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

Updated 12-31-23 - Happy to report Strange Days is now available in the streaming world but only on Max or DirecTV. 

MY TOP 7 MOVIE DISCOVERIES OF 2023 w/ trailers, rating, where to stream (THAT'S WHAT WE DO AROUND HERE, WE DISCOVER MOVIES!)

 As usual, not meant to be a comprehensive list or in any particular order but these are SEVEN that really made a great impression on me...happy holiday everyone, there will be one more post before we turn the calendar....cheers TR

WHITEWASH (2013) - Thomas Haden Church in a Canadian psychological thriller

3.0 stars/5   Tubi, Plex, Pluto, Popcorn

THE PERFECT HOST (2010) - Can't say enough about this quirky thriller, love it!

3.0 stars/5  Tubi, Plex, Vudu Free, Pluto

DEVIL (2010) - written by M Night Shyamalan, directed by John Dowdle

3.0 stars/5    Available VOD

FALL (2022) - every bit as vertigo-inducing and the two leads are great

3.25 stars/5     Starz, DirecTV, VOD

THE VANISHED (2020) - Anne Heche's second-to-last feature, a missing daughter mystery

3.0 stars/5     Prime Video, VOD

LIGHT OF DAY (1987) - charming rock n roll movie w Joan Jett & Michael J Fox

2.75 stars/2.75   watch full movie above or rent/buy on Amazon only

EMILY, THE CRIMINAL (2022) - Aubrey, Aubrey, Aubrey....'nuff said. 

3.5 stars/5    Netflix, VOD

CANDY CANE LANE (2023) - IT'S NOT EXACTLY AN INSTANT CLASSIC BUT IT IS COLORFUL, IMAGINATIVE AND ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE EDDIE MURPHY

 

Going to have to keep this one short and sweet which I'm sure will please a lot of people, but seriously this is a pretty decent Christmas film, a comedy-adventure-fantasy might be a good way to term it. Stalwart producer Brian Grazer was at the helm here and it shows. A fun and festive film based on the 12 days of Christmas, we highly recommend this one, Merry Christmas to all!   3.0 stars/5

The Little People

TWO DRUG ADDICTS BOTCH A ROBBERY AND FIND THEMSELVES IN A REAL NO-WITNESSES BIND IN "THE SURPRISE VISIT" (2022)

 
The mullet is back and wants money for drugs. 

The Surprise Visit is a more-than-effective suspense thriller about a couple of drug addicts who rob a rich lady's house thinking she's out of town and let's just say things don't go so well. There's serious choices to be made if they're going to cover their tracks. 

The legendary Eric Roberts has a supporting role here as the drug addict's father and as usual is excellent. There's a lot of great talent in the acting department here but the real star is the performance by up-and-coming Regan Ferrier. She kills it as the confused and delusional druggie's girlfriend suddenly swept into something she can't control. 

Thumbs up for The Surprise Visit which also has a cool ending, streaming now on Tubi & Amazon Prime.  3.0 stars/5

THE INCOMPARABLE LIN SHAYE IS THE LANDLADY FROM HELL IN "ROOM FOR RENT" (2019)

 
If you answer an ad and see this woman open the door then run in the other direction fast as you can.

The incomparable Lin Shaye stars in Room For Rent, a B-movie thriller that debuted at Sedona Film Festival in 2019. It's a simple, no-frills suspense yarn that lets the story and Shaye's performance carry the weight. The end result is quite a decent 81-minute watch. Shaye rents a room in her house to a young man (Oliver Rayon) and starts to come on to him in various creepy ways. If you've ever been in any roommate situation that didn't turn out well then this flick will make your skin crawl more than once. 

Room For Rent currently streams on Tubi, Freevee and Vudu Free. Check it out! 2.75 stars/2.75

ANDES SURVIVORS RELOADED - "SOCIETY OF THE SNOW" (2024) PROMISES TO BE PENULTIMATE VERSION OF THE GREATEST SURVIVAL STORY THAT EVER WAS

 

Is it January 4th yet? I can't wait for this one! Those of you that have been around the blog a while probably know my fascination with this story. In the mid-'70's when the book Alive came out I was a senior in boarding school and would read the book after lights out, we're talking flashlight under the blanket, the whole bit. 

A quick refresher on all three features available up to now on this story - Alive (1993) and the highly regarded documentaries I Am Alive (History Channel 2010) and Stranded: I Come From A Plane... (2007.)  

Alive (1993) was a great director choice in Frank Marshall and wonderfully produced, shot at the original site and all that. But the A-listers, Ethan Hawke especially, skewed the authentic vibe of the tragedy into something way too Hollywood for the occasion. 

This new Netflix film is directed by J.A. Bayona and so far looks to correct a lot of those wrongs in Marshall's version. It's in Spanish with all unknown actors and is being released simultaneously with a book of the same title which comes out today. Both media attempt to tell the story in a modern day context as well as more philosophical, what was going through their minds at the time this all happened back in 1972. 

The trailer looks very authentic, and there are articles about the technical achievements here including shooting the plane on three different locations including a pulley system where it could rotate etc. Looks to be a good one, too bad it's on Netflix but I'll break down this one time. Plus, it'll give me an excuse to watch The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs again, perhaps the greatest Western ever made, certainly the best Western anthology ever made. ;-)

Editor's Correction - The book Society Of The Snow came out in 2008, not this month. 

SAY IT AIN'T SO, RYAN O' NEAL PASSES AWAY AT AGE 82

Say it ain't so, Ryan O' Neal in Barry Lyndon. 

One of the most iconic actors of the '70's, Ryan O' Neal has passed at 82. Read more about it here. 

For those of us in the over 55 category, it's like losing an old friend, we grew up with this guy!

One of the all-time greats, you will be sorely missed, enjoy the ride. 

O' NEAL CREAM O' THE CROP

Barry Lyndon (1975) 

As he usually did with his actors, Kubrick worked extensively with O' Neal and probably pushed him to the brink and back but absolutely got an unequaled iconic performance.  5.0 stars/5

What's Up Doc? (1973)

Screwball comedy was new territory for O' Neal when he teamed with Barbra Streisand for this now classic comedy. There is so much other great talent in this film like Madeline Kahn and Kenneth Mars but the two Taureans, Streisand and O'Neal, were just sublime together. 3.5 stars/5

The Thief Who Came To Dinner (1973)

Unless you happen to own the VHS of this (in which case you're sitting on a couple hundred dollars) you're likely S.O.L. in being able to see this. One of the most obscure '70's flicks, it was television producer Bud Yorkin's second foray into features and is a great comedy that also features Warren Oates. 3.0 stars/5

Irreconcilable Differences (1984)

O' Neal worked for scale because he believed in the project and later said in an interview he considers it some of the best work he ever did. We agree. And besides O' Ryan the film also features an Oscar-worthy bordering on snub performance by Shelly Long and the first outing of Sharon Stone (as a brunette.) This rating will surprise some but I'm not kidding- 5 stars/5

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THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER (2023) - DRIPPING WITH GOTHIC HORROR BUT THE TAP IS DRY ON SCARES AND ACTION

 
The long anticipated Last Voyage Of The Demeter, based on a single chapter from the original Stoker novel, has all the ingredients to make a horror classic. It is beautifully shot, should literally be nominated for it's production design but fails to deliver the full goods in scares. It's too slow moving, the characters are hard to relate to. 

Having said that, this doomed voyage carrying 50 crates in a tumultuous journey from Transylvania to London is an important and oft overlooked chapter in the original book, the film is faithful to the original source material. The production design is gorgeous, the whole movie oozes goth. And the special effects are admirable as well. 

If it had more scares and was faster moving, it may have hit the mark. But ultimately, Last Voyage (which spent over two decades in development hell and bombed big time at the box office) is, at best, a serviceable horror flick.  2.5 stars/5

When the trailer is more exciting than the movie, you know you got a problem.

READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS, B-MOVIE FANS? - HERE'S A PLAYLIST OF 26 CHRISTMAS RELATED B-FLICK TRAILERS TO GET YOU IN THE MOOD

 

Happy Horrific Holidays to you, movie fans and thank you all for visiting the blog! 

I found this playlist I put together a few years ago and it has some rockin' b-movie trailers, all pertaining to Christmas or Santa Claus. 

Enjoy, and thanks again for stopping by! TR

"CHRISTMAS HORROR TRAILER PARK" PLAYLIST

FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S (2023) - I GO AGAINST THE GRAIN AND CALL THIS A FUN, ENJOYABLE HORROR ROMP, WAY BETTER THAN WILLY'S WONDERLAND

 

Fate played a little hand in my discovering this film because I did not know it was based on a video game and had I known likely would not have checked it out. I'm really glad I did, I find this a fun and effective mix of horror, comedy and animatronics. 

Josh Hutcherson plays a troubled security guard who takes a job at an abandoned family entertainment center where four animatronic mascots who are prone to murder reside. Guess when they like to come out? That's right, at night. 

Character actor Matthew Lillard plays the career counselor that sets him up with this gig and he's excellent, raising the overall bar of the film to a higher level. The creatures are not hokey at all, certainly not like Willy's Wonderland. The acting by the main leads is top notch, music is great and it's finely directed with all the right suspense and pacing. 

Not sure what the critics were all griping about on this one, I say thumbs up for Five Nights At Freddy's. The public certainly liked it as it was a financial success and a sequel is already in the works. 

As of this post, Freddy's is only available on Peacock.  3.25 stars/5

REPOST WEEK! - AL PACINO IS A DRUGGED-OUT PUBLICITY AGENT AND RYAN O NEAL IS HIS BEST CLIENT TRYING TO HIDE A SECRET IN "PEOPLE I KNOW" (2002)

 

A burned out publicity agent (Pacino) also a druggie and alcoholic, he's trying to get out of the racket but can only keep hustling to keep things afloat. His best client, an actor who is trying to break into politics (Ryan O Neal) asks him to pick up an actress (Tea Leoni in an instant favorite role) at the police station for him. They decide to go out and party all night where in a hotel room he passes out right as he sees her raped and murdered. The next day, preparing for a big event that's supposed to jump start his career back, a series of events take place where he begins to realize what he may have witnessed the previous night but also that his life is in danger. 

When you look up the term mixed reviews, it says see this movie. It surely could have used another run through development and suffers from continuity and character development problems. Yet somehow it pulls you in, has a bit of a hypnotic effect very much like the drugs it's character's take. That's reliant however on you rolling with the main characters from the get-go. The film also had the unfortunate luck of being held back a year due to 9/11. There were scenes that had the buildings in the background, subsequently removed. 

Music by Spike Lee regular Terrance Blanchard gets a little overlooked in the mess as does Kim Basinger and Bill Nunn in key roles. Ryan O Neal didn't do a lot of features as time went on and it's nice to see him here as his charismatic and dapper self. He brings to this film very much what he did to Zero Effect four years prior. Tea Leoni is a total firecracker and her scenes bring what little electricity comes to this misfire before her character is killed off. 

An indie that not surprisingly bombed at the box office. A mess for sure, but one that's somehow interesting to watch. Currently available VOD on Amazon or Vudu. Good one to throw on late at night. 3.0 stars/5

REPOST WEEK! - THEY LIVE IN AN ABANDONED SILVER MINE, THEY'VE BEEN DOWN THERE FOR 100 YEARS, NOW SOMEONE HAS AWAKENED "THE BOOGENS" (1981) - RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

 

File this one under "critters" type movies a la CHUD, Gremlins, The Pit and so on. Two college aged couples rent a house while the boys of the group are working down in an old silver mine. By going down into the mine they awaken the Boogens who've been asleep for a hundred years and planned on sleeping in. Why then are there people disappearing from the house? 

A Boogen, in case you're wondering, is a scaly monster somewhat resembling a large turtle, ugly as f*ck, with lots of nasty sharp teeth. And that's all I need to know to have me running in the other direction. 

This is a great eighties horror classic, some would call a VHS classic since it did real well in that format. The cast is a perfect collection of eighties faces as well. A little cheesy comedy here and there, some appealing eye candy, just the right amount of everything to round out a bona fide eighties horror classic, a must-see for B-movie fans.  2.75 stars/2.75

A Boogen, run for your lives!

REPOST WEEK! - 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

REPOST WEEK! - 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

REPOST WEEK! - JON GRIES & GARRETT MORRIS ARE HEADED FOR A "JACKPOT" (2001) - HOWEVER, THEY IS NOT GAMBLING, THEY ARE SINGING IN KARAOKE CONTESTS!

"If you like Pina Coladas....and getting caught in the rain.."

Sing it, Jon!

"Candy" scene

Sonny Holiday (Jon Gries) is a dreamer. He wants to be a karaoke star but he's really a legend in his own mind. He chucks his wife and kid to go on the road with Lester Irving (Garrett Morris) who is supposed to be Sonny's manager but he's got his own delusions going. They travel from town to town living a meager existence and running into various characters, making this one part road movie as well. 

Gries really digs deep into his part and has an appealing voice in the music scenes. Morris has a lot of lines in this one and it's nice to see him stretch out in a combo comedic and dramatic role. The late, great Mac Davis has a short but enjoyable cameo and the film's highest marks come in it's editing which is indie perfect. The Polish Brothers are the duo behind this one and you know how we love lifting up overlooked films on this blog. This one's a dandy! 3.0 stars/5 Only available on DVD. 

Jackpot

Theatrical Trailer from Sony Pictures Classics

I ESCAPED FROM DEVILS ISLAND (1973) - ROGER CORMAN'S SHAMELESS TAKE ON 'PAPILLION'

 

Can anyone tell me what in this picture relates to Papillion? 

I suppose it should be mentioned first that I consider the original Papillion with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman to be the greatest prison movie ever made, second only to Cool Hand Luke. So, I'm probably going to be even more critical towards a Roger Corman version, especially one starring Jim Brown, the worst of the blaxploitation big name actors. (He's no Fred Williamson.)

A clunky stitch of scenes, Devils Island replicates just about every trope from the original - the officer, the guillotine, the jungle, lepers, etc. It's pretty pitiful stuff, bordering on "should never been made" territory. 

An obscurity up until recently,  Devils Island is now on Tubi, available for anyone to see, warts and all. It's worth at least one watch for B-movie lovers but expect to have that "I don't want to look at the car accident but I have to" feeling.   1.75 stars/2.75 

Link to a 3 min clip

PATTON OSWALT IS A HARDCORE NY GIANTS FAN WHO HAS A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH HIS FAVORITE PLAYER IN "BIG FAN" (2009)

 

Comedian and actor Patton Oswalt gives a damn impressive performance and plays against type as a disgruntled New York Giants fan who snaps a circuit. He likes to call a sports talk show on the radio and rail against Philadelphia Eagles fans. He's 34 and still lives with his mom, works in a parking garage, his brother and family all think he's a loser. His one best friend (Kevin Corrigan) is a hanger-on. 

One night he spots his favorite player, a defensive back, in a gas station. He and his best friend follow him to a couple places. When he finally gets to meet his sports idol, let's just say things don't go too well. The rest of this quirky little indie focuses on how he handles the misfired encounter.

Not only is this a great little indie, it's excellently edited and the passion for the project shines though nicely. It's a football movie that doesn't take place on the field of play but firmly belongs in the genre as a soon-to-be sports classic. Highly recommend!  2.75 stars/2.75

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A NEW HORROR ICON AND HER NAME IS "MEGAN" (2023) AND "MEGAN UNRATED" (2023)

 

Great news for horror movie fans - Megan is a instant classic. Fans are already clamoring for the sequel and even an old anti-sequel geezer like myself wants more of this crazy little robot. 

With a little Sci-fi, comedy and suspence sprinkled throughout, the producers of Megan know exactly how to push the right buttons while keeping the movie firmly in the horror genre. The special effects are spot-on, perfect really. 

There is very little difference between the unrated and PG13 versions except that the former has some marginal profanity and the kills are slightly more gory. I expected to be rating these separately but they're very much the same film - see the unrated unless you have a younger age group to cater to. Thumbs way up for Megan!  3.75 stars/5

BACK TO THE DRIVE-IN (2023) - NEW DOCUMENTARY SHOWCASES 11 DIFFERENT DRIVE-IN THEATERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THEIR PAIN, PASSION AND PLEASURE

 

A sweet and simple documentary showcasing 11 drive-ins and featuring all the great people behind the scenes that keep these historical venues running.  Of course the owners are interviewed but so are a lot of staff members and I love how in the credits they took particular care to list every last employee whether they appeared on camera or not.

One of the subjects covered includes how Covid affected the industry and how its currently rebounding. At least as best as it can given all the other challenges that already existed pre-Covid. It's a very family and clanish group that run these places and the dedication and hours involved are akin to owning a restaurant.  These are the real movie lovers.  

Currently streams on Tubi, Vudu Free and Amazon Prime.   3.25 stars/5

INSIDE (2023) - WILLEM DAFOE RUNS AMOK TRAPPED IN A NYC LUXURIOUS PENTHOUSE AND GIVES NEW MEANING TO WTF

 

For the ultimate example of why dialog is so essential in a film, one need look no further than Robert Redford's All Is Lost and now Willem Dafoe's Inside. However, whereas Redford's film focuses mostly on the material things his protagonist can do to get out of his predicament, Inside covers the psychological and spiritual as well. Inside is indeed a very strange beast to be taken on its own terms - a bizarre one-man slowburn and,  I suspect, a metaphoric message on climate change or the human condition in general. 

You probably already know Dafoe plays an art thief who gets trapped inside a luxurious penthouse which shuts down all its systems. "Nemo" has to figure out how to survive without water, temperature control or much food as well as figure out how to escape. Let's just say his journey is long and goes some desperate, ugly and insane places. 

Dafoe is truly one of our greatest living thespians and in typical fashion he brings an energetic and intense performance here. But ultimately Inside is a miss and a reminder that we always need dialog in features.  2.75 stars/5

EMILIO ESTEVEZ AND FRIENDS ARE OUT FOR THE NIGHT WHEN THEY WITNESS A MURDER AND ARE CHASED BY DRUG DEALERS IN "JUDGMENT NIGHT" (1993)

 

One review I read describes Judgment Night as basically an excellently directed and produced film but at the same time wholly preposterous in its plot and storyline. I start my post with this as I believe it's about as spot-on a description as you can get. Judgment Night is basically one long chase film through South Philly with our four protagonists (which includes a young Cuba Gooding Jr) and a drug dealer thug (Denis Leary) and his gang. The chase leads them through quite a few different situations such as over roofs, through train yards and even the sewer as they try and evade the bad guys.

1993 was a really great year for action movies and I would add this to the list. It's a fun little action flick and in the first part features one of the coolest party trailers you'll ever see, at least for 1993, I only wish it had been used more. Thumbs way up on this one and good news, it's currently streaming on Tubi, Plex, Amazon Prime, Sling and Freevee.  3.25 stars/5

COCAINE BEAR (2023) - NOW THAT WE GOT THAT OUT OF OUR SYSTEM, WE CAN FILE IT AWAY WITH Y2K, THE MANNEQUIN CHALLENGE AND OTHER PASSING FADS

 

This is an interesting, somewhat true story that could have been great and ultimately cult classic in the hands of someone like Alex Cox, for example. Instead we get a partially entertaining comedy-thriller-horror sort of hybrid that besides needing directorial style also comes across as disjointed and unsure of what it wants to be. 

Isiah Whitlock, Jr is one of the film's few saving graces (the other being cinematography) but he has little to work with. His scenes with a little dog that he hates but has been stuck with aren't even that funny and it's a downright shame he doesn't get to say his famous line, "sheeeet." It would have been one of the best scenes. 

The film ends with "in loving memory of Ray Liotta" which of course is nice. His scenes here are too short though and his star power stands out like a sore thumb, he was much better than this stuff. If you want to see what all the fuss is about then check it out, otherwise skip.  1.5 stars/5

TILDA SWINTON IS "JULIA" (2008) - AN OUT OF CONTROL ALCOHOLIC WHO KIDNAPS A LITTLE BOY FOR RANSOM

 

Tilda Swinton absolutely kills it in the titular role of "Julia." A co-production between France, United States, Mexico and Belgium, it debuted at the Berlin Film Festival and did well with European critics. It's an unbashful and in-your-face film wonderfully directed by French filmmaker Erick Zonka, more known for his award-winning The Dreamlife Of Angels. 

An astounding performance here by the great Tilda Swinton, a film that's not for the weak of heart. For visitors of this blog, an absolute must-see. Currently on Amazon Prime or VOD.  4.0 stars/5

CRASH (TV 1978) & CYCLONE (1978) - AT THE HEIGHT OF THE WHOLE '70's AIRLINE DISASTER GENRE, ALONG CAME THESE TWO DUDS

 

To try and illustrate just how unexciting and off-base this TV flick is, it features Adrienne Barbeau's character in a raincoat. Who the hell wants to see Adrienne Barbeau in a raincoat?! 

The movie attempts to faithfully recreate the events surrounding a jetliner that went down in 1972 and somehow 73 people still survived. There are a few good parts but overall it's melodrama city. 1.0 stars/2.75

I've always thought of Rene Cardona, Jr as a sort of Mexican version of Ted V. Mikels. While Cardona's films are a bit more broader in scope and lavish in production, the two B-movie legends share a strong similarity for terrible acting and equally bad production values. Yet, somehow running under the current is a unique style of their own. 

Part airline disaster film, part natural disaster and part shark movie all in one, Cyclone is really not that bad a flick. And the mix of genres doesn't come across as overbearing. It's just that about halfway through the film turns very nasty and dark as the survivors from the plane crash try to eat each other and whatnot. It's a palatable tone that just seems to change the film from there on out. 

Nonetheless I would classify this as a must-watch for B-movie enthusiasts. Streams on Tubi, Plex and Amazon Prime. 1.5 stars/2.75

ANNA PAQUIN IS A SINGLE MOM CAUGHT UP IN THE '70's DRUG TRADE, SHE'S JUST TRYING TO MAKE A BETTER LIFE FOR HER TWO GIRLS IN "FREE RIDE" (2013)

 

The one-and-only Anna Paquin looks incredible in this fairly simple druggy tale of a single mom in Florida. This is not necessarily a super challenging part for the women who won an Oscar at age 11. But she makes it hers and let's the presence of her character and charisma (not to mention costuming, which is great in this film) shine through. 

My biggest complaint with Free Ride would be the way it comes to an end. There's really not much to set it up, it's like boom, she's busted, okay. Music's good and the late '70's style is nicely represented throughout. I'd say it's worth a little higher rating than some of the reviews I read, going to go 2.75 out of 5 on this one. If you like drug movies, you should like this, streams on Tubi, Pluto, and Flex.  2.75 stars/5

TOMMY'S 12th ANNUAL PICK-5 GREAT SUMMER MOVIES! - THIS YEAR ALL 5 MOVIES IN ONE POST - "tried & true favorites, old and new"

 

Greetings All - For those that may not be familiar with my yearly tradition, it's not meant to be a definitive list of any sort, it's basically a stack (well these days that's stack and chips) of movies I'll keep in my queue of MOVIES....that's right, we love movies around here. So hopefully one may catch your eye or remind you to revisit it in a good way, have a great rest of your summer! TR

1 10 (1979)

George Webber's (Dudley Moore) childish excursion to Manzanilla, Mexico that makes up the bulk of this classic is one of the great beach resort sequences in all of cinema. It was also a breakout role for Brian Dennehy who plays a bartender if you can believe that. And Bo Derek of course but the real reason to see this gem is Dudley Moore who died way too young and was one of the comedic greats. 3.0 stars/5

2 WHITE WATER SUMMER (1987)

This one entered the list a few years ago and has been a rising star since. Worth seeing for the scenery and cinematography alone, Kevin Bacon leads a group of teens on a survival summer thing and becomes the counselor from hell. Caught in the middle with his summer ruined is Sean Astin who is great in this. Your eyes are not fooling you if he looks older in some scenes - it was actually filmed in 1985 and held up for a couple years. Someone then had the bright idea to film new scenes with Astin doing narration stuff but clearly doesn't match up. Sort of a guilty pleasure movie but oh, so fun.  2.75 stars/5

3 HOT SUMMER NIGHTS (2017)

Neo-noir mixed with coming-of-age? Sounds great from the start and thanks to Elijah Bynum in his directorial debut, it is. Timothy Chalamet plays a slightly aloof teen who makes friends with a total badass (Alex Roe, excellent) for the purposes of selling weed all summer. It's a basically a drugs tale along the lines of Blow as they get in deeper and deeper trouble. Takes place in Cape Cod where another summer favorite of mine, The Way, Way Back does which didn't make the list this year. This is a surprisingly stylish and fun hybrid of two great genres. As Gordon Ramsay would say..."Well done!"   3.25 stars/5

4 DON'T MAKE WAVES (1967)

G-rated by today's standards, back in 1967, MGM put out this Tony Curtis vehicle out as a sexual farce back when they had a rating called M for mature audiences. Sort of what became R. Curtis plays a tourist visiting Malibu beach when he has the misfortune of running into (literally) an Italian artist (femme fatale Claudia Cardinale.) They're the two main leads but the films explores various relationships and pairings between the rest of the cast which includes the infamous Sharon Tate in her breakout role. A great look at Southern California culture circa 1967.   2.75 stars/5

5 MALIBU HIGH (1979)

Featured a couple months ago as the B-movie of the month, what's the summer without a little sleaze. Ok, well a lot of sleaze in what I like to call Crown International's best release ever. Viva la Jill Lansing! 2.75 stars/2.75

HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR SUMMER

DAVID HYDE PIERCE IS "THE PERFECT HOST" (2010) - WELL, MAYBE NOT! - QUIRKY AND UNIQUE BLEND OF BLACK COMEDY AND HORROR IS A WINNER

 

Hats off to Nicolas Tomnay who wrote and directed this full-length version of his original short film The Host from 2001. A unique blend of black comedy and psychological horror that instantly claims it's own territory in the cinematic universe. I was dazzled and impressed with this one and have already watched it several times. 

Clayne Crawford plays "John," a bank robber on the run from a recent score. He winds up in the Hollywood Hills, North Vermont Ave section up by Greek Theater and cons his way into a house owned by "Warick" (David Hyde Pierce) just about to give a dinner party. Pretending to be an old friend of a friend, John cons Warick into staying for the dinner party but then turns a knife on him and says he's taking over the house for the night as a hide-out and if Warick complies he won't get killed. 

I won't give away the rest but let's just say our perfect host turns the tables on John and exacts a fun evening of revenge. And there's much more including Helen Reddy (yes, I Am Woman Helen Reddy) playing Warick's next door neighbor, hardly recognizable from her chart topping days. 

Filmed in LA, thumbs way up on this one. Streams on Tubi and many other free platforms.

3.25 stars/5

WILLIAM H MACY IS "EDMOND" (2005) A GUY WHO IS TOTALLY LOSING HIS SH*T WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN L.A.

 

First things first - Edmond is one twisted freak of a movie. A bizzare treatise on racism in the form of a character study film. However, it's also powered by an absolutely brilliant nomination-worthy performance by William H Macy.

We're never really given a reason for Edmond losing his sh*t but the fun all starts when he gets off work one night and walks into a metaphysical store and gets a Tarot reading. He goes home and shocks his wife by announcing he's leaving her, walks out and his odyssey thru downtown LA begins.

I'll leave the rest to your viewing pleasure as Edmond stops at a lot of places, slowly becoming unhinged and purchasing a knife in a pawn store. There's some great support, of particular note is gorgeous Julia Stiles who plays a waitress Edmond shags. 

And I haven't even mentioned the third act which is even worse for Edmond. A movie for people with thicker skins and a must-watch for aspiring actors. Streams free on Tubi and Pluto. 3.0 stars/5

I AM D.B. COOPER (2022) - THE ONLY UNSOLVED HIJACKING IN AVIATION HISTORY IS GIVEN A DISGRACEFUL ADAPTION, EVEN FANS OF THE EARLY 70's CRIME WON'T LIKE THIS

 

This guy is D.B. Cooper like I play for the New York Jets...

A few years back there was a bizarre resurgence in people coming forward all of a sudden claiming they were infamous D.B. Cooper, who, just in case you don't know, in 1971 hijacked a plane and successfully extorted $200,000 in ransom. He then jumped out the back of the plane in a parachute, never to be seen again. Through the decades of course, various theories and suspects were developed but never panned out. To make matters more confusing, a very small portion of the money was found in a river bed but one that doesn't fall into the landing area, that's assuming he survived. 

This movie is about one of those guys that came forward and like all the others always had at least one significant flaw in their story. In this case, the guy that came forward would have been age 19 at the time of the hijacking but every single witness involved and that was on the plane said he was in his forties. Nonetheless, it makes interesting fodder for true crime enthusiasts but that's when it's produced properly and unfortunately everything about this is bad. A one-star receiver by all, two very old words I haven't heard used in a long time sum this movie up - gosh and droll. 

When even DB Cooper fans can't get into the flick, you know you got El Stinko. Now, if you want to check it out, the good news is it's streaming free on just about every platform you can name. This is one of those times though you understand why. Do yourself a favor and watch The Pursuit Of DB Cooper (1981) instead especially since Treat Williams just passed and he's great in it.   0.5 stars/5

UNDERRATED WOODY ALLEN - A SHADOWY TOWN IS HIDING FROM A SERIAL KILLER IN THEIR MIDST IN "SHADOWS & FOG" (1991,) ALLEN'S HOMAGE TO GERMAN EXPRESSIONISTS

 
(Trailer below) - A movie that really is like the black sheep or one of the black sheep in his catalog. And perhaps the most underappreciated film of his, one based funny enough on a one-act play that Allen wrote called Death. Knowing this is a bit of a key to opening up the movie as it's pace and tone is meandering and yet expansive but lives and stays in it's own world without coming to any conclusion. 

This world basically consists of a shadowy town made up of narrow brick streets, run-down buildings, tents, circus performers and even a local brothel, which, plays a unusual but perfect centerpiece for a lot of the film's characters. This is a big cast with some incredible names. John Cusack is perhaps as best as I've ever seen him. A scene between John Malkovich and Madonna is simply exquisite. 

Less heavy on comedic lines and more heavy on philosophy. There are undertones of book of Job from the Bible.. Shadows & Fog is certainly not without it's laughs but Allen is looking more to immerse us in this shadowy world he has created. It's one of the only black-and-white films I know of that I couldn't imagine in anything else but black-and-white. Filmed on a 26,000 sq ft soundstage, the biggest in New York at the time. 

This one also has one of my all-time favorite closing lines in an Allen movie. Armsted The Magician (played by the brilliant Kenneth Mars in one of his last outings) is asked by another character if people love his illusions and the magician responds, "Love them? They need them, like they need the air," he says with a flourish.  

Shadows & Fog is currently streaming free on Tubi. 3.25 stars/5

B-MOVIE OBSCURITIES DOUBLE-FEATURE : "IT!" (1967) & "I SAILED TO TAHITI WITH AN ALL-GIRL CREW" (1968) w/ links you can watch right now

 

Roddy McDowell, just a year or so ahead of Planet Of The Apes fame, stars in this British low-budget horror flick about a museum curator who takes possession of a rather unique statue. A must-see for any B-movie or horror fan. 2.75 stars/2.75

LINK TO DAILYMOTION FULL MOVIE

This used to show a lot on Channels 52 and 56 in Los Angeles during the eighties. It's a super campy screwball comedy about two guys who make a boating bet - can one win with an "all-girl crew?" You'll have to watch it to find the answer. Great late 60's fashion and music.  2.75 stars/2.75