 1991, then given a German theatrical release and in 1997 put out straight to DVD. Somewhere in there was a VHS release or two. 

It's an okay flick, fairly predictable and routine, lacking any real directorial style or panache, The bad guy's drug world is portrayed way over the top and basically ruins anything the film had going for it up to that point. There are however a few good action scenes and a great stunt where a guy goes sliding down the side of a hotel. Marilu Henner is gorgeous as always but underused and better than the material. 

Call it one of those "worth one watch" for cinephiles. Hard to find, I put the only digital representation out there on Dailymotion below, enjoy.  1.5 stars/2.75

HARD EIGHT (1996) - LONG BEFORE "MAGNOLIA" AND "THERE WILL BE BLOOD," P T ANDERSON'S DELICIOUS FIRST FEATURE PAVED WAY FOR HIS ENSEMBLE HITS

 

PHILLIP BAKER HALL/JOHN C REILLY

PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN IN A SCENE STEALING CAMEO

Hey all - Happy Thanksgiving 😊 hope u watch a lot of 🎬 movies, here's an oft overlooked gem from P T Anderson's impressive canon of work. A lot of these actors went on to work with him on multiple films 🎥 except maybe Gwyneth Paltrow who is actually great in this. I don't care what anyone says, the girl can act! 

Phillip Baker Hall plays Sydney, a sort of mysterious angel here on earth 🌎 kind of loner who picks up John (John C Reilly) a destitute gambler and offers to drive him back to Vegas , loan him fifty dollars 💸 and show him how to parlay it into a lot more. I won't spoil the rest but let's just say a lot of the quirky 🤪 characters, their choices and the predicaments they ultimately find themselves in foreshadows both Boogie Nights and Magnolia. 

I'm a huge fan but must admit I haven't been too happy with most of the stuff from The Master forward and as brilliantly gifted Anderson is, he seems to have lost the charm of his earlier films or at least traded some of it in for bigger set pieces. If you're a fan of that earlier work then this is a must see, a John The Baptist if you will of what was to come.  3.75 stars/5

MICHAEL J FOX IS WORKING AS A FACT CHECKER FOR AN UPSCALE MAGAZINE IN NYC - SNORTING COCAINE AND LOVING THE NIGHTLIFE IN "BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY" (1988)

 
     I not only remember those late 80's sunglasses, I used to own a pair!

And I wish I still had those glasses, they were cool. And Michael J Fox is ultra cool in legendary writer/ director James Bridges (The Paper Chase, Urban Cowboy) last film. Pretty much at the peak of his stardom around the time of Secret Of My Success, Fox turns in a respectable performance as a fact checker in daily peril of losing his job because he likes the NYC nightlife and cocaine just a little too much. His wife recently left him which fuels his erratic behavior and zest for the late 80's club scene.

A great supporting cast especially good ole Swoosie Kurtz who plays his concerned workmate. An early Kiefer Sutherland is great here as the classic 80/s clubbing pal. The film went thru major development hell, handed off from one producer to the next and suffers slightly as a result with a disjointed feel here and there. Ultimately it's a miss, which is a bit of a bummer as this could have been a great character study gem. I still find the film very entertaining thanks to Fox's performance and a pretty killer soundtrack to suit the 80's club environment. Streaming on Tubi and Pluto thru Dec 1.  3.0 stars/5

MEANWHILE BACK IN MALIBU, WE'RE GOING "DOWN THE P.C.H." (2006) - SUPER LOW BUDGET INDIE BY SEAN MICHAEL BEYER THAT PACKS A SERIOUS PUNCH

 

It's a familiar storyline - guy gets out of prison, tries to start a clean life, someone tries to thwart it. In this case it's his younger brother who has fallen in with the wrong Malibu crowd. Which is one of the cool things about this flick, there's lots of movies about Malibu but few about the troubled youth drug underworld. Beyer makes his script work with a colorful array of characters so we don't get bogged down in gangster land. 

The ensemble cast rocks, several recognizable faces and always great to see Lin Shaye. And to think this was made for less than fifty thousand dollars just shows what a whole lot of passion can accomplish. I first found out about this movie a good ten years ago from one of our featured blogs, Rupert Pupkin Speaks. And in fact through the years I've discovered scores of great movies just from his site, check it out.

Only available on DVD, best bet is Amazon, used copies go about seven dollars.  2.75 stars/2.75

WILLIAM H MACY IS IN A "PANIC" (2000) WHY? HIS FATHER HAS FORCED HIM INTO A LIFETIME OF BEING AN ASSASSIN IN THIS WAY OVERLOOKED LOW BUDGET INDIE

    Donald Sutherland and William H Macy - an exquisite pairing. 

Alex (William H Macy) is having a rather unique mid-life crisis. His family business of being a hit man has eaten away at him and he wants out. Meanwhile, his dad (Donald Sutherland) is already handing him another assignment while his shrink (John Ritter) is trying to get him to stand up to his dad and quit the business. A reckless diversion with a younger femme fatale (Neve Campbell) might not be a good idea at this time either. 

The cast is phenomenal with a capital P. This is one of John Ritter's last films and while comedy was his best arena. he totally shines here in a purely dramatic role. Beautifully shot in Huntington Beach. Critically acclaimed but a box office flop, file this one under way overlooked and then head over to Tubi where it's currently streaming for free.  2.75 stars/2.75

WILLEM DAFOE IS MANAGING A BUDGET MOTEL JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM WALT DISNEY WORLD IN "THE FLORIDA PROJECT" (2017) - HE HAS ONE BIG PROBLEM, HER NAME IS MOONEEEEE

 
Holy Crap, what a performance. 

A visual lesson in how not to raise your eight year old daughter, The Florida Project is an amazing indie that was made for only $2 million yet outshines any hundred million budget flick going these days. Lithuanian newcomer Bria Vinaite kills it as a free-wheeling and reckless single mom trying to just get by in a budget motel run by Willem Dafoe. 

Not going to spend a lot of time on this one, either you've seen it or not, If you haven't then add it to your list asap. Stellar indies like this one (Buffalo 66, Paris Texas, Little Miss Sunshine come to mind) only come down the pike once a decade and this is a very special one. 5 stars/5

THE SPARKS BROTHERS (2021) - SEMINAL LOS ANGELES BAND FINALLY GETS IT'S JUST DUE IN EDGAR WRIGHT'S OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY

 
I don't pay much attention to the visitor demographics of this blog but I would imagine there's a good portion of you from California and particularly Los Angeles. If you live in LA and don't know who or what Sparks is then you should get out of LA. All others are excused and encouraged to delve into the wonderful world that is the music of the Mael Brothers.

Some may know them from the early 70's Kimono My House days and others may remember the KROQ hits from the early 80's like Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat or I Predict. Still others may associate them with their appearance in the notorious Rollercoaster movie but even the most hardcore Sparks fans rarely know the entire breadth of their musical landscape. Every hardcore Sparks fan will still make a new discovery song wise or album wise when they watch this outstanding documentary. 

Edgar Wright manages to make an over two hour documentary on a band most people never heard of go by very quickly and enjoyably as he tackles their almost fifty year career. Editing is phenomenal and I would go so far as to say Mr Wright has created an instant classic in the music documentary genre. 4.5 stars/5

OLD (2021) - I'LL TELL YA WHAT'S OLD, M NIGHT SHYAMALAN AND HIS DUMB ASS MOVIES. AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON "LADY IN THE WATER" CAUSE THAT MAKES THIS LOOK GOOD!

 
This is how I felt after watching Old. 

I want my 5.99 back! I'm not going to sugarcoat it- I've never really cared for this guy's work and when I tell you the one and only movie of his I really like and keep in my collection, you'll probably leave the blog. The Village, there, I said it. I just always thought the idea of a bunch of people that had been through traumatic experiences starting their own thing in the middle of the woods was brilliant but the looney dialect they gave all the characters was also annoying. Still, I'd rather listen to those blubbering idiots any day compared to the oafs that inhabit the beach in Old. 

Not only did I not care for any of these characters, practically every line in the script is devoted to supporting or explaining the premise. What ever happened to leaving in a little room for imagination to connect the dots? Instead, we get a lesson in the theory of relativity from a bunch of morons we could care less about. I don't know, I just don't get it. Nor most of his films since the early days. I wasn't even that crazy about Signs, especially the casting. And don't even get me started on Lady In The Water, very possibly one of the worst movies of that decade, if not all time.  

Don't mean to be crass but the only thing I found entertaining in Old was the bikini's.  1.0 stars/5

3 NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD ALTERNATIVES - OFF COLOR FILMS COLORIZED (2004) REANIMATED (2009) & NIGHT OF THE ANIMATED DEAD (2021)

 

If you dig all things NIGHT 🌙✨of the Living DEAD related like 👍 I do, then consider these 3 😁 interesting alternatives -

I can totally dig the purists who like their NOTLD organic, the original slime of the black and white film. For those wanting to venture further out, there have been several colorized versions but the only one worth it's salt is Off Color Film's 2004 version produced by a studio called Legend. The exteriors look better than inside the house but it's still a fine color version. 

"Reanimated" from 2009 has a great concept - use the original audio track from the film but film new animation from a variety of artists. Ironically, it's that variety that seems to be missing. I found it to be boring and not continuous enough. 

The new Night Of The Animated Dead is certainly an interesting take on things with new animation that sticks to the script word by word but uses different voices. The character's faces don't seem to retain the original characteristics with the exception of Barbara who pretty much looks like herself. The animation is pretty cool though and this one ultimately gets lumped with "worth at least one watch" especially for NOTLD fans.

Night Of The Living Dead - Colorized (Off Color Films - 2004)  2.75 stars/2.75

Night Of The Living Dead : Reanimated (2009)  1.0 stars/2.75

Night Of The Animated Dead (2021) 1.75 stars/2.75

VAL KILMER IS "THE SUPER" (2017) - A CREEP WHO LIKES TO DABBLE IN BLACK MAGIC, SPEAK TO HIMSELF IN TOUNGES AND SCARE LITTLE GIRLS IN BASEMENTS - SERIOUSLY?

 

A retired cop takes a job as one of three supers in a huge high rise in Manhattan. People have been mysteriously disappearing and all clues point to the strange one of the three played by Val Kilmer. Now it looks like the super's harassing one of the cop's two little girls. There's only one solution - the super's gotta go down. I mean, if you were a retired cop with two little girls and a guy that looks like Kilmer chasing them around the basement, wouldn't you?

However, this is a supernatural thriller so there's much more going on here that I don't want to spoil. Suffice it to say - keep your eye on the daughter's clown toy because it's a puzzle that acts as a key to the puzzle of what's really going on in this apartment high-rise the size of the Chrysler Building.

Kilmer proves once again why he's one of the greats, acting mostly with his face and strange utterances. Love the music and production design. Most of the reviews were not as kind but I found this to be a quality, enjoyable and genuinely scary horror thriller. Streaming free on Vudu, Tubi and YT.  3.0 stars/5

JEFF FAHEY AND BRENT BRISCOE ARE MINERS TRAPPED 600 FEET "BENEATH" (2013) THE SURFACE - NO TIME, OXYGEN'S RUNNING OUT, HALLUCINATIONS, AND THEY'RE TURNING ON EACH OTHER!

 

Brent Briscoe's second-to-last feature finds him teaming up with Jeff Fahey as a couple of veteran miners leading a group of younger miners. A woman who is only supposed to be along for that day starts to hallucinate as their peril of being trapped slowly worsens and their oxygen runs out. Are her comrades really turning on her and each other or is it really the ghosts of another mining accident years before?

Production design is excellent and the film does have some good scares once it gets going. Fahey and Briscoe are totally in their element here but they are better than the material they have to work with, A strong lack of character development and past history, we want to care for these folks and their dilemma but know very little about them. 

To add to the film's drawbacks there were two other movies released in the years 2013 and 2014 with the same exact title and this film is listed as both so if you're going to check it out make sure it's the "Beneath" about the miners.  2.5 stars/5