B-MOVIE OF THE MONTH - DEAD END (2003)

Made for less than a million dollars, the slightly obscure Dead End is a chilling little indie you don't want to miss. It might just be the best Christmas horror movie no one ever heard of and every dollar is up there on the screen. It's quirky, weird, funny, bizarre, and scary all at once. Black comedy for sure but much more, this would make a nice double feature with The Perfect Host, another movie we're big on around here. So, grab some eggnog and a snack or two and check out the inimitable Ray Wise with legendary Lin Shaye as they take their family down a wrong turn, what's up with this road? Why doesn't it end? After all, they're just trying to make it to Christmas Eve dessert at Frank's mother's house. Tubi, Plex, Freevee, enjoy! 2.75 stars/2.75

Saturday, September 7, 2024

ANDREW MCCARTHY, GOATEE INCLUDED, HAS THE MOB'S MONEY IN MARK L LESTER'S "NIGHT OF THE RUNNING MAN" (1995)

 

Adapted from a novel, this mid-90's crime thriller by Mark L Lester has some teeth and then some. McCarthy plays a cabbie who finds a bunch of loot and foolishly decides to run from the mob. Nothing new here plot-wise, right, but put it in the hands of Mark L Lester and he's going to make something cool out of it. 

Even though Scott Glenn is top billed, this is really an Andrew McCarthy flick as I see it, he's the protagonist and in most scenes. Lester's never really been an actor's director and all of the performances here are in line with his other films, just adequate. The emphasis is on the action and the kills. 

Lester always seems to come up with interestingly gory kills (Class Of 84 is full of them) and there's a scene here with my man John Glover, oh he's so good at playing those bad boys. In an effort to get the cabbie to tell where the money is hid - well let's just say you'll never look at a spaghetti pot the same way again.

After an HBO debut in January 1995, Running Man went straight-to-video. It was Lester's first film with his own company calling all the shots. An effective thriller worth at least one watch and fortunately for us has Lester's creative stamp all over it. 

Streams on Tubi & Roku.  2.75 stars/2.75

Mark L Lester

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