This film begins with a divorced mother of five by the name of "Mrs. Crandell" (Concetta Tomei) advising her children to be on their best behavior while she goes on vacation with her boyfriend to Australia. At first, all of the children believe that they will be left on their own, but they are quickly surprised when an old lady by the name "Mrs. Sturak" (Eda Reiss Merin) shows up and announces that she is their new babysitter. But their initial surprise soon turns to complete shock when they realize just how strict Mrs. Sturak can be. That is, until they find that Mrs. Sturak has died during the night of a heart attack, and that they are now free to do whatever they please. At least, they are free until the money runs out--which turns out to be much sooner than they expect. So, in desperation, they all turn to their oldest sister, "Sue Ellen Crandell" (Christina Applegate) to get a job before they starve to death. What neither they nor Sue Ellen realize, however, is just how difficult life can be in the real world. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a rather uneven film which started off slow and only got entertaining about halfway through when the focus centered primarily on Christina Applegate as she basically carried this film all by herself. At least, that is how it seemed to me. Be that as it may, while I certainly don't consider this to be a great comedy by any means, I suppose it passed the time well enough, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.
Reviews
3,692 Reviews
Darkness of Man
(2024)
Limited by Poor Direction and a Lack of Realism
30 May 2024
After an informant by the name of "Esther" (Chika Kanamoto) dies while in protective custody, the Interpol agent responsible for her safety named "Russell Hatch" (Jean-Claude Van Damme) takes it upon himself to fulfil a promise he made to her to protect her son "Jayden" (Emerson Min) from the bad elements that surround him. The problem, however, is that Jayden lives with his Korean relatives who are involved in the illegal drug trade and the Russian mob is doing everything it can to muscle in on their territory. To that effect, Russell has to try to calmly navigate between these two groups in order to keep things peaceful, while at the same time, Jayden's uncle "Dae Hun" (Peter Jae) is doing his best to stir things up. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, although the plot had definite possibilities, the overall direction left much to be desired. For starters, I didn't especially care for the narration provided by Jean-Claude Van Damme as it detracted from the movie rather than actually enhancing the overall effect. Likewise, having the main character sustain so many serious injuries within a limited span of time, only to engage in repeated fights to the death not long afterward, really strained all sense of reality. Only in Hollywood. Be that as it may, while I don't consider this to be a terribly bad film necessarily, it didn't quite realize its true potential, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly below average.
The Purple Vigilantes
(1938)
The Three Mesquiteers Versus the Purple Vigilantes
29 May 2024
This film essentially begins in the small town of Trails End with an influential man named "David Ross" (Earl Dwire) gathering some local citizens to form a vigilante group with the intention of chasing out some of the less desirable people who have been causing problems. To aid in this project, David calls upon the Three Mesquiteers to help him out. Sure enough, the plan works out and the town quickly returns to normal. Unfortunately, having seen how powerful a vigilante gang can be, one particularly unscrupulous individual decides to take it a step further and use the idea to extort innocent people of their livelihoods--and then shift the blame to David Ross for ulterior purposes. Even worse, in order to protect his reputation, the Three Mesquiteers only make things that much worse. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a solid addition to the Three Mesquiteer series which focused a bit more heavily on "Stony Brooke" (Robert Livingstone) than his other two comrades. And that's fine. In any case, while this certainly wasn't the best in the series, it passed the time well enough, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.
Amityville: Mt. Misery Rd.
(2018)
Not Ready for Prime Time
28 May 2024
This film essentially begins with a self-professed ghost enthusiast in Florida by the name of "Charlie" (Chuck Morrongiello) receiving a letter from a good friend with pictures of some strange paranormal orbs found alongside an abandoned path known as Mt. Misery Road in Long Island, New York. Quite excited about this discovery, Charlie immediately shows the picture to his attractive girlfriend "Buzi" (Karolina Morrongiello) who is equally intrigued and together they decide to travel Long Island to check it out. Prior to going, however, they visit a local bar and, while there they come across a stranger who advises them to stay away from Mt. Misery Road at all costs. Oblivious to his warnings, they catch the morning flight out anyway. The next morning, they visit a local historian who also warns them not to go. Yet in spite of these warnings, they remain unconvinced and visit the haunted area all the same. What they don't realize, however, is what awaits them once they finally arrive. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this would have been a fine. Low-budget, do-it-yourself home video which would have certainly won high marks as a college or film school project. It does not, unfortunately, meet the high standards normally required for a movie of this sort, and I have rated it accordingly.
Sorority Party Massacre
(2012)
A Horror-Comedy Lacking Both Horror and Comedy
27 May 2024
This film begins with an attractive college student by the name of "Holly Fanning" (Casey Fitzgerald) getting lost while driving to a small lakeside town in California where she hopes to participate in a sorority contest. Unfortunately for her, while trying to ask for help at a remote house, she encounters a serial killer who murdering his victims in unique and horrible ways. The scene then shifts to Los Angeles with Holly's father, "Captain Dan Fanning" (Kevin Sorbo) of the Los Angeles Police Department, asking one of his agents named "Detective William Watts" (Thomas Downey) to go to that small lakeside town to investigate his daughter's disappearance. Upon getting there, however, Detective Watts soon realizes that, not only is the local constable "Sheriff Barney P. Lumpkin" (Ed O'Ross) totally incompetent, but that a serial killer has been operating there for years without anybody even noticing it. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, although this movie started off reasonably well, it started to unravel about halfway through--and then completely fell apart at the end. To that effect, if it was intended to be a comedy, it wasn't funny. Conversely, if it was intended to be a horror film, it lacked any real horror as well. That being said, I consider this to be one of those films that could have been better with competent direction but, failing that, I have to rated it accordingly. Below average.
The Criminal Code
(1930)
A Good Prison Film in Spite of Its Age
26 May 2024
This film essentially begins with a young man by the name of "Robert Graham" (Phillips Holmes) being arrested for a drunken brawl that occurred at a local nightclub which ends up with the victim of the assault being killed. Although he didn't provoke the fight nor intended an serious harm to the victim, Robert is tried and sentenced to 10 years in prison all the same. To that effect, several years pass by with Robert more and more affected by his miserable circumstances. Then one day, to his surprise, the district attorney responsible for his prison sentence named "Mark Brady" (Walter Huston) is assigned as the new warden--and coming with him is his daughter "Mary Brady" (Constance Cummings) who quickly Robert's only ray of sunshine. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this turned out to be a pretty good prison film--in spite of its age. I especially liked the way film captured the harsh prison environment without getting too coarse or vulgar in the process. Likewise, I also liked the performances of both Boris Karloff (as Robert's cellmate "Galloway") and, to a lesser extent Otto Hoffman ("Jim Fales) as well. Be that as it may, while I freely admit that this film is quite old, I still enjoyed it quite a bit, and I have rated it accordingly. Above average.
The Lady Hermit
(1971)
An Old-Style Martial Arts Film
25 May 2024
This film essentially begins with a young woman by the name of "Cui Ping" (Szu Shih) walking into a small village to inquire about the location of a legendary martial arts master known only as the Lady Hermit. While there she notices a man being robbed of his valuables and immediately takes action to stop it. Although somewhat disappointed in not being able to find who she is looking for, she eventually takes up temporary residence at the local school of martial arts where she meets two particular people who live there as well. The first is a young man named "Wu Chang Chun" (Lieh Lo) who seems to be quite friendly. The second is a woman by the name of "Shang Yu-ling" (Pei-Pei Cheng) who works there as a maid. The next morning, having heard that the Lady Hermit might be at a temple in the next town, Cui Ping decides to check it out. When she gets there, however, she discovers that the people claiming to work for the Lady Hermit are part of an extortion scheme which the local villagers pay out of fear of being killed. Puzzled by this, she tells Shang Yu-ling who suggests that perhaps the name of the Lady Hermit has been misappropriated and she isn't really there at all. So, with that in mind, both Cui Ping and Wu Chang Chun decide to go there that night to investigate even further. But this time, she encounters disciples of an evil man known as the "Black Demon" (Hsieh Wang) who Cui Ping has sworn to kill upon sight. To that effect, a fight soon breaks out with both Cui Ping and Wu Chang Chun badly outnumbered. Fortunately for them, the real Lady Hermit-who is none other than Shang Yu-ling-- arrives and saves them both. The problem, however, is that the Black Demon also knows where his main nemesis now lives, and he is determined to kill the Lady Hermit at all costs. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an entertaining martial arts film which benefited from a decent plot and lots of action. Admittedly, although I would have preferred a bit more focus on the overall plot at times, I still found this to be an entertaining martial arts film, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.
17 Again
(2009)
A Man Given the Opportunity to Relive His High School Glory Days
24 May 2024
This film begins with a high school basketball star named "Mike O'Donnell" (Zac Efron) being told by his girlfriend "Scarlet Porter" (Allison Miller) that she is pregnant. To that effect, he puts everything aside to start a family life. Eighteen years later, Mike (now played by Matthew Perry) has become quite bitter--so much so that Scarlett (now played by Leslie Mann) has taken all she can stand and has filed for divorce. Understandably distraught by this news, Mike is subsequently compelled to move in with his wealthy--but exceedingly eccentric--friend "Ned Gold" (Thomas Lennon) prior to everything being finalized. Not long afterward, however, after trying to save a person from committing suicide, Mike is magically transformed into his 17-year-old self--and is allowed to essentially take up where he left off so many years earlier. The problem, however, is that upon registering at his old high school, he discovers that his teenage son and daughter need a father figure present in their lives--before it's too late and their lives are completely ruined. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, despite the fact that there are a number of films with a similar plot, this turned out to be a rather good picture all the same. I especially liked the performance of Thomas Lennon who had a couple of scenes that were absolutely hilarious. Admittedly, there were a few scenes that could have used a bit more comedy here and there, but even so, I still enjoyed this movie for the most part, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.
Black Swarm
(2007 TV Movie)
Ruined by Too Many Subplots
23 May 2024
This film essentially begins with a relatively young widow by the name of "Jane Kozik" (Sarah Allen) returning to her old home town of Black Stone, New York, after being gone for almost 10 years. Also with her is her daughter "Kelsey Kozik" (Rebecca Windheim) who has never lived there but, having been raised in New York City, is somewhat curious what life in a small town is like. For her part, Jane has mixed feelings about returning but, since she works in law enforcement, feels that this is the best place for her. The scene then shifts to a man by the name of "Devin Hall" (Sebastian Roberts) who works as an exterminator in Black Stone and has recently been informed about a strange new type of wasp which has suddenly migrated into the town and has caused the death of at least one of its citizens. Although he is not overly alarmed at first, he soon begins to realize that this new wasp is much more dangerous than anything he has ever encountered before. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, although this film certainly had potential, it soon became rather difficult to watch due to the number of unnecessary subplots all along the way. Perhaps if the director (David Winning) had focused more heavily on the wasp-riddled zombies--or possibly just the swarms of wasps attacking everyone--the film could have been salvaged. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and I have rated this movie accordingly. Below average.
Wild Horse Rodeo
(1937)
A Solid Entry into the "Three Mesquiteers" Series
22 May 2024
This film essentially begins with a cowboy by the name of "Stony Brooke" (Robert Livingston) receiving a telegram from his good friend "Tucson Smith" (Ray Corrigan) that a wild range fire has devastated the grassland on their ranch. So, in desperate need of money to help feed their cattle, Stony persuades a traveling rodeo investor to advance him $1000 in exchange for his promise to capture a wild stallion named "Cyclone" which has captured everyone's imagination. Unfortunately, rather than being supportive of this news, Tucson expresses his concern due to the fact a young lady he's attracted to named "Alice Hartley" (June Martel) has expressed a great fondness for the wild horse and doesn't want him captured. To make matters even worse, once she meets Stony, Alice falls in love with him instead of Tucson. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a rather solid entry into the "Three Mesquiteers" series due in large part to the romantic angle within the overall plot. Likewise, if one pays close attention, they will notice that Roy Rogers makes a brief appearance in a singing role as well. Be that as it may, while I don't necessarily consider this to be a great Western by any means, it was certainly not inferior to most of the other films in this series, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.
The Amityville Murders
(2018)
A Remake of the 1982 Prequel
21 May 2024
This film essentially begins a couple of weeks before a young man named "Ronald 'Butch' DeFeo Jr." (played by John Robinson) kills his parents and all four siblings with a rifle he claims was given to him by an evil entity within the house in Amityville, New York. Just prior to the killings, the film incorporates a number of scenes in which Butch DeFeo's father "Ronnie DeFeo Sr." (Paul Ben-Victor) physically abuses his son on a number of occasions. And it's primarily for this reason that Butch becomes heavily involved in drugs--which further hastens his mental and emotional decline into complete insanity. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this film is basically a remake of the prequel known as "Amityville II-The Possession" produced back in 1982. Unlike that movie, however, this film doesn't quite have the same creepy atmosphere due to the primary focus being on drug abuse over that of an evil presence within the house. Having said that, while this film is definitely better than a number of others in this series, I don't consider it to be on the same level as the 1982 film, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly below average.
Spring Break Massacre
(2008 Video)
When Delivering Pizza Doesn't Pay
20 May 2024
Framed for a murder he didn't commit, "Stanley Peterson" (Curtis Taylor) is tried and sentenced to 15 years in prison while the real murderer escapes justice. Nine years later, Stanley escapes from prison with the help of an unidentified killer and is rumored to be heading back to the same small town in Illinois where he supposedly committed his crime. Meanwhile, several young ladies in that same town decide to celebrate their first day of Spring Break by having a slumber party at the home of their friend "Heather Kilbourne" (Sarah Minnich). Needless to say, their boyfriends don't like the idea of being left alone, so they decide to play a prank on them late at night--and that's when the killings begin. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this particularly movie didn't offer anything that was really new or terribly exciting, as the overall plot has been done more than a few times in the past. And while it does feature several attractive female actresses like Leann Van Mol (as 'Tara"), Aly Hartman ("Zoe"), Renee Darmiento ("Laurie") and the aforementioned Sarah Minnich, none of them were given much of a script to really demonstrate their abilities. But then, that's rather typical of movies of this sort anyway. What really made matters worse, however, was the low-budget nature of the film which permeated everything from start-to-finish. That being said, while I don't consider this to be the worst film of its type, it still left much to be desired, and I have rated it accordingly. Below average.
Torn Between Two Lovers
(1979 TV Movie)
A Woman in Love with Two Different Men
19 May 2024
Based on the 1979 song by the same name, a married woman by the name of "Diana Conti" (Lee Remick) becomes anxious to learn that her flight from New York to Chicago has been cancelled due to bad weather and she is stuck at the airport until the weather improves. While there she meets a kind stranger named "Paul Rasmussen" (George Peppard) who escorts her to the VIP lounge where she is not only able to use the telephone to call her husband but is also made much more comfortable while the two of them wait for the weather to clear. Although the two become quite attracted to one another, they eventually part ways without any romantic entanglements for her to regret. Things change, however, when she meets Paul again in Chicago--and the deeper in love she falls with him, the more she realizes that she will eventually have to make a choice between him and her husband "Ted Conti" (Joseph Bologna). Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that I remember the song by Mary MacGregor when it first came out, but I had no idea a movie had been made based upon it until very recently. That being said, like most movies based on songs, I didn't expect too much from this film. Surprisingly, it wasn't too bad due in large part to the solid acting of both Lee Remick and George Peppard who played their roles quite well. Likewise, having an attractive actress like the aforementioned Lee Remick certainly didn't hurt the rather drab scenery either. Be that as it may, while certainly not a great romantic drama by any means, I suppose it passed the time well enough, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.
Dragon Inn
(1967)
An Action Film with Lots of Sword Fighting and Martial Arts
18 May 2024
This film takes place during the Ming Dynasty with a powerful government official named "Cao" (Bai Ying) in the act of executing one of his main rivals so that he can secure even more power for himself. Having accomplished that, he then orders his elite agents to track down and kill his rival's two children as well. Fortunately, once word of the order is leaked, a small number of soldiers loyal to their previous master take the two children and flee on foot into the desert to escape those in hot pursuit. Upon then being apprised of this development, Cao subsequently orders some of his men to outflank them on horseback to a tavern known as the Dragon Inn. Once there, however, the agents at the Dragon Inn are surprised when a swordsman named "Xiao Shaozi" (Chun Shih) suddenly arrives and creates problems for all of them. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this is one of those movies which features quite a bit of sword fighting and martial arts--which should please viewers who enjoy action films of this sort. And while I would have preferred a movie with a bit more drama and suspense, I thought it passed the time well enough, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.
Vice Versa
(1988)
An Entertaining "Soul Transference" Comedy
17 May 2024
This film begins in Thailand with a department store executive by the name of "Marshall" (Judge Reinhold) and a female colleague named "Sam" (Corinne Bohrer) looking for exotic items that they can possibly sell for a profit back in the United States. To that effect, Marshall finds a porcelain vase and proceeds to buy over a hundred of them in the expectation that their markup price will yield a huge profit. Meanwhile, some smugglers have managed to illegally acquire a rare and extremely valuable skull-shaped religious object which, on the black market, would be worth a fortune. It's during this time that one of the smugglers named "Turk" (David Proval) learns that Marshall has been preapproved to have his vase sent through customs and, being the crafty person that he is, Turk substitutes the valuable religious device for the vase so that they both objects make it into the United States without any problem. Then, once in the United States, Turk's boss "Tina" (Swoosie Kurtz) calls Marshall and arranges to give him the vase for the religious object. As expected, Marshall readily agrees as he needs the vase to show to his supervisor "Avery" (William Prince) at the next board meeting. Unfortunately, not long after talking to Tina, Marshall and his preteen son "Charlie" (Fred Savage) get into a heated argument and accidentally energize the exotic object which transfers their identities from one to another--and this is just the beginning of their problems. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that I found this to be one of the better comedies involving soul transference with both Judge Reinhold and Fred Savage putting in rather solid performances. Slightly better, in my opinion, than the film "Like Father, Like Son" which was produced a year before. In any case, while I don't consider this to be an outstanding comedy by any means, it was a pleasant way to spend 90 minutes or so, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.
Naked Cannibal Campers
(2020)
Plagued by Extremely Poor Special Effects
16 May 2024
This film begins with a young woman named "Jen" (Jill Whitlow) running as fast as she can through the woods of Florida trying to escape from a deranged killer who just stabbed her "boyfriend" (played by Jason Henne) in the chest. To her relief, she just happens to come upon a cabin where three young women named "Sukie" (Sushii Xhyvette Holder), "Luna" (Sith Jade) and "Minerva" (Veronica Raine) live and immediately tells them what just happened. However, rather than being alarmed by this news, the three women turn out to be witches who live to devour everyone they come into contact with--and she is their next meal. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was one of those ultra-low-budget films which most suffered from the usual problems with productions of this sort. Interestingly enough, although much of the acting was rather bad, the three witches made up for it, to a certain extent, by clearly giving their all for this film. That is to say, they left nothing to the imagination. Additionally, unlike so many other low-budget movies of this type, there was no shaky camera footage. The real problem, however, was with the special effects--which were so bad that it would have probably been best to simply leave most of them out. But that is just my opinion. In any case, while I certainly don't consider this to be a good movie by any means, I have to respect the efforts of the three main actresses just mentioned, and I have rated it slightly higher than it probably deserves.
The Trigger Trio
(1937)
The Three Mesquiteers Minus One
15 May 2024
This film essentially begins with the news that several cows have been infected with the deadly hoof and mouth disease. Recognizing that this disease could easily kill all of the cattle in the area, "Tucson Smith" (Ray Corrigan) is temporarily appointed to help quarantine that area to prevent any horses or cattle from entering or leaving. To that end, even though his old "Three Mesquiteer" colleague named "Stony Brooke" (typically played by Bob Livingston) is temporarily unavailable, his other friend by the name of "Lullaby Joslin" (Max Terhune) remains by his side to help out. In addition to that, Tucson's younger brother "Larry Smith" (Ralph Byrd) is there to assist him as well. The problem, however, is that one particularly selfish rancher named "Tom Brent" (Cornelius Keefe) has a number of cattle currently infected with this disease and, rather than suffering a financial loss by having to destroy his entire herd, is secretly trying to move his cattle to market--regardless of whether his actions could affect anyone else. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an okay film which was lessened, to a certain degree, by the rather short running time of about 55 minutes. To that effect, some of the characters just weren't developed enough. Even so, this movie kept my attention for the most part, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.
Against the Night
(2017)
No Real Connection to the Amityville Series
14 May 2024
This film essentially begins with a young man by the name of "Hank" (Luke Persiani) persuading some of his friends to enter an abandoned prison not too far from where they live in order to capture everything on film. Although none of them are particular interested into going into a prison that is supposedly haunted, they reluctantly agree after Hank offers each of them $200 for their cooperation. And to further embellish the feel necessary for a film of this sort, Hank has secretly devised a few gimmicks to get them in the proper mindset. What neither he nor any of his friends realize, however, is that there is indeed something sinister residing in this prison and that all of their lives are in great jeopardy. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, even though the film certainly had the right setting and started off well enough, the lack of a coherent plot and sufficient character development really affected the overall movie to a significant degree. Likewise, the movie could have used a bit more suspense to heighten the horror aspects as well. Not only that, but to make matters even worse, in an apparent attempt to attract more audiences, the decision was made to slap the word "Amityville" on the title of a subsequent release--even though this movie had absolutely no connection to any of the films in that particular series. At least, there was no connection that I could discern. Be that as it may, although this film definitely had some possibilities, the faults just mentioned were much too obvious to be ignored, and I have rated it accordingly. Below average.
Die Die Delta Pi
(2013)
A Low-Budget Slasher Film
13 May 2024
This film begins in 1986 with a sorority known as Delta Pi having their usual initiation before the new school season begins. Ignoring the fact that a serial killer is reported to be on the loose, the sisters of Delta Pi decide to have their annual bonfire outside and use this opportunity to play a prank on one particular student named "Marissa Chambers" (Olivia Blake). Unfortunately, something goes wrong, and Marissa is left horribly burned in the process. Meanwhile, the serial killer is also quite busy with several murders back on campus. The scene then shifts to the present day with one particular college student named "Diana Parker" (Kristin Avery) seeking to pledge to the Delta Pi sorority. Since her mother "Donna Parker" (Andrea Alfonso) was a former member 27 years earlier, this makes it easier for her to join. However, what Diana doesn't know is that her mother was there when Marissa was injured and, upon seeking to join the sorority, the killings start happening all over again. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was clearly a low-budget production and it suffered from the usual limitations as a result. The acting was generally weak, and the special effects could have used some improvement as well. Likewise, some of the camera angles weren't that good either. In short, this was a cheap slasher film which could have been better with sufficient financing. However, since that clearly wasn't the case, I have to rate this movie accordingly. Below average.
Rock Rock Rock!
(1956)
Features an Attractive Actress and a Lot of Really Bad Music
12 May 2024
This film essentially begins with a teenager named "Dori" (Tuesday Weld) talking to her best friend "Arabella" (Fran Manfred) about the upcoming prom. It's at this time that Arabella warns Dori about a new student named "Gloria" (Jacqueline Kerr) who appears to have an interest in Dori's boyfriend "Tommy" (Teddy Randazzo). Not long after this conversation Dori discovers exactly what Arabella was talking about as Gloria soon tries to come between her and Tommy every chance she gets--and things get worse with each passing day. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that I didn't particularly care for this movie due in large part to the sheer number of songs (21 more or less) included in this film. Making matters even worse was the fact that so many of these songs were just downright awful. Likewise, some really bad lip-syncing during some of these songs didn't help things either. That said, although having an attractive actress like Tuesday Weld certainly helped, her presence wasn't nearly enough to make this film even remotely entertaining, and I have rated it accordingly. Below average.
Ox-Head Village
(2022)
The Final Film in the "Village of Terror" Trilogy
11 May 2024
This film essentially begins with three teenage girls named "Akina" (Rinka Otani), "Mizuki" (Riko) and "Shion" (Koki) livestreaming a visit to a supposedly haunted building in a rural part of the Hokuriku region of Japan. Once there, both Akina and Mizuki play a trick on Shion by putting an ox mask on her and then pushing her into an elevator in that building. Having not been used in quite some time, the elevator plummets to the bottom floor and Shion is never seen again. And from that point on, neither are the other two girls. The scene then shifts to a teenage boy named "Ren" (Riku Hagiwara) showing a high school girl by the name of "Kanon" (also played by Kiku) a video of the three other girls with the one named Shion bearing a strong resemblance to Kanon. Intrigued by this, both Ren and Kanon decide to travel to that exact same area to check it out. What neither of them count on, however, is the horror that waits for them the closer they get to their destination. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was the final film in the "Village of Terror" trilogy with the only connection being the director (Takashii Shimizu). At least, that's the only similarity I could find. Be that as it may, although the acting was sufficient for the most part, I thought that the horror was somewhat diluted due to the rather slow unfolding of events. Likewise, the ending seemed a bit too cliched and could have used some improvement as well. That being said, while I certainly don't consider this to be a bad horror film by any means, it wasn't quite as horrific as it should have been, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly below average.
Big
(1988)
A Good Performance by Tom Hanks
10 May 2024
Frustrated over his size, a 12-year-old boy named "Josh Baskin" (David Moscow) deposits a quarter into a fortune-telling machine at a local traveling carnival and wishes that he wasn't so small. The next morning, he wakes up from his bed and is alarmed to discover that he now occupies an adult-sized body. Making matters even worse, upon going downstairs, his mother "Mrs. Baskin" (Mercedes Ruehl) not only doesn't recognize him--but chases him out of the house as well. So, not knowing what else to do, he seeks out his best friend named "Billy" (Jared Rushton) for advice on how to handle his predicament. Sure enough, being the good friend that he is, Billy helps him get a hotel room in nearby New York City and offers to see him every day after school to think of ways to locate the exact machine that did this to him. In the meantime, however, the adult "Josh Baskin" (now played by Tom Hanks) finds employment at a local toy manufacturer which desperately needs a young boy's point-of-view. And it's during this time that he meets a young female executive named "Susan" (Elizabeth Perkins) who become enamored with his simplistic charm. What she doesn't realize, of course, is that underneath his adult frame is a young boy who just wants to have fun. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that I initially saw this movie when it first came out and still found it to be enjoyable some 36 years later. I especially enjoyed the acting of Tom Hanks who performed his part to near perfection. Likewise, both Robert Loggia (as Josh's employer "MacMillan") and the aforementioned Elizabeth Perkins also performed quite well. Having said that, I recommend this film for viewers looking for a comedy of this sort, and I have rated it accordingly. Above average.
Vendetta
(I) (2022)
Lacked Realism
9 May 2024
This film essentially begins with a former Marine by the name of "William Duncan" (Clive Standen) picking up his 16-year-old daughter "Kat Duncan" (Maddie Nichols) after a softball game and heading to a local Mexican restaurant to grab some food on the way home. The scene then shifts to a young man named "Danny Fetter" (Cabot Basden) looking forward to joining the criminal organization his father "Donnie Fetter" (Bruce Willis) had ruthlessly created. To do that, however, he has to prove his worth by passing an initiation test. So, after being given a pistol, Danny is told to accompany his older brother "Rory Fetter" (Theo Rossi) to a general location and murder the first person they see. And as fate would have it, the first person they see is Kat Duncan sitting in a car waiting for her father to return from the restaurant. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this film started off reasonably well but gradually became more and more unrealistic the longer it ran. Incredibly unrealistic. That being said, while I can certainly enjoy a good action film every now and then, this one was just a bit too much to take, and I have rated it accordingly. Below average.
Heart of the Rockies
(1937)
A Vicious Mountaineer Clan vs. the Three Mesquiteers
8 May 2024
After discovering that several head of cattle have gone missing, the Three Mesquiteers hire some members of a mountaineer family to rid the surrounding area of bears which they believe are responsible. What they don't realize is that the man they hired named "Big Ed Dawson" (J. P. McGowan) was actually the one who was rustling their cattle and--now that he has carte blanche to use their land to hunt for these bears--feels free to rustle even more from their herd. Compounding the problem even more is the fact that some local rangers have become suspicious that the Three Mesquiteers might be hunting these bears on federal property and, rather than showing any concern about their missing cattle, are waiting for the first opportunity to arrest them instead. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an okay grade-B Western which pretty much mirrored all of the other films in the Three Mesquiteers series in that none of them are necessarily that exceptional--but none of them are that bad either. That being said, I feel safe in recommending this movie for viewers who enjoy old-time Westerns of this sort, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.
Amityville: The Awakening
(2017)
An Improvement Over Some of the Films Trying to Capitalize on the Amityville Mystique
7 May 2024
This film begins with a middle-aged woman by the name of "Joan Walker" (Jennifer Jason Leigh) driving her two daughters "Belle Walker" (Bella Thorne) and "Juliet Walker" (McKenna Grace) to their new home in Amityville, New York. Following closely behind is an ambulance carrying her comatose teenage son "James Walker" (Cameron Monaghan) who Joan refuses to take off of life support even though he has been declared braindead. Yet even though James and Belle are twins, Belle doesn't particularly agree with her mother's decision because all of the scientific evidence suggests that he will never regain consciousness. However, it isn't until James actually shows improvement that she really begins to worry. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that there have been a number of films produced which have sought to capitalize on the "Amityville" mystique with this one probably being the best since "The Unspoken" produced in 2015. Of course, that isn't saying much since all of the films in between haven't been particularly good. Quite frankly, I would say that, for the most part, they have been rather dreadful. But that's just my opinion. Be that as it may, this film features some good acting, a creepy atmosphere and some good jump scares here and there which kept things interesting. Where it falters, to some degree, is with the lack of horrific intensity one might expect from a haunted house scenario. That being said, while I don't consider this to be an outstanding horror film by any means, I suppose it passed the time well enough, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.
Tell Your Friends